Catalyst - Uzui Tengen & Wives One Shot
Title: Catalyst
Rating: M
Pairing: Reader/Makio/Hinatsuru/Suma/Tengen
Fandom: Demon Slayer
Warnings: Swearing. Sex. Polygamous relationships. F/F, M/F, mention of M/F/F/F/F. Mention of you being from the future. Un-betad.
Summary: You meet Makio first...
Notes: This fic possessed me. I don't entirely know what happened but here it is. I don't even usually like writing in 2nd person, but like I said, it possessed me. I just had the line "you meet Makio first" in my head and this is what happened. I wrote it in the space of 2-3 hours. This is my first time writing Tengen and his wives (aside from my Rengoku/OC fic which isn't posted). Reader is unnamed and undescribed but references to being female. Enjoy.
You meet Makio first.
It happens by accident. You end up standing next to each other as you wait for your turn to pay for the food. Her outfit catches your attention, not because it’s low cut and short, but because it reminds you of the outfits you’re used to back home…in your own time. You’ve been blending in as best you can but the outfits are so restrictive in comparison.
“Do you mind if I ask where you got your outfit? Who designed it?”
She turns to you in surprise. “My outfit? Why?”
“I want one.”
The request turns into her admitting that she makes the outfits with her wives but she’s willing to ask them if they’d help make you one. Providing you pay, of course.
“Of course,” you agree.
Meeting up again is easy, as well as providing the measurements and down payment you give. If you’re honest, you haven’t had a lot of luck since arriving, but your history in retail gives you a great customer service voice and the patience required not to snap at belligerent clients. It gets you a job as a server which pays decently enough that you can afford it.
The longer you talk, the more you’re amused at the woman. She’s a bit brash and unwilling to deal with stupidity, but she’s also a huge dork. It’s hilarious.
The two of you often find yourself sitting on a hill in the area, enjoying the view. Makio likes to talk about her family. It’s nice, letting yourself pretend that everything’s okay. You’re used to the time period now, but you haven’t really let yourself make any friends, assuming you’ll get back. It’s been a year though and prior to meeting Makio, you didn’t really spend any time with anyone.
She’s not around a lot, her work taking her away from the area often, but she promises to come back with the outfit the next time you see each other.
The second one you meet is Hinatsuru.
“It’s wonderful to meet you,” Hinatsuru says with a smile. “Makio has been talking about you often. We hope you like the outfit.” She offers the bundle she’s holding.
“Thank you,” you smile at her. It’s cute watching her blush.
“Try it on,” Makio orders. You raise your eyebrows at her until she offers a please. “We want to make sure it fits.”
“Sure,” you say. “Mind waiting?”
“Not at all,” Hinatsuru says.
You invite them into your home, the small apartment-style area that you rent. It takes most of your wages but the woman who acts as your landlord is nice enough and you don’t have to worry about people breaking in. Makio looks unimpressed at the space but she doesn’t say anything once Hinatsuru nudges her. You don’t care. You’ve lived in better but you’ve also lived in worse. You’ll take what you can get.
You change quickly and the weight of the outfit is strange after so long in standard kimonos and yukatas, but it’s nice. You feel like you can move again. You come out, unashamed in the sudden change of the amount of skin you’re showing. It’s freeing.
The women waiting for you look surprised as you grin at them.
“Well? What do you think?” The dress is a cobalt blue with a black obi around your waist. There are slits up the sides with a short skirt that ends above your knees.
“You look great!” Makio says. “Not as good as us though,” she adds, teasingly. You roll your eyes, used to her antics.
“It suits you,” Hinatsuru says softly, her gaze darting between the two of you.
“Thank you!” You grin at her before moving to grab the rest of the payment that you owe them. “Here. Do you think I’d be able to order more?”
“Are you sure?” Hinatsuru asks. “It is…revealing for the average citizen. We don’t want you to get any trouble.”
“Don’t worry,” you assure, thinking of your origins. “I’m anything but average.”
