"We keep watch in pairs. I don't want to risk it showing up when one of us is alone." Leo stood by the window, watching the hard rain splatter against the glass. They had pushed two hospital beds together so they'd have more room. Raph was already sprawled out on one with Mikey on his plastron, while Donnie sat on the second one, studying the map Leo had brought along.
"Fine. I'll do the first watch with Donnie." Leo shook his head as he came over.
"No, you and Mikey will take the second shift." Raph rolled his eyes.
"Fearless, you are more exhausted than I am. And Don is a night owl anyways." Raph started to sit up but stopped dead in his tracks when Mikey stirred and shifted before snuggling closer again. Leo smirked when Raph's eyes narrowed.
"You don't want to wake him up, do you?"
"You planned this..." Raph growled, making Leo chuckle as he sat down next to Don.
"It's better like that. You're right, I'm exhausted. You and Don seem to be in better shape, so it's best if one of you is in each shift." Donnie nodded at Raph to show he was on Leo's page before studying the map closer.
Raph grumbled under his breath before pulling the dusty blanket up a little higher and closed his eyes. The constant quiet chatter between Don and Leo was soothing, just like Mike's solid weight on his plastron. Raph would never admit it, but he was terrified. He almost believed that stupid shadow. How did it know how hard the thought would hit him. He suppressed a shiver and hugged his sleeping brother closer before sleep consumed him.
Leo and Donnie shared a soft smile when they heard Raph's breath even out. As scary as this town was, they were glad they were together. One of them left alone with their fears... no, the image was too horrifying.
"So here you said is a carnival." Donnie whispered, pointing to where Leo found Mikey. The leader nodded.
"Yeah. I forgot to check if there was open field or anything. I didn't think of leaving before we found you and Raph."
"If there are clones of us running around I don't want to go there anyways..." Donnie shook his head with a sigh. "We have no idea where we are, so it doesn't really matter which way we take."
"We also don't know how long we're gonna be on the run. We haven't ate or drank in a while. We're gonna need supplies." Leo pointed at the mall. "There we could find what we need."
"It's gonna be dark inside, malls don't tend to have much windows. We risk meeting the shadow again."
"I know. But I count on it not showing up as long as we're together." Donnie nodded and bit his lip, leaning against Leo.
"What if it becomes more courageous?"
"We're there to snap each other out of it. And those clones of us can't fight like we do. Unless it thinks of something better I'm not too worried."
"Don't jinx it, Leo..."
Leo chuckled softly and nuzzled Donnie's neck. "We're gonna be fine."
"I don't know... It didn't scare you yet. How do you know it won't destroy you?"
"I can handle everything it throws at me, babe. I know you're all safe, there's nothing I'd be more afraid of than losing you."
The kiss that followed was sweet and reassuring and made Donnie feel a ton lighter already.
A small sound from their sleeping brothers made them look up.
"Show us some love, Michelangelo..."
"This is gonna feel so good..."
"It's us, you trust us, don't you?"
Michelangelo choked on his own spit and coughed as he tried to wake himself up. Everything was hazy, but he recognized a hospital room. How did he get here? He tried moving, to get up, but his body wasn't listening. He couldn't even scream when those horrible clones moved to sit on the bed with him. The Leo-clone was straddling him, he couldn't struggle, couldn't scream, couldn't move...
"A nightmare. Of course." Donnie moved closer to his baby brother with a sigh and put a hand on his rapidly rising and falling plastron. "Ssh, it's okay Mikey."
It didn't have the desired effect. His brother had moved away from Raph to lay on his shell in his sleep and was struggling weakly, his sweaty head thrashing from side to side.
"Mikey, it's okay. It's just a dream..." Leo coaxed, massaging one of Mikey's clenching hands until he relaxed after a few more minutes. He exchanged looks with Donnie.
"At least he didn't wake up..."
"I hope we don't end up with nightmares..." The genius shuddered. He was sure he would have nightmares. Maybe he should try staying awake instead. He would be just as tired anyways, he'd rather skip the waking up screaming part.
xxxxx
After few hours Raph stirred and stretched his limbs. When he sat up he noticed Donnie half draped over Leo's legs, fast asleep. Leo was stroking his head gently, a smile on his face.
"We keep watch in pairs." Raph mocked him in a sleep-laced voice. Leo rolled his eyes.
