Hey! So, here's another Oneshot! This can be seen as a standalone, or as a continuation of 'Healing a Cracked Shell' and 'Bonding Over Broken Bones'!
I want to thank all of you who have been reading, faving, following and reviewing my Oneshots! It's such an awesome feeling when I see people have read my stuff and like it! So thank you!
As in my other Oneshots, this has use of Japanese words, and yet again, there are translations at the end! If any words are wrong, I'm very sorry, because google translations doesn't exactly like me x.x also, if there are any normal, English spelling problems, I'm so sorry, but spellcheck likes to switch some of my words XP
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If the characters are OOC, please let me know how I could write them more in character! Also, if you have any other suggestions on how to improve my writing, let me know please!
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Enjoy reading!
Raph growled to himself, hands fisted at his sides as he ran, fast and hard. He could see the edge of the roof approaching and jumped, soaring over the alleyway and landing on the next roof with ease. He continued on, feet pounding against the cement.
He'd really messed up this time. Shell he'd totally screwed up! How could he have called Mikey that?!
Raph's labored breaths left him in harshly, and he finally slowed to a stop at the edge of a warehouse, emerald eyes staring out at the docks and the water that rose and fell in small waves. After a long moment, he dropped, sitting, his legs dangling over the edge. As he caught his breath, the turtle simply continued to stare dazedly at the sea. Bumps raised on his dark green skin as the cool ocean breeze blew past, the tangy scent of salt swarming his sensitive nose. He remained there for a long while. He then finally sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Shell...I messed up." Raph muttered to himself, voice thick with emotion.
"Not really."
The red-clad terrapin jumped slightly in alarm, head whipping around. For once, he wasn't happy to see...
"Leo."
The name came out slightly choked. For once, Raph was nervous to be around his protective older brother. Leo was probably furious with him for calling Mikey a...well...
Raph turned back around to face the docks once more, form tense. He waited to be yelled at, waited for Leo to call him far worse names than Raph had called Mikey...but it never came. No harshly spat words of disgust, only deafening silence.
Then there were footsteps.
"May I sit here?"
Raph pursed his lips, the toothpick between his lips quivering. He then nodded tersely.
There was a soft sigh as Leo settled himself down, his legs dangling over the edge of the roof beside his younger brothers. They sat in silence for a long moment, emerald and sapphire eyes staring at the docks. The familiar smell of lavender and pine, Leo's scent (that Raph knew by heart after spending his entire life around his brother) mingled with the salt in the air.
Raph finally gathered the courage to speak.
"So wha's th' verdict from Master Splinta'? No weapons fer a month? Banned from patrol?"
Leo's calm gaze turned to Raph, and the red-banded turtle felt an overwhelming sense of relief when he saw no anger on his brother's face. He'd learnt over the years how to read his big brother, even when he had his 'calm leader' face on. All he could see was kindness and concern.
"Nothing."
Raph jerked slightly, looking incredulous.
"Wha'?"
Leo smiled slightly, eyes turning back to the water.
"I talked with Mikey and sensei. They've agreed that as long as you apologize, no punishment is required."
"Ya 'talked with' 'em? I thought you'd be jus' as angry as 'em."
"I was." The older terrapin admitted. "But then I saw your expression right before you ran off."
Raph's eye-ridges furrowed.
"Eh?"
Leo folded his hands in his lap, soft blue eyes turning to Raph once more.
"Your face is an open book, you know. You were regretting your words almost immediately after you said them."
Raph's gaze turned away.
"Whateva'."
Leo smiled.
"I've said things that I've regretted before. I know how awful it feels."
A flash of sadness passed through the older terrapin's eyes, something Raph didn't fail to miss.
"You? Mr. Perfectionist, said somethin' he didn' mean t'?"
Leo nodded, grimacing.
"Yes."
Again, silence fell. Then Raph's gave turned to Leo's dangling legs. One had been broken a couple months before, and even though it had healed, Raph thought he'd heard Donnie say to stay off of it.
Green eyes fell to the previously broken limb, and widened in alarm, and the red-banded terrapin gaped.
"Leo!"
