Tragedy Ever After

"Sick" Day

        ~Normal POV~

     This was the first time that I, a goodie two shoes, lied to my professor about being sick so I could stay home to take care of a sick mutant turtle. Even after me and April had spent an hour going over a study guide, I was ditching my class to look after Donatello.

     It was surprising to me, too. The turtle who attempted to kill me a few nights ago was laying on my couch with some sort of flu, or I thought at least. There was no way I could bring him to the doctor or to a vet to do a check-up. This was on me, and April was no help.

     I couldn't help but think about the pleading, desperate voice that escaped Donnie this morning when he asked me to tell him I was proud. I don't think I could forget it; it was so different from his cocky, narcissistic self. For the turtle's sake, I didn't bother to bring it up to him.

     He was awake, I knew he was; I could feel him watching me. I felt bad that I was making myself rice and chicken while I could only offer him some soup. I didn't want to make him eat something too heavy in case it made him feel sick.

     Donnie seemed to be in a better mood, even the dark circles I noticed yesterday were a little smaller. It would take a lot of long naps for them to fade if they ever could. They almost looked like they were permanently etched on his face.

     I brought the boy the bowl that held chicken noodle soup and offered him a smile. "Don't eat it too quickly, it'll make you feel worse," I warned him as I handed him a soup spoon. He took it from me gently before turning his attention back to whatever cartoon was playing on the TV.

     I scooped some rice out for myself before digging through my fridge for the chicken that would hopefully still be good. I looked over it to make sure it wasn't growing anything gross before I heated it up and put it on top of my rice.

     I sat on the arm of the couch to give Donnie his space while I watched the cartoon as well. It wasn't something I usually watched, but it seemed to catch both of our interests. It was an Australian show about talking dogs which easily entertained my mind.

     Cartoons were almost always superior unless it was Criminal Minds. It was a good show until they started getting rid of characters that were there from episode one.

     I spared Donnie a glance, seeing that he was indeed taking his time to eat the soup. It made me happy to see he wasn't fighting against me, even if it wouldn't last. I observed the way he swayed gently as he sat with his legs crossed and pulled up onto the couch. His eyes were trained on the TV, not a single word coming from him.

     We really were quite similar. I acted the same way from childhood until now, and surely for the rest of my life. It didn't take a doctor or psychiatrist to tell I was different from other children on the playground.

     I would hyperfixate on something and go on for what felt like hours about it, my parents would say I was obsessed. I would learn everything I could about what I loved so I could tell everyone else about it as well. I didn't know how to read the tone of a room, and I still struggled with it.

     I had tried to teach myself emotions and how to read people, and it didn't always work. Sometimes I didn't feel the danger everyone else would, I wouldn't feel happy or sad when I should. I laughed at the wrong time, I didn't feel pain when I should have.

     My whole life, I was told something was wrong with me. But, looking at Donnie, I knew it wasn't that something was wrong. Who cares if I was different or if I acted differently from how I was supposed to? Doesn't that make me unique?

     Donnie was unique, too. Something in me wanted to protect him even though I knew he didn't need protecting. I could see his insecurities because I had the same ones as a kid. He needed the approval that I had never received, he needed room to be allowed to be himself.

     The mutant seemed to catch on to me staring at him and he looked over. I couldn't even act like I wasn't staring, he had already caught me. He showed the empty bowl off to me like it was art. I could see that look in his eyes; the same one from this morning.

     "You finished it," I smiled softly, placing down my plate to take the empty bowl. "Good job, Don. I'm proud of you," I saw him melt a little at the praise that escaped my lips. He didn't seem to have any protest at the nickname I had given to him, which was a relief to me.

     I took the bowl to the sink and rinsed it. I grabbed a fresh water bottle from the fridge to give to the turtle who had already turned back to the cartoon that played quietly.

     I liked the quiet between us, the kind where we were comfortable in the same room together. If it could be like this more, I wouldn't mind taking more sick days from my classes.

     Unfortunately, it didn't last long as my phone began to ring in the other room. Donnie didn't seem to notice as I headed to my bedroom to answer the call. It was April calling, of course it would be. I cleared my voice and prepared to put on my best sick voice.

     "Hello?" I croaked out. Was I a bad person for this? No, I didn't think so.

     "Y/n, you're alive!" April cheered out in a relieved voice. "Are you okay?"

     "I think I just caught a stomach bug," I kept up my lie. "I should be okay in a couple of days."

     "You sure you don't have whatever Donnie has?" she suggested.

     "Well, I haven't been lightheaded, so I don't think it is," I mentioned the symptom the mutant had told me he had. "I just need to rest up and I'll bounce back. I always do."

     "Aren't you missing your exam?" April asked worriedly. "Does Mr. Ward even let you retake them?"

     "I am, and I hope so," I said. "I emailed him this morning that I wasn't feeling too well. I really should be getting some rest. Have a good day, April," the girl wished me the same before I hung up.

     All I could hope was that April didn't drop by later to check up on me. I headed back into the living room to enjoy the rest of my "sick" day.

     Word Count: 1,168. I had to bring up the fact that Donnie is autistic and I will not apologize. Totally not projecting onto Y/n by making them autistic/ND as well.