Archive of Our Own

"And then we were in the Battle Nexus arena-" Mikey took a bite out of the chocolate chip cookie, chewing obnoxiously loud as he leaned back on the kitchen counter with his elbows. "And for some reason, Raph was a drag queen and there were like three miniature Leos but he was wearing orange for some reason and we all know that's my thing."

Another bite. 

"And Crognard was there too but he had his cheeks out cause he was naked so that was kind of weird-"

"-Mikey!" Donnie snapped, spinning around from the coffee maker. It was taking forever, forcing him to linger around to be the victim of Mikey's yapping. "What on green Earth are you talking about?!"

Donnie knew he made a mistake the second he entered the kitchen on a mission to refill on some coffee, because he was met with a bored Mikey bent over the counter, munching ruefully on the batch of cookies he just finished baking. When he saw Mikey's eyes light up, a smile stretching across his face when he laid eyes on him, he knew he was in for a long ride.

Mikey being full of skills as he was, he was also a master in baking. He adored baking, taking advantage of it to make whatever he had a craving for at the moment to put it on a plate in front of him. Either it were cakes, brownies, cookies or any pastry imaginable, he could do it. And with ease too. He loved being the sweets guy everyone turned to, always making all the cakes for his family and friends' birthdays. 

It was just his thing. A thing he abused because it was like a sweet infinity glitch for him.

Mikey frowned at Donnie, shoving the rest of the cookie into his mouth.

"Dude, were you not listening? I was talking about my dream."

The coffee machine beeped beside them, allowing Donnie to mutter a "finally" underneath his breath.

"Sorry, Mikey. I'm a bit distracted right now. I'm trying to figure out the blueprints of the TCRI building so we can plan accordingly to infiltrate it later on." Donnie explained, pouring his beloved coffee into his mug.

"Ohhhhh..." Mikey listened, pretending to care. "I know what'll chill you out... A cookie! I made a full batch so there's plenty to go around! You can take some with you."

Now that Donnie thought about it... 

It did smell good in here... 

Donnie chuckled, turning to him with a full mug in hand.

"You know what... Sure, I'll take some. Thanks, Mikey."

"Coming right up, bro!" Mikey beamed, turning around to the cookie sheet just to see it... empty.

"Okay, mini problemo..." The younger turtle spun back around with a sheepish smile. "But turns out I'm out. Should've came earlier, yo."

Donnie sighed, blinking slowly at him.

"Let me guess... Leo and Raph already got some before me."

"Nope!" Mikey chirped, popping the "p". "Probably should've shared some... whoops!"

That made Donnie pause in his exit, quirking a hairless brow to him.

"So Master Splinter had first dibs? Wow, how many did he eat?"

"Nahh, he didn't have any. It was all yours truly. Sorry, Dee. I promise you'll get firsts next time." Mikey said casually, wiping down the tray.

"Wait, you ate them... all?" Donnie asked cautiously. 

"Sure did! All my twenty-four babies! They were that good."

Donnie's eyes flew open in disbelief, utterly baffled.

"M-Mikey! You can't eat a whole batch of cookies in one sitting! That's dangerously unhealthy!"

Mikey rolled his eyes, collecting dirty bowls and placing them in the sink.

"Yeah, yeah, you always say that... But look!"

Mikey flipped around to pose, flexing his muscular arms. "My body's still tea!"

Donnie scoffed, frowning in disapproval.

"Mikey, we talked about the slang- A-and you just have fast metabolism! What I'm worried about is what's going on inside your body. Either it be your liver or your blood sugar or dental-"

"Well, quit being worried! That stuff doesn't happen to me! I'm immune!" Mikey dismissed, turning back to the sink to start washing.

"Uh-huh..." Donnie ignored. "Well, I want you to stop consuming such a high intake of sugar. I advise a diet-"

"Woah, dude! Don't go around saying the "D word!" " Mikey exclaimed, almost dropping the bowl. "Just chillaxxx. Nothing's bad gonna happen to me. I've been like eating like this since day one! The worst that can happen is a stomach ache and we all live through those!"

He tilted his head back, flashing his brother a playful grin.

"Maybe ease up on the coffee, Dee. I think it's making you anxious again."

Donnie glared at him, shaking his head as he retreated back to the lab.

"I think that's the last of them." Leo commented, dumping the last unconscious Foot soldier into the pile. 

The turtles were on their usual nightly patrol when some Foot soldiers sneaked up on them from behind in an attack. Long story short: After the clashes of steel against steel, the turtles defeated each ninja with ease, the four now standing amongst scattered bodies.

"Awh, c'mon! Shredder's guys are gettin' weak! That was too easy!" Raph complained with a grin, shoving his sais into his belt. "They better start uppin' their game or else it's a small neighborhood gang for them in da future."

"Can you not say things like that? We don't want to jinx it." Donnie scolded, putting his bō staff away on his shell.

"Yeah, maybe Shred Head's planning some big shebang soon and then we're gonna wish it stayed on easy mode." Mikey added in, coming over.

Raph gave him a strange look.

"How da hell ya already got a lollipop in yer mouth? We just finished fightin'."

"Dude, I've been having it. I popped another one in during the fight." Mikey reached into his belt, taking out a handful. "Want one?"

"Wait, you had one in while you were in the fight?" Leo intercepted in rising vexation, his hands on his hips. "Mikey, that's incredibly dangerous! Your opponent could take advantage of that and jab at it! Do you know what could happen if a punch strikes your face with a lollipop in your mouth?"

Mikey scoffed, walking past him leisurely.

"I don't know cause a punch's gotta land in the first place for that to happen. And c'mon... we all know nothing can touch me." Mikey quipped, smirking back at them before breaking into a sprint. 

"C'mon dudes, last one to the lair doesn't get any of my brownies!" Mikey called out, jumping to the other rooftop. 

Raph scowled, immediately running after him.

Mikey's brownies were his favorite.

Leo and Donnie stood before each other, watching as their brothers raced across the rooftops, Mikey's hootering and hollering too embarrassingly loud to be one of a ninja's. 

"Leo... I don't know- I've started to notice something about Mikey..." Donnie started, coming forth. "Everytime I see him, he's consuming sweets like a sugar addict. You know, the other day, he told me he ate a whole batch of cookies in one sitting! Either it be candy or pastries or cakes... he's constantly eating something unhealthily high in sugar. I'm honestly starting to get concerned."

Leo listened silently, still looking afar at Mikey's green blur dashing across the rooftops.

"Yeah, I've actually been noticing it too. The amount of times Master Splinter and I have been on him about it during training is... something."

"I've considered maybe hormones being the cause so I didn't really think much of it at first... but literally on this patrol alone, I counted Mikey having six lollipops in under an hour!" Donnie exclaimed, waving his arms about. "This just isn't normal."

Leo sighed, looking to his brother.

"You're right. I think it's time we end this sugar rush. It's getting out of hand."

The turtles and their father went through their normal morning training, now finishing it off with some mediation. And it was all going accordingly until one thing... which wasn't really surprising... 

Mikey.

Sometime during this silent moment, Mikey couldn't help but pop some bubblegum into his mouth. He knew better than to chew anything during mediation but he grew impatient. When he peeked an eye open to make sure the coast was clear with his family's eyes all shut, he silently dug into his belt and tossed a piece into his mouth. 

Unfortunately, due to some unknown reasons, he had to chew it on only one side of his mouth. About a week ago, the other side started to feel weird, like a sort of ache. Seems like everyday it was getting worse, more painful. But Mikey didn't take it too seriously. He felt like a genius figuring out he could just chew anything on the other side of his mouth instead to avoid the mysterious pain.

He hoped whatever it was, it would go away soon because it sure was starting to get harder to hide sometimes, the pain making him clam up. His guess was maybe he had a tooth growing back there. You know... nothing too crazy.

Anyway, he chewed thoughtfully at the gum with a smile, believing he slipped under the radar.

Little did he know... 

Everyone was looking at him now.

Mikey honestly couldn't chew silently for the life of him, but if you asked him, he'd say he believed he was the quietest around like he thought so right now.

Leo and Donnie stared with a flat, unimpressed stare while Master Splinter just stayed blank, his ear twitching each time his youngest's son bit down noisely.

Raph, on the other hand... was not as patient.

He stared daggers into the side of his brother's head, grinding his teeth. His previously relaxed hands were now fists at his sides. He hated the sounds of chewing or slurping or anything of the sort, especially when it came from Mikey. Because the second food or sweets was on the table, his youngest brother's social awareness were thrown out the window entirely.

