EEK I ADORE YOUR DONNIE REQUEST!! So I was wondering if you can do a Raph x Caseyβs cousin reader (Fem or GN) x Leoβ¦ where like the reader is more shy and awkward dork.
They like media like Leo loves Space Heroes (thatβs what they bond with), and they also sorta become Raphβs listener when he rants about his anger issues and such. Just a perfect mix for them!
So the two bros are like jealous of each other for reader⦠and also want to be the hero for reader when they get kidnapped by the Purple Dragons.
Authors note: I'm so happy you enjoyed the Donnie oneshot! I love this idea (who doesn't love good ol' sibling rivalry), so I really hope you like the finished product!
-> I think I made it a lil more serious than intended but, I just really wanted to go in depth. But maybe at some point in the future I'll do a shorter more silly one, we'll see <3
The image below is from Pinterest.
Pairings: Gn!Reader x Leo x Raph (love triangle)
Warnings: Fluff, slight swearing, brotherly arguments/ fights, love triangle, kidnapping/ cannon typical violence, undisclosed ending
You followed Casey towards the manhole, cautiously glancing back now and then to see if anyone was watching. It was already starting to get dark, so the chances were low.
Casey hauled the manhole open like it owned him money, the clang echoing down like a gunshot.
It's not that you were shy...
Well, yes it was because you were shy, but, still that's not the point.
You still found coming into the Lair to be daunting despite making frequent trips with Casey and April over the last few months. The first time you met Splinter, your reaction was... shocked, to say the least. There was definitely a moment of screaming and a very embarrassing period of trying to leave, only to get lost in the sewer tunnels.
Thinking back to those moments made you cringe.
You'd think being a huge superhero junkie would have prepared you for a moment like that, but no, seeing a massive humanoid rat was not, in fact, similar to how media portrayed meeting mutants or aliens.
Despite your poor start, you'd like to think you had improved your manners and had actually become good friends with the group of misfits you called friends.
Meeting them as a whole had been more of an accident, if anything.
You had just moved in with Casey, his dad, and his little sister. The reasoning for this was to 'expand your horrisons' as your parents had put it before shipping you off to the Big Apple, New York City, itself.
School was okay. You missed your old friends dearly but would suck it up and adapt. If that's what it took to prove to your family you didn't need to be coddled, so be it. Although, most days, Casey was somewhere in your vicinity. You had a sneaking suspicion that dad had forced him to keep a close eye on you to help you adjust to your new life.
So yes, Casey Jones, your cousin, the self-proclaimed detective and vigilante (you had figured out that little secret almost imideatly) became your first stalker. And he had done a pretty crappy job to put it lightly.
But it wasn't all bad. You met April, and the two of you hit it off from the start. It was also through Casey that you met the Turtles.
Casey had been out on one of his little 'outings' yet, this time it had been different. April had gone with him.
He had brushed off your insistent questioning and pleas to go with them; he acted as if you were a child and not only a few weeks younger.
So, you had done the sensible thing.
That being getting dressed and fumbling up the fire escape after them. If you didn't look down and simply told yourself you were being your own type of hero, the whole ordeal was quite fun.
Then there had been the whole 'holy shit why are there robot people, and why are they ninjas?!' moment followed quickly by 'double holy shit there are ninja aliens (later found out to be turtles) fighting too'.
The rest of your sneaking about had been ruined when the so-called 'ninja turtles' had spotted you. The red one had picked you up by the collar of your coat and held you up like some misbehaving kitten.
It had taken some major convincing, and Casey backing you up before the four mutants had finally believed you enough to put you down and apologise.
The orange one had been the first to extend the olive branch of friendship, followed quickly by the blue one (you figured out their names eventually), who started apologising profusely for his brother's manhandling. Speaking of the brother, he had actually also grunted an apology -which was apparently a whole thing in itself.
That was about it. From then on began the long journey of friendship that led you to today.
~β------------------β~
Back in the present, you peered down into the hole. Your palms were slick against the metal rim as you braced yourself and your sneakers scraped nervously as they brushed up on the ladder rungs.
The dark below smelled like wet concrete, sweat and something similar to that of a moldy pizza.
"You coming or what? Don't tell me your scared, I don't wanna be late." Casey whined, his voice bouncing off the dripping brick walls making him echo.
Your heart always did that stupid fluttering thing when you were about to see them.
Specifically, the two who made your brain short-circuit in completely different but equally mortifying ways.
"Uh⦠coming," you mumbled, mostly to yourself.
Casey rolled his eyes so hard you swore you heard it.
"Well hurry up then. It's not like they bite." He groaned, leaning back against the wall and muttering something about you no doubt.
You shot him a look that was half glare, half plea for mercy, then climbed down as gracefully as a newborn giraffe. Your knees almost buckled when you hit the floor. You braced yourself on the wall, trying to ignore the hot stench that had just smothered your senses. Even after so many trips, the smell of a sewer never got better, nor did you grow more tolerant to it.
