Prompt: Jealousy

Rating: G

Disclaimer: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon.

Summary: 2k12 Turtle tot fic for RachelErica's ABC Tot Challenge on DA. Prompt: Jealousy. Jealousy is a vicious circle. The more it is felt, the more reason it finds to rear its ugly head. Raphael is upset over the extra attention two of his brothers receive. Splinter centric.

Green With

Splinter smiled tiredly down at the sleeping turtle snuggled into his lap. Michelangelo really was one of the happiest children he had ever met and it constantly amazed him how someone sentenced to a dismal life within the sewers like this could remain so bright and cheerful; though it wasn't as if any of his sons knew any other way of life than this. If Michelangelo didn't have company or attention, he really could turn into a right, mischievous terror and as his brothers seemed to be ignoring him a lot lately, Michelangelo, to Splinter's relief, often sought Splinter's company instead. Today had been no exception and given how drained Splinter felt, there was no way he was willing to turn the littlest away.

For some reason that Splinter had been unable to work out, Raphael appeared to be harbouring an increasing animosity towards Michelangelo and to a smaller degree, Donatello. Leonardo seemed to be exhibiting an almost sulky behaviour recently and Donatello... he was another story. Splinter found his most inquisitive child needed almost constant supervision.

Donatello never showed signs of bad behaviour or attitude, it was simply that the child's innate curiosity was beyond reason. The three year old seemed to get into everything. Even climbing to study things he couldn't normally reach whenever unsupervised and no matter how often Splinter chided him, it seemed Donatello was unable, or unwilling, to curb his insatiable curiosity.

Between Michelangelo and Donatello alone, Splinter felt run ragged and as a result, so completely alone. With four very young children demanding his undivided attention, he needed help but there was simply no one to turn to.

A sudden surge of worry coursed through him and Splinter sat up straight, realising it was far too long since he last checked on his other sons. Carefully, so as not to disturb Michelangelo, he reached out with all his senses even as he turned to see what each was doing. To his intense relief, all was peaceful. Donatello was occupied with some blocks Splinter recently made for his four children and Leonardo and Raphael were together playing with toy cars, casting quick glances in Splinter's direction.

He breathed deep, aching for the opportunity to meditate. Meditation was such an intrinsic part of his life and right now, Splinter needed the serenity it brought his spirit terribly. It was too bad that such moments had become near impossible to come by since taking on the responsibility of fatherhood for the second time. Instead, Splinter leaned back and closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the rare peace and the pleasant warmth of his most affectionate son.

Suddenly all hell broke loose. Splinter's eyes flew open at the dreadful sound of a child wailing next to him. To his alarm, Michelangelo lay bawling his eyes out in a heap on the floor and Raphael was standing there, plastron heaving while he glared down as fiercely as a three year old could at his littlest brother.

Splinter chastised himself for falling asleep while three of his sons were awake and for a fleeting, terrible moment, he knew Raphael had something to do with Michelangelo's cries, then realisation hit and Splinter was moving. Scooping the crying turtle up into his arms, Splinter whispered consoling words to him in Japanese while soothingly patting Michelangelo's shell.

Raphael continued to glare but it took on a look of almost disbelief. To Splinter's shock, the little green-eyed turtle abruptly cried out, "Hate Mikey!" Raphael stomped his foot angrily then turned and took off.

A moment later, still clutching the sobbing but slowly calming Michelangelo, Splinter followed. "Raphael, my son," he called in confusion, "why would you say such a thing?"

Raphael ignored him, storming past a preoccupied Leonardo.

"Raphael! Do not walk away from me!" Splinter admonished sternly, trying desperately to keep his patience in check. He had always prided himself on his control but dealing with four, very young children alone for so long was enough to try the patience of a saint and he was so tired all the time. "Raphael, stop!"

This time Raphael responded to the warning inherent in his father's voice. He stopped but neither turned nor looked. Splinter walked around him and crouched down to face his petulant son.

