Work Text:
PFWEEEEET!
Raph and Leo were in the midst of a fierce air hockey battle when Mikey sounded his referee's whistle, commanding their attention. He then performed a series of elaborate hand gestures before declaring, "Foul on the play! Leo, your paddle crossed the line! Raph gets a free shot!"
Leo groaned, "Oh, come on! That's so unfair! " He jostled the air hockey table in protest. Unfazed by Leo's tantrum, Raph lined up the puck with Leo's goal and made his shot; the numbers on the electronic scoreboard shifted; Raph 5, Leo 3.
"Rules are rules, Nardo," Donnie grinned, fist-bumping Raph. "Or does someone want to sit in the penalty box~? "
In the corner of the arcade, partially obscured by one of the gaming cabinets, sat a large cardboard box decorated with stickers and frowny faces; the words 'penalty box' scrawled across its front in orange crayon.
"No," Leo answered flatly. He fished the puck out from his goal slot, mumbling under his breath about a 'lousy call.' His comment garnered a chuckle from Raph and Donnie, which lit a fire under Leo, "Okay, new round! Let's go! " He slapped the puck back onto the playing field, and the game recommenced.
It was a decent way to spend a Saturday night, even if Donnie didn't care that much about sports. Raph had been the one to lure him out of his lab with the promises of 'kicking Leo's butt at air hockey.' The idea of Leo having his ego dented was too good an opportunity to pass by. And so Donnie joined his brothers in the arcade, where he watched comfortably along the sidelines: cheering on Raph while goading Leo.
But the longer Donnie spectated, the more he found himself feeling out of place . The arcade's upbeat atmosphere seemed to lose its energy, while Raph and Leo's competitive banter steadily lost its charm. As everything around him grew distant and muffled, he became transfixed by a random stain on the floor, his mind drawing a blank.
At that moment, Donnie knew he was beginning to dissociate - his contentment replaced by an emptiness that made him feel like a shadow.
It was as if he didn't belong here - an outsider - his ties to reality fraying...
To negate these intrusive thoughts, Donnie tried injecting his witty remarks in-between Mikey's ref calls; anything to keep him tethered to the present. But his smug commentary was barely that, and the effort to maintain his cheerful facade proved to be more tiring than rewarding.
And just like that, his social battery fizzled out.
Overtaken by the desire for solitude, Donnie quietly stepped away from the group, hoping to go unnoticed.
"You goin' somewhere, Don?" Raph asked, glancing up from the hockey table. "You know Raph performs better when he's got a hype-man hypin' him up!"
Donnie paused, " Juussst heading out for some air," he answered half-heartedly, slipping into his hoodie. He should've known Raph would've seen him trying to leave, what with his 'older-brother senses' trained to detect such subtle movements from his siblings.
"Hey, since you're goin' surface-side , why not bring back some pizzas, hmm ?" Leo blocked the plastic disk from bouncing into his goal. "Your future air hockey champ's workin' up quite the appetite!"
"You ain't the champ yet, Leo!" Raph growled. He deflected Leo's attempt to score with such force that the paddle flew out from his hand, nearly clocking Mikey in the head had he not ducked out of the way in time.
" Whatever ," Donnie rolled his eyes at his brothers' shenanigans. He pulled his hood up, turning to leave when a sudden weight on his arm caused him to stop. His irritation wavered when he realized it was only Mikey hanging onto him.
"D'you want some company~?" Mikey asked, pressing his cheek against Donnie's shoulder.
"That won't be necessary, Angelo." Donnie disentangled Mikey from his arm, unmoved by the disappointed look on his brother's face. "Besides, someone's gotta keep an eye on Potvin and Gretzky over there…" And with that snide remark, Donnie left the arcade.
Pouting, Mikey returned to his post, troubled by how sullen Donnie had become. It wasn't the first time Mikey caught him slipping into one of his funks. On any other occasion, Mikey could prevent Donnie from isolating himself but tonight proved otherwise.
