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Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Luigi began writing in his diary again. He was thankful that he was able to escape Peach's castle after Bowser's surprise invasion. However, he spent the next day worrying about his brother's safety. To others he may be 'Super Mario', but to Luigi, Mario was first and foremost his older brother, and he would always think about him when they were apart.

Luigi's worries were all for nothing when Mario causally knocked on his own door to confirm his survival and notify him about his sudden adventure to save Peach and the star spirits Luigi poorly attempted to hide his disappointment that his brother would gallivant around the Mushroom kingdom without him and bring another sidekick along. 'A Goomba over me,' Luigi vented in his diary.

He'd only written one entry before today, but now that Luigi was forced to look after the house, he had more time on his hands than what he knew what to do with. It was so boring, Luigi wished Mario could home with Princess Peach in tow.

Luigi listened out for a knock at the door.

Nothing.

“What did I expe-"

Suddenly the door was bashed in. It was as if Bowser's entire army was trying to break down the door. Luigi rushed towards the entrance in a panic. When he unlocked the door, Luigi was greeted to the sight of an oakwood door and the force of its craftsmanship hitting him in the face.

"Luigi! Where are you? Anyone home?"

The plumber would be on cloud 9 if it wasn't for the aching pain his nose was experiencing.

Like a beautiful, flowery whirlwind, Princess Daisy had invited herself into his home. Not that the princess of Sasaraland was unwelcome in his home, far from it. He must have spent hours building up the courage to invite her out to lunch or ask the Princess to be his doubles partner at the next tournament. Now that Daisy aggressively barged into his home, Luigi was glad that the star spirits had granted one of his deep-seeded wishes, albeit fulfilled his wish in the most painful way possible.

Luigi groans made Daisy snapped her out of her angry expression and ran towards the pained plumber to comfort him. "Luigi! Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!"

Luigi felt Daisy's gloved hands surround his face. The warmth from her touch healed him instantly.

"It's okay," Luigi reassured, not that his nose agreed.

"You sure you don't want me to kiss it better? " she teased, but Luigi, acting on his better judgement didn't take the bait. The plumber had forgotten how impish Daisy could be.

"Please sit down, Princess. I'll get you some tea."

"Tea?" Daisy scoffed. "Just because I'm a princess doesn't mean I drink tea. Don't you have anything with caffeine in it?"

Luigi chuckled as he sifts through the fridge for a drink more suitable for the princess' tastes. He took a moment to admire the foreign princess she plopped down to the couch and began mindlessly changing the channels on the small TV. Daisy was so different compared to other royals he and brother had met on their travels. Daisy placed her heeled feet on the coffee table, an action which would have gotten him irate if Mario attempted that. Her elbow rested against the couch’s arm rest, not caring if her dress was crinkled in her haste. Daisy reminded him more of the girls back home in Brooklyn, which was not a bad thing.

Luigi grabbed two cans from a pack of 4 and sat beside her, cautious of sitting too close to the Princess. Daisy, however, preyed on his nervousness and purposely closed the gap between them.

"So, what's this?" Daisy inspected the drink curiously. Like Princess Peach, they shared a common excitement when the Mario Brothers introduced them to foods from the human world.

"It's root beer." Luigi opened the can and savoured a sip. Mario and Luigi had made less trips back to Brooklyn since the brothers considered the Mushroom Kingdom home, but they still made in frequent trips to buy their favourites when they got bored of Mushroom-based cuisine.

"You can even have it with ice cream."

Daisy sniffed and observed the drink's texture. Then, she finally bit the bullet and took a big swig of the can. The sight reminded Luigi of some Brooklyn men, obnoxious burps withst­anding.

"Ahh! That hits the spot! Doesn't taste very 'earthy' though."

Luigi laughed, he never questioned the name. "No, it doesn't."

Daisy taking another sip of the drink made Luigi wonder why she was here of all days.

"What brings you here, Daisy?"

Daisy scowled, remembering how angry she was when she barged in. Out of rare nervousness, she chugged the rest of the drink and sighed.

"It's stupid princess stuff. I was going to see Peach at the castle but of course she's kidnapped. Mario can't rescue her any sooner."

Luigi didn't pry, understanding that the issue would be more suitable for Peach to give advice. "Well, I may not be a princess, but I'm your friend."

Daisy smiled. Luigi may not be strongest, but he was one of the kindest people she knew.

