Chapter 1: Sick in Hiding
Author:GGRain
Series: Adventure Time
Pairing: Marceline Abadeer/Bonnibel Bubblegum
Rating: M for later chapters
Disclaimer: I don't own Adventure time (Songs are a mixture of rearranged lyrics from existing songs and altered lyrics)
A.N.: I know I've got 2 Soul Eater fan fictions on an indefinite hiatus right now, but honestly so much has happened in my life since then. I had a computer break, lost access to my account on here for a long time PLUS moving several times, getting my own place, getting a full time job. A LOOOT and that part of my life feels so far in the past I have no idea if I'll finish those stories. I WANT to but I'm just not feeling it, you know? Anyways, I've just gotten into Adventure time and I LOOVVE Bubbline (Bubblegum X Marceline) So I really wanted to write something of them. Normally I do a one shot first so I can get into the characters and everything, but I feel like I got this down so this is gonna be a multi-chaptered one! Enjoy!
Sometimes I forget how old I really am, that is until the world around me reminds me. It's easy to lose track of time when you're not mortal. Plum, even before I was a vampire and I was just some half demon kid, I still aged way slower than mortals do. So you can understand why I forget how old I am some times.
I think I was somewhere in the hundreds when all this started. Wait, hang on, mushroom war took place like a thousand years ago according to word of mouth, history and old dusty tombs I've managed to find. So I guess I was much older. Oh well, it doesn't matter how old I was at the time. To give you a better time span, I had just broken it off with Ash. The slimy lame butt was causing me tots lumping problems! Sending dragons and butt loads of other nasty magical and sometimes undead things after me. At first it was sweet and kind of pathetic. He wanted me back and his little messengers came to try and convince me, though the proud ego maniac would never admit he really wanted me back. I could tell; I knew the big jerk better then he knew his own socks!
After a while, those creeps started to really get on my nerves and fighting them even for someone as awesome as me was starting to get hard. I was tired of it all so I flew off one day, bundled up with my anti-sun gear and tried to move to one of my other places. But lump it all Ash knew them all! Plum! I was so angry! It looked more and more like I'd need to go into hiding for a while. Let him forget about me and cool off. He was only a wizard, he'd drop it after a few years. Of course that's what I thought at the time. I never expected him to come back into my life years later and mess with my memories! But that's way too far ahead.
Back on track, I was flying around Ooo trying to find somewhere new to hunker down for a while. Took a heap longer then I thought it would. Maybe this cave, no, maybe that old ruin, no. I even tried a few of my friend's places (the ones still alive that is), but nothing. I didn't end up finding a place until I meandered over to the Candy Kingdom. I knew the royalty. I floated in at night trying not to be spotted. The less people that could keep track of my movements, the better. There was an open window to the study (present day Bonni's lab). I flew in close and a whoosh of air blowing in upon my approach alerted whoever was inside. A shadow of the room's single occupant moved close to the window. I floated right up to the window and knocked on the frame.
"Hey there," I called in. I knew him, but he was much older than last I saw him. Elderly in fact, it was my old buddy Gumbald, now his name suited him. He smiled at me from his hunched position. I noticed a large plush chair with a fading imprint. He must have gotten up from there when he felt the sudden breeze my flying created.
"Well welly well well, Marceline the vampire queen! It's been ages since I last saw you old-or rather ageless friend!" he said with and old gummy grin. He was right, it had been far too long.
"Too true Gumbald, too true. It's weird not seeing you as the young stick of gum ya used to be. Spelunkin' with me all night and day." I reminisced, thinking of our old fun adventures. He laughed in an old husky tone.
"Yeah but you know better than most that even us candy people age. It just takes us much longer to fade than most. Of course our longevity is nothing compared to a vampires! After all these years you don't look a day older!"
As Gumbald spoke I let myself in, landing with my few bags and my ax-base. He smiled and looked me over. Then looked concerned, his kind old brow wrinkling.
"Marc' why all the bags? What kind of shenanigans have you stumbled into now?"
I explained all the biz with Ash and Gumbald listened tentatively.
"...so that's why I came here. Need a good place to crash, not burn." I finished explaining. Gumbald took a breath a bit deeper than the others before. Thinking, he stroked his hand along his smooth bald head.
"Well...welly well well, I've been thinking of refurbishing. The first and second basements above are the dungeon and the cellar, as I'm sure you know." Gumbald reminded me. I nodded listening and waiting for him to speak again while he gathered his thoughts.
