Never Feigning Never Fading
CH14
Finn eventually gained the will to move past the dull pounding in his head and opened his eyes. Sitting up he recognized the room he awoke in as his Inn room from the Jewel Kingdom. He gently rubbed his temples and odd images of monochrome landscapes and a beautiful fire elemental filled his mind. His lost thoughts were finally coming to the present situation when the sound of his door opening broke his thoughts.
"You're finally awake huh? You feeling okay or are you gonna faint again?" Marceline asked from underneath her protective sunhat. She floated and perched on the bed, she allowed an armful of bright, red apples she was carrying to fall down onto the bed. She causally drained the red from one and offered it to the young man. "Have something to eat you've been out all day."
Finn looked over the unappealing fruit before taking a big bite. "I'm alright I guess, a little groggy."
"Good I was getting worried that we had some kind of weird fainting plague on our hands with you and FP-"
"FP?" Finn snapped alert and upright as he was reminded of the situation at hand. "Is she alright?"
"I don't know. I've been looking after you all day hero. " Marcy shrugged and started on another apple.
"I've got to see if she's ok." Finn said jumping up and exiting the room.
"Good luck" Marceline chuckled as she made herself more comfortable and tossed her second grey apple aside.
The two fire knights shifted to better cover the door as they saw Finn approach. Finn sighed in annoyance as he foresaw how this was going to go down.
"Hey guys." Finn forced his best smile. Maybe he could avoid this little problem with some diplomacy. "Is it alright if I check on FP?"
"Nope, sorry Finn, Captain's orders." One of the guards said curtly.
"Yeah, Sir Sol didn't take too kindly to you assaulting the queen like that." The other one chuckled.
"What? Me assault FP?" Finn asked as his mouth hung slightly agape in shock. The guards shared a boisterous chuckle at his expense.
"Relax Finn, Sir Sol's just overacting again and trying to get you away from the queen. He doesn't like you very much does he?"
"Guess not.." Finn shrugged, not caring much for the overbearing knight.
"To be fair he doesn't like anyone all that much. Except for maybe the nobles back home."
"We know you were just stressed and blacked out."
"You guys sure you can't let me in?" Finn pleaded.
"Sir Sol is still in there, you'd be lucky if he didn't cut you in two."
"Fighting isn't gonna help anyone I guess…" Finn lamented.
The guards didn't know what to say to the forlorn hero and the trio fell into a somber silence. Finn was ready to give up for now when murmurs from within the room caught the three men's attention. The look of hope that washed over the human's face was more than enough to pull at the guard's heartstrings. One raised a gauntleted fist and signaled for the human to be quiet. When Finn nodded the guard waved him closer for a listen.
The voices inside weren't loud or panicked but there was clearly a sense of urgency and need for discussion. Finn could recognize the haughty boom of Sol's voice and he waited in dead silence for another voice to cut through the silence.
Leaning in Finn became so still and quiet it was hard to tell if he still breathed and his heart was still beating. He waited with baited breath for the one thing that could put him at ease. After a seemingly long wait Finn picked up on the melodic yet sleepy voice of his Flame Princess and it washed over him like a gentle dawn to melt all his anxiety away. Although he wanted to stay and make sure she was alright he knew listening any longer through the door would be too sneaky and dishonest. And even if FP never figured out he was spying he didn't want to risk the added stress it may put her through.
Stepping away from the door the hero looked to the two guards. "Let me know if anything happens alright guys?"
"Sure Finn." Both guards gave their word as they watched the human departed.
"So what's up? And don't lie to me, I know something's on your mind." Marceline ask curiously as she flew slow, lazy circles around Finn's Inn room. Finn had been curiously still and quiet since he came back. This situation was a familiar scene for the two. Over the course of living together they would occasionally spend long, mundane nights just hanging out, talking and jamming.
"I dunno, just still a bit worried about FP I guess." Finn lay on his back on his bed, watching Marcy as he thought.
"Well she's alright, right? What's there to worry about?" The carefree woman shrugged.
"We still aren't sure what's wrong or what knocked her out like that."
"Wait you went and noshed with her soul and you didn't learn anything?" Marcy said, amused at the hero's lack of fore and hindsight.
"Everything's just kind of a muddy mess in my head. I can't think of anything super specific." Finn tapped his forehead a few times.
