Christmas morning came silently. For once it seemed as if New York City was quiet. Christmas morning for the residents of April's apartment was the complete opposite of the city. It was pure and utter chaos.
The morning started out well enough. Leo was the first to wake and slipped from Raph's arms to slip on his gear and go out for his morning training run. He was gone for an hour.
That's all it took for everything to go to shit.
For the time being, though, Leo was blissfully unaware of what was unfolding in his home.
The city was truly at peace as Leo ran across rooftops and breathed in the cool, crisp air of a winter morning. He stopped to look over the edge of a building to find a group of children running around making snowmen and throwing snowballs at each other. Their laughter filled the air and somehow made Leo feel like everything was going to stay frozen in this state. Christmas everyday. He ducked below a ledge when a woman's voice broke through the crisp air and called the group inside. for presents and hot chocolate. Suddenly Leo felt the pressing need to head home and be with his family. An hour was enough time for today. It was Christmas after all.
Also he had forgotten his winter clothes and the cold was starting to catch up to him, the cold like a quick wave that spread through his body and left him shivering. When he got to April's apartment, he lifted the window and climbed inside, expecting to find everyone still asleep.
But when he stepped into the living room, chilled to the bone and shivering he found the exact opposite.
April, whose bed head was a force to be reckoned with, was chewing out Casey as he held his hands up in surrender, one hand holding a bottle of whiskey that he had been using to spike the eggnog.
Mikey was hiding behind the tree, desperately trying to avoid Donatello who was glaring daggers at him. Shocked at the brainy turtle's display of uncommon fury, Leo soon discovered that Mikey was holding the candy canes, Donny's favorite treat, hostage. "But you always eat all of them!" Mikey whined and Donny took that chance to yank him out from behind the tree and wrestle him to the ground. They rolled around, screaming at each other.
Splinter was sitting peacefully on the couch watching the Christmas special of his soap opera, ignoring the chaos around him. Leo rolled his eyes at that. The soaps were like his father's Kryptonite.
Something suddenly occurred to Leo.
Where was Raphael?
He got his answer when his mate landed on the fire escape behind him and burst in.
"Guys I can't find-" he caught sight of Leo and his eyes narrowed dangerously. He stormed over to a bemused Leo and pulled him into his warm embrace.
"Where the hell were you?" he asked over the noise.
"Training run?" Leo said slowly, still shocked by what he had come home to.
"You forgot your winter clothes you ass." Raph growled and shook him a little.
Leo opened his mouth to deliver a heated retort, but he stopped when he saw worry behind the anger in Raph's eyes.
"I'm sorry." he said softly and kissed his cheek as he pressed closer into his warmth. "But I am cold...wanna warm me up?" he churred in Raph's ear and looked up at him seductively.
Raph's amber eyes darkened with lust and he opened his mouth to deliver a witty retort when the situation behind them seemed to get worse.
Their fighting brothers rolled around on the floor and bumped against Casey's legs. That started a chain reaction to hell. The numb caused Casey to send a stream of bourbon down and onto April's head.
She yelled and sputtered before stomping off, calling Casey a "fudge packing fuck nut".
Casey rounded on Mikey and Donny who had frozen at April's outburst and yelled furiously. The younger turtles ran for their lives, Casey chasing them around the coffee table.
Leo sighed and pecked Raph on the lips, "Let's stop the chaos first." Raph nodded and grabbed Casey by his long hair and his brothers by their bandana a tails.
Leo left them to the mercy of Raph's glare of death and went to find April.
She was in her room, the door locked. He knocked gently and April cracked open the door. When she saw Leo, she sighed and let him in. Leo closed the door behind him, respectfully, and watched as April collapsed on the bed.
"What's wrong April. You've been off for the past few days. I know you get upset when lots of people are in your home at once but this is worse than usual." he said calmly as he sat on the bed with her.
She sat up and seemed to consider something before she opened her mouth and let it slip out.
"I'm pregnant." Leo gaped and found himself sliding off the end of the bed and landing with a thump and a yell on the hard ground. He groaned and looked up to find April's amused face looking down at him from between his splayed legs. Leo righted himself and smiled sheepishly at her.
"Wow...that's...wow." he stumbled over his words and smiled hugely.
"That's amazing April." he breathed out finally and pulled her into a hug. She sighed in relief at his words and held him tight.
"Thank god for you Leo." she mumbled and he blushed.
