The New Monarch (Human! Bowser X Reader)

[23] Retrieval

"We'll take the clown car," Bowser states while you stand beside him when you arrive. 

"The one the Koopalings use?"

He shakes his head. "Of course not. And besides, they use a smaller version of the original."

"You don't say..."

"And it produces less noise if we were to bring out an airship."

You nod in agreement, following his lead to the aircraft. 

He lets you enter first and then follows you. The man turns it on effortlessly compared to Junior, taking a minute or two. 

You and Bowser take to the air, feeling the wind rushing past you; the exhilaration of flight fills you with excitement. Soaring towards the destination, you can't help but notice how different the experience is from your previous ride during the daytime with eight kids. 

The night sky is breathtaking, a canvas of black velvet scattered with thousands of glittering stars. They captivate your attention as if they can magically wipe away any tiredness you had moments prior. You didn't notice, but Bowser watched you in this trance.

When he senses you snapping out of it, he turns away. "We're almost there." He speaks, motioning to the Mushroom Kingdom in the distance. 

"Okay." 

The man thought there was an awkward stillness between you two, but you thought differently. 

Bowser peers down below and takes notice of the vast stretch of land you traveled to reach the Dark Lands. He was taken aback by your ability to complete the journey in under one day. Your unwavering commitment and loyalty to him seemed even more genuine now. 

The wind picks up, causing his cape to flutter behind him, while his tail sways gently as he lets his guard down and relaxes.

You don't know if it was your imagination, but you feel his tail grazing the back of your ankles, trailing upwards to your calves. A forming blush spreads across your face. You shake your head and try not to think anything of it. You close the gap between the tall man, now only a few inches apart from him. 

Bowser didn't seem to mind since he didn't try to scoot away. 

On the contrary, he liked it. 

"Thank you, Bowser." You break the silence. 

He raises a brow. "For what?"

"For accompanying me. I never thought I'd be back here. What may or may not have transpired, it's still my home." You still go along with your previous story, voicing your gratitude. Your tone is laced with sincerity. 

It conflicts with the Koopa King based on what had occurred at the meeting. 

Could he go through decimating your home even if you were no longer associated with the Mushroom Kingdom, as far as he knew? 

He shook his head, trying to dismiss the thought of plans that have yet to occur. "No problem. What kind of king would I be if I couldn't provide for my people?"

You smile at him while he continues to avoid your gaze, which you don't mind. What you pointed out earlier proved to be correct. One thing you learned about the feared Koopa King was when it came down to compliments, he was easily flustered and would turn red on the spot. 

"Prepare yourself." He says, aiming to land on the outskirts of the forest near the village. He got out first, then you, but before you could step a foot out, Bowser held out his hand to you. 

"What's this?" You question innocently, genuinely confused about what he was doing. 

"Besides my hand, I'm ensuring you don't fall on your face." He slightly chuckles as you take his hand in a poutful manner.