Dragons Abroad - Aemond x lover!reader
Rating: Universal
Category: Angst
Pairing: Aemond x you
Set prior to Rook's Rest
Words: 1k
"There are dragons abroad."
You look at him. Across the table you sit from him and watch him. Around you, he is bare. No shirt, no breeches, no eye patch. Falsehoods gone, inhibitions left at the door. Yet his gaze avoids yours now. "So there are."
His voice is a quiet mumble. "I must go to meet them."
"I think that is not true," you reply. You look down at your hands and try not to pick at the skin around your fingers. Scabs make it sore already.
"I wish to meet them."
"That is true," comes your soft reply.
"And our time together is ended."
"Another falsehood." The words are confident, despite the ice in your chest. Frosted steel has pierced you between your ribs and into your very heart.
Aemond glances up. His fingers drum lightly on the wooden table. So many meals you shared with him here in the sanctity of his rooms. "I cannot take you with me."
"I never asked you to. I only ask that you come home to me."
"That, I cannot promise."
"Then promise what you can."
He opens his mouth to reply, but words fail him. He retreats into his comfortable silence. Prince Aemond leans into you when you stand and cradle him into you. He wraps his arm around your back and presses his face into your stomach as he sits in his chair and you stand at his side. The touch against his hair is welcomed, and he leans into your hand when you run it down his scarred cheek.
"I can promise nothing," he murmurs after a long time.
'You can promise to come home to me."
"I might not return. If I do, I do not know what will be left."
"I'll take whatever there is."
Aemond sighs your name and you go to pull away, but his strong arm around you does not loosen. And so you allow yourself to stroke his hair again. Part of him melts against you. The blade in your heart does not warm.
"I will destroy my enemies out there. I will paint the skies with fire and blood and-"
"That is all very noble," you interrupt softly. "But it will not make you whole."
You look down at him and see his face twitch. "I'm not a knight from one of your stories. I will not be the gallant hero you so desire."
It happens without you thinking, really. You sink to your knees in front of him. It would be folly to think it would make him smile this time, like it so often does. A place of worship before him. Now a place to beg. "I don't want a knight on his horse to come and save me. I just want you. As you are. Please."
"Do not beg."
"Please, Aemond, please don't make this the end, pl-"
"This is not becoming of a-"
"Please. Please, please." Your voice is steady but you can feel your throat beginning to close. "I am good for you."
And the fierce, stoic, hard Prince Aemond looks at you on your knees, utterly soft and warm, and his brow creases. "You are," he replies, oh so gently.
"I make you feel good."
He nods, head tilted to the side. "You do."
"I make you happy."
And he nods again. "I will not destroy you. I must leave you."
You lean up and try to kiss him, but he turns so you catch his cheek. It is only then that you realise your hands and his are grasped tightly. They have come out in a cold sweat. Strange, you think. He is never clammy.
You press your forehead to his temple. Some of your tears fall onto his pale cheek. "If you leave me, I will be destroyed. I can weather any storm but this."
You feel his jaw clench. A thousand words fall silent on his lips.
"Please."
Suddenly, his hands wrench from yours and then you feel them, strong and damp, on either side of your head. Your eyes open as he pulls you closer, closer, and you think yes! Yes, he understands! He will leave but come back to me! Yes-!
But your lips are not granted a kiss. Instead, a long kiss is pressed to your forehead. It is tight and hard and full of agony. It is farewell.
After it is ended, he has little left to say.
"I will wait for you, you know."
He watches while you move back to the other side of the table, while you smile sadly at him.
"If you want me to."
"I do not."
But his denial is not one that makes you sad. For anyone else, he might be cruel. But for you, he cannot bring himself to do that. There is only honesty between you, both kind and cutting.
"Do you wish to be with me?" you ask one final time.
Aemond cannot lie to you. Not after all the beauty you have shared, not after all the ways you have grown to know one another. Not after all the true and deep love between you. "I do," he says slowly. "More than almost anything."
"What do you wish for more than that?"
He sighs quietly. "To keep you safe."
"To force me to be free will not keep me safe from anything."
"It will" he insists gently. "You shall be safe from me."
Despite the agony in you, you can still force a smile. For him, always for him. "That is not safety. That is a fate worse than death."
"Worse than what I could be?"
"Worse than you could ever become. The worst you could be, Aemond, is gone."
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“Hey Clay?”
“Yeah?”
“I know you don’t really like to talk about your older bro-...”
