Chapter Text
"Oi leo?! Are you almost ready to head out!" Raphs voice was heard through the lair, loud and rumbling with concern as he searched for his family.
Splinter was in the hidden city, taking care of some "super secret affairs that turtle boys were not to know of," which wasnt suspicious at all, and had answered when his sons had called, telling them there was no storm down there but he was unable to leave because of it.
Then donnie had so graciously checked the forecast (hacked into the weather systems), and realised that it wasnt going to just be a regular storm, it was a rainy snow storm.
Meaning if they didnt leave now, there was a chance they might get snowed into the lair.
Which wouldnt be too awful if it didnt mean the city would probably lose power with a storm that bad, including the lairs heating system.
Sooooo sneaking into aprils student apartment it is!
Mikey was finishing packing a few things they couldnt afford to be ruined again, while donnie was trying to fortify the lair enough that it wouldnt sustain too much damage if the storm got really bad, while watching the weather reports coming in every minute or so.
Raph had organised mostly everything, all of them just about to head out, and was tasked with going to see if leo was ready since he wasn't with them all.
"Leo!" He called out, walking up the hallway to the sliders room, still not having heard from him. "What're ya doin'? You're bein' so slow, hurry up!"
Growing frustrated and already on edge from donnies disaster diagrams, the snapper pushed leos door open a little too harshly, making it bang.
He cringed on himself, glad they dont live in an actual house with walls you can bang holes in, about to yell again when he didnt inmediatly see his little brother. But then he heard a quiet whimper, only just able to hear over the rumbling sound of the storm up top.
Scanning the room, he still couldnt see leo, straining his ears to try and listen as he walked around the room. "Leo? Are ya in here?"
There was another whimper, and what sounded like muffled sobs that made raphs stress grow.
Leo was definetly in here somewhere.
There werent many places he could be if he wasnt out in the open. Under his bed was empty, void of anything alive, so that only left the wardrobe.
Raph walked over, opening the doors slowly and sticking his head inside, peeking and looking around.
Empty. Where the hell was he?
Then he heard a gasp and a choked sob from above, looking up and finally finding his brother.
In the small shelf at the top of the wardrobe sat the slider, curled up and holding himself tightly, shaking. "Leo?! Hey, why are you--"
Raph was cut off when the younger flinched and turned to him, eyes wide and frantic as he chirped fearfully.
He tried to figure out what the heck was happening, because leo doesnt just randomly cry frantically, the only sound coming from him being desperate chirps. And its just a storm--
It's... a storm.
Oh.
Oh.
It is the storm, it probably reminds him of...
Yea, that would make sense. This has happened a few times raph, get it together!
The snapper calmed himself down and offered a smile. He realised that unlike his usual tough love, he had to be more gentle this time, less threatening, raising his hands. "Hey leon, it's okay. Just a storm see? Raphs all good."
Leo let out a few more quick chirps, lip quivering but eyes softening slightly.
That was progress, raph can work with that. "Yeah, see? All good! We were gonna leave soon, so you gotta come down."
Leo just hiccupped and pushed himself backwards, chirps turning into something raph recognised as sad, not nearly as scared in comparison.
The snapper held open his arms, gesturing for leo to come down. "C'mon, come down from there."
The slider seemed hesitant but inched forward, glancing over the edge timidly at the ground as he did so.
Raph was about to speak again when a loud crack of thunder struck, large enough to be heard all the way down in the sewers.
It made leo flinch violently, slipping and tumbling out of the wardrobe.
The snapper wasted no time though, easily catching the younger and holding him close when he heard the frightened chirps return. Leo clung to his big brothers arm as if his life depended on it, still having not said a word.
Raph shushed him gently, protective churrs rumbling from his chest. "You're okay. Nothin' can hurt you. Raphies here."
If the older hadn't already been through a couple breakdowns with leo, or heard about them, after the invasion, he would have totally been beyond worried and distraught, probably even annoyed.
But the slider had never really liked thunderstorms since he was little, so that fear had only amplified after the prison dimension.
