And we're back. I hope not to disappoint you guys.

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Enjoy,

"What's the count?"

"Six."

"Sucks for you, Fearless. I got eight." Raph smirks and adds, "Try to keep up."

Leonardo snorts at his hot headed brother behind him. The two of them are shell to shell with foots surrounding them. Leo senses movement to his right, a foot charges at Leo with his katana. Leo easily countered him in one precise and swift move, sent the foot hurling and hit 2 other foots behind him, his katana accidentally stabbed one of the foots he hit.

"Nine now, slowpoke." Leo said, clearly challenging him. "Oh. It's on." Raph said and then charges the foots in front of him. One of the foot bravely lunges forward and aim to thrust his katana at the charging turtle's chest. He immediately regretted the decision when Raph dodges it and hit him with an uppercut right below his jaw, a little cracking sound can be heard.

"He's dead. Crap, he owes me 50 bucks." One of the foot thought as he saw the tragedy. "Offtt!" he was too distracted that he didn't see the staff, it hit him right in the stomach, then finally his forehead. Donatello watched as the foot fell backward, not moving anymore. "Booyakasha!" Donatello spontaneously ducks when Mikey suddenly jumps toward and now over him. He heard a thunk, followed by a thud, "All clear dudes." Mikey gave him a thumb up. Don noticed the foot laying limp behind Mikey, "Thanks Mike."

"I guess you're the one that needs to keep up, Hothead." Leo smirks at his red masked brother. "Amateur's luck." Raph shrugs, unsheathing his Sais.

Don is surprised when they fists bumped. "That was fast." Don thought, remembering that they were at each other throats in the last couple of days "Glad to see they're making up." Don smiles, more like a relief smile than a happy smile.

"Yeah…" Mikey replied, a bit less enthusiastic. Don noticed that, he looks at Mikey, checking if there's anything wrong or if there's a wound somewhere. "Yo, what?" Mikey looks at Donnie, who is holding his right arm, he looks like he's searching for hidden treasure there. "What are you doing bro?"

"Did the foot get to you, Mike? A scratch? A bruise?" Don asks while still holding his arm. "I'm fine, bro" Mikey said and pulled away from Don,

"You sure? You don't sound fine." Don asked again, not convinced, not one bit.

Mikey gave him a grin, "It's just gas, way too much cheese and bacon on that pizza."

"Everything okay here?" Leo asked, walking to them after satisfied in making the Hothead eat his own words. "Just peachy bro." Mikey smiles, but it felt a little harder than it usually is.

"We should move, Leo." Raph called out. He's already up on the fire escape.

"Let's go." Leo said to his younger brothers.

=0=0=0=0=0=0=0=0=

Yesterday, late at night.

"Y'know?"

Leo smiled at Mikey, and then patted his head, "Thanks Mikey. And try to get some sleep, it's getting pretty late." Leo said, and turns away.

Mikey watches his back as he walks away, a thing he has come to enjoy for as long as he can remember. His strong broad shoulders look so fine, make him wonder on how Leo will react if he suddenly grab and hug him from behind, burying his face on that neck… maybe a little taste.

Mikey smiles at that, "That'd be sweet." He thought, a bit flustered.

Mikey isn't that naïve, he was aware that's a bit much for a brotherly love. And frankly, he is okay with his over the top fondness for his eldest brother, didn't mind him at all.

To top it all, he didn't even notice when the feelings started to grow on him. He has idolized Leo since they were little, a real superhero. He guessed that the feelings started to grow into something more from there. Leo definitely encouraged it with those strong muscles, sharp and cold stares, cool and protective personality, and that… voice. That voice.

It's like the voice of a siren, only he's guy and much less feminine, but deeper manly like. "That's a very lame comparison Mike… His voice is way sexier than any sirens!" Mikey corrected himself.

For Mikey, he thought that he was an obvious fan of Leo, both Raph and Don seems to think so, Leo too, maybe. But no one knows that it was more than that, and Mikey intends to keep it that way. Sure, it made him think if whether or not his brother felt the same way, but of course it's just a wishful thinking. He's not that stupid.

