*Substitute Leo*
Leonardo had been gone for six months, and everything had already changed so much. Splinter had left Donatello in charge, much to the genius turtle's dismay.
Mikey, though still being the goofball of the group, had matured enough where he was at least working to help provide for their family.
Which, in Donatello's opinion, was much more than what Raphael was doing. Raph had put up a wall between himself and the rest of his family, and Don was tired of it.
Before Leo left, Raph and Donnie had gotten along remarkably well, but now, all Raph wanted to do was pick fights with the new leader.
And Donnie finally understood why.
He waited up until late at night when Raphael finally strolled through the door. The hot-headed turtle was shocked to see his brother there, waiting up for him much like Leo used to do.
"Awfully late for a walk, Raph," Donnie said, standing up from where he had been sitting on the couch, "Couldn't you start coming home at a more decent time?" Donnie knew he sounded like Leo, and flinched. That hadn't been his intentions at all.
Raphael glared at Donnie and crossed his arms.
"Don't lecture meh, Science-Boy," Raph snapped, "You stay up just as late workin' on yer dumb lil projects every night." Raphael was picking a fight again, but this time, Donnie tried to ignore it.
"I'm just saying, Raph," Donnie tried again, approaching his brother, "that maybe you could help a little more around the lair instead of sleeping all day and staying out all night, drinking with Casey." Whoops. That last part wasn't suppose to slip out. Raphael puffed out his chest angrily and poked Don sharply in the carapace.
"You don't know WHAT I do at night," Raph argued, snarling a lip up as his voice grew louder, "You know what I wish? I wish you'd stop trying ta be Mr. Perfect all the time! You ain't perfect, Don! And ya definitely shouldn't be leader!" There it was. Just what Donnie was waiting for. He now had proof of why Raph always wanted to pick fights with him.
What Raph had just said was the same exact thing he used to say to Leonardo.
"I'm NOT doing this with you, Raphael," Donnie replied calmly, knowing a screaming match was exactly what Raphael wanted, "I'm not going to be your new Leo!" Raph's face froze in a mixture of shock and anger as Donnie continued. "You've been picking fights with me ever since Leo left, and I've finally figured out why. You NEED someone to argue with! You LIKE it when someone disagrees with you, because then you get the chance to show off rebellious ways and, you know what? I'm not going to do this with you anymore! I'm Donnie. Not Leo. Find yourself someone else to argue with, because I'm done!"
Donnie had hit the nail right on the head, and he could tell simply from the look on Raphael's face.
Raph knew it was the truth, even if he wouldn't admit it, and Donnie knew that Raph knew. He sighed and continued his speech in a more gentle and calm tone.
"I don't like to argue with you, Raph," he said quietly, "Leo might've liked to fight with you day in and day out...but I don't. I miss when you and I could talk about anything, and when we used to work on your motorcycle together. When-when we were best friends." Raphael looked down at the floor and rubbed his arms awkwardly.
"You..." he began awkwardly, "You're...right. I'm sorry, Don. I know I'm always pickin' fights with ya and stuff but, with Leo gone... I don't know. It just messes everythin' up, you know?" Donnie smiled and put a hand on Raphael's shoulder.
"We miss him, too, Raph," Donnie admitted, but Raphael jerked his shoulder away from Don's hand. Anger quickly covered Raph's face once more as he headed for the stairs that led upstairs, to the bedrooms
"I DON'T miss Leo!" Raphael snapped, "He could just stay in da jungle fer all I care. Who needs 'im?" The look on Donnie's face was as clear as him speaking the words out loud.
'YOU need him,' the look read. Raphael sighed, the fire dimming inside of him.
"I'm goin' ta bed," he mumbled tiredly. He turned back and gave Don a barely noticeable half smile, "Night, Don." And with that, he disappeared up the stairs, leaving Donnie feeling just a little bit more hopeful than before.