A/N: Don't ask why, man, IDK. I was watching clips of Girl meets World on Youtube and the scene where Doy mispronounced Turtles just hit me and later I was watching an episode of TMNT, I just had the image of Donnie trying to correct Doy on his pronunciation and failing utterly, so… Enjoy? I guess? I imagined the turtles as being from the 2003 series, but It'll work for any of the iterations.
Disclaimer: I own Neither TMNT or Girl Meets World
Donnie looks up at the smog covered New York sky, not a star in sight, unlike the vast star splattered sky at the farmhouse, as they leap across the rooftops. He makes sure to keep himself aware of his surroundings lest Leo yells at him for "lollygagging" again. Seriously lollygagging, and Raph calls him a nerd. Mikey and Raph are a few feet ahead of him arguing with Leo about the best pizza place.
Tuning out the growing volume of his brothers' argument he yawns and shakes his head to keep himself awake. He only managed three or so hours of sleep last night, caught up in drawing out the plans for modifications to the shell raiser. All he wants to be doing is sleeping, but Leo has them going on nightly patrols.
He really doesn't know why they do this anymore. The Shredder is defeated, Karari's on their side- for now at least- and no alien threats have come along. The city is relatively peaceful. The only threats to NYC are the usual human ones, and the police can deal with gangbangers as easily as they can. Why can't they let humans protect humans for once? It's not like they're ever grateful. The last man they saved from a robbery took one look at him and ran screaming about monsters.
Obviously he knows not all humans are like that. April and Casey came around and are family now, but even they were afraid at first.
He just, he just wants one person, just one to not see him as a monster first.
As Mikey completes a triple tuck flip across to the next roof they hear an ear-splitting scream, a child's scream. Donnie looks to Leo who nods and they leap in the direction of the screams, two blocks up and two to the east. In a dead-end alley filled with decomposing trash, stand three young men laughing and jeering. Each with a purple dragon tattoo on their arm. Backed into a corner is… a very small child. The boy has light brown hair, he's wearing a red sweater and jeans, with a silver sentry backpack on. The boy is crying and lets out window shattering screeches every time the men take a step closer to him, but it doesn't seem to be deterring them at all. They just laugh harder, mocking the kid for being so scared.
He can feel anger coil in his heart, tighter and tighter. Channeling his big brother instincts he almost leaps in without a thought, but Raph beats him to it. Leo grumbles but he signals the others to follow their hot-headed brother.
"Let's go, ninja," Leo commands with a wave of his hand, with only three Purple Dragons having a plan isn't really necessary. Donnie wastes no time jumping into the fray, landing a few feet away from the punk closest to the kid. He takes him down in three hits: a strike to disarm him of his baseball bat, a jab to the stomach winding him, and a downward sweep to knock him off his feet, all taking less than three seconds. His brothers finish with their opponents in quick order as well. After securing the three punks with rope from his grappling hook, Donnie turns to see Mikey crouch down next to the kid who's still crying and covering his eyes.
"Hey buddy, the bad guys are gone, you're safe. It's just us now," Mikey soothes, his hands hovering a few inches away from the boy. "I'm Mikey, and these are my brothers: Donnie, Raph, and Leo. What's your name?"
The child sniffs a few times, still covering his face, "Doy."
"Hi Doy, I see you love the Silver Sentry too. He's my favorite superhero!" Mikey says and Doy finally lets his hands fall, Donnie tenses for the inevitable scream and freak out, maybe a fainting spell.
But the kid does none of these, "T-tt-tutles?" he says, his voice high and unsure.
"Turtles is how it's pronounced actually," Donnie automatically corrects, Raph elbows him, reminding him now probably isn't the time for a grammar lesson. "I mean, yep, we're giant turtles."
"Tutles!" Doy screams, a grin lighting up his tear-stained face and he leans over to hug Mikey. "I love tutles!" It takes Mikey a moment to realize what's happening before a grin to match Doy's spreads across his face as he hugs the young child back. Donnie feels some emotion in his chest tighten, he doesn't quite know what it is yet.
As the kid doesn't want to let go of Mikey, he carries him as they leap across the city to the kid's address, that's helpfully printed on an ID tag in his backpack.
