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Description
“Yer kiddin’ right?”
Mikey’s face fell slightly, and he missed the glares Don and Leo both shot at Raphael. “What’s with you Raph?” Donatello asked. “Mike yer gonna regret bringin that fleabag home,” Raphael continued.

At that, Michelangelo’s gaze darkened, “Exactly Raph. Home. He doesn’t have one. That’s why I-” he swayed suddenly and swallowed hard, “I- I don’t feel so good.” His voice shook, and the brothers realized his slumped posture and how he was leaning against the couch for support. Leonardo put a hand on his shoulder, “Go get out of those clothes Mike, you’re soaked.”

Mikey nodded slowly and started towards his room, but before he knew it the ground was rushing up to meet him. “Easy,” Donatello draped one of his arms over his little brother’s carapace, “Heat up some soup or leftovers for him,” he addressed Leo and Raph who had jumped forward in concern- Raph looking appropriately guilty for not noticing- before turning back to his little brother and helping him to the med room.

“Just sit tight for a minute,” he settled Mikey on a cot and grabbed several blankets from the closet, “Are you hurt?” “Dunno,” Mikey mumbled and winced as he tried and failed to wriggle out of his jacket and hold the kitten at the same time, “My wrist really hurts, and I might have bruised some ribs in the fight.” “You got in a fight?” Donatello said mildly, it wasn’t often Mikey did that on his own- and it was a strict rule of Splinter’s not to engage if they were alone topside. “It wasn’t my fault!” Michelangelo was too tired to get angry, “they were trying to carjack a charity truck. Its Christmas tomorrow Don-”

“I was just asking, Mikey,” Donatello held his hands up in surrender, “Want some help with that?” Mikey sighed, “I guess so.” “You know Leo has allergies,” Don said quietly, pulling the jacket off his brother and helping him remove his sweatshirt. Michelangelo’s expression changed, “You think- would he be affected by Klunk?” “We’ll just have to give it a trial run- but I can’t guarantee anything Mike, you know that.” Donatello fell silent as he draped several blanket around his brother. “I know.” Michelangelo looked wistfully at the kitten currently curled up in his lap- as much as he wanted to keep the cat, memories remained of the last time Leo had been sick, and the sight of his oldest brother unable to breathe wasn’t one he would ever want to repeat.
-
Fortunately Leo showed no signs of being allergic to Klunk, and life around the lair for the remainder of winter was devoted to cat-proofing and litter box training. Noticing how much of a choking hazard his things were, Michelangelo cleaned up his room for the first time in years. He would take Klunk topside with him and spend hours alone playing with the cat. His training even improved, something everyone took note of.

When the spring months rolled around- Leo started to notice a definite worsening of his allergies, and he had a horrible suspicion it was because of Klunk. Knowing how attached Michelangelo was to his cat, Leo made a special effort to conceal his allergies- holding his breath whenever the cat passed by him, however it wasn’t long before one day he was sitting on the couch, and the orange feline decided to jump up and make himself comfortable right next to him. Shit shit shit.

He tried holding his breath, but his lungs quickly decided to protest the action and he was left with his breath coming in shallow pants. He ended up sneezing several times in a row- and eyes watering, he knew he had to grab his inhaler from the med room before his breathing could take a nosedive. He forced himself to calm down and hurried to retrieve it.

As turtle luck would have it, Donatello was in the med room taking note of things they were running low on, and he looked up in alarm at Leo’s entrance. “What happened?” he reached for the inhaler by his head and pressed it into his brother’s hand. “Take your time.” He helped Leo sit and waited for the wheezing to die down.
“I don’t know what it is Don- but my allergies are so much worse when Klunk is around. It wasn’t like this during winter-” he defended himself irritably. “I don’t want Mikey to have to give him away at this point, but...” he took one more puff from the inhaler, “I don’t know what’s going on. I hate to bring this on you.”

“Well the fastest and simplest way would be to get rid of Klunk.” Donatello laid it out simply.

