semilethal | LEO - POST MOVIE

[Leonardo doesn't feel the ride once he's drifted off. Each heartbeat is a harsh percussion of metal and anger, the large robot body fists slamming down into his plastron and each bump in the road another slam into the cement underneath him.

Y̴̛̯̮̒̒̈ǫ̷̻̑̅͂̚u̶̢͚̔̾̚'̵̛͈͕̟̫̲͛̌͋͠v̵̨͔̩̙͚̈́͘͘e̶͓̤̹͉͑̍́͊ ̸͓̠̏̈́̌̈́ȓ̵̗̏ư̴̯̜͋̉i̷̪͇͇͐̍͌̐̀ͅņ̴͕̀͛e̷͓͕̙̓̚͜ḏ̸̀͊͌̓ ̵͉͔́̉͐͌͘e̶̤͂̉v̶̨̡̳̱̪̈͝e̷̩̭̪͗ŕ̴̦̝̪̋ỳ̷͕̗̐͐͊͋t̴̗̋̾̂̒h̵͚̝̳͉͔̕͝i̶̛̬̻͑̒͘ṉ̵̛̭̙̌̅͐ḡ̶̱̗̫͎͂ͅ

The physical tapping to his shoulder jerks him out of the nightmare. He'll never admit that's what it was, no one can prove such a thing. But he's breathless for the split second of weightlessness between dream and waking, Krang's angry glare over him melting into Donnie's tired one.]

The- Right...

[It's a herculean effort to start pushing himself to sit up, gritting his teeth as each individual bruise and injury greets him on the way up.]

[it's hard to miss a fitful rest when the person having it is literally in your arms, but donatello doesn't comment. it's not going to help anybody, and it's irrelevant to the task at hand besides.

that task being 'get leo into the lair,' which may prove more taxing than donnie had anticipated. he watches leo struggle, watches him slowly, painfully roll from his sitting position up onto his knees. the cracks on his plastron betray the wounds there, but the back of his shell can't be much better. the truth is, there's no way to help without hurting leo somehow, but-]

...all right, [donnie disengages his battle shell. since it's composed of mystic energy it simply dissolves, and donnie mourns the loss of his physical battle shell back in the krang ship. still, he slings april's jacket over his shoulders before slipping down to a knee in front of leo, his soft shell turned toward his brother.] Get on.

[He's managed to get halfway to his feet when Donatello offers.

It's a rare offer, even. Donnie hates physical touch like this, especially anything longer than a couple of seconds. Offering a piggy back ride? Monumental character growth. And as much as he wants to razz on him some, for this? He'll leave it alone and instead take the offer as it's genuinely given.

A moment to breathe before sort of half-slumping onto him before shifting to something easier.]

...Thanks.

Ugh, don't thank me. [donatello's not exactly the most physically fit of the turtles (okay fine he's the least fit) but he can at least carry his brother. he is undoubtedly the least injured, the least in need of assistance, the most capable, the least upset-

heh. you're one to talk, big bro. hero moves are totally your style.

donnie bites his lip so hard he tastes copper. he hitches his brother up further onto his shell and plods after his family for the lair.]

Edited 2022-08-26 04:29 (UTC)

Whatever you say, little brother.

[He tries to relax, rest his head down on Donnie's shoulder or shell, whatever's closest. But man, Donatello is really not made out for heavy lifting or cardio, huh. He's definitely more of the quick sprint and call it a day... They should probably work on that at some point.

He catches a glimpse of Splinter watching them, meets his father's eyes for just a moment before closing them. He hears Raph collapse heavily onto the couch, Mikey on the floor next to him. He can even make out just the sounds of their youngest brother still rubbing at his hands, his arms. He doesn't know what Mike did, but... It saved him. He'll have to come up with something later to thank him that isn't super obvious that's what he's doing. He still can't get a good read on Donnie, though. Doesn't seem like much physical, but something definitely got to him. More than just Leo potentially not coming back.]

So where to, Ferry-man?

I'm taking Leo to Medical. Raph, you and Mikey check in once you've rested. [the unspoken instruction being 'do not come in yet,' though he doubts he can stop them for very long. maybe he can at least get these x-rays done before his brothers start desperation-cuddling each other.

that being said, donatello isn't exactly bursting with energy either. he stops long enough to ask (read: beg) april and splinter to keep raph and mikey out of medbay until he's had a chance to give leo a decent examination. casey cannot be dissuaded but promises to be quiet and stay over in the corner, wringing his hands as he peers worriedly at leo as he follows.

don drags them over to the cot and finally releases his brother's legs so he can roll onto it. don has to rearrange the pillows and adjust the angle so leo can lay as flat as possible, but he keeps april's jacket over his shoulders like a cape because not having something covering his shell feels...bad.]

