Disclaimer: I do not own the turtles…
Michaelanglo's POV
It started like any other day. I talked myself into getting up and went to the bathroom. I checked myself out in the mirror and commented on how awful I looked out loud. You could barely recognize the scars on my chin and neck though. That was good. It was slowly being erased. Still, it sucked. At least, I didn't look as bad as Raph, right?
Gosh. I missed Raph. Sure I saw him a lot but it wasn't really him. The same went for Don. A lot of things were different now. I missed the good times. I missed Raph's tough guy routines. I missed Don's inventions. Heck, dude doesn't even fix the toaster anymore. I missed how things were. I missed Raph's fights with Leo. Flat out missed Leo.
I sighed, loudly. Was it wrong of me to wish they would stop now? To stop grieving? I didn't want to mourn any more. Leo wouldn't want is to be so sad for so long. But my brothers were just not ready to move on. And on certain days, I wasn't either. I guess there wasn't a time limit. Anyone who says otherwise hasn't lost anyone. Everyone grieves differently.
I was always the first one up now. It's strange. Even now. I used to be second or third. Raph, normally around 3pm would consider rolling over. Don…depending on his mood came out of his room. I wondered what he was doing in there with all those notebooks.
Geez, I wanted my family back. I left the bathroom and set out about my tasks for the day. I noticed however, immediately a void. Something was missing. I scratched my head trying to think what was the matter. It was soooo…quiet. That was it! The t.v. was off.
I frowned. The T.V. hadn't been turned off since I got back. In fact, I noticed the blanket. Someone had covered me up. Maybe Don was nocturnal and creeping about the lair at the dead of night. I checked on Raph, who was still plastered to the couch. He had a blanket too.
Man, the guy looked so trashed and I was pretty sure that he hadn't had a shower since Leo….
I cut short the thought before the sadness could take a hold of me. Not today. Today, I wasn't going to think about it.
I glanced at Raph and considered dumping a bucket of water on him in hopes of the removal of the smell, but decided against it. A wise man once said, "A wasted Raph is a dangerous Raph."
I flipped the T.V. on and all was right now as I headed to the kitchen. I glanced at the clock. It was noon. Hmmm, lunch for breakfast again. I went about my usual business. I brew coffee for Don, made a nasty hangover remedy for Raph. This involved through raw eggs and what ever else I could find in the kitchen in the blender. I stuck out my tongue, grossed out as I poured it in a tall glass. I don't get how Raph can do this to himself.
I warmed up a slice of pizza for me and was making my way to the T.V room when Don came stumbling out of his room, half asleep. He was making a bee line for the potty.
"Yo. Coffee is ready." I called over to him. He mumbled his thanks without looking at me as he shut the door. I set Raph's "healing potion of barf" on the table for him and settled back into my armchair, munching away.
Donnie came out of the bathroom, not looking much better, zoning out as he headed for the kitchen. I yawned, my pizza finished. I surf the channels, bored, staring at the T.V.
Paradise at its best.
"Turn that damn thing down." Growled Raph from the couch. He shifted, so he could glare at me through slated eyes.
"Morning." I replied. "You're cure awaits." I nodded to the glass. He made a face and picked up drinking. I held back a gag and looked away.
He put the glass down and glanced up behind me. "Who closed Leo's door?" I looked back. Sure enough it was closed. That was weird. It had been open for the last 8 weeks.
"Probably Donnie, the T.V was off too this morning." I stretched in the chair, feet straight out.
"What the hell? What's his little dweeby problem now? I don't want him touchin Leo's door!" Raph was snarling trying to untangle himself from the blanket. He wasn't having much success. "Who the fuck put this damn piece of shit on me?"
I sighed. Here we go. Raph was always so cheery in the mornings. If I had know he was going to wake up in such a nasty mood, I would have gone ahead and doused him earlier with the water.
"What are you screaming about? It's only one in the afternoon." Don snapped, coffee mug in hand. He gave Raph a look of pure grouchiness. You could really sense the love.
"You! Ya can't just stop messin with shit!" Raph flung the blanket on the ground; shot up and almost fell right back down. He sat back down hard, on the edge of the sofa, his head in his hands.
"Augh. My fucking head." He moaned.
"Serves you right. You're literally wreck your body every night and then wonder why it is.." Don began.
"Shut up." Raph retorted. He glared up at Donnie. "I don't need a fucking lecture, Leo."
We all froze, including Raph. It had been a slip of the tongue, but it had been the first time any of us had said his name in ages. I decided that this was a good time to intervene.
"Guys, you can't keep doing this. We're falling apart." I said, hoping to get through to them this time.
"Who are we kidding?" Donnie injected. "We can't work together. We can't even stand each other!"
"That's not true…" I tried, helplessly, but Raph interrupted.
"No, Don's right. Why the hell do I even stay here?"
"No…" I began.
"My point exactly. All you do is cause problems. You have always caused problems!"
"Is that right!" Raph was on his feet, wobbling towards Don, who stood his ground.
"STOP IT!" I bellowed. Their eyes turned to me. I stood on the armchair, both hands over my ears. I glared, lowering my hands.
"You guys, are both killing yourself! You never eat, Don! You barely sleep! You're stressed out all the time! You Raph, you're a drunk! Neither one of you would be acting like this, if you would just stop it! Leo would totally freak out if he saw you guys acting like this!"
"Mikey.." Don began, but I pointed my finger at him, stopping his speech in its tracks.
"No! You are going to listen to me on this!" I said, it forcefully and was a little surprised at the reaction I got from them. They both stared up at me, mouths wide and eyes large. I was a little bit taken back; I mean…I'm not really that big of a threat for either one of them. They could totally pound me if they could catch me. ..
"I agree with Michaelanglo one hundred percent."
I jumped about ten feet in the air at the sound of that voice and turned around. Leonardo stood outside his door, looking a bit sleepy. For a second, time stood still, and then I let out a blood curling scream.
My GOD! I WAS SEEING A GHOST! I had lost my mind, finally!
There was a crash of tinkling glass, followed by a loud thud behind me. I looked over my shoulder. Donnie had fainted on the spot, his coffee mug laid shattered next to him, the dark liquid of coffee was oozing all over the floor. Okay…I guess Don could see him. Maybe I wasn't going crazy at least…or maybe we all had…
"You see him too, Raph?" I asked my red wearing brother.
Raph stared for a full minute and then leaned over the armrest of the couch and threw up.
Right.
