you are my princess, toad

2

Toad didn't say anything for a minute and just stared at the red plumber.

"Um, I'm sorry, but could you repeat that?"Toad asked. "I don't think I heard what you said."

Mario still hadn't stopped grinning. "With that reaction, I'm pretty sure you did. What's your name?"

"Toad?"he said unsurely, without much confidence.

"My princess is not in another castle. Because you are my princess, Toad."

Toad nearly fell to the floor. Mario had said the exact same sentence, this time tacking his name to the end of it.

"I'm not a princess, though,"Toad protested. "I'm just a scullery maid. Uh, I don't know if you've gone blind or something, but the princess really is in another castle!"

Mario laughed. "Look, I know you're not a princess. I'll give you sometime to get over the shock. Sit down."

Toad immediately did so, and Mario sat beside him. Too close. Toad adjusted his shirt. Was it just the lava steaming just underneath him, or was it Mario sitting this close to him that was making him hot all of a sudden.

"I don't understand,"Toad eventually said.

"What don't you understand? I don't want to rescue Peach. This is my final destination,"Mario sighed.

"Just throw me against the wall already!"Toad shrieked.

Mario went red and looked at the ground. "You want to move fast, don't you?"he murmured.

"No, no!"Toad yelled. "I meant throw me against the wall violently, and beat me up!"

"So you're a masochist? I don't understand how this is making the situation any better, Toad,"Mario laughed.

"No!"Toad exclaimed. "I give up."

"Maybe that's for the best,"Mario chuckled. "Why do you think I'd beat you up."

Toad shrugged. "Well, I've head rumours that you've beat up people before. I was just bracing myself, I guess."

"Geez,"Mario sighed. "Is that why you couldn't get up? Sorry for scaring you like that, man."

"It's fine,"Toad shrugged.

He was shocked by how easy it was to talk to Mario.

"I guess you might have some treason to be scared,"Mario said quietly. "I used to be like that, years ago. But not anymore."

Toad sighed. "I'm relieved."

"You were really scared though, huh?"

Toad found himself nodding. "If it helps, it wasn't just you. It's so hot in here, I can feel myself developing heat stroke as we speak."

Mario gasped. "Mama mia! You're right. Let me get you out of here."

Without warning, Mario lifted Toad up bridal style, and ran out the back door of the now abandoned castle.

"Next time can you warn me when you're going to pick me up like that!"Toad yelled.

"You're so tiny. How could I not?"Mario teased.

"Two can play at that game,"Toad rolled his eyes. "You wouldn't like it if the princess had said that about you!"

"Whoa. Too far,"Mario said.

"What? It's true,"Toad said adamantly, though he would be lying if he said he didn't feel bad.

The unlikely pair didn't talk for a while. Toad didn't ask Mario where he was taking him, but weirdly enough, all of his anxiety from earlier had faded away.

Toad was nearly asleep by the time he heard Mario mutter,"We're here."

He let Toad down as he fumbled with the lock on front of his house. Mario's house was very basic on the inside. It didn't have much personality, but that made sense, as Mario didn't spend much time here. Most of his time was either spent at the castle, or rescuing the princess.

"Nice place you got here,"Toad said awkwardly.

"Stop lying,"Mario said tiredly as he sat down on the couch. He patted the space beside him. "Sit."

Toad did as he was told. The couch was small, so he was pressed into Mario, but he didn't find it uncomfortable. Quite the opposite, actually.

"Why did you take me here?"

"You looked weak. Was the least I could do,"Mario murmured.

"I could've walked."

"No. Just rest. You know you need to."

And he did. Up until today, Toad had done 5 back to back 12 hour shifts in the scullery at the princesses castle, and he was exhausted. He found it far to easy to fall asleep in the red plumber's arms.