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

Lesson #9: Don't Worry About Others' Parameters

For all her existential dread and soul-crushing loneliness, Marshmallow could usually be counted on to help a friend in need. After all, that was the essence of what made someone a good friend, and she was usually halfway decent at that, right?

Well, actually, she failed to ever get serious about busting Bow out of that box during their months-long imprisonment on Idiotic Island. She also, uh, killed her in the cold blood and never apologized for it. As far as literally anyone else was concerned, that basically never happened, though, right?

She hugged herself and tremored; the guilt was so great that it ran through her like mercury in her bloodstream. Just as quickly, she remembered where she was, and switched back to her relaxed pose. Paintbrush's concentration didn't waver for a second as they dabbed yet more paint onto the canvas.

"It's a lot harder to paint without a reference," Paintbrush had explained to her, once, long before everything felt bad. "None of these idiots can sit still long enough for me to finish, so I usually do landscapes.'

'I could pose for you sometime. I'm good at sitting still unless I eat too much sugar,' Marsh had commented, and ate a piece of hard-won candy.

It wasn't an offer that Paintbrush took her up on all that frequently, so it was no wonder they were so focused. In fact, the knit of their brow was so intense that she was a little nervous about the idea of even breaking the silence. She'd hate to ruin their concentration, or worse yet, invoke their wrath when they were essentially stuck together for a few hours.

Leave it to Lightbulb to do what she did best.

"OMGA!" Something swung from the tree above into Marsh's face.

Marsh screamed. When she finally comprehended the beaming face three inches in front of her, she shouted at the sudden intruder, "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Don't mind me, I was just practicin' my bat skills." Lightbulb hung upside-down from a tree branch with her usual bright smile. "Ya never know when those'll come in handy."

"Your bat skills...?" Marsh asked, but trailed off at the sight of Paintbrush. They were so startled by the intrusion that they had dropped their palette paint-side down in the dirt.

"Sure..." Paintbrush said, slowly.

Marsh gulped.

"Sweetstuff would agree, gravity is quite important for these- whoa!" Lightbulb backflipped to the ground, but stumbled in the process. She would have certainly shattered had Paintbrush not swept in to catch her by her shoulders. They gave her a quizzical look as they set her straight. As usual, Lightbulb didn't miss a beat as she stated, "You know, I did hear a rumor that the next challenge is about knitting. I gotta be prepared."

Marsh raised an eyebrow, "How's that...?"

"Lightbulb, can you please take your nonsense elsewhere?"

"What about this is nonsense?"

"Uh- How about we start with the fact that we're in the middle of something? Or, or the fact that backflips are useless AND dangerous?"

"When a friend says something like that, you have to wonder why."

"Because I actually make sense," Paintbrush countered. "You would've died if I wasn't here just now. But that's just how it always goes with you."

Lightbulb flinched, almost imperceptibly. "That sounds pretty judgmental," she argued.

Paintbrush laughed incredulously. Not a good thing. "Me, judgemental? You never make any sense."