A Marshmallow's Guide to Loving a Complete Idiot (Inanimate Insanity)(Marshple)

29. Be There for Her

'I don't envy Santa tonight,'  thought Marsh.

The third winter at the mansion was so much worse than the first two. The first winter, Marsh had come in after the coldest day of the year, evading the worst of the snows. The second, there'd been two snowstorms, both of which had been spent in front of a fireplace.

Marsh was pretty snug in her room, all things considered. With a book (a mystery novel, finally) on her lap and her blanket over her, flashlight clutched in her hand, it was quite comfy, really. It was enough to lull her into a sleepy state without it even being that old, which was a surprise on its own.

"H-hey Marshmallow."

Marsh pulled her blanket off her with a bit of surprise - she hadn't heard the footsteps that should have accompanied Apple's voice. She shined the flashlight at the doorway. Apple was standing there, a blanket wrapped around her like a cloak. She carried two pillows under her arms.

Marsh blinked. "Hey. Is something wrong."

She grinned. "N-nah, it's just super cold in there, so I was wondering, can I hang with you for tonight?"

'That's a little strange. The radiator was refilled with fuel not even a month ago. It should be working.'

But even still, Marsh didn't question it as she rolled over to make her room on the meagerly-sized heating pad.

It was seconds before Apple hugged her from behind with trembling arms and settled that way. Marsh could feel her heartbeat increase just a little at the contact, but was it really surprising?

Apple sighed contentedly and nestled deeper into her back, squishing her a little. "Much better."

"I'm no biologist, but aren't apples resistant to frost?"

"...Are they? Huh, cool."

"I mean, apples usually grow in the winter. That includes you, probably. Doesn't it make sense that this weather would be pretty temperate for you?"

"...What's temper-"

"Warm," Marsh corrected herself. "You'd think it'd be child's play for you if you grew in the winter."

"If you want me to leave, I'll leave-"

"No! I mean, i-it's fine!" Marsh turned off the flashlight with a tight click . Embarrassment at just how vehemently she protested made paled in her haste to add, "I just think we need to add basic biology to our list of things to have lessons about, is all."

Apple smiled; she could tell not by sight, but by touch, the feeling of her behind her. "Thanks for being cool with me staying with you tonight. I knew I could count on you."

"...No problem."

'Seriously, is she just pretending to be cold to hang out with me? Seems like it'd be unusual otherwise. Not that I know anything whatsoever about fruit. ...Does it even matter?'

It wasn't even two minutes before Apple's breathing slowed, her falling asleep. After the initial rush, it was only about that long before the tension left Marsh's body. She looked over at the window, with the snow brushing it as it blew across the sky. Marsh couldn't help but grin a little.

'Gee, when did this even happen? Eight months ago, I wouldn't have even thought of sleeping beside Apple. Not even six ago, I would have been too nervous to. And now? This is nice.' We've been together almost six months. It's insane how fast the time flies. Did we get all the arguing out when we hated each other, or... do rough straits lay ahead?'

"Hey Marshy." Marsh was snapped out of her reverie by a voice, not Apple's. The ghostly forms of Bow and Dough were floating right in front of her face. "You mind if we... Uhh, join in?"

Marsh clutched the blanket. "Well, I dunno... Apple's out like a light."

"That's okay," Dough supplied. For once, Bow didn't shoot him a glare for existing. "We can, like, totally share you."

"Uh, I dunno... Apple wouldn't-"

Bow had a hopeful grin on her face, and Dough stared at her pleadingly. Marsh reconsidered and sighed. "Fine... We'll make this family night. Just try not to be rough in there.."

The vague, trancelike feeling of being possessed poured over her quick. At first it was cold, with the vague, echoey sense of her own voice, and of the voices figuring out who controlled what. She couldn't discern what they were saying, or what words came out of her own mouth, but eventually the ghosts did settle. Marsh was still left with most of the feeling of Apple at her side remaining. ('Why's that make me so happy?')

Between the exhaustion and the comfort, Marsh soon dozed off, the sound of sleigh bells and one final thought on her mind:

'This is some weird family time, but... It's nice we're all here to support each other. We misfits need to stick together, after all...'