The Things that Matter the Most.

Chapter One: Meeting Marshall Lee

a/n enjoy.

Prince Bubba Gumball, heir to the throne of the Candy Kingdom in the land of Aaa.

PG as his friend and adventuress Fiona and her magical cat Cake. He didn't like the formal title but he wore his regal title well.

He was spending his time in his bakery, he was well rounded and as well as a scientist, he was an avid baker. He was in the process of taking his red velvet triple layer cake from the oven. He had set the cake on the counter to cool off before he could ice it. He turned and took off his oven mitts, grabbing the bowl of pre-measure ingredients, poured in three fourth's cup of water and began to stir the icing until the right consistency.

The prince was expecting Fiona and Cake later and he was hoping to have the cake finished by then. He picked up the latest recipe card he was reading from, and put it back into the alphabetically filed book, in it's protective cover.

" I wonder if the countess is doing well today, I'll have to ask Peppermint maid to send my regards. " he hummed a simple tune to himself not really paying attention to one thing in particular.

He didn't notice the rippling air, or the slight chill, or a pair of ruby eyes tracking his movement.

…

Gumball's cake was all iced and ready for consumption after the formal dinner he was serving later that evening.

" Yo, PG! What's up dude?" Fiona's lilting voice filled the corridor.

The prince turned to look at adventuress with a kind smile. He opened his mouth to speak before he was cut off .

" Mmm. Baby," Cake drawled. " Where's my Lord Monchro'?"

The prince frowned a bit at the interruption but ever the polite gentleman, answered none the less.

" Hello Fionna, Cake. It's nice to see you," He smiled and bowed slightly. " To answer your inquiry, Lord Monochromicorn is in the stables." he smiled bemused as the cat ran off to meet her boyfriend.

"So, dude what's with the fancy dinner and junk, it isn't time for you Bionnial Gum Ball again, what gives?" Fionna asked with a slight blush on her cheeks.

" I'm sorry Fionna, but I have a new recipe that I wanted yourself and Cake to try out if isn't any trouble." He inquired politely, deciding not to comment of the blush.

" Oh sure thing man, I just wanted to make sure. I cancelled on a friend tonight, and I needed to make sure I didn't need to kick the Ice Queen's buns back to harpy land. "

" Oh, I'm terribly sorry Fionna, If I had know I would've rescheduled. How about you invite your friend here?" the candy prince smiled.

" Well.. If you're sure.. He's a little different." Fionna frowned slightly.

" Well, I'm sure if it is a friend of yours then he'll be nothing short of amazing" he said charmingly.

Fionna blushed and looked down. " what the stuff, why not. I'll just go call him then."

Gumball nodded his assent and went to go find Peppermint Maid. He walked down the main corridor to the kitchen where he found his stripped friend.

" I'll need you to set another plate for dinner tonight, it seems that Fionna is inviting a friend."

She looked at the prince in question., he merely shrugged, he had no idea who her friend was and if he did, they would talk this over in privately. Peppermint Maid was the closet thing that Gumball had to a mother and she practically raised him. They were almost as close as Lord Monochromicorn and himself.

Though he wouldn't lie and say he wasn't curious to know who Fionna's friend was.

….

Evening had fell upon the castle before Fionna's friend had arrived. Gumball really hadn't thought much of it but as they were being seated for dinner, there was a slight breeze a figure slowly floated into the room.

A smooth voice entered the room.

" Sorry, I'm late Fi. I got held up.." a pair of crimson eyes met his across the table and a wide smiled covered the stranger's face, showing perfectly pointed gleaming white fangs, " I saw a couple of licorice trees and couldn't help myself."

Gumball looked slightly puzzed. This was fionna's friend?

"It's cool man, we were just sitting down." she looked at Gumball.

" PG, this is Marshall Lee, son of a demon and the King of Vampires, also my chum, " She paused gesturing to Marshall, " Marshall Lee this Bubba Gumball, Prince of the Candy Kingdom, and well, I've never met his parents but he's a cool dude, and my best bud besides Cake," She smiled at the both of them.

Gumball smiled politely, if not a little bit confused and held out his hand for a shake. Marshall floated over to the prince looking him up and down talking in his appearance.

" Pleasure to finally meet you, " He smirked like he was in on some secret.

