Hi. So this is my first fanfiction story that I've ever written and of course, judging by the title, this story is inspired by the song Who Knew by P!nk.
Peach looked out the window. It had been raining the entire day and the skies were as black as chimney. On most days, she'd be complaining on and on about how much she hates rainy days; how they bring her mood extremely down. But not today. Certainly not today.
Peach picked up a portrait sitting neatly on her table facing the window. The table was filled with little nick-knacks which were all properly aligned and small little rose pedals which had recently been put there. In fact, the entire house had been recently decorated with pedals. Peach insisted that they brighten up the room and make the 25th of April extra special than it already was. "We can't let this day pass without roses." She'd tell herself as she stared deeply into the portrait.
In the portrait was a photo of Peach and Mario out for a picnic. Mario had his hand around Peach as his other hand held up a sandwich. A huge smile covered his face. Peach simply smiled as she leaned her head on Mario's shoulder.
"Mario, I've made a special dinner for the both of us and I even got imported wine to drink. Oh, I can't wait for you to come home tonight! You've been gone for too long. Yes, I know that it's your job; you're the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom you got to defend our kingdom when you're called upon but this last mission you were asked to do felt like such a long time. It felt as though you've been gone for years! But it's alright now because tonight, you'll be home at last." Peach exclaimed to herself. She set the portrait back down and went to sit on her clean and polished placed her hands on her most elegant dress which had been picked out just for tonight and waited. "Just a matter of time..." she whispered to herself. "We have so much to catch up on, my Mario..."
She put her head down.
She smiled.
"Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!" Peach cried with joy. Peach jumped into Mario's arms and gave him a kiss on the lips. "Of course I will marry you! Of course- of course- of course!" Mario smiled and gave Peach back a kiss. "Peach, you've just made me the happiest plumber in the world!" Mario exclaimed. Peach looked at her new ring with awe. "Oh my God! I'm getting married! I'M GETTING MARRIED!" Peach shouted. Mario couldn't wipe the grin off his face. Peach was finally going to be his to keep.
The doorbell had rung and Peach immediately popped out of her trance. "It's Mario!" She hollered. She got up from the couch and rushed to go open the door. "Mario! I've missed y-" she looked outside. No one was there but the cold wind which greeted her skin. She stood motionless at the door.
She stared into the streets.
"You're going WHERE?" Peach asked Mario as he hurriedly grabbed clothing from his suitcase and stuffed them into his luggage. "Look, Bowser's coming to attack again." Mario told Peach. She shook her head. "That can't be! I resigned as princess! I decided the Toads should run it! Why is he coming back?".
"He wants this kingdom. He wants it real bad."
Peach again shook her head. "Well you can't go!"
"I have to!"
"No you don't! I gave up my duties as princess so I could be with you! Why can't you can stop doing trying to defeat Bowser?"
"You think the Kingdom will defend on its own? They need me! I can't let everyone down..." Mario said as he started packing his luggage again.
Peach approached Mario and laid her hand on his shoulder. "How long will you be gone for?"
"I don't know."
Mario turned around and stared into Peach's eyes. "I'll be back. I promise."
Tears started to roll down Peach's eyes. "I don't want you getting hurt! Please!"
"I won't."
Peach slowly closed the door. She once again returned to her window and looked back outside.
"Mario, you promised you'd be back and you will. Tonight! Just in time for our anniversary my darling..."
"Happy Birthday- Happy Birthday- Happy Birthday to you!" Sang the the guests at Luigi's the song finished, the guests cheered for Luigi as he blew out his candles. A few camera snaps were taken while he did the action. Once the blowing of the cake was done, Peach had returned to talking with her closest friend, Daisy.
"So how you've been doing Peach." Daisy asked.
"I'm doing good, I'm doing good. It's been a month since Mario hasn't called so I'm due for a conversation any day now!" Peach laughed. Daisy however, silently nodded her head and a look of worry crossed her face.
"Peach, you have to stop doing this to yourself. Just talk to me about it already. I'm here for you!" Daisy remarked.
Peach was confused. "Daisy, what are you talking about?"
"You know damn well what I'm talking about! Please Peach you can't do this to yourself anymore! I can't see my best friend go on like this!"
"Do what? Do what?"
"The rejection! The denial! Whatever you want to call it! Peach, it has to stop."
Peach exhaled a bit. "I got no idea what you're talking about nor do I want to know." Peach got up from her seat, grabbed her things and headed for the door.
"Peach!" Daisy yelled.
As Luigi had been talking, he noticed Peach had her coat on and was marching straight for the door, and seemed to be quite upset. He excused himself in front of his friends and ran to the door to catch up with Peach.
"Hey, where you going? You're not leaving already are you?" Luigi asked.
Peach shook her head and spoke softly, "I'm feeling light headed that's all. Thanks for the evening I had a wonderful time." With that, she stormed out of the house.
"He's going to call me! He will!" She told herself. As she repeated this over and over to herself, Daisy's words snuck in on her. The rejections had been covering it up for too long. She couldn't keep hiding it yet she still had to hold on to the promise Mario had made her long ago if it's the one thing she could do. She couldn't let go of it. "It can't be true! I know better than that!"