If Mikey were to help his second favorite brother get his groove back, then he'd have to call in the big guns: someone capable of giving Donnie the uplifting pep-talk he needed to hear. And Mikey knew just the sheep-man for the job!
While Leo and Raph razzed each other, Mikey pulled out his phone and scrolled through his list of contacts, his eyes settling on the space by the table where Donnie had stood.
Michaelangelo [7:45 PM]: hey, barry! r u busy rn?
Baron Draxum [7:46 PM] : No. And why are you typing like that?
Michaelangelo [7:47 PM]: it's called chatspeak, draxibald! :) but never mind that. i need your help!!
Michaelangelo [7:47 PM]: it's about donnie :(
The rooftop door groaned as it opened, the whine of its hinges sharp and unpleasant on Donnie's ears. He carefully closed the door behind him, stuffing his hands into the pouch on his hoodie, shielding them from the brisk winter air. He headed towards the water tower where he and his brothers usually hung out, though this time, Donnie had convinced himself that their company was the last thing he wanted.
It wasn't that he was mad at any of them. If anything, he was more upset with himself. These emotional bouts came intermittently, often at the worst times. He just needed some time to think - to reconnect with the world around him and the role he played in it.
Donnie started up the water tower's ladder with a sigh, the metal rungs cold on his hands and feet. When he reached the top of the platform, he was surprised to find somebody else atop the tower's roof.
" Baron Draxum? " Donnie raised a brow, baffled. "What are you doing here?" The warrior alchemist sat neatly within his robes, observing the ebb and flow of the headlights below.
"A certain Dr. Positive may have tipped me off about your 'prime brooding spots,'" Draxum answered, his eyes flicking towards Donnie. "He said you might want to talk about your feelings ."
Mikey..., Donnie sucked his teeth. He should've known Michael would've arranged this meeting; the youngest turtle was just that good at picking up on other people's problems. He knew Mikey's heart was in the right place, but right now, Donnie couldn't help but feel inconvenienced.
Why Draxum? Donnie furrowed his brow. I mean, sure, I can understand sending someone to check on me, but why not send April? Or Splinter? Heck, even Todd would've made more sense!
But the inner-workings of Mikey's mind were an enigma that continued to elude Donnie, who lingered by the ladder; indecisive; his fight-or-flight responses stalling.
Draxum patted the shingles beside him, inviting the Softshell to sit.
Resigned to his fate, Donnie clambered up onto the roof and reluctantly joined Draxum in watching the taxi cabs tailgate each other. He hugged his knees to his chest, doing his best to ignore the awkwardness weighing down on him. The nightlife buzzed around them in a symphony of car horns and the cries of a cosplay wizard.
Donnie shifted uncomfortably, "I wasn't exactly expecting... this ."
"That makes both of us," Draxum folded his arms, "And yet your brother thinks I can figure out what's wrong..."
"There's nothing wrong with me," Donnie said defensively, taken aback by his abrasiveness. "I mean-- I just came up here to clear my head, that's all."
"I never said there was anything wrong with you," Draxum replied evenly. "Although it's easy to see that you're bothered by something ."
Donnie chewed his lip. He hated being in the spotlight like this. He picked at a loose thread on the cuff of his sleeve, wishing he could've been more like his brothers: confident and outspoken. Donnie had always struggled with opening up to others about himself, even if it was towards his family.
Of course, the logical thing to do was to tell Draxum about his troubles so that he could get this whole situation over with, but Donnie couldn't even pinpoint why he was agitated in the first place. And when he did feel ready to talk, his tongue went numb, as if it had fallen asleep.
He twirled the thread around his finger, trying to figure out if it was too late to ditch Draxum with a carefully crafted lie - anything to get out of this predicament. But what good would that do him?
"I don't know why it's so difficult to talk to you," Donnie confessed, "About anything, that is."
"I'm not surprised, nor do I blame you," Draxum hummed, "I never cared for such sentimental bonding nonsense , especially when I created you and your brothers for far greater things than skateboarding and memes ."