The older turtle jumped, caught off-guard at Raph's sudden exclamation. He was suddenly on guard, jumping to his feet, thinking his brother saw trouble.
"What? What is it?!" He demanded, looking around wildly.
He yelped when Raph quickly pulled him back down, making him sit, legs in front of him on the roof, and in seconds the younger of the two was examining Leo's slightly swollen leg.
"Aw shell, Leo! Yer not supposed t' be run in' on this!" The red-clad brother snapped, anger on his face.
Leo looked away sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck, while Raph examined his leg, spitting cusses under his breath.
"I had to run to keep get here quickly." The leader explained. "I'm fine, really-"
"Ya call this," Raph gestured to the injured limb. "Fine?!"
A shrug in reply, and Raph scowled, spitting out his toothpick over the side of the warehouse as he stood.
"Y'know help in' ya 'round the house is one thin'. Carryin' ya all the way back there? That's somethin' else entirely."
Leo looked at him blankly in, confused for a moment, then realization spread on his face and he quickly shook his head.
"No, Raph..." His tone was warning as his brother approached. "Raph! No! Nonono-"
His protests were ignored, and Leo yelled indignantly as he was lifted up easily by his larger yet younger bro. Raph shifted him around so that Leo was on his shell. Like the shell-back rides he and Leo gave to Mike and Don when they were kids, he mused. What did humans call it again? Piggy-back rides?
With a snort of slight amusement as he thought of the strange name, he started off towards the lair. He smirked as he hear Leo mutter under his breath.
"This' wha' happens when ya run on a still healin' leg." He scolded in a mocking tone.
"Shut up, baka." Leo hissed, but it lacked venom, so Raph knew his brother didn't mean it.
"Lova ya too, bro." Raph teased, giving a bark of laughter.
Everything was quiet between the two as Raph ran across the rooftops, still incredibly fast despite the extra weight on his shell. The only sound was of the traffic bellow and of people talking in the streets. Leo, resigned to being carried home, examined Raph's shell. Probably ensuring it had properly healed after the Shredder incident, Raph mused.
"Y'know." Raph spoke up, voice raised slightly to be heard over the New York city noise. "Ya didn' have' t' follow me."
The red-banded terrapin felt his brother shrug.
"I know."
"Don's gonna give ya one shell of a lecture fer runnin' on yer bad leg."
A soft chuckle this time.
"Yeah, I know that too."
Raph grunted, amused.
"I thought ya were supposed t' be th' smart an' awesome leader?"
Leo hummed, looking out across the city.
"And you dont have to carry me, but you are. You're doing that for the same reason that I followed you. Because family matters more than doing the smart thing. Because being there for your brothers matters."
Raph pursed his lips, a thoughtful look crossing his face.
"You know...I can't believe it's been four months since the Shredder incident."
His younger brother shrugged, jumping down into an alleyway. He set Leo down and worked on removing a manhole cover.
"Yeah, well."
"You know what else I can't believe?" Leo continued, watching his sai-wielding brother. "We've hardly argued since then."
That made Raph pause. He straightened, a thoughtful frown on his face.
"Huh...yer righ'. Weird."
Leo chuckled. It seemed Raph was just as surprised as him. The blue-clad turtle stood, wincing as pain shot through the still weak bone. He also found himself on the receiving end of a glare and an accusatory finger.
"Sit Down."
"Raph, I'm fi-"
The red-banded terrapin moved over and lightly rapped his knuckles against Leo's leg. Leo fell like a house of cards, a pained gasp leaving him. He glared at Raph, who smirked.
"Tha' ain' fine." He crouched down to be eye-level with Leo. "Stay down, oniichan."
The use of the single Japanese word did wonders in easing Leo's nerves. It was a trick Raph had learned, having noticed when they were younger that Leo preferred Japanese to English.
The two brothers reached the sewers, and with Leo securely on his shell, Raph took off at a jog, feet sloshing in the sewer water.
"Sometimes I think you'd be a far better leader than I am." Leo suddenly stated.
Raph came to a jerking halt, eyes wide in shock.
"You...I...wha'?"
