A scene from the fanfiction, Windows by CharmyPI-5 the VIII
Uhh sorry for the long post and also my terrible handwriting, I hope you can read it :U found this fanfiction last week about the turtle tots, and autistic Donnie really speaks to me personally.. so of course I had to draw this scene that absolutely broke my heart
Summary: Even after all this traveling they are still four strangers. And this storm isnât making it any easier, is there anyway to bridge the gap between them?
Pairings: follow the penguins wisdom he is very wise
Warnings: ha! none this time, wait is that right? (flips through) huh thatâs new
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Raph didnât notice the approaching storm.
Well, he did, but he acknowledged the soft thunder the same way one acknowledged a tear in oneâs shirt,: a minor inconvenience, but one that could be ignored. As he tries to figure out how far they would get before the storm officially set in, Leo stomps into his line of vision, barely giving Raph time to slide to a stop.
âUm,â Raph starts, confused., âYou OK?â
âIâm tired of walking for today. We need to stop.â
Raph blinks, first in confusion, then to process what Leo is saying. âWe barely started out. We need to make it a few more miles before we call it quits for todayââ
Leo rolls his eyes in an almost exaggerated manner before snapping out his fan and airing himself off. âNo, you promised that you would stop pushing us so hariously hard and I refuse to get my new clothes wet,â he says, gesturing to histhe long sleeveless hooded tunic he had procured in the brief time he and Doniel had been separated from Raph and Mikey.
It had taken them a few days to reunite (a few days he was struggling not to think about). When they had met up again Leo had traded in his royal garb for some traveling clothes, which had been surprising nonetheless; he had half -expected to find the two turtles tearing the other to shreds, not giving each other free clothes. But there had been a definite change since their separation. The stoic silence that he had come to know from Doniel was somehow more pronounced, his razor-sharp focus replaced by a more tired one that often had him asking people to repeat themselves. Leo seemed to hover closer to Donielâs side when they were traveling. And at night the prince didn't seem to have any more problems sleeping closer to them. Some nights Raph could swear he heard Leo and Doniel talking to each other.
Raph looks back to the group, who have now stopped walking as well. Mikey is happily riding Infinityâs back, swinging his legs and giving Raph an even bigger smile when he looks at him; Raph makes sure to offer one back. Buddy seems fine as well. He looks to the back of the group to where Doniel normally stood (usually they took turns being at the front and back of the group since Mikey and Leo diddo not have as much fighting experience). At first, nothing seems different, but then he notices a tightness to Donâs shoulders that was not there before. His staff was summoned and hanging from his hands, which was not unusual, but held with a tightness a child would have with a safety blanket or an item of comfort.
He is barely given time to explore Donielâs strange posture when Leo steps directly in his line of vision. âWell??â he demands, âAre we stopping or what?â
The bounty hunter lets out a tired sigh. âOk fine, weâll stop for the day.â He cannot quite cover the irritation in his voice as he tries to ignore how little ground they covered. But Leoâs haughty stance suddenly relaxes and Raph could swear a relief not matching the situation fillingfills his eyes.
âPositively blipherous! Let us see if we can find a barn to sleep inââ
âWhat? No, we have tents now, we can just sleep outside.â
âYouâre more than welcome to depend on those tissues to protect you, but Iâm finding shelter.â Leo turns towards the Phoenix and her rider. âDo you agree, Michael?â
Mikeâs face twists in contemplation before smiling sheepishly at Raph. âSorry, but Infinity gets cranky when they sleep in the rain. I think Leoâs right on this.â
Raph lets out a loud growl before dragging his hands down his face.
(#)(#)\/(#)(#)
It takes another hour for the group to find a large, abandoned barn to sleep in. The purple spider painted on the outside wall shows it has been foreclosed recently and therefore will have little to no damage to it. Like every time they see anything with the Matriarchâs symbol on it, he expects Doniel to look at it for longer than is expected. But this time, Leo steps in the thiefâs line of vision, and surprises Raph by gently pushing on his shoulder, guiding him inside. Raph looks to Mikey to make sure he is not seeing things. But whereas Raph is confused, Mikey has a big smile on his face and shrugs.
âMaybe theyâre finally friends!â he concludes with the optimism of a child as he guides Infinity and Buddy inside.
The large bounty hunter usually finds it wiser to be more suspicious, especially when Mikey is the voice of optimism,. As he ducks inside, he looks around in confusion. The barn is thankfully larger than he expected and has plenty of room for all to lay around comfortably,. The walkway overhead and door seem to indicate that the barn had also housed farmhands. Raph does a mental count of the group.
âUh, whereâd Doniel go?â
âI asked him to look around to make sure no one else is here,â Leo says.
âI- âââ Raph shakes his head. This is bossy even for the Prince, but Raph s too tired to argue. âOK, fine. Leo, Mikey, go ââ - â
âNo.â
Raphâs fingers instinctually twitch into a fist, as he barely keeps his growing anger at bay.
âLet me guess, you donât want to ruin your nails?!â Leo turns to say something, but Raph already has his hands held up. âYou know what? Fine! You stay here in your precious palace! Spend time with yourself since that is the only person you care about!â
Raph snatches up his cloak and storms out the door, slamming the barn door after him with more strength than necessary. He barely acknowledges the door opening behind him and Mikeyâs small footsteps scampering after him as Raph stomps deeper into the woods, yanking branches off the ground for kindling with more force than necessary.
âD- donât you think that was a little mean?â Mikey asks in a quiet voice.
âA little mean?!â Raph snaps, harder than he means to,. He mentally berates himself as Mikey jumps back in shock, looking at him with confused, soft eyes. He takes a deep breath, and picks off another branch. âLeo hasn't exactly been the easiest guy to get along with today, in case you havenât noticed.â
âIt doesnât bother you when he talks to Doniel that way.â
Raph goes to pick up another branch and hesitates, closing his eyes as he sighs. âIt â it does. Just because- ââ he stops himself. Heâs unable to find a justification either for why he lets Leo talk to the thief that way or for anything else. Leo wasis a Prince after all. Royalty means power, and even the idea that heLeo is somehow related to Raph makes him jittery with anxiety. But it's that same anxiety that overcomes him when he thinks about being related to Doniel.
A criminal.
He twists his face in pain as he tears off another branch, but hides it with a smile as he looks at Mikey.
âMind helping me collect kindling, little man?â The child gives him a big smile as he scampers off to do as he is told.
It doesn't take long for them to gather enough firewood, but by the time Mikey waddles back into view with an armful of wood bigger than his body, it has already begun to drizzle. It becomes a full-on tempest that nearly takes Mikey with it. Raph has to grab the child by the ankle and pulls him along like a kite (all while Mikey flails his arms and shrieks in panic). By the time they make it into the barn they are both thoroughly drenched, and Mikey has the faraway look in his eyes of a battle-weary warrior.
