Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Raph! Raph!”

Small, warm hands alternated between patting and squishing his face.

“Raphie!”

The snapper groaned. Tiredly, he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and wasn’t surprised to find his baby brother sitting on his plastron.

“Let’s play!” Mikey chirped brightly, not caring about the early hour nor his sibling's sleep schedule. The tiny ball of energy was literally vibrating and bouncing up and down.

“Pretty please!”

Raph was confronted with what must have been the cutest puppy-dog-eyes in the entire universe. In his mind, he cursed Leo for teaching him. No one should wield that much power even though it got them pizza for dinner. How was he supposed to say no?

Sure of his victory, the lil mutant chatterbox prattled on. “Donnie can be the evil science guy and Leo is our princess - space princess,” he hurried to correct. Mikey knew space adventures were super rad and medieval stuff was boring and only for nerds. 

“Can’t you play on your own?” Raph questioned before Mike could continue. He wasn’t willing to leave their warm nest of blankets and cushions just yet. 

“But we need a hero!” Mikey buttered him up. 

“You can be the hero,” the older turtle yawned. He rolled over and buried his head under a fluffy blue pillow.

When his big bro shook him off, Michelangelo’s telltale squeaks of betrayed shock morphed into mischievous laughter.

A fond smile hid in the corner of Raph’s mouth. He felt Mikey pulling and tugging with all his might, yet the tot couldn’t move him an inch. 

“Raphie, come on,” Mikey whined encouragingly. Unperturbed he climbed to the top of the spiked shell. “It’s no fun saving the world on your own.” 

Raph’s antics were hilarious, but they both knew how the story would end. 

“Please.” 

“Urgh, why is it so hard to say no to you?” Raph muttered.

“Because you love me,” Mikey giggled and nuzzled up against his cheek. 

Raph grunted. “Fine. You win.” 

The box turtle warped his arms around him tight and squealed in delight. “Great, I’ll ask Lee and Dee!”

“Wait, you didn’t even -” 

Too late, Mikey was long gone in search of the terror twins.

Raph groaned again. It wasn’t easy being the biggest Hamato brother. 

He looked up. Their comfy fortress stood still strong, Raph smirked, an impeccable construction trademarked by Genius Built™. His eyes traveled to the small ‘window’ they crafted for their baby brother, showcasing Leo’s glow-in-the-dark stickers that covered the ceiling.

Last night had been fun. When Dad had hogged the TV again, they’d all moved to the slider’s room aka ‘The Best Room’. A turtle pile, comics, jokes, and lots and lots of sweets followed. They had a blast.

Chapter Text

“Raph! Raph!” Mikey threw both his arms around Raphael’s neck.

The snapper had so many questions, but most of all HOW? How was THIS even possible? Raph was flabbergasted, totally dumbfounded. He gaped at the chaos, taking personal offense. One measly bathroom break was apparently enough to turn the whole lair into a complete mess. Granted, he had skimmed through the entirety of Leo’s new JJ comic while at it, but still! The living room was pure mayhem. 

His foot stepped onto something squishy. With an audible click, Raph’s mouth snapped shut. 

To his right, a mischievous giggle emerged, followed by a weight on his shell that slowly moved upwards.

The snapper rolled his eyes but breathed a sigh of relief when he realized it was only Play-Doh.

“Raphie!” Mikey tugged at the red bandanna.

The biggest Hamato brother ignored the little gremlin on top. ”Leo? Don?” He called as he heard them squabble back and forth in the distance. The twins were like two planets orbiting around each other in an infinite dance of comets and stars. 

“I know things!” Don complained loudly.

“You don’t know what’s on the top shelf,” Leo goaded, with a self-centered smirk.

“You gonna heethe my words!”

Raph groaned. Never mind. He needed to stop them before the two bozos could spread havoc in the kitchen. What else was new?

“Let’s play!” Mikey begged. When his big brother didn’t answer, he gave an angry chirp, reared back, and crashed his forehead into Raph’s shoulder.

“Not now, Mike.”

Plucking his baby bro from his shell, the box turtle squealed and tried to scramble away.

“Pretty please!”

Raph was deliberately not looking at him, which sucked because Mikey’s puppy-dog-eyes had a 97% accuracy rating.

“Just go draw something,” Raph brushed him off.

The snapper contemplated on how much trouble the disaster twins could reasonably cause. He heard something break and a cold shiver ran down his back. It was the final nail in their coffin. One too many times, Raph thought and marched on.

