A/N: So I have this thing where I can't ever write about healthy relationships?

OoOoOo

One day, the Princess would actually remember how much it hurt her legs to stand all day, and she would invest in a wheeled chair. Climbing up the stairs to her bedroom, step by agonizing step, she envisioned a future her, a better her. In some alternate universe there was a happy princess whizzing around her laboratory on a comfortable chair, learning new things and not having to feel the burn later. Of course, it was a rare day that she was able to be in her lab interrupted for that amount of time. So many hours were spent ruling her kingdom, keeping the peace, updating the laws, learning about her people… she inevitably forgot about her plans for a new chair every time.

She wasn't sure how she got ready for bed; it all passed in a pink blur. But soon she found herself sitting in front of her vanity in that old ratty black t-shirt she loved so much, too tired to even look for the matching pair of candy-corn printed pajama bottoms she'd bought to go along with it. Mindlessly combing her hair, she stared into the mirror, wondering why she even bothered when it was just going to be a big sticky mess in the morning anyway.

Then a hand touched her shoulder, cool and soft.

"So you do wear my shirt."

Screeching, Bubblegum hopped to her feet, whirling around to face her attacker. Wielding her comb as though it were a sword, she stammered, "Get back, you, or I'll-"

"Brush me to death?"

Bubblegum froze.

It was Marceline, with a basket of apples in hand and her bass slung over her back.

Not sure how to react, Bubblegum just stood there for a few solid seconds, the gears in her head turning. "Oh," she said at last, lowering her arms to her side. Then she started, dropping her comb and yanking down on the hem of her shirt to try and cover her lower half. "Oh! Marceline, haven't you ever heard of knocking?"

Lifting up off the ground, Marceline floated around the Princess. The basket was forgotten, deposited on the vanity. "Aw look, she's embarrassed," she said, snatching Bubblegum's crown off of a hook on the wall next to the vanity and putting it on. Relaxing in the air as though she were lying down, Marceline tucked her hands behind her head and closed her eyes, drifting lazily about the bedroom. "Relax, Peebs. It's not like I haven't seen it all before."

The princess wasn't going to respond to that. "Why are you here?" she asked instead, sitting down again and crossing her long pink legs. If she saw Marceline take a peek out of half lidded eyes, she didn't say anything about that, either.

"Bringin' a gift. Apples are maybe the only thing we ever could agree on, right?" Switching so that she was now "lying" on her stomach, she rested her chin in her hands. Air whistled past Bubblegum's face as Marceline flew over her, planting the crown back on top of her royal pink head. "I thought maybe we could try to be friends again."

"Right." Bubblegum turned towards the mirror, knowing she wouldn't be able to see the vampire queen that way. "Of course."

A room temperature chin rested on top of her head, causing her to start again. Her reflection remained alone even as she felt hands knead at her shoulders in a more than friendly way. Or maybe it was all in her imagination. Or maybe Marceline wanted to get back together. Or maybe that was crazy talk. Or maybe Marceline just wanted a quick fling and figured Bubblegum wouldn't mind.

Bubblegum wasn't sure if she minded.

"Aw come on, Bonnibel don't tell me that whole thing with the Door Lord was just a show. I'm really going out of my way here, y'know, the least I can expect is a little reciprocation."

Blinking blearily at her reflection, Bubblegum could only grunt.

She felt Marceline stiffen, and then pull away. "Fine. Be that way then."

Too late, Bubblegum realized her exhaustion was coming off as anger. "Oh, Marceline- no-" Did Marceline really not realize most candy people weren't awake at two in the morning? Had she forgotten this? Turning around in her chair again, she looked and didn't see Marceline- only an open balcony door. "Oh, gumballs."

Scrambling to her feet, she ran to the balcony, looking around for the shape of darkness against the night.

"Marceline!" she shouted into the night, waiting for a response.

Silence.

"Marceline, wait!" And quieter, because she wasn't sure anyone could hear her, she added, "I… I'm sorry."

Nothing answered her but her own echo.

Oh cherry-filled gumballs!

Rage boiled inside her, frothing like milk left too long on the burner. Who was Marceline to demand anything of her, anyway? A ragged queen of a barbaric people. No one of any real power or importance, just the biggest bully on the top of the heap. She was trash. Filling her lungs with air, Bubblegum ran to the edge of the balcony, gripping the railing as tight as she could and screamed until she couldn't scream any more.

