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The plan was simple. Clearly, the princess found human forms more approachable, so what better way to get into her good graces than to have Kamek perform some transfiguration magic. Simple, in theory. Complex in actual practice. While the magikoopa’s powers were formidable, they weren’t unlimited. He had a maximum of six hours before the form began to weaken and he’d start reverting back to his normal scaly self. That and there was the added difficulty of modifying his human form’s hair and eye color in addition to all the careful size adjustments. After all, if a red-headed, red-eyed, eleven foot stranger showed up at an invitational soiree out of the blue—guess who? Hmph. He couldn’t be that obvious. So, they’d settled on dark hair and amber eyes. He’d arrive the night of her royal summer ball. Announce himself as a king from a faraway remote island kingdom to the west and spend the evening schmoozing up to her.
Unfortunately, however, even the best laid plans encountered unexpected wrinkles. Mario being in attendance he’d expected, but he hadn’t planned for the little meatball to be at her side the entire time. Grrrah. So much for schmoozing. Maybe he could catch her later for a dance on the dancefloor…Regardless, this night had gone from exciting and new to the same old boring routine. Him trying to find any excuse to peel the princess’s attention off the plumber. Bowser surveyed the buffet table, sniffing a couple things before deciding he wasn’t particularly hungry. Even in this human form, the toadstools and other folks were leery of him. Suited him fine. He didn’t really feel like talking to them anyway. He found himself an out of the way spot by the base of the stairs where he could observe the room. Everyone was so…cheerful. It made his failures feel sharper and more pressing. Seemed, yet again, his foolproof plans had gone bunk. The toads on the landing above at ballroom’s entrance were loudly announcing all new arrivals. He only half listened. Surprisingly, however, more than one of the visiting royals paused to greet him. He introduced himself perfunctorily the same way he had to the princess earlier. They expressed mild interest in his kingdom. He kept his answers vague and easy to remember, carefully turning conversation back their way and letting them do most of the talking. At least some folks found this form more approachable. It was a small consolation, true, but it made him feel a little less idiotic for thinking this could work. Who knows? Perhaps he could make a bit of progress before the night was through.
A different loud and ear-bleedingly cheery voice from the top of the stairs got his attention. His brief conversation with his King Frigis halted and they both turned to look up at the Sarasaland princess, looking very pretty in a formal orange ballgown. The rest of the room also hushed, turning toward her.
“Pre-senting: his awesomeness, Mushroom kingdom hero Luigi!”
Two high heeled shoes stepped out on the landing from beneath the arched doorway, followed by a beautiful, sparkling skirt of green flowing leaves. Bowser’s eyes widened, slowly traveling up the form of the gorgeous, slim gown to exposed neck, to the carefully painted face and lined eyes. He stared. Luigi’s eyes were softly closed, white gloved hands wringing themselves, nervously. The king watched the slim chest rise and fall in a slow, deep breath. Everything was very quiet and still.
Bowser rubbed his eyes and looked again. Time slowed down as he watched the human at the top of the stairs shifting nervously. Green looked ravishing. How had he never noticed? It was like he was staring at a complete stranger…and yet…he wasn’t really. The face, the cheekbones, the lean shape, even the dress itself felt all Green all the way. He’d just never even spared the man a closer glance. He was an idiot.
Luigi stepped forward to the railing and finally gathered enough confidence to look down into the crowd. Mario shattered the silent reverie, burst out laughing, and called up:
“What bet did you lose, fratellino?”
“Mario!” Peach chided, sharply.
“What?” The plumber’s smile hadn’t faded, “He doesn’t wear—” his voice died when he looked again and saw utter devastation on his twin’s face, but by then it was too late. Others were laughing now, piling on the poor younger brother.
“Heheh, yeah! What do you think you are, a princess?”
Choruses of snickers rose at that. A film of tears gathered in the green plumber’s eyes. Bowser was paralyzed by whiplash. Wait—what? His faux amber eyes scanned the roomful of jeering smiles and pensive forced stoicism. King Frigis was one of the only other people in attendance openly frowning.
“Ha! He’s even wearing makeup.”
