Sideways
ILLENIUM, Valerie Broussard & Nurko: Sideways
When Bowser is woken up from his slumber by a very panicked Hammer Brother; he's furious. The exhaustion from the all-nighter he pulled crashes down hard on him as soon as his eyes open to his bedchamber barely lit by the light on the nightstand. It takes every ounce of self-control to not launch his minion across the room or roast him to a crisp.
Bowser sluggishly sits upright in bed, slowly dragging his hand down his face.
"You better have a good reason for waking me up at four in the morning."
The Hammer Bro swallows audibly.
"A-apologies, Lord Bowser, but it's one of the children. They—"
Bowser is alert from the sudden wave of panic that chills his body before the Hammer Bro can complete his sentence. Bowser tosses his hefty blankets to the floor as he rushes to get out of bed. He searches frantically for his favorite pair of slippers. Almost decides it's not worth the trouble when the Hammer Bro is kind enough to fetch them for his king. Bowser grumbles a hasty 'thank you' and slips them on before bolting out of his chambers with the Hammer Bro behind him.
The Hammer Bro can barely keep up as they wander speedily down the dim halls to where the children's rooms are. Bowser can hear the overexerted puffs of air and shuffling of shoes coming from behind him. He dismisses the Hammer Bro with a shooing wave to save the Koopa the trouble of racing him and continues his trek alone, nearly knocking into minions unfortunate enough to be in his way.
Bowser hears the commotion before he even reaches one of the preoccupied rooms. He attempts to guess which child it belongs to since it's been almost five months of the children being here. Bowser thought he would know this by now, but his lagging brain that's been thrown into a panic provides no helpful memories or answers. He approaches the door and every proper procedure Kamek drilled into his head as a child about knocking before entering is tossed aside. Bowser quickly opens the door without any warning or indication he's barging in.
Bowser finds the room in ruins. Pillows from the bed are tossed to the ground, all ripped to shreds by sharp claws, one of the expensive custom-made table lamps is on the floor in various stain-glass pieces, and standing in the middle of the disaster is Roy. He pants heavily, sucking in huge gulps of air, claws drawn to an invisible enemy.
"What are you doing!?" Bowser shouts out in exasperation.
The child jumps at the loud noise, the misty look in Roy's eyes clears in an instant. He's back to the present and whatever dark place his mind had wandered to is replaced by unbridled anger. Roy directs his attention to Bowser, locking eyes with him without any ounce of guilt for what he's done to his room. The air turns frigid from Roy's glare alone. Bowser fights down the need to shiver. It reminds Bowser so much of himself that he has to break eye contact and swallow the huge lump forming in his throat.
"I don't have to explain myself to you," Roy snaps, roughly kicking a pillow by his feet. It barely moves from its spot since its insides are completely gutted and all over the floor. Bowser scans the ground surrounding Roy. It looks like a flock of fluffy white clouds lazily passing by on a hot summer day, but the tension in the atmosphere and shattered crimson glass mingled between the fluff poisons such an innocent analogy.
Bowser finds his resolve amongst the chaos on the carpet. Despite what Roy might say to dissuade Bowser, this definitely requires some explaining because all signs point to a deeper issue. Bowser looks up from the mess on the floor, determined to get to the bottom of this.
"Actually," Bowser crosses his arms over his chest, undeterred by the intensity of Roy's continuous glare. "I think you do."
Roy scoffs loudly, rolling his eyes.
"It's none of your business," Roy spits out viciously. "Why don't you get out of here? You're annoying me."
Bowser opens his mouth to fire back a just as acidic response when he notices he's not standing alone anymore. His gaze strays downward to find Ludwig rubbing sleep from his eyes, staring quizzically back up at Bowser with a bleary half-lidded gaze. His hair is a tangled mass of dark blue, jutting up in all directions.
Bowser fights down the urge to crack a smile at Ludwig appearing so unkept in front of him. Ludwig always makes himself presentable before having breakfast at the table. He has a habitual morning routine that he follows everyday. So it's quite a rare sight to see him so disheveled and unalert to his surroundings. He's usually the exact opposite.
Roy takes Ludwig's unintentional distraction to retreat, purposely knocking into Bowser as he passes by. It's an unspoken challenge to try and catch him, but with Bowser's poor reaction time due to his exhaustion and Ludwig's appearance, his hand grabs at air.
"Roy!" Bowser calls out almost desperately, trying to understand what's gotten into him. Bowser doesn't bother to give chase; he's too sleep deprived to deal with this. Plus, with Roy that riled up, the kid will need some time to himself to cool down. It'd be a bad combination to attack this issue head on when neither party is in the right state of mind to act civil. It will only lead to more arguing and shouting. They'd probably wake the entire castle.
"Brat," Bowser whispers grumpily instead. He presses his fingertips to his forehead, rubbing gentle circles over his temples, trying to relieve the new tension building up there.
"What happened?"
Bowser perks up at the tiny voice, almost forgetting he's not alone. Ludwig appears much more alert now. He even took the time to run his claws through his hair and somewhat tame it. Bowser shrugs his shoulders in response.
"I have no idea, but he was mad about something."
At least the other children appear to have slept through it. Good. Bowser is in no state-of-mind to handle five more grouchy children. Bowser sighs dismally as his tired eyes scan the room. He begins to mumble more to himself about what to do with the disaster Roy's created. Unknowingly voicing his complaints aloud to the child standing beside him instead of keeping his big mouth shut and the thoughts in his head.
Ludwig hears Bowser's jumbled ranting about needing new furniture. He cocks a brow before meekly stepping around Bowser to investigate the open door to Roy's room. The child pales, horrified by the destruction.
"I'm sorry about Roy's behavior," Ludwig blurts out. His tired gaze flutters around anxiously, avoiding meeting Bowser's incredulous expression.
