Leonardo Pov
"Autism?" I repeat in disbelief, my eyes fixated on the ground as confusion sweeps over me like tsunami.
"Yeah, autism. His is a lower form of it, but it's still there." When I don't make a reply, Mikey adds more of an explanation, "That's the reason behind his on and off uncontrollable anger. And why he isolates himself, because he doesn't want us to know."
I sigh, frowning deeply. "I always thought the reason for his anger was because he was related to Raph."
"That's another thing," Mikey says with a furrowed brow and an unsure look plastered on his face, "Donnie only told Raph about it. I just know because I heard them talking late one night. Wanna guess why D didn't tell us?"
I narrow my eyes, staring immensely at the floor, the gears in my mind turning fast. "Because he trusts him more?"
"One more try."
My frown deepens as this becomes more puzzling by the second. It has to be that Donnie only told Raph because he trusts him more than us, the two are too alike for their own good. Their sarcasm, easy grasp on knowledge, even. Not to mention the fact that they're both—by far—the greatest liars and secret keepers. Perhaps that's why Donnie told Raph, because he needed to rant and knew that Raph would be the most promising option due to his ability to maintain information meant only for certain ears?
No, that can't be it. I know Donnie, he wouldn't play favorites like that. We're his brothers, he wouldn't pick and choose who to tell.
My eyes widen, as a jolt of realization shoots up my spine, hitting my brain with a blistering crack.
"Donnie and Raph are blood related, and we . . ," I trail off, not having the stomach to voice the next portion.
"And we aren't," Mikey finishes dully, his hands sliding into his pockets, "Me and you are just the outcasts."
"How did you . . ," I can barely speak; this is too much to inhale all at once.
"Shortly after we moved in me, Don, and Raph had a movie night down here, and I fell asleep halfway through the second movie. Sometime later I woke up and the tv was off, and Donnie and Raph were talking. I pretended to be asleep, not wanting to be shoved out of a conversation for the seventieth time. Anyway, Donnie seemed to have some secret and then Raph played the whole, 'I'm your blood relative, the only one you have, you can trust me more than anybody,' card and then D caved in but told him they should talk in the office in case someone came down."
"Well, what were they talking about?" I demand, wanting to know more, more, more.
"I don't know. It was too much for one night, I don't think I could've taken anymore," Mikey admits while rubbing his arm, shame written across his face.
"And how the hell do you think I feel?" I snap bitterly. My brother's eyes snap away from his feet and move upward, examining my face carefully. Nostrils flaring, teeth clenched and baring, eyes narrowed to slits. My breathing rates are exclusive as I inhale and exhale faster than ever.
"It isn't my fault you don't know shit, Leo!" Tears stain my baby brother's eyes. "You don't care about me. Or Raph or Donnie or Mom and Dad or Jake. All you care about his yourself your-"
"Say it, I dare you," I hiss before he can say the vile word in description of Karai.
"-bitch fiancée," he finishes rather proudly.
My face scrunches up, but I don't hurt him, for the sake of my dignity. What I do as an alternative is race up the stairs and into my bedroom. As the door slams shut, I can hear Mikey's high pitched scream of frustration, barely muffled by the pillow he holds against his mouth.
I turn to the wall, slamming my fist through the drywall. But my anger isn't gone yet. So I punch and punch and punch. All night. Until finally, my temper wares thin, the tantrum over, and I'm far too tired to do anything but crawl into bed, and lay my head on Karai's pillow, inhaling her scent as I drift into nothingness.