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Donatello was crying.
Again.
They didn’t know why they were crying, but they were.
Honestly, they shouldn’t be as upset about this as they are. All their father did was injure him! He had done this plenty of times, because they had to become a proper soldier.
Great, their father was going to be pissed.
They needed to stop crying before their father found him. They didn’t need to anger their father more.
Donatello put a hand to their face.
They needed to clean and bandage their face before they got an infection. Then they needed to clean their blood and tear stained bedsheets.
If only they could get up.
They sat there, unmoving for a few moments until the door opening button clicked. Immediately Donatello sat up, back ram rod straight.
“ Shh, Dee, it’s just me. I brought bandages “ It was Hebi, who had taken to being Donatello’s caretaker when his father didn’t. She had also been mutated by their father into a sort of hodgepodge of reptilian creatures.
They relaxed, slumping back down as Hebi sat down with bandages in her hands. She took a shaky breath in and began the process of cleaning and wrapping their wounds.
Donatello put on their noise canceling headphones and zoned out. Atleast, they did, untill they felt something wet on their hand.
Looking up, they saw Hebi with tears in her eyes. She shallows. “ I-I’m so sorry you had to deal with this. Draxum shouldn’t have hurt you “
Confused, they respond. “ It’s fine. Father has hurt me before. You don’t need to make a big deal about this “
Hebi looked furious after they said it, and Donatello flinched when reached out like she was going to touch them. She paused, then looked sad. “ It shouldn’t be normal. This isn’t normal. Donatello, Draxum shouldn’t have hurt you for crying. “
They did not understand. “ What? Father was right in what he did- “
Hebi looked close to crying, and they shut up. “ Donnie- “ She looked frustrated for a moment. “ No. You’re at fault for expressing emotions. Draxum shouldn’t have hurt you. End of story “
There was a lull in the conversation, where they wanted to speak but was afraid to actually make her cry or be upset, seeing as she looked close to it.
After a minute of thinking, Donatello speaks “ I don’t..believe you “
She looks up, giving them a sad but sincere smile “ I know. “ a pause “ …I should’ve done something sooner..but I didn’t. And I’m sorry, I am going to try better, even if you don’t think it’s needed. I am going to try “
Hebi holds out her hand, and after a moment of slience, they realize she was asking for permission to touch.
They shake their head to say yes, and she puts a hand on their shoulder and touches her forehead to theirs.
In this moment of comfortable silence, everything feels alright, even just for a moment.