Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

January 23, 2012, Monday

10:37 p.m.

Hey, secret diary. It's me again.

It's been a while since I wrote to you, I know. And I'm sorry. I needed to tell someone what was happening because I was not feeling great.

I'll start with school. As usual, it could have been better. Chris still won't leave me alone, no matter what I do. He and his buddies keep ganging up on me when they can. I know it's mean to say... but I wish he would go away sometimes. Like I said, it's mean. I'm sorry.

Today, he thought it was funny that I didn't want to use the toilet like a "real man" in front of everybody after practice. I don't know why anyone would do that! It's so embarrassing! Is that how other boys act? Am I doing it wrong? They thought it was funny that I asked all of that. But really, am I doing something wrong?

I don't understand other boys at all if I'm being honest.

I didn't tell Mama or Mario when I got home. They already know about Chris. Mario's beaten him up loads of times, and Mama? Well... I love her so much. I love both of them!

But that's not why I'm writing to you, diary. And I'm sorry.

It's about that "real man" thing. 

Something didn't feel right when Chris said it. I don't know how to put it, but it felt... off. Like him calling me a man made me feel sick? 

I mean... I do like "not boy" stuff. Those magazines Mama buys at the store, I read those sometimes. They're girly, I know, but I actually like reading them! I'd love to experiment with those kinds of things someday. Dresses, makeup, that kind of thing. I thought about asking Aunt Marie if I could try on her makeup, but I don't think she'd like that.

It's silly, I know!

Anyway, I was reading one of Mama's magazines earlier, and I found this article about that thing called "transgender." It was from this lady who transitioned. A lot of what she said she went through was like me in some ways. Not all of them, but some. She liked doing more girl stuff and said she felt like a girl all of her life, even though she was born as a boy (that's what a trans woman is, I think. I'll have to reread it). It was a little cathartic to read (is that the right word? Mrs. Horvitz said it in class. I like it!).

I wouldn't mind being called she/her (that's what the lady said she wanted to be called by. I can't remember her name, though)

But saying I'm a girl doesn't feel right either. But that has to be it. What else is there? Nothing?

Maybe there is, I don't know. I think that'd be cool.

Maybe I have to grow into it?

I still feel like a boy and like being called one; maybe that's normal. I can still dress like a boy and all that stuff. Maybe I’m one of those tomboys, or something. That’s how all the girls put it.

So... yeah! I think I'm a girl.

I felt like I should tell somebody about it. I'm a little scared to do that with Mama and Papa; they were okay with me being… me, but I don't know how to tell them about this. I feel safer telling Mario, but I'm still scared. He's sick right now, so I don't think it's a good idea. That's why I'm telling you, diary. Maybe I'll let them know someday, but I'm not sure.

Anyway, sorry for writing so much. I'm gonna head to bed now, okay? Thank you for listening.

Signing off, Luigi.

Chapter Text

Link to bonus drawing!
TW: Gender Dysphoria

"Weegiiiieee!!! You up yet, honeybee?"

Luigi flinched upon hearing Daisy's voice echo up the stairwell, quickly sliding his diary back into the nightstand beside the bed as he suddenly heard her footsteps padding and creaking up the wooden steps not long after. He barely managed to close the drawer before she came barging in, her gap-toothed grin ever broad.

"Mornin' sweetie!" she sang, leaning against the doorway, her gaze kind and loving.

Luigi had to catch his breath as his minor panic came down, but he played it off as his usual startling from her piercing tone. Chuckling nervously, he glanced down at his knuckles as he fiddled with the blanket covers, shyly replying as he tried to glance up, "M-M-Mornin, flower..."

For a moment, Daisy looked him up and down sympathetically before she strode towards him. As Luigi opened his mouth to speak, a familiar creeping dread tip-toeing up his spine, she promptly flopped atop the covers, joining him on the bed, "Did I scare you again, sweetie? I'm sorry."

If he could breathe a sigh of relief, he would.

"Heh... is it r-r-really that o-obvious-a?" he asked, his cheeks turning pink.

Gosh, he was such a dweeb...

Daisy shook her head amusedly as she ruffled his downy cowlicks lovingly but firmly, casting an apologetic smile towards him, "A little. I really don't mean to keep doing that, sweetie. I'm sorry, honest."

Luigi took a deep breath as he finally met her sparkly teal-colored eyes, full of love all for him. How lucky was he to have a partner like her? Even with the most minute things, she put Luigi's needs first and foremost. The only comparable person was his boyfriend... Peasley. He felt like the luckiest person in the world with two incredible partners... 

"It's o-okay." he bluntly stated, almost too quickly, as he strained a smile.

It felt good to say it out loud.

He was okay.

He was okay.

"Okay then!" Daisy chirped happily, her once melancholy, guilty smile melting into her standard chippy (albeit manic) smile. Luigi considered it lucky she wasn't  too  observant, as harsh as it sounded. He squeaked in surprise as Daisy drew him close, hugging him in her bear-huggish manner. As her freckled cheek pressed against his, she whispered, "Beanie was thinkin' about taking us out this morning for breakfast. Thought I should let you know. Any thoughts?"

Come to think of it, Tayce T.'s famous strawberry pancakes  did  sound good... 

"Mm... mhm!" he nodded, his enthusiasm building as he imagined the frothy mound of whipped cream and strawberries before his eyes. "G-Gimme a second t-t-ta get dressed, m-mkay? Um... p-p-please?"

Daisy shook him playfully before she planted a kiss on his cheek, "Of course, sweetie! Take all the time you need. I'll be out by the car when you're ready!"

And with that, she promptly stood up and skipped out of the bedroom; Luigi could practically swear she was even humming.

Happy as a lark, he sprang out of bed to get dressed. Through each organized collection of clothes, he pulled out his cozy favorites: his thick, fluffy green knit sweater, dark blue overalls, and red and white candy cane socks. As he slipped his overalls just over his knees, his palms felt the familiar denim, and his fingers relished the chilliness of the threads from the cold morning air. He breathed a sigh of contentment as his fingertips followed the vertical stitching. 

As he continued stroking the stitching as he pulled them up to his waist, his mind began to wander. He looked forward to tasting those yummy pancakes, his beloved Daisy and Peasley by his sides. He amused himself, imagining Peasley delicately removing bits of syrup-y pancakes as Daisy buried her face in the whipped cream. 

Once he pulled on his candy cane socks, he felt his mustache, cringing at the ruffly feeling. He couldn't leave the house like this!

'I must've slept worse than I thought,'  he thought in amusement as he snatched his special 'stache comb from the top of his dresser. 

When he was ready to set to work, he looked into the eyes of his reflection in the floor-length mirror by the dresser... and paused.

Immediately, the smile he once wore so proudly faded. 

He blinked.

It didn't look right... something wasn't right.

Frowning, he ran his fingertips over the teeth of the comb as he examined himself.

'My hair looks so ugly,'  he thought, looking at his untidy brown hair. With one hand, he ran his fingers over his bangs, cringing as he saw it stay in place the moment he touched it, his cursed superpower. The more he stared at himself, the worse he felt. He hated looking at himself in the mirror; it always highlighted the worst parts about him. His shoulders looked too wide, his hair looked scraggly and awful, and his face... he'd rather not think about  that .

He felt lightheaded and dizzy as he stared at himself, his mind repeatedly screaming that it wasn't right. It was like piecing a puzzle, but with every piece, nothing fit right. The last straw was when he snaked the same hand over his heart, feeling around it. Suddenly, felt a spiky, scalding sensation in his chest and face, his nerves tingling with each lick of flame.

NO.

No, no, no, no, no!

Quickly, he turned away from himself. Beneath his fingers, he felt his heart pounding like a drum. 

Not today.

Not now.

This wouldn't happen.

Blinking back fresh tears, he decided to forego the mirror today. It wasn't a good day... but that was okay.

He'd be fine.

He'd be fine.

The more he repeated his mantra, the safer he felt... sort of. When he opened his eyes, which he didn't even realize were squeezed shut, they landed on the closed nightstand drawer.

Maybe...

No, he knew what it said.

He supposed one couldn't hurt, though.

One last glance.

Yeah...

It'd be quick. 

Sighing, he made his way towards it and pried it open with his fingertips until he could reach inside. He briefly felt around until he brushed against the familiar old leathery book. As Luigi pulled it out, he returned to the bed, laid down gently against the plushy pillows, and flipped to the dog-eared page plaguing his mind. His eyes examined each letter carefully, his mind speaking them aloud as if it were him talking: Luigi. He gave a small, sad smile as he found what he wanted. With one hand, he pressed his thumb gently over the sentence as though caressing a kitten. Moving it over the words, the sentence at the bottom read in the aged, dried-out ink,  "I think I'm a girl."

As he reread it for the seemingly millionth time, he felt hot tears slowly gathering in his eyes. 

He was being ridiculous.

It was eleven years ago.

He was still a child. It didn't mean anything... it wasn't noteworthy in the slightest.

Slowly, the words on the page became blurrier behind all his tears. By now, he felt the streaks flowing down his cheeks freely, the floodgates long since demolished. He felt so embarrassed, crying so easily. He knew it was just him, but he felt a million eyes were in that bedroom, judging him silently. They were just words!

Just words...

Just words...

But no matter how many times he told himself, he knew the truth.

Sniffling, he set down his diary behind his pillow and brushed away a few stray tears that dared fall.

He couldn't go on like this forever, he knew.

It hurt so much, knowing the person whom all of his friends cherished dearly... that wasn't him.

But even  he  had no notion who he was.

On one hand, there was Luigi, the Super Mario  Brother . The famous younger brother of the Mushroom Kingdom's prized hero, Mario. The Luigi, whom everyone found shy and quiet, but someone with a shimmering heart of gold.

On the other, there was secret Luigi. He... or, he supposed, she... desperately wanted to make herself known. A small part of her wished to wear dresses and style her hair, just like Princess Peach. But at the same time, she just wanted to be...  Luigi .

Luigi groaned as he rubbed his eyes in frustration. 

He didn't understand it.

He didn't understand any of it.

He desperately wanted to scream it aloud just so anybody knew. At this point, it hurt so badly that he just wanted it out. It felt like gnarled branches tore at his insides with every reminder of what he  wasn't .

For a few seconds more, he let himself cry a little. He was ashamed to admit it, but it felt nice to let it all out for once.

It took him a bit to work through the tears, but he managed. His hands met his face, flinching at the uncomfortable wetness. He reached over to the nightstand and rubbed it down with a tissue, drying the wet spots under his chin that rubbed against his sweater.

So much better.

He didn't dare look at himself in the mirror again, but he knew his eyes were red.

But it was okay.

It was all okay.

He then figured Daisy had been waiting too long, so he got up from the bed and finished buttoning his overalls.

Before he headed out, he decided to write again.

Just for today.

As quickly as he could, he found the nightstand drawer again, fished out his lucky emerald-green ink pen, flipped to a blank page, and wrote.

I'm gonna do it.

Chapter Text

Link to bonus drawing!
TW: Anxiety

Daisy, Peasley, and Luigi made their way from the car, their pinky fingers locked in a loving hold altogether, Luigi being in the middle as usual. As they did, he saw her casting a friendly sideward gaze in his direction, grinning broadly, and him winking proudly at him. Though he didn't feel much like it, he returned the gestures, curling his pinky tighter around theirs.

"You look beautiful, sweetie," Daisy whispered as she leaned closer. "Sorry your allergies are acting up again today. Me 'n Peasley can stop by Shroom Grocery's later and grab some medicine for ya if you want."

Luigi nervously smiled as he remembered his 'allergies,' "Mm... n-n-no thanks. I'll-a b-b-be okay, really."

"Are you sure?" Peasley asked sweetly, prompting Daisy to stop walking and turn to him as he did. "You know we're alright getting things for you, darling. You can tell us whatever you need for whatever reason."

Luigi couldn't help the blush bleeding onto his face. He truly did love Peasley and Daisy with every heartbeat; they cared so much for him!

"Th-Thanks..." he chuckled, looking down. "Mmmph... but I-I'm okay."

At this, the two shrugged before continuing onward, Daisy leading the way.

As they neared Tayce T.'s cafe, Luigi could smell the sweet fragrance of freshly baked pastries of all shapes and sizes wafting from the open door. That alone made his mouth water and his belly growl hungrily. He could hardly wait to get his hands on those strawberry pancakes; he practically heard them  begging  him to sink his teeth into them.

At the notion of that, he didn't feel as much dread as he did in the car. In fact... he was rather excited! 

He was still nervous, but food could lessen any situation, given the right kind. And what couldn't Tayce T.'s delicious sweet treats of fluffy mixture and candied whipped cream fix?

And besides... he loved this place! It was his third favorite, next to Flower Fields and Peach's Castle Gardens. It was quiet and clean, and Tayce T. was just a peach! She ensured he, Daisy, and Peasley all had enough to eat, whether they were picking up a sweet treat or there for a date. There were hardly any people there, which helped a lot. It was a sanctuary... just right to...

He could do it.

This was okay.

This wouldn't be so bad!

He was safe!

But once he set foot inside, all of that quickly went away.

His eyes grew to the size of saucers as the first thought to mind was the people.

He suddenly realized just how many were there. 

Too  many.

Everywhere he looked, there were toads aplenty. All of them were seated at the flower tableclothed sections surrounding the room. And the noise... oh, the noise! Dishes dinged against one another, knives and forks scraped the remnants of food, and the chatter of a mother and son to an old couple permeated the room. In the background, he could hear the loud coffee grinder making coffee, which nearly gave him a headache.

Once the three walked in, the noise halted. For a few terse seconds, nothing but silence filled the room as the toads turned to the interruption. Immediately, Luigi felt their gaze staring straight through him, which made his stomach churn. There were too many...  way  too many. This wasn't right! It wasn't supposed to happen like this at all!

Thankfully, it ended just as soon as it started. Had it not, Luigi swore his heart would have exploded in his throat right then and there.

But sadly, the damage was already done. What courage Luigi previously may have had was promptly shattered, leaving him weary and trembling. 

He wanted to leave now.

He couldn't do it. Not with  them .

His thoughts must've revealed themselves on his face as Daisy turned to him and asked, "You okay, sweetie?"

Luigi said nothing.

This was all too much.

Just barely, he swore he heard Peasley mutter, "Daisy. It's too crowded in here."

Although his eyes cast to his boots, he knew Daisy seemed to take the hint as she quickly pulled him close and ushered him outside with Peasley. The whole time, Luigi felt like a stone-cold statue, unable to move or speak from the overwhelming blackness plaguing his thoughts.

Once outside, Daisy hugged him tightly, and Peasley rubbed his back reassuringly. From the corner of his eye, he saw a guilty look crossing their faces. It remained quiet for a few seconds before Daisy whispered, once she ensured they were out of view, "I'm so sorry, honeybee... I didn't think it would be so packed today!"

Again, silence.

Daisy sympathetically sighed as she kissed his forehead and stroked his cheek lovingly, "Weegie, baby... we're not gonna force you to stay out here. I'll order for the three of us. Peasley... if you two need to head home, that's okay. I can use the exercise."

Still nothing.

Peasley hugged Luigi from behind and answered for him, "I think it's for the best, spitfire, dear."

Daisy sighed again as she massaged Luigi's cheek with her thumb. She reluctantly glanced between him and the door; he could practically hear the cogs spinning as she debated what to do, "Peasley... you sure we can't go home  now ?"

"I'll handle that. Besides... I would think Sweetpea deserves something special after this, anyhow."

"I'm not disagreein' with you, man. I'm just saying, are you sure it's alright for you? 'Cause I can drive us home."

"Absolutely not." 

