Marshmallow lazed across her bed, soft light from the sunset warming her body. The dorm was oddly silent- the only sound being the twinkle of a wind chime.
Apple had buzzed off to who-knows-where. Yin Yang was doodling on a piece of paper in erratic and scribbly motions.
He looked fairly stable, so what harm could come from talking to him?
Marsh got to her feet and padded across the carpet. She sat beside the two-tone boy, careful not to disrupt him.
"Hi." She whispered.
"Oh!" Yin Yang looked up from his 'masterpiece. "Hello there! I didn't notice you sit down.
NO! LEAVE! YOU ARE INTERRUPTING OUR DRAWING TIME!"
Marshmallow jumped so hard she almost lost her seating on the bed.
"U-um... If it's not any harm, could I-" She started.
Yin Yang's face illuminated. "See the drawing? Of course!"
He handed her the paper with twitching fingers.
Her eyes glanced over the glossy surface, struggling to take it in.
Marshmallow was breathless. "It's...beautiful, Yin Yang."
Swirling patterns, roses, dots- you name it, it was splattered on the sheet in the most elegant manner.
"You think so?
NO! I MEAN- YES, I KNOW!"
The salt-and-pepper boy snatched the paper out of Marsh's hands. "YOU'VE LOOKED LONG ENOUGH!
Sorry, Marshmallow. I truly appreciate your kind words!
SHUT UP YOU BABY! WE NEED NO KIND WORDS!"
Yin Yang was truly a mysterious being, Marsh decided. She excused herself with a nod and swiftly left the dorm.
Bounding in just as she exited was the 'detective' herself. Apple threw herself at Marshmallow, spewing words of excitement at the top of her lungs.
"Slow down!" Marsh rested her hands on Apple's shoulders. "From the top."
The redhead was dangerously out of breath from her burst of excitement. She panted, "I huff found a huff clue!"
The shorter eyed her suspiciously. "Oh really?"
"Well..." Apple looked towards the floor. "No. Sorry. But I-I got you a gift!"
Marshmallow was a little pissed at being lied to, but she couldn't hide her intrigue.
Could it be another drawing of the two? Most likely.
From behind her back, Apple pulled a bouquet of white and red roses. A strong fragrance filled Marsh's lungs.
The roses were tied together with a messy pink bow, which made her inwardly cringe before she could stop herself.
"...Uh, earth to Marsh? Something wrong?" Apple inquired. The hand she was holding the flowers in twitched a little.
Marsh recovered. "T-thank you, Apple. They're lovely."
She took the roses and gazed into them, careful not to lose herself in thought.
The red and white petals were fresh and young, new to the world and to experiences. The bow was tattered and messy, unknowing; unfeeling.
"I saw them and I thought, 'Hey! They look like me and Marshmallow!', so I snagged 'em and stole a bow from Grand Slams."
Apple moved aside the bangs that covered one of her eyes to show a puffy bruised area.
"Trophy gave me a run for my money but I persisted- whatever that means...!"
"Oh my- Apple!" Marshmallow fretted, her voice wobbly as she laid a hand on the others cheek.
'She got her butt handed to her...for me?'
"Does it hurt?"
"Wh-" Apple croaked, taken aback by the concern in Marshmallow's voice. She made the risky decision to milk it.
"It does, actually... Maybe you should, um, kiss it better?"
Marsh rolled her head to the side, white ringlets willowing over her shoulder. The blush on her face was undeniable- whether Apple meant platonically or not.
She kissed her fingertips and touched Apple's wound gently.
"No! Marshmallow, pleaaase..." Apple wailed, taking the other's wrist and moving it away from her face.
Marshmallow looked over her shoulder- Yin Yang was preoccupied. No other contestants were around the Bright Lights' dorm.
She sighed, hesitantly leaning towards Apple and kissing the area underneath her eye. The redhead grew jittery and flustered, spewing words from her mouth the same as when she entered. The color of Apple's cheeks almost lived up to her name.
"Better?" Marshmallow questioned harshly to hide her fluster.
Apple stuttered, "B-better."
She may have been a blushing wreck but she had the goofiest grin on her face.
Marsh took the roses from her with a wink, walking into the dorm to put them in water.
Evening sunlight streamed through the window and glinted on the glass vase in an ethereal light. The silk petals took on warm hues from the yellow rays.
'Perfect.' Marshmallow thought, pink ribbon held tightly in her grip
-
I removed a scene from here for the time being, but I might add it back in at a later date.