She's a Little Slow on the Uptake (Inanimate Insanity)

Sickly Sweet

"Ha-choo!"

Apple tensed up at the sound of the squeak in the night, loud enough to wake her up. Oh no, she wasn't scared -- no way! Not of the dark or the unknown or anything else. Being afraid was for babies!

It just startled her, is all!

'It was like a squeak... It must have been a rat! Drat! I hate rats.'

She reached for the stick she'd gifted Marshmallow recently. Before she could chase anything away, though, Apple startled, because the sound happened again.

"Ha-choo!"

'It sounds louder this time! ...Maybe it's not a rat, though. Rats aren't usually that loud, are they? But then maybe it's a bear! That's even worse!'

She looked to Marsh, who was sitting just a little ways' away under a little blue blanket, for explanation.

'Oh, wait a second.'

She sat up. Marsh was blowing her nose. Or, well, not her nose because objects didn't have those, but...

She frowned. "Marshmallow, are you okay?"

There was silence for a moment. "What do you want?"

"To know if you're okay."

"I am." Marsh did not sound happy. As a matter of fact, her voice sounded congested, whatever that meant.

'Wait a second, I know that word! ...Wait.'

"You made those squeaky-toy noises and I want to make sure you're not dying."

"...Have you seriously never heard of sneezing before?" Apple stared at her blankly. Marsh snorted with amusement. "...That's impressive, even for your standards. I don't feel like explaining it, but it's what that Tissues guy did all the time."

"What?! Do you have the condishAWn?!"

"No."

"But you sound sick."

"...M-maybe that's because I am?"

"Yeah, I am sick... It really sucks. I'm always the first one to catch the cold when it gets around, so you might want to keep your distance..." She sneezed again. "But it's not the end of the world or anything..."

"But I don't want you to feel sick. It's not even cold out; it's summer!"

She rolled her eyes. "...I don't want to feel sick either, but you should leave so you don't get sick too."

"And leave you to die?!'

"It's a cold. It won't kill me." Marsh's voice carried a note of annoyance. Actually, it was more than a note. It sounded like she was ready to get up and leave.

"But we're friends..."

Marsh grunted, snuggling back into her blanket. "Please leave me alone."

Apple's eyes widened.

The thought of leaving Marsh alone made her stomach ache. It was never fun to be sick, but that didn't mean loneliness was any more okay.

"B-but..."

'Being alone gives me a cold in a different way... In the depths of my heart. I'd never make someone so nice feel that way! A-and... she's not just nice. She's Marshmallow. She makes me feel so nice... and she's so special...'

The old stomach ache came back again. She stared at Marsh's back, mulling over what to do, what the smart or right thing would be.

'I get it... that stomach ache that's always been here... I've never wanted to leave her alone. Even when we were enemies.'

'And the reason why I want to be with her the most is b-because...'

She rubbed her stem in thought.

'...It just sucks to be alone. I wouldn't want someone so nice to go through that. And she's Marshmallow. She's sweet. That's the point.'

Apple crawled beside her. Marsh's eyes opened. Apple wrapped her arm around her.

She could feel Marsh tense up almost as much as she heard her own heartbeat. "W-what are-"

"I won't get sick unless I leave you alone," she said simply. "'Sides, uh... an apple a day keeps you from being sick, right?"

"B-but-"

"So quit worrying about it." Apple yawned and closed her eyes. "Just sleep the best you can, buddy. I'll stay here."

'She feels nice. It's like she's molding to my side like a pillow. Except she's Marshmallow, so it's even cooler.'

It was a while before Marsh finally relaxed. "You're a different kind of weirdo," she murmured.

'What does weirdo mean?' Apple wondered, but didn't speak. It seemed like Marsh thought she was sleeping.

"This beats having to sleep with one eye open around you, I guess... I guess it's fine to oblige you a little, in the interest of keeping things open between us. ...Even if you wind up sick in the morning."

Apple tried to keep from smiling too much as she fell asleep.