The Youngest Turtle - Michelangelo
((Hey everyone! Thank you for being so patient with me. Below is a fictional narrative for my OC (Original character) "Rose", starting off with her introduction to and Mikey's feelings towards her! Keep in mind, this is part of the regular AU, not the infection universe. Enjoy!))
((Rose belongs to me, Maya belongs to @mayaandthegirls))
Michelangelo lay upside down on the couch with his shell wedged into the cushions and his legs hooked lazily over the backrest, staring at the ceiling as if it might answer questions he couldn’t quite form. The hum of the lair’s generators vibrated faintly through the walls, blending with the distant drip of water and the muffled clang of Donnie working somewhere down the hall. It should have felt normal, safe, familiar, comfortably chaotic especially with his brothers around, and yet an uneasy tension coiled beneath his plastron like a knot he couldn’t stretch loose…
He squinted at the ceiling.
Mikey: “Okay, what are we doing today? Are we training? Are we vibing? Are we panicking? Are we pre-panicking?”
His inner voice, ever unhelpful, answered immediately: “You ate three leftover bean burritos. That’s what we’re doing.”
Mikey frowned, shifting upright in one smooth motion, planting his feet on the floor and leaning forward, elbows on his knees, as if the posture might help him catch whatever invisible signal he was sensing.
Mikey: “No… Something feels different…”
He had learned, through years of instinct and experience, that his intuition rarely spoke loudly, it would whisper, nudge, and tug at the edges of awareness. But today… Today it felt like pressure in the air before thunder, the kind that made the world hold its breath.
Suddenly, footsteps approach from down the corridor. There were two sets of footsteps, the first being light, quick, and bubbly… Maya’s footsteps. The second set that followed was slower and more deliberate, each step measured rather than casual.
Mikey’s head lifted, tilting slightly.
Maya appeared in the doorway first, warmth and ease in her smile as if she carried sunlight into the underground space by sheer force of personality.
Maya: “Hey, Mikey! I wanted you to meet someone.”
Her voice was welcoming as her hand ushered beside herself before stepping aside slightly, her expression softening with quiet encouragement. Behind Maya was a woman Mikey had never seen before, a fellow Lunar Dragon from the hidden city of The Lunar Isles.
The woman did not enter immediately. She paused just inside the threshold, as though taking in the room in a single, silent sweep… Her eyes glance to make mental notes of the exits, the shadows, the clutter… The overhead lights shined lightly upon her half rose and half wine colored hair, which was braided into a singular long braid and strung over her shoulder. But what really stood out were those crimson eyes, bright and rich, but… Too still. Too controlled. Too observant.
Something in Mikey’s chest tightened without permission. “Danger”, his instincts murmured, but he shoved that voice down, arguing internally that Maya would never bring any danger here to the lair, right?
He smiled anyway, because Maya trusted her, he trusted Maya, and his trust was not easily gained or given lightly.
Maya broke the silence with a gentle voice, her hand gesturing to her side where the woman stood now.
Maya: “This is my childhood friend, Rose. We practically grew up together.”
Rose meets Mikey’s gaze with her red eyes, inclining her head slightly, not quite a bow, not quite casual acknowledgment. The movement was restrained, precise, like something learned long ago and never abandoned.
Mikey stepped forward, spreading his arms in a theatrical welcoming manner. His voice was bright and composed.
Mikey: “Hi! Welcome to Casa de Turtle. Shoes optional, snacks mandatory, emotional support pizza available upon request.”
Her gaze settled on him, steady and unreadable, as if weighing the meaning of each word before deciding whether it required a response.
Rose finally spoke, quietly, but not timid, more controlled and deliberate, the sound of someone who did not waste words because she had learned they held weight.
Mikey waited, sensing there might be more before his eyes traveled over to Maya, who filled the silence between the three.
Maya: “Rose doesn’t get out much. I thought she could hang with us for a bit.”
Rose’s eyes moved slowly around the room, spotting various details, the television, the tangled cords, the game controllers, Mikey’s paint-streaked art supplies scattered like bright debris across the table and living room area. There was no judgment in her expression, no curiosity in the typical sense. Instead, she seemed to catalog, to assess, to understand function and placement rather than decoration.
Mikey couldn't help but catch Rose’s slightly cryptic and calculated gazes, suppressing a shiver that threatened to crawl up his shell. When Maya finished her statement, he nodded, clasping his hands together while simultaneously pivoting towards the kitchen.
Mikey: “Okay! First order of business; Food. We have pizza, dumplings, and something Donnie engineered that may legally qualify as fuel.”
Maya couldn't help but let out a soft giggle when Mikey took a jab at Donnie’s cooking skills, rolling her eyes as she gave Rose a light nudge with her elbow. Rose ceased her assessment of the lair at the movement, both Maya and Mikey’s turn. Her gaze flicked from Maya before looking towards Mikey, nodding once more.
Rose: “…Pizza is acceptable.”
A wide grin broke upon Mikey’s face, his expression brightening.
Mikey: “YES! A woman of refined taste.”
His statement caused both himself and Maya to giggle, but not Rose, her expression hardening for just a split second…
--- !!! (EXTRA INTERACTION) !!! ---
Later that same evening...
The television glowed bright against the dim comfort of the lounge, colors flashing across the walls while electronic music chirped cheerfully from the speakers. Mikey sprawled on the floor with a controller in hand, posture loose and animated, while Maya curled comfortably in a chair nearby while nibbling on a homemade frosted blueberry tart.
Rose sat at the far end of the couch with her spine straight and shoulders relaxed but contained, hands resting loosely together in her lap. She did not fidget. She did not shift restlessly. Stillness seemed less like a choice and more like her natural state.
When Mikey handed her a controller, there was not an immediate acceptance, but a pause before her fingers accepted it with careful neutrality, as if holding something unfamiliar but not unwelcome. He points towards certain triggers and buttons on the controller, explaining simply.
Mikey: “This one makes you go, this one turns, this makes you drift, and that one's for a boost A.K.A. emotional devastation."
She focuses on his instruction, her finger lightly pressing the acceleration button, causing the car on the screen to race forward and collide into a wall.
She did not react, just observed calmly.
Rose: “…This seems inefficient.”
Mikey’s laughter burst out before he could stop it. His laughter became light giggles as he explained further, his tone lighthearted.
Mikey: “Fair, Buuuut… It's fun.”
Rose still didn't quite understand, her eyebrows furrowing slightly, not out of frustration but hinting at focus, her fingers awkwardly forming around the controller. They didn't have things like this in The Lunar Isles. She tried again, crashing in a different direction. Her expression did not change, but her eyes narrowed slightly in concentration, as though the mechanics of the game presented a puzzle rather than entertainment.
After another attempt, but no laugh coming from Mikey this time, she set the controller down with quiet finality.
Rose: “I do not understand the appeal.”
Mikey picked the controller up slowly, looking slightly up at her.
Mikey: “That’s okay, it took Raph three whole weeks just to get through the first tutorial.”
--- End of Dialog ---
Thank you again if you reached the end of this post! I appreciate every read, view, like, and repost, and it means a lot to me just to share about my characters and what I've been inspired to write when occasionally motivated enough to do so. Stay safe out there everyone!
