Chapter 30: Reconsideration...
Silence is normally a sign of calm and serenity, however it can also be a lead of impatience and solitary. So no matter how one would put it, either way it can be of benefit but also damage.
And no matter how either of the brothers saw it, right now it looked like it was leading towards the damaged aspect.
Both Leonardo and Donatello sat on their knees, not so much looking at their expecting Sensei or to each other. After all, they were the ones who behaved the most out of the four brothers, and yet they couldn’t help themselves at the time. They just couldn’t help themselves. And now, both of them are having this discussion with their father.
“I am very disappointed in you my sons.” He said, his voice like enigma, but also there was the hint of scolding any father would have to their misbehaving children.
Leo bowed his head down lower, feeling his heart shatter slowly. He did not wish for this to happen… none of it…
It didn’t help when he remembered the look on his father’s face when he walked in. Leo could still see Splinter’s aged face contort into a mix of shock and apprehension when he walked in the lab. His widen eyes of...
“I want a full explanation. Of neither lies nor concealing the truth.” He demanded.
For a moment, neither brother could speak, their throats just seemed like they were going to suffocate.
“Leonardo.” He turned to his eldest child. “I want you to know, that I will not be voicing my opinion over this matter until I hear what happened.”
Leo just wanted to roll under a rock and hide for the rest of his life at those words. But he knew… that this cannot be avoided any longer. He had been selfishly doing this long enough, and by all means their master, their own father had a right to know.
He lifted his head, making sure to keep his blue eyes on his father and not on his brother. “I’ve… I had some concerns I wanted to address to you before Father.” He started keeping a straight face despite how he was burning in the inside.
“Such as?”
It was or never. He took a deep breath. “I will not lie under the ninja oath. But I will also not be explaining everything father. I want to let you know no matter what you so choose to react is on your own free will. But I also want to address that as growing teenager, and in quote, no matter how much disciplinary training you make me, or my brothers face. It will not change what happened, nor…” He slowly turned to Don who looked like he was going to chock at his words.
“How I feel about this. How I feel about my brothers or… to Don. As that is also my free will.” He stated facing his father.
“Very well.” Splinter nodded.
Leonardo bowed his head for a moment out of respect and to think back to the beginning. “During the last mission against Hun and the Purple Dragons, when he captured those children and women, the decision was hard. I ultimately had no choice, but to abandon an unfortunate large amount of those people in order to save the majority. I couldn’t so much force myself to feel like I succeeded that day. The fact that I was the one who decided on who got to live and who got to die…” His fists tightened at the thought.
To this day no matter how many times he prayed for their well-being after death. Or to reprimand for his mistake, a mistake he cannot ever fix. And if they so wished for him to suffer in life he would accept it without complaint.
“The decision would not leave me be. No matter how many times I tried to justify it, I could not let go, I could not let go that I was the one who ultimately sent them to their deaths…” He nearly stopped himself permanently talking, however, that was before a warm hand gripped his own.
He smiled softly surprised that Donatello still tried to comfort him even in this situation.
“I became selfish. I wanted so badly to fix what happened, and ultimately I cooped in the wrong direction… I drank my problems away father." He looked up, his eyes watering pathetically. "I drank when Casey and Raph brought in the beer.”
Master Splinter nodded recalling the memory.
“And I have no excuse for what I did. Donatello was the only one I had spoken to this about. He was the one who continued to help me, consul me when I needed it. And when I… when I... -I couldn't mentally control myself I… I bedded with him.” He lowered his head once more.
“It had been a mistake at the time, I regretted it every night afterwards… but then… I wanted more. I became a glutton for his attention when he did not want any of it.” Leo explained.
“I had a fault in this too… despite not wanting to be around him… despite what my mind told me, I could not resist for long. Our bodies reacted the same way any human male would react after he gotten what he wanted from his girlfriend.” Donatello finally spoke. “We were and are still growing beings Master, we cannot always overcome the urges that we so want. It’s been in our biology since we hatched. It’s inevitable.”
“So you are saying that this is only a physical need?” The elder questioned, his face still not showing any form of emotions.
“At first it was.” The purple ninja explained. “But then… we craved something else.”
Leonardo took a deep breath. “Despite what we wanted, we could never find ourselves stretching away from each other for more than one night. Not out of sex, but for sheer comfort. The need to be near each other, to consult with each other, to be close. To avoid intimate contact became nearly unbearable that it was impossible to stray away from him. Not for sex, just comfort.”
