i_speak_softly | Twenty-fourth Theory [Action/Accidental Voice]

[Derek told him you weren't doing too good, bro. Raph's just not sure what that entails. He hasn't been home in over a week, and he's been too wrapped up in fearing everyone hates him to come back just yet. Still, he's obscenely worried.]

Don?

Ah-ooooaaahhhh...

[Translation: Is it really necessary for you to be making any kind of noise right now?]

[Yeah, it's time to cut the crap. Raph's coming home, now.]

Hang tight, bro. I'm comin'.

[Journal, how do you always manage to be open when you should be closed? Don fumbles weakly for the book, but can't seem to find it.]

[Within ten minute's time, Raph wanders into the living room, looking cagey and nervous. He'll duck into Don's room before he risks running into anyone else.]

[Derek's pretty much left Donnie to himself, but after his short talk with Raph (http://derek-bliss.livejournal.com/345714.html?thread=3295090#t3295090) He'll interrupt Don's rest just enough to pass the word on. He'll knock as gently as he can before sticking his head in.]

Raphael asked me to ask you to contact him, all right?

Wh- who? Anthony...

[Derek keeps his voice low, just above a whisper, and does his best to block the light from the hallway with his body.]

Yeah, it's me...or 'Derek'...which ever way.

Can you guys take ibuprofen, or will that just make you sick?

[Don buries his face in the pillow. His voice is muffled.]

I - don't know...

All right. We'll hold off on that, then.

Want a cold cloth for your head?

Nnnn...

[Translation: Whatever you want, whoever you are.]

[Derek will take that as a 'yes', and disappear out of the room for several moments. When he comes back, it's with several wash cloths, a bowl of ice water, and two buckets--one for the washclothes after use, and the other just in case...yeah. Just in case.

Within a few moments, he's back, carefully pressing the first of the cool damp clothes to Donnie's forhead.]

[The door swings open silently, the light from the hallway pouring into the room. He thinks he's made it home free until he sees Derek sitting there by the edge of Don's bed.

Okay. Deep breath, man up, and get this over with.]

Hey.

[Derek pauses; he's not exactly a-okay with the past week either, but he doesn't feel any animosity towards anyone. He'll nod and smile slightly' a ghost of the friendly teen from last week.]

Hey, man. [He's not talking much above a whisper to spare Don's head, but he'll gesture for Raph to come on in.]

...Doing okay?

Yeah. [He walks closer, footsteps completely silent.] Fine.

[Raph frowns down at his brother, brushing his cheek with the back of his hand. He's cold, and that only heightens his worry.]

He's freezin'. [He'll snatch the cold cloth off Donnie's head, shoving it at Derek with an accusing glare.] You're gonna make him go in torpor like that. Jeez!

[Derek will just hold up a hand, not looking too upset even when he's glared at.]

Sorry, didn't know. That's why I called you home, though. He's not doing too good, and I don't know what to do for him. Glad you got here before I really screwed up.

It's fine. [Raph is...just a little crabby, and very, very stressed out. He can't keep the snap out of his voice.] Forget about it. I'll take it from here.

[Derek will nod.]

All right then.

[He'll head for the door, pause at the frame.] Glad you're home. [And then he's out of the room.]

[Once the door is closed, Raph rounds Don's bed to take Derek's place, resting a hand on his shoulder. With a sigh, he shakes his head.]

Sorry.

[Don rolls onto his side and curls into the smallest ball a turtle can get into. No offense to you, other turtle. He just feels like crap.]

[Raph starts absent-mindedly tracing circles along his brother's shell. It's weird that just a couple weeks ago they were in the opposite situation.]

You need anything?

[... Okay. Focus. Gather energy. Turn head. Open eye.]

[He looks at you for a long moment, his gaze travelling over your face and then up and down your body.]

Who... are you?

[Okay, what the hell!? He has to force the words out through gritted teeth to keep himself from screaming.]

It's Raph...Y'know, your brother?

R- Raph?

[He rolls over slowly, and reaches a shaking hand towards your chest.] Your - mark.

[Raph catches his brother's wrist and holds it. He has no idea what Don's talking about.]

Hey, take it easy. Relax, okay?

[How can he relax when he doesn't know which you you are?]

[He doesn't have the strength to break out of your grasp, but his finger traces a little X in the air.]

R- Rocky.

[His gaze falls to your belt, and he spends a moment studying your sai.]

Raph.

[His eyes flick back up, searching your face in a silent plea for help.]

[He swallows hard, still holding onto his brother's wrist, lines of worry etching deeper into his expression.]

