Hesitating before he turned back to face her only to freeze for a moment. Did she move closer or was he imagining things? Judging by how close their faces were now he doubted it. His blush growing bolder from how close Alopex was now.
“G-Guess it sounds a lil crazy from me huh?…Hehe…” A nervous chuckle, he couldn’t exactly deny that they had gotten closer on Alopex’s road to recovery. They weren’t enemies that’s for sure unless she planned to stab in the back later…But somehow he doubted that. A faint smile as he looked into her eyes.
“Crazy? Maybe a little,” she couldn’t help but to tease him quietly, although it was coupled with a small chuckle of her own. Seeing the way Raph’s face heated up, almost to the point where he matched with his mask, only caused her smile to grow, matching his gaze with her own.
“But crazys not always a bad thing, Raph.”
Alopex fought back the urge to move any closer, caught by his eyes. Her heart felt like a songbird, fluttering within her ribcage, with her stomach full of butterflies. She hadn’t noticed just how nice Raph’s eyes looked, at least not from so close before.
The vixen couldn’t hide her smile, ears flicking as she picked up on his flustered actions. They were cute, in a way she’d never seen him act before, and although Alopex would have immediately began to pick on him or poke fun, she held back this time, unable to bring herself to ruin such a sweet moment.
No matter how clumsy Raph was with his words.
“Really?” She mused, curling her tail around herself as she leaned forward.
She had no recollection as to how long she’d been hiding out, keeping as low of a profile she could, relying on Raph for food as she couldn’t risk going up to the surface on her own without the potential of being found. Not while Shredder held the strings over the mutant underground, not while “Mr.X” still ran things.
It was difficult for her, especially once her injuries had healed, and fur grew over to mask the spots where there had once been deep gashes in her skin, and her white coat had been fully regrown. If it was one thing Alopex couldn’t stand, it was being cooped up in such a tiny place for so long..
But she had managed to create a comfortable nest for herself, stealing part of the empty space as her own, while keeping Raphael’s supplies separate, neatly piled where he could still reach. Blankets were tucked in all around, old pillows wrapped up and piled high, with just the right amount of space for her to stretch out and to feel comfortable, even on the coldest nights.
It was far from being ‘home sweet home’, but it was certainly better than nothing.
Ears twitched as yellow eyes quickly rose, nose picking up a familiar scent long before Raph was visible to her. Her muzzle pulled into a small smile, as she moved towards the doorway to greet him, peeking from around the corner. During their time together, she’d grown fond of his company, always looking forward to the next time he’d stop in to check on her, even the times when he was only present for a few minutes at a time, before he’d have to hurry back to his home to avoid suspicion from his brothers.
Regardless, the vixen was simply happy to have someone. A friend.
“You and your brothers not going out tonight? Too cold?” She hummed, leaning her cheek against the doorway.
The painful howl made Raph jump back a little, the sudden noise scared him a little making him jump. “S-Sorry!…” Apologizing, a little hesitant to go back to it not wanting to hurt her again. However he didn’t have much of a choice, he couldn’t ask Donnie for help-He’d tell Leo….He could ask Mikey but even he might have ended up blabbing by accident.
“I-I got some pain tablets in the bag-Lemme patch ya up first before sitting ya up…If ya can?…” The blood had started to get crusty, but he was thankful most of it had stopped by now. Putting some antiseptic onto a cloth before starting to clean her wounds. “S-Sorry-Gonna sting a lil…”
“…No offense but ya look it….What happened to ya anyway?…Never seen ya beat up to hell like this before…” Putting the dirtied cloth down before grabbing some bandages-Far more suitable than his mask. Not as neat as Donnie’s would be, but it would have to do. Emerald eyes looking towards her with a small frown, noting the tears in her eyes. Rough fingers brushing them away only to freeze as an apology was uttered. “I-I’ll ya a bed-N-Nothing special but it’ll be more comfier than the floor…The cushions will make it easier for the tablets to go down to…”
The vixen bit back the urge to cry out in pain again, her paws curling tight as she released a soft whimper through her nose, the sharp sparks of pain leaving spots in her vision, up until Raph was finished wrapping her.
“I.. I think I can sit up.. Thank you,” She whispered, arms shaking as she eased herself up, propping herself up against the closest object or wall, as she couldn’t keep herself up too well with how dizzy she felt. His questions caused her ears to droop, a shameful look crossing her face as a heavy sigh slipped from her muzzle. Should she tell him the truth, or..?
“I was.. not supposed to make it out of there, Raph.” Alopex muttered, hoping he would catch on to what she meant. The intent to kill her had been entirely on purpose, making her quite fortunate that they had failed.
Raph’s paced slowed a little as he reached the lair, glancing around fiercely for any sign of his brothers before quickly setting off on his mission. Grabbing a bag was easy enough, the hard part was trying to think logically of the things he’d need to fill it. Throwing in a small pillow and a blanket or two-Not as comfy as a mattress but it would have to do with for now.
