Takes place before III. They're objects.

Balloon was just walking around, outside the hotel. He saw Nickel, just laying there, enjoying the sun. He smiled once he saw the coin, since he, somehow, developed a crush on him. He walked up to Nickel. 

"Hey Nickel." He said with a smile.

Nickel opened his eyes, annoyed. 

"What do you want?" He asked.

"I just wanna talk." Balloon replied, sitting down next to Nickel. 

"You just want to talk? Listen, buddy, the fact we sometimes prank Yin-Yang or something doesn't make us friends all of a sudden. I still don't like you." Nickel said, sitting up.

"Nickel, I know you don't like me, but I'm trying to change."

"I know that, but you're just annoying. Your voice, your behavior, you being an absolute crybaby, you're just annoying, Balloon. That's why I don't like you. Now scram. I'm trying to relax without hearing your Mickey Mouse voice."

Balloon sighed and got up. "Alright then..."

He walked away, trying to hold in his tears. Nickel would never love him the way he loved Nickel, would he?

The next day, Balloon was talking with OJ, whom he had befriended.

"I... I just can't seem to tell him... I feel like I'm making him uncomfortable and... it's just difficult..." Balloon said.

"I understand, but you do need to understand he wants space too. You can't stalk him." OJ replied.

"I'm not stalking him, I just- I just want to be friends with him... being friends is already good enough for me..."

"Yeah, I understand that too... Maybe you could-" 

OJ suddenly got interrupted by his phone receiving a notification. OJ picked it up.

"Welp, looks I gotta help Paper at the Complaints Desk. Bye Balloon." OJ said before leaving.

"Bye OJ." Balloon replied. 

It was a few days later. Balloon was outside to talk to Suitcase. Nickel was outside to talk to Baseball.

"So you are really trying to still befriend him? He's a douche. Especially to you." Suitcase said.

"Yeah, but I love him..." Balloon replied. "It's not like he loves me back, but I'm trying to at least befriend him or even get along with him." 

"I still don't understand what you see in him, but ok..." 

The two continued talking, until they saw Baseball and Nickel.

"Ugh, and he's STILL trying to be friends with me. Why does he still want to be friends with me? Didn't I already make my point? Also, I'm not even sure how to feel about him!" Nickel said.

"Nickel, I understand how you feel, but you can't keep pushing him away. He clearly likes you ba- I mean he likes you." Baseball said.

"Yeah, I know, but he probably doesn't like me in that way, you know?"

Balloon and Suitcase approached the two. 

"Hey guys." Balloon said happily. 

Nickel groaned. Baseball smiled.

"Hey Balloon, hey Suitcase." He said. "Nickel is going through something right now..." he nodded at Nickel. 

"What's going on?" Suitcase asked. "What is he going through?"

"Nothing much." Nickel replied.

"Well, it's better to talk about your fee-"

"No one's interested in talking about feelings, Balloon. And I don't remember asking you anything." Nickel interrupted Balloon.

Suitcase decided this was the perfect time to walk away. Baseball saw she was upset and quickly followed her, leaving Balloon and Nickel alone.

"Nickel, maybe it helps to talk about it. Just know I'm here for you." 

Balloon touched Nickel's face. Nickel seemed to blush a bit, but then shook his head.

"Get your hands off me." He said, glaring.

Balloon flinched a bit. He then looked down.

"I just want you to be ok, Nickel. You may not like me, but I... I want to-"

'You want to be friends with me, yeah yeah, blah blah blah. Listen, Balloon, I'm getting sick of you trying to befriend me! Don't you understand?! I DON'T WANT TO BE FRIENDS WITH YOU! I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO FEEL ABOUT YOU! WHY DO YOU ALWAYS WANT TO BEFRIEND ME ANYWAY?!" Nickel snapped.

Balloon flinched again and stepped back. He felt tears well up in his eyes. He started crying softly, looking down sadly.

"WELL? TELL ME! YOU PROBABLY JUST WANT TO USE ME, DON'T YOU?" 

Balloon clenched his fists. He then confessed.

"IT'S BECAUSE I LOVE YOU! I WANT TO BEFRIEND YOU BECAUSE I LOVE YOU! Even after everything you've done to me, I... I'VE NEVER STOPPED LOVING YOU! But I guess you don't love me back..."

Nickel looked shocked. This wasn't the answer he expected. He didn't even know what to expect. 

"B-Balloon... I-"

"No, I get it. You don't like me back... well, c'ya around I guess..."

Balloon ran away, crying softly. Nickel stayed. He didn't know how to feel. All this time, he had been thinking Balloon didn't like him back and was just playing. But all this time, Balloon was speaking the truth. Nickel sighed, since he knew he probably messed up. Baseball and Suitcase came walking up to him.

"What happened?" Baseball asked.

"Balloon told me he loved me..." Nickel whispered. "And I don't know how to feel..."

"Well, I think you should apologize." Suitcase said. "You have been treating him like trash..."

"Well, that's the thing! He literally told me he loved me, even though I've hurt him many times! And the worst is, I LOVE HIM TOO, I just... didn't want to say it..." 

"So you treated him like trash just because you didn't want him to know?" Baseball asked.

"I didn't want anyone to know. Like, who the hell would like someone who used to be a little prick? I didn't want to ruin my reputation just like he did." 

"Well, if you realize that, then I think you should go talk to him and tell him how you feel." Suitcase said. "It won't make you dumb or anything. Just don't bottle them up and tell him."

"Well, I'm not that good with emotions..." Nickel admitted.

"I'm sure he will accept it." Baseball said. "Now go talk to him chief!" 

Nickel sighed. "How many times do I have to tell you to not call me that?" He said, then smiled a bit and ran away.

Baseball and Suitcase smiled too, watching him run away. 

When Nickel came at the hotel, he went to search for Balloon. He then heard sobbing come from somewhere. He followed the sound and found Balloon, in the lobby, sitting on the couch while crying. Nickel hesitated a bit before speaking up.

"Balloon...?"

Balloon looked up.

"Nickel, why are you here? I thought you didn't care about me..."

Nickel sighed.

"Balloon, look, I know I was... pretty much of a douche to you... and I want to apo- eeugghh! Apologi- Ugh! I WANT TO APOLOGIZE!"

Balloon's eyes widened. 

"Y-you want to apologize? But why?" He asked, getting up.

"Well, to be honest, I've been treating you like trash for years now, and you... actually didn't do anything wrong. Ugh, I sound so weird here."

"No, you don't, please continue."

"Well, I've been a big douche. That's what I wanna say. And you know what's the worst thing? I LOVE YOU AS WELL! I... I just didn't want to tell you... because I didn't want to ruin my reputation... and because I have difficulties talking about feelings... I understand if you- Hmm!"

Balloon interrupted Nickel by kissing him. He pulled away, looking at him with a smile.

"It's ok, Nickel. I was just scared you... didn't like me back, but now that I know you like me, I'm pretty happy."

"Same. And Balloon?"

"Yeah?"

"I do want to be friends with you. M-maybe even more..."

Balloon smiled and hugged Nickel close.

"But don't show too much affection! Ugh!" Nickel said, squirming in Balloon's arms, trying to break free.

Balloon giggled and let him go. "Alright."

Yay! Some angst with a little fluff in the end! 1246 words!