That's a startling revelation, the very thought that one of his own brothers could be in such a similar position feeling like the floor's dropped out from beneath him. It also stirred that protective instinct, that simple fact that he'd do anything for his brothers.

Donnie's eyes stray towards that crack. It had been one of the first things he'd ever noticed about this Raph, and the matching chunk taken out of the shell just over his brother's shoulder just made his stomach twist any time he thought about it.

"Is...that how...?" he starts to ask, and yet simultaneously not wanting to know the details, but he can't help it.

He'd never asked about who this Shredder-person was, but it just sounded like an unpleasant name that he wasn't sure he wanted to know the details. And while this is the first he's ever heard of an April-Gram-Gram-Sensei (whaaaa?), it's the words that follow that strike him, sinking in so deeply that he sways where he sits, even beside Raph. But maybe it's not felt given that Raph's giving him a bit of a shake as it is. It's nauseating, it's comforting, how can it be two opposite things at once?

All this time, he's never really been alone. Yet, he's kept his distance some, hasn't he? It's hard though, especially when you don't really want to be apart from anyone, when you missed your family so much. A shudder goes through his slimmer frame as a sniffle escapes him.

Maybe he's always known it. But he just needed to hear someone actually say it to make it click.