Drabble: Not When Splinter's Nearby! (3 of 4)
Late at night, the lair turns super creepy. Especially after a nightmare. The lair's dark and the water makes these weird noises in the pipes like something's breathing beside you. Leo got April to get me a little nightlight, but even Hello Kitty waving her magic wand at me from across the room doesn't help much. She casts just enough of a glow that I can see the far wall and some of the stuff scattered on the floor. But she does let me see where I'm going when I climb out of bed.
I grab my pillow and drag my blanket behind me as I sneak out of my room. It's not that I'm not allowed to roam around at night, but usually it's only to get the last slice of cake or watch tv 'cause I can't sleep. Sometimes I'll spot the light on in Donny's lab or see Raph beating the crap out of the punching bag. I've seen Splinter come out to make tea and disappear back into his room. And once in a blue moon I'll catch Leo checking up on us like he's afraid we're gonna disappear out of our beds. Tonight everyone's asleep but me. I creep across to Leo's room and peek in. I can't really see him, but Splinter taught us how to "see" in the dark.
Leo sleeps weird. He sits crosslegged with his back against the wall, head slightly forward and his hands folded in his lap. I wonder how he stays comfortable like that and why he even bothers. It's not like Splinter ever told us to sleep like that. Just chalk it up to him being more "devoted ninja" than even sensei.
Sneaking up on a sleeping Leo isn't a smart idea, so I don't try to sneak in. By the time I reach him all the way in the back of the room, he's sitting straight and listening to me with a sleepy smile. I can tell 'cause he breathes a little different when he smiles, a relaxed sigh over a quick laugh. Good, if he's smiling that means he wasn't having a nightmare so he won't be totally tense.
I drop my pillow beside him and sit down, arranging it while he holds still. Once I'm leaning comfortably against him, I yank the blanket up to my shoulders. There's plenty of blanket left over, so I flip it over Leo's lap. He doesn't usually sleep with one, not until winter sets in and it gets cold down here, but he doesn't argue.
"Nightmare?" he whispers.
"Mm-hmm." Not in the mood to talk about it, either. It was the usual one, being trapped underground and running around in circles trying to get out. Don't need a psychologist to tell me what it means, but it's not like we're ever gonna live above ground and I don't wanna head topside by myself right now 'cause sometimes I really do get lost down here.
He doesn't pry. It's weird 'cause he'll pry and pry and never give up when it comes to anything else, like if I'm feeling sick or if I get really steamed. But he doesn't kick me out of his room either, so maybe he's just waiting for me to talk about it myself. Not gonna happen, of course.
"If you want to go get your nightlight..." he says.
I shake my head. "Don't need it. You're here."
I never get a reply to that. Usually it's 'cause I've got my mouth on his. Can't help it, sappy lines like that make me wanna kiss him, even if I'm the one that said it. Especially if I'm the one that said it. And he tastes like tea with lots of sugar. I think I'm getting a taste for tea even though I never drink it.
Both of us hear Splinter's door open. I pull back from the kiss before he can push me away. It's one of his other rules, "not when Splinter's around." Which is totally not fair. Splinter isn't just our uber sneaky sensei, he's sensed us getting into trouble from miles away. How're we supposed to do anything if we have to practically leave the city to do it?
Splinter stays awake for a long time after he makes his tea. We listen to him moving in the living room and turning on the tv, keeping the volume impossibly low. The light flickers in front of the door and I burrow a little deeper in the blanket, nuzzling his throat as my eyes close. I fall asleep before Splinter.
Good thing I always used to come sleep next to Leo after my nightmares. No one's surprised when we come out of the same bedroom. Even when they wake up first and find us under the same blanket, they don't suspect. Sometimes playing the baby of the family has its advantages. No one suspects anything when Leo and I look at each a little longer or stand a little closer. And no one else notices when I occasionally add another spoonful to Leo's tea. Well, not Don or Raph anyway. Leo doesn't let me do it if Splinter's around.
So I feel extra sneaky when I get that teaspoon in without Leo noticing, either.
end