Throughout the whole banter, Luigi could only stand there in shock and horror, barely hearing a word from either of them from the ringing in his ears. He wanted no part of any of this, not if it meant remembering  that . He still couldn't shake the feeling of those millions of eyes staring into his insides. Luigi felt like a bug under a microscope, trapped by bonds and having his intestines burned to ashes. 

He was sure they all how terrible he looked, just as he did. Even the blind could see it. They could all see how messy his hair was that day as it stuck out oddly under his cherished hat. They could see how off that sweater looked; it looked too girlish on someone with  his  body. And his legs. Why couldn't he have picked something that didn't hug them and make them look so chubby?! 

As his mind circled their gazes, the hunger in his belly twisted to ick; he felt like he'd hurl his heart right out onto the pavement from how much he could feel it churn and bubble.

His hand made its way to his heart, feeling it pound hard against his ribcage, stinging his chest. He physically winced with each beat that shook his chest, which immediately brought Daisy's attention.

"Hey..."

His breath hitched as Daisy's hand found his, clasping hers over his heart. At the same time, he felt Peasley massaging his shoulder gently from behind, resting his face against his back. Each of their touches was firm and soft, ensuring Luigi he wasn't alone. They made sure he knew they would be there, no matter what.

If only he could believe it through and through...

"Baby... we love you. It's okay. You don't have to go back in. In and out, remember? In and out..." Daisy held his hand gently.

He sighed deeply. He couldn't look either in the eyes; his mind wouldn't allow it. Thinking about them now, too, felt like a death sentence. He scolded himself for getting worked up over nothing. He wanted to scream it aloud to the high stars, but even working up the courage to speak felt too arduous. He was exhausting himself even just thinking about it. It shouldn't be that big of a deal. They would understand... they always did. Through all his "faults," they still found him the best living being breathing in the Mushroom Kingdom. They were always so patient, kind, and understanding towards him, just a few reasons why he loved them so much. So yes. He knew they would love him no matter what.

Then why was this so hard?!

'Deep breaths, Luigi,'  he thought, taking in fresh air as he tried to block out those thoughts.  'just like Daisy said. In and out. In, out, in, out, in, out...'

His other hand traveled down to his thigh, rubbing his white-gloved fingertips against the vertical stitching.

With each stroke and exhale, he felt his heart gradually slowing down...

***

'... and after that, Peasley took me home. He and Daisy thought it'd be better if I stayed there to clear my head. They really do know me well.'

Luigi softly hummed as he chewed the end of his pen.

'They felt really bad about the whole thing, even though it wasn't their fault. I wish I didn't freeze up back there. I should've told them then, but I couldn't. I feel like a monster.'

Pause.

'I feel like a monster.'

'Maybe I am one, to be fair.'

'I keep shutting everyone out. It always makes them worry. I can see it when they look at me; they wonder why I'm like this. Who does that to people they like? I hate doing it.'

'I guess I'm just scared of...  everything. '

Luigi stared at the blank page before him.

Worth a try, right?

With a deep breath in, he began writing quickly:

'1.) I'm scared that I'll look ugly. I still want to keep my mustache, but I wanna wear makeup, too. Is that wrong?'

'2.) I'm scared that Peasley won't see me as a guy anymore, and he'll leave me. He likes boys... and I'm not a boy, I don't think.'

'3.) I'm scared that Peasley and Daisy won't like me anymore because I'm not who they thought I was. I've held onto this for years. Isn't this lying to them?'

'4.) I'm scared that Mario will hate me. He's thought of me as his brother for so long, and I'm afraid he won't love me anymore because I'm not like him.'

Pause.

Slowly...

'5.) I'm scared of myself. I haven't been honest with you, secret diary. I feel like a boy... but also a girl? But even that's weird. I hate calling myself a girl, even though I like 'girly' things (I don't know if I'm saying  that  right). I don't know how to say it, but it... stings? Is this how Daisy feels? I wish I could talk to her about it.'

"Hey... Sweetpea?"

Luigi squeaked and jumped upon hearing Peasley's voice from the bedroom doorway. With wide eyes, he slowly looked up to find his boyfriend standing with a plate of strawberry pancakes. Slowly, Luigi closed his diary and set it aside, still fiddling with the pen.

"Did I disturb you, darling?" Peasley asked, starting to back away. "I just came here to see if you were hungry. You haven't eaten in a while. I'll just set these here when you're ready."

Luigi watched as the bean prince carried the plate to the dresser top, standing on his tiptoes to set it down. He cast a sad smile towards him, feeling a strong melancholy to hug Peasley so tightly, even if it was just one last time. He felt so far away, even if it was just a couple feet away. 

"Sweetpea... you know Daisy and I love you dearly," he said, his back still turned to him. "We want you to be happy. We've been worried about you lately."

Luigi raised an eyebrow.

"I don't want to worry you, but I've," Peasley cleared his throat awkwardly. "Pardon me, but I've seen a few things a bit bothersome. I've noticed that you've kept to yourself more these past weeks... and writing in your diary. I haven't seen you do that in ages."

Luigi felt his stomach drop.

"You've been more anxious as well, which simply breaks my heart. I'm not sure what's going on, and I won't pry, but Sweetpea... please know that Daisy and I love you ever so much. You can tell us anything. Anything at all."

As Peasley began to make his way out, Luigi's mind twisted around the words he was told.

He knew it was true. He could tell them anything, even without their say. It stung, having to hold back those words, but even saying them aloud brought thorns to his chest. Oh, how he wanted to say it!

He thought for a moment.

To heck with it.

It hurt regardless, so it was better to pluck it out.

As Peasley began to leave, Luigi suddenly found the words he was too scared to speak before. The ink swirled in his mind, appearing right before him. He felt the thorns arising, but he carried on.

"P-Peasley...?"

Peasley, seemingly not expecting to hear his voice, turned quickly to the green plumber as he rested on the bed. He smiled sympathetically towards him and said, faint curiosity welling in his eyes, "Y-Yes...? Sweetpea?"

Luigi shook his head quickly. As the words found his tongue, he felt like the brambles caging his insides began twisting and gnarling. It hurt so much, but he tried to push through.

He was actually doing it!

"I... I w-w-wanna t-t-talk to y-you about... s-something," Luigi whispered, his voice just above a whisper.

Curious, Peasley turned to Luigi and slowly approached the bed. For a few moments, he stared quizzically at him, his hands firmly gripping the footboard. Before long, he finally nodded slowly and whispered back, "Um... alright. What is it darling?"

Luigi stared down at his pen nervously. Already, he could feel tears welling in his eyes. 

"Um... I... I l-love you," he strangled out.

"I love you too, darling...?" Peasley questioned. 

There was no going back now.

"P-Peasley... um... I... ab-about-a b-b-back... there..."

He heard Peasley sigh deeply and watched from his down-turned gaze as he sat beside him, "You need not apologize for anything, darling. It's not your fault. We should have seen th-"

"No." Luigi quickly blurted out.

A brief stunned silence replied.

Awkwardly, Luigi cleared his throat, "Um... s-sorry... I w-w-wasn't gonna ap-apologize. The-There was... um... there was..."

He looked up at Peasley. Upon seeing him, the bean prince's eyes became clouded with concern as he noticed the tears brimming in his eyes. Instinctively, he reached to Luigi's hand and uttered, "Luigi...?"

"Th-There was something I w-wanted to t-t-tell you and D-Daisy... back th-th-there," Luigi rambled quickly, each syllable trembling. "I... I d-d-don't think I... I'm the p-p-person y-you think I am..."

"What...? Luigi, what are you trying to say, darling?"

Slowly, Luigi felt the thorns digging deeper.

"Um... y-you know how D-D-Daisy is... n-n-not a girl...?"

"Er... yes?"

"I... um... I th-think..."

Just then, Luigi felt a sharp stab in his heart, causing him to blurt out quickly and loudly, "I-d-d-d-on't-think-I-I-I'mma-b-boy...!"

He squeezed his eyes shut tight afterward, fearing the response. He felt the tears streaming down his burning face now.

It was out now.

He did it.

But why did it hurt so mu-

"Oh, Luigi..."

Luigi let out a muffled squeak as a firm hug wrapped around his waist, along with Peasley's trembling hands gripping him tightly. He wanted to fight it, but every fiber of his being stood like a stone. When he finally did open his eyes, the first thing he saw was Peasley's teary-eyed ones staring right up into his.

"Darling... I am so... so proud of you..."

Chapter Text

Link to Bonus Pic
Luigi couldn't imagine loving either of his partners more than he already did. Before that day, he adored them with every fiber of his being, more than he believed he ever could. 

But as Peasley held him close, he somehow fell deeper in love with the bean prince, even more than he did on day one. Feeling his salty tears dripping into the denim of his overalls and the tight grip around his hand, he became immensely aware of how much he truly loved him. If there was such a thing as falling in love with someone a second time, Luigi believed he was feeling it through and through.

Even through his blurry eyes, he could see the love, adoration, and amazement in Peasley's teary dark brown ones as they peered up at him. That, alone, made his heart surge in sheer bliss.

"I love you, darling," he whispered, a smile etching his features.

Remarks were past Luigi's capability now. Rather than answer, he let out a squeaky little whimper that  sounded  close to an "I love you."

It seemed like hours before they separated, and even then, Peasley appeared disinclined to release Luigi, even for a mere second. Upon seeing Luigi's red, sopping-wet face, he winced, brushing away a few stray tear streaks with his thumb. He then looked down sympathetically at Luigi's trembling hand in his grasp, "No need to be scared of it, Sweetpea... it's not a life-eradicating ordeal." 

Luigi couldn't help the smile spreading across his face at that.

He honestly didn't mind it? Not even a little?

"That is what it is... right?" he asked, staring longingly into Luigi's eyes.

For a second, Luigi wanted to say yes but stopped himself. It's true, he  was  scared of it. There were numerous facets of this new thing that he didn't quite understand, much less put to words. To him, it was like thick ropes pulled him every which way, each with its crawling thorns snaking through the threads. No matter which rope he succumbed to, grabbing ahold exacerbated the lacerations, and the others never let up. 

All of it was true, he wanted to say.

But that would only be a half-truth.

He then sniffled and stated in a voice he questioned whether Peasley could hear, "N-N-Not a-all... th-the way..."

"Pardon? Is that not it?" Peasley, thankfully, answered.

Luigi looked down at his hand and nervously pulled at a loose thread from his glove as he strung his words together. It seemed too awful to say, but Peasley deserved to know... right?

"I... I th-thought y-y-y-you w-would-a... h-h-hate me..." he finally squeaked out.

" Hate  you?"

He nodded.

"I... I don't under... why would I hate you?"

"Wh-wh-why shouldn't you?" Luigi offhandedly questioned as he peered up at the prince, tears still raining from his eyes. "I... I... I'm-a n-not... a b-b-boy l-like you thought. I-Isn't that a l-l-lie...?"

At this, Peasley's eyes widened as he took in all Luigi had said, which worried the plumber greatly. He didn't mean to offend him! He was about to apologize when Peasley held up a hand with a sigh, "Have I ever told you about my kingdom?"

What?

Peasley held Luigi's face in that same hand and continued, "You know I've said that whatever you are... my people don't see it the same way yours do."

Luigi nodded slowly.

"And do you know why...?"

He shook his head.

"Well... you know how I'm considered 'not like other guys' in your world?" Peasley asked, a slight chuckle in his tone.

Luigi felt his cheeks flaring pink.

"Everyone in my kingdom is like that. Me, mother dear, Lady Lima... and all of our people. It's been like that for many, many years. It didn't feel right to have  two  separate oddments to put one in, especially if it was one  they  didn't see fit. Why should it be used if none of us suit either adequately? If something doesn't suit you, it doesn't suit you, simple as that. Why should you live as something you're not? That doesn't make much sense."

Peasley then wiped away a fallen tear from Luigi's eyes, "We still sometimes use that system for our children, but only because many different kingdoms, such as yours... well... they don't see it that way. If you wish to call your darling little one by a certain phrase, it's acceptable, but we could care less either way."

He and Luigi chuckled.

Then, Peasley sighed as he held Luigi's hand with his other, "What we truly care about is your heart, darling."

He then squeezed his hand comfortingly.

"You see... as I said, it doesn't matter who or what someone sees themselves as," Peasley explained, his eyes sparkling as he stared lovingly at the green plumber. "Gentleman... lady... even beyond, why should it matter? We all don't care about it because it's meaningless to us. We're all different in many ways, but the one thing that  is  the same is our hearts."

 "We all have hearts to bring love or hatred into this world. Some spend their whole lives giving their all to others. And then there's some that... well... are Cackletta. But to us, it doesn't matter who you are; it all matters what your  heart  can offer... and I'd say that  you  matter the most, darling.

"So that's why, if you feel you're not 'a boy' as you say," he stroked Luigi's shoulder and smiled. "it doesn't make much difference. All  I  care about is having you as my Luigi." 

Luigi swallowed thickly at this, holding back a new flood of tears threatening to escape his system. His heart was swelling with a newfound fondness for the prince before him. It all seemed so evident to him now: Peasley would  never  abandon Luigi, regardless of who or what he was. He and Peasley may not have had the same ideals as their mother countries, but they spoke the same language. Never before had he heard the words he asked himself many times in the deepest parts of his mind spoken so eloquently: why  should  it matter?

"... is that all you needed, darling?" Peasley whispered. "If you need leave, I will be more than willing to grant you such."

Luigi smiled to himself.

On many normal emotional days such as these, he would love nothing more, and he loved Peasley and Daisy for their willingness to accommodate.

But today... that wasn't what he wanted.

***

"OH MY STARS ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"

Luigi practically choked on his saliva as Daisy pulled him into a strong-armed hug. She pressed her freckled cheek against his forehead, letting out something that sounded something only his precious puppy Polterpup could hear. From the corner of his eye, he saw Peasley frantically attempting to "save" him from her muscley grasp, "Spitfire, dear! Allow the dear to breathe, my goodness!"

Eventually, she did let up... albeit with some force.

As Luigi caught his breath captured in his lungs, he felt a faint sense of joy seeing her gap-toothed grin beaming proudly down at him and slightly bouncing on her feet. He should have known... of  course,  she'd react this way.

"Hee... sorry, sweetie!" she giggled behind her hands. "It's just... I'm so happy for you!!!"

"Clearly," Peasley remarked, rolling his eyes playfully.

"Shut up. You know how I get, ya doof."

" Believe  me, Spitfire. I am  well  aware. But that doesn't give you the right to strangle our darling Luigi into the Underwhere."

"... touché."

As Luigi was still doubled over in wheezing, he felt Daisy pulling him upright to where he was practically nose-to-nose with her. "Soooo... my wittle honeybee... whaddo you wanna be called?!"

Luigi raised an eyebrow.

"M-M-My... name?"

"No, no, no, baby... is there a name you have in mind?" she asked, still smiling broadly.

What?

By now, Luigi was confused. What else could he be called other than 'Luigi?' Was it a bad name or something? 

Thankfully, Peasley came to his aid as he pushed Daisy aside and said matter-of-factly, "I  believe  what the untamed is  trying  to ask is if there's a name you have in mind other than your birth name.

Oh.

Peasley continued, "For instance... perhaps you'd wish to change it to something like... oh, I don't know-"

"Bunbun?!" Daisy interrupted.

Peasley glared at her, "Absolutely  not . One, that's ridiculous, and you know it. Two... I wouldn't allow it because I know your implications (honestly, must you think so filthily??). I mean,  Luigi , that is unless you'd want it..."

Luigi giggled, "N-No... I'mma g-g-good, P-Peasley. I th-th-think I'mma good w-with-a my name for-a n-now."

"Well, then, that's settled," Peasley smiled. "how about... your address?"

"Aka, pronoooooouns," Daisy whisper-sang, earning another glare from Peasley.

This time, Luigi had to think about it... what  did  he want to be called? 

