I is for Isic who lost his front breaks
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"Mikey," Donatello squatted down next to his brother. "Come on, I'm sorry. I really am, I just didn't know what to say."
"Oh sure," the boy turned away, shell to his sibling, thread-clippers in hand. "Your silence was enough, okay. You think I'm crazy and it's okay, I mean, I would think you were crazy too if I didn't know any better. But I do, Donnie, I know better than to go and just throw years of knowing someone out the window like that. Now if you'll excuse me, Jack needs these ugly mats clipped off his starving body."
The sarcastic tone was thick, the last part a final -leave me alone or else- warning. The olive turtle sighed straightening himself out into a standing position. He folded his arms over his chest, watching sea-green fingers delicately pull at fur just enough to wiggle the fine blades of the scissors against skin and clip.
Ever since Michelangelo came home with his new found friend he had been quiet. He found some tuna in the cupboard and was currently feeding the cat his second can. The cat's fur was so matted to his body that it was practically impossible to fit a shaver between skin and fur with out cutting the neglected thing. Mikey had been concentrating hard when Donatello found him, he thought it would be a good time to apologize but obviously the wound was still raw on the young one's heart.
"Call me if... you need any help," he softly said.
The purple clad ninja felt a pang in his heart from the snorted, "Whatever."
With a soundless sigh, Donatello's shoulders sagged. He wished he could explain how he really felt, but if Mikey wasn't willing to listen then it wasn't like he could do much more than wait until he was willing to receive the apology.
"I... really am sorry," he whispered gazing down at the top of his little brother's head, eyes sad. He knew better than to push it any further, knowing his little brother, the teen would be more receptive in a few hours. But it still didn't quell the hurt inside. He honestly didn't think that he had harmed Michelangelo's feelings that much.
Shifting his weight from one foot he slowly padded away, leaving Michelangelo alone in the corner of the kitchen.
"It's okay Jack," Mike spoke in a soft voice pulling a tiny twig out of skin. He sniffled as he continued to work on the matted fur and the nasty pieces of bark and twigs that were imbedded into it. He didn't know what bothered him more; the condition Jack was in or the fact that Donatello sounded so crushed before leaving.
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Raphael looked up from his book, eyes blinking slowly as paws jabbed into his side, Jack crawling on the turtle who was laying on one side on the bed he was once more sharing with Mikey. His own red-brown eyes mirroring the docile look his new roommate had.
"You look like a shaved peach," Raph said plainly going back to his book. "And you shouldn't encourage him. He's already got enough troubles with out you going around and meowing all helpless-like whenever he leaves your sight."
The cat didn't reply, only tucked his paws under his chest and settled down, showing he wasn't willing to go anywhere for a while. The large turtle didn't really mind, he was used to Klunk claiming him as his own personal couch whenever he was home alone. What he did mind was the fact that Jack had become Mikey's excuse to not interact with the rest of the family. Sure he would talk to Raph, ask him things here and there, crack jokes and make bad puns, but only with him. If Leo came around, if Donnie tried to talk to him, and if Splinter even came into the same room he would scoop up the cat and just leave. It didn't help matters that he was babying the feline as if it had two broken legs. Jack was soaking up the attention like a little dry sponge. The creature had quickly decided that Mikey was his owner and needed to protect him, hence why he swiped at Leo when the fearless leader tired to corner the orange loving turtle in order to force him to talk.
Jack had sharper claws than Klunk, the nasty little grooves in Leo's palm was a testament to that. Though, that did get Mikey to say he was sorry and at least spend some time with Leo to patch up the wound and clip Jack's claws.
The bed dipped down when Mikey sat on the edge, towel swishing from side to side as he dried off his head from his shower. He smiled over his shoulder taking in the sight of the once black cat and Raph, at least Jack could get along with Raph. If he didn't, well... he would have had to do something about it because he wasn't about to let go of the one person who was willing to believe him.
Blue eyes trailed over structure of face, the fine curves of body and shell. He found his face heating up with a blush as he took in the look, Raph was...
"Something caught your eye? Maybe I've moss from the woods still on me," Raphael's voice was just as lazy as his slow blink.
