A/N after a short (not short) hiatus this story is back in action. Please read and review. There's probably gonna be at least one more chapter of set up before we start to make some real progress. I have plotted out about six chapters worth of development for characters and I'm happy to answer questions. This is a SLOOOOOOOWWW burn, sorry.
Trigger warning ...warning ...the trigger warnings will contain plot spoilers this goes for all future chapters so you've been warned.
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TRIGGER WARNING: Self harm and lesbian thoughts.
Obviously I don't own Adventure time, if I did Bubbline would be canon confirmed and oh soooooo sweeeet.
{M}
Marceline stared at the coffee in her hands. Sweet live giving coffee. The whole kitchen stank of freshly roasted coffee. It was the first time she had ever owned a coffee machine, a small miracle in its own right considering her addiction to the stuff. Apparently It was the common practice here to have a permanent supply of filter coffee on hand... Not that she minded of-course as the Americans definitely had a better sense of taste when it came to coffee. Shame they can't get bacon right. She liked these moments of quiet. When her mind was thinking simple thoughts. Even though the moments of calm came at a high price. The Anti depressants only ever took the edge of her moods, they couldn't give her the peace and solitude in her mind that this did. She sipped her coffee some more and stared out the window into the cloudy autumn sky.
I wonder what time it is?
Glancing at her Cell she got up and poured another cup of coffee for Simon who always got home at exactly six o clock.
I feel comfortably numb, no bad thoughts, no weird thinking. Totally worth it. Just once in a while. Not all the time. Totally worth it.
She tried to ignore the tugging of the bandage on her shirt sleeve.
"MARCY?" Simon shouted from the front door.
"In here" He wandered in wearing his work suit. It looked a little light for this time of year. He was also starting to show the first signs of Grey hair on his head.
I hope this isn't all too stressful for him. Looking after me and dealing with work and money and everything else. Her eyes drifted to the bright blue bow tie he wore. Need to get him a red one of those...and some gloves. It's like he doesn't feel the cold.
He sat down on the stool opposite Marceline and gratefully took a swig of coffee. The counter island that split the kitchen in half had quickly become there usual sitting place despite the a dining table having been included in the dining area on one side. It had taken a full six days to go through all the deliveries from home and purchase the things to big, delicate or inconvenient to move with them. Thankfully a first aid kit had been on that list.
"How was your day Marcy?" He asked as he took papers out of his satchel. Apparently the 'Meh' he got in response wasn't enough as he frowned and looked into Marcelines eyes.
oh damn, he's onto me already. Marceline look down knowing she would look guilty. Desperately trying to hide her shame.
"How was school?"
"OK. Keila and I were writing lyrics in music" please take the bait
"Keila, your new friend right? The one in that band...what are they called? Ice screams or something" he joked
" The Scream Queens, yeah. They've been looking for a bass player for a while and they like some of the lyrics I write so they were thinking I could..." He was staring at her arm.
"Marceline... honey, have you been... unsafe?" Simon asked quietly nodding at the bandaged area.
Unsafe? I always feel unsafe.
One look into Simon's eyes and she knew he was already feeling let down and a little depressed. She sighed deeply and knew that she wouldn't get away without answering the question. It was part of the deal. She had to answer and in return Simon wouldn't pry to much. She pulled up her sleeve to show she edge of the soiled bandage on her forearm. Simon nodded at her and sighed unhappily at this.
He always knows when you do it, how? I need to change the bandage or he'll moan about it.
" I only cut when I need to, it was tough today! I Used the alcohol wipes and..."Simon wrapped her up in a big hug.
"It's OK. Did you take your medicine?" he asked
"yeah, one olanzapine and one fenlavaxine" She tried not to pull back from the hug but it hurt that he had to check.
"OK, we'll i know you'll look after your arm"Simon smiled at her and she knew what was coming next. It was reinforcing a negative behavior and it needed to stop, she absolutely could NOT allow it to continue
"lets order takeout" he offered opening the drawer full of menus.
I knew it! this has to stop! no more takeouts. I'm gonna end up fat and huge and...
"OK" damn!
{B}
Bonnibell stared at the test tube of clear liquid for a moment noting the slightly viscous appearance and complete lack of opacity in her note pad. She placed in into a clamp and turned the Bunsen burner on to a focused flame. She noted the time this started at and and stoppered the test tube with a cork that had a pipe connecting it to a collection chamber for any gasses it gave off. After three minutes the test tube was boiling but no change had occurred. Humming in thought she removed the heat and the stopper before carefully adding a single drop of a different liquid compound to the solution. It instantly turned a vibrant thick green the color of new leaves. She smiled and noted the result before splitting the liquid into three samples for testing.
