"You're pissed." The statement from Luigi isn't needed, it's written all over Mario's face.
"Is it a crime to want you out of here?" Mario snaps, wincing then backpedaling. "I'm sorry, I just wanted us to finally go home not under house arrest."
"And I don't?" Luigi says. "Look, the doc said this whole high white blood cell count thing could all just be stress related. And now that Wario and Bowser are gone, there's every reason to think whatever stress we were both under is going to be as good as gone. Sorry to spoil whatever plans you had."
Then he asks, mostly joking, "So what's the plan now that your business is approaching its anniversary?"
"Oh you know." Mario plays along. "Thought I'd look around, see if any viable candidates for the job position that just opened up. Unfortunately not everyone is up to the task of living up to the Super Mario Brothers name or working with an ex-criminal."
"Aww, I'm sorry." Luigi teases, both knowing he's not sorry at all. "Hey, I'm an ex-criminal too, and I'm a Mario brother! Can I toss my cap into the ring?"
"You sure? The job's got a lot of responsibility." Mario warns.
"I've got responsibility in spades." Luigi says dryly. "How about I show, don't tell?"
Mario pulls him into a hug. "You're hired and promoted, effective immediately."
Luigi hugs him back, laughing.
"They're still running tests." Mimi tells Nastasia. "But there's no cause for alarm this time."
"How does Luigi feel?" Nastasia asks.
"Really annoyed and desperate to go home with his brother." Mimi says, laughing.
"Off these go." The doctor orders as Luigi stands up in his hospital gown. "You can't wear any metal during an MRI."
"What metal?" Mario asks in confusion, watching in confusion as Luigi reaches up and pulls some small earring studs out of his earlobes.
"Okay, I am definitely going to be asking about these later." Mario holds out his hand. "But I'll hang onto them until you're done, okay?"
"Can you do me a favor?" Luigi grabs Mario's shoulders and pulls him in for a hug, "What with my new job and promotion, doesn't seem fair to give other candidates false hope."
"There's the snark I've been missing." Mario smiles, pulling back to push their foreheads together once, then lets him go as the doctor wheels him away in a wheelchair.
After he disappears, Mario looks down at the earring studs, "Was he wearing these the whole time?"
YOU ARE READING
At Least Your Brother's Not Gonna Die Because of You!
FanfictionSequel to We've Never Been Apart This Long This is it. No tricks, no getting out of it. It's not the way Luigi ever thought he would die, but he doesn't regret the life he's lived. If only Mario could see it that way.