Bowser doesn't understand why Ludwig is randomly apologizing to him when it's not necessary to. Ludwig begins to tap his fingers together, the clicking of his claws filling the sudden heavy silence that falls between them. Bowser recognizes Ludwig's most giving habit. The kid's been here for over five months now; Bowser is starting to detect the unique quirks of each child. They all have 'give-aways' to what they're truly feeling behind the ambiguous words they feed Bowser like badly spoken lines by a mediocre actor.
Ludwig right now is unexplainably nervous. He continues to tap his claws together almost unconsciously, peeking at Bowser to gauge his reaction. Bowser's seen this same look directed towards him weeks ago when Iggy had lashed out. Ludwig had been more preoccupied then, fretting over Lemmy, but Bowser recognizes the same panicked look on Ludwig's face when—after the commotion had settled—Ludwig began drumming his claws together.
His curtain of blue hair could not shield the constant glances he snuck towards Bowser. For Ludwig's sake, Bowser pretended to not notice as he calmed a frantic Larry in his arms. More pressing matters had to be attended to then.
It's a strange nervous tick to have, but Bowser supposes it must trace back to the child's love for fiddling on the piano. Bowser hadn't known Ludwig enjoyed practicing the piano at first. He knew little about any of the children's hobbies. Of course, it was Lemmy who had eagerly spilled the gossip on all the children's favorite things when Bowser wished to know more about them.
Roy barely let him get close enough to the younger children to ask them face to face and Ludwig had a habit of making himself a scarcity when Bowser overstayed his welcome during their free time. Due to Ludwig's love for the piano, it appears he prefers to keep his hands preoccupied when he's overwhelmed, and there are times when his idle finger tapping seems to create a familiar melody Bowser can't place a name on.
"It's alright. No one was hurt beside the furniture," Bowser says to the anxious child. "Go back to bed, Ludwig."
Ludwig bites his lip.
"Do you need assistance with Roy?" He feebly offers.
"No, I'll deal with it later. I'm about to pass out onto the floor any second now and he's definitely not in the mood to talk."
Ludwig's shoulders sag, dejected, "Right."
Bowser gives the child a pathetic little wave to signal his departure. He begins to turn on his heels towards the direction of his room when a small voice stops him.
"Um," Ludwig hesitates, "Good night, Bowser."
"It's four in the morning." Bowser laughs.
"You're right again," Ludwig mumbles, face reddening. "Good morning then."
He gives Bowser a timid half-grin for his clever little quip.
Bowser smiles back with his own lopsided grin, "Good morning, Ludwig."
...
After an awful night of sleep, the paperwork on Bowser's desk sits mostly untouched. He finds he can't focus on his Kingdom's problems when he has too many problems to deal with on the home front. He's still worried about Roy's destructive behavior and why Ludwig is always so nervous when one of the children acts up.
If Bowser had to guess; Roy's reaching a breaking point. A point where his frustrations continue to build, stacking shakily on top of another beneath a questionable foundation. Eventually, like all unstable structures, it'll collapse in on itself. Who knows what will happen when it finally does?
As for Ludwig, he's probably still worried about the possibility of Bowser tossing them back out onto the streets. It wounds Bowser that Ludwig still doesn't completely trust his motives, but Bowser knows he shouldn't take it too personally. It's even hard for Bowser to believe sometimes.
A year ago, Bowser wouldn't have taken on the responsibility of caring for seven orphaned children. Hell, it was a strenuous challenge for him to accept the fact he had a son to raise and care for. After countless years of pent up anger and rebellion directed towards a father that wasn't there, Bowser hadn't been eager to take up the role and fail at it himself. Bowser admits he didn't know exactly what he was getting into either when he found them on the street covered in filth, but abandoning a pack of children wasn't something his already guilt ridden conscience could handle.
Part of him is still uncertain, frightened by the unknown hardships of raising kids that have been beaten down by the world. His own son is a handful and he doesn't even talk yet. Imagine the added stress of taking care of seven older children who can talk back and hold grudges against the fate forcefully handed to them. Oftentimes, it can make the children unpredictable and Bowser the punching bag for their unspoken frustrations.
Ludwig had warned Bowser ahead of time about certain siblings being more difficult to deal with than others. Iggy and Roy were on top of Ludwig's little list while Morton and Lemmy sat obediently at the bottom and somewhere in between was Wendy and Larry. Bowser keenly noticed Ludwig hadn't bothered to place himself amongst his siblings on the cheat sheet he created to assist Bowser. Ludwig probably believed—being the eldest and wisest of his siblings—he wouldn't cause any unnecessary problems because he knew better than them.
Bowser had also found it strange how willing Ludwig had been to give him inside information pertaining to his family, but not about himself. Never about himself. Bowser tucked that information in the back of his mind for him to ponder relentlessly for later as Ludwig continued on with his cautious advice.
He spoke of Iggy and Roy like they were bombs set to explode and he made it seem like Lemmy and Morton were harmless kittens unable to show their claws to the public. Ludwig then began recounting times in which Iggy and Roy lost their composure to back up his reasoning. Unintentionally, he began to belittle Roy and Iggy for their chaotic behaviors, growing more spiteful as he went on and on about their inability to control themselves. He didn't even seem to realize how judgmental he sounded to his own ears until he finished his rant. He immediately diverted his gaze elsewhere, embarrassed by his sudden transformation into an annoyed child unable to grasp why his brothers refused to act cordial.
Bowser initially thought Ludwig was overexaggerating a bit when it came to Iggy and his "wild tantrums" as Ludwig put it lightly. Bowser simply thought Ludwig was dramatizing past events like children tend to do. Boy, had Bowser never been so wrong. He had personally witnessed the aftermath of one of Iggy's rampages and how broken it left everyone. So much unchecked resentment and sorrow inside one kid isn't healthy and now it seems Roy is treading down the same rocky path. Instead of physically lashing out at his siblings, it's furniture. But who's to say it won't reach the same level of grief as Iggy? What's stopping Roy from finally taking a swing at Ludwig?
