Marry Christmas to all of you ^^ I hope you guys are enjoying the holidays.

Here's a new chapter of the story ;) a Christmas gift lol XD

ok so, I wanted to clear out that the 1st half of the story is taking place in present while the second half is the past. If you wanna read if from second half first, it's totally fine since it will eventually come back to present.

Happy reading ^^

My whole body hurts. It's been about 2 hours and still I can't seem to even out my breathing. My back, cold. The hard floor scratching my back. I don't like this. I don't know how long of this I can take.

Even my lungs hurt from breathing this much. I'm hungry...

Come to think of it when was the last time I ate something?

I turned my head to the left side and it's about 3:14 pm. I don't know what day it is today but I can tell that guy with the glasses is gonna be there like always.

Bradford usually allows outside training after every two days. And everytime...that guy helps me out.

What was this name?

Donnie?

Don?

I closed my eyes, it's weird how I can't remember his name even though he's helped me every single time. Last he knocked down Xever again and taught me a few cool and easy tricks. He never leaves until Xever is ready to get up.

But when I used those moves in a spar match with Sensei...he didn't like them at all. He didn't want me to use them. He asked me where had I learned them but I couldn't tell him about that guy. Otherwise Sensei wouldn't let me go outside again. And ...

I wanna know more about him.

I'm tired. Our sparing match was brutal. No matter how many times I try or how much energy I use, I still get beaten up. My arms hurt and left leg is numb. I can't feel it atall. But, I'll be going out again. And I know he's gonna be at the park again.

I can't wait.

I know I'm smiling right now at the thought of him. But I can't help it.

My Sensei loves me too. I know that but...

I see no difference in the way he raises his hands at me.

There's no difference, when he's loving me or training me. They both...hurt. I don't get it. He's loves me but it hurts. Why? And I don't understand why Don's hands don't hurt me. He teaches me stuff too, but it never hurts when he does it.

Sensei says that people want to take advantage of me. They want to use me. But why would they want to? I'm useless, just like Sensei said. Maybe Don's using me too. Using kind act like theaching me stuffs... but Sensei is doing the same. He teaches me stuff too.

And it hurts.

Sensei trains me.

Don trains me too.

Sensei saves me from people.

Don save me from beating too.

The difference is pain...

I closed me eyes. I don't think I have any strength left to even think. I want to sleep. And eat something.

Tmnt

The last time when Mikey was out with Xever, he was again getting his butt kicked. Donnie as usual sneaked up on Xever and knocked him out. Mikey had strict orders not to say a word and when the last time he spoke...things did not go so well. He ended up having stitches on his shoulder and head, that day.

Donnie as usual, worked patiently and didn't say a word. He didn't want the kid to startle away. He quietly sat down infront of the boy with his mini first aid kit and didn't move. This was his 3rd time saving the boy and knocking down Xever. Donnie wondered how thick Xever's skull was. He bet that there was a huge nasty bruise under the man's afro.

Donnie smiled to himself at the thought. But his eyes fixed at the boy. Raph didn't know what he was up to, so he usually tried his best to get things done quickly.

Mikey sat with his legs stretched out infront of him and he was facing Donnie. Sobbing and rubbing his eyes furiously. Donnie could tell that they were angry tears. But what for?

"Um...what's the matter? You're safe now. I can guarantee it!" Donnie said softly.

Mikey didn't answer him. Donnie knew why, he knew that the boy probably wasn't comfortable or something else. Don never went too deep with the explaining and information because he was afraid of repeating the same mistakes that his oldest brother had committed in the past.

Donnie just wanted the boy to be safe on his own.

Nothing more...

"I need to put some cream on that bruise. It will help with the pain..."

Mikey shook his head. He didn't want Don to treat him.

"Why? Doesn't it hurt?"

Mikey let out a loud sob. Donnie blinked and sighed.

"I got some gummy bears..."

Mikey looked up. Gummy bears? Where had he heard that?

"...you can have them if you let me treat you!"

Mikey saw Donnie reaching into his backpack and pulling out a small packet of gummy bears. He handed it to Mikey, who instantly forgot about his tears and took the packet. He inspected it like it was some kind of extraordinary thing.

Donnie smiled and took the opportunity. The boy was distracted and Don got a chance to apply some of the ointment on his injury.

When he pulled back, he took the pack from Mikey and opened the pack. Giving Mikey some of the candy. Who ate it curiously and his eyes brightened up like sun.

Don found it adorable.

"I'm still mad ..." The boy's voice was low and rasped like he was having struggle talking.

Don ignored the worry felling and straightened up.

"Why?"

"I couldn't do anything even when you taught me some moves last time and-"

"Woah, hold up. It was only a few hours practice and no ones this talented to master martial arts in a few hours. It takes alot of years and patience..."

