;;

Perhaps it is simply the vampire's presence, but Gumball swears it has dropped several degrees since he arrived at the nightclub. The next breeze makes his teeth rattle together, his eyes tearing themselves away from Marshall Lee's form and scattering along the sidewalk. This was not in his plan for tonight. He was supposed to come, watch him play, get him out of his system, and sneak back into the castle without waking anyone up or getting caught. Marshall wasn't supposed to see him and certainly not approach him like this, where there is nowhere for Gumball to hide and really nothing for him to say. A stuttering noise does manage to strangle its way from the prince's throat and he is reminded yet again that Marshall Lee is the only person that has ever made him speechless.

"How did you - ?" It's only half a question, but Gumball is pretty impressed that he's able to say anything at this point.

Marshall's lips cock upward on one side. Through the small gap, he can see a single point of one elongated canine. The vampire swings a leg forward, shoes silent on the ground, followed closely by the other. Gumball subconsciously moves backward in an attempt to keep as much distance between them as possible, but the cold, hard wall of the building behind him meets his back all too quickly, and Marshall is still advancing. Gumball's breath catches in his throat when the vampire finally halts because he's either never known the definition of personal space or chooses to ignore it, standing well within reach. The prince can smell him, a scent he can't define coherently other than red. He smells of maroon colored scarves, stop signs, and apple skins.

"First of all," Marshall begins, crimson eyes holding Gumball's with eerie steadiness. "You've got a certain way of standing that is unique to royals, even when you're trying to hide in your hood." His smirk broadens. "The jacket itself is the same one I've seen in your closet on several occasions. You do not give my memory much credit. There's also the matter of your smell - us vampires are very sensitive to that kind of thing - that I could pick up a hundred miles from here. But what really gave you away, Bubba -" suddenly an arm is wedging itself behind Gumball's back, slithering between his body and the wall and ending behind his head. This means that the space between their chests has significantly diminished and when Gumball breathes in, his torso meets Marshall's. Still grinning, the vampire curls his fingers around the back of Gumball's hood and yanks it back to reveal the red beanie. His arm recoils from behind Gumball, a thumb hooking in one of Marshall's belt loops. "You're wearing my hat."

It takes several moments for Gumball to remember how to breathe. Being this close to Marshall has always done terrible things to his ability to focus. He can see every black eyelash, the glint of more white teeth behind those gray-toned lips, the darker flecks of red in his irises - it doesn't help matters at all that Marshall is so ... pretty and stare-worthy.

Swallowing, the prince blinks to try and calm his sputtering mind. "Ah. Well. Hopefully you're the only one who noticed."

"Why?" A black eyebrow arches. The space between them is still far too small for Gumball to handle, who tries to press as hard back against the wall as he can to no avail, since now Marshall is lifting a hand and bracing it against the wall behind the prince's head, partly pinning him. "Doesn't a prince have a right to tour his kingdom whenever he chooses?"

Gumball's pink cheeks darken to a light shade of red. "Er, you see, I, uh, currently, uhm, do not exactly have permission to be out here -"

Marshall's free hand flies to his chest with a mock gasp. "Barnaby, did you sneak out?" He makes a tsk sound with his tongue, shaking his head and meeting Gumball's eyes again with a false look of disappointment. "Very unprofessional if I may say so, your highness. You could lose your crown for such irresponsible behavior."

Of course Gumball knows that Marshall isn't being serious - he could probably count on one hand the amount of times he had ever witnessed Marshall being anything but sarcastic and most of them included the treatment of his bass guitar. Still, his condescending tone makes Gumball's eyebrows struggle to meet over his nose, taking a large step to the side in order to free himself of Marshall. Stuffing his hands into his pockets again, he mumbles, "Goodnight, Marshall."

"Hey, hey." Before he can take another step forward, Marshall's legs are descending from above him, effectively blocking his path. The vampire's hands hover just above Gumball's arms but he doesn't touch him, his expression shifting to an apologetic one. "I was teasing, Bubbs. You haven't forgotten that I'm a complete smart ass, right?"

