#(two eggfics down and one and a half to go! 💪🏾 yay!)

[mrs-luigi-vargas]

Lost and Found

Chapter 2 (of 2): Wherein Mario finds out where his brother is

Fic Summary: Sunny skies and friends by his side...in Mario’s opinion, it was all the perfect setup for a perfect vacation! ...Too bad his brother up and disappeared partway through it. Fic Tags: Minor Bowser/Luigi, Hurt/Comfort, Humor, Nonverbal Mario

Word Count: 4,427 words A/N: This fic's Mario's POV of An Egg in a Trying Time! So it would be helpful to read that one first, but I can't tell you what to do so do whatever!

[AO3 Link] [Link to beginning]

~~~

When Mario woke up, he squinted blearily at the clock and realized the restaurant Luigi had been last seen at had opened an hour ago.

Mario leapt out of bed. Beside him, Peach stirred. By the time he was ready to go she was still sleepily stumbling about, steps vaguely aiming for the bathroom. It took a minute or two of standing in the mirror for her to realize that her toothbrush wasn't here because she was in the wrong bathroom.

So she left. Mario followed her. He almost followed her straight into her room; the bemused smirk Peach sent at him at the threshold made Mario realize what he was doing, and he sheepishly stepped back to wait for her in the hallway.

During his wait, Toadette stepped out of her hotel room across the hall. Mario waved at her in greeting, and her face lit up with a grin.

“So the Princess was with you last night!” The glint in her eye strengthened at Mario’s confirming yet confused nod. She snickered. “Busy making quite the wish, weren't you?”

...What?

“Toadette!” Peach shouted from behind the door. She sounded mad. “What are you saying to him!”

“Nothing!” Toadette sang. She laughed, winked at Mario, and pranced down the hall.

Almost as soon as she’d turned the corner, Peach emerged from her hotel room. “Sorry about her,” she sighed, but Mario shrugged. He had no idea what Toadette had been on about.

The two of them scarfed down their complimentary continental breakfasts, and as soon as Mario finished he was immediately dashing for the door. “Mario, wait!” Peach called after him, to little avail. The only reason he stopped long enough for her to catch up was because he suddenly tripped on thin air. He must have finally realized what Toadette was hinting at earlier, judging by how red his face was and how he wouldn't look her in the eye. Peach couldn't help but laugh at his embarrassment.

---

Mario and Peach burst into the restaurant Rosalina had directed them to. The man at the counter, who had been practically falling asleep, started violently, jerking his head up. Peach steamrolled over his canned customer greeting to ask if anyone who looked like Mario but taller and wearing green had come by yesterday.

“I wasn't workin’ yesterday so I can't really help you,” the man said, looking regretful. “My junior was the one on the clock, but they'd had a bad day yesterday, so they're taking the day off.”

“I see.” Peach sighed, similarly disappointed. “Thanks anyway.”

With a little curtsy she turned to leave, and Mario trailed after her, hat pulled low on his head. Something about that downtrodden motion had the man’s eyes widening.

“H-Hold on a sec!” He stopped them as they were almost out the door. “Did your guy have a hat like that one?” He pointed to Mario’s hat. Mario nodded, and the man ducked under the counter and pulled out —

“That’s Luigi’s hat!” Peach exclaimed. Mario’s eyes widened at the evidence Luigi had been here. Peach hurried back to the counter. “Where did you —?”

“Guess he’s the guy from yesterday my junior was telling me about.” The man handed Peach the hat. “I think they said he dropped it when he left with that other guy.”

“‘Other guy’?”

“Big, spiky, scaly, looks like he could tear apart concrete with his bare hands?” The man raised an arm in the air as if to demonstrate how tall that 'other guy' was. "Apparently he just picked up your guy and left. Scared my junior half to death; it's why they're not here, ha! Honestly, if that’s all it takes to scare them, then I'm not sure they’re cut out for this job if I'm being honest!”

“O-oh thank you for your help have a good day goodbye!” Peach said all in one breath, because Mario had already stormed out as soon as he’d heard the words big and spiky. If not for knowing exactly where he was headed, she probably would have lost him completely. She just about caught up with him at the beginning of the makeshift path to Bowser’s fortress, where she had to stop and catch her breath. Ugh, she knew she shouldn't have worn these shoes today...!

