Slowly but surely,things began to return to normal. Gumball and Marshall continued their friendly rivalry, hiding their true feelings. Gumball, now able to focus on what needed to be done, was back to baking and hanging out with his friends and Marshall was back to scaring people, raising the dead for his amusement and composing music on his battle-axe-turned-guitar.

That is, when he wasn't with his girlfriend. Which seemed to be most of the time. For months, Marshall most of the time playing for Patricia's raves or keggers, shopping for her, having sex with her or taking care of her with her daily hangover. If he wasn't being told what to do, he was being screamed at by the party bear. He wanted out, he wanted her gone. He wanted her dead.

But what could he do? He couldn't let the pink prince know about his feelings, he would hate him. And he had to keep Party pat happy, or she'd break up with him and she was the last relationship option he had. But he was miserable.

Nothing more punk rock than having a girlfriend who absolutely beat the shit out of you right? Not physically of course. Although she had gotten a couple shots in when the undead teen wasn't expecting and she had grabbed a bottle of vodka left over from that nights rager. At first it had been fun, partying all night and sleeping all day, but Marshall being a nice guy deep down in there found himself getting stepped on. It was Ashley all over again. He told himself she would be better if she wasn't blitzed all the time, but knew it wouldn't matter.

But the night she found his private music, that was the night all hell broke loose.

It was a normal night. Marshall had it planned out to the T. he would play for Pat's rave in the beginning of the night then let the DJ take over as he snuck out for boys night with Fionna and the candy prince, as he had done so many times before. It was almost routine, and Pat was so drunk or high at the time Marshall decided to leave she wouldn't even notice.

He was getting ready when Pat walked up to him and pushed him into his refrigerator.

"Ow what the fuck patty?!" The Vampire hissed as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Who is she? Tell me right fucking now who is she?!"

'Who's who?! What are you talking about?!"

The bear shoved a folder of sheet music to the vampires chest.

"Who is she?!"

"My songs..you've been looking through my closet again! what the fuck Patty?!" The vampire put the folder on the table, bracing himself for another drunk fight with the bear. They were going to be late for the rager, which wouldn't begin for three more hours.

…..

He was always with her now. He never had time for his friends, Gumball thought as he sat in the bath,holding a wine glass filled with a clear liquid. And no matter what he tried Marshall wouldn't realize how much Patricia was killing him. Gumball finished his third glass of the clear liquid and set it on the edge. It seemed that the sugar grain alcohol that Gumball had accidentally created was the only thing that could get him through the night. Sometimes though, it got out of hand. He wasn't violent, or stupid or angry. He knew very well he was inebriated he was well aware of that fact. That was the point. He'd forget what he had thought about the night before, which was most of the time the vampire king. He started doing this two months ago, when he realized that he was in love with the vampire king. He knew he was stupid for not realizing it sooner. His onyx black hair, his smooth sultry voice, his strong gentle arms, Gumball loved everything about the vampire. Even his annoying pranks and his scary tricks.

Gumball sighed. "I'm in love with Marshall Lee." he said slightly chuckling to himself, hardly believing he was saying those words as he put his hand on his face, sliding his hand up into his wet hair. The prince let his head rest back on the ledge as he thought about what they would do for boys night. He had no idea what Fionna had planned, but it didn't matter. He'd be able to see his vampire king again. It had been three weeks since the last boys night out. Feeling himself getting dizzy, he walked out of the bath and wrapped a towel around his waist before putting his small crown on his head. He was going to take a nap and sleep off the alcohol before boys night. It was un-princely to be inebriated in the presence of company. He changed his clothes into his black slacks and his boys night tee. Fionna would scold him if he didn't wear it. He laid in bed and told his peppermint maid to wake him in four hour, when boys night was scheduled to start.

….

Marshall was sitting on his couch, his hand on his forehead as his girlfriend screamed at him. There were dishes broken, glass everywhere. His tv had been smashed in and his coffee table was on the other side of the room. He had given up yelling back to the bear, she just continued to scream not listening to a word he had said. They should have left an hour ago. They were late for the rave and she wasn't letting up.

"Oh my god will you shut up" the vampire said, rubbing his forehead.

"You've said the same thing five fucking times already! I get it I couldn't get you the right booze! It didn't stop you from throwing it down your gullet!"

"Oh sure I'm a drunk that's something I've never heard before!"

Being a sober person yelling at a drunk person isn't fun, nor is it easy. Marshall got up and grabbed his guitar. "Are we going or not?"

"Damn right we are. And you're playing all night."

"Like hell I am. I have plans."

"You're going to go see your whore. Yeah I know. You sneak out to go have sex with her when you have a perfectly good female specimen right here. Well I'm not going to give you up that easily."

The vampire king laughed.

"What's so fucking funny you son of a bitch?!"

