Title: Company. Author: Jessica H. Rating: PG Characters: Chip and Jeff. Notes: In response to clayangel’s challenge: “A story where the couple (anyone you want; I'm not picky) is stuck in a hot air balloon for the entirety of the story. They can't be a couple when the story starts, but should be by the time it ends.” “I’m never playing Truth or Dare with you again…ever.” I stared up at the massive hot air balloon and wished I hadn’t eaten…whatever it was I had eaten for lunch that day. Jeff had to be out of his damn mind to think that daring me to go on a full day hot air balloon excursion was a good idea. I hated heights. Hated. “Aww, come on, big guy, you can handle it! Let’s get in.” “You’re so going to pay for this.” As we began to rise higher into the air, my stomach contracted. “God, I feel like Jimmy Stewart in Vertigo.” Jeff just laughed even more. He slapped me on the back and said, “Please, relax. You’re not going to have any fun until you relax.” At these words, a little of my fears lessened. How was it that Jeff always knew the right thing to say to me? I had to admit, Jeff could always make me feel calm and unafraid. I began to look around at the clouds, at the birds…and slowly I began to relax. My tense body unwound itself, and I finally understood why Jeff loved doing this all the time. “I guess you were right. This isn’t so bad.” “See, Chip? I told you everything was going to be just fine. Now, let’s break into this champagne!” “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were coming onto me, Mr. Davis.” “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think it was working.” I chuckled. “You’re so right. The only reason I came here today was to be close to you.” My voice became jokingly husky, and I slid into his arms. He wrapped them around me, and I held onto his shoulders for dear life. “Oh, Jeff, why? Why do we have to be apart? Why does this world have to hate our union?” “I do not know, my little lotus flower. But, just for today, let it be just us. Let us be…together.” He kissed me, quick, on the lips. Before I had time to register what had just happened, he was standing straight once more and trying to laugh it off. “You do strange things to me, Chip.” There was a pregnant pause in which I could tell both of our minds were working hard. There was no way that had just happened. The only time he ever kissed me like that was on stage…there was no way he had meant that…right? “Uh, Chip?” “Yeah, Jeff?” “I think it’s stuck.” The first thought that went through my mind would’ve made even Drew blush, but then I realized he was talking about the switch to turn the burner off. If the air didn’t cool off, we couldn’t get back down to the ground. Shit. “It can’t be stuck. You’ve done this a million times, haven’t you? How often does it get stuck?” “Uh, never!” “Well, let’s just…not panic.” I tried convincing myself that everything was going to be okay, that Jeff would get the switch unstuck, that we would get back on the ground safely, that the kiss was just a fluke— “Think you could help me out a bit here?” “What? Oh, sure, sure.” I made my way to the burner and took a look at the switch. On the surface, it looked perfectly normal, but as soon as I tried moving it, I saw the problem. It had rusted over so much that moving it was going to be damn near impossible without first getting rid of the dirt and grime. “I think we might be stuck.” “Didn’t I just say that?” “Yeah, I know but…we have to get rid of all that rust to be able to move the handle…” “Oh…oh, this is just great. Just fucking peachy keen.” “It’s not my fault, Jeff.” “I know, I know.” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. My stomach jumped slightly. “I’m sorry, Chip. This was supposed to be a fun…time, but it’s kinda, uh, sucked. Yeah. Sorry.” “Jeff? Are you okay?” A long pause. “Ever since I was a kid, my parents told me that being yourself was a good thing. My parents have been fighting for all sorts of causes, saying that the people involved are just…following who they are. I never quite understood what all that meant until I met you. Chip, I didn’t bring you up here because of some stupid dare, or even just to show you the sights. I brought you up here, because somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew something was going to happen. That kiss…that stupid little insignificant kiss…it meant more to me than you could ever imagine.” “Jeff, I—“ “We’re going to be stuck up here for a while. Why don’t you eat something?” He gestured toward the cooler we’d brought with us, and slumped against the opposite wall of the basket. “Jeff,” I said, and placed myself right before him. I knelt down and grabbed both of his hands in mine. He looked at me, questioningly, doubt in his eyes. “I didn’t come up here for the dare, either.” As I placed my lips on his, I felt his hands grabbing the back of my neck to pull me closer. “Damn,” he said. “We really need to play Truth or Dare more often.”