“H-hey—” Mario tried to tell them to lay off, feeling like the biggest heel in the entire world when someone else called out—voice cutting loud and clear above the murmurs and rudely not-quite concealed giggles and pointing fingers.
“They should give out a prize: ugliest belle of the ball!”
Bowser felt a sinking and infuriating helplessness, forced to watch as Luigi’s heart well and truly broke. The human tore down the stairs so fast and hard the heel snapped off one of his shoes and he slipped, bumping down the stairs, landing in a cartoonish heap of skirts at Bowser’s feet.
Frigis and Bowser both moved forward while all around them heartless spectators laughed. Frigis’ voice was gentle.
“Luigi—”
The koopa in human form’s chest tightened when terrified, wounded eyes slid, embarrassed, off the Penguin king and met his. He bent down and easily scooped Luigi up, setting the man back on his feet, but with the broken heel Lu was still lopsided. They were surrounded by unkind whispers, sneers and jokes at Luigi’s expense. Bowser’s flames roared in his chest. What the shell were these pathetic losers fucking talking about?! Green was beautiful!
Before he could even ask if the man was okay, Luigi had gathered his skirts and run out the door into Peach’s royal garden sobbing.
Without so much as a farewell to King Frigis, Bowser found himself taking off after the younger Mario brother. He lost the trail at the center fountain and looked around. There had to be a clue somewhere. Aha! One perfect high heeled shoe and one broken one, abandoned at the top of the stairs leading down into the lower courtyard. There were footprints in the grass beyond. Bowser followed them all the way to the edge of the long pond, where there—collapsed beneath the weeping wisteria hanging from the gazebo above—was Luigi. Bowser moved as quietly as he could, all the way around to make sure Luigi didn’t see him coming until he stepped out on the stones lining the rectangular water feature in front of the human.
Luigi heard footsteps and peered through the tears long enough to make out two black formal dress shoes. He did his best to stifle his sobs, wiping his eyes free of streaky makeup.
Bowser held out a hand.
“May I have this dance?”
Lu’s huge blue eyes looked up, reflecting what felt to Bowser like every star in the sky. How had he never noticed before now how cute Mario’s younger brother was? It felt like he was meeting Luigi for the very first time, despite having known the man for years.
“You…You want to dance with…me?”
“Yes.”
Luigi sniffled.
“B-but—”
“It doesn’t matter what those morons say.” He found himself growling, “They’re wrong. You look wonderful.”
“Y-you don’t have to say that just to m-make me f-feel better.”
“I’m not.” He waited while Luigi searched his face for a lie. The man gasped.
“Y-you mean that.”
“Yes. You’re perfect, Luigi.”
“B-but m-my m-makeup, m-my sh-shoes,” Luigi looked away, tears returning.
“Doesn’t matter.” Bowser hesitated but followed his heart. He’d come here to try and get close to Peaches in this form, but now here he was in the garden with Greenie. Holding out hope for a dance with Peach had lost its appeal. She’d clearly seen the green bean’s distress same as he had—it was her freakin’ party for crying out loud—and she’d done nothing. Unwittingly, the koopa king’s thoughts drifted to his kids. Larry liked wearing dresses sometimes and Wendy often expressed herself through clothing. Picturing either of them in Luigi’s place tonight made his blood boil. Peach should have said something. Fuck, he should have said something! Instead, he’d just stood there frozen like an idiot and—
“You’re r-really sure you don’t mind being seen with me…like this?”
Luigi’s starry eyes were the only ones he wanted to get lost in tonight.
“Mind? Pfft. You’re the only one in that entire room pretty enough to dance with.” He said, and what’s more, he truly meant it.
“W-what’s your name?”
Damn. What had he told the princess and the others again? Better keep the name the same. Only what—oh right.
“Ah. Um, Cliff King. From the cliff kingdom. My friends call me Cliff.”
“Cliff…I-I’d love to d-dance.”
Bowser’s heart pounded in his ears. No human had ever agreed to dance with him before. Right. Right. Don’t panic! He and Kamek had practiced this. Lead your partner to the dance floor…Luigi’s dress was a little long with the plumber barefoot like this. Bit of a tripping hazard. Wait.
