FEATHERS

"Is there anything interesting happening here while we were gone?" Sponge asked, slipping into one of JM's sweaters. It was slightly short on her, barely reaching her wrists, and when she raised her arms, it rode up her stomach.

Oh well, beggars can't be choosers.

JM flinched, her back turned to Sponge as she faced the closed door, carefully folding Sponge's clothes in her arms. "Uh… not so much, I suppose," JM stammered.

Sponge raised an eyebrow before switching her pants for some black shorts, wincing at the bruise on her leg. "I see. You can turn around now," she said, flopping down on the bed, wincing slightly as the movement jostled her wound.

"Oh my goodness," JM winced, noticing the bruise on Sponge's leg. Sponge just grinned, chuckling slightly as she pushed herself up, her head hitting the headboard. "Yeah, well, that's what I get for falling off a cliff," she said, and JM's expression turned to worry.

"Anyways… are you lying? Before we entered, we heard that some kind of large bird is terrorizing you all. Unless it's not bothering you, then I don't really care, I suppose," Sponge shrugged. JM bit her lip, placing Sponge's clothes inside her wardrobe before taking a seat on the bed, right beside her leg.

"Ah well… it doesn't bother me, so I suppose you can drop that topic now," JM said, smiling nervously.

Sponge tilted her head, a smirk on her lips. "Woooow, so eager to change the subject… don't tell me… are you helping that bird steal things?" she whispered, leaning close to JM, whose eyes were wide like saucers.

Sponge smirked, her eyes crescent-shaped as she stared straight into JM's.

"I—I—Sponge…" JM stammered, her face paling as Sponge laughed, leaning back against the headboard and cackling like a madman.

 "Why do you look so scared? Oh god, that was hilarious! You know I would never call you a thief, right? I was just kidding," Sponge giggled. But JM's expression remained serious; the paleness didn't fade—she looked deep in thought.

Sponge's smile faltered as she let out a small snort. "JM, I was just kidding! Do you even know what a joke is?" she asked, raising a brow. JM turned to her, glaring.

"I know what a joke is! And that wasn't funny," she grumbled, rushing out of the room.

Sponge gaped. "Wha? Hey! JM! I was just kidding!" She reached out a hand, calling for the other woman.

Scratching her head, she let out a confused noise. "What the hell is wrong with her? I was just joking," she muttered under her breath, utterly perplexed.

—

A few hours later, after taking a small nap, Sponge decided to leave JM's room, mostly to stretch her leg. She didn't want to lose the progress she had made with Vvh and her training.

However, when she stepped out, neither Vvh nor JM was around. "JM?" Sponge called, glancing toward the kitchen, expecting to find her cooking some random fish or Vvh outside, watching people move around like a spectator.

"Huh… they left me here, tsk," Sponge clicked her tongue, leaning against the wall with a sigh. Her eyes traveled across the floor, where she saw multiple feathers scattered about. It was as if JM's earlier cleaning hadn't made a dent in the mess.

"Should I… help with cleaning?" Sponge mumbled to herself, eyeing the broom in the corner. She hobbled over and began sweeping the feathers into a pile.

 Just as she was making progress, a gust of wind from the window sent the feathers flying again, causing her to let out a frustrated curse. She stomped her uninjured foot on the ground and started over.

"Pretend this is one of Vvh's lessons, and I have no choice but to do it," she muttered, dusting the feathers back into the corner where the wind wouldn't reach them.

Suddenly, a loud thump made Sponge straighten up. Her hands instinctively reached for the axe at her waist. Turning toward the noise, she carefully walked, forcing her injured leg to move slowly and quietly, gritting her teeth.

Sponge stopped in front of JM's guest room, feeling confused. She stared at the door, then glanced at the doorknob, hesitating before slowly turning it. Just then, the front door slammed open, and JM entered. 

Sponge leaned back, quickly dropping her axe back into its holster and grinning at the pink-haired woman.

"Hey, where were you?" Sponge asked, limping toward her. JM dropped a bucket on the table, revealing a mishmash of trinkets and wet scrolls. Sponge winced. "Oof, I see now," she said, chuckling slightly as JM's antennae drooped, shaking her head.

