Archive of Our Own

The second they stepped into that farmhouse, it was like a prison sentence for all of them. Amidst the havoc of escaping a Kraang run NYC without their father and a terribly injured brother with nothing but the shells on their back and an old hippie van... 

Mikey knew it would never be the same.

Once the remaining friends and family huddled around the occupied tub for the first time, the adrenaline buzz in Mikey's brain finally shut off, allowing the thoughts to flood in through the feeble barrier of silence. 

He knew he wasn't the only one who felt it... 

Everyone had.

There was a time where they would all just sit around Leo together, watching the hours go by on the first days in hopes their comatose brother/friend would make a noise or twitch a muscle. He remembered how they all cried that first day, some silent while some full on sobbed.

He was one of them. He remembered how his remaining brothers hugged him... 

...Hugged each other.

But as Leo's absence stretched on, they drifted apart. April and Casey were always together. Either it be hanging out, going on drives or errand runs—anything to get them out of the house. Mikey couldn't blame them... It was hard to be stuck inside with their thoughts, especially regarding everything that had happened to them. He honestly wanted to join them but it just felt wrong to leave his brothers.

Donnie was always in the barn. He turned it into his makeshift lab. It was obvious he was trying to distract himself because everytime Mikey went in there, he would be building some incomprehensible invention or fixing up this rusty truck they had in there. 

And Raph…  

Mikey should've known the second he saw that devastated look in Raph's bloodshot eyes when he carried Leo into that bathroom, that he too would be out for as long as Leo would.

One by one, the five of their remaining group slowly stopped lingering in the bathroom, staying over night… 

All except Raph. 

Raph stayed, watching over Leo with a glazed expression every moment he could. He wouldn't come down for food or sleep in the bedrooms or just to go outside. He practically lived beside Leo, just observing in hope that his big brother would wake up one day.

It's been a month.

There's been a few instances—more like miracles, Mikey could count on his six fingers where Raph came downstairs or anywhere that wasn't by Leo's side.

Like that one time the power went off and it was freezing cold throughout the farmhouse. Desperate times called for desperate measures so Mikey mustered up the courage to take his complaint straight to his stone-faced brother. And that's all it took for Raph to plod down the stairs and straight up leave through the door without a word. He came back about thirty minutes later with a pile of chopped wood in his arms. He dumped it into the fireplace, lit it up, and left in a hurry to get back to his place in the bathroom once again.

But that was the only time where things went rather smoothly, without any conflict. With Raph unstable and Donnie on edge, the two would feed into each other's struggling usually by setting each other off in a screaming match.

This usually occurred by accidentally meeting in the kitchen or walking past each other in the hallway. It would take a petty comment or a brush of shoulders for an aggressive situation to spur out of nowhere. This was a new occurance, a new dynamic that bloomed as an outcome of everything that has happened. 

It was frightening because it was so unlike them. Not only to see Raph going off at anything a hundred times worse, but to see Donnie absolutely livid—holding such aggressivity Mikey never knew he had in him.

...So it wasn't just Raph that changed.

Casey and April stopped trying to intervene after the first few times, giving up because it would just make the two brothers even more steamed up than they already were. Mikey tried too but the harsh shove away with a blood-curling yell of "Stay out of this, Mikey!" eventually just became too much to bear. The roars of his own name being screamed like it was something hateful would forever be ingrained in his mind.

Worst part was… no one was doing anything about it. No one brought up this strange, unhealthy behavior because they too had their own. Everyone isolated from one another, occasionally exchanging a monotonous greeting and always repeating the same question of “Any news?” ...They didn't even have to mention Leo to know what they were implying.

Sometimes there would be the shake of a head, a verbal "no" or no response at all. 

That was their conversation.

Unfortunately, Mikey wasn't any better, not living up to his imaginary “glue-of-the-family” role he always claimed himself to be. He followed along them, pretending to be too absorbed by chores to talk to anyone, not that anyone would offer it. The farmhouse was always quiet, even the TV Mikey pretended to watch was kept at a low volume.

Still, he tried to make some noise. He was Mikey after all. He always dropped by to say hello to Casey and April, asking them what they were doing. Most days, he dropped food for Donnie in the barn because sometimes his brother would be so absorbed in his work, (the days when it got hard), he would forget to eat or altogether ignore his bodily needs.

He dropped food off for Raph everyday though—three meals on a daily to be exact. And sure he spoke to Raph at times, dropping by to talk about his day or squeeze in a joke.

But Raph never laughed.

He just kept his eyes glued on Leo's still form with a half-reply of a grunt or mumble. Still, Mikey never let up, even if it seemed he like was talking to the shell of his brother.

It was like having a Tomodachi to care for, constantly peeking his head into the bathroom every once and awhile, food and drink in hand. Even if it seemed like everyone has given up on each other...

He just couldn't lose another loved one.

Today was another day following the schedule with Mikey rapping his knuckles on the bathroom door, a plate of steamy mac & cheese in his hands.

"Raph?" Mikey called out, opening the door without a response. Not that he expected one anyway. As usual, Raph was sitting before Leo on this stool. He didn't even turn his head at his entrance.

Mikey's heart squeezed as he came around in front of his brother. Still, he offered a superficial smile for the both of them. He shoved the plate forward.

"Lunch time, bro! Eat it while it's still hot!"

With eyesbags peeking from under his drooping mask, Raph slowly slid his dead gaze to him. Slowly, he reaches for it, bones cracking from his immobility. 

"...Thanks." He muttered, voice hoarse from not speaking to anyone all day. He took the plate and placed it on his lap. He didn't take any action to eat it though, letting the fork teeter on the edge of it.

Mikey huffed at the scene, turning around to do his daily observation of his unconscious eldest brother.

"So... How's Leo today?" He asked, crouching down beside the tub.

He studied Leo's relaxed, fresh face, looking almost serene. He was so used to seeing his brother so focused and determined, eyes always daring and darting around with precision... that no matter how many times he saw his comatose state, it always gave him a shudder rolling down his spine. It just looked... uncanny.

"...Still sleepin'." Raph grumbled from behind, such a delayed response that Mikey almost forget he even asked.

Mikey focused in on Leo's chest, watching it slowly rise and fall. He scooped up some water surrounding his brother and tossed the handful onto his plastron, lathering it with a pensive gaze he knew no one could see.

He stopped mid-lather to press his hand over his brother's heart, feeling his faint heartbeat pump underneath.

He truly wanted nothing more in this world than for his big brother to open his eyes again. He just needed to see his eyes—the same ones that always held a promised comfort and guarantee of safety no matter the outcome.

Not only did he need him... but all of them. They all needed their leader back... Their eldest brother.

But deep down he knew that it was Raph who really needed him the most... always had... no matter how many times he denied it.

Raph said nothing, silently observing the scene from afar.

"How's Don." He asked gruffly.

Mikey froze mid-drape of another handful of water on Leo's shoulder. 

A few days ago, the two had another fight, one that rings in Mikey's head whenever it got too quiet. He'll never forget how his heart dropped when he heard Raph's heavy steps enter the kitchen as Donnie was heading toward the sink to return his plate. All it took was Raph accidentally bumping into him, making the brainy turtle's plate slip from his hands and crash onto the floor. Just as loud and startling as the fallen plate, it was suddenly a scream off with every vein bulging, nares flaring like they were life-long enemies rather than brothers who used to laugh at the table together.

It lasted way too long for a simple plate, allowing a dissociating Mikey the time to slither past it all and head upstairs to the bathroom. He'll never forget the blurry sight of Leo's resting face with his brothers' roaring in the background, followed by even more smashed plates.

Back from his trip down memory lane, Mikey scoffed while he resuming his stroke. He watched as his fingers went over the curve of Leo's collarbone.

"...He's... chill. He's in that barn all the time, though."

He hoped maybe that would be a direct sign–a wake-up call for Raph to notice his own behavior... 

It did not.

Or maybe... He just didn't care. No one really cares about anyone anymore, he supposed.

Raph just let out a low hum, that being the only sound for a good minute alongside the faint splashes from Mikey's repeated hand cupping.

It was when the few minutes mark passed, going over Mikey's limit. He couldn't stand silence, especially with someone else in the room...

He should be used to Raph's silence by now, the new inability to keep a conversation going. He acknowledged he was struggling, he could see it written all over him. But even with this in mind... 

It still hurt him everytime.

Mikey got up with a sigh, lingering his gaze on Leo to watch his chest rise and fall one last time before leaving for the door. He froze at the doorframe, gripping onto it as he looked to the shell of Raph's still form.

"Just... call if you need anything, bro. I'm downstairs." He said in a hushed tone, almost in a whisper which was less of the positive tone he intended.

He bore his stare at the back of Raph's head, hoping for something... anything that would count as a response in proof that he acknowledged him.

Mikey's beak stung, a thin sheath of tears coming over his eyes when the few seconds turned into almost a minute.

... 

It seemed today wasn't the day.

He left, descending downstairs to be swallowed up by the depressing, dim lighting of the first floor. He sniffed harshly once he was out of possible hearing range, blinking rapidly as he entered the kitchen.

But he wasn't going to stop there and dwell on it...

He had one more brother to feed. 

Now with another full plate in his hands, he was striding over to the barn out front, practicing the smile he would perform to Donnie.

He kicked the barn doors open, a radiant smile emerging.

"Grub time~!" He announced in sing-songy voice. 

Whatever Donnie was intently working on was cut short when he accidentally dropped the tools from his grasp with a yelp. Donnie himself almost fell along with them, jolting up straight which lead to a strenuous battle for balance to prevent him and his chair from falling backwards.

He tried to catch his breath, a hand pressed over his heart.

"M-Mikey! Don't come in like that! How many times do I have to tell you?!" Donnie shouted, still shook while he removed the goggles from over his eyes. He turned his shell to him, grumbling with raised shoulders.

"Awh c'mon, don't be like that, Dee! I'm just tryna feed my bros!" Mikey exclaimed, coming over. "And it's your favorite too! The good ol' mac and cheese!"

As he placed the plate down, Mikey's eyes caught sight of something unmistakably red on Donnie's hands, by instinct locking his gaze on it. It was just a mere second though because immediately his brother curled his fingers into his palm, as if he was trying to hide it.

But it was too slow.

Mikey saw it well enough.

It was a new habit Donnie picked up on. The miniature rips and tears, dried and fresh wounds of his nails bitten down to the point of him having to conceal or distract away from it whenever anyone came too close.

Mikey noticed it and it's progress worsening with each time he dropped by.

It was obvious everyone did too...

But as usual... no one ever mentioned it. Just as no one mentioned the fights.

Or the isolation.

Or the avoidance.

The clearance of the genius turtle's throat made Mikey snap out of his train of thought, bringing him back to earth.

"Well, unfortunately, I'm going to have to pass. I'm bus... y..." Donnie faltered off, the meal's aroma finally reaching his nares.

He relaxed, instantly succumbing to it with a smile. It was his comfort food after all. 

"Okay, fine... You win this time..." He chuckled, shoving some of his work aside and pulling the plate near him. "Thank you."

Mikey beamed at the praise, offering a toothy grin from where he stood by his side.

"Just try not to eat the plate too!"

As Donnie blowed at the mac & cheese on his fork, he got to thinking which immediately made his face fall flat into his previous mood. He spun his chair around to face him, looking dead serious. 

Mikey grimaced, already knowing what's to come.

"So... any news on Leo? How's he holding up?" Donnie said in between chews, tone more as if he was just saying than asking.

When Mikey just averted his gaze to the floor with a downcasted expression, his mask tails drooping behind him, Donnie knew he got his answer.

Donnie sighed.

"Go figures. It's been about a month now."

He turned back toward the desk, trying to seem nonchalant about his next question.

"And uh... what about Raph? He come out at all?"

Mikey poked at something with his foot, watching a pebble roll away.

"Ehhh... Well, he comes out sometimes... But it's really rare- like a shooting star!"

Mikey straightened up, attempting to make his voice sound a bit cheery.

"But on the upside, he still eats the food I give to him! So, he's still alive and kickin'!"

The attempt at positivity didn't work though. Donnie huffed, poking at the food with a scornful expression like the very thought of Raph was ruining his taste. 

"You know, dude..." Mikey wringed his hands, offering a tug at the corner of his mouth. Even just the back of Donnie's head seemed to risky to directly look at.

"Maybe... Maybe you and him should- ya know... make up? This whole bogus fighting thing you guys do just isn't right, yo... We're all bros and we're all going through it! And I-I'm sure if Leo or Master Splinter saw you dudes, they'd say the same thing-"

"-Well, they can't!" Donnie snapped with wide eyes as he wrenched his chair around. The fork accidently slipped from his hands and loudly crattered onto the ground between them.

"Our father is swimming in the sewers and our brother is in a coma! They can't see us, Mikey! And i-it's actually none of your business to be exact! I don't need your advice a-and!... And... "

His voice died off at Mikey suddenly crouching before him, coming back up with the fallen fork in his hands and holding it out towards him. Drifting his stunned gaze upwards, Donnie was met with a never-seen-before, blank expression on his little brother's face, his mouth a straight line. It looked uncanny, his demeanor like a slate stripped clean of any emotional reaction.

