*Mention of cuts!*

*Paper's P.O.V*

I open my eyes and sit up from my bed. I let out a long yawn, I'm kinda tired. I take a look to my right to see OJ still asleep. I smile, 'Cute', I think to myself. I blush at that sudden thought.

Why am I thinking like this!? I mean, I know I'm gay, I've known that since highschool. But... Having these thoughts about OJ, my BEST FRIEND of all people?!

Best friend... My smile turned into a small frown. Why did saying that OJ was my best friend hurt? I don't like him like that.... do I?

I shake my head. Now is not the time to question my relationship with OJ or have a gay attack about OJ and his cute little snores and-

I shake my head again.... Ugh, I need to stop thinking right now before I die of my own embarrassment. I get from bed and head to the restroom to freshen up. I take a look at my face and see that I'm still a little red.

I splash water on myself to calm my gay face. I don't curse, so don't judge or tempt me. I style my hair into a nice low ponytail. 

Feeling better, I leave the restroom and head back to the room. I need to begin making breakfast for the residents here. So, I put on some casual clothing and make my way down to the kitchen. Me, OJ and a few others live on the 2nd floor, so it doesn't take long to get to the first floor with the stairs.

I make to the kitchen and put on a nice light blue apron and grab waffle/pancake mix, water, eggs, milk, butter, and bacon to prep and cook. A nice simple pancake and egg breakfast sounds nice. I begin making the pancake batter.

I make a small mess making the batter, but it's fine, I'll clean it after I'm done with everything. I grab a skillet to start cooking the pancakes. I let the pan heat up and prep the eggs. Making them scrambled since it's the simplest to make. I put butter on the skillet and poured some batter on it.

As the 1st pancake cooks, I'm making the scrambled eggs on a second pan. Multitasking people! The pancake gets flipped so the other side can cook, the eggs are looking great as well. It takes a good while, but I eventually made enough pancakes and finished making the eggs. I put them aside on a plate and start on the bacon.

The bacon is sizzling nicely as I hear somebody come in. I turn my head and I see.... Balloon? Huh, didn't know he wakes up this early... Might as well start some small talk!

I don't care if OJ thinks Balloon is untrustworthy. Something was clearly wrong with Balloon and I'm going to try and help! Balloon is still a guest in the hotel, and it's my duty to-

Hold that thought...I smell slight burning...

OH CRUD! THE BACON!!!

*Balloon's P.O.V*

I woke up at 11 pm yesterday and COULD NOT fall back asleep. Needless to say, I'm pretty fucking tired. I was walking to the kitchen and smelled food.

Someone was in there, and it was Paper. I hope he didn't see me... I'm just going to grab a bowl of dry ceral. I feel eyes some eyes on me...

I glance behind me and saw Paper looking at me, damn it. I try not to look at him when I smelt burning. Oh, Paper almost burnt some bacon, that's kinda funny.

I silently giggled as Paper paniked to get the bacon off the skillet before they were completely burned. I went ahead and poured the cereal I had in my hand into a foam bowl. 

"Phew... That was close", I heard Paper mutter to himself.

I grabbed some more chips and small snacks from the pantry as I put up the box of cereal. I was getting ready to leave when Paper saw me.

"Balloon? Where are you going?", Paper asked.

"Uh. U-um.... J-just, heading back to my r-room.", I lied. I was planning on going to the roof and eating my cereal there.

"Oh? Okay. But, don't you want any pancakes? They're nice and fresh!", Paper proclaimed.

"Ummm. N-no thanks P-Paper. I'm not too h-hungry right n-now.", I stuttered.

"You sure? Well, okay. Just wanted to ask.", He pondered.

I was walking out when he called out, "Hey. Um. I wanted to ask if you, maybe wanted to just talk for a bit?".

Talk? With me? Why does he want to talk with me now all of a sudden? Does he want something from me??? These thoughts plagued my mind as unwanted senarios played out in my mind.

"Balloon? Balloon!", Paper semi-yelled, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Huh!? I'm good!", I blurt out, unaware of what was happening.

"Ah! Oh. Your back! Thank goodness.", Paper sighed in relief.

"Huh? W-what do you mean?", I asked.

"I asked if we could talk and you got lost in thought. You also dropped your cereal while I was calling your name.", Paper explained.

