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Chapter Text

Luigi exhaled softly as he hung his hat on the hook at the main entrance. At the very least, he was thankful that he had dried before they got home. However, he was still drenched in the guilt of ruining the first job for him and his brother. If it weren’t for him angering the client’s dog, then everything would have gone fine. Not even the smell of his mother’s cooking could cheer him up enough.

He greeted his family as enthusiastically as he could and sat down to join them for dinner. As he suspected, the first words out of anyone’s mouth were teasing and taunting over the plumbing business.

Just like every night, he struggled to get a word in, let alone food on his plate. 

But what hit him the most, was the comment from his dad. The moment Mario asked for his opinion, he already dreaded what would follow. “I think you’re nuts. You don’t leave a steady job for some crazy dream! And the worst part? You’re bringing your brother down with you.” 

If he were braver like his older brother, he would’ve slammed the table and defended Mario. He would’ve told off his father for never being supportive of him, and that he wasn’t being fair or giving them enough time to prove just how successful they could be.

But he wasn’t brave, and he certainly wasn’t his brother.

Instead, he had to watch as his brother left the table, frustration screwed into his face.

“I think you were too hard on him,” his mother gently pointed out. “The boys are still young; let them make mistakes!”

His father shook his head. “Mario can make his own mistakes. But he’s always dragging Luigi into it. You can’t spend your life following your brother around, doing whatever he wants.” The aforementioned paused when his father looked at him before taking a small sip of water.

He tapped his thumb repeatedly against the glass before finding the right words. “I-I want this too. I have as much faith in our plumbing business as Mario. He’s not- he’s not going to bring me down, Dad,” he managed to explain. 

The disgruntled exhale his dad let out was an all too familiar sound. “How do you expect to find a good man to settle down with if you don’t have a good, stable job? If you don’t have a real job, guys will think they can just walk all over you,” he claimed, waving his fork around.

“That’s not true!” He protested. With a heavy sigh, he pushed his hair back and got up from the table. Arguments never went far or in his favor, so he knew better than to keep going. Instead, he elected to take Mario’s untouched dinner and bring it to him. 

Sitting down on the side of his bed, he offered him the plate. “You know you can’t believe what Dad says, right?” He softly asked when his older brother rejected the food.

“I know,” Mario sighed. “But I just- I don’t know.”

“You’re not bringing me down, Mario. They don’t know anything!”

The older brother fiddled with the TV remote in his hand. “Yeah, but that’s not just it. Our whole lives everyone’s telling us; ‘you can’t do this, you can’t do that’. I’m sick and tired of it. Aren’t you?” Discarding the plate on the bedside table, he slowly nodded. 

“Of course I am. But- but we don’t have to listen to them, right? We’ll prove we know what we’re doing,” he encouraged with a small smile.

Suddenly, the words ‘breaking news’ flashed across the TV screen and Mario raised the volume.

There was a flood downtown; something was wrong with the sewer system. The more the newscasters spoke, the more Mario’s face lit up. “Holy crap, Luigi this is it!” He exclaimed, hitting his chest. “This is how we can prove ourselves! By saving Brooklyn!” 

Was the idea crazy? Of course, it was. But that didn’t matter; he’d always put supporting his brother before reason. How could he not?

-

He could barely hear his anxious thoughts because his heart was beating far too loudly. It was a miracle he and his brother were able to sneak into the sewers without getting caught. 

For the hundredth time, Luigi readjusted the toolbag on his shoulder. He trudged through the water, following his older brother to the edge. 

“We have to get to that pressure valve!” Mario explained over the rushing water. 

“Mama mia,” he grimaced. 

The drop below looked nearly endless, yet his brother didn’t hesitate to cling to the pipe and start shimmying himself across. With shaking hands, he followed after, each movement quick and terrifying. Thankfully, Mario reached the valve and some form of relief began to brush his mind. However, he couldn’t budge the valve wheel quickly enough and it burst off. 

Luigi yelped as the pipe they were both holding onto trembled before collapsing. He screamed in terror as he felt his stomach rise, his body swinging down. 

They passed through the waterfall, backs slamming into the brick wall and crashing through. He landed on his back, and the wind knocked out of him.

Through a small coughing fit, he propped himself up on his forearms and managed to sit up. “I knew saving Brooklyn was a bad idea,” he complained.

Mario, who was already up on his feet, offered a hand and helped him up. “Come on,” he encouraged, albeit with a slightly pestering tone.

They ventured down the newly discovered tunnel, which led to a large room. 

Well, 'room' was an understatement, to say the least.

What greeted the brothers was never-ending twists of pipes that stretched so far down, the bottom was hidden behind dust and a fog. Luigi only gripped the strap of his toolbag tighter, swallowing thickly.

“What is this place?” Mario breathed before following the staircase next to them downwards. The light bulbs around - which were miraculously still on - were too dim to see anything clearly, so they brought out their flashlights. Any pipe or valve had cobwebs clinging to them. But what was most curious to him was a large, green pipe. It looked like it went through the wall, so Luigi didn’t know what it was connected to, but it was just… sitting there. Open. What use would a comically large pipe like that have?

He flashed his light down the dark pipe, squinting as he took a few steps in. 

Then, the strangest thing happened.

He felt a tug on his body, pulling him further in. As if a gust of wind suddenly grabbed him by the overalls, beckoning him further in. 

And then it gave a harsh tug, and before he knew it, he was sucked in. 

In the blink of an eye, he was surrounded by a mirage of colors and lights, then it switched to a sky full of fluffy clouds, accompanied by a gorgeous glow of pinks and oranges.

If he weren’t screaming in confusion and terror, Luigi may have been able to enjoy the view.

The pull was still there, unapologetically dragging his body through what became an invisible tube with hints of a swirling rainbow around him. He desperately tried to steady himself, but in his state of shock, he couldn’t stop flailing his limbs. He cried out for his brother like he always did, but what if Mario didn’t see him go through? Did he even know what happened?

Thankfully, he caught sight of his red hat.

Luigi reached a hand out as his brother pushed further through the weird tunnel to get closer to him. 

The moment they clasped hands, a warm comfort washed through his body. 

And then they started spinning.

He used his other hand to grab onto his brother. “It’s all gonna be okay!” Mario attempted to assure him.

“How is it going to be okay?!” He wailed, the constant spinning generating a nauseous feeling to bubble up in his stomach.

“I’m telling you! Nothing can hurt us as long as we’re together!” 

For that moment, Luigi believed him. 

For that moment, he let himself feel safe, despite the overwhelming confusion and fear. He was lucky enough to have an older brother far braver than he who would always do what he could to protect him. Whatever was going to happen, they had each other, and somehow, everything was going to work out.

