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Bonnibel hummed softly to herself as she eased the cupcake tray out of the oven, the warm scent of fresh strawberries and vanilla immediately filling the kitchen. The tops were perfectly domed, lightly golden around the edges, with little pink flecks peeking through the batter.
She smiled. "Perfect."
Setting the tray on a cooling rack, she resisted the urge to touch one immediately. Instead, she crouched to inspect them at eye level, making sure her batch was flawless.
Marceline wandered into the kitchen, drawn by the smell.
“Oooooh, cupcakes!” She reached out as if to grab one, only to be met with Bonnie smacking her hand away. “Ow!”
“Don’t touch! They’re for Gwen.”
Marceline laughed, stealing a tiny smear of batter from the mixing bowl before Bonnie could stop her.
"Hey!"
"What?" Marceline grinned around the bite.
Bonnie rolled her eyes, though a smile tugged at her lips. "I spent all afternoon making Gwen's favorite. Strawberry, with fresh berries."
"Ooh. Fancy."
"I even made cream cheese frosting."
"Kid's spoiled," Marceline whistled.
"She should be home soon," Bonnie glanced toward the clock.
"I was thinking..." She carefully transferred the cupcakes to another rack. "Maybe we could decorate them together."
Marceline smiled. "Like when she was little?"
Bonnie nodded. "We used to bake almost every day together.”
For a moment, she was filled with memories of little Gwen covered in batter, giggling as she ran around the kitchen as Bonnibel tried to catch her before she ruined the furniture. Bonnie arranged the cooled cakes neatly on the counter, already imagining Gwen's face when she walked through the door.
"Mom? Mama?"
Bonnie's face lit up. "In the kitchen!" She called cheerfully.
A moment later, Gwen appeared in the doorway, bag slung over one shoulder. Her eyes landed on the rows of strawberry cupcakes.
"Oh."
"Surprise. I made your favorites," Bonnie smiled brightly.
Gwen's expression softened for just a second. "...Thanks."
Bonnie picked up a piping bag and held it out. "I thought maybe we could decorate them together. Like we always used to."
Gwen scrunched her nose. “Why would I do that? I’m not five.”
Bonnie's smile faltered, only slightly. "Oh, I know. It’s just… I thought it’d be a good way to spend time together."
Gwen let out a long, exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes. "Oh my Glob. I just got home."
Bonnie's shoulders sank almost imperceptibly.
Marceline's smile faded. "Hey, now…"
"I'm just saying," Gwen groaned dramatically, dropping her bag beside the door.
Bonnie lowered the piping bag onto the counter. "I wasn't trying to pressure you."
"I know, but..." Gwen rubbed her forehead. "I’m tired. I don't want to come home and immediately have something else to do."
"It's just decorating cupcakes."
"Exactly."
Bonnie blinked. "...Exactly?"
“Nobody wants to decorate cupcakes with their mom.”
Marceine chuckled lowly. “I doubt that’s true.”
Gwen shrugged, avoiding her eyes. "I'd rather just go to my room."
"I just thought..." Bonnie glanced at the cupcakes lined up so carefully across the counter. "...Never mind." She reached for the bowl of frosting, intending to put everything away.
Marceline gently caught her wrist. "Bon."
Bonnie gave her a tiny smile that didn't reach her eyes. "It's okay."
"I wasn't trying to be mean," Gwen shifted awkwardly.
"It still came out mean," Marceline said quietly.
"I just want to go to my room."
"And you can," Marceline folded her arms. "But first, you need to understand something."
Gwen looked up, already annoyed. "What?"
“You need to appreciate that you have a mom that wants to spend time with you,” Marceline nodded toward Bonnie. There was a hint of sadness in her voice, and Gwendolyn and Bonnibel immediately knew why. Marceline barely had a mother.
Bonnie quickly stepped in before the silence could harden. "It's alright, Marcy."
For a moment, it looked like Gwen might apologize. Instead, she looked toward the hallway. "...Can I just go to my room?"
"Yeah," Marceline sighed.
Gwen picked up her bag. Just before disappearing down the hall, she paused. "Thanks for the cupcakes." Her bedroom door closed a moment later.
Bonnie stood perfectly still, one hand resting on the piping bag. Marceline watched her for a long moment before quietly stepping beside her.
"...Bon."
Bonnie gave a tiny shake of her head. "No, it's okay."
"It doesn't look okay."
"I just..." She laughed once, though it came out shaky. "It’s hard. Back then it felt so easy to get along, but now… it feels like she can’t stand me."
Marceline's expression softened immediately. "Oh, Bonnie..." She wrapped both arms around her wife, pulling her close without another word. Bonnie let herself melt into the embrace, resting her forehead against Marceline's shoulder.
"I know she's growing up," she murmured. "I knew this was coming."
Marceline rubbed slow circles between her shoulder blades. “It sucks, huh?”
Bonnie gave a watery laugh. "I just miss her."
"I know. But our kid’s still got a good heart,” Marceline barked out a laugh. “Even if she’s being a bit of a brat.”
Bonnie smiled weakly. For a few moments, neither of them spoke. Then Marceline reached for the bowl of frosting.
Bonnie looked up. "What are you doing?"
"If the girl doesn't wanna decorate cupcakes..." Marceline picked up the piping bag with exaggerated seriousness. "...I guess us thousand-year-old milfs will."
Despite herself, Bonnie laughed. "You're impossible."
"I know," Marceline squeezed an enormous swirl of frosting onto the first cupcake. It promptly toppled over under the weight. "...Nailed it."
"Oh, Glob," Bonnie laughed harder, the tight knot in her chest loosening just a little. By the time Bonnie took the piping bag from her to show her the proper technique, they were both smiling again.