Archive of Our Own

Mario doesn't have a very good memory. At least, not as good as people like to think it is. He can remember the important things of course, big events, special moments, happy occasions, but everything else? The day to day, the anger, the sadness? It doesn't come to mind as easily. He generally tries to live in the present without dwelling on the past.

Sometimes that's bitten him in the butt. Other times it allows friendships to form when they otherwise might not have. One thing he does remember though is his Mama's words.

"Mario," she said with her hands brushing through his short barely there curls, "my brave little boy." He looked up at her with wide eyes.

"Si, Mama?" He replied.

"I need you to do me a favor. It's not very hard, can you do it?"

Mario had frowned, he's pretty sure. He didn't want to move from where he was laying on his mother's chest. Her heartbeat had nearly put him to sleep before she started speaking.

His mother chuckled at whatever face he had made. He remembers that.

"You don't have to move. It's a spoken favor."

Mario nodded at this.

"I need you to promise me that you will always look after your fratallone. I need you to promise that you'll always look after Luigi."

Mario tilted his head. "Why?"

Their mother smiled as she rubbed her thumb over Luigi's cheek. His brother smiled in his sleep at the action and nuzzled into their mother's lap. 

"Luigi is as kind as he is strong, Mario. This is a good thing, but people will think he's weak."

Mario huffed at the very thought. "Wegee isn't weak!"

Their mama smiled. "No, he's not. But I need you to protect him from those that think he is. Okay? Can you do that for me?"

Mario nodded vigorously.

Their mama kissed his forehead and then guided his hand to Luigi's. Mario squeezed it and Luigi, even in sleep, squeezed back. 

Mario didn't think about the promise often, but as he was staring Bowser in the face at Peach's castle, the memory came flooding back.

Bowser was looking down at him with a neutral face that Mario had long since gotten used to. When Bowser wasn’t kidnapping Peach, he was a more than decent participant in anything they did. It’s why he kept getting invited to things even with his otherwise less than stellar behavior.

But Mario knew the real Bowser would show up the second he saw Peach.

“Yo, can I come in or not? You’ve been glarin’ at me like that’s an answer to the question I’ve asked you three times.”

Mario frowned and moved aside just enough to let Bowser through.

It was a minor miracle the “toad alarm”, affectionately named by the brother due to the shrill cries that came out of the toads whenever they saw Bowser, hadn't gone off to alert Mario of the tartaruga’s presence.

“Thanks.” Bowser gruffed out as he squeezed past.

Mario was hot on Bowser’s tail to make sure he still got to Peach first to shun away any unwanted advances.

It wasn’t that Mario didn’t think Peach was capable. It was quite the opposite. He knew just how capable she was and knew she shouldn’t have to deal with such nonsense on a regular basis.

Mario only slightly stood between Bowser and Peach once they finally made it to the tea room.

“Princess,” Bowser nodded his head in respect, “thank you for having me.”

Mario almost felt his jaw drop to the floor.

Peach startled into her own proper princess greeting by bowing slightly with her hands folded over her lap.

“Yes. Thank you for coming.”

Mario stared at Peach’s quick pivot but couldn’t get over the sensation of his skin crawling at how . . . courteous it seemed Bowser was being.

Bowser didn’t sit where Peach was, nor did he make eye contact with her after the greeting.

Mario squinted.

“What’s your game, Bowser?”

Bowser raised a fiery red eyebrow. “You tell me. You’re the one that dragged me here, red.”

“Because you were—!” Peach settled a hand on his shoulder and Mario slumped down. “We’re waiting until Lu gets here.”

Peach lightly cleared her throat. “Speaking of. Where is Luigi? I’m surprised he wasn’t already here.”

Mario pursed his lips. He had been wondering the same thing when it turned out it was Bowser at the castle entrance and not his twin brother.

“Maybe I should run to the racing world to make sure that he’s on his way.”

Peach shook her head in response. “No, I’m sure he’ll be arriving shortly.”

“Who?”

Everyone jumped at the sound of Luigi’s voice coming from the balcony.

“Weege! What the heck are you doing! Huh? Trying to give us all heart attacks.”

Luigi hefted himself up and over the railing of the balcony, dusting off his signature overalls once he was back on solid ground.

“I was late. I ran from the warp pipe.”

Luigi fixed his hat and then walked deeper into the room.

Mario was prepared to keep berating when he noticed where Luigi’s eye had drifted to. Who Luigi’s eyes had drifted to.

Bowser smirked and Mario watched in horror as the tail he was so familiar with dodging started to wag at the sight of his little brother.

No. Mario could feel his palms heating up. It’s a ruse. Calmati, Mario. You’re going to get to the bottom of this.

Luigi walked over to where Bowser had been leaning against a wall and waved with just his fingers.

Bowser gave a large fang toothed smile in return.

“Hey greenie.”

“Hi Bowser.”

Mario could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end like he’d eaten a poison shroom.

“His name is Luigi.”

Bowser looked back up from where he was still staring at Luigi to give an unimpressed face. “No shit.”

“If you know his name, then call him that!”

“Mario!” Luigi stepped in front of Bowser. “Che te prende? Huh? It’s just a nickname.”

Mario didn’t take his eyes off Bowser. He just needed to wait for the facade to fall.

“È questo che vuole farti credere. You don’t know if he’s just trying to use you for something.”

Bowser heaved a heavy sigh and Luigi forced himself into Mario’s line of sight.

“He wants me to think that he knows my name and is purposely messing it up.”

“The green bean ain’t wrong.”

Luigi smiled at Bowser with a light blush on his face.

Mario felt faint.

“Why you—!”

“Okay!” Peach clapped her hands. “I believe there’s a reason we’re all here? Right, Mario?”

Mario exhaled heavily. “Yes, principessa. You’re right. This is an intervention and an interrogation."

Bowser rolled his eyes while Luigi frowned.

“Lu,” Mario stepped forward to grab his brother’s hands, “you have to see where I’m coming from. I’m just worried.”

Luigi pulled his hands back. “Then why is Peach here?”

Mario sighed. “To remind you that you have people who care about you.”

Luigi shook his head. “So you two can gang up on me.”

“That’s not what this is.”

“Then why is Bowser here?”

Mario had to swallow down harsher words that came to mind. “So we can figure out what he’s plotting.”

Bowser just resumed leaning against the wall.

Just like the initial greeting, it unsettled Mario greatly that his long time nemesis and rival was acting so out of character.

Only more proof that something had to be going on.

“I’m not just going to sit here and let you berate me for the choices I make in my personal life, Mario.”

Peach took a step forward. “That’s not what Mario is trying to do, Luigi. Mario is just worried. That's why we’re meeting here.”

“Not on neutral ground?”

Peach flinched.

“See! Look at what he’s already doing to you.” Mario pulled at Luigi’s arm. “This is why we’re doing this.”

Luigi pulled out of Mario’s grasp again.

“Doing what? Using common sense!”

“The Mushroom Kingdom is neutral territory!”

“By definition,” Mario locked eyes with Bowser, “bean pole isn’t wrong. If you wanted this to be neutral we’d be meeting someplace like Sarasaland or New Donk City.”

Mario grit his teeth. “No one was talking to you.”

Bowser put up his hands and then crossed his arms.

