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Decked out in comfy winter clothes and his favorite knit hat, Luigi sat beside a patio heater, watching people skate in the private ice rink that Princess Peach had installed in the courtyard behind her castle for the holidays. He took a sip of his peppermint coffee, observing his brother leisurely skate in circles around the rink, his arm linked up with Peach’s. Daisy was busy chatting with Mimi, Goombella, and Prince Dreambert, and he heard O’Chunks’ familiar guffawing as he helped Nastasia keep her balance on the ice.
Bowser and all of his kids were playing in the nearby snow, thankfully opting not to cause trouble in favor of a snowman building contest. Queen Bean, Pauline, and Rosalina were having a conversation on a castle balcony, Toadsworth and Lady Lima were keeping an eye on things together, and Starlow was floating energetically from guest to guest. Earlier he had seen Wario and Waluigi with their heads ducked together, probably planning some mischief or trying to figure out how to flirt with the guests.
So many of Mario’s friends and acquaintances were here, it was making his head spin in amazement. Quite a few of the people he knew were also here, and he idly wondered if E. Gadd was still in the castle enthusiastically debating with Merlon and Nolrem about science vs. magic and their involvement in the paranormal. The scents of peppermint, gingerbread, and other treats wafted from the food stalls, music from the Toad orchestra drifted out of open windows, and spots of light from the strings of multicolored lights decorating the courtyard made beautiful patterns on the ice and snow.
It was a pleasant scene, but as he spotted Prince Pine shyly give Prince Haru a kiss on the cheek, he couldn’t help but miss his fiancé. He checked the time on his phone, noticing that Peasley was running a little late. The Beanish prince had flown off first thing this morning for a holiday charity event in the Beanbean Kingdom that he had set up months ago; Luigi couldn’t miss him too much, since he’d gotten to spend the last few weeks with him almost nonstop. About an hour ago, his phone had chimed with a text from Peasley saying that he was going to quickly check up on the Beanstar’s security before coming straight over.
Luigi sighed and daydreamed about his love, having another sip of the coffee keeping his mitten-wrapped hands warm. Dating semi-long distance was hard, but at least they had travel methods that made it easy to visit each other, and they were always able to find ways to fit in longer stays at each other’s homes. An angelic voice calling his name startled him out of his thoughts, and for a second he thought he was still dreaming. The flapping of wings directed his gaze upwards, and there was Prince Peasley, seated upon his flying bean and scouting out a place to land.
The steed gracefully floated to the ground and Peasley stepped off of her, his winter boots crunching in the snow as he pointedly ignored the gossipy tittering his arrival caused. With a yip, Pillow fluttered off as soon as her master was safely on his feet, hoping to find people to play with. The prince was wearing a puffy white coat and a cute pair of earmuffs, and Luigi noted with pleasure that the scarf he’d knitted and given to him for Christmas this year was wrapped snugly around his neck. A blue blush lightly dusted his freckled face in the cold, and a bit of snow from the upper reaches of the sky was caught in his hair.
Peasley quickly located him and smiled radiantly; Luigi’s heart skipped a few beats. “Luigi!” Peasley called again, taking off in a run toward him. Luigi stood up and held out his arms in preparation, staggering just a little when Peasley crashed into him with an excited laugh. The two embraced warmly, and Peasley suddenly darted up and planted a kiss on Luigi’s lips, successfully turning the human’s face red. “Missed you,” the prince teased, moving in for another kiss.
He was a bit startled when Luigi held up his hand instead, only to brush snowflakes from the prince’s golden curls. Peasley smiled as Luigi gathered him up against his chest, feeling the tickle of his mustache as he was kissed on the top of his head. “Missed you too, cuore mio…” Luigi murmured softly and rested his chin there, his hand cradling the back of the prince’s head, solid and tender. Peasley returned the hug tightly and buried his face against the crook of his fiancé’s neck, so much love welling up in his heart that he could barely contain it all.
After a moment more, Peasley let go and turned to take in the gathering of partygoers, the two leaning on each other and keeping their arms wrapped around each other’s waists. “My, my, there seems to be quite a lot of people this year!” Peasley commented, looking over all of the political leaders and citizens attending the festivities while warming himself up from his flight with the heater and Luigi’s presence.
