A/N: Raph and Don hang out. No t-cest. It's not my best. It was never supposed to be.
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Don't care.
Donnie's tongue flopped out of his mouth in his trademark 'I'm-working-really-hard-on-this' concentrating face. He had almost buffed out all the imperfections, but the Shellraiser's engine was still giving him trouble. With a sigh, he rolled back under and began tinkering.
"Ugh! Gross." He sputtered, as a stray drip of engine oil splattered onto his face.
"Having trouble there, Genius?" Donnie wriggled out to see a familiar smirk on the red-banded turtle's face.
"I just don't understand it! I've checked everything, but it keeps stalling!" The frustrated terrapin complained.
"You tried lookin' at the oil viscosity?"
"Yeah…" Donnie frowned. Since when did Raph know anything about engines?
"Maybe it's a leak in the radiator?" Raph crouched down next to Don, his bright green eyes narrowed in concentration.
"No! I checked the radiator, and the hoses. Twice." Donnie snapped.
"Okay Donnie, keep your shell on." Raph delivered a slap to his younger brother's head, although he seemed almost amused.
"Yeah. Sorry, I'm stressed." Donnie shot his older brother a sheepish smile. Raph seemed to be in a good mood today, and Donnie did not want to ruin that.
"Ya think?" Raph smiled indulgently. "Let me take a look at her."
Donnie blinked in confusion, but dutifully stepped out of the way. Raph lay down, and slid under in one smooth motion. Almost like he'd done it before.
"I didn't know you, um, knew much about engines." The purple-banded turtle admitted.
Raph was silent for a moment, the beam of the flashlight chasing the inner workings of the engine.
"When was the last time ya took a look at the Stealth-bike?" Raph's muffled voice finally asked.
"That would be… months ago, actually. I've been so busy." Donnie mused. But that couldn't be right. They'd used it just yesterday. Motorbikes needed regular tune-ups, oil replaced etc.
"Wait a minute... It shouldn't have been in perfect working condition..."
"Yeah, well. I don't just punch things and read magazines. I needed a hobby." Raph muttered.
"I thought yelling at Leo and going topside to hit people were your hobbies." Donnie laughed.
"This is almost as good." Raph said, and Donnie could hear the grin in his voice. "Almost."
"I see. Well, I didn't know that." Donnie said. It did make sense, though. Raph got bored almost as easily as Mikey. And ever since they were little kids, he had constantly needed to be doing something with his hands.
"There's a lot of things you don't know about me." Raph murmured viciously.
"What?" Don frowned, the tone of Raph's voice snapping him from his thoughts.
"Nothing." Raph muttered darkly, playing with the wrappings around his wrists as he slid out from under the Shellraiser.
"Looks like a spark knock. Far as I can tell, the ring's cracked."
"I can't believe I didn't think of that!" He exclaimed, slamming a palm to his forehead.
"Ya can't be the genius all the time, Donnie-boy." Raph smirked.
"I would've figured it out eventually." Donnie said defensively. "Besides, you could've told me you were into cars earlier. I'd really love the help. And the company."
"I'm not into cars so much. Like motorbikes more." Raph's mouth twisted into a devilish grin, eyes sparkling with excitement.
Donnie barked a laugh. "You would."
"Always wanted a motorbike, ever since I was a kid." Raph opened up. "I remember seein' the perfect one, too, in a magazine. Still have it."
Donnie allowed himself a mirthful grin as he swapped places with Raphael.
"Is this motorbike being from that pile of magazines under your mattress?"
"No, Dr Subtle, it's not. Look, just forget about it." Raph growled, before standing up and stomping towards the door.
Donnie flew out from under the subway car, mentally cursing himself. Raph had been sharing something that was obviously important to him, and the so-called genius just had to go and insult his pride. It took a lot for Raph to let his walls down, even partially.
"Wait, Raph! I'm sorry. Please tell me." He pleaded.
"Doesn't matter Donnie." Raph grunted.
"Please, Raphie. I promise I won't laugh."
Raph gritted his teeth. If there was one thing in this world that could break through his tough exterior (other than Mikey's puppy-eyes, of course) it was Donnie doing his baby voice. Even as kids, all Donnie ever had to do was pout his lips and talk like he was three again, and Raph would be wrapped around his little finger, despite his best attempts to deny it.
"Fine." Raph sighed, leaning against the side of the Shellraiser with his arms folded tight. "And don't call me Raphie."
"I was what, nine? I found a magazine in da sewers. Picked it up, bought it back."
"I… don't remember this." Donnie frowned.
"Yeah. I didn't say I was s'pposed to be out in the sewers." Raph barked a laugh.
"So anyway. Mosta the pages were trashed. Sewage and rats, prob'ly. But there was this one page, absolutely perfect. Like…"
Donnie heard the unspoken words. Like it was made for me. There was a quiet, gentle quality to his brother's voice that he hadn't often heard.
"There was this motorbike. Bright red, and really shiny. It wasn't as fancy as some a the others, but it was my favourite."
Donnie smiled. It sounded like Raph's wall was finally coming down. Err… a little.
"Why didn't you tell me? Wrench. When you guys want something, like rocket-powered boots or whatever – spanner – you usually just ask. I've got a list, see?" Donnie's arm poked out from underneath the chassis to point at a pile of scrap metal.
Raph wandered over. To his surprise, there was a large piece of paper lying on top, covered in Donnie's messy scrawl, and splattered with everything from engine oil to pizza grease. There were items on here from years ago. Plasma tvs, body-armour, even Mikey's idea for a pizza-delivery tube that ran directly from Antonio's to the lair. Raph had no idea Donnie had even been listening, let alone written their ideas down.
"Cloth."
Raph jerked out of his thoughts to pass Donnie the cloth. "You actually looked inta this stuff? I didn't know…"
"There's a lot of things you don't know about me." The purple-banded turtle teased.
Raph rolled his eyes. "Ha, ha. Like what, genius?"
"Like I'm the one who drinks the dregs of the milk straight from the carton, and spills it all over the floor in the process."
"You little… I've been getting the blame for that for years!" Raph exclaimed, pulling him out from under the subway car for a well-deserved slap around the head. "Do you even know how many lectures I've had to sit through?"
Donnie chuckled. "I wouldn't exactly say you sat through them."
"Yeah, but since when have I sat through any lecture?" Raph grinned.
"True that. But this is our little secret right? If you sell me out, Leo will kill me." Donnie fretted.
"Hah! If Leo finds out the innocent little scientist is behind the milk spillage, he'll have kittens."
"Wouldn't be the first time." Donnie slid out. "Okay, so I've done the best I can, but we need a new ring. I'll have to go dumpster diving again."
"I'll come."
"What?" Donnie said, ever so eloquently. Raph never wanted to go pawing through rubbish.
Although, in hindsight, who would?
"You know me. Any excuse to get the shell outta here."
And just like that, the wall was back up. Donnie smiled.
He would enjoy trying to tear it back down.
A/N: I'm considering adding a part two. Maybe some dumpster diving. Or even Mikey and Leo bonding time. Seriously though. No t-cest. Makes me sad. Just brotherly love, peeps. Also, yes, I know, 2k12 don't say 'shell', but it's just too adorable!
Review, favourite, boost my ego. (Not that it needs boosting.)
Flames will be used to decorate the Shellraiser.