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If you were to ask April what was the weirdest experience she's ever had before right now it would have been very hard to come up with just one, sure it could be meeting the 4 turtles and rat she saved from a lab as a child years later as mutants, Or maybe it would be one of the stranger people she's interviewed in the past. Because April has had plenty of weird experiences in her life,even before she met the turtles. But it's very easy now to say this moment right here is the weirdest experience she'll ever remember. It began somewhat normally, waking up in bed snuggled up to her boyfriend and something… rougher? Harder? Something under her pillow.She couldn't tell right away what it was in her very drowsy state. All she could tell was that She was rudely woken up from her rest by a bright flash of light in her face from an open curtain.
“Casey…can you get the curtain?” She drowsily groaned out as she tried to cover her eye's with little success. She could already tell she must have gotten either very drunk or very high last night. Maybe even both considering she was celebrating a massive promotion she got at work. No,there was something else she was doing… What was it? She felt the light that assaulted her eye's recede back into comforting darkness and she signed as she cuddled into a very muscular form 'a very rough muscular form,and maybe scaly? What was going on?’ April was still rather out of it so piecing the puzzle together was rather hard. Instead she just let out a sleepy “thanks.” to Casey for being so quick to take care of the light. He was usually kinda slow on that.
“No problem.” A familiar voice made her eye's literally shoot open and wake her up. That voice was familiar,but it wasn't Casey. “What's wrong Angelcakes?” Only one person ever called her that. She looked around and saw a 3 fingered hand was blocking the light for her, a green and scaly hand connected to the muscular and plastron covered body she and a still sleeping Casey were cuddled up against, pillows under their heads. She only needed to barely see the orange strip of fabric on the ground to really connect the dots on who she and casey we're sharing the bed with. And completely naked on top of that
“Mikey?” It was a rhetorical question because who else wears that bright orange and calls her Angelcakes? But she could see the turtle nod, a slight blush on his face as he looked like he was trying to give her some decency by closing his eyes and trying to give her some blanket. It made her snort a little, she didn't think he'd be so shy considering how much he flirted with her when they first met. It was kinda cute how out of his element the normally very bright and loud turtle was. He was Trying to be a gentleturtle it seems. April's musings were cut short by the groaning of the bed's third occupant.
“Hhhmm.” Was all Casey groaned out as he started rubbing sleep from his eyes “babe this was some of the best sleep i got in days, did you get a new mattress?” April simply smirked as she saw the turtle blush at the unintended compliment.
“100% genuine cuddly turtle.” She watched as Casey fully opened his eyes in confusion before they widened at the sight of Mikey.
“Holy!-"Casey fell right out of bed from his startling, getting the beds other occupants to laugh. In mikeys case he opened his eyes to look at the vigilante before his green face got even redder and he closed his baby blue eye's again.
“A-are you alright dude?” Mikey stuttered out, really putting into perspective how flustered he currently was. But the vigilante just rubbed his back and got up, his bare and slightly fuzzy body on as full display as April's was.
“I'm good Mike, but you look like you're gonna pass out over there. You doing okay?” his question was rewarded with a nod from Mikey. “You know we don't mind if you open your eye's right Mikey?” both humans frowned as Mikey looked like he was trying to sink into his shell from embarrassment.
“I-im sorry guy's it's just that-” mikey suddenly opened his eye's but did his best to look anywhere but April and Casey “i-its not that you're bad looking. Far from it actually. But i just-” the poor guy was fumbling with his words before he felt a gentle hand on his cheek guide him to face April, her eye's warm and compassionate as Casey joined her with a look of understanding.
“You've never seen bodies like ours before have you?” April questioned as the big guy nodded.
“I didn't know human dudes could be so fuzzy.” Mikey's comment got a snort from Casey.
“Trust me dude I'm not even the hairest guy I know, Todd at the hockey rink, that guy could be confused for bigfoot with all his hair.but he's the warmest guy there.” Mikey couldn't help but laugh at that,seeming to relax a little bit.
“Can girls be super fuzzy too?” The question was now filled with Mikey's usual brand of curiosity. Something April couldn't help but smile at as she saw him come out of the shell he was trying to burrow in.
“I mean I shave my leg's every now and then but not as much as Casey needs to shave his face.” April answered with a grin as Casey squawked in disbelief.
“Don't believe her for a second Mikey, when I first moved in I thought she groomed a super furry dog or something.” Casey said with a teasing grin, one that quickly got a pillow thrown into it.