You meet Suma next. She follows the other two, bouncing slightly before darting past them to greet you.
“It’s you! I finally get to meet you!”
You blink in surprise at the enthusiasm as she clasps your hands in hers. She grins widely. “Makio’s been keeping you a secret.”
“No, I haven’t!” Makio yells, reaching to drag Suma back away from you. You try not to smile as they argue, or more so, as Makio argues and Suma reacts dramatically. Hinatsuru sighs but looks at them fondly before she heads towards you.
“We’re so glad to see you again,” she says.
“Me too,” you agree. “I missed your company.”
She smiles at you, gaze softening slightly before the two of you are overrun by Makio and Suma, both demanding your attention.
The longer you spend with these women, the more you understand how well they fit. They balance each other perfectly in a lot of ways and despite the way they like to argue, you can tell that they care about each other deeply. It’s sweet and a little heartbreaking. Not that you’re in love with any of them, but it’s a reminder of what you don’t have. You doubt that anyone here would want to marry you, especially since you don’t have relatable experiences. It’s fine. You can deal with it until you decide to shove the truth about yourself down so deep that no one will ever dig it out.
You still spend the most time with Makio. Mainly out of habit more than anything. You think she might be your best friend but you’re not entirely sure you want to tell her that. It feels like there’s something waiting for you on the horizon and you’re not sure if it's impending doom or something great. Probably doom, knowing your luck. Maybe you’ll just wake up back home.
“Are you okay?” Suma asks. The four of you are huddled in your small living area, snacks and tea laid out between you.
“We should have just taken you home,” Makio grumbles. You know she’s just uncomfortable in the enclosed space but you like it. You feel safer knowing there are not a lot of areas for someone to hide in.
“I’m fine,” you assure them. “Just a little homesick.” You catch the look they all give each other and wait, knowing there’s some question they want to ask. Can they read you as easily as you seem to be able to read them?
“Oh,” Hinatsuru says softly. “Can you not go visit?”
You give her a small smile. “No. There’s…there’s no way,” you pause and correct yourself. “There’s no one left.”
Suma looks like she’s going to cry again and you wave her off. “It’s fine. I’m used to it now. Besides, it’s not like I don’t have friends, right? I have all of you now.”
“Of course you have us!” Makio says, looking fierce in her outburst. “We’ll be your family, okay?”
You laugh slightly at the determination and that way Suma eagerly nods in agreement. “Thanks. I’d like that.”
Things change after that.
You’re not sure what it was, the reveal that you have no one else in this world or the fact that they’ve decided to be your family, but things change. They’re around more often, bringing small trinkets from their travels back to you that they insist improve your living space. They also touch you more. Not that they didn’t before, but it goes beyond the casual brush of skin as you sit next to each other or a hug goodbye. Hina, as she asks you to call her, enjoys playing with your hair of all things. Makio occasionally tries to feed you, offering bites from her own food or holding up a treat for you to try. Suma no longer has any concept of personal space, enjoying lounging herself across you and pressing her cold feet into your shins.
It’s funny because you never considered yourself touch starved before but now? Now you think if they ever stop, you’ll miss it. Your life slowly adjusts to consist mainly of serving customers and the Uzui women.
Makio, as every time before, is the first. This time to kiss you.
You’re stunned as she pulls back and you can see the concern in her features that maybe she made a mistake.
“I’m sorry,” she says. “I thought–”
You stare at her for a moment before you grin at the expression on her face. “No,” you say, “I just…I’ve never kissed another woman before.”
“Did you not like it?” she asks. You know that if you tell her you didn’t, she’ll stop. Things will go back to the way they were.
“It’s not that,” you admit. “You’re married.”
She grins at you. “I know,” she agrees. “But all three of us have been talking about wanting more with you. We just weren’t sure what you want.”
“Aren’t there four of you?”
She nods enthusiastically. “Lord Tengen knows,” she says. “He’s waiting.”
