A hand on his shoulder woke Mikey up. He's been napping on their bed, enjoying the gentle breeze that came from the open balcony door.
Mikey stretched his limbs before sitting up and rubbing his eyes.
"And you said you weren't tired." Donnie teased him with a smile and pressed a kiss to his temple. "You slept for over two hours."
"What? Really?" Mikey blinked, rubbing his belly. "Ugh, they're just so heavy now." He pouted at his unborn babies.
Donnie laughed, flicking his brother's beak. "Well, that's a good sign. They're growing just the way they're supposed to. Come on, let's have a snack."
The genius helped Mikey to stand up.
"Where are Leo and Raph?"
"Well, Mr. Macho is convinced that he can build the cribs on his own, while Mr. Worrywart installed safety measures all around the house. Right now they're both bickering about the right way to build the cribs."
The tone Donatello used was quite amused, and Mikey couldn't help but laugh when he heard faint sounds of an argument through the closed door to their nursery.
"You're not helping them?"
"Nah. While they were busy making fools of themselves I was occupied." Don eyed the grate Leo had been installing for over an hour and shook his head with a chuckle. One simple push of his finger against the wood and the safety lock sprung open. Good thing they still had a few months left until they're here.
At the bottom of the stairs Donnie let out a frustrated sigh at how the grate wouldn't budge at all. Mikey laughed at his mate's expression. He made short work of breaking the safety lock to open it. He was going to have to look everything over again anyways.
"Okay, close your eyes sweetheart."
Mikey blinked before complying. "Uh okay. Why?"
Donnie smiled and carefully guided the smaller turtle into their living room. "You'll see in a second. Open your eyes."
In an unused corner of the big room Donnie had built some sort of crib. It was the shape of a hexagon, surrounded by bars that went all the way down to the ground. The padding was a light green with some clouds on it, and most of the plushies they've bought were put up for decoration. Two crossed arcs above held some dangling stars, sun and moon. An improvised mobile.
"Donnie... this is beautiful..." Mikey smiled widely poking the dangling plush moon. "You made this in two hours?"
"I've been working on it for a while now, but I finished it today." He gestured to a sort of lever left and right from it. "The first few weeks it's easier to keep them there during the day. We can keep an eye on them and have our hands free for other things. And once they're able to sit we can lower this," Donnie demonstrated, lowering the padded surface until it hit the ground, "and make it a playpen."
Mikey watched in awe and couldn't help but throw his arms around Donnie's neck, pressing his lips to his.
"This is brilliant! You're the best!" A cute little blush spread over Don's cheeks as he grinned widely, wrapping his arms around his little brother.
"I know." Mikey purred when Donnie nuzzled his beak and sighed happily. Both of them jumped at a rather loud crash from upstairs. They exchanged wary glances before making their way up.
"Now look what you did!"
"What I did?! I told you this doesn't belong there!"
"Look at the instructions! It says clearly that it-"
"Why don't you shove your instructions-"
Both of their mates looked up when Donnie and Mikey opened the door to the nursery.
"What did you do?" Donatello asked with a deadpan expression.
"Nothing! We were almost done and then it just collapsed!" Raph kicked the crib on the ground in frustration.
Taking in the scene, Donnie bent down and picked up two screws. He held them up with a raised eye-ridge. "Well?"
It was quite amusing to see the two dominant turtles so flustered. However, before they could start babbling in their defense, Mikey stomped his foot.
"Are you two nuts?! What if one of our babies was in there?!"
"Baby, we wouldn't put them inside without making sure it was safe."
"Need any help?" Donnie intervened before Mikey could work himself into a tantrum. After a while they had figured out how to handle Mike's mood swings.
"Nah, we just need to put the screws in and we're done."
"You needed two hours for a crib. A single crib. You do realize we need three of them, right?"
"Psh, now that we're done with the first one the other two will be a piece of cake."
Raph squared his jaw and turned away from Don's amused look of doubt, pulling Leo with him.
"Oh, cake!" Mikey suddenly exclaimed, taking Donnie's hand and guiding him out of the room. "I'm gonna make a cake. You have to help me."
They were barely down the stairs when another crash came from the nursery, followed by shouting.
"What are you doing?! The screws belong there!"
"No, there! Are you crazy?!"
xxxxx
Raph came down the stairs with a towel around his shoulders. He used it to finish drying off as he made his way to the kitchen for a snack. He stopped in his tracks when he heard Mikey talking in the living room.
Leo was at their dojo, while Don was also working. Who was he talking to? With a frown Raph went to their living room, leaning against the door-frame.
Mikey was sitting on the couch, comfortably back against the cushions and reading from a fairy-tale book.
Raph rested his elbows on the back of the couch, kissing the top of Mikey's head.
"Is there a special reason you're reading out loud?"
Mikey smiled up at him and rubbed a hand over his belly.
"I'm reading to them." Raph raised an eye-ridge and chuckled.
"Yeah I bet they appreciate the educational effect of...", he tilted his head to read the title, "...'The friendly bunny Belo.'"
Mikey rolled his eyes.
"Donnie said they can probably hear us. They get used to our voices and all. When I talk to them they kinda... settle down."
"What do you mean?" Mikey blushed and shrugged one shoulder with a smile before patting the cushion next to him.
"Come." Raphael blinked in confusion as he sat down next to his mate, one arm automatically resting over his shoulders. Mikey leaned into him, putting the book aside for now.
"I wanted it to be a surprise for your birthday tomorrow, but I guess it's okay if I tell you now."
Mikey rested his head on Raph's shoulders, smile still on his face as he grabbed his big brother's free hand to rest it on his belly.
