Work Text:
It had been an awfully long day, at the end of an awfully long week.
Your bones ached from the massive amounts of menial work you'd had to perform in the span of just six work days, something that was not usually on your schedule. Add to the fact that the boys and April were investigating a possible Foot Clan - NYPD connection which required all of their human friends, yourself included, to be fully involved because this just wasn't something they could investigate on their own.
Your shift had just ended less than half an hour ago, and by that time you would usually be in the Lair, with some snacks, or groceries, or maybe some pizza, but that day had drained you so much you actually considered falling asleep at your place of work, for lack of energy to get home. You finally managed to drag yourself to the Lair, barely in human shape, more so just a walking uniform and organic matter, and called out to the turtles.
No response.
Odd, you could swear they should be here. In fact Mikey had texted you to ask if you'd come over only about - hour and a half ago!? Maybe you'd taken longer than you thought.
Before you decided to leave, you hear a cloth-like rustle from the lab and the low hum of a radio frequency.
Odd, you thought, Donnie never leaves anything on while he's gone. Better go check out what it is, you reason, slowly striding towards the open space of the lab.
Upon entering the open space you are left even more confused as you see all the screens running something or another, mostly CCTV footage from what looked like lower Manhattan with some additional other thingymabobs you weren't sure about but that wasn't the weirdest part.
As you somehow dragged yourself closer to the running screens you saw, near one of the desks, on the chair a mass of blankets and throw pillows.
Increasingly odd, you think, it's unlike Don to leave such a mess by his workstation. Maybe he was tired too. Maybe his day was as shit as yours was.
They're probably on patrol, you conclude and turn to leave, but as you do something shuffles from the corner of your eye.
You twist back quickly looking back around the lab - nothing.
You're imagining things now huh? Great.
Suddenly, Don's chair shakes, the blankets shuffle, a pillow falls.
What the actual hell?!
Something pokes out so quickly you jump back a foot, eyes wide, as a small squeak leaves your throat.
"Can I help you?"
It's Donnie?!
"Don, what the hell! You scared me to death..." though your anger somewhat died down once you saw him.
He looked absolutely exhausted, even for him. His under-eyes were darker than you thought his dark skin would allow, his eyes actually looked dry and tired, and there was a visible frown on his full lips.
"Hey, are you okay?"
"Just fine." he stated unconvincingly, shuffling back into his blankets.
Wait, where the hell are his legs?! There's no way all 6'8 of him fits under that blanket!
"Don, where are your legs?!"
"In my shell. For comfort."
"Comfort?"
"Yes, this is my comfort cave."
Well, that did make some version of sense - he was a turtle after all. You weren't sure how it was physically possible to fit those powerful legs into his shell but you doubted it was the appropriate time to ask.
And suddenly you felt horribly guilty. He was over here trying to enjoy whatever peace he could get from his brothers while they were patrolling, and you were disturbing him. He needed a break and he needed it badly.
"Baby, you look exhausted... How much did you sleep and when did you last eat?" you'd take care of him, regardless of your own exhaustion.
"I'm fine, dove..." a large yawn splits his face and since his arms are probably in his shell too, no hands come up to try to cover it up, "...really."
"I'll go make you a sandwich and some tea, you need sleep."
"No, no, wait!" he sounded somewhat nervous for whatever reason, as his eyes seemed to wake up a slight bit more, and his arms and legs somehow extended from under the blanket, now around his shoulders. "There's something that will help me get some sleep."
You hum, thrusting a hip out, whether from exhaustion or sass you could not tell. "And what might that be?"
The fluffy looking blanket around him suddenly turned into a cape, an end held in each of his hands as his arms stretched open and he leaned further back into the seat.
Cuddles?
Well, that did make some sense, the turtle seemed to be a lot more physically affectionate at his lowest points, supposedly in search for comfort and warmth.
And honestly after the day you'd had, you were all to willing to give in.
You dropped your bag onto the ground, j tied and removed your shoes and climbed into your man's lap,as his powerful warm arms closed around you sealing you into his comfort cave.
This is how his brothers found you and, frankly none of them had the heart to wake you up.
Though Raph and Mikey did take pictures.