"Oh captain, what shall we do?! Lord Overkill has captured Princess Celestial!"
"Never fear, Lieutenant. I have a plan!"
You stared sleepily at the tv, wondering what on earth was going on in the writer's mind when they created this crazy show. Leo and Mikey were glued to the screen, while Ralph was flipping through a magazine and glancing up every so often.
You were curled up with a soft blanket on the couch, taking a break from the lab. Your latest retromutagen formula only needed to be monitored every 5 hours, so you had some time to kill. Donnie sat next to you, already dozed off with his head resting in his hand. You glanced over at him and smiled lightly, spreading the corner of your blanket over him. A soft "mgmfdv" was your thanks.
Leo looked back at the two of you and smiled, "I haven't seen Donnie nap in years...He must be pretty tired."
You nod slowly and yawned, "We were up late working on another formula...we thought we had it, but it turns out that stoichemistry has nothing to do with mutation."
Mikey raised an eyebrow, "Stoi..what?"
"Stoichemistry. You know, it involves galvanic and electrolytic cells?"
He looked dumbfounded.
You sighed, "Basically, it's what makes your tv remote work?"
"Oooh, you mean batteries!"
You facepalmed, "Somewhat, yes."
Leo chuckled, "Just don't even try, Mikey is somewhat of a lost cause when it comes to chemistry."
You nod, falling quiet for a moment. "...Leo..."
"Hm?"
"...We only have two formulas left."
He glanced back at you again, his face showing concern. "Do they show any signs of promise?"
You took off your glasses and sighed, "From what I've seen so far, no. The mutagen the Kraang are using is so much more complex and intricate than from a few years ago. I honestly don't know where to go from here..."
Leo studied you, "...Then we'll go to your father's lab in a week, like we planned."
You bit your lip anxiously, "And if the cure is still not found?"
"Don't think like that...You and Donnie can find it; I believe in you. Donnie has been telling me all that you've done since you've been here, and it's amazing. He really admires you."
You felt your cheeks turn a slight pink, "I haven't done much, it's mainly him."
Leo shrugged, "Not according to him. He thinks a lot of you, (y/n), and his good opinion is hard to win."
You glanced down, knowing what he was getting at. "That's just because we're stuck in a cramped room 24/7. We have to get along...H-he's told me about April, Leo..."
"People change, (y/n)...I haven't seen him laugh in a long time, but somehow you were able to make him smile within a matter of minutes...You're the only person I know who actually understands him. I wouldn't take that lightly..." He turned back to the tv, continuing to watch the show.
You glanced over at the sleeping turtle besides you, smiling to yourself. Donnie's face was finally relaxed and no longer furrowed into a concentrated gaze. His brown eyes were closed and still, probably dreaming about his acceptance speech for a Nobel prize. To be honest, it seemed like he was only the only one who understood you, too. He knew your hopes and dreams, and he supported them. You've never known someone quite like him before...and you enjoyed your time with him....You never wanted it to end....and maybe, you felt that he was something beyond a friend and lab partner...but you knew that Donnie would never feel the same; his one and only love was crushed, and his heart was beyond repair. The closest you could ever be to him was a friend, nothing more. But then again, what was he going to say to you in the lab a few days ago? You were almost certain that he was going to say those three words...
You yawned once again and curled up deeper into the blanket, drifting off into sleep.
A few minutes later, Leo glanced back over to the two of you on the couch. You were snuggled up against Donnie, sleeping peacefully as he held an arm around you. Leo smiled softly and turned back to the tv.
Red and blue light tones from the screen danced over your faces as the two of you slept, oblivious to the world around you.
"I love you Celest..."
"I love you too, Captain."