A/N: very quick note today, I made a spotify playlist (titled educational) for this fanfic over on my account Floralprince. Just songs I associate/listened to while writing Educational. Some of them are more character/chapter specific.
Enjoy!
Content Warnings: swearing, ash, drug mention, confessions!, a buttload of foreshadowing, gay stuff, hetero stuff & a good dose of marshall finally being a character with development so I can add him in the tags! god!
Marceline pressed her lips against Bonnibel's neck, smirking in pride when she felt heat gather there not two seconds later. She wound her hands around Bonnie's waist, finger tips gliding over exposed skin where the fabric of Marceline's stolen hoodie had ridden up.
She glanced up at the mirror in front of them, smirking when she saw the warm fuzzy smile on her girlfriends face, and turned her around so that she could kiss her properly.
"I love you," Bonnibel smiled through the words, against Marceline's half tilted mouth. Marceline whispered those words back, hoarsely, as Bonnie pulled away with a lilted giggle and a blinding, crinkle-eyed smile, similar to those few fuzzy smiles she had given Marceline throughout the two month's they'd gotten to know each other. The sun from the open window was hitting the side of her face perfectly, basking her in a warm half golden glow. Marceline's fingers came up to trace where the light started and Bonnibel's smile ended.
"You're beautiful," Marceline mumbled. "You should wear my clothes more often."
Everything was so quiet, the birds outside muffled by the perfection of the moment around them, even the thudding of her heartbeat was silenced when Bonnibel stood on her tiptoes to kiss her again. She rested her hands on the small of her back, kissed the other girl back soundly.
Everything was perfect.
"Abadeer." Marceline jolted awake, snapping her head up from an angle that had made her neck sore. Ah, right. I was in my Maths lesson. She glanced up at the front, half expecting the teacher to be glaring and handing her a detention slip, but instead all she got was a kick to the back of her chair. Fucking Jake.
"I swear to god," She hissed, swivelling round to glare at her friend. He was already a bit red in the face, which was odd, but Marceline looked past the colour in his cheeks. "Let me nap, for fuck sake."
Jake glanced at the floor guiltily. "I know, I'm sorry. I really didn't wanna wake you up because you looked really happy but-," He was promptly cut off by the sound of the bell, meaning that Marceline had dinner and two more lessons with Bonnibel. Thank fuck. She began to pack her things away.
And to her pleasant surprise, Bonnibel was waiting for her outside the lesson (along with everybody else, but Marceline only cared about Bonnie and Bonnie was more than happy to loop her arm around hers and smile up at her as they began to walk to their usual classroom).
They hadn't even turned the first corner when someone stepped out in front of them. "You're the girl who hit Ash." The boy asked under his breath. Well, it was more of a statement, but the guys face was curious all the same. He seemed to be rooted to the spot, eyeing up Marceline as if she was about to punch him too.
"He deserves it, Brad," Bonnibel replied for Marceline, gently tugging on her arm. Marceline remained where she stood. This is Brad? I… he seems less of a jerk than I expected.
Brad ran a hand through his short brown hair and sighed. "You're always treating him like the bad guy. If he was don't you think he'd have been permanently expelled by now?" His eyes turned to Phoebe, who had hidden behind Jake the moment Brad had appeared. "I came to tell you that Ellen needs everyone in the prom committee to meet up tonight after school," Phoebe groaned and it seemed that Brad was going to leave with no arguments, but then he glanced at Bonnie and opened his stupid mouth once more. "It feels weird not having you with us, Elle, I really hope that next year you'll rethink leaving us. We could always use another pretty face like yours when looking for inspiration for prom." He gave her such a sleazy smile afterwards, too, that Marceline just had to grab the hood of his jacket and pull him back so they were eye to eye. Ain't no fuck boy going to chat up my Bonnibel as if she's just some prize to be won.
"First of all, shit head, Bonnibel is gay, meaning you and your blue eyes can go cry me a fucking river. Secondly, Bonnibel is way more than just fucking inspiration. Keep that in mind when you're cupping your balls later on, yeah?" Brad's brows furrowed and Marceline took that as the perfect opportunity to bring her knee up between his legs. "And lastly," She breathed as she let him drop to the ground, turning to face her friends with an all too smug smirk on her face. "I'm not just the girl who hit Ash. I'm Marceline fucking Abadeer."
