Sight

With double the force as he had thrown it, the dirty yellow tennis ball bounced off the red brick wall and landed snugly in Raph's hand. Rearing back and throwing it again, a spray of dirty street water spritz in a line across his clothes and smacked against the wall again, leaving a dark circle where it hit. Rain had poured nonstop since morning and yet Raphael was compelled to frolic in it like a happy faun in dew grass. He was waiting for Mikey to finish school.
He didn't know when, but that morning, he woke up in awe as he saw light streak in through the warehouse. It wasn't in detail and shadows lingered, but he saw the streaks clear enough as it dappled the items inside. Beside him snored away Leatherhead with his arms wrapped tightly around him. A lumpy thing encircled him as well, and maybe it was plaited? But he saw it, which was enough for him.
The medication had run a five day course before the fruits of its labor was borne-clouded, shadowed vision, but not blackness.
He had let out a startled cry and bolted upright, holding his bony hands in front of him and stood up suddenly. Backing into a column of chairs that tumbled to the ground as a single unit, he stumbled back and head twisted and turned in every direction as he absorbed his surroundings. The once vacant warehouse he had painted in his mind was now brimming with objects he never imagined. Most of the objects pertained to school equipment-chairs, desks, piles and piles and piles of xerox papers, chalk and chalkboards, TV stands, projectors...
Two stories worth of class material piled up high. The walls were lined with the home etc. and mechanical equipment for extra curricular activities. Scanning the walls, he realized that a bunch of woodworking saws had been toppled over. Maybe it was that he had cut his hand on. He wasn't too sure.
And now here he waited. At the park near Mikey's high school. He'd found a dirty old tennis ball and played catch all on his own, trying to hit a white painted on circle on the red brick wall in the cool rain. He savored the rain, now, as it dribbled down his chin and off his earlobes. It soaked through his clothes and saturated his hair. His socks were wet, and it was the worst feeling ever, usually, but even then, it was welcomed. His vision was perfect, yet he was positively enraptured with this old, new world and everything it offered him.

"Nightwatcher?"

Raph's arm stopped mid-pitch. turning in a flash, he sat the three brothers standing in front of the fence bordering the park and staring at him. A slow smile spread from one ear to the other and tears sprung to his eyes. Walking towards the fence, slow and steady still, he stared at each of them for a few seconds before stopping on Mikey. Fingers laced through the fencing, knuckles white from gripping so hard, Raph let out a short laugh. Blue orbs across from him blinked in confusion.

Blue.

"You're shorter than me after all!"

He exclaimed. Confusion writ across their faces for mere milliseconds before it dawned on the brothers. Cheering erupted and they abandoned their bags as they made a beeline for the fence's gate to meet Raph on the other side.
Raph let go of the fence and watched as the shortest of the boys barreled towards him, umbrella floating behind him as he forgot about it, and launched himself around his neck. Instinctively, Raph's arms wrapped around the youngest brother and swung him in a circle. Laughing loudly, Mikey stepped back for Donnie and Leo to take their places near the Nightwatcher and congratulate with pats and tightly gripped shoulders.

"Dude, so like, can you see well?"

Mikey asked, curious fingers prying away at Raph's eyelids and trying to look for a physical change of any kind. Slapping his hand away, Raph let out a growled 'no' and took a step back away from them all only to get a better view of each of them. Before, they were shadowy figures against a white backdrop. But now he saw Donatello with his hazel eyes and long hair held in a low ponytail. That's why they had elastic hairbands! And Leonardo with short, boyish hair but well kept. His eyes were blue as well, but Mikey's stood out through the...freckles?

"You have freckles?"

Raph peered closer, craning his neck forwards to stare at boy's cheeks. Mikey's elbows rose to the air as he pointed his two index fingers to his cheeks and smiled as broadly as he could manage.

"From all the sun!"

"Shouldn't you tan then?"

"Nah, freckles are much cuter than a tan."

"Guys shouldn't be want to called cute, Michelangelo."

Raph gently punched Mikey on the shoulder and took minutes to examine each and every one of them. Their height, their composure (in which they all held themselves high, which Raph found unusual in teenagers who usually tried hiding themselves as much as possible).