“He’s right regardless of whether or not you want to listen to him, Mario.” Luigi crossed his arms as well. “All of this feels like you’re trying to trap me until I see your point of view.”

“Until you listen to reason, Weege.”

“Mario.” Peach chided softly.

“No, Peach. You know this is just as crazy as I do.” Mario pointed a finger at the dragkoopa. “He’s up to something and I’m not going to let my little brother be dragged into it!”

“By just making decisions for me?”

“If that’s what it takes to keep you safe.” Mario met Luigi’s eyes. “Then yes.”

-

Luigi was furious. No, he was beyond furious. He wasn’t even sure he knew a word in English or Italian off the top of his head to encapsulate how furious he was.

Honestly though, he wasn’t all that surprised by Mario’s behavior. He should have seen it coming. Nothing good in Luigi’s life could last very long before his twin found out. For better or worse. And maybe that’s what hurts the most; he didn’t even know if what him and Bowser had was good yet. He hadn’t gotten to find out before Mario the wrecking ball came in.

Luigi took a deep breath in an effort to calm himself and then dragged a hand down his face.

“I’m going to hear you out because you’re my brother and I love you, but that’s only going to go so far.”

Mario smiled. “See, there’s the Weegee I know.”

Luigi felt static building on the tips of his fingers and crossed his arms to disperse it.

“Look, we know Bowser,” Luigi has to resist rolling his eyes, “and even I’ll admit, he hasn’t gotten. . .” Mario visibly grinds his teeth, “worse. But he also hasn’t completely changed!”

Mario clearly expects a growl from Bowser or smoke to come out of his nose with how intently he’s looking at his. . . friend?

Luigi feels anxiety settle in his gut. 

He doesn’t even know how Bowser really wants this to go and here Mario is possibly ruining everything.

Luigi jumps slightly at the feel of a warmth behind him. 

Bowser had stepped closer and it warms Luigi’s heart.

“So you don’t think he’s changed and that’s why I’m not allowed to date him?” He’s glad he’s facing away from the Dragkoopa because the blush on his face is most definitely a teasable offense.

Mario shifts his glare off of Bowser and just barely remembers not to glare at Luigi by the looks of it. “That’s one of many reasons, Lu. He kidnapped Peach a hundred times!”

Luigi says “That’s a gross exaggeration.” as Bowser says “We were all there, red. Thanks for the reminder.”

Luigi finally turns to look at Bowser since coming in and sees the genuine guilt on his face.

“Bowser,” Peach says in faint surprise, but Mario cuts her off.

“Don’t act all guilty now. It won’t earn you any sympathy points.”

“It ain’t an act, Mario.” Bowser clenches his fists. “I am sorry.”

Mario scoffed and Bowser did growl at that.

“Don’t do that.” Luigi managed through gritted teeth.

Mario’s eyebrows rose into his hat. “Stars, Lu. Ti ha in pugno.”

“Don’t.” Luigi can’t help the way his hands spark. “Do that.”

Mario’s hands burn red in contrast.

“Boys, let’s take a breather.”

Luigi smirks just faintly at the thought that comes into his head.

“Il guinzaglio sta tirando, fratello.”

Mario’s eyes go wide enough that Luigi can almost see his self control snap in them.

“Say that again.”

“You heard me the first time.”

“Enough!” Peach steps between them. “If you’re going to insult each other, at least do it in a language we all understand.”

Luigi will have time to feel bad about what he said later, he always does, but in the moment he feels more vindicated than he has in a while.

“Luigi,” Luigi looks to the princess, “Mario is coming from a place of concern. That’s all.” She turns her head. “And Mario, this only works if you hear Luigi out too.”

Both brothers grumble and Luigi takes a step back. Peach then moves gracefully out of the way.

“Don’t push me, Mario and I won’t push you.” Luigi says quietly.

“I’m only pushing you because you’re being irrational.”

“You don’t even know him!” And it’s weak, even in his own ears, but still.

“If that’s the best you can do then it’s a good thing I intervened when I did.”

Luigi doesn’t know why this is getting to him so much. Why it suddenly feels like the only thing he can do is electrocute everything in his vicinity. 

He tugs on his hair and turns away when Mario reaches out to touch him.

“This is why I didn’t want to do this! You never listen to me Mario.” Luigi forces his hands away from his head. “You don’t trust Bowser? Fine. You think I’m making a bad decision from past experiences? Fair. But you making the choice for me?” Luigi wants to laugh hysterically. “Non sei tu a comandarmi! You can’t control me!”

“I wouldn’t need to control you if you could ever take care of yourself! For all I know, this is some big ruse on that tartarugas part and you fell for it because you’re gullible. You always want to see the best in people and one of these days it’s going to get you killed if you don’t wake up and open your eyes!”

“Too far, Mario.” Bowser growls sternly.

“No one is talking to you! The fact you’re trying to use my brother to get to me is despicable.”

“I told you not to do that.”

Mario crosses his arms. “Tell the truth? Look at me honestly and say that this isn’t a plan you can’t see Bowser cooking up to get to Peach. A trade for you or her.”

Luigi throws his hands up. “Hole in that plan, fratello, we all know you would choose Peach.”

Mario flinches and Luigi wants to cry. Or punch something.

“Luigi, is that what you really think?”

He locks eyes with Peach and watches as she brings a hand to her mouth.

“Luigi, that’s not true.”

“Va bene. I don’t care. He should care more about you, he loves you. I just don’t get why I can’t have the same thing.”

“You do have someone who loves you! I honestly can’t believe you’re doing this to her.”

Luigi squints. “What to whom?”

As if on cue, the double doors of Peach’s tea room are kicked in.

“Sorry I’m late,” Daisy breezes in, still in her racing track suit (sans the hat), “I had to finish the race I was abruptly put into.”

Daisy fixes her hair and promptly intwines her arm with Luigi’s.

“Lu, Bowser.”

Luigi smiles and Bowser grunts.

Daisy pouts. “Give me that kind of attitude big guy and maybe I’ll rethink the stained glass situation we have going on.”

Bowser sputters. “That hurts you too!”

Daisy shrugs.

“Princess Daisy, always a pleasure to have your most esteemed acquaintance.”

“Why Lord Bowser, you know flattery will get you everywhere.”

Luigi giggles.

“What, what, what am I witnessing right now!”

Luigi turns to see Mario’s face and has to bite back another laugh when it looks like his brother swallowed a lemon at the interaction.

Daisy waves her hand in dismissal. “Me and Bowsie,”

“Don’t call me that.” Bowser interrupts.

Daisy continues on unbothered, “have several trade agreements. It’d be stupid not to from a business perspective.”

Mario is clearly exasperated. “He’s our enemy!” He turns to Peah for back up.

“Daisy was right to open trade with Bowser, Mario. She’s a very savvy business woman when she wants to be and supply and demand can weigh heavy on any ruler.”

All three rulers let out heavy sighs at that.

“He’s Bowser.” Mario reiterates.

“Your hat is red.” Daisy retorts back.

Mario’s eye is twitching as a strained smile pulls on his cheeks. “Daisy, it’s always good to see you, but what are you doing here? This is private.”

Daisy wags a finger. “No, no, see, this here is Luigi. My Luigi.” Bowser makes a noise at that which makes Luigi’s heart flutter. “He’s a duke in my lands, a close confidant in my business meetings, and more importantly, he’s my best friend and future best man.”

