The curse of baby brothers

Disclaimer: I never came up with the concept of Ninja Turtles and not even the mutant variety. I do love them and so I write about them.

Leonardo narrowed his eyes as he watched the gang of youths below in the street.

It hadn't been his week, poor Leo, for two of his brothers were currently out of action, due to pneumonia. Don had gotten Raph to help him out with a project – which had involved cold water and both being turtles – their bodies reacted in a negative way.

So Splinter had sent Leo out on patrol with his youngest brother, Michealangelo, who was in fact right now filling his mouth with a packet of chips.

"You're sure you don't want one?" Mikey said with his mouth full.

"One would think you have no manners at all!" Leo said to his brother.

"What? I asked if you wanted a chip. I'm sharing – unlike Raph when he's got chips – he never shares his food," Mikey stuffed his face again.

"Raph don't stuff his face with chips when he's meant to be working!" Leo was clearly annoyed.

"Raph accepts a chip when he's offered one. Master Splinter says to share with our brothers – you also seem to have problems there," Mikey decided to point out.

"What the hell do you mean?" Leo turned to his brother.

"Well, you never share your things with me and even if I happen to find something of yours, you get all shirty about it and take it away," Mikey said, as he finished his packet off.

"Mike, you finding something usually means taking things that don't belong to you. Like my CD player? Where'd you leave it? I haven't had it back for almost a whole month now. So much for only borrowing it for half and hour that day you took it." Leo said.

"But then you nicked off with Don's Discman, which is much better than your dodgy one. I mean you got the good end of the deal there, bro," Mikey throw the packet into the bin next to him.

"Well Donnie shouldn't have to suffer because you stole my things!"

"Don's probably fixed a new one up for himself, I mean he had one on this morning when I took him his breakfast." Mikey mentioned.

"Mikey, that's not the point! Now look what you've done!" Leo had taken a look down where they had seen the thugs, who had now vanished.

"So they went home to their Mamas, it's probably their beddy-byes-time." Mikey chuckled at his own joke.

Leonardo was ready to explode. They were meant to be keeping an eye on the thugs and thanks to the turtle who thought it was funny they lost them – Leo did not see the humour in it.

"You know maybe it's time for us to go home. Mind you we don't have a Mama to tuck us into bed and read us a story. Remember when Splinter use to do that when we were babies?" Mikey said, not really caring that Leo was ready to push him off the top of the building.

"Mike, I got one word for you – SHUT UP!" Leo began to walk away; he had enough of his youngest brother's behaviour for one night.

"Hey Leo, that's two words actually. One turtle didn't listen in Maths class when he was a baby turtle!" Mikey teased.

Leo was in his face in no time.

"Well what about you? You have a real problem understanding plain English! I told you to shut up!"

"I'm just telling you that shut up is actually two words, not one – like you said. I bet you if Raph and Don were here they'd be telling you the same thing."

"They would agree that you're an annoy pest! I don't need you to tell me when I am wrong." Leo exploded.

"Oh sorry, I suppose that's Raph's job, but since he's kind of sick, I thought it'd be my duty to tell you what he'd say.

"Mike – you're a complete jerk! You are a dumb, stupid and completely irresponsible and immature turtle. Act your age not your shoe size, will you!"

"I don't wear shoes," Mikey said truthfully, smiling at his brother.

Leo stomped away; he'd patrol on his own.

Mikey returned to the lair and was greeted by Splinter about to take a hot tea to his sick brothers on the couch.

"Why are you back so early?" Splinter asked his son.

"I wanted to see if you wanted help with these two,"
Mikey pointed to the pale green turtles on either end of the couch.

"Your brothers are beginning to heal. Where is Leonardo?"

"He wanted time alone and told me if I didn't come home when he said, you'd be angry at me. So I did what I was told," Mikey flashed a cheesy grin at his father figure.

"Here, take this to your brothers, I think they are awake enough for company," Splinter went off to mix some more herbs for his ill sons.

Mikey jumped into view of his two brothers – who were watching Dr Who re-runs.

"Mikey – move – this is a good part," croaked Donnie behind a tissue.

"I might be sick, but I can still toss a Sais at ya, so move your fat……" Raph grumbled, as Mikey moved.

"I think I got something more entertaining?" Mikey teased and held up a tape recorder.

"What?" Both sick turtles were wondering what Mikey was on about. It was either something really brilliant or something really lousy.

"I didn't want you guys to miss the action tonight, so I took this tape recorder for you," Mikey said.

"Mike –what's the point of hearing the sounds of the foot as they get thumped by you and Leo?" Don said.

"This isn't the foot. This is Leo." Mikey used his eyes to tease the others.

"What you mean?" Raph asked.

"Well Leo throwing a tantrum tonight and I got it on tape for you," Mikey said.

"What Leo throwing a tantrum? What for?" Donnie sat up and looked at his youngest brother.

"Listen," Mikey played the tape over.

Raph laughed at the part where Mikey and Leo were on about borrowed CD players.

"I was wondering who'd taken off with my disc-man. Remind me to get it back off him when he gets in," Don told Raph.

"Leo's uptight cos you offer him a chip? Man he must have something up his butt at the moment," Raph said.

"Sounds like it," Donnie said, as he could hear his older brother telling Mikey to shut up.

Raph and Don laughed when Mikey had mentioned to Leo that he had said two words.

"You are right Mikey, it is two words," Donnie chuckled.

"Shoe size? Since when did Leo want to own a pair of shoes?" Raphael chuckled along with the other two, just as another turtle entered the lair.

"So what is your shoe size?" Donnie asked his brother who had entered.

"What are you on about now?" Leo was tired and annoyed. He wanted nothing better than to hit the sack.

"How many words are there in shut up?" Raphael asked, wanting to tick his brother off. He knew Leo wouldn't do anything while he was sick and he also knew that Leo would have cooled off by the time he was well enough to fight him.

Leo shot Mikey a look, "What? They asked me how tonight went and I told them the truth! Surely even you'd agree that the truth should be told, not lies. Hey Master Splinter," Mikey asked, just as the old rat walked in on his cane, carrying the medicine.

Leo was fuming as he bowed to his master and retreated to his room.