If he didn't know any better -which he did- he would have thought that his brother was giving him a hungry look. In order to distract his thoughts, he shook his head, "No moss."
"Then why are you lookin' at me like that." It was a demand to know, not a question.
"You," think quick, think, think. "look kind of like Jack."
"I can't look shaved if I never had hair nimrod."
"Not that, I mean you look feline."
An emerald brow raised, "Excuse me?"
Reaching over, Michelangelo ran a hand softly down his brother's side, "The way you poise yourself, the curve of your hips, the lay of your legs, the way one of your arms is tucked under you while you read... the shape of your eyes, the color." He pulled his hand away, turning so his shell was to Raph. He didn't want to show his brother his blushing face, "You just," he shrugged a shoulder trying to brush off the feelings that were starting to squirm in his stomach, "you know, look like a cat some times."
There was an audible sound of a book slapping shut, he flinched worried that he was found out, that he was going to get yelled at or hit. But all that happened was a shift on the bed, his towel pulled from his head. He blinked surprised, twisting around a little finding Raph drying the last of the moisture off of his shell. It was a relaxing feeling.
They were both quiet for a while, nothing but the sound of the rustling fabric of the towel. Michelangelo leaned into the touches that ran down the back of his neck to dip down to dry the inner lip of his shell and get that hard to reach spot of his back where skin met carapace.
"You know," Raph's voice was low, like building thunder. "You should really talk to Don."
Orange sighed, "I know, I just... It just sucks, you're the only one who believes me. Why's that, I don't even know. I mean, Leo has a point, maybe I'm just so messed up from everything that's happened to us that I've finally decided to crack and go crazy."
Pulling his feet up onto the bed he rested his chin on his knees, the towel was tossed to the floor. Hands slowly wrapped around his shoulders, arms encompassing him in warmth as the power flickered, harsh thunder outside crashing as rain fled from clouds to the earth. Normally he would have jumped at the sudden harsh sound, but it was hard to be on edge when he was relaxing in the embrace of his brother.
"You're not crazy Mikey," he whispered into a bare ear, orange mask still on a dresser. Raph nuzzled his cheek against his siblings, a gesture that he had not done since they were small children. It was always a calming point for all of his brothers, to see the sudden softer side of the rough and tough one in the group. It allowed them to drop their defenses, to just relax and know that everything was okay as long as they were right there in that spot being shown how important they were in such a simple way.
Reaching up, the sea-green turtle placed his hands on the arms wrapped around him, "Thanks..."
"Feelin' better?" the older ninja let go, pulling back.
"Yeah."
"Good," he suddenly swatted the youngest upside the head.
"OW!" rubbing his sore spot Michelangelo barked out, "What was that for?"
"For being dumb. Don tried to tell you he was sorry and you just focused on your stupid cat, Leo tried to talk to you but you made up excuse after excuse until he got his hand practically mulched by Jack, and Sensei's not doing much better himself because he can't even get near you! Stop being dumb and talk to them."
"Okay, geeze, and here I thought you were going to be nice a love me all night long."
Raphael got up, he crossed the room and flipped off the switch to turn off the flickering light leaving them in the dark, "Right and you can be serious for a whole hour."
"Sarcasm isn't going to win you love points cracker," Mikey stuck out his tongue while crawling under the blankets.
"Stop callin' me that," Raph joined him, not protesting when the sea-green ninja curled up to his side and started to use his shoulder for a pillow.
"Seriously though," blue eyes stared into the darkness, fingers playing on old scars on his brother's chest. "It would be nice to have you like that more often… I miss your hugs."
"People change," was the soft reply an emerald hand rested on the back of Mikey's head. "Just go to sleep."
And he waited.
Waited for the tender breathing to start up, waited for his brother to roll off of him and cuddle down into sheets and pillows. Then, slowly, he moved, wrapping an arm around chest; chin resting against neck as he pressed his body against his little brother. Closing his eyes he held tightly, his heart aching with each and every beat. He tucked his head down, breath washing over neck as he whispered in a choked voice, "I wish I could do somethin' more for ya..."
On the floor, Jack stared up at the two, orange eyes taking in the sight, ears twitching at the silent plea for better things to come.
To Be Continued...
