Many, many years ago:
Bonnibel had been managing a new weapons project in her ever-growing Candy Kingdom all day as part of her threat-detection and prevention plan. The post-apocalyptic Ooo was a rough and unsafe place in these years- before the presence of the Candy Kingdom and other Princess' domains concretized order and rule (to some extent). It was finally night-time, and she usually spent the evenings working tirelessly in her lab to devise new solutions to potential problems to keep her home and her growing body of citizens safe. She was wearing her white lab coat, reading a data print-out. Or trying, at least.
She'd been having some difficulty concentrating lately which was extremely unusual for her. Frustrated, she shook her head, attempting to rattle away the thoughts that kept her reading the same line of 1's and 0's over and over again. She stopped trying to read for a moment. "Maybe if I just let myself think about it, about her, I'll be able to get back to work."
She put down the paper she'd been holding, placed both her palms flat on the desk in front her and exhaled, closing her eyes. She felt the corners of her mouth pull upwards involuntarily as she was inundated with moments passed recently in Marceline's company- the lovely, literal daughter of Satan.
She could hear Marceline's attractive voice in her ears, and she felt the sensation of Marcy's arm accidentally brushing against hers (them both jumping away in shock). She was flooded with a mosaic of images- everything beautiful about her best friend. This incredibly kind, warmly compassionate, funny and deeply depressed young woman she had come to care for so intensely.
There was something profoundly romantic about Marceline, something effortlessly charming. As she slipped unintentionally deeper into her reverie, she began to think not only of moments passed, but moments she longed would come. A moment where her hands bunched softly in Marceline's hair, her face in her friend's neck and their bodies so close she could feel Marceline's chest expanding against her own. Or a moment where she brushed her lips across Marceline's cheek, stopping for a moment when the corners of their two mouths lightly touched, before...
Bonnie's breath caught in her throat and her cheeks burned. She unconsciously shifted her legs uncomfortably as she began to feel an unfamiliar heat spreading through her lower limbs until it reached somewhere deep inside of her. She had managed to convince herself (and still believed it, miraculously) that she only loved Marceline as a friend, and so when she began to feel this creeping, unwelcome heat, she groaned. Her one hand was clenched in a fist, still leaning on the table, her other was absent-mindedly tracing the skin of her neck, down to her collarbone, down to her breastbone. She sighed, frustrated. She had not expected her daydream to take this course, given her complete objective lack of feelings for Marceline. A low voice spoke next to her ear, startling her.
"Surprise." Marceline said in a voice that dripped deep and dark like molasses.
Bonnibel screamed in surprise and spun around.
"Uh, Marcy, hey! Uh, yeah, hi. I, wasn't expecting you to be here… in the lab... with me, right now…" she finished weakly, trying to hide the guilt from her voice and face.
"Yeah, I broke in. You really need to work on your security." Marceline said casually with a grin, before noticing how utterly strange the expression on PB's face was. "Whoa, are you okay?" asked Marceline, concerned. "You look flustered." she remarked, her eyes filled with sincere inquiry.
"Yeah, no, I'm totally fine" Bonnibel lied, laughing nervously. "I was just trying to… visualize a," she paused, "a particularly frustrating problem."
Marceline knew she was no good at science, but she wanted an excuse to keep hanging around and asked, "Maybe it's something I can help you with?" Bonnibel looked awkward, biting her tongue. "No," she said slowly, "I, uh, I don't think it's something you can fix."
"Oh… well, I just wanted to say hello. I hope that's okay?" Marceline asked, suddenly self-conscious about being in Bonnibel's space, uninvited. Bonnie's eyes softened, "No, it's okay, Marcy."
"Well, maybe I should go, I don't want to keep you away from this visualisation problem you have." Marceline knew the Princess was busy and that her work, her only love, came first. The bitterness with which this thought came surprised her. What is wrong with me. She banished it as quickly as she allowed it.
Bonnie bit her lip- it was more like she had a problem with not visualizing. Marceline turned to float out the way she came before Bonnie against her better judgment impulsively, but softly, reached for Marceline's hand. "No please, please stay with me a little?" she asked softly, knowing she had so much work to do, but not being able to bear the thought of Marceline going just yet, now that her warmth had filled the cold science of the room.
Marceline was taken aback by the feeling of PB's hand over hers and the weighty softness in her voice. She turned around and looked at her friend, to whom she had become so close over the past few years.
