It's been over a goddamn year and I'm finally going to deliver.
!WARNING! THERE IS PORN IN THIS CHAPTER.
Merry Christmas you horny bastards.
PS (again) my apologies for wonky page layout/lack of italics and junk
PPS: sorry if this comes up as another new chapter alert or something. The last few words got cut off when I tried to upload it last night x.x;
I have to tell him.
Marshall Lee stood in front of his mirror, talking to his reflection as if reciting lines for a play. The robotic words came from his lips with a dead pan face and failed to convey how serious the situation was.
"We have to break up because I'm going back to the Nightosphere… My mom's going to kill you if I don't go back home… fuck, this is hard… I got stuck with the family business and uh…"
He could practically see Gumball standing there with his brow furrowed, fretting over the vampire's words. And then, just like that, a fantastical idea would fall into his head and he'd start bouncing on the balls of his feet with a grin on his face as he explained how he could fix the situation. That was just the prince's way; he'd worry until his smooth pink skin was on the verge of premature wrinkles and then his genius would kick it into high gear until he came up with a solution. But there was no solution to be found here, Marshall knew. There was no way around it. Gumball just wouldn't accept that his brain couldn't come up with the answer he wanted and he'd plow forward until his ideas crashed and burned.
Marshall Lee would have to try a different angle.
"It's not going to work out… We just don't work together, you know? We're too different. You're too young for me. I cheated on you… Ugh, FUCK!"
Nothing but excuses – and bad ones, at that. Gumball would see through them in a heartbeat. He wouldn't accept such blatant lies as grounds for a break up. But Marshall was running out of ideas. How could he make Gumball understand…? How could he make him see the danger he was in just by hanging around Marshall Lee?
He didn't have the answer. But every second that passed was another second the Lady of Evil was kept waiting, and though she was deathless, she was not a patient creature. Marshall didn't know when she would make her move – if she would come to him first, or if she would simply go for the prince, or if she would get distracted by something else and forget about them for a few decades... Nothing was certain except for Gumball's death if she didn't get her way.
Marshall didn't want to do it, and so he tried stalling. He held on to the hope that if he waited, the best course of action would come to him. But it wouldn't, he knew. It wouldn't be that easy. Still, it was better than rushing to end things with Gumball. So he stewed in his own thoughts and holed himself up in his room with no company but his thoughts.
Well, for a while, at least. The Candy Prince was not the type to allow himself to be ignored. He let himself into Marshall's house after his customary three quick knocks and strode up to the bedroom to find his companion. Gumball was radiant as ever. He smiled and greeted Marshall Lee in the carefree way that shouldn't have been allowed to people who were targeted by that chaotic she-devil.
The prince pecked Marshall on the cheek before reaching out to fix his boyfriend's clothes. He flipped down the one half of his collar that was sticking up, untucked it from his jeans so it was at least uniform (because Gumball knew better than to try making Marshall Lee tuck in his shirts) and fussed with the sloppily rolled up sleeves.
Marshall was used to this treatment and had learned to just roll with it; nothing he would say would stop Gumball from either doing it anyway or staring pointedly at the imperfections for the rest of their time together. But it struck him as odd, even in his agitated state, that something was off with the prince as well as Gumball continued to pluck at Marshall's sleeve.
"There's something we need to talk about," the prince started. His brightness seemed to dim as he said those words.
That was never good to hear. "Okay."
Gumball's fretting fingers had worked their way down Marshall's arm. In one hand, Gumball held the vampire king's palm up. The other traced patterns over the gently calloused skin with fluid grace. The prince seemed to be lost in thought, mesmerized by his own invisible doodling, or by the lines on Marshall's palm.
"In two weeks, it will have been a year since I made that promise with my mother – that I had a year's time to find my own spouse before she made a match for me. On that day, I'll have to give her my final answer. As you know, for the past few months, I… think it's quite obvious I have no intention of letting her choose for me. Because I've—" Gumball paused, gulped, and looked up into the vampire king's eyes. "I've found someone on my own."
