It is O'Chunks' first Christmas alone and to his surprise, he is invited to the Mario house to celebrate. Despite all of the recent changes and heartache in his life, the presence of Luigi Mario is a welcome constant. Luigi/L'Chunks. Secret Santa gift for chocomintbrownies.
Breaking the Ice
"Whatcha doin', L?"
Mr. L turned, smiling. Today, he was in brighter spirits than usual. He even let Dimentio tease him and make those similes at him this morning without a retort, which had taken even Nastasia back. "Just watching the snow fall. It's so beautiful during this time of year!"
O'Chunks tilted his head. "Not in teh garage today? That's a nice change o' pace."
The man in green stretched for a moment. "Yeah, my muscles are sore from working on Brobot and I'm still waiting for a shipment of extra supplies. Guess what?"
"What?"
Mr. L gestured for O'Chunks to come closer. He did so and bent down. Standing on his tiptoes, the mechanic whispered, "He's gonna have feet!"
O'Chunks laughed. "Well, then yeh 'ave teh show me that when yer done!"
"I'll make sure you're the first to see it, babe!"
The former general nodded, making sure to kiss the man in green on the forehead. The two had been dating for about a week now. O'Chunks had been the one to confess, having fallen for the new recruit quickly. Mr. L was so charismatic, confident, and energetic that he was impossible to resist. Surprisingly, he was open to the idea. I've been curious about men and...I guess you're not so bad-looking. They agreed to take things slow for now.
"I can't help but notice that yer in a chipper mood today, L," The Scotsman said. "It makes me 'appy to see yeh like this, but what's teh occasion?"
The man in green shrunk a little. "Well...um...I just had a nice dream is all…" He quickly muttered under his breath, "About my brother…"
O'Chunks nodded. It was normal for Mr. L to have dreams about his former life. However, the Count and Nastasia got uncomfortable whenever he discussed them. A recurring character in these dreams was the boy in red. Soon, the man in green realized that this child was his brother. He was insistent on this fact, even as Nastasia tried to convince him otherwise.
O'Chunks didn't understand why she felt this way, but she was the Count's right hand. Opposing her would be like opposing the man himself. However, there was no rule saying he had to report what they discussed in private conversations. "What 'appened in yer dream?"
"Well, it must have been a special occasion of some sort," Mr. L said, stroking his chin. "The two of us were so excited that morning and when we went downstairs, there was a giant tree with bells and lights and even a star on top. There were lots of gifts too. And it was snowing, just like today."
The warrior smiled and laughed. "Sounds like yeh were all celebrating Christmas!"
Mr. L tilted his head. "Christmas? What's that?"
"Well, it's real simple! Christmas is a time o' year when yeh celebrate yer loved ones and give each other gifts!"
"Hmm...That sounds fun." Sighing, the man in green said, "I wish I could be with my family now…"
O'Chunks frowned. He didn't like seeing his boyfriend upset. He put a hand on his shoulder and gave a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, lad. As soon as teh Count deals with teh heroes, he'll bring us teh New World. Then he'll fix that memory o' yours and find yer family for yeh!"
Mr. L grinned. "Yeah, I'm sure he will..." With that, he grabbed his hand. "Come on! I could use something hot to drink."
Months later, O'Chunks took a deep breath and knocked on the door of the Mario house. As a harsh wind passed him by, he put his scarf over his mouth and shuffled his feet on the doormat. It was a white Christmas this year and all of the Mushroom Kingdom was jubilant; the people here loved the holiday more than he realized. But there was just one problem.
This was the first Christmas without Count Bleck in years.
Shaking his head, O'Chunks chided himself mentally. Lord Blumiere was his name. He and the others didn't celebrate Christmas or even seemed to know what it was. Apparently, they were from dimensions with different holidays and traditions. Still, O'Chunks liked to hand out gifts for the others anyway and Nastasia allowed him some leisure time. It wasn't exactly how the holiday was traditionally celebrated, but since he was with his family, it was good enough for him.
