People Pleaser
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Raphael punched viciously at the dummy in the dojo with all his might, taking out all his frustrations on the wool made punching bag, imaging it was Leo's face. He grunted and snarled after every punch causing Donnie to look up from his computer. He sat at the bench legs crossed looking over some old codes and the police scanner to keep up with any new leads to follow. But he wasn't getting much done with Raphs noises.
"Stupid Leo, thinking he can say whatever he wants!" Raph mumbled to himself hitting the dummy slightly harder. Donnie rolled his eyes going back to his laptop.
"Well next time maybe actually follow his directions. He is the leader." Raph threw one more good punch and turned to his intelligent brother.
"Doesn't it bother ya' at all how they're acting? Me and Mikey both went in there and we both came out and I get chewed out." He yelled.
"Last time I checked he was yelling at both of you. You were just the one ready for a response." Donnie said mildly.
"Shouldn't matter." Raph seered. "Now Leo and Mikey are shacking up and obviously our leader has some other priorities and favorites." Donnie laughed, still not looking up from his laptop.
"I don't see a problem."
"Ya of course ya' don't cuz your head is so far up Leo's ass ya' wouldn't be able to see what was happening." Raph said.
"Gay joke?" Donnie said with a sly look.
"Ain't funny." Raph growled. "And what are you doing in here anyways? Shouldn't you be in your lab making something?" He questioned.
"I would, but take all the offense when I say I'm here to make sure you don't break anything else. I have too much to do to clean up another one of your messes today." Donnie said. Raph scoffed turning back to the dummy.
"Ya well, looks like you're gonna fix this dummy after I'm Done with it." He took another hard swing at the doll.
"You know, you can just talk to Leo and Mikey about how you're really feeling." Donnie offered up. "Mikey would understand." Donnie made it a point to just bring up Mikey since the two siblings were so close. Raph just looked down at the ground and scowled. Donnie was right, Mikey would understand and would do anything to make Raph feel better. But the problem wasn't with Mikey directly it was more Leo. Tensions between the two brothers were definitely spiked but not for reasons most would assume. Raphael was just frustrated about how often Leonardo was taking Mikey away. Whenever Raphael wanted to go out, have a beer, or go on a ride Mikey was always his first to go turtle. But as of late, he couldn't even spend twenty minutes with his youngest brother without the overbearing mate hovering above them.
He was just so fed up with the obvious favoritism going on. This last run was the first time in a while that Raph and Mikey were paired together and Raph wanted to enjoy it. He wasn't purposely trying to put he or Mikey in danger, The last thing he would've ever wanted was to see his little brother get shot but the problem is that now that both Mikey and Leo are together, everything that happens can be considered sensitive. Leonardo looked over Mikey like a hawk and even if the youngest brother appreciate it Raphael certainly didn't. He didn't like the new dynamic in the team now that the two were together.
Frustrated with himself Raph threw one more hard swing at the dummy to break it off its hinges and landed on the floor. Donnie watch the dummy fall to the ground and groaned.
"Geez Raph sure hope you weren't thinking about my face." He heard the voice of his little brother from the doorway. Raph turned to see the famous Michelangelo leaning against the door frame with a smirk on his face.
"Get out Mikey, or else you're gonna end up like the dummy." Raphael threatened.
"Damn, so much hostility I just walked in." Mikey played off, walking over to stand next to Donnie who immediately got up and walked over to the dummy.
"Well, while you two hash it out I'm gonna go grab some Coffee since now I have a new project." He glared up at Raph who immediately looked away.
"Leo's in the kitchen." Mikey said just to clarify where the eldest was.
"Shocked he ain't passed out." Raph said grimly heading towards the weights. Donnie immediately tensed but Mikey kept calm and smile on his face.
"I mean he would have but had to make sure he ate first." Mikey explained.
"How thoughtful." Raps responded not looking at him. Without losing his grin, Mikey took a deep breath to control himself from saying something witty. Donnie picked up the energy in the dojo and left the room in a scurry wanting to have a chat with the eldest alone.
After Donnie had left Mikey took a few more steps towards Raph before breaking out in a innocent smile.
"So we good bro?" He asked with the best intentions. As quickly as Raphael picked up the weights he immediately dropped them in disbelief.
"No, we ain't good." He said in a flat tone.
"What did I do?" Mikey said. "If anything I'm a victim of cross fire. I didn't make you fight with Leo for the millionth time this week."
"Yeah? Well maybe there wouldn't have been a fight if ya would have taken some of the heat too." Raph responded.
