Upon departure from the Sky Witch's house, Marceline rushes out of the doors faster than Bubblegum could scream "Whee!" She flies in loops, twirls, and soars in the strange dimension Maja's house resided in. Marceline laughs and dives into the water, finally exiting the dreaded place.
"I seriously can't thank you enough, P-bubs!" Marceline exclaims as she hugs Hambo with all her might. The Candy Kingdom Ruler could not remember the last time she saw the Vampire Queen this happy. "After the longest time, we're finally reunited!" Marceline's eyes gleam with adoration as she gazes at her teddy bear. "I haven't seen Hambo in hundreds of years! Man, he needs to get some work done."
With a gentle sigh, Bubblegum loosely folds her arms over Marceline's shoulder's. The night sky is cloudless. The princess brilliant against the darkness; the bright hues capture the moonlight. The vampire queen blends into Andromeda and Cassiopeia with ease. The princess and queen stars of their own, constellations dancing across still skies. The air is brisk and fresh, the kind of inhale that feels like rebirth. The breath that cleanses the body of any impurities and rids the mind of all anxieties. The once star crossed lovers feel like they could start again. Like they are starting again. Easily, back into bad habits of meeting each other past midnight but leaving before sunrise. A warmth glowing and growing between the two as Bubblegum melts further and further into the back of Marceline.
The two continue to fly over the Land of Ooo, a comfortable flight of white noise. "I do whatever I can to help someone in need, it is what a noble princess should do." Princess Bubblegum replies as she hugs Marceline tighter. The Vampire's scent fills her like it did at dawn.
"I don't know what makes me happier," she starts. She pauses as if tasting the words that follow. Filterless sincerity and unafraid of the consequences, she continues: "the fact that I have Hambo back or that I'm here with you." Marceline smiles and looks over her shoulder to meet gazes with the princess.
"Oh Marcy…" Bubblegum's voice is delicate.
Marceline would kiss her if they weren't flying. Aware that her eyes glanced at Bubblegum's lips, she quickly picks up the conversation. "How did you do that anyways?" She clears her throat. "Get Hambo back? You kick some witch butt?"
Bubblegum's face falls flat. She suddenly remembers that underneath her coat was no longer her favorite shirt that she wore every night to bed. She feels cold, naked. Unprotected by the cloth that was once worn by one of the dearest people in her life. "Oh," she starts, not wanting to tell Marceline just yet- if not at all. "yeah, I beat Maja real bad. She had to beg for mercy." PB lies, her voice regained and confidence unwavering.
"I have to hand it to you, princess," Marceline replies as she returns her eyes forward. The Candy Kingdom was near. "What you did was really amazing. I can't… I'm at a loss for words." Marceline takes a quick glance at her passenger. "Thank you."
"Anytime." Bonnibel replies, a smug expression masking her misery. She begins to think of all the mornings she had woken up in that shirt, smelling it just to feel close the vampire again. The shirt was like a hug she could wear all night long when she tossed and turned in her bed made for two yet occupied by one.
The Candy Kingdom was right below them as they began to float down. The lights are low and the streets were empty. All Candy People were fast asleep and most Banana Guards had left their posts. It was as if the entire kingdom was at pause while the former couple were at play. From an outsider's point of view, Marceline and Bubblegum might as well have been the only beings on the planet. Complete serenity between the friends that, by day, would almost never happen. They catch up until Princess Bubblegum's peculiar question.
"Do you still think that?" she asks, not knowing the words escaped her mouth.
"Think what?" Marcy inquires. The two land: walking in synchronized steps, making their way towards the castle.
"Everything you sang that one day we fought the door lord," PB started. Her throat seemed to close up on her. The words came out without properly processing it. Princess Bubblegum never speaks without thorough consideration and calculation of possible outcomes, yet these words flowed automatically. "Do you still think you're just my problem?" Bubblegum's heart pounds in her chest, and she searches for answers on how to silence the rapid beats. She knows she can't take the question back or change the subject. Bubblegum, since that day, had meant to clear things up with her best friend. The chance never came, but here it was: confrontation PB wishes she could have avoided for eternity.
Their steps clicked on the drawbridge of her fortress. The princess is glad that she is almost within the comfort of her castle. Praying to the Glob she doesn't believe in, she begs for mercy. It was an almost perfect night.
Marceline's eyebrows drew together. "PB, after all this, you are nowhere near a problem."
Correction, still a perfect night.
