(Not my image - I borrowed it for visualisation purposes. Credit to the artist who made this fantastic picture. I think it's: AnonymousAvox)
The next morning…
Leo woke up to someone knocking on his door, he grumbled allowing the person in. He smiled when he saw the purple bandana of Donatello. “Here Leo, there are some clothes in there for you and Raph. Sensei says to get ready and then meet in the living quarters in twenty minutes”. Donnie said while fixing his jacket. “Thanks Donnie, you look good by the way”. Donatello smiled walking out and shutting the door silently.
Never in his life did Leonardo think he would be wearing human clothes, he felt weird without his shell, almost vulnerable. He smirked at the contents of the clothes, could it be anymore cliche. He could guess the blue shirt was for him while the red hoodie seemed to be for Raph. Speaking of which, Leo looked towards his mate who remained asleep hugging the blankets. Pressing a kiss to Raph’s forehead, he ran his fingers through his mate's dark black locks. Before, he moved to get ready in the spare space in his room. Leo caught a look at himself in the mirror and smiled, he had brown hair, his eye colour remained a cobalt blue colour.
A groan behind him snapped him out of his focus, turning around he saw his disgruntled mate sitting up with the blanket wrapped around his waist. “I was hoping it was a dream”. Hearing the sadness in his mates voice, Leo made his way over to Raphael before wrapping his arms around him. Leo rocked them back and forward. “Leo” Raph whined. Leo smirked tickling Raph’s sides, prompting pure laughter out of the turned turtle-human. “Feeling better?” Leo asked, earning himself a half-glare followed by a shrug. Sighing Leo knew it was the best he would get. Noticing the time, Leo helped Raph get ready. His mate groaned. Leo noticed the lack in breasts, Raph caught his look. “For some reason I have female parts but not breasts, my biological mother fucked me up…I miss being a turtle” Tears involutatily slipped down Raph’s face, the sadness made Leo’s breath catch in his throat. Leo nodded, helping Raph into the red hoodie and passing a red beanie over to Raph who adjusted it on his head.
Raph’s tears took a while to settle down. The already over-emotional hothead was grumbling about being emotional and blaming Leo for it, which Leo didn’t mind as long as Raph was not sad, he didn’t care. “Raph?” Leo looked down at the red hooded human in his arms, emerald eyes met cobalt, “What?” Raph asked. “Where late” “Nothing new there”. Leo chuckled hearing his mate's sarcasm, “come on, the sooner we get this sorted. The sooner I can spend more time with you” Leo whispered, seductively into his mate's ear sending pleasant shivers down Raph’s spine. A smile etched its way onto Raph’s face, “Let’s not keep the rat waiting then”. Leo shook his head, not even going to correct his happy mate. Leo watched as Raph stepped out of the room waiting on Leo as nerves soon took over. Shaking his head, Leo grabbed Raph’s hand in his own before the two made their way into the main living area.
Soon their presence was noticed and silence fell on the room. Raph wanted nothing but to sprint back to his room but Leo’s grip on his hip made him stay put. He looked around the room searching for someone and soon it landed on the said person. His father. Tigerclaw stood beside the arcade machine with Dantzer and Alopex, the silver haired man playing on the machine with Alopex watching.
“Leonardo. Raphael. I’m glad you finally decided to join us” Splinter announced with a disapproving stare. “My apologies Father, it won’t happen again” Leo’s reply covered Raph’s mutter of, “Speak for yourself”. Leo squeezed Raph’s hip in warning but those close to Raph heard what he said. Donnie smiled from his seat beside Mikey and April. Splinter nodded, ignoring Raphael’s comment for now on.
“Donatello, as you were saying” Splinter turned his head back to his purple bandana son. Leo smiled at Mikey and Donnies bandana’s, he soon found his and Raph’s in his hand from Splinter passing it over. Leo wrapped his around his eyes before passing Raph’s to him. The red hooded human looked at it before wrapping it around his wrist, he was to tired for this. Leo smiled at his mate, who ignored the shocked looks that he hadn’t put the bandana on. Raph made his way across the room to Tigerclaw who welcomed him into a hug, Raph lay his head on his father’s chest only half-listening to Donnie’s theory knowing Leo would repeat it later on.