Leo laughed slightly. For once, it seemed Raph was actually speechless.
"It's true." He said. He then nudged his brother's side with his foot. "C'mon, we need to get home."
Raph hesitated before continuing to walk along down the tunnel.
"Why...why d'ya think I'd be a betta' leada'?" He asked, glancing back at Leo.
Leo was quiet for a moment, seeming to mull over his words.
"Because you have good instincts, otouto." He finally replied. "And you push Mikey, Don and I to do our best, to improve our skills. Your a force to be reckoned with."
Raph grunted, shifting so that he could carry his brother easier.
"Y'know, four months ago, I would'a agreed with ya."
Leo's frowned, eye-ridges furrowing.
"And now?"
"Now I know Master Splinta' made th' right choice."
For a few minutes, the only sound was the splash of Raph's feet in the inch deep layer of sewer-water. Then, a thankful smile came to Leo's face as he tiredly rested his forehead on the top of Raph's shell.
"Arigato, otouto."
A small smirk curled at Raph's lips.
"Considerin' ya ran after me on a weak leg jus' t' make sure I was okay, I think I shoul' be th' one sayin' tha'."
A soft, tired hum was the only reply given.
Raph felt Leo slump slightly, a sign that his older brother was exhausted after training and chasing him on a still tender leg.
Memories flooded Raph's mind, both old and new, and for the first time he realized his big brother...had always been there, just like he was now.
He remembered once, when he was seven. He'd been trying to get down a particularly difficult kata, with little success. At the time, Leo had been recovering for a nasty cold. Raph could remember how his big brother could hardly talk, his throat as dry and sore as it had been. Yet, seeing how many problems Raph was having, little Leo had fought through the hacking cough and wobbly limbs and helped Raph learn the kata.
Raph pursed his lips, emerald eyes distant He then unconsciously mumbled a word that always seemed to bring him comfort, even in his usual rage.
"Oniichan..."
Leo lifted his head.
"Hm?"
Raph jumped slightly, surprised. He hadn't meant to say that aloud.
"Er, nothin'."
The red-clad turtle felt his brother lay his head on his shell once more.
"Tired?" Raph asked, glancing back.
Leo shook his head.
"Not really."
Raph snorted.
"Usotsuki."
The older terrapin smirked, turning so that his forehead pressed against his younger brother's shell.
"Perhaps, otouto. Perhaps."
"Th' great fearless leada', actually lyin'! I'm so proud." Raph teased, managing to free a hand and push his sunglasses farther up on the top of his head.
Leo rolled his eyes, knocking his knuckles gently against Raph's shell.
"Shut it, at least I don't go up top to bars every Friday and tell Master Splinter that I'm just 'going on patrol'."
Raph came to a halt, eyes wide. Leo yelped as his head smacked against his brother's shell. He looked at Raph with frown.
"Uh, OW!"
But his red-clad brother didn't snap back, instead looking nervously at his big brother.
"How the shell do ya know abou' tha'?!"
Leo raised an eye-ridge questioningly.
"I'm a oniichan, Raph. I watch you and the others like a hawk, you realize?"
Raph's cheeks darkened in a rare bout of embarrassment.
"Then...Then why didn' ya tell Master Splinta'?"
Leo smiled.
"Because I followed you once. I know you don't drink, you go looking for any news on gangs to go after. Really smart idea, by the way. You get in-depth information from those whose tongues are loosened by alcohol."
The terrapin's smile then became a smirk.
"Also I saw you sniff one of the beers. Your face was hilarious otouto. Though I agree that the stuff smells awful."
Raph continued on his way towards the lair, shaking his head to himself.
"Yer crazy, ya know tha'?"
"Hai. Arigato, otouto." Leo replied with a chuckle.
Raph sighed.
"Only you, oneechan." He said in fake exasperation. "Only you."
Japanese Translations!:
Hai = Yes
Otouto = Little Brother
Oniichan = Big Brother
Arigato = Thanks/Thank You
Gomenasai = I'm Sorry/Sorry (not sure if this word was in this story 0.0)
Baka = Idiot
Usotsuki = Liar