Chapter 25: cry me a river

It was the middle of July. The previous time Marshall saw her was the end of June, and before that the middle of June. The first time he talked with her was in November. He could barely remember the terrible joke he told her that upset her so much. The next time he spoke with her was in May. That was also the first night he spent with her. The memories of meeting her, and getting to know her stirred in Marshall's stomach while his brain was still eating through the heavy stuff. The fact that she couldn't be with him for some mysterious reason, yet she still came to spend the night with him. The fact that she was clinging tightly to his body as he thought. But most of all what she had mumbled in her sleep a couple hours ago.

She loves someone, and Marshall has a feeling it wasn't him. His brain kept looping back to that no matter how hard he tried to distract himself. Had there been someone else that she didn't tell him about? Was she talking about that one ex that completely ruined her? Maybe she was dreaming about her pets or something. He couldn't recall of she ever talked about her pets. Cake might've mentioned something about cats. Marshall likes cats. He would hope she did have cats, but it didn't really matter anyways. She doesn't like him.

Marshall sighed and closed his eyes for a moment as the sun leaked through his blinds. The girl curled up next to him started to shift and grunt when the blankets were caught on her ankles. He kept his eyes shut as he waited for her to wake up. She yawned and squeezed him in her arms, forcing a smile to tug at his lips. A few moments passed when she opened her eyes to red and purple skin. It took her a moment to realize that was her work and running her finger over the hickeys on Marshall's collar bone. She sighed and sat up, running her fingers through her messy hair and looking down at Marshall as he rested his eyes.

"Shit," she grumbled to herself. The blond examined the room and located her jeans and shirt at the foot of the bed. Her bra was underneath the covers, but her underwear was near the door. He must've tossed them when he…when he did whatever he did. She couldn't quite remember what happened. She quickly snapped on her bra and crawled to the edge of the bed. While she gathered her stuff Marshall sat up and watched her. He was disappointed yet not at the same time. He was expecting this.

"Leaving?" He asked. Fionna squeaked and fell off the end of his bed. She peeked up at him and quickly pulled up her panties.

"Uh…um…" she couldn't think about what to say or how to say it. Marshall raised and eyebrow, showing his impatience as she was silent.

"Make sure to close the door behind you," he muttered bitterly as he climbed out of his bed.

"Marshall…" she watched as he left her in his bedroom and entered his bathroom. It was strange that his bathroom was only connected to his bedroom, but it's probably just how the floor plans worked. He left the door open a hair which made Fionna linger. She knew it would be best if she left, but she also couldn't help but feel the need to talk to him. She had been avoiding him for so long…she didn't know how to fix this.

Fionna sighed and dropped her jeans and teeshirt before approaching his bathroom door. She heard him turn on his sink and peeked inside. He was finishing up brushing his teeth at the sink and looking through his cabinet for what she assumed a razor. She faintly remembered feeling a hint of a stubble against her lips last night. The blond took a deep breath before gently pushing the door open. Marshall rinsed out his mouth and spotted her in the mirror, purposely looking down and away from her and shutting off the sink.

"Did you forget something?" He asked. She kept her hand on the knob, too scared to speak. He waited for her response and clicked on his razor. It was obvious he didn't want to waste anymore time on her.

"I…Marshall…" she didn't knew what she was trying to say, all she knew was that she should be saying something. He clenched his teeth at the sound of his name. The sound of her voice saying his name when she wasn't drunk.

"If you don't want to stay then go, I figured you would've left before I woke up anyways," he told her and ran the razor over his cheeks. She was silent again, but felt worse the longer she stayed.

"No promises, remember?" he muttered. Fionna shook her head. She had no idea what he was referring to. His eyes caught her confusion in the mirror, and then sighed.

"Last night. Do you remember anything?" He asked sharply. Again, she shook her head.

"What…exactly did we do?" Her voice was timid and soft, and made him feel guilty for being so harsh this morning. He clicked off his razor once he had gotten the last hair and turned to face her.

"What do you think?" He snarked and crossed his arms. She blushed and looked down at her feet. It was different not looking at him through the mirror. It was more confrontational.

