Work Text:
This is so wrong, she thought to herself. The vampire queen was perched in a tree, invisible to any nosey passerby. Sitting there with her legs pulled up on the thick branch, she could see for miles. In the distance, the Candy Kingdom, which was usually full of light and life, was quiet and dim. It was bedtime – candy people needed their rest, so the kingdom would dull its lights every night. No one minded, there was no strict curfew. Just a reminder that rest is important from their loving leader, their princess. The same princess who was currently strolling down the long pathway leading to the kingdom doors.
Marceline watched as the princess was greeted by her delightfully dim-witted banana guards, flocking to her sides. She couldn’t hear what they were saying – she was just a smidge too far. She supposed she better get closer.
No. Bad Marcy, bad, she scolded herself. Nonetheless, against her better judgement, she put her sun hat back on and leaped into the air. She was soaring headfirst through the air like she was on a mission, before stopping short of the lollipop pillars that surrounded the gates. Despite still being invisible, she kept her distance floated up to the top of the closest pop, peeking over the edge.
Glob, what was she, a teenager? Spying on someone like she wasn’t Marceline the Vampire Queen, the half-demon daughter to the ruler of the Nightosphere and the best dang bass player in all of Ooo. She’d been kicking butt and taking names for centuries, but somehow this soft piece of walking gum was making her shake like a leaf. A sexy vampire leaf.
She giggled to herself, imagining a leaf with fangs and a bass. Then, she saw the princess’s head twitch a little in her direction. Marceline was completely hidden, but when Princess Bubblegum looked to the pillar she was crouched on, her entire body went hot. She always wondered why her body temperature could still go up and down, what with being undead and all that.
“Maybe it has to do with adrenaline. You might not have a functioning circulatory system but adrenaline comes from your brain, not your blood. Instead of your heart racing, your adrenal glands just go super wack and makes your body temperature raise.”
“So it’s all in my head?”
Marceline could remember her smile and soft giggle so vividly that it was almost painful. She remembered sitting on her lab table back when the kingdom was so young and growing steadily. They were both so young.
“Isn’t everything? Your brain controls it all anyway.” She remembered Bonnie reaching out to touch the shaved side of her head. The princess had actually shaved it for her a week or two ago, and it was getting fuzzy. She slid her soft pink hand to cup her cheek and Marcy responded by grabbing it and kissing the palm of her hand furiously, leaving sloppy, playful kisses up her arm. She remembered Bonnie squealing and trying to get away, but it was never any use. Marcy was always faster and stronger, and Bonnie could never resist.
Princess Bubblegum looked up and through her. She just blinked, listening intently.
“Uh, Princess?” one of her guards asked, clenching his spear with both hands. “Wh-What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Finally, Bubblegum looked away and smiled at her guards. “You’re doing a wonderful job, my friends. Keep up the excellent work.”
The guards stood at attention, smiling gleefully. They started talking over one another, some nonsense that Marceline couldn’t decipher. They opened the gate for their princess, who shot one last wary glance at Marceline before walking in. The doors slammed behind her, but Marceline had a trick up her sleeve.
The power of flight. No roof, no problem. Even if there was a roof, she still remembered the secret tunnels and hidden entrances to the castle. The sneaking around was muscle memory. Of course, the kingdom had grown probably triple the size since the last time she spent a lot of time here. A lot can change in a few centuries. A lot stays the same, too.
Like Bonnie’s massive bay windows so she could stand and watch her people. Marceline had tapped on those windows in the middle of the night more times than she could even guess. She wouldn’t be tapping on any windows tonight, though. This was pure curiosity. She just was just kind of curious. Did she really wear that shirt?
But Marceline would never ask. Could never. That would mean admitting that she’d been skulking around the palace, and she wasn’t ready for that level of uber embarrassment.
So instead, she flew over the castle wall and sat on a roof, watching as the princess wandered around, checking on various citizens who happened to still be out and about this time of night. Marceline watched Bubblegum pick up one of her candy children, rocking the little gumdrop in her arms like a baby as it smiled up at her. That was all Bubblegum ever wanted, a family.
Marceline’s stomach hurt. Or whatever was closest to stomach cramps in the undead. She had watched Bubblegum devote her life to her people, her responsibilities, keeping her family safe. And Marceline fell by the wayside.
She winced at her own memory and shook her head clear. Bubblegum put the candy citizen down and said goodbye, continuing in her path to the palace. Marceline followed, staying high in the air, above the rooftops.
Bubblegum stopped at the front doors to the palace, once again taking time to interact with her banana guards. Always so prim and proper, always beaming with diplomacy and righteousness. Self-obsessed and all the rest and PB, I’m so over it.
