My Words To You
Hoo, okay... here's that Mareach fic I was rambling about lol. This one's kinda short and sweet, but it does star Daddy Mario (and y'all know how much I LOVE Daddy Mario-).
Huge thank you to @peaches2217 and @coffeecat1983 for the feedback for this one; seriously, I owe y'all one. If you're uncomfortable with me tagging you atm, please lemme know 😅.
Anyway, with that outta the way... ONTO THE FIC
~~~
Peach's voice gently drifted through the room as she traced her finger under each sentence, her tone warm and even, just like always… one of the many things Mario admired about her.
It was almost enough to lull him into a blissful sleep from her lips alone.
"'Long after The Great Star's War,'" Peach read aloud, her tongue bracing each word like a soft caress. "'The Mushroom Kingdom, or quite simply the Mushrise Hills, remained relatively peaceful, though still healing from the Koopelian army's tyrannical rule. The toads lived in new harmony among their sparse villages, still fearing the impact of a monarch. Together, they established the many orchards and fields of today: rivers ran sparkling blue, nurturing the peach trees growing along the banks, starting the first of the Harvest Festivals.'"
Mario exhaled contentedly as he nestled closer. Truth be told, he had hardly heard a word of her readings through his sleepy haze. To him, all that mattered was the sound of her voice, peacefully guiding him through the pages.
She shifted, tucking a loose strand of her goldenrod hair behind her ear and continuing, her hand drifting slowly down over the small curve of her belly, her fingers interlacing with his.
At the bedside table, the candles flickered orange and yellow, shadowing the blush pink hue of their encasing to cast sunset crystals over the bedsheets. Outside, the sky shone brightly with diamond-colored stars standing stark against the indigo sky, a welcome for all to rest from their day's work and retire to their bed quarters.
All along Toad Town, the toads slept soundly, young and old. A day's harvest for the Autumn's End Ball that very season, and their reward given in feathered sheets and peaceful dreams. Only the streetlights revealed any semblance of life within the sleepy town, banishing the shadows to the darkest corners. Rain was expected to bathe the streets, the first of many soon to follow once autumn ended. It was the perfect night to lie in bed, detached and floating above the rest of the world.
But in that bedroom, rest was the last thing on either of their minds… just like always.
Mario nuzzled his cheek into Peach's side as she read aloud, her voice ever calm and gentle. Upon feeling his presence, she slinked an arm around him, hugging him by the shoulder but never retracting her gaze from the cream-colored pages. He couldn't help smiling as his hand crept over her abdomen, the tiny flutters within grazing his palm as their beloved boys listened closely. Whether either of them could understand her was unknown, but Mario couldn't help but relish in the thought.
Perhaps they thought their mother's tone was just as blissful as he always thought?
"Would you want to try, darling?"
Mario's ears perked up as Peach gently lay the book before him, her kind smile sending butterflies fluttering within his stomach. He couldn't help but smile back as he shifted, an arm brushing against her abdomen, a palm bracing the mattress, and his eyes blinking lazily.
'Already?' he thought to himself, taking in her sweet, sugary scent.
Surely, they had to have been at it for far less than this?
But no. As he briefly glanced out the window, he realized, to his sudden amazement and concern, the sun had burned out, leaving a scattering of stars in its wake. Perhaps that had been the cause of his sleepiness, he presumed, though Peach's voice helped little. Still, he couldn't bring himself to bother with the heaviness growing in his eyelids. If anything, he hadn't felt so energized… not since that morning, at least.
It was their nightly ritual, something he excitedly looked forward to upon seeing the castle's residents retire for the night. Though he was never much of a reader, finding the act too frustrating and anxiety-inducing, he loved hearing his beloved Peach read each passage. To him, the words rolled perfectly off her tongue, almost as smooth as butter. Even the mere sound of her voice was heavenly. Often, he wished his own tone could carry such a melody; if he had that much, perhaps reading would be slightly more enjoyable, he sometimes thought. A soft, baritone blooming from his chest, giving life to every noun and verb. His tone would dance between syllables and sounds gracefully, his stutter hardly ever a worry. His tongue would disguise his misspellings as deep growls and hums. He'd sound so pleasant, he imagined.
