Chapter 2 was getting ridiculous in length so I've cut it into 2. So this story is gonna be 4 chapters long, not 3 like I intended 8D;; oops.
I don't own TMNT or UY.
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The silence in the room was broken by the sound of the service elevator descending from ground level. Raph turned towards it, putting down the gauntlet he'd been looking over as the doors opened and Leo, Donny and Master Splinter stepped back into the lair. Leo and Donny were both carting plastic bags filled far beyond bursting point while Master Splinter followed behind them carrying a smaller packet of a different colour. Raph recognized it as a sign that the three of them had made a pit stop in China-Town for some tea, incense and whatever else Master Splinter felt they were running low on.
Leo and Donny seemed to be having a slight disagreement with each other. You couldn't really call it "arguing". Leo and Donny weren't very good at arguing with each other. Leo was too calm and level-headed and Donny was too logical and passive-aggressive. However it seems that this was one of the rare occasions when they found something that annoyed them enough to start bickering. Normally Raph would've just sat back and enjoyed the show, but considering the circumstances, he found himself unable to have a laugh at his brothers' expense.
"I keep telling you Leo, if I hadn't asked I'd never have found it!" Donny was saying impatiently. By his tone of voice it sounded like it wasn't the first time he'd done so either.
"Well I'm sorry but I just don't see how finding a wire for your computer system is worth waltzing up to the cashier and asking the man face to face! Disguise or not no-one's that blind!" Leo shot back as he removed the hat from his head.
Master Splinter seemed uninterested in the squabbling apart from an expression that Raph couldn't figure out if he was suppose to be annoyed or somehow amused. You could never tell with Master Splinter. His lack of interference suggested he wasn't annoyed enough to break them up though and was waiting for them to settle the matter between themselves.
While Donny and Leo pulled off their coats and hats to put away, still grumbling at each other, Master Splinter headed for the kitchen with his parcel. He gave Raph a warm, acknowledging smile as he went as a way of greeting.
Raph kept his gaze stony and serious, knowing it was all he needed to do. Master Splinter noticed and immediately picked up the hint, his smile disappearing and a concerned frown spreading on his face. He turned and changed direction, heading over to Raph instead.
"You look troubled Raphael." He said gently.
Raph gave a nod once Master Splinter was close enough. Leo and Donny were still quarrelling with each other over Donny's carelessness. That suited Raph fine, he didn't want to cause a big scene and have drama explode all over the place. Once Leo and Don calmed down they can be told what's going on.
Splinter's frown deepened by the smallest fraction as he kept his gaze on Raph's.
Raph jerked his head towards the couch slightly. "We got a visitor."
Master Splinter turned in the direction Raph had motioned, his gaze coming to a stop on the samurai lying curled under one of Mikey's blankets. He was sleeping like a rock, completely oblivious to the voices that had suddenly broken the silence. He'd curled an arm up over his neck, curling his fingers around Mikey's blanket instinctively to keep it wrapped around himself.
Master Splinter's whiskers twitched as he put his packet on the coffee table next to the kabuto and carefully walked closer to Usagi. He looked him over quietly but made sure not to disturb him. Raph stayed glued where he was, watching his sensei inspect their friend.
"Is he injured?" Splinter asked quietly. He didn't want to touch the rabbit for fear of waking him up and could see little with the blanket in the way.
Raph shook his head, keeping his voice low. "Don't look like it, but he was actin' kinda weird when he showed up."
Splinter straightened and turned his stare back to Raph, an indication that he wanted more elaboration on this.
Raph unfolded his arms, rubbing at the back of his neck. He wasn't really sure how to explain it. "He seemed kinda out of it. But not like he was confused or crazy or anythin'. He just seemed kinda... I dunno.... He seemed kinda gloomy. But it was like he was dizzy and exhausted and sick all at the same time. I dunno how ta explain it. He just didn't seem right."
Splinter made a small noise to himself at this that could've meant anything. He turned his gaze away from Raph and back to Usagi. He stared at him for a few minutes before his eyes travelled away from the sleeping figure and traced the rest of the area. He turned to the armour lying on the coffee table and floor, frowning lightly to himself. He briefly glanced over Usagi's daisho lying on the coffee table where Mikey had carefully placed them before turning back to Raph.
