I Don't Love You

Younger Again

Marshall-Lee looked around, scanning the room he was in. The pink walls and tall door covered by even taller curtains made it clear to him where he was. He sat up and tried to remember last night. It was his sixth-night-stand with the pink prince and by now he knew the routine; have sex, sleep there, get up in the morning and leave. No questions asked.

He stood up and quickly got dressed, not wanting someone to catch him. Just as he was about to leave, the bedroom door swung open and there stood a very stressed out looking Gumball. "Oh hey bubs. I was just about to leave," Marshall said as he walked towards the window. "No! I mean, you don't have to leave just yet.  I need to talk to you."
Marshall felt a little weird about this. They didn't normally talk to each other this much. Marshall sat down on the bed anyways and listened to him.
"Well... I've been meaning to talk to you about this but I've just been too nervous..." Marshall knew where this was going, and he needed to stop this now. "No. I told you, I just wanted this 'relationship' to be strictly sexual. I don't want you to break my heart again." Gumball just looked at him sadly. "Marshall, don't tell me that after, what, 2 months of this you don't have any feelings towards me?"
"Well... I didn't say that."
"So you do have feelings for me?"
"It's kinda hard not to when we had like three past relationships with each other and now we're hooking up! Of course I have feelings for you! I just... can't be with you. I don't want the same thing to happen again."
"What don't you want to happen  again?"
"Are you stupid or something? I don't want you to break up with me again because 'your kingdom comes first'. What happens if- never mind. I'm not going there."
"No, tell me."
"Why do you wanna know?"
"Why won't you tell me?"
Marshall sighed and continued his thought.
"What happens if we get married in the future and you decide that your kingdom comes first and you neglect me? What happens then? I don't want to start a relationship with you, fall in love with you then have you break my heart again." Marshall looked away, pain filling his heart.

"Marshall... I know it's hard to trust me after that happened, but if we do get married some day then you'll be part of my family and family comes first. I promise I won't neglect you... I just want a second chance..." Gumball sat beside him and rested his head on his shoulder. "Can we at least try...?"
Gumball slowly reached for Marshall's hand and held it. Marshall smiled a bit. Maybe a second chance wouldn't be too bad...

Marshall left a while later feeling a little happier about his situation. They had arranged a date for that night and Marshall felt excited; excited but scared. He wondered on the flight back home if they would even connect anymore... with sex it was easy; they didn't have to connect on any level. He just showed up whenever the prince said so. But this would be different and it scared Marshall a lot. He just hoped that things wouldn't go as they did last time.
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At last, the time came for Marshall and Gumball to meet up, and of course Marshall was running late. He took an afternoon nap that lasted a little too long and woke up just 20 minutes ago.

"Of course, at the first chance I have of getting Bubs back, I'm late for the fucking date! What kind of stupid am I?" Marshall talked to himself throughout the whole time that he was getting ready and it only stressed him out more as he left the house. "What if he stood me up? What if he doesn't like me anymore? What if the date goes terrible and he hates me forever??" A bunch of anxiety filled thoughts went through his mind as he approached the restaurant and walked in to find no one sitting at their reserved booth. Maybe Bubs was also late? Marshall sat down and ordered an iced tea, waiting for his prince to show up before ordering any food.
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It's been about 2 hours now... the prince was no where to be seen and the restaurant was closing in 30 minutes. The only people left were Marshall, two other couples and the staff. Turns out Marshall's first anxious thought was correct; he got stood up.
He paid for the three iced teas he had and apologized for having to reserve the table then left.