Mikey watched after him and pouted. “Fine.” He gathered his favorite colors before ninja-ing his way out in search of an empty sewer wall.

Chapter Text

“Boo!!!” Leo complained noisily, literally rolling on the floor. It must have been hours. 

“This is boring.” The slider had done all he could to attract his brothers’ attention: a handstand, cartwheels, juggling - you name it. 

“You are boooring~”

They didn’t take the bait, ignoring poor little old Leo. 

Two pairs of eyes were glued to the screen, their souls fully devoured by the video game Donnie had brought home last night, which wasn’t a problem per se. No. The problem was that they only had two controllers. That, and that it wasn’t his turn.

Crossly, Leo sat up. This was all wrong. He hated being left out, couldn’t stand it. 

“Guys!”

No reaction.

Feeling a little shrunken inwardly, he considered unplugging the console. Then again… he liked being alive.

“Where is Mike?” He suddenly asked, switching tactics. “He’s been gone for quite a while.“ However, his attempt to engage mother hen Raph fell flat. The expected concern for their youngest was rather lackluster in the face of a green mushroom sliding across the TV.

Leo inclined his head as he pondered over his own words. 

“Real sus,” he muttered to himself. “Don’t fret! I, the great Neon Leon, bestest of brothers, will return our missing baby,” the blue turtle declared, thrusting out his chest. 

His siblings didn’t reply. Without a glance in his direction, they continued to smash buttons. 

Leo stuck out his tongue.

“Adios, stupidos.”

The red-eared slider left his bros to storm the castle while he went off rescuing their princess. Figuratively speaking. 

Tracing Michelangelo’s steps couldn’t have been easier. Splashes of paint here, a dropped crayon there - always colorful, always fun. 

“Piece of cake,” Leo grinned. 

The trail led to the tunnels, and Leonardo frowned. They weren’t supposed to go alone. 

“Miguel?” A little worried and anxious, he stepped into the dark. “Miguelito?” 

Occasional doodles decorated the walls, coaxing him deeper into the sewers. The slider wandered along with a dim idea firmly in mind. 

“Hello?” He listened carefully. 

Wind answered with a faint howl. Wait - wind? Did that mean there was an ‘out’? 

Leo hurried. 

Oh, Mikey better not! Raph was going to flip, heck, Pops was going to flip! This was bad. The little bugger was in big-big trouble. 

The young turtle reached the exit of a large storm drain and stopped cold. His mouth dropped at the scene that unfolded before him. 

“Eugh boy.”

Leo stood at the top of the world. 

The sun was high, the air light, not a single cloud in the sky. It nearly felt like summer. A gentle breeze stirred, gaining momentum and carrying Mikey’s gleeful squeals. 

Below, down in the creek, his baby brother’s laughter - wild and free - bounced up and down as he ran for his life. 

“April, nooo!!!”

Leo’s heart leapt in his chest. 

A feral human girl chased after the turtle tot. Like a madman, the rogue child dove after him. 

“Here comes the tickle monster!” she cackled, eyes glistening, arms wide, and smile even wider. Her expressions and gestures were exaggerated to fit the role, and Mikey loved everything about it. 

April pounced, and Michelangelo shrieked delighted and doomed. 

“Gotcha.”

Mirth and joy mixed with pounding hearts as she tackled him, and together they tumbled into a bed of spring-green grass. 

“Uff.” 

The breath went, but the laughter never died. Leo huffed. That’s what you get when you catch the lil box turtle: hugs and laughter. Donnie only shared bite marks, and Raph… well, good luck tackling that.

“Not fair!” Mikey protested, making a face. “I am officially sulking.” 

“Okay, and how long will that last?” Leo announced, finally entering the picture. His arms crossed with practiced ease, and a lopsided smirk graced his lips. It was hard to look tough and relaxed at the same time, but somehow he managed.

“Leo!” Mikey lit up. Thrilled to see his big brother, he wiggled out from under April before he remembered he was still supposed to be mad. He blew a raspberry and shook his head, keeping his gaze down to hide his smile. 

Leo saw right through the act. “Nah, seconds,” the slider grinned as he joined the party.

“Shut up,” Mikey said cheekily, already giggling again. “Let’s play!”

Chapter Text

“You are not ready, my son,” Splinter repeated as he rubbed his temple. The bags under his eyes mirrored the tone of his voice. They’d had this discussion before. 

