Chapter 18: can't help falling…

"Are you sure you guys can do this?" Peggy asked Marshall. He nodded and shaded the sun out of his eyes with his hand. The clouds had disappeared after an hour like he had predicted, and so far they had only missed two challenges.

"I'm positive, Fionna was just under a lot of pressure. We had a little chat, and everything is okay now," he assured her. Peggy lifted a skeptical brow and looked over at the blond in her station.

"Hmmm…I'm not sure," she said.

"Please, Peggy, I swear. No more break downs or making out or shouting or profanity, I promise!" He pleaded desperately. Peggy looked back to him and then down to her clip board.

"The next challenge is in a half an hour, and there's only two more after that one," she told him.

"I thought there were twelve."

Peggy shook her head.

"No, we decided to keep it within the daylight to avoid any possible injuries. The lights aren't as strong as we thought," she explained.

"Okay, thank you so much, I promise we won't make a scene this time," he smiled.

"You better have stuff sorted with that girl. She seems like a sweetheart, and from what I heard you've been pestering her for quite some time today, mister," she spoke sternly.

"Yes, I know, and I didn't mean too. It was all a miscommunication, we talked it out together. Trust me, we won't be fighting anymore," he reassured her. She gave him a bit of a glare before nodding and shooing him off. He left after another thank you, and jogged back to Fionna and Cake in their tent.

"Good news-"

"We can participate?" Fionna asked hopefully. Marshall grinned at her gleaming face and nodded.

"Yeah, she gave us the okay," he replied. Cake looked between the two of them and rolled her eyes.

"That's great! Anything is better than just sitting around and making flower crowns. I swear I've made thirty today, and they sell fast," she rambled and refocused on the headband in her lap. Marshall chuckled and leaned down to sit with the two girls.

"Well, there's no doubt that they're damn good flower crowns," he said.

"Whatever, it's just cheap to make," Cake muttered.

"Oh yeah, these fabric flowers were like three dollars a bunch on eBay, and the wire was five for a roll at JoAnn's," Fionna recalled and continued weaving the wire through the faux flowers.

"Oh yeah, and thank god for that small business discount, lord knows we fucking need it," Cake chortled. Fionna laughed along with her, but Marshall was stuck watching Fionna work.

He couldn't figure out what it was about her that intrigued him so easily. His first initial thought was it was everything. All of the things he knew about her made her interesting to him, but he couldn't possibly be attracted to all of her qualities. Surely there was at least one thing that put him off. He didn't really like the way she got mad at him so easily…but then again he did. It was frustrating trying to decipher his exact feelings for her. All he knew for certain was that he liked being around her and he liked the way she made him feel. He felt different, like a changed man, yet the same as he's always been. He also knew that she was visually and physically pleasing, but that wasn't his sole reason of attraction. It wasn't that they were a perfect match either, it was something different. Something…unique.

"Keep your eyes to yourself, lover boy," Cake hissed tossing some fake flowers at Marshall. He snapped out of his thoughts and blinked over at her.

"Huh?" He took a moment to reorientate himself. "What?"

"Take your goo-goo eyes to your station, you've got people waiting," she snapped. He looked over to his table and noticed a few people looking at his designs, and quickly jumped up to his table. Fionna giggled as he rushed to greet them.

"What a clown," Cake scoffed. Fionna looked over and her and rolled her eyes.

"Whatever, Cake, what do you got against him?" She asked.

"Did you see the way he was staring at you? It was almost like he was hypnotized," she told her. Fionna gave her a funny looked and glanced back at Marshall. He was busy painting someone's face to notice, so she turned back to Cake with the same expression.

"Really?"

Cake nodded vigorously.

"Seriously, I think this guy is really falling head over heels for you," she said sincerely. Fionna blushed.

"I-I doubt that. I know that we talked and made up a little bit, but I don't think he's falling for me like falling in love. That's ridiculous, we just like each other," Fionna assured Cake. Cake shook her head.

"Nu-uh, Fi. I've seen that look. That guy was deep in thought. He was probably thinking 'bout you and why he likes you so goddamn much," she argued. Fionna blushed deeper.

"W-what? Is that even a thing? Who wonders why they like a person so much? You just like them."

