16. Raph and Donnie
‘C'mon, look at me! Don’t close youreyes, okay?’
“Raph!Watch out!” Without hesitation, Donnie ran forward to him and shoved him out ofthe way. A bang followed, then silence.
After that it was blurs,red and green blurs jumbled, and he closed his eyes to get rid of thedizziness. A hand, a pair of them, lifted him up to be sitting—againstsomething, concrete? The strong pair of hands released, and Donnie was havingtrouble focusing on the world. Focusing on his own thoughts was becoming hard.
His chest hurt, andweakly, eyes still close, he pressed his finger on it. It was sticky, thickliquid, and when he opens his eyes, it was red. It didn’t register to him, nor thefact there was fighting, somewhere around him.
His head was becomingheavy like lead, and head slacked to his shoulder.
“Donnie?” Don’s ears were ringing, and someone put something on his chest andapplied pressure.
All Donnie couldrespond was a hiss.
Raph, heart deafening hisears, stomach twisting and sweat beading, became frantic. “C’mon, look at me!”He didn’t mean to yell, it came out of no where. He shouldn’t be yelling, buthis brother—
Donnie opened his eyes, glazedwith pain and exhaustion, but it was good enough for Raph. “Don’t close youreyes, okay?” He said more softly, the brown eyes hazily looking at him then tohis chest. Blood dribbling down his chin, but Raph wiped it away.
“Stay awake,Donnie, okay? Just stay with me, bro.” He pressed his forehead against Donnie,his words drowning to a breath.
“Wha’ happs?” Donnie’swords were slur and inconsistent, but Raph understood.
“You’ve been shot,c’mon, I’m gonna carry you home!” Donnie shook his head, head sagging down onceagain, eyes closing, but Raph held his chin up.
“Stay awake,Donnie.” Raph repeated and his hand grabbed Donnie’s and made the pale handpress against the wound. “I need you to hold your wound so I can get you home.”
The weak, slurred responseof “’kay,“ was all that Raph needed, and then spun around, he grabbedDonnie’s unoccupied hand and positioned it over his shoulder, then he grasped bothhis legs and lifted him up on his shell.
Donnie stayed quietas Raph adjusted his legs and arms around. Donnie laid his head on his shoulderas he felt Raph ran.
“’Anks Raphhh,”Donnie’s words hung, his hand squeezing Raph’s arm tenderly.
“No need to thankme bro, you saved my life.” Raph told him, “And I’m just returning thefavor.”