Despite the circumstances that’d brought the two face-to-face, Mario found himself delighting in their shared small-talk enough to almost forget his reason for coming until it was once again brought to his attention, at which point he fumbles a bit and shakes his head.
“Ah, no, it was-a just such a nice-a day, see, and I’m-a thought it would-a be nice to take a little walk, y’know,” he rattles on a bit, though it seems he’s slowly losing his train of thought as he runs over the events of his morning. “…And ah, then I decided to come and-a visit you!”
He seems satisfied enough with his explanation up until his hidden arm is acknowledged. Usually, he’d be all over with his arms, gesturing and moving about, but to be engaging in active conversation and never once lowering that arm was clearly a dead giveaway to the fact he was hiding something. So much for his surprise…
“Be–, behind-a my back? What’s-a behind my back?” Mario knows full well what the princess is referring to, but he stalls regardless. He can’t go very far in stalling, however, so he cracks. “Ah… well…”
C’mon… just say it! You’ve gotten this far, don’t back out now!
“Yeah… ah… I’m-a thought, maybe…”
Cheeks begin to redden and eyes drift awkwardly off to the side. Holding his hat upon his chest strips him of the luxury that is tipping the brim to hide his flushing face, so it’s with great embarrassment that he wishes he could turn to dust and float off into the breeze. Just to avoid looking silly.
A faint smoke begins to rise from his feet and that fact alone pushes him to the breaking point – he releases his arm from behind his back, revealing in his hand a pink, heart-shaped box of homemade sweets tied nice n’ neat with a little blue ribbon, accompanied by a bouquet of red and pink roses. Was it cliche? Perhaps, but in Mario’s eyes, nothing was more romantic. Everybody liked yummy treats and flowers, right?
“Do you wanna… be-a my… valentine…?”
Stars, help him, he was going to melt those chocolates.
It was never quite as bad once the two got into it, and that swell of playful confidence was found deep inside the princess’s heart. Hands fell to hips, balling once they made their touchdown, a desire for joking prods filing forth through that smugish smile. She looked onto him, his fumbles toward a recovery only causing knowing brows to rise in their accusatory state. Mario talked more with his hands than he did with his mouth, the princess wasn’t quite sure he could keep up the secret before he got tired of holding them in one place and just accidentally unveiled it. Either way, his vocal tripping, stammers and stutters, hesitant words and a flush of bright red tinting his plush cheeks. Suddenly, the same color flushed against Peach’s.
Wh... was it happening? A lightness enveloped her heart and heat singed her ears. It wasn’t right to assume, don’t get your hopes up, but... Oh, Peach heaved a sigh through her nose, straight from the center of her chest, every movement Mario made from then on only refilling that claustrophobic feeling. She could feel her vision shudder, fingers flexing anxiously even after their press down against her dress. A poorly-masked attempt at silencing her shaking hands. Her head road on a plane higher than the one they were on now, and higher it went once Mario’s gift was presented.
Words... such a fickle concept failed to describe the elation screaming through her veins. Sapphire eyes met a matching blue ribbon lacing up a peachy-pink Valentine’s day box of chocolates, paired perfectly with red and pink roses held in a beautiful bouquet. Lungs could only manage a hollow inhale. She had ascended past the stars and the air was running thin. Her glove met the front of her mouth, whether from shock or to check if she was still breathing? If she was awake and experiencing this hallmark moment of life? Truly, she couldn’t tell.
The ringing in her ears nearly missed Mario’s words, but not even they would abstain from such a magical phrase. And without falter did her response ring out resoundingly.
“Yes!! I’d want nothing more!!” One more item would have to be added to Mario’s grasp as Peach tossed her form onto her valentine’s. Arms fell atop his shoulders, wrapping in the tightest hug she could muster, a few kisses planted against his cheek, each releasing with a ‘mwah!’ right by the hero’s ear. Laughter sounded, breaking only for a breathless, “Oh, Mario~!”. While thoughts had the desire to roam other places, like where they would spend their Valentine’s day, where their status would go after today, and plenty of other things she wanted to worry over...
She just wanted to soak everything in right now. Wrapped around her favorite person in the world, body lighter than a Lakitu’s cloud, smiling so much it hurt.