A/N: I'm slowly realizing I adore the way I've written the Mario characters...the idea of this story ending makes me so sad! So...expect a sequel or maybe even a new Peach x Bowser story! I just love the dynamic I've written hehe!

Peach sat up and gasped for air as her body was finally freed from whatever restrictive force coerced her to sleep. However, she relaxed as she realized she was alive, considering her heart wouldn't stop beating.

She felt as if she had only slept for a few minutes, though something told her she had been knocked out for several hours, as her body ached from the lack of movement. Peach attempted to sit up but was only able to move up a few inches before her body froze from sensitivity. She groaned, finding her limbs aching at any amount of physical exertion, even something so little as sitting up.

Peach blinked a few times as her eyes became accustomed to the light room, realizing she was in her own bed. She rubbed her eyes as she realized her brain was hazy and she hardly remembered anything except-

"Don't move too much. You might snap in half."

The phantom.

Peach yelped as the king criticized her movements from the hallway outside her door. He bowed down his head into view as he fit through the doorway. After standing in the entrance, he stood at his full stature with his arms crossed in arrogant disapproval.

"You'll be out for at least a day. The more you move the more you'll find yourself cryin' about how much it hurts."

Peach frowned at his advice, skeptical of his confidence. The king seemed to notice her hesitation and silently urged her to continue, eager to prove himself right.

She looked down at her arms which were carefully tucked underneath the thick blanket. Peach groaned as she tried to lift them out, terrified to find her body numb to her attempts. No matter how hard she pulled against the blankets, her body felt numb and dense. She seemed to have sucked the energy out of her body from only trying to sit a bit more comfortably.

She slumped back down with an annoyed frown. She knew he was silently cocky in her failed efforts, happy to be proved right.

"Why am I even...this exhausted?" Peach whispered with her eyes drawing heavy. It seemed even talking took a toll on her. "What did you do to me?"

"Nothing, really. Humans are just wimpy," he muttered with a distasteful huff. "Plus, not used to power imbalances. You little wimps practically fall over the second a royal koopa looks at you," he added arrogantly. He paused for an annoyed frown. "Daisy's the only one who seems to be immune, 'least from what I've seen. Then again, she's a wild card, 'cause I don't know what the hell is wrong with her in general."

Peach sat in silence for a few moments.

Power imbalances? Peach never knew anyone personally who wandered as close to a royal koopa as she had found herself, so she knew very little about the species and what powers they held. Everything she knew was from the media and what rumors spread.

Even so, it was practically global information that any human who approached the king or queen of the darklands seemed to cower at their feet. She had heard countless tales about human knights and warriors who had managed to overpower the endless armies of koopas, only to perish at the claws of their royalty.

She hadn't realized the history books were...being literal in their inability to fight them.

Peach shuddered as she imagined the countless victims that must've met a face far worse than hers while crumbling at the sight of him. She looked up at the koopa glaring at her as she sat in thought before looking back down at her blanket.

It wasn't hard to imagine him as a confident, merciless leader, angrily ordering his army and goons to take the Mushroom kingdom...but, she couldn't convince herself that he would have killed her if she were anyone else. Was he truly that dark and relentless? Peach sighed. If he was able to harm her, she had no doubt she would have died at his claws after the things she had said to him.

Peach's face flushed with color as memories of their last interaction rolled through her mind. She cursed under her breath as she tried to move her arms to shield her face away from his prying eyes, angered to find she remained numb.

Peach looked to the right, hoping to at least hide a bit of her expression, though her face flushed even further at the memory of the things he had said to her and the way he had held her down.

How easily he had done it all, and how easily she had let it happen.

Peach's face practically glowed red at the memories that continued flooding into her mind against her will.

The letter.

Peach silently panicked as she looked from left to right, desperate to lay eyes on the one piece of evidence from what seemed to be her past life.

She sighed, however, as she vaguely remembered stashing it under her pillow.

The king seemed to notice her fidgeting though was unaware of what was causing her such discomfort.