But then, there was a new pull, this one at his ankles. 

Accompanied by a clap of thunder, the sky around them went dark and Luigi was dragged into a different, clear tube, away from the safety of his brother’s arms. “Mario!” He helplessly cried out, trying to reach for him once more.

“Luigi!” In a flash, the first tunnel dragged his brother away, and he was sucked into a green pipe, surrounded by black clouds with pieces of magma clinging to the green color. 

Any part of him that had felt comforted was drowned out by a thick tar of dread and the feeling of hopelessness. 

Somehow, Luigi felt like he was doomed.

Chapter Text

Dirt, leaves, and fallen branches met Luigi’s cheek as he landed on the ground. Groaning, he sat up and rubbed his temple. As he readjusted his hat to sit properly on his head, he surveyed his surroundings. Fog blanketed the bare, dark trees and dead bushes were scattered amongst the rocky ground. Fear soaked into his skin as he stood up and brushed himself off. The only light he had was from the full moon above and small areas around him were glowing red, so he quickly turned his flashlight on.

“Mario?” He nervously called out as he began trekking on. “Where are you?” He finally saw what the red spots were.

Lava.

Luigi made a mental note to stay as far away from the little pools as possible. 

He nearly jumped out of his body as his long green sleeve got caught on a branch. When the first tug didn’t set him free, he had to try again a few times, pulling his arm harder. Finally, he yanked so hard that not only did his sleeve come loose, but he stumbled forward, nearly landing himself in a river of lava. Amidst his wailing and flailing, he managed to luckily land a foot on a floating rock and safely stagger to the other side, backing into a tree.

Unfortunately, the tree he hit was home to some odd-looking bats. The cloud of bats nearly ambushed him as they fled the hole and with a cried-out curse, Luigi hastily shielded his face. 

Once they were gone, he realized his flashlight went out. “I hate this, I hate this,” he whined, hitting it until it came back on. 

The further he walked, the more he wanted to find his brother. Hopefully, he could find another green pipe that had spit out his brother, but knowing his luck, Mario probably ended up somewhere completely different. Maybe he looped back into the city, or maybe he was in a peaceful field of flowers. 

His heart stopped as his light passed over something that resembled bones, but when he returned to the spot, it was empty. He jumped and the flashlight went out. There was no way he wasn’t losing his mind and going insane. Was it the result of him being incapable of being separated from his brother?

“I can handle myself, dammit,” he muttered, hitting the light a few times to kick the power back on. But when he looked up, he was face to face with a weird turtle monster skeleton. As it growled at him, he screamed and dropped the flashlight.

He bolted in the opposite direction, ditching his toolbox so it wouldn’t weigh him down. Once he found his brother and they got back home, they could buy new tools. But if he was caught, Mario couldn’t just go to a store and buy a new Luigi like he was a marketable plushie.

The plumber looked over his shoulder, terrified of how fast the monster may have been running. And because he wasn’t looking forward, he wasn’t able to catch the branch that collided with his stomach. For the second time since leaving his house that night, Luigi had the wind knocked out of him. He was sent flying backward and crashing into the monster. The monster, which if he knew the name would refer to it as Drybones, collapsed into a pile of immobile bones.

He scrambled to his feet, laughing in disbelief. His heart was still pounding with great fear, but he picked up the skull, taking back his hat which had landed on it. Luigi brushed off the dirt and looked at the lifeless eyes.

Yet as he began to wonder how long it would take him to find his tools again, the pupils in the Drybones’ eyes sparked to life. “Oh shit!” He dropped it and was unable to look away as the bones slowly returned to each other, bringing the monster back to life.

It slowly encroached on him again, and with a few steps backward Luigi tripped on a rock and fell. The ground rumbled around him as more of the skeleton monsters emerged, all seemingly hellbent on getting him.

Luigi scrambled to his feet and one of them grabbed his elbow. He ripped the arm from the turtle’s socket and threw it at another. “Leave me alone!” He wailed, running away once again.

Unlike the first time, he didn’t look back.

He kept aimlessly running, desperate to wake up from the nightmare, desperate for his brother to help him. 

“Where are you, Mario? I need you right now!” Luigi shouted. But the only response he got was the constant growling from the monsters chasing him.

Stumbling through the forest edge, he found a large, dark castle up ahead. But the bridge to it had collapsed into the lava. However, it was his only path.

Just be like Mario; don’t think, just go!

As ungracefully as one could manage, he slid down the side of the hill and landed on a chunk of bridge. If the burning hot lava or the monsters weren’t about to kill him, Luigi was convinced he was about to die by his heart leaping out of his chest. Sweat clung to his skin and made his layers of clothes more uncomfortable than ever but he had to keep moving. 

The Drybones were hot on his trail as he was struggling to open the large castle doors. And the moment he managed to crack them open he slid in and hastily tried to close them. Hands made of bone grabbed at his overalls and his face, but with his back, he shoved the door closed and kept it shut with a large plank.

Finally, Luigi let out a breath of relief so heavy he nearly collapsed to the ground. 

It occurred to him that he had just brought an army of angry creatures to someone’s home and let himself in without permission. 

Swallowing, he looked around the dimly lit castle. “H-Hello?” He nervously called out. “Sorry for the uh, the commotion and I’m sorry for barging in!”

His words echoed back to him.

Considering the broken bridge, he wondered if perhaps the place had been abandoned. “If there is anyone home, I mean no harm! I just want to find my brother and go home!” He continued, regardless. 

The adrenaline began to slip away from him and his knees buckled beneath him. Luigi let himself relax, even if it would be for just a moment. He sat on the cold floor, bracing his hands behind him and leaning his head back. “Just gotta- gotta catch my breath first,” he exhaled. 

Throughout the craziness, he hadn’t even noticed there was a storm brewing until he heard a rumble of thunder. When he was little, thunderstorms terrified him so much, Luigi could never sleep. And although the occasional roar of thunder would spook him, he was older, and not as much of a wuss as he used to be. Of course, after everything he had just gone through in the past few minutes, he was confident storms would never scare him again.

But then the lightning flashed, and he quickly learned he was not alone.

And he screamed.

Chapter Text

Princess Peach decided the group could rest for the night in a field of Fire Flowers. If Mario wasn’t so consumed in his thoughts over his missing brother, perhaps he’d have a chance to appreciate their beauty. Instead, he sat near Toad, staring at the hat in his hands. His thumb idly rubbed over the red brim, his gaze burning into the ‘M’. 

“Thinking about your brother?” The princess accurately guessed as she dropped off firewood. 

He sighed and looked up at her. “We’ve… never been apart this long,” he admitted. 