"So does this mean I can sit in on one of your ninjutsu training sessions?"

"Yeah! He can come, right guys? Sensei'll be really excited!"

"You're really excited, Mikey."

Donnie grinned back, not a hundred percent sold on the idea. Mikey had danced around with Raph's hands clutched inside his, tugging back on it to prove his point on how excited he was. Raph looked over at Donnie and although he had showered him with praise, he seemed somehow uncomfortable. His shoulders were bunched up, tense, and his eyes surveyed him too closely for his liking.

"Need to take a photo? It'll last longer."

"Don't mind if I do-"

"Donnie..."

Leo warned, his hand holding his brother's arm down as he quickly fished for his phone in his pocket. Donnie's mouth opened to protest, and Raph saw his unease, but Leo shook his head ever so slightly as if Raph still couldn't see. Were these reactions going on while he was right in front of them?
Insulted, he angrily wiped the rain dripping from his chin and stared down at the two older siblings with such an intense glare that they looked back at him with shame.

"Sorry."

Donnie murmured, flushing a bright red as he met Raph's eyes for a moment and became suddenly interested in his feet.

"We should celebrate though."

Donatello added quietly, his hazel eyes darting upwards apologetically at Raph as he offered him a small smile. Accepting it with a forced groan and rolled eyes, Raph smiled back.

"PIZZA. Duuuude! Throwback from when we first met!"

Mikey howled as he threw his entire body backwards for added enthusiasm and let Raph's hands clasp tightly around his wrists so he wouldn't fall backwards. Steadying Mikey on his feet, the young boy went on about how he first came across Nightwatcher in Antonio's pizzeria while trying to pay for pizza with monopoly money.

"You've done worse."

The words left Raph's mouth in protest before he even knew why he said them. Confused glares were cast his way, his cheeks building up in a rouge color before he pointed to Mikey with an accusing finger.

"He threw rocks at Hob!"

"Not even."

"Mikey..."

Leo warned, his voice dangerously low. Mikey took a few steps back in fear as his big brother ran after him, the whole thing turning into a game of tag. Raph crossed his arms and watched with smug satisfaction. Donnie stepped beside him and held his umbrella over Nightwatcher's head, stopped the rain from drowning him anymore than it already was. Raph looked up at the boy's stoic face; eyes boring a hole into his own.

"You don't trust me."

"Nice observation."

"But you tolerate me."

"For Mikey."

Donnie's voice was cold.

"And because there's something about you that I can't place."

Raph shrugged. From a bystander's point of view, it looked like the two were having a friendly exchange and Donnie was keeping him dry instead of having a sensitive exchange about Donnie's trust issues.

"And I'm not going to give up until I find out who you are. For all we know, you could be a murderer."

A cynical smile spread across Raph's face. This is what he was worried about?

"Well, if you find out who I am, be sure to tell me, alright?"

"Or the cops."

His retort was curt. In all honesty, Raph couldn't blame him.

"Then why let me in your house?"

"Because...it doesn't feel like you are."

"Aren't you the genius in the family? Don't you trust what you see instead of feel?"

"And how would you know that?"

A hum rose in his head and Raph shrugged it off, smirking.

"Gut feeling."

"Stop that, then. You don't know anything."

"Except that I'm right."

And you hate that I'm right. He added in thought, unsure where these ideas actually were coming from.

"You're not."

"And if I am?"

"If you are right, and you can be trusted-"

"And I've earned a decent amount so far."

Raph cut him off, seeing Donatello's face flush with a moment's anger before relaxing again.

"I suppose you have. From Leo and Mikey, but not me. I can't trust you."

"Because who can trust a guy off the streets with amnesia, huh?"

"Exactly."

"Can't say I blame you. I did get him in trouble a few times."

"And you got him out, too. I'm just saying...I'm watching you. I can't trust you because you don't make sense. Not scientifically, anyways."

"Ever account for variables?"

"This doesn't count."

Donnie snapped. Apparently, he had. And he still couldn't wrap his brain around how someone could forget their entire existence. The two looked back over at the two brothers running and playing ninja in the rain. A frown had slowly crept up on Raph's face and his gut sank. Mikey's laugh perforated through the rain followed by Leo's yelling.

"You know, I think I'm starting to remember though."

