Work Text:
“Come on, Donnie, you have to help me!" Mikey's voice cut through the chaos of digital gunfire filling the room.
Donnie attempted to tune out his younger brother, shifting on the couch to get a better view of the screen. (A certain someone was blocking his view.) "What’s so urgent that it can’t wait a minute?"
Mikey moved back into his line is sight, his eyes wide with concern. "It’s my science project! I completely forgot about it, and it’s due tomorrow!"
Donnie let out an exasperated groan, his fingers pausing mid-game. "Seriously? How do you keep letting this happen, Mikey?"
Mikey rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I just get... sidetracked, you know?"
“Believe me, I know.” Donnie replied dryly.
With a resigned sigh, Donnie set his controller down.
He could sense the weight of Mikey’s urgency, mixed with his own annoyance at being the designated “tech support.” Still, he couldn’t ignore the pleading look on Mikey’s face, a look that could soften even the hardest of hearts.
Mikey presented a crumpled sheet of paper, showcasing a poorly sketched volcano. "I need to make this, but I have no idea where to begin."
Donnie inhaled deeply, mentally preparing for the loss of sleep ahead. "Fine, but this is the last time, Mikey. You really need to work on your time management."
Mikey’s face brightened with appreciation. "Thanks, Donnie! You’re the best!" He tossed the paper at Donnie, who barely managed to catch it. However, the moment of joy was short-lived as Raphael strolled in, his usual bravado replaced by a hint of awkwardness.
"Hey, Don," he started, "I need a little help." Donnie’s grip tightened around the paper, a wave of dread washing over him.
"What is it this time, Raph?"
Raphael shifted nervously, his eyes flitting around the room. "Well, I kind of... broke one of my sais ."
Donnie's gaze shot up, his demeanor shifting to one of seriousness. "Again?"
Raph gave a nod, a blend of hope and regret etched on his face. "Yeah, I know, I’m sorry. But you’re the only one who can fix it."
Donnie massaged his temples, feeling the onset of a headache. "Alright. What did you do this time?"
Raphael winced. "It’s a bit of a long story, but to sum it up, it’s in two pieces." He gestured with his hands to indicate the size of the damaged weapon.
He felt a twitch in his eye.
“Seriously?”
Donnie's eyes fell on the two broken halves of the sai resting on the kitchen table, the metal catching the harsh light. The clean break was evident, the shiny edges contrasting sharply with the worn handle. The last time he had repaired it, he had warned Raphael to be more cautious.
Clearly, that advice had gone unheeded. No surprise there.
"Alright, hand it over," Donnie said, adjusting his glasses as he exhaled. "But you owe me big time."
Raphael handed over the broken weapon with a grateful grin. "I know, I know. I’ll get you a pizza or something."
Donnie merely grunted, focusing on the task ahead. He retrieved his toolbox, the metal tools clinking as he set it down next to the sai. As he began to work, his thoughts wandered to the plans he had for the evening—a quiet dinner, some research, and maybe catching up on a bit of anime.
All of that was now sidelined for his brother's mishap.
Leo's panicked voice rang out from the hallway, breaking Donnie's concentration. "Donnie, sorry to interrupt, but my phone's acting weird. Can you check it out?"
Donnie's grip tightened around the welding torch, his patience thinning like the molten metal he was using to fix Raph's sai.
"What’s wrong with it?"
Leo appeared in the doorway, holding out his phone like a broken toy. "It’s just... dead. I can’t even turn it on."
Donnie sighed, carefully setting the torch down. "Let me take a look." He examined the phone, flipping it over in his hands. It was a high-end model, the screen cracked and the battery slightly bulging. "Looks like...you got it wet."
Leo's face fell. "It was just a little water. I thought it'd be okay."
Donnie forced a smile. "It's fine, Leo. But maybe next time don't take it swimming with you." His tone was condescending and annoyed.
He took a closer look at the phone, noticing the water damage indicators had changed color. "This might take a bit longer than I thought."
