There was no actual change in Marsh's hotel room since that morning, really.

Its four orange walls were perfectly immovable, the window was still shut, and the light was still soundly off. Marsh was still sitting in it all alone like she had that morning after the interviews.

There were only two things that were remotely different, and they hardly even counted: the fact that a documentary about Mars was playing on the television, bringing forth old memories of loneliness and universal truces, and that she had a custom red and white sock in her lap.

'Nope... The only reason this room feels so big right now is because Apple's not in it... And she hasn't been for a while. Why isn't she back, anyway?!'

Her mental Marshmallow slapped her in the face. 'Unproductive thinking! Think about something else!'

Marsh stared at the sock to distract herself. It was handmade, and it'd be able to fit over Apple's stem much more precisely than a knit hat from the store.

Or so Marsh hoped.

Okay, she'd never touched her stem before. In fact, she suspected that it was highly inappropriate to ask to, in the same way it would be inappropriate if Apple one day said, "Hey Marshy, can I touch your leg? It's for a drawing I'm doing." But because Apple used her hand to rub it pensively, and Marsh knew the size of her hand from holding it, she had a pretty good guess.

Hopefully.

It'd be a fine post-II-reunion gift. Apple kept her away from the cold grip of celebrity, and she kept her from freezing to death.

'This whole fiasco started Friday, or more properly Saturday. It's-'

There was no clock in the room except the one on her phone.

1:35AM

'Now it's Friday. The final requisite day. A parade and a wind-down day we can skip and go home. ...Thank Marsh.'

The odd thing was that she'd had enough time to make ten of those sock-things since the last time she'd seen Apple.

'Those reporters are taking forever. Can't they just let her get some rest?'

Marsh bounced her leg nervously.

It was thoroughly disconcerting.

'It's been more than twelve hours since I saw her, and she's never up this late. She didn't go to sleep without visiting me first, did she...? Wait a second, that's ridiculous! She doesn't have to see me before she goes to sleep. I thought Apple was the clingy one. ...Oh wait, I have her key. Duh.'

She sat there in the dark feeling foolish for several seconds.

'...Well, now I'm even more worried!'

...

The next time Marsh heard from Apple, it was the sound of a single thump against her door at two in the morning. Marsh practically ran over and threw it open.

Apple stood there wobbling on her feet, leaning against the door's frame.

"What took you so long?! It's been fifteen hours!" Marsh's voice cracked.

Apple grinned ruefully.

"Sorry about that. They kept askin', and I didn't want to leave anyone... with more to ask. But now I can't feel my face and I wanna cry. But also laugh." She blinked, as if confused by her own emotional state. "I'm tired, Marsh..." Then she yawned and fell forwards as if in slow motion.

Marsh caught her in an embrace.

She was out like a light, breathing gently.

Marsh just stood there for a second in slight shock, then she sighed delicately. Her voice was soft and affectionate as she spoke:

"You idiot. You should've returned sooner, if you were so tired."

A grumbly half-snore was her only response.

She glanced towards where the camera in the hall would be, and considered saying something... but not knowing what, she just hoisted Apple over herself and kicked the door shut behind her.

'Guess it doesn't matter where she sleeps anyway... Now that the beans have been spilled, anyway.'

Thinking fast, Marsh gently laid Apple on the bed, smaller than either of the beds at home, and pulled the blanket over her. Her expression was perfectly peaceful.

'She's so cute when she's sleeping. Clearly she's not worried about nightmares fracturing her sleep.'

Marsh muted the television and curled up at Apple's side. It was only a minute or two before Apple tugged her closer in her sleep.

Quite figuratively and literally, Marsh fell asleep basking in the light of that truce.

XXX

"You got me food?! Aww... you're the best."

Apple gave her a hasty hug, then got to the business of inhaling Marsh's own body weight in food. Marsh grinned genuinely for the first time that morning.

