Day one

"So are you going to tell her?"

"For the last time – get out of my den!" Marceline screeched. The ghost didn't move. It only gave her a sassy eyebrow-raise. If ghosts even had eyebrows. Marceline decided she wasn't interested enough to find out.

"Wow, take a chill pill. I just mean, it's so obvious. Why not let her know?"

"Because there's nothing to let her know!" Marceline exclaimed, exasperated. "Look. You've been squatting here for four hours. When will you decide enough is enough?"

"When you admit you have feelings for Bubblegum."

"I do not!"

"Then why are you blushing?"

"Vampires don't blush, you idiot!"

Marceline stormed into her kitchen, feeling as if she were about to explode. She could always transform into a bat and fly out of there, but that would be abandoning the fight. And it was her house. And he was a stupid ghost telling her about her own feelings.

"Can I at least have a popsicle? I know you have some in your freezer. I noticed you eating one earlier as you wrote a song about Bubblegum."

"I did not!"

Day two

"You know, this is an awfully odd way of courting the princess."

"I'm not. Courting. Her." Marceline said through clenched teeth.

"Then how else would you describe this?"

"Helping a friend choose an outfit."

"Do friends usually look at each other this way?"

"I SWEAR TO GLOB-" Marceline shrieked, but quickly restrained herself as Bubblegum poked her head out from behind the door where she was changing.

"Is there a problem, Marceline?" she asked worriedly.

"No, Princess, no problem here," Marceline said, glaring at the ghost that was hiding behind the door.

"Oh, good," Bubblegum piped up. "Because I've found the perfect gown, I hope you'll like it..."

"She'll like what's underneath even more..." the ghost said. Marceline threw herself into a fit of coughing to cover up his words.

"What?" Bubblegum asked, frowning.

"Nothing! Nothing at all! I'm certain it will look great on you!"

Day three

"You know, this is getting really boring. Watching you sulk in the sorrow of your emotions."

"I'm hardly sulking." Marceline said defensively.

"Right. So sitting outside in the night with a pack of wolves that do nothing but lick their butts for hours on end isn't sulking."

"I prefer to think of it as listening to them sing to the moon, actually."

"They can't even hit a note properly."

"Be nice!" Marceline hissed, showing her fangs. The wolves stood to attention inquisitively, some in the act of cleaning themselves.

"Oh, sorry, I forgot they had feelings, too."

"They still haven't forgiven you for what they said about their fur."

"Point is, you're out here in the cold when you could be at the dance with Bubblegum. Especially in that new gown she picked out. I know you liked it."

"Shut up," Marceline said, looking down to the bottom of the cliff. "I told you, I don't want to talk about it."

Day four

"Nobody's ever said that to me before," Bubblegum said astonishedly.

"Well, it's just me being honest." Marceline said.

"You're really too kind." Bubblegum put her hand on the vampire's own. "I really am glad we got over our foolish fights and made peace as friends."

"Me too." Marceline gave a little smile. A kettle whirred and Bubblegum went to get it.

The ghost reappeared beside Marceline.

"So-"

"Not a word."

"But now's the perfect time to-"

"No, it's not."

"So you admit it?"

"No, I...no! Stop twisting my words."

"Only if you stop twisting your knickers and act like a real vampire."

"Which would involve killing her."

"Fine. Don't be a vampire. But I never would have thought you'd be so cowardly."

When Bubblegum returned to her chambers with the tea, she caught sight of a hissing bat flying out of her window.

She didn't from Marceline for days.