Another one shot for my awesome readers! This story's pretty...well, I made Leo kinda...sadistic...*shudder* I hope you like it, though! Oh, and, it's your choice: Want an alternate ending with a cute brotherly cuddling session, or do you like that ending? If you want an alternate ending, I'll of course add another chapter! It's up to you, guys! Just click that nice little button with 'Review this Story/Chapter' on it^^

I don't think it's out of character, but some people(especially Leo - Fans)probably will. I'm sorry. This is not one of my best one shots :(

Oh, and, may I tell you something: Check out the stories by harry - ron - hermione - fan - 101(my best friend and an amazing writer 3) and ButterflyMeadow(a good friend of mine and an amazing writer!) and FREAKIN' REVIEW THEM! THEY'RE WORTH YOUR ATTENTION AND YOUR WORSHIP! BOW IN FRONT OF TWO OF MY FAVORITE FAVORITE WRITERS!

Overprotection

"Hey, Mikey. Could you, uh…do me a favor?"

Michelangelo didn't even look at his immediate older brother, keeping his gaze locked to the TV.

"Hmm…dunno, Don. Kinda busy, right now." The wave of a candy bar distracted him. "What kind of favor?

Donatello smiled as Mikey grabbed the candy bar. "The kind of favor where I need you to give me an alibi." "An alibi?"

Mikey looked up to his older brother, a questioning expression on his face. Don seemed a little insecure.

"Well, I really need something from the junkyard. And…well…"

He didn't need to continue. Mikey caught on fast on that one.

"Sure thing, bro. I got it covered." A wink and a smile of his little brother, and Donny's insecurity was gone.

He knew he could count on Mikey when he depended on it.

"Thanks, Mike. You're the best."

"Yeah, I know."

Donny smiled and waved Mikey good bye. Mikey smiled back and watched Don leave.

*I sure hope he'll be back before Leo notices that he's gone.*

"It must be around here somewhere!"

Donny wiped the sweat off his forehead and kept searching for the gadget he needed. The security systems were worrying Don lately, and he needed to upgrade them. Again.

He paused for a moment, looking around at the junkyard.

He hadn't been here for quite some time.

Not because he didn't want to.

He wasn't let.

Ever since the turtles' final battle with the Shredder, Leo had been even more obsessed with his training.

And the illusion that he had to play mother hen over his brothers.

Not that he would be able to forbid Raph going on his late night butt kicking trips with Casey. But when it was about the two youngest, Leo had no problem with locking them inside the lair.

Mikey wasn't allowed to get his newest comic books, and Donny wasn't allowed to go to the junkyard.

Not that Don was ungrateful. He knew being beaten like that wasn't easy for his eldest brother. And he knew that he kept telling himself he wouldn't be good enough for the family.

But Donny just needed to go out!

Not only because of the security systems.

He needed some air.

"Mikey, you've been sitting here all day!"

Mikey pretty much ignored his eldest brother and kept eating chips, while watching the newest episode of his favorite cartoon.

"So? I've beaten Raph at sparring yesterday, I deserve a day off."

He could almost hear Leonardo rolling his eyes. "Very well, but don't come complaining about your headache again!" "Donny's there for that."

Mikey smirked at his older brother, looking over the edge of the couch. Leo had his arms crossed in front of his chest. But then something like realization found its way into Leo's face.

"Thanks for reminding me! I gotta talk to Don about the time he always spends in his lab instead of training." "What'cha talking about? He's always there when we're practicing with Master Splinter." "Still, he shouldn't just sit around in his lab all the time. It's not healthy."

Mikey chuckled bitterly when Leo was out of hearing. "You forbade him to go out to the junkyard. What's he supposed to do, watchin' ya training to death?"

Mikey zapped through the channels for some more seconds.

DING!

"Oh shell!"

He jumped up and ran after Leo, who was already at the lab door.

Mikey blocked it. "Don't go in there!"

Leo raised his eyebrow. "Why not?"

Mikey blushed.

*Think of something, think of something!*

"Well, uh…Donny said he didn't want to be disturbed! It…seemed like something important!"

*And the price for the worst lying mutant turtle goes to…Hamato Michelangelo!*

Leo had again crossed his arms. "Don't try to lie to me."

Mikey was almost pinned against the door, irritation clearly written in his eldest brother's face.

"But I'm not -!"

"Michelangelo."

Mikey gulped.

"Meep!"

Donny stood there, arms crossed, his foot tipping on the ground.

*It had been somewhere 'round here…ah!*

The purple masked turtle moved over to a little pile of junk. Nothing.

He turned around.

Gasp!

The dangerous, enraged eyes of his usually calm eldest brother pierced his soul. Don gulped, fear spreading through every inch of his body. He had never felt like that near Leonardo.