For what? You want to ask but you don’t, because Makio moves forward again and you find yourself distracted by the feeling of her lips on yours. It’s different from the guys you’ve made out with. Not necessarily better or worse, just different. Turns out that Makio is a great kisser and you’re not as straight as you originally thought you were. Huh. Who knew?
Once that barrier is breached, the others are not long to follow. You feel a bit guilty to be making out with each of these women knowing that there’s a husband somewhere waiting for them, but this isn’t the first polygamous relationship you’ve heard of, especially since ethical non-monogamy seemed to be everywhere in the online dating arena, so you know that communication is the most important thing in a healthy relationship. You also have no doubts, based on what you know of these women, that one of them has told their husband everything. You’re just wondering when he’s going to make himself known.
Speak of the devil and he’ll appear. Isn’t that the saying?
You meet Tengen by accident. Well, probably not by accident since Makio said he was waiting and it was bound to happen, but you didn’t expect it like this.
You were in the market on your day off, wandering from stall to stall in one of the outfits that Makio, Hina and Suma made. They had worried about you finding yourself in trouble due to the cut of it. Instead, trouble found you. The strange man propositions you on the street. You shoot him down. It’s not the first time you’ve had to do so to such a request and it likely won't be the last. No big deal. You’re used to it.
Until he touches you.
The man grabs you by the wrist, stopping you from moving on. Unfortunately for him, you come from an era of women’s rights, self-defence and a love of action movies. You shove your fingers into his throat before anyone else can step in. He recoils, coughing loudly, and let's go. You straighten your outfit and prepare to move on only to stop as someone appears between you and the man.
“Now that’s a flashy response!”
The man in front of you is huge. You’ve seen a lot of men in your life but you’re beginning to wonder if any of them ever compared to this one. His arms look like the size of your head. Your mouth drops open as you register the jewels on his headband and the swords at his back. You’ve heard every description of the man possible but you have never expected him to look like…this.
He glances over his shoulder and you have to actually move to peek around him to see the man who assaulted you being led off by some other. Tengen turns back to look at you and you watch as his gaze overtly looks over you. There is nothing subtle about this man. At least, not when he doesn’t want to be.
“So you’re the one monopolizing my wives.”
“Maybe,” you admit. There’s no reason to lie. “They’re good people.”
“They are,” he agrees. “They’ve spoken highly of you.”
“Not as much as they’ve said about you, I’m sure.”
He grins at that. “May I join you?”
“Knock yourself out,” you say, nodding. He looks slightly confused before he grins as he realizes you’re saying yes.
Tengen is not as patient as his wives.
Which is funny because you never considered any of them to be patient once you got to know them. Maybe Hina, but that’s only in comparison to the others. He’s also straightforward. You like that.
“You’re not only attracted to women,” he points out once he catches you staring at him again. Honestly, you’re just amazed at how small you feel next to the man. That’s never happened before.
“Nope,” you agree. “Though, to be fair, it might only be them. I don’t know. I’ve never considered it before.”
He seems pleased at the compliment to his wives and doesn’t hide the way he appreciates you as well. He walks you home and before he leaves, he promises to return and kisses you hard. It’s easy to see how he’s kept the three of them if this is how he kisses.
You don’t see them during the days that Tengen is around. You suspect that there’s more going on, but you’re willing to let it play out. Getting to know him is like adding another piece to a puzzle. It all starts to make sense and you can understand how the dynamics fit. The four of them are practically a well-oiled, well-loved, machine and while you’re not entirely sure what their purpose is for you, you’re going to enjoy it. After all, who knows if you’re really going to stay? Even if it’s been almost two years.
Makio is not the first this time.
It’s Hina who proposes, even though they’re all there. You sit there, surprised at the offer. You hadn’t expected this. Even when they said they’d be your family, all those ages ago, you didn’t think they meant literally.
“I can’t,” you admit, wincing as you watch Makio’s expression fade into blankness and Suma starts to cry.
“Why?” she wails, reaching out to you.
