Sorry for the delay folks! I hope to have this story completed within the next couple of weeks. There are three more chapters to go after this one. See? I said this was a short one! Anyway, please read and enjoy and thanking everyone so far who has commented, fav'd and/or followed this story. It really means a lot to me! :D
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Chapter 4 Half Truths
Raphael didn't know wether to be relieved or concerned when Leo returned to the dojo without Donnie. He felt an unwanted tension grip his chest as his older brother approached them.
"Where is Donatello, Leonardo?"
Leo seemed rather hesitant and unsure about himself. Raphael started. Good grief! Was he about to lie again?
Leo twisted his hands together almost anxiously and valiantly tried to keep eye contact with Master Splinter but kept breaking away. "He- ah, he said he wasn't feeling all that great Sensei."
Raph's bright green eyes flicked up at Splinter's, his brow furrowed not able to read his father's expression at all. Even he knew Leo was covering for Donnie, but covering for what? Did the little coward actually spill his guts to Leo and beg him not to say anything? A small scowl found it's way onto his face. Well, he was going to have another 'chat' with the little tattle tale as soon as he could.
Splinter canted his head ever so slightly, stroking his beard twice before giving his answer. "Very well Leonardo," he then looked over all of them. "You're dismissed for the day my sons. I have things that I must attend to."
With that their father swept out of the room, leaving the brothers looking extremely puzzled. Raph shook his head to recollect his thoughts. "Hey Leo, what did Donnie say to you?"
A slight furrow creased Leonardo's brow. "Not much, why?"
"Nothin', just curious," Raph replied haltingly.
Leo's eyes narrowed in suspicion before taking Mikey's arm to lead them both out of the dojo. "C'mon Mikey."
"What's wrong with Donnie?" Raph overheard his baby brother ask.
"Said he wasn't feeling well," was all Raphael caught before they both were out of earshot.
Raph bunched his fists together as he glared at the floor. Even though his older brother said nothing he certainly knew something. Damn it! What did that little squint say?!
The boy barrelled into the main living area and came to abrupt halt as he saw Master Splinter enter Donnie's lab. Raph's heart starting hammering afresh and he pounded up the steps just as the door closed behind his father. No! Donnie was going to drop him right in it if he was alone with sensei but there was no way he was going to stride right in there either.
Raph fretted, clenching and unclenching his fists outside the lab door. Finally deciding he pressed an ear to the door and tried to listen to what was being said. It was incredibly muffled much to his frustration. He strained to hear but to no avail, it was simply impossible. A slight cough sounded behind him and Raph whipped around to see Leo glaring at him.
"Alright Raph, what are you up to?!"
Raph bristled. "Mind your own business Leo!" he snapped back.
"You're up to something and I want to know what!"
"Just get lost Leo!"
The door to the lab sudden opened and a strident voice echoed across the expanse. "Yame! What is all this noise about?" their father demanded.
Leonardo looked shamefully at the floor. "Apologies sensei, I-I didn't mean to raise my voice."
Splinter's piercing gaze swept across to Raph's and he felt himself pale from the intense glower. "Just a, misunderstandin' sensei," he uttered, unable to look the tall rat in the eye.
"A misunderstanding is all it better be Raphael," Splinter warned. He stared down at him, as if he was reading every stance of his body pulled and twitch his expression made.
Raph felt his feet shift with involuntary nervousness.
Master Splinter final broke his scrutiny and cleared his throat. "I suggest you both find something to occupy yourselves with, away from Donatello's Laboratory. No disturbances from either of you. Is that understood?"
"Hai sensei," the pair said in unison.
With a curt nod Splinter swept away leaving the two older brothers staring after him. Their eyes suddenly met and Leo's narrowed. It was a look that said, 'This isn't over, trust me.' Raph glared back. Neither said a word. Leonardo finally turned about and left.
Raphael felt himself bristle. With a look alone Leonardo knew exactly how to ruffle his feathers. He just had to know something! Donatello had to have said something to him, Raph just knew it. And goodness knew what he'd blabbed to sensei too. He glanced across the main living area. Master Splinter was nowhere in sight and Leonardo was now playing one of the video games with Michelangelo. He took a breath and silently ran up the steps to Donnie's Lab, blatantly defying his father's warning but right now following the rules was at the bottom of Raphael's agenda. He had a certain know it all brother that had to be put in his place.
Raph hefted the door with an ominous metal squeal, slipped inside and shut the heavy barrier behind him as he glowered across the chamber. Donnie was sitting at his workbench, dwarfed by the dimensions of his reclaimed computer chair despite his height. Upon hearing the door sound he silently inclined his head.
"Sensei?" he uttered.
"Guess again pipsqueak," Raph growled.
He saw Donnie freeze and then slowly glance over his shoulder. His chestnut red eyes were as wide as saucers. He looked absolutely terrified.