The Principle sighed heavily, eyes peering over his clasped hands to stare at Marceline and frowning deeply when she smiled back in return. Behind her were her friends, and Marceline was vaguely aware of Bonnibel's hands on the back of her chair. That's oddly comforting, actually. Sitting next to her, however, were Brad Simmons and Ash. She still didn't know the blonde's last name but she assumed it was either something edgy or incredibly embarrassing like Fitzherbert.
"Two of you already know how this goes down," Principle Johnson began. Marceline glanced at Ash from the corner of her eye. "And quite frankly I am tired, so I will issue out two weekend detentions to the person who you all think deserve it. You have until the end of this break to decide and please, don't let me stop you."
"Marceline deserves the detention," Brad muttered, now sporting a nasty bruise at the side of his face from being dropped onto the floor. Marceline stopped herself from smirking. "Everyone agrees? Yeah? Good, thank you."
"Why do you think Marceline deserves the detention," Bonnibel was quick to come to her defence. "Just because you say so?"
"No," Ash cut in surprisingly, glaring at Bonnibel a little too harshly for Marceline's liking. She took note of his singular ponytail this time, and the bruising on the bridge of his nose. "Because your girlfriend attacked Brad for no reason, just like she punched me for no reason outside the diner."
Brad blinked. "Girlfriend?"
"Marceline had reason." The air in the room was thick, and Marceline was pretty sure that the Principle was only there so that no one would punch anyone. "You called me a dyke, for starters,"
"Is this true, Ash?" Mr Johnson asked after the surprise had washed over the rest of the room. Even Brad looked shocked.
Ash shrugged a shoulder. "So what if I did? You can't punish me anyway; first week immunities, remember?"
Bonnibel's grip on the chair tightened. "You're redoing your last year again?" A beat. "Marceline should've hit you harder." It came out as a snarl, and what made Bonnibel outwardly more furious is that Ash simply smirked in reply and turned back to face the back of Brad's head.
"For now all I can do is issue Marceline a detention for this weekend," The principle spoke through a heavy sigh. From behind her, Marceline could hear the hushed disagreements of her friends. "This does not mean, however, that Ash won't be getting punished next week for his words used against Miss Butler."
Ash bristled and remained silent as everyone began filing out of the office, Marceline making sure to stand between Bonnibel and her ex just in case he decided to try anything else with his 'immunities'.
As soon as the door was closed, Ash span on his heel to glare down his nose at her and had the audacity to keep that damn smirk on his face. "Listen, baby goth, you obviously don't know how things work around here but I run this show. Okay?" He turned his attention to Bonnibel, then, smirk disappearing as he dared to step closer. "Keep your girlfriend on a leash, Banner, you're not gonna like what happens next if she attacks another of my friends." With that he and Brad stalked away down the hallway, leaving both Bonnibel and Marceline to scowl after them.
"He's such a dildo," Marceline muttered under her breath. "Why should I get a god damn detention just for breaking his fucking nose?"
"Leave it alone, Marceline," Jake finally spoke. "He's not worth it."
Marceline frowned. "He keeps calling you Banner," She muttered, glancing at Bonnibel to find a sad smile. "Why?"
"It's my mothers maiden name, Marcy. Ash and I were… together before my dad entered the picture. We broke up shortly before the wedding and I guess he calls me Banner to remind himself of that one time he had control over me." Bonnibel shrugged a shoulder as if they weren't discussing her old toxic relationship with a piece of shit on legs.
Marceline's frown deepened into a scowl directed at the floor. "I swear to god, I'll kill him if I have to."
"Marceline, as much as I would like to see Ash's head on a stick, he's- he knows people who could really hurt you. Please, just stay safe. Okay?"
How could I say no to freckles and a pout?
"Yeah, sure. I'll stay away from him."
Marceline (10:48): Marshall listen there's this girl and I'm like,,, crushing incredibly hard on her. I want to make her happy n shit?
Marceline (10:49): holy fuck dude I don't know what to do, she's so cute and I just. I want to kiss her? a lot? what do I do?
