-Warning: coarse language.

-A/N: I know I'm suppose to update Never and Stranger Whistles. But this just came across my poor mind. (A flash of Muse and now I'm in flames!)

I'll update my other stories ASAP. I'm still in the middle of a mid-term swamp. UGH.

And it's a story starring Raph and Leo. Okay y'll get Raph in almost all of my stories. I'm a Raph fan shoulda warned you first. But this one's, ha, LEO-CENTRIC.

Anyway! Enjoy!

-Disclaimer: I own nothing. These characters belong to their rightful owner. Creator and some company. Not me.

A Moment And A Leader

by TJ HECTOR

728…729…730…

Straighten his arms. Angle his elbows. Now raise them up.

731…732…

Straighten. Again. Faster.

733…

Now that's too fast.

734…

Do it again. Focus on the point of the sword.

735…736…

That one's perfect.

737—

"Jesus Christ. Ya still there?" Unmistakably Raphael from the doorway.

738.

"Why didn't you turn the lights on?" Raph said before finding the switch and hitting it.

The lights were on now. The dojo was lit up. Now he was able to see his arms, which now glistened with sweat, and the sword, which was still covered in blood accumulated from the last fight, in his hands.

"You're insane," Raphael said, walking toward him. "It's fucking 3 a.m.. What the fuck are you doin'?"

743.

"Hey I'm talkin' ta you, mister."

744.

"What the hell's wrong with you?"

A rough hand grabbed his shoulder and yanked him back with unexpectedly great force.

He fell. His sword fell out of his hands.

"Get offa me!" he shouted and glared at his red-masked brother. He threw a fist and hit Raph on the jaw.

"Geez, calm down!" Raph staggered back, wiping away a thin trace of blood on his chin.

"Why don't you leave me alone?" he cried in a desperate voice, watching Raph's eyes go wide.

"Why would I do that?" Raph asked, staring closely at him like he saw something strange or funny on his face. "You're losing your mind all by yourself in this goddamn room."

He got back on his feet, picking up the katana.

Turning against his brother, "I lost count," he muttered.

"Hey." Raph's hand on his shell. "So you think swingin' yer sword a thousand times' gonna help?"

"Yes," he said cruelly to himself. "I'm not fast enough. Not sharp enough. Not natural enough…"

"C'mon," Raph grasped his wrists and tried to pull the sword out of his hands, "let it go."

"What's your problem, Raph?" he yelled at his brother angrily.

Raph shrugged and raised an eye ridge.

"It's you who always tells me to keep my cool."

"I'm cool," he hissed.

"Huh really, you should to listen to yerself, Fearless," Raph smirked. "Man, your EQ's worse than mine. You just take everything to yerself don't ya?"

"Go away, Raph. Unless you want me to wipe that annoying smile out of your face with this sword."

"C'mon, you're not that good. Ya havta kill me first. And y'll get this corpse with that goddamn smile." Raph laughed.

"I'm serious, Raph. Go. Away."

"Ya know Mikey's alright now, don't you?" Raph frowned, leaning against the wall.

"Yeah," he muttered, unconcerned.

"Twenty stitches, another good job done by ol' Brainiac," Raph whistled. "But he's fine now. Asleep in his room."

Twenty stitches.

"It's my fault." Okay, start over.

1…2…

"How many times do I have ta stop you doin' that stupid move?" Raph sighed.

3…4…

"Leonardo. Jesus fucking Christ."

5.

"It's not your fault. Mikey shoulda dodged it himself."

He snapped before he could stop himself, "But I saw it coming. I should've been faster and I could've stop it in time."

"You know you couldn't."

"Because I didn't practice it hard enough."

"Geez Leo. You already practice nearly 24-7."

"Not enough."

A sai flew into his sight. His grip on the katana loosened. Raph snatched it away.

And before he could do anything about it, he was knocked down by Raph.

"Ya know what," the red-masked turtle said, pinning him there. "Sometimes ya scare me a little."

"Huh," he muttered nonchalantly.

"Listen Fearless," Raph said. "Ya just happened ta see that stupid Foot soldier aiming at Mikey. Anyone of us woulda jump in between 'em. Now you're just a little bit slow, because there were obviously some distance between you and Mikey, okay? There were some distance and unfortunately you couldn't be there in time. So Mikey got hurt. But it's no big deal. He's fine now. Donnie fixed him. Ya hear me? HE. IS. FINE. And there's no problem with your skill. You're goddamn perfect. So don't you dare practice suburi in the middle of the night and scare the shit outta me."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, ya scared me ya know that Fearless? You're behavin' like a lunatic, don't you think so?"

"Why do you care."

"Because my name's Raphael? What a stupid question was that?"

"I…I need some space, Raph. Go away."

"You already have too much space now you're getting a little loopy."

"I don't think so."

"Then what are you thinkin'?" Raph asked, finally let go of his arms and sat up.

"It's unfair, Raph."

Raph stared at him in question.

"It all happened in a moment. Win or lose. Dead or alive. We've been practicing these skills all our lives, but in a real fight you only got one moment to determine your fate. It's just not fair."

"Yeah," Raph said lowly, "That's the way it is."

"But it's damn frustrating," he said, looking into Raph's eyes. "It's damn frustrating. Makes me want to…just stop all these things…makes me want to…just want to…" He couldn't continue; he just shook his head. His gaze dropped to the ground, fixating on his lonely katana. What a fine thing. Blood on the blade. Oh it just made him feel so fucking—

"You're under too much pressure, bro," Raph said quietly.

"No. I'm supposed to take this pressure. I'm the leader."

"It's too late. You can be the leader tomorrow morning. Right now let me be the leader," Raph said.

"You want it that bad?"

"No. I just want you to wind down. C'mon." Raph helped him get on his feet.

He glanced at Raph. Frustration. Anger at himself. Everything.

But Raph got it. The way he looked back at him. Raph knew.

And maybe he could let go.

Let the pressure go.

Let the strain loosen.

Free himself from this torment.

"…Thanks, Raph."

He smiled weakly.

"Anytime," Raph returned him a smile.

They went out of the dojo.

"Now what, Leader?" Leonardo asked with a wry smirk.

"I'll heat up some pizzas and pour you a glass of soda," Raph said, "And you can go check on Mikey yourself and you'll find him snorin' in his bed loud as a horn. And maybe we can watch a stupid movie to get your mind off that fight. I guess Splinter wouldn't mind calling tomorrow's training off, since Mikey's injured an' poor Donnie need a rest. So yay, no need to set my alarm tonight."

"Wow, you're an amazing leader."

"Better than you right? I know."

"What about you?"

"Huh?"

"Why didn't you let Donnie take care of that gash on your arm?"

Raph jumped a little, hiding his right arm behind his back.

"I saw it."

"Oh."

"What a leader. Wait till you got an infection and tick off ol' Donnie-boy." Leo sighed, "C'mon, I'll patch you up."

Can't take the responsibility off just one moment.

But it's okay.

He had already made up his mind.

Whatever it takes.

And he forgot that he still got his brothers on his side.

No need to face it alone.

Yeah.

—The end.

*Suburi: Japanese word for practicing swings-of sport like baseball or here it means swinging a sword.