“That was my aunt's dog and I did it as a favor for her.” the tased woman said with a smirk on her face, another pillow in hand ready for war. “And let's not forget who slept on the couch for a night for that comment.”
“It was better than my bed back home anyway babe.” Casey countered as he prepared a pillow of his own.
“Guess it wasn't much of a punishment then huh?”
“Believe it angelcakes.” Casey was quickly and swiftly hit with a pillow, and was shocked when it was thrown by Mikey.
“That's my nickname for her bro.” Mikey said as he flashed his signature smirk and dashed right out of bed, his armored body guarded by the pillow he picked up. “Come at me dudes!” Mikey shouted as he ran off and out of the bedroom, shocking the couple before they gave smirks of their own.
“Looks like operation de fluster worked out eh babe?” Casey got another pillow to the face from a giggling April as his response as she ran out of the room following Mikey.
“Loser does breakfast dishes!” Casey doubled down and dashed out for the other 2. He was not gonna be on dish duty for a 3rd day in a row.
(Time skip)
“Stupid only childhood, void of pillowfights.” Casey grumbled as he sat down for breakfast. Now clad in some boxers and a dark grey robe since it was kinda chilly, April herself could only giggle in the butter yellow robe she had on.
“Hey I didn't win either, guess we can't compete when someone has 3 older brothers and ninja training.” April's comment got them to look at the turtle in question as his tail was giving a wag every now and then, they didn't even know he had a tail. His clothes hid that really well. But the surprisingly jockstrap clad turtle(rather shocking for Casey, he didn't think the turtles wore anything under their pants considering how hard it had to be to find clothes that fit around their bodies at all) was seemingly none the wiser as he stood at the stoves,the turtle more than willing to cook everyone some breakfast despite being the pillow fight champion. Even making some special morning drink that he said would ‘bring them back to sober city dude's!’ It was surprising how this guy could shrug off whatever partying the 3 had done last night so fast, even Raph needed at least another hour to be half as close to active as his baby brother was right now.
“Im the 5 year reigning champion for ninja pillow fight dudes! You weren't gonna be beating me that easily” Mikey chimed in as he placed some eggs and sausage in front of the 2 humans before he turned his shell to them and went to the blender.
“Are you sure you sure you don't want me to help you Mikey?” April asked, wondering why he was doing all of this when technically April should've been the cooking for losing the pillow fight.
“I got it April, if there's one thing i learned from seeing my brothers it's that if you have a hangover you're cursed to destroy the kitchen. You should have seen the kitchen last time leo and raph went into the kitchen and tried cooking after a hangover, i was sick and still did a better job then them at not destroying.” Mikey explained with a groan as he grabbed several fruits from aprils counter and some oatmeal “you guys got any allergies or preferences?” Mikey asked, beginning to peel oranges when he got headshakes.
“no Donnie in that tier list?” Casey chimed in with a teasing grin as Mikey started cutting up the medley of bananas and mangoes.
“Donnie is on a whole another tier list. I've had to make so many variations on caffeine withdrawal drinks and hang over drinks that i began to think mr ‘'Im too tired to drink’ is spiking his coffee when we aren't looking. That or Raph possibly did knowing Donnie is a bit of a lightweight like Leo.”
“Leo's a lightweight!” April said in shock, both humans were fully engrossed in the talk now. Ready to start Hearing about the side of the turtles they don't know that much about.
“Oh yeah.” Mikey said with a grin as he began piling the fruits into the blender.”You'd think he'd be like those badass samurai who just drinks some saucers of sake and are content but nope, he gets drunk very fast from just a bit of it.one saucer is enough to get him drunk And it frustrates him to no end.” the blender was soon turned on and both humans strained to hear Mikey as he talked about his family. “Donnie is a little better than Leo, but not by much. But he also doesn't drink a lot to begin with because he gets pretty clumsy during a hangover. He always likes to say that he's too tired to drink yet I swear I can smell sake and coffee on his breath some mornings.”
“Why would Don even want to mix coffee and sake?” Casey asked, completely confused.
“Apparently the right amount of sake almost works like an energy drink for Donnie. That or it enhances his crazy brain power.” Mikey shrugged as he turned off the blender. “All i know is those 3 are awful in the kitchen when hung over even a little bit. I Swear it's like they destroy it just by thinking of doing something in there.” Mikey poured 3 glasses of the bright orange smoothie before giving out glasses to his human friends.”and since I seem to get over hangovers quickly I got really good at making hangover remedies and drinks.” The orange turtle finished as he set down his own smoothie and a plate of breakfast.
