Chapter 8: A Half Shell Christmas
Song: Welcome Christmas from How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Picture above was drawn a while ago by me. You'll understand why it's there by the end of the chapter.
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"He came! He came! Santa came!" Mikey's voice traveled through the air, loud and boisterous. Within seconds, he burst into the living room, his hands grasping Shelby and Tyler's wrists. "Merry Christmas!" He sang in excitement.
Shelby rubbed her eye with the heel of her hand, still half-asleep. "Mikey, it's like, 7 in the morning. Do we have to get up this early?"
"Yes! This is how Christmas works, Shelby." Mikey explained. The two siblings glanced at each other, doubtful, but said nothing.
Mikey wasn't the only one up for long. Soon, Raph came out of his room, cracking his knuckles with a mischievous grin on his face. "I'm about to shred this wrapping paper." He announced, before he began to jog in place.
Leo was next, with Destiny in tow. The wolf-raven looked like she had just been resurrected, her hair disleveled and her eyes glazed with sleep. She gave a loud, powerful yawn, and rubbed her eyes, muttering to herself about how it was far too early to actually enjoy any presents.
Finally, Donatello and Master Splinter emerged from their bedrooms, Donnie smiling brightly, while Splinter's smile was much calmer, much more experienced.
"Let us see what Santa has brought our family." He stated, and the turtles lunged forward, grabbing their friends with them, as they rushed to the tree and began ripping open presents.
Destiny's was small, so she knew it was jewelry. But when she opened it, she couldn't keep the fanged smile from her face, even though she was still groggy. It was a silver chain bracelet, and dangling from the center was a crescent moon. "It's beautiful." She whispered to herself, and picked it up. As it exited the box, a note fluttered to the ground. She picked it up, her wolf ears perking with curiosity.
Dear Hamato Destiny
I'm so glad I was able to bring you a present this year. It was impossible to do so when you were a pup without a home. I never knew which alleyway to find you in. Enjoy the necklace.
Santa Claus
She stared in disbelief at the paper, her mouth hanging open slightly.
Donatello was the next to get his gift open. "Aw, man, a new beaker set!" He cheered, hugging the box carefully.
"Don't you already have beakers, Don?" Destiny inquired.
"I did, until Mikey and Tyler decided to break them." He grumbled to himself.
Leo was the next to get his present open. "A Captain Ryan bobble head?" He asked, smiling as he held the box up to observe. "Sweet! I'll have to make more room on my shrine."
"You're what?" Destiny and Donnie laughed, and Leo flushed slightly, setting the box back down.
Mikey was next. "Oh, yes! Yes, yes, yes! A limited edition, platinum painted Crognard sword! It's what I've been dreaming of." He whispered to himself.
"A shuriken set? Oh man, you guys better watch your shells!" Raph jeered, but his eyes were wide as he smiled.
Master Splinter stared at his present with content; a new mediation mat with memory foam.
Shelby stared at her present, nervous to open it. She didn't want to get her hopes up, that there actually was a Santa Claus. Tentatively, she opened it, and staring her in the face was a new Sketch pad and mechanical pencils. She smiled, lifting them out of the box. As she did so, a note fluttered to the floor. Carefully, she picked it up and unfolded it.
Dear Shelby Bradford,
I'm sorry this is your first Christmas present from me. It's nearly impossible to deliver presents to children who don't believe. Unfortunately, your parents made you think Christmas was about presents you can buy. Really, it's about the love in your heart and the Savior who was born to us on this day.
Please, let love into your heart, and have a Merry Christmas.
Santa Claus
"Shelby, are you crying?" Tyler asked as he looked up from his present, a grey ninja bandana, so he could match the turtles. He had a note as well that read something very similar to his sister's.
Shelby sniffed, wiping icy tears from her eyes angrily. "No, I-I opened the present, and dust got into my eyes." She explained, but the emotion in her voice betrayed her. Tyler smiled, and crawled over, wrapping his sister in a hug as he sniffed as well.
"Merry Christmas, Shelby." He whispered, tears of joy gathering in his eyes.
Shelby felt her lips turn up in a smile as well, and she laughed slightly. "Merry Christmas, Tyler."
"Oh, Shelbs, I have a present for you." Mikey said from somewhere near by, and the Bradfords broke their hug as Shelby looked over to Mikey.
He crawled over to behind her and opened a box, grabbing out a necklace and draping it over her, clipping it in the back. Shelby looked down at the necklace in surprise. It was a silver chain with a wooden turtle shell to one side, and a jeweled snowflake to the other.
"Oh... It's..." She struggled to find the words and Mikey smiled.
"I hope you like it. I know you don't like people pointing out your ice powers, but the snowflake was so pretty, just like you, and I couldn't help it." Mikey explained shyly.
Quick as a flash, Leo tossed Raphael the mistletoe he had been saving, and Raph stood next to Shelby and Mikey, holding it above their heads. They glanced up in the surprise, and Shelby started glaring. She went to open her mouth to argue, but Raph cut her off. "It's a Christmas tradition." He stated firmly.
Mikey smiled brightly, and turned to Shelby, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a kiss. Almost instantly, she seemed to melt into his arms.
"Y'all are nasty." Tyler huffed.
Shelby broke the kiss, her eyes wide. "Oh, I almost forgot about your present! Hold on!" She urged, scrambling up and booking it to her room.
Leo turned to Destiny. "I also got you something, Des." He smiled, handing her a jewelry box.
Her eyes were wide with surprise. She opened it slowly, and gasped.
A promise ring.
"I promise that I'll be with you forever, and until I can make you my fiancé, I promise you'll stay my girlfriend, and I'll stay your boyfrie-" Leo was cut off by a loving kiss from the wolf-raven, to which he didn't protest.
Shelby reappeared, skidding to a stop as she handed Michelangelo a piece of sketch pad paper. He looked at the picture with wide eyes.
It was a cartoon version of Mikey and Shelby holding hands. Mikey looked up at Shelby, his baby blue eyes wide. "Is this what you've been drawing all week?"
Shelby nodded nervously, sitting next to him. "Do it like it?"
Mikey laughed. "Like it? I love it!"
Shelby smiled brightly, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Merry Christmas, cupcake." She whispered.
❄️ 🎅🏼 ❄️ 🎅🏼 ❄️
It wasn't just the mutants in the sewers that received presents.
Penelope sighed in content as she looked at her present from Santa; all 10 books of the Percy Jackson series. Around her wrist was a hand made bracelet of purple ribbon and beads. It wasn't something she had expected Donatello to make, but she found it a very pleasant surprise.
Scarlet had also received a lovely gift from Santa; a cute Minecraft shirt with a creeper chasing Steve on it. But Santa's present was nothing compared to Raphael's necklace. When she had opened it, tears of joy had spilled down her cheeks as she clipped the gorgeous necklace around her neck.
With that, the Hamatos celebrated a Half Shell Christmas.
To the mutants of New York City, and to every human across the seas, far and near, have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
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