"Oh, it was nothing. I figure you deserve it after yesterday." Marsh rubbed the back of her head. "Did I do okay at getting stuff you like...?"

"Okay? You did perfect. You even remembered the honey!" Apple flashed a huge grin. "So, it's like, thanks, honey!"

Marsh absentmindedly clutched her heart.

'Still beating. ...Except, fast. I'm going to die one of these days if she keeps being herself.'

"N-no problem, Apple. I'm just... really thankful." She flopped back at the foot of the bed. "I'll admit, going down there to get it was a bit... overwhelming. Everyone kept congratulating me, and it's weird, because I'm glad they don't hate me for this, but I also don't want to get a lot of attention just because we're together now... Do you know what I mean?"

"Well, I thought it was nice."

"I like how nice they are, I could just do without the attention."

Apple cheerily replied, "Hardly anyone told me they were glad I was alive when I came back. It makes me happy that they're even talking to me!"

Marsh sighed. "...Gee, I wish more people saw the good in you. I feel like it's somehow my fault that you don't have a lot of friends."

"It doesn't matter as long as you say nice things about me," Apple said resolutely, "Your nice words are worth, like, fifty of the others'!"

Marsh opened her mouth to ask how much she'd talked to others the previous day, how much she'd shared about the relationship... then thought better of it.

'I've surrendered most of my say in that. She wouldn't portray me as a mean person, she likes me too much.'

"So, um. Speaking of nice things about you... How did yesterday go?"

"It went great! All the reporters were real nice, and talking to them was real fun. And I said the same thing over and over again for the most part. What was in that dream you mentioned that made you crush on me, though? And why are you dating me in the first place when you could do better? Those are questions I got."

Marsh thought back, then replied, "It's all written down somewhere at home. We were drawing together, and we were a couple, and it was nice. And you hush, you're plenty good for me. I'm kind of awful, and this is just proof."

Apple stared at her defiantly. "You're awesome! Don't lie to me, Marshmallow!"

Marsh sighed. "...Look. I just feel really bad that I'm leaving you to deal with everything, okay? I'm sorry."

"It's no big deal. I wanna keep you safe, and protect you from harm! I think those mean the same thing. But my point still stands!" Apple grabbed her hands and pulled her close, almost pulling her right into her breakfast. "This is what friends -- nay, girlfriends -- are for!"

Marsh sighed affectionately and pulled her hands away, resettling at the foot of the bed. "Don't lose your breakfast, dear. ...Still, I feel like I should do something a little special. This is a big favor. I owe you one."

"That's not really how it works-"

"I'll feel bad until I can give you something that either helps you or makes you happy."

"Guess you're already paid up, because breakfast is the most important meal of the day and you're giving me a great one."

Marsh groaned. "You know that's not what I meant."

"Then what do you mean?"

"I'm practically useless up here. If I can't do anything else, tell you what... We'll buy Walmart out of flour next time we go, and I'll put on that apron you like and make you cookies. Heaps of them. Chocolate chip and peanut butter and honey."

Apple laughed. "You kidder. ...Wait a second, are you joking? ...All that for just talkin' to some reporters?!" Apple swallowed a bite of pancake. "No way. I'd be robbing you."

'And I'm not robbing you?'

She cleared her throat. "But if you do the math, you'll be dealing with them for twenty hours. I feel like I'm robbing you, if anything... To pay you the proper minimum wage, we'll need to make at least two-hundred cookies. That's seventeen dozen."

Apple stared at her solemnly. "I don't know what a minimum wage is, but I'd love two hundred cookies!"

"I guess that'll be what we do when we get back, then," Marsh replied with a wry grin. "I'll take a week off from the angst of strategy to make you cookies."

"Aw, I'd love that." Apple took an enormous bite that filled her cheeks like she was a chipmunk and swallowed it all.

