semilethal | voicemail

Hey just checking where'd you end up
Also I have a lead on weapons but it'll cost us

Sutoku. I'm working on the funding issue. [has not engaged in embezzlement or identity theft YET, is trying out the honest way first.]

Do you want to try some artisanal coffee from some old weirdo?

I'm meeting someone who makes weapons tomorrow, but he won't give solid pricing. Just said that one guy 'blew a whole paycheck and then some' on a single sword.

Sure, why not. Can't be worse than stuff we've tried before.

A WHOLE PAYCHECK??? It's a sword, what could it cost? Ten dollars?

Apparently they're handmade to order from what it sounds like.

Things are worse though. It's all in yen. Also also their sewers are actually in use. By like. A lot of people.

[He's trying to find somewhere to sleep bro.]

Sleep in your faction housing.

[leo's already suffering cuddle withdrawal. donnie can sense it from here. leo is pointedly thrusting all his grievances into donnie's face because he (probably) wants donnie to offer his own housing without having to ask, and then leo will come over and physically lay atop of donnie while he's trying to work, and proceed to annoy him and touch his things (meager they may be) and annoy him some more.

granted, donnie also misses his family, but he is not going to cope with it by trying to spiritually inhabit the body of his own brother through attempted osmosis, he's going to just work hard and never think about it, like a normal person]

[You know? He'd thought Donnie would want to stick together. Since it's just the two of them, staying close by would be better. Sometimes, locking yourself in a prison dimension with a homicidal alien who starts trying to beat you to death makes one really want to stay by the ones you care about. Not that Leonardo would say it like that, but he thought-

But maybe he's more freaked out by all this than Donatello is. Maybe he's making too big a deal of this and everything's fine. Leonardo wants the familiar, he wants their sewer-subway-home, he wants his brothers, he wants their dad, he wants April and Casey.

He knows after sixteen years of experience that just telling Donatello what to do, or talking about feelings won't do much except make Don uncomfortable. So instead.]

[✔️ Read]

[...no quips? No jokes? No dramatic, sad, "Don't you love me, brother?!"]

[uh oh, ohhhhh no. oh no, he read this wrong. he'd thought this was just their usual, just how they normally talk to each other. he rebuffs leo's attempts to engage and leo, fueled onward by the thought of irritating the shit out of him, would force his way into donnie's space anyway because that is how they've operated since they were babies and it's their own special language.

the problem is that ever since...the incident, leo's had crippling bouts of insecurity. the kind or type of insecurity seems to vary and donnie doesn't pretend to try and be interested in (or okay fine, understand) psychology enough to parse when these moments come up or how to handle them effectively, so hindsight remains his only teacher. he has to go off the data, which doesn't reveal itself until after the experiment has concluded. more variables that he failed to take into consideration, so concentrated on "fix what's in front of you."

in short- he hurt his brother's feelings. for real.]

[but how to remedy this? donnie's frozen. this is something new, a yet unexplored aspect of leo that remains unnervingly foreign. examining the problem from all angles doesn't yield any definite results on how to proceed forward, but maybe instead of relying on outdated models, he should simplify.

problem: he hurt his brother.

cause: callousness? no, inattention. short-sightedness.

solution: the opposite. provide attention.]

Come over please

[donnie drops a pin into the map function and sends that along with his request. after a second donnie also fishes around for something they shared, something familiar, something he knows leonardo likes even if he, donatello, does not fucking get it. he sends along the photo with his follow-up message.]

Help me source the good stuff.

[The response comes a concerning amount of time later for them, about twenty whole minutes.]

Finding a place to sleep.

[But pizza pigeon... And Donnie asking him to come over. Leo hasn't ever really had his feelings hurt like that before, so foreign that he doesn't even realize that's what it is. But he can recognize the effort of the olive branch.

And really he can't not talk to his brother for too long. Yeah, he's going through brother cuddle withdrawal.]

Gimme 30-45 min

Door's open.

