Element Turtles

Clearing Heads

After you left, the turtles passed their time trying to figure out what was going on with them. Splinter noticed his sons far off stare, lost in another world, all expressing confusion. He didn't confront them, knowing they would come to him when they were ready.
And sure enough, they did. Although, quicker than Splinter expected.

He had just entered a trance when he heard someone kneel before him.
"Yes?" Splinter spoke, and he heard Leonardo clear his throat.

"We- uh.. we have a slight dilemma."

Splinter opened his eyes, and was surprised to see all his sons before him.

"Oh no."

"Oh yes." Raph groaned, looking especially embarrassed.

"All of you?" Splinter questioned, looking quite shocked.

"Yes." Donnie sighed.

"Wait.. what are we talking about?" Mikey inquired, and everyone groaned.

"Alright, let's go about this with common sense. A.. uh.... everyone but Leonardo, wait outside." Splinter ordered, and his sons obeyed. Each one explained what happened earlier, and presented him with their questions and concerns. They all faced the same problem, and trusted their father to guide them. The thing was, Splinter had no idea how to go about this.
When all his sons were gathered before him once more, Splinter furrowed his furry brow in thought.

"I must meditate on this. Until then, treat Y/n, and each other, as you normally would." And with that, Splinter retreated to his room. The boys groaned, and Raph went to his room, playing his drums to try and distract himself. Leo tried to meditate some more, but it wasn't really working. Donnie worked on his projects, and Mikey played videogames.
When Raph abruptly stormed out and to the exit, he caught all his brothers attention.

"Where are you going?" Leo addressed Raph with an authoritative tone.

"Out." Was all Raphael said, and Leo frowned, grabbing his stuff and marching after his second brother, with Donnie and Mikey close behind.
Raph knew they were on his tail, and tried to loose them, but they were all trained under the same master, so it was pointless. And having elemental powers helped a little.

Leo carried himself on a geyser of clear blue water, jumping off it to be caught in another one, over and over. When he grew bored with that, he changed the water into a slide, and glided over the rooftops, arriving next to the very agitated Raphael.

Donnie had vines with purple flowers carry him, acting as stilts.

Mikey simply flew. The wind held him up, and he soared through the air like a superhero.

Raphael tried to ditch his brothers, directing fire to his hands and feet, then blasting away like a rocket. But his siblings always caught up to him.

Tired and out of breath, Raph sat at the edge of a building, sweat on his brow. His brothers joined him, all their chest heaving as they gulped for oxygen. They didn't really know where they were, nor did they care. They just needed to get out, to clear their heads.

The little girl that they knew only seven months ago was fifteen years old. The little girl that captured their hearts, helped them when they needed it the most, had grown up, and captured their hearts all over again, only in a different way.
Their little Y/n was like the sister they never had. They expected to see that little girl when the shadow doubles first connected them to your world. To their shock and surprise, they were met with a twelve year old girl, crying in your barn after making yet another tally mark on the wall. They watched you slowly forget, until you considered them imaginary, which was like a bullet to the heart for them.
As they watched you grow to a beautiful, yet sort of awkward teenager, something deep inside them began to shift. A warning. A warning that they would fall into something potentially dangerous. But they didn't notice it.
On that night, when they could see you, they realized that their Little Princess, Peanut, Flower, and Sunshine wasn't there. The hug they shared with you was a final goodbye to that four year old girl, and a warm welcome to the fifteen year old that took her place.
Bringing you to their world was unforseen, a mistake. But possibly a good one.

They didn't want to fall for you. It seemed wrong, on so many levels, but a voice inside them kept bringing up reasons for it to be alright. They tried their best to ignore it.. but it was growing louder.. drowning out the other voices. And it actually had some good points.

But really..

Was it wrong?

As a child, you were their sister.

As a teenager, you were a friend, and possibly, something more.

What was this? Love?

And a more important question: what would you think?

If the turtles decided to admit whatever it was they could admit to you, you would have to choose.
Did they really want to give you that burden?

All their heads spun with these thoughts, and soon they traveled back to the Lair, slower and clumsier, weighed down with those thoughts and worries.

How could they get through this?

»»»

On the way to the Lair, the turtles passed your apartment. Catching a glimpse of your peaceful face, they all stopped on the roof beside yours. The moon, a day or two from being full, came out of the clouds, and pale rays of light shone on your face. Mikey smiled, one of the smallest smiles he had ever held, and jumped down to your fire escape. Whispering the disengage code, he was allowed to place his hands on the cool glass of the window while gazing at you with the utmost care, fondness and admiration. His brothers joined him, all holding discrete smiles of their own, enjoying a moment of peace and tranquility.

"Guys," Mikey began, growing very solemn, which was different from the usually cheerful Mikey. "No matter what, we're still brothers. No matter who Y/n chooses, if she does, we will always be best bros. Right?"
He looked at his older brothers with big blue eyes, full of concern and uncertainty.

Leo smiled and placed a hand on his baby brothers shoulder.
"Of course, Mikey. Nothing, not even a girl, can come between us."

Raph nodded and placed his hand on top of Leo's, showing a rare, genuine smile. Donnie joined, and Mikey smiled once more.

"Good. Now we should probably go before we wake up Y/n."