an iScribble collab with KGB featuring SAINW!Bosom Buddies

---

"I'll see you guys later!" Mikey yelled as he left, vanishing before anyone bothered to look up. Even since their reunion as a family Michelangelo took almost as much time away as Raph. It was suspicious, but their Master Splinter had given them orders not to intervene. He was home, and they should respect his privacy. Leo obeyed reflexively, despite his worry. Their red masked brother, however was another matter. Raphael rose to follow, his usual excuse that he "was headed out too".

Donatello wouldn't have it. "Can you wait a minute? I need some help over here." The hothead complained, of course, but turned around to follow his brother. Donnie quickly came up with some laborious task he could use the extra muscle with, not that he was lacking himself, but he also knew Mikey needed the space.

He was the only one who knew why.

---

His second trip into the future, this time alone, gave him an opportunity to meet older versions of his brothers. Shredder was still in control, Manhattan was still cowering under the Foot, and a small resistance still existed. This time, so did his brothers. Last time he had been the only one to live this far. Something changed, and it gave him the optimism to encourage his brothers not to give up on saving their world. His week's stay had been worth it, for all of them. It was the greatest adventure he could never tell.

In that time, he had an opportunity to observe his brothers, take note of what had changed, what hadn't, how he could influence them in his own time. Perhaps he simply needed to feel needed. Donnie decided not to pick apart his own reasons, except for concern for his brother's well being.

His older self was notably absent. He noted the implications that he wasn't dead, just left. It was both a relief and a frustration. Relief he wouldn't spend all this time hating what he'll become, a frustration that he had one more reason to hate himself. His future self. To be clear.

Raphael had been the only one to greet him with any amount of enthusiasm. It was jarring to have the dark, scarred, one-eyed Raphael embrace him with near childish glee. As obviously at odds with the family as he was, Raphael's love was unquestionable. If Raph didn't care so much, Don mused, he simply wouldn't have cared.

Leonardo was hardened. Years of fighting blind in a world where he was public enemy number one had stripped away much of his empathy. When Don met him, Leo seemed to waver between being happy to see his young brother and expecting a knife in his shell. Donnie wondered, not for the last time, why his future self wasn't with them.

Michelangelo concerned him most of all. The exuberant, jovial turtle he knew was just as emotional as Raphael upon seeing him. His emotions, though weren't happy ones at all. The first thing the turtle did was throw a fist at him. His one remaining fist, Don noticed only after he'd ducked. He also noticed the attack was completely un-checked. Mikey intended to hurt him.

Donatello got out of that scrape unharmed, if just because of a grey-haired April walking in. After a bitter tour of this new world and an explanation or three, Mike seemed to let everyone else deal with him. Don kept an eye on his orange-masked sibling anyway, deeply worried for how out-of-character his brother seemed to act.

That was when he first saw them together. They'd just come back from a successful mission, spirits rising enough to get even Leo to ease up a bit. Mikey was quiet as their group celebrated, once again earning Don's concerned watch. They met up with another faction of resistance fighters, born from the Mutanimals if their leader was any indication.

Slash was just as much of a powerhouse as Donnie remembered, and had lost none of the intelligence behind his eyes. His brow was perhaps more furrowed, cheeks slightly jaunt, but the giant was suspiciously scar-free by comparison to most. Especially Mikey, who had unerringly gone straight to Slash's side and far from his brothers. All calculations about Slash's maintenance dropped and crashed as Don watched his brother gingerly embrace the snapper with his one good arm. They didn't do much but hug and have a conversation, thus Don wondered why this felt so wrong. Ah, of course. Mikey may be affectionate in his time but in this? It was reserved for Slash alone.

They did nothing to flaunt it, but they radiated 'Lovers'.

---

"Here, we done now?" Raph snapped Don out of his memories by landing a large piece of equipment on a table inches from where he stood.

"Ah! I- yes. That's all. Thank you, Raph." The purple-banded turtle watched his brother crack his neck and walk out.

It was fine now, he supposed. Mike's trail will have gone cold, and Raphael also had Leo to evade. Donnie finished his task and took a moment for himself. He couldn't deny the bubble in his chest that envied Mikey's secret trysts. But he needed someone to turn to outside their family. He needed a vent for all the drama in their lives. He needed to be social without being under pressure. He needed a confidant. He needed Slash.

Far be it for Don to let anything get in the way of his brother's needs.