And, Love

Part 9

It hadn't changed.

The lair.

The sounds of electronics humming somewhere in the distance, videogames rumbling, muted curses from further off. Maybe a few more graffiti pieces on the walks, floor. Pillars.

Nerves shot through you.

You'd thought being back at the lair so soon was a bad idea, but Halloween night Mikey had insisted.

And three days later, here you were. As promised. Hand rubbed your arm as you entered the kitchen. You felt so out of place after so long. A little squeak alerted you to someone else's presence. Freezing like a deer in the headlights, Donnie repeating the action. You weren't sure why the hell you thought you'd be able to manage avoiding anyone. The brothers were everywhere all the time. You took in a shaky breath as Donnie blinked. The sound of water trickling broke the spell. The tall mutant straightened, nodded. As though he'd just accepted your return without a second thought.

Animatedly, like you hadn't just vanished from their lives for half the year, Donnie grabbed your arms steering you to a seat.

"Okay!" His voice had that hyper-manic tone it got when he'd discovered or cracked the code on something. "I've finally figured out how to brew the perfect cup of coffee-"

You snorted as he bustled back to the contraption set up on the counter. Glass beakers, bunsen burners, tubes, filters. The most complicated coffee pot you had ever seen.

"Is this really..." you waved your hand as he grabbed a cup, setting underneath a tube, twisting the knob so that the highly filtered coffee dripped into the cup in a slow trickle. "You know. Necessary?"

"Necessary?" Donnie chuckled, slowly turning to you, fingers steepled. "Necessary?"

"Oh get off it, Don." Mikey pulled into the kitchen, sliding in beside you.

It seemed casual, but you couldn't help noting that, before you'd fucked everything up, a hug would have been customary. You tried to brush off the stab of pain that welled up.

Donnie glared. "Scoff." He huffed, turning back to the half full cup, turning off the steady drip. "You're going to deprive our dear," your head tilted.

You did not like the way he said that.

"Sweet,"

Apprehension flooded you as he set the cup in front of you, eyes watching intently as you pulled it closer.

Nope. Your lips pursed. Definitely did not like that.

"Friend of the singularly best coffee they've ever had in their lives?"

You blew on the contents, hesitated at the set of eyes watching your every move. You sniffed the steaming liquid. Pulled the cup back, inspecting it.

"It's not poisoned is it?"

The way Donnie and Mikey exchanged a look, then burst into laughter simultaneously made you feel unbelievably sheepish.

"No!" Donnie breathed, waving off your concern as he grabbed a cup of his own. "I mean," he shrugged. "I was tempted for a while after that night-"

"Donatello." Mikey's voice was firm, cold. Do not. He said without words.

Ah shit. You fiddled with your cup. They knew. That made you feel exponentially worse.

"But since you're basically family I was banned."

"Don't sound so upset." You sniffed, Mikey chuckling.