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Raph awoke to a sudden buzzing noise next to his bed. He was very confused, until he remembered the family meeting from that morning.
'Right, distress buttons in case we have nightmares. Who pressed the button?'
The button was lit up blue, confusing Raph. Not because he didn't know what it meant, more because he knew exactly who it was from.
'Leo actually went to sleep at a decent hour?'
Raph got up from his bed and started walking to Leo's bedroom. He nearly ran into Mikey, who was heading the same direction. Donnie was standing by the door when they both got there.
"Why do all of us need to be up?" Mikey asked, yawning.
"Because we don't know what's wrong," Donnie replied. "He could be having another nightmare about the...other place, and needs all of us so he knows we're safe."
Raph slid the door open, waiting for the others to enter before closing it behind himself. When he looked over to Leo, he sighed sadly.
Leo was sitting up and curled into himself, holding the distress button like a lifeline. He couldn't seem to see the others and was off in his own world. Judging by his expression, Raph could tell it wasn't exactly a vacation.
Donnie reached over and tapped Leo between the eyes, startling him. Leo looked around wildly, taking one hand off the button and quickly checking to see if Donnie was really there.
Raph felt guilty watching Leo frantically check if the others were actually there. His thoughts raced too quickly to process anything.
The many difficult choices made during the Krang fight had continued to weigh heavy on Raph's mind, even knowing they were all safe. Raph's rapid thoughts almost had him wandering off into his own world, but Leo staring and whining like a scared child snapped him out of it.
Raph put aside his own thoughts and quickly went over to Leo, slowly picking him up to hold in his lap. Leo seemed to appreciate the thought, as he visibly relaxed.
"It's okay bud, we're here," Raph said softly. Leo closed his eyes, moving his hand to be on Raph's heart. Raph looked at the other two, trying to tell them something. Neither really got it, until Leo whined again, reaching his other arm out. Donnie and Mikey quickly sat on opposite sides of Raph and put their hands on Leo; Mikey on Leo's arm and Donnie on his head.
Leo seemed to finally calm down, closing his eyes and relaxing once more. Raph smiled, glad, and rocked Leo ever-so slightly. They all stayed until they were asleep, waking up in a weird pile of limbs in the morning.
———————
Raph was woken up by buzzing again. He barely glanced at it, assuming it was Leo again, before doing a double take.
"It's Mikey this time?" He said aloud, concern flooding his voice. Raph left his room quickly, walking over to Mikey's. He managed to be the first one this time and went ahead in.
Mikey wasn't curled into a ball like Leo, or looking nearly as petrified, but he was crying. And crying hard at that.
"Buddy," Raph whispered softly, approaching his youngest brother. Mikey looked at Raph and started crying more, making grabby arms for a hug.
Raph picked him up, sitting on the bed and keeping Mikey in a secure hug. Leo and Donnie had made it in as well just as Raph sat down. He could also swear Mikey looked a combination of very scared and very relieved to see them.
Mikey grabbed Leo by the arms and smushed him into a hug, patting all over to make sure he was there. Leo looked at him sadly, and went to hold Mikey's arms, soothing him.
"I'm here little bro, you saved me. You saved me," Leo whispered, holding Mikey softly.
Mikey sniffed and wiped his eyes, once Leo released his arms, then turned to Donnie.
"I'm here Micheal, we're not on the Krang ship anymore." Donnie hugged Mikey to himself, letting his little brother rub his shell, making sure there was no Krang tentacles.
Raph felt himself tearing up, holding Mikey a bit tighter in his hug. Donnie and Leo climbed on to the bed, petting Mikey softly.
"At least we can sit with you now; couldn't do that at the hammock," Leo teased. Mikey let out a giggle, still wet with tears.
“You need to talk about it?” Raph asked quietly. He saw Mikey clench his hands, before shaking his head no, burying his head further into Raph’s plastron.
“Well, we’re here if you need, bud.” Raph finished, holding Mikey close. Raph gently held Mikey’s arms, massaging them slowly. Mikey seemed to melt at that, so Raph continued, giving a small smile.
The other two leaned further into the cuddle, before drifting asleep. Everyone woke up cuddled in the morning, a lot happier than the night before.
———————
Raph wasn’t even surprised when he woke up the next night. ‘Who was it?’
But the button wasn’t glowing anymore, despite Raph knowing it just went off.
‘That’s…strange…’ He decided to get out of bed anyways, and went to check Leo first. However, Leo nearly ran into him when he left his room.
“You didn’t press it, did you?” Raph asked, already leading them towards Mikey’s.
“Nope. I heard it buzz and woke up, but it wasn’t glowing anymore. Decided I should go look anyways.”
Raph slid open the curtain to Mikey’s room, but was surprised to see him sleeping peacefully.
“Guess it was Donnie,” Leo said. “C’mon big guy, let’s go see him. Leave Mikey asleep.”
