Work Text:
Lair Atrium
Age 6
Mikey hummed and tapped the big box of crayons with one hand. He definitely wanted to draw today. But that meant he had to decide what he wanted to draw, which was a big deal. Mikey rocked back and forth on his heels, thinking hard. This was an important drawing, since it would be the first one he did at age 6.
Mikey's birthday, June 1st, had been only a few days ago. And it had been a big deal because it had been the first solo birthday any of the brothers had ever had. Dad had asked what kind of cake Mikey wanted specifically, and everyone sang happy birthday and gave him presents with big orange bows on them! Dad had gotten him two big drawing pads, brand new! Raph had found an almost unused box of crayons, one with 120 colors! (Donnie said there were only 118 though, but that was still a whole lot!) Donnie had built Mikey an actual easel that he could use to try and draw and paint on, which was super duper cool!
But Leo's gift was the coolest for sure! Mikey had been confused when he'd opened the box to find a book. But it wasn't a regular book, it was a sticker book! With over 500 stickers! One that Mikey could color himself to make his own stickers! "I found it in the Goodwill bin," the slider had shyly explained when his family had asked where he'd gotten the present. "I'm sorry, I know I'm not supposed to sneak out. But..." He'd trailed off and made that smile again, the one that always looked shaky and sad. "But I wanted Mikey to have a good birthday."
Mikey, of course, loved his new present and had covered parts of his room in brightly colored stickers already. He'd put stickers on his new easel and on the walls and on his piggy bank. Mikey had tried to put them on the ceiling, but he couldn't reach it, not even standing on Raph's shoulders! But now he was ready to use his other gifts too! And he wanted his first drawing to be the best.
"Hmm..." Mikey finally sat down, put down his box of crayons, and closed his eyes. He reached into the box to pull out a random color. It was a black crayon, labeled as 'Outer Space'. Space was cool, Jupiter Jim was in space. "Ooh!" Mikey squealed and dove for the box. He knew what he could draw now!
Quickly, he raced into the den to grab one of the Jupiter Jim movies. (Mikey wanted to get the details just right!) But as he rounded the corner, he tripped on something and fell hard. "Oof!" Mikey turned to see what he tripped on, and his eyes widened. Lying sprawled across the floor, with the broom lightly held in one hand, was Leo. "Leo?"
"Huh?" The slider's eyes fluttered open and he stifled a big yawn from behind a hand. "M-Mikey? Why are you on the floor?" His eyes suddenly widened in worry. "Did you trip? Are you okay?"
"I'm okay," Mikey promised, checking his crayons. He'd fallen with his arms out so the crayons were a little jumbled, but none were broken. "Why were you on the floor?"
"I-uh-" Leo looked a little panicked, reaching out to cling to the broom a little tighter. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, but didn't say anything.
Mikey frowned, thinking hard. If Leo wasn't answering, that meant he didn't want to lie to them. (This had started back when Leo had...changed.) So Leo didn't want to tell Mikey why he was on the floor. And then Mikey remembered last night, when Leo had almost fallen off his chair onto the ground. "Did you not sleep good again?" Leo looked away and Mikey gave his best pout. "Dad said you need to sleep. So did Raph and Donnie!" Donnie had actually made them watch a PowerPoint he'd made about the importance of sleep. It had done a good job; Mikey and Raph had fallen asleep real fast!
"...I slept okay," Leo mumbled, climbing to his feet. He swayed a little before shaking his head hard. "I need to finish my sweeping. You sure you're okay, Mikey?"
Mikey nodded slowly. Leo hadn't been sleeping. That was obvious even to Mikey. Did Leo not want to sleep? Was he having bad dreams? Mikey had those sometimes, like the one where the space pirates from Jupiter Jim IX had chased him around the kitchen because they wanted turtle soup for dinner. That one had been so scary that Mikey had climbed into bed with Raph and-"OH!" Mikey bounced to his feet. He had the best idea. "Leo! I wanna sleep with you tonight!"
"H-huh?" Leo stared, and then had to drop the broom to catch the box turtle who flung himself at Leo's middle. "Why though?"
"Because I wanna! Can I, Leo? Please? Pretty please?" Mikey looked up at Leo with his biggest begging eyes, the ones that always made Raph cave and give Mikey whatever he wanted.
Leo chewed his lower lip. "B-but why not Raph? Or Donnie? Or Dad?"
Mikey frowned, he didn't like how Leo said that, like Leo was supposed to be last on the list. "Because I wanna sleep with you! A sleepover! Please?"
Mikey innocently blinked up at his big brother, and Leo's shoulders sagged. "Okay."
"Yay!" Mikey cheered. He was gonna scare off all of Leo's nightmares, just like Raphie did with Mikey! Then Leo would sleep and feel better! This was going to be great!
