Thanks so much for the reviews, I loved them all so much :) Attention all deviants! I really would like a DIGITAL cover for this story, so if someone would be willing to make one I would seriously appreciate it. Please leave a review or PM me if you are interested. Anyway, Enjoy and review!
45 Minutes after Raphael's death
I sob as I hold Raphael's lifeless body in my arms one last time, caressing his icy cold cheek in my hand. He looks so peaceful, yet so pained. My eyes drift away from my best friend over to the hole of dug for him. It's in an abandoned building, the one we've marked as a safe house if anything ever happens to the lair, the hole dug in a corner where the flooding has been ripped out, wet soil replacing it. Pretty ironic that I'm burying him here, in the place that I've snuck off to every night for nearly two months so I could see Karai, the girl I'm in love with, the girl who murdered Raphael. He warned me about her, about the venom that runs through her veins, but of course, I didn't listen. I told myself that he knew nothing and that I'm right and he's wrong. Why? Because I'm the eldest, I'm the leader, so obviously that makes me know everything. Tch, if only I weren't so cocky, then I'd be telling my brother goodnight instead of goodbye.
I wipe my eyes free of tears. Raphael wouldn't want me crying, not now. He'd tell me to suck it up, that I need to stay strong so I can go home and tell our brothers what happened.
But I can't. I can't stop these goddamn tears from flying out of my eyes because tonight, tonight I lost the most important thing ever. My brother, my best friend, my warrior. Raph's always been the batman for our family, ever since we were young. What's Gotham gonna do now that the dark knight is dead? How'll we cope? How'll we defend ourselves? How'll we survive? Maybe we won't, and that's okay. Because then if we die, we'll see him again.
Ah, but Raphael didn't die just so we could shrivel up into a pile of bones and ashes. He would want us to be strong, to stand up for each other, to fight the Foot and Kraang and Karai and Shredder just as he did. So, I will. We will. I will avenge my brother's death. We will avenge our brother's death.
I smile a bit. This is my last time ever getting to see him in solid form, I have to savor the moment, I have to say what's on my mind.
"I'm sorry about all of our fights and differences. I didn't mean anything I said, I'm sure you didn't, either. When I said I wish you were dead..I should not have said that. I didn't think, I just spoke. Never in a million years would I've thought to take the time to think about those words before saying them. And that was a pretty shitty move. Why did I say it? Er..well, I guess I was mad. Actually, no, scratch that, I was scared. I was fucking scared, Raphael! Scared that you were right, that Karai was nothing but a bitch, that she was venomous. I was damn caught up in the game of love that I didn't take the time to open up my eyes and look around, to see things for what they really are rather than what I want them to be. And, because of that, you died." I purse my lips as I grab Raphael's hands in mine. Bringing them up to my lips, I kiss them, and inhale his scent one last time.
"I know that you don't want me to say that your death was my fault, so I'm not going to. All I'm saying is that, you'd probably be alive right now if I hadn't been so stubborn, if I'd only followed you onto the battle field like you asked me to do." I take a deep breath, scrunching my eyes as I do so, and I exhale slowly, opening my eyes once more when I'm more relaxed, more calm. "I'm sorry. I am so fucking sorry that you're dead. I will do whatever it takes to avenge your death, I can promise you that. Perhaps I'll die in that instant. I'd be smilin', cause I'd avenged your death and made mine worth it. Then we'd be together again. But in the meantime, all I can say is Good Luck. Good luck in heaven or hell or in your next life, wherever you end up. I hope you're okay, I hope you're the happiest man alive." I bring my lips down to Raphael's one last time, and I squeeze his hands in mine.
I swear to god, I can feel him squeeze back.
The last, smallest, tiniest bit of his soul is gone now, it's fled into the afterlife.
I grin. My brother is in a better place now, where he can do whatever he wants. He won't have to live in hiding anymore, and he won't have to risk his life for a bunch of selfish civilians. He won't have to deal with annoying people or be forced do things.
Not anymore.
He's happy now.
I know he is.
I will be too, one day.
...hopefully.