"Bubs."
"Yeah?"
"Bubby."
"What?"
"Bon-Bon"
"What's with all the nicknames Marceline?" You ask, laughing.
"Tch. I'm trying to find one that bugs you!" She says, frowning. "But you never say anything!"
You giggle, and turn back to your father's notes, now mixed in with your own notes. "I think they sound cute. I like nicknames."
"But I wanna bug you with one!"
"I think you wouldn't like nicknames," you say, mixing a yellow liquid with a magenta one, turning the liquid a bright blue. "Should I look for one that annoys you? How about Marcy?"
"Nah."
"Hmm. How about Mar Mar?"
Her eyes narrow, and you swear you see a look of hate in her face. "Don't call me that. Ever."
"Ok. Jeez, don't get so angry," You say, turning back to your beakers. The blue liquid has already turned a dark yellow. Perfect lemon color. "Bwahaha... almost done..." you say, rubbing your hands together. "Soon the formula will be perfect!"
"Dang Bonnibelle, you sound pretty crazy. What are you working on anyways?"
"On someone that'll help me rule my kingdom. I noticed that if something ever happens to me, like being kidnapped by a sexy vampire, someone has to take my place."
"you think to highly of yourself princess, who would want to kidnap you?" Marceline says, floating higher up.
"Ooh, meany! Get over here so I can hit you!" You say, shaking your fist at her.
"You think I'm that dumb to go down there now?" She smirks.
"Dumber!"
"Hey! You're a real jerk for a princess!" She said, floating down again.
"And you're are pretty dumb for a queen," you smile, wrapping your arms around her neck. "You got down here pretty quick."
"Augh! You tricked me!"
"I know," you say, and kiss her.
She smiles into your mouth, mumbling something like 'I'll get you later,' but you're not really listening because her scent fills your lungs and your nostrils...
Her scent... isn't exactly pleasant.
"Marceline! When was the last time you showered?"
"This again! I don't have to shower every day! I'm sorry I smell like DEATH," she says, letting you go.
"I don't believe you! Get in the royal bathtub right now!" You tell her, pointing to your bathroom door.
"I'm not getting in that ridiculous tub! And you can't make me!"
"Marceline... if you don't get in that tub right now..." you say, your fists shaking, "I will not go to that concert next month."
She floats down, looks you in the eyes. You can tell she's angry, but as a princess, you feel like you must stand your ground.
"Don't go then," she simply says, and floats out your balcony door.
"No, Marceline, wait!" You say, rushing out to the balcony.
"What Bonnibelle?" she says, floating in the moonlight. She looks so pretty, you think, but you mucked it up now. "This is like, the fifth time today that you've complained about me! My smell, my hair... my attitude, what the heck!" she says, running her fingers through her hair. "And now you're threatening me to not go to the concert with me? We've planned it for months! It's our stupid two year anniversary-"
"Did you just call our anniversary stupid!" You yell, candy blood flooding your face.
"That's not what I meant-"
"Just go Marceline!"
"You know what? Maybe I will! Augh, don't even bother making that candy guy! You certainly wont be kidnapped by any vampire!"
"As if I would let myself be taken away by some dumb ruffian!" You yell, and slam your balcony door.
You jump into your bed, burying your face into a pillow that smells like Marcelince. You hear her complaining outside, her voice muffled by the door. She kicks the door softly. You know she has the strength to kick it down, but she won't. You bury your face deeper in the pillow, smelling her more. Her smell actually isn't unpleasant to you... you just know it would be to someone else.
You don't know who to be angry at any more.
###
"It's fine like that Bonnibelle."
"No, it's not!" You yell, getting worked up. "It's not perfect!"
"Bonni! It's just a painting! That you're just hanging! In my room!" Marceline says, frustration in her voice. "You don't have to go coco nuts about it!"
"Why are you so easy going?" You yell again, tears in your eyes. "Everything is so simple for you, isn't it? Well, not for me! I have to be perfect! I have to do everything right! I can't mess up, or everything I've worked for will be ruined!"
"Chill out! Why are you crying? Bonnibelle..." Marceline whispers, and touches your face gently. You sob quietly, your tears hot on your face, your nose running. Your mind tries to focus on something else; it thinks about the fact that the boogies currently running out your nose are actually excess tears... but suddenly your mind is wiped blank when she kisses you, her mouth soft on your salty lips. "What's wrong Bonnibelle? Feeling imperfect? Imperfections are what makes the world amazing!" Marceline says, looking you in the eyes. Her words are gentle, but to you they're harsh, like your intentions to be perfect are nothing to her. Like it doesn't matter.
