Just a Bit Sweeter

Party Crashers

Silence fell again, every living soul (Minus the Ghost Prince) waited to hear Gumball’s answer. Was now really the time to tell, Gumball thought. He felt himself beginning to sweat. Was there even a right answer? This is a meeting of the royals, Gumball said silently to himself, there can be no lying. He looked up from his lap and stared at every face in the room. He was frightened, and just wanted to curl up and have Marshall rub his back and tell him everything was going to be okay. He wanted to see him again. Gumball wanted to see him, hug him, kiss him... And most of all he wanted to finish what they were doing before rudely interrupted. He took a deep breath, his voice was shaky. “I wanted to install these rights because—“ Gumball was going to say the words. Say the whole sentence. The ‘I am gay’ sentence. But he couldn’t, he was stopped by the door being kicked open. Marshall Lee walked in, seeming not angry but agitated. “Marshall Lee,” He spoke with a clear and confident voice, “Uninvited representative of the Nightosphere...” He was wearing casual clothes, but they looked to be the most formal thing he owned. A gray t-shirt with a band’s symbol on the front with a black jacket. And of course, Gumball noticed, skinny jeans. There was an empty seat next to Ghost Prince, but he walked past it. Instead he walked straight to Gumball. “And I’m here to say one and only one thing.” He turned to face the crowd, they were all on the edge of their seats listening. Marshall took a deep breath and flicked his hair, then looked at Gumball. “That I am in love with this man.”

Marshall looked into his lover’s eyes, missing the way they looked back into his. “Settle this on your own, I’m taking him right now.” He lifted Gumball up from his seat and threw him over his shoulder. “Marshall! Wait—“ He pounded his fists onto the king’s back, but that didn’t stop him from walking towards the door. “I have royal business to attend to! Marshall!” The prince yelled as they went through the door and into the hall. Marshall snickered and grinned as they walked. “I can’t believe you didn’t invite me to your dumb prince party.” He set him down at the foot of the stairs, “Now be a good boy and walk upstairs.” Gumball frowned and smacked Marshall across the face. “I can’t believe you just did that!” It hurt, his cheek. It was the first time he had actually seen Gumball do anything violent. He pressed his hand to his cheek. “Do you have any idea how hard it is to carry a person upstairs? But if it means that much to you I guess I can...” The prince stomped his foot on the ground, yelling at him. “I don’t care about if you carry me or not! I was doing my duty as a ruler!” Marshall’s smile dropped, he noticed Gumball’s eyes becoming foggy. “I was about to have gay rights enacted all across Aaa, and then you came to ruin it, Marshall!” He wanted too, but Gumball couldn’t walk away. He just needed an outlet, and just that.

The king looked at his prince, then looked down at his feet. “I’m sorry, Gumball...” He said, feeling terrible. Marshall had let his stupid stubbornness get the best of him at the worst possible time. “That was really stupid of me, I’m really sorry...” He could feel his eyes growing hot. Crying was the one thing he did not want to do in front of Gumball. There was an uncomfortable silence between the two. Gumball looked up at him and saw tears rolling down his cold face. “Did you mean it...?” He asked, carefully drying his face with his hand. “Did you really mean you... loved me.” Gumball said, lifting his king’s chin so he could see into his eyes. Marshall nodded slowly, “I love you, Gumball...” A smile lit up on Gumball’s face. He was no longer mad at Marshall, more like giddy with Marshall. “I love you too, Marshall Lee.” The prince wasn’t sure what to do next. A kiss? A great embrace? But the answer was decided quickly. “What?!” Fionna cried, sprinting down the stairs and almost falling. “You two are gay for each other?!” She wore an awestruck face, like she was staring at a newly discovered species. It wasn’t anything she had thought, nowhere near the reason she believed Marshall stopped seeing her completely. Gumball straightened up and looked at her. “Yes, now can you please stop bothering me about ‘stealing’ him.” Marshall looked at Fionna then him with a sort of ‘Wait, what’ expression on his face. Fionna was speechless. She planned to figure out what was between the two royals, but she had never planned to do anything after that. She took a deep breath and nodded, then slowly and quite awkwardly walked past them and towards the door where Cake was guarding.

Their eyes connected. That was the first action the two shared. “Now that we’re out, can we just kiss again.” Marshall said impatiently, rubbing the back of his head. Gumball laughed and nodded, then gently pressed his lips to his king’s. It was a taste he missed too much. Marshall’s hands found their preferred space on Gumball’s delicate hips as the prince ran his own through his king’s hair. It was love that couldn’t be extinguished no matter how many judging eyes stared at them. It was the truth shared by two men who could finally admit it. Gumball smiled into the kiss, feeling happier than he ever had. There was the sound of a throat clearing, and the two pulled away. Marshall turned to see Flame Prince standing, watching them. “So are we gonna approve this dumb thing or not.” He said, rolling his eyes. Gumball nodded, smirking. There was a cute pink blush spread across his face. “Approve it.”