Third Person POV

Flashback

"Hey, L. I think I'm going to ask Bleck when the food will be here," Dimentio says, starting down the hall. Mr. L thinks about this a moment, then suddenly grabs your arm Dimentio's arm. The jester looks back at him and gives him a somewhat confused glance.

Mr. L keeps the smile on his face but finds it harder to continue smiling like this. He's not supposed to do this. Technically, he doesn't think he's supposed to actually have thoughts. Or feelings for that matter. No one else in this world has thoughts or feelings besides Bleck, and that's because he's the only one in control. But...

He points to the door which leads to the stairs to the roof of the castle.

He has to show him the other door. But in a way where the Alternate Bleck wouldn't become suspicious. He couldn't just bring Dimentio to it, or he'd surely be found out and punished. But maybe if Dimentio just sees the other door, sees the Overthere door, he could figure out that this world was not just designed for him, but a trap for many souls.

"Huh? Oh, you want to go upstairs?" Dimentio asks. Mr. L nods, still holding the jester's arm and leading Dimentio up to the roof. "Alright," Dimentio chuckles.

Once they get to the roof, he lets go. The eyes in the sky glow as the yellow stars glare down at the alternate man in green. But he has to ignore all the eyes on him.

He doesn't quite know what showing Dimentio the door will do. He doesn't know why he's doing this. He was designed to be a part of the trap. To be another reason Dimentio would want to stay. So why is he acting differently? Why does he FEEL things?

He never knew why he could feel things when the others couldn't. And he could never ask anyone since Bleck designed him without his speaking ability. Perhaps he was designed with feelings since he was designed without a voice. It was something Bleck didn't get rid of since Mr. L couldn't talk to express those feelings anyway.

"Is this what you wanted to show me?" Dimentio asks him. He nods, then holds out his hand. He has to get him to the place he can see the door. He needs to show it to him. Once Dimentio takes his hand, he quickly leads him around the top of the roof to a small plank of wood that leans over the edge of the palace. He lets Dimentio go, then quickly walks out onto it. He has to be fast before the Manguer realizes what he's doing. He walks out to the edge of the plank and breathes a sigh of relief when he sees the Overthere door past the garden. It's small, and hard to see unless you look. He turns to face Dimentio, smiles more sincerely now, waving his hand, gesturing for the jester to follow.

Dimentio seems to hesitate, frowning slightly. As if he's afraid of falling.

The alternate Mr. L is envious of that frown. He's envious of Dimentio being able to convey his emotions. Oh, how nice it must be... to be real.

The jester slowly steps out onto the plank, holding out his arms to stay balanced as he walks.

Mr. L can't help but forget everything else at the moment and beam at Dimentio. It's incredibly adorable that he feels the need to hold his arms out. Even if he were to fall, Bleck would surely catch him to keep the image of a perfect world up. He surely wouldn't let 'the king,' get hurt in this place by anything other than himself, or he could risk Dimentio not wanting to come back. No, he wouldn't lay a finger on Dimentio until after the Jester would begin to doubt the sincerity of this world.

A small breeze blows, causing the jester's movement with his feet to become uneven as he tries to counter the wind while walking. He trips and falls forward, a flash of terror covering his face.

Mr. L has that same flash of terror cross through him. He just doesn't show it. He hides it with the smile he's required to wear. He quickly leans forward to catch him. Not to prevent him from falling, per se. But to prevent Bleck from catching him. He didn't want Dimentio falling into the wrong hands.

Dimentio looks back up at Mr. L, a grateful expression in his eyes. Mr. L wears the same smile, before quickly turning Dimentio to face the Overthere door. He points at it.

"Whoa...The garden's beautiful," Dimentio mutters.

Mr. L's heart begins to sink. Dimentio doesn't see the door. Mr. L shakes his head and continues to point at it.

Come on, he thinks. It's right there. Just see it!

"Huh?" Dimentio asks. Mr. L continues pointing for a moment. 

