Author's Note: Still trying to improve on my grammar. I think I made some progress, but it's still far from perfection. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Fireflies

After yet another busy and industrious day, princess Bubblegum finally decided it's the right time to go to bed. The castle looked deserted, as she strolled around it's narrow corridors. Finally reaching her bedroom she felt relief. Before she could even change her clothes, she heard weird noises inside the room. It was as if something bumped straight into the wall a couple of times, in a rather clumsy fashion. She was unable to tell however from where exactly the sound came.

"Hello, I can hear you. What were you doing? Donking my room? Come out!"

She checked under the bed, as it was the first thing that came into her mind. No one was there however, just a bit of dust and some socks she lost a couple of days ago.

"Not funny, is that you again Ice King?" She sighted. "I swear that if it's you I'm going to... a-ha!"

She opened her closed, suspecting someone to be inside. Much to her surprise however, nothing was in there, aside from her clothes piled up in a bunch. She turned around, inspecting her room closely.

"Or... EARL! What did I told you about creeping up on us!"

But no one seem to be around, as she searched even further, looking in the places that no one would even consider to hide in.

"Or..."

On the edge of her window frame, there was a rose. Single and simple, yet blooming and beautiful, with the most perfect shade of red one could imagine to find. She grabbed it in her little pink fingers, and smelled the flower. It's scent was astonishing.

"Oh..."

She looked down. The city was quiet and silent, like every night. She spotted something however, right under the lamppost glow. Petals, scattered around in a trail leading somewhere. The princess smiled and blushed, as she climbed down her tower to get down unnoticed by pesky eyes around the palace. But no one saw her. Only the fireflies that lighted up the night's sky. Walking fast, she finally reached the royal ponds which waters reflected the moon in a beautiful way. On one of the lilies slim, pale girl sat, as her black hair waved freely on the night's breeze.

"Marceline..." The princess sighted. She tried to sound disappointed, yet the heart in her chest started to beat faster.

"You shown up!" She clapped her hands and flew to her. "Last time when I tried to get your attention, you send your guards first. They chased around for a bit." She giggled. "But... you look kind off mad." She sighted. "Expected someone else, huh? Silly goose."

"Not funny."

"It never meant to be funny, bubble butt."

She circled around her and eventually show her the little bucket with a bottle of wine right inside of it. Princess didn't said a word, instead, she just shook her head.

"Can't we just pretend this one time that we like each other and have a good time?"

But Bonnibel just stood there, without a word. She seemed to be both puzzled and mad.

"Can't we just pretend that we mean something for each other? Just this once?"

"No, we cannot!" The princess quickly respond, almost shouting. Then, surprised by the strength of her own voice, she covered her mouth and said it again, quietly. "We cannot."

"Why?"

"Because of obligations and promises." There was something bitter in her voice.

"That makes no sense to me." She smiled and shrugged. "Figures."

"The point is, that I should have a prince, if anything. They DEMAND a prince!" She shouted, as she pointed her finger at the palace, which from this angle looked almost menacing. "Happiness never was in my schedule." She shook her head. "Never calculated that in my plans."

"That's the problem. You calculate! You think!" She tighten her fists. "You do stuff that seem important and fancy. You think you got it all right! But in that bubble head of yours, you got it all wrong!" She appeared right before her face. "And most of all, you never calculated ME in."

Marceline put her fingers on princess neck, but emotions quickly faded away, as she gazed into those big, round eyes. She just smudged her cheek, and turned around.

"You were different."

"I were younger dumdum." She looked down on her hands. "Silly, teenage dreams."

"Age, ssh." She rolled her eyes and sat down. "We don't work that way."

The princess came closer and sat near her as well. It wasn't long before the vampire finally opened the bottle, pouring the red liquid into both of the prepared glasses. Bonnibel however didn't seem to be in the mood. She on the other hand, grabbed her dose almost instantly. The fireflies seemed to be more and more bold, as they flew around, almost touching their hair.

"Remember how we used to wake up when the sun was up, in a dirty tent pitched in the middle of nowhere?" Marceline finally started, while taking a sip.

"I remember. Just like I remember you claiming most of our bedsheets, because the star needs to get her nap." She almost started to laugh, but quickly switched back to her serious face.

