After tossing and turning in bed for hours Raphael got up. Leo’s words about his past kept echoing in his head, keeping him pissed. He needed to release that anger so he headed in the basement, which was one big dojo. There Raphael did katas, beat a punching bag what Alfred had got for him, lifted weights, even screamed since he knew the room was well isolated so the scream wouldn’t be heard upstairs. Pressing his forehead against the punching bag, Raphael gave few more firm hits cursing under his breath. He had no idea how Leo’s father could had left him behind, but took his other two brothers with him? Leo’s blindness didn’t make him any more less. And then he would had need his family more than ever. Some fucking family… Raphael swore if he ever would meet them, he would beat the shit out of them all.
Releasing long and deep exhale Raphael pushed himself away from the bag, heading to take fast shower in small bathroom which was there. Water felt nice on his skin as he stood still under the shower rain eye closed, imagining all those martial arts masters and students who stood like this under the real waterfalls. It calmed him greatly, made him feel steady and clean. Drying he did quick since his stomach was growling. Thinking of having a quick snack Raphael headed in the kitchen, turning small ceiling light on in small dark corner where Leonardo always sits to enjoy his breakfast. That ceiling light brought enough light in the kitchen with fridge’s light. Making himself hot chocolate and couple sandwiches, Raphael sat down looking through the window. It was cool and moist night. Moist had gathered on the glass, small drops racing down on it, mist floating in the garden. Hearing steps made Raphael look at the open doorway not too far away from him, Leonardo’s figure stepping into the light. He looked good in his silky bathrobe.
“Raphael?”
“Yeah.”
Sitting down across bigger turtle Leonardo looked worried. “Can’t sleep?”
“No. Not after what you told me. I’ve been feeling way too damn pissed.”
“Oh. … Then I shouldn’t had told you any of it.”
“Shut it. I’m glad you told me. It just takes a little bit of time before I get in ‘balance’ with it.” Eyeing other turtle Raphael tilted his head. “Want something? Water still should be hot enough for tea and I made sandwiches enough to share.”
“I will gladly accept whatever you are willing to serve me.”
“Then give me a moment. Here’s those sandwiches already.” Pushing plate towards Leonardo, Raphael stood and Leonardo listened. He listened all the small sounds and noises what Raphael made while preparing him tea. Big warm mug was placed between his palms on the table some minutes later, and the warmth was most welcome to his hands. Sitting back on his chair Raphael kept his eye on Leo as he took a sip from his tea, flashing his tongue over his smiling lips.
“You don’t make tea often, but you make it taste so good. What’s your secret?”
“Love.” Leonardo’s eyes widened and Raphael’s face turned flaming red. “I-I mean the love of being able to help others! To serve them, be there for them and so on. You know, care and love, the same things.”
The way how Raphael quickly was explaining himself amused Leonardo so he chuckled. “I understand your point. No need to panic because of that. Truth to be told, however, I love Alfred and you a lot as well. You two are most dearest to me. I can always trust on you two.”
Smiling Raphael lowered his gaze. “It’s a good thing to hear. After all the shit you’ve gone through you still have someones to trust on. Know one thing tho...” Reaching forward Raphael placed his hand on Leo’s, letting it rest there. “I admire you a lot. Life really threw lots of shit on you and still, here you are. One heck of a strong turtle.” Raphael smiled as he said the words. He meant them from the bottom of his heart – and Leonardo smiled too.
“Thank you. But I don’t think I’m all that strong.”
“Bullshit. Seriously.”
Chuckling Leonardo landed cup on the table. “Okay, okay. I think I am more or less strong. But let me tell you something else. As… bad as it was what I went through, I’m also happy for it. I have no clue where I now would be, if even alive, if my father wouldn’t had left me behind. After all, thanks to his decision I met Alfred, got this beautiful and safe place to call home, and -” Placing his hand on Raphael’s, Leonardo smiled gently. “- I met you. These are heck good reasons to be happy and thankful for the fact father didn’t take me with him.”
Smiling Raphael placed his big hand on both of their hands, sealing them easily. “Yeah, you’re damn right about that. So we can say you got lucky.”
“Hm-mh.” Warm silence landed between the two, Raphael slowly running his thumb back and forth on Leo’s hand. And he didn’t even realize he was doing it! He was staring other turtle’s beautiful face, those tired eyes when the head turned towards the window. “It will rain soon.”
Turning to look towards the window, Raphael listened silently for a moment. “How can you tell?”
“I heard few drops hitting the window already.”
Snorting with amusement Raphael smirked. “How do you know they aren’t bird’s drops?”
“Because they make different sounds.” Leonardo smiled, turning his face towards old turtle, who was amazed of Leo’s hearing. Was it that good? And without even asking or getting the answer, Raphael knew it was. Spending decades as blind, your other senses become more sharp. Small movement of Leo’s hands made Raphael pull his hands back, since he totally had forgot them. He didn’t apologize since Leonardo was smiling as he stood up. When he reached for the cup, Raphael took it.