Perhaps sensing how exhausted she was trying to run after him, Mario paused his determined march to turn around and hover near Peach concernedly. And now that he was close, Peach glared at him, poking a painted nail into his chest. “Quit leaving me behind,” she scolded him. “I want to teach Bowser a lesson as much as you do! Using my invitation to pull this stunt...” she huffed, punctuating her frustration by putting Luigi’s hat firmly on her head. She scowled at the place the dirt path met the horizon.

Mario looked chastened, and also a little wary of Peach’s ire. That was likely why he stopped rushing ahead, making a point to make sure Peach was always close behind him. To her credit, Peach wasn't exactly going slow, and they sped down the path. They only stopped once more, upon catching a glint of something in the grass. It was Luigi’s phone, screen cracked yet still powered on. The sight put them on edge; was there some kind of struggle? At least they knew why he wasn't answering any of their messages, now. They took it with them as they ran onward.

---

They arrived at the front gates of the fortress, closed. Mario had half a mind to break in through the doors anyway, but Peach was already sneaking around the curve of the fence to scout ahead so he quietly followed her lead.

Soon enough, they heard laughter. They hid behind some bushes, peeking out to see Bowser Junior running across the courtyard behind the fence, with Kammy chasing after him. Beyond them, Bowser was sitting against the wall, looking down at something.

Kammy stumbled, catching herself before she fell but staying hunched over, hands on her knees. She panted and gasped for breath in a way that had Mario concerned for her overall well-being. Before that sympathy could fully manifest, though, Kammy perked her head up, furrowed her brow, and stared straight at Mario and Peach’s hiding place like she was seeing right through it.

Peach gathered her skirts to hide better. Mario tensed, ready to act if Kammy exposed their hiding spot.

Kammy narrowed her eyes at them, but then turned to Junior, who was too busy taunting her and waving something shiny around to pay attention to what she was looking at. She dashed at him, and he danced out of reach with a laugh, towards Bowser. She feinted, and he ran away in the opposite direction. With one last look at them, Kammy resumed her chase, leaving Mario and Peach feeling a bit wrong-footed. Because if this was a kidnapping, then why didn't Kammy fight them? She definitely knew they were there. And for that matter, why lead Junior away? Maybe it was a way to get him out of an upcoming fight? But it wasn't like Junior’s family shied away much from letting him participate in kidnappings to begin with...

The pair crept forward, hidden in the foliage. From behind a tree they watched Bowser as he sat on a blanket. Kamek was sitting next to him. In Bowser’s lap was the Yoshi egg, and next to Bowser’s leg was a clump of green, chest rising and falling. Peach's grip on Mario's shoulder was strong as Mario went weak-kneed in relief. Luigi was okay, thank goodness.

That relief bred a bit of carelessness, so Mario and Peach were noticed by Kamek next. But aside from sending them an aggrieved glare, he did nothing else, similar to Kammy earlier. When neither of them moved, Kamek raised an eyebrow. Well?, he seemed to be asking.

With a shared unsure glance, Mario and Peach stepped out of their hiding spot and approached the fence. It was then Bowser noticed them and — yep, there was the aggression Mario had been expecting this entire time, even if said aggression was manifesting as snarling and growling rather than the usual shouting and taunting. Either way, of course his brother would be sleeping through it, the spaghetti-head, despite Peach calling his name to try and rouse him.

Well, desperate times called for desperate measures, and Mario was pretty sure he could manage one such measure, given the situation. Hands gripping tight on the fence and eyes squeezed shut, Mario took the biggest breath he could, dug deep inside himself, and shouted his brother’s name. It wasn't a particularly good shout, crackling and dying on the last syllable in a way that had Mario coughing from the lingering tear in his throat, but it was enough to cause Luigi to leap to his feet instantly upon hearing it, scooping up the egg as he rose and turning his head every which way for the source of the sound. When he found it, he looked surprised, then gladdened, but then worried as he took in the full scope of what was happening. A worry Mario certainly shared, and one that grew for the both of them when Luigi’s attempt to leave Bowser’s reach captured Bowser’s full attention. A second attempt had Bowser advancing towards Luigi, and Mario’s heart dropped like a stone.

Mario needed to get over there. But there wasn't a way around this fence. So Mario lodged a foot into one of its decorative spirals and pulled himself up, and up, and up. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Kamek reluctantly ready himself for a fight, but Mario’s main focus was on Luigi, pushing himself to climb faster as his brother was forced to resort to using his Thunderhand to keep Bowser at arms length.