PB was leaning against the desk, her hair in a messy bun, wearing her completely oversized glasses. She looked beautiful. Her eyes, gleaming with intelligence, were fixed on Marceline. This made Marcy feel a heat glow up her neck and singe the back of her scalp. But she was unable to break eye-contact. She was hypnotised and drugged by this uncharacteristic softness from Bonnie.
"It's just, I'm a little tired, and I feel alone and I don't want you to leave yet." Bonnibel stammered in a small voice, trying to qualify her earlier plea. Marceline stopped floating and planted her feet on the floor, Bonnibel's honesty pulling her like gravity. She took a step toward the Princess. Not much distance between their bodies now.
"Of course I'll stay with you." She said softly, with a smile. Marceline noted that curiously, Bubblegum's lips were slightly parted and she looked flushed. Marceline moved even closer, unthinking, holding her breath in her throat in case it broke this strange, rich pause in the air between them. Seconds passed.
With a start she realized she had been looking at Bubblegum's lips the entire time, suddenly extremely self-conscious about their physical proximity to one another. She looked down, embarrassed- only to discover that she was still holding Bubblegum's.
PB seemed to realize at the exact moment she did and quickly pulled away from Marceline, impossibly far into the desk. "Right, yes. Good." she said, stiffly (a strange tone to take with your best friend of so many years). "Yes. Of course." said Marceline simultaneously, panicking and frantically shaking PB's hand like they had just closed a business deal. At this moment, Peppermint Butler walked through the door.
"Princess, there seems to be a problem with the…." He said, his words slowing as he processed the scene in front of him, "…banana guards." The vampire and the princess had been friends for years and suddenly they looked robotic around one another. "Oh Glob." He thought to himself.
A few days later, near midnight, Marceline was sitting on her couch, in the treehouse. She was absent-mindedly plucking at her bass. She could not stop thinking about Princess Bubblegum and their recent interaction. She felt her chest swell, remembering the softness in Bonnie's voice, how tenderly she had touched her.
"That was… interesting." She said to herself. If Marceline was being honest with herself she would be unable to recall the exact moment she had found herself falling in love with Bonnibel Bubblegum, but she would admit that she had. It seemed to have happened slowly and most certainly without her permission. She just knew that one day, Bonnibel arrived at her house and she was overwhelmed by how adorable she was.
Bonnibel was fiercely intelligent, incredibly loyal and dedicated. Marceline loved the way she talked, the way she focused so completely on tasks and the energy she had for inventing. Bubblegum was a creator. With her stunning intellect, she could choose to create almost anything and yet, what she created was sweetness and protection for that sweetness. How could Marceline not fall in love with her? Bonnibel could be cold, calculating and extraordinarily unaware of herself and her own emotions, but these qualities made Marceline empathize with Bubblegum rather than judge her.
Marceline had never, even for a moment, entertained her feelings toward Bubblegum as a possibility. Bonnibel's love was her work and Marceline, tragically, felt quite unimportant in comparison.
If Marceline wasn't so convinced that PB didn't feel the same way about her, she might have considered the possibility that the lab incident was significant. If Marceline wasn't so convinced she might have said no to a date with Ash, who was bound to arrive at any second. She had decided perhaps she needed a distraction.
Ash was relatively nice, it seemed. He was just some guy that she had met while flying around Ooo in the night, passing the time. They had planned to go to on a moonlight picnic (given Marceline's inability to be in the sun) somewhere in the grasslands. When Ash had suggested they explore the Candy Kingdom, Marceline had panicked, "No! I mean, no." Not that place. I uh, I'm not a big fan of candy." She lied. She didn't want Bubblegum to know about her date. She realized afterward that she wasn't sure why, it wasn't as if Bonnie would be particularly interested.
She met Ash outside on the grass that evening "Hey Marceline!" he said. "Hey Ash." She said. At least try to be more enthusiastic, Marceline. No one forced you to do this. Her and Ash meandered along, talking and joking. She had to congratulate herself, she could not have picked a better distraction from Bonnibel- Ash was nothing like Bonnibel. He was messy and casual- nothing like the precision and seriousness of Bubblegum.
"So, Marceline, how's that new song coming?" Ash asked her, as they sat on the blanket.
"It's alright, really. I don't really know what's missing from it, but it's not finished yet." She replied.
"Oh, you know, maybe you need a muse." Remarked Ash with a grin.