"I didn't want to wake him when he fell asleep. Sides, nothing happened." Raph slid up until his shell hit the headboard and rubbed his face.
"Okay. I'm awake, go to sleep." Leo eyed Mikey for a second, who was still sleeping peacefully. Shaking his head tiredly, the leader lifted Donnie's upper body so he could slide in a laying position. The genius stirred and mumbled a little before snuggling into Leo's side and plastron again, remaining asleep.
"Wake me immediately if something happens..." Leo mumbled before his eyes dropped close.
Raph didn't even answer, just yawned and busied himself with the map. He blinked a few times when the lines blurred into a picture. Was he tired enough to hallucinate? With a frown he watched the lines move until he saw a drawing of himself sitting on Donnie's shell, pulling on his arm and stabbing his sai into the joint... trying to... trying to take the limb off completely. The look of fear on Don's face was knotting his stomach, and his own face of sick satisfaction made him gag.
Suddenly, with another blink, the map was back just as he felt something stir right next to him. With a small cough, Mikey sat up.
"Is it day yet?" he whispered, rubbing his eyes.
"No. Go back to sleep." Raph ordered, folding the map and putting it away. Mikey sniffed a little and moved to sit next to Raph, snuggling into the muscular shoulder.
"I'm thirsty..."
Raph's arm came up to pull Mikey closer and sigh.
"I know, baby, me too. There's no tap water or anything though."
Mikey tried to clear his throat but ended up coughing again, pressing his hand to his mouth to muffle it.
"Shit, you getting sick?"
"Dunno... maybe. My head feels heavy." With that Mikey let his head fall on Raph's shoulder again. The hothead didn't want to wake up his sleeping brothers. He wasn't even sure if there was something they could do for Mikey at the moment.
"C'mon, lay down. Maybe if you get some more sleep you'll be better." Mikey shuddered and shook his head.
"Don't wanna. Nightmares." Raph sighed. Of course. He gently rubbed Mikey's arm and pressed a kiss to his head.
"Fine. Then rest at least. I'll make sure nothing happens to us." Mikey let out another tiny sniffle before giving in and laying down again. He curled up against Raph's side, squeezing his hand with both of his. Raphael pulled the blanket over the sea-green shoulders and patted his shell fondly.
For a while Raph just sat there and stared ahead. He didn't want to look at the map again in case he started hallucinating again. His mind started to wander, but Mikey's slight squeezes of his hand brought him back. He gave a soft smile. It was one of the youngest's habits before falling asleep, he's always clenching his hands when he was close to dreamland.
There was a dark corner next to a flimsy closet, and Raph kept himself busy by glaring at it, daring the shadow creature to show itself. His amber eyes were burning from how hard he was staring, and he jumped a little when he heard mumbling.
He couldn't help but chuckle to himself. Typical Donnie. Talking in his sleep. It was ridiculous. Why would he be afraid of a stupid shadow? His brothers were here with him. They trusted him with their lives, he could never hurt them. Good luck trying to convince me otherwise, he thought.
After a while Mikey stirred again and turned around in his sleep, letting out a weak cough against Don's shell. Raph adjusted the blanket before getting up to stretch himself. He wasn't too tired, but he needed to move. The window brought a good view of the dark town.
It was starting to get lighter outside. A light fog had settled on the ground outside, giving it all an even scarier atmosphere. Raph wasn't scared, no. But he didn't want to be outside at the moment, either.
With narrowed eyes he studied the surrounding buildings, not sure if he wanted to see the movement he expected. So far everything was quiet, until...
"Woah..." Raph took a step closer to the glass, squinting his eyes. There was light! One of the lanterns further away just lit up! But... if all of them were here, who was there?
The rising sun made it harder to make out the light from the distance. In turn, it was easier to see the building. It was a three-story house; wooden with a mostly intact roof. Raph was concentrating, but he didn't see any movement.
"Everything okay?" Leo's sleepy voice startled Raph, and he couldn't help but glare at his big brother. The leader was getting up already, rubbing his eyes as he walked over to the window.
The larger turtle put his hands on the window pane, leaning his weight on them. The sun was rising rather quick, he couldn't make out the light anymore. Even though he was focusing, he returned the nuzzle he received from Leo.
"There. A streetlamp went on an hour ago."
"What? Where?" Instantly Leo was wide awake as he squinted his eyes to see where Raph was pointing.
"Do ya think there's someone?"
