Chapter Text
Spring happened to be one of Luigi's favorite times of year. The days were sunnier and longer, and the ground itself began to thaw to allow life to spring forth anew. The world was alight with vibrant greens, and the grass, the bushes, the trees were painted in a rainbow of florals. A particularly hefty bee buzzed past him lazily, as if dragged downwards by the sheer amount of pollen that coated its legs. Bird song filled the air, and it was warm outside, with a faint breeze that kept them from overheating. The pastel pink cloth that sat atop their little table swayed in the wind, and the world was cast in the light of early afternoon.
It was a beautiful day. Spending time outside was the best way to spend a day like this. Luigi gingerly cradled a teacup of red-tinted tea, careful to keep his grip firm without becoming too harsh. He would hate to break yet another teacup, his or otherwise. He raised it to his lips, taking a tiny sip as he listened. He set it down on the saucer, carefully and gently returning it to safety with a tiny clink. Today should, by all accounts, be a peaceful day to sit back and relax.
After all, the sun was shining, flowers were blooming, and yet, Luigi was at an utter loss to find his footing as talk of politics volleyed from person to person over lightly steaming tea and finger sandwiches.
“Toadsworth, what is the current progress on the reconstruction of the Morchella district?” Princess Peach began, leveling her chancellor with a look as she brought her teacup from her lips. Her voice was light but firm. Soft yet easily heard. Her hold on the porcelain in her hands was delicate and proper, even a bare pinkie lifted from the rest of her hand where she grasped the handle. The pale pink and orange floral pattern was easily visible, the gold painted rim tilted slightly away from herself as she passed the topic of conversation to the elderly toad.
“Good progress is being made, my Princess. I’ve received reports that most of the damage has at least been patched,” the elder toad croaked, pausing only briefly to inspect the sandwich that had largely gone untouched. “The inner city of Truffle has been under construction, and the citizens on the fringes of the city have been able to find refuge, at the temples and in the spare rooms of the old fortress, as requested.”
“And the perpetrators?” she continued. Toadsworth shook his head, taking a breath to steel himself to explain.
“Not nearly as much information as we’d like, your Highness. We are still gathering information. Based on the citizen reports, it is pirates, just as we expected. However, we are still unable to determine the crew or the ship that caused the damage.” He split the bread apart with two fingers, peering at the contents of his sandwich with a squint. He nodded to himself, seemingly appeased, before at last taking a bite. “One of the local Toad Brigade has been requested to investigate further, and make preparations to follow the last known sightings of the ship tomorrow morning.”
Peach was silent for several seconds, her fingertips braced against the bridge of her nose. She rubbed away the tension, a sigh escaping her under her breath. “Very well. Please continue to keep me updated on Truffle’s progress. The Morchella Province will hopefully be able to recover quickly.” She set her hand down on the table, her brow still furrowed as she changed the topic.
"How is the Sparassis District? Has the drought on the border continued even with our relief efforts?" Luigi perked up faintly at the very familiar province, and what Toadsworth’s answer could mean for Princess Daisy.
"The borderlands are still holding steady, Princess, though our dignitaries in Sparassis, and especially those in Sarasaland, have expressed concern if it continues.” He peered up at her over his glasses, squinting against the sun as he pursed his lips to take a sip. "The water has been rationed, and all non-essential uses of it are prohibited. The irrigation systems are still not enough, and the people are encouraged to use it only as needed."
Peach was silent a few moments more, considering this before speaking. "And our plans to improve the irrigation?"
"Unfortunately on hold. Raids on our transports to the South have slowed all progress and we are steadily losing our supplies.”
The furrow of her brow deepened, the delicate blonde curves of her brows drawn tight. Her lips pursed, and Luigi cast a look towards his brother. Mario merely smiled, the small shrug of ‘what can you do?’ speaking for itself. Mario had seemed to be following along easily enough with the conversation, rapid fire as it was, though the look they shared was enough to confirm his thoughts. Mario knew something. He knew something, about why specifically the two of them were present for this meeting. They’d hardly been needed, as Toadsworth reported his news in the usual fashion. There was a reason, though, and Mario had yet to fill him in.
Luigi hardly minded sitting in and keeping the Princess company while she hashed out plans for the future with her advisors. Quiet support and occasional input was welcomed when they gave it, and it was the least the two of them could do.
There was a reason for this, though. Despite the easy breeze of spring, tension lined his and Mario's shoulders. That alone had been his first cue that something was on his mind. It was one thing for Luigi to be tense on edge; it was yet another entirely that his easy-going brother had been rigid in his seat. They shouldn’t be so tense, so on edge. Despite the minor disruptions, the past few months had been peaceful. Damn near quiet, even. The topic that had still gone unspoken of had not reared his head in quite some time.