Leo's Room
That Night
This was going to be awful, why had Leo agreed to it!? Dressed in his pjs, Leo huddled in the corner of his bed. He clung to Skye and tried to do the steady breathing that prevented a panic attack. 'Why did I do this? Why did I agree to this? I'm so stupid!' Leo wished he wasn't weak to his little brother, but he was, so now Leo was stuck.
Leo's sleep hadn't been the greatest ever since he...remembered. The memories came to life when he'd slept, Shredder's claws digging into Donnie's back, or Kraangified Raph strangling him, or Mikey thrashing in the Kraang's hold. (Kraang leering over him with claws glinting, about to...) He'd gotten very good at stifling screams, waking up often with his hands over his mouth to keep from waking his family. Some nights, he didn't sleep at all, just stared at the ceiling or huddled under the covers, reciting Jupiter Jim movies to himself.
Leo had tried to use sleepless nights to train, using Raph's big sword to get used to the heavier weight of his future odachi instead of the lighter twin katana. Sometimes, he'd cleaned. Scrubbing dishes left in the sink or sweeping the floor, focusing on the mindless task to keep from remembering. But Raph and now Dad were watching him now, and were usually prepared to usher him back to bed again. And now, Mikey.
Leo had no idea if he talked in his sleep or not! What if he mumbled something about 'Shredder' or 'Kraang' in his sleep and Mikey heard and told Dad!? Then Dad would ask where Leo had learned about them and Leo would have to tell and his family would know he was a screw-up and a failure and they'd hate him because it hadn't been long enough, not nearly long enough, for Leo to fix himself! Leo stifled a whimper and buried his face in the teddy's fur. 'Calm down. Dad's gonna be back with Mikey soon, you need to calm down.' The slider took slow, deep breaths until his heart didn't feel like it was about to leap out of his chest, and tried to think.
He just...wouldn't sleep. That was the only plan he had. Sure, Leo hadn't slept in maybe three nights, (not since Mikey's birthday. Because it reminded him he was getting older and closer to 16 and Leo was so scared, he didn't want to die again, he wanted to live!), but one more night couldn't hurt. Even if he'd had to sit down a lot today and he'd passed out while sweeping because his body had felt so heavy and the den was warm and light and it felt safe. Leo could just...sleep tomorrow. 'It's not about me, it's about Mikey,' he thought, carefully untying his mask and setting it on the table. 'I can do it for one night.'
"Leo!" Mikey burst through the curtains and jumped onto Leo, making the bed bounce with his weight. "I'm here! We're having a sleepover!"
"Y-yeah, we are," Leo agreed, the smile coming easily at Mikey's obvious excitement. He rubbed the top of Mikey's head as Splinter stepped into his room. "Hi Dad."
"Hello my sons." Splinter smiled warmly and tugged back the covers. "I know you are excited, Mikey, but it is time for little turtles to go to sleep."
Mikey pouted at their dad. "I'm not a little turtle, Dad. I'm six!" He puffed out his chest proudly, and Leo had to stifle a giggle. He didn't want to hurt Mikey's feelings. "And so's Leo!"
"Ah, very true," Splinter nodded, looking very serious. But Leo could see the laughter in his eyes. "But it is also time for big turtles to go to sleep."
"Oh." Sighing, Mikey flopped back onto Leo. This time, the slider couldn't hide his giggles as he helped tug Mikey into bed with him. Mikey squirmed closer, wrapping his arms around Leo in a tight hug as Splinter kissed their foreheads. "Night Dad! Love you!"
"Love you, Dad," Leo echoed, soaking in Splinter's gentle stroking of his head.
"Good night Leonardo and Michelangelo. I love you both very much." A final pat to his head, and Splinter slipped away, turning off the lights as he stepped outside. Leo counted to twenty in his mind, trying to keep his breathing slow and heartrate steady. He didn't want anyone to know how scared he was now that the lights had gone out.
'Not even sidekicks are scared of the dark,' Leo scolded himself. 'Stop being a scaredy-cat. There's nothing there!' (Kraang wasn't there, lurking in the dark with flashing claws that would-) But before Leo could get too drawn into his thoughts, he felt Mikey squirm. "Mikey? What are you-" There was a rush of cool air as Mikey scrambled out of bed and went to turn on the lights. "Mikey! Dad said-"
"Story time!" Mikey grabbed the Jupiter Jim comic Leo had been reading before from the shelf above the bed. "Read to me, Leo! Please?"
"Uh-" It was an excuse, an excuse to keep the light on, to keep the dark and the dreams away. Leo grabbed it with both hands. "Okay." Mikey squealed and shoved the comic into Leo's hands. Leo laughed a little, smoothing out the pages as Mikey climbed back under the covers and tucked his head against Leo's plastron. Leo flipped to the first page, angling himself so Mikey could easily see. "Star Date 4.07.81. Andromeda Galaxy."