Yeah, Raph.

[Don sinks back into the pillow. He needs a minute to absorb this.]

Who - are we?

[Raph lets go of his wrist, letting it down gently.]

That's...that's a damn good question.

[He brushes his hand against his brother's cheek.]

You'll figure it out. Ya always do.

[He's really struggling with this one. How does he know which set of memories is true, and which is a lie? His life in the zoo seems more plausible, but the feelings associated with his life as a ninja are more intense.]

My - name?

[Fuck this, man 8|] It's Don. Donatello. You know that, right? Remember?

[Don. But of course Raph would say Don. It's not enough proof.]

[And maybe you're not even here. Maybe you're part of the migraine hallucinations. He needs something solid.]

My - bo. [It almost sounds like a question.]

Is sittin' right there. [He points to a far corner of the room.]

[His hand flops against the blanket. He can't reach that far. Help?]

[What the heck would Don want with his bo now? Eh, whatever. Raph rounds the bed and goes to get it for him, holding it within reach.]

Whaddya want it for?

[Don reaches out for the bo. His fingers walk across the worn wood, then close around it. Its weight rests in his hand. It feels... familiar.]

This... is mine.

Yeah...

[He draws the bo into the bed with him. This requires more thought than he's able to give it right now.]

Raph, my head... [Not exactly a request this time.]

[Okay, that's weird, but whatever. Raph sits on the bed and tries not to jostle Don too much.]

Hurts, huh?

Yeah... The... [He fumbles around ineffectually. Those drugs Derek mentioned are sounding really good right now. If only he could remember what they were called.] Red pill?

[Raph completely misunderstands.]

You ain't gettin' none of those. I don't think you hurt that much.

[Though his painkillers were brown, not red...]

[Really, Raph? He can't have a mild painkiller? He'll just have to suffer silently, then.]

[... Well, maybe not quite silently. Little moans escape him as the vise tightens, and sudden starbursts erupt behind his eyelids.]

[He flinches at that moan. He really hates seeing him like this.]

Okay, hang on. Maybe Derek's got somethin' for ya.

[He'll wander out of the room, headed for the bathroom to rummage through the medicine cabinet.]

[Derek's been sitting on the couch, inspecting the weapons in his surfboard, leaving the guys to do what they needed to do. He'll look up though when he hears Raphael.]

...Need something?

[Raph's voice echoes out of the open bathroom door over the clattering.] Somethin' for his head.

...if he can take it, there's Ibuprofen on the top shelf. Didn't want to give it to him myself, in case it was poisonous to you guys.

[He grabs one of the bottles and turns it over to read the label.] That like aspirin?

It's like aspirin, but not aspirin. It's usually subbed when you can't take aspirin. It should be a blue and white bottle, brown pills inside.

Ha! [Thanks man, that's all he needed to know. He heads out of the bathroom with the bottle in hand, giving it a shake for Derek to see as he passes by.] Got it.

[Derek will look at the presented bottle and nod; yep, that's the right one.]

..You gonna need anything else?

Water. [He heads for the kitchen to grab a glass. Thanks for reminding him.]

[Derek will just nod again at that point, turning his attention back to the weapons.]

[Raph reemerges from the kitchen with a full glass of water and the pills, heading for Don's room. He opens the door with his hip.]

Got you some meds, Don-boy.

[For drugs, he will excuse the nickname. Give them.]

Can ya sit?

[Sit? But that requires finding up.]

[He manages to prop himself on his elbow. After a moment, he feels steady enough that he can free one hand to take the pills.]

[He drops the pills in Don's hand. Once those find his mouth he'll offer the glass of water.]

[Drinking that water slowly. Once the glass is safely back in Raph's hand, Don lowers himself to the pillow. If he can just hold out another twenty minutes, he might start to feel better.]

[He puts the glass back on the nightstand and takes a seat on the bed again, this time hunched over and staring at the floor.]

[Don, for his part, will close his eyes and try to take something like a nap. It gets easier as the minutes tick by. Sooner or later, he must fall asleep, because in half an hour he wakes up again.]

[Oh, hey. Someone is sitting on his bed.]

... Raph?

[Raph turns and peers at Don over his shoulder.]

[He rubs his forehead, trying to massage away the lingering pressure.]

Was - was there another experiment?

Yeah. There was. A really messed up one.

[Sitting up is so much easier than it was earlier.]

I think... something strange happened to me.

Then you'd be thinkin' right.

You were goin' off like you were some pet at a zoo.

[Frown. He needs another minute to sort through his memories.]