Marshall pulled his hand away. Gumball was searching his expression, and Marshall was afraid he would get the wrong idea by seeing his reaction now. The prince's words just helped his fears cut deeper. He'd gotten them stuck in this pit and they were buried so deep that there was no chance of coming out clean. He wanted nothing more than to stay in the bottom of this pit with Gumball until the two of them rotted away to nothing, but the circumstances they faced would not allow that.
Gumball was digging them deeper even as Marshall Lee searched for a way to climb out.
The vampire floated across the room, trying to seem casual as he sat down on his bed facing away from the prince. He plucked at the strings of his guitar to make it seem as if he'd gone there for a reason other than to avoid the prince's eyes. Gumball was keener than that. He followed suit and perched himself on the edge of the bed by Marshall's side. The prince sat with his hands folded in his lap and both feet flat on the floor. Marshall was cross-legged as he strummed a random tune; neither of them would look at the other.
"I suppose… The point is… what I'm trying to get at…" Gumball sounded as if his throat was beginning to tighten in his anxiety; Marshall could hear his pulse quicken. "I only want to be with you. No matter what happens. You know that, don't you?"
Marshall paused to tighten a guitar string. "Yeah. I know."
"Marshall Lee," the prince let one hand come to rest on Marshall's thigh. He could feel the heat, the moisture of sweat from his palm through his jeans. Gumball turned to look at him even as Marshall determinedly focused on his idle song.
"Will you marry me?"
When Marshall met the prince's eyes at last, he was surprised to find how calm he looked. Deep down, he was nervous for sure, but to look at the determined set of his brow as he steadily gazed right at the Vampire King, you would never know it.
Marshall couldn't even say he was shocked. He'd thought from time to time that this moment might come, but he could never really imagine how it would happen. He thought Gumball would be the sort of do things the traditional way – down on one knee, a ring, a confession of everlasting love. But there was none of that. Perhaps it was spur-of-the-moment for the prince. Or maybe he just knew Marshall well enough to realize that the vampire didn't care for flowery gestures.
The silence was stifling. Marshall felt he'd missed his chance to say what he'd rehearsed. The words still crept up like bile in his throat, teetering on the tip of his tongue. Say it. Just say it. You have to tell him. Blurting it out now would be graceless and sloppy and just so fucking wrong. Marshall choked on the words that needed to be said, the ones that would save his oblivious, sweet prince. He was a selfish and proud creature at heart – there was no denying it. In that moment, Marshall Lee knew he needed to end it. But it was too difficult. Because even though he was conflicted and upset, Gumball had made him happy. And at that moment, that small happiness smothered his fears.
He nodded.
Gumball let out the breath he'd apparently been holding in and his gentle grip on Marshall's thigh relaxed.
Tell him.
Gumball reached for him before he was even aware of what was happening, soft fingers tracing Marshall's jaw. For fuck's sake, say it, say it, SAY IT. Kisses as gentle as raindrops showered him and the prince's hands were hot against Marshall's cool skin. Gumball, though usually nimble, had become clumsy thanks to his trembling hands. He realized with a dull jolt in his gut that the prince was trying to unbutton his shirt. Their lips parted and Marshall took the opportunity to look at the prince's face – which was flushed worse than Marshall had ever seen it before. Before he could say anything, Gumball had lowered his head to Marshall's neck and the tip of his tongue flicked out to grace the bite marks scarring it. With a sharp intake of breath, Marshall froze up. The prince did it again, less hesitant than before, and had finally undone the last button of Marshall's shirt. The vampire king knew he was running out of time. He had to do it, he had to… but it was so difficult to focus when the object of his desire had closed his mouth around Marshall's scars and lavished them with his teeth and tongue. When the prince began to suck on the sensitive flesh, he managed to draw the smallest of moans from Marshall's throat. Gumball's fingers were still clumsy as he tugged off his fiancé's shirt and traced patterns across the vampire's slim body.
