Chapter 1. Echo

Disclaimer: Characters are the property of their rightful owners. This work of fiction is for entertainment purposed only.

It was vexing, completely and utterly vexing.

As Marshall absentmindedly strummed the strings of his bass, flashes of the argument he had earlier that day with Gumball kept repeating in his head, over and over in an endless cycle. It had started as always, a useless argument about something meaningless, but quickly it had turned into a huge fight. Both parties had thrown poisoned words at the other, and if Fiona and Cake hadn't come between them… Marshall still felt the stinging urge to wrap his fingers about that precious Prince's fragile throat. It still shocked him such passionate feelings resided in him, and honestly, it scared him. He could almost picture it, how easy it would be to break that pink neck, to crush the windpipe with his lean fingers at just the right pressure, preventing the pink-haired royal from taking in the much needed oxygen… With a shudder he came to himself again, and swore to supress the sick fantasy, shoving it in a dark corner of his mind.

Music couldn't distract him the way it usually did, and with a sigh Marshall abandoned his bass. With a frown he ran his fingers through his pitch-black hair, pulling at it until it almost started to hurt.

Stupid, stupid! He cursed himself internally. Why did he always overreact whenever Gumball was involved? He was Marshall the Vampire King, feared inhabitant of the Nightosphere. He instilled fear in the hearts of the innocent, he was the subject of nightmares, turning everyone's bones into jelly by simply looking. Everyone, except for Gumball and Fiona. Since Fiona wasn't the type to be afraid of anything-which in a way was rather naïve- he could overlook it. But Gumball… Gumball somehow managed to ignite his anger, making his blood boil and his dead heart almost beat out of his chest.

The nerve of that boy. Do you think I haven't seen it? How you disdainfully look down on me, judging me to be a lower life form? Do you really expect to be adored by everyone who crosses your path?

Tch. Just thinking about it incited a flicker of the earlier subsided rage and Marshall carefully tried to count to ten in order to calm his tensing nerves.

…Three…four...five…

It was no use. The image of a furious Gumball emerged, together with the stinging words he had spit in Marshall's face: "I wish I never had met you."

He could feel his teeth grinding and his hands forming clenched fists. If he still had a beating heart, it would have been torn apart by those words alone. At that moment, everything he had wanted to say stuck like a lump in his dry throat, and it was only with quite some effort that he had managed to get away. Through the nearest window he had fled, leaving Fiona and Cake to deal with the spiteful candy ruler. Fingernails dug into his flesh, deeper and deeper without stopping. He needed something to remind him he was -in a way- still alive, and the pain delivered by piercing nails was the best alternative at the moment.

"I wish I never had met you."

He knew. That was the worst part of it all. He knew that his existence, be it in the land of Aaa or the Nightosphere, was second to none. No one really needed him, a blood-sucking monster. It was made clear time and time again; he was alone. Abandoned by his parents, forgotten by the one woman who had cared for him, and eventually discarded by the one boy that had mattered to him. "I need you," he softly muttered, "and I need you to need me." Dejected he shook his head, as if to dispel of the thought tormenting his tired brain. The vampire considered turning in early. The sun had only just set, but with all these confusing emotions stirring and making a mess of his mind, he decided a complete blackout would be the best thing that could happen right now.

Wearily he soared up the stairs. Marshall stretched his aching limbs, holding back a yawn when his ears caught a muffled thud outside. Eyes scanned the whole room intensely, and he turned up his vampire senses.

Surely no one would be crazy enough to try and sneak up on him? Unless that person had a death wish.

Every muscle in his body was contracting, ready for action. There the vampire boy stood for a couple of minutes. Nothing happened. No sound was to be heard again, besides the gentle howling of the wind outside. Up to stairs he then went, continuing his way to the bedroom at the end of the hallway and hopefully a few hours of oblivion.

A/N: Please bear in mind that this is only a first attempt at writing fan fiction, and the story progresses as I'm writing it- so basically, it can go any direction at this point.

Title of the chapter is inspired by 'Jason Walker – Echo'