Title: Validation
Summary: Never the perfect son or student or brother, Raphael does the unthinkable. Away from the lair and into an allegiance with Shredder, honor is replaced by his pronounced desire for validation.
Disclaimer: I have no ownership ties to the TMNT fandom or anything else I might reference. Credit to those who do.
SPECIAL THANKS TO! Bella13blue, my own personal Nemesis! (Because everybody needs one.) MY Nemesis has been a good friend; she's a great soundboard and has been kind enough to encourage and offer suggestions on my work for this fic.
Author's Notes: *headdesk* Alright, this chapter and the next couple are short. Heck, they were drafted and written all as one chapter with line/break/spaces in between the scenes, but after completing the chapter and looking it over, I decided that I didn't like how it was split up. In the end, I just took the scenes and split them into individual short chapters. One good thing about that, is that a few updates will be close together. And, here pretty soon, we'll finally get some plot progression going. I can't wait for that. I've got the scenes in my head and the outlines started. I just need to be patient and not rush into them.
Questions or comments, submit via review or PM. Thank you.
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CH 42
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air played with the volume on low.
Two plastic bowls, rested on the coffee table, each partly filled with milk and a silver spoon. Beside the bowls was a now-empty box that had been unopened until the two hungry turtles got their 3-fingered mits on it.
Raphael wiped a dribble of milk from his chin with the back of his hand while Mikey allowed his own little mess of calcium to rest around his mouth. When Raph gave him an awkward glance, Mikey simply responded with: "What? It's totally a milk mustache, dude."
To that, the older turtle rolled his eyes but let out a good natured chuckle all the same. "Hey, Mikey," he said suddenly, capturing the younger mutant's attention in an instant. Once those blue eyes were focused solely on him, he asked: "Did ya hear 'bout that scarecrow who got an award?"
Mikey looked puzzled. "No?"
A sly grin slowly crossed Raph's face as he said: "He was... outstanding in the field."
Mikey stared blankly for a whopping three seconds before he burst into a fit o giggles. "I get it! Outstanding. And, out... standing!" His body shook with the force of his amusement, and Raph placed a firm hand on the lip of the younger turtle's carapace to steady him. "Heh, thanks, bro. You're the best. Now, I've got a joke for you! -Did I ever tell you about the time I played Strip Poker with a nudist?"
Raph shook his head, waiting for some goofy answer or another.
But all Mikey supplied was: "Okay, it's not a joke, but it's funny. I was playing with Donnie, only, it was regular Poker, but I like to think of it as Strip Poker because we were totally naked anyways."
Raph shook his head. "Nice try, but it don't work that way."
"How would you know, Raphie?"
"I've played."
Mike's eyes bulged and his face split into a wide, excitable grin. "Details, bro. Details."
"Ya sure, Knucklehead? I played with Hobo-Joe."
Mike's excitement vanished, replaced by a look of sheer terror. "Ughhh. You're serious? Like, what's he-? How does-?" He frowned in a mix of disgust and confusion before finally voicing: "Is he like blubber? What's his boobs look like? Because, he's totally got man-boobs. Do they jiggle? I mean, like, we've all seen Casey shirtless, but he's all... flat and-"
Raph barked out his own bit of laughter before stating: "I'm just yankin' yer chain. Gosh, you're gullible."
"Am not."
"Are too."
"Am not."
"If ya look in the dictionary under the word 'gullible', there's literally a picture of ya."
Mikey crossed his arms and smirked, silent for a moment while he tried to flaunt some form of imaginary triumph. "Dude, that joke is so old."
To which, Raph countered: "Yo momma's so old."
And Mikey: "Oh, yeah? Well, your face!"
"You're such a goofball."
"And you're a muscle-butt!"
"Shell-fer-brains."
"Dildo!"
"Mikey!" Raph gasped out indignantly, caught up in the moment as he nearly choked on surprise and laughter. Nearly doubled over, he guffawed until his eyes watered.
The younger reptile just continued to smile broadly, a warm feeling spreading in his chest as he inwardly rejoiced the fact that Raphael -for the first time in ages- had finally addressed him as Mikey. For a moment, he honestly wanted to comment on it, but after a brief ponder, he decided that drawing attention to the small fact would likely be counter-productive. So, instead, he opted to give playful punch to Raph's arm and stuck his tongue out in jest.
Sitting back comfortably and stretching out, Raph's amber gaze rolled up to look at the ceiling as a gentle smile tugged at his lips. "I've missed this," he whispered under his breath. The confession had been quiet but monumental.
If possible, Mikey's own smile brightened even more.
...
[This was painfully short, but if I'd made it longer, I would have risked cheapening the moment. -Next chapter done. Will be posted soon.]