He sighs. Okay… Maybe it did bother him. But look at the bright side, he's starting to get used to it now. Others might ask him, "Hey Mikey-boy isn't that kind of weird, man." He'll quickly tell them, "Yeah a bit, dudes. But who cares man, I won't hurt anybody for feeling like this as long as no one knows. And that's why I've been keeping this to myself. Genius, right? I know." "Cool man. You're so geniusly awesome." Mikey grins and said, "Thank you. Thank you."

Suddenly he felt a poke in the back of his head, "Mikey, who are you talking to?"

Mikey looks to his back and a saw a calculating look on Don's face. Mikey rubs his head, "Uhh… Did I say that out loud?" Mikey then laughs awkwardly.

Don raised a brow, but decided that he doesn't want to know, "Those guys are at it again, huh?"

"Yeah. But I'm a hundred percent sure that they'll be alright. Give it a day or two." Mikey says, being his cheery and positive self. Don hopes he's right. He thinks that the two of them are just being silly, fighting over nothing.

Their loud voices didn't help too, he can hear them from the lab. It went through the thick walls of his lab, so it was enough to reach and wake up Sensei, "Father should hear them. Or had he purposely ignored them?" Knowing their father, that must be it.

He might want his sons to solve this on their own. "Meaning this will never end. Not with those two being stubborn. And it is my fault to begin with." Don thinks and plans on how to fix this. "I should talk to Leo tomorrow… That would work."

Mikey knows that silent look, Don is thinking. And when that happens, it's either something incredible or something gonna explode… Mikey got a feeling that Don is trying to help Leo and Raph, "Yeah, that gotta be it. If Don can't think of a way, nobody can!" Mikey thought. "I should go, don't wanna disturb that radical brain at work." Mikey fakes a yawn, and said,

"Hey, Don, I'm gonna hit the bunk. Good night dude."

Don stops his scheming and look at his adorable brother, "Sure Mike, good night." Mikey grins and gives Don a good slap on his shell. "Hey!" But Mikey already ran, "Don't stay up all night Donnie or I'll send gorilla Raphie for you!" And he's gone.

Don is amused by Mikey's random silliness, he's sure that Mike probably don't know how those words truly hurt him. "I'll give him two minutes before he starts heading for the door and leave me without a word." Don sighs.

He didn't know what he had done to make Raph hates him like this. He's not blind, he can see the way he looks at him and how he can't stand to be in the same room with him, especially when they're the only one there.

He had one assumption to the cause of his behavior, and he really doesn't want it to be right. He thinks that Raph hated him because he knew about Don's feeling towards him, a feeling that reserves for a lover, a mate.

After he learned about this feeling toward his temperamental brother, he did a little research on their genes, trying to make sense in the cause of the feelings, brothers shouldn't be feeling like this towards each other. Normally, others would be freaked out, but this is Donatello, he freaked out after he had some solid facts.

The research, however, ended in a very satisfying result. He was glad to discover that the four of them aren't related by blood. It was the greatest feeling he ever had, over a simple research. He might did a little victory dance over it.

Sadly, that moment quickly changed… Raph started to hate him. The research meant nothing to him, knowing that Raph will never love him back. And so, he kept his founding to himself, didn't want to start anymore hatred from his other brothers, it hurts so much being hated by the one you love, he didn't want Leo and Mikey to hate him too. No, he can't stand to live like that.

He shut his mouth and disposed the evidences. And try to make up to Raph, to be friends with him again, at least. He even used April to do it. He told his brothers and Raph just how much he likes her, faking all the obsessions, faking all of it. He hopes that by showing him that he's interested in someone else, it will make him see that his assumption on Don is... false. It was hard to lie about that.

But it seems that no matter what he tries, Raph still hates him, and it's even worse now. He's afraid that Raph might likes April, he certainly shut himself completely after he knew about April. He avoids him, not saying a word to him, nothing.

"I'm such a screw up."

No matter what he did, he just adds more damage to it.

So he decides to just be forward.
Three days ago, after training, he invited him to the lab, which he reluctantly accepted, another sign just how much he hated, disgusted Don.

In the lab, Don apologized to him for whatever thing he had done to offend him. Don said it as gentle and sincerely as possible. He just wants things to be normal between them, even if his heart didn't agree with him, but he'll be okay with it as long as they're back being friends again.

Raph was shocked, and then well… angry… He stormed out of the lab, leaving the confusing and desperate Don.

