Marceline was in the library, listening to her music and making a half-assed attempt at studying when the chair opposite her pulled out, brushing against the carpet. She pulled an earbud out, expecting Bonnie, but her expression sunk into a cautious frown when it was Finn.

"Hey," Finn greeted her with a smile when he pulled out his notepad and pen, along with a math textbook. "You don't mind if I join you, right?"

"Uh… no," Marceline answered, trying to wipe the confused frown off her face, "that's cool."

"Cool." Finn grinned and flipped open his math textbook. After a few moments of staring at the page, he looked up at her with a frown. "Hey, you don't happen to be any good at math, do you?"

Marceline snorted. "Do I look like Bonnie to you?"

"Good point," Finn flushed slightly and looked down at his page with an uncharacteristic scowl, "I just don't get this stuff. When am I ever going to need trigonometry? Like I'm going to go to the store and the cashier is going to ask me to calculate the length of the hypotenuse before they let me check out."

Marceline was surprised when she actually laughed. "I don't know, man. Just something some dumbass on the school board decided we gotta learn."

Finn groaned at the exercises in his textbook, "I hate school. Except gym class. I like gym class."

"I like gym too," Marceline said. She especially liked it this year, because even though she'd never actually laugh at her legitimately, Bonnie was rather hilariously uncoordinated. They'd done some catching exercises, and Bonnie caught maybe one throw in ten. It didn't help that she took her glasses off in gym because she didn't want them to break, and she really was quite adorably blind. "Pass me your textbook. I'm bad at math, but I'm okay with trigonometry."

He pushed it across the table and moved from the chair opposite her to the chair next to her. She looked through the exercises and pretended like she knew what she was talking about when she attempted to walk him through it. She'd get Bonnie to check it over so she didn't fuck up the kid's grades.

"I think that's right," Marceline said after a long-winded explanation through the final question, with a lot of 'maybes' and 'I don't knows' thrown in there. "But you should probably ask Bonnie to look at it later, because like I said, I'm bad at math. The humanities subjects are my jam."

She leaned back on her chair, stretching, and checked the time. It was nearly lunch, which meant Bonnie would be arriving in the library after class. Now that it was a little colder, she and her friends sat in the cafeteria, which according to Bonnie was 'like a zoo'. Because of that, Bonnie preferred to relax in the library with a book once she'd finished eating. When Marceline wasn't with her friends, she joined her.

"Thanks for your help, Marceline," Finn said, closing his notebook and the textbook and putting them both into his bag. "You're a good friend. So, are things going well with Bonnie?"

Marceline hummed in a kind of weird confirmation. She was still a little bit stunned he'd called her a friend. Things with Bonnie were going well, though. Two months and counting since Marceline had asked her to be her girlfriend, and she'd never been happier. She knew that part of how she felt so happy recently was being out of her dad's house, but still. That was thanks to Bonnie's quick thinking.

"Yeah," Marceline answered simply, drawing little spirals on her paper with her pen. She knew she had that stupid, crush-obsessed smile on her face when she murmured, "yeah, she's… she's basically perfect, so."

Finn laughed. "Bet you didn't expect that when you two were always glaring at each other all the time."

"Definitely not," Marceline said, laughing to herself quietly about how much she used to try to get under Bonnie's skin. Then a little thought hit her, and she wondered did I have a thing for her longer than I thought? Trying to get under her skin for attention? She decided to ponder that later. "I don't know, she's just… not what I expected, I guess."

"Well, to be honest," Finn said, "you're not what I expected, so… you guys have that in common."

Marceline raised her eyebrows, "Do I want to know what you expected?"

"Maybe not," Finn chuckled nervously, twirling his pen between his fingers, "but I think you're cool now, so… that's what counts."

He smiled earnestly, and she felt the corners of her own mouth tug up into a smile against her will. "Eh, I guess you're kinda cool too."

"Bonding, are we?" Bonnie asked as she plopped down into the seat on Marceline's left. Marceline met a pair of gentle blue eyes, and the way Bonnie smiled at her made her heart clench. "Hey. Good free period?"