Peach looked back and noticed his eyes drilling into her. Her heart skipped a beat as he seemed to slowly catch on to what emotions sat at the back of her mind. Her heart practically burst as she remembered one of the many, many things he had told her the other day:

Royal koopas can smell emotions, you know.

Peach quickly shook her head back into reality as she attempted to convince her company that her mind was empty of any questionable themes.

"So, you're just...scary!" Peach quickly exclaimed with a bit too much enthusiasm. She cleared her throat in embarrassment, still desperate to cover up her wandering thoughts.

The phantom squinted his eyes in suspicion.

"Only when I want obedience. Easy to get koopas to do what I say, but humans basically crumble if I exert myself too much. Consider it one of the benefits of inheriting a kingdom."

Peach hummed in understanding. She didn't understand how it worked, but it made sense that a royal lineage of a species had some abilities that commoners didn't. Humans didn't have any supernatural powers but...considering many koopas were able to fly and endure intense things, it didn't surprise her that there were things she hadn't heard about.

The two paused and looked towards the entrance to Peach's room as a sudden, gentle, waltz barely managed to echo around the labyrinth. It was chilling and distantly soft, distracting the couple for a few moments before Peach began humming the tune to herself.

The king glared at her, surprised to see she knew the rhythm and tone of the song.

"I would be center stage right now," she whispered between her hums. "Dancing with whoever the male lead is...I can't even remember anymore."

The king snarled.

"It's best if you don't remember. Forgetting things is easier than lookin' back."

Peach's humming paused as she turned to him.

"You don't look back?"

"To what? A miserable marriage? A corrupt political system? Paperwork? I'll pass," he huffed. "Looking back is an excuse to sit around and hate everything. That's just pathetic."

Peach giggled at his negativity.

"Weren't there...I don't know, good things?"

He shrugged.

"Of course there were good things. But why would I look back when all it does is taunt me? Not like I'm headin' back up there anytime soon."

She paused as he continued to refuse any positive topics. She gave a soft smile, eager to lead him towards the thought of something that wasn't miserable.

"What were some of the good things?" She asked with a twinge of curiosity.

Her kindness seemed to have fallen flat as his eyes turned to slits. He took a step towards her with a deep scowl.

"I told you I wasn't answering any of your nosy questions. Best you drop your fixation on asking me crap that I don't wanna think about."

Peach sighed as he silently fumed. While she had grown to expect his small temper tantrums, she had begun to grow numb to them, and, if anything, was a bit annoyed by how he easily lost his cool.

She shook her head.

"You can't throw a fit when I wonder about you. It's your fault for keeping me down here! If anything, you owe me a few answers-"

"Owe you?!" He cried in disbelief at her audacity.

The king slammed Peach's door as frustration quickly followed his confusion. He stomped towards her before stopping at her bedside, aggressively leaning in.

"The only thing I owe you is a muzzle because you talk too damn much!" He furiously muttered. "Learn some social boundaries while you're at it! I said I don't want to answer any of your stupid questions!"

A flame grew in Peach's eyes.

"Me...social boundaries?!" She repeated in complete shock. "You're the one who keeps me as his little house pet underneath the place I'm supposed to be working! You're the one who treats me like a toy!"

The phantom growled at her confident rebuttals. He didn't say anything, but she could tell that he was beyond frustrated that she had started growing thicker skin when it came to him.

"That's it? No yelling? No threats?" Peach asked with an arched brow. Instead of a heated reaction, she was met with silence. She gave a small 'hmph' before turning away from him. She wouldn't admit it, but she was proud of herself for beating him. Or, at least annoying him to the point of silence.

He stared at her as she looked away from him.

Peach gasped as he reached over her, effectively pinning her down with one arm while the rest of him remained to the side of her bed.

She froze, realizing they were in the same exact position as they had been the night he had coldly rejected her.

Peach instantly tried to move out of the way but her blood ran cold after realizing she remained frozen to the touch. She looked down at her body, desperately trying to move anything...she groaned, realizing the most she could do was clench her fists.