There has only been one thunderstorm incident since, and this was different to last time when leo just shut down completely. Mikey explained it was some kind of dissociation episode, disconnecting his mind from his body so he doesnt have to have hours of triggers.
Atleast thats how raph understood it. They ended up taking leo to the living room and having a jupiter jim marathon, letting him sit mostly unresponsive majority of the time.
He was brought out of his thoughts by a quiet cough and sniffle, realising that leo had stopped sobbing and chirping, still clinging to the taller but not in a pathetically desperate way anymore.
"Leo?" The slider slowly peeked his head out, wide glossy eyes meeting his brothers.
"Hey!" Raph grinned warmly, spiked teeth showing.
The smile faltered when he saw the blue turtles pale complexion and tired eyes. "Are you feelin' better now? Cause we gotta get goin' soon."
Leos bottom lip quivered, little chirps errupting once again. "I fe'ol sick... I no wanna lea'fe..."
Raphs eyes widened at the mumble talk, walking backwards and taking a seat on the bed in the room. "You feel sick?"
Leo nodded his head and sniffled, reaching his hand up to wipe his nose with the dorsal side. "I's cold, an' loud w'ah'fa. Bi' sto'm."
The older froze at the old nickname; rafa.
Oh.
Leo's either very, very sickly, or he's regressed.
"I know, and raph's sorry 'bout that," the snapper started gently, reaching his hand up to feel the youngers forehead. "How long have you been feelin' younger bud? Do you know how old 'ya feel?"
Leo visibly flinched, eyes filling with tears as he stuttered, almost as if trying to defend himself to save from reprimands. "I-- I-- so'wey wa-- wah'f-- I-- I-- didn' mean t-- to--"
"Hey hey hey, I'm not angry!" raph quickly assured, cupping the sliders face. "Nobodies angry baby bro, 'kay?"
Leo scanned the snapper with wide eyes, eventually nodding hesitantly.
Just as raph was about to ask once again how old he was feeling, or when he had started to feel sick, or how he had even climbed up into the top of the cupboard whilst so young to begin with - he was interrupted by a yell. "RAPHAEL! Are you and na--"
Leo hid his face in the olders plastron, trying to make himself as small as possible without retreating into his shell, although he was considering it. He started to sob again at all the loud sounds.
Everything around him was far, far too loud and big, and he was just a small, tiny little thing.
"Oh no, no no no no no. You're fucking joking-- We need to leave soon, we do not have time for whatever emotional meltdown--"
"Donnie!" Raph interrupted, hearing distressed clicks coming from his younger brother once again, rubbing his shell comfortingly.
"The little guy is feelin' sick, could'ja calm down?" He asked, emphasising his words in hopes the softshell would pick up on it.
Wishful thinking, he knows. The purple twin was never one to pick up on context clues.
"What?! He cant be sick! Nardo suck it the fuck up and come here," donnie exclaimed, walking towards the bed with furrowed brows, reaching out for his brother to feel his scales.
But the slider sobbed harder and flinched away, making the scientist pull back and frown. "What's... wrong?"
Raph churred and rocked the little in his arms, praying to pizza supreme that he would stop crying. "You scared him don, he's just a little guy. Ya gotta be more gentle than that-- and stop swearing."
Donnie looked just as confused as he was before, making raph roll his eyes and resort to mouthing silently, "hes regressed and scared and sick."
The softshells eyes widend with understanding, nodding and noticeably softening his tone. "Leo? Would you mind if I take your temperature."
The smaller whimpered and trembled, trying to quieten his cries but ultimately just too overwhelmed by all the big emotions bubbling out of him.
"I'm not anrgy with you lee," donnie said gently, hoping to gain his regressed twins attention.
Leo sniffled but turned his head slowly, revealing his face enough to see an eye and pouty lips.
"Hello," the purple turtle greeted, smiling and attempting to keep the apathetic tone out of his voice, replacing it with something more gentle and clear. "Raphala told me you were feeling sick, is that true?"
The snapper manoeuvred his trembling little brother so that he was facing the softshell more, now better showcasing leos pale, flushed face, his droopy eyes and running nose.
