literature

TMNT: Mikey's Mask

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April was sitting on the couch next to Donnie on her right working on his computer, he brushed his purple mask off his shoulder as he leaned forward to get a better look at the schematic. Raph was on her left reading a comic book with Spike on his shoulder nibbling his red mask. Leo was kneeling in front of the TV watching Space Heroes, his mask was perfectly down the center of his back. April looked at the brothers, their masks were all various lengths, but long for the most part except Mikey. Who was laying on his back on the other side of Donnie, who’s short orange mask stuck out.

“Why is Mikey’s mask so short?” she asked.

Everyone stopped, it was sore subject one they hoped April would never bring up. Leo turned away from the TV and looked at April. Raph put down his comic book and Donnie closed his laptop, Mikey remained unmoved.

“Guys what is it?” April asked.

Mikey flipped himself the right way, she could he his moves were not as precise as they usually were. “I-I have to go uh clean my room,” Mikey said standing his shaky legs and walking away.

Raph stood up, “Mikey we don’t have to tell her,” his voice was gentle something April had never seen from the red clad turtle.

“Doesn’t matter now,” Mikey said his voice was weak, “tell her I will be in my room….”

Raph sighed, “Mikey come back.” He tried to put his hand on his brother’s shoulder, but Mikey shrugged it off.

“Mikey we don’t have to tell her,” Donnie said.

“You might as well tell her the can of worms is open,” Mikey said as he locked himself in his room.  

April had never seen the fun loving turtle like this. She looked at Donnie, “Is he going to be okay? I have never seen him like that,” April looked to Donnie who was staring at Mikey’s closed door.

“He should be. It’s been a long time since it was brought up,” Donnie sighed.

“What happened?” she asked, genuinely concerned.

“Well,” Leo said. “There was an accident in the sewers when we were younger….”
--------
Splinter took his four six-year old turtle sons with him into the sewers. This was their first extended trip, usually he would keep close to the lair. They were in need of some essential supplies, blankets and pillows. His sons were out growing their supplies. Splinter did not know how long they would be gone, he brought some worms and algae and some fresh water with him. He kept his youngest son close to him, the orange clad turtle had a short attention span and would wander off.

Mikey was walking next to his father, playing with the long ends of his mask. He had the longest mask of all his brothers, he liked it that way. His hung halfway down his back, while his brother’s hung various lengths shorter.

Splinter expertly navigated his way to where the hotels where, he knew he would find old bedding there. “Daddy I’m bored,” Mikey complained.

“We are almost to the hotel,” Splinter said rubbing the top of his son’s head.

“I hope you find a new toy!” Mikey exclaimed, “we haven’t had one in a long time.”

“I will see,” Splinter said, “I would like you four to stay here while I go up. You are not to come up after me. Be ready I will drop a few items down to you.”

“Hai sensei,” three of the four turtles called out.

Splinter looked to look for his smallest son, “Michelangelo?” he asked

“Hai sensei?” Mikey asked standing up from the puddle he was playing in.

“Did you hear what I asked?” Splinter asked.

Mikey nodded, “Stay here.”

“Very good. Leonardo is in charge until I come back.” With that Splinter climbed to surface.
----
Splinter has been up on the surface for nearly ten minutes. Mikey was walking around the area they were instructed to stay in. “Leo,” Mikey said.

“No, Mikey I do not want to meet your toes,” Leo said.

“Not that. The ground is moving…” Mikey said trying to steady himself.

What happened next happened to quickly for anyone to know what truly happened. There was now a large hole between the three older turtles and Mikey. Leo looked at Mikey he looked terrified. The orange banded turtle was standing on a narrow ledge.

“Mikey can you jump? We promise we will catch you,” Leo said gently.

Mikey shook, “I want daddy,” he cried. The ground shook again.

“Raph go get sensei,” Leo instructed.

Raph nervously climbed the stairs. This his not how he pictured seeing the surface for the first time. “Sensei,” Raph called out, “emergency!”

Splinter looked to scared looking red clad son, “I will meet you at the bottom.”
----
“Leo, I’m scared! I...want….daddy…..” Mikey heaved out each word.

“Michelangelo I am here,” Splinter said.

“DADDY! Mikey scared.”

“I know little one, but I need you to be a big boy for me and jump. I will catch you.” Splinter smiled at his son, “jump you can do this.”

Mikey bent his knees to jump, but just as he started to leap away a piece of sharp metal came down and pierced the tails of Mikey’s mask, it jerked him back. Mikey’s head hit the back of the wall, the mask slipped off his face and he tumbled down the hole.