“Do you see the dilemma? Mike has been happier than ever now that he’s got that cat who’s always at his side. I don’t want to be the cause of ripping that away from him.” Donatello sighed, having noticed exactly what Leo was saying.
“I know. We could try giving him more baths or at least rubbing him down every time he comes home. My guess is he’s been wandering topside where the worst of the allergens are. If your symptoms don’t at least partially go away I’d definitely say you’re in for another round of allergy shots. I don’t think you’re allergic to Klunk- I think he’s just tracking in allergens from the outside. And hey- Mike will get to be even more responsible.”
-

“Hey Mikey- can I talk to you for a minute?” “Sure,” Michelangelo marked off his page and sat up, allowing Klunk to clamber onto his shoulder. “It’s about Leo-” “What’s going on?” Mikey’s face was immediately concerned. “He isn’t doing so good allergy wise- he’s had to use the inhaler a lot recently- and we’re thinking Klunk might be bringing allergens down from wherever he’s wandering.”

As expected, Michelangelo visibly deflated, “But- he didn’t have a problem with Klunk last winter-” “Exactly,” Donatello was quick to reassure him, “That’s why my first thought is that the issue isn’t with Klunk but his fur.” “You mean there allergens hidden away in there? I didn’t think about that. But I brush him every week! Well, I try- sometimes it’s a little longer,” he amended to himself.
“Don’t worry Mikey, we’re going to try everything first to make sure Klunk doesn’t have to leave okay?” “We don’t have to hurt him right?” Mikey’s hands squeezed instinctively around the kitty, who meowed in surprise. “No- nothing like that! You just have to brush him a lot more often, and give him a couple baths a week.” There was a heartbeat of silence.

“That’s it?”

Donatello nodded and offered him a smile, “Not the end of the world right?” “Nope- hear that Mister?” he turned his attention to the feline rubbing against him, “You need to be a clean kitty to stay in this lair. Can you do that?”
-

Leo was headed to his room with every intention of taking a good long nap before leading afternoon training. He almost didn’t notice the scrap of lined paper taped to his door. “Huh?” he took it down, quickly identifying Michelangelo’s script.

Hi Leo!
I promise to take more showers and brush my fur more often.
I hope you still love me because I didn’t want to make you sneeze.
Love and purrs,

(Here followed a remarkably intact if slightly smudged set of paws in what looked suspiciously like Splinter's calligraphy ink. Leo made a mental note to ask Mikey how he had gotten the cat to actually comply.)

(Klunk)
END

Description
“Yer kiddin’ right?”
Mikey’s face fell slightly, and he missed the glares Don and Leo both shot at Raphael. “What’s with you Raph?” Donatello asked. “Mike yer gonna regret bringin that fleabag home,” Raphael continued.

At that, Michelangelo’s gaze darkened, “Exactly Raph. Home. He doesn’t have one. That’s why I-” he swayed suddenly and swallowed hard, “I- I don’t feel so good.” His voice shook, and the brothers realized his slumped posture and how he was leaning against the couch for support. Leonardo put a hand on his shoulder, “Go get out of those clothes Mike, you’re soaked.”

Mikey nodded slowly and started towards his room, but before he knew it the ground was rushing up to meet him. “Easy,” Donatello draped one of his arms over his little brother’s carapace, “Heat up some soup or leftovers for him,” he addressed Leo and Raph who had jumped forward in concern- Raph looking appropriately guilty for not noticing- before turning back to his little brother and helping him to the med room.

“Just sit tight for a minute,” he settled Mikey on a cot and grabbed several blankets from the closet, “Are you hurt?” “Dunno,” Mikey mumbled and winced as he tried and failed to wriggle out of his jacket and hold the kitten at the same time, “My wrist really hurts, and I might have bruised some ribs in the fight.” “You got in a fight?” Donatello said mildly, it wasn’t often Mikey did that on his own- and it was a strict rule of Splinter’s not to engage if they were alone topside. “It wasn’t my fault!” Michelangelo was too tired to get angry, “they were trying to carjack a charity truck. Its Christmas tomorrow Don-”

“I was just asking, Mikey,” Donatello held his hands up in surrender, “Want some help with that?” Mikey sighed, “I guess so.” “You know Leo has allergies,” Don said quietly, pulling the jacket off his brother and helping him remove his sweatshirt. Michelangelo’s expression changed, “You think- would he be affected by Klunk?” “We’ll just have to give it a trial run- but I can’t guarantee anything Mike, you know that.” Donatello fell silent as he draped several blanket around his brother. “I know.” Michelangelo looked wistfully at the kitten currently curled up in his lap- as much as he wanted to keep the cat, memories remained of the last time Leo had been sick, and the sight of his oldest brother unable to breathe wasn’t one he would ever want to repeat.
-
Fortunately Leo showed no signs of being allergic to Klunk, and life around the lair for the remainder of winter was devoted to cat-proofing and litter box training. Noticing how much of a choking hazard his things were, Michelangelo cleaned up his room for the first time in years. He would take Klunk topside with him and spend hours alone playing with the cat. His training even improved, something everyone took note of.

