Chapter Text
Luigi trotted after Bowser as the massive koopa led them from the study and out into the hall. “Are you serious? You have kids!?”
Bowser chuckled, flushing a bit as Luigi pinned him with his wide eyes. “Yeah…eight.” He scratched the back of his neck, looking a bit sheepish as he realized he had dropped a bomb-ombshell right onto Luigi’s head. Luigi was obviously struck dumb by the revelation, and continued to walk alongside him in contemplative silence.
“Does Princess Peach know you have kids?” Luigi finally asked, looking up at Bowser as they took another series of turns into an unfamiliar hallway.
“What? No. I had no reason to tell her…”
“You were trying to marry her!”
“Meh.” He waved his hand dismissively. “I’d have told her after the wedding. It’s not that big a deal.”
Luigi laughed. “Bowser…eight kids? Not a big deal?”
“Well only one is mine…the rest I kind of adopted.”
Luigi dragged his hand down his face, trying to remain incredulous to the koopa’s nonchalance, but felt a warmth spreading in his chest at finding out Bowser had adopted seven orphan children. He did adopt them right? “Were they orphans? Er…” Luigi gave him a wary side eye. “Did YOU make them orphans?”
Bowser’s head whipped around towards Luigi and he snorted a plume of dark smoke, eyes glowing.
Luigi raised his hands defensively. “Okay okay, got it. I didn’t mean anything by it, just curious.”
“You really got a brutal picture of me don’t you?”
“You pulled my mustache, threw me in a cage, and tried to flambé me…at least five times. It’s a pretty clear picture.”
Bowser frowned, trying to not get irritated, but failing.
Luigi could feel the mix of guilt and anger that Bowser was currently feeling, and simply reached out to take the king’s claw in his hands. “But pictures can always be retaken, yeah? Nothing is set in stone.”
Bowser felt that warmth in his chest again and looked down at Luigi with a surprised look. They had stopped, Bowser finally having led them to the dining wing. There were soldier dining halls, staff halls, and one for all his big parties and gatherings. The one they were going to was the royal hall for the royal family and guests. He gave Luigi a little nod, smiling slightly, and almost overwhelmed as the feeling of something warm and kind swept through him.
“Th-thank you.” He said quietly, and Luigi smiled that bright smile again. “I am sorry for all that…I should have said that before now…even before everything at the castle…”
Luigi waved his hand dismissively this time. “Meh.” he parroted, laughing slightly at Bowser's shocked expression. “I know you’re sorry. I don’t hold grudges though, so it’s all good.”
Was it though? He had tried to kill the little human…how many nightmares had he had? How many times had he brought up how fucked up that entire thing had been. He couldn’t help looking at Luigi a bit disbelievingly, but said nothing to the contrary. He’d bring it up later.
He gave a breathy sigh and nodded. “Alright, let’s rip this bandage off fast. They may rush you…fair warning.”
Luigi had only a moment to look fearfully surprised before the door opened, and Luigi was greeted with a large round table overflowing with chattering little koopas.
The smallest one, standing on the table and flinging a carrot or some vegetable at one of his siblings, was the first to notice them.
“PAPA’S BACK!!”
And Luigi had the good presence of mind to step back and slightly behind the massive Koopa king as the koopalings swarmed him. They acted like they had not seen their “papa” in weeks…
And Luigi’s heart sank when he realized it had actually been
months
.
The smallest–looking like a tiny Bowser himself–was latched onto Bowser’s neck, soft chirping and clicks the only thing he could get out as his breath hitched and he tried not to cry. From what Luigi could see of the others as they climbed and hugged and pulled at their dad, a few of them sported their own wet eyes and tear tracks.
And to think…no one, NO ONE, knew he had these children. They had their father taken from them and only knew that he was gone. Luigi was almost surprised that Bowser had done anything other than rush to them before doing anything else.
But the entire ordeal was a bit heavy…especially when dealing with Luigi being in the picture now.
“Okay okay! Calm down!” Bowser laughed, tossing a few up in turn before putting them back on the floor. Luigi swore he heard Bowser’s voice hitch…the sound of his words tight and thick. “I have someone to introduce you to…so you lot better behave.”
Eyes had already turned to peer around their hulking father. Colored eyes that matched colored shells narrowed in his direction and Luigi was VERY sure that the koopalings knew who he was.
