Lost in the Fight

Chapter 23 - Ups and Downs

This time, the voice registered in the far recesses of Donnie's convoluted mind. He exhaled audibly, allowing himself to breathe again.

That voice. That strong, confident voice that Donatello would recognize anywhere. Just hearing it somehow made the world start to come back into focus and his thoughts progressively became more and more comprehensible.

Without moving anything but his eyes, Donnie blearily glanced around the room he was in, attempting to put the pieces together.

Cot . . . bandages . . . heart monitor . . . IV . . . infirmary . . . lab . . . home . . . brother . . . Leo.

Donnie stared up at his oldest brother with a hesitant expression, as though he didn't believe what he was seeing. There was a skeptical little voice in the back of his brain telling him that this couldn't be real. After all that he had been through, it was only natural for him to be suspicious of this image floating before him, but yet despite the horrific trauma that he had endured, a part of him still remained cautiously optimistic.

Please be Leo. Oh, please be Leo . . .

Wanting more than anything for the vision to be real, Donnie swallowed his fear and feebly lifted up his unpinned hand to shakily trace his fingertips against his brother's face. A tiny, elated squeak emanated from his constricted throat as he pressed his hand against the warm skin of his oldest sibling's cheek.

Drawing in a ragged breath, Leonardo reached out and cupped his palm over his little brother's frail hand that was gently clutching his cheek. The stunned look on Donatello's face made the oldest turtle's bottom lip begin to quiver uncontrollably.

"It's okay, Donnie. You're safe. I'm here," Leo soothed in a voice that was so whisper-soft and tender, the words encircled the younger turtle like a comforting embrace.

A heavy layer of tears began to glisten in Donnie's half-opened eyes and his continued blinking pushed out some of the gathering moisture, sending several fat droplets rolling down his pale cheeks.

Leonardo was quick to brush away the tears from his brother's face, taking no notice of the tears accruing in his own eyes as he stared down at Donnie lovingly.

"H – Hi," Donnie croaked in a voice that did not sound remotely like his own. It was so weak and so hoarse, both turtles would have sworn it had been someone else speaking.

While Donnie gazed up at his oldest brother, a small smile graced his face and Leo marveled over how delicate and childlike his brother appeared.

There were so many things that Leonardo wanted to say to his little brother at this precise moment. So many things that he wanted to apologize for. So many things that he wanted to ask forgiveness for. There were just so many things that he wanted to thank Donnie for. But the only word that he could manage to get out without completely losing it was the very same word that Donnie just had.

"Hi."

"L – Leo."

Hearing Donnie say his name after all this time made the oldest turtle's insides instantly turn into a puddle of goo. He wanted so much to scoop his little brother up in his arms and give him a fierce hug, but he couldn't risk hurting him. He instead opted to lower his head down and rest his forehead against Donnie's.

"Otouto." As Leo whispered the term of affection, he straightened up his back so that he could better look at Donnie. Without taking his eyes off his injured sibling, the turtle in blue then climbed up onto the cot and sat beside his brother. There was a smile brighter than the sun scrolled across Leo's face that spoke volumes.