(A/N): Hiya~ This is just a little something I worked up in my free time. Bubbline is such a wonderful ship for aus and I've always wanted to do the Florist/Tattoo artist one. I hope you enjoy it and any comments are greatly appreciated~! ^-^
Disclaimer: I do not own Adventure Time
Marceline had been watching the girl for a while.
She hadn't even meant to. She'd just heard the shop across the street's door open and looked up from her drawing out of habit. The girl who had just brought said opposite shop was pushing the door open with her back, carrying a large box in her hands. That was when Marceline had stopped.
The girl couldn't be older than her, and couldn't have looked anymore different. Her hair was strawberry blonde slash caramel, bouncy but not curly and looked as though it had been cut with a ruler. Marceline's was shaggy, inky black and shaved precariously on one side. The girl was large, not fat but round. Cuddly. Her cheeks and nose bright pink like she'd been out in the cold. Marceline was scrawny and her skin was so pale that it looked grey. The girl had light freckles where Marceline had tattoos across her collar bone and upper arms.
Yet, despite this, the girl smiled at Marceline before disappearing into her shop. A small, friendly smile that said 'nice to meet you'. Marceline had felt her face grow hot-she was adorable!
That was when she had started watching her.
The box looked to be some kind of furniture. Her shop was mostly bare aside from the cash register and a couple of discarded tables. From where she was sat, Marceline deduced the picture on the box to be some sort of flower stand. The girl was a florist.
And struggling with the furniture.
First, she had laid all of the wooden pieces out on the floor, carefully. Her hands were small, with short fingers and nails painted bright pink. Then she'd unfolded the instructions and read them carefully, her face screwed up slightly as though reading Shakespeare.
Then she'd tried putting some of the parts together, not touching the glue yet in case she got it wrong. It only made her frown more. She was failing epically and Marceline wasn't sure how. It was cute but frustrating.
She knew she should go over to help. For a minute, she picked up her courage, before crossing the street and knocking on the door with the back of her knuckles. Then she pushed open the door, bells jingling above her.
The girl looked up, startled, with wide eyes. They were like a doll's eyes. Glassy irises and thick, long eyelashes. Too late to back out now...
"I-I was just wondering if you needed help?" Marceline stammered, scratching the back of her neck awkwardly. She was all too aware of how scary she must have looked.
The girl blinked, slowly, before she smiled slightly. Maybe the stuttering had calmed her down.
"Sure," she said warmly, then gestured to the pieces in front of her.
Marceline crouched down, taking care not to get too close to the girl. She could smell the vanilla perfume from here. She glanced at the instructions and then brought some pieces closer to her.
When she reached for the glue she froze. The florist's hand was over hers, small and way too warm.
"Are you sure?" she asked, her voice wavering.
"Trust me, I used to do DIY with my dad." Marceline tried to flash a friendly smile, but it probably came out as a grimace.
The girl withdrew and watched as Marceline started to assemble the table. She pulled her legs up to her chest like a child and watched, seemingly fascinated.
Marceline worked in silence but was done within ten minutes. It was surprising how much she remembered from her childhood.
"Wow!" the girl leapt up and stared at the table like it was a mystical creature. "That was wonderful!"
"It was nothing," Marceline muttered, trying not to show how much that smile rattled her.
"You run the tattoo parlour across the street, don't you?" the girl said curiously, starting to tug the table nearer to the window. "I'll make sure to call you if I need anything."
"Need anything?" Marceline pressed.
"Oh-no-I didn't mean a tattoo!" the girl squeaked, going pink-or pinker-in the face. "Help with DIY or...maybe we could grab lunch together at some point?"
It sounded like an empty promise. The kind you throw at someone to be polite. Or because she didn't know what else to say. It still made Marceline's heart soar. There was a chance!
"Sure," she tried to say it like it didn't bother her either way, but she couldn't help a small smile tugging at her lips. "I'm Marceline, by the way."
"That's a really pretty name," the girl grinned again and Marceline felt her face grow hot. "I'm Bonnibel; it's great to meet you."
Bonnibel. The name fitted her perfectly. Every sound just looked like her.
"I guess I'll see you around," Marceline finished awkwardly, turning her body to go. She found herself slamming straight into the door.
Hiding her face with the one side of hair, she hurried out the door. Bonnibel was trying not to giggle.
The sound of that giggle seemed to haunt Marceline all day.
Bonnibel had been thinking of how to talk to the girl for a while.
They weren't good enough friends for her to just walk over. Although she had promised lunch sometime, the thought of going somewhere alone with Marceline made her stomach do flips.
She'd first seen the tattoo artist through the window as she was checking out the shop. It was hard to turn away. She'd been concentrating on her work, her hair swaying forward like a silky curtain. She looked slightly rough, covered in tattoos and piercings, but also quite cute. Like a rock chick. (And Bonnibel could never resist the pull of rock music, even if she didn't look like it.) There was something in the way Marceline held herself, like she was just riding through life for the fun of it.
