*This fic will be about 2003 Raphael who is in 2016 turtles' world. There will be tcest between Leo and Raph. The reason why I do this is because I love 2003 Raph x 2016 Leonardo.*

Chapter 2

“You’re sure you will be okay in here?”

“Of course, April. You showed me where everything is and I have your number if I need anything. We will be perfectly fine.”

Smiling April sighed. She knew Leo, if anyone, would be alright but she wanted to be sure. After all if something would happen it would fall on her shoulders since it was her apartment. After making sure once more April left knowing Leonardo would give her a call if he needed her or anything.

When she was gone Leonardo went to check on Raphael who was in his terrarium on living room table. It probably wasn’t the best place for small turtle but Leonardo wanted to keep Raphael there where he could see him. Squatting down Leonardo’s eyes kept looking baby turtle without seeing him. It brought great worry. Had the trip be too much for tiny Raph? Opening the lid Leonardo moved items gently and slow finally seeing a piece of Raphael’s shell inside small bush what seemed to have become Raphael’s favorite hiding place. He blended in it so well after all. Maybe it brought him some sense of safety.

Lowering lid down slow not to disturb Raphael more than he already had Leonardo sat on the couch opening TV. It felt so weird and kind of lonely in April’s place. After all he had been living in sewers his whole life and now… living in human’s apartment above ground felt unreal. It even made Leonardo a bit nervous. What if some people from neighbor buildings would see him through windows? For that reason he decided to keep curtains closed and lights as dim as possible.

Looking around a bit better Leonardo felt good about being in there too. April’s home was cozy, warm and in safe city area. Plus April had left pretty much almost all of her stuff there for Leonardo to use. Casey most surely had all what those two needed in order to live together.

Seeing movement from the corner of his eye Leonardo’s focus turned on Raphael who slowly was making his way under heat lamp with a piece of kale. Smiling lovingly Leo watched how Raph stopped under the lamp, starting to eat slowly. Leonardo never hadn’t seen turtle to eat and it was kind of fascinating… and slow. When Raphael was finally done his small eyes shut and he fell asleep. Watching tiny Raph sleeping brought sense of peace to big turtle who decided to sleep there on the couch and be close to Raphael, just to keep his eyes on him and make sure little guy was okay. Feeling sleepy himself Leonardo went to bedroom to get blanket and pillow, returning back on couch. Laying down he took one last look about sleeping turtle while shutting TV, and went to sleep.

–

In the next day Leonardo was getting ready to do small cleaning to Raphael’s terrarium. It wasn’t good to let him crawl in his poo and dry uneaten food. Thank God April had borrowed him a book how to take care of pet turtle and Leonardo had spend morning reading it. Reaching his hand in terrarium Leonardo gently took a hold on Raphael who instantly withdrew in his shell, staying there.

Placing tiny turtle on his palm Leonardo waited while looking in small black eyes looking back at him from inside the shell.

“It’s okay, Raphael. It’s me.” He waited and waited but Raphael refused to come out. Getting worried Leonardo raised his eye ridges. “What’s wrong? Beautiful, it’s me. Leonardo. Don’t you recognize me? Remember me?” When Raph still refused to come out, Leonardo sighed lowering his head, smiling to himself slightly.

“What were I thinking? Of course you don’t recognize or remember me. You’re just regular turtle now.” After a moment of silence fear hit his mind. What if… What if Raphael still wouldn’t remember or recognize him after he had been turned back to normal? How their relationship could go on from there? What if Raph didn’t even want Leo anymore? All kind of horror images and questions kept crawling in his mind and he wanted them to stop.

Gently placing Raphael on the table near the plate full of strawberries Leonardo went to work. Picking up little poos with small net was something new for him but at least it got his mind out of those horrible thoughts and questions. Suddenly he turned to look to check on Raph only to fall in panic when small turtle wasn’t there where he had left him. Had Raph fell on the floor and hurt himself? In panic Leonardo bend down to look under the table but found nothing. He turned his head to look under the couch but no.

“Raph? Raphael! Raph, baby, where are you?”

