9
"Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside; awakes."
- Carl Jung -
"...it's none of your business. Understood?"
"In fact, it certainly is my business."
"What do you mean?"
"There's something you should know."
"Come on, let's hear," Tequila urged the kid since he went so silent. Leo looked up, then away. He wasn't so sure anymore. Perhaps he shouldn't tell him. What would he gain with this? How would Tequila react? Maybe he wouldn't even believe him. And he wouldn't blame him for this.
"You said there's something I should know. Then, why aren't you telling me now?"
"Umm... I was speaking without thinking, hehe, there's nothing to tell," Leo rubbed the back of his head and smiled sheepishly.
Tequila narrowed his eyes behind the glasses.
"I hate secrets," the older one growled. Leo gulped nervously as he hit himself mentally for being this hasty.
"That's a little funny, coming from you..." little Leo added quietly. In another situation, he would have stay silent, but now he was willing to do anything to change the subject. "I hate secrets too."
Tequila snorted as an answer. He knew very well what the kid meant. He also knew that he wasn't going to tell the kid about his past, even if there's no other way to make the child talk. He crossed his arms and closed his eyes. It's better to finish this conversation now, he thought.
Leo was looking side to side while he was playing with his fingers. How was he going to tell Tequila who he really is? He was really afraid of his reaction. But the main reason, he decided to keep this information to himself is that he still hoped that it was not true. He hoped that he misunderstood something and Tequila isn't him in an older version. He felt like it was just a theory, but as soon as he would say it aloud, it would become real. And he didn't want that. Not at all. It was indescribable how scared he was. He didn't want to become like him. Nor his world and family. This was his biggest nightmare and right now he was just living it!
Suddenly, his eyes filled with tears, as he thought about his family. Oh, how much he missed them! He wanted to go home, hug them and tell them how much he loved them. But he couldn't. He was stuck in that horrible world. He felt as a single tear escaped. He just wanted to go home. Really much.
"Never mind," Tequila broke the silence. "I'm going to train," and with that, he stood up and left the room.
Raphael was smoking a cigarette on the top of a tall building. He was waiting for someone. He knew it very well that this was his area. And he also knew that he didn't want to see him, especially not in his area. But he had to talk to him, and here, he could surely catch him.
And as he expected, he showed up.
It didn't take long for the other person to notice Raphael, and as he did, he narrowed his eyes and growled.
"What are you doing here, Raphael?" he asked coldly.
"I have news," Raph replied, as he threw his cigarette to the ground, then he trampled on it.
"Since when are we talking about news with each other? You have nothing that I would care about."
"And what about a new family member? You wouldn't care about them either? Aren't you even curious?"
"What? What are you talking about?"
"Oh, Mikey, Mikey. You have no idea how big this news is," Raphael stepped closer to Michelangelo. For a minute, he looked at his brother's stump. Even after all those years, he couldn't get used to the sight.
"Spit it quickly! I don't have time for you!" he said angrily.
"You are an uncle," Raphael said simply like it would be the most natural thing in their life.
"Huh?"
"Uncle... y'know, when your sibling gets a child..."
"I know what uncle means!" Michelangelo raised his voice.
"A little, cute boy. Your nephew. Poor guy, he would be really scared of you," he smiled at him tauntingly.
"Were you so lonely that you kidnapped a kid for yourself?"
Raphael snorted.
"He's Leonardo's child," hearing Mikey's gasp, he continued. "And not a kidnapped one. 100% bio."
"Are you trying to prank me?" the younger asked doubtingly.
"Nono. This is the honest truth. And I'm only telling you this because if you would see someone who looks similar to Leonardo, do not kill him. He's just an innocent child."
"Wait, wait, wait," he lifted his hand. "...you telling me that Leonardo is a father? That he got a child on his own?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"I don't know. I guess it's a touchy topic. Little Leo didn't really want to talk about this with me."
"So, you met him?"
"I didn't just meet him. I saved his life! And Leonardo couldn't even say a thank you..." he shook his head. "...ah, never mind, I told what I came for. Now I'm leaving."
"So, you met Leonardo too... I can't even remember when I saw him last time," he looked away with a sour face.
"Well yeah... we don't hang out either."
"Is he still a jerk?"
"No more than you."
Michelangelo didn't respond.
"But yeah, he is a jerk with me, but not with the kid. He was switching between two different personalities as he talked to us. Yes, he's an asshole, but... I guess he loves that child..."
Mikey hummed. So, there's a child in this so-called family.
"Tell me about him," he said suddenly.
"Hah, I thought you didn't care..."
"Raphael..."
"Alright...hmm... he's little and has big blue eyes. He's fifteen. Hmmm, what else... ah, he's a bit sensitive. So, if you meet him, don't talk shit about Leonardo. I speak from experience. Oh, and his name is Leo."
"Leo? Seriously? Leonardo knows how to name a child..."
"Well...after all the kid is like a little Leonardo from the old times...maybe in a softer and cuter version."
Michelangelo snorted as a reply.
"Fine, whatever," he waved. "Now that you told me this, leave. And don't come back."
"How rude...kicking out your own brother..." Raphael smirked.
"I thought we were not brothers anymore... not since... you know..."
Raphael's face turned grim. He remembered. All of this started with Splinter's death. He wondered how they would be if their father was still alive.
"Just leave, Raphael. It will be the best for both of us..." the younger turtle added in a quieter voice.
"Alright," Raph nodded, then he stuck his hand in the pockets of his jacket. He turned around, and without saying goodbye, he jumped to the fire escape and quickly disappeared from Michelangelo's view.
"So, Leonardo has a son... this fact could be even useful for me..."
ScribeofHeroes: Hello, I'm back 😃 I'm going to reply to your last review now:)
Don't worry, I don't mind long reviews at all. It's the opposite, it's good to read detailed opinions.
Thank you! I'm glad that the story can be understood. In the last year I didn't write any story in English, so I hope it's still enjoyable.
Yes, I guess everybody would ask that question from little Leo. But nobody would get an answer :")
Well, Raphael isn't so forgiving. And unfortunately, Michelangelo can be resentful too.
Yes, that little talk between old Raphael and little Leo... for Leo it was like he would have seen the future and it hurt him to realize that his own brother might hate him in the future.
Raphael thinks that Leonardo knows it about himself very well what a jerk he is and that he is hated rightfully. Raphael is kind of hoping that Leonardo feels guilty so they would have the same story to tell, and in this case, he doesn't want to save Leonardo from facing his "son" and telling him the truth about himself and make the child disappointed.
That 30 years passed for Raphael too, he had time to grow up a little. Obviously, he's not as mature as he should be, but it's still something
Let's hope their hatred isn't too deep and they would really help each other in serious trouble.
They may be not be best friends now, and Raphael's pride was in the way of helping, but he still can't completely not care about Leonardo.
Tequila thinks that Raphael hates him and everything and everybody close to him, so he was afraid that this hatred would make him hurt little Leo.
Tequila is trying to ignore every information about the kid and he's doing a great job xd his blindness also helps him not seeing who the child is. He could figure it out because of the similar worlds they have and Shredder's counterpart, but for some reason he doesn't even think about that his family might have counterparts too. He's ignorant, he's just focusing on what's happening with him. He doesn't even want to think about the kid. He really doesn't want any connection between himself and the child... oh, if he knew... :")
Thank you for the review, and don't worry you are not hurtful but helpful.
I hope you are still interested in this story ^^"
Winter Schmidt: Hi, thank you! I won't stop writing this, I was just on a break
.-I don't own the characters-.
please, leave a review if you have some time :)