Bonnie's hand gently squeezed her knee under the table, and Marceline let out a rather strangled, "Yeah."

"Bonnie, can you check my math homework?" Finn got his notebook out and passed it over, as Marceline tried to concentrate with the soft touch of the hand resting on her thigh. "Marceline helped me with it, and she said I should get you to check it."

"Of course," Bonnie's hand moved from her thigh to take the notebook, and she grabbed that pink gel pen she always used when correcting work. It was cute to see her in tutor mode – whenever she tried to help Marceline with her science work, it was really hard not to push the work away and kiss her. She hummed a little tune to herself as she checked it over, and Marceline was pleased when she was mostly on key. She still refused to sing around her, and Marceline found her shyness endearing.

"Everything's right," Bonnie concluded as she finished checking it, passing it back to Finn and nudging Marceline rather playfully, "she likes to act like she's not smart, but she's almost as clever as I am."

"Note the almost," Marceline replied, even though she knew it was true. "Thanks, though, Bon-Bon."

Bonnibel kissed her cheek, before leaning over to her other side to root around in her bag for her book. "Just speaking facts."

"Alright, I'm going to go eat," Finn said, standing up and tugging his big green backpack on, "see you guys later. Thanks for the help with my homework, Marceline."

He sped out of the library like ball of energy he was, and Bonnie sent Marceline a passing smirk over her book; some big university textbook about quantum physics. "Helping people with homework now, hm? Am I rubbing off on you?"

"Sarcastic teasing?" Marceline retorted. "Am I rubbing off on you?"

Bonnie laughed, and when she looked at Marceline again, her gaze softened. "Maybe we've just got more in common than we know. Seriously though, it was sweet of you to help him."

"Yeah, yeah, don't make it a big deal," Marceline rolled her eyes, "he asked, and it's not like I had anything better to do."

Bonnie glanced down at Marceline's notebook, where she'd drawn a demon man in a crisp business suit. "Evidently. Who's that supposed to be, then?"

Marceline grabbed her pen again and finished colouring in demon-man's suit jacket. "Take a wild guess," she answered dryly.

"A certain science teacher who happens to share your last name?" Bonnie questioned, and when Marceline hummed in confirmation, she hummed. "Yeah, you've really captured him well. Even your drawing looks like a hateful git."

Marceline snorted. "Git?"

"A common British swear for a rather loathsome person," Bonnie defined. "I think there's a picture of him underneath it in the official dictionary."

It was probably inappropriate of her to think it, but it was hot when Bonnie got protective. She shook that thought from her head and merely shrugged. "Yeah, probably."

"Anyway, in another, less serious topic," Bonnie prefaced, "it seems that Elle has managed to keep her mouth shut about my sexuality and the fact that I have a very beautiful girlfriend. I'm surprised, and a little bit impressed. She does, however, keep asking me for details about our relationship, because apparently 'gossiping amongst ourselves' is still allowed."

Marceline snorted. "And what horrible things have you told her?"

"Nothing," Bonnie smiled innocently, "just that you're a rather phenomenal kisser."

Marceline felt the blush rising to her cheeks and she glanced down at her notebook embarrassedly. "Oh my god."

"You know it's true," Bonnie laughed, and even though she did, she was still embarrassed, "I could tell her that you're the little spoon, if you like. You'd never live that down."

"Yeah, so, this relationship isn't working," Marceline said, "it's not me, it's you."

"Harsh, Marcy," Bonnie chuckled lightly, and put her hand out palm up. One glance into those pretty blue eyes, and Marceline put hers on top, linking their fingers together. "Knew you couldn't resist me really. And don't worry, you being my little cuddle bug will remain strictly between us."

Marceline blushed, but she didn't dispute it. How could she, when she curled up next to Bonnie at every opportunity? She'd always been a little bit of a softie at heart, but it was like Bonnie brought that out of her even more. Like she just became some big pile of mush at with one flash of her blue eyes. God, that was embarrassing.