Luigi gasps. “Wait, really?”

“Sush, I’m defending you. Be gooey later.” Daisy chides and then releases him to cross her arms like she does when the council is giving her an unnecessarily hard time. “If it involves Luigi. It involves me.”

“Fine, I’m sorry you have to find out this way then. Luigi is cheating on you.”

“You have another best friend?! I knew you and Yoshi had been getting too buddy buddy after the repairs you did on his kart.”

Luigi snorts. “Yes, Yoshi is who I’m cheating on you with. I’m sorry. He has really good taste in food.”

“The fact there’s so many Yoshi fast food places is a testament.” Bowser murmurs. “It’s impressive and I say that while running Neo Bowser city.”

Daisy nods. “No, it’s honestly kind of scary how good they are. Their ice cream is literally like floating on a cloud without a power up.”

“Can we stay focused!” Mario snaps. “That’s not what I meant and you both know it.”

Daisy blinks and Luigi bites his bottom lip.

“Oh my gosh, Luigi.” Daisy puts a hand on her hip. “You never told him? That dare was ages ago.”

Luigi shrugs. “It was to see how long it would take for him to ask, and it’s apparently several years.”

“Would someone please loop me in.”

Peach grabs Mario’s hand gently. “Luigi and Daisy haven’t been dating for quite some time, love. Not many people know so that Luigi can stay on her council without any annoying pushback.”

“Why wasn’t I told!”

“Because you’d make a big deal out of it and then all the world would know.” Daisy answers casually.

Mario looks hurt and Luigi almost feels bad for him. “I wouldn’t.”

“We’re somehow still talking about it despite the fact everyone else in the room doesn’t care.”

Mario sputters and Luigi sighs.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I honestly thought you would ask when Daisy stopped coming over that much during that stretch of time a few years back.”

Mario frowns and his eyebrows knit together. “I-I don’t remember that. . .”

“Regardless! Luigi was a free man. I expect the details on when that changed from certain people after all of this,” both Luigi and Bowser start whistling, “but he’s not cheating on anyone. Least of all me.”

“Fine. Whatever. He’s still trying to date quel mostro.”

Luigi steps forward and Daisy stops him. “Dude. Not cool. And Luigi has clearly told you to stop based on how fast he just moved.”

“Luigi can fight his own battles.”

Daisy smiles. “Yeah. He can. A shame you don’t actually think that.”

“You don’t get to say that. I’ve known Luigi forever.”

“Then why don’t you believe I know what I’m doing.” Luigi hisses.

“Because you’re doing what you always do. You’re using your heart instead of your brain to make a decision and when you get hurt it’s going to be me to pick up the pieces. Just like always.”

“No one asked you to do that. But if they did, stars forbid you want to help your family. I didn’t realize I was such a fucking burden.”

“That’s now what I said.”

Daisy gives a humorless laugh. “Isn’t it?”

“Stay out of this, Daisy!”

“The whole reason I’m here is to back Luigi up because you seem to have some fascination with cornering him until he backs down and bites his tongue.”

“I’m not cornering him! He won’t listen to reason!”

Luigi stabs a finger in his brother’s direction. “You don’t know everything, Mario!”

“I know him.” Mario points. “And I know he hasn’t changed.”

“How many times have I told you to stop doing that?”

“And I keep asking what?”

Peach puts a hand on Mario’s shoulder and Mario shrugs it off.

“You can say whatever you want about me, but you don’t get to say anything about Bowser.”

A scaled hand lands on his shoulder. “Luigi, it’s fine. I can take it.”

“I can’t.”

Luigi doesn’t hear it, but Bowser takes in a startled breath.

“More proof that you’re probably just under the influence of some spell.” Mario sneers. “There’s no way anybody in all the worlds would want to get with someone like him.”

Peach, Daisy and Bowser all fling a hand to the back of their necks.

-

Luigi was rocking in the waiting room chair, trying not to freak out lest he have another accident.

Just when he’s finally getting used to this world and everything it throws at him, something else has to pop up to throw him off balance.

“Luigi,” Dr Toadly’s voice is a soothing balm to Luigi’s, for lack of a better word, fried nerves, “I’m ready for you now.”

Luigi stands on shakier legs than he would have liked and enters the, somewhat larger than toad, sized examination room. When he sits on the examination table he has to lean forward so he doesn’t hit his head.

“Apologies for the less than ideal conditions, you said this was an emergency so I had to squeeze you in here instead of at the castle.”

Luigi waves his hand sympathetically. “No, no, it’s fine. I’m grateful you can squeeze me in despite being so busy.”

Dr. Toadly smiles. “For one of the mushroom kingdoms’ great heroes? Ha! There’s always time. What can I do for you?”

Luigi preens under the acknowledgement that most other toads either forget to, or choose not to, give him.

“Grazie, but um, I’m not bumping anyone off the list of seeing you today. Am I?”

Dr. Toadly chuckles. “Always so considerate, Luigi. No, you’re not. I had a sudden unexpected cancellation.”

Luigi nods in relief.

“Now if you’re done stalling,” Luigi flinches at being called out so plainly, “I believe you were going to tell me what was wrong that had you so distressed?”

Luigi swallows. And then swallows again.

“I think. . .  I think I have magic?”

Dr. Toadly sits on a stool and nods. “Yes, that would track. Your brother has fire magic and given that you are brothers, it would only make sense that you have magic of your own.”

Luigi shakes his head. “No, no, non capisci, er, you don’t understand. It makes sense that Mario has powers.”

Dr. Toadly starts writing on a clipboard. “Because he’s ‘better’ than you?” He looks up briefly and then goes back to writing. “Because in my medical opinion, he’s not. Better than you that is.”

Luigi wants to laugh, but Dr. Toadly’s expression hasn’t changed so he swallows the instinct. “He is though.”

“Mario may have many strengths and a great deal more confidence than you, Luigi, but he is not inherently better than you. You’re faster than him, more flexible than he is and adapt faster than him over long stretches of time. Which once again speaks to flexibility, except in the brain this time.”

Luigi blinks widely at the Doctor’s assessment. “But, but, he’s stronger than me!”

Dr. Toadly chuckles again. “I doubt that Luigi. But even if he might be physically stronger than you, I’d say that you still have a chance about half the time to beat him. So long as you don’t hold back.”

Dr. Toadly adjusts his glasses and then looks up at Luigi. “You’re just as capable as your brother is, Luigi. Nobody else believes it because you don’t.” Dr. Toadly clears his throat. “Regardless, we’re here about magic, not the mind. Though I can refer you to a friend if you’d like? They’re quite good at uplifting confidence.”

“I, um, uh, don’t think I need a um, a therapist.” Luigi mutters, cheeks still flaming from Dr. Toadly’s assessment.

“Very well, what ails you then?”

Luigi physically shakes off the previous topic and wrings his hands together. “My magic, it isn’t fire like Mario’s.”

“I see. Fire magic is the most common, but not the only type.”

Luigi rubs his hands on his legs and then thinks better of it. “I can shoot lightning out of my hands.”

Dr. Toadly blinks several times before standing to examine Luigi.

“My word, Luigi! That’s exceptional. Having a natural affinity for lightning magic is very rare and highly sought after. Kingdoms used to get into wars just to have a lightning user on their side.”