Donatello closed his eyes his hand gripping Leonardo’s much tighter at this point. There was a reassuring squeeze back, indicating that they were still holding onto each other, beyond physical grips.
“And have you done this more on occasion?”
“Nearly every night master.” The eldest turtle responded.
Master Splinter hummed in understanding then turned to Leonardo. “And what about your other brothers? How do you see them? What are they to you?”
“They are my brothers sensei. My family. I do not see them as anything else. Nor do I treat Donatello over them, if they are in trouble, then by my sworn duty as their leader and ultimately as their brother. I am more than ready to die for them as much as I would do for Don.” By this time had faced Splinter as an equal, his deep blue eyes boring into his father’s dark brown.
Their elder rat did not move, more so to keep his own fierce reading glance at Leonardo. Searching every aspect of his face, hearing the sincerity in his words.
“I see now you explain the truth my son.” He spoke softly, his eyes looking at the trusting hand grip between the two eldest. Since Donatello took the initiative to hold onto Leonardo's hand they had not let go of each other. “And as such…”
A moment of truth, the outcome…
Donatello squeezed Leonardo’s hand tighter. This is it.
“I want you-" he paused to see his sons' reactions.
"To keep your dirty actions behind closed doors. No one needs to see how turtle reproductions works.”
“…!?” Time slowed then-
“I’m sorry, what?!” Leo stuttered, his eyes wide in utter shock.
It was then their master, their own father laughed. Such a deep but meaningful laugh escaped from his mouth that it almost looked like he was going to fall over from his hysteria.
Donatello and Leonardo just looked at each other like if Splinter and the Shredder just hugged and became friends forming an alliance.
When their master finally calmed down, it was then Splinter continued to have that large grin on his face. “I apologize, but your reactions was, how do the young ones say it, priceless.”
For a moment neither turtle moved as they nearly shattered petrified in place. Did their dad just… troll them?!
“But seriously, I do not want to see any close affections beyond the appropriate rating that should be behind closed quarters. Also no affections during training or mediation sessions. Understand?” He said his stoic expression returning.
Still in their shock they could barely muster an awkward, slow gaping nod.
“Good, with those agreements I can happily say you have my blessing.” He smiled gently. “There is nothing more than I would love to see is my children’s happiness. After all, as a Father, I wish for nothing more.”
Feeling their brains work once more, as well as Master Splinter's words finally sinking in. Leo's paranoia quickly transformed into joy and weightless relief. His love for his brother and for his father grew immensely.
Leonardo quickly bowed in respect. “Thank you ever so much Father. We promise to abide these rules.”
He felt a warm hand on his shoulder. When looked up he saw his father’s warm expression. “In all good time. You two may go.”
Both brother bowed once more before taking their leave from their father’s room. However, the second they opened the door, they saw both Mikey and Raph in the doorway. Looking like they (obviously) failed to find an escape.
“Uh… we totally were not eavesdropping on your meeting.” Mikey excused.
Of course that only earned him a slap upside the head. “Ow!”
“Bonehead.” Raph groused. But even then he couldn’t help the smile that grazed on his beak. “I shuldn’t have been surprise that you two were shanking each other.”
That statement alone made Donatello turn red. “Raph!”
“What, I’m pretty sure that’s what that thumping noise I kept hearing a few times at night was.” He started only make Donatello turn even redder. Maybe, Don should have worn the red mask instead.
"Wait... did you-?"
"Know?" Raph asked raising a brow. "No. Well, not until doofus over here decided to spill the beans just now."
Donatello turned over to Mikey with an incredulous expression. "Wait- when did you-"
"I well..." He faced Leonardo who honestly didn't seem to care anymore. "Had known for some time."
"Sweet mother of all mutations...!" Donatello mumbled in embarrassment while pressing his head against his palm.
Leonardo however just laughed at that, he didn’t care. Right now he was in a good mood and no one was bringing him down any time soon. He brought Don hand up with his own. The genius then turned to see his lover and gripped it between his hands gingerly.
Mahogany met blue. He smiled then lifted and pressed a kiss on the olive hand. Ignoring the gagging noises and disturbed faces their younger brothers gave them.
The Leader smiled softly. “I told you we could handle it.”
The genius smiled. “Yeah, we always do.”
