Once back at the lair, Mikey said, his eyes roaming over the female turtle's body, "I'm going to get dinner started. Leo and Donnie, why don't you show Natasha around?"
"Love to," Leo said, putting an arm around Natasha, and glaring hard at his younger brother. "Don, you want to help?"
"Got things to do in the lab, Leo," Don said. "Mikey, call me when dinner's ready."
"Will do, bro," Mikey said, and disappeared into the kitchen.
"Just me and you, Tasha," Leo said, and smiled as Natasha leaned against him. "Want to see the dojo?"
"What's a dojo?"
"It's where we practice our ninjitsu."
"What's ninjitsu?"
"Japanese martial art." Leo opened the dojo door and they went inside. Natasha gazed at the weapons on the racks on the walls and said, "Those look deadly. Just like yers."
"Can be if they're not handled correctly, but I've been training most of my life, so handling them is like second nature. We train every day. Have to so that we can help protect the city from crime and protect ourselves. Humans don't like us and regard us as freaks. If you like, I can help train you. Sensei would, but he's sick right now. We call him Sensei, but he's our dad too. Took us in when he found us in a puddle of goo called mutagen. That's how you were created too, right?"
"Yeah. I'd love ya ta train me. Could be fun. Is that how ya got yer muscles?" Natasha asked, touching Leo's biceps. "Yes and I work out," Leo said, and blushed. "But not as much as the others. I also eat healthily. More so than the others, but sometimes I lapse and have pizza."
"I love pizza!"
"Cool," Leo said, and chuckled. "Then you'll fit in here. We also mediate. I do it a lot. Helps to center me, especially when we've been out on patrol or in a battle."
"I can think of other ways ta center ya," Natasha said, staring at Leo hard, and making him blush again. "What do ya do for fun, Leo?"
"Truthfully, as the leader, I don't have much time for fun, but when I do, I read. Japanese mythology, Ninjitsu books, calligraphy, watching Space Heroes. It's a cartoon. What do you like doing?"
The former Raph had been about to say "workin' on my bike," but remembering he was now a she, said, "Cookin', readin', listenin' ta music, watchin' movies, but I'm more into action movies than romance. I also like…" What do girls like, Natasha thought? "Uh, knittin', crosswords."
"Knitting, huh? My brother, Raph, knitted."
"Oh, ya must miss him."
"Very much. I love Donnie and Mikey, but I was closest to Raph."
"So if yer the leader, what are Don and Mikey?"
"Mikey's the prankster. A goofball. The youngest. He'd prank Raph a lot. Don's the scientist and spends most of his time in the lab. Ready to move on?"
"What was Raphael?"
"The hothead. Impulsive, sarcastic, stubborn, grumpy, moody…" Leo's words trailed off and he heaved a deep sigh.
"Sorry. I shouldn't have asked. I know it's still raw and…"
"It's fine, Tasha. But he was also a sweetheart. Protective, loving, gentle, compassionate, honest, loyal. He'd give you the shell off of his back. I miss him."
"I'm sure he's watchin' over ya wherever he is," Natasha said, placing a hand on Leo's arm.
"And probably causing trouble. Come on. Let me show you the rest of the house."
Leo showed Natasha his room and said, "This is my place, Tasha."
"It's so neat. Yer a neat freak and have OCD?"
"I like things orderly."
"Yer books are all alphabetized," Natasha said, gazing at the bookshelf. "Nothin' is outta place. Is that a representation of what ya are? Orderly?"
"I just like things neat," Leo said, and shrugged. "Is that such a bad thing?"
"I think it's because ya like ta be in control. Scares ya if ya ain't, right?"
"As a leader, I have to be."
"BS. Yer also a kid, Leo. Ya gotta let go and have fun sometimes."
"Meditating is…"
"Borin'. I'm talkin' real fun, like goin' out and doin' stuff."
"We're mutant turtles. We can't just go out and do things, Tasha. You sound like Raph. He was always telling me to chill, let go, have fun, get a life, but he didn't grasp the gravity of the responsibilities I have as a leader. What if I let go and something happens? Then what?"
"Yer brother was right. Sometimes ya have ta let go. Yer young, Leo. Too young to worry all the time. Ya will get wrinkles on that handsome face of yers. I think yer brother would want ya ta have more fun, Leo."
"Next room."
Leo showed Natasha Mikey and Don's rooms. Then he took her into Raph's. "I thought you may like staying here, but it's a mess," Leo said. "So you can have mine, Tasha."
