Author's notes:So, I was watching a play through of The Crooked Man by Pewdie, and while waiting for the final part, I watched part 11 and got this idea somehow. Didn't expect it, but hey, I went with it. So... Get ready for tissues and stuff, you may cry. I'm sorry.

The Light Behind Your Eyes

Mr. L slowly opened his eyes, though he immediately closed them again, the light hurting his eyes. Shit, why are those so bright?! he wondered in irritation. He heard a soft little snicker.

"Ah ha ha! My, my, the light that bright to you, L?" a teasing voice asked, which he instantly recognized. The bandit scoffs a bit, as he opened his grey eyes a bit more slowly.

"Oh, shut up, Dimmy..." he mumbles, now seeing the said male, who was now grinning some at him. "Where even am I...?" Now he could hear a faint beeping noise near him. A heart monitor? What had happened His head hurt, now that he thought about it...

"Hospital. Why do you think I'm in a green hospital gown?" the other points out, now standing to prove it. He was leaning pretty heavily on his left side, wincing slightly, before he sat down. With his mask on, it was fairy difficult to notice the pain in his mix-matched eyes. "You don't remember what happened, do you?" The normally black and green wearing male thinks a few more moments, before he slowly shook his head.

"No... I... I don't remember. I remember I was tinkering with a new project... And you were messing with me a bit... And then nothing. Just us here," he slowly answers him after a moment. "Dimentio, what happened?" Dimentio sighs and runs a hand through his black hair, frowning some.

"Ah... Well, we had a bit of an accident. As in, I touched something, I guess I wasn't suppose to, and your project fell on us both. You have a broken arm and I guess a bit of amnesia... And... Well..." he trailed off, looking off a moment. "...You've been out for three days, L. You were in a coma. They... They honestly thought you wouldn't wake up. I made them keep you alive, that you would wake up. And, lookie here, I was right." Mr. L blinks a bit in shock, it slowly coming back to him. The small bits of laughter, then the creaking of metal... The cry of shock and fear, and the intense pain... Then nothing. He closes his eyes tightly a moment, taking a small, deep breath.

"...Ok. Ok, at least now I know..." he replies after a second to let the memories slowly sink in. "So... I was out then? Coma? ... How did the others take it?"

"Better than expected. I feel like they knew you would wake up too, so it was all good," he assures him. "They came in every now and again to tak to you a bit. And then you have me who was a persistent bastard and stayed with you basically every moment of the day for you to wake up, so I could prove I was right about you. ... That and I didn't like the silence in my room. Too quiet, used to you being a pain~"

"Oh, shut the fuck up," the thief then tells him, though he gave a small, weak smile. "... You may be a persistent bastard, but you're my persistent bastard. Anyway, with me being awake, that means hopefully soon we can go, and live our lives again." He didn't see it, considering Dimentio looked off, but the magician's eyes took a bit of a sad look to them.

"Yeah, definitely. Like soldiers in war, we have to stand up again and continue our life, as if it never stopped."

As time went on, Mr. L had noticed things had grown... different. Dimentio was almost always with him now, always talking to him and floating next to him. There were a few times that he would leave, and sometimes without warning, which he found was weird. But he never questioned it. He never thought to. It was then he heard that Luigi had gotten hurt yesterday, which he found very... peculiar. On and off again, the bandit would find there were holes in his memory. He had no idea why, but there would just be random blank spots and it didn't make sense... Like, first he would be heading into town... and the next thing he knew, he was heading home and extremely mad about something. It didn't make any bit of sense. He could only guess something obviously happened, but the question is... what?

He decided not to dwell on it too much, his hands in his pockets, as he starts to head to the hospital. Dimentio was right by his side, floating, as usual. "You don't know what happened to Luigi, then?" he then asks, looking over at him curiously. The bandit sighs and shakes his head.

"Not a clue. Just heard he was in the hospital," he answers him, shrugging. "I'm sure he's ok, but I just want to be sure. Counterpart thing." The jester playfully rolls his eyes at him.

"Of course it is," he teases lightly, before smirking at him. The other gives him a look, before hitting his shoulder, causing the other to just laugh some.

"Can it. Just because he's my good side, doesn't mean I shouldn't care. I just want to be sure he is all right, that's all," he tells him, shrugging a bit. As they talked though and walked off, a mother and her child were walking by. They looked at the pair, before the child blinks a bit, looking at her mother.

"Mommy... Who was that man talking to?" she asks softly, hoping the black and green wearing man didn't hear her. The older woman shakes her head.