The youngest nodded his head gently, using the back of his hand to wipe his nose again.
Only now that they were sitting here did anyone realise that leo wasnt wearing any clothes, even his socks were off his feet.
No wonder he was fucking cold. Dum dum.
"Okay," donnie said, running through all the variables in his head. "Can I take your temperature? Also, can we please put on some clothing? You have to be freezing."
"T'a h'aut," leo argued weakly, letting his twin feel his forehead and placing his wrist tech up to the already unusually warm scales. "You have a fever, thats why you feel so hot. You still need to be warm though."
"What do'ya wanna wear buddy?" Raph asked gently, eyes furrowing when donnie showed him the number on his screen. Shit.
Leo whined and rubbed his eyes, hiding his face and clicking quietly. There was too much going on, he just wanted to hide in bed.
Raph leaned forward and put his snout against the smallers head, nuzzling his scales. "We'll help you pick, then pack some stuff. We're gonna go to aprils."
"Buh-- buh d'e f'und'a! An-- an' d'e w'ain!" the slider countered, hiccuping and churring, beside himself with overwhelming feelings constantly pouring out of him in the form of globby tears. Not only was he facing all these big emotions, but his brothers wanted him to do so many things. "Bi'h sto'm!"
"That is exactly why we have to go my dear brother, it's warmer and more dry in april and casey juniors apartment," donnie explained, getting up to shuffle through leos near empty bag on the ground and fill it with essentials that the slider surely would have packed. "And we need to leave very, very soon."
"Guyssssss! Im all ready to go when you are!" They hear from down the hall, raph looking up and being met with their box turtle brother. "What's going on in here?"
"Leo is sick and regressed and we need to leave," donnie said blankly, reaching under leos bed and pulling out a box with another backpack.
He opened the box to reveal leos little gear: a pacifier, colouring books and pencils, some chew toys, stim items, and a few other things. He put them all in the blue stary backpack, zipping it up. "Alright, I have packed what I assume nardo would want, is there anything else?"
The softshell was stressed, because now not only was their home at risk because what the fuck are they supposed to do if the sewer tunnels completely flood with rain water - but now they couldnt just portal to their friends apartment because their brother was at the mental age of Galileo knows how old!
It's ruining the plan he made and he doesnt like it.
"Aww, itty bitty lee-bug, it's okay! We're gonna be so warm and cozy, and you'll get to see CJ and april!" Mikey cooed, walking over to his now little brother and smiling comfortingly; the box turtles sweet nicknames always got his attention.
...
"Poof?" leo questioned hesitantly, staring at his brother with wide, sad eyes.
"Uh huh, and casey."
"Caja!"
"Thats right my star!" Mikey beamed, reaching for the youngers hands gently. "So why don't we find an outfit so we can leave, yea?" The minute he found out his immediate older brother was an age regressor, he was over the moon excited for the opportunity to take care of leo and be the number one big bro that the slider has been for him over the years.
Leo nodded his head, lips now turned up slightly and tears dried.
Mikey smiled and searched through leos draws, finding a pair of black sweatpants and baby blue and yellow fluffy socks.
"Do you want your stary socks hun? Or I can find your polar bear ones," he asked, hearing a chirp of agreement for the stars and passing both items of clothing to raph before continuing to look through the draws.
He and the two elder turtles were already dressed in warm clothing, and packed enough to go. Thankfully leo managed to fill a bag or two with stuff from the med-bay, so that was already done.
The box turtle passed raph a white singlet top, and then held up two long sleeved shirts, both just plain colours, one a dark grey and the other white. He doesnt know where the others have gone, maybe in the bag donnie packed. Same with the onesies, he assumed. "White or grey?"
The slider pointed to the white one, letting his brother tug it over his head gently and put it on after the tank top. "Okay, dee do you have his ice bear hoodie?"
Donnie searched through the bag of little gear he had packed, pulling out a thick fluffy fleece jumper that had ears and eyes on the hood, looking like a polar bear. He passed it to mikey, who tugged it over leos head as well.
