Christmas Eve in New York City was one of the busiest days of the year. The streets were crowded with last minute shoppers as they bustled around, fighting for the last opportunity to fill the space beneath their gaudy christmas trees. High above them, clouds were gathering in the sky, threatening to cover the city streets in a pure blanket of white, to make it pure for one day. No one would be more grateful for the reprieve from the dark side of the city than the four brothers who found themselves leaping across rooftops and running at full speed behind their leader.
Leonardo's piercing blue eyes were narrowed as he searched for any sign of trouble as their patrol came to an end. Instead of heading for the sewers they made a sharp turn towards the apartment that April and Casey shared. Christmas was being held there this year and he and his brothers couldn't be more excited. Leo noticed that his brothers had fallen behind because of a heated discussion and slowed to a stop.
Mikey and Raph were arguing. Well it was more like Mikey was looking sheepish while Raph yelled at him. He dark green face was scrunched up in fury, his amber eyes alit with frustration.
"What's going on?" Leo asked Donatello, who leaning casually against a brick wall, tinkering with his shell cell.
"Mikey, the shell head, forgot all of our winter gear at the lair. Raph is pissed because he and Casey were supposed to have a snowball brawl or something like that." he rolled his eyes at the ridiculous situation that his brothers were in. Leo sighed and braced himself to intervene.
He stepped forward just as Raph raised his arm to pummel their youngest brother.
Leo caught his wrist and gently pulled his arm down to his side.
"Here's what we're gonna do." he said firmly, staring straight into Raph's eyes.
"Mikey and Don are gonna head to April's and help her set up for dinner while Raph and I head to the lair an get our snow gear.
Raph seemed to calm down under the gaze of his brother and mate, squeezing his hand.
"You just wanna spend time with your boyfriend." Donny said snakily and Mikey broker into peals of laughter.
Raph tensed and took a step towards his brothers, a growl rising from his throat and emerging to enforce his angry expression. Since they had begun their relationship, Raph's possessive nature had emerged when it came to his precious mate.
He was about to tackle his younger brothers when a firm hand was placed on his plastron.
He looked down, his eyes comically wide with surprise and his mouth gaped a little. He towered over his older brother by a head but Leo was giving him one of his patented 'leader looks' that said let me handle this. With a shrug, he backed off and crossed his thick, muscled arms over his chest. He was smirking as Leo turned to face his brothers, his face as serious as if he was talking to the Shredder.
"Yes I do." he said simply and then grabbed Raph's hand and began dragging him away while Mikey and Don laughed. Once they were far enough away Raph pulled hard on their connected hands and brought them chest to chest, their beaks pressed together.
"How was that handling it?" he growled grumpily.
Leo just smiled and leaned up so that their mouths were pressed together and they were engaged in a passionate kiss.
Raph's frown subsided as he fell into the kiss, his hands stroking up Leo's sides teasingly.
He smiled against Leo's lips when his older brother made a whining noise and pressed closer against him. The noise never failed to send Raph into a tizzy and his hands journeyed south until they were cupping his mate's ass reverently.
Leo's eyes popped open in surprise and he made a noise of surprise as he was lifted up by his brother's strong arms and pressed him against the nearby brick wall.
Leo chuckled at his brother's eagerness and grabbed his bandana ties. Raph growled and pressed against him, once more connecting their lips in a heated kiss.
"Shaddup." he mumbled and Leo chuckled again at how easily they could read each other. He pulled on Raph's bandana ties and he let out an aroused chur, which Leo answered with on of his own.
Raph squeezed his ass in response and began grinding their crotches together.
Suddenly Leo had a devious idea in which he could accomplish their mission and get his mate all hot and bothered at the same time. Because let's face it, Raph was super sexy when he was angry.
He pushed back against the wall and landed so that his lover was laying on his shell and Leo was pinning him to the ground. Raph grunted at the impact but his moment of pain was soon placated by Leo pressing his lips on Raph's.
They made out for a few minutes before Leo remembered his plan. He nuzzled Raph's neck and bit him gently, making him gasp in pained pleasure.
"Catch me if you can." he whispered and then got up quickly, dashing off in the direction of the lair with a loud laugh. Raph laid on the rooftop, panting, dazed, and hard as a rock. He came back to reality and jumped up, running after his speedy mate, his fury at being left in that state fueling him.
"Leonardo!" he yelled and sped up.
Leo burst into the lair, breathless and laughing. He had a good five minute lead on his furious lover, and took that time to gather up his younger brother's snow clothes and put them in a bag. He put on his own clothes, and waited for Raph.
He didn't have long to wait as seconds later Raph burst in angrily, huffing and puffing.
"Leo. Get yer ass out here right now!" he roared and stood there for a second. Suddenly Leo was holding Raph's hands behind his back with one hand and covering his mouth with the other.
Raph glared at him with all of the fury he could muster, but Leo just chuckled and laid him down on the floor by where he had set all of their stuff. He straddled Raph's chest and began dressing him in his snow clothes. Once his top half was finished and Raph wasn't trying to rip his head off with his gaze he helped him slide on his pants and pulled the zipped up with his teeth, his gaze never leaving Raph's. Raph inhaled sharply and watched him as he put on his shoes.
