Warning: A lot of swearing, self-harm
Leo brought his two younger brothers to the couch, the orange turtle to his right and his purple brother to his left, while he wrapped his protective arms around them—neither of them wanting to let go of the comfort of one another. It has always been four turtles, ever since they were little baby turtles until now; it's always been four.
They don't want to think about it when four turns to three.
"L-Leo…" Mikey stammers, letting out a few sad hiccups.
"Yeah, Mikey?" Leo pulls him closer, a way of saying, "I'm still here, little brother."
"R-Raph…" He voices his name, a cry for help. "Where is he, Leo..? Where is he?!" He sobs louder, his tears erupting from his eyes like an active volcano. Leo wishes he knew. Never once has he wanted to be a god, but if it could help answer his little brother's worries, bring Raphael back to them, and glue this family back together, then shell he would have taken his chance in a second. "Leo… Where is he…?"
"I… I don't know, Mikey…" He tries to be strong, but eventually, his own grieving tears fall down his face. God… if this is how they react to their missing brother, what if they find him dead, or worse, don't find a body at all, just a full assumption that they will never see their brother again. They wouldn't have a proper burial for him—they would have to live their lives without him while he rots away in who knows where; an alley? A forest? An abandon house? Maybe the garbage bins or the disgusting toilets? It's just not fair…
Leo notices that Donnie hasn't said a word. When upset, Donnie is one who doesn't use words to express his emotions. His struggle to comprehend his feelings is almost as bad as Raph's. Maybe that's why Raph and Donnie understand each other the most.
Leo tightens his hold on his little brother, pushing his head closer to the crook of his neck. "I-It's going to be okay…" he whispers. Donnie's lips are shut, no words can describe how terrified he is. All he can let out is whimpers of grief. That is enough for Leo to understand; he doesn't need to say anything.
"But… What if it's not…?" Leo's eyes move to Mikey, a little shocked to hear such a question from his enthusiastic baby brother.
"What do you mean?" he questions.
"W-What… What if it's not going to be okay…? What if Splinter doesn't find Raph?… What happens to our family?…" Both brothers can hear his voice breaking. His usually joyous energy isn't spewing out like it's supposed to be. Leo hates it.
Leo holds them tighter, clenching his eyes shut, so scared that if he lets go, he's going to lose another brother. He knows what's going to happen. Their family will never be the same. They're going to have a hole that no matter what they do or who they replace it with, it's never going to fix it. Because that part of their family only belongs to their hot-headed, passionate, protective, strong brother.
The one who hates mornings. The one who hates hugs and kisses. The one who is absolutely obsessed with 'The Nightwatcher Vigilante.' The artist and musician of the family. The one who is secretly a softie for animals. The one who will complain to Leo for watching Space Heroes but yet still continues to watch it with him because Leo had a tough day in training and he wants Leo to enjoy himself. The one who teases his little brothers but will also throw himself into danger if it means protecting them. The one who protects Mikey from nightmares. The one that can comfort Donnie and understand him the best in his lowest. The one that Leo can call equal; his driving force to become a better person. But most importantly, he's their brother. Nothing can replace him in his place.
A lonely tear drags down Leo's cheek. He flutters his eyes open, so glassy and red that it hurts to cry even more. But yet, Leo still continues. He can't stop. The fear is consuming him. It's consuming all of them. I have to be strong… he reminds himself.
He's yet to answer Mikey's question. And to be honest, if he could have all the time in the world, he probably would never answer it. But he has to. For better or worse…
"I…" Leo finally replies, "I'm sorry, Mikey… But I don't know…" He feels Mikey's shoulders tense in his arms. "But… No matter what, we're all going to do this together… And I won't leave your side… Both of you…"
"Promise?…" Donnie finally speaks up, his voice so sad and strained it sounds like it took effort for him to speak.
Leo moves his gaze to Donatello, a little shocked to hear his voice again.
He smiles softly at him, "I promise…"
He can feel his purple-masked brother's lips curling up, "Good… I won't leave you too…"
"Me too!" Mikey cries out, tightening his arms even more. "I won't leave any of you!"
Both brothers huff out a chuckle. "And I won't leave you too… Shell-for-brains…" Donnie mumbles, reaching his arm out to wrap around his younger brother.
They all stay there, no one knows how long, but they will stay in each other's arms for however long they want.
The needle sewing back his skin together did give him some room to breathe. But yet his heart still sinks when he realizes that he's forever going to have that scar for the rest of his life.
Raph doesn't know how long they have been poking around his organs, or sketching out his body like it's the Mona Lisa, or staring in awe with their new found discovery, but Raph doesn't care. He doesn't wanna know how long he has been toyed like a doll.