"Hey, I got yelled at too remember." Mikey put emphasis on himself. "And you should be thanking me. It probably could have been a lot worse if I had said something right then and there."
"Ya don't get a free pass cuz ya decide to turn around and fuck the guy in charge just to get out of punishment." Raph said.
"Who said I did it to get out of anything?" Mikey shrugged. "Me and Leo talked and I got yelled at too. The make up sex was just a bonus." Mikey was so Nonchalant about the escapade between he and Leonardo and Raph felt he should have been astonished. Though it was always Mikey who was much more open publicly about their relationship than Leo was. Then again, it was Leo who had to keep up the facade of leadership to make it work so it was obvious why he didn't show his favoritism to the world.
"Ya, glad one of us got happy ending." He said sarcastically.
"What, is that what your mad about? If I would have known you wanted a little action I would have just told Leo to include you." Mikey said with humor. A disgust sneer plastered on Raph's face.
"The last thing I want is to join in on something like that." With that comment, Mikey's smile immediately dropped. He looked away and rubbed the back of his neck.
"Wow, you really don't like what me and Leo are doing do you?" He asked. Immediately reading the change in tone from his younger brother, Raphael realized he had hurt Michelangelo's feelings and was slightly guilty.
"Look that ain't what I meant." He tried to reassure.
"Then what's the problem?" Mikey asked.
"I don't know! Look I ain't against you trying to be happy alright? I ain't mad that you and Leo are gay." Raphae explained.
"Sure seems like it." Mikey pointed out.
"I just don't get it, but I ain't gonna stop you two from doing whateva. I just don't like feeling like I'm losing brothers either." Mikey's irritation was immediately was depleted by Raphs confession and understood his brothers attitude probably a lot more than Raph.
"You're not losing either of us Bro. I promise." Mikey tried to reassure.
"Ya can't say that when ya got Leo looking over you like a hawk." Raph argued. "He basically tells you what to do more than not. It's like he makes you glued to his side." Mikey had to hold in a snicker from Raphs rationalization about the time spent with Leo. Even if Mikey tried to explain that it has his choice to be around Leo as much as he did, Raph would turn it around as a "I told you he was controlling you" kind of situation. It was easier for Raph to believe that Leo was just a control freak than to think Mikey Just enjoyed the extra time Spent with the eldest.
"Well, what is it that I can do to make it so you don't feel like that?" Mikey asked. Raphael thought about it. He wanted something to show Leo that he may be the leader, but he isn't the show stopper. He wanted to prove a point.
"The next time we go out topside. Ya follow my lead. And if something happens ya don't duck and cover we did it as a team." Raph clarified. Mikey groaned.
"Come on dude, didn't you learn anything last time?" Mikey pointed at his bandage arm. Raph scoffed.
"Please you Milked that to make Leo feel bad for ya and you know it." Raph accused.
"What? I would never!" Mikey said in an over dramatic tone.
"Look are you with me or not?" Raph asked in a serious tone, raising his fist in agreement. Mikey huffed. He understood Raphael's insecurity. This was new to all of them, it was a strange phenomenon none of them were expecting. And if he was completely honest, Raph was always the last one to pick up what was happening. Instead of fighting anymore with his already overhyped brother, he caved and met his brothers fist with his own, giving an agreement of understanding.
"Alright, alright. If it will get you to stop throwing a hissy fit." Mikey said. Raph smirked before giving a brotherly punch in Mikey's shoulder having Mikey give on back.
"Well hey if we're all done being mad wanna watch that new scary movie on pay per view?" Mikey asked.
"Yeah, I'd like that." Raph responded.
"Is it alright if I tell Leo and Donnie about it too?" Mikey asked putting his hands up in submission, "no cuddling I promise." Raph laughed, shoving past Mikey playfully heading to the kitchen wanting to be one that invited their brothers to some Quality time.
Leo sat at the kitchen table sipping at his tea enjoying the quiet the kitchen was and how relaxed he felt. It was a much needed alone time he needed from his mate considering how tense he had been feeling because of his hot headed brother. He tried his best to follow the advice Michelangelo had given him, considering that Raph might just be having a hard time accepting the change of dynamic in the family, but it didn't change the hurt Leo felt when Raphael became so vicious. It hurt him deeply, probably more deep than Raphael would ever know.
He picked up the sound of rustling and saw Donnie walk in the kitchen with the wool dummy over his shoulder and a scowl on his face.
"Another one?" Leo asked. Donnie tossed the dummy on the table and groaned, heading straight for his coffee machine.
