Work Text:
The fight had gone from controlled to complete chaos in less than thirty seconds.
One second, Casey was swinging his hockey stick at a Foot Soldier while Donnie covered his back with his bo staff.
The next, an explosion sent smoke rolling through the street, separating them from the others.
“Donnie!”
“Casey!”
Casey coughed, waving his hand in front of his face.
“Donnie?!”
“I’m over here!”
Casey spun toward the voice.
Donnie was standing several yards away, one hand pressed against his side.
He was also leaning heavily against the brick wall behind him.
Casey immediately knew something was wrong.
He ran over.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
Casey stared at him.
Donnie straightened, apparently realizing how suspicious that answer sounded.
“I mean, I’m fine.”
“You’re bleeding.”
“It’s superficial.”
“You’re leaning against a wall.”
“Strategically.”
“Donnie.”
“Casey.”
They stared at each other.
Casey pointed at Donnie’s side.
“That’s blood.”
“I noticed.”
“Then why are you acting like it’s nothing?”
“Because we don’t have time to stand around discussing it.”
Donnie pushed away from the wall.
Casey grabbed his arm.
“We gotta find the others.”
“I know.”
“So let go.”
“No.”
“Casey.”
“Nope.”
Donnie sighed.
“Look, Leo and Raph are still out there. Mikey too. We need to regroup.”
“And we will.”
“Then let’s go.”
Donnie took a step.
Then another.
On the third, his leg buckled.
Casey caught him before he hit the pavement.
“Whoa!”
“I’ve got you,” Casey said, tightening his grip around Donnie’s arm. “Sit down.”
“I can walk.”
“Yeah? Your leg seemed to disagree.”
“My leg is fine.”
“Your leg just tried to introduce your face to the sidewalk.”
Donnie glared at him.
Casey glared back.
Eventually, Donnie surrendered and let Casey guide him back against the wall.
“There.”
Casey crouched in front of him.
“Let me see.”
“Casey—”
“Donnie.”
“I really don’t have time for this.”
“And I really don’t have time to scrape your unconscious body off the street.”
Donnie opened his mouth.
Casey pointed at him.
“Don’t.”
Donnie closed it.
“Thank you.”
Casey carefully moved Donnie’s hand away from his side.
The sight underneath made his stomach drop.
It wasn’t a huge wound.
But it was bleeding steadily.
Far more steadily than Casey had expected.
“Okay,” Casey muttered.
Donnie watched his expression.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You made a face.”
“I did not.”
“You absolutely did.”
Casey grabbed a piece of cloth from his gear and pressed it against the wound.
Donnie hissed.
“Sorry.”
“It’s fine.”
“Yeah, well, you’re saying that a lot.”
“Because it is.”
Casey gave him a look.
Donnie looked away.
For a few moments, neither of them spoke.
The sounds of the fight had faded.
That somehow made things worse.
Casey glanced down the street.
Nothing.
“Where are those guys?”
“They’ll find us.”
“You sound pretty confident.”
“I know my brothers.”
Casey looked back at him.
Donnie’s face had gone pale.
Too pale.
“Hey.”
“Hmm?”
“You with me?”
“Obviously.”
“Good.”
Casey adjusted the pressure against the wound.
Donnie winced.
“Sorry.”
“You’ve apologized three times.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t like making my friends bleed.”
Donnie smiled faintly.
“That’s oddly specific.”
“Shut up.”
Another minute passed.
Then another.
Casey kept looking down the street.
Nothing.
When he looked back, Donnie’s eyes were closed.
Casey’s heart jumped.
“Hey.”
Donnie opened them.
“What?”
“Eyes open.”
“They were open.”
“They were closed.”
“I was blinking.”
“For ten seconds?”
Donnie sighed.
“I’m tired.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“I just need a minute.”
“No.”
Donnie frowned.
“No?”
“No sleeping.”
“I’m not sleeping.”
“Good.”
Casey shifted closer.
“Then talk to me.”
“About what?”
“I don’t know. Anything.”
Donnie stared at him.
“You’re terrible at this.”
“At what?”
“Keeping someone distracted.”
“I’m doing great.”
“You’re really not.”
“Okay, fine. I’ll tell you about the time I almost scored the winning goal against—”
“You missed.”
“I did not miss.”
“You hit the scoreboard.”
“It was a tactical shot.”
“It broke the scoreboard.”