"Did he say why he is here?" He asked. Raph wasn't sure but it sounded like there was a small amount of dread in the question.
Raph shook his head. "He fell on top of Mikey dressed like a can of sardines. We got him cleaned up and stuff but before we could ask 'im anythin' he dropped off. That was about an hour ago."
Splinter nodded at this thoughtfully. He turned back to Usagi, thinking this over.
"What's so important about this damn cable of your's anyway?!" Leo snapped. He was losing his patience.
"I needed a new Standard-A cable to connect one of my hard-drives to my main CPU. My old one's having connection issues and wasn't communicating with it properly." Donny snapped back with a little more venom than usual.
"So you decided to chat it up with the store owner who we are most likely gonna have to see again next time for a replacement part?! I mean Come on Don couldn't it wait?!" Leo said, his voice rising a little.
"I've been struggling with my old one for the past 3 weeks Leo!" Donny spat. "I have been waiting! What was I suppose to do? Just struggle and wait for a day when the store decides to put them on an actual shelf somewhere?!"
"Guys! Keep a lid on it will ya?!" Mikey's voice interrupted the two of them as he strolled into the room.
Normally Leo would've told him to stay out of it and just go right back to trying to make Don see how risky it was to speak directly to a human who could easily hit the store's alarm on them, but when he was confronted with a rather uncharacteristically seriousness frown on his youngest brother's face he swallowed back his words.
"Geez. What's with you?" Donny grumbled, shooting Leo an irritated look before turning to Mikey himself.
Mikey's frown stayed only a few seconds longer before it melted and he gave them a more normal, wide-eyed look of appeal.
"You're making a racket." He said with a hushed voice.
"So?" Leo said with a frown.
"It's just we've been trying to keep it down 'cause Usagi's asleep. He hasn't woken up yet and I don't think we should do anything that might-..."
"Usagi's here?!" Leo interrupted, immediately perking up. "No way! Why?!"
"Dude! Shut up! I just said he's sleepin'!" Mikey said, not much quieter.
"Alright alright." Leo said, lowering his voice. "But why's he here? He doesn't normally just show up out of the blue."
"So to speak." Donny commented, referring to the colour the inter-dimensional portals tended to take on.
Mikey gave a small groan. This was exactly the line of questions he didn't want. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "We don't know. He kinda.. ..dropped in on us. Or rather me."
Leo's small moment of cheerfulness at hearing his friend had shown up crashed and a small, confused frown appeared on his face. "Didn't he say anything?"
Mikey gave a lopsided grin and a shrug. "He said it was complicated and that he didn't know where else ta go. Then he fell asleep."
Donny pulled a face. "That doesn't sound good."
He hadn't directed the statement at any-one in particular, but he turned his gaze to Leo to see what he thought of this.
"Where is he?" Leo asked simply.
Mikey pointed in the direction of the couch. Leo turned and waking towards it hurriedly, leaving his shopping bags in the middle of the floor. Donny followed after him.
Mikey gave an inward sigh of relief. He'd been expecting a lot more 3rd degree than Leo gave him. Still, there was a chance that Leo was going to give him a barrage of questions once he sees the samurai was asleep and wasn't gonna answer anything himself. Mikey made a tactical move, picking up Leo's plastic bags in his arms and hurrying to the kitchen, giving off the impression of being too busy to answer any questions right now.
Leo marched over to the couch. Raph turned his attention away from Master Splinter, recognizing the oncoming wave of anxiety that was a concerned Leonardo.
"He's fine." Raph said before his older brother even got a word out. "He's just worn out."
Leo ignored him, rounding the couch and hurriedly giving Usagi a once-over.
Donny stood himself beside Raph, giving him a questioning stare while Leo had his back turned. Raph gave him a sideways glance in return, followed by a small, reassuring shrug. Don gave a half-smile at this but he still looked deeply concerned.
Master Splinter walked closer again, standing himself beside Leo. "Raphael is right Leonardo. He is not hurt."
Leo's frown flickered slightly but he gave a single nod, turning to face Raph instead, his demeanour switching into 'business mode'. "Mikey said he hasn't told you anything about what happened."
Raph nodded, crossing his arms. "He seemed kinda beat up. I thought it was more important that we got 'im clean and settled before we asked him a million questions. I didn't think he'd pass out on us. 'Course once he did it seemed a dumb idea ta wake him up."
