Alternate Allure

CHAPTER 16: EVERYTHING I DO, I DO IT FOR YOU

"MC?" A knock at your window jolts you halfway out of your dream. "MC...! Open up!"

You groan, barely lifting your head. "Ngh... Leo...?" Your eyelids feel like they've been superglued shut. "This better be good..."

You fumble to turn on your lamp, but before you can even sit up, Donnie's arms tighten around you. You squeak, caught completely off guard as he pulls you back against him, his face smooshing into your shoulder as he lets out a little grunt, personally offended you'd even think about leaving.

'How the actual hell does he manage to be this cute?!'

For a second, you're tempted to just stay there, but alas, you hear another knock in your window. Despite every fiber of your being screaming at you to stay, you reluctantly wiggle free, trying not to wake Donnie. He makes a soft, unhappy noise in his sleep, clinging to your pillow instead.

With a resigned sigh, you run a hand down your face before dragging yourself to the balcony window and slide it open, glaring halfheartedly at the turtle in blue perched outside

"Hey" He gives you a small wave. "Uh, sorry. Did I wake you up?"

"Take a wild guess" You lean your head against the window frame, yawning as you crack the window wider. "What are you doing here? It's like... stupid o'clock. Shouldn't you be on patrol or something?"

"Yeah, about that... I, uh-- might've left it to Raph" He takes a sit on your windowsill. "He is in charge of the team temporarily"

"Mmmh... why?" You flop down next to him, dangling your feet out the window as the cool night air brushes your face. "Did you two fight again? Wanna rant about it?"

He shakes his head, staring at the street below.

"It's nothing new. He thinks he's better suited to lead the team. Says I suck at it"

You roll your eyes and nudge his arm.

"Leo, you know Raph can be as stubborn as a rock and twice as hardheaded. Don't take it too seriously, alright? I'm sure he doesn't mean it" He doesn't answer right away, so you reach out, patting his shell gently. "Look, you are a good leader. Being in charge isn't just about barking orders: it's about taking responsibility. And you've got that down, Leo. Trust me"

Leo glances over at you, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Thanks, MC. I... needed that" His gaze darts away, into the streets. "Um, I know you're still kinda pissed about, y'know, the other day—"

"Oh, don't even worry about it" You wave it off, stifling a yawn as you rub the sleep out of your eyes. "Dee and I already talked it out"

His eyebrows shot up, relief spreading across his face. "You did?"

"Yep! We talked, he apologized, I apologized. No drama, no grudges" You jerk a thumb toward your bed. "He's actually, uh... still here. Sleeping"

Leo's eyes go huge. Like, cartoon-character huge. He crans his neck to peek past you, and when he spots Donnie snuggled under the covers, his jaw practically hits the floor.

"You let him sleep in your bed?"

You scratch your neck, already feeling the heat crawling up your face.

"W-we got, uh... sentimental, okay? Being alone just sucks when I'm like that, so I asked him to stay until I fell asleep" Your eyes drift to Donnie, softening involuntarily. "Guess he was just as wiped as I was. I mean, dude's out cold. Like, comatose levels of tired. Do you have any idea how hard it was to pry him off me just to let you in?"