Don't move, [don orders shortly, grabbing for the portable x-ray on its mechanical arm, installed after the whole shredder fiasco as an unfortunate necessity. his tone gets flatter, his words more succinct, even if he's much more hands-on with ensuring his brother's comfort than he usually ever would be.

not that he's usually the one doing the medical stuff, but they don't exactly have a choice right now.]

[That shifting from Donnie's back to the cot is more painful than it has any right to be. And just how many times will he have to move? It's becoming an issue, he thinks. But flat and as comfortable as he can manage on this thing.]

Yep. Not moving, that's easy, easiest thing you could've asked.

[Even if his breath is shaky, even if he has a tremor in his fingers and knees he can't really stop. The x-ray itself is showing a hairline fracture between his sternum and ribs, the rest of the bones just jostled and not in a good way. But those cracks in his plastron are a problem, the one in his side just at the edge of the plastron jabbing into his side now.

Krang wasn't exactly pulling any punches at the prospect of being trapped alone with Leonardo in that dimensional prison.]

[the worst thing is that donatello suspects krang was pulling his punches somewhat, probably to keep leo alive long enough to toy with for a while. it makes logical sense, even if contemplating the reasoning behind why leo isn't just a bag of bone shards makes donnie's hands feel curiously numb.

he squeezes his fingers into fists a couple times before moving the x-ray arm back out of leo's airspace and gets to work hunting down the bio-patches and shell spackle.]

Casey, go get some warm water and a towel. Leo's shell needs to be clean for the patches to adhere properly.

Edited 2022-08-27 04:09 (UTC)

[Casey looks both unwilling to leave sight of his would-be-mentor and equally eager to help. The latter wins out as he nods and he ducks out of the area quickly.

Leonardo watches the kid leave, then reaches for Donatello's arm, voice low and quick.]

I'll tell you what happened if you tell me why you don't have your battle shell. And what happened to Raph and Mikey.

[donatello jerks his wrist away from leo's hand with alarming speed. he meets leo's eyes for all of a second before turning again to retrieve and set out forceps, tweezers, and a suture kit beside a half-empty box of alcohol swabs on a nearby rolling cart.]

We'll know more about Raph and Mikey once I'm done in here with you. They're fine. [obviously, donatello is also fine.]

[That jerk away catches him off guard. It leaves Leo staring at the empty space where his brother's wrist should be in his grasp. Something's wrong, and he can't connect the dots the way he normally would (the concussion, probably. it is probably definitely the concussion).

He knows something happened to each of them, and he's too tired to really argue fully the way he wants to. But that Don won't even tell him is... Something. Something he should be worrying about more. But fine. If he's not willing to tell him, then maybe Leo doesn't want to think about Krang trying to kill him, or Krang-zombified-Raph nearly strangling him to death.

He carefully closes his fingers into a loose fist, laying his head back again.]

Fine.

[and donnie just. gets to work.

luckily the broken section of plastron at the corner hadn't dug too deep into the skin. donnie plucks out the chip and cleans and bandages the wound. casey returns with the water and towels, and donnie works on wiping down leo's plastron without agitating the cracks. alcohol swabs next, then biodegradable patches, then the spackle to hold it all together while it heals. waterproof bandage pad, gauze to keep the wounds clean and dry, and that takes care of the cracks.

...now for everything else. leo has serious swelling wounds on his face and blood in his mouth. considering he's not still spitting out blood he probably doesn't need stitches inside his mouth, but donnie wouldn't put it past him to be swallowing it to keep his family from worrying.

he retrieves a penlight, avoiding leo's eyes.] Open.

[No one can prove if he was or was not swallowing the blood this whole time. But he can tell Donnie's avoiding it now. Won't look him in the eyes when he was so insistent before. Leonardo has sat patiently while Donnatello worked. Normally he'd be doing this. He'd be the one handling the injuries and patch up jobs. The worst is waiting for the spackle and everything to dry, so he can't really move.

The order to 'open' is not entirely welcome. But far be it from him to make this worse. So he opens his mouth. There's definitely some dried and fresh blood in there. At some point he bit down on the inside of his cheek and that cut pretty harshly, but who knows where the rest has come from.]