Raph does not hesitate to close the door after them and drops his heavy rain -drenched cloak. âLeonardo? Doniel?â he calls into the barn. When he does not get an answer, he growls in irritation as he takes up his bag from where he set it earlier and pulls out one of his blankets, kneeling in front of Mikey. âHere, squirt,â he says, wrapping the blanket around him.
The youngest immediately brightens up as he pulls the ends of the blanket around him. âThanks, Raphie,.â
Raph makes sure to rub his scalp before standing up again, looking around to make sure that the two are not swaggering into view grumbling. This time the sigh he lets out is more tired than angry.
âLetâs go find them, make sure they arenât killing each other,â he says, turning slightly and letting Mikey scuttle up and rest on his shell.
He searches the top floor, which is mostly bedrooms and an eating area (where they should probably sleep later), before he goes back to the ground floor. The first door leads into a large empty space with tables and counters, probably the farmhandsâ kitchen at some point. Raph tries not to think about all the people who lost their jobs here, lives ruined by an unforgiving tax hike. He sees another door with the sign âfeedâ above it and walks over to it, raising his hand to open it.
A shaky breath reaches him.
Raph hesitates, his hand drawn back, looking over his shoulder to Mikeyâs bewildered, but otherwise calm , expression. He blames the noise on the pounding wind outside before he pushes the door open.
âWould you shut that!?â
The giant jumps at the harsh tone and steps inside, closing it after him. It takes his eyes a minute to adjust and when it doesthey do, he freezes.
Doniel is sitting on a bag of feed, with Leo sitting directly in front of him, Doniel is doubled over as though doing his best to hide within his own body. Leoâs hands are holding his trembling forearms as his gold eyes glare at Raph. He presses his forehead against Donâs scalp. âIt's OK, buddy, it's OK,â the prince says in a gentle tone that makes Raph openly flinch in surprise.
â-W- â whatâs going on?â he asks, stepping forward. âWhatâs your problem, Doniel? Are you sick?â
In a flash the trembling stops, and Doniel turns away, pulling free of Leoâs touch and pulling his hood down further over his face.
âIt's nothing, I'm fine,â he says in a gruff, thick voice. Leo turns and glares at Raph with such anger that when the prince storms up to him, Raph cannot help but step back. Leo grabs him by the bicep and forces all three of them out the door, closing it and leaving Don alone.
âWhat is wrong with you?!â Leo demands in a hushed tone that barely masks his anger. âDo you know how long it took me to convince him to let me comfort him!?â
It's only then that Raph notices that Leoâs normally clean clothes are covered in pieces of hay and grain and his hands are filthy.
âWhat do you mean, âcomfort himâ? Heâs fine- â â
âHeâs not fine! How can you see him looking like that and say heâs fine!?â
âI- ââ Raphâs not sure what to say. âWhyâs he so-...â
A particularly loud thunder strike catches his attention. Leo visibly flinches and glances back to the door. Raph sees the pain and guilt that fills Leoâs eyes and lets out a surprised laugh.
âA â -are you kidding? Itâs the storm- ?â
Leo jabs a finger into his chest. âDonât you laugh at him. Donât you DARE laugh at him!â he snaps.
âI- â Iâm not! But this is Doniel, â Iâve seen him jump off giant buildings and fight off twenty guards and youâre telling me this is what he is afraid- ââ
Another clap of thunder cuts him off, far louder than the previous ones. The barn shakes so abruptly that he doesnât have time to brace himself and falls on one knee, reaching back to catch Mikey before he falls. He looks around the room to see the tables and chairs have all been overturned.
âWho- â what was-âââ
The Prince squeezes his eyes shut before turning to grab the door handle again. Raph cannot stop himself from grabbing his arm.
âWas that Doniel?!â Raph hisses, âI thought he didnât have any magic-â
âItâs... complicated. And right now, I must be there for him âcause Iâm all he has now.â Leo yanks his arm away and slams the door after him, leaving Raph to stare at the door in shock.
He takes several steps back and sits down on one of the few right-side-up chairs. âHeâs kidding, right?â Raph asks as he feels Mikey slide off his shell and move around. âThereâs no way someone like Doniel is afraid of storms-...â He looks to Mikey in hopes of verification, but Mikeyâs thoughtful , yet sad expression sends that hope away.
âI always wondered why Don goes off on his own when the weather gets bad, but the last time we were all trapped in that little cave, I- â I remember sensing an intense fear. At- â at the time I thought it was some animals nearby, but it was so intense. I thought I was going to melt down without delay. Remember? You let me cry in your arms âbecause I could not control my emotions. It didnât occur to me that it was Doniel.â Mikey looks at Raph. âBut it was him, wasnât it?â
Everything in Raph wants to deny what Mikey is saying, but he thinks back to the storms they had encountered since they had started traveling together. Every time they would find shelter beforehand and Doniel would go off on his own under the excuse of â"needing non-jerk airâ" and wouldnât reappear until the storm ended.
Was he so scared of storms that he refused to let anything be around him out of fear of these powers Raph had no knowledge of? Or affect Mikey?
His question is answered when he hears a shaky sob escape the room. He leaps to grab the door handle but stops himself from opening it. He looks back to Mikey who is now watching him with the fragile eyes of the child he claimed he wasnât. Raph knows his next action will help shape Mikeyâs view of him for the rest of their lives.
He hurries back to the main room where the animals are resting comfortably, oblivious to the tension and the storm outside. Even so, he makes sure to give Buddy a pat on the nose before hurrying back with his and Mikeyâs bags. This time, he makes sure to give the door a gentle knock before stepping in. Heâs not surprised that Leo is sitting back at Donâs side with his arms wrapped around him, glaring at them as they enter. Raph makes sure to raise his hands up slightly to show he means no harm. He looks around the room at the stalls of hay and feed and realizes that Leo had been trying to muffle the noise by moving the feed around (and failing horribly). He hands off his bags to Mikey and starts stacking the hay against the wall. Out of the corner of his eye, Raph sees Leo let out a small sigh of relief before turning his attention back to the trembling thief.
The pounding of rain already seems more muffled by the bales of hay and feed and as he steps back, he cannot help but feel satisfied at his work. When he turns to Leo and Doniel, he sees that Mikey has taken up Donielâs other side, with the top half of his body curled up on Donielâs lap like a cat. Raph isnât sure if that will help until he sees Donâs free hand take the youngestâs and holds him tightly. As he is trying to think of how to help next, he watches Leoâs hand rub Donâs bicep again.
âI wish your dad was here too.,â Leo whispers.
Dad? Immediately guilt replaces the satisfaction he had felt for his âsoundproofingâ idea. Why did it surprise him so much that Doniel had a dad? He squeezes his eyes to quell the overwhelming urge to disparage himself in favor of finding another way to help. He sighs and moves closer, kneeling in front of Doniel and reaching for his cloak.
Leoâs hand suddenly grabs at his wrist with the same speed and viciousness of a viper. âWhat are you doing?â Leo hisses.