Stopping to listen any kind of sound he heard super tiny smack sounds which eventually lead him behind strawberry pile. Seeing Raphael eating a strawberry made Leonardo sigh loud and deep in relief. Damn he needed to be more careful with this little guy or he would lose him for sure. Sitting on the floor Leonardo allowed himself to relax while watching Raph eating strawberry slow and surely… and it was damn adorable thing to watch.

When Raph had eat enough he stood still a moment before starting to walk forward. Spotting black spot on the table Leonardo almost jumped.

“Argh, Raphael, NO! You don’t poo on the table! Bad turtle!” But Raph didn’t mind at all as he made his way forward, Leonardo reaching after him and putting him gently in his terrarium.

“Poo there.” Taking a tissue and cleaning spray Leonardo cleaned ‘accident’ away, giving half eaten small strawberry to Raph in his terrarium. However little guy had already crawl under the lamp and was sleeping. How simple and easy life he had. Eat, swim, sleep and poo…

Few weeks went by and Leonardo had learned to love little Raphael so much, even that he had been bitten few times. Watching Raph doing his own things in terrarium and at times outside of it on the floor was heart warming.

Ringing tone of his phone got his mind back in the moment.

“Tell me you have good news, Donnie.”

“I kind of have. I have been working on Baxter’s new mutagen whole nigh and I think it could help to turn Raph back to normal.”

“You think?”

“Hey, don’t give me that! I haven’t had a test subject to be 100% sure.”

“How about Mikey?”

Both brothers started to laugh out loud as Mikey’s asking voice echoed on the background.

“You are horrible, Leo.”

“Sorry, Couldn’t help it. But back to business. We really don’t have any choices so come to April’s apartment tonight. We will see what happens to Raphael but we also need to be prepared if something goes wrong.”

“I will take a shot of Stockman’s blue goo with me so we can turn him back to small turtle if situation asks that.”

“Do that. Come after sunset via balcony. Door’s open.”

–

After sunset, in the darkness, balcony’s door opened and Don stepped in finding his big brother sitting on the couch.

“Close the door.” Shutting the door Don stepped deeper inside, wondering dim lights. After Leonardo explained it to him they get to work. Lifting Raphael on his palm his blue eyes turned to look on Don.

“How you were planning to do it?”

“Well, giving mutagen to him via syringe would be best --”

“No needles. I don’t want to hurt him.”

“… Then another way is that you keep his head still and outside of his shell and I keep giving mutagen to him drop by drop.”

Leonardo remained silent as he eyed Raphael who had become brave enough not to withdraw in his shell. Petting that small head Leonardo suddenly took firm but gentle hold on the sides, gently forcing Raphael’s mouth open. It was so difficult not to let go when room filled with scared and panicking ‘Eep! Eep! Eep!’ screams.

“Shh, shh, shh. It’s okay, baby. I know you’re afraid but this won’t hurt you. Please stay still.”

Don came next to his brother carefully dropping one drop in Raphael’s mouth, Leo loosing his hold just enough for Raphael to swallow but not pull his head out of his hold. Much for their surprise Raphael opened his mouth willingly, reaching towards syringe’s needle.

“Does that mutagen taste good?”

“I hope so. I did little tests could I add some flavor in it just in case if we would need to feed it to Raphael and, for example, strawberry didn’t effect on mutagen at all so yeah, this is strawberry flavored. At least some.”

“Donatello, you’re genius.”

“Not at all. It was you who told me Raphael loved strawberries so why we shouldn’t use it as our advantage?”

Watching Raph eagerly, but slowly, eating mutagen one drop at the time until all was gone was satisfying and nerve-racking. Placing Raphael on the pillow what Don placed on the floor brothers sat still keeping their eyes on little turtle who didn’t seem to change or anything.

“… Are you sure strawberry didn’t effect mutagen at all?”

“I’m positive. I tested it many times. Perhaps it takes some time for mutagen to kick in.”

Right after saying that little creature on the pillow started to glow, slowly growing and changing form. After transformation Leonardo gasped with joy.

“Raphael! Beautiful, you are...! ... Still small...”

