Gumball sighed as he pushed aside yet another stack of papers. With people demanding new houses be built, forests be cleared, number of guards be increased... Paperwork these past few months was getting difficult for the young prince. The stress building up was too just too much, like pressure in a volcano called Gumball's brain.

He needed a break. A long break. He just wanted to kick back, relax, have fun and explore Ooo with Fionna and her feline, Cake, and Lord Monochromicorn, go out on the beach, the mountains, anywhere that would get him away from his paperwork-filled desk.

The teen threw his head back, combing his hair with his fingers before getting off the chair. Gumball tried to clear out his mind as he made his way back to his room, the only place where he could actually have time to be alone and have his own space.

He fingered with the curtains, made out of the finest cotton candy in the land, a gentle and dim pink light pouring out through them. The curtains were not drawn, a sign that Peppermint Maid had not entered the prince's dwelling for a second round of cleaning yet.

Maybe a bit of natural light would help me feel a bit better, Gumball thought, pulling open the fine curtains, not expecting the face beyond it.

"Heya, Gummy."

The candy teen's hand flew into a facepalm.

"Marshall Lee!"

"Great to know that you missed me, now would you be so kind as to let me in? I can't stand this hat," the vampire grinned, knocking on the glass door that still separated the two, and tilting his straw hat up a bit.

Gumball groaned, reluctantly unlocking the glass doors and letting the so-called 'king' into his princely quarters. Now certainly wasn't having a thousand year old vampire in his palace. Marshall floated inside with such grace, drawing the curtains closed at the same time, trying to keep out as much sunlight as possible.

"So, whaddup, PG? Ya PMSing?" Marshall teased, floating round and round Prince Gumball for a couple of times.

"I am not!" the prince snapped back. "How I am is none of your business. And please, stop with those ridiculous pet names of yours!"

Marshall frowned at the statement. "PG, what's up with you?"

The candy prince looked away.

"I've...just been very stressed lately," his voice faltered. "Please mind my attitude. So, if you're not here for anything in particular, please just leave."

Then the sound of footfalls startled him. Marshall walked - not floated - over to Gumball, and placed his hands on the pink teen's shoulders.

Gumball glanced at Marshall, whose face showed an expression of genuine concern, a face he only put on in serious times. Gumball's wits were always smart enough to figure out if the mask put on was fake or not, no matter how convincing it looked. The prince knew, this time, he wasn't fooling around.

"Mind telling me about it?"

To Marshall, it would probably seem stupid to be stressed and upset over things like paperwork and dealing with rants, being the carefree guy he was, but as Gumball told him about his stressful princely duties, Marshall never rudely interrupted or anything, but paid attention quietly, nodding in response.

"Sounds like you're on a lack of fun," the vampire finally said.

"Tell me about it," Gumball buried his face in his hands. "I've been /dying/ to go out."

"When was the last time you left the palace grounds? Out of the garden on Lord Monochromicorn's back?"

…

"Two months back, maybe?" the prince scratched his head. "I'm not sure."

Marshall puffed up his cheeks and tapped his foot. "That's bad. We gotta get you outta this cram place."

Gumball blinked. He couldn't do that now! There was still so much more to settle! The palace, no, the whole kingdom would be upset, if he left the Candy Kingdom just to destress. Imagine the chaos that would break out. Wasn't the kingdom more important than he? Even if he were to sneak out secretly, Peppermint Maid would notice within an hour or two, and guards would be sent out all across the place. They would probably be calling Fionna, too. It would be troubling so many people, and the whole kingdom would be in panic, and-

The vampire noticed the prince's head was about to explode. He patted Gumball on the back, smiling. "Don't worry about it too much."

Worry? Of course I have to worry if you want me to get out of here! The kingdom will be in an absolute mess, Marshall Lee! You know nothing! Gumball wanted to scream at him, but that was the lowest level of unprinceliness, so all he could do is murmur out frustration to himself.

"So...wanna hang out sometime? Or maybe even...tonight?" Marshall seemed to ask a tad bit nervously.

"I...can't," the other teen breathed, "I don't have the ti-"

"So it's a date. Meet me at the balcony at nine tonight."

And Marshall flew off.

Gumball wished he hadn't pulled open the curtains in the first place.