Except now Count-Lord Blumiere was still gone with Lady Timpani. Dimentio had perished during the near apocalypse months ago. As for Mimi and Nastasia, O'Chunks assumed they would remain friends afterwards. However, after the Light Prognosticus came to pass, the three of them grew distant. O'Chunks didn't hold it against them; they still needed time to heal and come to terms with their actions. Nastasia would give him an occasional text though. According to her, she and Mimi were hanging in there.
Then there was Mr. L, who was really Luigi Mario all along. O'Chunks expected him to move on, seeing as how he was never a true minion of the Count in the first place. He didn't expect his personality to change. He went from loud and confident to shy and insecure in no time at all. Not only that, but he didn't even remember his past relationship with the others. If anything, he seemed afraid of them when they saw each other, nibbling his treat at Saffron's with apprehension and scooting closer to his brother.
That was why it took O'Chunks by surprise when Mario invited him to their house for the holiday. "Luigi said you two were the only ones to celebrate back then and he thought you'd be lonely. If you want, you can come celebrate with us…" He seemed awkward about it, but the warrior knew that the hero felt sorry for him too. So he agreed to it. They may have been enemies in the past, but it was better than spending the holidays alone. (It was no wonder that during a holiday meant to celebrate your loved ones, Mimi and Nastasia would both decline to come with him, especially since a former enemy would be there.)
O'Chunks came back to Earth when he heard someone approaching the door. He lifted the presents he brought over his face. The door opened and he heard a higher pitched voice than he expected. "Um...Hi, O'Chunks!"
The Scotsman peaked out from behind his present and grinned. "Maria! Merry Christmas!"
Mario smiled. "Still Mario, O'Chunks. Come on in. Luigi's in his room." O'Chunks nodded and set his presents under the tree. "Want something to drink?"
"Sure, that'd be great! You drink hot toddies round 'ere?"
His smile faltered. "Um...Sorry, don't have the whiskey for that. We don't drink much."
O'Chunks nodded. "Then make it a hot chocolate. Thanks!"
As Mario went to the kitchen, the former warrior sat by the fireplace. He put his hands in front of the warm glow and smiled. The Count would leave the fire on when it got cold in the castle. This was familiar at the very least. He didn't notice someone approaching until he heard the owner's voice. "Oh, hi O'Chunks!"
He turned and blushed, twiddling his thumbs. "H-Hi, wee lad…"
Luigi ran over and gave him a bear hug. "It's so great to see ya!" Pulling away to look at him, he added, "Oh, would you like something to drink?"
"Already got that covered, but thank yeh, L."
The younger brother's smile faltered. "It's Luigi, O'Chunks. Remember?" He pointed to his sweater with his typical, forward facing L and lighter shade of green.
O'Chunks nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "Right! I knew that! Heh heh…" The warrior looked at Luigi and noticed he was still handsome as usual. The only real difference was those bright blue eyes of his, not silver, but it was easy to forget about unless he was looking straight at him.
Still, he turned away. Along with his friendship with the others, Luigi seemed to have forgotten their past relationship and O'Chunks wasn't sure how to tell him. He coughed and looked to the kitchen. "How's lunch comin' along?"
"Almost ready! Mario's just waiting on the ham in the oven. Oh, and just so you know, I helped make the lasagna wraps!" Luigi said.
The Scostsman nodded before remembering something. "Say, Luigi...Don't you and Maria 'ave family teh celebrate with?"
"Well, yeah, but they're all in our home dimension! We're going to celebrate with them tonight! It's mostly just our parents, grandparents, and some relatives who we barely see except during family gatherings. And we already saw our friends yesterday."
Just then, Mario poked his head out of the doorway. "Alright, Wee-gee! Mind helping me set the table?" Luigi nodded and went to the kitchen. Mario turned his gaze back to the warrior. "Oh and your hot chocolate is in the kitchen, O'Chunks."
"Well, I can help set the table for yeh!"
