Princess Peach & The Gang Set (2/2) (Patreon)

By the time the “visit” finally seemed to be over, Peach was a mess of blushes, tired smiles, and one very crooked crown.

Peach took a slow breath and tried to bring back her usual sparkle, brushing her hair into place as if this was still a perfectly normal royal afternoon.

“Well,” she said, smiling with that gentle princess politeness that had survived far worse than this, “I suppose every castle visit needs a memorable ending.”

She waited for the guests to laugh, stand up, and finally give her back her quiet living room.

Instead, they stayed exactly where they were.

Peach’s blue eyes drifted toward the door, then back to the couch, and her expression turned into the softest mix of disbelief and resignation.

“All right,” she said, cheeks still pink. “But someone is explaining this to Mario.”