Luigi shakes his head. “This isn’t a good thing! I almost burnt down the forest out back near mine and Mario’s house. I just got a little angry and then my hands started sparking and I couldn’t stop and then the whole forest looked like it was going to go up in flame and if it hadn’t been for my water gun it would have and—”

“Luigi! Breathe, please. You’re going red in the face and starting to spark.”

Luigi shakes his hands quickly like he would if they were wet, but starts hyperventilating. “See! This is what I mean! I don’t know how to stop this!”

“Which is why you’re here. I just need you to take a few deep breaths first.”

“But I could catch something one fire again and then—!”

“You won’t so long as you b r e a t h e, Luigi.”

Luigi focuses on Dr. Toadly’s face as he forces himself to stop hyperventilating. 

“That’s much better. And look,” Dr. Toadly gestures to Luigi’s hands, “you’re not sparking as much.”

Luigi marvels at the fact as he twists his hand in front of his face. 

“Now to fully get rid of the last of those pesky sparks, why don’t you hug yourself?”

“Why?”

“You’re now an electricity wielder, meaning you are now both a conduit and you can also stand in as a grounding rod. Now I’m not telling you to go around storm chasing, but getting electrocuted has a far less likely chance to kill you. Your own magic also can’t kill you, which works out given how unwielding lightning can be.”

 Luigi looks at his hands and then his forearms. Gently, he places his still sparking hands on his arms and watches the sparking go away instantaneously. 

“It worked! So can I control it?”

Dr. Toadly laughs. “Oh no, no, no, stars no. You can’t control lightning magic any more than you can capture lightning in a bottle.”

Luigi winces and slumps into himself. “I’m going to end up killing someone.”

“Hardly. If you don’t want to, you won’t.”

“You don’t know that!” Sparks come from Luigi’s hands and he sits on them. “See! The littlest emotion and I start sparking. I’m going to get someone killed.”

Dr. Toadly goes quiet for a moment and then presses a firm hand to Luigi’s boot.

“Luigi, lightning magic is dangerous. I will not lie to you. There is a possibility that someone could get hurt, but someone could get hurt just as easily wielding fire magic. And a literal toddler could handle that.”

Luigi sniffs at the memory of Jr.

“But lightning magic takes such a high affinity because the universe likes to make sure it won’t end up in the wrong hands. At least, that’s what us toads believe.”

“I’m not as special as the universe thinks I am.” Luigi mumbles.

“Luigi, you quite literally have a storm inside you. One that’s only going to get stronger and bigger as time passes. I wouldn’t be surprised if one day your whole body is electric.”

“What?!”

“That’s how powerful I believe you’ll get in time.”

“I don’t want that! I want to be able to control this. That’s the whole reason I’m here.”

“As a doctor, I can offer you a potion that would dull your abilities, but I can’t in good conscience recommend it.”

“Why not? You said I can’t control this.”

“No, but you can learn to guide it. You can learn to channel it.”

Dr. Toadly adjusts his glasses again and sits back down on the stool across from Luigi.

“You will never gain the control you so wish to have. The sheer nature of electricity simply refuses it. However, I believe with time and practice, you can learn to stop sparking so often. The only reason you’re doing so much now is because of your fear.”

Luigi gives a frustrated sigh. “I’m always scared, Dr. Toadly.”

“Perhaps, but does that fear always feel life or death in day to day situations? If so, please tell me so I can give you something for—”

Luigi waves a hand. “No, it’s not.”

“Then you can tell the difference between when you’re in danger and when you’re not?”

Luigi nods.

“Your fear of your lightning powers is pinging as life endangering, which in turn is making them respond to protect you. Lightning magic on the whole is very good at defending.”

“It is?” Luigi whispers.

“Yes. In time, you and your brother will be even more of a dangerous team than you are now. You just need to let your brain know that your lightning magic isn’t a threat. Because, to reiterate, it’s not.”

“How do you know I won’t hurt somebody?”

“Because you don’t want to. You would have to shoot someone with lightning with the intention of hurting them to do substantial damage. Collateral damage will never be life threatening. It will just cause a toad’s spots to temporarily change color and a goomba to walk backwards for a brief amount of time.”

“Huh?”

“Do humans not have a way of reacting when they’re struck by lightning?”

Luigi chooses not to mention how most humans die.

Dr. Toadly hums through the silence and then snaps his fingers. “Well then what about when lightning is about to strike?”

“Our hair stands on end.”

Dr. Toadly taps a finger to his chin. “How interesting! Well, anyway. Every being has some response to lightning and most every being will have the instinct to steer clear of you when you’re releasing some lightning to get into a calmer head space.”

“You want me to shoot out lightning?"

“Just every other month or so. Your body will naturally accumulate electrical energy, so it’s important you disperse it intentionally instead of letting your body make the choice for you.”

“What happens then? Will I hurt someone!?”

Dr. Toadly shakes his head. “No, Luigi. I promise, the only people you’ll be able to hurt with this magic are those you intend to.”

“But what if I’m really angry? Or scared?”

Dr. Toadly smiles. “Then you’ll see something exceptionally interesting depending on where you are. Like I said, every being has a way of responding to being struck by lightning, but they also have a reaction of the right before. If you do it in a crowded enough room, everyone will react differently.”

“Dr. Toadly,” Luigi sighs exasperatedly, “what do you think will actually happen with my powers though?”

“It’s hard to see you getting to that point, but if I had to guess, touching you would lead to static shock, your eyes will start glowing and sparking, every step you take will be lighting and lightning will drag from your hands too. It’ll be quite the scene.”

“Will it hurt them?”

Dr. Toadly’s lips press into a thin line. “Someone like you or Mario? No. It won’t hurt a koopa or goomba either. But us toads, shy guys, ninjas, kongs, lumas and yoshi’s might have a harder time.”

Luigi sighs in relief.

“Does this mean you don’t want the potion?”

Luigi opens and closes his palm a few times. “You really think I can learn to control, or um, handle it myself?”

Dr. Toadly smiles. “You are a force to be reckoned with, Luigi. I hope the stars shine kindly on whomever may forget that.”

This time Luigi laughs. “I’m just Weege, Dr. Toadly. But thank you. I think I’ll try to handle this on my own then.”

“I’m always here.”

Luigi steps down from the examination table. “Oh yeah, what happens if my body makes the choice for me?”

“You won’t realize you’re basically the epicenter for an electrical storm until after the fact.”

“Good to know! I won’t ever let that happen then.”

-

Luigi could see Daisy move in his periphery to try and stop him, but she flinched back at the last second.

“Greenie—” Bowser places a hand on his shoulder and snatches it back just as quick, “shit!”

Mario’s hands are aflame. “Don’t do this bro.”

“Riprenditelo.”

Mario hardens his stare. “No.”

Luigi gets so close that Mario has to look up at him.

“I’m not taking back the tru—”

“I’m going to punch you in the face now.”

Mario scoffs and shakes his head. “See? You’re really in the palm of his,”

Mario doesn’t get to finish as he’s knocked halfway across the room. On account of Luigi’s fist finding a temporary home in his brother’s face.

“Mario!” Peach gasps and her high heels start clattering towards him.

Luigi’s shaking and then he notices his shaking hand is still full of static charge. He grounds it by putting his hands in his armpits as Mario is stumbling back into a stand.

