Best Days We'll Never Know

Moving In vs. Moving On

"Oh my gosh!" Pauline squeals, stopping to point. "That's one of my campaign posters!"

Mario immediately pulls out his phone, "Let's get a picture of you with it!"

She obliges, blowing a kiss as Mario snaps the photo.

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"Lu, look at this." Mario shows Luigi his computer. "Your engineering idol Lydia Donovan just implemented a greenhouse management system right here in Brooklyn!"

Luigi takes a look, nodding, "Sweet."

"You wanna go check it out?"

"Heck yeah!"

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Mario and Pauline kiss as they lay in bed together, before pulling the covers over them both.

"Don't underestimate me." Trish warns Luigi as she keeps using her tongue to tie a knot in a cherry string.

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"Mario?"

Mario looks over, where Luigi's handing him a piece of paper.

"What about something like this for a logo?"

Mario takes it, and after a look, he nods, "It's good, but I think we can do better."

But at Luigi's hurt look, Mario adds, "Lu, I'm talking about my design too, not just yours. You know I wouldn't do that."

Luigi's face relaxes some, then nods.

"So how do we make it better?" he asks, back to business.

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"They made me the head campaign manager." Pauline tells Mario, who claps.

"Really? That's amazing!"

"I'm totally gonna mess it all up." Pauline says immediately. "And they're gonna send me back here pronto."

"Oh shut up." Mario says.

"But it's so cool I get to be the head honcho on a real campaign!"

"Of course it is!" Mario agrees, pulling her in for a hug.

"So I thought, why don't we move in together?" Pauline says suddenly, making Mario step back in shock.

" What? "

"Well, of course, unless you don't want to." Pauline says quickly.

"It's not that, and you know it." Mario says. "But I can't just leave my brother."

"I'm not asking you to." Pauline says, confusing Mario. "I meant why don't I sublet my dorm and when I happen to be in the neighborhood, I crash with you?"

"You'd want to do that?" Mario asks. "With me?"

"At least until we can find somewhere we can all live together." Pauline says.

"Then I say yes." Mario declares. "Bring the essentials over, and me and Weegee will start looking."

With that, they kiss to seal the deal.

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"Happy birthday!"

The whole family cheers around their small table, before their mother starts cutting up the cake.

The doorbell interrupts the festivities for a moment, but when Pauline shows up with someone, everyone starts gossiping.

"Who is he?"

"Pauline brought her new boyfriend to her ex's birthday?"

"He's cute, at least."

"Hey, whaddya saying?"

But all of this just prompts Mario to go over to greet them.

"Hey, Paulie. Glad you could make it." Mario hugs her briefly, can we talk in my bedroom, please?"

Pauline nods at her guest once, then follows Mario, closing the door behind her.

"What's...the problem?" Pauline guesses.

"I didn't know you were gonna bring Michael, that's all." Mario says.

"You said it was okay if I brought a plus one." Pauline reminds him.

"I meant someone we know. And now you're okay bringing a stranger into my family's apartment, eating birthday cake with my brother?"

"So?" Pauline clearly doesn't understand the problem.

"So now you've just given him a crash course into mine and Luigi's private life, and that's...not okay."

"Why?" Pauline challenges. "We're friends, and we share what's going on in our lives. Michael's a part of my life, and I want you to get to know him. Luigi too."

Then she surprises Mario by saying, "And besides, this is really all your fault."

"Excuse me?" Mario demands.

"If you hadn't given me your blessing to give up on us and start seeing other people, I never would've asked him out." Pauline explains. "So really, I should be thanking you. So..." she moves in and hugs him, her gratitude clear.

And Mario, after she steps back, can't think of anything to say except, "You're welcome.", and they share a smile.

But after Pauline leaves the room, Mario's face drops, sighing.

I was wrong. I didn't just mess up. I ruined it beyond repair.