All she managed to mumble out in response was, "It better."

Bonnibel worked silently, making sure to keep a close eye on the number of occupants in the room.

She'd had no choice but to come to Hunson Abadeer's after school sessions when it came to the work she wanted to do. Bonnie didn't have the equipment at home for the experiment she was conducting, but she only entered his classroom after glancing through the window to make sure there were other students there. Though she knew that he wouldn't and couldn't do anything to her, Bonnie didn't particularly want to be alone with him.

It was okay, mostly. He cast the occasional glance over at her, but he did that with everybody else, making sure that they were getting on with their work and not messing around with corrosive chemicals. Bonnie focused on her work, not on him and the wave of immense dislike she always felt when she looked at him. God, she couldn't believe there had been a period of time where she'd liked him more than Marceline.

As the number of fellow students dwindled, however, Bonnie quietly began clearing up her things, making sure that the Bunsen burner and the chemicals were back where they needed to be.

She was putting her things away in her bag and watching as the only other student in the room stood up to leave when Hunson spoke from his desk, his voice as calm and emotionless as ever. "Miss Butler. A word, please?"

The classroom door swung shut behind the other student. In her surprise, she'd dropped her notebook, and quickly scrambled to pick it up, before straightening herself out and saying, "No, my uncle is waiting for me, I don't want to make him late."

"I know that you know," Hunson said, and the look he gave her froze her to the spot. Marceline had described the feeling before, saying she felt almost naked under his gaze. Like he could see through her, down to her innermost thoughts. "I do not know if Marceline told you, or if you worked it out for yourself, though somehow she managed to convince you not to tell. I am aware that puts you and I in a stalemate of sorts, though I feel you do not know the full context or understand why I have to do the things I do. I am sure that Marceline, if she told you, will have given a rather biased account of things. Please take a seat."

"I'll stand, thank you," Bonnie replied curtly, and made sure to stand right by the door. Her phone was gripped in her hand, and she stared the man down, watching as he pulled on his suit jacket. The black material contrasted heavily with his ghostly pale skin. Bonnie wondered if he'd ever seen the sunlight. She thought back to Marceline's demon drawing. Yes, that described Hunson Abadeer to a tee. Bonnie considered him the ruler of whatever hellscape he came from.

Hunson cleared his throat. "I realise that you obviously have some bias towards my daughter. I do not know what she has told you of her mother, if she has mentioned her at all. Elise was the one who initially encouraged Marceline's little… interest in music. It cost her her life."

"No. A drunk driver cost her her life." Bonnie stated, folding her arms across her chest. He was trying to sway her, manipulate her, and she knew it. "Not her daughter being at her piano lesson."

He ignored her. "Marceline does not value the life she has been given. She has no sense of realism and has deluded herself into thinking that she will be the next Gwen Stefani or whatever it is kids listen to nowadays. I put the two of you together in my class last year for a reason. You are, quite frankly, a remarkable young woman. You have fantastic grades, high intelligence, a positive attitude for learning, and realistic goals. You are everything that I want my daughter to be. I thought that putting you together would be a good thing, give her someone of her own age to emulate and look up to, someone she knew I liked."

"Everybody is different. Everyone has different interests, different goals. We don't have to figure it out or try to change them. We just have to respect it." Bonnie kept her voice level, her tone cool. "I like science and mathematics; those subjects are a natural inclination of mine. Marceline likes music and art. She's incredibly gifted at it. That's what comes naturally to her. Spending time with someone who likes different things to her isn't going to make her suddenly decide that she wants to be an astrophysicist."

Hunson continued like she hadn't spoken at all, his icy blue eyes bearing into her intimidatingly. That look might work when he was trying to scare his daughter, but Bonnie wouldn't back down so easily. "I believed that a positive role model of her own age, a hardworking girl with good values, would make Marceline see that music is merely a silly hobby. You did not do as I hoped. Instead, you simply encouraged her. Talked back to me in my home about how her little 'passion' was inspiring. I suspected then that you knew of the… strain in my relationship with my daughter. I assure you; I have only done what is necessary. I love my daughter, and I only punish her when she breaks the rules or entertains these silly delusions of hers. I want what's best for her. I do not want her to become some unemployed layabout because she thought she could make a career out of playing her guitar, but she makes it so difficult. My Elise lost her life to silly creative delusions. I will not allow my daughter to do the same."

