Leader's Lair

By Example

"Oh man Leo, when you said we were going out for a run, I didn't think you meant patrol," Mikey said, watching Leo's shell as his leader leaped to the next building.

Following him easily, Mikey continued to gripe. "I mean seriously Leo, how much of this city are we trying to clean up? There was a show on that I wanted to watch, a really, really good show and it started like, a half hour ago."

Leo veered left, skirting the lights from a nearby rooftop party and Mikey followed suit. So far Leo hadn't said a word since they climbed up out of the sewers two hours previously.

Mikey hated that. Leo doing the total intensity thing was just fine if Mikey knew what the shell was going on, but this seemed completely without purpose.

"You know, if you just wanted to make the city a safer place, you could have asked Raph to come with you. He actually likes getting into fights. I'm the non-aggressive type," Mikey said.

Still running, Leo murmured over his shoulder, "What have I told you about your training, Michelangelo?"

Mikey grinned. "Something like 'Mikey, listen to me, blah, blah, focus, blah. You have the skill, blah, blah, blah, focus, blah, blah. I hate to see you waste your talent, blah, blah, blah, focus, blah, blah'," he said.

Leo stopped so suddenly that Mikey almost slammed into him. Turning to stare at his youngest brother, Leo asked, "Is that what I sound like to you?"

Shrugging, Mikey answered, "Well, yeah, mostly. Don't feel bad though, 'cause that's exactly how Master Splinter sounds to me too."

Leo's brows furrowed. "Then how do you ever learn anything? You have the most incredible gifts Mikey; you're a natural athlete and never have to work as hard as the rest of us at mastering the physical things. So how did you learn any of those skills if you don't listen?"

"Oh shell, Leo," Mikey said, looking a bit embarrassed. "I just watch you dude. You do everything so perfectly, I just try to copy you."

"I don't do everything perfectly, Mike," Leo told him.

"I learn from that too," Mikey admitted. "'Cause when you don't get it right, you keep trying until you do. Why listen to a million words, when I can just follow your lead?"

Leo stood staring at Mikey for a minute without saying anything. The look on his face brought a flush to Mikey's cheeks.

"You know something little bro'? That's probably the most incredible thing anyone has ever said to me," Leo finally replied.

Accepting the hug that was offered to him, Mikey squeezed his arms around Leo and said, "That's 'cause I'm way better with words than you are anyway, Leo."

Leo smiled, digging his face into Mikey's neck and then leaning back to say, "I'll give that one to you, Mikey. You are way better with words than any of us."

"So I'll talk and you lead. Sound like a plan?" Mikey asked.

"I like it," Leo answered. "I like it a lot."

In The Classroom

"Ease into it Leo; decrease the pitch slowly," Don told his oldest brother, watching Leo's grip tighten on the stick.

Gritting his teeth, Leo said, "You make this look so easy, Don. Why is this so difficult for me? Do I really need to learn to fly this helicopter?"

Don grinned at him. "Yes you do, so no trying to get out of it. I want all of you to know how to fly this thing. We all learned how to drive; we can all learn how to fly. I don't expect anything to happen to me, but if it does, I don't want to be the only one able to pilot this helicopter."

Leo set the helicopter down without slamming it too hard and took a deep breath.

"Is this payback for me insisting you learn other weapons?" Leo asked, looking over at Don.

"No it is not," Don told him vehemently while still grinning. "But the philosophy is the same. 'You must learn to use other weapons, Donatello'," Don repeated in a fair imitation of Leo's lecture voice.

"Very funny," Leo said.

"Okay, again bro'. Lift her up slowly and then hold the pitch control for the count of five. Be as precise as you can on the stick so that you don't touch the rudder," Don told him.

"Easy for you to say," Leo muttered as he followed Don's directions.

"Just think of that stick like it's one of your katana Leo. The grip, the hand position, even the feel of the tsuka as you hold it determines the strike. The pressure you apply to the control stick on this helicopter is exactly the same," Don said.

Leo brow began to relax as he concentrated on Don's words. Imagining the control stick was the handle on his beloved katana, Leo carefully lifted the copter and hovered in place without moving until Don told him to set it down.

With no more fuss, Leo decreased the pitch expertly and the helicopter touched the ground softly.

