Work Text:
Comfort Food
“What the hell are you doin'?” Raphael asked, voice full of horror as he stopped stock-still in the doorway, staring at the bench before Leonardo.
Being beneath such things, Leonardo tried desperately not to cringe as he looked up guiltily at being caught red-handed. He wasn't sure he was entirely successful. “Shh!” he hissed in a low, desperate voice, lifting a flour-coated finger to his lips. “Do you want Mikey to hear?”
“Maybe he should,” Raph replied darkly, his eyes still fixed on the bench and the mess strewn upon it. “You know you aren't supposed to be...” he shuddered visibly and Leo felt annoyance rip through him as he saw Raph's eyes flicker ever-so-briefly to the humiliating sign on the wall.
Mikey's Kitchin
1) No Leo!
2) Clean up!
3) Dude respect!
He wasn't actually banned from the kitchen, that'd be ridiculous, but he wasn't supposed to use anything bar the kettle unsupervised. Despite the jokes at his expense, no one actually worried about him burning hot water because his brothers and father knew he made the best hot drinks, teas, hot chocolate etc, but his culinary 'skills' were pretty much limited to cereal, sandwiches and anything he could use a kettle for like instant ramen and that was, unfortunately, for very good reason.
As good as he was in ninjutsu, strategy and other areas relating to those things in their lives, he was a disaster in the kitchen. As much as he knew he needed to at least know the basics of cooking and food preparation in case everyone else was down or he found himself separated from them and alone, it just didn't interest him and he couldn't seem to get his head around it.
But this time was different so he couldn't afford to fail!
Michelangelo had been injured on patrol two nights back when they'd run into a small but seemingly skittish contingent of Foot Soldiers unwilling to engage. Upon sight of the brothers, they ran, laying down cover fire of shuriken and forcing them to dodge and take cover. Being the nimblest of the quartet, Mikey was immediately back on his feet the moment the last shuriken pinged off the roof and giving chase when, with a loud cry of pain as he landed on the next rooftop, he became the unwitting victim of a minefield of tetsubishi. Not only was the flesh on the underside of one foot torn apart but as he'd crashed down, he'd partially landed on others, tearing shin and the palm of his hand. Thankfully, the damage to his shin and hand wasn't as bad as that to his foot but he was still out of commission for some days.
As a result, Mikey was currently banned from walking around for anything but the absolute necessities and with his left hand injured as it was, he had trouble playing video games and drawing, leaving him a very miserable turtle, relegated to the couch and unable to expend his energy. He tried to be his usual buoyant self but everyone could see the truth, that Michelangelo was depressed.
Therefore, Leonardo had every intention of doing whatever he could to cheer up his normally bright-spirited brother and failure would not be an option.
“It's fine,” Leo promised with confidence he knew he had no right to feel. He held up a sheet of paper for Raph to see. “April gave me very clear instructions and the recipe is so simple that even I can't mess it up.”
Just a half cup of softened butter, a quarter cup of caster sugar, one cup of self-raising flour and one-eighth of a cup of cocoa powder. April had even pointed out which cup to use when she and Casey had been over the night before, bringing dinner and a movie in an attempt to cheer up Mikey.
“That ain't somethin' to sound so proud or smug about bro,” Raph groaned in dismay. He glanced behind himself warily but the TV in the other room was blaring loudly enough Leo didn't think Mikey would notice. “I was never here, I never saw anythin' and if you try to claim otherwise, I'll deny it, you understand?” Raph warned in a low, threatening tone.
Leonardo nodded gratefully. Mikey was extremely protective of his domain and proud of the fact that he had the skill to not only keep his family fed but do it well, especially given how limited their options often were. Particularly before befriending their human friends who could get them what they couldn't otherwise find. Trouble was, being injured as he currently was, Mikey was in no shape to look after them, which placed the cooking chores onto everyone else's shoulders.
He was the last choice for such responsibility by a long shot and he certainly wasn't up to trying to cook an actual, proper meal. However, that didn't mean he couldn't try something simple and what could be simpler than a recipe that only used four ingredients and was advertised for cooking with small children?
Leo scowled a moment at his ineptitude as Raph headed for the fridge before taking something out and leaving again; he really had to work to better himself and soon. Hopefully, this could be the start. Then his eyes narrowed as they double-checked the bench. Something was missing; there were only three ingredients on it. His gaze returned to the written instructions and back to the bench, comparing them, and then his eyes widened.
The cocoa powder!