“Why is
he
here?” That small one snapped, his stuggy clawed fingers grabbing so hard at Bowser’s horns from where he sat on his dad’s shoulders, that it was making Bowser’s head jerk up. He growled and the little one loosened his grip.
“Yeah…isn’t he one of the ones that took you, daddy?” The small girl koopaling, holding tight to his leg and peering from around his shell at Luigi, was glowering better than anything he’d ever seen from any princesses he’d met.
They were all glowering, and Luigi held up his hands, trying to show them he meant no harm.
Bowser sighed. “This is Luigi. Lu–ee–gee.” He repeated the name, and Luigi saw a little smirk on his lips as a couple echoed it back. “He did take me…but to be fair, I may have deserved it a little.”
One of the kids scoffed, crossing his arms. “Fat chance. There’s no way this
thing
took down the biggest, baddest koopa in the land…”
“He had a Super Star and a mini mushroom.”
The collective “Aaaaaahhh,” the kids said together, little heads nodding, made Luigi almost laugh. They simply accepted it…their dad told them what happened, made no attempt to lie, and the kids…understood.
“I still don’t like him.” Groused a thick koopa as he crossed his arms over his plastron. He was almost up to Bowser’s shoulder–very much Luigi’s height–but at least thrice his width and muscle.
“You ain’t got to.” Bowser said kindly, patting his head and he relaxed. “But you do have to respect him and leave him alone. He’s going to be with us for a while.”
“EWW!”
“WHAT!?”
“No way!”
“Does he play games?”
“Can he cook?”
“Where’s Peach?”
“Does he have to stay?”
“Dad he’s funny lookin’!”
“Papa can I play with him?”
It was all of a sudden jumble of noises and voices and Luigi took a step back, worried Bowser was going to explode.
Instead…Luigi watched as Bowser simply waited. Where did this patience come from? This kindness? Sure Bowser had changed over the months he’d been caring for him, and it was obvious there were even more changes between them as this bond they had took hold deeper and deeper down…but this was NOT the Koopa he met on the floor of his throne room.
This was not the koopa that he had once feared.
Bowser waited until their voices died down, lips pressed tight and eyes lidded and bored. He clicked his tongue and reached up to pry the littlest off his shoulders. “If he wants to play, then that’s fine. Do not say Ew, he is here as my guest and you will respect that.” They shuffled foot to foot, not looking at Luigi, a little chastised.
“He does not look funny, he’s a human. That’s just how they look.” Luigi caught the glint in his eye as he looked down at him, and the plumber could tell he was trying not to laugh. Luigi huffed. “He is going to be a diplomat between me and Mushroom Kingdom. Your old dad is tired of fighting, and I missed you all so much–I’d rather not be gone again…so he’s gonna to help me with that.”
Luigi saw he wasn’t telling them
everything
, but what he did seemed to ease them. The glowers were simply sideways looks and searching glances.
“Now come’ere and lemme introduce you.” The group shuffled together and Bowser stood to the side, looking down so damn proudly at the little Troup that Luigi felt himself melting.
Oh Madonne, he was precious…
He pointed to each in turn, telling Luigi their name and having them voice a small “Hello” before moving to the next one. When they were all done, he shooed them back to the table and reached over to snag Luigi’s hand. “Let’s get something to eat before they destroy it all. You shouldn’t have any problems with them, but don’t put your hand near Iggy’s mouth, he’s at his biting stage…And it goes without saying Greenie…” The look Bowser gave him made Luigi’s stomach churn hotly. It was the look he imagined he’d see on a mama bear if one crossed paths with her and got between her cubs and her.
“If you hurt them…bond or not…I’ll kill you.”
Luigi did not, even a little, blame him or feel called out. He honestly hoped to one day (since he seemed to be staying for the long haul here) to feel the same way about the little ankle biters. “I’d sooner throw myself in lava before I let anything happen to them.” He said, squeezing the massive hand of his…
HIS!
...Koopa king.
Bowser seemed to like this answer and smiled. He felt the honesty from the other and it made his heart thud happily behind his plastron. He smiled and felt his stupid heart stutter and speed up when Luigi returned the smile with his own, reaching up and twirling that stupid (
fantastic…AMAZING
) mustache.
“Good to hear Greenie. Let’s get us some grub then.”