Leonardo yawned, stretched his arms and put them behind his head. He sat on the ground with his back resting against a huge tree, sometimes closing his eyes just to listen to the sound of the forest and the animals around him. He could hear the birds in the trees, a squirrel under a bush and a frog in the pond just a few hundred meters away. It was peaceful, and the sun was just about to rise and call it a new day. The other turtles probably still were asleep, therefore, Leo sighed and let out a pleasing moan as he closed his eyes and casually crossed his legs.
A few seconds later, Leo heard someone walking against him, and he opened his eyes. It was one of his brothers, probably not Raphael since these steps were a lot lighter and less troublesome than his used to be. Michelangelo stepped up next to him, leaning against the tree and smiling down.
- Hey, dude, I almost thought you overslept! Mikey said, still smiling, and loosely kicked Leo's leg with his foot. Leo smiled and shook his head.
- You're early; what are you doing up? Leo looked up at his younger brother with a questioning look on his face.
- Ah, don't know, really. I heard you sneak out like, a few hours ago and I couldn't go back to sleep, I guess. And no one wants to play videogames with me this early in the morning, anyway.
Mikey laughed and put his arms behind his neck as he strolled off a bit, looked at the flowers, kicked a rock or maybe scared off a bird. Leo smiled. He knew what he felt for his brother, there were no doubts about that, but he had learned to control his feelings. He loved Michelangelo. But he also knew that he could never tell anyone, and that it wouldn't be accepted. And it wouldn't be right. They were brothers, and they had gone through so many hard times together, supporting each other. He didn't want to destroy it all by telling the truth.
- Can I sit down?
Leo looked up at Mikey, realizing he had lost himself in thoughts, and nodded as an answer. Michelangelo sat down next to Leo and put his hands together in his lap and leaned backwards against the tree. About four seconds later, the orange bandana turtle sat up straight and started to rip up some grass, wiggled his tail, bit his lower lip and turned his head a bit to the side.
- Something wrong, Mike? You seem restless. Leo smiled a bit, but tried to read his brother's face. Michelangelo just smiled and looked up.
- Not at all! It's just… Mikey paused, ripped apart some grass and looked down on his own lap.
- Do you know what day today is?
Leo hummed and put his thumb to his lower lip. He couldn't have forgotten someone's birthday or anything, right? No, he had that covered. Maybe he'd promised to do something special today? No, that couldn't be it, he'd remembered that. Leo desperately tried to think of something that he might've forgotten, but couldn't come up with anything.
- Sorry to say so, but, no. Leo shrugged and shook his head, a bit confused, and then looked back at Michelangelo.
- So, what day is today? He looked at his younger brother and waited for an answer. The smaller turtle slightly chuckled and continued to rip the grass apart; was he blushing? Leo shook his head; that couldn't be it.
Michelangelo switched to sit on his knees, still not leaving the grass alone, and peeked up at Leo.
- It's Valentine's Day.
Leonardo swallowed once again. The tone in Michelangelo's voice made those three words sound like they meant the whole world, that they were the most important thing he'd ever told. The words were so loaded that Leo couldn't hear the actual sentence at first, just those three words, until he finally got it.
- Oh, is that so.
Michelangelo nodded a bit, and shyly looked down once again. Leonardo bit his tongue; Mikey was practically telling him to give in to those forbidden feelings. There he was; kneeling in front of Leo, blushing and talking about Valentine's Day. Oh God.
- So, are you going to do something for someone? Mikey once again looked up to meet his brother's eyes, and smiled that gorgeous honest smile. Leonardo shook his head; both because he had to look away from that cute turtle, and as an answer to his question.
- I didn't even remember Valentine's Day, so no; I'm not going to do something for someone.
Michelangelo nodded as he listened, and finally let that poor grass free from his devastating fingers.
- Uhm, Leo, I kinda need some advice… Mikey blinked a few times and smiled, trying to convince Leo to help him with whatever trouble he had at the moment. Leonardo could feel a tiny pain inside his chest and throat, but just smiled and nodded for the younger turtle to continue. Did Mikey have someone special?
Did he come to ask Leo for advice about that special someone?
- The thing is that, there's this person I like…
Leo refused the urge to slam a hand in front of Mikey's mouth to get him to shut up. He didn't want to hear this; not at all!
- And this person is like, dumb. Really dumb. 'Cause whatever I do, this person won't get it. I just want to show my affection, you know, but it won't go into this person's head. And I kinda need some advice about what I should do. If it was you, Leo, how'd you want a girl to show that she likes you?
Michelangelo tipped his head to the side and looked into Leo's eyes, eagerly searching for an answer. Leo swallowed his sadness and ignored the growing pain he could feel inside. He knew that this was the least he could do to make his younger brother happy; no matter how much he'd regret it later on.
- If there was a girl who liked me, I'd want her to tell me in some way. I'd like it simple; just to let me know. So, you should just tell this person that you like her. I don't think any girl can resist you, Mikey! And give her some chocolate, girls like that kind of stuff.
Leo smiled and patted Mikey on the head, and the orange bandana turtle laughed a bit, grateful for the comfort.
- Thanks, Leo! I'll go back to the lair now, see you later!
And within just a few seconds, Michelangelo was gone.
Leonardo sighed and looked up against the leaves in the tree above. Of course he had it coming; of course. He'd known for a long time that it couldn't end up as he wanted it to. It couldn't be a happy ending this time. Michelangelo would find someone to love soon enough. And now it happened.
- So why do I feel like crap? Leo asked himself, grunted a bit and clenched his fists. The sun was rising and the birds were singing louder. Time for training. Leo stood up and took a last look at the beautiful forest around him, and then turned around to get back to the lair.