"It's fine," The man in red said. "We're stronger than we look."
O'Chunks lifted his sleeves and pulled them up to his elbow. "Come now! I'd rather do somethin' than sit 'round like a bump on a log!"
The red plumber sighed and nodded. "Okay, if you insist."
After setting all of the food on the table and getting settled in, O'Chunks filled his plate with two large slices of ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, a lasagna wrap, and a side of tuscan tortellini soup. He tore into the ham first, remembering to use a fork and knife. The meat was savory and juicy with roasted skin but a soft, chewy interior.
"So...How are the others doing?" Luigi asked.
With his mouth full, he asked, "Da wasses?" O'Chunks swallowed. "They're doin' better. I'm gettin' more and more messages from them everyday! Nastasia's looking for work here while Mimi is Merlee's real handmaid this time."
"I'm glad to hear it. If Nastasia wants, we can ask Peach to help her out! The princess of the Mushroom Kingdom would be a great reference on a resume."
O'Chunks hesitated, remembering how the assistant spoke of her long ago. I don't know how or why, but that princess managed to escape. One second, I had her and the next she was...gone. But no matter. Any world she goes to will be obliterated anyway. "I'll, um...let her know…"
Luigi nodded and swallowed a spoonful of soup. When he was finished, his smile faltered. "I wish the Count was here…"
O'Chunks' eyes widened. Luigi must have remembered more than he thought. Mario hesitated before smothering his roll with cranberry sauce and plopping it into his mouth. The Scotsman turned to Luigi, who now had a somber look on his face. "...Do yeh remember anythin' about him?"
The man in green smiled, though it still looked grim. "He had a weird habit of speaking in the third person."
The taller man sighed. The Count said that he saw himself as a character in the Dark Prognosticus. It was more common to see him reading that book than speaking to them in the early days. He was glad that the cursed book was hidden away. "Aye. That be true. Anything else?"
The green plumber thought for a moment. "He was nice to me. Even though I thought my presence would bother him...He still let me talk to him. He treated me like a member of the family…I hope he's happy now…"
O'Chunks placed a hand on his shoulder. "Now that he's with Lady Timpani, I'm sure he is…"
Luigi grinned and continued eating. Mario gave a smile his way and mouthed 'Thank you' to him. O'Chunks nodded in return. Maybe the man in green still needed him, even now.
After lunch, the three sat around watching Christmas specials on the TV. At one point, Luigi said he needed to grab a present from his bedroom and left the room, but said they could continue watching without him. So, Mario and O'Chunks stared at the screen for a while, waiting for him to come back. It had been about ten minutes when Mario grew impatient. "Mamma mia, how long does it take him to grab something from his room?" The man in red turned. "Hey, O'Chunks, do you mind checking on Luigi?"
"Not a problem!" O'Chunks said, standing up. Once he got directions on how to get Luigi's room, he went there and knocked on the door. "I'm comin' in!" He opened the door and found Luigi sitting on his bed with a red present in hand, staring out the window. "Watcha doin', Luigi?"
Luigi turned, smiling. "Just watching the snow fall. It's so beautiful during this time of year!"
"Aye, it is…"
The man in green turned back to the window. "I love snowflakes especially. They're like tiny, beautiful sculptures!"
O'Chunks stroked his chin. "Hmm. I believe I've heard that somewhere before." The two looked out Luigi's window in a comfortable silence. "Luigi?"
"Yeah?"
"You said you remember the Count now. Do you remember anything else from...before?
Luigi hesitated. "Well...I don't like thinking back on it. I can't help but care about him and the others but...I was still manipulated into doing some bad things…"
The Scotsman nodded. "I understand. It's just that...the last time I saw yeh, you were afraid of us. Now it's as if we're…" He hesitated. "...Chums again."
The man in green sighed, turning to look at him. "Well, I did remember a few things about the two of us. We were good friends. Weren't we?" O'Chunks was silent before nodding slowly. Luigi seemed oblivious because he chuckled. "Then again, Mr. L was friends with everyone. Right?"
