[As Don walks into the house, he will be fairly assaulted by the smell of baked goods. Muffins and snickerdoodles and chocolate chip cookies and perhaps a pie or two. Your brother is a stress baker, Donatello. Hungry?
You'll find Mike banging around in the kitchen. His plastron is streaked with flour, and when you walk in he'll be stirring something in a bowl. He has his shell to you, and he won't turn around at the sound of the door opening, though as you get closer he might edge around so he has the corner of his eye on you.
Mike practically leaps out of his shell at your touch. You didn't sneak up on him. But he's still startled. Chew on that.
Actually, you can also chew on the fact that Mike has turned around and flung his arms around you and is squeezing the brains out of you. This is not exuberance. This is a life-hold. He will die if he lets go. He still doesn't say anything. He's not even crying. But his eyes are shut tight, and a high keening is starting in the back of his throat.
[It's you. It's your voice. You're here, and you're okay.
Mike takes in a shuddering breath and lets the smell of you fill his nose. It's you. It's really you. You smelled different when you were... But you've never gone through that. That's after your time. You have no idea.
You have to tell me everything. And I mean everything, no holds barred. And you can't get Raph in trouble for telling me about Robbie. And you gotta... you gotta... you gotta not leave again.
[Okay, that was more than one thing. He's pulling away a little, enough to look you in the eye. His are filled with tears.]
But why... why'd you leave? Why for two weeks? Why... why couldn't you talk to us? [To me.] I missed you.
[There's no anger or accusation in his voice. There might have been, under slightly different circumstances, and he might tell you why someday, but for now, he's just glad you're here, whole and yourself.
Wetly chuckling:]
And... and you've gotta tell me why Robbie.
[He thinks he understands, a little. But he wants to hear it from you. What did you learn up in the mountains, bro? Speaking of which...
[Mike... kind of wants to giggle, but the truth is, bro? He knows what that means to you. He knows how hard it is for you with three idiots for brothers and a well-meaning but technologically-dumb father. He knows what April meant to you, and to find someone like that who actually reciprocates your interest has to be a supreme gift. He'd gotten an inkling of that while talking to Robert, and now he sees that it's true.
And he can't be anything but happy for you, no matter how much of a douche you were.]
[He takes the entire plate of cookies and slides into one of the chairs at the kitchen table. His body is still humming from the rhythm of the long run, but it feels good to get off his feet.]
You'll find Mike banging around in the kitchen. His plastron is streaked with flour, and when you walk in he'll be stirring something in a bowl. He has his shell to you, and he won't turn around at the sound of the door opening, though as you get closer he might edge around so he has the corner of his eye on you.
He won't speak.]
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[Don drops his heavy pack, crosses the room, and hugs Mike around the shoulders.] Anything you want is yours.
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Mike practically leaps out of his shell at your touch. You didn't sneak up on him. But he's still startled. Chew on that.
Actually, you can also chew on the fact that Mike has turned around and flung his arms around you and is squeezing the brains out of you. This is not exuberance. This is a life-hold. He will die if he lets go. He still doesn't say anything. He's not even crying. But his eyes are shut tight, and a high keening is starting in the back of his throat.
You have no idea, bro. No effing idea.]
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Mike takes in a shuddering breath and lets the smell of you fill his nose. It's you. It's really you. You smelled different when you were... But you've never gone through that. That's after your time. You have no idea.
He's just going to hold you for a while.]
Anything I want?
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[Go right ahead.
And for his first request:]
You have to tell me everything. And I mean everything, no holds barred. And you can't get Raph in trouble for telling me about Robbie. And you gotta... you gotta... you gotta not leave again.
[Okay, that was more than one thing. He's pulling away a little, enough to look you in the eye. His are filled with tears.]
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[There's no anger or accusation in his voice. There might have been, under slightly different circumstances, and he might tell you why someday, but for now, he's just glad you're here, whole and yourself.
Wetly chuckling:]
And... and you've gotta tell me why Robbie.
[He thinks he understands, a little. But he wants to hear it from you. What did you learn up in the mountains, bro? Speaking of which...
Slightly worried:]
Are you gonna... you know... be with him?
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Mike... you sound like you've met him.
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[He can't be in trouble, can he? You're the one in trouble.]
I talked to him over the journals.
We... all did.
[You promised you wouldn't get mad at Raph, Raph's gonna kill him if he finds out Mike told.]
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[He did like him. He's just. You know. Awkward. He can easily see him being a really good friend, but a boyfriend? That'll need some more 'splainin'.]
Why... love?
[Annnd he's still a little bit weirded out by the whole gay/bi/whatever thing. But he's happy for you, bro. If this is what you want.
He's looking at you hopefully. He wants to know. This is what you spent two weeks in the mountains for. Time to spill the beans, bro.]
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[And his fingers creep over the counter to snag a cookie.]
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And he can't be anything but happy for you, no matter how much of a douche you were.]
I thought you said you wanted pie.
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[He takes the entire plate of cookies and slides into one of the chairs at the kitchen table. His body is still humming from the rhythm of the long run, but it feels good to get off his feet.]
Tell me what you want to know.
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