"Really?" The words dripped with sarcasm as he rolled his eyes. "And how do you know?"

"Because..." Raph began slowly, the hum growing louder in his head until it slowly created a familiar ache. "I get deja vu sometimes. I say things that I know I used to, now. Stupid catch phrases and repetitive words."

"Reaaally?"

"Whatever, forget I said anything."

"No, I don't think I will. Call me if you remember anything."

"So you can distrust me more?"

"No, so I can find out if you're someone I know."

Donnie finished firmly, Raph's gut sinking deeper inside him. Why the heck was he feeling so wound up for?

"Thanks."

He retorted, Donnie's mouth in a tight line and said nothing. The headache scratching at Raph threatened to tear at him every time he looked back at Donnie's thinking face.

"This tea should rid of your headache."

Yoshi had pushed tea towards Raph upon arrival. He had just managed to take off his shoes at the front step and Yoshi was already waiting there with a ceramic, handle-less mug filled with warm tea. Raph tried to form words but only noises stupidly tumbled from his mouth. Smiling, almost too pleased with himself, and placed the mug inside his hands. Staring at it for a while, the other boys rushing past him with small bouts of laughter, Yoshi placed his hands in his sleeves of his large, mahogany robe, and smiled even wider. Raph caught himself staring at it and thought of how it definitely resembled the times when Mikey would smile like that and it abruptly ended when Yoshi spoke up.

"You're welcome."

"Oh, uh, thanks. How did you know?"

"Telepathy."

"Seriously? You're not going to fool me on that one."

"In a house of ninjas? Wouldn't anything be possible?"

"Mr Hamato, telepathy?"

"Indeed."

Almost skipping off, again, too proud of himself, Raph stared at the deep green tea and furrowed his brows.

"Telepathy..?"

He whispered at the mug in both hands, trying to grasp how illogical that sounded. He vaguely remembered telling Mikey how he could see via echolocation not too long ago and almost chuckled. It was some pretty dry humor, actually.

"Don't just stand there. Drink and shower."

Yoshi called from the other room. Nodding, he complied and as soon as he stepped over the entryway step, he looked around and found his head swirling. The house was a home. To his right was the living room and connected to that, the kitchen. He could see from a window a faint glow of yellow around the back still connected to the house via a long hall and could only assume that to be the dojo. About to question where the shower was, his feet had already carried him towards the direction to a door around the corner and saw Mikey setting out clean clothes.

"Dude, you can actually see yourself in the mirror now!"

He could, but somehow the idea seemed repulsive. Would he even recognize himself?

"I haven't been able to see myself in a while. I can't remember how I look like."

He laughed off his unease, Mikey's face pulling back in sadness.

"Well, I can't tell you that it'll be something you'd remember, then."

Mikey tilted the full body mirror to Raph's height and watched as he carefully made his way in front of it. His heart in his mouth, jaw set tight, he stared at the thing that reflected back to him.

"I look like shit. How the hell do you guys not run?"

The image hurt. Mikey held his breath as to not chance saying anything mean. And thus the frown etched a deeper creased into his emaciated face. Mug in bony hands, cheeks that seemed too old for him, and clothes that hung too loosely off his body, he hunched forwards and tried to hide his sight. His vision wasn't great yet, but even he could see the dark set bags under his green eyes.

"Maybe a shower will do you some good! And some pizza! Leo's already ordering and-"

"Yeah, thanks, Mike."

Raph smiled, cutting him off and looking down at his filthy feet. He didn't have socks to wear, and only now he noticed how grimy they were and how his toenails retained more dirt than he could make out. It had been brought to his attention then that he hadn't cut them ever and they must have been cracked and splintered off. Looking back up, he brought a hand to his face and felt his cheekbones. It was as they weren't his. A long scar ran from one cheekbone up along to his hairline. It was still a bright pink, as it if was still healing, and he could only deduct that it was from his fall. What he couldn't recognize the most were the green eyes staring back at him. They were lifeless. Black and large in contrast to the socket that had lost and fatty tissue around it. He dug the heels of his palms into his eyes, wishing he were blind again, he felt Mikey's hand gently take a hold of his now uncomfortably aware bony shoulder.

