Chapter Twenty-Two: Brothers
THANK YOU TO ALEXLUKE, GIRAFFECHAN and RAP BEAR FOR YOUR AWESOME PATRONAGE AND FEEDBACK! YOU ROCK! Exclusive turtle updates and scenes will be posted on my page shortly!
AN: Almost everyone wanted to throttle Leo last chapter, so here's a little retribution, brought to you by Splinter. :D (Go daddy-rat, go!)
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Leo couldn't make it to his room. Limbs shaking, too exhausted to go any further, he collapsed on his old bed, where he used to share the sleeping space with his brothers. It bothered him to no longer be able to sense his brothers nearby as they slept.
He had always been the one to watch out for them, even in slumber.
It was his duty to be alert.
To protect them.
Keep them safe.
Leo felt a familiar presence before he saw Donnie enter his peripheral vision.
"Leo?" Donnie's voice was soft, timid. Of all the turtles, he was the most gentle.
"Go away, Don," Leo said, too tired to argue or deal with his brother.
To his annoyance, Donnie stepped forward, shifting nervously from foot to foot. He always did such a thing when something bothered him.
Leo knew what he wanted to say, but he wasn't in the mood to hear it. He wasn't in the mood to even look at Donnie, let alone speak with him. When Donnie returned the day before, Leo had been engaged in the hashi. Nearly 24 hours passed with Leo under tremendous strain from weights while maintaining his balance and being lectured by his father.
Leo's mood was vastly sourer, especially when confronted with the one who created the hostility in the first place.
Donnie took in Leo's limp form draped over his old bed. The only motion Leo made was the heavy rise and fall of his chest. Donnie recognized the signs of fatigue and fell back into his natural role as caregiver. He touched Leo's arm, earning a startled jolt and growl, but Leo was too weak to get away.
Carefully, Donnie began massaging Leo's wrist and up his arm. They had each learned such techniques to soothe aching muscles and expedite healing. They also knew pressure points to calm nerves and ease stress. Donnie utilized such knowledge now, helping his older brother to relax and promote circulation in his tortured limbs.
Splinter had been relentless.
Several minutes passed before Donnie spoke.
"I know you don't approve of the relationship I have with Sable, and I understand your reasoning," Donnie started, massaging the knots that made up Leo's bicep. "Master Splinter said it was okay for Sable to visit and I would like to bring her, but I…" Donnie trailed off, meeting Leo's icy gaze. "I want her to feel welcomed. Accepted. As she has accepted me. But I worry over you."
"Me?" Leo croaked. He kept still, too tired and achy to get up and walk away.
"Will you say or do anything to hurt her?" Donnie asked bluntly. "Can I trust you not to hurt her?"
Leo opened his mouth to snarl a vehement reply to the insinuation he was so cold and callous to do such a thing. But the words died in his throat. He blinked, staring up at the ceiling, churning over Donnie's words.
There was a time when he could be trusted, without question, without fail, to support and love his brothers in all they do.
Now?
He wasn't sure how he would react upon meeting the girl who had stolen Donnie's heart. He wouldn't intentionally attack a woman, but lately, with his warring, out of control emotions, he was becoming unpredictable.
Unstable.
The thought terrified him.
He was going down a dangerous path and had no idea how to get away from it. His every waking moment was filled with heartache and disappointment. Life was so unfair. And he failed at everything he held dear.
He couldn't keep the ones he loved safe. Couldn't stop the bad people from hurting innocents.
He was a mess. And he didn't want his brothers to travel down the same destructive path.
They were too good for that.
Too loving and trusting and gentle.
Even Raph.
"I fear you becoming too attached to her," Leo admitted softly, rationale peeking through the fog that had been surrounding him so heavily of late. "That you will lose your heart and then the world will come crashing down on you. I want to spare you that pain."
"I'm afraid it's already too late," Donnie imparted, returning to the task of massaging the pain and suffering from Leo's tense frame. "I have already become attached to her, Leo. I love her. Very much. And she loves me."
Leo closed his eyes. Not from fatigue, though that did play a part in it. But this was from disappointment. Donnie was too quick to lose his heart. He was far too sensitive for the deeper emotions, like falling in love.
