ROTTMNT angst oneshots

Autistic Donnie [sensory overstim]

A-Persons-Mistake some Donnie angst for you! (Lmk if you want another one with a specific scenario)

TW - sensory overload, panick attack, unintentional self-harm (non-detailed)

[Nobodies pov]

Donatello is on the Autism Spectrum. He finds it hard to express emotion, so he builds things for people instead. He doesn't like physical touch and the texture of certain fabrics and materials, he doesn't like water if it isn't ice cold and he can't eat pasta if the sauce is chunky.

These are all minor things that can be avoided atleast most of the time, but one thing that can't be avoided is Donatello's auditory over-stim.

See, Donnie doesn't like loud noises if he isn't the one making them. It hurts his head, it rattles his brain and makes him feel ill. It makes him feel overwhelmed and angry.

Donnie and the rest of the team had just gotten back from a big fight; the loud clashing of swords, the sound of Raphael dishing out orders and yelling at Leonardo for not following them correctly;
The noise of Leonardo's sarcastic complaints and sass-filled jabs at everyone - mainly Raph - and the sound of Michelangelo struggling with his magic, was all to much for Donatello.

So when the team of exhausted brothers went back home so they could eat pizza and laugh and talk together, Donnie was not having it.

He couldn't stand the noise of his siblings' laughter, he couldn't understand how they were so happy and energetic after such a big fight, and it infuriated him.

[Donnie's pov]

All i did was sit there as my brothers' voices became nothing but loud, unintelligible buzzing.

I couldn't leave now, it was too late, I'd already sat down and said I'd have food with them. I already asked them to order me a specific pizza.

I was already too deep into the mess in my head to even THINK about acting logically.
I felt sick to my stomach and I was frowning whilst curling up slightly to hide my stomach in protective instinct.

[Mikey's pov]

When we were younger, I always noticed how Donnie hid his stomach when he was panicked or afraid. I didn't know the reason at first, but then i saw someone touching his shell before it had armour to protect it, and he just held his stomach while being completely silent.

Donnie often lashes out when he feels like this, so if you have something that's easy to break it's best not to approach him with it. Nobody else really knows about Donnie's issues with sensory overload and panick attacks, but they do know he's autistic so they try and make accommodations where they can; like if he needs ice-cold water, they'll try their best to cool it down as fast as they can, or if the pasta/pizza sauce is chunky, I'll take it off then blend and sieve it for him.

I make my way towards my struggling brother with a plastic cup filled with cold water, but when I reach my hand towards him to hand him the cup - faster than I can blink - he swats my hand away with his and I drop the cup, cold water spilling all over my feet and Donnie's lap.

[Nobodies pov]

Everyone looks over to Donatello and Michelangelo as the distressed, tech loving turtle on the floor screams in horror.
Tears fill Donnie's eyes and he sobs loudly, clawing at his wet clothes in panick, eventually cutting into his skin.

Donnie would've stopped if he realised that he was hurting himself to such an extent, but the adrenaline and disgust was too much for him as he focused on trying to tear off his ice cold clothes before they could stick to his body any longer.

Mikey - once more - walks over to Donnie expecting him to lash out again (which he does).
Michelangelo just ignores the hitting and kicking as he helps Donatello get his wet shorts off.

Donnie's desperate attacks become lesser, and form into something more clingy as the wet clothing is removed from his body.

Mikey smiles softly and takes his jacket off, cleaning up the water as Leonardo walks into the room with Donnie's weighted blanket.

Donatello's breaths are uneven, but despite that, he's allot calmer than before.

Everyone - including Mikey - backs off from Donnie and sits somewhere away from him, so that when he comes to his senses again, he can do whatever he needs without more overwhelm filling his brain.

Michelangelo slides Donatello's noise-cancelling headphones onto his head, and sits back down as Donnie closes his eyes and goes into his shell for safety.

757 words (not including this part)