"You're joking, right?" Luigi blurted out.

They were with Miyamoto while the seamstresses were putting the finishing touches on his Mr. L costume.

"Boy, we've already talked about it several times, for every change of costume you have to run the level once," the teacher murmured, already somewhat tired of the discussion.

"You can't make me run that again! Have you already forgotten how bad I got? Why can't we just put Daisy as a playable character and that's it?"

"Even if that were the case, you should run too. Luigi, you already did it once"

"By pure luck"

"You'll be able to do it again," he patted him on the shoulder. "Besides, Mario is going to help you, right?" He looked at the oldest of the brothers.

"If it's not me, who else?" He smiled.

"Isn't everything prettier when you get along?" The teacher laughed, "Be punctual tomorrow."

They both nodded.

"You want to go to dinner? I booked the terrace; Peach and Daisy are coming too," Mario asked.

"I'd rather not," he grimaced as he checked his costume.

"May I know what your problem is? It seems like you've been mad at me all month."

"Oh, you noticed."

"Lu, if this is about the night you didn't arrive...

"It's not just that night, it's everything, Mario. No matter what I do or want to do, you always want to control my life and change my decisions. I'm twenty-two, maybe I'm not entirely capable of taking care of myself, but I think I at least deserve some independence."

He let out a heavy sigh. "I understand that, but you can't blame me for wanting to take care of you. I promised mom and dad when we came, remember?"

"They only asked you to check on me from time to time, not to be on me all the time."

"Does my presence bother you that much?"

"It's not that it bothers me, I just would like you to trust me even a little."

"I trust you."

"Yes, of course," he forced a laugh.

"I'm serious" he took him by the wrist "Lu, put yourself in my shoes too. All our lives we have been you and me against the world. We were even like that at the beginning of the semester! And, suddenly, you just started pushing me away, hiding things from me, lying to me. How did you want me to react? And not only that, but out of nowhere you are something like Bowser's best friend, Bowser! One of the most evil villains in the world of video games."

"He's just a character! The truth is that Bow is someone quite kind and it's fun to talk to him," he formed an unconscious smile. "If only you gave yourself the opportunity to talk to him."

"Dad says no koopa can be trusted."

"Maybe he's not always right."

"But, if it's not him, who has it?" He lowered his gaze. "He lived this for much longer than us, he must know what he's talking about; He is our guide, Lu, we cannot doubt his words."

"Then why don't I feel in danger when I'm with Bowser?"

"Maybe not you, but I do feel that you are," they exchanged glances "Luigi, let me protect you."

"I don't need it, but you'll never understand it." He turned his back on her and walked toward the exit.

"And you walk away again" he growled "WHAT SHOULD I DO TO MAKE YOU STOP DOING IT!?" He shouted.

"TRUST ME!" he responded "Is it really that difficult?"

Luigi got no response.

He had to admit that, at that moment, he could do nothing but feel such deep disappointment that a lump even formed in his throat.

"I'm going to do it," Mario spat before his brother left the room.

"Really!?" the youngest smiled.

"I promise you. I will no longer hover over you, nor question your 'night escapades'. As long as you return before one. And I'm serious, if I find even a single gray hair or the slightest wrinkle, I will call dad."

"Thank you," he ran to hug him.

"So, I'll see you at dinner?" He reciprocated the hug.

"Oh," he separated. "I'm sorry, I already had plans."

"What? With who?" His brother only slightly bit her lip and played with his fingers "Luigi, the deal of trust is mutual, right?" he forced a smile.

"With Bowser" he confessed.

"I see" he continued with his forced smile "Have fun."

"Thank you" he left.

When night fell, he had dinner with Bowser, Kamek, and the koopalings; something that had already become common for the human. He would never explain why, but being with the koopas made him feel at peace, as if he had finally found a place to belong.

After dinner, he was alone with his boyfriend in the living room.

"Are you ready to run tomorrow?" Bowser asked.

"Don't even remind me," he huffed. "Believe me, it's the last thing I want to do. I can feel it, it will be a disaster."

"I don't think so," he caressed one cheek. "Besides, there is a huge difference between this time and the first; at least for me."

"What thing?"

"If I'm honest, I always hate the part where the hero gets to defeat me, it's a strange kind of humiliation where I can't really defend myself. But when I see you tomorrow I will feel so happy to see your face that I won't even care what happens next" he kissed his hand.

"Well, you just gave me a new motivation," he looked at him flirtatiously. "What better reward can I have than seeing your face?"

"Sounds like a horrible prize," he laughed as he blushed.

"That's because you don't look the way I see you," he forced him to look at him. "The most attentive, considerate, and handsome koopa in the entire world," he planted a kiss on his nose.

"You're the best."

"You are," he sighed.