" I suppose we could redo it and set things up so there's a place for you to crash. I hope that a deep dark basement is rad enough for you, Marc'." Gumbald joked. I smiled and nodded, happy my good friend was there for me in my time of need.
"Tots rad, Gumbald. Where should I kick it 'til then?" I asked, wanting to make sure I wasn't imposing or getting in the way. Gumbald thought long and hard, rubbing his bald head, his fingertips ruffling the hair that managed to stay stubbornly at the sides of his head. They were puffy like chewed gum.
"For now there's a guest's quarters in the tower a few levels below the floors with the royal quarters on them. I'll show you there since I need to head up to bed soon myself." he explained. He reached for a candy corn cane and slowly hobbled along to show me where I'd be crashing for the next few days. As we left the room, he reached for the small candy lantern that he was reading by so we would have something other than moon light for company as we traveled the dark halls of the candy castle. As we walked, Gumbald and I did some catching up. He was explaining to me all the things that changed since last I saw him and it seemed like I had missed out on lifetimes. There was some huge plague biz caused by some evil butt-face and Gumbald had to down like a WHOLE taffy forest in a day just to keep half the candy people alive. Just like the young hero I knew him to be. Apparently, Gumbald and his sister Tutti-frutti were the only royalty I knew who were left. He started to go on about some little kid niece, but I didn't get to hear much about her since we reached the door to where I'd be staying and he had to cut himself off.
Gumbald raised the lantern and opened the large heavy peanut brittle doors and I was welcomed into a fairly plain room.
"Well welly well well, looks like we've arrived. Sorry Marc', I know this room's a..." He paused trying to remember the slang we use to use. "...Mega bor' fest but I'll get the servants on that basement biz the moment the sun rises!" He flashed me a big wrinkly grin and I smiled back. I'd be lying if it didn't weird me out every time I saw a friend I knew to be young and energetic, suddenly elderly and possibly close to death. How many more friends and lovers did I have to outlive 'til it stopped hurting?
"Nah its cool Gumbald, I'll kick it here and close all the shades and junk. It'll be fine. Thanks for letting me take up space dude." I hid my morbid thoughts behind my cool bad girl attitude, it always worked. Gumbald nodded and left me alone to get settled in. I set up camp all around the bed and ended up reclining on thin air above the bed, tossing an apple up and down in the air. I looked around the room but there wasn't anything worth committing to memory. I drank the red from the apple and ended up jamming 'til sun up.
The Next few days came and went. I ended up staying in the room the whole time; I was pushing it being there when Gumbald and Tutti-frutti were trying to get this kingdom up and busslin' again. The last thing I wanted to do was be a pain in the butt or in the way when I was a guest. I floated around a bit at night but that was the extent of my exploration. I got into the habit of jamming at dusk, something about the setting sun just got me goin' and I started rippin' out a new song before I knew it.
One dusk when I was jamming in my room something out of the ordinary happened.
"Born with a heart
Broken from the start
I've lived a lot of different lives
Been different people many times
I lived my life in bitterness
And filled my heart with emptiness
I'm done with trying to have it all
And ending up with not much at all
The wasted years the wasted youth
The pretty lies the ugly truth
Adolescence didn't make sense
Ripping away my innocence
The ugliness, being made a fool
Ain't youth supposed to be beautif-..." Then I noticed my door was opened a crack and a tiny pink girl was peeking, in smiling at me. We met eyes after I stopped for only a split second 'til she blushed and ran off.
"Hey wa-" I stopped myself. I had no idea who that even was or if I should go after her. She was so small she could have sat on my head like a kitten. I didn't want her to be scared of me, like most people were. I don't know why but I floated to the door and poked my head out of the room, looking both ways down the halls for her.
"Hey, little pink girl!? Where did you go? Little pink girl?" I stopped and listened for a moment. My ax-bass on my back out of convenience. My pointed ears perked at a small giggle. I turned my head to see tiny little glitter covered pink shoes poking out from behind the many curtains that dimmed the setting sun's light. Carefully to avoid the direct light, I walked over, not wanting to scare her with my floating. I could hear the tiny giggle once again as I got closer. I smiled. Her happiness getting the best of me.
"Hmmm I wonder where the little pink girl ran off to...?" I thought aloud in mock wonder, another tiny giggle.
"I can't find her AAAANNYYWHEERRE!" I opened my arms in an exaggerated way, more giggles.