Mario was almost at the top of the fence when he felt something hit his leg. He looked down. It was Peach, arm outstretched. Wait, she mouthed up at him and — wha —?! No!

But in that brief moment Mario spared to scowl down at Peach, the situation in the courtyard changed dramatically. Luigi was backing away from Bowser, and Bowser looked...like he’d given up on whatever he’d planned for Luigi. Which was so odd and incredibly unlike him that Mario stopped climbing the fence. Bowser was hardly known as someone who just...gave up, like he was seemingly doing now. It was a difference Luigi seemed to pick up on as well as he — as he walked toward Bowser? If Luigi was going to make baffling decisions like that, then Mario really shouldn't have stopped climbing after all...

But strangely yet thankfully, Bowser still didn't move, letting Luigi rest the Yoshi egg by his foot and back away again. Luigi continued to back away, and after a hesitant glance at Kamek — who also looked disinclined to do anything — he turned on his heel and ran toward Mario and Peach.

Despite Mario’s progress up the fence, he slid all the way back down it, because Luigi was running too fast to not get a faceful of iron when he reached them. And get a faceful of iron he did, Peach and Mario putting a hand on each of his shoulders to steady him. As Luigi breathed the adrenaline out of his system Peach carefully put his hat back on his head, and he clutched the brim of it so tightly that he was probably creating creases he’d be cross about not being able to iron out for the time being.

Movement over Luigi’s shoulder caught Mario’s eye. It was Bowser, who’d also reacted to Luigi’s impact with the fence, having taken a step forward. He watched them not with the second wave of anger Mario was expecting him to be in by now, but with something closer to wariness plus a touch of what maybe could have been described as concern, if such an emotion made any sense right now. But watch was all Bowser did, so in the lull in the action Mario checked Luigi over, gaze sweeping over his shaking form. He looked unharmed physically, but...

As Luigi took one last deep breath, Peach asked him what was going on. Luigi took a moment to steady himself, then he answered her, a long-winded story that told the tale of what had happened over the past day.

Luigi told them about being snatched away from that restaurant around lunchtime yesterday, and Mario abruptly remembered that foreboding feeling he’d had at the beach. The feeling that, if he’d followed it, he might have been able to...A wave of regret washed over him, and he kept it off his face the best he could.

As Luigi explained the reason behind Bowser acting so strange lately, Mario glanced behind Luigi at the Koopa in question. The longer Luigi stood over here, the less wary Bowser looked. Until he was just annoyed and impatient, wearing a scowl more closely resembling his usual self. He also looked like he wanted to go over to them, which despite what Luigi had told them so far had Mario’s guard rising. Except Kamek leaned up and whispered something into Bowser’s ear, and whatever he had to say made Bowser huff grumpily and sit down. Not only did that make Mario feel a bit better, but the fact that Bowser listened to something Kamek said without any complaint or backtalk was yet another piece of evidence for his strange behavior.

Luigi finished off his tale by assuring them he was unharmed — “I know it looked scary earlier, but everyone’s been pretty nice to me, promise!” — but Mario knew said scare had probably spooked his brother something fierce, despite the brave face he was trying to put on. So Mario was back to trying to get over the fence, this time to give Luigi the embrace he sorely needed to hold it together (and one he himself could admit he’d like to have for the same reason). He could try climbing again, but now that he had the space to think, Mario had a better idea. He turned to Peach, who nodded.

The two of them both backed up, Peach motioning for Luigi to back up as well. With a lead-up run and a hop into Peach’s cupped hands, Mario was over the fence in one fell swoop. He’d meant to land next to Luigi, but in his excitement he landed on top of him instead, sending them both crashing to the ground. Mario propped himself on an elbow and grinned at Luigi, even as he was admonished for almost re-antagonizing Bowser.

As Luigi sat up, Mario rubbed at the red mark on Luigi’s forehead from when he’d collided with the fence. When blue eyes met blue, Luigi’s breath hitched, and he dropped his head on Mario’s shoulder. Mario leaned his head atop his, all the stress about being apart from his brother melting away in an instant. Not even Junior’s suspicion at his presence could disrupt it. And really, if Luigi didn't want him laughing so much every time someone brought up that acquired maternal title of his, then he should probably react less hilariously defensive about it when Mario did so!

What did pop his mood a bit, however, was Peach joking about hanging out in Bowser’s nest herself. Although he had to concede to her implied point that Bowser was quite the bastion of safety for the people he held dear, at least. When Luigi agreed too, her smile widened, but she quickly moved the conversation along.