When the spring months rolled around- Leo started to notice a definite worsening of his allergies, and he had a horrible suspicion it was because of Klunk. Knowing how attached Michelangelo was to his cat, Leo made a special effort to conceal his allergies- holding his breath whenever the cat passed by him, however it wasn’t long before one day he was sitting on the couch, and the orange feline decided to jump up and make himself comfortable right next to him. Shit shit shit.

He tried holding his breath, but his lungs quickly decided to protest the action and he was left with his breath coming in shallow pants. He ended up sneezing several times in a row- and eyes watering, he knew he had to grab his inhaler from the med room before his breathing could take a nosedive. He forced himself to calm down and hurried to retrieve it.

As turtle luck would have it, Donatello was in the med room taking note of things they were running low on, and he looked up in alarm at Leo’s entrance. “What happened?” he reached for the inhaler by his head and pressed it into his brother’s hand. “Take your time.” He helped Leo sit and waited for the wheezing to die down.
“I don’t know what it is Don- but my allergies are so much worse when Klunk is around. It wasn’t like this during winter-” he defended himself irritably. “I don’t want Mikey to have to give him away at this point, but...” he took one more puff from the inhaler, “I don’t know what’s going on. I hate to bring this on you.”

“Well the fastest and simplest way would be to get rid of Klunk.” Donatello laid it out simply.

“Do you see the dilemma? Mike has been happier than ever now that he’s got that cat who’s always at his side. I don’t want to be the cause of ripping that away from him.” Donatello sighed, having noticed exactly what Leo was saying.
“I know. We could try giving him more baths or at least rubbing him down every time he comes home. My guess is he’s been wandering topside where the worst of the allergens are. If your symptoms don’t at least partially go away I’d definitely say you’re in for another round of allergy shots. I don’t think you’re allergic to Klunk- I think he’s just tracking in allergens from the outside. And hey- Mike will get to be even more responsible.”
-

“Hey Mikey- can I talk to you for a minute?” “Sure,” Michelangelo marked off his page and sat up, allowing Klunk to clamber onto his shoulder. “It’s about Leo-” “What’s going on?” Mikey’s face was immediately concerned. “He isn’t doing so good allergy wise- he’s had to use the inhaler a lot recently- and we’re thinking Klunk might be bringing allergens down from wherever he’s wandering.”

As expected, Michelangelo visibly deflated, “But- he didn’t have a problem with Klunk last winter-” “Exactly,” Donatello was quick to reassure him, “That’s why my first thought is that the issue isn’t with Klunk but his fur.” “You mean there allergens hidden away in there? I didn’t think about that. But I brush him every week! Well, I try- sometimes it’s a little longer,” he amended to himself.
“Don’t worry Mikey, we’re going to try everything first to make sure Klunk doesn’t have to leave okay?” “We don’t have to hurt him right?” Mikey’s hands squeezed instinctively around the kitty, who meowed in surprise. “No- nothing like that! You just have to brush him a lot more often, and give him a couple baths a week.” There was a heartbeat of silence.

“That’s it?”

Donatello nodded and offered him a smile, “Not the end of the world right?” “Nope- hear that Mister?” he turned his attention to the feline rubbing against him, “You need to be a clean kitty to stay in this lair. Can you do that?”
-

Leo was headed to his room with every intention of taking a good long nap before leading afternoon training. He almost didn’t notice the scrap of lined paper taped to his door. “Huh?” he took it down, quickly identifying Michelangelo’s script.

Hi Leo!
I promise to take more showers and brush my fur more often.
I hope you still love me because I didn’t want to make you sneeze.
Love and purrs,

(Here followed a remarkably intact if slightly smudged set of paws in what looked suspiciously like Splinter's calligraphy ink. Leo made a mental note to ask Mikey how he had gotten the cat to actually comply.)

(Klunk)
END