"Could be... the light was how I found you and Mikey."
"Should we take a look? Could be a trap." Leo shook his head and cleared his throat.
"Our priority is getting supplies and then get the shell out of here... I'm not taking the risk of running into a trap."
Raph was about to reply when another cough sounded from the bed.
"Ah yeah. Mikey's sick. He started coughing a few hours ago." Leo winced and sat down on the bed next to Mikey, gently placing a hand on the sleeping turtle's forehead.
"I hoped this wouldn't happen... but he's been out in the cold and rain for too long."
"Is it bad?" Raph stood at the foot end of the bed, arms crossed. Leo shrugged, moving his hand to Mikey's cheek shortly before withdrawing.
"He doesn't feel too hot. Probably just a cough." The emerald turtle let out a breath and nodded.
"Well, we need water. We're all dried out."
"We hit the mall as soon as possible. We need food too."
"Isn't there a cafeteria or something in this hospital? There could be bottled water."
Leo blinked before smiling. "It's worth a shot. I didn't even think of that." He looked down at his sleeping baby brothers. "But we only go together."
"You wanna wake them up?"
"I'm afraid we don't have another choice. The earlier we get started the earlier we can find a way home."
As if on cue Mikey started coughing again, hard enough to be woken up. Leo seized the chance and pulled him into a sitting position.
"Rise and shine, baby. Time to wake up." Mikey rubbed his beak with a sniff and then his eyes, trying to clear his throat while Raph went to shake Don's shoulders.
"Leo..." Mikey groaned hoarsely at how horrible his voice sounded. "Don't feel so good..." Leo wrapped the blanket around Mikey before helping him stand.
"I know, baby. But we have to find water and food, and I won't leave you behind. Can you manage?" Mike nodded obediently and held be blanket tighter, rewarded when Leo pressed a kiss to his temple.
"Wha?" Raph chuckled at Don's sleepy zombie face as he pulled him to his feet.
"Sorry, babe. We don't have coffee. Gotta wake up on your own today." Donnie smacked his lips and rubbed his eyes. "C'mon, we need to find water."
"Cafeteria... first floor." Donnie mumbled, recalling the sign he came across the day before. "Maybe they have coffee beans. Imma chew them if I have to."
Raph laughed and couldn't help but hug the genius close. No, he could never hurt him.
"Let's go." Leo called from the doorway, next to Mikey.
"Wait." Raph grabbed the second blanket from the bed. "We can use this as a make-shift bag."
"Good idea, Raph." Leo took a deep breath before opening the door. He took a step out, only to pull back immediately after.
"What the...?"
Instead of the dusty abandoned hallway from yesterday, there were people running around. Doctors and nurses, busy with patients. The colors seemed bright and fresh, and it was clean.
Donnie blinked a few times, finally waking up fully.
"Where did they come from?"
"No idea... I didn't even hear anything before." When a nurse passed their door Leo quickly closed it.
"Do you think they can see us?" Mikey asked quietly. "Maybe they're not real..."
"What if they are? They would run away screaming and that's it. Who cares?" Donnie bit his lip in thought at Raph's words.
"They could attack us... it's not like this is a normal town."
Leo sighed. "We need water. If the rest of the town is full of people too we have better chances getting it here."
"The vents are too small to crawl through. I'd say we take the chance and just go out there like we belong." Raph suggested, getting a shake of the head from Don.
"I don't think these are normal people. Who knows how strong they are if they attack us. We'd be screwed. Technically it would be best to hide till there are less of them and try sneaking our way to the cafeteria."
"The shadow is smart..." The three older brothers focused on their youngest when he spoke up after clearing is throat. "It forces us to wait for the night. When it's strongest..."
"Damn. We just have to risk it. I won't wait for the thing to attack us again." Three pairs of eyes watched their leader, waiting for his opinion.
"Together we're too big of a target..." Leo shook his head with another sigh. "But we won't split up. We're gonna try to sneak our way out now. If they attack us we run to the cafeteria and barricade the doors, and take out the ones inside." He waited for his brothers to nod their understanding.
"I'm going first. Raph, you and Mikey follow me. Keep an eye out for potential weapons we could use, and Raph, make sure he's okay." Mikey frowned but didn't protest. It's not like he was on the verge of dying.
"Don, you have that broom, cover our backs. If any of you see anything suspicious, tell me immediately. And if we get separated, we meet in the cafeteria, no matter how. Before night falls."
