Chapter Text
During the somewhat peaceful drive back to the lair, Donnie had gotten antsy. Mikey noticed first, thankfully, and handed all of Donnie’s gear back to him. As such, the two of them and Leo ended up swapping off items besides their arm and leg wrappings, returning them to their rightful owners. And Leo must say, Donnie’s face looks hilarious in a cute orange bandanna.
However, his fit of laughter over the situation was cut short when Mikey gave him a fixed glare. Seems like their moment together earlier did not make Mikey forget their arguments.
As Leo wondered how to mend that, he was pressed down into the floor of the tank. Mikey had tackled him and was now wrestling with him. Leo realized that of course, Mikey wanted his stickers that were pasted onto his plastron. Unfortunately, if Leo remembers correctly, the stickers were extremely painful to remove. This makes him scramble back as much as he can, carapace pressed to the wall.
Raph had shouted at them a little for rocking the tank, then followed April yelling at Raph for distracting her. This caught Mikey’s attention, and Leo shoved him off with his feet. Was Donnie’s body always that heavy, and was Mikey’s always this strong?
Eventually, Leo had gotten Mikey to lay off trying to steal his stickers back, instead promising to help him put some new ones on Donnie’s (much to their brother’s complaint). The rest of the ride was quiet and eerily still, aside from the occasional tap on the floor from the anxious Mikey. Leo had to admit, he understood the feeling. He was nervous, afraid, and they were all helpless for the time being.
In the silence, Leo was subjected to becoming hyper-aware of the body he occupied. As he’d noticed earlier, there were some things that Mikey had been hiding from the team. Namely, his sight and joints. Leo could barely see the other side of the tank, and his knee was throbbing. There had been multiple times already that he’s felt his wrists and elbows pop when they probably shouldn’t have. With his medical knowledge, Leo could easily conclude these bursts of dull pain were not from their crash.
For a while, he ponders why Mikey never shared any of these issues with him- with anyone. Mikey’s always been one to bring up his problems, but now Leo wonders if he’d been selectively sharing so his brothers wouldn’t ask questions. He begins to feel guilty, wondering if he’d done something to make him not want to talk with them. Though, it’d be hypocritical of him to assume it’s his fault. Leo also had his fair share of secrets, and he’d never say that was his family’s fault.
He didn’t really want to think about that, looking at where Donnie was biting at his lip, eyes fixed on the tank’s windshield.
Now, since having ushered everyone to the makeshift med bay train car, Leo waves April over to his side.
“Heyo,” he greets her with a guilty look, keeping his voice low. “Can we talk for a sec?”
April gives him a look, one that tells him she’s over it. He knows she doesn’t mean anything by it, but it doesn’t help his nerves. “Raph, sit back down. Leo and I are gonna grab some more supplies from his room for Donnie’s- er, Mikey’s arm.” She announces, closing the curtain hung up between the car’s doors.
Leo was very grateful for the quick excuse, feeling a bit diffident since he wasn't able to come up with something faster. They actually do walk to his room, though, out of earshot from everyone else (and honestly, who knows where Splinter was lurking, since they hadn't seen him in the lair since their return home). Leo lets April walk into his room before him, shutting the door behind them both gently.
After she touches every possible thing on Leo’s shelf like she was taking inventory, April breaks their tense silence. “You’re worried about Donnie, right?”
“Well, worried is putting it lightly, hermana ,” he chuckles, leaning his swords against his mattress. He really needs to get bedsheets for that thing. “And, okay, yes, I’m a little afraid of Donnie.”
She pauses to turn and give him a really? face. “That was surprisingly honest. What are you not tellin’ me?”
“I’m not sure what you’re on about,” Leo smirks. It feels unnatural, like it was tough to keep his beak pulled back. Maybe he’s tired.
“Don't smirk at me with sweet little Mikey’s face,” April smiles nonetheless, putting Leo at ease. “Are you worried ‘bout him, too?”
Leo hesitates, looking off to his tattered Jupiter Jim poster instead of her. “I guess so? I mean, I’m on edge, is all. No doubt they’re scared, and I’m their big bro- their leader now. And, they’re already upset with me as it is. I don’t even know where to begin to fix this!”
April takes a step closer, taking his hand in hers gently. He turns his head away further. Leo loved her, he did, but he didn’t feel like he was deserving of her kindness. “How about we start with treating their wounds, yeah?”
They stay standing in awkward silence for a few seconds before Leo mumbles something into his other palm.
“Leo, you know I can’t understand you when you’re grumbling,” April sighs at him, her grip growing on his fingers. “C’mon man, use your big boy words.”
A wave of calm rushes over Leo with her words. He’d call her magic if he didn’t know better. Under any other circumstance, perhaps where someone else would be watching them, Leo would defend himself: say don’t baby me, I’m not that much younger! or something along those lines. However, they both knew he’d never actually felt that appalled when she spoke softly to him like this. Her masculine word choices made Leo feel a tiny bit stronger, stupid as that sounded.
And damn, was it a good tactic to pry Leo’s big mouth open. He practically melted into putty in her metaphorical hands.
“Today was s’posed to be a cleaning day,” he paused, watching his sister’s jaw set. “I needed to re-wrap my arm. We ran out of black wrap a few weeks ago, so the bandage has been sitting for a while.”
She nods patiently. “Will that be a problem for Donnie?”
“No, it shouldn’t. Any cuts are clean, I just… I don’t know if I’m ready to have to explain something like that to him, to anyone.”
“Leo,” she says sternly, catching his attention once more. “It’ll be okay. You have me here with you. I’m not leavin’ until you three are sorted and back in your bodies. Already told mom.”
