I don't see Bowser when I wake up. My eyes go wide and I start to panic. Then, I hear a flush in the bathroom. I let out a breath of relief. He walks in the room. His red hair is disheveled and he pushes it back, but it falls right back on his forehead. Bowser looks up at me watching him and smiles softly. 

"Hi," he breathes.

I nod.

"I'm sorry," he says, his voice cracking.

I shake my head. "No, you're not."

He seems to ponder this. "I'm sorry you're hurting," Bowser tells me.

I shrug. "You could fix that."

"No. You've been aching the whole time you've been here. I know you miss him."

Him. My father. I look down. I suppose I did miss him. We were fairly close. Not as close as my mother and I were, but her death brought us closer. He started paying me more attention. My father was still gone often, but that was part of the job.

The job that was supposed to become mine. Is it still?

"Sure," I say. "But I'll miss you more."

He rubs his temples. 

I clench my fists. "How could you just-" I cut off as my eyes start to water and take a deep breath. "How can you do this to me?"

"I can't listen to this right now."

"Then when?" I scream. "You're kicking me out!"

He shakes his head. "I love you, and I'm sorry, but I have nothing left to say. I don't know what you want me to tell you."

I start crying.

Again.

"Tell me to stay," I whisper.

He starts walking out the door, as if he didn't hear me. But I know he did.

I pull the covers over me and bawl. 

This is such fucking bullshit.

I get off the bed and slide off my panties. I go in the closet and grab a long, black dress. It's skin-tight until it gets to my waist, where it has folds and jewels, and falls all the way to the floor. I grab my tallest black heels and bring them into the bathroom with me for while I do my makeup. I put on black eyeshadow and make wings with eyeliner. I apply mascara and face makeup. 

Fuck this.

I'll make him wish he hadn't done this to me.

You'll just accept if he asks you to stay, my subconscious adds. I ignore her. I don't want to be in this shit-hole anyways.

I close my eyes and grip the counter tightly. Don't lose it, don't lose it, don't lose it, I chant in my head. I let out a deep breath and open my eyes. 

"I'm fine," I chirp. A lie. "Totally fine."

I haven't been here long, and didn't think I could love someone so easily. It's only been... well. I'm not really sure how long it's been. 

I had never experienced this. This... ache. Love was so wonderful and awful all at once. Sure, I was in agony when my mother died, but this was completely different.

I can think about Bowser and I's good moments and they'll make me smile and tear up. I know I need to go. I'll go, and I'll tell them I need reinforcements; that Bowser isn't evil, that it's Morton Koopa ruining our lives. That Bowser and I can rule the whole Mushroom Kingdom together. I've got this. Fuck Morton. And fuck anyone who rebels. I've got a whole new mindset. I'm ready to go.

I slowly look up at the mirror, a frozen fire resting behind my blue eyes.