Disclaimer: Ninja Turtles are not mine but Chloe is. Please do not sue and no flames.
Someone Who Gets Me
After practice, I was on my way to the lab when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned and saw that it was Mikey.
"Did you need something?" I inquired.
"I wanted to see if you were all right," Mikey admitted.
"What do you mean?"
"It was my fault that you didn't sleep for four days and you got stressed out to the point of having a breakdown and then you slept for two days."
"Shoving a bunch of DVDs into the DVD player could've been avoided," I explained, making eye contact with Mikey.
"What about the kitchen faucet and dryer?" Mikey asked.
"Sometimes breakage can't be avoided and it needs to be fixed as soon as it can."
"Luckily, Chloe was able to take care of those things so you could get some food and rest."
I was working in my lab when I heard arguing from Leo and Raph. I turned on the security camera and listened to the argument while I continued to work.
"I can't believe you broke the kitchen faucet on purpose!" Leo said angrily.
"He was spending lots of time in the lab and I needed some way to get him out!" Raph retorted.
"He was trying to upgrade our security system!"
"He could've said something!"
I suddenly left the lab and headed for the dojo. Leo and Raph were sparring without weapons and arguing.
"Is this true?" I inquired. Leo and Raph stopped sparring and faced me. "Was the kitchen faucet really broken on purpose to get me out of the lab?"
"You rarely came out of your lab and I had to get you out somehow," Raph confessed.
"By breaking the kitchen faucet?" I ranted angrily. "I have lots of work to do without stuff being deliberately broken! Was the dryer broken on purpose?"
"No," Leo admitted. "I put the laundry in the dryer and it wouldn't start. Luckily, Chloe saw that the hose came loose and fixed it."
"Speaking of Chloe, I'm heading over to see her," I said. "I need to talk to someone who gets me."
I stormed out of the dojo after getting my bo. On the way out of the lair, I came across Mikey.
"You all right, Donny?" Mikey asked with concern.
"I will be, Mikey," I replied. "I'm going to see Chloe for a bit."
"You want me to come?"
"I'll be fine."
"Sorry about the DVD player," Mikey apologized. "I couldn't decide what to watch so I thought that putting a whole bunch in at once would make things easier."
"I forgive you," I said. "At least you know now to only insert one DVD at a time."
Mikey and I wrapped our arms around each other and squeezed tightly. Then we released each other and I left the lair.
I reached eight year old Chloe Calls' grandparents' house and sent her a text asking her to meet me at her bedroom window. Once I got there, Chloe opened the window and let me inside.
"I got some black bean taco pizza and some huckleberry soda if you want any," Chloe offered.
"I could use something to eat right now," I admitted and then Chloe and I left her bedroom.
Once we headed downstairs, we went to the living room where the pizza and soda were waiting. We each put a slice on a plate, poured the soda into a glass, and sat down on the sofa.
"Did something happen?" Chloe asked with concern.
"Remember when Raph broke the kitchen faucet last week?" I inquired.
"I remember."
"It turned out that he deliberately broke it just to get me out of the lab. I needed to upgrade our security system which was more important. If he wanted to talk to me, all he had to do was ask."
"Exactly," Chloe agreed.
"At least Mikey apologized for the DVD incident and Leo confessed that he didn't break the dryer on purpose," I said.
Chloe and I continued to chat while having our meal. Eventually, I realized that I needed to get back home.
"If you want to sleep over, I can get the air mattress or set up one of the guest rooms," Chloe offered.
"Thanks but I need to get back home," I said.
"Have you talked to your family about what's going on with you?"
"I don't know if I should."
"It might make you feel better."
"In that case, I'll try to talk to them."
Chloe and I cleaned up and then headed for her room. Then we wrapped our arms around each other, squeezed tightly, and then I gently pulled away and headed out the window.
When I got home, I headed for the dojo. I had sent a text to my brothers and Sensei requesting that they meet me there.
When I entered the dojo, Splinter and my brothers were standing in a straight line. I took a deep breath and said, "I have something to say and I need for all of you to listen to me. I mean, really listen."
"Of course," Splinter agreed and my brothers nodded in agreement.
"To start, I understand that stuff gets broken and needs to be fixed," I said. "However, I feel that you don't appreciate me. For instance, I've had projects I've had to put off because one of you broke something that needed fixing. Not to mention going on patrols. When I found out that Raph deliberately broke the kitchen faucet, I felt angry that he would do something like that even if he was trying to get me out of the lab. Raph, if you wanted to spend time with me, you could've just asked. As much as I love spending time in my lab, I also want to feel appreciated and loved by my family. Not just a genius they can depend on to fix things. Also, it really hurts my feelings when I try to share something that interests me and you cut me off and/or ignore me."
