One-Way Ticket Home [Rise of the TMNT au]

09: SEPARATION - Caught Up

[In this empty bed,
Where I'm all alone,
I've been such a mess,
Need a one way ticket.]

(4 years since separation.)

Leo tapped his finger rapidly against his cheek as he stared at the loading screen, waiting for his siblings to join the video call.

"Finally!" Leo exclaimed in joy as soon as the faces of his own brothers appeared on his phone screen, "I've been waiting forever to finally talk to you guys! You especially Dontron! Where ya been hiding?"

"Apologies, brothers," Donnie said, he wasn't looking at his phone, but his brothers made an assumption that he propped his phone up against something so he can talk while working on whatever he was working on, "I've been busy making your phones so we can finally communicate, altogether this time!" Finally, Donnie had looked at his phone, taking off his goggles, "No malfunctions or flaws, right?"

"Nope, D!" Mikey this time exclaimed, "Love what you did with my phone, and in my favorite color? You didn't have to," he added.

"Mikoy, hin-o tim kaistorya?" ("Mikoy - Filipino nickname, who are you talking to?") Mikey's three older brothers heard, Mikey turned his head to answer in a language his brothers couldn't understand, except for some English words.

"Akon mga kuya, nag video call kami yana, kakaulpot pala kasi an am' mga cellphone."
("My older brothers, we're on a video call now since our cellphones just arrived.")

"Ay wow," the unknown voice exclaimed, sounding envious, "bag-o na pinalit?" ("Oh wow, newly bought?")

"Diri, hinimo nak usa nga kuya, an baltok ngani?" Mikey replied giggling. ("Nope, my brother made them, you know, the smart one?")

"Ah hi Donatello?" ("Ah, Donatello?")

"Opo, opo!" Mikey excitedly replied, Andres could almost see sparkles in his eyes. ("Yes, yes!" Politely.)

Upon hearing his own name, Donnie jumped in his place, panicking to question Mikey.

"Miguel?! Who is that?" Donnie questioned, "Why do I hear my name being called? Are you talking bad about me to my face?"

In return, Leo and Raph laughed at Donnie's reaction.

"Relax, D!" Mikey laughed, "I'm just explaining to my best friend, Kuya Andres here, about the phone and who made it, no biggie! Really proud of you, Donnie!" He reassured.

"It's been a while since we heard from you, Donnie," Raph commented, eyes on his little pending carving that he was making at the moment, as if assessing what to do next to it, then he looked up at his phone, "what have ya been up to, bud? I got so worried when you didn't show up at our meeting place after what happened with... You know..."

"Well, I've mostly did some counseling with our temple's counselor, had some time for myself, training, making phones for Dad, Draxum, and our sisters..." Donnie trailed off as he tried remembering, "Hmm, that's just about that." He said.

"Pssh, that's all? No love life? No girlfriend, boyfriend or joyfriend?" Leo exclaimed, unimpressed and slightly disappointed with Donnie's life update.

"How did you know my queerness?" Donnie raised a suspicious brow at Leo.

"I can literally see a non-binary flag right behind you man!" Leo yelled, stating the obvious with an I'm-so-done-with-you face.

Donnie rolled his eyes, "Ugh, no, Nardo, I do not have a love life," he answered with an annoyed groan, "I suppose you have your own love life since – I don't know, you keep being nosey about mine!"