... 

Oh.

He was so used to yell-offs and shared aggressivity... always having someone clap back immediately, matching his volume... 

He forgot that Mikey just wasn't like that.

Mikey was... well...

Mikey. 

That's just how his baby brother was.

Realization on what he was doing hit him harder than a brick, striking straight into his heart. The immediate regret he felt had the older turtle's blazing rage visually deflating.

"Oh, uh..." Donnie choked out, cautiously taking the fork. It was warmly damp with Mikey's own sweaty fingerprints.

"...Thanks- Thank you."

He slapped it nervously against his own palm, furrowing his hairless brows. 

"Ah- uhm..." Donnie sighed sharply, wiping at his face. "...Ugh- I'm sorry, Mikey. I... I shouldn't have yelled at you. I'm just..."

He averted his gaze to the ground shamefully.

"...I'm just stressed, I suppose."

A sudden heavy hand on his shoulder made him jolt back up.

"Dude, it's chillll... I get it! Happens to the best of us." Mikey attempted a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "It was just an idea... You know I'm always up to sharin' my ideas with the one and only turtle with the brains! That's just how the B-Team rolls, yo!"

Donnie darted his eyes over his features, surveying the act.

"...Yeah." He finally came up with. "Yeah, I guess that's how we do roll... But either way, I'm- I shouldn't have-"

"Yeah, yeah, ease up Dee! I said we were all good." Mikey interrupted with a subtle edge, not letting him finish. He dropped his hands at his sides, throwing a quick glance at the exit as he nervously laughed.

"Anyways, I think I gotta dip. Soon April and Casey are gonna be back with a butt load of groceries so I'm gonna be ready to help them unload."

He threw a thumb over his shoulder.

"If you need anything, you know where to find me! Oo!- And I'll be back to pick up your plate later, brah."

And before Donnie could backtrack them or say anything, Mikey pressed a quick peck on his cheek. When he came back up, he laughed in amusement at Donnie's surprised expression.

"So cya, Dee!"

And with that, Mikey twirled around and made his way off toward the doors.

"Dagh- M-Mikey!- Wait, I..." 

But the younger turtle only spared him a glimpse before he pushed the doors open and disappeared into the crack of sunlight streaming in.

"-Aaaaaand he's gone."

Donnie tilted his head all the way back against the chair, scrubbing at his face as he spun back around. With weary eyes, he stared down at the meal Mikey made for him.

He knew mac & cheese was his favorite.

But even with all his love in mind... 

He suddenly felt too sick to eat anymore.

He tensed his jaw, taking a deep breath through his nares as he slipped the goggles back over his eyes.

He just... needed to keep himself busy... 

That's all.

Mikey slowly trudged back toward the farmhouse, feeling numb. The closer he got to the farmhouse, the more dread weighed on his chest. He knows he would've loved this place if they came for different circumstances, as if just for a vacay. Recovering from the Kraang with a comatose brother wasn't exactly his cup of tea.

He stopped in front of the door, hesitating. He gave a one last look to the teeming outdoor life beyond the yard, trying to savor the sight that is sure to disapear once he enters the gloomy house of silence. Eventually, he knew he couldn't stand there forever and went inside.

Yup, as he expected: He was thrust back into pure gloom once the door shut behind him with a faint clik. The house had it's usual dim grayness to it- no matter how how curtains or lights were on. 

And with this depressing lighting and deafening buzz reaching his hearing again, it was like the thoughts instantly flooded his brain once he had his guard down.

Oh, this damn silence-

"Mrrooowwww!"

Mikey stilled, taking a few seconds of a delayed response before a heartwarming smile grew on his face. Following the sound into the kitchen, he opened the freezer just as his lips disconnected to make a grin.

"Hi, girl."

He scooped Ice Cream Kitty up in his arms to allow her to rub against his cheek, purring the entire time.

Mikey giggled at the sensation, using one hand to open a cabinet. He took out a bowl and brought it around the counter where the chairs were. Seating himself down, he placed the bowl on the table, allowing Ice Cream Kitty to plop right in.

"Mrow!" 

Mikey laughed, using his thick finger to scratch under her chin. 

"Hi kitty-kitty... Sorry I haven't taken you out all day. Must've been totally boooring being in that freezer."

The cat just trilled, her tail straight up behind her. Mikey just watched, his lids starting to lower in a wistful, absent gaze. 

Her purs started to fade away, now just blinking up at the turtle. 

"Mrow."

Mikey jumped. 

"What?! Pfft- I'm not sad! Why would I be sad?"

When Ice Cream Kitty didn't respond anything, Mikey folded under the nonexistent pressure, sagging onto the table with a hand supporting his cheek.

"Okaaayyy, you caught me... I guess I'm not super happy right now... Haven't been in awhile."

The cat just stayed unmoving, waiting him to continue.

"It's just that... my bros and I don't really talk to each other anymore- like for real." He sighed, looking away. "I'm worried about Raphie. He practically lives in that bathroom with Leo. A-And he and Donnie fight whenever they see each other! It's obvious he's real down about everything... But you know him... he doesn't wanna talk about it."

His fingers curled into a fist as he grimaced, his voice starting to shake.

"I just miss my family, girl... our kick-butt team that did everything together."

He sank fully onto the table, letting his cheek press against the surface.

"We used to be something, you know?" He said, looking up at her from the edge of the bowl. "And... and I want it back."

"Mrow." Ice Cream Kitty replied, pawing at him.

"...Huh?" Mikey squinted, sitting up. "You have an idea?"

The feline was already on the move, falling out of the bowl and slithering across the table. Mikey's eyes flew open as he scrambled forward, reaching for her.

"K-Kitty! Awh man, April's gonna be so mad that her counter's sticky again-"

"-Mrow!"

Mikey followed where she was pawing at something from the distance, almost as if pointing towards the fridge.

She looked to him again, appearing frustrated.

"Mrrroowww..."

"Uhh..." Mikey came over to the fridge, puzzled. He opened it and looked back to her, tilting his head.

"In... here?"

"Mrow!"

Mikey shut the fridge.

"Well, I dunno..."

A lightbulb illuminated in his head.

"Oo- oo, I got it! Let's play Hot and Cold!"

He placed both hands flat against the fridge and looked expectantly to her, starting to get excited to actually have someone playing with him.

"So... would you say I'm lukewarm or room temperature?"

To Mikey's horror, Ice Cream Kitty was already on the edge of the table, appearing as if she was going to jump towards her mysterious target. Mikey dashed towards her and intercepted her jump like she was a football.

"W-woah! I can't have you going splat-!"

"Mrow, mrow, mrow, mrow!"

Mikey paused then smiled endearingly in amusement at his ever-talkative cat.

"Yeah, yeah... Just gimme a free hint."

He brought them both over, using her reaching paws as a compass to direct him over to the fridge. 

"What's wrong? Are you hungry, girl?" Mikey asked, honestly just trying to understand what she was getting at.

But before he could open the fridge once more, she flicked a paw at one of the doors, making a few drops of ice cream splatter against something pinned on it's surface.

That's when he got it.

Mikey set the cat on the counter, giving up on the sticky concern and tugged the pinned down calendar out from under it's magnet.

"This? Is this it?" Mikey said, gaze trailing down the marked X's he doodled on every past day. He swallowed hard at the gradual messier and weaker marks with each passing day this month, leading up to yesterday's being just a squiggly one and a half line.

He looked up to see Ice Cream Kitty just staring back him, blinking her chocolate eyes individually every-so-maybe. 

"Do... do you have plans?- Wait, do cats have plans? Is it like, you have to catch a mouse by Friday or something?"

The feline reached over the top of the calendar and slapped a paw over a certain date, leaving an ice cream paw print.

Mikey observed the designated clue left on November 27 which was in four days. He didn't fail to notice the word "Thanksgiving" inside the compact box.

"Uhh... Thanksgiving? What about Thanksgiving?"

"Mrow."

"Well, yeah we celebrate it every year but I guess not... this..."

Mikey's eyes went wide, sparkling as he beheld the calendar closer to his face.

"...This... year!" Mikey cheered, hugging the calendar to his chest, beaming. "I got it! I'll bring my bros together with a hot Thanksgiving dinner like we always do every year! That'll totally work!"

Mikey squealed, tossing the calendar onto the counter before engulfing Ice Cream Kitty in his arms. She trilled when he pressed his cheek on top of her head, nuzzling it back and forth as he laughed.

"You're the best, Ice Cream Kitty! You just totally saved my... our family, yo!"

Mikey was practically buzzing with excitement while he placed her back into the freezer, grinning ear to ear.

"I... I gotta start prepping- Stat! I don't have a buncha time!" 

Before he was about to click the freezer door shut, he reopened it fully once again to add, 

"And I'm totally saving you a seat, Kitty! Uh, uh- Gelato! I'll serve you some real Italian gelato! Well, if the local supermarket sells some."

Mikey gave a final wave till he parted ways with her. This was when the front door of the farmhouse was kicked open. 

"Huph- Mikey!" Casey called out, lunging multiple bags in each hand. "Could really use your help, dude!"

Mikey rushed over but made no move to help.

"Dudes, I'm so relieved your here! We gotta hit the supermarket, fast!"

April came from behind, holding just as many bags with her jaw dropped.

"Supermarket?! We just got back from-"

"Pleeease, it's an emergency!" He exclaimed, squeezing past them and running towards the van, giving a little hop and kick of excitement. "I'm waiting in the van!"

Casey groaned and dropped the bags to the floor, sagging his shoulders.

"Ughhh- more shopping?! I hate shopping!"

It was a strenuous effort, the last four days being him and his friends practically living in the kitchen. Him, April and even a little bit of Casey, worked around the counter, thawing, mashing, cutting, cooking food from the turkey itself to sides.

It honestly was the lighest his chest has felt ever since they got to the farmhouse, the way he talked and laughed amongst his friends. It was mind-blowing to him, the feeling that maybe... things were going to be okay again.

He missed them... this.

And he knew if food could bring his friends together... 

...Then it certainly could have the same affect on his family.

It was noon of Thanksgiving day once they finished but he had no time to celebrate because now started the real challenge... 

Convincing his bros to dinner tonight. 

Well, he knew Donnie would come but Raph...? 

Oh, it would be such a gamble. 

He specially kept this under wraps till the day of, in hopes the sudden news wouldn't leave enough time for his brothers to overthink their attendance and not show up at all.

...

Welp... here goes nothing.

He crept up the stairs and up to the bathroom. Lingering at the doorway, he peeked around the frame at Raph's solid figure hunched over with his forearms on his knees. With Raph's broad shell to him, head completely facing away, he couldn't have possibly saw him. But either way, they were all skilled ninjas so... 

"What, Mike."

Mikey hurried over like he had no time to waste, both hands clutching at the piece of paper he hid behind his shell. He stood right in front of Raph, a queasy smile on his face.

"Hey, Raphie! Whatcha doing?"

With the weary, annoyed gaze he was met with, Mikey clamped his mouth shut in regret. 

"Yeah, thought so." Mikey said, giggling nervously. 

Raph's eyes drifted to his brother's hands fiddling something just out of his view. He raised a hairless brow, sitting up. 

"What-"

Mikey thrusted the paper out. 

"Here! I beheld to thee... a masterpiece!" He anounced dramatically, wearing a determined expression.

Begrudgingly, Raph slowly took it. It was a folded piece of paper that had the terribly and incorrectly written words of "Raph invitaton" in green crayon with certain letters flipped and unaligned. He noticed the scribbly green and red blob in the corner holding a comically large turkey leg with an angry face. He had a good guess that was supposed to be him.

He was already pinching the two layers to open up the paper when Mikey slapped his hands over his, startling the both of them.

"Woah- not now! You gotta read this when your alone! So you can uh... think about it more carefully!" Mikey emphasized, eyes wide. "This is a super important, life-changing document, yo!"

Raph scoffed, pulling away his hands. 

"What- What even is this? Why are ya givin' me crappy cards?"

Mikey gasped in mock offense, bringing a hand to his plastron. 

"Ouch, dude... I put blood, sweat and tears into that invitation..." His top lip curled as he snickered. "...And two minutes."

"Well, keep yer arts and crafts to yerself cause I don't want it-"

"Please, Raph!" Mikey shot out with an echo within the bathroom, his previously concealed desperation starting to heavily bleed through. "Please- just... just, I don't know... Read it and think about it. Really, bro, that's all I'm asking."

Raph deepened his frown at him, the thin piece of paper in his hands suddenly holding more weight and importance at this mysterious urgency from his little brother.

"Hmph- whateva." Raph grunted, crumbling it into his palm and shoving it into his belt. "I'll look at it later."

Mikey visually deflated, his gaze falling down and away but he still attempted a smile.

"Welp, looks like I'm done playing mailman for today!" He chirped nervously, already inching towards the door. Raph pursed his lips, squinting at his unusually anxious behavior.

"I'm a little overdue on the chickens' feeding time so gotta run!" Mikey exclaimed, pointing towards the door.

Raph's curious eyes followed him on his way out, actually turning his entire body to pick apart Mikey's stiff exit. The younger turtle could sense this too, his shoulders raising a bit.

