Chapter Text
The hurried pat-pat of Bonnie’s footsteps echoed through the hallways. Her legs, exhausted from a student council meeting that dragged on for far too long, begged her to slow down by at least 30%. She ignored them. She really didn’t want to keep Marceline waiting any longer than she had to after all.
When Bonnie reached the music room, she heard a familiar tune being played. Smiling to herself, she pushed the door open and saw Marceline perched upon a table and chair in a seat-footstool combo, strumming on her bass guitar. The raven-haired girl turned to Bonnie and smirked.
"’Sup Brainlord, how’s the prep meet?"
“Terrible, Becky wouldn’t shut up about adding more “tasteful” food to the school breakfast program even though that’s clearly out of our budget. It literally took us over half an hour just to move on to another topic.” Bonnie sighed and continued. “If she wasn’t so high up the pecking order, I’d have kicked her out. Personally.”
Marceline nudged her shoulder.
“I could do it for you”
“And be expelled? No thanks. As much as I hate Becky, I don’t think you leaving is worth it.”
Her heart lurched, practically begging to be freed from her chest. She opted to shrug it off, instead turning away from Bonnie to start packing her bass.
“Maybe I could do a prank instead. Y’know something that says, ‘fuck off from student council or else.’”
Bonnie raised her brows.
“Oh, and what would this prank be?”
By the time the girls left the school building, several rotten sandwiches and a passive aggressively typed note were left in Becky’s locker.
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"Thanks again for waiting up for me."
Bonnie entered the front passenger seat of Marceline’s car, inhaling the familiar scent of leather, strawberry and wood that probably came from an acoustic instrument lying around somewhere.
“Dude not this again. I told you, you don’t have to thank me every time I wait up for you. It’s like, our thing to hang out on Tuesdays anyways.”
Bonnie buckled in her own seatbelt whilst Marceline started the engine.
“Still, I appreciate the gesture. Not everyone would wait 2 hours just to have afternoon tea with their friend.”
Marceline felt a blush threaten to reveal itself on her cheeks. She really needed to get those butterflies in her ribs under control. She raised her hand, the other hand focused on driving out of the parking lot. “No. Stop with the sap. You’re turning me into a marshmallow.”
“You’re already a marshmallow, Marshmaline”
She gave a playful whack, accompanied by a glare. “Shut up! I am not a marshmallow, I’m too punk rock!”
Bonnie rolled her eyes, unfazed by the other’s glare. They had long lost their terrorizing effect on her. “Sure you are. Oh! That reminds me”
She dug through her bag, fishing out a pack of guitar strings and handing it to Marceline. “Gauge 9 right?”
“Wha- Bon. You didn’t have to.”
Bonnie waved her hand dismissively. “Nonsense. I distinctly remember a certain someone complaining about forgetting to buy them for 4th week in a row yesterday.” She turned away from Marceline, opting to look at the passing traffic. “and… well, I just happen to pass by the music store when I was at the mall with Lady yesterday.”
Marceline gave her a heartwarming smile.
“Aww, thanks mom”
Bonnie huffed.
“What would you do without me?”
Marceline snorted, smile still evident on her face.
“Forgetting them for another week probably.”
Bonnie chuckled.
“Damn right”
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The girls reached their destination, a quaint little café tucked in a quiet neighborhood near their school. Marceline introduced it to Bonnie a while ago, insisting that the red velvet cakes were “to die for”. Bonnie wouldn’t put it the same way, but she did admit that the food was “more than acceptable”. The place quickly became their favorite hangout spot, next to the diner ran by their friend’s ( Finn’s) parents. Though that diner was more of a clique hangout spot. This was more of a 'just them' spot.
They ordered their drinks, an apple pie to share and of course, a slice of red velvet cake for Marceline. They sat at their table, indulging in said items whilst making idle conversation, ranging from the food to Marceline’s music to school gossip.
Bonnie noticed how her shoulders were a little tense, how she would pick and flick her own fingers and how her eyes wandered in a way that said her thoughts weren’t entirely focused on the present. Marceline was clearly bothered by something.