“It seems that there was a particle in the air within the smoke that changed us. The smoke was a sleeping agent intending on putting people to sleep, in order to move them easily. But for some strange reason there was something that mixed with the smoke and changed us. According to Leatherhead, there were other crates and boxes in the truck labelled with names. One was called, ‘diablo rojo dormido’. Which according to my resources it translates to….” “Sleeping red devil” Dantzer translated for them all. Donatello whipped his head towards the older male who wore what looked like an assassin's coat. Seemed like Dantzer and Tigerclaw somehow obtained their own clothes while Alopex was stuck with black combat jeans, a black top and a black leather jacket. “Wait! How do you know that?” April asked. Dantzer rolled his eyes, “It’s spanish!” he bluntly said before turning his back on the room and continuing his game. Tigerclaw slapped his head which made Dantzer turn around to face the room again with Alopex tightening her grip on his arm.
“Care to elaborate on what it is?” April asked. Dantzer smirked “Nope”. April let out a frustrated shout but it died down when a stone cold voice spoke out, “It’s a traditional curse from a spanish legend. It said, ‘To bring out the true selves of people, to wipe the lies of the past and give the people their future back’”. Tigerclaw wrapped his arms tighter around his son's body knowing the stares were making Raphael very uncomfortable.
“How do we know you're telling the truth?” Casey asked, while swinging a hockey stick around narrowly avoiding Mikey when the orange bandana human stood up to stretch before repositioning himself. “Believe what you want but I do think it's time, your Sensei explained something to you all” Tigerclaw said, allowing Raphael to leave his grip. He watched his cub walk in the direction of Leo before walking straight past him towards the bathroom. On instinct, Leo followed.
Raph emerged from the bathroom not even a second later not surprised to see Leo standing outside. Reaching up, Raph pulled Leo down for a deep kiss. Leo wrapped his arms around Raph’s hips pulling him closer. “WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE WERE ONCE HUMAN!” Mikey's enraged scream reached the two’s ears, Leo gave Raph a peck on the cheek before grabbing Raph’s hand and scrambling in the direction of the living quarters. The two soon found an unexpecting site.
Mikey looked ready to blow; he and Donnie stood opposite Splinter with darkened looks. From the looks of it, while Leo and Raph were gone, which was only for a solid five minutes, Splinter had briefly explained to the others what Tigerclaw meant. “My sons, please let me explain”. “No! Sensei! You stole a child from your enemy as revenge! I’m gathering from your and Raphael’s relationship, you abused him over all these years, just because of who his father is!” Donnie shouted angrily, he crossed his arms over his chest in order to try and ground himself. “What I want to know is, why didn’t you tell us? We have dreamed of the human world for years and now we learn we were actually human to begin with. Do you know how gut wrenching that is!?” Mikey furiously shouted, pointing his fingers.
Splinter inwardly sighed but two figures emerging from the shadows near the turnstiles made a shiver run up his spine. Leonardo’s face was impassive while Raphael wore a smirk on his face. Leo soon moved closer to his distraught brothers, he wrapped his arms around them. Donnie and Mikey soon turned around and buried themselves in their older brother's warm arms. Raph watched with a small smile on his face which soon disappeared as footsteps came racing towards him. The red hooded human looked up only to gasp, purple eyes of fury connected with his green ones before he found himself shoved backwards until his back hit the wall. A shout of pain left his vocal cords.
“RAPH!”
“ROCKWELL STOP!” Donnie shouted out, but the monkey refused to listen. Leonardo gasped when Raph’s body went flying towards him, he ran as quick as he could and caught his drowsy mate. Slash and Leatherhead managed to restrain the monkey. Pigeon Pete made an appearance diving straight for Mikey who ran in fear. Donnie used his bo staff to knock him out of the air.
“What the hell was that?” Dantzer shouted earning himself a smack. “Their minds seem corrupted, they are under mind-control!” April exclaimed, she reached out with her powers into the two mutants' brains only to gasp at what she found before she erased it from their minds. Rockwell and Pete soon found themselves waking up, only to gulp at the amount of humans in the turtle's lair. It freaked them out that Pete fainted from it.