How did you know that?

I...just did.

[He looks down into his lap.]

It felt so real. I - [He fingers his bo, mentally walks through the different grips and stances.] It still feels real. But this feels real too.

Yeah. I know. [He looks incredibly morose at the idea, and he has to bite back a shudder.] It's like...two people livin' in your head.

Ugh. Tell me about it.

If it was an experiment, it must have affected other people... [There's a vague invitation there.]

Feelin' better?

[Evading like a boss.]

[He considers this.] It still feels like a two-inch peg is trying to fit through a one-inch hole, and I'm not entirely sure what I've been doing for the past sixteen years. But spontaneous cranial combustion is seeming less likely, so... yes. Better.

[He smiles a little at that, but it's gone as fast as it came.]

Good to know.

[Your shoulder seems like a good place for his forehead. He'll mumble to your elbow:] Tell me something we did together.

[He rest his cheek against Don's head, voice low, grateful for the contact. It's been a long, lonely, and confusing week.]

Like what?

I don't know. Something you remember.

Okay...Hm.

Remember how we usta play pirate by that old sewer junction? You built that boat...Terrapin Terror. Heh.

[It takes him longer to search through his memories than it used to, but he finds the right one eventually.]

I - I think I remember.

Yeah, then we'd get in all sorts of trouble drivin' it past where Splinter'd let us go.

[... Splinter?]

[Splinter.]

He - [Never mind that sentence. Starting another.] Chalk lines. We weren't supposed to cross them. [A small, creeping smile.] Sometimes we did anyway.

Yep. [Raph's smile turns into a grin.] Usually my idea, but you guys'd follow anyways. Or I'd make ya follow.

[Nod. Hesitant at first, then more confident.] And sometimes your ideas didn't work out very well. But it was always okay in the end.

Unless Splinter caught us.

But he didn't... [Or maybe he did.] I don't know what I'm talking about.

[Raph pulls away to glance at the top of Don's head.]

Head's really mixed up, huh?

They're - they're both saying they're right. That they're true, and that they should be true. It's... confusing.

Yeah, I know the feeling.

Will you tell me yours? I don't remember seeing you last week. [If subtle invitations don't work, try the direct approach.]

No.

... Oh.

I - I'm sorry about mine. If it upset you.

No, it's fine. It's over anyways.

If it makes a difference... you were still yourself in that world.

Huh?

[You heard him.] Still the one most likely to cross lines.

[No, he doesn't get it.] What're you talkin' about now?

[Come on, Raph. Follow the train of thought.] My - [Taps his head. Very gently.] The other one.

What?

Wait a minute. You sayin' your thing had all of us livin' in zoos?

Yes, of - [Oh. Wait. Maybe that's not a good thing.]

At least they never split us up?

[It takes him a while to respond, but even then it's a disappointing answer.]

I don't like it.

I'm trying not to like it but - the other one doesn't know what I'm complaining about.

Don, you're startin' to sound...what is it? Schizophrenic. It's gettin' kinda freaky.

[Frustrated.] Raph, he's in here! I'm repressing him, but only because he's weak... He's poking around through my memories and telling me how sorry he is.

[Raph's frown deepens, a hard and cold expression of forced detachment. You can practically see the iron walls falling down around him. Coping mechanisms. They're wonderfully frustrating things.]

[What Don wouldn't give for Raph's walls right now.]

[On second thought, walls are exactly what he doesn't want. He throws the blanket off, slaps his feet on the floor, and lurches towards the door. Balance isn't exactly happening, but he just needs to make it out of this house.]

I - need to - take a walk...

[Raph's up and chasing after him in half a heart beat's time, reaching out to grab his shoulder and anchor him in place.]

Whoa, whoa. You sure you should be walkin' around? You were pretty sick this mornin'.

[Don twists out of Raph's grasp, and stumbles towards the front of the house.]

Come with me, then.

All right, fine. Just don't push it.

[He follows Don out the door, trying not to fret. Fretting isn't his thing, and it's so not good for his blood pressure.]

[Here goes Don, weaving his way out of the house with fairly impressive speed. Once outside, he turns right, heading off the path and into the woods. With every step, he mumbles:] Shut up.

Donnie! [Raph takes off after him, but can't quite catch up. He's still not up to his full strength after losing his wing, and even before then he's always been the slowest.

The best he can do is grumble between breaths and try to keep up.] Dammit, Don.

Edited 2010-08-25 00:00 (UTC)

[Don stops short, then looks over his shoulder, staring at you with a strange gaze.] No! He's mine!