She giggles, the mood seemed to lighten up. Despite that Marcy's laugh always reminded Bubblegum of mischief, it still eased her aching heart. "Because you got Hambo back for me, I could just-"
"Princess!" Peppermint Butler bursts from the front doors of her fortress. "We were knocked out for several hours! The kingdom was worried sick. Where have you been?"
"I've-"
"No time, we require you for an issue in the Fire Kingdom!" Peppermint Butler pushes against her legs; forcing Bonnibel into the castle. Before the Banana Guards could manage to close the doors, Marceline gives Bonnie a despondent look.
"Responsibility requires sacrifice?" She asks almost aggressively as she begins to take off. Incredulous that even after tonight, work was going to prevail over their friendship. Friendship? If Marceline could even call it that.
The doors close. Bubblegum's heart drops as she watches the vampire lengthen her stride. Bubblegum, usually quick to make up her mind, remains conflicted whether or not to chase after Marceline or to accept that Glob might exist and had answered her prayer.
"Responsibility requires sacrifice."
Princess Bubblegum accepts that Glob granted her wish. She also accepts that even after all that, she is still the Bubblegum that had left the kingdom this morning. Safe. Scared. Apparently, without proper social skills to have relationships more than work affiliation. However, PB was not entirely the same. She feels even lonelier than she had prior. Refocusing, the princess responds to Peppermint Butler's concerns. "What is it this time, P-Butt?" Clearly annoyed, the princess sometimes wishes, especially at times like these, that she was simply Bubblegum.
Too bad Glob can't grant her that.
Several hours pass as Princess Bubblegum attends to her duties as ruler. The measure of her patience stretched to its absolute most. Flame King has declared war upon the Candy Kingdom for he is extremely upset Cinnabon is courting Flame Princess. Several of his documents include angry spiels about the suitors unfit for his daughter. Since the event with Finn, Bubblegum is certain that Flame King's act of war is also vendetta against her. Why is it that she's tied to the romantic problems of others when she cannot face her own? After several telegrams back and forth into the haunting hours of the night, PB has alleviated the fickle, protective Flame King's anger and worry with a promise of banishment of the fiend Cinnabon from her kingdom and his if proven necessary in due time.
The only room lit in the entire kingdom was where she and Peppermint Butler sealed the final document. "Flame King surely is a troubled man to be dealt with, your majesty."
PB sighs as she reads the final page, signs it, and hands it to Peppermint Butler. "Yeah, yeah," Princess Bubblegum answers cheerlessly.
"Is something wrong, Princess?" Her noble butler inquires as he organizes the papers and prepares them to be archived. "Did something happen while you were out with that hooligan?" He scowls upon the thought of the vampire. Peppermint Butler was only beginning his service to the crown after Marceline and Bubblegum's quiet fallout.
Princess Bubblegum ignores the question as she excuses herself. "Good night, Peppermint Butler," she tells him from halfway out the door. "Don't stay up too late," the princess advises.
"W-wait! Princess!" he stammers. Was it something I said?" Peppermint Butler calls after her. It was too late; she was already up the stairs, heading for her bedroom.
Bubblegum strips the coat off, finding herself only in shorts and her brassiere. She hugs her unclothed body: A body earlier that night pressed against the one person that feels like home. Marceline had been there for the start. The Candy Kingdom wasn't always a kingdom. In humble beginnings, excursions away from the royal office for private picnics meant Marceline (at night, of course). Holidays and parties in the still small kingdom meant Marceline (she was her escort). Construction of the castle meant Marceline (even if it wasn't for that long). Although their relationship was never public, they spent many years together.
Bubblegum remembers the busier she became due to the expansion of her kingdom. That had always been the goal, though. She wanted to create a legacy of Candy people to protect. Also to experiment on, but mostly protect. Explosive, exponential growth lead to the decline of the once happy, secret couple.
"Hey, Bonnie," Marceline greets while carefully entering through her bedroom window. "You've been real busy lately."
"Oh," She is exhausted and without sleep for five days. "Yeah, it's been real crazy this past week."
There's dead air between the two.
"Sorry."
"No, listen, Bonnie," Marceline starts. "I understand you're busy and all, but" her voice falters. "What about me? What about us?"
"Marcy," Bubblegum's demeanor is apologetic. "I know, I know. Don't we have something scheduled for Wednesday? It'll be you and me then. I promise." She's delirious with fatigue.
"Bonnibel."
"Hm?" Bubblegum has to lean against the walls for support. She might actually collapse.
