Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja X Reader: Legend (under construction)

Chapter 12: Choke Burns

Y/N's POV:

I sat there in my room, my legs crossed with the book in front of me. I had been meditating since Randy had left. I remember the image of Randy after we'd been asleep and when he had to go and play games with his friends. "I hope Ninja's ok...," I whispered. Suddenly, the door smashed open. I open my eyes and whirl around to see Randy's fearful face. It was wet with tears that had built up in his dark blue eyes, and the rain that slowly patterned on the Windows outside. I jumped up from where I had been sitting, running over to him. "Randy! What the hell...? What's wrong?" I asked. He heaved in and out, his limbs shivering as he reached out for the doorway. I latched onto him and held him up, moving his dark purple hair from his eyes. "I... I...," his voice trailed off, along with his eyes that stared at the floor.
"Randy...?" That stone cold look was frozen on the floor boards, silently crying. I grabbed his shoulders and lightly shook him. "Randy, snap out of it!" I said firmly. Randy breathed out a trembling breath. I heard him swallow and his shoulders shook from the cold. "I... I'm..." Was all he could say. I ran my hand down his arms, finding them cold beneath his dark blue jacket.
"Why were you out so late? Oh, god, you're freezing! Here," I said, guiding him over to the couch. He trembled and stared off into space before nodding. "I'll be right back. Stay. Here."
"D-d-don't worry... I'm n-not going a-a-anywhere," he shivered, lying down on the couch. I could hear him chuckle a little before coughing as I rushed downstairs, grabbing blankets and pillows. As I swept back up stairs, the phone rang. I picked it up.
"Randy?"
"Hi, Mrs. Cunningham! It's Y/N. Randy invited me over tonight, is that ok with you?"
"Oh, more than alright! Can you tell Randy that we aren't coming home for a two days. We've got a call from work saying we had to go to a business meeting in one of the near by towns. Crazy schedule!"
"Ok. I will. Good night!" And I hung up. I ran back upstairs and saw Randy right where I left him. I sighed and took out the fussiest blanket and loftily laid it on top of Randy, piling on two others. "What were you doing out in the cold so late?" I asked.
"I... Was just playing... With Howard... Then... Then..." His eyes closed softly with a blink. I could tell he was tired. But, what I also noticed was that his skin was pulsing with dark purple spots and his hand was dripping blood on the floor. Goosebumps flew up my body and back. I went to find the bandages, solution, warm water, and tweezers. I came back and helped Randy out of his cold hoodie. His normal red and white shirt was also stained with small dark red slashes. I helped him out of that too, blushing faintly. All over his chest, small slashes, bruises and scratches were on display for me to see. He was in pain. Well, who wouldn't be?
I took the towel I had grabbed and soaked a corner of it in warm water. Then I drew it upwards and swept it over a scratch near his collar bone. I felt his lungs suck in air and his muscles tighten up in his arm. I hadn't noticed it until now that he was holding my hand. It was cold. Almost as cold as when I was holding his hand in the hospital. I pressed that memory away and continued to heal my best friend.
I decided that it would make more sense to wrap the white bandages around his stomach than to do it one by one. As I did, I noticed something peculiar on Randy's neck... almost like a rope burn. "Someone tried to kill you?!" I exclaimed. Randy's eyes opened halfway, but still stared aimlessly into nothing. Uncontrolled tears slipped down his face in the quietness.
"No...," he whispered, "I don't remember... All I can really see was... someone had hit me from behind... I was for sure I was a goner..." He blinked and sighed, squeezing my hand. I loved Randy. I really loved him. And seeing him in pain hurt me too. It was like he was part of me. My heart hurt when I saw him in the hospital, and it hurt now. I knew he wouldn't die from this, but in the hospital, I could have sworn that some days were his last. I knew he loved me too. I knew it and believed it because of the way he hugged me, the way he would smile at me when I did something brave or smart. I knew it in the way he slung and arm over my shoulder, and the way his face turned pinkish red when I held his hand or laid my head on his shoulder.
This was about as much as I could bare to see him all cut up. The rope burn though... That scared me the most of all his injuries. Who would want to hang him? Who would want to kill him? It made no sense. "I'm sorry...," I whispered, drawing lines of water over the cuts that lined his face. And I didn't notice it until I had heard my own tears drizzling down and spattering on the floor boards. "It just hurts me to see you this way. You know I really love you. More than you could ever know."
"I know you do, babe," he said with a sweat smile. "I feel the same way... But if I can save you some of the pain, I will." There was silence. I broke eye contact with him and continued to wipe away the blood. Then I moved to his neck. This was going to hurt him a lot. The skin behind my ears tightened with fear as I lightly touched the dark marks on his neck. Randy winced again, gritting his teeth together. "Sorry!" I gasped, taking it away.
"No, no... It's... It's fine...," he said, trying to relax. I nodded and continued on with the process. I couldn't stop saying I was sorry. It hurt so badly. My heart beat pounded against my ribs as I slowly drew the wet towel over the burns. When I was done, I saw that Randy had his hand in his hair and his eyes smashed shut. He breathed in and let it out slowly and painfully. "I think it's over..," I said. He opened his eyes and nodded. He put his hands on the couch cushions and attempted to haul himself into a sitting position. "No, no, no! Not yet," I said, putting my hands on his shoulders. He locked eyes with me. "Just wait. You're going to need to wait until you're stronger."
His eyes slung down to the bandages on his chest and stomach. He breathed in and swallowed it down. "You're right," he sighed, looking back up at me. "I sure do love you." He said with a small grin. I smiled back and got up to put the medicine stuff away. I came back and Randy was asleep. The blankets I had grabbed were still folded on the floor. I grabbed some of those and curled up by the couch.