It had already been three weeks since Bowie sent the first note to Luigi; and as if it were a tradition, every Wednesday a new letter arrived. Not all of them were as extensive as the first, but they were still beautiful in the boy's eyes.

At first he had told the older one to stop, because he knew that if Mario found out he would go crazy, but his friend turned out to be more stubborn than anyone would expect.

And there was a good reason for all this, or at least that's what Bowser believed. He had found a motivation to get up every morning, because he knew that when he got to the living room he could hear Luigi talking to Daisy about how he was spending time with Bowie; or see him smile and blush at the notes.

For both of them, things seemed to be going great.

But now Luigi had a huge problem, and it wasn't just his obvious crisis of not knowing exactly how he felt about his friend; but that day he had to re-record a scene together with the king of the koopas.

The boy considered himself to be calm, but in situations like these he couldn't help but want to curse his classmates who brought him to that situation; being in this case Donkey Kong.

"I don't want to go," he yelled as he was pushed by his best friend.

"Lu, you already did it once," she growled.

"And one was enough," he swallowed, "What if he accidentally lets out fire now? I could die!"

"You're exaggerating. Bowser is even older than you, I'm sure he can control his... qualities."

"And if not? What if he has a problem today and wants to take it out on me? Have you forgotten my list yet?"

"You mean the one where you listed various reasons Bowser might accidentally kill you?" She arched an eyebrow.

"Just that one! I must keep my distance from him or it could happen."

"Okay, this is ridiculous," she crossed her arms, "Luigi, what happened? You were doing great. You even got to talk to him a few weeks ago."

"Talk? Daisy, I remind you that I froze and couldn't complete a single word. Besides, I didn't do it for him or me, but for Bowie" he looked away "Now what do you have?" he noticed a mocking look from the girl on him.

"You're a homosexual," she laughed.

"I'm not!"

"But you're already trying to be a better person because of your boyfriend."

"He is not my boyfriend!"

"Oh no? Well in that case I would also like my best friend to write me love notes."

"Ha ha, very funny," he made a face.

"None kidding, I would like a love note from you."

"Why?"

"Because you're cute, adorable and I like you" she pinched his cheeks "Even though you're gay."

"I'm not gay," he frowned.

"In that case great, I still have a chance" she laughed. She stopped in front of the recording room "Your stop" she pointed to the door.

Luigi denied.

"Come on! Don't be a baby"

"It's not even that important a scene," he insisted she.

"No!? Lu, they need IT for the trailer."

"And if they clone me better?"

The girl rolled her eyes and began to rub her temples "Let's see, Lu, has Bowser ever hurt you?"

"No, because I keep my distance" he hugged himself "Besides, Mario says that it's not really convenient for me to get close to the villains, they're manipulative" he whispered.

"That's not proven," she replied.

"Well, I don't want to be the one to do it."

"And you don't have to, you're just going to record a fucking scene that's only going to last a few minutes."

"Hey" the door opened suddenly "We are listening to you. Do you want to come in now?" Mario spoke.

The brunette agreed and with a hip bump forced his friend to enter.

As they already suspected, only he was the only one missing on the set.

"Finally!" Miyamoto blurted out, "Boy, seriously, you should be just as punctual in these things as you are in class," he grabbed Luigi by the shoulders.

"I'm sorry," he murmured.

"Don't worry. Make it up quickly! We have to finish this today" he yelled.

A group of women rushed around the boy to give him a few touch-ups and shift him into full gear. When he was ready, they guided him to his position on stage.

"Okay. Do you remember the movements and dialogues?"

Luigi nodded reluctantly, while Bowser nodded uncertainly.

"Great, what professionals" the teacher smiled. "Luigi, relax, Bow won't do anything to you, right, boy?" He looked at the koopa.

He denied almost instantly "I would never do it" he replied.

"He'd better," Mario blurted out. "If something happens to my brother, you're dead," he forced a smile.

