Chapter Four: As Life Goes On
(Don's POV)
I'm not sure about all the details, but apparently Leo caught Mikey sneaking out of the Lair to go topside for something. I can't seem to get either Mikey or Leo to tell me everything about what happened, but I did notice the change in behavior.
Of course, Mikey's been kinder and more eager to be around me as of late. I don't mind of course. Any chance to be near my brothers was one I would take, even if it meant having to put up with a lot of Mikey's babble. So it surprised me when the next morning after practice when Leo asked Mikey to stay in the dojo after practice was over. They stayed there for another two hours before Mikey finally trudged out and plopped down on a seat at the table.
I had decided to wait for him since I knew he was hungry and would want some company while he ate. However, it seemed like my little brother was doing everything to avoid my eyes, instead finding interest in some of the many watermarks on the table. It was strange to see that after being so open for the last few months, Michelangelo was shutting up like a clam at the moment. To say I was worried and curious would be an understatement.
After a few moments of awkward silence, we finally managed a small conversation. I noticed that every once in a while, Mike would look over his shoulder, as if he expected something or someone to appear. I could tell by his expression that he was stressed by it, so I said nothing about it.
After Mikey was done eating, he excused himself, which REALLY surprised me, and quickly retreated to his room, locking the door behind him. I was quickly becoming concerned for my little brother.
And then Leo exited the dojo as well. I had already started a kettle of herbal tea for him, to which his mumbled a quick thank you before pouring a cupful. I watched as he showed similar behavioral patterns as Mikey, avoiding my eyes, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, and not talking to me. I frowned at that, because it seemed that whatever was causing them to act like this, it had to do with last night.
I tried to get Leo to talk, jokingly asking him what kind of workout he made Mikey do for him to have acted the way he did. All I got in response was a shrug before Leo gulped down the rest of his tea and left the kitchen, quietly thanking me again for making it.
Now I was miffed. It was so unlike my brothers to act so isolated. Well...Leo and Mikey, that is. I had to know what was bothering them so that I could analyze the situation and fix it. That was two weeks ago. I still have no clue what exactly is keeping Mikey from coming into my lab, or why Leo is avoiding me as much as possible.
Master Splinter has been getting better to an extent. Most of the fluids in his lungs have finally drained and his sinuses seem to have have cleared, but he is still showing other symptoms. He still has a terrible cough, severe headaches, and sometimes extreme fatigue. Needless to say, I've had my nose shoved in a medical book every chance I had. Father seemed to have passed the pride he once had when this all started. Now he does whatever I tell him. I'm trying my best to think positive as I search through all these books and websites, but there is always the reality of the situation that causes me to stumble as I work.
Strong as his spirit may be, Master Splinter is very old. And I don't mean old as in grandfather old. Sensei was already an adult when we were mutated, and the average lifespan of even rats in captivity is four to five years at best. Splinter was at least four times older then that, which while it may not be much to us, is like decades to him. I always knew that we would outlive our father, not just because we are younger, but because of the life expectancy of our species. Afterall, the average lifespan of a turtle has so far been recorded as eighty years, give or take.
I think that the others are starting to sense it as well. Leo has started spending more time with Splinter as a method of trying to avoid me. Raph has been a bit quieter for the last few days. His temper hasn't been as short and he too would try to spend time with Splinter as well. Mikey was a real sweetheart about it. Even though he was still jumpy around me, he still tried to cheer us up and would spend sometimes hours preparing special meals for Master Splinter that I have to approve.
I've called April and told her about the situation, and she now comes down at least once a day to help out with just about anything. Sometimes its helping me give Splinter antibiotics, and sometimes its something as simple as helping Mikey with dinner or doing the laundry. I smile when I remember how it was things like this that made me love her so much. I never regret having a crush on April, and even though I've moved on, I still admire her greatly.
