Desire
Not an AU: Bonnibel decides to make an experiment. The results shock everyone, even the Bubblegum Princess.
This experiment by far, has been the most intrusive one yet. I finished scribbling notes in my lab book, and shut it gently. A tall, wide, vial found its home on the cold metal counter. Inside the vial, was a clear, slightly carbonated, liquid. Next to the vial were tablets neatly stacked on one another. The temptation to use them now was overwhelming.
"You must wait, PB" I told myself quietly.
I had been working on this experiment for months with no break. After failed attempts to drag me out of the lab, Peppermint Butler finally gave up. It had been a week, maybe two, since he came to check on me. I was happy with the solitude. I wanted, no, I needed to ensure the success of the experiment. Its positive results would bring me insight on others desires. Desires are weaknesses, and it is best that I know the weaknesses of everyone, so that I may use them against them, if the needed ever aroused. I initially disliked dragging everyone's personal deep and perhaps secret desires to light. Then, I realized that I, and as a result, my kingdom, would benefit from this knowledge. This alleviated my concerns.
It had been troublesome to come up with a concoction that would function one-hundred percent of the time. I first tested it on myself with my rat, Science. I gave the brave subject a tablet. Science had gobbled it greedily. Then, I drank some of the liquid in the vial. I hastily put on the neuro-thought translator onto Science.
"What do you see?" I asked my beloved pet, as I stood in front of him, so all he could see was me.
"Cheese" was the simple response from Science. Then, his voiced wobbled "Wait, I see you, Princess Bubblegum"
There was a pause in his monologue.
"You keep changing, it is very confusing" Science said.
"Alright" I had said, scribbling notes down on my lab notebook "Thanks, Science"
And with that, I took off the thought translator.
I jerked back to the present from my memory when my pencil fell to the ground. The sound reverberated throughout the quiet lab. I let out a breath and bent over to retrieve the fallen comrade. I placed it next to my lab book and turned to exit my lab. I walked up the stairs briskly, trying to get to my room as quickly as possible.
I bumped into Peppermint Butler on the way up the stairs. His face contorted painfully.
"Princess, with all due respect, you reek of brown mist!" He frowned and said with a voice crack.
"I know, Peps. That's why I'm going to go clean myself up" I told him kindly.
"Thank goodness" Peppermint Butler muttered and continued on his way.
I finished cleaning up and pat dried my hair with a soft pink towel. I put on my bra and paused. I sighed with frustration and threw my hands up in the air. I kept forgetting that Marceline's shirt was gone. I felt bare and naked without the shirt. Her shirt. I put a white sweatshirt over my bra. It felt rough and foreign to my skin.
Oh, how I missed Marceline's shirt. And its smell…
I shook my head, trying to forget about the past. I meandered over to the wardrobe where I pulled out a pair of pink pants. I slid them over my legs and my eyes drifted to the picture on the inside of the wardrobe. I gasped with pain and I tripped and fell on the ground.
"Ow! Glip blob it!" I grunted and pulled my other leg through the pants. I closed my eyes tightly, trying to re-center myself. Marceline always managed to throw me for a loop. I remembered something that I once told Finn.
"Sometimes, you want to be with someone and you want to kiss them, and be with them. But you can't, because responsibility demands sacrifice"
I wasn't sure if I even was talking to Finn then. I had been reliving the relationship I once had with Marceline. The excuses I came up with to break things off with Marceline were...far fetched. She was a loose cannon, but I was okay with that. Over the course of our relationship she had mellowed out… a lot. I found myself falling for my once rival and I was scared. Terrified. I started over-thinking about what the kingdom would think. After all, they were my responsibility.
And I was scared of my feelings.
My stomach twisted nervously as I remembered the breakup. Marceline took it silently. Her face was bowed in shame and she said nothing. The tips of her ears had been red...and tears fell down from her face in a cascade. She didn't say anything. It was infuriating. I wanted her to argue with me. I wanted her to take it poorly. But she didn't do any of those things, much to my surprise. Her hair just fell in her eyes and she left, without a word.
The memory left me gasping for air. I did what was best...I did what was best for my kingdom.
Leave it to Marceline to make things complicated. I shook my head again. I just wanted to forget.
No you don't my conscience told me. I ignored the little voice in my head and stood up.
Leave it to Marceline to get me feeling again. If only that stupid Door Lord hadn't taken my shirt. I wouldn't have been with Marceline that day when she so clearly confessed that she still had feelings for me. If only I had said no to Marceline when she asked for help against Maja. If only I had refused to manage Marceline's band and become close to her. If only...
If only I didn't have feelings.
I stood up. And slapped the backside of my hand.
"Focus, PB. Use your brain" I ordered myself and put my glasses on.
It was time to test out the tablets and liquid on her various subjects. I went to my phone and called Finn.
"Hello?" I asked.
"Hey PB? What's shakin', bacon?"
"Nothing right now, at least. I need you and Jake to come over to test an experiment"
"Jake's really hungry right now...I don't know" Finn said slowly.
"Bribe him with food. It is most urgent that you two arrive promptly" I said briskly.
"Alright, princess. See you around"
I hung up the phone. I walked to my bed stand and pulled out my cellular phone. I called he first and only person I had on speed dial. She picked up on the first ring.
"Hey PB" Marceline said, trying speak nonchalantly.
"Hey Marce. I need some help"
"With what, Bonnibel?" Marceline sighed.
"With an experiment. Finn and Jake are coming too. Please come over?" I asked her sweetly.
The other line was silent "Of course, nerd" and Marceline hung up.
