Saturday, November 24th
Finals week was finally coming upon the college campus. The freshman that hadn't gone through the process were freaking out about figuring out how to ace their tests.
By now all of the upperclassmen had figured out their studying styles and methods of remembering the information without it leaving right after the test was taken. For instance, it only took 3 nights of quiet studying for Marceline to absorb all the information she needed to remember for each of her classes.
She had one final on the Friday of the next week, giving her plenty of time to study. Usually, she would relax in her dorm, but after some studying and finishing her last exam the week before, a reward needed to be given. She told herself it was to lift her spirits and keep going. In all honesty, she hadn't gone to a party in quite a while. Or at least one where she didn't have to worry about babysitting Keila when she wanted to drink.
She would go to the party alone, that's what she had decided. Bonnie wasn't in the mood to party, she was more studious and decided to dedicate her time to whatever class she had decided to focus on, not that Marceline could blame her. Bonnie usually hated it when Marceline went out on her own. After some convincing, Bonnie felt as if she didn't need to worry about the musician. After all, she was an Abadeer.
The wind blew against the young musician's face, making her squint to avoid her eyes from drying out. The wind was noisy enough for you to hear it blow against the buildings and even hear small crackling sounds from the windows as the wind picked up little debris.
That's when her phone wrung in her pocket, intensely vibrating her outer thigh as it begged her to answer.
It was Keila. Answering meant her night would be ruined yet again by a drunken Keila. The last few times she had to leave or ended up leaving her for her childish antics. The only plus side was that she could make sure she was safe.
"Yo," She answered. "Need something?"
"I just wanted to see if you wanted to go for some coffee?"
Marceline looked at the time. It was 9, most coffee places were closed and the ones that were open would be closing soon. The time would be spent rushed.
"I think it's a little too late for that, Kei."
"I'm aware. We can get some coffee at McDonald's or something and then drive around. Go to the park. Just whatever." The idea sounded nicer than going to a party for a drink, idling chatting with people she didn't know. Why did she think she wanted that?
"Sure man, where are you?"
"At McDonald's."
"By yourself?"
"No, Guy was here earlier but had to pick up Bongo from some girl's house. I guess he got uncomfortable about where their nightly activities were headed."
Bongo was a sweetheart. He always went out of his way to be a gentleman. Always took girls out on well thought out dates, but they expect too much sometimes. That's what ends most of his relationships. He has one strict moral value stuck in his mind, that he wanted to wait until he was married to have consensual sex. He was never religious. The only religious figure in his family was his grandmother.
Marceline thought he had this stuck in his head because a girl once accused him of rape in his high school years. He had sex before but stopped after that. Who could blame him?
"I'll meet you up there in a few."
"Bye, Marce."
Sunday, November 25th
Marceline was usually asleep by 1 am on weekends, 12 on weekdays. Currently, she was walking down the side of the road with her car a half-mile behind her. She was usually really good about maintaining the car, giving it regular oil changes and having it checked for any errors, but somehow she completely forgot to refill her tank.
Bonnie was asleep and regardless of how many times she called, it came without an answer.
Keila ended up going to the party the night before, getting drunk off her ass. Guy was the one stuck babysitting this time, and neither Rain or any of her other friends would answer.
Gas can in hand, she strolled down the empty street, staying in as much light as humanly possible. For obvious reasons, it was dangerous walking around at this time of night...alone...and a woman.
Marceline usually had a terrifying facade that she put on to have people avoid her. It didn't always work, hence her relationship with Bonnibel.
A car stopped a few feet from the sidewalk, a large white truck lifted a reasonable amount with larger than stock tires. The passenger window rolled down.
"No," Marceline continued to walk, ignoring the truck that beckoned for her. "I don't need help."
"You're Bonnibel's girlfriend aren't you?" Marceline turned around to scold the driver.
She recognized that stupid innocent babyface. "Are you Braco?"
"Yeah, are you sure you don't want any help?" He was genuine in his attempt to aid her, but she was more stubborn than a mule.
"I'm fine. I have working legs."
"But-"
"I told you I don't need help."
Braco followed her in his truck as she began to continue her journey. "There's not another gas station for another mile, it'll take you thirty minutes to get there."
"That's fine. It's not unbearable."
"If you insist."
"I do."
"Listen, I just don't want anything happening to you-"
"What are you, my dad? Fuck off." Braco stopped the car abruptly, parking it in an empty parallel spot, getting out and jogging over toward her. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"
"You can't go alone."
"And why is that?"
"Uh...well..." He fidgeted with his shirt. "It's dangerous to be alone at night. I'm not going to say you need a man to escort you-because, by all means, I am no man-but this at least lowers the risk of you being harmed."
"I guess? Don't expect me to thank you."
Braco was smarter than he acted. He knew people, not facts. Book smart, but not street smart. To him, people were interesting beings with complex brains and souls that all deserved kindness and mercy regardless of circumstances. Marceline was no doubt putting up walls. It had been quite obvious.
"I'm a little surprised Bonnie found interest in you. Ah, I mean, not meaning to be an insult-you're a little rough around the edges and she...not so much."
"Did Bonnie tell you we're dating?"
"No-"
"Then why would you assume that?"
"Because of how she talks about you." He stated simply.
She couldn't lie, what he said piqued her interest. "How does she talk about me?" Braco smirked, he was getting some of her trust at least.
"With a smile. Every time." He bit the inside of his cheek in thought. "At first I thought it was just how she talked about people. I've seen the way you two act around campus. You don't make it much of a secret. Was it supposed to be? If you were, you've been doing a terrible job."
Marceline couldn't tell if she should be offended or if she should shrug off his brash comment. Marceline decided to shrug it off. "It's not like it's a secret. We're not dating though."