She dug her fingernails into her palms, hoping any sensation would combat her stiffness.

The king followed her eyes and quickly realized her panic. Though, something told her that he could smell the panic running through her. He seemed arrogant in the fact that he had found a method to silence her whenever she became too confident for him, at the very least.

He leaned closer to her as she held her breath.

"You can't move, can you? Or, tell me, are you choosing to stay?" He purred with a curious frown. He leaned in, hardly a few inches away from her. "I suggest you blame it on your weakness or else I'll rip through you," he darkly whispered.

Peach was trembling at the tone of his voice.

His words were dark and genuine, though Peach found herself more embarrassed from the way he threatened her; it was as if he wanted her to push back and endure his torment for the sake of his entertainment. The familiar spark sat at the back of his eyes and Peach found herself craving to see it ignite once again, though she held herself back, realizing the position she was in, and how easily he would win.

She didn't want to face more than she could handle. She blushed, realizing that wasn't true.

Peach looked up at him, no longer hiding her pigmented cheeks.

"I...well...a bit of...both," she stammered through hushed, broken words. She quickly turned away, overwhelmed from the way his eyes slightly widened at her response.

"Oh?" He whispered through a raspy hum, delighted to see she played along. "That's an embarrassing thing to admit," he taunted.

Peach's body pounded which seemed to be exactly the reaction he was looking for. She scowled in frustration as she willingly fell deeper and deeper into his trap, though that only earned a cocky smirk from the phantom.

The king gently put his free claw under her chin, carefully turning her head upwards towards him. Peach, unable to resist the contact, easily gave in and locked eyes with the beast, terrified to find that his smug stare was filled with subtle passion.

The phantom leaned in even closer as she released a soft whimper of a gasp, earning a deep growl from him. Peach subconsciously leaned forward, eager to give in to him. However, he paused as he noticed how she had already given up.

"You're desperate," he teased. "I feel like you're practically begging me."

Was he...challenging her? Did he want to see how far she would go for him? Peach shuddered as she felt her mind blur.

Peach stared deeply at him, her head fuzzy and lacking any common sense. She didn't know why, but every part of her yearned for him to continue closing the distance between them. She knew she was making it painfully obvious that she craved him, but she didn't care, as her mind had wandered too far than to even consider what he thought.

"Just...just...please," she mumbled in distress. "Please…" She repeated.

The king squinted as his grip around her chin became a bit aggressively tighter, though not enough to harm her, but rather to show that he was holding himself back from giving in. His silent reaction earned a squeak of surprise out of her which seemed to have pushed him beyond his limit, as he moved in, continuing until they would finally touch.

Peach closed her eyes as she waited, only managing to squeak out one final word.

"Bowser, I-"

Everything fell apart.

The phantom glared at her with an annoyed, furrowed brow before he pulled away from her at the mention of his name. He stared at her in deep confusion for a few moments as she seemed unaware of his refusal to continue.

Peach, seemingly in a trance, sat idly, too enveloped in the things he said to her. However, she gasped as he finally spoke.

"You're too easy," he confidently muttered while getting off of her. She was surprised to notice that his voice slightly shook and seemed to lack the confidence it usually did.

Peach quickly opened her eyes from her dizzy state, unaware of what was happening or what he had meant. She was still breathing hard and she couldn't seem to think straight, but managed to put two and two together once she saw the king crumbling the familiar letter in his claws.

She looked between him and the note, her eyes wide with disbelief and panic. He had snatched it from under her pillow while her eyes were closed.

He really was...toying with her? He had just...wanted the letter? Her heart shattered as she finally started shifting back to reality.

Peach cried out as he dropped the crumbled ball onto the floor as if it were garbage. Though, she wouldn't be surprised if he truly viewed her note as nothing more than a piece of trash.

"You...you didn't need to do that!" Peach whimpered through a stare of pure betrayal. "You could've just...just...asked. I...would have given it to you."

