Hey guys! This idea came to my head, and I had to write it. No matter how sad it may be. Now.. grab your tissues and enjoy! Lots of Fluff! Also, mentions of blood but no gore.
*Major Character Death*
*I own nothing*
4 Times Mikey was called Ototo and 1 Time he said Ani:
Time 1.
Staring at the stars shining brightly, each one with a special feature, Michelangelo found a new peace in it all. Frankly, his life at the lair had become very dense, his brothers fighting and Donnie becoming severely injured. It was just to much to take. But here…. He could leave all that baggage behind.
Breathe
His brothers didn't know about this special rooftop, it was Mikey's special place. Well…. All except one. Leo had also found this place very special. He and Mikey would come out here to take a breathe and admire everything about their lives. Good or bad. Lately though, Leo had become very busy, to busy for his brother's liking. In so much that Mikey couldn't stand to be around him anymore, the toxicity and negative rays coming off Leo were toxic and venomous. It wasn't good for anyone's wellbeing. Leo and his brothers.
"Gosh dad, it's been a while huh?" Mikey said. Tears and memories kept flooding his vision as far as time could tell. Their father's death hadn't been easy, but splinter jr had taken it the hardest. But Mikey was struggling to… it's just that nobody could see it.
"Miss Master Splinter?" Leo said as he walked over to his youngest brother. His tone was calm, his posture was at ease. Taking a seat next to Mikey, he wrapped his arms around his brother's shoulder. Mikey didn't move away, he couldn't even if he wanted to. The emotional grief and turmoil were exhausting, it tore him down. In more ways than one.
"Leo..I miss him so much" Mikey said nuzzling his head into Leo's plastron. Leo held on tight to his brother, almost afraid to let go.
"I do to Mikey, I really do"
Mikey looked up, "Leo I'm scared, what if we lose someone else? I wouldn't be able to handle it."
"If we do, we do. But I and Don and Raph will always look out for you. Remember, if one of us goes down..."
"We all go down" Mikey said as he stared into the moonlit sky. The breeze flew through the entire city, the lights looked brighter than before. Taking in the new sense of comfort, Mikey rested his whole body and leaned against his eldest brothers.
Maybe everything will be ok
Cause even if everything wasn't, they would always have each other. No matter what.
"Mikey, I don't know if you knew this, but father always had a special spot in his heart for you," Leo said softly.
Mikey raised his head, "Really?"
"Of course, Mikey I don't think you realize how special you are. You're the glue to our family, your our sunshine, our fun-loving pizza lover! We could never get along without you. Your our heart," Leo said. He pointed to Mikey's chest. Mikey leaned against Leo's chest and gave a out a loud sigh.
You are wanted Mikey
"Never forget that Ototo," Leo said softly stroking his younger brother's shell. Maybe everything would be ok, maybe it wouldn't. But it didn't matter cause death wasn't the end.
It never would be.
Time 2.
Time passed by very slowly when one's fears was going to be confronted. Anxiously waiting outside Donnie's lab, sat a small five-year-old Mikey. It had always been a doozy when it came to flu shot week. Mikey hated needles. Despised them. But their father was persistent on getting them. Cause when Mikey got sick… he got really sick. Unlike his brothers, if he got the flu, he was out for a good three weeks.
"Ok Michelangelo, it's your turn," Master Splinter said opening Donnie's lab door. Shuffling his feet, Mikey refused to succumb to the awful idea of shots. Maybe he could fake out of this one, but his father knew better than to believe a small five-year-old.
"Come Michelangelo"
Mikey didn't budge.
"What if I let you bring in a brother? Would that help?"
Mikey perked up.
Ok… so Master Splinter was making progress. "You may pick one brother to bring in, you have two minutes, now go my son."
Mikey ran.
About a good four minutes later, Mikey had returned with his older brother Donatello. Donnie had already gotten his shots like a good boy and was always happy to assist his younger brother with his. Everyone knew that Mikey hated needles. Hated was hardly an understatement.
"Come on Mikey, dad's waiting for us."
Mikey took one step at a time until he got to the examination table. Everything felt like it was in slow motion, Donnie helping him up to his father grabbing a sterile needle. It felt scary, but not new.
"Okey my son, look at Donnie okey?" Master Splinter said closing the distance between himself and Mikey. Mikey took a good glance at Donnie and tried not to cry.
Stop crying Mikey
But Donnie grabbed his younger brothers' hands and stared him in the face. The look was soft and fluffy. The trust in the room changed almost immediately.
"Look at me Mikey, I promise that nothing is going to happen to you ok?" Donnie said, not looking away.
"You promise?" Mikey responded as small tears ran down his cheeks like waterfalls.
"I promise Ototo"
Mikey took a deep breathe and closed his eyes. The shot came and went, but Donnie stayed with him the entire time. And that was all that mattered.
And that would never change.
Time 3.
His older brother had done it again, not intentionally anyway. Raph had lost his anger and snapped, forgetting that Mikey was there, his sai went flying through the air. Of course, it could have been way worse. But the sai managed to implant itself on the side of Mikey's hand. A lot happened after that, but long story short, Raph was beating himself up in the dojo. Not anything new.
