Chapter Two

I couldn't stop fidgeting as me Donnie and Raph waited outside the dojo doors, as Raph and Donnie went over what they wanted to say. Sensei had gotten back earlier today, and now that we'd let Splinter settle in again it was time to talk to him about what D found. I felt kinda guilty for not noticing sooner. I mean part of me was happy when Leo hit his growth spurt late. Don't get me wrong, being the baby has its perks, which I totally exploit. But part of me always wanted a little brother, and in a small I could almost imagine that was true, with Leo being a few inches shorter and all.

"Alright Mikey, remember to leave the talking to me, okay?" Donnie's voice pulled me out of my own thoughts. I nodded in understanding before following my older brothers in.

Inside the dojo we found Sensei deep in meditation under the tree.

"Is everything alright my sons?" Splinter asked his eyes bottomless pits of love and understanding as he gracefully rose and moved toward us.

"Uhh.. Sensei" Donnnie tapped two of his index fingers together nervously. "Can we have a few minutes of your time, there's something we want to talk to you about."

Splinter nodded before disappearing inside the paper walls of his room, remarking a minute later with the small tea table and a few cups along with a pot of already brewed tea. "I was actually just getting ready to have some tea, I would be happy if you would join me, and let me know what is troubling your spirits my sons."

Sitting respectfully next to Donnie who was in the middle, I took the cup of tea, glancing down into the brown liquid. I never really like tea. Donnie preferred coffee, and Raph didn't drink much else than water, I always preferred soda, only Sensei and Leo really drink this stuff. I wonder who invented tea? Why would they create a drink so bitter? Was the first tea a mixture of dirt and moss? Why didn't they add sugar, or sprinkles, or whip cream or..

"What is on your mind my son" Splinter's strong voice pulled me back out of my thoughts. Yeah I really need to work on that. I get too distracted sometimes. Leo says it's like my mind is like 'dropping a pebble in a pond, casting about ripples of many sizes that spread in different directions to explore what's around them'. I like how he says that it makes my wild imagination sound more like a gift than an annoyance.

"It's Leo Senei. I'm worried about him. When running the results I recorded during the annual checkup that I administered on my brothers I detected a few abnormalities concerning Leo's growth that has me concerned. At first I thought nothing of the fact he hadn't hit his growth spurt yet, but then…"

Annnnd that's when I stopped listening. Boy, listening to Donnie sometimes makes my head hurt. Like looking at those long strings of unending numbers and gobbly goop Donnie has on his computer hurt, not like Raph hitting me in the head hurt, or brain freeze hurt. I wonder if Ice Cream kitty can get a brain freeze. That would be weird if she did. It must be sooo cool to be made out of ice cream. I wonder what it would be like to be made out of ice cream. What if instead of being turned into Mutant turtles with the mutagen, we were turned into ice cream ninjas...who could fly! Because man it would be cool to fly. That's why turflital is the best bug superhero…

"And that's why I'm concerned, Sensei, two years is a concerning development gap. So I was thinking that with the combined forces of the new diet I've been working on and an alternate more relaxed training regiment with the addition of more sleep, I think we could give Leo's body a chance to catch up to its normal development, while avoiding causing any more detrimental effects." Donnie took a deep breath to catch his breath, as he waited for Splinter to answer.

I bit my lip as Sensei sat back in deep thought, stroking his beard. "Hm" he hummed "I see". Turning his head toward the door he called out. "Leonardo, will you come in here a moment please"

Leo appeared in the doorway a second later. Frowning in confusion when he saw us all sitting in front of the tea table with Sensei. Leo obediently came to stand to the side, giving sensei a respectful bow before taking a seat next to Raph at the end looking confused. "You called for me Sensei"

Splinter nodded, stroking his beard once again. Leaning back with a somewhat thoughtful yet amused smile on his face and a distant twinkle in his eyes.

Hmm

"Yes, I was just talking to your brothers. Who are much concerned about your health my son"

Leo's blue eyes widened as he turned to peer at us, in shock, before his eyes softened into a concerned and caring look. Before he had a chance to speak Sensei spock again.

"Leonardo, tell me have you been eating?"

"Yes Sensei" Leo answered seriously, surprised and a little confused.

"Have you been training and pushing yourself to unhealthy levels again?"

