Gumball’s first rookie mistake was falling asleep with the window unlocked. Not that it would have held Marshall back any—but it would have given Gumball a little hope. His second mistake was thinking that Marshall wouldn’t try something. This was Marshall we were talking about. He was always trying something.

Gumball was roused from his sleep when he felt the bed sink beside him. At first, in his own sleepiness he brushed it off but then he felt warm breathing down his neck. That got him up. Startling awake, his own tired eyes met his boyfriend, Marshall’s dark eyes. Of course.

Marshall smirked at the Candy Prince, propping himself up on his elbow, “You smell like peaches. And here I thought you’d be the strawberry kinda guy. Oh—where are my manners? Hello, Gummy. Sorry, sorry, how impolite of me. I meant, hello, your majesty.”

Marshall’s dark eyes danced with mischief, one of his grey fingers twirling a strand of Gumball’s pink hair. He loved teasing Gumball.