"I need to gather fish today… What can I feed Vi—you guys?" JM asked, pouting. Sponge raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "Buy fish from other people?" she suggested. JM pouted further, letting out a groan like a disappointed child. The squeak of her boots made Sponge giggle.

"But doesn't it matter that I'm the one who got the food? It would look like I care!" JM replied, her voice rising. 

Sponge snorted and rolled her eyes. "Ah, I certainly missed this," she muttered to herself as JM continued her lament about needing to catch the fish herself.

"Eh, does it matter?" Sponge asked, considering that she didn't even eat fish and Vvh was not a picky eater. JM had also mentioned she had no need to eat. Who else needed fish that required JM to catch it?

"It does!" JM insisted, looking frazzled. Sponge placed a calming hand on her shoulder. "Relax, relax. I can try catching fish for you!... oh," Sponge added, glancing down at her injured leg as JM pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Why are you so damn stressed? I really would have thought you'd be happy to have us here again," Sponge asked, trying to keep her voice neutral, though she felt a pang of disappointment at this version of JM.

What even happened while they were gone? Was there some weird event requiring a bunch of fish? Surely JM wouldn't care that much…

JM's face twisted in guilt. "Oh Sponge, I—didn't mean for you to feel that way. I'm happy you and Master Vvh are back, but I think it's just a bad time… That's all," she murmured, rubbing the back of her neck. Sponge sighed.

"Hey, no sweat. It's fine. Not everyone is happy all the time, even you. You shouldn't force yourself so much," Sponge said, rubbing her shoulder and grinning. "I can still catch fish for you… Surely I'm allowed to use your fishing rod now that we're buddies and all," Sponge smirked as JM turned to her.

Sponge pulls the line, ignoring the burning pain in her arms as she reels in the sixth fish, letting out a groan as she slumps into the chair beneath her, almost dropping the fishing rod.

Beside her, JM lets out a happy, excited noise. Sponge turns to her, grinning tiredly. "Hey, at least we got fish now," she says, straightening up when she sees Vvh approaching.

"Did I not tell you to rest? What are you doing here?" Vvh asks, eyeing the fishing rod in Sponge's hands. She quickly passes it to JM, who looks confused.

"She was just helping me fish!" JM exclaims, turning to Vvh, who focuses on Sponge with a concerned expression.

"You're going to pull your stitches doing that," Vvh warns. JM suddenly looks confused, glancing back at Sponge, who chuckles nervously.

"Stitches? I thought you only had a sprained leg?" JM asks, waving a hand dismissively. "I— I technically do! But uh…" She lifts her sweater to reveal the thick bandage on her stomach, which is already staining red.

JM gasps, and Vvh clicks her tongue, lowering her head and shaking it disapprovingly. Sponge grins sheepishly, scratching the back of her neck.

"You look pale! Oh no, oh no, I'm sorry," JM says, grabbing Sponge's arm as she lets out a noncommittal noise.

"Hey, I just wanted to help a friend," Sponge refutes, but Vvh crosses her arms, clearly unimpressed.

JM's antennae twitch with worry as both she and Vvh drag Sponge back inside the boathouse. JM hands Sponge a chocolate drink to help bring some color back to her face, while Vvh cleans and rewraps her wound tightly.

Sponge groans, "That hurts! Can't you be more careful? I'm injured," she whines as Vvh gives her stomach a hard pat, right on top of her wound, causing her to groan loudly in pain. "You deserve that; you're not being careful enough," Vvh replies, standing up.

Sponge writhes in pain, a tear in her eye as she looks up at Vvh, who certainly appears disappointed, even with a mask covering her face. She can feel the aura radiating from her.

"I didn't know you had a wound there… What happened?" JM asks, worry evident in her tone as she sits beside Sponge. 

Sponge sighs and shrugs. "Hell if I know," she lies through her teeth, avoiding JM's gaze as her friend's eyes narrow, antennae twitching madly.