You consider it. It’s not that you don’t want to. You love them, each and every one. How could you not? At least, you’re sure that you do. You haven’t exactly tested things out completely, always stopping before it led to full-out sex because you had been unsure of their marriage, but the desire was there.
“I don’t know if I’m here to stay,” you try to explain. “For good.”
“What do you mean?” Tengen asks. “Where would you go?”
“Back to the future?”
They stare at you for a moment, the words processing before Tengen leans back and laughs.
“I knew it!” He says, looking at you with a grin. “I knew you were flashier than you let on! Your score is different from everyone else's!”
“My score?” You don’t remember telling any of them how many people you’ve slept with….
He explains…and so do you.
Things finally start to make sense. They never really explained what they did, at least not in detail besides trying to ensure you stayed indoors at night. The truth of their occupation, and their history, is the final puzzle piece. The truth of you clears up the confusion of all the strange little things that you do that don’t really make sense…but are also the same things that drew them all in. You all agree to give it some time, to think about it.
It takes a day before Tengen is back with advice.
“Say yes,” he says, hand on the small of your back as he pulls you towards him. “Even if the worst should happen and you leave, shouldn’t we enjoy the time we have? Marry us.”
“Let me think about it,” you ask, kissing him softly.
Suma is the next.
“Please say yes,” she begs. “Please! We need you!”
You smile in response. “Let me think about it,” you ask again before kissing her this time. She melts into it and you try not to let it sway you.
Hina comes about a week later.
“Please join us,” she asks, holding your hand in hers. “We miss you. Let us take care of you and you take care of us.”
“I miss you too,” you admit. “All of you. But are you sure?”
She kisses you. “We are. Are you?”
Makio is last. Her arms are crossed as you come across her waiting for you outside your work.
“You’re being stupid,” she says as soon as she sees you.
“Nice to see you too.”
“Why are you doing this to us?”
“What? Making you wait?”
“Yes!” The brashness fades as she looks at you. “Don’t you want us?”
You sigh. “Of course I do.”
“Then marry us!”
“One more day,” you say. “Give me one more day, okay? I’ll come to you.”
You’ve known your answer since Tengen spoke to you. He’s right. Why should you deny yourself the chance of enjoying your life here, even if it might not be forever? Really, what is? If they want you, they can have you.
It’s not hard to find their home despite the fact that you’ve never been there. The place is beautiful and a little out of the way. It suits them though you wonder if they’d like chimes. Wooden chimes would suit the place but it might be a bother considering Tengen’s hearing.
The door opens before you even get to it and Suma comes running, nearly tackling you on the path.
“You came!”
You laugh as you hold her, miraculously steadying the both of you. It doesn’t last long as soon as Makio joins in. The three of you end up sprawled on the path and your face is covered in kisses despite the fact you still haven’t given an answer. You don’t mind. You know your answer and kiss them both back.
“Alright,” you hear Tengen say. “Get up, you three.” Hina giggles as you all try to untangle yourselves. It takes a couple of tries before Tengen eventually steps in and lifts Suma off of you, listening to her protest. Makio stands up next and offers you her hand.
You hold it, reaching out for Hina’s before you follow Tengen inside, trying not to laugh at Suma’s expression as she’s carried over his shoulder.
You say yes. Tengen looks like he knew you would and the women are ecstatic. So are you. You’ve never felt as loved or as wanted as you do at that moment, as they all celebrate the fact that you’re joining them and going to become one of their wives. Even if you disappeared in this moment, you’d remember it forever.
Luckily, that doesn’t happen.
What does happen is that someone opens some sake and the night ends with you on your back and someone’s face between your legs. They know you’re inexperienced but the four of them aren’t. It’s not hard to listen to their cues, let them guide you and relish in the way you can help make them break.
You learn new ways to use your tongue, the sweet spots that make each of them clutch you tighter and beg, and you learn how many times you’re capable of orgasming. It’s way more than you ever expected and you might have blacked out at some point. You come to curled up next to Suma while Hina’s head rests on your stomach. You’re all covered in sweat and the room stinks of sex. You can hear them though. The soft praises of Tengen and the way Makio cries out.
