Chapter Text
In the lab, the two brothers sit across from each other in silence. Donnie is to absorbed in his thoughts to care about making small talk; he will ask his brother about the situation once he is finished. Mikey however, is overwhelmed. He's trying desperately to find any combination of words to make up an excuse or joke or even just a sound that may quench the ever growing silence.
One wouldn't be able to tell that he was overwhelmed due to the expressionless look on his face.
"I'm going to disinfectant them now Mike. It might hurt a little, K?" Donatello warns softly. His voice holds all the comfort and concern in the world. Mikey tenses ever so slightly at being pulled from his thoughts, but quickly returns a nod followed by a murmered "mhm."
Donnie wipes a cloth doused in rubbing alcohol over his brothers wounds. There were only a couple cuts which had stopped bleeding. Mikey doesn't flinch or even feel it start to work as the cuts turn white and flow over with foam.
Rapidly enough the process is over, and the turtle in orange now has new, clean bandages on his left arm. They cover what he has done to himself. Mikey feels shame and embarrassment. The two brothers gaze at the ground for a minute as if it could actually prevent the elephant in the room from being acknowledged.
"Are you...mad?" Mikey hears himself spew. His brothers whole maskless face seem to widen with his eyes. A sense of relief washes over him as the purple turtle stutters out words of disagreement. All jumbled up into on big...
"No. What? Why would I be mad??" Mikey shrugs. "Im sorry. I'm just suprised and stuck in my head. And admittedly I could be stalling because I know that once we start talking one of us might cry." Donnie laughs a little, but sees his only younger brother shrink in on himself with guilt.
"I'm sorr-"
"Don't be." Don cuts him off. He hesitates a moment before making eye contact with his brother and continuing "I'm glad that I know now and that I can help with this..."
Mikey swallows and Donnie keeps talking.
"I...I just wish I would've noticed. We are all struggling a lot right now with sens-...with fathers um...departure." the purple clad cringes at his struggle with finding the right words. "And we- I. I know you tend to mask these emotions. We only have each other and I-" his breath catches in his throat. "Did we do anything to make you-"
Michelangelo's heart gains ten pounds and drops to his stomach. He wastes no time interrupting his brother.
"NO...I- no you guys didn..didn't do anything...I just do it when I'm frustrated is all.." Mikey exclaimed disrupting the eye contact out of shame.
"How long have you been doing this Mikey? Please talk to me."
The orange clad didn't like to lie at the best of times, and he had no intention of doing so now.
"It's been maybe a year? It was really... bad about this time last year, but I only do it when I'm super super frustrated I promise!... It got to the point that it was all I could think about, and every small problem seemed to have the same solution. Maybe I...I even looked for problems, just so I would have a reason to..."
Mikey gets quieter as he talks until he's slurring his words and stops talking all together. Donnie just nods his head. Looking worriedly at his only younger brother as he whispers secret woes. He doesn't overreact or interrupt, but simply continues to give subtle hints and gestures signifying that Mikey should keep talking.
Once it is clear that the younger of the two is done, Donnie nods a final time and takes his brothers hand. They venture back to Mikey's room where he is pleasantly suprised that Don has invited himself to a sleepover as he climbs in bed after him. the two turtles face each other as they snuggle under the covers. The maskless purple clad rests his chin on top of his brothers head and wraps his arms around his shell. Donnie whispers loving words and kisses Mikey's forehead. He murmurs that it will be ok and that he is here.
Mikey knows that tomorrow they will need to inform the others of his situation. He knows and he is worried. However right now, as he falls asleep in the warmth and comfort of his brothers arms, it's difficult to be worried about anything.