But a new raw kind of pain unlocked itself when another brother was hurting because of you. It was painful, agonizing, and tore down every happy emotion with it. Mikey sat down on the couch and tried not to cry. It was all his fault that Raph felt so guilty, and now… he couldn't do anything about it. His other brothers were mad but not at him. He wished it was at him. Then, Raph wouldn't have to hurt so much.
Gulping and removing himself from the couch, Mikey headed over to the dojo to hopefully ease his brother's anguish. Hopefully, the sai would stay on Raph's belt and not his hands.
"Hey Raph," Mikey said as the door creaked open. The sight that meant him wasn't pretty… it was horrifying. Raph was in the corner; his legs were brought to his chest.
"Get away from me Mikey, I'll just hurt you again," Raph said quickly inching away from his younger brother. Raph looked so… broken, scared, terrified of any outcome. Mikey's stomach churned; his mind went into overdrive. He couldn't just stand here and let Raph beat himself up.
It wasn't fair
"I made you mad Raph, it was all my fault"
"No, it wasn't, I was stupid and now your hurt because of me! Me!"
Mikey sat down and kept his distance. Oh, how he wanted to hug his brother, but Raph needed space. And that was what Mikey was gonna give him.
"Raph I was annoying you, I basically asked for it. Please don't beat yourself up," Mikey said softly. His entire body relaxed, deep breaths in and out. No matter how long Raph needed him, he would always be there for his brothers.
No matter how emotionally pained plagued him. His brothers' problems were his, his brothers' feelings were his. Anything that had to do with his brothers would always be his as well. Cause that how family worked.
"Mikey.."
Mikey looked up, "yes Raph?"
Raph stood up and took one wobbly step forward, his face was hidden and wet.
Wet? Is Raph crying?
Eventually after reaching his youngest brother, Raph sat down and laid his head on his Mikey's slumped shoulders.
"Mikey, don't ever change who you are ok? I love that your annoying and reckless. That you always put us first and not yourself. No matter what we say, don't change."
What Raph said impacted Mikey in many aspects of his life. His brothers knew his pains and his insecurities, but Mikey refused to change who he was. Cause, he knew that his brothers and father loved him so much, words were words, but they would never change the love for his family and the love that they felt for him.
Mikey punched Raph lightly in the arm, "I never plan to Raph"
"Knuckle head," Raph said wiping away his tears.
"Was someone crying?" Mikey taunted and got up quickly to avoid his brother's wrath.
"No,"
Raph got up and wrapped his arms around Mikey, 'Let's go"
Mikey grinned, "Lead the way"
"Go ahead of me, I'll catch up" Raph said. Giving a thumps up, Mikey dashed out to find something that his brother would enjoy. Most likely ice cream.
"Love you Ototo," Raph said one last time and dashed off.
Cause family were always there for each other and would always be. Physically or mentally, it didn't matter.
Cause family was always first.
Time 4
It was morning, really early. Yet, Mikey couldn't sleep, nightmares had plagued him all night. Now that his father was gone, the nightmares were more frequent… and longer. His brothers would always come to his aid but now, Mikey tried to hide his screams. His family shouldn't have to deal with his nightmares on top of the grief that already plagued them.
It wasn't fair.
Making his way downstairs, Mikey was greeted by Leo who was trying to pry his toast out of the toaster. Using a metal fork, Leo stuck it in and only succeeded in electrocuting himself.
"Leo!" Mikey shouted and ran downstairs. He grabbed his older brother's hand and stuck it under cold running water.
"Thanks Mikey," Leo said gratefully. Mikey gave a small shrug and went to grab bandages. When he returned, he bandaged up Leo's hand and set it aside. Next, Mikey went to fish out the toast, only this time, he used the button. Buttered and plated, Mikey set the toast on the table in front of Leo.
"Wow didn't know that you could bandage a hand so good!," Leo said nervously. He only got a blank stare from his youngest brother.
"Mikey?"
It was like a cord snapped or the tension broke in the room. Mikey stood up and faced Leo.
"Leo what have I told you about the toaster!"
Leo gulped, "Mikey, I didn't mean to. It's just…."
That wasn't enough for Mikey, he tried to contain his anger and worry at the same time but only succeeded in gaining more built-up emotion.
"It's just what Leo?" Mikey snapped back.
"Why do you care?" Leo growled back. Honestly, he didn't know what was making Mikey so angry. This shouldn't be just because of a toaster. Right?
"Cause I was worried! People die because of electrocution! You could have hurt yourself way worse," Mikey called out depersely. Taking a seat, the adrenaline left, pain brought itself back in.
"I don't want to lose you to," Mikey said softly allowing the tears to fall. The sleepless nights were really catching up to him. But the emotion he was feeling was something different, it was genuine worry.
"Aw Mikey, come here," Leo said as Mikey accepted the embrace. Silence was brought back, only the snores and soft sniffles filled the house. The two brothers sat and accepted the tide of uncertainty. Not everything was going to work out or be perfect. Everyone would die, but death wasn't the end.