OK, four tries so far, i think i can squeeze another one in if it's quick. Not bad for an evenings work.
"Milady?" Bonnibell turned at the sudden intrusion. Peppe her butler -and for many years carer of both her and her estates- stood patiently at the entrance to her lab. She couldn't remember a time when he hadn't been neatly dressed in his dull blue tailcoat with a red bow tie. She also had a hard time remembering when the man was taller than her...perhaps if he was ever taller than her. Even when she was young the smell of peppermint oil that he liked so much was so pervasive it had eventually become his nickname. Peppermint Butler.
"What's up?" she smiled at him
"It's already midnight milady, and you have school tomorrow, I believe it's time you went to bed." he stated pleasantly. He never ordered her to do anything but often suggested it in a way that was hard to ignore. Bonnibell looked at the clock and rubbed her sore eyes. They were beginning to strain on these long days...nights? She may need to see an optician and get some glasses.
"Sure pepps. Let me finish these notes and I'll go to bed." she replied smiling. He came over to examine the result of her experiment. Eyeing the tube carefully and glancing at the various compounds she had selected. He could remember how difficult it had been to get his hands on Xanthum gum and Stevia sweetener. He couldn't have just left that to the lower staff after all.
"What is it?" he asked curiously.
"It's green coloring number..." she glanced at the paperwork that contained the recipe "one hundred and forty nine." she noted the number in her pad.
"You've made one hundred and forty nine samples?" he asked with a razed eybrow
"No! I've made eighty seven samples to perfect this color." she waved an arm at the samples that lined the racks on one wall "I've had to perfect each color left by my parents"
"Sometimes I wish you had interests more healthy and related to your age" Bonnibell stopped writing and looked at him
"This is important work! I'm creating a new safe and friendly food color pepps, it's for the whole Candy Kingdom! Its following some of the work my parents left behind unfinished and when we do our new range of products I want it look as good as it tastes and be all diets friendly. Did you know that there is a condition called Phenylketonuria in which a person who ingests too much of the phenylalanine protein chain will suffer brain damage! " She was practically yelling.
"I understand milady, however this is work. And you are not going to be sixteen forever. You should try things someone of your age ought to try. Such as sleepovers and bowling" he pressed the matter. he was even considering throwing a boys in there but lets get hasty.
sleepovers! Bowling!? I have work to do! I have to restore the candy kingdom, build a factory and save OOO!
She took a deep breath and mentally stepped back from the situation to consider her faithful butler and friends point of view. He was certainly entitled to one.
"I guess your probably right. I'm just not really interested in those things I guess." she looked at her Butler as he frowned
" However...I won't always be young, in just two years I'll inherit the estates and Candy Kingdom itself." she thought out loud
"Exactly Princess! Some time outside, spent with friends or perhaps a day in ST. Louis?" He looked hopeful...almost desperate
"Well it's something to consider, I'll speak to lady." Bonnibell yawned and set her pen down.
Peppe nodded and made his way to his own room. As soon as he had left however the pen was back in her hands and she immediately went back to work finishing the experiment.
OK so I'll finish the notes, which includes the last of the experiment. I can manage four hours sleep.
She added a drop of different solution to each sample and then mixed before spreading the sample as a smear on paper. With the three colors in front of her she turned to the spectrophotometers in her lab and started the pre warm up sequence.
OK maybe I should get some sleep after the color test. I can do the mass spectrometer test tomorrow. After all, the release of new product isn't for another twenty six months.
{M}
Marceline looked at herself in the mirror to confirm that the bandage wasn't showing and she looked acceptably Punk. She had rarely spent so much time worried about her appearance. Usually it was a combo of clean and convenient. Today however she had gone all out shaving half her head bald and fluffing up the other half. She wore a Red tank top and some professionally ripped baggy Jeans with chains on them.
Hmm... sure beats wearing skinnies and a shirt...everday... for a week. Might be time to buy new clothes?
With one last glance at the mirror she headed downstairs, trying to remember if she was supposed to take anything other than an instrument.
"All set for your interview, miss responsible adult?" Simon asked heading out the door
"It's just a part time job Simon" She yelled after him with an eye roll. she quickly poured a cup of coffee to go and slid into the car that belonged to Simon, who still smiling at her weirdly.
"What?"
"Nothing...did you take your guitar?" he asked pulling out of the garage "It might help, if they know you've got talent... and a 'wicked rare' guitar."
