"I wonder if the snow will settle this year?"
Popo spoke quietly, rocking back and forth in his favourite chair. Opposite him, Nana looked up. On this occasion, she was dressed in a modest pink woolly jumper; the inside of the living room being far too well-heated for sweltering parkas. Outside the window, the wind howled and whined - there was yet another storm at Smash Manor.
"If it does snow, " muttered Nana, looking into the fire. Master Hand controlled the weather year-round, and the pair could only really rely on Crazy Hand hijacking the weather systems to bring anything other than yet another grey, miserable day…
"It will, " Popo said confidently, standing up, and taking Nana's hand. The latter blushed, as Popo smiled at her. "I'm sure of i-"
"OI!" A deafening yell tore apart the moment. Crazy Hand flew madly into the room, bouncing off of all the walls, before screeching to a halt in front of the pair. "RoMAnCE iN tHE MaNSIoN? MaSteR HAnD WiLL bE DISplEaSED!"
"Romance?!" Nana exclaimed, scandalised. "We're dating! Of course there will be romance in the mansion!"
Crazy Hand spun in place multiple times. "It iS dIsALLoWeD!"
"What about Link and Zelda?" Nana challenged. "And Mario and Peach? They're snogging all the time, and-"
Crazy Hand screamed. "AaAaAaAaAaA! nO mORE!"
"Calm down," Popo tried to say, evenly. "What's wrong? What's the big issue? Why don't you incite some romance with Master Hand or something?"
"NoOOOoOOooO!"
"You're jealous!" Nana exclaimed.
Crazy Hand gasped, flabbergasted at the accusation. He nearly flew up into the chandelier, before thinking better of it and pile driving into the couch instead. "YOu'Re rIgHT!" He yelled, in a muffled voice. "I aM! a HaNd liKE mE nEEds aNoThER hAnD To hOlD! I'm sO lOnelY…"
Sniffling came from within the couch. Nana and Popo exchanged a worried glance, unsure what to do.
"How about this," Nana began, forming an idea. "If you make it snow… Popo and I will help you find another as you say, uh, another hand to hold."
Crazy Hand zoomed up into the air, delighted. "YeS! YAAAAAAAY! I wILL gO aT oNCE!"
He did just that. Leaving Nana and Popo quite bemused, the giant, floating hand practically disappeared through the door, yelling and cheering all the way.
"That was unusual," Popo said, with a small laugh. Nana blushed slightly, as Popo slung an arm over her shoulders. "Now, how about some dinner?"
Nana smiled. "I'd like that."
At Smash Manor, many felt the food situation was rather inconvenient. Master Hand was a frankly terrible cook, and so he had bestowed access to the kitchen onto the remainder of the cast. Unfortunately, that meant everyone had to cook for themselves.
"Do you reckon Crazy Hand's right, though?" Popo asked, in an undertone. "Are we, you know, too romantic?"
"No!" Nana exclaimed, a bit louder than she was expecting. Her cheeks coloured, as she brought her voice back down. "I think he's just envious. I like it. It's - us - we're going great."
Popo beamed. Secretly, he'd been worried he'd been too excessive with the presents and compliments in recent times, so it was a real relief to know they were appreciated.
"SNOW!" Nana exclaimed suddenly, rushing over to the window like an excited child. Taken aback, Popo whipped around, and saw the glorious white flakes pouring down in swathes from the sky.
They eagerly pressed their noses against the glass, watching the blanket of white begin to settle. It felt like they were kids again, back in the village, where it would snow most days, and most nights. It filled Popo with a bittersweet taste - he loved the memories, but in these times of Smash, he missed his childhood home.
"Come on!" Nana exclaimed, grabbing his hand. Looking at her, Popo could see that childlike gleam of mischief in her expression, that one that had initially caught his eye when they first met. "Let's go!"
Popo complied. They raced out of the room, and into the hall. They threw on boots and scarves and hats, before launching open the giant oak door and dashing out into the winter wonderland.
"Look at all this!" Popo whirled around in the snowstorm. "Crazy Hand's gone mad!"
Nana glowed. "He must be really desperate to find love. This is awesome!"
"It's just like home!"