"Oh well, I guess I just gotta go back to my room and LOCK THE DOOR behind me." I teased turning to leave, in sudden panic that she'd never get to spy on the strange mysterious beauty that I am. The tiny girl burst out from behind the curtain yelling.
"NO! PLEASE!" Her drastic swish of the curtain drew it back, the sun light hitting me like a dragon flying into me at full steam. I hissed burning and oozing. I instinctively shot into the doorway of my room for protection. The small girl screamed in horror, whether it was at my actions or what was happening was a mystery to me at the time. Lying there unmoving and in agony, I heard tiny footsteps travel all the way to my side in a panicked sprint. Tiny hands touched my burned skin and I pulled away in pain.
"Oh NO! Come on black licorice lady we need to go get help!" The tiny girl wiggled her way under my head, chest then threw some miracle half lifted me with her tiny body half under my collar bone and chest.
"...no...need..." I panted, she groaned and shook her tiny head.
"Uh UH!" The cutest no I've ever been told.
The crazy little thing half dragged, half carried me to the door, then put me down, ran out, shut the curtains and picked me right back up again. Through the halls she called for help in panted breaths. She was getting exasperated and I was still only partly healed, not nearly enough that I could move yet. It wasn't 'til we reached the next hall that I had enough strength to pull myself up and off of her.
"UGH.." I grunted rolling onto my back. The tiny girl walked over to me, exhausted. Her eyes grew wide when she saw how healed I was.
"WWWaaaaoooww! Black licorice lady you super healed!" she exclaimed in shock. I choked out a laugh.
"Heehehe yeah..." I just laid there on the cool floor for a moment and the little girl looked me up and down as if I was doing the oddest of things to her. Then she plopped herself down, looked me back up and down, then laid on the ground, spread out just like I was, panting in her exhaustion. I hadn't noticed until then but she had carried herself in a crazy lady like way that is 'till just now.
After a long silence of both of us catching our breath, I spoke first.
"I'm not made of black licorice." I said flatly.
"B-but your all gray and black...what kind of candy person are you then?" She asked curiously. I turned my head to look at her and she looked right back at me, her bright hot magenta eyes staring right back into my scarlet ones. She smiled and her little cheeks turned a darker pink than the rest of her and she blushed, grinning.
"I'm not a candy person, I'm a vampire." I said, watching her tiny bright smile fade as she thought for a moment. It was odd, like she was deciding whether or not to be afraid of me. I've never seen someone who had to think about whether they should be scared of something or not before they reacted. Then she smiled brightly again.
"Kay!" I was dumfounded, I stared blinking wide eyed.
"Kay? That's it? Just 'kay'?" I asked super confused. She just kept smiling at me like I was the most interesting thing she'd ever seen. She was right of course.
"Yup, If you were gonna suck my blood you would have done it by now because I'm little and can't fight back." She said casually, it sort of weirded me out seeing this tiny innocent girl being so calm and cool about the concept of having her blood sucked out. Like it was no biggie. I looked back at her and just started laughing, it had been a long time since someone made me genuinely laugh like that.
"I guess you're right. Man you're a weird kid!" I said through my laughing. She giggled that adorable little giggle of hers then suddenly a horse woman's voice rung out.
"PRINCESS!" I sat up looking towards the voice and the little girl shot up and hide behind me. I looked back at her confused, but my questions were quickly answered when a gingerbread woman ran up to us. She looked very frustrated.
"I say! I heard there was a guest in the castle. So you're the one the princess has been sneaking out of her studies to procrastinate with!" She pointed in my face and I stood up, even hunching over I was much taller than her, nearly 4 heads taller. She didn't seem intimidated at all.
"Whoa lady I just saw this little girl today!" I defended myself. The tiny girl hugged my leg hiding behind me. The lady looked me up and down and I guess dressing in ripped up gray faded jeans and a loose gray tank top compared to all the frumpy royal clothing everyone around here was wearing. She grabbed the tiny girl's hand and pulled her away, she reluctantly fallowed. She waved back at me and the lady yanked her arm to try and get her to walk faster.
"Come along now, Princess Bonnibel bubblegum! I don't know what ever came over you to make you want to waste time with such riffraff!" she said to the little girl as if I couldn't hear them. I scrunched up my nose in offense.
"Hey! I'm the lumping QUEEN of vampires I'll have YOU know!" I called back Strutting to my room proudly. I floated back into my room and closed the door, thinking for a while.