Also he was totally disturbing mediation... And if no one was going to say anything, Raph would be the one to do so.

His eye twitched seconds before he snapped, breaking the "silence" and startling everyone  with him lunging himself at Mikey.

The wind was knocked out of Mikey as something large and heavy brutally pinned him to the ground. Suddenly, he found himself with his shell pressed against the dojo floor, his eyes flying open to a livid Raph practically foaming at the mouth above him.

"Woah-ho dude! What gives?-"

"Are ya sure yer a turtle cause yer chewin' like a goddamn pig! Some people are tryna mediate here!-"

"Raphael!" Master Splinter echoed through the dojo, making the brothers look up. "Get off your brother." 

Raph grumbled something, shooting Mikey a glare while he got off of him.

Mikey chuckled, sitting himself up with a smirk.

"Yeah, that's right, Raphie. Get off of the innocent turtle."

"Michelangelo." His father stated sternly, making Mikey's sly expression drop. "Spit out the gum."

Mikey's eyes darted across the room nervously.

"Uh- what gum...?"

Master Splinter didn't even have to say anything with his hard, unblinking look for Mikey to fold under pressure.

"Ohhh, this gum! What about it?"

Leo took a deep breath, opening his mouth to start the lecture but Master Splinter put a palm up to silence him.

"I have spoken to you countless times about the snacks during training. Now you are doing it during mediation?"

Mikey brought his chin down, shamefully peering up at him. He hated being scolded by his father. He was used to his brothers doing so, never letting it affect him... But Master Splinter? Oh, it just digs him into a hole of guilt.

"Sorry, Master... I-It helps me focus! Really!"

Master Splinter quirked a brow.

"Yesterday, you were caught eating your candies during sparing. It occupied you very much so, that Raphael turned you into a- what did you boys call it... A turtle pretzel."

His youngest son winced at the memory. 

"Yeah, well that was a one time sort of thing. Promise, I'll focus from now on!"

Master Splinter sighed, using his stick as support as he got up.

"Promises mean nothing when there is no change." He said serenely, leaving for his room. "I believe that's enough for mediation today. You all are dismissed."

The brothers watched as the doors of the dojo shut behind their father, leaving them all silently cross-legged on the floor.

"Great goin', Mikey." Raph bit, getting up to glare at his stunned little brother. "Listen, I don't give two fucks what yer eatin' but yer seriously pissin' me off with all yer chewin' all the damn time. Get some self-control before I deliver some to ya."

Mikey just uncurled his legs, leaning back on his palms to frown at Raph as he stomped out of the dojo, slamming the doors behind him.

"Woah, what's his deal? He's major sensitive." Mikey said, looking to his remaining brothers. He didn't expect them to look so serious.

"What's going on, Mikey? Are you stress-eating again?" Donnie asked, his mask scrunching between his eyes.

"Wha?!- No!" Mikey blurted, sitting up straight as he shoke his head furiously. "It's nothing like that! You can't blame a guy for having a little sweet tooth."

"Little? Mikey, you eat candy and sweets more than you drink water. We can't just pretend this is normal." Leo pressed, leaning his forearms on his knees.

"Is there something bothering you? Maybe Donnie and I can help-"

"Oh-ho, so now we're a talking family." Mikey scoffed, getting up. "It doesn't matter, bro. There's nothing going on. I just like sweets, okay? Lay off of me."

Leo and Donnie watched as Mikey left the dojo in a huff, rummaging into his belt for another piece as he did so.

Donnie sighed, turning to Leo.

"...Okay, so there's definitely something wrong..."

"Yeah... We'll make him talk eventually." Leo stated, pushing himself up.

"I just hope his body can handle it in the time being." Donnie put out there, getting up too. "I don't know how I'll be able to get my hands on any medication to lower high blood sugar."

"It won't go that far." Leo promised to himself, walking toward the exit.

"-No, Mikey. I am not going to "hack" your video game for you."

"C'mooon, brah! I already died like forty times trying to beat that boss! Just tweak it a little bit...? Pleeeaaase?" Mikey begged.

"No. I have have better things to do. Believe it or not, things more important." Donnie dismissed, reaching for another slice of pizza.

It was dinner time with all four of the brothers in the kitchen scarfing down a pizza. There were light, easy-going chatter and laughter amongst them as brothers do. But as the family dynamics went, Mikey was the loudest motormouth of the family, driving the conversation and practically starting each one.

"But I already watched all the YouTube tutorials out there on it and it still doesn't help! You're my last hope!" The youngest turtle pleaded.

"Well, maybe ya just suck at video games now." Raph said with a mouthful of pizza.

"Get better." He added with a smirk, knowing it would make Mikey's blood boil.

And it did.

Mikey threw a finger Ace Attorney style at Raph from across the table.

"Excuse moi?! I've beaten all the games in the series leading up to this newest one and almost break the world records each time!"

"Calm down, Mikey. You're spitting everywhere." Leo chided, wiping himself.

Mikey sagged into his seat with a scowl, reaching for the soda bottle in the middle of the table.

"You guys just don't appreciate my impressive, fine skills in the art of video games." He muttered, pouring it into plastic cup.

"Yeah, yeah, whateva." Raph rejected, twirling his cup around.

He focused his attention on Donnie, nudging him with an elbow.

"So Don, how's those TCRI plans goin'? We got a better understandin' of what we dealin' with there?"

Donnie shrugged, swallowing his bite.

"Well, I've noticed that in the building's 76 floors, floors 50 to all the way to the top have no documented blueprints. So whatever are in those floors, must be something they want to keep hidden."

Leo leaned his forearm flat against on the table.

"Then that's where we're going."

Mikey pretended to listen along, bringing the cup to his lips to take a sip.

"So when we thinkin'?" Raph asked. "Nothin' on Monday cause I got my match playin' that day-"

As the cold soda flooded Mikey's mouth, a worse-than-usual sharp, searing pain panged from the side of his mouth. Startled, Mikey practically spat out all the soda, immediately choking and hacking. Raph from across the table, got caught in the splash zone, blinking as soda dripped off of him.

Leo screeched back his chair, hurrying over to thump an open palm repeatedly against the back of Mikey's shell until his brother's choking dissolved into feeble coughs.

"Major wipeout..." Mikey moaned, wiping at the soda dribbling down his chin. He looked down wistfully at his pizza before him. 

"Awh, man... Now my pizza's all wet."

"Now I'm all wet." Raph mumbled, wiping himself off with a glare his way.

"Geez, Mikey. You okay? You turned a whole other shade of green." Leo said solicitously, rubbing at his shell. 

"I'm fine, dude, I just-"

An idea popped in his head, making him get up and push past his eldest brother. "...Hey, I know what'll make me feel better..."

Mikey walked over to the donuts April dropped by earlier today. He wiggled his fingers before he opened up the box, taking a donut.

"...A donut!" He cheered, waving it at them while they all let out a a collective groan.

"Leave it ta Mike to think about food after almost chokin' to death." Raph grumbled, watching as Mikey sat back to the table with a goofy smile.

Leo just sighed, sitting back down with his previous sternness.

"Okay, well, coming back... I think it's best we implement the infiltration on Sunday morning. That will provide us the least possible witnesses with it being a day-off and most at Mass in the morning. That way, the innocent civilians that work on the lower floors don't get caught up in the cross-fire in case anything happens-"

"Dagh!" Mikey cried out, slapping a hand against his own lower cheek, also while involuntarily hitting his knee under the table.

Now the pain was in two places. Great.

The previous conversation came to an abrupt pause with everyone now staring at him with wide eyes.

"Uh... what about TCRI again?" Mikey squeaked, attempting to continue the conversation.

"You... good?" Raph questioned cautiously. "What's with the screamin'?"

"And why are you clutching at your face? Donnie asked with a frown as Mikey jerked his hand into his lap. "Does something hurt?"

"Woah, a guy can't do anything in here without questions firing away!" Mikey said, leaning back in his chair to seem casual like the side of his mouth wasn't painfully throbbing like a bitch. "I was just, ya know... making noise? Thought this boring planning to could use some."

He sank his teeth into the donut, munching with a wobbly smile.

Leo lingered his suspicious squint on Mikey a bit before resuming where he left off. 