"I don't know, baby... The world is filled with strange people..."

Mr. L walks in Dimentio following after him. He then sees Luigi in bed and smiles some, waving over at him. "Hey there, Weegee. You alright?" he calls, before seeing the hurt one tense up, eyes wide at him. The darker side blinks in confusion, not understanding the other's fear. Sure, they were two separate sides of one another, but they had become fairly civil... What had he done...? "Luigi, what's up? You look like you've seen a ghost or something."

"Leave me alone! Just go away!" the green hero snaps at him in response, his eyes still wide in terror. "I'm sorry for what I said, just don't hurt me!" What? he thought, not following what he was saying by any means. It didn't make any sense... When had he snapped at him? He hadn't seen him in a long time...

"Luigi, what are you talking about? I haven't seen you in a while..." he points out, but the other shook his head once more.

"No, just go away! Leave me alone, I don't want to see you right now! Not until you are yourself again!" he replies, before scooting back out of habit for when he was fearful. Finally, the bandit just blinks a bit, before shaking his head.

"Fine... I don't know what your problem is, but I'll go," he says, before turning to leave with Dimentio, who was pretty quiet, blinking at them. "...Dimmy, isn't it weird that he didn't even acknowledge you?" The magician gave a small shrug, as he floats beside him.

"Maybe. It isn't a huge deal, don't worry," the other then assures his companion with a chuckle. "I'm not offended or anything. Let's just give him some time to relax, ok? He may just be having a moment." The thief thinks on it a moment, before giving a small nod in agreement.

"You may be right. Come on, let's just go then. We'll leave him alone..." he then agrees with a sigh, continuing on. At this point, now a doctor was staring at him, before he shook his head.

"Either he still has imaginary friends... Or he's lost it... Poor boy," the doctor mumbles to himself, before he went off to continue his work.

It had been a few more weeks, Luigi was up and walking again, but hadn't been to see Mr. L. In fact, no one has, really. And he still didn't understand why. The holes in his memories seemed to be happening more often, and it was a little worrying. He just wanted to figure out what has been going on. Someone was hiding something from him, and he wanted to know what it was.

Finally, the group suddenly came over, while he was watching TV with Dimentio on the couch. He looks over and blinks some, turning it off. "...You could have called," he comments, while the magician rolls his eyes.

"But that would make sense! And be polite," he points out, making the bandit snicker a bit. That caused everyone to look at him funny.

"...What? He is right..." he murmurs.

"Who?" Luigi asks, though he stood a bit more behind Mario than he normally would, the elder being a bit more protective. His counterpart then groans in annoyance.

"Dimentio, duh! Yeesh, I'm starting to think you guys ignore him on purpose!" he points out with a huff. The small group exchange a confused and concerned look with one another. "...What? And who is that woman with you?" The woman in question steps a bit more forward, out from behind the two princesses and heroes.

"It's nice to meet you. I am Magina. I am a psychic; they wished for me to come with them to see you," she explains, pushing back her light purple hair and revealing light green eyes. "Ah... The say they are concerned for you..."

"Yeah, I don't know what's wrong with them for thinking there is something wrong with me..." the thief comments, though his companion chuckles a bit.

"It's obvious they are worrying for no reason~" he assures them playfully.

"See? Dimmy agrees." That's when Peach took a step forward, sighing some.

"L, I really thought the doctors had told you this when you woke up, but... Dimentio is dead," she tells him. "And we have told you this constantly, and you even attacked Luigi for him telling you!" The Green Thunder blinks in utter confusion.

"W-What? No... No way, he isn't dead. That is a terrible sick joke, guys, don't say that in front of him!" he snaps in response to her, before looking back at his friend. "D-Do you hear them, Dim-Dim? T-They're saying you are dead." Dimentio looked alarmed, as he stood up. He hesitated a moment, before he then waves at her.

"Heeeellloooo! Magician in purple in yellow, kinda hard to miss!" he points out, though he didn't sound as convincing and teasing as he normally would. And Mr. L noticed this.

"You... You don't sound so convinced on this..." he mumbles.

"L, who are you talking to? There is no one next to you!" Daisy then points out, shaking her head some at him. "I don't get it... No one does."

"Shut the fuck up! All of you! He isn't dead, quit treating him like he is! Just... Just stop it now!" the black and green wearing one the yells at them. There was silence. Then, the so called psychic spoke.