Raph clenched his fist. How could he ever be ready if Pops wouldn't let him try? All he needed was a chance. He could help. He had trained. He'd done it before. 

“I saved you,” the young turtle replied quite curtly. 

Without really seeing him, his father stared into the near distance. “And yet we’ve lost everything.” The words were bitter and ugly and instantly regretted.

Raph choked. For a second, he forgot how to breathe. A blow to the face would have been kinder. 

There was a pause in which the snapper stifled his pain. A new sort of silence, troubled and awkward, hung over them. Raph hated everything about it. His eyes slipped shut, suddenly feeling very tired, because his father didn’t even try to understand him. Each day, they became more and more distant, searching for missing parts and fragments. 

The telltale sound of claws skittering on stone filled his ears. 

Splinter left, and Raphael let his tears fall.

He stood there alone in the empty lair. The quiet, a physical weight, pressed down on him from all angles, like walls closing in, squeezing out the warmth and love. An endless void, silent as a grave. Raph wanted to scream. He was not used to it. Not yet. And he wasn’t planning to! 

A heartbeat later, he also left.

Angry and hurt, he stormed out, his path one of destruction. He flipped over the table, kicked the couch. Their belongings cried and creaked under his frustration. What a pity they had no door. He’d slam it right behind him with a loud, satisfying bang. At least that would have been something. Anything. 

He couldn’t stay. 

Raph’s lungs burned in the dark tunnels. He didn’t know where he was. It mattered little. The sewers were cold and lonely. His leg skidded and twisted. He tripped. Unable to catch himself, the snapper slipped. It wasn’t fair. How many times could one turtle fail? 

He smashed his fist against the stone. Again and again, he let his resentment pour down, drowning in the blazing torrent of his emotions. Raph lifted his arm, ready to punch the wall next to him, and stopped.

A new wave of tears hit him. 

In the blackest of mazes, he’d found a speck of orange. Mikey’s orange. 

His fingers caressed his baby brother’s drawing of a butterfly. The colors were strong and clear. Ever since Dad read them ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’, Michelangelo had been a huge fan of everything that creeps and flies.

There was more. The stern surface was covered with all things Mikey so vibrantly loved, and Raph followed. 

Like little sprinkles of hope, they led him into an enormous storm drain. 

The walk was long, and the echo of his footsteps yearned for his family, however, Mikey’s paintings kept him company. He trailed after them, holding each piece close to his heart. Raph could see the light at the end, could hear leaves rustling and the whisper of water. 

His pace picked up. 

At last, a single tinted flower marked the exit. Raph swallowed at the sight of its petals. On it sat another butterfly. Its wings reminded him of stained glass: delicate orange patterns framed by black stripes and dots of white along the edges. The intricate beauty and complexity was striking. His eyes drifted to the dark horizontal line across the veins on the hind wing. Almost as if in trance, Raph reached out, and screeched when the insect leaped off the wall. He nearly had a heart attack!

The fluttering jumpscare soared through his misty vision right into the blinding sun. 

His pulse spiked. The winds were changing - anything could happen, he felt it in his soul. 

Someone called. The sight of a silhouette, and Raph rushed out into the open. 

“Mikey!”

The hope that lit his eyes moments ago dimmed. Faster than he liked, reality caught up with him. Instead of his brother, he found a girl. A human girl, hunched over by a small stream. Brown curls, glasses, a yellow raincoat. 

Curse his turtle luck!

He couldn’t cease his disappointment, the same way he couldn’t control his next step, at least not with the momentum he carried. The mouth of the storm drain was high up. His foot met empty air and uh-oh. His reflexes kicked in, his body retreated into his shell, and in a cartoonish fashion, he bounced down the road leading to the creek.

Raph poked his head out, coming face to face with a pair of startled, hazel eyes. For what seemed to be an eternity, they just stared at each other.

“Shit.”

“Language,” the girl scolded automatically. 

That did the trick. The snapper woke from his stupor and scrambled to his feet. 

“Wait!” 

Too late. The incoming hand was all but a blur as he exploded into action and ran.

“Hang on,” she yelled, dashing after him like the devil. “I won’t hurt you.”

Raph didn’t listen. The chase was on.

