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River stares at his hands. Hands plural, the black metal of his prosthetic fingers wiggling just like his flesh and blood ones.
It’s been a few weeks since Donnie gifted him an arm, and the novelty of having two functioning hands had yet to fade. The amazement and tears shed in the Murakami household when River had come home that night had been embarrassing and yet River couldn’t stop himself from smiling when he thought about how happy Mom had looked.
But… that hadn’t been the only amazing gift of the night.
Othello von Ryan, his online friend that he’d known before he’d even met Yuichi… he’d been Donnie all along.
The explosive tirade he’d been witnessed after Donnie had put the pieces together in the lab had been spectacular. But then… when they’d left the lab to join the rest of their brothers, to the general outcry and celebration of seeing River with four working limbs, Donnie made no mention of River being his online friend, Rio, to any of them. River hadn’t mentioned it either.
He still isn’t sure why.
In the days that followed, River worked in the Murakami’s Clinic and trained with Lady Kaiyo at the Nekono clan base and hung out with his brothers and friends and… he couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Othello and his brothers Red and Orange. They were Donnie and Raph and Mikey.
That simple truth tumbled through his thoughts like a jagged stone. He thought back to all the stories he’d been told throughout the years through a too-bright computer screen, and couldn’t help but feel…
Left out.
He knows it’s stupid; he and the Hamatos hadn’t even known the other even existed back then… but still. It’s hard not to look back on his conversations with Othello and feel like he’s missed out on things he’ll never be able to get back.
Don’t get him wrong, he’s happy with his life. He’s happy he met Yuichi and Murakami-san and Lady Kaiyo. He’s learned and lived and been happy, and now he has the Hamatos in his life, too.
April, Cass and Casey. Splinter and Draxum. His… brothers.
He just wishes it didn’t still feel a little weird to refer to them as his brothers. He wishes he didn’t still feel like the odd one out.
“River?”
River jumps, prosthetic hitting the edge of the table with a bang.
“Oh! River dear, are you alright?” Murakami-san asks, hands already reaching out to steady him, her fins and turquoise scales glinting in the slanting light from the kitchen window.
“Mom, hey, no no I’m fine, just… lost in thought. You’re home pretty early today, I thought you were at a book guild meeting?”
Murakami-san rumbles a laugh, nuzzling his cheek before taking a seat beside him at the kitchen table.
“Not quite dear, I was actually in a meeting.”
“A meeting? With who?”
Murakami-san pauses before saying softly;
“Miss Deya.”
River’s heart stops, before leaping back up into his throat.
Miss Deya? His social worker?!
“What?” He chokes out. Did- did Murakami-san not want him anymore? Did she want to get him re-homed? It’s been almost six years! What- what did he do?!
“Not for anything bad!” Murakami-san is quick to reassure, but not quick enough.
“Why? What- what did I-” He was panicking, he knew he was.
But he couldn’t- wouldn’t go back to the way things were before! Miss Deya hated him; the namahage yokai couldn’t stand to even look at him even when she became his social worker at the grand old age of five. All the placements he had after she became responsible for him were awful, each one worse than the last until he’d somehow been brought in by Murakami-san when he was eleven.
“No. No, River dear, you didn’t do anything. I didn’t meet with her for anything like what you’re thinking.”
“Then why-?”
Murakami-san sighs gently, taking River’s flesh and blood hand into one of her own.
“River, I have an important question for you. I’ve been wanting to ask for quite a while, but with the invasion…” She trails off and River squeezes her hand in understanding, “Well, things got pretty hectic after that so I never got the chance to ask. And… I know you have your brothers now, and Splinter-san too, but…”
Murakami-san hesitates, but River’s heart is racing as he stares up at her, wide-eyed.
Could she really be… does he dare hope…
“River dear, would you mind terribly… if I adopted you?”
River’s breath hitches.
“Adopt… me?”
Murakami-san smiles, eyes shining. “Yes. You.”
“But I- I’m… really?”
“Really.”
Another benefit to having two arms again, River has found, is that he can properly hug his Mom.
⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘
“-and you won’t believe what she did next Case, she went and smacked the guy for-”
Casey shakes his head with a smile, adjusting April’s hand for better lighting before applying another coat of pink polish, listening to her rant about some adventure she and Cass had.
It was late, they both had their hair tied back and moisturizing face masks on, and there was a light pitter-patter of rain hitting the windows that Casey was still a little in awe of. Water, clean water, just… falling from the sky. His uncles would have loved to see it again, he’s sure.
He wonders if Sensei ever-
He looks up at the window after he catches a bright flash in the corner of his eye.
“Se- sensei?!”
“What!?” April yelps as her bedroom window slides open, revealing a panting and red-eyed River.
“Hey, guys! Hope you- uh- hope you don’t me dropping by?” River says, laughing as he rubs the back of his neck, looking unsure.
Casey is hit with a strong wave of nostalgic longing. Sensei used to do the same thing.
“River! Hey! You know, when I said you could stop by anytime I absolutely meant it, but I kinda thought you’d text first. We could’ve saved you a face mask!”
River freezes, before groaning.
