MIND-MAIMED-TMNT fanfic

Chapter 4: Mikey's Worry

Author note: hope you fellow ninjas are enjoying this. Ik it's been awhile since I worked on this. Just had some problems had to deal with. Anyway,this chapter is in Mikey's pov cause he hasn't had one yet,(I also wanted to write a scene with Ice Cream Kitty :). IDK why but it was really hard to write in his pov for some reason, so it will be a little short. Next pov will be Leo's. Enjoy. 💙💜❤️🍕🐢

I was worried about my bros, especially Raph and Leo. Neither of them looked good at breakfast this morning, but Leo looked worse off out of my two brothers. He was all jumpy and spaced out. Plus he didn't even touch the delicious pizza omelet I made! It even had the pizza he loved in it! (Hawaiian Bacon and Pineapple) Nobody, and I mean NOBODY,  rejects my precious my tasty concoctions. Now he just seemed spacey again, staring into his half drunk cup full of tea after refusing to answer Donnie's questions. 

Donnie stood up from his seat face hastily. His face told me he wasn't done, but trying his luck even would just cause him to pop, or Leo would just shut up completely. My brainiac brother stormed out of the kitchen, forgetting about his project. The echo of the lab door slamming showed just how mad Donnie was.

None of this fazed Leo in the slightest. Even when I removed his full plate and Donnie's half eaten one from the table. He just sat there, like he was in deep thought or in another universe. I gave him a worried glance before I dumped his food in the bin and his plate in the sink. I heard quieting meowing from the freezer. 

Ice Cream Kitty was finally awake. I thought.

Careful not to trip over Donnie's toys, I opened the freezer door. Strawberry flavored tongue greeted me. Temporary forgetting my worries, my mouth twitched in my goofy grin and I licked Ice Cream Kitty back.

"Good morning tasty kitty! How's my scrumptious feline today?" I cooed.

She gave me a hearty meow as I scratched her ears and rubbed her back.  Her purr filled my ears with a comforting noise. I put Donnie's food in front of her and those little black eyes lit up. She started to cobble down her food after I gave her one last pat on the head, and closed the freezer door. Ice Cream Kitty would put the plate in the sink when she was done.(Cause she's just that smart!)

My eyes shifted to Leo again, still sitting in the same position with the same far away look on his face. Worry clawed my mind again. I went back and forth in my mind whether to speak to him. Eventually, my courage won and I walked towards with a pretend brave face on. I took a seat next to him. Splinter had left after Raph did, so it was just me and Leo. I sighed. Trying to find the courage again to ask him what was wrong. I lifted my hand to touch his shoulder, but remembered how he jumped out of his shell when Splinter had done it. I decided to try another approach. I said his name.

"Um, Leo?"

He tensed for a moment as my voice reached him, his trance-like state broken. His usual bright, ocean colored eyes were dull and his whites very bloodshot and red. I held back a gasp as my eyes meet his. 

"You haven't been sleeping have you..." I said, answering my own question.

He gave me a tired nob, confirming my answer. 

That doesn't even ease me one bit!

"What's the matter bro? You alright?" I asked, my voice laced with concern.

I was met with silence. I grasped my hands on the table and looked down at them. He was hiding something from me, from all of us. Even from Master Splinter. He was trying to be his strong stubborn self and work things out on his own. For being a leader and lecturing on us how to work together all the time, he certainly chose not to be a team player. 

"Leo, can you please tell me what's wrong? I'm worried about you..." 

Again, met with silence. However, his face changed to that of guilt. I knew he hated when I pulled the little worried brother card. I didn't use it often, but today I knew I needed to draw it from my deck.

"You know, if anything's bothering you, you'll tell us right? Or Master Splinter? We're here for you bro. We're your family, and families help each other." 

His squinted his eyes closed, and turned his head. I hugged the back of his shell, trying my best to comfort him.

"I won't push you to talk. I know you'll tell us when you're ready." I whispered. 

Suddenly, strong arms embraced me. I sat surprised but hugged my big bro tightly in my arms. His arms locked around me, and he whimpered slightly. Something in the back of my mind told it would be awhile before I would hug my big brother like this again. It scared me that I shook and little inside. I pushed it away and focused on Leo right here and now.

 A few moments went by before Leo let me go, and he did it with reluctance. Looking down at me, his face looked more like his usual self, filled with kindness and determination. It was barely there however, as most of his face was now riddled with guilt and sorrow. He looked more tired than before, but the space aura was gone. His eyes were wet like he had been trying to hold back tears. 

"Thank you, Mikey," he whispered, "Thank you." 

I smiled back at him and gave him another quick hug. Filled with renewed energy, I took his arm and lead towards the sink.

"NOW! Let's get these dirty kitchen clean!" I said enthusiastically.

I heard Leo chuckle a little and ran the dish water.

Little did I know that was the last I would ever hear my brother laugh in this lifetime....