“You did this,” he tells her. “You completed us.”
“Thank you,” she cries out, clutching at his arm as he thrusts up into her. “For letting me–” She’s facing the rest of you. Both of them are and you catch Tengen’s eyes as he realizes you’re awake.
“My beautiful wives,” he says, kissing her neck. “You’re so good to me. So good to all of us. How could I resist?”
Suma shifts closer, throwing an arm around you as she buries her face against your skin. Indeed, you think, closing your eyes and drifting back to sleep even with the sounds of them fucking. How could you resist?
taglist: @raith-way @chrissymunson @veetlegeuse @chickensarentcheap @residentdormouse
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ALRIGHT
When SOMEONE who is definitely NOT ME writes the Avatar high school au with Spider properly included, here’s how it should go:
-so my man Jake Sully has been paralyzed since The WarTM (I don’t care which one) and he and his delightful wife (school board hates her) and kids (school board hates everyone but Neteyam) have trouble finding a place that is accessible for Jake. Because of this they all live in a home in an old folks community.
-They live somewhere crazy like Pennsylvania where the drive between one place and another is 45 minutes so the kids are all stupid close and hate (love) each other.
-then one day a social worker drops a kid off to live next door with his decrepit and dying old aunt or something, it’s Miles Spider Socorro here in all his fun neglected glory, and all the Sully kids are like Mine that’s Mine, and he’s Scared but also like alright 🥺
-Spider spends more time at the Sully’s and outside then at his actual house and the whole time Jake and Neytiri are like who the fuck is feeding this kid who did shit to this kid and they’re like treating him like a wild animal that could be spooked but eventually he’s pretty chill and just part of the squad.
-now one day Spider learns that the house, one one Jake and Neytiri have been building for years to be properly accessible and ready for them in like this big woods property with like dumbass little American ninja warrior obstacle courses for Jake to do just arm shit on (I’m convinced that man is buff as hell) and a swimming pool for the kids but also for Jake to like throw them around in and shit. Neytiri’s got a massive garden and some little farm animals it’s all very quaint Pennsylvania woods shit and it’s closer to a better high school (where obviously they will meet the metkayina kids and we can have that romance plot). Spider learns that house is about done.
-Spiders like “oh better spend my last days before the inevitable heat death of the universe (the departure of my family)” and he’s like trying to keep a happy face. No one can quite figure out what’s wrong with him. Jake and Neytiri asked his aunt and social worker if they could bring him along years ago and everyone assumed they told him. OBVIOUSLY no one would leave him the kids would absolutely riot (and who would weed with Neytiri and listen to music in the mornings and who would pretend to hate The Bachelor with Jake and Lo’ak when Kiri puts it on).
-literally the comical confusion continues like they bring him to the house and show him stuff they built specifically for him. “Oh spider look this is your room, the ceilings are high for climbing and we made the sky have realistic constellations for you and Kiri to look at” and he’s like “wow they really want me to visit, I wish my aunt would drive me. Maybe I can walk over?”
-finally someone (probably Kiri or Lo’ak, bonus points for Neteyam or Tuk) asks why he’s being so weird about the move and he’s finally like “because I’m going to miss you all obviously?” And they’re like “you’re coming?? Idiot?? Why would you miss us?” And he cries obviously. I think this took place at the final night at the old house. Everyone insisted spider stay over for it and they all camped out in the living room. He was excited to be there but very confused as to why they wanted him there.
-someone is like “why would you think we would leave you?” And he just says “I didn’t think you wanted me to come” and that makes everyone cry of course. And I’m convinced that Neteyam and Lo’ak do this thing where when Jake is having a serious talk with them they sit down or kneel so he’s eye level so Lo’ak just makes spider sit and stage whispers “when he’s mad you have to make him feel taller” and it breaks the tension a little bit cause it makes everyone laugh
-so then Jake and Neytiri have to have a talk with him like “oops we thought the adults we knew didn’t treat you well told you we were taking you in, we should not have trusted them, go get ur shit and move it over now actually, fuck them, ur done ur ours now.”