"It's my dad." Daisy twirled the can. "He tricked me into meeting another stupid prince."

"Like a date?" Luigi was disappointed for a moment until he remembered his place. Luigi, whilst very much in love with Daisy, was not her boyfriend. They were not dating nor 'courting' in the traditional sense. Luigi naively considered Daisy more down-to-earth than Peach simply due to the former's apathy towards her own status. This revelation crushed his heart. Furthermore, "another" implied that this happened regularly, and that her father was the main instigator. Why would anyone's father choose him over a prince.

He never stood a chance. Peach's doting behaviour towards Mario gave him false hope.

“Not really. My parents keep arranging these formal dinners with the other kingdoms’ rulers and then not-so-subtly invite one their kids. Coincidentally, only their sons so up.”

"Sounds stressful.”

“Tell me about.”

 “What made this one go so bad?”

Daisy scoffed. “The King and Queen of Chai came over with-”

“King and Queen? Aren’t your parents in charge?”

“Ugh,” Daisy’s memories of boring history lessons were rushing back, and she took a deep breath and resighted her nation’s history off by heart.

“Sarasaland used to four separate nations until war broke out when the King of the Birabuto attacked the neighbouring kingdoms, all hell broke loose, then the other 3 kingdoms surrendered and we had peace for a while until the sons of the ex-Kings of Chai and Muda led a rebellion against them, but the Easton nobles liked the Birbuto rule and didn’t want to get rid of their better trade routes, so then an civil war broke out. Twice. And then to garner peace, a new royal family – My great-grandparents – were brought in by the civilians who grew tired of the constant fighting and crappy rulers. To stop a revolt, the other kingdoms agreed to become a part of Sarasaland as we know it today and allowed my family to rule, if their royal lines were reinstated, family property returned, had limited sovereignty and equal Parliamentary representation and blah blah. The other monarchs’ titles are more for formalities. They’re more like Presidents from your world.”

Luigi didn’t expect such an in-depth answer. “Impressive, I couldn’t tell you the history of Brooklyn let alone New York. But doesn’t that make you an Empress?”

“Believe me, I have better party tricks, and maybe, but Princess is a nicer title.” Daisy, parched after her speech, instinctively put her hand out as she would to tell a servant to get her another drink. Luigi took the can from her, only for Daisy to apologize for her spoilt upbringing.

“You’re a guest in my house today, Princess.” Luigi got another drink from the fridge and handed it to her.

“Sorry, I interrupted you.”

“Right.” Daisy took another sip. “Anyways, it’s tradition that the four kingdoms take turns marrying into the family, so to speak. King Oolong and Queen Chamomile are really close with my parents, like ‘agreed to have all our kids marry each other’ close. The only problem is that I’m an only child and they have ten sons."

“TEN SONS.” Luigi thought it could be too much sharing with Mario sometimes, he couldn’t imagine fighting over the last bowl of pasta with a third or fourth Mario brother.

“Yeah, insane I know. That’s why I’ve been forced to acquainted with the Chai boys. You’d think with about ten choices, I’d have my pick, but I’ve gone through half of the Chai line thus far. The eldest was too old. The second and third were less fun than watching paint dry and the fourth preferred the company of men. So, last night I met Chrys again. Prince Chrysanthemum. I convinced myself into thinking this one would go better he was my playmate when Peach wasn’t free as a baby, but just my luck, he grew up into a complete tool. The guy was a total brown nose! He sucked up to my parents so much, you'd confuse him for a vacuum. It was like I didn't even exist.

"But then it got bette-"

"But then it got worse!" Daisy's frustration energized her to start passing around the living room.

"My mom, in her infinite wisdom, suggested that I show him around our private gardens, so I'm forced to be alone with him. I rushed through the tour to get it over with until he straight up grabs me and tries to kiss me!"

Luigi nearly choked on his root bear. The idea of Daisy kissing someone else was upsetting, but he didn't expect a man of his status to be so uncouth. There were truly no more divisions between royals and men like himself in his mind.

"Ugh men,” Daisy shivered. “No offense."

"None taken. What did you do then?"

"I punched him, of course," Daisy recall lazily as if it was a common reaction. "His brown nose turned red, real quick, HAHA!" Her gloating sent Luigi a cautious message NEVER get on the princess' bad side.

