Brotherly Discussion
By
Hannio
Disclaimer – None of the characters mentioned in the below story belong to me in any shape or fashion; I'm merely using them for my own enjoyment.
Author note – Here we go again yet another one shot. I found this was partially written in an old notebook so I figure I'd finish it up and post it up because otherwise what's the point of it?
There's not really a plot, it's just a random conversation between Leo and Mikey but I really like writing those kinds of stories. Its like I get a photo of a tiny scene in my head and things emerge from it. This was Mikey and Leo sitting next to each other on a broken step in the sewer looking as if they were in the middle of a discussion and Mikey had his skateboard. This story came from that one flash image in my head. Its times like this I really wish I could draw. Anyway I hope you enjoy my random bit of Brotherly fluff. I'm sure there will be more to come.
Once again sorry about the title, for some reason I just can't seem to think of any good ones at the moment.
"Dude why are you out here by yourself?" Leonardo looked up with a start, his gaze focusing on his youngest brother Michelangelo who stood in front of him, a quizzical expression on his face as he waited for an answer.
"What did you say?" He asked running a hand over his eyes. He had been in his own little world and hadn't heard what Michelangelo had said.
"I asked why you're out here by yourself Leo" Michelangelo repeated hoisting his skateboard up from the ground and tucking it under his arm "You're sitting under a grate, in the middle of the nights, when it's raining. Not typical Leo behaviour so yeah what's up because" he pointed indicating Leonardo and the grate "this is just strange"
"Not particularly" Leonardo replied turning his gaze away from his brother and back up to the grate, a wistful expression on his face for a moment before his usual calm mask clamped down blocking his thoughts from Michelangelo. He could almost see the stars when he sat beneath that grate though the rain had covered any chance of that tonight.
He felt a wave of longing shoot for him as he thought about Casey's grandmother's house. That had been the first time he had really seen the stars in their full glory. April had taken him and his brothers out at midnight and shown them. Leonardo had lay on the cool, wet grass and stared above him, unable to tear his eyes away from the sight even when his brothers left him one by one. He stayed there until sunrise had occurred, the memory of that night burned into his memory.
"Leo?" he closed his eyes briefly with a quick prayer for strength. He spoke as he opened them.
"Yes Mikey?" he answered, a tone of annoyance creeping into his voice despite his best efforts to keep his voice level and steady, the same as it usually was. Michelangelo never seemed to know when someone wanted company and when they didn't, and if he did then he certainly ignored it preferring to stay by the person and bug them until he had received the answers he wanted.
"You still haven't said why you're sitting here?" Leonardo let his breath out slowly before turning his head to look back at his brother.
"Maybe because every once in a while I need some time to myself away from the lair and away from everyone" he said pointedly. Michelangelo looked to the side, biting the inside of his mouth before he shrugged in an unconcerned manner.
"Fine I get it" he said "knock yourself out", he walked to the opposite side of the tunnel as far away from Leonardo as he could and leaned against the wall, bending down to rest his skateboard against it as well. He remained silent looking at the grate with a watchful expression completely ignoring Leonardo as if he wasn't there.
Leonardo watched him for a moment, feeling the familiar sensation of guilt bubbling away in his stomach. It wasn't Michelangelo's fault that Leonardo had woken up in a bad mood and he certainly didn't deserve Leonardo's attitude towards him.
"I'm sorry Mikey, I didn't mean that" he commented breaking the awkward silence between them. Michelangelo looked at him for a moment, his eyes scanning his face in a watchful manner before his wide grin covered his face
"That's cool" he said, picking his skateboard up and moving back to where Leonardo was sitting "Budge up" he commented, Leonardo shifted up allowing Michelangelo to collapse on the step next to him "I forgive you for being such a grumpy git, I know sometimes you just can't help it"
"Thanks" Leonardo remarked dryly as he rolled his eyes. There was another second silence which was quickly broken by Michelangelo who seemed to have been born with a fear of silences.
"You seem a bit down Big Bro, you know you're sort of acting almost Raph like with the whole intense brooding look while sitting alone in the dark" Leonardo smirked and shook his head, leaning forward and resting his forearms against his thighs.
"One Raph is enough in one family Mike, can you imagine trying to deal with two. I'm not turning into him so don't worry about that" Michelangelo grinned and shook his head
"Admit it" he said "Every family needs a Raph and you wouldn't change our one even if you could" Leonardo raised an eye ridge
"If you say so" he commented "Still better not mention that to him, I have no desire to watch his already large ego inflate anymore, if it does then we'll be forced to move out of the lair because they'll be no space, it's a tight squeeze as it is" Michelangelo laughed out loud at the comment looking at Leonardo with undisguised glee.
"That is so true" he answered "Dude you actually made a funny that was actually funny for once, I think there might just be some hope for you yet" Leonardo twisted his head to look at him, his mouth quirking into a half smile
"Ha ha" he said, there was another moment's silence this time comfortable and this time broken by Leonardo "Why exactly are you here Mikey?" he asked, a curious tone to his voice. Michelangelo pointed to the grate above him.
