Out of My Shell

Chapter 20: Nullified

CHAPTER 20: Nullified

Donnie shot him a look as he turned for the kitchen. Tentative victory was in the air for now, just enough to find its way in Raphael's swagger. This part should be easy, so long as they moved quick. The antibiotics should take effect relatively soon, as long as Master Splinter retained his strength.
"We've SO got this."
"We've got all the food that April brought from earlier too," Donnie agreed. "This should be easy."
Raph turned with a smile from the cabinets. "I've got a better idea."
Donnie raised a brow. "Oh?"
"I think I finally get what Master Splinter said about the whole bein' resourceful thing. Here, hand me the can opener."
Donnie looked to the counter, but it wasn't there. "We seriously need to talk to Mikey about moving that thing around. I literately just fixed it."
Raph shrugged and took out his sai, working the edges around the can with the prong, along the remainder of the ham and a few other items that had survived their ordeal. "Hand me some of those spices."
Donnie did so, watching Raph's every move as he turned on the stove, working so diligently. "Since when do you know your way around the kitchen? If I recall, last time you set the toaster on fire."
"Hey, I've been payin' attention... a little. Besides, it's just minor cookin stuff. How hard can it be?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, the flames on the stove leapt out of control in a whoosh, leaving Raph to scramble frantically to bring them down.
Donnie chuckled warmly. "Here." Raph could feel his presence against his shell as he reached around to turn the dial. "It's this one."
There was that seductive quality in his voice again and it made him shift.
"Mikey makes it look easy, huh?"
"I don't know. With some of the creations he comes up with? Can't be much worse."
It was then that Raph started to pour spices in the bowl, messy, sporadic and careless, not even bothering to look at the labels.
"Jeez Raph. Easy! You'll make it way too spicy at that rate!"
"Hey. Spice is a good thing. Gives it flavor."
"While I don't disagree, I'm sure Master Splinter doesn't want his tongue on fire when he's already sick. Here, I'll even it out."
Donnie grabbed the canister of sugar from the cabinet and Raph stared in disapproval.
"Balance," he stated matter-of-factly. But he didn't stop pouring and soon half the bag was of sugar was filling up the bowl.
Raph grimaced. "Yeah, cuz nothin' says gourmet like spicy sugar ham." He took the bag from his hand to end the culinary horror. "Pretty, sure you've just caused a crime against food."
"Hey! Sugar is way better than spice!"
"Well, I like it hot." Raph's eyes widened, cringing as soon as the words left his mouth. Shell, he was bad at phrasing lately.
Donnie smirked, seeing through his awkward reaction. "I think we can save it."
"Shut it." He nudged and crossed his arms tight, his face turning a shade of color, tentatively allowing Donnie to take over. "Seriously though, you always make it way too sweet."
"That is a common complaint." He paused. "Perhaps a compromise is in order?"
They both looked into the bowl and two worked together, Donnie carefully measuring, added with Raphael's occasional dash of spontaneity. But soon it was smelling... good.
Actually, it smelled kind of wonderful.
They heard a groan from Master Splinter, bringing back their attention.
Donnie gathered the bowl. "Alright, it's done. Come on, we need to get this to him quick."
Raph grabbed a spoon from the drawer as Donnie took it to their father's side.
"Up and easy, Master Splinter." Raph ran to the head of the futon, lifting him upright, just enough so that he could eat.
"We need you to eat, okay Sensei?"
Their father winced, and by the weak shuddering of his chest, they had little time to waste.
Donnie gathered a spoonful. "Here, we—"
His long ears flickered. And his hands rose to stop his noise, his weak and trembling to meet the warm bowl in his hands.
Worry touched Donnie's features. "A-Are you sure?"
With the weakest nod, Donnie let their creation go, wrought with worry.
Raph put a hand on Donnie's shoulder. "Do you need anything else, Sensei? Is there something we can do?"
Their father regarded them without a word. Even while weak, his presence was commanding. He brought the bowl to his lips, taking a small draw from their concoction, his sons watching with bated breath.
Then he opened his eyes and looked down at the bowl. And the smile spread across his face. "Thank you, my sons."
Grins lit up their faces and Raph couldn't resist a small shout of victory.
"You did well. I'm especially impressed with your... culinary venture."
"Yeah, well—" Pride visibly rolled off Raph's shoulders. "We finally got what you said about bein' resourceful."
"I also see the kitchen is intact." He took another sip of the stew.
Raph blanched a little. "Hey, I think I take offense to that."
"My sons. Not only have you been resourceful in your endeavors, you put aside everything and worked together, supported each other, trusted your instincts. I know lately there has been quite the tension between the two of you."
The two went rigid, hearts to the floor.
"T-T-Tension?"
"What tension?!" Raph's face went hot with panic.
Master Splinter raised a hand to silence them. "Whatever differences you had, they do not matter anymore." His hands still shook as he slowly moved the bowl so they could see inside. Tell me, what do you see?"
"Whatever it is we just made?" Raph answered with a shrug.
Donnie hesitated with his answer. "—It's almost empty," he observed.