"Well, what about some certain individual, that always had to take a bath that lasted an hour or two, since 'oh they will see me like that, oh what a disgrace'. Huh?"

"What about her?" She finally smiled a bit. "Oh, I don't remember her biting her own fans just because they came dressed in red and someone was hungry, huh?"

"Oh yeah?" She finished her drink, and poured in yet more wine. "Who locked herself in a tent and refused to go out, after you lost your bet and was meant to shave your head?" Marceline poked her on the forehead. "You never did that by the way."

"Meh! Remember when you were hardly capable of standing still after your little celebrations?" Princess grinned triumphantly, as she took her own glass and quickly emptied it. "I had to drag you to bed and you still wouldn't let me get you out of your clothes."

"Sounds like win-win to me, right?" Both of the glasses were filled once again. "You are no saint as well! Remember when you danced so hard, you somehow teared up your pants and you begged me to cover you up on your way to the tent?" The vampire almost choked from laughing. "Now that was a story!" She bit her lip. "And some nice things to cover..."

"Marceline!" Blush appeared on her pink face.

"Alright, alright, sheesh."

They watched as the small glowing fireflies pierced the night sky. Their dance was somewhat amusing, as they circled around one another, creating beautiful smudges of light. The girls just sat there in silence. From time to time, their eyes met, but as soon as that happened, they turned away from each other. Marceline eventually had enough.

"Right, I don't think we'll squeeze anymore out of that little moment. So, um. Bye." Before she managed to stand up, a warm hand tangled around her arm and root her in place.

"Don't go."

"I don't understand you." She shook her head. "I just don't Bonnie."

"I don't understand myself." She gulped. "Just don't go."

Before the vampire could say a word, shivering lips touched hers. Bonnibel hold Marceline's head tight, almost like if she was afraid that she will run away. Like if she was meant to fade away after any show of affection. She did not. Her cold lips still kissed hers. Her cold hand still stroked her sweet neck. She wished for this moment to last forever. To be there, feel her, feel her breath and her touch, feel her beating heart. But nothing lasts forever. As she sighted and hugged her for the last time, the princess lied her head on her lap.

"I never met someone like you." She tangled the strand of her black hair around her finger, as she looked up at her face. "Someone so stubborn, so out of place, so disrespectful. So special."

"I'm special to you?"

Two black eyes focused right at her. Princess couldn't help herself, as the blush once again appeared on her precious pink face.

"You are. You always were, I think. You are close to me and I l... like you a lot."

"Just that Bonnie?"

"More than that..."

They went silent as the light breeze caressed their hair. Bonnibel tried not to think too much. Marceline on the other hand seemed to be both confused and in pain.

"What are you thinking about?" She finally asked.

"You."

"Me?" The princess sounded surprised.

"Don't act that way. I think about you all the time." Marceline cleared the strand of hair from princess forehead. "I dream about you all the time." She looked up in the sky, as the fireflies mated in their dance. "Sometimes you wear clothes in those dreams. Other times..."

"Marceline!" Bonnibel shouted out loud, and once again covered her mouth when she realized what time is it. "Marceline..."

"Do you dream about me sometimes?"

"Yes..." She nodded slightly, almost like if she was shy.

"How do I look in those dreams?"

The princess thought for a while.

"You look..." She gasped for air. "Beautiful..."

"That's..."

"No." She raised her hand up placing her finger on her lips. "Let me finish. You are the most gorgeous thing I've seen in my life. Not once in any of my research, science, or whatever I done with my life, I even came close to something so astonishing, so charming, so beautiful like you." She smudged her cheek. "And I don't think I will. Are you special? There's no one like you in Ooo. There's no one like you elsewhere. And when I see you in those dreams, you think I don't want to run to you? Embrace you? I do. I really do Marceline... Marceline." She bit her lower lip. "Your name sounds so right in my mouth..."

"Bonnie..."

"But please, not now..." She closed her eyes. "I just want to enjoy it. Enjoy you next to me. Just that... no more words, for now."

Marceline just nodded and grabbed one of the fireflies right in the palm of her hand. The little bug bumped around inside at first, but finally calmed down, and as she opened her fingers, he was just there, looking at her with his big round eyes. She placed it right on the princess cheek. As it danced around there a bit, he flew up high, joining others. Marceline's grip tightened, as they both watched the sky for the rest of the night.