"You do not want this kind of pain," Leo said slowly, opening his eyes to zero in on Donnie. "It would be best to end the relationship and save your heart from the torment waiting to rip you apart from the inside out."
It hurt Donnie to hear his big brother say such things. Even worse to see the expression of total defeat on Leo's face. He appeared so much older than his brothers even though they shared the same Hatch Day.
"I know you think it's your place to protect us, Leo," Donnie said, leaning over to hover a couple inches from Leo's face to get his point across. "But we're not children anymore. We have to live our lives. Fall in love. Get hurt. Be disappointed. Find joy where we can and be thankful for those who love us and stick by our sides."
"I know," Leo muttered. He grit his teeth, "But I don't want my brothers to suffer this way. I want to keep you safe. That's my job."
"No, it's not," Donnie said. "In the field, you are the leader. But at home? You're our brother. You can't stop us from falling in love and wanting families of our own."
Defeated, Leo gave a somber nod.
"I wanted to bring Sable here sometime, to meet everyone," Donnie said, working down Leo's other arm. "But if it will make you uncomfortable, we can postpone her visit. I want you to be okay with this, and not say anything to hurt her. Can I trust you?"
Leo fought down the urge to cry. Hearing Donnie's concerns made him realize just how much of a monster he'd become. He had changed, and not for the better.
Was he such a terrible person he now lacked the faith of his brothers?
Had he fallen so far?
"It'll be fine," Leo said after a moment. He wasn't in the mood to meet this woman. Ever. But if Donnie was going to continue his relationship with her, Leo had to face the inevitable. Like yanking off a band-aid. "She can come. I won't cause friction. You have my word of honor."
"Good," Donnie said, now back to his happy self. He was too trusting for his own good. "She's eager to meet everyone. She's spoken with Raph and Mikey using the video chat feature, and thinks Mikey is adorable." Donnie gave an exaggerated roll of his eyes. "He's going to be a handful."
"Always is," Leo agreed out of habit. He found it strange Sable had so readily accepted Raph and Mikey.
Well, Raph anyway. Mikey was easy to get along with. Kid was as social as they come. Add to his boyish expressions and goofy friendliness, he made friends easily.
Raph on the other hand…. He took some time getting used to. It was strange Sable had been amicable to the rough, brawny turtle.
"I'm going back to the farm in a few days so I can work on the wiring," Donnie explained. "Sable's cleaning the spare bedrooms so when you visit, you have a place to stay."
"You sure it's a good idea, investing so much time and work into a place we may lose if she decides she doesn't want to play Dr. Doolittle anymore?" Leo asked, not caring how gruff he sounded.
Donnie flinched from the jibe, but spoke with conviction.
"Even if our relationship doesn't work out, I want her to be safe. She's all alone out there on the farm. And she's so small and fragile. Vulnerable."
Leo turned away to stare at the wall.
Donnie made to start on Leo's legs, which were still trembling, but Leo jerked his leg away.
"Please, Donnie, just go," Leo said toward the wall. "Let me sleep."
Donnie felt his heart break, but nodded, though Leo couldn't see him. "Good night, Leo. I love you."
Leo managed a curt nod, closing his eyes and falling into a deep sleep.
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The next few days were spent in a whirlwind for Donnie. He fixed the garbage truck, (after Raph swore up and down he was NOT the one that drove it on a sidewalk in Queens), ran diagnostics on all the programs he had running in search of Foot activity, modified the moving van with a new tracking system, restocked weapons in the garbage truck, and flittered about constructing a new tracking implant.
There was some chatter in Tokyo that was worth monitoring closely, but the transmissions were garbled and sporadic, not allowing him to pinpoint an exact location. The best he was able to do was determine the signal originally came from Tokyo…or somewhere within 100 miles of it.
Thursday he went on a supply run, packing the truck with all the things he'd need to finish bringing the farm up to specs for security. He had other ideas to improve the security, but it would have to wait. He was itching to get the farm equipment up and running, but the security of the house was paramount.
She also mentioned the attic, which could be easily converted into a commander center and possible laboratory.
His shell was all aquiver with excitement.