"I'm always pushing myself Sensei? But it's been within healthy levels. I've been training no more vigorously than usual"

Splinter nodded. "Very well. You will submit yourself to Donnetello for another checkup, sometime within this next week. You will cut your evening training short, and get at least one more hour of sleep each night. Am I understood"

"Yes Sensei" Leo nodded.

I smiled but looking over at Donnie, I could tell he was not happy. This was not what he was hoping for. But before the genius could speak, Sensei continued.

"Leonardo, what does it mean to be the 'big brother'"

"It means to be responsible for the care and welfare of your siblings" he answered without any hesitation, his gaze serious.

I frowned in confusion at the sudden change in questioning, and looking at Raph and Donnie they were also confused.

"Donatello, do you believe that Leonardo fits this description?"

"Yes, Leo's a great big brother, but Sensei I don't see what this has to do with.."

"Rapheal" Splinter cut Donnie off "Do you agree with your brother?"

"Of course" Raph's green eyes widened glancing between Leo and Splinter with clear confusion. "Fearless has risked his neck to save us, multiple times. He pushes himself to the brink, he gives everything for us..that's why his health is suffering!"

"Mikelangelo" Splinter dismissed Raph's clear growing unease and sudden emotional declaration. "Do you also share this consensus"

"Oh course Sensei!" I declared adamantly. "Leo's the best big brother!" Why would Sensei even ask that?! Since we were little Leo had always been there to tuckus in at night, and read us stories, sing songs to us and chase the monsters away. He was always protecting Raph, Donnie and me. Putting our needs first, making sure Donnie went to bed, that Raph was being safe and was always there to comfort me whenever I needed it.

Splinter nodded.

"Leonardo one last question" I was surprised to see a sudden twinkle in my father's eyes. "How old are you?"

I was surprised that Sensei was asking all these questions. Leo was a great big brother! But what did that have to do with his devel..whatever gap Donnie's worried about? And of course we knew how old Leo was, he was the big brother. So of course that made him older than Raph whose seventeen that makes Leo..

Leo's face was a blank slate. "Fifteen"

I felt my eyes go wide. My ears must be betraying me or something! He couldn't have said fifteen?! Looking over at Donnie and Raph whose mouths are hanging wide open with their eyes so huge they look like they might fall out of their heads, I realize that I didn't hear him wrong!

FIFTEEN! That would mean….I have a little brother!

My mouth slowly closes as a huge grin spreads over my face, and that's when I realized my mouth was probably hanging open in shock like Donnie and Raph were. Leo was younger than me! This is great! Is it true! It must be true! Leo doesn't lie. And sensei would have corrected him if he was wrong. Leo is younger than me. I feel like squealing and jumping for joy.

I am not the baby anymore! Fireworks go off in my head as I look over at my little brother with a huge grin.

Splinter nods, before rising. "If that is all, I will be in my room"

"FIFTEEN!" Raph yells, as he jumps to his feet fuming. I can practically see the smoke billowing out of his ears.

"How is this..but raph is..and you are..and mikey is sixteen wich means you are…" Donnie babbles incoherently before grabbing his head. "My. Mind. Is. Blown"

Wow it takes a lot to blow Donnie's mind, with him being a genius and all. But I've gotta admit this is pretty mind blowing.

With a sudden squeal of pure joy I leap to my feat and pull Leo into a bone crushing hug.

"LEO" I hug him tighter, my smile so big it covers my whole face. "You're younger than me! This is even better than being shorter than me! YOur my little brother" Wow. "I promise I'm going to be a great older brother. I'm going to coddle you, and we can play video games together and I can give you all my old comics and.."

"Wow, slow down there Mikey" Leo pulls out of the hug holding his hand up. "That's sweet and all, and I'd love to play video games with you. But nothing has changed"

"What do you mean nothing has changed?!" I yell dramatically. "Everything has changed! Your my little brother, dude"

Suddenly Leo is ripped from my arms as Raph yanks him away to shake him. "YOUR FIFTEEN"

Wow Raph is really slow on the upkeep today.

"How..you lied to us!?"

Suddenly Leo's face goes solemn as he pushes Raph's arms off his shoulders, his blue eyes deadly serious. "I NEVER said that i was older than you"

"But you just said your big brother" Donnie pointed out, as the genius finally stands to join the conversation.

