Collaboration Chapter 1: Forget Me, a mario fanfic

A/N: First of my collection fan fictions. Ha, I'm really bored here in Computer Apps. Practically finished all of my work already. This class isn't in the least challenging, I'd say. I don't want to vote for anyone in the class president elections – I mean, I may be a freshman (which is the most important year for someone to learn to vote) but that doesn't mean I have interest in it at all. I'd rather write fan fictions, ya see.

This one's quite short. It's supposed to be to the point.

I typed this all out on a school computer.

PLEASE NOTE: People will see the line "I love you" spoken by both brothers. This is not incest. I don't like incest – it's yucky! If you feel like interpreting it as such, then fine, but from my perspective, it's not. Don't you say "I love you" to a family member? If you don't, you have serious issues. Seriously.

For this particular one:

Title: Forget Me

Genre: Hurt/Comfort/Family

Characters: Mario & Luigi

Description: Leader of the useless – that's what Luigi claims to be. Mario disagrees.

Rated: K

Where do I belong?

Among the useless, that's where.

I'm practically the leader.

Luigi grasped a pen in his hand, shifting a piece of paper from a pile of printer papers to the desk. He trembled at the very words he wanted to write on the piece of paper. Lady Luck wasn't smiling on him today, so why should She now? But Luigi had to go through with his thoughts, whether or not it held misfortune for him in the future. He had come this far – he couldn't stop where he was.

Luigi pressed on the end of the pen to write with it, and scribbled down words with his neat and curly handwriting. "I can't remain here, Mario. I don't feel like I belong." What a nice start, Luigi reflected bitterly. He continued writing, knowing how awkward he sounded throughout this letter already. "The princess doesn't need me. She needs you. Neither does Daisy. And Yoshi never liked me, anyway." He knew he was going to get yelled at by Mario for the last sentence, but he could care less. "I'm sorry I've been so useless to you over the years. I really am."

I really am…

Luigi mentally cursed himself for getting so emotional while writing – already he could feel unshed tears starting to make their way toward the surface of his eyes. He made this decision, and it was only honesty speaking when he said he was useless. Because he had been.

"Don't follow me when I leave, Mario. Forget me."

Because the pain would be less for him if Mario didn't pursue him, he felt like adding that line. Tears started to well up in his eyes.

"I love you, Bro."

He pushed the desk away from him, and, before the tears could start flowing, tagged the paper to the refrigerator. He put the pen away with the other pens and pencils, and, without even so much as grabbing a coat, headed out the door into the blistering unknown, leaving only a note behind as evidence that he had even been inside the house.

Mario knew immediately upon coming to the house that something was wrong. A note was on the refrigerator, and he didn't see Luigi, nor did he feel the other's presence. When he walked within the door, he had been in a chipper mood – and now, with all seriousness, he was reading the note Luigi had left behind.

Luigi had been guarding the fort, as per usual, when Mario had left the house. Mario hadn't even noticed how downtrodden Luigi seemed. Mario had left simply because the princess was kidnapped again by Bowser (as she was practically every Thursday) and he needed to rescue her. Mario liked saving the princess – even though it could sometimes be a pain, it definitely made his life a bit more interesting every day. He hardly ever invited his brother, but whenever Luigi went, it made the adventure more exciting. This time, however, Luigi had insisted upon staying home, like as if home was his lifeline. (Which, if you had asked Luigi, he would probably say it was.)

Mario scanned the note, his eyes growing more and more serious as he read.

"I'm leaving."

What?

"I can't remain here, Mario. I don't feel like I belong. The princess doesn't need me. She needs you. Neither does Daisy. And Yoshi never liked me, anyway."

For the last sentence of that paragraph, Mario felt like smacking his little brother upside the head. Yoshi loved him. But he didn't comment, as he continued reading.

"I'm sorry I've been so useless to you over the years. I really am."

Mario started to tremble. You're not useless to me, Luigi, he yearned to scream out, but Luigi wasn't there to hear. I never thought you were useless. And I never thought you thought… I left you to suffer. This is my fault.

"Don't follow me when I leave, Mario."

This request completely caught Mario by surprise. It wasn't like Luigi not to want his presence. What had Luigi been thinking when he wrote this?

"Forget me."

No…

I can't do that. I would never do that. That's one request I can't follow.

Mario was frozen now. He couldn't just forget Luigi. And even if he could, he wouldn't do it, anyway. Luigi was his brother – his best friend.

"I love you, Bro."

Mario crumpled the paper with his hand, feeling tears start to threaten him. Luigi… He had to find his brother. He couldn't follow that kind of request – to just forget him, and abandon him. Luigi needed him. And, gosh darn it, he would find Luigi.

With that last thought in mind, Mario, taking a coat with him, stormed out the door.

It was confrontation – and it wasn't exactly nice confrontation. It was cold, very cold. It would rain soon.

Mario had seen him – apparently, it hadn't been long since Luigi had left the house, so he was easily caught up to. What surprised him the most was where Luigi was apparently heading – Star Hill. It had been a long time since either of them had been there, and though admittedly the place was beautiful, it wasn't the best place to seek refuge from others. Perhaps he wanted guidance from Star Hill. Of course, Mario would never let him the opportunity.

Mario felt his heart droop when, upon touching Luigi's shoulder, the latter flinched.

Whirling to face him, his eyes swimming with tears, Luigi cried out, "Why did you follow me!?"

"Because I can't abandon you," Mario replied honestly, meeting Luigi's gaze evenly, but feeling crushed inside. It hurt him, seeing Luigi like this.

"You're abandoning me by following me," Luigi argued, turning around. It seemed he was insistent upon leaving. Mario reached out and touched Luigi's shoulder again, this time the latter not flinching but instead shouldering Mario's hand off.

"Listen," Mario began, but Luigi cut him off.

"No, you listen." Mario quieted down, a bad feeling stirring in the pit of his stomach. "I'm done here. I don't belong. I'm the leader of the useless."

"No, you—"

"I don't want to hear it!"

Mario started despairing. If his little brother wouldn't even listen to what he had to say, then how could he convince him to come back? "Look, Luigi—"

"It's always the same for you, isn't it?" Luigi interrupted yet again, his voice starting to increase in volume. "You and your happy-go-lucky attitude, believing everything is okay, when it's not!" Mario clamped his mouth shut, staring wide-eyed at Luigi. "You don't care. You just don't care. You didn't bother to pay attention, or to help me, or anything of the sort!"

"I love you, Luigi. How could you think any differently?"

"Then why don't you show me?"

Mario couldn't take it anymore. He approached his younger brother, who was backing away like as if he was angry – and then, Mario grasped him in a hug. The younger brother gasped. "Please, don't leave," Mario whispered. "I—I'm sorry. This is my fault."

"It's—It's not…" Luigi whispered, shocked.

"But you felt like I didn't love you. And I do."

"I—"

"Please, give me a chance."

Luigi thought for a second, frozen. And then, he slowly hugged Mario back.

Maybe being the leader of the useless wasn't so bad, after all.