“Perhaps, the grass…? Y’know, cuz o’ the no shoes thing. Softer on your feet.”
Luigi giggled, nodding. Bowser led the way. Lu gathered some of his skirt in one hand so it wouldn’t get stepped on. Bowser’s dark fingers curled firmly around Luigi’s warm waist and in one smooth movement pulled the bean pole close. His other hand rose and wrapped around the one clutching some of Luigi’s skirt. He took a deep breath and assumed the lead.
Their music was pond frogs heralding the sunset, the chirping of the crickets, and the distant barks of chainchomps carried by the evening breeze, but to them it sounded like the finest orchestra in all the land.
Bowser smiled.
“Suppose I didn’t exactly start things off the usual way, so…Hello.”
Luigi blushed.
“Hello.”
“I love your dress.”
“T-thanks. I…I made it.”
“You’re very talented,” He hummed, daringly bringing his other hand to join the first on Lu’s waist so he could lift the man up in a playful spin.
Luigi laughed, leaning into the momentum. When Bowser set him back down, he took both the king’s hands and spun, crossing Bowser’s thick powerful arms protectively in front of him, while the plumber’s back pressed flush against the king’s front. Bowser struggled to keep his core temperature from spiking out of control. Luigi’s body was so deliciously soft and warm against him. Lu looked up over one shoulder at him, and something snapped. The entreating glance might as well have been a stamp pressing the name ‘Luigi’ on his heart. He didn’t care about Peaches or the mushroom kingdom, or anything else.
Up to the moment when we said our first hello,
Little did we know,
Love was just a glance away
A warm embracing dance away, and
He spun Luigi back around and pulled the human close, looking down at soft-looking lips, and begging the question. Luigi closed the gap. Bowser dipped him down, savoring every moment of the fireworks going off in his heart. They parted out of breath, panting. One of Luigi’s hands bunched the front of his shirt.
“Luigi…”
“W-wowie zowie.” Luigi sounded as starstruck as the koopa king felt. The small mustached human was stretching onto his tiptoes for another kiss, Bowser leaning down to meet him when—
“Fratello.”
Luigi jumped, hiding behind his arm. Bowser’s dragon screamed at him to protect. It was hard not to straight-up growl as he said:
“Maybe this isn’t the best time.”
“Mind your own business, king—whatever your name was.” Mario said, unkindly.
“Mario,” Luigi scolded, emerging from behind Bowser’s arm, mustache twitching. “You’re so…” he struggled then stomped barefoot on the grass, “Rude!”
“Lu, I just wanted to apolo—”
“Save it.” Luigi’s hands shook. Bowser took one of them in his own. Luigi straightened up, a bit of extra strength flowing into him from his companion. “P-please l-leave us alone.”
Mario’s eyebrows pulled down. Apparently he hadn’t yet had his say. He lingered.
“You.” He glared at Bowser, “What’d you say your name was? And where exactly is your kingdom?”
“What’s it matter?” Luigi interjected before Bowser could speak. If he weren’t in this human form, his tail’d be twitching with discomfort. He had to fight the overwhelming urge to slide Luigi protectively back behind him. In his experience, that glare from Mario always meant violence. But it wasn’t like Red would hurt his own brother…right? The koopa king stayed alert, ready to yank Luigi to safety at the first sign of real trouble. Mario shot Luigi a hard stare, then turned back to Bowser.
“What exactly are you doing here?”
Bowser’s lips curled disdainfully, but Luigi answered before him.
“That’s none of your damn business!” Lu said, angrily.
“You’re my brother. He’s trying it on, I make it my damn business!” Mario yelled.
“Don’t talk to him like that.” Bowser’s voice was low and biting.
“He doesn’t need you to defend him.” Mario snapped.
“Right. Because you did such a great job of that back there, giving those idiots permission to start taking shots! In my kingdom fashion has none of your backwards gendered stereotypes. Anyone can wear dresses, or pants or whatever they want and be allowed to feel beautiful.” While he was ranting and looming over the short little man, Luigi’s eyes watered and shone with starry excitement. Cliff’s kingdom sounded like a dream come true. A place where he didn’t have to fear expressing himself…
“R—really?” He whispered, voice hitching.
