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Donnie and his family are in a bar in the Mystic City, Max playing on stage.
They’ve known him for almost half a year now, and Donnie can’t understand how, each time he sees Max sing, he’s more in awe with him. He remembers casually bringing up the subject to his brothers, which only ended with him stomping to his lab while Leo made noises similar to a dog licking a carpet and Mikey made kissy faces to mock him.
Donnie shudders when he remembers it, but no one notices since a second later Max finishes the song, a large portion of the audience clapping and cheering at him.
It’s… weird. This has become a common occurence now, and while Donnie isn’t scared or anything, he’s fascinated in how Max could simply… become an almost daily part of his life.
After thanking everyone, Max packs his guitar and goes backstage, and Donnie briefly ponders following him there —he gave them a special ticket so they could go, after all—, but before he can notice it Raph grabs him and pushes them outside, talking a bit too loud.
“Man, this was great! I can’t believe we could get Pops to come!”
Leo looks around while talking. “Yeah, about that, do you know where he is?”
Mikey looks around as well, almost hitting the door as they leave. “Didn’t he go to get something to drink?”
When they’re quite far away, April looks around and she suddenly takes out her phone. “Wait a second. It’s like, 1 am already.”
“So?” Leo asks, and April looks at the door of the bar again.
“He went to get those drinks at like, 10 pm.”
Donnie sees Raph opens his eyes wide, but quickly shakes his head and speaks.
“I can bet he fell asleep somewhere. Imma search for him, stay here.”
The rest of them see as Raph comes back him, and Donnie sees Mikey hold his hands together.
“Hey, I’m sure Pops is fine.”
Leo laughs. “Yeah, I bet he just fell asleep on the bar!”
“You think so?” Mikey asks, watching between the two brothers. April closes the gap and pats his head.
“Yeah!” April says, looking at the door. “I bet when he comes out he’ll be more angry that we woke him up than anything.”
Mikey smiles, and the rest of them can’t help but smile as well. Is then that Donnie sees Raph leave the building, Splinter perched on his shell.
“Dad?” Donnie asks, and when him and the rest get near Raph they can hear Splinter talk, his speech slurred.
“...nd that’s why you have to be careful with who you call on those phones of yours!” Splinter wacks Raph lightly in the head. “Because you’re my sons, and I really love you, you know?” Splinter looks in front, and his tail ears perk up. “Look, Red! Your brothers are here!”
The five of them stay in silence, Leo’s face morphing into a smile.
“Oh my god, he’s drunk.”
Mikey snorts, and April takes out her phone, starting to film.
“Hey, Splints!” She waves at the rat man, who waves happily at her. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m feeling… great!” Splinter laughs, Raph groaning below him. “Ah, this concert was really good, and the food and the drinks were exquisite!”
All of them laugh except Raph, who’s currently trying to balance Splinter on his back.
“Okay guys, I know this is hilarious but since I’m the one holding him, would you mind starting the way—” He has to stop when Splinter kicks him, Raph screaming at him. “Pops! Stop kicking around!”
“But I want to stretch my legs!”
“Then walk all the way to home yourself!”
Splinter stays quiet for a second, puts his head on Raph’s back and starts to snore, making everyone laugh. April is the first to speak, wiping the tears off her eyes.
“Okay, that’s going into my favorites video folder.”
“Please share it with us.” Leo pleads, and April raises an eyebrow at him.
“Do you think I wouldn’t? Come on, you know me!”
Donnie then sees Max exit the bar, talking with another yokai. Max then receives a hug, and Donnie sees as the cat yokai takes a while to react, and just when he’s about to return it the other yokai releases him, bows and goes away.
“Max!” Mikey screams and waves at him, Max quickly returning the gesture and walking towards them.
“I see your father really was the one getting shit faced back there.”
“He was!” Raph says, as he incorporates. “Hey, wanna come to sleep to the lair? It’s pretty late.”
Max stays quiet for a second, but quickly nods. “Yeah, sure.”
After that, all of them get to the lair, Splinter still asleep. Raph decides to tuck him in his bed, and the rest of the family each scramble to their rooms. Donnie is about to do the same when Max speaks.
“Hey, Donnie?”
“Yeah?”
Max stays quiet for a second, but then looks at Donnie’s eyes. “Could I talk with you for a second?”
“Oh, sure.”
Max nods, and follows Donnie towards his room. Donnie doesn’t understand why he’s feeling anxious suddenly. Luckily for him, Max speaks before he can dwell too much on his thoughts.
“I think you saw the yokai from before? When I was outside the bar?”
“Oh, yeah.” Donnie offers a chair to Max, him sitting in another. “I didn’t know if I should ask.”
Max smiles, but doesn’t meet his eyes when he speaks.
“Apparently, she lost her grandmother to old age recently. When I finished the song, she told me that my song had reminded her so much of how she was feeling she couldn’t help but think that meeting me was some kind of fate.”
“Fate?” Donnie asks, and sees as Max’s face loses his smile.
“It was… weird. Like, don’t get me wrong,” Max says softly, putting a hand over his neck. “She sounded so...grateful. I’ve had people say that they like a song I wrote before, but that was...”
“Too much?” Donnie asks, and Max nods his head.
“In a sense, I guess. I feel like… that praise was too much. I just… sang a song.”
Both of them stay quiet after that, and after a while Max gets up from the chair.
“I think I should go to sleep.” Max says, stretching himself. “There’s no point in thinking about this much.”
“Are you sure?”
Max smiles at Donnie before turning around. “Yeah, I’m tired. And I’m sure you’re as well.”
Max starts to leave, and when he’s at the entrance of his room Donnie speaks without thinking it.
“Max!”
The cat yokai stops suddenly, turning around. “Yeah?”
Donnie isn't exactly sure what to say. He usually has a plan, and when he doesn’t his brothers usually are there to act as the moral support. He breathes in, and decides to say the first thing that comes to his mind.
“I connected with your songs too.”
Max’s eyes widen. He holds to the border of the entrance. When he speaks, his voice comes out really soft.
“Really?”
“Yeah.” Donnie takes a step, holding both his hands together. “You… have a talent. I don’t mean that you don’t work!” Donnie clarifies quickly, laughing awkwardly and looking down. “I just mean that, you’re capable of making songs that connect with so many people. Even with someone like me.” Donnie snorts. “Your local emotionless bad boy.”
Donnie stays quiet for a second, and then looks up to Max’s eyes.
“I think that’s something you should cherish. It’s something to be proud of.”
Max opens his mouth, but doesn’t say anything. He looks down, and Donnie can’t help but notice the smile that appears on his face.
“Donnie.”
Max looks up then, and Donnie feels the world stop for a brief second. Max is smiling at him, but it’s… so sincere. It’s nothing like the cocky smile he’s used to see.
“Thank you.”
Donnie tries to speak, but his voice doesn’t come up. He coughs, and is then that he notices his room is a little too hot.
“You’re welcome, Max.”
Max laughs softly, and starts to leave. He stops and turns around, his head the only thing visible through the entrance.
“Try to get some sleep, okay?”
Donnie nods, and Max leaves, apparently satisfied.
Needless to say, Donnie doesn’t get much sleep that night, his thoughts filled with a tiny smile.