saisdontmatter | (no subject)

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[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.]

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[He tilts his head in his brother's direction.]

You, you mean they a-always do that?

[Leo gives him a small smile, and even dares to throw his arm around Raph's shell.]

Uh-huh. This one time, Master Splinter was trying to untangle a blanket from a clothesline so he could bring it home, but then he heard a human coming, so he had to come back down the manhole. It was just a weird guy coming into the alley. [He leans a little closer, his expression turning conspiratorial.] And you know what he was even doing there?

[When Leo rests his arm across his shell, he glances warily at his brother from the corner of his eye. It makes it very hard to keep hating him.]

Huh?

He just went to the corner and started peeing! [Leo says, throwing his other arm in the air as though completely scandalized by the thought of some dude relieving himself in public. Knowing him, he probably is.] We never got that blanket just because some human couldn't find a toilet!

[As theatrical as he's being, it's only half an act put on for a little brother. Leo still can't begin to figure out why you would go out and pee somewhere where someone could walk in on you doing it. It would be so embarrassing! Humans are so weird.]

[Raph's eyes widen, going a half shade paler and whispering conspiratorially.]

Did you see his stuff?

[Because that is what nightmares are made of.]

[Leo shudders against his brother. Splinter had tasked him with lookout duty that time around - which roughly equated to him peering out of the manhole with the lid just barely pushed up over his head - and although he didn't see the "stuff", he definitely didn't miss the sound. Euughhh.]

No! He was facing away from us, and besides, Sensei made us move to another manhole before he was finished. [THANK GOD.]

[He's both relieved and disappointed Leo didn't. The whole thing sounds kinda scary and freaky and exciting. Too bad he'll never get a chance to go on one of those trips.

And speaking of Sensei...

Mouth pressed into a hard line, he slumps forward again, afraid to look his brother in the eye.]

Are you gonna tell on me?

[Leo frowns. Is that what this is all about? Raph thinks he's gonna tell on him? He shakes his head, staring at a pebble resting between his feet.]

Nah. [And that's it. Short and to the point. Master Splinter has enough to worry about. Leo might've tattled without hesitation a year ago, but now he has to consider these things more.]

[Sometimes, Leo, you really are okay.]

Promise?

[He grins a bit wider and gives his brother a wink.]

Promise. Now what do you say we go back to looking? The runoff spots are probably a no-go, but...

[He trails off again, his expression becoming troubled as he looks off to the side. They need food. And the best place to get food is still topside. But there's no way they can risk that... especially not after what just happened. Can they?]

[No, no. Of course they can't. Bad idea, Leo. Splinter's said a hundred times not to go topside, ever.]

[But why would he send Leo and Raph out to get food, knowing that it was nearly impossible to find it anywhere but there? He bites his lip again, totally forgetting to either finish or retract his sentence. What should they do?]

[This time, Raph smiles back. Now that that's put behind them, he's eager to get back to business.]

But what?

Well...

[Come on, Leo, think. You're the leader now. Splinter's coached you on this before - just weigh the risks against the need. Consider all the angles.]

Most alleys have trash cans with all the food humans throw away. Some of it's still clean enough to eat... and since they have lids, it shouldn't be wet at all. [He speaks haltingly, because it's really just him working through his head out loud.] But I don't know, Raph. Master Splinter never even lets me go topside with him. I don't think it's a good idea.

Edited 2013-09-09 00:28 (UTC)

[It's like Leo's getting cooler by the second!]

I won't tell if you don't.

Edited 2013-09-09 01:12 (UTC)

[8| Disobeying Master's orders is not "cool", little brother. It's just that the need outweighs the risk at this point. They need easy stuff to digest, like bread and crackers. They're not gonna find that in the runoff spots. And maybe they can collect some rainwater to boil later.]

[He chews on his lip a little, glancing off to the side. He isn't entirely convinced yet, but it's probably pretty easy to tell that he's close to giving in.]

Comeoooon Leo. [Look at your little brother, sweet as pie and smiling from ear-to-ear. It's hard to believe he and the raging emo monster from a minute ago are the same person.] Splinter said we had to go find stuff...

[Leo finally relents with a sigh. He is gonna be in so much trouble if Splinter asks where all the supplies came from.]

We're only staying in the alleyways, got it? And if any humans come around, we have to hide! And you'd better stick close to me! [Not that he has any actual experience with being topside, either, but at least he's seen Master Splinter shuffle around up there a bit.]

[Oh my gosh, he gets to go topside! There's nothing in the whole wide world that could contain his excitement right now.]

Yeah, I know. It's not like I'm gonna go walking down the street! Now c'mon!

[He gives his brother a shove from behind, hoping to push him along until they're both going the speed he wants to go. Which is fast. If he could teleport up there he would. Too bad he has no idea which way they should be going.]

[He stumbles a bit when Raph pushes him forward, and he sends him a glare. He doesn't feel good about how excited you are, Raph; you'd better behave up there or else. Not that he can really blame his brother... this is going to be his first time seeing topside up close.]

[There's also the fact that he still doesn't know where they are, but he's not worried about that quite yet. He knows most of the street names around here, so all he has to do is look for one when they get above ground.]