"I can't believe my parents expected me to even think about marrying that guy! That got me in trouble with my parents, and his. For my dad, it was at the last straw. A shouting match later and I left the castle first thing.”

After such an impassioned retelling of her tale, Daisy flopped back on to the couch, choosing to rest her feet along Luigi's knees instead. Daisy took a rare moment of reprieve to collect her thoughts. Inevitably, she would return home, her parents would forgive her and after a month's peace, another suitor would be invited to the castle and the cycle would begin again. Daisy knew how much her parents treasured her. They doted, spolit her, indulging her enthusiasm for less than 'princessly' pursuits. She was their only child, but equally as important, their only heir to four corners of a kingdom prone to generational infighting. A marriage to fellow Sarasa royal or noble would secure peace (or tolerance) for decades. They worked around her strict criteria for potential matches, but best choices ended platonically, or Daisy's spunky personality would deter suitors looking for a more 'traditional' wife. This led to the King resorting to widening the net, much to Daisy's irritation.

The Queen humbled her daughter by telling her own experience on the other side.

"I was chosen by your grandparents for your father. Look at us now." Her mother's words barely gave her comfort as the chance of choosing poorly weighed on mind. Both her happiness and the Sarasaland’s stability were at stake. Even so, Daisy was still young. She desired adventure, fun and thrills, not marriage. It would be nice to have someone who shared the same passions, but once she was Queen, she knew what little time she would have to see her friends in the Mushroom Kingdom, participate in tournaments, or wild go on adventures.

‘If the cycle continues, they’ll pick someone for me. I have to choose, but who?... I keep scaring princes off.’ Daisy, embarrassingly, had a prince say she should take lessons from Peach. The gall! The gumption!

Luigi saw Daisy’s low deposition and tried to cheer her up.

“I don't understand what you're going through. But you shouldn't be mad at your parents, if they're like my Mama and Papa, then they only want what's best for you." Luigi reassured.

"Then again, I thought royalty dating each other would be easy. Do you have to marry a prince?” He asked, his heart was getting his hopes up again.

Daisy froze in thought. ‘A commoner- A normal person. I hadn’t thought about it before. Dad never said I had to marry prince, only that it was tradition.’ New blood outside of the four kingdoms would cause grumbles amongst the royals and aristocrats, but would it stop every duke and their cat from sucking up to her.

“No...” Daisy answered with a sense of clarity. “I guess I don’t.”

The pool would increase exponentially, and she would be spoilt for choice. However, she knew that no ordinary man would want the baggage of dating a princess.

‘Then, again... Peach’s relationship with Mario was the envy of everyone in the kingdom. The Mario Brothers are certainly not ordinary. A princess and her hero. It’s cliché but it works.’

There was a time when Daisy pleaded with Peach to not gush about Mario every time she visited. Partly out of annoyance, but also out of envy. Daisy didn’t know until recently that the plumber that saved her from Tatanga was also the same that Peach held so dear. Daisy joked that she could’ve had Mario for herself if she pursued him hard enough, but she admitted that he wasn’t her type to stop Peach from turning red.

Daisy turned her head to Luigi who was cleaning a drop of root beer he’d split on his overalls. The sight reminded her of the day she had met Mario again at a golf tournament. Peach and Mario would be each other’s caddies, whereas she would be partnered with Mario’s twin brother, Luigi. Daisy thought she scared the poor man to death when she appeared over the horizon and caused the green-clad brother to fall and drop all their clubs out of their bags. After that bit of clumsiness, Luigi didn’t dare look her in the eye for the whole front nine. She got worried that Luigi didn’t like her, but Peach confirmed the contrary. Compared to Mario, Luigi seemed more in tuned with his feelings and his sensitive nature made it easy to talk to him about anything. Luigi always listened to her ramble about nothing. He had a reputation of being a scaredy cat to the point where people misinterpreted him as a coward, yet Daisy was surprised by Luigi’s willingness to stand up to any challenge or foe, no matter who dangerous or difficult.

"As for the date, I'd say apologize Chrys even if he doesn't really deserve one. 'Build bridges, don't burn them,' as Mama always says."

'Good examples of conflict resolution and maintaining diplomacy. Not to mention he likes me, but how much I wonder.'

Daisy grinned. ‘Hmm... Maybe Peachy’s had the right idea all along.’

Daisy covered her face for a moment to come up with her plan of attack. She then, sat up and turned on the charm.