[BRB, taking off again.]

[Holy shell, his brother's gone mental.]

Donatello! Get your ass back here!

[He's done playing this game 8|]

Now!

Stay away from me!

[Glance upwards - but no, tree climbing is not going to happen today. Swift lurching it is.]

[Okay, that's it. Raph pushes himself into a sprint that is fueled on pure brotherly protective fury. He doesn't know what the hell is going on, but it's making him sick to see Don acting like this.

He'll tackle his ass to the ground if he has to. This has got to end.]

[Yeah, that's not going to be difficult. Don's head bounces off the dirt and he sees stars.]

No! Let me go!

[Raph pins him to the ground and glowers down at him, talking through his teeth.]

What the hell is your problem?

I have to - have to -

[Forget words. Hyperventilating is a good answer, right?]

[Raph's vision blurs at the edges, muscles tense, and breath hisses through gritted teeth.

Then there's a sharp sound, his palm tingles distantly. Then he blinks and it all floods in with a rush of light and noise. He'd just smacked Don across the face. Hard.]

[Don chokes, coughs, gasps. A breath rattles down his throat, and he glares at something behind Raph's shoulder.]

Not - again. Not - yours.

[His grip tightens around Don's shoulders.] Knock it off!

[Don's muscles bunch under Raph's grip, but he doesn't try to push him off.]

I'm - winning - Raph.

[Now Raph's the one hyperventilating. His grip tightens even further, and he leans forward, pressing his forehead against his brother's.

Please. Please just fucking stop this.]

Edited 2010-08-25 01:27 (UTC)

This. Is. Mine.

[For a moment, all is tense. Then the breath releases from Don's lungs, gusting around Raph's face to escape into the air.]

[And he goes limp.]

Edited 2010-08-25 01:31 (UTC)

[Raph opens eyes he didn't realize he was closing and lifts his head away, loosening the grip around Don's shoulders.]

Don?

[Silence. Stillness.]

[Slowly, Don opens his eyes. A smile spreads across his face.]

Master Splinter - was right.

[When Don meets his gaze, Raph's eyes are red-rimmed and watery.

He's awake. He's okay.

Oh god, for a second there he thought he'd lost him. But that. That's Don's smile.

He sniffs and swallows down the tightness in his throat.]

Yeah?

[It's okay, bro. It's Don. Only Don.] Yeah.

[He lifts his hand, pushing lightly against the rim of Raph's shell.] Let me up.

[Raph swallows again and rolls off of Don, but stays seated on the ground, drawing his knees to his chest. He tries his best to scrub away the tears before they can fall.]

[Don rolls to his knees, fisting his hands in the dirt, taking a moment to regain his equilibrium. Then he looks up.]

... Raph?

[He sniffs and lifts his head, boldly meeting Don's eyes despite the burn pricking his own.]

What?

[Sorry. Thank you. Are you okay?]

... Nothing.

[His mouth twitches, and he blinks, a tear finally falling and dampening his mask.]

Don't you - ever - do that to me again. [He sucks in a breath, almost a shudder.] You hear me?

[Don scoots over, and reaches hesitantly towards you. If you let him, he'll run a thumb along the lower edge of your mask.]

I won't. They won't get me a third time.

[He lets him, then turns his head away.]

[Don rubs his thumb and finger together, then leans back on his hands. He's happy to just sit for a while.]

[After a few moments, he gets up and heads for the house. He's walking that fine line between starving for his brother's comfort and just wanting to be alone.]

[Don trails Raph at a distance, giving him space. He won't go in the house, though. If Raph goes inside, Don will sit on the front steps.]

[And Raph will most likely shut himself in his room for the rest of the day if he can get away with it.]

Don...?

[Have a pained grunt, Winry.]

Are you okay?

[It takes him a minute to psych himself up to the effort of answering that.] My... head...

Oh, should I...?

[A little moan. Draw your own conclusions, Winry.]

I'll talk to you later, then.

[There's some scuffling before another voice comes across the journals, obviously not Don's.]

Sorry, Win. He ain't feelin' good.

Yes, I gathered. Will he be all right?

I...hope so. Think it's just a migraine.

The last week was a lot to take in. Maybe it's a side effect?

Probably.

And what about you?

Fine.

Just fine?

That's what I said, ain't it?

Yeah, I guess it is.

Right.

Will you keep me updated on how Don is?

Sure.

Thanks.

Yeah.

[He makes to close the books, but hesitates.]

You're...fine too, right?

Yes. Now that everything is how it should be.

