Princess Bubblegum stood in her royal chambers, contemplating between two similar pink dresses splayed on the queen sized bed. Brow knitted in deep thought, her ears didn't even register the soft rustle of her curtains as a certain undead queen entered the room. Soft cold arms wrapped around her torso, startling her for a split second before she felt a familiar cool breath on the back of her neck.

"Hey Bonnie. Whatcha doin'?" Not breaking eye contact with the two choices before her, the princess turned her head and kissed the cheek of her girlfriend, whose head now rested upon her shoulder.

"Packing for tomorrow." Marceline glanced around the room in confusion, spotting a completely empty suitcase open on the desk chair.

"Packing or glaring at your dresses?" A touch of sarcasm was present in her voice, and Bubblegum rolled her eyes before detaching herself from the vampire. Picking up the two dresses, she turned on her heel and held them side by side.

"I need your help. Which one?"

"Uh, Bonnie... To tell you the truth they look exactly the same to me."

"They're not! This one is a deeper shade of pink to match my hair," the princess said, shaking the dress in her right hand, "and this other one is lighter to compliment my skin tone!" Marceline blinked at the slight pink girl for a few seconds before shrugging and pointing to the one on her left.

"That one then. It's more low cut." The princess stuck her tongue out before throwing Marceline's choice back on the bed, folding the other one gently, and placing it into the suitcase.

"Why did you bother asking if you weren't going to listen?" Marceline said petulantly, floating down to lounge back on the bed.

"Because if one is more low cut then I don't need the Duke of Nuts seeing me in it."

"Fair point," Marceline said shrugging, stretching her limbs while the princess picked up speed at packing. Within no time the suitcase was filled to burst with all manner of necessary clothing, equipment, and personal belongings needed for a two week long stay. The sight of the full suitcase caused an unpleasant feeling in Marceline's stomach, and as Bubblegum zipped the final pocket shut she became nervous.

"Bonnie, do you mind brushing my hair?" The pink girl turned and smiled, nodding slightly before grabbing a brush off the side table and easing onto the bed. The long smooth strokes comforted the vampire queen, and she lay back against her princess with her eyes closed as the brushing continued. After a few moments of peaceful silence, Marceline quietly asked, "Do you really have to leave tomorrow?"

The princess sighed, continuing her soothing strokes. "Unfortunately I do. You know how much I wish I could skip this conference, but it is one of the most important yearly gatherings for Ooo royalty, and I already skipped the conference last year so you could introduce me to Hunson in the Nightosphere."

"They'll survive without you."

"Not quite. You know that... I tend to keep everything together in Ooo. Those poor souls don't know what to do without me around." The vampire kept silent for a few moments, her dissatisfaction growing. "Marcy..." Hearing her pet name was too much, and as Marceline rose from the bed her uncomfortable aching soared. She hated this feeling. Hated admitting she needed the pink girl so desperately. Hated that she felt lonely when she couldn't see her princess because of "royal duties."

"I hate this."

"Hate what?"

"This! The whole situation. Those idiots will manage. Honestly it's not like they can depend on you for every little thing. You have your own life. You take care of each and every one of your subjects each and every day, while also looking out for the other kingdoms all throughout Ooo. They don't even help you! They just sit back and let you do all the work, when you have people you care about that never get to see you!" The vampire paced the floor, irises shifting from their usual black to a deep red and hair coming alive in tendrils that floated in the space around her head.

"Marceline," The princess said sternly, "it's my duty as ruler. I have an obligation to my people-"

"That's just it - it's an obligation!" Marceline interrupted, voice rising slightly in volume. "You don't want to, you just feel you have to!"

"I love my people." The princess said definitively. "I love you too, but my duty to them is important and as their ruler and the head princess of Ooo I have responsibilities that must be tended to. I know you don't want me to leave and I don't want to leave either but you need to understand that I must."

The tone in Bubblegum's voice calmed Marceline's fury - her irises shifting back to normal and her hair falling limp at her side. After pacing for another moment she turned and looked her princess in the eyes. Bubblegum met her gaze, smiling slightly and motioning for the vampire queen to come and sit back on the bed with her. Relieved that her outburst had not angered the princess, Marceline floated over and fell back into Bubblegum's lap, looking straight up into those deep black irises. The princess stared back, a patient expression on her face. It reminded Marceline of her own mother long ago.

"You really should stay," Marceline stated, crossing her arms like a child and putting on her best pout. A smile crossed the princess' face as she brushed some stray strands out of the vampire's face.

"Should I?" Her response was playful, and it only served to encourage Marceline further.

"Yes."

The princess gently tapped the vampire's nose, smiling broader. The silence was once again comfortable, with Marceline continuing her pout face while Bubblegum gazed back.

"You know, for a thousand year old vampire queen your pouts are quite adorable."

Marceline faked a look of mock anger, declaring "They are not!" Bubblegum's grin only grew.

"They really are."

Marceline hissed again, bouncing off the bed and shape shifting into her werewolf form. She bared her fangs and growled, giving her most terrifying expression. "My pouts are not adorable! I'm an evil rampaging beast!" Her words were loud and deafening - they certainly would've frightened any candy person into bursting then and there. But Princess Bubblegum sat calmly on the bed, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lip.

"Not quite. You're adorable most times, despite your lethality."

The vampire queen scowled, attempting her scariest pout while in werewolf form. The princess giggled, and the vampire scowled again. "I WILL SUCK ALL THE RED OUT OF YOU!" The giggling continued, and Marceline lunged - knocking the princess flat on her back with the giant wolf form towering above her. "What do you say to that?! Frightening enough?" She leaned down, whispering her words into the princess' ear. A moment of silence made the vampire believe she had won, when out of nowhere a slender pink hand began to scratch behind one of her wolf ears. Despite her annoyance at not being taken seriously, Marceline couldn't help but push her head into the pleasant scratching, tail thumping behind her.

"See? My vampire queen is rather adorable."

"I'm not adorable... I just enjoy the attention..." the vampire queen grumbled, only half-heartedly attempting to defend her reputation.

"Whatever you say dear." The pink princess grinned, kissing her girlfriend's elongated wolf snout with a soft peck. A blush spread through Marceline's wolf cheeks and the thumping tail quickened its pace.

"Don't mock me," she murmured, closing her eyes and leaning farther into the pleasant scratching. The playful threat hung in the air, and Bubblegum pulled the wolf girl closer and nuzzled the soft fur along her neckline. The comfortable silence returned, both girls choosing to enjoy the other's close proximity rather than continue conversation. When the princess finally stopped nuzzling or scratching Marceline's ear, the vampire queen shifted back into her normal form and the two lay on their sides, cuddling and holding each other close. Yes the pink girl would leave in the morning, but until then the two lovers would enjoy each other's company as long as the night lasted.