'Time to put this etiquette training to good use.’

Luigi gulped nervously at their closeness, and Daisy's weight didn't allow for an easy escape.

Daisy batted her eyelids. "Luigi?"

"Y-Yes."

"Do you think I'll find someone?"

"Of course you will, you're fun and sporty and you care for your friends. I'm sure your people think you’re good ruler too. I think you're fantastic just the way you are. I don’t know how the other princes don’t see that," the plumber expressed honestly.

"Ahh... you're so sweet," she instantly pulled him into a hug. Daisy knew Luigi was very passive. She needed to be tactful in order as to not overwhelm him with her usual forcefulness.

"I’m sure, you have a sweetheart that cares for you too."

"Oh no, I’ve never been popular with girls," Luigi admitted. “Mario’s has more luck than I do in that department.”

‘Perfect.’ Daisy knew it was time to switch it onto high gear.

"Luigi? You wouldn't do something I asked just because I'm a princess, would you?" She asked as he caressed his overall strap.

Luigi was surprised by the change in tone. "N-No. Not because you're a princess, but because we're friends." He paused, remembering a time that as a child, Mario convinced him to look down a warp pipe, not knowing a Piranha plant had made its home there.

"Within reason," Luigi added as a precaution.

"Well then, Luigi... Would you kiss me?"

The plumber almost stopped breathing.

'She must be joking,’ Luigi rationalized to calm his heart rate down. Daisy regularly teased him, fully aware or in spite of his feelings for her, but she's never taken the joke this far.

'I can't get my hopes up. What am I thinking?!' Luigi attempts to form a reply but fails, stuttering helplessly. 'She wants to kiss ME!? Just do it Luigi! But what if I mess up? Oh, I wish I wasn't such a wimp.’

Daisy swoops into ease the pressure. She places her gloved hands, lightly stroking his cheeks, whilst admiring his moustache. Daisy always thought the Mario Brothers had a certain aura around them. Daisy made a point to apologize to Peach for initially criticizing her taste in men.

"Let's make this easier. Do you want to kiss me?"

Luigi nodded violently.

"Would it be okay if I kissed you?"

He nodded again. Daisy obliged.

Their lips connected. The Princess of Sarasaland actively held back her desire to help relax the plumber. Daisy pulled away and giggled.

"Your moustache tickles," she mused. "I don't mind doing that again."

Daisy pulled on his overall straps to initiate another kiss until she noticed Luigi's despondent expression.

"Luigi? Anyone home?"

"Did I do it okay?"

"What? You mean the kiss? It was good, you act like you've never done this before?"

Luigi's silence and lowered head caused Daisy to connect the dots.

"Was I your first kiss?" She asked excitedly, making Luigi grow evermore embarrassed.

"Oh, don't be like that. That's nothing to be ashamed of. Better to wait to enjoy it more."

Luigi could have corrected himself and admitted that his dear mother had kissed him many times before, but he was self-aware enough not reveal that extra information or risk more teasing. Nor would it have been apt to bring up platonic kisses on the nose from Princess Peach either

"I hope I was worth the wait."

"Yes, you were," Luigi confirmed. 'I don't feel bad for that prince anymore.’ His deep-seeded wish had been granted by the star spirits albeit at the expense of someone else, but after that kiss, Luigi's sympathies were forgotten.

"Then, in that case, can I kiss you again?"

Luigi didn't reply quick enough before the pair were entangled once more.

Luigi finally finished the story as he took the last bite of his cannoli.

Mario, who was so enraptured by the tale, had barely started eating. The elder twin soon asked his first question.

"That was your first kiss?" He couldn't hide his amusement which annoyed Luigi.

"That's all you have to say after all that!?"

“Come on! Let me have my fun. After all this time, I’ve been wasting my time worrying about you when I'm off on an adventure and now I find out you were having so much fun with Princess Daisy that you probably never wanted me home!" Mario exclaimed in jest.

"That's not true." To a certain extent, Luigi wasn't lying. He would never wish for Peach to be kidnapped or put his brother at risk... but from a selfish view, they did provide an excuse to spend long and private lengths of time with Daisy.

A lightbulb shone above Mario’s head. “Wait a minute... Is that why you got rid of me this morning?!”

