One Hundred Melodies
Chapter 1: Want To
A/N: Hey, guys. This story was inspired by the one hundred theme challenge a lot of authors have been doing, so I decided to do one of my own making using song titles and creating stories based on said song titles. It's a way for me to hone my writing skills and gives me something to do when I have writer's block. So I hope you enjoy this little challenge I've set for myself. This series of stories will be based on the 2012 series as I love writing for that universe. The first chapter is based on a song by Cheyenne Kimball.
Disclaimer: TMNT and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon. I only own the plot and nothing more.
Summary: Songs help us out of tight spots and often define who we are or how we are feeling. My own one hundred theme challenge based on song titles.
"Raph, where are you going?" Leo asked his brother.
"Out," Raph answered. "What does it look like?"
"Sensei said we can't go out of the Lair while he's gone," Leo reminded him.
"Well, I don't care," Raph replied. "I'm goin' out anyway."
"Why would you do that?" Mikey asked.
"Because I want to," Raph answered.
"Raph, you can't!" Leo protested.
Raph stuck his tongue out at Leo and left the Lair. He wasn't going to listen to Leo lecturing him about staying inside. He wanted to explore, and that's what he was going to do.
Not long after, Leo caught up to him and spun him around.
"What's wrong with you, Leo?" Raph demanded.
"You better get back inside before Sensei comes back," Leo said.
"You're not my dad," Raph retorted. "Stop tellin' me what to do!"
"Splinter left me in charge, so you have to listen to me," Leo insisted.
"To shell with that!" Raph snarled, but a noise cut him off. He heard footsteps and voices that sounded as though they were human.
"Quick, let's hide over here," Leo hissed as he dragged Raph into a pipe.
The two young Turtles waited as they heard the humans coming closer. The two humans passed their pipe without looking into it, which was a good thing for the Turtles.
"Now do you see why we can't just go out?" Leo asked his brother. "It's dangerous out here. Let's go home before they come back."
Raph didn't argue with his brother but followed him back to the Lair. Mikey and Donnie didn't ask many questions because they were preoccupied by other things, but when Splinter came home and asked what they had done while he was gone, Mikey piped up, "Raph and Leo left the Lair."
Raph shot his brother a glare that signified he was going to murder him. "Nice goin', tattletale!" he snapped.
"And why did you boys leave the Lair?" Splinter demanded of his two sons.
"I wanted to," Raph answered. "I was tired of stayin' in the Lair, so I went out."
"And why did you go with him, Leonardo?" Splinter asked his oldest.
"Because I knew he shouldn't be out of the Lair and I had to go with him to make sure he didn't get hurt," Leo answered. "You left me in charge, so I felt it was my duty to accompany Raph so he wouldn't get in trouble."
"I see," Splinter said. "And yet you left Donatello and Michelangelo alone by themselves with no supervision?"
"Yes, Sensei. I figured they would be fine on their own while I got Raph back."
"That was a very foolish thing to do, Leonardo," Splinter scolded. "You should not have abandoned your brothers no matter what. If you wanted to go after Raphael, you should have brought the others with you as well. I am very disappointed in both of you, and you are grounded for two weeks. No television and no dessert."
Raph wasn't happy, but he knew it was his fault. Still, he was upset that Leo had had to go chasing after him and he was happy that Leo was getting punished, too.
"But, Sensei, I did the right thing!" Leo protested. "I went after Raph! Why are you punishing me for that?"
"Because it was wrong to abandon your other brothers," Splinter said. "I will not hear another word about this. Now go to your room, my sons."
Raph and Leo both went to the room they shared with their brothers. Leo sat dejectedly down on his bed, still not comprehending what had happened. As angry as Raph was with him, he couldn't help but feel sorry for Leo and how sad he was. He went over to his brother and sat on his bed, putting an arm around him.
"Look, Leo, I'm not happy you were bossin' me around, but you did a good thing by comin' after me. If those humans had caught me, that would have been the end, but you were there to make sure I hid and that I was safe. I don't think it's fair that Splinter's punishin' you for that. If you want, I can go to him and see if he can let you off."
Leo smiled at his brother through his tears. "No, that's okay, Raph," he said. "He's right. I was stupid to leave Mikey and Donnie alone. Who knows what Mikey would have done if Donnie hadn't been there? I'm going to accept my punishment and remember to do better next time."
"Figures," Raph muttered. "Well, for what it's worth, I'm glad you were there even though I wasn't at first."
"Thanks, Raph," Leo said as he gave his brother a hug.
Raph let Leo hug him and then playfully shoved him away. "Okay, Leo, enough of that. I've got a reputation to uphold, you know."
Leo laughed. "Yeah, I know," he said. "I won't tell anyone."
Raph smiled and returned to his own bed. He picked up a comic he'd been reading and continued to read it. He was glad Leo had rescued him and was there for him, and he promised to return the favor one day.
22222
The bathroom was silent except for the occasional drips of water from the bathtub. Raph stared at his brother's unconscious form and wondered when he was going to wake up. As much as he wanted to hope that it would happen, it seemed less and less likely as time went on that Leo would recover from this. Mikey kept trying to instill hope, but Raph just couldn't stand it. Why couldn't Mikey face reality that Leo would probably die? Why did he have to constantly instill hope in everyone when it looked like there was none left?
A knock on the door frame roused Raph from his thoughts. He turned and saw Casey standing in the doorway.
"Hey, Raph, Mkey says dinner's ready," he said.
"Thanks, Casey, but I'll eat up here," Raph replied.
"Why don't you come down, man?" Casey asked him. "Why do you bother stayin' up here?"
"Because I want to," Raph answered.
"Okay, I'll get a plate and bring it up here."
Raph nodded as Casey left the room. He kept vigil over his brother even after Casey gave him a plate of food. He knew it was useless to stay here, but as much as he didn't want to hold out hope that Leo would get better, he felt he owed it to Leo to stay with him and make sure that he wasn't alone.
22222
"Come on, Leo, just a little more," Raph urged his brother.
Leo nodded and tried to step on the stones that were in the creek. He was doing so good, but then his knee gave out, and he fell again. The water wasn't deep, but it still made Leo feel horrible that he'd fallen.
"I can't do this!" he snapped.
"Yes you can!" Raph insisted. "You just have to get back up and try again!"
"Well, maybe I don't want to get back up!" Leo retorted. "It's no use. I'm never gonna get better!"
"Don't talk like that!" Raph insisted. "You're doin' so much better than you were, bro. Don't give up now."
Leo glared at his red-clad sibling. "Why do you care?" he snapped. "Why do you even bother helping me anyway?"
Raph looked Leo in the eye and said, "Because I want to, Leo." He held out a hand, and Leo took it to pull himself up. Raph handed him his cane and helped to guide Leo back so they could return to the farmhouse.
When they arrived, Leo turned to Raph. "Thanks for helping me, Raph," he said. "I'm sorry I snapped at you."
"That's okay, Leo," Raph replied. "You know I want to help you out."
"Yeah, I know," Leo said softly.
Raph clapped his brother on the shoulder before both of them went into the house. Raph knew he was doing what he could to help Leo out because he felt it was a way to make up for all of the bad things he'd ever done to his brother. And though he knew Leo didn't expect that, he could tell Leo appreciated it, and that was all Raph cared about. He was the type to do what he wanted to do when he wanted to do it and never expected anything else in return. And he was determined to go back and make sure Shredder paid for what he did to his older brother because no one was allowed to beat up on Leo but him.
A/N: So that's the end of the first chapter. What did you think? I think the song really reminds me of Raph, so that's why I used it. I really like doing this challenge, and I can't wait to write more. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.