(written for @fluffyjuly day eight: flowers)
Fandom: Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Word Count: 1407
“Hi, big guy, I’m back.” Leo’s sing-song voice calls as he walks into the bedroom.
Raph sits up, lethargically, head feeling heavier than an anvil. He has his giant shark plushie cuddled to his chest, and he shivers, the windchill from the fan in the corner getting through his old Hello Kitty onesie.
He blinks up at Leo, who gives him a tilted, gentle smile. “How do you feel?”
Terrible. Horrible. No-good. Really-bad. “I’m okay.” He rasps out, clearing his throat. He gestures at the pill cup in Leo’s hand. “Is that my saving grace?”
“Yep, it’s an antihistamine and decongestant in one.” Leo pops open a water bottle, and sighs dramatically. “I never fail to be amazed at the beauty of modern medicine.”
Raph huffs weakly, taking the pill and washing it down. “You say that as if you’ve been alive for an eternity.”
“And yet, my skin is still glowing.” Leo flicks his mask tails. “Acne-free at sixteen. Blemishes, who? I don’t even have any creases, or wrinkles, or chasms—”
“Oh, shut it.” Raph rolls his eyes, and winces at how much that hurts. “Raph’s chasm isn’t that bad.”
“It would take me three business days to climb in and out of it.”
“Leo.” He tries to whine, but gets interrupted by a string of coughs that shake his whole body. Ugh. He hates spring.
Leo sits next to him, making gentle circles on his shell like Pops used to do when they all were little and wouldn’t sleep. He hums, thinking.
“Looks like this one’s gonna be a bad one, bud.” He says commiseratingly. “Allergies and the common cold together is a bad combo.”
“Those flowers were so pretty, though.” Raph complains petulantly. “Such a nice gift from Todd.”
“And Todd sends his kind regards and apologies for sending us a vase full of baby’s breath and forgetting you have a severe pollen allergy.” Leo quips, reaching out to adjust the hood of the onesie on Raph’s head. “Still nice he remembered Dad’s birthday, though.”
Raph stays still under the careful ministrations, and eventually burrows back into the nest of pillows and blankets on the bed. He tries to sniffle, but his nose is completely blocked, and it makes a muffled sound instead.
“Dang, your nose sounds like a kazoo.” Leo says helpfully. “Hey, does that mean we can start the family band up again?”
Raph blindly aims a swat at Leo, who dodges easily. He twists around, and tucks his shell against the side of Raph’s plastron, crossing his legs comfortably and pulling out his phone.
The pressure feels great , yet Raph can’t help but ask, “Shouldn’t you go? Raph’s sick. He’s gonna get you sick.”
Leo doesn’t look up. “No way. I have the immune system of an ostrich.”
“Is—is that supposed to be good?”
“Yep. There’s, like, a bunch of vaccines made from the natural antibodies of an ostrich. And they’re also super cool and handsome anyway. Ten out of ten, would pick if I had to mutate again.”
His lip quirks up despite himself. Leo’s such an idiot.
“‘No animal in the world is truly invincible’.” Raph recites sagely.
Leo pauses, and then turns to give him an unimpressed look.
“‘Except a snow monkey soaking in a hot spring.’” He finishes. “If you’re gonna quote Lou Jitsu at me, at least say the whole thing.”
Raph reaches out to poke a finger into one of Leo’s red crescents. “I’m sayin’ there’s a chance you could still get sick. Go outside. And maybe get rid of the flowers for me.”
“Already done, hermano. Donnie threw them in his incinerator.”
He stares. “Donnie has an incinerator?”
Leo winces. “Oh, you didn’t know? Yeah, he does. It’s painted a really pretty periwinkle, actually. And he puts this one chemical in the burners that makes the flames turn green. It’s super fun to watch things burn in there.”
Raph stares some more, bafflement mixed with concern and the familiar realization that yeah, these two are going to be the death of him, one disaster at a time. Eventually, his neck can’t hold the weight anymore and he lets his head fall, groaning loudly.
“I need to get Pops to ground both of you.” He grouses.
“Mikey’ll just distract him with a pop tart.” Leo snorts, and then he puts on the biggest puppy-dog eyes he can. “And your life would be so boring without us, Raphie. You wouldn’t do that to your favorite brother, would you?”
“No, I would not do it to Donnie, no.” Raph deadpans, and Leo pretends to clutch his pearls, offended.
“Betrayal.” He declares venomously, and he climbs to flop directly on top of Raph, who grunts at the sudden weight. “Treachery. Treason of the highest order, actually. You have fallen in the eyes of King Leonardo.”
“Oh no, how will I survive?” Raph attempts to snipe, but it comes out as a mumble. The weight is doing wonders for his mildly aching body, and he can’t help but feel utterly exhausted to the bone.
With bleary eyes, he sees Leo open a chess app on his phone, lying across his frame, comfortably settled.
“I’m not leaving.” Leo replies, and for once, he sounds serious. “I got a game going and everything. You can go to sleep, you’ll feel better.”
“You don’t have to. You can—go do somethin’ else. Anything else.”
The finger tapping on the screen stills for a second.
“You always stay with us when we’re sick.” Leo’s quiet voice answers. “Why shouldn’t we do the same thing?”
His head feels like it’s swimming. “‘Cause… ‘cause it’s my job.”
“Why?” Raph knows that tone, it's the sound of an upset little brother. “Because you’re the biggest? That’s stupid. Actually, since I’m the medic, it’s my job to be here then, right?”
Raph’s officially out of words. His mind is going blank. The white noise of the fan is lulling him to sleep.
He hears Leo sigh deeply, and feels an affectionate pat on his bicep. “When will you learn to let us take care of you?”
What? That’s a really weird question. He flutters his heavy eyelids open, confused.
Leo doesn’t meet his eye, but he clicks his phone off, fiddling with it. “I know you’re the oldest, and I know that means you have a responsibility towards the three of us. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have a responsibility towards you. It doesn’t matter if you’re sick or sad or whatever, we’re always gonna be there for you. I’m always gonna be there for you.”
Raph swallows, caught-out, feeling a burn in his throat.
“Mikey’s out there making a light soup for your stomach. Donnie’s taking the Tank out to go steal some more meds you’re gonna need. And they cancelled their monthly arts and crafts night so we could all turtle pile together tonight.”
“Leo…” He murmurs. “They shouldn’t have done that.”
Leo pokes him in the bicep, hard. “I’m not telling you this for you to start feeling guilty, dude, I’m telling you this because we love you. And we have, like, no problems giving stuff up if you need us. The same way you don’t when we need you.”
There’s a pain behind Raph’s eyes, dull and throbbing, and it only gets worse the closer the words hit home.
Leo flips his phone in the air, catching it perfectly between two fingers. From what Raph can see, it looks like he’s pouting. “Besides. Just ‘cause my shoulder’s not as jacked as yours doesn’t mean it’s not good enough to sleep or cry on.”
Raph unexpectedly snorts, and starts to cough again. Leo stays with him and gently pats his arm, while he rides it out and settles into gasping breaths.
“Wow, it’s like lying on one of those automatic baby rockers.” Leo points out suddenly, his usual levity back in his voice. “Y’know, like those battery-powered ones? Let me put on my earplugs and steal a blankie, and I’m gonna have the nap of a lifetime.”
Raph shakes his head, laughing faintly. His heart suddenly feels full to bursting. “Man. Raph loves you, Leo.”
Leo turns and gives him a grin. The real, crooked one. “Love you tons, Raphie. Try to sleep, okay? I’m not going anywhere.”
He reaches out and adjusts Raph's onesie hood again. And Raph nuzzles into it, finally letting sleep take him.