Mario finds his footing and slowly brings a hand to his nose.

Luigi sees the sheer rage in his brother’s eyes as his white glove gets smeared red.

Peach is talking to him, asking if he’s okay, but Luigi’s known his brother long enough to know he’s not listening.

He never does once they get going.

Though, in the past it was always Mario roughhousing a little too hard that would lead to a real fist fight that Luigi would lose.

It’s odd to be the instigator.

But not odd enough for Luigi not to block his brother’s sprint jump from hitting him square in the face.

“Mario!” Peach and Daisy call out.

Luigi sweeps his feet under his brother’s legs while Mario is still distracted trying to get to his face. Luigi then gets on top of him and starts punching Mario in the face as much as he can.

Mario is punching and kicking to try and get Luigi off to no avail. It’s not until he lands a blow to his stomach that Luigi wheezes and Mario bucks him off, only to land a strong right hook to his jaw.

“Luigi, Mario, stop!” Daisy calls, grabbing for Mario’s shoulder.

Luigi doesn’t let Mario keep him pinned for long. He punches his brother hard in the ribs and watches the wind get knocked out of him before Luigi is on top once more; too disoriented to fight back, Mario takes hit after hit and blow after blow.

Mario uppercuts him but it’s not enough to get Luigi off.

“ENOUGH!” Bowser pulls at Luigi, but it’s still not enough.

Mario’s still punching all the while Luigi is holding onto him, even as Bowser starts tugging.

“Stop it!” Peach and Daisy have to pull on Mario collectively just to separate the brothers.

But Luigi has longer legs. He kicks at Mario and lands a few more hits until Bowser has him completely lifted in the air.

“Enough Luigi, stop it!”

Luigi can hear the heavy panting in his ears as Bowser turns him so they can make eye contact.

“Please, green bean. Stop.”

Luigi keeps his fists clenched for a moment longer until red eyes make him relax.

Bowser sets him down and Luigi wipes at his face and then runs out of the castle.

He needs some air.

“Luigi!”

He doesn’t stop.

Daisy can chase him. He doesn’t care. He needs to get out of that room.

-

Bowser looks at Mario as the short man wipes at his face and holds one of his ribs before standing on his own. He brushes off Daisy and tells Peach that he’s fine in that language that he and his brother share. 

Daisy only spares one more glance in Mario’s direction to make sure he doesn’t keel over before running off after Luigi.

Bowser’s first instinct was to follow the green twin, but he stamps down the instinct so that he can talk to Mario.

“I don’t know what got into him.” Mario pauses and then grits his teeth. “No, I do.” Mario glares at Bowser and Bowser watches Peach do a very familiar eye roll.

It’s odd that it’s not directed at him, but he doesn’t care about the princess or the faces she makes anymore.

“Look, red, you can be upset and glare at me all you want. I do not give one flying fuck, but you not listening to your brother? I do have a problem with that.”

Mario scoffs and storms up to Bowser with more gusto than he should have for a guy that just got his ass handed to him.

“Stop talking like you know my brother better than me. You don’t.”

“No? Really?”

Mario seems stunned by Bowser’s obvious and blatant sarcasm.

Bowser sighs and drags a hand down his face. “Look short stack, I don’t like you, you don’t like me. That’s fine. We’re civil enough with each other that we don’t have to call in the bomb squad every time we interact.”

“If you start dating my brother, that all changes!”

“No, it doesn’t.”

Bowser can practically see the steam coming out of Mario’s ears.

“Whether you want to believe it or not, there’s. . .” Bowser hesitates as he realizes he never confirmed what he and Luigi are, “there’s a spark between us. If you push for Luigi to ignore that spark, he’s only going to come to me more. Before long, he won’t want to trust you at all and will stay in any relationship, even if it’s harmful, because it’s better than the alternative of going to you.”

“Ha!” Mario jumps up and is at Bowser’s eye level for all of two seconds. “You admit that you won’t be good to him.”

Bowser swallows a growl.

“Mario, let Bowser finish.”

Mario sputters at Peach’s words and Bowser continues on.

“The fact that even your girlfriend isn’t defending you should be your wake up call, red. You get so caught up in what you think, what you believe, what you care about that you don’t think about anything else. In your attempts to protect you end up hurting.”

Mario scoffs. “You would know.”

Bowser leans in close. “Yeah. I would. You however, shouldn’t. If you care about your brother as much as you claim, you should have listened to whatever he said and then supported him if he was wrong. Jumping the gun and telling him he was wrong from the start? Saying you hate me more than you trust him? Your words say one thing but your actions say another. Someone real smart is showing me the difference between the two matters. If your actions don’t align with your words? Well, you’re better off not sayin’ the words at all.”

Bowser turns on his heel and starts walking in the direction where Daisy and Luigi ran off to.

“I wonder who taught me that.” Bowser glances back just once to make sure that his words have sufficiently sunk in and then keeps walking towards the door.

To his surprise, neither Mario or Peach stops him.

Bowser, King of Koopas, is walking freely and without supervision in the mushroom kingdom. It’s enough to make a toad faint.

Bowser couldn’t care less. He just wants to find his, hopefully, boyfriend. Which thankfully doesn’t take nearly as long as he thought it would. The second he steps outside he hears toads gossiping about Luigi crying and running towards the gardens.

Bowser makes sure that he isn’t seen so that he doesn’t have to deal with a bunch of screeching toads in his ears.

No need to sound off the toad alarm when he’s not even here for them.

Despite what many may believe, Bowser can actually be pretty quiet if the situation calls for it. By no means is he light on his feet, but he can take slow measured steps so that he’s not stomping all over the place. He usually doesn’t bother because . . . well, why should he? But times like this make him grateful for his ability to slow down and take his time when necessary.

Bowser is even more grateful as his quiet steps reveal loud sobs.

Luigi is crying and it breaks Bowser’s heart.

Bowser frowns and then looks around for the desert princess who was supposed to be out here cheering Luigi up.

“I knew you’d find him.”

Bowser has to literally force himself to stay put so that he doesn’t alert Luigi to his presence from the fright Daisy gave him.

“You nearly scared the boo outta me! What the heck is your problem?” Bowser hisses.

Daisy violently shushes him and puts a hand to his lips.

They both turn their heads to Luigi who is still crying, none the wiser to the two people watching him.

Bowser sighs in relief and Daisy nods.

“You should go talk to him.”

Bowser patiently waits for Daisy to say something actually helpful like “make sure Mario doesn’t come out here” or “prevent toads from seeing Luigi” or something else he should actually be doing.

Daisy turns his head and Bowser blinks at her.

“Are you waiting for a royal invitation? I said go talk to him!”

Bowser scoffs and then rolls his eyes. “I get it, you don’t trust me either. I’ll just stay here and watch for Mario and the toads. Go talk to Luigi instead of making fun of me.”

Daisy’s face pinches in such confusion that Bowser half worries she won’t be able to relax her face ever again. She then takes a deep steadying breath and curls a single finger down towards her.

Bowser obliges and bends down so they’re closer to eye level.

“I’m going to say this one more time. Go talk. To Luigi!”

“He doesn’t need me. He needs you.”