Leo nodded, his eyes filled with hope. "I really need it for texting April—I mean leader stuff. Can you fix it?”
Donnie felt a flicker of irritation rise within him. "I'll do my best, but things aren't looking too promising." With that, he turned away and started tackling the overwhelming pile of work left by his brothers.
As the night dragged on, each task seemed to grow more intimidating. Donnie's hands worked with skill, his gaze focused intently.
Yet, with every screw tightened and wire connected, his annoyance intensified.
Why couldn't they see the hard work he put in?
Why was it always his responsibility to clean up their mess?
Meanwhile, Mikey was bouncing around the kitchen, bombarding him with increasingly ridiculous questions about the volcano as the hours passed. Donnie's patience was wearing thin, but he held his tongue. He took a moment to inhale deeply, the heavy aroma of melting metal and plastic filling the air.
Raphael and Leonardo weren't much help either.
They lingered nearby, observing Donnie's progress, occasionally chiming in with unasked-for advice or requesting him to pause so they could demonstrate their latest combat tactics. The constant disruptions made his head whirl, but he clenched his jaw and pressed on.
Eventually, though, everyone retreated to their own beds.
The house fell silent, with only the sporadic crackle and hiss from the volcano model breaking the stillness.
Donnie surveyed the kitchen, cluttered with wires, leftover pizza, and bits of volcanic rock. His shoulders sagged under the weight of unexpressed thoughts, feeling heavier than ever.
It was 3 AM when he finally wrapped things up.
The volcano loomed impressively, a creation of paper mache and paint, bubbling with a concoction of vinegar and baking soda. The sai rested on the counter, its blade shining as if it had never been discarded. Beside it lay Leo's phone, now dry and hopefully back in working order, a quiet reminder of his brother's reliance.
Donnie surveyed the chaos around him, his eyes drooping with exhaustion. He had done it again, saved the day without a single thank you.
He couldn't help but feel like a forgotten sidekick in their never-ending saga of heroism and mishaps.
As he cleaned up the mess, his thoughts grew darker. He wondered if his brothers ever considered the time and effort he put into their lives, if they even noticed when he wasn’t around to solve their problems.
He felt like a glorified handyman rather than a cherished member of the team or their brother.
With a sigh, Donnie made his way to the bedroom, crawling into his makeshift tent-bed. The soft sounds of his brothers' snores and gentle breathing served as a soothing lullaby to his weary mind.
The following morning, Donnie awoke to an unsettling stillness. He blinked away the sleep and sat up, his neck cracking with the sudden motion.
The silence felt strange, the usual morning ruckus from his brothers conspicuously missing.
He checked the clock; it was already 9 AM.
Strange, they were usually up by now, arguing over the last piece of leftover pizza or fighting for the bathroom.
Donnie crawled out of his tent, and pulled the curtains to the living room aside.
The room was empty, the couch cushions askew from their usual spots. No Raph watching TV, no Mikey devouring breakfast. He walked into the kitchen, the smell of old pizza in the air– Mikey's signature move.
The volcano project sat on the table, untouched since the night before and a small paper note sat next to it.
Donnie picked up the note, his heart sinking when he saw the messy scribble that could only be Mikey's.
But as he read, his expression changed.
It wasn't a plea for help or a list of instructions. It was a message, written in bold letters:
hey donnie
thanks for helping us with all our stuff, last night :D
sorry we didn’t wake u up, we figured u would want to catch some extra zzz. we saved you 2 slices of pizza in the fridge and headed out to grab some more of your favorite snacks! u better have a good movie lined up for when we return. - love your favorite bro mikey (and maybe leo and raph too)
The page was covered in stickers and was a little greasy with leftover pizza—but still,
his heart warmed at the sight of the words.
He couldn’t help but smile as he read the note over again. They had gone to the store just to get snacks for him? And they were going to watch whatever he wanted?
Maybe- just maybe, his brothers weren’t so selfish after all.