"But I don't want to be perfect for the world! I want to be perfect for you!" You sob out again. You pull yourself away from her, running out of her house and jumping on your bird.
You want to be like her, so care free and unattached. But your logic keeps you from doing so.
###
A week passes that you don't see Marceline. You're a gumdrop mess, and you're trying to keep yourself busy with the mountain of lab and civil work you have. You hear candy complains day and night; you stop fights and start schools. All in one week. You're being a perfect queen to perfectly sweet people.
But you feel empty and unfulfilled.
You stop working on the lemon candyman. You don't want any help, you don't want someone else on your back.
By the end of the day, you're so tired that your limbs feel like rock candy instead of bubblegum. You fall into your bed, but sleep doesn't come, like it hasn't in a whole week. You just lay there with your eyes closed, breathing slowly and deeply, hoping you'll fall into slumber unexpectedly.
And hour passes. Two. A snail sneaks into your bed, and you pick it up and put out in your balcony. The breeze hits your face, and you stay there, looking at the moon, admiring the stars.
The stars glitter on your face...
You stand up straight quickly, the voice taking you completely by surprise.
The moon lights up the place...
There's a princess here, who used to mine...
But now she won't even give me the time...
"The concert is next week," she says softly. She's below your balcony, hidden from your view. "Are you coming?"
"Marceline... I, I don't know..."
"Bonnibelle, c'mon!" She says, floating up and getting in your face. "It's our anniversary!"
"Marceline, let it go," you say, kissing her softly as she hovers. "I have to be perfect. And you don't like perfect," you tell her, walking back to your bedroom. "We're obviously aren't going to work. What's the point of even trying?"
"I'll give you a reason," she says, forcing your door open. "I'll give you a reason, if you'll let me spend the night."
You don't say no. Your logic won't allow you to do so.
###
She spends the night singing to you, kissing your lips and touching your hair. You spend the night listening, kissing her hands and combing her hair. You both laugh all night, and have a great time. By the time the sun rises, you don't even remember why both of you were fighting.
You don't remember until your paperwork comes in.
Peppermint Butler surprisingly knocks this time around as he brings your breakfast and your work. He brings it next to you, and says good morning.
"Good morning Peppermint Butler, and... I'm sorry."
"For what Princeeeessss!" He screams as Marceline's tentacles grab his feet from under the bed.
"Bwahahaha, I got you good this time Butler!" Marceline cackles and you chuckle, tugging Marceline up on your bed.
"Peppermint, can you bring up some tea and a bowl of strawberries for Marceline and I?" You say, still laughing. He doesn't answer, so you turn to look at him, and instead of Peppermint Butler, there's a pile of confetti in his place.
"Oh my glob!" You cry out as you jump off your bed. You hold back a sob as you crouch down to examine his confetti. It's all white and red and it smells like him, and you want to retch, but you remember this happened to Starchy before, and you fixed him up...
"Marceline, wait here with Peppermint!" You tell her, and she stares at you, mouth wide open, and shakes her head yes.
You run to your lab, take out your father's notes and start mixing chemicals, stirring in sugar, and then drop in a piece of your hair. It turns a yellowish green, then turns clear, and you run back up your stairs, where Marceline is guarding your bedroom door. You push past her, running to your faithful butler and pour the liquid on him.
"Will he be ok?" Marceline asks while you kneel next to Peppermint Butler.
"He'll be fine," you say. "But you have to leave."
"What, Bonni, what's wrong?"
"You almost killed my butler!"
"It was an accident!"
"You know what else it was?" You ask her, standing up. "It was my fault. You make me forget things, like if my people are surprised they gumdrop explode! I can't be a perfect Princess with you around. Leave."
"Bonnibelle-"
"Leave!" you yell, tears in your eyes. Your back is still turned to her. "Just... leave."
You feel her hesitate. You feel her movements behind you, the way she stretches her arm out as if to touch you, but decides against it and instead lets it fall to her side. You feel her jump off the ground, and you hear her open your balcony window. She leaves, and as Peppermint Butler regains his form, you cry your eyes out, the sweet tears falling to the floor and your mouth.
###
Basically my computer broke and I just barely got a new one. But... I'm back!