Marshall (00:21): ayy lmao my marcymoo got a crush on a girl. Always knew u were bi. Sounds like u rlly like her tho, why don't u ask her out?
Marceline (00:35): because we're still technically dating! Im so ! Angry! She makes my heart hurt! so much! Fuckk! Also, there's this asshole ex boyfriend who's threatening me? Like? do u know who the fUck I am you lil bitch?
Marshall (00:36): lmao take this as ur break up message then :(( I miss my drinking buddy tho, u should come down and see me one day. Bring this hot gurl of urs tho, yea?
Marceline (00:36): Marsh I'm drunk af.
Marshall (00:37): oh rip
Marshall (00:38): get some sleep, marce, u kno it's only Wednesday right? U got school n shit. Go get ur gurl and smooch the fuck out of her. I believe in u 333
Marceline reread the messages from the night before as she wandered into the kitchen. Drunk Marceline broke up with Marshall? Alright. That was doable. Getting Bonnibel to 'smooch the fuck out of her'? That scared the living shit out of Marceline.
Marceline (7:19): rip in pieces my head. How do u ask a girl to be ur gf? Didn't u steal my joint n then tell me I looked 'valid'?
"Marceline," Marceline glanced up from her phone to see her dad standing beside the table. "As we discussed last year, I bought you a car for your birthday." Oh shit, really? "However, you may only use it to drive to and from school."
Marceline grinned all the same. "Fuck yeah," She pocketed her mobile and took the keys offered to her. "Thanks daddy." As she marvelled at the keys in her hand, and her father began to make himself a cup of coffee, she remembered something Bonnibel had requested. "Can I drive my friend to and from school?"
"I… yes, I see no harm in that." Hudson muttered. "Just, make sure you look after the car. It's not just any old vehicle, I'll have you know."
"It's a mustang, yeah, I know. Is it black?" At her fathers nod, Marceline squealed in delight.
Marceline (7:23): nyoom nyoom, butler, I'm omw to ur house in ten minutes w my new set of wheels like the teen heartthrob I've always been. Be ready 4 me 333
With a very uncharacteristic hug from Marceline to her father, she ran out the kitchen and slipped on her shoes. Time to be at school early for once.
Ever since she was little, Marceline had always wanted one of two cars; a DeLorean (because back to the future was that good) and a ford mustang. Of course Hudson had gone for the more classy approach, with the sleek looking 61 litre mustang. Marceline sighed wistfully.
Bonnie (7:25): 'nyoom nyoom' - marcy, 2k17. I'm always ready for you, loser. ;)
Marceline (7:25): I am nyooming to u rn!
Marceline had never driven a car so powerful in her life. Sure, she'd driven Marshall's shitty beetle a couple of times, and one of her friends had a car that she couldn't remember the name of, but driving a sports car was just so exhilarating. Driving Bonnie to school was already becoming her favourite thing.
She pulled up outside Bonnibel's house with a grin that threatened to tear her face in two, and checked her phone once more to find a text from her now ex boyfriend. That was odd to say in her head.
Marshall (7:28): make sure u steal her joint marce, then spill beer down her shirt and tell her to take it off ;)
Marceline rolled her eyes. If she remembered correctly, she had started off hating Marshall from the get go. He'd asked her out within ten seconds of meeting her and then proceeded to pester her for her number. But he was nice sober, as rare as that was, and Marceline was quick to find out that he wasn't that threatening even when angry.
Marceline (7:31): If I ever see Bonnie without her top on I'd die a thousand deaths and cry a little on the inside. What're u doing awake at seven am anyway, dipshit?
Marshall (7:31): dam u rlly like her? dam. & I got a job, actually, so stfu.
Marceline decided not to really think about how much she actually liked Bonnibel. She already knew that somewhere in her mind she was suddenly okay with the commitment of marriage, and that alone scared Marceline to the point of over thinking. She texted Bonnibel to tell her that she was outside.
Bonnie (7:33): You wanna come inside for a little bit? We're gonna be early if we set off now and I'm still in my pj's.
Marceline (7:33): :0 you're not even ready for ur school day? disgusting. I'll be at ur door in a good twenty seconds.