“Did he call again? Ignore it, he’ll stop. Honestly, he should know better by now,” Clay grumbled, not looking up from his project. Last week, Bruce had called him, out of the blue. It had been a weird phone call, acting as if the last several years didn’t happen. As if Bruce didn’t just pick up and move across the country the moment he could, leaving the rest of them to their mother.
He knew he was holding a ridiculous grudge. It had been years. And Clay might have gotten over it eventually, if Bruce hadn’t replaced them with his perfect family. He barely stayed in contact - even with the brothers who weren’t as mad at him. Branch had been young when Bruce left, barely six years old. Clay wasn’t a whole ton better but at least Branch knew him to an extent. Branch at least knew his favorite color. Clay doubted Branch knew the first thing about Bruce.
“He… he’s here.”
Bruce wouldn’t leave his resort and his wife and well, now his kids. It was like he expected everyone to pick up and go visit him just because he lived on an exotic island or whatever. As if Clay didn’t have responsibilities or Floyd wasn’t constantly traveling. As if it was so easy for Grandma to leave the house and fly across the country. Bruce barely called and he never, ever visited - much less out of the blue like this.
Clay stopped and looked up, his head swiveling around to look back at his best friend. Her curly blonde hair was wrapped up in a messy ponytail, which was fairly normal, but the uncertain and awkward expression on her face was definitely not the norm for her. “What?” he asked, shocked.
She nodded. “Yeah. There is a guy down in the courtyard. He said he’s your older brother.”
Clay shook his head. Bruce would never leave his precious wife and resort to visit him, especially when he knew how much Clay was upset with him. Had been for years. Honestly, aside from one phone call a week or two ago, Clay hadn’t really heard from him in years. Clay could have chalked it up to Bruce just knowing that he was angry with him for abandoning him - them - with their mother the first moment he could, but he barely kept in contact with Floyd and Branch as well. And they didn’t hold the hard feelings that Clay did. Not that Clay was much better; he didn’t talk to any of his brothers much either.
“There is no way,” he protested with a huff, rolling his eyes. She must be mistaken, there was no other option. “He’s never made a trip out here. He would never leave his resort. What is he doing out here?” Viva hesitated, glancing away, which was very strange for her. She was very straightforward and easily excitable. Clay felt his brow furrow a little. “Viva…”
“He’s not… like how you said.”
He just sighed and took a deep breath. Bruce definitely had a way with people; he always had. Granted, Clay probably painted him in mostly a crappy light, due to the fact that whenever the subject did come up - which was extremely rare - it was not often positive. Clay had a lot of anger and probably a lot of resentment. It was a work in progress. “Look, Viv. I know he’s easy to believe. He seems soooooo friendly and charming that you want to just swoon or whatever. He’s got that effect on people but…”
“No.”
“No?” Clay asked, confused. She said it so strong, so flat, so sure and Clay wasn’t sure what to make of that.
“Clay… he’s not like that at all. He was actually really quiet and awkward and super uncertain but held him with some kind of…rigidness? At least as much as he could,” Viva looked uncomfortable, like she had seen something she really didn’t like. He wasn’t sure what that was about. At the moment, he was more hung up on the description which did not sound like Bruce at all.
He scoffed. “Bruce?”
“He didn’t say that was his name,” Viva continued, still uncertain, glancing towards the window. “But you only have one older brother right?”
Clay blinked and his whole world came to a standstill. “I….”
“Clay?”
Older brothers.
There was no way, though. He hadn’t heard anything from him since their parent’s divorce and when he was practically dragged away almost kicking and screaming. Clay barely remembered it; he tried not to. Everyone had been crying but Branch’s screaming, going along with everyone else's tears kind of drowned everything out. It hadn’t been a pretty memory and Clay avoided thinking about it. Coupling that with his mother’s systematic way of erasing anything that evoked him or their father from their house and their lives, it only took a few years for everyone to stop considering them entirely.
His eyes widened. There was no way. There was no way it was possible.
Clay didn’t even think. He bolted out the door, not even bothering to strip off his lab coat. There was no way. It had been at least fifteen years. What were the chances? After fifteen years? There was no way.
He had to be sure.
Making his way down to the courtyard, with Viva shouting after him, he scanned the area upon slamming the doors open. It had been a decade and a half. He had no idea what to look for anymore. They had all changed.
“He’s by the fountain, sitting on the stone wall,” Viva supplied.