“Guess doctor Mike really takes his job seriously doesn't he?” April asked with a smirk as she began to dig in.
“you know it angelcakes. Gotta be there to give them care even if they don't want it.” Being the teams official medic was a relatively recent change, mostly born from feelings that he's not doing enough and them needing someone to do it. Donnie used to do it but he got extremely burnt out about 2 years ago. Mikey had planned to talk to his older brother about trying to take his place for the family's health care sooner, but it hadn't come up for awhile. He's been the main medic for everyone for about maybe 6 months now.
“Gotta say it's really funny seeing their confused expressions when you go all doctor lingo mode on them.” Casey added with a smirk before he shivered slightly as he drank his smoothie “till you go all doc angel that is.” Mikey could only smirk slightly at the shiver of fear. He wasn't just a normal medic, he made doctor personas to use depending on the situation. And well, when your older brothers and hockey playing vigilante friend are extremely bad at taking care of themselves sometimes you need a strong personality. And doctor angelo was just that kind of strong and no nonsense.
“I didn't know I had it in me to be so angry. Not like that anyway.” The turtle admitted as he quickly finished off his own breakfast. “If you and my bros stopped ignoring dr mikan's words and caring for yourselves you wouldn't have seen angelo so many times.” Mikey looked like he was gonna pick up the dishes but April stopped him.
“Slow down doctor, we got someone else to clean the dishes today. Remember?” April brought up with a tease, getting Casey to groan.
“Man,being an only child sucks.” Casey grumbled before drinking his smoothie again.”You got a way with drinks Mikey, this is great!” The man's praise made the turtle blush and his tail started to wag faster. Getting the human's attention “I didn't know you guys had tails.”
“Yeah we mostly keep them hidden behind whatever pants and stuff we could find cause they're kinda sensitive.” Mikey explained” Makes anything beyond pants kinda hard to wear but me and raph made it work pretty well. But considering underwear is not something you can easily find as a mutant it's kind of hard. Especially with the shell.” That explained a certain conversation Casey remembered having with Raph one night they were patrolling together.
“Speaking of Raph,I'm surprised he hasn't come barreling through my window to find you.” April brought up as she finished her food. Getting Mikey to look thoughtfully for a moment before he shrugged.
“My bros knew i was coming over, they haven't seemed to care about me spending nights outside the lair with friends for a minute now. They even recommended I go see some of our human friends when I mentioned learning about human anatomy from somewhere other than a book.” Now that Mikey mentioned it, April did remember something about anatomy questions last night. Or him trying to because he kinda struggled without visuals or something happening to help his focus. He just learned better with motion or images then the flat pictures and words in the medical book.
“Wait, did we even do any of those questions you had last night?” Casey asked as he began doing his chore for the morning. His question got the giant turtle to attempt to wrack his brain for answers.
“I can't really remember all that well,what did we even do last night?” responded with a blush on his face,one that was reciprocated by the humans in the room. There weren't that many activities that could result in 3 people waking up naked in bed together. April suddenly had an idea.
“My cameras!” April's shout got a confused look from Mikey but a look of realization from casey.
“cameras?” Mikey wondered
“April installed some cameras around the place a few months back.” Casey Explained as he pointed to some areas with hidden cameras on the walls.
“Donnie helps with the data storage since he helped install and make them.” April's words sparked recollection in the youngest turtle.
“That's what he was making! I thought he just didn't want to try my smoothie concoction punishment for not taking care of himself.” The humans sweatdropped collectively at that. “Guess he earned those smores pop tart frosting cookies I made him then huh.” Those cookies he made because he genuinely thought his brother was scared of him with that strong personality he just started using when they just wouldn't take care of themselves. “But how will the cameras help?”
“Well I have some in my room and the living room, so maybe we can see what happened last night.” The logic seemed perfect. The three would get some answers.
(Time skip)
The trio was now fully clothed and sitting together. Prepared to watch the events of last night.
“Took a long time of skipping to get to where we wanted but I think I found it.” April explained as she got the boys to look at the tv she got to show the footage. “Since Mikey came here at around what looks like 8 last night we can start a little after there. You guys okay with that?”
“Yeah babe.” Casey said with Mikey nodding in agreement. “Let's see what crazy things happened last night eh Mike?” The man put a comforting arm around the turtle's shoulder. Probably trying to give him some comfort seeing as he looked like he was closing himself in that wound up shell again.
“Let's do it dudes.” With all 3 parties in agreement the hoshiga started the footage. It showed Mikey staring at April and Casey as he sat on a table in their living room,a notebook in his hand and a 12 pack of beer between all 3 of them.
