Tragedy Ever After

30/90

        ~Leo's POV~

     I didn't want to get up today. I knew all too well what today was: Me and Donnie's birthday, AKA the anniversary of my twin running away. What year was it? The third? The fourth? Time had been slipping away from me.

     "Leo?" Raph knocked on the doorway and I looked at him. He looked just as tired as I was. "You getting up today? Y'know what day it is, right?" I rolled onto my side, trying to avoid my older brother.

     "You can't avoid it every year. This is the fifth year," that was it. Five years. How could I forget? How did he do it on his own? Did he ever feel like his other half was missing?

     "I know, Raph," I subconsciously wrapped my arms around myself in a hug. Only a year left of being a kid, well teenager, but then I would be an 'adult.' Couldn't time just freeze? I just need. . . time. 

     Realization hit me and I understood the need for time. Unfortunately, the world never stopped turning; time wouldn't just stand still. We were all running out of time, and there was nothing we could do to stop it.

     "You aren't gonna feel any better if you whole yourself up in your room all day with that head of yours," Raph was more than right. Being in here alone would just lead to me overthinking.

     "Okay," I sat up in the bed, letting my arms fall back to my sides. "What d'ya wanna do today, big brother?" I gave him a fake smile to help him feel better on the anniversary. Ironic, huh?

        ~Donnie's POV~

     I would have loved to roll out of bed any other day to the smiling face of my human, just not today. Actually, it was early and they were still sleeping beside me. They looked so peaceful, the opposite of the thoughts in my mind.

     Year five and my nineteenth birthday. I wrapped an arm around their waist and pulled them close, pressing a kiss onto their head. Not even twenty and I feel like I'm running out of time.

     I heard the light snore leave my human, not being able to hold back my smile. Maybe being with Y/n today could make this a good day, not an awful reminder of the days ticking away.

     There was a soft knock at the door that creaked open after a couple of seconds. Mikey peeked his head in with a nervous smile. He knew what today was, but he didn't say that stupid phrase that I expected him to.

     "I made you something," he whispered, his shy smile not wavering. He poked a page through the door, but I couldn't see what it was from where I was. I nodded to let him know to come in and he stepped through the cracked door.

     He showed me a small sketch of our small little family, him, Y/n, me, and Shelldon. It was a little messy and the colors were a bit off, but I knew he didn't have all of his supplies on him either.

     "How do you feel about a mission tonight, little bro?" Mikey perked up at the question. "We can sneak back to the lair to get your art supplies, or as much as we can carry. How does that sound?"

     Ironic that I was asking him if he wanted a kind of present on my own birthday. Small steps to becoming a better brother, right? He nodded gratefully with a wide grin.

     "Thanks, D," he tried to contain his excitement so as to not wake my human. My human buried their head into the crook of my neck, their arm sliding along the bed to grab onto my hand that rested under my head and I almost immediately melted.

     Mikey snickered before he turned and left the room, leaving me with Y/n once more. Maybe this birthday wouldn't be horrible. After another hour of snuggling, my human finally stirred and sat up, looking at me with sleepy eyes.