Bowser has to fix this before it worsens.
Despite the new arising problems, Bowser intends to keep his promise to Ludwig. Cankerous children won't beat the stubborn King of Koopas. Besides, how could he abandon them now? It only takes one glance at one of their grief stricken faces finally indulging Bowser with a smile for Bowser to realize he really cares about these kids. The option to toss them aside hasn't crossed his mind yet. The thought of being in way over his big head has, though.
There's a gentle knock on the door, Bowser shakes away all his deep pondering, pushing the issues brewing in his head aside for now. He glances at the pen yet to move in his hands and sighs audibly. Wait until Kamek sees he's done nothing but mope around for the past hour and a half.
"Come in," he calls halfheartedly to his visitor behind the door. He prepares to be chewed up and spit out by Kamek as soon as the mage spots his untouched work. He mentally braces himself.
He had expected Kamek and his nagging, but it's Ludwig. As if sensing he had been the topic tossing around in Bowser's mind and decided to pop in for a visit. Bowser is more relieved than surprised by Ludwig's unexpected guest appearance. Now he won't be getting a long lecture about the importance of this and that and the duties of blah, blah, blah.
"What's up?" Bowser asks, trying to mask his eagerness at having a valid excuse to procrastinate.
Ludwig shuffles to the desk, stands in front of it awkwardly, opens his mouth then closes it. He pauses, furrows his brows seemingly angry with himself for his ineptitude, and tries again. The second attempt is when words successfully pour out of the child's mouth.
"I just wanted to properly apologize for what Roy did this morning."
Another unnecessary apology. Bowser easily waves it off. Hopefully, his nonchalance will ease Ludwig's fear of being thrown out like garbage. The kid has enough to deal with. He shouldn't have to add possible abandonment to the list.
"I'm not mad at that; I just can't figure out what set him off. He's suddenly being as destructive as Iggy. Doesn't help that you guys never talk about these things. We all can't read mind's like your brother."
Ludwig's lips quirk slightly at the lighthearted joke.
"Lemmy does have a knack for this. I can't say the same for myself."
"Guess we have that in common then. I hate to say this, but I have no idea what to do here." Bowser admits, shoulders sagging as he frustratingly exhales.
He was never one to tread around his words like the noble snobs at the frequent parties he was forced to endure. They treat conversations like it's some unspoken dance, weaving their words precisely, swaying the topics left and right before you catch on to their snickering and insults. Bowser always finds he is unable to keep up with their fancy pants jargon and their boring games. His motto is a bit rash and requires less thinking. He's more willing to jump in first and worry about the consequences later. So, he speaks the first thing on his mind. Granted, it tends to get him into more trouble than do any good but at least he isn't a two-faced liar or a fraud.
Honestly, the only reason Bowser is able to even guess as to what the children are experiencing is due to his own personal experiences. Loss is something he and the children unfortunately share the burden of living with, but in contradicting ways. It's strange how struggling to accept the loss of a family member can affect someone. All seven of them had witnessed a fire burn away their comfortable lives, but all of them are handling their pain differently.
Ludwig pretends he's come to terms with it, but even Bowser can sense the laughable facade behind Ludwig's detachment. Whenever someone as perceptive as Lemmy tries to point it out, Ludwig sets up barriers like a soldier prepared for lengthy battle. Bowser struggles to wiggle his way through the barricades because Ludwig rarely gives much away.
Though, these past few days Ludwig seems... happier? No, lighter. Like something has lifted off his shoulders and he no longer has to struggle with the weight. Bowser has a feeling it has to do with Lemmy's constant pestering and prodding because who else would it be? The kid probably got to his older brother in some way. It makes Bowser's life a bit easier.
Now Lemmy is very different. He is prone to keep himself busy, unable to sit still for very long. After all, there's little time for him to think and ponder when he's constantly scampering around the castle. Although, he's always on standby when one of the children has a bad day and he's the first to help a sibling in need. But who helps him when his skies grow cloudy and grey? There are infrequent occasions when Lemmy refuses to leave his room or times when Bowser finds Lemmy staring off into space, despondent and motionless.
That look clears the instant Lemmy hears Bowser approach him, arms open and waiting. Lemmy gladly accepts the invitation for a hug. He seems to find the most comfort in the embrace of someone else. He's not afraid of leaning on someone for support, but he's also not one to speak up when he believes it'll only pull someone down with him.
Roy, if he's anything like Bowser, probably tells himself this is what life is now. He just has to accept it and move on. But that never worked for Bowser in the grand scheme of things now did it? Nothing good comes from pretending you're okay. It certainly won't work for Roy either. He's standoffish and stubborn. He won't allow anyone in without putting up a decent fight. If Lemmy or Ludwig get too close to cracking Roy's outer shell, he makes a tactical retreat to lick his wounds.
When Bowser tries to act as the adult in any situation involving the youngest children, willingly prepared to take on the responsibilities the oldest three are struggling to do; Roy pushes back. Bowser can't gain an inch because Roy is angry. At Bowser, himself, or at the world, Bowser can't say for certain. Possibly all three.
Iggy is the biggest challenge of all. He's a mixture of Ludwig and Roy. An awful combination that clashes as much as his brothers tend to. He's unpredictable on the best of days. Although, what really sets him off is still an unknown variable, hidden in the crevices of his scrambled mind. Some days Iggy is able to reminisce with Lemmy about his parents while other days he's ready to tear someone's head off at any hint or mention of them. How does one tackle such a dilemma?