It never went unnoticed by him, how his father and his uncles chided Luigi for following Mario around all the time. But what never seemed to occur to them was the fact that Mario needed his younger brother just as much as Luigi needed him. 

He needed his comfort, his presence. No one understood him as Luigi did. He was his best friend, his only friend. If anything happened to him, well, Mario wasn’t sure what he’d do with himself if he had to live without his brother. 

The Mushroom Princess brushed off her hands. “Don’t worry, we’re going to save him,” she assured him as she turned to one of the Fire Flowers. Somehow, he found the ability to smile again. When her fingers brushed over the center, magic flooded through her arm to her whole body. Her pink dress became white with accents of red and her hair lifted into a high ponytail. As Mario stared at her, he couldn’t help but wonder, if she was the princess, why she looked so different from her people. 

With a flick of her arm, she shot a ball of flames at the pile of wood, creating a campfire. “You’re not from around here, are you?” He asked, affixing his hat and standing up. The plumber hoped having a conversation with her would be a healthy distraction.

“I don’t know where I’m from,” Peach slowly admitted. “Honestly my earliest memory is… arriving. Here.” She walked a little further from the camp area and Mario followed. He copied as she began gazing up at the starry sky. “I’m so lucky the Toads took me in. They raised me as their own, and when I was ready, they crowned me their Princess.”

Mario hummed. At the very least, he appreciated that more worlds other than his could experience the serenity of a night sky. He realized that it had been a long time since he saw so many stars. Because he lived in a city, the light pollution prevented him from seeing such a view every night. “Maybe you’re from my world!” He suddenly realized. After all, she certainly looked human.

Her smile stretched. “There’s a huge universe out there, with a lot of galaxies,” she softly pointed out.

He slowly nodded, though he liked the idea of the crazy coincidence of a beautiful princess like herself being from the same world as him. 

“Y’know, I can see why they made you their princess. You’re so brave and- and effortlessly perfect, you must be a great leader.” 

Much to his surprise, she softly exhaled through her nose and her smile faded. “I’m- I’m not as perfect as you may think,” she murmured.

“What do you mean?” Mario watched as she hugged herself, gripping her arms. As much as he wanted to take her hands and help her calm down, he wasn’t sure if she’d want him to, let alone if he was allowed to. 

She squeezed her eyes shut. “I lied to you,” she revealed, tensing her shoulders. “Remember when I said I completed that training course on my first try? It was the first try that the Toads saw. They had no clue I found out about the course the day before and spent the entire night practicing it until I had it perfect.”

It was Mario’s turn to frown. “Why’d you do that? Was it- was it a test or- why?” He dumbly asked.

“It was just more training. It wasn’t even some important test like how I made it for you. But I just- they have all done so much for me, and I knew they had - and still have - high expectations for me. I can’t let them down. The toads deserve a perfect princess and I want to give them that.” Determination was ablaze in her eyes, which may have been why Mario couldn’t stop staring at them.

“I don’t think anyone, across the universe is perfect. But, I think, to a degree, I understand where you’re coming from.” Princess Peach blinked, tearing her gaze off the sky to focus on him. “I know how it feels to want to prove yourself. My family thinks I’m an idiot for pursuing my dream. They think I don’t know how risky it was, but isn’t that part of living? Taking risks, and learning from your experiences?” The moment he finished, Peach placed a hand on his shoulder and gently squeeze.

He hesitated for a moment but reached his hand across his body to let it rest over her knuckles. “I wholeheartedly agree.”

Toad called from over by the campsite that food was nearly ready to eat, so the plumber suggested they head back over. But before he could move further than a few steps, the princess spoke up once more.

“Thank you, Mario, for talking with me. I feel so… lucky that the first human I meet understands me this much,” she warmly expressed.

His smile grew into something goofy. “You think you’re lucky, imagine how I must be feeling!” She giggled at his compliment and they finally returned to Toad.

As they were served dinner, and Toad began sharing some stories of his own, Mario kept stealing glances at Peach. He couldn’t wait to save his brother and bring him home, but he also couldn’t wait for him to meet her. I hope you’ll find her just as amazing as I do. Just you wait Luigi, I’ll get to you before you know it. 

Chapter Text

If it weren’t for the fact he was just kidnapped, Luigi probably would have enjoyed the hot air balloon ride. Maybe if his wrists weren’t bound by rope so tight he feared he’d lose circulation, he’d be looking over the edge, admiring the view. But instead, he was sitting with his knees close to his chest, fearing where he was going to end up.

The Shy Guys weren’t much for conversation with him, so he was given no warning before they stopped near the balcony of a castle smaller than the first one he found. His only signal was the one he guessed to be the lead man out of the three harshly tugging on the rope. He scrambled to his feet, following them out of the basket. If he wasn’t so terrified, he may have taken a moment to be in awe of the fact that they were on a floating island. 

His captors led him into the structure and through what seemed to be some kind of grand hall. There were statues on either side of the path of someone he had never seen before. The stone was cut into a fierce-looking turtle-like creature. A literal chiseled smile, and arm muscles so big Luigi doubted they were real. At least, he hoped they weren’t real. It wasn’t that the strange figure was inherently scary or ugly - quite the opposite in fact - but instead he was mortified that he had somehow pissed him off.

The rope was tugged again, reminding him that he wasn’t allowed the luxury to study the artwork. When he tore his stare away from the statues and looked forward, he realized he was about to face the real deal.

Much like the statues, the living, breathing creature had a spiked collar, with matching bands around his wrists and biceps. They bordered his scaly, muscular arms that could easily crush Luigi without so much as half a flex of a tendon. He had spikey, fiery red hair that stayed slicked back and a deep scowl buried in his face. His throne and the steps leading up to it were floating, and all rested in front of a wall of lava. 

The rope was yanked so harshly he tripped and fell to the stone floor, slamming on his right side. “We found him in the Dark Lands.” The Shy Guy leading him explained with a raspy voice.

As Luigi pushed himself off the ground, he heard a low rumble and realized the creature was growling at him. He yelped, sitting back on his knees. In response, the creature scoffed. “Leave him to me,” he declared, pushing himself out of the chair and taking heavy steps down the stairs. The Shy Guys all collectively shuffled out of the way.

Luigi leaned back, staring with wide eyes. The creature was far taller than he anticipated. By that point, his heart was about to escape through the confines of his ribcage. It beat against his bones, rattling his body.

Suddenly, the rope dropped from around his wrists. He glanced to his right and nearly jumped at the sight of what he could only assume was supposed to be a wizard. With a flick of the staff, Luigi was lifted into the air. It was a stomach-dropping sensation, that loss of gravity. Like when he was in the tube, only physics was burnt to a crisp in the lava. 