"What's best for her?" Bonnie repeated in incredulity. He truly thought that beating his daughter was what was best for her, she realised. He genuinely believed that he wasn't doing anything wrong. It was absolutely bewildering. "There is absolutely no reason on this earth that a parent should hurt their child. Whatever stupid excuse you try to find, it's bullshit. You broke her rib because she forgot to do the laundry. That's not normal. You don't love her. If you loved her, you wouldn't hurt her. If you loved her, you wouldn't force your ideas of what's 'best' onto her. If you loved her, you would support her passion for music."

Hunson ignored her again, for the most part. She could see the anger burning in his eyes, but his face betrayed no emotion besides the clench of his jaw. "Marceline has always been a little bit of a problem child, and believe me, she's not as innocent as she'd like you to think. You weren't here to see it, but my daughter has a reputation for a reason. She punched a boy-"

"Her horrible ex, Ash, who I saw try to bully and manipulate her into doing things on a number of occasions. Marceline told me about him, told me he'd said something inappropriate about her mum, and that punching him made her realise the road she was going down. The road that could make her end up like you." Bonnie interrupted him. No matter how much she tried to maintain her composure, she couldn't. It had made her furious that he'd even attempted to turn her against Marceline. "Don't you dare even try to turn me against her. It won't work. I know you're her father, but I think I know her far better than you do. Or you ever will. And if you so much as look at her the wrong way again, I won't hesitate to tell the authorities what I know, with photographic proof of that broken rib. You will never hurt her again. I won't let it happen."

His face didn't change. Hunson still wore the same impassive, emotionless expression. But his grip tightened on the handle of his briefcase. She'd gotten to him, and she knew it.

"She would never forgive you, if you told. Marceline does not want Marshall to know anything, and she has made that quite obvious. She understands that our… arrangement protects her brother from the truth, and has lied to him on many occasions for a reason." Hunson stated. "Marceline would never forgive you, if you ruined her brother's comfortable home life and had them both taken away from home, separated from friends."

"She'd be safe." Bonnie answered simply. "Forgive me or not, she would be safe. That's what matters. You underestimate how much I care about her, and I meant what I said before. You'll never get your hands on her again. I guarantee it."

A breath escaped Hunson's nose. His cold blue eyes bore into her, and Bonnie had never seen a more hateful gaze. She supposed she was no longer his favourite student. She couldn't care less.

Finally, he broke the heavy silence between them.

"Marceline mentioned that you have a lot of ambition. Dreams of getting into top colleges to study medicine." Hunson said quietly, calculatingly. Bonnie frowned, but didn't deign to give him a response. "Chemistry and Biology are two core subjects that you will need top grades in, and it is likely that the best schools will want a stellar letter of recommendation from your teacher in those subjects. Myself."

She realised where he was going with that just as he said it. "I cannot alter your grades, as we have external moderators. I can write a negative letter, however. Something that would likely hinder your chances of getting into the best schools, coming from a person with authority."

He was threatening her. It wasn't even subtle. Bonnie was gobsmacked, but at the same time, she wasn't surprised that an abusive twat like him would stoop so low. School and academia had always been Bonnie's life. She'd worked her entire life and given up so much to get the best grades so she could go to the best schools. Hunson was threatening to take everything she'd worked so hard for away from her if she didn't agree to whatever sick terms he had.

Bonnie thought of Marceline and found that she didn't care. "Do your worst. I'm sure when the teacher that wrote the nasty letter is found to have abuse allegations made against him, the schools won't care all that much. You don't frighten me, and I meant what I said. I promise you, you'll never harm so much as a hair on Marceline's head again. Goodbye."

She slammed the classroom door behind her in Marceline's honour.