It's TMNT. And I don't own them. Never did.
Title: Don't say you fell for that...
Pairing: Raph/Don
Raiting: No idea. Some non-brotherly fluff, but nothing more.
Warning: Still turtlecest. So don't read if you don't like.
Summary: Late evening talk can settle many problems. Especially if it's Raph and Leo talking.
For you: I hope You enjoy it. Any tips and comments are welcome. Thank You for reading!
"You know, sometimes I still can't believe it." Donatello said quietly slowly stroking other's shoulder. "That we are together I mean. Feels like a dream, especially when you're not around."
Raphael nuzzled olive neck inhaling deeply lover's scent. He had his shell pressed against kitchen rack and his genius brother leaning on him and damn if it wasn't the best position ever. At least he definitely wasn't going to complain.
"Ya better believe it, brainiac." He touched his lips to Don's skin and once again relished in how that simple touch made other one shudder and let out quiet, but deep sigh of pleasure. "Cause it's not like I'm ever gonna let ya go."
Donatello raised his head to look into golden eyes, warm and loving smile gracing his features.
"Really?"
"Really." Raph rubbed their becks in Eskimo kiss. "After all one should be complete idiot to lose someone like ya."
"Interesting…" Don all but purred, pressing tighter, but still keeping their stare. "And what I am like?"
"Can't tell ya."
"Why?"
"Cause ya're indescribable." Raph's usually rough voice sounded so weird with all those gentle and admiring notes in it, but he was way too far beyond care. "And unbelievable. Besides there's no point in trying to describe something perfect, ya know." Raphael smiled. "It's just perfect."
Don's face heated up slightly, mix of feelings and emotions glimmering in dark eyes – embarrassment, delight, affection, joy, happiness. It was the last one that made Raphael's heart skip few beats. He was making Donnie happy and that was one of the best things he ever did in his life.
"Don't say you fell for that, Donnie." Leo's voice suddenly pierced through their dizziness as eldest brother entered the kitchen, quietly as always. "I didn't know you're so naïve."
Donatello tensed in lover's arms, his eyes narrowing and lips pressing into thin line. Unlike other times when Leonardo had made such comments on their relationship genius didn't laugh or even chuckled finding it amusing in some way, no, this time Don's face expression clearly showed strong irritation. If not more.
Not looking at their leader Raphael tightened his now protective hold for some time, frowning as Don pressed his forehead to brother's chest plate hiding his face. Not paying attention to them anymore Leonardo searched through the fridge intending to make light snack – he didn't seem to notice the effect his words had on olive green terrapin or the lack of usual response. Or maybe he just didn't want to notice. Or simply didn't care.
Not that Raphael was going to find out right now though.
After few seconds of silence Donatello slowly shifted in Raph's arms, pulled away and left the kitchen without saying a word or looking at their leader. Hothead could swear his lover fought to keep his mouth closed in order not to say things he will regret later. Having frowned more, Raphael gazed thoughtfully at the door frame for some time considering something then fixed on Leonardo. It took almost two minutes for the elder to finally tear away from his small tea ceremony, stop pretending that there was no one else in the kitchen and turn to meet brother's intent look.
"What?" Leo asked closing the jar with honey and putting it aside.
"Why do ya do this?" Raphael tilted his head slightly.
"Do what?"
Leader's face was still and indifferent. Raphael bit down desire to roll his eyes with quite en effort.
"Tick Don." He folded his arms instead. "Every time ya see us – ya open yer mouth and let out some crap. I'm kinda tired – it's been going on for about three weeks now."
The response was rather unexpected.
"Why?" Leonardo suddenly bristled up like porcupine at the sight of predator. "I am forbidden to talk? Do I bother you two by doing it? Well forgive me for not asking your permission to talk in this Lair. I kinda thought I have the same rights as we all do. Guess I was wrong."
"I see…" Raphael narrowed his eyes at the sounds of unusual sarcastic notes in other's voice. "Touchy, aren't we Leo? Ya really need to get some long and deep sleep, maybe then you can finally relax and pull that stick out of yer ass."
For a second he thought he could see Leonardo fumbling with unspoken words, but then moment was gone and elder brother glared at him with annoyance.
"You're not the one to tell me what to do." Blue masked ninja snapped.