It was more like thirty, the extra ten seconds being taken up by Marceline basically falling out of her car because she greatly underestimated how long her limbs actually were.
Bonnibel answered the door in sushi pyjamas with her toothbrush sticking out the corner of her mouth. Marceline's heart swooned.
"C'mon, nerd," Marceline sang as she bounced inside, a little too peppy for seven am even for her liking. "You're supposed to be the student council president, gotta get there super duper early and make everyone envy you, yeah?"
Bonnibel levelled a glare at her. "Usually my dad takes me, and he's not home until ten to, nerd." Marceline faked a gasp and slipped her shoes off, following Bonnie up the stairs and into her room with a grin.
"You're so mean, Bonnibel." Marceline grouched, flopping down face first on her friend's still unmade bed. "I'm very clearly heartbroken and you're being mean to me."
Through the open door of the bathroom, Marceline saw Bonnibel's eyebrow arch in the mirror. "You broke up with your boyfriend, then?"
"Surprisingly the other way round," Marceline sighed. "I got drunk last night and starting rambling."
Bonnibel's face was an odd emotion, one that Marceline couldn't quite put her finger on. She twisted her mouth and glanced at the phone still in Marceline's hand. "You… uh, you've lied to me about two things." Oh. Fuck, yeah. "One of which I can understand because, hey, drugs are bad and whatnot, but… you told me you were single."
"If I'm gonna be honest with you I just completely forgot about Marshall and, uh, I guess I thought you were really pretty?" Wait a minute- "I still do! Of course, I wouldn't have said yes to the Christmas date if I didn't think you were pretty."
Bonnibel's face was pink. "God I'm, I'm so gay." She breathed heavily, kicking the bathroom door closed. "The moment I saw you I knew I was attracted to you," Bonnibel carried on through the wood. Marceline grinned in reply. "No one should look that good in a leather jacket, and yet there you were."
"To be fair, you looked adorable in that baseball cap." Marceline complimented her in return. Bonnibel must've been bright red. "And don't get me started on the first day we studied together. A crop top, Bonnie? Really? Were you trying to kill me?"
"Maybe." Bonnibel answered a little too slyly. "The shorts that day were a strategic choice, too."
Marceline suddenly found her face going very warm. Bonnibel had chosen to wear short shorts and a crop top to what? Seduce her? Bonnibel? The fact that the other girl had even thought about her while choosing her outfits made Marceline's insides turn to goo.
"Are you going to quit making out with my mattress and drive me to school?" Bonnibel asked. Apparently she'd opened the door.
Marceline's brain had a jolt of bravery. "I have a better idea of what I could make out with," Fucking shit. Did I really just say that? What the fuck?
Bonnibel rolled her eyes despite the blush on both of their faces. "Drive me to school first and then I'll make out with you, Abadeer."
Deal.
"I kind of hoped this would be more of a private escorting business for Bonnibel only," Marceline grouched, doubling over the steeling wheel and glaring at Phoebe and Jake through the rear-view mirror. They'd both gotten up late and had called Bonnibel just as they were about to get into the parking lot of the school. Now they were going to be right on time, which meant absolutely no car make out session for Marceline.
"This'll be the first and last time, I promise." Jake muttered. "Lady's getting a car next month if she passes her test."
Marceline glanced at Bonnibel out of the corner of her eye, using all of her willpower not to kick their friends out of her car. "I'm going to kill them." She muttered over the sound of the radio.
"Leave them alone," Bonnibel giggled. "I'm paying you, remember? Unless you'd rather me go with my dad every morning?"
Okay, she has a point. I have so much time to kiss Bonnibel now. Fuck. I'm actually going to kiss her. Holy shit. Does she know I'm going to cry afterwards? That I'm going to burst out of joy?
Marceline pulled into the parking lot for the second time that day, still a little grouchy that her time with Bonnibel alone had been cut short.
"I've gotta go prepare for a meeting first period," Bonnibel breathed, grabbing her bag from the back seat between Phoebe and Jake. "Thanks for driving me, Marcy."
Marceline was a little taken aback when Bonnibel leaned over the gearbox to kiss her cheek and from the looks of it, so were their friends.
The moment Bonnibel closed the door, Phoebe leaned forward with a grin. "You two made it official then?"