Kamek suggested therapy, but imagine trying to wrangle in someone as independent as Iggy for that. He wouldn't go without putting up a fight. At least Bowser believes he's gained some common ground with the kid. He hasn't had a full out attack since the Lemmy incident. There has been only one other close call but Kamek's quick thinking had snapped the kid back before it erupted into another disaster.
Wendy and Morton are too weary of Bowser to let him in. They see him as a big, scary monster they must carefully tiptoe around to avoid being eaten. Due to this painful truth, Bowser doesn't know much about them and their mourning process aside from what Lemmy and Ludwig have told him. All Bowser really knows from his own experience is that Morton has frequent nightmares due to the fire and Wendy is prone to have numerous temper tantrums. He notices Wendy is also completely devoted to Roy and Ludwig more than she is to Lemmy. Perhaps it's because of the father role the two are placeholders for. Lemmy had once said she was always a Daddy's girl and would cling to their father whenever she could. Since their father is no longer around, she seems to latch onto Ludwig or Roy instead, seeking affection from them.
While Morton prefers to follow any of his older siblings around and act as their shadow. He often doesn't leave his siblings' sides unless he absolutely has to. Probably afraid if he doesn't keep them close, someone else may disappear from his life again. In fact, Bowser cannot recall a time when Morton was ever truly alone. According to Lemmy, Morton alternates between sleeping in his siblings' bedrooms. He hasn't slept in his room by himself since he's been here.
Then there's little Larry. He isn't exactly in mourning because he's too young to completely comprehend what he's lost but he's also extremely clingy and craves constant attention from others due to the death of his parents. The sad reality of his situation is that he most likely won't remember his parents' faces by the time he's old enough to understand what had happened to them. It's a painful truth that sits uncomfortably in the pit of Bowser's stomach. He cannot help but give in to the toddler's needy habits and to soothe his woes when Larry needs it.
Sometimes, Bowser will lug the child around during lulls in his day just so Larry will remember what having someone as big as Bowser carrying him feels like. The toddler seems to enjoy the added height and pulling on Bowser's horns for amusement as they traverse the halls without a true destination to their wandering.
Bowser sighs, sitting back in his chair. He taps his claws mindlessly against the desk lost in thought. With all the intel he's gathered, he knows Roy is still clearly grieving. They all are, but what's the trigger that suddenly set him off? What is the real reason he murdered every pillow on his bed? Is it finally hitting Roy now after months of ignoring it? He reminds Bowser so much of himself it hurts. Maybe he blames himself like Bowser had done for years?
"I just want to help the poor kid. He's starting down a very dark path keeping all that anger inside." Bowser says wistfully.
"It almost sounds like you're familiar with this." Ludwig comments, curiosity peeking at his interest.
Bowser barks out a laugh devolved of any real humor behind it.
"You could probably call me an expert. Let's just say I went on a bit of a rebellious streak when I was younger. It definitely bit me on the ass in the end."
"Oh?"
Ludwig blinks, surprised. He clearly hadn't expected that answer at all. He recovers rather quickly and begins eying Bowser so intensely that Bowser's scales crawl. Unlike Lemmy, Bowser doesn't feel completely exposed when Ludwig attempts to pull apart the history behind Bowser's vague words. Ludwig's soul searching will most likely lead to dead ends and unanswered questions. Bowser surely won't give him more than he already has.
The child is not old enough to understand the weight Bowser's carried on his back since the previous king died. Bowser is thankful there's only one brat who can read everyone's emotions like a children's book because he's not sure he can handle more of them. It's bad enough Kamek is a professional on all things Bowser. Bowser can't catch a break. So much for being an enigmatic and handsome ruler.
At least Bowser knows his secrets will stay safely with Kamek for now. No one in the castle knows of Bowser's past mistakes besides Kamek. Sure, there are rumors, but those gossiping idiots will never hear Bowser verify any truth behind them. It's better to keep his minions in the dark about his shady lifestyle choices than be upfront about his teenage rebellion.
Bowser suddenly smirks to throw Ludwig off. It works exactly as intended. Ludwig is clearly startled by the sudden shift. Jumping from reminiscing about your past to a teasing grin would cause anyone to slip up.
"You're one of the smart ones, right?"
Bowser is amused when Ludwig is stumped by him once again. He can't blame the kid's shock; the question is absurdly out of place. What Bowser can only describe as a badly contained scoff of annoyance leaves Ludwig's mouth before he seems to realize who he's talking to. He poorly disguises it by clearing his throat awkwardly.
"I had perfect grades in school," Ludwig almost sounds like he's bragging a bit. "Why?"
"Got any clever ideas in that big brain of yours to get to Roy?"
Ludwig's mouth drops to a frown.
"Roy and I do not get along very well." Ludwig admits sadly.
Bowser hums deeply in agreement.
"Makes sense, you guys are complete opposites. He obviously still cares about you, though. He's never talked to you about what's been bothering him?"
Ludwig shakes his head, twiddling his thumbs, eyes cast downward.
"Roy refuses to talk to me about those kinds of things."
Then Ludwig seemingly remembers something of importance because he perks up, "But there is one Koopa he might have possibly confided in. I hear he's very persuasive and pushy when he wants to be."
Bowser exhales loudly out of his nostrils, feeling a tad idiotic for not realizing it sooner.
"Lemmy."
Ludwig nods.
"Yes, perhaps I can ask him about it."
Bowser eyes Ludwig, unconvinced, "You really think he'd just tell you?"
Ludwig shrugs, "It's worth a try."
Can't argue with that logic.
"Alright," Bowser grins. "After dinner, come back here and let me know what you find out."
Ludwig nods eagerly, "Of course, Bowser."
The kid looks elated to help in any way he can. Bowser can't stop smiling at Ludwig's infectious excitement as he all but sprints to the door with added purpose to his fast pitter patters.
"Hey, Ludwig," Bowser calls out. The child turns around before his hand touches the door handle.