Come to think of it... ' he ' felt okay. But then, ' she ' also felt okay. He couldn't be called both... right?

Without an answer, he slowly looked up at his two loved ones and gave them a puzzled look, which certainly got their attention.

"What's wrong, baby?" Daisy asked, her smile waning a little.

"Did we upset you?" Peasley asked, his expression etched in worry.

Luigi shook his head as his mind wrestled with the idea. He then averted his eyes towards the tips of his boots and said, "N-No... i-i-it's-a just... I d-d-dunno wh-which ta p-p-pick..."

"Pick?" Daisy asked, the confusion evident in her tone.

He nodded.

He felt so silly hearing that. He didn't think this would be so hard...

But, as usual, his amazing Peasley and Daisy came to his aid in the form of two warm embraces. He almost wanted to cry again; they truly did love him!

"Is it possible you want two?" Peasley inquired, rubbing his back comfortingly.

Luigi nodded to hold in the cries of joy caught in his throat.

"Oh... well, that's perfectly okay!" Peasley beamed. "Daisy, don't you have two as well?"

"Yup!" Daisy proclaimed proudly. "She/they 'n ready to  slay! " 

Luigi frowned a little.

"Th-That's j-j-just it... I d-d-don't-a f-f-feel-a that suits-a me," he finally said aloud.

"That's okay," Daisy giggled. "we'll just chop off the 's' then!"

No...

"No... th-th-that's-a not right either..."

At this, Peasley and Daisy fell silent. For a few moments, Luigi began to wonder if they were just as confused as he was, which he couldn't blame them for. But just as he began to work up an apology, Peasley spoke softly, "Would you like to talk about it, Sweetpea?"

Luigi hesitated.

For a moment, he didn't want to say the words aloud. It seemed so nonsensical, so... impossible! But now, knowing these two wonderful individuals would be by his side no matter what, his worries were dissuaged.

What followed after, Luigi finally spoke his mind. Everything he wrote in his secret diary for so many years, he brought into the daybreak of a new day. Every pain, every fear, every uncertainty... everything. The more the words escaped his mind, the more the brambles caging his insides felt like they were chopped to bits. He never realized how free his chest felt or how nice it felt not to have dark clouds loom over him like glaring shadow monsters. 

When he finally finished, Peasley and Daisy still held his hands comfortingly. Then, without hesitation, Daisy cleared her throat and asked, "How come you can't be both, then?"

To this, Luigi had no answer. After some time... it really did seem silly to imagine.

Before him, one of his loves was someone who saw themselves as neither, and another who resembled someone most in his world would call "manly" but had many features that weren't that at all.

But at the same time... he didn't really know.

"Sweetie," Daisy spoke again, almost as if she was reading his mind as she caressed his face gently and stared lovingly into his eyes. "you don't have to have it all figured out. Heck, sometimes  I  don't think I have it all figured out, but that's okay!"

Peasley then added, "She's right, darling. It doesn't need to be a done deal. If you need to start small, that's perfectly fine. Either way, Spitfire and I will be there every step of the way."

And with that, they pulled Luigi in for a hug. As they caressed his face, Luigi pieced together the words he meant to say before...

"She... and he."

Chapter Text

Link to Bonus Pic
'Hey, secret diary. It's me, Luigi.’

‘Things have gone well so far! I told Peasley and Daisy how I felt, and I want to cry remembering how they reacted! I might love them even more now if that's possible.  I̶'m̶ e̶v̶e̶n̶ t̶h̶i̶n̶k̶i̶n̶g̶ a̶b̶o̶u̶t̶ m̶a̶r̶r̶y̶i̶n̶g̶ t̶h̶e̶m̶ s̶o̶o̶n̶. I couldn't have asked for two people better than them as my partners. It feels so good not to be so alone anymore!’

‘They're taking me out to the Coconut Mall to go clothes-shopping to find more "froufrou" clothes (Daisy's words); they said it was my Valentine’s Day present. I'm not going to lie, diary. I'm excited! I've always loved wearing things like dresses with patterns on them! My biggest dream now is to find one (preferably green) with little daisies. Maybe I'd look good in that, but I’m not sure. I̶ s̶h̶o̶u̶l̶d̶ s̶h̶a̶v̶e̶ w̶h̶e̶n̶ I̶ t̶a̶k̶e̶ m̶y̶ s̶h̶o̶w̶e̶r̶.’

‘But at the same time, I'm scared. The only times I've gone clothes-shopping for things for me is when Peach needs my advice on outfits. Even then, I usually buy my regular green sweaters. I still like them, though. But I would love to wear those pattern-y ones. Maybe I'll settle on only one of them for now. I don't know much about dresses; they look pretty, but that's it. I could ask Peach, but I'm not ready to tell her.’

***

As they drew on, Luigi began to notice the oncoming traffic of toads.

Everywhere he looked, cars of all shapes and sizes were whizzing to and fro at every end outside, and shoppers aplenty were rushing in and out of the stores with all sorts of gifts. Vendors stood at every angle, handing out baked goods and gifts with shoppers standing inside and lining the street behind the mall. All hues of red and pink adorned the place like a cake, from streamers to balloons. It was all too much!

 Luigi usually loved today, but he could hardly look at anyone as his anxiety worsened. Even though he couldn’t see their faces, he could imagine their stares. Luigi could practically feel their eyes staring through him at everything he had and lacked . He knew wearing one of Daisy’s shirts was a horrid idea! Everyone could see it wasn’t for him. But what else was he to do?! It was far too hot that morning for his usual sweater, and he wanted something a tad… lighter . Knowing how this would ruin his endeavors, Luigi kept behind his boyfriend as the crowds seemingly enlarged (or, at least, it felt like they were). He immediately garnered the prince’s attention as evidenced by his usual stride slowed to a brisk walk, “Are you well, my dear?”

“P-P-People…” Luigi mumbled, roughly rubbing the denim stitching of his jeans as he kept his eyes cast downward.

“Should we… step outside?”

“N-No…”

“Are you certain?”

“Y-Yes.”

Peasley then took hold of his hand behind him. As Luigi looked up, the prince flashed a smile and whispered, “Darling… you’re okay. As we said, Daisy and I won’t allow any ghastliness to happen upon you at all. Should they try… they’ll have a bit of steel in their throat.”

Behind him, Daisy’s smile blossomed as she held him, illuminating the sweet face he adored so much, "Beanie's right, sweetie. And remember. We came here to have fun, not shout it all out to the world. Nobody has to know when you're not ready. It'll be our little secret!" She playfully nudged his shoulder, making him giggle.

Luigi could only stare between the two amazing beings as his nerves melted away. He knew neither of them could ever feel the mounting uncertainty within him, nor would they understand how much their words meant to him. Simply having them beside him made him feel so full and liberated. No matter how much he sobbed or worried, he confidently knew they would stand by him until the end and even afterward! Even before they arrived there, they reassured him that they were willing to accommodate in any way as they always did, even if it meant simply returning home after a few minutes. 

“Soooo… where to?” Daisy chirped as she pranced ahead of Peasley and Luigi, glancing from one store to the next, briefly startling them.

Beside him, Luigi noticed Peasley rolling his eyes as Daisy pressed her face against the glass pane of what appeared to be a plant store, “Certainly not there, Spitfire. Last time I checked, I’m the only plant here.”

“Doesn’t mean honeybee won’t look cute in some leaves!”

“Leaves… are you serious?” Peasley rubbed his eyebrows together. “Daisy, we can’t… I’m not even sure what to do with you at times.”

He then turned to Luigi, who was barely holding in his giggles at this display. It only worsened as the prince jokingly whispered, “ Remind me to invest in a leash.”

“I heard that!”

“Um… sc-scusami?” Luigi asked through giggles, immediately garnering the monarchs’ attention. “D-Do you w-w-wanna look i-in-a there, D-Daisy? W-We have-a t-t-time.”

“Nah, I’m just looking. Plastic plants suck,” Daisy waved her hand dismissively as she stepped away from the glass, only for a dangerously thoughtful expression to cross her face, “but… now that I think about it, I did wanna get something… maybe somewhere like… oooh!” Daisy’s eyes sparkled as they darted towards a rather crowded store at the end of the mall. From what little the two could see and what much they heard, it was a gift shop of some sort… and the look in Daisy’s eyes was slightly worrying. They had no notion of what she had seen, but knowing her, it was most likely explosive if that glimmer in her eye said anything.

Before they could stop her, Daisy hopped in front of them, grinning like a shark and giggling creepily, “Beanie, you go ahead ‘n find some clothes for the honeybee! I’ve got some things to attend to. And Weegie… I love you, sweetie! Have fun! Be back in a second! Love youuuuuuu!”

Quickly, she kissed the tops of both of their foreheads before dashing away to the commotion, her bulky boots making such commotion as she bounded. In awe, Peasley and Luigi watched as she scaled the crowd before suddenly disappearing as she jumped into the sea of toads. By that point, there was naught they could do.

“Well… I suppose she’s got her things to do…” Peasley murmured as he blinked in shock. Awkwardly, he cleared his throat and turned to Luigi, “Um… shall we venture on, my fair princess?”

Luigi looked down as his chest suddenly felt warm and featherlight, hearing his new nickname. As he played with his gloves, he could only muster a small “Mm… Mhm.” between his smile.

As expected, Peasley chuckled and pulled him in for a kiss on the cheek before leading him on, “I take it you quite like it, hm?”

“M-Mhm…”

“I’m glad, darling. You know, I believe ‘Princess’ does quite suit you in a sense. Kind, beautiful, brave, passionate… it’s almost as though one tailored it all for you!”

“ Peasleyyyyyy…! ” Luigi’s face was as red as his brother’s shirt as he hid it behind his gloves. 

At this, Peasley promptly stopped walking and pressed his cheek against his knuckles. Luigi could swear to have seen the coy smile plastered on the pest’s face as he whispered, “I’m only speaking the truth, my dear. In all honesty… I’m glad you love it.”

“Y-Y-You’re mean…!” 

“Am I?” Peasley kissed his hand gently. “Pity me, darling… I just can’t help myself in the arms of a beautiful princess!”

“ Stoooooop! ” Luigi whined as he buried his face further within his palms. “W-W-We’re-a out i-i-in public!”

Peasley chuckled, “Alright, alright, I must apologize. Let’s carry on, hm? I know just the place perfect for you to start!”

***

“How is this, darling?”

Luigi eyed the pink strawberry-patterned shirt Peasley held up like a trophy. He cringed as he noted how light the pink was and shook his head, “N-No… I don’t-a r-really like this sha-shade…”

“Fair enough… I wasn’t too fond of it myself,” Peasley said as he placed it back atop the rack. “Did you have anything in mind in particular?”

“Um… no dresses…”

“That’s a start,” the prince nodded as he held Luigi’s hand. As they passed a few mannequins wearing some rather gorgeous-looking dresses, Luigi couldn’t help but notice the sign “Valentine’s Day Special for That Special Lady!”

Oh, the irony…

He jokingly nudged his boyfriend, only to discover him eyeing the middle flowy red gown in wanton daydreams. Almost lazily, Peasley smiled as he murmured, “… shame… I believe you’d look gorgeous in that red one.”

Luigi’s face immediately flushed red at this, and eyes must have enlarged to the size of dinner plates as Peasley blushed and panicked slightly, “I…! Oh, my dear goodness! I didn’t mean to… pardon me…!”

Luigi smirked slightly, “I c-c-can-a wear that dress f-for-a you , pr-princey…”

“Wha…?!”

“Let’s-a g-g-get-a the d-dress!”

Peasley’s eyes flitted between the green plumber and the mannequin. Seemingly embarrassed, his cheeks reddened further as he asked, “Do you genuinely want it, or do you just want it because of my idiocy…?”

“I w-w-want it-a.”

“I… are you certain?”

Luigi nodded, “It… It’ll-a b-b-be good p-p-practice at-a home.”

“If you say so…”

Luigi couldn’t help chuckling as Peasley examined the dresses beside the mannequin for his size, noting how, each time, his face shaded redder and redder. Once he found it, he placed it in their bag and took hold of Luigi’s hand, and they walked onwards, “Do not mention this to Daisy for my sake.”

 A brief silence ensued as neither knew what to do besides continue onward. Peasley and Luigi glanced from one rack to the next, not finding anything eye-catching. They all were far too “girly” than what Luigi cared for, or they simply looked repulsive; Peasley, in particular, enjoyed ribbing a particularly ugly tie-dye dress (“It looks as though one spit up Chukola Cola and mushrooms!”)

It was uneventful for a while, but then they found it .

It was a fuzzy green sweater, not unlike the ones Luigi typically bought. However, this one was special due to the…

“I-I-It has-a m-m-mushrooms-a!!!” Luigi squealed as he petted the red, white-spotted mushrooms sewn into the fabric. He couldn’t stop smiling as he stroked the threads; it was the third most beautiful thing he’d ever seen! It was perfect!

“Ooh…! That would look gorgeous on you, princess!”

Luigi blushed, “Y-Y-You really think-a s-so…?”

“Only one way to find out. Would you want to try this darling thing on?”

Within seconds, the green plumber happily dragged the bean prince into the nearby dressing room and practically yanked the sweater over his head. When he turned around to look in the mirror, he gasped as he caught sight of himself.

It was perfect!

“Is something the matter, princess?” Peasley asked, still facing the wall.

Unable to speak, aside from incoherent squeaking, Luigi excitedly tugged on Peasley’s cloak until the prince faced him, waving his hands excitedly.

Once Peasley caught sight of him, his jaw dropped momentarily before a grin slowly spread across his face. But what caught Luigi off-guard were his eyes. He had expected his boyfriend to be happy… but the glimmer of tears within those deep brown pools surprised him.

Immediately, his smile fell. Had he insulted him somehow?

“P-P-Peasley?” he asked, his hand meeting the prince’s from concern. “A-A-Are y-you… okay?”

Peasley sniffled and rubbed his eye before he whimpered, “Mhm… I’m tip-top, darling… it’s just… you look so jubilant in that thing!”

Luigi blinked confusedly.

“Erm… s-s-sorry, darling… I mean to say that you… I… I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile so much in so long…”

“Wh-What do you…?”

“Well… look over there!” Peasley gestured behind him towards the mirror.

For a moment, Luigi didn’t quite get it. Looking at himself, he just saw… Luigi. Same, plain, old Luigi. No flash, no extravagant anything… just Luigi.

But slowly, it dawned on him.

How long had it been since he had smiled seeing his reflection?

How long had it been since he felt burning in his chest from all the horrid images of himself swirling in his head like dark clouds?

With newfound pride, he realized, for once, he could look at himself without crying over his appearance! Even if it was for a mere few seconds… he had done it! On other days, he would chastise himself for what he deemed flaws, from the presumed “pudginess” of his stomach down to his feet, he couldn’t see how Peasley or Daisy saw him so fondly. 

But now, wearing something so simple yet beautiful in his eyes, he could see part of it! And with one look in his blue eyes, he knew that it was indeed real!

This was Luigi!

He felt hot tears welling in his eyes as he turned to Peasley, who was wiping a few of his own away. In just over a whisper, the green plumber uttered, “Th-Thank you…!”

Peasley said no more as he traced his fingers over Luigi’s jawline and gently pulled himself to his chest. He embraced Luigi lovingly, stroking the soft yarn of his sweater as though it were the most treasured thing in the world. Before Luigi could stop himself, he bent down and placed a hand amongst his golden locks. For a few moments, the two stared at each other in awe. As they moved closer, they jumped as a sudden BANG came from behind the dressing room door.

“Yo! Peasley, Weegie! You in there?! I got ya some gifts!”

Both breathed a sigh of relief hearing Daisy’s melodious voice. Peasley chuckled, seeing the blush bleeding over Luigi’s cheeks before he whispered, “Let’s… continue this later, darling.”

