Imaginary Friend or Someone Real? (Rottmnt)

Chapter 1

It's been one year since the invasion, more commonly referred to as K-day. But Donnie tried not to think about that day often. It was hard when there were burning reminders everywhere. Flyers on the street sparked up conspiracy theories about that day, people talking about it casually as if it wasn't a devastating tragedy, the deafening silence that hung in the lair, and the painful emptiness of Leo's room.

The only time he deemed it okay to remember that day is when he's focusing on building that machine. The memory of seeing his twin disappear in that portal and the feeling of his heart and soul shattering gave him the motivation to build and finish the portal machine. And hopefully, it would bring Leo back to them without killing any of them in the process.

He knew Leo wasn't dead. He knew Leo wouldn't just...leave them like this. The Leo he knew loved his family too much to leave them without so much as a terrible joke or a more comforting final goodbye. So he'd been working since his arm healed to get this portal finished. But he was struggling. The portal just didn't want to work no matter what he did. No matter what he changed, removed, or added nothing made the machine work. Not even mystic items seemed to work.

But he isn't going to give up. Leo would never give up on any of them, so Donnie wouldn't give up on him.

~*~

"...Don... DonTron? Donnie?"

~*~

Donnie was sitting at the table, eating with his family. Dad was the only one not present, which wasn't an uncommon thing anymore. Ever since...that day, Dad seemed more closed off than ever. Seeing him outside of his room nowadays would be a miracle.

And Donnie can't help but feel a twinge of anger towards his father. And he knows he shouldn't. He knows he knows he knows! But...how can he grieve for Leo as if he's dead when he's not? How could any of them? Didn't they know Leo better?

Sometimes, it felt like his family was giving up on Leo. The way they would talk about him in the past tense, the way it became more normal for them to visit that forsaken shrine, and the way they looked at him. As if it was crazy for him to believe that Leo was still alive.

But he tries his hardest not to blame them. He knows that the easiest conclusion to come to is that Leo's dead. And if Donnie didn't know his twin any better, he'd think the same after all this time.

Even though he's trying, it's really hard sometimes. And today is definitely one of those days.

The emptiness- or whatever this feeling is- he felt in his heart was usually there but it was easy to ignore whenever he was around his brothers. But today, the emptiness seemed overwhelming. Not only that but it was coupled with that painful pang in his chest he felt whenever he thought about Leo.

All in all, today would not be a good day.

"Donnie?"

"Yes?" He barely lifted an eye to his baby brother. He really didn't want Mikey to see something he couldn't hide in his expression and subject him to another meeting with Dr Feelings. He's had more than enough meetings to last a lifetime, thank you very much.

"Are you busy later? Me and Raph are gonna go topside and get groceries. We'd really appreciate it if you came with." Donnie knew what this was, what his brother was actually saying. He was saying that Donnie needed to get outside of the lair and interact with his family outside of meal times. And as appealing as that sounded, he just couldn't bring himself to want to do much of anything.

"Sorry Mike, I don't think I'm up for it today." Donnie couldn't bear to see the downcast look his little brother was sporting.

"That's alright bud, we can hang out next time. Just make sure you're taking care of yourself." Raph said as he got up and patted him on the shoulder. Not even the small show of affection that he would usually thrive in seemed to make these feelings go away.

Donnie only nodded and continued eating. Raph and Mikey continued with some small talk but he didn't bother contributing or listening.

As soon as he finished his food, he placed his plate in the sink and walked off to his room. He doesn't even know the last time he saw his own bed or room. It was messier than he remembered but he could honestly care less right now. All he needed was his face in a pillow before he passed out.

His body moved without thought and in seconds, his head was on his pillow and he was out like a light.

~*~

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Sprk!

Srk!