Between
I don't own TMNT, if I did the would be a little happier.
Leo hated it. The way 'he' always got all the publicity. The way criminals fled in fear of 'him'. the way the public loved 'him.' This 'nightwatcher' character.
His very ways defied everything he and his brothers were.
This damned Batman of New York.
Damn him.
That was why he had made it his job to rid the world of him. Be it public humiliation, or what ever lengths he would have to go through to make the damnation stop. It was eating him from the insides out. How they all loved him so. Mike and Raph.
Oh, he would expect such from Raphael. He was always the 'lone warrior.' He felt there was such honor in his selfish ways.
But Mikey, his sweet little brother, was almost idolizing him. Keeping a book of all his crimes. That was why Leo had to stop him.
The people had to see that the person hidden under that mask was just as vile as those he took down.
Even if it broke Mike's heart, in the long run, it was better this way. It was better for all of them.
He had tracked him for days. Leaving at dusk and returning at dawn, just as frustrated as he had been before he left.
It was now, on the eighth night, that he found him. Looting the inside of some small café. It burned Leo inside to see him in there. Talking with the man behind the counter. Arguing. He had the till from the register in his hand. It made Leo sick to see him there, to know he called himself a hero, to know his brothers called him a hero.
He knew tonight would be the night. Tonight he would confront the 'guardian' of New York.
Nightwatcher made it out and onto the street with the approach of the police, Leo hot on his heels. He wasn't going to lose him this time. Destiny had laid his hand on his book and this was going to be the end of this story.
He had cornered him on a rooftop bathed in red.
Somehow, it seemed fitting that it would end here.
Logic told him that it was going to be harder than simply thanking the Nightwatcher for his work and politely removing him from his guard position. But the pacifist in him made him try anyway. It was when he attacked that Leo had no choice but to counter, dodging and prying and finally, out of necessity, drawing his sword. Heaven opened its gates and rain poured as Nightwatcher charged. Leo positioned himself to block, but had to change to an offensive as the armored guardian lashed out.
He had moved fast, reflexes honed by beating thugs in the Congo. Faster than the Nightwatcher anticipated.
And just as quickly as the fight started, it stopped.
Leo instantly felt a pang of guilt with the tension of his sword as it ground against tissue. There was a gut-wrenching gasp as the Nightwatcher stepped back, letting the sword pull out.
He stumbled on unsteady feet towards Leo, letting out an angry growl. Leo sidestepped it easily, ashamed that it had gone this far.
Leo was prepared to leave in disgrace, flee home and seek resolve for his sin. murder. What of this mans family. Would they hate him. It hurt him to do this. To be so shameful.
Nightwatcher stood and leaned over, a gloved hand holding his stomach, where the blade had entered. Rain was already mixing with the blood pooling over it, the red from the sign giving the world a hellish glow.
God, had this gone far, further than Leo had ever wanted it to.
"S… stop," the voice stammered, muffled through the helmet. Leo froze.
He turned from the edge of the roof to face the Nightwatcher. The black clad form coughed, dropping to his knees. Leo watched, sick to his stomach, as deep red liquid dripped from the inside of the helmet's visor. Turning away, he called over his shoulder.
"I'll call nine-one-one, help will be here for you soon. Just never come out as the Watcher again."
"Damn you." He heard the fallen foe swear out. "Damn you, Leo."
Leonardo's heart stopped for a beat.
He was off the edge and kneeling beside the crouched form, a million questions buzzing inside his head at the same time, making him want to scream. Only, one needed to be answered first.
Nightwatcher didn't move at his sudden approach. Body heaving with each breath, he sat on his knees.
"You're a fucker." The guardian choked out between pants, Brooklyn accent thicker this time.
Leo prayed.
"I'm going to remove your helmet," he said, moving slowly, as though approaching a feral animal, unsnapping the strap and pulling the helmet off. For the second time that night, his heart stopped. Earth's rotation shifted into reverse, and Leo felt himself starting to choke. Bile was rising quickly at the sight before him.