The former general shrugged. "More or less. Sometimes, Mimi pestered him, but he'd forgive her in no time at all. Same wit Dimentio."
Luigi's smile faltered, then faded. "Sounds about right…" He sighed. "I'm still...angry at him. And yet at the same time, I miss him really badly. Same with the girls. Well, I'm less angry at them, but you know what I mean. Do you think you could give me their numbers?"
"Of course. They'll be glad to hear from yeh! Here, I'll ask em to send their numbers yer way right now." O'Chunks pulled out his phone and sent a text message to both of them. Once he saw that the message was sent, he smiled. "There! It's done." Putting his phone back in his pocket, he asked, "Does yer brother know you feel this way?"
Luigi shook his head, his shoulders shrinking. "I can't tell Mario about that stuff. I don't want to worry him. Plus, I don't want him to think I'm bad…" His eyes widened as he came to a realization. "N-Not that you're bad! At least, not anymore!"
"It's alright. I've had my fair share o' bad deeds. I really thought we were goin' to make the world better...But that's no excuse. Still, it's not healthy teh keep yer feelings inside." He patted Luigi on the back. "If yer not ready te talk teh yer brother, then I'm always here if ye need someone to lend an ear…"
The man in green smiled. "Thanks, O'Chunks." He rested his head against his shoulder. The Scotsman pulled him closer, warmth growing inside of him as he held the other man. The snow really was beautiful and the sky was a soft pale blue. The trees were covered in the white dust, which shined in the sunlight. For that moment, everything was perfect.
"Wee-gee!" Mario called.
Luigi jumped. "Y-Yeah!?"
"It's time for presents! Where are you guys?"
The green plumber sighed. "We're coming!" They walked to the doorway and Luigi opened the door. As they left the room, O'Chunks noticed something he hadn't before: a plant with smooth, evergreen leaves and bright red berries hanging above Luigi's door.
"Ah, yeh hung mistletoe up! I didn't even notice!"
"Sure did! Isn't it nice?" The two looked at the mistletoe and realized what it meant at the same moment. They looked at each other with wide eyes. Nervously, Luigi laughed. "I-It's okay! I just put it up because I think it's pretty! We don't…" Without thinking, O'Chunks put his hands on Luigi's shoulders and pulled him closer. "Have...to…"
The warrior took a deep breath. Now was his chance to show him how he felt. Even if Luigi didn't feel the same, he would at least get closure. "Erm...Luigi…"
"Yeah?"
"May I...kiss yeh?"
Luigi's cheeks burned and he swallowed hard. To the taller man's surprise, he said, "Y-Yeah…"
O'Chunks lifted the plumber's chin, then kissed him on the mouth. His lips were soft and warm, just as he remembered them. Instead of fighting for dominance, Luigi's kiss was gentle but that was alright. It was different, but welcome.
When the two men pulled apart, Luigi had a shocked look in his eyes. O'Chunks thought it was because he regretted the kiss until the man in green went on. "O'Chunks...You and L...were more than friends, weren't you?"
The Scotsman nodded and the man in green froze. He didn't look horrified or disgusted, only surprised. O'Chunks wondered what he had remembered to make him realize that. Was it just the kiss or did it lead to a memory coming back to him? He would have to ask later. Right as Luigi opened his mouth to say something, Mario said, "Guys! Come on!"
The younger brother nodded. "Uh...Right. Let's-a go." With that, he left the room, squeezing O'Chunks' hand.
Hi, friends. I'm still working on the fifth chapter of Nightshade and need to stop procrastinating on Thunder Storm but I wanted to participate in this Secret Santa gift exchange on my friend's Discord server. If you like L'Chunks, go ahead and follow chocomintbrownies on Tumblr for more of that content. For this being procrastinated on until the last minute due to finals and applying for a new job, this came out pretty well and I'm kinda proud of it. Thanks for reading!
-Free