“Mhmm,” Luigi hummed, watching as the koopalings ganged up on their father and pelted him with snowballs. The dragon koopa was playfully chasing them around in turn, threatening them with a giant ball of snow held above his head. “It’s been a hard year, so it’s nice to see everyone having a good time together.”
“Indeed,” Peasley agreed before glancing toward Luigi, seeing a happy sparkle in his pretty blue eyes. “So what shall we do first?” he inquired, nudging him lightly.
“Oh, uh, I-I was hoping we could go sk-skating together?” Luigi suggested, shy as always despite how long they’d been dating. “Have you skated before?”
“I can’t say that I have,” Peasley replied, a little nervous at the prospect of falling on his face in front of all these people. But he knew Luigi wouldn’t let him fall, and he wanted to spend time with him much much more than he wanted to keep appearances. “However, I know I’ll have a good teacher,” he winked, enjoying how Luigi blushed and scratched the back of his neck bashfully. “Where do we acquire skates?”
“Well, I brought mine,” Luigi replied, pulling out a pair of well-loved dark-green ice skates with red-and-white striped laces from seemingly nowhere. The hammerspace trick never ceased to amaze. “And, I-I uh, m-may have bought you some…” he stammered, reaching back into thin air and presenting another pair, these a shiny new white with red and green accents.
“Oh darling, but you already spoiled me so for Christmas!” Peasley exclaimed, taking them and looking them over.
“I-I know, but you deserve it. You’re always working so hard, Peas,” Luigi said simply, and Peasley paused to look at him, his heart warming once more. “And, I really wanted to go with you…” he added, thinking he might just melt with happiness when Peasley smiled back at him.
“My love, of course I’m more than happy to try something new with you,” Peasley answered, rising up onto his tiptoes to plant a kiss right on Luigi’s round nose. Leaving the plumber a flustered, swaying mess, the prince took a seat on Luigi’s former chair and started to unlace his snow boots.
Standing up with his new skates equipped, Peasley wobbled and took Luigi’s offered arm. He found his balance while Luigi put on his own skates, then the two walked slowly and awkwardly to the rink.
As with most things athletic, Peasley got the hang of it after some hard work and trial and error. Soon, he didn’t need Luigi to support most of his weight, and started learning a few basic tricks not long after. Settling into the flow of slow circles that most people were skating in, they talked for a while about their respective days and their plans for the next few.
“Might I ask where you learned to do this?” Peasley questioned, attempting to do a little twirl and stumbling.
Luigi chuckled and helped him through another twirl, offering guidance on how he should distribute his body weight before answering the question. “Me and my bro used to go all the time in the winter, before all the princess-rescuing stuff. You shoulda seen us, just a couple of kids tripping over each other on a frozen pond, trying to figure it out by ourselves.”
“Aww,” Peasley smirked to himself, imagining a tiny and anxious Luigi being coaxed out onto the ice by his brother, only to have a lot of fun despite whatever fears he might have imagined. “So did you figure out how to do anything fancy?”
Thinking for a moment, Luigi nodded.
“Show me?” Peasley quirked a brow at him but smiled gently, non-verbally letting him know that he didn’t have to if he wasn’t comfortable doing so.
His fiancé glanced at all the people around them, then put on a determined expression. He’d gotten a lot more confident about doing things in public these years, especially with Peasley around, because Peasley never made fun of him no matter how things turned out.
Letting go of Peasley’s hand, Luigi picked up speed. His feet drifted smoothly in various directions and his arms moved slowly and fluidly. It was like dancing, and Peasley watched in awe as he seemed to pick up an almost ethereal grace. Then he leapt and spun midair, and the bean prince gasped when he landed on one foot with his other leg extended behind him, his arms splayed as he glided backwards. He went through a few more moves in a miniature routine, then stopped and grinned modestly, his face turning red when he noticed that he had gained a bit of an audience clapping for him. He heard an encouraging whoop from Daisy and even caught Mario giving him a thumbs up out of the corner of his eye.
“Bravo, bravo!” Peasley cheered and applauded, thoroughly impressed. Distracted, he lost his balance and fell onto his butt with a surprised squeak. Before he could start to get overwhelmed by the eyes staring at him, Luigi tripped on a loosened shoelace on his way over to help and fell down too, sliding to a stop on his back right beside his beloved.
“Oh my, are you alright Luigi?” Peasley scooted closer, immediately shifting from embarrassment to concern.