“It still counted.”
Donnie gave a quiet laugh.
Casey smiled.
There.
Good.
Keep talking.
As long as Donnie was talking, he was awake.
“So,” Casey continued, “what was that move you pulled earlier?”
“The one where I saved your life?”
“The one where you nearly got yourself killed.”
“I wouldn’t call it nearly.”
“You jumped off a roof.”
“There was a controlled landing.”
“You landed on a car.”
“It was still controlled.”
Casey shook his head.
“You’re impossible.”
“So I’ve been told.”
Donnie’s voice was quieter now.
Casey noticed.
His smile disappeared.
“Donnie?”
“Yeah?”
“Eyes open.”
Donnie blinked slowly.
“They are.”
“Keep ’em that way.”
“Casey…”
“I’m serious.”
“I know.”
Donnie leaned his head back against the wall.
Casey could see how hard he was fighting to stay awake.
“Hey.”
Donnie looked at him.
Casey’s voice softened.
“You gotta stay with me.”
“I am.”
“Good.”
A beat passed.
“Casey?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m not dying.”
Casey’s chest tightened.
“I know.”
“You’re acting like you don’t.”
“Because I’m worried!”
Donnie went quiet.
Casey swallowed.
He hadn’t meant to say it like that.
He looked down at his hands.
“I mean…”
Donnie waited.
Casey rubbed the back of his neck.
“You’re my teammate.”
“Right.”
“And my friend.”
“Right.”
“And you’re an idiot.”
Donnie smiled.
“Obviously.”
“And somebody’s gotta keep you from doing something stupid.”
“Casey.”
“What?”
“You’re scared.”
Casey looked at him.
For once, he didn’t have a joke.
Didn’t have a comeback.
“Yeah,” he admitted.
Donnie’s expression softened.
“I’ll be okay.”
“You better be.”
“I promise.”
Casey shook his head.
“I don’t want anything to happen to you, okay?”
Silence.
Casey realized what he’d said.
His face heated.
“I mean—”
“Casey.”
“What?”
Donnie was looking at him.
Really looking at him.
“Thanks.”
Casey swallowed.
“Yeah.”
A familiar voice suddenly echoed down the street.
“DONNIE!”
Casey looked up.
Four figures emerged from the smoke.
“Guys!”
Raph was the first to reach them.
“What happened?!”
“He’s hurt,” Casey said immediately. “He’s lost a lot of blood.”
Leo dropped beside Donnie.
“Donnie?”
“I’m okay.”
Raph looked at Casey.
“How long has he been like this?”
“Too long.”
Mikey crouched beside them.
“Donnie, dude, you’re super pale.”
“Thank you, Mikey.”
“That’s not a compliment.”
“I figured.”
Leo carefully helped Donnie to his feet.
Donnie immediately swayed.
Casey caught his arm.
“Easy.”
“I’ve got him,” Leo said.
Casey hesitated before letting go.
Donnie noticed.
“Casey?”
“Yeah?”
“Come on.”
Casey nodded.
“Yeah.”
They hurried back toward the lair.
⸻
Casey didn’t leave the infirmary.
Not when Donnie was cleaned up.
Not when Splinter came in.
Not when Raph told him everything was going to be fine.
Not even when Donnie finally fell asleep.
He stayed in the chair beside the bed.
Watching.
Waiting.
Eventually, exhaustion won.
His head dropped against the back of the chair.
His hockey jacket was still hanging over his shoulders.
Donnie woke sometime later.
The first thing he noticed was the quiet.
The second was Casey.
Still there.
Asleep in the chair beside him.
Donnie stared at him for a moment.
Then smiled.
Carefully, he reached for Casey’s jacket.
He pulled it from Casey’s shoulders and gently draped it over him.
Casey stirred.
His eyes opened immediately.
“You’re awake.”
Donnie smiled.
“Apparently.”
Casey sat upright.
“How do you feel?”
“Better.”
“Dizzy?”
“No.”
“Nauseous?”
“No.”
“Pain?”
“A little.”
Casey nodded.
“Okay.”
He stared at Donnie for another few seconds, as if making absolutely certain he was really there.
Donnie smiled.
“You really need to stop worrying so much.”
Casey didn’t even hesitate.
“Not happening.”
Donnie laughed softly.
And this time, when Casey told him to keep his eyes open, Donnie didn’t mind at all.