"5th one this week." He said pouring himself a cup. "If you guys can cut your fights down to 3 times a week that would be appreciated." Leo smirked.
"Well you don't have to fix it every time he breaks it." he pointed out.
"Of course I do." Donnie said taking a seat across from his brother. "If I don't fix it then he has nothing to hit."
"I mean, he can just not hit things." Leo said.
"This is Raph were talking about." Donnie took a sip of his coffee. "You know, you can lighten up on him a bit. He may not be a witty as the rest of us but he's not stupid. He can see your playing favorites." Donnie pointed out. Leonardo frowned at the comment.
"I don't mean to." He admitted. "I just know Raph goes out of his way to make things hard for me, and I know Mikey follows along to keep the peace."
"I mean you're not wrong. But it still looks bad for you to chew him out and go in the other room with Mikey to have both of you with grins on your faces." Leo liked talking to Donnie. He was always so blunt and straight to the point. He appreciated it and was happy to get a different perspective on his leadership.
"What do you supposed I do then?" He asked.
"Just let them be dumb." Donnie said. "They're not going to stop and now Raph is more than motivated to go the extra mile just to piss you off. So, let him. And if Mikey tags along, you have to give them equal treatment or ignore it all together. They're Ninja Leo, they aren't easily knocked over."
"You're right." Leo admitted. "It's just hard because I just want to keep Mikey safe."
"Well, just remember you're our leader too. We all have to be safe. No one gets first because the relationship got more complicated. We matter too." Donnie said. Leo felt guilty. He had been so focused on Mikey and his well being he completely overlooked Donnie and Raph. It would explain Raphaels cry for attention as well. He took another sip of his tea and took in Donatello's words. And speaking of Donnie…
"So, when are you gonna tell him?" Leo asked with a smirk. Donnie gave a scowl over the lip of his cup before putting it down.
"He's not ready for that kind of talk." He said. "He's still pretty against you and Mikey together so I'm doubting he would be interested in hearing anything I had to say."
"Come on Donnie you won't know till you talk to him. Who knows, maybe him knowing your feelings will make him more open to the idea." Leo tried to say. Leonardo and Donatello have had multiple conversations now about Donnie coming out to Raph but each conversation ended the same, Donnie dodging and putting it off. It was almost as if Donnie had a fear of rejection from the red banded turtle, and today's events and Raphael's words have set Donnie back even further on the pursuit of finding a relationship with him.
"How did you know it was the right time for you and Mikey?" Donnie asked. Leo thought about the question and a small smile appeared on his face.
"It's funny really. I guess I didn't really know till it happened. Maybe it happened when Mikey kept coming around more to practice or meditate. Or maybe it happened when I was able to open up to him in ways I could never with anyone else. Not even Master Splinter. I guess there isn't really a time stamp for this sort of thing. You just, know." He said. Donnie sighed. That really didn't help his situation but he could see from the smoothed out lines of Leo's tired face, it made all the world to him. He was overall happy for his eldest. Since he and Mikey had come out to their family, he seemed to be less on edge. He was more tolerable about certain things and less stressed about their lives in general. Donatello couldn't blame Leo for not making sense on how he knew what he was with Michelangelo, all he knew was that it was right. That still didn't help the situation with he and Raphael and this one sided love Donnie was feeling. He wished his story was like Leo's and Mikey's but that surely was a fairy tale.
As if on cue, Raphael came in through the doorway and stood before Leo and Don. It was initially silent between the 3, Leo leaning back in his seat waiting for Raph to speak. Raphael took a breath and looked down at the ground.
"Me and Mikey are gonna watch of movie if ya wanna join us." He offered, quickly flashing his eyes between the two. Leo glanced back at Donnie who smiled before turning back to Raph.
"Sure i'm up for a movie." Leo said standing up. He walked up to Raph and put a hand on his shoulder and offered up a grin. Raphael stared for a minute before mimicking his brothers movements and gave a friendly pat. Donnie watched the silent apology before they all walked out to the living room to see Mikey loading up the DVD and taking a seat on the couch, welcoming his brothers with open arms.
Master Splinter peaked out of his room to see the four brothers enjoying their quality time and felt his heart warm. He knew this change in their family would come as a shock and would be something they would all need time to getting use to but trusted their bond as brothers would always be stronger than their insecurities. He went to bed that night happy to have his sons home and in loving arms. All was once again right in their home…
Until the morning after when Donatello received strange activity in an old building ran by the Shredder.