"So that was the princess Gumbald was trying to tell me about...cute" I trailed off thinking aloud. It was a few hours until a knock sounded at my door. It was Peppermint Butler. I SWEAR he was immortal. He's been around for AGES.
"Excuse me miss, But his highness Gumbald wished for me to inform you. The basement's remolding is complete and you are welcome to move there anytime." he said through the door. I grabbed my stuff quickly and opened the door to see him standing there.
"Ready." And with that I moved to my new home for the next long while.
The first few days in the basement were awesome. I had my own sound system all set up courtesy of Gumbald and it had its own washroom, kitchen, everything. It was more like an apartment then anything and I was glad for the space to call my own while I waited for all this to blow over. There was even an exit through the cellars if I wanted to go out without bothering anyone up stairs. There was a dumbwaiter in the kitchen that led to the kitchen upstairs, and Peppermint would send me down red things and other supplies every so often. Apparently the entire castle used this dumbwaiter, so sometimes if I didn't send it back up right away I'd get an ear full from Peppermint or Gumbald about holding up the castle's goings on.
I think it was some time within my 2nd or 3rd week there when the dumbwaiter bell rang, so I went to see what it was. Inside was only a note that demanded I meet Gumbald upstairs to help with some kind of emergency. I rushed upstairs to meet him, not bothering to make myself any more proper looking. My messy hair, loose black tank top and baggy black track pants would have to do.
When I got upstairs Gumbald was relieved to see me, his old features looked exasperated and stressed. I put my hand on his shoulder.
"Marc' thank Glob you're here! Its poor little Bonnibel!" He said in a worried tone. My eyes widened a bit but I hid my worry.
"That sweet little girl I met a little while back? What's wrong with her?" I asked. I needed to know more before I could help.
"She's gotten sick Marc' and it's bad! Its Elastomer fever, highly contagious to candy people! Why her nanny Has already caught it!"
"Whoa sounds heavy, man. What do you need me to do?" I was determined to help in any way.
"I know this is a bit much to ask, but none of us can take proper care of her without catching it. We called in a doctor from outside Candy Kingdom but he's going to take some time to get here. Nanny can't take care of Bonnibel because then Nanny's Elastomer fever will get worse." His explanation made things very clear.
"I got it Gummy, I can take care of little Bonnibel for you guys. But if it's all the same I'd rather take her to where I'm bunking, less things to get in my way." Gumbald nodded.
"Of course, of course Marc'! I can't thank you enough! I'll hand you the instructions the doctor gave us and everything you need will be sent down the dumbwaiter. Thank you, thank you a million times!" Gumbald grabbed me into a tight hug. I hugged him back smiling.
"Hey I owed you for letting me hide out here and junk so we're even now. Besides I kinda liked the lil rascal, she's cute." Little did I know this was only the start of a very long and winding road that would be my relationship with Bonnibel.
Gumbald escorted me to her room but dared not even walk inside. I opened the door to see the poor little girl in her bed all warped up in her sheets with a cold compact long forgotten on her bed side table. I dismissed it as being from when the nanny was trying to take care of her. I walked up to her bed side; a horde of stuffed animals cradled her and she was panting. Her eyes opened dully at me and she covered her mouth to release the worst hacking cough I'd ever heard. The poor thing looked awful. Her eyes were droopy and fatigued. Dark pink bags hung beneath them and her cheeks even looked sunken in. I sat on the edge of her bed and leaned over to her.
"Hey kiddo, remember me?" My voice was gentle and soft, I was almost sure she would have a headache of some kind so I didn't want to cause her pain. She coughed again before answering my question, her poor labored breaths sounding like candy death.
"You're that fun...*wheeze*...vampire girl..."She hacked and coughed after she was finished talking. I reached out and put my hand softly on her head. She was so hot I had to take my hand off after a short time.
"That's right Bonnibel, I'm Marceline, an old friend of your uncle Gumbald and Grandma Tutti-frutti. He sent me to take care of you since I'm not a candy person and I won't catch what you got. So I'm going to pick you up and take you to my..."Marceline smiled. "EVIL lair!" she hissed and bared her fangs electing a small giggle from Bonnibel, then coughing. When she was alright to talk again, she smiled weakly at Marceline.
"I know, Uncle told me about you before. He told me lots of stories about how you love pretending to be evil but you always help the ones you care about when it matters." She coughed a bit and I waited for her to finish and continue. "When we met I just never thought you were the Marceline I heard about..." She finished, I was super confused.
"Why? How did you picture me?"