[things are always so much more difficult with leo than they are with mikey and raph. those two, they'll tell you how they feel all damn day. there's no guessing game, no inferring. if mikey's sad, he'll cry; actually even if he's just preparing himself to be sad, he'll cry. if raph is upset, he'll let you know. even if he doesn't, he's so notoriously bad at faking it that anybody could tell how he actually feels.

leo, though.

so donnie resolves himself give leo what he needs. after all, donnie already got what he needs. he got work! and that's all he needs, just something to do, things to fix. he's working on one of them right now actually, the first of the five antique espresso machines godot contracted him for, dismantling it and laying out all the pieces in a specific order on a dusty towel. it's very simple and doesn't exactly tax him, but it's almost meditative in a way. so he's fine, he's totally okay. of course he's okay; he has his basic needs met. everything else is just icing.]

Edited 2022-09-13 02:40 (UTC)

[There's no other response really - not because he doesn't want to, but because sneaking down into the sewers is difficult with all the kappa running around. Sticking to shadows, staying silent. Exactly like they were taught, he manages to find... A corner that looks mostly untouched. There's just enough light coming from the other businesses to be useful, but not so trafficked that he'd have to worry. Yeah this'll do for now. He'll work on getting it cleaned up and stuff to live with down here.

But true to Leonardo's word, he follows the directions from the pin Donatello sent him, looking up at the Sutoku areas curiously (way more familiar than a lot of stuff he's seen so far), and wide eyed at the housing building.

He sends a message standing just outside the door:] Open up.

Edited (decided to be MORE TRUE ) 2022-09-13 03:20 (UTC)

I said it's op- ugh. [forget it, forget it. donnie extricates himself from his current project, snags one of the rags he's managed to accumulate (lots of dumpster diving has occurred since he showed up), and wipes the gear grease from his fingers as he heads over to his door and finagles it open.

without looking up, because this is somehow easier without looking right at leo, donnie twists the rag around his fingers.] You know you can live here. [leo MUST know. donnie likes his space but he's not-

he's just busy. he's just working and not thinking about it. it wasn't personal.]

[Leonardo stands at the door a bit awkwardly. They've never been in this situation before; sure they have their own rooms but (Don's lab aside) the doors are all open and not... this. It feels weird. Closed off.

Would his brother really want to live above ground? Just like that? But Donnie avoiding looking at him, what happened? Time to put on some ✨ brother charm ✨ into this situation.]

Hm. I dunno. I found a pretty promising real estate opportunity. I might take that up.

[well now that just. pisses him off??? for some reason. all that fuss and leo's going to refuse his heartfelt barely-there apology?!

...throws rag in leo's face]

[Sputters?! How fucking dare????

He flails a little, getting the rag off his face and STARES at him.]

Come on!

Don't make me play your stupid guessing games! Tell me what you want so I can make it and/or give it to you! [STOMPS BACK INSIDE and leaves the door open! come in, obviously!! angrily puts a kettle on the stove!!!!!!]

[He blinks once at that before smiling a little. Just steps in and leaves the door open because really what's a door right that's fucking weird. But he can see that care even with all the yelling and stomping, what with the kettle being put on and all. He'll come sit on the floor next to where Don was working, just glancing over the bits.]

To catch up? Sounds like we both got a lot of info.

[Data collection calms Donatello down. Let him do this.]

Nooo, no no, you left me on read. [rummages about in the janky cupboard for the two chipped mugs he's managed to source, as well as- okay it's not the same BRAND obviously, but the same kind of tea they can both agree on as acceptable.] And then you ignored that stupid pizza pigeon picture for more than two minutes!

[spins around to lean against the counter, arms tightly folded.] Is it the housing for your faction? Or because I'm over here and you're over there?

Edited (Phone tagging.....) 2022-09-13 06:41 (UTC)

[Leonardo watches him.... He should. Probably? Be a good brother and figure this out, apologize, whatever.]

Lost reception once I went underground. I was finding a place down there to sleep since- [it's familiar. It's a little less anxiety inducing than the thought of sleeping around a bunch of strangers.]