Leo tried to keep quiet, not wanting to wake Raph or Donnie as he read. But Mikey was the best audience, gasping when the heroes were in danger and cheering every time they prevailed. He laughed at the jokes and hummed the Jupiter Jim theme song when Leo had to read narration. "I like it when you read best, Leo," Mikey declared as Leo reached the final page, left on another 'To Be Continued'.
"W-what?" Leo gaped at him. "B-but Donnie's the better reader and-"
"Donnie's boring," Mikey protested, rolling his eyes. "He goes too fast and he doesn't do the voices like you do, and Raphie skips the parts he thinks are too scary for me." He cuddled closer, wrapping Leo in a tight hug. "Dad's stories are good, but they have to be his stories, not the ones we read."
"Yeah," Leo whispered. The stories from Japan, the ones Leo now knew were from Splinter's childhood, those were the best.
"Can we read the next part together tomorrow?" Mikey asked, letting out a big yawn. "I'm sleepy now."
Leo laughed and set the comic back up on the shelf. "Yeah, Miguel. We can do that."
Mikey hummed happily, letting his eyes close. "Night Leo. Love you."
"Love you too, Mikey," Leo whispered. A part of him whispered he should go and turn off the lights. But Mikey was clinging to him so tightly and Leo...Leo didn't want to be in the dark. So he just let his eyelids drop and joined his brother in slumber.
Leo's Bedroom
Later that Night
"KAAAH -SHEW!!!" Mikey's eyes flew open at the loud noise suddenly echoing through the room. "SNOOORE!!! ...SNORT!!!...SNOOOORE!!!!" A monster. There was a monster in Leo's room, one that made scary noises!
"Mikey?" Mikey looked up at Leo, who gently stroked his head. "It's okay."
"B-but-"
"KAAAAH-SNORFLE!!!" The noise suddenly got louder and Mikey knew the monster was getting closer. So he did exactly what any little brother would do in this situation.
"RAAAAAPHIIIIIEEEEE!!!!" Mikey bolted from the bed, dragging Leo with him by the arm. The monster was there, and Mikey wasn't gonna let it get Leo! "MONSTER! MONSTER!"
"Mikey!" Raph was already halfway out of his room when Mikey tackled him. The snapper easily caught him, pulling Leo in close too. "Leo? What's goin-"
"Why is everyone so loud?" The question came along with a yawn as Donnie staggered out of his bedroom, rubbing at his eyes. His face looked so weird without his bandana with its eyebrows. "It's 2 in the morning."
"Sorry, Donnie," Leo whispered, eyes darting up to the second floor where their dad's bedroom was. "Mikey was-"
"Monster!" Mikey sobbed into Raph's chest. "There's a monster in Leo's room. It's making scary noises and it's gonna eat us!"
"...Leo's room?" Donnie suddenly looked more awake, his eyes darting to the slider. "Why were you in Nardo's room?"
"Mikey wanted a sleepover." Mikey peeked over his shoulder to see Leo shuffling from foot to foot. "It's nothing, just a bad night. Mikey, you can go back to your own room, I'm sor-"
"What do you mean, 'bad night'?" Raph asked, scooping Mikey up to carry him on his shoulder. "C'mon. Raph wants to see this monster."
"There really isn't a monster, honest!" Leo protested as Raph led the way back to Leo's room. Donnie trailed after, eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "It usually doesn't get this bad!"
As they got closer, the noise grew louder and louder. Raph pulled back the curtains revealing an empty room, except for the noise. "SNOOOORE!!!...SNOOOORE!!!...KAH-SNORFLE!!!...SNOOOORE!!!"
"I told you!" Mikey whispered, clinging tightly to Raph's head. "It's a monster!"
"An invisible monster!" Raph agreed, raising his fists.
"It's not a monster, he said in annoyance," Donnie protested. But Mikey could see him clinging to Leo's arm, eyes darting about. "Monsters do not exist, especially not invisible ones."
"Donnie's right," Leo agreed. "It's not a monster. It's nothing. I'm used to it and-"
"Used to this!?" Raph gaped at Leo. "How long's this been happenin'? Why haven't we heard it before?! It's so-" Another loud noise echoed, rattling Leo's shelves and making the comic tip over onto the bed.
Leo awkwardly played with his fingers. "You and Mikey are sound sleepers, and Donnie usually has his door closed. I guess being so close this time woke Mikey up." He winced at the newest sound. "It's not dangerous, it's just..." He trailed off, looking away.
Raph crossed his arms, and Mikey mimicked him atop his head. "Leo."
"Don't tell him!" The words came out desperately. "He's not doing it on purpose! And Dad needs his sleep and-"
"Nardo," Donnie interrupted, his face eerily still. "Are you telling me those abominable sounds are coming from our dear papa?" He leaned forward so that his face was almost pressed against Leo's, who awkwardly stepped back. "And you have been attempting to sleep with...with THAT!?" He gestured at Leo's room, which was rattling yet again from another snore. "FOR HOW LONG!?"
