Work Text:
A Father In Wait
by Pirate Turner
"He is desperate for answers but seeking only questions."
Raphael looked up at his father whose form was illuminated only by the candles that circled around them. "What do you mean, my father?" he asked, confusion creasing his green brow.
"Give him time, my son," Splinter replied, placing a reassuring paw upon Raphael's dome. "Give him time, and your Casey will return to you. He loves you, and love is to be celebrated in all its forms."
"How can you be sure he will return?"
"I see the love in his eyes, Raphael, every time he looks upon you and yours for him in your own. I have known the truth of your relationship for years now, and though I welcome love in all its forms, Casey is from the world above. It will take him longer to accept the truth, but he will come. Nothing could keep him away for he is a strong man and the greatest strength does not come from muscle but from heart. He loves you, and he will return to you."
"Why'd he have to run away?"
"He feared the truth, just as you did when you first began to develop feelings for him."
"I -- "
"Do not try to lie to me, my son," Splinter warned, his tail whipping silently through the air a single time. "It is truer bravery to admit to one's failings than it is to ever hide behind a falsehood. I sensed the fear in you after your brothers, Casey, and you first rescued me. It took me some time to realize its source, but I soon discovered it."
He moved a single paw beneath his son's jaw and lifted his head so that he could look directly into his eyes. "I know you love Casey and Casey loves you. I give your relationship my fullest blessing, my son, for I want only happiness for the both of you." His tail cut through the air again. "When Casey returns, however, I do wish to speak with him."
"Yes, Sensei," Raphael replied with an obedient nod.
"Never forget, Raphael, I love you and I only want the best for you. Now go in search of your love, my son, and do not miss the chance to make the most of even a single moment together."
Bowing, Raphael left, and Splinter's tail cut through the air a third time. It moved with all the deadly accuracy of a snake, and the candlelight gleamed in his eyes. Casey had best make his son happy, or else the lad would find that the most wicked enemy could be within one's own family unit. Shredder, Krang, the entire Foot Clan, and every single enemy that they had ever fought would not compare to a father's wrath if Casey harmed his Raphael! Splinter vowed and silently waited in the shadows.
The End