saisdontmatter | (no subject)

(no subject)

[When sickness hit the Hamato household, it swept through like wildfire. And ever since Splinter found himself with two sick little turtles on his hands, he was determined to keep the other two as germ-free as possible. So as soon as they woke and they ate their meager breakfast, he shooed Raphael and Leonardo out of the den, hurriedly telling them to bring back anything they found of use before being pulled away by his sick ones' alarmed whimpers.

Raphie was more than happy to leave the den. It stank like throw up in there, and being hungry made it even worse. Ever since Donnie and Mikey got sick, Splinter hasn't been able to go topside for food, and splitting a can of tuna fish and a couple slices of stale bread with Leo left him feeling hollow inside. He'd been growing a lot lately, way more than his brothers, and it was making him feel hungry all the time. Maybe they'd be able to find some cool stuff while they were out, or even some more food.

The only problem is, he has no idea where to look. Splinter doesn't usually take him out on scavenge runs. It's because he's too noisy and doesn't listen, but his brothers tell him it's because he cries too much. But that's because they're stupid and Splinter doesn't take them either! No one gets to go except for Leo, because he's a daddy's boy and the favorite. And a stupid idiot, but that's besides the point.

So. That leaves two nine year old turtles and one mission. Raphie looks at his brother, shrugs, and starts shuffling off to wherever his feet take him. Because there's no way he's gonna let Leo tell him where to go. He'll just walk until he finds something.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

No. [Raphie chimes in, his mouth still stuffed full of doughnuts. He hates art and he especially hates writing. And reading. And pretty much anything that isn't sparring. And maybe math. Math's okay too. But Master Splinter loves to talk about art and show them pictures from the stupid book he got their names from. Boring. And his drawing sucks pretty bad too.]

[He blinks at the fritter before taking it somewhat sheepishly, a little embarrassed that his own hunger must be so transparent. Any concerns are instantly vaporized, however, when he brings it close enough to his face for the sweet, sugary smell to hit him. He bites into the pastry, and his senses are immediately flooded with the most amazing taste he's ever experienced. It floods his mouth with saliva and makes his stomach twist in agonizing anticipation of such a meal.]

[Unable to control himself any longer, Leo tears into it with nearly as much fervor as his brother, tearing chunks at a time and swallowing them practically whole. It's only once the fritter is half-demolished that he slows down, and that's only because it's so unbelievably sweet that he's afraid he'll get sick if he doesn't.]

[He swallows his latest bite, lowering the fritter long enough to consider the Professor's question. His snout wrinkles.]

It's okay. [He's never really had an opinion on the art Splinter's shown them from that book, but the Professor seems to like it a lot, so he's trying to be diplomatic.]

Okay? [His eyes light up like lampposts in the dark alleyway, smiling exuberantly at the opportunity to teach. What kind of an education do these strange children have, he briefly wonders. And even more intriguing--who has taught them?] My boy, art is a window into the very world around us; a mirror into culture and history, the very essence of the mind and soul. It is what helps us to learn and to understand.

[He slowly lowers himself to sitting on an upturned crate alongside one of the buildings' crumbling brickwork walls, just out of the rain.]

Whoever named you must have a very deep appreciation.

[Hopefully, they will satisfy his curiosity as to who that person is. A human? No, most certainty not. Another creature? It's all too interesting to bottle his curiosity completely.]

[When the human moves out of the rain - taking with him the bag of donuts - Raphie doesn't follow. He's eaten like six of those things and he's finally starting to feel a little full. And with fullness comes a rekindled sense of wariness. He hovers by his brother's shoulder, hands sticky and face smeared with crumbs. That was the best thing he ever ate ever, but he still refuses to trust the human.]

[Yikes... this human kind of sounds like Sensei, only a lot more flowery. Master Splinter appreciates art, too (though maybe not as much as this guy), and Leo's always suspected some slight disappointment on his end that none of them seem to have more than a passing interest in it. Leo's tried to, but while art is pretty and all, he doesn't really get what it has to do with "the very essence of the mind and soul" or whatever this guy is saying.]

[He'd put it down to silly human stuff, but Master Splinter is NOT silly. Maybe there's something to it he's just not seeing.]

