TMNT Oneshots:)

(TSM 4) Summer Child

Donnie's chapter:))))

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You see all the flowers in the weeds

Donnie watched his little brother as he ran through the flowery gardens, that had its home in the farmhouse. The purple dork watched lovingly, as his charming 15 year old brother transformed into his 6 year old version. An endearing smile, joy inevident in his eyes when he brings back a wild chrysanthemum for his older brother, his favourite. The childish aspects of his laugh when Donnie rubbed his head. Their hands fit perfectly in each other's hands when Mikey dragged him along too.

You're scared of the dark when you sleep

Countless times Donnie would wake up not alone, with Mikey in his gentle arms and a blanket draped over the two of them. In his bed, which was strange. Because he always fell asleep in his lab.

It was only a few years later when he found out that Mikey would pick him up himself and place him on his bed, tucking him in and placing a kiss on his brow.

Mikey didn't know Donnie was actually awake. And crying.

Because Mikey had stopped. Stopped joining him whenever he got too scared because Donnie had yelled. A stupid remark when April had commented on Mikey's sleeping patterns, an innocent question.

Which led to a non-innocent result.

You cover up your arms with your sleeves

Mikey used to wear a purple jumper, one of Donnie's old ones. When he wore it, he would brag on and on about how he felt warm and comfortable in it, teasing Donnie to no end even when he yelled. Mikey would always reply back with a giggle, before rushing into the laboratory with Donnie screaming behind him.

But Don didn't know why he did it. And if it were anything, when he looked at Mikey tear-stained face, clutching the purple teared up rags to his chest, he regretted it a great deal.

A great deal indeed.

Even in hundred-degree heat

Mikey never wore it again, even when Donnie had fixed it.

Your father was awfully mean

Splinter was strict, never mean.

But as he overheard remarks, insults that were so sweetly given, they should've just been called compliments, and tactics that seemed so unlike Mikey, Donnie had to think about how mean Splinter actually could be.

Donnie knew Mikey knew that Splinter loved him. He really hoped he did.

But when Mikey had fled from the dojo, his face hidden behind his hands, making a straight beeline to his room, Donnie wondered if he did.

Your favorite color is green

Mikey used to love green. When they had asked him about it, he said it was because green was the colour of the trees, of his favourite flowers, of Raph's eyes and the colour they were.

Leo had told him that was dumb. Mikey had told him that he was joking, and his favourite colour was orange.

But Donnie noticed the green highlights he put in his drawings, even when no one else did.

It reminds you of the summer you turned three

Birthdays were rare when you were a mutant turtle living in the sewers. But Mikey's very first actual birthday was his third one. A tiny tot bundled with energy, almost too excited to blow out the candles on his cake. Donnie remembered his toothy smile, one of his front teeth was missing, and he whistled accidentally whilst blowing. They had all laughed, and Mikey had laughed too.

Runnin' through sprinklers on your street

His laugh didn't last though, when Raphael had shoved the cake in his face and some went in his eyes.

To make up for it, Splinter let him and one other brother run through the sewer sprinklers.

He had chosen Donnie.

And you laugh and you dance in the wind

Mikey's happiness was a beacon of sunlight through a dark cloudy day. It was uplifting and joyful, a celebration, a party.

And you sway and you hug and you kiss

He loved physical touch. He loved head pats and hugs and kisses and holding hands.

But there's darkness behind those eyes

He had even started to like the hits that came his way.

Even when you smile

That's not what he meant by 'physical touch'-?

Oh, summer child

Oh, darling child. Baby brother.

You don't have to act like all you feel is mild

Why did you pretend you were fine? Why didn't you let the constant headaches, the burdening feeling in your chest that grew with every passing day, the shake in your hands and the stutter in your voice get to you?

You don't really love the sun, it drives you wild

You don't have to always be there for us, Mikey. Not when we were never there for you. You don't need to pretend that everything is fine, when it is not.

Why didn't you talk to us? Rather than do what you always do, and act irrationally.

Who ever told you that swapping yourself with Karai was the right thing to do?

You're lyin', summer child

They lied to you, Mikey. We need you back.

Aren't you way too busy

Were you way too busy,

Taking care of everybody

Taking care of everybody,

To take care of yourself?

To take care of yourself?

When the sun goes missing

Karai went over the plan once more.

Aren't the flowers just as pretty?

The chrysanthemum sparkled on Donnie's belt as he moved, to point at the map they etched out of Shredder's hideout.

Aren't the oceans just as deep?

Splinter's face was sad and grim as he watched his sons.

The trees as green?

He yearned for his youngest, to fix what he had broken.

And as for me

And as for me.

I'll watch you weep

I'll dry away your tears.

Oh, summer child

Oh, baby brother.

You don't have to act like all you feel is mild

Scream at me, yell at me, hit me, punch me, shout at me, tear me apart.

You don't really love the sun, it drives you wild

Stab me over and over, gouge my eyeballs out, paint my skin red, throw me off the cliff.

You're lyin', summer child

Just, please. Come back to me.