It seems that my mind has answered my request to dream of being with my brothers since I cannot do so in reality. Every night for the past few months, I've been having very vivid wet dreams involving me and all three of my brothers. I used to be a bit of an insomniac, but now, I look forward to going to bed every night. Sometimes I'm even excited when I get into bed and have to take care of myself, which actually wears me out enough to put me to sleep.
Because of these dreams, I've had a bit more trouble acting normal around my brothers. My mind has come up with so many scenarios that almost everything they do reminds me of these dreams. I'd write about in my journal, but I haven't been able to find it for the last few days. I'm not really worried about it though. I lose stuff like that all the time and I always find it on my desk or behind a computer.
Believe it or not, Raphael and I have had a lot of time to bond lately. It does seem logical, considering that Leonardo and Michelangelo still have trouble speaking to me. We've had a lot of time to work on the Shell cycle and the Shellraiser, and I can tell that we are both pleased with our progress.
"How long do ya think he's got?" Raph quietly asked one evening as we were rotating the tires on the Shellraiser. I sat up and frowned.
"Who?"
"Masta Splinta. How long d'ya think he's got before..." He didn't have the courage to say it, and frankly, neither did I. Thinking about Master Splinter's death was not something I enjoyed thinking about. "D'ya think he's gonna make Leo da new Masta?" Raph added, a frown on his face. I wasn't exactly sure how to answer.
"I um, I'm not sure..." I mumbled as he looked up at me, those golden orbs staring into my very soul. "P-Possibly another few months..." The gaze broke as Raphael looked away again, a look of worry and...perhaps regret written on his face.
"He knows he's dyin'..." he mumbled, "I can tell by da way he acts when I talk ta him..."
"Raphael..."
"I get dat ya don't wanna talk about it. What wit ya bein' da one dat's takin' care of him..." My tongue turned to lead inside of my mouth as he spoke. It seems fit that my brother that acts before he thinks would be the first to confront me on my personal views concerning Splinter's health. Even so, similar to Raphael, I hate being pitied for any reason.
"I've been quite confident in my ability to sort out personal attachments and cold, hard facts, Raphael" I finally managed to rasp out. The way his face twisted into a look of annoyance displayed my brother's hesitancy to accept what I had said as a viable answer.
"Look, I get dat yer sad, Don. But don't go n'think ya gotta be dis unmovable rock ta try n'prove a point." The statement ignited something in my belly, a fire of offense and annoyance that had been stoked by his words.
I was about to snap back at Raph sarcastically when he suddenly placed a hand on my own, causing my breath to hitch. I could only pray that he didn't notice. The feel of my brother's calloused palm against the back of my hand quickly changed that deep fire, tending at it and prodding it.
My heart was racing as I stared at our joined hands before my eyes met golden pools. We held each other's gaze for far longer then what someone normally would, and I was perfectly fine with that. It was like I could sense his very being through those gorgeously handsome eyes. It was difficult to swallow the lump in my throat as I felt the heat radiating from his hand against the back of my hand.
It was like I was falling in love with Raphael all over again.
Unfortunately, it was at that moment that we heard Michelangelo yelling for me, saying that Leonardo had touched the toaster and now it wasn't working. Raphael suddenly broke the contact and turned away from me.
"Ya should go see what's up. He ain't gonna leave you alone until ya do." I wanted so badly to object, to tell him just how much I had enjoyed the close contact; but instead, I silently grabbed my to-go tool kit and headed out without a word, cursing myself for being so craven on what had happened.
I was so confused and upset by it that I didn't even notice that Michelangelo was talking to me for the first time in a week.
Dinner was quiet that night and it was killing me. Splinter was still having trouble breathing, so he only spoke when he needed to. Leonardo was still ignoring me of course, and was content with simply eating. Mikey was as noisy as ever as he slurped his miso soup, but wasn't speaking either. And Raph... Raph wasn't even there. He was...but he also wasn't.
He had this blank look on his face as he ate, staring down at the table. I frowned at the silence but didn't try to break it. I was too tired to even try.