Mikey muffled a cough into the blanket as Leo touched the doorknob once more.
"Ready?" Raph patted Mikey's shell until he calmed down and nodded at his big brother, while Donnie gripped his make-shift bo tighter, a determined expression on his face.
Leonardo opened the door and slipped out soundlessly, keeping close to the wall. Mikey followed shortly after, eyes roaming over the busy people. Nobody spared them a glance. Leo waited until all of his brothers were behind him before moving again.
Not being fooled by the momentary calm, they stayed quiet and out of the way. Just in case.
Leo led the way, following the signs towards the cafeteria. When they passed a medical storage room, Raph motioned for his leader to stop. There could be weapons inside. Leo gave a short nod and covered their backs as his brothers hurried inside.
There was no one inside and it was dark, but the light flicked on when Don hit the switch.
"Fascinating..." he whispered. "Everything works now."
"Jus' creepy if ya ask me." Raph mumbled as he walked over to the shelves, searching for anything he could use as a weapon. "Ah-hah!" he smirked when he found a few scalpels. He grabbed two and twirled them experimentally. "Not quite what I'm used to but hey, better than nothing." He offered the box of scalpels to Leo, who took one and shrugged.
"See if you find some crutches. I'd be more comfortable with some of those to use."
"Hospitals are so creepy..." Mikey muttered, staying close to Don as the genius walked along the shelves of another aisle. He eyed the equipment with a shudder while his brother seemed like a kid in a candy store.
"Only because this one is scary. Usually they are quite interesting and useful." He picked up an empty white bag from the bottom of the shelf and started throwing things inside.
"For nerds like you maybe." Mikey coughed into the blanket again, eyes watering.
Donnie shot him an annoyed look for the jab, but then smirked. "You do know that you're at my mercy, right?" Mikey watched him warily.
"I don't think this is the right time and place to tease me..."
"Who said I'm teasing you?" Donnie smiled innocently as he grabbed something from a top shelf and put it in the bag before continuing. Mikey blinked and frowned at the box. Rectal thermometers.
"Donnie!" He whined hoarsely. "This isn't funny! Put it back!"
"What do you have there?" Raph eyed the bag while Leo swung a pair of crutches by the door.
"Just some medical supplies we might need. Gauze and stuff, disinfectants, stethoscope et cetera." He grinned at the glare Mikey sent him, making Raph shake his head. "Maybe we pass a pharmacy or the lab. We could use some painkillers and cold medicine. Medicine in general."
Leo nodded. "If we pass one we go inside. If not we can go find one after we were in the cafeteria."
They left the room again carefully. Still no one paid them any attention. They by-passed an escape plan in case there was a fire and Leo made quick work of extracting it and handing it to Don, who put it in the bag.
It was weird, the way those people didn't even look at them. None of them even lifted their heads...
Raph eyed them suspiciously. He put a hand on Mikey's shoulder when he coughed again. They stopped when Leo put an arm out. Only when Donnie gripped his broom tighter did Raph look up. Some of the doctors and nurses stopped what they were doing and started listening.
Thinking quick, Raph put a hand over Mikey's mouth to silence him, eyes locked on the people.
Mikey tried holding his breath to quell the urge to cough, squeezing his eyes closed when he felt them tear up. Raph squeezed his arm reassuringly with his free hand. The nurses continued their work after a few more seconds of silence, and the doctors soon followed. Only then did Leo dare to move again.
He watched Mikey's struggle to keep quiet and caught Don's and Raph's eyes, giving a hand sign that they had to move faster now, completely silent.
Raphael scooped Mikey up bridal style, who bit his own fist to not cough out loud. The last thing they needed was for him to run out of breath and cough his lungs out right in the middle of potential enemies.
Leo led them further to the staircase. Using their training they jumped, as it was faster. Don grabbed another two floor plans on their way down, so they could have a better picture of the hospital.
Mikey let out a small whimper when the urge to cough became unbearable. Leo clenched his teeth, frantically looking for signs that would lead them to their destination. They were close, on the first floor already.
It was dangerous now. Here were the most people, after all.
Not now, not now, not now... Leo thought as he sped along the walls.
Turtle luck true to form, just then Mikey let out deep coughs, barely able to catch his breath. In slow motion Leo saw the heads snap up and look around, as if searching for the sound. He stopped running when Raph and Donnie did. The coughs stopped when Mikey pressed his beak hard against Raph's shoulder, though Leo could tell how hard it was by the way the sea-green shoulders jerked and quaked.
