Marshall Lee and Prince Gumball

IX

A Room In The Abadeer House

Gumball

His house reeked of alcohol. It was dark and cold and I couldn't find him anywhere. It's been three weeks since Fionna and Phoebus's deaths and I haven't heard from either Cake or Marshall.

I rarely see Lord Mo-Chro and when I do, he's very glum. His morse code taps are slow and sloppy when he tells me how Cake is doing.

Everyone is in a very depressed state. Including me. However, I'm sure Fionna would've wanted us to keep going on.

I sigh and step over the piles of garbage and empty bottles of various alcoholic drinks.

"Honestly." I groan, noticing a random trash bin full of vomit. I wondered if it was from the toxicity of the beverages or the fact that he can't digest the honey coloured drinks.

There were several bins around the house and even some in his kitchen sink. The sight and smell made me want to vomit.

I climb his ladder to his bedroom and find him nowhere to be seen. I notice something in his closet that I hoped not to be what I was thinking.

I feel tears well up in my eyes as I inch toward the dangling figure.

Vampires can't hang themselves, right? I thought, now standing in front of the slightly ajar door.

I slowly open it to reveal something I never thought I'd see.

His damn cat had her front claws stuck in his wooden shelf. She was dangling off the side, and as soon as she saw me, she began to struggle, gesturing for me to help her.

"Glob Schwabelle, you scared me." I whisper to the feline, gently pulling her claws out of the now splintered wood. "How long have you been dangling like this?" I question the cat, knowing I wouldn't get an answer.

She scampered off into the bathroom. My eyes widen as I dart in after her. I heard a soft groan come from the bathtub. Schwabelle pounces in and I lean into it to find an intoxicated Marshall.

"Marshall." I gasp, dropping beside the tub and pulling the man up.

"Glob?" He groans in response.

"What? No! It's me." I laugh slightly. "Gumball." I finish, feeling that 'It's me' wasn't enough.

"Barty?" He asks in a raspy voice, his cyan eyes wide.

"Are you okay, Marshall?" I ask, touching his cold cheek.

He nods then shakes his head and begins to cry.

"Marsh..." I sigh, pulling him into a hug.

I've never seen Marshall like this. He's lived over a thousand years and he's witnessed many deaths, most of which he killed, why is he acting like this?

"She was my best friend." He sobs. "And she loved him." It took me a second to guess that 'him' was Phoebus.

It was silent for a while, except for Marshall's sobs, until he spoke again.

"I could've saved her."
"You tried your best."
"What? Do I get a gold star?! A for effort! She's gone, Barty, and it's my fault." He choked out, angrily.

"It's not your fault, Marshall, you couldn't do anything about it." Was all I could say to him. He sighed in return.

"How about we get you cleaned up." I slightly smile. Marshall nods and shrugs off his unbuttoned flannel. We both stand up as he continues to strip and I start the water. He sits back down in the tub as the water begins to rise.

I notice the water already turning a murky brown.

"You might want to drain and run it again a couple times..." I mutter shyly, earning a blush from the shaken vampire.

He nods and I pat his head. "I'm going to clean up around here." I say, leaving the bathroom and making my way downstairs to the monstrosity that awaits.