Crystal sawdust: a Bubblee fanfic
by velvet'smusicbox
Chapter 2
The pair broke off their embrace.
"Of course I've changed!" The princess pouted. However, even she doubted herself.
"Princess,", Marshall smirked, glaring at this girl he hadn't seen since for so long.
"It's Bubblegum." She said fleetingly, ignoring his gaze. Marshall winked at her instead. But his smile immediately curled back into a monotonous expression as his eyes averted the princess's. He coolly floated into the palace, murmuring.
"Tch, looks just like Bubba's place,"
Prince Gumball looked over to his cousin.
"I am so sorry, dear cousin.. he's just-"
She shook her head slowly as the breeze blew through her full-length hair, masking her misty eyes. "No, it was my fault."
The little Bonnibel jumped out of the swing to the snow-carpeted earth. She beamed and turned to talk to the boy. "Look! I did it! Hey I-" Her smile faded away. No one was there. "Um... where are you?" Her eyes searched frantically for him, her heart thudding against her chest. Her voice shook terribly with her hands. Was she left alone again? She had been sure he would be someone she could trust. She ran back to the castle, her sleeves hiding her quivering lips.
The boy peeped from behind a tree. He couldn't bear watching the girl turn away from him. He knew that if he stayed, she'd be hurt. And if she stayed, he'd be hurt. He had been used to avoid being emotionally attached. He was afraid of investing so much time with someone and that they'd leave.
Bubblegum entered with a flourish in the royal gardens as the sound of trumpets announced her arrival. The candy people hushed almost immediately, awaiting the declaration that left them silenced. The princess proceeded to the front of the stage, Prince Gumball beside her. Though she had planned for Marshall Lee to stand on stage with her, they didn't knowwhere he was. "Good evening, everyone!", she beamed. The attendees cheered and whooped. "We will be having visitors from Aaa staying over for a few weeks, so please make them feel welcomed."
She gestured for Gumball to mingle with the citizens, as the music started and the chattering resumed. She bit her lip.
Though she knew she should be enjoying herself, her heart ached miserably ever since that Vampire came and set her off. It was undeniable. Her smile faltered as she strolled slowly to the back of the stage. It was dark there. "At least no one can see me here," she murmured. Her back was set against the wooden wall, and she sighed. It was something she could never do outside. She had to be perfect out there. Everyone had high expectations of her. And it was just too much sometimes. She let a tear fall past her cheek and drop onto the damp grass. With the back of her shaking hands, she wiped the tear away.
"Need help?" A voice called out to her from the dark. The voice.. it rang in her head. She couldn't see much, but those words were so familiar.. words she heard every night in her dreams.
"I don't need your help, Marshall Lee! I am absolutely fine and I do not need assistance from you." Bonnibel declared incompetently, hiding her face.
Suddenly, she felt a breath hush against behind her bare neck.
"Fine, Princess. Fine." Marshall whispered. The distance between their skins vanquished, as his arms wrapped around her from behind. Bubblegum yelped a little, but silenced herself. The tightness.. it was nerve wrecking but comforting. "But..." he said as he leaned in closer to her ear, "you don't have to hold it in. Cry your heart out when you need to, okay?"
She sniffled. And then, she wailed. Her emotions poured out as tears tracing a line down her cheeks. Marshall held her increasingly tighter with every tear she shed, with every breath he took. He hadn't realised what he had done. He had come to Ooo with the intention of avoiding the one girl he had convinced himself to hate, and there he was comforting her. It was pure instinct.