The world I love
The tears I drop
To be part of
The wave can't stop
Ever wonder if it's all for you
The world I love
The trains I hop
To be part of
The wave can't stop
Come and tell me when it's time to
-Can't Stop, RHCP
Raph is in a great mood the following days. Mostly what he does is spending time with Donnie. Apparently, Donnie can be released early as his flu got down quicker. It was a big step to the progress of their relationship. Raph aren't sure if this is a "Yes" to be his boyfriend. He doesn't want to be assumed they are as it might cause misunderstanding. But again he doesn't mind because Donnie just admitted he loved him. The lead guitarist became the "nurse" to the patient, giving him the care and loving he deserved.
"Raphie seemed to take care of you well." Mikey sneered as Leo chuckled after. Raph got his temper and embarrassment on again. They are helping Donnie to return to his home after hospitalization. Using Leo's car, they are driving back to Don's house. The bassist's phone rang, as a text message was received.
R: You can stay in my house, you know.
He looked at Raph, who is staring at the car window, obviously hiding his blush.
D: You helped me very much, Raphie. But thank you. I have to fix my things for our tour.
R: I can help you. I just don't want you to get sick again.
Raph felt extreme nervousness due to the images of Don unconscious and blazing hot with a fever still stirred in his head. He is scared that Donatello will overwork himself.
Two years ago, even with his asshole self, he sure noticed Donnie is very workaholic. He didn't give a fuck that time even if he saw Donnie sleeping on his keyboard or in caffeine frenzy.
It is scaring him that he might lose Donnie any second.
R: Well, I can sleep in your house then… If you want to.
He heard Donnie squeaked when he read this message.
D: Uhm… My house is small… As much as I wanted you as my guest, you really shouldn't.
He stopped typing when Raph intertwined his hands into Don's. His posture of looking at the car window remained.
"Here we are." Leo announced as the vehicle halted in front of Donnie's house. Raph opened the door and helped Donnie move out slowly.
"Thank you so much, guys… Really." Donnie smiled. Leo and Mikey got Don's bags inside.
"It's no problem, Don. We too got to take care of our band mate's… Date." Leo said with a seriously sincerity but his boyfriend is snickering which caused the hot head to flare again.
"We better go ahead. Don't overdo yourself, Don." Leo warned.
"I'll stay with the nerd tonight." Raph interrupted which caused Donnie to jerk. He tried to explain to its not needed while Mikey is going "aww".
"Very well, Raph." Leo firmly spoke. "Let's go, Mikey." He smiled and the couple bade their farewells.
"Raphie!" Donnie whined at the lead guitarist, especially when he got hauled by the big turtle into his room.
Raph is glad that Donnie's fever is completely gone that night and seemed the strength had returned. That's why they planned to go to a date after buying Spike's things. The couple is holding hands while walking as the pet store is only blocks away.
"Raphie, you don't have to do this, you know. I mean… I'm pretty capable of my own."
Raph knew that. He always knew how independent Donnie is but… He knew that there must be a person to look out after someone. That's what Donnie did to Raph two years ago and really changed his life. He wanted to be Don's protector.
Both entered the pet shop.
Michelangelo and Leonardo are going home after buying a lot of food for their trip.
"Leo, you think Raph and Don are… You know?" Mikey asked after licking his ice cream.
"I think it's great. I mean, Raph seemed happy." He answered. "Although, it seemed Don didn't know anything about their past yet." He looked concerned that the path is falling into the same one in the past. "I think Raph will make a way. I already see Raph is really trying to make amends."
After seeing a lot of animals and the long exchange of words of Raph paying the stuff, the couple seemed enjoying the time together. Raph never remembered the last time they dated when they were together before… If they dated at all.
"Look, Raphie! A bookstore!" He said with excitement and he grabbed Raph's arm.
"Look, Raphie! A bookstore!" Don said with glee. He holds Raph's arm and dragged him,
"Donnie! Stop!" Raph angrily said. The tone of his voice made Don to halt. His excited state simmered down.
"I'm so sick and tired of your nerdish bullshit!" He spat out, causing Don to remain quiet.
"Why won't you practice guitar?! That would help the band much better than your failed experiments." He smugly said.
Donnie didn't go to a bookstore since then.
"Raphie?" Donnie asked. Raph met those worried eyes again. "You don't want to go? You can wait outside."
If Don had his memories back, he will be the one to spat at him. In the back of his mind, he felt he didn't deserve Donnie's love.