Marshall kept laughing. "You-you actually think you can own me! It's laughable!"

"If you don't stop laughing right this fucking second I'm leaving!"

Marshall didn't stop. She saw the sheet music folder on the kitchen table, and walked out of the room.

Marshall almost didn't see her hold the folder over the lit burner of the stove. But when he stopped to catch a breath, he caught her. He flew at her with such force he knocked her into the fridge while grabbing the music. "Are, you, crazy?! These are one of a kind!"

The drunk bear got up, slowly. "That's it. I'm done. You're a piece of shit who thinks he's the coolest thing in the world. Punk rock, pssht. You wouldn't know punk rock if it hit you in the head. A King without a kingdom. it's just a fucking title for your Ego. You don't rule over anything, you're a nothing. You're pathetic and I hope you rot in the nightosphere."

And she left.

Marshall opened the thick folder and looked down at the love songs he had written over the past eight months.

"My candy"

"Life is sweet again"

"Rosy cheeks"

"Amethyst eyes"

"Sweet Royalty"

"Give me some sugar"

"Hubba Bubba"

All of them love songs. He started writing them a couple months after he had left the candy kingdom, pouring his heart and soul into the sheets of paper. of course 'Hubba Bubba' and 'Give me some sugar' weren't exactly the slowest songs, but they were love songs none the less.

Well. That's it. His last chance at being normal had walked out the door and he knew that as soon as Gumball found out, he'd be hated again. How was he going to face Gumball tonight..he floated upstairs with his guitar and laid in his bed, wanting to shut out the world as his cat curled up on his pillow.

…..

Gumball awoke to his peppermint servant gently tapping his cheek.

"It's nine O'clock Your highness. Time for boys night ^^. Have a lovely evening." The peppermint hard candy left as the prince sat up and molded his hair.. He felt much better after he had taken his nap. And was bursting with energy for boys night.

"Come Mochro! Let's go!" he said as he jumped aboard his black steed. The monochromicorn flew on the shadows to the tree house.

"Prince!" Fionna smiled as she put BMO on the ground "Cake! Gumball's here!"

"Are you ready for boys night Fionna?"

"You bet! Where's Marshall?"

"He's not here yet?"

Fionna shook her head no as her feline companion walked over to the Monochromicorn and gave him a lick on his nose.

"That's so unlike him…usually he's the first one here."

The Prince said.

"Well let's just go pick him up! COme on." The human said, getting on the lord. The Cat followed her as Gumball mounted his steed. "Come. To Marshall's cave."

And the black elongated horse flew off.

When they landed in the cave, Gumball got off of the steed as he knocked. "Marshall?"

There came no answer, so Gumball opened the door, shocked at the sight."Mochro, keep the ladies company. Fionna you stay out here."

"You sure?"

" I am. Just do not come inside." The candy prince walked in and closed the door behind him, being careful of the glass on the ground. "Marshall! Are you home?" He called out.

"Go away." The vampire spoke loudly.

Gumball was wary for climbing the ladder up to the bedroom of the vampire. Remembering what he had last seen made his stomach churn even more now that he knew his true feelings. "I-I'm coming up!"

"Whatever"

With the green light, Gumball climbed up into the vampires room and walked over to his bedside. "What are you doing in bed? It's boys night.."

"Me and Pat broke up."

Gumball did a slight dance in his head, but showed remorse for the vampire. "She didn't deserve you Marshall." He said as he sat on the bed.

"So go ahead and just get it out and leave me alone."

"Get what out?"

"Tell me I disgust you because I'm a freak who likes men and walk out of my life."

Gumball remembered the night the vampire had returned, how he had treated him… "Marshall Listen. If this is about what i had said Please, realize that that is not what I meant! What I was getting at was even though you loved that man, and the chances were slim, that doesn't mean you shouldn't try. How do you know he doesn't love you back? You're not a unlovable person Marshall Lee."

"Pat sure seemed to think so"

"Okay I have had enough of this Marshall!"

"Enough of what?! Me feeling?!" The vampire began floating in the princes face.

"Of you hating yourself! That bear has gotten way too into your head! I am fed up with you acting this way! Like some brooding teenager! You're a grown man! Grow up!"

Grow up? That's what he wanted? "A Brooding teenager?!" The vampire yelled as he pulled the file folder filled with love songs out from his closet and threw them in the princes face. "Does a brooding teenager spend nine months away from the man he loves because he'll never love him back?! Does a brooding teenager just spill their heart and soul onto page after page, note after note of music because he can never tell the guy he loves just how much he loves him?! Does he?!"

Gumball looked down at the thick file folder, and opened the cover and read the sheet music. It was all about….candy….bubblegum…sugar…

"Marshall…I need-need you to answer me truthfully right now." He said as he stood up. Who, did you write these songs for?