And then he started to sneak out…

So yes, he was to blame for Leo and Raph's childish fight.

But, he'll try to fix this between them. He wished that he would just vanish now if it can stop Raph's hatred and all the problems it had caused.

"Nghh…" Donnie rubs his chest, feeling the familiar pain.

"…"

=0=0=0=0=0=0=0=0=0=0=0=0=

"Oh yeah! I haven't said good night to Leo!" Mikey remembered after leaving the living room. He wonders if Leo is still awake or not, curse his uncontrollable spacing out power!

"Ah well, can't hurt to check if he's asleep or not." Besides, Mikey gotta pass his room to get to his own. A win-win.

He walks toward Leo's door. He was about to knock, but a sound stops him. He heard a strange sound coming from the room. He definitely can identify the owner of the sound, he just can't believe Leo can be any sexier with that voice of his.

Mikey looks around to see if anyone's around, when it's clear, he sticks his ear to the door. "Meh, I'll feel bad about it in the morning." He listens closely, and then he hears another of that sexy voice. He has an idea of what his smexy brother is doing in there, no mistake there.

Mikey's head is a part of the door now, "And to hear this every night? Who should I talk with to make it happen?" Mikey leans more into the door, a glass would be helpful, but he'll manage.

"Hmm, who is he thinking about?" Mikey mused.

He recalled all the girls he knew, "April? Maybe, redheads are hot. Karai? With that curve? Hmm, could be, could be." His heart tries to add him to the list, but Mikey scoffs it away. That'd be stupid. Leo is as straight as… as… his katana. "Yeah, that's about right."

"Ahh… M.. Mikey… Yes…"

A tomato.

Yes.

A tomato can describe how red Mikey is.

Mikey automatically gets up and walks away to his room. He passed Don's Room, then Raph's, and finally in front of his little safe paradise… He closes the door as he enters, a little squeak from the door.

He stands there, looking at nothing in particular with his very limited brain tried to process the events that occurred.

He was eavesdropping on Leo, because he was making such sexy sounds. He knows that Leo is obviously jerking off. And then… And then… He moans out his name… He… He…

"NO WAY!" Mikey shouted, then it turned into a giggling mess. He was way too flushed to make any sense in whatever he's saying.

Suddenly a bang on the wall,

"KEEP IT DOWN, KNUCKLEHEAD!"

That made Mikey pause a bit. Not his heart, though, his heart is still dancing away in his chest, partying away with the rest of his organs.

Mikey rubs his chest, grinning away. He drops down to the bed, snuggling to his blanket, hoping that this is not one of that "so real" dream. He pinched his arm, "Ow."

And that confirms it. This is not a trick, not a dream.

=0=0=0=0=0=0=0=0=0=0=0=0

Back to the present.

"Ughhh…" a stack of comics fell over from the night stand. Mikey looks at the added mess to the already messy room, he didn't mean to hit his precious comics when he dived and rolls into his blanket.

But then again, he can't seem to care about that right now. There's a lot on his mind. No, the foot didn't hurt him, he was too awesome for those level 1 foots.

It's his eldest brother, who else would it be?

So, Yesterday, he discovered a little dirty secret of his.

Yes, Mikey almost rips his blanket because of that, and yes, he had a hard time to act natural when Leo's around, and sure, he wants nothing but to confront Leo about this. He has dreamed and wished for this, but it was followed by a peek at reality, telling him that's just stupid for Leo to like him like Mikey likes him. But since yesterday, He's okay with being stupid.

The only problem now is, Raphael. Just before the patrol, he caught the two of them on the couch. It made Mikey a little pissed to see them, to see Raph, way too close with Leo. He knows that he should be happy that they're not fighting again, but what's with all the whispers and leaning in so close. Mikey didn't like it.

Maybe, he's overreacting a little, but...

Just after the patrol, Raph just asked Leo if he can speak with Leo... in private! So now the two of them are in Leo's room, alone.

"Did Raph think he can have my Leo?"

He got up from the bed.

"Think again."

He grabs something from his closet…

=0=0=0=0=0=0=0=0=0=0=0

"That's really stupid Raph. Very stupid." Leo said, can't believe what the hothead had done. "I know! No need to rub it in." Raph lowered his head, cringe a little when remembering his actions.

The both of them are in Leo's room, sitting on Leo's tatami.

