Favorite Turtle

The year 2005 January 17th

Raph stepped through the deep tunnels of the sewers somewhat aimlessly. It didn't matter where he ended or where he was going, what was important was where he wasn't.

Home.

Or at least it was his home. Not anymore now.
It was clear nobody wanted him there and that he was making everything worse for everyone. He knew everyone would be better off without him.

His sniffles echoed through the sewers.

//////////

"Give it!"

"Back off!"

"Cut it out!"

"Quit it!"

Leo pulled on the chest harder as Raph tugged back.

"Splinter said not to touch his stuff! You can't mess with it! You'll get in trouble!" Leo argued, only seeming to fuel his brother more.

"I'm not gonna touch anything! I'm just gonna look at it! I wanna see what's in it!" Raph argued back, pulling with all his might, "you're gonna break it!"

"I'm gonna tell Splinter!"

Raph gasped "Don't you dare!"

Leo's face scrunched up before giving his brother 'oh yes I will' look.

"SPLINTERRRRRRR" he screamed,

"RAPHS TRYING TO TOUCH ALL YOUR STUFF EVEN THOUGH YOU SAID NOT TO!"

"Shut up! THAT'S A LIE!" Raph screamed too, tugging more.

"NO, IT ISNT!! HE'S TRYING TO LOOK THROUGH YOUR-

"Boys!" Splinter slammed his staff on the ground from the other side of the brothers, startling them both.

"AhhHh!?!"

They both let go of the chest, dropping it abruptly and immediately pointing at each other.

"He started it!" Raph blamed.

"No, I didn't! He did! Master Splinter, Raph was trying to look through your things without your permission and I was just trying to stop him!" Leo pointed back. The brothers staring daggers into each other.

Splinter looked at both of them.

"Raphael, is this true?" He looked down at him, unintentionally looming over the kid with his always seemingly serious eyes.

"I-I w...I just wanted to..." he mumbled, trying to think of something, but Splinter looked deeper into him with his deep black eyes making the kid sweat bullets and tremble shamefully.

"Yes Father..." he looked down.

"But I wasn't gonna touch anything! I just wanted to look at it!"

"Tariru!" Splinter cut him off, with a strict(er) tone to his voice.

"Raphael, you know not to touch my things. They are very important to me, and I don't want you or anyone breaking or damaging them."

"I wasn't gonna break them! I swear! I was gonna be extra careful, promise!" Raph pleaded.

"Yeah right, you broke your mattress by falling on it!" Leo laughed, making Raph give him a death glare.

"Leonardo is right, you lack tenderness and patience. You would've damaged something" Splinter agreed.

"That's not true! I wo-

"Raphael! Enough! You know not to touch my things and you tried to anyway. Now go to your room, you are grounded" Splinter cut him off.

Raph went agape for a second, looking like he was about to say something but caught himself.
He pouted before running off to his room and slamming his door, plumping himself onto his bed to hide the sound of any tears he would have.

The turtle muffled into his pillow, punching and kicking his limbs all over.
He swore he could've heard a 'you did well, Leonardo' from outside the room.

This always happens!

Raph would do anything and Leo would tell on him and be told he was better!
It's like Raph couldn't help but screw up! Leonardo knew it, Mikey and Donnie knew it, and Splinter knew it.

It's not fair! It's not fair! Raph wasn't trying to do anything wrong! He was just- UGHhhh!

Why was he like this??

All these thoughts swam through Raphael's head for what could've been hours until he tired himself out and fell asleep.

He woke up a few hours later with red rashy eyes and a soaked pillow. He looked around confused, Mikey usually woke him in the morning screaming at him breakfast was ready.
But it was dead silent, did Splinter tell nobody to wake him or something?

He rubbed his eyes and quietly peeked outside his door to see what was up, but no one was outside.
It was nighttime? Oh. He must've just taken a nap for a few hours.

He retreated back to his room quietly, sitting on his bed.
He was done crying but he still felt just as bad. Maybe everyone hated him, maybe everyone wanted him gone, maybe he should just-

....

....just leave.





///////////

Maybe he'd find another abandoned subway and start a life there. One where he was out of the way and could be alone like he was supposed to be.

But now his feet were starting to hurt and he started to feel more and more uneasy the father stepped away from home.
Every scatter and creak seemed to make him jump.
The cold musty air blew by him hard, making him shiver.
He couldn't walk another step, he needed to find a place to rest.

Raph found a side tunnel on the way that looked clean enough, with not too many cobwebs and bugs. He hosted himself up inside and sat down. Hugging his knees close to him.

His family was probably celebrating him being gone by now, if they'd even noticed he was gone.
Raph could feel himself start to cry again despite him screaming at himself not to.

Stupid stupid stupid! Stop crying! Stop being such a screw-up! This is why they all hate you!

He started crying completely now, his hiccups and sobs filling the subway tunnels.
At least now he didn't have to worry about Anyone hearing him cry like a big baby.

"Raphael?"

Suddenly a voice came from across the corner, no more than a few feet away.
"Wha-

Master Splinter walked in front of the sewage tunnel, looking surprised and pleased to see him there.

"No! I'm not crying! You're crying!" Raph backed away, wiping his face off, turning away.

"There you are. I was looking everywhere for you, you know not to go outside the lair by yourself" Splinter said calmly, reaching out to hood him, but Raph tugged away.

"No! I don't wanna go back!" He shouted, making Splinter stop.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"I...I mess everything up! I always break stuff and get into fights... and you're always yelling at me and...and..you're all just better off without me!" He shouted, turning away and crossing his arms.

"..." Splinter paused for a bit.

"You know that's not true, Raphael." He said calmly, turning him around.

"Yes, it is..."

"Why would you ever think that?"

"Because you're always yelling at me, and telling Leo he's better than me and stuff" he sniffed, looking down.

"...yes you do indeed tend to give me a lot of trouble compared to your brothers, but I only scold you cause I want you to learn and grow from it. I don't recall ever saying Leonardo was better than you"

"You're always saying to be more like him, and you always tell him good job and stuff...you obviously love him more so don-

"Raphael!" Splinter stopped him, putting both his hands on his shoulder, "you know that isn't true right? Don't ever say that. I love all of you equally, nothing will ever change that"

"...that's what Leo says.." Raph replied shamefully.

Splinter gave a worried look, "well Your brother is wrong."

Raphael looked up at him, "you...you promise you're not just saying that?" He wiped his eyes.

"Of course not. I love you." Splinter brought him in for a tight sudden hug. To which Raph hugged back tightly, still crying.

"I'll talk to your brother, but please don't scare me like this again"

"I won't. I promise, I'm so sorry dad." Raphael dug his head into his shoulder.

They eventually broke the hug with Splinter wiping away his tears.
Splinter picked him up.

"Let's go. Your brothers are very worried about you"

"They are?" Raph looked up.

"Of course they are, we've been looking for you all morning. You had us worried sick"

"...right." Raph couldn't help but smile a little at that... "are you mad at me sensi?"

"....No, not this time. But don't get used to it" Splinter answered.

"Yes sir..." The Turtle sniffed, resting on his chest.


















Hope you enjoyed! Here's an unrelated drawing I made for the day!

Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: AzTruyen.Top