Roomies in Aaa: The Ice Queen Strikes

Chapter 15

“More soup!” Fionna demands in total glee. Although Marshall is a night owl, he’s sacrificed his sleeping hours to care for the bunny girl. Cake had asked Marshall to take care of her, so that’s exactly what he’d been doing for the past week.

“I’m going, I’m going. You’re enjoying this too much, aren’t you.” Marshall says as he tries to open the door to Fionna’s room.

“Yes, yes I am,” she replies bluntly, “You forgot your hat, Marshy!” Marshall laughs at the stupid nickname and walks back to the kitchen.

“You only have some bruised ribs, you know. It’s not like you can’t get up and make your own food.”

“You’re just mad because I’m cutting into your beauty sleep, princess.”

“Princess?” If anyone here is a princess it’s you. Marshall’s face flushes red.

“Where’s my soup?” Fionna demands with a giggle.

Marshall enters Fionna’s room once again, this time wearing a maid’s hat, and looks around. A week ago this room was a complete mess. Now, thanks to him, the room is in an acceptable condition. The clothes that once littered the floor are gone. Her books are neatly stacked in her bookcase. All food items and plates have disappeared. The swords are polished; the TV dustless and plugged in.  Everything is clean. In the four days that they have spent together, Marshall and Fionna have become friends.

“You know, Marshall, you’d make a great mom.” Fionna giggles.

“You think so? Because I might be pregnant.” Marshall jokes, “I swear that the Ice Queen did this to me while I slept.”

They laugh. “Speaking of,” Fionna says, “I heard Cake is preggers.”

“Say what?!”

“Yup. Cake and Simone were arguing and I heard Cake’s moving out to live with Chrome after the renovations are complete.”

“No way!” Marshall argues

“Yes way! It’s totally math. I can’t wait to go back and see the place.”

“She isn’t prego, her stomach would show, right?” Marshall insists.

“How much you wanna bet?”

“Dinner says she’s not.”

“You’re on.” The two friends shake hands. Marshall feels the heat rise to his cheeks. She has such small hands; no polish on her nails, and they are really soft..

A doorbell interrupts his thoughts. Marshall looks at Fi but she only motions for him to get it. He advances to the door, and opens it.

FP stares at the emo-looking guy opening the door. He looks nothing like Fionna; he’s complexion is extremely pale, and his hair is dark and straight unlike Fionna’s fair and wavy. He’s wearing a plain hunter green shirt and skinny jeans. That dark hair is a mess and it looks as if he’s not gotten some proper sleep in a while. He doesn’t seem that much older than FP but he does seem more dangerous.

“Is Fionna Ward here?” The nervous Flame Prince asks. Marshall’s eyes him up and down. He wears the same uniform as Fionna does for school, except that his has blotches of red. Marshall smiles teasingly, he might as well have some fun.

“Yeah,” Marshall leans on the door frame. “Who’s asking?”

“I’m Ember Ignitous, her teachers asked me to drop off some school work that she’s missed.”

“Did I ask what her teachers asked to you to do?”

“No sir”

“Then why did you state your business if it was not asked for?”

FP feels uneasy in the presence of this guy. The usually fearless Flame Prince felt…scared?

“I stated my business because otherwise you might not know what it is that I am doing here.” FP’s fighting fire with fire. (LOL)

“So what are you doing here?” Marshall can fight back.

“Dropping off her work.”

“Her who?”

“Fionna”

“What about her?” His voice is slightly menacing.

Is this guy an idiot? FP thinks.

“Marshy, quit being a butt.” Fionna’s trying to get around Marshall, who’s blocking the doorway. “That’s FP, he’s cool, let him in.”

Marshall glares at FP for a moment then grumbles out a “Fine, whatever.” He backs away from the doorway. “I’m taking a nap, don’t bother me.” He retreats to his bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

“Your brother has the temper of fire.” FP says as he enters the “tree fortress.”

“He’s not my brother.” Fi says expressionless. They sit at the kitchen table.

“Sorry, your cousin?”

“Nope,” Fionna giggles, “not my cousin either.”

“Uncle?” Fionna shakes her head. FP’s face contorts into an expression of confusion as he tries to figure out what “Marshy” and Fionna’s relationship is. Fionna’s locked in her own thoughts as well.

“Well, he kind of is like a brother.” She thinks hard. “Yup, he’s like my step-bro and Cake’s like a sister to me.” She smiles, kind of like a caring mother, as well.

“How are you feeling?” FP’s trying to desperately change the subject.

“Better.” His plan works. “I have some bruised ribs but I should be back at school Monday.”

“Ready to go back?”

“Yeah, it’s so boring here at home. There’s nothing to do at all. It sucks. I can’t wait ‘til tomorrow.”

“Why?” Something sparks FP’s curiosity.

“The Candy Kingdom’s grand reopening dude!!”

“Oh yeah, you’re going to go?”

“Of course! It’s going to be algebraic!!” Her face turns a little pink, and not because she was still in her pajamas (blue boxers and a t-shirt) “Do you wanna come?”

His cheeks get a little flustered as well.

“Yeah sure, sounds great!” They smile at each other awkwardly.

In his room, Marshall has his headphones on and is rocking out to Chelsea Grin, pressing on the barely closed wounds, watching them reopen and bleed again, just like his heart. 

© 2013 Cynthia Hernandez