Chapter 1

Marshall Lee was running. No, it was a float-like run that was speedier than running. His arm was injured, blood oozing from his gray skin onto his red flannel shirt and brand new leather jacket.

He was running from a bear. It found its way into Marshall's cave and made a home there, and Marshall wasn't very amused. He tried to chase it out, but he made the terrible decision of chasing it during the daytime. He scared it and the bear ended up biting him and now Marshall was losing blood fast. The hood to his jacket was over his head, but he could feel his hands and the tip of his nose burning up from the sun. He was panicking, and was too tired to change into a bat or anything. He actually needed help for once.

The Candy Kingdom was at the edge of the forest. He made it to a clearing, and the sun burned his face. He hissed and slunk back. The bear was on his trail, so Marshall made a long jump for the castle. He crashed into Gumball's window, smashed the glass, and landed on Gumball's bedroom floor. Gumball was at his desk, doing an experiment on candy frogs. The prince jumped at the crash, and turned around. Marshall let out a groan of pain, starting to hit the point of passing out.

"Oh Glob… Marshall!" Gumball ran to Marshall, not caring about taking off his lab apron or goggles. Gumball tried to turn the vampire onto his back, but Marshall hissed in pain at the sunlight, which was streaming through the shattered window. Gumball heaved Marshall onto his bed, blocking the sun with his body. A now blood-stained Gumball went to draw the curtains to block out any sunlight. He turned on his lights and gazed upon the wounded Marshall.

Marshall was breathing heavily, his burns healing quickly. "Ah, jeez…" Marshall rasped, "wish you didn't see me like this…"

"No, its fine, I'll go get Doctor Ice Cream and-"

"NO!... D-don't….please…" Marshall felt pitiful having to get a cone of ice cream to help heal his bear-bite. He didn't want anyone else to see him in such a state.

"Well, then what do you suggest I do?" Gumball had a hint of annoyance in his voice, probably since his clothes were filthy with Marshall's blood.

"You should heal me." Marshall managed in a clear voice.

"Fine. I'll go get a first-aid." Gumball stammered, and quickly left the room. He shut the door and leaned on it, blushing profusely. He covered his face with his hands, pushing his goggles over his head and covering his blush from anyone nearby. He let out a long sigh, and headed down the hall to the linen closet, which held the emergency first-aid. He reached down, grabbed it, shut the door, and shuffled back to his room.

When he came back, Marshall was asleep. He was in the fetal position, his head lightly resting on the pillow. Even though a vampire, Marshall Lee looked peaceful sleeping on Gumball's bed. Gumball couldn't help but stare at him while he bit his bottom lip. Marshall's hair was tossed over his forehead, making soft, black streaks on the pillow. Gumball could just tossle Marshall's hair. Marshall's mouth was slightly open, exposing the tips of his vampire teeth. Gumball's gaze fell onto Marshall's wound, and Gumball snapped out of his day dream. He took off Marshall's jacket and flannel, exposing Marshall's bare chest. Gumball blushed even harder.
Gumball fumbled with the first aid kit, his hands shaking. Why was he so nervous? He never got this way when he was working on an experiment, or when he was helping Doctor Ice Cream with patients. Why now? Why in front of Marshall Lee, of all people?

Gumball cleaned the bite and wove a bandage around it. It looked like a bear bite, to Gumball's knowledge, which made him wonder; how come Marshall Lee got so badly wounded from a bear?

Gumball was done tending the bandage, so he started pacing the room, pondering his thoughts. Gumball knew Marshall Lee (probably longer than Marshall knew Gumball) and Gumball knew that Marshall was a powerful vampire. He was the Vampire KING for crying out loud. Why would a king need help fighting an average bear?

True, it was daylight out (not Marshall's preferred time of day to fight) and bears were getting stronger and more populous in the Grasslands, but again: Marshall. The. Vampire. King. It just didn't make sense…

Marshall woke up after a few minutes. Gumball stopped pacing, and Marshall started to sit up, but winced at his arm. He stretched out onto his back, and looked at his bandaged arm.

"So… How did this happen?" Gumball broke the silence, nodding towards Marshall's bitten arm. He regretted asking, but he was just too dang curious.

Marshall didn't say anything. He closed his eyes and sighed, his nose pointed straight at the ceiling. "… You wouldn't like it." He finally said.

"What do you mean?" Worry in the prince's voice.

"I'm not telling."

"Marshall Lee, I swear to Glob if you don't tell me, I'll tell Fionna about how you-"

"FINE! Fine, I'll tell you, just-, just don't mention that to Fionna,"

Marshall cleared his throat. He opened his mouth, then closed it again. He finally spoke;

"I killed a mother- bear's cub."

"WHAT? Marshall Lee, I thought you were better than that! Succumbing to… to bear murder! How could you do such a thing?! You know that bears go on an impossible rampage when their infant kin are killed, you know better!" Gumball finished his rant, breathing heavily and his face crimson with rage. After a moment, Marshall spoke;

"Are you done?"

"Yeah… Yeah, I think so."

"The bear was in my cave, messing with my house. I didn't know what else to do."

"You didn't stop and think for a minute and say "HMM, maybe this bear could be dangerous? I should wait until nightfall to drag it out of my yard so I don't fry myself to death outside" or even told someone about it? Like Fionna? Or-" Gumball hesitated.

"Or what, Bubs? And I don't sound like that." Gumball blushed at being called "Bubs".

"Or even ask for… my help?"

Marshall Lee looked up at Gumball quizzically. Then he craned his neck back and laughed. Gumball tried to shush Marshall, since Peppermint Maid could probably hear (for a candy without ears she could practically hear through stone walls). Gumball was getting embarrassed, and if someone came in his room, with a scene like this, he would be up the Glob-damn wall.

"Marshall Lee, you stop that! Do you know what would happen if someone finds us like this?!" Gumball stage-whispered,

"Its just- hahahaha oh no oh man…whew, ok, but seriously. What do you think you could have done to help me? Send one of your doofy banana guards to help? They're useless!"

"Don't talk about them that way! They're just…a little slow is all…"

"A little slow? They're as slow as a waving snail! Plus, I don't need your help."

"Well, you needed it now, and without me you would have bled to death, fried to death, or got eaten by that bear!" Marshall was quiet. He turned onto his right side, which was also the side his bitten arm wasn't, and ignored Gumball. In turn, Gumball gave a scowl, marched around the bed, and stared right into Marshall's face;

"You needed me, Marshall. You needed me and you need to admit that. I hate it how you always think I'm some… Some snobby rich prince and a useless pansy! Well, you're a selfish, impolite, rotten half-demon child!" Gumball took off his apron and goggles and walked towards the door, but turned around just as he was leaving, "and if you need anything, you can do it yourself, since I guess you don't need a princes help." And Gumball slammed the door. Loudly.

A/N: well this happened. Hope you liked it, more to come (I swear its gonna be sexy fluff… hopefully) and thanks for reading!