I do not own Adventure Time.
~~o~~
Give Me a Chance
He was so nervous. Finn never knew Princess Bubblegum would say yes to his invitation to go on a picnic with him. He checked everything he will need for the picnic. It will be a major bummer if he forgot a simple thing like a fork.
"Blanket, spoons, forks, bowls, plates, spaghetti, grape juice, scented candles, matches, napkins, BMO, and my sappy poem. Jake said a sappy poem works for all ladies."
"Finn, I don't think it is a good idea."
"C'mon BMO. What could go wrong?"
The little video game thought for a while. "...uh, everything?"
"Relax, my bud. I got this figured, so why don't you switch to music player mode now?"
"Okay. Do not say I did not warned you, Finn." With that, BMO changed modes and started playing a sweet serenade by Mary Muffin. Finn doesn't know the song but Jake said that everything included in the playlist will make PB swoon with affection for him.
Why did I haven't thought of this before?
He looked up at the sky, light steadily fading from the distance. Soon, the grasslands would be bathed by the moonlight instead of sunlight, marking the complete transition of day into night. The perfect time for a picnic, as his brother said.
Finn turned his gaze at the Candy Kingdom, and sure enough saw a speckle of something flying at high speeds towards him. He gushed with equal excitement and fear. He was sure it was too late to back out now, and he wouldn't want to waste all practice speeches he spent all morning. Finn came prepared to win a battle, to conquer the princess' heart.
Within seconds, the princess atop Morrow landed gracefully in front of him, summoning gentle winds on touchdown. After biding Morrow goodbye l, she turned to face Finn. He was in complete shock.
"You...you're so beautiful m'lady!" He can't avoid stammering now, can't he?
"Oh thank you Finn, that's so sweet." She kissed him on his left cheek like she always do.
Finn was momentarily lost for words as her eyes roamed the Princess body. She appeared to be wearing a tight-fitting dark pink dress that failed to reach her knees. The top part covered her chest very well, but the slim fit design accentuated her curves all the same. Finn could feel his jaw drop at the sight, mentally slapping himself for staring too much.
"I'm sorry, Princess. I didn't mean to stare. I mean, you look really good tonight and I -"
"That's alright, Finn. I just wish you told me we're having this picnic in the grasslands so I could have prepared a more appropriate dress." She gestured at the already prepared picnic materials, easily guessing his plan.
"I...just wanted to surprise you, Peebles, I..." He looked down on the grassy ground in shame. Maybe this was indeed a bad idea.
Seating down gently on the blanket, the candy monarch struggled to maintain composure and decency while making herself comfortable. Kneeling down, which offered Finn a perfect view of her body, she sat down on her legs. Finn thought that would be uncomfortable. He tried helping her but the princess just dismised him.
"It's alright, I'm fine."
She smiled at him. Finn felt like he should have melted on the spot.
"I just wish Jake and Lady could come too, and Marceline. Why do they have strange reasons all the sudden when I invited them?"
Because I asked them to, m'lady. "Maybe they are just really busy?"
"Maybe...so, what are we going to do?"
Finn froze. Looks like greetings and pleasantries were through for now. Then comes the harder part, the actual picnic. His heart started to beat madly, unsure of what to do. Should he land a joke? No, too friendly. Should he tell something about his latest adventure? No, PB already knows it seeing that she was the one who ordered him to do it. What to do? What to do? Glob I forgot my practice piece junks. It's like my first date with Flame Princess all over again.
"Finn? Are you alright?" Princess Bubblegum reached for his forehead, the skin contact sending jolts of electricity in his body. Figuratively, of course. "Your temperature is fine. I thought you're getting sick again."
"I'm fine, Princess. Thank you. You just make me real nervous, like my head is getting filled with stupid again."
Creases appeared on the monarch's forehead, but suddenly chuckled softly. "And why is that? Don't be weird, Finn."
Don't be weird? Wow, that actually stung.
"Want some spaghetti, Peebubs?"
"Why not? That's my favorite!"
