A/N: Two weeks and 2.200+ views and 30 reviews later and I'm so happy c: SO ENJOY THE DRAMA!

Prompt: Photograph
Day: January 14th
Pairing: Raph/Mikey
Series: TMNT 2012

As Mikey awoke Raph sat on the floor beside his bed, mask still on and looked as if he hadn't slept at all. Mikey's heart give a dull throb. He laid still, just looking at the ceiling. Raphael was watching him with tired, bloodshot eyes.

"What do you want from me?", Mikey whispered. He felt somehow worn out and just tired. As the hothead heard his younger brother speak, he focused on the sound of his voice, rough and quiet. He looked away, didn't know what to say.

"Tell me. Stop what you're doing and just leave if you don't want to be here. I don't need your pity. I never needed it. I never…" He couldn't bring himself to add 'needed you'. It would be a lie. He closed his eyes, ready to just blend out the whole world. He got dramatic like that. But damn, he had a reason.

He felt Raph's hand graze his and pulled away, laying it on his plastron and fought the tears. Raph almost whimpered, a gush of air heavily leaving his lungs. "Mikey", he wheezed out. This wasn't supposed to hurt so much. This wasn't supposed to hurt at all.

"Stop toying with me", the orange clad ninja sighed. It was quiet and almost not audible. Raph still answered: "I ain't." His tone was firm and serious.

Mikey felt even more drained now. "Yes you do. You always did. One moment I was your brother, your friend, your… family. The other I was your personal punching bag, nothing more. Sometimes even less." As Mikey slowly turned his head, only Red's eyes could be seen. They were glassy.

"I…, I dunno what's happening Mike. I just want ya to be happy, deep down I really want that. But old habits die hard. Even harder when they're a stress relieve. I won't lie to ya. You have been my stress relieve in the past." His voice was shaky. "And ya even are now…"

"That's all I need to hear." He turned his back to Raphael. Somehow he felt just numb now. Upset, and numb. He curled his hands into tight fists.

Raphael didn't leave. Instead propped himself up on his elbows, silent sobs wrecking his system. Fuckin' shit! He wasn't a crybaby. And Mikey didn't even seem to care…

He managed a: "Hear me out", after bringing his breathing under control. "I'm listening", came the cold reply, "but I'm tired of it. So make it quick."

Raphael was honestly scared. Scared that he'd loose something that he didn't know he'd need. "Ok. I don't know about ya, and I hope ya feel the same way, but there's something I meant to tell ya." He felt silly. He felt like crumbling. "Look, I know we're young. Ya know I'm an ass, so please, give me a chance again. I know with every apology in the past you gave me a new one. And it must be tiring, I'm mean look at you."

He steadied his voice again, his throat feeling dry.

"But I know something now." Mikey sniffled. "I know I need ya. Ya calm me. Yer smile makes me feel all warm and tingly. I like you… I adore you! Goddamn just look at me please!", he cried out, thick tears now streaming down his pale cheeks. He felt nauseous. His vision was getting blurry.

Mikey turned back in his shell, turning his head in Raph's direction. The hothead was panting. "Please, oh please Mikey, I'm so sorry! I never meant it that way. I never wanted to make you feel sad. I never intended for you to lock yourself in your room. I'll make it up to you, I swear! Just…", he trailed off.

How could he expect Michelangelo to just forget about it?

"Look Raphael… I can't do this." The hotheads breath hitched, eyes widening behind the tear soaked mask, the fabric almost black. "I can't do this, not with how things are now. I have feelings you know… Imagine you would like a girl, or boy, doesn't matter… You'd do anything for them one day, and then push them off a cliff. Imagine you were them. How would you feel."

"Betrayed."

The word was bitter on his tongue, and left him choking again after he heard it echo in the cold room. He shivered. "What can I do to make up for it?"

"Nothing", Mikey hissed through his clenched teeth, "to many years lost Raphael."

Again suffocating silence, only broken by his brothers shallow breath. Mikey wasn't coldhearted, quite the opposite. But he spoke the truth.

"Oh how many photograph are there to proof how much you hurt me. Starting as babies. You couldn't keep your hands to yourself, always stealing my things, always putting me down. Always making it hard to breath without tearing up. It seemed like Splinter didn't notice. But I remember. The pictures are there as evidence. One day you write about my eyes, the next day when I-", he gasped for air, sobs now getting louder and harder, "when I needed help, where were you Raphael. Where? You coulda lend a hand. But chose not to."

