#because he kept telling bowser that his limbs are short

[knifeyy]

Been messing with his petticoat and making different fit concepts 💜

Note on bottom: “*uses illusion to hide his face when he isn’t wearing his mask.”

[sternenteile]

on this day,  some years ago, 

          — they’d all met for the first time.

his fist flew,  only for bowyer to lash out and send him careening a few feet away. the uppercut backfired, and ♡♪!? fell to one knee, arms attempting to brace himself with palms pressed into tree bark. his soul throbbed with searing adrenaline, yet his limbs betrayed him, weakened significantly and wobbling with the strain. try as he could to bring himself to his feet, his body hadn’t the energy yet. he needed a moment to recover, a moment that he did not have. the bug-eyed fiend cackled in that shrill, irritating voice, and he felt sick. this monster had the star piece. he needed it terribly. the star spirits were depending on him, and yet...

      — this was it? this was how he’d die?

eyes stung, vision blurred, and the world darkened around him, his sense of sight thrown off. his head was ringing and his chest was sore, entire body quivering, breathing staggering. no matter the effort, he found that he couldn’t move. he just could not move.

❝ nyahaha! strong you are —— ❞ he could barely make out a gesture from bowyer. ❝ ——— but STRONGER am i! hurt you, i will! ❞ his body contorted in a way he couldn’t quite comprehend in his poor state. what he did know, however, was that he was about to be attacked, more than likely a finishing blow. he didn’t know if he could take another hit now, not until he got his bearings. he wasn’t going to make it out alive if he didn’t do something, yet his body refused to obey his command to dodge.

     — ❝ so long, nya! part now, we must! nya, nya, NYA! ❞ 

he finally managed to move, yet it was the most pathetic, instinctive response he’d ever made. ducking beneath his arms for cover, he hoped and prayed that the damage wouldn’t be too significant, that some kind of miracle was going to happen. if he died by any other means, at any other time, such was life... but now? here? he couldn’t perish now. he couldn’t fail. they were counting on him! he wanted to live! he needed to live!

move move move move MOVE  M O V E   M   O   V   E

                   .   .   .

nothing happened, or at least, not to him. the star spirit lifted his head reluctantly, only to witness a man’s shoes descend in front of him. stance defensive and ready for action, this person was itching for battle... and it gave ♡♪!? time for his second wind. he finally managed to stand, albeit with some struggle, expression nothing short of astonished. bowyer seemed quite irked, yet notably surprised, stunned into a brief moment of lull.

this man in red, determined and fierce as the power of the sun... just who was this, and why was he helping him? no, he needn’t get into the semantics. whatever the case, this was an obvious ally, and he wasn’t about to waste this opportunity. too exhausted to manage a smile quite yet, he breathlessly exclaimed, ❝ thanks for the help! but... who are you? ❞

another figure approached from the shrubbery and hopped onto the tree’s stump, just as spry and full of life, even if a little vexed. ❝ mario! ❞ ... mario? ❝ you just... ditched me back there! ❞ where had he heard that name before? he was fully aware of that name, but why? the cloudy short-stack twisted his gaze to his doll body, grumpy frown warping into confusion. ❝ — huh? don’t i know you? you look... familiar! ❞

that’s when it hit him. he remembered this fluffy guy, as well as the red-clothed man. they were in rose town’s inn, and he’d seen his prowess in a mock fight against this doll. he’d been knocked out, as he’d witnessed from the nearby window, and the inn’s keeper had shrieked his name in horror. mario... a name that even the elder star spirits recognized as a jumping, heroic plumber, whose tales of rescuing the mushroom kingdom’s princess had become known across the universe. he hadn’t even realized how his smile had leaped back onto his face with such renewed gusto. no wonder he’d came to his aid!

❝ so you’re THE mario! ❞ admiration shone in his own eyes, understanding well that this must have been fated somehow. on this day, they... must have been fated to meet. ❝ we know about you! ❞

bowyer’s rage became known, breaking the atmosphere of relief. he complained and bemoaned the presence of three against his one, spewing threats like a cranky child. the three of them found some form of silent understanding in one another, and brows taut, grins confident, they nodded in unison before re-entering the fray.

     — he couldn’t ignore how warm he felt in their presence.

❝ geeeenoooooo! ❞

a child’s voice tears him away from reminiscence. geno’s eyes fly open and he bolts upright with a yelp, glancing at the open door to find gaz jubilantly waving at him. the picture frame lays on his lap, a hand draped protectively over it, a stark contrast from the usual presence of his phone.

❝ o- oh! yeah? ❞

the boy scrambles to his side and climbs onto the mattress, eyes squarely on the photo he’s been holding. eyes are alight with curiosity. ❝ whatcha’ doin’? what’s that? ❞

what is he doing? what is that? it takes him a second to snap fully back into reality, and he pulls the frame back, reminding himself of what he’d been so focused on. the picture displays him surrounded by his friends so long ago. bowser kept an awkward stare peach’s way, with her reciprocation being a stern glare, yet he, mallow, and mario were joyful. he remembers when that picture had been taken, where it had been taken, why it had been taken... and it causes him to break out into a fond grin.

