Domesticity

In which Marshall's heart breaks

"Let me help you with your coat, Fionna."
Sighing, she slipped it off, the red mark visible for everyone to see.

Jeremy looked taken aback. "Who...? Fionna, how did you get this?"

She rubbed her arm awkwardly. "I... it's from Marshall Lee."
"The-the neighbour?" Jeremy asked in surprise. "The one who... the flowers were for you?"
Fionna nodded. "Yeah, but I'm not really a flower kind of girl."
Jeremy sat down on her bed, shocked. "You and him...? But...? God, I'm an idiot."

"I am sorry."
"Does he have one to match?" Jeremy hissed, his head in his hands.
"No! I gave him a black eye for it!"
"Do you like him?" Jeremy growled. "Do you love him, Fionna? Or did you forget that we have a child together?!"

"I didn't forget! That's the only thing keeping me from dating him, Jeremy!"
He gripped her arm angrily, his eyes burning into hers. "For God's sake, what have you been doing while I was gone?! Or more accurately, who have you been doing?!"
"You don't own me." Fionna spat, tearing herself free.

"I'd take her if you left me, and you know it." Jeremy growled gently. "Now... why not just be a happy little family together? Maybe... maybe even give her a sibling?"
"That's not going to happen." Fionna said firmly. "I'll play nice with you, I'll let you near my kid-- but we're not having another one."
"Well, I'm giving you a cover story for when you have Abadeer's little bastard."

Fionna looked up, startled, as he scowled at her. "I'm not pregnant! And even if I was, if it was Marshall's child, I'd at least give him the chance to be there for it!"
"Oh, so that's what this is about. You're still angry because I left you." He rolled his eyes. "You seem to have done well enough for yourself."
"You're a snake, Jeremy. And if you'd leave me alone, we'd still be doing well enough for ourselves."

"Sticks and stones, Fionna. Think of it this way, now little Desdemona finally has a father instead of... what is Abadeer, again? Your little toy? And how many 'Abadeers' were there? See, now there's one instead of many."
Fionna shot him a dark look. "Despite what you think Jeremy, I was allowed to not be a nun while you were gone. And it's none of your business how many boyfriends I had."
"That's code for more than ten, isn't it? How do we even know that Desdemona is mine?"

"We don't. There's the door, you have no hold over us."
"Oh, hold on, Fionna." Jeremy purred. "I'm guessing... five? Your entire life? Likely far less. Now, we both know that Desdemona is my daughter, and if I have to prove it in court, things will get... messy. Especially for your little friend Abadeer, hmm? Now, I would have preferred if it was just me, but there's not going to be anyone else, now is there? Because if I find another mark on you like the one your friend left, or anything giving evidence that there is anyone but me in your life, your petit copain will meet my good friend the Reaper... even if he turned out to have been a celibate asexual. So, if I were you, I'd tell Abadeer to keep his hands to himself and his guitar strings, hm?"

"Screw you, Jeremy." Fionna hissed, backing away from him.
He followed her. "I was playing nice before Fionna, but now? There might be an unfortunate accident with some of his equipment that hospitalizes him. Or... perhaps his daughter would play on the roof and fall off?"
"You wouldn't dare."

"Oh? I definitely would. I've done it before. In fact, if she wasn't leverage, I'd be inclined to do the same to little Desdemona to keep you in line."
"Bastard!"
"Tell Abadeer off, and now our adorable little daughter will remain free of harm."

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The next time Marshall ran into Fionna and Jeremy was at the park. Dessie was being pushed on the swings by her father while Fionna watched warily, remembering his threat.
"Well, if it isn't our friend from upstairs!" Jeremy grinned. "What brings you and your adorable daughter here today?"

"It's a park, and I've got a kid." Marshall shrugged.
"I agree. It's so nice that the children can get out like this. Unfortunately, we're moving to the Nothernmost area of Greenland soon." Jeremy sighed.
"What?!" Fionna and Dessie demanded in unison.

"Well, I am. I assumed you'd come with me, darling." Jeremy purred, his smile a little fake. Fionna caught how his eyes flickered towards Marshall, and she swallowed. "I guess... that's not such a bad idea... if it's for work."
"Are you crazy?!" Dessie demanded tearfully.

"I'm with the itty-bitty on this one." Marshall agreed. "This is crazy weird."
"Can I talk to you for a minute, Marshall?" Fionna asked, glancing at Jeremy, who smiled at her benevolently. She pulled Marshall away, and immediately said, "You need to stop. You said that you would if I asked, and I'm asking now."

"What brought this on?" Marshall asked. "Hey, hey, are you okay? You keep looking back at Perfect Jeremy with a scared look on your face. What did he do? Are you okay?"
"Promise me that you'll leave me alone. Promise."
"I..." He looked into her eyes.
"Please." She begged. "Just drop it. For everyone's sakes."

He swallowed. "I... I promise I will. And... I'm sorry. About the hickey?"
She nodded. "I am too. I'm sorry I let it get this far. Let's get back, Jeremy's giving us weird looks."
Silently, he trailed after her, his heart slowly chipping into pieces every second, with the pain of someone stabbing him repeatedly shooting through his chest.