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“Do you realize how dangerous that could have been?”
If you’d have told Raph two days ago he’d be sitting on a kitchen stool in a lair that wasn’t his, being scolded by a much larger version of himself he would have called you crazy. Yet, leave it to the universe to prove crazy wasn’t out of the realm of possibility.
He looked at the ground. Choosing to focus on how his feet didn’t even touch the floor rather than the angry, mutant snapping turtle before him.
“Throwing stars are wildly inaccurate! You could have easily hurt someone. Not to mention waving around a weapon you aren’t familiar with! And the disrespect of using someone else’s weapon as a toy?” Sure, maybe he realized even as the words came out of his mouth he was being hypocritical, but sometimes that was okay .Especially, when it came to scolding a - probably - much younger alternate version of yourself who very easily could have gotten someone hurt.
The Snapping turtle might have worn the same color bandana, but Raph was starting to think they were nothing alike. Was it wrong not to like an alternate version of yourself?
“Easy, Red.”
They both jumped at the sudden voice. Raph had almost forgotten the third one was there. Three Raph’s in one room, because the universe really wanted to drive home how disappointed it was in him.
This Raph was… well small wasn’t the right word, but he was smaller than the snapping turtle. He also seemed to have avoided whatever caused the snapper to be missing pieces of his shell and the cloudiness in one eye. He was more dangerous though. The snapping turtle might have towered over the two of them, but this one held himself differently. Like he could be completely relaxed in any situation because he was the most dangerous thing in the room.
All it took was a hand on the snapping turtle’s arm and he was stepping aside.
“Raphael,” Red started. The twitch of discomfort at his own full name rolling off his tongue was quickly hidden. “It’s one thing to get hurt practicing on your own, but getting one of them hurt because you were goofing off-”
A raised hand from the older turtle was all it took to stop red in his tracks. “You’re worried. I get it, but berating him ain’t gonna do a damn thing.”
“Language.” Red muttered, though his beak turned up in a small smile at the offended scoff coming from Raph’s direction.
“My point is,” Raphael continued firmly. “I’ve been dealing with this multiverse garbage for longer than you’ve been around. You want someone to talk some sense into him, let me handle it.”
Red looked between the two of them for a moment, but even he seemed more than willing to take orders from this version of themselves. There was something about Raphael that was a flashing neon sign screaming ‘fuck around and find out’. Neither of them were stupid enough to rise to that particular challenge.
“C’mon, kid,” Raphael jerked his head toward the door motioning for Raph to follow.
“I’m not a kid,” Raph protested, which was immediately defeated by having to jump off the stool he’d been sitting on.
Raphael side-eyed him. “Yeah, ya are.”
The further they got from the lair the more Raph was starting to think this had been a bad idea. At least Red told you what he was thinking. Even though he was frustrated and growly rap could at least understand it was coming from a place of concern. This turtle was near impossible to read. Raphael was stiff as they walked, practically stomping through the sewer tunnels.
Then the older turtle stopped, leaned back on one foot to see if they were being followed. Apparently content with the distance they’d put between them and the lair, the serious demeanor melted from his form.
“I’m not gonna lie, throwing a ninja star at Mikey the one turtle who can’t stay still for crap, terrible judgment.” Raphael started, but his tone was nothing like it had been when they were in the lair. It was freer, with a hint of excitement. “But the way that watermelon splattered , kid you’ve got potential!”
Raph could only stare as the emerald green turtle with golden eyes looked him up and down. This was nothing like he’d been expecting. Most of the talking had been done by the snapping turtle and he got the feeling he was starting to see why.
“Yeah, it was dangerous. And if anyone asks I absolutely gave ya a stern talkin’ to an’ you’re not gonna do it again, but you’re what… twelve?” Raphael continued over the offended sputtering of his counterpart. “And we both know you’re absolutely gonna do it again. If not that then other stupid shit. ‘Specially once you meet Casey. So, I’m gonna teach ya how to do stupid shit responsibly.”
“And when we go back I tell everyone that I’ve learned the error of my ways?” Raph asked, looking up at the grinning teen.
Raphael patted him on the shell, nearly sending the smaller turtle into the sewage at their feet.
“There ya go! But ya gotta sell it.” He looked around the sewers once more, mostly to reassure himself he wasn’t about to get caught by his Leo. “Race ya topside.”