Disclaimer: Not mine.
Leonardo walked silently around the lair, drinking in the long since heard, yet familiar sounds of home. The rest of the family was sleeping, having had long days of thankless, frustrating work. Even Raphael was asleep, or at least holed up in his room. Leonardo sighed quietly and tried to relax. He knew he was safe; the lair was secure and in his head he knew it, but extended periods of time in the unprotected jungle where danger could lurk in every shadow made a turtle wary and he couldn't help but glance around every few steps.
As he crept past Michelangelo's room, said occupant murmured and tossed in his sleep. Leonardo froze, listening intently. The youngest had always been more susceptible to nightmares and his earlier remark about birthday parties resonated in Leonardo's mind. He didn't really understand what Michelangelo meant, but his big brother instincts were up in full force, if a bit rusty from the months of hiatus.
Leonardo was about to write off the sounds he heard as normal nighttime activity, but as he made to continue his journey to his own room, Michelangelo let out a muffled hybrid of a gasp and a sob that stopped Leonardo instantly. He hurried into Michelangelo's room, no longer worrying about keeping his footsteps silent. Mikey was curled in a protective ball, whimpering with his breaths coming in short pants. Leo's heart melted a bit at the sight of his baby brother so upset and he reached out and gently shook Mikey's shoulder.
"Mikey," he said softly, "Mikey, wake up."
No response save Mikey curling into a tighter ball.
"Mikey," Leonardo said more firmly, "you're dreaming. Everything's all right; you're safe."
Leonardo sat down on the edge of Mikey's bed. Mikey seemed to sense his brother's presence, but to Leonardo's dismay, it didn't appear to calm him down. If anything, it made Mikey more agitated and he shied away even as he slept on.
"Come on Mike, what happened to you?" Leonardo asked the slightly shaking turtle.
Suddenly Mikey bolted straight up, eyes darting around wildly as if expecting an attack, his breathing fast and labored, his hands searching frantically for the nunchucks that weren't in his belt. Leo had flinched at the abrupt movement, and only through years of ninja discipline did he manage to stay seated next to his panicking brother. "Mikey," he said, his voice calm and measured, "look at me. You're at home. You're safe, we're all safe and well."
"Leo!" Mikey gasped, but instead of taking comfort in his older brother, Mikey scooted further away, wrapping himself tighter in his blanket.
Hurt surged through Leo but he quelled the feeling in favor of concern as he took in Mikey's still trembling form and wheezing breaths. Leo reached out slowly with his hand and was rewarded with Mikey flinching away, his breathing becoming increasingly labored and his panic growing in parallel.
Leo couldn't stand feeling so helpless, so he followed the only logical course of action he could think of. "Donnie!" he shouted. "Donnie, I need you!"
Donatello rushed in. Leo only had time to think, That was amazingly fast. I bet he wasn't sleeping before Donnie had assessed Mikey's condition and taken action. Donnie climbed onto Mikey's bed and eased himself behind his younger brother. "Hey there," he said quietly, "calm down. I need you to get control of your breathing, okay? Relax Mikey."
Mikey tried, he really did, but the lightheadedness and roaring sound in his ears made doing so difficult. "C-can't do it Donnie," he gasped. "It hurts." His body twisted in pain and discomfort, his wheezing growing louder.
"I know," Donnie soothed, gathering more of Mikey in his arms. "I know it does. You'll be fine, just hold on a minute."
Donnie glanced briefly at Leo who was sitting on the bed mutely, unable to help in any way. The look Donnie gave Leo was unreadable, but before Leo could think much into it, Donnie had already called out, "Raph! A little help here!"
Raphael appeared almost instantly, long years of honing protective instincts making him hyperaware of when his family needed him. "Don?" he asked sleepily. "What are you doing in Mikey's– oh. That bad huh?" Donnie just nodded, attention on Mikey who was still struggling to breathe.
Raphael reached into a seemingly random pile of stuff by the door and pulled out a small yellow device. "Heads up," he said as he tossed the inhaler to Donatello. Donnie caught it without even looking up, which made Leo realize just how accustomed to this situation they really were.
"Okay Mikey, you know the drill," Donnie said as he inserted the inhaler into Mikey's mouth. "Breathe as deep as you can." Michelangelo squirmed uncomfortably as he fought to obey the commands. Raphael clambered onto the bed to join them, pointedly ignoring Leonardo who was observing the scene, hurt and loss saturating his soul.
"Come on Mike, just breathe," Raphael coached the struggling turtle gently. The presence of his two brothers calmed Michelangelo and as the medicine worked its way through his lungs, his body relaxed. "Atta boy," Raph said quietly, sharing a relieved look with Donnie. Donnie nodded and wordlessly raised a finger. "One more time kid," Raphael said to Mikey. "Breathe deep." There was a soft hiss as Donatello dispensed the medicine into Mikey's mouth.
"Thanks Raphie. Thanks Donnie," Mikey said sleepily, his words coming out slurred in his tiredness.
"Donnie, what – " Leo began, but Donnie cut him off.