Leo rushed to the pantry, all but flinging the door open in his haste and his eyes searched the gloom desperately but to no avail. He was just about to give up and call April to ask if hot chocolate would do in its place when his eyes lit upon a clear glass jar filled with chocolatey brown powder among the sauces and he groaned. Trust his scatter-brained brother to put the cocoa powder among items it didn't remotely belong with.
“What are you doing, Leo?” a far too-calm voice asked warily from behind.
He reached out and took the jar from the shelf. As he turned and made his way back to the bench, he smiled wanly at Donnie. “Baking chocolate cookies. Don't tell Mikey though, okay, Don? It's a surprise.”
“Oh, I'm sure it'll be a surprise, alright,” Donnie answered wryly, heading for the tea nook to make coffee.
“You'll see,” Leo promised, picking up the instructions for his brother to inspect for himself.
True to his nature, Donatello carefully read over the paper before handing it back. “It does look simple enough,” he grudgingly agreed.
Leonardo straightened, pleased by his brother's acknowledgement.
“However, I'm sure you'll find some way to mess it up, Leo. It had better not be by destroying the oven the way you keep destroying the toaster," he warned.
Leo felt his face burn as the blood rushed to his face in embarrassment, remembering the 'funeral' Mikey recently organised in his usual melodramatic fashion for 'Sunny' the Sunbeam toaster. The whole thing had been a total farce but he had no proof and both Master Splinter and Donnie had fully supported the production. Donatello had even gone so far as to take him aside afterwards and lecture him on toaster safety. Like he was a four-year-old needing to be reminded not to stick knives (or swords) into toasters! Leo had gone along with with the ordeal, determined not to give his family the satisfaction of a response. For all he knew, Mikey, or perhaps even Donnie himself, was recording the whole thing to use to embarrass him someday.
A week later, he'd tried to use the new toaster for breakfast, only for it to spark and set off a small explosion upon simply touching it and later that day, the 'Rules of Mikey's Kitchen' appeared, glaring spelling error and all. Mikey claimed he didn't notice the spelling error until it was too late and that he'd put too much work into the sign to start over again. Leo was certain he'd done it deliberately to have fun at Donnie's expense.
Donnie glanced at the oven as if worried and Leo was about to protest when his brother pointed out that the instructions specified preheating and that the oven wasn't even on yet. Donnie detoured slightly to turn it on for him before finally reaching the tea nook. He switched the kettle on and set about preparing his mug while Leo gazed down at the bench, uncomfortably aware of Donatello's inquisitive gaze upon him. To distract himself, and Donnie, he began sifting the flour, speaking up in a disapproving tone.
“The pantry is so badly disorganised,” he chided mildly. “Maybe I should sort it out so it actually makes sense as a surprise for Mikey while he's recovering.”
His brother's expression turned sharp. “I wouldn't,” he warned calmly. “You wouldn't like it if one of us came and reorganised your space without your say-so.”
That was true and yet his spaces, his room and the communal spaces he took it upon himself to look after like the Zen Room and the spare weapons storage, were already well organised and everything made sense. Everyone could find things quickly and easily because the placement of each item made sense. “I guess you're right,” he unwillingly conceded, his body itching to reorganise regardless, “but there's still no organisation. Why would Mikey put the cocoa powder with the sauces? You'd think it would be with the baking ingredients.”
Donnie shrugged as the kettle began to boil. He turned away to flick the power off and pour water into his waiting cup. “That's Mikey for you,” he pointed out evenly. “What doesn't make sense to either of us makes perfect sense to him and since this is his domain...”
Leo nodded reluctantly as Donnie finished making his coffee.
“You know, Mikey does make a chocolate sauce sometimes. Maybe that's why he placed it there,” Donnie offered thoughtfully, dropping his spoon gently into the sink.
“Maybe,” Leo sighed, staring down at the ingredients before him.
Donnie began to walk out the kitchen, presumably to return to his lab and whatever project he was currently enthralled with but at the last moment, he stopped and looked back at Leo and Leo looked up in surprise. “Good luck, Leo,” he offered sincerely. “You'll need it.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Leo returned dryly.
Donnie chuckled in amusement. “You're welcome.” Then he left, leaving Leonardo to continue alone and wondering if he was really doing the right thing by attempting to bake after all when every other attempt at cooking in his life had been a disaster.