“Michelangelo!” Splinter cried. Watching his son’s limp from connect with more rocks on the way down. “You three stay here!” Splinter commanded.  He carefully climbed down the hole. Splinter listened for any sound to come from Michelangelo. When Splinter dropped to the ground he could see a great deal of blood, and a turtle shell. Mikey tucked himself him.

Splinter walked over to the small shell. “Michelangelo?” he called out. He placed a paw on the turtle’s shell. “Mikey?” he called using his son’s nickname. There was no response. Splinter bent down and picked up his son. Carefully he climbed back to the top, he was doing to be not to harm his son any further.

Splinter turned his son over so that his plastron was facing up. He was surrounded by three sad sniffle turtles, not one made a sound above sniffling for crying, they sat and watched their father who held their injured brother in his arms. Splinter soothingly rubbed his small son’s plastron, he was trying to coax him from his shell. Slowly, Mikey poked his head and limbs out. Mikey had a large gash on the back of his head, it looked deep, he was also covered in other minor cuts and bruises.  

“Donatello, I would like you to bring me the blanket. Raphael, I need the water from my bag. Leonardo I will need you help so I may wrap your brother’s injuries.” With Leo’s help Splinter carefully cleaned Michelangelo’s injuries. “Press your hand down as hard and you can, don’t worry you won’t hurt him.” Splinter placed Leo’s hand over the cloth that was attempting to stop the bleeding from Mikey’s head. The injury was going to need stitches, but until they got back to their home he would have to wrap it tightly.

After instructing his older sons to carry back the bag and some new blankets, Splinter rose to his feet with Mikey unconscious in his arms. Mikey’s orange mask hung still hung across the way.
----
“I do not want any trouble from anyone,” Splinter said harsher than he intended.

He carried Mikey to the spare room the used as an infirmary. Splinter laid Mikey on his plastron. He gathered the supplies he needed to stitch the wound closed, he closed his eyes first. He knew head injures were serious and the one his son had was deep. As he stitched the wound closed he contemplated risking his exposure and taking his son for medical care, but he knew that was not a good idea. Splinter took out the small bottle of alcohol that he would use to numb his son’s injury. Mikey’s body flinched when he poured the liquid on his head. “Almost done,” Splinter paused, “Mikey.”

He carefully stitched the deep wound closed. He placed a cold cloth on his son’s feverish brow. After a few hours of waiting everything seemed to be going good until Mikey’s small body started  to convulse.  Splinter held his son securely in his arms until his body stopped.

“Oh Michelangelo, you need to stop scaring me.”
----
Three days later was when Mikey finally woke up. Splinter hardly left his son’s side, he was carefully monitoring his condition. It was the worst three days Splinter experienced in is mutant body. Mikey had a fever most of the time, luckily he only had one seizure that first day. He was scared of losing his son.
----
“Daddy?” Mikey asked weakly.

“I am here.”

“My head hurts.”

“I know little one, it will get better.”

“Daddy,” he called out again, “I don’t want a long mask anymore.”

----
“I don’t know what to say,” April said.

“You are the first person we have ever told this to,” Donnie said.

“Not hard since April is the first person we have ever talked to,” Raph said.

“It took Mikey like three months to fully recover,” Leo said.

“He had nightmares for years,” Donnie added, “I think he still has them he just lies now.”
-----
Mikey was sitting on his bed. He pulled his mask off an thew it at the door. It had been a solid two years since he had a nightmare about that day. His chest hurt from breathing heavily. He wiped the tears from his eyes. He did not blame April for asking, he only wish he told he lied so that he would not have to relive this memory.

There was a knock at his door, “Mikey it’s April can I come in?” She stepped back when the others came.

“I don’t wanna talk,” Mikey said.

“I told you he would not let you in,” Raph said.

“Mikey come on out,” Donnie said.

“I brought this on myself, I want to be alone!” Mikey snapped.

“Mikey open the damn door, before I break it down,” Raph shouted.

Slowly the door opened. Raph pulled his brother into a hug. Leo bent down and picked up his brother’s mask and slipped it around his head. Donnie wrapped his arm across Mikey’s shoulders.

April watched as the brothers comforted Mikey. It truly was a special relationship they shared.

“Come on Mikey, let’s go grab a slice. Think you can handle that?”

“Yeah, I think I can.” Mikey said giving his brothers a smile.
This idea came from :iconpuldoh: I was thinking about April asking a turtles a question about about their childhood and then she mentioned Mikey's mask and I was like PERFECT!

so anyway this is for my 100 theme challenge [link]

026: childhood

....maybe Mikey can have a happy fic soon...but then again I am behind the keyboard so yeah....
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