Finn laid low, avoiding interaction as much as possible. Following Marceline's performance, the party-goers spread out once more. The live music moved upstairs to the Cloud Kingdom and a considerable amount of people followed. Travel became much simpler but, with the thinned crowds, he knew he'd be more susceptible to detection. He wished he had some trimmers, some molasses...Davey would be a Glob-send.

Instead, he resorted to removing his hat and tying his hair back. He altered the pitch of his voice. He removed his pack and stuffed it under the front of his shirt, which was no easy task with the Night Sword in place. If properly positioned, the blade could fit entirely under the garment without hurting him, but its hilt pressed into his collarbone. He ignored the discomfort; the disguise was worth it.

The camouflage wasn't perfect. Any of the princesses would recognize him if given a second to examine. His metal arm alone would give him away. He tried to remove the prosthetic and hide it in his backpack, but it refused to come off. It was as though it embedded itself in his skin. Finn assumed it was one of PB's added functions; the last one did fall off on occasion.

To compensate, the hero hid in the nooks and crannies of the kingdom—in back alleys, behind dumpsters, on rooftops, anywhere he felt he wouldn't be readily seen. He decided his best bet was Jake. He hadn't seen the dog since he and Lady had landed on the castle, but he had to be around somewhere. He'd find him sooner or later and, when he did, he'd have his brother stretch the pair to safety.

Finn's original plan was to simply leave on his own, but complications presented themselves. Strangely, the Banana Guards had taken up post at the drawbridge—they weren't there when Muscle Princess kidnapped him. Additionally, they'd started marching along the perimeter wall and through the most heavily-trafficked streets. When he made for the exit, a guard stopped him and said the party was under lock-down. Things were getting weirder by the minute. None of the other party-goers seemed aware of the lock-down—not that any had tried to depart. He attempted to pry more information from the naive sentry but abandoned the effort when he started receiving stares. The guards weren't bright, but he didn't want to risk being identified.

And so, the human found himself ducking into yet another alley as the sun dropped toward the horizon. The low light of evening assisted his cause. Things had been so uneventful for the past few hours, he wondered if the women had given up. He sat on the candy pavement, carefully obscured behind a stack of old crates, and let himself relax. The party itself seemed to sympathize—the concert upstairs quieted between songs and the foot traffic slowed. And one of those rare, comfortable moments of fleeting silence came to be.

Then, a noise. A subtle noise. One that would otherwise be obscured by the roar of ceaseless merriment, and was quickly drowned out as the moment passed. It sounded like a little motor, somewhere nearby...in the alley. Normally, such a sound wouldn't have bothered him. But, after the day he had, everything set off his radar.

Finn scanned his surroundings, looking for the source of the noise. In the darkened recess of the alleyway, a little red light blinked at him. He shuffled closer and let his eyes adjust to the shadows...it was a camera. And it was aimed right at him.

His heart skipped a beat. He gulped audibly. Bubblegum was on her way. The hero recomposed himself and turned to run, only to discover his path was already blocked. Where the alley opened to the street, two Banana Guards stood, silhouetted by the light of the party. They were disconcertingly quiet. Their spears were held at the ready. The human attempted to reason with them, but they refused to communicate. He tried to grip the slick candy walls that blocked him in; he'd never be able to climb them. He was trapped yet again. Resigned to his fate, he relaxed on the ground once more and awaited the princess' arrival.

His wait was short. Minutes later, Princess Bubblegum's voice was heard:

"You're dismissed," she said sweetly.

As though pulled from a trance, the guards reclaimed their usual, childlike demeanor and walked off. PB took their place and cocked her head at the sight of the hero.

"Finn?"

"Yeah," he said sullenly, his voice returning to its natural timbre.

"What happened?" The princess crouched beside him, a concerned look on her face.

The cynic in him dismissed this entirely; he wasn't willing to be fooled again. But Bonnibel was nothing if not persuasive. No detail of her behavior suggested deception. He wondered, could she truly be uninvolved? Either way, he was at her mercy—he'd might as well cooperate.

"You didn't hear?"

"Hear what? Were you attacked?"

He couldn't help but laugh at the question. Not only did it seem so absurd—him being attacked by the very people he sought to protect—but it was an understatement to boot. He wasn't attacked; he was meticulously hunted.

"Y-yeah," he answered between chuckles. "The princesses—all of 'em. Marcy too. They've been after me all day."

"The decree...I forgot." She stared into empty space, remembering. "I...Finn, I'm so sorry, but it slipped my mind. There was an agreement between the royals that they couldn't—"

"I already know," he interjected. "Phoebe told me."

