Notes for reading/Cheat sheet for dialogue
*sign language*
"*signing and talking at the same time*"
*thoughts*
"Normal conversation"
"Forced conversation"
LEO - Taken: Tongue. Given: The psychic ability to force anyone to say anything he wants them to by touching them.
RAPH - Taken: Hearing. Given: The psychic ability to hear other people's thoughts by touching them.
MIKEY - Taken: Sight. Given: The psychic ability to see everything a person has seen in the last twenty four hours by touching them.
DONNIE - Taken: Tongue, Hearing and Sight. Given: Nothing (as far as they know).
It was with great trepidation that he stared at his sons when Leonardo, his eldest signed it again.
*Father?* he signs, and his other son waits patiently for his response. The two eldest were giving him the best version of puppy eyes they could while Michelangelo continues to eat his algae and worms, unaware of the request his older brother was asking.
"Come on Sensei, we can take care of ourselves" Raphael argues and this cues Michelangelo into the events.
He puts down his chopsticks and gasps. "Leo asked him!?" he practically yells smacking around at Raphael until he slaps his upper arm, *You were suppose to kick me when he asked!* he signs once he garners the red clad turtle's attention.
Throughout the excitement, Leonardo's steely blue eyes stay glued to him, awaiting a response. "*My sons, I know you are excited about turning fifteen, but the surface-*"
They were all looking at him so pitifully that he had to stop and sigh.
"*Alright you may go-*"
"*Score!*"
"Shell Yeah!"
*I told you he'd say yes*
"*Raph, where should we go first?*"
"*-my sons-*"
*Central park*
"*Leo's voting for central park like a tourist*"
"*Don't be a tourist Leo! We should do whatever Donnie wants to first, right Raph?*"
"*My sons!*"
They all stop and look at him (or in Michelangelo's case, towards him) a little ashamed of how rambunctious they were being.
"*There are some rules you need to follow*" he says. "*One, you mustn't be seen by humans. Two, you will not split up*"
"*Hai Sensei*"
"*Hai Sensei*"
*Yes Master*
He nods then glances to his silent and oblivious son Donatello, who was reading a braille book in his lap while staring absently at the kitchen wall. "*And your brother Donatello won't be joining you*"
"*What?*" Mikey hollers, "*but he should be able to go!*"
*It might be for the best* Leo signs at Raph who scoffs but doesn't argue the point or narrate it for Mikey.
"*Quiet*" he orders, "*these are the rules, either you follow them or you can go to the surface next year!*"
Leo glances guiltily at Donnie while Mikey puts his head on the table.
"*Mikey, we should go, but we should ask Donnie where he thinks we should go and when we get back we could tell him all about it*"
His heart fills with pride at his son's suggestion, Michelangelo twists his mouth into a thin line in thought.
*We could each write him a page of braille when we get home* Leo adds and Raph nods.
"*Leo likes the idea too, bro*"
Michelangelo shrugs his shoulders and Raph grimaces. "*I'm gonna get ready then, we're leaving in an hour*"
*I'll ask Donnie where he thinks we should go*
As his sons excused themselves from the table, the old rat couldn't help but feel some guilt over sequestering his one son to the sewers, but it was for the best.
=~o~=
After Raph leaves, Leo carefully approaches his brother. In his lap he's reading one of the few braille books they have, they're heavy and huge and the pages are thick. Donnie's fingers trace over the bumps and ridges, the only sign that he's reading comes from the small smiles or other facial expressions that flash across his face from time to time.
He taps his brother's arm gently and lets Donnie find his way to the bracelet on Leo's arm. It's three flat beads woven together. The beads have the letters of his nickname 'Leo'. All his brothers wear these bracelets and it's mostly for Donnie's sake. The blind, mute and deaf turtle can quickly identify which brother he's in contact with by feeling the beads and counting them. Three for Leo, four for Raph, and five for Mikey.
Placing Donnie's hand on top of his own he starts the tedious process of signing something, letting his brother feel the sign, nod, and then moving to the next sign.
*We're going to the surface*
Something sad flickers on Donnie's face after he identifies the last sign.
*I'm not though* he signs back. Before Leo can put his hand under Donnie's palm he continues to sign. *What will you do?*
*We were going to go somewhere you would want to go* Leo signs and it takes about three minutes for Donnie to feel all the signs.
Donnie cocks his head, *why?*
*So we could tell you about it*
*Go where you want to go* he signs with a thoughtful expression, *I'd rather read about that*.
Leo feels like he should argue but Donnie reaches out and touches the front of his shell and he knows there's no arguing when his little brother pulls out that card.
*Okay* he signs taking Donnie's hand off his chest. He gets a smile in return.
Donnie returns to reading his book and Leo silently makes a promise that he will be the first to find a new braille book for his brother. There's no missing the small traces of sadness on Donnie's face as he leaves the kitchen, maybe his brother thought he had already left the room or didn't realize how much his face gave him away.
It was something he had only expressed to his father, but Leo's guilt sometimes threatened to crush him into the very concrete of their home. For he was only mute, and while not having a tongue made eating a little more complicated and swallowing a bit painful...he had perfect vision and perfect hearing. All his brothers had it much harder than he did, especially Donnie, which was why he was so perfectly torn on the issue of him being on the surface.
In one sense, it would only be fair to let Donnie up. It would be an opportunity for him to smell the fresh air of the surface and to feel the buildings.
In another sense, Donnie was extremely disadvantaged and they had no idea what they were getting into.
Leo heads towards his room to prepare for the upcoming trip, trying to think of a way to maybe one day convince their father to let Donnie up to the surface while also keeping him safe.
=~o~=
An hour later they stood in front of their father and Donnie at the entrance to the tunnels. Leo glances at Mikey, who seems to be in a better mood than an hour before but there's no denying the hurt he feels about Donnie being left behind.
"*My sons, remember the rules*" he warns, "*be back by three in the morning, in bed by three thirty, I will be waiting for your return*"
They all nod and their father nudges Donnie who waves at them as well.
"*And above all my sons, enjoy yourselves*"
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