Bowser turned to him and took both his hands.
“Perhaps…you’d like to come see it sometime?”
“Yes!”
Luigi answered so fast, the king had to blink a couple times before it fully sank in and Bowser grinned.
“Now, hold on.”
Ugh. Was he still here?
Mario stomped over and grabbed Luigi’s shoulder, yanking the younger plumber free of the king’s grip.
“Lu, we don’t even know this guy.”
“Mario—”
“No. He just shows up out of the blue, and now he’s trying to whisk you off to some—” he scoffed, “magical fairyland! This is obviously some kind of—”
“Penso di amarlo.” Luigi whispered.
Mario stared, face contorting with rage and confusion.
“Scusi?”
“Mi hai sentito.” Came the low reply, Luigi’s eyes glistening. Mario seized him by the wrist and started to drag him away, head shaking side to side. Luigi struggled, protesting in Italian, but Mario spoke over him.
“No! You have no idea what you’re saying! You’ve had an emotional night and you’re just—”
An enormous and painfully tight grip fastened around Mario’s forearm. He stopped dead and looked up into burning amber eyes.
“Let him go.”
“Or what? Whatta you gonna do about it, big guy? Fight me?”
“He doesn’t want to go. You can’t force him. I won’t allow it.”
Mario’s free fist ignited. Tears coursed down Luigi’s face. He shook his head, pleading with Mario.
“N-no! Mario, leave him alone! C-cliff…p-please…”
“No.” Bowser snarled, losing his cool. “He can’t treat you like this. You’re allowed to—” he was stopped from saying anything further when a fist met his face and sent pain exploding through his nose. Blood gushed from his nostrils. He crumpled to one knee, cursing. Fuck! Little fucker actually fucking broke his—
He heard an impact and then a heavy thump.
“Cliff!” Warm soft hands cupped his face, Luigi whining at the sight of his blood. Bowser’s eyelids opened, not knowing the strain placed on the spell by the damage he’d sustained resulted in a brief flicker. For two whole seconds, his eyes had reverted to their true color: as red and glowing as the lava pools of his home. Luigi gasped, the hand tracing his king’s cheek shaking as it hovered between strokes. Luigi knew those eyes. The plumber would know them anywhere. He heard a groan and a quick check showed that Mario would soon be recovering from that kick to the back. Time was precious. He cupped the big man’s face tenderly, still shaking, staring deep into the eyes that were amber once again, but which he now knew were only illusion. What he didn’t know—what he had to ask before it was too late—was:
“Did you mean what you said?” He whispered. Bowser’s breath hitched. Luigi pressed their foreheads together. “There’s something—” he choked slightly on the words, his hand pressed meaningfully to the center of Bowser’s chest. “I feel it.” He really hoped Bowser understood. “Do you?”
“…Yes.” The low voice breathed out. “I think maybe…it’s love.”
Mario was up, grumbling and grousing, even as he stomped over and took Luigi by the arm, peeling him away from Bowser, who was struggling to stem the blood from his bleeding nose.
“Mario—” Luigi whined, “at least let me—he’s bleeding—”
“No. We’re done here.”
“You broke his nose! We should—”
“Luigi, come inside.” His older twin’s voice was stony. He hesitated. Bowser’s eyes were begging him to stay.
Mario sighed.
“Fine. Go in and I’ll ask Peaches to send out Nurse Toadelle.”
“I will see you again.” Luigi whispered, trying his best to ignore Bowser’s whine of distress as he allowed Mario to lead him away. His brother, who’d heard the promise, rolled his eyes and glared over one shoulder at Bowser as they left.
“Hmph. Not until I’ve had time to make sure his story checks out.”
Bowser sat on the grass with his nose bleeding for who-knows-how-long. Mario must have been lying when he said he’d asked Peach to send a nurse. Not that the koopa king was too surprised. Asshole. He’d thought it impossible to like Red any less, but after seeing the way Mario treated Luigi tonight… Mario ruined Luigi’s night, then ‘apologized’ only to ruin it all over again. Bowser sighed, staring up at the starry sky only made him miss Luigi’s eyes. He thought about how incredible dancing with Luigi felt, like flying with someone warm beside you, hearts beating hard and fast. Maybe he’d just lost too much blood, but he could swear just the memory of Luigi’s touch had him floating on air…
“Ahem.”
