School lets out at 3:07 P.M.
Finn collapsed down onto the ice stairs leading up to the school entrance. Students go about around him, happy to escape the place they know they will have to return all too soon.
Most of their talk is about the school dance. Guys are boasting about who their date will be. Girls are discussing strategy and how to color coordinate one's dress with their preferred choice in weaponry. Someone says something about a corsage.
It's probably a good thing he never found Flame Princess. Finn had no idea what jalapeños a corsage is.
"Finn?" Feeling someone very warm sit beside him, Finn raised his head to look over. Flame Princess tucks a lock of her long, radiant hair back, her head tilted slightly to the side. "What's wrong? You look sad."
"Flame Princess!" Finn sat up straight. He should be nervous now. He was nervous all week, trying to work up the courage to ask her. Jake tried coaching him on what he should say, but even when practicing with his best friend, Finn constantly tripped over his own words.
But after searching tirelessly all day, resigning himself to failure, there was no time to let nerves interrupt him now.
"I'm not sad," he insisted, hoping his words weren't coming out too fast. "Well, I was sad, but I'm not anymore. Because you're here!"
The color in Flame Princess's cheeks began to glow a pretty shade of amber. "You're happy I'm here?"
"I am," Finn said, leaning closer despite the heat simmering off her. "I wanted to ask you if you'll go to the dance with me."
From the top of the stairs, unbeknownst to Finn, the rest of his friends stood. Like Finn, they leaned closer, eager for the answer.
"No."
Money changed hands between Prince Gumball and Marshall Lee. Fionna slapped them both in the back of their heads.
Steam from the melting ice rose up between them and Finn wondered if it was thick enough for him to use as a smoke screen and make his escape.
"I'm sorry Finn." Flame Princess was still talking, but it took a minute for Finn's brain to catch up. She looked sincere. "Someone just asked me."
"Ugh. Not just someone, missy." Marceline and Princess Bubblegum were pushed to the side as Lumpy Space Prince came floating through. Fionna latched herself onto Marceline's arm before she could give the pompous purple monarch a second black eye that day.
"My gurl is out of comish with mono," he boasted, coming to a stop next to Finn and Flame Princess. "And if I can't go with my lady, who is hottest in the most sexy way, then I have to settle and go with the lady who is hottest in the most temperature way."
Princess Bubblegum leaned over to whisper to the others. "He's saying it's mono, but I hear she just has late onset rooster pocks." Marshall Lee didn't try to suppress his bark of laughter.
Flame Princess offered Finn a small frown. "I didn't think anyone else was going to ask me," she admitted. "The dance is tonight."
"Dang straight it's tonight." LSP crossed his arms, giving Finn a stern glare to back off. "And don't you forget it. Pick me up at seven."
"See you then." Flame Princess waved a friendly good bye as her date floated to where his car waited.
Looking down, Finn slowly got to his feet, gathering his shredded dignity in hopes of making a subtle escape.
"Well, that's okay," he said. "I'm sure you guys will have fun. I'm glad you're going with someone."
Chewing on the corner of her lip, Flame Princess held her hands behind her back, looking shyly up at him.
"But, you know." She took a small step closer, Finn looking up when she did. "I'm not doing anything tomorrow night. Maybe we could go play minigolf. Or bash some zombies." Flame Princess shrugged. "I mean, if you want to."
"I, yeah yeah!" Finn's emotions spun around like a tornado filled with happy sharks. His face lit up, suddenly excited. "Next weekend! I love minibash. I mean, zombie golf. I mean-"
Laughing, Flame Princess leaned forward, lightly pecking his cheek with a kiss and effectively shutting him up. "I'll see you later, Finn," she said.
Finn managed to wait until she'd walked down the stairs and got into her father's car before he began jumping up and down.
"You're going to hurt yourself," Fionna warned though she felt just as giddy as her friend.
"She said yes!" he cheered. "Well, not really. But she asked me out, on a real date! And that counts more than a school dance." Finn stopped mid-celebration. "I think. But what if it doesn't? I have to go ask Jake!"
Fionna continued to smile even as Finn raced away. Unfortunately, when she turned and saw Marshall Lee, it faded. Hovering just a few feet away, he looked so sullen that a grey cloud began forming over his head, ready to rain on any and all parades.