"Yeah, my old Fender Jazz. They might hire me just to salivate over it" she smiled at him
"True of course there's always the chance that they might be so jealous you don't come back from the interview." She hummed in mock thought
"If I'm not back by dinner time send the army! By the way what are you gonna do while I'm in the music store?" she mentally mapped the road he was taking, gonna get a car someday after all.
"I dunno. Look around the stores, ignore the Mexican food place, goggle at the pets, ignore the Mexican food place again and do some old man stuff."
"like buy a burrito and fart in trousers your trying on?"
"Eww Marcy give me a break! I'll pay for them first." Marceline laughed but was still nervous as hell. It had only been two days since she gave her C.V to Bongo on the off chance that the music store was looking for staff. Bongo had called her the next day to tell her she had an interview. She had visited the store three times already and stared at the collection of guitars and string instruments they had. Keila was also a regular and had been the one to pull Marceline away so they could eye up some clothes together. Thus her education in Hot Topic and Fashion for rock gods had begun.
"OK, here we are." Simon announced. She looked at the mall approaching them. A monster building easily bigger than even the school she attended. It had taken a full day tour from the band to explore the whole place. They were shocked to learn the closest thing back home was only about twenty stores or so crammed into a small little building. where as this was a shocking one hundred and fifty stores. She had left the mall with a set of new picks, a new flannel shirt exactly the same as her current one, an experience of star wars the force awakens - at bongos insistence - and at least five pints of Ben and Jerries. Oh and a sore stomach. Now she just wanted to go straight to the Music store. She mumbled a quick thanks and slid out of the car before Simon could try and motivate her with some dumb speech and made a beeline for the escalators. Then it was up one floor walking past a dozen stores, past the fountain, turn left and voila! One deep calming breath later she strode in and smiled at Bongo thankful it was him today.
"Hey Marceline. Come on through, I'll take you to Rose." he smiled waving over someone to cover the checkout
"Rose?" Marceline inquired
"Rose is the manager here. You know I didn't think you were gonna get a job so quick" he joked nudging her slightly as they went through the small stock room
"I've still got an interview." she pointed out with dread
"Marceline?" they both turned to face the voice. It was a tall skinny women in her late thirties smiling at her. She had just slipped in from the fire exit with and stank of smoke. She was wearing a full black hooded top and jeans that somehow seemed too informal to be a managers outfit. The only giveaway was the tattoo of a rose on her neck
"Pleasure to meet you at last, I've been itching to see what instrument you would bring along with you. Bongo has been raving about how gifted you are with guitars" She smiled confidently.
Wow her voice is so polite and almost English in accent, it's a complete opposite to her outfit. She's totally smooth and calm and stuff.
Marceline lifted the heavy case and smiled.
"I dunno about gifted but I have a rich dad" she replied as nonchalant as possible. Cant let this amazingly gorgeous and paler than me women outclass me. I can totally do this. The pills work! just believe that!
Rose waved Bongo away and led Marceline into a small office in the back of the stock room. Lifting the case, Marceline carefully placed it on Rose's desk.
"I brought my nineteen sixty two Ash, Maple and Rosewood Jazz Fender." Rose leaned forward perceptibly in anticipation as she flicked the first of the latches open. She let it hang before opening the second latch and opened the case exposing the instrument.
"Is it all Original?" Marceline nodded
"Does it still work?" She asked not taking her eyes off The Bass guitar
"Perfectly" Marceline smiled at Rose as she shuddered a little after plucking a string.
"I think I just had an orgasm" Rose deadpanned staring at the instrument. It was the iconic version of the classic Bass rock guitar with the gradient brown body and the light wood neck. It barely had a scratch on it. The only proof it belonged to Marceline was a receipt in Simon's safe and her name written in U.V pen.
"I got it for my sixteenth birthday a while back. My Dad gave it to me cause he couldn't make home that month, again." Marceline glanced at Roses twitching fingers and knew she'd be dying to try it out.
"You wanna try it?" withing seconds an amp was pulled out from under her desk and the fender was lifted reverentially onto her lap. She plugged it in and shuddered perceptibly when she strummed a simple G cord. "Wow" she breathed. Taking a deep breathe she began to strum out a simple melody before shuddering and placing it back in the case.
"Normally you'd have to by me a drink before you get to see that face" she smiled.
"Its amazing isn't it?" Rose took a deep breath before fixing Marceline with her gaze.
"OK, first day working here. So, tour, skills, legal and a short turn of the register" she listed. "I'll pay you eight dollars an hour plus commission on any sales you do. I'll promise ten hours a week but after school only! None of this skipping school For money crap. OK?" Marceline stared at her a moment completely nonplussed.