"Oh, really? You think that will help? And who would you suggest?" Marceline asked, playing along. Ash raised his eyebrows and said with a surprising amount of charm, "Why don't you sing about me?" Marceline laughed. She had actually begun to enjoy herself in Ash's company. It was light and easy. Ash gave her a warm smile and slid his arm around her waist. Marceline tensed up immediately, she wasn't expecting such sudden physical contact from him. He raised his eyebrows. Just relax Marceline, just see where this goes. She smiled, a little stiffly, but he didn't seem to notice and she tried to relax into his touch. She took a breath, and realized she was okay. It was nice, even, to be touched by someone.
As they walked home, Marceline knew what was coming. The kiss. She had been bracing herself for the moment since Ash had initiated physical contact with her earlier. They stopped in front her door, and as expected Ash said in a warm tone "I had a really lovely time tonight, Marceline."
"I had a nice time, too." replied Marceline, still uncertain as to whether she would let herself be pulled into this.
Ash took a step closer to her and waited for her to close the distance. Suddenly, everything about the way Ash moved, being so different from Bubblegum began to have the opposite effect of a distraction. Him, his movements, the way he breathed so close to her face, his arm leaning on the wall behind her, they had all become some sort dark to PB's light- the negative image to the positive image. He, in that moment, became nothing more than a juxtaposing-element. This isn't how Bubblegum would do it. He was sweet, but he was wrong. This realization made Marceline incredibly sad and frustrated. Oh, what the hell, she thought hopelessly and desperately as she brought her lips up against his. He misread the emotion in the kiss as some sort of sentiment directed towards him. "Wow." He gasped. "I haven't been kissed like that in ages." Marceline smiled weakly, feeling slightly guilty. It wasn't for you.
The next evening, Marceline was at home when she heard a knock at the door. For a second she panicked, fearing it was Ash. She felt strange about the precious evening and wasn't sure what she was going to do. However, she heard a very welcome voice through the door, "Hi! Marcy! You in there?"
"Yeah, just a sec!" Marceline called out, catching herself almost sprinting to the door in excitement.
She flung open the door and there stood Bonnie, pretty and pink in the moonlight. The events of the previous evening had been so sad and confusing that she couldn't help throw her arms around her friend and hold her very closely. Bubblegum seemed to be a bit caught off guard, arms stiff at her sides. Just as Marceline was about to let go, however, PB wrapped her arms tightly around her best friend, burying her face in her neck. They came apart but remained standing close.
"You missed me, huh?" Bonnie teased.
Marceline blushed, "No, I just-"
"I missed you." Bubblegum cut her off, shyly.
Marceline beamed, trying to ignore the dull ache in her stomach that told her not in the same way, idiot.
"So, what have you been up to?" PB asked.
"Oh, uh, nothing much!" Marceline lied, badly.
The Princess narrowed her eyes. "What?"
"Nothing!" Repeated Marceline, not wanting to tell the Princess about her date with Ash for a reason she didn't quite understand.
"Marceline. I can tell when you're lying. What's happening?"
"Nothing." Marceline repeated for the third time. "I just saw a friend last night, but other than that nothing much." This bit of (almost) honest information seemed to satisfy PB.
"Oh! Why were you acting so weird about that? Anyway, I was wondering whether you wanted to walk home with me, I was just in the neighbourhood collecting samples and thought maybe we could hang out the castle for the evening?"
"Yes!" exclaimed Marceline, almost no even letting PB finish forming the question. "What I mean is, I would love to hang out with you." She said in a gentle tone. She knew she was pushing it, that PB didn't feel the same, but she couldn't help but initiate physical contact with her again. She pushed Bonnie's hair behind her ear and said, "I did actually miss you, by the way." Marceline was beginning to feel guilty about how much she enjoyed these moments, it was becoming inappropriate and it was making Marceline feel like a creep. She shouldn't be indulging this attraction for her friend in this way.
They were still standing very close to one another and PB put her hand on Marceline's shoulder. "Marcy, I'm glad you weren't busy because I've been looking forward to seeing you all day." she said softly, as she moved her hand to Marceline's neck. Their eyes met and Marceline felt a deep blush start in her chest.
There was a knock at Marceline's door, making them both jump. PB grasped her two hands nervously in front of her, a gesture that made Marceline want to cry, she loved it so much.
"Hey babe!" called Ash, as he poked his head around the corner "Whoa, am I interrupting something here? He asked, as he saw the two women standing awkwardly next to one another. He looked at Bonnibel.
"Uh- no!" said Marceline, nervous all of a sudden. PB gave her a questioning look, but Marceline was avoiding eye-contact.