Marshall would have liked to think that he was going to do it. That he was going to stop Gumball and tell him everything he needed to say. But the prince – frustrated by Marshall's lack of response – climbed into the vampire's lap and grabbed handfuls of his hair, leaning close to murmur, "Please. Marshall…"
And it was all over. Marshall could feel the heat radiating from him, his hips impatiently jerking forward against the vampire, the pulse pounding beneath his skin. Marshall was so desperate to find any excuse or distraction – because running from the truth was easier than confronting it, and Marshall was quite used to running away. Drowning his fears in Gumball, the vampire king returned the sloppy, eager kisses and began to unbuckle the prince's belt.
Gumball's breath hitched in response to the brush of Marshall's cold hands, his whole body shaking. Somehow between love bites and kisses, Marshall had worked the prince out of his shirt. Hickeys decorated his neck and chest as Marshall seemed determined to taste every inch of the prince's skin. For some bizarre reason, as the vampire king's hand slipped past the barrier of Gumball's pants, the prince was determined to name the sensation that filled his gut. The vernacular was something like "there are butterflies in my stomach." But such a statement was entirely illogical. Butterflies, even if they had somehow managed to survive being swallowed and passed through the esophagus into the stomach, would not survive the digestive acids awaiting it, thus making it impossible to allegedly feel their wings fluttering about one's insides. Gumball knew the statement made little sense from a literal perspective, and yet there was no better description of this experience.
Marshall stopped. "You okay?"
It occurred to Gumball that he had probably stopped moving and breathing as the stupid thoughts buzzed about his mind. He gave a quick nod, but Marshall's face was grave. His dark red eyes turned somber as he withdrew his hand and leaned back on his palms to distance himself from Gumball.
"Do you… want to stop or something?"
"No," the prince insisted.
But Marshall seemed hesitant to continue. Gathering up his courage and trying to ignore the butterflies threatening to make him sick, Gumball unzipped Marshall's tight jeans and reached for the vampire's cock. Swallowing past the lump in his throat, Gumball tried to forget how red his face must have been, how inexperienced he was. All he wanted to do was show Marshall he was ready and he wanted this. If Marshall noticed his lover's embarrassment, he didn't say anything about it. His slit pupils dilated and he fixated on every anxious brush of the prince's fingers. Gumball was conflicted; he wanted to kiss Marshall to keep the vampire from looking at him, but he also wanted to devote all of his attention to the motions of his fingers to make sure he was doing it right. But what was 'right'? How would he know if it was good enough? Would Marshall just get frustrated and get himself off? Just as Gumball's butterflies got so bad that he thought he would vomit, Marshall cupped his hand around the prince's.
Marshall leaned in close to rest his head against Gumball's shoulder. "Like this," Marshall murmured. How hard to squeeze, where he liked softer touches, how fast he wanted Gumball to go. The vampire's labored breath against Gumball's neck made the prince more confident. When Marshall let him do it on his own, he could still make his lover pant and shiver. Swallowing hard, Gumball slipped his fingers through Marshall's hair and tilted his head back to look into his eyes. Marshall licked his lips. Gumball saw the movement for a split second before it happened, but it was too late to do anything about it; Marshall grabbed the prince around the waist and threw him flat on his back on the mattress. Gumball's head was spinning. The vampire's rough kisses made him see stars but he loved it. He loved the sound of every kiss Marshall left on his body, every flick of his tongue and every scrape of his nails in Gumball's soft skin.
With an impatient grunt, Marshall jerked the prince's pants and underwear off and dropped them somewhere out of sight. The vampire was drunk on the taste of Gumball's skin and the sound of blood crashing through his veins in response to the things Marshall Lee did to him. He could smell the sugar of his flesh and the salty-sweet blood that he craved raging beneath his touch. He spread the prince's legs as his mouth travelled lower and lower… down the prince's thigh, teasing kisses making Gumball squirm in anticipation. He slipped his hands around the prince's thighs and pressed his lips to the soft flesh before looking up at the prince through half-lidded eyes.
"You're mine."