The Bonnie of 5 years ago would’ve pried her incessantly, but now she knew better. Marceline was the kind of person that needed space to figure things out. She would tell Bonnie what was eating at her when she was good and ready. Any prying on Bonnie’s end would lead to scathing remarks and, if allowed to escalate, a fight. Hence, despite the well-meaning itch that urged her to figure out what was bothering her best friend, Bonnie didn’t ask. Respecting Marceline’s boundaries was more important.
When Marceline’s giggling fit died down after a joke about a certain lemon-faced principal , she took a deep breath. She warily made eye contact with Bonnie.
“I need to tell you something. Its -It’s important”
“Okay”. Bonnie nodded and kept her eyes at Marceline expectantly, conveying that Marceline had her full undivided attention. A long, pregnant pause ensued. Bonnie was tempted to break the silence, but Marceline got there first.
“I’m gay.”
Okay. That wasn’t what Bonnie expected. Not that there was anything wrong with being gay, no not at all. Bonnie was just very unfamiliar with coming-out-of-the-closet etiquette. After all, most of her friends were straight.
She was clearly out of her element here. How should she respond to this? Did Marceline want a boisterous congratulation? Or a simple acceptance? In the end, Bonnie did what she always did when she was uncertain about things.
“Okay, what am I supposed to do with that information?”
Marceline raised her brows in surprise. She was expecting more of a reaction to that. Bonnie had just…. rolled with it. Maybe her fears were indeed unfounded. Maybe. It was still too early to tell.
Marceline took a deep breath, gathering what little courage it could provide and continued.
“I’m gay for you. As in, I like you. Like, like-like you.”
For a moment, Bonnie was tempted to make fun of Marceline’s unironic use of “like-like” but knew better than to do that. Instead, she was contemplating her response to it. She knew exactly what she should say, she knew her answer to that obvious unsaid question, but the vulnerable expression on Marceline’s face made her hesitate. Marceline looked so fragile, as if a gentle breeze could shatter her. The only other time Bonnie saw the other like this was when Marceline’s mother had passed.
Bonnie furrowed her brows, bit her bottom lip, and took a deep breath. It was definitely going to hurt, but she was good at making tough decisions for the people she cared about.
“I … don’t feel the same way. I’ve only ever seen you as a friend. I’m sorry Marceline.”
She could see Marceline shattering right in front of her. The girl’s shoulders slumped, a frown formed on her face and, most troubling of all; the light in the girl’s eyes dimmed. For a moment Bonnie wanted to take her words back, to make Marceline beam instead with an acceptance. But she knew from experience that giving false hope was worse than a flat-out rejection, so she kept her mouth shut.
In a flash, Marceline’s demeanor switched. She had a smile plastered on her face and her posture likewise improved. Perhaps it was a prepared response, as if she already knew this was the probable outcome. Though her newfound demeanor couldn’t quite reach her eyes.
“It’s cool. It’s cool.”
She paused as if unsure as to whether she should utter the next line. She opened her mouth, her voice wavered before she could even muster the first word.
“We can still be friends, right?” Accompanied with, again, a vulnerable expression. But this time it came from a girl who was already kicked down.
“Of course.” and Marceline wasn’t the only one who wanted to believe that.
They fell into silence, neither girl looking at each other anymore. There were no more words to be said on the matter. Bonnie glanced at the clock in the café. Time ticked by slowly, as if a second was enough time to write an entire thesis.
She searched for a change of topic, not wanting the silence to stretch into awkward territory. Her eyes wandered the surroundings and found it on their table. She gestured to the item.
“Are you going to finish that cake?” Bonnie’s fork was already threateningly hovering above the slice of cake.
Marceline smirked and hoped she didn’t misread Bonnie’s seemingly playful tone.
“I swear, one day you’re gonna get diabetes Bon. You’re such a sugar slut.”
Bonnie completely ignored her friend’s warning and grabbed the last bit of cake, eating it with a slight smile on her face.
“And you – She pointed to Marceline with her empty fork- are distasteful.”
Marceline laughed at that, the tension now fully leaving her. Bonnie could say the same, though she was just smiling at her friend.
Things were going to be okay.