Just see it, he silently pleads. Please, Dimentio. Just see it! 

But he doesn't. He's not looking for it, so of course, he wouldn't see it. Mr. L gives up, knowing that the longer he stays out here the more likely Bleck is going to figure out what he's trying to do and punish him. He grabs Dimentio's hands to lead him back to the normal roof.

"You know, walking out over the edge of the castle on wooden planks like that could be dangerous," Dimentio says. 

Oh, Mr. L thinks. Believe me, that plank is the least dangerous thing about this whole world.

The jester chuckles and looks up at the sky.

"... In the real world, sometimes I'd come up here," he whispers. "Whenever I felt particularly ignored."

Mr. L's yellow eyes soften for a second. It's weird to think of Dimentio being ignored since in this world he's anything but ignored. This world was made for him. As a trap, but still. It's hard to think of him as someone people could ignore.

He lowers his eyes to Mr. L and smiles a voluntary smile, unlike the smile Mr. L wears. "It feels good to tell someone that."

Mr. L feels something, but silently laughs it off and sits down with his feet over the edge of the castle. He's acting as if everything's okay. But by the minute he's getting more and more afraid.

The Jester smiles and sits next to him.

"The L in the real world never listens to me either, so... it's nice to have someone who just... listens."

To this, Mr. L feels a brief chill run down his spine, the mention of there being another Mr. L. He knows he was modeled after the original, but he's never seen or heard of him. It's weird to think of the original Mr. L as someone who doesn't listen when listening is ALL this Mr. L can do.

With everything Dimentio told him about the real Mr. L, he honestly sounds fascinating. Oh, how the alternate Mr. L wished he could trade places.

Actually, he doesn't want that. He doesn't want anyone to be in this position. Alone, trapped, in a fake world. He doesn't think anyone should be alone. Ever.

Of course, he can't say anything, so he just nods.

"Although...You don't have to be completely silent. You can say a few things...if you want."

Mr. L pauses, tensing up at the very mention of speaking. He feels the stars watching him, and the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

No, he thinks. That will never happen because he knows if he lets me talk I'll tell you everything.

"Maybe I can ask Bleck to let you-"

He quickly redirects the Jester's attention to a shooting star, which Bleck surely made appear to distract Dimentio from this topic. If the conversation continues going this way, Bleck would surely get mad. 

Mr. L can feel him listening in. 

He can feel his eyes on him. 

His eyes are always on him. 

He's always listening.

Dimentio gasps as the gold streams across the sky. "Whoa..." 

Mr. L relaxes now that they aren't talking about his inability to talk. Then he looks up again at the yellow spies in the sky, still smiling, but with a somewhat lost look on his eyebrows.

He doesn't know what to do. There's no way to get Dimentio out without risking himself. There's nothing he can do under the radar without raising Bleck's suspicions and putting himself at great risk. 

"... I've enjoyed hanging around you," Dimentio says, interrupting Mr. L's thoughts.

Mr. L looks at Dimentio, still smiling, but a wave of panic in his head. 

"It's nice..." He starts. "It's nice to have a friend."

No, Mr. L thinks. No no no, you need to not get too attached to this place! None of it's real! I'm not real!

Ah, but it hurts to think that. I'm not real... The phrase makes him want to throw up.

He feels his smile falter for a second, but he quickly fixes it, wincing in his mind and hating himself for letting it falter. He just prays that Dimentio or Bleck didn't see it.

Dimentio doesn't seem to see it, as he continues speaking, "A friend who listens. Who I can just tell things to, it's a nice change from what I'm used to."

Mr. L's eyes briefly soften, and a part of him feels different.

And... up here... on the roof... he feels something different.

No, not just on the roof. He's been feeling it the whole time.

Perhaps it's the fact that Dimentio is real. The fact that his smile is genuine, the fact that he makes Mr. L feel things.

But... he has to remind himself that he himself, is not real. He'll never be real.