Peach handed Luigi his phone; Luigi’s eyes widened as he scrolled through his notifications, and Mario abruptly remembered the obscene number of messages he’d sent him, face growing hot. But even still, Luigi looked apologetic, as if he hadn't been the one who’d lost his phone while getting kidnapped. Thankfully, Luigi got distracted from asking why Mario had sent so many messages to him by one of Peach’s texts that had come way before most of them, and Mario leapt to help Peach explain what, exactly, had happened at the beach yesterday in Luigi’s absence. They talked and talked and for a moment Mario forgot Luigi wouldn't be able to go with them when it was time for them to leave.

And that time came sooner than Mario wanted it to, judging by how Bowser was looking at them. Or, rather, how he was looking at Luigi. And wasn't that a curious thing? From what Luigi had explained, it was the Yoshi egg that had been the trigger for all this, and it was currently sitting right next to Bowser’s knee. By all rights, then, Bowser should be satisfied. So why wasn't he?

Luigi asked almost as much out loud, and Peach’s cryptic reply shed no light on it. And for some reason, she added an out-of-pocket comment about Bowser being cute, which was an opinion Mario was pretty sure she’d never held in her entire life.

But...it was one Luigi apparently had, judging by his near-immediate hum of agreement. Subconsciously, too, by the way he immediately tried to take that agreement back.

As Mario watched his brother sputter and wave his arms around in embarrassed denial, he realized he’d seen this behavior before. With Daisy, Prince Peasley...Mario knew Luigi was quick to catch feelings, but...Bowser? Of all people? Really? Mario looked between Luigi, who was looking more and more flustered by the second, and Bowser, who was looking more and more forlorn to match. Mario resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. His brother really outdid himself this time, didn't he. When did this even start? No, that was a silly question; of course one day of Bowser acting soft would be all it took for a crush to form. Luigi knew Bowser had to go back to normal eventually, right? What was he going to do then? Honestly...

Mario's thoughts were derailed by Luigi calling his name. He decided not to answer Luigi’s question of what he was thinking about; just because he was still struggling to wrap his head around the current state of his brother’s love life didn't mean he had to turn his incredulity outwards in a way that might come off as negative. Maybe later, when it could come out with a more teasing edge to it.

For now, it was probably time to stop stalling and let Luigi go back to Bowser’s nest. Before he could lose his nerve about it, Mario clasped a hand on Luigi’s shoulder and led him back there himself. He got as close as he dared, since Kamek was snapping at him and Bowser’s defensive aggression had returned in full force, and pushed Luigi the rest of the way. Though Bowser calmed down a few notches once Luigi was within arm’s reach again, from the way he was still glaring at him he must have been thinking Mario was going to change his mind and take Luigi away after all, in some cruel bait and switch. One Mario had no interest in; there was no telling how exactly Bowser would react if he tried. Admittedly, Mario felt like he probably should bear the brunt of whatever fury would ensue to bring Luigi back to town with him, but...

Mario’s eyes swept over the scene before him, taking in Luigi’s surprise at his actions and everyone else’s varying degrees of hostile protectiveness, keeping what Luigi had said about their treatment of him and the optimism with which he’d described it in mind. If Luigi was confident his remaining time here was going to be fine, then Mario was willing to borrow some of that confidence and trust he was right. Besides, with Bowser’s current mental state Luigi was obviously considered important to him in some way, so at least Luigi would be safe in Mario's absence.

...it was still hard to part with him, though. And yet he had to, because his presence was making this sub-optimal situation worse for Luigi. It took all he could to muster the energy to back away, and after jumping back over the fence he and Peach waved goodbye to Luigi for maybe a little too long before they parted ways with him. Mario fought the urge to turn back around, slotting a hand in Peach’s so she could lead him away before he gave in to that impulse.

---

The walk back to town was quiet, with both Mario and Peach thinking and worrying about Luigi.

Mario, especially, was worried if he’d done the right thing by leaving him with Bowser. But at least he knew where Luigi was now, and he could go fight to get him back, if necessary. And hopefully that wouldn't be necessary; hopefully all that would happen was Luigi would hang out with his new crush for a day or two more and then come back safe and sound. Mario huffed at the thought of it.

“What’s so funny? Oh!” Peach giggled. “Luigi’s crush on Bowser, right? It’s cute, isn't it?”