I looked down and my cereal was indeed on the floor. Fuck, my Apple Jacks.

"Oh, c'mon...", I sighed. There goes my breakfast. Wait... I made a mess!! Shit! Paper is gonna be upset at me!

"Oh! I'm s-s-sorry!", I apologize.

"Wha? Sorry? For what?", Paper asked, confused.

"I s-spilt my cereal! I'll g-so ahead and c-clean it!", I say, rushing to get the broom and dusting pan from the broom closet.

I can feel myself shaking and breathing quickly. I try to stop as I swept up the cereal that I spilt. 

"Balloon. It's okay. You don't have to clean-", Paper started...

"B-but. But I spilt it! I-I didn't want you to get u-upset!",  I cut off, slight tears in my eyes.

"Upset? I'm not upset Balloon. I'm worried yea, but that doesn't matter right now.", Paper confessed. 

I already finished cleaning it up and threw it away before taking a shakey breath. "Y-Y-Your not u-upset?", I questioned, quietly.

"Of course not! It was an accident, that's all.", Paper said in a soft, calming tone.

I calmed down a little bit, thankfully. I looked at him, giving him a small smile. I didn't know what to say at the moment.

"So, do you wanna talk for a little bit? Nobody's awake yet.", Paper asked to break the silence.

"Um... Yea. S-sure.", I answered, uncertian in myself. "I... I was heading to the roof anyways...", I confessed to him.

"Wait. You weren't going to your room?", Paper realized.

"Haha... N-no... S-sorry I, um, lied...", I apologized, averting my gaze from Paper.

"Aw, it's okay Balloon. At least you confessed.", Paper told me.

"Though, do you want something to eat?? Since, you know, you dropped your cereal?", Paper then asked.

"Um.....", I started. I didn't want to take much... And I didn't want to eat much. "I'll grab s-some egg and m-make a t-toast. I'm not hungry really.", I then finished.

"Okay then. I'm grabbing some pancakes and eggs. I'm.... not trusting the bacon I semi-burnt", Paper claimed, non-confidiant when mentioning his 'bacon'.

I grab a piece of bread and put it in the toaster. I wait about 2 minutes before hearing the bread 'pop' out of the toaster, nice and golden brown. I get butter and butter the bread then put it on a paper plate. I get a little bit of egg as well.

Once I'm done, I see Paper waiting for me by the kitchen enterance. I follow him to the elevator, since it was a very long way up to the roof of the hotel. We get in and presses the 'F10' button; floor 10; and we stand in a akward silence, with the sound of really cliché elevator music in the background.

I'm trying to silence my mind and keep the negative thoughts at bay. I didn't want to worry Paper any more than I did already. *sigh* No matter how hard I try, the bad thoughts keep invading my mind and I'm doing my best not to stress about it.

After what seemed like FOREVER! We finally make it to the 10th floor. We walk and come to a set of stairs that leads to the rooftop. We reach the door to the rooftop and open it to reveal a very calming scene...

*No P.O.V.*

The sky was a beautiful light blue fading to a warm yellow ombre with the sun illuminating the forest that surrounded the hotel from afar.

It looked really pretty. Too pretty for the author to attempt to draw even if she wanted to. Moving passed this beautiful scenery...

Balloon and Paper sit on the ground of the roof and begin eating. Still in silence, Paper decides to break the silence.

"Hey, Balloon...", Paper began, hoping to learn some things about Balloon.

"Y-yeah?", Balloon asked, wondering what Paper would ask; hoping as well it was nothing personal.

"W-what's your favorite color?", Paper asked, using a VERY basic and over used question.

"Heh. S-seriously? Couldn't think of a b-better question?", Balloon joked, hoping to come off as casual and kind.

"What!? I couldn't think of anything else...", Paper whined, slightly second guessing his question.

"I'm t-teasing Paper... I like s-salmon. Salmon r-red to be more specific.", Balloon finally answered.

"Huh. Unusual color... I always thought you wore pink...", Paper confessed, which in his defense, the colors were VERY close to each other.

"Well, now you know that it's a salmon red color and NOT pink.", Balloon proclaimed, with slight annoyance in his voice. 

"What about you? Your favorite color since you asked me?", Balloon asked back.

"Me? Um, I-I like pink and light blue...", Paper answered, slightly embarressed about his answer.