“’M good,” Luigi groaned, sitting up. The two made eye contact and stared at each other for a moment, then burst into laughter, sitting together ridiculously in the middle of the rink.
Luigi stood first, bracing himself as he took Peasley’s hand and pulled him up. They brushed the powder off of each other, then resumed their lazy pace, fingers intertwined comfortably. “You’re quite good at that,” Peasley, who never missed an opportunity to give Luigi all the compliments he deserved, told him genuinely.
“T-Thanks…” Luigi stammered, his face flushing.
The prince smiled back, enjoying how cute he was when he got all flustered. He was silent for a little while, daydreaming of being able to skate like that with him, his cheeks turning slightly bluer. “I would like to learn how to do that sometime, if you’re up to teaching me. Preferably somewhere private,” he spoke up, accepting that people were probably going to talk about how they fell down and knowing that it was inconsequential in the end, but still wanting to avoid more incidents while learning.
It was definitely worth it for the way Luigi’s face lit up. He loved teaching people new things, especially Peasley, and the bean felt like he was graced with the warmth of the sun.
“I-I’d love to, Sweet Pea,” Luigi answered joyfully, the nickname making his partner blush a nice turquoise color like always. A sudden mischievous twinkle in his eye was all the warning Peasley had before Luigi caught him up in his arms. Peasley laughed as he was spun around and pulled into a hug, Luigi’s lips finding his in a rare bold kiss. “I’d love to…” Luigi repeated breathlessly, resting his forehead against Peasley’s and gazing into his warm brown eyes, feeling like life couldn’t possibly get better.
After an hour or so, they grew tired of skating and enjoyed the event’s other activities, catching up with old friends and making new ones. The sun began to set, creating a spectacular array of colors in the winter sky. Bells chimed from the castle, indicating that it was time for the ball to begin. Arm-in-arm, they joined the groups and other couples streaming into the warm ballroom.
The rest of the evening passed in a whirl of conversation, laughter, and many dances. Seeing that his fiancé needed a breather, Peasley led Luigi to the coat closet to quickly grab their winter clothes, then journeyed down the castle’s hallways until he found an unoccupied balcony. They stood at the railing, their sides pressed together and their breath misting in the chilly night air. Lights shone here and there in Toad Town, decorations glimmering beneath the stars.
For a time, they were quiet, just enjoying each other’s company and the peaceful atmosphere. Until Luigi broke the silence, softly murmuring, “I’m so glad I met you…” He would be forever grateful to Bowser for dragging him on an adventure he hadn’t wanted to go on.
Peasley smiled at him with a warmth and joy that permeated both their bodies. “I’m very glad too…” he replied, thinking again of the first thing he’d seen when his curse had been removed from him on the mountaintop; a shy man awestruck, his whole face flushing handsomely upon being granted a shining rose and an earnest compliment. He could never regret sending that letter after their adventure was done and taking a chance to get to know him.
The prince leaned his head against Luigi’s chest; Luigi adjusted to support his weight and wrapped his arm around the bean’s back. Slipping his gloved fingers into the sleeve of his coat, Peasley found his bracelet and ran his thumb over the engagement ring connected to it, habitually tracing the inscription in the cold metal. He knew that, tucked away safe under Luigi’s shirt, a matching ring hung securely on a modest necklace.
He took his partner’s hand and squeezed it, almost overwhelmed when he felt Luigi squeeze back gently. “I love you,” he said, his voice wavering a little. “I can hardly wait to marry you.” He was more than ready, after dating for nearly four years.
“Anch’io ti amo, mio caro,” Luigi responded, his voice cracking a bit as well. “So much will change, but so much will stay the same too.”
“Nervous?” Peasley prodded playfully, knowing that Luigi was blushing even though it was a little too dark to see it.
The plumber nodded. He would never be completely sure about becoming Prince Consort and all the responsibilities it would entail. He hadn’t yet decided if he should move to the Beanbean Kingdom and he didn’t necessarily have to, but it would probably be for the best. The thought of leaving behind his brother, his friends, and the home he’d known so long made him a little queasy. But the Beanbean Kingdom was a second home and its citizens loved him, and he could pop over to visit as easily as Peasley did now. What he was more sure of than anything was that he wanted to wake up every day beside this beautiful man and make him happy as much as he possibly could.