Water splashed up his ankles, mud stirred, shrubs scratched at his skin, pebbles turned - the world was in motion! Adrenalin thundered through his veins as he sprinted full speed ahead, his pursuer hot on his heels. A smile tugged at his lips, dizzy and wild and despite it all. Finally, the stress of the past month had an outlet. He could do it. But boy, was the gal fast. 

Raph passed the tunnel entrance. He knew exactly how to win their race - had played this game a thousand times. Now, they were on his turf. The plan was easy; he’d use his ninja biz and ‘Keep To The Shadows’ like a boss! 

With a triumphant smirk, he reached a crossroad and jumped. 

The footfall faded as the strides beneath came to a halt. Clothes shuffled in disappointment, and the sound of a knocked-over can rang through the dark. 

She’d lost him, but knew better than to wander too deep into the sewers. “Cawabummer.”

Raph’s eyes widened. 

“That’s Mikey’s word.”

Instantly, the girl raised her head, looking up. She chuckled in disbelief. Like a green koala bear, the ninja turtle was clasped around a pipe on the ceiling.

With a loud thud, Raph made his choice. He let go and landed beside her. 

“What business do you have with my bro?”

They were back outside. White, fluffy clouds mowed the blue sky, while swallows danced between the swaying branches of an old willow. Otherwise, the creek was quiet. 

“You’re Mikey’s big brother?” Once more, the girl sat by the water. She wasn’t afraid whatsoever. 

Raph nodded. "How do you know him?" 

"He comes here from time to time to play, to draw," she answered, poking holes into a pile of sand with a stick, before leaving it stuck in the middle. “He’s a good listener.”

“Right,” Rhaph huffed, and got a shrug in return.

“Are the others here too?” She tried to sound casual. “Haven’t seen the little guy in a while.” But failed the act when she couldn’t keep herself from worrying at her bottom lip.

“No.” For a split second, Raph hesitated. “He’s been taken. They all are.”

“What do you mean taken!?” She jumped to her feet. “Like kidnapped?” 

“Pops is looking for them, but so far, nothing.”

“And you?”

“I want to help. I - ” Raph gritted his teeth and shook his head. “He won’t allow it. And I’m too young to go on my own.” 

“Well, thank God you’re not on your own then,” she exclaimed, jerking her thumb towards her chest. “Let's form a tag team - You and me! We’ll get those bozos back. How hard can it be?” 

Raph gulped. He wasn’t prepared for the sheer confidence radiating from her as she hauled him up. Warmth seeped through his skin. Maybe…

“We will find them, pinky promise, or my name isn’t April O’Neil, baby!”

Chapter Text

“Mama?” Mikey’s round little head peeked into the giant office. 

The spider lady looked up. As always, a smile adorned her perfectly painted lips.

“Oh, hi there, my lil Angel.” Ignoring the paperwork, she pushed her chair away from the mahogany desk and spread her arms. 

Without hesitation, the tiny ball of sunshine rushed forward, taking the invitation of a hug and enjoying the company. 

“I missed my favorite turtley-boo so much!” She cooed while she showered him with kisses and affection. 

Mikey chirped happily: “I got a surprise for you!” He burst from delight and suspense.

“Oh, did you now?” 

Against his will, a chain of giggles erupted when her long nails poked into the side of his plastron. It tickled. 

“Show me!” She sounded as excited as Mikey felt. 

“Tadaaa!” Proudly the box turtle revealed the drawing he’d been working on all day. 

“Adorable,” Mama said though her voice did something funny. “Aren’t you the sweetest?” 

She gave the picture quick glance.

“Thank you, my darling. It’s very lovely just like you.” The spider booped him on the nose. 

“Love you too, Mama,” he replied easily. 

“Is there anything else?”

“Nope,” Mikey grinned. The moment stretched and somehow he didn’t know what to do with himself so he gave her another hug.

“Well, that’s that then, cutie pie. I have work to diddly-do,” Big Mama exclaimed and patted him on the head. 

Mikey smiled. Grown-ups were real silly. 

“Goody-goody-goo~” She nudged him gently and he took the hint.
 
Mikey reached the door yet stopped for one last goodbye. Mama didn’t notice. She sighed and gave the painting a downcast look, before neatly folding it in half and putting it in the trash bin beneath her desk. 

The sun dipped down. Mikey felt like saying something, but then he left it alone. Anyway, he didn’t find any words that - well, that would have sounded right. Just thoughts that came flapping past and made him a bit sad. Thoughts about small and insignificant things.