The vampire bit his lip, thinking of an answer. He floated there in front of the prince not knowing what to say. Should he spill his heart to the prince? Tell him everything? Or lie…

"Well? Answer me Marshall!"

The Vampire looked at the saccharine prince and answered with the truth.

"I wrote them for the guy I told you about. He's handsome…and intelligent. He's strong, and kind."

Gumball felt his heart break, he thought Marshall was talking about another man. He should have known it was just a pipe dream. The vampire had always made fun of Gumball. His taste in pink, his baking, his nerdyness, it was all a joke to him.

Marshall continued explaining the man of his dreams. "He can solve a math formula in seconds. He's never let me down not once. But even though I know he'll never love me I can't forget him. I never will be able to."

Gumball was tired of this. He needed to know. "What's his name."

"Look-"

"What. Is. His. Name?"

Marshal looked at the prince, tears brimming in his eyes. "You can't leave anything alone. You always need to know the answer! You can't be happy with what you do know!"

"Dammit Marshall Lee!" He yelled as he threw the songs on the bed. "Tell me! Tell me right now!" The prince yelled as he grabbed the collar of the vampire's collar of the ripped 'boys night' shirt.

"Tell me who hurt you deeply I have to know!" he felt his own tears in his eyes, he didn't care if the vampire saw him like this. "Who, hurt you this way…"

"You did…"

The candy prince froze. What?… did he just hear 'You did' come out of the Vampire king's mouth?

"Wh-….what?"

"You did! You okay?!" The Vampire yelled as he shoved the prince back, causing gumball to sit on the bed. "You're the one I'm crazy about! You're the intelligent gorgeous guy! You're the one I wrote these songs for!" The vampire yelled throwing the pages up in the air. "Every page has my feelings for you! Every note, every crescendo every lyric! It's all because I Love you! You drive me crazy and I am head over heels in love with you!" The vampire began to float in front of the Princes face. "You think, I wanted to leave that night? Do you think I wanted to fly out that window? I had to! You said so yourself! 'Odds are the one you love will not love you back.' So Dammit Gumball tell me and tell me now how right you were about those damn odds."

The candy prince stood up, cupped the wet face of the floating vampire and pulled his face closer to his, his own tears running down his cheeks. "It must have been torture for you…Gob Marshall I'm such an idiot."

The vampire left his face in the princes hands as he slowly let his feet hit the ground. The pink prince smiled through his tears. "listen." He whispered as he rested his forehead against the kings. "Even the dumbest single celled organism could have realized how I felt. And it took me this long. I'm ashamed for that. When you came back into my bedroom after those nine months my heart left out of my chest because you were okay, but I was so angry with you for being away from me. Even then it still took me months to realize how greatly I felt…I found myself dreaming of you and Missing your cool touch and your greasy obsidian hair, your crimson eyes and your howl to the moon. All of it Every single bit I missed. Only two months ago did I finally realize that I love you, and how long I've loved you for that matter. Knowing I put you though this pain puts a hot nail in my heart." The prince spoke calmly, ignoring the tears rolling down his pink cheeks. "And fr that Marshall Lee I hope you'll forgive me." He said as he looked into the vampires crimson eyes.

Marshall stood there, his face gently cupped in the pink prince's gentle hands as he listened to Gumball confess everything. He was getting dizzy as he put his hands slowly on the young prince's hips.

"The things I had said and the way I held you, I should have aid more and I should have held tighter. When you left my arms I felt… empty."

Marshall Lee wrapped his arms around the Prince's waist as Gumball rested his hands on the back of Marshall's cold neck, intertwining his fingers. Marshall felt so stupid, he felt happy, he felt high. He felt a bunch of things and didn't know what to do, or say.

"Marshall Lee you're an asshole, and I, Prince Bubba Gumball, am head over heels in love with you."

The gummy prince pulled the back of Marshalls neck towards him, their lips a hairline away from each other. Marshall gripped the princes thin T shirt as he smelled the sweet bubblegum and sugar grain alcohol coming off of his hot breath, enjoying every second of being in his princes arms. He pulled Gumball against him so there was not a glimmer of light between their bodies, just enjoying the warmth and sweetness of the prince.

Then their lips connected.

It felt like an explosion within their chests, destroying everything wrong in their lives as their lips slowly and gently moved together as if they were made for only kissing each other. Gumballs thumb gently stroked the back of Marshalls head as their lips began to move more passionately, mashing against eachother. Marshalls tongue licked the candy princes lips, coaxing him to open his mouth and let the vampire in. Before Marshall had a chance to move his own,Gumballs tongue found it's place in the vampire king's mouth, running it slowly along his sharp canines, his cold lips, his forked tongue. Gumballs tongue seemed to be coated in sugar, it was so sweet in Marshall's mouth,and the undead teen began to wonder what else would be sweet in his mouth.