"It's Thursday."
"Oh." Bonnibel shakes her daze away. "Oh!" A sudden panic replaces the alluring call of sleep. "Marceline, I am so, so, so sorry!" This has been the third consecutive time the princess had missed a date with the vampire this week. She never means to, honest. It's just that her people need her.
But so does Marceline.
"When are you not sorry?" The vampire sighs quickly and refuses to meet eyes with the pleading princess. She doesn't gauge how curtly she said what she did nor does she care at the moment. The first time, she had been understanding. It's a big deal with a Candy person is born. Bubblegum has to visit the family and authorize the naturalization of the baby butterscotch. The second time, she had been discouraged to ask for another date. Marceline had dressed up in her finest suit to have a candlelit dinner in the maze garden. She waited for Bubblegum for two hours until she wandered into the princess' lab where a ruckus of new Banana Guards obviously meant that there was no way Bonnie could ease her way out of that one. Helping her knights help her is pivotal to the kingdom also. The third, well, Marceline knows that she isn't necessary for the success of the Candy Kingdom. She's starting to think she isn't important enough to be in Bubblegum's life either. "When are you going to choose me, Bubblegum?"
"Marceline, please." Bubblegum begs with the little strength she has left.
The rest is history as Bubblegum shakes the memory off. "When am I going to choose you, Marceline?" The princess sighs heavily. The princess kneads the ache in her chest. In denial that the rock shirt- the last thing she has from the vampire-is gone, she searches her dresser for something to sport. She rummages through the various sweaters and t-shirts. Nothing appeals to her. If anything, a lot of it just triggers memories from when she wore it out with her favorite person. To counter the tears that threaten to fall, she throws on a the unworn nightgown from Peppermint Butler. Lying down in the pitch darkness of her room, PB chews the inside of her cheek, holding back her sobs. The princess clenches a pillow against her face, using it to catch the tears and muffle the cries.
"I miss her." Princess Bubblegum says as the words stayed in her head. Pulsing, throbbing in her dome. She couldn't do anything but cry. She misses her scent, her presence, her embrace, her everything. The shirt she gave to her was the only thing that allowed her to sleep peacefully at night. It was Marceline's stand-in. It was the glue that kept the princess together.
Now, it was gone.
"I'd miss me, too."
"Of course you'd miss yourself, Marceline" the princess retorts. For a brief second, Princess Bubblegum questions whether or not she created Marceline's voice in her head.
"Ouch, princess," Marceline reveals herself floating next to Bubblegum's window before climbing in. "after tonight, I'd hope you'd be a little nicer. I'm surprised, Bonnibel." The vampire puts emphasis on her name. She begins to make herself at home while sucking the red out of an apple out on Bubblegum's desk. The princess habitually leaves an apple on her desk hoping that in the morning, she'd check and discover the vampire had visited. It happened rarely. Whenever Marceline visited, she made sure that Bubblegum knew.
"Marceline!"
The vampire smiles. Her name sounds best when Bubblegum says it.
"What are you doing here?" Bubblegum quickly rubs her eyes and begins to play with her hair. "And how long have you been here?" The princess had only cried in front of Marceline on two occasions. Initially, when they first exchanged "I love you's". Finally, when she decided that their relationship could not continue.
"I was waiting to talk to you. Since you, once again, chose work over me." Marceline answered bitterly. "I was just about to bail since you were taking forever," she exaggerates by dragging out "forever." "What happened this time? Gumdrops on the west end having territory disputes with the gingerbread men again?"
Bubblegum remembers when that actually did happen and rolls her eyes thinking about how tiring it was to hear them bicker for hours. "No, they haven't fought in years. It was Flame King. He declared war on us all because of Cinnabon dating Flame Princess."
"Now that's a war I'd watch."
Bubblegum sighs. Marceline is eerily calm and snarky as usual. It unsettles her. "Why are you here?" Bubblegum narrows her eyes- puffy from crying so hard -carefully at the vampire queen.
"What?" Marceline asks as she tosses the apple into the waste bin. "I can't come at 3am to see you? It's just like back in the day, Peebs."
She sees where this is going. The passive undertone surfaced. "I am exhausted, Marceline, I-" Bubblegum weighs the possibilities of her words. Honestly without energy to keep up with her angry friend, she seeks a way out of arguing. "Can we talk about this in the morning?"
"What are you? Too tired to talk to me?" Marceline scoffs. "It really is just like old times."
