•Marshall•

"To Cake," Jake says, holding up his glass, "this year's Card Wars Champion!"

The rest of us follow and hold up our glasses to toast. "To Cake!" we say in unison before we all take a drink.

After the Tournament ended, we headed home to the tree house/fort (I had one of many flashbacks of Finn telling me to call the tree house a tree fort like he always does). The second we arrived, we went to the kitchen, each poured ourselves a drink (Cake made sure no alcoholic beverages were permitted), and toasted to Cake's victory.

We put the Card Wars Tournament trophy on the kitchen counter, displaying it proudly for everyone in the room to see. We haven't yet decided where we're going to put it permanently, but Cake says it definitely has to be where everyone can always see it.

After toasting, we just stand around and hang out, talking about the end of the school year which is quickly approaching and the start of summer vacation.

"So, what are you guys planning to do this summer?" Dominick asks us.

Finn shrugs after taking a sip of his drink. "Probably the same as last summer and every summer before that--slay a bunch of monsters and save a bunch of kingdoms. The usual."

Fionna nods. "Mainly what we do all year round," she says before her eyes widen slightly. "Wow. We don't really do much, do we?"

Finn slowly shakes his head. "No, I guess not..." he mumbles in realization.

I smile. "Well, I'm going to do something different this summer. Something I didn't do last year," I speak up.

My friends look at me curiously. "Really? What?" Jake asks.

I look at Fionna. "Be with my girl, who I wasn't able to call that last year. This summer, Fionna is my girlfriend, which I didn't get to have last summer."

Fionna cheeks turn a lovely shade of scarlet after I finish my sentence before she looks at me with love in her eyes. I feel my heart give a little happy hop inside my chest, what it does every time Fionna looks at me like that. "Marshall...," she whispers, touched. "I love you so much, you sap."

I feel my cheeks grow warm at her public display of affection towards me. "I love you too," I whisper back before I lean in to give her a kiss.

We kiss for approximately two seconds before Finn and Jake let out gags. "Ewww!" they both squeal like five-year-old girls.

"Get a room, you two," Jake says as Fionna and I pull apart, annoyed at their interruption.

"Yeah," Finn agrees with his brother. "No offense, but I don't enjoy seeing my best friend suck face with my twin sister. Just... ew."

Dominick chuckles. "That's... good. Good for you, Mars," he says to me, before he winks. I roll my eyes as he continues speaking. "Well, as you all know, I have to head back to the Nightosphere soon, because no doubt my parents are pissed and wondering where the hell I am. So... that's what I'm doing this summer; going back to the Nightosphere and my parents, who I will try to convince to not ground me for life for leaving out of nowhere."

I frown. "Oh man, that's right. You're leaving. In, like, two days," I say, clapping my hand on Dominick's back. I forgot he's supposed to be leaving soon—in only two days. Right before the school year ends—the beginning of June. "I mean, you've been here for awhile now, I'd just forgotten..."

Dominick gives me a small smile. "It's okay, man. We can still call each other! And I'll come visit you guys every once in awhile! It'll be great!" he says, trying to sound excited. But I know he's as disappointed as I am.

We haven't seen each other in years and are only ever really able to call each other and talk, and even that's only on occasion. He has his own life to live back in the Nightosphere, and I have mine to live here in Ooo. We've been so wrapped up in our own lives, we hardly ever talk anymore since Marceline and I left the Nightosphere all those years ago.

But now he's here in Ooo, giving us the chance to finally catch up and see each other, only to then leave and go back to the Nightosphere.

It's just a letdown, that's all.

"Well," I say, removing my hand from his back, "I will definitely look forward to when that will happen."

"Me too, Marshall, me too," Dominick says with a sigh.

"Cheer up, guys! We still have two more days until Dominick has to leave, so let's make the most of it!" Fionna points out, trying to be positive.

Dominick gives her a small smile. "You're right. Let's make the most of my final days here," he says in agreement.

I smile as well. "That's exactly what we're going to do."

——————————

And that's exactly what we did; the two days up to Dominick's departure were fun-filled and bittersweet. I know he'll come visit again, but I just don't know when. How long will it be before I get to see him again? Will it be years like last time? I really hope not.

Once a portal to the Nightosphere is opened, we all stand before it with Dominick. Since we all are in the tree house (or fort or whatever the heck Finn insists on calling it) on the day Dominick is supposed to leave, we decide to just open the portal there.

After we followed all the necessary steps to open a portal to the Nightosphere, Dominick stands before it, staring inside it to see what Marceline and I used to call home and what he still does. He sighs. "Well, there it is. I better get going now."

I look at him and think of everything that's happened. Looking at my childhood friend causes a wave of nostalgia to wash over me for some reason, not only bringing up the memories of he and me, but of all my friends. I mentally do a review of this year's events in my head. Once I am finished (it didn't take as long as I expected), my eyes widen slightly in realization. In only three days, my friends and I will graduate from Conquest High, Ooo's main high school. In only three days, our final year there will conclude, all of us never having to return to school again.

In only three days, we will finish high school. We will officially start our lives.

Even though I've already finished high school once, it feels like a big milestone to finish it again, especially since this time I will have done it with my amazing friends, friends I certainly didn't have back in the Nightosphere.

I sigh. "Yeah, you better; no doubt your parents are ripping their hair out wondering where you are," I say with a faint smile.

Dominick gives a faint smile back. "No doubt," he echos, the sadness of having to leave etched into his features. "I'll be back. Someday. I promise."

I promise. You could promise a lot of things, but that doesn't mean they'll ever happen.

In this case, I hope that the promises made are kept.

Dominick gives Marceline a hug. She buries her head into his shoulder.

"I'll miss you, dude," she mumbles solemnly.

"I'll miss you too. I promise I'll visit again some time," Dominick mumbles back before they let each other go.

Then Dominick starts towards me. The hardest goodbye. Dominick is like a brother to me, and I don't know when I'll see him again.

Dominick smiles sadly before he holds out his arms. "Awkward bro-hug?" he questions.

I smile back. "Awkward bro-hug," I answer before we are hugging.

I want to hold on to him forever and make him stay, but I know I can't. So, I reluctantly let him go and give him a small nudge towards the portal. "See you around, Nicky," I say, my own way of bidding my friend farewell.

Dominick stops just before he places a foot inside the portal. He turns and smiles at me one more time. "See you around, Mars." Then, with one final look at me and my friends, he places one foot inside the portal, then the other, before he steps completely inside and the portal closes.

And just like that, he's gone. Back in the Nightosphere.

I feel a hand on my shoulder. I look to see it's Fionna's. She gives me a sympathetic smile. "I know that must've been hard—letting the friend you haven't seen for years go. It's okay, Marsh, you'll see him again," she says softly, trying her best to reassure and comfort me.

Her words don't make me feel much better, but I give her a small smile anyway, showing her I'm grateful for her attempt to make me feel better. "I know, Fi, I know. He'll be back... someday," I manage to say in reply.

Dominick says he'll be back. Fionna says he'll be back. I know he'll be back.

Someday, I'll see him again.

Someday, whenever that day is.