“Ugh. I forgot I had a phone. Man, Donnie will be so disappointed.”
April snorts, and Casey snickers even though he still forgets to use his phone as well. What can he say? He was used to only having long range communication while on a surface mission or in an otherwise life-threateningly dangerous situation.
Donnie had looked scandalized when he’d told him so.
“Look, um-” River starts, clenching and unclenching his hands, flesh and metal both, “I’m sorry for dropping in unexpectedly but, something came up and I needed to ask you something.”
“Of course! C’mere, c’mere.” April pulls River down onto her bed, right beside Casey. “Now, what’s up?”
“I- uhm- well… Speaking of Donnie, did- did he ever tell you about his online friend?”
Casey blinks, the question coming out of nowhere to him, but April’s expression brightens.
“Oh, you mean Rio? Yeah! Donnie always goes on and on about him! Donnie’s been chatting with him for years! Though he hasn’t been able to get in touch with him since… the…”
April squints at River, who smiles innocently at her.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No way! You?! It was you all along!?”
“Yep.”
April bursts into laughter, launching herself at River who panics for a moment before returning the hug with a laugh of his own.
“I’m missing something here.” Casey says, confused.
River laughs again, a little breathless, but then explains;
“So, it turns out that Donnie and I have been talking to each other through computer chat rooms since we were both about seven years old.”
“You- you what?! Really!?”
“Yeah. Crazy coincidence right? I mean, all these years and all the crazy stories I’ve heard was about my long brothers?”
River is smiling, but Casey can see a sliver of something else lurking beneath the surface.
“It’s actually why I wanted to talk to you, April.” River continues. “Something- um- something happened recently and It made me think of a conversation Donnie and I had almost two years ago, so I may be remembering this wrong, but-”
“Dude. You’re rambling.”
“Ah. Right. …Is it true that you named them? My uh- my brothers? When they were younger?”
Casey freezes, briefly locking eyes with April.
It had been an unspoken rule, after they’d finally found River, that none of them would reveal that Casey’s Sensei hadn’t been using the same name. In all the stories he’d told of his past, the alternate future, Casey had never revealed to River or Yuichi or anyone who didn’t already know that his Sensei had been named Leonardo.
He knows that these past versions of the turtles will never grow to be the family he once knew and loved, and he’s glad for that, truly. His family had to survive in a world at war, and that shaped them in ways that these younger versions will never have to experience.
He doesn’t want to… influence River to be more like his Sensei. Doesn’t want to pressure him to be more like someone that… isn’t around anymore, and never will be again.
April swallows briefly, flashing River a smile.
“I… yeah. I did. They were just using their colors back when I first met them, and little me didn’t think that was good enough. I mean, they sounded like pet names, you know?”
River raises a brow-ridge, smirking.
“So you named them after Renaissance artists?”
“Hey! I was nine! And fourth grade had a whole unit on the Renaissance, alright?!”
Casey huffs a laugh, tense shoulders loosening.
“Ha! Okay okay! No judgment, I swear!” River snickers as April swats at him, playfully hitting his prosthetic shoulder with a smack.
“Was there something else you wanted to ask, you jerk?”
River hesitates, smile going small and almost… shy.
“Well… actually yeah. Yeah, um. I- I realize this might be unfair to ask but… what Renaissance artist name would you’ve given me, if I’d grown up with my brothers?”
Aaaaand all that tension comes right back.
Casey shares another look with April, panicked now.
“OH. Um- I don’t- uh-” April fumbles. Casey hunches his shoulders at the sharp look River is leveling them with.
He swallows harshly, past the lump in his throat. Damn it all, River looked just like Sensei when he made that face-
Then River’s eyes widen in sudden understanding, and Casey’s stomach drops.
“Future me wasn’t named River, was he?” River asks slowly, leaning back.
April sighs.
“No.” She says quietly. “He wasn’t.”
Silence falls and Casey waits for him to ask. Waits for River to ask what he’d decided to name himself in another life.
…But the question never comes.
“Okay.” Comes Rivers soft acceptance.
Casey blinks, shocked.
“Okay?” He asks.
“Yeah, okay.” River slants a smile at him, completely sincere. Casey’s shoulders drop, and he offers a small smile in return.
“Soooo?” April shifts forward, curious. “What brought this on, anyway? Why the sudden interest in names?”
River’s smile widens.
“Well…”
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Splinter rifles through another dusty box. He’s been slowly but surely going through all the Hamato clan artifacts that came into his possession once his Gigi passed away.
He’d sworn after Shredder that he’d do better, be present for his sons… and then the Foot managed to tear a hole in the fabric of reality and free the Kraang.
He may have sworn to be better… but he hadn’t been good enough. Well, no more.
There would be no more surprises, no more secrets, no more threats to his children that he could prevent or prepare them for.
Especially after his utter failure in regards to-
“Hey Pops?”
Splinter turns, Raphael standing tall in the doorway to his refurbished subway car serving as a surprisingly comfortable bedroom.
“Yes my son? Something you need?”
Raph gestures behind him towards the den, where noise and activity has noticeably risen in the last few moments.
“River just dropped in with Murakami-san.” Raph says with a smile. “‘Says he wants to talk to us about somethin’.”