Then he found a pair of shoes, putting them on leos feet and tying the laces. "Okay! Are we all--"
BANG
"AHH," leo screamed as the lights went out, clinging to raphs bicep and hiding his face in his arpit, chirping loudly.
"Oh fuck me me in the ass!"
"Donatello!" The softshell just growled in the pitch darkness.
A few moments went by before the room was lit up by donnies tech bo, a purple glow on all of their scales while he typed angrily on his phone.
"Uh, dee? What happened?" Mikey asked, rubbing leos shell comfortingly.
"The power in our neighbourhood went out. Aprils is fine for now by the looks of it, but now we cant use the turtle tank to get there because I wont be able to get the walls up. Even the back up generators are down," donnie muttered.
"I guess its poncho time then!"
"Try winter coats, its raining and snowing michael."
"Oh yea. Ill go find them, I think they're stashed in a cupboard somewhere," mikey announced, hurrying out of the room.
"Guy'sh... I no' wanna go..." The two eldest turtles turned to the smaller in the room, who had now peeked his head back out, shaking and sniffling in raphs arms. "Pea'sh t'an we s'ay..."
It looked like he went to speak again, but then shuddered and coughed. His eyes drooped shut and he turned his face weakly into raphs plastron as he hiccuped.
Donnies brows furrowed with imbedded concern, taking a seat on the bed and reaching his hand up to feel the sliders forehead once again; it was becoming a habit. "Nardo, how are you feeling? Can you tell me please."
There was silence for a moment, before they heard a barely audible mumble. "Hur's"
"What hurts, try to be specific."
"Donnie," raph warned again. "Be gentle."
"This is crucial," donnie bit back, reaching for one of leos hands and rubbing it gently as he ducked his head to avoid a swat from the snapper, noticing the smallers scales on his hands were like ice.
The slider turned himself to his twin, droopy eyes filled with tears. He looked at his brother for a moment before making grabby hands towards the softshell, churring with a quivering lip.
He knew his big twin didnt like touchy times as much as him, but he was so small and he needed to be held so he was safe.
Donnie put his aversion to touch and germs to the back of his mind, taking the younger into his arms and craddling him close to avoid another meltdown. "Tell me what hurts please bub."
Another beat of silence before the genius tried again. "How about I point to places, and you tell me yes or no if they hurt. Can you do that?"
He felt leo nod while his head was hidden in the crook of his neck, sighing with relief.
He pointed to the sliders head; a nod.
Pointing to his throat earned him a nod.
The younger nodded again when his tummy was pointed to.
Chest, which donnie was praying for leo to shake his head - but he couldnt be so lucky could he, being given another nod.
He took a deep breath in, rubbing gentle circles into his twins carapace. "Thank you for telling me. The minute we get to aprils I will find and give you some medication to make the hurting stop, but we need to leave now, alright?"
"O'tay tew'lo," leo whispered, sniffing.
"Guys I found our coats." Mikey came back into the room, already wearing a dark orangey-brown snow jacket and carrying three others in different colours. "Alsoooo I thought since the power's out we wont have service, so I found our old walkie talkies in case we get split up."
Leo whined and nuzzled further into donnie, if that was even possible, at the mention of splitting up, making raph rumble protectively. "We aren't splitting up."
"They'll be useful, nice thinking michael," donnie praised anyways, ignoring the eldest. "We need to leave before we get snowed in, it looks like we have a window of no rain, but we need to be quick."
Raph put his coat on, eventually convincing leo to let go of the softshell so both twins could put their coats on.
"Alright, we ready to go guys? Got'cha bags n' everythin'?" he asked, now off the bed with leo standing next to him, holding one of the snapping turtles fingers.
"Should be all set, I've taken necessities from my lab and my bedroom."
"I've got stuff from my room! And dads room as well."
"Raph's all good with his stuff," the snapper says, smiling and turning to the clingy little. "Is there anythin' else you wanna grab before we go buddy?"