'Well that's good, because I was hoping we could do a repeat of last night?" Ash asked with a flirtatious smirk. He walked forward and stood next to Marceline, pointedly putting his arm around her waist and pulling her close to him. Marceline turned blood red, feeling extremely uncomfortable. "Well," asked Ash, "aren't you going to introduce us?"
"Oh! Sure, Ash, this is Princess Bubblegum and PB this is Ash, my… friend." Ash looked at Marceline quizzically. Marceline looked at Bonnibel. Bonnibel looked at Ash, her eyes were piercing daggers into him. The hostility in the room was pulpable.
Ash held out his hand, with a smug, seemingly picking up on something that Marceline had missed. Bonnie didn't take it- the expression on her face made it seem as if she hoped snakes to drag him into a pit where there were even more snakes.
Marceline made to break the glacial silence. "Actually, Ash" she said while taking a step away from him, "I was going to go hang out at Bonnie's tonight."
"That's okay." Said PB, clearly in a foul mood.
"What? What do you mean?" asked Marceline, truly confused.
"I mean have fun doing a repeat of last night." She grimaced.
Marceline didn't understand. There was no reason for Bonnie to react this way to Ash, it didn't make any sense. Before Marceline could get another word out, the Princess was already a few metres away, walking fast. Marceline looked at Ash, he smiled at her. He looked smug.
Back at the castle Princess Bubblegum was pacing agitatedly across her bedroom. She was fuming, muttering wild, deranged observations to herself, only one in every few words audible. Mumble mumble "Ash." mumble mumble "Think he is!" mumble mumble "Snakes…"
The sight of that smug little insect touching Marceline like that created an anger in her capable of inspiring her to engineer his destruction. Mumble mumble "Don't trust him."
Peppermint Butler walked into the room and cautiously approached her, having been hearing her wild muttering and sporadic exclamation for over an hour now. It was distracting him from the evocation spell he was attempting.
"So uh," he started gently, unsure of how to frame this whole bizarre scenario, "crazy night, huh?" He had hardly finished his sentence when the Princess exclaimed.
"A boy Peps! There was a boy! This disgusting wizard insect boy." Mumble mumble "SNAKES."
Peppermint Butler exhaled slowly. He may not be a scientist, but he knew the realm of emotion. Emotion was like magic- it was created from nothing but its own pure form and it was powerful beyond measure. Both catalyst and inhibitor- inexplicable.
"What about this boy?" he asked.
"He was touching Marceline, Peps! His disgusting little tendrils. It's almost as if they… as if they…" she couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence.
"As if they what? Were romantic with one another?"
"Ugh! NO! Why would that bother me? It's not that. It's just his face, it's so …" she fell back into her frantic mumbling. "The way he was looking at me! So proud of himself, touching her like that!"
"Well, maybe he knows something you don't." Peppermint Butler said slowly and cautiously. The Princess rounded on him, looking very, very angry.
"And what's that? What could a little garbage puff like him possibly know that I don't?" she almost shouted, her chest heaving from the effort of not completely losing her temper.
"How you feel." said Peppermint Butler, fully expecting to be banished from the room immediately. Instead, Bubblegum just stood rooted to the spot, her face looked horrified. She sunk down into the bed, her head in her hands.
She looked up at him though her fingers. "How I feel?" she asked, not really needing an answer.
"Yes. How you feel."
"And how would he possibly know that?" she asked, adding quickly, "Not that there is anything to know, that is."
"Of course, but if there were anything to know," Peppermint Butler continued carefully, "perhaps those around you would notice."
The thought horrified PB. She wasn't even ready to admit it to herself. And she hated that Ash could tell.
"Do you, hypothetically, know? You know, if there were something to hypothetically know?" Bonnibel asked Peppermint Butler, quietly.
Peppermint Butler looked at PB with empathy and understanding. She had never been too connected to her feelings, supressing everything out to focus on protecting those around her. She grew up largely alone, and wasn't very receptive to the emotions of others or her own. Before Princess Bubblegum, none of this safety existed. She worked so hard to carve out a small piece of sweetness in this hellish world and that didn't leave much room for feeling. To see his leader, and friend, looking so vulnerable and confused was a new challenge to him.
"I would say that I know you pretty well. And… yes." He finished, resigned.
Princess Bubblegum didn't need Peps to tell her how she felt. She had been stumbling around this realization for a while now.
"What am I going to do?" she asked Peppermint Butler despondently.
"Princess, this isn't a disaster." He replied, comfortingly.
Yes it is, she thought, as her eyes filled up with tears.