No one noticed. No one else was awake at this hour, after all.

With all her frustration vented, Bubblegum only had an empty pit inside her chest where her anger had been. "This is why we broke up," she murmured to no one, sinking down to the balcony floor with clear, liquid sugar tears running down her face. "You don't ever let me explain."

A grey apple dropped next to her, and a clear, resonant note sounded above her. Heart leaping into her throat for about the fiftieth time that night, Bubblegum realized she had been looking in the wrong direction.

Marceline was sitting on her roof, looking down with a smug grin and her bass in her arms. "The best part of running away is checking to see if anyone chases you."

"You." Bubblegum got up to her feet, face flushing.

"Hi."

"I can't believe you- you made me- you heard me-"

"Hmm?" Cupping one hand to her pointy ear, Marceline pantomimed deafness. "What? I can't hear anything over the resounding awesomeness of how right I am."

"Why are you really here, Marceline?"

Swooping down from her perch, she moved faster than Bubblegum could see. Halting just inches away, she loomed over the princess, staring her down. "Maybe I like hearing you say you're sorry."

Heat rushed to her face. Marceline was too close. She was getting distracted. "Go lick yourself," Bubblegum swore at her, marching straight back inside her bedroom, making sure to securely lock the balcony door. Unperturbed, Marceline hovered just outside her window, picking out a tune and then picking up the pace, letting her voice hover through the silent night air.

"I'm a killer, cold and wrathful, silent sleeper; I've been inside your bedroom."

"Be quiet, Marceline!" Bubblegum shouted, diving onto her bed and pulling the pillow over her head to try and block out the strange serenade. "I am trying to sleep!"

"I've murdered half the town and left you love notes on their headstones."

Growling, she twisted onto her side, curling into a ball. "Not listening, not listening, lalalalaa…"

"I'll fill the graveyards until I have you. I want you stuffed into my mouth, hold you down and tear you open, live inside you… Oh, love, I'd never hurt you."

The song intensified, Marceline's cold eyes peering through her window, daring her to remember the last time she'd sung a song to her.

"But I'll grind against your bones until our marrows mix-"

The windows swung open, and Marceline stopped mid-strum, blinking in surprise at the fierce pink princess who was currently glaring at her.

Then Bubblegum started pelting the vampire queen with the rest of the apples, each one punctuated by an angry shout. "Get! Out! Of! Here! You! Vagrant! Verlierer! No good! Butthead!"

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" Marceline shielded herself with her axe, hissing. "You're the one being a butthead, you butthead!"

"Stop singing me your creepy love songs!" One apple left. She made it count, pausing long enough for Marceline to peek around the body of her axe to see if it was safe. Bubblegum made sure it hit her right in the face, eliciting a much louder hiss.

"That's it." She whooshed inside the open window, tossing the axe to the side as she grabbed Bubblegum around her waist, pulling her up and slamming her against the ceiling. "Do not ever insult my music. You might not get it but it comes from my cold undead heart and I mean every word of it."

Vertigo made it hard to answer, but she managed to get over the blood rushing to her head to say, "You let me down this instant, Marceline."

Their bodies were flush. Marceline was keeping her pinned down with one arm still around her waist. Her free hand grasped both of Bubblegum's flailing arms by the wrists, pressing them against the unyielding wall. The difference in their strength was such that Bubblegum couldn't even try to wriggle free. "Apologize first."

They butted heads. "Bite me."

Wrong choice of words.

A wailing yelp sounded through out the spacious room, all the more poignant because it didn't sound anything like someone in pain. Two dark shapes writhed on the ceiling, tense and self-contained. Noises drifted down. Little cries and whimpers- a gasp- "Marceline…" and a hiss of pleasure. "You're… you're taking too much…Marceline!"

There still wasn't any fear in that voice, just a special brand of agony.

Even so, it took Marceline a moment to pull free, smacking her lips and gasping. She didn't need air, but desperately craved it anyway. Some habits were hard to break. Bubblegum clung to her, arms free to wrap around the vampire queen's body. Floating down gently, Marceline crumpled onto the bed with Bubblegum on top of her, fingers gently caressed a white blotch on her ex-girlfriend's neck. Life returned to it after a few moments, the circulation of her sweet blood doing its work to return her back to her natural healthy rose color.