Protective Leo - â that was something Raph would probably never get used to. Even so, he gives Leo what he hopes is a comforting smile. It does its job and Leo releases his grip. Raph reaches up slowly and undoes the clip- on Donâs cloak. Leo finally understands what he is trying to do, and he reaches up and holds Donâs hood, so it does not uncover his face as Raph wraps the other side of the cloak around Leoâs shoulders as well. Raph had figured out a while ago that Donielâs shadow cloak had the added ability to expand when he used it to shield Mikey from a sudden downpour. Leo gives him a soft, grateful smile before rewrapping his arm around Doniel and rests his temple on Donielâs scalp without the separation but the comfort of the cloak.
It does its job, and Doniel lets out a small sigh as the tension leaves his body,. âT- â thanks guys,â he whispers.
âAnytime, Doniel,â says Raph soothingly.
The thief lets out a weak chuckle, and for the first time since they arrived, turns his head to look at Raph. His swollen pink eyes are filled with a gratitude that makes Raphâs heart hurt.
âYou guys can call me Donnie, if you want.â
Raph gives him a shaky smile, and picks up the large blanket again. He manages to wrap it around himself and the younger turtles before settling in behind them like a protective barrier. He feels them relax against his chest and it is not long before the three fade off into a well-deserved, albeit way too early, night's sleep. It is only a little later that Raph joins them.
It was then that the four turtles finally started to learn how to be a family.
HI!! This is random but I wanted to jump on here and let you know how much in simply ADORE your rottmnt fantasy au!! IT MEANS SO MUCH TO ME!! Iâm almost never a fantasy au person (it also being a sep!au is what peaked my interest if Iâm being honest) but my god yours is just so amazing and perfect! Leo being with Big Mama of course fights so well with him and Iâm always a fan of that but Raph with Jupiter Jim James is just genius!!! I donât know how you came up with it but Iâm in love and being a bounty hunter with hero vibes is just so him. Iâd absolutely love to see more of him with JJ and more importantly Red Fox!! I canât remember if you established who exact Mikey was raised by but Iâd also love to know more about what happened with him! Finally, Donnie. I could write an essay on how much I love your Donnie. Being a thief fits him and his morally ambiguous self perfectly but putting him with the Mud Dogs? Giving them so much built upon and interesting lore? Making Lenard his primary guardian? Oh I just ate that up!! Every fic was an absolute pleasure to read and you wrote their characters and relationships so well!! I go back to reread things every so often and it never gets old. I could reread it a thousand times and Iâd still be smiling under my blanket like a middle school girl every time!! Giving Donnie leg disability too was so cool! I love how seamlessly you write it into your fics and itâs one of my favorite things! It inspired me to give my own sep!au Donnie something similar!!
Thatâs about all I have to say but I really hope it conveys just how much your au means to me, truly. I hope youâre doing better and look forward to an update but donât worry about it. Iâm more than content reading what you do have to the end of time!
Iâm so glad that you enjoyed the fantasy au, it genuinely made me smile. I feel lucky to work with my friends on this au. I hope to do more writing soon but the past few years have been unkind. Thank you so much for such kind words. it made my day :â)
Hey guys, havenât given a life update in a while so i figure itâs time to let yâall know why itâs taking so long to post.
Last year I faced the loss of many relatives, which almost broke me. But at the beginning of this year when I came back to work from
christmas I told my services wouldnât be needed anymore. And after looking for a long time for work I decided it was better to go back to school and get my bachelors degree so I can get work in the publishing industry. Which was going according to plan till my landlord told me he is moving to hawaii and I need to find a new place to live. I have a friend to stay with if I canât find a place so Iâll be ok. But as you can see, itâs been a lot these past two years. Iâm looking for a place to live and worse comes to worse i have a friend to stay with. But as you can see itâs hard to focus on writing right now. I still plan on finishing my stories. I feel bad enough I havenât posted anything. I want to write more then anything. I just have other priories right now. Please be patient
âIf this hurts my shows Iâm gonna riotâ âthey better not cancel my favorite showâ âthis is so selfish I NEED this showâ âwhat about my mental health now that theyââ
So you agree. Show-writers are important to you and to the industry and should be compensated accordingly for their important work.
So I've discovered a problem with... this whole Tumblr situation.
Lots of newer followers will find Replica pages through old reblogs which still have the "NEXT" page set to "Coming Soon," even when I have updated the source material it was originally from. I've got people telling me that they can't wait for the next update, three updates back and I feel bad because I'm not sure what's the best way to keep them from getting stopped prematurely by the old versions of these pages.
Does anyone have suggestions? It would be really appreciated since I want to make this story as easily accessible as possible for everone!
oh i got you, what I would do is put the links that go out to other chapters under a âread moreâ link which means it wonât be affected by reblogs and you can edit it/change it as much as you want and itâll effect all the ones with the âread moreâ link let me show you
voila now no matter how many times its reblogged you can come edit your chapter links as much as you please and itâll reach them
Warning: Medical Terms, Settings, Coughing, Mention of Vomit. I will update each chapter with a warning specific for that fic dont worry
Pairings:
Being a single father to four boys, Splinter savors every second he gets to himself. It hadnât always been that way. When he had first decided (and by âdecided,â he means worn down by relentless begging) to let his boys go to the surface, he had been wracked by anxiety.
What if they got hurt? What if Raphâs fear stink led the FBI right to them? What if Donnie got overstimulated? What if Mikey did something so adorable he was immediately signed on for a ten-season contract for a Disney Show? Not to mention the eternal aspect of Leo being Leo.
Those thoughts alone kept him pacing the lair floor for hours. On that first night, he hovered by the entrance, ready with a first aid kit and a box of lollipops for any trauma that might have occurred. But other than a few moments of overstimulation, they were fine. They were fine the first night, the second, and the third. By the fourth night, Splinter realized three things.Â
For the first time in years, he had the lair to himself.
His boys were just fine.
For the first time in years, he had the lair to himself.
What had followed was a snack food bender that left him waking up on the floor covered in Cheetos dust and somehow six inches shorter than he had been at the start of the day.
And a new appreciation for much-needed âmeâ time.