That helped. He made his way over, still looking over the area until he spotted a more middle aged guy with short hair and bandages on his arm. When he looked, Viva nudged him, giving him the sign that who she had talked to was him. Definitely not Bruce.
He looked over at Clay and recognized him, suddenly nervous. Clay just stared. That was all he could really muster up to do. “Uh… hi, Clay. I know you might not really remember me but…”
Clay didn’t say a word at first, just launching himself at his big brother, knocking him into the grass behind in a hug. He clearly wasn’t expecting it but he took to the action pretty quickly, wrapping his arms around Clay’s back for support and to keep him from being tossed around.
“John Dory.”
Clay couldn’t remember the last time he thought of him, much less said his name out loud. He hated that. His eyes were squeezed shut, just soaking up the firm grasp his oldest - his oldest - brother had on him. He had so much to say and so many questions but only one happened to come out. It had been fifteen years and now John Dory just showed up out of the blue.
“How did…how did you find me?”
It wasn’t exactly what he wanted to say. There was a lot he wanted to say and do but his mouth had run off with him, questioning so much that he really didn’t actually care the answers to. Because he was here. After fifteen years.
“Bruce told me.”
Clay shifted slightly. “B-Bruce?” He supposed it might have been easier to find a resort owner before some crazy older college student. Although Clay felt like he had his name out there more than his other older brother, as he had written papers and had been featured in several journals. Although it might not have been in things John might have looked through. They could be pretty niche.
“I…” John tensed a little and hesitated. “He found me. The hospital found him, I guess? They found him and called him. I’ve been staying with him for my recovery.”
Clay’s heart dropped as he pulled away, trying to assess. He scrambled off his brother, stepping back. “Your what?”
John grimaced.
Viva nudged his shoulder and spoke quietly. “Clay.”
Clay’s eyes were drawn downward. Sure, there were bandages on his arm but John’s grip didn’t seem to be very weak so he doubted that would be so debilitating and honestly, his legs seemed fi-… where was his leg?
“W-Where is your leg?”
“Sudan… I think?”
Clay just stared.
“Right, sorry. Kinda dark humor there,” John muttered, sitting up a little more. “I was… I have been, I guess, in the military for a while. Over ten years I guess, uhm… it’s a long story. But some stuff happened, my arm got kinda burned up but it’ll be okay. Head got banged around a bit but that should be fine too. The biggest thing was my leg which… well, that ended my military career pretttyyyy quick. The hospital found Bruce and yeah, I’ve been staying with him but…. I wanted to see you. Needed to see you.”
There was a pause.
“Sorry, that was… that was a lot of words.”
“When Bruce called…” Clay drifted off in realization. Bruce had called to tell Clay about John.
“He didn’t want to freak you out.”
“But I hung up.”
John nodded. “Bruce didn’t really tell me anything about what happened with you guys or anything but I just… I bought a plane ticket and well, here I am.”
Here he was.
“Does Bruce even know you’re here?” Clay asked, uncertainly. With John’s state, it probably meant that Bruce was kind of taking care of him, which meant he was in charge of his welfare and health. John was still on leg crutches and probably couldn’t get around super well. It couldn’t have been that long since it happened.
John snorted. “I am a grown man.”
“Missing a leg!”
“So?” John asked, his nose wrinkling. Clay almost felt like he had been slapped. Floyd and Branch did the same thing. “I knew a guy who lost both and guess what? He lives alone. Does just fine.”
“He’s probably freaking out.”
“Bruce? Probably.”
“Then why are you here?”
John tried not to look hurt. He would have done a great job too, if he hadn’t looked away. It was a telltale sign and Clay noticed. He didn’t even realize what he had said and how it came out until it was too late. He cursed himself; he didn’t want John to think he didn’t want him here. “I haven’t seen you in fifteen years, Clay. No matter how much time passes or what happens, I love you.”
Shit.
“Clay… he’s so cute,” Viva sniffled. “You never told me-”
“That I existed?” John guessed, making Clay cringe. “That seems to be an ongoing theme.”
“JD, I just…” he didn’t really know what to say. He didn’t have any excuse, really. He could blame a lot on his mother but that felt wrong to say to him. There wasn’t any real excuse that would make anyone feel better.
“It’s alright,” John replied, although Clay could tell there was some struggle. Which made sense. No one wanted to feel forgotten by loved ones. Especially not the ones still alive. “Bruce didn’t tell his kids I existed either. I’m getting over it.”
