First chapter/prologue thing can be read as a one-shot
Summary: Where do we draw the line between constructive punishment and abuse? As leader, Leo's private training had reached a point of questionable intensity.
I don't own TMNT. If I did... let's not go there.
Master Splinter closed his eyes and sat in the center of the dojo with the same words that always signaled the end of their private lessons: "Clean up. Your brothers will join us soon." And that was exactly what would happen, just like every day before, and every day after.
Leo bowed with a curt "Hai, Sensei." and departed. He would wash away any blood in the bathroom then rush back to the dojo for training, where he would open himself to the punches Raph threw where he could tell Splinter's previous blows would bruise. He would walk out at the end of training sore and exhausted, but he wouldn't let on. It was a matter of pride. Instead, he would take a cold shower to dull any bruises or other marks, then collapse on the couch with Mikey, or sit with a book in Donnie's lab, or play the pinball machine with Raph.
His brothers' presence helped him forget his aching body and remember why it needed to feel like that. It was for them. It was all for them. Thanks to his training, he would be able to handle anything Shredder or the kraang threw at him.
Plus, it helped to steel him for the evening. Following afternoon training with his brothers, Leo would have another one on one session. That was the one he dreaded. Master Splinter would have him doing katas, flips, flexibility routines-anything he felt Leo needed to work on- until he collapsed from sheer exhaustion. Master Splinter would dismiss him and retreat to his room. Leo would blink black from his vision and somehow find the energy to pick himself up with shaking muscles.
His brothers had been ordered to bed hours ago.
First, he would look in on Mikey. If he was sleeping soundly and nightmare free, Leo would move on to Donnie, who was rarely in his room. So Leo would drag himself to Donnie's lab where he would do his best to hide his wobbling bones while peeling Don away from his latest project and forcing him to bed.
Then, with bated breath, he would check Raph's room. If Raph was there, Leo could make the short walk to his room with a smile on his face. If he wasn't, Leo would instead move to the living room, where he would watch T.V. or practice his katas or make his aching muscles run laps; anything to keep him awake until Raphael stumbled home in the early hours of the morning, often with bloodied fists or alcohol breath.
Leo would bandage his hands or guide him to his room, either way making sure he was alright and passed out before checking on Mike and Donnie one last time. If all was well with his brothers Leo would finally fall into bed, waiting to start the whole day again.
So this was a little bit of a Prologue-y kinda thing. I have more written if yall wanna hear it. Drop me a review.