BFDI AND II ONESHOT BOOK!

Poems: Nickloon - 2

Last night, Nickel struggled to get much sleep because Balloon kept waking up from nightmares. Balloon then asked Nickel to stay by his side for the rest of the night. Nickel felt a mix of fear, not wanting to accidentally pop Balloon, and discomfort at the unfamiliarity of another person's affection. It was a situation that caught Nickel off guard, as he wasn't accustomed to receiving much affection.

The coin object trudged into the hotel kitchen, heavy bags under his eyes and a deep frown on his face, clearly showing the toll of his sleepless night. Balloon had already been up for a while, heading out for some unknown errand, and Nickel didn't bother asking. Instead, he seized the opportunity to catch another hour of sleep before waking.

As he entered the kitchen, he spotted Paintbrush and Fan engaged in conversation, likely having recently woken up themselves as they enjoyed their breakfast. Paintbrush nibbled on a simple piece of toast with butter, while Fan spooned up cereal with milk from a bowl.

Nickel nodded in acknowledgment as he rummaged through the fridge, too tired to bother with cooking. Opting for convenience, he snagged a mini lunch pack containing cheese and cabana.

"Morning Nickel!" Fan waved him over.

Slumping into a chair at the table beside Paintbrush and Fan, he greeted them with a weary grunt. "Morning," he muttered in response to Fan's cheerful greeting, his own expression still marked by exhaustion.

Taking a bite of their toast, Paintbrush turned their head towards Nickel with a hint of concern. "You look terrible. Rough night's sleep?" they inquired, their curiosity piqued.

Nickel groaned, his head dropping back in exhaustion, signalling to Paintbrush and Fan that he had a rough night. "It was awful," he admitted. "Balloon had a nightmare and needed comforting. Something about losing everyone... I think. I was barely awake," he explained, trying to make it seem like he stayed up out of obligation rather than genuine concern. Nickel was wary of showing his softer side and didn't want Paintbrush or Fan to think he had a soft spot for Balloon.

"Oh jeez... I know what that's like, I hope he is okay–" Fan frowned. He somewhat understood what it's like to have nightmares about losing people, he has them frequently.

Paintbrush paused mid-bite, listening intently before posing their question. "When did you manage to get back to sleep?" they inquired with genuine curiosity.

Nickel let out a sigh, unwittingly revealing more than he intended. "I didn't," he grumbled. "Balloon wanted me to lay with him, so I ended up not sleeping at all," he complained.

"You... slept in the same bed as Balloon?" Paintbrush raised an eyebrow, their tone laced with curiosity.

Nickel's face darkened as he stumbled over his words in panic. "W-Well, yeah, but it's not what you think! He just needed someone to hold...," he hurriedly explained, realising he was only digging himself deeper.

Paintbrush smirked knowingly. "Uh huh. Seems like you care more than you're letting on," they remarked teasingly.

"Mhmm~!" Fan chimed in, adding to the playful banter with a teasing tone.

Nickel's cheeks flushed a deep shade of greyish blue as he shook his head defensively, feeling thoroughly embarrassed by their implications. "Come on, it's not like that! I just didn't want him to stay awake all night," he protested, attempting to salvage his pride.

Fan interjected with a knowing smile, his words punctuated by bites of cereal. "Seems like you care a lot more than you're willing to admit," he remarked.

Paintbrush nodded knowingly, finishing their toast with a smirk. "So, how often do you two cuddle at night, hmm?" they teased, sharing a laugh with Fan.