Chapter Text
To top off the already terrible day that you were having and your sour, bitter mood, it was raining and you didn't have an umbrella on you, a car drove over a puddle by the side of the road and you got all wet, you almost slipped from the stairs when you descended to the sewers and a rat jumped on you while you made your way to the lair. You didn't got bitten by the rat, thankfully, but you were aware that you were looking like shit. You didn't even understand why exactly you thought that it was a good idea to go to the lair.
You know that the turtles are busy most of the time and you are not so sure if you want them to see you like this, so down and upset.
Oh yeah. It's because you want to hide away from the world and a place underground, where nobody likes to head to, it's absolutely perfect for it.
"Hey Sunshine!" You winced a the cheery voice of Mikey just down the hall. His nickname for you was sweet, but you didn't felt like one right now. Plus, you especially didn't want Mikey seeing you like this. "Weren't you coming by the weekend?"
"Hm... Yeah.. It's just that something came up..."
He paused and approached you. You felt yourself stiffen. Was he analysing you? That's new.
"Are you okay?" He asked with a frown, filling you with guilt. "You don't look too good."
"W-wow! I-is it that obvious?"
"Are you crying?"
Something snapped inside of you and you let it all out, loud and ugly, startling Mikey.
He rushed to you and hugged you tightly, trying to soothe you, but you only felt worse. As comforting and nice that the hug was, you were tired, sweaty, dirty and all wet from the rain and the mysterious water from that puddle. You tried to push him away from you, but he didn't gave in, only tightening his hold around you even more.
"It's okay." He said softly. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."
"It's not your fault, Mikey. You did nothing wrong. I just had a bad day..." You managed between sobs.
"What happened?" He asked, loosening his hold just enough to look at you, but then he paused, as if remembering something. "Actually, hold on."
Before you could say anything he pulled you to his room. He apologised briefly for the mess as he made you sit on his bed after pushing some clothes and pizza cardboxes to the floor, swiping them away to a corner. Then he started to raise a pillow fort on his bed. All the while, you were just staring at him dumbly throughout the process, not new to the whole ninja thing, but still taken aback by his speed and precision. How could he still be so messy when he could just get it over with so quickly was beyond you. When he was done and satisfied with the result of the fort, he turned to you again.
"You can go in." He said, poiting at the fort before poiting at the door with his thumb. "I'll be right back!"
You watched him rush out of the door and then looked at the pillow fort. You crawled inside and felt the tension on your shoulders falter for a bit. Another surprise was waiting for you. Apparently, he's so fast that you didn't even catched him decorating the fort with the collection of fluffy pillows that you gave to him for your sleepovers and some plushies that you ended up leaving behind at the lair at each one of your visits. As you sat down and got comfortable, you picked up Jerry, a leopard plushie that you were particulary fond of. Mikey was the one who came up with the stupid name and made it stick just because you hated it, but you would never get mad over something like this and Jerry was still special with his jade eyes and that long, silly smile that was sewn on his muzzle.
You couldn't help the question that came with a good look at his face. Would your life be easier if you were like Jerry? Just so smiley and friendly that everyone would like you and you wouldn't have problems anymore? Yeah right. That's impossible. Nothing would ever change for you.
You let the plushie drop in front of you and plopped on your side, the mattress swaying under you.
After a while, you heard familiar footsteps walking into the room before a green head with a streak of orange peaked form the entrance of the fort. He seemed to have something to say, but whatever it was died on his throat when he noticed how you were. He made his way inside in silence, surprisingly careful for his standards, as he shuffled to your side while balancing a pizza box, candy bars, an endless supply of gummy bears and sour worms and a giant tube of ice cream, along with two spoons.
He placed the calories bomb where ou both could reach for it and cocked his head at your direction.
"So uh, when you told me that you were having a bad day, did you mean as in a long day or a reeeally bad day?"
"The latter..."
He turned his whole body to you, still on a sitting position and reached a hand towards you, brushing your hair out of your face and easing your nerves with the soft caress.
You nuzzled closer to him. You are warmer than him but, despite this, his low heat felt welcoming to you and just perfect.
You hugged his torso, the angle a bit awkward because of his shell, but you managed, and you layed your head on his lap. He chuckled a bit but said nothing. He just kept patting your head gently. It was silent and calm. Exactly what you needed.
