Raph's p.o.v
The lab is extremely quiet. Donnie had already gone to bed, saying there wasn't much he could do for Mikey except for giving him some pain medication. Mike's shell was indeed knocked loose and that had to mend on itself. His bruises and other cuts have been taken care of, though. Don told me to go to bed too, as Mikey probably doesn't wake up for another few hours, but I don't want to leave my little brother when he needs me. Unlike Leo I actually do care about him. The shellhead hardly worried about him as all he could think about was his precious girlfriend. It doesn't matter to him that that chick of his beat on my brother and best friend. Sure, it was Tigerclaw who did all the damage but Karai's big mouth got him where he needed to be. And then to imagine she's supposed to be the long-lost daughter of Splinter! She just stabbed us in our backs if you ask me. No need to go and safe her sorry ass. Especially when a member of your family is hurt and lying unconsciousness at your feet. But Leo doesn't get that and it makes me furious. When Spike fell of the roof and all my brothers were lying around hurt, I didn't try and find my pet. I made sure my brothers would get home and being taken care off. I chose for them.
"Raph?"
My head whirls back to my youngest brother and I flash him a grin when I see his tired eyes looking up at me. "Hey, Mike. Took you long enough to wake up," I tease him. He tries to smile back but his face contorts into a grimace when he moves slightly.
"Is the pain bad, Mikey? Do I hafta call Donnie?" He shakes his head and gives me a full smile this time. "It just surprised me is all. I'm okay." I want to point out he's far from okay but it will only make him feel worse. I pad his hand awkwardly to reassure him a little and sit down on his bedside instead of the chair I'd been sitting in all evening.
"How long was I out?" He asks me next. I shrug and glance at the clock on Donnie's desk. It's 3.42 am now. "I guess about 4 hours. We came home around midnight." He nods slightly and yawns. I snicker before pulling the blanket up towards his chin. "Go to sleep, little brother. I'll see ya in the morning."
He nods and mumbles something that sounds like a 'good night' before he is out again. I smile sadly down at him before I leave the infirmary and go to my own room. At least I have a few hours of sleep left before morning. Too bad those few hours, are filled with nightmares.
Donnie's p.o.v
Often my mornings are filled with me sluggishly walking to my coffee machine and only waking up after having at least three cups. But not today. I make my way to the lab as fast as I can to see if Mikey has woken up already. When I enter two baby blue eyes are beaming at me. I whole load drops from my shoulders as I come closer to check up on him. His cuts and bruises are healing nicely at least. I just wish I could do something about his shell.
"How's the pain now, Mikey?" I ask him. "Good morning to you too," he jokes, but his voice sounds a little hoarse. "Yeah, yeah, good morning," I reply. "But on a scale of one to ten, how bad is the pain?" If I'm not persistent he will never answer the question anyway. Mikey loves attention but not if it means he's hurt or sick. If those are the cases he'll be as annoying as Raph and as persistent as Leo. "A six, I guess," Mike replies and I know he actually means eight or nine. Stupid little brothers.
"I'll give you some painkillers," I say gently because he isn't really a fan of those. He closes his eyes when I give him the injection but doesn't make a sound.
Just after I'm done a groggy Raph walks into the room. "Mornin'," he mutters. "How ya doin' Mike?" Mikey just shrugs and Raph seems to be fine with that. I guess they got to talk last night or Raph wouldn't have gone to bed or not be surprised that Mikey is awake.
"So Donnie," Mikey says. "Now I'm bedridden someone has to make breakfast today, right?" I wince slightly at the thought but nod. "And Leo's not here now. Does that mean that when the Prince of the Kitchen can't enter his kingdom, you decide to have the worst cooking-peasant of all time do it?"
I laugh at the over-exaggerated comment but Raph growls. "Fearless isn't making breakfast, Mikey. He's mopping over his lost girlfriend and doesn't even care to see if you're alright." After that Raph stomps of and leaves me with an upset little brother.
Tears form in Mikey's eyes when he looks up at me. "Is that why Leo hasn't come yet and see me?" he asks innocently, the brims of his eyes barely holding back the salty water. I quickly place my hand on his head. "No, otouto, that's not the reason. He just holds back. You know how he gets when one of us is hurt. He doesn't like to see us that way." I few tears slip but there is no sobbing or break-down which I'm grateful for. "I guess so," he mumbles, still looking miserable. I silently curse both of my older brothers while I rub my baby brother's tears away. I curse Raph for opening his big mouth and Leo for being such a bonehead not to come and see his brother when he's injured.
I take my hand from my brother's face and smile up at him. "You know what," I say. "I'll make you some pancakes for breakfast. I think I remember how to do it from the one time you taught me. Does that sound good?"
Mikey's smile comes back onto his face, albeit not full force. "The recipe is in the red map, page 12, if you need it," he says. My smile only becomes wider now I know Mike's at least not so upset anymore. And if two certain older brothers try to ruin my accomplished work again, they will see how dangerous the tools from my lab can get.