"Do you have to look so grouchy just because someone else is happy?" she questioned.
Instead of answering, he demanded, "Are you going to the stupid dance?"
Taken aback, Fionna replied slowly. "I don't think so," she said, uncertain as to where the sudden topic change would lead. "Cake is going with Lord Monochromicorn and I don't want to be a third wheel on their date, so." Fionna shrugged, having already planned to spend tonight totally crushing it on Kompy's Kastle.
"You should go," he said.
"Um, what?"
"Wheelbarrows have three wheels," Marshall told her, dark eyes looking away. "So, you should go."
"Go, to the dance you mean?"
Out of the green double doors came Flame Prince, struggling under the weight of a box filled with fireworks and a large, rolled up sign. Behind him, members of the school band marched, ready to put themselves in position. Spotting Fionna in the middle of a conversation, Flame Prince held up his hand, cutting off the band before the dramatic oboe solo could begin.
"Yes, to the dance I mean." Marshall Lee's voice came out short. Receiving Fionna's angry glare in response, he continued quickly in a softer tone. "I mean, I have to go, because Marcy is making me, to play the music. And if you don't have a date, you should go. And we could hang out at the dance." He ran a hand through his black hair, desperately trying to pull off acting casual. "But, you know, it's whatever."
"Marshall?" Fionna couldn't help but grin, watching his skin take on a faint hue of red. "Are you asking me to the dance?"
"No!" he objected, not making eye contact. "But, if you're there, and I'm there, then we'd both be there, and we could, whatever, drink the awful punch and hang out and, whatever, and dance, if you want." Marshall Lee crossed his arms as he added one last, "Whatever."
Prince Gumball almost objected to the adjective used to describe his punch, but Princess Bubblegum clamped her hand firmly over his mouth. Flame Prince could only stare in disbelief, the painstakingly gathered elements for his "grand gesture" going to waste as Fionna nodded.
"Sure," she said, still wearing that teasing grin. "I'll go to the stupid dance and whatever."
Marshall Lee froze for a moment. His eyes almost seemed to widen in surprise. Arms falling to his sides, he looked back at Fionna and wondered if she was going to yell "Psych!" and kick him in the face again. When she didn't, he slowly let himself smile back.
The sudden change in the universe seemed to have been enough to tear a hole in reality and summon Fionna's best friend from the other side of the school.
"Fi, were you planning on going to the dance without telling me?" Cake grabbed onto Fionna's shoulders, shaking her vigorously.
"Ah! Too, w-wobbly, can't see!" Marshall Lee reached out to help, but decided it would be best not to get involved and instead floated back out of reach.
"The dance is tomorrow night, girl!" Cake chided, ceasing her shaking only to begin dragging Fionna away. "We need to get you a dress! To the mall!"
"Woah, what!?" Fionna dug her heels into the ground, but it proved wildly ineffective. "Wait, I, I changed my mind! I don't want to go! Cake, please don't make me wear a dress!"
Fionna's objections faded quickly, leaving only two lines dug into the earth as Cake pulled her their ride.
Discomfort spread amongst the waiting band members. Someone cleared their throat and they quickly began to disperse, littering the air with Tough lucks, Bad timings, and one "But what about my solo?"
Outwardly, Marshall Lee just shrugged, reverting back to his unfazable air of Whatever. But his eyes were bright and maybe, just maybe, he was celebrating his head just as much as Finn had been. Turning around, he saw Flame Prince with the box of fireworks and sign unfurling at his feet. The words "Will you go" where just becoming visible. A triumphant smirk curled his lips and showed his sharp fangs.
"Better luck next time, fire boy," he chuckled, making his way in the opposite direction.
The air around Flame Prince became hot and he made to lunged at the cocky vampire.
"Easy there, tiger." Marceline clicked her tongue as Prince Gumball put his arm around Flame Prince's shoulders, part comfort and part trying to hold him back.
"Come on, now. There's no point in starting a fight," he said.
"Don't fret," Princess Bubblegum said encouragingly. "There's always next time."
Marceline shook her head, watching Marshall Lee walk to his motorcycle with a quickness in his step. "Yeah, if they're not dating by then."