“No, what he needs is for his brother not to be such a thwomp head, but since that’s not going to change in the next 10 seconds, he needs comfort from somebody. Who’s the best person for the job? Oh! I know! Maybe the guy who he stood up for repeatedly and clearly cares deeply for. Maybe he should go comfort Luigi.”

“You’re his best friend." Bowser reasons as calmly as he can in the face of his growing agitation.

“And you’re the koop he wants to date him! Go do one of the things that partners are supposed to do and comfort him already. I should not have to spell this out for you!”

Bowser swallows and looks back to where Luigi is still sobbing.

“How do you know he won’t want you?”

Daisy searches his eyes and for the first time in a while Bowser recognizes how blue they are. They’re just like an oasis. Distantly he wonders if all humans have blue eyes or if it’s just the four he’s intimately familiar with.

“I don’t know that he wants me. But nobody has been listening to Luigi except you apparently. So, listen to him again. If he wants me, he’ll ask, but I still think you should try.” Daisy looks at Luigi and her face softens. “He deserves someone who looks at him the way you do.”

“What do you mean?”

Daisy gives a small laugh. “You look at him like he’s worth more than any super star, power up, or gold in all the worlds.”

Bowser feels his cheeks warm to a concerning degree.

He clears his throat and rolls his shoulders but doesn’t discount Daisy’s observation.

Here’s hoping she’s right.

Bowser walks over to Luigi still minding his volume until he’s only a few feet away.

He runs a hand through his hair as he thinks about the best way to go about comforting the green clad man.

Luigi sniffles and rubs at his face. “Go away, Daisy. I’m not,” he sighs, “I don’t want the bright side right now.”

Bowser takes two more steps until he can practically sit on the bench.

“Daisy, I’m serious. Ti prego. Non posso in questo momento.”

Bowser sits. “Good thing my name ain’t Daisy then.”

Luigi startles and looks at Bowser with big watery eyes. “Bowser!”

Bowser feels his heart clench and he wants to go back into the castle and punch Mario in his stupid face.

“What are you doing here? I-I thought you were still in the castle.”

“Yeah, well, I couldn’t let you leave and not follow. I didn’t want to be in there any longer than I had to be.”

Luigi looks at the floor and his lip juts out like he wants to start crying again.

“I’m so sorry. You never should have been here. You never should have had to deal with any of that.”

“Me? Me?” Bowser turns slightly on the bench to face Luigi better and then tilts the smaller man’s face up towards him by the chin. “Luigi, the person who was being most disrespected in there was you.”

Luigi shakes his head. “But Mario was saying all those horrible things about you!”

Bowser chuckles. “So? You think I care what red thinks?”

Luigi blinks as if the idea had never even occurred to him.

“Greenie, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Okay?”

Luigi nods slowly.

“Mario could say a hundred mean and terrible things about me and it wouldn’t be half as bad as the gossip column in my kingdom. My name gets dragged through the mud at least once a week and that’s not even counting all the stuff people say behind my back when they think I can’t hear them.”

Luigi looks horrified. “You don’t deserve that!”

Bowser shrugs. “Maybe not, but I’m a king. People are always going to be gossiping about my life. I don’t let it bother me anymore.”

Luigi frowns and then grips his pant legs.

Bowser watches as a spark starts and then fizzles out.

Bowser cups Luigi’s cheeks this time and Luigi leans into it. Bowser doesn’t bother suppressing a purr. “However,” Luigi looks up at the sound of his voice, “it does bother me when the people I care about are bothered.”

Luigi closes his eyes as Bowser brushes his thumb over the apple of Luigi’s cheeks and brushes away a stray tear. 

“I may not care about Mario’s opinion, but you do.”

Luigi swallows and curls even closer to Bowser.

Hesitantly, Bowser encourages Luigi to sit on his lap and rest his head on his palestron. To his surprise Luigi complies easily.

“I just,” he starts faintly, “Odio il fatto che non si fidi di me.” Luigi shakes his head. “We’re brothers. If he’s supposed to trust anyone no matter what, shouldn’t it be me?”

Bowser purses his lips.

Luigi wipes roughly at his eyes as more tears start to fall. “I know you’ve done bad things in the past. I’m not stupid.”

Bowser winces at that.

“But I also see what you’re doing now in the present! You help out other races, you encourage small businesses to open in the darklands, you’re doing trade with the other kingdoms and you’re the picture of good sportsmanship as of late. I don’t know if the old Bowser would have done any of that stuff without some underlying reason of hoping it would get Peach to like him.”

He’s not wrong.

“But you are doing those things and you’re doing them just to do them!” Luigi takes a shuddering breath. “Non è giusto. Shouldn’t he trust me?”

“He should. He should listen to you. You’re worth listening to.”

Luigi stops sniffling and looks up at Bowser.

“Trusting that people can change isn’t naive or whatever other bullshit Mario might have put in your head. I think it’s one of the bravest things you can do.”

Luigi squints. “Who are you and what have you done with my Bowser?”

Bowser feels his face gets warm at the use of ‘my’ before his name, but brushes it off with an overconfident smile. “Yeah, yeah. But I’m serious, Luigi. It’s hard as a koopa’s shell to believe that people can change. It proves you’re even kinder than I thought you were.” Bowser leans down and blows steam onto Luigi’s neck. “Which I personally find incredibly sexy.” He rumbles softly.

Luigi gets red in the face at Bowser’s words and looks away. “Mamma mia.Sta flirtando con me.” Luigi mumbles.

“Damn straight I am.” Bowser smirks.

“You know what I said?!”

“Something about flirting, which I am.”

Luigi covers his face with his hands.

“Bits and pieces of that italian of yours ain’t so hard to figure out once you start paying attention. And, well, we all know how good I am at observation and listening.”

“Stalking should not count as flirting.” Luigi murmurs.

“You’re still red in the face, aren’t you?”

Luigi squeaks. “Bowser!”

Bowser leans back but lets himself rub his snout in Luigi’s hair just briefly. 

Actually, where is his hat?

“Grazie, big Bowser. But um, I understand if you don’t want to deal with. . .” Luigi gestures to the castle, “that.”

Bowser snorts. “This isn’t my first time dealing with Mario being a thorn in my side. He isn’t going to stop me from making you my boyfriend.”

Luigi looks at Bowser with owlish eyes and Bowser feels his flame pipe get so hot he has to cough out smoke.

“If um, ahem, if that’s something you would like.” Bowser back tracks hastily.

Luigi wrings his hands together but keeps eye contact with Bowser. “That’s something I would like very much.”

Bowser lets out a sigh of relief. “Oh thank the stars. I mean! Ha! Yeah, who wouldn’t want to be my boyfriend?”

Luigi giggles and Bowser can feel his tail wagging.

“You two are adorable.”

Luigi jumps so hard that he ends up clutching onto Bowser’s face.

“Oops! Sorry Lu.”

“Va bene.”

“Greenie.” Bowser works out with his snout practically being forcibly shut.

Luigi looks down at Bowser and quickly climbs off.

“Sorry, sorry!”

Bowser and Daisy both chuckle. 

“It’s all good bean pole. I’m glad you realize I’ll be able to protect you.”

Luigi blushes and Daisy snickers.

“You can’t both tease me!” Luigi protests.

Daisy pats his head and then puts his hat on it. “But it’s so easy.”

Luigi fixes his hat and gives a small thank you to the orange princess.