"Everything is gonna be fine April. Now let's go back out there and salvage our Christmas alright?" April sniffed and wiped away her tears. She smiled weakly and Leo supported her as they emerged from the room to find Raph joined in on the fray, beating on his brothers and Casey.
"Lord help me." Leo mumbled and rubbed his temples before walking over to where the four were fighting.
"Enough!" he yelled in his leader voice and they all froze, staring up at him with wide eyes.
"Casey!" the man in question jumped up and almost saluted, but caught himself.
"Go apologize to your wife for heaven's sake." he growled and Casey scrambled over to April, hugging her as she smiled at Leo. Leo allowed his angry face to relax into a soft smile before he was once again glaring at his brothers.
"Michelangelo! Share the goddamn candy canes with Donatello!" Mikey opened his mouth to protest but Leo loomed over him menacingly, glaring at him as if daring him to speak. He squeaked in submission and held out the candy canes to Donny. Donny greedily went to eat them all but froze.
"And Donatello. Eat all of those candy canes and so help me I will destroy every gadget in your lab, including...the toaster." he growled and Donny whimpered, taking two of the proffered candy canes.
Finally Leo turned to Raph as the younger brothers scrambled away to help set up breakfast.
"You were supposed to handle it." he said through gritted teeth. Raph just shrugged calmly and got up, dusting himself off.
"Sorry babe." he whispered and got up, trying to pull Leo into his arms. Leo resisted and glared at him instead.
"No sex for a week." he hissed and stormed off to the guest bedroom to meditate.
Raph winced as the door slammed and groaned. Now that he and Leo were together, punishment had become so much easier for the leader in blue. He knew just the right buttons to press.
Raph helped with breakfast, and they all ate when Leo refused to emerge from his meditation. Raph snagged a candy cane and strode carefully to the room.
Only he knew that his lover had a secret weakness for the candy. Raph got down on his hands and knees and crawled over to where his mate was meditating peacefully. All traces of anger had disappeared from his face and he didn't send Raph away even though Raph knew that Leo knew that he was there.
He withdrew the candy cane and held it under his lover's nose. Leo opened one eye and cracked a smile as he leaned back against Raph's chest.
Leo looked up at Raph affectionately and licked the candy cane.
"I'm still mad at you." he whispered half-heartedly. but Raph just snorted and gave him the candy cane.
"Yer such a liar." he growled and kissed Leo's other arm, nibbling on his wrist and licking it before trailing kisses down his light green, muscled arm.
"And you are a sweet-talker." Leo said around the candy cane in his mouth. He pulled it out with a slurp and licked it with the very point of his tongue. Raph was frozen, watching his tongue, completely mesmerized by the sensual sight before him.
Leo grinned and kissed him quickly before standing up. "I believe that a snowball fight is in order." he chuckled and Raph grinned as Leo helped him up and they walked out into the living room where everyone was putting on their snow gear.
"Ready boys?" April asked cheerfully as she zipped up her coat and wrapped her scarf around her.
Leo and Raph put on their clothes and nodded eagerly. They all headed out to the park by April's building and formed teams.
Leo, Raph and Mikey versus Don, April, and Casey.
Splinter was the official and at the wave of his flag the battle began. Raph and Leo were immediately a force to be reckoned with. Leo manufactured snowballs while Mikey threw them at high speeds over the wall of their fort. Raph, meanwhile was sneaking through the surrounding trees to shoot snowballs from them.
Unfortunately, Donny was helping Casey and April find the best times to attack and their fort was in the best vantage point. Eventually April retired from the game and Leo joined her in order to make it even. After another hour, Mikey and Donny called it quits. The only people left was Raph and Casey. Eventually the war deteriorated to Raph pining Casey and shoving snow down his clothes.
Splinter declared him the winner and everyone decided to go inside for presents and hot chocolate.
Everyone except Leo and Raph. Leo was working diligently in the snow when Raph came up to him. Raph kneeled by him and but his arms around him.
"Hey babe. C'mon let's go inside." he whispered and kissed his neck.
"Just a sec." Leo stood after a few moments, cradling a mini snow turtle.
"That's cute." Raph chuckled as Leo set it down and gazed at it thoughtfully for a few minutes.
"April is pregnant." Leo whispered and Raph gasped.
"She's what?!" he yelled and then took a deep breath, "I mean it's amazing but that's super sudden..." he gave Leo a questioning look. Leo sighed in frustration and slapped his forehead.