"Good luck out there, soldier." Bowser jokes with a mock salute before bursting out into loud, wall-shattering chortles. Ludwig's grin disappears, replaced by an unamused frown.
"Good luck with your paperwork." Ludwig answers back with snarkiness oozing from his dry tone. Ludwig tries to hide his satisfied grin by biting down on his bottom lip at Bowser's defeated expression.
Looks like Ludwig gets the last laugh.
Brat.
…
After an uneventful dinner filled with sneaky glances shared between Bowser and Ludwig, Bowser returns to his personal study with the intent to get some work done before Ludwig's planned arrival. This is what he tells himself he's going to do the entire walk there. After all the attempts to hype himself up, as soon as he sits down in his cozy chair he begins to slowly succumb to a food coma and the lack of sleep. He's practically asleep, using the stack of paperwork as a pillow, when three gentle knocks rap against his door.
He immediately bolts upright, rubs his eyes until the blurriness clears, then pretends to look busy. He clears his throat.
"Come in."
Bowser spots Ludwig's blue hair before the rest of him pops into the room. Ludwig offers Bowser an apprehensive smile, approaching his desk at a languid pace. He appears skittish, fidgeting with his fingers. Not exactly a good sign. The child dawdles a bit, waiting patiently. Is he waiting for Bowser to speak first?
"What did Lemmy say?" Bowser prompts.
"Well—" Ludwig begins, only to deflate. "He said Roy hasn't told him anything."
This was expected. Bowser can't really blame Roy for keeping his secrets. It was worth a try.
"But… he did offer his help and some very useful advice." Ludwig continues then his cheeks seem to turn slightly pink. "He also wanted me to tell you that he believes in you."
A warmth bursts from Bowser's chest, warming his body from his head to his toes. That kid.
"Can't disappoint Lemmy now, can we?"
Ludwig smiles shyly, "Of course not."
Feeling euphoric and motivated from Lemmy's comment, Bowser pushes the barely touched paperwork out of his way, grabbing a piece of scrap paper from his desk drawer and setting it onto the desk with a purposeful thud. Pen in hand, he looks expectantly up at Ludwig.
"Time to come up with a plan."
It takes an hour of scheming to conjure up a scheme worth putting into action. Using Lemmy's helpful guidance and tips he'd given Ludwig, Ludwig and Bowser came to the painful conclusion that the only way to help Roy was the "tough love" approach. With this in mind, Bowser furiously tapped the end of the pen against the desk, mumbling his thoughts under his breath until Ludwig suggested that they keep Roy confined until he began to slowly open up.
Curious, Bowser inquired why they should take such a risky leap. After all, doing something that extreme may cause Roy to completely shut down and grow more resentful. Ludwig, with a reminiscent smile on his face, remained persistent. He explained it was how their mother would get Roy to open up to her when he stubbornly refused to talk about what was pestering him.
Now that Bowser and Ludwig had a general idea, this meant they had to find a way to lure Roy into their trap without tripping any alarms. Ludwig easily tackled that obstacle. His plan involved using himself as the bait to reel Roy into a false sense of security before the doors of Bowser's study literally closed right in Roy's face.
Ludwig had been adamant on Bowser being the one to try to peel away the layers Roy had blanketed himself in. When Bowser prodded Ludwig as to why it had to be him specifically—especially after all the times Roy deflected Bowser's attempts to talk—the child simply smiled and shrugged.
"He won't tell any of us anything because he doesn't want us to waste our time on him. You, though, aren't someone he's trying to protect. He might not trust you yet, but you told me that you both are very similar. Maybe those similarities will help him open up."
Ludwig's determined infliction disappeared the moment he sighed. His confidence was depleted by his next set of words.
"But this is all just a theory. We may make things worse and he may hate me for this, but we have to try something."
Regret. That's all Bowser saw in Ludwig's crestfallen expression, buried deep into his slate colored eyes. Regret for what exactly? Something in his last sentence held the reason behind his remorseful appearance. What was Ludwig hinting at that Bowser wasn't understanding?
Bowser had no choice but to agree with Ludwig's logical remarks. He knew his brother best. With all the pieces in place, Ludwig had left Bowser's study with conflicting emotions written on his face; hesitation but resoluteness.
Bowser leans back in his chair as the door clicks close, wearily eying the papers he hasn't read in two days before his stomach growls. With a defeated sigh, he gets up to get a snack and leaves his paperwork untouched once again.
…
Bowser and Ludwig wait a week to allow the tension to cool and to quell any ongoing suspicions Roy has before they initiate the plan.
Tonight, Bowser purposely chooses the menu for dinner to include a specific meal meant to please Roy. Pizza, spicy wings, and a large side of hot sauce. According to Ludwig, it's one of Roy's favorite combinations and he used to eat the paper thin pizza slices drenched in hot sauce at lunch time like a starving Koopa. Now, don't get Bowser wrong, he loves spicy food, but he cannot comprehend how Roy can handle such a large amount of heat and spice in one sitting without suffering the consequences. But the child manages to do it with a sauce-covered grin on his face.
A good meal will hopefully pacify Roy enough for him to follow Ludwig blindly. Roy's boisterous chatter during dinner is a big indication he's in a relatively good mood.
Bowser eats his own meal rather quickly. When he's finished with his dinner, Bowser excuses himself to prepare for what's to come next. Before he departs from the dining hall, he sends Ludwig a knowing glance followed by a brief nod then heads to his son's room to check on him. Thankfully, the infant is very much still asleep after his bottle so Bowser heads to his personal study instead. He plainly ignores the half-touched paperwork on the top of his desk, casually resting his body against the dark wood. He carefully avoids the spikes on his shell scratching the surface, and waits.
Unfortunately, waiting and patience aren't subjects he ever excelled at and he finds himself drumming his nails against the desk and tapping his foot to the beat of the grandfather clock's ticking to entertain his restless mind.