Nana's face fell. Realising his mistake, Popo quickly looked away. Nana had recently received an unpleasant letter from the village; her family were under great debt from the Chief.
"Yeah," Nana said quietly. "It is."
"Sorry," Popo began, but Nana hugged him.
"It's fine. Forget about it."
The mood was slightly more sombre as they walked down the Smash hill, but they were no less happy to lie down together in their favourite place, and look up at the swirling masses of snowflakes, spiralling dizzily from above. Even now, Nana marvelled at how different every flake was, so intricate with their patterns and shapes. In a way, she felt that was how their relationship was; complex, multilayered… but wholly perfect. She smiled to herself.
The pair rolled into each other's arms. Popo liked it when she held him; it made him feel safe, in a way that nobody else could. Even when they were young, they would always cuddle, and be close to one another. It just seemed natural to them.
"Tomorrow's our four-hundred and thirty-first anniversary," Popo whispered, snow turning his hair a bright white. "And the three-thousand, three-hundred and sixty-fifth anniversary of our first meeting."
Nana laughed. "Trust you to know the exact numbers."
"Of course I remember them," Popo smiled, leaning his head against Nana's shoulder. "They're the best days of my life so far."
Nana blushed, turning her face away. "That's cheesy."
"I am the king of cheese."
"The Lord of Fromage."
Popo grinned. "I'd be a Gouda king."
Nana sighed. "And you will also be the death of me."
"Aw, I guess you camembert my puns…"
"One more cheese-related joke and I'm brieking up with you."
Popo snorted. Then chuckled. Then broke into a laugh, that Nana happily shared. Nana loved Popo's laughs. He didn't laugh often, but when he did, he laughed big.
They eventually fell into silence. The snow continued to whirl down around them. Inside the mighty Smash Manor, the familiar sounds of fighting along with Bowser's
maximum volume heavy metal music could just about be heard over the wind.
"I don't mind this place," Nana said quietly, holding Popo close.
Popo smiled. "I love it. Anywhere where you are is my favourite place."
"I can't believe it's only a few days before we go home…"
The prospect had been looming over them for a while. There had been many rumours over the past weeks, about snowstorms, and famines, and political upheaval in the village. It made Popo long to stay out here with Nana, rather than returning and discovering what had gone wrong.
"It's been my favourite mansion yet," Popo admitted, trying to keep the tone light. "I wonder who'll be in the next cast?"
Nana gulped. "So long as it's no more of Bowser's relatives." Bowser, known for launching fireballs, was the polar opposite of the pair.
"Agreed…"
They fell into another comfortable silence, just watching the idyllic scene progress. Nana let Popo take control of their cuddling, allowing him to hold her tight. He was nice and warm, a wonderful contrast to the icy gale.
Until he launched a handful of snow into her face.
She gasped. "Hey!"
Nana swiftly gathered up a snowball, but Popo was too quick, grinning as he darted to the side. Nana swept the snow from her hair, gathering it in her hands, yet Popo rolled past her, striking her with a snowball from behind. Nana laughed, grabbing Popo in her arms, and breaking out her secret weapon: tickling. Popo struggled and laughed, falling to the floor, and Nana was able to sweep quite a substantial amount of snow into his face. But Popo regained control, taking Nana down with him onto the floor, and they rolled around, laughing and fighting in the snow until suddenly, their lips were inches apart-
Popo blushed. Even after over a year together, kissing was still a little awkward between them. Their first kiss had been a mess, neither of them had known what they were doing, and it had been an amalgamation of lips and wetness and tongue. They'd improved a little since then, but still, they liked to reserve kisses for special moments… was this one of them?
Nana blushed, their eyes meeting. She'd always thought Popo's eyes were pretty, striking, even. She badly wanted to close the gap between them… but would Popo want to as well?
Instinctively, she leaned in, closing her eyes. Popo followed suit. The distance between them narrowed, and…
"HEY! StOp RiGHt THeRE!"
A/N
This was just a silly fic idea, which I had to get out onto the page to refresh my writing. It's dedicated to my friend Mai, who's the biggest shipper of the ice climbers that I have ever met.
Exams are done, working on more Count It Up. See you soon!
~ReadyForTeddy