BREATHE | bubbline ✓

epilogue

A FEW MONTHS LATER.

REALISTICALLY SPEAKING, IT just wasn't possible to believe that what they had done possibly doomed a good portion of the world. It didn't bother Bonnibel as much as she had expected, oddly enough, and she felt like she had developed a new curiosity in the supernatural field — which Marceline half-enthusiastically fills her in on.

"So, Hug Wolves are a sub-species of...Wolf Men," Bonnibel says slowly, penning her findings down in her journal for all things supernatural. Around her, scattered over her table, are newspaper clippings about mysterious deaths increasing around the world — and Bonnibel is certain that the vampires were behind it. Not that she had to be concerned with other worldly matters; she wasn't the heroic kind, anyway, but she deemed this worth studying. Perhaps some new vampire species cropped up, having evolved to better suit the modern world?

"Yeah." Marceline is on her bed and on her back while has Stormo in the air, cooing and playing with him as he meows in dissatisfaction. He attempts to claw at her arms and wrists, but she heals them up easily even as he breaks skin.

"And they need to hug people every night to satisfy their cravings for...hugs."

"That's right."

"Supernatural creatures are stranger than I thought." Bonnibel finishes her detailing and puts her pencil down, pleased. She learnt something new today. "I thought everything was danger, death, despair, danger."

"I prove otherwise, then, don't I?" Marceline raises a brow at her cheekily, swinging Stormo, who yowls indignantly.

Bonnibel feels the heat creep up her cheeks, and she looks away shyly, hating how that, when Marceline smiled, her joy melts into her gaze. "Put Stormo down already."

"Yes, ma'am." Marceline abruptly lets go of the cat, and he hisses at her a few times before he goes out the room. She places her hands behind her head, shakes a crossed leg. "So...are you serious about becoming a researcher in this field? It's actually gonna be danger, death, despair, danger."

"Yeah, actually." Bonnibel closes her journal and shelves it with the other slim books on supernaturalism on her table. "I know, I surprised myself too." She had developed quite the...unexpected fondness for this hitherto unknown world, and it was definitely not because of the woman in her bed that she had grown a soft spot for. No, it was because this information—that was accurate —can't be found in other books. It was something she could truly learn for herself. To think that she feared it—no, misunderstood such a possibility, to think that she had gotten involved so intimately with it; surely it counted for something.

"Wow," Marceline cranes her neck to look at Bonnibel. "That's what I'll call true development."

"Oh, shut up." Bonnibel sits at the edge of the bed, hands gripping at the sheets behind her. "I might drop it out of spite now."

"I have that much influence over your decisions?"

Bonnibel leans back, debating her answer in her head, before she replies, "Is that something to be ashamed of?"

Marceline's green eyes are widened, gazing up at her, and Bonnibel is tempted to seal those parted lips. But she doesn't, not yet.

"Running in to save me but then getting saved is definitely something to be ashamed of." Marceline smirks, thinking she was so smart—oh, forget it—

The next thing she knows, she's done what she's unconsciously (consciously?) wanted to do for several months now. Marceline lets out a surprised squeak beneath her on the bed, and Bonnibel merely presses closer, inhaling the intoxicating smell of strawberries. She almost forgets to breathe, till Marceline gives her a gentle push on her chest.

"Woah, there," Marceline teases, unfortunately not looking as disheveled as Bonnibel probably looked. "Calm down before I think that you actually love me."

Bonnibel wants to slap her. Unfortunately, she restrains herself, and blurts out, "Unfortunately, I think I do."

Marceline's expression would surely be remembered for a lifetime.

Bonnibel definitely thinks that there was a lifetime ahead of them, anyway.

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a/n: hi guys! thanks for reading and i'm terribly sorry for the hiatuses and inactivity but i am trying my best to remain active on wattpad because i feel that there is more i can contribute to this platform! thank you for finishing this with me :) see you in the next work!

- EYDEL