[there are a few wounds inside leo's mouth, cuts from his teeth-
while he was being beaten to death
-but those still bleeding are sluggish enough that donnie is comfortable letting them heal without stitches. he sends casey off for water again, drinkable this time.

the other wounds require minimal cleaning. donnie retrieves a cold pack, smacks it against his palm until it activates and wedges it between the knot at the back of leo's skull and the pillow to hopefully help with the swelling. casey comes back with a cup of water and a straw while donnie is cleaning up and helps leo drink and spit.]

Mikey, Raph, [donnie calls from the doorway before disappearing in the direction of his lab. raphael and michelangelo both stumble into the medbay and over to leo, mikey immediately collapsing into tired tears and holding onto leo's arm, quietly snuffling.]

You gotta promise, never again, [he hiccups, rubbing his face against leo's hand. raphael stands with his hand on mikey's shell, rubbing absently at his right eye as he stares down at leo in exhaustion.]

Edited 2022-08-27 08:18 (UTC)

[Sipping through that straw would be miserable with stitches. As it is, it's easy enough. Swirl, spit. Tries to get a couple actual sips in before Donnie calls their other brothers in.

He looks from Mikey's crying to Raph's older-brother-stoic-mode. But the rubbing at his eye is enough of a reminder that he was in as much if not worse a position than Leo. He makes the decision then and there: it isn't about him. He wanted to make sure they were all safe, and he did. They don't ever have to know the details.

He shifts his hand to pat Mikey's head, getting that voice the best charisma boost h can, familiar and soft..]

Hey, hey, come on, what's that about, huh? I'm here, I'm fine, we all made it.

[But he can feel Raph staring down at him. It's almost unrelenting.] That was foolhardy, you know that?

...Yeah. But... I had to.

It won't happen again.

Edited 2022-08-27 08:32 (UTC)

[by the time donatello gets back, wheeling one of his spare worktables along with him, raphael had somehow been talked into taking off his mask so his younger brothers could look at the eye he'd been rubbing.]

You two, [donnie said, pointing at them both with one hand as he engages the wheel locks on his table with the other,] up here. Gloves and wraps off, Michael. You too Raph.

[like leo's not even in the room. or like donatello is compartmentalizing, hyperfocusing. ignoring any and all other stimuli in favor of checking off his list.]

[The two brothers look from Donnie back to Leo, gives him a gentle squeeze of the hand and arm before they follow through Donatello's instructions. Unwrapping their Ninpo wraps and gloves, belts off.

It leaves Leo laying there on that cot watching. Watching his brothers patch themselves back together (he should be, that's his job, he should be patching his brothers back up-) and deal with the aftermath of what happened. He wants to know everything that happened, but that would mean potentially opening up for them to ask him, and he's not talking about it, he's not going to talk about the murderous intent in Raph's mutated eye, or Krang's slowly stalking toward him and the beating that happened after-

He doesn't notice his breathing shortening and speeding up, his vision blurring and the high pitched tone in his ears but he still can't move as the dizziness sets in.]

-eo. Leonardo! [when donnie snapping his fingers in front of his brother's face doesn't work he grabs him instead, hands holding his brother's cheeks as he gives him a shake, leaning over him.

he'd been drawing raph's blood, reassuring mikey and updating them on leo's condition, and casey had come back with a refill only to drop the water when leo wouldn't stop gasping.

now donnie has to do something, has to take care of this, and he hears the rough sound of raphael and mikey sliding down from the table before he turns and snaps at them both,] Get back up there and let me handle at least this!

[he leans over leonardo, still holding his face.] Nardo, listen. [what's he read about this? what can he do? distract. derail.] -Jupiter Jim issue 35, who is the main antagonist?

Edited 2022-08-28 03:23 (UTC)

[It isn't the snapping or the shaking that gets his attention pulling him back. It's the weird conjunction of words that don't match up with what he was remembering-

Jupiter Jim? He's fairly certain that's Donnie's voice asking through the ringing and pulsing in his head that feels like it's going to split open any time now.]

Wha- A- his clone, but- [He squints, everything coming back into focus, consciously recognizing he's having some trouble breathing. More importantly:] why are you asking that right now? Get them patched up.

Edited 2022-08-28 03:54 (UTC)

Shut up, Leo!

[behind them, raphael and mikey who had been advancing, casey who had been hovering about trying to clean up the dropped water glass, april and splinter approaching the door- everyone stopped.

something breaks. something broke.]

Do you not get it yet?! Do you really not get it?!

Donnie- [raphael tries, mikey pressed against his elder brother with tears in his eyes, his hands cupped over his mouth.]

