Forbidden Feelings

Chapter 8

Marshall endures the cold in the house, crying for hours. It was all over. The very man who told him he loved him told him good bye days later. His heart was certainly dead now if it hadn't been before. As soon as the storm died down, he made a break for his house as fast as he could. Once there, he just lied in his bed under the covers, planning on starving to death in that very spot. He smelled the scent of bubblegum on the sheets and began to cry. He couldn't stop thinking about it; he couldn't escape the pain.

Bubba sat up two hours later as the drug wore off. He jumped up and called, "Marshall!? Marshall Lee are you here? Marshall please, I-" Peppermint Maid entered with soft eyes.

"I told him to leave, my prince. I figured it was the best thing to do. He told me to tell you that he did not mean it. He also wanted me to tell you that he loves you, and that he won't forget you." She guided him to lie back, and he immediately began to blubber and cry.

"Oh Marshall..." Bubba let out a small breath of relief. "He was chewing cinnamon gum. He's hungry. Someone bring food to his house now. Make sure he's at home. If he is tell him to call me. If he isn't go on a mass search for him. I don't want him doing anything stupid and irreversible. If I lost him for good I wouldn't be able to carry on. It's hard enough as it is. Now go! Ask the banana guards to do as I wish. Fix Marshall a basket- all reds- and hand it to a guard before they depart. Make sure they ask Marshall to call me. In fact, make sure they force Marshall to call me." He stuck the phone in his lap and took a deep breath. Peppermint Maid rubbed his arm softly before heading off.

Only a half hour passed before Bubba's phone rang. He picked it up immediately and answered, "Hello? Marshall is it you? Are you okay?"

"What do you want Bubba?" Marshall's broken words are heard from the other line. Bubba winced in response.

"To tell you I love you. That I'm so sorry... I hate this so much..." He broke into tears and closed his eyes, focusing on Marshall's soothing voice. No matter what, he made it better. Marshall was the key to Bubba's happiness.

"I... I love you too. You've broken us apart though. We might as well drop it and forget. We can't continue to live longing for what could have been. You and I both know that."

"I can't do that. Even though I am going to marry Fionna, I still need you in my life. I need to see you, and be with you."

"You plan to cheat on Fionna? Gumball, no. No man..." He said as he ran a hand through his hair. He would never allow that.

"No- No Marshall. I'd just wish to see you. Once a day- or, or week. Or month. Something. I need to spend time with you. I need to." Bubba's voice shook as the thought of Marshall never talking to him again crept into his mind. He could not go on with life if his true love was not in it.

"Bubba this is unfair to me- It hurts me so much to know you won't stand up for our love. You don't want to face the music-"

"No, Marshall Lee. I have thought through every option. Double checked then checked three more times. There are no laws in the Kingdom allowing our partnership. A man and man relationship is unheard of here, and I just can't tell the people. Some will explode. Some will become injured. The majority will hate me. I can't do a thing to put them in danger Marshall. They trust and love me and I love them. Please try to understand..."

"I have tried. I swear to glob I'm really trying to put myself in your spot. All I know is that when I do, I ultimately end up deciding to run away with you. I love you too much to let you go. I know that you won't budge though, so I'll say something different." He sighed and gripped some blanket in his fingers, the words so hard to find. "I love you enough to let you go. Good bye Bubba. Always remember what I said that night." With that, he hung up. Gumball whimpered and began to cry once more as the hum of the unconnected phone call rang in his ear.