this is serious but also a joke (mario x bowser 🤪)

I hate myself lmao

"How many times do we have to keep doing this?"

I placed the Princess down on the hard stone floor, her shoes making a soft clicking sound as she shifting her entire, small weight so she was standing.

She gave me a glare and planted both of he hands on her hips, indicating that she wasn't happy, but she wasn't angry either.

"I'm sorry Peach, I just-"

The expression on her face softened as she saw the look of fear on my face, an emotion that I've gotten used to having.

She stepped forward and wrapped he small delicate arms around me.

"I know this is hard for you..."

I placed my left hand carefully on her back, well- her entire back side- and I tried my best to not accidentally crush her, which I've done before and I still feel bad about it to this day.

She looked up at me at my response to her hugging basically my leg, a smile plastered on her face.

"But I want you to know that I'm not going to give up on this. I really want to help you and I want to see you happy."

Her words brought tears to my eyes, and she noticed them as soon as the tears spilled over.

"Oh Bowser, please don't cry... I'm sure he'll feel the same way!"

She squeezed me a little tighter. I wouldn't have been able to feel it normally but I could see he hugging me a little harder and I felt I little shift.

"It's not that, it's just, it's what you said. You really mean all that?"

She was practically glowing of positivity at this point. She made it really hard to feel negative when you're around her.

"Of course I do! Every last word! I'm not giving up on you!"

I smiled at her new found determination, she had a look of fiery passion, one that told me she wasn't lying.

She let go of me, and in that moment, Dry Bones stormed in, looking shaky per normal, but he also looked panicked. He has something on his mind and he definitely came her for a reason.

"Mario has arrived sir! He's making his way through the castle and fast! I came here as fast as I could!"

Panic started to rise in me and I could feel my heart beating faster than it previously was.

"Thank you Dry Bones, you can go now. And please don't get hurt."

He nodded towards me before exiting the room, closing the door behind him.

I turned to Peach, she had he arms reached out to me, almost defensively as she knew what was coming next.

"Bowser...Bowser breathe..."

I flopped onto the floor, Peach already at my side.

"Peach! What do I do?! He's almost here already and we haven't prepared!"

She gave me a patient smile, as we've done this many times and been over what to do each time.

"Bowser, just remember that talking to him is the first step. Do you understand? I know you do."

I quickly nodded to show her I was listening, and that I do understand her.

"See? You know what to do, and you know that this isn't the problem, don't you?"

Yeah, the problem is that I get scared every time I see him, with the way that he stands, and how he's never afraid to do what he believes is right. And don't get me started on-

"Bowser? Give me some sort of sign that you understand what I'm saying."

I nodded once again, shaking off my thoughts that are plaguing my mind.

"Good. Good."

There was a small silence between us before the princess started to walk off towards a nearby door, her white heels clicking on the stone ground as she did so.

"Princess? Where are you going?"

Her soft steps came to an abrupt halt before she slightly turned her upper body so she could see me.

"Please don't leave me..."

A small smile began to form on her lips as she started to come back to me at a slight jog, holding her dress up as she did so she didn't trip on it.

Her small frame engulfed me in another hug, one that i quickly reciprocated.

"I'm not going to leave you, I promise. I will be your friend to the very end. I was just heading into the side room so that Mario wouldn't be able to see me. If you want, I can go to the other room upstairs that gives me a slight view from the top of the room."

She pointed up to this small window that could be barely visible.

"That way, you know that I'll be watching and that I'll always be in your corner."

She pulled away and her smile dropped a little bit before she reached up to my face. I watched as she went for my eye, wiping it and then going for the other.

Her hand came back damp.

Am I...crying?

"Princess..."

"Shhh, It's okay Bowser. I know you're scared, but I believe in you! You're going to do great!"

"Thank you, Peach. Thank you..."

The two of us jolted as we heard movement in the room next to us. We looked each other in the eyes before she bolted towards the door, not caring about how loud she was being.

The moment she got the door closed behind her, the door in front of me opened.