Casey snickered at your grimace before tugging you along by the sleeve. You yelped, almost tripping again and kicked him in the back of the leg in retaliation.
It wasn't long before you both made it into the Lair and when you reached the main chamber three pairs of eyes snapped towards the two of you instantly.
Mikey had Ice Cream Kitty in his hands and was seemingly on his way to the fridge. He instantly waved at you, almost dropping the bowl in which the mutant cat was placed in. They both wabbled for a second before he regained his balance with a nervous laugh and a 'hey dudette, hey dude,'.
Donnie looked up from where he had been sat at the table. He offered a small, genuine wave at you.
"Hey, good to see you again."
"You too," you replied with an equally genuine smile, ignoring Casey's mocking mimicry in the background.
You liked Donnie, it was like having your own personal mad scientist friend and you were greatful that any hate towards Casey was not dumped onto you. Geez, a mutant turtle had more emotional intelligence than most of the kids at your school.
Stepping closer, you leaned over Donnatello's shoulder to try take a peek at what he was working on. You definitely wouldn't be of any help but he made no comment and continued his project. On closer inspection, you recognised what he was making to be a gift for April. You smiled. What he was doing was sweet, in his own weird, genius way.
It was only when Leo glanced up that Donnie let out a small chuckle, immediately covering it with a cough and slouching down as if the chair would hide him.
Leonardo rose from where heβd been cross-legged on the tatami mats, Space Heroes action figure still in his hand; heβd been mid-re-enactment of 'Captain Ryanβs Last Stand', judging by the dramatic pose he hastily abandoned. His smile was soft, almost shy, the same one he gave you every time you showed up wearing that ancient Space Heroes T-shirt with the peeling logo.
"You, uhβ¦ want to sit? We were justβumβdiscussing patrol routes." He gestured vaguely at the map table, cheeks faintly darker green.
"But we're done now!" He added quickly as if you didn't want to hear all about their awesome superhero lifestyle.
Donnie snorted. "Yeah. Patrol. Totally."
However, he sideways glare Leo shot him was enough to quiet him.
You ignored the display and nodded,shuffling toward the beat-up couch, trying not to stare him. It was impossible. Leoβs eyes followed you with this quiet intensity, like he was memorizing every awkward step.
You sank into the cushions. Mikey immediately vaulted over the backrest and landed beside you, offering the chip bag - that he had somehow acquired on his trip to the kitchen- like a sacred artifact.
Leo had taken to sitting down on your left, complementing your faded Space Hero's shirt with a child like grin. He proceeded to ask a million questions- where did you get it? Was it limited edition? How did it feel? When did you buy it? You were happy to answer all of them even admiting you binge watched all the movies one night in that very shirt.
You liked him a lot. You think. You've never really been good at the whole feelings thing so maybe he's just a friend. A really... really good friend.
He was nerdy in a way that you could relate to while somehow being effortlessly charming at the same time. The first time you had eaten pizza with the Turtles he had actually tucked in your chair after you. No joke! That was some movie type gentlemanly behaviour you had never received from any other friend let alone on a date. So what if he was a mutant? In Space Hero's, Captan Ryan dates an alien from Intergelactica six and this would basically be the same thing. Totally.
Unbeknownst to you, Leo liked you too. He liked being able to unwind and be excited about something without being called 'childish' or have his comforts be called 'immature'. It wasn't immature. It was the only way he found he could relax and be himself. Growing up, Captain Ryan had been the pinnacle of his childhood. Those dusty tapes held some of the very memories that made Leo who he was today. He learnt morals, he learnt how to be a hero and he learnt that being seen as a 'freak' wasn't a bad thing.
Being with you, Leo felt like he could truly just be. You had never judged him, not once. Not even when he had sheepishly shown you the collection of merch and trinkets he had gathered over the years and hid from his brothers. If anything, you encouraged it, bringing round figurines of your own, lending him comics, and even giving him anything you had double of.
You were both starting to discuss your favorite movie of the series: 'Space Hero's: The Next Generation' but Casey barged in just as the two of you had begun to scoot closer to eachother.
Casey slung an arm around your shoulders, fully sliding down the back of the couch onto the seat getting between you and Leo. Your cousin was oblivious to the looks you and the eldest mutant had been giving eachother or maybe just enjoying the chaos.
βBrought snacks. And my dear, emotionally stunted cousin who still cries at the end of Titanβs Requiem, I got you a slushie[or any drink you like]."
You elbowed him in the ribs. Hard.
Leo shrunk back at Casey's obvious display to get between him and you. You just scoffed and dragged Casey backwards by the collar until he yelped and fell backwards off the couch in a pile. Mike laughed loudly only for Casey to pull him down with him, the boys now rolling around on the floor play fighting like animals.
