Adventures In AAA With Fionna and Marshall Lee [original]

Making Our Way (In the World Today... )

A/N
Anyone get the chapter title reference? "Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got..."
Anyway I just felt super happy today and so grateful for all the reads that I'm publishing this chapter early! (Yes you will still get another chapter next Sunday!) I hope you enjoy reading :) (P.s. Sorry for the time lapse and for not much of anything happening in this chapter hehe)

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Finally, we were more than halfway there. It had been three weeks all together, walking all day, each day, but we were ahead of schedule. The only thing we had left to do was find the Forest People, an exhausting task we would save for tomorrow.

What I have learned in the past weeks I've spend with the Vampire King, is that liking someone a lot comes in many different ways. Even though I've accepted that I do like Marshall... the word... Love seems... too powerful, too dangerous.

I thought I loved Flame Prince and that got me-well- no where. We laid beside each other in our normal, routine spots. My head on his naked chest, his arm around my back, us both staring at the twinkling stars.

"Fi?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Mhhm." I said, staying still.

"What happened with you and Flame Prince anyway?"

My breath stopped and I sat up quickly, holding my body up with my arms.

"You don't have to t-"

"It's fine," I said, giving a weak smile. "I know it's been killing you." I said, giving a small chuckle. He sat up with me, wrapping his arm around me and hugging his body next to mine. I shuddered and looked into his eyes, seeing how they sparkled.

I huffed. "Well, it all started when you left." I said, looking at the ground. His breath hitched and before he was about to speak, I spoke again. "He got... upset that I got so upset about you leaving." I cleared my throat, keeping my eyes away from Marshall's.

I waited a moment before continuing with the part that haunted me the most. "I- I found him," I laughed, "cheating on me..." I choked out, forcing another small laugh. "Ha, she's really pretty too." I said, letting a small tear slip down my cheek.

I could feel Marshall's gaze on me, burning through the side of my head. "He promised it would never happen again. I'm so stupid, I believed him. Then, I-I found some things, and I got worried. Then I found them together again and before I could say anything he-he broke up with me, as if it weren't already obvious."

I began to cry this time, "You were right, Marshall. I hate this feeling. Crying, oh my glob I hate crying. It makes me feel so weak." I said, shoving my face into my hands.

Marshall's eyes burned red. "Fi, I'm so sorry, we don't have to talk about it anymore. I'll just fu-" he stopped for a moment, "have a talk with him up when we get back." he said chuckling, resting his hand on mine.

"Glob, Marshall you're so stupid. You better not tell anyone I cried understand me?" I said, lifting my head, a smile spreading across my face.
He smirked, the red disappearing from his eyes and returning to his normal brown. "The strongest adventurer in AAA cries? That would make an amazing story for Starchy to write about." he mused, wiggling his eyebrows with a fake threat.

"Hm well The Vampire King doesn't actually drink blood would be a good one too." I shot back as a laugh escaped me.

He laughed along with me, pushing the side of his body closer to mine for warmth.

"Well I guess it's my turn to share." he replied after our laughs had settled down. I raised an eyebrow as he sat me in his lap to face him, floating above the fire we had made.

Animals called all around us, relieving most of my stress. I was growing even more tired so I plopped my head onto Marshall's shoulder, breathing in his woodsy, strawberry sent. Most of my hair covered my face, shielding my eyes from the small amount of sun that escaped through the trees.

He sighed a moment before placing his head on my shoulder, until we were practically hugging.

"Well my mom, she's really sick." He began, his voice deep and quiet as he whispered in my ear. "She's gotten re-married, which I didn't know until I went to visit her. She never tells me anything anymore, really. Anyway, I know she's going to die soon, she's too unhealthy. Since her husband now isn't her first wed, he isn't allowed to become the ruler, at least, not now.

So," he paused as my arms laced around his back. "I'm next in line. I was busy getting ready, doing training, things like that during the six months I wasn't here." He rushed. I could feel how hard this was for him and my heart grew heavy.

My mouth opened but I couldn't speak. "I'm sorry Marshall." I said, pulling away so that I could look him in the eyes. "B-but you're leaving? Again?"

"N-no Fi, I'm doing everything I can to stay. And, even if I do leave, it'll be a long time from now." He said with a reassuring smile, although he wouldn't look me in the eyes.

I sighed as I tried my best to hold in any emotions I had. I pushed our bodies back together, my head fitting perfectly into the crook of his neck.

"I don't believe you." I stated clearly. His body stiffened slightly as he tried to get me to look at him, but I wouldn't. "What would I do without you?" I whispered, his ears perking up.

He gave a chuckle. I think he was trying to lighten up the mood, but I wouldn't know, maybe I sounded stupid, or desperate, or clingy.

"Fi, you'd have to come with me." he said, smiling onto my neck.

A lump caught in my throat but I knew his words weren't true. I laughed, "Good. I would've come anyway."

He smiled, pushing our bodies slightly apart.

"Get some sleep, Fi." he said, sitting back down on the ground. My body rolled over and under the cover as I snuggled into it.

"Goodnight." I groaned before shutting my eyes.

"Goodnight. This will be over with soon." He replied, pressing parts of his body gently against mine, cradling me in warmth. I sighed with relief and fell asleep, having dreams about a certain Vampire Demon.