I decided to take part in the battle of wits going on just now. Means, the "buried stories" writing contest from Stealthy Stories. Thanks, Nervegas. ;3
Disclaimer: If I owned the TMNT, you wouldn't want them anymore. You're here. Proves: I don't own them. I do own a TMNT cup, though.
Summary: Ever wondered what'd happen if you put Leo and Raph in a box six feet under - together?

There is no such thing as inner peace.
There is only nervousness and death.
[Fran Lebowitz]

Silent Chambers
02:18 a.m., NYC, rooftops

"I still don't think this is a good idea."

Leonardo's voice is strained. Raphael almost smirks at that. He really hadn't even intended to go out tonight. That was, until his older brother told him that going out alone was dangerous right now. The foot were roaming the streets, and additionally Donatello told them earlier that Bishop's men had been seen in the city.

Raphael couldn't really let that opportunity pass, now could he?

"Are you listening to me?"

And so he went out anyway, ignoring his brother's comments. He had laughed at Leo telling the others to go to bed before he went after the hothead; laughed, because he loved to annoy the older turtle. And he knew perfectly well that going out on patrol "Raph-style" was the best way to do so.

"Raphael, listen! I really think we should..."

Up to now, it is working. Leo followed him for over an hour now, occasionally calling out, but mostly remaining stoically silent. He had only recently started to try and convince him to go back. Babbled something about a "bad feeling". Well, once Raph found some of Hun's Purple Dragons or maybe even foot ninja, he would give them a bad feeling.

A hand on his shoulder wipes the smug look off his face. He turns around, startled, only to feel another hand over his mouth, covering his protests. Leo's dark onyx eyes are locked on something right behind his brother's back, but the hothead doesn't have to ask what the problem is. He could see Bishop's men as well, as they are quickly closing the circle around the two brothers. Slowly, Leonardo releases his death grip and gives his brother some space.

"Careless, careless, careless", Leo mutters to himself and Raph knows that a lecture will follow as soon as they are done here. He doesn't care. One of the men raises a dart gun at the leader's chest, and with the soft pop of the dart leaving the barrel, the start signal is given. Raphael draws his sai, only vaguely notes Leo's twin katana gleaming in the light of a nearby street lantern. He charges with a growl, and the fight begins.

The men in the red-and-black protection gear don't make a single sound. They just raise their weapons, pull the trigger, and go down just as noiselessly as they fight when they are hit. Raphael hates to admit it, but this whole scene freaks him out. His senses start to go into overdrive as he slashes madly at the darts, trying to reach the hunter before he is shot himself.

He has heard the sound of a tranquilizer dart hitting solid turtle flesh more than once, but it never stops scaring him. He turns, more on instinct than anything else, and sees his brother's legs give in under him. "Le-" he starts to shout, but another dart hits him in the arm, and he goes down with an angry grunt.

He is unconscious before he even hits the cold concrete of the roof.

?:? ?, ?, ?

Leonardo wakes up with a groan. His head is spinning, even though he is lying flat on his plastron. Probably the aftereffects of the drugs, he thinks and then, Raphael?

"Raphael", he says, but all that comes out is a hoarse whisper. He coughs and tries again, louder this time. "Raphael? Raph, are you there?"

No answer comes, but he can feel his brother's presence nearby. Now that he is coming to his senses, he can actually smell his brother. Ugh. Quickly scanning his surroundings, but finding nothing but darkness, Leo tries to get up into a kneeling position. He manages about one foot before his head bumps into concrete. Ouch.

Still, he notices at once that all his gear is gone. His knee and elbow pads are gone, and so is his belt. Too bad, but he didn't think they would let him keep his cell. His weapons disappeared, too, but that is not a surprise; at least his mask is right where he left it on his face. Well, he would deal with the question of clothing later.

Shifting, and more careful this time, the ninja stretches out his hands to the side. His left hand almost immediately hits a wall, and for a second he is afraid that he is captured in some kind of tight box, but then the fingers of his right hand find something warm and moving. Something alive. Almost on instinct, he grabs the comforting rough skin tighter.

"Whoa!"

Raphael's surprised yelp fills the small room and he jumps up, only to hit his head in the same manner his brother did just moments ago. Only much, much harder. With an agonized groan, he sinks back to the ground. Through the sudden pain that flares up in his skull, he can only just hear Leo's nervous call. "Raph, are you okay? Do you hear me? Raph?"

"I hear ya, knucklehead, so shut the crap up", Raphael snaps angrily. His voice is raspy, and he needs a second to recall the incident with bishop's men. When he groans this time, it is not because of the pain. "Where are we, fearless?" he asks, calmer now, and a little worried. "What is dis thing?"

He can hear Leo's hands scratching on concrete, even though he doesn't see a thing. Following the older brother's example, he stretches out his hands to the sides. Concrete wall on the right side, his brother's form on the left. Leo flinches at the contact. "Stop tickling me, Raph", he snaps, his nerves thin.

"I did not tickle you, idiot. I was just checking on our surroundings!" Raph's temper flares up immediately. He tries to stretch his arms over his head. Concrete. Stretches his legs. Concrete.

"Shit", he whispers, suddenly worried. His temper cools as fast as it came. "Leo, where are we?"

Leo, who just came to the same conclusion as his hot-headed brother, shrugs. Then he remembers that no one can see him doing so and says aloud, "how am I supposed to know? Try the ceiling."

Their shells scratch on the cold stone as they shift and try to turn around. It is no use; the top is too low for them to move onto their sides with the shells in the way. With a heavy grunt, Raph gives up on his attempt, and he hears Leo next to him follow his example. "Great idea. What now?" he mutters.

An annoyed sigh escapes Leo before he can stop it. "I told you, I don't know, Raph", he answers. "I'm not superman either, you know."

"No, you are just Mr. Shot-with-a-tranq-dart", Raph comments. He regrets it the second the words leave his mouth, but it is already too late to take them back. And he really isn't in the mood to apologize right now anyway. After all, it had been Leo who was shot first, right? Still, he could feel the body next to his own stiffen. To his surprise, the eldest doesn't answer right away, and when he does, his voice is as calm as usually.

"Yes, you are right. I am sorry for getting us into trouble."

There is a moment of silence, and Raph knows that he should probably say something now, apologize and take it back, something, anything. But he doesn't. And then the right moment is over, and the silence becomes awkward.

"What do we do now?", the red-banded brother whispers once he thinks he waited long enough. Does he imagine it or is Leonardo's voice stiffer than normally? "I suppose we wait", the leader whispers back and Raph hears his shell scratch on stone before it is silent again.

The breathing next to him slows down, becomes more and more even, and the hothead knows Leo is in meditation now. It is his big brother's way to escape the world. Raphael's is to fight. It is utterly frustrating to be forced to lay in here and do nothing, but he is determined not to lose to Leo, no matter at what. Not at fighting, not at commanding, and especially not at something as easy as waiting.

Still, he can't help but think about spiders and other insects crawling about in the dark as he lies and breathes slowly. His skin is itching all over from the mere thought of them. But Leo doesn't move, and so he won't, either. He will not lose this battle of will.

When he finally falls asleep, the insects haunt his mind in his nightmares.