It was supposed to be just a normal game night, something casual, but as soon as I stepped into Luigi's friend's dorm, everything felt different.
The door swung open, and there he wasâLuigi.
"Hey, Y/N," he said, his smile warm, eyes lighting up when they met mine.
My heart gave a little flutter. I smiled back, maybe a little too brightly, but I couldn't help it.
There was a brief moment of silenceâawkward, but also kind of nice. We just stood there, looking at each other for a moment longer than was probably necessary.
Then, Giana, my ever-astute best friend, broke the silence. "Hey Lu! How are ya?" she said, walking in with a grin, obviously picking up on the tension. I could practically hear her mental eye-roll.
I followed behind her, smiling at Luigi, still feeling the faintest flutter in my chest as I passed him. He held the door open for us, his gaze lingering on me just a second longer before he said, "Come on in."
We all settled in around the living room, grabbing snacks from the charcuterie board and starting a game of Uno. I could feel Luigi sitting next to me on the couch, just a little too close, and I knew it wasn't just my imagination. His leg brushed against mine, and his eyes kept sneaking over to me when I wasn't looking.
The game went on for a while, but there weren't enough cards, so we decided to team up.
"You and me, Y/N," Luigi said, he smiled. his voice low and smooth. It made my heart skip again.
We scooted closer together, each of us grabbing a handful of cards. The heat from his side made me nervous in a way that was exciting. It was hard to concentrate on the game with him sitting so close, his shoulder barely brushing mine.
An hour later, after the game had wound down, Luigi and I found ourselves on the balcony. The night air was cool, but the silence between us was anything but. The tension was palpableâeach word felt like it carried something unspoken.
"I had fun tonight," he said, glancing at me with that smile that made me want to melt.
"Me too," I replied, trying to act casual, though my heart was racing.
The sounds of the game night inside faded as the other guests began to leave. Giana had to head home for work, and soon enough, it was just Luigi and me.
"So," he began, walking with me down the sidewalk. I noticed he walked on the outside, just a little closer to the street. A small gesture, but somehow it made me feel safe.
We talked here and there, but the silence between us was just as comfortable. It wasn't awkwardâit was easy, like we both knew something was shifting but weren't sure what to say.
When we finally reached my door, the reality of the moment hit me. The night had been perfect, and I didn't want it to end.
"Thanks for walking me home," I said with a light smile looming up at him.
"Of course," he said, his smile soft and genuine.
Before I could say anything else, he turned to me, a slight hesitation in his eyes. "Can I get your number? So we can stay in touch?"
I nodded, feeling my cheeks warm. "Yeah, of course."
I typed my number into his phone, our fingers brushing just briefly. The touch sent a spark through me.
"Goodnight, Y/N," he said, looking at me one last time.
"Goodnight, Luigi," I replied, feeling my heart race as I stepped inside.
I closed the door behind me, leaning against it for a second, trying to calm the fluttering in my chest. It had been a perfect nightâsimple, but so full of potential.
I couldn't wait to see where this went.