Oh, how he wished that were the case…
But even still, on those few nights he felt up for giving a try, he'd do his hardest to make do. It was all thanks to Peach that he'd grown confident these past few months. Her gentle touch and patience gave him the strength he needed to endure, slowly growing until he found his footing. He still faltered most days, fearing the sound of his own voice, but she never once judged him. Even when he stumbled, she never once laughed. Even when he paused, feeling his face growing heated, she was always there to comfort him. Sometimes, he thought, he never deserved someone as kind and loving as her…
She deserved someone capable… strong, even—
"Mario…?"
At the sound of her voice, his cheeks grew pink, quickly snapping back to the lavender-scented room. How long had he been spacing out like this?
Nevertheless, he shook his head, shifting slightly as he sat upright. "S-Sorry, amore mio…" he cleared his throat as he absentmindedly stroked the satin bedsheets. "Ah… what's it you were askin' again?"
Peach smiled. "Reading, darling," she replied simply, her eyes glancing down at the open book before her. "I thought perhaps you'd like to give it a try tonight… that is, if you're comfortable."
Of course.
"Ah… right… sorry, Peachy…" he sighed, scratching the back of his neck. With a pained grimace, he mumbled, "Forgot again…"
"No need, darling. It happens. Come here."
She then patted the space in front of him, flashing her pearly white smile once more. Just as he'd done many times before, he couldn't resist such a sensation as he gently eased himself over her peaceful form, taking extra precaution as he rounded her belly, before his knees found the sheets once more.
He could never understand how someone as gorgeous as her had chosen him, a mere plumber, as her beloved. Simply looking at her face as he pressed his cheek against the pillow, he felt as though his heart were about to burst with all the affections he'd cultivated over the past five months. She had always been stunning: those heart-shaped bangs, her golden hair, her soft snow-white skin, her pink painted lips, and her blue opal eyes… not a single part of her was imperfect, in his eyes.
How lucky was it that she now carried their babies?
"See something you like, darling?" she giggled, tracing her fingers under the twin pale pink scars lining his lower chest. By stars, just the maneuver, alone, made him nearly melt into the bedsheets. "I know I certainly do."
Mario couldn't help but grin with embarrassment. "Ah… y'know me, Peachy Pie…" he mumbled shyly, his hand gingerly catching her wrist as it rounded his sternum. "I don't do too good at concentrating… never have been."
"Oh, you stop that," she chided lovingly. "Think of the boys… I'm sure they wouldn't want their daddy thinking of himself so cruelly."
"Tch… as if they hadn't heard worse."
"Ahem. Little ears, darling. Mind your manners."
"Fine, fine," Mario jokingly rolled his eyes before sitting upright. With a sparkling gaze, he turned his attention to her belly, a hand gingerly stroking its curve through her blush pink nightgown as he greeted their boys once more. His thumb brushed slow circles, smiling as he felt the flutter of a tiny foot meet his palm. "Ehi, ragazzi… vi piace la storia della Mamma, eh?”
His answer came in the form of a swift kick.
"Strong little lione, that one," Mario chuckled, rubbing the spot gently. "Now, you be good in there… whoever did that."
"They're grumpy their story got interrupted," Peach giggled. She then took up the book once more, her fingers bracing the pages. "I suppose I'll give them just one more chapter. But after that, it's bedtime for all of us."
Mario bit his lip, his eyes darting back to the babies, and then to Peach. Already, she had begun her ministrations, quietly tracing her place with her finger over the ink. Her other hand grew gentle and softer, still cupping the underside of her belly as she shifted comfortably, a soft sigh escaping her lips.
By stars, she was a work of art in her own right…
It was that reason, alone, he didn't feel right for her to take over something so gentle.
After all… this entire ritual began due to her idea of offering something gentle to share, seeing his apprehension when it came to reading. He had never been confident by any means; it was a silent struggle to merely decipher the jumbled words written before him, but reading aloud was an entirely different realm of its own. It was a frustrating and often embarrassing affair, but Peach never once judged. If anything, she stared at him as if he had uttered the most poetic phrase in the universe, even among his mistakes.
In many ways, she reminded him of his own mother.
Something about the way she held things, whether it be his own hands or the mere moment itself, felt warm, comforting, even… just as his own mother had felt.