Everyone else here is too nice and too heroic and too worried about you to say anything so I guess it falls to me, but you are the biggest idiot on the face of this planet! [donnie wrenches his hands away because if he holds his stupid fucking same-age-as-him-but-pretends-like-he's-older brother for one more second, he's going to tear his damn stripes off.] You gave up too easily! There, I said it! You gave up! Do you think any of us wanted that?! Do you think we'd be okay with you using yourself as- as hate bait for the Krang to save the planet?!

Forget the planet! Next time, make your stupid idiot portal and jump back home and forget the heroics! Stop worrying about your brothers when we are fine, already! Shut up!

[Leonardo freezes in place at the outburst.

Donnie's emotional sometimes - he claims he isn't, claims he's incapable, but Leo's seen it enough times, knows what his brother gets emotional about - and this is possibly the most emotional he's ever seen the purple themed brother.

But everything he's saying, he's trying to retain it, trying to keep it in his concussion ridden head so he can process it and say anything back. "Hate bait" sounds so ridiculous but that is what he was, isn't it? How else were they supposed to keep Krang in one place, keep him on the other side of the portal long enough to close it? They were out of options, not while the three of them were on Staten Island of all places.

His voice comes out quiet, even.] Is that really what you think?

Obviously that's what I think!

Donatello, enough. [splinter is there and reaches for donnie's wrist, raphael holding onto mikey and looking like he's half a second away from his own outburst, april with her arms folded and and her lip bitten-

SMACK.]

Don't touch me!

[if the medbay hadn't been pin-drop silent before, splinter with his hand slapped aside, staring up at his soft-shelled son in complete shock would've done it. something in donatello's expression shifts, from rage to confusion and hurt, back to anger and desperation.

he spins around and points to mikey and raph.] You two! Rest! [turns on leo] That goes quadruple for you!

[and then he's stalking for the door, practically running.] I'm going to my lab, do not bother me!

[it takes a few seconds after donnie's departure for michelangelo to finally burst into fresh tears.]

Edited 2022-08-28 05:12 (UTC)

[Leo is struck dumb watching Donatello yell at everyone. Their brothers, their dad. Casey looks like a mouse trapped with things much larger than he can fully comprehend; whatever he'd seen of them in 2044, it hadn't prepared him for inter-brother fights. He slinks back over to April who's looking not that impressed by Donnie's tantrum. But Michael's outburst is enough to break the silence and get some movement going - April to him, rubbing his head to soothe, Casey to go get more water to make up for the cup he dropped.

Splinter comes to stand by Leo as he's stuck watching the door Donnie stormed out of. He wants to sit up, wants to go after him and explain - but the still-drying spackle on his plastron is enough to keep him rooted there laying on this cot that doesn't do anything to help them.]

Give him time. [For once, their dad's voice is quieter. He's never been good at the soothing supportive dad thing, but he's been trying to get better lately, to make up for lost time, to make up his own shortcomings and putting off the reality of their lives and destiny as Hamato.]

[All right, that's enough of that. Raphael hands Mikey over to April to look after and heads over to Leo's bedside, a hand on Splinter's shoulder.] Pops, me n' Mikey were talkin' about a pillow fort in the living room for the next few days. Could you an' April help?

[April catches on quickly enough and starts chatting up pillows and "bedsheet architecture," wrangling Casey into it as well as he's on his way back in 'for the experience,' hyping up the impending cuddle puddle and throwing a wink over her shoulder at Raphael.

Splinter is more reluctant to leave his son's side, but at the look on Raphael's face he nods solemnly. He does reach up to squeeze Leonardo's fingers briefly, a spot of comfort before turning to go. They'll be together soon enough, but perhaps this moment is better left between the two leaders.

Raphael drags over their taped-together milk crate stools, dropping his bulk onto the plastic with his usual 'big dog who thinks he's a small dog' energy when it comes to standing or sitting on things. He carefully doesn't look at Leo too long, glancing over the plaster but gazing back out the door where he can hear the bustle of the rest of the family perking up, a calm sort of warmth settling over him despite everything that...happened.

Donnie had given him an eye wash and then a patch for his right eye, which Raphael had thought was excessive. He already took some blood, did he need more than that?]

...Mikey's amazing, huh?

[Leo watches them go. A pillow fort for a few days, huh... He's smart enough to know what Raph's doing, but he won't say anything. It's getting Mikey and Casey in better spirits pretty quickly. His eyes focus still on the door, wondering when Donnie will come back for something, his tools, his gear, anything. But he doesn't...

So he turns his eyes up to his big brother. Then up to the ceiling.]

I- Yeah. I still don't know what you guys did, though.

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why are you awake ma'am

dw bout it

I'm GONNA worry about it

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