You are hereby thought to be the most senseless and fit man of the Watch

[i_speak_softly]

Characters: Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michaelangelo
Date: June 5 and after
Location: Leo and Don's suite in the Metal Sector
Situation: Testing out this lantern business
Warnings/Rating: None


After the initial visit, Raph and Mike had managed to stay in their own suite for an entire day before drifting back to Leo and Don's building. Don had certainly been glad to see them again - the place didn't feel right without them - but his enthusiasm for the situation waned sharply when it became clear they didn't plan to leave.

It's not their continued presence that Don has a problem with. It's the whole business with their souls being bound to lanterns, and the strongly-worded advice - delivered just days ago - that they not stay away from their lanterns for too long.

In calm but certain terms, Don suggests that Raph and Mike go reunite body and soul for a little while. No one listens to him. Mike seems determined to put a shell-groove in another couch, while Raph simply claims territory in his own inimitable style.

By the third morning, Raph and Mike are decidedly sluggish, and Don appeals to Leo to put an end to this reckless - if extremely intriguing - experiment.

"I think we should take them home," he says, despite Mike and Raph's increasingly-incoherent insistence that they want to stay. "Whatever they're trying to prove, it's not worth it."

Comments

[michaeljangelo]

"jus' just go back to bed, raph," he says, though it's nearly swallowed by the huge yawn that quickly follows. "leo'll have kittens if we sneak out again."

And with that he stills once more.
But only on the outside.
On the inside he's fully back in New York. The longing for his brothers replaced by the longing to find their father. And really, it's that longing that's messing up what is a really sweet deal, if he's being honest.

April's basement is hands down the nicest place they've ever stayed.

"maybe splinter'll let us stay, when we find him."

[meanandgreen]

The room spins around him like a drunken carousel ride, his heart drumming madly in his ears. The swamp is gone but he can still feel the heat. Still feel the sting of the insect feeding on his arm. The voices of his family come in disjointed clips and phrases. He hears them, but none of it makes any sense.

"There's a bug in here," he breathes, crawling on his hands and knees to rummage feverishly through his blankets.

[duelkatana]

Leo's gaze flits away to the blankets just for a moment, searching for the alleged bug. But he knows there's not going to be anything there. It only takes a second to confirm his suspicions, and when he does, he looks back at Raph, unwilling to get closer or touch his brother.

They're all well-versed on handling each other during hallucinations. But these are... special circumstances.

"Raphael. Can you hear me? Can you tell me what's happening?"

[i_speak_softly]

"Leo, we have to go," Don urges, because this whole situation is managing to rapidly go even further downhill. "They can't travel like this. I think we have to just knock them out."

[michaeljangelo]

"Just think. We could set something up on the roof so we could be outside in the sun and not have to worry about someone seeing us! Think how awesome that will be."

A wide, peaceful smile breaks across his face.

"It'll be perfect."

[meanandgreen]

Everybody's talking at once, he's still half-dazed, looking for something that isn't even there in a place he doesn't recognize, and he's way too exhausted to process any of it.

Rocking back onto his knees, Raph presses the heels of his hands into his eyes.

"I ain't deaf," he groans, trying to slow his breathing. "I just... I thought somethin' stung me."