"Peach! Please come back in! It's pouring rain, you'll get sick!" Daisy yelled as she stood at the door, Luigi standing beside her.
"No! Mario could be calling home right now! I need to go!" Peach screamed as she rushed down the front stairs.
"Mario won't be calling you Peach!" Daisy yelled.
"My god will you shut up you're not helping!" Luigi told Daisy. He went down the stairs to go grab her and bring her back in.
"No! Get off of me! I want to go home!" Peach shouted as she tried to shake off Luigi.
"Peach, I miss him too. But please, come in..."
"NO! NO!" As she finally shook Luigi off, she missed a step and tripped on the stairs, sending her crashing to the ground.
"Peach!" Daisy yelled.
Peach, soaked from the rain, still managed to let tears drop from her eyes. "He promised me! He promised me!"
Peach snapped back into reality. She looked all around her. The house truly was empty. No one inside but her. She looked down at her dress to see it covered with teardrops.
Mario was finally supposed to return home after his mission was completed and today was the day. "My man! He's going to finally be home!" Peach yelped. The doorbell had finally rang and the moment she was expecting for a longtime would finally unravel.
"Mario!" Peach cheered as she opened the door. However, Mario wasn't on the other side. Instead, it was an older man. Dressed in a dark grey suit and had a look of neutrality, he certainly wasn't Mario.
"Oh um, can I help you?" Peach politely asked.
The older man simply frowned and bobbed his head. "Are you Mrs. Mario?" He asked.
"Yes I am."
The man paused. After a while he collected his thoughts and let words slip through his lips. "I'm so sorry to say Ma'am but, your husbamd, … he's been into a terrible accident."
Peach froze. "Wha-what- I don't understand."
"While on his mission, Bowser- he killed him. I don't know how else to explain this. I'm so sorry."
Peach refused to let a single muscle in her body move. She just stood there and took in everything the man said. Seeing Peach in that state, the man stayed at the door for a little while then let himself back to his car on the street as Peach slowly closed her door.
"He- he promised me. He said he'd come back…" Peach softly spoke.
At that moment, Peach's world seemed to come crashing down. Nothing happening around her mattered. Breathing became a second thought in her mind Just a few moments ago she had been busy fixing the pillows on the couches and now this. All she wanted to know is why Mario broke his promise. All she wanted to do was die.
Grabbing her coat, she rushed out the door and straight into her car. She fiddled with her keys a little bit from her dramatic shaking but got the keys in. She drove off to the hospital, hoping to hear that this was all one big mistake.
"Where's my man!" She yelled as she entered the hospital wing. The nurses instantly looked at her and tried to figure out why this woman was yelling.
"Is there a problem ma'am?" One of the nurses asked.
"My husband! I WANT TO SEE MY HUSBAND!" She screamed.
Peach was led by a doctor onto the 4th floor, and down a long hallway. Finally, he showed her to a room and she went in. There inside the room was a bed. And on the bed laid her husband, her one true love, Mario. He was motionless. His eyes were shut and it seemed as though no soul housed this human body.
She slowly placed her hand on his hand. It was cold.
The finally, she collapsed to the floor and wept. Mario, the love of her life, was gone within a flash. He was dead.
"If you need anything, tell me okay? You know I'm here for you." Luigi said to Peach on the phone. Peach sniffed and said, "I know. Thanks." With that, she hung up the phone. She collapsed onto her couch and put her hand on her forehead. "Oh what a day..." She told herself. She had just finished the entire night balling her eyes out and struggling with words with Luigi. She knew the pain would be hard, she knew it wouldn't just one day go away but she knew that she had to start moving forward with her life; without Mario. She comforted with Luigi who she knew was going through the same thing however he still had someone by his side and tonight was the first time that Peach actually acknowledged that Mario was gone. In her mind, it was a huge step.
She made her way to the bedroom, to get ready for bed. She changed into her nightgown and slipped under her covers. As she laid there in bed, she grabbed another portrait on the night stand and gazed intently at it. It was Mario and Peach's anniversary and they had gone out for dinner. She smiled and slowly closed her eyes before setting the portrait back down. She reached out to her lamp and turned off the light.
"Goodnight Mario. Sweet dreams."
Peach was going for a midnight walk on the beach. Admiring the soothing sounds of the oceans waves while the moonlight illuminated the sky. She had took her sandals off, so she could enjoy the sand. For the first time in a long time, she felt at peace. Then suddenly, a familiar voice was heard.
"I told you I'd never leave you."
Peach turned around to see who that voice was. It was Mario.
"Mario! But- what are you doing here?"
"I said I'd come back. And I have."
"But-But, Mario... you're not around anymore. I've come to reali-"
Mario gently placed his finger on Peach's lips. "I'll always be with you. I'll never leave your side."
Peach accepted Mario's words and chose not to argue with him anymore. She wrapped her arms around him and paired her lips with his.
Mario had finally come home.
