Work Text:
Firecracker
by Pirate Turner
Beady eyes watched his walk, and then it started with a snicker and a snort that soon erupted into a full-blown fit of hysteric giggles. Raphael glanced at his younger brother as Casey trudged on ahead of them in the sewer. "What's your problem other than your face?" he growled in the warning tone that his smarter brothers had learned long ago to back away from.
"C-Ca-Casey -- " Michelangelo tried to speak through the giggles that were shaking him. He helplessly clutched his sides.
"What about Casey?" Raph demanded, his eyes turning an absolute black as fury burned through his soul.
Mikey gawked at Raph as though he was the one acting like he'd taken complete leave of his senses. He paused between giggles to exclaim, "Dude, don't you see it?!"
"Mikey . . . " Don ground out behind him, but Michelangelo continued obliviously on like an innocent lamb who couldn't stop laughing as he ambled his way merrily to the slaughter.
"He's been spending way too much time with April!"
That was all Mikey managed to get out before Raphael slammed him into the sewer wall. He hit so hard that Don's and Leo's voices calling to Raph seemed to be coming from far away, and their struggles to pull Raphael off of him went unnoticed by Mike as his brain swam. At last, he managed to pull himself together enough to mumble, "Dude . . . what . . . the . . . Hell?!"
"Haven't you been listening?!" Raph demanded in a hiss. He shoved Mikey even harder into the cold, mucky cement as he bellowed, "CASEY IS MINE! IF ANYBODY HAS GIVEN HIM THE DUCK WALK, IT'S ME! GOT IT?"
Mikey stared at him with big eyes, then swallowed hard and nodded nervously several times. Raphael let him go with one last hiss of frustrated anger and a glare so dark and devious it would have sent anything hiding in the sewer scampering away in fear for its life. He shoved Leo and Don off and headed after Casey.
Mike looked from Raphael's retreating back to Don to Leo and then back to Donnie. He finally remembered to shut his mouth, then questioned in a meek squeak of a whisper, "What was that all about?"
Don looked to Leo. "You're the leader." He started to walk away.
Leo shot a plaintive look at his brother over his shoulder. "But you know all the scientific facts!"
Mikey's head swung back and forth as he watched them like a fierce ping pong match.
"This isn't about science," Don returned. "This is about love."
"You can't leave out the scientific details! You've got to warn him!"
"Warn me about what?!" Mikey squeaked, his eyes so big they looked like one more surprise would pop them right out of his head.
"You're the leader; it's your job to warn him!"
"But I don't want to!" Leo's bottom lip trembled ever so slightly.
Silence reigned for a moment so long it seemed to stretch into infinity. Donatello had just opened his mouth to speak when a gentle clearing of a throat caused all heads to turn in the direction of the barely audible sound.
There, in the dim light of the sewer, stood there father and Sensei, a man whose depth of wisdom and love knew no end. All three boys immediately straightened in his presence. Relief washed over Donatello. Leo bowed, only the slightly twitching corners of his beak giving away his nervousness.
Mikey started toward, but his voice froze in his throat as Master Splinter reached one paw out to him. "Michelangelo, come, my son; we must talk."
Donatello and Leonardo fell together in gasps of relief as they watched Master Splinter lead their little bro away. Michelangelo was practically jumping up and down with the questions that suddenly poured from his mouth in a non-stopping stream. Already the brothers could picture their father rubbing his furry head in frustration and they wished him luck even as utter and complete relief coursed through them.
The End