"Okay, uh... Yeah. Like I was saying, I think we should involve April and Casey into the plan. Casey can distract the front desk with his... "Casey-ness" and April can deactivate the security cameras. Maybe she can also cut the lights for the entire building too because we'll work with the darkness better-"

"Aghck!" Mikey shrieked from across the table, once again pressed a hand against his lower cheek. He looked at his frozen brothers with a sheepish, shy smile.

"God- What is da matter with you!?" Raph snapped. "We're in the middle of plannin' and yer over here makin' a racket!"

"Uh- just don't mind me! I'm listening!" Mikey strained, his voice shaky from the dose of pain that just shot through his nerves. He looked hopefully to Leo. 

"But yeah, hah- I think involving April and Casey is a great idea! Good call, Leo! My turtle with the plans!"

Leo stayed silent, observing his nervous brother squirm before he just had to ask, 

"...Are you in pain?"

Mikey guffawed. 

"Whaaaat?! Pain? Why would I be in pain? I don't think I'm getting my shell whopped by the Shredder right now so I'm in the clear."

Donnie's gaze drifted to the donut in his hands.

"Wait... take another bite of that donut."

Mikey's face fell, staring at the now haunting donut in between his fingers.

"Uh... why?"

"I want to see something."  His purple-banded brother squinted at him. "And I thought you loved donuts?"

"Of course I do!" Mikey exclaimed in actual offense before dramatically chomping down on it.

He chewed noisely, trying to prove his brother wrong. 

"Hah- you thought you were onto something! Well, sorry to break it to you, Dee, but I'm just chillin-"

He bit the wrong way, causing the donut to fall into the forbidden side. And the second his teeth came down, cramming the food against his teeth, pain flooded all his senses, making his entire body tense up and hunch over as a cry slipped past his throat. 

"Mikey?!- Mikey, what's wrong? What hurts? Your mouth? Does your mouth hurt?" Donnie fired away in concern, hands hovering.

"No- no... I-I just do that when something tastes so good. Ya know, like "Ahh! It's so yummy!" Mikey choked out with pretend enthusiasm, hands shaking over his lower cheek.

"Drop the act. Tell us what's wrong." Leo stressed shortly, narrowing his eyes at him.

"Hah- What about that plan again? Sunday right?" Mikey ignored, his grin twitching.

"Just let me see. If something is hurting you, then I want to help." Donnie urged, hand reaching for his chin. But Mikey jerked him and his entire chair back, just out of brother's reach.

"Dude, nothing hurts! I'm perfectly fine!"

"Oh yeah?" Raph challenged. "Finish that entire donut."

When Mikey didn't budge, hesitating, which was so unlike him with a donut straight up in his hand, the brothers knew they got their answer.

Suddenly, they were all simultaneously getting up. 

"-Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah!" Mikey cried out, getting increasingly louder as they got closer.

"Can't you guys just take my word for it?!"

"No." Donnie said firmly, now with all of them standing over him. "Now open your mouth."

"Are you loco, homie?! I'm not gonna put my mouth on exhibit! That's weird!" Mikey protested, getting up too.

"Don't make this harder than it is." Leo cautioned. "Just show him."

"No!" Mikey spat, crossing his arms. "No way, no how!"

"God, Mike- Quit bein' so stubborn!" Raph pushed, rapidly losing his patience. "I'm warnin' ya... Just do it already!

"Oh yeah? What about if I do this?" Mikey initiated his improvised method, clamping his mouth shut and puffing up his cheeks. He smiled at them, feeling triumphant.

Donnie sighed, so annoyed at this escalation while Raph's patience snapped. The hot-headed turtle crowded all up on Mikey, making him back up into the table with his shadow looming over him.

Mikey's confidence deflated at Raph's dark chuckle.

"What about if I... do this?" Raph mocked before unexpectedly plugging Mikey's nares.

And suddenly, Mikey couldn't breathe. 

Even so, he wouldn't prevail. He wouldn't let them win. 

So here was Mikey, holding his breath as he squirmed underneath Raph, face slowly turning a different color.

Leo muttered under his breath in annoyance, pinching in between his eyes.

"Shell- Raph, just let him go."

"Nah, he'll break eventually." Raph said impishly. "Just watch."

But Mikey didn't plan on breaking. He was getting to that point where he could feel his heartbeat echo within him, his vision starting to blur as he childishly stomped his foot against floor, trying to stall. His entire face was a dangerously purple color.

"T-This is just ridiculous, Mikey! Are you really willing to pass out for this? Just breathe already!" Donnie exclaimed anxiously.

Even Raph wasn't enjoying this anymore, his face stone-dead serious.

"I ain't letting up until you do..." Raph warned forebodingly, his fingers twitching over his brother's nares. "...Breathe, Mike."

Everything in Mikey's body screamed, announcing that it just couldn't take it anymore. He gasped with his entire body, unparting his lips to gulp a huge amount of air to satisfy his lungs.

Raph instantly jumped onto the opportunity, grabbing Mikey's jaw and digging his fingers in between his teeth at both sides of his face through his cheeks.

Mikey clawed at his brother's plastron, trying to shove him off while he squeezed his eyes shut in embarrassment.

"Shit, I can't see nothin'." Raph grumbled to himself, tilting his brother's head about.

He moved a little to let Donnie come through.

Donnie wasted no time and went straight into it: Tilting his little brother's chin up and hooking a finger around the side of his mouth, pulling uncomfortably. That drew out a sound of complaint from Mikey, making him tearfully peer up at them.

He didn't understand why they collectively gasped, eyes wide in terror at something in his mouth.

"Wah? Wah ish it?" Mikey called out, trying to distract himself from the reality of his brothers' fingers literally in his mouth. He knows damn well they didn't clean their hands before dinner.

Donnie's mouth was open as if he was about to speak but couldn't think of what to say.

So Raph did it for him.

"Holy fuck, Mike! Yer teeth's rotting!"

Mikey's eyes went wide.

"Dere wha- Dagh-"

Raph was promptly shoved aside, Donnie and Leo immediately crowding around their youngest brother. Donnie, seemingly deciding that Mikey's personal space and privacy meant nothing at the moment, just hooked his fingers on his top and lower jaw, forcibly prying them apart the farthest they could go.

"Holy mackerel... This is bad." Donnie said, utterly appalled.

The two back lower molars on the right side of Mikey's row of teeth had straight up large, black craters surrounded by chipped, eroding enamel. The gum below even started to swell a bit with a sickening faint yellow, making the visual even more unsightly.

"What... what is that?" Leo asked fearfully, his face in a wince.

"Regretfully, these are cavities in the later, infected stages." Donnie explained, tilting his brother's head even more up, making Mikey whine at the uncomfortable angle. "Looks like the cavity eroded through the enamel and dentin, two of the four layers of the tooth."

Raph peeked through his brothers' looming over the youngest, catching another glimpse of the decay.

"How did it even get this bad? Man, have you ever heard of brushing yer teeth?!"

"Buwashing wha...?" Mikey questioned before Donnie finally let out of his face, taking away his fingers.

He sent a deep frown their way as he rubbed at his jaw, licking at his dry teeth.

"Mikey, do you understand how serious this is? You're teeth are literally decaying! Why didn't you tell us?!" Donnie shot out, bending down to his eye level and clutching onto Mikey's upper arms.

Mikey scoffed, annoyed at his panic.

"Dude, chill. How was I supposed to know they were decaying?"

"By telling us that your teeth hurt! Pain's a pretty obvious sign that something is wrong for any health problem!" Donnie emphasized urgently, giving his arms a little shake.

The younger turtle just shrugged, offering a slanted smile.

"Happens to the best of us, am I right?"

Donnie let go, backing up in disbelief.

"Oh my god, how am I related to you..." He muttered, wiping two hands over his face before continuing.

"No! No, it doesn't! It happens from bacteria build-up! And in your case, bacteria consumes and creates acid from all the high doses of sugars and starches you consume!"

"Uhh..." Mikey looked to his other older brothers with a lost expression.

"You're sugary eating habits, aka your "little sweet tooth," are destroying your teeth." Leo translated sternly, crossing his arms.

"Well, say goodbye to yer teeth, Mike." Raph commented, fighting back a teasing smile. "Yer gonna be rockin' dentures now."

Mikey's heart dropped to his stomach, his eyes immediately tearing up.

"Dentures...?" Mikey quivered, darting between his brothers in horror.

"Raph, stop it. It's not that level of bad." Donnie scowled, elbowing him. "It's just going to need some fillings."

"...Like a chocolate filling...?" Mikey asked hopefully.