"Whatever is the matter, Raphael?" Splinter asked quietly but firmly; there simply had to be an explanation for this behaviour and Splinter was determined to get to the crux of it. Raphael however, only had eyes for the hiccuping Michelangelo within Splinter's arms. Michelangelo buried his face into Splinter's chest in response to the accusing glare.

"Raphael, please," Splinter stressed, "talk to me."

The little turtle's eyes flicked away from Michelangelo and up to Splinter's concerned face before looking away again. "Daddy only love Mikey and Donnie..." he muttered eventually.

Splinter stared in shock, words of reassurance tumbling from his mouth even as he tried desperately to think what could have brought about such terrible thoughts. "That is not true, Raphael. I love you, Leonardo, Donatello and Michelangelo equally."

The little green eyes almost seemed to flash with anger, an emotion so intense for one so young, Splinter thought with worry.

"Always with Mikey and Donnie," Raphael accused sullenly.

Splinter felt his mouth gape in shock and he had to work to close it. It was simply not true but as he remembered Michelangelo's neediness and Donatello's dangerous curiosity, he could certainly see how Raphael might feel all his attention was on his two brightest children. Splinter glanced in Leonardo's direction, for the first time realising how down the other turtle also appeared of late. He turned back to face Raphael, noting how the little turtle refused to look directly at him and his heart sank.

He couldn't just ignore Michelangelo and neither could he stop paying such close attention to Donatello; it was just too risky otherwise. However, he needed to fix this perception that Raphael and perhaps Leonardo had before it set in too deeply, becoming impossible to deal with; before it caused an irreparable rift between his four precious children.

Not for the first time, Splinter longed for support or advice from the world above or rather, his beloved Tang Shen but that had been impossible for over three years now.

For a moment, his gaze wandered back to Leonardo who, the more he looked, was obviously upset too. Unlike Raphael though, his calmest child was not acting out and Splinter smiled; perhaps he was not actually as alone as he thought after all. He had an idea and in the process maybe he could show his sons just how important they were to him.

Splinter straightened and extended his hand to the surprised and suspicious Raphael. "Come, my son. We need to talk about this misunderstanding and we will be more comfortable in the pit."

Raphael reluctantly took Splinter's proffered hand, obviously feeling as though he was not given much choice and trailed his father obediently.

They stopped by Leonardo and Splinter smiled warmly, "Come along, Leonardo. I would like to spend some time talking together with you and Raphael."

Leonardo's eyes lit up and he enthusiastically followed.

Splinter glanced over to see Donatello still occupied, now with a puzzle instead of the blocks. He smiled in relief before sitting down on the bench and pulling Raphael and Leonardo close. Michelangelo had almost fallen back to sleep by now and he wriggled slightly in Splinter's lap as he settled.

Smiling warmly from one son to the other, Splinter spoke up, "It seems I have been neglecting the two of you and I am deeply sorry. It was never my intention to cause either of you any distress, my sons."

At the complex words, Raphael and Leonardo stared up in confusion and Splinter couldn't help but chuckle.

"I am sorry," he reiterated, "I never meant to make either of you feel unloved or unwanted. I love all four of you and if none of you were in my life, I do not know that I could have gone on." Splinter explained.

"However, I need your help, Leonardo, Raphael," Splinter said, looking meaningfully from one brother to the other.

"How, daddy?" Leonardo asked, always eager to please. Splinter couldn't help but reach out a hand to rub the young turtle's head affectionately. He made sure to do the same for Raphael but his green-eyed son pulled away petulantly, making Splinter realise just how much work it would take to convince Raphael of his sincerity.

"I need both of you to help me look after your other brothers. If you are able to do so, then I will have more time to spend with each of you," Splinter explained. "Michelangelo in particular is lonely, all he wants is the company of those around him and Donatello is constantly off in his own world."

Raphael huffed in annoyance.