Blowing out another deep breath, Bubblegum lifted herself up with both arms to look down at Marceline, still sweating and twisting on the bed every so often, trying to hide how much drinking from Bubblegum had affected her.

"Marceline."

It was hard to talk, but somehow she managed. "Yeah, Bonni?"

"I propose that we have sexual relations. As soon as possible."

That surprised a laugh out of her. "Whoop whoop," she sighed, stretching languorously underneath the other girl. There was a reason she rarely drank from living people- it did a lot more than just satisfy her hunger. "Just.. Mm… gimme a minute…"

She watched Marceline regain her composure with narrowed eyes, waiting for when she seemed almost lucid again to mutter: "I'm still not sorry."

Yellow eyes glanced at her before rolling heavenward. Whatever. The vampire was too wound up to say anything, but her thumb was still caressing Bubblegum's bite mark. While her face had returned to a more natural form, her eyes were still beastly, and all her teeth were sharp and ready.

"You're never sorry," she said at last. Tucking a strand of pink hair behind Bubblegum's ear, she cupped the other girl's face and sat up, kissing her gently where she had injured her.

Bubblegum allowed a soft sigh to escape her lips, shuffling so that she was sitting comfortably on the vampire's lap with her legs wrapped around her cold frame. Sitting up further, Marceline cautiously put her hands on Bubblegum's waist, causing the other girl to twitch. It'd been an obscene amount of time since she'd let anyone touch her, and every contact felt like an electric shock.

Reaching down, she guided one of Marceline's hands further, placing it over her bottom which Marceline was all to glad to squeeze. But soon she was back to Bubblegum's face, grasping her head with both hands to turn it this way and that, peppering her with kisses and licks, sucking carefully on the sensitive candy flesh just under her ear where she was most receptive.

Her voice had just a hint of a rasp, restraint mixed with desire. "I missed you, B."

"I know." Bubblegum kissed her.

A very obvious evasion. It stung. It cemented what Marceline thought she already knew: she wouldn't be getting any love confessions tonight. Feeling like she might burst with frustration both emotional and physical, she grabbed the princess harder than she meant to, her snake-like tongue tasting deep past those pink lips, not waiting or asking for permission. Bubblegum made a small noise of protest, pulling free from the deep kiss to breathe, chest heaving under her black tshirt. Oh. Right. Living people needed to do that now and again. Marceline decided to let her have her airways and bent down to Bubblegum's neck again, chewing gently enough to pull at her skin but not hard enough to break it again.

Bubblegum's hands slipped down the back of her shirt as Marceline went lower, pressing her face against the princess' chest and sighing with content as she felt soft candy hands knead at her shoulder blades. Then she chuckled, glancing up with a smug smirk. "Did you, ah, make a few modifications when you made yourself eighteen again, Bonni?"

Heat rushed through Bubblegum's body, and Marceline savored feeling it underneath her hands as she pulled up her ex-girlfriend's tshirt and quickly tossed it aside. The princess immediately covered her chest with her arms, still radiating delicious heat.

"Don't be vulgar."

Coolly peeling her arms free from her chest, Marceline bent forward again, licking the tip of one pert nipple. It tasted like someone had dipped it in powdered sugar. Even if they were a little bigger since the last time she'd seen them, they tasted the same. "I'm just making an observation."

She reached down, causing the princess to moan as she rubbed at her crotch through her soaked panties. "Ohhh. Then…Then don't stop, please."

Another quick pounce, a grapple faster than mortal eyes could see, and she had reversed their positions, lying Bubblegum down on the bed and running her hand along her firm belly. Kissing her everywhere she could reach, extending her tongue as far as it could go, she lapped up the crisp sweetness of her lover's sweat, biting hard on skin that was just a shade tougher than one would expect a person made of gum to be. She tore easily through the princess' flimsy panties, tossing them to join the shirt on the floor. Bubblegum didn't notice or didn't care, squirming and gasping as Marceline's lips danced down her body.

Kneeling between Bubblegum's legs, she grasped one and gently extended it, leaving a trail of kisses all the way to her ankle and back again, hovering, teasing between Bubblegum's twitching thighs with the very tip of her tongue.