After what feels like hours the door knob turns and an unaware Roy steps inside. From the tone of his voice, it sounds like he's complaining to Ludwig about some minuscule thing. Ludwig's response to his brother is muffled by the door as he politely holds it open for Roy. Roy continues to snark off to his eldest brother over his shoulder, not once looking in Bowser's direction. All of that attitude disappears when Roy jumps at the sound of the door closing behind him. Bowser grins at their tiny victory. Ludwig had played his part perfectly.
"Hey, kid." Bowser tosses Roy a pathetic wave, gaining his attention.
Roy tenses, desperately turns back to the door, and attempts to open it. He finds out it won't budge. He realizes rather quickly he's trapped.
"What's the big idea?"
Bowser ignores Roy's panicked inquiry.
"How was dinner?" Bowser tries instead.
"It was alright." Roy hesitates before answering back, raising a brow. "You locked me in here to ask about my opinions on dinner?"
Bowser chuckles, "No, that'd be extremely stupid."
He approaches Roy cautiously, standing a few feet apart from him. Roy tenses, body on the defensive, fists clenched. Bowser stops in his tracks, he doesn't want to overwhelm him. He just wants to be able to hear him and look him in the eyes. Though, Roy's panicked gaze travels around the room, refusing to settle anywhere near him.
"Y'see, you're here because I want to know what's going on with you."
Bowser cuts through the awkwardness and tension with his forward remark. Roy pauses. He looks at him in disbelief then wipes it clean off his face. He replaces it with a heated glare meant to kill.
"Nothing." Roy answers back defensively.
Bowser snorts.
"You're an awful liar, kid."
"I don't see why it's any of your business." Roy tries instead. It's a cute attempt Roy had done a week ago, but Bowser isn't having any of it today.
"Seeing how you destroyed your room and I gotta pay for it; I think it's my business now."
Realization dawns on Roy's face. He appears to have finally put all the pieces together and knows of Bowser's true intentions.
"Wait, I see what this is about. You think you can figure me out?" Roy laughs cruelly. "It's not gonna happen. So why don't you back off?"
"I can't do that."
Roy's agitation builds at Bowser's words, but Bowser cannot afford to be lenient with him.
"You're only going to make things worse the more you keep all that anger inside. I would know. It's not just going to go away."
Roy tremors from anger, curling his hands into fists. He knows he's trapped and that there's nowhere to run except forward and straight at his enemy. Roy takes a couple brave steps towards Bowser until he's an arm's length away.
"Shut up! Shut up!" Roy shouts. "Just shut up!"
His ire builds and manifests. He launches a fist at Bowser, fueled by pent up emotions he is unable to conceal behind his cool guy façade. Bowser had expected this, easily catching the blow in his own hand. Roy is too stunned to initially react. He blinks once, twice, then finally snaps back to the here and now. Roy stumbles away from Bowser looking disgusted at his actions. He glares down at his hand, silent. They sit in that boiling silence for minutes, listening to the clock. Of course Bowser grows impatient, slowly going insane as he counts the ticks in his head, and Roy just continues to stand there unresponsive.
"We can be stuck in here all day," Bowser comments, "I cleared my schedule for this."
This gets Roy's attention.
"Oh yeah? Did you mark it on your calendar as 'Annoy Roy Until He Talks About His Feelings' or did you write something shorter?" Roy seethes.
"No." Bowser snaps back harshly. "I put 'Punk Kid Thinks He Can Handle Things Himself When He Can't!'"
Bowser freezes, swallows the fire burning hot and ready up his throat. No, this is wrong. Yelling back won't solve anything here. What the Hell is he doing? Ludwig and Lemmy are counting on him and he can't even keep his composure for more than five minutes. Pathetic. Tendrils of smoke swirl from his nostrils as his body begins to relax.
One glance at Roy's defiant glare tells Bowser what Roy's real plan is here. Bowser realizes the kid is doing all this on purpose and he almost fell right into a trap. Roy's attempting to wind Bowser up until he snaps and he gives up on him. It's not going to work. He cannot afford to let Roy slip between his fingers.
"Roy," Bowser says softly. "Let me help you. Your siblings are worried about you."
Roy snorts out an unamused laugh, rolls his eyes and turns away. He treads to the loveseat and plops down onto the crimson velvet cushions.
"Fine," Roy concedes irritatingly. "Anything to get you off my back sooner."
Bowser takes a seat on the recliner across from him, waiting. Roy squirms on the loveseat, looking extremely uncomfortable and sags into the plush cushions almost as if he hopes they'll suck him inside the seat and take him far away from here. He fidgets nervously, unable to make proper eye contact and instead glares down at his hands as he clenches and unclenches them.
"When the fire happened my Dad was the one who helped me and Morty get out of my room," Roy begins then pauses, sucks in a deep breath, and exhales loudly out of his nostrils like he's in pain but trying to hide it. "Morton was sleeping in my room, 'cause Morty just is like that, and my Dad knocks down the door with Wendy and starts yelling at us to hurry up. He got us outside and he told us to wait there before he ran back in the house for everyone else."
Roy manages to say this without choking up again. Despite that, his voice is incredibly shaky and uneven. It's a tone of voice Bowser has never heard come from Roy. Usually, he's obnoxious and crass, hurling around insults and complaints without an ounce of decency to his name. Bowser watches Roy grit his teeth, jaw clenched tightly.
"Y'know what I did instead of helping him?" Roy asks, letting out a hollow laugh like he found the answer to his question funny. "I stood there like a coward. I did nothing. I promised my dad I'd protect everyone and I couldn't do that because I was too scared."
Roy's voice cracks and Bowser helplessly witnesses him fall apart. Bowser finds he was right; Roy is barely holding on. The child shoves all this unnecessary weight on himself; all the guilt, the sadness, and the blame as if he had the matches in his hand and started the fire.