"Why Mikey lonely?" Leonardo asked seriously, his little face screwed up in confusion. "He's got all of us."

"Yes he does but none of you seem to want to play with him lately so he comes to me instead. If no one gives him attention," Splinter chuckled, "well, you know the kind of messes he creates."

"'cause Mikey lonely?" Leonardo asked.

"Yes."

"That's stupid!" Raphael declared loudly.

Splinter shook his head, "Not really, my son. Loneliness leads to boredom and sometimes, even to jealousy and anger. That is something you seem to know all about, yes?"

Raphael looked away, not wanting to answer.

"As for Donatello, he is highly intelligent; perhaps a little too much for his age and his curiosity gets the better of him. He is always trying to learn and explore, even when he really should not and he often winds up putting himself in danger," Splinter explained. "He too needs to be included in activities with his brothers more. The four of you only have each other and myself. You need to learn to include one another, to play together, for one day you may find yourselves relying on each other to survive. If you can help me out in this way, then I will be able to divide my time among the four of you more equally."

Splinter looked curiously down at his sons, wondering if they were capable of understanding what he was asking. All his sons were very bright in their own way, however they were also very young. One had a look of intense concentration on his face as he thought hard about what had been said and the other was obviously unsure but there was a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

"I very much need the two of you and it is something only you, Leonardo and you, Raphael, can help me with." Splinter let his plea sink in as he wrapped his arms around both turtles, drawing them close once more. "Can I count on you both?"

Leonardo tilted his head up to look lovingly at Splinter, "I'll help daddy!"

The worry in Splinter's heart eased. "Thank you, Leonardo." Then he turned to look down at Raphael, "And you, my son?"

Raphael hesitated but before he could answer, a loud cry of fright rang out through the lair, followed by a resounding crash and clatter. Splinter looked up to the now empty space where he had last seen Donatello, his heart pounding in sudden fear as he chastised himself for taking his eyes off his most curious son for too long.

Splinter was immediately on his feet and shoving Michelangelo onto the seat between Leonardo and Raphael. He sprang up and over the top of his sons, racing to the room where the terrible sounds emanated from.

Dashing up the stairs to the dojo, Splinter saw a stool resting in front of the gate he had made when his sons started crawling and his terror rose as he peered past. The weapons rack had toppled and its contents spilled everywhere. Donatello lay trapped underneath and it was all Splinter could do to keep his head at the terrifying sight.

"Donatello!" he shouted in horror. Splinter jumped and flipped through the gap above the gate. He had been certain it was too high for his young children but obviously he never took into account that one may drag something near to climb over with.

There was no response from his helpless son and the fear welled deeper.

Within moments, Splinter was beside Donatello and hauling the rack off the unmoving, trapped turtle. Splinter almost panicked once more as he saw blood seeping from various cuts on his son's head and arm. Somehow he managed to reign in his terror and to his immense relief, Splinter realised there was actually only a small amount of blood and that thankfully Donatello was still breathing. He carefully picked up his injured child and carried him from the dojo, seeing Raphael watching fearfully through the gate as he approached.

Within minutes, the unconscious Donatello was on the bench in the pit and Splinter had fetched the first aid kit. As he cared for his wounded son, Splinter was painfully aware of three sets of teary eyes gazing fearfully on their fallen brother.

"Donatello will be fine, my sons," Splinter was quick to assure them, "I promise you this."

He continued to treat his injured son, verbally consoling the other three and himself repeatedly as he worked. Finally, just as Splinter was finishing bandaging the last of Donatello's wounds, the little turtle awoke and burst into tears from fright and pain. Splinter gathered him gently into his arms and soothed him, reassuring Donatello that he was fine. That was when Raphael finally spoke for the first time since before the accident, intense determination filling his features.

"I'll help too, daddy!"

Splinter smiled in relief; things would definitely become easier over time with support from his young family. He motioned for his sons to come closer and drew them in for a much needed family hug.

"Thank you, my son."

-:-

Owari