You

TMNT One-Shot: You

Smug, self righteous, know it all, bossy-

"YOU aren't ready to be leader!"

-heartless, glory hogging, teacher's pet-

"-but most importantly, I'm BETTER than you."

-cowardly, deserting, cold-

Better than YOU

Raphael wanted to scream, he really did. Leonardo had finally crossed the line. He hadn't been home for more than a few days and he was already bossing Raphael around, telling him what to do, say, think. Leonardo had deserted them, he had given up. Raphael hadn't, he had found a way to still battle evil. But Leonardo was the golden boy, the fearless leader, the favorite son; he could do no wrong in the eyes of the others. Raphael was sick of it, of feeling inferior to his brother.

Better than you

His feet sent sprays of rain whenever they hit the concrete roof. He needed to get away, to clear his head. It had felt so good.

"Raph?!"

He had sounded so surprised. Raphael had done something about the evil around him and Leonardo had been surprised and then-Oh Shell-had told him to stop, had lectured him. It had felt so good-hitting him, pummeling him, scaring him. He could still hear the snap of steel; feel the satisfaction of destroying those swords his older brother worshiped so much.

Leo's face…

His pace picked up slightly. Why did he still see it in his head? That face, daring him to do it, to hurt him. Disappointed…always disappointed! And sad, just a little but still, sad for him, for his temper. Why did Leonardo have to mess with his emotions so much?

"nnnnnnARRRRGGGGGGGGGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Raphael stopped and whirled, body going suddenly cold. He knew that voice; and the pain and fear in it terrified him. That voice wasn't supposed to ever be afraid.

"Leo…"

He could just barely see the pulsing red light and knew immediately what had attacked his brother. Leonardo wasn't supposed to be able to be ambushed. Leonardo was the expert, the best fighter. Leo…disarmed, because of him. Distracted by Raphael's childish tantrum.

"Leo!"

He had to get there-he could see them leaving, taking his brother-

"-to be a better leader-FOR YOU!"

"Leo!"

He wasn't going to make it, but he had to. He had to.

"YOU abandoned US!"

"Who says I want to be lead?!"

"Go back to your jungle!"

"Leo!"

"We got along just fine without you!"

No…he wasn't going to make it. They had reached the truck…the one Raphael had seen at the construction site. They were going to get away…

"-to be a better leader-for you!"

For YOU

YOU

"LEO!"

-abandoned US-

-want to be lead-

-go back-

-fine without you-

-without you-

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

They took him…they hurt him…they took him...they took his brother. His brother. His Leo.

Fifteen year old Leonardo frowned as he sat staring at his swords. Raphael rolled his eyes and tried to ignore his brother. It was hard to do so when they were alone and Leonardo was radiating such irritation.

"Okay suck up, what's wrong?"

Leonardo's normally serene face was full of frustration. "My weapons…they're…not coming out the way I want…it doesn't feel right…"

Raphael rolled his eyes and went back to sharpening his own weapons. He supposed this was what he got for choosing metal weapons instead of the simple weapons Donatello and Michelangelo had finished so fast. Now he was stuck with Mr. Perfectionist. He had finished an hour ago but Leonardo…this guy refused to finish. He stared at the steel in front of him and then looked up at Raphael.

"Do you think that Sensei letting us make weapons like this means we'll be allowed above ground soon? As a team?"

Raphael had grinned and tossed his sai in the air, catching it deftly. "I'll tell you something, when he does, that place'll never be the same. Now hurry up with those and come on! What's so important about them?"

Leonardo turned back to his work. "Sensei says that these weapons we make are a part of us…they'll defend us and our honor and we must treat them with respect and put in them all we wish to get out of them. I will have to trust these with my life; and I will." He looked up at Raphael with eyes burning with a determined fire. "The only thing I will trust more is my team, my family."

He'd failed him. Raphael sank to his knees. He stared at the swords in front of him. The blades that Leonardo had poured his heart into; the blades that Raphael had destroyed over--what? His jealousy. His anger, misdirected. He knew that now. It wasn't Leonardo's fault…he was angry with himself. He had felt betrayed but Leonardo had been thinking of him and the others. He felt like a second rate son when Leonardo strived to be perfect to help his family, to prove himself to them. He coveted the role that Leonardo took on hesitantly…the giant weight that he bore silently…why had he never noticed…?

He picked up the broken blades and closed his eyes.

-abandoned US-

-want to be lead-

-go back-

-fine without you-

-without you-

Because of him Leonardo could die. His brother could die before he had a chance to take it all back…all of it. Shaking, he stood up. If he found him-when he saved him, things were going to be different. He was going to be different. It was time to grow up.

Those rocky freaks were going to rue the day they messed with his Leo.