The thought of the multitude of projects to get his nerdy hands on gave Donnie a thrill. He loved to do repair work and build things. The farm was a giant toyland for him.
Friday he finished constructing a tiny transmitter, as his previous one had been removed when he was captured. Wanting to place it somewhere that would blend in, Donnie used a mirror to find the best place, preferably a crease. He was just checking out his butt when he realized someone was watching him.
"Oh! Leo! You scared me," Donnie said, offering his brother a faint smile before returning to his butt inspection with a mirror.
"Do I even want to know what you're doing?" Leo asked.
Since he and Donnie had talked, Leo had warmed up a few degrees. He still had times of iciness, but there were glimpses of the old Leo peeking through the glacier.
"Built a new tracker," Donnie said, pointing to the small device in a glass Petri dish. "Wanted to find a place to hide its implantation."
Leo stepped forward, assuming his natural leadership role and turned Donnie to the side, exposing the tender flesh of his undershell.
"You have a natural crease here. That will hide the mark."
Donnie turned his arm this way and that, trying to see the crease but it was too far under his shell.
"Lay down," Leo said, motioning toward the table they used as a medbay.
Donnie did as told, not liking this part of the procedure. He had implanted his brothers with their trackers. He didn't want to repeat the process but it was necessary. In case he was captured again.
Donnie lay face down on the table, stretching out to give Leo plenty of room.
Leo took a small marker, drawing a line in the crease behind Donnie's arm, and tapped the gangly limb.
"Stretch your arm up."
Donnie did as instructed, trusting Leo with this delicate task.
Leo withdrew the syringe and numbing agent, loading up a hefty dose, and injecting it around the area he was to cut for implantation. Minutes passed by in silence, Leo checking on the numbness before picking up the scalpel. He cut a small incision, roughly an inch, and picked up the new implant with hemostats.
A quick plunge and release, and the new tracker was buried in Donnie's tissue. Leo held up the needle and short thread and put two stitches in the gap, making sure it healed well to hide the implantation mark. When he was done, he patted Donnie on the shell.
"You're done."
Donnie got up, moving his arm to help ward off the numbness.
"Thanks, Leo."
Leo offered a spastic nod. He checked the time.
"Come on, we need to get in a couple hours training before dinner."
Donnie moaned petulantly but followed his brother to the dojo. Leo yelled at Raph and Mikey to join them, Mikey pouting the first ten minutes of katas as he was eager to return to his video games.
When the numbing agent wore off, Donnie flinched from the impact of Raph's sais striking his bo. Raph eased up on his attack, worried he'd hurt his nerdy brother.
"You okay, bro?" Raph asked, sais softly singing at his sides.
Donnie rotated his arm, wincing from pain.
"Leo implanted a new tracker. Little sore."
"Enough," Leo said, disengaging from Mikey, who was cheekily blowing kisses at him. Leo slid his katanas into place, and pointed out the door. "Let's start dinner."
Mikey was out the door faster than anyone had ever seen him move. Leo stepped toward Donnie. Raph, expecting another confrontation, and recalling his promise to keep Donnie safe from Leo's wrath, puffed his chest and glared at Leo apprehensively. To his relief, Leo motioned to Donnie.
"Let me see your stitches," Leo ordered, immediately honing in on the place where he had implanted Donnie's tracker. Thankfully, the workout had not loosened the stitches. "Easy workout the next couple of days."
Donnie nodded, placing his bo on the opposite side. To assuage Leo's misgivings, Donnie put in, "I promise to do two hours of katas a day."
Leo gave a curt nod. He glanced to Raph, narrowing his eyes at Raph's threatening posture, and took his leave without another word.
Raph waited until Leo was gone before speaking.
"Is it just me, or is he thawing out a little?"
Having been a recent victim to the love bug, Donnie realized the depths of Leo's caring. If anything happened to Sable, Donnie would be a shell of himself. Leo's distance dissonance was understandable. His pain a little too surreal.
"It will take time, Raph," Donnie said softly. "Emotional pain is harder to heal than physical."
"Yeah, well, you two bring it on yourselves," Raph huffed. His sais flashed a second before he slipped them into their scabbards. "Getting attached to chicks. Falling in love. You set yourself up for the pain and suffering of losing them."
