Brotherly Bonds

Prescription

Donatello smiled and leapt out of his chair. Done. The blueprints were complete. Yes! Now he could get started. First he'd need to make a junk run and then he'd have to get one of his brothers to—

He saw the clock. Oh. Midnight.

Aw shell. His brothers would be in bed. Training started at six.

He sighed and his shoulders drooped. He made his way towards the lab door. There was noise coming from the other side. His face lit up and he rushed into the main room.

He stopped.

One of his brothers was reclined on the sofa with a magazine draped over his snoring face. Don hardly needed a second glance, but he took one anyway. The magazine title clinched it: Modern Ninja Magazine.

Raphael.

Donnie shuddered at the screams and pleas coming from the character on the television. He had no idea how Raph could stand to watch these things. Fighting the urge to throw up at the cracking of bones and the sight of blood, Don rushed for the remote and turned it off. Once he'd shaken off the frayed nerves, he crossed his arms and thought about whether or not it would be wise to wake the sleeping beast.

He gingerly lifted the magazine off Raph's face and made up his mind. The brainiac took down his bō and gently conked his brother over the head.

"Wh-ga-Huh?!" Raph straightened and then leaned back.

Don lifted his bō for another light whack when—

"Once more, Don, and I'll break your stick." Raph said, coldly.

"That's absolutely fine with me, Raph."

Raph yawned. "Turn the lights out on your way—what did you say?" The hothead bolted upright.

"Break it." Don handed Raph the staff.

Raphael stared at Donnie. He stared at the staff. "I'm dreaming."

"No you're not." Don reassured. "Go on. Snap it."

"No regrets?" Raph was still disbelieving.

"None whatsoever."

"No catch?" The hothead raised an eye-ridge.

"Just a free opportunity to break things."

"I'm in for that." Raph said amicably, but instead of breaking it right away, he glanced around. "What time is it?"

"Little after midnight."

"Shell, we have training early tomorrow." He grumbled.

"Yep." Don nodded.

"Let's go to bed." Raph stretched his arms.

Donatello shook his head and said, "No."

"No?" He sounded crestfallen.

Donnie's amusement left. Raph wasn't this open unless he was really tired. Maybe it would be better if he didn't say anything about it tonight. He might be able to talk Leo or Mikey into helping him out tomorrow. But then—

Raph rubbed the sleep from his eyes, took one look at his little brother's face and said, "Whatta ya need, Brainiac?"

"It's nothing. Get to bed Raph. I can do it myself." Don turned back toward the lab.

Raph's eyes narrowed.

"Do what?" he asked, suspicion clawing at his brain.

"I need to make a junk run before dawn. Just finished the blueprints for a new weapon."