The Words That Hurt Me

Fourteen Hours Away

"Okay, so where I live is about a fourteen hour drive, and I'm assuming that's using mostly interstate highways," Goo mumbled, "So, a half tank of gas for me is about three, four hours? I'd need to fill up at least three times..."

Mikey hummed, writing a note on a sticky note and sticking it to his wall, before returning to his drawing. Mikey and Goo were chattering happily, both doing various crafts on their respective sides of the call. As far as Mikey was aware, he was alone in the lair which he didn't mind.

His fight with Donny left him exhausted and before he knew it, he had fallen asleep. He was fairly certain that it was Tang Shen in his dream, encouraging him into...something. The turtle wasn't entirely sure what that writhing mass of color was supposed to represent, but he was glad his mother was supporting him regardless.

Could he consider Tang Shen his mother? She certainly felt motherly in that dream. He was also a child again, so that might have something to do with it. He'll have to ask her later.

"Oh yeah, how have your brothers been? You haven't said anything about them in a while,"

Mikey stiffened. He had actually been avoiding his family for the past week. Of course, he still trained, but he only went in when no one else was was there. He hadn't gone patrolling in ages either.

It felt like he hadn't left his room in weeks, even when he snuck out to do various things or to visit Leatherhead. Every crack on the wall was memorized, and the gray-green coloring was imprinted on Mikey's brain. He's lucky that Goo was on spring break, or he would've gone insane from lack of stimulation.

"Um..." Mikey rubbed the back of his head, not at all sure what he wanted to say. Goo released a heavy sigh.

"Oh, I know that 'um'. Mikey, look at me," They said. The turtle slowly lifted his phone, letting Goo get a good view of his guilty face. "Okay, what happened?"

"I've-uh...I haven't talked to any of them in a week?" He tried to smile, but made an expression closer to pain. Goo gasped, furrowing their eyebrows.

"Mikey!"

"I know! I know, but I didn't know what else to do!"

They regarded him with a curious expression, but remained silent. Mikey took a moment to realize that he should continue.

"I uh, I-I had a fight with Donny," He said slowly, "A-and I said some pretty mean things,"

He shifted uncomfortably thinking about it. He was still angry at his brothers, for the Splinter thing sure, but also for everything else. The way they treated him, the overbearing monitoring, calling him stupid, childish, immature, irresponsible, irritating, annoying...

However, he knew his brothers only meant to joke or discourage him from doing something that'd hurt him. It's not their fault he was hurt by it.

"It's gonna feel awkward if I try to talk to them now!" Mikey grumbled, "I-I mean, I didn't wanna hurt him, but... I'm not-sorry, I'm not sorry 'cause, I'm just so mad at them!"

Goo hummed, nodding along.

"I just- I know they'll make fun of me if I tell them. I don't wanna sound like a baby, 'cause they're just teasing me, but they-I, hagh, they go too far sometimes. I just, I just want it to stop."

Mikey could see Goo's face, scrunched up in thought. He knew that soon they would try to troubleshoot solutions to his brotherly issues, and while they were certainly qualified, (they have six siblings! He doesn't know how they do it) something about it left him feeling strange.

Not that the turtle didn't appreciate Goo's advice. They have helped and educated him more than he could've ever asked. He knew that they felt the need to try and fix his problems, they told him as much, it was an over compensation for what they couldn't control.