Tonight Together: GumLee

Tarnish

Ch.13: Tarnish

Steam cloaking over vision as pair of feet slapped against tile hesitantly. Hands groped the air, searching for the smooth slate, knocking against something hard. Feeling around the hands found what they'er looking for, the slate's face. A finger pricked the surface to stretch its cheek. Marshal chuckled at the prince's blind movements, lacing fingers as he leaned in to plant a heavy kiss.

"No."

The vampire stared in disbelief as Gum Ball pushed him away.

"What do you mean by no?" Marshal choked.

The prince grabbed a silkened towel, wrapping round his chest.

"No means no," he stated with a turn, "We shouldn't have... you know... every time we see each other."

"Why not?"

Gum Ball sighed.

"Because... It seems like all you want is... To do it..." Truly Gum Ball didn't care for the words, he liked the vampire no madder what, but was laughing in his head at the bewildered look the vampire held.

"And this comes up now? After what just happened earlier?"

"Compensation... for you taking blood without permission." The prince inched out the room with each word, holding the towel tight. Marshal's jaw hung loose with disbelief. Confused, the man followed.

"Well then what do you do?" The vampire shot out,floating over to sit on the bed "What's the point of a relationship if there's no sex?" The words clashed, Gum Ball furiously grew red as he slipped into a purple tunic and cloth capris, anger over the lack of feelings the vampire displayed. Maybe Gum Ball does care how Marshal truly felt.

"Um, how about love? You know, emotions and shit?" Gum Ball snapped, clicking a pair of black leather boots on. Smacking the shoes, he stood up.

"I don't know if that's..." Marshal felt the syringe in his pocket, "...possible for me." The prince just stared, the tunic hugging him as tightly as his heart clenched, rueing for ever rejecting the kiss. He walked up to Marshal.

"Marshal..." the man averted his gaze, so the prince brought the slated face up to his. Gum Ball stared in to the ruby's glint, creases of frustration forming around them. The prince leaned in.

"Marshal...I...I'm in love with you..." The prince breathed out as he placed a tender kiss, thumbs caressing a grey jaw line. Eyes shut loosely as a pair stared on, not realizing they leaked. The warm liquid outlined the kiss, Gum Balled opened his eyes when the water brushed his lips.

Alone. Nothing stirred except for the curtains that waved in the open window's wake. The prince lowered his hands down, resting in soft fists. His hands quickly clenched as he stomped out the room.

"I knew it..." Gum Ball cursed, thinking the vampire doesn't care about him period, with the door slamming behind him.

But he did, deep down the vampire cared in the end. The shadows held him back. The shadows got him into this mess.

He had been desperate, yearning to get the only gift of affection he ever received.

He wants his Hambo.

He wants Gum Ball.

He wants to stop this crying. The way it shook him as he shot through the air, the way it warmed him as he slammed down the cave door, how it made him hurl the syringe into the shadows, hating all of it so much to were he collapsed. Tears fogging up his eyes.The dark creature congratulated him on his task, but he didn't listen until it boomed its great voice saying to leave.

Fighting gravity, he stood, unable to fly as he trudged out of the Glob forsaken place. Walking miles upon miles to reach home, the sun blackening the exposed skin.

He slid up the wooden stairs with heavy steps. Clothes flung off, he crawled into bed. The man laid bare, not even a sheet to cover, with the night's chill seeping from outside to dig into his skin. The cells stitching back together.

"I want..." Marshal whispered in empty pillow talk, testing his lips against it, "...but I can't have you..." He ripped the pillow in half, the downy feathers enclosed in it exploded out. All dropping down. One lingered, swaying across his ceiling. Floating down, it landed atop his nose, tickling the slated skin with its silkened branches. A sneeze sent it flying back up to float down once more.

It landed on his lips, reminding him of the kiss. Not forced, not smushed together, just like a rush of a soft cloud. With a puffed breath, it soared once more.

It landed over his chest, over his heart.

A pulse kicking in, remembering the pink hands that pressed against him.

A pulse jumping, remembering the flushed face that looked up to him.

A pulse rhythmically beating to burst, remembering the words...

" 'I'm in love with you...' "Marshal spoke it as Gum Ball had, holding his fingers against repeated words.

" '...in love with you...' "