I haven't looked at my faction's housing.

[hands on hips] And why are you looking for a place to sleep underground?

[That one question hits Leo directly, has him staring at his brother. Everything he knows about his brother says that Donatello doesn't do well with change, especially sudden unexpected change he didn't initiate. So he thought being underground like home would be familiar, would be better.

He's clearly overthought this. Maybe he shouldn't have bothered, maybe he shouldn't even be bothering talking to Hizen about a bo staff, would Don even want that?

Crap he needs to say something. What does he say that isn't overwrought?]

Not as crowded down there. I can really spread out, stretch my legs, y'know?

Fine, don't tell me. [turns back around and like, THROWS a teabag into each mug.

donnie hates. HATES. hates being lied to. HAAAAATES it. and he can tell leo is lying because he took too long to think, because he cut himself off earlier. because- because fine, donnie's making an educated guess, but if leo really is telling the truth then he's saying it in a weird way, and it probably means something else is wrong.

and donnie isn't good at this. most of the time he doesn't need to be. but right now it's just him, and it's just leo, but he did something to hurt his brother's dumdum feelings and now his dumdum brother won't talk to him, so all he can do is make him some dumdum tea and fix these dumdum appliances to get them some STUPID, DUMDUM MONEY, so he can buy things he needs to make his DUMDUM tech so he's DUMDUM USEFUL.]

[UgghhhhHHHHHHH HE'S MESSING ALL THIS UP. Ever since he got named the leader by their dad, he's been bad at reading his brothers. Butting heads way more often because- Because why? Either he's doing the hero thing wrong, or he is and it upsets them.

He can't win, either way.]

Look, it's- [Siiiiigh. Honesty, true heartfelt honesty, is so difficult when it's his own worries and concerns about something serious. Let him whine and be dramatic about missing Jupiter Jim movie all day but this? He's having too much trouble with.] It's familiar. Okay?

-but it's not. [donnie glances back at the kettle -shitty stovetop elements take so long to heat, he better fix that later- and then over at his work. his task, his goal, his- his.

his brother.

donnie shifts his weight before coming over to leo. crouches next to him. hesitates a second, before placing a hand on leo's forearm.] It doesn't have Dad's chair. Mikey's art, Raph's- Raph's everything stink. It's not familiar, not to me. It's just...some empty sewer.

[donnie doesn't want some approximation, some 'close enough.' he wants their home. and to get home they have to fulfill their contracts, and what power-hungry faction doesn't like weapons and money?]

Edited 2022-09-15 04:36 (UTC)

[Leonardo looks at that hand on his arm. Donnie doesn't do touch, not without purpose and meaning. So what was the purpose behind this?

Oh.

He looks up to meet Donatello's eyes for a moment before settling somewhere easier, those drawn on sharpie eyebrows.]

And this is better? A place we don't know surrounded by a bunch of strangers? You'd rather have that? [Nevermind that Leo needs the familiar. Nevermind his thinking if the others show up and they somehow miss each other, the most logical first placed they'll look is the sewer.] I mean, sure it's all we've got, but-

[But. Donnie seems... fine. He'll, he'd initially told Leo to stay at his own faction housing. He raises one hand to squeeze Donnie's still holding his forearm. Just gentle, affirming. More than anything, more than the familiar, more than feeling comfortable, he wants his brother close by. He doesn't think he could be alone for very long right now.]

Fine. If this is what you're okay with, then we'll make it sure. Just gotta find some way to signal Raph and Mikey where we are when they show up.

[Because they will. He's sure of it. He has to be.]

[hahahahahahahaha 'fine' yes, of course he is fine.

leo's responding well to the closeness though, so donnie summons his inner Mikey (Dr. Feelings Version) and sits down next to him, close enough so their knees touch.]

