CXLXIX. Remembering the Cute Moments

The moms decided to take a trip down memory lane via photo albums. With the pictures come memories of the cute moments between their children and their daddies.

Leonardo

"Twenty-eight...twenty-nine...thirty! Ready or not, here I come!"

Leonardo pulls away from the wall and looks around, listening for the giggling of his four-year-old son. He creeps through the lair, eyes narrowed and a sly grin on his face.

"Are you...here?" he guesses, peeking behind the pinball machine.

No Dean.

As he turns to keep looking, Dean peeks out at him from the swirling platform hanging above the living room. He claps his hands over his mouth, stifling a giggle as he watches his dad try to find him.

"How about...here?!" Leo cries, looking behind the punching dummy.

Still no Dean.

Dean giggles, unable to stifle all the sound. Leo freezes, glancing up. He catches sight of his little boy's tail hanging off the platform in his peripherals, and he smirks.

"Oh no...Dean is gone!" he gasps, acting dramatic. "He's so good at hiding that I just can't find him!"

Dean's laugh sounds again. Leo turns and wanders to the middle of the living room, still acting oblivious.

"What will I tell Destiny?" He clasps his hands together. "Oh Des, my darling, our son has gone missing! Don't bother making dinner for him..."

"HEY! I WANT DINNER!" Dean shouts, poking his head out of his hiding spot.

"Found you!" Leo shouts, pointing up at the child.

"But you didn't catch me!"

Dean takes off, flying around the lair. Leo chases after him, the both of them laughing as he tries to catch his winged son.

Unbeknownst to them, Destiny had been taking pictures of the two of them the entire time, a fanged smile on her scarred face.

Raphael

"And kick! Now punch! Right hook! YEAH! That's it!"

Taylor peeks into the dojo, the noise having perked her curiosity. Raphael stands facing Copeland, the little five-year-old keeping her hands in fists and a determined look in her eyes

"Okay, Copey, think you can take down your old man?" Raph asks, putting his fists up. "You've done the air hits, but how about going up against another ninja turtle?"

"I can do it, daddy!" she insists.

"HAJIME!" Raph barks.

Copeland lets out a rather high-pitched battle cry and races towards her dad, swinging her leg into his own. He lets out a dramatic cry and collapses, clutching his chest as he gasps.

"No...you're too strong, Copeland," he groans, fluttering his eyelids over and over again.

"I defeated you, daddy!" she says proudly.

"Noble Copeland Shen, you are truly powerful," he proclaims, still adding in little chokes in his speech. "Too...much...dying...slowly..."

He pokes his tongue out as he lays spreadeagled on the floor. Copeland giggles and hurries over to him, pounding her little fists on his plastron.

"Daddy, stop being silly!" she giggles, her eyes bright with excitement.

"Ssh, I'm dead," he whispers around his extended tongue.

"No, you're not!" she laughs even harder.

Taylor grabs for her t-phone, snapping a photo just before Raphael pops back to life. He lets out a playful roar as Copeland shrieks, unable to evade her dad as he grabs her and pulls her against him.

"Gotcha, little princess," he teases. "Tickle monster!"

She shrieks again as he tickles her plastron, the two of them laughing so hard that tears are appearing in their eyes. Taylor smiles, still snapping secret photos.

Donatello

"I don't know, kiddos. Your daddy is a Jenga master," Donatello says, edging another wooden piece from its spot in the tower.

"No way! I'm gonna win this!" nine-year-old Dakota insists, taking her turn.

She too succeeds in getting a piece from the tower. Asher remains silent as he scrutinizes the structure, leaning in close and carefully extending one finger. He presses against the space, his breath hitching as it teeters.

"You're gonna lose," Dakota taunts, a sing-song tone to her voice.

"Shush," Asher mutters, his mismatched eyes narrowing further.

Sarina peeks into the kitchen, smiling at the sight of her little family. Asher presses the spot again, but the tower only teeters again. Before he can blink, the tower topples.

Donnie yelps as the wooden blocks topple onto him, knocking him on the head as a few get stuck around his shoulders and shell. The loud crash seems to shake the lair, making Sarina have to stifle giggles. Asher gasps and claps his hands over his mouth.