"I'm happy for them Raph. I really am...I'm just kinda jealous." he said quietly and Raph frowned.
"Why? You like April?...Casey?" he asked sadly, his heart snapping in his chest. Leo saw the despair in his eyes and hurried to him, kissing him repeatedly as reassurance.
"No." he kissed him again, "No, no you stupid oaf." he chuckled and kissed him again.
"I love you more than anything in the world and I will love no one more than that." he whispered andRaph relaxed in his arms, his strong, forest green arms coming around Leo's waist to hold him tight.
"The why are ya jealous?" he asked, stroking Leo's face soothingly.
"I um...I kinda want...kids." he finally whispered and Raph froze.
"Are you crazy? Leo we are both males!" Leo felt shame collect in his gut and he turned away, walking hurriedly to the apartment, trying not to let Raph know how much the words cut him to the bone.
"You're right. It was stupid." he muttered, holding back tears.
Raph ran after him and grabbed his hand, turning him around.
"That's... that's not what I meant babe." he kissed Leo's hand, "It ain't stupid it's just... I don't want ya to get yer hopes up." he kissed Leo gently and held his hand.
"Maybe." Leo whispered with a slight smile. "Maybe someday." with that he led Raph back inside the apartment where Mikey was whining impatiently as he hovered over the presents.
"Finally!" he crowed victoriously when the turtle couple came in and Mikey dove headfirst into his present pile. He was just like a little kid in his love for Christmas.
Leo pulled Raph to the empty couch and sat down with a heavy sigh. He pulled Raph next to him and snagged a blanket from the back of the couch. He wrapped himself in it, still shivering a bit from the cold. Raph caught him shivering and gathered him into his arms, sharing body heat. Leo protested a little, his cheeks turning red as he blushed. He was still nervous about showing affection around the others, but Raph was determined to break him of that fear. Now that he had Leo, he was determined to keep him forever. Their bickering had even decreased, while not disappearing altogether.
April stealthily produced a camera and got a few shots of the best moments of the day. There weren't many pictures of the turtles in existence, for a good reason, but April couldn't help herself as she continuously snapped shots of them.
When Mikey opened his new skateboard and began crying like a baby.
When Donny almost blew up the building with his new chemistry set, but instead ended up with a face covered in soot.
When Splinter opened a basket of hair care products, surprise written on his face, and then secret glee.
When Raph caught Leo under the mistletoe and he blushed through the whole kiss, despite its chasteness.
When Leo and Raph began to bicker over the best Christmas song. An argument that ended with April locking them in the bedroom for ten minute. A punishment that turned out to last for longer than ten minutes.
Finally the day wound down and the last picture was of the family just before everyone retired for the evening. Leo was dozing, his head in Raph's lap while he furiously jerked around the playstation controller, trying to beat both Mikey and Casey. Donny was reading one of his new books, his reading glasses perched on his beak. Finally Master Splinter was watching his family interact, a soft smile on his face.
After that April set her camera in the kitchen and began whispering in Casey's ear, eventually enticing him to give up the game and escort her to their room for bed. Mikey slumped to the floor next to Don and pouted until he fell asleep when he was beaten by Raph. Donny set down his book eventually when his yawns became so big that he almost felt his jaw crack.
Leo lifted his head from Raph's lap when he determined that everyone was asleep and connected their lips softly. Raph dropped the controller on the floor in favor of wrapping his arms around Leo's waist as they kissed slowly. When they finally seperated, panting slightly from lack of breath snow began to fell in the darkness outside, adding a bit of magic to the night.
"Merry Christmas Raphael." Leo whispered with a smile.
"Merry Christmas." Raph grinned cockily and pulled him into another kiss.
Around eleven, April found herself suddenly awake. She groaned and slowly got up, sliding on a robe and shuffling sleepily to the kitchen for a glass of milk and maybe a cookie. She had just finished her snack and was wiping the crumbs from her chin when she found herself drawn to the living room where the boys were sleeping. The sight that she found there was enough to melt her heart. She ran for the camera and quickly snapped a few photos of Mikey sucking his thumb and Donny curled up in a ball.
She turned and for the final picture of the day she snapped a shot of Leo and Raph.
Leo was laying on top of Raph's chest, every part of them entwined, even their hands. After snapping the shot April put a blanket over them and smiled down at her boys, a sisterly pride filling her heart.
Definitely the best christmas ever.