He was thrust forward in the air, closer to the creature. “What is your name?” He asked as he began to circle him. A claw touched his shoulder, gently spinning him around to follow the turtle creature’s movement. 

“Uh, Luigi,” he nervously replied. Though he wondered if he should have lied. Would it have been more dangerous to put on a brave face?

The smile on his captor’s face grew. “Well, I’m not sure if you know who I am. But I am Bowser, King of the Koopas. And I’m about to marry a princess and rule the world.” His claw touched his chest, slowly moving up and sending chills to pulse through his body. Bowser’s finger twisted around, so he could raise Luigi’s chin.

He opened his mouth but found it harder to speak. “Wow uh-” He awkwardly laughed. “Y-Yay.” 

“But, there’s just one problem, Luigi .” Bowser curled his finger, the side of which brushing against his skin. His scales were smooth and the movement of them was oddly nice. “There’s a human traveling with my fiancé. Has a mustache, just like you. Do you know him?” Despite the dangers of his claw, Bowser gently raised his claw to stroke his mustache.

Luigi couldn’t take his eyes off of his hand, waiting for the moment the somewhat comforting touch turned deadly. “N-No. No.” He firmly answered. 

His answer made the king laugh and pull his hand away. For the moment, Luigi finally felt like he could breathe. “Ah, a tough one, I see.” His toothy smile grew and his eyebrows narrowed. The gaze he burned into the plumber would have had him crumpled to his knees from the intimidation if he wasn’t magically suspended in the air. Like the statues, his newfound enemy wasn’t inherently scary, but there was no doubt he was royalty with his ability to command the air around him. 

“I’m telling the truth,” he insisted. Even if the compliment wasn’t meant to be one, it still boosted what little confidence he had. “I don’t know every human who looks like me, that’s ridiculous!”

Any amusement left in Bowser’s eyes slipped away as he suddenly grabbed him. He felt the magic dissipate from his body, but it was replaced with a tight squeeze from the scaly grip. “Do you know him?” Bowser bellowed, holding him close to his face.

Luigi wanted to deny it again, but the more Bowser clenched him in his large hand, the more he felt his lungs eager to collapse on him. “Stop, stop, I can't breathe, stop!” He hastily protested, whimpering as he struggled to take deeper breaths.

“Tell me.” 

Silently, Luigi apologized profusely to his older brother for being unable to be as brave as he would’ve been. He apologized for not having the strength to protect him. “Fine, fine! Yes, I know him, okay?!” Within an instant, the grip on him loosened enough to let him exhale. But the scowl on Bowser’s face didn’t ease up. “His name is Mario and he’s my brother,” he reluctantly explained, regretting each word he spoke.

“There is surely nothing to worry about, Sire. No mere human being could sweep a princess off her feet like you could.” The wizard spoke up.

“Mario can sweep anyone off their feet if they have good taste,” he immediately retaliated without thinking twice. Unfortunately, he was once again shown that trying to defend his brother never did him any favors, as Bowser huffed and tossed him to the floor. He rolled across the stones, groaning as he tried to get up.

“Kamek, get him out of my sight; send him to the dungeons! We’ll see how tough this Mario is when he watches me kill his brother !” Bowser boomed, instilling heart-dropping fear into Luigi. 

Kamek, who was the wizard, lifted him into the air again. His fight or flight reflexes were choking his nerves, but he was unable to act on his preferred choice of flight. He did his best to struggle, even if it was futile to battle against magic. With wide, desperate eyes, he watched as a new smile spread across Bowser’s face.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a wedding to finish planning.”

Somehow, amidst his panic, Luigi was struck with an idea. It was stupid, it was possible it wasn’t going to work at all. But, as far as he could tell, he already failed his brother, so he figured he had nothing left to lose. “Wait, did you say you’re not done planning your wedding?” He nervously asked.

Bowser raised an eyebrow. “Yes, that’s what I was about to do before you showed up,” he slowly and cautiously responded. He crossed his arms, gracing him with a moment to elaborate. 

“I’m um, not sure if you have a wedding planner, but where I come from, that’s what I do for a living! A royal wedding isn’t something to be taken lightly, as they’re so important!” The king motioned for his wizard to bring Luigi closer. He swallowed as he once again moved against his will through the air and back towards Bowser.

“Are you saying I can’t do it myself? Are you saying you can do it better than my Koopas?” He challenged. Once again, he grabbed him from the air, narrowing his eyes as he held him close. “What makes you think I can even trust you?”

Luigi dared to keep eye contact, despite the king’s stare threatening to crumple him. “If I could, I’d let my- my reviews speak for themself. Weddings are an extension of the people- the people who are getting married, s-so I like to get to know my clients, and help them seamlessly express their union with a beautiful ceremony!” For once he purposefully allowed his rambles to carry him away. The more he spoke, the more his false confidence grew.

Bowser looked over at Kamek and the Shy Guys still lurking around, then back down at Luigi. “Fine. You may plan my wedding. But don’t you ever think for a second that this saves you from your execution, Luigi.”

He nodded. “Of- of course! No doubt!”

Chapter Text

With a decisive thud, Bowser sat down on his throne, shaking the cage Luigi was thrown into. It was dangling in the air, leaving him at eye-level with the Koopa King while in his royal seat. The smell of iron was pungent and suffocating, but somewhat reminiscent of his plumbing work. The days when the job had Luigi stuck in a small, cramped room full of steam pipes twisted around each other in a way that made the valves difficult to reach. 

“So, Luigi. How does this process go?” The king drawled, propping an elbow up on his armrest. 

He cleared his throat, opening the small, pale yellow notebook he was given with a shaky hand. With the heat from the lava all around, he had left his hat and gloves discarded beside him, and the sleeves of his green shirt rolled up. “W-Well, like I said I like to- it starts with me getting to know my clients. Let’s start with some easy questions! What do you like? What are your hobbies, your interests?” Between his pointer and his middle finger, he rotated the pen he had back and forth, letting it hit his knuckles and the underside of his fingers.

It was interesting to him how Bowser furrowed his brows and let out a low hum. He kept his eyes down, searching for nothing. “Let’s see… I like the princess, I guess. I like my subjects. They’re loyal and… fun. I play the piano as a hobby. I do like games too, I suppose. Board games or racing games.” When he finished, he looked back up at Luigi. Instead of greeting him with fiery intimidation, he was carefully searching Luigi’s expression as the wedding planner wrote down what he was told. “Is that good?”