And sure thing, Raphael had got his previous normal form but he was as tall as Leonardo’s middle finger. Mini Raphael so to say. Leaning closer Don used his googles to do some calculating but got kicked by Raph on the chin.

“Ouch, hey!”

“Raphael, hey stop. That’s not very nice. Don has work hard to help you.”

Meeting angry little golden eyes didn’t have any effect on Leo who stared Raphael back but soon his anger faded away and he took Raphael in his hands, lifting him up. Naturally Raph fought back some but couldn’t get away from big wet kiss what Leo planted on his head.
Looking annoyed Raph wiped his head pouting.

“Hm? Why aren’t he talking?”

“Hold on. I’m still calculating it...” Sitting silently holding Raph in his hands Leonardo waited until Don was done. “It seems we gave mutagen enough to transform him back to himself but not enough to turn him fully back to himself and restore his voice / ability to talk.”

“Can we give him more mutagen then?”

Don’s face turned weird as his eyes lowered on his lap. “I’m sorry, Leo, but there’s no more mutagen. Not yet at least. I have little bit of it left but it won’t be enough.”

“What happened to the rest of it?”

“I needed to use it on tests and first dart almost fully went on it. Second dart we just gave to him.”

“But it was that super mutagen what would had turn Rocksteady and Bebop more stronger. Why it didn’t effect on Raph in such way?”

“Only explanation what I have is that you need to be mutated already so it makes your second mutation stronger. This now was Raphael’s ‘first’ mutation if we can say so, so it didn’t effect the same way.”

“This is so confusing and weird...”

“I… I’m sorry, Leo.”

“Don’t. You did your best and we have got Raphael back at least in some way. Now he’s not little crawling turtle anymore.” Smiling down at Raph who now was sitting on Leo’s palm Leo couldn’t had been happier. Result wasn’t what they had hoped for but it definitely was better than no anything at all.

“You know… I have little bit of that mutagen left. I could try to make more of it myself in the lair.”

Turning his blue eyes on Don’s orbs, Leonardo thought about it a moment and nodded. “If that’s what you want to go for, then do it. Let me know results.”

“Naturally.” Standing up Don stretched ad yawned. “Well, I go back to lair to get some sleep.”

“Of course.” Leonardo followed his brother’s lead by getting up, escorting Don behind balcony’s door. “Rest well, my brother. Don’t exhaust yourself since Raphael case is now a lot better so take your time.”

“Thank you. I still will see what I can do. Good night.”

“Night.” Watching his brother vanishing silently into the night made Leo close the door, looking down at Raph on his palm who seemed to be planning on getting off on his hand.

“Don’t you dare to jump. You will hurt yourself.”

Ignoring Leo’s order Raphael jumped taking a hold on Leo’s belt, slowly sliding down on his leg finally standing on the floor next to Leo’s toes. Shaking his head Leonardo picked Raphael back up but not without receiving protests.

“I told you not to jump. I think I will put you back in your terrarium as a punishment. It will be your naughty chair.”

Flash of disbelief went past Raphael’s eyes but soon anger and pouting were on his face. Sitting on Leo’s palm arms and legs crossed Raph gave his back to big turtle. Staring small shell a moment in silence made Leonardo think.

“Raph…? I know this is stupid question but do you know me? Do you remember me? If not is that the reason why you’re so angry at me? Because I’m a total stranger to you?”

Small confused face turned to look at him over small shoulder. Pointing at himself, then Leo and then his own head Raphael tried to communicate as best as he could.

“You mean you remember or know me?” Few nods. This was huge relief to big turtle who couldn’t hide it. Soft smile and gentle look spread on his face as he eyed his small mate still sitting on his palm.

“Thank God, I’m so relieved and happy to hear that. Are you hungry? I thought I would feed you and myself and then watch a movie.”

Raphael nodded eagerly Leo slowly starting to make their way into kitchen. Even that Raphael was now a bit bigger than he was in tiny turtle form, Leonardo still needed to be extra careful since he could drop or lose mini Raph. However he also had a feeling little Raph would be quite handful to handle…