He shouldn’t have to get over it, Clay thought. He shouldn’t have had to do any of it. He should have spent the last fifteen years with them. He should have been there for birthdays, for their graduations, for their important moments. He should have been there when Bruce got married. For Floyd’s first show. For Clay’s best college awards. Bruce’s kids should have known their uncle their entire life, not just now and so forth.
“She’s dead, our mother,” Clay said, blandly. He blamed her a lot, for pretty much everything. Not the divorce itself; that was both of them, but for cutting them off from his brother. For forcing his name to never be spoken. For erasing his memory. It was one thing to keep them away from their father, although Clay didn’t like that either, but to keep them away from their older brother was unforgivable for him.
“So is dad. Over ten years.”
Ten years. Over even. John lost his family, became an adult and lost his father. No wonder he joined the military.
“Six.”
“I tried looking for you,” John promised, like it was something he had to convince Clay of. Like he didn’t want Clay to think that he didn’t try. It wasn’t meant to make Clay feel worse and Clay knew it but it did anyway. Because Clay hadn’t. He hadn’t looked. He hadn’t even considered it. “Before joining the military. After too, a little, I suppose. I’m no detective I guess.”
Clay just stared at him. Did he think…?
“I know…” John frowned again. “I know you’re mad at Bruce but I can’t… I… Clay, I want to be…to have… to be in some part of your life and I just…”
“I’m not mad at you.”
Clay hated the almost hopeful look that John stared at him with. It was a expression that screamed he wasn’t expecting this reaction. “You… aren’t?”
“No. Of course not. Our parents were petty and bitter and it is all their fault. JD, you never… you didn’t abandon anyone. Dad took you away and mom decided to try and erase that part of her life. Have you blamed yourself this whole time? For years?”
“No, no, I just… I don’t want you to think I stayed away or something.”
“I believe you,” Clay promised. “And I’m so glad you’re here.”
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hhhhh yeah ok just for funsies.....
here's a snippet (its way longer than a snippet its 4000 words) of the worst case scenario story i wrote.
idk how much of the specifics will be canon. but i do think this is such a good blow up that it would be mean to keep it to myself.
maybe im posting it just to be like YEAH OK HERES THE TONE. IF YOURE NOT COMFORTABLE THEN YOU CANT BE HERE...
Warnings for mentions of: CSA rape forced incest uhhhh more probably. nothing shown but much mentioned. possibly warnings for more im not even thinking of. Im sorry just be careful.
Don’t be fucking weird about it to me ok we are in the raw place
so context. shredder kidnapped the boys for days to get what he wanted out of them. implications are clear enough through context i think. lot of drugging. they escaped and killed him (like for real this time) shit is weird and they're handling it as best they can. everyone is aware of this. they've had one therapy session w a weirdly inhuman therapist april found (from her connections in cryptid world) and nobody wants to look their mom in the eye. least of all raph. cuz god does it ever feel bad to know she knows.
the boys seem ok to the naked eye though. hence. this.
--
When they woke up the next morning Mikey had decided to make everyone pancakes. A true feast of flavours after their days of slop.
Donnie and Leo had set the table and let Raph rest at the head of it, he was still wearing Donnie’s old ratty black hoodie, it fit him perfectly. He’d also found some sweatpants, but those only rode up to his mid thigh. It still helped though.
Mikey was making two batches of pancakes, half with chocolate chips and half without, the pickier eaters with the cool mask colours refusing to try something sweet.
The air smelled strongly of bacon, and it was making Raph’s tummy growl loudly.
“Mikey you better hurry up, Raph’s gonna eat his plate!” Leo joked as he pat Raph on the back.
“You can’t hurry perfection!” Mikey whined as he plated some bacon.
“Uuuughhhh Mikey…! I can see the light!” Raph gasped out and reached his arm out above his head, miming his own death.
Mikey huffed and chucked a piece of bacon on his plate.
“To tide you over you big baby.”
Raph gasped and picked it up between his fingers gobbling it down with a loud moan.
“So fucking good Mikey…”
“Oh you’re all up!”
Raph froze, swallowing hard.
His mom was behind him and he was wearing Donnie’s hoodie. He had just moaned Mikey’s name. And his mom was behind him.
He felt Leo hovering over him but he didn’t move.
“Hi mom.” Leo said gently.
“Decided to make a big breakfast?” She wandered over to look at what Mikey was doing at the stove.
Leo put a hand on Raph’s shoulder when she turned and leaned down to enter his eyeline.
Raph stared at him with a panicked expression. Leo looked sympathetic.