Gumball was transfixed, and Marshall didn't dare break eye contact; he wanted Gumball to watch the vampire for every moment. He looked right up into those innocent violet eyes even as his tongue licked right up the prince's shaft. The sound he made – somewhere lost between surprise and pleasure – might have made Marshall laugh in another situation. To know that he was the first to do this to him, the first to taste every sickeningly sweet drop, was enough of a thrill to smother his other thoughts. Right at that moment, nothing was as important to him as ripping away Gumball's innocence and showing the prince how good his body could feel. He took the head of the prince's cock between his lips, heard his sharp inhale, and fit as much of him as he could into Marshall's mouth. The sounds the prince made were wonderful. The too-sweet taste was an aphrodisiac. Marshall wondered vaguely how he'd resisted for so long. Gumball was shuddering, his hips jerking forward and fingers scraping Marshall's scalp to pull away strands of black hair. The vampire wasn't sure if he or the prince was enjoying this more.
With a hoarse cry, Gumball's back arched up and he pulled on Marshall's hair until the vampire was gagging on Gumball's cock and reached his peak. Shuddering and spent, Gumball went limp on the sweaty sheets, gasping for air as he seemed unsure of what exactly had happened. Marshall chuckled even as he coughed, amused by the state his little prince was in. Gumball turned redder than ever when he seemed to realize what he'd done.
"I'm sorry, I – I don't know what came over me," he insisted.
The vampire licked his lips to clean what little remained of Gumball's release. Seeing him do so made Gumball cover his face with his hands in pure embarrassment as he rolled to the side and groaned, "Dear gods, I'm so sorry, I just… That was…"
"Don't be stupid. That was good." Marshall trailed his lips up the side of Gumball's neck and said, "I liked it. And I think you did too."
Marshall managed to peel the prince's hands away from his face and Gumball finally murmured, "Like isn't a strong enough word." He closed his eyes for a moment and let out a sigh as if recalling the exact sensation. When they opened again, he looked up at Marshall, determined even though he was still recovering from the intense orgasm. "I want to make you feel like that, too."
The prince's eyes travelled down Marshall's body until they fell upon his neglected erection, and he swallowed with difficulty. He motioned to push Marshall down, but the vampire was stronger. A little too much air had been knocked from the prince's lungs when he hit the mattress again, and for a moment he could do nothing even as the pressure of Marshall's slender body disappeared. He heard the vampire rummaging around for something, and when he returned, Gumball's question was smothered with a deep kiss. The prince's arms wrapped around his lover, pulling Marshall closer and one hand slipped down the plane of his chest to ghost over his cock once more… But his hand was knocked away as Marshall spread the prince's legs and his own fingers worked their way down Gumball's body. Overstimulated as he was, Gumball whined against Marshall's lips at the vampire's touch, but it was soon obvious to him that Marshall was doing something… odd. Gumball tried to pull away to ask what the vampire was holding, what he was opening, and though he was sure Marshall wouldn't hurt him, he was suddenly nervous. And then he felt something cold and slick against the curve of his ass that made him jump and he realized with confusion that it was Marshall's fingers and they were wet and before he could make sense of the sensation holy croquembouche one of Marshall's fingers was inside of him. He squirmed in discomfort and turned his head away from Marshall, wanting to demand an explanation but unable to form the words. He was inexperienced in this particular practice and Gumball was reliant on Marshall to guide him… but he was confused as to how he'd felt so amazing at first and now in stark contrast was this. A second finger worked its way inside of him and Gumball's muscles tightened in response to the sting of pain.
"Calm down," Marshall muttered, his teeth grazing the skin of Gumball's neck. Seeing that he was still unsure and confused, Marshall reminded him, "You said you wanted to make me feel good, too, right?"
Gumball nodded. Marshall insisted, "Then relax."
Hesitant, Gumball tried to do as he was told. It was difficult with this strange sensation, but he pulled Marshall close and did his best to calm himself, knowing that he was in the vampire's capable hands… even if those hands were doing weird things that kind of hurt at the moment.
Marshall pulled away after what seemed like quite a while, kneeling between the prince's spread legs. Gumball watched as the vampire's eyes raked over his body and as a small bottle with a label the prince couldn't see spilled its contents in Marshall's palm. The liquid dripped from his fingers as Marshall stroked his cock and Gumball felt a dull throbbing sensation in his gut at the sight. Watching as Marshall stared so hungrily at Gumball's naked body while he touched himself was just… erotic. Gumball was feeling so hot all over his body that he could almost forget about how weird he'd just felt, and he wanted nothing more than to see Marshall lose control just as Gumball had himself.
