Blinking slowly, Marceline doesn't avert her gaze from me.
"Hang out?", she says slowly, unsure.
I smile at her kindly, and place my hands on either of her slender shoulders, giving them a gentle squeeze. The question sounds so naïve coming from Marceline, the self proclaimed queen of being a badass. I stifle a nervous chuckle.
"Yes, Marceline. Hang out. Go to a concert, or perhaps the cinema."
She slowly returns my smile, the tears finally slowing. As I am looking at her, a year's worth of questions and desires are surging through me – why did you have to leave, where did you go, why are you back now, what makes you think I would just forgive you after all this time, what makes you think I wasn't in absolute agony after you left so abruptly, and for more or less more reason? - it's a wonder I am at all able to control myself around her, her eyes drilling holes into me and her lips just more than a breath away from mine. They are red, surprisingly red for someone that isn't living, and they look so soft and inviting. I remember times she would literally have to pry me off of her in order for one of us to finally take leave and attend to our duties, me all the while complaining that it was her fault for being such a skilled kisser. I shake my head, attempting to shake the thought away. Thinking about Marceline's soft lips, her skilled tongue, the way her finger tips can be so soft yet so firm at the same time... Glob! This is what I need to avoid!
We don't exchange any words for quite some time, and sit silently in the meadow staring at eachother until Marceline finally clears her throat what feels like years later (jarring me from my purposefully distracting thoughts on Zanoids).
"I would like that, Bonnibel."
"Then I have the perfect way for us to begin."
Smiling, I stand up and extend my hand for Marceline to take. She does, tentatively lacing her fingers through mine, and stands to join me. Her dark eyes meet mine and I hold my smile for her.
"There is quite the gathering back at the palace. Let's go have a good time."
As Marceline and I casually stroll up to the castle gates, I spot Peppermint Butler darting frantically from house to house calling my name. He finally catches sight of me from across the grounds, and runs up to me as fast as his little legs can carry him.
"Princess!" He peers around my body to eye Marceline, who is behind me kicking at rocks and avoiding eye contact, up and down suspiciously. "Are you alright?"
I smile at him graciously before turning around and grabbing the vampire's cool hand and pulling her along with me to the large palace doors. I look to the side to call out of Peppermint, who has fallen a few paces behind us. I hear him quietly mumbling on about the condition of my once beautiful party gown, but choose to ignore it.
"My good friend and I were just returning to the festivities."
Catching Marceline's gaze, her eyes still sad and full of questions, I give her hand a reassuring squeeze before opening the doors. Inside, the party is still in full swing – some people are still sitting at their tables, chatting with eachother as they idly munch on whatever food is in front of them, but most of the party goers are on the dance floor. An absolutely awful polka-esque song is playing, to which Marceline is actually cringing at. And then laughing at. For the first time in a while I see a beautiful smile grace her face, wide and heart-warming, and I am struck with a miraculous idea.
"Marceline, I see that you do not have your bass with you?", I shout above the music.
She gets close to my left ear, enticing a small gasp from me (That I hope she did not hear. Zanoids Zanoids Zanoids.). "I didn't think I would be needing it tonight... why?"
Gulping, I'm sure audibly, I turn to put my lips against her ear. "I was hoping you could liven up our musical choices a little bit? There is a band up there, I'm sure you could entice them to play with you."
Marceline pulls back (Is she blushing? There's no way. Zanoids Zanoids Zanoids.) and smiles that beautiful smile at me. I mean not beautiful. Just a smile. A simple smile.
"That's a great idea, Bonnibel."
Much quicker than I thought would be possible, Marceline has convinced the members of the band Peppermint Butler hired to play a few songs with her. And thank god, as the music they were mindlessly playing on their own was getting increasingly awful. After the band sets up, Marceline, dawning a simple electric guitar, walks up to the mic and clears her throat loudly in it. Everyone looks up at her, a few people questioningly, but most with excitement and intrigue on their faces. Finn and Jake push their way towards her, high-fiving her before making their way back to their seats.
"What's up, Candy Kingdom?"
The crowd instantly errupts in clapping and 'whoops' from the many people in attendance, and I make my way to the front of the crowd to take a seat right in front of the make-shift stage. Marceline smiles at me, which I graciously return before joining the applause.
"We're going to play a few songs for the birthday girl tonight. Everyone give it up for Princess Bubblegum!"
Suddenly shy, I look down at my feet until the applause ends. My cheeks still red, I raise my gaze to Marceline, who winks (Zanoids Zanoids Zanoids...) at me before turning to her temporary band-mates.
"One, two, one two three four..."
Hours later, the many party goers have bid their farewell and made their way home. Sitting amongst the wreckage of the party, confetti and miscellaneous garbage everywhere, Marceline and I are sitting across from eachother on the floor chatting quietly. She has been talking about her father for a while, how he tried to trick her into ruling the Nightosphere, and I am listening intently with my head on my hands, my brows knit together with concern. Well, I'm trying to listen that is, I swear I am, but my eye lids and growing heavier and heavier by the second and I keep catching myself almost falling over. I perk up, however, when I notice Marceline has stopped talking. I quickly shake my head in an attempt to focus and look up at her. She is staring back at me, one eyebrow raised, her lips (Zanoids Zanoids Zanoids) raising in a crooked grin, one fang hanging out.
"Tired, kiddo?"
Stifling a yawn, I slowly nod my head. "I am no longer a child, Marceline. I turned 18 today, you know."
She winks at me, before standing and extending a hand to me. "Oh I know. Now you're old enough to do all those big girl things you weren't old enough to do before."
I accept her hand and raise slowing, looking at her with my head cocked in confusion at her statement.
"Big girl things? I don't under... wait... You can't possibly be alluding to sexual... Marceline! That is so distasteful!"
I swat at her, to which she simply rolls her eyes in her typical fashion.
"Oh come on Bonnibel. Now you're a woman. Time to start thinking about that kind of stuff."
"Not everyone is consistently concerned with sexual happenings, your majesty. Thank you very much for your concern however."
My sarcasm earns me another eye roll. I am doing my best to pretend to be utterly disgusted by her words, but I am sure she can see that my cheeks are turning a rather appetizing color. Glob...
Once in my bedchambers, I quietly excuse myself to change into my pajamas, for once bypassing the faded black t-shirt I usually wear to bed. I didn't want Marceline to see that I still wear it, though I am sure that she knows I do. Dawning simple sleep pants and a tank top, I reenter my bedchambers to find Marceline sitting on my bed looking through my science journal. She stirs as I clear my throat, and looks up at me grinning.
"This would be the perfect place to hide secrects, Bonnie. I can't even get through the first page with all this science mumbo jumbo."
I smile at her. "Maybe that's the point."
She smiles back, returning the journal to my bedside table.
"Well", she says quietly, floating over to me and extending a hand for a handshake, "thank you Bonnie. For everything. I had a lot of fun."
I grab her hand, completely refusing to accept something as mundane as a handshake from her, and pull her into a tight hug. Her breathe hitches as our bodies hit, and my heart skips a beat. Or two. But she instinctively wraps her arms around me and returns the hug.
"Anytime, Marceline. Please, come and see me soon okay?"
I turn my face slightly and brush a light kiss against her cheek, which instantly turns red.
"...You bet, Bonnibel. Goodnight."
She floats out the window, not looking back. I walk out to the balcony, and lean forward, placing my head on my hands as I watch her slowly float away. I could have sworn I saw her turn back for a second, but there is no way to be sure. Once she is out of sight, I slowly trudge back into my bedchambers and shut the window (but do no lock it) and fall face-first into the comfort of my bed.
"Goodnight, Marceline."