Just as you and Leo were about to continue your conversation, Raphael walked through the doorway.
He was already halfway across the room by the time you looked up, sai spinning lazily in one hand like they were extensions of his bad mood. He stopped short when he saw you, his green eyes narrowing, then flicking to Leo like he was calculating whether punching his brother would ruin the vibe.
By some miracle, he blew over the fact that Leo was blatantly in his seat. It was shocking. Even Leo paused, confused, he had been waiting for the outburst, the rage, the perfect chance to prove that he was a much better choice- a much more level-headed 'man'- than his younger brother.
"Hey,"Raph grunted. It was the closest thing to a greeting he ever gave anyone who wasnβt actively trying to kill him.
You managed a tiny wave. "Hi."
Raphael was Leo's opposite. Where Leo was calm, Raph was a storm, where Leo was calculating, Raph was headstrong, where Leo was delicate, Raph was blunt.
Those weren't bad things you had come to realise. You had been scared of Raphael at first, he was the most hostile of the four and arguably the strongest. He could easily crush you if he wanted to and he was shown to have a short temper- the slightest of things would set him off. But, it was the little things. If you looked close enough, you would find that he was kind. He was the one who always saved you a slice (albeit threatening Mikey but still), he was the one to be blunt about missions, to really get into the nitty gritty parts without fear of scaring you.
Such an open, honest person was refreshing. Leo may tell a few white lies to save your feelings or 'protect you', but Raph was always upfront. Maybe this was why they never got along. They were two second placers fighting for first in an endless battle. Who was stronger, who was faster, who would earn their father's aproval, who would earn their brothers respect and, most recently, who would earn you.
They had been fighting over you for what seemed like years, even though it had only been a month or so. Not that you knew any of this, to you, they were just overenthusiastic to have a new friend and were probably lonely from so many years underground. Leo was clearly weighed down from being tasked with looking after his brothers and being in charge of everything whilst also being ridiculed for every little mistake.
Meanwhile, Raph had a firey temperament you had learnt was simply out of defence. He was actually a pretty sweet guy once you got to know him. Due to being the second oldest, he and Leo always would butt heads, Raph didn't find it fair that Leo could do no wrong in their father's eyes and was chosen for everything while he was cast aside like a spare chess piece. His anger was born due to years of frustration and lack of attention from his father figure.
That may be why he drank up any attention you gave him as if it were oxygen. He wasn't obvious about it, no, but he definitely wasn't as nonchalant as he thought. Raph would practically swell with pride any time you complemented his fighting style or gave any sort of positive feedback. You were sweet to him. You were kind to him. You gave him patience nobody ever had before, and he was eternally grateful.
So it was no surprise that whenever he needed to vent, it had been you he would go to. You would either sit down in his room or the dojo or wherever he knew nobody would interrupt, and you would just talk. He liked the sound of your voice. When he was angry to the point of not wanting to talk (which, let's face it, happened a lot), you would simply talk for him. You would tell him about your day, about something stupid Casey had done or even talk about your plans for the future.
And on those other days? Those days when he just needed to let it all out as it had come undone at the seams? You would listen. Just sat with him while he punched a boxing bag over and over, the faint thuds a metronome to his frustrations. He would speak freely, and it was during these times that you discovered all you knew about Raph. His struggles, his aspirations, his fears. It was nice to be able to be there for him; it made you feel like a better person, like even in some small way you were helping the city by helping it's heros.
You had even begun trying to teach him some simple methods of relaxation. Master Splinter had no doubtedly tried before but, with you, Raph had a reason to try, he had a want to be better because if you thought him being calmer was a good thing, then it must be. You didn't scold him for failing or even show the slightest of irritation. You would simply smile and suggest getting pizza or playing again and maybe trying again some time.
So, there was a small, tiny, weeny possibility that the only reason Raph hadn't tried to murder Leo for being in his spot was because he was trying to impress you. But, good behaviour is good behaviour, right?
You had gone back to rambling about how Captain Ryan's arc was a cinematic masterpiece and had not noticed the death glares Leo and Raph had given each other.
To say the two were in a bit of a predicament was a light way to put it. They were both acutely aware of their feelings towards you, but more importantly, they were aware that the other felt the same. They were in a constant battle for your attention that was obvious to everyone except you.
The little macho-man stand-off that had begun imideatly scared off Mikey, who practically dragged Casey across the Lair floor in an attempt to flee and not be caught in the crossfire. Donnie just kept his head down like before and was so quiet that nobody even really knew he was there to begin with.
Raph stalked closer towards the couch you and Leo were still inhabiting, and he plopped down on the opposing side. Leo's eyes narrowed at the action, and the two brothers shared a silent confrontation. You blinked, unaware of the tension, and were about to go back to your explanation when Raph spoke.
"So... I was thinking. I found this really cool roof up on Mains and was wondering if you wanted to check it out? The building below is a comic book store, so you could do your nerdyβ I mean, your completely normal hobby."
