**These short fics WILL contain Tcest. Please mind the tags!**

Chapter Three
Prompt: Late
Rating: T
Pairing(s): Raphael/Donatello
Tags: Turtlecest, Established Relationship, Idiots in Love
Summary: Raphael thinks it's time for Donatello to stop working and go to bed.

~*~.~*~

Raphael snorted awake, the bean bag chair beneath him rustling in the quiet. He yawned, stretching as he squinted in the dark room, his eyes falling on his brother hunched over a microscope in the blue glow of a dozen monitors.

The old, patched up grandfather clock on the wall chimed only once as Raph stood and made his way over to the desk.

"Come on Don, it's late, let's head up."

"Uh… yeah… I'll be right there."

The answer was barely a mumble. An automatic response, not to Raphael's actual words, but to the sound of his voice.

Raph snapped his fingers near Don's ear. "Hey, brainiac… you've been at this for two days, time to come up for air."

"Yeah… just… just a second…"

Donatello twisted a dial on the microscope, pursed his lips and turned his head, scribbling something on a nearby notepad.

Leaning with his hip on the desk, Raph crossed his arms and let out a disgruntled breath. "Just how long do ya' think I'm gonna let ya' keep this up?"

The comment was quiet, but it got through. Don looked up with a frown. "Let me?"

Raph smirked. "Oh, so ya' are payin' attention."

"Raph…" Don let out an exasperated sigh and closed his eyes. "Just go to bed. I'm at a very critical point…"

Nope. He wasn't going to play this game. Raph grabbed the back of Don's chair and spun him out and away from the desk. "Ya' missed lunch and dinner. Mikey looked like ya' kicked his kitten…"

"I know, I had to make sure my specimens..."

"Ya' can't keep doin' this. You need sleep."

"I need to finish these calculations before I..."

Raph was too tired for this same, dumb fight. He shook the chair out of frustration. "Why do ya' always fight me on this?! Why can't ya' just..."

"Because I know my own limits, Raphael!" Don snapped back, his voice loud as it bounced off the walls.

There was an over-tired, pushed to the brink glint in Donatello's eyes so manic that the hot head actually backed up a step, raising his hands in agitated surrender.

Don waved him off, turning back to his work with a dismissive gesture, and Raph bit his tongue to stop himself from making a comment he knew he would regret. There was no reasoning with the brainiac when he was like this.

Stalking out of the lab, Raph turned toward his room, intending to slam the door shut, lock it, and leave Don to sleep at his damn desk if that's what he wanted ...but he didn't make it more than a few steps. Almost immediately he stopped, rolling his shoulders as a wave of resigned irritation washed over him.

...dammit Donatello…

Pivoting on his heel he went to the kitchen instead, quickly throwing together a sandwich while a pot of coffee brewed. Minutes later he was back in the lab, setting a plate and a steaming mug down on the desk with a dull thunk.

He challenged Donatello with a look that dared the genius to tell him off again, but Don just blinked, his eyes locked on the plate and the cup like he had no idea what they were. Raphael actually saw the moment his brother came back to himself, taking in the darkened room around him as he glanced up to look at the clock. Don's face twisted with guilt, finally raising his eyes to take in the hulking mass of emerald green standing next to him.

Raph didn't need to say anything, he knew he'd made his point when Don stood and moved closer, hooking his arms over Raph's shoulders.

"I'm sorry, Raphie. I'm just… so close to a breakthrough. If I stop now…"

"Yeah... I know." Raph grumbled, satisfied that Don was at least thinking clearly again. "This is important to ya', but you're what's important to me... I just want ya' to take care of yourself."

Don's smile was apology enough. He reached down and plucked a sandwich-half off the plate, taking a bite to show his brother he understood. As he swallowed, he leaned in, placing a soft kiss on Raph's lips.

"I'll come to bed soon. I just need to run one more test."

Nodding his reluctant acceptance, Raph sighed and turned to leave. It was never 'just one more' but he knew when he was beat.

Donatello would drag himself upstairs sometime around dawn, or he wouldn't, and Leo would yell at him for showing up to practice on no sleep... again. It was frustrating as hell, but Raphael knew the only thing he could do was be there with another cup of coffee or a shoulder for Don to doze off on... just like the last time and the countless other nights before it.

~*~ tmnt ~*~