"Not yet," Marceline mumbled. "But I'm single and definitely ready to mingle."
"Finn will not be happy about this," Jake began, starting to open the door to leave. "I'm glad for you, though, you two seem good for each other."
"Hell yeah we are," Marceline replied around a grin. Phoebe snorted and leaned back into her seat. "I'll uh… ask her out soon. I promise."
"You better, Abadeer." She shot back, before she too was gone.
With the knowledge that Bonnibel could be her girlfriend if she so much as simply asked her, Marceline's day was perpetually harder than what it had been when she was dating Marshall. Maybe it was because, in the simplest terms, then she could only stare from afar and wonder about how it would feel to kiss the other girl until both their mouths were numb. Now, with permission that Bonnibel had already promised her, Marceline could touch and bring those thoughts to practice.
Well, in theory.
In reality Marceline was a gay mess. A big gay mess.
She found Bonnibel leaning against the hood of her car, tapping away on her phone, with her bag dangling off her arm. Marceline unlocked the car and through her bag into the back seat with an absent minded whistle before coming up to lean next to her friend.
"You look tired." Marceline whispered, thumbing a smudge of ink on Bonnibel's cheek.
Bonnibel glanced up with a smile, pocketing her phone and letting her bag drop the rest of the way to the floor. "Being part of the student council will do that to you," She replied.
"Why not quit?" Marceline offered. "You seem… overworked. Every time is see you it's like you've taken on a whole new class just before exam period."
Bonnibel laughed and snorted and stepped closer, leaning forwards and up, and Marceline's head was screaming because holy shit it was happening.
Marceline pulled Bonnibel in for a hug instead, pressing her face into the other girls shoulder and wrapping her arms around her waist. Bonnibel didn't seem to mind.
"I'm sorry," Marceline breathed. "I panicked."
Bonnibel's laugh was hot against her neck. "I don't mind, Marceline. I like hugging you."
They separated from the hug the moment Bonnibel reminded Marceline that they were still on the school premises.
The drive to Bonnibel's house was mostly filled with Marceline lightly singling along to the radio. She was pretty sure Bonnie would have fallen asleep there and then if it hadn't have been for the fact that the drive wasn't actually that long.
"I'm pretty sure you could walk to and from school, Butler." Marceline said as she pulled up outside Bonnibel's house once more. "I think you just want an excuse to be in a closed space with me,"
"And is that a crime?" Bonnibel replied with an eye roll, collecting her bag and opening the door.
"Yes, actually. You're a wanted woman now Bonnie." Marceline threw in a playful wink just for good measure. She even leaned forward to grin at her friend. "Wanna roll to see if you get thrown in jail?"
Bonnibel span on her heel. "You're such a dork." She muttered, leaning down to cup Marceline's face in her hands. Marceline didn't really think anything of it, so she just gave her a goofy grin and stared right back at her. It was only when Bonnibel's fingers tucked themselves in the space behind Marceline's ears to pull her just a little bit closer that Marceline realised what was going on. But by the time it took for Marceline's brain to click, and for Bonnibel to move that inch closer, she was already being kissed.
Bonnibel's lips were soft, plump and tugged upwards into that warm fuzzy smile meant for Marceline and Marceline only. And Marceline sucked in a ragged breath, pushing herself up away from her seat to place her hand on the other girls neck, thumb brushing the freckled skin beneath her ear. Everything about Bonnibel Butler was soft. Her laugh, her smile, her lips. Marceline couldn't help but remember that Ash hadn't kissed Bonnibel during his wasted time with her. She was the only person on the planet that knew what kissing Bonnibel was like.
It was Bonnie who pulled away first, eyes ever so slightly unfocused and teeth drawing her bottom lip inwards. Marceline wanted to do the same thing.
Marceline gave her another lopsided grin. "Same time tomorrow?"
"Of course," Bonnibel replied, and Marceline had the faintest idea that they weren't just talking about what time to pick her up for school. She began to retreat from her hunched position of being half in and half out of the car, but then quickly ducked her head back in to grin slyly. "Oh, and Marceline? You still haven't asked me out yet, you should get on that." It was then that she closed the door and skipped off towards her house.
Yeah, I'll do just do that.