23 Bandages - Raph & Donnie (Tmnt 2012)
Donnie threw his head back in his lab chair. Taking a single moment of the night to himself. He loved his work, loved making his brother’s happy with it, but shell if it isn’t exhausting. Without looking he grabbed his mug of sacred bean brew only to whisper a curse as the mug turned out to be entirely empty.
He trudged to the kitchen as he silently calculated the most silent way to brew more of the magical caffeinated beverage. He had learned his lesson long ago when splinter had awoken in the middle of the night to scold him for his habits.
He fought a groan as he heard footsteps increasing in sound coming in his direction. Splinter would move without a sound and both Mikey and Leo were early risers sure, but never this early. That would mean…
“Hey don if you’re making some can ya make extra for me?” Raph whispered as he slumped over the counter, lifting one leg as he did so.
Donnie eyed him with suspicion. “So what did you and Casey smash today.” He spoke not even bothering to face him as he fixated on the soothing whirr of the machinery.
“Nothing that interesting, just a couple thugs robbing a lady. So what’s keeping ya up this time D?” Raph replied rubbing his neck with the arm not laid on the counter. Donnie almost wanted to roll his eyes. Typical big brother Raph to hide his injuries but put his snout in everyone else’s habits and health.
He had long since noticed Raph’s habit of both deflecting and rubbing his neck when he was concealing information he knew he shouldn’t. Usually to avoid ending up in his lab.
“Well it WAS an experimental speech infuser for Timothy. But now it looks like it’s gonna be whatever the shell you’ve done to your leg.” He said without a beat as he caught the red-banded turtle looking almost embarrassed at being caught.
Moments later Donnie grabbed the first aid kit with his thirty-fourth sigh of the night. “You got off lucky, but it will need to be bandaged.” Raph nodded allowing the medic turtle to work in silence for a while. “Hey D, you know you don’t have to be up working EVERY night. New York won’t burn if you take a break.” He finished as Donnie bit back a sarcastic remark.
“Maybe not Raph but then who will be there to do this? Or take care of any other emergency.” Donnie mumbled as endless crisis scenarios flooded his genius mind. He was taken out of these thoughts by his brother’s emerald eyes piercing into his hazelnut ones.
“Do ya trust me Don?”
“With yourself no. But other than that of course!” Donnie replied taken aback at the sudden topic change
“Then how about this. One day a week you sleep early and I’ll stay in. I’ll keep watch and if anything happens I’ll wake ya up. Deal.”
“Y-you’d do that for me? You sure you didn’t get hit with any weird chemicals?” Donnie asked raising an invisible eyebrow at the elder turtle.
“Well as long as you tell nobody, otherwise I’m dragging you topside just to beat the green off ya!”
“Okay so that’s a no then. Deal. Thanks Raph.” Raph just nodded at the thanks as he looked to his now bandaged leg as he patted the younger on his shell softly.
“No Donnie. Thank you.”