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He felt guilty.
Just a bit, but he did feel guilty.
Mario watched his younger twin as he lounged on his bed, nose stuck in a book, and he began to realize just how much he’d been neglecting his brother.
It wasn’t like he meant to! Luigi was more than his twin, he was his best friend, and Mario had been keeping a huge secret from him. Had been leaving him alone to fend for himself, even though he knew Luigi had a hard time without the support he got simply from being next to Mario.
Mario had discovered a—well, there was no other way to describe it, but he’d found a magical pipe that led to a magical world. And he slipped away to go to the Mushroom Kingdom as often as he could. Going on dates with the girlfriend he’d met there, and going on adventures with the friends he’d made.
He hadn’t even once considered sharing it with his brother, and he knew he should have. Luigi would love it there. He might even fit in better there. The magical world full of so many friendly smiles would likely help him come out of his shell. While Mario had a hard time imagining his brother not being shy, he thought that maybe the twin with a love for the color green would at least become less shy. More confident in himself.
Maybe he should finally bring Luigi with him to the Mushroom Kingdom. Heck! Maybe Peach had a friend they could hook Luigi up with! That way Luigi wouldn’t feel like a third wheel.
Mario hopped onto the edge of Luigi’s bed with a grin, “Hey, Weegee.”
Luigi looked up and gave a small smile to him, “Yeah?”
“We haven't really gotten the chance to hang out much outside of work and family dinners. How about we go out? I know this really cool place I think you’d like.”
“Um,” Luigi glanced over at the alarm clock next to his bed, “I actually have plans I need to leave for, soon.”
Mario’s smile fell, “You’re going out? Alone? That’s unlike you.”
“I do know how to entertain myself without you holding my hand, you know.” Luigi huffed, closing his book after marking his place. Then he got up and went to the closet to change into something nicer than his usual overalls.
“I’m sorry, I know I’ve been busy lately—” Mario sighed.
Luigi shook his head, “I’m not upset, sorry if it seemed that way. I—I know it’s a lot to ask that you always be around. We aren’t kids anymore.” he stepped out of the closet wearing one of his nicer green shirts and a pair of jeans. His hat was left behind hanging on a hook—and didn’t that hurt. They had both always worn their matching hats, ever since their grandmama had made them for them.
“Mario, I’d definitely like to hang out and just do brother stuff again, but today’s just not a good day for it. We can maybe do it on our next day off?”
“Oh, yeah, for sure!” Mario smiled.
“Great. I look forward to it, bro.” Luigi hugged him before leaving their shared bedroom. “I’m heading out, Mama!” he called to the kitchen where she was folding laundry.
“Again? You have been going out quite often lately. It’s unlike you.”
“I bet it’s a girl. If anything can get Luigi out of the house it has to be a nice girl.” their Papa said and Luigi’s face went red.
“There’s no way Lu has a girlfriend!” their cousin spoke up.
“Don’t be mean, Luigi is a very nice boy. I’m sure he is perfectly capable of finding himself an equally nice girl!” Mama said.
Luigi was hiding his face in his hands.
“Well, if there is a girl, you should bring her to dinner sometime! Let her meet the family, Lui.” Papa said.
“R-right, I—I gotta—bye!” Luigi said before disappearing out the door of their Brooklyn apartment.
Mario blinked at the interaction, “Luigi has been going out a lot?” he asked.
“Oh, yes. Almost as often as you have been, Mario, dear.” Mama smiled, “Are you staying in tonight?”
“Yeah…need help with dinner?”
“Of course.” she smiled.
Luigi smiled as he leaned against the doorway of the kitchen, looking in at the scene playing out before him; his boyfriend, a single father, was fighting a losing battle as his eight kids made an absolute mess of their attempt at baking something.
“Is any of that batter going to make it to the oven?” he asked.
“Luigi!” the children all gasped, dropping what they were doing to run over and greet him.
The plumber greeted each koopaling with a smile and a hug before turning his gaze back to the much larger koopa who had batter still dripping from his red hair. “Hi.”
“Hi.” the Koopa smiled.
“You look like you need some help.”
“Oh stars, yes! I have no idea what we’re doing!”
“We’re making brownies!” Wendy said.
“The ones you taught us to make!” Junior added.