As the two left with the sweater in hand, they found Daisy lounging on one of the clothing shelves. In one hand, she held a VERY full, crumpled-looking bag that undoubtedly had been in a scuffle, judging by the dirt clods and ripping. To top it off, Daisy, herself wasn’t immune to the unspeakable horrors either with her ripped jeans and messy hair… or was that just her?

Either way, Peasley and Luigi found themselves shaking their heads.

“Took ya long enough,” Daisy sighed as she swung the bag over her back. “Didja find anything you like?”

“Actually, yes,” Peasley bluntly stated as he held up their bag and pointed to the sweater, “And I believe you found… whatever it is you had to get? It better not be an explosive this time, Spitfire.”

Daisy gasped as she held a hand over her heart, “I have standards , thank you ! And for the record… they’re gifts. I had to wrestle a bunch of toads just to get ‘em.”

“H-H-How many d-did you…?” Luigi stared wide-eyed at the bulging bag. 

“How many did I take on? Oh, boy, lemme tell ya! Let’s see, there was one who-”

“I think our princess meant the gifts,” Peasley sighed.

“Oh… aw, well that’s less fun, but okay!” She smiled as she began rummaging through the bag before pulling out two red heart-shaped boxes; one had a (clearly last-minute) pasted label reading “Honeybee” and another with a green ribbon. “They were handing out these chocolates up at the front desk! I thought you both would like it.”

That was underselling it.

Immediately, Peasley and Luigi began drooling at the delicious pictures plastered over the boxes, even more so when Daisy gifted them to him. But, as usual, Luigi managed to maintain his composure and simply held onto his prize while Peasley began devouring all the chocolate in his box like a feral animal.

“Oh, and I have a little something special for you, honeybee…!” Daisy beamed, smoothing Luigi’s mustache with her fingertips. At this, Luigi felt tingles washing down his back. He couldn’t imagine how much better this day could get by now. A day spent with the two people he cherished most, finding the perfect clothes, and even getting some chocolate! What was better than that?

Well… when Daisy held up a certain hairpiece… he could certainly say what.

In her palms, Daisy held a bedazzled barrette adorned with crystal daisies. Luigi was in awe of the beauty. He had always wanted little accessories like these; he didn’t care if his hair wasn’t quite long enough to wear them! He wouldn’t have minded that at all, however. To him, they were relaxing to fiddle with as they flipped in and out.

“Heh… whaddo you think, sweetie?”

Luigi, now feeling tears streaming down his face at the mounting adoration simply squeaked, “I… I l-l-love it…!”

“Aww…! You wanna try it on?”

Luigi nodded enthusiastically. 

And with that, Daisy chuckled and unclipped the barrette and gently slid it under his hat, then under a few bits of his hair. She then instructed him to hold his finger over the daisies and push.

Once he felt the little snap, he dashed back into the dressing room, ripping his hat off in the process. He could only stand in amazement as he stared at the glistening gems positioned in his hair. It didn’t match everything, but at that moment, he couldn’t have cared less!

When Daisy and Peasley joined him by his sides, they rubbed the backs of his shoulders lovingly. He could hardly hear a word over top of his starstruck trance, but one phrase was evident.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, princess…!” 

He was definitely wearing both articles when they went home.

Chapter Text

Link to Bonus Pic
Luigi’s hands stroked the soft red fabric lying on the bed. It wasn’t anything like soft denim seams, but the silky fabric felt heavenly against one’s fingertips. It almost felt like a kitten’s fur! Even better… it was immensely gorgeous, something Princess Peach would have worn. Fit for a princess! It was no wonder Peasley fell in love with it! It looked so beautiful on the bed, the green covers allowing it to stand out even more… like a rare butterfly resting among the grass blades. Luigi felt guilty for taking something so formidable away from where it looked like it belonged.

The barrette and the sweater were definite favorites already. Whether at Shroom Grocery with Peasley and Daisy or visiting Mario, Luigi wore both at every opportunity (the barrette hidden). And the compliments… oh the compliments! Those could have put a smile on anyone’s face!

“Wow, Lu!” Mario would exclaim. “You look great!”

“Luigi…” Peach would gasp. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this happy in a sweater!”

Meanwhile, the dress still lay untouched in the shopping bag in the closet, the price tag still clinging to the straps. Occasionally, Luigi would pull it out, only to gaze at it like some rare treasure, never thinking of putting it on. It felt way too much of an undertaking. Luigi was too afraid of the stares from onlookers, even more of judgment. The sweater wasn’t much different from the usual, and the barrette was easily hidden. But this…?

Luigi sighed nervously, glancing behind towards the door.

‘It’ll-a be good practice at-a home.’

Of course, this was easier said than done, a frustrating endeavor. It felt so exasperating with each step forward, something always pulled back. So many utterances of wrongness echoed in Luigi’s mind. It should have felt right… but those awful things prevented it. Part of it was from fear of many things… but another was from the sheer wonderment that, yes, it was there. Luigi had wanted a dress to own for so long but was always too afraid to speak about it.

Maybe this was…

No.

Not this time.

If it wasn’t done now, it never would be.

It’d be quick… just a few seconds.

The mirror was covered with the closet sheets, the doors were closed, the curtains were drawn, the lights were off, and not a sound was heard outside besides the rain pattering against the glass. It was the perfect night. 

Daisy and Peasley were waiting downstairs, but even they weren’t to rush. If these past weeks said anything, they were willing to do anything for Luigi. Even if it meant simply doing nothing, they wouldn’t mind it. They wouldn’t begrudge Luigi for nervousness, that much was evident. All they wanted was that smile… that same smile upon seeing those lovely treasures of before.

Luigi glanced down at the dress.

He was ready.

Wait…

No. 

She was ready.

It took courage to reach out. With each stroke, as she neared to seize it, it felt like coarse sandpaper rubbed against her fingertips. It was all too surreal… this should have felt wrong. It should’ve been wrong!

But…

With one last sigh, Luigi threw the towel from around her body to the floor, shivering as the cold air grazed her still-damp skin. With her eyes squeezed shut, her hands scrambled for the ends of the dress as she brought it close. As Luigi rolled the dress up, she felt her heart pounding against her chest as she slipped it over her head. Shakily, her arms snaked through the holes before she smoothed the skirt, still never once bothering to glance down at herself, not even once. 

For a while, she merely stood in place. She felt sweat droplets sliding down her face, surely dampening the dress more. Her legs trembled as though she were aboard a ship, tossed and turned as the unforgiving waves jostled her restlessly. Her hands felt for that familiar denim stitching, but it never came. Each time her fingers felt down, there was nothing but that same silky kitten fur. Just scarcely, she felt her bare form underneath.

But what was strange was how right this all felt…

She hadn’t expected to feel this way, but it fit like a paintbrush, almost as if it were tailor-made all for her. Just like the sweater, she felt the warmth flooding her body as she relished the feeling. She had no notion of what this all was, but she never wanted it to end. 

That was enough for her to open her eyes.

Even through the darkness, she could see herself as she looked down. It was perfect! Sure, it wasn’t all perfect, but it looked so beautiful! Luigi practically wanted to cry as her hands caressed the soft fabric atop her body. Even though she couldn’t see her reflection, nor would she have dared to, she felt like a princess. But… something was missing…

Ah!

Her eyes peeled to the dresser top, where she could barely make out the shimmer of her beloved barrette as the orange hallway light shone upon it from under the door.

Once she guided her way to it, she fumbled with the clasps as she slipped it between a few short strands of hair. Although she still didn’t have as much as she would have liked, she had gotten fairly good at ensuring the little treasure stayed put, thanks to Peasley.

As soon as it snapped in place, Luigi let out another sigh.

She was ready.

***

The stairs quietly groaned as Luigi’s bare feet padded downstairs. All the while, she felt her nerves igniting her insides like torches with excitement and nervousness. The air felt cold, though she wasn’t sure if it was from her excitement or the draft wafting under her skirt. Either way, she found herself trembling.

But the more she treaded downward, the more trepidatious she felt. And in came those horrible… dreadful thoughts. Suppose Peasley had only imagined a fantasy of her in that dress? Suppose she couldn’t live up to it? Suppose she was simply setting herself up for failure?

As those thoughts crossed her mind, she shook her head quickly as she stopped.

No.

It wasn’t true.

She knew it wasn’t true in the slightest.

But even still, as much as she was excited, she couldn’t shake the nerves clinging to her psyche.

Oh… but it would all be worth it to see her beloved Daisy and Peasley’s gorgeous faces!

As she neared the end of the stairs, she heard a chatter of voices resound from the living room. Immediately, she froze in place, stifling the squeak that dared escape her system. Quickly, she backed against the nearby wall. She wasn’t about to give away the surprise!

But that’s when she heard it.

“... it makes no sense not to tell her, Daisy. I mean… you and I want to help her in any way, don’t we?” Peasley asked, a tone of confusion evident in his voice.

Luigi perked up at this.

Then, Daisy spoke, “Beanie, what if it isn’t the right? She’s the one who knows her better than us. I don’t want her to feel like she can’t choose, or that everyone’s gonna throw her out! I went through that, and it fucking sucked.”

“Throw her out? Are we talking about the same person?” Peasley argued gently, accompanied by the sound of clinking glass as if he set down a teacup. “They’re not going to do that. You know them. They love her dearly! And besides, at least she’d have options, wouldn’t she? It might make her feel better about it, hm? I understand you want to protect her, but it isn’t always simple.”

“Yeah, but… but you know how she is with them! I don’t want her to go through what I did!”

“Daisy, she’s not a child. She doesn’t need our protection all the time. And besides, she won’t go through that mess . You and I agreed we would never subject her to things Rosemary did for you.”

A short silence ensued before Peasley spoke again, “Besides, as I said, do you honestly think they would do something like that to her? Honestly?”

Daisy sighed, “No… I’m sorry… I know I’m talking crazy. It’s just… when she told us, I… I was so excited I didn’t even think about…”

Peasley sighed this time, “Daisy… I assure you. She will not face those same issues. We both will ensure of it, you and I together. Besides, we only need worry about it when the time comes… if it comes. It might not even happen.”

“Okay… I guess you’re right… it’s just… I dunno…”

“Daisy, you care about her, I understand that. I do, myself. But give her the chance to decide. It isn’t our place, you know. The best you and I can do is help her through right now. Now… do you think we ought to check on her? I haven’t heard anything upstairs in a while.”

Just then, Luigi heard footsteps approaching the stairs, to which she promptly padded a foot down the next stair, emitting a loud creak. 

Immediately, the footsteps halted before walking away. Luigi contemplated whether she should venture further, but their words still resounded in her mind…

Replaying them, she felt like ice buckets were dousing her insides. 

Did they think something bad would happen to her?

Who were these ‘them?’

What didn’t they want to tell her?

“Luigi?” Peasley called from the living room, startling the green plumber. “Luigi, princess… if you wish to come down, you can!”

Well… no use hiding it now.

With a sharp intake, Luigi padded down the stairs. With each step, she felt her heart race faster within her chest. It beat so hard, she practically felt her bones shake. Her stomach churned as her previous anxieties swirled around her, accompanied by the overwhelming thoughts of whatever Peasley and Daisy were discussing. She didn’t want to think the worst of them, but her mind simply wouldn’t let her be!

“Oh my stars… Luigi!”

Without realizing it, Luigi opened her eyes to find Peasley and Daisy staring at her in awe from the couch. Daisy cupped her hands over her mouth as she stared at her, her eyes practically dancing with stars. Peasley, meanwhile, kept a small smile as he typically did, but like always, Luigi could tell, his eyes betrayed him as they examined her, and those daisies protruding from his hair didn’t help matters at all. 

Seeing the love in their eyes, Luigi felt her anxieties beginning to wash away. This time, she noticed, it dissipated much faster…

This was okay…

They liked it!

No…

She liked this!

Blushing, Luigi turned to the side, feeling a little smile cross her face for the first time that night. In a silly gesture, she grabbed both ends of her skirt and curtsied slightly, which prompted a loving chuckle from her two partners. Then, shyly whispering, “Volevi una principessa?”

“We most assuredly did, darling…!” Peasley purred, sounding as if he were on the verge of tears. “My stars… you look even better than I imagined…! Doesn’t she, Spitfire?”

Without saying a word, Daisy nodded slowly, her eyes still wide as if she couldn’t tear them away from Luigi for a mere second. 

The green plumber felt her face blush even more, not accustomed to so much attention despite her partners showering her with their affections practically every day. Seemingly noticing this, Peasley suddenly playfully slapped Daisy on the shoulder and whispered sharply through gritted teeth, “She looks beautiful, doesn’t she…?! Say something, dear! ”

Daisy blinked.

And then…

“Can I see you without it?!”

At this, Luigi’s face flushed as red as her brother’s hat. Immediately, Peasley groaned as he shoved her into the couch cushions and practically shrieked, “I meant something normal, you beast!”

“That is normal!” Daisy retorted as Peasley smacked her face with a nearby pillow.

“No, that was imbecilic and vulgar! Honestly! Must I throw you within a cage?!”

As amusing as this display was, Luigi couldn’t help but replay their secret conversation in her head. Something about it felt so… off. 

Seemingly noticing her blank look, Peasley suddenly turned to her and asked in concern, “Luigi…? Princess, are you well? Do you not like the dress?”

Luigi’s eyes widened, “N-N-No, I d-do! I-I-It’s-a j-just… um…”

Luigi suddenly paused as she played with the end of her skirt, unsure of how to proceed.

Should she just tell the truth?

But then they’d know she was eavesdropping!

All the same, though, they were discussing her, right?

They had to be… right?

“Darling… would you like to come here and talk about it?” Peasley asked.

Again, the prince flashed his signature smile… Luigi’s absolute favorite. The smile that could warm her up more than any embers from a fireplace ever could. Beside him, Daisy got up from the cushions and scooted closer, returning the same smile.

By stars, she loved them dearly…

Not too long after, Luigi was seated on her boyfriend’s lap as he held her lovingly, stroking her arm as he rested his head against her collarbone, tickling her nose with his shimmering, golden locks. At the other end, Daisy held one of her feet in her lap, absentmindedly rubbing her sole as she kept her eyes to hers. It was all almost enough to make her forget her troubles.

But all the same, Luigi stuck with her words.

Like an adhesive… she decided to just rip it off. 

“I h-h-heard you t-two talking,” she confessed, looking down at her hands.

Immediately, she wished she hadn’t said anything.

At once, she felt Peasley stiffen beside her; she could practically see the alarm riddling his face. Daisy, too, stiffened. She stopped rubbing Luigi’s foot, her fingers remaining stagnant like statues. 

Curious, Luigi looked up to find Daisy staring at her like a deer in headlights.

“H-How much did you hear…?” Daisy asked, her voice quivering.

At this, Luigi’s heart began pounding faster.

What was going on?!

Almost immediately, Luigi’s breath quickened as her face heated up. She began sweating as she stuttered, “Uh… um… y-y-you s-said… um…”

Daisy’s eyes darted around the room, seemingly for an explanation. The panic was evident in her tone as she tugged at her hair and muttered nervously, “Luigi… we didn’t want to… oh shit… shit, shit, shit! Oh f-”

“Daisy!” Peasley cried out, popping up from Luigi’s collarbone. Immediately, Daisy quieted down, looking guilty as the prince glowered at her. “Daisy… it’s fine. She has a right to know.”

“But-”

“Daisy. Please.”

At this, Daisy sighed reluctantly as she took hold of Luigi’s foot again, this time with both hands. She didn’t look her in the eye as she explained, “It’s about you, honeybee… Peach has this… book . It’s about… well… Peasley?”

