The calmness in your face
That I see through the night
The warmthress your light is pressing unto us
You didn't ask me why
I never would have known
oblivion is falling down
-The Day You Said Goodnight, Hale
"Raphie, are you feeling better?" He saw Donnie after. His face had the expression of worry. He groaned.
"Yeah, yeah." He answered. By Donnie's care he felt like he is king. Yet, he is still rebellious about it.
"Raphie, you shouldn't drink some soft drinks!" Don warned.
"I'll do whatever the fuck I want, okay?!" Raph grumpily said as he gulped a lot of coke. "And don't call me Raphie. Only Leo and Mikey are allowed to call me that."
"Why is that?" Don asked with sadness, curiosity and a little jealousy.
"They are my best friends." He lastly said before going back to his room.
He never stopped taking care of his despite that. Donnie is always there.
("Donnie… I'm sorry… I truly am.") The patient still feel tried but he can now manage to open his teary eyes.
"Raph! Thank goodness you're awake." Donnie said, having a huge relief. But he got surprised when he saw the tears.
"Raph, are you alright? Did you have a nightmare?" He sat down on the bed, with a small, clean towel and wiped the tears on the corner of Raph's eyes.
"Donnie, what happened?" He dared asked. Last thing he knew he fainted on Don's shoulder.
"You are very feverish. Leo and Spike helped you carry back here at your home. In my diagnose you are still treatable, as Spike preferred for you to rest at home instead of the hospital, as he said you are afraid of needles." He smiled.
Raph's eyes widened. He will so kill Spike.
"Where are the others?" He asked, he noticed that Donnie looked very tired. He wondered what day it is too.
"Leo and Casey went to buy some food and medicine. Spike is downstairs cooking your favorite soup." He answered.
"Don…"
"Yes?"
"How long I passed out?"
"Three days."
He sat up. Three freaking days?!
"You are really, really so tired. You should have cancelled the gig. I noticed you are not energetic that night." Donnie reasoned. "I assumed something is wrong but I let it slipped. I'm sorry." Don bowed down.
"You have nothing to apologize for, Don… I just glad you're here." Raph said.
Even until now, Donnie is still taking care of him.
"In fact, I should be the one taking care of you, Don." Raph continued. The bassist just looked up at him. "You looked very tired. You can rest in the other room." This meant the guest room or Donnie's old room.
"I'll just lie on the couch…" Don smiled.
"No! Don, please sleep on the bed. I don't want to treat my guest bad." Raph smiled and besides, this is his date.
"Well… Thank you, Raphie." He blushingly said.
Raphie.
He called him Raphie.
When Donnie saw a different reaction based on Raph's face.
"Oh! I'm sorry! I shouldn't call you that!" He tried to reason.
"Why is that?" Raph asked.
"It's your affectionate nickname and… You only allowed your close friends to say it."
("Yeah, to close friends… But not to his boyfriend.")
"I don't mind you calling me that. In fact, I like it." Raph spoke. "Besides, we are friends, aren't we? I mean… Dating." He shyly continued. The bassist's reply is a cute smile.
When their relationship progressed before, Don rarely smiled.
"Oh, yeah! Remember the turtle pet I have? Here. He's yours." Donnie said as he picked a bowl. It's a turtle like him. The owner let the turtle out.
"Uhh… I'm not good in animals." Raph said.
"Don't worry, you just need some lettuces, water and probably a big container and stuff he can play on!" Donnie rambled.
"Okay but you visit him here, alright? I'm not a good owner." Raph spoke. "He might miss his owner."
"He'll keep you company and I will." Donnie said then faced the turtle pet. "Alright, Spike, this is your new owner. His name is Raph. You know the rock star we always talked about?" Donnie said, the turtle just stared and chewing his leaf. Raph just watched the two. He got to admit, Donnie and his turtle pet are adorable.
"Why did you decide to give me your pet?" Raph asked.
"Well, you seemed lonely, Raphie. You had no one in this house." He shyly answered, feeling sorry that he had to explain it.
But it's all true. He admitted on the inside he needed company in this house. But it's too early to invite Don and live in with him again. They are not officially together. He wanted to court Donnie, like before. This time with serious intent.
"What about you? You don't have a pet." Raph said.
"Don't worry. Chong is still there."
"Chong?"
"Uhh… Yeah. Chong." Donnie smiled.
"What animal is he?"
Donnie gulped and seemed doesn't want to answer the question.
"What?" Raph asked again.
"It's… It's a… Roach."
Raph just remained silent. He imagined that Donnie is taking care of an "abomination". His eye just twitched.
"Okay, let's just slip it through, alright?" Donnie quickly said as he sensed extreme discomfort from Raph.
("My cutie's pet is a cockroach… Why did it had to be a cockroach?!")
"You should rest more… Raphie. We'll wake you up if you needed to eat or take your medicine." He smiled.
"Donnie… Thank you very much for taking care of me." Raph closed his eyes. "I really am glad." And he rested. There's no need having a short argument as Don's his doctor right now. It will only upset him if he disobeyed. His mind starting to shut off for recovery when he felt something touched his cheeks.
Could it be?
Donnie kissed him?
He opened his eyes very wide up. Then he closed it again, he acted as if he already is asleep but he is freaking panicking.
