The only ones in need of love are those who don't receive enough

:) :) :) :) :) :)

So if you wash your hands of where you've been until you flood the second floor

Neatly fold your skeletons, but still can't shut the closet door

The only ones in need of love are those who don't receive enough

So evil ones should get a little more

~'Laplace's Angel (Hurt People? Hurt People!)' By Will Wood~

"So you," Leo said, pointing at Splinter, "Want to spend time with me."

"Yes," Splinter said, ignoring the stab of guilt that pierced his heart.

Leo laughed, casual and natural seeming.

If not for the gleaming in his eyes.

A gleam that had once been a bright sparkle. . .

"Look!" Leo exclaimed, the five year old excitedly showing off the bandages around Donnie's arm.

"Blue!" Splinter snapped, "What did you do!?"

Leo looked confused, a bit hurt, he chirped in confusion to Donnie, who shrugged.

Leo hadn't spoken until he'd turned five, but even that was rare and only on occasion.

"You wasted all the bandages!" Splinter scolded, unwrapping the (skillfully, but he didn't notice that in his anger) wrapped bandages.

"Book!" Leo said, as if that explained anything.

"No! Don't go and ruin a book like you've ruined these!" Splinter snapped, frustrated. He wanted to be back in his chair. Back watching his shows. But Mikey and Raph showed up worriedly begging him to check on Donnie, who they thought had been injured.

A wounded sound escaped Leo, and he turned and ran off.

"He was trying to recreate a sling," Donnie said quietly, "From a medical book."

"Tell Blue he can do that when he learns to read," So ok inter sighed, exasperated, "He clearly couldn't base that off pictures alone. It was so improperly done."

"Leo can read," Donnie said, looking confused.

"Blue likes to lie a lot," Splinter said, slightly condescending as he pet Donnie on the head and stood up, "He's pretending to so he can do things like this." He said, gesturing to the mess of bandages in front of him.

Years later, when he watched as Purple had created an entire med bay for Blue on their thirteenth birthday and Blue was flitting around the space, excitedly examining each took with methodical profession, Splinter realized he'd been wrong.

Yet he never said anything.

A crack. Small and unnoticeable. Like an ant from a skyscraper.

Yet with the power to destroy and completely collapse-

"Yeeesh Splinter," Leo said, laughing casually, "This isn't like that time you were so tired you mixed me and Dee up, right? He's in his lab! Go ahead and ask him!"

Before Splinter could say anything, Leo rushed off, undoubtedly going to his room.

Mikey, who had been watching not subtly at all, grimaced, "That didn't go well."

Splinter sighed, "I don't know how I'm supposed to talk with him."

"Let me handle this," Mikey said, cracking his knuckles, "I'll get him to hang out with you in no time!"