A New Kind of Love - Long

I wasn't expecting anything when Luigi walked through the door that afternoon, but the moment I saw the careful way he held the bundle in his arms, I knew something was up.

His eyes were already on me, bright with anticipation, lips twitching like he was trying not to smile too hard.

"Close your eyes," he said, stepping forward.

"Luigi..." I started, but the way he looked at me—warm and excited, like he couldn't wait another second—made me obey.

I felt a small shift in the air, the faintest rustle of movement, and then something warm and soft was pressed into my arms. A tiny huff of breath, followed by a hesitant nuzzle against my chest.

My eyes snapped open.

A puppy.

A tiny, floppy-eared thing with big, dark eyes, looking up at me like I was its whole world.

I gasped. "Luigi—"

"You like him?" Luigi asked, but he already knew the answer.

I was too overwhelmed to speak at first, running my fingers gently over the pup's soft fur, feeling the way its tiny body wiggled against mine. It let out a small, happy sigh, like it already belonged here, in my arms, in this home.

My chest ached with how much I already loved it.

I looked up at Luigi, eyes wide. "You—You got me a puppy?"

He laughed, and it was the kind of laugh that made everything feel lighter. "Yeah, baby. You've talked about wanting one for ages. Thought it was time."

I blinked rapidly, trying to keep my emotions in check, but he saw right through me. His smile softened, and before I could say anything, he was pulling me into him, wrapping his arms around both me and the little ball of fur nestled between us.

"You're crying," he murmured against my hair.

"I am not," I sniffled, hiding my face against his chest.

"You are." I could hear the grin in his voice. "You're happy, huh?"

I nodded, still pressing my face into him. "So happy."

He exhaled, long and content, squeezing me a little tighter. "Good. That's all I wanted."

For a moment, it was just us—me, Luigi, and this tiny, precious thing he had brought home. A new little piece of our family.

I tilted my head back to look at him, my heart nearly bursting with love. "I don't deserve you."

He smirked, brushing a thumb over my cheek. "You do. But I'm still gonna spend forever proving it."

And with the puppy snug in my arms, and Luigi holding me like he never wanted to let go, I knew—there wasn't a single thing in this world I needed more than this.