“Yeah, we’re all pretty hungry.” Mikey responded.
“You want some help?”
“I got it, it’s almost done anyway.”
Raph was trying like hell not to have a panic attack. Leo put both arms around his shoulders in a loose hug, leaning down to speak in his ear.
“Deep breaths, Raph, it’s just mom. You’re okay.”
He tried to breathe, placing a hand on Leo’s arm. He saw his mom turn and quickly threw Leo’s arms off him.
She stared at him sadly, but tried to smile anyway.
“How are you feeling today Raphael?”
“Hungry.” He answered quickly. “Just really hungry.”
Her smile faltered for a moment, but she tried to keep it up anyway.
“Well, good thing your brother is such a good cook.” She turned to the fridge to grab some juice.
Raph clasped his chest, he didn’t know why it hurt.
Donnie was staring at him with some concern, he looked like he was about to ask him something so Raph just glared at him and held his finger to his lips.
Donnie rolled his eyes and rest his folded arms on the table.
Raph just stared at his empty plate, trying to calm his nerves.
Leo pat him on the back and shook him gently.
“Raphael do you want me to put on some coffee? Or would you like to take a nap later?”
He stared at his empty plate. Caffeine would make his chest worse than it already was.
“No, I'm very awake right now, super okay.” He super fucking wasn’t okay and he didn’t know why.
She turned around to pour a glass of orange juice for herself.
“Enough food for me to join you boys?”
Mikey turned his head to look back at Raph in question.
Raph stared back at him with an anxious look in his eye. He then looked back at his mom.
“Of course you can eat breakfast with us we’re not avoiding you or anything that would be mean!” He tried to make his words sound as playful as he could but he was pretty sure he sounded crazy.
She gave him a puzzled look but smiled anyway, and sat at the other end of the table.
Donnie gave him the most dumbfounded look, shaking his head slightly.
Leo nonchalantly scooted his chair closer to Raph and leaned over the counter.
“So. What did our doctor tell you?”
Raph kicked him under the table but he didn’t react.
She frowned and clasped her hands around her cup, looking down at it.
“She… said a few things. She told me to give you space, but not be too far in case you needed to talk. I’m trying not to worry, but I’m a little surprised that none of you have seeked me out for anything.”
Raph frowned and rubbed his arm, looking away.
“I.. I’m sorry, feels too raw right now..”
“I think anything we need to talk about can be said to the therapist.” Donnie said.
Raph looked up to glare at Donnie for his rudeness, but he’d stood up to help Mikey bring plates of food to the table.
“Which I understand, but I feel out of the loop. You’ve spoken to April. And this doctor. But no one even looked to me for a hug…”
Raph chewed his lip and closed his eyes. He felt horrible.
“Mom, I’m so sorry I just—“
“Because trying to be physically close with anyone right now is hard, mom.” Leo interrupted. Raph thought his tone was too harsh. “We’ve been through hell and we’re just trying to be normal. It’s awkward and it sucks. But it’s hard to add other people to it.”
Raph groaned and shoved him lightly with his shoulder.
“We’re fine, mom. We’re coping.”
She eyed the two of them carefully with her hands clasped in front of her face as Donnie and Mikey placed the plates of pancakes and meats in front of everyone.
She was looking at Raph’s hoodie, she was looking at how close Leo was to him.
He looked away from her so he could pile as many chocolate chip pancakes onto his plate as he could. Leo leaned over him to add some bacon and hash browns to it, knowing he would forget to diversify his plate.
It was not helping.
Raph grumbled and took a big bite of pancakes. He couldn’t help but moan again. “These are so fucking good, Mikey…”
Mikey grinned from his seat near splinter at the corner. He and Donnie had very different plates, his full of all the variety, Donnie sticking to his plain pancakes with nothing on them.
“Thank you! Worth the wait right?” He asked with his mouth full.
“Yes, I’m sorry.” Raph whined dramatically and stuffed his face more. Eating real delicious food after all that gross paste felt so good. He’d never felt so hungry, he was going to overindulge.
“How are you coping?” Splinter asked suddenly between her bites of food.
Raph tensed and looked up at her, gulping back hard.
“Sorry?”
“You said you were fine and coping. So how are you coping?” She looked up at him with a weird look and he needed to look back down. It was making him queasy.
“I.. I don’t know, we’re just hanging out I guess.” He mumbled and picked at his food.
“Is that a new hoodie?”
He tensed and tried to make himself small.