-:-
Plate in hand with the biscuits neatly arranged upon it, Leo struggled to contain all signs of nervousness as he silently approached the couch where Mikey lay. The television array was on, every screen tuned to a different station. The largest central screen, however, featured a classic episode of 'Doctor Who', the main character of which was running, encouraging his companion to keep up even as his long, multi-coloured scarf threatened to catch or trip them up while they pelted frantically through the trees. Thankful the rest of the TVs were muted, Leo tuned out the loud audio track as he came around the couch and focused on his injured brother. For a moment, he was disappointed to see Mikey's sea-green eyelids closed but then the corners of his mouth lifted in an affectionate smile, pleased to see no signs of pain on his brother's face. He swallowed back a chuckle as he silently placed the plate on the coffee table and sat in a nearby chair, happy to sit quietly as he waited for Mikey to wake up.
Suddenly, he realised one sea-green eyelid had cracked open as Michelangelo peered at him curiously. Leo's smile widened.
“Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you,” he said softly.
“I wasn't asleep, bro,” Mikey yawned, struggling to sit up without putting weight on his damaged hand or disturbing his injured foot and shin. “The meds are making me drowsy but not enough to actually put me to sleep.”
“Are you okay, Mike?” Leo asked, concern taking over once more.
“Mmm, I'm fine,” Mikey answered tiredly, trying to smile brightly even as another yawn cracked his attempt. “Donnie gave me more meds a while ago when he last went to make coffee.” Suddenly, his weary gaze fell upon the plate and his whole demeanour perked up. “Hey! I didn't know we had cookies! Did Ape and Case bring them last night?” he asked as he eagerly reached out to snag one. His face shifted in confusion as he felt the slight warmth from the treat and he looked at Leo quizzically.
Leo chuckled self-consciously and he very definitely did not squirm under that questioning gaze. “Actually, I baked them,” he admitted with a small smile.
Mikey's gaze immediately focused on the cookie in his hand warily, his body stiffening.
“April wrote out very clear and simple instructions for me to follow.”
“Oh,” Mikey said simply, studying the treat in his hand as he carefully but awkwardly turned it over. “Wow! It's not even burnt, dude!” he exclaimed in surprise. Then he broke the biscuit in two, one half decidedly larger than the other and studied the centre. “And it actually looks cooked right through. How'd you manage it?” he asked, a note of admiration filling his voice.
“April wrote very clear instructions,” Leo repeated intently. “And showed me what equipment to use when she was here last night.”
Mikey's smile returned, broad and bright with happiness. “And you went to all this effort for me?”
Leo nodded, pleased to see his plan working and that for once, he hadn't messed up while cooking.
For a moment, Mikey looked as if he were about to bound to his feet and across the room to glomp onto Leo ecstatically but thankfully, he thought better of it and instead tossed the larger half into his mouth. A moment later as he started chewing, a noise of pure, grossed-out disgust escaped him and he couldn't spit it back out into his hand fast enough.
Horror and shame replaced the pride and pleasure that had filled Leo only moments ago.
“What the shell did you put in it, bro?” Mikey choked in betrayal, scrabbling desperately to scrape his tongue clear while reaching for the water to wash his mouth out.
“Nothing!” Leo protested. “Just butter, flour, sugar and cocoa powder!”
Mikey fixed his gaze on him in disbelief. “That wouldn't... Are you sure that's all you put in it, dude? Because there's no way those ingredients would combine to taste like this,” he accused.
“Yes! I'm sure!” Leo protested again. Briefly, he wondered if Mikey was faking his reaction as a practical joke because he was bored but... if there was one line his brother refused to cross when it came to pranks, it was wasting food. He reached over to take a biscuit for himself and carefully bit into it. As it touched his tongue, his face screwed up in disgust. The taste... he couldn't even begin to describe it but whatever it was definitely wasn't chocolate or cookie. He forced himself to swallow, years of growing up hungry forbidding him from wastage and looked at Mikey apologetically. Ashamed.
“I followed the instructions to the letter, Mikey,” he repeated in a small voice.
Mikey gazed at him, studying him, then nodded. He twisted on the couch, lowering his feet gingerly to the floor with a pained wince.
“What are you doing?” Leo sat up in alarm. “You know you're supposed to keep off your feet! Don'll have conniptions!”
“Trust me, I know and that's why you're gonna help me,” Mikey replied cheerfully, waiting on Leo expectantly to help him up. “We're gonna go to the kitchen and you're going to make another batch with me watching this time. I promise to stay on the chair,” he added as Leo went to protest and in defeat, Leo nodded.