Leo coughed and shook his head, whining quietly. That was all he offered, so the boys took it as their chance to grab the bags they had each respectively packed and get out of the lair.
They thought their home was cold, especially after the constant heat had stopped pouring through, but walking through the sewer tunnels was like being waterboarded in a frozen over lake.
...
"Guys?" Raph called out worriedly, glancing back at the twins behind him. Who knows when they got there, all they were worried about was the freezing temperature. "Everyone all good?"
Mikey was bouncing a couple feet ahead at all times, keeping himself warm with constant movement.
The two middle children were walking hand in hand, donnie tugging leo along gently through the coldness. "We need to move faster. At this rate, we're going to end up unable to lift any manhole cover. We cant be exerting extra energy by using our ninpo, our body is using it to keep warm. We also can't rely on nardos portals like we usually do."
Raph churred and shot donnie a look, before his gaze was drawn the younger. "Yea, we should speed things up."
"I'm not the slowpoke here, that's you guys," mikey chirps, running circles around the three. "C'mon lee-bug, keep up!"
Leo chirped weakly, looking like he was about to speak when a series of sneezes cut him off. It made his steps falter and donnies grip tighten. "Are you alright?"
The slider sniffed and whined, stopping in his tracks. "I's too t'old, I wanna go home bubby... t'an we pea'sh go home?"
"We're going to April's, because it's warmer there," donnie explained, pulling on leos hand urgently. "We have to go."
"Bu' I tired!" Leo whined, tears growing in his eyes as he ripped his hand away from his twins. He flapped them up and down, chirps building in his chest. "I-- I wanna go home."
"Leonardo I swear--" The softshell reached for leos hand again, but when he got a hold on it he was once again ripped away from.
"Mika!" The youngest wailed, clinging to his big brother the minute he felt arms wrap around him. "I-- I-- I-- sm'ol an' i's big."
"Donnie!" Raph put a hand on the softshells shoulder, making him stop and take a deep breath.
"Honey I know, it's okay. Just breathe for me."
He shrugged the snappers hand off. "I know."
"Lee, c'mere," raph said, walking forward and holding his arms out. "Raph can carry ya if you're tired, yea? Want a piggy back ride?"
Leo just started to sob harder, legs suddenly buckling under him and falling to the ground into the wet sewer muck along with the box turtle holding him. "I-- I jus' wan'a go ho'm!"
Raph rushed to the younger two and scooped them up before either of their clothes could get too soaked, rocking them gently while mikey offered comforts; he was always the best at handling a small leo. "It's okay baby. I know, everythings too big for my tiny little honey, mika knows."
Donnie raised his eyebrows and cocked his head forwards, beginning to walk. The snapper followed, still rocking the youngests as he walked. "You're okay little one, I knows it hurts. We just gotta keep going and everything will be all good, mkay? We have to get someplace warm, dont we?"
Leo just coughed, hiccuping and sniffling harshly because of all the snot coming from his nose.
Donnie sighed and started walking next to raph, one of his mechanical arms reaching out with a tissue to wipe his face.
Leo let him at first but eventually pulled away, chewing on his fingers and hiding his face.
The softshell rolled his eyes and dropped the tissues into the sewer water, rummaging through leos bag of little gear. "Nardo, do you want anything?"
He didnt recieve an answer, looking up to see the sliders fingers in his mouth and cringing. "Take your fingers out of your mouth, there are far too many germs."
Leo ignored him again, paying him no mind.
Donnie calmed himself down, remembered that despite the very real danger of brumation on top side and freezing to death raining down upon them, this is still his baby brother he's talking to. "Bub, I have something you might want?"
Leo hiccupped and shuddered, making raph hold him tighter and churr comfortingly.
Mikey rubbed soothing circles into the youngers carapace, giving him a little kiss on the head. "Have a look at what dee's got honeybee, it's okay."
The little turned his head hesitantly at his brothers soft voices, teary eyes latching onto the object in donnies hands the moment he saw it.
"Ahh ah, num'a... nummy," he mumbled, pouting and sniffling as little tears trickled down his cheeks.