As they continue their trip Doy falls silent, his head buried into Mikey's neck and nothing Mikey says is working, not even an offer to share Silver Sentry comics. The adrenaline must be wearing off, and the shock of being attacked settling in. Doy can't be much older than six given his height and weight. He must have been terrified.
So Donnie tries to distract the kid. "Hey Doy?" he asks catching the boy's eyes as he looks up, "Can you say Turtles for me again?"
"Tutles?" Doy says, quirking his head to the side.
"Buddy, there's an r in turtles. Let's break it down, repeat after me, Tur-"
"Tur-"
"-tels."
"-tels."
"Exactly! Now put it together!"
"Tutles," Doy says, smiling now, as he must have thought he got it right this time.
"Aw, no, still forgetting the r, turtles." Donnie corrects but cheers on the inside at the smile.
"Tutles," Doy says slowly, then nods his head grinning.
"Turtles," Donnie says, doing a series of back springs along the roof and diving down to the lower one, while Mikey refrains from doing any tricks as he's carrying breakable cargo.
"Tutles," Doy giggles, clapping his hands at the display.
"Turtles." Donnie grins in victory, the sound of Doy's laughter bringing back that same strange feeling.
"Don," Raph glares over at him.
"Hm?"
"You realize you're arguing with a four year old, right?"
"I am six and 3/4s!" Doy screams.
"Yeah yeah, you're still a pipsqueak," Raph says, looking over at the kid in his brother's arms.
"I'm still gonna win. Turtles!" Donnie shouts.
"Tutles!" Doy screeches pointing dramatically over Mikey's shoulder to the taller turtle, obviously thinking they're playing a fun game of screaming the same word at each other.
"Oh my god, are we there yet?" Mikey groans covering his ear slit with his free hand, adjusting his grip on Doy as the boy wiggles around.
"Just a few more rooftops," Leo sighs, rubbing his ears, as Doy's apartment building finally comes into view.
"Turtles!" Donnie grins as he does a complicated flip onto the next roof, making the kid gasp and clap. He does a dramatic bow as they run, proud of himself for finally getting that flip right. It's always nice to be appreciated, even by a six and 3/4s year old.
"Donnie!" All three of his brothers protest.
"Tutles!" Doy giggles as Mikey tickles him.
A few more leaps and they are on the roof of the kid's apartment.
"And you're home!" Leo smiles as Mikey put Doy on the roof, and Raph goes to pick the lock on the roof door.
"Yay!" Doy jumps up and down, hanging onto Mikey's hand.
"Got it!" Raph exclaims as the door swings open. The four turtles follow Doy to the door.
"Do you remember what your apartment number is?" Donnie asks, crouching down to look into his eyes, ready to hack a few records quick to get the correct info if he doesn't.
Doy nods, "Yep, 5-1-6," he says, flashing the numbers on his fingers.
"Bye Doy! I'm gonna miss ya!" Mikey hugs him.
"Bye-bye Mikey! Leo! Raph! Donnie!" He chirps hugging each brother in turn.
Donnie grins as he wraps his arms around Doy's shoulders, he can't resist one last try.
"Turtles?"
Doy beams up at him, "Bye Tutles," he laughs, pulling away and walking to the door.
"Turtles," Donnie says, leaning on his staff.
Doy turns, one hand on the doorframe as Raph holds the door, a wicked sparkle in his eye as he says, "Turtles."
"Tutles," Donnie says automatically then gasps in realization as Doy runs down the stairs cackling.
Donnie sinks to his knees as his brothers laugh around him.
"Man, that kid is awesome!" Raph gasps, holding onto the door for support.
"Oh my God! you should have seen your face!" Mikey wheezes as he falls to the ground with the force of his laughter.
Even Leo is smiling and shaking his head at his brothers.
Donnie shrugs and rolls his eyes, but Raph is right, Doy is awesome. Doy is the first person to accept them at first glance. April fainted three times and Casey got into a big fight with Raph before accepting them.
That feeling in his chest grows warmer, brighter, as they jump across rooftops going back on patrol.
It feels like hope.
So…..? What did ya think? Please tell me in a review, and don't forget to favorite/follow!
TTFN
K9KID OUT!