Raph slapped him upside the head, glowering down at him. 

"God Mikey, quit bein' such a fatass! This is serious! Ya got literal holes in yer teeth!"

"Uhm- Ouch..." Mikey replied, watching as Donnie was pacing back and forth throughout the room.

"I'm going to need to get my hands on some composite resin and up my research on dentistry." He locked his eyes with his youngest brother, now marching back over to him to jab a stern finger into his plastron.

"And you..."

"Me?" Mikey asked innocently, pointing to himself.

"Yes, you. You're not going to eat any sweets before I figure out what I'm doing. Even after they're filled, no sweets for a week afterward."

Mikey cocked his head at him, not understanding.

"What do you mean? W-What's "no sweets?" Is that a type of candy?"

Leo and Raph looked to each other and collectively sighed, going back to their seats at the table. They decided maybe it was best for Donnie to handle it.

"No. It means no sweets." Donnie strained between clenched teeth, patience on a thin strand. 

He brought his hands out between them, counting it out.

"It means no baked goods or candy or sugary drinks or frozen desserts or anything chewy, slash too cold, slash too hot."

Mikey, starting to pick up the seriousness of the situation, frantically darted his gaze between his brother's fingers to Donnie himself.

"W-What about chocolate?!-"

"Nope." Donnie said, crossing his arms.

"Okay, what about pudding-"

"Denied."

"...But what about-"

"No!" Donnie cried furiously. "D-do you even understand the weight of this?! Mikey, you're cavities are infected. If you keep eating the way you do, it's going to make it worse... make it more painful. And if it keeps progressing that way, the best option might just be tooth removal."

"Remove... my teeth?!" Mikey choked out, splaying out his fingers over his mouth. "My pearly whites?!"

"If you keep ignoring me... without a doubt, yes." 

He observed as Mikey's eyes widened, his body stiffening up at this news. Donnie eventually sighed, planting his hand on his shoulder.

"Easy. If you want to keep those teeth of yours," He booped his beak, "You have to actually listen and quit it with the sweets... at least for a little while, okay? I know you're a sweets ethusiast but some self-control will do you good."

"Bro... This... This is like the worst thing that has ever happened to me." Mikey said pitifully, hairless brows pinched. "It's just so messed up, yo..."

A little shake at his shoulder brought his attention back in.

"Promise me, Mikey, that you'll at least try to keep your teeth healthy?" Donnie pleaded. "We don't want to have to be constantly supervising you to make sure you don't eat anything you shouldn't. Can we trust you?"

"Of course, brah! I don't need a babysitter..." Mikey frowned, accepting the challenge with crossed arms.

"What ya need is a dentist." Raph commented with a grin, now turning to Donnie with a nod toward the door. "Go hit the books, Don. Yer the one who determines if he's gettin' dentures sixty years in advance or not."

"Again... no one's getting dentures." Donnie reaffirmed before drifting his gaze to the sad Mikey peering up at him.

"Don't worry, Mikey. All you have to do is hold off on the sweets for about a little over a week. It won't be that bad." He patted his head, making Mikey's head slightly dip each time. "I'll be in my lab trying to figure out what I'm gonna do with you, aka overloading myself with denistry tutorials and articles. Yay..."

He reached behind Mikey to snatch at a pizza slice to take with him.

"For pain, some painkillers won't hurt. Neither does a cold compress. And hey, I heard warm salt water works too." He said before he left the room, already placing the tip of the slice in his mouth.

Mikey watched with comically, large and watery eyes as Donnie turned the corner and out of sight.

"B-but... my sweets..." He whispered ruefully to himself with a hand reaching out, just as Leo came around to sling an arm around his shoulders.

"Don't be so dramatic, Mikey. It'll be okay. We just want to help you. And I'm sure your teeth would want that too."

"But... what am I supposed to eat now?"

"Well, there's this thing called normal food but I think you'll like it." Leo joked in a soft voice, rubbing up and down his arm.

"Wow, Mike having to live like a normal guy for a week... Life's crazy." Raph said sarcastically, resting his crossed feet on the table. "Looks like there ain't gonna be anymore smackin' candy in my ear... Hallelujah."

Leo stopped rubbing, remembering something.

"Speaking of candy..."

He nudged Mikey around to face him, narrowing his eyes down at him as he brought his palm out between them.

"Give up the ones you have right now."

Mikey's face dropped, following with a dramatic scoff. 

"What candy?- Who has candy here?" He turned to an unbothered Raph, looking nervously to him in search for a distraction. "Woah, haha- looks like he caught you, Raph! I think it's just time give it up, bro."

"Michelangelo." Leo ignored without taking his eyes off of him, stern voice dropping dangerously low. "Give it here."

Mikey bounced on his heels until surrendering with his head tilted back to let out a loud groan as he dug into his belt. He took out a handful of candies, some spilling onto the floor as he forcibly splattered it into Leo's open hand.

"Here! Everyone happy?-"

"-All of it."

Mikey's bottom lip protruded out in a pout as he went back into digging. He went over to the table and heavily dumped three more handfuls out. 

"Holy shit- What are you Mary Poppins? How many ya even got in there?" Raph exclaimed with wide eyes, sitting up.

Mikey ignored him, spinning around to face Leo with a bold face.

"T-This majorly blows! You guys are seperating me away from my babies!" Mikey whined. "A little cavity never hurt anyone!"

"You were just cryin' like a baby from pain like five minutes ago." Raph butted in.

"Hey, I was not crying! I was just... just making noise because of, uh- unrelated things! That's totally different!"

"No. More. Sweets." Leo reminded, leaning in with each word. "I mean it, Mikey. We have plenty of things going on and we don't want your controllable bad habit to be ontop of it."

The youngest brother abruptly turned around, stomping away in a huff.

"Fine! I won't eat anything at all and... a-and I'll die!... From, uh- starvation!" Mikey shouted with clenched fists, marching out of the kitchen and around the corner.

Leo sighed at his brother's dramatics, glaring at Raph sitting with an unfazed expression.

"He takes after you, you know. You with your stubbornness."

Raph let out a laugh, reaching toward the candy pile. He grinned down at piece in his hand, unwrapping it.

"More for me."

It was all gone...

All.

Gone. 

Either it was his brothers ate it all in one night or they didn't have any trust in him because after hours of scouring through the entire kitchen, Mikey couldn't find a single thing heavy in refined sugars.

The donuts...

Gone. 

The cookies...

Gone. 

It was almost like Christmas Eve with Santa eating the left out cookies, but instead eating the cookies and half the entire fridge while he was at it.

So here was Mikey... 

...Munching numbly on a cucumber as he blankly watched TV.

Emotionally numb... 

Not numb in pain though.

It's been terrible, the persistent sting from his teeth throbbed constantly, making it difficult to eat or drink anything at this point. He had a rough time trying to fall asleep last night, the pain keeping him up. He tried not to complain about it, not wanting to add on more evidence onto his brothers' claims, but eventually it got to that point where he was practically begging for painkillers whenever they wore off.

He knows Donnie's been working his tail off in the lab, studying up as much as he could to help, mysteriously gathering up the proper tools as he usually did whenever someone got hurt or ill. Donnie told him they would get it done tomorrow, which was speedy even for Donnie. Guess his teeth really looked that bad for it to be put first in line of Donnie's urgent To-Do list.

But even through the pain... 

Mikey still craved more than anything a little sweet treat. Sure, it's been less than twenty four hours since his "promise," but come on... 

Mikey never really promised anything. 

And he was going to get one... somewhere, somehow. Whether Donnie or Leo find out.

He had a nose, (not literally), for this stuff. So he knew the second Raph came in whistling into the lair, he had a certain treat on him.

Mikey was up and dashing over to intercept Raph, batting his eyes innocently at his confused brother standing before him.

"What... What do ya want?" Raph asked warily, honestly taken back by Mikey's strange behavior of actually being excited to see him back.

But the younger turtle wasn't even looking at his brother anymore... instead at the clear, clamshell container with a few colorful cupcakes in it's holders. And Raph caught onto this, following his brother's eyes to where he was looking and immediately connecting the dots.

"Oh-ho- No, no, no. Don't even think about it, Mike. This ain't for you." Raph warned, wagging a finger while he pulled the cupcakes closer to his plastron. He shook his head, muttering to himself, "Shit, I completely forgot about the sweets ban- Damn it."

"And why, my favorite brother... do you have some? Looks like there's enough to share-?"