Years later, he dances out of his room with a crowbar whistling a merry tune from his short-lived sitcom, âArrested Donut-elopement.â Another adaptation to a growing family was his need to hide precious snacks. Not that heâd ever deprive his sons, but he deserved to have some snacks to himself. He pushes the armchair to the side, revealing a âperfectâ square cut into the stone floor that he digs his crowbar into with a heave and twist. The large slab lifts and wrenches just enough to reveal a large cache of snacks underneath, âHo ho! Just as untouched as the day I snuck you into the lair under my moo-moo,â Splinter says, already filling his arms gleefully. He turns to sit on his armchair, staring at the tiny black kitten now occupying the space that rightfully belongs to him. Splinter's eyes narrow, âHello, Soup.â
The kittenâs head tilts toward his name and gives an inquisitive âmewâ before standing up and putting its tiny paws on the armchair. It peered at him with youthful curiosity. Such expressions might work on his sons, but Splinter knew better than to fall for its feline tricks, âWhat's it going to take to buy your silence on the matter?â
âMew?â
âDo not give me that. You are a snitch, and we both know it.â
âMew?â
âOh, so, Orange just happened to find the sugar-free popsicles he had bought for me, buried in Central Park, on his own,â Splinter asks, with a narrow of his eyes. The snitch incarnate turns back and curls up on the armchair, deciding that Splinter isnât interesting enough to hold his attention. The Rat Man laughs loudly. âSo, blackmail it is?! Very well, but two can play that game. I am not afraid of you,â Splinter says with square shoulders before deciding that sitting on the cold hard concrete is far more appealing than the recliner he spent the better part of a decade molding to his body shape.Â
Grumbling to himself, he sits down and tears into his bag of chips, âRotten kitten. First, he steals my son's love. Then, he steals my seat. What's next!?â He glances back at the kitten yawning so wide that Splinter can see the still-growing fangs that could potentially be the last thing he sees.
The Rat Man is so enrapt in foreseeing the mechanics of his doom that when his phone starts blaring, he jumps out of his skin. He only manages to re-catch all his well-hidden treats through well-trained acrobatics and food-based survival instincts. He quickly shifts them all to one arm and takes his phone out to see Raphâs number on the screen. âOh, Red! One, are you on your way back? Two, would you pick up some dinner on the way home? Nothing with fish,â he asks, glaring at Soupâno point in making himself more of a target.Â
His face drops in horror as Splinter listens to what his son says. Before Raph finishes his sentence, the lair floor is covered in dropped snacks, and he runs out the door.
(#)(#)\/(#)(#)
(Ten Minutes Earlier)
In the span of a few seconds, Draxum has lost what little control he has over the situation. He knew he could do nothing to stop Raph or Mikey from going after him. And if not for his waylaid leg, Leo would have been in front of them all. He turns to go into the area he had hidden Donnie when he stops, turning to face the two turtles, âMichelangelo, stay here. Raphael, if you insist on following, do not get in my way.â
âBut-â
âDo as I say,â Draxum snaps more intensely than he should, but heâs already behind the curtain. Donatello, who had been in a half-awake state a few minutes ago, was now doubled over. His hands were twisting the front of his hoodie as he coughed heavily, only broken by painful wheezes, as though both were just as desperate to get oxygen but unwilling to compromise. Draxum circumnavigates to the ventilator and starts tapping the touch screen. He was pulling up anything that might have malfunctioned while more than acutely aware of the snapping turtle still standing at the entrance. Then, without looking up, âI can help your brother, but it would be infinitely helpful if you didnât stand there gawking.â
âI-âÂ
Draxum didnât have time to feel guilty for his tone. He finds no fault with the machine and quickly goes to Donatelloâs side just as Raph joins him. âHelp me get him on his side,â Draxum demands, already taking Donatello by the shoulders. Raph complies without hesitation, supporting Donnieâs shell and the back of his neck to prevent him from twisting it wrong. Draxum moves the mask out of the way to make sure Donatello isnât about to get sick, but after a few moments, Donatelloâs breathing finally starts to level out. The creases on the purple turtleâs forehead flattened out as he seemed to return to some form of restful sleep. Draxum releases the breath he didnât know he was carrying. The two of them move Donatello back onto his shell. But as Draxum replaces the oxygen mask, he notices Raph's hand drifts to hold the back of Donâs head with his free hand clasping his younger brotherâs.Â
âIs he ok?â Raph asks in a small voice that starkly contrasts his vast form.
Draxum closes his eyes and returns to the ventilator, bringing up the screen again, âHeâs better than he was a moment ago. I believe it was just a bad coughing fit.â Draxum couldnât bring himself to look at Raphâs helpless face as he checked the antibiotic cartridges he had put in. Even though they werenât close to being empty, he went to his counter and took up a few more, âI had hoped a half dose of antibiotics would help him breathe better. Or at least start off his treatment.â Draxum moves and puts them in place. The machine lets out a soft hiss indicating the acknowledgment of additional medicine. For a moment, Draxum keeps his gaze on the device as he gathers his thoughts, âGo back to your brother, Raphael.â
âI-I donât want to leave Donnie.â
âIn case you havenât noticed, your brother went through great pains to not worry you.â Draxum finally turns to fully look at him, âSo, as I see it, you have two options. One, you and your brothers can all gather and hover over him like I know you desperately want to. Then heâll wake up and see you three and go into a full-on panic attack. Which will only make his current state worse,â Draxum raises his hand as Raph opens his mouth, âIt doesnât matter if that would make you feel better if you were in his place. He is not you. He is not Michelangelo. And thankfully, he is not Leonardo. He is Donatello. Who, in case you havenât noticed, went to great lengths and great pains to make sure he would not worry you. Not until he could get his condition under control. A course of action he failed. Which brings me to our second option. You can wait with your brothers, wait till your father gets here. And when Donatello wakes up, I can explain what happened. Allow him to adjust and decide what he wants to do.â
During his whole argument, Raphâs face falls closer and closer to outright despair. Had it been even a few months ago, âThe Baronâ wouldnât have been able to bring himself to care. But Draxum, who now knew who Raphael was, not as an experiment but as a person, turns to the sink and starts scrubbing his hands, âI cannot tell you what to do though.â
Draxum hears the barely audible shaky breath escape Raphael, and out of the corner of his eye, he watches the hands holding Donatello. They are shaking so hard Draxum was scared Raph would wake the soft shell. âW-we can wait,â Raph says softly, âWe can do that for him.â
âGood.â Draxum shakes off his hands before drying them off, âIf you want, I can call your father. I can explain what happened.â
Raph shakes his head, âN-No I can do it. J-just focus on Don. Please.â He steps back, looking at Donnie for a moment as though he was hoping that Donnie would wake up any moment and tell the red turtle he was fine. But it doesnât happen. Raph squeezes his swelling eyes shut and ducks out.
It was a moment of ignorance he knew Raph was desperate for.
Because it was the same ignorance that Draxum was desperate for.
(#)(#)\/(#)(#)
Raph barely steps behind the curtain out of Draxumâs sight before he presses his hands over his face. His shoulders were the only indication of the nearing panic attack, desperate to be heard. But after a few moments of deep breathing, he managed to calm himself down. Using his wrist, he wipes at the few tears that managed to escape. âIt's ok, heâs ok, it's ok,â he repeats to himself a few times. Finally, when heâs managed to calm down, he picks up his phone and calls Splinter. The conversation barely lasts thirty seconds. It ends with the knowledge that Splinter is on his way as fast as possible.
Itâs ok.
Heâs ok.
Iâm ok.
