It was evening, but there was a steady knock at the door, and when Luigi opened it Daisy was standing there was presumable overnight bag in her hand.

Her explanation was a steady flowing stream of conscience, "I thought there would be a bad guy to kidnap me and I thought I could take that on but what if that bad guy has a henchman or two? I probably could handle that but dragging them out of the castle would be hard by myself, and then what if they woke up before I got them all out?"

She took a breath, "So, is it okay if I – "

Luigi reached out and took her bag by the handles and waved her inside. She walked in with a bounce in her step.

It wasn't time for dinner so he said, "Go ahead, make yourself at home," and Daisy immediately headed to the bookshelf.

"Two-person book club," she said as she perused the selection, "Let's trade off on the reading."

Ultimately she took out a heavy book. Luigi settled down on the couch and Daisy laid down on the couch with her head in his lap and holding the book above her.

Discussion turned into reading the book with different, funny voices and Daisy dropped the book on her face only once. They reached the halfway page of the book and realized they weren't playing attention to the plot at all.

"Then, a break," Luigi said. He set the book aside. "Are you hungry?"

"Hmm. Yeah, and I wanna help with dinner."

"Sure," he said, "But promise me you won't set the oven to the highest possible setting and put in four things at once?" He idly ran a hand down her hair.

"Slander," Daisy replied, her voice in a mock offended tone, "I will not allow myself to be antagonized."

"I remember a chocolate cake –"

"It was chocolate soup, piping hot, and it will be a phenomenon in the coming years!" Her proclamation was accompanied by a dramatic sweep of her hands.

"But," Daisy said as she tilted her head up to look up at him, "I like when you help. It makes everything taste better."

It was only a few seconds later that the statement was punctuated by her stomach growling loudly. Luigi bit his tongue to keep from laughing and Daisy gave one good smack to her stomach.

"There's the signal," Daisy announced, and she rolled off to fall on the floor and sprung up; Luigi's venture to the kitchen was with much less flourish.

The only moment of chaos in dinner prep was when Luigi tripped while holding a heavy pot full of soup; Daisy reached out and grabbed one of his overall straps like a tether. Luigi got his balance back and placed the pot on the stove before exhaling his relief.

Daisy was extremely interested in satisfying her hunger when dinner was actually served, so in lieu of conversation there was quietness.

Luigi did take notice of a few of her eating habits. Stirring the spoon around in her bowl to fully mix up the flavors, blow away the heat three times, delicately dip her bread in the soup, once, twice. The last one he found cute.

It seemed like in a flash they were done, and Luigi led her over to the kitchen sink. He was on washing duty and Daisy on drying duty.

Daisy stopped drying that dish and looked at the sink. She leaned in to see the pile of dishes and nodded like she was assessing their workload.

Luigi didn't think much of it, but heard her make up a tune and the lyric didn't fit at all; "Spontaneous, spontaneous," and she kept side-eyeing him.

That rolled a gamut of what was spontaneous and in the circle of what Daisy was wanting and or expecting.

"Hold still, please," Luigi said when Daisy finished up with a dish. He picked her up and did a slow spin. Daisy was giggling uncontrollably.

When Luigi put her down his left elbow was sore, and he shook it out; before he could blink he was swept up in Daisy's arms and she spun much quicker. The world tilted slightly when Daisy put him back on his feet.

"Whoa," he managed, and Daisy's giggling started up again, for a brief time. Luigi figured it was her idea of spontaneity when she immediately clung to his side.

She rubbed her forehead against his neck, his arm reached up to rest on her shoulder, and he would've had no protests if they stayed that way for a while but the dishes still had to be finished.

The last one clinked when it was added to the pile, and Daisy concealed a yawn.

"You can go wash up, first," Luigi said, "And take my bed."

Daisy nodded, walked past, and grabbed her bag as she headed to the bathroom.

When he began to put away the cleaned dishes she came back into the kitchen. Daisy was in pajamas, her hair already dry; there was something pensive in her expression but before he say anything it was gone and she waved and said, "Good night."

"Good night."

He finished that chore and went to go clean up as well. There was a cloud of steam that came from the bathroom when he entered, and the steamy heat made him rub his forehead. After his shower he got used to the heat and after was dry and dressed.

He went out to go to sleep on the couch, and heard shuffling. For a moment he thought it was the cuffs of his pajama pants going against the floor but then he heard Daisy's voice.

"Luigi," Daisy called from his bedroom, "Come here."

He was soon in the doorway, and caught the sight of Daisy practically throwing herself onto the bed; she got herself straightened up, slipped under the covers and pulled the right side of the covers down. She fixed one of her pajama cuffs before turning her gaze to the doorway.

"I was thinking. I'm imposing, but I knew if I said I'd take the couch you'd feel bad, so."

She patted the spot next to her.

The choice was a lot better than most offered to him, but there was still a worry prodding at the back of his mind.

"What if I accidentally kick you in my sleep?" Luigi asked, an air of apology for something he didn't do and had no evidence that he had ever done. Daisy reached out to grab his hand to aid her words.

"No, no, it's okay, there's plenty of room!"

There was a little pull on his hand and he complied with their shared wish and tried to force his heart to cease its rapidness.

It went much faster when he lay down next to her because the air close to her smelled amazing. Like citrus. And it was good to be next to her and surrounded by the smell of citrus soap but he was probably going to die of nerves.

"Are you okay?" Daisy asked. "Sorry, I wasn't thinking, I don't mind if I need to leave – "

"Okay," he repeated. And then, because anything more eloquent was lost in general nervousness, he blurted out, "I like you."

She blinked and then grinned, humming. "Well, that's good. I like you, too. Would be very awkward otherwise."

She drew up her hands and pressed her palms against his, something mischievous creeping into her expression.

"It was pretty safe here," Daisy continued, "But, I dunno. If there was a bad guy I think I'd have to rescue you."

"Yeah."

It was sincere but she poked his cheek anyway.

"It's no fun if you agree."

Daisy's expression softened and she let her hand rest on his cheek.

"I'll tell you this in person," she said, "I was a little worried. But mostly I just wanted to see you."

Daisy kissed his mouth, then his forehead and let that one linger for a while. She turned herself around and settled into his arms.

Luigi could only blink in the aftermath. He drew her closer. He'd have to give her lots of kisses in the morning, then.

A/N: Originally posted on Ao3 on August 1 2019

This is my first time writing a coy "oh look... what a tragedy... only one bed... how will this ever be resolved, oh no..."
A very late milestone of a cliche fanfic trope but. You know.