How had he remained sturdy for so long? Or maybe he was just good at hiding it from everyone else. Deflecting everyone's gazes with angry remarks and cruel sneers. Intimidation works wonders when you know how to use it. Clearly, Roy does because even Bowser has a tendency to back off when Roy begins to show signs of violence.
"I can't do anything right." Roy growls out angrily, clutching his head between his hands. "I never know what to say. And I can't even calm down my crying little brother when he needs me. I keep failing them and it gets harder to get back up. I'm so sick of it!"
Tears pour down Roy's face, but he seems to deny their existence. He allows them to drip onto his knees without wiping them away.
"Roy."
Hearing his name snaps Roy back. Just like that, the hardness from before returns. Roy's watery frown is replaced by his usual scowl. It's such an instantaneous flip that Bowser wonders if Roy's moment of vulnerability ever happened.
"But it's whatever," Roy shrugs, indifferent. It's a stark contrast to the wet trails on his cheeks and swollen red eyes. "I need to stop crying over it. It's a waste of time."
"You know it's okay to vent." Bowser responds evenly.
It's something Kamek had told Bowser long ago. When Bowser felt his dark days heavily outweighed the good days. When he constantly felt like the world wouldn't stop spinning and he struggled to make it stop long enough for him to catch up. Kamek had placed a firm hand on his shoulder and told him it was okay. It was okay to be feeling hopeless, lost, and scared. It was okay to cry because it was a natural reaction to all these painful experiences drilling conflicted emotions in his brain.
Whatever garbage and masculine nonsense his father had told him about crying, Kamek said the exact opposite. And who would Bowser trust with advice? His dead father rotting beneath a tombstone or the father who raised him since he was an infant in diapers? The answer was simple. Kamek, it always had been Kamek.
"A tough guy like me cries too." Bowser admits a bit sheepishly. He recalls all the times Kamek wiped those tears away, told him to get back up, and try again.
Roy quirks a brow, confused.
"Really? You?"
The dryness in Roy's voice is an obvious giveaway that the kid doesn't believe him. It's not really surprising since Roy seems to think of Bowser as some indestructible force standing in his way. If only Roy knew the truth. If only he knew about his own miserable childhood. He had lost a mother he barely remembers but wishes he did. He had lost a father that was never there. He had been given a crown he only saw as a girly accessory worn by princesses in stupid fairytales. He was too young and naïve to understand the meaning it carried with it.
If Roy gave Bowser a moment of honesty; Bowser feels he should do the same. Like an exchange of sorts. Bowser sighs, slouching in his recliner. It's never easy to speak of. It's why he rarely indulges in his past.
"Let's just say my Dad wasn't the best parent in the world. I always told myself I wouldn't be sad when he died, but—even after everything he did—I still found myself crying over him."
Countless days of curling under his covers, refusing to budge despite Kamek's insistence to get up. He had been eleven? Twelve? He felt so lost and afraid. People addressed him as a King without a second thought of how it affected him. They expected him to rule when he hadn't even fully grasped the concept of variables in math class. Bowser swallows roughly.
"I can't begin to imagine what you're going through, Roy. But just because you cry; you're not weak because of it."
Roy sinks lower into the loveseat, arms wrapped tightly around himself. Bowser watches Roy continue to fight away his tears. It's one battle Roy is going to lose; he's been holding it all in for far too long to be healthy.
"And another thing—" Bowser isn't finished speaking yet. One more crucial thing is left to say. He leans towards Roy to ensure he hears him.
"Stop blaming yourself for this. You kids have to realize it's not your fault and that you can't change what happened. You gotta let go of those stupid 'what if' scenarios because I doubt your father would have wanted you to help him. He wouldn't have wanted you to risk your life. I'm sure he just wanted you all safe. He definitely succeeded in doing that. You're all here now."
Roy's eyes grow wide. Then—as Bowser expected— the child breaks down. Like Iggy, Bowser doesn't approach Roy with unwanted affection. If Roy wants physical comfort; he'll get it without complaint. Roy, though, appears to prefer to hug himself tightly instead. The sight of Roy sitting alone in a chair too big for him reminds Bowser of himself.
He sat on a throne, scared and alone, arms wrapped around his small frame, stifling his sobs of mourning and confusion. Bowser remains silent, sitting uselessly as Roy cries. Bowser tries to shake away his own eerie demons as he waits, but he's yanked forcefully from them instead. To Bowser's utter shock, Roy isn't done talking yet either. Between the quiet tremors, Roy manages to speak through them.
"I just got so angry the other night because I had some stupid nightmare. I'm tired of feeling useless."
"You're not useless." Bowser says immediately in response. "Your siblings trust you. You're just as important to them as Ludwig and Lemmy. You may not be good with words, but that's okay because you know how to make those kids smile when they need it. You make them all feel safe. I can't even do that."
"Why do you even care?" Roy suddenly snaps his head up to look at Bowser through his watery vision. He wipes away the moisture. "You're not our Dad and you won't ever be. Why do you keep trying?"
"I'm not trying to be their replacement. Roy, you're still a kid too. You shouldn't have to raise your siblings, you should be enjoying your own childhood. Just know that I'm only trying to help."
"A-and..." Bowser clears his throat, face suddenly burning. "I care about you guys."
Bowser finds his body's response to admitting the affection he holds towards the group of children ridiculously silly. If not entirely immature. He blames the lack of affection he received from his childhood for it. Bowser doesn't think he's ever said those words to Kamek. He always just assumed Kamek knew. Maybe it's about time he told Kamek he appreciates him. Roy looks up after Bowser's confession, scrutinizing Bowser with a skeptical gaze. He doesn't appear convinced.
"I know it's hard to believe," Bowser chuckles nervously, running a trembling hand through his mane. "But you guys are hard to not get attached to."
