"A mass?" Luigi asks, finally pulling away from Mario. "You mean like a brain tumor?"
"I mean there's something inside your brain." The doctor says. "But I'd bet anything it's what caused your headaches, dizzy spell, and fainting."
Luigi looks at Mario, who looks just as freaked out as he is, then sits back down on his hospital bed.
"Am I gonna die?" Luigi asks softly.
"No." The nurse says quickly. "We can't say that for certain yet. All we know is something is there. But we have no reason to believe it can't be removed."
"I know this isn't what you were hoping to hear." The doctor says apologetically. "But please, whatever you do, please don't spiral. From what we saw on the MRI, it's not very big. Which means it's probably not malignant."
"So you can get it out of him?" Mario speaks up then, a hardness to his voice that wasn't there before.
"There would be many risks involved attempting it." The doctor warns. "Especially given exactly where it is. But I promise you, the biopsy is next, and we'll get on it the first chance we get."
"Good." Mario's voice is still hard as he sits next to Luigi.
"I know you want to know more." The nurse says.
"Let's start with this one," Luigi says. "You're sure this isn't going to kill me?"
"Again, I can't promise that while we don't know what exactly it is." The nurse replies.
"Just tell me if I can take him home." Mario says tiredly.
"Of course." The doctor nods. "But I hope this goes without saying: no go-kart driving, and no physical labor. And if anything gets worse, you call us."
"Trust me, I'll know before he does." Mario swears.
After the doctor and nurse leave, Mario turns to look at Luigi, but Luigi knows his brother too well.
"Please don't look at me like that." Luigi begs.
Mario doesn't say a word, just grabs him in a hug, and squeezes him tight.
"Doc never said I couldn't drink anything stronger, did he?" Luigi wonders as Mario hands him a mug.
"No. Why, did you want some?" Mario offers.
"Please." Luigi hands his mug back, so Mario goes to their fridge to spike his coffee.
He sighs, "I'm still in shock. Right when we got rid of Wario and Bowser in one fell swoop, we were finally back where we're supposed to be."
"Hey." Mario finally replies, coming back with the coffee, now with Irish cream. "I know, okay? But we can't act like it's already a done deal."
"Oh the irony. I finally have a love and appreciation for my life like I never have before, and it's right when I'm dying." Luigi says. "Did you know I started making a bucket list? All the places we always said we'd go. All the stupid touristy stuff in Brooklyn, because it's right there. Fly out to Italy, eat Italian cuisine the way it's meant to be eaten."
"We're still going to. All of it." Mario promises.
"But we don't know that anymore, do we?" Luigi says.
"Stop it." Mario reaches up a hand, but instead of the light slap he's expecting, Mario cups his face. "Even if the doctor is stupid enough to say you're dying, you're not dying. You cannot tell me somewhere in this amazing fantastical world full of galaxies and wish granting stars we moved to, there is not some sort of cure that will fix whatever this is."
He pushes their foreheads together. "You're stronger than I could ever hope to be. If anyone can stare this fucker down and win, it's you. You understand me?"
When he sees Luigi refusing to meet his eyes, Mario cups his face with both hands. "I mean it. What do I always say? Nothing can hurt us..."
"As long as we're together." Luigi whispers, closing his eyes for a moment before opening them and squeezing Mario's hands. "Ti amo fratello maggiore."
"Ti amo così tanto, bambino fratello." Mario replies.
This time Luigi hugs him first, burying his face into Mario's shoulder as Mario holds him.
"Weegee?" Mario asks in alarm as he realizes Luigi's crying, pulling back to try and look at him.
Luigi doesn't say anything, just hugs him tighter, still crying.
"Sh, sh, it's okay." Mario rubs his back. "I got you."
"Please eat something." Peach begs Mario and Luigi the next time she invites them over for lunch.
"No, I can't." Luigi pushes his plate away.
"I know the biopsy has you scared out of your mind, but please eat something. Anything." Peach insists. "And Mario, you throwing worried looks behind his back isn't helping anything either."
"Luigi is about to go into surgery." Mimi announces when next she sees Nastasia.
"He what?" This might be the first time Nastasia looks shocked. "What's wrong with him?"
Mimi shakes her head. "Guess we'll find out once it's over."
"When what's over?" Nastasia screeches. "Why am I only finding out about this now?"
"It's a biopsy." Mimi says. "Apparently a scan found something inside his brain."
Nastasia lets that sink in for a moment, then suddenly, she gasps, "Oh no...", and teleports away.
"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Nastasia demands of them, startling Mario, Luigi and Peach.
"I didn't want to scare anyone until there was something to be scared about." Luigi replies, unaware of the glare Mario's giving her.
"Sorry!" Mimi calls out once she teleports into view. "I thought you told her."
"No worries." Luigi even smiles, but Nastasia isn't having it.
"Big worry, actually!" She snaps. "First I had to find out secondhand you'd fainted, and now you don't tell me you're getting a biopsy for something in your brain? Are you okay?"
"I'll be more than okay when everyone stops babying me." Luigi replies. "And sorry to make that the last thing I say to you, but I actually need to get going."
"Fine." Nastasia says. "We're all coming with you."
"Absolutely not." Mario says, standing up. "Even if it wasn't just a biopsy, you think I'll ever trust you to be within 5 feet of my brother again after what you did to us?"
He nods at Luigi. "Let's get going."
Luigi nods. "Yes, let's. Mimi?"
"You don't trust me, but you'll trust her?" Nastasia demands.
"I have to go back for a follow up." Mimi explains.
"Please, just let me help." Nastasia begs.
"I don't need it." Luigi says. "I'm in good hands. And I'll let you know once we know anything, okay? Please don't make this more stressful than it already is."
Then he and Mario leave, with Mimi following.
YOU ARE READING
At Least Your Brother's Not Gonna Die Because of You!
FanfictionThis 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.
