Luigi relaxed on his old green sofa, with Daisy snuggling under the crook of his arm. He held a book in one hand, while the other draped lazily over the side. Though the novel was meant to keep one occupied, every sentence seemed indecipherable to him. His eyes would implore over the pages, but his mind couldn't place any of the words that were written within. Instead, it focused on thoughts of a certain princess, of a love that could never be reciprocated.

Luigi let out a forlorn sigh, abandoning the story halfway in. He closed the book, and placed it aside before looking over at the girl who was currently occupying his mind.

"Daisy?" he whispered, placing a hand on her shoulder and giving it a gentle shake. "Come on, it's time for bed."

Her response was a soft sigh, as well as a subtle tightening of the hold she had over his waist. Luigi nervously tugged at his collar, his cheeks turning pink.

"Uh, D-Daisy . . .?"

Daisy only gave another sigh, nuzzling her head deeper into the green-clad plumber's chest. Luigi felt lenient, and so he heaved a sigh of his own, allowing himself to accede to her affectionate snuggling. Actually, he didn't really mind it so much. So far, their relationship had gone no further than the occasional kiss on the cheek, usually by Daisy's discretion, and even then it was only a friendly gesture.

Luigi always longed to declare his love for her, to pour his heart out in hopes that his feelings could be returned. But deep down, he knew it could never work. He was just a lowly plumber who resided from Brooklyn, while Daisy reigned as Sarasaland's esteemed princess. Granted, he was a hero, though to a lesser extent than Mario. But even then, what would Daisy see in someone like him? His brother was more brave and somewhat impulsive, whereas Luigi was the exact opposite. He was more soft-spoken, timid, not to mention faint of heart. The red-clad plumber seemed to be more compatible with Daisy, being that their personalities were exceedingly similar. They would make a perfect couple . . . if Mario wasn't already infatuated with the Mushroom Princess.

Another sigh slipped past his lips. It hardly seemed fair that, while his brother had managed to capture the heart of the girl he loved most, Luigi was destined to forever remain in the friend zone with his.

He glanced down at Daisy, who softly murmured as she shifted sideways in his lap. Luigi allowed himself to smile, tucking a free arm around her slender waist, bringing her closer to him. Even if friendship was all that could be gained, he would gladly take it. He genuinely cared for Daisy, and would never do anything that would chance what they already had.

Leaning down, Luigi pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, conveying his love for her in a way where absolutely no words were needed. He then proceeded to run his fingers gently through her lovely auburn hair, allowing himself to be completely immersed in her presence. He drank in her vivacious beauty, revelled in the softness of her hair as it slid through his fingers. He basked in the natural scent of daisies that permeated over her, and listened to the sound of her soft, rhythmic breaths, chuckling whenever her nose would twitch. There was no doubt how adorable Daisy was while she slept, and how it seemed to accentuate just how beautiful she really was.

Suddenly, in the midst of his thoughts, Luigi heard a loud cry. He looked down to see Daisy, her face contorted in an expression of distress.

"No! Let me go!"

That alone tugged at his heartstrings. His sweet princess was having a nightmare. And by the looks of it, it seemed terrible. It immediately provoked Luigi to take action, bringing his hands to rest firmly on her shoulders.

"Daisy, what's wrong? Wake up!" Luigi shook her, frantic in his efforts to rouse her from her deep sleep. He hated to see her suffer, and whatever kind of dream she was having seemed to be doing the trick.

"No! Tatanga, please . . .!"

His eyes widened. That was a name he had not heard in many years. Tatanga was an alien creature who had come from a distant galaxy long ago, seeking out the Mushroom World in hopes to completely demolish the land it surveyed. When he arrived in Sarasaland however, his heart went out to its esteemed monarch, hoping to make her his queen. Daisy had immediately refuted his proposal, absolutely refusing to marry him in fear for her people's safety, and the fact that he was so wholly unappealing to begin with. This made him furious, and so he kept her locked away in her castle, while bringing terror to all the citizens that resided in the kingdom of Chai. But it wasn't long before a hero gallantly stepped forward, putting an end to his evil intentions as well as freeing Daisy and her subjects from captivity. Luigi thought she had gotten over that by now, but apparently she hadn't, even though Tatanga hadn't bothered to return since that last encounter.

Suddenly, he heard her cry out. "Luigi, you saved me!"

Before he could even blink, she had her arms latched around his neck, pinning him down to her. Luigi gave a strangled yelp as his head collided with her chest.

"Thank you . . ."

Her voice was breathless, her grip compact. Even though it had been Mario who had saved her, her dream seemed to interpret it in a different way. Not that he minded too much.

The scent of daisies and sugarcane instantly permeated through his nose as it pressed into her chest. Luigi flushed promptly, the sensation felt by her soft breasts discombobulating him to the point where he could focus on nothing but the fact that he was so close to her. He slowly lifted himself up to look at the girl of his dreams, noticing how she was no longer in distress, but in a sort of bliss that had rendered her peaceful once more. Feeling relieved, Luigi tenderly placed a gloved hand upon Daisy's cheek, taking a moment to gaze at her angelic face.

"Luigi . . ." she murmured, her voice like a strum of a lute, soft but utterly alluring. "I love you . . ."

At hearing her sudden declaration, Luigi's eyes widened to comical proportions as his mouth dropped open in shock. But then his lips curved up in a gentle smile, and he leaned down to place a chaste kiss against Daisy's soft cheek.

"Ti amo anche."he whispered to the sleeping girl below him, who seemed to smile upon hearing his voice. "Sogni d'oro, mia bella principessa . . ."

Italian translation:

Ti amo anche - I love you too

Sogni d'oro - Sweet dreams

Mia bella principessa - My beautiful princess