He could recall, he thought as he smiled to himself, the many times he'd read to her. Whenever the words began to evade his sight, he'd grow frustrated, but just as always, his mother would place a hand on his shoulder, never to scold, but to comfort. Sometimes, he could still feel the warmth of her hand atop his arm, her steady tone guiding him through the storm. When the tears left his eyes and his face cooled, she always held his cheek in her palm, whispering, "You're doing great, tesoro. One at a time. There's no race."
Peach… she touched him just the same way.
Thus, as he stared at her, her lips parting to read, the decision came quickly. Although he still remained fearful… he wanted to try, even if he faltered. He had to try. For them.
"I… I wanna try," he blurted out at last, his throat feeling tight.
At that, Peach turned to him with a gentle smile, almost as if she knew he'd agree. If there was one thing he could count on whenever it came to his wife, she always knew him better than himself.
"Alright," she nodded, caressing his face gently. "Whenever you're ready, darling. Remember. There's no rush."
Mario swallowed, his heart beating out of his chest.
He wasn't ready.
He could never be ready.
But that didn't mean he wasn't willing to try.
Nevertheless, he held himself steady as he inched over, taking the book in his lap as he still allowed Peach a view. He glanced at her momentarily, earning a supportive hand on his knee as she whispered, "You know what to do, darling."
With a shaky inhale, he focused his gaze on the first line, his hands shaking as he held the book between his index finger and thumb.
"Um… 'Th-The… The toads… cele… toads celebrated… h-heartily…'" he began, his other finger tracing under the words as he willed himself to hold the sentence in place. Already, he could see the words rearranging themselves before he shifted his focus. "'They… um… they… they were known for… for…'"
His shoulders tensed as the next word tangled before his eyes. He blinked slowly, reminding himself they remained steady, even if he couldn't bring himself to believe it.
"Breathe, darling."
He flinched as Peach's thumb brushed his knee gently, laying calmly against the bed as she peered up at him, her ever-present smile still lingering as always.
He blinked again and exhaled. All at once, the line eased, bringing a smile to his face once more.
"Thanks, Peachy…" he chuckled awkwardly. He then redirected his attention to the page. "'… they were known for… for th-their…' uh… Peach…?"
"Bountiful, darling," she nodded proudly.
"'Yeah… uh… 'bounty-fu—' sorry. 'Bountiful… h-harvests.'"
As soon as he finished it, he found himself staring in excited surprise.
He did it.
Peach's hand squeezed his knee. "See? You did good, darling," she smiled.
Mario felt his face grow warm. "Heh… if you say so…" he murmured. "Sorry I'm goin' so slow…"
"Oh, no, you're fine, darling," Peach reassured. "As I said, there's no rush. You're doing great. Do you feel okay going on?"
Mario briefly stared down at the book.
…
…
…
"Yes."
Mario steadied himself, as he held the book, feeling Peach's hand bracing his wrist as they kept shaking. He grounded himself as he felt along the leathery cover, sniffing the sweet scent of parchment, and imagining his little boys sitting in each arm, rather than that book.
Oh, how he'd adore them…
His tongue stumbled over the page, the words coming out slowly but surely. The page grew fuzzy, the words wiggling before his eyes, but Peach remained his rock. She held his hand gently, her gorgeous eyes staring up at him so lovingly.
"'… l-l-lan… lanterns and… and…' hm… 'lanterns and… peaches.'" he murmured, a shy little laugh slipping out. "Y-Yeah… yeah, peach… yeah, peaches!"
"Beautiful," she whispered, nodding.
Every time he faltered, her fingertips traced his knuckles softly, calming him down until he found his voice once more. When he struggled to overcome the harder words, she simply guided him along, repeating it aloud until he could see it in his mind. And when the struggle grew too much, she allowed him a break to catch his breath and for his heart to steady. Always saying the same thing.
"You're doing great," she'd smile, her hand on his back. "No rush, darling. No rush."
By stars she loved her so much…
He never once questioned how long he was reading, nor how long he'd been sitting there. Time seemed to slow down as he kept at it. To him, it felt as though he'd been given a light through a dark cavern, illuminating every word before him like never before. Even as the words wiggled and the sentences waved, he bore through it all. Even the harder words, he thought confidently, seemed like the easiest thing in the world. It truly was a miracle…!