But he still looked over his shoulder, raising a hand to say, 

"Really hope to see you there, bro!"

And with that, he watched Mikey leave in a hurry and out of sight. 

It was only a few seconds of Mikey's final sentence echoing in his head before Raph flipped back around and rummaged frantically into his belt, retrieving the crumbled paper. He opened it and flattened it against his thigh, feeling a twang of guilt at the reminder of his baby brother's face dropping when he shoved it into his belt. Once it was restored enough, he presented it to himself.

In wobbly, green crayon it said...

"Your invitted 2 tanksgiving familly diner 2nite at 5 oclock by mikey (me) plezee come PLEASE!! We have pumkin pie your fav!!" 

Raph was already lost by the fourth word, but not because of Mikey's terrible spelling but because of what it was getting at.

Thanksgiving...? But that was in November...

Unless... 

Raph digged into his belt and took out his T-Phone. Hesitantly, he tapped it awake and flashed his eyes to the top of the screen in search of the date. 

He froze, his heart stopping.

... 

It was November the 27th, a Thursday.

...No way. He swore it was just... 

...It was just October. 

Raph wiped at his face, sighing. He couldn't believe it. He didn't even notice the days passing—the month slipping by. It felt like this room sucked him in and had a different concept of time in here. 

And now that he realized it, that meant he's been cooped up in here while Donnie and Mikey were on their own, doing god knows what- for a month!

So much can happen in a month- so much that he could not know about... 

Just as his was. All these conflicting feelings coming in waves and ranging in weights, all the different thought processes leading up to another, some contradicting themselves.

A month alone was too long for anyone in their state.

He came back up, gazing at Leo's unconscious form. It was the same picture as it was from the first day he laid him in that tub.

That's when he knew... 

Leo wasn't going anywhere... but not in the way you're thinking. 

Raph realized this in a different way: That even if he took his eyes off him for a few... Leo would still be okay... Breathing.

Today wasn't going to be that day he woke up, Raph knew. And it probably wouldn't be the next day one either. But he would continue to breathe for the next. 

And the next. 

And certainly if Raph left for a few hours to eat dinner with their brothers and friends.

Especially, he could just imagine how hard Fearless would be lecturing in his hearing right about now. He could almost miss it.

Throughout this depressing month, he never got to hear the "Mini Leo" screaming in his head due to the grief and anguish louder than the rest. But now with Mikey's invitation being like a swatter blowing away the fog, he could hear him now... hear him louder than ever.

The paper slipped out of his hands and fluttered onto the floor as the sight of Leo became a blur, tears he would never allow to fall pooling at the ridges.

"Go to them," repeated like a mantra in his head. The sound of his big brother's voice giving the ounce of strength Raph needed to put all his weight and force into his legs to get up, bones straining...cracking... aching... until he rose to his feet. 

"Donnnieee!" Mikey bellowed, throwing the door open. "Visitor Mikey in the hooouuse!"

By the first call of his name and the barn doors being kicked open, Donnie slammed his head against the bottom of the rusty truck, yelping in pain.

"Mikey..." Donnie strained a threat through clenched teeth, rolling out from under the vehicle with a grimace. "So help me, you do that one more time-!"

"Blah, blah- No time! You got a delivery!" Mikey exclaimed in excitement, coming over.

That made Donnie pause.

"Delivery? What delivery?"

He rose to his feet, lifting his goggles from over his eyes just to reveal Mikey appearing ecstatic as ever in front of him, unable to stand still. He thrusted a folded piece paper towards him. 

"It's super duper important! You gotta totally analyze this- paper!... thing."

With a skeptical glance, Donnie took it.

He squinted at the words, trying to read the top layer of the paper.

"Donnie... Invit... Invition? ...Wow, is that improper spelling and grammar. And, uhmm... Is that..." He flipped the paper around to show Mikey, pointing to the bottom doodle. "...Is this supposed to be me?"

He tapped on the green and purple doodle of him round as a ball with a goofy smile on his face.

"Well, duuhh! That's how your gonna look after all of it." Mikey explained with matter-of-factly attitude, rolling his eyes.

"Uh, what is that supposed to mean?" Donnie asked cautiously, his forehead creased as he flipped the paper back around. "What is this for? What are you inviting me to?"

He didn't wait for a response though, simply opening it and reading the content inside.

Mikey's eyes went wide as a blush reached his cheeks. He tried to reach for it but with Donnie's height and his slight raise of arms to avoid his grabby hands, he never had a chance.

"Nononono, duude! This is uh- top secret! You're supposed to read this by yourself and think about it! D-Donnieee!"

The older brother just pushed a hand down on Mikey's head, holding him down as he tried to comprehend the almost ancient-like scripts of Mikey's terrible handwriting. He hummed, squinting at the last few words.

The smaller turtle gave up, dropping his arms and sagging with a defeated expression. He kicked at some dust on the ground, his bottom lip in a pout. This was just way too embarrassing for his health.

He risked a glance his brother's way to catch him when he just finished reading. He huffed at the sight of Donnie softening, bringing down the paper from his face with a sympathetic smile.

"Oh, Mikey... This is really sweet."

His younger brother frowned at him, fingers curled into fists at his sides.

"It isn't supposed to be "sweet!" It's supposed to be an awesome, cool blast of a time! You totally ruined the moment, dude."

Ignoring him, Donnie hummed, looking away thoughtfully. 

"To think it's Thanksgiving already... I didn't even know. Time really goes by fast in this place."

He placed a hand on Mikey's head, rubbing endearingly at him.

"I'd love to come. Thank you."

Mikey's eyes starting to sparkle, his mouth stretching into an open-mouthed grin.

"Really? Like, for real, you'll come?!"

“Of course, I will.” His hand froze. “But uh- ahem… is Raph going to be there? If you know, that is.”

And just like that, Mikey's smile faded away and his eyes lost its shine.

“...Why?" He asked, his voice an octave lower. "Would you not come if he does?”

“What?” Donnie expressed, taken back at his brother's shift in demeanor. “No, of course not. You know I'll come no matter what. It's a family dinner anyway. It'll be… nice… to see him out again.”

He could practically see the way the gears behind Mikey's eyes worked as he thought about what he said.

“...Okay.” was the dry response he settled upon before… 

...Before his face reverted.

The blue in his eyes turned back into his usual brighter hue, his smile tugging at his lips once again but with no wrinkles creasing around his eyes or the corners of his mouth.

Donnie, in such surprise of the automated-like switch that he didn't have enough time to comment on the scene when Mikey was already on the move towards the exit.

“Remember! 5 o'clock stat!” The younger brother called out with a wink his way.

Donnie sagged at Mikey's presumed exit until he heard the creak of the wooden doors open again. The smaller turtle popped his head back in, his kind eyes twinkling a knowing look.

“Oh, and don't forget to clean your hands, dude! I heard rust and open cuts can put you in a nasty jam!”

Donnie stayed gaping even once Mikey disappeared. Slowly, he brought his fingers close to his face, his chest getting heavy at the sight of, indeed, rust gathered up underneath his incredibly short and damaged nails.

...It was the first time someone brought it up.

“Yo, Mikey! Heads up!” Casey called out seconds before throwing the plate across the room. 

Mikey caught it flawlessly like a frisbee, grinning ear to ear, (not literally), as he placed it down onto its designated spot at the table. He held his hands out and open for the next one. 

But just as Casey was pulling his wrist back for the next throw, April came into view, darting her ice cold glare at the both of them with her hands on her hips. Casey yelped, quickly hiding the plate behind his back.

“I know you guys aren't throwing my family heirloom's fine china around like I told you not to do." April cautioned, tapping her foot on the ground.

Man, did she look pissed.

"What- no!" Casey laughed nervously, hurriedly walking past her to hand the plate gingerly to an equally as anxious Mikey. "W-We're just setting the table!"

April sighed, shaking her head.

"You know what- I'll feel more reassured if I help you guys out. Nothing's gonna break on my watch."

But just as she was about to grab some silverware, she was intercepted by a mutant turtle in her face, waving his hands frantically.

"No, no way, dudette! You totally helped me a whole bunch prepping this food and cleaning up. We sure needed it after Casey's help- I mean... his total messes!"

She found herself being spun around and lead toward the table by the shoulders.

"You needa lay back and chillll. Casey and I will set the table all nice and fancy."

"B-But- I don't want to just sit around while you guys do stuff. That's wrong!" She exclaimed, scraping her heels against the floor.

"Geez, April. Give yourself some credit." Casey said, coming over. "You did more than a whole shitload of a lot! You need to let Casey Jones be your chef for today."

Casey pulled out a chair, looking her way with an alluring gaze.

“For the lady Red.” Casey joked in a sly voice. 

April scoffed and rolled her eyes, eventually sitting down. 

“Oh, so now you're a gentleman.” April commented, letting him push her in. "And what chef? You were the one who dropped the turkey when we asked for a hand to put it in the oven and slipped on it."

"Uhh- that must've been a different Casey cause that doesn't sound like handsome ol' me." He remarked, taking the silverware Mikey handed to him. 

Mikey absently smiled to himself as he continued to set the table, already feeling the warmth of the friendly chatter and banter in the air. But his eyes drifted, seemingly on their own... 

...To the one empty chair at the very end of the long table. The one seat no one placed a plate for.

The talks around him blurred into radio static as he zoned out toward the chair.

There were six chairs around the table, the perfect amount for his three brothers and two friends... 

If one of his brothers were conscious. Heck, there wasn't even one for his father.

He could already see Leo now: Bossing him and his bros around to hurry up and take a seat, making an annoyingly lengthy toast, laughing and talking at the table...

Like how they used to.

And in all honesty, he kept forgetting that Leo was still... well... alive. Mikey felt like he was already grieving, seeing flashes of him like he was ghost—of what he would be doing, saying if he was here... watching.

But in reality, he was in the other room, his heart still beating. But nothing felt real anymore, nor did he believe that it ever would be again. Even if- when Leo wakes up... 

He just wasn't so sure everyone would fall back into their places afterwards like he wanted them to... 

Or... or him. What if he wasn't the same again? He thought more, felt less, seen much... 

Oh god- what if this dinner fails? What if his brothers hate each other forever and his family is broken and Master Splinter is actually dead and Leo never wakes up and the Kraang find them and April gets taken and they get double mutated into Kraang zombies that eat brains and-

"Mikey!" Came the shout simultaneous with the sharp snap in front of his face. He jumped, his friends' concerned faces staring back at him.

"Mikey, you with us? You okay?" Casey pried once more, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Uhm- uh... yeah." The turtle mustered up, immediately trying to get himself together. He practiced a smile, blinking rapidly. "Yeah- whoops! Hah- must've drifted to lala land for a second there! What up?"

The two humans shared a look between each other before Casey turned to face him once again, offering a little shake to his shoulder.

"...The food? We need to set the food on the table, right?"

Mikey scoffed dramatically, pushing past him and focusing all attention to the steaming platters forward.

"Yeah, yeah- of course, dude! Let's get the sides outta the way before we handle the turkey... the ultimate- but heavy... main attraction!"

And with that, the two boys hefted the platters one by one onto the table. Casey wasn't as absorbed in the process as the turtle was though, too busy keeping his eyes on Mikey, trying to pick up on anything they saw a flicker of moments ago. Mikey on the other hand, was multi-tasking between putting things down and pretending not to notice Casey's stares.

Let's just say Casey wasn't one to be discrete. 

Once they settled the turkey onto the middle of the dinner table, the staring and pretending games came to an end, to Mikey's relief. But with the cost of heavy, familiar footsteps thumping behind them as their distraction. Everyone turned simultaneously, blinking at the red-banded turtle standing at the doorframe of the room.

"Yo." Raph said awkwardly, stepping into the warm light with a wave.

Instantly, the room was lively once again, full of smiles.

"Raph, my man!" Casey cheered, coming over. He was genuinely happy to see him... to truly recognize him.

While still he had dark, sullen spots peeking from under his mask, irises a duller emerald, and the frown lines still creased and visible... 

He seemed more... here. Less sluggish and more aware of the present moment. His green skin seemed brighter like he was truly alive again- like he resurrected from the dead or came back from a year long of battles. 

In a way, it was metaphorically accurate.

Casey laughed, reaching out a hand to dab him up. Raph just stared down at it for a few seconds, like he wasn't sure if he should. But eventually he gave in with friendly huff. Holding each other's hand firmly, the two pulled each other in for an equally crushing hug. The firmness of a hug that would seem like they haven't seen each other for years.

"Man, am I glad to see you! You're lookin' good... better." Casey pulled away, hands gripping at his friend's arms. "And you smell like a total baby, yo! What'd you do up there? Pamper yourself up?"

Raph shoved him back playfully, scoffing.

"Yeah, turns out when I run a shower and take care of myself and all that jazz... it actually makes me feel better."

He shrugged, his lips curling into smile. 

"Who would've known, eh?"

"Oh, Raph..." April said hushly, overwhelmed from emotion as she wrapped her arms around his neck. The turtle returned the hug, enveloped his own arms around her. 

"It's been awhile since I've... since I've seen you..." She stated mournfully. Although, she wore a warm, sympathic smile when they pulled apart.

"How are you feeling?"

