Warnings:

Eventual Tsest (kinda) Don't like. Don't read.

Slow burn Raph/Leo pairing

Dyslexic writer

Possible OOC

Total lack of medical knowledge

Please read author's note at the end.

Disclaimer: Only thing I own is a few TMNT action figures from the 80s and 90s.

Chapter 5

Splinter found Michelangelo in the kitchen starting on supper and said, "Michelangelo please come with me to Donatello's lab. I need to speak with both of you." and he turned and headed to Donatello's lab.

"Okay." said Mikey following Splinter to Donnie's lab.

"Donatello, I must speak with you and Michelangelo." said Splinter as he entered Donatello's lab. Mikey entering right behind him going over to stand beside Donny being unusually quiet and crossing his arms and looking at Splinter.

"Okay, we're listening." said Donny in a curt tone crossing his arms like Mikey.

"I meditated on what you and Michelangelo told me. I realize now that I was wrong. Leonardo was female when I appointed him your leader. He was also still a child as he hadn't hit puberty yet. He did a wonderful job leading you three even though he was still a child.

"I have already asked for Leonardo's forgiveness. Now I'm asking you two for your forgiveness. Please forgive this old fool." said Splinter.

"Master, you do understand what kind of damage you did to Leo right? I don't know if a simple apology will cut it." said Donny dismissively.

"Yeah, Master. She was totally devastated and heartbroken. You know how hard it's been to get her to eat since you last talked to her? And getting her to talk has been even harder. And all the extra pain she has gone through? Master I don't know if an apology will cut it either." said Mikey very seriously and unlike himself. Splinter's ears went down in shame.

"She hasn't even been able to even stand because it hurts too bad. And you know Leo doesn't show pain. You know how many times in the last week and a half Leo has been in tears from pain? Sometimes even the pain medicine wasn't enough." said Donny.

"I know. And I am sorry and regret my actions." said Splinter hanging his head.

Donny sighed and said, "Just give us time it's all too recent for us."

Splinter sighed and said, "I understand. There is something else that I wanted to speak with you two about also."

"Okay" said Mikey.

"Raphael brought something to my attention. Leonardo would prefer us to use male pronouns on him. Female pronouns make him extremely uncomfortable." said Splinter.

"Master you can't just pretend Leo's still a guy." said an irritated Donny.

"Donny wait, I think he's right. Have you noticed she flinches sometimes when we call her sister?" asked Mikey thoughtfully.

"Now that you mention it she does Flinch when we call her sister, but Raph never calls her sister. She seems very comfortable with him. He must have noticed, because he never started calling her female pronouns. I thought he was just having trouble remembering that she was actually a girl. But thinking about it, that doesn't actually make sense. He's been the one with her most of the time. That should have made it easy to remember." said Donny.

"Yeah like he's never stopped calling her the male pronouns. And Leo never flinches when Raph calls her brother." said Mikey.

"Gender dysphoria is a real condition. And it wouldn't be surprising if Leo had it. He's lived all his life believing he was male just to find out he is actually female. He identifies as male. If he wants to continue to identify as male we need to respect that and use male pronouns for him." said Donny.

"Fine by me!" Said Mikey happily.

~~~~~

Things had been going really well for Leo. Splinter was not actually ashamed of him for being a girl like he feared. Everyone was respecting his wish to be referred to as male. Things were really looking up. He and Raph were getting along much better. They still fought but it was not as heated. Of course when things start to get better that's when it all starts to fall apart again.

It had been about two months since the egg incident. Leo was finally allowed to train. And now Leo had a stomach ache that would not go away. It felt the same as last time so he figured it was an egg again.

He tried everything he could think of to make it come out. He tried a hot shower to help him relax. That didn't work so he tried meditating. Of course that didn't work either. Last he tried pushing it out while sitting on the toilet. It would not come out and the pain was slowly getting worse like last time.

Leo was scared and did not know what to do. He didn't want to lay another egg. He doesn't like this part of his body and he has no control over it. Leo sat on his bed, knees drawn to his chest, terrified of what his body might do, not hearing that Mikey had hollered that dinner was ready.

Everyone gathered around kitchen table except for Leo. Mikey asked, "Hey, where's Leo?"

"I don't know." said Donny with a shrug. "I haven't seen him that much today."

"He was in the dojo meditating earlier." said Splinter.

"I'll go see if he's in his room and just didn't hear yuh call." said Raph getting up to head to Leo's room.

Raph knocked on Leo's door and said, "Hey Leo, yuh in dere? Dinner's ready." Not getting a reply, Raph opens the door. He saw Leo sitting on his bed with his knees drawn up to his chest. Leo's arms were around his knees and his head was hidden in his arms.

"Leo?" Raph said coming into the room. "Leo what's wrong?" He said as he sat on the bed beside Leo. Leo didn't say anything so Raph put his hand on Leo's shoulder and said, "Leo tawk tuh me. What's wrong?"

Leo said in a whisper, "Stomach hurts again." not lifting his head out of his arms.

"Your stomach hurts again? Do yuh tink it's an egg again?" asked Raph concerned.

"It feels like last time." Leo said quietly.

"Does it hurt bad like last time?" asked Raph.

"Not yet, but it's getting worse." said Leo quietly.

"Okay, maybe Don will have an idea of what tuh do tuh help yuh so it doesn't get bad like last time." said Raph.

"Raph. I'm scared. I don't want this." said Leo looking up at Raph with tears in his eyes.

"I know yuh don't. And I don't blame yuh. But you're not alone. We'll help yuh get through this." said Raph squeezing Leo's shoulder.

"Thanks Raph." said Leo in a broken whisper having trouble controlling his emotions because of the hormone changes.

Raph sighed and put his arm around Leo's shoulders and said, "You'll be okay. We'll make sure of it. I'll go get Don he will know what tuh do tuh help."

As Raph removed his arm Leo grabbed his hand and said, "Please, don't leave."

Raph sighed and said, "Okay. Got your Shell Cell on yuh? I don't have mine wit' me." Leo pointed to the bedside table. Raph grabs the phone and dialed Don's number.

"Leo?" asked Don after he answered his phone.

"Nope, it's Raph." said Raph.

"Why are you calling me on Leo's Shell Cell?" asked Donny with an eye ridge raised.

Raph said, "I didn't have my Shell Cell on me. And Leo didn't want me to leave him."

Don asked, "Is Leo okay?"

"Yeah about dat. Could yuh come up here tuh Leo's room?" asked Raph.

"Okay, on my way." said Don getting up from his chair at the table.

"What is wrong my son?" asked Splinter.

"I'm not sure. Raph asked me to come to Leo's room." said Don heading to Leo's room.

Author's note:

I would imagine that Leo would have gender dysphoria if he grew up most his life believing he was male only to find out he was female.

If you see anything in the wording needs to be changed about gender dysphoria please let me know. I have great respect for transgender people and don't want to write anything offensive. I don't really like the wording in this sentence: "Gender dysphoria is a real condition." But I couldn't figure out how to word it differently. It makes it sound like gender dysphoria is just a disease that can be overcome. Or a choice. And I don't believe that, but I can't figure out how to word it different. Help a dyslexic out? Writing is out of my element.