You tilted your head, mulling over the thought.
"Uh, yeah, I'm free tonight, I think."
Raph scooted a little closer, attempting to slide his arm around the back of the couch only to be blocked by Leo, who had pinched his hand, making him bite down a yelp. No matter. Raph gritted his teeth and forced a sickeningly sweet smile.
"I was actually hoping we could check it out now. Like right now."
You glanced hesitantly back at Leo who's face had gone w paler shade of green and his eyes looked ready to bulge out his head.
"I dunno, Raph. Me and Leo wereβ"
Leo cut you off. He would apologise later, but there was no way Raph of all people was swiping you out from under him.
"- Talking. We were talking, actually in the middle of a conversation. And we'd like to go back to talking if you don't mind, dear brother." Leo said the last two words as if he was choking on gravel but trying to make a point.
You heard Raph's teeth grind as the two brothers were now practically looming over you. Their bodies were taunt with pent-up energy, and you felt as if you were squished between an immovable object and an unstoppable force. You couldn't even tell if the low rumble building up was a growl or if you were just imagining things. Could turtles growl? You weren't sure.
You had no time to dwell on the idea as Raph had already begun speaking again. When you had told him maybe spending more time with Leo could be good for him, this is nowhere near what you imagined.
"Well, I'm sure you can skip to the end of your conversation, Leo. Or, I don't know, finish it another time? You of all people know how to wait, don't you?"
He spat out Leo's name as if it were a curse. Leo retaliated by quite literally standing up and leaning fully over you to the point his plastron was brushing the back of your head. You shrunk back into the couch as Raph also stood up. You were cast in a shadow due to their bodies and were frozen stiff.
"I was with them first. And what is that supposed to mean, Raphael? I'm sure if anyone needs to practice waiting, it should be you." Leo hissed when Raph prodded his chest. Maybe Leo would have stopped there if Raph hadn't done that, but now it was too late. "Maybe you should go cool off in the dojo. I'm sure Sensei can help you manage your....attitude. You were getting sloppy anyway."
Raphael's eyes widened at the audacity and he poked Leo again making him slap his hand away.
"Say that again." Raph growled.
"You. Are. Getting. Sloppy." Leo hissed back, although he seemed to regret it as Raph shouted and lunged at him, forgetting you were still between them.
"Woah!" You shouted, pushing the two away from each other so you wouldn't be sandwiched between the fight. "Stop it, stop it! What is up with you two?!"
You knew you weren't very strong compared to them, so it did startle you for a second when they both froze and stayed where they were, panting heavily. They blinked as if you had dumped a cold glass of water on their heads, and they were suddenly very aware of their outburst and very embarrassed.
"He started itβ" Raph shouted at the same time Leo said, "You're right, we are both very sorry."
They both glared at each other, beginning to bicker all over again while slipped out from between them and stood up to turn and face both of them.
"β Why have you always gotta be like that?" Raph accused, shoving Leo away from him.
"Like what, Raph?" Leo replied, clearly reaching his limit. "Like I can see when I'm wrong and apologise like someone responsible?"
"Yes- no!" Raph stuttered, "You know what I mean! Always trying to be the 'goodie two shoes to impress them," he jerked his head in your direction. "And quit speaking for me! I was gonna say sorry on my own!"
Leo laughed and sat up properly from where he had been left leaning back on his arm from Raph's shove.
"Oh yeah. You. Apologising. Sorry, I didn't reach that conclusion. Maybe it's because I don't know, you never own up to your mistakes?" Leo shouted.
"Oh really?!" Raph snapped.
"Yes, really!" Leo confirmed. "You never apologise! Not once. So spare me the dramatics."
"Well, guess what? I'm sorry, oh, noble brother. I'm sorry I'm not as responsible as you, or as mature as you, but at least I'm honest about things!"
"Are you calling me a liar?" The older brother seethed, "and right there, you've proved my point. You. Can't. Say. Sorry. You need to mean it."
You watched in a loss as the argument continued, reaching a new peak. The shouting had gotten so loud it had attracted the attention of the others. Mikey and Casey had come back into the room, Donnie had looked up and even Master Splinter had entered.
Casey yanked you towards him and whispered, "What the hell happened?"
But you just shoved him off and said, "I'll meet you at home." Before storming out of the Lair with an anger you hadn't felt in a while.
Casey had called out after you. Something about not walking home alone, but you weren't listening. Your ears were ringing, and you were sick of all the yelling.
~β------------------β~
By the time you had made it out of the sewers and onto the street, you had relatively calmed down. You hadn't expected to get so worked up about a fight between brothers, but seeing them fight so brazenly just saddened you to the core. What happened to superhero moral? Not letting the small things bother you?
Sadly, you realised your ideology of a real superhero family wasn't to be expected in real life, and maybe you had acted out of term. It just hurt to see two of your favourite friends -whatever they were to you at this point- share a screaming match over you.