"Ehh, you know... Better 'nough to be down here and-"

Something as huge and heavy as a boulder was launched into his plastron, knocking all the air out of him while he staggered back a few steps.

But before Raph could even make a peep of an outrage, he craned his head down to see Mikey buzzing, eyes large and sparkling with a beaming smile flashing his teeth. 

"You came! I can't believe it- You actually showed up!" Mikey acclaimed, squeezing his brother tightly.

Raph hesitated, hands hovering over his brother's shell. But the way Mikey was squeezing him with all his might, (it actually even sorta hurt), won him over. His arms engulfed Mikey back, too drained to share the strength though.

"Eh, it was smellin' good down here and I just had to take a look myself."

Mikey laughed, the sound like a nostalgic chime to Raph's hearing.

"C'mon- c'mon! You gotta sit before you change your mind!" Mikey urged, breaking the hug. He took his hand, pulling at his finger to drag him towards the table.

Raph yielded, chuckling at his little brother's determination as he let himself be steered away.

And now when they got closer, Raph finally saw the source of the mouth-watering aroma that flooded the entire farmhouse. The sight was equivalent to a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The enticing shine glimmering off the warm steaming turkey being the most eye-catching of them all.

"Holy fuck- this looks like somethin' straight outta those food channels! How did... Are you sure you made this- Oofph!"

He was shoved downward, practically falling onto the chair by Mikey's urgent hands gripping onto him like he was scared he was going to escape. Just as Raph's temporary nice guy face was starting to cool off in result of his little brother literally manhandling him around, Mikey was suddenly in his face, over-enthusiastic and rapidly speaking.

"Yeah but April helped me a whole lot and Casey a bit too but actually it was Ice Cream Kitty's idea so I owe her big time and we didn't have much time so we totally had to speedrun playing chef for a few days- *inhale* like I totally learned how to make Thanksgiving dinner from these moms on Facebook posting their family recipes so they gotta get a load of the credit! -Especially shout out to Eleanor because her mashed potatoes rescipe are the booommmb~ And-!"

A hand slapped against his mouth, his older brother being the culprit.

"Geez, Mikey... I almost forgot how much you yap- spittin' all over me." Raph muttered, wiping at his own face with a flick.

Mikey pried his fingers off, giggling.

"Awhhh, you missed me talk!" He teased, taking the seat next to him. He propped his chin up with his hand, smirking. "Missed you too, dude."

As their friends joined them at the table, Raph just shook his head with a smile to himself.

Across the table though, Casey couldn't stand his hunger anymore, absolutely snapping and shattering this heartfelt reunion. 

"That's it! I can't wait anymore- I don't know about you guys but I'm digging in!"

But just as his hand was inches away from the platter, April smacked his hand. Casey made wounded noise, immediately retreating his hand to rub at it. 

"Uhm, ow! What'd you do that for-"

"It's not right to eat without Donnie! We start to eat when all of us are here." April lectured. She softened when she turned to Mikey though.

"He did say he was coming, right Mikey?"

Said turtle just sighed, glancing solemnly at the door. 

"Uh- yeah... Let's just wait a little. He'll be here, promise!"

Raph said nothing, frowning thoughtfully to himself. Flashes from their previous fights, the hurtful screaming words rang through his head like a recap. He honestly didn't know how to feel about seeing his other brother right now.

But he was about to find out with the sound of the front door creaking open. Everyone whipped their heads toward the sound of footsteps rounding the corner till Donnie came into view. 

He was startled when at immediate entry, he was under the spotlight of eyes. He fell into a shy smile, rubbing at the back of his neck.

"Hey, guys. Sorry, I'm late."

"Donnie! We were starting to worry about you! You okay?" April asked as Donnie came over.

"Yeah, hah- Long story... Sorry to make you guys wait. I had a few things to wrap up in the barn... Woah."

He gaped, jaw to the floor at the sight of perfectly aligned platters decorated across the long table.

"You..." He darted his gaze back and forth between the food and Mikey. "...You did all this...? For us?"

He settled his wide eyes upon Mikey, his face frozen in a shook, half-smile.

“Sure did! Isn't it fancy?” Mikey beamed, taking Donnie's disbelief as praise. And man, did everyone know Mikey was killer for praise- he's been clean from it for a month!

He straightening himself up, adding in, “I think I'm starting to get the hang of this Thanksgiving stuff.”

With wide eyes still gazing at the assortment with a pleasantly surprised smile, he slowly took the seat across from him saying in awe, “Yeah... Yeah, I second that.”

That's when Donnie decided to sneak a peek Raph's way, but instead he found his brother already eyeing him down with crossed arms. The accidental eye contact felt way too personal- too exposing, that they immediately broke it off.

...Guess they still needed some time.

Mikey darted his eyes between them, a nervous, queasy smile already tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“Geez, Donnie! Way to be a slow turtle! We were only starving here!” Casey burst sarcastically through the tension, already getting up and reaching for the large knife to cut up the turkey.

“Okay, so who wants firsts?- Oh, but not this leg cause I called dibs on it a yesterday.”

And as anticlimatic as it was... from here on out, that's how it went: They all simply gathered their portions and digged in. You know... the textbook definition of a friends and family Thanksgiving dinner. 

... 

Mikey was supposed to be happy... satisfied.

But he was far from it.

It was like an awkward, no dialogue dinner scene on TV. There was only the sound of forks clinking and scraping against plates, the faint sound of chewing with the occasional small talk of “Wow, this one is really good” and the occasional “Mmm.”

And of course not to mention Donnie's leg bouncing. He looked anxious, on edge. If his eyes weren't constantly averted, they were flitting to the clock on the wall as if he was waiting for something, for a way out- an escape. Just the sight itself made Mikey mirroring the feeling.

But it was instantly understandable once Mikey took a side glance Raph's way. His brother was still and tense as a stone, never once letting up his piercing glare Donnie's way as he stabbed the food with his fork, scraping his teeth against the it till it came out clean. 

Geez... did these guys have a problem.

But either way, the silence was deafening... but no one was saying anything about it... 

As usual.

Mikey figured that if he brought everyone together, then they would unravel the tension naturally. But that didn't seem like the way things were going. Guess being physically close doesn't exactly mean emotionally close anymore.

And he knew he could've been the one who started the conversation... he was indeed a pro at filling in the silence— always has... but he found himself feeling unexplainably bashful, unable to look up from his plate. But occasionaly when he did flicker his gaze around, it seemed like everyone was playing the same game of pretending not to notice.

He honestly didn't know what he was expecting, no one did but… 

Damn. 

Mikey frowned to himself as he stabbed at some yams. This wasn't going to plan... They weren't following the script he made up in his head!

Looks like it was up to him to be the one to spark up conversation or else this whole Thanksgiving dinner would go to shit.

And he didn't go through all the preparation just to give up now.

When the "random topic generator" in his head set on something, Mikey placed his fork down and hitched his breath, ready to get the ball rolling.

"So, I-"

The sound of a chair scraping against the wooden floors made everyone look up, Donnie's own being the culprit.

"Woah-woah, dude- Where are you going?" Mikey asked, sounding embarrassingly small. "We just got started... sorta."

"Listen, Mikey, I..."

Donnie made himself look to his little brother, guilt weighing on his chest.

"...I'll feel better after I check up on Leo... It's been awhile since I've... yeah. I'll be back."

Donnie pushed in his chair and turned to leave.

Mikey's face fell entirely, blinking at Donnie's plate barely touched.

"...Leo's fine."

Came a guttural, low voice beside him, actually making him jump the way it sliced through the silence. When Mikey followed the voice to Raph, he saw him sitting straight as a board, appearing on high alert. He fixated on Donnie's figure as he turned around, his purple-banded brother staring just as intently back. 

It was the first time they have spoken to each other since the fight.

"I've been with him. He's doesn't needa check-up." Raph added. 

Casey took a slow bite of his mashed potatoes, darting his eyes between the two. April was already looking apprehensively to Mikey, eyes begging him to stop this before it even starts. 

Mikey just swallowed hard and returned to observing the scene.

"...I know you've been with him. I just want to see for myself." Donnie said, the edge in his voice obvious.

"Well, he's doin' better. That's all ya need to know." Raph bit.

That sparked Donnie up, his eyes even redder as they narrowed. His chest puffed up, bared teeth coming into view.

"All... All I need to... know?!" He said, voice raising by the second. "Awh, Raph- Quit acting like you're the only one affected by this- Moping around all the time! He's my older brother too, for your information, so you don't have any right to keep me out of it!"

Everyone left seated flinched when Raph viscously stabbed his fork into the table, leaving it standing up straight as he got up blazing in anger. He was already panting, both sculpted arms leaning against the table like the rage was unbareable.

"...Mopin' around...? Mopin' around?!" He slammed both hands against the surface, making all the plates jump and clatter. Glasses fell over on it's side, spilling its contents. "Shut the fuck up! Ya ain't any better! -Always rottin' in that damn barn, buildin' junk that none of us ever gonna fucking use!"

Welp... looks like dinner was done for.

Casey got up, taking April's hand to drag her up with him. They both wore bewildered expressions, backing away. They knew how these things went. 

Mikey on the other hand, stayed seated. He couldn't move or feel anything, all his senses being drowned out with Raph's screaming right next to him. Each syllable rattled deep into his bones, making him shiver and tense with each as if preparing for impact. He felt like his vision swayed side to side with each scream, strobing in and out.

"And how would you know? You practically live in that bathroom! At least I'm doing something!" Donnie screamed back, coming back up close to the table to slam his own hands against it.

"I'm fucking takin' care of him!" Raph roared hysterically, slamming his fists down. A few glasses and utensils fell off the edge and smashed onto the ground. "You think yer all high and mighty knowin' a few facts, you smartass! I know how this comatose shit works!"

"What, you think a few google searches make you educated?! You don't know shit about comas, you blockhead! If you weren't constantly camping in the bathroom like a big baby, I would've been able to check-up on him more often! You're always in the way!"

"I'm in the way?! You're the one that's useless walkin' around here- telling us shit we already know! Leo's in a coma this, Leo's in a coma that- We know! We know already!" Raph shrilled, eyes wild.

"No, it's just not getting through you thick skull just now serious this is! He could die by your side and you wouldn't even know! Heck, he could be dead right now!" Donnie yelled, the sentence making every person in the room still.

He dropped his outrageous volume to a low, challenging tone.

"And who's gonna be the blame for that, huh? The so-called heroic brother sitting at his side?"

Raph forcibly shoved the table forward, making the edge of it ram into Donnie's lower plastron. Plates slide off the edge and crashed noisily onto the floor. Some warm food and bits and pieces of plates seeped into Mikey's immobile lap.

"...I'm gonna fucking kill you." Raph threatened in a single breath, voice hoarse. The sentence made everyone's blood run cold, the statement being the type you would never imagine telling someone you love so close.

Donnie pushed himself off the table, pulling his shoulders back to glower right back at his brother.

"Be. My. Guest."

And to everyone's horror, Raph started to move, making his way around the table without taking his eyes off his target ahead. 

Casey snapped his head Mikey's way in hope of him putting a stop to his brothers. But the way Mikey was looking, stuck in a thousand-yard stare, told him he wasn't planning on taking action. Acknowledging Mikey was in a different world right now, he grimaced in hesitation, begrudgingly letting go of April's hand to thrust himself in front of Raph. 

"Raph- Raph, c'mon. This is going too far, man. He's your brother- Your top dog! You gotta simmer it down before this gets outta hand- Oof!"

The turtle shoved him aside with a hand straight into the middle of his chest. Casey stumbled back and fell with a thud on his ass.

"Stay outta this, Jones." Raph bit, saying his name like it was a derogatory term.

He met Donnie at the middle, barring his teeth as they immediately grabbed fiercely at each other. Grunting and shuffling ensued, both of their muscles tense as they squared off with wild eyes.

Donnie honestly didn't know what he was expecting when Raph's brute strength immediately overpowered him, making him stagger back on his feet. He must've forgot how Raph was. 

Mikey felt paralyzed from the neck down. He weakly watched with his heart pounding painfully, each thump making the blood rushing in his hearing get louder and louder till he couldn't hear the scuffle anymore. His chest started to rise and fall quickly, the graphic scene ahead just some blurry green spots from his view.

Get up.

Do something.

Move. 

Say something. 

Stop them. 

Speak.

He felt like a disobedient dog not following his unspoken orders- not fulfilling his peacemaker role he was made to play. He let this get out of hand. It was his job, his purpose to avoid altercations like this and he failed.

Everything was moving too fast, too out of his control- He... 

He needed control in this situation... 

Like he was meant to.

Slowly, his gaze focused on one of the remaining glasses on the table. His clammy hands twitched and trembled like they were cold, his heart picking up speed. He could feel something brewing inside of him, something bigger than he could handle.

While that internal struggle was happening, Raph clutched at his brother's sash, pushing him back till his shell was pressed against the top rim of the couch. Donnie's hands instinctively tried to reach for some leverage, it's search coming to an end when it grabbed at Raph's biceps. He blindly but desperately tried to push him off of him, snarling.

"Stop- stop! Snap out of it, guys!" April cried from the sidelines, pulling Casey up. "You're brothers! A team! You two are acting like wild animals!"

