Tragedy Ever After

What Is Home?

        ~Mikey's POV~

     I was confused when I first woke up, the room I was sleeping in definitely wasn't mine. I sat up and rubbed the sleep out of my eye. Right, I was at Y/n's house. Was anyone up yet? Or was it too early?

     I tiptoed toward the door, cracking it open to see if anyone was in the living room. On the couch, Y/n and Don were sitting next to each other watching something on the TV.

     "Hey, Don," my brother looked at the human who quickly snatched his goggles off his head and plopped it onto their own. They looked at him with a proud smile.

     "What are you doing?" I could hear the amusement in Don's voice.

     "I'm you! I'm gonna go invent the coolest thing in the world!" they cheered for themself before the goggles flipped down onto their eyes and the two quieted for a moment. 

     Don snorted to try and hold back a laugh, only to fail and genuine laughter escaped his lips, Y/n joining a moment later as they flipped the goggles back up.

     He really was so happy with them, and that wasn't something I wanted to take away from either of them. Maybe things would be good here, but I knew I couldn't stay forever, even if I wanted to.

     I waited for the two to calm down before I exited the room, pretending I didn't witness their moment. "Did you sleep okay, Mikey?" Y/n asked when they saw me leave. "I know it can be hard to spend the night somewhere you've never been before."

     "It was okay. Thank you for letting me sleep in your room," I thanked them. I didn't deserve the trust they gave me. Neither of them seemed to care that Y/n still had the goggles on their head, their hand holding them up so they wouldn't fall over their eyes again.

     "We didn't wake you, right?" the human asked with slightly furrowed brows and I shook my head. "Do you want anything to eat? I could cook something if you're hungry."

     "That's all right. Thank you, though," I glanced at Don who had his gaze stuck on the human beside him. He had a soft smile while he watched how they interacted with me.

     He deserved them. They made him the happiest I had ever seen him. I really wished I could stay, but sooner or later my brothers would come searching.

     "Something on your mind?" Don spoke up this time, his eyes now focused on me.

     "I. . ." I hummed as I thought. "I really don't wanna go back to the lair," I admitted. "It's only been a night, but I like it better with you guys. You aren't. . . you aren't controlling."

     Even though I was old enough to do something on my own, Raph didn't like it. He would always tell me what I was and wasn't allowed to do: he never trusted me to do something by myself.

     "Why don't you stay?" Y/n looked at me concerned.

     "Raph and Leo will come looking eventually. And I know this is where you guys are safe and comfortable. I don't want you to risk that to let me stay here," I looked away from them.

     "Once we get Shell all fixed up, it'll be safer here. I don't want you to go back to a place you don't like. It isn't fair," Y/n gave me an understanding smile. "If you like it here, Mikey, stay. It'll be okay."

     I could've cried upon hearing that phrase. Don had that same smile Y/n wore. They really did change him for the better. I felt bad that he didn't feel like the lair was a safe space anymore to the point he ran away.

     I never really knew what he did in the time we were apart, I didn't need to. Whatever villainous things he turned to, that wasn't him anymore. Sure he didn't care for the whole 'hero' act, but he definitely wasn't what I would call a villain anymore.