Luigi nearly forgot himself and had to stop from laughing. How could someone as intimidating and powerful as a king be asking him, a nobody plumber, for approval? “It’s a good start, yes,” he assured him. “Few things though. One, what colors do you like? I know white is like, the staple color for weddings, but this is a royal wedding, so it should stand out. What are the colors of your kingdom? Of hers? Also, what exactly do you like about Princess Peach? We can show that off through homages in the decorations!” Considering how easy it felt for him to ramble off the nonsense, a part of him began to wonder if he should look into wedding planning when Mario saved him. If his brother could even save him. 

He’s gotta be looking for me. I know Mario and he won’t rest until he knows I’m safe. But I can't be saved if I’ve rotted away in a dungeon or if I’m executed the moment Mario appears. 

“Yellows and reds are good.” Bowser decided, regaining his focus on his task. “I like that Princess Peach is pretty, and a good ruler. She’s confident and strong, as any good royal should be.”

“Great, I can definitely work with this!” Through enthusiastic nodding, he wrote notes in his planner, reminding himself to figure out sometime soon how to be creative and artsy. “Now uh, tell me more about yourself.”

The Koopa King sat back on his throne. “Like what?” 

He shrugged. “Just… talk about yourself. Shouldn’t be too hard, right?” He gently encouraged him. Once again, the same expression washed over his captor, only he looked far deeper in thought than before. Luigi couldn’t help but be baffled at the idea that someone so seemingly evil wasn’t overly egotistical to the point where he would never shut up about himself and his achievements. Instead, he was staring in awe as a giant, burly monster tried to figure out how to describe himself. 

It was kind of cute.

As much as the sudden thought left him temporarily concerned at the possibility he could have been developing Stockholm Syndrome at record speed, Luigi forced it all to the back of his mind. He had to focus if he wanted to maintain his lies.

“What do I say? About myself?” Bowser asked once he finally seemed stumped with the question. 

If Bowser behaved the same when Luigi first met him, then he wouldn’t have felt so timid. He assumed the king was always that foreboding and demanding. That he always carried himself with a level of confidence and snark that Luigi would only see in other people and never feel in himself. It was nice to know someone as daunting and powerful as Bowser could have simple troubles of his own. Somehow, that made it easier to speak, and somehow it let him relax his body.

“How about I tell you about me and my life? Maybe that would make it easier for you!” He offered with a tone so genuinely cheerful he thought someone else was speaking for him. When he was given a small nod of approval, he took a moment to think about where to begin. “Let’s see… I’ve spent my whole life in Brooklyn. It was where I was born and it’s where I still live. For a while, I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew I wanted to be like my brother. We ended up finding work together, and although it was a good, stable job, it wasn’t the right fit for us. Mario convinced me to quit with him and we started our own plumbing business. Before I ended up here, we were just getting started with it. Of course, I’ve had my wedding planning gig as a second job, because that’s always been more of a freelance thing. Oh! Whenever someone asks me ‘What’s your favorite food?’ I always say, ‘Well, what’s Ma cooking for dinner?’ because everything she makes is my favorite.” He actively tried to avoid mentioning his brother for once, because if he wasn’t careful he’d be rambling for hours about Mario. But the moment he mentioned his mother, a sinking feeling anchored his stomach into a deep bit in his gut. 

He found himself swimming in reminders of his hunger for something other than the Koopa food. How much he missed the smells of his home. He missed waking up or coming home and determining what he was about to eat based on the mix of spices and sauces he could smell floating around the apartment. 

Determined to not get too emotional in front of Bowser, he focused on what he could smell around him.

Charcoal, fire, metal, and Bowser himself.

“Well, I recently conquered a new kingdom. That was fun!” Bowser brightly commented. “I was crowned king as a teenager so I’d like to say I brought some youth to the kingdom.” He began to chuckle as he sunk into his throne. He laughed in a way that Luigi guessed he was trailing off down a path of memories and jokes that would leave the fake wedding planner completely lost if he ever found himself on the road.

Luigi scribbled a few more things down. 

“And… What else? I never had cooking from my mother, but the royal kitchen staff has always been great! My father was the one who taught me how to play piano. Sometimes I write songs but I like plucking notes and such.” The more he spoke, the bigger the smile on his face. He scrawled down his notes and ideas of finding out if he could somehow contact the kitchens to see if they knew what meals Bowser requested most often to have served. 

Of course, there’s also the princess. Maybe having a peach cake is too on the nose. Do they even have peaches here? He also considered asking the magic guy if he could enchant the piano to play parts of Bowser’s pieces or if they could hire a pianist to do it. But, the magic option sounded cooler. 

Suddenly, his cage was lifted and dropped, rattling him and spiking his fear. 

“Sire! How goes the planning?” Kamek asked as if Luigi’s thoughts summoned him. To announce his entrance he had jostled the small prison. 

Bowser sat up straight, his smile shrinking. “It’s going great, I think! Is it?” He looked at the plumber with genuine curiosity.

An invisible force took hold of his overalls and tugged him closer to the wizard. “This wedding is going to be the most important creation of your life. If it does not live up to the standards we have set, the staple piece will be your head,” he threatened. Luigi would be trembling if his body didn’t feel so paralyzed. Figures that once he thought he could see himself settling into the weird sense of normal, he was brutally reminded of his inevitable doom. 

“That’s enough, Kamek.” Bowser snapped. “Leave us.”

A heavy sigh crumpled his shoulders when he was set free. He fumbled to pick the notebook back up and took a few deep breaths. Don’t break down, don’t break down. He pleaded with himself enough to keep himself as calm as he could be with shaking hands.

“I think we’ve covered enough for today. You can rest.” The king assured him before pushing himself off his throne and leaving him.

Luigi could only stare after him, finding himself holding onto a small sense of appreciation for getting Kamek off his back.

Chapter Text

When Luigi first woke up, he didn’t have enough energy to be fully conscious. The cage wasn’t the most comfortable to sleep in, and his hat made for a terrible pillow. So when a scaly, clawed hand gently picked him up, all he could acknowledge was how warm it was and let his eyes close again. The hold on him wasn’t nearly as tight or terrifying as the first time the day before. He leaned his cheek into a finger while he was brought down to the ground. The moment he was delicately placed on a fluffy pillow, he lost consciousness completely.

-

At first, Luigi was convinced he had dreamt Bowser carefully carrying him. He thought he made up the pillow as a pathetic hallucination, a desperate attempt to feel more at home.

But when he sat up with a yawn, he realized two things.

One; it wasn’t his imagination. The cage was gone and he was next to Bowser’s throne.

Second; his wrists were bound again, but other than that, no restraints were keeping him by the throne.

Of course, he wasn’t an idiot. He knew better than to run off right away. It was a large, floating ship. There would be nowhere to go. 

Looking around, he found his notebook and read over what he had learned the day before. 

