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Fire hurts.
Or, at least, burns hurt. A lot.
This was a lesson Luigi was learning.
Why he thought lifting a manhole cover and using it as a shield was a good idea he doesn’t know – all he knew in that moment was that Mario was hurt and in danger and Luigi had to do something.
The power star had helped marginally.
But there was no cure for dehydration other than drinking, no cure for starvation except eating. The star had healed the less serious burns from being in a cage, from the rope around his wrists. It had healed the wounds inflicted by Kamek and Bowser while he was being questioned.
That was all.
An awful lot of Luigi’s right side was painful and hot, he was trying not to make a fuss though.
They’d reunited with their family and Luigi had met Mario’s new friends.
Now, he sat on a piece of rubble alone while he watched Mario, Peach, Toad and DK help cleanup and get people home safely.
He’s sure he heard them discussing going back to the mushroom kingdom – their family had left about half an hour ago.
Luigi wanted to help but he just felt so tired and weak, his body yearned for sleep, food and a huge cold glass of water.
None of which he seemed to be getting anytime soon.
So he simply sat and watched everyone bustling around him.
He could feel his eyes starting to shut, his vision blackening – he vaguely wondered if he was dying, how upset Mario would be after all he’d done to save him.
Luigi shifted to try and get more comfortable but the movement sent jolts of pain up his side.
He almost laughed as Mario’s head snapped round to look at him.
Twin telepathy at its finest.
It was odd.
Watching Mario’s eyes land on his, the smile fading along with the colour in his cheeks – they way he ran over almost in slow motion.
Strange.
His older brother skidded to a stop next to him and knelt down – he looked so concerned.
Luigi began to feel concerned himself as he realised Mario’s mouth was moving but he couldn’t seem to hear a single word being said.
He cocked his head in confusion.
“Wha-?” He slurred, his throat feeling dry and sticky.
This was not the correct response. Mario now looked borderline scared – a rare thing for the new hero.
Luigi watched as Mario called over his shoulder, his hand trembling as it gripped Luigi’s knee.
Luigi felt his eyes shut but was startled when Mario’s hand shook his roughly.
“Hey!” Luigi scolded tiredly, feeling bad at the guilty look on his brother’s face.
Suddenly, Peach was there and staring at him with a similar expression to Mario. Then Toad and then DK.
Somehow the worried look was far scarier on Donkey Kong than anyone – his face looked as if it was used to smiling and laughing and this expression was foreign.
They were all talking, gesturing but Luigi just couldn’t understand what was happening.
Maybe he really was dying.
He felt a little disappointed honestly, he’d hoped to have one last meal at least.
Luigi was prepared to just fall asleep to get all this pain and confusion over with but he just couldn’t. Not when he saw tears in Mario’s eyes and his panic.
Mario was scared and Luigi would not leave him like that.
“Mario-“ Luigi tried, his voice getting caught. It was enough though, Mario shuffled closer and gripped him tighter.
A reassuring but weak smile appeared on his face – he was trying to comfort Luigi even though he was the one who was scared.
“I’m okay.” Luigi forced out but no one looked convinced – in fact they all gave him a similar look.
Luigi suspected he’d best keep his mouth shut for now.
He could only manage a surprised squeak as Donkey Kong came closer and scooped him up with an unexpected gentleness. Luigi could see Mario trying to get DK to let his brother go, yet Luigi didn’t feel threatened.
Apparently DK managed to calm Mario down because now his hand was clasped in his as Luigi was slowly rocked with Donkey Kong’s footsteps.
He sighed as he finally allowed his dry eyes to close, feeling oddly safe despite the circumstances. He gave Mario’s hand one last squeeze of farewell just in case he didn’t wake up.
...
There was a warm darkness for a while. Not searing, burning or scalding – more like being wrapped up under your blankets when you first drift awake from a deep sleep.
He didn’t feel any pain, any stiffness. His stomach still ached with hunger and his throat and mouth dry as the desert.
Still, he felt alive and that was the main thing.
The more he came to the more he became aware of those around him.
A hand still clenched his firmly, a weight leant on the other side of his bed.
This room smelled different from his bedroom – there was a waft of perfume now and then.
“C’mon Lu... wake up.” Mario coaxed tiredly,
“He needs rest dummy.” A Brash voice scolded. Luigi recognised it as DK. “He’s been through the ringer.”
“Thanks by the way.” Mario sounded so genuinely grateful. “for taking care of him I mean.”
“No problem. I know what it’s like to see your little brother looking so ill... Diddy was always catching stuff when he was younger .” The gorilla’s voice was so soft. “besides, my dad would kill me if I didn’t help his cellmate... apparently these two made friends.”
Cranky Kong had been kind to Luigi when they were held captive – the man was thankful for his reassurances.
“I can’t believe how badly Bowser treated him.” A feminine voice seethed. “No one else was hurt this badly... no one else was starved. Just him.”
“It’s all my fault.” Mario breathed, a quiver to his voice, “Bowser hurt him because of me...”
“Nuh uh.” Luigi croaked as he forced himself to wake up and open his eyes.
“Lu!”
“Not your fault.” Luigi ground out painfully. “Never.”
“Okay, okay” Mario soothed, using a hand to stroke Luigis hair fondly. “Quiet down, we’ll get you some water.”
Luigi yawned as a little mushroom man waddled over with a large glass of water. He accepted it with a grateful nod and tried to lift it to his mouth.
Mario grabbed the glass out of his shaking grip.
“Let me help.” He hummed quietly before helping his brother to sip the cool water.
Luigi clearly wanted to chug it but Mario had been told by the Kong doctor not to let him do that.
“You’ll be okay.” Peach promised from the end of the bed, leaning forward and staring at Luigi with a steady gaze. “Bowser is locked away and he will never touch you again, you have my word.”
Luigi blinked at the intensity of her tone but nodded politely.
“I’m gonna let the medic know you’re awake.” DK nodded giving Peach and Toad a firm look. “cmon, help me find him.”
Mario smiled fondly as his new friends hurried to follow the gorilla out of the hut.
“How you feeling?” He asked refusing to leave his brothers side.
“I’m okay now.” Luigi rubbed his face weakly, “I mean... I’m mortified I had to be rescued yet again but-“
“Don’t be silly.” Mario interrupted sternly, “You were locked away for like three days, no food or water... I wish you’d said something!”
“Didn’t want to be a bother.” The younger brother sighed, bowing his head. “You saved me and this is how I repaid you.”
“First of all, you never have to repay me for saving you. It’s my job.” Mario smirked jokingly before turning more serious. “You are never a bother. You are the single most important person to me.”
“Hmmm, what about that pretty princess?” Luigi grinned, Mario chuckled and gave him a gentle tap on the shoulder.
Both fell quiet. Mario continued to grip Luigi’s hand and resumed caressing his hair.
“You really scared me back there... you looked so pale...” Mario murmured softly. “I thought... I thought maybe something had happened to you... like Bowser had one last trick or his weird magician had done something...”
“Sorry.” Luigi sighed, “I felt fine... I guess the adrenaline wore off and then... yeah...”
Mario smiled fondly.
“You’re okay now, just need to get some food in you and you’ll be right as rain.”
“I know.” The younger brother nodded happily, “We’re both okay now.”
Mario nodded in agreement.
Eventually the others along with the Kong medic and Cranky all filtered into the room.
Luigi had never felt so safe in all his life – he wondered if this meant he’d found his new home.