A doll that can break and then put back together like nothing has happen; but he's not a doll. He's a real life mutant turtle, one that is living and has a life. At least did have one. He's not something they can be teared apart and then put back together again. He's forever going to have a scar as a reminder. And he hates that.
After the operation has finished, Raph feels the restrains on his wirst, ankle and torso are gone. The breeze from the disappearance of his cuffs sends a surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins. A whole new wave of anger hits him. Oh you're going to FUCKING PAY FOR THIS!
On instinct, Raph punches the nearest Kraang bot, the one in charge, right in the face. He punched with such great force that it immediately smashed its whole entire face, disabling it in the process.
"THAT'S WHAT YOU GET YOU FREAK!" His anger was surging through him, he bets that even if they are robots they could still feel the fire burning hotter than lava. The rest of the Kraang attempts to hold him down, but with each punch and kick, Raph was determine to escape. To go back to his family; to see his father and brothers again. He doesn't care if he gets scolded for recklessly running away, being seen again as the problem child. Getting grounded by Splinter or getting teased by Mikey and Donnie. And then Leo's constant hovering to keep him in one place like the golden child he is. He just wants to go back. But his movements were so limited.
His whole body aches as he tries to dodge an attack, which would've been so easy to avoid if he wasn't in such pain. He got struck in the head by a metal arm and he drops to the cool floor, grunting as he feels the painful stinging feeling on his chest.
"Don't struggle." The Kraang commanded, "Or else your stitches will open again."
With such— uncomfortable— ease, two Kraang bots drag Raphael by the arm as they all exit from the room. "HEY! LET GO OF ME!" He yells, but his voice is deaf to them. "I SAID LET GO OF ME!" He struggles against their tight grip, thrashing with all his might, but no matter how hard he fights, he can't break free.
In the middle of his struggle, abruptly, a large amount of forces propels him into an empty space room. It's painted in black and only brightened by a hue of purple light. He lands roughly on the ground, despite just being warned about his stitches reopening; they don't seem to care if they're the ones causing it. He groans sorely as he pushes his head up to see the Kraang, eyeing them with their unnerving pink robotic eyes, as a barrier appears between him and his captors.
"No…" He hastily gets up, ignoring the pounding against his head and the aching from his chest to torso, punching the— so obvious— indestructible glass in front of him. "YOU BASTARD!" He screams, "LET ME GO! LET ME FUCKING GO!" Jeez… if Master Splinter was here he would've scolded him for his inappropriate language. A child with a such a putty mouth. HAH! He blames his taste in movies for that, as well as The Nightwatcher Vigilante.
His eyes narrow into a menacing glare, flames burning into a fiery intensity, some might call it maniacal. His brows contort into a deep V shape and veins bulge through his arms and forehead as he bares his teeth like a wild animal. His fist trembles with pure rage as he goes for another punch. And another. And another. I'M GOING TO KILL THEM!
"HEY DO YOU HEAR ME?! GET ME OUT OF HERE BEFORE I KILL YA WITH MY BARE HANDS!" He growls loudly, there's a venom in his voice that could conflict poison into a normal human being. But these psychotic beings are soulless robots. They stare at him without a care, not a single flinch. And instead look at him with amusement.
"Interesting… normal pet turtles are not known for their hostility but yet this one doesn't fit into that category." One analyzes, crouching forward to be on the same eye level as Raph, "Are you not a pet turtle? Or do all of you mutants just have their own unique personality?"
Raph snarls dangerously at them, "Go to hell…"
The Kraang eyes him for a couple seconds before standing up straight again and ushers the other Kraangs that they needed to continue their 'business'. "HEY GET BACK HERE!" He shouts, but they do not respond.
Raph's eyes glares at them with the intensity of daggers until they vanish from his sight. He sighs, the rage still embedded inside him. He lets out a primal scream, "DAMN IT!" his fists pounding the walls in a wild, frenzied fury. "FUCK THEM!! I HATE THEM! I FUCKING HATE THEM! WHAT THE HELL DO THEY WANT?! HUH?!!" The skin from his knuckles starts to tear, blood slowly dripping to the floor, as more punches are thrown against the hard walls. "WHY ME HUH?! WHY ME?!! WHY DID IT GOTTA BE ME?! HUH UNIVERSE?!! WHY?!"
His vision has gone blurry in stinging tears but the punches haven't slowed down just yet, "TELL ME WHY?! WHY CAN'T I JUST BE IN PEACE FOR ONCE DAMN IT?! WHY CAN'T I JUST BE HAPPY?!! TO BE NORMAL!! LIKE MY BROTHERS! WHY?!"
"DAMN IT! I WANNA FUCKING DIE DAMN IT!"