Aware Daisy was visiting the Mushroom kingdom in advance of an upcoming tennis invitational Luigi planned an intimate dinner date in hopes that he would 'eventually' brooch the subject of their undefined relationship. Unfortunately, Luigi didn't account for Daisy's spontaneous nature, and she foiled that plan before it began as she arrived at his home a day late to see him. In in his panicked state, he sent Mario on a wild goose chase of errands and a promise of (leftover) desserts encourage him.

"Wow, I never thought you could be such a bad boy~" Daisy spoke after she left the closet Luigi forced her to hide in.

Thankfully, Mario would be out all day anyway as Peach had invited him over for tea and Daisy could be back at the castle before Peach and Toadsworth dwelled on her late arrival. However, Daisy didn't want to leave, complaining about Toadsworth’s inevitable lecture about her punctuality (or lack thereof). Luigi's eyeline shifted from Daisy to the clock frequently, which attracted Daisy's ire.

"If I wasn't so nice, I'd say you were trying get rid of me, Luigi.” The fact that she called him by his actual name and not one of the many affectionate nicknames she picked from, meant she was almost upset with him.

"N-No, of course not. I'm just trying to make sure you don't get in trouble."

"Aww, Weegee, you worry too much. But you're right, I should go..." Luigi thanked the star spirits.

" ...After I give you a good night's kiss". Then Luigi lost track of time.

"Why didn't you tell me anyway? You think I wouldn't approve? Or Peach?"

"No, it's not you. I've tried to tell you but every time I tried to bring it up, trouble came around and it kept getting later and later, which made it harder to mention it without you thinking that I was keeping from you. Although now you mention it, Peach seemed just as surprised as you were."

"Strange. "Mario pondered as he took a large bite of dessert. "They share everything; they're best friends."

Mario turned to Luigi to see him sinking down further into his seat after his observation.

"That's the other reason I didn't want to tell you. I... I don't think I'm her boyfriend."

"Have you asked her?

"Well, no, but- "

"Well, there's your problem. She probably thinks you're not interested."

"Trust me, bro. It's not a lack of interest. We spend a lot together going out; play a round of tennis or golf-"

“I play rounds of tennis with Bowser, does that make us a couple?" Mario asked sarcastically to which Luigi only replied with a huff.

"We only hang out alone when you and Peach aren't around, and even then, our 'dates' aren't planned. Daisy's usually wants to cool off after a fight with her parents." Luigi removed his hat and looked at the 'L' that symbolized his whole being.

"I bet her parents don't even know exist," he muttered existentially. It became harder to enjoy the time he shared with Daisy. The niggling parasite of a thought in his brain would never stop trying to humble him and force him to acknowledge what the relationship really was - A fling, a distraction, a time waster until Daisy finally decided to settle down and forget about him.

Mario recognized the depths Luigi was drowning in, and it was his job as his older brother to pull him out of this pit before he sank.

“Bro. One. Daisy is our friend. She would never use you like that, if she cares for you even half as much as I do. Two. If the princess isn't exaggerating, then her parents must be cuckoo-crazy!" This got his brother to laugh.

"And Three. Why would Daisy take the 5 ferries, boats and trains just to get to the Mushroom Kingdom EVERY time her parents annoy her when she could just call?”

"Cause they're cuckoo-crazy?"

"No, Bro, she wants to see you!" Mario pointed at his brother’s hat and reasoned, "You're the most non-judgmental person in her life she can talk to. Peach is her best friend, but you know her as well as I do. She's a stickler for rules and tradition. She feels safe with you to talk about this stuff. She trusts you.

Luigi smiled. Mario saved him from sinking again.

"Thanks, and you're right but... I'm still too nervous about making it official. I mean, she's a princess, Mario, what do I have that a prince doesn't?"

"This." Mario placed a hand where Luigi's heart was. "That's why she keeps coming back. And your lips too, if this evening was anything to go by."

"HA. HA. Very funny," Luigi said to his quip, as Mario got up to leave after finishing his cannoli in 2 bites.

The red-clad brother yawned. "Are you coming bed?"

"I will, Mario. I'll just clean up first." Mario almost made it to their bedroom when Luigi asked another question.

"This might be a bit personal but... Do you think the princess, I mean, Peach, loves you the way you love her?"

Mario was briefly taken aback but answered simply, "To be honest, I was acting all mature earlier, but I haven't said anything to her either."

"But you said- "

"I know what I said. Remember how Papa raised us, 'Do as I say, not as I do!'"