"No" the older scolded him "We've already discussed it several times, no threats outside of the game, we want a healthy environment."

"Anyway, be warned."

"Whatever," he rolled his eyes, "ACTION!" he said through a megaphone.

Bowser hadn't lied, he remembered every move he had to make, every dialogue he had to say, he could even remember his scene partner's. However, he had a problem, and a big one, and along with it came an accompanying question:

"Since when did he look so cute in his plumber outfit?"

He felt his heart race with each step he took. And although part of him suffered knowing that the minor's expression of fear was not acted on, another was excited to be able to get closer to him. Which was made very obvious when his tail began to wag.

Everyone present looked at each other in confusion.

Peach cleared her throat a bit and decided to be the first to speak, "Is he...

"Yes," Daisy answered, trying to understand the situation.

"Giu," Mario blurted out.

"Umm, Bowser," Miyamoto called him.

"What 's up?" the koopa asked.

"Everything okay?" He looked at him.

The younger raised an eyebrow as he looked around him, it was then that he became aware of what was happening. He couldn't help but blush as he forced himself to stop.

"I'm sorry, can we do it again?"

"No problem" he said, not very convinced "From the beginning Action!"

Now Bowser was more aware of his body, so he was sure that the incident would not happen again. He had to control himself, Luigi couldn't upset him that much.

But he barely met those blue eyes and he already felt like he was in an alternate world; one more beautiful and colorful. He tried with all his might to concentrate, but when he stroked the boy's mustache he was mesmerized. It felt so soft that without realizing he kept playing with it.

The expression on Luigi's face was not difficult to read, but it was quite impressive how he could show so many emotions at the same time. Fear, nerves, confusion and discomfort. He even looked for his brother with his eyes.

"What the fuck?" Mario growled.

And although there was no doubt that Luigi's face was worthy of a photograph, there was another one that surpassed it by far and that was that of the game director. It seemed that Miyamoto had lost all color from him as he stared in horror at the scene before his eyes.

"Bowser" he called, but the koopa still didn't react "BOWSER!"

He finally reacted, however, scared by the scream that made him accidentally tear off half of Luigi's mustache.

The scream the human let out was the most genuine of his entire career.

"Lu!" Daisy ran, accompanied by Peach and Mario, next to him.

"I knew I shouldn't come today," the boy whispered to himself as he caressed the part of his face where the mustache should be, "How bad do I look?"

Peach stifled a laugh, "Um, you look good," he lied.

"Yes, I think you can make a new fashion with just half a mustache," Daisy joked before taking a picture of him.

"Stop lying to him!" Mario scolded them "Luigi, I'll be honest, on a scale of one to ten, you're an eleven for how bad you look like that."

"I think I prefer the lie," the youngest yelled.

"I'm really sorry" they heard the koopa's voice.

However, it seemed that things were back to the way they were before, as Luigi didn't respond and only avoided eye contact.

"Luigi" Miyamoto entered "Go to the beauty salon, there should be a potion to make the mustache grow back. You" he pointed to Bowser "To my office" he ordered with a frown.

He ended up nodding with a notorious fear in his eyes, as well as an immense desire to cry. He followed the professor until he reached the place he had been told. When he walked in, the first thing he did was sit down and play with his claws.

"First of all, I'm not angry" Miyamoto said "These incidents are things that happen."

"He must hate me right now."

"Luigi is incapable of hating someone" he mentioned before swallowing "Bowser, you know I like you. Of all the members of the game you are my favorite."

"I also have a great appreciation for you."

"I like hearing it," he sighed, "I've known you since you were a baby, your father used to bring you often because there was no one to take care of you and I gave you a nursery. Remember that?"

"Not much."

He laughed, "Yes, those were simpler times," he confessed. "I've known you for twenty-four years and I've never seen you as distant as today. Are you okay?"

He bit his lower lip "If we talk about the physical, I'm great; in terms of spirits...

