Warnings: Some bad use of English, meaning bad words and grammatical errors.

Author note: I took the idea of Mikey owning a Titanic cd from Deputy Housekeepers by Mickis. This is not important for the story but I just had to say that.

When Raphael arrived to the dojo for evening practice, two of his brothers were already present. It was still early, so he stood by the door watching them go thru their routines, each one on a different corner of the room. The exercises were simple, as they obviously were trying to keep most of the energy for the next hour.

Donatello had been sick the past week, so it was expected for him to dedicate some extra time in order to catch with the rest of them. He was stretching his somewhat sore muscles, repeating some basic movements Master Splinter taught them a long time ago, when they still were little turtles. Donnie's performance during the morning practice was a little sloppy but their father refused to excuse him, suggesting instead that he should try to loosen his muscles. Raph knew his brainy brother didn't wanted to dedicate to physical activities more time than he already did, which showed on the absentminded face he was currently sporting, obviously not putting the heart on his performance.

Leonardo movements were completely different from those of their purple clad brother. Even following uncomplicated patterns, they were so fluid that you couldn't see where one ended and other started. He always made it look as natural as breathing, even the most demanding katas. Raphael couldn't be jealous for this, especially as he knew Mikey was the one born with the talent; Leo's accomplishments were due to self determination and a love for Ninjitsu none of his younger brothers shared or understood. Therefore, Leo's presence at the dojo was not unexpected, as he used to spend some time on his own before or after communal practices.

Raphael motive was pure and simple boredom, as Master Splinter advised them against leaving the Lair until weather was better. Not that Raph always obeyed his Sensei, but he had ulterior motives to pay attention this time, as bets were set regarding which of them will get away first. They were currently three against one saying the hotheaded turtle will be the one, which made him stubbornly decided to prove his brothers wrong. For that reason, he was forced to remain at home day after day while Mikey tried to tempt him; this was somewhat amusing at first, but now had settled to tiresome and annoying. Hiding on the dojo for a while sounded like a good idea, until Raph's personal demon managed to find him.

"Dude, you really have weird tastes," said a voice at his back as Michelangelo pushed him out of the way to get into the room. His baby brother was carrying a personal cd player on one hand and a portable stereo on the other; he plugged the last one and took a disc from the player. Raphael arched an eye ridge. Was he supposed to recognize the cd? Because he didn't.

"You shouldn't be playing music here, Mikey." Donatello had ended his exercises, or maybe decided to grab the opportunity to give up; either way, he was walking toward his brothers, drying his face with a towel. Not that he was sweating much.

"Well, Master Splinter isn't still here, and I don't hear Leo complaining," retorted Mikey while putting the disc into the stereo and pausing to ask out loud, "Are you complaining, Leo?"

When no answer was given, he pushed the play button. The music boomed defeating Donnie's response, which sounded to Raph as something like 'That's not legitimate, he's on trance'. The first song confirmed that the disc wasn't his. In fact, he couldn't remember hearing it before, although Mikey wasn't really helping as he kept his finger on the forward button, changing songs every half minute or so. Then he recognized something.

"Don't cha!" He had to grab his brother's hand by the wrist, to prevent him from moving on. "This one I know, it's Korn. But I don't remember the song's name."

"Corn? That sounds like a country group." The orange turtle amused comment was not followed by angry remarks from Raph, just because said turtle was now hitting the forward trying to identify the rest of the songs.

"The disc isn't yours?" Donnie sounded a little worried, and Raph wondered why while shaking his head in response. Mikey said it wasn't his, either. "Where did you found it, Mikey?"

"On the player," he declared, pointing at the mentioned artifact. This was the one Donnie fixed for the three of them after Michelangelo started to monopolize the first one. They didn't give it much use as both Raph and Leo had small stereos at their rooms, while Donnie preferred to use his computer player.

"I thought it was lost," Don stated, taking a closer look of it. Raph noticed it was well conserved, unlike Mickey's.

"Hey, wait!" Now it was the red clad turtle turn to be stopped, as his younger brother prevented him from punching the button. "I like that one." He explained.

Donatello frowned, seemingly concentrated on the song. Raphael deduced he was listening at the lyrics, which happened to be rather dark. And gory. It was a known fact that Michelangelo couldn't catch many of the songs' lyrics, preferring to make up parodies of them; he paid more attention to rhythm and tunes, and this one was quite catchy. When it ended they decided to skip the next song, mostly racket and screams; it was followed by a repetitive piece. The one after that sounded somewhat familiar.

"That's the first one," confirmed Donnie, moving to stop the stereo.

"Don't."

Waiting for an explanation, Raph turned to Leonardo just to find he wasn't watching at them. Instead, he was going thru one of the simplest katas, his movements in tune with the music. It was … well, to say it was weird was an understandment. But it looked amazing and relatively enjoyable, even if they found very hard to relate the word fun to his older brother. Then the song tempo accelerated and so did Leo, showing he had done this more than once. He was wearing a little embarrassed smile when the music came to an end.

"Cool!" grinned Mikey, jumping to Leo's side. "Can I give it a try? Which one goes with this?"

"Sure," said his brother, showing other kata first movements while the next track started. From his place, Raph couldn't stop a wicked smile from taking place on his face. Donnie had an equally wide smirk, and he was shaking his head in disbelieve. Of course, Mikey was making a goof of himself; he might be a natural for this kind of stuff, and obviously knew the kata, but preferred to change or add some fancy things here and there. Raph noticed that Leo had changed some parts of it too, but it was mostly about speed or, he assumed, to make it run smoother.