A short time later, Mikey was seated at the kitchen table as Leo turned on the oven and pulled out the items he needed once more. Under his brother's watchful eye, Leo carefully weighed out the butter and set it aside to soften in the warmth of the kitchen as he measured and sifted the flour and added the sugar. Then he went to get the cocoa powder from the cupboard, only to catch Mikey gazing at him with an odd look. “What?”
“Is that what you used before?” Mikey asked carefully as if trying not to laugh.
Leo stared down at the glass jar of chocolatey powder in confusion, then back up and at his brother. “Of course. Why?”
Now Mikey couldn't help the snickers of laughter that escaped him. “I think I know where you went wrong, bro.”
“The cocoa powder?”
“That's not cocoa powder,” Mikey cackled, barely still in control. “That's gravy powder, dude!”
“Gravy powder?” Leo echoed, staring at Michelangelo in betrayal as the other turtle lost his battle with laughter and barely managed to stay in his seat without falling off.
Mikey nodded wordlessly, red in the face and laughing far too hard to speak.
“Gravy powder?” Leo repeated again turning to the pantry to stare at the sauce shelf where the glass jar had sat, nestled among the other bottles and jars. Now it made sense but... “But why wasn't it labelled?” he cried in disbelief, “and where's the cocoa powder then?”
Mikey slapped the table, a bright, amused grin stretching his features and barely managed to point shakily to the tea nook. Leo whirled around to face it.
“I use... I...” Mikey gasped, attempting to swallow down his guffaws and actually speak, “use the same coca powder we use for hot chocolate,” he howled, somehow still finding this far funnier than it actually was. With a scowl, Leo wondered if Mikey's over-the-top mirth was a side effect of the pain medication because it really wasn't that funny.
“As for.. as for why the gravy mix is in the jar instead of its original box... have you seen the size of those skinny little boxes and have you seen the size of our fingers? The boxes were made for human hands, not mutant turtle hands! It's easier to just repack it,” Mikey grinned, finally starting to gain control and breath. “And... and the... glass jar seals better than the box anyway and keeps the powder bug free!”
“Well, why the shell didn't you label it?” Leo half-exploded incredulously.
Mikey snorted derisively. “Because then you'd wanna come in here with your label maker and label everything dude and it's totally not necessary!”
“But!”
“Besides, I know what it is and no one else even tries to make gravy so who cares?”
Suddenly exhausted beyond all reason, Leo half-collapsed on the bench. All his energy just gone. “This wouldn't have happened if you'd just labelled it, Mikey,” he groaned in defeat.
Michelangelo instantly sobered up. “Yeah, you're probably right,” he agreed reluctantly, “but it also wouldn't have happened either if you'd asked instead of assumed or if you'd sniffed it to make sure or...” he paused a moment and Leo picked up on a smidgen of glee entering the evil turtle's tone as he continued, “if you'd just used some common sense, dude.”
“Common sense?” Leo cried in dismay. Now that was the pot calling the kettle black!
“Yeah, common sense,” Mikey repeated with an ever-growing grin. “I mean, why the shell would I put the cocoa powder with the sauces?” he asked with a loud snicker.
“You know,” Leo choked out, beginning to shake, “that's exactly what I asked Donnie earlier.” Then he was no longer able to hide his own laughter.
It took the pair a couple of minutes but they finally calmed down enough for Leo to ask. “Well, what now?”
Mikey canted his head a moment as he pointed to the tea nook. “You promised me chocolate cookies so get baking, bro!”
Leo gazed where his brother pointed before turning back to him. “You trust me to make them after all this?”
Mikey regarded Leo seriously for a moment, then nodded. “Well, yeah. I'm here to help,” he beamed. Then, “You know, all jokes aside, if you ever want to try to cook or bake something, all you have to do is ask and I'd be happy to help you, Leo. It'll be fun!”
“You mean it?” he asked quietly, gazing solemnly back at Mikey.
“Of course!” Mikey nodded vigorously. “Any time you want, bro.”
Warmth filled Leo and he smiled back at his injured brother.
-:-
A little over half an hour later, Leonardo pulled the fresh batch of cookies from the oven, breathing in the wonderful chocolatey smell and at Mikey's demand, took one from the tray and handed it over on a plate. His brother blew repeatedly at it to cool it faster and then, with it still too hot, broke it in two and popped one half in his mouth. Mikey huffed and puffed, crying “Hot! Hot!” as he struggled to eat it without burning himself, then beamed at Leo proudly as he finally swallowed.