I... guess so. Sensei got our names out of a book a long time ago, but I think he still - [Eyes widening, Leo suddenly halts and clamps his mouth shut, cringing and looking at the ground. Did he really just blab about Master Splinter to a human? Who is he, Mikey?]

[Sensei what!? Way to spill the beans, idiot! He punches his brother in the shoulder, hard.]

Shell head! Shut your big fat mouth!

[The Professor, on the other hand, puts his hands up in a gesture of surrender. He didn't realize a little prodding around would cause such violence. Thus goes the life of a scholar, he believes.]

Children, please. There is no need for fighting.

[His expression twisting up in pain, he grabs his shoulder where he'd been punched and grits his teeth. Then he rounds on his brother, ignoring the professor completely.]

Shut up! I didn't mean to, okay?! [His voice wobbles slightly because he knows Raph's right and he's horrified that he was so quick to open up like that. Sensei would kill him if he knew!]

[Not so perfect are you, Leo? Raph would be happier about that if he didn't know that sharing information with this guy could get their whole family killed! The idea makes him scared and angry at the same time, and it just makes him want to hurt Leo for being so dumb. He shoves him in the plastron, hoping to knock him right on his butt.]

You shut up! You're the blabbermouth!

[He stumbles back at the push, just narrowly avoiding crashing to the ground, but this time he's not nearly so contrite. Hot shame and embarrassment churns like rank sewage in his gut, and he knows he messed up! Stupid, stupid, stupid! He knows he's stupid! Stop rubbing it in! Growling, he stomps forward and gives a hard shove to his brother's chest in return, raising his voice into a shout.]

Yeah, well, at least I didn't bring him here in the first place by crying like a big baby!

[Leo's words are like salt rubbed into old wounds, triggering his own flood of hot embarrassment. Anger burns like a fire in his stomach.]

I did n-not!

[He shouts, shoving Leo back again.

But he did bring him here. He did, being a big stupid baby. He hates this guy. He hates Leo. He hates himself.]

Did too! [He yells back again, but doesn't return the shove a second time; instead he leans forward, clenching his fists as though he wants to hit his brother but can't.]

Did not!

[Why aren't you hitting him, stupid? You're too good for that, too? No, Raphie knows his brother's a big fat blabber mouth. He's not too good for anything!

He has no problem sliding into a fighting stance. Bring it on, favorite son. He only wishes Splinter could know how much Leo's messing up today without getting him in trouble too.]

[The Professor is caught watching the bickering with only mild exasperation. Watching the children bicker only reminds him of how he and his siblings used to fight a long time ago. Though that doesn't make it any easier to watch.]

Children. I assure you, your... [What was it?] Sensei is not in any danger. If you would like, allow me to show you the dumpster I retrieved your sweets from and be on my way.

[Leo growls and starts forward into a fighting stance of his own, but the human speaks again, drawing his attention away from his brother for a brief moment. Scowling, he looks back and forth between them for a moment. Then he draws straight up and crosses his arms over his plastron, half-turning away from Raph.]

Fine.

[But Raph isn't so easily dissuaded. He's mad, and it feels like there's a knot in his chest twisting harder every second, like a million ants are crawling under his skin.

Without answering the stupid human, he stalks over to the previously upturned garbage can, picks up the lid and chucks it noisily into a heap of trash with a yell.

When they get home and away from this guy he's gonna wipe that smug look right off Leo's face!]

Oh, my.

[That boy has quite the temper. But there's only so much he can do besides bribe them with sweets. He gets up from his perch on the upturned crate, glancing down and smiling hesitantly at the little creature stubbornly crossing his arms over his chest.]

Shall I take that as a yes?

[Leo watches his brother's mini-tantrum, but all he does is scoff under his breath and turn away to burn his gaze into the rain-pelted streets. Way to keep acting like a baby. Baby.]

[In truth, he knows he's way angrier at himself than at Raph... and he's going to feel really bad later. He's not sure if he'll be able to climb his way out of this ditch he just dug into his brother's graces. But right now he just doesn't care.]

Edited 2013-10-20 06:42 (UTC)

[The tantrum makes him feel a little better, but only a little. He stands facing the wall for a minute or two, shifting from foot to foot, hands balled into fists and breathing through his teeth.

