Paranoia - Super Mario Bros. AU

~Ch 1~ Just a Nightmare

"No! P-please! D-don't hurt me! I'm sorry!"

As he opened his eyes, Mario's vision was very blurry. His ears were ringing loudly and he heard muffled sobbing. With his blurred vision Mario looked down slightly to see a human-like figure on the ground in a cowering position. He couldn't see the figure's face but heard it say,

"P-please don't hurt me! I didn't mean to, I s-swear!"

The voice was instantly recognizable. Mario watched as his vision started to clear up. He noticed his hand in a punching position in the air. He then looked down to see the figure for sure. As Mario finally saw who the figure was, darkness started to fill the room. He felt his heart pounding in fear. He turned around to witness a fiery blast as it glistened into his eyes. The fire got closer and closer until...

Mario shot out of bed in a panic. Damnit, He thought. That dream again...

It had been 3 weeks since he started having nightmares about situations like that. His head pulsed in pain. The clock ticked silently in the background. The window light was bright and high. Mario was up late again.

"Hey Bro?" Called Mario's brother, Luigi, from out the door. "Are you awake yet?"

"Come in." Mario responded.

Luigi slowly opened the door and sat over on his brother's bed. "You didn't forget about the party Peach planned tonight, right?" He asked.

"Party?" Mario questioned. He had to have forgotten.

"Princess Peach planned a party tonight simply to have fun and hang out again. You forgot, didn't you?"

"Oh, right."

"Are you feeling okay recently? You've been waking up a lot later than usual and always seem really down or gloomy these past few weeks."

"I'm fine Weeg, it's nothing." Luigi was unaware of Mario's nightmares.

"Are you sure? You know you can tell me anyth-"

"I said I'm fine." Mario said sharply. Luigi flinched back slightly.

"O-okay, sorry." He walked back over to the door. "Well, there's an omelet on the stove. It's still warm if you're hungry." Then Luigi promptly walked out of his brother's room and closed the door behind him, just like how it was when he walked in.

Mario is scary when he's mad... Luigi thought to himself. I want to know what's wrong but I don't want to irritate him.

Luigi never liked seeing people mad. It scared him and made him upset knowing his friends are upset. Luigi had a heart of gold and only wanted the best for the people he loved. His brother, his girlfriend, and all of his friends who stuck with him on the way. Luigi wanted nothing more but to know they were safe and happy.

In his room, Mario felt horrible. He knew his little bro was a bit sensitive, and Mario never intended to raise his voice at Luigi. He's seen Luigi cry in fear of him, it broke Mario's heart. Mario hates making his brother upset or scared of him, because he doesn't want Luigi to think he would ever hurt him. Mario would never hurt his brother on purpose.

Right?

He began getting flashbacks of the nightmare. That couldn't have been him, no no no I would never hurt him on purpose. It had to have been a misunderstanding I... That was just a nightmare, just a nightmare. Mario was thinking a mile a minute. What if the nightmare was true? What if I hurt him on purpose? Nonononono I would never do that. He looked at the door and took a deep breath. Mario cleared his mind as much as possible and went to apologize to Luigi.

He put on a pair of shorts and switched his tank top to a short sleeve shirt. As he opened his bedroom door, Luigi was nowhere to be seen. Mario panicked very slightly in his head.

"He didn't run off, he's probably out in the garden like usual, haha." Mario told himself. When he stepped outside he saw Luigi talking to the Princesses. They were laughing about the party Peach planned tonight.

"Oh, hey ladies. Nice to see you again." Mario said politely and took a bow. Peach giggled as Daisy rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Oh Mario, you know you don't have to bow to us anymore." Peach said.

"Yeah, it's pretty pointless." Daisy added in.

"Right, sorry!"

"Bro! We were just discussing the theme for tonight's party!" Luigi pitched in. "You wanna help us?"

"Well, first I wanna apologize to you Luigi. I really didn't mean to raise my voice at you, I was just agitated." Mario pleaded.

"Eh? You mean this morning?"

"Yes?"

"Oh you don't have to apologize for that! I was being pushy, trying to get you to talk when you were uncomfortable. I'm sorry."

"Aww bro, don't apologize! It wasn't your fault!" Mario looked at his brother with a "You're the best" smile. Luigi beamed.

"They're so sweet with each other, it's adorable." Peach whispered to Daisy.

"Ehh, a little sappy for me, but yeah, it's cute." Daisy whispered back as the bros hugged each other.