His brother.
His brother.
His.
Brother.
Brother.
Leo took a breath, trying to clear the vision from his head, wishing it would go away.
It didn't.
His beloved if a little annoying brother was watching him with pain filled eyes. Blood slipped down the corner of his mouth that was twisted between something of a grimace and a grin. Leo reached, moving away quickly to vomit by a near air duct. He heard Raphael laugh, then choke and cough. There was the sound of gravel shifting and Leonardo looked from his mess to see his brother, now on his back.
The rain shifted in waves, stained red. Blood red. From the light.
Leo picked himself up and was quickly back at his brother's side, Feet scraping across the rough rooftop.
"God, Raph, I'm sorry. I didn't know." Leo ran a quick hand over his brother's, feeling the warm blood against his rain-dampened skin. "Oh God, Raph. God. Christ. I'm so so sorry. I didn't know." He was on the verge of tears now. He had to get him home. Donny would know what to do. Donny always knew what to do. From childhood he could remember Donny always had a plan. Just as he should have. Was there a plan for this? Some how Leo doubted.
"S'okay." Raph panted, face growing pale. "No one knew." Raph closed his eyes against the pain, shallow gasps evening out.
Leo moved to pick him up. He wrapped an arm under his shoulders, the other under his brother's knees. He had to get home. God, what would his brothers think when they got there? Would Raph even make it that far? Leo pushed that last thought to the back of his mind. He didn't want to go there. He didn't want to know. If his family banished him for the rest of his life, it would be right. He deserved nothing but that. He deserved worse if Raph didn't live.
"Oh God, don't do that," Raph choked out as Leo tried to lift him. "Don't."
Leo watched his brother gasp for breath. Moving him had made it far worse. Leo tried to think, but the only thing his mind could dredge up was a faint hum. Maybe that was he sound of his own heart beat. He was too dazed now to care.
Blood was beginning to puddle beneath Raph, making the leather suit sticky. Deep rivulets of crimson, made a million times brighter by the blinding neon light.
"I'm sorry, Raph," Leo said, moving Raph more into his lap. His hand hovered over the one covering the seeping wound. Raph let out a low hiss when Leo put pressure against it.
"I'm so sorry." He was crying. No matter how much he tried to push it back, he knew that this was it. There would be no making it home, there would be nothing. Leo was scared, more afraid now than any other time in his life.
"You…" Raph took a deep breath, wheezing. His other hand came up to grab at Leonardo's face, but faltered and fell. Instantly Leo grabbed it, laying it over the one covering the wound. "You did good." He stopped, face contorting in pain. Leo let him lie, eyes closed tightly, gathering his breath.
"Oh fearless leader." he hissed, drawing a sharp breath. "You did good."
"God, don't do this, Raph." Leo knew where this conversation was going. He wasn't going to let it get there. He would die if it came to that.
"Don't tell me what to do." Raphael growled out, eyes sharp despite the pain. "Just be a brother."
A brother.
How much had he been a brother since he had been back? How much time had they spent together not fighting, or threatening to kill each other, the fearless leader and the mutineer? Just being brothers.
He was far more lost than he would ever admit it if he couldn't think of the last time when they were brothers.
Time ebbed away, no longer having meaning to the two turtles, the roof bathed in red as Leo sat and held his brother. One of four. The second oldest. His own blood. His brother. Brother.
"I'm sorry I fight with you so much," he whispered, letting his head rest atop his brother's.
"S'okay." Raph rasped out. His breath rattled, then stopped.
Leo screeched. A howl that would wake the dead, only his brother did not stir.
There would be no need to seek redemption from his remanding brothers.
They where strong. Stronger than he. They would survive, be steadfast where he had lost sight of the path.
They would be brothers. Nothing to stand in between.
Brothers.
Air rushed around him and he closed his tear-stained eyes.
They would argue no longer.
There is no arguing between hell and heaven.