It was precisely this fact, precisely that there had been nothing about his activity, that worried him.
"Reinforce all transports to the South. We cannot afford to be losing supplies at a time like this, and every day the new irrigation is delayed is another day my people go without water."
Her voice snapped Luigi back to reality, his eyes flicking back towards the woman in pink. Toadsworth and his understudy, a much younger Toad woman, nodded sagely in response.
"We'll reconvene on this issue in two weeks. If no rain has arrived, we will renew our efforts to relieve the South," she continued, her painted nails tapping against the lip of her teacup, making the air ring with the sound of taps on porcelain. The understudy continued to nod, her braid bobbing as she scribbled away at the pad of paper in her lap. She took a sip of her own tea, before continuing to write.
Peach's fingers braced this time across her temples, the furrow in her forehead only deeping as she rubbed away what he could only assume to be an oncoming headache. They’d been at this quite some time, he noted, as he flicked his eyes up towards the sun. It had moved quite a bit further through the sky from when they’d started this meeting.
"And now the Muth in the room," she sighed, turning to look at the twins at last. "The Darklands?"
He and Mario shared another look, and then they both shook their heads.
There had been nothing. Absolutely nothing from the Darklands out of the ordinary, or even the sort of ordinary they knew to expect when he seemed to be making preparations. Bowser had been quiet, for longer than he'd been in a while. He'd even turned down more friendly events and special occasions. There had been no visits to the Mushroom Kingdom, no friendly kart races or sports events that he attended. He hadn't even come to the most recent Spring festival. They had simply gotten letters in response, politely declining in a delicate scrawl that spoke volumes. Bowser had not written those letters. His word choice was often too abrasive and his hand a little too heavy for the letters that had found themselves in the Mushroom Kingdom.
It made Luigi antsy. They'd had an unofficial truce. Nothing on paper, no actual discussions had been had, but they'd been on decent terms. But to know Bowser had not even deigned to respond himself to their invitations? To wonder if he had even looked at the letters himself, or if he'd sent one of his own advisors to write back without even a second glance? It made him want to bite at the nails he'd been desperately trying to grow back out into something that didn't resemble sore little nubs.
Toadsworth piped up helpfully, breaking the silence.
"No word from King Bowser or any of his associates in 6 months, Your Highness. Perhaps we are entering a new era between our kingdoms…?"
Luigi nearly bit the inside of his cheek as he nibbled away at the crust of his sandwich. Hardly. He wouldn't write off the chance for peace entirely with Bowser, but due to being entirely too acquainted with his history, he felt it was unlikely the silence meant anything good. The sharp snort to his right as Mario tried to not choke on his tea said he agreed.
"I'd like to believe that, but we have no way of knowing for sure," Peach answered, cordial but firm in her own rebuttal of such an idea.
There had been silence from Bowser before. It often meant he was planning something, or that something even worse was coming around the corner for all of them. Silence from Bowser did not tend to mean he had just given up.
Bowser did not take breaks. Bowser did not relent. Bowser did not know how to not be one of the most persistent, resilient, determined people on this end of the warp pipe when it came to getting what he wanted. Luigi found it almost admirable, even if it did inevitably end the same way every time.
"Perhaps," Peach began, sitting up a little straighter as she glanced at the pair of them again, "we should be proactive this time around. In fact, perhaps we could make the last incident truly the last."
"How do you mean?" Toadsworth answered, his own brow furrowing at her comment. Luigi found himself doing the same. Being proactive? What did she mean by that? They’d been sort of lax when it came to security in past months, true, but with how tense they were at this moment? Preparations would be easy. Keeping their guard up would feel natural at this point.
"Bowser wants power and resources. He's not impossible to work with, as we've seen before." She was facing them fully now, as if officially inviting them into the conversation they'd been observing for so long now. "We….are in desperate need of things to change. For things to come to an end. With recent developments, I'd rather be reaching towards the future than reaching for an escape to yet another kidnapping, or yet another hair-brained scheme." She reached for Mario's hand, and he threaded his fingers between hers, clutching at her lovingly as her engagement ring shone in the light.
"Perhaps we give him what he wants," she began, and Mario soothingly rubbed the back of her knuckles with his thumb. His expression was perfectly placid and calm as he squeezed her hand. This wasn’t a careful mask, or even just his usual calm and quiet facade. It wasn’t him trying to hide what he thought. No, this was Mario when he knew what was coming.
' Sneak' , Luigi thought. This was a conversation she and Mario had before. This was a topic they had talked about before, likely one in great detail. There wasn’t a twitch, not a singular tell in his brother’s face. He had known what was coming, because he’d likely heard every bit of it before. Mario knew why they were here, and while he had not lied, he also had not filled him in.This was a topic they had prepared, he realized, perhaps for this exact moment. They’d wanted the four of them here together, to hear out whatever they had in mind.
