Hello all! Another random one shot I have! More Luigi/Mario goodness to enjoy! I own nothing.

Aftermath

It started with a sharp pain in his stomach. No matter what he tried, what he did, what Mario tried to help him with, Luigi's pains kept increasing and increasing in levels of difficulty. He couldn't eat, could barely hold liquids down, and struggled to do his daily tasks.

In two days, Luigi was bedridden. His stomach pain became severe cramps, and he could not stop vomiting. He lost weight and had a fever that would not go down, no matter how much medication Mario tried to give him.

Mario was worried; Luigi was only 23 years old. What was wrong? How could he help his suffering brother?

And then, one warm evening, Luigi let out such a scream of pain and anguish that Mario knew he could not hold it off anymore. He scooped his light weight baby brother in his arms, feeling his tremors as he tried to make the pain stop, hearing his short, sharp gasps of breath as he struggled to find a way to make his chest take in air that he desperately needed.

Mario knew he had to be strong. But with his little brother's life hanging in the balance, how was he able to do so? He wanted to take it all away, and Luigi, somewhere deep in his mind, wanted that too.

How could he take it away if he didn't know what was causing it?

Once they arrived at the ER, Mario was begging someone, anyone, to help his brother, his only surviving family. He was a mess- having ran in pouring rain, he was shivering, soaked to the bone, and his eyes were red and puffy, tears and raindrops mixing on his skin.

Luigi lay in his brother's arms, aware while not aware. His blue eyes fixed on the lights and the faint outline of his strong older brother, his thoughts muddled and fractured, he could not think of a single reason as to how he ended up where he was... or if he would live to see tomorrow.

The next few moments were a blur for Luigi. He heard screaming around him as his heart rate dropped, his blood pressure plummeted. He felt something cold push against his abdomen, and he started to twitch, until the doctor pushed one spot.

One spot-his lower right side- and the young Mario brother saw lights flashing in front of his eyes and he could no longer take the pain. He remembers nothing when he faints.

Mario didn't understand what had happened- not until a nurse came out and told him words he never wanted to hear ever again.

Luigi had a ruptured appendix. It would kill him unless he rushed into surgery.

The older Mario brother barely had time to register what he had just heard, when Luigi was wheeled out of the room and down the hall. Mario got only a glimpse of his little brother- he was pale as a sheet, and was hooked to a tube that more than likely, was keeping him alive.

"L-Luigi... what... how..." All of it becomes heavy on the shoulders of the 24 year old Mario and he finally breaks.

In the middle of the hospital room, he sobs in his hands. The whole time, he wonders to himself if he would have to bury yet another family member.

He can't imagine being alone. He doesn't want to imagine such a life.

An hour or two later, Luigi is wheeled into recovery. Mario is woken by a nurse, and led to see him. So many thoughts swirl round inside his head, but all that stops upon entering the room where his little fighter is.

Luigi was now hooked to a breathing machine, a heart monitor and an IV tube. But Mario pays no mind to that.

His brother was ALIVE. He made it... he was alive!

Mario tentively steps in the room. The nurse leaves the two alone. Luigi starts to groan and open his eyes. He looks to his left and smiles faintly, inhaling and exhailing, fogging his breathing mask.

He knew he worried his brother. He hadn't meant to.

"H-Hi... b-bro. You...okay?" The first few words out of his mouth aren't about what happened or how he ended up there.

It was to make sure his brother was still alright. He knew, after all. He knew his brother would worry about him before anything, before anyone.

"Luigi..." Mario approached his brother and sat next to him, his hands shaking as he took Luigi's frail hand in his own. He had to know no matter what, Luigi would get out of this alive. He had to.

"I'm fine. I-I'm fine!" Mario tries to force down Luigi's throat before he lets his emotions overtake him again. After all, how could he help himself? His brother had maeede it from the brink.

He was going to be okay. That's all Mario needed to see, needed to hear. But inside, he knew he was torn. He was scared- what could happen now? What if something did happen? Would Luigi survive?

Luigi knew, though. That's why he kept smiling, kept staying strong. For both of them.

Every day, for the next week, Mario stayed by Luigi's side, watching as he healed slowly.