He stood protectively in front of them with Donnie, glaring at the people. Just like before the nurses went back to normal pretty quick, but one of the doctors was persistent. The man stepped closer to them, squinting his eyes. The turtles didn't dare move, they even held their breaths as best they could.
Raph tried to soothe Mikey by soundlessly patting his shell, heart thumping hard against his chest. He was a turtle of action. He wanted to just punch them all unconscious and get out of here. Staying still and waiting just wasn't his style. However, Leo seemed to think it was better to do just that.
The human figure seemed around fifty years old. He wore glasses and had a strongly crooked nose. And he reeked of sweat, Donnie noted as he glared at him when the man came uncomfortably close. The genius was convinced that he could see them already. They should take him out immediately. His instincts were itching, but he trusted his leader. And Leo was as still as a statue.
"Dr. Monroe, are you okay?" A nurse called from a few steps back. The doctor's eyes narrowed before he chuckled and shook his head.
"Yes, thank you Eliza. I think it's time for a vacation. Hallucinations." He joked, making the nurse, Eliza laugh. They talked some more while walking down the hall.
Only when they reached a corner Leo let his muscles relax before he turned around to make sure his brothers were alright. Mikey kept his face hidden in Raph's shoulder, focusing on controlling his breathing. Raph and Donnie nodded to Leo's unasked question before they hurried up to finally reach the cafeteria.
Fortunately they found it relatively empty. Leo's eyes narrowed in thought. They couldn't barricade the doors, it would draw attention. If those beings reacted to sound, they couldn't stay here. They wouldn't be able to fight them all off. Their best bet was to grab all the bottled water and food they could and leave the hospital. They could find a quieter place that wasn't as dangerous.
He signed the plan to his brothers. Leo was beyond grateful for their training and all the knacks that came with it, including their sign language.
Raph transferred their little brother to Don and followed Leo to the storage room and walk-in cooler. Donnie soundlessly soothed Mikey in his arms by stroking the skin he could reach with his thumb and nuzzling his head, while the younger tried hard to not aggravate his lungs by breathing in too deep.
Donatello watched from the door while their older brothers folded the blanket they brought to a make-shift bag and started shoving plastic bottles of water inside. Raph held up a can of what looked like beans, and Don took a moment to blink before he nodded. Raph and Leo grabbed more cans while Donnie looked around for a can opener. On the kitchen counter a few meters away he spotted one.
Pressing a reassuring kiss to Mikey's forehead, the genius put him on the ground next to their big brothers and sneaked to the open kitchen, aware of the cooks running around. One of them almost ran into him, but Donnie evaded him with a rather graceful move. He forced himself to keep a relieved sigh inside and grabbed the can opener.
Curiously he opened a few of the drawers after making sure no one was close. A box of matches, two pencils and a roll of string made their way into his bag, along with two kitchen knives.
"Hey!" Donnie jumped and almost would've squeaked but caught himself just in time. "Who left the drawers open?! This is a hazard!"
Heart thumping wildly Donnie hurried back to where Mikey was waiting by the door and they watched a mean looking chef slam the drawer closed.
Leo and Raph joined them by the door, their heavy looking make-shift bag between them. Donnie scooped Mikey up again and they made their way to the windows quickly.
They weren't sure if the people could see the bag, but if they haven't seen Don's they chanced it was the same with their food-bag.
Raphael made quick work of the window, opening it and creating their way out. They were used to higher buildings, so jumping down was no problem to them.
They've expected there to be more people. But the streets were as empty as the night before.
"Where is everyone?" Raph hissed lowly.
"No idea... do you think the hospital is the only thing... alive?" Donnie shrugged as he took in the state of the houses.
"Look..." He followed Mikey's line of sight back to the hospital. The window above the one they jumped out of. There was the doctor from before. He stared right down at them for a few seconds before he vanished. As if he's never been there.
"Okay, I'm officially freaked out. What the hell was that?! Are they real? Or what, ghosts?!"
"Calm down, Donnie. I have no idea what's going on here. Let's just get out of this town as quick as possible."
Mikey let out a cough then, holding tight onto Donnie.
"I'm sorry for before... it's just..." he coughed again, though not as hard as before.
