The next morning, 29 November, Leo woke up at three-thirty to find that Raph had one arm around him and the other on his thigh. Gently disengaging himself, Leo sat up, causing Raph to stir. "Leo," Raph said, opening his eyes and staring at him. "What time is it?"

"Little after three thirty. Sleep, Raphie."

"Wanna ask ya somethin'. Do ya think I'm a nice guy?"

"Yes. You're a great guy, Raphie. Funny, smart, caring. You tick all the boxes."

"Are ya just sayin' that, because yer my bro?"

"No. You're a terrific guy, Raph, and any girl would be lucky to have you. Mona will realize that. Just give her some time."

"Suppose Mona don't and suppose none of us meet anyone…"Raph looked down, embarrassed. "That only leaves us brothers."

"That's right, but Raph…."

"Mona ain't gonna come back, Leo. I'm facin' reality. It's only us and….If it has ta be one of my brothers, I want it ta be with ya. What do ya say, Leo?"

Leo's jaw had dropped in shock. "You don't mean that, Raph. You like Mona and she'll come back. Besides…"

"Ya don't feel the same way, Leo? Am I that terrible that ya wouldn't try with me?" Raph said, hurt on his handsome face. "No one's gonna like us, Leo. No one us. We could see how it goes," Raph added huskily, staring into Leo's sapphire eyes. "If it don't work out, we can go back ta just bein' brothers, but let's give it a shot, Leo. Please. I don't wanna be alone."

"I don't…."

Raph cut off Leo's sentence by pressing his mouth onto his in a gentle kiss that left Leo shaking like a leaf. Leo hadn't expected it and to his shock, he'd found he'd enjoyed it, leaning in for a deeper, more passionate one, which Raph eagerly gave. After a minute, they broke apart, looking at one another almost shyly. It was new territory and both were not sure what to do. "That was nice, Raph," Leo said. "Unexpected, but nice. You're a good kisser."

"So are ya, Leo. Does that mean we're a couple now?"

"I guess so. God, this is weird. I kissed my baby brother. I don't know what to do now."

"Make me breakfast? Ain't that how it goes and then we fuck?"

"Fuck? Don't you mean making love?"

"No, fuckin'. Makin' love is romancin' it and romance is dead. What we have is fuckin' right now, but it could grow into love. It's strange for me too, Leo. I always pictured myself with a girl, but if I can't have one, yer the next best thing."

"I should…"

"Yer a virgin, right, Leo?"

Leo's cheeks reddened and he said, "Y-yes."

"Me too. We won't be anymore now that we have each other. Ya wanna top?"

"I'm going to get some tea. You want something?"

"Ya," Raph said, trailing his hand down Leo's plastron. "Ya. Let's do it, Leo."

"We should wait."

"What for?" Raph said, sliding his hands between Leo's legs and stroking his tail, making Leo mewl. "Ya like that, Leo? Does it turn ya on?"

Raph continued to stroke and Leo let out a deep churr. "Guess ya do," Raph said, and smirked. "Come on, Fearless. Let's see if we're sexually compatible."

"Raphie…"Leo gasped. "I think we should…"

"Sh.. I'm gonna make ya feel good, Leo," Raph said, stroking Leo's slit and prepping him.

Leo hissed, as Raph's fingers went inside of him, stretching him and massaging his prostrate. Leo threw back his head and churred at the pleasurable sensation, making Raph grin. When Raph was satisfied that Leo was ready, he pushed him back onto the bed and lined his dick up with Leo's entrance. "Now yer gonna see stars, Leo."

Raph pushed in gently and Leo gasped at the sudden penetration. "Sore, Leo?" Raph asked, concern in his golden eyes.

"I'm good. Go, Raph," Leo said, throwing his legs around Raph to make him go in deeper. Raph thrust in and out and soon formed a steady rhythm that had both of them churring, as waves of pleasure hit them. Raph licked and sucked Leo's collarbone, leaving large red marks.

Afterwards, Raph pulled out, kissed him on the lips and said breathlessly. "How was it, Leo?"

"It was…"Leo searched for the right words. He'd enjoyed it, but…It's sex with Raph, Leo thought. He's my brother. I don't love him the way he wants, but I can't tell him that. He's vulnerable after Mona dumping him and it would crush him. Maybe it'll grow into romantic love. It could, right? "It was fantastic, Raph. You were dynamite."

"Of course I was. Wanna go again?"

"How about when I come back? It's still early and I want to grab some pastries from the bakery before it opens. I'm in the mood for apple and cinnamon rolls."

"Chocolate donuts for me. I'll go with ya."

The brothers dressed in their disguises and headed to their favorite bakery. After picking the lock, and disarming the alarm, they stocked up on their favorite treats, enabled the alarm and left. "Hey, Leo," Raph said, reaching shyly for his hand. "I wanna say I loved earlier and I'm gonna…Do my best so that I'm not a disappointment ta ya, especially emotionally."

Leo took his hand and said, "Same here, Raph…Whoa… What's that?" Leo asked, hearing a scream.

"Sounds like it's around the corner."