Now, that was interesting. Very slowly as if concentrated on not making any sudden moves Raphael pushed away from the kitchen rack and straightened his back, eyes locked with Leo's.
"Mind if I dare to ask then, Fearless?" Hothead asked lowly. "Yer words today meant that Don doesn't deserve to be called perfect or that I'm not worth any trust with what I say?"
Leonardo opened his mouth to say something, but in that moment realization dawned on him. His face lost its agitated and somewhat hostile expression as he looked at the ceiling in something like confusion before returning to sais' master again.
"I didn't mean that." Leader said slowly.
"Really?" Raphael raised eyebrow ridge. "Then what did you mean?"
"Of course Don deserves it." Leo muttered evasively. "And you're a lot of things, but you're not a liar."
Judging by his intonation that was the end of the phrase. He used this trick when he wanted to avoid some questions – on one hand he responded to you, on other – didn't really answer. That could be irritating sometimes.
"Then what, Leo?" Raph repeated insistently, not going to let his brother get away with it so easily. "And don't tell me it's nothing – ya've been bugging us practically since the day we had declared about our relationship."
Having slowly lowered onto the chair, Leonardo kept silence for quite a long time not looking at his brother. At least he looked like he was really thinking about it, not just inventing some excuses or refusing to continue this talk and expecting Raphael to lose his patience and leave. He didn't even blink when dark green mutant sat down too.
"I don't know." Leo finally admitted. "Not sure."
He raised his head to look at hothead and was surprised to see small smirk.
"Ya know, among us all I didn't quite expect ya to be the hardest in going through it." Raph leaned forward slightly, his arms now unfolded. "I mean Splinter gave us his blessing, Casey only demanded us not to 'do anything' in front of him, April decided it was cute. Mike had hard times since we stopped paying him much attention, but he got over it eventually. Although we still owe bonehead one wish out of those three he asked for stopping to bang on Don's door in the nights pretending to have nightmares every time we were together. I bet this time he's planning something we're going to regret later and for what Don and I will have our long delayed revenge."
Leonardo blinked at the unexpected flow of confessions then chuckled softly. Mikey never stopped being… well, Mikey. No matter what.
"But then there was ya." Raphael continued almost erasing smile from leader's face. "First ya were all quiet and indifferent then started ignoring us and then turned into sarcastic grumbler. It was fun at first, but ya really can't laugh at the same jokes for three weeks. Should I say for how many times I wanted to kick yer ass?"
"Not necessary." Leo chuckled again. "I can guess."
"Ya know there was a time when I thought ya had thing for Donnie." Raphael said quietly. "Or me."
Shocked expression on Leonardo's face was truly priceless. Red masked ninja stared at him for few moments then burst out into rumbling laughter.
"Not funny, you jerk." Elder brother frowned, his cheeks flushing a bit.
"Why?" Raph managed to force out. "We'd make quite a couple, ya know."
Leonardo blinked few times. He looked as if he was annoyed, embarrassed and even slightly offended at the same time.
"Mind if I dare to ask, hothead?" He asked suddenly. "Your laughter means that you find this idea extremely amusing or extremely ridiculous?"
Having silenced swiftly, Raphael continued to smirk nevertheless.
"I dunno." He replied after a pause, repeating brother's earlier words. "Not sure."
For about a minute they just sat there not saying anything and simply looking at each other then Leo let out quiet sigh.
"Look, I…" He rethought about what he was going to say. "I didn't mean to offend you or Donnie, I just… It was about…"
He interrupted himself as if being unsure what it all was really about. Maybe he wasn't even sure what he had meant after all. Giving into temptation Raphael finally rolled his eyes.
"Jeez, Leo, ease up." He huffed. "It's not a matter of life and death. Don and I stopped sparring and going on patrols with you so often, we were pretty occupied with each other." Smirk curled his lips." Hey, I even forgot when was the last time I actually quarreled with you."
"Two weeks, four days and thirteen hours ago." Leonardo said quietly with light smile. "I bugged you about being topside for too long and the beginning was promising, but then Donnie walked in, shut me up and pulled you away."
"Wow." Raph chuckled. "Nice one, bro."
"Yeah..." Leonardo looked quite pleased. "I have my moments."
Short pause was filled with quiet chuckles until dark green terrapin spoke again.