He waved and entered their room. Luigi groaned at his hypocritical advice and bid his brother good night while he picked up the dirty plates and placed them in the sink to wash.

This had been a wild night. Nonetheless, Luigi promised tonight would be the turning point.

Tomorrow, he would tell her.

Chapter Text

Princess Peach Toadstool was furious. Well, that was an exaggeration. 

The princess was merely exhausted after an evening of revelations. Her best friend purposely delays her arrival to visit another one of her friends, whom she's secretly in a relationship with and hasn’t even told her about. Then involuntarily ruins her own alone time with her crush. It made her blood boil. Not because she wasn’t happy for them, but more so jealous that she didn’t have that special bond herself. The fact that another potential evening with Mario alone was derailed, because of this secret made Peach feel that Rosalina was punishing her after beating her in the last Mario Kart tournament. 

The princess had dressed down into her equally as ornate nightgown which flowed and rested around her knees. As tossed and turned in her bed, Peach knew she would not be able to drift off peacefully. Luckily, a knock on the door distracted her. 

'How strange? I thought I dismissed the guards for the night. Oh, please don't give me another thing to worry about.'  

Peach promptly put on her robe and answered the door and found no one in the corridor. Peach had a habit of forgetting she hasn't been the same height of a Toad since she was a toddler. She looked down and found no one either.  

"BOO!!” 

"Eeek!-"The mushroom princess released a shrill shriek that was quickly stopped by an equally shrill laugh. 

"All these years, Peachy and you're still so gullible!" 

"DAISY!" The desert princess kept laughing as Peach looked like she'd eaten a fire flower. Daisy used all her resolve to stop teasing her friend. 

"Not funny, Daisy.” Peach entered her room in a huff and tried to shut the door behind her, only for best friend to hold the door open with her bare foot. 

"I'm sorry, Peach," Daisy apologised sincerely. "I come with a peace offering."  

Peach was so shocked by Daisy's childish scare that she didn't notice that Daisy's arms were hidden behind her back. Then, Daisy revealed a small box of Yoshi cookies. The sight and smell emanating from the box made her nostalgic for simpler time when as babies, the girls would sneak into the castle kitchen and steal cookies and other treats that Toadsworth would withhold from the princesses to avoid spoiling them. 

Seeing Daisy in her simple pajama top and shorts with a childish grin made Peach soften. She invited her friend into room, and they had an impromptu sleepover like they used to. 

The princesses chatted and joked as if the night's earlier events didn't happen, but Daisy had enough intuition to know that the mostly proper princess was positively bubbling under the surface. In a rare moment of humility, Daisy choose to put Peach out of her self-imposed misery. 

"I'm sorry." 

"For what, Daisy?" 

"You don't have to be so coy about it, Peach. And you've almost finished the whole box!” Peach blushed in embarrassment. She was prone to stress eating when she wasn’t careful. 

"I'm sorry too. I overreacted." 

"Overreacted? You were hysterical. Luckily Mario didn't seem to mind. You glow when you're angry! HAHA!" 

Daisy was laughing so obnoxiously, she almost missed Peach jump at the mention of her favourite plumber. "Oh, so that's what this is about?" 

Peach hid behind a pillow. "I don't know what you're implying," she said in a matter-of-fact tone. 

"Come on, Peach, I'm just teasing." Peach kept her face hidden. 

"If you don't come out, I won't tell you all the juicy details about Luigi and I." Like clockwork, the pink princess emerged and glared at Daisy nonchalantly. 

"Well, it clearly wasn't juicy enough to tell me sooner...” She slowly rose up and asked tentatively, “...So what was it like?”  

“What?” Daisy was unsure what Peach was asking. Peach felt awkward asking about something so ‘explicit’. 

“...The kiss, I mean.” 

Daisy gasped and her eyes widened in shock. “Peach, don’t tell me you’ve never-” Daisy’s question was interrupted by Peach hitting her with one her many pillows. “Keep your voice down!” she insisted tersely. The princess of Sarasaland decided not to pry further as the subject seemed to be a sore spot for Peach. She took a bite off another cookie as she explained. 

“It was nice. His moustache kinda’ tickles though.”  