“Don’t bother. I will wash them. You go back to bed.”
“Thank you, but what about you?”
“I will go and try to get some sleep too before Alfred comes to kick my ass out of the bed.”
“If you feel too tired to get up, tell him you have my permission to rest today. Or at least sleep as long as you need to. After you wake up, you can help Alfred.”
“Shit! That reminded me! I’ve been eyeing the garden quite a while and… Let’s face it, it’s not in its full glory. Bushes have grown too tall and messy, grass’s too long, some statues are covered with birds’ shit and all that.”
“Yes?”
“I thought that perhaps I could be more helpful out there. In the garden. I mean I have no much jobs here inside since Alfred’s so darn quick and likes to do tasks inside. He hasn’t had time nor energy to work in the garden much this summer. I feel bad for seeing so much lost potential in the garden.”
Leonardo stood still at the doorway sideways, clearly thinking this. “Give me some time to think about this. I also need to talk with Alfred.”
“Of course.”
Smiling Leonardo turned to look bigger male. “Well, I’m heading to bed. That tea and yummy sandwich really hit the spot and I’m feeling tired. I see you later today. Good night.”
“Good night.” Raphael followed Leonardo, but stopped at the kitchen’s doorway, watching after other male who was climbing up the stairs, then disappearing in the second floor’s hallway.
**
Alfred never came to kick Raphael out of the bed that morning, which Raphael was grateful about. He slept all the way to 10am which was unnatural for him. While Alfred always woke at 6am, he came to wake Raphael at 8am. Leonardo woke usually around 7:30am so he didn’t need to be woken up. Now this made Raphael wonder that perhaps Leonardo had already asked Alfred to let him sleep that morning. Pulling his knee high hakama pants on Raphael headed downstairs, smelling tea. They enjoyed little break in the morning at 10am, having tea and small snacks.
As Raphael entered the small dining area where he had sat last night with Leonardo, he was greeted with happy butler and master.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning, Raphael.”
“Hmm, morning.” Raphael took third chair, moving it closer to small round table, sitting on it.
“Slept well?”
“Hmm.” Raphael all but silently moaned, resting his upper body with arms on the edge of the table, resting his head on those arms. Closing his eye Raphael sighed, a hand soon running up on his arm towards the shoulder, his head and stopping on his cheek.
“You seem tired so I assume you didn’t sleep all that well. Go back to rest.”
“Njah.” Raph mumbled, nuzzling against his own arm. “I’m good. Just get me some hot chocolate.”
“It’s right here.” Alfred said, placing huge mug in front of the turtle.
Removing his hand from Raphael’s cheek, Leonardo listened how Raphael mumbled his thanks and started to drink. He waited patiently for other turtle to finish and wake up some more. “Alfred and I talked about you.”
That sentence almost made Raphael spill his drink all over the place. “W-what? Why? Am I in deep shit or something?”
“With such language you should be.” Alfred said in ‘a matter of fact’ tone, still wearing a smile.
“No, you’re not in trouble.” Leonardo corrected him. “We talked about the garden – and we came to conclusion it is yours to take care of for now on. I know winter is coming so during winter there’s no much to do, but you still can prepare it for the winter.”
Wide smile spread on Raphael’s face as he sat up straight, taking turns to look at them both. “That’s great. Thank you. So you two don’t mind if I go there now?”
“It’s your job now so you don’t need to ask my or Alfred’s permission to work there. However, if you have any plans to do some changes in the garden, I like to be informed and talked about that before anything is done. Otherwise I’m good.”
Raphael pushed his chair away as he stood up, taking support from the table. “Thank you, both of you. That garden will be so fucking stunning that everyone will be jealous.” As Raphael passed Leonardo, he patted scarred head few times gently. When Raphael was out of the room, Alfred smiled to his master while filling their cups with second set of tea.
“It seems you made our brute quite happy.”
“That seems to be the case.” Leonardo smiled as he threw small biscuit in his mouth.
“However, I must express my concern. What if he can’t handle the garden? We don’t know does he have any experience of taking care of one.”
“I’m sure we will see that when he’s done. Tho I have a good feeling. I trust him. Who knows, perhaps he surprises us.”
**
Looking around Raphael had difficulties of where to start. Clean or trim the bushes. Bushes. Definitely bushes needed more care. There was a shed behind trees and bushes, clever hiding place that. Raphael headed there to see if there was any tools he could use. Old hinges creaked in ear hurting way as Raphael pulled the door open, dust and webs greeting him.