No. It ain't.

How so?

...Never mind.

Fine.

[He sighs, long and suffering.]

I'm freakin' tired of this crud. I'm tired, okay? I know you're tryin' to help, but gimme a break.

Of what?

Of everything. Do I seriously gotta spell it out for you?

Edited 2010-08-22 20:39 (UTC)

So you're sick of me being concerned when things go wrong for you guys? What do you want me to do?

Just ignore it when you're in trouble?

No. No, that ain't it. I'm sick of all this crap happenin' to us all the damn time.

And you and me...

[He hesitates.]

Hold on a second. I gotta change journals.

[Now on his journal, Raph moves across the hall and into his own bedroom for a second. This shit is private, yo.]

Sorry.

For what?

For screwin' everything up.

That's very specific, Raph. Thanks. Does everything mean everything, or are we talking more recently?

This's what I mean! I'm tryin' to talk to ya but you just get all put off about it.

I just wish you would be more clear with me.

I'm tryin' the best I can.

Well sometimes you can be a little confusing, so forgive me if I get frustrated.

Yeah, well, maybe I'm confused too.

So what is it, Raph? Do you want me to leave you guys alone? Would that be easier for you?

I...[He falls silent.]

I just wanna quit feelin' like I ruined everything.

Maybe we could try to be friends again? For real this time?

I thought that's what we were doin'.

I know, but it's been difficult with all the stuff that's been going on.

There's always stuff goin' on, so it's always gonna be difficult. That's they way things work.

Yes, but usually it's a little less than an earthquake and monster rain.

Okay, now you're just gonna jinx it.

A-am not!

You are, and you did.

Nuh-uh! That's -

Shut up, I did not.

You did! You said the whole "It can't get any worse" thing. Which means it's all gonna go to shit now, just to prove you wrong.

No I didn't! I said the recent weird stuff was a little more than the normal weird stuff that happens around here! I didn't say it couldn't get worse!

Yeah, but you're temptin' fate, all "It's worse than normal, so it's only gonna get better."

Same thing.

No it's totally different!

All I meant was that Luceti should go back to it's normal, pain in the butt, self!

Don't even know what's normal anymore. Don't think there is a normal.

Well -

Whatever!

Either way, think we could all use a break.

That I can agree to.

[He smiles a little, then quickly stifles it.]

This's the best convo we've had in a while.

No kidding.

Yeah. I uh...sometimes I say stupid stuff I don't mean. But I told you I wasn't mad atcha, and I meant it. Still do.

I know, I know. I tend to blow things up, too.

Yeah, you do, but not as bad as me.

I...can't control it. But I'm tryin'. Hell, I'm tryin'.

I'm glad to hear that. It's better than doing nothing.

[That's...a weird response. Maybe he's taking things too far. Maybe he should just shut up and...who knows. He just wants to fix this, make her get where he's coming from, but he just sucks at it so much.]

Heh. Yeah.

I should probably get back to Don.

I guess I'll let you get back to that.

Right. See ya.

[Quiet voice.]

You all right Don?

[The response is a little less than optimistic.]

Kill - me - now.

While that could be arranged, I think it will probably hurt more than not. And then Raph would want to avenge you.

[ooc: You must get migraines XD this is exactly how I am with them.]

[... Why are there so many words. He got "hurt more" and "Raph".]

[The reply is simple and straightforward:] Nnnnnnnngg.

((I've heard rumors of your migraine problems...))

Hn. Want a drink?

[[Yes :3 they're epic >> or something. But I has meds \o/]]

[He can't figure out what you're talking about, and a minute later he's forgotten you said anything. He can't handle any more memories right now.]

[Wince.]

Just sleep.

[On it!]

[ ~~And after Derek tells him to come home fff~~

Believe it or not, Casey somehow has enough tact not to barge in and start talking when he gets back to the house, Don. He will stick his head in to make sure you're still breathing, though, before ducking back out. ]

[Raph's sitting there in the dark, staring at the floor while Don sleeps. When the door opens, he lifts his head and stares at Casey. Blankly. Saying nothing.]

[ Hey, that's something else to cross off of his list. >__>

Little salute? ]

[Raph...nods once in acknowledgment. He's not really ready to talk to you right now.]

[ gawd Raph, you're such a wimp. Well, nothing to it but to wait like a hawk. B| Like. A. Hawk.

Out Casey goes, like a manly man. ]

Twenty-fourth Theory [Action/Accidental Voice]

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*obligatory 'hey dude, your brother asked for you' post XD

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Comics canon ftw

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