He can never be with him. No matter how much he wants to be. And Dimentio can't stay here, or he'll be eaten up, left with a fate worse than death.

The Alternate Mr. L can never be anything. He can never have love or happiness. The only happiness he's ever felt was the little time he's spent with Dimentio, but that happiness is tainted with the fact that he is playing a role in what's about to happen to the Jester. He's helping Bleck lead him to his doom.

But, he's tired of not being real. When he's with Dimentio, he almost feels real. He never knew he could be fascinated with the stars until he read that book. The book which was designed for Dimentio. Mr. L wasn't supposed to read it. He'll probably get scolded by Bleck for reading it later. No one here is supposed to do anything besides make sure Dimentio wants to stay.

But, he knows he can't let that happen.

Dimentio slowly grabs his hand, and he tenses up.

No, he thinks, desperately wishing he didn't feel things.

"L?" Dimentio asks. 

Mr. L doesn't respond. He just internally panics.

Don't say it.

Please don't say it.

"Wouldn't it be nice... if I could just stay here with you?"

Mr. L tenses up more so, his smile completely gone. He can't even force it back on his face. He can't look happy. Not when Dimentio wants to stay. Not when Bleck is winning.

Dimentio leans his head on Mr. L's shoulder, completely unaware of how dire this situation is. "If we could have days like today every day?"

Mr. L wants to scream. He wants to say so much. He wants to tell him to get out! To leave and never come back.

Bleck's winning!

He's terrified. He doesn't want the one person who's real, the one person who could make him feel things, to be hurt. 

Dimentio looks up at him and sees his smile is gone. The jester immediately frowns. "L, what's wrong?" He asks. 

And Mr. L realizes that he's screwed up. 

If Dimentio saw it, then Bleck surely did too. He immediately covers the frown with a smile and shakes his hands out in front of him, trying to convince Bleck that nothing's wrong.

Not trying to convince Dimentio. Trying to Convince Bleck, who surely saw the frown through the eyes in the sky.

"Oh," Dimentio says, letting go with a heartbroken tone "I see."

Mr. L feels his heart shatter but continues to smile and shakes his head. No! He wants to say. That's not it! I'd love to spend every day with you. I'd love it more than anything! You just can't stay here! Please! He'll... he'll

"No, no. It's okay..." Dimentio says, looking away and resting his elbows on his knees. "I get it. It was foolish of me to believe that I could have everything."

Mr. L feels his heart drop, and the smile fades again. This time, he doesn't even notice it's gone. He doesn't notice the stars staring at him. 

"I guess even a perfect world has its flaws. I can't have everything,"

I have to tell him, Mr. L tells himself. I have to force the words out. 

He grabs Dimenio's shoulder, forcing him to look at him.

He quickly looks back behind him to make sure Bleck wasn't there yet. Although he was probably on his way, no doubt. He looks up at the sky, sees the yellow stars spying down on him, and winces. He pauses, debating the consequences, before shaking his head and turning back to Dimentio.

Then, he opens his mouth as if to talk, when the door suddenly swings open.

He winces and let's go. Bleck is standing in the doorway. "My King, dinner is ready."

Oh no...

Dimentio looks over at Bleck nods, not sparing L another glance. Then he gets up and leaves. Nastasia is waiting inside. She leads him to the table.

Mr. L is terrified. The smile is gone. He can't force it back.

No, he won't force it back.

Bleck stays behind for a moment.

He smiles and points to his own face, indicating for L to smile.

Mr. L shakes his head.

No. You can't make me, Mr. L wants to say.

No, you can't control me, is how Bleck takes it.

Bleck's smile fades and turned into an icy, deadly glare. 

"Smile, Mr. L," He says coldly. "You're never fully dressed without one."

Then he turns and leaves. Mr. L is left alone out on the roof, still refusing to smile. Once Bleck is gone, he looks up at the sky, all the stars glowing in unison.