"Pizza" he said as if it was the most obvious answer in the world "I actually managed to drag Raph away from his punch bag to watch a movie with me. We've got hungry so we order some pizza but I lost in Rocks, paper, scissors hence why I'm here to pay and grab it We just finished one movie and Raph has said he'll stick around to watch another one" he grinned in delight causing an answering smile to come to Leonardo's face. Getting Raphael to sit down for a movie and actually stay sitting was an achievement in itself
"I've an idea" Michelangelo announced "Why don't you stop sulking in the dark and come and watch it with us. Raph won't mind even though he'll pretend he will the same way he always does. Don't tell him I said anything but I secretly think he likes it when you do stuff with us that isn't related to training or mission and all that stuff. I know I do" Leonardo shrugged, feeling warmed by Michelangelo's words despite himself.
"Maybe later" he said, Michelangelo shot him a quick look but didn't say anything instead just nodding his head. He leant back using his arms to support his weight and looked upwards at the sky through the grate, taking a deep breath as he did.
"I love the smell of rain" he announced suddenly "Raph and I were saying earlier that we should ask Casey whether we could go back to the farmhouse. We haven't been for a while and it be kind of nice I think. It's not as if the purple Dragons or Foot have been up to anything recently, To be honest with you its been really boring around here lately" Leonardo turned to him with a stern expression on his face,
"If you're that bored Mikey then I'm sure that either me or Donnie can find you something for you to do to help around the place. There's plenty of cleaning to do for example" Michelangelo looked horrified by the mere suggestion and quickly shook his head
"Did I say boring? That was perhaps the wrong word to use what I meant to say was err" he thought for a moment, his eyes moving frantically from side to side before he grinned "things are less intense at home" he announced with a nervous chuckle as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Thought you'd say that" Leonardo remarked "You should attempt to help out more often, I know you do the cooking" he said forestalling Michelangelo's objection "but there's still a lot more to do then just that" Michelangelo huffed loudly before rolling his eyes and slumping back against the wall.
"Whatever you say oh great leader" he muttered under his breath before looking up with a sharp look "I don't see you getting on Raph's back over this pulling your weight malarkey" he said, a triumphant note to his voice "I'll help out more when he does"
"How do you know that I haven't already spoke n to Raph about this?" he asked serenely. Michelangelo shot him a suspicious look, whenever Leonardo's voice took on that note it normally meant he had an ace up his sleeve that he was going to use to his advantage. "Haven't you notice baby brother that Raph has become Donnie's right hand man recently, he's taken over caring for all the vehicles and doing simple repairs all around the place freeing Donnie up for the more difficult tasks he's faced with. He might have many faults but not pulling his weight recently hasn't been one of them" Michelangelo's mouth fell open as Leonardo continued
"So I'll be seeing you in the Dojo tomorrow after practice, it could do with a good clean out" Michelangelo blinked at him rapidly, his mouth opening and closing in a good impression of a dying fish.
"But… no Leo… I mean…" he stopped as words failed him for once. Leonardo flashed him a smile.
"I believe your exact words were I'll help out more when he does and since he is…" he let his words fade off, a wicked glint to his eye.
"But…" Michelangelo began when Leonardo cut across him.
"You should really learn to check all the fact before you say stuff like that. Donnie will be happy, he's been looking for a guinea pig to test one of his experiments on, and I'll tell him later that you've volunteered for it." Michelangelo groaned out loud knowing that he has been very efficiently backed into a corner which he had no escape from.
"Fine" he huffed ungraciously. There was another long silence before Michelangelo spoke again, his former annoyance gone from his voice as if it had never been there.
"Do you find it difficult to be leader?" he asked curiously "Because no offence but it seems a pretty rubbish job to me. You never seem to get to have fun, you know chill and relax. You remember what that felt like right?" he asked, his tone half serious, half joking.
"I relax" Leonardo replied, a defensive note coming to his voice as he hunched down slightly. Michelangelo snorted.
"Meditation doesn't count Leo" he announced calmly "When was the last time you just did something fun for the sake of it? You know something that a normal 16 year old would do" Leonardo opened his mouth to interrupt but Michelangelo continued speaking "Hold that thought Bro" he said jumping to his feet and pulling out a 20 dollar note from the pouch on his belt. Leonardo watched as his brother paid for the pizza, smiling as he imagined the confused expression on the pizza delivery man's face as he passed the pizza through the grate into the sewers.
"Now what was I saying" Michelangelo said looking thoughtful as he bent over and placed his skateboard flat on the floor "Oh yeah you need to just live and have some fun big bro. Come and share our pizza, watch a stupid movie with us and just chill it won't kill you. I mean even Donnie is dragging himself away from his latest project to spend time with us. It would be nice for the 4 of us to do something and for you to just be Leo and not fearless leader" he shrugged "Anyway it's up to you, I'll see you later anyway." He flashed a smile and put his foot on the skateboard, using the other one to kick himself off leaving the scent of pizza behind him.
Leonardo watched him thoughtfully until he disappeared around the corner before allowing his eyes to flicker back to the grate one last time. He sighed and shook his head as he came to his feet and began walking down the tunnel towards their home. Being alone could wait.
Author Note – Righty ho, there we go just a really random one shot, a snap of their life when they aren't fighting loads of evil people who want to destroy them and the world all at once. Please review but no flames. Reviews make me happy and it helps to know that people are enjoying my work. I tend to write a lot more when I know that otherwise I become plagued by doubts like most people do. So yep please review!