"No sweetheart, it's okay. We know you can't help it." Don put him to stand on his own and tilted Mikey's head up. "How are you feeling, by the way?"
"Uh. My nose isn't as stuffy as it was this morning." he said, sniffing. When he didn't elaborate Donnie gave him a look.
"Your throat?" Mikey sighed and shrugged.
"Hurts a little when I cough. Look, I just wanna get home. Can't we save that for when this is all over? It's just a cold, I'll be fine." Donnie examined his eyes critically, as if he hasn't heard him.
"What's next? Do you still wanna hit the mall?" A little caught of guard by Donnie's question Leo blinked.
"Er no. We got enough food and water to last for a while. I don't want to risk it. I think it's best to leave as soon as possible."
"So we're gonna ignore the house with the light?" Raph clarified, arms crossed.
"Raph, it could be a trap."
"It could also be an innocent being that's been sent here too." Donnie looked up from where he was feeling the sides of Mikey's neck.
"What house?"
"A streetlamp went on before you guys woke up. Right next to a house. Maybe there's someone that needs help."
"And what if it really is a trap?"
"What if there's a terrified child? Innocent, didn't do anything wrong and facing its worst fears all alone? We aren't the only ones with bad enough luck to be kidnapped into weird dimensions."
Leo sighed in annoyance and rubbed his forehead before glaring at his immediate younger brother.
"That just doesn't make sense. Why would the shadow bring children here?"
"Shell, I don't know. I'm jus' guessing here, kay? Maybe it's feeding off fear or something."
"Are you playing medium now, Raph? Look, I know you hate running away, but I'm not risking our lives because of some quick idea you had."
Donatello rolled his eyes in a suffering way as he listened to their bickering. They were all stressed, yeah, but this was seriously not the time to fight. He always hated their arguments.
And Mikey too. The younger turtle stepped closer and buried his face in the crook of Donnie's neck, who automatically wrapped an arm around him.
"Make them stop..." he whispered, prompting Donnie to press a kiss to his head.
"Guys." The genius spoke up over their bickering brothers. At least they didn't get physical yet.
"We're all hungry and thirsty. Why don't we find a good place to eat and talk about the next step then?"
Leo shot a glare at Raph, daring him to continue the fight. And by the way Raph's muscles clenched, Donnie could tell it was only a matter of seconds until he did just that.
"Mikey needs rest." He said before the volcano could explode. Literally. Quickly catching on, Mikey let out a pathetic cough and snuggled closer to Donnie, sneaking a puppy-dog look over his shoulder.
Raph glared at both of his younger brothers for a while before let out a breath of annoyance and rubbed both hands over his face.
"Whatever."
Leo was already grabbing for the food-bag, but Raph was faster and hefted it up with a glare. It was met with a cold stare and a snarl. The tension was so thick, and Don was annoyed enough that he wanted to shake both of them until they'd collapse. Not the time, not the place.
"I got this." Mikey whispered hoarsely before letting go of the genius with an eye-roll. He had years of practice, he knew how to distract his brothers.
Leo was their leader, a super ninja, a stealthy fighting machine. But he was also their big brother. And most of all, he was a mother hen.
"Leo..." he croaked as he stepped closer. "C-Can you carry me? I'm so t-tired..." As expected Leo's gaze softened and without sparing Raph another glance, he closed the distance to his baby brother.
"Aw, of course, baby."
"Pushover." Raph grumbled, but there was a teasing undertone now. And the glare Leo sent his way now was more on the playful side.
"I distantly recall you carrying all of Don's lab equipment around because he gave you the puppy-dog eyes."
Raph really tried to glare, but couldn't fight the way the corners of his mouth lifted.
"Little brother powers." Donnie commented dryly when Mikey didn't, and it took them only seconds to chuckle. It was so strange how easily they could switch from mad to normal. And that only because of their special bond.
The youngster's cough brought them back to reality. Mikey wouldn't admit it, but he did feel a little light-headed. And the hand that came up to feel his forehead felt heavenly.
"You're warmer than before." Leo mumbled, face in a frown. "We should've raided the hospital's pharmacy too. Maybe there's another one around."
"We'll take another look at the map while we eat." Donnie suggested and pointed at a few bushes down the road. "Let's go there. I'd rather not have hospital ghosts watch our every move."
Leo nodded and picked Mikey up, who clung to him with a sigh. "Okay let's go."
xxxxx
"Quit making a fuss, Mikey."