“Raph!” Leo cried out, trying to wake his mate who remained dazed. Donnie and Mikey kneeled on either side of Raph, “Don?” “Give me a minute Leo”. The leader nodded, stroking Raoh’s head while Donnie checked him over. April and Casey made sure to give the ‘four room, however Tigerclaw remained standing over Leonardo, not taking his eye off his cub. “He’s alright”. Leo sighed in relief, a groan alerted them all to Raph. Green eyes soon slid open underneath pale almost white skin. “What hit me?” Raph asked while Leo helped him sit up. A pain shot across Raph’s stomach, making him cry out in pain. “Leo!” Hearing his mate's cry, Leo lifted Raph up into his arms before he followed a worried Don to the lab with Mikey following. The lab doors soon closed behind them. No one could access it because of the way Tigerclaw, Dantzer and Alopex covered the door, daring anyone to try and get past them.
Meanwhile in the lab…
“Leo put him down in the chair, I didn’t want to say anything but we need to check the hatchlings…I mean babies….urgh..” Donnie was met with smiles. Leo nodded gently, placing a groaning, almost sweating Raphael into the chair. Leo held Raph’s hand tightly as Donnie put the cold liquid on Raph’s stomach. Mikey moved closer when Raph reached for him. Leo caressed his mate's head to try and calm down the stressed hothead.
After a few minutes of silence, Donnie let off a happy sound alerting the others in the room.
“Aaha!” Donnie smiled, turning the monitor so Raphael, Leo and Mikey could see. A smile etched its way onto Raph’s face when he saw the two blobs on the screen. Raph it seems you are twelve weeks along, you have passed the critical stages but you must be careful from now onl. The pain you felt was your muscles moving to protect your womb” Donnie explained, he turned to look at the expecting parents only to smile. Leo was whispering words of comfort into Raph’s ear, the red hooded human smiling genuinely. After pecking Raph’s lips, Leo turned to his brothers, “Would you do the honour of being godparents?” Leo asked, holding Raph’s hand tightly as his mate continued to stare at the picture Donnie had just printed off. Mikey and Donnie both gave enthusiastic nods. Leo smiled pulling Mikey into a hug while Donatello cleaned Raphael up.
Donnie gave Raph some painkillers to help with his achy now bruised back. Over the years, they learned Raph bruised very easily but now that he was pregnant he was going to have to be extra careful. The red hooded human sat up with ease before he wrapped his arms around the brothers who squeezed close. “Thank you guys” Raph spoke with love for the first time in a while. The brothers remained quiet knowing Raph wasn’t done, “I just want to say thank you for everything you have done for me, I know I had selfishly protected you all for years but that was my choice. I’m just trying to say….I…umm…love you guys even if we are not related….I…thank you…” Lips pressed against his, “Always Raph, always”. Those three words broke him, he felt the arms tighten around him. “We love you Raph and we will protect our protector no matter what!” Mikey exclaimed, prompting a chuckle out of his brothers and Raph. Donnie smiled looking down at Raph. “So when are you two getting married?” Donnie jokes, earning himself a slap from Leo.
“We are too young for that!” Leo exclaimed, Donnie gave him a pointed look. “Okay, I mean Raph is too young” Leo corrected himself. “Wait what?” Mikey looked at his brothers in confusion. “Mikey. You and Raph are 17 while Donnie is 18 and I’m 19. Donnie found our birth certificates, don't ask me how. I don't know” Leo explained, pulling Raph close to his chest. Mikey nodded, hugging closer to Donnie’s chest, the scientist not bothering to explain. Some things are better left unsaid.
“So what now?” Leo gave Donnie a look. “It’s not like we can live in the sewers, it's not good for Raphael’s health” Donnie explained his point. Leo frowned looking at Raph. “What about the farmhouse?” Mikey suggested, playing with Donnie’s bandana tails. “Good idea, now how do we convince the others?” Donnie sarcastically pointed out. Leo watched his brothers fool around for a bit. The two tried to work out the answer that only one person could answer.
“We can’t figure it out but I can,” Raph’s rough voice spoke up halting the brothers banter, “What do you mean, Raph?” Mikey asked while bouncing over to them. Raph looked at Leo who nodded knowing what Raph was thinking. “I’m….I” “Take your time Raph, breathe” Donnie insisted. Sighing, Raph gritted his teeth, “I’m…going to tell them….dad already knows and he doesn’t really like your father so…he wants out of here and back out there…” Raph coughed into his arm before sneezing. Mikey frowned, passing a tissue over. Leo frowned, pressing a hand to Raph’s forehead, it deepened when he felt slightly warm.
The brothers nodded “I’m with you Raph” Leo said kissing Raph’s forehead. “We are with you Raphie” Mikey smiled as he spoke. “Ditto” Donnie couldn’t think of anything else to say but it made them all chuckle.
