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The day was hot so Mario, Luigi, and Peach decided to stay inside. Peach had come over to the brothers’ shared home in her kingdom to get away from the castle for a bit.
“Stars, it is warm today,” Peach huffed.
“I know, it’s hotter than Bowser’s kingdom,” Mario agreed.
Thankfully, they had air conditioning, and plenty of ice cream in the freezer in case things got dire.
Mario wouldn’t say it, but he was secretly extremely excited when Peach showed up at their doorstep. He hadn’t seen her be able to relax in a week due to the stress of protecting her kingdom from Bowser’s advances and threat of attacks. She had made some trade deals with his kingdom to cool him down at least temporarily. Until he’d eventually demand more.
She could rest for right now.
Mario loved this version of her. Laid back, still reserved and proper, but a bit more fun loving and way more joke-y and smiley than her ruler side.
The three friends sat in the living room doing some catching up when the topic of the night before came up.
“I just think that is so neat,” Peach pointed to the brothers’ tv.
“The tv? Yeah guess you’d never seen one before have you?” Luigi asked.
Peach shook her head, “no, not until you two. I don’t know, I’m just so intrigued by how your people’s technology works. Like you can just see whatever you want from anywhere in the world! With this little remote thing!”
Mario tried not to laugh too loud because he was just so amused at Peach’s curiosity about humans and the humans’ world.
“What’s so funny?” Peach asked slyly.
“Nothing, Princess! Well.. I don’t know, I just think it’s cute- uh! Silly-! Interesting when you’re so fascinated by things I’ve seen and been around my entire life. Which I guess it is the same for me when I’m still constantly fascinated by your world and kingdom.”
Both Peach and Luigi caught the slip ups. Obviously. Mario isn’t that slick. Especially when it comes to the Princess. Luigi knew Mario had more than a thing for her. Peach was also privy to this, but wasn’t sure if she was just wanting it to be true because she liked him just as much.
Luigi, though, he absolutely knew both of them were head over heels for each other. No doubt in his mind. And he frequently teased Mario about it when Peach was away.
He added this little verbal slip up to his mental arsenal to poke at his brother about later. Right now, he decided to tease him about another thing that he would be embarrassed about the Princess knowing.
Ah, little brothers.
“Oh! Princess, you talking about the tv reminded me of last night! I was watching a movie, and Mario grabbed the remote and changed it to a sports game he forgot about.”
Mario knew what he was talking about, “Luigi…”
Luigi ignored him, “I reached over and tried to grab the remote back but he put it under his arm and curled up like a kid! So, naturally, I did what I knew would get him to release the remote. I tickled his ribs and under his arms until he succumbed and dropped the remote. He cursed me which earned him some neck tickles as well until I decided he had enough.”
Peach giggled at the story and looked over at Mario who was staring daggers at Luigi with a deep blush on his face.
“Aw, Mario, after all this time I’ve known you, I had no idea you were ticklish!” she exclaimed.
“Luigi’s way more ticklish than me!” Mario shot back.
Both Peach and Luigi laughed at that.
“Don’t try to deflect it back on me, bro! And you knew she had to find out at some point, right?” Luigi laughed.
“No she didn’t! This isn’t fair, you don’t get to reveal my secrets!” Mario pouted like a child.
Peach took it upon herself to stand up and sit next to Mario on the couch.
“Don’t you even dare, principessa,” Mario glared with a slight smirk.
“Dare what? I just wanted to sit with you, Mario,” Peach responded with just as much of a smirk.
Peach then stretched her arms up and around Mario’s shoulders making him flinch a little. But also made his heart skip a beat. Oh how he wanted to just lean over into her, but he didn’t want to overstep anything and just tried to relax in her touch. But it was impossible to do so as there were butterflies in his stomach from her touch. And the slight anxiety of the silent threat of being tickled.
He could’ve moved away, he knew that, but this had never really happened before. Yes, they hugged all the time, and she’s definitely put her arms around him as he carries her away from danger, but it’s never been so casual, so close and intimate.
They all talked for another minute, and the tension between the princess and the plumber was mounting. Luigi could even tell, but Peach wasn’t one for letting tension in the air linger. She decided to strike.
Peach gently moved her hand up Mario’s shoulder towards his neck. Mario didn’t protest, whether it was because he didn’t want her to let him go or he was just too shy to say anything; he let Peach continue.
That was until he felt the slightest flutter of nails against his neck. He gasped, and tried to fight his immediate urge to slam his neck against her fingers. Luigi just smiled.
“P-Princess pl-eHEHEase!-“ Mario tried not to laugh, but it was becoming increasingly difficult as she now added her other hand into the mix prodding at his side.
“Aww you ARE ticklish! Oh now I need to know where else is just as ticklish!” Peach beamed.
Mario pulled away from her, and ended up laying in the cushions of the couch. This didn’t sway Peach, though. She let go of him as she felt the pull against her letting him fall over into the couch, then just moved her hands down to his ribs causing a yelp, and stuttered giggling.
“N-Nahaha- Peach!” Mario kept stuttering pleas trying desperately to not laugh.
He couldn’t believe this was real. The princess who’s usually so proper, the friend he has a major crush on; is tickling him! And she’s never looked more beautiful to him.
Mario burst into full belly laughter when she tweaked his hip. When the dam broke, it was like Peach got a new wave of confidence as she forced his leg down from its curled position, and put her leg over him, hovering him.
Mario tried to turn onto his back from his side, but he wasn’t allowed enough room.