Leo's p.o.v
I'm calmly meditating under the tree. I try to focus all my will-power on reaching Karai but it doesn't work. My mind is clouded by emotions and my concentration falters. Suddenly Raph comes bashing into the room, eyes blazing an angry red. "Leo! You and me are going to talk, right now!" he shouts, his hands curling into fists. I know with talking he means fighting but I don't mind. I stand up calmly and wait for my brother to advance. He does but it isn't with the calculated steps of a ninja. He just comes storming at me like an angry bull. I flip over him a few times until he catches my foot. We wrestle on the ground for a bit, both getting in some punches and kicks. And some point Raph manages to sit on top of me, pinning my arms next to my head.
"What is this about, Raph," I ask him, annoyed. Doesn't he see I'm trying to find Karai? Sensei's daughter! I'm just trying to get their family back together and no one even wants to help. Some brothers. But they don't really have to. After all it's my fault Tigerclaw got her. If I hadn't been trapped she wouldn't have to come to my rescue. I messed up.
"As if you don't know!" he shouts angrily. Does he think I screwed up too? That master Splinter lost his daughter again because of me?
"You're just sittin' here on your ass doing nothin' while our little brother is in pain! He's been askin' for ya, wonderin' why you weren't there for him when he needed ya! Even Splinter's been sitting with him for hours and I think he takes this whole Karai-thing far harder than you do. Now get up and go see him 'cause if you're gonna hurt him any more I'm going to kill ya personally!"
Raph gets off of me and walks away, slamming the door and leaving me alone. I can only lie there though. What have I done? Am I really this ignorant? Am I so busy trying to mend a family that I can't see I'm weakening my own? Did I forget about my own little brother? No I didn't. Because only now I notice the dark emotions bothering me when I was trying to meditate, are actually the worry for my baby brother. That doesn't change though that I tried to push those feelings away. Nor does it explain why I didn't go and see him. I messed up much more than I originally thought.
Well, not anymore. Maybe Raph's right, for once. I need to fix this and the only way is to talk to my youngest brother.
I stand up and stalk towards the infirmary, every thought of Karai left behind in the dojo.
Mikey's p.o.v
My mind swings between consciousness and some wonderful dreams. Just the way I like it to be. Not completely asleep but not awake either. I can smell the fresh pancakes being made in the kitchen. It smells really good actually. The pain still lingers, even with the sedative Don gave me, and every time I move it shoots up right through my spine. That's probably the reason why I can't sleep. I close my eyes when another shot of pain makes his way through my nerves. This one is bad and leaves tears brimming my eyes.
Just at that moment Leo came in. He seems a little hesitant but he probably sees I'm in pain because he quickly comes closer. "You okay, otouto?" he whispers, a hand going up and down my arm. I nod but I can see he doesn't buy it.
"Come on, I'll try to sit you up okay? Donnie says that might help." I grab hold of his arm as he moves me into a sitting position and try not to hiss. When he sets me back against the pillow there's probably a very sore spot on his arm from my tight grip. "Sorry about that," I mutter.
He merely shakes his head and looks up at me, guilt flooding his eyes. "You don't have to be sorry about anything, otouto. It's me who should be sorry." I know what he's talking about and I feel my heart beat painfully against my chest. I'm still scared he's going to admit that he indeed stayed away because he cared more about Karai than me. I wouldn't really mind that much, as he's in love after all. And it's master Splinter's daughter and he cares deeply for our father. But it would definitely hurt a little.
"Listen to me, baby brother," Leo says, turning my head towards him so I have no choice but to look into his persistent eyes. "I love you very much okay and no girl is ever going to change that." Wow, he really said 'I love you' out oud. We haven't really done that this serious since we were very young. "I'm sorry I let my mind get distracted away from you but I never really forgot you alright? I never will. Damn it, Mikey, you're one of the four most important people in my life! I'm sorry I didn't notice I was neglecting you."
I smile and rub his arm tenderly. A bruise is already starting to form. I take his arm into my hands and wrap it around my neck so he has to come closer, coming into a hug. I can't really hug him back as that will hurt like hell but at least I can force him into giving me one. And he does. He sits down next to me and encircles me in both his arms, careful as to not hurt me. I nuzzle his plastron happily and sigh. This is what I missed. A hug from my oldest brother.
"I guess I'm forgiven now," Leo asks me softly. I nod. "I've never even be angry with you to begin with. I know master Splinter and Karai mean a lot to you. You had to help them. I get that, bro. I already had Raph and Donnie to take care of me after all."
Leo holds me a little tighter. "That's no excuse. Mikey, you and Raph and Donnie mean the world to me and you are far more important. Karai can take care of herself. And I know you are be able to take care of yourself too, but I don't want you to. I like it to make you feel better. It's my job. "
I can hear the door opening and Donnie coming in with a plate full of pancakes, covered in syrup. He smiles awkwardly when he looks at us. "Did I just ruin a lovely, brotherly moment?"
I bark out a laugh and Leo smiles next to me. He doesn't let go of me though. Not yet at least. He hugs me close one more time and pats me on the head softly. "I'll go get a plate for myself and eat here with you, alright Mike?" he asks me. I nod happily but before he can walk away I grab his hand.
"Thanks, onii-san. For being here, I mean." He gives me a gentle smile, and I know that I managed to remove all the guilt that had eaten him up from the inside, by that single sentence.