Chapter Text
It was still night when OJ woke up. Even though the windows were covered with curtains, he could tell no sunlight was coming from outside.
He shuffled in bed for a few minutes, twisting and turning, trying to find a comfortable position.
Five more minutes couldn’t hurt, right?
But that’s what they always said in movies, and then proceeded to oversleep.
OJ wasn’t someone who ’overslept’. If he needed to wake up a certain time, he would, no matter how hard it was.
Paper, on the other hand, loved sleeping in. He was a great help around the hotel, but not in the mornings.
Although it didn’t exactly matter, since not many objects were awake that early. And if they were, they spent their time in their rooms or outside.
After taking a few overly dramatic sighs, he pushed himself out of bed and prayed the sound hadn’t woken Paper up.
It was not a surprise when he saw his boyfriends sleep unaffected.
OJ found himself smiling. He violently shook his head, trying to get rid of the thought of going back under the warm covers.
Today he needed to focus.
OJ had a feeling this day would be full of mayhem, nothing too out of the ordinary, it just felt different.
Athough sometimes it was best to not trust your gut.
His gaze turned to the door as he let out an inaudible sigh.
Knowing Paper, he would probably be disappointed to not find his boyfriend in their bed once he woke up.
But he would understand.
OJ was still managing a hotel, which wasn’t an easy job.
Yinyang was being their usual self, running around the hotel and shouting at the other.
It wasn’t harmful, until he accidentally ran into a random vase.
OJ didn’t think he’d ever seen that vase before.
”Are you serious?” he groaned, pointing at the shattered porcelain. ”Yinyang, please go fetch the broom for me. And don’t knock over anything else.”
He had been right. This day was going to be rough.
”Hey, OJ,” Paper called, happily walking over to him. ”I just wanted to—”
”Sorry, Paper,” OJ cut in as Yinyang came running back with the requested broom. ”I’ve gotta clean up this mess real quick.”
He nodded in response.
That’s one thing OJ loved about Paper, he was never impatient. He always politely waited for OJ to be done with whatever was going on and the proceeded to talk with his angelic tone and—
No.
The sound of the broom’s hair could barely be heard over all the talking. There were a lot of objects in the living area.
Lightbulb was playing fetch with her crab, Nickel seemed to be arguing and goofing around with Balloon at the same time, and Test tube was. . .
Of course.
”Test tube, I thought I told you to not experiment in— Cherries please come down from there.” OJ frowned watching as the object climbed up a few shelves with the help of Goo.
OJ groaned, massaging his temples before turning around as he felt a light tap on his shoulder.
”Hey,” Paper said with a soft smile. ”I know you’re busy, but I just have to show you—”
”Again, I am so sorry, Paper.” He took his boyfriends hands in his own, slightly squeezing them. ”I have to sort this out.”
Letting go of Paper’s hands, he half sprinted towards Cherries and Goo, who where now both on the highest shelf.
He couldn’t wait until this day was over.
It was an absolute nightmare having to deal with these objects sometimes.
”Ughhhhhhhhh. . .” OJ groaned, letting his body fall onto the bed.
All the residents had finally gone up to their rooms, and OJ was free to relax in bed.
Well, everyone had actually left about 2 hours earlier, but OJ had to clean, and look at some complaints and improvement tips.
Even though most of the paper pieces contained some ’funny joke’ instead of actual ideas, it was an important part of the hotel. OJ wanted everyone to be able to customize it to their liking, as long as it made sense and was serious.
”Long day, hm?” Paper asked with a lower tone than usual.
As his response, OJ slowly nodded.
Before quickly pushing himself up from the bed and meeting his boyfriends eyes.
”What was it you wanted to say?” He asked.
Paper didn’t answer, he just looked confused.
”You know, earlier today?”
”Oh, that,” Paper replied. ”It’s nothing, it doesn’t matter now.”
Okay. . .
He slightly lifted an eyebrow, waiting for an explanation that he did not receive.
After a few moments, he fully stood up from the bed and walked over to the opposite side of Paper, where he slept.
It was the right side, since OJ’s favorite direction was right.
None of them said anything as he climbed into bed, pulling the covers over half of his body.
”Goodnight, Paper.” He whispered.
”Goodnight.”
The morning, or rather night, after, it seemed OJ had woken up at the exact same time as yesterday.
Strange, but he didn’t question it. He was too tired to.
He walked towards the door leading to the hallway, looking back at Paper.
He really wanted to know what Paper had meant to say.
But perhaps it was best if he just let it go and focused on the day ahead.
Before turning his gaze back to the door, he also noticed Paper was lying in the same pose he had yesterday.
He couldn’t lie, it was kind of cute.
The hallway was, of course, empty and quiet. That’s what was nice with waking up around 3AM everyday, no one could disturb you from your work.
Reaching the kitchen, he pulled out a sticky note and began writing a shopping list.
Suitcase wanted kiwis, Pepper wanted cheesecake, and Yinyang wanted dr. Pepper, of course. . .
When he finished writing the rest of the requests, he sticked the note to the fridge snd opened it, looking for eggs.
Hm. It seemed they already had a bunch of Dr. Pepper.
But hadn’t Yinyang been chugging it all evening yesterday?
The memory was extremely clear, unless OJ was going crazy.
Once the sun had risen, objects quickly flooded the living space.
Cherries and Goo were talking and giggling mischievously, Candle was meditating or something, and Yinyang was running around and shouting.
Just as OJ was about to turn around, he heard a loud shatter coming from beside him.
There stood Yingyang, confusingly looking at the broken pieces as if it had been in the way.
OJ was about to scold him, before he noticed something.
That was the same vase from yesterday, he was sure of it.
The color, the shape. . . the shattered pieces were even spread the same as the day before, if he remembered correctly.
This was weird.
Extremely weird.
Maybe OJ needed a break from all this hotel managing.
And then, exactly like twentyfour hours ago, OJ heard it.
”Hey, OJ,” Paper called, happily walking over to him. ”I just wanted to—”
It had to be a dream, or some sort of extreme Deja vu.
Whatever it was, it was certainly creepy.
And OJ did not feel like hallucinating or whatever.
”What did you just say?”