"Sounds like I'll be eating some punches for a long time..."

Donnie didn't comment anything on that. He had already tried asking why the boy was training so hard for but he got no response. They both shared only a minimum conversation.

"Well... I guess I better teach you a new defensive move before your ...relative...wakes up"

Mikey looked at Xever's body. He cringed at the thought that someone like was his relative. Or was he? He never asked Bradford anything about Xever that who he was or where did he come from. All he knew that Xever wasn't blood related and was one hell of a jerk to him.

Mikey slowly got up on his feet trying not to cause any pain in his wounds. He once again stood in horse stance infront of Donnie like he did in last meeting.

Funny how Mikey trusted the new guy without a second thought and he would think twice before confronting Bradford, who had actually given him a home.

Strange how sometimes things aren't what they seem.

Donnie smiled mentally, he was impressed at how the young boy was so strong even at a young age. Donnie thought he might actually be a challenge to him if the boy was given some space. But he decided not to dwell with the thinking.

After about 20 minutes, Donnie was feeling frustrated at the boy who couldn't seem to grasp his kata position. His hand wasn't in the right place.

The boy had a pouty face in annoyance. He was struggling to make it right but couldn't seem to figure it out.

Don sighed. He moved forward again. How many times was he going to direct again?

Donnie thought maybe Leo felt the same annoyance or frustration when he taught Raph and him, back in the old days after their father's death.

"Ok you're still not doing it right. Lemme help you with that..."

Donnie waited for Any type of denial response from the kid but was satisfied when he found none. He came infront of him . The height difference between them made Don look like a giant. Mikey gulped up his saliva but remained calmed.

Donnie raised both his hands and gently took hold of Mikey's. The soft gentle touch, unlike his Sensei's was different.

Mikey felt a surge of lightning pass through him. He sucked his breath and stared at the individual infront of him.

He felt like he knew this feeling.

Don's hand directing his tiny hands... too much familiarity.

How?

Mikey's eyes glued at the brown eyes infront of him. He looked like he had seen a ghost.

"Mike? You ok?"

"..."

"H-hey? You don't feel any pain do you?"

"I..."

"Mike talk to me, what's wrong?"

Donnie was genuinely getting worried at this point. The expression the child wore on his face was bothersome.

"I...felt..."

"Felt? Felt what? Is one of the injuries hurting? I can fix it. Jus-"

Suddenly a low rumbling sound made it's way into the air. The origin was from Mikey's stomach. He was hungry and his body didn't try to hide it.

Donnie let go of Mikey's hand a d stood straight with a smile.

"So you felt hungry, huh?"

Mikey kept his eyes on his hands. He couldn't shake the feeling off.

"Well Mike, it's a good thing I brought us some tuna sandwich. That will fill you up just nice. Plus it's good for you since you need all the energy for training ..."

While Donnie kept babbling about advantages and nutrition of the snack, Mikey tried his best to figure out what was that odd feeling. It was so soft and loving and gentle.

It felt different.

Different from what his Sensei's was.

"...so you should probably eat like 3 sandwiches daily according to your routine if-"

Donnie stopped when he noticed that Mikey wasn't listening.

"You're not listening to me, are you?"

Finally Mikey looked up when he noticed that Don was holding a sandwich infront of him. Mikey's eyes fixed on Don's hand that was holding the sandwich. He reached out like he wanted to hold the hand instead of sandwich but he took the sandwich.

"Eat it up, if you need more then just ask me, ok?"

Donnie walked over to the tree and sat down with his back supported to the tree. He watched Mikey calmly, who was staring at the thing in his hand. Mikey turned his head towards Donnie slowly.

Donnie smiled and motioned him to come sit with him, to which Mikey obeyed. He quietly walked towards Donnie with his head low, hiding his face behind his wild golden hair.

He flopped down beside Donnie.

Donnie patted his head and sighed looked at the sky. Normally he would be thinking a out some dark stuff like he was useless or something. But he couldn't being himself to think like that even since he met the kid. He fixed his glasses and watched the clouds pass by.

Then he heard a sob. He turned his head towards the boy who was practically sitting beside him...more like trying to hide himself by forcing into Don. He let out big tears and sobbed loudly.

Donnie blinked in confusion but said nothing. He simple wrapped his arm around the little boy, bringing him closer and cancelling any space between them.

Mikey weakly ate the sandwich, crying out loudly. He was confused and hurt.

Why was there a difference?

Both hands, from Don and Bradford, raised for same purpose...but why was there a difference?

And why did he feel something familiar from a person whom he recently meet.

"It's ok, just relax...Shhhh, you did great today..."

Mikey buried his face in Don's chest from the side and cried his heart out.