He blinked and turned. It was Princess Daisy. She saw his face and winced.
“Yikes. He wasn’t kidding. Mario really did a fucking number on you.”
He leaned forward, eagerly.
“You’ve spoken to him? Is he—”
Her eyebrows rose at his intensity. He didn’t care what she thought. All he needed to know was:
“Is he okay? Mario was just so—”
“He’s fine. He’s more worried about you. Ugh,” her nose wrinkled, “Lu said Mario promised to have Peach send a nurse, but he didn’t, did he?”
Bowser shook his head.
“Don’t think so. But it’s fine.”
“Fine?” She laughed elbowing him, “You don’t gotta pretend for me, big guy. Looks like he broke your nose.”
“Yeah well…” he growled, “‘S hardly the first time.”
She blinked, surprised by the statement. Lu had told her more than just what happened. Her friend had also confessed his suspicion ‘Cliff’ and Bowser were one and the same. She’d been even more confused, asking him why the hell he wanted her to go and speak to him—but Luigi was desperate, begging her til she gave in. She was really sure it was a bad idea coming out here. But after his display of genuine concern and the fact Bowser didn’t seem to care he was bleeding if he could know Luigi was okay…she felt torn.
“He asked me to give you this.”
She handed him a green envelope. He took it like she’d passed him a precious and breakable object.
“Thanks.”
“Yeah. No problem.” She sighed. She couldn’t just leave him standing out here looking like an extra in a zombie film. “C’mon,” she seized his hand and dragged him behind her, round the side of the castle to Peach’s stables. The yoshi were all inside sleeping soundly. She maneuvered the massive man over to the water pump, pulling her clean handkerchief from her dress and wetting it with fresh water. She turned to him, expectantly. He blinked.
“Face.” She instructed, beckoning.
He looked scared.
“Uh—I’m fine. You don’t have to—”
“Just bend your head down so I can reach and get this over with, ya big baby! If I go back inside and Lu asks me if you were okay, how am I supposed to look him in the eyes, huh?”
She was as careful as possible, but Bowser still winced in pain as her damp handkerchief cleaned away the dried blood. Daisy tried not to get too weirded out by the vacant look on his face that slowly became a doofy smile.
“He has such beautiful eyes…”
She paused mid-swipe of the handkerchief, staring, before her lips curled in a soft smile of her own. It was kinda sweet how far gone Bowser was. Kinda. Also a little much but—well—Bowser was obviously the kind of guy who was always intense when it came to the people he liked.
“Please don’t hurt him,” she implored him, meaningfully. “He’s my best friend. If anything happens to him—”
“I won’t. I—couldn’t. Never.”
She looked deep into his eyes. Something in them tugged at her heart. Was that…regret? Of course, she slowly realized. He’s regretting ever having harmed Lu in the past…
It was funny. When she first saw him on the lawn a few minutes ago, she’d thought Luigi was wrong, because there was no way that this tall human stranger and Bowser were one and the same. But now…She sighed, deciding to be painfully honest, “I wasn’t sure it was such a great idea at first, but you’re really serious about him, aren’t you?”
The king nodded. She sighed.
“Well, go on and open it, then.”
Bowser’s fingers carefully tore open the envelope. He took out the short note tucked inside. All it had was a date and an address in the Evershade Valley. He looked at Daisy. She stared right back, straight faced. The valley? He was confused, part of him concerned it was some kind of trick. Reading suspicion in his eyes, she glared.
“Don’t look at me. Either go or don’t.” Her fists curled, “but if you don’t, next time I see you, I’ll be the one punching you in the face.”
He winced as she cleaned the last bit of blood off extra roughly, but he couldn’t say he was surprised. After she’d gone, he pressed Luigi’s note between his fingers. It still might be a trap. Should he take that chance? He thought of blue eyes full of stars and that exciting smile and decided: some things were worth the risk.
“Are you sure about this, your terribleness?”
