Chapter Text
"A warm soak can wash away life's worries and soothe an active mind."
- Quote of the day, Amy Leigh Mercree, an American author, media personality and medical intuitive.
It had been about a month and a half since the turtles and their wacky 2D counterparts took down the, surprisingly idiotic, Shredder and Kraang, and Bebop and Rocksteady had changed their ways. Mutants had been accepted into human society, although with some backlash from xenophobes which was, admittedly, to be expected.
On a sunny day like this, Mikey would probably be out skateboarding with Mondo Gecko, or tagging some rad artwork onto some alleyway wall with Casey Jones, appreciating his newfound freedom. Today, though, he couldn't bring himself to move anywhere near his bedroom door. This wasn't because of some sudden laziness or lack of motivation or inspiration. It was, in fact, caused by the monstrous, towering figure standing in front of it.
A Squirrelanoid.
And Mikey, like any other unassuming turtle would be in the vicinity of one of the causes of his PTSD, was completely frozen. Terrified. He couldn't tell if it was real, or some sort of vivid nightmare, though he really hoped it was the latter. He suspected it was, too, because the Squirrelanoid wasn't moving toward him. It wasn't getting ready to attack, or spring at him. It wasn't doing anything, actually. .It was just standing there. Menacingly. Dripping water and blood from when Mikey flushed it down the sewer. It had to be a dream.
That, or an elaborate prank.
But his siblings would never do that right? That was too far, even for them. Right?
"Uhh... hah, d-dudes?" His voice shook, barely above a whisper as he reluctantly called for his brother's. He expected to hear Raph's snicker, or leo shushing him, or maybe Donnie whispering something to them about the importance of silence. But there was nothing.
There was nothing.
It got him then. He couldn't hear any sound coming from the Squirrelanoid. Not the drip of the water as it hit the ground, or the Squirrelanoids growls or breath, even with his enhanced hearing. It was silent.
His dreams always had sound. Even if he was in Dimension X, or deep underwater. There was always something. He strained his ears for the slightest noise. His already superior was even better than his siblings' because of being in dimension X for as long as he was. But even so, nothing. All he could hear was his own pounding heartbeat, his rapid breathing, and his siblings' moving around outside.
His siblings' footsteps getting closer to his door.
Closer? Why closer? They can't see me like this. If they see me like this, they'll ask questions, they can't see me like this. They cant see me like this.
Mikey's thoughts became frantic as a pair of footsteps stopped just outside of his door, and his breathing sped up in turn. He hardly noticed the knock on his door, or the light cream of it being opened. He didn't register when the footsteps came towards his bed, or when his sibling say down beside him. He felt Donatello's hand rubbing soft circles into his shell, but he couldn't hear what they were saying. He couldn't hear them. Why can't I hear them?
He gripped his blankets tightly as he hyperventilated and his ears buzzed. The Squirrelanoid was... gone? when did it leave? I didn't see it leave- did it really? Is it hiding? It's hiding. It's hiding. It couldn't have left so silently it has to be hiding waiting for my guard to go down waiting for Donnie to leave waiting for-
"Mikey!" Donnie's voice rang in his ears, cutting off his spiral.
"Hey, can you hear me now?" They looked at him worriedly, their voice soft. Mikey just stared at them for a moment, before he nodded quickly, his breathing beginning to slow down as he heard his sibling's concerned voice and felt their hand on his shell. He looked back down at his own hands, forcing them to release their vice grip on the blanket.
"Dee.." He croaked out, looking back up at Donnie after a moment. He wrapped his arms around their torso and buried his face in the crook of their neck, letting out a distressed chirp. danger, hide.
home. Safe. They churred in response, wrapping their arms around him and nuzzling the younger's shoulder. Mikey churred back, shaking slightly from the aftermath of his panic attack. Being with Donnie always made him feel better. He closed his eyes after a few moments, chirping again contentedly as he began to relax.
"Donnie?! Are you still in there?" Mikeys eyes snapped open at the sound of Raphael's voice, accompanied by the stomping of his feet, coming towards the bedroom door.
"Honestly, how long does it take you two shellbrains to get..." Raph pauses his tirade at the sight of his two younger siblings clinging to each other on Mikey's bed. He noted how the orange-clad turtle was still shaking a little, and the way Donnie's face twisted in concern.
"...What.. Happened here..?" Raph spoke after a moment, covering up his concern with his regular front of annoyance, his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed in curiosity as he inspected the two.
"Mikey had a panic attack. I have no clue what caused it, because it had already started when I got here, but I suspect it was a nightmare," Donnie said, their voice becoming factual despite the concern in their eyes.
"Although, it may have been caused by anxiety... There has been a hint of suspense in the atmosphere lately, what, with how quiet it's been lately.." They would have kept on rambling if Raph hadn't cut them off.
"You wanna tell us what happened, or are you gonna go and pull a Leo? " Raph narrowed his eyes as he said this, in such a distinctly 'Raph' way that clearly implied 'if you pull a Leo right now, I'll pound the green off ya.'
Mikey eyes both of his siblings carefully, analysing their expressions and every movements. He stayed nestled against Donnie's plastron, not planning on moving anytime soon. He did one last quick once over of his room, just to make sure there was no hidden squirrel mutants, and looked back I at Raph once he was satisfied with his conclusion. He was safe, and all his siblings wanted to do was help.
So, he told them. He told them both exactly what had happened to make him so afraid, to make him unable to go anywhere near his door, let alone move in fear that it would snap the Squirrelanoid out of whatever trance it was in and attack him. He told them exactly how long it felt like he has been there. All said while staring down at his blanket, avoiding eye contact with the other two turtles.
He was safe now. His siblings were here, and they would never, ever let him get hurt.
Not on their watch.