Because I Can

(POTS) Baby Genius - Take 2

Anyone up for some wholesome Leo and Donnie interaction?

I know I always am!

After the crazy evening that he'd gone through, Leo was finding it impossible to relax enough to even consider falling asleep. Every muscle was tense like he was waiting for something else to go wrong, but he kept reminding himself that everyone, including the lair's current three-year-old troublemaker, was fast asleep.

If he was smart, he'd be joining them in preparation of the long evening ahead. Unfortunately, his body didn't seem to get the memo.

After what felt like hours, he finally began centering himself into a trance, pushing his thoughts and emotions to the side to attempt gathering some inner peace. Even a little bit would be incredibly useful right then.

"Leo?"

The leader in blue was abruptly yanked out of his meditation and into reality, blinking a few times to get his bearings. He spotted the small green form at the threshold to his room and calmed, speaking in a low tone as an invitation to enter. "Hey, Donnie. I thought you were asleep."

Leo suddenly wondered if Donnie's late-night habits spread to him as a child and inwardly groaned, his expression passive as Donnie crept further into the room. "I-I was but..."

His voice faltered and his curious older brother untangled from his lotus position to move to his side. "But?"

"It's dark." Donnie's timid voice was hardly higher then a whisper, but Leo could hear the shame buried in it. He titled his head thoughtfully as hopeful brown eyes peered up at him. "Can I stay wiff you?"

"Oh, well, uh..." Leo was hoping babysitting duties would have ended with the coming dawn and Donnie wrung his hands. "Please! I won't be a boffer! You won't even know I'm here!"

A convincing, albeit selfish part of him was tired and just wanted to send Donnie back to bed, but he knew he didn't have any hope of saying no to the puppy-eyed stare of his practically begging brother. He glanced to the door and then a deep sigh escaped before he offered a small smile to his mini brother. "Sure. Why not?"

Donnie lit up in obvious relief and dashed around him to pull himself onto the bed, allowing the leader to move him a bit towards the wall. The last thing Leo wanted was to accidentally knock the smaller turtle off the side of the bed during the night.

He was slightly amused to note that Donnie was now pushing himself as close to the wall as he could, his body lying unnaturally flat with arms tucked uncomfortably at his sides as Leo pulled the blanket over him, apparently determined to keep his promise of not being a bother.

Leo shifted a bit to give him room and then moved back into the lotus position, taking a settling breath to calm his mind and quiet his thoughts. Even so, despite all the concentration he put in the task, the subtle movements from his younger brother always stirred him just as he began sinking into it.

Wondering if Splinter ever managed to meditate when they were that young, he opened an eye warily and glanced disapprovingly over at Donnie when fabric was draped over his knee.

Both eyes opened when he saw that Donnie was copying his position, having kicked off the blanket and placed himself with his shell to the wall. His posture was sloppy and brow was furrowed with too much concentration to actually be accomplishing anything, so Leo tapped his arm curiously.

Donnie blinked both eyes open and lowered his hands as if surprised. "Are we done?"

Leo raised an eye ridge. "I thought you were sleeping."

"Me too." Donnie admitted with a shrug, "But then I couldn't and I was looking at you and you seemed peas-ful so I was gonna sleep like you."

He couldn't help the genuine smile that tugged at his lips. "Donnie, there's a big difference between sleeping and meditating."

"Yeah." His younger brother nodded wisely. "One you sleep sitting, and one you sleep laying down. I know that."

"Is that so?" Convinced he wouldn't be meditating that night, Leo simply laid back on the pillow with arms locked behind his head, his younger brother leaving the lotus position to crawl over to the pillow. "Sure. I'm intell-gent, so I know this."

"You sure are." Leo turned over on his side and grabbed the blanket to tuck it back around Donnie, but his younger brother crawled closer to him before he could, his head half-hidden in Leo's plastron as he peeked at him hopefully.

Leo let out an elongated sigh. "What happened to not being a bother?"

Donnie's face fell as he scooted back, worried expression suddenly forlorn and ashamed as he whimpered. "I'm sorry."

Guilt immediately flooding his chest, Leo sat up slightly in order to wrap an arm around the small carapace and pull the turt to him, carefully hugging him to his chest as he soothed, "No, no, it's okay. I was only joking. You're not a bother."

Donnie nuzzled into his hold. "Promise?"

"I promise." Leo felt Donnie relax and felt himself involuntarily doing the same, his younger brother leaning against him and yawning softly before he mumbled. "I don't like being a boffer."

"You're never a bother." Leo reassured gently, watching with some amazement at how easily turt Donnie was able to drift to sleep compared to the teen.

Then again, maybe he was always able to sleep easily. This would explain why he downed unhealthy amounts of coffee.

"Mmmmm." Donnie murmured drowsily. "What 'bout when I use big words?"

"Still not a bother." Leo reassured with slight amusement, watching as his eyes flickered open and shut in a fight against sleep. "When I blow someffin' up?"

"Concerning, but not a bother."

"Not... Not evin when I need ex'ra help wiff katas?"

"No, not even then." He chuckled, carefully adjusting him into a more secure cradled grip, laying him back on the bed. "Now enough with the interrogation already. Go to sleep so you don't be a grumpy shell tomorrow."

"Not grumpy shell." Donnie argued defiantly, snuggling into the blanket as Leo draped it over them. "Nuh-uh. Not. Noooo..."

Leo affectionally shushed him and he obediently quieted, lost not five minutes later to the grip of sleep. It wasn't long until Leo felt himself following his example, sapphire gaze studying the gentle smile on his little brother's features until they closed, his last conscious thought of how relieved he was that he hadn't sent Donnie back to his room.