Crowned

Arc 1, Chapter 7: Is There a Brighter Side?

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Balloon gently lifted his head from the pillow, and rubbed the dry tears from his eyes. He looked back at the feathers that decorated his wings and looked at it cautiously. He was still curious, of course, but that didn't mean he wanted this. The feathers, as Nickel said before, were soft. He ran his hand across them, but didn't fit the same feeling as he did when someone else pet them. He frowned.

He ran his hands upwards against the feathers and yelped. "Ow...!" He winced. "Note to self... don't push the feathers the wrong way..." He said shakily, patting the feathers down the way they should be.

He looked over to Nickel's bed to see he was starting to wake up. He bit his thumb and looked away, he didn't really want a confrontation after what happened last night. He didn't want Nickel to be mad at him. Or at least, more angry than he had been already. His mind spiralled into panic as he though about what he could or would say to him... What if he yelled? Screamed? Hated him more?! He quivered, bit his thumb until there was a prominent indent in the skin. He whined.

Nickel sat up and groggily looked over at Balloon. Balloon flinched and he stared at him, expecting the worst. Nickel had then given a quiet sigh. "Lets go down to breakfast I guess..." Nickel muttered as he slid out of bed, he didn't care enough to bring up what was said. He was tired, and hungry.

Balloon was relieved, the worst case scenario of Nickel acting out... Or hating him... It didn't come true. But, what he'd said soon sunk in. Which made him feel worse in an instant. "What...?" Balloon replied with a clear startled tone. He clutched his blanket and brought it up to his chest. He didn't want to go downstairs! Everyone would freak out! Or yell! Or- or-!

Nickel looked over to Balloon as he approached the door. "I said lets go. I'm not allowed to leave you alone remember?" Nickel spoke a bit louder. Trying to get Balloon to snap out of his spiralling episode.

Balloon breathed faster, panting almost. "I can't! Everyone will-!"

Nickel groaned to himself, "Balloon... You can't just hide in here forever." Nickel shut his eyes tightly and slightly leaned against the door frame before struggling to get it open, thank god for the armless friendly handles. "You'll seriously be fine, alright? Now let's go." Nickel jerked his head to the side signalling to Balloon to follow him.

Balloon furrowed his brows, and pulled the blanket up closer than it already had been against his chest. The thick white blanket gave him a fleeting moment of comfort from the crippling anxiety begging to drag him down.

Nickel scowled like a disappointing parent. "Balloon... You're acting like a three year old. Get out of bed, and eat! We can come back after alright?! Just rip off the stupid bandaid." Nickel snapped through gritted teeth.

Balloon frowned more, and slowly got out of bed. His wings dragging against the floor behind him. They were very heavy. Very VERY heavy. He was surprised how he hadn't fallen already. Not to mention he'd been trembling.

"Finally..." Nickel breathed a sigh of relief. He was hungry and just wanted to eat something. And talk to someone about what the hell was going on. Frankly, he felt as if that wasn't too much to ask.

They both walk down the hallway. Balloon had been gripping the sides of his arms and clutching them harder with every step. He felt sick with anxiety. He didn't understand how Nickel could... just not care! He didn't want to be seen. Not like this. Why did this happen? He wanted all to be a bad dream...