Peasley nodded and turned Luigi to face him, “It’s just something we considered briefly, princess. Peach has a book gifted from Mother Dearest. It was a sort of belated birthday present… um, that is the correct term, right, Spitfire?”

“Yes…”

“Ah, alright. Anyhoo… it’s a wonderful little thing that I, myself, read. It helped me discover the person that you see before you. Apparently, Peach read it today, and she adored it! She proposed to Daisy about holding a free sign-up for those who want it.”

As Peasley spoke, Luigi couldn’t help but admire the smile he wore as he spoke. He seemed so nostalgic and overjoyed discussing it… what could be wrong with it? It seemed so nice, even to Luigi…

Why was this such a big issue?

She was about to ask when Daisy piped up, “The thing is… we were scared to tell you because it would have to involve you… y-y’nno…”

Luigi cocked an eyebrow.

“Wh-What?” she asked. 

“Y-Y’nno… tell her about… you? ”

Luigi glanced to Peasley for help.

Luckily, the bean prince came to her aid as he rolled his eyes at Daisy and finished, “What she means to say is that we’re worried you would be forced to out yourself, princess. See… Peach is aware of what it entails, and Daisy and I were worried she would say something to you about it when you aren’t ready…”

Luigi froze.

She hadn’t thought of that.

Panicked, Daisy spoke rapidly, “I-It’s not that we don’t want you to have it, sweetie! We just don’t want you to do something you don’t want to! We know you’re still scared of telling anyone other than us, so if you’re not ready, you don’t have to do it! O-O-Or… um… or that you feel like you have to read about it so you can f-feel real, y’nno?! B-Because, we don’t want you to ever feel like that! We don’t wa-”

“Daisy!” Peasley grabbed her hand gently but firmly.

At this, Daisy stopped short as she cast a worried glance between Luigi and Peasley. As she did, Luigi noticed tears beginning to well in her eyes before she muttered, “We… we just don’t want you t-to get hurt, baby…”

She then began rubbing her foot gently, “Peasley thought it’d be good for you… but I… I wasn’t sure how you’d take it. I don’t want you to…”

Daisy sighed shakily as Peasley stroked her hand. 

At this, Luigi could only sit there in silence. 

She honestly didn’t know what to think!

On one hand, having something to help felt reassuring… comforting, even! But on the other, she understood Daisy’s worry. It was hard enough saying those words aloud to the two of them… she could barely imagine telling anyone else.

As she stared at them, she began to wonder, 'Was it even worth it...?'

More still, she found herself reflecting on those moments before.

It was then, she realized, that something changed within her.

Coming down in that dress had instilled newfound confidence within her. Sure, it may have been within the confines of their home, but still… she had done it! She felt so pretty like this, even if it was only her partners witnessing her. Telling her other loved ones felt impossible, but at the very least, she could slowly feel the walls coming down as she began imagining all that she wanted. She wanted to do all the things she did with her beloveds that she dared not do in view, whether it be wearing her barrette openly, or wearing that very same dress. She wanted to happily skip down to the Coconut Mall and buy almost every dress available just to feel that same warmth, even for just a mere second. She wanted to be with Peach on one of her "girls trips," however silly they may be! That warmth she felt so seemingly long ago... she wanted it more.

Even more shocking, she found herself not minding it all even more…!

Hell... she wanted more!

She looked to her partners as they held her gently. She felt a creeping smile cross her face as she stared at them. If anything… she wanted them not to worry so. She knew how much Daisy worried for her, as with Peasley. It honestly broke her heart seeing how scared they were for her, however unreasonable they found it.

But Daisy was right.

Luigi knew herself better than anyone. She loved this feeling... and no amount of harshities from 'them' could ever take that away from her. Whoever 'they' were, at least. 

“I-I’ll-a do it.”

Chapter Text

TW: panic attacks and gender dysphoria

Link to Bonus Pic
“Luigi! Daisy! There you are!”

Both parties jumped at the sound of a familiar, sugary-sweet voice resounding from nearby, and a glance toward the castle doors proved their suspicions.

Without noticing, the castle guards had pulled the doors ajar, leaving the entrance of the castle wide open to all with two guards standing at each side. Between them stood the princess, adorned in her usual fuchsia regalia and gentle graces. She stood excitedly amongst the matching pink, fancy decor within, bouncing on her heels as she saw them approaching steadily. Had it not been for her gleeful, pearly smile that was too contagious not to share as both Luigi and Daisy drew nearer, she would have been something from a fairytale book… no, she still was. 

“Where have you two been?” Peach asked as she practically pounced atop Luigi in a tight hug. “Oh my goodness … you have no idea how much I’ve missed you! Oh, and Luigi… wearing my favorite sweater, are you? Oh, you just know how to look your best, hm?”

Luigi giggled as Peach squeezed her closer. Behind her, she could see the eye-roll from Daisy as they chuckled, “Chill- ax Peaches. It’s only been two weeks. Sheesh. You act like we’re runnin’ off to Rogueport.”

Peach pulled away from Luigi and smirked towards them, “Well, for you, yes; Star Spirit knows what kind of chaos you get up to nowadays-”

“Touché.”

“-but for this one,” she lovingly cupped Luigi’s face in her hands, “I haven’t seen you in ages, sweetie! Have you been doing well? Have you eaten anything good? Have those two been driving you crazy again? Oh, what am I saying? You live with Daisy! No problem… I’ll have Toadsworth make your favorite tea and grab a few good books on hand! I think you’ll quite like this week’s choice! Wakefieldiae, I believe it was you wanted?”

Luigi giggled happily, “G-G-Grazie, P-Princess!” She blushed, tugging at her gloves nervously. “Um… a-a-actually, I was m-meaning t-t-to talk to y-you about d-different s-something w-w-with-a books… l-later?”

Peach’s eyes lit up, “Oh? That’s perfectly fine! I’ve got plenty to go around!”

She leaned in and whispered, “If it’s how to build a cage, I know Daisy’s size.”

“Hey!” 

“Kidding, kidding!” Peach giggled as she stood up and hugged Daisy, albeit with some resistance, “I’ll take things from here, Daisy. Don’t worry. I won’t talk h̵̛̙̞̣͓͎̉͑̈́̂͆̚̕̚i̶̺͇̺̦̩̹͐̈́̀̓̈͊s̶̭̬͆̃̀͌̿̊͂̐͜ ear off again, this time.”

At that moment, it felt as though a silent bomb exploded, sparing all but the people as time slowed down. A sharp coldness stung Luigi’s insides, though she tried her hardest to maintain her composure. Already, she felt her hands trembling as her heart began pounding, and she tried her hardest to hold back the tears daring to escape her. From the corner of her eye, her heart ached further upon seeing the mixture of alarm and heartbreak in their eyes.

“Um… P-Peach, could you excuse us for a second?” Daisy asked through gritted teeth.

“Of course! I’ll just go get everything ready!” she chirped as she began to walk away, rubbing Luigi’s shoulder lovingly as she whispered in passing, “I’ll let you say goodbye. Meet me in the library when you’re ready, alright sweetie?”

Luigi mumbled a strangled “mhm” as she nodded dismissively and rubbed the denim seams of her jeans once again. She couldn’t bear to even look Peach in the eye, although she knew it was no fault of hers.

Once Peach left, Daisy placed a hand on Luigi’s shoulder, “Sweetie…? You okay?”

Without realizing it, Luigi’s tears of frustration as she agonized over the ordeal spilled from her eyes, which prompted her partner’s attention, as evidenced by how they held her face. Nonetheless, she roughly brushed a few away and blinked back more as she stroked their hand, “I-I’m f-f-f-fine…”

“I know that tone, sweetie,” Daisy frowned. “Look… if you don’t feel ready, there’s no shame in turning around and going home.”

“I’ll-a be f-f-fine, f-flower…! Sh-She’s-a my b-best friend!  I c-can take care of-a m-m-myself.”

“I know, you can, sweetie. Just… I just…” Daisy sighed in defeat. “I know this is going to hurt… I’m just saying, at any time, you know we can always turn aro-”

“No!” Luigi snapped as she shook her head in a feverous manner. 

Immediately, her eyes widened as she clamped a hand to her mouth once she saw the look on Daisy’s face. Panickingly, she scrambled for an answer, an apology, even! But before she could speak, Daisy’s hand slipped under her hat and ruffled her soft brown hair… just the way she liked it.

“Shh…” Daisy soothed, their fingertips thumbing just right to send shivers down her spine. “It’s alright. I won’t go tellin’ you what to do. I shouldn’t have pushed…”

That was all it took for Luigi to let go as a soft cry escaped her system. In a bit of comfort, she nestled her cheek into Daisy’s palm, feeling a feeble grin cross her face. If given the choice… she could have stayed like this forever.

“Th-Thank you…” 

Daisy then held Luigi’s other hand, “Any time, baby girl… listen to me. If something goes wrong or you gotta back out, just call me or Beanie, ‘n we’ll be here in a jiff. I’ll bring my bat, and he’ll have his sword, just in case.” Seemingly noticing the alarmed expression embedded on their partner’s face, they quickly added, “B-But it’ll be okay! It won’t come to that. You got this, okay? You got this.”

At this, Luigi nodded and smiled, feeling a single tear slide down her cheek, which Daisy promptly brushed away as they chuckled, “Oh come on… those eyes are too pretty to cry, you know that. Now come on, you’ve got a fellow princess in there waiting for ya.”

Luigi simply giggled as she pulled Daisy close in a hug, “Te a-a-amo, m-mi flor…”

Daisy responded with a kiss atop her forehead, “Yo también te amo, mi princesa.”

***

As Luigi made her way down the hall, keeping her eyes cast downward away from any guards. Every turn she made, and took, it felt as though thousands of eyes were scrutinizing her for everything, from her frumpy-looking clothes to the remnants of mascara she tried (badly) to apply. Maybe it was her own anxieties flooding her system, or Peach’s words from earlier; either way, the whole walk rattled her bones unbearably. 

Even with the glimmering white marble walls and the gorgeously pink-painted rooftops, the sights made Luigi’s stomach churn slightly. So many times, she had been there, from ballroom dances to one of Peach’s tea dates with her and Mario. Every time, Peach was just as lovely as before, if not more each time! She was the best friend anyone could ever ask for. 

And that was what Luigi feared most.

She was almost too happy once she reached the library door.

As her hand caressed the brass doorknob, her other rubbed her jeans pocket vigorously. When she heard the familiar crinkling of the letter inside, she let out a soft sigh of relief.

Now she was ready.

Upon entering, she was met with the familiar leathery scent of old books and age-old works piled on the mahogany wood shelves. Next to the door was the same shelf where Luigi promptly untied and placed her boots, right next to a pair of ruby-red heels, before proceeding through the maze of bookshelves, occasionally stopping to admire a few zinnias sitting in the porcelain vases. It wasn’t much, but it did soothe her slightly. Luigi slowly made her way through the maze, occasionally stopping to read a few titles embedded in the books’ spines. It wasn’t until she happened upon the little alcove in the back that she stopped.

The sight was enough to wash away any cares or previous anxieties she may have had… just a bit.

It was a quaint little place, just perfect for two readers who needed a bit of privacy (or a promiscuous princess and a plumber sneaking through the castle halls). It was hidden away by a few velvet red curtains beside a few cabinets, positioned on the sides of two bookshelves on either end. On the inside was a tiny reading room, which Peach had commissioned not too long ago for occasions such as these. Against the creamy white walls sat two plushy red armchairs, just right to curl up with one of the many books or simply doze off, Luigi found. Between the two, there was a small, mahogany wood table (the “tea table” as Peach jokingly called it), upon which sat a silver platter carrying a pink porcelain tea set with the sweetest-smelling black vanilla tea. And, of course, adding to it all, Peach was seated comfortably in one of the chairs, humming as she poured the sweet scent.

“Sorry,” Peach apologized, setting the teapot aside as she lifted the sugar bowl. “Toadiko said we ran out of peppermint, so I had to settle for this. I hope it’s not too bad.”

Luigi nervously scratched the back of her neck, “Heh… n-nah, it’s o-okay.”

“Well, that’s good,” Peach gingerly clasped a teacup between her fingers as she stirred bits of sugar dust within it, “I do wish we had more time to spend with one another these days. Goodness… it always seems as though the only times you can come by is when Bowser’s trying to throw me into some marriage sham…”

Luigi giggled as she recounted the last time Bowser came by, “Lava a-a-and-a pink he-hearts don’t-a go t-t-together!”

“Ha! You could say that again!” Peach jokingly scoffed as she rolled her eyes. “Honestly… Bowser could learn a few things from the two of us. We have such wonderful ideas!”

Both shared a heartfelt laugh.

As Peach set her teaspoon down, her eyes met Luigi’s in a cheerful glimmer, “You know something, sweetie? I’m quite happy to have you here with me today.”

“Y-You are?”

“Mhm… as I said, it gets lonely here. I don’t wish to sound ungrateful, but I’d much rather have someone who won’t freak out if I get one grass stain on my dress one time.” 

Luigi giggled amusedly.

“See? That’s precisely what I mean,” Peach smiled. “Aah… see? This is why I’m happy to have you here. I can do all sorts of things Toadsworth wouldn’t dare let me try! Oh, but I won’t bore you with those details…! How have you been, sweetie?”

Luigi lifted her teacup to her lips, “I-I’ve been fine. Ah… I w-w-went-a shopping wi-with-a Peasley and-a D-Daisy last week. Th-That-’s-a wh-wh-where I got-a this sw-sweater from.” Luigi happily stroked her daisy-decorated sweater, which brought a smile to Peach’s face. However, her cheeriness faded soon thereafter as Peach emitted a gasp of realization.

“I knew I saw the three of you out!” Peach giggled as she stirred some sugar.

Luigi froze.

“Y-You did…?”

“Mhm. I went out and got some things with Mario. Strange… is Daisy going through another one of her phases again? I’ve never seen her wear makeup before.”

Luigi’s heart sank as she forced a smile, “Ah hah… yeah… th-th-they, uh… they wanted t-to see wh-why you li-like it-a.”

“Oh…” Peach covered her mouth in embarrassment. “I… I’m glad that they’re branching out, I suppose.”

Luigi giggled as she patted her hand comfortingly, “I-It’s okay, P-Peach… th-that’s-a just it. Besides… b-b-be lucky Daisy wasna h-h-here.” 

“Aha… I am,” Peach giggled nervously. “I do hope you three had a good time! From what little I saw, you looked so happy to be there…! Is this a new hobby of yours?”

“Erm… k-kinda…?”

“Oh… well, in that case, we should make an adventure of it, don’t you think?!” Peach’s eyes suddenly glimmered with excitement as she rambled, “I know just the right places we could go to! Let’s see… there’s this new boutique that opened in Toad Town almost five months ago! They’ve got such cute dresses and such! Oh! And then there’s one in Decalburg, but I don’t know if I’d try that one; I haven’t heard good things about it… hm… then there’s…”

As she continued, Luigi listened attentively. Indeed, it all sounded nice! Peach was right… they should make an adventure out of it! Just her, Daisy, Peasley… perhaps even Peach if she wanted! It would be so-

“... and I believe there’s the Star Shop. They’ve got such lovely selections of ḿ̷͙͉̰̺̳̆̉͆͂͛͜ė̶̝̳͖̬̽̋̊̾͝͝͝ͅn̷͍̱̰͂͛͊̈̕͠'̵̟̖̖̪͆͑̏̈́̕s̴̩̪̜̟̝̫̀̏̅͒̋̕ ̸̧̝̝̺̞̝͈̖̲̯́͊͂͊̽̍̏̀́̈́ẁ̸̭̫͇̉̏͛͑̉͂̅̃͊ë̸̟̥̦̺̲̩̪̼͜à̴̛̻͇̦̥̩̼̼͙̭̼̅̚ŕ̵̦͈̓̋͊̚ͅ I think would be perfect for you!”