Mikey didn't tried to rip an explanation from you. He just allowed you to be until you felt comfortable enough to speak.
You squirmed, remembering about your wet clothes and state and attempted to get up.
Mikey didn't let you. He holded you down, pressing you against him, the grip gentle but firm.
You looked up at him in silent questioning, but he only glared back at you. He was trying to look serious, but the look did not matched him one bit. Yoiu couldn't help but to laught a bit, which made him pout cutely.
"What?" His voice came a bit low.
"I am all wet and dirty, Mikey. I gonna ruin your sheets." You said. "Also, why are you so serious right now?"
"First off, I don't care if you're dirty or whatever. And second, of course I am!" He puffed his chest out with pride. "Whatever made you frown is a serious matter."
You turned your face away form him, trying to hide all over again. But this wasn't fair with him...
"Thank you. That's... Nice of you." You whispered.
"What happened, Sunshine?" He tried softly, brushing his fingers through the strands that got free and covered a portion of your face from his view.
"Remember those kids that I told you about?"
"The jerks?" He already didn't liked where this was going. "What about them?"
You raised from his lap and layed your head on his shoulder, his arm sneaking around your side and bringing you closer.
"I was drawing in class and my teacher screamed at me. I know that I should be paying attention but his anger piled up with the F that I got on the test and everyone laughed at me. He told me that I should be thinking about my future and that I will go nowhere in life if I keep going like this and..."
"And what?" His thumb swiped soothing circles on your shoulder when you paused. "What happened, Sunshine?"
"When school was over, those... Those bastards ripped at me. Saying that I'm a joke and a failure. They stole my backpack, took my sketchbook and ripped the pages and my drawings."
You took in a shuddering breath, not daring to look at him.
"I'm just... I'm just so pissed!"
You hitted your thights with closed fists in an attempt to get rid of your anger. It just made it flare up.
You bowed your head down, a bitter feeling growing in your gut.
"But I do wonder..." You continued. "Are they right? Am I really a failure? Will I be someone someday?"
"WHAT ARE YOU EVEN SAYING?!"
"Wha-1" You jumped at Mikey's sudden outburst. "I-"
He pulled you to his lap and hugged you tightly just like he did when you arrived. You felt his breath coming out in hot puffs.
"You are amazing and fantastic! And you can do whatever you want!" His voice started shaking as he kept going. "You are my best friend and... And I don't know what I would do if I didn't know you."
You shook your head in disbelief.
"What are you talking about, Mikey?"
"I am talking about how you don't make me feel weird." He said and you felt him sob softly. "I love my bros, and I know that they love me too. But I know that they think that I'm stupid and a burden all the time."
"Mikey, that's-!"
"But you're not like them, Sunshine." He sniffled, now looking at you. "You like me for who I am. I know that you do! We play video games, skateboard and do grafitti together and you never get tired of me. You never snapped at me or told me to shut up and stop talking. So don't think that you suck, 'cuz you don't! You mean a lot to me and I want you to know it!"
You felt your heart throb with both hurt, for how you made Mikey upset, and with a familiar, warm feeling, that was starting to be very present in your interactions with the turtle. You massaged your chest and wondered how you could be so stupid.
You felt tears prickling the corners of your eyes, but they never got the chance to roll donw your face. You grabbed Mikey's cheeks and kissed him.
Maybe you shouldn't have done this, but you couldn't help yourself. You could never find a better way to show your gratitude and appreciation to him.
"I will stay strong and graduate. And I will go to art school, just like I told you." You hoped that this could be enough, and it seemed to be with the way that he smiled at you, a darker shade of green warming his muzzle.
You spent the night with him, you and the others deciding to turn it into a sleepover party as they noticed the commotion on his room. Once you explained to the others what happened to you, they decided that cheering you up was their most important mission that night. Leo even decided to leave patrol for the next night, much to your surprise and joy.
You were close to Mikey all along, wether you were playing video games or watching a movie.
You're not sure if you and Mikey will become official or not, but considering that he didn't pushed you away when you kissed him, you think that it's just a matter of time and one of you building up the courage to ask the question that can change your lives forever.