“King Dad doesn’t know how to bake like you!” Roy announced.
Luigi laughed, rolling up his sleeves as he approached to take stock of everything before taking control and directing the children on tasks until they finally put the brownies in the oven. After having the kids help in cleaning up the kitchen, the children all ran off to play while they waited for their baked treat to bake and then cool enough to be cut.
“This was a nice surprise, Greenie.” Bowser said, picking Luigi up to press a kiss to his lips.
“I did tell you I’d come if I didn’t have to work.”
“You did.” Bowser nodded, setting him back down. “I try not to get my hopes up too much, just in case you can’t come visit.”
“And yet you didn’t throw yourself into work today.”
“True.” he chuckled, “Though I really should have.”
“Still no progress?”
Bowser shook his head, “Might have to resort to kidnapping Princess Toadstool just to get her to talk to me.”
“She still won’t respond to your requests to meet? To form an alliance treaty?”
“No. It’s frustrating! My people struggle to grow crops in our dead, fiery lands, and they ignore our need for help. I know you said kidnapping wasn’t a good way to be heard, but at least then I know I am being heard. I don’t even know if they open my letters.”
Luigi sighed, slumping his shoulders, “Thank you for trying it my way.”
“I wish it had worked. I’m really not a fan of her red menace of a boyfriend tromping in to save her. He always leaves such destruction and more than a few of my guards end up in medical. Before he showed up I could just let her escape after a few days or so.”
“You also spent those days proposing aggressively to her instead of explaining you wanted to provide your people with resources that her kingdom has plenty of.”
Bowser rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment, “I thought a political marriage would be the best way to go about it! I hadn’t considered a treaty!”
“Maybe I can help by taking a message to her directly for you before you go back to the kidnapping plan.”
“I don’t want to put you in danger!”
“I’m sure I’ll be fine. They don’t know me, so I won’t be considered a threat on sight like a koopa messenger would. And if they lock me up, then I guess it’d be your turn to go storm a castle to rescue your princess.” Luigi blushed. That pet name usually stayed in the bedroom.
“You know I would in a heartbeat.” Bowser purred, “Alright, we can try it, but if I have to come rescue you, I’m also kidnapping Princess Toadstool to do it my way.”
“That’s fair.” Luigi moved to the oven to check on the brownies. Finding them finished, he pulled them out and put them on a cooling rack, “By the way…my, uh, my family has been starting to ask questions…and making assumptions.”
“Oh?”
“They think I have a girlfriend! And—and they have asked me to bring her to family dinner sometime, and I know you aren’t a girlfriend, but…” Luigi shook his head, “No, no, they don’t even know about this place or koopas or anything…maybe it’s a stupid idea.”
“Hey,” Bowser used his claw to tilt Luigi’s face to look up at him, “Would you like me to meet your family?”
“Sorta? I mean, it would be nice to be able to talk about you freely at home…”
“Then prepare your family, and let me know when to go back with you.” Bowser suggested, “I’ll make sure the kids have someone watching them that evening.”
Luigi relaxed and smiled, “Okie-dokie.”
“Oh, aren’t you lovely. But so skinny, come, eat!” Mario’s aunt gushed when he introduced Peach to the family. Or, at least the family that were home. Luigi hadn’t gotten home yet, apparently.
Luigi had, the week before, nervously spoken up during supper, saying that he was dating someone, and he’d like to bring them by to meet the family. Their uncle had poked and prodded about ‘the girlfriend’s’ name, and Luigi had stuttered out that it was actually a boyfriend, which had been a surprise! Luigi hadn’t even told Mario that he liked men. Surely his brother knew Mario wouldn’t judge him for that, right? Maybe they had drifted farther than he thought if Luigi wasn’t sharing such things with him.
Some of the other family members, however, hadn’t reacted well to Luigi’s confession. Not that they were disapproving but the teasing was too much, and in his need to protect his little brother, Mario piped up to confess that he also had a girlfriend. That had been what led to this. Mario brought Peach home to meet the family the same evening Luigi was to bring his supposed boyfriend.
There was some doubt swirling around the family that Luigi would show up with someone. Mario didn’t know what to think. He wanted to trust his brother when he said he was dating someone—but he also was realizing the distance put between them by Mario’s secret trips to the Mushroom Kingdom had pushed Luigi away from him. It was possible that Luigi lied for attention…maybe?
