Upon the canvas of the twinkling evening, two figures emerged. They ran past the melting hues of dark purples and pulsing magentas in the distance. Their footfalls were light, words hushed. Their journey through the quiet streets was gentle, steps against the stone pathways of the Kingdom barely producing a sound, faces alight in the darkness of the night.

Mario hadn't expected Peach to show up at his house tonight.

He certainly hadn't expected to see the fair lady out on his porch with her body slumped over casually, hair mussed and wearing a nightgown ensemble. She spoke promptly, requesting him to accompany her somewhere. She reached for his hand, not even waiting for a nod from her unwilling companion. Peach tugged him out into the open, and the two dashed past the clearing and towards the nearby woods.

"Hurry, hurry!" The command, laced with playfulness, emerged from Peach's pristine lips. Her blonde hair bounced on her shoulders as she ran ahead of Mario.

"Aspettare, Princess!" Mario huffed as he attempted to catch up to the royal. She had stopped momentarily to allow Mario to take a breather, glancing back at him and releasing his hand. "You're quite-a fast!"

"Oh, my deepest apology, Mario. I'm just," the Princess pulled out a handkerchief and handed it over to Mario. "oh, I'm just excited! That's all."

"So, where exactly are you-a taking me?" Mario questioned as he wiped at his face.

"It's a surprise!" Peach giggled, stretching before turning back to Mario. She delivered a small kiss to his forehead before she confirmed that he was ready to go.

"I'm-a ready whenever you are, Princess." Mario assured.

Peach's smile brightened as the two continued their trek through the awning of overgrown pine trees and resting Piranha plants. The walk there was mostly silent, Mario humming and singing softly in Italian along the way. It was an old song he had heard constantly on the radio as a child, one about the beauty of love and how unexpected it was. It was a constant tune, Peach accompanying Mario's bass tones with her own soprano melodies.

When the two arrived at their destination, Peach released an elated laugh, Mario's chest rising at the sweet sound.

"Okay, okay, we're here!" She turned to Mario, her eyes sparkling under the moonlight. "Close your eyes, it's a surprise!"

Mario did as instructed. Peach's gentle chuckle returned as she took Mario's hands in her own. She carefully began an ascent, Mario listening to her commands of caution to watch out for rocks and unfortunately placed roots. Mario listened acutely to the Princess and any of her light breaths, constantly confirming that she was still there, her hands against his not an illusion.

Peach suddenly stopped. Mario did the same.

"Alright, you can open them."

Mario did as told, and was met with magic.

Above him, velvet curtains of evening were drawn against the sky, bright lights twinkling and glowing in the darkness. The glittery sky revealed the clear outlining of an intense show of gorgeous stars and constellations under the spotlight of the moon.

"P-Princess, this is... fantastico!" Mario announced, his eyes drawn only to the sky, every feature focused on the array of stars.

Peach smiled. "I asked Toadbert about where you could see the stars best in the Kingdom, and this was his reply. I was just thinking that maybe after your last quest to rescue me, " she recalled the memory. Bowser was certainly getting less and less creative with his abduction plots, merely throwing her in a cage and awaiting Mario's arrival to destroy him. Of course, good had prevailed yet again. "you could use a break to just relax."

Mario turned to Peach, pulling her into a hug. She delivered a kiss to his forehead as they shared a small moment of silence, Peach cupping Mario's lovestruck face in her hands. Mario's gratitude was clear.

"Here." Peach lowered herself to the ground, her hands carefully placed against the cut grass as she lifted a hand to Mario. "Sit down with me."

Mario took Peach's outstretched hand and sat.

Peach leaned against Mario, humming softly as small creatures hummed and buzzed about them. Peach ran a hand through Mario's soft brown hair, humming, Mario's body naturally falling against hers as his eyelids slowly swayed in bliss.

"Mario?"

"Mm?"

"I don't think I tell you this enough, but…" Peach paused, allowing her body to relax. "You mean so much to me. Thank you, truly, for everything you do for my Kingdom." She kissed him gently once more, an arm around him as she swayed slightly to the breeze of the evening. "You make me so very happy."

"Grazie, Principessa," Mario's bright face lit with a gracious smile. "Ti amo, il moroso." Mario mumbled softly, his body slowly falling to the closure of sleep. He had already been napping on the couch when Peach had showed up, so he was already a bit dazed.

Peach's pink lips turned upwards as she stared up at the twinkling sky, Mario's breaths became slightly more audible as he was lured into slumber. He made the faintest of snoring sounds every once in awhile. She supposed being a world-saving hero was quite the tiring job as is.

The two figures remained, one asleep and the other alert, both cloaked under the darkness of the evening sky. The stars and moon were the only witness to their quiet moment of admiration and love.

Peach's gentle voice was barely heard over the symphony of late chirps and buzzes from elsewhere.

"Sweet dreams, my dear," she leaned into Mario's slumped form. "I love you, my hero."