makes her smile

chapter two

Lapis checked the text Marceline had sent her with her apartment's address. This should be the right place. The landlord probably didn't allow much customization on the doors, since Marceline didn't seem like the bright yellow door type of person, but she did have a bisexual pride flag taped up, along with what Lapis was pretty sure was the trans pride flag. She'd ask in a few minutes.

She took a deep breath before rapping on the door three times, in quick succession. She was only a bit nervous, but there was always the slight chance Marceline was a serial killer or something. Even with the chances as low as they were... Lapis wished she'd had a cigarette. The building was a no smoking area, but she could've had one outside...

She was snapped out of her internal monologue by Marceline opening the door- although, she still had the chain on it. Lapis couldn't blame her. Actually, she trusted Marceline more for it. "Oh, Lapis! Sup, come in- oh, wait." Marceline closed the door, then opened it again— after a bit of cursing, that is— without the chain, this time. "I forgot about the chain, hah. Turnin' into an old lady or something. Come on, don't just stand out there!"

Lapis stepped inside while Marceline continued to talk, looking around her. The apartment wasn't very large, but it was surprisingly well kept. The walls were a nonoffensive beige, but she had thick, black curtains hanging over the windows. She had a bright red, worn-looking couch, and a matching chair. Her wooden furniture was all stained a dark brown, from the little table her old television sat on to the shelves covered in CDs and old paperbacks. The kitchen was attached to the living room— a completely unremarkable little kitchen, not particularly old or new looking, with dirty dishes sitting in the sink— but there were several doors, probably to a bedroom and a bathroom.

"Nice place." Marceline laughed as Lapis set her guitar case on the ground.

"Nice? It's sort of a dump." Marceline rolled her eyes.

"No, seriously! It's cute."

"Whatever you say, man. Be right back, I'm gonna go grab my bass. You can sit down, you know." Marceline went into one of the rooms blocked off by a door, emerging a few minutes later with a bright red guitar shaped like an axe.

In that time, Lapis had cautiously perched herself on one of the couch's arms with her guitar, now out of the case. She'd noticed a cute little penguin plush on the couch, and a small pile of bills and junk mail on the coffee table. There was no way Marceline was a serial killer, her house could not have been this nice. When she saw her new friend(?)'s guitar, her eyes widened. "Whoa. That is cool."

Marceline grinned. Her teeth were a little crooked, but they were pretty white. She definitely cared about them. "I know, right? My dad got it for me ages ago, kind of as a bribe, and, like, I'm still a total disappointment, but I'm a disappointment with a bombass guitar."

Lapis nodded. "Yeah, I know what that's like. My mom tried to hospitalize me when I was younger so she wouldn't have to deal with me being gay. Ironically, her putting me there is what made me so fucked up." She smiled. It was bitter, but it was honest.

Marceline laughed a bit and held out a fist. "Queer family disappointment club!" Lapis snort-laughed and fist bumped the other girl.

"So, I saw the flags. Bisexual and... Trans, right?" Lapis couldn't help but ask, and Marceline had technically volunteered the information.

"Yep! That's not a problem, is it?" Marceline seemed like she was joking, but Lapis wasn't sure.

"Of course not. You're a cool person. I don't give a shit if you're not cis and straight." Lapis gave a thumbs up and a small smile. She actually felt like she'd bonded with this new girl, even in the short time they'd known each other.

"Hell yeah. So, let's get down to business." Marceline hefted her bass onto her lap. "Who's starting?"

((yo waddup! its ya boi quincy! ive had these two chapters just sitting in my files for like two weeks, and decided i might as well put em out there. i probs wont be updating often, cuz of summer marching band practice, so sorry bout that. im hoping yall like this, tho!! 💚))