As Raph opens the curtain to see where he left the rest of his brothers, Mikey leaps off the examination table and tackles Leo from his half-standing position, sending them both to the ground. Mikey immediately wrapped his arms and legs around him to bring him down while Leo, now with the hood of his hoodie shoved into his mouth, thrashed around with muffled shouts.
All the anxiety that had fueled Raph a moment ago was now replaced with âolder brotherâ mode. âWhoa, whoa, whoa!â He snatched them both up by the back of their respective hoodies and held them at arm's length as though they were rambunctious kittens. They were even swiping at each other like feral animals. âBreak it up, you two!â
âLeo was trying to follow you!â Mikey points.
âWas not-â
âYou were literally trying to throw yourself into the hall-â
âFalling is good for sprained ankles! How many times do I have to tell you that-â
Had Raph had a free hand, he would have facepalmed. But instead, he only had the emotional exhaustion of someone dealing with too much at once. âItâs like wrangling kittens in here, â he grumbles as he pins Mikey to his chest with one arm. With the other, he drops Leo back on the exam table, palming the blue turtleâs face with his hand to keep him in place. âIâll release you if you promise to stop fighting each other. Agreed!?âÂ
Mikey gives a puffed cheek pout before nodding in agreement. After a moment, Raph can see Leo glaring at him as though contemplating chewing through the red brotherâs fingers then and there. But soon, he feels both his younger brothers relax in his grip. He waits to ensure they're not trying to trick him before he sets Mikey on his feet and steps back from Leo. âAlright, there, good jo-â
âGreat, now whereâs Donnie?! We heard him coughing. I know heâs here! Why arenât you with him?! If youâre not going to him I-â
Raph's palm again covers Leoâs face: "I fell for it. I knew he was lying, but I still fell for it.â Raph schools himself as Leo continues talking. He was pulling at Raphâs hand to free himself before his shoulders dropped, and he crossed his arms in irritation. Raph knew better than to let him go this time, âDraxum is taking care of him, and Dadâll be here soon. Draxum said he wanted everyone together before they explained whatâs going on. Right now-â Raph has to catch himself before his voice crack became audible. But judging by the way his brothers look at him, his silence speaks far louder. âRight now, heâs resting, and we just have to wait for for-â
Somewhere on the other side of a clinic, there is a shattering of glass followed by a gust of air. âBoys?! Draxum!? Are you in here?!â
Thank Pizza, reinforcements.
âDad, we're over here!â Finally, after the continuing sound of breaking glass, scurrying along the curtained wall, and one of the walls being knocked aside entirely, there is left standing Splinter. When they had left their father, he had been eating a braided five-foot-long fruit by the foot. Now, he was standing here with heaving shoulders and rotten trash hanging over parts of his completely sweat-soaked robe. Judging by the trash stuffed into his robe, the banana caught around his neck like a scarf; he had run through several dumpsters. (Instead of jumping over them like a normal mutant).Â
But whether oblivious to the filth or uncaring of it, Mikey has already dropped to his knees and thrown his arms around Splinter, hiding his face in his shoulder, âDad, something's wrong with Donnie! Something really, really bad. I-I don't know what to do.â
Splinter's arms wrap around the youngest turtle with a hand on the back of his head. âI know my mandarin. We will get answers soon I promise.â He takes a few moments to comfort Mikey before inspecting his other present sons, only to do a double take when he sees Raphâs hand still covering Leoâs face. He gave Raph a bewildered look, âDo I want to know?â
âLeoâs taking a time out.â Raph narrows his eyes at Leo again to see if heâs learned his lesson but judging by the way Leo narrows his eyes, he has not. But before he could further retaliate, the sound of stomping hooves before Draxum appeared at the entrance with wide furious eyes and a heaving chest, âWhat did I say about keeping it down!?â
Leo tries to shout something in his muffled state, but Draxum shoots him a glare so intense that the chatterbox turtle lets out an almost panicked squeak before clinging to the hand he had previously been trying to escape from. âThankfully, Donatello wants to see you as well.â
âHeâs awake?â Mikey asks eagerly.
âHe is. Heâs very tired, but he wants to talk to you all. He knows you have questions, and heâs ready to give some answers,â he says. As Mikey and Splinter stand to follow, Splinter moves his hand to hold MIkeyâs as they walk. Draxum leans over to hiss at Splinter, âAnd youâre paying to have my window fixed, you Raging Rodent.â
âIf you don't want your windows shattered, then you should make a more obvious entrance-â the two whisper-argue as they walk away.
Leo Immediately tries to pry Raphâs hand off his face again, but Raph does not release him just yet. âLeo,'' He says softly. Quiet enough to catch Leoâs full attention and not just rampant concern, âI know youâre worried. Weâre all worried. And I know you want to see him, but I really need you to calm down. We need to hear what he has to say. So, please? For him?â
He expects more pushback, but this time Leo closes his eyes and takes several deep breaths before making eye contact again and nodding. Having been burned in the past, Raph slowly removes his hand. But this time, Leo doesnât thrash away or try to crawl up the wall like a creature from a sci-fi movie. But he does grip the edge of the exam table and hunch his shoulders as he takes several deep breaths. The red turtleâs hands hover again to overcome some sort of physical comfort. Instead, Raph looks around the room and sees the mass pile of leg casts Draxum had been going through earlier. Raph picks through them for a moment to find the blue turtle the right cast. Only then does he return and catch Leoâs attention, who sees the implement and nods, letting Raph help him put it on. Leoâs leg buckles for a moment as he goes to stand, but Raph makes sure to hold on to his arm in support as they make their way after the others.
(#)(#)\/(#)(#)
                      (  Ten minutes earlier)
When Donnie was six, he got the flu for the first time.
He didnât count Rat Flu as an actual incident of being sick. Because until then, whenever Splinter could feel the animalistic instincts of his illness kicking in, heâd just fill the lair with prepared snacks. As well as ensure everything was safety proof and they had access to emergency numbers and anything else that could go wrong in six hours. All while he quarantined himself. (But if Raph could accidentally turn the microwave into a heat-based time bomb in less time than it takes Splinter to take a spoon out of a drawer, Donnie shuddered to think what theyâd do with six hours unsupervised).Â
Donnie could remember being trapped in a suspended state of far too warm and far too cold. One that no amount of blankets, wet cloth, or comforting presence could solve. It couldnât have been more than two days, but it was easily one of his most miserable memories.Â
But this?Â
This was way worse.
He felt the remembered juxtaposition of fever and chills. Along with a splitting headache and stomach twisting like a snake trying to untangle itself. Every breath to try and satisfy his brain's need for oxygen was met with a painful wheeze and an even more painful cough. He was so wrapped up in his struggle that he didnât notice a fast-approaching presence. Not until it's by his ventilator. But heâs so disoriented he almost thinks thereâs another form standing by him. A large hand holding the back of his head. Even if it was just in his head, the touch was soft and kind, making him turn into it more.Â
He tried to open his eyes, but the soft light that had filled the clinic now blinded him with the intensity of a searchlight, and he was forced to squeeze them shut. He feels the tightness in his chest finally lessen to a more manageable state, and the tension leaves his body.Â
With it, he lets the dark take him.