"Uncle always called you 'Marc' but you know how he talks. I thought he was saying 'Mark' so I thought you were a boy..." Her explanation surprised me.
"A boy? Really? Huh. Well let's get going. Anything you want me to grab right now? Your uncle said they would send things down for you while you were with me." My question was answered right away when she pointed at a dresser far too big for someone so small.
"Some new pajamas and this bear." She held up the bear and I smiled, gathering all the things she asked for. I bundled her up in blankets and picked her up in my one arm. She was so small I could carry her against myself with a single arm. She leaned against my chest and exposed collar bone area, and she was so hot against my cold skin that it felt odd. As I floated us downstairs to make the trip less bumpy, I could hear her breathing steady and level off. She was asleep in my arms.
"Cute..."
My bed could easily fit the two of us. I figured since I was cold almost all of the time, I'd help keep her fever down. Besides, the kid was really clingy. I couldn't put her down the entire time I was carrying her because she was clinging to me too hard. Her little arms around my neck were surprisingly strong and I didn't want to hurt her. I tossed her teddy on the bed and floated above the sofa, curling up my legs I leaned her down on my lap a bit, curling into myself. The Dumbwaiter bell went off and I instinctively turned to look at it. The little princess was woken by it and she quickly had my attention.
"Marcaween?" she mumbled half sleep. I put my hand on her forehead. She felt a tad cooler but not by much.
"Hey kiddo, can you let go of my neck so I can put you down in the bed and let you rest properly?" I tried to use my gentlest and most soothing voice and she nodded sleepily and let me go. I floated over to the bedroom and gently laid her down and tucked her in it. Then I went over to the dumbwaiter and got all the medicine and other doo-dads they sent for her. I sighed looking at everything after laying it out on the table and sending the dumbwaiter back up. Sighing openly I floated over to the living room area and picked up my bass and strummed absentmindedly.
"Uh-oh, Uh-oh, Uh-oh, Uh-oh
Uh-oh, Uh-oh, Uh-oh, Uh-oh
Hit me with your sweet lies
Steal me with a fake kiss
And the day has come where
I have died Only to find
I've come alive
I want to be completely weightless
I wanna touch the edge of greatness.
Dear journal, I met a boy
He made my dead heart feel joy
Dear journal, he broke my heart
I guess I didn't play it smart
I wanna stay inside all day
I want the world to go awaaa-aa-ehhh Eh-eeh, Ehh-" I stopped when a tiny pink hand touched mine. My eyes had been closed while I was singing and I hadn't realized it but I was crying. I turned away quickly, rubbing my eyes and regaining my composure. I turned back to the little girl smiling up at me, looking a little weary.
"Hey there Bonni, how are you feeling?" My voice was calm and even, I'd hoped she hadn't noticed my being upset. Her tiny hand patted mine.
"Did a bad man hurt your heart Marceline?" she so innocently asked. This poor, tiny, sick fragile girl who was having trouble just standing, was worried about me. I couldn't find the words to answer her; I didn't know what to say. Before my mind had enough time to think up anything proper to say to her as an answer, my mouth spoke without my consent.
"My heart's been hurt by a lot of men. Some bad, some just very lost." I must have ether looked really sad, started crying again, looked very distant, or all of the above because tiny Bonnibel was now using what little strength she had to try to climb up onto me.
"Whoa hey there little Princess! What are yo- here lemme help." I picked her up and put her on my lap and she cuddled against my front and kissed just the exposed skin just above the hem of my tank top.
"Whoa what the lump was that about?" I was super confused but she just smiled up at me with a soft blush on her cheeks.
"I kissed your heart better!" she said proudly. I blushed a bit, taken aback by her genuine innocent kindness. "I...uh thanks...?"
"You're very welcome!"
"Hey I think it's time you took a bath, you're all sweaty and it'll help lower your fever. Then I'll give you some medicine and a little something to eat." I was trying to change the topic to things that were less...personal. Little Bonni yawned as I held her in my arms.
"How old are you?"
"Four"
"Okay, I'll watch over you and make sure to help if you need it, okay?"
"Okay. It's alright because you're a girl too, right? Grandma told me only to take off my dress when I'm alone or if I have to, in front of other girls only." she explained proudly.
I nodded. "Yeah it's fine. Besides, I'm your babysitter!" Bonni smiled weakly. She seemed so strong only a minute ago. This fever thing was weird.
