Bit by Bit [II AU]

Maybe I've been too Harsh on You

[Welcome to Balloon's perspective]

Balloon is... a very interesting character, isn't he?

After pushing around his teammates during the competition, he realized this isn't how he truly was. He hated conflict, and yet he forced himself to start it in order to "get ahead in the game".

Looking back, it clearly wasn't worth it. Unless you count the satisfaction of screaming at-

The front door of the hotel opened.

Balloon looked over from the bench he slept on. Pathetic, really, that he had no place to call home to the point he slept on a bench, but he trusted the hotel enough to not let anything hurt him, despite no one letting him inside.

OJ walked out of the hotel, shutting the door quietly behind him. The sun was just rising now, causing light to bounce off of his glass. It nearly blinded Balloon.

"OJ? What.. what do you want?" He asked, startled and concerned.

OJ sat next to him on the bench, quiet for a few moments. "I think it's about time I talk to you. And.. apologize."

Balloon's eyes widened at those words and poked his head up. "Wait.. huh?"

"I said I wanted to apologize. For treating you the way I have been... treating you. For screaming at you the way I did yesterday. I..." He paused, trying to collect his words. "This isn't an excuse but... I've been very stressed lately. It wasn't right of me to take my anger out on you."

Balloon felt his eyes light up more, as a smile slowly wriggled onto his face. "Really..? You're... really apologizing?"

OJ nodded. "Yeah. I'll try my absolute hardest to make it up to you. I promise."

Balloon sat back and pondered. "Well... I think I know where to start, if that's the case."

—

The two of them walked inside of the hotel. Balloon was immediately awestruck by the decor. He had seen it through the windows of the hotel, but it felt much more relaxing when inside of it. He felt an immediate warm embrace walking around, trying to process that this was truly happening.

He couldn't help but frolic around in excitement. "Oh thank you, OJ, thankyouthankyouthankyou!"

OJ smiled a little, happy he made this decision. It felt relieving seeing a smile on Balloon's face. It made him wish he had done this sooner, but he's glad it went so smoothly.

Too smoothly.

"Um... what is HE doing here?!" Nickel yelled out as he walked over. "Thought he was banned from ever walking in!"

"He was," OJ said. "But we talked it out. He's staying here now."

His words only made Nickel more furious as he walked over to him. "Seriously? After the way he treated us?! Are you insane?!"

"I guess I am, then. People can change for the better, Nickel!-"

"If that's the case, you clearly changed for the WORST! You gonna let Taco in next?! Huh?! HUH?!"

Balloon took a few steps back, looking at OJ as Nickel began to draw closer.

"You better leave RIGHT NOW. OJ might be cool with you but the rest of us AREN'T!"

Balloon tapped on OJ, trying to get him to say or do something, anything really. OJ stood still, frozen in complete horror. "OJ?! Please help me out here!"

The other guests of the hotel looked over, watching the commotion. Baseball ended up running over to stop Nickel. "Dude! Cut it out! You're making a scene!"

"Good. Let them watch! I'm fine with kicking his ass out of here myself!"

Tears rushed out of Balloon's eyes as Nickel lied back on the ground, his face swollen from the pain of being sucker punched.

OJ's hand was balled up in a fist, ready to strike again if necessary.

After a moment, Nickel sat up, rubbing his face with his foot from the pain, blood soaking out of his mouth. "What the fuck, OJ?!"

Balloon looked down at OJ's hand, it had a small stain of blood on it. He seemed completely horrified over what he did. It was an accident. At least it seemed like an accident. Just instinct.

He didn't want Balloon getting hurt when he just came back...

Balloon quickly shook off the feeling and ran over to help Nickel out. Despite him protesting at first, Nickel eventually allowed it.

"It's okay! I uh.. I'll- can someone get an ice pack please?! Oh good lord that's a lot of blood- and maybe a cloth?!"

Luckily, the injury didn't appear to be too severe, but it still seemed to hurt like hell. Nickel desperately tried to keep his cool, somewhat terrified over the stare OJ was giving him.

"It's... too early for this." OJ mumbled.