I stared at the ceiling as I tried to collect my thoughts. My eyes were so heavy, but I just couldn't sleep. What meaning was their behind Raphael's gesture? We had been so close; I honestly had to fight the nerve to lean over and kiss him. I had never know my hotheaded brother to be openly affectionate in the way he had been with me. Usually it was a pat on the shell or a lighthearted punch to the shoulder, but never holding hands.
I'm probably just over thinking this again. It obviously couldn't have a deeper meaning and I'm reading too much into it. For all I know, Raphael was just performing a normal, platonic, brotherly gesture to comfort another brother. Sensei is right - for someone so smart, the obvious has a way of eluding me...
I have to sleep. I have to. No amount to brainstorming and planning is going to make this go away tonight. I just can't lie here staring at the damn ceiling! And besides, the last thing I need is to be tired tomorrow. As Mikey has pointed out on numerous occasions, I'm a bitch when I'm tired.
God, I want him to call me his bitch.
Dear Lord, I'm sick.
This morning as been quite eventful so far. I was woken up by my children kicking at my stomach, ready to start the day and not compliant with sleeping in. I spent a good half and hour just lying there and rubbing my bulging belly with a smile on my face. I still don't remember when I had started to show, but I suppose it is expected when you're pregnant with quadruplets.
After standing up and stretching, I headed out towards the kitchen to sooth my babies' hunger. Surprisingly enough, my back and ankles weren't sore and I didn't feel off balance. I vaguely remember Michelangelo telling me that I 'glowed with life'. The idea itself made me giggle as I entered the kitchen and gathered the ingredients I required to make my breakfast.
Fifteen minutes and three close calls later, I had finally finish making my fruit bowl and toast. The fruit was delicious and I think I remembered to thank April for getting them when she came back to visit. I was so caught up in the euphoria the taste of the food brought to my senses that I didn't notice that someone else had entered the kitchen until I felt two strong, firm hands grip my shoulders.
"Good morning" the voice said with a deep rumble, sending shivers down my spine. "How are you all feeling this morning?" He whispered as he ran a hand over my belly.
"Just fine. They're really hungry this morning" I manage to stutter out as those hands continued to feel me up. I watched as leaf green fingers ran along my stretched plastron and along my thighs. I repressed a churr as best I could as he cupped my crotch. His other hand slowly crept down my carapace until he reached the lip of my shell. I wanted so badly for him to do something, when he suddenly took my tail in between his fingers and pinched it hard. I whined and squirmed in my seat as I tried to gain more of the pleasure.
"Come out to the den" he whispered in my ear as he pulled me out of the chair. I could only nod dumbly as I stood up before feeling pressure around my neck. Self consciously, I raised a hand up to feel what was a leather collar with a copper buckle and loop. When did that get there?
A hard yank pulled me out of my thoughts as Leonardo attached a leash to the loop and tugged me out into the den. My heart was racing and I bit my cheek when I saw Raphael and Michelangelo sitting on the couch.
"Look who finally woke up" Mikey said with a smile, his baby blue eyes bright with happiness.
"Ya spend so much time in dere dat I wonder if yer jus' sleepin" Raph chuckled as Leo walked me down to the couch. I turned to sit down in between him and Mikey when I felt a harsh yank on my collar.
"And what are you doing?" Leo asked with a raised eyebrow, his grip tight on the leash. I frowned with confusion before answering.
"I um...I was going to sit down?" That earned me another hard pull.
"You know that pets don't sit on the couch" Leo said sternly, "If you want to sit, you sit on the floor where you belong." My eyes widened at his words before another pair of hands grabbed my shoulders and pushed me down on the floor in front of the couch. I looked up and saw Michelangelo smiling down at me.
"You're already so big" he giggled as he ran a hand over my huge stomach. "Still find it hard to believe that my baby's in there."
"Same" Raph agreed as he watched Michelangelo run his hands over my bulging belly.
