The Words That Hurt Me

Thirty-Seven: I'm Not Okay

Mikey glanced around the room, yet Goo was nowhere to be found. Slipping out of the meeting, he went on the look for them, an uneasy feeling washing over him. He peeked around doorways until he heard muffled sobs coming from the sub cars.

The heart-wrenching sounds were emanating out from their car, Mikey realizing they were frantic and almost pained. He rushed over, pushing open the ajar door.

The room was dark. They didn't turn on the lights.

Goo was crying out, clawing at the scales on their arms. Their blunt fingers had managed to carve red lines into the flesh, tearing up the green skin that shielded it.

"Goo!" Mikey gasped, rushing forward and grabbing their hands. They grunted, trying to tear their hands away again, before hunching over and continuing to sob.

"There's bugs crawling under my skin!" They choked out, writhing where they sat, "I just want it to stop!"

Mikey just sat there, frozen. What could he do? What was he supposed to do? He let them have their hands back so they could hug themself.

"I just want it to stah-ah- ahp!" 

Mikey reached out to them, grabbing their shoulders, trying to think of something, anything to help.

"Mikey? Goody?" 

The lights flashed on, making Goo scream at the sudden stimulus. They sobbed harder, lifting their fists and hitting the sides of their head. Mikey quickly grabbed their hands again, tugging them into an embrace. He didn't know what else to do. 

Tello and Mike startled, before Tello quickly jumped into action, shutting the lights off again. He ran over, dropping to his knees beside the two. He removed his goggles and placed them on Goo's head, tapping a button on the side. 

"Mikey! Go get my weighted blanket!" Tello shouted over his shoulder.

"W-which one?" 

"The clean one!"

Mike quickly left the room, heading down the hall.

Goo continued to sob into Mikey's shoulder, clinging onto him as the cries wracked their body. Mikey held them tenderly, rubbing slow circles into their shell. Tello rested a hand on one of his own, stopping his motions.

"Uh, squeeze, I think," Tello said awkwardly, pressing down on his hand. 

Mikey did as instructed.

.

"If you're wondering, the Mystic Magic can express itself, like how it does for you,"

Leon stewed on this, having all his unasked questions about their regular villains answered.

"Can you send those notes?" He asked, watching as Mama smiled sadly.

"He was prepared for that 'inevitability' as he put it," She answered, "As per our deal, I am not allowed to help you in any physical way,"

"Hm, but you can help us verbally, huh?"

Mama giggled, winking at the turtle. Leon let out an amused huff, before leaning back in his chair.

Leon knew he had a reputation for not taking things seriously when they needed to be. Now, he'll admit, he'd been a bit of a cocky jerk before, the ancestors know he's still trying to make up for it.

He didn't have anyone to blame besides himself, he cultivated that reputation. It wasn't healthy, he knew that, but he was insecure and didn't know how else to cope. Truth was, he felt the pressure just as his brothers did. He just had an awful way of showing it.