“Thanks for being willing to help me dudes,I was gonna ask woody and angel for help first before i saw Casey.” The Mikey on video admitted as he opened and took a swig of his beer. “I'm not really sure what I'm doing so I'm just gonna personalize the questions and we can go from there.”
“Sure Mikey,ask away.” Video April said as she took a drink from her own can. “And were more then happy to help you learn a bit more about anatomy. I think it's you want to take care of us like you do with your brothers.”
“Couldn't agree with ya more babe. It beats explaining to the docs how i got banged up without mentioning the foot.” Casey made a noise of agreement with his video counterpart. “So what's ya starting with first doc?”
“Well maybe start with can your families also take as many hits as you two do or is it just you guys?” Video Mikey asked his friends. Receiving a nod from casey and a so-so from April. Quickly writing it down.
“My dad and my aunt judy seem to be unstoppable sometimes. Feels like Nothing short of blood loss would take them down.” Casey said as he took a drink. Urging Mikey to do so as well. “More fun if you take a drink every time you get a non negative answer.” “I'm beginning to see why we don't remember anything” Casey chimed in as they began to watch the night unfold. But it didn't take too long before the night turned. Maybe 3 or 4 questions. It all started surprisingly with April.
“Hey Mikey.” The turtle looked at her, “i made some brownies a little bit ago before you came in,why don't you go and get them and we can have a little snack break.” The shiny eyed turtle nodded quickly and went off to the kitchen. But as he left April looked at Casey with a concerned look Mikey realized he didn't like that face. “Are we on the same page here Casey?”
“That Mikey is really hard to get drunk?” While Mikey and Casey snorted at that, April gave them a slightly amused look she shared with her video counterpart. “Seriously bro,how do you take so much?” The genuine question from Casey made Mikey laugh.
“Just built different dude, don't know how else to explain it.” But that smile and The good mood were dampened when he heard what video April said next.
“it's not that Casey. it's just that, something has seemed so… off with Mikey lately. Hasn't it?” Both humans looked at the now silent turtle, his bright blue eyes stared intensely at the screen in front of him.
“I noticed it too.” video Casey said with a frown. “I think I freaked Raph out by asking if something was wrong with Mikey last time we hung out.” Mikey remembered that. Raph popped up in the lair earlier than he usually did for a Casey hang out last week, and he looked really worried. It took a 2 turtle cuddle pile just to calm him down. “But I just thought it was in my head, it's really hard to tell if something's up with the big guy. How'd you notice?”
“His eyes.” April's admission both on and off screen just made too much sense for everyone. If something really affected Mikey,like a human's jab at his appearance or a bout of depression his eyes had a way of looking drained and dark. Like the negative emotions just sucked the life out of him. It was a major hint that his friends and family used to see if he was having a depressive episode and slide back after they found out about his depression.
“So what do you want to do?”
“Relax Mikey with some of those brownies I made for the celebration and maybe start helping him if we can.” Mikey then popped up in the video with the tray of brownies with an expression of pure joy. But April and Casey were paying attention to the silent Mikey next to them. Who looked ready to duck into his shell. “Mikey?” April asked with a worried expression, getting a slight flinch as she brought Mikey out of his own head. He tried to smile but his eyes still loomed dark,even before this his eyes were somewhat dark. But it wasn't noticeable unless you knew how to spot the tiny differences.
“Yeah April?” Mikey whispered, but was heard as if he yelled.
“We're here for you.” April's arm was joined by Caseys as he said that. Getting Mikey to focus on them. His eye's were watering a little. “Don't forget that we're here for ya bro.”
“We care about you Mikey.” The humans were surprised by the sudden crushing grip they were in as Mikey hugged them close to him and began to cry, the soft sobs wracking his giant frame as the 2 tried their best to hug him. It even seemed like video mikey was in as much tears as the turtle before them was.
“I just-” Mikey seemed to gasped out as his tears tried to subside “I don't know how to get rid of this feeling anymore guys.” his tears might be trying to stop but the shaking in both body and voice weren't “i feel so empty,and so sad and needy at the same time. I just want it to stop, and I-” another gasp, tears springing more leaks no matter how hard he tries.”I can't get it to stop.”
“Get what to stop dude?” Casey asked as he tried to hug the giant turtle. Frowning at the pain the big guy was facing.
