Just Doing My Job (#22)

TMNT 2k3 – Mikey and Raph/Don/Leo

Summary: It was his job. Rather they liked it or not. A couple of various moments between Mikey and his (now little) brothers. One shot.

Notes: Alright! I feel safe enough to make another one of older bro!Mikey xD

I kept this one to myself because I didn't think there was a point of uploading it, but alas, the amazing people on this site prove me wrong once again ;p

So, this isn't a second part or anything; just a continuation of the idea, not the one shot.

These each have titles that say 'Mike and...' but tbh, just ignore that. It centers all of them but it's more based around those two in the title. No real centrics though.

Disclaimer: I do not own Ninja Turtles.

Mikey and Leo, 16 years old, Christmas Eve/Christmas Day

...

Mikey sighed as he found virtually nothing in the garbage bin. What in the world was he going to give Leo?

Lifting himself up from his hunched position, Michelangelo looked around the trashy Brooklyn alleyway in distain.

He had already gotten the presents ready for Raph and Don, Sensei, and April and Casey; he just couldn't get anything for Leo.

What in the world would Leo ask for? He knew his immediate younger brother would take just about anything; from a newspaper to his old, sweaty training belts. Just as long as it had some meaning to it.

But he didn't want it to be just anything. He wanted it to be more than something.

He wanted it to be the thing.

The thing that'd make his younger brother so much happier than any other Christmas.

He had to make this present, the thing.

But how?

The old war books that were hundreds and hundreds of pages long were never just thrown away, making it extremely hard to find them anywhere in the whole world. And since they were expensive, he couldn't muster enough money to just send April or Casey in for him; and he wasn't about to ask that they paid any of it.

No, this had to be from him and him alone.

Then, like a lightning strike, he came to an idea. He knew what to do. He found the thing.

...

Leo frowned, wondering where his brother could've went. He had been up because he couldn't sleep and was going to tell Mike he was going for a midnight run to tire himself out. Imagine his surprise when he arrived at an empty bed.

'Where in the world did he even go? It's Christmas Eve...and plus, he was too tired after helping decorate to be going out. He was even swaying...okay, that was him being a drag queen but still. We were all so tired...even I slept for a while.' The blue clad ninja thought. He knew his brother, while a klutz and a goof, was still able to take care of himself. In fact, Leo could remember times when his brother protected him on the rare times he was off-guard.

But back to his currently missing brother...

He knew he was supposed to tell someone when he was going out; not wanting to disturb Sensei or his other brothers, he went to the only viable option.

But that option was somewhere in New York now...

That's when he felt the presence of someone knew in their home.

Leo went on guard and was prepared to fight bare handed, ready to protect his family.

"Leo? Why are you up?" Mikey's ever-relaxed tone came into his head, making Leo relax.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that question?" He scoffed, crossing his arms across his plastron.

Mikey then came into view, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Eh, let's not ask questions, 'kay? And I asked you first, lil' bro." He smirked.

Leo rolled his eyes before eying the bag behind his brother's shell, "What's that?" He asked, curiosity getting the best of him.

"Um, nothin' bro. Just, go back to bed, 'kay? This is for one of the guys tomorrow."

"Then why can't I see it?"

"Jeez, someone's nosy today." Mikey then walked over to Leo before patting him on the head softly, "Head to bed, Leo. It's late."

It was the most calm and gentle voice that Leo has heard from Mikey in years.

But Leo, using his stubborn genes, shook his head, "C'mon Mikey, what is it?"

Mikey sighed loudly, "It's something for me to know and for you to find out." He began walking to his room as Leo tried grabbing his brother's shoulder.

"Mikey!"
"'Night, Leo." He smiled gently before disappearing into his room, leaving Leo to be blow out a breath and forget all about his midnight run.

As he went back to his room, he couldn't help the ever-present childish inquisition.

"...Goodnight..." He mumbled.

...