“Let’s get this over with,” Raph said, adjusting his beanie before accepting Leo’s hand to come to a stand. He was hit with a dizzy spell but it soon disappeared as the small family made their way over to the lab doors. The brothers waited a few minutes to allow Raphael time to compose himself; the doors opened to reveal the four. Mikey wore his signature smile, Donnie looked bored, Leo was impassive while Raph wore his usual angry glare.
Tigerclaw smiled, his cub always knew how to make an entrance.
“Will you stop being a dick for once in your old life and tell me where you put my lucky bat?!” Casey shouted at Dantzer who had made himself comfortable on one of the pipes attached to the ceiling. The fox turned human had incredible balance. Splinter crossed his arms like a petulant child watching Dantzer walk without looking across the pipes.
“Casey check your back” The vigilante looked up at Raph’s words only to grin when his eyes met his best-friends. April shook her head when Dantzer landed with no sound and tucked the bat back in Casey’s bag. The vigilante growled at Dantzer who shrugged, making his way over to Alopex who remained leaning against the dojo wall.
It was clear to the room that Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo had some news to share from their facial expressions and body language.
“Guys, What is it?” April asked, worry spread across her features. Leonardo scanned the room, he noticed Dr Rockwell and Pigeon Pete were standing beside their human teammates. They looked out of place but it just made sense. A soft small hand grabbed his own, making him look down to see Raph looking back at him. Leo gave his mate’s hand a squeeze.
“We need to leave the lair,” Leonardo announced. April and Casey shared a confused look. The Claw clan actually looked relieved not that Mikey could blame them. “Why?” Casey asked, he couldn’t understand why the ‘turtles’ would want to leave their home. “Because it's not safe” Mikey bluntly said, earning himself some odd looks from Leatherhead, Splinter and Casey.
“Guys? You're not making any sense” April pushed forward, coming to stand opposite the four of them. “Boys, can you explain why our home is not safe?” Splinter asked, coming to stand beside April and now a very confused Casey. Donnie sighed looking at Mikey who held his stare. Raphael crossed his arms across his chest looking more angry every passing minute, Leo wrapped an arm around his waist in comfort. “It’s not safe enough for a hatchling,” Mikey said to the room. “What?!” Casey shouted, rubbing his head now feeling more lost than confused. Splinter and April shared a look. Dantzer grinned from his place leaning on the arcade machine, having inside knowledge was great especially when watching the four turtles turned humans bewildered everyone. Tigerclaw and Alopex found themselves smiling.
“What do you exactly mean by hatchling, Michelangelo?” Leatherhead asked, stepping forward ignoring the grinning Slash with Rockwell and Pete. Raphaels glare softened as his smile widened, he nodded in Leo’s direction. The leader in blue smiled before finally letting the cat out of the bag, “Sensei as much as I am angry at you. It is my delight to announce, you are going to be a grandfather”. Leo’s smile widened as he pulled Raph closer into his side, Donnie moved closer to Raph’s back while Mikey closed the distance on Raph’s free side. They all shared the nerves and worry coming from the pregnant teenager. Looking across the room, Leo caught the eyes of the claw clan who were ready in case an attack happened.
“WHAT! HOW?!” Casey shouted looking at Leo then back to Raph. “Aren’t you both male?” April asked softly looking at them with a head tilt. Splinter remained silent staring at his sons and Raphael. Slowly, Splinter makes his approach to his sons who seem to stand on edge, not that Splinter can blame them. Raphael remains silent listening to Donatello explain to the room about some turtles being intersex. However while listening Raphael opted to not take his eye off the approaching Splinter. “Oh wow! Donnie I totally believe that! You are aware I can tell when your lying, gappy” Casey mocked and insulted Donnie, the purple bandana human frowned. Casey smirked, and that quickly dropped when he found himself slammed into the floor by none other than a seething Raphael. “Woah Woah, Raph! I was only joking!” Casey shouted trying to break through his best-friends anger. “Do not call him that ever!” Raph yelled at his now shaking best-friend. Casey nodded. Once Raph was satisfied with Casey’s reaction, he got off him and turned to the rest of the room.