That's right, Donnie thought, We were supposed to be his elite team of super-warriors.
But how could Draxum have chosen him as one of his soldiers ? It made sense for Draxum to have selected Raph, Leo, and Mikey, for they recklessly charged into battle, whereas Donnie hung back and calculated the odds of getting injured. And what good was his scientific intellect compared to the power of the mystic weaponry his brothers mastered?
Surely Draxum must've had his reasons...
"Can I... ask you something?" Donnie piped up, hesitant.
"Hm?"
"Why me?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, why me ?" Donnie repeated, "Out of all the species of animals you could've chosen to mutate into one of your perfect warriors ; why did you choose someone so...," Defenseless. Inadequate. Vulnerable, "... soft ?"
Donnie could feel himself shrinking under Draxum's gaze. He hid within his hoodie, immediately regretting his decision to share a piece of himself that he loathed — and to Draxum of all people.
What a lame thing to do.
But it was too late now. All Donnie could do was brace himself for the truth and hope it didn't hurt too much.
"It's simple," Draxum began, "I never saw you as something 'soft.' If anything, I was impressed by your abilities and the potential you possessed."
" What? " Donnie plucked the loose thread with a snap! He peeked over at Draxum from the corner of his hood, his heart listening closely.
"It's true that your shell offers you very little protection. Yet you altered your flaw into one of your greatest strengths and adapted to a world most cruel and unpredictable," Draxum explained. "Your self-preservation enables you to see the danger in situations that may slip your brothers' attention. Because of this, you are always strategizing; for your sake and theirs."
Donnie was speechless. How could Draxum turn his worst traits into his best qualities so easily? Tears began welling up in his eyes, and he permitted them to stain his cheeks. It was the praise and validation from an adult he had always craved, wrapped together in a bow.
Draxum carried on, "You have overcome many obstacles, for you are resilient and tenacious, just like your brothers. That is why I chose you , Donatello." He laid a hand on the turtle's shoulder, concerned when it quivered under his touch. It took Draxum a moment to realize that Donnie was crying ever so softly into the bend of his elbow.
"I don't normally feel things, b-but...," Donnie's voice trembled, threatening to crack. A stray sniffle prompted Draxum to reach into his robe and offer Donnie a handkerchief, who graciously accepted it, "...Y'know, for someone who says they don't do sentimental bonding nonsense , you sure know how to tug at one's heartstrings," Donnie said, drying his eyes.
"And I don't," Draxum gave a small smile, "But that isn't to say I don't care about the well-being of my creations."
Donnie gave a shaky chuckle, "Yes, well, I think a little bit of Dr. Positive might be rubbing off on you." He passed the handkerchief back to Draxum, who tucked it away.
"Better him than Dr. Delicate Touch ," Draxum mused. "Which reminds me, you should probably call your brother. He's been worrying about you."
As Draxum stood up, dusting his robes, Donnie dug around his pouch for his phone. He had silenced the device when he first left the lair and discovered his inbox was full, courtesy of Mikey.
Donnie thought of his brothers; his family. How, one way or another, someone was always looking out for him. Especially Mikey. There had to be some way to repay his younger brother, and fortunately, he knew just what to do.
"I should take my leave, now that I have successfully comforted you," Draxum announced.
"
Actually
," Donnie hopped to his feet, "There's
one more thing
I could use your help with."
"BOO-YAH!" Raph spiked his paddle triumphantly. "Now THAT'S how you win at quadruple overtime, baby!"
"What?! Ugh, no way! I was in the middle of blinking !" Leo huffed, "Hey, ref? What does your handbook say about- Wait a sec, what? Where'd you go?" He looked around for Mikey, gone from his spot by the table.
Phfwee..... phfwee...
Leo followed the sad, pitiful whistling from the other side of the room and found Mikey moping inside the penalty box. His legs dangled over its side while he held his whistle loosely between his lips.