But the two raging brothers were gone a long time ago, especially when Raph drew his arm back in preperation to deliver a punch. His fingers curled into a vein-bulging fist with his face behind it smoldering in pure hatred. The way the raised arm was pulled all the way back, almost as if it was being charged up, was a sign the intent was to create some real damage.

Donnie clawed at his brother's clutching hand. But his raw, bitten down nails had no effect. He was pressed deeper into the couch, it scraping against the floor with a painful screech and bunching up the rug beneath.

"You fucking-"

Donnie's voice caught in his throat when Raph was thrust forward with glass shattering on his shell with an ear-splitting SMASH. The glass exploded behind him, the shiny particles twinkling before they scattered onto the floor.

It was the first time it was completely silent. April froze, holding onto Casey's elbows from behind in a mid-assist to help him up.

But just as the two startled brothers slowly turned around to the source, another glass crashed into Raph's shell. His eyes bulged in alarm, tearing himself off of Donnie to look straight in the eye of the culprit. His fury reappeared, hands back into fists with the intent to fight mercilessly with the new opponent.

But just like the glass, it shattered immediately at the sight of their youngest brother standing there with a livid, unblinking stare their way, his body appearing in a rigid fighting stance.

Mikey shook like a leaf, looking paler than their comatose brother with a hand still the shape it would be if he was holding a cup. The whites in his eyes were tinted red while his pupils were hugely dilated, his irises a barely noticeable, thin blue line as he hyperventilated with saliva building up to foam at the corners of his mouth.

No one moved a muscle when Mikey frantically threw himself at the table once more to snatch another plate. Coming back up, he drew his arm back and threw the plate with a roar, this time missing entirely and instead hitting the floor in front of Raph.

"Look, look, look- I can scream, too! I can break shit, too! I can be loud, too!" He shrilled, reaching for another plate and another and another. "Am I speaking your language, huh- huh?! Can you hear me now?!"

Plates kept smashing by Raph's feet as everyone stood aghast, just watching in horror at Mikey  wild and disoriented, seemingly throwing to no one in particular anymore. The projectile grew weaker and weaker till he could barely hold it in his hands anymore, it slipping and crashing at his own feet.

His chest heaved rapidly as his hands and legs went tingly, feeling as if they could barely hold his body up. He leaned one hand against the table, wetly gasping and gagging.

"Oh fuck, fuck, fuck, god- oh my god- Fuck!-"

Even though voices were suddenly overlapping his wheezing, shadows starting to lurk over him...

He knew it was time to go. 

Out. 

He snapped his head to the hallway, the exit. He could barely see but he knew one thing... 

Leo.

Leo was there.

Upstairs.

Down the hall.

To the left. 

He needed his brother.

His eldest brother.

He would know what to— always did. He would fix this. He knew how to make things better- How to handle things. He needed to get him. He would set his brothers straight and end this. End this madness once and for all. 

Leo was going to help them be a family again. 

Blindly, Mikey wretched himself around and ran around the corner and up the stairs, blood rushing like a waterfall in his hearing. He tripped up the stairs three times, each time hitting his chin or palms against the hard, wood steps. But he had no time to dwell on the pain, instead using any surface he could to push himself up and to the top.

Like a madman, he ran down the hallway and threw the bathroom door open. It slammed into the wall, the door handle breaking through the surface and sticking there. 

Mikey lunged himself at Leo's unconscious form, sliding and scraping his knees against the floor till it hit the bottom of the tub with an echoing thud. With his thoughts racing and vision blurry, he clutched at Leo's upper arms, digging his nails to the point of drawing blood. He shook him frantically, making his head loll around.

"Wake up, wake up, wake up- Oh my god, please- They need you- They need you! Please, please, please- Fuck- please, Leo! For fuck's sake- wake up!" He screamed hysterically, not able to hear his own voice. "I can't do this- I need you, I need you- Eyes!- Open your eyes! I'm gonna, I-I'm gonna fucking kill myself! Wake up please, Leo! Please-"

Rough hands fiercely wrenched him backwards, the sudden intrusion all over him immediately making him overwhelmed. But either way, he wouldn't let go of Leo.

No way, no how.

But now olive green hands picked and pried at his stiff fingers, trying to make him let go of his unconscious brother. There were alarmed voices, high and loud like they were calling him from across a cliff but Mikey couldn't hear them over his desperate breaths.

Unfortunately, his nausea did weaken him greatly, so much so his hands couldn't hold on any longer. Once his fingers was slipped free from the grip, he was instantly pulled away with a seemingly tight hug from behind.

But of course, he wasn't going down without a fight.

Mikey thrashed in the arms behind him, panting to the point of wheezing and coughing. He was willing to hit something, someone if he had to. He didn't care anymore... He needed to get his family back. He kicked belligerently at the foot of the tub as his arms did frantic work of trying to writhe from the hands that tried to bind his wrists still.

He was going to wake Leo no matter what.

Somewhere along the way he was pinned against the cool bathroom floor, wrists restricted seperately by his head. There was something large and broad hovering over him, making a weird murmuring sound. It made him feel trapped, like it too was sucking the air out of him which the thought certainly didn't help his hyperventilating.

His first instinct was to scream...

But he didn't.

He remembered how his brothers were- Always yelling and roaring at each other. They had plenty enough of that.

So instead, even in his presumed last moments... 

He cried out in pure fear.

The way he would if he would die tonight. Tears sprang in his eyes as he gasped and choked on his own spit.

Surely, he was going to die, Mikey thought. Guess the family really was over and done with, with him being the first confirmed death.

He wondered if this was what Leo felt when he alone got jumped by the Shredder and his goons. Did he feel fear such as this? Did he cry out too?

With this shadow looming over his view, Mikey started to pick up on the voices practically chanting his name but they all fell on his deaf hearing. He honestly couldn't hear a single thing through his body surging with adrenaline like an endless pump, blinding all of his emotion intelligence to replace it with the very instinct to...

Get.

More.

Air.

That was until his cheeks were wetly slapped and pressed down with something freezing cold, the type of cold that would make you instantly gasp with your entire body, eyes flying wide. The water dribbled down and off the sides of his face.

Even though Mikey's eyes were already open before, now they were actually seeing. He found himself being blinded by the bathroom light overhead with his brothers' shadows looming over him like he was at a dentist appointment. 

It left him utterly shell-shocked, so much so he went limp. He trembled with a thousand-yard stare into the ceiling, still panting heavily. It was Donnie's own soppy, freezing hands straight from the sink that were being pressed against Mikey's cheeks, engulfing his face. It was an awkward angle for Donnie with Raph being the one hovering over Mikey, pining him down for safety measures. It was only about a few seconds ago that their youngest brother went on a deranged tirade.

To the older brothers' relief, the desperate, made-up-on-the-spot attempt to snap him out of it using freezing cold worked. Donnie let out a shaky sigh of relief, slowly working his hands across his face to apply the cooling pressure.

With a tight set jaw, Raph wordlessly watched with his own shallow breaths down at his pale, half-lidded brother below him. His outburst echod in his head like a broken record player. He never thought he'd live to see Mikey go ballistic the way he did tonight.

"-aph."

A shake on his shoulder brought Raph out of his head. Donnie's eyes he was met with, usually directed towards him with rage and aggressivity, now holding it's familiar, composed maroon hue.

"He- He needs more water. Sit him up, I'll fetch a wet towel."

With a nod from Raph, there was a silent truce— a non-verbal contract between the two brothers that whatever they had going on between them to be put on hold. The agreement lasted only a fleeting glance though, with the both of them immediately breaking off busy to work. 

Donnie threw himself over to the sink, snatching the hand towel nearby and thrusting it under the ice-cold water. Once the rag was soaked through, he rushed back over to find Mikey slumped against the side of the tub, his head tilted back with a hand clutching at his heaving chest.

Raph was crouched in front of him, his face in a deep-set frown. He tried to make him cooperate, murmuring in his hearing to sit up but the response he received was Mikey's continuous hyperventilating alongside wordless head shaking. So now, he was pulled up in a seating position up by his wrists in one of Raph's hands while the other cradled the back of his head, lifting it back up to face him.

The bathroom was now echoing with a repetitive high-pitched "Hhng" slipping past Mikey's lips with each exhale. It was obvious his body was in some sort of shock, overwhelmed from never going through such a climax of stress of this degree in his life. This was completely new for everyone.

"Mikey. Mikey, do you hear me? Calm down. You're okay now- You're okay." Donnie soothed over the noise, observing as Mikey's body jerked once the wet rag made contact with his forehead. 

"-No!" The distressed turtle gasped out, eyes squeezed shut as water dribbled down his face. "No, it's over! It's all- hhf- No one's oka-ay! You a-and Raph... and Leo... and it's all gone to shit! It's over! It's all gone! It's never gonna be-he the same! I can't, I can't! I can't do it!"

He broke into a wracking sob which led to another and another till hot tears bubbled down his already leaking face, a confusing contrast with his cheeks and rag a freezing temperature. He no longer could see his brothers' shook expressions, not with his entire vision a blur of swirling colors.

"I'm..."

He was desperate, searching for the greatest shock value to match how he felt, no matter if he meant it or not. 

"...I'm gonna kill myself! I... I..."

"Hey, hey- Stop. Stop. No, you're not." Donnie shut down firmly, acknowledging his brother's delirious state. He shifted the towel down, patting at his splotchy cheeks.

"No, no, I will! I'm gonna... I-I'm gonna kill myself!" Mikey cried, choking and coughing a bit on his spit. The towel was let up from his face and transferred to Raph.

"I'm gonna... I... uhh... hnng..."

His ruckus of nonsensical, disorganized thoughts went silent when Donnie blew at his face, making the wet sheen of the cold water feel fresh and chill against his cheeks. This with the soppy towel now brushing against the untouched patch of skin that was his collar and neck, made it felt like a bucket of water finally putting out a fire.

His face instantly fell slack with no noise coming out from his mouth anymore, the tears silently making a stream down his cheeks. The pound in his heart started to lessen, his panting starting to go under his breath in a shallower volume.

"...Hah...uhm..." He was trying to remember what he was talking about before. It seemed pretty big- whatever it was.

"It's over, Mike. We're not speakin' like that anymore, you hear?" Raph affirmed, wiping across his shoulders.

Mikey hummed in confirmination before it was broken by a hiccup. He could feel himself coming back to his senses, reaching full awareness once again. But with this hyper-awarness, came his body's protest of the stress he put on it. His entire body from the neck down felt numb, buzzing. Especially his hands, more specifically his fingertips felt incredibly tingly.

"...Hands." He said in a hoarse voice, finally closing his dry mouth after all this havoc to instead breathe deliberately deep and slow from his nares. He swallowed hard, too ashamed to look his brothers in the eye.

"I can't feel my hands."

Immediately, Donnie was groping at his clammy hands, trying to circulate blood flow. With the rag now warm and more slightly damp than wet, Raph used it to wipe away the absolute mess of an aftermath from across his brother's face to his chest plates.

Mikey said nothing, keeping his gaze fixed on the bathroom tiles. He knew his brothers were staring at him, waiting for some reaction—some response.

But instead, he focused on taking some deep breaths to finally end this madness, each exhale less shakier than the last one. And with that, the older brothers patiently waited and watched as the color in Mikey's face started come back, his features softening to something they recognised for all of their lives.

... 

Their brother was back.

His heart was back to it's normal pace when Donnie checked with an open palm against his chest plate, feeling the faint thump-thump. It disconnected Mikey pulled back a little to sit up straight with his head hanging low. Donnie's hands went back to it's place in his little brother's hands.

Mikey set his gaze on their intertwined hands in his lap, surveying as Donnie shifted from massaging his hands for recovery to gingerly holding it, his thumb brushing over.

Besides the shuffling of his brothers seating themselves down fully, (guess no one was going anywhere), it was like silence after the storm—no one saying a word. Were they waiting for him? He didn't know.

But this provided the amount of time for all of the last ten minutes worth of memories to rush into Mikey's head, the flashes of himself standing beside the table with plates in his hands, rushing upstairs to being here on the bathroom floor spewing threats of suicide.

The realization of what he had done made him feel sick to the core. It didn't sound like him to do such things.

And not only that, but he knew... 

He made everything a million times worse.

Raph was struggling, Donnie was struggling, his friends were too... 

Leo was unconscious with a broken body... 

Their father was unconscious in a city overtaken and quarantined by Kraang... 

And here he was adding another problem to their already broken plate, acting like an absolute wacko that has lost it.

They were never gonna get better now. It was all officially ruined.

Their family.

Their lives. 

Their love.

Even after all that cooling off, an overwhelming wave of heat flashed over him, re-flushing his cheeks in absolute mortification and regret. Never in his life has he ever felt so humiliated of his behavior. What just went on seemed like an entirely different turtle—Not Mikey. The chill, optimistic youngest Hamato who was always up to something silly, never taking anything to heart... 

Guess he's been so busy thinking about how others had changed, blaming it on them... 

That he didn't notice that he too has changed right along with them.

... 

There was no way they... he could fix this- turn back time and start over.

