Gumball stared out his window, idly wondering where on earth Marshall could be. It had been a week since he last saw his lover. When they last met Marshall had explained he would be busy for a while.
"Some things came up," he had told the prince. "There are a few things that need my attention and will keep me busy for a little while. But I promise, Gumball, the next time I see you I'll have something planned."
Gumball sighed. What could be so important that he couldn't keep in contact? As far as he knew, Marshall had nothing that could tie him down. He was a free spirt, an aspect Gumball always envied.
The pink prince walked away from his window and began pacing his room. What did Marshall find so important? From their time together Marshall had always been casual and goofy. There was rarely a serious moment with the vampire. So what was going on?
"Ugh!" Gumball flopped on to his bed. "This is giving me a headache. Why can't he at least send a message!?"
A knock on the door made him jump. He scrambled off the bed and attempted to make himself more presentable as the door slowly creeked open. Fiona's smiling face peeked through the opening.
"Hey, Gumball!"
His racing heart slowed, his shoulders dropped. "Oh, hey, Fiona."
He somehow managed to hide his disappointment. The girl walked further into his room, Cake right beside her. Gumball smiled at the cat before turning back to Fiona.
"What brings you here today?"
"You won't believe it!" Fiona said excitedly. "We were walking through the woods when an animal we've never seen before popped out at us! It was so cute- kind of like a bunny- and then we followed it to its nest and there were a bunch of other little animals and IT WAS SO CUTE. You have to see it, Gumball!"
Interest piqued the prince's mind. "A never before seen animal, you say? Well," a smile formed on his lips. "Let's find them! I need to know what they are- for science!"
Fourty minutes later Fiona was leading them through thick underbrush. Gumball stomped and struggled behind the two adventures. "Fiona," he gasped. "Why were you walking this way in the forest?"
"Because it's fun!" Gumball barely saw her bobbing hood in the sea of green around him. "Why stay on the path? Adventure is anywhere you look!"
Gumball sighed. All he had wanted waa a distraction from his thoughts and now he was sloshing through thick greens that made his skin itch. He looked behind him, wondering if he should just bolt. Then he heard Fiona scream in front of him.
"Fiona!"
He struggled against the plants to get to her side. When he finally stumbled out of the underbrush, there was Fiona on the edge of a clearing. She turned to Gumball and held something out.
"Look, Gumball. Isn't it so cute?!" The object in her hands was a fluffy white puff. It's catlike ears stoop up as it's little beady nose twitched. Gumball couldn't help but melt stating into its big, red eyes.
Before he knew it, the fluffy thing was in his hands. He held it up, wide eyed. "Fiona," he whispered. "I think I want to take it home and cuddle it."
"Look there's more!"
Gumball glanced over to a couple more fluff balls staring in their direction. Then the ball in his hands started wriggling until it broke free.
"No!" Gumball shouted as they started hopping away. "We have to go after them. Uh- for science!"
"Riiiight," Cake said. "For science."
They ducked through the forest, hard on the puff balls trial. They weaved through trees, dodging branches and vines. It was amazing how fast a small puff ball could hop away. When they rounded another tree, Gumball was ready to give up.
"It's... hopeless," he gasped. He slowed down, nearing the tree. "They're too fast... We won't catch them."
"Oh don't be a sour puss," said Cake.
"Yeah, we were so close. We can catch them! Just a little further."
Gumball groaned at Fiona's puppy dog eyes. "Fine. But not much longer. I'm tired out."
He rounded the tree only to stop on his tracks. He came out into another clearing, this time with a sparkling river in the background. But that wasn't what stopped him. What made him freeze was the big table lined with all sorts of food and drinks.
And at the head of the table was Marshall. Surrounded by the fluff balls.
"M-Marshall?" Gumball stuttered. "What's going on?"
Marshall smiled. "Oh nothing~ Just thought I'd chill out here and hand out with these Wisps."
Gumball walked closer, in shock. After a week, he couldn't take his eyes off his lover. There he was, just how he was always. A smile spread across the prince's cheeks. "Marshall."
"Oh," the vampire said as he stood up. He walked forward, taking his lover by the hands. "On more thing."
Gumball couldn't even gasp as Marshall drew him in and dipped him, claiming his lips with his own. The prince moaned into his soft lips, drawing his arms around his neck.
Marshall straightened them and chuckled. Gumball looked breathlessly into his lover's eyes. Marshall smiled. "Happy anniversary, Bubba."
