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“Catch,” said Princess Bonnibel Bubblegum, almost too late. Fortunately, Marceline’s reflexes were impeccable as always, and she caught the delicately wrapped, flower shaped, deep red hard candy with ease.
“Thanks, Bon.” Marceline leaned onto the balcony’s railing, playing around with the wrapper before starting to open it with more care than Bonnibel could’ve expected, feeding into her idea that the Vampire Queen had asked for a snack not out of hunger but just to have a moment alone while she fetched it.
Understandable as it was given the situation, it strung a little. She expected this chance to spend time with her to be a refreshing break from repairing the thoroughly GOLB-trashed kingdom, looked forward to it with butterflies and anticipation and longing for the uncomplicated kisses from way back. Circumstances were different, she supposed.
“So,” started Marceline, drawing out the ‘o’ as a buffer to gather her thoughts. “Things are looking a lot less donked up around here and it’s only been two weeks, it’s almost normal by now.” She chuckled. “For a certain definition of normal, anyway. Your little people are seriously whack, Bonnie.”
“Globness, tell me about it.” Bonnibel sighed, more drained than amused. “Between taking care of things and them and Pep, who seems to be teething now,” she pulled back her sleeve, revealing her otherwise uniformly pink skin to have a few shallow, discolored dents, “I’ve had my hands full. You know how it is.”
Marceline frowned. “Have you slept?”
“Obviously. The body can’t function for two whole weeks with zero sleep, Marceline.” Bonnibel chose to parry the question, though she knew full well that her partner wouldn’t leave it at that.
“You know what I mean. Like,” her hands clenched around the wrapper anxiously, “like in the last three days, Bonnie, how much have you taken for yourself? Any?”
Bonnibel stayed silent for a while, suddenly feeling very small. “I’m resting right now,” she offered.
Another silence.
“You do know,” Marceline muttered, quickly giving up in trying to sound sarcastic and jovial, “that I would be really very sad if something were to happen to you due to exhaustion, don’t you?” She left the still partially wrapped candy on the wide leaf of a potted plant, rather precariously, and gripped the railing if as to focus her unease on that point. “If something fell on you and you couldn’t get out of the way, Bon. I don’t know,” she felt her mouth dry, “didn’t you have a concussion?”
Bonnibel rested a hand on Marceline’s almost without thinking, and her gut immediately responded to the contact by twisting in uncomfortable ways. Her mouth was also feeling dry. “I’ll be okay, it’s not the first or the last time the Candy Kingdom requires me to make some sacrifices.”
It was obviously the wrong thing to say. Bonnibel knew it as soon as it came out of her mouth and saw it confirmed when Marceline slipped her hand from under the princess’. “I’m not quite as self-absorbed anymore, so I’ll choose to take that as… you know, you being tired. Not what it could sound like.” Her attempt to be a bigger person was slightly undermined by a rush of insecurity, “which is not what you meant, is it?”
“Thank you, and it’s not, and,” Bonnie’s words all seemed to slowly crash together inside her mouth so she took a moment to collect herself, “I’m not leaving you, Marcy. Ever. I said it back then and I’ll say it as many times as it takes.” She turned to face Marceline head on, and Marceline responded in kind with some amount of rather endearing hesitation, seeming almost sheepish. “We were so inexperienced before, centuries old but so unbearably immature. I don’t plan to make those mistakes again, Marceline.” Their eyes met, and Bonnie’s were as frank as they were loving. “We’re in for the long haul.”
All the insecurity visibly evaporated from Marceline’s face, replaced by a wide smile. “Glob, Bonnie,” she laughed and reached for Bonnibel’s warm cheek, holding it with her palm cupped around her jaw. “I,” she licked her lips, “I’m ready for it, you know? Eternity. And I can’t imagine it without you in it.” Her eyes darted to the door after the couple seconds that it took for a blush to spread up to her ears. “That might be the corniest thing I’ve ever said. I might vomit.”
“That’s distasteful.” Bonnie’s words were entirely opposite to her grin and absolutely giddy tone.
“You didn’t seem to be complaining about my taste at all back in that battlefield, Bonnibel.” Marceline smirked, unable to resist the opportunity to be a tease.
“Marcy!” she pawed at the vampire’s chest, catching the strap of her top and deciding to leave her hand there after a quick check of Marceline’s easy, amused reaction. Distractedly, she toyed with it until she felt she could blurt the scandalous thought that was going through her mind. “Can we kiss now?”
The vampire chuckled and approached the princess’ glowing face with all the gallantry she could muster, stopping barely a few centimeters short. “Promise me you’ll rest.”
Bonnibel’s eyes fluttered open. When had she closed them? She gulped and gripped Marceline’s top tighter. “Will you be coming with me?”
As a manner of response, Marceline closed the distance and kissed her slowly, teasing her quivering lips with patience, taking her time to undo the figurative knot that were Bonnibel’s nerves. She took her time, and Bonnie thanked her endlessly for it, gripping her tighter and drawing her closer. They sighed into their mouths as they eventually separated, resting against each other.
Marceline grinned. “You bet your sweet bippy I will.”