With his rumination starting to connect the dots a little too good, his body started to teeter on edge again with tears brimmed up in his eyes. He squeezed back at Donnie's hands, them starting tremble in his hold.

"...Mikey." 

It was Raph trying to capture his attention, his voice low. 

The turtle in question said nothing, not moving a muscle.

Raph and Donnie exchanged an apprehensive look. Raph nodded his way and the genius brother took the signal.

"Talk to us." Donnie coaxed, giving a little squeeze at his hands. "Tell us what happened tonight."

Mikey's shoulders started to shake alongside him shaking his head back and forth in uncooperation. He knew if he spoke now, not only would words but tears spew out. He was completely choked up, his chin quivering.

"Mikey." Raph tried again, going unanswered for the second time as seconds ticked by with no sound from his yougest brother.

He leaned over and craned his head down in hope to possibly catch his eye.

"Mikey." He said in an octave lower, his voice thick. "We're tryna talk to you... Look at us."

Even though the commanding tone held no edge or judgement in it, it still made Mikey's eyes water. Begrudgingly, he tilted his face up a little, exposing his downturned tear-streaked face. His puffy, bloodshot eyes were large and glassy from where he peered up at them from under his lids.

After all the havoc and blurred visuals, Mikey could finally see them... his brothers' faces crisp and clear.

With them being the closest in proximity they have ever been since they got to the farmhouse, he got to finally see the direct result of all the pain and agony from their prolonged, isolating month on Raph and Donnie's face. He could see every crease and wrinkle dent inwards, radiating concern to the border of distraught.

With their repetitive aggressivity and blind rage taking over their features this past month, Mikey unfortunately got used to it—taking it as his new normal. But here on the bathroom floor, the second he locked eyes with them... he was taken back at the familiar sight.

It was like they were back—back from the dead or a pleasant memory long ago. Their expressions were soft and raw, which always suited them better rather than the ruse they put up for weeks. Either way, the two both looked devastated with a shook appearance... 

The same look they wore when they fled their home and escaped the Kraang.

Raph's emerald eyes sparkled with life- passion and sharp focus looking back at Mikey. He never thought he would see it... him, again. 

Donnie looked like the professional he once claimed himself to be—appearing as if he was taking Mikey's expression apart like a formula. It was like he immediately fell back into his previous medical role in the team he used to play.

They sat looking... composed. Like they both were in the present moment, their minds sharp and focused. He didn't understand where this came from... when it happened. He always thought of himself being the last one left standing, watching his family crumble on the other side of the glass... 

But now the glass was flipped. It was he who was in a wreck, crumbled to the ground with his family watching from the other side. 

He didn't know who was saving who anymore.

Dazed, Mikey mustered up in a whisper, 

"...I don't know."

And left it at that.

But his brothers didn't.

"Mikey, we can't just pretend this didn't happen." Donnie drew out, crouching his head down.

Mikey sighed, going back to looking away.

"...Why not? Why does it take me freaking out for you dudes to... for us... to come together?"

They all sat with the words, the depth of it weighing in the air.

Breaking their intertwined hands, he splayed out one of Donnie's hands to absentmindlessly trace lines along his palm lines like he was reading it. Anything to keep him busy.

Donnie sucked in a breath, slowly bringing his gaze up and around to Raph who was already looking to him. He nodded towards Mikey, like a signal of "Go on. Your turn to say something."

Raph's face went into a grimace as he darted his glimpse back and forth between the two before he succumbed to the conversation.

He placed a heavy, flat hand against Mikey's knee, noticing his brother's flinch. He started to speak deliberately slow and cautious.

"Listen, Mikey... We're sorry. We're sorry for ruinin' yer Thanksgiving dinner thing. I bet ya put a lotta thought and work into it and all that. It was real bad of us to mess it all up and we're sorry. We'll make it up to ya, 'kay?"

But Mikey tsked, furrowing his hairless brows to try to contain the sting in his eyes.

"I- But it's not about the dinner... I don't care about that anymore. You dudes just aren't listening..."

He huffed.

"...Shocker."

But in cost of his attitude, his distraction of Donnie's hand was drawn away, leaving him feeling naked to face this conversation without something to keep his hands busy. A thick, olive green finger disappeared under his chin, nudging it upwards to forcibly tilt his head Donnie's way.

"Then elaborate for us. What were you talking about before, hm? What's over? W-What's gone?"

Too humiliated to confess such a defeat, he pulled away. Covering his face with shaky hands, his borderline whisper of a voice spoke through the crack of his palms.

"God, I- I just can't- I can't play the game like you guys. I can't pretend like it's all okay... Pretend that we ha... hate each other. Like we aren't all avoiding each other."

His body started to subconsciously hunch in on itself, his shoulders trembling along. His chin quivered with tears threatening to spill.

"I... I just want my family back, man." His voice cracked at the end.

Seconds ticked by with his words being thrown around the others' heads in front of him in real time. But he felt safe, more composed with the barrier of his hands covering his eyes.

As long as he didn't have to face them... 

Although of course, his wrists just had to be encircled and gingerly teared off his face. A tough, calloused hand bearing scars, one that has taken literal lives, went against it's violent nature to be gentle. It cupped and engulfing Mikey's cheek, such a huge contrast against his little brother's defeated, softened features.

"...But... we haven't gone anywhere, Mikey." Raph phrased slowly, the mask in between his brows scrunching together.

"We're right here."

He didn't even get to finish before Mikey's chest was already sputtering and heaving, following the tears starting to flow downward. Throwing the last of his dignity and ego out the window, he did the only thing he figured he could do in such a hopeless situation... 

He sobbed. And openly into his brother's hand at that.

The older turtles' cooed and shushed at him, leaning in. They could tell by the way things were going, Mikey was going to end up all the way at square one if they weren't careful. Gentle hands, some Mikey didn't even know which was from who by the way he was overwhelmed... rubbed and nudged at his blotchy, huffing cheeks.

"Awh- c'mon, don't be like that. Yer gonna make yerself sick again with all this cryin'." Raph said, dabbing his thumb under his eye. "Are you tryna be a raisin after all this?"

But Mikey drew himself away from their touch, almost as if he was going to get up and leave. Which was comical because c'mon... his bros let him leave like this?... 

When turtles fly.

They pulled him back down with ease, their little brother too exhausted and weepy to resist. Mikey soon found himself straddled in Raph's lap, his brother's bear hug pulling his limp form to have their plastrons flushed against each other. Donnie came up from behind till they were practically sandwiching Mikey in between them. The orange-banded turtle buried his face in the crook of Raph's neck.

Donnie craned his head down till he was near Mikey's hearing to soothingly mummur straight into the source.

"Hey- Hey. I know you're upset but we can't have you going through another round. Do you remember when Leo would get panic attacks and counting breaths helped for him? What about we-"

"No! I-I don't wanna try anything!" Mikey muffledly cried, thumping his knees against the side rims of Raph's shell. "I wanna go home!"

He was instantly embarrassed of the childish-like wail that slipped past his lips. But it was like he lost control over himself, the way his mouth ran.

"I miss Leo and Papa and New York City and I miss training and patrols and eating jellybean pizza with you guys- a-and stopping by Mr. Murakami's place and eating Pizza Gyoza! And Leatherhead and I miss laughing and racing across the rooftops together and... and w-winning like I always do! I miss my comics and my room and my bed- and... and I miss when were we a team that got along and was together! I miss when we did everything together!"

He hiccuped, rubbing his cheek against his brother to recuperate after such a ramble.

"...I miss us."

They sat huddled against one another, not saying a word until... 

"...Me too."

Both Raph and Mikey peeled off each other to look the voice's way. Donnie jumped a bit at the sudden attention, second-guessing his own vulnerability before continuing.

"I, uh-" He cleared his throat, his hesitating, hovering hand finally finding its courage to rest on the top rim of Raph's shell. He studied Raph's face, trying to understand if he was pushing a boundary.

But Raph seemed unmoving, solid with watchful eyes.

Taking this as a sign to continue, Donnie sighed with a sag, pressing his cheek against Mikey's from behind while he rubbed a hand up and down the length of his arm.

"I miss my lab and... hah- I can't believe I'm saying this but... I miss how you guys would barge in and bug me- giving me ideas and stuff to do... always breaking stuff for me to fix. And uh- when we used to watch TV every night. That was nice too. Uhm, I-I really do miss our schedule... our hangouts"

He finished off with a stare Raph's way, anticipating what he had to say. Mikey, not remembering when he stopped crying, largely curious and wet eyes followed suit, awaiting Raph's two cents.

Raph suddenly felt hot at the audience, his cheeks burning.

"My turn, huh." He swallowed hard, averting his gaze. "Uh well, I miss whateva... Ya know, Master Splinter and Leo and all that." Raph said as if those names didn't agonizingly haunt him day by day.

He attempted a lighter, sly tone. 

"Heh- and as much I hate those Purple Dragons, I sure do miss wallopin' their asses..." 

His smile faltered a little, his hold on Mikey weakening. He didn't understand why the realization brought him so down.

"...Those punks are probably all Kraang zombies by now- Like everyone in that damn city."

He sucked in a breath, trying to regain his composure.

"And uh, yeah... I miss those nightly rooftops runs too- patrollin' around and kickin' ass... And how Leo would always get on my shell- yappin' to not enjoy it and to not "run into it"... whateva that means." He snickered to himself, deep in the memory. "Like the bossy, high turtle Leo was- Is." 

He desperately cleared his throat, eyes wide and zoning out into the distance.

"...I meant ta say is. He is."

For some reason, the mess up affected him greater than he wanted to let on. His heart pick up speed just as he beak stung alongside his eyes.

...

He knew this feeling. 

Shit, he couldn't do this here... Now... 

...In front of them.

He cleared his throat again, his face in a grimace. He regained his grip on his baby brother, pulling him back into the crook of his neck and under his chin to avoid the chance of him catching a sight of him possibly cracking. Mikey stayed immobile, too focused on what his brother was saying in worry he would miss this rare, vulnerable moment.

He obviously didn't miss the way Raph's voice went an octave higher, like it was teetering on the edge alongside his harsh sniff.

"Uh and... and I miss Leo rantin' about his corny Space Heroes and pretendin' to be better than us- a-and the way he would scold all the damn time like he was a mother hen gettin' plucked by his feathers."

He chuckled wetly, squinting to refrain the tears from spilling.

"Guess livin' with it for all of yer life really makes you get used to it. Almost makes me want... to hear it again."

He bit down on his bottom lip, rolling it between his teeth. His cheeks twitched in his tight squint, making the mere sliver of vision ahead a swirl of blurry colors.

Mikey could feel him trembling beneath him as well as hear his heart pounding against his hearing. 

"And I... god... I just hope...He-" Just as his voice officially cracked and broke off, a tear dripped down his face, others instantly following suit. He firmly tensed his jaw, letting the only sounds of his cries being the one choked back in his contracted throat. 

He couldn't speak anymore.

So Mikey spoke for him... without any words, that is. 

He wrapped his arms around his neck and pulled him into him, returning the hug. Raph froze in surprise, moments before his breath started to sputter alongside his chest. With their plastrons flush against one another, Raph squeezed him tight back, hands in claws the was he clutched at his shell in desperation. 

Mikey even felt a bit scared because his strong, resilient older brother was unraveling, crying in front of him which meant whatever Mr. I-Get-Angry-And-Deny-Any-Touchy-Feelings was feeling right now... it had to be real bad- a real unbearably heavy and agonizing build up from this past month alone.

So to return the favor of handling his own meltdown from earlier, Mikey tried to stay as solid and firm in his hug. Raph, on the other hand, wavered with his heart finally cracking and bleeding out everything he ever wanted to say into stiffled sobs.

But Mikey was still Mikey. Their empathic, youngest brother. And being the emotional mirror he was, he couldn't help but start to cry again, this time alongside Raph in sorrow of their uniquely shared grief. 

But it was soft and miserable this time, matching Raph's volume. It wasn't in a burst of overwhelming panic or hopelessness like in previous moments... but it was more mournful in the acceptance of the situation- more devastated at the circumstances than anything...

But it didn't feel as overwhelming this time because they were doing it together- feeling together... which was something they both knew they needed... 

...Especially Raph.

The moment left the both of them huffing and shaking against one another, grasping each other as if they were seeing the other for the first time in months or years.

Donnie sat back with his hands in his lap, darting his gaze on and off the two. An awkward, sympathic smile tugged at his lips. It just felt wrong for him to be here, like he was outside the circle of this vulnerable intimate scene. He didn't believe it was appropriate for him to witness this- let alone join in.

He was half-considering slipping out of the picture and help clean up downstairs but he found himself snatched and yanked back by the nape of his neck—so violently that his teeth clattered against each other. He gasped, startled with a wide-eyed look towards the culprit of Raph looking up at him with this sort of plead in his watery, blood-red but angry eyes.

"You think yer better, huh- huh? You think yer not part of this- Starin' at us, like some goof." Raph prejudged without any real harm, voice quivering just as his chin did. He slinked his arm around Donnie's shoulders and pulled him in to join the now-turned group hug.

It was like they meshed- melted together, immediately accepting Donnie's addition the way Mikey wrapped an arm around his waist and latched onto him. Of course, Donnie graciously accepted the offer, each arm individually draped over one brother and the other.