"I'm feeling a presence... Ah... His name starts with a 'D'... Wears purple and yellow..." she mumbles, closing her eyes. "He was closest to... you." Magina then points towards the bandit, surprising him some. "Ah... You both had a very close relationship... Maybe... Maybe deeper than even best friends and brothers... Whether you both realized it or not. But I feel it was left unsaid." This time, Dimentio had his head down, while Mr. L starred the woman done, obviously confused.

"H-How do you-?" he started to ask, but she then interrupted.

"Your pocket. Ah... Pull out what's in your pocket," the purple haired one then orders him. Confused, the thief does so, while everyone sat and watched. It was a necklace he had made a long time ago, the lightning bolt charm having been made with a scrape piece of metal from Bro-bot L-type. "There's something on the back. Flip it over."

"...I know what's on the back. It's my symbol," he replies, rolling his eyes at her. "Honestly, what is your point here?"

"No. There is a cursive 'D' below it. Flip it. Over," she tells him again. Alarmed, the man does as told, his breath catching in his throat. She was right. Below his engraved symbol was another letter... A cursive D. And not in his handwriting. Dimentio's.

"What? But when had he...?" he started, but then the silent jester then spoke up, lifting his head.

"Because I was really dying, L. And I did die," he finally admits looking over at him. "I'm dead." That shocked Mr. L more than anything, his grey eyes wide in horror, and mouth agape. He didn't even know what to say at this point, so the magician continued. "When it fell, I could tell I was going to die... You would live, and I knew it... So, in my dying moments, I took your necklace and engraved my initial into it with my magic... By doing that just before my death, I locked a part of my soul inside... And made it to where you would be able to see me..." He then looks at Mr. L, his eyes sad and pain filled. "And.. When you went into that coma... I stayed with you, day and night, no one ever noticed me, since I was dead. Your heart rate kept lowering and so did your breathing, so I would stay and I would do whatever I could to keep you alive while your body tried to heal. I did everything, and it paid off in the end. You were still alive, and you woke up, when the doctors said you wouldn't."

"But... Dimentio, why? Why did you do it?" the bandit then chokes out, his voice cracking terribly. This was already too much to handle... and it seemed to only be getting worse.

"Because, you had so much to live for... And besides... I made a vow... Remember when I tried to kill you before? It wasn't because I wanted to, it was because I felt I had to. But it didn't mean I liked it. After I knew you were alive, I vowed to myself I would do anything I could to keep you alive... And that I would always be at your side, no matter what happened. And that's exactly what I did. And I'd do it again in a heartbeat," Dimentio replies firmly, closing his eyes a moment. "L... You were afraid back then, afraid of being betrayed and abandoned. That was your biggest but also your most secret fear. So... by losing me, the person you were closest to, you would have broken down completely. You would never have been able to handle that, no matter how strong you believe yourself to be. You would have broken, and you would have killed yourself. And don't you dare say you wouldn't." Now the tears were starting to prick at clear grey eyes, as the Green Thunder looked away, shutting his eyes tightly in an attempt to hold them back.

"... I still don't understand..." he whispers, before finally looking back at him. "Dimentio, why? Why me? Of anyone... You could have stayed with anyone to protect and save, and you still chose me... Tell. Me. Why." Slowly, Dimentio opened his eyes and looked him in the eye.

"Because... I know I never understood it before, and I wish I could have said it before... And though I may still be iffy and confused by it... But... I love you, Mr. L. I wish I could have told you that before I died. But I love you," the jester tells him in the most serious tone he has ever used. That's when Mr. L actually broke down, shaking, sobbing and crying. He could never believe that to have ever been true. He lost his best friend... He lost the one closest person to him. And now that he knew his feelings... It was too late. "L... Please, don't cry. Stop..."

"What did you want me to do?! Dimentio, I didn't even know you were dead!" he points out to him, glaring. "What were you going to do?! Were you ever going to tell me?!"

"I didn't want you to worry about it. I wanted you to be able to live life as if I was always still by your side, even if no one else saw me. I had to be sure you thought everything was the same. I dd it for you," the purple and yellow wearing male told him, quietly. "It was to make you happy. And keep you alive and still going." Mr. L shakes his head, trying to calm down. This... This was too much. The group was confused, all but the psychic. She exchanged a few quiet words with them, and then they all understood, giving him sympathetic glances. "Please... Forgive me...?" There was a long moment, and finally, Mr. L looked over, able to catch his breath. He rubs at his eyes, letting out a small breath.

"...Yes. But only because I love you too."