"My story starts out about 9 years ago," Marshall started. 9 years ago? For someone so old, you'd think he would have something more… ancient. "A boy, about the age of 15, lived in a castle in a magical land. But this land had secrets, and the boy had been sheltered from them. He was a prince, you see, a sheltered little fool who knew nothing of the world."

I felt Gumball tense a little next to me, but I was too entwined in the story to see what for. "One night, after the king and queen had left, the boy found himself alone in his room. Like in every good horror story, the power was out and the storm raged in the skies. The boy was terrified of the rolling thunder, and only the comfort of his parents could ease his worried mind. He sat on top of his bed, clinging to the lit candle in his hands. Then, an unexpectedly loud crack of thunder sent the boy into a frightened fit, causing him to throw the candle across the room and scurry himself under his bed. He was a silly boy, a terrified child, who's only friends were the ones in his toy chest."

Gumball squirmed next to me, his usually relaxed and calm composure totally flipped around. "As the flame went out and all went dark, the boy clung tightly to his knees beneath his bed. He felt safe there, at least for a little bit, until the lightening crashed and the thunder rolled again. He screamed in fright and tried to get even further under the bed, but something was blocking him. What was it? He didn't keep things under there. He poked it a little, whatever it was being cold and wet. The boy tried to feel around the object, deciphering if it was some toy that was swept under the bed. Then, just before he gave up and turned around, he saw a pair of bright red glowing eyes!"

I jumped a little, just a little bit shaken by the story. It might not have been the best story ever, but I was the kind of girl that gets freaked out by scary music. Monsters? Giant beasts? Curses? Witches? I could handle 'em. I would tear them to pieces. But fiction… fiction always gets me. "There was a monster under his bed? What the hay, Marshall?! Why would you tell me that! Now I'm going to have to fight things under my bed!"

Marshall just chuckled at me, amused by my inability to tell the difference between fiction and real life. "Well, you could always just stay in my bed, Fionna. I promise, I'm the only monster there."

I laughed at him, punching him lightly in the shoulder, then leaned back to rest against Gumball. He was still stiff and agitated. I turned to look at him, but his eyes were set on the fire and his lips were set in a hard line. "Go on," he said through gritted teeth, his eyes never leaving the flames.

"Gumball, are you—" I tried.

"Don't worry about him, Fi. He's heard this one before."

"Then why are you telling it, Marshall? I thought you were going to tell a new story, one we haven't heard."

"He's telling this story because it makes me uncomfortable. It's a joke to him. I'm going to take a walk." With that, Gumball stood up and walked away, not making eye contact with either of us. I stood up to go after him, but Marshall caught my hand and pulled me back.

"Marshall, what the junk?! I know you guys are enemies, but did you have to funk up our anniversary?" I glared at him, truly angry. Small little spiffs were funny, but when one made the other so mad that he had to leave, someone had crossed the line.

"I didn't think Bubble Boy would be so worked up over it." He sounded like he genuinely didn't know this would happen, like he thought Gumball would just sit through it uncomfortable and then make some stab at Marshall later for it.

I sighed deeply and sat back down. "It was just a story, Marshall. You didn't have to tell one that upset him."

"It's not just a story, though." Marshall sat next to me, hugging his legs to his chest and resting his chin on his knees. "Truth is, that's how Gumball and I met."

I looked at the vampire, baffled. I never really thought to ask how they met. I always assumed that they were sworn enemies from birth, or their parents had some feud, or something more classical than Gumball being frightened as a boy and meeting Marshall under his bed because of it. "So, what happened?"

"Well, after getting my kicks and frightening the guy, I apologized and introduced myself. He was a squirt, a total wimp, but man, that kid had a lot to say. We sat on his bed, talking for hours it seemed. He told me about his kingdom, his parents, his hopes and fears. I told him about my band, my mom, and the Nightosphere. We actually became really good friends. Best friends, even."

My jaw dropped as I watched Marshall talk. Friends? Best friends? That was, like, cosmically impossible.

Marshalls eyes dropped and he blushed a little. "I really liked Gumball for a while. We would see each other every day, and do… things." He didn't seem to want to elaborate on the subject, but I didn't care. I was still trying to wrap my head around him and Gumball being friends. "A little over two years after we met, his parents died. That's when everything changed. He couldn't just hang out and talk about cookie recipes anymore. He had to be the ruler of the kingdom, the Prince Gumball that you met. He couldn't be friends with a monster like me anymore."

Marshall's face wrinkled into a mess of hatred and betrayal. He was hurt. By Gumball. "Marshall… I didn't know."