"Not right now," Donnie interjected quickly. "Here," he said to Raphael. Donatello carefully transferred Mikey's exhausted form to Raph, who drew the youngest to him with practiced ease. "Stay with him a bit, will you? You know he's clingy and frightened after."
"Course I will," Raphael replied, looking fondly down at the drowsy turtle curled in his arms. Donatello smiled at the two, then motioned to Leonardo to follow him into the living room. Both turtles sank down onto the couch and sat in silence for a few moments.
"Donnie?" Leonardo said tentatively. "What just happened?"
Donatello sighed, suddenly looking much older than just a few minutes prior. "Mikey has nightmares. Pretty bad ones as you've witnessed. Sometimes about the birthday parties he works, sometimes about other things. He rarely tells us about them."
"So I've gathered," Leonardo replied dryly. "But what's up with the inhaler?"
"Remember when Mikey used to have asthma attacks as a kid? Like when he got too excited or upset?"
Leonardo nodded, thinking back to their childhood and Master Splinter explaining Michelangelo's condition and how best to treat him. Asthma had plagued his baby brother's health for years and his thoughts were buffeted by memories of a distressed Mikey struggling to breathe, his chest heaving and wheezing loudly much as it had earlier in the night. "I thought he outgrew his asthma. We do so much physical training and he hasn't had any problems for years."
"That's what we hoped, but I don't think he ever really outgrew it. Mikey usually has it well under control, especially with all the meditation and breathing exercises that we know, but when he's sleeping and the nightmares hit, he panics and his lungs tighten and he's not conscious to do anything to prevent it."
"But…" Leonardo struggled to comprehend Donatello was telling him. How could this be happening right under his nose and he wasn't aware of it? Was he really so ignorant of his brothers' physical conditions that Mikey's asthma resurfaced without him noticing?
As if reading his doubts as an older brother, Donatello spoke to reassure him, "It started again recently, and the nightmares are bad enough to cause attacks only about once a month."
"How recently did Mikey's nightmares get worse?" Leonardo asked.
Donatello hesitated before answering, "A few months after you were due to return from Central America."
Guilt washed through Leonardo, knotting his stomach as he digested the information Donnie had just divulged.
"He missed you, Leo. We all did." Leonardo remained silent. "Sometimes he dreams that you never came back and that thought makes him anxious."
"You're really not making me feel better."
Donnie snorted. "I'm not trying to make you feel better. I'm trying to make you see what your absence has cost us. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to check on Raph and Mikey." He got up off the couch and strode back into Michelangelo's bedroom, leaving a brooding Leonardo alone.
A few minutes passed and Leonardo shook his head to clear it. He should have realized the toll his extended training period had taken on his brothers. It was stupid to think everything would just pick up where he had left it so long ago. At least now he was somewhat prepared for the changes and could deal with issues as they arose. Step one: checking on his brothers tonight.
Leonardo crept once more into Michelangelo's room and smiled at the sight that greeted him. Donatello and Raphael were sitting on Michelangelo's bed, Mikey still cuddled loosely in Raph's arms and Raph leaning against Donnie's side. They were talking quietly, though Leonardo had seen both Donatello and Raphael glance in his direction. Neither said anything and they carried on with their conversation.
"How you doin' Mike?" Donnie asked.
"Fine," Mikey answered as he snuggled even deeper into his blankets.
Raph chuckled, the low sound reverberating comfortingly around Mikey. "You can't lie to Don, you know. He's a genius and can always tell. So how you really feelin'?"
Mikey paused to seriously consider his condition, knowing his brothers had his best interests at heart. He took a deep breath and all the turtles were relieved to hear nothing but a faint whistling. "A little tight, but nothing excruciating."
"Ooh big words tonight, huh?" Raph teased lightly.
"That's right," Mikey murmured. "Donnie needs someone to talk to who can understand words with more than three syllables."
Don grinned and nodded, even as his head drooped sideways onto Raph's shoulder. "Go back to sleep, Mike. The tightness will resolve itself and you'll feel fine in the morning."
"You too, Genius. You look ready to knock out," Raph said as he shifted himself and Mikey so they were both lying down.
"Are we camping here tonight?" Donnie asked yawning.
"You said it yourself: Mikey don't like to be alone after nightmares. Think of it as doing him a favor."
"Right. That sounds good." Donnie joined his brothers in the prostrate position on the bed. "Thanks for helping out tonight, Raph."
"Don't mention it," Raphael muttered. "Could never leave you two alone when you needed something."
There was no response and when Raphael looked over, both Donatello and Michelangelo were sleeping peacefully. Raphael allowed a small smile grace his face before shutting his eyes and sighing contentedly.
What Leonardo wouldn't have given to join his brothers in the comfort, peace, and safety of simply being together, but his rational mind told him they needed time to readjust to his presence. Time would heal the four of them together. For now he would wait.
I'm not too familiar with the Ninja Turtles, having recently rekindled an old fondness for them, therefore I'm not quite sure how to approach their characters and interactions. It was hard for me to get inside their heads, so feedback is welcome.