"Poor sweetie," she found herself murmuring, nuzzling the inside of Bubblegum's wet thighs, relishing in the feel of her lover's strong, slender fingers combing through her hair, almost frantic with need. "When was the last time you took care of yourself, hmm? Or let someone take care of you?"

Experimentally, she flicked her tongue between her swollen lower lips once, glancing up to see how the princess would react. She didn't disappoint. Biting her lower lip and gasping, Bubblegum couldn't stop her hips from jerking upwards, seeking more. Laughing softly, she kissed the inside of Bubblegum's thighs again, inhaling the scent of her desire.

Then she trembled before digging her fangs deep into the soft pink flesh of her inner thigh, pulling hard at the color there.

Bubblegum actually screamed, surprise mingling with intense want. But this time Marceline was prepared for the heady sensation and rolled along with the waves of pleasure threatening to overwhelm Bubblegum. She dragged herself away from the second bite mark with a little more difficulty, though, as Bubblegum was in no state to remind her.

Licking the bite mark, trying to gather up any color she had missed, she slid one finger inside of Bubblegum, thrusting steadily. When she spoke, her voice was ragged. "Say you're sorry," Marceline demanded, her whole body resisting the urge to drain the rest of the color straight out of Bubblegum's body. "And I'll stop playing rough."

"You-" pant "Can't" huff "Be" uhhhn "Serious."

Marceline noticed, then, that Bubblegum had somehow managed to keep one piece of clothing on throughout this- her crown. Smirking, Marceline flicked that aside too before flipping Bubblegum over, one hand full of her pink hair and the other one lightly- lightly- dragging her long sharp nails down her soft back, enjoying another squeal of pleasure. She took her from behind, adding another finger and reaching around to stroke her soft wet pearl with her other hand.

"Say you're sorry," she demanded again, penetrating her with three fingers now. Rough.

Even if she was buck naked, glistening with sweat and sex, the princess tried to retain her regal pride. She looked at Marceline over her shoulder, expression torn between desire and dismay. "I…I won't beg for this." She made to sit up but Marceline pushed her down again with a playful growl, nipping at her shoulder.

"Did I say beg?" Marceline asked. "No. I said apologize. Two words. Very simple." She claimed Bubblegum's mouth again, kissing her fiercely and, on impulse, removed her fingers to give Bonni's ass a loud, sharp slap.

Bubblegum gasped.

"Hmm," Marceline said, all her teeth displayed in a full grin. She stopped her ministrations all together, grasping Bubblegum by the hips. "Well, well. Liked that, did we?"

The princess flushed. "What? What do you- ah!" she squeaked as Marceline dragged her whole body up and over her lap. Legs kicking, a protesting squeal got cut short by a delighted moan as Marceline spanked her again.

"M-Marcy. I-"

The usage of her old pet name only spurred her on further. "Are you going to apologize?" Trailing her fingers down along the curve of her sore bottom, she went lower and started gently stroking Bubblegum between her legs. "Or am I going to have to punish you?"

The princess was gripping the sheets. Her blush had spread all the way down her shoulders. "I- ooohh- I have n-nothing to be sorry for."

She hit her harder, losing just a little bit more of her restraint. "Wrong answer. Do it again and I'll bite you right on the asscheek."

Bubblegum stiffened. "You wouldn't dare."

"I would so dare. And then tomorrow when you walk all funny and can't sit down in front of all your loyal subjects-"

"This is blackmail! Demeaning. Demeaning blackmail."

Slap.

"Nngh." She closed her eyes. "I refuse to be treated-" SLAP. "Ahhnn~"

"Then tell me how you want me to treat you, Princess," Marceline said. "Tell me. Say what I want to hear, and I'll do anything."

Bubblegum panted, torn between several uncomfortable truths. She liked the pain. She liked being tossed around as though she didn't weigh more than a rag doll. She was sweaty, exhausted from being up for almost twenty four hours, achingly unfulfilled and being driven mad by Marceline's teasing to the point that she probably would have agreed to anything as long as it meant some relief was in store.

Her throat bobbed.

"Well?" Marceline asked, her hand poised to deliver another spanking at any moment.

