Chapter Text
Bowser’s head swivelled between the door and Peach for a moment, but before he could say a thing, Peach pushed her chair away from the table and stood up.
“I know what you’re about to tell me, and I won’t let you just hide me in some corner just because you’re scared that-”
As she rambled on, Bowser rose to his feet and walked towards her, enveloping her delicate shoulder in his large hand.
“Peach.” The word was gentle. “Please, for my own peace of mind. Luigi and Mario will have come prepared, with weaponry, and I’ll have to fight back with force… I don’t want you to have to see me like that.” He exhaled, and then added “I don’t want to scare you.”
She huffed, frustrated. “But if I just tell them it’s a misunderstanding, that I don’t want them to do this, that I don’t want to leave-”
“You don’t?” Bowser’s eyes seemed to shine with uncharacteristic sincerity.
“I- I can’t believe I just said that out loud.”
He smirked. “Just so you know, I’m never letting you live that down.”
Her only response was an eye roll and a shove that didn’t even manage to move him an inch.
He scooped her up carefully in a bridal carry, striding out into the hallway, intending to bring her to her room, but Peach stopped her giggling when she saw a fireball blasting up the stairwell, headed for them.
“Bowser!” She almost shrieked the word, and before even checking what the danger was, he turned his back to the staircase and clutched her against his chest, shielding her. She heard the impact, his roar of pain, and nestled in closer. How had Mario breached the castle this quickly?
“I’m okay,” he huffed, sounding anything but. “I need to get you to your room. It’s not safe here. Whichever one of the brothers just fired that fireball up here will be here any minute.”
Clutching his face in her hands, her brow furrowed with concern. “It’s not safe for you either.”
“I just need to know that you’ll be safe. That I’ll have you to come back to once I’ve gotten them out of the castle. Can you promise me that?” As he spoke, he unlocked her door and set her gently on the chair just inside her room.
She nodded. “Be safe.”
He smirked, mockingly saluting her. “No promises.”
------♕♕♕------
It must’ve been only a couple seconds before a familiar red cap and blue overalls emerged from the lower stairs, followed by his ever-present green-shirted lackey.
“Where is Peach?” Mario glared daggers at Bowser, his tone possessive and demanding.
Bowser tilted his head to the side, smirking. He couldn’t resist the urge to put Mario in his place, just a little bit.
“She doesn’t want you, little guy. She might be your princess, but she’s staying in the room across the hall from mine .” He bared his teeth around the word, leaning in.
“Yeah, in chains.” Mario snarled.
“In silk sheets.” He smirked, then delivered the final verbal blow. “I would know. I’ve grown quite familiar with those sheets over the last couple days.”
Mario’s nostrils flared and he growled, throwing himself at Bowser. Luigi downed a fire flower and was right behind him, backing up his brother.
Bowser only flicked his tail, scraping the metal armour on it against the stone, and the shouts of Koopa soldiers from the courtyard began to echo through the stairwell.
“You’re calling in backup?” Mario huffed, slinging fireballs at Bowser. “Can’t handle us on your own?”
“Nah.”
He slashed his claws through the air, a roar ripping through him as he lunged forward.
“Don’t want to waste the energy.”
Mario and Bowser remained locked into hand to hand combat. Bowser had the advantage of size and strength, but Mario was admittedly fast, and aided by the boost of the fire flower he had no doubt picked on the outskirts of Bowser’s own kingdom.
He was so distracted by the trash talk and fireballs Mario was slinging that he didn’t even notice that Luigi had slipped out of sight.
Not until he heard screams echoing from the girl he thought he’d kept safe.
Peach .
He launched himself at her door, shoving Mario aside and snapping the slab of wood in half with his shoulder.
And was met with the sight of Luigi holding Peach against the balcony. Her eyes met Bowsers, lined with tears, her lower lip trembling.
“What are you doing ?” Bowser growled, taking a step towards her.
“Nuh uh uh, not so fast, big guy.” Mario strode into the room as if he owned the castle itself, tossing a fireball up and down from his palm as if it were a baseball. “One wrong move…” he turned his palm toward Peach, his eyes narrowing threateningly. “And blondie gets it.”
“What’s the point in hurting the princess you were sent to rescue?” His shock was evident from the slight tremor in his hands.
“Easy. The crown.” Mario paused for emphasis, then continued.
“Luigi and I came here from another kingdom, hungry for a new life. I saw a bountiful kingdom, led by a queen I assumed would be easy to sway to my side.” He shot a glare at Peach. “Clearly, I was wrong. She rebuffed my affections, rejected proposals, and would barely give us seats on her council. So my brother and I consolidated our power in… other ways. Aggravating the Koopas gave the Mushroom kingdom an enemy to fear, to rally against. From there, it was easy to place ourselves as heroes and sew seeds of dissent among the toads. As it stands, Peach is essentially a queen in name only. A figurehead, if you will.”
His eyes narrowed again. “And she has outgrown her use to us.”
Bowser snapped, slamming him against the ground, claws digging into his shoulders.
“Don’t talk about her like that.”
Luigi started forward, as if trying to help his brother. In response, Bowser looked up at Peach, tilting his head slightly, and she kneed Luigi, who had loosened his grip in his concern.
“If her kingdom no longer provides her the respect she deserves, she will find a place in mine. Crawl back to your stolen castle and manufactured respect. See how long your kingdom lasts until you run it aground with your short-sightedness.” He released his hold on Mario and he scrambled back, Luigi darting to his side. The two looked at Peach, as if she would soften the blow.
“Go. Before we change our mind.” She spat the words, her disappointment evident. Koopa soldiers hauled them out, and the moment they left, Bowser fell to his knees in front of Peach, checking for injuries in a panic. “Are you alright? Did they hurt you at all? I was such an idiot for putting you in this position, I can’t believe I-”
“Bowser.” Peach smiled, resting a hand on his shoulder. “I’m okay. We’re okay.” She exhaled shakily. “Did you mean what you said? About there being a place for me, in your castle?”
“Of course. I meant every word.”
Her eyes softened. “My hero.”
He met her eyes with a gentle smile. “My love.”