But Raph didn’t budge, concerning Leo. “What’s up Raphie?”
“If it was Donnie who woke up from a nightmare, he probably wouldn’t want hugs from anyone, right?”
“Yeah, on bad sensory days he only gets them from April and- oh.”
Raph grimaced, nodding. “Yeah, we need to wake him up just in case.”
Leo patted Raph’s shoulder, then started walking to Donnie’s room. Raph walked into Mikey’s, approaching his baby brother.
“Hey Mikey,” Raph said quietly, poking Mikey’s cheek. He stirred, then blinked, sitting up.
“Why? I was having a good sleepy,” Mikey grumbled.
“Donnie pressed the button,” Raph said, and Mikey looked at him, wide awake.
“Okay. Mind carrying me?”
“’Course!” Raph replied, picking Mikey up. He walked quickly over to Donnie’s room, and was nearly beaned with a pillow when he walked in. He looked at Donnie, who was in the farthest corner away from them, hissing. Leo was off to the side, trying to bandage a bite.
“Leo, what happened?!” Raph asked, holding Mikey a bit tighter to himself.
“I just walked up to him and he bit my finger!” Leo complained, although Raph could tell Leo was concerned more about Donnie than his finger.
Raph’s attention was switched to Mikey, who patted his plastron, wanting down. Raph reluctantly set him down, watching as Mikey slowly approached Donnie.
“Hey Dee, it’s just Mikey,” Mikey said softly, slowly approaching his brother. Donnie hissed a little louder, but didn’t look ready to bite. Mikey stayed by the bed for a moment, before sitting on it’s edge, waiting.
Raph watched on, apprehensive, as Donnie left his corner and slowly approached Mikey. He was very slow in his movements, appearing frightened. But, he finally reached out and touched at least Mikey’s arm. That seemed to reassure him, and so he went in for the hug.
Mikey held his brother, staying still, as Donnie started crying. Raph and Leo approached slowly as well, sitting on the ground.
“’M sorry, Leo. Didn’t mean to bite you. Scared…” Donnie eventually mumbled out. Leo gave a reassuring smile, which Donnie returned.
“Do ya need to talk about it?” Raph asked quietly.
“Woke up and was scared. Pressed the button but the light and noise hurt,” he admitted. Nothing about the nightmare though.
“I’m sorry dude,” Leo said. “Do you want us to stay in here?”
Donnie nodded, before tapping Mikey’s arm. Mikey let him out of the hug and Donnie scooted back to the head of his bed. Mikey, Leo, and Raph, meanwhile, got comfy on the floor.
Donnie did take some pity on them and gave them pillows, so they wouldn’t wake up with a crick in the neck.
“Wake us up if you have another nightmare,” Raph said, already drifting asleep.
Donnie nodded, and soon everyone was asleep again. No more nightmares that night.
———————
Raph woke up with a start. Unlike the past three nights, it wasn’t the button. Instead, Raph had jolted awake from his own nightmare.
He could barely remember it, despite it just happening, however the fear was running strong through him. He could feel dread crawling up him, starting from the new crack in his shell. He hated the feeling, and hated it crawling all over him. Once his now bad eye twitched, he pressed the distress button, thoroughly terrified of staying alone any longer.
He had no concept of time right now, only knowing it was dark, and quiet. And quiet meant his thoughts could run wild. He tried his best to think about literally anything else, but memories of being controlled, the slimy tendrils of an alien latching to him, crawling all over him…the thought made him feel like vomiting. He settled for biting his arm, lightly, to have some kind of pain to distract himself.
Very soon, although it felt like far too long Raph, his brothers came into his room. Leo was first, practically bolting through the door and latching himself to Raph.
“Raph, Raph, are you there? Can you hear me?” Leo asked, voice frazzled as he held Raph’s shoulders tightly. Raph let go of his own arm and looked at Leo, nodding slightly.
“Oh thank goodness,” Leo sighed, hugging Raph much less forcefully. The other two came in the room, and sat by Raph, leaning on him.
“Hey Raphie,” Mikey said sleepily, clinging to Raph. “We’re here. There’s no scary guys that’ll get you. We won’t let ‘em…”
Raph could feel himself deflating, relieved to not be alone. He leaned into the touch from all three of his brothers, content. “Thank you guys…”
“It’s no problem,” Donnie muttered, leaning on Raph tiredly.
“We just wanna make sure you’re okay,” Leo adds, still hugging Raph.
Raph smiles, wrapping his arms around his brothers, holding them all in a group hug. Everyone deflates, happy to be close to the others. Raph can feel himself being pulled back to sleep, and is happy to know the others will help him if he wakes up scared again.
But the next morning arrives, and no more nightmares had happened. Instead, there was a pile of happy brothers, holding each other close, happy to be there to help the others.