"Heh, well, there was no need to. His face makes my stomach churn now. The only reason I tolerate him is for you. I gave up chasing his friendship a long time ago." He looked away from me, letting his feelings over-take him. I looked down, unsure of what to say.

"I never thought you were a monster, Marshall." Gumball came out from behind the trees, the whole area around our little camp looking black in the night sky.

"Pfft, whatever. Don't try to fool me. You've proven your thoughts about me over and over again, in the last 7 years." Marshall still didn't look at either of us. He just kept his eyes down and his face turned away as he spat his reply at Gumball.

"You've never given me a chance to explain, Marshall," Gumball replied, sounding almost like he was hurt.

Marshall shot straight up and stomped over to Gumball, the two of them only inches from each other. "What is there to explain? You were my best friend! Then your royal highness became too good for a beast like me. You couldn't be seen with me! You had other friends to keep you company. No one knew what a pussy you were until I met you. No one knew the friendship we shared and the things we did. I was your dirty little secret. And now, just the sight of me makes you uncomfortable. Why is that, Gummy? Is it because I remind you of who you once were? Or is it because your little candy heart regrets leaving me behind? You know, you—"

SLAP!

Everything went still. I stood there, watching as Marshall rubbed his face and Gumball rubbed his hand. Gumball straightened his shoulders and back, and took on the expression he used when he was about to lay down his royal verdict.

"Marshall, you meant everything to me. Literally, everything. Even when my parents were still alive, you were the only person I felt I could trust or be around. You gave me the confidence to see the world and the strength to rule it. You were never a monster or a beast to me. You were Marshall. My Marshy."

Marshall slumped and cast his eyes down when Gumball used that old nickname. What was going on here? All of this… truth… I had never seen it before.

Gumball breathed out heavily and continued. "You're right, things did change. I had a responsibility to the Candy Kingdom and to its citizens. I was born and raised to rule, and when the time came, I had to change my entire life around so that I could rule the way I was taught. The death of my parents devastated me. I wasn't sure what to do with myself, but when the council decreed that either I take the throne right then or forfeit the kingdom, I clung to my crown. It was all I had left of them. I thought if I could run the kingdom, do my duty, then not only would I be closer to them, but, maybe… maybe they would be proud of me."

Tears began to well in his eyes, but still he kept his strong composure. I could visibly see Marshall losing tension in his body as he listened. Had they never talked about this before? Was this all coming out now?

"I'm sorry if you felt like I abandoned you," Gumball said, his voice quivering slightly. "I never meant to do that. Ever. I just didn't have the time to go to your concerts anymore, or explore caves or go to seedy Viking taverns. I had a job, and that job took everything out of me. It still does. If I could give it all back, I would. I would tell the council, 'No, I don't want it. Rule the kingdom yourselves,' but this… this is my burden to bear. I'm just sorry if my burden laid heavy on you, as well."

Gumball finally let the tears fall as he hung his head. The two stood there for a moment, not looking at each other, just letting the energy between them shift. Gumball smirked, then, and looked up at Marshall. "I still have your old band t-shirt, you know. I wear it to bed almost every night."

Marshall looked up at him, a smile slowly forming on his face. "You're kidding, that old thing? I gave that to you years ago! Back when I was with the Bleeding Badgers!"

"Heh, yeah, but I still like wearing it. It reminds me of how great things were before all this happened. And, for the record, I still think that's the worst name in history for a band." They both laughed together, a sound that was warming and… strange. I've known both of them for 6 years, and this was the first time they've ever sounded… friendly.

"Woooow," I let out, unable to control myself with my now-befuddled brain. "So you guys were, like, everything to each other!"

I think I may have ruined the moment, because when they both turned to look at me, it was like they suddenly remembered that they were both in love with the same girl, and were therefore enemies.

"Yeah, well, it doesn't matter now. Gumbutt is still too good for a vampire," Marshall shrugged, floating over to me to sit back down.

"Marshall is far too mischievous to spend too much time with, anyway," Gumball replied, coming to sit on the other side of me.

"You guys are really something, you know that? You had the realest talk ever in the history of everything, but you still come out insulting each other." I was a little ticked, to be honest. They finally broke through that wall they built for each other, but then they just go right back to being enemies.

"I'm pretty much done with real talking tonight," Marshall said, leaning back with his hands behind his head. "Hey Fi, what was your story?"

"Are you serious?! I just witnessed the greatest thing ever and—"

"Fionna, please, I'd really like to hear your story," Gumball interrupted. When Gumball interrupts me, it's his sign that he's done on the subject. This only really happened once or twice before, but I didn't really need much more of a cue than that.

I sighed deeply, feeling defeated and a little drained, but I gathered myself up and thought over the story in my head. "Well, it's not as intense as your guys's story, but here goes."