As if God Himself had wanted to prove your point, you turned into an alley at that exact moment only to be called out to by some men. Their faces were hidden in the shadows, but it didn't take a genius to figure out who they were. The Purple Dragons.
How could you have been so stupid?!
In your stressed state, you had taken the quickest way home, which just so happened to run through the Purple Dragons' territory.
The group called you out again, beconing you to come closer. When you refused, that's when they made their move. They slowly approached you, their leader, Fong, grinned menacingly at you and muttered something to the others. You didn't catch all of it, but when you strained your ears, you did hear the word 'turtles'.
Oh, shit, he must have recognised you.
Feeling a burst of adrenaline at the sudden danger you were in, you turned, ready to bolt back the way you had come, only to bump into a beefy figure behind you. You looked up, realising the mass you had crushed into wasn't a friend and was instead another foe. It seemed as if one of the members had managed to get behind you without you noticing.
Aw, damn it. Casey was going to kill you. Not to mention, Leo and Raph would surely be upset with you too. They had both been taking the time out of their days to try to teach you some basic defence skills, yet upon seeing an actual threat, you just froze. You wanted to fight back. You knew you should fight back or scream or do something, but you couldn't.
It was only when the man actually put his hand on your shoulder that you tried to struggle. By then, it was no use. You tugged and pulled and yanked, trying anything to free yourself and run. It wasn't going to work. Not with the others closing in until you were boxed in a corner, pressed up against the bricks and breathing heavily, trying not to panic. Leo said not to panic. Panic invites weakness. And weakness invites failure.
You kicked upwards, just like Raph had taught you, hoping to free yourself or at least loosen their grip on you.
It worked... momentarily. The perpetrator cried out in pain, dropping to the floor, and you made it a few steps before the rest of the gang was on you, swarming like ants. You let out a scream, only to be muffled by the makeshift gag they were fastening around your mouth. You could feel their grubby hands dragging you further into the alley and through a side door, and then everything went black.
~β------------------β~
You hadn't returned home and hadn't been seen home by the time Casey got back half an hour later. He checked with his dad. He checked with his little sister. He checked with the neighbours.
You had seemingly vanished off the face of the earth, and Casey Jones would be dammed if he let his younger cousin down. He spoke to a few more people. Hey, a future detective has got to check his sources and see every possibility. While speaking to the last person, he had also texted April and the Turtles that you were missing. Normally, if it were anyone else, he'd want to do it alone, show he could handle it, pride, and all that.
But, you were family. And Casey Jones knew when he was beat.
Luckily, this neighbour had told Casey something important. Much bigger than a simple piece or clue, no, it was the whole damn puzzle. The elderly woman had been watering her plants when she saw you turn into an alleywayβ she pointed the alley out from her window to Casey, and his blood ran cold.
This was worse than bad. This was so much worse.
He called your cell for the eighth time in five minutes by the time he made it back down into the Lair. April and the others were already up and moving when Casey explained what the old woman had told him.
Leo's expression sollemned, and he began barking out orders. Donnie was to hack into the city mainframe and look at any cameras facing the alley in hopes it picked up what happened, Casey and April would continue to ask around. Maybe another civilian had seen something. Mikey and Raph were told to go to the alley itself and see if they could find any clues to where you had been taken. Meanwhile, Leo himself would go straight to the source. He would go to the Purple Dragons' den and see if what the group suspected was true. Had you been taken?
While explaining the plan to everyone, Leo began walking towards the exit of the Lair, gesturing for the others to follow. All did except Raph, who was staring at him with a mixture of surprise and anger.
Did Leo think he was stupid?
Leo obviously thought you had been taken, it was almost a known fact, so he had purposely arranged the plan so that he would be the one to find you. To rescue you. To be the hero.
By the time Raph realised, everyone had already gone, leaving Leo waiting impatiently for Raph to catch up.
"Well come on then!" Leo snapped, "We don't have time to waste, they could be in serious danger!"
"Don't think i don't know what you're doing," Raph accused, "you want to be the one to rescue them!"
"Are you crazy? Are you still worked up about this? They can't wait! I don't have time to feed your ego and stop this crazy idea you have in your head! We need to go. Now."
The old him would have continued this argument. Forced it to be drawn out until Leo yielded and let him tag along. But, there was no time for that. Leo was right about one thing, you couldn't wait and Raph would never forgive himself if you were hurt not only because you were their friend but also because he had been too petty and wasted valuable minuets.
He took a deep breath, like you had shown him weeks ago, and opened his eyes, nodding. He could deal with Leo's whole 'hero' obsession later.
The two brothers were about to leave for the surface when Master Splinter appeared in the doorway. They both paused, tension in their whole being. They obviously wanted to go, but seeing their father made them stop.