The next morning, everything was in full swing. When Raph woke up last, he found his nose being treated to the great smell of greasy heart attack-fuel (bacon), oversweet pancakes with mini empires of desert built on top of them, green pepper and onion infused scrambled eggs, and some nice hot coco.

He smiled softly; Mikey's cooking.

As he made his way to the kitchen with an unusual smile on his face, he was greeted to a pleasing sight.

His older brothers were bickering lightly; Leo was seemingly pestering their eldest brother, which meant he was in an obviously playful mood. Something he could get along with.

Don was calmly digging into his food, trading some conversation with Angel, who was already over. She had a bunch of ugly Christmas sweaters in her hand and looked pretty pleased with herself. She was wearing one herself.

"Morning, Raphie! We were just talking about who was gonna wake ya! Glad I didn't have to do it." He flashed his trademark smile and Raph snickered at his brother's "Kiss the cook" apron. Mikey stuck out his tongue at his younger brother.

"I happen to like my style, thank you very much!" He stated with mock offense.

Raph just smiled and shook his head as he sat down and took a plate.

"This is great food, Michelangelo. I just wish it wasn't so..." Sensei began, for once getting stuck on his own words, more so, the lack of.

"Sweet?" Leo pipped.

"Artery clogging?" Don drawled with fake sardonicism.

"Wonderfully delicious!" Angel smiled at Mikey who winked back.

"Thank you, Angel." He scoffed mockingly, "At least someone appreciates my efforts." He crossed his arms and then lost his seriousness and gave a laugh. It seemed to be infectious as Raph, Angel, and Don gave laughs of their own and Leo just smiled. Sensei had this warm, loving smile on his face.

As everyone began eating and chatting for the rest of the morning, Casey and April eventually came in. Not before long, it was time for the presents.

As they all exchanged presents, Mikey was slowly becoming more and more eager to get to his turn. It was tradition; they'd go person by person. Whoever's turn it was, they would get their presents then give out their presents to others.

When it was Mikey's, he gratefully received his gifts.

"Thanks, Raph! You little gift giver..."

"Mike, Ah swear-"

Don butted his head in, "Uh, uh, you two. No roughhousing during gift giving. Only after." He tutted with a small hidden smirk.

Leo chuckled at this but was shocked with how fast Mikey had shoved the present in his hand.

"Leo, I have a feeling you'll like this one. Here ya go, Raphie, this one's kinda big but you'll have room for it...at least I hope...Oh! Don, here's yours, bud! Angel, Casey, April; you guys get slightly better presents than my brothers because you guys are good people-" this earned fake boos and some raspberries from his brothers, "- And, you Sensei, get the best gift of all because you're just Sensei." He smiled sweetly as he gave Sensei his present, causing the old rat to chuckle at his oldest son's holiday cheer.

Leo could barley contain himself when he opened his present. He had pulled the wrapping off carefully but knew from the minute he saw it, that it was a DVD. He just wasn't expecting it to be a DVD about the art of war. It wasn't the books, but it certainly would do.

Raph smiled brightly once he saw his wrapped-up present. It was obviously a punching bag, but the color of it was something on its own. The bag was red and black with a sweet pattern on it; it looked badass and even Casey looked at it with admiration.

Don's face light up like the lights on the tree when he received a new book in science that was on a college doctorate's level and was thick as shell.

April was more than happy with the new purse and Casey gave a smile of thanks to the orange clad turtle when he received his new hockey DVD's from decades ago.

"How'd ya even find dese DVD's, Mike? Dere so old, Ah can't believe ya jus' found dem in dis good a condition in a trash bin..." The older man scratched the back of his neck in impish wonder.

"A Santa never tells his secrets." Mikey joked lightly, wiggling his eyebrows playfully.

Angel gave Mikey a big hug when she obtained a new pair of headphones and a new pair of shoes.

Splinter chuckled lightly and then thanked his son when he received a collection of Soap Operas.

'Mission "Christmas Santa" Accomplished.'

Mike and Raph, 15 years old, "Tales of Leo" episode/Pre-Leo waking up

...