‘Just as I suspected...’ Peach thought. She looked on intently as Daisy described the events leading up to Peach and Mario walking in on the couple. Peach knew the pair had a ‘thing’ for each other, with Luigi’s feelings being towards Daisy more apparent. Peach and Mario found it amusing to see Luigi stumble over his words and feet whenever Daisy came over to visit. Whenever the four hung out, Daisy would demand Luigi tell her about his adventures and listen as if no one else was in the room with them. However, she never thought their relationship would go beyond ‘flirting friends’. 

“So, how long has this relationship been going on behind my back?"

Daisy screwed her face and began counting on her fingers. "Ten. Eleven.... I don’t know, about a couple days. 

"Days!?" Peach yelled incredulously. "You don't kiss a boy like that after a few days!" 

"Of course not! What kind of girl do you think I am?!” Peach quickly and sincerely apologized for her insinuation, which Daisy accepted. 

"Whenever I plan to visit, you coincidently get kidnapped and Mario runs off to save you. Luigi and I have spent a lot of time together over the last year, it’s just kinda' happened over several visits. Although the kissing part only started recently." 

"Well, you can’t blame me for being surprised. Mario's told me about Luigi's crush on you, but I didn't think he would act on it no matter how much we encouraged him." 

Peach reflected on the last time the pair had a casual tennis match. After the game, she noticed Daisy brazenly flirting with the green plumber and inviting herself over for lunch at his home as her prize for winning the game. She laughed at the sight as she anticipated prematurely Luigi to fall over himself, only for him to just laugh it off and thank her for complimenting his backhand and accepting the invitation with incident. At the time it was strange, but now Peach realised the moment was indicative of a shift in their dynamic. 

"If it makes you feel better, I made the first move." 

Peach scoffed. "I don't doubt that. I just wish you told me..." 

"I know. I know. I should've said something earlier, but every time I wanted to tell you were in Bowser's dungeon. And honestly, my parents hounding me more lately, and it's sort of fell to the wayside." 

Daisy fell down onto the bed and stared at the ornate ceiling. Peach joined her as turned off the bedroom lights and bucked themselves in under the plush duvet. 

"Have you told parents about Luigi?" Peach asked. 

"Are you crazy? Of course not! Ugh, I don’t even want to imagine Luigi meeting them. They’d give him a heart attack just by staring at him. They're still trying to set me up. My mother's even willing to lower her standards to accept a noble than a prince." 

"Oh, how dire."  

Daisy shuffled around under covers, unable to get comfortable. "You’d think they’d get the hint by now!  You're so lucky. Toadsworth may be a pain, but at least he doesn't force you don't go on any dates." 

"Not really," Peach countered. "At least you get to meet boys. Toadsworth has been sending princes away since I came of age. " 

The idea that Princess Peach, arguably the most beautiful woman in their world, let alone her own kingdom, was still single was shocking to Daisy. Among royal circles, the Mushroom Kingdom's bachelorette status was common fodder for gossip. Daisy knew that few friends outside her and the Mario Brothers. Peach had a very isolating childhood. Toadsworth was the previous king and Queen's trusted advisor, so when they passed away, the old Toad raised Peach as his own granddaughter. Peach loved Toadsworth and appreciated his protectiveness over her, but lack of freedom she had growing up was suffocating sometimes. 

Peach tugged at her silk sheets for comfort. "My parents’ marriage wasn't arranged, but Toadsworth told me that being Queen was really stressful for on my mother. I guess he doesn't want the same for me." 

Daisy turned to hug her best friend and the two fell in a comforting silence. 

"You should tell them, Daisy. They’ll understand once they see how happy you are with him. Luigi’s not a prince, but he’s a hero and that should count for something." 

"Tsk when chain chomps learn to fly." 

“Daisy, you know they mean well.” 

“Yeah, well, I can be Queen on my own. I don’t need a man.” 

“But you want Luigi,” Peach replied smugly, finally able to turn the tables on her fiery friend as Daisy blush was hidden by darkness. 

“Don’t you start!” Daisy whined as she through another rouge pillow at Peach in retaliation. She turned away from Peach in a huff and tried to get some sleep until Peach whispered a request.  

“Daisy... If want someone like that, how do I get them to notice me.” 

“Peach. You’re the princess of the one of the biggest, most renowned kingdoms in the world. I don’t think you need advice on attracting a prince, especially not from me.” 

“I don’t need help attracting a prince. I want a... plumber.” Daisy eyes shot open and almost jumped out of the bed in excitement. 

“Well, why didn’t ya’ say so!”