"-It's from Case. He had some leftovers from when we had a little celebration for his late mom's birthday." He huffed, gazing at the ceiling in annoyance. "Now I think I should've turned down the offer for leftovers..."

"-No! No, it's great! Let's bring this party down here and feast! So just lemme..." Mikey slowly reached his hand over, his fingers wiggling as he was practically drooling at the cupcakes illuminating from his point of view.

But the heavenly sight shattered when Raph slapped sharply at his hand, drawing a wounded sound from him.

"Paws off. You know damn well you ain't allowed to eat a crumb." Raph bit, pushing past him to stride into the kitchen. Mikey hurriedly followed after him, face desperate as Raph tossed the sweet treat into the fridge.

"C'mon, Raph... Raphie-boy... The Raph-ster! It can be our little secret! We're cooool like that!" Mikey exclaimed, playfully punching his arm. Raph stood still as steel, crossing his arms as he glowered down at his little brother circling around him like a shark.

"One cupcake won't hurt anyone... No one even has to know! Promise, after this, I'll owe you big time! I'll throw in a prank-free week for you! How's that sound? Eh?" He nudged his elbow against the hot-headed turtle's, putting on his best-selling grin. "Pretty hard to turn down, right?"

"...Ya got a screw loose up there, ya know that?" Raph said gruffly, nodding towards him. He unravelled his arms, taking a few steps forward to leave the room before he was tugged back by the arm, the feeling of smaller hands clutching at his bicep.

He furiously whipped his head around at the culprit, immediately even more angered at Mikey's large, pleading eyes.

"Dude, pleeeease! Please, please, pleeeease- mfph!"

Raph slammed his palm against Mikey's mouth, silencing him.

"No." He growled in a breath before letting go with a shove.

Mikey staggered back on his feet, blank in surprise before his face turned dark with fists at his side.

"I take it all back! You're a major drag!- A bummer!" Mikey yelled after his annoyed brother headed towards the exit. "Your prank-free card's refunded! Ding!- Just like that!"

Raph stopped at the doorframe, turning his head slightly to gaze threateningly at his childish brother.

"If I come back and see a single cupcake gone, yer gonna have knocked out teeth next to yer rotten ones, ya hear me?"

Mikey scoffed and crossed his arms, turning his shell to him.

"Yeah, yeah- Whatever, brah." Mikey spat, facing the wall.

He didn't hear any movements from Raph until a few seconds later, his heavy footsteps fading away.

It was until they were completely gone, did Mikey immediately spring to action, throwing the refrigerator door open. 

He knew Raph was all talk. The worst he would do is a harsh slap upside the head with a whole bunch of yelling. It wasn't anything new. And he was willing to sacrifice his hearing and cheeks being pinched for the cost of this delicious, mouth-watering moment.

He looked around, once, twice, thrice, until the coast was deemed clear and snatched the container into his grasp. He dropped to the floor behind the counter like this was a stealth worthy mission, pressing his shell into the surface from behind. He rubbed his hands together at the appetizing beauty in his lap, opening the plastic box to reveal the cupcakes in it's true form. 

There were three vanilla cupcakes left out of the container's six slots, each decorated with a pretty light color of purple frosting with white sprinkles. It looked so delicious, he could already imagine licking his faint purple fingers in the aftermath.

He picked one up, licking his lips before he brought it up by his mouth, ready for devouring. But the second he opened his mouth wide, pain shot through his jaw, providing a sort of glitch within him. He fumbled, accidentally dropping the cupcake into the container over another cupcake.

"Aw, man! No, no, no!" He whisper screamed, surveying the damage. With two cupcakes smushed, Raph would surely know he tampered with it now.

But the pulsating pain brought him back to reality, realizating the true culprit. He furrowed his hairless brows.

It was this cursed cavities of his! He couldn't do anything anymore, now not being able to open his mouth to certain degree!

He was so tired of this! He just wanted to eat like a normal dude again! He missed his cakes and candies... It just wasn't fair!

He groaned, slumping back to lay his head against the bottom of the counter with closed eyes. 

And now that he thought about it... he was actually pretty tired...

Not only mentally but physically. Guess not sleeping all night really puts a toll on you. 

He didn't even know how it happened... It was like his body finally took this opportunity with him shutting his eyes for more than ten seconds to fall asleep awkwardly slumped on the floor, drifting off all his worries about the "supposed-to-not-be-touching" wrecked cupcakes on his lap.

"So next time you go for that kick, keep your leg a bit higher. That way it creates less of a gap for your opponent to hit." Leo explained with his head held up high while Donnie dragged himself along behind him. The two just finished with the dojo, due to Leo's surprise sparring he wanted Donnie in on. Now him and a worn out Donnie were heading for the kitchen, preferably to fetch the younger brother a frozen bag of peas.

"Yeah, yeah, leg higher... Noted." Donnie groaned, rubbing at his arm. He caught the bag of peas from Leo's unexpecting toss from where his brother stood in front of the open fridge.

Leo moved to lean his shell against the kitchen counter, crossing his arms and ankles.

"You know, Donnie... You should really focus on training more. We have our big TCRI infiltration coming up and I want all of us to be ready."

Donnie scoffed, pressing the bag against his arm.

"Well, excuse me, for devoting my time to prepare and plan for our attack. Didn't know this was a simple smash and grab." Donnie said sarcastically with an edge.

"Now, I never said that." Leo sighed. "I just think you should plan out your strategies better- like what we're going to do in the moment."

"Uh-huh..." Donnie dismissed, walking over to the fridge to get another bag. "Why are you training me to the bone? I'm not the only one whose distracted. Mikey's mind is on a whole other reality than training. Why not spar with him?"

"Who said I wouldn't?" Leo challenged, raising a brow. "He's right next on my list... And speaking of Mikey... Have you seen him? I haven't heard from him in awhile."

Donnie hummed in thought, shutting the fridge door.

"Uh, actually I haven't. But we should probably find him. He's probably around here hiding, shoving sweets into his mouth for all we know."

Leo pushed himself off the counter, already looking toward the exit.

"Maybe he went with Raph somewhere. I'll give him a call-"

"-Mikey...?"

Leo spun around to see Donnie crouching down on the other side of the counter, disappearing behind it. Leo creased his forehead, jogging around to find... 

Mikey slumped against the floor with a box of cupcakes in his lap. His eyes were closed with his mouth open, his lips barely moving as if he was muttering something.

Leo instantly crouched beside them, eyes large in distress with his hands reaching.

"What's going on- Donnie, is he okay?!-"

"He's sleeping." Donnie deadpanned, turning to Leo. "Guess he fell asleep while trying to sneak in a treat."

Leo froze, watching his baby brother's chest slowly rise and fall before letting a loving smile creep onto his face.

"...You think he ate some?"

Donnie gingerly took the clamshell plastic container and shut it with a faint click.

"If he ate one, his mouth would have a circle of frosting all around it. I think he's in the clear."

And with that, the brothers rose back up, now with Mikey in Leo's arms bridal style.

"W-Where'd he even find these?" Donnie exclaimed, putting the cupcakes into the fridge. "We already ransacked the entire kitchen!"

Leo chuckled, heading to exit.

"That's Mikey for you. He makes it possible."

He made his way to the main room to gently lay his little brother against the family couch. He crouched down, shifting pillows around to support his brother's head. But once he was done, his eyes drifted to Mikey's oddly relaxed, sleeping face. It felt unusual to see his brother so still, compared to his usual buzzing around. Leo's hand subconsciously went to graze thoughtfully at the smaller turtle's cheek, drawing a soft sigh from him.

"...Mmm, cupcakes..." Mikey murmured in his sleep, smiling afterward.

Leo just huffed in amusement, retracting his hand even though Mikey's sleepy smile instantly dropped at the loss.

Deciding it was best to leave him be, Leo spun on his heel and headed back toward the kitchen.

He needed someone to fill in for Mikey so looks like Donnie's not quite done with sparring for today.

Something was poking his forehead.

"...Mikey... Mikey, wake up."

Instantly in a flash, Mikey was met with the pain radiating from his lower jaw. God, he wished he was still sleeping. 

So he tried to go back, keeping his eyes shut.

"...C'mon buddy, you can't sleep too much or else you're gonna have a hard time going to bed tonight..."

Now it was poking his beak.

"...Wake up... C'mon, rise and shine, Mikey. It's 7 pm. You'll thank me later..."

Now it was full on patting his cheek. Ugh, the persistence is annoying.