“Wait a minute. How long were you listening to our conversation?”

Daisy smiles devilishily. “Don’t worry about it.”

“That’s concerning.”

Daisy dismisses Luigi with a wave of her hand. “No it’s not.” She sits down on the grass in front of them. “What is concerning however is how little I know about what got you two together. Spill!”

Bowser turns his head and starts whistling. Luigi starts humming purposely off key.

“Hey! Don’t ignore me! I wanna knooooowwwwww!”

-

Mario is still in stunned shock long after Bower’s left the room.

Peach feels for him, she does, but at the same time. . .

Peach looks to where Mario is still opening and closing his mouth like a cheep cheep.

“Mario?” She tries gently.

“I can’t believe it.”

Peach understands the sentiment. While she knows Bowser is more than capable of making sense and having wisdom, it’s always odd to see it in person.

“I know.”

“I can't, I just can’t.”

Peach nods and places a hand on his shoulder. “I know. But he makes a—”

“Where does he get off lecturing me!”

Peach wants to throw her crown across the room and leave Mario to his stupidity.

“I mean, trying to say that I don’t care about my brother? Chi si crede di essere?!” Mario starts pacing. “I have to protect Luigi, even if he feels like I’m not listening to him! That’s my job.”

Peach drags a hand down her face.

“I know he can take care of himself. Of course I know that. I’m his big bro! I was the first person to know that!”

We’re you? Peach thinks mildly.

“I mean, have you seen all the things he can do?”

Peach doesn’t bother answering the rhetorical question.

“And he’s a frickin’ genius! He doesn’t need anybody saying that.”

“He could stand to hear it more.” Peach murmurs as Luigi’s words ring in her head again.

Hole in that plan, fratello, we all know you would choose Peach.

Mario keeps rambling.

“Mario” Peach calls softly.

“Plus! He’s subdued King Boo plenty of times! Sure he may have done it while he was shaking like a leaf, but that proves all the more how brave he is! You know, since he was scared and did it anyway. The definition of brave!”

“Mario.” Peach calls louder, feeling an eyebrow twitch.

“Nobody should be able to say anything about how I treat Luigi except him because he’s my brother and if he told me something about myself, I’d listen!”

“So why didn’t you!”

Mario startles and looks at her.

A long time ago Peach might have cleared her throat and apologized for such an un-princess like outburst. But Peach isn’t so young and doesn’t bite her tongue as much as she used to.

So she waits as a stunned Mario gains his bearings and when she gets bored of that, she moves to the balcony. Her favorite spot to have tea in her tea room.

Eventually Mario moves to follow her.

“Mia cara principessa, cosa c'è che non va?” He whispers once he meets her at the balcony railing. “Talk to me.”

Peach gives him a hard glare and he flinches back.

“Mario, I agreed to do this with you to play mediator. To make sure that Luigi heard what you had to say—”

“Yes, and you did!”

“And,” Peach continues briskly, “to make sure you heard what Luigi had to say.”

“I did hear him. I heard how crazy he was being!”

“You’re doing it again.” Peach responds calmly.

“Doing what?”

“Not listening.”

Mario sputters and Peach sighs.

“Mario, you just gave a whole list of reasons for why you trust Luigi; why you think he’s brave, smart and capable. All of these things that would make anyone happy to hear and yet. . .”

Peach lets her eyes wander over to her garden where she spots a green shell.

“And yet?” Mario murmurs, clearly pouting even though Peach isn’t looking at him.

“And yet everything you said in that room contradicted those words. When it mattered the most, you failed.”

“I didn’t!”

“You did, Mario.” Peach turns to face him. “This is probably the biggest proof of trust the two of you will ever have to face. Not knowing if the other will save you from falling off a cliff, not knowing that the other will always pick you up when you fall, not knowing that there’s always someone that has your back. It’s the little things. Like this. Like trusting that Luigi knows what he’s doing.”

“But it’s Bowser.” Mario says for what feels like the millionth time.

“And it’s Luigi.” Peach presses back.

Mario flinches.

There's silence.

“Why do you feel like you have to protect him from specifically stuff like this so badly?”

Mario sighs. “Because I promised I would.”

Peach feels her eyebrows raise at the admission. “You promised who? Luigi?”

Mario shakes his head and sighs, sitting at the little table outside.

Peach joins him and rests her hands on his. “Who did you promise then?”

“Mio mamma.”

Oh. Of course. Things are making sense now at least.

“When we were still young, me and Luigi would always sit with our mamma while she did things. Most of the time we would end up asleep, but it was nice to spend time with her together like that. It was before she and Luigi started to spend time mending clothes, cooking, baking and dancing together.”

Peach almost thought she sensed a hint of jealousy from the slightly older twin, but it was only nostalgia and grief.

“Me and her did things too, don’t get me wrong, but this was before all of that. Before we started taking turns with her. When Weege would fall asleep before me and she would comb her hands through my hair.”

Mario took off his hat and combed his hands through said hair.

He didn’t put it back on and Peach stared at the hand stitched M on the front.

“One day she asked me to do a favor for her. Well, it was more of a promise but she said it was a favor. She told me to always look out for Luigi because people were going to think that his big heart made him weak.” Mario scoffs. “I thought that was stupid then and I still think it’s stupid now. But she said that I needed to protect him because of that. Because people were always going to think he was naive for being trusting.”

Peach feels like something is missing from that promise, but she stays quiet nonetheless.

“So I’ve always tried to make sure that nobody takes advantage of Luigi and his big heart.”

Peach hesitates briefly before speaking.

The way he’s framing it. . . but surely not? “Did,” she starts, “did your mother think he was weak because of his big heart?”

“No!” Mario nearly stands in indignation. “I just told you that we both thought he was strong!”

“You didn’t actually. You said your mother told you to protect Luigi because of his big heart and that you thought it was stupid other people would think that Luigi wasn’t brave because he was kind.”

“Er, well. I meant to say our mom always thought he was strong. That we were both strong. Just, um, in different ways.”

Peach folds her hands. “Then why would she tell you to do the opposite?”

Mario furrows his brows. “Non capisco.”

“I don’t either.” Peach gives him a small smile.

“Why did you say that my mom asked me to do the opposite of what she said?”

Peach sits up straight. “From what I’m gathering, your mom knew that people were going to think Luigi was weak because he was always kind and tried to look out for others even when it might get him hurt. Because he always saw the good in people. Right?”

Mario nods.

“But then she turns around and has the same prejudice that she knows other people are going to have? Treating Luigi’s strength as a weakness? I don’t understand.”

“No, that’s not what she did. I’m, she wanted, she said.”

“She asked you to become the exact reason that Luigi needed protecting in the first place. That doesn’t make sense with the stories the both of you have told me about her in the past. Why would she have you do that?”

“She wouldn’t! She thought Luigi was strong. I remember because she would always remind him whenever he would get bullied. She would tell him that he was strong and not to close his heart from people who told him that he was—”

Mario goes so still to the point where Peach fears he’s not breathing.

“Mario?”

He still doesn’t move.

She gets up to wave a hand in front of his face and when that doesn’t work she snaps her fingers.

“Mario? Talk to me, what’s wrong? You just froze.”

Jerkily, like his head isn’t on quite right, he turns his head towards her, horror in his eyes.