"Donnie said you miss us just as Mikey does." Golden eyes flickered suddenly. "Pity ya think gays are disgusting."
"What?" Leader's eyes widened slightly at the accusation. "I do not!"
"So ya find gayness appealing?"
"No, I…"
"So which is it?" Raphael cocked eyebrow ridge.
He grinned as he heard leader mumbling something incoherent.
"Stop that." Leo didn't look at him. "I'm not that much of a bore as you think I am. And of course I can't deny happiness to you or Donnie. It was all just… unexpected I think. I wasn't quite ready for such a turn of events. Changes were like too sudden, too… too…"
"Out of control?" Hothead prompted.
"Just too sudden."
For sometime Leonardo stared somewhere behind brother's shoulder then shrugged slightly.
"I didn't see it coming." He added finally. "None of us did. So like I said I wasn't ready and didn't know how to react and what to think."
There. Small confession made him feel much better. Maybe he should have done this long time ago instead of building the walls and trying to deal with what had been happening alone like he always used to. Not that it would have been easy though. Especially since he needed to accept the fact he had missed such great changes happening in his own home with his own brothers. Sure they were ninjas too, but that was more personal issue. It meant he didn't fell others just as good as he thought he could. Or maybe…
"I get it. But ya really got under Don's shell this time, bro." Raphael's voice captured his attention again. "And ya know what he can be like when he's really upset."
Oh yes, Donatello… Leo wasn't quite sure why he attacked his genius brother the most. Not that it had some reasonable explanation anyway. But he still needed to reply somehow right now since Raphael obviously waited for any kind of reaction. The only problem was that blue masked ninja didn't really know what to say.
"Think I need to run away for a while?" Leader offered small smile, hoping this would do. "South America for example?"
Words slipped past his lips faster than he was able to hold them. Raphael's face tightened as he averted his eyes, fingers slowly tracing tiny scratches on table surface. Having cursed himself mentally Leo peeked at his brother. Why did he bring that up? It wasn't really necessary to remind about his too long absence once again, that issue had been already left behind and should stay like this.
But to Leonardo's surprise when Raphael looked at him again he was smiling.
"Don't think it's far enough." Hothead grumbled. "I mean it's Donnie we're talking about."
Comforting warmness filled Leo's chest as he examined other's features as if seeing him for the first time. Raph really didn't need to say anything else to let him know that everything was fine, his smile and eyes spoke for him. Like they always used to.
"I'll apologize to Donnie." Leonardo smiled in return, considering the option of standing up and hugging other one.
"Deal."
Since Raphael stayed where he was Leo didn't move either, feeling slightly embarrassed. He was getting a bit too mushy, wasn't he?
"Ain't it cute?" Dark green mutant mused suddenly. "Big bro's being capricious 'cause he wants attention…" He snuffled half chuckling. "Ya don't see that every day."
"Oh shut up!" Leonardo felt his cheeks heat up slightly. "I'm not capricious."
"Sure." Having stood up, hothead walked to him and putted him on the top of his head. "But if you behave we'll get you some present next time we go topside."
"Ha, ha, very funny."
Half annoyed, half amused Leonardo watched his brother getting a pack of juice and two glasses from the fridge. It seemed like this evening was over.
"Don't forget that we're always there for ya." Raphael didn't look at him as he grabbed everything and went to exit, his voice quiet, but firm. "No matter what. Just give us some more time to get used to things that happened."
Without turning back or saying goodnight Raph left the kitchen leaving leader in the mix of different emotions. Maybe he was dreaming? Or had slight fever? And that's why Raphael acted so unlike himself. Or was it Don's influence? Their mutual happiness? That 'something' they gave each other and shared only between them? Something that Leo could understand, but wasn't able to feel?
Sighing, he intended to get up, but was stopped with familiar feeling of someone presence. Having turned his head eldest brother met intent gaze of dark brown eyes.
"Don't say you fell for that, Leonardo." Frowning Don was leaning against the door frame; his voice rough and annoyed. "I didn't know you're so naïve."
Blinking slowly Leonardo stared at the aperture even after genius turned away and left. It seemed like those two weren't going to get him away that easily after all. And with that 'something' they shared and with Raph being like Don and Don being like Raph he wondered if he should start worrying.