"No, thank you, Raphie." He heard Donnie left the room. His body got immobile. He remembered those soft lips touching his cheek.
And now, he can't sleep because of it.
Then again, Donnie is starting to open to him. He is dating him now. But what if his memories return? All of these will crumble. He just hoped Donnie will still accept him. He is not ready to confess everything to him. But everyday he felt he is lying to Donnie like before.
Now, he felt shitty again.
The door opened, revealing to be Spike with his tomato soup.
"Nice pet turtle you had there." Spike smiled as he handed him the bowl of soup and sat down. "What's his name?"
"Spike." He muttered as he slurped.
"Perfect choice for a name." He sneered. The turtle just ate his leaves and stared at them.
"Have you told Don that we are planning to get them as the front act to our tour?" The larger turtle asked.
"Not yet." He said. "He is too busy… Looking after me… God damn it… Did he sleep on the guest room?"
"Yeah…" Spike nodded. "He liked the room to be honest and he is eyeing the bass guitar there. It's his in the first place, right?" Spike grinned and faced the turtle. "Hey mini me, take care of this knucklehead, alright?" He said. The turtle just bit his leaf.
"Wow, this turtle eats a lot of leaves."
"Yeah, he eats like you." He chuckles as Spike stood up.
"I got to go to Leo to notify him. You know, being Fearless Leader as usual." Spike shrugged as he gave one last pat on Raph's arm and left.
He realized he is bored. Maybe he'll talk to the other Spike?
"You know, Spike." He spoke. It's a little odd to call the same name as his best bud. "You had such a cutie owner. You know, I'm dating him now, yet, I haven't told the truth that he and I were together before. I'm too blind not to see that he loves me. I mean, he takes care of me, makes me satisfied, he is the cutest person I've ever met! I mean, why I didn't saw that?! He's smart and had a soft heart… Yet I broke it. I want to make up to him. But really, I had to make myself sick just now and he took care of me again." He breathed out. "I want him to know… I feel the same. Do you think he will forgive me?" Raph asked.
The turtle just blinked at him. "Okay, chew on your leaf if you think he'll forgive me?" he said.
The turtle bit the lettuce.
"Really? Yeah, I thought so."
"Are you sure about that?"
Raph screamed a little but stopped when he saw another best bud, Casey.
"What the shell, man? You got to knock or something." Raph said as he coughed.
"Easy there, bro." Casey said as he sat down beside him. "Donnie sent me here. He said you need to drink this medicine."
"Yeah… Thanks." Raph muttered. "So you said otherwise, huh?"
"Not really… I had a hunch though… Two years ago… April seemed had it." Casey muttered.
"Huh?"
"April had feelings for Donnie."
"Thank goodness your fever is now gone." Donnie said with relief. "Your tour will now continue!"
"How? How did you know?!" Raph said, with eyes widened. They haven't told anything about the tour!
"Mikey. I learned it from Mikey." Don giggled. Raph just glared. Leo must've told Mikey.
"This is great! Octavarium will be on the road again!" Donnie said, being excited. "Ooohh! I liked the one in your Ohio show! Oh! And that one in Texas!" He squealed out and starts to blabber about the events that happened. Raph is glad that Donnie is still supporting the band. He thinks his biggest fan needs to be rewarded.
"Donnie?" Raph said as he holds Don's hand. The nerd stopped and blushed at the gesture. During that conversation with Casey, it is certain that April didn't opposed of Donnie and him dating, so she still trusted him and he will make it count. Yet, he felt there is a little competition about it.
"If you want to, you can have the room you stayed earlier." He finally said it. He hoped that it is not as creepy as it actually sounded. He was met by the confused Donnie instead and seemed it click on his head.
"No, Raphie! Uhm! Not that I don't like it, it's just! I'm not that… Close to you yet." He shyly said.
"You sleep here in the couch. Leo and Mikey will sleep in the guest room." Raph slurred as he tossed Don's bags there.
"Careful, Raphie… Uhh, Raph. I just bought a turtle bowl." He said, while checking the glass bowl inside. So he already had Spike before.
"Don't care. Well, night." He said as he goes on the stairs.
"Raph… Can we just share in your bed?" He asked sheepishly.
"Hell, no. I don't share." He answered as he continued to go up.
"Donnie, you are the one who helped me feel better. You are my date… So you can say you are very close to me. I really wanted you to have that room. No one owned that room ever since…"
"Your love one passed away?" Donnie asked quickly, looking downwards. "I really wanted to but… I know memories still linger on you about him." He explained.
Raph just stared down. Donnie must've found it out because of the bass guitar.
("Really, Donnie?! Just really?")
"No, Don. Look, all of the things there are mine. I just want you comfortable at my home. I want you to treat it as your own too. Everything in that room is yours now." He reassured, he really wanted Don to own that room. After all, it was his room before.
"Well, if you insist… Thank you." He said, smiling. "So, we are going to buy Spike's things tomorrow?"
"Yeah, yeah. I'll pick you up at your house." He answered.
"Remember to take medicines, alright?" Donnie noted again.
Raph felt it again. He felt those soft lips on his cheek. That warm little peck.
"Good night, Raphie…" He giggled as Donnie left.
Raph blushed and smiled like a dork. His daydream got interrupted by a text message.
Spike: Did you ask Don about the tour?
Fuck.