Chapter Text
“Thank you for having me.” Draxum said, semi-nervously, looking to a beaming Mikey for approval.
Mikey gave him a wide smile and a double thumbs up, before rolling his hands in a “go on” motion.
“….I hope you all are doing well.” Draxum said awkwardly, before his shoulders slouched and he held his hands out, a genuine tone in his voice. “I am very glad to be here today.” He gently patted Mikey on the shoulder, who grinned.
Leo, arms crossed, sighed. “Well, not like I can deny Mikey. He’s the one in charge. Come on in, Draxum.”
Raph scowled protectively. “No funny business.”
Draxum nodded.
“Come in, Barry.” Splinter said. “It does no good lingering outside like this. It is cold.”
Draxum nodded again, and Mikey stepped inside, before guiding Draxum in.
Before he stepped into the lair, he started to ask “Where is the Purp-“
And then the Klaxons started.
Instantly, panels inside the walls opened, and drones flew out, and a hundred laser sights were trained on Draxum, all within ten seconds.
And then the lead drone, who Draxum hazily recognized as being Shelldon, spoke.
“Halt, Draxum.” He said, voice unusually serious. “What business do you have being here?”
“Whoa, Shelldon!” Mikey jumped in front of Draxum.
“Dude, what is he doing here?” Shelldon asked, directed at Mikey. He flapped one of his rotators, and the laser sights trained on Mikey vanished.
“We invited him, Shelldon.” Raph said, lumbering over to stand in front of Mikey.
Shelldon narrowed his eyes, looking at Mikey peering over Raph’s shoulder, and Draxum behind Mikey.
“I’m calling Donnie.” He said, voice final.
Leo threw his hands up. “Please do! I haven’t seen him in days. Speaking of which, when the hell did Donnie put those-“ he waved his hand at the legion of drones, “in??”
Shelldon paused, red eyes blinking. “I…. I’ll just call Donnie.”
His red eyes flickered to green, signaling a call going through.
“Hey, Donnie.” Shelldon said. “Draxu-“
“I know.” Donnie’s voice interrupted from the doorway, battle shell on, spider arms deployed.
He pressed a button on his tech wristband, and Shelldon’s eyes went back to red.
“Don…” Leo took half a step toward him. “You look like shit, man.”
“Thank you, Leo. Good to see you too.” Donnie briskly strode past him, only having eyes for Draxum. He pushed Raph aside, pulling Mikey behind him. His spider arms lifted him up to Draxum’s eyeline.
“Barry Draxum.” He said tonelessly. “I thought I warned you.”
Draxum scoffed. “Many times. This one,” he gestured at Mikey, “would not relent.”
“Don? What do you mean, you warned him?” Mikey asked, stepping out from behind Donnie.
Donnie said nothing, just continued to glare Draxum down.
Draxum sighed. “Purple, I promise you, I am not here to cause trouble. I am simply here for dinner.”
“Not good enough.” Donnie snapped. “I told you to never come back here.”
“Donnie.” Mikey pleaded. “Please.”
Donnie finally looked down at Mikey.
He sighed, lowering himself to Mikey’s level.
He reached out and gripped Mikey’s shoulders. “Listen, ‘angelo. If he so much as lays a finger on you or Raph or Leo…”
Mikey nodded solemnly. “I know. He won’t.”
Donnie turned back to Draxum, raising himself and looking him in the eyes. “He better not. He knows what will happen otherwise.”
Draxum’s eyes widened slightly at the look on Donnie’s face.
Donnie leaned in. “I’ll be watching. You remember our little… talk last month?”
Draxum nodded, too wary to speak.
“Good.” Donnie clapped his hands, wiped the malice from his face, and turned back to his brothers.
“Enjoy dinner.” He said shortly. “I’ll be in my lab.”
He strode out.
“What….” Leo shook himself. “Donnie, wait!”
He ran after him, disappearing into the doorway.
“Barry?” Splinter said. “What did Purple mean?”
Barry looked around, at Mikey’s worried face, at Raph’s confused one, and finally at Splinter.
“It is nothing.” He said finally. “Purple is only concerned for his family.”
“Don! Wait!” Leo called.
Donnie paused in the doorway to his lab.
“Yes, Leo?” He replied, not looking back.
“What was that?!” Leo asked. “Don, I get that you don’t trust Draxum, but that… I mean… look, Don, what’s going on? I haven’t seen you in days!”
Donnie sighed, and turned to face Leo.
“I’ve been repairing the lair.” He said shortly. “It requires much maintenance and updating.”
“That’s not- Donnie. Listen.” Leo ran his hand over his head. “Please. I just… are you okay?”
Donnie’s shoulders and neutral face wavered.
“It doesn’t matter, Nardo.”
“Do- doesn’t matter?” Leo spluttered. Then he softened his tone. “Please, Dee, just talk to me.”
Donnie sighed, dragging a hand down his face. He wordlessly gestured into the opening of his lab, and Leo knew this was an invitation.
He walked inside. The lab was covered in tech- wires strung everywhere, prototypes strewn across every surface, rolls of blueprints.
Leo sat on Donnie’s bed, looking around.
Energy bar wrappers and bottles of energy drinks were piled around the overflowing trash can. Donnie walked in and sat heavily on his chair, resting his head on his hand.
“Donnie.” Leo said softly. “You’re killing yourself.”
Donnie mumbled something into his hand.
“What?”
He lifts his head. “If that’s what it takes.”
Leo sat there, shocked.
“Oh, Donnie.” He finally said. “No.”
“Yes!” Donnie snapped. “This is my job. If I had been faster, smarter, if my tech had been better…” he whirls around and starts tapping away at his keyboard.
“Donnie.” Leo said, and Donnie must have heard the devastation in his voice, because he stopped, hanging his head.
“Donnie. Look at me.”
Donnie turned around, but refused to meet Leo’s eyes.
Leo patted the spot next to him on the bed, and Donnie got up, sitting next to him.
Donnie let out a long sigh, full of pain and exhaustion, and sagged into Leo. Leo lifted his arms and softly said “landing incoming”, their code for when he was about to touch Donnie so he was prepared. Donnie nodded against his shoulder, so Leo wrapped his arms around his brother.
“I’m so tired, Nardo.” Donnie said, in that simple sentence months- even years-of pain.
“I know, Don. It’s okay.”
And they sat there. No words needed.
“Hey, Donnie?”
“Yeah, Nardo?”
“I’d rather have you any day, tech or no tech. Even if you never made anything ever again.”
Donnie sniffled. “You suck, Leo.”
Leo laughed, and Donnie could feel it in his chest, and tears leaked from his eyes.
Donnie said, quieter, “thanks, Nardo.”
Leo smiled into Donnie’s shoulder, tears in his eyes. “That’s what twins are for.”
“Hey, Donnie?”
“Yeah, Lee?”
“Is that a gun?”