(#)(#)\/(#)(#)
With a jerk, Donnie returns to the waking world with moments of confusion and delirium. He rockets up to a sitting position, hand on his mask as he lets out another cough via his already barren throat. Finally, vertigo wins out over his confusion, and he tips over, only for a pair of hands to grab him by the shoulders and guide him to lay back on the half-upright bed. After a few breaths, the dizziness starts to fade.
Oxygen mask.
Clinic.
Draxum.
Usually, a combination of words would make him sick all over again, but this time, it made him sigh with relief as he looked up at Draxum. âThanks,â he says weakly, âWhat happened?â
âYou passed out again and had a coughing fit. Iâm going to refill the antibiotics to a higher dosage. Try taking as deep a breath as you can.â
âY-yeah, good idea.'' Donnie takes another breath, as deep as his lungs allow, leaving a settled sting down his aching airway. âThanks for getting my family out of here. Was Leoâs leg ok?â When he doesnât get an answer, Donnie looks over to where Draxum is scrubbing his hands. For a moment, heâs not sure Draxum heard him until the yokai puts his hands on the counter, fingers tightening over the laminate surface, âDraxum?â
âI am sorry, Don,â he says quietly, âYour family is waiting to talk to you.â
Donnie is not sure he has heard him right. But as Draxumâs words sink in, so does the return of short, shallow breaths and panic. âWh-what do you mean?! You said you wouldnât tell them! You promised-â
âThey heard you coughing. I didnât have a choice. It was either come here and help you or try to devise some cockamamie excuse and potentially let you suffer.âÂ
The soft shell opens his mouth to argue but instead squeezes his eyes shut and falls back on his bed, pressing the palms of his hands to his eyes. As much as Donnie wanted to, he couldn't fault Draxum for what he had or hadnât done. And perhaps Donnie was acting less grateful than he should have been. But he could still feel tears biting the corner of his eyes as he pressed the palms of his hands over his eyes. Of course, theyâd find out. Why wouldn't they? He had lied to them. He risked his health to keep them in the dark. Donnie knew he had to tell them eventually, but when he thought about it, Donnie could still feel his arms wrapped around Leo as his brother sobbed. The rushing water that had almost been his brother's grave roared by them.
âIf you need to express outward negative emotion before you talk to your family, I understand.â
âNo-no, it's fine.â
Donnie tries not to think about how he should be grateful for all Draxum has done for him. None of this was his fault. Why did Donnie ever believe he could stop his family from finding out before Donnie dared to tell them? How he had lied to them? Risked his life to keep them in the dark? What right did he have to cry when he brought this on himself? The purple turtle takes a few moments to collect himself before moving around, peering over the sides for the popper mechanism. âHelp me sit this up more.â
âItâs high enough-â
âNo, I'm not going to have them walk in like I'm on my deathbed. I need them to see me sitting up. Talking. If I can't lie to them anymore, I can at least not make them think I'm on the brink of death.â
Draxum meets his eyes for a moment before sighing and walking over to the side of the bed. He reached down, touched some hidden mechanism that had been out of Donnieâs reach, and guided the bed upward with his free hand. Even though it only moved a few inches, his body aches in protest. The turtle adjusts himself for a moment and then nods to Draxum.
 âDo you know when Dad will get-âÂ
Before he could finish his question, a shattering window cut him off. It was followed by a gust of cold wind that almost ripped the blanket off Donâs leg. Then the running of stubby legs echoed off the walls, past his curtained-off room, âNever mind, I guess heâs here.â
Draxum pinches the bridge of his eyes, âSo it would seem. I swear your father waits until midnight to bail me out of jail with starbucks for himself. But when he wants to, he can move faster than the speed of sound.â The yokai grumbles as he leaves the room. (The tinkling of glass a moment later and the return of warmth told Donnie that Draxum had fixed the window.) But honestly, Donnie was just grateful that he hadnât woken up to his family descending on him like seagulls in a frenzy. The turtle catches a glimpse at a window, barely visible between the marked-off curtains, and seriously considers jumping for it.
But before he can consider giving in to his thoughts, the youngest turtle runs in. Before Donnie could think, Mikeyâs arms were thrown around him, and his face in his shoulder. âI-I was so scared! I-I heard coughing and- it sounded like you- And- and we ran for you! And- and Raph wouldn't let me in the room! And- and-â
âI know bud, I'm sorry.â Truth be told, at the moment, Donnie wasnât sure how much physical interaction he could stand but decided to stomach it. If only to give Mikey a little bit of comfort. Donnie rests his hand on the back of Mikeyâs head. He looks up in time to see Splinter join. Standing just right behind them, Raph stayed behind a second before stepping in with a hand supporting Leoâs arm. Raph ensures Leo has the curtained wall to lean on before joining Mikey and Splinter. At first, Donnie wanted to say something about how Leo shouldnât be up and walking but sees, with relief, that he managed to get some sort of walking cast. He tries to make eye contact with Leo to give him the somatic cue to come closer. But without making eye contact, Leo shakes his head and seems to slink further back into Raphâs approaching shadow.Â
Before Donnie has time to feel guilty, Raph is already at his other side, and Splinter stands by his hip. âMy Purple Plum, how are you feeling?â
âNot great, but better than I was,â the purple turtle looks and catches his eye with Raph. Judging by the look in Raphâs eyes, heâs thinking of taking a step back, but Donnie reaches forward and takes his oldest brother's hand, âI promise.â
Raph opens his mouth to respond but closes it with a small inaudible sigh. Before Donnie can offer any more reassurance, anything to make his family feel better, Draxum appears by Mikey. âI know you are all concerned, but give him some space before he passes out from carbon monoxide poisoning.â
The part of Donnie that values his personal space was grateful, even though Mikey stayed close enough to still hold his hand. But the part of him that was desperate to keep his family calm just wanted to keep them close and give them all the empty promises and lies. Ones that said everything he could to keep them calm. Donnie closes his eyes and rests his head on the bed behind him, âIâm really sorry, guys. Iâm sorry.â
âWhat happened, Dee,â Raph asks first, âYou were fine an hour ago.â
âI-I was. I mean, I was trying to be." Without the strength to meet his family's eyes, he focuses on his blanket, twisting the fabric in his hands. âI donât want to lie to you. The only reason Draxum didnât tell you was because I begged him not to. I thought if I could get treated and get ahead of this, I could make you all less anxious. But it didnât work.â The purple turtleâs hands travel up to his chest. Not for the first time that day, he wished to reach into himself and pull out what was rotting inside him.
No more hiding.
No more lying.
