Don's 18

Leo's 17

Mikey's 16

Raphael's 15

Seventeen-year-old Hamato Leo blew out a frustrated sigh and sipped his mint tea. It was seven a.m. and he was already bored out of his mind, knowing that today would be like any other day of his existence. Breakfast, then lessons, training and meetings. Endless family and business meetings. Maybe he'd have some public engagements too. He hated those. The way the public looked at him, like he was lucky to be living such a life of opulence, when he felt like a prisoner inside of the palace walls and felt like he couldn't breathe. It was stifling with all of the rules and the pomp and ceremony. And hardly a blessing. He wished he could be a normal teenager. How lucky those kids were having the freedom to do what they wanted. Leo hadn't even been outside of the palace walls unless he was accompanied by at least a dozen body guards. He yearned to be free, to travel on his own, to breathe.

That's right. He was officially Hamato Crown Prince Leonardo Yoshi of Japan. His first name stemmed from his parents' love of Renaissance art. One of his cousins was called Michelangelo. Mikey was a human and had been adopted when Leo was a year old.

His parents travelled extensively and had taken him along with the nannies, butlers, chefs and countless bodyguards, but it wasn't the same as being allowed to see things on your own. He wanted to see things through his own eyes, but he doubted that'd happen anytime soon. No. His life was rules and ceremony and that wouldn't change.

His life had been mapped out for him by his traditional parents. His lessons would end when he was eighteen. Then he was expected to serve in the military. His dad had and so had so had many of his ancestors on both sides of the family. Many were decorated war heroes and in fact, several of his family had been POW'S. Leo loved listening to their tales of life on the battlefield, but he had zero interest in fighting. Sure, he'd been trained to handle guns and other weaponry and was a skilled ninja, but Leo was a peaceful person, who believed in strategy, rather than war and meditation instead of violence. He spent his rare leisure times reading and meditating. It helped center him and he knew he'd crack without it. Leo's dream was to be a ninjitsu teacher or a teacher in general, but he knew that wouldn't happen.

His parents also expected him to marry when he turned twenty-one and a bride had been chosen for him. They'd had their tea ceremony a few months prior and she was also from a royal household, being his dad's fourth cousin. She was also a turtle, had hazel eyes, was olive green and her name was Kiyomi, which meant purity and beautiful. She was stunning, but although Leo liked her, he wasn't attracted to her or in love with her. He preferred males, which was a definite taboo in his strict, conservative household and indeed in his country, which was still extremely traditional, even though it was 2018.

He was trapped and there was no way he could tell his parents. He knew they'd be extremely disappointed and hurt and the thought of doing that churned his stomach. He had no choice, but to obey and to follow the life that had been chosen for him.

He was also so lonely he felt like he could die. He had Mikey, who lived in the palace with his parents, and his Sensei, whom he adored, but he wished he had someone the same age as him to talk to, to laugh with and to confide in. He was forbidden from associating with people outside of the palace and with anyone who didn't meet his parents' approval. They were good people, but were snobs and insisted that Leo didn't mix with the lower classes. He'd have to for appearances' sake when he was the emperor, but having them as friends was frowned upon. They only hung out with the elite, who bored Leo to tears with their pomposity, vainness, superiority and endless parties.

Leo was pulled from his thoughts when Mikey entered the kitchen, looking animated. "Guess what, Leo?"

"I don't know. You got more comics, you met a girl, you aced your biology test?"

"None of that. Lessons are cancelled today."

"Why? Is Sensei sick?"

"No, no. We're having a function at the palace. The President of the United States, Javier Garcia's coming with his wife, Elena, for lunch to discuss various matters. He'll be here at noon."

"Oh, yay," Leo said miserably. "Another function. You hate them. Why are you so excited?"

"The president's bringing his kids, Donatello and Raphael. We'll be expected to take them around and to keep them entertained. Isn't that cool? We get to hang with kids of our own age for a change.

"They're probably as rude as hell. You know Americans are so forthright, can't keep their traps shut…."

Mikey pulled out his phone from his pocket, did a Google search and handed the phone to his brother. "See. The human's Don with his dark hair and eyes and that's Raphael. They're adopted brothers and Raphael's younger than Don. Don's eighteen and Raphael's fifteen. They also have a sister, April, who's married to the hockey player, Casey Jones. He's a legend!"

Leo studied the photo and his heart flipped when his eyes landed on Raphael. He was an emerald skinned turtle with the most exquisite emerald eyes Leo had ever seen. He was smiling and had his arm around his brother and Leo thought he'd never seen anything as magnificent as Raphael. His smile could light up the darkest room and it caused butterflies in Leo's chest. Something he'd never felt before. Raphael's tight top and pants enhanced his muscular body and Leo was positive he had a six pack. How he'd like to see what was under that shirt. Shit. He mustn't think like that. Look at what had happened the last time.

Leo had befriended a servant's boy at the palace two years earlier and they'd been inseparable, but his mom had felt they were spending too much time together and had stopped it. The friendship had been innocuous, but his mom had thought otherwise. Leo had been crushed when she'd told him he was forbidden from seeing him again.

No. He couldn't have thoughts about the gorgeous Raphael. Leo was promised to someone else and his destiny was chosen for him. He'd be polite to Raphael and his brother and then they'd leave. Then he'd forget about it and anyway, Raphael probably liked girls.

"You're deep in thought, cousin," Mikey said. "What are you thinking about?"

"Kiyomi," Leo lied. "Is she attending the function?"

"Not lunch, but she is coming tonight for dinner. You'll be seated next to her. You don't have a crush on the brothers, do you?" Mikey said in alarm.

"Of course not! I'm not gay, Mikey."

"Good, because that'd be a disaster, Leo. Not just for you, but our family and our family's honor. Not to mention me. I have plans and I'll be expected to be Emperor when uncle passes if you're banished. I don't want that, Leo. I don't want that responsibility!"

"Relax, Mikey. I'm marrying Kiyomi, okay? You'll have the life you've always wanted. I'm going to go read. I'll see you later."

Leo pushed back his chair, stood and headed to his room.

XXXX

Leo booted up his PC and did a Google search on the Garcia family.

Just doing harmless search on the family, Leo thought. I need to know what to talk to them about, right? Nothing wrong in that. He spent the vast majority of his research on Raphael, who was more interesting than the science buff Donatello. Leo deemed him a snooze.

Raphael had been expelled from four schools for fighting and unruly behavior and had had a bit of trouble with the police that his daddy had fixed. No doubt with bribes, Leo thought. He loved partying and loved sports, especially martial arts, hockey and football. There were numerous photos of him with arms around girls and Leo's heart sank. Raphael was straight, just like he'd thought.

Leo shut down the PC and thought, why do I feel so distraught that someone I don't even know and will never properly know likes girls? It's not like we could work out if things were different. He seems like a thug and we come from different worlds. No. It's for the best and it'll make things a hell of a lot easier. I'll meet him, will be polite and then he and his brother will leave and I'll continue my mundane existence.

A/N What will Raphael and his brother make of Leo and Mikey?