"I get that we…did stuff, but…what did I do?" She murmured.

"What exactly do you remember?"

"Getting drunk in my apartment…and then being with you," she recalled. Marshall hesitated and pushed his hair back out of his face.

"I…I only slept with you because you said you'd stay the night. But when I asked about you not sneaking out you told me no promises," he informed her. Her eyes snapped up to his. She instantly felt terrible for incentivizing him in to that.

"What else did I say?"

"You talked shit about yourself, and just wanted to fuck the entire time you arrived…" he trailed off and but his lip.

"Fuck, I hate myself when I'm drunk," she groaned and rubbed her eyes. Marshall watched as she then rubbed her shoulder in attempts to comfort herself.

"You…also said something else," he spoke. Her frown deepened.

"You were dirty taking and said something about me being desperate. You said something about me not having sex in a couple days. I remember you were surprised when I told you the last time I had sex was when you stopped by about two weeks ago," he told her. Everything about her screamed guilt. Marshall swallowed hard.

"Have you…been sleeping with other people?" He asked. He was aware he had no right. She wasn't his girlfriend, and they weren't even technically together anymore. But he was too goddamn curious. Fionna was quiet for too long. He let his head down; she didn't have to say anything.

"I get it…" he muttered.

"Marshall-"

"Just…stop, Fionna," he raised his voice. "I get that you're over me, and that I was delusional to think I still had a chance."

"Marshall, please, it wasn't like that-"

"Then what was it like!" He snapped.

"I didn't sleep with them!" She shouted back.

"Then what the fuck did you do?"

"I just…God, Marshall! I couldn't stop thinking about you!" She growled. Marshall's glare softened. He was silent as she tried to collect herself.

"I was tired, okay? I was tired of sitting in my apartment thinking about the hundreds of girls you must've been drowning in. I was…j-jealous…and I just needed to get out. I went to Marty's and picked up the first person I talked to," she confessed. Marshall took a moment to let this new knowledge sink in to his brain.

"Who was it?" He asked. She shook her head and sighed.

"I dunno, I didn't ask their name and I couldn't specify their gender, but it didn't matter because I didn't go far with them," she replied. Marshall was silent again as she waited for him to talk. When he didn't she crossed her arms.

"Look, I'm sorry. All we did was make out and touch a little. We didn't have sex, I promise-"

"Why should it matter? You're not my girlfriend," he interrupted.

"Marshall-"

"No, it's fine. We're not dating. I probably just make you feel guilty all of the time anyways-"

"Marshall, don't-"

"How about you don't, Fionna!" He shouted. "You came to my apartment shit-faced and didn't even bother to spend the night, and then you pull the same shit again and try to sneak out? Are you kidding me? I don't know what to think about you anymore! I can't tell if you have feelings for me, or if you just wanna fuck me again! I swear, if you're over me then just fucking leave! I'm done with you toying with me and using me to your advantage! I'm not you're fuck buddy!"

"I'm sorry! I shouldn't have-"

"You're damn right you shouldn't have! I've been trying my hardest to get over you, but I can't Fionna! All my life I've been able to forget people in an instant, but for some goddamn reason I can't get you out of me head! And the worst part is you seem to be doing fucking fine! Every time Cake tells me about you she tells me how happy you are and how focused on your business you are while I'm here suffering! I don't…I don't even know why…" Marshall glared at her, but she no longer looked guilty. Instead she was shocked.

"Marshall…"

"You know what? I probably know why…last night you were talking in your sleep and said something about loving someone."

"Marshall, you're crying-"

"Who is it? I swear to god if it's that asshole who left you for no good reason, I'll go insane," he growled. Fionna stepped closer to him and reached up to wipe the tears sliding down his face.

"Marsh-"

"Just tell me who it is! Tell me so I can just get over you-"

"Marshall! Calm down," she begged and wrapped her arms around him. He instantly embraced her and buried his face in to her neck, trying to control the god forsaken tears that ran down his cheeks.

"Why'd you leave? I just want to make you happy, even if it hurts me." He whispered and ran his fingers through her hair. She squeezed his body affectionately and drew simple patterns on his back.

"…because I love you, Marshall."