"He wants power, resources, ties and alliance with the Mushroom Kingdom. And we are desperately in need of peace,” Peach began, her knuckles beginning to turn white as she grasped Mario’s hand. Her expression and voice, however, were not so tight. Her voice was measured and carefully as she spoke again. “The Darklands have infrastructure and industry we can only dream of. We have spent decades trying to properly accommodate our people, due to conflicts and wars, as well as the sickness that wiped through us, that put my father on what would be his death bed. The Darklands have a stranglehold on the resources we need, and we have what they need. We have the resources they lack." Peach cleared her throat, beginning to speak again, before Luigi interrupted, hardly able to contain himself.
"Are you proposing a treaty?"
"Yes-"
"This is all well and good, Princess, but it lacks a vital part. This is, unfortunately, not just politics and business. What of Bowser's personal interests?" Toadsworth chirped, the worry creasing his face and adding at least another decade to his features. "And do you have a plan for a treaty? He will want more than you offer, no doubt. There is no land, no common riches, that could satiate him, Your Highness. What more will you offer him? What if he does not accept? If he takes offense? If he decides to enact war for perceiving your offer as a slight-?”
"Toadsworth, please-" Mario spoke at last, soft but firm, just like his fiance.
"Mario, there is more at stake here than just your engagement . Speaking of, the Koopa King is no doubt already peeved with that," the elderly toad huffed. He crossed his arms across his chest, his visible hand squeezing at his own upper arm in frustration. His ire was only more and more visible with each passing moment as his arms uncrossed, only for him to drag his hands across his face. "What do you have to offer him that is not the Princess's hand in marriage and your own head on a platter? What happens if, and when, he betrays us? When he goes back on his word? After everything, we cannot trust him."
"Toadsworth, let us speak. We've been putting a great deal of thought into this. This is what our kingdom needs. And if it fails….then that will be on my head." Peach's voice had been raised, to be heard over her advisor's rapidly rising volume.
“Such a thing should not be on your head to begin with! It could end with you having it removed from your neck-!”
“He wouldn’t-”
“And you’re so sure? You are absolutely positive he wouldn’t? It’s because I’m not sure, and I am not positive of such a thing. It is because of that I am acting this way, Your Highness. It was not so long ago that we lost your father. I do not intend to lose you too.” Luigi’s eyes flicked between them, from him to her. From Peach to Toadsworth. From Toadsworth to Peach. From the princess to the chancellor, and from him, back to her again. Mario, too, seemed to be at a loss, though he did not let go of his fiancee’s hand.
“Bowser is not interested in taking off my head just because I am seeking peace, Toadsworth." She cleared her throat, taking a deep breath as she squeezed Mario's hand. "And even if he were, the treaty is what I wanted to discuss with all of you. Between all of us, perhaps we can collectively come up with a solution. Some deal or meeting of terms that could benefit both kingdoms-”
"Princess, what he wants is a marriage-!"
"Then perhaps we give him a marriage!"
Her face had flushed red, frustration turning her lips downward. Her mouth had snapped shut, not speaking another word, but especially not to take it back.
Silence fell over the table after the blonde woman's outburst. Luigi had left his sandwich largely untouched since the conversation had picked up speed and volume. His hands sat in his lap, his eyes having rapidly flicked between Peach and Toadsworth, and then to Mario. Now, however, he made eye contact with the toadette that looked as horrified and intrigued as he felt.
"A marriage to who? It cannot be you. Not after all of this. It would be a surrender, a white flag after years of torment. Especially not after announcing your engagement to him," Toadsworth gestured to Mario with one hand. "The uprising if they heard you married King Bowser instead. The discontent. They would believe you were tricked, that they'd been betrayed, that this was yet another scheme of his. And if not you, who?” His hands began to gesture more wildly, his voice raising as he continued.
"We can hardly send off Mario. It would be cruel to pit such enemies together in such a way. Nevermind his relationship with you. Who do you propose? Me? Because with all due respect, Princess, I am not as young as I used to be, and I do not want to learn new tricks. I am not leaping through hoops for that monster. And then who is left? Your cousin rules over Sarasaland, and has her own worries and potential suitors to worry over. He also has considerably less interest in Sarasaland. I just- what can you possibly see as an option here, Princess?"
Toadsworth and Peach sat in silence, the elderly toad staring her down as she ground her jaw. Mario was quiet, though whether it was from being lost in his own thoughts, considering options for such a marriage, or otherwise was hard to say. There weren’t many options, as far as finding someone to marry Bowser went. Not if they wanted to avoid insulting him. There were few people that had the level of influence of Princess Peach. It felt insane, considering a marriage as part of the treaty, but Toadsworth wasn’t wrong. Bowser had made himself very clear what he’d wanted, time and time again. Luigi found it faulty to even consider that Bowser would marry anyone else. He had feelings for Peach, last anyone had heard. He’d had them for years. Feelings like that did not go away overnight, and certainly not because someone else had suddenly been presented as an option.
