#atsnz

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Princess Bubblegum pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to massage the irritation away. Instead, it triggered a sneeze.

“H-heh’TSHH!”

She sighed. The one thing science couldn’t solve: the common cold.

“Need anything, Princess?”

The voice quite caught her by surprise, and she quickly turned to see Peppermint Butler, waiting expectantly for her answer.

“N-no thank you,” Bubblegum said, clearing her throat. “You’re dismissed.”

She turned back to her table, hearing his footsteps fade away. As she thumbed through the pages of the book she was reading, she found herself fantasizing about taking a nice, restful nap. Princess Bubblegum really didn’t enjoy taking naps; besides, she was usually far too busy anyhow.

Still, this cold was clearly taking its toll. Her sinuses were so sensitive that even a spare breeze could tip her off, much to her own dismay. She hated being sick. Her people didn’t need to see her in a state like that.

Bubblegum tilted her head, considering the nap again. Unfortunately, the harmless act shifted something in her sinuses. She took in a shuddering inhale and felt her nose crinkle.

“Hih’YISHHHH! H-hH! Hh’TSHHHH!”

As Bubblegum attempted to recover, straightening her shoulders back again, the door creaked. Her brows furrowed. “I thought I told you to leave me alone?”

“Oh, did you?” Marceline asked, hovering by the door.

Bubblegum quickly turned around, feeling her cheeks flush. “Oh, Marceline… I’m sorry, I thought you were—”

“Finn?” Marcy grinned.

“Uh, yeah,” Bubblegum nodded, too tired to correct her.

As Marceline got closer, she noticed Bubblegum’s watery eyes. “Hey, have you been crying?”

“Oh,” Bubblegum forced a laugh, feeling her face go hot again. “No, no, I just had to sneeze.”

Marceline let out a laugh that made the corners of Bubblegum’s mouth twitch. “Sneeze? I didn’t know that makes your eyes water.”

“It… it can,” she said breathlessly, feeling her nostrils twitch. “Hihhh… hh’EISCHH!”

“Bless you, Bonnie,” Marceline said earnestly, gripping her shoulder to keep her steady. “You OK?”

Bubblegum wrenched forward with another full-body sneeze. “HTSHHH!” She quickly brought a trembling hand to her nose, sniffling hard. “Ugh, I’b sorry.”

Marceline snatched a tissue from a nearby box and handed it to her. “Sounds like you need one of these.”

Bubblegum gratefully hid her flushed cheeks in the tissue. “Yeah, OK, you can leave me alone now.”  

The vampire laughed again. “Hey man, I’m just trying to help.” Her laugh faded when Bubblegum reached for her hand.

“Any chance I could convince you to take a nap with me?” she asked thickly, sniffling into the back of her wrist.

“You had me at the first sneeze,” Marcy replied, winking before kissing her cheekbone.

***

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