"Not so simple,' Donnie said, walking out of the dojo, Raph at his side. "You don't even realize you're falling in love until you're in so deep, you can't imagine life without the one who has stolen your heart."
"Wuss," Raph groused good-naturedly.
"Hard ass," Donnie quipped back.
"And proud of it!" Raph thumped his massive chest, causing a hearty, meaty sound to echo in the living room. "Won't see this turtle falling for some doe eyed chick."
Donnie thought about mentioning to Raph the old expression of those who protest too much, but for the sake of argument, he held his tongue.
Mikey danced through the kitchen, helping Leo prepare dinner. Leo bent over to put pizza in the oven and Mikey grabbed his ass, which earned him a punch to the snout. He rubbed his face, griping at Leo's need to chill out.
Donnie sequestered himself at his computers, hoping to find more information of the Foot in Japan, but all his leads proved to be duds.
Donnie turned in early, as he wanted to leave early the next day. He was going to spend a few days at Sable's. Hopefully he would finish up the security at the farm.
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Early the next morning, Donnie quietly exited the lair, the moving van having been packed the previous night. Traffic crawled in the city limits, but once Donnie hit the open road, he put the pedal to the metal and sped to his lady love.
Unfortunately, there was a traffic accident a couple miles out of town, meaning Donnie had to wait over an hour while it was sorted out. He sent a text to Sable, telling her he was running late. He doubted she would answer, as it was 7am.
Surprisingly, she answered within seconds, telling him she was making breakfast and wanted him for dessert.
Donnie never wanted the traffic to move so badly in his life!
By the time Donnie made it to the farm, his tail was aching, bulging predominantly and making it difficult to walk. Sable barely opened the door before Donnie picked her up and carried to the bedroom. Her robe fell away, revealing the creamy silkiness of her skin and the sexy lingerie he had bought her online. He had completely forgotten about it. And also found it unnecessary. He made short work of it, exposing her nakedness before his own.
Donnie disposed of his pants and shoes in record time, lifting Sable into his arms and eased her on his rigidity as he lowered them to the bed. She moaned in his ear, arms looping around his neck as his full weight pressed her into the mattress.
"God, I've missed you," she whispered, crying out as he began to thrust with wild abandon.
Donnie captured her mouth, hungrily taking her cries as passionately as he took her body. Growling, he kissed her neck, latching on as he picked up speed, feeling the telltale sensation crawl up his shell and down into his tail.
Sable responded to him perfectly, moaning his name and squeezing him with each stroke. Scratching at his shell, she panted and cried out as her orgasm hit with the ferocity of a hurricane.
Donnie shortly followed, flooding her thoroughly, his lips sealed on her shoulder as he thrust through the storm. Fully empty, he relaxed, releasing his possessive hold with his lips to coax her into a sensuous kiss.
Sable basked in his attention, exchanging caresses as they stared into each other's eyes. How much she loved this giant, geeky, lanky turtle. He completed her in so many ways. It was hard to imagine life without him. Without his smile. His passion. His genuine love. She wanted to stay in this moment, in this bed, forever.
But a knock at the door echoed throughout the house.
Sable groaned at the interruption, wanting desperately to have another round, preferably bent over something, but thought better of ignoring the sound. She made to move but Donnie locked his joints, whispering in her ear.
"Might be a Jehovah's Witness."
Sable laughed, playfully biting his cheek.
"Then again, it might be my family."
Reluctantly Donnie pulled out, allowing Sable to escape his clutches and their bed. She hastily wiped the glisten between her legs with a blanket and grabbed her robe, pulling it tight around her waist, though it didn't hide the red weal on her neck from Donnie's affection, and headed down the stairs.
Donnie pulled on pants and followed her to the landing, noting no one was at the front door.
The knock was coming from the kitchen, closest to the garage.
He stepped to the bottom, poised at the corner, ready to jump into action if the visitor was unwelcome.
And heard a familiar voice.
"Wow, you're hotter in person."
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Three guesses who it is.
Honestly, how long do you think the little shit would stay away until he just HAD to nose in and investigate?
Be sure to click that little button there and let me know what you think! What's going to happen?... *cue dramatic close up on a soap opera*
