Candied Apples

☆ Chapter 10: Looking After Him ☆

After brashly leaving the Candy Kingdom looking like a completely crazed person with Marshall slung over her shoulder and her wild hair fluttering in all directions, Fionna finally arrived at her treefort without anyone chasing after her. 

     "Slaps... you're a real pain to take care of sometimes." Fionna mumbled to herself as she set Marshall down onto her bed.

Her arms and legs were beyond tired after she put the male down, and she wanted nothing more than to just go to sleep. Even regardless of her dirty demeanor and dusty clothes, Fionna felt that she could just collapse right then and there without showering. But having as much hair as she did was a pain to take care of, and she couldn't just drift off to dreamland without at least giving her head a rinse. Plus, from all the running around and carrying she had done today, she smelled pretty gross. 

Just as she turned around to go to the bathroom, she felt Marshall grab a hold of her arm and pull her down onto the bed. 

     "where... are you going?" His voice sounded extremely faint and it took Fionna a minute or two to piece together what he had said.

     "I'm going to go shower. I can feel the grossness on my body." She whispered back, trying to remain as still as possible as Marshall pulled the girl closer to him. 

     "don't leave... i need you to take care of me..." He chuckled softly.

     "B-But..." Fionna started to say before closing her mouth.

After a comfortable silence overtook the two of them and Marshall drifted back to sleep, Fionna began to grow worried that she would wake him up with how loud her heart was beating. 

     "Marshall..." She murmured quietly and tried to slide out of his grasp and off the bed. 

     "fi... stop moving. i'm trying to sleep here..." She felt the boy's hold around her waist tighten the moment she tried to move. 

Fionna grumbled a bit and rolled her eyes before finally giving up on getting out of the bed. It seemed like no matter how much she wanted to, Marshall just didn't want to let the girl go. But then again... she didn't really mind the secure feeling she was getting from Marshall's embrace. 

Though it did take her forever to fall asleep because all she could focus on was the rhythmic sound of Marshall's breathing, his warm breath dancing across her bare neck, and the steady rise and fall of his chest lightly brushing against her back. But when she did eventually slip off into a deep sleep, Marshall stirred awake and sat up. He looked over at the sleeping girl with a slight smile perched on his lips.

A faint light coming from the moon poured in from the window and splashed onto Fionna's face, outlining her delicate and lovable features. Marshall watched intently, her lips just slightly parted as she breathed softly. Completely mesmerized, Marshall slowly leaned down for a kiss. 

PUNCH!

     "..."

Marshall trembled a bit as his mind tried to comprehend the sudden stinging pain that had dug its way into his cheek when Fionna turned onto her side and punched the male in the face. 

Even when she was sleeping, her strength proved to be immensely powerful. 

Once he had recomposed himself, though he could still feel a dull pain in his cheek, Marshall stood up from the bed and made his way towards the ladder. He took one last look at the sleeping girl before climbing down, a smile plastered to his lips.

     "Thank you for always looking after me." 

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     "mnngrff..." Fionna swatted at her nose when she felt something tickle her.