"You'd look amazing in this!" Gabriel drawls, holding up the flannel like it's made of gold. Marshall rolls his eyes and strolls through the rest of the relaxed shop, but a little lost puppy named Gabriel keeps begging and following him around. "Come one Marshalll… You haven't even bought anything yet…"

Eventually he breaks, grabbing the jacket. "Okay, okay!"

Gabriel claps, piling on some gray jeans also. "Perfect. Now try on this too." He pushes him into the singular changing room in the back before he can protest and leans against the door.

Marshall sighs, running a hand through his hair, but tries on the outfit nonetheless. "I don't even like flannels. They seem so lazy…" He comments, under his breath. The tight jeans however, aren't out of him usual comfort zone, so he keeps quiet through that.

He walks out eh changing room, fiddling with the red patterned cuffs. Gabriel rolls his eyes and fixes it for him, rolling up the cuffs to his elbow with precision and fixing his collar until he sees fit. Then just for the heck of it, he rumples of the boy's black hair in a rough, lazy style. "there." He turns him around the face the mirror with beaming smile.

"Perfect right?"

Marshall tries not to gape at himself, but it's hard. His reflection seems.. so much cleaner than before. Neater. Unlike most guys, in which he envisions the wrinkled shirt loose and awkward, this one hugs his form tightly in such a way, he can't stop looking at himself. Call it narcissism, but he doesn't want to. He laughs slightly and runs his hands through his hair. Then he turns to Gabriel.

"Whoa thanks dude.. I look.. really…" He searches for the right words, trying not to seem too arrogant nor too humble.

Gabriel uncrosses his arms and drapes an arm across his shoulders, a much easier task for the taller boy. "Hot." He finishes curtly, admiring his work. "You look hot."

Marshall stiffens, just for a second, but then relaxes. However, his heart doesn't stop beating a mile a minute. "Really?" He takes wonder at Gabriel's nonchalance, the other boy looking at his phone.

"Yeah." He types something up with one hand, motioning vague things with the other around her shoulders "Before you looked great, better than how most guys dress, but now you look really handsome."

Marshall bites his lip and something jumps out his mouth before he can register what it is. "More handsome than that waiter?" His mind does a little double-take at the words. Gabriel puts away his phone and looks up.

"What?"

"Uh, nothing. So should I get more of these, you think?" He changes the subject faster than he could blink. Gabriel nods and he clasps his hands together in finality.

"Looks like I'm getting some new additions to my wardrobe then." Gabriel goes to retrieve the other colors available and he retires to the changing rooms, sighing audibly. In the confines of the space, he stares at his hands, searching for something to give clarity to his confused mind. To ease the odd feelings in his chest rising lately.

But most of all, at the moment he just wants to forget it all. Forget his inner turmoil.

He changes quickly and meets Gabriel, whose already paying for another five pairs at the register. The girl ringing him up laughs at some joke, and he smiles. Marshall walks over and wraps his arms around his waist, leaning his head on his shoulder. For no good reason, he wants to hug something, and Gabriel is the best prospect.

"Gaabee, I'm hungry." He mumbles into his shoulder and Gabriel laughs, body vibrating warmly.

"We can go get some food from the vendors at the park like you talked about. Also I got you purple, blue, grey, dark green and a black. "

"Ohh…kaayy" He yawns, sighing again into his soft, cotton shirt. His lack of sleep threatens to catch up to him. Gabriel chuckles again, and says something to the blonde attendant.

She then says, "You guys seem really sweet."

Marshall peeks his head up, and they both give a smile simultaneously. "Thanks" Gabriel offers, but she then asks promptly, "Are you guys dating?"

Never once before had two smiles dropped so fast. While Marshall sputters for words, Gabriel holds up his hands and waved them frantically, stumbling over his own. "No, no, no, we're.. uh.."

Marshall releases his hug, with mild reluctance, and retrieves the bag. "Yeah we're.. just. Um.. y'know. "

They share a look for a half second, looking for the right word. Then the girl, Fionna by her name tag, says curiously, "Good friends?"

"Yes!" Gabriel quips, sighing with relief. "Just good friends."

Marshall nods also, as if answering the question had been as hard as running a mile. He gives Gabriel a breathless smile and the boy does the same. Fionna eyes them, tearing off the receipt and handing it over.

"Riiightt… "She drawls, clearly unconvinced, but the boys don't notice. "Well have a good night." Marshall drags Gabriel out the front entrance, who waves good-naturedly.

"Yes good-bye!"

For a couple minutes they walk in silence, not sure what to say after the awkward situation. Marshall chooses not to verbalize the fact, that well, they hesitated when clarifying her. Instead of straight out saying, "No" it was a struggle to find the right word.

But why? What was so confusing about their friendship?

Gabriel saves him from his inner turmoil when he says, "Fionna must've been ugly then. Right?"

He gives a half choke-half laugh. "Pssh, what? Where did that come from?"

"Well you said you only flirt with pretty girls, and you didn't flirt with her."

Marshall snickers and shakes his head. "She's not ugly…"

"Then what is it?" He faces Marshall, brows drawn in slight confusion. Marshall searches his face then smiles.

"It's just different Gabe. It's just different."

It was as if an unconscious signal to drop the silence, and continue the conversation they left out on previous to walking into the store, with just as much passion and emotion as before.

They wander over to the park, eating food truck burgers that Marshall says, quote unquote, "Are so good, you could kill your best friend for just another bite." When Gabriel eyes him suspiciously after that, they both crack up laughing.

The walk home is a blur, just like the rest of the night. Marshall learns that Gumball lives in the house with Bonnibel, only a mile or two from his own house. He walks him up to the door but silently flinches when Marceline opens the door, clad in only a bra and red shorts and a wicked bed-head. They share a look in the pale lighting, and she squints at him until Bonnibel calls sleepily, "Babe come back to bed." Marshall raises his brows. She gives him one last look before turning back and going into Bonnibel's room. Gabriel and Marshall come inside and talk for a bit longer, but when Marshall sees the time blinking 4:30 AM he decides it's time to go.

Gabriel lends him his sweater for the cold, and after one last wave, he begins the long trek home. All Marshall really remembers is unlocking his door like a zombie, stumbling through his apartment like a maze and shrugging out of his clothes like his limbs re frozen and collapsing on his bed, careful not to land on his cat, Rocko.

And by the time the animal hops on his back and purrs approvingly, he's already snoring, the trace of a smile on his lips.

This chap gives me more fluffy feels than I thought it would.