Mikey had lost interest in the tournament, too anxious about Donnie to enjoy the rest of the game. He stared lifelessly at his phone, refreshing his inbox in hopes of seeing a message from Donnie or Draxum.
Alas, there was nothing.
It had been over an hour since Mikey told Draxum about Donnie and the idea that Donnie might've been mad at him for doing so made him feel even worse. He didn't even notice Leo until the Slider knelt beside him.
"What's the matter, bud?" Leo asked gently. "Is Raph's 'victory stink' gettin' you down too?"
"There ain't nothin' wrong with my 'victory stink,' Leo!" Raph called out, flexing proudly in the middle of his victory lap around the arcade.
"No, it's not that," Mikey frowned. "It's just been a while since we heard anything from Donnie..." He trailed off, refreshing his inbox once again: no new messages.
Raph skidded to a halt, his big-brother mode activating, "Now that you mention it, it is getting pretty late. Y'think he's alright?"
"I don't know," uttered Mikey, his head receding into his shell.
"Are you kiddin'? Of course , he is!" Leo reassured, waving the worry off with a laidback smile. "If there's anyone capable of taking care of himself, it's the guy who built an entire laboratory from scratch! And besides, didn't we send him out for pizza? Maybe he forgot his wallet, or, I dunno , he's shootin' the breeze with Draxum?"
Mikey remained unconvinced, a defeated whine reverberating from inside his shell. His imagination fed him one worst-case scenario after another, perpetuating his gloominess. Maybe Donnie ran away from home, fed up with Mikey's meddling. Or maybe Draxum never found Donnie in the first place, and Donnie was still sulking somewhere! Or even worse! What if he encountered the Spine-breaking Bandit -- !!
Before Mikey could finish that thought, a portal materialized in the middle of the arcade, bathing the trio in a bright violet light. Mikey perked up, popping his head out of his shell. A huge smile spread across his face, thrilled to see Donnie and Draxum stepping out of the portal together, their arms full of pizza boxes and soft-drinks. As the portal closed behind them, they set the food and drinks on the air hockey table and exchanged a look of accomplishment.
"Sorry to be tardy to the party, gentlemen," Donnie apologized, "I had forgotten my wallet in my other battle-shell, but thankfully Draxum happened to be in the neighborhood and provided me with a most indispensable assist."
" See? What did I tell you?" Leo grinned, half-bragging to Raph, "Did I call it or did I call it? "
"Y'know, it's scary when you do that...," Raph crossed his arms, slightly unnerved.
" Donald! " Mikey jumped out from the box and launched himself at the Softshell, who caught him in his arms; their heart-warming hug prompted Leo and Raph to join in. Normally, a group hug of this caliber left Donnie feeling smothered. But not this time. Instead, he basked in the attention, happy to be amongst his brothers.
"It's good to have ya back, Don," Raph greeted, squeezing Donnie's shoulder.
"Yeah, I was getting hungry," Leo added, eyeing the pizzas.
"I thought the Spine-breaking Bandit got you!" Mikey blurted out, "... that and several other things."
"Well, I am pleased to say that my spine is, thankfully, not broken," Donnie smiled, ruffling the top of Mikey's head. "Just like I am thankful for many other things: my tech, Albert Einstein's theory of relativity, and.. having a brother like you."
Mikey beamed, his heart swelling over the sincerity of Donnie's words. They were hugging again, although this time, their touching moment was interrupted by a cry of disgust from Draxum.
" Eugh! And you actually enjoy eating this garbage ?" Draxum grimaced at the slice of Hawaiian pizza Leo handed to him, flicking off a chunk of pineapple.
While Leo and Raph tried getting Draxum to try a slice of pepperoni pizza, Donnie offered his arm to Mikey, "What say we partake in some artisanal flatbread and show these guys what a pizza party's all about, hm?"
"Sounds good to me, Dee!" Mikey happily linked arms with Donnie. "Y'know, I don't think there's any other way I'd wanna spend my Saturday night~"
"I couldn't agree more, Michael."
And it was, indeed, a very excellent way to spend Saturday night.