Thanks everyone! I am having a real blast writing this fic. I haven't had such fun in a very long time. All of your comments are much appreciated. I have vowed to pop a champagne cork when I reach 100 reviews
He was wrong.
The match struck and the flame combined with the gas that was permeating the room caused the most blinding and destructive of explosions. The fire traveled from the kitchen through the lair until everything was engulfed in flames.
Leonardo saw his family go up in smoke….
I KNEW it, he thought. I KNEW Raph was wrong!
…all of this ran through Leonardo's imagination just before a furry hand pinched the still sparking flame out on the match.
Raphael blinked and turned. "..the hell? Sensei?"
Splinter breathed a sigh of relief that potential disaster had been averted. You would think that with all the close calls that have occurred with four rambunctious boys over the years, he would be used to it. But even still, the rat had to will his heart beat to slow down before it threatened to burst from his chest. He was just thankful that his keen sense of smell had detected the gas.
"What are you doing?" he asked calmly and trying to keep the tremor from his voice.
Leo looked from Raph to Splinter. "The pilot light on the stove is out and we were trying to…light it?"
Splinter nodded. "I see. However…" He reached around Leonardo and turned the knob on the stove top off. The same knob that Leonardo had turned when trying to light the burner, and forgot to turn off.
"This releases gas into the room. You must wait until it dissipates before trying to light the pilot now." He carefully took the matchbook from Raphael's hand and put it back in the drawer.
Leonardo sighed and scowled at Raph. "I thought I smelled gas."
"Shut up, Leo. You're the dumbass that left the knob on," Raphael countered.
"Fortunately," Splinter continued ignoring their argument. "There is not a great deal of it in here. If we run a fan, it will help to clear it out. At times like this, I wish we had a window to the outside."
Leo looked hopeful. Maybe this would get him out of having to cook.
Splinter dashed Leo's hopes like cold water on a…well…a fire. "It should be fine before lunch. Raphael, I would like a word with you, please." He turned and went to his room knowing his son would follow.
Leo shook his head and resigned himself to no tea for the morning. He considered what else was on Mike's list. Soon after practice was something about annoying Raphael. Well he couldn't do that since Raph was in "conference" with Splinter. He COULD annoy Donatello somehow. The only question was…how?
The eldest turtle sat down at the table and contemplated. Someone like Mike could be an annoyance without even trying. Leo figured he would have to put some thought into it and Don wasn't that easy to annoy. Especially since right now he had no access to his lab. He glanced into the living room and saw that Don was dragging in cleaning supplies. He thought that was pretty odd. Chores didn't have to be done until just before dinner time, and he couldn't see Don being in a hurry to get to them.
He thought for a moment and then got to his feet. He was new at this. He could start with something simple and then work his way up. At the very least, Don could pretend to be ignored, so Leo could check that off the list. He nodded to himself thinking that was a good plan and walked into the living room.
Donatello was bent over the coffee table, dusting it. He looked up when Leo approached, but didn't think anything of it. In fact, he pointedly ignored his brother who leaned forward against the couch watching him.
After about two minutes of being stared at, Don sighed. "What, Leo?"
Leo smiled. "Nothing."
Don turned to dust the entertainment center. He could feel Leo's eyes boring into his shell. He exhaled, but didn't look at him. "What Leo?"
"You missed a spot." Leonardo pointed to the coffee table which now had a thick layer of dirt smudged across one corner.
"I did what?" Donatello turned and blinked. "You did that."
Leo shrugged. "I've been standing here. Just doing what Mike's list said."
"Sure." Don shook his head and wiped the smudge from the coffee table before returning to the entertainment center. Luckily they didn't have much to dust. This was a mind numbing chore.
"Missed another spot," Leo commented still leaning forward against the back of the couch.
Don spun and saw the exact same smudge across the exact same corner of the coffee table. "Leo, go be Mike somewhere else." He wiped the corner again and stared at Leo, daring him to put more dirt back on the table. He thought his older brother was taking this whole thing a bit too seriously. It was like Leo had been just waiting for an excuse to act like a jackass.
Leo just smiled innocently. "What? Donnie, I'm just standing here. I mean, just because I have to do what Mike does today, doesn't mean I have to ACT like Mike. You're not throwing things and swearing a blue streak are you?"
"Not yet," Don muttered and went to get the broom from their supply closet. He returned moments later only to see the SAME dirt smeared across the SAME corner of the table and Leo was nowhere in sight.
Don growled quietly to himself. "Now I know why Raph beats the crap out of Mike all the time."
He wiped the dirt from the table yet again and went about the task of sweeping. There was evidence of a Mike and Raph food fight. Under the couch was a small pile of popcorn and chips that he swept into the dust pan. Sighing, but finishing sweeping, he went to put everything away.
Dirt. Across the ENTIRE coffee table. Not just a corner.
"LEO!"
Hearing his brother shout his name gave Leonardo a chuckle. That had been more fun than he had thought it would be. With Raphael still with Splinter, Leo went to the dojo to see how Mike was doing. He made a silent bet with himself that his brother was sleeping on the soft mats.
Leo peeked into the dojo and was surprised. Mike wasn't doing kata but he was working out on the heavy bags. Three of them as a matter of fact circled up around him. Leo stopped to watch Mike's technique. He was impressed. When his brother put his mind to it, he was very skilled.
Mike stopped attacking the bags and smiled. "Well, what do you think?"
For a moment, Leo was startled. He thought Mike had somehow knew he was standing there. He went to answer, but Michelangelo beat him to it.
In a voice that was supposed to be Raph's. "Bro, you are the best. You just whupped my butt a dozen times in a row." The accent wasn't quite right, and it wasn't deep enough, but that was definitely Raph.
"Don't worry, Raph," Mike, the leader, said. "If you keep practicing, you'll be almost as good as me someday."
Mike turned to another bag and in a voice Leo recognized as his Don's, "Mikey, I am SO glad I didn't have to fight you in the Battle Nexus. I would have lost for sure."
Again, the leader Mikey smiled benevolently. "I know Donnie, I know. But we can't ALL be the best fighter in the multi-verse. And look on the bright side, at least you and Raph had the nerve to spar with me here now. Leo ran his first chance."
Leo frowned. IF he had supposedly ran, then who was the third bag?
"Michelangelo, my son," Mike spoke up for the third target.
Leo groaned quietly and shook his head.
"I think you should be the one to teach your brothers. I am sure you could help Leonardo to be a better leader. I just wish you would take the job yourself."
Mike sighed sadly and shook his head. "Sensei, we've been through this. If I were to take Leo's place, he would be crushed. I just can't do that to my brother. No matter how better of a leader I would be."
Leo frowned. If there was one thing certain, before this day was out, Michelangelo would get a very big dose of humility. If he let this go, there would be no living with his brother ever again.