-and he’s very confused as to how it happened really but less then 24 hours later he is watching The Bachelor in the new house while Jake pretends not to care who got the one on one and Lo’ak does a worse job of pretending not to care whose on the group date and Neytiri does the worst job of all pretending not to care about how little shit Spider brought with him
-then we get weird shenanigans of Spider learning to be a regular child with parents who care at this new high school with his siblings, probably some stuff like he doesn’t tell anyone when he stays after school and sends Parent Pick Up Pro Jake Sully (he is a stay at home dad who does CrossFit and builds shit in the garage that he sells on Etsy, he hangs out with Tonowari and Tuk all day you can’t convince me otherwise) into a full meltdown. Or Spider forged his aunts signature on a permission slip As Per Usual and because she’s not his guardian anymore people get confused and Neytiri pulls him aside during their special garden time like why didn’t you just ask us to sign it buddy. We will.
-and we also get ur classic Neteyam and Ao’nung plot and your Lo’ak and Tsireya plot because guess who is at our new school?? Swim team champs Ao’nung, Tsireya, and Rotxo, and Lo’ak is determined to join and impress Tsireya
-Tonowari and Jake are both stay at home dads, Tonowari usually works but right now he’s on dad leave for the baby and he and Jake go on walks with the baby strapped to Tonowari’s chest and it does like become every housewives fav hour of the day, but they are both devoted to their sugar mommies, surgeons Neytiri and Ronal (greys anatomy subplot with Ronal and Neytiri starting out as rivals when Neytiri comes into this new hospital but become friends in the heat of some stressful situation)
-Jake misses when Tuk was home all day with him tbh so I can see him being their full time nanny when Tonowari goes back to work just cause he’s not busy and is obsessed with babies (Buffy subplot where Jake goes back to school and becomes an elementary school teacher/guidance consular to help kids like him and Spider with bad home lives)
-he also was the coach of every sports team Lo’ak and Neteyam ever had and both of them loved and hated it because he would praise them too much then notice it and then criticize them to balance it out
-sometimes he comes to swim team after he finds out Tonowari coaches and Tonowari dubs him like honorary coach and Jake is parked on the side of the pool in his chair like “great butterfly kicks Lo’ak” and Lo’ak is like “YOU WOULDNT KNOW GO HOME DAD”
-Jake will not take that lying down so he’s like “okay see you at home for The Bachelor son” and Lo’ak tries to drown himself out of embarrassment but Tsireya taps him on the arm and asks him if he’s been watching this season and that’s how Jake wingmans Lo’ak into inviting Tsireya over for their Bachelor nights
-that is how Ao’nung finds himself at the Sully house for The Bachelor (Ao’nung hates The Bachelor)
-that is how Neteyam finds himself downstairs in the living room for The Bachelor (Neteyam also hates The Bachelor)
-that is how Neytiri finds herself walking into Neteyams room to ask him if he wants to watch The Walking Dead with her but finding him Busy with Ao’nung (Neytiri also hates The Bachelor)
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Peach is crying again.
The panic that might normally strike Mario at such a sight is nowhere to be found, because this has been happening a lot lately; she gets misty-eyed over just about anything, a stark contrast to her usual fortitude in the face of great emotion. She's craving cake but realizes she'll have to wait for it to bake before she can actually eat it? Tears. Toadette brings her some tea just as she notices her throat's feeling dry? Tears. Mario uses her name alone instead of one of the plethora of endearments he normally assigns to her? Tears.
This is perfectly normal, Toadessa has assured them both. Her hormones will begin restabilizing as she approaches her second trimester, and until then, Mario has no reason to worry if she's suddenly weepier than usual.
That doesn't mean he likes it, and it certainly doesn't mean he'll just sit back and let it happen. If Peach is going to be inconsolable over every little thing, then she's going to be inconsolable while he attempts to console her anyway.
