Work Text:
Leo could only watch. He could punch, kick, scream until his throat tore apart but he could only watch. Look through the thick glass as Raph was torn apart. His younger brother was laying unconscious, unmoving and barely breathing as the Shredder approached, unscathed, uncaring and loving every minute.
"RAPH!" Leo screamed as he desperately tried to free his hands from the chains above his head "GET UP! PLEASE RAPH, GET-!"
Shredder slammed his foot down onto Raph's shell until it cracked. This woke Raph up, making him cry out and try to pull himself away but he was too weak. There was blood everywhere, his skin was more red than green by that point.
"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Leo begged, tears beginning to roll down his cheek but he didn't care.
The cracking noises only got louder as Shredder put all of his weight on the teen. Raph screamed but could barely move, he couldn't fight back or protect himself.
And neither could Leo.
He was trapped, stuck in a glass cage that would never shatter and restrained by unbreakable chains. But that didn't mean he wasn't trying. Maybe there was no honor or self-respect in begging your enemy but Leo didn't care. All Leo wanted was for the nightmare to stop, for his brother's suffering to end even if that meant the torture would be turned on him, he would gladly do it.
Finally Shredder looked at him, the first time he'd acknowledged the blue clad turtle during all of this, and Leo could've sworn he smirked. An evil, inhuman smirk.
"Please..." His voice was so small and desperate, but maybe-
Shredder unsheathed his blades.
"NO! PLEASE!"
He raised his arm so it was above Raph's neck, his eyes already looking lifeless.
"WAIT! DON'T! PLEASE!"
Leo was sobbing uncontrollably but it was no use.
"NO! NO! NO!"
All Shredder wanted to do was to cut the teenager's head off.
"NO! WAIT! PLEA-!"
So he did.
"RAPH!"
Leo shot up, panting as he frantically scanned the room. His heart raced like a rabbit's until he realised that he was in his room, only one door separating him from his brothers. He curled in on himself as a few tears started to pour out of his eyes, shoulders shuddering as dark thoughts took root in his head.
'I failed, it's all my fault, I couldn't save him'
The mantra repeated in his head, over and over again. It was unrelenting, deafening and everything Leo felt he deserved. He was the oldest and the leader, making it his job to protect his brothers including Raph (even if he was the closest to Leo's age). Sitting there in his bed only made the voices louder and more hateful so Leo got up and walked out into what was left of the lair. They'd found a new home and were slowly setting it up but it still wasn't ready for them to spend the night there so they continued to sleep in the remains of their lair. Leo and Splinter's rooms were still intact enough for them to use but the rest of the brothers slept in the worn down living room, including Raph. Leo crept in and immediately focused on Raph, laid on his stomach on the sofa and wrapped in so many bandages that they looked like they were the only thing holding his shell together. Cautiously, and with all his years of ninja training, Leo snuck through the room and sat down onto the floor next to Raph. He was snoring slightly but every so often he let out a small, pained whimper. What made it worse for Leo was the fact that he couldn't do anything, there was no logical reason for him to be there and there was nothing he could do, no way to take the pain away. Even when he'd watched it happen there was nothing he could do.
'Never again' Leo promised to not only his brothers, but to himself 'I swear Raph I'm never going to let you or the others get hurt like this ever again, even if it kills me'