"L…Leo!" "What are you doing here?"

His voice was calm and deep. The voice his brothers feared most.

"I, uh, I was just -!" "Didn't I tell you not to go here?" "Y…yeah, but -!" "I told you to stay in the lair. I ordered you. And you disobeyed." "Yes, but just bec -!" "How can you show such disrespect towards me?" "Leo, please, listen -!" "I don't want to hear it."

Donny was cornered. The sight of his brother. That…murderous look in his eyes! Donny couldn't quite comprehend. These weren't the warm, dark chocolate eyes he grew up to meet, every time he would have a nightmare. They were filled with rage, anger…pain?

He felt pressure and pain on his shell. He was lying on the ground.

Leonardo had pushed him away.

Donatello looked at him, fear and disbelieving shining in his eyes. Leonardo looked down at him, expression blank.

"Get up."

Donny did as he was commanded. His brother, whom had been standing in front of him, was gone. Donny combed the junkyard with his eyes.

Suddenly, he felt a sharp yank at his bandana.

"Ah!"

His shell was leaning against his big brother's chest, his bandana gripped tightly, making it impossible for Don to escape. Leo's face was near Donny's ear, his eyes narrowed, the danger still clearly hearable in his voice.

"How could you dare?"

He was pushed away once again, but this time he didn't fall.

Donny turned around…and his eyes widened!

Leo had pulled out his katanas. Donny's gaze went up to meet his brother's.

Voids.

Dark voids were looking back at him.

"You will not disobey me, Donatello."

Leo charged. Donny's eyes went even wider as he dodged the attack.

"I'm the leader. You're supposed to listen to me."

Leo kept attacking, Donny kept dodging. He couldn't possibly fight his brother!

"You're supposed to DO WHAT I SAY!"

Pain.

A sharp pain running through Donny's shoulder.

His shell met the ground, his chest his older brother's foot. His hands were crossed on his chest, right under Leo's foot.

There was no escape.

Donny looked up at his brother, his eyes wide, disbelieve, fear and begging shining in them.

Leo had both his katanas raised, rage written all over his face.

"You will learn not to disobey me!"

He pushed his swords down.

…

But froze.

He shook his head a few times, trying to think straight, without his anger clouding his mind.

*What in the shell am I doing!*

His body shaking, Leonardo dropped his swords, slowly stepping away from his little brother.

Don stayed on the ground for a few more moments, observing his older brother, whom was looking at his hands and slowly shaking his head.

Don stood up and walked towards his eldest brother.

"Leo?"

Leo didn't respond.

*Why doesn't he run?*, Leo thought, shocked, *Why doesn't he tell me how sick I am?*

Leo's head jerked up when he felt a hand cup his cheek.

The first thing Leo saw: Blood.

Blood on his little brother's left shoulder.

Leo had caused that wound. Leo had caused him pain.

Donatello's light chocolate eyes were filled with…concern?

"Leo? You okay?" It was definitely concern in Donny's voice.

"How can you be like this?"

Leo's voice was quiet and hoarse, almost like a whisper.

"How can you be concerned about me, after I…after I..!"

Donny winced a little but stayed calm. He softly brushed Leo's cheek.

"You wouldn't have. Never."

Tears burned in Leo's eyes. His body was trembling and he clenched his fists.

"How do you know?"

He broke away from his younger brother's comforting touch and ran.

He ran and ran and ran and didn't take a glance back.

He heard his brother's yell as an echo. He had yelled his name.

Leo clamped his eyes shut. *How could I do this? What happened to me? I swore I'd never fail my family again…and now I -!* Leo clenched his teeth.

He had failed them again.

By almost killing his little brother.

"He did WHAT!"

Raph looked at his immediate younger brother, whom was sitting at the kitchen table, obviously uncomfortable with the situation.

"Calm down, Raph, he -!" "Calm down? Calm down! You're tellin' me our big brother had tried ta beat ya up and almost ended up killin' ya! Why should I calm down!"

"Raph, at least listen to me!" "What'cha have ta say, Don! That it's not that much of a deal? That he didn't mean to? Last time I checked, fearless leader had been pretty much sane! Totally nuts 'bout his trainin', but I didn't suspect him ta freakin' try ta kill our little brother!"

Raph was enraged. He could barely keep himself from taking the kitchen apart. Mikey was cuddled in a ball on another chair, not quite believing what they had just heard.

"Donny, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! I tried to stop him, but Leo -!" "Mike."

Donny turned around to face Mikey. He had as soft smile on his face.

The purple clad ninja wrapped his arms around his little brother and pulled him into a comforting embrace.

"There's no reason for you to blame yourself. I'm fine. And Leo had just been worried, he didn't mean to…do what he did." "Donny, ya're much too kindhearted for ya own good, y'know that? How can ya just sit here and claim that -!" "Raph."

