Together As Mutants (Book Six)

CXXVIII. First Words

Leonardo

"Come on, Dean. Can you say mommy?" Destiny asks.

Dean wags his tail, but he doesn't say anything as he sits and looks at her. She purses her lips, shrugging as she gives it another go.

"How about 'daddy? Can you say daddy?" she tries.

Still nothing.

"It's okay, Des. He's gonna be talking soon enough," Leonardo says as he settles down next to her.

"Nothing's working..." She sighs. Her wild green eyes flicker to him. "Am I being a bad parent?"

"No! Of course not!" he insists. His face becomes pensive before he straightens up. "Oh! I've got it!"

He gets up and races to their bedroom. Dean coos and claps his hands. Destiny smiles at him, stroking the little eighteen-month-old's ears.

Leo returns, sitting down and holding the Captain Ryan action figure Destiny got him for his eighteenth birthday.

"Okay Dean, who's this?" the blue-masked turtle asks, a happy tone to his voice.

Dean makes a gurgling sound, grinning in delight at the sight of the toy.

"You can do it. It has to do with your middle name..." Destiny coaxes.

Dean pouts his lips, as if concentrating his best. Leo makes the toy's arms move as he bounces the figure around. Dean takes a deep breath.

"Wyan!" he cries, a huge grin on his face.

"Yes! Ryan! That's it!" Leo smiles proudly. "That's my special boy. Your first word is Ryan." He grins at Destiny. "I'm so proud!"

Dean scrunches his eyebrows together, moving his lips a little. The two adults lean closer, anticipating.

"Mummy!" he says proudly.

"Good job, Dean! Good job!" Destiny praises.

"Wyan. Mummy. Dada." He points to each as he says it.

Leo hands him the toy, and the little wolf-raven boy hugs the Space Heroes figure as his tail wags.

"Wyan."

Raphael

Taylor readies a bottle of formula while Raphael watches Copeland.

"Look, your cousin, Dean, is already talking. Can't you say one word for me?" he pleads. "Uncle Leo has been rubbing it in my face since it happened. Come on..."

She giggles and tilts her head. He groans, and she places her little hand on his face, instantly calming him. He kisses it before scooping her up and carrying her nearer to the punching bag. He doesn't notice his sais laying on the ground nearby and he sets her down at a safe distance and starts his workout.

Taylor walks in a little while later, letting out a shriek when she sees Copeland chewing on the longest prong of one of his weapons.

"Copey honey, we don't chew on those," she says worriedly, dashing forwards and taking the weapon away. Her eyes snap upwards to her oblivious husband. "RAPHAEL!"

He snaps out of his zone, taking in the sight of his little daughter and the slobbery sai clutched in his angry wife's hand.

"Oh..."

"How many times do I have to tell you? NO WEAPONS AROUND THE BABY."

Copeland's lip trembles, and she makes a little noise.

"Swai," she whimpers, reaching for the weapon.

Both parents stare at her in shock.

"Did she just-" Raph starts.

"Say it again! What do you want?" Taylor asks, her eyes glinting.

Copeland pouts and crosses her arms. "Swai," she says firmly.

Raph kneels down and scoops her up, holding the handle of his sai towards her. She smiles and grips it, immediately sticking it in her mouth. A stupid grin stretches across his face as he looks to Taylor, bouncing Copeland as if to say, "Look! Look! Her first word was sai! Isn't that great?"

"Yup. She's your baby," the dark-haired woman says, rolling her eyes.

Donatello

"Asher, Dakota, I know the idea of talking is scary, but it's really not! You just open your mouth and ta da!" Donatello grins and does jazz hands.

Dakota tilts her head to the side and Asher copies her.

"Um...maybe you should try something else," Sarina says, sitting down beside her husband. "Asher, Dakota, who is this?"

She points to Donnie. They both giggle and make a little cooing noise.

"Can you say dada?" Donnie asks eagerly.

Asher starts to suck on his fingers. Dakota furrows her brow, her red eye flashing once.

"D...da..."

"DADA!" Asher squeals, cutting his sister off.

She squirms angrily and hits his arm. He sniffles and starts to cry, his little green lips trembling.

"Dakota! I expected better of you!" Donnie scolds.  She looks down as he picks her up. "Apologize to your brother," he says, his tone stern but kind.

"She can't speak yet, Donnie," Sarina chimes in as she bounces Asher gently, calming the distressed turtle's cries.

"Trust me, princess."

Dakota looks up at her brother, her one red eye glowing.

"Sowy..." she whispers. "Ashwer..."

"She said it! She said it!" Donnie squeals.

Asher nods and laughs. The two adults take that as a sign of forgiveness between the fraternal twins.

"I'm so proud of you two," Sarina says, kissing each child's forehead.

Michelangelo

"Dada? Momma?" Annalise tries. "Please talk. If I cry will you do it?"

Mitch looks at her, confused. Michelangelo heads into the lair with fresh boxes of pizza.

"I've got grub!" he hollers. "Fresh pizza!"

The others head into the kitchen, hungry. Annalise sighs.

"Okay Mitch. We'll try again later." She scoops him into her arms, resting his butt against the crook of her elbow.

"Does the little dude want more pizza baby food?" Mikey asks, grinning.

"We have to feed him something nutritious," she responds.

"Pweeza!"

"Yeah. Pizza. I know, Annalise." He shrugs as he heads to the kitchen.

"Mikey, that wasn't me."

"Then who..." He turns, his eyes wide.

"Pweeza!" Mitch coos happily.

"Your first word is pizza! I'm so proud!" he squeals.

Annalise chuckles. Like father, like son.