Marshall felt the heat rise in his own cheeks as Bubba looked away, touching his lips discretely. He clearly wasn't upset or mad at Marshall, just... confused. More shocked than anything else. The bubblegum prince blushed as the vampire apologetically rested his head on his shoulder. He suddenly felt his body drawn closer to his friend's. He was now essentially sitting in Bubba's lap, who wasn't necessarily doing it for intimate reasons. The prince stared down on Marshall with his big blue eyes.

"Uh, why are you holding me like this Gumball? We're, uh, both naked."

"I'm aware Marshall. I'm holding you because I know that a lot of the times, you have to be someone else's backbone. You're always the one helping someone, even though you don't like to admit it. You're my friend and you've been there for me. I can tell you need a little reassurance. After all that's happened to you." Bubba whispered, clearly very neutral. Marshall blushed, embarrassed. He frowned and tensed, about to yell at Gumball for assuming things. He was sure he knew what Gumball was thinking. 'Damn this guy is desperate.' The pink boy took him by surprise though when he closed his eyes and just relaxed with him in the steamy water. After a while Marshall rested on Bubba in return, and they took a moment of peacefulness to themselves. It was interrupted by Marshall's voice, with a slightly awkward tone to it.

"So... what are we going to do?"

"The poison is spreading fast. The radioactivity is high and dense, some form of uranium or hydrogen. Immensely dangerous. If it gets to us we could die or worse... Get sick."

"So if I see the white fog again, I should give the heads up?" Marshall asked, recalling the night that it rolled over the Candy Kingdom without any warning. Bubba was away at a science convention with Marrow when it hit, and the vampire king was there with Fionna, just looking around for stuff to do and trouble to get into. Flashes of screaming and pain ran through his mind at the speed of light.

"Yes. Oddly enough the poison spreads like a mist. It is very slow, but I suspect it will become faster with time."

"What!? How!?"

"Something about chemical and nuclear reactions. It's so complicated. All I know is that you and I need to leave as soon as possible."

"Wait- how did you come back and get me with the poison still in the air?"

"My crown. The jewel on my crown protected me for the time being, but I assure you it isn't going to hold out forever considering the circumstances. Everything is losing its magic. Even my crown." He whispered softly to Marshall. The vampire nodded quietly.

"I'm... like, alive now, I think. My chest pounds sometimes and I can't float. I still can eat reds but I suspect that won't last much longer. Also I'm ridiculously vulnerable to injury. I can't transform into anything... I have to sleep. I used to get around fine for weeks without sleep. Now it's almost constantly weighing me down." He told Bubba his problems, and the prince nodded. He rested his hand on Marshall's chest.

"Do you know what that pounding is?"

"Um... It's my heart, isn't it? I mean- at least that's what I think it is. My heart. Hearts beat." He reached up to touch and feel Gumball's heart. He smiled and nodded, observing Marshall's curious expression.

"Right. Its your heart. It's pumping blood through your body. It's keeping you alive now because you're no longer undead. I'm sure that other bodily functions will come soon, like sweating and hormones and digesting and..."

"Right, right. I'll be essentially a human with pointy ears and fangs and bite marks and greyish skin."

"It might become flesh tone." Gumball suggested gently, and Marshall shrugged sadly. "If we manage to get out of here before the fog gets to us I'm sure you'll go back to your old self and feel good again."

"Where will we go to Gumwad?"

"To a place across the sea. It's a place far away from here, on another continent. It experienced a radioactive meltdown. Although I'm not sure yet what is causing ours, we need to leave..." Gumball said quietly. Marshall frowned, a bit panicked.

"What about our friends!? Fionna and Cake! LSP and Lord!"

"They're incredibly sick Marshall-"

"So were we but you fixed us!"

"It's beyond my control I don't-"

"You gave us a cure! If you could just-!"

"Marshall!? I... I can't okay!? I fixed your wounds, but your immortality and magic protected you. Fionna doesn't have any of that, and everyone else doesn't have much. Neither do I. I am so lucky that I wasn't there... I would have been dead first. Radioactivity absolutely destroys cells in the body. It can lead to mutations and, if lucky, immediate death. This kind seems to be mixed with magic, turning victims into mutated killing machines of anything alive. I don't know the cure for that Marshall. I couldn't even begin... I think the only way to help is to put them out of... their... misery." Gumball whispered, fear in his eyes and heart. He was very afraid. All he wanted to do was get the heck out of there before he and Marshall got sick.

"We'll... we'll get out of here. Don't worry about it. I won't question you again." Marshall spoke quickly, trying to reassure Gumball once more. He sighed, still pretty numb and drowsy.

"Marshall, why did you kiss me?" Bubba asked, quietly wondering aloud. The vampire took a deep breath and shrugged.