Mario made a face. He wasn't sure ‘cute’ was the word to describe it. But at least it'll be fleeting, like all Luigi’s crushes usually were, and all Mario really had to worry about was the moment it petered out into a teary-eyed aftermath he would have to help him through, as per usual.

Peach hummed. “Maybe...I guess it would end that way if not for Bowser having a crush on Luigi, as well.”

Mario rolled his eyes. Right, it was so —

Mario stopped.

Peach kept walking, turning around to smirk at him. Mario’s feet caught up with his brain when she was almost a pink speck on the road before him, and he all but sprinted to catch up with her.

“What, you didn't notice?” Peach innocently asked when Mario grabbed desperately at her sleeve. The distress on Mario’s face only grew. Peach laughed and took pity on him, explaining how Luigi’s recount of Kamek’s explanation for Bowser’s behavior truly aligned with said behavior regarding Luigi, with ample evidence from both Luigi’s description of Bowser’s actions yesterday and the behavior they witnessed from him themselves. It was really the only explanation that made sense, given all the facts.

Mario nodded slowly. Now that Peach laid it all out, it was a little bit obvious, wasn't it? He let go of Peach’s sleeve. He took a step back. He turned on his heel.

“Hey, wait!” Peach snapped her arm out to grab Mario’s sleeve, this time. “You can't do that!”

But —

“You wouldn't have left him there in the first place if he wasn't safe,” Peach argued. “This hardly changes that. In fact, I think that makes things even more safe for him, actually! Bowser does have standards for how he treats love interests, you know.”

Mario thought about the places he’d rescue Peach from — cages, locked rooms, dangling from the ceiling by rope. Weird standards, aren't they?

“And yet!” Peach clapped her hands once with a grin. “The feelings are real this time! So it’ll already be a step up from how he’d treated me!”

...Mario wasn't sure he was reassured by that.

At his continued hesitance, Peach’s grin melted into something softer. She patted him on the shoulder. “We still have to get Luigi some spare clothes, among other things,” she reminded him, “So you can check on him then. In the meantime,” she added when his worried face still didn't budge, “since Luigi isn't here, you can tell me the story behind the whole ‘Mama Luigi’ thing; I’m dying to know!”

At that, Mario’s face finally broke into a small smile. They resumed their walk back to town, a walk that was loud with laughter about the job Mario and Luigi had taken all those years ago, and the ridiculous events that had followed it.

---

About an hour later, Mario returned to Bowser’s fortress, a green duffle bag slung over his shoulder. He made his way directly to the same part of the fence as before, and through it he could see Bowser, Luigi, and the others having a picnic lunch. When Bowser noticed him and began to growl, Luigi was quick to nudge him for it, and with a few words he had Bowser sullenly glaring at Mario instead. Seeing that Luigi had Bowser well under control put Mario a bit more at ease. Even if the main reason for that control was nigh incomprehensible.

Mario shook his head; he could continue to process all this some other time, but right now he had to get Luigi his bag. He wondered if he could make the triple-jump over the fence again; in the middle of backing up to try it, the bag slipped up off his shoulder. Mario almost ran right into the fence trying to grab it as it floated away from him, but then it floated up and over the fence towards the picnicking group and he realized Kammy’s magic was levitating it, solving his problem. Oh well. He’d kind of been hoping to hug Luigi again, but he supposed he would have to wait until some other time.

On the other side of the fence, Luigi rifled through his bag, even giving one or two things to Bowser to examine more closely. Satisfied with the contents, Luigi raised his head and turned his attention back to Mario. Even from this far away Mario could see Luigi’s dawning realization about how he looked planted square in Bowser’s lap. His lips twitched in amusement as Luigi’s cheeks turned pink. Just as he’d hoped; Luigi was just hanging out with his crush, his crush’s family notwithstanding. Fleeting or not, and regardless of how things would go after Bowser was back to normal, Mario could hardly begrudge Luigi making the most of his circumstances while he could; if nothing else, it was more to use to tease Luigi later, which was something Mario could admit he was very much looking forward to after the days he’s had, recently.

With that, though, there was little Mario could do besides leave again, to go back to town while Luigi stayed here. It was still hard, but at the same time it was easier, somehow. Still, as he turned away, Mario couldn't help but pull out his phone. He sent a message. Seconds later, he got one back. The skip in his step stayed for the entire walk back down the path.