Thirty-Third Theory [Action/Written]

[i_speak_softly]

[Donatello woke up this morning so relieved to be back in his own body that all he could do was cry into his pillow for five minutes. By the end of this catharsis, part of him felt that he really should look in on his housemates to see what state they were in today, but another part just really didn't want to know how much misery he was still in

Comments

[Action]

[meanandgreen]

[When Donnie gets back home, he can follow the sounds of a softly strumming guitar to his brother's room, interrupted with the odd off-note and a string of quiet curses.

Beyond the slightly ajar door, Raph's sitting on his bed wrapped in his electric blanket with a guitar on his lap, a look of concentration on his face.]

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

[Don't mind your brother, Raph. He'll just quietly let himself into your room and attach himself to your shell. He's not getting in the way of your playing, is he?]

[Action]

[meanandgreen]

[Nah, he doesn't mind. He even takes a break from playing to scoot over and offer him a spot under the blanket. It's really nice and warm under there.]

C'mere, egghead.

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

[Wait one second while he sheds his many coats. Then he will gratefully climb into that warm spot.]

[Action]

[meanandgreen]

[Once Don's cozy, he gets situated with the guitar and starts picking at it again, frowning thoughtfully.]

Glad to see you in your own shell again.

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

Likewise. [He shifts.] Do you feel as wrecked as I do?

[Action]

[meanandgreen]

Wrecked? Nah. [He thinks about it for a moment.] Was pretty close to wrecked before we started. Guess I got nowhere to go but up.

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

Hm. [He nods to the guitar.] How's that going?

[Action]

[meanandgreen]

[He shrugs.] Haven't heard any decent music in almost a year. But I think I got a song I sorta half-remember.

[He situates his fingers on the strings, brow knotted in concentration, and plays about three chords of some nonspecific song. Still doesn't sound quite right to him.]

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

[Nope, he doesn't recognize it. But then again, he and Raph have never really liked the same kinds of music.]

[Action]

[meanandgreen]

[He hits an off note and sighs.]

I think we should try makin' that dinner again. You know, before anything else happens.

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

Oh... If you want to.

[Action]

[meanandgreen]

Yeah, I do.

[He sighs, leaning his head against the wall behind him and closes his eyes, still holding the guitar. Maybe he is a little wrecked, just wrecked in a different way.]

I wanna do somethin' that makes me feel like me again. And it ain't like I can go out bustin' heads, or hit up Casey's place, or take a ride on the bike. Hell, I'd kill a guy for some decent TV channels. Feel like I'm goin' crazy.

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

[He nods.] I don't know about you, but a good workout followed by a long bath would make me feel a whole lot better right now. [He begins to shrug the blanket off.] Care to join me?

[Action]

[meanandgreen]

[He opens his eyes and watches Don climb out of bed. Honestly, all he really wants to do is sit there under his blanket and complain, but he does need to work out sometime today. No better time than the present.

The guitar gets propped up against the wall by the bed, and Raph leaves the comfort of the blanket with a groan for good measure.]

Yeah, I'm comin'.

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

[Don heads for the workout room, only detouring to his own room to retrieve his bo. Once there, he begins a very slow series of exercises, feeling his way back into his own skin.]