The king casually shrugged as he dusted his claws off. His eyes darted away from hers and seemed to avoid acknowledging her presence in general.

"It would be easy to tell you to give me the letter. I prefer taking it."

Peach's eyes welled up with tears but she quickly held them back, not wanting any pity from the beast, though she doubted he would do anything but laugh at her sensitivity. She trembled, but not from the same emotions she had just been shaking from.

Was she really so gullible to give into him that easily? She felt like an idiot for falling for his mind games but also for...wanting to fall for them. She wanted him to toy with her, but...she didn't want this ending. Even then, with her heart snapping in two, her body still pounded from the way he handled her.

The way his claw held her in place, the way he continuously dared her to push him to his limits...Peach's heart was broken but still pumped to the brim with her sickening need for him.

Peach's heart crumbled as the phantom continued staring off, far away from her; through her. He refused to look at her and meet the pain in her eyes. Was he aware of the torment he put her through? She had felt so sure that he had...wanted her, too.

She didn't know why, but she couldn't look away from him as she desperately tried to analyze him for an explanation. She knew a part of him was just...rotten and ruined; he was not someone who easily cared for how he made others feel. His intentions and morals were broken, but she still sat desperate to find a reason as to why he made her feel like this.

Even if he were broken, wasn't there something she could fix? Something she could heal?

If he had cared for her, why did he taunt her so bitterly? Was it payback for whatever she had done to him? Did she...deserve the heartache? Was it even measurable to the pain he had been through?

Why was he so...heartless?

Peach blinked and a wall of thick, heavy tears gently fell onto her blanket. Tears started pouring out of her eyes as she realized it had to be that: he wanted to get even with her. She silently cried while she started placing pieces together. It hurt, being rejected because of something she hadn't even done herself. Rather, a past version of her had, as she had no memory.

The pain he caused her was intentional. Everything he did to her was to make her feel miserable. At least, that's what she found the most believable.

The king flinched as his eyes wandered to her miserable form for a mere second. His posture stiffened as he realized she had truly started to crack due to his consistent antics. Besides a small shift in stature, his face was cold and unmoving.

Peach noticed his hesitation and it only made her tears flow thicker, but she bit her tongue, refusing to show any more pain than he deserved to know of.

Did he really hurt her intentionally? Was he...afraid of her? Afraid of getting close to her because of what she had done? Nothing made sense...nothing made sense. It just hurt.

Suddenly, he turned to her. His eyes were filled with a mixture of confusion and annoyance, though it was clear his facade was splintering.

"One question," he muttered in defeat. "I'll answer one of your damn questions if you stop looking at me like that."

Peach flinched as he finally acknowledged her. She tried to lift her hands to wipe her tears away but froze as her body remained stiff. Instead, they continued pouring onto her blanket.

"Really?" She asked with an unconvinced frown. Her words were extremely broken and pained which seemed to increase his impatience.

"Only if you make it quick!" He groaned, practically urging her to ask him a question and stop crying. "It's a limited deal, so don't waste your time cryin' over stupid things."

Peach sniffled and nodded her head. While she was beyond pissed at him, her sadness seemed to overpower her ability to chew him out for his treatment of her. Rather than yell, all she was able to do was cry.

She sat in silence for a few moments as she tried to feel excited about his offer but was only met with emptiness from their interaction.

What would she ask, anyways? How he felt about her? Why he...treated her like this? Maybe even what his favorite food was?

Peach nervously tried to think of one question she would be satisfied finding the answer to but was irritated to realize every question about him was just as enticing as the last. Everything about him was mysterious.

After a bit of hesitation, she finally nodded her head with a conclusion: she would start where it all began.

"K-King Koopa," she whispered, making sure to address him properly. "How did I...meet you?"

A/N: Another guilty pleasure chapter! Oh boy! Next chapter may be a little shorter than my usual chapters...I'm not sure yet. I write these as I go, so they are a bit unplanned! Thank you so much for reading!