“No, it’s Donnie’s…”
“Hm.” She washed back her food with a chug of juice.
His brothers weren’t as tense as he was, but they did look uneasy by her presence. It wasn’t unusual, he was usually the only one trying to hold conversation, and he had been the one to inadvertently invite her to join them. They all kind of wanted to be alone.
“Mikey? You should have let me help, you seemed to have forgotten the eggs.”
‘She knows she knows she knows she knows!’
Raph slammed his head down on the counter to shut the voice in his head up.
There was a pause. Leo pressed a hand to his back.
“You good..?”
He picked his head up sharply and grunted.
“Never better.” He started scarfing down the pancakes in as big of bites as he could. Maybe he could finish fast and get out of here.
“I… didn’t make eggs cuz our stomachs are a little too empty for eggs…” Mikey mumbled between bites.
‘She knows he’s lying she knows he’s trying to protect you she knows!’
He clenched his fist around his fork and swallowed hard, staring intensely at his plate. He put his free hand under the table to dig his nails into his thigh instead of hurting his head where she could see it.
Unfortunately Leo noticed and grabbed his hand under the counter to stop him. Which she also noticed.
He slapped his hand away and glared at him.
“Leo what are you doing to your brother?!”
Leo snapped his head up to look at her and he looked like a deer caught in headlights.
“Nothing!”
Raph wished he had hair so he could pull it all out.
“Oh for fucks sake, SPLINTER, we are NOT. FUCKING each other!” Donnie shouted as he suddenly stood up and leaned over the counter.
Raph looked at him in absolute horror.
Splinters eyes went wide and she looked at him angrily.
“What?!”
Donnie growled.
“I can see what you’re doing! You keep eyeing Raph up for being too close to us! You’re assuming the worst!” Donnie gestures to him with one hand without turning his gaze away from splinter. “You’re going to give him ANOTHER panic attack!”
Raph clutched his head in his hands, staring wildly at nothing as he curled his upper body over the counter, facing down at the table.
“Donnie!” He heard Mikey yell as another stool scooted back.
“I-I am not assuming anything!” His mother sounded offended and angry.
“Guys.” Leo said sternly.
“You literally asked him about my hoodie! As if it was the weirdest thing in the world for my traumatized rape victim of a brother to request items of clothing!”
“He’s just never worn anything like that before!”
“Gee Splinter I wonder why!”
“Donnie this isn’t your fight!” Mikey yelled and Raph heard a small smack.
“Someone has to fucking fight for that idiot! Everyone’s fucking dancing around it as if we don’t all know what’s wrong!”
Raph was staring at his plate so hard the colours were burning into his brain.
“No one wants to tell me what’s wrong! Everyone comes home from hell and avoids their mother like the plague! And I am just supposed to not fear the worst?! You have no idea all the things I can smell on you boys!”
“Where was that nose THE FIRST TIME?!” Donnie shouted as it sounded like he slammed both fists on the counter.
“What?!”
He was growling.
“You didn’t smell DAD all over Raph?!”
Raph stood suddenly, hands still clasped over his ears and he didn’t look at anyone, just kept his head facing the ground as he ran out of the room.
He bolted into the bathroom and proceeded to throw up all of the delicious pancakes he’d enjoyed so much. He couldn’t even have one nice thing.
He heard a gentle knock at the open door and didn’t turn away from the bowl.
“I have some water…” Leo said quietly. He made no effort to step inside.
Raph reached his arm back to take the cup without looking.
Leo passed it to him and stayed in the doorway.
Raph kept staring at the bowl, waiting to see if he has anything left before he chugged water and rinsed his mouth out a few times.
“Thanks…” he mumbled as he grabbed toilet paper to wipe his face with.
“Do you want me to sit with you..?”
Raph kept staring at the bowl.
“Yeah…”
Leo walked inside and sat beside him propping up an elbow on his knee.
“Can I rub your back?”
“Why are you asking permission?” Raph looked up at him frustratedly. He was just giving him a sympathetic frown.
“Cuz I think no one is asking how you feel before they decide they know what’s best for you.”
Raph turned back to the bowl, taking in what he meant.
“I… thank you…” he sighed, straightening his back out to look at the back of the toilet. He was pretty sure there was nothing left in him, but he just kind of wanted to sit in this quiet moment away from everyone else. Puke or not.
Leo took it upon himself to flush the toilet for him.
“If it helps, I’m pretty sure Mikey’s gonna chew Donnie’s ear off for that.”