These stars are nothing like the stars he read about in that book. The book which had details of the real world gathered from the eyes on the wall and the little dolls. They gathered that information from each victim, seeing deep into their very core. They could find things out about a person that even that person didn't know. It was horrifying.

He desperately wished that someday he could see the real stars. Dimentio must have seen them before. He wished he could ask him about them someday.

But of course, he can't ask anyone anything, and it's unlikely he'll ever get the chance to anyway.

______

Mr. L can't talk to him. He can't warn him. He can't do anything!

But he needs to do something. They're going to offer Dimentio this world, and if he says yes, then it's over. 

Mr. L can tell that Bleck is becoming more and more hungry, and his patience is wearing thin. He can feel it. The weaker Bleck is from hunger, the less control over this illusion he has.

And once Dimentio figures out what's going on, he certainly won't be able to leave.

A part of the alternate Mr. L doesn't even know why he cares. Helping Dimentio escape would only doom him. Frowning and trying to point the door out would only doom himself. Why does he want to help?

The answer? Because when he's with Dimentio, he feels real. 

Then why are you sending him away? Don't you want to keep feeling these things?!  One voice in his head asks him. 

Because... if he stays here with me, he'll lose everything that makes him real. He'll lose everything. He wants to reply.

It still hurts. He wishes he couldn't feel things like Mimi and O'Chunks. It would make everything so much easier. So much less painful. He's not sure if Nastasia can feel things or not, but he's guessing that it's a no. And he knows all Bleck feels is hunger. 

Hunger, and rage.

And that hunger for another soul was growing by the minute.

He couldn't let Dimentio be the next victim.

Mr. L quickly ran to his room. Since it wasn't designed for Dimentio to see, all it was was an empty room with a desk. Inside the desk was a small piece of paper and a pencil. Exactly what he needed. 

This is his only chance to speak. He has so many things he needs to say. He can't throw away his one shot at speaking.

Dimentio, he writes in scribbly, rushed handwriting. Ah, a flaw.

Listen carefully. This world, this place, none of it's real. Nothing at all. It's all a trap. Made by the Manguer, or as he's calling himself, Bleck. You have to get out of here. Leave, and never come back! Please!
You may ask why I'm telling you this? To answer, I don't know. I know that the Manguer will surely hurt me if he finds out I told you, but I don't care. You need to leave. Take the key, and get out. Never let anyone return. Never come back.
And about what you said on the roof, I want you to know that there's nothing I want more than to spend every day with you. I want to see the stars with you, I want to laugh and talk with you, I want to listen with you, I want to be real with you.
But, I'm not.
Even if I feel things, I'm not real. It kills me that I'm not real, because these feelings I feel, they feel real. But, I'm not. No matter how real I feel, nothing can change that.
Please never come back. As much as it hurts me to know I'll never see you again, you can't return. He'll devour you until nothing is left. I can't let that happen. Not to you. Not to anyone. He'll leave you hollow and alone, and no one deserves to be alone. You've made me feel things I was never meant to feel. I can't let the person who gave me a glimpse of what being real was like become trapped in a false world forever.
I can't give my fate to you. So please, go.
There's so much I want to say to you, but I don't have the time. He's-

Suddenly, a firm hand grabbed at Mr. L's wrist. Mr. L dropped the pencil he was using and quickly grabbed the paper, holding it tightly behind his back.

"Mr. L," The Manguer's voice says. Mr. L gulps and begins to tremble. 

He slowly turns around to face Bleck, seeing a needle and thread in Bleck's other hand.

"You've disappointed me," Bleck says, letting go of Mr. L's arm. The door to the room shuts and locks magically. Mr. L takes a nervous step back, stuffing the note in his back pocket. Bleck pulls out the strings and threads the needle. 

"Where's your smile, Mr. L?"

The alternate man in green takes more steps back until his back is to the wall. Bleck walks closer to him, a beam of light shining from the sharp point of the needle. "Were you trying to... help him, perhaps?"

