TMNT Shell Shots

Things in Common

*Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise.

*Spoiler Alert: This story is based on the TMNT monster arc. If you have not seen those episodes yet, I recommend watching them before reading any further.

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*'Things in Common' Summary: Donatello discovers that he and Raphael have a lot more in common than he thought.

*Author's Notes: I'm back with a brand-new 'Shell Shot' and this one takes place shortly after the episode 'Monsters Among Us!' I love the middle brothers, so I just couldn't resist writing a little bonding moment between them after the whole vampire saga.

Virtual hugs and cookies to my beta reader, Joanne N. Grey, and my creative consultant, Captain Vegeta. Truth be told, there aren't enough hugs or cookies in the world to express my gratitude to these two lovely ladies.

I want to dedicate this story to the amazingly wonderful IvoryS-J. You have been such a gift and an ongoing inspiration to me, my friend. Thank you with all my heart for always being here for me. I adore you.

Also, a big thanks to all my readers. I hope everyone enjoys this story. ;) CJ

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Things in Common

Okay, I'm pretty sure I'm about to get my shell kicked into the next millennium here, so there are a couple things I want to get off my plastron before I'm pummeled into a catatonic state.

First off, this was a horrible idea! No! Scratch that. Horrible doesn't even begin to describe it. This was just plain stupid. Like 'dumber than Casey' level stupid! I don't know what the heck I was thinking, coming up here to talk to my hotheaded brother. I mean, no one in their right mind would EVER accuse Raphael and I of being close. A more fitting way to define our relationship would be that we tolerate each other the best we can. I would even go so far as to say the two of us are pretty much polar opposites in every possible way. I like to fix things; he likes to break things. I like to use my head; he likes to use his fists. I like to take my time; he likes to yell at me and threaten to smack the green off me for taking my time.

Anyway, I think I've probably made my point. That being, Raph and I aren't exactly chummy. You get the idea.

Still, despite the many, many differences between us, I feel like I'm the only one who actually understands what my brother's going through right now. Theoretically speaking, of course.

That's why I volunteered to go after him and try to calm him down.

Crazy, right? I know. Definitely not the wisest decision I've ever made, but in all honesty, I didn't really have much of a choice in the matter. I wasn't about to let Leo volunteer. Not after what had happened back at the lair. And I certainly wasn't going to let Mikey do it. Raph would pound him into next Thursday.

Sending me was the only logical option.

Only, now that I'm standing here, alone on a rooftop with my already agitated, highly explosive brother, I'm not feeling quite so logical. Actually, the word 'shellhead' comes to mind.

I have to internalize a sigh, so as not to spook my hotheaded brother. I don't want to do anything to set him off.

Easier said – or 'thought' – than done.

Raphael had stormed out of the lair about twenty minutes ago; just moments after what was supposed to be an innocent sparring session with our oldest brother had turned into yet another brutal confrontation. While it's not all that unusual for Raph and Leo to occasionally try to pound each other's teeth in, something was definitely off about this particular fight. To be more specific, something was definitely off with Raphael. Sure, he had fought with his typical intense, aggressive style, but the way he kept staring at Leo during the fight was more than a little unsettling. It was like Raph didn't even see Leo right there in front of him. Almost as if he was looking at someone or something else. And then, all of a sudden, Raph just up and left, without so much as a word. Right in the middle of the fight. Again, it isn't all that unusual for Raph to lose his temper and stomp off in a huff, but this was different. We all recognized that something wasn't quite right with Raph. Well, maybe not Mikey so much. He seemed more concerned about who was going to get Raph's share of the pizza he had ordered.