Warning: This fic contains vore, slash, emotional distress, physical injury, mentions of rape, lots and lots of crying, and is generally for a mature audience. Read at your own discretion.

Heyo what's up peoples? This chapter is a bit of a doozy. And hey, there's no shame in asking for reviews, so I'd really like to hear from all of you who are faving and following but saying nothing. (Maybe you just don't wanna be associated with this who knows XP)

Anyway, this chapter contains the scene that is the main reason for the rape warning, so look out those who are sensitive to that. It's marked with a "X~X~" on both ends so you know where it is. It's nothing graphic, but better to be safe than sorry.

Praise be unto the lovelies!

Guest: Nope, he just felt like he did. Yeah, I definitely don't write quickly enough to update any faster than I have been x-x I tend to get into the characters' heads when I write. You know all those emotions flying around? I totally feel those while writing and that's why this story is super draining to work on. I'm usually crying in some fashion by the time I'm done for the day. But I like to think that that's what makes the dialogue smooth and gives the whole affair its magic.

luigiibro: Hey, there ya be. So you are one of my mysterious guests, it seems. Maybe your dumb electronic devices will let you stay logged in now XD And yes, Luigi might be scared, but he can only be a doormat for so long before he gets fed up with it.

10

Dimentio didn't come back for a long time. Luigi's stomach growled at him, but he ignored it. The future looked more uncertain than ever. He didn't know what had happened, why he had gotten so angry. It was a really stupid idea to goad your captor into hurting you.

He tried to sleep for a while, but the hunger pangs were fierce. He called for Dimentio, but he didn't come. He kneaded his bed sheets nervously, trying to decide what to do. Eventually, he decided that he didn't have to put up with Dimentio's emotional bullshit.

He sat up, considering how best to proceed. He twitched his toes and rotated his ankles, testing. They were incredibly stiff, but didn't really hurt anymore. He'd healed almost completely over the past month. Thanks to Dimentio's careful nursing, the burns had gradually turned into scars, which had subsequently faded to a transparent network of white lines all over his body that you could only see if you knew to look for them. Thankfully, he'd been able to start wearing clothes again, though they were baggy now. He'd lost a lot of muscle mass. The worst thing was the mental scars, which could be added to the pile of horrible experiences he'd had over the course of his life.

No, all that was left was physical therapy, really. He knew Dimentio was delaying, procrastinating on purpose. So why not start it himself?

He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and sat there, feeling the strain on his back. This was going to be difficult, but that wasn't going to stop him. He put a tiny bit of weight on his feet, and added more and more, until he was almost standing. He turned over and clutched onto the bed, leaning on it for support even though it wasn't really at a good height for that.

After a moment, he stood all the way, legs shaking violently. His atrophied muscles protested very much, but he was determined to continue. He took an uneven step. His legs gave out and he fell forward. But he didn't hit the ground.

Suddenly, Luigi found himself in Dimentio's arms. The jester had caught him. There was no warmth in the hold though, only stiffness. He was gently pushed back on the bed, where he sat down heavily.

"Are you trying to hurt yourself? Because you will if you try that again," the jester said curtly.

Luigi blushed, realizing that the impeccability of his timing probably meant that he'd been watching the whole time. "No, y-you didn't answer me…" His stomach growled, making it unnecessary to say he was starving.

Dimentio snapped his fingers, causing dinner to appear out of thin air. He handed it to Luigi, who began to eat slowly. Dimentio was making him nervous, with the way he was just standing there, staring. He paused and looked up at the jester. "…What?" When Dimentio didn't respond, he continued, "Why are you staring at me? It's really kind of…" He trailed off, wringing his hands anxiously.

"Why did you try to get up?"

"Look," Luigi said, holding out an arm and tracing the thin white lines on his skin. "I'm all healed now, right? So… D-Don't you think it's time to start physical therapy or something?"

Dimentio's cold expression flickered to fear for a second. He looked away.

Luigi frowned. "Come on. I don't want to be bedridden anymore, so if you aren't gonna help then I'll just do it myself." To prove his point, he put the food aside and tried to stand again, wobbling so much that he immediately fell over a second time.

Dimentio took a step forward and caught him once more. He looked into Luigi's eyes, searching for something that wasn't there. Luigi saw that the jester's eyes were yellow and gray. After weeks of blue, it was a clear sign of the jester's attempts to distance himself emotionally.