“Ew.” Watching his steps Raphael entered, looking around. There was so much old rusty stuff, but luckily there was new items to use too. When his eye spotted shiny pruning blades on the wall, a heart in Raphael’s chest made few flips. Rushing to the items, Raphael took them in his hands, huge smile on his face. Now than ever he felt super excited to work in the garden.
Inside the mansion Alfred stopped when something moved outside behind the window. Approaching huge window he looked forward, seeing flashes of sunlight reflects from swinging blades. “My goodness!”
“What is it?!”
“Nothing alarming, sir! Our brute has found sharp knives in his hands and is attacking the bushes!”
Laughing Leonardo approached his butler, amused asking look on his face. “What?” Stopping right next to Alfred, Leonardo faced the window. “Just what exactly is going on?”
“Raphael is clearly pruning the bushes in the garden. I don’t know which one is scarier tho; The fact he swings those blades like that or the maniac happy grin on his face.”
Leonardo chuckled crossing his arms over his chest. “Let him have his fun, Alfred.”
“I most certainly will, sir. I have no desires to approach him when he swings those blades like that. I better go find my slingshot from my childhood.”
“What for?” Holding back his amusement Leonardo waited.
“So that I can shoot him with a rock when I want his attention, sir. Slingshot will allow me safe distance from him.” Shaking his head Leonardo laughed as Alfred left the room.
**
“Leo, Alf, wanna check this out?” Raphael was all smiling and so darn proud as he called his fellows outside to see what he had done. All untidy bushes, and even trees, were now pruned and trimmed to perfection. It even almost looked like the bushes and trees themselves were screaming Hallelujah for being saved.
Alfred looked around stunned, slowly starting to nod. “Impressive. Very impressive. You don’t happen to have education for gardening?”
“Nope. I’m all self taught. A natural gift if you want to express it like that too.”
Leonardo walked pass between the two, reaching towards the long bush fence which went around almost the whole garden. His hand slid smoothly on trimmed bushes, surprise turning into small smile. Raphael had done so amazing work, indeed. While checking all trimmed trees too, Leonardo’s smile remained.
“You are very good if this all, indeed, is your natural skill’s result.”
“It is. I mean I used to prune trees for sale around Christmas to earn some money when I was younger. Trimmed and pruned trees were prettier and sold better.”
Nodding Leonardo turned to smile at him. “Then I made the right choice. This garden will become most wonderful in your skilled and capable hands, Raphael.” Petting the round small tree Leonardo smiled at it. “I hardly can wait for the summer. To see all the magic what you will do here to this place.”
“Geesh, don’t say such things. You are adding so much pressure on my shoulders.”
**
Next few days Raphael enjoyed working in the garden, but one thing what he didn’t enjoy, was washing bird poo covered statues. But it needed to be done and, damn, those statues and small fountain looked hell shiny and pretty when he was done. He also trimmed near by trees some more, mainly cutting lower branches off, leaving them as piles behind on walking path – and Alfred didn’t like it. He usually took his broom and sneaked behind big turtle starting to hit his shell. This, naturally, lead to Raphael yelling at Alfred and Alfred kept repeating Raphael to clean his mess away instantly instead of piling them all around the garden. All this amused Leonardo as he was near by hearing them, seeing hilarious images in his head about the happening.
“Hey, Leo.”
“Yes?”
“I need some stuff from the town. Wanna join me?”
Leo’s face went a bit long and uncomfortable looking, his eyes shining uncertainty. “I don’t think I want to.”
“Come on, it could be fun.”
“Maybe next time, Raphael.” The voice was stern and left Raphael quiet. He had no more room to argue or talk back.
“Okay. Okay, that’s cool. Sorry.”
Hearing heavy steps moving further, sound of lighter steps approached him, weight settling next to him on the bench. “I think you should had gone with him, sir.”
“Alfred.” Another stern tone, but Alfred had got used of it long time ago.
“I think you should stop avoiding people. You shouldn’t let your past effect on you anymore.”
“Alfred.” Leonardo silently growled.
“Besides you would have our brute there to watch your back and protect you. He, most definitely, would break faces if anyone would dare to try to harm you, sir.”
“….” For now Leonardo was quiet but visibly tense, deep in thoughts. He still heard how Alfred stood up, feeling his old eyes on him.
“Just saying, sir.”
Now he was left alone by both Raphael and Alfred, thoughts rolling inside in his head. Leonardo was honest to himself when he admitted there were times when he wanted to go out, but… Not alone and Alfred, well, he was old and Leonardo didn’t like the thought of dragging old man with him to the town or near by city, despite the fact Alfred did adventure there alone time to time to fill their supplies. What if something would happen when he was there with Alfred? Leo didn’t want Alfred to get hurt. But now there also was Raphael…
Standing up Leonardo sighed as he headed back inside the mansion, planning to wrap himself in one of his favorite throwing blankets, shake the chills off and clear his mind from all this.
