Chapter 9: Chances…
Today was not a good day.
And not just for a single turtle, all the turtles were not in the mood at all.
The mission had been almost a complete failure. Neither of the terrapins had bothered to even speak about it on the way home.
Blue eyes watched his brothers act on their own accord upon reaching the lair. Mikey just plopped onto the couch without a single thought, Don disappeared in his lab and Raph headed strait to the dojo; most likely ready to rip the punching bag off it’s chain with his bare hands.
Leo really didn’t even have to think much when he zero-in into his own room and close the door behind him. His mind plagued with many thoughts about the mission that he was more than certain that mediation wasn’t going to cut it for him. Quite frankly he was in no mood to even set up the candles, he was just done for now…
His feet took him along his organized room, and with a single motion fell onto the bed like how his baby brother earlier. He was grateful for the fact that Master Splinter currently visiting the Ancient One for now. Chances are he wouldn’t feel at all comfortable if his father came in and asked what happened.
Feeling his equipment still on him, he made a sloppy effort to take it off, leaving on his mask from the lack of interest.
He normally wasn’t like this.
But the mission could have gone better as well…
…Apparently he must have fallen asleep; because he awoke to the sounds of a certain hot-headed brother calling for his name.
Leonardo wasn't entirely sure for how long he slept because he awoke to someone calling his name along with tentative knocks at his door.
A hand rubbed slowly on his face to wipe away any exhaustion that came from sleep.
“I’m coming.” The turtle leader managed out, getting up from his bed and making his way to the entrance, he saw Raph once opening the door.
“What happened?” He asked making sure to keep it short, right now he did not need an argument with Raphael right now. After the mission, he wasn’t willing to add more negative auras in the sewers.
“Nothing. Mikey said food was ready, you hungry?” Raph questioned, making Leo tilt his head slightly to the side, a bit baffled as to why Raphael seemed a lot more calmer than he usually is.
He REALLY doubted that his hot-headed brother would be calm after a fight with Hun, not even after gutting the punching bag.
“Not really, but thanks for telling me.” Leo stated softly. Part of him wondered just how long did he sleep? Also when did Mikey make dinner…?
For a moment the leader thought his brother was going to leave, but he noticed that the slightly more buff turtle still staring at him. Specifically his legs then his arms and abdomen.
“When did ya take off your gear?” Raphael asked motioning his green eyes towards Leo’s face.
“A while ago, I guess I might have fallen asleep.” Leo answered, gaining him a look of surprise from his younger brother.
“Never took ya as one to take a nap after a battle.”
Leo only shrugged and walked deeper into his room, seeing that the other turtle still haven’t left just yet and Leo was starting to wonder if there was something else his hot-headed brother wanted to discuss about.
There was an uneasy silence, but just as Leo was about to ask, Raph already took his leave.
The blue banded turtle stood there for a moment, but seeing as there really wasn’t much left to go on, he let it pass for now.
…
Was he even trying to walk back to his brothers at all?
Leo thought silently to himself when his hand touched the wall for a third time since leaving his room. He didn’t even have he gear on besides his mask, thankfully he wasn’t the only one seeing as Mikey lacked a belt and Don made haste to remove his joint pads as well.
Raph seemed to take Leo’s look as he only had on his mask. At the moment the red banded turtle rested his head on top of his arm on the table. In a way Raphael looked almost like when he struggles through a hangover.
With the blunt expression: ‘Spare me the lecture, my head is killing me, bother me and your face kisses the wall.’
Unfortunately Raph did experience a hangover at one point last year, and it was poor Mikey that had been the first test subject to figure out what was wrong with Raph at the time. And well… Mikey had a solid, good three hours before he stopped seeing double of everything.
Leo sat down slowly next to his brothers, catching sight of Mikey bringing the Pizza in the center of the table.
“Is there ever a time where ya don’t wanna cook pizza Mike?” Raph grumbled lifting his head only slightly.
“Hey, I was craving pepperoni and red onions this time!”
“For the last three days… and every day you ate the same toppings.” Don inquired lifted his own gaze from the little mechanic he was tinkering with.
Leo shouldn’t have been surprised to see Donatello working, if he wasn’t in his lab he would bring the lab to him.
Quite frankly Don’s stomach wasn’t the only thing that was hungry right now.
Neither of the brothers said a single word when they wolf their pizza down, well at least Mikey. Though to be honest Leo would have preferred that one of his brothers said something, the silence felt incriminating. Yet no one said a word during the meal.
The first to go was Don. The genius took his little machinery and escaped to his lab, Mikey was next only to leave, no doubt where it involved a T.V.
And all that left was Raph and Leo in the kitchen. The tempered brother biting into the last of his share, his green eyes solely on the latest magazine, most likely about motorcycles.
The turtle leader’s dish wasn’t even half finished, his appetite not working for him.
Leo stared at his silent brother, then he sighed-
“If ya wanna say something’, now’s da time.” Raph groused his eyes never leaving the magazine.
The leader’s heart skipped a beat, his gaze looking up in mild surprise at his brother. “Raph-”
“Look before ya say anything’, I’m not in da mood for this long lecture or for an argument, I had enough of Hun for one day. The bastard s‘just lucky he didn’t scratch my bike this time.” Raph interrupted.
Leonardo blinked in surprise, but it felt expected, quite frankly the one who took the mission the worst was Raph considering that Hun was involved and managed to get away with the money as needed. The only reason it felt like they didn’t completely fail was because they managed to save the innocent bank workers while remaining in the shadows.
Leo thought talk was the last thing on Raphael’s mind.
“What is there really much to say…?” Leo exhaled, his brain thinking partially at the day’s earlier events.
“Thought so.” Raph added making his older brother look at him. “After all, s’not the first time we got our shells kicked out of us before fearless. Just surprised ya didn’t go into that weird solo leader act again.” Raph rolled his eyes on this.
Leo wanted to redirect that comment, but his head was starting to feel heavy at that.
Raph looked away from the magazine for once and saw his brother, a bandana covered eye ridge rose.
“You okay bro?”
The oldest released another sigh and rose from his seat. “I’m fine, just a little tired.”
The red banded turtle watched his silent brother leave, he contemplated whether he should make his brother spill the beans, but right now…
Man. Maybe another punching session would help.
The third oldest stood from his own seat and moved on to the dojo, just about anything would help keep his mind from today’s hell.
...
Leo’s head was getting heavier at this point, in fact he didn’t have enough energy to walk up the stairs. So instead he made it to the closest cushion available.
His hazy blue eyes saw the screen of the T.V flashing multiple times, the sounds of racing motors almost loud when he fell onto the couch. Turns out his little brother was playing one of his racing games.
A single baby blue eye watched the forest green turtle before resuming to the T.V.
“You look tired.”
Leo didn’t respond and regained a better seating on the couch. He expected another comment, but instead the youngest remained silent.
That’s weird.
The leader observed his little brother, he seemed, a little tense?
*Is he okay?* The oldest thought softly. But before he voiced that question fatigue started to extend to his entire body. Leo almost didn’t fight it back as it got the best of him.
His vision was much more blurrier than before, and his hearing got foggy…
Leo didn’t know what happened but the next thing he can recall was something warm wrapping around him before blissful darkness took control.
