Putting out the flames- fin
As Marshall Lee wandered the neighborhood, under his umbrella, he was mildly surprised by its changes. More trees bloomed, more creatures wandered. Creatures that had become unaccustomed to the vampire kings presence and where now literally shaking or looking away, trying not to attract attention. He cracked a smile as he continued to float past them.
Marshall Lee had returned from PG's castle last night late. The two boys had spent most of the night trying to make his plan a reality. Nothing more. Prince Gumball would hear nothing more. He really was mad at Marshall Lee. Marshall Lee slowly made his way to Fionna and Cake's tree fort. To his surprise, there was the Flame Prince next to Fionna, who was undamaged and well. As soon as Flame Prince same him, he sat up knees drawn to his chest and facing down in shame. Fionna saw both reactions and stood. "Cake said she lost a bet and has to clean your house."
"Yeah." Marshall Lee said, not taking his eyes of the prince.
"And since it's so 'filthy' she literally begged me to help her." Fionna continued
"Are you?" Marshall Lee asked looking back at Fionna
"Well yeah." She looked back to Flame Prince "I was thinking that maybe-"
"Have you hung out with Gumball lately?" Marshall cut her off
"Huh? No. Not really why?" She asked confused
"Why haven't you?" Marshall Lee asked
"I've been… with…" She looked back to her boyfriend
"So… just because you have a boyfriend, you don't hang out with your old friends anymore, and you ignore your sister's concern."
"It's not like that." Fionna quickly defended
"Oh no?" Marshall asked sarcastically
"Its not." Fionna said sternly
"Fionna…. I'm gonna go." Flame prince spoke up
"What?" Fionna asked disappointed
"I… I have to." Fionna then realized his rise in temperature. He was leaving to avoid burning her again.
Fionna smiled and nodded. The prince became a flame and left. "See what you did?" Fionna asked angrily
"Oh, you're blaming me?" Marshall asked a little angry as well.
"Marshall Lee, I thought you'd understand." Fionna said looking away
"Understand what?" He switched his umbrella to his other hand
"That sometimes love requires a little pain." She sat on the grass and stared at the path of fire, FP left along.
"Fionna, you don't have to tell me that. I know. I know love is confusing and strange and it causes you to do stupid things. That sometimes you can't just think about yourself." Marshall Lee looked down
"Are we still talking about Flame Prince and me?" Fionna asked curiously
"Sort of." Marshall Lee smiled "Look, all I'm trying to say is that this isn't okay." Fionna sighed. She opened her mouth to protest but he cut her off "I'm not saying to break up with him. I'm not telling you, you don't love him. I'm not denying what you feel is strong. If you stand the pain of the burns, you must really love him. What I'm saying is no one likes to see you hurt. None of your friends. And you have to realize they love you too. We all want some Fi time." He chuckled
"What are you getting at Marshall?" She asked thinking
"Just be careful. A burn in the wrong place… and not even Cyclops tears… or Prince Gumball will be able to save you." Marshall stated, "Now, please, go clean my house." He grinned. Fionna rolled her eyes and walked into the house. Marshall Lee looked the direction of the candy Kingdome. And began to float there.
X
"Yes!" Gumball exclaimed happily as his test had worked. Marshall Lee stood by the lab door, smiling, watching the sweet prince prance around happily. Why had Marshall Lee left? Because he wasn't sure, he loved Gumball. He didn't want to be sure. His entire undead-life had only thought about him. The vampire king. The axe slinging, bass player. He could get any girl he wanted. Yet… from the moment he met gum wad he was interested him. First, not even he could tell what his interest held. Gumball had run away one day as pre-teen. To avoid the pressure of having to rule the Kingdome. Marshall Lee had found him, rescued him from some why-wolfs. Marshall Lee would be gone again for some years, came back when Prince Gumball was eighteen. Being kidnapped by that ice witch. It pissed him off. He always told Fionna he was just upset that someone wanted the prince more than him. Nevertheless… even if he didn't want to admit it, he felt as if the witch was taking his property. Then that one day the door-lord took the other's belongings and went in his house. The day he sang that embarrassing song. Afterwards he went to PG's castle to talk to him. They had kissed. Prince Gumball actually kissed him. Marshall Lee felt so fuzzy and after the prince had fallen asleep in his arms, he snuck away. He was-conflicted. He couldn't love PG… he was a guy! "How long have you been standing there?"
Marshall Lee jerked back to reality. "Just a little while." He scratched the back of his head
Prince Gumball blushed "How much of that…did you see?"
"Enough." Marshall Lee chuckled
"Well… it's ready." Gumball said.
"Great." Marshall Lee sighed, smiling sadly, "I guess now I don't have an excuse to spend time with you."
"You made it clear you didn't want to spend anytime with me." Gumball turned to face his experiments.
"Bubba… it wasn't what you thought."
"Oh?" He turned back to face Marshall "So, you weren't being a selfish jerk?"
"Okay… maybe it is what you thought." Marshall Lee sighed, "Look… I was confused."