"I don't mind a mess."
"I'd prefer it if you stayed in mine. I don't think my brother would want a stranger in his room and I don't…I mean, I don't want anyone to change it. Want it to stay as it was when he left."
"All right. Wow. He has a hammock."
"Yes. He hated sleeping in a bed."
"And he was quite a reader," Natasha said, staring at the books on the bookshelf. "Fiction. True crime, criminology, forensics."
"He was mostly into that, but I caught him reading a self-help book once and he was so embarrassed. He wanted to learn how to channel his rage."
"So he was aggressive?"
"Sometimes, but that was mostly because he thought he'd never find love and was unlovable."
"Did he find love?"
"He and I were dating. I know we were raised as brothers, but there's no proof we were related, and there were no other options. No females. He told me that he loved me."
"Did ya love him?"
"As my brother. I don't know why I'm telling you this. I barely know you."
"Sometimes talkin' helps," Natasha said gently, even as her heart sank.
"He got dumped, took it badly and when he asked to be with me, I said yes, because he was vulnerable and I DIDN'T want him to hurt anymore. I know it was wrong and should have been honest, but I was trying to spare him pain. At the same time, I met someone, he was jealous, which he had reason to be. I was staring at the girl. How could I not? I mean, she was stunning and Raph, well, he was my brother. I'm a bastard and now Raph's gone forever," Leo said, and choked back a sob.
Natasha wrapped her arms around him and said, "Ya should have been honest, Leo, but his death ain't yer fault. Never blame yerself. Yer a good, kind guy. I sense that and while ya should have been honest, I can see why ya weren't. Raphael was hurtin' and ya didn't want that. Ya just wanted him ta be happy."
Pulling away, Leo nodded and said, "Exactly. You're very sweet listening to me, Tasha. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to unload my shit on you."
"It's fine, Leo. Honest."
"As much as I wanted to protect Raph, if he were now, I'd tell him the truth. He deserved to know it. It was unfair lying to him and making him believe in something that wasn't there and then…."
"And then what?"
"He'd run off and hate me and we probably wouldn't talk for a long time. Wouldn't have blamed him. But well… Enough. I've talked your ear off. Hungry? Dinner should be ready."
"Starvin', but Leo, do ya think it could have grown into love with ya and Raphael?"
"Maybe. We did have things in common, but I just don't swing that way. I like girls and truthfully, I think the only reason Raph wanted me was because he was lonely and wouldn't get a girl of his own. He was never into men. Not Alpha, buff Raph. Let's go."
Yer right, Leo, Natasha thought, as she followed Leo into the kitchen. I did hook up with ya, because I thought I'd never find anyone else and I didn't want ta be alone. I was never into guys, but when we made love, I fell for ya and I thought we could make a go of things. I do wish that ya'd told me the truth, but don't matter now, I guess. I'm a girl and I'm gonna make ya love me. I know we have chemistry, so it's a great start.
Over dinner, Leo studied Natasha as she delicately are her food and thought, wow, she's so gorgeous. Natasha caught him staring and smiled. "So, Natasha, did you have a family?" Don asked.
"No. Just me like I said."
"And Bishop made you with mutagen?"
"Yeah, he did. Before that I was a little turtle in his vivarium. It was so scary when he put the goo on me and when he beat me." Natasha said, choking back a sob. "He tried to rape me too."
"You poor girl," Leo said, touching her arm. "But you have us now, Tash. And we'll protect you."
"Thank ya, Leo. Ya guys have been so good ta me, I'm so grateful."
"No problem, dudette," Mikey said. "You want to play video games after dinner."
"Sorry," Natasha said quickly. "But Leo said that he was gonna take me out."
"Oh?" Mikey said, looking at his eldest brother.
"That's right," Leo said. "I thought Natasha would like to go to the war museum. There I can explain more about the Japanese way of life and ninjitsu."
"I'd love that, Leo," Natasha gushed. "I love history and artefacts." She giggled and said, "Especially seein' it with such a handsome guy like yerself, Leo."
Embarrassed, Leo ducked his head and said, "Good. We'll leave at eight, but we have to disguise you."
"Maybe after we can go have more fun," Natasha purred, reaching between Leo's legs and tugging his tail.
Leo let out a surprised mewl and, feeling embarrassingly tight in his shell, said as calmly as he could manage, "Miniature golf?"