"I'm okay, Don." He smiled to ease Don's discomfort. But it seemed Don is not convinced. "Let's go."
Raph is enjoying Donnie reading these advanced books that he will never understand. He too, wanted to have smarts like him yet he guessed all he knew is street smarts. He sometimes got curious to what he is reading. Whenever he asked he only got techno blabber.
His old self did a lot of sarcasm battle with Don. Raph realized that time Donnie is getting tired to argue and wanted some peace.
His mind seemed to trail off because Donnie is checking a different book. It seemed to be a music book now. This can be a chance to converse with Donnie. He knew music. After all, it's in his blood.
"What are you reading there, Donnie?" Raph asked while putting their distance closer.
"Some puzzle about rock music." He answered. Raph took a peek. It seemed to be pictures of rock musicians with blank lines beside it. It seemed to be an identification type.
"I can answer all of them." Raph said.
"Really?" Don said, amused. "Okay then. We'll have a bet. If you didn't answer it, I'll ask a question that you must answer." Donnie giggled.
"Hey, Raph." Casey said after chugging a can of beer. "You know that groupie seemed to like you." They both looked at the happy Donatello talking to April.
"Tell you what, Casey. Remember that awesome guitar we saw a few days ago?"
"Yeah, what about it?" Casey asked.
"Well, let's have a bet. I'll court that nerd. If that nerd and I stayed together for a month, you give me that guitar." Raph proposed.
Oh, shit. The bet. It's the fucking bet. The bet that ruined Donnie's life.
Casey seemed to be a little hesitant. Maybe because he doesn't want to play anyone's feelings… Or maybe the guitar is expensive because it's vintage.
"Deal." Casey answered.
Raph blamed himself everything about that bet. If that didn't happen, who knows what happened to the lives of Don and his.
Raph snapped back to his thoughts when Don touched his arm.
"A-Alright… If I win, I'll ask one as well."
"Deal." Donnie smiled.
"Okay…" Raph said as he analyzed the page. "This is Jimi Hendrix, a left handed guitarist. Great respect to him, he is the one who set his guitar ablaze." Raph explained. "This is Cliff Burton, former bassist of Metallica. He died because of his bus accident, he got crushed under. The song "To Live is To Die" is a tribute to him."
"Interesting…" Donnie said then smiled. Raph continued, "Oh, man. Love this guy. Saul Hudson, known as Slash from GNR. He stole his signature hat from this thrift store and didn't get caught. Did the same to my Slash hat."
"Raphie!" Donnie yelled but was hugged behind by the lead guitarist, which caused him to squeak. "Just kidding, Don." He rested his head on Don's shoulder. Raph felt Don's warmness. It's a little awkward they are hugging like that in a bookstore.
"I think you already know this, Farrokh Bulsara, known as Freddie Mercury from the band Queen. He used to practice singing while being naked."
"Mikey is still doing that." Donnie laughed. Raph just looked at the bassist. He knew Mikey is a big fan of Freddie but the naked thing is really weird. Well, not as Leo who is singing in the shower.
"Anthony Kiedis from RHCP. You know, when he was in his new school, he met the bassist Flea and became best friends. They often go jump to swimming pools from a building." Raph laughed. "Leo and I used to do that before." Raph said which caused Donnie to look in disbelief. They knew Leo is an uptight person. "… Well, I dared him." Raph smirked.
"Lastly, Kurt Cobain from Nirvana. He-"
"I know. Suicide." Donnie interrupted. "Okay, whiz Raphie, you won. What question you want to ask me?"
Raph became silent after, which caused Don to wonder.
"Raphie?"
"I wanted to tell you… I think I'm not worthy…" Raph muttered with sadness.
"Worthy?" Don asked, seemed to be confused.
"Worthy to be with you." Raph finally said. "I'm a short tempered, arrogant bastard." There. He admitted it. He admitted what he saw to his past self in his flashbacks. "But I changed. I mean… I'm just wondering… If we are still dating… Whatever answer it is, I understand. I just want to know. I'm a little confused, honestly."
Donnie stared at him for a minute then giggled cutely.
"No, Raph. We are not dating anymore."
He felt his heart stopped and his body is on the verge of fainting.
"Because you are my boyfriend. Not a date anymore…" Donnie continued. He is smiling yet he is staring at the ground.
Raph froze. His brain trying to process what he had said.
"Raphie?"
Before it could register his mind, Raph grabbed Donnie and planted his lips to his.