Splinter’s heart twists.
“Thank you Red. Let’s go see what Blue wants to talk to us about.”
As Splinter follows his eldest out into the lair, he mentally prepares himself for anything. Ah, little blue…
Splinter has made many mistakes in his life, but leaving his fourth to grow up alone and away from his brothers? Donatello was right to be furious with him. He wonders how any of his sons could ever forgive him.
“There you guys are! C’mon, River says he has important news!” April calls, smiling wide and bouncing on the balls of her feet.
Future boy stands quietly at Murakami-san’s side, eyes trained on the ground but expression thoughtful.
And Blue, oh little Blue.
He stands bracketed by Donatello and Michelangelo, clutching a green folder so tight it’s crinkled and at risk of tearing into pieces.
Once everyone has settled, River begins-
“I- um- I have something to tell you guys. But first… I want to explain a little bit about- about my past.”
Any warm fuzzy feelings that had bloomed in the presence of all of his children happy, and safe and together shrivels in Splinter’s chest.
“So, when I was found, way back when, I was fished out of the Sanzu river. Now, the officials in charge of me at the time needed something to call me, right? Well, as you can probably guess, those guys had the creative range of a beige filing cabinet.”
His sons snort, and the atmosphere lightens considerably. Blue’s golden eyes gleam with victory.
“Yeah, so ‘River’ was what I was called, but… it was never meant to be my permanent name.”
“What do you mean?” Michelangelo asks, head tilted curiously.
“Well, how the system works in the Hidden city, especially for the younger ones, is that a child’s guardians choose their permanent name, as way to integrate them into the family and household.” Murakami-san explains, placing a gentle hand on Blue’s shell.
And ouch. A gut punch of painful understanding hits Splinter.
“Exactly.” Blue nods, smile twisting into something wry and just this side of bitter. “But, when my first adoption fell through… and then the next and the next- you get the idea. Well, the name just sort of stuck.”
Splinter clenches his hands, claws digging into his palms. He remembers his time trapped in the Hidden city, and even as the Nexus Champion and in Big Mama’s good graces, he’d experienced the prejudice that yokai held against humans.
People, human or not, could be so cruel. But to be a human-animal hybrid, so young and confused and all alone…
He can’t even imagine what little Blue must have suffered.
“However-” Murakami-san cuts through Splinter’s dark thoughts. “That isn’t that case any longer. Go ahead, dear.”
River nods up at her, clutching the green folder even tighter in mismatched hands.
“Right…” Blue takes a deep breath. “So- um- Mom,” Blue gestures to Murakami-san with a shy smile, “has asked to- to adopt me. Officially.”
Splinter’s heart sinks just a bit.
As his children jump up in surprise and happiness, congratulations falling from their lips but the barest traces of uncertainty in their eyes.
Donatello especially looks the most unsure of this new development.
Not meant as an insult, he’s sure… but they’ve only just gotten Blue back.
And Blue, sharp little turtle that he is, notices.
“Hey, don’t worry guys! This is more of a formality than anything. Paperwork you know? We’re still brothers, still family! I mean, we only just found each other! You can’t get rid of me that easily!” Smiles again, genuine and giddy with relief and happiness. Blue continues. “So nothing is going to change… except for one, specific, thing…”
Splinter is surprised when Blue walks towards him, stopping right in front of him with an expression twisted in nervous anticipation.
“With- um- with me being older, I was- was able to choose my own name.”
Splinter blinks when Blue thrusts the green folder in front of him, staring determinedly at the ground. He can feel his other sons crowding around the back of his chair, trying to sneak a peek as he accepts the creased folder from Blue’s nervous hands.
He flicks his eyes to Murakami-san and finds her smiling at him expectantly. She nods down at the folder in his hands, silently urging him to open it.
Splinter opens the file, looks at the name Blue chose for himself, and time… stops.
He promptly bursts into tears.
Blue panics at first but is soon swept up into Raphael’s arms, tears running freely down his eldest’s cheeks. Donatello, Michelangelo and April are quick to join them, shouting their joy and toppling them all into a pile of tangled limbs and loud celebrations.
Future boy sidles up beside his chair, and through his tears, Splinter watches as a soft look of bittersweet joy crosses the boy’s face as he slowly traces the name held within the folder.
Splinter passes the folder to the time traveller, before catching Murakami-san’s eye.
She smiles as she settles herself beside him. Neither of them speak for a moment, simply watching as the children laugh and shout and cry and make utter nuisances of themselves. Blue reaches for Casey the moment he gets close enough, and then they are all tangled together in a pile of joy and gangly limbs.
“Thank you, Murakami-san.” He says, not looking away from the children.
She hums, a low comforting rumble.
“No need to thank me Splinter-san. And please, call me Murakami.”
“Then please, call me Splinter. I’m just… so thankful that we found him. Found both of you.”
“We’re thankful too. I mean- just look at them.”
He does. He sees.
“Our children.” He says, warmth settling deep in his bones.
“Our children.” She agrees.
The green folder lies open, and written boldly and wonderfully along a dotted line is the name:
Leonardo River Murakami-Hamato
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