Roy snorts despite the circumstances he's in.
"Even me and Iggy?" He asks half-jokingly. Although with the way Roy's body slowly leans forward, Bowser suspects he wants to hear an honest answer.
Bowser nods his head.
"Yep, even pain in the butts like you and Iggy."
Bowser wonders if it's his mind deceiving him but Roy's mouth twitches slightly. The child rubs his eyes, wiping away all the moisture on his face.
"You're not too bad at this." Roy says. He smirks, flashing all his teeth. Bowser spots him missing one of his canines, probably because one of his baby teeth recently fell out. When did that happen?
Roy hops off the loveseat. He approaches Bowser and Bowser doesn't know what to expect. He keeps his arms flat on the armrests of his recliner before he infers too much and braces himself for anything. Roy reaches up to lightly punch Bowser in the arm.
"Thanks, Tough Guy."
It's as close to a hug as Bowser will get. Roy doesn't appear to be much of a hugger; he probably groaned and huffed when his mother used to kiss him. Still, the teasing punch holds just as much meaning and warmth as a hug. Roy's crooked smile is also a telling sign too.
Bowser can't help but grin back.
"No problem, Tough Guy."
...
When Bowser opens the door to the study to set Roy free, he finds Ludwig anxiously pacing in the hallway. The creaking sound of the door opening startles him a bit, and he looks over to see the two Koopas walking out. One look at Roy and Ludwig stops in his tracks. He hesitates, biting down on his bottom lip.
Then he surprises both Roy and Bowser by throwing his arms around his brother. Ludwig says nothing, letting his actions do the talking for once. Roy's cheeks flush red from embarrassment, he sputters for a snarky response but finds none to use in this scenario. He pretends to fight Ludwig off of him with one pathetic shove before melting into his brother's embrace with a submissive sigh.
It's a heartfelt moment between two brothers that never truly see eye-to-eye.
"You're not useless and it's not your fault." Ludwig repeats Bowser's sentiments with a trembling tone. "We couldn't have gotten this far without you. Why would you think such awful things about yourself?"
Roy doesn't answer.
"I'm sorry that I didn't realize it sooner and I'm sorry about tricking you," Ludwig chokes out. "I just didn't know what to do."
A moment of stillness passes. A moment that feels like an eternity to them as Ludwig refuses to release Roy.
"It's alright, Luddy," Roy assures him, finally shattering the silence. He pats his brother awkwardly on the back of his shell.
Ludwig winces at the affectionate nickname. Luddy. Bowser smiles, watching Ludwig's face turn a few shades redder. Cute.
"I was being a stubborn idiot." Roy pulls away to ruffle Ludwig's mass of blue hair. "I know I suck at telling you guys anything about me."
Ludwig huffs irritatingly, lightly knocking Roy's hand away from his head. Then he attempts to readjust his hair, but gives up with a pout. Roy snickers, reaching out to fix what he's ruined. He smiles at his brother's curious gaze.
"Thanks for knocking some sense into me."
Ludwig's gaped mouth morphs into a gentle smile. He beams at Roy showing his thankfulness so freely, before his bright eyes travel up to Bowser.
It tells Bowser everything Ludwig can't find the words to say. The melting pot of emotions on his face is indescribable, but it goes deeper than the lava seas of Darklands. Bowser recalls the last time Ludwig wore such a look directed his way.
It's comparable to the amount of gratitude Ludwig displayed when it finally hit the child that they were being taken in by Bowser. Even then, it seems to be even more intense than that moment. It's garnished with a tenderness Bowser's never witnessed from Ludwig before today. Perhaps because Bowser has done a little more than just offer his home to them. The King of Koopas actually took the time to help soothe an incoming storm before it began to worsen and it'd be too late to intervene. Bowser's heart clenches at the sight.
Yep, he definitely cares about these kids.
Bowser can't help himself, he pats both brothers affectionately on their shells and jokingly tells them to get lost because he has actual work to attend to. Roy gives Bowser a humorous look followed by a mocking roll of his eyes, but doesn't waste his opportunity to escape. He takes off down the hall at a leisurely pace as if waiting for Ludwig to follow.
Ludwig looks after his brother, then turns to Bowser. He flashes Bowser a rare smile and easily catches up to Roy. Bowser watches with a grin as Roy purposely knocks his elbow into Ludwig's side, laughing when Ludwig mimics the action with more force causing Roy to stagger forward. Bowser overhears Ludwig suggest playing a board game and Roy eagerly agrees to the idea. Then Roy breaks into a sprint, his chuckles echoing down the hallway as Ludwig gives chase while he struggles to keep up with Roy's longer strides.
Bowser knows, somewhere down this bumpy path he's treading with these kids, everything will eventually be okay.
This chapter was a struggle… I was riding the struggle bus the whole time. I'm kinda iffy with this one. Eh…
Okay, this may be an extremely long Author's Note but whatever. First off, wanna give my thanks to certain people who deserve it.
So… thank you to ZappuelLightnin'Rod for motivating me to continue writing even when I feel inadequate and worthless. I would have given up on this a long time ago.
Thank you, QueenKathofRine for being my Fanfiction buddy. You helped me realize my story is worth writing and telling. Her stories are also amazing additions to this website. Please read them if you haven't already.
Thank you, Amethyst Goldenwind for your consistent reviews. I often come back to them to get a boost of confidence and I was too big of a coward to PM you and thank you properly. Really, I look forward to your reviews every time I update.
Thank you, Samantha_Nuttly for giving me a shout-out in your most recent story. I was genuinely shocked to see my name among the list of your inspirations and have been rereading your ending thoughts constantly to get motivation to finish this chapter. Your short stories are amazing! I just suck at writing reviews.
And thank you to everyone who has favorited, followed, and reviewed this story.
Now, time for me to pass out.