"I'm up for it," Natasha said, stroking his tail.
Leo's eyes widened and stifling a moan, he dropped down into Natasha's waiting hands. "Something wrong, Leo?" Don asked. "You look flustered?"
"No…No. All good. Just enjoying the dinner."
Natasha beamed and withdrew her hand from his dick, but not before giving it a loving squeeze that made a churr roll up in Leo's throat. "Leo, you're churring, dude," Mikey said. "It's just dinner, dude."
"I have to go," Leo said, tucking himself in and standing up, trying not to drop down again, as he backed out of the kitchen. "Need to get ready."
"You didn't finish, Leo," Mikey said disappointedly.
"Yeah, I'll catch something later."
"Need my help doin' the dishes?" Natasha asked.
"No, sweetie. You go get ready," Don said. "We have it covered."
"What the hell's wrong with Leo, Don?" Mikey asked, when Natasha had left the room.
"Beats me. He's been acting weird since the girl arrived and now he churred at dinner. Odd. Something seems familiar about Natasha, don't you think? She has Raph's color skin and eyes and talks like him."
"So what? She's not Raph, Donnie. He's gone. This is someone else and she's so damn hot. I wouldn't mind being with her. What about you?"
"She is very pretty, but she's made it clear that she likes Leo. Look how she fawns over him."
"For now, but the Mikester has charm. Leo's personality is like a wooden board. Once I work my charm, Natasha will swoon. You should try, Donnie. If she doesn't like me, she'll like you."
"I guess, but somehow I don't see Natasha as someone who enjoys science. She looks so girly and probably likes girly things."
"She has pink panties. Did you see them?"
"Mikey!"
"Her dress is so short, I could see them. Pretty lace panties. I'd like to rip them off and…"
"Mikey!"
"Don't you think about sex, Donnie?"
"Course I do."
"Well, Natasha could be the gateway to us losing our virginity, Donnie. You want to die a virgin?"
"But she likes Leo."
"Like I said for now, but they aren't a couple, so she's fair game. I'm going to try, bro."
"She'd never date a geek like me."
"Who said dating? I just want sex, Donnie. Hot sex. Think about it. I'm going to go ask Natasha if she'd like to. She strikes me as the fun type."
"Mikey, girls don't like that!"
Mikey knocked on Leo's bedroom door and said, "Natasha."
"Hi."
"I was wondering if you'd like to have some fun."
"What kinda fun?"
"Um, to have sex. Don't worry. I don't want a relationship," Mikey said quickly. "I just want to have some fun, mess around. No strings attached. What do you say, my sweet girl?" Mikey asked, touching Natasha on the arm and winking. Natasha backhanded him, her golden eyes blazing and said, "How dare ya. I ain't no slut, ya fuckin' bastard!"
"What's going on?" Leo asked, entering the room and now seeing a sobbing Natasha and an embarrassed looking Mikey. "He propositioned me," Natasha choked out. "Thinkin' I'm an easy girl. I ain't. I'm a virgin and I'm savin' myself for someone special."
"It's okay, sweetheart," Leo said, pulling Tasha into a hug and glaring hard at Mikey. "We'll talk later, Mikey," he said. "But you owe Natasha an apology."
"I'm sorry, Natasha," Mikey said. "I really am. I just thought…."
"It's okay," Natasha said, resting her head against Leo's plastron and inhaling his strong musk.
As Mikey left the room, Leo wrapped his arms tighter around Natasha and said, "It's all right, honey. Mikey's sorry and won't bother you again."
"I hope not."
"He won't," Leo soothed, stroking her hair. "I promise and I'm sorry for what happened. Mikey says things before thinking sometimes and he's lonely. He'd love a girlfriend, but that was no excuse for the way he spoke to you. You're a lady and you deserve to be treated as such."
Pulling away, Natasha said, "Thanks, Leo. Yer so good ta me."
"Just speaking the truth. We'll leave soon and I promise you, I'll treat you with the utmost respect."
"I know ya will. I get a good feelin' 'bout ya, Leo. I had it from the moment I met ya."
"I do too, Tasha. Who knows maybe we'll… I'll see you in a bit."
Leo closed the door and Natasha smiled. Maybe Leo will let go a bit tonight. I hope so. I wanna fuck him so bad, but somethin' tells me that it's gonna be a while before we do it. Sigh. I guess I have ta be patient and that was never one of my best traits.
A/N Thought Raphael's transformation was a better title.
