LEO'S POV:
I never see Raph enter the kitchen, which tells me he's probably gone to bed. I barely remember making my eggs and bacon till I'm sat at the kitchen table, but the smell almost makes me sick. I didn't realize Don saw me like that. I never wanted any of them to see me so out of control and reliving (what seems like days) being trapped with him. I look around and realize the room's already been cleaned up from earlier. I guess it's payback at this point. Donnie saw me when I was unable to get away in my dreams, and I got to see him destroy the kitchen. Like his lab.
I zone out, just thinking of everything. I really thought I died. I was fully prepared to go through Mikey's portal and find out I was just hallucinating while taking my last breaths. Even when we ended up back home, it didn't feel real. I guess that's what Don was thinking about. Shock. I huff. It really felt like either way, dead or alive, it was over. Until it wasn't. I mean, the nightmares and lack of my usual amount of sleep has been a drag, but maybe I'll admit this once that we aren't okay. I almost laugh. We survived, but it seems the aftermath is worse than the initial battle. April's even mentioned Casey having the occasional bad dream, calling out for the future me in his sleep. And now, Mikey can barely draw, Raph can't see out his eye and has to be near someone when he isn't asleep (we all slept in the livingroom the first few days, minus Donatello), and I… just feel like I'm dreaming all of this. What frustrates me most is that none of us have even been able to talk about it. Sure, we heard Don got control of the ship but not how. Raph never talks about his eye unless it's when I'm trying to check on it despite my own injuries, and Mikey… I can tell he's frustrated when he tries to do simple tasks like cook and art. It seems like he can't stop the shakes from his arms to his fingers.
I get shaken from my thoughts by that same little brother walking into the room and landing in a chair, putting his arms on the table, and resting his head in the middle of them. Before I even speak I look at the clock. By the time on the clock I've been in here for 3 hours, 4 hours since Mikey ran out the lab, aaaannndd my food is cold.I shake my head before moving to throw away the forgotten breakfast. As soon as I get to the sink to wash the plate off I hear a sniffle.
"You okay?" I cringe at my question. Of course he isnt. But he picks his head back up and we make eye contact before he answers.
"Honestly? Not really. I mean, Don was going through so much and we- we c-couldn't" his words are cut off by sobs that break my heart. Forgetting the dish I walk over and hug him as close as I can. "You almo-ost died! I can't d-draw, Don-nie isn't himself, Raph a-almost got taken, and w-we can't even ta-talk about it! I can't stop hav-ving nightmares a-and I can't sleep and I ju-just want this over!" I feel the wetness of his tears go down my plastron. I hug him even harder, if it was possible.
"Hey, hey, it's going to be okay." What if it doesn't? "Don's just having a hard time with his feelings, Raph is right here with us and he's okay, and I-" I put my hand under his chin and feel the snot stick to my chest "I'm alive, see? I'm right here and I won't ever leave you. I knew you'd get me out of there." I didn't. I genuinely was asking to die moments before I was saved. Heck, I can't even tell if I'm actually here. But the words seem to comfort Mikey and that's all I asked for.
"Promise?" My heart clenches.
"Promise."
We stay like that for who knows how long before Raph is the next to walk in the room. He looks about as tired as I feel. I nod to him when he gives a questioning look, my "sibling senses" telling me what he asks. "Group hug?"
Once Raph joins, it seems like only a few minutes before Mike wipes off his snot and tears from his face and a new look appears. Determination.
"We have to talk about this." I look at Raph.
"I'm glad we're all on the same page. When Dontron wakes up we'll make sure to get him to talk to us." The look of determination wavers, and I know we're just going back to the same conversation we had previously. "Mikey, I need you to understand. I know Donnie doesn't like feelings, but if we're all going to get better, he needs to open up. It'll be hard, and although cornering him isn't going to be great at first, it'll give us some type of opening and we can go off and try other ways to get him to talk." He nods. A compromise. Exactly what would be expected from the team's best and only "faceman".
We go about our morning routines, anxiety weighing us down and I can tell all of us are thinking about what to say when the time comes until a shout brings us all to our feet. We all shared the same look, one word being telepathically sent to each other before jumping to action- Donnie.