Marsh suppressed a giggle at just how cartoony it looked, then continued, "Anyway, today is another round of interviews, but this time it'll be reporter-led, not unlike what you turned Tabloid's into. They start at twelve and end at five. There'll be a parade on the way back... We'll stay at the hotel for dinner and say our goodbyes, and then, after dinner tonight or first thing tomorrow morning, we're leaving."

A nod. "Right. So, we're not gonna chill here on Saturday to check out all the rooms like you said you would?"

'Shoot. I forgot all about that.' Marsh gave it thought for a moment, then said, "Good point. Hmm, we'll come back at some point when there's fewer cameras at Hotel OJ. Maybe in a few months to visit the others again."

Apple didn't look terribly disappointed at least; she just shrugged. "Okay."

"Are you sure you'll be able to deal with the reporters by yourself after yesterday?"

"With cookies on the line? Totally!"

Marsh sighed, relieved. "...Okay. I'll admit, I was a little worried about you last night."

Apple raised an eyebrow, looking amused. "Really? Why?"

"Just... You're never out that late. I wondered if you somehow fell asleep mid-question, or something weird like that."

Apple swallowed. "Well, it kept me awake to talk to 'em. I feel okay now, if that means anything."

"Oh." Marsh smiled politely. "Well, if you mind going it alone, I can technically go with you..."

"If I had to choose between five hours of you and a bunch of cookies, I'd pick you," Apple replied matter-of-factly, "but if it makes you uncomfy to be out there, I get it... But I need you to give me an excuse as to why."

"Huh?"

"Y'know, an excuse for your adoring fans, whatever adoring means. I've been telling them you were at Walmart, but I don't think they bought it. In fact, I'm pretty sure they think you're embarrassed of me at this point. Which, to be honest, is fair. I'd be embarrassed of me, too."

Apple did look a little down, so Marsh laid down the law: "I'm not embarrassed by you. But, tell them that I'm..." She thought for a long moment, then said, "Sick. The stress of the interview went and gave me a cold. And tell them that I can do a short Q and A session with Bow and you when I get better... the time and date will be announced on Bow's social media. At least we'd get to choose what questions to answer if it was on a livestream instead of having it all at once."

"Got it." Apple flashed a thumbs-up. "What's 'announced'?"

"Shared. We'll tell them when another time, basically." With a second more of thought, she added, "And... while I'm thinking of it, tell Paintbrush to come to Purgatory Mansion on Tuesday for the visit. We don't want that to go undone if we don't have time at dinner for some reason."

Apple saluted. "Right! I'll tell Paintbrush when I can. Anything else, master strategist?"

Marsh narrowed her eyes. "'Master strategist? I don't dislike it, but is that really accurate?"

"It's pretty clear that you're the smart one here," she explained. "You're the one who has the plan, and I follow it." Apple set down her fork and wrapped her hand around Marsh's wrist. "But, uh, I want you to know... you're doing the stuff I can't do, and I'm doing the stuff you can't. So that's why you're the brains: you can do it. And you, uh... shouldn't feel bad? Which means... God, no clue. Don't feel bad for letting me do something for you for a change, okay? You cook for me and teach me new things and-"

She cut herself off, looking sharply away as if embarrassed for once.

For once, Marsh couldn't fathom why.

In a few seconds, she looked back at her with a nervous little chuckle. "...We're a team, okay? That means I do stuff too. Do you get it?"

It wasn't until the conversation was turned back to her that Marsh realized that she was rendered speechless. She stared at her, disbelieving. Her thoughts raced on overdrive.

'We're a... team...'

'I'm not just freeloading?'

'I guess I do do more for you than I thought.'

'...How does she know that I feel guilty even though I never said I did?'

It was a true 'Holy smokes... she really just said that' moment.

Several seconds of just Apple's fork clinking against the glass and eating passed. At the end, there was nothing for Marsh to do but nod once, twice.

It wasn't enough.

Marsh crawled beside Apple, shut her eyes, and kissed her.