"Trust me, Fi. When we were first becoming friends I spent a long time trying to figure out why I thought you were so cool. I mean, you're nothing like the gang I hung out with at the time, yet I still chilled with you," she confessed.

"Really?"

"Hell yeah, and all my boys asked me why I was hanging with some scrawny white chick and I always told them, 'I dunno, she nice.'"

"Well, did you ever figure out why?" Fionna asked. Cake nodded.

"Oh yeah, and it wasn't just because you were nice. It was because your ass wasn't racist. Most of the white folks around our school were racist as fuck. Teachers flunked me because I'm half black," she told her.

"Is that it? You like me because I'm a decent human being? And also Mr. Bentley was a fucking twat and he deserved to get egged."

"Thank you, and no. That wasn't the only reason. I also liked you because you cute, and you always made me feel good about myself," she said. Fionna smiled.

"Awh, Cake! You're so sweet," she reached over and hugged her friend who gladly accepted her embrace.

"Nah, it's just the truth. But it took me a long time to figure that shit out. What I'm trying to say is that Marshall is in the process of trying to figure it out as well which means he's hella in to you," she explained. Fionna sighed.

"I dunno, I haven't really been with anybody," she muttered.

"I know, your most serious relationship was with your cousin when you were five," Cake provoked.

"Shut up! I didn't know anything back then!" Fionna growled out of embarrassment and hid her face with her half finished crown. Cake howled with laughter.

"At least you didn't kiss him! That would've been a hell of a story," she grinned. Fionna whined and fell over on her side to the fetal position.

"Shut up…"

Fionna spent most of the half hour she had trying to ignore Marshall looking at her from his painting station. Once Cake had pointed it out it was impossible to ignore it. Every now and then her eyes would snag on his, and he would end up smirking as he painted people's faces. She did her best not to smile back and avoid looking at him, but soon she found herself staring as well. She was more fascinated with his hands and how he painted. Needless to say her gaze did often wander, but for the most part she watched him work. It got to the point where she had completely dropped the crown she had been working on. He was smiling the whole time, happy to have captured her interest and almost rushing to finish his work.

Soon they only had ten minutes, and that's when Marshall started cleaning his brushes and gave more direct eye contact to Fionna. She blushed once their eyes connected and looked down at the grass. This made him laugh and set down his tools so he could walk over and sit next to her.

"Hey there," he grinned.

"H-hey," she stuttered and fiddled with the flowers in her lap.

"The sun is gonna set in about five hours," he told her, noticing the sun starting to droop in the sky. It was still pretty high, but it was well past noon.

"Really? I didn't notice," she murmured and glanced over at his converse. They were red like his plaid, but they were more faded, and the fabric was split and frayed in some spots.

"Yup, I love the color of sunsets," he said.

"Wow, I didn't know you were so cliché," Fionna snarked. Marshall laughed and nudged her shoulder with his. She smiled and finally looked up at him.

"I know it is, but I don't like the orange part. Too bright," he replied.

"Then what do you like about it?" She asked turning her body more towards him and flipping her hair out of her face.

"The most obvious is the last rays of golden yellow from the burning ball of gas we call the sun," he smirked and she giggled as he ran his fingers through her blond strands.

"Second is the lovely reds and pinks it brings out, it reminds me of the color of lewd blush in the midst of making love," he spoke in a low voice as he cupped her face and ran his thumb of her cheek. As he predicted, she blushed.

"How poetic," she said quietly. Marshall scooted himself closer to her so their legs touched and they were merely a couple inches apart.

"And lastly, I love the last glance of blue in the sky before it's overtaken by the midnight," he whispered and watched her bright blue eyes.

She blinked and tried to pull her eyes away, but it was impossible. His deep green eyes were clearly hazel now that she had a closer look. The warm brown around his iris made him that much more appealing to her. When she finally managed to look away she lowered her gaze to his mouth and let his hands comb through her hair. He was biting his lip, as usual, and smirking as well. She couldn't tell if it was him or her who leaned forward, but regardless his lips ended up brushing against hers. His fingers intertwined with hers as he hovered his mouth over hers and hesitated.

"Are you going to kiss me?" Fionna murmured. Marshall chuckled and nodded.

"Eventually," he whispered back. Fionna giggled and placed her free hand on his knee.

"Well you better hurry or else I'll kiss you," she threatened. Marshall grinned.

"Please do."