"Do you have personal problems?"

"Something like that I guess" he scratched the back of his neck.

"Oh what a relief," he blurted out.

"Uh?"

"Hey, it's not that I'm happy that you're going through a difficult time, but I was a little scared," he admitted. "For a moment I had the feeling that you liked Luigi," he laughed. "Silly, right?"

The king looked away with obvious nervousness.

"Why don't you laugh?" he muttered, "Bowser, you don't like him, do you?"

"What? No." He forced a laugh.

"Please tell me in a way that makes me feel convinced," he formed an eager smile, "can you do it?"

"Do you want me to tell you the truth or what you want to hear?" he asked.

The teacher did not answer; he just got up from his seat, put his hands together and stuck them to his chin. He spent a few seconds walking in circles around his desk, seconds that felt like hours to the koopa.

After the eleventh lap he came to a screeching halt.

"Since when and why?" he finally asked.

"What?"

"Since when do you like it?" He looked at him.

He blushed "Since a few weeks ago; even I was surprised when I realized it, but I think the feeling doesn't bother me," he confessed with a smile.

"No, nothing like that" he snapped his fingers "Focus, you're talking about the protagonist's younger brother."

"I know but...

"No buts," he stopped him, "Bowser, you're smart. Why are you doing this?"

"It's not like I want this either" he got up too "It's just that... Luigi is very cute and I think he has a very kind and understanding heart" he sighed "Just seeing him from afar makes me happy and every time he smiles I feel fulfilled. I can even tell you for sure that I would do anything to protect that smile from how beautiful it is" he began to speak without thinking.

"God, this is bad, this is so bad!" He ran his fingers through his hair.

"You're overreacting."

"Overreacting!?" he yelled, "Bowser, you're falling for someone you shouldn't even have laid eyes on. I'm telling you this because I appreciate you, don't even try, Luigi is way out of your league" she stood in front of him "He already has a destiny with Daisy, and you... He can't even see you as anything more than a..." he was thinking the word.

"A monster," he concluded.

"You know."

Nobody said anything for a few seconds; however, Miyamoto's concern awoke again after he felt a drop of water fall on his shoulder.

Bowser's tears were constant and considerably larger than the average human eye. It was a surprise to both of them that he was crying, especially considering that it was something he hadn't done since his parents died.

"Bow," he whispered.

"I know it's silly, I'm even aware that just dreaming about it is impossible" he laughed "Life has a rather bitter sense of humor at times, the situation can even be poetic if you look at it from a certain angle, well who would have thought that I, the evil and scary king of the koopas, would fall at the feet of an ordinary human who also happens to be one of the most cowardly people in this world?" looked out the window "Yeah, I know this is all ridiculous, but for the first time in a long time I feel like living and I'm not just doing it because of the obligation to take care of my brothers. I know it's inconvenient, but he's become an essential part of my life. Although I would never tell him."

The teacher listened carefully to every word that came out of his mouth. He would be lying if he said he knew what to do in such a situation; in the three generations, this was the first time he had faced a more than impossible love.

In the end, he couldn't do more than hug him in an attempt to comfort him.

"Bowser" he looked at him "I apologize for what I said before" he sighed "You're not a monster, okay?"

"I know that I am"

"No" he insisted "A monster could never feel what you, or at least not in such a pure way" he invited him to sit down "I even dare to say that Luigi is being a lucky person right now to have someone to see him as you do; but if there is something that the years have taught me, it is that love is one of the most unfair things that exist in this world and that it is always the one who loves the most who loses the most. And I am afraid that right now you're the only one who feels that way, and it scares me to think what you might be risking not only for yourself, but also for the koopalings."

"What you're saying is that I should forget about him."

"What I'm saying is don't get too close," he patted him on the shoulder, "Bowser, promise me you won't."

"I promise," he reluctantly agreed.