Leo gave a nod of silent approval at this. Raph hated himself a little for feeling proud at this. As if he needed Leo's approval for the things he did and choices he made!
"Was he wearing these?" Donny asked. He'd wandered over to the coffee table when he spotted the Japanese armour. He was currently admiring the helmet, turning it over and inspecting the layered brass.
"Yeah." Raph said simply.
Donny lowered the helmet, turning to Master Splinter and Leo. "Not exactly every-day attire is it?" He said with a dark expression.
"You think he got caught up in a battle or something?" Leo asked. The frown was refusing to leave his face.
"I don't doubt it." Raph interrupted. "He was a mess when he showed up."
Leo made a small noise at this.
"I think this is a matter best discussed once our guest is awake and able to explain himself." Master Splinter said calmly. He took a few steps forward, putting himself in the centre of attention. "For now, we should be content that he is uninjured and that he is safe while here in our home. If he has come from hard times then sleep is probably the best course of action for him right now."
He turned his gaze to each of his sons. "There is no immediate cause for concern. I suggest we follow his example. Tomorrow when we are all rested we can ask him to tell us what is going on."
They nodded. What else could they do?
Master Splinter gave a satisfied nod, picking up his parcel again.
"Sensei," Leo spoke up. "If it's ok, I'd like to hang around and keep an eye on him."
"Geez Leo. He's a damn samurai, not a baby." Raph growled irritably at him, nudging him lightly as he walked past him, heading in the direction of his room. Leo gave him an icy glare but otherwise ignored him, turning back to Splinter.
Master Splinter frowned at him lightly. "I do not think it is necessary Leonardo."
Leo bit his lip slightly. "Maybe not but.. ...I'd feel better about it. Besides, I don't think I'd be able to get much sleep anyway."
Donny watched Master Splinter silently. He wanted to say something to back Leo up but he couldn't think of anything. He knew there was probably no reason for Leo to be overly concerned, but he also knew that Leo was bursting with questions no-one had answers for right now and the chances of him falling asleep were pretty much non-existent. Leo had always been all about control. Being in a situation like this where the only thing he could do was sit and wait was probably driving him crazy.
Master Splinter stared at Leo quietly. He knew his eldest son; his biggest weakness and greatest strength were both his concern for those he cared about. His worry was weighing heavily on him, but Leo knew he couldn't wake up his friend to find out what happened and if the samurai needed help. He was accepting that he could only wait till Usagi woke up himself. He was being patient. Perhaps not as patient as possible, but he was young and patience came slowly with age. Splinter couldn't expect him to push aside his emotions completely.
He gave a nod. "If you would feel more at ease making sure Miyamoto-san is comfortable then I am not against it."
Leo's shoulders sagged slightly in relief as he gave a small smile. "Thank you Sensei."
"That does not extend to you though." Splinter said, giving Donny an accusing stare as he turned to walk to the kitchen again. "You are always up too late and then fatigued during the morning's training routine."
Donny gave Usagi a last look before turning to head in the direction of his room. "I always keep up though."
"It is not about 'keeping up' Donatello." Splinter sighed as he left. "It is about improving."
Leo watched them each go their separate ways before he turned and sat himself down in the armchair. He turned his attention back to his sleeping friend. He was somewhat amazed that Usagi didn't so much as flinch at the conversations buzzing around him. Then again, Leo wasn't sure how heavy a sleeper Usagi was. He knew Usagi had a keen 6th sense and a rather uncanny ability to pick up any signs of a threat being near even when he was fast asleep. Usagi called it his Dairokkan, but that was just another way of saying "Intuition" and didn't explain anything. It was a skill Leo was still trying to perfect. Unfortunately it wasn't one Master Splinter could teach him, merely offering the advice "Just follow your gut" when Leo asked him about it once. Not exactly concrete directions.
Leo sighed, making himself comfortable. Either Usagi was just too worn out to be aware of the other people in the room, or he felt safe enough here not to worry about it. Leo liked to think it was the latter.
A short while later Mikey trotted out of the kitchen and hurried towards his room, followed closely by a grumpy looking Splinter who watched him until he was sure the youngest turtle had gone to bed before he retired for the night himself.
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The next chapter has answers in it I swear XD;