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the-cauldron-witch · 2 days ago

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Protecting his Peace part 2

Part 1

As requested by the dear @redsrooftopprincess, here is part 2!! I hope you enjoy my dear!

A special thanks to @thelaundrybitch @sophiacloud28 @iridescentflamingo @milykins for giving me a hand when I got stuck!

For the better part of two hours, after you had promptly slammed Raphael’s door shut and locked it with the keypad hidden behind the movie poster, the two of you sat tangled together in his massive bed holding one another. Large arms cradling you in his lap and beak nuzzled into the nape of your neck, breathing in the scent of your hair for comfort. Hands reached up and around his neck, rubbing the back it gently and humming a low soothing tune as you held him to the best of your ability given the size difference. Having let out his tears of frustration and allowed you to dry them, Raph simply needed the physical comfort now.

The gentle knock at the door would have gone unheard had the TV been on or music from his radio been playing. He gave you a loving firm squeeze before letting you slip from his muscular arms, feeling the cool air against his skin in the space you left behind. Striding across the room in only a few steps, you took a deep breath and paused just a second long enough to still your nerves.

Lifting the corner of the movie poster again and letting your fingers dance across the keypad, you unlocked the door. Opening the door with slight force, expecting one of his towering brothers, you had to shift your gaze downward to meet Master Splinters. One of his hands holding a pizza box and the other wrapped around his trusted staff.

“I ordered dinner for you two,” He spoke gently, offering the pizza boxes for you to take and just conveniently putting them in the way of the door. “Unless…my son might be ready to speak with me a moment?”

The fact Master Splinter seemed to genuinely ask permission made something in your chest tighten a little. Turning your head to look over your shoulder at the son in question your eyes locked with Raph’s, asking for his input without verbally asking. Taking a deep breath Raph thought for a moment before nodding, motioning for you to allow Master Splinter to enter. Taking the pizza boxes from the elderly rat you stepped out of the way, allowing him to enter.

Shoving a pile of dirty laundry off the nearby rolling chair, Raph cleared a spot for his father to sit while he made his way through the scattered remnants of furniture and other belongings across the floor. Master Splinter took mental notes to perhaps see if Donatello’s welding skills were good enough to make furniture. While the elderly rat made his way to the chair, you grabbed a folded TV table from the corner of the room and made your way to the bedside. Standing the tray table on its legs you remained standing for a moment longer, simply observing. The three of you remained silent for a moment while Splinter got comfortable.

“I spoke with your brothers about the events over the past few days,” Master Splinter shifted his grip on the knob of his staff as he spoke gently, “Before coming to speak with you, I wanted to give you more time to calm yourself and spoke with your brothers first. While speaking with Donatello, he had the idea to ‘hack’ as he says, into the warehouse surveillance system and watch the footage of that night. It showed exactly as you had described that night; the vent giving out from under you and falling”

The elderly rat now holds both you and Raphael’s attention fully. Sitting up straighter now Raph studied his father for a long moment, not bothering to speak or do anything that might prompt this to turn this into a trap to lecture him. A small creak from the bed interrupted the quiet pause as you sat next to Raph, placing a reassuring hand on top of his thigh and giving it a firm squeeze to pull him from his thoughts. The small action didn’t go unnoticed by Master Splinter, tugging a small smile at the ends of his lips. Taking a deep breath, Master Splinter continued speaking while Raph defensively crossed his arms over his chest.

“I’d like to first apologize, my son,” Lifting his head to look Raphael in his emerald eye, Master Splinter apologized sincerely, “I should not have simply went along with those accusations, you didn’t deserve that from your brother’s and especially not from myself. I did not take your emotions into account and turned a blind eye to the disregard towards your possessions. I’m deeply sorry and hope that you can forgive me”

Any sort of anger or frustration that simmered within Raphael’s chest slowly evaporated, sighing the remaining imaginary steam audibly. A lump formed in his throat while remaining quiet, mulling over his word choice before speaking. This wasn’t what he was expecting, he half expected to be scolded for lashing out and busting up his room. Yet his father was openly apologizing and asking for his forgiveness. Clearing his throat of the lump that climbed up his throat, Raph shifted awkwardly on his bed as he unfolded his arms.

“I forgive ya, dad…Not really mad at you in tha’ first place, really. It’s just…” Raph grumbled, his thumb swiping over your knuckles in a soothing motion as he mentally pieced the words to his feelings. Glancing down to the floor as though the words were written there Raph went silent again, a nervous habit his father knew well and patiently waited for his second eldest to speak.