"Perfect!" Don cheered. "You've got the hang of it."

Leo couldn't help a small smile. "Don't get too excited bro'. I'm not even lifting this thing a foot off the ground yet."

"When you started to learn the katana, Master Splinter didn't let you practice with anything other than a bokken. Baby steps, Leo. Don't push it," Don told him.

"You really are a great teacher, Donatello," Leo said warmly. "Maybe I should have brought you an apple."

"Don't try to bribe me Leonardo," Don countered, skin tingling at the compliment.

"So what do we do next?" Leo asked, staring hard at Don. A corner of his mouth lifted when he saw Don's eyes drift to his lips.

"Um, maybe a short break?" Don suggested, reaching to kill the engine. "I think I need to reward my star pupil."

Sage Commander

"That's it Leo, I'm goin' out and ya' ain't stoppin' me! I'm tired of hidin' down here," Raph bellowed as he crossed the lair heading for the door to the sewers.

"Raphael, Karai is out there with hundreds of Foot ninja looking for us; for you, because she knows you can't stand to be cooped up. I'm sorry about that, but it's just not safe for you to go topside," Leo called to him, striding after his brother.

"I don't give a shit. Ya' know what I'm gonna do? I'm gonna climb up ta the top of the building across from hers, turn around and wag my ass in her face," Raph said, his eyes brimming with hatred.

Cold fear clutched at Leo's gut. He knew his brother so well, knew the set of those shoulders, the stubborn tone of voice and the steely look in his eyes. Raph would probably do just exactly what he said, and more than likely end up dead.

Aside from physically subduing him, Leo wasn't sure what he could do to stop the hot head. Raph wasn't respecting the chain of command any longer because Master Splinter had stepped back and made it clear that Leo needed to find a way to control his brothers without their sensei's assistance.

Leo was the leader, and his Father was expecting him to lead. Leo's eyes narrowed as his agile mind recalled the teachings of Sun Tzu 'Chaos and order are two aspects of the same thing. When it has rained upstream, the stream's flow intensifies. Stop fording. Wait for it to calm'.

Understanding Raph's chaos meant not fighting it. Leo needed an effective way to help Raph become calm. With a deliberate purpose, Leo moved towards his red banded brother.

Raph's muscles bunched as Leo came towards him, he legs braced against the expected attack.

Rather than leaping though, Leo walked right up against Raph's plastron, wrapped both hands around his head, and planted a solid, firm kiss to the hot heads lips.

Raph stood there in shock, not moving at all, until Leo pulled his mouth away.

"L-Leo?" he stuttered.

"You have that much energy to burn off, then I'm more than ready to help you," Leo murmured in a husky undertone.

Looking into Leo's hooded eyes, Raph felt his body start to melt.

"That ain't f . . . fair," Raph said, trying to find a way to stay angry.

"Neither is running off and forgetting that I'm a part of you," Leo said, his voice low. "Come with me."

Usually, Raph would have protested vehemently against having Leo grab his wrist and pull him away from the door, but his mind had fogged over at the hungry tone in Leo's voice. Eyes round, Raph followed after his brother like a marionette.

Inside Leo's room, the leader shoved his brother backwards onto the bed and straddled his legs. Leaning over him, he captured Raph's mouth again, this time seeking and gaining entry.

Lifting his head, Leo whispered, "Make a deal with me. I'll work hard to make sure you aren't bored, restless or angry, and you won't have to do a thing except lie still."

Staring up at him, Raph shifted his hips at the feral look in Leo's eyes and nodded.

"What do ya' want in exchange?" he managed to ask.

"Don't go topside for at least a week," Leo said, dipping down to stroke Raph's pulse point with his tongue.

Raph started to pant, and then he groaned.

"That's asking a lot from m . . . me," Raph said just before a churr broke loose.

Leo's hands started to move, touching and fondling Raph in ways he knew would excite his brother.

Nuzzling his neck again, Leo asked, "What do you say?" as his warm hand pressed against Raph's lower plastron.

"Shit! Ya' f . . . finally figured out a g…good way ta' keep me home, Leo. Ya' p…proud of yourself?" Raph stammered, his eyes closing as Leo swarmed over him.

"Yes. Yes I am," Leo said, a rare wide smile curving his lips. "Don't move now, remember our deal."