"I just... wanted to make you feel better. I could easily tell that you were in so much distress that I wanted to take it away. I don't know... I just don't know. Can we pretend it never happened?" Marshall asked, relaxed into Bubba's body. Neither of them were treating it weirdly or intimately. They were both men, facing the apocalypse, desperate. They only had each other. All forms of humans were kind, caring, intimate, social creatures. In desperate times, any previous rules, standards, or requirements of the way things should be disappeared completely. The boys needed to know someone was there for them, so the closeness was very important, no matter if it was perceived as wrong or right.

"No." Currently, Gumball was stronger and bigger than the vampire. He held him in his arms and lap protectively, keeping him safe and warm. Marshall scowled, unhappy with Bubba's response.

"And just why not!?" He asked, blushing majorly.

"The answer is simple. We cannot ignore anything that happens between us, no matter what. You're all I have now, alright? I understand if you're feeling that you like me because I saved your life. That is a very common response. I also understand if you kissed me because you feel that I'm the last one left. But don't worry Marshall, I'm not. There will be plenty of beautiful ladies for you to choose from in the future. This isn't the end of your life Marshall; at least, not yet. Don't think you have to like me for any of those reasons. You just... don't have to." Gumball said, watching Marshall's expression analytically. The vampire looked a bit confused, thinking about his jumbled up feelings.

He wasn't sure why he was feeling the way he was about Gumball. Maybe it was the poison in his brain. But then again, he had always felt affectionate towards Gumball. Even though the endlessly ripped each other to pieces, Marshall sometimes let Bubba have the last laugh to make him feel good. He also stole one of Fionna's framed pictures of the prince and hid it in his underwear drawer at home to make sure that no one ever saw. He occasionally had awkward arousals when with Bubba. He swore that Gumball never noticed. Marshall sighed quietly, rather unsure of what to tell him. "Well..."

"Please don't be embarrassed." Gumball encouraged as he watched the vampire's face. Bubba had a small inkling of an idea that Marshall liked him, and always had. The vampire's flirts were similar to those from middle school, such as teasing and poking fun. Gumball was never really sure though, and he was dating a chick for a while. The vampire had also gotten cases of excitement when he'd talk to Bubba, but ignore it. Gumball, totally unsure and unbiased, allowed the vampire to formulate his own answer.

"I... I don't really know how I feel Gumball. I don't know how I feel about anything anymore. I've totally just given up trying."

"Did you enjoy that kiss you gave to me? Do you enjoy being with me? Does this more intimate position we're in and the nudity bring you good feelings?"

"Well... Yeah, okay!? I think that I like you! I think I always have but I for sure know you don't."

"I am not judging you Marshall. Relax. If you have a crush on me that's alright."

"You don't have one on me so I just end up looking like a stupid gay idiot."

"Being gay isn't stupid Marshall. Please relax. People get crushes on people because they feel good around them and they are attracted to them. It's that simple buddy. Sometimes, a person finds a person and loves their soul and kindness and sweetness. It doesn't matter if that person is a boy or girl. Soul mates find a way to be together despite whatever barriers are between them."

"So... you like me back?" Marshall looked up quickly.

"Umm... well, not yet, but I can learn to! It may take a bit but I've never been in a serious relationship with anyone, and am completely neutral. We can try to be, if you insist." Bubba said, watching the vampire's face fill with delight.

"May... may I kiss you again?" Marshall asked politely, and Bubba nodded with a blush, flustered.

"Yes you may." This time, more prepared, Bubba closed his eyes as the vampire's lips met his for the second time. It was a smooth and calm kiss, directed mostly by Marshall. Bubba kissed back a little and slowly, blushing, trying to decide if he liked it. He wasn't too sure. Within ten seconds the vampire inquired.

"Did you like that Gumball?" His voice was hopeful and pleading. Bubba blushed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Call me Bubba. And... I don't know. It feels nice to be kissed, or course. Kisses are good. But... I don't really know how I feel." The vampire blushed deeply, taking a deep breath. "That isn't to say I'll never like it. I think it has to potential to grow on me, Marshall Lee. I'll become familiar with it, and may or may not learn to enjoy it. Don't give up hope, or hate me, I just need some time to process." Gumball hugged Marshall closely, who hugged back.

"Alright Bubba. I trust your judgment. I think- I hope you'll learn to like it."

"I may eventually want it. One day I may feel a need to have your kisses and touches. I'm willing to try it as we fight our way through this disaster."

"You're all I've got, and I definitely feel affection towards you. Thank you so much for giving us a chance..." The vampire blushed deeply, curling into the body of his brand new, possibly more than a friend. Gumball rubbed up and down his spine, keeping him close.

"We'll make it. I promise."