Disclaimer: I do not own the TMNT characters, etc, etc, etc. Annabelle is my own creation.
Song Credits: Bring on the Rain by Jo Dee Messina and Tim McGraw.
Body like a Back Road by Sam Hunt.
It was a well-known fact that Michelangelo was the house MC. He had an amazing talent for picking the right song at the right time, and while he favored an upbeat tempo he was also known to play country, oldies, and even some JPOP. He'd gone through a Hamilton phase not too long ago, and had been pleasantly surprised how receptive each of his brothers had been. Even his father had taken a liking to a few of the songs.
Annabelle was sitting at the kitchen table, her long body half slumped over a cold cup of coffee. Her hands were in her now unruly dark brown hair, rubbing her temples. He knew she always wanted her hair to be perfect; each strand in the proper place. Her long side braid was once perfect and tight, but now it was mused, loose tendrils framing her pale face.
She looked as exhausted as everyone else felt.
Donnie was healing nicely, but she still refused to rest. She was convinced something would happen while she was asleep, and as she had pointed out over and over again, she and Donnie were the only ones with any medical expertise. Leo and Raph had each tried their hand at getting her to rest, but each had yielded to her arguments and protests.
So now it was Mikey's turn.
He kept the volume down, but the slow country song caught everyone's attention. She lifted her head to meet his sparkling blue eyes as he approached. His hand extended in an invitation to dance, and she sighed, reluctant. Another moment of hesitation and her hand slid into his, accepting his request. Of course she accepted. The walls could come tumbling down around them and Annabelle would still find time to dance with Mikey. Her soft spot for him was something he tried not to exploit, but it certainly made him swell with pride.
"Another day has almost come and gone/ Can't imagine what else could go wrong/ Sometimes I'd like to hide away somewhere and lock the door/ A single battle lost but not the war 'cause/ Tomorrow's another day/ And I'm thirsty anyway/ So bring on the rain."
He pulled her into his arms, his arm secure around her waist while the other firmly held her hand. She had taught him to waltz and rumba, but right now he just wanted to sway.
"It's almost like the hard times circle 'round/ A couple drops and they all start coming down/ Yeah, I might feel defeated,/ And I might hang my head/ I might be barely breathing but I'm not dead, no 'cause/ I'm not gonna let it get me down/ I'm not gonna cry/ And I'm not gonna lose any sleep tonight."
They rocked back and forth, moving in a slow, wide circle. He'd always liked this song. It was the perfect combination of soothing optimism and light melancholy. "Tomorrow's another day/ And I am not afraid/ So bring on the rain," he sang softly in her ear, her head leaning against his. He could feel her fighting the relaxation, the surrender.
He kept swaying.
The song wasn't long enough; that was the only flaw. He'd put it on repeat, but she was softening in his hold.
"Bring on the rain, bring on the rain/ Bring on the rain/ Bring on, bring on, the rain."
The song ended as her knees buckled. She slid against his plastron, and both his arms went around her waist, holding her up.
"Mikey," she began, but he shushed her, humming in her ear as the song began again. Her arms slid from his neck, curling up against her chest. She was tired. So, so tired, and he knew from experience the deep, physical ache sleep deprivation caused. Her devotion to him and his brothers was something he loved and respected about her, but sometimes it worried him.
Her breathing was growing heavy and slow as she snuggled deeper into him. If she'd been standing up straight she would have been looking down on him with those pretty hazel eyes; eyes that sparkled and lit up easily, reflecting laughter and joy. Instead, she'd coiled her body against him, slowly submitting to his gentle request.
He remembered meeting Annabelle for the first time, and how his customary call of dibs made his brothers sigh and roll their eyes. He recalled how he knew the moment she smiled at Leonardo that neither he nor his other brothers had any chance with her. To this day she and Leo still danced around their mutual attraction, neither ready to initiate a relationship. Donnie was convinced they both knew it would be near impossible to manage, much less continue a romantic relationship, and ultimately, it would end poorly for one or both parties.
Raph just thought they were both chicken.
Of course, that didn't stop Mikey from flirting – flirting was second nature to the orange clad ninja.
Their dance lessons had come out of his flirtations one evening. He was singing "Body like a Back Road" to her as it played over the radio, extending his hand in invitation. It was a sexy song with the intention of seduction, and he'd felt Leo's heavy gaze on him as he tugged Annabelle into his arms. Her eyes reflected the laughter that bubbled up as he twirled her, pulling her close. His hands tried to snake their way further south than he knew was gentlemanly, but she'd just taken his hands and directed them to the small of her back, to her empty hand, and proceeded to teach him to waltz. It was the last thing he'd expected, but his grin just grew as she praised his quick progression.
Her body was slumped against his now, his strong arms the only things holding her up. He met Leo's blue gaze across the room indicating his intention with only a look. Smooth and easy, Mikey lifted Annabelle into his arms, continuing to sway to the music. He moved slowly, but intentionally to where Leo slept. It was, in all honesty, the cleanest bunk. Leo had pulled the sheets back so Mikey could easily lay her down.
Leo took his time covering her up, tenderly brushing her hair from her forehead. His eyes lingered on her sleeping form a little longer than necessary, and Mikey wondered when exactly his oldest brother had fallen in love with her.
"You did a good thing, Mike," Leo said, turning his gaze from Annabelle to his little brother.
"It's probably the closest I'll get to rocking someone to sleep," Mikey said, laughing softly.
"Shhh," Raph hissed, motioning irritably. "Talk away from her."
Mikey smiled up at Leo, shaking his head. "Raph, the protective mama bear. Who knew?"