They were both crying hard now, but Mikey got it back together faster than his brother. "How do ya do dis? How do ya stop crying so quickly?" "You get the hang of it when you need to do it your whole life. Everyday I need to be the spirit, even when I don't want to. Even when I feel like cracking under the pressure. My psych is not made for this things. For this life. I have a weak mind when it comes to this. But just like you I can be stubborn. Even towards myself."

"Yer not-!" "Don't tell me what I am Raph, because you can't know." The older had himself under better control now, just some whimpers escaping him now and then. Mikey took a deep breath. This turtle would be his death. "Look, Raphael", his name made Red look up, Orange's eyes softening. "You get one last chance. If you mess up we're both equally fucked, because I kinda liked the idea of being with you."

His mouth spread into a teary smile. "Thanks Mikey." He released a puff of air as his hand was grasped by the other. Clutching it in his hands, he tried to express his gratitude, bowing his head. "There's some things thought." The other one nodded softly. "What do I mean to you?" "Everything." Raphael didn't even have to think, his mouth working on it's own.

"Then show it to me. Get a grip of yourself. If you need to relieve stress, talk to me. Don't let it out on me. Don't hurt me. Don't try to fake something that isn't there. Tell me if something's the matter."

"I promise. Ya have my word, on my honor."

"You have honor? That's new."

They both cracked up. Mikey crawled closer to the edge of the bed, sitting up. Raph didn't let go of his hand, laying his head on Michelangelo's lap.

They spent a few minutes just calming down. Mikey stroking Raph's head affectionly until he stood up and pulled the younger one with him. Orange buried his head into the curve of Raphael's neck and inhaled the rich scent. Looking over Red's shoulder he found out that it was already five in the morning. It felt like he hadn't slept at all.

"So what's with the tea."

"I kinda need it to sleep."

"Why?", Raph asked curiously.

"Nightmares", was the honest answer he got. "Since when?" He was worried about Mikey. He didn't look like one with insomnia. "First fight. In the dojo with you guys it was chill and all. I know you wouldn't hurt me seriously in sparring. But really fighting for the first time left me shaken. Somehow I can't do this. Not without countless sleepless nights."

He wasn't surprised as Raph's lips softly found his, the sweet kiss a good contrast to the bad dreams. As they parted Mikey added, blushing: "When I sleep together with you it's peaceful thought. I don't get nightmares then."

"Then ya won't need tha tea", Raphael said, "I won't leave yer side when ya sleep. If it brings ya peace I'm doing it. It's the least I can do to make up for the years."

Michelangelo was kissed more forceful this time, his brother tongue mapping out his mouth. Between the kisses Raph said: "I wouldn't mind burnin' these photographs yer talking about." "Neither would I… So you adore me?" The skater chuckled.

"Yes. Uhh, would you mind being, ahh… my boyfriend?" As Mikey beamed at his request, he was relieved. This time Mikey initiated the kiss, linking his hands behind Raphael's neck.

"Of course not. SO TREAT ME LIKE ONE!"

"Yer wish is my command, princess. OWW! I mean prince, shesh Mikey."

Leonardo's eyes were as wide as plates as he listened through the wood of the door. He had heard Raphael scream and sob, the sound carried over to his door. In panic he had rushed out, because Raphael didn't cry. He had followed them back to Mikey's room, surprised that his brother was in there. He'd wanted to open the door, but Raph's pleas had made him freeze.

"Look, I know we're young. Ya know I'm an ass, so please, give me a chance again. I know with every apology in the past you gave me a new one. And it must be tiring, I'm mean look at you."

"But I know something now. I know I need ya. Ya calm me. Yer smile makes me feel all warm and tingly. I like you… I adore you! Goddamn just look at me please!"

Crying like a child.

"I adore you."

"My psych is not made for this things."

"You get one last chance. If you mess up we're both equally fucked, because I kinda liked the idea of being with you."

"Uhh, would you mind being, ahh… my boyfriend?"

How was this happening without him taking notice? How is he supposed to lead when he didn't know his own team? How was he supposed to look at his brothers the same again? Did Donnie know? Splinter? Was that why they never spent time with him anymore, never to be seen?

He had thought that Raph was just pissed at him again and a reasoning for Mikey's behavior he hadn't found.

But now he knew. And he didn't know what to do.

He went to the kitchen, preparing a kettle of tea.