Raphael was just as angry and furious as usual in the morning, and normally Leo didn't really have a problem with handling the beast, but that morning… The talk with Mikey still spinned around inside his head and he couldn't really concentrate on the task. Suddenly, Raph had pinned him to the ground with a grin on his face, proud to actually win that easily for once. But then, Raph realized that Leo wasn't even trying, and became even madder.
- Stand up, will ya! What's the matter with you; slacking off 'cause Splinter's not here?
Raph loosely punched Leo's arm. Leo blinked and jerked himself off the floor, jumping a bit and shaking his hands to get a grip. What's going on! He wouldn't let a thing like that ruin his whole training, no way!
- Sorry Raph, won't happen again. Promise.
Leo stared into the hothead's eyes and forced himself to concentrate. He tried to imagine a beautiful face of a teenage girl with long, brown hair and blue eyes, giggling and waving at Michelangelo with a gorgeous smile on her lips. A moment later, Raph was the one pinned to the floor, and Leo was the one sending punch after punch to the red bandana turtle.
- Leonardo, what is it that disturb your balance? Where are your manners? You cannot hurt your brother like that, not even when you are training. Splinter shoved his hand to Raph's shoulder, and Raphael just laughed.
- Dun worry, sensei, I can take him. Raph grinned, and Leo tried to gratefully smile back to him, and then looked back at Splinter. Raph stood up and walked out the door, slightly clenching his whole body, trying not to show any pain.
Leo swallowed.
- I am truly sorry, father. I don't know what happened, I just… Lost it. Leo shook his head.
For hours he'd been listening to Splinter, and was forced to cancel all of today's training. When he finally got out of that conversation, he walked over to his room, slammed the door shut behind him and threw himself at the bed. He sighed and looked up at the roof, trying to calm down.
- Today can just go to hell. Dammit. Fuck Valentine's Day, he mumbled and grunted as he was trying to figure out what to do next. He just wanted to go to sleep, but he wasn't tired at all and he didn't really want to go out to the other turtles. He didn't really want to go out to Michelangelo. Mikey had been gone all day, which just made Leo feel even more depressed. That girl, who was she!
- Dammit. Leo sighed and closed his eyes.
- Dude, cheer up, seriously!
Leo opened his eyes and sat up straight in his bed, looking around to find the source of that voice, and laid his eyes on no one else than Michelangelo, sitting on the floor with a huge grin on his face.
- Mike, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be with..., that person? Leo shoved his legs over the side of the bed and faced Michelangelo with a questioning look. Maybe he seemed a bit too happy, a bit too surprised, but that didn't really matter. If there was someone to lighten up his day with a single word; it was Mikey. That's what mattered.
Michelangelo sighed, stood up and walked over to the bed and sat down next to his older brother. Leo waited for an answer; but forced himself to look down when Mikey put something on his lap.
- You're so slow. I am with that person. Mikey smiled.
Leo looked down at a tiny, red box with a ribbon on it, but looked up when he heard those words.
- She's here! Leo almost growled and desperately looked around with a furious feeling of pain in his throat. He was about to stand up when Mikey roughly grabbed his arm and dragged him down to a sitting position again.
Michelangelo put Leonardo's face between his hands and stared into his eyes.
- Leo, you're dumb. Like, really dumb.
- What! Is she here, or not! Leo growled once again and didn't even react to the gentle touch of Michelangelo's warm hands. Mikey sighed.
Suddenly, Michelangelo moved closer, and Leo could feel the warm breathe over his face. All anger just disappeared. Mike moved closer and closer, still looking into Leo's eyes, and then carefully and teasingly touched Leo's lips with his own. Leo held his breathe. What, exactly, was happening?
Mikey started to move away, but Leo pushed himself a bit forward and kept the tiny kiss and wrapped his fingers around Mike's arm. The orange bandana turtle flinched a bit, and held his eyes open while Leonardo closed his, but then slowly relaxed. Mikey put his arms around Leo's neck and Leonardo held his arms around the younger brother's shell, slowly and carefully pressing him even closer.
It was amazing just to feel him so close; Leo was afraid of opening his eyes in case this was just a wonderful dream, but then he could hear a small sound that made his whole body flutter with an unfamiliar feeling. Michelangelo was moaning and clinging to him, almost as if he was giving his body away, and then Leo could feel a small lick from a warm and exploring tongue. He opened his eyes; just to see a pair of closed ones right in front of him. He was kissing Michelangelo. Michelangelo was kissing him.
Mikey pushed forward and made Leo open his mouth to let the tongue inside, and then accidently fell over in the bed with Leonardo underneath. He broke the kiss and realized what position they happened to be in, and looked down at Leo with a face that looked like saying "sorry". Leo looked up at the orange bandana turtle and chuckled. The butterflies wouldn't stop flying around inside him, and he couldn't look away from those clear blue eyes even for a small second.
Michelangelo smiled and hugged his brother tightly and tried to mumble some words into his neck.
- I am with that person. Got it? Mikey breathed in the nice scent of Leo. Leo nodded.
- Got it.
- Oh yea, dude, I got you some chocolate. Chicks like that kind of stuff, right?
Leonardo grunted and stuck his fingers into Mikey's waist to tickle him. Mikey yelped and jerked back, but Leonardo just laughed and held him once again.
- Still hate Valentine's Day?
- No, Mikey, I don't. I love it. Leo placed a kiss on Mikey's cheek, which made the smaller turtle blush.
- And I love you.
- Love you too, dude.
Leo kissed Michelangelo once again, and discovered that he'd probably be obsessed with that small moan for a very long time. Though, that didn't really matter, since they'd be together forever, if Leo could have something to say about this.