InK-on-her-fingers: XD

hydraex2: Huh I didn't notice...I also did not notice your double spacing until you pointed it out. See how observant I am when I'm not in Editing Mode?

Kosmic: :D

oasis2450: Really? Aw, thanks :3

Neverthrive:

Furrylover-to-da-max:

Colizuma: Indeed.

something lost: I'm kind of neutral. If it's put together with Finnceline as a love triangle, I'll read it without a doubt. Otherwise, I got nuthin' against the pairing, but I believe Princess and Marcie should just be friends. I'm actually gonna be doing a fic about that soon, scheduled for posting on Halloween. Keep your eyes open!

radicaldizzytacoz: Oh gosh, what am I supposed to say to that? You just made my day :3

991: Really? Wow, thanks!

He23t: Yup...challenges are epic, though.

ilikeKorn: Thanks! XD

Shadown478: Don't apologize; I love our debates! :D I honestly think anything involving anything smaller than a bug is too hard for me to comprehend...but to answer your other questions, 1) I don't do politics and 2) wolves. 'Cause they're awesome.

Ashagon: Don't apologize! Gibbs rule number 6: NEVER APOLOGIZE! Yeah, I'm obsessed with NCIS.

Disclaimer: Seriously? I gotta waste space with this shiz?

Chapter 14: Birthday

A week had passed since Finn's declaration of love, and it was his birthday. Marceline had shown up early, and they were basically alone...except for a rather awkward Bubblegum, who had heard incorrectly. So she sat there sipping her drink while Finn and Marceline sat about a foot apart, both longing to be so much closer.

Then everyone else showed up, and it was a party.

"I'm crashin' this party!" a certain princess appeared.

"LSP, I invited you."

"You did?" Marceline asked. Finn just smiled at her. Then the music cranked up.

Finn cranked it down.

The Party God cranked it up.

"Finn, it's fine!" Marceline shouted, covering her ears. "I'll just go downstairs!"

"No!" he grabbed her arm. "It's not fine!" he cranked the music down. "I should be able to celebrate with my girlfriend," she blushed.

"I have a pretty cool present for you...I hope you like it."

"If it's from you, I'm sure I will."

"You sap," she kissed him, and they got pelted with popcorn.

"PDA!" some random person screamed.

"Shut up!" Finn shouted back.

"Go mingle," Marceline smiled. "It's your party. You should hang out with your guests...I'll be watching you."

"Awesome," Finn stepped away from his vampire girlfriend and into the crowd.

"Hey bro!" Jake popped up and slung an arm around him. "How's it going?"

"Okay, I guess," Finn shrugged.

"Okay, you guess? Okay, what's up?"

"Nothing...I just...things have been a little weird between me'n Marcie since I told her. Awkward-ish. I don't wanna say anything, but..."

"Buddy, I don't know what to tell ya. My tiers were off, so I guess I haven't been around enough to know you like I should," Finn opened his mouth to protest, but Jake held up a paw. "Finn, I'm not done," the human closed his mouth. "I'm moving out tomorrow, okay? That okay with you?"

"It's fine. Marcie and I need more space anyhow."

"Aw, you'll be livin' together soon!" Jake wagged his tail. "I dunno why I was ever afraid of that girl...she's a prankster's all she is."

"Your fear of vampires doesn't still get to you sometimes?"

"Nope! Hangin' around Marcie all the time must've cured me! Or maybe it's just her I'm not scared of..." Jake shrugged.

"So...I should try hanging out by the ocean more?"

"If you want. But come on, come on! Tell me the good stuff! How're things with your girl?"

"Well...I mean we talked to her dad; that's how I found out I love her. And a couple days ago when I was stayin' at her house, she let me into the bathroom when she was takin' a shower," Finn blushed a bit.

"Aw, that means she trusts you!" Jake smiled. "She knows you wouldn't knowingly take a peek without her consent," Jake picked up a burrito and started to eat, ignoring his brother's shock . "Mm. So she's almost ready to love you, but not quite."

"Marcie...she trusts me? Jake, you're not just messin' me up?"

"Nope. Why, what's the big trust deal? Mm," he took another bite of burrito.

"She...I practically destroyed her trust in our fight."

"Well you must've won it back somehow, bro. She trusts you with her life—which we already knew—and her body. Maybe not her heart yet, but her bod fo' sure," he sank his teeth into his burrito for the third time.