“This pit like feeling in my heart.” Mikey whimpered out as he leaned into the man's touch. “I just feel cold and empty inside. No matter how many hugs and cuddles I give and get.” and for a cuddly ball of warmth like Mikey, That's troubling.
“Have you told your brothers about this feeling?” Mikey shook his head at April's question.
“I've been trying for a week because it's been getting worse. But they're always busy doing something they won't let me in on, and it's far too early to be planning birthdays.” Mikeys attempted joke didn't go through as he wanted. “I was gonna tell them last night but got sidetracked,then when I brought up my lack of knowledge on you guys I think you can guess the rest.” his arms tightened their hold.
“So all this time you've felt like that?” surprisingly Mikey shook his head
“This morning it was gone,I felt so warm and cozy. Like the pit wasn't there anymore. Still kinda do now that i think about it." This was getting confusing for them all. But maybe they could trace it back
“When did it all start?” April began, hoping she could help this hole That's consuming one of her friends.
“I think it was maybe 3 months ago.”Mikey answered, trying to rack his brain for knowledge on the problem at hand.”I had overheard something going on in Leo's room, around that time I'd seen those 3 getting and being really close, And when I opened the door they were all there. Looking over something but not even inviting me to join in. Heck Raph threw a pillow at me and told me to get out. He apologized the next morning but he still got the cold shoulder and the tea.” Mikeys bitter whisper at the end made the humans shiver, especially at the mention of that cursed poisonous drink he called tea.
“And that's when it started?” April inquired. Getting a head nod.
“Something in me felt it after openly being excluded from whatever this activity is. And the 3 months of this on and off happening made it feel worse. I see them all the time and I feel like I know what they're doing because I can smell something. But I don't want to make assumptions. It's like they're worried about something and I just want to help them.” Casey had an idea.
“You said it went away this morning, right?” the nod he got made him continue “if it was after a night like that maybe what you're feeling is loneliness, maybe something like being touch starved too.” the other 2 didn't follow.
“It's not like I never see them or get hugs dude,it's really reduced but not gone.” Mikey countered with. “Your comment to raph during your last hang out even got it to increase again so i don't know about that. It's not like they don't love me or something” even as he said that he didn't let the humans go or stop trying to lean into both touches.
“No mike, not that kind of touch or the love they do have for you.” Casey rubbed a hand on Mikey's cheek”I'm talking about romantic love.” Casey might have struck something with the little blush on his friends face.
“You could be onto something Casey.” April agreed. “Mikey you might be a turtle but you're also human. And very empathic and emotional at that, allot of humans want affection and love,you genuinely might want that deep connection made with romantic love and not having it when your brother's might have something like that with someone could be causing your problems.”
Mikey looked like he was sputtering while trying to figure out what to say. And how'd April figure out about the love part,he didn't leave hints about that now did he? “But how'd we figure out that's the re-” Mikey was quite literally cut off by the feeling of a kiss on his cheek. By Casey of all people. And his green face did an immediate impression of a half ripe tomato as he made a certain kind of sound he's been hearing in his brother's rooms the past few months when he listened closely.
Mikey began to rumble and churr, and the feeling of cooling in his heart and stomach began to warm up.
“With sounds like that Mikey, I think Casey might be onto something.” April said with a teasing grin. “But we might need to perform a few more experiments.” And then April gave a kiss of her own, and very quickly it magnified his rumble to full on purring sound.
“Ya sounding like an engine there doc.” Casey addressed with a teasing grin of his own, feeling his forehead”and it looks like you're burning up too. Maybe this experiment is onto something eh doc?”
“Perhaps a few experiments isn't a bad thing dudes.” With that both humans got surprised by being pulled close to the churring turtle, both quickly obtaining a kiss of their own, Right on the lips. Nobody even addressed the sync between video and reality… until they all heard a moan from the video April that is.
“Oh my!”as April said with a bit of a blush that All 3 of them got a view of some of their crazy night.
Jeez Mike, are you trying to throw my back out?” Casey commented “didn't know you were that big.”
And all Mikey could do was become fully red,even is shoulders were red now, but some of that blood went somewhere else too.
“I guess doctor Mikey is ready to give another examination.” Casey teased when he felt the thing poke his leg. But this time Mikey had something to say back as he grabbed the man's jaw and gave him another kiss. This time with that signature trickster smirk he developed.
“My patients seem just as excited as I am for another examination.” Mikey tased back,bringing back some of his confidence and charisma he usually has.
Whatever cold feelings and pit in his heart was currently very filled up, and if he had it his way as he slipped into something more relaxed and confident. These two won't be empty for very long either.