One Complete Heart

December 1st

Luigi adjusted his scarf around his neck, making sure it fit snugly so the wind wouldn't blow it from him. 

"The warden will catch you," Dimentio teased, sitting in the same place he had been for the past few weeks. 

"He's my brother, not the warden," Luigi breathed, adjusting his gloves slightly. 

Mario was out who knows where discussing how to move forward with all the important people. He left practically every other day with little word, so Luigi wasn't all that sure what was going on. He could assume that Mario was trying to figure out what the next steps were with people like Blumiere, but it was clear they weren't really getting anywhere. All Luigi knew was that they were supposed to be keeping Dimentio close. 

"You're really going out there?" Dimentio asked, raising an eyebrow. He had been kept in the dark about everything even more than Luigi had. All he knew was that Mario didn't seem to like his younger brother leaving the house without supervision. 

"Yes," Luigi nodded. "It's the first snow of the year. I gotta experience it. I missed it earlier, so I have to go out there now before the day is done."

Luigi put a black jacket on over his sweater and placed his hand on the doorknob once again. Luckily, he wasn't met with harsh winds when he threw the door open. Instead, he was met with the beautiful, peaceful snowy day that he had longed to experience. 

The man in green grinned, then ran outside, smiling slightly as his feet sank into the pure white powder with each step. He wanted to run forever, far from the house that had become a prison. Far from Dimentio and his heart. Far from his brother's worried expression. Far from it all. 

But he couldn't get more than thirty steps without clutching his chest and collapsing. He could feel the soaked snow seep through his pants and onto his knees, sending chills throughout his body. 

"Whoa, L?" Dimentio asked, standing up and peering from the doorway. "Did you just die?"

Luigi shook his head no, although it certainly felt like he might have. He coughed for a few moments, hoping that the sharp feeling would vanish. It was as if someone had taken an ice pick and plunged it into his chest, puncturing his lungs as well. 

"L," Dimentio said from behind him, and the pain faded slightly. 

Luigi turned his gaze to the former jester, who almost looked worried. 

"What is wrong with you?" Dimentio asked, and Luigi wasn't sure if he was trying to be rude or kind. 

"Nothing," Luigi assured him as the darkness continued to fade. "Don't worry about it, okay?"

"Alright. Don't have to tell me twice," Dimentio shrugged, turning away from him. "I'll be inside. Grambi, I hate snow-"

"Wait," Luigi begged, reaching up to him and grabbing his arm. 

Dimentio winced slightly, which filled Luigi with a brief sense of guilt. He didn't mean to scare him. 

But, the closer Dimentio was, the less the empty space where his heart should have been would hurt. 

"I just... you should come with me," Luigi said. 

"Hmm, nah," Dimentio quickly replied. "I don't like it out here."

"You could," Luigi continued. "Please?"

Dimentio stilled for a second.

"Let me go."

"You hesitated, which means you accept," Luigi chuckled. He let go of the jester and started walking off.

Dimentio silently watched as the man in green turned and started walking into the woods, which were too thick to see very far into, despite half the trees being bare and dry. Clearly, Luigi didn't know how to take "no" for an answer. It was laughable, really. Did he seriously think Dimentio would just follow him blindly?