He was just so overwhelmed with everything, all he could do was cry and cry. He was too small to do anything logical about the all the big problems he felt he was facing, and everyone was so upset.
He just wanted to be at home, cuddled up maybe in a snuggy or something, watching a movie.
"I pea'sh hav'a nummy?" He asked quietly through little hiccups, tears starting to flow harder. "I-- I so'wy fo-- fo'bein' bad, I-- I si' an' an--"
"Here, of course you can have it," donnie said quickly as he gave the younger the pacifier. "Don't be silly nardo. If you need something, ask for it. Alright?"
The little slider just nodded his head hesitantly, sniffling as he snuggled back into his big brothers plastron.
"You dont need to be sorry, you're not bad at all, you're just a baby bug at the moment so you're not in any trouble," mikey insisted, nuzzling the crown of leos head with his snout. "You're the sweetest, most precious little baby! My itty bitty star-- my moonstar! That's right, my little moonstar. Nobodies angry with you."
The soother, mixed with his favourite caregivers comforts, managed to keep leo quiet during the rest of the trip through the sewer tunnels, finally making it to the manhole cover closest to aprils apartment.
Granted it was still a few blocks from the building complex, but it would have to do.
"Alright, I'll go first," raph announced, holding his little brother out gently to his twin whilst mikey hopped down. "Donnie take leo for me, just in case."
Leo accepted his twins embrace but chirped worriedly, hazy eyes trying to lock onto his red brother.
Unfortunately for him he was ignored as the snapper climbed up the ladder, donnie adjusting his hold on the slider so that he rested securely on his back. He was wrapped in a blanket pulled from somewhere and supported by the softshells mechanical arms, swaddled like a newborn. It was the only thing the older could think to do to keep his baby brother content.
Warm, safe, and hopefully willing to stay quiet.
It seemed the Gods were in donnies favour, because the little didnt struggle against all the movement, rather melting into the security and newfound warmth. Like a baby.
"Awww, you comfy baby?" Mikey cooed, earning little chirps as leo blinked heavily. "Oooo I could just eat you up, you know that lee? You're too precious."
"Shut up mikey."
"You shut up, jerk."
"Oh fu--"
"Donnie," raph hissed, glaring down at the softshell. "Baby. Brother. Watch what you say."
He recieved a low growl in return, hearing faint mocking and bickering as he climbed up the ladder further, finally reaching the manhole cover.
When he first pushed on it as he usually would it didnt budge in the slightest, but with a few strong shoves it finally lifted.
Some snow fell into the sewer, raphs face being hit with an icy wind and letting it fall shut gently. "We're all good, stop fighting and hurry up!"
"Michael, is nardo still awake?" Donnie asked, suddenly concerned with his brothers quietness. "Can you feel his scales for me?"
The box turtle did as he was asked, churring. "I think he's sleeping, or atleast dozing in and out. And he still feels really hot, but is shivering."
Donnie nodded and started climbing up after raph. "It's not ideal that he has such a high fever, because if it gets too high there's a risk of seizures. Sleeping is fine as long as he isn't too cold because of the risk of brumation, but he's shivering so that isn't as much of a concern at the moment. Brumation is less dangerous than seizures but also less predictable so--"
"It'll be fine dee," mikey interrupted him, smiling comfortingly as he waited for the older to get further up the ladder before climbing himself. "I get you're worried, but he'll be fine for now if he sleeps, right?"
"I suppose so," the softshell murmured, climbing out of the manhole as he watched mikey crawl up as quickly as possible.
"Holy heck its cold up here!" he exclaimed, curling in on himself as they all hid in the nearest alleyway. "Atleast it isnt--"
Suddenly it started to rain, light at first but very quickly picking up. "Ugh... Totally jinxed it."
"Quick guys, we can make it if we run!" raph announced, taking off and making sure the other two were following.
"Jeeze, it's freezi-- OWIE I THINK ITS HAILING."
As they ran through the icy wails reigning down upon them they could faintly hear leos sobs return, giving them all the more reason to run as fast as they could.