"...Mikey, wake up... I know you can hear me."

The familiar voice stopped it's nagging when the said turtle groaned, cracking his eyes open to stream the painfully bright room in.

"Ah, there you are. Welcome back to Earth." Donnie joked, helping his brother sit up.

The sleepy turtle just rubbed at his eyes, cranky.

"Dude... Why'd you wake me up? I was sleeping like a little baby, yo."

"Because, like I said, I don't want you walking around like a ghost at night when you're not able to fall back asleep."

Mikey just blinked at him, his vision starting to unblur to display Donnie seated beside him.

"How are you feeling?" His older brother asked eagerly, leaning in.

"Oh, uh... sleepy?- Wait, why would I be feeling bad?"

"Because your cavities are infected. Signs of it being more dangerous than it already is are symptoms of a fever. Do you think you have one?"

"Uh... No... Should I?" Mikey asked blearily, kind of confused.

Donnie ignored him, face suddenly serious.

"What about pain? Any better?"

The orange-banded turtle laughed, wincing right after from the pang of pain.

"Nah... Hurts like a..." He stopped himself, choosing lighter words. "...whole lot."

Donnie frowned, starting to dig into his belt.

"Wait, where's Raph and Leo or... or Master Splinter?" Mikey asked, anxiously trying to catch a peek at what Donnie was searching for.

"Raph went back up with Casey, Leo's in the dojo and Father's in his room." Donnie answered absentmindedly, retrieving the mini flashlight. He twisted back around, face stern.

"Okay, let's see it."

Mikey's face fell in realization of what his brother was asking before his face scrunched up.

"Ugh- duuude! Not this again! It was already bad enough the first time!"

"I know, I know but the last time I saw it, it had a yellow-ish bump on the gum which is, in layman's terms... very bad. I need to know if and how it's progressing."

Mikey crossed his arms, putting his beak up and turning it away.

"Well, I'm not doing it! It's weird!"

Donnie groaned, putting his head low.

"God, Mikey- Why does everything have to be so difficult with you? I said I just needed a look."

"Well sorry, I don't want my bros looking in my mouth!" Mikey shot back. "You can't blame a guy."

"No one's blaming anyone. The fact is, it's either you show me or I look myself." Donnie pressed, pointing a stern finger into his own leg. "Listen, I want to get this over with as much as you do. It seems I haven't stressed enough just how serious this is..."

He leaned in, furrowing his brows together.

"I want to help you, Mikey... Alright? Will you let me do that?"

The younger brother begrudgingly faced back to him, chin low.

"...This is totally bogus, man...Totally uncool." He muttered.

"Totally this, totally that- What about totally thankful for Donnie, huh?" The purple-banded turtle kidded, taking hold of Mikey's chin and giving it a tilt upward while his other hand brought up the mini flashlight.

"Ah." Donnie prompted unenthusiastically, voice promising he wouldn't be asking again.

Mikey slowly pried his mouth open, putting his teeth on display. Donnie wasted no time flicking on the flashlight and taking a look inside. Once again, he hooked a finger at the corner of his mouth, widening the visual. 

But from Mikey's point of view, he could only see the ceiling and hear the tsk of his older brother. And like Donnie promised, it was quick with him finding his chin free moments later.

"Like I suspected... It's going down a dark path with that infection." Donnie said, flicking off the flashlight. "It's worse, much worse. I'm going to have to do a drainage on that abscess below it, along with the filling."

"Drainage...?" Mikey chewed on the words. "Like a drain in a tub...?"

"Like a drain with a needle." Donnie said,  watching as Mikey's face paled.

"...Now Mikey-"

"Needle?! I-I can't do needles, bro! I can't!" Mikey whined, tugging at his brother's arm. "You know I get all queasy when-"

"Yes, yes, I remember." Donnie recalled in annoyance, sliding his arm away. "But it's either that, or we let it simmer and grow to the point of tooth removal. And I don't think either of us want that."

But Donnie's stern facade was short-lived at the sight of Mikey rubbing at his eyes with the back of his palm.

Donnie looked to the ceiling, shaking his head in "I can't believe this is happening" before coming back down with a heavy exhale. He placed a loving hand on his brother's dome and started to rub at it.

"Dont cry, Mikey. It's gonna be okay. We'll get this over with tomorrow, alright? And then you'll be pain free... well, in a week or so."

"This... This is all my fault..." Mikey said sorrowfully, rubbing extra rough at his eyes.

But there was no response from Donnie, who was silently caressing head. Mikey looked up with wet eyes, a frown on his face.

"...Dude, this is the part when you say it isn't my fault."

"No, you're right. This is your fault." The older turtle responded matter-of-factly.

Mikey deflated, averting his gaze to his lap.

"Major damage..."

Donnie sighed, (someone give this turtle a break by how many times he sighs), and placed the rubbing hand to instead rub at his knee, eyes on his the entire time.

"Mikey. Why don't you ever listen to my warnings in the first place? I don't just make noise... I say realistic facts for a reason."

"I know, I know..." He mumbled, poking at something in his lap. "I just..."

"Just what? Enlighten me, Mikey. Tell me what was it you were thinking that was just so important, you had to ignore all of us and get infected cavities for."

"I don't know... It's just that..." He momentarily flicked his apprehensive gaze up before bringing it back down. "I know you guys are gonna laugh at me for saying this... but..."

Mikey laughed, shaking his head.

"...Pfft- you know... nevermind...It's silly."

Donnie frowned.

"Well, now I want to hear it. Go ahead."

Mikey suddenly at up straight, looking eagerly at his brother with his hands up. 

"Listen man... I just really do love sweets! They make me, well, uh- happy!"

Donnie had no idea where this was going but he was willing to hear Mikey out, especially with his own curiousity of what was causing his brother to appear so anxious. He nodded for Mikey to continue. 

"...Like... really happy! So whenever I'm feeling down... I just need to stuff my face with some. But I guess I get used to it so the next time it just doesn't feel the same... So I gotta have even more... and more... and... more..."

His voice faltered off, his cheeks holding a reddish tint.

Donnie softened, lowering his lids with a pensive gaze.

"So my guess about the stress-eating was right?"

"No..." Mikey retorted in offense.

The two sat in silence before the younger brother sighed in defeat.

"...Okay, yeah."

"I can read you like a book, Mikey. It's hard to sneak anything past me." Donnie chuckled, booping his beak with his finger. "Instead of eating your feelings away, maybe you can share with the class what's going on in that head of yours, hm?"

When Mikey didn't respond, Donnie's light-hearted concern grew more serious, making his hand freeze in it's rub.

"Unless... something specific happened...?-"

"Nahh... It's nothing like that..." Mikey mumbled moments before looking up to notice Donnie's skepticism.

"Really, dude! Promise, nothing happened!" He exclaimed, waving his hands. It seemed to finally get through to Donnie, allowing his hand to continue its rub.

"It's just a me thing... I don't know, I kinda just feel on edge about whatever sometimes. It's kinda hard to pinpoint."

Mikey shrugged, offering an awkward, mid-way grin.

"I guess eating is just like my therapy, yo."

"Eating is not supposed to be like therapy "yo"." Donnie started, his face radiating in concern. "Eating is supposed to be a calorie balanced, nutritious but casually regulated, standard of three meals a day. Also, you're not just eating, you're eating excessively and most significantly eating sweets which offer little to none nutritional value. And as you finally learned yesterday, overconsumption can lead to health issues."

Donnie's frown deepened at the smaller turtle's silence, making him lean in with his palm ceasing it's rub to be pressed flat against his knee.

"You are learning from this, right? Or do you need a few more cavities for it to stick?-"

"-No!" Mikey shot out, frantically shaking his head with fists at his side. "I'm totally done with this bogus teeth stuff! For real, dawg!"

The older brother hummed, pleased at the progress of getting through with Mikey.

"So what I'm getting at is you're going to try your best to not indulge in your little bad habit once this is all over, correct?" He added cunningly with a faint smirk. "Since you say you don't want to have this sort of issue anymore..."

Mikey swallowed hard, thinking it over.

"But... But it makes me feel better-"

"Mikey." Donnie called in a soothingly low voice, cupping his cheek while he was at it. "There's plenty of things out there that can make you feel better. For starters, talking with someone is a big one... And guess what..."

Mikey's blues studied his brother's face, trying to read if this was a rhetorical question or not. Either way, he asked with childlike wonder, 

"...What?" 