'Well, so he should be,' Raph thought. He cracked his knuckles and approached Donnie like a wolf stalking a baby deer.
"Raph, wh-what do you want?" he asked fearfully.
"We're going to have a little chat Donnie," Raphael said darkly.
Donnie just sat frozen in his chair like a rabbit caught in the headlights of an oncoming juggernaut.
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A few minutes before….
Donnie clambered up into his computer chair with an uncertain wobble but recovered as he sat himself down and pulled various circuit boards toward himself. He sniffed and absently rubbed the back of his hand over his tearstained cheeks. This was the only way he could attempt to forget about the happenings of the day so far, set his mind onto one of his projects. He was examining the wirings when he heard the door sound behind him.
For a moment his heart leapt in his chest and he swivelled his chair around. "Leo?"
Closing the door behind themselves was a tall and dominating figure and Donnie's heart sank, accompanied by a burgeoning sense of unease. His father was probably here to demand why he hadn't returned to the dojo with Leonardo. More likely reprimand him for defying his father in the first place. The wretchedness he had just felt only minutes before started rising again and he swivelled his chair back round and looked away, staring down at his workbench, clenching and unclenching his fists as he fought the unwanted swelling that returned to his throat.
"Donatello."
Donnie dipped his head lower over his workstation, trying to make himself look as small as possible to shrink out of sight.
"Turn about and face me my son."
Donnie found himself shaking his head, once more defying Splinter. He felt a burning behind his eyes and he bit his bottom lip.
"Donatello?" a pause. "Look at me my son," came the gentle words, the last tone of voice he expected to hear.
"I-I can't," he all but whispered.
"Oh, why is that? Does something ail you my child?"
In that moment Donnie wanted to tell his father everything but that green fire that had ignited in Raphael's eyes in the dojo burned into his mind and he couldn't. He just couldn't. Donnie sat there, shaking his head, hands slipping onto his lap. "N-no sensei," he whimpered.
He felt Splinter rest a hand on the back of his chair and slowly he was turned around to face the gentle features of his father. Donnie instantly looked away, unable to look his sensei in the eye. "Donatello, what is wrong?"
"N-Nothing," he said in a small voice.
Splinter reached out and caught a light finger under his chin and finally coaxed him to look up. He could feel his eyes well up despite his efforts to stop it. "My son, whatever it is, I promise, I will not get angry."
A small sob escaped before he could swallow it back down and a rogue tear tumbled down an olive cheek. He scrunched his eyes shut with a sudden self loathing. "I-I'm sorry sensei," he murmured.
Splinter canted his head. "What are you sorry for Donatello?"
"F-for saying no, f-for running away. I-I didn't want to fight Raphael again. H-he scared me," Donnie suddenly clamped a hand to mouth. Oh god! Was that saying too much? Did he just give too much away? Several more tears broke free and he squeezed his eyes shut again. The tension gripped his chest like a vice and already he could feel the fear begin to pool inside him again.
A gentle finger brushed the tears away. "Donatello, I am sorry."
Glistening mahogany eyes blinked open at the unexpected apology.
"I shouldn't have forced you to do something you clearly did not want to do," his father cupped the side of his face with his hand as he slowly rose back to his feet. "Take courage next time my son. You have so much potential inside of you."
Loud voices were sudden raised just outside his lab door and for a moment Donnie blanched. He saw Splinter frown slightly. "I will tell your brothers to give you some 'space' as they put it, for the rest of the day. Yes?"
"Hai sensei," Donnie said quietly. He peered up, "thank you father."
Splinter presented him with a soft smile. "You are welcome Donatello."
With that Splinter exited the room and Donnie winced as he heard him reprimand the two arguing brothers. With a sigh he turned back to his workbench, looking over the various pieces that he needed to construct his laptop. He heard the door sound again, and slightly confused he inclined his head. He was a little surprised that Splinter had decided to return.
"Sensei?" he uttered.
"Guess again pipsqueak."
Donnie caught his breath and woodenly glanced over his shoulder. He swallowed nervously, not liking the stance or tone of voice his older brother was using as he stood menacingly in front of his only escape. Oh no. He must have overheard the conversation he'd had with Splinter. The poor boy felt himself grow cold.
"Raph, wh-what do you want?"
"We're going to have a little chat Donnie."
Donatello's heart was suddenly beating a mile a minute and for some unfathomable reason he couldn't move. He was rooted to the spot. Even as Raphael seized the edge of his chair and spun him round, causing him to grip the seat, he stayed frozen.
"Alright brainiac, spill. What did'ja say to Leo? What did'ja tell Master Splinter?"
For a moment Donnie could only shake his head.
This only seemed to infuriate Raphael further and he roughly shook the chair that he still had hold of. "Tell me what you said Donnie!" he spat at him.
