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Wrestling Leo back into bed after he’d shown up to breakfast with a high fever had been bad enough.
Mikey heading off to the skatepark and Donnie leaving in the middle of the day to take April to the movies just made it worse.
Raph growled to himself as he heard Leo coming down the stairs for the third time that afternoon and turned the volume down on the show he was watching as he looked over his shoulder, watching Leo stumble into the kitchen dazedly. Leo… really wasn’t doing too well. He couldn’t stay standing long enough to walk on his own, and had to lean against the fridge or the counter as he looked around the room. He looked a bit lost, like he’d forgotten what he went in there for.
“Leo, why aren’t you in bed?”
Leo froze, looking over at Raph. Even from the distance, Raph could see the bright red flush that dusted his cheeks.
“I… uh…” He let out a short breath and glanced around the kitchen, clearly trying to remember what he’d come down for as he ran a hand through his hair shakily.
Raph let out a sigh that was not devoid of annoyance as he pushed himself off the couch, walking over to Leo and grabbing hold of his arm carefully. “C’mon, let’s get you back to bed.”
“W-wait, I-”
Something inside Raph snapped and his eye twitched. “You probably just came down here looking for a glass of fucking water, or something, which you could’ve just texted me for, and we could’ve avoided this whole fiasco!” He snapped. He was just so tired of Leo getting out of bed when he needed the rest he refused to get! “Now, I’m putting you back to bed, so you can sleep, and get over this bug. Come. On.” He tugged a bit roughly on his arm, heading towards the stairs.
He paused when he heard Leo’s breath hitch and he looked back to see the older sinking down to the floor, tears filling his eyes and overflowing onto his cheeks. Raph could’ve sworn his heart stopped, and he was quick to bend down next to Leo, placing a hand on his shoulder worriedly (god, Raph could feel the fever through his shirt). “Leo?”
“I-I’m sorry… I didn’t… I didn’t mean t-to… make you mad…”
Oh. Oh.
It didn’t occur to Raph until just then that yelling at Leo in this state probably wasn’t the best idea.
“Wait- shit Leo, I didn’t-”
He looked at Raph with wet eyes and Raph bit his lip, falling silent. He was too afraid of saying the wrong thing and just making it worse to try and make it better.
“I-I tried to sleep but I couldn’t so I…” He trailed off, looking off to the side and sniffing. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.
Raph opened his mouth to say something, but common sense kept him silent. He sat down on the floor in front of Leo, holding his arm loosely. Leo refused to look at him.
“M’not mad, Leo,” Raph finally settled on.
Leo looked at him with wide eyes, tears still making them shimmer in the light. “Y-you’re not…?”
Raph shook his head quickly.
“Th-then… th-then why’d you…” Leo started to shake again and Raph quickly pulled him to his chest, letting Leo press his tear-stained face against his shirt. His breath came out irregular and sporadic as he tried to bite back tears.
“I didn’t mean to yell at you, Leo,” Raph murmured, looking at the wall as he slowly rubbed Leo’s shaking back. “I’m just worried.”
“Y-you always argue w-with me when you-you’re…”
“... yeah. I know.”
“Did you want me to argue back?” Leo pulled away suddenly, looking at him and pressing against his chest. “I-I can try-”
“No, Leo-” He quickly reached up and brushed his fingers against Leo’s cheek, wiping the tears away. “You need to rest.”
“O-oh.” He looked down. “Sorry…”
He held back a growl. “Quit apologizing.”
Leo folded in on himself and didn’t say anything. Raph sighed, closing his eyes and trying to suppress the rising anger in his stomach. God, how he wished Donnie was here. He wouldn’t have made Leo cry. “Let’s get you back into bed.”
“Okay…” Leo agreed weakly, stumbling as Raph pulled him back to his feet. The two trekked up the stairs and Raph sat Leo back down on his bed.
“Raph?” Leo called tiredly as Raph turned to leave, and Raph’s shoulders visibly tensed. “... thanks.”
The hothead paused, and the anger left his shoulders as he looked back at Leo’s sick figure curled up on top of his blankets. “... don’t sweat it, Leo.”
Leo offered a watery smile, tears drying on his cheeks, before he rolled over and tried to fall asleep.
Raph hesitated, watching a few moments, before turning and leaving the room, letting the door click quietly behind him.
--
Donnie said Leo’s fever had gone down when he got back from the movies, and Raph nodded mutely from where he was sitting at the end of the couch, staring out the window in thought.
Donnie walked over with a frown. “Everything okay?”
Raph looked at him. “Do Leo and I argue a lot?”
Donnie blinked, stiffening, and Raph immediately knew the answer before Donnie had to say it. “... yeah. Just… yeah. A bit.”
Raph frowned and pressed his cheek against his fist, looking back out the window.
“Why?” Donnie came around and sat down next to him on the couch. “Did something happen between you and Leo?”
“No.” Raph quickly stood up, then paused. “Well…” He thought it over before shaking his head. “It doesn’t matter. I’m gonna go pick up some pizza.”
Donnie watched for a moment before nodding and leaning back against the couch. “Okay. Drive safe.”
“Uh huh,” Raph uttered, picking up his keys and leaving the house quickly so he could be left alone with his thoughts.