“Ho davvero combinato un bel pasticcio. Cazzo. Fuck!” Mario stands and grips Peach’s shoulders tightly. “I’m so stupid! This whole time I’ve remembered wrong.”

Mario grabs his hat and then climbs onto the balcony.

“Wait, Mario!”

“I can’t, Peach, I have to apologize to Luigi!”

“But!” Peach can’t get out more than that as a red blur volts over the banister and onto the ground below.

Peach sighs. “I was going to tell you to just take the ladder.”

Huffing, Peach pulls up the ruffles on her dress and then climbs the ladder down.

“By the time I make it down, hopefully he’ll have just stumbled onto Luigi. Always leaping before he looks.” Peach wants to be exasperated, but she feels a fond smile form on her lips.

-

Luigi hears him before he sees him. Or maybe he feels him. Something about twintution that the kids on the playground used to say.

Luigi used to wonder if it was real. He didn’t think so. Could it really be called intuition if you just happened to spend all your time with the other person because you had no choice?

“Luigi!”

Luigi rolls his entire head, suddenly feeling exhausted and lets out a deep sigh.

A firm hand rests on his knee. “We don’t have to let him find us. You know I’m always just for a good round of hide and seek.” Daisy encourages teasingly.

“I think Daisy’s right.” Bowser smirks. “That ain’t a half bad idea.”

Luigi smiles at his friend and boyfriend(!!), but shakes his head.

“No, he’ll hunt me down to the end of the world. It’s better to face him now.” Luigi stands and fixes his hat. “I should apologize for the beating I gave him anyway.”

Daisy frowns. “He hit you too.”

Luigi winces. “I’m pretty sure I broke his ribs, Daisy.”

Bowser gives a low whistle. “I knew you were strong, Lu, but damn.”

Luigi fights down a blush as he sees Mario round the corner.

“Um, can you guys give us some space, per favore e grazie?”

Daisy and Bowser look at each other but nod.

Mario finally sees them and starts rushing over.

“Of course, Luigi.” Daisy calls. “Some of us actually listen when you speak.”

The dig does what it’s supposed to as Mario shrinks in on himself.

Bowser stares at the two of them for a moment longer before disappearing as well.

The two brothers stand awkwardly in front of each other.

“Look, Mario I’m—”

“No,” Mario shakes his head. “You have nothing to apologize for.”

“But I—”

“I deserved it, Lu. You should have punched me more if we’re honest. I’ve been a real idiota.”

Luigi frowns. “Cosa intendi?”

Mario runs his hands through his hair in a way Luigi hasn’t seen in a long time.

Nervous remorse.

“What did you do?”

Mario sighs and points to the bench that Luigi had been sitting on just a few moments prior.

Mario sighs and Luigi watches him sit down as if he’s got a bullet bill on his shoulders.

“I made a promise a long time ago.” Mario looks up at him. “To mamma.”

Luigi feels his eyebrows shoot up. “To do what?”

“Something I horribly misremembered.”

Luigi gives a single chuckle. “You always have trouble remembering the finer details.”

Mario gives a strained smile. “I do. That’s what’s caused all of this actually.”

Luigi sits down next to his brother and then crosses his legs under him.

“This whole time I had remembered that mamma always asked me to look out for you and protect you from people who thought you were weak.”

That’s fair.

“But that’s not what she asked me to do.” Mario rubs the back of his neck. “She said those words, but I misunderstood. She didn’t ask me to protect you from people who thought you were weak because you were, she meant to protect you from people who thought kindness was weakness. Who didn’t see that strength in being kind. She wanted me to protect you from people that were going to try and dim your light in order to make you ‘stronger’. She never wanted me to protect you period. She always wanted me to look out for you and watch the people who you associated with.” Mario gives a self-depreciating chuckle. “I was supposed to protect you from those who were going to try and make that light inside of you go out and yet,” Mario shakes his head and looks to the ground, “I became one of those very people.”

Luigi is stunned. He has no idea what to say.

It makes sense of course, in a broad sense. Mario had always seemed so adversarial to anyone that Luigi tried to talk to. As a kid it would confuse him. Mario would say he thought Luigi was strong, but then turn around and do all sorts of things that showed he wasn’t.

His actions were misguided but his heart was in the right place.

“Sei uno stupido.”

“Sì, lo so.”

“But you’re also my brother. And while you’ve definitely given me a complex, you did also make sure my light never went out. In a round about way, you kept your promise.”

“But I did it in such a terrible way.”

Luigi laughs. “No, Mario, in no way am I forgiving you yet.” Mario scratches his cheek and looks away. “But I’m not actively angry anymore. You thought I was about to get with someone who goes against all the work you’ve been trying to put in. I can’t be upset with you for that.”

“No?”

“No. Upset that you don’t trust me? Yes. Still very upset about that.”

“I do trust you, fratellino.”

“Allora dimostralo. Let me date Bowser without any more complaints.”

Mario looks like he’s swallowed a lemon at the very idea.

“I’m serious, Mario. If you trust me as much as you say, let me do this without you breathing down my neck and if for some reason I’m wrong and this blows up in my face, not that I think it’s going to, you don’t get to say ‘I told you so’ either. If you can’t do that. . .”

“I can.” Mario rushes to say.

Luigi gives him a skeptical face.

Mario sighs. “Okay, I don’t know for certain, but I’ll try, because you’re worth it. Because you’re my brother and I trust you.”

Luigi punches him on the arm. “Ti voglio bene anch'io, fratello.”

“Forgive me?”

Luigi stands up and brushes himself off. “We’ll see.”

Mario wilts slightly.

“Okie dokie, the three of you can come out now.”

Luigi watches the hedges shake unnaturally and then hushed voices.

“I’ve known you were there the whole time.”

Peach comes out first. “We weren’t eavesdropping. We were being mediators in case another fight broke out.”

Daisy and Bowser both tumble out next with leaves in their hair.

“Speak for yourself.” They both mumble in unison.

“Grazie for looking out for us, Peach.”

Peach squeezes his arm and Luigi makes a mental note to make apology scones for her when they have their next tea time together.

“Can I hear the story now? Please?” Daisy begs.

“One second. Mario?”

Mario looks up, having been dusting himself off as well.

“Bowser is my boyfriend.”

Mario’s face twitches, but he nods.

“I’m going to date him.”

Mario’s hand twitches like it wants to clench into a fist.

“Because I love him.”

Bowser sparks, Peach coos and Daisy snickers.

“Do you trust me?”

Mario closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. “Yes,” it’s so strained Luigi wonders if he’ll be able to speak tomorrow, “I do.”

Luigi feels himself smiling so big it nearly hurts his face.

“Good.”

Quick as lighting, Luigi races over to Bowser, jumps in his arms and kisses him on the lips.

Bowser blinks rapidly.

Luigi smiles. “I’ve wanted to do that all day.”

“Nope!” Mario turns on his heel. “I trust you, but I don’t need to see all that.”

Peach laughs but goes to his side.

“I do!” Daisy chimes in. “I’ll watch all day if I get the story.”

Mario groans and Luigi knows that he’ll bring Mario around.

Bowser brings Luigi’s attention back to him and gives him a real kiss.

“I love you too, greenie.”

Or well, maybe it doesn’t matter.

Luigi’s happy either way.