I smiled and descended back down into the lab. I grabbed the vial and the tablets and headed back up the stairs. When I entered the Great Hall, Finn and Jake were already there. Jake was clutching his stomach and it rumbled audibly. Finn was standing around, poking at his face.
"Hey guys. We're going to wait until Marceline arrives. She will be here very soon" I said, then paused. "Peppermint Butler!" I shouted. An audible scuttle into the Great Hall was my answer.
"Yes Princess?"
"I need you to help me with this experiment"
"Alright. What are we waiting for?" He asked.
"Marceline"
Peppermint Butler raised a knowing eyebrow and a small smile appeared on his face.
A shuffle behind me gave away Marceline's presence.
"What about Marceline?" She asked.
"Oh how nice of you to finally come" I said snarkily. "I'm glad you're here, though" I added gently.
"So watcha need?" Marceline asked with a cluck of her tongue.
"Yeah, what am I missing lunch for, PB?" Jake asked hungrily.
"Now now, if you guys will let me finish" I began. "I need you all to stand in a line"
The four of them shuffled into a line.
"What experiment are we doing?" Asked Finn curiously.
"If I tell you, it could give me poor results. Sorry to keep you in the dark, but you won't get hurt, I promise" I said simply as I handed each of my test subjects a tablet.
"Chew and swallow these" I ordered.
Marceline wrinkled her nose but chewed the tablet. Jake munched his hungrily. Finn chewed obnoxiously and Peppermint Butler delicately took the tablet into his mouth. I moved to the end of the line, so I started with Peppermint Butler and not Marceline.
I took a sip of the liquid in the vial. The liquid was cool as it went down my throat and it found its home in my stomach. I took a breath and looked at Peppermint Butler. His eyes were wide.
"Everyone else, keep your eyes straight ahead. Do not look at me. Peppermint Butler, what do you see in front of you?"
Peppermint Butler narrowed his eyes "I see the key to the eighth level of the Shadow realm. And I see Ogdoad...How strange"
"Thanks Peps, you can go now"
The small peppermint man shuffled away while rubbing his eyes and muttering something under his breath.
I moved to Finn. "Alright, Finn. You can look at me now. What do you see?"
"It's...strange...It sounds like you, Peebles but...You look...like Flame Princess" He choked out. He closed his eyes painfully.
"I'm sorry this caused you some emotional stress, Finn. You can go now, if you want" I told Finn.
Finn shook his head "I'll wait for Jake" He said quietly and sat down in the hallway.
I sidestepped over to Jake. "Your turn" I told him.
"Oh boy oh boy oh BOY! I see an all you can eat buffet! Oh my glob! I can almost smell it...I am so hungry. There's an everything burrito at the buffet...I want to eat it" Jake said, gripping his stomach.
"It's not real, Jake. There's some food in the kitchen, I believe" Jake left, but Finn stayed.
Marceline licked her lips and smiled. "Saving the best for last, huh?"
"Oh hush you" I told her. "What do you see?"
"Am I supposed to see something different? I only see you…"
My stomach clenched. "Wh..what? Finn, come over here. I think the tablets must have worn off…"
Finn glanced over at me and his eyes shut immediately "I still see Flame Princess"
I turned to Marceline. "Are you sure you ate the tablet?" I demanded.
"Duh" Marceline replied.
"Finn...could you excuse us for a moment?" I asked kindly.
Finn nodded distractedly and shuffled into the kitchen.
"What's this all about?" Marceline asked with a hint of confusion in her voice.
I blushed and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "Well…"
Marceline raised her eyebrows expectantly.
"The experiment was meant to reveal your current desires…" I trailed off.
Marceline opened her mouth, then shut it. She looked away in shame and said "I guess that's why I saw you"
My stomach did a somersault. My breath was stuck in my throat.
"You…" I whispered.
"Still care? Of...of course I do" Marceline put her left hand on her right shoulder and shuddered.
Marceline continued to rub her shoulder nervously and looked down.
"I just miss you" Marceline whispered.
My heart hammered against my ribs. "I...miss you too"
"Do you really, or are you just saying that, Bonnibel? I don't want your pity" Marceline said quietly, not making eye contact with me.
Before my brain could make a judgement my hand went and grabbed Marceline's.
"I do" Is all I could manage.
Marceline glanced down at our intertwined hands. A large grin appeared on her face and she looked up at me and beamed.
"So...what does all this mean?" She asked with a cautious smile.
"It means...I miss you. And I was wrong…"
"Things could be different, if you give me a second chance" Marceline said quietly.
"Oh Glob, Marceline! It was not your fault we broke up. It is my fault. Do not blame yourself. It was all on me. It still is. You...you are all I could have asked for" I bit my lip.
Marceline blinked "Why did you break up with me then...has it been ten years already?"
I nodded. "Yeah. We dated for a long time...and I was starting to care too much about you...and I didn't give my kingdom my 100%. And...I was scared"
Marceline pulled her hand away, her eyes shielded and angry. "Scared of me? I'm not a monster, not like I used to be" Marceline hissed.
"No, let me finish. I...was scared of how I was starting to feel about you. I...loved you"
Marceline's jaw dropped. "What? You never let on about your feelings...what the flip, Bonnie?"
I shrugged "It's just how I feel"
"Wait, feel?" Marceline asked and looked at me.
"Yes"
Marceline swallowed. "So what does this mean?"
"Can we try to fix things?" I asked hoarsely. It was not the direction I wanted this conversation to go….but I was happy for it. Happier than I had ever been.
"Of course" Marceline smiled and pulled me in for a hug.
I choked out a sob and gripped onto Marceline, like she had done so many times to me before.
Marceline kissed me on the forehead "Stop crying, I'm here...just like I'll always be"