“I made a mistake and owned up to it- if ya could even call it a mistake. Not like I chose that way knowin’ my big ass was going to fall through tha damned ceiling! But it’s like…it was just easier for them ta jus’ say it’s my fault than believe me, Leo didn’t even try to listen ta me. Just told me I was being reckless and defiant again…” The way Raphael’s shoulders slouched as he spoke tugged at your heart. To have someone push aside Raphael’s emotions, his own family especially, so carelessly lit a fire within your chest that smoldered with frustration.

Reaching a bony hand outward Master Splinter placed it gently on Raphael’s shoulder, giving a gentle nudge to coax him to look up. You watched as Raph lifted his saddened, dulled emerald eyes to look his father in the face. Blinking sadly back, Master Splinter rubbed his thumb over the smooth scales of his shoulder.

“And I am very, very sorry that you were made to feel that way. I truly am,” He gave his sons shoulder a gentle but firm squeeze before continuing to speak reassuringly, “Leonardo and Donatello are currently both serving their respective punishments in the ha-shi while Michelangelo is cleaning up your work-out room. I have given him very strict instructions; he is not to leave that weight room or have dinner until he has finished”

It was as strange feeling; open recognition and acknowledgment that Raph had been telling the truth the entire time and beingapologized directly to. Smiling warmly as your boyfriend leaned down, wrapping his arms around his smaller rat father carefully, you felt a warmth in your chest after helping your boyfriend find some resolution. To the best of his ability, Master Splinter reached up and patted his son’s shell in a tight embrace.

“Thanks dad…I really appreciate it,” Raph spoke with a genuine smile of gratitude once separated. A sense of relief washed over you, noticing the way Raph’s features softened from their rigid defensiveness for the first time today.

“And I would like to personally thank you,” Turning his attention to you, Master Splinter slid out of the computer chair his feet silently touching the floor, “Your fierce protectiveness for my son’s peace opened my eyes, showing me how wrong I and my sons were towards Raphael. I very much appreciate your actions, thank you,”

“Any time, somebody has to be in this big guy’s corner,” Patting Raph’s thick thigh gently you couldn’t help but look up at him with a playful wink. He turned that same grateful and sincere smile onto you, leaning down briefly to peck your forehead and send a small rush of heat to your face. That was probably the first time Raph had ever been so openly affectionate towards you in front of his father, at least on purpose. With a small, amused chuckle Master Splinter strolled away with the help of his staff. As he began to shuffle past, he paused for a second long enough to reach out and affectionately patted the top of your hand still resting on Raphael’s thigh before continuing to the door.

“You two take your time and eat dinner, please. When you’re finished, come see me in the ha-shi so we may put this whole mess to rest, Raphael” With that said, Master Splinter quietly opened the door once again and slipped out silently with a small click. The silence that hung in the air felt lighter than it had been before, the electrical charge fading entirely.

“Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m starved” Was all Raph said before grabbing the top pizza box and opening it, grinning with delight that his father had gotten him his favorite, deep dish meat lovers with onions. Opening the second box it was your turn to be pleasantly surprised at your own favorite pizza inside. Whatever guilt you felt for landing your boyfriend’s brothers in hot water was set aside for now.

“Mike’s gonna be pissed,” Raph snickered, “He loves meat lovers too but absolutely hates onions, I get them whenever I don’t want him to steal my leftovers��now I gotta worry about Donnie, though” He continued to lament with a devious snicker, knowing that his father had purposefully added onions for just that reason. Taking a mental note of this tidbit of information for yourself, just in case you want to keep Mikey away from your food later down the road, you pulled out a slice of your own pizza with a pleased grin as strings of cheese stretched from the inside of the crust. Master Splinter had even gotten stuffed crust for you, how sweet.

You two ate in comfortable silence, Raph finishing his entire pizza with ease while you still had more than half leftover by the time you were full. Snagging a sharpie from his side table, Raph scrawled your name on top of the box so that- hopefully- no one would steal it from the fridge. Exiting Raph’s room and heading for the kitchen, the first thing that was noticeable was the stench of paint remover hanging heavily in the air. Nose wrinkling as the smell grew stronger, you made your way to the kitchen to put away your pizza while Raph turned to find the source of the smell.

“Oof” Raph huffed as he followed the scent and entered the weight room, nearly choking on the heavy stink of paint thinner. A large canister sat open in the middle of the room next to a growing pile of dirty cleaning rags. Sitting in front of the massive mirror attached to the far wall was Mikey with a rag in hand, wiping the paint off the bottom half of the mirror.