After the patrol, Raphael had asked him if they can talk, obviously about Don. Leo had some suspicions when Raph was very eager to head back to the lair in the middle of their patrol.
Now he knows why, and it was hard for Leo not to slap that thick skull of his. Raph literally avoided Don like some kind of disease, so obvious that it made Don went to him and apologize.

Leo rubs his temples, "Why would you do that?"

"You think I did it on purpose? You think I'm that heartless?!" Raph spat, "I didn't mean to hurt him."

"You just did, Raphael. And now you're just running away." Leo sternly said, he needs to hear it, for his own good. Now he knows why Raph snuck out and why Don told him about Raph, the dots are all connected now. Leo sees that Raph still lowered his head, giving death glares to his tatami, but then he heard him say, "I was confused with what I've been feeling with Donnie. And… I got angry."

He fists his hands, so hard that it might leave a bruise. "Not at him, never at him. I'm angry at myself, for feeling like this for my own younger brother. It's messed up!"

Leo felt that way too once. So much time was spent in meditation to calm him down. He sympathizes with Raph, anger has always been his own eternal nemesis.

"So I kept 'em in the dark. Forgetting them ever exist." Raph sighs, "And that failed, miserably. Every time I see him, that feeling came back, just like that. I can't talk to him without thinking about how…" Raph stops himself, Leo didn't need too much detail. Raph cleared his throat, "So I started to make some distance with him. But then April came into the picture." Leo nods, guessing that this isn't going anywhere pleasant.

"I wanted gone. He's good with April, she's a great friend. Sure they'll make creepy ass babies-"

"Not important." Leo cuts in.

"Right. So I completely avoided him, kept my mouth shut. Even in the garage, we never said a word to each other… other than passing tools, and that's like never."

Leo nods, understands the solution to this. "Do you want to make things right with him?"

Raph raised his head, looking at him, "Yeah, I wanna make it right."

"No more running away?"

"No."

"Then you know what must be done."

Raph thinks of what Leo's words mean, sighs when he understands. He fears for this "No! No more running! Like hell, I let him think he's at fault." Raph thought. But then a voice told him that what if he was disgusted by his confession, what if it made him leave the clan, what if-

"Raph" Leo calls him when he sees Raph is getting lost again. He needs some reassurance, Leo decided. When Raph snaps out of it and looks at him,

"Donnie will never hate you, he's the most understanding one out of the three of us. Even if the three of us combined, we can't win against his kindness." Raph agrees with him, it was one of the many things he loves about Donnie.

"Besides Mikey, it was Don who convinced me to talk to you that morning."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Raph asked.

"It's more like he's telling me to back off, really." Leo chuckled a bit, "He said that you got a problem that's been troubling you. He said that you snuck out because you needed to cool off and that problem made you do some irrational decisions, so it isn't entirely your fault."

Raph didn't believe he would still defend him after all the shit he's given him.

"I'm sure that he's blaming himself for it."

"But it isn't his fault."

"Then tell him who is actually at fault!"

Raph gave him a nod, and Leo returned it with a smile. Raph stands up, "Thanks for the pep talk, Leo. I owe you one."

"No Problem Raph. Just make it right with Donnie."

Raph suddenly feels that there's something very familiar with this moment. "Oh yeah..." Raph remembered the bug thing when they're still kids. Leo said something a little similar to him, "No Problem Raph. Just kill it with shuriken."

Raph smiles and replied "I will, Leo."

He left his room, full with determination. He promised to himself that he's not running away, he'll face his fears, he'll make things right, even if Don hated him in the end.

Raph closes Leo's door.

"It's better that he hates me rather than blaming himself for my screw up."

He was going to head straight to the lab, he's always there at this time. But something holds him back. He was going to tell him, but before that, he needs to get something from his room.

Raph turns and goes to his room.

He's in such a hurry that he doesn't notice that his door is slightly open, he doesn't realize that he always shuts his door. If he just realizes it, he should have seen the all too familiar pattern. Too late to realize that now.

He opens his door…

Door opens.

*Splash*

"...M..."

"MIKEYY!"

A bit of a mess, but... Let's just sweep that under the carpet, pretend that it never happen.

Agreed? Thank you.

Happy Holidays and thank you for reading.

ps. You are still awesome.