He sighed heavily, putting Luigi back on the bed again. "…Very well. But to build strength, you have to start small."

The prospect of regaining freedom, independence, and well-being cheered Luigi up immensely, and he couldn't help the big grin that made its way onto his face.

Dimentio noticed, feeling a chill go down his spine. He considered going against his word and just making the plumber his, forever and ever. But it wasn't right, and he knew it. It would only be a mockery of happiness that way. So he got to work, setting Luigi to the task of small exercises. The ache in his heart grew all the more alongside of his fear.

Two more weeks passed by, slowly and stressfully and in the blink of an eye. Dimentio guided Luigi through the therapy and watched as he grew stronger and stronger. Every glimpse of joy he caught in the plumber's eyes hurt, because it meant he was looking forward to freedom and getting away from him. He still didn't understand, as he never had. What was wrong with him that he wanted to get away so badly? What was wrong with him that made people run away from him?

Luigi graduated to standing quickly, able to walk around the small bedroom. Dimentio gave him a tour of Dimension D, displaying his meager creation for him to see. There was the bedroom, the kitchen, the bathroom where his closet resided, the tiny study filled with bookshelves, and the training room, which was the place where he had brought the heroes to fight. There was one more room, which Dimentio hesitated to show him. But he did, hiding nothing. Luigi shook when he saw it, because this room was for torture. Dimentio said not a word about it, leaving Luigi standing there in the doorway.

Dimentio locked the bedroom door at night, so that Luigi couldn't get out, go to the kitchen, and grab a knife. He no longer shared the bed with him. He couldn't stand to be so near to the object of his desire, so that night, he gathered up all the extra pillows and blankets and made himself a nest out in the hallway.

He could hear it when Luigi screamed at night, in the grip of his powerful nightmares. He didn't get up to comfort him, never again held him or whispered soft words. He was forcing himself to keep his distance. He hoped it would make it easier to let go.

As each day passed, it only grew worse. There was only one route he could take that would give him what he wanted, but he refused to take it. He couldn't bend Luigi's will to his own as Count Bleck had done. He had already watched the man go through that process once, and once was enough. It wouldn't be right. It wouldn't be what he wanted.

He had nightmares of his own, more often than he had had since he was a child. Years of experience helped him to suppress his emotions and stop him from making a peep. He turned into a shell of himself, going through the motions but hardly feeling anything at all.

Because he would keep this promise.

And a promise he had made to himself a long time ago.

The day was fast approaching when it would be time to say goodbye, and he didn't want to, not again. The first time had been terrible, the second even more heartbreaking. He had died the second time.

There was nothing for him. He had engineered his own continue, had stolen a second chance that he didn't earn. When he returned to the Underwhere…and he must… She had threatened… His worst fear would come to pass, a fate that made his soul quake with terror.

Luigi was right, but he'd never been suicidal. He could be ok if only he knew how to make this pain go away!

It came.

Luigi stood in front of him, tall and proud. He was still a little weak, but was perfectly capable of caring for himself now. He had forgotten how short Dimentio was when he didn't levitate. He stood a good head taller than him, the jester only coming up to his chin.

Dimentio felt subdued and afraid. He couldn't hide his despair. His eyes glossed over the insignificant scars, the mostly grown mustache and the messy brown hair. He remembered what he looked like under his clothes, the warmth of his body when he touched him, the happy glimmer he used to be able to put into those blue eyes. He avoided looking at those eyes.

Luigi cleared his throat. "I want to go home," he said slowly and clearly.

Dimentio's shoulders sagged, and a silent sob jolted his body. He should have tried harder! But he'd done everything he could. Luigi had made it clear that the answer was no and would always be no. Again, he remembered the warmth… He'd always craved it, but no one had given it to him. The one thing he truly needed was the thing that had pushed him to desire the destruction of the entire universe, just so he could make the world's crimes against him obsolete.

He looked into Luigi's eyes, pleading without words. They were firm, resolved, and didn't soften. He would fight, if he had to.

Dimentio felt the tears trickling down his mask, and couldn't stop them. With uneven steps, he entered the plumber's personal space. Their chests brushing, he asked only to be held. Luigi didn't move. And then he wanted more.

