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The knock on the door wasn’t surprising but it wasn’t expectant either. Mario frowned trying to think about who it could’ve been, the mail had come already, the princesses were out with Luigi doing some kind of shopping trip, Mario didn’t think it was any of his friends either. They lived further out, and usually write before showing up unannounced.
Getting up with a sigh he opened the door and froze at the sight of King Boo standing in his doorway. He forced himself to relax, on muscle at a time. Silently going over the breathing exercises his therapist taught him.
“Luigis out” Mario said once he pulled himself together.
“Actually I’m here for you” King Boo said rubbing the back of his head with an arm. Mario usually saw him as his more Boo like form. Luigi had told him before that the king preferred it, something about it feeling more natural.
Privately Mario thought the kings human form suited him just fine, and made Mario less anxious to be around.
“Oh, uh” Mario said “why don’t you come in then?” The last part was said as a question but Mario stepped aside to let the king in. “Sorry about the mess”
“It’s quite alright” Boo said not giving the coffee table filled with mugs a second glance. Ever since Luigi moved out Mario has been finding a harder time keeping the house clean. He was always out doing stuff, doing dishes became a low priority when there were Toads to help and princesses to rescue.
“You want anything? A drink maybe?” Mario is pretty sure he’s seen Boo eat and drink before. Luigi left some lemonade in the fridge last time he was here.
“I’m alright, if it’s okay with you I have something to discuss regarding Luigi” Mario tried not gag at the fondness in his voice when he said his brothers name. He was happy for Luigi he was, but they were so, mushy.
“Nothing bad happened right?” Mario said instead. King of ghosts or not if something happened to Luigi Mario was going to find a way to knock the Boos lights out.
“No no not at all!” Boo exclaimed “in fact I’m hoping something good will happen soon enough.”
Boo fished around in his pocket before pulling out a ring box.
Mario inhaled sharply upon seeing it.
Boo opened the box while saying “I was told this was a tradition amongst your people, to ask the guardians of their children for their hand in marriage. But seeing as you are the only relative I could ask I came here instead”
The ring was beautiful, a silver band with two small gems embedded in the center. An emerald and a diamond. It was delicate and unassuming. Luigi would love it.
“You could’ve asked Wario” Mario said to lighten the mood. It must’ve worked because the tension in Boos shoulders eased and he gave a light laugh.
“Yes I suppose I could have. But I felt this would be more appropriate”
“You thought right.” Mario muttered.
He was still trying to wrap his head around the idea that his little bro would be married. Married to the king of ghosts at that. Married to the man who kidnapped him- no Mario stops himself. Boo has proven time and time again that he was sorry, that it was a misunderstanding, and Mario forgave him. But still, the memory of that painting haunts him like his own personal ghost.
Boo was still staring at him waiting his decision and Mario shook out of his musings.
“Of course you have my permission to marry my brother. I think if I didn’t give it Luigi would kill me” Mario said handing the ring box back. Mario had already taken so much from Luigi, the least he could do was give his blessing to his future husband.
“Thank you Mario you have no idea how much this means to me” Boo said
“Yeah yeah, just know if you hurt my brother it won’t just be me you have to worry about” Mario said thinking about Peach and Daisy who had taken one look at Luigi and adopted him like a wet kitten. Or even that nutty professor E.Gadd, he knows the kook sees Luigi as a son and would be more than willing to do something drastic if anything happened to Luigi.
Boo must be thinking the same thing because shakes his head “I don’t think there will be anything to worry about. I’d rather be trapped for eternity in a portrait than let anything happen to Luigi”
Boo gets a look on his face, he glances at the velvet box in his hand. If Mario didn’t know any better he’d say it was a mix of bashfulness and nervousness
“Do you think” Boo says “do you think he’ll say yes?”
Mario considers the man before him. He thinks back to his brothers smiles when he talks about Boo, how carefully he considered his outfits, how often he would lock himself away with Peach and Daisy or in the library going over ghost culture so he could talk to Boo on his level.
He thought even further back, before the two were dating. How Luigi was lying and sneaking behind his back to speak with the king, to try and fix a mistake Mario made but Luigi exacerbated. Luigi was always good at cleaning messes. Even then Luigi saw something in King Boo that no other mortal had tried to see, beyond his hatred and his mischievous nature. To the King that cared so dearly for his people.
Mario claps a hand on Boos back. The first time he’s willingly touched the man since the portrait incident years before.
“I think you have nothing to worry about”