Sleep Well Leo

So, a lot of you may know. I lurk at this Live Role Play chat most of my time. It's like watching a live episode! And there have been many times I get inspired to draw scene's from it. This piece being one of them. 

This time I am going post the text to the scene. Enjoy!

RP between Captain Leonardo and Raph-the-Muscle from Tumblr

*Earlier Raph had fallen asleep in the arm chair but woke up from Nightmare he had about the Creep. He yelled out and his brothers heard him. But Raph tried to act like it was nothing and it was just a silly dream. Donnie and Mikey soon went to bed and at a very late hour only Leonardo and Raphael are awake. They are sitting in the Living area of the farmhouse*


Raphael was sipping the water Leo gave him and he slumps more into the chair. "I ain't got a fear of Plants or Salads now in case you're wondering... I own a pair of salad tongs remember..." He was trying to lighten the mood from earlier.

Leonardo folded as if his body were a child not getting want it wanted, slipping his head into his trembling hands and balancing his elbows on legs to match. "I just want to know if you'd say something about it even if I hadn't heard you scream?"

"I would of done. Just at first I thought it was... I dunno. A lot happened and I was just feeling it. And I ain't sure how long I've been sitting here for? But that sleeping it off would help.." Raphael sighed "But even that and now sleep is haunting me...Seriously, I am not that stupid to be hiding it. The more I sit here here now and think about it...It ain't nothing.."

 Leonardo balled his hands into two solid fists at his temples. "You wouldn't wish this on our little brothers, Raph. You can't just say it's nothing!"

"I realise that now. I wasn't thinking! Auto response, I dunno.. I was panicking.." Raph takes a shaky breathe. "I wouldn't want any of this on any of you".

"We don't want any of this on you either, but we were late- I was late to save you from The Creep. If not for Donnie-" Leo covered his eyes with those fists. "God. He's always pulling our shells out of the fire".

Raphael gave a concerned look. He leans over and pats Leo gently on the arm. "Leo...I went outside to chop firewood. I never suspected a thing, none of us did. I've been out there so many times before and done the same thing. Yeah Donnie saved my shell with all that science stuff. But you saved the others, so kinda saved me too"

"It's not the same, Raph!" Leo moved from his brothers reach. "I get lucky, but Donnie- Donnie knows what he's doing" He huffed, whimpering without shame as he cleared his throat yet again. "Even when I could walk on my own I was depending on him. I don't think that's what Splinter would have wanted... He thought I could protect them and you, and here I am falling short of what a leader should be!"

"You under estimate yourself. I tried being the leader once and I failed miserably. I got Mikey hurt. I under estimated the responsibility. Thought, since I am the strongest! I ain't the strong minded. I freak out..I can..lose control. But you always stay focused, you always have a plan. I respect ya. And I would happily go through what happened again, if it meant none of you got hurt? Why? because that's who I am. I'm a protector!
You send me in first at times, because you know I can handle it. I got the punch to prove it. Just same with Don and Mikey. Donnie is the science guy. So of course ya gonna depend on him for that. Because I surely don't know nothing and Mikey is super fast and when he puts his mind to it, He can really kick butt too. I'm just trying to say. You depend on us for different things. It's kinda visa-versa.
We depend on each other man"

Raph Smiles "It's always gonna be like that. We're family. What family do"

The word hits Leonardo in the heart like a well aimed arrow, and he feels as if he had succumbed to death on his feet as any warrior would. But this shouldn't be a battle. He feels guilty, sick and exhausted, hunched with head in his hands once more. " ...I don't know if I'm still family..."

Raphael then gets up and moves to sit next to Leo on the couch. Slings an arm around Leo's shoulders and pulls him into a one arm hug. "Now who is the one being stupid?" He said as he gently head bops him. "Of course you are family you dummy!" Offers Leo a smile. "No matter what, that will never change. We're bound together by more then just blood. You're my big bro and I wouldn't have it any other way"

Leonardo continued to cover his face, shielding his shame from his brothers view without the grating whimpering sound of his breathing at all muffled. His throat wasn't able to handle the strain, so it choked him to get him to stop talking. He obliged, leaning into his brothers one handed hug while he was unable to protest.

That's when Raph's other arm moved and he hugs Leo fully. Offering him a protect warmth, Just like Leo did to him the Night he let go of Slash. He wouldn't say anything, he wouldn't force Leo to say no more if he didn't want to?  "I'm always gonna be here for you brother" He say's quietly. Hoping he can offer some comfort to Leo. Even big brothers needed to let stress and frustrations out too.

Leonardo flinched, swallowing the suffering and discomfort down like bile at the back of his throat. His knees impulsively buckled at the end of the couch, lifted and twisted to fold into him and relieve him of the throb crushing his chest from the inside out. And, as if he were ghost, held himself in Raph's hold Neglecting what existed without agony and depression- the secrets that made them more human

Raph just gently rests his head on top of Leo's, Despite Leo moving to to hold himself, he wouldn't let him go. Still protectively hugging him And will continue to do so, as long as Leo needed it. Not speaking no more, the loving gesture should speak for him. He is always going to be here, He was always going to love and look out for their family. Leonardo was most definitely still family.

Leo eventually drained himself completely, curled and held the broken bridge that had misshapen his silhouette. The coughing near shattered the crisp skin around his beak bordering the strength of thin ice, and the panting slipped ceaselessly into a normal enough rhythm. He fell limp against Raphael as he faded, allowing the warmth to finally beat out the cold between them.

Raphael knew Leo had exhausted himself and drifted off to sleep. He doesn't move, not wanting to disturb the rest he needs. He just rest his own eyes.  

"Sleep well Leo"

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