His desire to see Marshall in such a state bolstered his confidence, and Gumball sat up and brought Marshall's lips to his own. The vampire leaned back until his body was supported by the pillows and headboard, with Gumball pushing him against them as the prince climbed into Marshall's lap once more.
They exchanged no words, nothing but a look and a silent nod from Gumball. The prince was his, Marshall had said so himself. He belonged to the vampire, and he would let Marshall do whatever he wanted to him. Gumball trusted him.
His faith didn't waver, not even for a moment, not even when Marshall pulled him close and lifted the prince's body up until he was perched over Marshall's cock. Not even when Marshall pushed him down, pushed into him, buried so deep inside that Gumball couldn't even bring himself to cry out. It took a few moments, but a choked sob burst from his throat and tears sprang to his eyes. Marshall let out a growl, but Gumball knew from the way he threw his head back and dug his nails into Gumball's thighs that he was not in pain.
When Gumball's whimpering finally reached Marshall, the vampire leaned up to kiss his forehead. "It hurts like shit the first time," he said, his warning far too late. "But it can feel good, too."
Gumball wondered how this could ever possibly feel pleasurable, but he was starting to get accustomed to the ache and the feeling of Marshall Lee filling him up. He took a deep breath and as he let it out, he looked at his lover. Marshall's tongue kept darting out from between his lips, and Gumball could see flashes of his fangs every now and then. The vampire was impatient and growing tired of waiting for Gumball, though the prince knew he wasn't going to say it, and Gumball admitted to himself that if nothing else he wanted to make the most of this situation. He wanted to please Marshall Lee, because the vampire had done it for him… and because the thought had come to him and made his mouth water: he wanted to see how Marshall Lee looked when he came.
"Okay," Gumball murmured.
Marshall Lee started slowly, less for Gumball's sake and more for his own build up. The slow roll of every thrust into the prince was better than he ever could have imagined, the perfect fit, better than anyone else. He savored the feeling of the prince's tight walls clenching around him and the curious glint in Gumball's eyes as the prince seemed to be evaluating his reactions with a scientist's mind. Marshall didn't really care if he was being studied. If he wanted anyone to know how to turn him on and what drove him wild, it was Gumball. So he showed him. He took the prince's hand in his own and showed him where to wrap it in his hair to pull it at the nape of his neck. He guided him to scrape his nails along his stomach, getting rougher as they reached his pelvis. A little pain to spice up the pleasure – that's all it was, and he loved it.
Seeing Marshall in such a light had sparked Gumball's full commitment. It had gotten to the point where the prince couldn't stand letting Marshall do all the work, even if he was instructing Gumball while he did it. Gumball was getting impatient himself and so he steeled his nerves and let his baser instincts take over. This time, before Marshall could slam into him once more, Gumball rose up – and pushed back down to meet the wave of his thrust. Marshall, though surprised, had let some delicious, amazing noise escape. And Gumball wanted to hear more. So he leaned up, only to push himself back down onto Marshall's cock again and again. He was panting with the effort before long, but the look that had come over the vampire was worth it. Marshall could hardly contain himself. His hands slipped around Gumball's waist, holding him as each thrust became even harsher than the last. And then something happened. Gumball had shifted a bit, finding a more comfortable position, and then with the next buck of the vampire's hips, Gumball gasped. He sagged forward, confused and thrilled by the intensity of the sensation.
"Do that again," Gumball sighed.
Marshall let out a chuckle as he slipped a finger beneath the prince's chin, tilting his head up to capture his lips in a kiss.
"Whatever you say, Your Highness."