[He goes along at Raph's pace until a set of rungs jutting out from the wall appears in the distance. When they grind to a halt in front of it, Leo goes up first and grasps a rung, looking up nervously at the manhole cover. Water is streaming down the sloped tunnel ceiling, making the ladder feel wet and slippery.]

I'll go first. Stay down here while I check it out. [He tells Raph firmly with his best Big Brother Voice. Then, beating down his own anxiousness, he scales up the ladder and starts jimmying the manhole cover.]

[There's a little terrified flutter in his chest as Leo climbs the ladder. Folding his arms across his chest, he paces the knee-deep water, trying to convince himself he isn't scared.

The runoff pouring through the manhole cover drip, drips down to the water below, pattering against the metal ladder rungs, trickling down the walls. It's like music in tune with the rhythm of the street, the human world stomping and grinding their way up above.

He's standing on the edge of a brave new world, but the minute Leo starts working at that manhole cover, the excitement melts away and his stomach bottoms out from sheer terror.]

Edited 2013-09-09 07:21 (UTC)

[He jostles the manhole cover for a few seconds, the metal sound of scraping cast iron clanging loudly through the small space, but it doesn't do him a lot of good. These things are way heavier than they look. Grunting, Leo shifts positions, wrapping his legs around a rung and shoving upwards with all of his weight. The cover moves a bit, but all he really gets for his efforts is a torrent of muddy water that rushes over his head and down the back of his shell. With a grunt, he lets go of the cover and grabs the rungs again, scrubbing his face.]

[Great. This is embarrassing. Cheeks flushing with heat under his mask, Leo leans away from the tunnel wall, calling down to his brother.] Raph! Come help me with this thing!

[You mean the great and perfect Leonardo needs help? Say it ain't so!]

I'm coming!

[There's a smug little smile on his face as he starts climbing. Here's his moment to shine. Raphael's grown a lot in the last few months. Like, a lot. He's already taller than all his brothers by at least a few inches, and he's gotten a lot stronger, too. Sometimes it makes him feel weird, like he's wearing a coat two sizes to big, but he's proud of the wiry little muscles he's starting to develop way before his brothers.

Soon, he's sidled up to Leo on his narrow half of the ladder, using his shell to brace himself against the tunnel wall. Actually being asked for for help is almost enough to make him forget he's scared.]

You're such a weakling.

[Even as he takes up position by Raph's side, Leo glares at the wall in front of him, refusing to meet his brother's cocky gaze. They all know Raph is the strongest one out of them right now, but Leo's been trying pretty hard to pretend like it didn't make a difference.]

Shut up and push. [he mutters, already applying his own force to the cover.]

[The big metal cover is heavier than it looks, and at first, Raph's not even sure if they can lift it together. But after a second wind and a whole bunch of stubborn will, the thing raises up the required few inches with a dull metallic clang and scrape. Together they push open a portal to another world.

The rain patters down on his face, the gray natural light almost blinding to his unaccustomed eyes as he clings to slippery rungs of the ladder. That rusted ladder, his only anchor to the familiar dark world as he stares up into the slip stormy gray sky between the buildings towering countless stories overhead.

Now, the manhole cover sits halfway over the hole, and Raphie ducks his head, heartbeat thundering in his head, completely frozen to the ladder with fear. And he waits, ready for a shout, a pound of footsteps overhead, a human to come and kill him dead before he can even take another breath.]

[With the cover pushed back over the opening, the two young turtles are left vulnerable to the light pattering of raindrops on their heads and shells. It feels a little different from a shower, but Leo doesn't have time to consider the new sensation, and instead lifts his line of vision just barely over the edge of the manhole to study one end of the street before sweeping his gaze carefully around to the opposite side. He's only gotten to see topside like this a very small handful of times... and the knowledge that he's about to go further than that sends his blood pounding through his ears.]

[He glances down at his brother, ducked down in the manhole like he's afraid something is gonna reach in and grab him and take him away. It helps him swallow his own fear - he has to be brave for Raph. And even more importantly, he has to be brave for Donnie and Mikey. Steeling himself, Leo lowers his head to speak to his brother, his voice barely a whisper above the hissing rain.]

I'm going to look around and make sure it's safe. You stay right here, okay, Raphie?

[Without waiting for an answer, he grips the edges of the manhole and pulls himself up over the side in one quick motion, landing in a low frog's crouch on the rain-slicked asphalt. Tilting his head in concentration, he darts for the shadow of a dumpster moments afterwards.]

[There's a knot in his throat the size of his fist as his brother disappears out of sight. He wants to tell him to wait, come back. He's changed his mind. This isn't fun at all.

But sitting there alone, with the cold rain pattering on his head, and the city sights and smells reeling all around him, his courage slowly returns. He looks up, his eyes level with the street far down at the mouth of the dark alley. And all around him, a gold mine. There's stuff everywhere. And smells... not good smells. Smells of stale beer and piss, stagnant puddles and trash, but it's a smell that clings to Master Splinter's fur when he comes back from scavenging. This is the mysterious place where all good things are found.

After a long moment, curiosity gets the best of him and he risks peeking out over the edge, looking for his brother.]