Eyes glazed over and swaying in his seat, Mikey’s blinked rapidly to focus his blurry vision so that he could continue working. A sudden movement out of the corner of his eye, that wasn’t his own motion trails, caught Mikey’s attention and he turned himself to look over his shoulder. The small motion nearly knocked him on his shell, had Raph not been behind him to steady him with his foot.

“Hey, whassup Raphie?” Mikey slurred as he turned around unsteadily, having to plant both palms onto the ground to keep upright. Had Raph not known any better, he would have assumed Mikey was drunker than a sailor on shore.

“Easy, Mike. The hell are ya doin’?” Raph questioned; nose wrinkled as he tried to breathe past the heavy unseen fog that burned his eyes and sinuses. Finally steadying himself in a comfortable sitting position he blinked slowly, mind slowly piecing words together as a dull ache began to settle within his sinuses

“Dad said…I gotta clean this up ‘fore I can get dinner,” Tripping over a few words Mikey explained slowly, reaching up with his free hand to massage between his eyes, “And I’m…sorry about earlier, real uncool of me-”

“Don’t worry ‘bout that right now,” Raph chided gently as he knelt to the youngest brothers’ side, taking the damp rag from his other hand and tossing it into the pile.

Entering the weight room with your chin ducked into your chest and shirt pulled up over your nose in a desperate attempt to block out the heavy smell of paint thinner, you quietly walked up from behind Raph while he was bent over and helping Mikey from the floor. The orange banded turtle stumbled on his feet even with his elder brothers’ help, nearly sending both to the ground had you not rushed over to steady Mikey’s other half.

“The exhaust from the paint thinner must have gotten to him,” you told Raph with concern, steadily walking in sync with the two massive turtles as you and Raph led the youngest out of the gym and into the living room.

“M’head hurts,” Mikey grumbled while you and Raph steered to the couch, guiding him to sit gently as his knees buckles against the frame of the couch. Had you and Raph not helped, Mikey would have simply ended up tumbling onto the couch like a ragdoll. Watching his younger brother rub his forehead trying to soothe the pounding behind it, Raph sighed and shook his head. “For real though…M’sorry about earlier, I feel bad, honestly dude,”

“Ah…I forgive ya, dumbass” Raph sighed, slightly dispirited and shaking his head. Getting an apology and the paint removed from his weight room was what Raph wanted, but not at the expense of Mikey killing what braincells he had. The paint was cleaned from his equipment and weights, the mirror wasn’t a high priority on the list. The mirror was mostly clean anyhow…along with the ceiling.

“I’m goin’ to go and talk to dad really fast. Just sit here for a minute with [Y/N] and get your head straight,” Raph told him, patting his shoulder reassuringly before heading for the ha-shi. Making sure Mikey wasn’t going to fall ass over tea kettle, you slipped into the kitchen and snagged an empty glass from the counter and headed for the bathroom. Opening the medicine cabinet behind the bathroom mirror and grabbing four tablets of some strong ibuprofen you turned on the faucet to fill the glass. You came back to the living room a minute later where Mikey still silently sat holding his head.

“Here, take these, hon” Gently nudging his shoulder for Mikey to pull his head from his hands, you offered the medicine and glass of water to him. Blinking away the foggy confusion he slowly reached out a tentative hand and took the glass while the other accepted the tablets in his upturned palm.

“Thanks, Angelcakes... You’re a sweetheart, even though I was a such a jerk earlier,” Tossing his head back as he threw the tablets to the back of his throat he chased them down with a few gulps of water. A smile broke across your face at Mikey’s self-reflection, at least your outburst from earlier had some silver lining.

“Raph already said he forgave you and so do I. Thank you for cleaning up as much as you did,” You chuckled, unable to help yourself and wrap your arms around his shoulders for a quick hug. He returned the gesture for only a second before excusing himself to lay on the couch for a moment. A wave of nausea twisted and rolled Mikey’s stomach as he shut his eyes. The fumes from the paint thinner were starting to wear off, leaving a sickly feeling behind as the headache settled particularly harsh behind his still blackened eye.

---

“Shit, shit, shit-” Donnie muttered as his arm snapped outward to catch the errant ping-pong ball with the paddle, popping it up into the air so that he could catch it with the other one. Thankfully Master Splinter, who watched from the other side of the room like a hawk, stopped caring long ago about swearing openly and simply continued to observe. Sweeping his sharp gaze from Donatello to Leonardo, who was rigid as stone while balancing the eggs as instructed.

