He's always so much. He's huge and sharp and gruff and he sees her as a prize, not a person, she thinks. Bowser takes her, he keeps her, but he doesn't know her, really.

Peach feels sorry for him, almost. He repeats the same patterns over and over, reaching for something he can never keep. She wishes she didn't have to be in the middle of this fantasy he keeps rebuilding, but she understands the need for fantasy.

So one time, and one time only, when she's locked away in a castle tower and he steals a moment from defense to make sure that Mario hasn't came to steal her away, she kisses him. His snout is surprisingly warm and scaly. He doesn't react until she pulls away and opens her eyes. Then, he stares in wonder for a moment before stomping away and slamming the door behind him firmly. She doesn't see him again before Mario comes.

She wonders, sometimes, what it means to him, that kiss. She'll never tell Mario it is her first.