"May I ask why?"
"No."
Braco liked to know information, only to help people out and give advice or even listen. Marceline wouldn't let down her walls. Not tonight at least.
"It's okay. I know you two will be together a long time." He smiled. Marceline wasn't sure how to take the comment either. It didn't seem as if he was being sarcastic. Maybe he meant it. Or maybe he said it to cover up his own feelings. Maybe she wasn't the only one to jump to conclusions.
"Do you like her?"
He didn't say anything for a moment. Now he was finally deciding to think through what he should say to her.
"She's a sweet person, but I think she belongs to you-"
"She's not property." Marceline snapped, taking Braco by surprise.
"I know that. I was just trying to say..." Marceline continued to scold him, showing clearly that she wanted him to go back to his truck and forget this conversation even happened. "I do like her, but she's with you. I would never intrude."
"Please leave."
"I can't do that."
Abruptly, Marceline shoved him against the brick wall of a nearby building. "I don't need your fucking help. You need to leave before I do something I'll regret." That was her only warning.
The musician had a rougher side to her. She didn't like always having to wear it, but she was willing to put on that mask to repel unwanted attention. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't, and sometimes she had to get physical. There were a few instances where she fought or felt obligated to. Unfortunately, this was one of those times.
He was not here to harm her, just to escort her as if she was a fragile woman, incapable of taking care of herself. It was an action of a gentleman, then again, Marceline never asked for him help and even declined his offer multiple times. She could technically call the cops on his ass.
"Why don't you go to your car? I can get the gas for you."
Marceline gripped his shirt tighter, shoving him against the wall again for emphasis. "Do you not take no for an answer? I said leave me the hell alone, fuckwad."
"I didn't mean to upset you, Marceline. I just want to help." He said as she roughly let go of him.
Marceline sighed, running a hand through her long ebony locks. "God, what the hell is wrong with you? Can you just...Fuck, just get me the damn gas so I can go home." She let the silence drag out.
Braco gave a warm smile. "I'll take that as a thank you."
"Whatever."
As they headed back to his car, he drove them both to the gas station, retrieving the goods. The trip was silent and thankfully quick. As she stepped down from his truck, filling her tank with the small bit in her can, she thanked him. Or at least gave the most genuine one she could spit out, before he sped off into the darkness.
She would undoubtedly hear a word or two from Bonnie within the next few days of this.
"My bad."
"Don't 'my bad' me, Marceline." As Marceline had expected, Braco had told Bonnie of the incident. It wasn't a horrible circumstance. After all, Marceline hadn't actually hurt him. And she thanked him. Kind of.
"He wouldn't leave me alone." It was an awful excuse, but it was Marceline's. Though it was true, it wouldn't be enough, at least not to Bonnie.
"So that's your justification?"
"Bon, I'm an antisocial asshole who doesn't take shit from her girlfr-love interest's stalker," Bonnie let the slip-up slide as she wasn't done getting her point across to her. "What did you expect? That with you being in my life I would magically change in the course of 4 months?"
It had just occurred to her, that she was getting on to Marceline as if she was a child. Marceline was a year older than her. Marceline just turning 21 and Bonnibel not turning 21 until the next year. Yet here she was talking down her. "No, not really."
"Then don't expect me to act as if I will."
They were in their dorm room, sitting on the bottom bunk-reluctantly Bonnie's bed. She laid her head on Marceline's shoulder, inhaling her crushes intoxicating scent.
"I just didn't think you would act that way toward him." Bonnie sighed, cuddling into her shoulder deeper, forcing Marceline to wrap an arm around her.
"He needed to be threatened," Marceline stated it so simply, as if there was no way around it. It was so convincing that Bonnie almost believed she was right.
"Why can't you just be a little nicer? He's my friend-"
"hat you've liked at some point. It felt like an unspoken rivalry. And yes, I know you chose me or whatever, but that doesn't stop my anxieties when you spend so much time with him. Required or not. And after that interaction, it just makes me on edge when he's so outright about his feelings for you."
A look of worry filled her features, their eyes meeting. "He told you?"
"Yes, actually."
"Listen, I don't have feelings-"
"You just think he's cute. I know, Bon. I know."
It came so natural, their kisses becoming a part of their everyday routine. As Bonnie laid a gentle kiss against Marceline's lips, her mind blanked and rushed at the same time. "I..." Bonnie trailed off, searching for the right words. It had never been this hard before. Marceline blurred her every thought and action, not that it was such a bad thing. A change was needed from her constant thought process. Marceline just happened to be that change. "I like you a lot, okay?"
The insecurities Marceline held were getting in the way of her progress with their relationship.
"Do you like him?"
"No."
As soon as the words escaped her mouth, lips clashed against her own, rougher than the normal amount she was used to. Not that it was a bad thing...Because, God it made her melt.
Over the course of the last several weeks, Bonnie had realized she didn't care what the relationship was called or what it consisted of. As long as she had Marceline, introverted asshole and all, she would be content with everything it was. It wasn't a stereotypical relationship in the slightest, she didn't brag to her friends or talk to her parents about who she was and all of the great things she's done.
It was simple, and that's how she liked it.
The same words floated around endlessly through her thoughts as Marceline kissed down her neck. The coldness of her lips against Bonnie's warm skin sent more than cold chills down her body. Now Bonnie could think only one thing. I can't live without you.
Review Time!
IAmTheTrashPanda: All of my packing is completed, thank God. But it took a while to unload everything, most of my time has been spent organizing my room. Super fun.
D3nsei: I've always loved the concept of liking each other but never putting titles, it puts tension in the relationship sometimes. Good for story writing and such. These guys are my otp. My next biggest ship is me and money.