“What does it matter, he’s not wrong.” Raph sighed.
“It was not his place to shout your bullshit at mom.”
Raph turned to look up at him frustrated.
“He’s right though. That’s what hurts.”
Leo frowned and nodded.
“He is, but it’s still not his place to talk over you about you. It’s not moms place to make you feel like shit about yourself when you’re barely holding on. And it’s not Donnie’s place to decide how you tell mom about your own shit.”
Raph looked away, feeling tears coming.
“I was never gonna tell mom. I was… I was literally never ever gonna tell her that…”
Leo scooted closer and leaned his head down to be at eye level with him.
“I get that. We all kinda knew that. I’m sorry Donnie did that to you.”
Raph closed his eyes.
“You can hug me if you want to…”
He felt Leo pull him in to a loose hug from his side, letting him lean his body against his.
“I… I know what Donnie did is fucked but… but I also mean that I was never going to be ABLE to tell mom that…”
Leo hummed and rubbed his shoulder.
“You’re half grateful. Half angry.”
He laughed a little. “Yeah… I know it’s.. it’s my fault for saying it was ok for her to join us but… but god Leo I feel so bad all the time, she seems lonely and sad and I just.. I can’t look at her and think about what she thinks of me…”
“I mean—“
“And don’t just tell me not to worry about what she thinks.”
There was a pause.
“That’s all you were gonna say.” Raph grumbled and pat Leo’s arm. “I hate that nobody ever gets along, and I hate that I’m stuck in the middle of it…”
“Sounds exhausting.”
“It is! I’m tired and I just want people to fucking… I don’t know.. I’m trying to be okay…”
Leo tugged him closer. “You don’t have to be okay, no one expects you to be okay.”
He sighed and pat Leo’s arm. “I wanna go back in there…”
Leo gently let go of him and stood up, holding his hand out to help him up. He then pointed at the sink.
“Maybe one last rinse and spit.”
Raph sighed and leaned over to gargle tap water for a moment before turning and staring up at Leo who gave him a thumbs up.
Leo let him lead the way out of the room.
He was still hearing arguing as he walked towards the kitchen.
“—have any idea how hard this was?!”
“Yes! Because you never shut up about it!”
“Oh that’s kind of you to say!”
“Does it EVER cross your mind how hard WE had it as BABIES?!”
He hovered in the doorway for a moment.
He saw his mother standing on a stool to shout at eye level, Donnie just glaring daggers still in the same spot.
Mikey had his arms folded, the expression on his face looked far older and exhausted than it should have on his sweet face.
“Of course I do! That’s why I needed to get you out of there!”
Raph walked in the kitchen and they all stared at him.
Mikey’s expression softened instantly, he looked worried.
Raph parsed the last thing his mother had said and he turned to look at her, feeling angry for some reason.
“But… you didn’t get us out… I got us out.” He said quietly.
He sensed Leo standing behind him leaning against the door frame.
His mother made a face.
“That’s not fair.” She said as she climbed down of the stool to sit normally. “I found us all a way out, I got us a home.”
“Six years later.” He almost whispered. He wasn’t sure where this was coming from.
Mikey and Donnie were staring at him in awe. Splinter looked offended.
“You know where I—“
“I know where you were. I know why you were gone.” He clenched his fists and took a breath, standing up straight. “I don’t blame you for leaving. Or being gone. I’m sorry. But…” he looked at Mikey, his sweet eyes growing larger. He eyed Donnie, whose guilty look was turning warmer. He looked back at his mother. “But when you were gone bad things happened to us, and no one came to save us.”
Her eyes were watering. It made his water too, so he turned his head to look away.
He sensed Leo step in beside him and felt him grab his hand gently.
Raph looked up at him, he was giving him a gentle smile and nodded at him to continue.
Leo had him.
He looked back at his mom’s tearful eyes.
“I-I know that! And I feel terrible about it every day!”
He gave her a dark glare.
“Did you know dad raped me?”
Her eyes went wide and she didn’t say anything.
He frowned.
“You either didn’t think about how bad we had it, or you knew and didn’t do anything about it. I don’t know which makes me more miserable to think about.”
“Raphael—“
“Stop!” He shouted. She tensed up and he felt guilty instantly, none of them liked a booming voice.
He rubbed his temple with his free hand.