"And this," she said, pointing to his false gut, "was to disguise yourself?"

He nodded. She smiled. He suspected she was proud of his effort. Without speaking, the princess pulled his pack from under his shirt. She dug through it and found his hat, then placed it back on his head.

"I'm sorry about all the guards. It's just...you were missing. Nobody knew where you went. I saw you in the security feeds. Your arm gave you away. C'mon, let's get you cleaned up."

"No! I mean...no. I'm not going back out there."

"You're under my protection now. The kingdom's on lock-down. We'll have a personal escort—Peps—and a whole garrison of bananas at all times. Let's go enjoy the party."

Her last words sounded regretful. He didn't consider it before, how much it must've hurt her. After she organized the Party of the Century in his honor, he hadn't even been able to appreciate it. He pushed his fears aside; he was going to have fun. For her.

Their first stop was the castle. Between his various hiding places, Finn had gotten fairly dirty, and Peebles insisted that he freshen up. As promised, the journey there was unexciting. Peppermint Butler marched ahead of them, a steely look on his face, ready to summon Death at a moment's notice. Thirty guards watched their flanks and rear. If any princesses were lurking, the display was enough to dissuade them from emerging.

Pressing their way through the main hall—which, at this point, was filled to the ceiling with gifts—was almost as difficult as moving through the crowds earlier in the day. Deeper in the castle, Bubblegum dismissed their convoy. She and Finn walked upstairs together alone. Even now, his alert was on high—he was ready for her attack, though it never came. Instead, she offered him a hug and directed him to her private bathroom.

He opted for a shower and the princess agreed. In the absence of her hostility, he suspected a subtler scheme would arise. Surely, at the very least, she'd try and watch him undress. No—Prubs politely stepped out of the room and shielded her eyes. She offered to have his outfit washed as well. He passed her each article of clothing as he stripped, and still she was diligent in maintaining his privacy. No wandering eyes, no misplaced hands, no demands...Princess Bubblegum truly was indifferent.

He sighed in relief as she left altogether, carrying his clothes to be laundered. Finn shut the bathroom door and stepped into the shower stall. It wasn't until the hot water hit him that he realized just how exhausted he was. Finally, he let himself be fully at ease.

Princess Bubblegum felt guilty. Her plan worked. She'd convinced the hero that she wasn't interested, and lured him into a secluded area. But worst of all, the hunt had ruined his birthday.

As she walked down the hall, head hung in shame, she convinced herself she was doing the right thing. It wasn't her fault the decree had been ratified. It wasn't her fault the other princesses behaved like animals. If anything, she was the righteous one in this situation. Unlike the others, she treated the human with respect. She was protecting him, keeping him secure in the castle. And her present would be caring and loving.

She sighed heavily and let herself into another room. It was just an old storage room—no one had entered it in ages—but it was were she told the vampire they'd rendezvous. As expected, Marceline hovered in the dark, waiting. When Bubblegum stepped in, tossed the clothes aside, and flicked on the light, she eagerly rushed over.

"Is he here?"

"Yeah," she said in a somber tone. "He's taking a shower as we speak."

The Queen licked her lips, aroused by the mere mention of Finn's nudity.

"How are your burns?"

"All healed," she said, pulling up her shirt to reveal her new skin. "I'm good to go. Let's get 'im."

She made for the door but the princess held her back.

"Not yet. Let him finish washing up."

Marcy examined her girlfriend's expression, suddenly grasping that something was off. Bonnibel avoided her eyes and stared at the floor.

"Bonnie? Are...are you alright?" No response. She lowered to her height and looked her square in the face, then placed a gentle hand on one cheek. "Bonnie, what's wrong?"

"I'm having second thoughts."

"About?"

"About this—tricking Finn. His party's already ruined, he's been fending off princesses all day, he's tired...Marcy, you should see him. He's a wreck."

"But he trusted you, didn't he? I'm tellin' ya, he's still into you. And you're not attacking him, like those idiots. You're just...givin' him what he wants."

The princess didn't seem reassured. Marceline held her close and kissed her softly. Despite her remorse, Bonnie kissed back.

When they parted, she continued, "You go first. I'll take my turn later."

"Are you sure?"

She laughed. "Absolutely. You deserve him."

Bubblegum's heart raced as she approached the bathroom door. Though she no longer felt blameworthy, she still wanted to do this right—on his terms, with his permission. She knocked softly.

"Yeah?" came the hero's voice.

"Finn? It's me. May...may I come in?" she asked.