Luigi’s once cheery demeanor suddenly melted.

There it was again.

As if dry ice doused her insides, Luigi felt her chest burning horribly. She desperately wanted to speak up, but each time, her words felt garbled as the gnarled branches tugged at her vocal cords. It was already torturous enough to hear them, and the pain from it didn’t help at all… why must it be this way?

Since confessing to the two people she loved most, the feeling of such utterances felt so foreign to her. But once she was reminded of it, it felt agonizing and While it was refreshing to have it out with at least someone, it felt like chains held her down even more when they weren’t there.

“I love you, b̷̢̢̦̝̫̥̭̳̞̭́͊̏̉r̸̨̡̳̟̞̈́̎̃̄̑̍ͅơ̶̧̼̪̠̗̮̠͇̥̈́͛̿̉̀͠.” Mario would say through a sleepy yawn.

“I’ll have the usual, Toadsworth! Oh! And the same for h̷̝̓́͋̔̀̾͝i̷͇͖̿̊̇́̂̉͂͝m̷̱͗͆, but do mind the sugar.” Peach would say as Toadsworth suggested their usual teas.

Luigi knew they didn’t mean it, but the pain from hearing it was unbearably horrible. She desperately wanted to speak up and voice it, but the thought brought back those dreaded gnarled branches that clawed within her stomach. Luigi already knew she didn’t look the part most often to many, which was hard enough. 

“Luigi…?” 

It was at this moment that Luigi realized she had suddenly zoned out as Peach continued with whatever she was saying. To her utter horror, Peach scrunched her eyebrows in concern, “Um… hey, Luigi, are you alright? You seem sad about something… was it something I said?”

“No!” Luigi cried before chuckling nervously at her outburst. Panic flooded her system as she frantically tried piecing something legible. Should she just spit it out? She knew she couldn’t keep her secret forever, not if this kept up. She had to tell her sooner or later, right? She’d only feel worse until she inevitably confessed. “N-No… I-I’mma fine… j-just… um… uh… um…”

“Luigi…?” Peach asked again. Concerned, she grabbed Luigi’s hand and asked, “Luigi… what’s wrong?”

As Luigi’s eyes met hers, she felt the familiar stinging behind her eyes again.

Great…

Just… great…

Without realizing it, Luigi now heard a loud thumping ringing in her ears, which she immediately recognized as her heart. She felt uncomfortably warm under her sweater as her skin moistened from the sweat beads bleeding through and rolling from her face. Her breath, she noticed, too, became choppy and disheveled as if someone were gripping her roughly by the throat with their gnarled hands. Looking at Peach was a much harder endeavor as with each blink, her visage became blurrier and blurrier. Peach’s voice sounded garbled and disoriented as if she were talking through a tunnel. She wasn’t sure what the princess was saying, but from the panicked look in her eyes, it became evident. Unfortunately, Luigi was left useless to say otherwise, for her voice became drowned by the sounds of her heartbeat and heavy panting. The tightness in her throat only emitted the smallest of squeaks and whimpers that didn’t sound remotely human. There was no use hiding it, Luigi knew. It was plain as day that something was wrong… and saying otherwise wouldn’t do good.

Why did she have to be so cowardly?!

Why couldn’t she just suck it up and say the words out loud?!

Why couldn’t she just say, “I’M NOT A BOY!”

…

…

…

“L-Luigi…?”

All of a sudden, the still silence became quite clear to Luigi.

As if time froze, nothing moved. She felt… numb . As if someone had frozen every fiber of her being, she couldn’t move. She couldn’t hear a thing, aside from the slight ringing in her ears as her heartbeat now decided to die down. The one thing she became immensely aware of, though, was Peach’s hands slipping away from hers.

Still, Luigi couldn’t bring herself to move, let alone look the princess in the eye. She could practically feel her eyes staring lasers into her. Already, she could hear the words reverberating in her mind… but at this point, she really couldn’t care less.

But even saying that felt like a big lie.

Truthfully, she couldn’t stomach the thought of it changing… any of it. Peach was the bestest of friends anyone could have ever hoped for. She always carried herself with such grace and kindness, and she loved everyone regardless. The thought of Peach seeing her differently, of losing her for it, all felt like a death sentence.

No…

She did care…

She had to care.

“Luigi…? Luigi… sweetie… look at me.”

It felt arduous, but Luigi eventually did.

To her surprise… Peach was crying?

She almost couldn’t believe what she was seeing, but it was true. Peach’s pristine mascara rolled down her face, creating the most smeared of imperfections, her cheeks and nose were colored a deep rosy red, and her sapphire blue eyes reflected such profound worry and… relief?

“P-Peach…?” Luigi squeaked in the quietest voice possible, feeling her face weakly twisting into a confused expression.

Before she said more, Peach began shaking like a leaf before lunging toward Luigi, pulling her in for a tight hug. In the crook of her neck, Luigi could feel her friend shiver and sob as she gripped her tight. Luigi tried to speak up, but the second she opened her mouth, the floodgates collapsed. Her tears now flowed freely down her cheeks, soaking uncomfortably in her sweater. But strangely… she didn’t feel sad. Not even in the slightest.

When Peach finally pulled away, Luigi, through her blurry vision, saw her friend’s face stretched into probably the happiest smile she had ever seen… almost.

Quickly, Peach gripped her hands with her shaky ones once more, “Sweetie… this doesn’t change a thing for me. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s not true. I may not understand any of what you might be feeling, but you’re my best friend. I love you regardless of who or what you are, I would never abandon you because of something like this… ever! Do you understand?”

Luigi, too exhausted to utter anything else, simply nodded.

Even when she did try to speak, Peach stopped her as she stroked a few tears away, "You don't need to explain anything, sweetie. Just breathe for me, alright? Just breathe... I'll get you cleaned up, alright?"

She then felt something soft brush against her face, which she soon discovered was one of Peach’s silken handkerchiefs she somehow fished out amidst this endeavor.

For the next few minutes, Luigi sat there in silence as Peach cleaned her face steadily and softly, her strokes calm and gentle like butterfly wings. The whole time, Peach asked her questions as gently as possible, or simply uttered something of reassurance; in a way, it reminded her of her mother’s hugs during the long, cold, wintry nights.

Although her strength ebbed, she enjoyed every second of it.

“I bet Daisy and Peasley are happy having someone so pretty like you…” she whispered, holding Luigi’s free hand and rubbing it softly while using her other to dab away a few tears. "Did you know that...? You're so pretty..."

“Just calm down for me, sweetie. Don’t need you passing out right now. Daisy would kill me,” she smiled jokingly as she thumbed the corners of her lips, coaxing a small smile and a tiny laugh. "There's that smile..."

“We can still go to those stores if you want to… I’ll buy everything and anything you want, no questions asked,” she said, ruffling the collar of Luigi’s sweater.

Although every utterance brought sunny rays radiating throughout her being, it was the final question that practically made her heart soar, however.

“So… if you don’t mind my asking… what would you want me to call you then?”

With a knowing smile, Luigi’s hand snaked to her jean’s pocket to pull out her letter…

Chapter Text

Link to Bonus Picture
There it was…

Luigi took in a deep breath as he prepared himself for an onslaught of jeers. 

He knew he shouldn’t have taken so long to pack. Peach was forgiving, but surely, this was toeing the line… even slightly? 

Nevertheless, he breathed out before shyly knocking on the door, only for it to immediately swing open to reveal Peach’s beaming face lighting up the entry… and a terse silence following.

…

…

…

“H-How late am I?” Luigi asked, clutching his backpack straps as his arms struggled to hold up all the bags he carried.

Luigi only managed a shrill squeak before he giggled as Peach practically tackled him to the ground in a hug, snuggling her cheek close to his as she excitedly welcomed him upon entry. After some time, they separated, leaving Peach beaming down at him with a pearly-white smile. She was already wearing her blush pink nightgown and fluffy high-heeled slippers, a sure sign the night’s events had already begun. Nevertheless, she brushed his sweater neatly and composed herself, though clearly holding back more back-breaking hugs.

“You’re right on time!” Peach then leaned in close and whispered, “And thank goodness, too. Seriously, these two are driving me crazy! All they ever do is eat!”

Luigi clamped a hand to his mouth as he held back laughter, “M-M-Mhm…! That’s them!”

“Ugh… I don’t know how you put up with them, but that doesn’t matter now. Did you bring everything?”

“Y-Yup!” Luigi smiled, holding up the pink bags, along with his pizza container from home. “P-Pizza, m-m-makeup bags, and s-s-some m-movies…!”

“Ooh good! Did you bring your pajamas, too?”

Luigi turned around to reveal his bright green backpack, “Y-Yeah.”

“Wonderful! Well, let’s not stand out here for too long, unless we wanna become mosquito food!” Peach giggled as she ushered Luigi in by the hand, her excitement shining through as she practically tugged him like a dog on a leash. Before they set off, she politely relieved him of his burden as she gingerly plucked the bags from his arms while he removed his boots by the door, “Allow me, sweetie. You must be exhausted from carrying all of this!”

As they walked down the hall, Luigi slowly felt a bit more feathery and relaxed as he watched the night sky begin to paint over the sunset. Little white twinkles shone across the inky black sky like tiny fireflies dancing in droves, their numbers rising before his eyes each second. Outside, he could see the darkened silhouettes of the castle’s famous cherry blossom trees swaying in the new summer breeze. It was almost enough to assuage his worries from earlier…

“Oh! If you don’t mind me asking, sweetie,” Peach suddenly said, turning slightly to face him. “What are your pronouns today…?”

Admittedly, Luigi couldn’t contain his happiness at this, either.

“‘H-H-He’ and ‘H-Him,’ please!” he practically squealed, feeling bubbly at the idea, slightly embarrassed as his voice seemed a little too childlike.

“Okay, good to know!” Peach giggled. “Sorry if I’m a little awkward… I’m still new to this whole thing. Goodness, even with those books, I still don’t know quite how to go about it.”

“N-Nah, it’s o-o-okay… I l-l-liked that you a-asked, though…”

“Mm… good. Thank goodness I have Daisy… she knows more about this than I do.”

Luigi silently agreed.

It wasn’t long before they eventually found Peach’s bedroom, where Daisy and Peasley had already taken over, judging by their luggage sprawled across the plush pink carpet floor. Movies and video game boxes lay uselessly among what appeared to be Daisy’s belongings, and Peasley appeared to have raided an entire spa section of the Mushroom Grocery with multicolored bath bombs, facial mask creams, scented candles, and what appeared to be a box of wax strips. As for the two themselves… they were in a loud boxing match over a bag of snacks, one Peasley seemed to be losing as Daisy curled into a ball around their treasure.

Peasley, in all his “refined glory” of a light green bathrobe, knee-high stockings, pink hair rollers, and what appeared to be one-fourth of an avocado facial mask simply tugged Daisy around like a wild animal, her ripped T-shirt and shorts helping little with this charade. 

No doubt about it… they were both insane.

“Excuse me…!” Peach piped up, rolling her eyes at the sight as the two ceased their attacks and stared wide-eyed at her before noticing Luigi shyly clutching his backpack straps.

“Eh-hey!!! Honeybee!” Daisy exclaimed, losing her concentration on the bag of snacks and inadvertently allowing Peasley to snatch it away. “You got the things?”

“Mm… mhm…” Luigi nodded, rocking shyly on his feet.

“Is that all you needed him for?” Peach asked sarcastically as she set the bags down by her vanity. “I thought we agreed this was for him, right?”

“I-I-It’s n-nothing, Peach,” Luigi chimed in. “I d-did bring them in-”

“Oh, no, sweetie, I was joking,” Peach smiled apologetically.

“Oh…”

Luigi awkwardly jingled the crochet fox and cow charm hanging from his lucky green backpack as he averted his eyes, searching for something else to focus on…

The pizzas!

“Uh… I b-b-brought pizza…!” he exclaimed, his eyes lighting up as he held up the treasured container, much to everyone else’s delight as evidenced by Daisy’s immediate excitement and Peasley’s gleaming eyes as he giddily exclaimed, “Oh, you simply thought of everything , didn’t you, princess?!”

Luigi only managed to blush before Peach giggled as she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, “I’m sure they’re absolutely delicious sweetie! But first…how ‘bout you go get changed into something cozier so we can get things started with those little treats, hm?”

Luigi nodded as he carried his bag into the bathroom adjacent to the bedroom door. He sighed contentedly as he slipped off his favored candy-cane socks, shivering as his now bare feet touched the cold surface of the pink and white tiled floor. 

‘This isn’t so bad so far,’ Luigi thought as he unbuckled his overalls and slid his sweater off, leaving him to stare vacantly at his nearly uncovered body in the large mirror above the sink. He bit his lip as he examined his face… just how bare it looked. He wasn’t very good at applying makeup like Peach, which he guessed shouldn’t have been a surprise; Cat T. from those magazines made it look so easy, and he couldn’t deny Chanterelle had to have become a makeup guru somehow . Even still, a small part of him wished he was at least a little bit adequate at looking… feminine , he assumed.

He’d honestly wanted nothing more than that. That very morning he woke up, he practically bounced out of bed, giddy at the thought of doing something he’d dreamed of for so long: a sleepover with all his favorite “girly” things! It was finally here!

He should have felt happy… he should have…

Had it not been for when he discovered Mario digging through the shopping bags like a wild raccoon foraging for food in one of Brooklyn’s trash cans back at home.

***

Luigi rolled his eyes and tapped his brother on the scruff of his neck, “Ey. A-A-Alito di p-procione. What’s u-up?”

At this, Mario quickly looked up from his apparent spy mission and flashed Luigi an embarrassed grimace as he replied, “That’s rude. ”

“And st-stealing my g-g-groceries isn’t?” Luigi asked sarcastically, playfully punching Mario in the shoulder before gesturing towards the bag.

“Touché,” Mario shoved the bag aside… before averting his eyes to it again. “Besides, I only came down here ‘cause of the smell. Whatcha makin’ eh? Smell’s yummy!”

Luigi rolled his eyes again. 

Typical Mario… always following his belly.

Teasingly, the younger brother smirked and turned back to his cheesy creations sitting atop the stove, “W-W-Wouldn’t you l-l-like to kn-know, Mr. Eats-A-Lot?”

At this, Mario scoffed as he attempted to peek, only to be halted by Luigi’s arm, “I actually would . Lemme see! It smells delicious! Just a little taste? For your ol’ buddy, ol’ pal?”

“I’m begi-begi-beginning to wonder who that even i-i-is.”

“Aw, c’mon baby bro…!” Mario suddenly grabbed his waist like a giant teddy bear, squeezing and whining like a spoiled child. “Your big bro just wants some action, ‘specially with you comin’ over! I haven’t seen you in weeks… I miss everything about you, especially your yummy-nummy cooking! I mean, remember that cheesy lasagna you made for Christmas? That was soooooo good! Think we could have it aga-”

“Okay f-f-fine…” Luigi groaned as he shoved his brother off him, earning a smug chuckle from the red plumber. He should’ve known Mario would pull a stunt like this. With one final smirk towards his brother, he muttered jokingly, “Y-You’re so annoying…”

“So I’ve been told.”

Reluctantly, Luigi led Mario into the kitchen to behold his creations. As expected, Mario’s eyes lit up like the night skies of Brooklyn at the heavenly sight. Like a hungry infant reaching for his bottle, Mario’s hands outstretched, pleading for one little taste… only for his efforts to become halted by Luigi’s iron grip on his starry-red hoodie again.

“Hey! What gives?” Mario asked, heartbreak evident in his tone at his loss.

“It’s for the p-p-princess,” Luigi stated bluntly.

“What, it’s a surprise? I won’t tell!”