Raph stood in the entrance in silence, observing his brothers struggling to keep up their performances under their father’s ever watchful glare. Although he had noticed his second eldest son after he walked through the threshold, Master Splinter didn’t acknowledge him right away and allowed Raphael to watch for himself.

“Hey, dad,” Raph announced, voice cutting through the air like a knife, “you wanted me ta come see ya?”

“Yes, Raphael,” Master Splinter pinned Leonardo and Donatello each with a harsh glare that silently ordered them to continue their exercises, then slowly made his way over to Raphael. “I know I already spoke to you earlier, but I’d like to apologize again for these past events. My judgement was unfair and unjust towards you, as were your brothers.”

Turning his head to look at his struggling sons, it was a silent prompt from their father for them to speak. They both briefly glanced at one another, neither sure who should speak first, before Donnie decided to just go first.

“I-I’m sorry I didn’t believe your side of the story about the vent collapsing and then shot my grappling hook through your punching bag! F-fuck!” Donnie struggled for a split second as the ping-pong ball decided to arch in a direction that it was not supposed to go, “I thought you had another punching bag honestly- saying that out loud I realize that was an asshole assumption- but either way I have already replaced it myself!”

“You did?” Raph questioned, not remembering seeing a punching bag in the space it usually hung. Thinking back on it briefly, he remembered seeing something black attached to the wall but didn’t stop to get a good look at it.

“I did! It was- shit- supposed to be a Christmas gift, but it seemed appropriate for now” Donnie caught the ping-pong ball before it bounced out of range, “It kind of works like a dance control pad but for boxing! I’ll show you how it works later, I have it programmed with games and-”

“Okay, Donatello, thank you for apologizing,” Master Splinter interrupted politely in order to give Leo his time to speak “Leonardo.”

Clearing his throat of the awkward lump that had formed in his throat during every ha-shi, Leo managed to force himself to look up at Raph. The fact that he was not only wrong but proven so after Donnie pulled up the security video, now he had to openly apologize for it. Thankfully, Raph didn’t look smug or like he was going to tease, just simply crossed his arms and kept a neutral expression.

“I’m…sorry, I’m sorry I didn’t believe you when you said it was an accident. I should have given you the benefit of the doubt and been a better leader in the situation by being more considerate and reasonable,” Leo grunted, straining to keep the eggs balanced in their place as they wobbled at the ends of the chopstick. Taking a deep breath to steady his balance, Leo opened his mouth to continue only for the tap of his father’s staff to interrupt him.

“The inconsideration of not only Raphael’s explanation and situation, but his own emotional wellbeing and personal belongings is rather disappointing to me. I raised the four of you as not only an equal team, but equal in family.” Watching as Leo turned his gaze to the floor again as the guilt weighed heavily on his shell, Master Splinter turned his gaze to Raph, “While your brother is physically the strong among you, that does not make him immovable or without limits and I fear you may have forgotten this fact. With that being said, this punishment may come from me, but the resolution lies with your brother. Raphael, when you feel you are ready to forgive them, I will release them from the ha-shi”

Staring down at his father and absorbing his words, Raph exhaled through his nose with a slow steady sigh while he thought. On one hand, Raph was slightly getting a kick out of the fact that he was very much getting retribution for these past few awful days, but on the other hand…the ha-shi sucked, he knew that, and this didn’t feel as satisfying as Raph would have thought. Neither of his brothers said anything, both equally sharing expressions of guilt and regret as they looked to him.

“Let ‘em go, dad,” Raph sighed, waving his hand dismissively in the air, “I already turned Mikey loose a few minutes ago anyhow…But, I have two conditions”

Having snatched the ping-pong ball between his finger and thumb, Donnie continued to balance with wide eyes while Leo stayed perfect perfectly still, both staring at Raph with mix of emotions. Confused by the fact Raph was letting them go after only a few hours of the hashi, while also concerned and worried by what the conditions could possibly be.

“First condition; I get to do something I have always wanted to do,” Cracking a toothy, devilish grin at his brothers- particularly at Leo, Raph spoke with a slight air of smugness.

“Very well?” Master Splinter gestured vaguely with an open palm, just as confused as his two sons. With permission granted by his father Raph crouched low to the ground, extending his right foot and with one quick motion swept the stacked milk crates from beneath Leo’s feet. A loud thud echoed off the walls as Leo was unceremoniously dropped onto his shell, knocking the wind clean out of his lungs with a burning wheeze.