“Kamek, for the last time—”
His dad’s hand landed on his shoulder.
“I am merely concerned this could be a trap. Going alone into Boo’s territory under human guise—it’s asking for trouble. You know how he gets.”
“I know.” He sighed. He truly did. He’d been over and over it in his head, but then he thought about Luigi. And the thought of his little human waiting for him, alone, in the ghost king’s territory perturbed him enough his dragon insisted. He had to go, if only to tell Luigi this place wasn’t safe for humans, that they couldn’t—
“You still have not told me what transpired at last week’s ball.”
He sighed again.
“Dad…”
“I haven’t seen you so affected in a long while. Lost in daydreams like this…not since the first time you conversed with the mushroom princess.”
“Leave it.” He warned.
“Princess Peach has nothing to do with this, does she?”
Bowser averted his eyes.
“I thought not.”
“Dad, please.”
“Son, what happened?”
“I—” he closed his eyes, his tail swishing and twitching. “I introduced myself to Peaches. Mario was there.”
“Of course. And then?”
“And then…” retreating from the short stack’s sharp, glaringly suspicious gaze, ending up near the base of the stairs. Daisy’s loud voice announcing the kingdom’s second hero…
“Bowser,” his dad’s voice called him back. Kamek’s small claw resting on his shoulder.
“I saw…” and just like that, he was back at the base of those stairs, looking up at— “Luigi.”
“Luigi? Mario’s brother?” Kamek was surprised. Bowser turned to him and puffed steam as he nodded, fogging up the old koop’s glasses. With an irked chirp, Kamek took them off and cleaned them with the sleeve of his robes. “Well, it makes sense that he was there, does it not?”
“You don’t understand. I looked up and he was there. At the top of the stairs.” His eyes had a faraway stare. “He looked amazing. His dress, his waist, his makeup…so sweet, so unassuming, and gentle and—” he growled, remembering what had happened next.
“And Mario—” he snarled the name, “Mario goes and cracks a joke about—” he was so angry he struggled with the words. “—about Luigi’s clothes and then others started to laugh and—” his hands were shaking. His eyes appealed to his father figure. “He was so beautiful and they treated him like dirt! He started to cry and ran out into the garden and…I had to. I…went after him.”
“I see.” There was no harsh judgement, only gentle understanding in his father figure’s posture. “And?”
“He was by the pond. He looked like a painting come to life.” He reflected dreamily, “I asked him to dance with me. He said yes and…” Bowser trailed off, clearly lost in dreams again.
Kamek studied the king’s face.
“It went well?” He probed.
Bowser’s smiling sigh was a hearty yes.
“We kissed.” Bowser, king of koopas, whined. “There was…it was like an electric shock. Like fireworks. Like—Like everything else didn’t even exist! It was—”
“Do you love him?”
“I…” his tail flicked. “I think so…”
Kamek sighed, tiredly.
“Very well.” The old magikoopa’s glasses glinted. “You’re sure it was he who sent the invitation?”
“Daisy said it was. She handed it over herself.”
“It could still be a trap.”
“I know.”
“I will go with you.”
“No! Luigi doesn’t…”
Kamek’s eyes narrowed behind his glasses, beginning to understand.
“He thinks you’re human?”
“…yes.”
“Son, you’re setting yourself up for heartbreak.”
“No. I…I…He…”
“You cannot lie to him forever. It is not safe for you to go alone. At least let me accompany under a cloaking spell. Once I’m sure there isn’t any danger I will leave you to your own devices.”
“…fine.” Bowser begrudgingly agreed, seeing there was no arguing with his dad on this one. They arrived soon enough. This old mansion had seen better days, but it looked like someone had started putting some work into it, and recently, too. The fence was newly painted. Huh. As they touched down, he motioned to Kamek, “well? Do the spell.”
“Son, are you sure? Would it not be better to simply—”
“Dad…please.”
“Fine, fine. But you’re king of the koopas. You should hold your horned head high and—”
“I know, I know. Save it for later or I’ll be late.”
