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“Geez Peebs I haven’t snuck in through your window in years.” She floats over to her girlfriend and gives her a quick peck on the cheek.
Marceline wasn’t the biggest fan of PB keeping an office at the Candy Kingdom after stepping down but she insisted it would actually be better for her to keep her records in a separate building instead of making a home office at Marcy’s.
Plus it wasn’t like she could avoid the Candy Kingdom in its entirety . “I know Peps and Lolly are entirely capable of checking in on Neddy but he’s my brother, I want to see him,” PB recalls telling her girlfriend.
So it was decided: she would keep an office in the Candy Kingdom to store her records and lab equipment and keep it out of her home. So Marcy wasn’t exactly thrilled when she received a message from PB to meet her there but obliged with Simon in tow.
“Please put me down.”
“Oh sorry Simon!” She let him go and he hit the ground with an audible drop.
“Careful I’m not as spry as I used to be,” he says taking a moment to get up, “and why couldn’t we just use the front door?”
“Quiet you guys,” Bubblegum shushes, “I don’t want to wake them.”
“Wake who?” Marcy asks. In place of answering PB leads them to her office door which she gingerly opens a crack, just enough for Marcy and Simon to see the couch in the office’s waiting room.
Finn was on the couch with Huntress leaning on his shoulder. Cradled on Finn’s chest was a little girl, no older than four, forming a small puddle of droll on his chest. The three of them were passed out sleep.
Simon and Marcy shut the door quietly and peak their heads back in.
“Oh my glob,” Marcy scream whisper, “what happened? Who’s child is that?”
“That’s what I’m trying to figure out. I was on my way out from visiting Neddy in the castle when the three of them came in saying something about a giant bear,” Bubblegum tells them, “said they were walking in the woods and she wasn’t in great shape but they were able to get her out in time. They thought Peps could help find some record of any other family they could take her to. But he doesn’t keep as…extensive records of citizens outside of the candy kingdom as I do so I brought them here.”
The last part came out with a touch of embarrassment in her voice. Her record keeping slowed after the KoO incident and stopped completely after she stepped down but she couldn’t bring herself to destroy all her records. She wasn’t always proud of her extensive tracking of the citizens of Ooo but she would be lying if she said it didn’t sometimes come in use.
“She hasn’t said anything?” Marcy asks.
“According to Finn she hasn’t said a word since they found her.”
“Oh the poor thing,” says Simon.
Simon goes back to the door to check on them.
“Oh! Hello, Huntress,” Simon is greeted by those big green eyes as soon as he opens the door. She enters the office without a word, slowly closing the door behind her.
“Any news?” Huntress asks Bubblegum.
Bubblegum takes a breathe, “Unfortunately yes. I couldn’t find any other relatives. Looks like it’s just her.”
The news hangs over the room like a dark cloud. It’s silent for a while until Huntress speaks up. She clears her throat.
“On the way over Finn and I discussed if that was case well...well we wouldn’t be opposed to taking her in.”
The room goes quiet again for a while. This time Bubblegum breaks the silence. With just one word.
“Um.”
“Um?” Huntress responds.
“I think that’s very sweet Huntress but are you sure about this?”
“Well I think that’s great,” Simon says, perhaps in an attempt to break the tension.
“Huntress I know you have changed a lot. And I don’t like to judge people by their worse moment, especially after some of the things I’ve done but…,” Bubblegum stops. Both women know exactly what she’s talking about. It wasn’t more than two years ago when Huntress let her own stubbornness get in the way Finn health.
“You’re right. I won’t deny you of that,” huntress says with no anger but certain sternness.
Huntress keeps her eyes closed as she lets a few breathes in and out, centerings herself again before going on. Huntress has gotten a lot better at communicating these past two years but it can still take her a moment to get out what she wants to say.
“I know what it’s like to be alone like that. I know the fear and sadness that is running deep in that girls heart all too well. And I know what happens next. She closes herself off to anyone. To anything. She carries around that pain for years. She becomes a stubborn cagey mess. Or she grows up with two people who care for her. And maybe she avoids becoming that mess. She becomes someone better than me.”
Huntress willingness to share all of that should be a sign to PB this is not something her and Finn are treating lightly. But there’s still something deep in her gut that doesn’t feel sure about this. Something deeply rooted in centuries of wearing herself thin.
Now just to put as diplomatically as possibles.
“How do you know you’re not going to mess this up?” Bubblegum asks.
Huntress opens her mouth but no words come out.
“I didn’t know,” Simon breaks in, “I didn’t know if I would do a good job when I took in Marcy, I just knew I had to do it. And not to give myself too much credit but I think she turned out great.”
“I saw a world where I never found Marcy,” Simon says, “and despite all the pain around me all I could think was how hurt my little girl was. I don’t she’ll become a vampire princess but I know certain you will always be better off surrounded by people who love you.”
PB gives in, “Okay fine! Fine! I surrender. But are you sure you’re ready for this? I don’t want to doubt you. It’s just always gonna be more responsibility than you think. I’ve donked up a few of my people. I’m not sure if I’ve forgiven myself for that. It can weigh on you. ”
“I’m still pretty donked up myself but I’m not doing this alone. Finn and I are partners in this,” she stops and considers if she really wants to commit to what says about to say, “…and her godmother is the former princess of the candy kingdom.”
“Hey no fair I wanted to be a godmother,” Marcy chimes in.
“The boy’s brothers are dogs. His daughter can have two godmothers,” Huntress tells her, “but before any of that we have to see how she feels about.”
And as if on cue Finn enters the room holding the still sleeping girl, her arms wrapped on his neck.
“Any news?” He asks quietly.
Huntress gives him a look and he immediately knows.
“I told them about our idea,” Huntress tells him.
“And?”
She bites her lip. Right now she is surrounded by people she’s watched grow dramatically throughout the past decades, herself included. She’s not sure where Huntress would be without Finn or Finn without her or she without Marcy or Marcy without Simon.
“You’ll have to see what she wants when she wakes up but maybe give her a few days before asking her anything. But if it’s what she wants I can get you settled with any paperwork you need.” Bubblegums tells them.
“Oh and by the way I promised Princess and Marceline they get to be her godmothers,” Huntress tells Finn.
He gives her a quick peck, “Fine by me, I was going to ask you if we could do that anyway,” he says. He notices Simon in the room. “Simon, we’re not leaving you out. You could be her uncle but I mean you’re more like Marcy’s dad…hmm,” The entire room watches as the cogs in Finn spin in real time, “what’s that thing Peps calls you?”
“Dedushka.”
“Perfect! That cool with you?” Finn asks, neither Huntress nor Finn knowing what the word means.
“If she’ll have me as her dedushka it’d be my honor.”
“I’m going to call Peps and have him set up a room for you three in the castle. I think it’d best we keep an eye on her for the next few days if that’s alright with you,” Bubblegum asks, “you guys can head over there now and I’ll meet there.”
The three of them head out leaving Marcy, Simon, and Bubblegum.
“That’s is the most I’ve seen her talk I think the entire time we’ve known her,” Marcy says.
“She’s changed a lot in two years,” she replies. “You two can head back home, I’m just going to check in quick. We don’t want to overwhelm her,” Bubblegum told them.
“Okay but this better not be a part of some secret plan to make sure your her favorite aunt,” Marcy says.
“That’s ridiculous Marcy!”
It was! It was also true.