If I can’t figure out a weakness, then at the very least, I should stay on his good side. Maybe if I can make this wedding look good, I’ll get a chance to see the princess! She would have a plan, right?

Booming footsteps alerted him out of his thoughts.

He sat up straight as Bowser approached the throne. In between two claws, he held a small plate of food that Luigi once again couldn’t distinguish. Whatever it was, there were three of them, around the size of dumplings or really large meatballs. They were a light, almost white yellow with what he assumed to be a green leaf with four pointed leaves on top.

“You are going to see where the ceremony will be taking place,” Bowser explained as he handed over the plate. 

Luigi slowly nodded, setting down his notebook in favor of accepting breakfast. When he bit into the food, it had the same texture as biting an orange slice, but it didn’t have that citrus taste. Instead, it resembled something more akin to apples. Regardless, it was tasty, and he wolfed down all three.

After he ate, he collected his notebook and followed the king as instructed. 

He was led outside and had to squint his eyes, the bright sunlight giving him a small headache. “So here is where the princess will walk down the aisle.” Bowser brought him down to the end of the balcony. “And here is where we will be wed.” Although he was smiling, Luigi wondered if grooms should be more excited.

Maybe he’s upset because my brother is with her? Mario is with the princess, right? That’s what it sounded like was happening at least. 

“Well, the carpet for the princess to walk down, depending on the skill level of whoever will be making it, could have a base of white, but have a flower print that fades from pink flowers to red to represent the union of the two kingdoms, seeing as from what you told me the mushroom kingdom and yours use red in your kingdom colors,” he began to ramble, circling the idea he had written down. “Of course white chairs on either side, maybe a floral archway here for you two to stand under?”

Bowser nodded along. “I’ll see what I can do to make all of this happen.”

Pursing his lips, Luigi checked earlier notes. “Oh, uh, what kind of music will be playing? Do you know yet?” He highly doubted the other world he was stuck in had its own version of Richard Wagner to have composed Bridal Chorus. When he looked up at the king, he found his eyes lighting up.

“Actually, I’ve been working on a piece myself! Would you like to hear?”

“Absolutely!” He answered before he could think twice. It was a rather exciting idea, once he realized he was being led back inside and to a different room. Music, especially self-composed, could be a window into Bowser’s mind. Although he knew wedding music wouldn’t help him too much, Luigi hoped he’d learn something regarding what made the Koopa King tick. Anything to get him to spare his brother when he arrived, and him too.

The room itself was - not to his surprise - as intimidating as any other room. Stone pillars with spikes wrapped around above the base in a similar fashion to the cuffs Bowser wore. Walls of lava falls kept the room sweltering hot.

A floating staircase that defied any sense of logic, no step connected to the other. They all led up to a floating platform lined with spikes. It was just big enough to support a grand piano and a stool, with barely enough space to walk around the whole instrument.

Bowser started walking up the steps, but he was terrified that taking the first step off solid ground would lead to the smooth rock tilting and dropping him to his death. 

Three steps up, the king looked back and found him hesitantly inching towards the step. Before he could say anything - if he could even find the words - Bowser used his thumb and forefinger to gently wrap around his torso under his arms and lift him. 

Swallowing thickly, Luigi clung to his scales and forced his eyes to stare at the piano. The gentle hold was familiar, giving him a sense of deja vu that someone only gets when they experience an event in a dream before they do in reality. 

Once they reached the piano, he was placed down on the wide bench, and with a creak, Bowser sat beside him. 

“This is what I’ve been working on. For the wedding,” he quietly explained. 

When his claws began to dance over the keys, Luigi could only stare at his hands. A beautifully sweet melody floated through his ears. The soft, bright tones wrapped around his body, entangling him in ribbons of music notes and the plinking of old piano keys. 

Yet they began to tighten, constricting his breathing when Bowser’s playing began to slip into something more somber. The facade of a happy tune kept weaving between the minor notes and half-steps, but Luigi couldn’t keep up with it. Was Bowser upset because of Mario? Did he even realize how sad his music sounded?

Before he could comprehend his actions, Luigi found himself touching Bowser’s arm. Since his wrists were bound, his other arm was uncomfortably pulled across his body. 

The Koopa King slowed down the song and looked down at him. “Is it bad?” He asked the insecurity in his voice something so new and bewildering it broke the invisible restraints around Luigi. 

He blinked a few times and pulled away to wipe his eyes with the back of his hands. “No, it’s- it’s beautiful. But it sounds… sad.”

A heavy sigh was pushed out Bowser’s nose. “Yeah, I… that happens sometimes. I guess. I don’t mean for it to, I mean, what do I have to be sad about? I’m going to marry a princess. Rule the world.” Luigi stared up at him. What could he say? Should he say anything? It was good to see his doubts, because that was what he wanted, right? But he couldn’t just be an asshole. It felt awful to see him look so confused. His face was starting to scrunch up, his eyes drifting back to the keys, clearly avoiding Luigi’s gaze. 

“Y-You know um, I play a little. Why don’t we- I could play with you? If you don’t mind. It’s been a while but I think I can still improvise,” he nervously offered. 

Without responding, Bowser helped take the ropes off him and let them fall to the ground behind the stool. Luigi idly rubbed his wrist for a moment before flexing his fingers and brushing over the keys. 

Bowser started to play the happy tune again, and at first, Luigi only added one or two higher notes. It didn’t take long for his piano lessons to come back to him and his confidence began to grow. When the song began to tread into more dismal waters, he created a happier harmony. 

They quietly played together for a few measures, until he snuck a glance up at Bowser. To his surprise, he found the corners of his lips curled up. He was smiling. “I… Luigi, to be honest, I’m enjoying your company much more than I thought I would. In such a short time, I’ve found that having you around is more enjoyable than, well, anyone else I’ve had working for me.”

“Really?” He exhaled. For once, his shoulders relaxed. 

The king shifted to face him. “If this wedding planning works out; I could hire you. I’ll give you a real place to sleep, and you can be my Royal Event Planner!” His excitement was contagious, but Luigi couldn’t hold onto the positive energy.

“W-We just met yesterday and you’re really considering hiring me?” He laughed in disbelief. “I never thought someone whose- who is royalty would appreciate me so much.” The small smile on his face faded away as he looked back at the black and white keys. “But… what’re you going to do to my brother?” 

He couldn’t look at him. He couldn’t help but fear he made a big mistake by asking about him and reminding Bowser of what made him so angry. 

But then the king let out another, small sigh. “I want to kill him. I want to execute him at my wedding. But you’re not him, Luigi. I understand better than anybody that your family doesn’t define who you are.” He never turned his head so abruptly. 

“What do you mean?” Luigi responded without missing a beat. 