Donatello felt himself involuntarily start to quiver. Good grief, Raph looked ready to rend him limb by limb. He tore his tongue down, that had become glued to the roof of his mouth and forced himself to speak. "I-I didn't say anything Raph," he stammered.
"Don't lie to me gap tooth! Leo knows somethin' and Master Splinter told us to keep away from you, so must have said something!"
"B-but I didn't!" Donnie protested. "All, all I said was that I wasn't feeling all that great," Raphael eyed him closely as if evaluating if he was telling the truth or not. He swallowed down the nervous knot in his throat and attempted to push himself further into his chair.
Raphael seemed to perceive this as a declaration of guilt because without warning he grabbed Donnie by the ankles and dragged him off of his perch. The poor boy yelped as his head bounced off the seat and he landed with a horrible 'bump!' on the cold hard floor.
"So help me, I swear if you've said anythin'-"
"Raph please! I-I haven't said a word to anyone, I swear!" he bleated helplessly. "All-all I said to Master Splinter wa-was that y-you scared me, ba-back in the dojo! That's it!"
Raph's acidic green eyes narrowed and after a moment's contemplation he seized the front of Donnie's plastron and hauled him in close. "That's all it better be wimpzilla," he growled before throwing him back down and adding in a swift kick to his chest for good measure.
"Raph! What the heck are you doing?!"
Donnie groaned inwardly, raising a hand to conceal half his face as Leo appeared out of nowhere. His oldest brother's flipping stealth was improving everyday it seemed. Neither of them heard him open the door.
"Back off teacher's pet!" was Raphael expected, belligerent response.
"I don't know what's going on, but leave Donnie alone!"
As glad as Donatello was to see Leo, his timing was rotten. His instinctive nature had caught wind that something was wrong and even though he was clueless to what that was, Donnie was sure Leonardo was going to be pretty much glued to his side until he found out the truth. Keeping quiet had suddenly become a whole lot harder.
"I'm finished here anyway," Raph snapped.
Leo shouldered past Raphael to reach him but a helping hand was the last thing that Donnie wanted. As his oldest brother crouched to assist him, Donnie snatched his arm away from him.
"Donnie, you okay?"
Despite the guilt he felt earlier about sending Leo away the first time, this time Donnie bristled. He hated being perceived as the 'weakest' one out of his brothers and although he knew Leo meant no offence by his words, Donnie just snapped. With Raph physically hounding him to keep a stupid secret that he would have kept regardless and Leo on a sudden crusade to look out for him, he had simply had enough.
"I'm fine!" he burst out with. "Just leave me alone!"
He noted Raph's quirked eye ridge and Leo's startled expression. He dragged himself up, knocking away Leo's outstretched hand with a grimace. "Will you please just get out and leave me alone!" Where his voice came from he didn't know, Donnie just knew that he hadn't been this angry and upset a day in his young life.
There was a sudden sharp crack of a familiar cane on the floor and silence descended across the lab. "What is the meaning of this?" Master Splinter demanded.
"I-I heard voices so I came in," Leo immediately admitted bowing his head. "I'm sorry sensei."
Raphael was obviously less forth coming and just glared at the ground, probably angry that he got caught.
"I told both of you to stay away from Donatello's laboratory for the rest of the day and it takes you less than ten minutes to disobey me?" Splinter admonished the two older siblings.
Both brothers now had their sights set on the floor and Donnie watch silently as Splinter swept a hand towards the lab's exit. "Dojo, both of you, now!" he ordered sharply.
Donatello watched mutely as Splinter swept out behind the pair as they shuffled out and briefly glanced back before he left. "I am sorry Donatello," he said quietly. "We will leave you in peace."
Donnie nodded in reply and turned about to return to his workbench as he heard the door squeal shut. He clambered awkwardly into his chair feeling the ache in his chest where he was pretty certain Raph had bruised his ribs. He momentarily held an arm across his plastron and stared down at the pieces of his unmade laptop. The boy reached out for a circuit board, and his vision abruptly blurred as the dormant lump in his throat returned with avengence.
Donatello blinked furiously, struggling to push the unwanted tears back where they came from. His breast jolted from a surprise sob of frustration and he scrunched his eyes shut as the building anguish burnt from the corners of his eyes, forcing their way free despite his efforts to stop them. "Leave me alone!" he growled at the wetness that began to slide across his olive cheeks. He scrubbed a furious hand across his eyes but still they wouldn't relent. A secondary sob of desperation heaved at his chest and escaped up his throat. "No, no, no, NO! Stop it!" Donnie thrust a fist to his mouth but the mess of conflicted emotions inside him won out.
Donnie slammed his hands against his workstation with an angry shout and swept them across scattering his carefully acquired circuit boards onto the floor with an unforgiving clatter. Still fighting the sobs and the wretched tears, the boy collapsed, his head falling against his folded arms. Why, oh why was he the weak one?
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