❝ ... today is the day we first met. remember? ❞

quizzically, gaz’s eyes switch between the photo and geno’s mellowed gaze. ❝ nuh-uh. we met when mom got you on christmas. she got you from the store with the guy with the beard. ❞

ah. that’s right. it’s the day that they first met, yes, but... gaz didn’t know. he still hadn’t told him. mind travels to a conversation with the mother of the cosmos, her insistence that geno should open up to him ringing strong in his memory. lids grow heavy, and mouth twists with obvious hesitance. he really should tell him, and yet... he can’t help but fear that he will break his heart, tear it into shreds. it only takes a small moment of rumination before gaz pipes up again.

❝ geno? don’tcha remember? ❞

geno’s heart drops. he can’t lie to that inquisitive, sweet little face. the bandage has to be ripped off. he can’t hide this anymore. ❝ ... no, ❞ comes his soft response, with fragility as though the little boy is made of glass. ❝ i don’t... because i wasn’t here. ❞

the exaggerated tilt of the head gaz gives him is simply adorable. ❝ was, too! we got you on christmas, and you were in the wrapping paper with the white bow. it was, it was back when we got that big tree with the popcorns. ❞

❝ you aren’t wrong. you got the doll then, but i wasn’t there. ❞

initially, gaz seems incapable of response, absolutely befuddled. ❝ but... but, no. ❞

he has to explain now. there’s no backing out of this. with a deep breath, geno insistently gathers the kid into his arms, settling him onto his lap like cradling his own little brother. surely, he’d taken note of geno’s expression, for concern mirrors the fear etched into his face.

❝ gaz, i’m not a doll. you had the doll for a long time, but i only came to the doll later. my name... technically isn’t even geno. ❞ his jaw grows stiff, as if refusing to allow him to speak any further, but he persists. ❝ remember that day after you played with mario? i grew up and left for the forest. that’s when i became the doll. i had to save star road and save everyone’s wishes... because i’m a star from above. i’m just using the doll as my... body, so to speak. ❞ crestfallen and expecting the worst, geno hastily, tenderly adds to his confession, ❝ i’m so sorry that i took so long to tell you. ❞

at first, gaz’s expression is unreadable. he isn’t sure if he’s devastated or just impressed. never before had he been so terrified, the idea of breaking this child’s heart being nightmarish.

another moment crosses. geno can only imagine his world must be falling apart at the seams.

suddenly, however, he just launches into questions. his voice is stable and steady, not a hint of sadness to be found in his tone. ❝ does that mean you can fly? can you read minds like a superhero? you grant wishes and stuff then, right? did you get me that birthday cake when i was five? didja’ get me the teddy bear? didja’ know i wanted friends? did you grant that wish? do you grant all of my wishes? do you grant mom’s wishes, too? do you turn into comets? are you friends with, with planets and stuff? is your mom a planet? is she a star? ❞

oh. well, this isn’t what he expected.

❝ h-hey! one at a time! ❞ his laugh blurts out without his doing, a habitual response. ❝ what were you asking about wishes? let’s start with that. ❞

gaz is just a bundle of questions from there once again. however, it is taken at a gradual pace. geno answers each one with infinite patience. no, while he’s in the doll, he isn’t capable of flying. he can’t read minds or shoot lasers out of his eyes like a superhero, but he can shoot things out of his arms. he grants wishes, and he may have granted all of gaz’s in the past, as well as his mother’s. he doesn’t turn into a comet and he isn’t friends with planets. his mother is not a star, but, as he simply puts it, ‘an angel’. when they come to the last question, the boy’s face lights right up, and the relief geno feels in return is impalpable.

❝ does that mean you came here ‘cause i was wishing for a friend? ❞

it’s so honest and raw, tragically so. his own eyes grow misty, and his chuckle in response is marred by wetness. he’d been such a lonely child... yet he gained a friend in the form of a visitor from the sky. it’s a poignant reminder that almost every child doesn’t receive that sort of miracle, but gaz had been the sole recipient of such fortune.

❝ yeah. i came here because i wanted to stay here. i had to go away for a while, but i came back, didn’t i? ❞ he hugs the boy close, and gaz clings to him like a lifeline. ❝ i always watched over you from the stars, gaz. i always will. even if i’m not inside the doll, i’ll always be here. okay? ❞

the sprightly reply he receives makes it agonizingly hard not to cry. ❝ i know! ❞ he squirms and nuzzles the mushroom top of his head against geno’s cheek, proclaiming, ❝ love you, geno! ❞

he holds gaz and the photo tight. he is absolutely dizzy with affection, like he’s about to explode. the weight on his shoulders is lifted, and they both couldn’t possibly be any better for it than they are now.

❝ love you, too, little guy. ❞

...

...

...

❝ uh, ❞ comes gaz’s meek voice. ❝ can i wish for chicken tendies for lunch? ❞