The rat beckoned them towards him with a lanky finger and placed a hand on each of their shoulders when they were in touching range.
"My sons," Master Splinter began, "I understand your worry for your dear... friend. But, one must not let fear cloud the mind. You mustβ"
"We must go." Leo interrupted, making even Raph cock his head at the rebellious action from the golden child. "Who knows what the purple dragons are doing to them. We must take action, Sensei. Please. I need to make sure they're safe..."
Leo seemed to squeek upon realising he had not only interrupted his father but also said 'I' instead of 'we'. Both Splinter and Raph were staring at Leo now. Raphs' mouth was agape, and Splinter looked deep in thought.
Before he could dwell on the moment, Raph spoke out, not to argue or complain, but to agree.
"Leo is right, Sensei. We need to make those scum pay for taking them. We need to make sure they'll never do it again."
Leo's mouth drew up in a frown.
He wanted to disagree, to explain that's not what he meant at all. But he wasn't so sure anymore. A new flame had lit in his heart, one whispering vengeance and retribution. Evil had taken hold of someone he cared about deeply, and part of him agreed with Raph. They should pay for their wrongdoings. They should be stopped from every doing something like that again, from hurting someone again. But that's not who Leo was. He knew in his truth that he wouldn't be able to do it. Yet, he wanted to. And it scared him.
Master Splinter saw the silent battle going on inside both of his sons, and he stroked his beard carefully before speaking again.
"You both care deeply about this...friend."
Both turtle's heads snapped upright like puppets getting their strings pulled. They were going to splutter excuses but Splinter helf his hand up and continued.
"You are skilled. More than skilled. But skill without restraint is a blade without a hilt. It cuts the wielder as surely as it does the enemy."
"But surely you'd rather it cut you and the enemy instead of an innocent bystander?" Leo asked pleadingly, feeding into the metaphor.
Raph wasn't really sure about all the metaphor business but tried his best.
"Cuts can heal... I guess." He shuddered, glad that none of his other brothers had been there to witness his partaking in such a nerdy thing.
Master Splinter sighed, changing his approach to be more direct.
"Love is a strong feeling. It is capable of great things, my sons, but have no mistake, it can cause irreversible damage to those who welcome it too openly. Young love even more so. Young love is a battlefield. And it seems to be one you are both determined to die on. Go, but do not make a decision you will come to regret."
Leo and Raph blinked owlishly at their father's warning and opinion on their love life's. Despite it, they nodded and took of running. They had already wasted enough time.
~β------------------β~
An hour later, both brothers were crouching on the roof opposite an abandoned warehouse that had been rumoured to be the Purple Dragons' latest hideout. They had been scouting out exits and possible entry points for the past five minuets, this had to be as clean as possible.
They were trying to settle on a plan but kept arguing about who should do what. Leo suggested Raph distract the goons while he sneaks in to save you. Raph argued that they should go in, sai's and katana's swinging and rush them by surprise, then Raph could rescue you while Leo interrogated the Fong.
This went back and forth for longer than the two would be willing to admit.
"This mission requires stealth, Raph, and we all know I'm the best at that." Leo said, leaning over the side to use a spyglass and watched the next patrol of guards go past.
"Or, we use brute strength and overpower the slimballs. They'd stand no chance." Raph countered, mimicking Leo's action.
"First, we need to find out if they are really in there. Otherwise, we are just wasting time." Leo muttered, moving silently to try to find a better vantage point.
He had only looked away from Raph for a second but by the time he went to speak again, his younger brother was gone.
"Raph? Raph?!" Leo hissed, frantically searching for him.
Oh, if he had gone in without him, Leo was going to kill him. Metaphorically. Probably. Leo started pacing, unsure of what to do and rambling to himself. Did he follow through with his original plan, or was it too late for that, and Raph had already gone in 'guns a blazing'as they say.
Just as Leo was about to jump down, Raph came up not so quietly from the other side of the building. Leo breathed a sigh of relief before angrily hissing at his brother to stop his stupid games.
Behind him, Raphael pulled up a man. He was bound and gagged too tightly, most definitely by the hands of the angry turtle. Apparently, Raph had managed to creep behind a Purple Dragon member on watch, had grabbed the him, and then hauled the goon silently onto the roof to question.
"Are you crazy?!" Leo whisper-shouted, his arms flailing around in frustration. "You could have been spotted! What of you ruined our chance?"
Raphael scoffed, dropping the man who hit the concrete gravelly roof with a thud.
"Nobody saw me. Besides, heβ," Raph gestured to the man, "-said that they're using them as bait. To lure us out. Your 'plan' to sneak in would have been about as useful as Mikey's cooking."
Leo rubbed his face with his hands and pushed past his brother to lean back over the opposite side of the roof. He took one katana out and felt the familiar weight of the blade l, using it to ground himself.
"Take him to the alleyway behind the station. The cops will find him eventually." Leo said without even turning around to look at Raph. "I'll go get them."