âAs you all know, Leo and I went to fix some failing wire. We got caught in a tunnel, and one of the nearby tunnels was activated by an overflow warning. It had to redirect some waterâŠinto the tunnel we were trapped in. I couldnât get Leoâs leg free, and as the water came for us,â finally, Leo finally makes eye contact with him. âI-I panicked. I covered Leoâs airway, but because I was holding on to him, l- I couldn't cover mine, and-â for a brief second, thereâs almost unbearable silence.Â
âHow much water,â Leo asks quietly, speaking for the first time since he entered the room.Â
âA lot. It got in my lungs. In my stomach. When we got to the walkway, I coughed and ejected as much as possible, but I had to check on you, too. After that, I was just focused on getting us home safelyâŠ.â Donnie let the sentence drift off. He couldnât look at MIkeyâs horrified expression or see Raphâs eyes. Every set of stares in the room looked on with varying degrees of horror as each took in the information in their own way.Â
Very briefly, he looks in Leoâs direction. Just enough to see that Leo is finally looking at him. Looking like he was either about to be sick or rip the walls down with his bare hands, and then horror as his face drops.Â
Mind Melding hadn't been a thing for a few months, not since Big Mamaâs train. But they still had moments where they could just look at each other and know what the other was thinking. And at that moment, Leo could see the past few hours with entirely different eyes.
(#)(#)\/(#)(#)
Only when they break the surface does the hand over Leoâs mouth and nose disappears. Heâs heaved onto the pathway. Donnie follows, turning and hacking towards the water uncontrollably. His body desperately tried to reject every toxin that violated his body. As he wiped at his streaming eyes, he heard Leo hacking behind him and turned to see the red slider curled up, with his arms wrapped around himself. He was oblivious to the world around him other than the horrors now going through his mind. The turtle wipes off his mouth the best he can and crawls over, taking Leo by the biceps. As tear-filled, disoriented eyes looked at him, the turtle pulled him close to his chest and held him. âIt's ok, bud. I got you,â he said, voice so sore it could barely be heard over the gushing water. But Leo must have understood him somehow since his body curled towards him, and he wept into his shoulder. The turtle can only go against every instinct he has as a scientist as he rocks his brother to his chest. In reality, where the truth comforts him, he can only comfort his brother with the sweet poison of lies.
âItâs ok, Leo.â
(#)(#)\/(#)(#)
Donnie rolls over onto his hands and knees, gripping the sink counter and testing his strength momentarily before he feels comfortable climbing to his feet. He had barely left the shower before his legs had given out, and only the floor rug had prevented him from hitting his head as he coughed helplessly. Of course, since the bathroom isnât so far from the bedrooms, the turtle would be more worried if someone had heard him. But Leo had fallen asleep as soon as he climbed into bed, and the rest of their family was on their way home. Donnie takes a moment to breathe with his hands braced on the sink before he checks his complexion. Other than a paler-than-usual complexion (nothing that couldnât be explained away), Donnie looked fine. He still makes sure to wash his face and rinse out his mouth.
Leo was safe. Thatâs what mattered.Â
When heâs sure he can move without getting sick, Donnie moves across the Lair to the Med Bay, gathering what items they need. First Aid kids, ice packs, wipes. He also finds the bottle of modified antibiotics with a sigh. âAt least thereâs that,â he says softly before twisting the lid, only to have his heart drop at the contents.
Three pills.
No, that was impossible. They had more than that. Donnie always made sure they had enough for everyone in case of emergency. He retraces their last few medical incidents. Mikey cut his arm on a rusted pipe. That was two. Raph had gotten caught in a toxic cloud in their previous battle and always required more for his mass. He mentally recounts and slowly realizes the numbers match up. He remembers promising himself to get more later.Â
Then this happened.Â
It wasnât like he could go up to the surface and buy more at a moment's notice. Since they were mutants (technically part yokai), normal medications didnât work on their family as intended. Not only did it work at one-twelfth the strength it was supposed to, but it also gave them something close to a mind allergic reaction. That's why Donnie started making modified medicine in the first place! But that required a trip to the Pharmaceutical Lab across the city, and he didn't have time. And to be honest, he didn't have time now. All he knew was that with their exposure to the water, three pills wouldnât be enough for just one of them.
Any rational doctor or provider would point out he needed the medicine more. His body was starting a war against toxins. If he thought about all the toxins his body was starting a war against and remembered the sensation of the water filling his body, heâd begin to lose his breath. His hands would start shaking. He would start heading down the path of an inevitable meltdown curbed by pure will alone. So, not now. Not until everything was taken care of.
He thinks about the scrapes and cuts that covered Leoâs calf and ankle, which had also been touched by untreated water.
He doesn't think twice when choosing between himself and his brother. Despite the new onslaught of tears threatening to take over him, Donnie squeezes his eyes shut and puts the lid back on. Wiping his eyes on his sleeve as he heads back to Leoâs room.
âIt's ok, Leo.â
(#)(#)\/(#)(#)
It's barely an hour later, and what is a celebration for the rest of his family feels muffled by the emotional numbness threatening to overcome Donnie. When Leo drops his head on his shoulder, he can only respond in the way a person manipulates a puppet. Presenting the emotions rather than feeling them. He laughs with them and teases them. Does everything he can to make Leo comfortable. Safe. Happy. Protect him.
âI'm ok, Leo.â
âI'm ok, Leo.â
âIâm ok, Leo.â
Ten Minutes ago, everything was fine.
Leo canât breathe
Ten minutes ago, they were laughing.
                  Leo feels like heâs drowning.
Ten minutes ago, he planned to eat ice cream and terrorize Mikey with his horrific toppings.Â
Leo canât be here.
He has to leave.
He has to leave.
(#)(#)\/(#)(#)
Leoâs body is moving, but he doesnât realize it until his shell hits the draped wall behind him and it nearly fell over. All eyes go on him. His breath is already short, and Leo barely has time to give his brain the oxygen it brain so badly needs. Then, finally, he hears a voice and knows they're asking if heâs ok.
âI-I- '' Leoâs hands hover close to his chest with a painful internal itch that all the fluttering in the world canât fix. âI-I gotta go. I gotta go,â he says. Softly at first, but a touch to his shoulder almost feels like electricity to his frayed nerves as he steps back, âNo, I gotta go.â he says, this time more forcefully. The walls are closing in. The forms that had been his family become elongated, stretching towards a ceiling that was now tall enough to touch the stars. He canât breathe. He canât-
âIt's ok Leo.â
He opens his tear-stained eyes again. The world still distorts beyond his control. But the one thing that hasnât changed is the one sitting in bed. Looking over at him with a soft, if pained smile, âYou can go.â
If thereâs an argument against it, he canât hear it. In one fell swing, he turns and swipes his portal sword through the air, barely giving it time to fill the room with a soft light. He steps through a vortex of blue, white, and tears, and the fearless hero flees.