“If you must know, my biological mother experimented on me when I wasn’t even born and then again when I was only a toddler. She changed me, but it never had an effect on me until I was mutated into a turtle. Turns out I’m intersex and have lower female parts. If this leaves the room and you tell your ‘friends’, I will come after all of you and I’m warning you. No one will ever find your bodies, I don’t care who you are. So do me one favour, DO NOT and I mean it. Do not insult the brothers otherwise you will have a murderous protector on your backs” Raphael spoke with venom laced in his tone, his stance had Pete step back and hide behind Leatherhead. Dantzer made a signal to his nephew that looked like ‘I’ll help!’. April recognised that stance anywhere, she suddenly realised why Raphael had the tattoo of the foot clan on his shoulder.
Leonardo smiled at his mate but his smile dropped when a human hand placed itself on his shoulder. “My sons, I must deeply apologise for the mistakes I have made to not only you but Raphael as well. I ask that you think over my apology and somehow we can overcome our problems. I know it will take time but I must tell you. I will be with you every step of the way and to help raise my grandchild. I will respect your decisions but I do have my own opinion on this” Leonardo nodded, gesturing for his father to go on, he felt Mikey stand closer to him in comfort, the leader in blue took a deep breath. “I am proud to call you my sons and I love you all equally. Although we are going through a rough patch and I know it will take a long time for you to forgive me. I just want to say I have all the faith in the world that you will make an excellent father one of these days, you all will. But, I do warn you. Leonardo. You must know something…” Splinter was cut off by a groan of pain.
Leo’s head whipped to see Raphael glaring at his body which seemed to ache whenever it felt like it. He smiled before turning to Splinter, “If it has any connection between Raphael and Oroku Saki, I already know.” Splinter nodded in confirmation. “Father, you are right. It will be a long-term patch up, there is too much hurt for it to be easily forgiven. I do respect you but I need time to think…” Leo was cut off by another groan as Donnie scanned Raph who remained glaring. “Raph! When was the last time you ate?” Donnie asked, looking at the slightly green pale Raph, who shrugged. Donatello led Raph over to the sofa with Leo following. “Probably breakfast yesterday” Donnie glared at the teenager, slapping him on the head. “Mikey go make Raph a sandwich or something. Raph you must remember your eating for three now!” Donatello reprimanded the stubborn hothead. “WAIT! What!” April turned to face Leo who just laughed.
“Twins!” Pigeon Pete cried out before fainting to the floor. Alopex smiled from where she watched Leo pull Raph into a hug away from a squealing April and excited Casey. The hothead rubbed his head feeling a headache heading his way.
“My sons and Raphael. Where would you want to be staying?” Splinter asked, coming to stand opposite them. Mikey appeared with a sandwich for Raphael who looked at it with disgust but Leo made him eat it and thanked his smiling brother who didn't take Raph’s look to offence. “We were thinking of the farmhouse or…” Donatello explained, checking Raphael’s iron levels. The hothead ignored him curling himself into Leonardo’s side, feeling extremely tired. Donatello shook his head at Raphael’s behaviour, he knew all Raph wanted to do was sleep but Donnie needed him to take some vitamin tablets. “I think I have a better idea,” Tigerclaw spoke up. Casey whipped around totally having forgotten the three claw members were there. “Care to elaborate?” April asked, giving Donnie the vitamins he had requested her to get a few days ago. She watched Donnie hand over some to Raphael who looked at them with a glare; it took Leo popping them in Raph’s mouth for the stubborn turtle turned human to swallow them.
“Cub, how do you feel about seeing your mother?” Raphael’s face lit up hearing those words. “Sure, is he in town?” Raph replied, laying his head on Leo’s lap while his legs sprawled across Mikey’s lap. The youngest didn’t mind at all. “He is”. Raph nodded at the reply, he felt a hand touch his forehead and a gentle kiss to his skin. “I will be back soon, cub”. Emerald eyes slipped under heavy eye-lids, his thoughts drifted to his ‘parents’. He allowed himself some sleep knowing his mate was watching over him.
Tigerclaw smiled down at his sleeping cub before grabbing his stuff and heading for the entrance with his sister. Dantzer remained behind in the lair to keep an eye on his nephew. “Where are you going?” Donnie asked. “To get your solution” Alopex replied while Tigerclaw turned to look at Leonardo directly, “Keep him safe until I return”. Leonardo nodded looking at the assassin who took one more glance at his cub before following after his sister. Leaving the three brothers to deal with the others, which soon turned into two brothers as Mikey yawned and fell into the land of dreams.
Ta Da! Let me know what you think in the comments!
Stay Tuned for another chapter on its way soon!