Peasley kissed his collarbone reassuringly. “Whatever happens, whatever problems occur, we’ll get through it together.”
Luigi hummed an acknowledgement, resting his cheek against Peasley’s head. “I-I know I’ll be okay as long as I’m with you.”
“It’s been a hard year,” the bean commented, thinking of all the troubles and adventures that had happened. “I do hope the next one will be much better.”
“It will,” Luigi answered, determined to make it so. “To a new year with you.” He raised his free hand like he was holding up a champagne glass for a toast, and Peasley chuckled and did the same, the two pretending to clink their invisible glasses together.
The plumber wrapped his arm back around his love, holding him even closer. They fell into a companionable quiet, the sounds of revelry a backdrop for their thoughts.
And then a long, loud yawn ruptured the peace.
“Tired?” Peasley asked, raising his head to look at Luigi’s face.
He nodded, tuckered out from being so social today and doing so many things. Plus they were both starting to shiver from being out here so long. They might be missed at the party, but people had seen them sneaking off together and wouldn’t question it.
Peasley smiled and stepped away so he could hold out his hand. “Shall we sally forth to home then?”
Luigi smiled and took the offered hand, feeling that beautiful spark he always felt in his stomach whenever Peasley referred to his house as home. He was prepared for the sharp piercing whistle Peasley made with his fingers, only wincing a tiny bit.
There was the sound of barking from somewhere in the gardens, then Pillow burst out of a bush she’d been exploring and flew up to them with a few flaps of her wings. She settled beside them and waited obediently for them to step on. Peasley did so first, helping Luigi up after him. When they were settled, she set off for Luigi’s house at a sedate pace, the two huddling together to lessen the wind chill.
When they got inside, Polterpup immediately came bounding through a wall to lick at their faces, greeting Pillow with a yip and running off to play with her. Luigi was quick to get to work lighting a fire in the living room while Peasley gathered up blankets and pillows and arranged them on the couch. He flicked through the TV stations and found a schmaltzy holiday movie just in time for Luigi to bring in their hot cocoas, complete with tiny marshmallows. He was also holding a mysterious box with a bow on it.
“What’s this?” he questioned, setting the drinks and box down on the coffee table.
“Oh! I almost forgot! The event ended a little early, so I stopped by a sweets shop and got you these nice chocolate truffles to try. They’re very good!” Peasley replied, pleased about his little surprise.
Luigi grinned and sat down beside him, understanding that he must have let himself in with his spare key and dropped them off on his way to the castle. “Thank you, you’re so wonderful,” he complimented, opening the box and taking out one of the confections. Peasley watched his eyes light up at the sweet and earthy taste, his own face brightening happily.
They shared the treats and sipped their cocoa, chasing away the cold. The dogs came in and settled against their sides, adding to the cozy warmth. Luigi nodded off and Peasley let him have his rest; soon, he slipped into a pleasantly exhausted sleep as well.
Peasley was later awoken by the sound of a faint boom. He startled awake in the dark living room, a different movie playing on the screen, only to hear the sound again. He gasped, realizing what time it was, and quickly shook Luigi to awareness. While the plumber was still blinking blearily, he planted a big kiss on Luigi’s lips and cheerfully said, “Happy New Year, my darling! We’re missing the fireworks!”
Glancing at the clock and seeing that it was one past midnight, Luigi returned the greeting, pulled his fiancé close, and kissed him right back. They carefully got up without disturbing the dogs too much, and then the two sprinted through the house, tripping on furniture and giggling quietly as they dashed upstairs to Luigi’s bedroom. Stepping out onto a balcony that Luigi had installed just for him to land on when he visits, the prince spotted the colorful fireworks bursting over the distant silhouette of Peach’s castle.
Luigi pulled all of the bedding off of his bed, tenderly draping his comforter over Peasley’s shoulders. They sat down in a pile of blankets to watch the show together, spotting fireworks in the shapes of common power ups, Mario and Peach’s faces, and other symbols. There were even a few Luigis in there. Thankfully the distance meant that the sounds of them bursting weren’t loud enough to bother Luigi.
Without their coats, it wasn’t long before they started to get chilly again, but it was worth it. The cold couldn’t reach their spirits. After all, they were going to be married in the spring, with a bright future ahead of them. Cuddling in the depths of the winter night and watching the celebration of a new year, they were warm and full of hope.