Clearing her throat in a manner much too dignified for her current position, Bubblegum cautiously spoke. "So you'll do what I want if I apologize… for whatever I did-"

The vampire queen grabbed one cheek tight enough for her nails to prick the surface. "For throwing apples at me."

"For throwing apples at you," she corrected herself.

"And being rude."

She could only agree. "And being rude." A pause. She looked over her shoulder at Marceline again, face partially obscured by her long candy hair. "Anything else?"

Hmm. What else? Breaking my heart into a gazillion little pieces? No. Not now. That particular cathartic episode would have to wait for another night, when they weren't distracted by power games and throbbing, wet nether regions. "That's all. For now."

Bubblegum was quiet. Then she cleared her throat again; Marceline couldn't help but laugh. This would be the most polite sexual request ever, she just knew it. "If that's the case," she said, "Then I would… I um… I want you to…"

"Spit it out, Bonni."

"Use your mouth on me." A pause. "On your knees." Another pause. "And don't do that thing where you stop just before I'm climaxing and then tease me about it!"

"But you make the cutest noises when I deny you orgasms."

"Marcy. That drives me insane when you do that."

"Fine. Fine."

Bubblegum chuckled. "Now: I'm sorry for being rude and throwing apples at you, oh dearest of vampires, queen of the night and ruler of the skies, and I humbly beseech your awesomely rocking forgiveness."

"Was that so hard?" She ignored Bubblegum's muttered "yes" and released her grip on the princess with a parting smack, causing her to jolt right off her lap onto the bed. Playing at being graceful and subservient wasn't as hard as she thought it might be, sliding off the bed and onto her knees, beckoning the princess to come closer to the edge.

"Like this?" she asked, placing one slender, candy-coated leg over her shoulder. Then, because if she was going to do this submissive thing she was gonna do it right, she added, "Your majesty?"

Bubblegum felt goosebumps ripple down all over her bare skin as Marceline's long tongue started lapping at her wet thighs, searching for more of her sweet nectar. "Yes."

Then, finally- finally- her mouth enveloped her warm, sweet center, licking and sucking with earnest abandon. A low, satisfied purr escaped her chest as she felt Bubblegum's hands clutch at her head again, whimpering and stroking through the thick inky darkness of it. Sighing once, she willed her tongue to become a little firmer, a little larger, and dipped inside of Bubblegum rhythmically as her hands took over in stimulating the rest of her.

Marceline heard her name being whispered, felt Bubblegum tense as her hips started rocking of their own volition. Drawing back, she couldn't resist stopping for just a moment to stand up into a crouch, kissing the princess on the lips to let her taste herself. Bubblegum put her hands on the vampire's shoulders, pushing her back down and gasping. "I didn't tell you to stop."

"Of course, princess." She nipped at the bite mark, which still hadn't changed from being a pale white color. That time she had been much more ruthless, and it wouldn't heal as easily as the one on the princess' neck. "You just taste so good, I had to share."

Slowly picking up where she had left off, her tongue moved in firm, small circles. Remembering the paths to give her princess release was getting easier, and just like before she could sense it coming. She felt Bubblegum tense up completely, her breaths coming in hitched gasps, her grip on Marceline's hair almost tight enough to rip it out by the roots.

The noise she made as she came could almost be described as animal, a snarling sound that Marceline wasn't even aware her princess was capable of. Most importantly, Marceline finally was able to eat her fill. Licking the princess clean, she purred again as the spasmodic jerks settled down and the princess slumped forward, arms around Marceline's head and saying something in German that the vampire didn't quite catch.

Then, her weight suddenly became even heavier, her breathing more even. For a moment Marceline wondered if something was wrong, and then she heard it: a very light snore.

Bubblegum had passed out, completely drained after her stressful day and intense release. Marceline wasn't sure whether to be offended or flattered, so she settled with feeling amused and scooped the unconscious princess into her arms and tucking her into bed.

After she made sure all the windows were securely latched against the morning sun, she floated over to the bed and curled up next to her princess, stroking her soft pink hair. There wasn't any way of telling what tomorrow would bring, or if what they had just done was anything more than a quick fix for what they had both been craving. The vampire had come here to maybe try and patch things up. She was still intent on doing so.

The rest was up to Bonni.

Until then, she would wait right here, for as long as it took.