"Baby, what-"
"Ssh, just wait."
They waited for a few moments in complete silence. And then Raph felt it. Barely noticeable, but there. A soft shifting beneath Mikey's plastron. The red-banded turtle perked up, eyes wide as he looked at Mikey. The younger one grinned.
"Is this..."
"Yep. Our babies." Raph felt his mouth split into a grin as he put his head to Mikey's belly. He could hear one very faint heartbeat and waited for a few more seconds before there was another light shifting against his cheek.
"But I thought... Donnie said..." Mikey tilted his head with a tender smile, his hand stroking Raph's cheek.
"I was talking to Kion about how disappointed you were because you couldn't feel them. And he explained it to me. From the third month on my plastron became softer, you know, so they have room to grow." Mikey started explaining, tracing lazy patterns on Raph's biceps now.
"They already move around in their eggs from the fifth month on, but we can't feel it because they're too weak to actually move the eggs. Now that they've grown bigger they press against my plastron too, and when they wiggle around in the egg they kinda rotate." He chuckled.
"It feels pretty weird actually. Like, I feel one of the eggs moving like crazy. I was afraid they could break the shell but Kion assured me it's not possible with the fluid they're in."
Raph had been quiet during Mikey's explanation, face in a dazed expression. He couldn't even tell how giddy and excited he was. With a wide grin that almost hurt he sat up again, grabbing Mike's face and kissing him passionately.
"This... This is amazing. They're moving around! I bet this is one is going to be a little troublemaker." He laughed, a hand caressing the spot he's felt the shifting most.
"Yeah... they always start wiggling around when I'm sitting down or trying to sleep." Mikey pouted a little. "Donnie said that's cause me moving around rocks them to sleep and when I stay still they wake up."
"Donnie already knows?"
"Of course. I asked him for validation after my talk with Kion. And Leo felt it this morning coincidentally while you and Donnie were making breakfast."
"So I was the last to know?" Raph pretended pouted, making Mikey giggle.
"It was supposed to be a surprise for you..." The smaller turtle wrapped his arms around Raphael's neck and played with the tails of the red mask. Raph gave in and grinned, stroking Mikey's sides and nuzzling him.
"How about you rock me for a little bit?" Mikey suggested, biting his lip with a smirk.
"Only if you promise to not fall asleep."
"Ha, let's see if it's worth staying awake." Mikey laughed out loud, unable to pass this chance to tease Raph. He was still laughing when his brother pushed him flat on the couch with a lustful grin.
xxxxx
Images of a night club filled Leo's dreams. The neon lights were flashing in a blur. Faceless green figures were merging together as they danced to a hypnotic song.
In the center of the blurry crowd was Mikey, still heavily pregnant and dancing around as if his belly was non-existent. Leo stepped towards him to scold him and drag him home, but while his feet moved, his body did not.
He began to run, not moving an inch. It was as if he was running on a treadmill. He tried shouting for his little brother, but Mikey wasn't reacting.
Suddenly two huge turtles appeared, dangerously close to the pregnant turtle. Leo recognized them as Naroy and Erion. They gripped Mikey's wrists, punching him when he struggled. The blue-banded turtle could only helplessly watch as they pushed him to the ground, Naroy forcing his legs apart while Erion rammed his knee into the swell in Mikey's plastron. Laughter when Mikey cried out in pain.
With a start Leo sat up straight in bed, sweaty and panting harshly. It took him a few seconds to realize he was at home in their bedroom. Raph and Donnie were sleeping soundly next to him. Dread knotted his stomach when he realized Mikey wasn't there.
Swallowing his panic he got up, careful not to wake his sleeping mates. Relief flooded him at the sight of the flickering lights from below. Mikey probably couldn't sleep and got up to watch TV. Silently Leo went downstairs to find Mikey curled up on the couch, a small pillow shoved under the belly he was rubbing absentmindedly.
"Couldn't sleep?" Leo asked in a whisper, a tiny relieved smile on his face as he approached his mate. Mikey yawned and looked at Leo.
"Yeah. The little rascals are having a party. Again. Did I wake you up?" Leo's smile faded as he tried to fight the remains from his nightmare. He shook his head and wordlessly grabbed the big couch cushions from behind Mikey before settling down there, wrapping his arms around his little brother from behind.
Mikey frowned worriedly at how shaken Leo seemed to be. His mate's hands were resting on his belly now. He held his breath for a few seconds until he felt the mad shifting around again. Leo let out a shaky sigh of relief and buried his face in the crook of Mikey's neck.
"Nightmare?" The younger one asked, putting his hands on Leo's. When he felt him nod he wiggled closer to him, turning his head a little so he could kiss his forehead. "You know, I had a dream about them too."
Mikey smiled when Leo looked up from his position.
"Was it a good dream?"
"Depends on how you see it. I dreamed they all had Raph's temper and my mischief. They were dancing on our last nerves." Leo chuckled, tightening his hold on his brother.
"I bet they have your energy with how much they move in there."
"Well I hope they have Don's brain and your discipline. Raph's fire and my sense of humor."
"They're gonna be perfect little children, no matter what traits they get. Though I hope they don't get my cooking skills." Mikey laughed, prompting Leo to grin.
"Don't forget your crafting skills." The youngster teased, only laughing harder when Leo gave him an offended look.
"My crafting skills are fine."
"Yeeeeeah, that's why Donnie had to rebuild the grates on the stairs, and the safety locks you insisted on putting on the windows and doors, and the-"
"Okay I get it. Mean little turtle..." Leo laughed as he tickled his younger brother, nightmare forgotten.