“That was so good!” he exclaimed happily, immediately reaching for the other half.
Leo chuckled. “I'm glad but maybe you should let it cool down a bit first?”
Mikey shook his head adamantly. “It's better fresh and hot and still gooey in the middle.” He grinned as Leo merely shook his head in disbelief.
“Well, don't complain to Donnie or me when you burn your tongue,” he warned as he left the kitchen, promising to be right back.
When Leo returned, it was with the plate of gravy-flavoured cookies and he moved to toss them in the bin.
“What are you doing, Leo?” Mikey asked oddly as he watched him. “You know we can't afford to waste food.”
Incredulous, Leo turned to face his brother, his foot holding the bin pedal down and the plate poised to tip the contents in. “Surely you don't consider this food?” he choked out.
A mischievous grin lit Mikey's face. “Why don't we let everyone else decide?”
“What do you mean?” Leo asked suspiciously.
“Offer them around after dinner tonight. Let me pick first and I'll take a couple from the second batch,” Mikey suggested with tinkling laughter. “The rest'll be from the first batch and when everyone sees me eating them and enjoying them, they'll be more than happy to try them for themselves, thinking it's actually safe to eat!”
Leo stared, stunned by his prankster brother's suggestion.
“Come on, bro!” Mikey implored, his eyes widening all puppy dog-like and making him hard to resist. “It's the perfect opportunity for you to help me prank everyone and no one'll expect it if you're involved.”
“I don't...”
“Please, Leo?” Mikey wheedled, pressing his advantage. “I'm so bored being stuck on the couch all day!”
Leo couldn't help the faint but derisive snort that escaped him. “You are bored sitting on the couch all day,” he stated flatly. “You. The one that happily sits there all day watching TV or playing video games if we let you. Mikey! Half the time we have trouble getting you off the couch!”
“Well yeah but that's because I'm not normally stuck there under threat from the evil doctor Donnie and I can get up and move or play games or draw, which I can't right now,” Mikey huffed, holding out his bandaged left hand for sympathy. While it was nowhere near as bad as his foot, it had still required stitches and needed to be kept still for a few days and though Mikey was ambidextrous with most things, playing video games required the use of both his hands and as for writing and drawing, he usually preferred to use his left. “Come on, Leo, please? You can give them the real ones after,” Mikey added with just the right amount of whine to his voice to tug at Leo's heartstrings. “It'll be really funny and no one will get hurt by it and... well, it's not like I can prank anyone for myself right now...”
Leo tried to stay strong but the beseeching tone of his brother's voice and those manipulative baby blue eyes pushed him to his limits and he found himself starting to cave.
“At least this way they won't be completely wasted, bro,” Mikey said in a final nudge to get Leo to capitulate to his scheme. “And... didn't you want to cheer me up?” he added in a small voice.
Leo sighed, finally defeated. “It goes against my better judgement but...” he sighed again, deeper the second time, “alright...”
“Alright!” Mikey cheered happily. “This is gonna be so much fun, bro! You'll see!”
Somehow, Leo doubted it but he'd foolishly agreed and now he was doomed to go through with it.
-:-
That night after dinner, everyone had settled in front of the TV, watching an animated movie that had something to appeal to everyone. Leo and Mikey shared one couch, Mikey's legs comfortably atop Leo's as they watched and waited for the right moment to spring their trap. Their father sat nearby in his usual seat, feet propped up on the built-in footrest and Raph and Donnie shared the newer couch on the other side of Splinter. About halfway through the movie, Mikey made his move, convincingly mimicking the sound of his own stomach rumbling and knowing that was the cue, Leo groaned.
“You can't still be hungry, Mikey! You had a whole pizza to yourself tonight!”
“And some o' mine,” Raph added, grumbling in annoyance.
Mikey chuckled self-consciously. “You know I'm a growing turtle, dude!”
“Yeah, growin' outwards,” Raph sniped back.
“Heh, don't worry, I'll lose whatever I gain sitting here once Donnie lets me off the couch,” Mikey teased cheerfully. “In fact, you'll probably help me lose it, Raphie.”
Raph closed his eyes in mock pain, muttering, “So help me...”
“How about I go get some of the cookies I made earlier?” Leo suggested with a small indulgent smile even as his insides squirmed. He still couldn't believe he'd let Mikey talk him into pranking their brothers and father like this. There had to be something seriously wrong with him for agreeing. He fought to keep his heart from pounding, certain Splinter's keen hearing would pick up on it and clue him in to his deceit.
