Luigi grumbled softly as he fiddled with the coffee machine, steam rising in gentle wisps. He had been up for hours already, and the last thing he needed was Mario pulling one of his disappearing acts again. Today was supposed to be the day they were all supposed to meet—you, his boyfriend, and Mario. Luigi had even put in the extra effort to make things perfect: his favorite coffee beans, a breakfast spread that would impress anyone, and a house that actually looked tidy for once.

But, of course, Mario had to slip away at the last minute. Luigi could hear his brother’s high-pitched voice in his head, full of excuses he could already predict. “It was an emergency, Luigi! I had to go help someone!” Or maybe something along those lines. Mario always had a knack for vanishing when plans were made, especially when it came to their personal time.

Sighing, Luigi poured the coffee into a mug, staring at the dark liquid for a moment before setting it down on the kitchen counter. He checked his watch. It wasn’t too late for you to still be coming over, but that didn’t stop him from feeling a little frustrated. You had been so excited to spend time together, and now it was all ruined by his brother’s irresponsibility.

He ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath, trying to let go of the tension. There was no use in stewing over it. You were still coming, right? He couldn’t wait to see you—his favorite part of the day was when you walked into the room, always smiling, always so understanding of his quirks. Mario had his good points, but sometimes Luigi just needed someone who wasn’t always distracted by the next big thing.