"Do you mind?" Don demanded, slapping his brother's hand away with an irritated growl. "I don't invade your privacy." He added. Not that you would even notice, you know nothing twit, he thought to himself resentfully. A moment later, he regretted it, but by now, he was pretty used to that never-ending cycle of resentment and regret.
"I don't text people that could become a potential security risk to this family's safety either!" Leo snapped. Gods, Don can hear the self-righteousness drip from every word. "What if it's a member of the foot?"
Does Leo really think him that stupid? Really? "One, it's not texting, that's with the T-phone and you know it. This is called chatting. There are actually other names for it, but chatting is the most common label, although there are"
"I don't care what it's called. We don't know this person."
"You don't know this person. I, however, been chatting with him for about a year."
"Oh, that's just great!"
"Come on, get a grip. It's not a member of the foot!" Don said, hearing his own voice raise as he screamed at Leo for the first time since their well, their 'conversation' started, if you can call it that. "I mean, come on! Techno bat? That's a great name for a ninja, I think not, Fearless."
"That's not the point, and don't call me that!" Leo shouted back, throwing his hands up in the air. Don watched, a detached part of his brain analyzing him. Must be frustrated beyond belief, He thought, with a rare sense of smug satisfaction. About time the great one gets discomforted. It was clear that Leo was no longer able to control his anger anyone. Sometimes, Don used to wonder what it was like to be in Raph's, well, shoes, during one of his and Leo's epic battles for dominance. Well, it appears that he is finding out. He only hoped he can get away before it came to blows. He was fairly sure he didn't want his shell kicked. Wow, Leo is actually shaking with rage. Interesting. "What happened to you? Did you and Raph switch personalities or something?"
Don bit his tongue to keep from yelling back again. He had to control himself. Or he'll blab like a baby and he was determined not to. He didn't want to confide in Leo, didn't want to give him any way to hurt him again. Perversely, he still didn't want to hurt Leo either. He really didn't want to hurt Mikey by pouring out all his grief in an angry fit. Mikey at least tries to care. He rolled his eyes, and affected an attitude of cool distain, as he leaned back in the computer chair, crossing his arms before him. "Wow, you really figured it out, Mr. Holmes."
"Oh great, welcome back, Mr. Sarcasm. I was wondering where you went to."
Don glared at him, his resolve to control himself, and not give Leo any ammo momentarily forgotten. Where did Leo get these lines anyway? What a precious, pompous prancing, world-class ass. He said not a word. It's not his nature, he was not by nature a shouter. At his angriest, he shut down, and shuts the person he's furious with out. He has no time for asses, after all.
"Don, I…" Leo threw his hands up again, he turned to Mikey. He demanded, no, he shouted at Mikey. "How long has he been like this? What were you and Raph doing?!"
Mikey held his hands up quickly. Don saw tears swimming in his eyes. Don thought he was angry before. That was nothing compared to the pure rage that consumed him now. "How dare you! Leave him alone." He glared. "He is not part of this conversation. I'm pretty sure he's royally pissed at you as well, anyway!"
"What have I ever done to you to deserve…"Leo turned to face Don, his face red with frustration and rage. Then he paused. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He grew cold and stern. Oh, great, he's about to play the leader card, Don thought angrily. Well, let him.
"No, wait." Leo said slowly, carefully. "I don't care how you feel, Donatello. You are going to shape up right now. I am the leader. I deserve your respect. And you will show it, starting right now. Is that clear?"
The two turtles glared at each other, the tensions between the two seemed to sear the air in the room. Leo stood with his arms crossed before him. Don thought he looked like a statue, rigid and unmovable. He knew that if this was between him, and Raph, they would have locked horns already. They would have been trading blows, acting like barbarians. Leo was ice, and Raph is fire, after all. An explosion is always inevitable in such a combination. The action will follow the inevitable reaction. Simple physics. But Don was also ice, cold and calculating. The result was a standoff, a room that felt in the sub-zero climate.
"Okay, Leonardo." Don glared back, his voice stiff and formal. "Then you can, with all due respect, go straight to hell."
"Are you going to challenge me?" Leo demanded, just as stiff and formal as Don had been.
The tension in the air grew unbearable. Klunk had enough at this point. He had been getting more and more agitated as the confrontation escalated, and now bolted for Mikey's room, screeching his protest with a long, drawn out yowl. Only Mikey noticed. Mikey seemed frozen where he stood. He looked from one to the other, twisting his orange bandana in his hand. Don hated to see him so confused, so lost. He hated Leo for doing that to the baby of the family. He hated himself even more for doing the same thing. He felt sick, with the strain if things right now. In his heart of hearts he was a pacifist. He was too angry to follow his instinct to smooth things over now, but he hated to fight. He hated confrontation.
He hated everything about this moment, but he was scared that if he bowed down now, Leo would walk all over him again. Leo would take off again, and hurt everyone again. He didn't care. Leo didn't care about any of them.
Don felt his whole body shake with conflicting emotions at war in himself. Finally the rage broke. Shame blossomed like a poisonous flower. Don sighed, scrubbed both hands across his head, and dropped boneless back in his seat from which he had shot up when he saw Leo yell at Mikey. Fine. Let Leo walk all over him. "No, Leo. I don't want to challenge you. You are a better leader than I am."
He hated himself now more than ever before. His voice took on a weak, whining undertone, in his ears. He was weak. He deserved to have Leo walk all over him. He deserved, well, everything. He deserved to have been abandoned and forgotten. "Can we just drop this, please?"
"Donnie…" Don's head shot up at Leo's tone. It sounded so uncertain, so scared. Leo's never scared. Leo took a hesitant step forward, his hand slowly reached out. As though Don was a scared animal Leo was trying to sooth.
Don sighed and buried his face in his hands. He felt like he should be on the verge of tears. He felt like he should be yelling at Leo, or attacking or anything but what he was feeling now. He felt empty of all emotions. He felt empty and pathetic. "Don't touch me. I don't deserve….I mean, I don't want you to touch me." He finished somewhat lamely. Gods, he was lame. He was the most pathetic, pointless, worthless turtle on the face of the planet. And at the moment, his dearest wish was only that he would drop dead, right then and there.