Marceline and Bubblegum's relationship is filled with problems, too many to list. Bubblegum is a princess and Marceline in a queen. Bubblegum is mortal and Marceline is not. Bubblegum is light and Marceline is dark. It would seem their only similarity is in their both being girls, but that in itself is an issue.
It hurts. It's cold. Marceline knows it's doomed from the start.
At times she doesn't bother trying anymore. The kisses Bubblegum leave on her lips, her neck, her thighs, are oh so sweet, but after awhile the scent of candy repulses her for that very reason. She knows she can't stay in the safety of her lover's arms forever; they'll just end up hurting each other.
It's on nights like tonight that Marceline stays hidden away in her room, far from the Candy Kingdom and far from the candy princess. Guitar in hand, she floats and strums, trying to sing the feelings out of her heart and the confusion out of her mind. But her fingers can't find the right notes, and her throat feels dry with lost words, so she eventually retires to bed. She stares up at the dancing shadows on her ceiling, hating the way they move, how unbroken the darkness is. After some time of insomnia, she finally drifts off into dreamless sleep.
"Marceline!"
Until the sound of the princess's voice makes her eyes fly open and shoot her up from her bed and over to the window. "What… what are you doing here?" she asks after opening the window, unable to completely hide a tremor from her voice.
"You missed our lunch date," Bubblegum says, slowly walking closer and closer the window until she can reach up and brush the hair off Marceline's forehead. "I was worried…"
The queen takes in the sight of the girl before her. Perfect pink hair as usual, but the girl's eyes are tired, bloodshot with dark circles, and her clothes are torn in places and stained. With a start, Marceline realizes that Bubblegum is wearing her t-shirt, the one given as a gift. She also notices that the princess is shaking, not from fear or shyness but from cold, and the vampire doesn't have the heart to make her stand outside any longer. "Come in."
Bubblegum doesn't need to be asked twice; she's inside Marceline's house in a flash, sitting on the rock hard couch like she belongs there.
"Um, I don't have anything to offer you to drink," Marceline tells her uncomfortably. Bubblegum's eyes are narrowed and piercing, and Marceline can't seem to look at her directly.
Bubblegum raises a hand. "It's fine. I don't need anything." She crosses her legs and pats the cushion next to her, staring pointedly at Marceline, who swallows and joins her. Bubblegum takes Marceline's head in her hands and forces her to look at her. "Tell me what's wrong."
Marceline makes a halfhearted attempt at swatting away Bubblegum's hands and averts her gaze. "It's nothing," she mutters. "Drama with daddy. That's it."
"You stupid liar. Your dad isn't causing you to act like this. What? Is it me? Did I do something wrong yet again?"
Marceline simmers. "You? Little miss perfect? Do something wrong?" she laughs. Her eyes flash and she jerks out of Bubblegum's grip and floats in front of her. "What about this isn't wrong? You and me… We're so different! We have one thing in common and that's gender! I don't know what the math I'm doing being in some farce of a relationship with you, the perfect princess of the perfect kingdom. I'm… I'm immortal, you know that, right? I'm never going to die. But you, you are! You're-"
Her rant is cut off by one of Bubblegum's sugary kisses, then both of them tumble to the floor as Bubblegum knocks her over and lands on top of her. The princess nestles into the crook of her neck and her sweet aroma fills Marceline's nose and soaks into her skin. "Shut up," she whispers. She pushes herself up and glares. "So what if we're different? Or both girls? Or you're immortal and I'm not? I don't see why that matters. I love you regardless." She places another, gentler kiss on the vampire's pale lips. "You know I do, and you cannot honestly say you don't love me, and we both know it. Yes, I'll die someday, but why does that mean we can't enjoy our time together?" Another kiss. "And by the time I'm old, maybe science will have advanced far enough that I won't die. You never know, Marceline…"
Marceline closes her eyes, hating the words that are as sweet as Bubblegum's tongue itself. Tears brim behind closed lids, and she hisses under her breath and pulls Bubblegum back into an embrace as the princess stops talking. She feels Bubblegum nuzzle into her neck again, and Marceline lets herself hold the other girl close, her fangs brushes the soft pink skin on Bubblegum's shoulder. "Stupid Bonnibell. You make 1,000 years of learning seem like they never happened," she murmurs, and Bubblegum giggles into her neck.
It's warm. It's safe. It feels like forever in a moment, and she admits maybe, just maybe, they aren't doomed.