Leo nods, crossing his arms with a shrug "You are the ones that gave me that title, I've just always tried to live up to it"

Suddenly I feel like my life is flashing in front of my eyes and it makes total sense. Leo is our big brother, because we needed him to be. Leo being Leo stepped up, to be whatever we needed to be. He chased away the monsters under our beds, he made sure we wore our coats in the winter, and stepped up to be leader when we went above surface. It made total sense! But it was also a little sad..Leo gave up his childhood for us.

I rushed forward to pull Leo into the biggest hug I could. Well not anymore. As his older brother I was going to make it all up to Leo, everything my big bro had missed. This was my chance to be as good of an older brother as Leo was to me. I was going to make Leo feel so loved and coddled. I'm going to love being an older brother. I thought with a smile.

TMNT-TMNT-TMNT-TMNT-TMNT-TMNT-TMNT-TMNT-TMNT-TMNT-TMNT-TMNT-TMNT

I just stood there in shock. Letting my brother's words sink in.

"I NEVER said that i was older than you"

It was true, I realized. The more I thought about it, Leo actually never said his age. Splinter just always treated him like the oldest, so we all thought he was. When Splinter went out when we were kids, Leo was in charge. Leo was always the one to step up and explain if something went wrong, or take the blame. Leo was always the one willing to sacrifice, whether if it was at home or in battle.

"You are the ones that gave me that title, I've just always tried to live up to it"

The words repeated itself in my head, as realization set in. Hearing Leo say he was fifteen had made me angry! I felt robbed, here I was thinking he was the oldest when all this time it was me.

I felt a sudden calm was over me as I watched Mikey practically hug Leo to death. I could read the cascade of emotions in Mikey's bright blue eyes. And looking at Donnie, I could see he was thinking the same thing. Leo had been robbed just as much as I was. Maybe more. I thought with a frown. When Donnie said Leo had a developmental gap, and worried about undernourishment I had been angry, concerned, but I also didn't doubt it. Leo was always pushing himself, as leader and big brother he rarely got time for himself he was always busy taking care of us.

But Donnie was wrong, Leo wasn't behind. HIs readings or whatever were that of a fifteen year old because that is what he is! Man! I thought Leo acted too old for his age, as it was. Looking over at Leo trying to fight his way out of Mikey's grip, I realized that my poor bro was going to more attention than he ever dreamed. I kinda snorted in amusement. It was a fitting punishment. Though I guess I don't really blame him. He didn't really Lie. and in a way, he'd always be our 'big brother' it's just his personality. He was a mother hen to the core. He would always be pestering us to be safe, always willing to do whatever it took to get us through. But knowing his real age, I could step up in a few ways and take on a bit of the weight and responsibility of being the oldest. I wrapped my arms around Mikey and Leo, joining the hug. Leo stopped squirming, supplied. Next to me Donnie joined the hug. I couldn't help a smile from spreading over my face.

"You were worried about being babied before. Oh Leo your really in for it" I chuckled before adding "baby brother"

Donnie smiled. "I still want that checkup, but honestly this is such a relief" Donnie chucked. "Oh I can't wait to tell Casey and April"

"No" in the middle of the group hug Leo started struggling.

"Ooh I wonder if Casey could bring over his little sister's training wheels for fearless?" I mused.

"Yes" Donnie added "I hear she just mastered riding a bike."

"Maybe we could put them on Leo's skateboard?"

"Or katanas?" I mused with a grin.

"No one is touching my Katanas" Leo said in his best leader voice. And I couldn't help but grin. Oh yes the teasing and babbying would be mesolous for a while, no doubt about that but Leo would always be their leader, and his big brother.

Fin

Please Review! I might add more later, but this just seemed like a natural place to end. Please let me know what you think. I'm the youngest sibling in my family, but I always felt like I related to Leo in many ways. So I started to ponder what it was that makes someone the 'big' brother or sister. In this story I wanted to touch on my own opinion that it is much more than birth order, and is more about personality traits and life choices, that makes a person a 'big' brother or sister. I do not mind if you disagree, I found it a fun idea to play with: Leo being the baby of the family. Please let me know if you want a sequel to this story. Just a bit of brotherly teasing.

Take care

-Windofmysoul