Crack! Crack! The two eggs flew up into the air and gracefully landed on Leo’s plastrons, yolk and egg white sliding down his sides.

“Punk ass bitch” Leo grunted, blinking up as he coughed and sputtered for air as Raph laughed above him. Slapping a hand over his mouth Donnie tried to stifle the snort that threatened to crack from his throat while hopping off his balancing post. The defiant comment from the downed leader made Raph laugh harder, briefly holding his sides as a stitch formed in his ribs. Reaching out a hand to help Leo up, Raph continued to chuckle at his brother’s misfortune. Taking his hand, Leo was hoisted to his feet and roughly tugged under one of Raph’s biceps for a firm embrace.

“My second condition, since you failed to be a leader to me, I was thinkin’ I lead you for once” Raphael smirked down at Leo, green eyes shining with mischief.

“You want to lead the rest of the mission?” Leo assumed, raising an eyebrow with uncertainty.

“Nah, that would jeopardize the mission, I ain’t that stupid. I’m gonna be leadin’ you in my regular work out regime for the next few weeks,”

Silently blinking at his brother, waiting for a punchline or follow up joke, Leo’s bright blue eyes scanned Raph’s emerald-green ones to see if he was serious. He was. Closing his eyes and inhaling deeply, Leo let his shoulders sag in defeat.

“I feel that is a fitting punishment for the crime. Did Michelangelo clean up to my specifications?” Master Splinter questioned.

“Well, he didn’t exactly finish,” Raph rubbed the back of his head, having forgotten that small fact for a moment. “The fumes kind of got to him and made him a little loopy, he was slurring and acting kind of drunk when me and [Y/N] got to him. He’s sitting in the living room with them right now,”

“What!?” Donnie barked, dropping the ping-pong paddles and ball to the ground and rushed out of the ha-shi. “I told him to turn on the vent fans and wear a damn N-95!” He could be heard grumbling rather loudly, marching his way back to his lab to retrieve a gas mask with a determination to finish the job himself. Grabbing some rubber gloves so that the smell wouldn’t permeate his skin Donnie marched his way to the gym.

-----

While waiting for Raph to talk with his father and brothers in the ha-shi, you sat on the edge while Mikey rested on the rest of the couch, laying on his side and draping his arm over his eyes to keep the light out. Worried about Mikey’s health after inhaling the paint thinner fumes for a good few minutes, you stayed by his side, a hand gently reached out and rubbing the side of his shell in a soothing gesture. You wondered for a minute if Mikey had dozed off as he lay there silently.

“How is he feeling?” Master Splinter questioned as he silently wandered into the living room, startling you and making you slightly jump.

“I’m alright, dad” Mikey grumbled, removing his arm that was draped over his eyes and taking a deep breath. You stood so that Mikey could get up himself, peeling himself off the couch and swinging his legs over the side so he could stand. “I’ll go finish cleaning-”

“Donatello is taking care of the rest, do not worry. Thank you for doing as much as you did, but next time your brother instructs you to use proper equipment, please take the advice” Master Splinter requested with a tired smile.

“I’ve used paint thinner without a mask before! I didn’t realize it was that strong,” Mikey defended himself, rubbing the bleariness out of his eyes as he slowly reanimated himself. Walking out of the living room to allow Master Splinter and Mikey to speak, you heard from around the corner Leo’s low voice talking to Raph, vaguely making out what they were talking hushed tones.

“Seriously though, I am sorry about everything. I promise it won’t happen again,” Leo genuinely apologized, wanting to show his sincerity to Raph outside of the ha-shi. Admittedly, Leo still felt like a bit of a dick.

“Thanks, I forgive ya bro. You ain’t gettin’ out of the workout, though” Raph told him back, a smug but still genuine smile still on his face.

“I know, I know. I’m not trying to get out of it... Did you see the boxing thing Donnie set up for you?” Leo changed the subject, knowing well there wasn’t any way around the future work out sessions. He was going to be incredibly sore the next few nights, the ache already setting into his entire muscular system.

“Nah, I didn’t, what is it? He said it was supposed to be a Christmas present or something”

“It’s like a wall mounted Simon Says but for boxing, I guess you could say? Donnie said he found it after a gym went out of business and left it out for trash pick-up. Come check it out with me,” Leo gave Raph’s shoulder a coaxing pat and walked in the direction where his punching bag normally hung.

A warm smile tugged your lips as you watched the two walk towards where the punching bag normally hung, feeling a small sense of pride that your stubbornness had achieved some peace for your boyfriend. After a moment you decided to follow them, curious about this gift as well.

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