She regretted that so, so much. Maybe they weren’t meant to be. Maybe the idea of forever was just something two messed up kids told themselves, holding each other in the dark, whispering and giggling like there was nothing to be afraid of. Peppering kisses all over her face, down her soft neck and shoulders, her arms, her stomach, her knees – everywhere. Bonnie was so soft, like holding a cloud in her hand.
Marceline wondered if she was still that soft. Time had done a number on her, for sure, but did gum age? She didn’t think so. All day, dealing with that stupid Door Lord with Finn and Jake, she just wanted to sit and stare at her, as if she didn’t despise it when Bubblegum did that to her. She wanted to reach out and touch her face, feel her hair, hold her hand, just to see if it would be the same.
She didn’t want to admit it, but she was pretty sure it would be. Her face was so flushed she could feel it in her ears. She ripped off her gloves, shoving them in her back pocket as Bubblegum strolled into her palace, the doors closing behind her.
And from there, Marceline just… watched. She watched Bubblegum go upstairs to her lab, flying around the tower to find the window she knew would give her a view. She felt like such a creep, but she couldn’t help it. She just wanted to see her. She just… felt like she needed to see her. Today wasn’t enough. She felt like she had to apologize for her song, for either song, for everything – for being so stupid those hundreds of years ago and for letting them lose it all, for not trying harder.
But she had no idea what Bonnie would say. She had suitor after suitor – some of them still waiting outside the palace. But from what she could tell, Bonnie hadn’t bothered with anyone. Not that she knew of, anyway. And how would she? She didn’t hang around the Candy Kingdom anymore. There was no way in heck she was going to ask Finn or Jake, either. She’d never hear the end of it, whether or not they knew the truth.
Bonnie put her purse on the counter in her lab, her sweater following. She opened her purse and pulled the rock shirt out. Marcy was so curious how she managed to keep it in such good shape after all these years. Bonnie held it tenderly, staring down at the design. She traced her thumb over the snake, her face scrunching a little.
Then, Marcy watched Bonnie put the shirt to her face and take a deep breath, rubbing her face against the worn fabric. Her heart was racing. Or the adrenaline was pumping or maybe she was dying – all she knew is her skin felt like it was vibrating. Marceline didn’t know what she was expecting, but it wasn’t that.
Marcy touched the glass pane, her eyes barely peaking above the windowsill. She wanted to burst in there and tackle her, grab her by the waist and kiss her until the world exploded. She had centuries to make up for, and she had every intention to make it last this time.
Just then, a loud boom of thunder shook her to the bones, heavy rain following immediately after. She yelped and jumped forward, smacking her forehead against the window surprisingly hard. She floated back, holding her head with both hands as the window flew open.
Marceline quickly made sure she was still invisible, as if she wouldn’t know if she wasn’t. She was. Phew.
“Marcy?”
She opened her eyes and Bonnie was standing there, the windows pushed out and her eyes wide. Her voice was quiet, and Marceline had absolutely no clue what to do. Bonnie sighed, the soft look on her face melting away.
“You’re so… confusing. Get in, you donk.” She stepped aside and Marceline stayed frozen. Bonnie looked directly at her, as if she could see right through her. “Well? I’m inviting you in, you’re vampire. That’s your que.”
Marcy smirked, chuckling under her breath. Good ol’ Bonnie. She swung her bass around over her shoulder and floated in. Landing on the windowsill, she held the neck of her bass and gave a dramatic wave of her other hand as she revealed herself.
“Ta-da!” her hair was wet and her face was flushed, the only thing that was poking through her façade. Bonnie folded her arms, unamused. Marcy slammed a chord. “Tis I, the bringer of rain and discombobulation!”
Bonnie’s face didn’t move. Stoic as ever. “What do you want, Marceline?”
No Marcy, back to Marceline. That stung. She didn’t let it show. Instead, she jumped off the window, going from a front flip to leisurely floating on her back in the room as Bubblegum closed the window.
“Oh you know, I was in the neighborhood and decided to come by to – uh…” she strummed her bass, falling silent. She hadn’t even considered the possibility of getting caught, so she didn’t have an excuse ready. Oh glob, come by and do what? She was panicking. No, Marceline the Vampire Queen didn’t panic. She also was never at a loss for words. Glob, Grod, whoever was out there, give her something to say – anything.
Bubblegum made a face that said, well? Marceline stammered again before sighing and lowering herself to the ground. She touched down a few feet away from her, still looking down at her bass.
“I… I don’t know. I don’t know, I just – I didn’t really get a chance today to, uh, I don’t know – say… hi?”
“Yeah, you must have forgotten while you were spitting on me.”