Next stop was the kitchen, guard unwavering as he entered quickly throwing in a couple pieces of meat. Ah the others are create when they find the fresh pack of bacon and minced beef had been taken-He’ll pay them back somehow…Eventually, a couple bottles waters-Ah! The first aid kit!
Raph cursed himself, stealing from the kitchen was one thing but stealing from Donnie? No-Now wasn’t the time for rethinking things, he hadn’t examined her properly and didn’t know how bad she was. Relying all on the weakness she was showing. Mumbling an apology to himself when he found the damn thing and shoved it into his bag, praying it was stocked to hell-Then again with Donnie in charge it would be surprising if it wasn’t.
“I’m back-Sorry to keep ya waiting-How ya feeling?” Slinging the bag down beside her as he crouched down. Hesitating before untying his blood soaked mask to the side.
Alopex tossed him a weak grin as she heard him approaching her, about to respond with a snarky remark, before another sudden jolt of pain shot through her, drawing out a painful bark. The vixen recoiled as Raph removed his mask, revealing the deep cuts in her side, two stab wounds barely missing anything vital, but deep enough to cause heavy blood-loss.
Her other injuries were well hidden beneath her fur, but beneath the light Raph could make out other cuts dug into her skin that left patches of bloodied fur, but none other were as bad, most of the bleeding already stopped long before. Bruises were hidden well beneath thick layers of fur, but she was left sore and barely able to lift her limbs without pain.
It had to have been more than a simple ‘fight’ to cause it.
Alopex groaned and hissed with pain as the pain was slowly beginning to sink in, no longer masked over with adrenaline and numb.
“I feel like shit,” She replied bluntly, her voice was barely above a whisper, tears prickling in her eyes as she moved to rest her head back once more, taking in a slow and deep breath.
“Yeah, it’s me…” When he heard her speak it only made him more relieved. He didn’t know why-He shouldn’t even be helping her for crying out loud. “I found ya a minute or two ago if ya wanna be Donnie specific…And I ain’t taking ya home…Donnie would make a better doctor but ya stuck with me and I he and Leo will help…Lucky for ya I know a place-Still stinks but not as bad this…Then again I wouldn’t notice it much…We’re too used to it.”
He was lucky his brothers didn’t know about it, other wise either one they’d go through the stuff he had stored or use it too. It took him a short while to reach the location in question once he figured where it was. It was like a hideaway, a smell of paint filled the air, one of the things that had been stored there along with other art supplies.
He laid her down in a somewhat clean spot-A little dusty and the smell wasn’t that much better down there either but better than nothing. “I’m gonna get some stuff…Don’t die before I get back ya hear me?” With that, he stood and turned rushing off without a second thought wanting to be quick.
Alopex heard Raphael speaking to her, but couldn’t quite register everything she was being told, her focus on the dark spots closing in on her vision, and the ringing in her ears.
As Raphael laid her down, a painful yelp erupted from her as a sharp pain dug through her side, effectively snapping her back from nearly losing consciousness again. Alopex groaned, weakly moving her arm to drape over her midsection again, where her injury had already bled through Raph’s bandanna, but the bleeding was no longer as severe as when he had found her.
“Thank you..” she whimpered, resting her head back and allowing her eyes to close once more, attempting to put all of her focus into her breathing. Even as he left her, she struggled to keep herself attentive, still on high-alert after her fight, not wanting to risk having anyone else find her..
Jumping down with a grunt before rushing over. The turtle had been seeing to his bird friends making sure they had enough food for the Winter when the scent of blood hit his nose. Sure enough it lead to someone, just not a someone he expected. Kneeling beside her, his own knees becoming coated in her blood she had already lost and it didn’t look good. “Ya ok!? Can ya hear me?! It’s Raph!” Taking a quick glance around his surroundings before observing her breathing, taking a small breath of relief. Alive but barely and still bleeding-What would Donnie do?
Apologizing as he moved her best he could, he didn’t know what injuries she had-Just knew she was beat to hell and apparently had a bad wound around the middle of her body. Cursing under his breath as he undid his mask, he had no choice seeing as it was all he had. Tying it tightly around her waist before carefully picking her up, hoisting her over his shoulder gentle as he could. Raph couldn’t leave her like this, especially in the cold. So down a nearby manhole he went, going slowly so as to not accidentally dropping her. One hand keeping her in place as he made his descent.
Even as Raph began to move her, she was unaware of him, up until her body was shifted, and she was brought up into his arms, her entire body numb and limp against his own. A soft sound was given as Alopex slipped back in to a conscious state, aware that she was being moved, and recognizing the rough texture of the other’s shell.
“..Raph?” Her voice was barley held above a whisper, as she struggled to take in their surroundings as the world began to grow dark around them, registering where he was taking her only when the scent of sewage reached her nose.
“When did you..? Where.. are we going?” She didn’t have the energy to move, curling herself closer to him out of reflex, everything from her head down to her toes numbed over and her vision spinning. The vixen had to close her eyes to keep herself from getting overwhelmed by it all, putting her trust entirely in the red-clad turtle.