"Well what's your hero's instinct tell you? Marceline mocked sarcastically.
Finn took a moment to meditate on his answer. "I think… she's stressed and bottling too much biz up in her head. I think she needs to vent."
"Alright we're getting somewhere now. Now I've helped you vent plenty of times, how did we get you through those rough nights?"
Finn only blushed and shot her a slightly mortified gaze.
"With our clothes on weenie."
"Oh, well we chased wolves and jammed and wrestled…"
"Great so all you've got to do is help her get a little of that stress out through more physical means." Marceline winked and laughed as the human blushed once more. "I don't suggest wrestling though. That earring's gonna run out of juice and you're gonna get burned."
"Good idea, Maybe they've got some jewel gloves or something in town FP can use." Finn wondered aloud as he sprung off the bed and ran for the door.
"Better be quick about it! Sun's going down soon!" The vampire called out after the human, knowing he wasn't going to think ahead for himself.
Night had fallen when Flame Princess finally convinced her knights that she was well enough to walk around on her own. Even Sol, her most trusted and hard headed knight, eventually tired of arguing and even stopped protesting when she demanded to be allowed outside. So after 18 or so hours of sleeping here she was, on the stone steps that lead to the entrance to the inn with only a single guard to watch over her.
She silently enjoyed the cool night breeze. Her body was stiff and her chest swirled with emotions she couldn't quite explain. But for tonight she wanted to forget the duties that daunted her and just relax. When she noticed the human hero approaching the inn she realized she couldn't push her emotions to the back of her mind for long.
"FP!" Finn broke into a sprint once he saw her. "How you feeling?"
Flame Princess smiled. It was always easy to see how sincere his love and care was through his crystal blue eyes. It was something she missed dearly the last couple of years and it warmed her even more than the hottest lava filled depth could. "You know I'd probably wake up earlier if you didn't fall on me and break so many of my ribs while I was out." Finn's face fell so quickly it caused the young queen to erupt in laughter. "I'm joking Finn!"
Finn composed himself again. It seemed that all the fire elementals he knew were making a hobby of playing with his emotions. "Hey doesn't that little joke count as lying?" He countered.
"We're away from the Fire Kingdom; a little light joking is permitted." FP flashed a bright grinned which caused Finn to smile back. The human joined his fire elemental on the stony, cool steps. They squeezed in close to one another and Flame Princess rested her head on the human's strong shoulder.
Finn didn't dare move or interrupt the moment, far too content soaking in the affection he was receiving. However more pressing matters eventually forced their way to his mind. "I got something for you."
"Really? Please tell me it's some coal because I think I'm gonna starve." FP patted her empty belly.
"No but we've got some inside I bet." Finn pointed out as he fished a large pink crystal from his bag. He handed it over and seemed relieved that it fit rather well in her hand.
"Jewelry?" Flame Princess questioned looking over the pretty stone.
"Nope, jewel sword!" Finn exclaimed. Almost as if responding to its name the crystal grew into a gleaming, pink long sword.
FP was taken back at the sudden weight in her hands and blinked in confusion. "But Finn I have my fire, I don't need a sword to protect myself."
"It's not for protection though. It's a stress reliever! If you're ever angry at anyone or anything I can help you work it out." Finn pointed to the swords on his back to make his point clear. "Even if I'm the one you're mad at, just let me know and you won't have to bottle it up."
FP looked at the human with wide eyes for a moment. It sounded silly at first but the more she thought about it the more appealing it sounded, and it wasn't just because she could spend more time with her human. Her crystal sword retracted and she swooped forward to give the human a light, loving kiss. When the two eventually pulled apart FP broke into a light laughing fit.
"What's so funny?" Finn asked, silently worrying that something about his kiss made her laugh.
Leaning forward Flame Princess grinned wider then she had in years. "I get sick and as a "get well soon" present you got me a sword. That is such a Finn thing to do."
AN: Just a small chapter today with a little fluff and exposition to it. Next chapter will also bit a little less plot and more fluff. And I hope you guys recognize the retractable crystal sword, If you enjoyed this chapter drop a review why don't cha? Reviews help recharge my IMAGENAAAAATION cells.
In the next chapter: "You've been a stick in the mud this entire trip Sol! If you want me away from FP so badly why don't you come here and MAKE me stay away!