Marceline winced. She looked away again, averting her eyes to as far away from Bonnie or herself or anything, just so she didn’t have to meet her eyes.
“I…yeah. I really, really wish I hadn’t done that.”
“Me too.”
Marcy could feel tears starting to form again, so she looked up at the ceiling. She closed her eyes and her words got stuck in her throat. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I miss you, I miss you so much, please forgive me, please take me back –
Instead, she swallowed her tears and looked at Bonnie. She had turned away, standing at the counter with her back to Marceline. She didn’t test the waters, staying exactly where she was. But she did have one question. “How did you know it was me?”
Bonnie laughed, but there was no humor there. Just exhaustion and heavy memories. “You’re not as sneaky as you think you are.”
“Or, maybe, after all these years, you still know me better than anyone else.”
Bonnie turned around, scowling. But Marcy didn’t see any real anger. Just hurt, frustration, irritation. All aimed at her. “What are you doing, Marcy? What are you even doing here?”
Now, Bonnie was getting loud. Her voice raised, she all but shouted, “You disappear for four hundred years and then you show up all – you’re just – you’re fine! You’re joking and hanging out with Finn and trying to make me jealous? What even was that? Why did you even follow us there today? Just to – to what, rub it in my face?”
Marcy shook her head. “I wasn’t – rub what in your face? Bonnie, I didn’t wake up today thinking, ‘I think I’m gonna go hurt Bonnibel today.’ It just – got away from me.”
She took her bass off her shoulder entirely, resting it against the wall and putting her sunhat on top.. She could see Bonnie shaking as she hugged herself. All Marceline wanted to do was go over and hold her and never let go but that didn’t seem like a good idea. If she was being honest, Marcy was almost positive that would not happen anytime soon.
“You followed me home, tell me why.” Bonnie demanded. “You followed me all the way from that stupid door, you were watching me through my window, how long would you have stayed there? Were you going to watch me take a bath? Or get undressed, you freak? Did you want to watch me put your shirt on? Did you want some sick satisfaction that I did still wear it? That after all this – all this time, everything that’s happened, I can’t –”
“You – wait.” Marcy interrupted. Bonnie looked up, tears in the corners of her eyes. “How long were you going to let me watch you?”
Bonnie’s pink face turned a bright, fiery red color as her face changed, ever so slightly. Marcy did everything she could to stop the smirk from creeping across her face. Gotcha.
But the princess didn’t let herself faulter. “You would never have gotten that far. I knew you were going to funk it up eventually.”
“No, I don’t think you did.” Marceline took a step forward. Bonnie took a step back. “I don’t think you would’ve done anything about it.”
Another step forward, another step back. Bonnie snapped, “You’re ridiculous.”
Another step, another step. This time, Bonnie’s back hit the counter. Marcy didn’t move, standing directly in front of her, almost toe to toe. She noticed that Bonnie was still the same height. She could’ve made herself taller at any point but was still a good inch shorter.
“I think you would’ve let me watch until the sun came up.” Bonnie didn’t have a response.
For what felt like a lifetime, they just stood there, paralyzed by each other. Marcy felt like she was drowning, ready to sink and get lost in her world, her eyes, her hands, her everything. Marcy leaned closer, her arms on either side of Bonnie, palms on the counter. She could feel Bonnie’s breath, and she wondered if Bonnie could feel hers.
“Bonnie.” Marceline whispered, still not touching her. She didn’t want to go there yet, too terrified of one of them freaking out. Bonnie closed her eyes, completely still.
Her skin was on fire. She could practically feel Marcy pressed against her, just a vivid memory that floated around her mind from time to time, when she was feeling particularly lonely. She was hyper aware of Marcy’s arm moving, her cold hand moving her hair off her shoulder, but she still didn’t touch her. Bonnie was going to lose her mind – lose all composure she’d worked so hard to maintain. Marcy was the only one who could bring this side of her out. No one drove her crazy like Marceline the Vampire Queen.
Marcy was fixated on her neck. Soft, exposed and pink. She wanted so, so desperately to lean down and kiss her, right under her ear, right where Marcy used to. She moved lower, close that she could feel how much Bonnie was trembling. Her eyes were still closed, but her hand had moved to cover her mouth. Marcy wondered what she was holding back.
Marceline sighed. She dropped her head down against the princess’s shoulder. She didn’t want this to happen like this. She didn’t want passion on a countertop – well, that was half true. But she wanted everything else first. She wanted Bonnie.
This time, when the tears came, Marcy didn’t stop them. Bonnie moved her hand, looking down at the mop of black hair leaning on her. Then, she felt the wet on her sleeve.
“Marcy, are you – are you crying?”