Bonnibel had felt her insides clench. She'd never seen someone like Marceline.
And then she had come over to help with the building. Although Bonnibel had managed to copy her to make the other tables she needed (she had been unable to ask for more help), Marceline's was by far the best. She had done it so easily. It was like watching someone unpack their belongings. Her concentrating face was Bonnibel's favourite, it was so intense, like she was completely apart from the world.
Today, Bonnibel finally had a plan to make conversation. It wasn't her first choice and it scared her to death to think about it, but it was the only choice she had.
Taking a breath, she pushed open the door to the tattoo parlour. Old rock music was playing from somewhere in the back of the shop. Marceline looked up at the sound of the door and her eyes widened slightly as she took the girl in.
"H-Hello," Bonnibel managed to get out. She sounded so faint.
"Hi," Marceline grinned, running a hand through the front of her hair. She stood up and stepped-no, she always seemed to glide over the ground-around her desk, leaning on it. It looked like she didn't know what else to do. The fact the she was as nervous, if not more, encouraged the florist. "What can I do for you?"
"I-I'd like a tattoo!" Bonnibel blurted out. Just saying the word made her shiver. "Please!"
Marceline was staring at her, just for a moment.
"You...really?" she asked, raising a dark eyebrow.
Bonnibel gulped, it was too late to back out now. At least they were talking. At least they were talking and there were no needles. She nodded quickly.
"You don't really seem like the type to have one," Marceline continued, almost hesitantly. Like she was afraid to discover the plan.
"Well I've kinda always wanted one," Bonnibel sounded like she was trying to convince herself. "But I'm scared of needles."
"I'm sorry to say that I use needles too," Marceline sighed, not at the loss of business, it seemed that she was sad that Bonnibel was going to have to go.
There was an awkward silence. Bonnibel dithered in the doorway. Not quite wanting to leave but knowing that she needed too. Then the tattoo artist's eyes widened as she twigged it.
"Did you really just do that?" she questioned, a smile emerging on her face. There was a small laugh and she tried to cover her mouth, though her eyes were dancing.
Bonnibel felt her cheeks go crimson and felt like a child as she groaned and nodded her head.
"It was dumb-I'm going to go now." She muttered quickly, going to turn away.
But Marceline had crossed the room and caught hold of Bonnibel's wrist. Just lightly. Just enough to stop her.
"It was the cutest thing ever," she said, her voice warm with a smile. Bonnibel turned and smiled back, now completely flustered.
"Should we grab some lunch?" Marceline continued, still grinning crookedly.
"I would like that. More than a tattoo." Bonnibel admitted, to receive another laugh. She opened the door as Marceline put her arm over her shoulders, nudging the other girl's hip lightly with her own.
She wanted to ask if this was a date. She hoped it was a date.
It was a lot easier not to be the nervous one. Marceline had found that it was so much easier not to look the fool when Bonnibel was the one getting embarrassed. It made everything a lot easier.
They'd talked a lot over lunch and had slowly come out of their shells to each other. There was still a nervous air, but they didn't jump every time their legs touched.
It was about a week later that Marceline gathered enough courage to ask Bonnibel out. A week of lunches and waves and smiles. A week of being friends.
She had the perfect plan as well.
The bell chimed a greeting as she opened the flower shop-now decked out with bunches of any type imaginable.
"Hi Marcy," Bonnibel grinned from behind the counter, leaning on it with her forearms. "What can I do for you?"
"I need a bouquet-preferably pink." Marceline tried to sound as in control as one can be when their heart is beating out of their chest.
Bonnibel nodded, though she wasn't looking at Marceline's face, then set to work.
"Is there anything on the note you'd like to say?" Bonnibel asked. Marceline noted that her heart didn't seem in it and wanted to apologize, but ten more seconds of sadness would be worth it-hopefully.
"Hm? Oh yeah. It should say 'go out with me?'" Marceline's hands felt sweaty.
Bonnibel was just about to hand the bouquet over before she slapped a hand over her mouth.
"Oh my gosh, I forgot to ask, I need a name to send it to!" she squeaked, turning pink again.
"Bonnie." Marceline fought to hide the smile. This was the moment.
Bonnibel didn't notice straight away. She even started to write it but then she paused and looked up with wide eyes.
"Really?" she didn't even whisper it, just mouthed it.
Marceline nodded and in the next moment was attacked as the girl slipped around the desk and pulled her into a hug. She pulled away slightly, brushing her bangs away from her face.
"Oh! Yes-yes. I meant to say yes." She stammered, though Marceline could barely hear her.
She had been so happy, like every part of her was buzzing with static electricity, that she hadn't even felt herself move. But she knew in the next moment that she had kissed Bonnibel. And Bonnibel was kissing back. It felt like floating.
Quickly though, Bonnibel pulled away, probably out of embarrassment. Her face was bright red.
"D-Did you still want the flowers?"