"Listen, Raph, I'm..." Donnie swallowed hard, bringing his voice low in shame. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said those things about you... a-and about Leo, knowing you were struggling-"

"God- Shut up!" Raph snapped through clenched teeth as if he couldn't bear it any longer.

But when the silence followed after it, Raph instantly relaxed like those words were the last of his energy. He gazed down at Mikey, still latched onto him with a shaking frame but this time peering up at him with twinkling, large eyes.

He knew what he had to do—remembering what was all at stake if he were to keep up this nonsense of tension between him and Donnie.

It was his turn to make it right.

Raph sighed, shaking his head a bit while tears went back to well up in his eyes. He went back to chewing on his bottom lip till his breath hitched to speak.

"But... But it's not like you were talkin' to yerself. Fightin' is a two-way thing anyway.. " He mummured in a low voice, avoiding eye contact with his tallest brother and instead directed it down to Mikey the entire time. Mikey's genuine, teary-eyed smile prompted him forward.

"...We're good. And I should've... should've showed you that we always were... well, to me. So, I... augh... guess we all just screwed up, huh." Raph's voice trembled, on the border of a sob. "W-we shoulda been screwed up together- Since we all in the same boat n' all."

He ended it off with forcing himself to look Donnie in the eye.

"...So just shut up and cry with us, alright?"

Acknowledging Raph's own unique type of apologizing, Donnie softened, the worry creases in his face disappearing. He finally sank into his brothers' hug, pressing his beak against the side of Raph's cheek with a pleased hum. Although he couldn't cry even if he wanted to, he still got misty-eyed.

"..."

"I forgive you too, Raphael."

And with that, the three brothers fully embraced each other together, the first time after the day they arrived to the farmhouse. The cold, anxious sheen of sweat covering them was gone, instead replaced with the warmth radiating off of one another. The blinding, white-ish tint from the bathroom light overhead turned into a warm-colored glow, matching the warmth blossoming in their chests. Their firm clutch on each other lessened into a relaxed cradle as Mikey listened to their heartbeats start to lull and sync against both sides of his hearing.

He let out a breath of relief, body completely relaxing. To think he lost his family and got it back the same day was a rollercoaster of emotions- so much so he was exhausted to the bone. But even with his bleery, drooping lids, he peered through their enfolded arms to the sight of Leonardo laying in the tub, looking at peace.

Mikey smiled to himself, nuzzling his cheek into his brothers' to simmer into the collective warmth, purring.

Opening his eyes, ones that he didn't even know when they closed, he was met with a darkness similar to the one underneath his lids. His arms felt heavy at his sides, taking maximum effort to use his palms to pull him up in a seated position.

"Augh... man..." Mikey moaned into the buzzing silence, rubbing at his eyes till staticiky colors flooded his vision. He licked at his dry lips, rustling out of the blankets neatly draped over him to hang his aching legs off the edge of the bed.

He felt like his mind was moving a few pings per second. He stared in a haze at the sliver of light streaming from underneath the door ahead. He rubbed a finger against the mattress, wondering what- how the hell he got in bed. Or better question, when did he even go to sleep.

Actually... 

He didn't remember anything now that he was trying to backtrack on his day... Not even what happened after dinner-

Thanksgiving dinner.

... 

He remembered now.

His eyes widened, darting side to side as thoughts raced through his head.

It was like a million flashes of bits and pieces of the memories flooded his mind at once.

Screaming. Fighting. Plates. Crying. Running. Panic. Talking. More crying... 

...Hugging.

... 

Love. 

Mikey hopped of the bed, stumbling a bit as he hurried to the door. Gingerly cracking the door open, he peeked into the hallway. But the light was streaming in from downstairs, the first floor. He could also just faintly make out some voices, following by some unfamiliar chatter he supposed had to be from the TV.

With a gulp, Mikey crept down the hallway, mentally going through the recap of what happened a few hours ago The last thing he remembered was being sandwiched by his two brothers in a crushing hug on the bathroom floor. But after that... He drew a blank. He had no idea what happened or what even was the status on his brothers now. 

...What if they weren't good anymore? What if in the time of Mikey's absence, they got back into their fights? What if... 

What if nothing has changed...?

Mikey stopped near the bathroom, peering around the corner of the doorframe in expectation of seeing Raph... 

But the stool was empty with no sign of him. Confuzzled, Mikey stood up straight in the middle of the doorframe, now eyeing his comatose brother laying limp in the tub ahead.

He hesitated, lingering at the doorframe. After checking to make sure the coast was clear, he slowly came over and crouched beside the tub. Leo was rocking a new look: his upper arms littered in bandages, no doubt from Mikey's previous freak out.

A pang of guilt shot through Mikey, his face downturned in shame. He noticed a bandage peeling off, dangling. He took action to press it back down. 

Swallowing hard, he leaned close as if whispering in Leo's hearing to say, 

"...I'm sorry, Leo... like for real, dawg."

He stayed near his face with remorseful look, his gaze averted.

"And... And Happy Thanksgiving, bro. I'll be saving a slice of pie for you so you gotta wake up before it spoils... Deal?"

He watched for any micro-expressions flashing or flickering over Leo's face but as expected... 

There was nothing.

"Deal." Mikey responded to himself moments before leaning in to give a quick peck on Leo's cheek.

He rose to his feet, standing with a small, sad smile beside the tub with his shadow looming over Leo. Offering a mumble of a farewell, he shuffled out of the bathroom on a mission to check on the remaining of his family.

He hurriedly sneaked down the stairs, trying not to make a sound with the creaky wood steps. 

Peeking around the corner at the end of the stairs, he observed from afar the scene that he couldn't believe was a reality... 

It was his bros and their friends huddled around the TV, draped on the couch. It was like watching a newly discovered species the way Mikey watched in awe how they chattered amongst themselves, seemingly in a friendly, light-hearted fashion.

Not only that... 

But Raph and Donnie were actually in close proximity of one another and not tearing each other's heads off fighting. They sat side by side, wearing an uncomfortable face. By their awkward body language, it looked like they were two kid brothers forced to hug it out after butting heads by their parents... It was probably April's work, too—Trying to coax them back to close brotherhood.

But awkwardness was to be expected... It wasn't like they weren't screaming at each other less than 24 hours ago... 

But they were trying. 

And that's all what matters.

His friends on the other hand, were obviously playing a big role unraveling the tension.

While April was laying back on the love seat, Casey was sprawled out on the armchair, chewing noisely at a leftover turkey leg in his hands.

"Man, this is some good stuff!" Casey exclaimed, interrupting his chewing to speak. "I'm glad some of the food turned out okay after the attack of the turtle tornado!"

Donnie rolled his eyes, taking offense to that.

"Of course most of the food are okay. It's not like we flipped the table over and stomped on it."

"I honestly wouldn't be surprised if you did that next by the way you guys acted." April said without taking her eyes off the TV, crossing her arms.

Donnie rubbed at the back of his neck, looking away in shame. Raph sucked in his teeth, leaning forward with his forearms on his knees. He pointed a remorse, shy gaze her way, talking to the side of her head.

"Again, April... We're real sorry 'bout the plates. If there's someway we can make it up to ya- anythin'... we'll do it."

April sighed, rolling her head to the side to face them with a weary, sympathetic smile.

"I told you guys... The only thing I want out of this is for you guys to make up. Either way, I can't really be mad at you guys. It's been hard... I get it."

Donnie still looked remorseful, anxiously trying to crack a finger.

"Difficult times or not... We're- I'm sorry. It was your family's heirloom- dishware passed over generations! We should've at least took it outside or something..."

That made Raph let out a sharp laugh. He nudged an elbow against Donnie, his rough nature accidentally shoving his brother farther than he intended.

"You...? Take me outside? What- You think you have a chance, egghead?"

Mikey braced for impact, ready to witness a borderline murder attempt... 

But instead Donnie's face brightened and to Mikey's surprise... 

He laughed. 

Oh, how Mikey missed that sound. Donnie's genuine chuckle such a pleasant tune compared to the booms and cracks that clashed against his volume barrier when he yelled.

"Yeah I do, matter of fact." Donnie said cockily, playfully shoving him back. "It's just logical."

"Logic, eh?" Raph clipped, grinning mischievously. "Then how 'bout tomorrow, you and me spar again? It's been some time now. Heh, you probably forgot how it felt to lose- but don't worry... I'll remind ya."

With his jaw dropped, Mikey marveled at the teasing quips and snickers as his two brothers chatted amongst each other, not a glimpse of aggressivity flashing behind their eyes. The idea of the two... all of them sparing together again made his heart swell. He knows it would make Leo's too. They sure had a bunch of training overdue that they had to catch up on.

It was Casey who spotted a distracted Mikey peeking around the corner, his form a dark silhouette while his blue eyes shone brightly.

Without a thought, Casey sat up with a hand up in a greeting.

"Yo, Mikey! It's about time you woke up!"

Just as all heads snapped his way, Mikey flipped himself around the corner and out of sight, his shell pressed against the other side of the wall. 

Maybe no one saw him...?

"Mikey? Where's Mikey?" Donnie asked in a surprised voice, suddenly on high alert.

His gaze followed Casey's finger into the shadowed entrance.

"Mikey, is that you there?"

The youngest brother stayed hiding, bringing his fingers to his mouth to nervously nibble on it. He squeezed his eyes shut, giving a small, quiet response of, 

"...Uhh...no?"

He face palmed himself, jumping at the volume of the slap and immediately regretting it.

Raph exchanged a skeptical glance with Donnie. He scooted over to the edge of the couch, looking as if he was about to get up.

"Mikey? What are you doin', hiding? Get in 'ere."

Mikey sighed at his discovery, giving up. He peeled himself off the wall and popped his head into view. 

"Haha- what up, guys? Having a movie night without me?"

Donnie studied his unusually shy brother, speaking slowly.

"Well, I did say I missed out nighty TV schedule... So I figured we pick it up again."

Him and Raph scooched apart to make room on the couch. Donnie patted at the new empty spot next to him.

"Come sit with us."

Mikey gulped and took a step into the light, revealing his reddened cheeks. His cries from his earlier meltdown echoed in his head, making him embarrassed to show his face.

"But I... I gotta clean this thing..." He said with one hand rubbing at the back of his neck while the other threw a thumb over his shoulder. "Ya know... the dinner stuff-

"Chill, dude. We already cleaned that whole explosion. And by we, I mean them." Casey said, throwing thumb toward Raph and Donnie. "Those two were scrubbing gravy out of the floor for hours."

"Oh snap." Mikey said, dropping his arms at his side. With him out of excuses, he hesitantly came over with an apprehensive expression.

"You feeling better, Mikey? You slept for three hours! I was starting to get worried." April said, sitting up to face him. But she immediately fell into concern when Mikey stopped in front of her, his head bowed in shame.

"Uhh, yeah... Yeah, I'm feeling better... but about that..." He rubbed at his arm, his hairless brows pinched. "I'm really sorry, April. I totally smashed your fancy plate stuff into a bazillion pieces... It was your family's thing, yo! Maybe it was your great-great-great grandma's favorite, too!"

He sighed.

"I messed up big time... Sorry, April."

April offered a sad smile, getting up to surprise him with a warm hug.

"It's okay, Mikey. Sure, I'm a bit upset about it but I'm more relieved you're okay... I care about you more than some antique plates."

Mikey blinked, taken back by the hug before he returned it, wrapping his arms around her to squeeze her back. April giggled a bit at the vibration starting to joyfully chur from the turtle's chest pressed against her's.

"Especially, it's not even your fault." April reassured. "It was those two who started it."

Donnie exclaimed his last "We said were sorry!" while Raph sat back with a groan, wiping his face with both hands.

Mikey's chest lightened a bit, laughing as he pulled away.

"True that, dudette! I was just in for the peace, yo."

But once the quick laughter died out, Raph suddenly sprang to conversation, appearing serious. He turned expectantly to Casey who was mid-bite into his turkey leg.

"Yo, Case... Didn't ya say you n' April were gonna grab the wood out back for the fireplace? It would be real nice for us all if it was toasted up in 'ere."

"Huh? What wood-" Casey cut himself off, the corks in his brain starting to work if Raph's wide, piercing eyes weren't a good enough of a hint.

"Ohhh... That wood! Yeah, I got you, bro."

He got up, waving April over with his turkey leg. 

"C'mon Red. You get to witness the handsome and manly Casey Jones cut some wood. What a honor, am I right?"

April flashed Mikey a weary smile, getting up with a sigh.

"Wow... Lucky me." She deadpanned, following Casey on the way out. "Maybe this time you won't cry so hard when you get a splinter again."

"Hey! I-It really hurt, okay?" Casey cried, opening the door and holding it for her. "I thought I was gonna have to amputate!"

It happened so fast... his friends gone and out of the farmhouse that Mikey could just barely keep up. Realizing what was happening, him being left alone with his brothers, he desperately tried to escape as well.

"Uh- uh, wait up, guys!" Mikey called out, hurrying over to the door shutting behind his friends. "I-I'm coming, too! I wanna help-"

"Mikey."

...Came the warning from Raph behind him that made him freeze mid-rush.

"C'mere."