Leo climbed back up so that he was laying on top of him, face to face with his hot-headed lover.
"I love you Raphie." he whispered and gave him a small kiss. He gasped when Raph flipped them over and kissed him hard.
"Don't call me Raphie." he whispered and pinned him on the floor of the lair. After a few minutes of heated kisses they were jolted back into reality by the shrill ringing on Leo's shell cell.
He sighed and pulled it from his belt. Raph sat up so that Leo was perched in his lap and Raph had full access to his mate's vulnerable neck. he nuzzled him and nibbled on his neck, making Leo laugh as he answered the phone.
"Kinda busy here Donny." he said into the phone as Raph licked his neck and made him shiver in delight.
"I am not Donatello my son." Splinter's raspy voice came from the phone and Leo's eyes became as wide as saucers in embarrassment and shock. He leapt off of Raph's lap, his cheeks bright red.
"Sensei!" he nearly shrieked and Raph groaned in despair, mourning the loss of the moment. He got up and got the bag, grumbling.
"We'll be right there." Leo said frantically and hung up his phone. "Raph! we've gotta-" he looked around in surprise when he didn't see Raph.
"Let's go Fearless!" he called from the sewer tunnel and Leo shook his head and chased after him.
They arrived at April's house around dinnertime, landing silently on the fire escape. Leo turned with his back to the window and leaned in for a kiss from Raphael before they had to reel in their affections. His lips were inches from Raph's when the window behind them slid open and he was yanked into the room by his bandana tails. He fell backwards onto the floor and found himself looking up at the scowling face of April O'Niell.
"Where have you boys been?" She screeched and Leo smiled sheepishly up at her. Raph chuckled as he climbed through the window and into the warm apartment. Donatello and Casey were sitting on the couch, absorbed in the Peanut's Christmas Special. Mikey was humming in the kitchen, cooing over his masterpiece, the christmas ham. Master Splinter was seated in his armchair contentedly, a small smirk on his face as he listened to his two oldest sons being reprimanded by April.
"Dinner was ready ten minutes ago and the movie has already started!" She screeched as Raph helped Leo up and then left him to flounder under April's fury.
Raph smacked Casey's unsuspecting head as he settled himself in the other arm chair next to his best friend. He and Casey immediately began to argue playfully about the winner of their upcoming snowball war.
Leo eventually calmed April down enough to escape her clutches and help load plates in the kitchen. This was the one day of year that they were aloud to eat in front of the TV. April was very strict on that policy. After everyone else had their plates the cooks settled down for A Miracle on 34th Street. Mikey and Don had settled on the floor in the pillow nest that Mikey had created. Casey and April had settled on the couch and Master Splinter and Raph were in the recliners. Leo walked over to Raph's recliner and stood in front of him expectantly.
Raph looked up, his mouthful of food and gave his mate a questioning look. Leo lifted Raph's plate from his lap and instead settled his body in Raph's lap. He began eating calmly, his eyes glued to the TV as he leaned his head on Raph's shoulder.
Raph looked extremely confused for a minute, looking at his mate like he had grown a second head. Leo ignored him until Raph looked around and found that no one else had even noticed or commented on Leo's chosen seat. He shrugged and kissed his mate's forehead and relaxed.
When the movie finished they found themselves laughing over Christmas Vacation. Raph loved this movie the most and found himself laughing so hard that his stomach hurt. He chanced a look down at Leo and was surprised to find his mate's attention solely on him.
'He's so beautiful when he laughs.' Leo thought as he gazed up at his mate lovingly. When Raph caught his gaze he couldn't help but lean up and kiss his surprised face.
When Christmas Vacation finally ended most everyone except for Raph, Casey and Donny were asleep. Master Splinter had gone to bed before the movie had started.
Casey stood, stretching and scooped up April. He nodded to the two awake brothers and carried April into their room, the door shutting with a click.
Donny made himself comfortable in the nest of blankets and pillows and looked up at his older brothers, pretending to be asleep.
Raphael wasn't generally sweet when the others were around, but he figured that with his brothers asleep, he could keep his secret.
Donny watched as his tough brother slowly leaned back in the chair and stretched out. Leo stirred and looked up at Raph sleepily. He was such a light sleeper, part of being a ninja master.
"Raphie?" he whispered and nuzzled Raph's neck. Raph massaged the back of his neck gently, smirking when Leo made a happy little noise.
"S'okay Leo, go back to sleep babe." he chuckled when Leo made himself comfortable and buried his face in Raph's shoulder, his hand coming up to curl over his plastron and grip it tightly.
"Love you." Donny heard Leo mumble, and Donny held his breath. Since his brothers had announced their relationship months ago he had never once heard the tough turtle say those three little words.
After a short pause, a serene smile spread over Raph's face and his hard exterior softened for a moment.
"I love you too Leo." he rasped and then leaned back and closed his eyes. Donny rolled over and looked at his brothers. They were gonna make it as a couple. Donny had faith. With that final thought he slipped into a deep sleep despite the snores coming from both Raph and Mikey. A miracle in itself.