"Donny, why didn't you say anything?" Leo inquired.
"When?" I burst out. "You and Sensei are always training or meditating and Raph is either working on his punching bag or hanging out with Casey. At least Mikey and Chloe are making sure I'm all right. Leo and Sensei, since you didn't break anything, you won't need to apologize. At least Mikey apologized for breaking the DVD player. Raph, you deliberately broke the kitchen faucet and didn't apologize for it."
I felt my eyes pricking and started fighting it. The last thing I wanted was for Raph to call me a baby and remind me that we were fifteen years old. Just then, Raph stood up and walked over to me. He placed his hands on my shoulders, looked me in the eyes and gently said, "Don't fight it. Come here."
Raph gently pulled me into his arms and I latched onto him like a life preserver and broke down completely. Raph gently rubbed my shell and I felt my own shoulder getting wet.
A few seconds later, I felt Mikey and Leo wrap their arms around me and I felt my other shoulder and my left upper arm getting wet. Then Splinter latched onto me from the back and I felt my shell getting wet.
Eventually, I got myself down to hiccups and then sniffles. Then I slowly drifted off to sleep.
Four hours later…
I slowly woke up feeling like I was in the middle of a burrito. I found that my brothers were holding me and I saw red mask tails and realized that I was holding Raph.
"What happened?" I asked in confusion.
"You had a breakdown," Raph told me.
"Where's Sensei?"
"He must've headed back to his room," Leo replied, releasing me.
"I need to talk to Raph alone for a bit," I said.
"No problem," Mikey said cheerfully, releasing me.
Leo and Mikey left the dojo. Raph and I continued to hold each other.
"I'm sorry I broke the kitchen faucet," Raph apologized. "I just wanted to spend some time with you."
"Just ask next time and we can work something out," I said. "By the way, how long was I asleep?"
"About four hours."
"I'm surprised you're still holding me since you don't usually like doing that. Let alone for four hours."
"I can make exceptions especially if any of my brothers are upset about something," Raph said.
"Do you think we could hang out in the entertainment area with Leo and Mikey while listening to music and eating popcorn and pizza?" I asked.
"I think we can arrange that."
"Not to mention sleeping in the entertainment area."
"Sure and I may not always show it but I do love you," Raph said, his voice breaking.
"I love you, too," I choked out, the floodgates opening.
Raph and I tightened our hold on each other. Eventually, we released each other.
"No more waterworks, ok?" Raph instructed while wiping my eyes with his thumbs.
"Especially since Splinter wouldn't be too happy if the dojo got turned into a lake," I joked while sniffling.
"You'd better get yourself cleaned up and I'll see you in the living room," Raph suggested.
"Got it," I declared and then left the dojo.
Later, my brothers and I were hanging out in the entertainment area. We were eating popcorn and pizza and dancing to music coming from the CD player.
"Thanks for doing this," I said gratefully.
"Leo and I have a surprise for you," Mikey told me.
"Which should be here soon," Leo chimed in.
Just then, Chloe entered the entertainment area and the two of us wrapped our arms around each other and squeezed tightly. Then we released each other and I offered Chloe a slice of pizza which she accepted.
"How are you doing?" Chloe asked me.
"You were right when you said that talking to my family would make me feel better," I replied with a smile.
"Great to see you smiling again, Donny," Leo said.
"The last time I remember you smiling was when Chloe mentioned her interest in mathematics and technology," Mikey said. "You were so thrilled that you smiled and the two of you went right into the lab and stayed there for a while."
"I also met April and Casey the same day," Chloe said.
"I can't believe Casey thought we adopted you," Raph said, remembering the adoption comment the day April O'Neil and Casey Jones met Chloe.
"Right now I'm just glad to be hanging out with all of you," I said gratefully with a smile. "Also, it feels great to be smiling again after being stressed out for several days."
A couple hours after the partying, my brothers and I were lying on the floor covered with a large blanket. Chloe was sleeping on the couch with a blanket covering her.
"I don't know about anyone else but I'm ready to go to sleep," Raph said.
"Same with me," Mikey said.
"I had a great time tonight and I love all of you," I said.
"We love you, too, Donny," Leo said.
My brothers and I snuggled up together. I watched my brothers fall asleep and then I drifted off to sleep.
The End