Donnie smiled, brushing his thumb across. 

"...It comes at no cost whatsoever. No pain or health risks or anything. Just a loving ear, always available- " He paused thoughtfully to himself, removing his hand from Mikey's cheek to cup his own chin. "Well, when I say "ear," I mean our own accurate term according to our biology, which is our tympanum- which is scale-covered patch of skin that covers our cartilaginous disc, but that would be unnecessary to add onto the comforting phrase because it- Ooph!"

Interrupting his rambles, Donnie stared down in surprise at the culprit that was his little brother, tightly latching around his waist in an embrace with a high chur vibrating into the air.

The outer corners of his purple mask crinkled as he formed a pleased smile, starting to caress at Mikey's shell.

"Once again, I share a beneficial fact that is correct as per usual. What a shocker that is to everyone-"

"But you gotta promise something, too!" Mikey muffledly emphasized into his brother's plastron.

Donnie's smile didn't lessen though, now just with the addition of a quirked brow directed downwards.

"I don't remember this being about me but I'll bite... What do I have to promise?"

Mikey peeled the top part of him off but with his arms still around his brother. His face screamed "serious business" with his brows scrunched together.

"That if I stop eating so much sweets, you have to stop drinking so much coffee with me!"

Donnie choked on his spit, prying his brother off by the shoulders and holding him there. He wore a queasy smile, eyes wide.

"Woah, woah, woah! Haha- Now, let's not go that far-"

"You can't be all on me about my sweets when you drink a whole buttload of coffee everyday! Coffee is your bad habit, dude. Admit it!"

"B-But... I need it as energy for work-"

"You don't need it, Donatell-oh." Mikey mocked, using Donnie's previous words against him with a playful curl of his lips. "There are plenty of other things out there that can make you feel better."

"Unless you wanna be a bad influence for your little bro..." Mikey switched his voice to a theatrical overdramatic tone, a waggish grin raising his cheeks. "Ruh-roh... look's like Dee's being a total hypocrite so I guess I'm never gonna stop eating all my caaakes... Cavities here I come! Who needs teeth, am I right?"

Donnie scoffed in disbelief, a sly smile reaching his face.

"Oh-ho, I see what you're doing here, you little scamp." He challenged teasingly, watching in self-satisfaction at his brother's crabby expression when he pinched at his cheek, tugging at it. Mikey made a sound of complaint with each small pull.

"But ugh- I guess you're right... Fine. We'll both significantly lower our bad habits. Happy?"

Donnie let go, laughing at Mikey's sour gaze pointed at him as he rubbed at his faintly reddish cheek.

"Yeah, I'm just overjoyed, brah." Mikey replied, voice unusually thick with sarcasm. "I just love seeing my comfort foods get snatched away from my very hands."

Donnie rolled his eyes and got up, scrubbing at his brother's head as he did.

"Easy on the dramatics. That's another bad habit of yours we should work on next."

Mikey just huffed, trying to supress his smile as his eyes followed his brother starting to make his way out of the main room.

"Tomorrow. In my lab. No later than 10 am." Donnie called out curtly, without turning his head. "And please... just try to brush your teeth beforehand to spare me."

It was the day everyone anticipated, the day of Donnie's time to play-pretend being a dentist. He always complained to his brothers that he was an engineer and nothing else... 

But as always... 

He was put up to to fill another position.

Shocker. 

But if he was to be the dentist for today, he decided he would not have any distractions to intervene or interrupt the procedure, so Leo and Raph were sent out of the lair... at least for a little bit. Though, they easily agreed to it when they found out there would be needles involved... 

And they all knew how difficult Mikey got about needles... 

...How loud too. 

So now, Leo and Raph trudged along the sewer tunnels, heading back home from a drop by April's place.

Raph laughed to himself, shoving playfully at Leo.

"Imagine how Mikey's screamin' right now with those all those needles. Bet Don's gonna be deaf when we get back."

Leo just stayed focused ahead, walking in large strides. 

"They should be done be now. We left them alone for a good while."

"Yeah, they better be done. I don't know how many more chores I can do 'round April's apartment. When we told her we hadda kill time, I didn't know she was gonna make us lunge furniture around." Raph grumbled, rubbing at his shell.

They left it at that with the sight of the lair's entrance coming up ahead, the faint glow getting closer and closer.

The two spared each other an apprehensive glance before rounding the corner and entering the glow of their home. They didn't know what they were expecting when just the faint buzz of the lights and TV meeted them. Up ahead, they spotted the back of Mikey's head peeking over the couch.

"Yo, Mike!" Raph called out, the two eldest brothers making their way over. "Okay, let's see it-"

The turtles froze at the big revealment of Mikey finally turning around to face them. He wore a sour, down-turned face with wet cheeks gleaming against the lights overhead. But what was the most striking was the ice pack held in place by this cloth wrapped under his chin to over his head with a knot, looking more like a bow, at the very top of it all. 

With a sight similar to a cartoon's, Raph lost it.

He burst out laughing, filling the lair's silence with a literal finger pointing his little brother's way as he hunched over to clutch at his stomach.

"Dude... It cannot be that funny..." Mikey said with a self-conscious blush, glaring at Raph who was straight up fighting for his life, cry-laughing on the floor.

"So... It all went well?" Leo attempted to speak casually, the corners of his mouth twitching in a supressed smile.

Mikey shrugged, looking away. 

"Yeah, it went okay-"

"-Six times!" Donnie interrupted into the meeting, marching over to them from his lab. "He bit me six times!"

"I said I was sorry, Dee. What else do you want from me- an apology letter?" Mikey said, annoyed.

Donnie flashed his hands up for everyone to see the abused flesh covered in bite marks, staring daggers at Mikey. 

"Appreciate this, Mikey, because this is the last and only time I'm play-pretending being your dentist. You better keep your "pearly whites" after this."

"God, Mikey!-" Raph burst out from the floor, wheezing. "Ya just look so stupid!"

Mikey's face scrunched up, his fingers curling into his palm as he let out a charge up whine of frustration.

"I-It's not funny, Raph! Quit laughing!- Ah -Ow, ow..." He cut himself short, rubbing his palm against his cheek.

"Take it easy." Donnie switched up from his previous indignation, placing a gentle hand on Mikey's head. "Try not to move your mouth too much. It needs to heal."

"Hah... Man, Donnie..." Raph chuckled breathlessly, trying to calm himself down. He took Leo's hand to pull him up, half leaning on him from dizziness from all his laughing. "Did ya have to wrap his head like a gift under the tree? I just..." 

Raph wiped at his face, his smile twitching again as he took a shaky breath. 

"This is just too good... This right 'ere is the perfect payback for all yer pranks, Mikey. I need- Where's that damn T-Phone- I just gotta take a picture of this." The red-banded turtle started to pat himself down to Mikey's horror.

"Hey- hey! M-My face isn't camera ready!" Mikey exclaimed, trying to grab at Raph's out and open T-Phone but to no prevail with his older brother raising it just out of his reach and pushing his hand against his plastron to hold him back.

"Raaaph! I'm being so for real, yo! Quit it!"

In the middle of Raph's snickering and teasing, Leo snatched the T-Phone right from his hands, slapping it impatiently against his own palm.

"Stop it, Raph. Mikey's had a..." He glimpsed at his baby brother's damp mask under his eyes. "... Long past hour. Just let him rest."

"Rest?" Raph repeated, watching as Donnie ushered Mikey away back to the couch, where he plopped himself down with crossed arms. "It's not like Don did surgery on his heart."

Leo took his arm, turning the both of them around to whisper.

"You know how Mikey gets with needles... Just give him a break and then later..." Leo took a deep breath, his serious expression forming a small smirk. "...We can take a picture."

Raph raised a brow in amusement, chuckling which Leo responded with, 

"What? You're not the only one who wants payback for all his pranks."

"-I can't wait a whole ass week for the next episode to find out if Sharon ends up with either Derek or Tom!" Raph exclaimed to Leo as they walked away from the main room and into the kitchen, just finishing their romance reality TV shows intake for the day.

Leo sighed, taking this just as serious as any of their missions.

"I sure hopes she picks Tom. He's more respectful and well... I mean, obviously not anything to do with my own sexuality, but, uh- he's quite attractive-"

"Just say yer gay, Leo. We all already know anyway." Raph said, pulling the curtain aside to reveal the kitchen, revealing the dim lit room and surprising... Mikey seated at the table with his face flat against it, a paper plate serving a slice over pizza in front of him.