“No… not a surprise… she’s j-j-just-”

“Ahhhhh… so, it is a surprise! Ooh! Ooh! What for? You planning a party or something? That why you got so many tiny purse things in those bags? They look nice! Peachy loves anything pink; it’ll be perfect for her!”

***

He bit his lip, hearing those words in his head again. He felt as though he’d been sucker-punched in his gut. That painful pit inside his stomach grew as he felt his inhibitions bubbling to the surface once more. He couldn’t bear looking at his brother anymore these days, lest his eyes betray him just from seeing that smiling face… the same one he once adored so much at one point.

He thought back on Daisy, Peasley, and Peach. For several weeks now, they had been so accommodating to him in so many ways. Just the other day, when Luigi expressed that he had always wanted long hair, Peasley and Peach took it upon themselves to venture far and wide for a wig he would adore. And Daisy… well, she was certainly accommodating with her choice of garments for him to wear, most of which he was too embarrassed to adorn himself with as of now, let alone buy, even in the comfort of his own home.

But that was it.

It was only from them.

When Luigi met with his brother, that old gnawing feeling tore at his insides once more. It hurt so much as his stomach twisted and churned at the thought of uttering those words again. He knew the others would be as loving as ever… but what about Mario?

If Luigi was being truthful… he’d rather not imagine his reaction.

He knew Mario loved him dearly, but there was no telling how he’d think of him being “not quite his brother,” as he put it. Mario loved calling them “The Super Mario Brothers!” The glint in his eye as he said it made Luigi’s heart flutter… didn’t want to ruin that.

But at the same time, it was getting harder to keep up the act with each passing day. He kept up the smile around his brother, but when he was alone, it took everything within him not to cry until his throat was raw and red. All he wanted was to break free of these bonds and shout it from the rooftops. But it seemed so impossible! Asinine, even!

It all seemed like a blur when Luigi gathered the things he needed, even the little pizzas in their container. All the while, he tried to keep focused on all the fun he’d have with his friends… the fun he had no clue what would be like actually experiencing it. Just… anything to take his mind off the pain of saying those words aloud.

He stared deeply into his own eyes, noting the evident melancholy swirling within them. It wasn’t fair. Was it a crime that he wanted to lo- NO!

Luigi quickly shook his head. 

No.

He wasn’t going to think that way, not tonight… not when he was so close to having a good time. He’d barely managed to keep it together with Mario, and he wasn’t about to start crying here! As he stared into the mirror, he watched the look of resentful longing melt in favor of a defiant, self-assured one. He nodded to himself one final time, ‘No. We’re going to have fun. We’ve made it this far! And I’m not backing outta this!’

***

“Oh, my stars, sweetie!” Peach gushed as Luigi set out the pizzas on napkins. “You’ve truly outdone yourself!”

And indeed, he had!

Thanks to his trusty pizza container, the mini pizzas were still quite warm, the cheese dripping onto the paper and small portions pooling around the crisp, cheese-stuffed dough like a moat around a castle. Best of all, each of them had their uniqueness… all for his special ones. Peach’s was the finest margarita he scarcely managed to complete to perfection (in his mind), Peasley’s was the bountiful slice of vegetables and cream cheese, Daisy’s was a plain pepperoni with a side of pineapple (something Luigi reluctantly agreed to), and Luigi’s? Mushrooms, of course!

Luigi felt his cheeks heating up from all the compliments as Daisy happily praised him through a mouthful of pineapple and cheese and Peasley silently beamed at him as he politely nibbled his own, all while Peach continued gently dabbing on more cream to his face. As he tugged at his starry blue pajama pants, Luigi muttered, “Oh… i-i-it’s nothing. M-My mama t-t-taught me to m-make these…”

“She sounds like such a lovely lady,” Peach smiled. “Mario’s always talking about her whenever he comes over! I might have a little competition in the works!”

“Pssh, in your dreams,” Daisy laughed, spitting a few pineapples. “With guns like honeybee’s, you’d get clobbered. He had to have gotten ‘em from somewhere!”

“Daisyyyyyyy!!!” Luigi whined, feeling his face burning redder.

“It’s the truth, lookit these babies!” Daisy then lifted Luigi’s arm and squeezed his muscles, emitting a faint squeak from the embarrassed plumber as he tried holding in his giggles. “He could lift a house with ‘em!”

“Daisy, go easy on the poor dear,” Peasley “scolded” as he gingerly patted Luigi’s hand. “You and I share the same belief, but let’s not embarrass him.”

“S-S-Stoooooooop…” Luigi moaned.

“Alrighty… there you go, sweetie!” Peach giggled as she finished Peasley’s makeover, leaving him beaming proudly. “Now, let that sit for a little while and you should feel rejuvenated!”

“Of course.”

“I-I-Is that… h-how that works?”

Peach’s eyes suddenly widened as she turned to a very confused (and now nervous Luigi) as he politely nibbled his pizza. In a tone of indescribable shock, she gasped, “Have… have you never used one of these, Luigi?! Not even… not even in your world?!”

Luigi’s cheeks turned pink.

How could he explain this…?

“Um… n-n-no… we… uh… g-g-guys d-don’t wear… face masks… wh-wh-where I’m f-f-from…”

“WHAT?!”

Luigi fell over as Peach’s voice rang in his ears, thankfully Daisy’s lap catching him. He felt tempted to apologize, but his loving flower princess simply stroked his mustache and said bluntly, “Yeah… they do a LOT of weird shit there. You know, they think rainbows are scary for whatever reason.”

Peach blinked confusedly.

“I… what? Why? They’re so pretty! Why would anyone be scared of them?”

“B-B-Because i-it m-means y-y-you l-like… um… b-boys.” Luigi bit his lip before adding, “Wh-while y-you’re a b-b-boy…”

“What…? Now I’m more confused… why is that bad? You and Peasley are adorable…!”

“That’s what I said!” Peasley chimed in.

“Right there with ya, Peaches,” Daisy nodded.

From where Luigi lay in Daisy’s lap, he cocked a brow as a thoughtful expression crossed Peach’s face. Before he could say another word, she turned to Peasley’s plethora of essentials, intently studying the scattered nail polish bottles.

Confused, Luigi slowly got up and tentatively asked, “P-P-Peach…? Wh-What are you doing…?”

To that, he was promptly answered with a sympathetic smile and a short display of four nail polish bottles as Peach shyly said, “I thought we could start early…”

Peasley then moved next to Peach, gingerly plucked her options away, and smiled nervously, “If I may interject,” He then set them all down and gazed at Luigi, “Princess… I recall you perhaps wanted to try out wearing makeup?”

“M-Mhm…”

“Well… Peach and I had a small talk before you came… and we decided to introduce you to it. With your permission, of course!”

Luigi felt his heart flutter at this.

He looked up at Daisy, who simply chuckled sympathetically as her hand moved down between the gaps of his pajama shirt buttons, softly stroking his chest, “These two dumb-dumbs wouldn’t stop gushing about how much you’d love all this. I’m no expert… but you’d look cute with a little bit, to me.”

“I… w-would?”

“Yeah! You’ve got the perfect eyelashes for it, sweetie…!”

Luigi couldn’t help looking away when she mentioned that little detail.

In truth, he had always secretly loved his long eyelashes, though he hated the demeaning words and jeers from his annoying peers (and sometimes his uncles, though that was usually light-hearted). If he was being honest… he didn’t quite mind accentuating them a little more if he could.

And nail polish…?

With not much else to think of, he resigned himself to a wordless smile.

“Atta boy, honeybee!” Daisy squished his cheeks together before she looked up at Peasley, “Beanie! Load up the makeup kit! And Peach… we got ourselves an art lover over here!”

“Great! Okay, so would you like a brilliant rose or mountain meadow,” Peach excitedly shook the two nail polish bottles in her right hand while Peasley began frantically rummaging through one of the many makeup kits. “Or, robin egg or orchid?”

“I… huh…?” Luigi stared blankly.

“They’re the colors,” Daisy stated. “I dunno about green. I know it’s your thing, sweetie, but that seems like overkill.”

“M-Mhm…” Luigi nodded. He then turned to look at the other options before slowly pointing at the orchid. “Uh… h-h-how bout th-that one…?”

Peach silently studied the bottle, “Hmm… unprecedented! I like it!”

***

“Theeeeeere you go, princess…!” Peasley smiled as he delicately set down the mascara wand into its container before holding up the pink handheld mirror at his side. “How do you like it?”

Luigi finally opened his eyes to find an unrecognizable figure staring back at him through the glass. His eyes widened in unison with theirs as he felt along his face, taking it all in as though it were some rare treasure.

Him…!

He looked completely foreign in his mind’s eye. His eyes seemed so much clearer, his sapphire blue irises even more sparkly and bright, and even the catchlights sparkling within his pupils shimmering like fireflies. And, though he wasn’t sure if he was simply too enraptured in the beauty of it all… he was certain the simple paintings somehow made his face more… youthful?

“I… I… I l-l-love it…!” Luigi whispered, his fingers still touching his face in featherlight strokes.

“Hah… I assumed you would…” Peasley smiled knowingly. “It’s no doing of mine entirely. But I agree with Daisy… you look quite lovely with it, my darling.”

“Th-Thank you…!”

“Of course, darling,” Peasley then ended his gesture with a kiss on his princess’s hand. “I and Peach have plenty more if you’d like to use it… or we could buy you some of your own if you’d prefer.”

“Yeah yeah, enough of that, Beanie,” Daisy interjected, practically shoving the prince out of the way. Upon meeting Luigi’s gaze, she smiled broadly and held up the nail polish bottle proudly, “So! About that nail polish, honeybee! Would you want it on your fingers… or on your cute lil’ toes there?”

“Can you not be creepy for one second?” Peasley asked, his face planted into the cushy donut-printed pillow.

“I’m not being creepy! They are cute!”

As they continued their minor “quarrel,” Luigi curiously wiggled his feet around, cocking his head slightly.

Perhaps they could use a little color… it’d be less obvious than on his fingers, right?

“Um… h-here?” he piped up, pointing downward as he tried not to show off his enthusiasm far too much; he felt he’d done that a bit too much these days.

At this, both Peasley and Daisy perked up and shared identical smiles. Without any words, Peasley scrambled to his own feet to fetch Peach as she politely hummed to herself while she applied soft fuschia makeup of her own. At the same time, Daisy excitedly scooted closer to Luigi and set his feet in her lap… to which he immediately frowned at.

“Y-Y-You’re not gonna t-tickle me, a-a-are you?”

“What? What gave you that idea, of course not!” Daisy protested. She then smiled mischievously, and chuckled, “Unless you’d… want … me to tickle you…”

“N-No…! No… th-thank you!” Luigi giggled as he tried to not-so-subtly scramble away.

“Are you picking on him?” a familiar blush pink dressed figure asked as she stood behind Luigi, hands on her hips as she looked sternly at Daisy, “Goodness… you leave him alone, or we’re going to have problems.”

Daisy only smiled wryly, “I was just kidding…”

Nevertheless, Peach continued on with her duties as she joined at Daisy’s side, taking hold of her “client’s” undertaking. All the while, Luigi tried to hold in his laughter as her soft, featherlight fingers brushed against his soles. It was then he realized just how… excited… he was about this endeavor.

With the soft brush strokes of the orchid colored gel painting his nails, he felt an overwhelming surge of euphoria at the idea that this was actually happening! For so many years, he envied the idea that so many beautiful things were gatekept behind “You shouldn’t play with things like those!” or  “Wouldn’t you rather do this instead? It’s more fitting for boys, honestly.” It didn’t seem right… not to him, at least. From wearing that lovely barrette Daisy gifted him, to the gorgeous flowing red dress, he slowly snipped the puppet strings he felt that held him back from indulging in it fully.

Even behind him, he could feel Peasley’s hands gingerly stroking his hair, tying it up into short pigtails he was proud to have attained a long enough length for now… and he loved every second of it!

It felt so…

… freeing!

“I think purple was a good choice, sweetie,” Peach smiled

Yes… yes it was…!

Luigi pondered on it for a while… he felt so complete!

Oddly enough, it felt as though a small part of him, that same person who relished she/her and the dress… she was happy, too! Could he…

A thought then occurred to him as he looked down at the book sitting between him and Peach. He’d already read portions of the book multiple times; sometimes a few sentences at a time, others with several pages. He never got much of a clear answer, if he was being honest. However, one thing always remained the same:

He was the only one who had a say in it all.

As much as he wanted help from his beloveds and Peach… ultimately, it came down to how he saw himself. That same person staring back at him in the mirror…

… that same person who he sometimes despised and loved…

… that same person who just wanted to try anything, whether it be “girly,” or “boyish,” or even in between…

… and maybe… just maybe… both?

A smile widened as the sudden realization dawned on him.

Both.

“Peasley, can you turn that off?” Daisy chuckled as Peasley wound the music box situated beside Peach’s bedside table, earning a smug smirk from the prince.

“No. It’s beautiful.”

“I’ll show you beautiful!”

Like an orange blur, Daisy hopped to her feet and snatched one of the plushy pillows sitting atop Peach’s bed before planting it into Peasley’s now ruined avocado facialed face.

“Oh, it’s on! ” he shrieked in shock at seeing his face mask make a perfect imprint on the pillow case… before an evil grin crossed his face.

Luigi couldn’t hold back his laughter as Peasley and Daisy began pummeling one another with pillows in a blur of pink and feathers littering the room like snowdrops. Peasley shrieked as Daisy shoved him onto the bedspread and slammed the pillow into his face, cackling like a witch… before he ultimately got his revenge as he pulled her down with him.

Next to Luigi, Peach rolled her eyes as she turned to him and said, “If you’ll excuse me for just a moment.”

Before he could ask what she was doing, she hopped up and ran to the stash of food and shoved a sweet of some sort into Daisy’s hair, perhaps in a pitiful effort to calm her down.

And pitiful it was, indeed.

“AHA! So you’re in on it, too, eh?” Daisy gasped in shock as she turned to Peach, who crossed her arms smugly.

“Oh, don’t be so dramatic,” she retorted, swinging her hips sassily. “It was the least I could do. Now, that being said, I command you to stop being a nuisance to Peasley at once… by order of the princess!”

“Ooooh!” Peasley giggled from on the bedspread.

“In your dreams! ” Daisy cried, raising the pillow above her head.

“No, wait! Don-”

Before Peach could finish that thought, her words were knocked out of her as plushness slammed against her mouth, to which she returned the favor by pulling the bedspread over top of both Peasley and Daisy, cackling the evilest laugh the three had ever heard.

Amidst their childish charades, Luigi took it upon himself to pull his diary and lucky pen out of his backpack. He looked up at his beloveds one last time and smiled.

He couldn’t lie, he was happy to have each of them by his side in such a confusing, stressful, and, admittedly, fun, time. 

Tonight really had been the best!

Both as Luigi… and Luigi. 

With a fluttery feeling in his belly as he looked down at his newly painted nails, he scribbled the words he’d been searching for ever since he read it in Peach’s special book:

‘Bigender.’

Chapter Text

(Link to bonus pic)
'Hey, secret diary. It's me, Luigi.’

‘Things have gone well so far! I still can’t get over everything that happened on Friday; it doesn’t feel real!’

‘I won’t bore you with the details again. You’ve already heard my gushing about it way too much, and I’m sorry diary. But I really REALLY loved it! The only time I’ve ever heard of those kinds of sleepovers was from the other boys at school or from TV shows; I never thought that I’d be able to experience it firsthand!’

‘Peach offered to make me a few dresses while we were watching those old Disney movies I brought with me and I confessed I’d always wanted to look like Rapunzel (is that weird?). I guess a purple dress to match my nails? Either way, I’m excited!’