“Stop. We know the therapist was April’s idea. And we know you didn’t let her get one for us before. I understand….” He sighed, “I understand that we were in hiding. That you were scared for us, scared we’d get caught, shipped back there and have the worst thing happen, but… but we could have gotten help years ago! I could have gotten help! I-I shut down mom! I forgot all about it! And you might think that’s good! That makes it all okay cuz I shut it all out but it came back to haunt me!
Tears were falling down his cheeks, he felt so angry and so miserable and so so justified.
“You said… you told me. When you found me you told me you had been watching us! Trying to watch over us right? What… what did you see dad do that finally pushed you over the edge and made you admit you were there?”
She looked so pained, so guilty. He didn’t want to break his stare no matter how much it hurt. He didn’t want to give her a way out.
“Your… the things he wanted to do to you… to your brothers because of you…”
“BECAUSE of me?!” He snatched his hand away from Leo’s to clench both of his fists.
Her tears were free roaming, she balled her fists on the counter.
“Because of how you were born! H-he got opportunity as soon as he found that out! He was going to use them on you! Because of how you were born!”
Raph shook his head dumbfounded, staring at the ground.
“Because of how I was born…” he repeated. “So it’s.. so it’s my fault guys! Because I was born like this!”
“Raphael that’s not what I meant!”
He snapped his head up to glare at her. “Isn’t it?! You just said what caused you to finally warn me was learning about that! How did you even learn that!”
She stared at him for a long while. Crying silently as she tried to find her words.
His muscles were trembling from how tightly wound he felt.
“I… saw you get examined in the lab… I was in the vent, y-you were on the table with your little legs…” she sobbed. “I-I saw what he did… i s-saw you lie there l-like you were asleep…”
Raph felt an icy chill run through his body.
He stood back, staring at her in shock and shaking his head a little.
“You… you saw him do it…”
It wasn’t a question.
Her face answered it anyway. Anguished, guilty, miserable. Sobbing away at the table.
He couldn’t move and she didn’t say anything.
“Mom…” Leo softly whispered beside him.
Donnie kicked his stool over with violent force and marched out of the room.
Mikey was staring at Raph with big wet eyes.
Raph was frozen.
“How… how could you..?” Leo asked her.
She hid her face in her hands, sobbing loudly.
“Y-you couldn’t go back! H-help would have brought attention! You couldn’t go back!” She wailed. “A-and you blocked it all out! What was I supposed to do!!!”
“SOMETHING!!!” Mikey screamed suddenly.
They all turned to look at him. He looked more furious than anyone had ever seen him, pure rage in his eyes, sitting up on the counter with his body hunched over.
He shook his head in utter disbelief and got down off the stool, marching over to Raph and taking his hand.
“We should leave.” He said seriously and tugged on it.
Raph didn’t want to move.
“H-he tried to do the deed himself Raphael! H-he tried to use himself as the donor first! H-how could I tell you that!” She slammed her fists down.
Leo’s hands were on Raph’s shoulders now.
“You… saw dad rape me…”
She kept sobbing.
“I-I couldn’t d-do anything to s-stop him!!”
He shook his head slowly and turned his body to face Leo behind him.
“I… I don’t want to talk to you…” he said softly.
Leo stepped around him to hold him from behind and Mikey tugged him once more.
This time he followed.
And just left her crying alone.
They both walked him into the bedroom and sat him down on their pile of beds, Donnie was already here curled up in the corner crying by himself.
Raph just sat very still, his feet still on the ground. He stared into space as someone put a blanket over him, someone else shut the door.
He couldn’t even cry, he felt emotionally comatose and just stared blankly into the wall.
He felt his brothers grab his hands and squeeze them.
“Raph…?” He thinks it was Leo, he couldn’t see.
A soft chirp came from his other side.
He blinked but didn’t look over.
“I… Don’t wake me up…” he mumbled. “I don’t want to feel this…”
They both went quiet, he sensed movement behind him, and then felt all three brothers hugging him on all sides.
He just kept staring at the wall.
“She watched him rape me…” he said quietly again.
The grips got tighter. Someone was sobbing. It could have been all of them. They just held on to him, and it was the only thing he was going to let himself feel.
“If mom watched him rape me, then that means she let him rape me…”
He kept staring. The grooves between the bricks started to glow from how little he’d moved his eyes.
“And if she let him do that, and then… then all these years she should have known what was wrong with me, right..?”
“Raphie…”
He closed his eyes.
He took a deep breath.
And then he just screamed as loud and long as he could. Until his lungs were fully empty and then some.
Then he finally let himself break down.
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