Raph should never sound like that. Never.

Mikey swore on his grave, that if his little brother ever cried like that again, he'd smack his own self silly and then seek out whoever made his tough, independent brother cry and put them 6 feet under.

No, Raph should never sound like that. Not him.

Mikey found himself behind his little brother, who was looking everywhere but Leo and the others in the room. He knew his brother was crying.

He was choking up now.

Mikey then took this as his cue to move forward and no one stopped him.

As he put a hand on Raph's shoulder from behind, his eyes soft and loving, Raph turned around fast and wrapped his arms around his brother roughly. Mikey held him just as strong and kept a loving embrace around Raph. He soothed his brother by humming an old lullaby that their Sensei used to sing them.

"Under a bright, blue, endless sky..." He hummed/mummured softly in Japanese, causing Raph to break down just then.

"Waves try to measure, the days that we treasure...wave hello and wave..."

"Goodbye..." Raph choked into pieces as he finished the last part of the lullaby in English, too upset to continue in Japanese like his brother had. Mikey let one tear slip and he held Raph tighter, none of the others wanting to interfere.

He knew it was okay to break down now. It was always okay with Mikey.

Always.

Mike and all his brothers, 17 years old, nightly patrol

...

All Mikey knew, was that his brother had a gun to his head.

That did not fly with Mikey; no sir.

Mikey kept his eyes trained on Don but also kept Raph and Leo in his peripheral vision.

Man were they vicious.

But oh, oh was Mikey so beating them then.

Growling, he glared a killer look to the gun man before looking eyes with Don and using his hand to signal 'Duck'. At first, Don was confused, but then understood.

Leo and Raph caught on.

The gunman was shaking now.

"If you freaks don't move, I'll pop him! I swear I will!" He nearly squeaked out. Mikey whispered something low under his breath; something Raph and Leo barley even caught.

"You really shouldn't have done that." Was all he had whispered, before commencing forward. He knocked the man down as he took the shot, but Don had already ducked down, using Mikey as the distraction.

Even Raph's eyes widen as they saw Mikey threaten the man who was pinned against the wall.

"Listen and listen good," He murmured lowly, "if I catch your punks around these parts, I swear, this warning will be the least of your problems. Understood?"

The man hurriedly nodded. Something about Mikey's voice made himself a threat. A serious threat.

Mikey shoved the man along before turning to his, well, shell shocked (I'm sorry, km now) brothers.

"What?" He questioned innocently. Raph burst out laughing at that as Leo shook his head in shock. Don was blushing furiously.

"Y-yo-you...you scared us damn straight." Leo blinked as he stammered out his words. Raph then wiped the tears from his eyes.

"He goes all batman on us, den he says 'What', like he ain't gotta clue." He snickered, though he had been just as scared of his own brother as Leo had been.

Mikey chuckled lowly, "Trust me; I can get worse." He didn't let his brothers ask another question before heading to Don, "Did he put any scratches on ya, Don? I swear, if he did I'll drag his sorry ass back here and put a tanto to his neck until he apologizes to you, then rip his-"

"Okay, thank you, Michelangelo." Don blushed as Leo gave a laugh as well.

"Not a problemo, mi hermano." He smirked before rubbing his brother's head with vigor, causing Don to whine and push his brother's hand away.

"Now can we get home? I wanna kick your guys' asses in a game."

I have no idea if this is my last exploration of an eldest brother Mikey, but I have a feeling it's not. And yes, I borrowed the lullaby from "Ariel's Beginnings".

Oh c'mon, that lullaby and "I remember" are like two of my favorite Disney songs. The lullaby is so sweet and "I remember" was so beautiful.

Okay, so I might end up making more Older brother!Mikey fanfiction...and possibily a "The Little Mermaid" fanfic soon. (BTW, I don't own that franchise either...)

Don't judge me.

Hope you enjoyed! Flames will be used to burn my search history (0-0) and reviews are always welcomed and are writer's candy!