Bubblegum sits up. There's no way out of this one. Part of her is glad. When Marceline stopped fighting back, that's when she knew she lost her. It pains Princess Bubblegum to admit that even if when they saw each other only to argue, she was glad just to see her.
"You weren't too tired to choose work over me."
"That's because crying tired me out," Bubblegum feels defeated. That's three times she has let herself be seen by Marceline. Those of royalty are human and humans are allowed to cry, but her pride gets in the way those beliefs. "I was wrong to choose work over you, Marcy. Especially this time. Tonight was so nice and I just had to ruin it."
Marceline is taken aback. The princess never admits when she's wrong. "Choose me for once, Bonnie," the vampire closes in on the princess. "I know you're tired, but after what you did tonight, choose me."
Bubblegum defensively moves further into the headboard of her bed. Marceline is not one to be direct with what she wants. She wishes she was. That would have made their relationship so much easier on Bubblegum. The only time Marceline was straightforward- and eruptive- was when it was too late for PB to fix things. She could only manage to attempt to rationalize with the vampire and hear what she had to say. Maybe this is like that. It's been ages since the two were in her bedroom at this time. "Okay, I won't sleep, Marceline. Let's-"
Marceline is at the foot of Bubblegum's bed. "Let's?"
Bubblegum's heart stops. "Let's not be rash, now."
"Bubblegum," Marceline has one knee on the bed. "I didn't get to finish thanking you earlier." She's completely on the bed progressing towards the nervous princess pressed against the headboard. "No interruptions this time, okay, Peebs?"
Princess Bubblegum averts her eyes. The two haven't been on the same bed since the breakup. As much as Bubblegum misses Marceline, not once had they been in contact. They'd come close, but it didn't feel right unless they were together. They'd usually end up arguing. "Marceline, this is improper…" she weakly says. Bubblegum is breathless.
"No," Marceline brings her face close to Bubblegum who is now closing her eyes. "What's improper," she whispers on to her. "Is putting me aside every. Single. Time." Marceline kisses Bubblegum's jaw between words. "Thank you for that, really. Nothing makes me happier than being second choice always."
Bubblegum exhales fervently. "My," her hands ease the grip off her bed sheets. "Apologies." The princess opens her eyes. She's two inches from Marceline. Every fiber in her being aches to close the gap.
"You can," Marceline leans in so only a few centimeters separate electricity. "Make it up to me." She smiles. Marceline's cool palms meet Bubblegum's heated wrists. "Won't you, Bonnie?"
She whimpers. "Anything to make it up to you." Bubblegum submits.
Marceline kisses her. Softly, at first. And again. This time, more forcefully. It's been years since she's tasted Bubblegum. She's as sweet as ever. Compliant, more urgent. Marceline fears that if she broke the kiss, she'd discover that she's crying. Seeing Bubblegum cry would curve her original plans. She isn't, though. "I hope you don't mind but," Marceline pulls licorice from her back pocket. "I've harvested from your garden." She flips Bubblegum over and ties her hands together. "Of all nights, you wore an old lady nightgown tonight."
Bubblegum is excited yet scared. The t-shirt. She feigns the memory away waiting for Marceline's commands.
"Sit up."
She does so.
Marceline throws the comforter off Bubblegum. She finds the hem of the gown above her knees and begins to undress her. "Get up." Bubblegum kneels so Marceline can take off the sheet. She attempts to turn around. "No," Marceline keeps Bubblegum's hips facing the headboard. "I'm never allowed to touch or even see you." She says. "Now you're not allowed to either."
Bubblegum sighs. "I-"
"No," Marceline tightens the tie around Bubblegum's wrists. "You're not going to talk." She moves the princess' hair to one side. "You're going to listen." She kisses the curve of her neck. "You can moan." Marceline whispers next to her ear as one hand travels around Bubblegum's stomach and the other scratches lightly against her back.
Bubblegum weakly moans.
"I know this is old news, but we never got to settle it." Marceline bites Bubblegum's earlobe. "I never had the chance to tell you that," the hand that was leaving light scratch marks on her back gently cups one breast. "You prioritizing the kingdom over me was complete" She pinches. "And utter" She tugs. "bullshit."
Bubblegum arches her back and lets out a light "Ahh!" The flame within her bright and flaring with every new sensation.
"All I asked for was a fraction of your time." Marceline leaves a hickey on her neck. "I wanted at least one night out of your week." Marceline kisses the princess' jawline and sees that her eyes are closed again. "You couldn't even give me that."
Bubblegum swallows hard.