"And you don't think I was?" Gumball asked emotionless
"Bubba… I've never… to a guy before." Marshall Lee said embarrassed a bit
"You think I have?" Bubba asked. Marshall Lee didn't respond. "Actually, what does that matter?" Bubba looked Marshall Lee over "Does the gender you're attracted to really matter? I thought it was the person who mattered."
"I was just confused Bubba… okay? I was confused. I've only ever dated girls. I've never been attracted to any other guys… maybe… I just didn't want to do something I wasn't sure of!" Marshall Lee exclaimed
"And I'm sure you didn't mean to hurt anyone." Bubba sighed
"I didn't." Marshall Lee said quickly
"But you did." Bubba picked up the small sack on his desk and walked over to Marshall Lee. He took Marshall Lee's hand and pressed the contents of his own hands onto Marshall's "Now let's try and keep Fionna from getting hurt."
Marshall Lee looked down at the small bag that kept their hands from touching "Screw this." Marshall muttered before using his other hand to pull the prince close and crushing his own lips against the prince's
X
"Ew. EW. Ew." Cake mumbled repeatedly as she washed Marshall Lee's horribly dirty dishes.
"Hey, you had to lose the dare." Fionna teased. She was sweeping the floors. "What dare was that anyway?"
"Umm….High scores in beemo." Cake improvised
"Should've known." Fionna laughed. There was a still silence as the sister continued their cleaning. After a while, Fionna asked, "What did Marshall Lee tell you?"
"When?" Cake responded
"When I told him to go upstairs. Yesterday. About the Flame prince thing."
"He asked me how long it was going on. And why I was allowing it." She sighed, "I told him you told me to stay away."
"Cake…" Fionna stopped "You know I don't mean to… hurt anyone. I just really like Ignatius and I don't want anything to break us apart."
"Yeah. Because your health isn't important." Cake said sarcastically
A pause. "He's sorry."
"He always is."
Another pause. "He didn't mean to."
"He never does."
"He's trying to learn the flame shield." Fionna said. No response this time "He's advancing. Last night he was able to cast a portion of it."
Cake stopped and turned to face her sister. "Really?" Fionna nodded with a smile "He's trying. And so am I." Cake smiled at her and turned back to continue washing the dishes.
X
When Marshall Lee pulled back Bubba's eyes were still closed "I'm sorry. I never should've left you. I'm sorry." Marshall Lee was still holding on to him.
When Bubba's eyes opened, he smiled "Just… please don't leave me again."
The two embraced tightly one more time before Gumball tapped Marshall's shoulder lightly. "Yeah?"
"Fionna." Bubba chuckled. The two pulled apart.
"Right." Marshall sighed happily "I better… go… I'll be back!" He said rushing out the room.
"I know you will…" Bubba said in whisper to the empty room "Sometimes it may take you a while, but you always do…"
X
Fionna and Cake where just about done, just needed to take the trash out. The exhaustion of cleaning was getting to both so when they heard the door open and close both sighed in relief. "You're back!" Cake grinned
"Yeah." Marshall Lee sighed happily "I am."
"Well?"
"Fionna!" Marshall Lee grinned as she entered the room. "I have something for you."
"For me?" She asked putting the broom down.
"Yes." He nodded. "Here. Gumball made this."
"Gumball?" Fionna asked as she took the sack from his hands and opened it. Inside there was a blue spray can. "I'm confused."
"So am I." Cake said
"Oh glob." Marshall rolled his eyes and took the spray from Fionna. He sprayed her from top to bottom. Fionna went noticeably blue.
"What the zip?" Both girls asked at the same time.
Marshall Lee floated into his kitchen, taking a few seconds to revel in the cleanliness, and floated back out with a fireplace match. He lighted it and held it to Fionna. The human girl flinched out of reflex but felt no heat or pain. "It's fire proof." He grinned, "Gumball couldn't build a machine to cast the flame shield fast enough to he made a scientific replacement."
"This…. This is awesome man." Fionna exclaimed
"Yeah. I think the directions say it lasts about three hours." Marshall Lee looked at the clock on the wall. "And thank you for the cleaning but I have somewhere to be." He grinned
"Ditto." Fionna replied putting the spray in her pack.
"I guess I better make plans too." Cake chuckled
X
Fionna left Marshall Lee and Cake in the path of the candy Kingdome and began to walk towards her tree fort. Sure, she found it weird that Marshall Lee had gone to the candy Kingdome with Cake but she was too exited to rally question him. She would call Ignatius and tell him to meet her.
When Flame prince arrived at her home and called her name from outside. Not knocking as not to set her home ablaze…again. "Fionna!"
"FP!" She exclaimed joyously from the window above. She ran down the stairs and out right into his arms. His first reflex was to jump back and begin to apologize but when he saw her smile, his apologies stopped. Fionna said nothing as she reached out and cupped his cheek. "Fire-proof." She grinned. Flame prince smiled as he hugged her tightly. A sigh of relief rushing through both.
"Fire-proof." He repeated.