Besides, even if he would accept, who would even fit such a role?
Peach would be queen soon enough. Finally stepping up to the throne and marrying Mario would give her the full power she'd already had in everything but title. It would make Mario a prince by marriage, royalty by virtue of saving worlds and dimensions and realms time and time again. The two of them had the best standing for such an arrangement, to officially tie the kingdoms together by marriage.
Then again….
It seemed to click in his head. He was Mario’s brother. He was a Mario Brother .
He would be connected to Mushroom Kingdom royalty. By marriage, sure, but still connected. Not to mention, while he did not always help his brother, he often did. He was at least recognizable, sometimes, to people in the Mushroom Kingdom. People in other kingdoms knew of him, knew he’d helped them out on occasion.
He could potentially help. If a marriage was sincerely needed to seal the deal, he could do it. He could do what neither Peach or Mario could. He would be able to take pressure off of the kingdom, to help them get the help and resources they needed. He could do it. He would be a good choice, it would make sense-
"What about me?" he spoke up at last, glancing between the two.
"What?!" The toadette across from him squawked in surprise, her face red as she realized her outburst.
"Weegee, please-" Mario spoke in the same breath, dawning horror in his eyes as he whipped his head around to face him.
Meanwhile, Princess Peach was staring at him as if all the pieces were coming together at last. There were several beats of silence, her simply staring at him, or perhaps even through him. Her voice came out softly.
"That could work," she said finally.
"Peach, please . This is Luigi. This is my brother-"
"That could actually work-"
"Your Highness!-" Toadsworth cut in, eyes scanning all of us with disbelief.
"You'd be queen and Mario would be a prince, right? So as his brother, I'd be- what, a duke? Only in title, Princess, I don't want anything," Luigi began again, speaking quickly and ignoring how Mario was shaking his head. He fidgeted, wringing his hands as he continued to speak. "It would be- It would be quite a move too, wouldn't it? To have Mario's brother be the one to step forward. It- It's not as personal to me. It wouldn't look like as much of a betrayal or a trick like it would with either of you."
Peach was nodding vigorously. "An act like that, to put a Mario Brother into an arrangement with his brother's enemy. It would be unheard of, unthought of. Not too personal to you, but personal enough that it speaks volumes to the trust you'd be putting in the Darklands. You could keep him in check. Toadsworth, if you’re worried about betrayal, we'd have him already there- Yes, yes, this could work-"
"Peach, please, stop. Do not- This is my brother! Do not send him over there. Do not put him at risk. We did-a not talk about this. This- this-a was never an option!" Mario was speaking rapidly, his accent growing thicker with each sentence. Fear only grew in his eyes, his hand slipping from Peach’s grasp. He turned towards Luigi, grasping his nearest hand in both of his own. “Please, please do not. You don’t have to. That’s not a sacrifice you should have to make-”
“Is-Is this a serious offer?”
Luigi turned to Toadsworth, who was looking at him as if he didn’t know what to expect. As if he were having trouble recognizing him in this moment.
“If it could help and if Bowser would take it seriously, then yes,” he answered, his voice surprisingly calm. He gently rested his free hand atop his brother’s as Mario began to speak. His voice was shaky, breaking as he begged.
“ Luigi. Don’t. Don’t. Please don’t go. Do not mean that. I can’t- I can’t lose you-”
“I don’t want to interrupt,” the toadette across from him said, everyone turning to look at her at the sudden new voice. “But Princess, Toadsworth, the time….Wasn’t the Bean Bean ambassador coming this afternoon?”
Toadsworth swore and threw down the napkin he’d draped across his lap. Princess Peach rose at once, eyes frantic, but not with panic. No, she was excited.
“Thank you, Enoki. Toadsworth, we’ll need to take our leave. Mario, they’ll want to see you too. And Luigi….” She smiled warmly at him, beaming. “Luigi, we’ll talk about this later. Hash out details. Thank you.”
She then began to dash across the green, picking up the skirts of her pastel dress. Toadsworth was close in tow, his understudy not far behind, but Mario hesitated. He stayed a few moments longer, his hands still clutching at Luigi. He squeezed his palm, deep blue eyes looking into his.
“Please. Please, don’t go through with it.” And then he was off, his hands unraveling from around Luigi’s palm as he took off behind the toads and the figure in pink.
Luigi was left alone at the table, the tablecloth still swaying in the breeze as silence and the weight of his offer settled across his skin.