"I didn't ask for much, Bubblegum," She turns her head so that they can meet eyes. "It hurts when someone doesn't give you what you want, doesn't it?" Marceline's hand ghosts up Bubblegum's thigh.
Bubblegum's legs are shaking.
"When someone doesn't give you what you need." Fingers meets fabric.
"Marceline," Bubblegum moans as she hangs her head forward. Her strength is at its limit. "Marcy, please." All of Bubblegum is trembling. Her pink an even deeper shade, increasing in intensity and hue with Marceline the painter.
"Please what?" The vampire had got her point across. Equally as turned on, she lets Bubblegum turn around. Maybe Bubblegum's ache is and maybe never will be as intense as her- and currently a completely different sense of ache- but Marceline needed her, too. Not that she'd let it show, though. Bubblegum needs to know who is in control.
The princess looks up at Marceline: completely composed and evidently angry still. "Please, I can't take it anymore."
"Beg."
"What?" Bubblegum and Marceline didn't have sex very often when they dated, but when they did, it was intense every time. She had always been the submissive one.
"You heard me," Marceline smiles at Bubblegum's embarrassment. "Beg."
They lock eyes. It feels that at any moment, there'd be a solar explosion and a blast of energy would cut through the bedroom. Of course, Bubblegum couldn't have that. That would hurt her precious (sadistic) vampire. "Marceline," she starts. When they started dating, she always asked her to say her name because she said she liked it sounded with her voice. "Please," Bubblegum finds it within her to bring their faces close. "Make love to me. Make me feel good." She is basically speaking the words onto Marceline's skin, highly reactive to the scientist. To her observations,, Bubblegum continued with a hint of Marceline in her. "Let's relive our younger years." She prepares for the embarrassment. "Touch me where I need it most, Marcy, baby, please."
They kiss and Marceline is undoing the ties around Bubblegum's wrists. Once free, she hugs the vampire tight, closing all space between them. Bubblegum undresses her between kisses. The ex couple reclaims skin untouched for years. They mark each other everywhere. Hickeys on collarbones and bite marks on necks. Scratch marks on backs sensitive to the slightest pressure as it has been years since either of them had sex. They had saved themselves for each other.
"Bubblegum," Marceline breathes between the princess' thighs. "I never stopped loving you."
"Marceline!" Classic of the vampire queen to take advantage of Bubblegum's lowered guard. "I-"
Marceline takes a long lick. And again. Her eyes fervently focused on Bubblegum whose eyes fluttered closed and head lolled back. She stops. "You..?"
Bubblegum grabs a handful of Marceline's hair and bucks her hips urgently. "I need you to," Bubblegum curses herself for such vulgarity. "Fuck me."
The vampire laughs and cocks an eyebrow at the cuss word. "Your wish is my command, princess." She continues. Now, more aggressively. Her skilled mouth accompanied by slender fingers pumping in and out of the princess crescendoing from mm's, ahh's, Marceline's to:
"Marceline" Bubblegum engages all of her muscles as her sex contracts. "I love you." Both hands formerly gripping bed sheets on Marceline's head attempting to peel her away. The sensation becoming too much for the weak, breathless princess. "I love you, I love you, I love you!"
Marceline tops the panting princess. She inserts two fingers into her mouth, burning in temperature with texture like melting candy. "Mm, do you?"
Bubblegum sucks and Marceline pulls out leading to a quiet popping. She props herself up to kiss the teasing vampire. Sweetly, tiredly without much thought to it. She kisses her nose, almost automatically but affectionately. "I love you more than you could ever know."
Marceline is stunned. She feels her eyes well up. It wasn't like her, but perhaps this is how Bubblegum feels whenever she does this. "Bonnie, I-"
It is Marceline's turn to be silenced, and the two make love into deep blue-black to purple-orange skies.
Princess Bubblegum was glad she was the only one sleeping on the upper level of the castle. With the window open, she worried that the entire kingdom perhaps knew what she was up to til 5am. Her and her Marceline exhausted and tangled in a clumsy embrace with the gentle fall and rise of chests exchanging heartbeats and words of endearment. With the door locked and window now shut and curtains closed, Bubblegum drowsily spoke into the crook of the vampire's neck who appears to be asleep. "I've missed you, Marceline."
The vampire kisses the princess' forehead. "I've missed you, too." The two are on the brink of falling asleep when Marceline asks. "Hey," she opens her eyes. "Where's the rock shirt I gave you?"
fin?