"They woke him up this morning" Leo commented, "Apparently they've made him hungry." For some reason, that caused a wicked grin to spread across Raphael's lips.
"Dey did, huh?" He said with a hint of eagerness in his tone, "Are ya still hungry, Donnie-boy?~" My heart was racing at the obvious innuendo as I stared up at him. What was happening here?
"It's rude to stare, Donatello" I heard Leonardo say as he pulled Mikey away from me. I shuddered as I watched Leonardo hand Raphael the leash before he disappeared behind me with Michelangelo. Raph grinned almost evilly as he pulled the leash, forcing me to move towards him.
"Ya look so good on yer hands n knees~" he said with a purr, "Right where ya belong~" I squirmed around in place as I peered up at him, his words having a physical affect on my body. He pulled again on my leash until I was in between his legs.
"Feel like helpin' me out?~" he churred as he pet my head, pushing my face towards his lower plastron. My eyes widened as I neared the slit in his plastron. I had no idea why my brothers were acting like this...but honestly? I didn't care.
I smiled up at Raphael and bit my lower lip. Leaning forward, I stuck out my tongue and painted a wet stripe over the sensitive tissue. This caused a shudder to ricochet down Raph's spine as he tightened his grip on the back of my mask. Many small licks followed after that until a bulge formed in his plastron. It honestly surprised me just how easy it was for me to get Raphael so aroused.
Soon enough, he dropped down for me, his length throbbing in front of my face. I moaned at the sight of him - He's just as big as I imagined he was. His length was just so perfect that I had to reach out and touch him. Unfortunately, Raphael's hand grabbed my wrist before I could do so.
"Ya said you were hungry" he said with a smile before presenting himself, "So eat up~."
I shuddered at the order and did as I was told. Leaning in, I swiped my tongue over the tip of his length, licking up the precum I knew was beading there. He tasted like every exotic and spicy herb I'd ever had. Raphael obviously approved because of how tight he was gripping the back of my head and I smiled at that. I ran my tongue along his erection to gain other reactions from him. Raphael purred and grunted as he fought to stay still, but I could tell how much he wanted to thrust up into my mouth.
I grinned and decided to indulge him a bit. Sitting up on my knees, I leaned forward and took the head into my mouth.
"Hnng, shit Donnie!" He grunted as he leaned his head back. This was just like I pictured it. Raphael purring like a machine, completely at my mercy as I pleasure him.
I continued to taste him, swirling my tongue around the tip and bobbing my head further and further in order to take in more of his length. Soon enough, I was swallowing his entire length, my nose pressing against his plastron every time I took him in my mouth. Everything I did earned a new sound from Raphael as he fought to keep control.
It was like he was my own personal instrument and I was playing our favorite song.
Suddenly, Raphael took my head into his hand and began thrusting up into my mouth, choking me with his cock. I moaned and relaxed my throat as I allowed him to use me. I could feel how his length was pulsing and knew he was close to finishing. I wanted it. I wanted to taste his seed so badly. I wanted to feel it rush into my mouth and feel it crawl down my throat. Raphael grunted and held my head even tighter as he neared his climax.
So close...So close...
I woke up with a gasp, my heart thudding harshly in my chest. My legs felt like jelly and my brow was moist with sweat. I sat up slightly and pulled back the sheets, frowning when I saw the mess all over my bed and my plastron.
It was just a dream. A very vivid one, but still just a dream. I shouldn't be surprised though. The only way I'll ever be with my brothers in that way is in my mind...
I looked over at my alarm clock and read the blinking 5:45 AM on the screen. Might as well get up. Everyone else will be up in about ten minutes, and I'd rather not explain to my family why I'm washing my sheets again.
I stretched before getting up and bunching up my sheets. I then snuck into the laundry room and started the load of wash before quickly heading to the bathroom to shower. I quickly locked the door and started the shower, jumping in while it was still cold.
I can't keep doing this. It has to stop. If I don't stop now, my brothers are going to find out, and I don't even know what I'll do then.