I gave her a bath and it was going okay for the most part. She was too tried and woozy to splash or be any kind of a fuss so it was over pretty fast. I ended up having to dry her off, poor little thing was so tuckered out I had to dress her and carry her to bed. I tucked her in and she laid there holding her arms up. Her sleepy eyes fixed on me.
"Can I have my bear please?" Her voice was tired and shaking and I quickly retrieved her little stuffed companion. Before handing him to her, I stared down at him for a moment, remembering mine. She tugged at the belt loops of my pants and I looked down. When had I come back and sat on the bed next to her? I couldn't remember. She yawned, but with a worried expression. She looked like she was searching my eyes for something. I suddenly felt my age, strung out exhausted and far older then I'd ever physically show. Her big youthful eyes seemed somehow comforting. Sitting there, I just stared at her with my tired old eyes holding her forgotten bear in my hands. Quietly I mumbled breaking the silence..."What's his name?" She smiled softly. "Beaker, like the glass for science-y stuff." She said proudly. I smiled back but it was lopsided and fake. "Cute." I handed him to her and her tiny arms hugged the bear that was nearly her size tightly. She hacked and coughed so I quickly got the medicine I received ready and read over the instructions. "Here, drink this." I instructed, holding a small cup with only a sip in it. "Ewwy! No way!" I frowned at her response. "Bonnibel, you need to take your medicine." I said forcefully. "Nope! It tastes like butt plastic!" She pouted and fought me about it. I was honestly getting annoyed. " Bonnibel, if you don't drink this you won't get better. Do you want to be sick forever?" I pointed out and she pouted, giving up. "...nooo..." she mumbled. " Good, then drink it." I handed her the cup and she fake sneezed into it, knocking it from my hand and spilling the syrup-like liquid on my blanket. "Ooops" she played innocent. I was getting more annoyed. "Bonnibel I'm trying to take care of you and help you get better. Now. Take. Your. Medicine!" I commanded, my expression darkened into something that sends most people packing. But Bonni is a kid with bigger loins then most dragons for Billy's sake. She sticks her tongue out at me and I'm now genuinely angry. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to help someone and they're being a butt about it. I grab the medicine, put some in the little cup and clamp my index finger and thumb on Bonnie's nose. Squishing it shut, it makes a weird 'squuooop' sound and there's snot on my hand now. But I don't care, I mean it's just snot. Bonnibel tries to keep her mouth shut but before long she's breathing through it. I catch her mouth with the cup just before she jams it shut and pour the medicine in her mouth. Defeated, she drinks it and pouts at me. "That was icky! "she barked at me. I calmed down a bit and sighed. "Well it's supposed to be icky. Now you better not give me this much trouble next time Missy!" Bonni looks up at me droopy eyed. "Or what?" I think over my options for a moment. It needs to be something I can make good on if need be. Biting her is out of the question. Shape shifting into something from her worst nightmare might scar the poor little thing and I didn't have much authority over her life overall being just a babysitter. Then it hit me. "No songs." I said simply and the look of stunned horror on her face was hint enough that I hit a nerve. Bonnibel grabbed my index and middle finger in her tiny hand. "Please don't Mar Mar, I love it when you make music!" I scrunched up my face. Mar mar? That's what Ash used to call me. Ware the plum did she get that? "Only good girls get music." I stated dryly and Bonnibel's eyes watered. "I promise to be good. I really really promise. Princess promise!" She insisted, trying to sound convincing and trustworthy. I narrowed my eyes at her. How many times had I been lied to? How many broken promises are even now laying lost and heavy like garbage in a landfill left to rot and stink and some never to degrade and become nothingness or food for new trees to grow? Bonnibel must have sensed my apprehension to trust her- smart kid- and gave my fingers a squeeze. "I royal promise!" Even I was aware of how serious a royal promise is. My eyes widened a bit at her stubborn determination. "Okay, I believe you. Now are you going to nap or are you hungry?" I asked. It was getting late for a tiny thing like her let alone one this sick. She shook her head and cuddled up with her teddy-tiny thing that he was-and I leaned back against my head board next to her. I closed my eyes and hummed a little lullaby for her and she snuggled up to my leg, using me as a pillow. I stifled a bit of a grin at how adorable this little gummy kid was, and reached down to play with her messy bob cut hair. My soothing actions worked and soon little Bonnibel was out cold. Problem was I ended up following her into the realm of sleep seconds after. That was only the first of many times I'd end up trailing after her, and definitely not the last time we'd end up passing out in the same bed together.