The prince stops for the sole reason that walking in the other direction wouldn't do him any good and trying to walk around Marshall when the vampire is determined to get in his way is a fruitless effort. He crosses his arms and waits, not saying anything - he can't think of anything appropriate. Of course he didn't forget that Marshall is this way. He didn't forget the way he looked up close or the way he smells or the way that stupid, cocky grin of his makes his heart do stupid flaps in his chest or -

"It's been a while." Marshall's tone has lost its sarcastic hint. It's flatter now and Gumball is surprised to see that the King's eyes are on their feet. "Hasn't it?"

Black blades of hair flicker with a breeze that comes in from behind Marshall, stinging Gumball's cheeks. The prince swallows and uncrosses his arms, reaching out for the other boy despite the way his conscious screams at him for it. His fingertips land just below the cuff of Marshall's shirt sleeve, the gray skin cool to the touch. When he finds Marshall's eyes again, they're leveled with his, and for the second time that night, Gumball has to remember the act of breathing.

"Yeah," Gumball breathlessly agrees. "It has."

Marshall looks down at the hand touching his wrist and then back to the royal's face. A smirk nowhere near as bold as the previous one works its way upon his lips again. "You must be freezing."

Gumball shrugs, letting his hand fall back to his side before pushing it into his jacket pocket again. "I'm heading back to the castle anyway. If they happen to check my room and not see me there ... well. It would be chaotic." Gumball averts his gaze, bouncing slightly on his heels before he dips his chin behind the collar of his jacket. "I, uh, I'll see you, I guess." He starts to walk around the vampire, his shoulder brushing the other boy's as he does so (perhaps purposefully, though Gumball would deny it if he were asked) but he gets no farther than two steps when a sudden grip around his wrist forces him to look back. His arm is slightly extended and attached to the end of it is Marshall, looking up at him through the gaps in his black hair. The two stand there for a few moments in silence, simply staring at each other. Gumball's heartbeat is so loud it gives Marshall's drummer a good run for his money. His breath tumbles from his lips with the faintest puff of steam.

Marshall isn't smirking. In fact, he doesn't look the least bit amused and Gumball thinks for a minute that he is hallucinating. He blinks just to make sure.

"Why did you come here?" The King lifts his head. His grip tightens - not painfully so, but enough for the prince to notice. "You don't speak to me for twenty-seven days consecutively and then just show up at one of my gigs? And then try to sneak out without even saying hey?"

The hurt in his voice is enough to crack Gumball's resolve. His shoulders sag forward. Twenty-seven days. Marshall had been counting the days, just like he has. It wasn't a conscious effort on Gumball's part; it was deeper - subconscious, even. Every morning he woke up to the sun breaching the sugary mountains in the distance outside of his window was another tally he added to the list he tried not to keep. Another day without talking or seeing or touching Marshall Lee.

Nothing about it was easy. It was torturous, hard, and a constant struggle. Gumball thought it was all one sided, but when he looks at Marshall's torn expression, it's confirmed that that isn't the case at all. It's obvious that Marshall can feel and that being undead did not exempt him from hurting.

"I'm sorry." Gumball steps forward. He's shorter than Marshall, just enough that that he has to arch slightly on the tips of his shoes to meet Marshall's eyes. The hand that is held captive by Marshall's wiggles free, only to take the vampire's slender, music-making fingers into his own. "I'm so sorry if this caused you any ... distress. I shouldn't have come. I just, the last time we spoke we were -"

"Screaming?"

Gumball winces. The memory is definitely not a kind one. It was the first time Gumball had ever risen his voice before, but Marshall was more experienced with that and his voice drowned out the prince's easily. Cruel words has been exchanged, words that Gumball wishes every day he could take back. Biting his lip, he looks down at their joined hands, the way he had been squeezing Marshall's desperately without realizing it and the way the vampire is clinging to him in much the same fashion.

