You're 17 (TMNT 2012)

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Honestly, it'd been a few weeks before I noticed Leo was acting weird. I didn't think about it at first; my brother was always weird. Not this kind of weird though. I mean, he's always been responsible, always been in charge...just not this much, y'know? I didn't know why at first, either, not until a minute ago.

Whenever Mikey was being annoying and getting food, Leo would come over to help and give him a pat on the head. He'd always smile and help Mikey train whenever he asked. Leo would drag Donnie out of his lab every other day just to get his body moving; that wasn't a problem. He'd give the two everything they needed and more. Leo would sometimes put on a movie and just try to talk to them about anything that's on their minds. I didn't like to participate; feelings are lame.

It wasn't a problem in general, right? Leo'd even talk to me about anything that was bothering me...which was a lot. Y'know. But, jeez, the "mother hen" nickname we gave him was becoming more of a reality than before. Leo even wore aprons in the kitchen now. We think it's really dorky- me, Donnie, and Mikey- but Leo insists. We don't say much about it anymore. We stopped saying a lot of things about what he does.

I think Leo's trying to be something he's not. I mean, our father isn't with us anymore. Splinter did all these things. Now Leo is doing them. Leo is always there when we need him. Even April and Casey have noticed- Casey out of all people- it's been weird. I don't think I'm crazy though, I know somethings up.

Leo, well, he's my older brother. I'd never say it to him but he means a lot to me. I never want him to be sad or anything like that. I can't help feeling like he always is, though- like no matter what any of us do, he's sad. Maybe not the crying sad, or the mourning sad, but the lingering sadness. I've felt like that. I can take it, though, Leo shouldn't have to feel like that. Am I rambling? Maybe. Maybe I am, but it's been on my mind for a good while. I wanna help. I'm the older brother, too, y'know.

I spot Leo alone. He looks like he's cleaning...my room? I cleaned it last week, leaders orders! I walk in and glare at my brother. It wasn't his business to clean my room, where all my stuff is. I get it, it's nice, but I don't go and clean his room, do I? No. I clear my throat to catch his attention. Leo looks up at me and gets up from the floor: must've been searching for dust on the floor like the perfectionist he is. "What're you doing?" I ask. He looks away from me; why? Is he embarrassed he was caught in my space?

No. Leo's more meticulous than that. He thinks a lot. He's not embarrassed. He's caught off guard. "Sorry, I was just tidying." He responded. Tidying? It's tidied! It's the tidiest it's ever been! I scoff. "Yeah, nice try, what're you snooping around for Leo?" My brother looks upset at my response. "I wasn't snooping, Raph, I was tidying. I don't want you to think having a mess of a room is acceptable." Okay, rude. My room isn't that bad. I'm sure Mikey's room isn't tidy. He lives in actual filth. Where's his lecture? "Then I can tidy it or whatever, don't you have other things to do?" Leo nodded. I was surprised, actually; what else was there? "I have to get your brother out of the lab, he's being stubborn again. Mikey needs to take a bath. I have to clean up the lair and start training you guys today, plus check the security and—"

"Woah, slow down," I stop him. Your brother? He's our brother, isn't he? I'm confused for sure now. Leo doesn't speak about us like that, at least not normally. He's acting like dad. He's...oh.

"We can help you, Leo," I remind him. Leo shakes his head. "That's okay, I can take care of it. It's my job, you just do what you were doing before." Leo smiles at me, and he pats me on the shoulder. It feels patronizing. I don't enjoy feeling like a little kid. He's treating me like one. Why? Even dad was strict with us; clean your room, train from x to z, don't leave the lair, blah blah blah. It was order after order. Leo was keeping those orders to himself. It was weird. I didn't like it. I had to speak up. Leo brushes past me and I follow him out of my room.