"Luigi, tell me something." Mario asked one day. It was sunny outside, the sun shining within the hospital room. A light breeze caressed the white curtains within the room.

Luigi hummed, quietly watching the leaves. He always did like that type of weather. "Yeah?"

"Were you afraid?"

"...t-to die...?"

Mario nodded. "... yeah."

Luigi didn't speak for a long, long while, lost in thought. Mario waited for him to answer, also looking outside. "Luigi? You okay?"

"...I don't know what I felt, Mario." Luigi whispered. "I wasn't sure WHAT to feel. It was cold, that's all I know. I was staring... and I saw a light. It was bright, and it felt like I had to... to touch it, to be within it..."

Mario sighed. "Mario, what was wrong with me?"

"... appendix. It ruptured... and they said you had came close to dying." he explained softly, closing his eyes. "You w-would've been dead if we had waited... one more day..."

Mario stopped talking and pulled his feet up to his chest. "Luigi... you have no idea what I felt when I heard you screaming in pain and I couldn't do anything to stop it!" he hissed, his fists clenched.

"You were in PAIN, Luigi! And I... I was too weak to stop it, to help you! I didn't know what to do! I-I didn't... know..."

Luigi smiled hopelessly at his big brother. "M-Mario... you can't... always be there... t-to protect me. I... I learned that while I... I was asleep." His voice was still weak due to him being under surgery and healing, but he was still strong enough to talk.

"I g-guess... I saw her. Mom. I know I heard her... she was telling me to wake up... wake up... b-because I couldn't leave yet. Not without you, a-at least."

Thinking back to what he experienced during his 'sleeping' phase, Luigi continued. "It really was cold all of a sudden. I wanted to see you... I didn't wanna die yet, Mario. So y-yeah..."

Luigi let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, and finished. "I was scared. I really was..."

Mario nodded and stood up, rustling Luigi's hair. Luigi looked up at him. "Mario. Were you scared?"

Mario's facial expression changed and he left his hand in Luigi's hair. "Weege... I was terrified." Mario admitted so softly it sounded like he whispered to himself. "I mean, I thought I... was going to have to bury you... w-with Mom and Dad..."

Stifling a sob, he shuddered and continued. "I was... happy. Seeing you out of there, seeing you breathing, it... it was all I needed." Mario finally took his hand out of Luigi's hair.

Luigi nodded. "S-so... I'll be okay, right? I can... leave? Soon?" he asked. Mario nodded absently.

"You can. Doctor said you're healing good so you're almost free to go."

Luigi agreed before his eyes closed. "Finally... I'm sick of this place..." he mumbled as his daily medication was fully absorbed into his bloodstream. He opened them partway and watched his brother for a brief moment. Mario agreed. "Me too..."

"...bro?"

"Hmm?"

Luigi tilted his head a little to the left. "... you were crying. For me... did I cause that? That worry and that pain?" Mario shrugged.

"It doesn't matter, fratello. It doesn't matter if I cried. You are all I have, and I promised Mom and Dad I'd take care of you. I didn't... want to have to bury you too." he explained quietly.

Luigi smiled faintly. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't be. It's over now. Go back to sleep, or you'll be stuck here longer than you have to!" Mario joked lightly, punching Luigi rather delicately in his arm. Luigi laughed, then winced as he had forgotten about the stiches in him.

"H-Heh...oops... forgot about them..." Luigi said, chuckling sheepishly. Mario rolled his eyes and helped get Luigi comfortable before he settled down on the bed next to him. The next few hours were spent talking about past memories with their parents, their life in Brooklyn, their plans for their lives as plumbers, and what kind of adventures they would want to have once Luigi was free from the hospital bed.

As the sun set and the breeze grew cooler, Mario decided to turn the radio on and listen to whatever was on as Luigi slept. He was lost in thought about the week's events, and what they had talked about. He was lost in thought about a lot.

'Man, what a week. I can't wait to leave and I know Luigi can't wait, either. Ah well...'

He leaned back on one arm and soon found his eyes closing against his will. 'I still have my family. I'll be alright. And so will he. We always are.'

And complete! Random oneshot of the day, as usual. Let me know what you think and all that good stuff.

Until next time!