They each got a plate and Finn served them both with a plateful of noodled goodness, the only sound that can be heard are the distant sounds of the forest in the west and Mary Muffin crooning softly on BMO's speakers. The last of the dying light disappeared on the top of the mountain from the diatance, giving way for a warm summer night.
Yeah, I guess this is romantic now is it? That Mary Muffins sure knows how to sing -
"I despise that pompous, little, fist-cookie, that Mary Muffins." The princess blurted out, after chewing slowly her food. "She thinks so highly of herself. Her voice ain't that much good either."
Finn immediately picked up BMO and deleted the whole playlist, then started on a random song. He looked at the princess, who just stared at him. Princess Bubblegum's face is always hard to read, which Jake pointed out before is her pokerface. He can never get this emotionless faces, why can't just people shkw what they feel?
"You don't have to do that Finn, It's perfectly fine -"
Suddenly, one of Marceline's song started to play. It is the very same song she sang at the front of the Door of the Door Lords. Finn noticed the sudden change in the candy monarch's expression. For a moment there, Finn saw a bittersweet Bubblegum; seemingly lost in something so confusing, even for her.
"Finn? What's the real reason we are here?"
He did not answered right away, opting the light the scented candles he got from Flame Princess months ago. I bathed the scene with a nice glow and relaxing scent. Finn noted that the princess of flames was right, these things sure cut through any stink. Nkt that there are any at that moment.
"PB, I want to tell you something."
A stern look suddenly appeared on the older girl's face bht in a blink of an eye, it was gone. Just the pokerface again. Mustering up all the courage he has in his mind and body, Finn took out the piece of paper that held his sappy poem and began to read.
I should have confessed this to you before
That it is only you my heart beats for
Even when you had your heart closed its door
My love only grew in burning fervor
If you would just give me a chance
I will take you in a dance
To any other girl, I'll never steal a glance
For my love is already at a stance
I'll gladly prove to you
That what I feel is true
Bathed in your pink hue,
I hope you'll hear me out too
"So...uh, do you like it Prin -"
A hard slap on his left cheek stopped him from speaking and sent him facedown on the blanket. He did not knew what hit him until he stood upright and received a backhand slap on his right cheek. Finn can't believe what was happening, he looked at the princess with bewilderment in his eyes.
"I should have known. This is just one of your annoying flights of boyish fantasy." She stood up, towering over him and imposing an authoritative figure. "You disgusts me, Finn."
"But...but why Peebles, I -"
"Don't play me for a fool, boy. I know what you're doing. You realized you can never get back to Flame Princess again, so you thought you could fall back in your reserve girl, right?" She leaned closer to him, meeting his eyes and feeding on his shame and guilt. "I thought you've outgrown this, Finn, but maybe I spoke too soon."
"I can't understand, I can't -"
"First you liked me, then you 'like-like' me, then you gave up and chased that fire chick. Then you two lovebirds broke up, and now suddenly you 'love' me again? Is that a joke? I ain't laughing!"
"That's not true, PB, I swear!"
"What now, after this? You'll chase some other poor girl again? Maybe Marceline huh? Seems like you're very keen on 'like-liking' every girl you meet!"
Finn tried to stand too but was met by another slap, sending him sprawling back on the blanket. He looked up at the princess, his face hurts but the truth did a number on him too. Finn felt the full impact of shame from the words of her princess.
"STOP TOYING WITH GIRLS' FEELINGS!" She stopped for a moment. "...AND GROW UP!"
With that, she stormed off, called Morrow and then flew away. Finn watched as she became smaller and smaller in the distance until finally he can no longer see her, tears preventing him from doing so. He just lay there, crying softly against the scented candle that seemed to be trying to comfort him.
Maybe Finn was just imagining it, but for a moment there, he saw the flames of the candles grow larger and started to resemble someone he knew. But a blink later, the apparition was gone.
Like his hopes for a certain pink princess.
~~o~~
Part of the reason why I really love Adventure Time is that I could really relate to Finn when it comes to his 'like-like' for PB. It is really difficult to when you love a lady older and more mature than you.
And if you're wondering, yeah, some dialogues were taken almost directly from personal experiences.
Read and Review, dudes!