"Pink? Oh. That's a nice color.", Balloon claimed.

"Y-You don't think it's weird for a boy to like pink??", Paper puzzling asked.

"No. Not at all! I mean, color shouldn't be gendered like that, it's stupid.", Balloon confessed to Paper. Gender norms are stupid audience! Let this be known.

"Huh. I guess you're right Balloon!", Paper responded confidently.

This little banter went on for about another 30 minutes because the author is terrible with writing talking. Being anti-social has its downsides at times in life, this being one of them.

"Hey, Balloon...", Paper started in a semi-serious voice.

"Hmm?", Balloon hummed, signaling that he heard Paper.

"Are... Are you okay?", Paper asked, somewhat in a mutter.

*Balloon's P.O.V.*

How did I know he was going to ask this? Ugh, I'll just lie to him again...

"... Yeah. I'm okay...", I lied to him.

"Are you sure?", He quesioned further.

"Yeah. You... You don't need to worry about me.", I truthfully told him.

"Not worry? Balloon. My job is to make sure everyone in this hotel is okay, you included!", Paper explained.

'If it's your job, then why haven't you ever cared about me before!?', I thought angrily at myself. 'WHY IS IT NOW THAT YOU SUDDENLY CARE ABOUT MY EXSISTANCE!?', I mentally scream.

The negative thoughts are coming back in full force. I didn't need this right now! I want them to go away! Just go-

"Balloon? Are you okay!?", Paper shouted, worried in his voice.

I snap out of my daze.

"Huh?", I questioned. Did something happen? "Y-yea! I'm-", I get cut off.

"Are you sure?! Your bleeding!", Paper exclaimed even more worried.

"Wha-?", I began before looking down at my arm...

.... Shit...

My left hand is gripping hard on my right arm... right where the cuts I made 2 days are....

And I'm bleeding.... Damn it!

"Ah! C-crap. Paper don't w-worry! I'm okay!", I exclaimed, lying yet again. It does hurt a bit, but not badly.

"You sure!? We should get you to the infirmary!", Paper said, taking my bleeding arm by accident.

"O-ow...", I whined...

"Shoot! Sorry Balloon. Didn't mean to hurt ya.", Paper apologized.

"Don't w-worry. It's f-fine.", I told him. I should probably make sure my arm doesn't bleed too much.

I grab a cloth that I keep in my sweatpants for sweat and put it on my bleeding arm, putting pressure on it so it stops it.

"Oh, good thinking! Don't want you passing out of getting the carpet all bloody!", Paper claims.

"Mmm.", I hummed back.

I'm not really thinking right now. My mind is WAY too tired to process anything right now. I'm pretty sure Paper was asking me something... I'm not sure.

Next thing I know, I'm being led downstairs to the elevator to head to the 5th floor, where the infirmary is. We have 2 infirmaries, one on the 5th floor and on the 1st floor. Not 100% sure why....

I feel the shaking of the elevator underneath me. Oh, we must be on the elevator going to the 5th floor... Man I'm tired, or am I woozy from the blood loss... it's probably both honestly, I can't think straight.

We make it and we're walking inside the infirmary now. I think we're walking in... I hear talking, sounds like Paper and... OJ???

"- why- -Balloon- -infirmary-?", OJ???? is asking Paper.

"-Balloon- -hurt- -took- -infirmary-.", Paper is telling OJ????

I'm trying my hardest to make out what their talking about, but I'm just not thinking right, my mind all mushy from lack of sleep and pain. 

I think I'm just going to go inside and patch myself up....

I walk away from Paper and OJ??? and head inside the infirmary. I look for the bandages and disinfect so I can clean my blood. I find what I need and start working on myself.

I think Paper realized I left and came inside as I was washing the blood from my arm. I hope he doesn't see my cuts.

"-Balloon- -okay-?", Paper asked, I think...

"Mmmm... f-f-fine...", I managed to get out. I finish washing the blood and grab the disinfect and a cloth.

Paper just looks at me shocked, I think, since I'm not really thinking right and I'm managing to fix my wound.

I'm not sure what happened next however....

All I remember is blackness taking over me and someone yelling out....

"BALLOON!"

*End of Chapter 4*

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Oooooo~

A cliffhanger! Fun. >:3

Thanks for reading!!!!

To be continued in chapter 5!