Another smile set across his whiskers. "Yes, it is. Because it is good.... The spice I taste from Raphael balances the sweet that Donatello usually brings.... They complement one another—Much like your taste in food, you two are quite different.... Yet when you two come together, putting your differences aside, there is a strength rarely seen... one with the power to create something extraordinary."
By the time he had finished, Donatello and Raphael had devolved, staring into the other, far lost from his praise.
They were only interrupted by a new sound at the turnstile entrance.
"Guys, a little help over here?" Mikey staggered in the entrance, supporting a very pained Leo.
"LEO!"
Raph was up in an instant, sprinting to his side. "What happened out there?! I'll take him, Mikey."
Mikey shifted his weight and Leo was immediately in his arms. "Tigerclaw ambushed me down at the medicine house. I'm fine, Raph," he winced.
"Tigerclaw?!" His eyes hardened, turning his arm over once, earning horrible yelp from his brother. "What did he want?"
"To wreck my day, as per usual."
He studied his face, already having a feeling what it was about. "...Come on, I'll get you fixed up."
Donnie's shoulders were tense as he walked past, leading him to the bathroom and Donnie watched them go.
"Is Master Splinter okay?" Mikey worried.
Donnie blinked, distracted. "Yes, um..."
"I am fine, boys," he answered. "Go. Tend to your brother."
Donnie nodded curtly and Mikey followed him to the bathroom, listening as Leo began his tale of events.
Raph gratefully took to the new supplies, rummaging through to treat his wounds, hanging onto Leo's story from between his knees.
For whatever the reason now, it bristled at Donnie's nerves.
"Raph."
He looked up.
"Wrong angle."
There was a quiet, waiting for him to continue.
"You're um... a-at the wrong angle. I'll just... take over."
Raph moved to the side as Donnie took his place to study the wound. "His ulna and radius are both broken... with what looks like another snap at the joint. You're going to need a full splint."
"AW WHAT?!" Leo groaned, eyes wide. "You can't be serious!"
"Sorry, Leo. You aren't going on any missions for a while. Mikey, hand me a nun-chuck."
Mikey wrinkled his nose but obliged. "Ugh, he's going to slobber all over it."
"You'll manage." Donnie braced him, looking him dead in the eyes. "This is going to hurt.... A lot."
Leo visibly began to sweat. "C-Can't be any worse than when... AUGH! SON OF A—!!"
Raph capped off his screams as Donnie wrestled his contorted arm into place and splinted it off, handing Mikey back his chuck.
"I'm going to give you the same medicine I gave to Master Splinter for the swelling. You'll sleep better. I'm very serious about being easy on your arm though, Leo. I do not want to patch it up again this week."
Leo was still trying to mentally push down the seering pain. "U-Understood."
"Doctor Donnie has spoken," Raph ordered.
"Speaking of which, how is Master Splinter?" he wondered.
Mikey peeked out the door. Master Splinter was sprawled across the futon, fast asleep. He was even snoring. And he never went to sleep that hard.
"Do you think he's dead~?" Mikey squeaked.
"No, the medicine I gave him should knock him out for at least ten hours. He'll be fine, Mikey."
"We should all get some sleep," Leo said. "...I may not be able to fight, but there are a lot of threats going on right now... and I want us to be ready."
"I hear that," Mikey muffle agreed, his cheeks suddenly full.
The three looked over in surprise. In no time at all Mikey was bent over the bowl, loudly chowing down on the stew that had been left out on the counter.
Nobody knew when or how he gotten ahold of it, but it was a marvel watching the speed and precision with which he stuffed his face.
"Mikey, knock it off," Leo scolded. "What is that?"
"Mmmmmm~ I don't know, but you gotta try it, bruh."
Before Leo could object, Mikey had gathered a ladle full and violently shoved it into his mouth.
Leo wanted to yell at him but he stopped. "Actually, this really is good. What is it?"
"Oh, um..." Donnie blinked, rubbing his arm modestly, looking to Raph. "We—"
"We, uh, made it for Master Splinter," Raph finished.
"...You guys made this?" Leo asked. "I'm impressed."
"Meeeee toooooo~" Mikey groaned lazily from the floor, completely stuffed to a food coma, the empty bowl laying on the floor beside him. He belched loudly.
Raph growled in frustration.
"Well, at least that takes care of the mess..." Donnie remarked.
"That's one way to put it," Leo agreed and turned down the hallway. "I'm heading off to bed guys, goodnight."
"Goodnight, Leo. Mikey..." Donnie started, but his face deadpanned, finding Mikey already sound asleep on the floor. "Ooof course. Well..."
Donnie turned on his heels to find himself face to face with those green eyes currently twisting at his stomach. His face felt warm.
It was always him.
"U-um..." He blinked, nearly fumbling what to say. "Goodnight... Raph."
Was he always this flustered?
Donnie's expression seemed unreadable and Raph's mouth turned to that lilted smile at the want and innocence of it. "Goodnight, Don."
Then he was gone and Donnie shut his door, trying to purge the quiet sensations with tired eyes and that small pull of lust.
And as Raph's door shut behind with a click of the lock, he decided something important to himself. Something he couldn't do tonight. The promise he had made to himself before about not making a move on Don was nullified.
The next time he saw the opportunity, he would kiss him.