“My father was a more… serious king. He was stern and harsh and even his subjects feared him. Although I too enjoy striking fear in the hearts of my enemies, and in my endeavors of conquering kingdoms I’m accomplishing what he could have only dreamt of, I don’t enjoy leaving my subjects in constant fear. I like throwing parties and having fun. If someone needs to be reminded of who I am, then of course sending them cowering in fear is the right decision. But I do not want to be seen as just a carbon copy of my father. That is not who I am.”

Luigi intently listened to his monologue. Unlike before, he purposefully reached over to touch his arm. Finally, Luigi felt like he had a clear understanding of what he was meant to do to help Mario. 

Either he had to convince Bowser to not murder him, or he could feed into his doubts on the marriage and convince him to leave the Princess alone entirely. Although he couldn’t help but feel guilty, he couldn’t sit by and risk losing his best friend.

“I completely get not wanting to be like your dad. And it would be an honor to one day work for you.”

Chapter Text

If there was anything Lugi could come to a decisive conclusion about, it was that Bowser could pretend to be as intimidating and threatening as he wanted, but at the end of the day, he wasn't that bad at all. Sure, he wanted to take over the livelihoods of countless, rule over them all under his crown and no one else's, and sure he wanted to force a princess to marry him, but besides that, he was still… Bowser.

Originally, the king wasn’t going to throw another party until after he successfully proposed to Princess Peach. But word quickly reached Luigi through Koopas running around the throne room setting up a party that apparently Bowser wanted to impress someone. 

It didn’t take a lot of thought for Luigi to realize who that someone was.

To further prove his point that Bowser wasn’t that intimidating, it was his second night as a ‘prisoner’ and he was already free of any restraints. He still stuck with his spot by the throne, as he wasn’t too sure where else to go. If anything, he felt somewhat like a pet with his designated pillows. 

When Bowser returned to the throne room, although the subjects bustling about were wary of standing in his way, none of them seemed terrified by his presence. Luigi found himself smiling as he remembered their conversation. 

His booming footsteps echoed through the ground and when he looked at the wedding planner, he flashed a toothy grin. “Trust me; this’ll be great!”

“I’ll trust that!” He cheerfully agreed, fiddling with the corner of his notebook. Somehow, Bowser’s smile grew. 

And Luigi thought it was cute.

Blinking, he opened his book to have something else to stare at. He gripped it as he tried to reason with himself that finding a king hellbent on killing his brother cute was the worst decision he could ever make. What would Mario say? Hell, what would his family say? 

As if I could be any more of a disappointment.

His family was more vocal about their disappointment in Mario. His older brother always had the higher expectations and therefore was looked down on more when he never met the impossible standards. 

But when it came to Luigi, there were never any expectations to begin with. Except, of course, to not be a potential failure like his family assumed Mario was going to be. 

No one assumed he would achieve anything great and even though he learned to live with it, that didn’t make it hurt any less.

A familiar melody popped into his head, easing the thoughts tormenting him. 

The piano playing he and Bowser did together earlier that day. 

His grip on the book eased and his body relaxed. “Are uh, are you going to play more piano for the party?” He asked, slowly looking back up at Bowser.

“Nah, it wouldn’t fit.” 

“Oh. Well, could um, could I hear you play again sometime?” He closed the book and held it in his lap.

Bowser’s eyes widened. “Yeah! Of course, you can! If you’ll play with me, that is.” His grin tightened Luigi’s chest more than his grip when they first met. 

-

The party did look like a lot of fun.

Whichever Koopa was DJing did better than any DJ Luigi had at functions back when he was in school. And unlike his school days, he didn’t feel so out of place. Which was funny considering he was the only human there. 

Bowser was smiling proudly, tapping his hand on his armrest to the beat of the music, watching his subjects drink and party for him. The faux wedding planner was glad to be up with him rather than with the crowd. He enjoyed watching everyone have fun, and seeing how they interacted with each other. 

“So if you end up working for me, you’ll be able to throw more parties like this one. If that’s your style,” Bowser explained, raising his voice over the music.

He looked up at him and flashed a smile. “I think that’d be fun!” 

The king opened his mouth but didn’t add on. Instead, he looked back to the crowd and relaxed in his chair. Luigi also refocused on the party and dared to let his mind wander back to Mario, because if he didn’t think about his brother, then his thoughts would become overcrowded with Bowser.

What was Mario up to? Was he trying to find Luigi? Maybe he was close, maybe he’d make it to him before the wedding. Then they could go home, and Luigi could stop thinking about Bowser.

He wouldn’t have to hate himself for enjoying his smile and his music. He could focus on growing his business with his brother, and proving to their family that Mario wasn’t dragging him down, but rather helping him grow.

Luigi wondered if his family was looking for them. Did they even suspect they were missing, or did they assume they left willingly? Maybe his father regretted diminishing their dreams. Then again, his father was never one to show remorse or regret for anything. 

If Mario somehow rescued him, maybe then his father would be proud of him. Saving Luigi and himself from certain death certainly couldn’t be beaten. Of course, Luigi had to come to terms that no matter the outcome, his father wasn’t going to be proud of him. He was spending his time kidnapped - was he even still technically kidnapped? - and was starting to fall for the person who wanted to kill his brother. 

Shit, no don’t think like that. You’re not falling for Bowser. You can’t be, that’s stupid.

Finally, he forced himself to completely focus on the people partying and think of nothing else. Three koopas were having a drinking contest. The one on the left finished his drink first but the one in the middle tried to cheat by spilling some out and was caught. 

When the song switched to one with lyrics, a group of Koopas began belting the lyrics completely off-key, but they looked passionate about it. Luigi heard Bowser humming along behind him and gripped the book in his lap. 

-

By the time the party was over, Luigi was so mentally exhausted he was more than ready to sleep. But he stayed awake, as soon enough the only people left in the throne room were him and Bowser. 

Slowly, the king began to descend the steps. 

He looked at Luigi as he passed him, once again visibly struggling to find the right words. He wasn’t sure what to say either. Was there anything he could say, to make whatever he was contemplating easy to say? 

But then Bowser left.

And the plumber was alone in the throne room.

Chapter Text

Bowser was a lot of things.

He considered himself to be a fun guy, charismatic, confident, and a great leader. 

What he never stopped to realize was that he could get very, very anxious.

It was the day they were set to arrive in the mushroom kingdom. He was going to get down on one knee and ask for Princess Peach’s hand. Then everything was going to be right. 

But he couldn’t help but think of how it could all go wrong. 

What would be the right thing to say, to convince the Princess that they belonged together? Hell, he still had yet to convince himself of that too. But that was a problem he refused to voice to anyone.

An unsure leader was an untrustworthy leader.