…
'No…' he smirked to himself.
There was no miracle.
It was her.
It was always her.
Before long, his breath hitched as he grew exhausted. Slowly, he slid the book away, smiling to himself as he rubbed his eyes. He felt rather dizzy, but so… so happy. He'd done something good… and that was worth so much more than any dizziness or tiredness.
"Oh, Mario…"
All at once, Mario perked up from his hands, noticing that Peach now held the book in one hand, her eyes widened in surprise as she studied the page. For a moment, he felt confused… had he read something wrong? Had he said a word wrong? Had he taken too much time?
What had he done…?
However, he needn't have worried. Just as he began to ask, Peach suddenly whipped around, her pink lips stretching into an amazed, proud smile.
"Darling…" Peach beamed up at him excitedly. "You read an entire page…!"
Mario blinked.
"… what?" he asked, shaking his head.
Peach gestured to the page. "Mario," she repeated, excitedly pointing at the page again. "You read the whole page!"
Mario's mouth hung open as he scooted up further. Sure enough, as Peach traced over every word… he'd read everything written on that one page. "I… I read it…?" he asked, his voice trembling with disbelief as a shy, incredulous laugh bubbled in his chest.
Peach nodded enthusiastically. "You did!" she exclaimed. "All of it! Oh, Mario, I'm so proud of you…!"
All at once, Mario felt warmth rushing through his chest. Just as it had as a kid, he felt… powerful. The same words he'd struggled with no longer felt like gremlins plaguing the page, taunting at him as they refused to sit still. They were meaningless… he'd read an entire page!
He giggled excitedly as he flopped down on the bed, hugging Peach and their babies close to his chest as she littered his face with kisses. Against his stomach, he could feel the twins fluttering against her abdomen, almost as if they, too, were proud of him.
'Good job, Daddy!' he imagined them squealing excitedly. 'Good job!'
He wished it could have stayed on like that forever…
"I think," Peach said, finally pulling away as she held his face in both hands. "Now's a good time for mamas, daddies, and little boys to go to sleep. It's far too late to stay up like this, wouldn't you say?"
Mario smirked up at her.
"Aw, but Peachy…" he whined lowly. "Just… a few more pages? I promise I'll sit still. I'll even read a—"
"Ah, ah, ah," she scolded gently, kissing his nose. "You know as well as I do that you're far too tired for that right now. You mustn't tire yourself out… think of the babies, darling."
Mario scoffed. "Pretty sure that'll be outta the question, Peachy." He laid a palm over her belly, his fingers stroking over the twins lovingly. "By the time these two come, sleep'll be the last thing on either of our minds, if their kicks say anything."
Peach hummed lovingly. "Yes, yes… but they aren't, are they? It's up to us to set a good example."
"Hm. I guess…"
"I'll let it slide for now, dear… right now, I suggest you and I get some rest. We have much to do tomorrow, and I won't allow you to let you run yourself ragged."
Mario drew in a deep breath before a yawn overtook him. He nestled against the pillow, peering up at her through his half-lidded eyes. "Mm… only for you, Peachy… only for you."
Within seconds, the candles were extinguished, carrying the lavender scent with them as darkness overtook the room. Outside, Mario could see the stars winking down at him through the windows. He hardly felt Peach pulling the blankets over his chest, or her fingers tracing his round cheeks. He was sure she was saying something to him, but he couldn't hear a word of it.
Almost subconsciously, his hands found her belly once more, stroking the babies as he bid them a sleepy goodnight. He could feel Peach vibrating as if she were giggling, her hand stroking his back underneath his shirt. His breath huffed gently as he snuggled closer, refusing to fall asleep just yet. There was far too much he wanted to do… oh, if only he weren't so sleepy.
Alas, eventually, sleep overtook him. No matter how hard he fought, eventually, his eyes fluttered shut one final time. His breath steadied, the only sign of life coming from him being the soft, fluttery breaths coming from his abdomen as it expanded slowly. His lips fell open, allowing a few snores to escape his lungs. His legs kicked subtly, batting gently against the blankets.
"Good night, my dear," Peach whispered a final time, planting a gentle kiss atop his forehead. "The boys and I are so proud of you…"