Honey. Maple syrup. That was the taste of that union of lips. Apple's hand tightened around Marsh's wrist; it wasn't by sight but by touch that Marsh witnessed her embarrassed frown turn into a huge, dopey smile, that she felt Apple's rare hesitation become a bold grab for her hand.

'Hard not to smile when you're kissing someone who cares, eh?'

It was a few seconds longer before Marsh broke off their kiss.

She could hear Apple's heartbeat as much as she could feel her own.

The kiss lasted seven seconds. Marsh didn't lean far when she broke off the kiss. In fact, when she licked her lips clean of pancake crumbs and sweet stuff, Apple was still close enough that she could have probably stuck her tongue out and poked Marsh in the face with it if she wanted to ruin the moment.

"Man, Marsh... I'm not complaining, but what was that for?" Apple looked as surprised as she was happy.

Marsh giggled, a long-delayed blush finally coming to her face. "...Apple, do you ever have that moment where the right person says the right thing at the right time, and it makes you feel so much better? It's nice."

"I really just did that?! I made you feel not-guilty?"

"That, and really appreciated." Marsh could feel herself become flustered. She fought the urge to hide her face in her hands and added, "Anyway, make sure you take breaks when you need them, okay? I'll need you back in one piece to eat all those cookies. ...That's not stuff I'd say if I was embarrassed by you, either, okay?"

"Heh, okay. Don't worry, Marsh!" Apple slipped an arm around her. "I'll keep it together for the both of us. You just don't worry your pretty little head when I go down there. And I'll be yours again tonight. Deal?"

"Deal."

XXX

The night stretched around them as they walked, only lit by a handful of stars and their ironically-bright future back at the dark mansion. Snow carpeted the ground all around them, and even bundled up in her purple jacket against the cold, there was a shiver in Marsh's limbs.

It wouldn't be terribly surprising if Marsh got a cold, honestly.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?"

"It was a little crappy, to be honest-"

"Oh, sorry."

"No, it's nothing to apologize about." They made eye contact. "The emphasis is on 'a little.' In other words... I expected a lot worse, to be honest."

Apple gave a respectful nod. "Huh. That's good. But also bad? Eh. What'd you think would be so bad?"

'Pretending to be someone I'm not. People judging me. Getting thrown out.'

"It's... complicated. It comes down to everything being like we're playing pretend. I have to be a celebrity when I live miles away from civilization. You have to be my entirely-not-romantic best friend when the truth is that's ancient history." Apple raised an eyebrow. "I had to be our strategist even though I'm always winging it. And I didn't want people to judge us. I mean, I'm glad our friends are accepting and all, but it still felt strange to get so much attention for it..."

"Ah. Well, you know what, Marsh? We're almost back to being hermits who live, like, a bajillion miles away from the others. That's like a gajillion kilometers." Apple rubbed her stem. "...Whatever hermits are. Or kilometers. Speaking of, is a gajillion even a real number...? Whatever. Two-hundred sure is."

A genuine smile came onto Marsh's face. "It sure is."

The night went back to silence, save for the sounds of their footsteps in the snow.

'This whole ordeal... it taught me a lot. Apple's always been a bit of a wild card, but she's got real strength of character, too...'

Marsh stuffed her hands deeper into the pockets on the front of her jacket. An absent little grin came onto her face as she cast her gaze up to the stars that weren't obscured by the cloud cover. 'This reunion was a real waste of time, for the most part. It caused me a mad amount of stress, and I'd be happy if I never saw a camera again.

'But at the same time... Paintbrush is coming over in just a few days. We'll finally get to do some real catching up. And all the fans know that Apple and I are just fine now... heck, tough times bring couples closer.'

She glanced towards at her, wearing one of the red and white socks she'd made her over her stem, and grinned.

"You NEED this, and you can do it. Staying here all the time isn't what's best for you."

That'd been what Apple had said before the reunion... and maybe, just maybe, there was a kernel of truth to it.