"Thanks, Jake," he looked around for Marceline, but couldn't find her. "Could you help me find Marceline? I need to talk to her."

"Sure, bro," Jake headed off, finishing his burrito as he went. Finn walked in a different direction, thinking hard.

Marceline trusts me and she didn't tell me? Why? I gotta know! I know there's gotta be a reason why she didn't tell me, but...argh! It's so frustrating!

I wish she had trusted me all along.

But I'm glad she trusts me a little more now.

...Or is this all just an elaborate prank?

"You were looking for me?" Marceline whispered in his ear, but he didn't jump.

"Yeah," he turned. "I was just talking to Jake—I hope you don't mind, but he deserves to know what's goin' on between us—and he says you...trust me with your life and your bod," she blushed. "Marcie, why didn't you tell me?"

"I...I didn't want to get your hopes up..." she looked away. "Even when I fall in love with you," his heart skipped a beat at those words, at the "when" instead of the "if," "I'm not sure if I can ever truly trust you with my heart. Yeah I trust that you won't take my body as your own and abuse it as you wish...but I can't trust that you won't do that with my heart. I really, really want to, I do...but I can't."

"You know I know better than that," Finn said softly. "I love you...I'd never abuse your trust, and I understand that you have trust issues. I get it, totally. But please...?"

"I'll try," she smiled shakily.

"Good," he gave her a brief kiss. "Now I've gotta stop playing favorites and go talk to everyone else. Sorry."

"Nah, I've gotta be more social, too. Antisocial vampires tend to bite," she grinned, and he laughed. "Who said I was joking?"

"Marcie, you're the best."

"Nah, I'm really not."

"Believe what you want."

"I will, thanks."

They parted ways.

"Finn! Finn, over here!"

"Oh. Hi, Night Prince," Finn muttered, walking over.

"Please, call me Night," he insisted.

"Whatevs."

"So Finn...what's this I hear about you and the Vampire Queen?" Finn snapped to on an instant.

"I'm in love with her, don't you dare try to keep us—!"

"Whoa, take it easy. I would never! Only a total idiot would keep true love apart."

"Oh...yeah. I guess you're right," Finn was starting to warm to this guy.

Cinnamon Bun fell off the roof, and everyone started laughing.

Marceline appeared behind Finn.

"Come on, I've got something to show you."

"Where are we going?" but she just laughed until she pulled him into the treasure room.

"This is my gift," Marceline smiled as she locked the door.

"A little alone time?" Finn guessed.

"How'd you know?" she asked sarcastically as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

Somehow, they ended up on the floor, with Marceline on top of Finn, kissing him passionately. Finn had just managed to flip them over when...

Knock knock knock!

"Finn?" it was Jake. "Buddy, I know you're in there. Stop makin' out with your girlfriend and get your butt out here," Finn groaned and pulled away.

"Is somebody dead or dying?" he shouted.

"Um...no..." Jake replied.

"Then it can wait," and he pressed his mouth onto Marceline's again.

"No it can't! Finn? Finn?" but the human was rather preoccupied with his vampire girlfriend as she bit his bottom lip, very gently. He shivered happily and forced his tongue into her mouth. In the middle of their battle, she pulled away.

"Glob you're a good kisser!" Marceline whispered, and he blushed. They fell back together, one of her arms snaking around his neck while the other hand trailed down his chest and abdomen, making him shiver again...and she didn't stop.

"Whoa!" Finn broke away as her hand brushed across forbidden territory, resisting a moan. Nobody had ever touched him like that before...it felt...wonderful. But he had to get himself together. Coming to his senses from a brief high of euphoric pleasure, he blinked in confusion at an embarrassed Marceline. "What was that?"

"Um...I guess I just got...carried away...sorry."

"Don't be. I'm ready for this," Finn said. "I just think we ought to talk it through a little first."

"Okay," they sat up on the floor, scooting apart a bit.

"I think we're ready for a baby step," Finn began.

"So...we can feel each other up?" Marceline asked, not without sounding a little hopeful.

"Sure," Finn shrugged. That's the step. And we can undress to our underwear, I'm thinking, but no farther or we might get carried away."

"Gotcha," Marceline nodded. "And if one of us does start getting carried away, the other one has to be responsible and step away."

"Okay, sounds like we're good. Ready for a trial run?" Marceline grinned impishly.

"I thought you'd never ask."