skinning the children for a war drum

“Dad— Splinter found this photo of us in my legal records. See?”

Mikey sits up straighter and cranes his neck to see. It’s one of those cheesy photos from picture-day, the ones their elementary school used to do with the family. They all look so happy, dressed up in these tiny school uniforms with the logo stitched on, and grinning at the camera. Raph’s still got his snaggletooth and Mikey knows he himself still smiles in that same, crooked way.

// Four brothers get seperated and lost to the social care system as young children. Eight years later, Raphael and his new dad Splinter are determined to reunite them. Consequences be damned.