Mr. L quickly shakes his head, a terrified expression on his face.

"Were you trying to... save him?"

He began to nervously sweat and Bleck leaned in close.

"Why though? You've always known what we were planning on doing to him...."

Mr. L winces.

"Oh," Bleck laughs, his voice smooth and cold. "You didn't... fall in love with him, did you?"

Mr. L trembles, terrified. His lip begins to quiver as a stream of light beams off the tip of the sharp needle.

"Oh, Mr. L, Mr. L, Mr. L... I knew giving you feelings was a mistake. Even without words, you've managed to mess things up."

He quickly grabbed Mr. L's throat and held him against the wall as Mr. L winced in pain.

"A perk of letting you feel things, though... you'll get to feel every moment of this, and remember what happens when you slip up. Now, smile at me." Bleck said with amusement in his voice.

Then, he inserted the needle into the corner of the man in green's mouth, pushing it through his cheek. The man in green opened his mouth to scream, only for no words to come out. Tears immediately streamed out of his fake yellow gem eyes, as he desperately squirmed.

He really tried screaming for help, but no words would come. It was silent.

Bleck started on the right side of Mr. L's face, sewing the corner of his mouth up as Mr. L silently screamed and cried. Once it was secure, he tied it up in a knot and started on the other side. And Mr. L was helpless to stop him. No one could hear him. No one could come to save him. He couldn't stop this.

And he felt every minute of it. He felt the needle rip through his skin, pulling his face up to a permanent, horrifying smile. And all he could do was silently scream.

By the time the horror had finally ended, Bleck stepped back and held up a small hand mirror in front of Mr. L. "There, that's better!" He said with a smile, handing the mirror to Mr. L.

Bleck coldly laughed, then walked out. "Think next time, before you dare disobey. Because, I can promise you, next time I won't be nearly as gentle."

Once he was gone, Mr. L took a moment to look down at his reflection. He immediately winced and dropped the mirror, causing it to shatter.

He didn't have that beautiful, perfect, dreamy smile anymore. He looked horrifying.

He shook his head, still shaking violently, then collapsed to his knees and sobbed alone in the dark. 

It hurt. It really hurt.

And if Dimentio saw him now, he'd be horrified.

He cried and saw alone for some time. He couldn't go back out there. Not like this. And what could he do? If he helped Dimentio, Bleck would...

He raised his hand to his throat and shivered.

No, he couldn't do anything but wait here in the dark, where no one could see him. He'd never see Dimentio again. He couldn't handle whatever punishment Bleck had next.

And... he couldn't let Dimentio see him like this. The one real thing he's ever known would be terrified of him.

But... when he heard Dimentio's desperate cries for help... 

"OW! What are you doing?! Unhand me!!!" Dimentio's voice echoes through the palace, causing Mr. L to perk up. Still alone in his room, he quickly scrambled to his shut door and pressed his ear to it, tear lines streaking his face.

"Please! Stop! Y-you're hurting me!" 

Mr. L winces as he hears the sound of someone being dragged, and feels his heart begin to race. No, he wants to cry. NO NO NO! IT CAN'T ALREADY BE HAPPENING!

"HELP!" Dimentio's voice cries, getting further and further away. "PLEASE! ANYONE! HELP!"

Mr. L shakes more, clenching his fists. I CAN'T, he wants to scream. JUST GET OUT! PLEASE!

He lowers his head defeat as Dimentio's screams get further and further away.

Then, he says it.

"L!!! L, HELP ME! PLEASE! L!!!!!"

Mr. L looks up and stops shaking.

"Shut up," Bleck says. "Your cries are useless. He won't come for you."

Oh, Mr. L thinks, whipping his tears. That's where you're wrong.

He looks around his room, and eyes a small paper bag. He takes a deep breath, then quickly rushes to it and puts it over his face so Dimentio wouldn't have to see.

He's getting him out of there, no matter the cost. No matter what happens to him.