Laced With Honey

The First Day

Sitting lazily on a purple stool, I watched with a frown as Gumball added two eggs to the concoction of ingredients he was putting together. The large and utterly colorful kitchen smelled of cinnamon and sugar, a combination that the frilly prince smelt like often. Breathing it in, I closed my eyes and silently cursed Fiona for such torture. I'd only been tied to Gumball for a few hours, yet it felt like millions of years had passed me. Instead of playing the role of the scary vampire I was, I was sitting on a girly stool, watching a grown man bake and hum a song. Dammit, he was such a little girl!

I sighed loudly, making sure to be as obnoxious as I could possibly make myself in order to piss Gumball off. He gave me a quick glance, whisk in hand as he added a dash of spice to the mixture he had in a blue bowl. Slowly and carefully, he stirred the batter, making sure to ignore me. I'd been watching him stir the mix for five minutes before I said, "almost done, Bubba?"

A blush dusted his pink nose, and he turned his head to the side to hide it. Gripping the whisk, he tugged his wrist at the ribbon, shocking us both. I grit my teeth, standing quickly and using my free arm to shove the prince to the side. "What was that for?" I yelled, inspecting my wrist for burns. The ribbon was really getting on my last nerves, as any tugging motion sent electricity running through our skin. Gumball bit his lip softly to will the pain away, seeming only slightly effected. Without a word, he used his untied limb to stir the batter slowly.

"Sit at once," he said roughly, a frown embedded in his lips. "I shall take my time with these cupcakes. They're for Fiona." He tapped the excess mixture off the whisk before using his one hand to grab the cupcake tin beside the bowl. I had to admit, he was functioning well with just one fully accessible limb. I watched as he grabbed a ladle from the large container filled with utensils, grimacing when I realized just how tidy he was. I blinked at him, fangs showing with annoyance.

"Fiona hates your cupcakes," I lied, seeming childish. Prince Gumball looked at me with a laugh, blue eyes seeming to gleam with an emotion I couldn't quite understand. His sparkly white teeth glinted under the lights that beamed down on us, causing something odd to gush inside my gut. He smiled at me with a smug look to his face, and it made my chest seem to hurt.

He looked back at the bowl of cupcake batter, licking his lips slowly. "Fiona loves anything I make for her," he said in a deep voice, dipping his pinky finger into the bowl and bringing the raw goop to his lips. His tongue caught it slowly, and as he sucked it off he turned back toward me. "Trust me on this, Marshall Lee." As he peered into my eyes, I could feel a slightly uncomfortable feeling crawl around my hips. I'd never seen Gumball like this before, the pink jerk. Before I could say anything to him, he went back to pouring a scoop of sweet goo inside each cupcake tin. A small blush stained his cheeks, and he hid a smile the best he was able to.

For me, I was speechless. I just looked at the pink prince, an eyebrow raised and an odd sensation dancing inside my body.

•••

Peppermint Maid strode inside the large kitchen, holding a tray filled with tea and candies. She held something tightly in her red palm, eyeing me suspiciously. "Good afternoon, your majesty," her girly voice said as she set the tray down beside him. "Marshall Lee," he said bitterly, slipping a small object into Gumball's hands as her eyes wandered my face. Only an hour earlier, she had found out about the evil prank Fiona had pulled, and even she'd pleaded to have it taken off. I knew the maid hated me, for I could read the emotions embedded in her dark eyes. A small piece of me had been hurting because of the constant rejection of others, yet my smug personality didn't let the pain reach my immortal heart.

"Thank you," Gumball said, popping something inside his mouth and drinking a gulp of tea quickly after. I smirked at him, leaning against the pink counter as Gumball looked down at the tray in front of him and rubbed at his chest.