The brothers dropped their shopping and ran around the corner. Several thugs were standing around a young girl. "Give us your wallet, girlie!" one said. "Never!" the girl said, trying to run away, but the thug caught her, holding her tightly. "Let me go!"

Discarding their disguises, the brothers advanced with their weapons. Leo bared his teeth and said, "Let her go."

"Or what?" thug number two said. "And what are you? Aliens?"

"Yer nightmare!" Raphael hissed. It was then that he recognized the girl. "Rachael?"

"Raphael? Can't be and there's two of you?"

Leo was curious as to how Raph knew the girl, but there was no time to chat. "Turtle power!" Leo shouted, as he and Raph attacked the guys, easily overpowering them, freeing Rachael, and tying the goons up. Hearing sirens in the distance, Raph said, "Boys in blue, Leo. Gotta split."

"Wait!" Rachael said, staring into Leo's sapphire eyes, mesmerized by them and feeling a strange attraction to him. "You saved my life. You can't just leave. How about a coffee? I know a quiet shop…"

Leo, in turn, was staring at the dark haired and green eyed girl. She's beautiful, he thought. I wouldn't mind getting to know her. The staring match hadn't gone unnoticed and Raph jealously put his arms around Leo's waist and said, "We gotta split, Rachael. Bye."

"One coffee can't hurt, Raph?" Leo said, raising an eye ridge.

"One!"

The turtles donned their disguises and Rachael led them to an all-night coffee shop that belonged to a friend of the family. Going inside, they took a table at the back and when the waitress had taken their orders, Rachael said, "Thanks for saving my life, Leo."

"I did too," Raph said crossly, grabbing Leo's hand and making it clear that Leo was off-limits. "Wasn't all Leo!"

Trying to diffuse the tension, Leo said, " Rachael, what's a girl like you doing walking around this time of the day?"

"On my way back from work. I'm a dancer."

"A dancer, huh?" Raph said, wrinkling his nose in disgust. "Like a pole dancer?"

Rachael ignored him and said, "It's temporary, Leo. I just do it to help pay the bills and to save money for college."

Raph snorted and said, "Yeah, right. A pole dancer. Have you no pride? Do ya know what kinda low lifes hang out at those kinda places?"

"Not your business what I do, Raphael!" Rachael said angrily, her green eyes flashing. "Besides, my clients aren't allowed to touch me!"

"How old are you, Rachael?" Leo asked. "And how do you know Raphael?"

"Sixteen, you? He was friendly with my sister, Olivia."

"I'm sixteen too." Knowing that Rachael was Olivia's sister made Leo feel uncomfortable. He had a funny feeling that she was trouble as well and that he and Raph should leave. Clearing his throat, Leo said, "We should go. I'm sorry."

"Will I see you again, Leo?" Rachael asked hopefully. "And be just the two of us?"

"Probably not," Raph said, rising to his feet and glaring at her. Fuck, he thought. It's so obvious she wants Leo. Fuckin' whore.

"I hope you'll change your mind, Leo," Rachael said, getting up and kissing his cheek.

Leo flushed, got to his feet and said, "Come on, Raph. It was nice meeting you, Rachael."

"The pleasure was all mine, Leo."

The brothers left, just as the waitress arrived with their orders. On the way home, Raph snapped, "Why were ya starin' at her, Leo?"

"I wasn't."

"Don't fuckin' lie ta me, Leo! Ya were checkin' her out and she was doin' the same!"

"You're jealous, Raph?"

"Yeah, I am! Ya were checkin' her out in front of me and I DIDN'T LIKE IT! It made me feel sad and fuck, scared that ya'd leave me, Leo."

"You have nothing to worry about. It was a once-off meeting. You definitely made sure of that. Could you have been any ruder?"

"She was gawkin' at my mate! How did ya expect me ta be? Thrilled?"

"No, but…"

"No buts, Leo. I didn't appreciate it and I wanted her ta back off! I love ya, Leo. There, I said it. I love ya. I know it's corny, but I love ya so much that it hurts," Raph said, stopping and choking back a sob.

Leo stopped and said, "I love you too, Raph."

"Not just as brothers, Leo, but more. After we made love I realized how much I do and I was terrified, still am, that ya will leave me. I don't ever wanna be alone and that girl wanted ya, Leo. Looked like ya wanted her too."

Leo slung an arm around his waist, drew him close and said, "I love you too, Raphie, and you have nothing to fear. I'll never leave you."

"Promise me? Because yer all I'm gonna have, Leo, and I can't lose ya."

"I promise and I don't want the girl, Raphie. I want you. Now and always, okay?"

Raph leaned in for a deep kiss and they made out for a long time. Then they continued their journey home. That girl's stunning, Leo thought, as Raph rambled on about a movie he wanted to see, his fingers entwined with Leo's. I want to see her again, Leo thought. But I know she's trouble and I have to stay away from her. Besides, I can't break Raph's heart. I just can't. No, I'm going to do all I can to make Raph happy. I owe it to him as his big brother, even if it means sacrificing a possible chance at love. Raph's happiness means more to me than my own.