Three Months

Autumn Leaves

12:01 AM

"Dimentio?" Luigi asked softly, no longer hearing his heartbeat. The man in green sniffled and sat up, looking down at Dimentio, who didn't look quite like he was sleeping. Sleeping people were very clearly alive. Their breathing could be seen and heard. Dimentio... he wasn't sleeping.

He just looked at peace.

Luigi held his breath to hold in a sob, then gently grabbed Dimentio's wrist, using his thumb to check Dimentio's pulse. He grew up learning to never check someone's pulse with his own thumb since he would only end up instead feeling his own heartbeat, but that was the point. He wanted to give Dimentio his heartbeat for a moment before really checking.

The pulse was steady and strong. A pulse that would likely stay that way for many many years. Luigi softly smiled through the tears, then really checked Dimentio's pulse, this time not giving him his heartbeat.

Nothing.

Pure nothingness.

There was no pulse, no heartbeat, no breathing, no life. He was dead. That was the hard truth.

Luigi let the breath he was holding go and immediately wrapped Dimentio in a hug, wishing Dimentio could feel the hug. Wishing Dimentio could still listen to his words. To his cries.

But, no matter how loud he cried, Dimentio would never hear.

He went away too quickly! He was just there a moment ago! How could he already be gone?!

He was just there...

He was just there.

"Please don't go," Luigi whimpered. "I love you. I never got to tell you. Please, please just- just come back so I can tell you."

Polterpup softly whined at Luigi's feet, sitting by his ankles and leaning its head on him, as if the dog was trying to offer comfort to him. Luigi hardly noticed. He was too busy wishing. Wishing he just had three more minutes so he could tell him.

He stayed in that room until the sun rose, not wishing to leave Dimentio's side until the new day came and the sun rose again. For once, he was actually dreading the turning of pages. He was dreading the new beginnings that came with a new day.

Even after Luigi left, Polterpup refused to leave Dimentio's side, curling up next to him and softly whimpering. The ghost dog did occasionally nudge Dimentio as if it was trying to wake him up, but Polterpup knew as well as Luigi did that this was over. This was the end of the story.

When Luigi walked down the stairs, his eyes had dark circles under them and there were tear lines on his face. Mario had woken up on time to make breakfast, as he was doing more and more often. He turned and smiled as soon as he heard Luigi's footsteps, only to frown immediately upon seeing the man in green's heartbroken expression.

"Luigi?" He asked, oblivious as to why his younger brother looked so incredibly devastated.

The man in green looked up at his older brother, then immediately burst into more tears, bringing his hands to his face. Mario immediately turned off the stove and rushed to his brother, wrapping him in a hug and rubbing his back. "Hey, hey, shh.... It's okay, I'm here. What's wrong?" He asked in a gentle, hushed voice.

It has been a long time since he had seen Luigi cry, especially like this.

"Dimentio-" Luigi whispered, breathing heavily as he sobbed, gasping and sputtering for air as he continued crying. "H-he left."

"Oh..." Mario trailed off, pulling back and grabbing Luigi's shoulders, using his right hand to wipe one of Luigi's tears. "Maybe we can find him again someday. Or-"