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

13. Make a Good First Impression

'My second first impression starts here. Let's go.'

Despite the forceful thought, it took Marsh a minute to get up the courage to speak: "Hi Apple."

Apple leaned out her window. "What?"

Marsh cupped her hands over her mouth and spoke into them like a megaphone: "How are you?"

Apple blinked dazedly, as if she still couldn't believe what she was seeing. "I'm okay. What about you?"

'Isn't that the million-dollar question.' "Umm... That's the question I'm here to answer, sort of. Can you spare a minute?"

"Yeah! Sure!" Apple sounded sure; Marsh took it as a good sign. 'If she wasn't willing to forgive me, chances are she wouldn't even listen.' "Of course! I just thought you might, uhh... hate me."

"No, I don't hate you. See, Apple..." Marsh looked down, clasping her hands together. "There was a misunderstanding. You said something at the mansion, when we were separated, and I was so hurt by it that I didn't listen to you when you tried to explain... And you weren't really you..."

Apple raised an eyebrow. "What'd I say?"

"You said you were just using me to get ahead in the game. That you were glad I was gone."

"I didn't say that!"

"Now I realize that one of the spirits of the house possessed you. You're right; you didn't say that. I hated you for something you didn't even do, and I-I'm so sorry about that..." Tears were pooling in her eyes. Marsh suspected they'd been brewing inside for a long time. She quickly made to wipe them away. "Sorry..."

"What?! Marshmallow, don't cry!" There was the sound of rustling; Marsh kept wiping at her eyes and trying not to look too pathetic. 'Way to keep your composure. The first thing you do is cry when you see her again?! This is a first impression and apology, not a pity party!'

When she next looked up, Apple was half out of her window. As she realized what she was doing, she shouted, "Don't-"

Apple faceplanted with a loud crunch.

"...Jump," Marsh finished lamely. "Oh my gosh, are you okay?!"

Apple didn't stay down for long; she jumped to her feet and ran over, wincing. (At least she hadn't fallen on the glass from the shattered window.) "Never doing that again... But you looked like you needed a hug." Apple roughly yanked her towards her.

Marsh's eyes shot wide. Something about being embraced gripped Marsh. When was the last time she got a true hug? Paintbrush had never been liberal about them, and when Apple had given them, they weren't truly needed. When she'd needed one for years... "It's okay, Marshmallow; please don't cry. It's all okay! I forgive you."

Tears rushed to Marsh's eyes. "...To be honest, the whole show's been horrible. I-I haven't been able to talk about my feelings."

"Take all the time you need. I may not get it, but I'll try."

Marsh sniffled and wiped her eyes one more time. "...Thanks for understanding... Can we be friends again?"

"Do you even have to ask? Best friends, to the end." Apple stopped hugging her, but held one of her hands. She showed her a familiar drawing: the two of them in a field, holding hands, with their names and the words "Best Friends" floating over their heads in misspelled, rough writing.

"To the end," Marsh echoed, and smiled. "I'm not going back to the game."

Apple's grin became confused. "...What? Can you even do that?"

"If I leave the show's parameters, what can they even do? If they keep me there we can just ask the Bright Lights to vote me off. Then we can hang out together."

"You're giving up a million dollars for me?!"

"There are a lot of reasons. Another major one is, I'm sick of fame in general. I'm going back to the mansion from episode six with Bow. She's already dismantling the cameras there."

"With Bow?! But she's-"

Marsh sighed and averted her gaze. "I know you two don't get along, and it's a lot to ask after all I put you through, but... We were hoping you'd come along."

Apple thought long and hard. "I really want to spend time with you, and I think I get why you want no cameras there, but... Something's eating at me. What made me say all those things? Why did it?"

Marsh hesitated. "...Bow was jealous of our friendship. She thought the game gave you an advantage."

"What?!" Apple let go of her hand, looking indignant. "You want me to live with her?! After she caused so many problems?!"

'Uh oh... Here's the big moment. If I botch this, I'll have a problem...'

"She's been really depressed since she died, and she can't even leave the mansion. She really needs a friend who's alive... I know it's too much to ask. But she's really sorry about what she did, and I'd really like to be your friend and hers."

"I'm not a fan of the idea of being with her," Apple retorted. "But I'm a big fan of being with you. And I guess living without cameras might be cool, too... Aw, what the heck? We're in this together, Marsh. To the end!"

Marsh beamed. "So you can forgive Bow?"

"Probably."

'Not the most promising response... But if Bow keeps her end of the deal, and I can keep Apple happy... Something could come of this.'

"Well, today is a new era for us. The truce is officially back, and this time, we won't let it break."

"I like the sound of that. Let's do it!" Apple's fist shot into the air.

Marsh grabbed Apple's wrist, and smiled. 'I'm so lucky to know this dummy. Maybe she has an even better idea of things than I do...' "Don't you need to grab anything from upstairs?"

"Nah. All that's up there are a few drawings and photographs. We can make plenty of new ones together."

Marsh and Apple, with a quick exchanged glance, slunk off into the night, leaving ill feelings at the hotel with the shattered glass on the ground. Lying ahead were, most certainly, challenges... but, in Marsh's mind, it was just as assured that there'd be good times, maybe even the best times.

'I'm not how that ranked as a first impression... But I must have done something right. Let's see where this road takes us.'

For once, Marsh was excited to find out.