Uhg, he didn’t know what to think!
Pulling himself away from those thoughts, he looked over at Peach as she interacted with his mama, aunt, and cousin, barely registering the friendly teasing he was getting from his uncles. He didn’t care, she was amazing and he was so in love with her. If Luigi did show up with someone, he hoped that someone would be just as amazing as Peach was. His brother deserved the best, and—
Behind him, the apartment door opened and closed, Luigi’s voice speaking up, “H-Hello everyone, I would like for you to meet my boyfriend, Bowser.”
Mario froze and slowly turned around as the room fell completely silent.
Bowser , he said. Bowser . There was no way—
There Luigi stood in his nicest green turtleneck sweater and a pair of black dress pants, standing next to none other than the King of the koopas, himself. The evil monster who was always always kidnapping Peach! This had to be a nightmare! There was no way Luigi would have ever even met the monster! The monster who was looking strangely nervous, dressed in a black shirt and grey slacks somehow.
No, no! This had to be another ploy! Bowser was using his little brother to get to Peach again! He reached into his pocket and grabbed a 1up mushroom, ready to take action.
“Nice to meet you.” Grandpap spoke up, breaking the silence that had fallen over the usually loud family. Their cousin pulled out their phone and snapped a picture as everyone else continued to stare in stunned silence.
“Oh my.” Peach squeaked.
Bowser’s red eyes flickered over to Peach, and then snapped to Mario before widening. Mario glared, ready to leap into action the second Bowser made a move.
Luigi didn’t seem to pick up on the tension as he went about introducing everyone. “...and my brother, Mario.”
“We’ve met.” Mario huffed out.
Luigi blinked in surprise, “You have?” he looked up at Bowser who reached over to hold Luigi’s hand.
“Bowser, what a surprise.” Peach said, moving over to stand closer to Mario.
“Peach.” Bowser nodded, “...Red one.”
“Oh.” Luigi squeaked.
“Weegee, a word?” Mario jumped up and pulled his brother aside where they could speak in hushed voices but Mario could still keep an eye on Bowser. “What are—That guy’s evil! You need to get him out of here!”
“He’s not evil, Mario, he’s sweet. Give him a chance, and we’ll talk later.” Luigi said before pulling away and going back over to Bowser with a smile.
The family was starting to get over their shock, and were putting on their nice acts—at least, Mario made himself believe they were acting. They were clearly scared! Too scared not to invite the monster to sit at the dinner table and share their meal.
“What is he playing at? Why is he after my brother?” Mario huffed as Peach walked over to him and placed a hand on his arm.
“He doesn’t seem to be up to his usual tricks, Mario, lets just let things stay peaceful.”
“But what if he kidnaps you again?”
“He hasn’t done that in months. Maybe your brother is the reason why. He’s been sending me letters. I assumed they were love letters and never opened them, but now I wonder.”
“I don’t trust him. With either you or my brother.”
“It’ll be fine, I’m sure.” she reassured, pulling him to the table where they found seats next to each other. Bowser was across from them, sitting between Luigi and Grandpap. Luigi was gushing about Bowser like he was actually in love. Mario just didn’t understand how Bowser had won Luigi’s heart. Luigi was a gentle soul. There was no way he’d be a good match for a monster!
“Eight children? Goodness, you must be a busy man! What of their mother?” Papa asked, dragging Mario’s attention back to the present.
Children? Bowser was a father?
“She’s not in the picture.” Bowser shrugged, “They are certainly a handful, but they’re good kids. Luigi is great with them.” Bowser said, smiling down at Mario’s brother.
He looked so…soft. Tame. So—unlike everything Mario knew Bowser to be.
Okay, maybe Bowser wasn’t just a big evil monster, but Mario wasn’t going to let his guard down! Even if Peach herself was leaping into the conversation like she had just forgotten about all the times she had been kidnapped by the oversized turtle. Wait, was the family all liking Bowser?
Well, Luigi did seem happy, so maybe Mario would let them be for now. If Bowser hurt Luigi, Mario would make sure he was turned into turtle soup.
He hoped his glare conveyed that threat to Bowser.
-End-