“AHH- EEHEHEHE! NOT THEHEHERE P-PRINCI-PESSAHAHA!”
Peach had begun skittering and squeezing his belly. Loving the reaction she got from it, she went even further by going under his shirt. Mario threw his head back, cackling.
“P-PRINCIPESSA M-MIO DIOHOHO HAHAHA!”
Peach would be lying if she said she didn’t continue just to hear him revert to his mother tongue through his cute laughter. She absolutely loved it when he spoke Italian around her. Even if she didn’t understand it, though, she of course had picked up on certain words and phrases he and Luigi say often. It was cute to hear both brothers call her ‘principessa Peach’ but she adored it when Mario said it. Also, hearing him say just her name always made her heart flutter.
This was the perfect excuse to make him say it over and over.
“Does that tickle?” Peach asked teasingly. She admittedly was pretty bad at teasing since she doesn’t really get the chance to tickle someone. Toad has been a target for her here and there but not very often.
Mario shook his head in silent protest. Despite this, he wasn’t fighting her, in fact, he had his arms out slightly above him, gripping a pillow for anchoring. This gave Peach perfect access to his armpits. He threw his head back with a scream that dissolved into hearty giggles of pure joy.
Did he try to covertly expose that tickle spot on purpose hoping she’d go for it just so he could live in this moment with his crush longer?..
He pleads the fifth on that question.
“Oh it doesn’t tickle huh?” Peach teased, “well I think there is something that might tickle quite a bit on you..~”
Mario barely had time to process what she said before she straddled his waist, sitting on him fully, leaned down and blew a raspberry on his shirt-covered belly.
His arms flew down to cover his face and mouth as he screeched and snorted wildly. He hated snorting like this, but somehow found himself not minding Peach hearing his absolute free, unbridled laughter for the first time.
“Woah that really got you, huh! You’re honestly really fun to tickle, Mario,” Peach giggled, “..you’re so handsome and cute-“
Peach stopped tickling immediately. Mario seemed to not notice her abrupt stop for another second as he started to recover from the playful attack. But he did hear what she said. If he blushed any brighter his head would explode, he was sure of it.
Peach’s reaction didn’t help either, “oh my stars, I’m sorry, I- I didn’t mean to-“
“Peheheach.. hey, it- it’s okay, d-don’t apologihihize. I uh.. I think you’re cute, too.. and very pretty,” he replied through huffs and little giggles.
Peach blushed softly, “you do?”
“Of course, principessa, I always have.”
…
Honestly, neither of them wanted to address the position they were currently in. Peach was still straddling his legs below his hips. Alas, she decided to gently slide off of him and sit beside him with a small apology again.
Mario sat up, and grabbed her hand, once again assuring her he needs no apologies from her.
“Princess,-”
“Peach.”
Mario looked at her curiously.
“I think it’s way past time we drop the formalities. We’re best friends, and have known each other for a year now. Plus.. I love hearing you say just my name alone. I really like you..,” she shied.
“O-oh okay, well, Peach, I just wanted you to know that I really enjoy your company, you’ve been such a great friend to me, but I need to be honest..”
Peach held her breath waiting for a turn down.
Mario took a breath, and gently held the smallers’ hand, “I’ve liked you since I met you. I just thought that you weren’t interested that way, and wanted to just leave relationships alone considering Bowser. I’ve pushed that part of me that liked you that way down, and accepted that we were just friends. I was okay with that. But I started to never see a future where I date or love anyone else but you. I’ve held it inside for so long because I was admittedly too scared to even ask. But I love having you around, and my heart skips a beat every time you even say my name. The way your eyes shine in the sunlight, and your hair flows beautifully.. I guess I’m just trying to say through this sappy blabbering is that I like you… I- I love you.”
At some point during that, Peach had scooted closer to Mario to where their heads were inches apart.
“I love you, too, Mario.”
Mario turned his head to see that she was looking at him, too. His eyes darted down to her lips then back to her eyes. He wasn’t sure if it was okay to-
Peach leaned in closer, closing her eyes, and lightly touched her lips to his. He immediately reciprocated when his mind caught up to what was going on. He put his fingers under her chin gently.
The two parted after a few moments.
“..well that was nice,” Peach giggled.
He didn’t mean to, but Mario wheezed from the way Peach broke the silence.
“Yeheheah.. it was.”
Both of them sat there smiling but not looking at each other.
“So um… would you like to go out with me?” Mario asked.
God he felt like fucking teen again asking like that.
“Of course, silly! How about a picnic?”
“Sounds great, Prin- Peach.”
Peach giggled at his correction.
“Well, you know I now have to get revenge,” Mario teased, trying to break the tension.
“Revenge?”
“For tickling me!”
“Oh! I’m not ticklish.”
“Oh really?! Well I guess we’ll figure that out,” Mario grinned.
He shot his hand out and gently squeezed Peach’s side. There was no reaction. He tried higher on her ribs. Nothing. Hip? Nope.
“Told ya.” Peach crossed her arms with a smirk.
“Oh.. uh heh sorry..”
Peach giggled, “oh don’t apologize, but you’re not getting away with that!”
“Distraction!” she exclaimed as she leaned forward and gave him a peck on the lips before digging into his ribs again. Mario burst out laughing all over again.
Meanwhile, Luigi had snuck away from the room a long time ago after seeing clearly Peach was only focused on Mario. And he was hoping that them being alone would help them finally confess to each other.
And when Luigi peeked back into the living room, they were kissing.
He pumped his fist in silent victory.