However, what he did voice was his concerns to Kamek over finding the perfect speech. Maybe if he knew what he was going to say, then it’d ease some of the uncertainty brewing in the pit of his stomach. 

Unfortunately, it quickly became a stupid idea.

No matter what he said or how he changed his wording, Kamek would spout praise after praise.

“You’re not helping!” He finally lashed out after his fourth attempt. “This doesn’t- this doesn’t feel right!” Frustration was bubbling up in his chest, threatening to erupt. But, what made it feel not right? If anything, Kamek was being truthful. Bowser would propose, and Peach would say yes. 

Something felt off though.

He’d be an idiot to deny the chance that she didn’t say yes right away. What if Luigi’s brother got into her head? Could she be swayed away? 

“Sire?” Kamek spoke up. “Shall we try again?”

The king shook his head. “I need someone less biased than you.” I need someone I can be more honest around. But do I even know anybody like that? Of course, before he could even finish the thought, Luigi popped into his head. Somehow, it was just so easy to talk to the wedding planner. The lack of previous opinions on him might’ve helped. Maybe Luigi knew magic that helped Bowser feel calmer around him. 

Admittedly, he felt guilty for how he treated Luigi when he first arrived. But as his father’s words, the king needn’t ever apologize for anything. 

“Fetch Luigi to take your place.” He declared.

-

When Kamek appeared out of thin air in front of Luigi, his stomach instinctively dropped. Hundreds of horrid scenarios flashed through his mind as he clutched his notebook. 

“You are needed in the presence of the king,” Kamek declared. With a wave of his wand, Luigi’s clothes morphed. 

He yelped in surprise, looking down to find himself donning a pink dress, a little too big to sit right on his shoulders. His hat was replaced by a blonde wig, and when he reached up to feel what the extra weight was, he found the shape of a crown.

“Am I… dressed like the princess?” He dumbly asked.

The royal wizard provided no more answers. Instead, he used his magic to lift him into the air and brought him from the throne room.

He was taken to a smaller, circular room carved into the stone. On a smooth platform in the center was Bowser. Luigi pursed his lips to prevent the smile attempting to creep on his face at the sight of his white top hat and purple bowtie. 

All things considered, the king looked rather dashing.

Luigi was plopped down onto a plush, velvet chair and Kamek left the room. The steel double doors slammed shut behind him, making him jump.

For a moment, Bowser only stared at him. “So… you’re practicing your proposal?” Luigi softly guessed, gripping the seat cushion.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m uh- just give me your honest opinion. Pretend you’re Princess Peach,” he instructed. Though he sounded far more nervous than Luigi ever expected from him.

He swallowed thickly. “I don’t- I don’t know how to be like the princess.” After all, he had never heard of her until Bowser brought her up the first day. 

“Then… just be you I guess.” 

It was a simple phrase. One that could be easily tossed aside by anyone who carried an average amount of self-confidence. But for Luigi, it was something that meant more to him than Bowser might have intended. 

He shifted forward on the chair and nodded at the Koopa King.

Clearing his throat, Bowser crouched before him. “Well ah, here we are, Princess. Let’s rule the world, together. Forever. Will you marry me?”

Luigi pursed his lips. “You want me to be honest, yes?” He clarified. When Bowser nodded he hummed. “Well, there’s not… much there. Proposals are declarations of love. You… love her, so you should let her know.” He explained as he picked at the pink fabric of his dress. 

“Right- right yeah. But I don’t- I’m…” Bowser’s eyes slowly drifted down, his voice trailing off. It was hard not to feel bad for him as he was seated front row to his dilemma. 

The plumber fought back the urge to reach over and touch his head. “Just speak from the heart. Tell her how much you love her,” he earnestly suggested.

Bowser looked up at him and deeply inhaled. “Okay.” Rolling back his shoulders, he delicately lifted Luigi’s hand with a claw. “Princess Peach. You and I are both leaders. We’re both strong rulers who keep the best interest of our people in our hearts. And I believe the best thing we can do for our subjects would be to unite our kingdoms. We will be revered as great leaders.” Blinking, Luigi figured that was fairly good. Better than what he heard first. However, it didn’t feel like a confession of love. But before he could reiterate that point, Bowser continued. “You are so… charming. I never feel like I have to be someone else around you. There’s never been anyone in my life that I’ve felt so at ease to talk to. For the first time in my life, I feel my eyes opening. I want to be with you, not because I have to, but because it’s what I want. If it’s more stars you want, I’ll find them for you. Whatever it takes.”

As he monologued, Bowser kept moving closer to his face. Luigi gripped at his claw- a futile attempt to keep himself grounded.

Foolishly, he was swept away by his sweet words, deluding himself into thinking that for the first time in his life, someone was confessing their love to him. It felt real and it felt good. 

His heart pounded, echoing through his body as he leaned forward to meet Bowser. 

Any rational thought had long since faded away.

Luigi’s eyes fluttered shut as he kissed Bowser. He didn’t expect him to be so gentle and so sweet. Delicately, Bowser held his hand and Luigi melted against him. 

But their dreams couldn't last forever, and Bowser pulling away brought him back down to reality. "Luigi I- we shouldn't- if I made you-"

With his free hand, Luigi touched his jaw, feeling the smooth scales. He still had yet to remember how to breathe. "You don't have to marry the princess," he gently pointed out.

"I- I don't love her. I don't- I don't want to marry her." Bowser's eyes were wide and he leaned into Luigi's hand. 

"Then don't," he insisted. “You don’t need to marry her, you don’t need to kill my brother. We can talk-”

Bowser instantly rose to his feet, knocking his hand away. “Right, of course!” He snapped. “You’re just a human who only cares about saving his brother. I can’t believe I let myself believe otherwise!” Pushing himself out of the chair, Luigi pulled the stupid wig off.

“That’s not true! I care about you too, Bowser! I-” He stopped himself from finishing and stared at the wig in his hand.

Right, I’m dressed like the princess. He didn’t mean that kiss, did he? I just confused him, and now he hates me.

He flinched when Bowser called for Kamek to take Luigi to the dungeons. “Bowser, Bowser please,” he started to beg. 

“I don’t want to hear anything else from you,” he spat. “You don’t know me like you think you do. I’m marrying the princess, and any prisoners in my dungeon will be sacrificed to celebrate.”

His stomach dropped. Kamek appeared and suspended his body in the air, the wig dropping to the ground. “You don’t mean that,” he whispered.

Bowser looked away, his frown cemented on his face. “Put him in a cage, and get rid of that ridiculous outfit.”

He begged for him to let him go. He begged him to talk to him. But no matter what Luigi cried out, the king wasn’t answering, let alone acknowledging his presence as he was brought out of the room.