Mikey winced, gazing yearnfully at the door that was so close... Yet so far...

He slowly turned his head back with a queasy, crooked smile forcibly tugging at the corners of his mouth. It faltered a bit at the sight of his brother's stares boring into him sternly.

"But... But the wood-"

"The wood will be just fine. Casey and April can handle it. Just..." Donnie started, wringing his hands. "...We need to talk to you, okay?"

Mikey turned with his whole body now, trying to appear confused.

"Talk? But we-"

His voice was cut off at the sharp pats Raph delivered into the empty spot beside him, not once taking his hard look off of him.

"Sit."

...Was all he had to clip for Mikey to give in.

Mikey threw a final glimpse to the door, the exit out of this situation, before he groaned and came over to his brothers with his shoulders slumped in defeat. The two older turtles said nothing, silently amused and watchful while he squeezed in between them with a pout, sagging his shoulders.

"...Yeah?" Mikey asked underneath his breath, bowing his head down. He felt unbearable hot in embarrassment, his brothers' cool shoulders and thighs a chilling contrast against his both sides.

A hand scrubbed at the top of his head, him not even needing to look at the owner to immediately recognizing it was Raph's. 

"Geez... Yer lookin' like one of those dogs after they got caught wreckin' the sofa—Lookin' all guilty and shit." Raph commented.

Mikey just sighed, bringing his knees together and covering them with his palms.

"I thought we already talked it all out..." He said, voice borderline on a whine. "What else is there to talk about? I swear I- I didn't even do anything!"

Donnie wrapped an arm around his shoulders, voice smooth.

"Easy. No one's in trouble here. Raph and I have just been thinking about... some things that you said back there—You know, just talking about it..."

He wasted no time to signal patience with his palm up when the smaller turtle opened his mouth to object.

"What I'm trying to find out is whether you meant it or if it was just said in the heat of the moment." Donnie explained.

"Brah..." Mikey wiped at his face, stretching the skin underneath his eyes. "I have like no memory of what happened- sorta. Heck, I don't even remember when I went to bed!"

"Ya fell asleep while we were huggin'. Kinda freaked us out when we seperated and you were limp like a noodle." Raph added into the conversation, laying back both elbows on the top edge of the couch, trying to appear laid-back. 

"I put you ta bed. Thought'll be good if ya slept after that whole thing you had."

"Oh-ho wow, thanks bro. Owe ya big time!" Mikey forcibly chirped, shifting his shell forward as if he was about to get up.

He looked to the TV playing some strange space film with these weird looking guys fighting each other with different colored long glow sticks. He decided to use that to his advantage.

Trying to dissolve the tension/redirect this conversation entirely, he figured he could be the one to change the subject. 

"But uhh... hah- what are you dudes watching? It looks old- Like Jurassic era old."

Donnie took hold of the top rim of his shell and slid him back till his shell was flush against the cushions.

"Well, first of all, 1977 is not that old. Second of all, how can you not recognize the first Star Wars movie and third of all... don't try to redirect the conversation."

Mikey crossed his arms, getting frustrated that his multiple means of escape was foiled each time.

Donnie creased his forehead, voice dropping decibels.

"Mikey.... You said you were going to kill yourself-."

The youngest brother sat up straight and whipped his entire body around to clamp a hand over his brother's mouth, his eyes wide and startled just as Donnie's were.

"Uh- uhm, no I didn't!" Mikey gasped, following it with his hand slowly retracting with a nervous chuckle. "I think you're confused between something else... cause I-I don't remember saying that! Haha..."

Raph leaned forward with narrowed eyes, gaze challenging.

"...So now yer gaslightin' us."

"Whaaat?" Mikey guffawed, purposely avoiding his brothers' eye contact to look back to the TV, nervously patting his knees. "Psht- I'm not lighting anything-"

"Three times." Donnie interrupted firmly, furrowing his brows. "You said you were going to kill yourself three times, Mikey."

The orange-banded turtle fell silent, eyes darting across his own lap. Eventually, the stares burning into the sides of his head became too much.

"...Sorry." He squeaked in admittance, shoulders rising.

While Donnie softened into a sigh, Raph impatiently rapped his knuckles against Mikey's skull, emitting a whine of protest from him. Mikey snapped his head Raph's way, face in a deep, defensive frown.

"You knucklehead- What are ya apologizin' for?" Raph scolded, nodding towards him. "That's not what we're tryna get at here." 

Mikey groaned in annoyance, laying his head back over the couch.

"I-I don't know what else you dudes want me to say! The best I can give you is "my bad, bro." I just said it, okay? Big whoop."

"Big... whoop...?" Raph strained, baffled. "Mikey, you were chantin' threats that you were gonna end it! The hell ya sayin' "big whoop" for- of course "big whoop!" Wouldn't ya be freakin' out too if yer brother was cryin', sayin' he was gonna kill himself, eh!?"

Mikey sat back up, his face in a pout as he just accepted the scolding. He didn't know his brother was expecting an answer from him until Raph leaned in right next his hearing to rasp, 

"...Right?"

Mikey pulled his head a little into his shell before he swiftly nodded.

Raph leaned back against the couch, studying with an observant gaze as Mikey slowly pulled his head back out. The smaller turtle brought his hands back together, wringing them nervously.

Donnie, taking notice of the action on his little brother's lap, engulfed a gentle hand over Mikey's own to halt the fidgeting.

"What we "want you to say" is to let us know if this has been on your mind of late...? Mikey, if you're repeating this, then I'm assuming that maybe this has been on your mind? Have you been having dormant suicidal thoughts that happened to reveal themselves when you were having that emotional moment o-or...?"

Mikey's eyes flew open, his heart lurching. It hadn't even crossed his mind that the consequences of his words could catch up to him, let alone how his brothers would take them.

When he said that extreme phrase, he didn't mean it to heart! Heck, he didn't even know where he got it from! It's not like he's been throwing the idea of suicide or harming himself in his head of late. He supposed it just slipped from his mouth while he was in search for the greatest extreme/shock value to match the overwhelming panic he felt at the moment... 

God, did he mess up—giving his bros another thing to worry about.

He clutched at Donnie's hand, bringing it close to his chest. He turned to face him, desperate. 

"Bro- no... No! I swear it's not like that, yo- Really! Pinky promise and everything!"

Donnie exchanged a concerned, skeptical glance with Raph, the mask in between his eyes scrunching up.

He drew his hand away. A soft cry slipped past Mikey's lips at the emptiness.

"...Are you a hundred percent sure?" Donnie phrased deliberately slow, crouching his head down to his eye level. "Cause now's your chance. If there's something- anything that you need to tell me and Raph..."

He faltered off at the sight of Mikey frantically shaking his head in growing distress like he could just barely take it. 

"Stop, stop- It's not like that! I-"

Raph caught his jaw mid-shake, digging his fingers into his cheek as he forcibly turned it his way to meet his sharp eyes. Meanwhile, Mikey shut his mouth mid-protest, taken back. His eyes became as large as saucers, reflecting Raph's blazing emeralds off of them.

"And no holdin' back." Raph growled, giving him a little shake. "If yer straight up lyin' to us and I find ya the next day hangin' a few feet in the air, so help me I'll-"

"Prowmish!" Mikey blurted with squeezed cheeks, hand gripping and tugging at Raph's wrist holding him. "I promise I was just blabbing shit just to say it! I-I didn't mean it at all! No thoughts or anything- For real, cross my heart and hope to die- uh, not die! Heh, not the die part."

Raph studied him in his grasp, eyes narrowed into slits while his fingers shifted against his cheek. It was until he deemed his brother truthful that he backed off with a sigh.

"...Okay."

Raph tried again, clearing his throat.

"Okay." He said firmly, observing Mikey's recoil the second he let go. "Listen, I know ya were freakin' out- not thinkin' straight but just..."

He rubbed at his own palm, flexing his fingers. His expression wore more concern than he wanted to let on.

"...Watch what yer sayin'."

With this conversation finally reaching a conclusion, Mikey melted into the couch with a groan.

“Dudes... you know I'm all for talking and therapy… but I'm talked out like a raisin, brah. Can't I just watch TV to end it off on a good note? Ya know, to celebrate you guys chilling again.”

Donnie scoffed, taking the remote control from the coffee table. He held it just out of Mikey's grabby hands with an amused glint in his eyes.

“Of course, Mikey. It's been a long, hectic day- especially for you. You earned it.”

Recognizing the playful rhythm of Donnie's voice, one Mikey hadn't heard in awhile, he realized his brother was making him reach from it. Mikey, too exhauted to join in the teasing game, forcibly pried himself off the couch just to fall victim of Raph's elbow suddenly in his face. He let out a cry of protest at the despicable sight of his red-banded brother graciously retrieving his remote.

Raph grinned to himself, flipping through the channels with the knowledge of Mikey fuming beside him. His little brother was whining now, trying to reach for it but being held back by Raph's palm flat against his face.

"Oh-ho, I sure missed this..." Raph mumbled to himself in satisfaction. He sure missed messing with his brothers, especially Mikey. It's been a hot minute.

"Hey, give it! Give. It!" Mikey snapped as he snatched the remote greedily from Raph's purposely loose grip. He threw himself back into the cushions with a grouchy face, flipping through the channels to find his one and only beloved show.

He was glad his brothers were going to be around more but he sure did forget about the teasing... 

But it seems like they didn't. 

Well... you win some, you lose some, he supposed.

"Not. Cool. I need my daily dose of Crognard. It's how I cope, yo." Mikey stated formally, finally landing on the channel. He left the remote in his lap and crossed his arms, frowning at the screen ahead.

But as the seconds ticked by, he started to feel uneasy—like something wasn't right. It took him a few more until he realized the issue... 

His brothers.

His brothers' relaxed muscles stayed unmoving and flush against him on both sides... 

...Eyes glued to the screen aka watching Crognard with him.

He whipped his head to and fro between the other turtles, trying to pick if he possibly missed something—perhaps some other agenda for their lingering. He was so used to watching on his own, rambling and kicking his feet to an imaginary audience with every episode, it felt strange having fellow watchers. The two person mutant addition the equivalent of a huddling crowd for him.

Was the past their new normal again...? Even so, it was shocking to relive.

He landed his head shaking on Donnie, choosing his target (well, the turtle least likely to slap him upside the head). He zoned in on the purple mask tails draped over his Donnie's shoulder and pulled down at it, bringing his unsuspecting brother's head with it.

"Aghk- M-Mikey! What-"

"...What's going on? Am I still in trouble?" Mikey whisper screamed into the turtle's hearing, his hushed attempt pointless with Raph instantly catching it and glaring his way.

"Trouble? What trouble? You were never in trouble to begin with- A-And let go!" Donnie responded, tugging for his mask tails to be free.

But Mikey pulled him down even more, cupping his hand over the side of his mouth while he was at it.

"Are you dudes mad again?"

Donnie finally slid his mask tails out of Mikey's fingers, immediately flipping it to the other shoulder to avoid him from grabbing it again.

"Mikey, what are you talking about?" He asked, squinting at him. "We're just watching TV."

Raph scoffed from behind, dragging himself up the cushion, ready to get up and disappear.

"Now ya want us to leave. What a twist." Raph commented snarkily with a roll of eyes. "Whateva. I've seen you guys too much for one day. I'm goin'-"

"No, no- Don't leave!" Mikey cried out, the urgency in his voice skyrocketing just as his volume did. Everyone froze, especially Raph who gawked at Mikey who was latched onto his arm.

"...Please? Pretty please...? No- beautiful please!" Mikey begged, tugging at his bicep. "C'mon bro, I didn't mean it like that- Please, stay. Pleeeasseee-!"

"God- Okay, okay! Geez, just shatter my hearin' why don't ya! Tsk- can't do nothin' in this house..." Raph grouched, heavily seating himself back down.

But Mikey didn't let go of his arm. Even worse, now he was hugging it to his chest.

"Just been awhile since we, you know... hung out together." Mikey said in a solemn tone. "Guess I got used to watching on my own." 

Raph observed him thoughtfully, feeling Donnie's own waiting eyes on him before he scoffed, shaking his head. Allowing Mikey to keep his arm, (he knew he wasn't going to get it back anytime soon), he fully relaxed into the couch.

"Eh- April told us ya watch this Crognard thing everyday like a bum. I figured me and Donnie need lots of catching up on, don't we?"

Donnie cocked his head with a roll of eyes.

"You guys are so melodramatic for people just watching TV."

By the way things were playing out, it seemed like Mikey's month-long yearning of his bros coming back together plus getting educated about the Crognard lore was coming to a reality. His mouth split into a wide grin, the rest of his body practically buzzing by excitement.

He squealed when Donnie leaned his head over his own, nuzzling his cheek against the top of his dome.

...But if you asked Mikey, he would say he was totally playing it cool.

"C'mon, you know it's a big deal! It's like our family tradition to have a show we all watch!" Mikey said, laughing.

"Wow, families have heirlooms and Taco Tuesdays and our tradition is... TV." Donnie said with a sigh, a smile thick in his voice. "What a family."

Mikey nuzzled his cheek against Raph's arm, the ticklish sensation making his pretend-stoic brother laugh.

"Yeah... What a family."