Again, Marshall hit that spot so deep inside of him. Gumball's moan slipped out against his lover's lips as pleasure like nothing he'd ever imagined ripped through him. And then Marshall's hand found the prince's cock once more, already stiffening again, and Gumball couldn't stand it. His whole body was shaking and even though there was still pain, even that was feeling good. He met every erratic thrust again and again, his promise to please Marshall forgotten as he drown in his own pleasure. Nothing mattered but Marshall filling him up and Marshall's hands stroking his cock and Marshall's eyes watching as Gumball lost every coherent thought. He came again, much sooner than before, and found that Marshall looked far more feral than Gumball had ever seen him.
For Marshall, there was more than just the sight of Gumball crumbling in the wake of his orgasm, it was the sound and smell of his blood pounding and the feeling of his pulse coursing just beneath his skin. He'd nearly forgotten how it felt when mortals climaxed because of how their bodies reacted. Immortals and the undead didn't have that fantastic heart jumping in their chests or the smell of blood to intoxicate the vampire – but Gumball did. And it was fucking amazing. Marshall's brain fizzled out and his own release was coming, and so was the need to bite. It took all of his self-restraint, but he knew how to handle himself. When he was on the brink of his orgasm, he rocked his hips up into Gumball once more, and bit down on his own arm to satisfy his bloodlust. The ecstasy of his release, the pain of his own bite, and the coppery tang of blood mixed with remnants of Gumball's cum – Marshall's body gave out. It was the best fuck he'd had in a long time, if not the best one ever. He looked up at Gumball, still starry eyed and sitting on his cock and covered sweat and cum… No, this was definitely the best one ever.
"Gods, Marshall –" Gumball gasped, "Are you all right?"
Marshall realized that Gumball was definitely not expecting the vampire to bite himself, and it probably seemed bizarre to someone who had no idea how erotic biting was to a vampire. As the prince started to fuss over Marshall's wound, the vampire king flipped Gumball flat on his back and all but smothered the prince as Marshall forced him to snuggle into his chest.
"Better than ever," he said.
Gumball insisted, "You have to clean and bandage that, it will get infected! Marshall, I'm serious. Marshall Lee!"
"Shut up, jerkass," Marshall growled. "I'm trying to cuddle with you."
"I will not shut up – that's an open – bleeding – WOUND!" Gumball struggled against the vampire's hold until Marshall finally let him go. He held his arm up to the prince's face and frowned, "Look, you big baby, it's already closed up. I heal fast." Gumball was too surprised to form a retort in time, so Marshall held him close again and wrapped his arms around the prince. "So shut your face and stop worrying."
Gumball, disgruntled as he was, lapsed into silent, pouting silence. Marshall bit back a laugh, wondering if Gumball would slap him if the vampire called him cute. Just as he was considering doing so, Gumball looked up again, but this time he wasn't pouting. He looked a bit strange as he said, "That was… more than I ever imagined it could be." His cheeks turned noticeably pinker as he admitted, "And I'm… I'm glad we're going to get married… because I-I want to experience that with you again."
He looked up at Marshall Lee with eyes round and innocent and expectant… as if making sure Marshall hadn't forgotten.
Truthfully, he almost had. Not because the proposal was forgettable, but because Marshall did not want to remember anything prior to it. But thinking of it, of how he'd promised not to leave the prince and had now committed to something so asinine, he remembered that he'd woken up today expecting to break things off with Gumball. No matter how much he tried to run away from it, he was haunted by the Lady of Evil's shadow and the threat she posed to the only thing Marshall cared about more than himself. His face fell a little, and it was enough to worry Gumball. The prince propped himself up on his elbow as he murmured, "Marshall…?"
"Yeah," the vampire replied, distracted. "Yeah. Me too."
As unsatisfactory as this answer was, it seemed to appease the prince, who smiled and it was so beautiful and sincere that it hurt Marshall Lee to look at it. Gumball snuggled against the vampire's chest once more and let out a small contented sigh. At some point, the prince's breathing had slowed and Marshall was sure he was asleep. He idly stroked the prince's hair, wondering how long they really had left.
Gumball spoke up, his voice tired but clear. "I love you. More than anything."
Marshall didn't say anything. He didn't dare speak because his throat was constricted too much for that. He held the prince close as he drifted off to slip and pressed his lips against his soft pink hair.
Marshall Lee was looking up from the bottom of the pit. He could no longer see the light.