Imaginary Friend
Disclaimer: Not mine, in any way shape or form
AN: This takes place somewhere BEFORE Attack of the Chimera. Let's just say right before to be safe. I do hope to eventually pass that episode and get back to cannon with the series, up to when they find Master Splinter.
Also, I have seen each Season 3 episode, once and that is when they originally aired ( MONTHS ago). That being said, I might reference a scene that took place in the earlier episodes, and that reference might be totally wrong. I don't have very good memory when it comes to specific things, so please don't get mad! If you see anything wrong please message me or write a review and tell me. Thank you in advance!
Leo frowned as he glanced at the clock. It was 2.45am. He turned in early last night after his leg started acting up again, and he was still having trouble falling asleep. The wind was gently blowing against the window, and the light tapping noise was making it difficult to drift into a peaceful slumber.
Ever since he recovered from his coma he's been having trouble sleeping in this unfamiliar house. To his knowledge, the others have not had any troubles falling asleep. Granted, they've been awake for the past 3 months and have probably adjusted to the strangeness of this old house. The old creaks walking up the stairs, the barely functioning squeaky bathroom, and the faulty plumbing were making hard to forget that they were not in New York. But how could he complain? He lived in a sewer for crying out loud. At least sewer felt like home, and home was where his brothers and father were. His family felt incomplete without their sensei there to watch over them. Though he never joined them on their nightly patrols, he knew his sensei was silently protecting them, meditating till they all were safely in their respective beds. Leo also knew that every night that his brothers and him patrolled the city, their father had a hard time. They all lived down in the sewers together for 15 years, in the safety of their home. There were so many threats topside, such as gangs, guns, drugs, and crime. There was no way he could protect his sons from the horrors of the world. Which is why Leo had to protect his brothers. His sensei trusted him to keep his brothers safe and bring them home.
But who had that responsibility when Leo was out of commission? Raph, most likely. Leo knew that Raph would step up to the plate and take care of his family. He cared too much about Donnie and Mikey to just pass off the duty to someone else. He didn't trust anyone else, except Leo of course. Raph was a very protective turtle when he wanted to be and Leo could always count on him to watch his back and take care of the team when Leo himself was focused on another task.
The last time Raph was "leader" didn't end so well, and Leo knew that Raph would never forget that experience. It was something he felt every time a plan of his went wrong, or when someone got hurt. It was a heavy burden to carry, having your failures pop up in your mind every time you need to make a decision.
Leo heard the stairs creaking, which disrupted him from his thoughts.
Hmmm, who could be up this late? he thought to himself. As the stairs continued to make the most annoying sound in the world, Leo figured it out. Everyone in the house had their own distinctive way they walked up.
The way Raphael walked up the stairs you would assume he was angry at the world. They were heavy. He would step on each stair, stomping his way up to his shared room with Casey. Leo had learned from April that during his 3 months of inactivity, Raph barely used that room. He would either be with Leo in the bathroom, or fall asleep briefly on the sofa while he was waiting up for Mikey or Don.
He probably barely got any sleep these past months, he was too focused on taking care of me
Casey's steps were more or less the same, but he was taller and weighed less, so his steps were not as loud, but not quiet either. He normally would take his time walking up the stairs for some reason. If there was a reason, Leo didn't know, and to be honest did not care. Casey had his weird moments, especially when he would refer to himself in third person. It made him sound crazy! Raph used to smack his head when he did that, but soon realized that Casey wasn't afraid to use his hockey stick.
Donatello's pace was quick and made a minimal amount of noise. It was as if his main objective was to go up the stairs in the least amount of time possible. He was always rushing to his room, for what Leo did not have a clue. Most of the times Donnie would be in the barn, tinkering with a batch of retro mutagen. Leo's guess was that Donnie would try to get a few hours of sleep before he would run down to his makeshift lab. Knowing Raph, he probably made Donnie promise to sleep, and by "promised" he meant threatened. Leo smiled as he thought of this, Raph's fists were always more persuasive than his voice of reason could ever be.
April's steps were light as a feather, just like her. You probably would not even realize someone was walking up the stairs if it wasn't for Old Creaky. That was the name given to the 4th step from the top, if even a piece of hair fell on it, it would make a loud creaking noise. For obvious reasons everyone tried to avoid that step, but when you're tired and desperate for a bed, Old Creaky was sadly always forgotten, thus always being stepped on.
The way Michelangelo walked, wait no, galloped up the stairs came to no surprise to anyone that it would be mildly annoying. Mikey would run up, using his hands, as a four-legged animal would. It was a fun way kids would normally use the stairs. He made the most noise as he would make his way up. And unlike everyone else, Mikey made it his goal in life to step on Old Creaky. He had once said he appreciated the sound it made. Mikey and Donnie recently started sharing a room. When they first arrived at the farmhouse, each had their own rooms, but when Leo awoke, he had requested his own room. And much to Donnie's dismay, team "B", ahem, team "A-" were now sharing a room.
It's not that Leo did not want to spend time with his brothers, it was just that he needed time to himself. Time to reflect on everything, and time to think of the next steps, and a place to meditate. Also, a place where he wouldn't be watched like a hawk. It was hard enough having Raph treat him like a broken puppy. Plus, it was no secret that Raph snored louder than a thunderstorm, and that Donnie would mutter things in his sleep, and Mikey would be a combination of a kicking cuddly clinger. There was a reason each brother preferred his own room back home.
Leo immediately recognized who it was. Mikey. Leo rolled his eyes as he remembered Mikey had decided to stay awake watching a Crognard Marathon. Leo did not think much of that show, if anything it was a grade C show compared to the great Space Heroes! Oh how he missed Captain Ryan. He was a great leader, he always knew what to do.
As he continued to daydream about his hero, he heard another familiar set of footsteps. This time it was Donnie
Why was he awake? Was he a secret fan of Crognard? That didn't make any sense. A more likely scenario would be he was in his lab, and was returning to take a nap before returning to his extracurricular activities in the barn.
The clock now said 3.03am. He sighed and rolled over. He sat up with his legs hanging off the bed. His leg still hurt, maybe that's why he couldn't fall asleep. The pain sometimes was too much to handle, but he really did not want to continue taking the medicine Donnie had made for him. For one reason, the medicine reminded him of the Creep, and it was his fault the Creep attacked his family, the second reason being it tasted disgusting! He would tell Donnie he was fine and he was asked if he was in pain. A small white lie never hurt anyone right?
Might as well do something productive if I can't sleep he said out loud as he got into the lotus position on the floor.