It was a pretty odd sight, indeed.

"Mike?" Raph called out, honestly concerned as he came over and poked at his head. "You okay?"

The only thing that came from the turtle was a muffled groan.

Leo and Raph shared a worried glance before the eldest came over as well to crouch beside Mikey, placing his hand on his knee.

"What's the matter? Is it your teeth? Do you need some painkillers- I think we have some-"

"No, dude..." Mikey rasped into the table. "I'm totally going through a sweet withdrawal right now."

Raph groaned, rolling his eyes as concern flooded away. With an unimpressed, blank look, he went over to the fridge to fetch a soda.

Leo tsked, getting up.

"C'mon, it's been what... two days without anything sweet? You'll be alright."

He glimpsed at the pizza beside them.

"And the last time I saw you, which was a few hours ago... you had this slice in front of you..."

He tapped beside it. 

"I don't see any change."

The younger turtle murmured something, burying his face deeper.

"What?" His older brother asked, not picking up on a single word. 

Mikey did so again, now with Raph entering the conversation with a bored expression.

"Mikey, I can't hear you." Leo repeated. 

At the third incoherent repetition, Raph had enough of watching this. He snatched at Mikey's mask tails, drawing a yelp from him as he was peeled him off the table till he was seated up with his face in the light.

"Geez, geez! I said I just don't wanna eat!" Mikey cried out, suddenly able to speak loud and clear.

The older brothers shared a wide-eyed glance between themselves as Mikey tried to pry at Raph's clutching fingers. 

"Man, we gotta be some sorta alternate dimension cause no way he said what I think he said." Raph said, watching with new eyes as Mikey squirmed in his grasp.

"You don't want to eat...? But you love eating!" Leo claimed in surprise.

"Well, not anymore! I-I'm a changed turtle now!" Mikey exclaimed, putting his beak up. Raph released his mask tails, letting it slip through his fingers in disbelief.

"When was the last time you even ate? Breakfast?" Leo interrogated, suddenly serious.

When Mikey just looked away, not responding, Leo knew he got his answer.

"Oh no, no, no- We're putting an end to this before it even starts. You're eating." Leo said without question with him, already on the move to reheat the pizza. 

Mikey watched with a shameful gaze at Leo from the distance, his face falling into a pout. Raph observed him from the side before planting himself in the chair beside him, turning it to face his orange-banded brother.

"Mike."

That made said turtle perk up, his saddened but curious blues following the voice.

"What'sa matter?" Raph prompted with a nod toward him.

Mikey sighed, going back to slump against the table with his left cheek pressed into it. He prodded at some speck in the table, pretending to be occupied. 

"I'm just... totally weird, yo..."

"Tell me somethin' we don't know." Raph said. "Are ya just figuring that out now?"

"Nah, bro... It's not normal "Mikey-weird"...It's just... silly, I guess."

"Whaddaya mean?"

Mikey peered up from the table, eyes judging.

"You're gonna laugh at me."

"Me? Why would I laugh at you?"

Even as Leo came back with the pizza, placing it in front his little brother, him and Mikey just bore an unimpressed stare into Raph, making him crack.

"Okay, well... I'll try ta hold it in this time." He admitted before leaning in. "Lay it on me."

Mikey stifled a groan as he sat up, rubbing at the back of his neck.

"Dude, I know I sound like a cheeseball but I dunno... I got so used to snackin' whenever I was sorta in the feels, that I just feel so... so empty now. Like I'm sorta chasing that happy boom whenever I take a bite, ya know? I dunno.... These cucumbers and stuff just isn't givin' the same vibe..."

To spare the serious tone Mikey put into the room, he just had to add as a joke, 

"Also cause all those nasty veggies are green and it just feels wrong, yo... It feels like I'm eating a cousin."

But when Mikey looked back up, he was taken back at the stern, long-faces of his brothers intently listening to him, nodding along.

The youngest let out a nervous chuckle, drumming his fingers against the table. 

"I mean- Still, it doesn't really matter... I already made a deal with Donnie that I would eat healthier... But I don't gotta like it."

Leo hummed, taking in all this information. 

"You're right... You don't have to. But I'm sure nowhere in that talk with Donnie did "eating healthier" mean not eating at all." 

He pushed the pizza closer to him, not taking his set gaze off him.

"So eat."

Mikey grumbled something before taking a dramatically large bite, glaring at his eldest brother with full cheeks.

"...Ya know what you need?" Raph spoke up, vertically wagging a finger at him.

"Hm?" Mikey sounded, taking another bite.

"I know how ta help ya. Listen..." Raph leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees.

"Whenever Leo's a pain in the shell and I don't like seein' his face, I just remember all the times I whooped his shell in sparrin'. That way, everytime I see him, I remember the victories and feel good."

Leo was staring daggers into Raph, clearly not a fan of his example while Raph purposely avoided his gaze with a noticeable curl of his lips.

"So since ya love food and all that, what ya need is to associate some actual healthy shit with sum good feelings. Like..."

Mikey watched with curious, eager eyes as the hot-headed turtle got up and headed over to the fridge, rummaging through it. Without warning, he tossed something Mikey's way. The turtle caught it easily, looking down at the item just for his face to fall. 

"Duuuude..." Mikey started to complain. "I'm not eating another cucumber-!"

"If ya eat that, not a single more or a single less... I'll take ya on my cycle and we can- I dunno... Kick some Dragon butt on the streets tonight. Ya like doin' that?"

Mikey froze, jaw mid-way chew with his eyes wide.

"Your... motorcycle?"

"No, my bicycle- The hell ya think I'm talkin' 'bout? Of course, my motorcycle, you dork."

Mikey's large eyes started to sparkle with a radiant smile beaming across his previously dull face.

"For real?... Me?! You never let me go on your bike!"

"Well, now I think I'm startin' to regret it-"

In a blink of an eye, Mikey absolutely devoured the pizza and cucumber like a paper shredder. It was like they blinked, and Mikey was instead mutated into a beaver. 

"Okay, done deal- No take backs! Let's hit the road, jack!"

Mikey scrambled from his chair and making haste for the garage, leaving a dumbfounded Raph behind.

Leo laughed at his red-banded brother's surprise, getting up to give him a pat on the shoulder as he passed by him.

"Well, have fun with that, Raph." was the last thing Raph heard before he was already following after his little brother.

Mikey was already on his bike when he entered the garage, hunched over as he gripped at the handles with a broad, mischievous grin.

"Oh-ho, rev me up, baby! We're gonna be flying down all the streets tonight- Oof!"

Mikey peeked over the top edge of the helmet that was set roughly over his head. Raph, the culprit, stood before him with another helmet under his arm.

"Let's not get yer brain even more damaged than it already is." Raph grinned, rapping his knuckles against the hard surface.

"C'mon, c'mon, hurry up, dude!" Mikey whined impatiently as Raph secured his helmet under his own chin. "We gotta split before you totally change your mind!"

But his attention was drawn back to his brother with hands slowly shifting his helmet to face his way.

"Ya know, Mike..." Raph started as he fastened the helmet's strap under his brother's chin.

"You don't needa eat shit to feel good, alright? If yer low, you can just... Ugh- I dunno..." He winced, trying to figure out how to be as caring as he wanted to be without succumbing into the sappy stuff.

"...Just... I'm always open for whateva, ya know? Always up for hittin' the streets or listenin' to yer yappin' if ya need it or somethin'.... 'Kay?"

Raph inwardly groaned at his brother practically buzzing with joy, his eyes bright and twinkling with a wide grin splitting underneath.

"Awwhhh, you can be so adorable when you put yourself out there, Raphie-boy!"

"Ya know what, I take it back- Don't even talk ta me." Raph said, although mirroring a similar smile as he motioned for Mikey to slide back so he could sit up front.

As they smiled to themselves, they both silently knew Raph's offer still stood and would continue to stand as long as they were brothers. They didn't even have to say it aloud. 

Mikey knew his brother meant what he said.

Raph intiated the main garage door to roll up just before starting up the bike. The engine roared throughout the garage, the lights illuminating the sewer tunnel ahead.

"I ain't comin' back for you if ya fall off so hold on tight!" Raph shouted over the noise, revving the engine. Mikey wrapped his arms around his brother's waist, excitedly squeezing his cheek against the turtle's shell.

Man... Maybe cucumbers aren't too bad... Mikey thought to himself as they drove off into the shadows of the sewer.