" Likewise," Gumball grasped his hand making no comment about the icy temperature, or the slight tingle from what had to be static electricity, he did float and most likely rub against things.

He quickly withdrew his hand, not noticing the slight frown on the other teens face.

" Shall we eat then?" he smiled.

The cooks had prepared spaghetti in red sauce. The first course was salad, and the candy prince looked on in awe as the Vampire picked up a cherry tomato and sucked all the pigment out of the fruit. He wanted to inquire, but manners dictated that this wasn't polite. And the prince was nothing, if not proper.

Ever the avid scientist, he observed that the vampire only drained pigments of the red spectrum. When the main course came along, Marshall finally looked at the candy prince.

" So Gummy, can I call you that ?" He raised an eyebrow with a smirk. He also didn't wait for the prince's reply. "I like it, so I will. Why have you been starring at me for the last couple of courses?" he said in a bored voice.

" I'm very sorry, it's just that I haven't actually met a vampire you see, and well to see you feed I s fascinating." The prince breathed . Fionna and Cake giggled. The prince's eyebrows furrowed, what was so funny? He looked over at the vampire and saw that he had a slight blush on his cheeks along with a very uninterested face.

Marshall spun his for around in his pasta, brining the fork to his lips, suddenly baring his fangs and sucking the pigment out of the sauce on the noodles leaving them gray and hard, clinking as the fell to the plate.

" I got that gummy. But didn't you ever learn its not polite to stare," Marshall's eyes flashed with amusement. " I know I'm pretty, but you embarrassing me.." He rolled his eyes.

Fionna shot Marshall a look. He returned it with a counter look and a raised eyebrow.

Fionna knew that he crush on PG was pretty obvious to everyone but, PG he was extremely smart, yet sometimes glob only knew what was going on in his dome piece.

Fionna also knew that Marshall Lee had a thing for dudes. Not that she minded it was just that it seemed that he'd taken a liking to the candy prince.

Marshall smiled at the speechless prince, who had the most delicious looking red blush on his cheeks.

This would be fun.

…

Dessert was served after the embarrassing ordeal. He hated to admit it but Gumball was flustered by the vampire king. Mostly his flirting and his side comments and the gorgeous smil- no he couldn't think that.

It wasn't proper to think of one that wasn't your significant other.

But therein lied the problem. He was very sure that everyone knew of his sexual orientation. He wears some shade of the color pink on a daily basis, it had to be obvious. Yet he had suitors of the opposite sex, the thought made him grimace especially thinking of the Ice harpy, and his friend Fionna, he knew that she was crushing on him, he just was too polite to turn her down.

He was pulled out of his thoughts by his name being called. He looked up to see a table full of expectant faces.

'I'm terribly sorry, what was that?" the prince inquired politely.

" I was saying that your cake is awesome man, like totally bum smacks." Fionna nodded.

" oh.. Well, thank you Fionna that's nice of you." the prince nodded picking up his fork to take a dainty bite of cake.

" Yeah, it's good, but I don't know, it could stand to have a bit more red." Marshall smirked at him.

The prince quickly avoided eye contact. He wasn't going to even engage him, he did however notice that all the red from the cake was gone leaving it gray and white.

Marshall caught the glance and laughed, it sent shudders down the prince's spine.

Well Fi, Cat, it's been, wicked..I see you guys around." He turned invisible and seemingly left the rooom. Gumball proceeded to finish up his cake, swearing he felt a phantom brush of lips on the outer shell of his ear.

…

MLPOV

Marshall had always liked gum. But he especially like gumballs.

He also like boys, pretty proper boys that he wasn't meant to have.

And luck would have it that a very pretty proper violet eyed boy made out of bubble gum would happen to reside in the same general vicinity of him?

Game on.

But back to what he was doing.. Gumball. He had be scoping out the palace for a while now. Fi on one of there late night partying runs , had mentioned the Prince. Marshall was well aware of the prince's existence. He knew of the castle and the guards his secret tiara collection, the fact that he was a genius but incredibly dumb at the same time and, that he liked boys too.

Marshall was outside of the prince's room, he slid in through the shadows. He floated over to where the prince was standing. Lounging in the air above his head he allowed himself to float gently until he was full in the prince's line of vision.

" So, gummy what are we doing tonight?" He smirked at the candy kingdom's heir.

a/n Sooo guy hope you enjoyed. Review please.

Maison.