A/N: Welcome, dearest readers and friends, to a new (hopefully) series of one-shots I'm going to be writing (ahem, attempting to write) based off of several prompts I found and liked. Also, hopefully, this will get me back into a consistent writing pattern. *crosses fingers*

"A Normal Person"

"You good, bro?"

There was no answer, of course, save for the constant puffs of breath escaping from Raph's too-dry mouth. He swore quietly and pulled his unconscious brother farther into their current hiding spot as another couple soldiers ran by. They'd been stuck in that alcove for almost ten minutes now - which was ten minutes too long, especially for the brawler.

For one thing, he had almost as short an attention span as Mikey did, though he'd never let on. He got easily bored. And sitting in one spot, completely silent, for ten minutes was driving him crazy.

For another, he knew that the injured turtle he was cradling in one arm desperately needed medical attention. He'd lost too much blood already, and there was a nasty-looking knot forming on the back of his skull that probably meant a concussion. In which case it was really bad news that he was unconscious.

Nothing I can do about it right now, Raph thought sourly, preparing himself for another painstaking rush to the exit. He took a deep breath and hauled his sibling up piggyback-fashion. Then he ran. It didn't matter if he was stealthy or not; the Foot already knew he was there and he was trying to get out. All that mattered at that moment was speed.

As soon as he turned the corner, he came face-to-masked-face with a group of black-clad ninja. Golden eyes narrowed in anger and exhaustion and the desire to just be done with everything. He took off...

...Straight for the window.

The soldiers watched the two mutants go in complete shock. The shattering of glass is what finally spurred them into action, as Shredder's voice screamed over the loudspeakers. "Get them, you idiots! Don't let them escape!"

Halfway through free-fall, Raph realized that they were coming up on the ground way too fast. Another curse slipped from his lips and he grabbed for his shuko, putting them on just in time. Somehow, he managed to grab the wall on the opposite building and hold onto his comatose sibling at the same time. The metal shuko dug into the cement and brick, slowing their fall.

Raph hit the ground running. Within a few brief moments he'd ducked into the sewer tunnels and lost the Foot guard that had come after them.

He deposited his unfortunate passenger on the cool stone floor unceremoniously, then slumped down himself, trying to catch his breath. The tunnel was silent for a while until he spoke.

"Y'know, a normal person would've immediately said they were gushing blood. But no, you had to go and bleed all over the place and faint first."

It was typical, he supposed. So very typical, especially for Leonardo.

The four of them had been out on patrol when they'd run into a large gathering of Foot. Mikey almost got taken out by a tanto. Then Leo stepped in. But he'd quickly become overpowered, and his brothers were too busy fighting their own enemies to be of any assistance.

Donnie had been injured in the battle, so Raph gave the order that the youngest take him home. He'd go after Leo himself.

The red-banded ninja found his twin chained up and beaten nearly to a pulp in Shredder's dungeon. It'd been a harrowing forty-five minute escape for the pair, but they'd managed.

So here they were, sitting in foul-smelling water that contained who-knew-what, with Leo unconscious and at risk of bleeding out. Raph finally managed to work up the energy to shoot a text to the others, and quickly received a response.

On our way.

And only when they staggered in the door, and Donnie hobbled over with his sprained ankle but still fussed over them, and Sensei gave his strongest son a look of approval, only then did Raph allow himself to relax.

Because Leo was home safe, even if he was banged up. He was still alive, and he'd still be that way tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that.

They were brothers - twins. Nothing was ever going to keep them apart if Raph could help it. Leo was his entire world. And Raph wasn't going anywhere.

A/N: I know the ending was a little awkward and strange and I couldn't figure out what to do with it. But hey, it's almost midnight and I can't even really see straight but I wanted to get this posted. And it's still technically writing, even if it isn't the greatest.