"I can't believe you really took one of those! Stay away!"
"That teaches you not to mess with your doctor."
"I was just teasing!"
"Stop acting like a baby!"
"I would if you'd stop treating me like one!"
Raph and Leo really shouldn't laugh, they knew, but watching Mikey and Donnie argue about a stupid thermometer was such a thing of normality that the relief made them float.
They felt relatively safe in the daylight, despite the eerie silence all around. While they've been eating they were keeping a close eye on the surrounding buildings, but there was no sign of life from either of them. They looked just as abandoned as they did the previous night.
"You know, you're putting up quite a fight. I thought you were tired?" Leo smiled at the glare Mikey sent him, though the youngster's attention was back on Donnie pretty quick when the genius moved.
"He is. He's just cranky. Like a baby." He met Mikey's glare with an unimpressed expression. "Come on. Afterwards you can go to sleep."
Michelangelo slumped back on his shell with his head resting on Raph's leg and glared up at the sky. He was too exhausted to put up much more of a fight. His head was pounding, but he wouldn't whine about that. When he felt Don move between his legs he closed his eyes.
"Why are ya embarrassed?" Raph teased, stroking the heated cheek. "Not like we haven't seen it before. Heck, we put way bigger things in there almost daily."
"Shut up, Raph..." Mikey grimaced when the cold thin object slid into him. "That's the last thing you've put inside me for a long while." he grumbled, jerking away from Raph's touch and glaring at Don when he hissed at him to hold still.
"Aw, don't be like that." Leo chuckled. "Maybe it's one of Donnie's hidden kinks."
Donatello grinned, playing along. "Well, would be interesting to try at home. You're gonna be a willing patient, hm?" He patted Mikey's thigh with a chuckle, removing the thermometer when it beeped.
"You're jerks. All of you. Stupid meanies. You can go fuck yourselves." Mikey coughed and turned to the side so he could breath easier.
"101.6... We're definitely gonna hit the pharmacy. I'm pretty sure it's gonna go up." Mikey swatted Don's hand away when he tried to put it on his head. The chocolate orbs narrowed. "Maybe they have suppositories. Since Mikey's being so nice and cooperative."
"Donnie..." The sea-green turtle whined, sounding really exhausted now on the verge of falling asleep. "Stop teasing..." Don tried to be stern, but couldn't help a soft smile at the way Mikey leaned into his touch now.
"Go to sleep, sweetheart." As if he'd been waiting for the go-ahead, Mikey's breath evened out.
"He's gonna be okay, isn't he?" Leo asked, sipping from his water.
"I think so. His temperature is running a little high, though. It tends to rise in the evenings, he's gonna need some meds to keep him on his feet. At least until we leave this town and he can rest properly."
Leo nodded, face in a frown. "We can afford to let him sleep for a bit. Then we hit the pharmacy and then we make a run for it. I have a feeling the day passes faster than the night." The hazel eyes studied the sky, judging it to be afternoon already.
Raph eyed the map. "The house I saw is just across the pharmacy." he pointed out.
"Raph..." Leo started, tired of fighting.
"We don't have to go inside. A quick look through the windows, okay? Just to make sure we aren't leaving innocents behind."
"Alright. If it makes you happy." Raph just nodded, satisfied for now with the compromise and leaned back on his hands, watching the streets through the bushes.
"So... do you really have that kink, Donnie-boy?" Raphael finally asked when watching the empty town was too boring. Donatello looked up from the piece of bread he was nibbling on absentmindedly and blushed.
"Uh... no? Of course not. He was teasing me and I wanted to get back at him. I brought a normal thermometer too."
"You're babbling." Leo observed with a halfway-smile, while Raph smirked.
"Shell, you do! This is priceless." The emerald turtle laughed, muffling it in his fist.
"Oh shut up, Raph!"
"No seriously. It suits you. I can imagine you in your lab coat, examining every inch of your patient..."
"I swear, Raphael. Shut up or I'm going to make you my first patient when we're back home."
Raph laughed only harder, and even Leo had to bite back a laugh at how embarrassed Donnie was. Only when Mikey started stirring and coughing again they quieted down.
Donnie, still beet red, grabbed his drowsy younger brother and cradled him.
"S'wrong?" Mikey slurred into Don's plastron, still half asleep.
"Nothing, sweetheart. Leo and Raph are just being assholes."