"Great" he gave him a sweet smile "Let's go back to the set, we have to finish that scene."

"What!? Of course not, I hurt Luigi, I don't want to do it again."

"That was an accident and he knows it."

"Of course not! Didn't you see how he looked at me?"

"Bowser, we have to finish this today," he stood firm. "If you want to send him a basket of apologies later, you're free to do so, but you two are stopping my work and that of makeup artists, lighting artists, set designers and everyone associated with this project.

"Then I want a vacation after this," he crossed his arms.

"Negotiate later" he went towards the door "Come on, big guy" he guided him with his head.

The koopa growled and followed him back to the set.

Luigi was already ready when they entered; as always, the potions were impeccable, his mustache not only looked intact, but better than before.

"I hope you are more careful now," Mario said to Bowser. "I understand that your nature is wild, but you should adapt better to society, after all it is what feeds you."

"You don't need to be like that," his brother whispered.

"Are you kidding!? You haven't stopped crying for a while."

"I know, but it was an accident right?" He looked to the taller.

Bowser was surprised by the brunette's sudden change in attitude, but he just nodded.

And maybe Luigi would never admit it to Daisy, but it was true that Bowie was encouraging him to be a better person; someone more understanding and less prejudiced. Detail that if the koopa knew about, it would make his heart beat like crazy.

"You two are fine, you see? Stop worrying so much" the teacher hugged both of them by the shoulders "You would have seen this boy, Luigi, he was so stressed from having hurt you that he even wanted to cry."

"Miyamoto" the taller one blushed.

"I'm just annoying you" he punched him in the arm "To your positions, let's restart."

It seemed that everyone's positivity had been reborn in the studio, but Bowser's nerves to hurt him again overwhelmed him and made him look more like a submissive being than someone intimidating, which caused Miyamoto to enter a crisis again.

"Relax" he whispered to himself "Find an alternative, you know how to do that" he mumbled.

He thought until he reached a point where he felt his head throb. He needed an aggressive, but controlled feeling; intense and interesting. He widened his eyes and formed a mischievous smile.

"Hey, Mario, do you want to laugh for a while?" He looked at the boy next to him.

"Do you have an idea to make that work?" He pointed to the scene "Surprise me," he smiled.

"Okay" he took the megaphone "Bowser, flirt with him!" he ordered.

"WHAT!?" he yelled with a blush.

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

"No," he answered.

"Miyamoto, this is not funny," Mario growled.

"Actually, yes it is," Daisy teased as she pulled the phone from her. "He likes to be stroked behind the ear," she yelled at the koopa.

"DAISY!" her friend gave her a murderous look

"The fans are going to go crazy," Peach added.

"Let's play a bit, to relax," Miyamoto said, "Bowser, do it, the scene is the same, give it a flirtatious air.

"I want to die," he blurted out.

"I'm going with you," Luigi snorted.

"See? The two of you have a lot in common. ACTION!"

They both appreciated the reddish lighting, as it hid their blushes well. And anyway, surprisingly it was the perfect shot. Something that even made Luigi alert, because the touch of the claw against his chin did not make him feel the chill or fear that he expected; maybe a little awkward, but at a certain point he considered the touch somewhat familiar.

"It 's over!" the teacher celebrated. "FINALLY! Let's eat. Good job, guys."

As soon as the minor touched the ground again, he searched for the koopa with his eyes, but it seemed that it had fled as fast as possible.

"But what a handsome man, Lu. You've been killing all the men lately," Daisy jumped on him.

"Don't joke about that," he said, her cheeks flushed.

"I don't know if I can eat after seeing that, to be honest" Mario admitted "But I'm hungry anyway" he shrugged his shoulders "Shall we go?"

"Sure," his brother replied.

And although everything seemed to have gone well, Luigi couldn't help but feel a pair of eyes fixed on his back. It wasn't hard to figure out who they were.

After all, Kamek was the only one left in the place.