"Dude...you live on the streets...it's okay. We understand..."

"You shouldn't have to."

He choked up, clenching his jaw. Without further warning, Mikey hugged Raph tight and let his bury his head in his shoulder, careful not to bump the mug into the wall as he did so quickly. Letting out a strangled sigh, eyes closed, he melted into the hug. Mikey was a pretty tough kid to approach him at all.

"You're allowed all the pizza you want and we even have soda. And I'm gonna pack you a lunch every day and you can come here for supper. I know it'd be super awkward for you to come by just for breakfast because we're super busy running around for school, but you're still invited."

Raph's entire body shook as he bit back tears. He was taking advantage of this family. It wasn't too long ago that he had settled for shoving dirt into his mouth to quell the ache in his stomach, and now he understood why. He hadn't realized how starved he looked. He told people he was starving. And now he understood why they took so much pity on him. How Hob had made him play out the perfect role of a starving blind kid on the streets-a starving animal on the streets. He didn't feel like a human. Not looking the way he did.

"Breathe. It's okay now. Mikester's here."

He hadn't realized how hard he was holding his breath until Mikey had told him. It was supposed to be a happy day, and instead, he was having an existential crisis because he looked like, and felt like, complete and utter shit.

"Okay?"

Raph nodded but Mikey clutched him even tighter, "no, say it. Are you okay?"

"Yeah..."

His voice was forced and gravelly. He was not okay, and Mikey knew it.

"It'll be alright. We're here now, and you're practically family now. No choice. You gotta do what we say. If not, I'll tell Donatello, and don't think I didn't realize you two not getting along."

Raph let out a small chuckle, and only then did Mikey feel brave enough to let him go. He needed that hug just as much as Nightwatcher did.

"Now you stay in that shower until we're all done. And brush your teeth. And wash your ears. And condition your hair! It's getting pretty long." Raph undid the elastic in his hair and let the oily mess fall around his shoulders in a disgusting familiarity. Turning to look at the mirror again, he realized how pathetic he looked. Worse with it down than up. And before that, he was with Hob, who had made him look as awful as humanly possible.

"Thanks, Mikey."

"Anytime, bro. Just be out before pizza gets here. Mi casa es tu casa."

Winking as he left, gently loosening the mug in his hands, Raph felt his cheeks flush even more the moment the door closed. Quickly locking it after Mikey left, Raph curled into a ball on the floor before the mirror and wrapped his arms around his head, trying to muffle his sobs. It was a kindness he felt he didn't deserve, especially after punching him on his first encounter. And for it, and unable to return the kindness, he felt as if he was delivered a swift punch to the gut. He was going to, he just had to think of a way how.
Finishing his mini emotional breakdown, sniffling, he stood and turned the mirror around. If he thought he looked awful with clothes on, he wasn't eager to face himself with clothes off.

Fast paced Japanese shot back and forth between Mikey and Donnie when Raph exited the shower. Mikey was poised on the sofa and shouting at Donnie with an accusing finger in extremely fast Japanese with hard emphasis on some of his words that made Raph cringe a bit. Donnie balled his fists up and in a calmer, but harsh voice, seemed to be explaining something back to Mikey who was growing angrier by the moment. Again, the hum grew in Raph's head, but there was no headache. Yoshi's tea had done wonders, but it wasn't solving the problem that there was a brotherly argument happening in front of him and he felt the need to intervene.
Donnie seemingly finished his sentence, Raph grasping bits and pieces of it, and waited for Mikey's rebuttal. It wasn't good. Mikey's chest had huffed out and Raph could see his muscles flex in a way that meant trouble. His feet carried him over in front of Donnie before he even knew what was happening, arms outstretched, and he caught the ball of fury that had launched towards Donnie in an uncalculated attack, and toppled over from the sheer force of the lunge.

"YAME."

Everyone in the room froze as the command issued. It gave Mikey the moment to stare at Raph close up and saw his eyes wide not in terror, but confusion. Breathless, Mikey clambered off of Raph and sat on his haunches for a moment, allowing his friend to sit up. Despite the situation, somehow, it felt good to move the way Raph did. It was as if he weren't the skin and bones he had seen in the mirror. But how had he known was beyond him. He just saw this flicker of muscle move in Mikey's forearm in the right lighting and he knew he was going to do something so stupid...