A few seconds of agonizing silence followed. Doubt flooded her mind. Thoughts of overstepping her boundaries, hurting the human, and alienating him for years to come flashed through her head. She took a deep breath and waited.

Then finally, he said, "Sure." His tone was calm.

She opened the door and stepped inside. The shower was still running. The glass door that separated them was fogged over, and she could see his silhouette leaning against the tiled wall, letting the water run through his long blonde hair. Her heart leapt at the sight. Her legs operated without instruction, drawing her nearer.

"Can I join you?"

The question shook him to his core. He recalled how he felt when Flame Princess told him what was going on—he'd thought of Bubblegum. She did want him after all...but she was asking, not taking. His newfound cynicism melted away at the request, and suddenly he found himself as he was years prior. A lonely hero in love with a beautiful princess.

"Y-yes," he said, just above a whisper.

As his adoration for Bubblegum returned, so did his nervousness. Not so much was different now than it was then, save for his age. He was still inexperienced, still unsure of how to behave around her. And he'd never been with a woman—anywhere beyond kissing, that is. When she slid the shower door open, he was inclined to cover himself. He felt inept, untried...but the way she stared at his body warmed him, and he let her look.

Bonnibel couldn't help but gawk. Finn had really grown up. His softer features had faded with time, revealing the toned body he'd built over years of adventure and safeguarding. She'd never realized humans could grow body hair. Countless times, she'd seen his golden locks, which he inexplicably hid in his bear skin hat (much to her disappointment), but she'd never seen him stripped bare. Across his chest, down his stomach, and alluringly framing his manhood was even more blonde hair. It was so bright, it blended in with his pale skin—at first glance, it might be overlooked entirely. But as he moved, it caught the light with a stunning glint, giving him an ethereal presence. For a moment, she was too intimidated to proceed.

The princess quickly abandoned her restraint and her clothes as well, and stepped under the water next to him. Finn watched her with similar euphoria. Her frame was exquisite, her legs long and inviting, her breasts ineffable. He found his erection instantly, and in the close quarters, his length pressed against her taut stomach. Bonnie's jaw dropped at the sight of it. The difference in size was incredible—she wondered if all humans were so handsomely gifted, or if he was unique. Regardless, it was all hers.

She eased herself onto her knees, dragging her hands slowly down the sides of his frame, and got a closer look.

"P-princ-cess, w-what are y-you doing?" he asked. His face glowed red. The way she examined him, he started to wonder if something was wrong.

Bubblegum smiled up at him and said, "I'm giving you your second present, silly boy."

The mention of his old moniker ignited something in him. Back then, it bothered him when she said it. Now, it seemed almost seductive. Like she too wanted to resume where they'd left off. Before Huntress. Before Phoebe.

Her lips pursed and time slowed. She lightly kissed the tip of his member, and electricity shot through him. She kissed him again. And again. Each soft touch drove him wild. She worked his length carefully and with precision, handling it as though it were some precious artifact to be inspected. Her fingertips caressed him lightly, feeling the texture of his skin. Learning of its softness and shape, where he might be most sensitive and where she needn't employ caution.

Then, seeming certain in herself, her back straightened. A hand wrapped around his member and gripped it firmly. Her eyes closed. Her lips parted. She leaned forward and took him in her mouth.

Finn gasped. If her kiss was electricity, this was a lightning storm. His muscles faltered; it took all his focus to merely remain standing. Following the initial shock, his body rejected the intense sensation as it would pain of a similar measure. He watched her work as though he were a spectator, and simply took pleasure in the scene before him. Then, very gradually, he let himself appreciate the feeling—the softness of her tongue and lips, the warmth of her breath, the pressure of her fingers, the gentle grazing of her teeth atop his length as she bobbed. It was a symphony of bliss. He closed his eyes as well and lost himself in the euphoria.

Meanwhile, someone else stood nearby and observed. The figure, as seen through the translucent door of the shower, was a tall and lean silhouette. Neither Finn nor Bubblegum noticed as it approached their stall, its footsteps masked by the sound of the pouring water. A single arrow levitated from its quiver and took aim.

Author's Note:

A little Fubblegum going on. The hunt will continue though and, well...it's looking like Finn may be...raped. So yeah. There will be more B-list princess involvement and action, some of which will be against our hero's will.

Smiling Lemon, I'm sorry if you were hoping for consensual pairings. If so, I can always whip up a couple one-shots. Let me know.

Anyway, let me know what you think about the writing. Reviews and constructive criticism are always appreciated.

As always, thanks for reading!