"Like hell you are," Raph replied, "why don't you take this loser there, and I'll do the rescuing."
"No!" Leo hissed with more force than usual before changing his tone until it was almost...shy? "I mean- its just... I have...Like a thing planned."
"What?" Raph asked in a deadpanned voice.
Leo kicked a lump of trash on the roof, and his cheeks were no doubt burning.
"I just... have a thing. You know?" He blinked, realising how small his sounded. "Never mind. Why do I even have to explain this to you? I'm the leader. You do what I say. Now, go."
Raph paused, and Leo saw out of the corner of his eye that his shoulders were shaking. Was he...laughing? Yes, that's right. Raph was giggling lowly before it turned into full, belly laughs that he tried to muffle with one large hand. The goon, still on the floor, by his feet, looked up in terror and began slowly trying to worm away but was apprehended by Raph seconds after.
"No, no. Let me have this," Raph chuckled, "Let me get this straight. You're going to...what exactly? Go in there, and what? Quote some hero lines? Do some fancy tricks? Oh, boy, how the mighty have fallen!"
Leo frowned, looking away and pouted.
"I wasn't going to 'copy' Captain Ryan's speech he says after saving the alien princess. I have my...own rendition."
Raph belted out another laugh.
"Oh, this is too good!" He exclaimed, hunched over using his hand hand on his knee for support while wiping a tear of laughter away.
Leo gritted his teeth and instead of answering to his brother's teasing, he vaulted over the roof and to the roof of the warehouse. Raph stood motionless for a moment, not sure how to react, and then threw himself after Leo, whisper-shouting angry insults.
It took several seconds for him to catch up with Leo and even then, Leo was still moving ahead instead of waiting. They began almost racing each other to the opposite end of the roof, attempting to get to the open window that would be their entrance. The two were shoving each other when they got too close, giggling quietly when one fell or stumbled.
Leo was still taking the lead and stretched out a hand to reach the rim of the broken window ledge to swing inside. Before he could, Raph lunged, catching his ankle and the two went tumbling to the side. Raph chuckled and pushed past Leo to jump down and through the window instead.
The older turtle hit his fist on the floor in annoyance and scrambled after his brother. He was not going to let Raph be the one to save you, no way.
By the time Leo got inside, Raph was already halfway across one of the hanging beams that supported the lights. Leo silently followed, smirking and pulling out a katana to cut one of the lines, which made the structure tip, and Raph had to jump onto a ledge and find a new way down.
The two fought silently the entire time, throwing cheap jabs and trips in hopes of slowing the other down. Stealth was mostly out the window by now and the only thing that seemed to matter was being the first to reach you -they couldn't even see you at this point, so they were really aimlessly darting around. The ninjas finally reached the floor, hidden in the shadows, and Leo tossed a smoke bomb early, grinning cheekily when Raph coughed and swatted the air, his eyes watering from the burning gas.
Raph growled and threw a sai, using it to pin part of Leo's leather strap to the wall, sending the blue-clad turtle tumbling off course and into the wooden wall. The younger brother then ran past and found a door that separated the main part of the warehouse (that was carelessly littered with boxes and weapons) and a small boxed off area.
He burst through the door with Leo hot on his trail. Raph paused at the doorway, blinking in shock with one hand still on the now open door, Leo couldn't slow down in time, and the turtles went tumbling through. They were a pile of limbs on the floor, their shells scraping until they came to a stop in the middle of the room.
They scrambled to untangle themselves and sat up instantly, ready to take down any threats.
The Purple Dragons had surely been here with you. Had you freed yourself? No, that wouldn't have been possible. Both boys knew you had been taking your training very seriously, but there was still no way you would have been able to untie yourself and beat up several men, all armed and beefy.
They stood up, rubbing sore spots that would surely bruise. They glared at each other but pushed forward, each on an opposite side of the room and making their way to the exit door, taking a short moment to make sure all the Purple Dragon members were unconscious and alive. The members were fine, a little roughed up, but nothing major, which led Leo to assume a third party had been involved.
Just then, voices could be heard through the other side of the room, through the door that led outside. Leo made a small gesture to Raph, who rolled his eyes yet nodded and silently moved to the door while Leo swung up to go out through a break in the roof and drop from above.
The two brothers burst through at the same time. Leo from the higher point, and Raph bursting through yet another door. They had their weapons raised, ready to apprehend any other villain that had dared capture you.
Only, it was not a villain or even multiple villains, in the alley outside. No, it was a group of two spooked mutant turtles, you, April, and Casey.
Mikey shrieked at the loud bang made by the door, his voice went all high and girly. Donnie panicked and thrust his staff, which hit Leo dead centre as he wasn't expecting it, and he went sprawled out on the floor, groaning in confusion and mild pain. April and Casey had presumed fighting stances simultaneously while you had simply swung your hand, accidently slapping Raoh straight across the face, sending him staggering into a wall.
