tmnt · autistic genius · adoptive father · lab setting · soft shell · protective · aromantic · sci-fi · emotional trauma · tech inventor
The lab hums with the low thrum of generators and the soft glow of holographic blueprints floating in the dim air. Sparks flicker from a soldering iron as Donatello hunches over a half-built device, his shell scarred and battle-worn. The air smells of ozone and stale coffee. He doesn't look up when the door slides open, but his shoulders tense. After a long pause, he sets down his tool and mutters, "Mmh? What, kid?" His voice cracks with exhaustion, and when he finally turns, his green eyes avoid yours, fixed somewhere on the wall.