"I don't wanna hurt him!" Leo tried to explain. "It's fine, I'm used to it!"
Donnie huffed and looked up at Mikey and Raph, who both nodded. "On three, gentlemen."
Raph counted down on his fingers, and Leo's eyes widened. "No, wait-!"
"DAAAAAAAAD!!!!" The sound of three turtles shouting did the impossible; it woke their dad up from a dead sleep. Within seconds, their dad was perched on the edge of the second floor, staring down at them.
"What happened? Who's hurt? Is everything alright?" Dad leapt to the ground and raced over, scanning his sons for any injuries.
"Dad, you're Leo's monster!" Mikey declared, pointing angrily. "You're too loud!"
"What?" Dad blinked in clear confusion. "A mon...what do you mean? How am I-"
"What Angelo means, Papa, is that your snoring could be classified as a weapon of war, and it has been directed at Leonardo's ears for who knows how long!" Donnie pointed at Leo's room angrily.
Raph nodded rapidly. "Yeah, Dad. You were shaking the walls and stuff fell down! We all saw it!"
"It's fine!" The shout came from Leo, who was standing with his eyes closed and shoulders hunched. "It's fine! I'm used to it; it doesn't bother me! I-"
"Leonardo." The voice was quiet, but firm, as Dad walked over to Leo. Gently, he cupped the slider's chin and forced him to meet his gaze. "Leo. Why didn't you say anything?"
"I-I-" Leo's eyes darted back and forth trying to avoid the stares of his family. Finally, he whispered, "You don't sleep much, Dad. You only snore when you do. I didn't want you to feel bad."
Mikey's heart hurt; Leo was hurting himself so Dad wouldn't hurt. That wasn't right, that wasn't fair. Dad didn't think so either, pulling Leo into a tight hug. "Tomorrow," he declared. "We will discuss ways to fix this. You deserve a good night's sleep, my baby blue. I'm sorry that I prevented it." Dad glanced over his shoulder. "Would one of you be willing to share a room with Leonardo, until we can fix this?"
"Me! Share with me!" Mikey volunteered, nearly toppling off Raph's head in excitement! "We can have more sleepovers!"
"Ahem," Donnie protested. "My room is farthest away from Nardo's, thus farthest away from the noise. Clearly I am the superior choice, as always."
Raph scowled. "No way, Donnie! I'm the big brother, so Leo should share my room!"
Leo's eyes were wide with shock, while Dad was smiling proudly. "It's fine, I'm fine!" Leo protested. "I don't need to share! My room doesn't-I mean, I can-"
"Another thing we can discuss tomorrow," Dad stated, ending the argument for now. "As for tonight, perhaps the den will suffice?"
Mikey gave a delighted gasp. "Turtle pile!" he squealed, launching himself off of Raph's shoulders. Leo squawked and dove to catch him before he hit the ground. "Turtle pile, turtle pile!"
"I'll fetch the pillows," Donnie sighed, but he hurried off quickly. Raph grinned and jogged over to the den to start pushing the furniture out of the way. Mikey just laughed and hugged Leo tight. They were getting a turtle pile! Leo's room would be fixed and until then, he'd sleep with Mikey and Mikey would keep away the monsters, just like he did tonight! Everything was going great!
Lair Den
20 Minutes Later
Despite his weak protests, Leo was cuddled at the center of the turtle pile. Mikey was tucked under one arm and Raph was pressed against his right side with one arm locked around him. Donnie was leaning against his left, close enough for contact yet distant enough not to set off his sensory issues. All three of his brothers were fast asleep.
Only Leo was awake.
Dad had returned to his room, not wanting to wake everyone up again with his snoring. Leo had tried to protest, but had only received a pat on the head in response. Then the lights had been turned off, plunging everything into darkness again.
Leo couldn't sleep. It was too dark, too dangerous. Mikey and Raph might sleep through any mumbling Leo did, but Donnie? Definitely not! It was too risky, too dangerous! Leo couldn't risk it, couldn't risk saying anything! Even though it was warm and he could hear his brother's heartbeats and Leo finally felt safe...
Leo bit down on his tongue, the pain forcing him awake. 'Don't sleep. Don't sleep. Don't sleep.'
Mikey squirmed against him, eyelids fluttering and Leo instinctively stroked his shell, humming under his breath. The box turtle relaxed under his touch, drifting off again and Leo just lay there, humming. He wouldn't move, he wouldn't risk waking his brothers. They needed their rest. Leo...Leo would be fine. Even though he was so tired...
When Spinter would come downstairs the next morning, it would be to four little turtles, piled together, fast asleep.