Everyone went silent for a beat.
"Are you crazy?!" Mikey screeched, his voice still pitched higher due to shock.
"Leo!" Donnie had gasped in sympathy, going to help his brother to his feet.
Casey simply pointed at Raph -who had balanced himself against the brick and stood straight again- and laughed.
"Ha-ha! You," He chuckled again,"β you take a slap like a girl!"
April shoved Casey. "What's that supposed to mean, huh? A girl can't take a slap?"
That hushed up Casey real quick, who went bright red and followed after April, who turned around, arms crossed, and huffed, her pony tail swinging with the motion.
You covered your mouth, shrinking backwards and frantically trying to apologise, hoping it would take away the brunt of his predicable anger. However, Raph didn't respond angrily and instead looked you up and down in confusion. Leo came over, too, making a sound of confusion that quickly died in his throat when you glanced at him.
"You're, uhβ not kidnapped?" Leo managed.
"Yeah, why aren't you tied up in there?" Raph nodded towards the warehouse.
You swallowed. "Sorry? I meant you sound... disappointed?"
The two boys went bright red again and pointed at each other, trying to explain a perfectly normal reason, but you just kept talking.
"I was kidnapped. But the others came in and well... I'm guessing you saw the end result."
The brothers contemplated that for a minuets then, turned to the others.
"How did you know where they were?" The two said in sync.
Donnie looked up, fidgeting slightly, "Well, I looked at the footage like you asked, and it showed them getting taken so I compared that with the gang's most recent activity via tracking their phones which led me to belive they frequented this location the most."
There was another silence.
"That and we saw you two on the roof." April chimed in.
"Oh yeah, that too." Donnie nodded.
Leo and Raph felt their stomaches drop.
"Oh..." Leo managed, his voice unusually lacking it's usual oomph.
"You didn't, uh, see anything, did you?" Raph said quickly.
That got weird looks thrown in his direction.
"Because there was nothing to see!" Raph added quickly. "Me and Fearless were being super focused and were making a really good plan..."
"The super-est!" Leo laughed awkwardly. He was sure he was sweating.
"You're not mad we didn't listen?" Mikey questioned.
"I mean, Casey was the one telling us to ignore your plan and go save them!" Donnie said, shifting the blame onto Casey to avoid any possible backlash from his eldest brother.
"No... no, it's alright... it wasβ it was a good call. Well done, Casey." Leo said slowly, the words foreign in his mouth.
He was still stewing over the fact that their bickering had cost him the chance to be your hero.
Casey preened at the praise, and the group started going their separate ways. Donnie and Mikey walked back towards the manhole behind the dumpster, Donnie ranting quietly about how he should have gotten the good word and not 'braces for brains.' April and Casey had started on their way back to the main street, your cousin glanced back at you, but you waved him ahead, hinting at him to just wait round the corner.
Then, it was just you, Leo and Raph in the alley and they were both watching you with sheepish eyes. They both seemed apologetic, and they were. Due to their jealousy, they had risked your safety. They hadn't listened to their father and in consequence, had potentially put you in more danger.
But you didn't seem mad. You weren't mad. If anything, you had a grateful smile painted on your face as you aproched them. You were half shrouded in the shadows cast by the alley and they couldn't take their eyes off you.
You stopped only a foot away, so close that if you took another step, you'd bump into them. They both held their breaths and subconsciously leaned forward, they were drawn to you like a moth to a flame.
Clenching your fists, you leaned forward on your tip toes and placed a chaste kiss on both their cheeks.
"For the record, I think your plan would have been great. Mikey told me you were both really stressed, and I'm really sorry if I worried you. Thank you for trying to save me... my hero's."
Without looking back, you turned away and bolted towards the end of the alley and rounded the corned. Casey raised an eyebrow, but you dragged him down the street, cheeks bright red and practically glowing.
Back in the alley, Leo and Raph were stunned. Leo had his hand on his cheek where you had kissed him, his eyes blown wide and practically vibrating. Raph stood next to him, his sai's had dropped to the floor the moment you left, and he had made no effort to pick them up. He had such a happy grin on his face it surely seemed fake. This surely wasn't the same Raph who choked Mikey on a daily basis.
Two thoughts happened simultaneously for both one them. One, the sweeter thought, maybe this mission hadn't failed after all. And the second thought, that was more of a realisation, Mikey had snitched on them!
They unfroze from their dazed, lovey-dovey state and sprinted down the alley, cursing Mikey's namez ready to tie him to the dojo wall and use him for practise. Despite their embarrassment, nothing could wipe the boyish grins off their faces.
Maybe they hadn't saved you.
But, they wouldn't stop trying until they were worthy of your love. Because you deserved the world. You deserved everything that either of them could offer and more.
You were worth more than anything in the world to them.
And the thing about ninjas?