Even as he flees
He falls
(#)(#)\/(#)(#)
  Ten Minutes later
It's only because of Splinter's interference that Raph doesnât go after Leo then. Whether it was because Splinter understood Leo needed some space to himself or for some other reason, Donnie didnât know. But they knew it was better to move Donnie back to the Lair. Draxum agreed to âloanâ some of the equipment he had âborrowedâ from the hospitals to make up for anything the Lair lacked. Like in every other situation where they are faced with helpless feelings, Splinter assigns Mikey and Raph things to do around the lair to help make Donatello comfortable. (âOrange, go toss Donatelloâs hoodies in the wash, so he has them if he wants them. Raphael, do the dishes. No, Iâm not using the situation as an excuse to make you do your- just clean the dishes, Red!â) It's only then that Draxum appears later, standing in the light of his own portal with a box of medicines. âI have the rest of the modified antibiotics that you requested.â
âThank you. Donatello is the only one who knows how to make them, so weâll need as many as we can get.â Splinter wasn't sure the last time he used âDraxum" and âThank youâ in the same sentence, but it wasn't a phenomenon they could expect very often. Draxum turns to head into the med room when he stops and looks back to Splinter, âYou shouldnât have let Leonardo leave. He shouldn't be prioritizing his own feelings over Donatello's-â
âFirst of all, youâve been a dad forâWhat? Five minutes? Watch ten seasons of my cancelled sitcom Toll House and maybe weâll talk. Second of all, Blue needs time to sort out his emotions. Donatello needs calm around him right now. If leaving is what he needed to do at that moment, then he can do that.âÂ
Draxum narrows his eyes and sighs, âFine. Whatever. When I drop this off with Donatello, we can talk about treatments. I have a few in mind but hope for more options.â
Treatments. The closest thing Splinter had been to any medical stuff was during his stint in Generals Tsoâs Chicken Hospital. So, really, he was at a loss for what to do. The rat puts his hands on the back of the armchair his two middle sons had been enjoying just a few hours ago and lets himself sigh. âDo we have options,â he asks.
âWe do not have many, but we do have them. Other than simply hoping his body will fight it off. Plus, your son is so stubborn, I doubt heâd let anything defeat him.â
Splinter lets out a small smile and chuckles. He tries not to notice Draxum let out a small smile as well. As if that was his intended reaction as he returned to the med bay. Splinter picks up a waylaid blanket before he sees Draxum poke his head out of the room. The rat is confused when he sees the yokai still holding the box. But thereâs a look in Draxumâs eye that drives Splinter over.
It's only a few steps closer when the sound of soft sobbing reaches him and makes him walk faster. Ducking under the yokaiâs arm, Splinter sees Donatello back up to a sitting position. His face was hidden in drawn-up knees, and arms wrapped tightly around his chest. It seems the weighted blanket Mikey had gotten for him wasnât enough. âOh, Purple,â Splinter says softly. He goes to sit on the edge of his bed, and not even a second later, Don turns and presses his face into Splinterâs shoulders. His soft weeping became full-force sobs as he clung to his father in a way he hadnât since he was a child.
Splinterâs bottom lip trembles as he holds his son in turn, knowing no amount of lies or comfort would bring him out of the dark hell his mind was in. He catches movement out of the corner of his eye, just in time to see Draxum hover at the doorway before deciding something and moving over to them. Splinter wasnât sure what he would do, but Draxum sat on Donatelloâs other side. After his hand hovered for a beat, he rested his hand over Splinterâs and placed his forehead on top of Dontaelloâs blanket-clothed shell.
In moments like this, grief will not only break you.
For all of the âRaph raised himself AND his brothersâ fans out there I bring this train wreck of a thought (Iâm a lil sleepy so sorry if it doesnât make sense or if I repeat myself a lot-)
We do not in fact have any actual evidence that splinter was neglectful to the boys when they were little. In fact, we have the opposite.
All of these flashbacks indicate that Splinter acc spent a LOT of time with his boys-
With Mikey, he was obviously coached in his art, a smol child canât paint like that no matter how talented they are so we can see that splinter put in the time/effort to get Mikey the supplies and teach him how to do it well. Which probably means he researched and learned it himself first, idk I just canât really see Yoshi knowing how to paint/draw that well but thatâs just a theory.
With raph and Leo, their lemonade stand is structurally sound: obviously not put together by an 8 year old, and thereâs a lotta lemons lyin around that were probably a bit difficult to find, and just LOOK at their faces here they are definitely familiar with this kind of father/son shenaniganizing-also just LOOK at raph. Thatâs a happy child, one full of excitement and happiness, not a kid who had to grow up too fast. Also his dad is literally right there in the picture
And then with Donnie, I canât really tell what heâs doing in the background (itâs a bomb) but what i take from that screenshot is that Donnie feels safe/loved enough to come to Splinter when he gets hurt. And Splinters taking care of him!! And, Donnie is wearing clothes, which shows that he went out and got clothes for them but also didnât force the boys to wear them if they didnât want to (see other screenshots lol) which also goes to show that he lets his boys choose who they wanna be and what they wanna do. At any point he couldâve forced all of them to train as ninja, at any point he couldâve made clothes mandatory, and at any point he couldâve forced them to drop things that made them happy like skating or science or art but nah. He was supportive every step of the way.
Now am I saying he was perfect? No. Am I saying he couldnât have done anything better? No. What Iâm saying is that Raph acc did not have to raise himself and his brothers. Splinter acc gave them a pretty good childhood, all things considered and it kinda makes me sad when ppl bash Rise Splinter or continue the neglectful parent trope. Again, Iâm not saying he did everything right, he def could have spent more time with his kids on an individual basis and he shouldâve been more present, but letâs cut him some slack bc he did a really good job at raising the boys. And he got so much better as the show progressed! But thatâs another post lol. Iâm also not trying to take away Raphs oldest sibling syndrome, he still def has that from being the leader and watching his bros while splinter was away-Iâm just saying he didnât have to do it ALL alone.
Look in the end heâs doing his best and his best was really good for what they had. Heâs a good dad, heâs not neglectful.
HOSHI THIS IS AMAZING I LOVE IT SO MUCH!!!! you captured the humor and energy perfectly of one of my favorite scenes!!!!!I thank you for a thousand years!!!!!!!
Over on instagram I got a message of someone tried to scam me - @/lagloriarose. They wanted a commission of their pet, and then said for me to "just do my thing".
Since the level of detail of a commission affects the price I sent them my commission sheets, which they then seemed to ignore, asked me how much it costs, and then offered me a MUCH higher price than anything on the sheets.
This sent off alarm bells, so I asked some friends, and sure enough this seems like a scam. I tried getting their email so I could block it, but they asked for mine first, which of course that's where I ended the convo.
So I'm a little peeved since I was trying to work on actual, paying, non-scammy commissions today and instead spent time dealing with this asshole. But yeah, be careful out there folks! <3
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