The song ended too soon, and before anyone had time to react, run and hide, Mikey was trying to convince Donnie to join. That is, assuming that convincing involves way too much pushing, pulling, calling your brother chicken and running in circles around him making clo-clo noises.

"Come on, Donnie! The song already started!" he complained.

"Wait for the next, Mikey," provided Leo, while grabbing his bottle to drink some water. He looked towards Raph, who eyed him suspiciously.

"No," was all Raph said, crossing his arms over the chest. In fact, he was looking for an excuse to join, but couldn't found any good enough. Consequently, he decided to maintain his pride intact.

"You know the song," Leo established.

Raph said nothing. He could hear Donnie giving up, but didn't really paid attention to the words said, as Leonardo talked to him again.

"You know you want to do it." Why couldn't he remember getting closer to Leo? Because he obviously had moved, as he wasn't as near to the entrance as he was before.

"Says who?"

"You know the lyrics." And that was a surprise. First, it indicated Leo was familiar with the lyrics and wasn't censuring the song just because what was said. Second, it signified he knew that Raph had that song on one of his discs and that he heard it frequently enough to know the lyrics. Third, it acknowledged the fact that Raph could identify himself with part of the song. Fourth, the hell with looking for an excuse.

"Hey, Leo! Which kata now?"

"Try the one I did with the first, it will do." He answered Mikey's question, without tearing his eyes apart from Raph's. The next words were just for the turtle in front of him. "We can try a more advanced one, if you want. No weapons, though."

"Good enough for me."

You simply defy, I cannot even look to the sky;

we try it single filed, take on me and it's my denial.

I cannot ever find something safe not done on the fly,

I cannot live this way, floor and me will kick the P.A.

You wanna play with me

I'm really gonna rock your world.

You want to comfort me

I'm gonna rock your world.

You say everything is fine, I cannot compete with the skies;

my sing has crossed the line, come in me, I fly through the sky.

I can not ever find, you and me will make all the lines,

oh, if they could see the play, no one would want to be me.

"But it isn't fair! Why Raph could do a hard one while you told us to try the simplest kata? Don't you think it was unfair, Donnie?"

They were around the stereo, the next song still going on. Incredibly, no pun was made about Leo's slightly peculiar hobby. Instead, Mikey was complaining and trying to make Donatello back him, which wasn't happening, as said brother was lost on his thoughts.

"Donnie?"

"Uh?" The purple clad ninja looked up, meeting Leo's concerned gaze. "Um … sorry, what did you said?"

"I was saying that Leo was …"

"Mikey, enough. Don, what's the matter? You seem worried."

"He doesn't approve your music choice," Raph snapped.

"Don't put words on my mouth, Raph."

"Deny it, then," was Raph retort. "Come on, Don, you are dying to say how abhorrent the lyrics are. You've been thinking that since the first song."

"Raph, please," Leo asked for his brother's silence before continuing. "Donnie, is that true?"

"I - it's just … Leo, have you paid attention to it? It's all about death and suicide and drugs …"

"You are so full of crap."

"Raph!"

"Well, he is! How different are these songs from the ones I hear?"

"It is not about the songs."

"You are such a hypocrite."

"I am not!"

"The hell you are! You don't care about what I listen, but you are going all like a damn thigh censor here? Why should you act differently?"

"Because this is Leo!"

With nobody saying a word, Mikey was finally able to pay some attention to the current song, consequently and hastily deciding it was better to turn off the stereo.

"Come again?" Leo finally managed to say.

"When … when Mike listens to his music, it is not as if he will fall in love," Don started, nervously.

"Hey, I might!"

"Shuddup, Mikey; you don't even pay attention to what they are singing about. And Raph, the music you hear IS gruesome", he received a dirty look for this, "but you give a damn about it."

"And your point is?" Leo didn't even try keeping the cold out of his voice.

"Leo, you take things very seriously. All of them."

There was a second pause, this one longer. Raph had enough time to internally debate if Donatello was overreacting or if he had a valid point, because there was no way to deny his last statement. And the fact that Leo started to laugh out of the blue, even if quietly, didn't help to clear the issue about his brother's sanity.

"It is not as if I choose the songs, you know."

"You didn't?" Mikey supplied.

"Nope. I found the cd, and thought the songs would do. Yeah, I admit they are somewhat dark, but the movie they are based on is too."

"It's a soundtrack? Which movie?"

"Spawn."

"Hey, we haven't seen that one! I have the comics though."

"Why did you keep it? I mean, Mikey lets you take any of his discs, doesn't he?" Donnie intervened. "He has a lot of them; I'm sure you could find something useful there."

"Donnie, seriously, I don't think that Titanic theme song could be used for training."

"Don't forget the Mary Poppins songs."

"Hey!"

"Thanks, Raph, how could I forget that one? But I found some of Mikey's music useful; a few of it I use to relax, and several of my own for basic training."

"But none of it fits for advanced katas," Raph supplied.

"Not as well as this kind of music does, at least."

"So you might find my collection interesting …"

That left them speechless, as Raph never ever, under any circumstance, allowed anyone to even look at his cds. That he was, seemingly, offering to lend them to Leonardo was, well, disturbing. Everybody found they needed to express something about it.

"That means you will lend them to me, too?"

"Keep dreaming, Mikey."

"I don't think this is a good idea …"

"Don't worry, Donnie, I will only givehim the inoffensive ones. We don't want to disturb his pure, innocent, pristine mind, do we?"

"Okay, Raph, you are not doing this in sake of brotherly love. What do you want on exchange?"

"Well, Leo, now that you ask, I think we could reach some agreement …"

Outside of the dojo, Master Splinter waited.