"Interview"? She managed
"You have this" she pointed at the Fender "And you can tell me enough about it to show your passion. You passed. Now lets go"
{b}
Bonnibell stared at the morning paper and sipped her coffee as Peppe drove her to school. She had shunned most of the luxuries that being rich brought with it, but having a cup of coffee and digesting the news in the back of a car on the way to school was not one she would give up without a fight. With a sigh she changed her focus from trying to read the stupid articles about local news and turned to the stocks and bonds section.
Hmm, looks like Walmart stock is still on it's upward trend...unlike chevron which is trending downward. Perhaps it's time to move my portfolio around a bit. I'll need to contact the bank and check my balance and see if I could purchase more stock in Exxon as well.
"Here we are milady, Have a good day."Peppe smiled at her Bonnibell smiled back and slid out of the car. There wasn't any fuss about her now, since most people were used to her arriving in the back of a B.M.W.
"Hey Bonnibell" Lady waved and walked over towing Jake as had become her custom recently.
The tall, Blond, hairy boy had become a regular accessory for Lady after news broke of them dating. Bonnibell thought he was a little rough in his oversize yellow hoodie and she couldn't imagine how it would be to kiss someone with that much blond mustache. However he was on the football team and the gymnastics team. Which naturally lead to an interesting combo on the football field and a leading quarterback position.
"Hey lady. Jake. You getting dragged around again?" She asked enjoying the blush this caused.
"Yeah, heh. lady said I should ask you about how her nickname came about" he smiled
"Doesn't he know Korean yet?" Bonnibell asked in korean
"he's trying to learn it" Lady replied likewise "Just tell him the story"
"OK. Well when lady first came here she didn't know a lot of English and trying to explain how to pronounce her name was hard. Translating it wasn't much better since the translation is maiden BUT it sounds a lot like Lady in Korean. So people just started saying 'hey Lady!' instead of Leidie" she smiled at jake
"People meaning you" Lady laughed and nudged her lightly.
"JAAAAKE!" a younger boy came running towards the group.
" FINN! Where were you bro? I told you I ain't waiting for you in the mornings anymore! I gotta meet my lady" he smiled at the boy apparently named Finn. He was shorter than Jake an clearly a lot younger. The most striking thing about him was the White furry bear hat he wore on his head. He was also wearing a t shirt and short in blue and white in the middle of late autumn. She politely coughed to get Jake's attention.
"Oh, Finn. This is Bonnibell. Bonnibell this is Finn, my younger brother" Bonnibell glanced at Finn and back at Jake trying to find a resemblance. They were both completely different in face and overall structure. The dirty sand blond of Jake didn't mach Finns perfect buttercup blond. and they were clearly of different builds.
I could right a paper on nurture vs nature on these two alone, or possibly genetics. I wonder if they'll let me take samples of blood and tissue for comparison.
"He's adopted" he added. never mind
"Wait a second! I know you!" Finn cried and bowed reverentially to Bonnibell
"Princess Bubblegum" He intoned seriously. Jake looked at Bonnibell and smiled.
"Hey! You do look like her... A lot like her... wait a second" he furrowed his brow in deep thought
"Yeah! I'm princess bubblegum OK! It's a marketing thing for the candy kingdom guys. come on!" She was trying not to make a scene. Most people in the school just knew her as 'Bonnibell the rich bitch'. Even though most had never met her
"I've never met a princess before" Finn was blushing now
"I'm not really a princess Finn"She tried
"OHHHHH hey, I bet that guy that dropped you off was like your bodyguard" Jake laughed
"WHAT! SWEET! I wish I was a bodyguard for the candy kingdom!"
"I'll make you a frigging Knight if you just shut up Finn!" The world probably stopped for a moment for the little blond as he stared at Bonnibell in sheer joy, his eyes went wide like saucers as he considered the idea.
"For reals" He was practically speechless.
"Yo you can't just make him a knight" Jake pointed out.
"I'll make you both Knights! But we really have to get to class now" she said leading the way to math.
"DUDE, Were gonna be Knighted! I Wonder What the ceremony will be like!"
Awwww crud! Now I have to have a stupid ceremony for them! Candy knights! Who ever heard of...hmm... Candy Knights.
{M}
Marceline tried desperately to feel any kind of emotion towards her next class
alas, it was not meant to be. I can't even hate it cause Simon runs the class. I'll just have to live with a couple of years of science class with Simon. It wouldn't be so bad if he wasn't determined to make me do well. In protest to this forced enthusiasm for science she hadn't been paying the class a lot of attention.
