TAWOG: Instinct

The Shadows

The Shadows 

The sun was steadily climbing up into the sky as the morning wore on; the sun casually reading a book and drinking coffee, wearing sunglasses for reading glasses. Gumball and Penny were still embracing, though thankfully Penny had finally stopped crying. She still reveled in her boyfriend's presence and touch though; a feeling she hadn't felt for days and had missed tremendously. Gumball was in as equally as much bliss, delighting in the feeling of having his girlfriend in his arms, a feeling he'd feared, up until recently, that he'd never get to experience again.

“I was such a fool,” Penny commented in self-deprecation. “To think you would ever be so cruel to me…”

“Hey, Penny, it's okay. Really, it's okay,” said Gumball reassuringly, patting her back. “I don't blame you. Really. I don't.”

Gumball was being honest. He didn't bear a grudge against Penny for her recent actions. And the reason was, while the incident involving the banners and Mr. Cuddles may not have been his fault and Penny had fallen for it rather easily, he'd been doubting his worth as her boyfriend well before that and the whole incident just reminded him that he was still not the best partner for Penny at times. It was a fact made all the clearer when she hadn't believed him at first, for it not without good reason. After all, he'd let her down on more than one occasion, and not in small ways either.

Penny shed another tear at Gumball's words, her guilt only intensifying. Even after all this, all she'd put him through and all the pain she'd caused, he still harbored nothing but the deep affection for her. It's what she’d hoped for, but right now she almost wishes he would get angry with her rather than just forgive her outright. Yeah, it was great that he wasn't holding this against her, but at the same time, it just further proves how deep his love for her goes; a love she'd almost discarded because of a setup designed to get him in trouble with her. 

“You may forgive me, Gumball, but I don't know if I can forgive myself,” Penny whimpered over his shoulder. “Not after all that I have put you through.”

“Hey, come on Penny, it…wasn't all that bad,” Gumball insisted, clutching her tighter. Truthfully, he'd been suffering tremendously the last few days because of her, but he still felt he wasn't in any position to complain, not after all the turmoil he'd caused her throughout their relationship in the past. “Besides, you've gone through worse because of me. Like when I sent you on that ridiculous treasure hunt, remember?” 

“Gumball, that isn't true. That incident doesn't compare to this. Look what's happened because of me. Look what…you've become because of me!” Penny said, her voice thick with remorse.

For the first time since the embrace started Gumball became somewhat confused. “What have I become because of you? Penny, what are you talking about?”

Finally, Penny pulled back and looked Gumball in the eyes with a mournful look, but still held him in a tight embrace. Then looked to the massive indentation in the ground left when the abyssalis cat keeled over. “This is because of me. You became that thing because of me.”

Gumball's eyes widened in shock and confusion, looking at the indentation as well. “Penny, why would you think that? Why would you think it's your fault I turned into that thing?”

Penny looked at Gumball sadly again and drew him close once more. She'd had time to think about it while chasing him through the forest and had come to realize that this happened after the whole debacle with Mr. Cuddles, so she deduced it was her fault. 

“It was the same for me, remember? I was so afraid of rejection when I thought you thought I was a monster that I actually became one and fled to the forest. I…I should have done the same for you…I'm so sorry!”