What's up guys? This is the newest one-shot of Remembering Us. I got this idea from my own personal experience (unlike my sister, I never had chipmunk cheeks). Reviews are welcome!
Disclaimer: I don't own the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Chubby Cheeks
Giggles could be heard from overhead. Under the tree, a wise rat meditated.
"Mikey, shush!"
"Party-pooper..."
"I heard that! C'mere you!"
Tree branches rustled as two turtle toddlers playfully fought. Master Splinter's ears twitched. At this rate, he would never be able to meditate in peace.
"Raph, stop, we're gonna— "
Four terrapin boys tumbled out of the swaying tree. Skillfully, Master Splinter leaped to his feet and swiftly caught all his children in his arms. They blinked in astonishment as their father chuckled.
"Did you think I would let you fall, my sons?" The ninjutsu master asked. Leonardo was the first to recover from his shock.
"I thought you were meditating," he pouted, pronouncing 'meditating' slightly wrong.
"I would have been," Master Splinter admitted. "But it was quite a challenge because of all your noise."
Blushing, three of the turtles were obviously guilty. But Raphael, only narrowed his eyes at his youngest brother.
"Maybe if Mikey hadn't been so loud, we wouldn't have fallen!" Raph complained. Master Splinter only smiled slightly.
"Raphael, it is no one's fault," he told the second oldest. "But I sense you all need a punishment."
A chorus of complaints rang through the dojo. Master Splinter set down his sons and bent to their level.
Creating a roaring sound, the old rat pinched Michelangelo's cheeks. The young terrapin squealed in surprise. His brothers began to toddle away but, unfortunately, their sensei caught them. He squeezed Donnie's and Leo's cheeks, hard. Turning to Raph, he realized something.
'Unlike his brothers, Raphael doesn't have chubby cheeks,' he thought to himself. 'How am I to pinch his cheeks?'
"Father?" A young voice jolted Master Splinter out of his thoughts. Leonardo was tugging on his robe, scanning him with an inquisitive stare. Looking around, the inexperienced father realized that all his sons were staring at him.
Poor Raphael was on the verge of tears. Why has his sensei shown his affection for all of his brothers but not Raph himself?
"I am sorry, my sons," Master Splinter apologized. "Why don't you go and watch some television?"
Mikey grinned.
'Since when does father want us to watch TV?' he realized gleefully. After accepting this change, he sped off, not wanting to waste the opportunity.
"Mikey, wait up!" Called out Leo, who raced out of the room with Donnie.
With a sigh of relief, Master Splinter settled back down to his original meditating position. He had just saved himself from a very uncomfortable explanation.
His breathing slowed. The rat was close to a completely blank mind set. He was about to enter a meditative state when—
"Why didn't you squeeze my cheeks?"
Raphael's young voice had Master Splinter jumping into a defensive position. After clarity set in, the mutated man wondered how he didn't notice that his second eldest son never left the room. Maybe his ninjutsu wasn't as sharp as he thought…
"Raphael, what do you need?" He asked, hoping to avoid the previous question. The young turtle narrowed his eyes.
"I know you heard me the first time, dad," Raph stated angrily. "Now, answer the question. Are you mad at me? I told you, it wasn't my fault we fell out of the tree, it was Mikey's!"
Sighing, Master Splinter knelt down to the terrapin tot's height.
"No, I am not mad at you," he said, already struggling for words. "You just… Just… Don't have chubby cheeks like your brothers…"
As much as it pained Raphael, he knew that comment was true. Michelangelo had large, round cheeks, as did Donatello. Leo's cheeks were less big, but just as round. Meanwhile, Raph had very sharp features that had almost no curve at all.
Just what he needed.
More proof that the hotheaded turtle was different than his brothers in every way.
"Why aren't I like them?" Raphael whimpered. "I always seem to stand out, no matter how much I just want to be one of you."
Casting a surprised glance in the green eyed turtle's direction, Master Splinter marveled. Raph was only 7 years old. When did he get so self-conscious?
"My son, you are a Hamato. And, because of that name, you are one of us. No matter what you look like."
Tiny green arms flung themselves around the old rat. A father and son embraced, strengthening their undying love for one another.
'I never realized how such silly insecurities could help someone gain so much,' Master Splinter mused in his head. 'How could this have started from not pinching Raphael's cheeks?'
