Brotherly Bonds

Eww, Gross!

Aw! Little Raphie! Just another short one-shot to add to the collection. Father son fluffiness. Enjoy!

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Splinter rubbed his aching temples. It was eight o'clock. Time for his little turtles to be in bed. But they weren't in bed. At least not yet. Being a single parent to four mutant turtle sons was exhausting.

"Michelangelo," he scooped up his youngest son and pushed the little toddler gently towards the bathroom, "I have asked you two times now to go brush your teeth and prepare for bed. Do not make me ask again." Michelangelo sighed and trudged off to the bathroom.

"Donatello! Put that away, it is time for bed!"

"Aw, but Dad, I was almost done putting it back together!" The young purple-masked turtle whined.

The fatherly rat looked down at the mess of parts strewn about at his son's feet. "That is not 'almost done', Donatello. Now please, clean up this mess and get ready for bed."

"Yes Dad." He said with a groan.

"Leonardo! Put down that bokken and go prepare for bed."

"Aw. Can I take it with me to my room when I go to bed?" He asked, his bright blue eyes shining.

Splinter's face was stern. "No, you may not. Please return it to its rightful place in the dojo." He turned away from his eldest and glanced around the room once again. Donatello was taking care of the scattered parts of the toaster he'd been trying to reassemble. Leonardo had gone in to return the bokken to the dojo. Splinter could hear the water running in the bathroom, so Michelangelo was doing as told. But where was—

"Raphael?" He called questioningly.

"Here Sensei. I'm all cleaned up." The red-masked turtle's young voice said meekly.

Splinter beckoned his son to come closer. Raph was standing in the shadows of the hallway, so the rat couldn't really tell whether the child was telling the truth or not. And he had to be certain. Especially this week. Raphael had somehow managed to skin his knee while playing with his brothers in the sewers, and the last thing Splinter needed was for one of his sons to get an infection.

Raph stepped up to his father and allowed the rat to examine his knee. The turtle was clean and the bandages on his knee were freshly changed.

Splinter nodded and put a hand on Raphael's shoulder. He was a little stunned that Raphael was ready before the others, considering that the red-masked toddler would usually come up with an excuse to be the last of his siblings to bed. "Well done, Raphael."

The little turtle grinned. "Thanks Daddy." Splinter smiled at the child and pulled Raphael into his arms, tickling the little one's side and chin. To the wearied rat, there were no sweeter sounds than his sons' youthful laughter.

Splinter kissed the young turtle lovingly on the forehead and Raphael let out a whine of juvenile disgust, wiping vigorously with the back of his hand. "Dad." He whined with a pout.

The rat-father laughed heartily and indulged his child. "Ah, are kisses no longer allowed, Raphael?"

"Yich. I'm too big for kisses. They're almost as disgusting as girls."

That statement made Splinter raise an eyebrow. "And how did you decide that, my son? You have never met one."

"Don't have ta. See 'em on TV. They're so weird, Sensei. I don't like 'em. I'm never gonna like a girl. And I'm never gonna kiss one neither. That's just gross. Kisses are gross and girls are gross." The little turtle said, sounding very confident in his reasoning.

"Indeed? Then I am no longer allowed to kiss you goodnight?"

Raphael crossed his little arms, trying to look very grown up and said, "No."

Splinter frowned. "Very well." He said softly. He would allow Raphael the privilege. Though he would miss saying goodnight to his little red-masked son. He stood, about to head down the hall to gather his other turtles and put them to bed, but a little hand grabbed his and tugged him back. The rat turned and the next thing he knew, thin arms were wrapped around his legs.

"But you can still hug me, Daddy. Hugs are good."

Raising an eyebrow he bent down. "Oh are they?" He asked teasingly. He swept his son up of the ground and Raphael giggled with joy and excitement. Splinter could feel warmth spreading through him as he pulled the little emerald green form to his chest. There was nothing more wonderful than holding one's child close.

Raphael burrowed into his father's robes with a happy sigh and a very sleepy yawn. Splinter's nose nuzzled the sweet child affectionately. "I do believe that it is past your bedtime, little one." Raph hummed in response. Splinter wondered aloud. "So hugs are good, but girls are gross?"

"Yeah." Came the sleepy answer from down in his arms. "Girls are gross. I'm never gonna go all goofy over a girl."

"Go 'goofy' over a girl?" Splinter asked, unsure what Raphael meant.

"Yeah, like those guys on TV. They see a girl and suddenly they're actin' all weird. I'm never gonna let a girl do that to me." The six-year old turtle stated confidently.

Splinter smiled and shook his head at Raphael's childishness. Yet he had to wonder, just what had the boys been watching today? Still, he grinned at his son. "Do not be so quick to judge them, Raphael. Someday you might find them interesting."

"Girls?! Interesting?!" He mock-gagged and again Splinter smiled. He tugged the young turtle down the hall to their room and got Raphael all tucked in.

"Wait here while I gather your brothers." He instructed.

Raphael nodded obediently, yawned, and rolled over on his little bed, his breath evening out. Splinter was pleased. At this rate Raphael would be asleep in a matter of minutes. He softly exited the room and pulled the door closed with a gentle click. Then he went and rounded up each of his other sons. He got them all settle down and told them that their brother was already asleep and that they needed to be quiet. He kissed them all goodnight and moved to leave when he looked back at Raphael. He hadn't kissed his second son goodnight. But Raphael had not wanted him to. Splinter slowly made his way over to Raphael's bed and kissed the emerald green forehead anyhow. Raph deserved just as much affection as his brothers, kisses included, no matter how 'gross' they happened to be.

Splinter closed the door to his sons' room and thought over his conversation with Raphael. Though the old rat knew that his turtle sons might never have the option of a relationship, he sensed that one day, perhaps ten years from now or so, Raphael would probably think differently...

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Splinter's lips pressed tightly together and he raised an eyebrow. The battle had ended only a few seconds ago. That was when she had rushed over. And Raphael was holding her hand. She wrapped her tail around him and pulled him into a deep kiss. Splinter exhaled and closed his eyes, a small smile spreading across his lips. So, Raphael, I see that you have found at least one girl interesting. I must therefore assume that her kisses are far from gross. He thought as he saw the way that his son passionately kissed her back. When Raphael finally pulled away, his cheeks almost as red as his mask, he approached his sensei, tightly holding her hand in his.

"Mona Lisa, this is my Father, Master Splinter." Raph introduced. He looked up into his father's eyes. "Father, this is Mona Lisa."

The rat father smiled and bowed politely as was his custom. "My son is very fond of you, Mona Lisa. More fond than I have ever seen him with anyone else."

She smiled and looked at Raphael. "As am I of him."

Happy as it made the old rat to see his son so contented, deep, deep, deep down inside of him, Splinter couldn't help but miss the stubborn little turtle who'd sworn he'd never fall in love. But Raphael was growing up. After all, that was life.

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How was it?