"Daddy! I'm so sorry!" he exclaims, getting to his feet and scrambling over to him.

Dakota howls with laughter, her one red eye flashing over and over again. Donnie rubs the spot on his head as Asher hugs his neck, his face pink and obviously apologetic.

Sarina takes out her t-phone as Asher releases Donnie, the purple-masked turtle giving his violet-masked son a loving smile..

"It's okay, Ash," he says. A sly smile crosses his face. "But I'm gonna win next time."

"Rebuild!" Dakota declares.

Sarina snaps photos continuously, a smile never leaving her face as her eyes flash.

Michelangelo

Annalise hears crashing and laughter coming from the kitchen. She sneaks over, peering in. Michelangelo and Mitch stand by the counter, both their faces smeared with sauce and flour.

"In two minutes, we shall have a pizza!" Mikey proclaims, resting his fingers on his lips and kissing them the way he'd seen Italians do in TV shows.

Eight-year-old Mitch's eyes light up with glee. "Yes! It'll be the best pizza ever!"

"But first...there's something wrong..." Mikey utters, lowering his voice.

The boy gasps. "What?"

"You..." The orange-masked turtle slowly drags his hand towards the pizza ingredients. "...don't..." He grasps some flour and sends it flying into Mitch's face. "...HAVE ENOUGH FLOUR ON YOUR FACE!"

Mitch shrieks with glee. "Well you don't have enough tomato!"

He grabs the nearest sauce and splatters a generous amount on Mikey's face. Both boys laugh at the antics, but quickly realize the mess they made.

"Uh...I bet we can clean up before your mom finds out and before the timer goes," Mikey bets.

"You're on!" Mitch laughs.

They launch into action, unaware of the blonde taking pictures the entire time.

BONUS

"Come on, Blake. It's not too scary," April encourages. "You can't let one little fall stop you from trying again."

Four-year-old Blake Jones stares out at the ice rink, his blue eyes wide and his shaggy black hair falling in his eyes. Casey is already on the ice, skating in tight circles with a blissful smile on his face. Blake watches his dad with wide eyes, full of amazement and admiration.

"But I fall..." he says to his mom, tugging on her hand as she brushes off his jersey, labelled with the number twenty-one. "I watch...not skate."

"Aw, come on, little man," Casey says, skidding to a stop next to him and leaning over the boards. "You've gotta try, okay? Grandpa showed me, so I've gotta do the same."

Blake looks down at his little skates, giving a curt nod as he steps towards the open door in the boards. Casey reaches out and takes one of his hands in his own, making sure that his son's helmet is secure before pulling him out onto the ice.

April leans on the boards, watching with slight anxiety as Casey leads Blake carefully. The man moves slowly and surely, letting Blake get used to the feel of the ice under his skates.

"And you push out with your feet in rhythm. Left, right, left, there you go!" Casey praises, his dark eyes sparkling with pride.

Blake smiles too, showing off the fact that he's already knocked one of his front baby teeth out. April smiles, leaning on her hand as a wistful sigh leaves her. Casey may not have been the brightest in school, but when it comes to hockey, he's a genius. No wonder he's coaching the Roosevelt team nowadays.

Of course, Blake reminds her of his daddy more and more every day. True, her son isn't as reckless as Casey, that's her genetics coming to play, but the love of hockey has remained a dominant trait.

"Okay, I'm gonna let go. Think you can do it?" Casey asks, his tone soft and loving.

Blake shakes his head. "No! Don't let go!"

"If I don't, you'll never be able to learn. I'm right here. I'll catch you if you fall again, okay?"

April reaches into her bag and pulls out her camera, not wanting to miss a second of this. Whenever Casey has a soft moment, she has to capture it. This is perfect.

Blake takes a deep breath as Casey releases his hands. The older Jones skates backwards a tiny bit, hands held out and ready. Blake skates forwards hesitantly, but slowly starts gaining confidence. Before long, he's skating along with Casey as though he was born to wear skates.

April snaps yet another picture, laughing softly to herself.

Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: AzTruyen.Top