It's Okay To Be Different | TMNT Donnie X OC Love Story

"it's okay, you know? to be different."

Tears were spilling from Donatello's face.

In front of him was an injured Raziel. Shredder conveniently fled after the shock of the turtles' friend being stabbed in the abdomen.

"Are you going to die, Ziel?" Donnie asked.

"What? No, I'm not going to die, D. I'm just in a lot of pain."

Raziel lifted and removed his black shirt, which was sopping in sanguine liquid. Once again, Donnie noticed traces of faded pink scarring underneath his pectorals. Raz revealed his smooth and flat belly, a hint of ab defining below his sternum. Tainting his smooth lake-like body was a visible stab wound, dripping with an iridescent ichor: an unusual color for blood.

"You...bleed rainbows?" Raph commented confused.

"I can't die unless by another Sarchagelian...or a Devaigelient, I think. But I can still get hurt. This blood stuff, I don't think I need it."

"If it's in you, you probably need it."

Donnie wiped at his face. It was warm. Was he blushing? "I'm glad you're okay."

"I'm not okay! I'm in pain!" Raziel pointed to his wound.

"Right! Let's take you home."

---

"Thanks Donnie."

"You look like you're healing just fine! That's good." Donnie sighed a breath of relief.

Raziel realized who he was talking to, and promptly looked away. He instinctually reached for his hanging black bandana, but it was nowhere in his pocket. Right. He remembered throwing it on the Ulixes, which was blown up by now. Gone like that, huh? That little robot was some guy.

Donnie could feel the tension between themselves. "Raz, I'm sorry. About freaking out. I am not homophobic. I just- I was just scared, being put on the spot, and I just yelled and I shouldn't have and—"

"I know. It's okay." Zi bit his lip anxiously. "I have to tell you something."

"What is it?" Donnie felt like he knew the answer to his own question.

"Remember when Sal Commander was like 'Haha you're a Uranian too!' and how I tuck something into my back pocket whenever you're around? That's because..." Raziel took a shaky inhale. "I like men. And when you yelled, I knew you weren't mad you were scared but that made me mad because... I liked you. I like you. Like, a lot. I was scared that that night I was going to lose all the progress we made because you hated me or something. Donnie, I love talking about rocks with you and I'm sorry if I'm rambling but I need to get it out."

"You...liked me too?" A weight lifted from Don's shoulders, but a new one was pressed firmly against his forehead. "I'm scared, Raz. I'm a turtle, which is weird enough, but now I'm gay, a typically marginalized minority. I don't want to be odder than I already am."

"Hey..." Raziel put his hands on Donnie's trembling face. "It's okay, you know? To be different. It's okay to be different. I mean, I'm a celestial alien! There's plenty of weird in the universe!"

"Once again, you're right."

"I know I am."

Raziel pressed his lips to Donnie's. It was short and sweet. A brief moment of bliss, but inside, the both of them wanted to kiss again. Raziel smiled eagerly, hints of dimples at the corners of his mouth. Donnie blushed and darted his eyes to the ceiling.

"Can you please put a shirt on?"

"Sorry!"