Right now she's leaned back in her chair in the royal office, making a half-hearted effort to compose herself, sniffling and dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief that looks like it's already seen a fair amount of use today. "Mario," she starts, and he already knows she's about to apologize. He doesn't give her the opportunity.
"Hey," he says, crossing the room with wide steps and reaching his hands out to her, "what's wrong? It's alright. Tell me what's wrong."
She adjusts herself so that she's facing him just as he reaches her, and he cups her right cheek in his left palm to look her over. Her face is blotchy and wet, yet her makeup is untouched. He's not sure if it's her magic keeping her cosmetics pristine or if she's just begun using waterproof mascara and eyeliner. Maybe some combination of the two.
Sniffling again, Peach leans into his touch and closes her eyes. "It's so silly," she sighs. "Please don't... y-you would laugh. Don't worry about it."
Mario debates pulling away to take his gloves off, offer her the comfort of his skin against hers, but she looks so relieved to be on the receiving end of his touch that he can't bring himself to do it. He summons his Firebrand into that hand in compensation, so at least he can offer her warmth.
“No.” He tucks a lock of hair behind her ear with his free hand, his voice as soothing and sweet as he can possibly muster. “Tesoro mio, no, your pain is my pain. I would never laugh at you."
Sniffle. Peach opens her eyes to fix him with a grateful smile, and more tears slip out as she does so. He wishes now more than ever that his leather gloves were made of a more absorbent material. "I..." Another deep sigh. "I started thinking, and then I couldn't stop thinking... and I wondered if you would..."
"Yes," Mario encourages, and now he takes both of her hands into his right hand, squeezing gently. "It's okay. You can tell me."
Sorrow washes over her expression, and Mario steadies himself with a deep breath. He hates seeing her like this. He wants to take all of her pain, all of her sorrow, put it in a bottle and put that bottle into a safe and send it sinking to the bottom of the ocean.
"Would you..." With a shuddering inhale, Peach finally presents her question: "Would you still love me if I were a Wiggler?"
Silence overtakes the room. Mario's so hopelessly baffled that he can't even begin to figure out how he's supposed to feel right now, much less respond.
"...Oh." Fresh tears well up, falling with renewed vigor, and that's enough to snap him out of his stupor.
"No no no," he quickly shushes, wiping what tears he can with his thumb, "I'm sorry! You just— I mean, I wasn't expecting that, but yes, I would still love you!"
“But what if I didn’t recognize you?” And now Peach sounds genuinely distraught, her voice breaking every third or fourth word. “What if I saw you and you tried to speak to me but all I could think about was munching on the tasty shrubbery you were standing next to?"
She's full-on weeping now, and as much as he hates the sight, it's taking all of Mario's willpower not to start laughing. Of all the hypothetical scenarios she might have imagined up wherein he might feel anything but overpowering love for her...
"Peach," he says, and he kisses her soaked cheek, "mia dolce principessa, l'amore della mia vita, that would change nothing! I'll love you to the very end no matter what."
The affirmation combined with the gratuitous usage of endearments wretches a sob from Peach's lips, and she frees her hands from Mario's grasp to pull him into an embrace, taking advantage of the more absorbent fabric of his shirt. He lets her cry, slipping his gloves off and stuffing them in his back pocket before returning her embrace.
"I'd love you too," Peach chokes out, her nails digging into the thick denim of his overalls. "If you were a Wiggler, I'd still love you just as much!"
Mario finally lets himself laugh, carding his fingers through her hair. "I know. I know you would."
~~~
That night, reclined on the couch with her head in Mario's lap, Peach cries for an entirely different reason.
"Why did you play along?" she groans, her voice pitched in embarrassment. "You should have been honest with me!"
"I was honest with you," he reasons.
"No you weren't! You didn't once tell me how stupid I sounded!"
"No," Mario corrects, "I told you nothing but the truth, mia amata. I would still love you if you were a Wiggler."
Peach buries her face in her hands and groans again, and Mario wipes at the tears that escape anyway with a tissue, shushing her softly.
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