Simon smiled at her when she walked into the class and drifted to her nice comfortable single seat at the back of the room. The science room was set up for pairs with a sink and gas tap between two people but lucky for Marceline she had managed to get one to herself.
"OK class, today were gonna be doing a practical experiment! You get to mess around with a bunch of elements and tell me what they are!" Simon had always been fond of doing practical experiments. He felt it was a better way to get people interested in the subject matter while still learning.
Well this isn't so bad, set fire to a bunch of powders and see what happens, i like fire, fire good .Marceline joked to herself as Simon finished placing the powedered chemicals on each desk when he arrived at Marceline's desk empty handed.
"Whoops, looks like I'm one short. Oh well, I guess you'll just have to pair up with someone" Simon monotoned theatrically,He turned and looked over the class while stroking the fresh white stubble on his chin.
"Ah Bonnibell! Could you bring your powders down here and join Marceline please!"
oh no, he is gonna pay for this, I'll...i'll...well i don't know what i'll do but your gonna regret this! She gave Simon her best death glare. You need help in class he says. i'll get a fellow student to help you he says. DAMN YOU Simon!
Pinky walked up to Marcelines desk and sat down in the empty seat
"Hi Marceline...I know we didn't get off to a good start. I'm sorry about that." She stated in her best polite bitch tone.
"Let's just get this done Princess!"
God dammit princess! Like i'm gonna be your best bud after you treated me like a sidewalk piece of shit you stepped in!
Bonnibell frowned but started Preparing the various powedered elements and set the bunsen burner up.
"Look I just want you to know that we can be friends" Marceline Death glared at the girl
"Bonnie we're not meant to be friends, look at you. Look at me! I'm a punk, you're a princess" she eye rolled at Bonnie's obvious naivety.
Cute naivety. All pink hair and nails, pink clothes and bag. Bet her bra and undies are... NO! Dammit stop thinking like that in class.
"I know plenty about punk and I..."
"Princess! The furthest corner of my ass has more punk than you!" Marceline snapped
"We'll be friends one day"
dammit this diplomacy stuff isn't gonna be easy if the other side of the discussion isn't even on the same page as you. What does this milky skinned goddess want from me! I apologized and everything...wait... Goddess? Eww what the donk Bonnibell?
Bonnie shifted her focus to the spoon of element A in her hands in an effort to try and dislodge the inappropriate thoughts in her head.
Just friends, that's all I want from her. She can tell me how she keep her vast amount of silky hair looking so good. Or where she got her cool red boots.
The element began to burn a bright red color in the flame.
"This one is Iron" Bonnibell stated certainly. Marceline glanced at her and then at her paper.
"How do you know?" she asked quietly
"The flame, iron makes it red" she replied trying to keep it short in-case there was a word limit.
Marceline rubbed out her answer and changed it with a muttered tried to suppress the smile she was feeling on the inside. She glanced sideways at Marceline's paper and...
A bandage... whats wrong with her arm...is she OK? It's soiled.
Trying not to let the thoughts of Marceline's arm get into her head she focused herself onto element B. It turned a solid green in the flame.
"Copper" Marceline muttered aloud scribbling the answer in her paper. Bonnibell had gotten used to Mr. Petrikov as a teacher, he would give you several easy examples and a few not so easy and one way above normal difficulty. Like he was always testing people without stressing them out. He was wandering around the classroom looking at peoples results and helping some of the students. He glanced over Marcelines shoulder and looked at her paper.
"You two work well together" He stated. Marceline was staring at him and while she had her back turned to Bonnibell she was sure there was a glare happening.
"Mr's Butler you don't have a regular partner so you can sit here permanently now." he stated wandering away to the next table.
Yay! Wait I mean dang! I think. Marceline sighed out loud and Bonnie tried not to take offense.
"let's just finish this" She said burning Element C. There was no change to the flame at all. After examining the sample material for a moment Bonnibell had a suspicion of the element in question.
"Dang this one doesn't change color" Marceline thought aloud. Bonnibell ignored her and collected a glass beaker and some conveniently placed cobalticyanide paper before dissolving a small piece of the sample in exactly one hundred mls of water. She then dripped a single drop on the paper and burned that. Marceline watched in fascination as the circle of liquid turned green
"It's zinc" Bonnibell stated pouring the solution into the drain.
"Whoa Bonnie! Your like super smart and stuff huh" Bonnie just smiled afraid that speaking would break this uneasy truce.
Still progress towards friends!
A/N please read and review. I'd love to continue the story but i also love to know what people reading it think. I've never lived in america at all before so i'm basing a lot of this on research but the st loius mall and the science is all legit.