The next morning, everyone was gathered again in the simulation room. Bowser had to admit that seeing Luigi in his villain costume was something that excited him in so many ways that all he wanted to do was kiss him and hug him, but he knew that he had to control himself. However, he wasn't the only one admiring the human, as Daisy couldn't take her eyes off him either.

"If Lu one day becomes straight, would you mind if I...

"Nah, you see him first," the koopa interrupted her.

"I'm glad we agree on that."

The countdown began, Luigi just looked at the track in front of him and wondered if it was really worth all that.

The koopas weren't bad, so maybe the goombas weren't bad either; He could swear that all the creatures present were just poor innocents trapped in an eternal game in which they had to lose.

His legs began to shake; They were no longer due to anxiety, but rather a guilt that he felt was burning him alive.

Without realizing it, he fell to the ground when the start alarm sounded.

"I can't do it," he whispered.

Everyone was worried when they saw him.

Daisy tried to get out of the box, but she stopped when she saw how the king of the koopas had stepped forward to help the minor. And Bowser had decided something since the last time he saw Luigi run: he would never allow him to be left alone and exposed while he was present.

Mario, Peach and Miyamoto watched the scene through a window with obvious concern. The professor pressed a button to speak so that Luigi could hear him, but he was stopped by Kamek.

"Are you okay?" Bowser asked.

"I don't want to hurt anyone anymore," Luigi confessed in an attempt to suppress his tears.

"Hurt?"

"I don't want to run, not if I'll hurt someone."

The koopa giggled "I think I can help you with that," he looked around. "Hey, you" he called to one of the goombas, "Come here" the creature approached nervously "What's your name?"

"Uhm Ramón," he responded, not very sure.

"A pleasure. Now, tell us something, if we jump on you, does it hurt?"

"If they do it wrong, yes."

"See?" Luigi whispered.

"What would it be like to do it right?" Bowser ignored him.

"The central part of our heads is a soft point, it does not cause much pain; In fact, if they land on the toe we feel almost nothing," he explained.

"Really?" the human looked at him.

"Yes, why the question?"

"Hey, Gary," Bowser called to one of the koopas. "You go. How do the blows not hurt?"

"We koopas already have a strategy of saving our heads before the heroes fall on us, as long as they land on our shells everything is fine."

"Perfect. Anyone else you want to know about?" He looked at his boyfriend.

"Emm, everyone?" he responded.

"You heard it," he shouted. "Every enemy, choose a representative with notes and line up, the boy doesn't want to hurt you."

In less than five minutes, all the game's rivals were already surrounding Luigi to give him instructions.

Miyamoto couldn't believe what he was seeing, he could swear it was the first time he had seen a group of villains and an ally coexist together. Mario was not in a very different state from the teacher, but fear also invaded his gaze.

When everyone was done, they returned to their places on the track.

The counter reset, and when the alarm went off, Luigi bolted to the level.

He passed the first obstacles without problem; In fact, he began to have faith that he could complete the track on the first try. Unfortunately, he stumbled before reaching the first save point.

"Are you okay?" a goomba asked him.

"Yes," he responded, somewhat frustrated.

"You're doing well," he helped him get up. "But you must slow down before jumping, otherwise you won't be able to time the jump correctly and you'll fall again."

"Thank you." he smiled at him.

"You can do it," he encouraged him before returning to his position.

The human returned to the starting point and ran again. He failed several times, but every time he fell there was an enemy who helped him up and gave him advice to improve.

In the end, it was already the tenth lap he had made, but unlike the previous time, he no longer felt discouraged or useless. He didn't know if it was because of the excitement of knowing that when he crossed the finish line he would meet Bowser or simply now he felt safer having a circle supporting him.

When he reached the end, no one could believe it.

"It's a new record," Miyamoto whispered.

It took Luigi a few seconds to process what had happened, but when he looked up, he could only meet those eyes that drove him crazy.

Bowser tried his best, but in the end he couldn't help but form a smile.

"I did it," the youngest murmured. "I did it," he threw himself into hugging the koopa. "Did you see me?"

"It was amazing," he responded. "I could barely recognize you" he carried him.

"Guys, they're watching you," Daisy spoke.

They separated suddenly.

The girl giggled. "How subtle, Lu," she mocked.

"Shut up" he blushed.

"This must be celebrated," she got out of the cage. "Are we going to eat?" He looked at both of them.

The couple nodded.

Before leaving, one of the koopas stopped Luigi.

"Boy, thanks for today. It's nice to know that there are heroes who really care," he told him.

"I'm not a hero," he replied.

"You are," he smiled at him and then left.

Little by little, the room emptied; thus leaving only Miyamoto and Kamek.

"You know, right?" the teacher spoke.

"About Bowser's feelings? Only an idiot wouldn't notice," he laughed as he put away his things. "I don't know what's worrying you, as if Luigi could reciprocate."

"That's what I'm afraid of."