Donnie, Raph and Splinter shot disturbed looks his way at his 'terrifying' suggestion but Mikey perked up in interest, working to straighten up on the couch. “Sounds great, bro! I'm starved!”
“Are you freakin' kiddin' me?” Raph asked in blatant disbelief. “You're really so hungry that you'd risk bein' poisoned? By Leo?”
Despite the fact he was known as a terrible cook and freely owned it, Leo still felt the hurt from Raph's derision prickle at his heart. He took comfort in the knowledge that no one other than Mikey knew he'd actually succeeded this time. 'With Mikey's help,' Leo thought ruefully.
“Right?” Mikey laughed. “I totally knew I was taking my life in my hands when Leo gave me some earlier but he'd put so much effort into it that I had to risk it and try one and guess what, bro? I'm still alive and they actually tasted pretty good!”
Leo shot Mikey a hurt look as he spoke, then shook his head as the compliment followed. He gently lifted Mikey's legs off him, careful how he handled the injured shin, and made his way to the kitchen, asking if anyone wanted drinks while he was up. Not long later, as the kettle boiled for tea and hot chocolate, Leo headed back to the lounge with the carefully prepared plate in hand. Knowing that even his father was rightfully wary of his culinary efforts, Leo offered the plate to Mikey first, as arranged, then turned to go offer the plate around, smiling tightly as he offered the plate to Splinter.
“These... smell odd, my son,” Splinter commented as he gazed at the cookie in his hand warily. “Are you quite sure they are edible?”
For an answer, Leo turned to look at Mikey gleefully stuffing his mouth with the first of the two chocolate biscuits he'd taken, while Raph turned up his nose in disgust.
“Mikey seems to be enjoying it,” Leo stated, allowing just a touch of hurt to enter his voice, even as his heartbeat picked up again. The only thing saving him from having his deception outed was that he technically wasn't lying to his father. It baffled him constantly how Mikey managed to lie and stretch the truth like this on a regular basis considering how astute their father was.
“Well, Mikey's a garbage guts so whaddya expect?” Raph grumbled darkly.
“You're just jealous,” Mikey grinned before eagerly taking another bite of chocolatey goodness.
As Splinter continued to gaze at the baked 'treat' suspiciously, Leo turned to offer to Donnie and Raph.
“You think I got a death wish or somethin' Leo?” Raph scoffed as Donnie hesitantly took one.
“I tried really hard on these,” Leo protested even as Mikey piped up through a mouthful of crumbs.
“If you guys don't want 'em, more for me and Leo!” Mikey cheered happily, stretching out his good hand. “Bring the plate back over here, bro, I'll take 'em!”
“Not a damn chance!” Raph growled, snatching a couple of cookies off the plate and shoving one into his mouth as Splinter and Donnie likewise decided to bite the bullet and take tentative bites.
At that moment, Leo became aware of just how intently Mikey was watching everyone, though on the surface, he seemed completely relaxed and that was when three faces collectively twisted in disgust.
Donatello politely ejected the half-chewed remains into his hand with a small choking cough as Splinter elegantly rose to his feet and hurried off, mouth very carefully still as he struggled not to disturb or taste the contents further. Raphael, meanwhile, spat the cookie out violently and whipped his head around to glare fiercely at Mikey.
“How the! Michelangelo!” he growled as he shot furiously to his feet.
Mikey lost all pretence of innocence, his laughter loud and obnoxious and as Leo heard the sheer joy in his brother's laughter, he relaxed, happy he'd relented and agreed to help prank their family after all.
“Injured turtle! Injured turtle!” Mikey gasped desperately as he struggled for breath through his laughter, obviously itching to get up and run as Raph descended on him.
Suddenly realising he couldn't pound Mikey after all, Raph froze, struggling with his instinct for retribution and Leo couldn't help but let out a small laugh at their hotheaded brother's helplessness. Raph immediately whirled on him instead.
“You better run, Leo,” Raph snarled. “Because if I can't pay that damn knucklehead back for his stupid prank, his partner in crime'll have to step up and take the punishment for him!”
And as Mikey's howls of laughter intensified and Raphael barrelled towards him with all the fury of a raging bull, Leonardo realised his duplicitous brother had successfully pranked him too, all without leaving the couch and he resolved to return the favour the first chance he found because this meant war!
Owari