Leo switched off the blaring TV, well aware that he was cutting Mikey and Don off from the level they'd been slaying through. But Donnie and Mikey were slumped and snoring on the couch, so they wouldn't want to kill him until the morning. Donnie had managed to draw Mikey out of his funk and they'd been battling across the red sands of Mars Solo when Leo had fallen asleep. He woke up three hours later to find the screen still glowing.
No wonder Master Splinter sleeps in the way back. Leo eyed the little tunnel, cut off from the rest of them by the oriental rug they had found for him. Leo's eyes then trailed to the other end of the lair, on his way back to his room. Past the slide and up into Mikey and Raph's room. He saw the outline of their bunk beds- and he saw that Raph wasn't in his. The lousy hothead.
Leo felt himself truly torn in this situation. Knowing that Mikey had bought and kept a necklace intended for Emma worried him. Mikey was really hung up on her and the sooner her moved on the better. Emma clearly had, for distance sake if nothing else. And after the way they'd treated her, Leo didn't see her coming back. Did Mikey see that? Or did he not want to?
Yet, Mikey's lingering affections hadn't caused him to be any more or less distracted and annoying. And he still helped out on patrols, kept up with their trainings... and Leo and Donnie used this as an excuse to indulge him because, in the end, they were all softies. Raph didn't know the meaning of the word 'indulge'. He just knew his opinion and wanted everyone else to agree with it.
"Why do you think it is that Raphael bunks with Michelangelo?"
Leo near jumped out of his shell, finding Master Splinter standing beside him. "Wh- how… why do my ninja skills fail me every time?"
Master Splinter gave a knowing smile.
"I thought you were asleep, sensei."
"With that racket." Master Splinter growled at the TV. "How many times do I tell you boys, in a week, to keep it down after 10pm."
Leo grinned, giving a sheepish shrug. Master Splinter nodded back towards Raph's room. "It's obvious that Michelangelo is skilled at irritating Raphael. So why does Raph put up with rooming with him?"
"I couldn't tell you, Dad." Leo's shrug deflated in exasperation. "No one can tell what that meathead's thinking."
Master Splinter joined his hands behind his back. "Don't dismiss him so quickly. It's not just a meathead, but a brother that you speak of. He does care."
"You try speaking to him then." Leo suggested.
"I listen, actually." Master Splinter told him. "Sometimes it's more effective. Raphael doesn't process emotions like the rest of us. He prefers not to because he doesn't always understand their purpose. They conflict what makes sense to him. Course, this leads to explosions of varying size."
Leo had witnessed many sizes of Raphael's explosions. "But sensei, this' getting old."
He sat down on the steps to his room, coming eye to eye with his father. "We blew it with Emma. Raph's the only one who hasn't admitted it."
"And he won't until he sees that error for himself." Master Splinter patted him on the shoulder. "I don't fear for your bond as brothers, as I have in the past. Raphael will see the light… like the rest of you boneheads."
Leo's head snapped up. "Dad!"
Master Splinter headed back to his room, chuckling. "Hey, I liked her. She introduced me to Tea of the Month Club."
Yeah, I know it's short, but it was a snippet that happened in-between all of the action. Like it so far? I enjoy hearing y'all's thoughts (even the criticizing ones).