I'm working on that too. [taps at his wrist computer, which lights up pale blue and displays...nothing. and then lots of nonsensical-looking text.] I'm not getting a signal to any of my missing tech or the lair, but I checked and the trackers are still enabled, just either not sending or I'm not receiving the signal. Once I fix this, I'll make multiple receivers so we can all keep track of each other. [not invasive at all and 100% safe and appreciated and leo will like it probably]

[Leo leans into Don's space to look at it the screen, despite knowing full well he won't understand any of it. But it's good to know Donnie's working on it, on something. Not that he thought his brother wasn't, but the confirmation and seeing it in front of him helps.

He takes a deep breath and shifts so he can drape one arm over Donnie's shoulders, leaning into him a little.]

So that takes care of that problem, once you can figure it out. And in the meantime, just us.

[Because this'll go so well. He's already almost made a mess of it.]

[bingo. leo's moving closer. either leo was trying to be stoic "big"-brother-kind-of-leader-now, or he was being overly conscious of donnie's very vocal preference to not be touched. either way, donnie's both annoyed by it and worried about it; but quietly, and to himself. another thing to take into consideration.]

That we know of. [closes out of his tracking program but doesn't move away, even as the closeness seeps just a bit under his skin. he's fine. he can do this for a few more minutes; and now that he knows it's something to be conscious of, he can make plans. today's just- yeah, it's just not a good day. leo's going to feel the lack of closeness way more than donnie will, of course. donnie can schedule accordingly to make sure leo isn't by himself too often, and pace his own interactions to make sure leo gets that attention he needs. sure. there's spreadsheets for that.]

-anyway. [and they're talking, too. this is also good; even if they're just a duo right now, that's still a team, and they should be talking things out. of course, he should let leo know what's going on. it'll make him feel better. maybe he should set another reminder to give leo updates, he likes updates and leo doesn't always remember so sometimes he'll need repeat updates. yeah, sure, add that to his computer, just make sure to check in for that also.] -anyway. Options for escape. We should discuss that, too. Most obvious is to fulfill these "contracts" or whatever.

[Oh but can't it have been both, dear brother? Trying to be stoic leader and being overly conscious of his brother's needs? It's what Leonardo's trying to tell himself anyway. That leaning he's doing does get heavier as he tries to make sense of Donnie's screen before he gives up and leans a very normal brother amount instead of overbearing.]

Yeah, that'd be the most straightforward way. [Which means he's not overly interested. Where's the twists, the turns, the drama?] We know there're native youkai and 'Lost Souls', who mostly look human, but then there's us so...

[He looks at Donnie. He remembers ...something from that big red string board. The word isn't coming to him though.] Like... Do you remember, Jupiter Jim and the Dark Side of the Moon 15? His, his his what was it, what'd they call it, it was like a backwards version of everything?

Wha- alternate universe? [gives leo an Unsure look, because like look, jupiter jim is obviously the pinnacle of sci-fi entertainment, but the actual science? involved? ...surprisingly solid depending on the writer!] So you think what, this is some multiverse rendition of the Hidden City?

YEAH! Yeah, yeahyeah that.

Why couldn't this be that? It looks and works like Hidden City.

So why can't it be some other mystic city somewhere on Earth? New York can't possibly be the only one. [then again, this one uses yen but everybody is speaking english instead of japanese. weeb city?]

A weeb city, sure. It doesn't really feel right, though.

[He needs more information really. Too little already to make a confident guess.

With whatever between them sorted out seemingly, Leo lets Donnie go and ceremoniously flops onto his back, arms behind his head. Now he's curious about other potential Hidden Cities, and are they all connected, could they see them all? Could it be a way-too-convenient-way for them to travel outside NYC? Probably. Too much to hope for.]

One day, you guys have got to tell me about those sewers in Tahiti. [Just thinking out loud, the way that ADHD brain of his goes.]

[donnie relaxes just a fraction and gets out his phone, scrolling through the lost souls feed. autistic brain answers questions because why talk if no want information? input equals output and vice versa.] It was cleaner. Had that hint of ocean spray without all the rotting fish and dock garbage. Not as roomy, but beautiful vacation spot.