A part of Leo shrunk in on itself, though he wouldn't call that a bad thing. April knew well enough it was no use trying to convince him that the others would be nice about it; his mind couldn't be changed, no matter how irrational. Just offering her support was more than enough to snuff out the anxiousness pulling at Leo’s core.
He huffed out a laugh. She was way too good at this. Journalism dream be damned, she should be a therapist. “You know Raph won't be happy about that.”
“Who cares! April O’Neil does what she wants!”
They both delve into a short bout of laughter together, and Leo feels that pool of dread in his stomach finally flush away.
April hums, gripping his fingers again. “And I want to be here, Leo. If you ever feel a need, tell me. Don’t place a claw on our baby brother’s skin.”
Leo smiles, sincere but anxious, if only for the scary way April was looking up at him. “I wouldn't dare, sis.”
“Good, now-”
Fwoo.
“Shh!”
Leo sticks his arm out to guard April, lowering into a crouch. He closes his eyes, focusing on the noise he just heard.
Heavier, uneven breathing. Like Donnie’s stupid asthmatic lungs.
Slowly, he creeps forward, careful to not make any sound himself.
When he flings open the metallic door, Mikey jumps back and falls to the floor with a yelp.
“Mikey!” Leo instantly scolds, placing his hands on his hips. “You know the rules, no eavesdropping!”
“Sorry, I’m sorry! You guys were taking so long, I got curious. I couldn't hear anything anyway,” Mikey pouts, using his right arm to push himself back on his feet. “My hearing isn't as good now that I'm in Donnie’s body.”
April shuts Leo’s door as she follows them out onto the subway platform. “Guess that explains why Leo could hear you from outside the door. You must have insane hearing.”
Mikey nods vigorously. “I’ve always had better hearing than you guys, that’s how I know when you’re watching Kondescending Kitchen without me!”
Wonderful, another thing about his brother that Leo was unaware of. Though, he didn’t really suppose that was Mikey’s fault, more like he never bothered to pay attention to that fact.
Do better, Leo.
Leo shakes his head to clear away his thoughts. “C'mon, Miguel, let's head back up to the med bay. I need to wrap that arm up so it doesn't move around too much.” He places a hand on his little brother’s carapace, pushing forward. It feels odd, and Leo does not like having to look up at him.
“I got the bandage roll!” April shouts from behind them. Leo had entirely forgotten about her excuse, very appreciative of April and her memory of steel. He did not need to try to explain to Raph why they came back empty-handed.
As Leo walks and wonders where exactly she picked the roll up from, he looks down at the black pouch on his hip. Without a doubt, it was open. Everything was there, from Neosporin to a couple quarters, everything except an extra roll of bandage.
Leo closes the pouch, snorting under his breath. The odd look he earns from Mikey makes him want to laugh more.
Yeah, he’ll get through this.
I am not going to get through this , he groaned to nobody but himself.
From Doctor Leo’s (degree pending) inspections, everybody would be fine. Raph only felt a bit sore in his shoulders, and Mikey’s body, Leo now, had broken April’s fall, so she was okay too. Mikey’s left elbow was sprained, and Leo had to take off the black wrap to bandage it, compressing the injury and limiting mobility. Donnie had a headache and a mild case of the grumpies, but no concussion. And Leo himself? Well, besides the ache in his joints, he also felt dandy.
It was all very unusual. Even with their whole mind-swap situation, their injuries should have been much, much worse. Leo had a hard time figuring out what exactly was happening. His brain felt like adhesive tape that had lost its stick.
Having a silent moment in the lair was extremely rare for this family. To be fair, it wasn't entirely quiet, not with Donnie drumming on his thighs while nobody spoke. Leo wanted to crack a joke, but even he found himself to be at a loss for words.
“Well, this has been exhilarating, he said sarcastically,” Donnie announces, hopping off one of the tables Leo had sat him on earlier. “I’m worn out. Going to bed.”
“Donnie, we haven’t even had dinner yet,” Raph says. Leo wouldn't say it at the moment, but he was glad someone was trying to convince his twin to stay, no matter how futile.
The guy currently inhabiting Leo’s body does not stop or stray from his path to the curtain opening of the med bay. “I’ll grab food from the kitchen before I head up, promise. Goodnight, verily beloved family.”
Leo finds that his eyes are entirely intent on staring at the place Donnie left for the rest of his life. His mind races a mile a minute, and he faintly hears the blood rushing from his heart to his eardrums. Donnie would know, and then it would be over for Leo.
“Maybe Donnie’s got the right idea,” Leo says after a shaky breath. “I think we should turn in for the night. We’ve got a long day of figuring out what to do when we wake up.”
Raph sighs, but a small smile tugs at his face. It makes Leo’s heart warm, because yes, finally a decision as a leader that Raph was not disappointed in. Score. “Right. Guess it's a fend-for-yourself kind of night then.”
Mikey’s good arm shoots up in the air. “Ooh, ooh, April! Will you sleep over with me? I have new drawings on the walls that I haven’t gotten to show you!”
April gets off the floor beside Leo, making her way over to help Mikey off the table where he sat next to Raph. “Of course, Mikester. You two, eat something before bed. And get us if you need us.”
As Mikey blabbered on about oil pastels and whatnot, April shot down the eldest turtles with a Big Sister Glare, one that Leo dared not oppose.
Raph let out a breath of relief when the two left the train car. He offered Leo that same small smile from before, turning to leave himself. “I’m goin’ too. Night, Leo.”
“Wait, Raph.”