The Fool and The Genius | TMNT Mikey X OC Love Story

talking it out helps

With my newfound mobility came with incredible curiosity. Not for the nature or the enormous second home April had. But for the turtles residing in it.

Before the invasion, I only really knew the turtles for a month. A month with your neighbors doesn't really harbor a lot of close relationships. I liked Mikey, and we trusted each other, but we weren't as close as I'd like to be. It could be similarly said for the rest of the guys, but I didn't know how to start conversations.

Fortunately, I didn't have to. Broody older brother Raphael started talking first.

"How are you taking being a fish now?" Raph asked.

"I hate it. I keep scraping my face against my lower teeth and it hurts." I gestured to my face. "I also have a light on my forehead. That's new."

"It's better than being Fishface. That guy is all kinds of ugly."

"There's another fish mutant?"

He waved his hand dismissively. "He's a snakehead. But you're like a cool deep sea fish and bigger, so you shouldn't worry."

I noticed he had never made eye contact with me as we conversed. He did make glances at my fish-ness before talking, but he was otherwise extremely distant.

"So, what's your deal?" I blurted out.

"My girlfriend died a few months ago." Jesus Christ, this guy has issues. "You know I can hear you talking in my head!" He growled.

"Sorry, I can't control my telepathy yet!" I raised my webbed hands defensively. "That's horrible, man. How long were you together?"

"Nearly a year." He sighed and looked at a crumpled piece of paper in his hands. His eyes were watery, but no tears fell. "We met in the worst way possible. But she still loved me. And she was snuffed out so quick."

I rubbed my hand over his shoulder to comfort him.

"What was her name?" I asked.

"Crescent."

"That's a pretty name. Do you have a picture of her?"

"A few. They're mostly on my phone."

"Can I see?"

Raph pulled an image from his T-phone. It was of a pale chubby girl. She had wavy dark red hair and parted bangs in a short haircut. Above her right eyebrow was a scar. Her eyes were a deep violet color, with brown in the center. She looked somewhat sick with her discolored blue lips. She wore an oversized red jacket, and was smiling brightly with a content Raph. They looked happy.

"Raph, I'm so sorry. She must have been everything to you."

"She is." He said quietly. Silent tears fell from his face and onto the screen. I gently embraced him.

Under my nose, the turtles had festering wounds that needed healing.