You need to figure out how to get us back there next summer so we can take April.

[He hadn't really expected Donnie to answer him this second. But man. That sounds awesome. Leonardo stretches his arms and legs out side on the floor.]

Definitely no fair you guys got to see it without me! I'll make my portals work by then.

[Short range portals he'd all but mastered. But longer range, anything more than ten or twenty feet was a challenge he still struggled with.]

Or, here's an idea. I build us plane. [more reliable and more likely to work, besides.

-ah, the kettle. donnie glares at it like someone else put the kettle on the stove and made it make that horrible sound, but he's up and pouring water into their mugs all the same.]

Wait, you can do that?

[They could travel so much if they had their own plane and didn't have to worry about like. IDs and security. Tahiti! Toronto! Anywhere!]

Have you been holding out on us?

Leonardo, please, at any given moment I am holding out on all of you. [if u knew everything he was working on at all times ur lil triangle head would explode]

But regarding the plane, no. It's logistics. [brings the mugs over and holds one out for his brother to sit up and take.] Building a plane is easy. Storing it and sourcing the room for a runway is not. I thought about doing some sick disappearing runway thing under Central Park, but there are so many utilities. [so many.]

Oh. But how cool would it be, right?

[SO COOL. He's practically beaming as he sits up to take the mug.]

Okay okay okay, what's the coolest thing you've been holding out? I gotta know.

Oooh, the coolest? Oh man. Uh... [so like, he's mad bc all his work and facilities and everything isn't here, but leo? ASKING about his work??? ASKING FOR DETAILS? like donnie is going to pass up this opportunity] Well, for some reason that drill really hit it big with you guys, so I was trying to think of something to top it ever since. So I was thinking- air strikes. Unmanned short-range fleets are a lot easier to launch than passenger, and they could use rotary flight so I wouldn't need a runway for any of them, but even if they did I could probably make it near vertical? And not just for combat but also if we needed some stuff then just BAM, I tap a few buttons, we get an air drop of supplies or weapons or food or whatever.

[He was genuinely asking.

The problem, unforeseen because it has never happened before, is that he has nothing to occupy his hands with. And without that, he's left to sip tea and listen. And listen.

And listen.

And oh my goddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd does he ever stop.

He's almost dozed off by the time Donnie finished, having gathered that Donnie was wanting to make something to transport their weapons like the drill. That's it, that's all he had to saaaaaaaaaaaaaay why does he take so many words to say so little.]

Uh huh.... Right.

-but Donatello, you might ask, what about the assembly? Not of the drones themselves obviously, that's child's play, [yeah he's not stopping]

Donnie! Donnie, okay so.

[Just gonna cut him off, save himself the brain exhaustion here.]

So you said this stuff [He gestures to the poor lonely espresso machines on the floor] you said is a job you're doing?

All right, so I'll check out the arena and what weapons they have there. Find out what cost we're looking at and let you know, yeah?

[And if he fights to earn a little himself in the arena, who's to say.]

[SCOWL. don't ask questions if you don't want a 30 minute ted talk!! how rude. he even let you lean on him ever so briefly, the least you could do is feign interest in his work for four to five business days]

Yes, fine. Jobs like these aren't exactly going to get us far, but I think I need a little more time before using- uh, other methods.

[Sorry, bro, but he does not have the mental real estate to hear your two hour long ted talk four days a week. He's putting together planning.

As he sips his tea.]

Uh huh. Other methods that I'm sure our father and brothers would all agree to if they were here but they're not so we make do and do whatever we have to even if that means I won't say anything as long as we get what we need.

[See he can talk long sentences too. Another sip.]

Do you want me to look at a bo for you or do you wanna try to rebuild tech-bo here?

Nyyyeeeauuugggh. if you would look into it. [hATES IT. he wants to have flame throwers and buzz saws and various weaponry god damn it!! an entire battalion's worth of projectiles!!! god he's so mad] I'm not going to have the resources for anything decent for a while.