"I can't stop thinking about you. No matter where I go or what I do, you're always there. I thought maybe if I just saw you one more time and got you out of my system, I'd be okay. I'd ... I'd ..."

"Move on?" Marshall gives a puff of humorless, dry laughter. He shakes his head slowly, raising their clasped hands. Gumball's breath gives an audible wssk as Marshall's lips glide over Gumball's cold, pink knuckles. "How ... quaint, as you royals would say."

Gumball feels his lower lip trembling. He forces it still and watches as Marshall Lee's eyelids flutter for a moment before snapping open. He releases Gumball's hand, the appendage swinging at his side and feeling too terribly empty. The vampire's head is tilted backwards, eyes on the sky damp with darkness. He turns his head down to watch the prince again, a decision weighing in his eyes. Finally, he extends his hand.

"It's getting a little late for you to be out and about, your majesty. Might I have the honor of bringing you home?"

There is a more familiar tone to his voice now, a warmer one. Gumball looks at the offered hand and back to Marshall's face before mumbling, "What about your band?"

Marshall shakes his head and chuckles. "Don't care. Besides, it's dangerous for you to be walking out here by yourself. I'll protect you."

It's as if his heart is trying to hammer out of his ribs. He nods slowly and puts his hand carefully in Marshall's, whose fingers curl and pull him gently forward. Marshall's other arm loops beneath the prince's legs and lifts him bridal-style, emitting a small squeak from the pink boy. Despite having been transported exactly the same way numerous times previously, Gumball still clutches to Marshall as they leave the ground beneath them and take off toward the castle. It's colder this high up and the wind isn't kept back by buildings, making Gumball's jacket about as protective as a sheet. Marshall angles his arms the best he can to keep Gumball out of the worst of it.

Resting his head on Marshall's shoulder, he closes his eyes and relishes in this closeness, this contact that he has deprived himself of for a month. He was fully aware of how much he missed it, but it's another matter entirely once he finds himself back within the steel arms of Marshall Lee. And he knows that all of this could backfire and blow up in his face, that he could end up hurting both himself and Marshall even worse than before, but that doesn't stop him from sighing and snuggling closer to the King's chest as they fly silently in the light of the moon.

Marshall's chest emits no heartbeat to lull him, but it is a melody all the same.

Gumball doesn't realize that they're at the castle until he feels Marshall's shoes hit the ground. His eyes snap open, mind foggy from nearly dozing off. Marshall is smirking when he sets Gumball on his feet, not releasing his hand until he's certain the prince won't topple over. They're on the balcony outside of his bedroom and it's the first time Gumball has been out here since twenty-seven days ago when he watched Marshall shoot into the sky like a missile. It's almost as if Gumball can still feel the anger here, residual, Marshall's furious voice and Gumball's infuriated yelling echoing in his ears.

"Goodnight, my prince." Marshall's arm folds over at the waist, bowing deeply before Gumball. When he straightens, his feet are already leaving the balcony floor.

"Marshall!" An edge of panic sharpens Gumball's voice as he leaps forward, grabbing Marshall's hand. He forgets about the risk of being overheard, of a guard seeing the two of them on the balcony and alerting the whole castle about it, of being reprimanded for engaging in such unprofessional behavior.

For the first time, though, Gumball can't find it in himself to care.

Their eyes meet. Red into pink, they stay like that, with Marshall hovering above the balcony and his eyebrows digging down in confusion. Gumball's lips part as he studies the way the moon highlights Marshall's hair, his eyes, his mouth, and though this information isn't new, Gumball still discovers that it is heart-stopping how beautiful Marshall is.

Gumball whispers the only word he can.

"Stay."

It sounds more like a plea than a request. Gumball watches as Marshall blinks, an eyebrow quivering, a battle that Gumball can't see waging inside the vampire's mind as he tries to decide.

And then Marshall's feet lower back to the balcony.

A/N: It's a shame that this pairing doesn't get enough love because they are seriously taking over my life.

I'm thinking there will be maybe two parts? It could just be one, though. I don't plan anything out, if you haven't noticed.

Reviews are great!