Thank you for checking out solo mission. It's my first fanfiction, and I hope you enjoy reading it. Your feedback and comments are most welcome.

Leo shifted beneath the sheets, tossing over in an attempt to find sleep.

Being the leader had its drawbacks, and frequent insomnia was one of them. The burden of leadership and the pressures of constant vigilance over his small family often wore on Leo in the small hours of the night.

On especially restless nights, he would often pace the lair, making rounds to the doors of Master Splinter and his sleeping brothers. Sometimes the reassurance that they were okay eased his tension enough to for a few hours of uninterrupted respite.

Rolling over again with an exasperated sigh, he threw back the covers and slid out of bed. Out of habit, Leo padded over to the dresser and secured his mask. His hands hovered over the hilts of his swords but then drew back. He was just going to have a quick look around, then get back to bed so he was fresh for morning training.

He eased down the hall, silent as the shadows he moved through. A thin blade of light shone through a crack in Raphael's door.

Caution now mixed with his concern. Handling the red-banded turtle was one of Leo's greatest challenges. Not that he didn't enjoy a challenge, but it would be best to approach this with some idea of the hot-head's current temperament.

Thinking back on the last few days, the younger sibling had been a bit withdrawn, punctuating his sullen anger with long silences. Leo frowned slightly at this; while there had been no specific incidents, it was unlike Raphael to bottle up his feelings.

As he approached the door, he heard a faint, rhythmic creaking, and slowed to try to resolve the source of the noise. A low moan brought him up short, possibilities flashing through Leo's mind: Raph sneaking out to tangle with the Purple Dragons or the Foot; Raph wounded; Raph too stubborn and proud to wake his brothers. He took a few quick steps to the door but was frozen by a breathy exhalation of his name.

Almost at the door now, he eased into a position where he could gaze through the gap from the shadowy cover of the hall.

Tattered red band slightly askew, Raph was semi-reclining in his hammock. One arm was hitched up behind his head and his knees were bent, one foot braced against the wall to help still the rocking motion – the apparent sound of the creaking.

He panted his name again. Blue eyes swept over emerald flesh. Raph's bulk was sharply defined from the extra hours he spent on the bag and heavy weights. The strangeness of the situation gave Leo fresh eyes, and for the first time, he saw that his brother was beautiful. Well, he wasn't going to be on the cover of any magazines, but the corded rope of his musculature glided smoothly, his skin dewy with the slight sheen of his exertions.

Raph half moaned, half growled, and Leo's eyes flicked back up to his face. He had caught his lower lip in his teeth and was bucking his hips forward, revealing himself to be thick and curved, sliding so slickly within his hand it blurred in frantic strokes.

Leo felt riveted to the spot, struck mute, with all the air sucked from his chest. There was no room in his mind for anything but this moment.

Raph released his bruised lower lip, gasping, "Ah, shell, Leo...I'm gonna...!" He thrust into his palm and streams of creamy substance splashed onto his plastron.

The spell broken, Leo turned and fled silently back down the hall.