[ooooh Donnie hates it, he can tell. No flamethrowers or buzz saws or even the big hammers to put on.

Another sip of tea.]

Good because I already asked about that too. I'll see what they have.

Uh. I guess... [Good big brother? Hizen had joked that he was a 'good' brother, but Leo is trying to take that seriously.] Metal if they have one?

[Not likely, but never hurts to think about. And if Donnie can use the metal for something else, why not?]

Natch. [wooden? with no mystic powers? what is this, the stone ages? or the...the wood ages, he'll workshop that joke first] Whole paycheck, huh...? [looks over at the espresso machines and sighs.]

[Sip sip.]

I can earn some money in the arena, too. [He's helping, shut up.]

That would be a good cover. [because he is going to Steal as soon as he gets the appropriate hardware and writes up the program]

Yeah. So...

[So. This is... fine. A plan, he's good with a plan. Both of them working on getting money, and he'll get them some kind of weapon in the meantime until they can figure out how to get their weapons back.

Still at a loss for their powers though. That's going to handicap them a bit.]

Donnie... [He hesitates for a second, fiddling with the handle of his mug.] You trust these people? As far as working with them?

[glances up from where he's been starting to tinker with the nearest espresso machine, his own mug of tea cooling and forgotten somewhere.] Of course not. We don't know these jokers. They could be holding Raph and Mikey somewhere, for all we know.

Same page, then.

[Good. And god he hopes they aren't. Sure, Mikey can keep Raph from going.... Raph-weird, but it's no substitute for knowing they're all safe.]

I don't care about this whole faction setup thing they've got going either.

Yeah, it's dumb. [LIKE, DONNIE DID NOT ASK TO BE IN UR GANG? or kidnapped, for that matter. his loyalty is to his family first and his science also first and then everything else on this blight of a planet is a lightyears-distant second.] I think you're technically not supposed to be here or me over there or whatever, but who cares.

If they didn't want that, they shouldn't've put us in separate groups.

[Simple as that. He'll keep the other housing in Shuten, but he's taking Donnie up on staying here. Besides, with as many people as have been confusing them for kappa, they could easily just trade masks and no one could tell the difference probably.]

[yeah they're like, identical. to humans anyway.] Precisely. Go get your things, then. [y'know, if he has any, but donnie assumes leo has accumulated at least some knick-knacks since coming here.]

[Surprising everyone, he has not. It's been like... A day?]

Got everything right here. I was gonna grab stuff to take to the sewer, but didn't make it that far.

It's just as crowded down there as it is up here. [oh so donnie DID look. hypocrite.]

Yeah, but I found a spot-

[Wait.]

YOU LOOKED TOO!!

[oh f-]

ONLY BRIEFLY AND FOR AN UNRELATED REASON AND I NEVER SAID I DIDN'T AND MIND YOUR BUSINESS LEO!

You were acting all high and mighty like the sewer here wasn't worth the time, but you liar! I knew you'd want something that felt familiar, you're not good at sudden change!

Yeah fine, I looked! So what! I'm still right and it's still not worth our time! [whatre you gonna do you wanna fight about it]

[ALREADY FIGHTING ABOUT IT]

DON'T ACT LIKE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT WHEN YOU DID THE SAME THING!

WHAT ARE YOU EVEN MAD ABOUT WHEN YOU WERE WRONG ANYWAY! GET OVER IT! GO BUY A PILLOW BECAUSE I'M NOT SHARING MINE!

I wouldn't wanna share your pillow anyway!

[Deep breath. Calm.]

It'll just be shaped like your egg head anyway.

At least it doesn't have an isosceles indent in the middle! Go away. [SITS DOWN SO MAD!!!! HE HAS WORK TO DO!!!!!!

....] And bring back dinner! [do please come back tho]

Wha- You're kicking me out?

[Temporarily anyway. The order to bring back dinner is signal enough for that. But fine!!! He'll leave! Leaves his empty tea mug on the floor net to him and leaves!]

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