Finally, he stops as his knees fall to the floor. His body crumbles to the ground, and the screaming turns to loud sobs. "Damn it… Damn it, Damn it, DAMN IT!!" He punches the floor, barely making a dent because of the hard metal. "Damn it… God damn it…" he mutters, finally the dam has broken as he warps his arms around himself digging his fingers deep into his arm. Each breath he takes is quick and it felt like it was barely enough for his lungs. There's air in here right?
Pain… He needs pain. Not from them, from himself. He needs to inflict pain on himself.
He digs them even deeper, claws piercing through his skin as blood seeps out from it. He slowly drags his claws through his arms, the cut getting bigger and redder. His breathing started to slow down, but it felt so heavy to breathe. Like the air had its own weights to it. And in that moment all that strength in him was gone.
He lets out a guttural sob, one that is raw and loud. It echoes like a haunting howl through the building, but if anyone hears, they wouldn't care. His entire body shudders with each cry, hand trembling with his nails still digging into his skin. He just needs to release some sort of relief from the overwhelming sorrow.
He crumbles deeper into the floor, unable to stabilize his body's weight anymore. He lays there, exhausted and broken, accepting his fate.
He's never getting out of here.
The three remaining brothers are now watching TV, but their minds are elsewhere. It's 9 PM. Sensei has been out since 5 AM.
As time went on, their worries grew even more. At some point, Leo even decided that he wanted to go out and look for Sensei and Raph by himself, but his brothers wouldn't let him. They cannot afford to lose another one, and Leo knew that. He understood that they needed him now. They needed their older brother more than ever. So here they are, watching TV to hopefully distract themselves from their own thoughts.
"Leo…" Leo turns his head to look at Mikey, "Yeah, Mikey?"
Mikey gazes at the ground, his eyes getting glassy from what is bothering him, "When are they coming back?…"
Leo's face saddens; he isn't sure himself. He also was wondering the same thing. "Soon, Mikey… I'm sure they will come back soon…" He tries his best to keep his voice soft and comforting, masking his own worries.
"But Leo, you said that before! They're not here yet!" Mikey whines, his frustration evident.
"I know, Mikey, but we have to stay patient. I promise Sensei is going to be fine."
"And what about Raph?"
Leo stares at him, shocked, "Huh?"
Mikey's lips quiver as he speaks, "I-Is… Is Raph going to be fine, Leo?…"
Leo's breath hitches in his throat. He couldn't answer. Nothing in his heart or mind could answer him. Leo just stares wide-eyed at his younger brother.
"He…" Leo pauses, pondering for a while before answering, "He's strong… If anyone could survive outside, it would be Raph…"
He hears his little brother's soft chuckle, "I guess you're right…"
Raph has always been a beacon of strength in Mikey's eyes. From the way he acts to the way he talks and presents himself, to Mikey, he is like the dictionary definition of strong. He could imagine Raph probably beating some low-life thug just for eyeing him weirdly, and he would probably win.
And then there's the other younger brother, sitting there, eyeing both his brothers, not saying a word. Realistically, Raph is not fine. He knows that. But he doesn't want to believe it. He doesn't care how illogical it is; he just wants to believe that Raph is fine. And he's going to come home. Completely fine, with no bruising or internal bleeding or broken bones or whatever. At least alive! If nothing else, then Raph being alive is good enough! He just wants him here...
Donnie tucks his head inside his knees, trying to cover his teary eyes from his brothers. But obviously, he couldn't hide things from them. A sudden weight was on Donnie's shoulder, startling him at first before realizing it was Mikey, placing his head on his shoulder. The next thing he saw was Leo shifting closer to him, offering his comforting presence.
"We're all going to do this together, yeah?" Leo smiles warmly. Donnie returns it with his own toothy smile.
"Yeah… we are…"
All three brothers huddled together as they continued to watch their cartoon.
A few minutes passed before they heard shuffling across the room. Leo immediately stands up, his hands blocking his brothers protectively from the mysterious presence. However, he relaxes when he realizes who the man was, "MASTER SPLINTER!"
Now all three brothers are up from their sitting positions and staring at him. Their eyes widen as they see Master Splinter, unharmed and unscathed as promised, but Raph wasn't there.
No...this can't be happening...
"Master Splinter…" the one in blue calls out again, his tone now filled with worry and fear.
"I-I'm…" Splinter shudders, his lips trembling as his fists clenched into a ball, "I'm so sorry… My sons…"
Hello so this has been so much fun to write and I'm glad that some people likes it too:)
Also someone in the comments ask if there is going to be a warning for the rape part, yes there is and i'll also put the sign when the scene stops so you don't have to worry about accidentally reading that part or missing out parts of the story. And it's also not that graphic because I feel way too awkward writing down a sex scene anywayT-T
Also I'm new here so idk if you can like comment on other people's comment. So if you can, someone please tell me:D I just got this app like last month. Thank you all again!