X~X~

Like flicking a switch, the jester's emotions changed in an instant. Before he knew what he was doing, he had pushed the plumber against a wall. Not harshly, but enough to produce a yelp. He pinned him there, straddling him. Then he was kissing him, softly, desperately. Luigi didn't kiss him back, of course.

He became rougher as the pain in his heart grew with each beat, body trembling. He couldn't help himself, couldn't hold it back any longer. It was now or never. He got as close to Luigi as he could, holding him tightly, moaning at the feeling of another body pressed against his. He shivered, waves of lust crashing down on him and destroying any further thoughts on right and wrong and promises.

Luigi didn't have time to react before he was sufficiently trapped. He barely struggled, paralyzed. His heart pounded with fear, hating the way his body was responding against his will. It was hard not to, when the jester so passionately planted kisses along his jaw line and on his pulse points. He liked the way it felt, the fluttery way his stomach was turning over and over with wild abandon.

Luigi's hands slowly came up and circled Dimentio in an embrace. He felt fingers running gently through his hair as the jester grinded up against him. He sighed soundlessly as a feather of heat ran through his body. Then he felt something pressing into his stomach, and realized that Dimentio had gained an erection. He had half of one himself.

He shuddered, realizing what was happening; what he was doing. This was what he was afraid of! Struggling to keep his thoughts focused, he put his hands on Dimentio's chest and pushed. "S-Stop!" Dimentio continued to trail light kisses along his collarbone, as if he hadn't heard. He pushed harder, shouting, "D-Dimentio! STOP!"

And he did, going completely stiff as he came to a sudden halt. Dimentio didn't move, face still pressed into Luigi's neck, panting. He started to tremble as he slowly leaned back enough to look Luigi in the eye. Tears immediately began to flow at this final denial.

X~X~

Luigi felt tears of his own well up and escape in response. "…You promised," he said quietly, but strongly.

Dimentio held his gaze for an eternal moment. Something visibly broke within him, and he stumbled away. He stopped a few feet over, turning his back to his former friend. He raised a hand and snapped, the sound piercing the air like a gunshot.

Luigi watched in shock as a portal opened before his eyes. Through it, he could see his own modest house, and his heart skipped several beats. He straightened and took a step, hesitant. Hope against hope, this couldn't possibly be. He looked at Dimentio. The jester slumped with complete defeat.

"Go home, Luigi…"

After a moment, he heard soft footfalls as Luigi walked across the room. He felt his eyes on him again, before there was a shift in the dimensional energy.

He was gone.

Without looking behind him, Dimentio let the gateway close. He only stood there, until what was left of his heart finally finished breaking and he fell to his knees. His forehead hit the carpet, but he didn't feel it. He coiled into a ball, clutching his chest and stomach as endless sobs filled the silence. Pain radiated through him, and he let it out in wailing keens of intense grief and despair. Alone again! Alone forever…

He had let him go.

He had let him go because he loved him.

Luigi stepped onto the grass. The portal closed silently behind him as he looked around, hardly daring to believe he was home. But he was; the familiar sights and sounds and smells were telling him it was so.

He walked past the mailbox and up to the front door. He considered knocking, but just opened it in the end. He shuddered a little as relief flooded him. He was here. He was home…free…alive, and in relatively good health.

Something caught his eye, and he stopped. Spread out all over the kitchen table were…missing person posters. His name was on it, a picture of him filling a third of the paper.

Mario walked in through the doorway to the living room, looking over the papers in his hands. He halted abruptly, dropping them on the floor when he saw Luigi standing there, lost.

In a single bound, Mario was across the room and pulling his brother into a tight hug. Luigi blinked as Mario squeezed him a little too hard and even began to cry. "Where have you been!" the red-clad plumber asked, holding him by the shoulders and tearfully examining him at arms length.

Luigi's expression hardened, as did his heart.

Dimentio had lied to him.

The End

...

I'm only kidding. This does mark the end of the first 'half' of the story, though.

Now, I'm going to take another break, this time for an unspecified period. I wanna finish this thing before I resume so I don't have to worry about rushing my writing. I'm in the middle of chapter 14, and I think there's only 2-3 parts left, depending on how it turns out.

I have a few other things saved up to post on Sundays, and of course there's my other stories to read as well. They might be in a different tone than this mess, but maybe you'll like them too.