Luigi stopped writing as she neared the last bit and slid her diary under her leg; she’d finish the rest later.

Sighing, she looked up to find Mario (well… his butt , really) listing off the usual things to the drive-through as he kept his balance against the car door, “Ah yeah… I’ll-a get the mushroom burger with-a EXTRA mushrooms with a Shroom Shake… ‘n I’ll-a have the Yoshi cookies… the Shroom Cake… the Super Soda…”

Luigi smiled slightly at this. There was never a dull moment when Mario was around, that much was certain. But at the same time, there was a bit of mournfulness as she stared onwards.

Her mind ran into overdrive as she wondered if she was doing the right thing. It seemed sudden, but she knew it was time, even if her anxious state refused to comply. Her body felt numb as she tried to block out the worst thoughts swirling in her mind. Just thinking about what he’d say made her heart beat faster, thus she decided to not think about… or rather, try .

She shifted slightly as her stomach twisted into knots, nearly making her gag. She couldn’t hear Mario’s voice anymore over the sound of the ringing in her ears. She tried to keep her shaky breaths muffled as she turned to look out the window… anything to take her mind off of it.

Her gaze turned to find the dandelions adorning the restaurant listlessly blowing in the breeze like snow fairies. Just off in the distance, she saw a small toad boy playing with an even smaller white terrier. Admittedly, the sight made her smile. Just from watching them, she felt her worries melting away… somewhat. At the very least, she was relieved to not feel as anxious. It was a pleasant feeling, just seeing something not so scary. She sighed contentedly as she recalled the carefree days when she and Mario would skip through the emerald green parks as her adorable puppy, Polterpup, tagged at their heels, back when she still lived with her brother. 

She wondered if she could still do that again…

“Lu, I got your food right ‘ere.” 

Luigi jumped as Mario playfully shoved her desired burger into her face. As she regained focus, she rolled her eyes at her brother’s immaturity and snatched it, “G-G-Grazie, jerk.”

“Whoa-ho-ho-ho-ho!” Mario held up his hands in pretend surrender as he began laughing, “Feisty, aren’t we today, eh? That any way ta treat your big bro?”

“Leamme a-a-alone…” Luigi giggled, taking a prompt bite from her burger.

“Fine, fine, whateva,” he waved his hand dismissively. “Go ahead ‘n enjoy your burger… but I wanna talk to ya.”

Luigi smirked, “P-P-Peach?”

“Watch it. No, actually… it was about you.”

As Luigi was about to make another snarky comeback, she noticed that Mario had pulled into one of the parking spaces nearby. Confused, she looked to his brother… only to find her least favorite look engraved within it. His eyes were filled with worry and concern, his signature smile was erased, and… Luigi couldn’t get past his staring!

Just the sight made her sick.

An awkward bit of silence ensued as the siblings continued their stare-off. Luigi desperately wanted to look away but feared that would only cause more trouble. She tried focusing on her burger, but every bite felt dry and tasteless. Her throat felt raw every time she tried to swallow, forcing her to slowly chew just to have a little comfort.

But even that didn’t help.

Just as she couldn’t stand it any longer, Mario finally broke the tension as he sighed, “Lu… you know I love you, right?”

Luigi stiffened. She wanted to say something… anything! But every time she tried to speak, the words became ensnarled by those damn branches!

And just her luck, this only seemed to worry Mario further as he examined her. Seemingly detecting he wouldn’t get a straight answer, he scrunched up his eyebrows, sighed, and turned to the wheel, “Well… I do. I always will. I… I’m just gonna say it. I’ve been meaning ta talk to you about this.”

Luigi gulped.

“I don’t wanna sound rude, but I’ve noticed that you seem kinda squeamish… more ‘n usual. I mean… you’ve been writing in your diary a lot lately, ‘n you always-a seem sad when I call you ‘b̵̠͚̣͓͐͋̽r̷̜̭̙̺̻͔͈̳͍̎̏ọ̸͆͑̍͋̉́͐̚͠,’ it seems…”

Luigi nervously averted her eyes, feeling a faint sting from hearing that word… 

Mario drummed his fingers on the steering wheel as he seemingly contemplated his next few words. As he did, from the corner of her eye, Luigi could tell how worried he was just from the sympathetic gaze he displayed, “It’s just… I… I can’t help but feel like something’s wrong. Maybe I’m just being stupid, but… I worry about you. Ever since you moved in with Daisy and Peasley, I… I worry that you… you feel like you can’t tell me anything anymore. I don’t wanna sound ungrateful, but… y-you’re my best friend… and I… I feel like I… I dunno… maybe did something wrong?”

Luigi shakily set her burger in her lap as she felt hot tears in her eyes.

It… suddenly didn’t look so appetizing…

“Look… I’m not gonna force it outta you, okay? I’m not Papà, here. But… Lu, I don’t want you to feel like you can’t come to me if something’s wrong. I’m your big bro, ‘n I always wanna make sure my little Lulu is safe… ya feel me?”

Mario finally flashed her one of his many smiles, to which even Luigi couldn’t help returning; she loved those soft, warm eyes.

But even that wasn’t enough to ease the aching emptiness plaguing her heart.

She felt so guilty holding those words back, keeping something so important, in her mind, from her older brother… the same person she had known since her scraped knees and tree-climbing days. Her complementary other half… her better side… her closest friend since the day they were brought into the world.

She loved Mario so much… the mere thought that he would think bad of her felt agonizing. She didn’t want to imagine it, but if this changed everything… she wasn’t sure her heart could stand beating much more.

As Mario began to pull out, she moved her leg aside to look down at her diary underneath it through her blurry, watery vision. 

The one place anyone truly knew her the most.

Her sanctuary.

A thought suddenly crossed her mind as she glanced at it… then towards Mario. She opened her mouth to speak, but her words were drowned out as her throat became dry from trepidation.

No!

She was being ridiculous!

Just get it over and done with! 

That’s what she did with Peasley…

… and Daisy…

… and Peach…

Again, she opened her mouth to speak, only to feel a bubble gather in her throat, threatening to allow a soft sob to escape. Quickly, she bit her lip hard, trying to blink back tears threatening to fall.

It was no use…

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t do it…

She glanced back down at her diary once again.

…

It was worth a shot.

“M-M-Mario…?” Luigi asked, breaking the silence of the soft car humming and Mario’s whispered chatters on the road. “I… um… c-c-can you p-pull over…?”

From beside her, Mario asked, “Eh? What for? You need the bathroom or something, ‘cause I can turn aro-”

“N-N-No… j-just… I… I wanna sh-show you something.”

And sure enough, without another word, Mario pulled over to the side of the road.

A long silence befell the siblings as both awaited for the other to say something. By now, Luigi could feel her heartbeat reverberating inside her head, pounding like a steel drum. She could feel her stomach threatening to give out as the acid stung her insides, as well as the tiny sweat beads seeping through her sweater as she could only sit in silence. 

For weeks, she had rehearsed those lines in the mirror, trying to build her confidence to say it aloud. Even then, she ended up fumbling her words, saying it in the weirdest roundabout way possible, leading to her falling to her knees in sobs of frustration.

Daisy and Peasley always reassured her that there was no right or wrong way to go about it, to do it on her terms. As much as she wanted to feel confident in their beliefs… all of it dissolved once she saw Mario’s face.

“Lu?”

Startled, Luigi flinched and turned to look up at her brother… only to find him staring right at her, his face a mixture of concern and care.

There was no going back now.

Nervously, Luigi slid her diary out from underneath her leg and flipped through the pages. Every step of the way, it felt like steel knives sliced into her fingers, all of it slow and agonizing. She was almost relieved (and horrified) when she found the page she wanted.

Shakily, she held out her diary to her older brother… only to hear a shocked gasp and him slightly scooting back in his seat (from what little she could see from the corner of her eye). 

“Lu!” he exclaimed, his voice a mixture of horror and surprise. “Lu… I… uh… why are y-”

“I w-w-want y-you t-t-to… to read it.”

“I… b-but… are you sure…?”

“M-Mhm…”

Luigi kept her head down, only glancing at Mario’s shaking hands as he took the diary from her, his thumb just over the word she desperately wanted him to read, she noticed.

It felt as though time slowed; Luigi could practically hear the seconds ticking by as Mario silently read the neatly written words in his hands. She couldn’t hold back her tears as they streamed down her cheeks in droves, her eyes stinging horribly and her stomach knotted and churning. She bit her lip to keep her whimpers strained, but it couldn’t stop soft sniffles from escaping her system. At any moment, she felt like she would pass out as a growing shadow monster of hate threatened to consume her from the inside out.

It hurt so much…

“Bi… gender?”

Luigi gasped upon hearing Mario utter those words. Still, she couldn’t bring herself to look up at him, fearing his reaction, even when he shifted in his seat and asked her, “Lulu… is that what you wanted to show me? I… I don’t understand… why’d you write down ‘bi’ here? Is that a reminder or something?”

“H-Huh…?!”

“Oh… s-s-sorry… just… do you think you’re not bisexual or something? Is that why you wrote that down… or d’you just like the word?”

Luigi couldn’t help chuckling softly at that.

“I… I am…” she muttered. “ Bisexual… ”

There was a slight pause.

“Ohhhh… okay. What’s this word mean then? Is there a difference…?”

There it was.

Luigi gulped nervously.

“M-Mario…? Y-You know how… um… how… y-y-you’re a… a b-boy…?”

“Uh… last time I checked, yeah.”

Luigi gripped her overalls tightly, holding back her sobs.

“W-Well… um… h-h-how w-would you f-feel if y-y-you were… were… um… a… a g-g-girl?”

Mario paused again.

“Uh… I guess it’d be cool. I mean… I never really thought about it. I think I’d be pretty ugly if that were the case…!”

Luigi couldn’t help smiling again.

“Th-That’s funny…”

Just then, Mario shifted again, a long silence following once more.

…

“Weegee…? Is there… is there something you need to say? How come you asked…?”

Luigi froze stiff.

“Um… um…” she could feel her throat begging for release, feeling jagged and raw. Oh, how she just wished she could say it! Even still, she tried powering through it, “I… um… M-Mario…”

“Yes…?”

Before she could answer, she felt a small crack resound inside her mind.

It was inevitable.

A soft sob escaped her system, causing her to double over. It hurt so much by now, she felt like she would burst like an overinflated balloon. Her body shook violently as more sobs begged to escape, but she couldn’t allow herself to give in…

And that’s when she felt a familiar pair of arms wrap around her like soft blankets.

After what seemed like a long time coming, she finally looked up to find Mario embracing her across her chest, his face buried in her collarbone. Like her… he was also trembling! His hands grasped her clothes tightly as he held her like a lifeline, refusing to let go. 

It was unlike anything she’d ever seen before! Her older brother was usually so chipper and carefree, always wearing a smile or willing to crack a joke…

… but this was new.

It was almost enough to make her cry even harder.

Before long, Mario finally looked up at her, where Luigi could see some of his own tears appearing on his face. Instinctively, she lifted her left hand to grasp onto his right and I raised her right to cover it as well. Like a scared child, he stared up at her helplessly, pleading to know what was going on. Even through those kind eyes, Luigi could hear the words clear as day:

“What’s going on…?!”

Finally… Luigi sighed, feeling completely helpless. She felt her breath shaking as her tears flowed freely from her face, which she quickly wiped away. 

Somehow… seeing the worry embedded in his features strangely brought her comfort. She felt so guilty seeing her beloved brother so terrified, the worst possible thoughts surely running through his mind from the way he gripped her clothes. 

Like drops of ink from a quill, the words came clearly to mind, telling her, guiding her on what to say.

“M-M-Mario… I-I-I’m bigender,” she confessed, a sigh of relief escaping her. She closed her eyes tightly as she continued, holding back more oncoming sobs. “I… I kn-know y-y-you see me a-as your b-b-brother… b-but I d-d-don’t think I am… n-not entirely.”

She felt Mario shift, turning to face her.

“I… I feel l-l-like a b-b-boy… b-but also a g-g-girl… n-not just one but… b-both, I guess. I… I don’t know how to explain it, r-r-really… b-but that’s… that’s what I wanted to tell you…”

A palpable pause befell her brother as she nervously awaited his response. She couldn’t stop herself from crying again as she buried her face in her hands.

It was out… but at what cost?

She was sure Mario hated her… why shouldn’t he?

She should have kept quiet.

“So… you’re my… s-sister..?”

Luigi’s eyes suddenly widened as she looked up, only to find Mario looking at her thoughtfully, a hint of confusion peeking through as he looked her up and down in curiosity. 

But all Luigi could focus on was that one little word…

“Wh-What did you… c-call me…?” she asked in a quiet voice, bewilderment creeping through her system.

“Um… s-sister?” he asked. “D-Do you… wanna b-be called s-something else?”

Luigi blinked.

“Y-You mean you… y-you’re okay with… y-you d-d-don’t… h-hate me…?”

With that question, Mario’s expression turned into that of heartbreak, though he tried to brush it off with a watery chuckle, “H-Hate you…?! Why… why would I hate you?!”

“I… I d-don’t know…! M-Maybe you… maybe you think I’m g-g-gross, or-”

“Luigi!” Mario suddenly cried, grasping her hands tight. Luigi felt her eyes growing to the size of dinner plates as she gazed at her brother, shock tingling beneath his fingers as he held her. His voice shook as he said, “Luigi… listen to me. Don’t you ever think I’ll hate you for anything! Whether you’re my baby bro or sis… or even something else… I’ll always love you. You’re my Luigi, and nothing is going to change that. I don’t think I could ever hate you, anyway! I love you way too much… and that will never ever change… understand?”

Luigi sniffled as a budding smile appeared. 

At that moment, she felt her anxiety melt away. Like the dawn of a new horizon, she felt free, untethered by anything holding her back! She could practically see stars in her brother’s eyes as he finally smiled back and chuckled, “Aw… bring it in, bro- sorry, sis.”

And to that, she did.

It felt like ages since she and Mario hugged so tightly. Luigi felt so comforted in his arms, never wanting to be let go. It reminded her of the blurry months of winter where, when they were so much younger, their mother cradled them in her arms in a blanket as the three of them watched the flurrying Brooklyn snowflakes fall outside to the ground, her soothing voice lulling them into a blissful sleep where they dreamed of sugared snow. The warmth of her love heated Luigi’s heart more than any small ember of a fire could do, and never once did it ever leave her wanting less.

… just the gift she gave Mario, too.

“Oh… hey, look up there, Lu!” Mario suddenly gushed, pointing out through the front window.

As Luigi turned to look, her mouth dropped open as she saw the sunset drawing close in the distance. She always loved sunsets… and this was no different!

What caught her off-guard was when Mario began opening the car door. Before she could ask why, he turned and asked, “You wanna watch it from up on the roof…? Like when we were kiddos?”

Without another word, Luigi giggled happily and joined Mario, practically climbing as fast as she could. The air was much more still as the night drew near, the sounds of crickets singing among the grass blades filling it with a calm melody. And the painting before them… that was the catalyst of it all.

A symbol of beauty, only seen when the time was right…

A symbol, to Luigi, that no matter what… she would be okay.

“It sure is beautiful…” Mario smiled. “A perfect way to meet someone new, if you ask me…”

“Huh?”

Mario turned to Luigi and chuckled, “It’s nice to meet you, lil’ sis… my name’s Mario!”

Luigi blushed.

“H-Hi…!”

Mario turned back to the sunset and smiled as he watched the sun slowly dip behind the hills. In a voice as soft as silk, he asked, “So… what’s it like being a girl?”

For the first time, Luigi felt confident to smile back at her brother as she snuggled closer. In a whispered tone, nearly too quiet to understand, she whispered, “... it f-f-f-feels a-amazing…!”

Mario covered her left hand with his right.

“That’s all that matters to me…”