“I’m – I’m sorry I was so mean to you today.” Marcy mumbled, wrapping her arms around Bonnie and hugging her tight. “You didn’t deserve that.”
Confused and shocked all at once, Bonnie put her hand on the back of Marcy’s head. She felt Marceline’s shoulders shudder and hugged her tighter.
“Its okay, Marcy.” Bonnie whispered into her hair. “You’re okay.”
Marcy lifted her head, wiping her eyes on the back of her hand. Bonnie almost didn’t hear her mumble, “I missed you so much. Just – I missed just being your friend. Hanging out and running around. I’m sorry, Bonnie.”
“Yeah.” Bonnie nodded, her face still red. “Yeah, me too.”
Marceline finally took a step back. Bonnie grabbed a box of tissues off the counter and offered her one. Marcy took one, turning away before blowing her nose. The princess smiled. Marceline put on such a mask, but she was still a person. She felt love and pain and jealousy and embarrassment, longing and sorrow. Glob, Bonnie had missed her so much. She missed the chaos. Although, Marcy had really seemed to calm down in the last few hundred years.
“I, uh, I should go.” Marceline sniffed, grabbing her bass. She swung it over her shoulder, put her hat back on and cleared her throat. She looked up at Bonnie, at her cute ponytail and soft hands and drank it all in. She wasn’t sure when she’d ever be able to see Bonnie like this. “You – you look really great, Peebs. Cute as ever.”
“Well, you’re not looking too bad yourself.” Bonnie blushed, looking down as she kicked her foot at nothing. For the love of Glob, Marcy couldn’t believe how hard she was working to stop herself – she was holding herself back from running back over to her, to grab her and kiss her until they suffocated and died holding each other.
Okay, that was a little extreme. Admittedly, Marceline was always one for theatrics.
“Well.” Marcy took a breath. “I’ll get out of your hair now. Leave you to all your science biz.”
Bonnie smiled, folding her arms. She wanted to start screaming, don’t leave, don’t go away, I’m sorry too, please don’t leave, but she kept it in. But that was the problem, wasn’t it? She pushed people away. That was how she lost Marcy the first time.
The first time. The words echoed in her head. What was she even thinking? Bonnie wasn’t – no, this was just the beginning of some much needed closure. This was the first step to becoming friends again, to being able to be in the same room as each other.
The first time. The first time their eyes met, the first time they spoke, the first time they kissed, the first time they went on a poorly planned adventure and the first time they ran for the lives from some monster or something, laugh screaming across a field until the first time Marcy grabbed her waist and flew them above the clouds.
The first night Bonnie spent without her. The first time in decades her bed felt empty. The first morning she woke up alone. The first time she saw Marceline again after so long, being a brat outside her window with Finn, purposely trying to push her buttons. The first time in centuries she’d felt like her body was electrified, just looking down and seeing her wag her fingers at her.
“Hellooo, Bonnibel.” The first time she’d heard Marcy’s voice in centuries. The first time she’d heard Marcy say her name in just as long. She remembered Finn looking up at Marceline, confused by the name and realizing they knew each other in the same moment.
“Hey, Marceline.” The first time she spoke to Marceline in centuries. That was it. Four hundred years later and all she could muster was dry disdain and frustration.
Bonnie decided in that moment, she would never let that happen ever again.
Marceline was opening the window slowly, looking out into the now clear night. It was like it hadn’t even rained in the first place. Had it? She couldn’t be sure. She was moving so slow, waiting, hoping for something. She wasn’t positive what for, though.
Standing on the window, she turned around to face Bonnie again, who hadn’t moved. She swung her bass around, strumming a little, before saying, “Hey, if there was anyone who’s problem I’d want to be, it’s yours. It was always a lotta fun.”
Marceline leaned back, floating into the open air. Changing the words to her earlier, much angrier song, she strummed and sang, “I’m just your vampire, I’m just your vampire.”
She looked up at the stars when she felt a tug on her ankle. She jerked forward, only to find Princess Bubblegum holding onto her. With tears in her eyes, she spoke in a tone Marcy hadn’t heard in centuries. Soft, vulnerable, lonely. It sent shivers down Marcy’s spine, and all she felt was the undeniable need to keep her safe.
“D-Don’t go yet.” Bonnie whispered. “Let’s just… talk.”
“Talk?”
Bonnie smiled a little, letting go of her. “You’ve been gone a long time. I bet you have some totes bonkers stories.”
Marcy touched down on the window. “Yeah, I’ve got a few. You, uh, got any red?”
“I’m sure, somewhere.”
Marcy jumped off the window onto the ground and said, “Well, I’m starved. Let’s start there.”
As Marceline the Vampire Queen walked into her lab, Princess Bubblegum turned to close the window, locking it this time.