"Are you okay?"

Mikey whispered, Raph looking up and not answering. He understood that Japanese, if anything. But not enough to merit any concern.

"What happened here?"

Yoshi demanded, cane in hand and voice firm. Mikey stood up, stupefied, and held a hand out for Raph to take and haul him to his feet. Looking back, Raph took note of Leo at Yoshi's side, air of authority surrounding him as well. He had to have gotten help, maybe, when he saw the situation spiral beyond his control.

"Donatello," Mikey began, trying to keep his voice even through gritted teeth, "wants to have our guest leave."

"Why is that?"

Yoshi asked, Donnie's face pulling back in a built-up sadness and explained in Japanese that slowly started to crack his voice. Once again, Raph could tear out bits and pieces that made sense; something about their older brother, aniki, something about him dead or dying? Why was the conjugation so hard to click?
Yoshi listened with an attentive ear, face emotionless yet considerate as he listened to him speak his mind in a language that seemed far easier for the two of them to communicate in. Suddenly, Raph felt like the odd one out. They had to be speaking English for his sake. The group was too fluent in Japanese to have taken it up as a second language.

"Leonardo?"

Yoshi looked down to his eldest son for input, and Leo, too, began in Japanese. It seemed to suit them better than English, actually. He stopped suddenly, his eyes falling on Raph, and he shook his head.

"There's no way. Donnie, you need sleep."

This sent Donnie into a whirlwind of explanation of why he didn't need sleep. In both languages, this time. Sometimes the words switched languages without meaning to and other times, to conceal the message of the fight from Raph, but it was clear enough. Donnie's previous conversation led him to believe that he knew Raph somehow. Or had to. No one else saw it, and he was definitely doing something about it. He was...investigating?

"Wait, hang on, are you actually trying to find out who I am?"

The entire room froze mid-sentence, mid-hand motion, mid-breath, and everything seemed to snap into place. Raph turned angrily towards Donnie and felt his blood begin to bubble. He didn't know why he was so mad about this. Why they think speaking in another language would hide anything from him. It was honestly insulting that they thought he was dumb enough to not string together what they were saying.

"Yes, I am!" Donnie snapped back, "and I'd be a fool if I didn't try! You're a phenomenon that shouldn't be! No one has amnesia for so long without remembering anything. Not unless they're lying!"

"Well, I'm not, genius! Why the hell would I lie about any of this?"

Donnie's mouth opened to protest but the doorbell rang. The tension in the house was thick. Thicker than it had been in the past couple of months. Yoshi held up a hand to silence the boys as he went over to the door to open it.

"Officers."

Yoshi's heart skipped a beat as two officers stood on his porch with a box in hand. He tried to keep his composure steady, but even he wavered at the sight of the box and his blood grew cold.

"We're here about your...son." The woman began, shifting the box in her hands. "Could we come inside?"

"Please. My boys are waiting on some pizza, so we will be interrupted again in a few minutes. Just a fair warning."

"That's fine. Please."

The male held out a hand and motioned to the kitchen past the boys. They all exchanged looks and Raph felt like the odd one out. Mikey picked up on it immediately and took him by the wrist. He didn't want to hear what the officers had to say, and Raph had no business.

"We'll chill in the dojo until pizza comes along. I'll show you my 'chuks."

"Okay..." It felt surreal. He wanted to know, but at the same time, he didn't want to be nosy.

"We...had to withhold items from the crime scene..."

The woman's voice faded away and Raph shuddered. No, it wasn't his business. He had no right to know. One look at Mikey's face told Raph that he was determined to steer clear of the area. He obviously didn't want to be there, and if he could at least help him change his mind...

"Okay, champ. Show me your 'chuks in case I lose my vision again."

"Don't even joke. That isn't funny."

Mikey snapped. Alright, not a time to joke. Okay.

"Sorry."

"You'll be sorrier once you see how bad I could have whooped Donnie's butt."

A smile stretched across Raph's face as he nodded in enthusiasm. Tonight didn't have to be all bad.

AN: After several rewrites, I'm glad how this turned out! Thanks for the follows and reviews and patience C: