Ever feel melancholy for the past before you remember how shitty it was then? Life's funny like that. Keep moving forward, everyone!
The apartment was steaming hot from the amount of bodies moving to the music. Mira and Ashley were sweating more than they would have wanted, had they not been too drunk to care. As the night progressed, their dancing got progressively more lewd and provocative but it wasn't just them. Even Traximus was getting close to someone.
Devy, the most sober of everyone, stood up next to the dj as the music's volume was lowered. "Alright, I think I speak for everyone when I say that this was a fantastic party!" Devy was met with the crowd's cheers before they continued. "Not to toot my own horn, of course... It's currently 12:45 for those not keeping track of time, and our lovely DJ will be wrapping up in 15 minutes. So get your last few dances in and then figure out how you're getting home or to some other party! Thanks so much for coming out!"
More cheers erupted as Devy left the platform and the music picked up again. Mira, Ashley, and Baxium were taking a breather at the bar, where Bax was preparing a round of waters.
"So... how are we getting home?" Ashley slurred with a drunken smile.
"Uhh..." Mira started, looking to Bax. "I dunno, I did'n think we'd be out here so late."
"Well, we can wait for the train... but it might take a while, or we could set up at a hotel nearby," Baxium suggested. Though significantly less drunk than the others, Baxium was also slurring his words a bit. "It depends on what you ladies wanna do."
"A hotel bed sounds really nice..." Ashley muttered. "But I'm not sure I wanna be in the same room as you two." She side-eyed them as she took a drink of her water and Mira just rolled her eyes.
"Hotels here are too expensive... we should prolly just go home." Mira drank from her cup as well while Baxium pulled out his phone.
"I'll see if I can find a schedule... We might just have to play our luck."
Suddenly, Mikey slapped a drunken hand on his shoulder. "Nah, don't bother dude. We just gotta head down there and hope they're goin soon!"
"1am seems like a reasonable time for them to have a train running, right? Not like 1:08 or something?" Ashley asked, her drunken speech still slurred.
"I'm sure we'll get a train sometime! They run all night anyway... Hey! We should all go together! I'll go get Raph." Mikey shoved off of Baxium and headed back into the crowd to find his brother.
Mira nudged Ashley with a knowing smile before sipping her water. "What?" Ashley asked, slumping a bit onto the bar and grabbing her own water. "I dunno waht you're talkin about."
"I didn't even say anything!"
Mikey quickly returned with Raph in tow, ready to leave. Raph didn't appear quite as chipper as his brother as he remained mostly quiet, but did smile on occasion. Soon, after saying goodbye to Traximus, the others were ready to go also. The music started to fade as they walked back to the elevator and rode it downstairs.
The evening was much cooler than the day had been, and Baxium didn't hesitate to put a hand on Mira's exposed shoulder to sheild her from the breeze. Had he worn a second shirt, he would have happily given it to her.
As Mikey watched Baxium and Mira get close to one another, he couldn't help but feel inspired to try and make his move as well. He put his arm around Ashley's shoulders and tried his best to interest her without scaring her off. Though, admittedly, it was difficult to judge how someone else was feeling while intoxicated.
"That was some party, huh?" he asked with a smile.
Ashley returned the smile, leaning into his arm. "Yeah, I had a lot'f fun!"
"Me too!" he replied with a squeeze. "It's cool I got to see you again."
They continued their conversation as Raph hung around behind them, feeling the awkwardness of being a 5th wheel.
Mira stumbled around under Baxium's arm before slowing to a stop. "Hang on, hang on. I need to take off my shoes," she grumbled, leaning on Baxium for support while removing her shoes. The others stopped to wait for her.
"What are you gonna walk with?" Baxium asked.
"I'll jus walk barefoot," she explained. "I've done it before."
As she started to stumble forward again, barefoot, she suddenly was lifted into the air. When she stopped moving, she placed a hand out for balance as she sat on Baxium's arm. "I can just carry you, y'know," he said with a smile.
Mira gasped excitedly. "Wow!" She leaned against his shoulder as they started walking again, Ashley laughing at the sight.
"Baxi, you're gonna have to start charging for that," Ashley said, leaning against Mikey as they stumbled along.
"Hey, I could do that!" Mikey said bravely, before attempting to lift Ashley off the ground. With a yelp, Ashley wrapped her arms around his neck as he stumbled forward. Mikey quickly lost balance in his overzealous efforts, but before Ashley completely fell out of his arms, Raph came up from behind to catch her.
"Mikey don't be a dumbass!" He set Ashley back on the ground as Mikey stumbled forward and caught himself on a sign post. "You alright?"
Ashley slowly blinked and shook her head, trying to process what had just happened. "Uh huh..." As she used his shoulder to regain balance, Mikey came back with a sheepish grin.
"Sorry about that, I guess I lost my balance." Mikey put his arm around her shoulders as they continued to the train.
"'S all good," she said. Turning back to look at Raph, she stretched her arm out. "Thanks Raph!"
"Don't mention it," he replied with a faint smile, hands in his pockets as he followed close behind.
"You guys are great," Ashley said, continuing to lean on Mikey as they finally got to the train. Baxium had some difficulty fitting in the car, but managed to keep holding Mira until she was able to sit. She leaned against him the entire time, eyes closed as she started drifting off.
Ashley sat next to Mikey as he had his arm around her. The two were laughing to themselves while trying to fend off sleep as Raph sat next to them awkwardly. He was happy to see his brother and friend happy, and enjoyed the party just as much as the rest of them, but he couldn't help but feel melancholy for simpler days. Before he had to worry about humans or other creatures living topside it was just him and his family living about as simple a life as they could.
What am I thinkin? he thought. Wasn't too long ago I was just achin to be able to go topside without someone screamin' in my face.
Raph smiled to himself as he continued to think of the past and how far his family had come in the last twenty-something years. As Ashley and Mikey quieted down, Baxium nodded to Raph.
"You doin alright?"
He nodded and leaned back in his seat. "Yeah. Just thinkin."
"Care to share?" Baxium glanced down at Mira with a tender smile, holding her closer to him as she dozed.
"It's nothin worth noting... Just thinkin about how crazy it is we're about to go back to a normal apartment among a bunch of humans, and I don't have to worry about being seen anymore."
"I am surprised that out of all of your brothers, you were the one to move out," Baxium said. "Aren't the others still underground?"
Raph nodded. "Yeah. I just wanted to get outta there. And since I have a job now it wasn't that hard. 'Specially with this one splitting rent."
Mikey grinned at them while Ashley slept against him as well. The ride remained filled with quiet conversation about the new world they all lived in. Though their settings had changed, they held onto the things that were the same, and the friendship that kept them together. When they got to their last stop, Raph was finally back to smiling as the melancholy feelings drifted away.
"You coming inside?" Ashley asked Baxium as she unlocked the door. Mira stayed half-conscious in his arm, voicing how comfortable he was.
"You should totally come inside," Mira slurred slowly, moving to lead the way inside.
"Alright, I'll come in if you really want to," he said quietly, conscious to the way their voices echoed through the street.
"But don't get any ideas," Mira added with a smirk. Ashley let her lead the way in and brought up the rear with Mikey. Baxium kept a hand out in case Mira slipped up on the stairs, though she stumbled up with no falls. Once they got to their floor, Raph said goodnight and continued heading upstairs while Baxium was led to Mira and Ashley's apartment.
The door was just big enough for him to squeeze in without too much discomfort, though his horns nearly scraped the ceiling as he stood inside. Mira continued going deeper into the apartment, urging Baxium to follow her.
Baxium looked around before peeking back out the door to where Ashley should have been. "Are you coming in-" he stopped when he saw her pulling away from Mikey, clearly from some kind of kiss, and brought his head back inside with a flustered look. "Right."
He closed the door, leaving it unlocked, and walked down the hall where the only light was on, assuming it was where Mira was. She stepped out of the door to her room to greet him, wearing a big shirt and shorts while holding onto the door frame for balance.
"Hey," she said, clearly still drun and enjoying herself. "You better not try anything tonight."
Flustered by what she was insinuating, he put his hands up with a sheepish smile. "I wouldn't dream of it, sweetheart."
"Good." She nodded once, then grabbed his hand to pull him inside, and closed the door behind them. "Then it's bed time."
"Are you sure you want me staying here? I'm not sure your bed is even big enough." Though the room was mostly filled with Mira's queen sized bed, it was barely big enough to fit Baxium, much less the two of them.
"Worth a shot." She shrugged and pulled aside the covers to let him in.
Baxium pulled his phone out of his pocket, checking the time as he set it on the desk beside him. 3AM, it read. He figured there was hardly any point in trying to get home at that hour and began removing his shirt and pants- not wanting to ruin them. He heard the front door creak open and close before Ashley locked it, and he briefly wondered if she returned alone.
Mira tried to keep her reaction to seeing his ripped body in person to herself, but it was difficult, even as he awkwardly struggled to figure out a way to get in her bed while leaving room for her. After a minute or so of awkardly turning around and concerning squeaking from the bed, Mira finally helped him find a spot where they could both manage to be there without him crushing her.
Baxium lay on his stomach, arms outstreched with the covers pulled over him. His feet and tail dangled off the bed while Mira got comfortable on his bare back. Though just as muscular and with skin just as tough as the rest of him, he was surprisingly soft in the space between what she guessed were his shoulder blades.
Baxium didn't think he'd be moving much that night.
I just don't want you to think this is a group of completely irresponsible beings...