Donny let go off Mikey. He softly wiped his tears away, before turning to his older brother.

"I know Leo didn't mean to. When he busted me at the junkyard he seemed pretty much enraged. Because he was worried. He's still pushing himself because of the last incident with the Shredder, including his will to protect us. That's why he's so angry. That's why he overreacted. That's why he's overprotective."

Don's look was calm and soothing, which actually made Raph calm down.

"Leo's being overprotective, Raph. That's all. He didn't mean to hurt me." He softly touched his bandaged shoulder. "He wanted to protect me. But the rage he is still feeling because of our final showdown with the Shredder…well, he showed it the wrong way."

Donny smiled, still trying to calm his brother down.

"Reminds me of someone else who cares about his little bros very much."

That earned him a slight smack on his head.

"Shut it, genius." The ghost of a smile had crept into Raphael's face.

Donny smiled too. He exchanged looks with both of his brothers.

"I'm gonna look how' Leo's doing. He's probably pretty upset about the whole thing."

Raph muttered something like 'He'd better…' and Mikey watched his immediate older brother leave the kitchen.

"Raph?"

The red banded turtle turned to face his youngest brother.

"We've got the best bro ever, don't we?" Raph smiled at sat down next to Mikey, pulling him close with one arm.

"Yeah. But I really hope Leo realizes that too."

Leo was desperately trying to find his center. Since a whole hour now.

But he failed. The image wouldn't leave his mind.

Donny, lying on the ground.

Donny, with a bleeding shoulder.

Donny, with wide, begging eyes.

Leo's katanas shining in the sun light, as they push down, willing to stab that small body.

A soft knock snapped him out of his meditation. Only Donny knocks like that.

Leonardo spoke a hoarse 'Come in', his body tensing.

Donny stepped in and closed the door. Smiling.

"I'm knocking at my own room door." He chuckled. "Wait until Raph finds out. He'll never let it go!"

Leo stood up. He was still looking on the ground.

"Stop it, Don."

Donny's smile fell. "It's the only thing I can do to make clear to you: It's no big deal."

Leo looked up.

"How can you say that?" He moved closer to Donny. "Do you even realize what I almost did to you? Do you -?" "Leonardo."

Donny took Leo's hand and placed it onto his bandage. Leo tensed even more.

"Remember when we had been turtle tots? When we had all fought over that ugly toy robot?"

Donny pressed Leo's hand closer.

"When I had finally got it, you and I started fighting and you ended up pushing me hard against the wall."

Leo's gaze snapped up. Donny was smiling softly.

"At first we thought it wasn't that much of a deal. But after some time I wouldn't be able to train anymore. My back had hurt like shell. I wasn't allowed -able to- move for weeks. All because you had showed me against a wall."

He gripped Leo's hand tight.

"This is nothing compared to back then. But had I been mad at you?"

He let go off Leo's hand. But Leo didn't take it away from the wound.

Donny smiled.

"Well?"

Leo met Donny's gaze. His eyes were so full of warmth, care. …Love!

"No…", Leo whispered. He looked back at the wound, softly drawing circles on the bandage.

That seemed to tickle.

Donny tensed a bit and held back a chuckle.

"Then, why should I be mad now? You overreacted, Leo. You were overprotective!"

Donny grabbed Leo's chin, gently making him meet his gaze.

"There's nothing wrong with that. You had let yourself be controlled by your anger. Things like that happen, Leo. And I understand that it happened to you, because of how much more responsible you feel for us now than before."

He wiped a tear away which had let itself fall from Leo's eye.

"Again, there's nothing wrong with that. You made a mistake, Leo. Everybody does. Even the fearless leader." Leo winced and Donny smiled. "You're allowed to make mistakes. You don't have to try to be perfect. Because you already are."

Donny pressed himself against Leo's chest. Leo stiffened.

"You're the best big brother I could wish for. Well, you and Raph are, anyway."

Thoughts ran randomly through Leo's mind. He mentally repeated Don's words over and over.

°Why should I be mad?° °You were overprotective°

°You're allowed to make mistakes° °You don't have to try to be perfect°

°You already are!°

Don didn't hate him. Don didn't think he was sick.

Don understood.

Leo wrapped his arms around Donny and pressed him close, burying his purple masked brother's face into his shoulder. He could practically feel Donny's smile as the younger turtle cuddled even closer.

"I love you, big brother."

Leo was shaking slightly, kissing Donny's bandage with shaky lips.

"I love you too, most amazing little brother."

A muffled chuckle was heard. Leo pulled away slightly and looked into Donny's eyes.

The older turtle had blushed slightly.

Donny smiled.

"Yeah, I need protection, big brother."

The End