Fortunately they made it pretty quickly, all but slamming through aprils apartment window after climbing up the fire escape.
"April?!"
Silence was all that rang through the apartment, each room void of life and echoing the sounds of the harsh weather.
But there were still leos cries they had to deal with, so they ignored their sisters absence for the time being.
Donnie quickly let the little down, unwrapping him from the now soggy and surely freezing blanket. Mikey took his baby brother into his arms the minute he got his snow coat off. "What's the matter moonstar? Oh, you're freezing now-- donnie!"
"Change into something warm and dry, everyone before we all catch nardos germs," the softshell ordered, already stripping down his soppy clothing and searching through his bags for replacements, as did the others.
"Come on lee-bug, you're okay, everythings okay. We're all toasty warm in aprils apartment now," mikey soothed cuddling up with leo on the couch and offering him his pacifier that had fallen from his mouth while he was sobbing. "Where's april?!"
"A text just came through from her, her and casey junior are stuck at her parents house until the storm clears up enough for them to drive," donnie explained, groaning and trying not to yell at his regressed brother for being so loud. "Why is he still crying?!"
"He's just tired and scared, arent you baby. Poor thing, you're sick and freezing to death," mikey cooed worriedly, trying to get some kind of reaction out of the slider that wasnt sobs.
"Everything hurts more in the cold," raph suddenly pointed out helpfully, reminding donnie of when he was told that leos entire body was in pain and sick feeling.
Mikey listened faintly as he focused on the smaller, trying to soothe him. It wasn't working too well, even though he was now wrapped in an even warmer blanket from their sisters house and new clothes were on him. He wouldnt even take his pacifer back.
"What's the matter hun? Can you talk to angey please?" The box turtle all but begged, worry pooling and flooding his body. "Are you hurting somewhere, could you tell me where?"
"E-- e'ber'wy wh-- wha'or," the younger garbled, curling in on himself and making no effort to cling to anything anymore as his body tremored
Mikey chirped worriedly, gaze locking onto his older brothers desperately. "Guys..."
Donnie frantically searched through all their bags, throwing items left and right to search for medication. "FUCK-- Did anyone go into the med-bay before we left and get leos to go bag?!"
...
"Shit shit shit-- Nardo, here--" The softshell rushed over to his little brother, taking his temperature and cursing when his tech read 41.2°C. "I wonder if april has fever reducers--"
He hurried to the kitchen cabinets and searched through them as frantically as their bags moments earlier, but ultimately only found ibuprofen and cold and flu tablets, one completely useless and the other most likely going to do very little to help.
"Leo," he called, rushing back to the slider and gently gaining his attention with two pills and a glass of water. "You need to drink and swallow these, I dont have anything else at the minute."
The little shook his head in protest, wanting nothing to do with the tablets or the water, making an attempt to pull away but ultimately too weak to do anything.
"Bub please, you have to," the softshell insisted, finally managing to get leo to cooperate.
After he swallowed the tablets he accepted his pacifer back, still hiccuping and sniffling as he curled up and fell back asleep, tears staining his striped cheeks.
"This isnt good, not good, not at all," donnie murmured, chittering and flapping his hand gently. "April only has ibuprofen, which is usually fine for high temperatures but we're mutants, nardo needs the fever reducers we have in the lair, and im almost certain antibiotics because such an extreme fever is the cause of an infection."
"So what're you saying?" Raph asked, his worry chasm growing with every second.
Donnie squinted his eyes as if that was the stupidest question anyone could have asked him. "Well I obviously have to go back to the lair dont I?!"
"Dont yell, what if you wake him up!?" Mikeys aggressive whispers weren't taken lightly, especially when they heard leos whimpers and laboured breaths.
"I--" Raph cut himself off when the room went dark, suddenly hearing the airflow of the vents shut off.
"Oh for fucks sake fucking fuck fuck!"
He sighed and pinched the bridge of his snout, voice low and exhausted. "You're not goin' back down there by yourself."
"I guess those walky-talkies were a good idea huh," mikey mumbled, quiet churrs erupting from his chest.