Swish! Magic swirled around the koopa king. His body twisted and transformed. He was human. He looked at his hands. Kamek magicked on some clothes. Nothing fancy like last time, but some simple pants and a short-sleeved black shirt with a v-neck. It was a little tight on his thickly muscled barrel of a body, but he supposed that was normal…
With another flick of the wand, Kamek was invisible. Bowser could still feel his dad’s magic nearby even if he couldn’t see the magikoopa.
He let himself in through the mansion gate and headed up the porch steps to the door. A sound had him turning. A couple of green ghosts floated by some headstones in the yard having a conversation he couldn’t understand that seemed amicable enough. They drifted off into the woods. This place was always a little unnerving. Ghosts that weren’t boos were all pretty much a mystery to him.
He pressed the bell but didn’t hear anything. Maybe it didn’t—
DING DONG DIIIIIING DOOOOONG
Ow. Note to future self. Doorbell is an actual bell and it’s loud as fuck. Now the entire forest knew the house had a guest. Fantast—
Feet rapidly approached the other side of the door before it swung open, revealing a very pretty and very nervous-looking Luigi.
“H-hello. You’re right on time, tesoro, I was making—”
Bowser was blushing hard.
Luigi had on skinny capri pants, and a flirty black shirt that was meshy and see-through with long sleeves that widened at the ends. Honestly the look paired well with the fine old mansion.
Blushing back, Luigi’s eyes lingered on his arms, his shoulders and the exposed collar bone, before stepping aside and ushering him in.
“Please, come in!”
“I wasn’t sure this was the right place at first. Doesn’t really seem at all like a place you’d—”
Luigi laughed a touch uneasily.
“Si. I know what you mean, but I’ve grown to like it very much. I come here whenever I want to be away from M—you know what, I’m not even going to think about him right now.”
“Are you okay?” Bowser asked softly, “After the way he treated you, I—”
“Don’t worry about me, Tesoro. I am fine. It’s more the way he treated you I’m angry about. I told him I’m not speaking to him until he apologizes, but he insists he did the right thing, so I’m steering clear of the Mushroom Kingdom for the time being and working on this place—”
“You live here?”
“Oh, si!” As if waiting for its cue, a piece of the banister fell and Luigi screeched, jumping up into the air. “Wawawawawahh!!” Then he wiped his brow and sighed, “Eh, sorry. It’s old and I have my work cut out for me. But the ghosts are kind enough to help, when they’re around.”
“The ghosts? You…but isn’t that dangerous? Most ghosts hate—”
“Most boos hate mortals, si, but in my experience normal ghosts are fairly mellow as long as they aren’t under malign influence.”
“Boo is dangerous.”
“You don’t have to tell me. I’ve put that stronzo back in his place in the professor’s tank twice now for kidnapping my brother and putting him in a painting! Honestly, you’d think he’d have learned not to mess with my family!”
Bowser stared. He’d no idea Luigi had…but that did explain why the last time he’d seen Boo the king had been grumbling about getting back at the plumber. He’d assumed Boo meant Mario. Apparently not. He was shocked back to himself by a gentle hand touching his chest.
“Much as I like this look on you, I’d like it more if you were yourself, Cliff—Or should I say, Bowser?”
“You—but how?”
Luigi smiled and tapped the side of his nose. “My little secret. Now, is it some kind of potion? Or a spell?” He held Bowser’s face between his hands, taking a closer look.
“Um…” Bowser blushed. “A spell.”
“Oh. So how do we make it—”
The cloaked Magikoopa smirked, raising his wand. He’ll thank me later, he thought, taking the way Luigi smiled at the now koopa Koopa king as his cue and covertly teleporting back to the ship.
Bowser stared at his golden clawed hands and growled softly. Kamek’s magic was no longer in range. Sneaky old coot. He’d have words with his advisor later.
Luigi’s hands on his plastron had him looking down. His heart fluttered. Luigi was grinning sweetly at him, a way no human ever had before.
“It’s-a nice to see your face.”
Bowser didn’t think he’d ever blushed so hard.
“W-well I—”
“Kiss me?”
“I—” the world held its breath. Bowser stared.
“You really—but I’m—”
“You’re what?” The little man parroted innocently.
“I’m a monster.”
“No.” Luigi’s smile never dimmed. “You’re my hero.”