"Ototo, I will never leave you. I'm scared, everyone's scared. But let's be scared together alright?" Leo said softly. Mikey didn't respond but he didn't have to. Cause Leo already knew the answer.
Family sticks together
Always
TMNT
Time 1
The battle had raged on, the outlooks for the turtles looked good. Everyone was fighting and taking down their own destined enemies. But that's when tragedy struck…. Right after the aftermath. April finished off her last enemy when a loud cry was heard. The poor cry of her lover… Donnie. Donnie rarely cried unless something really bad happened.
Heading over to the source, she was meeted with a bleeding out Mikey. His harsh breaths and amount of blood pour were clear incantations he wouldn't make it.
"No Mikey! Stay with us please!" Donnie cried out as he put pressure on Mikey's stab wound. April got down on her knees and sobbed.
Her sunshine
Light
Pizza-Lover
Friend
Brother, were going to no longer exist after tonight. The stress and depression were to much, the sound of Leo sobbing and cupping his younger brothers face to his own face and telling him not to let go or Raph hitting everything and her own lover putting pressure on Mikeys wound.
"Mikey you promised! You promised you wouldn't leave me!" Leo sobbed and held on.
"Knucklehead please, who's going to cook or find me when I made a huge mistake?" Raph sobbed.
Shock overcame April, she couldn't even begin to grasp what was going on. Everything felt cold, hard, and unreal. She couldn't leave in a world without Mikey, it was emotionally impossible. Almost a few hours ago, he was playing video games and smiling, he promised that he would live on. Live on to better days.
But not like this
"Mikey please! I need you to drag me out of my lab!" Donnie cried.
"Your our sunshine, our glue! I told you this a few weeks ago on our special rooftop!"
April made her way over to Mikey and placed her hand on Mikey's heart. She needed to feel the heartbeat for the last time. See his smile for the last time. Feel his hug for the last time.
Mikey weakly grabbed Leo's hand, "Leo, Donnie, Raph, April, Death isn't the end. I will always watch over you. I love you Ani,"
Mikey held on to Donnie arm, "I love you to Ani"
Mikey pointed to Raph's heart, "I love you Ani"
And lastly, Mikey smiled at April, "I love you Ane"
Looking at Leo, Mikey smiled, "I promised I would never leave you and I won't. I'll see dad again; I love you all so much. Raph, my drawing book is under my bed, please continue them. I know how much you love to paint and draw. Donnie, my comics are on my nightstand, read them, you might enjoy them. And lastly Leo, my diary is under my pillow, read it and think of me."
Giving one last breath, Mikey gasped, "I'll always be with you." And then there was no longer a heartbeat.
Leo cried out and rested his head on Mikey's chest, Donnie stopped putting on the pressure and stepped back in complete shock. Raph hugged April as tears flowed down his cheeks.
"It's weird to think that just last night, he was sleeping in his room. I wished I knew that today was his last day," Leo said softly. But what he knew what Mikey had said in his final moments were true, death wasn't the end. It would never be.
Raph stood up, "I will finish Mikey's paintings for him."
Donnie stood up, "I give Mikey's comics a chance."
Leo stood up, "I will read Mikey's diary."
It would be hard getting over their Ototo's death, but they knew that Mikey was there with them. Death wasn't the end; it may feel like it was, but it wasn't.
"I love you Ototo," Leo said softly and broke down crying. Donnie and Raph joined him. April walked away and tried to overcome her own grief. Nothing was prefect but at least they had each other.
TMNT
Getting back home to the lair had been extremely hard, not physically but mentally…. nobody wanted to go back. All the memories of their deceased younger Ototo were there, and it hurt. It hurt a whole lot.
Once everyone stepped into the lair, they all moved to the couch to sleep. Still when everyone was asleep, the tears from the each of them were unstoppable. It was just yesterday that Mikey was moving around and playing his video games. Mikey made dinner yesterday, he did a lot of things yesterday. But crying wouldn't bring him back.
Leo couldn't fall asleep and got up to walk over to Mikey's room. He had promised Mikey anyways. But once he stepped foot into Mikey's room, he broke down. The bed wasn't made, and everything was scattered. It was like he was almost there.
"Oh Mikey," he sobbed. Leo made his way over to his younger brother's bed and laid down. It smelled like Mikey, his happiness, and his hidden sorrow. Sobbing into the pillow didn't make a difference.
But Mikey wasn't gone, death wasn't the end. It was then that Leo felt an overwhelming presence of peace and calmness. It was like someone was wrapping their arms around him.
"Mikey, I love your hugs," Leo said as he feel asleep. Even though there was nobody there physically, but spiritually, Mikey was there. To comfort. To ease worry and panic. To always be there for his brothers. Nobody was ever going to change that.
Ever
TMNT
There you go guys, oh my gosh this was extremely hard for me to write. I cried so much writing this *sniff* *sniff*. I am sorry for killing off Mikey (trust me, it hurt me to), I don't handle character deaths to well. Please review and let me know if you want another chapter. Maybe about the brothers healing process. Anyhow, sorry about this heartbreaking story.
Translation:
Ototo: Little Brother
Ani: Eldest Brother (Older Brother)
Ane: Eldest Sister (Older Sister)