When he finally turns away, he keeps his eyes on the ground, stalking forward without sparing anyone a glance. He heads toward the mouth of the alleyway.]

Are we going or what?

[His voice gives away how close he is to tears. But he can't have another meltdown, even if it'd make him feel better. Not topside. Not after Leo just called him a baby.]

[The Professor's heart goes out to the little one, to both of them. He can only hope more sweets can make it better. Food always did well to cheer him up, after all.]

Yes, of course.

[Shaking his head clear from the tension, the Professor shrugs of his jacket, holding it open in Leonardo's direction.]

Though I believe you may want a disguise for venturing into the street. Unfortunately I only have one coat. Are you able share with your brother?

[A better question is are they able to get along for that long?]

[His arms crossed, Leo's gaze continues flickering from the Professor to his brother and back again. After a beat, he steps forward and grabs the coat a little more snappishly than he'd meant to. He opens the mouth of it out wide, having to spread his arms completely to fully stretch it out.]

That's fine. [He repeats without looking at Raph. He can barely stand looking at him, let alone stuffing himself into a coat with him, but he has to act like the adult here or they'll never get anywhere.]

[There's only one of two options: turn around and go home empty-handed, or suck it up and share the coat with Leo. At the moment, both options sound like torture.

It takes him a minute, looking back and forth between the end of the ally and his brother with the coat with one heck of an ugly pout, his arms crossed stubbornly over his chest. Then, he huffs a sigh, stomps through the gathering rain puddles, and helps get the coat over the both of them.

The only thing comfortable about it is it's warm as an oven against his freezing skin, making him shiver with the sudden temperature change.

In the musty dark under the old man's coat, hoarsely, he whispers:] I hate you.

[Just so they're clear. Sharing the coat doesn't mean he's ready to be friends.]

[Oblivious to the continued simmering of their brotherly feud (or, more like carefully appearing to be), the Professor gently guides the bundle of turtles closer before guiding them slowly toward the mouth of the alleyway. He can feel them flinch at the touch, balking at his gentle coaxing to stay by his hip, but if they don't, they surely would attract some attention.]

Stay by me, children. It isn't far.

[The coat is warm, secure, and on the inside, dry. It smells a little, but Leo's more than used to that. It reminds him of a long time ago, when Master Splinter used to hold them tight against his robes, trying to distribute his own body heat into four other creatures. The thought would be comforting if not for a variety of factors. In fact, it's shameful even thinking about his Sensei when he's disobeying him so horribly right now... and right after stupidly snitching about him to a human, too.]

[He doesn't look at Raph the entire way; not even when his brother says those three words. It stings, but Leo knows he probably doesn't mean it. Besides, he deserves it. Leo's felt guilty about stuff before, sure, but right now... he thinks he knows what it's like to hate yourself.]

[Silently, he follows behind the professor, channeling all of his attention into shuffling alongside Raph as smoothly as possible. He should just focus on the fact that he's going to see what it's like beyond a topside alley for the first time in his life. That's really important, so no more slip-ups.]

[And it truly isn't far. The Professor doesn't hurry the four blocks to the dumpster behind the upscale bakery shop. When committing an act one doesn't want to draw attention toward, you must act as though the act being committed isn't something to hide at all. Act natural, as one might say. He's learned that much after spending so long in the company of thieves and other miscreants. But such goes the life of a free man. He is often drawn to the company of those who are the greatest prisoners of material things.

They attract no attention on the quickly darkening street. Silently, he thanks the time of year for the early night granting them cover, and the passers by for their indifference. It is the nature of the City, he thinks, that allows for so much evil and so many wondrous things to occur right under the noses of so many. This theory is only proven by the two young creatures huddled under his coat.

Minutes later, he ushers the boys into another alleyway. This one is cleaner as the less-than-hygienic standards of alleyways go. Two dumpsters sit against a painted brick wall amidst a nest of soggy newspapers and overspilling garbage bags. A rusty bicycle and other metal scraps sit in the farthest corner. But otherwise, the ground is mostly contained to a few soggy bread crusts mouldering in rain puddles.]

Here we are. It's safe to come out if you like.

Edited 2013-10-27 06:05 (UTC)