Warning: I'm not really sure what I'm writing.

I don't own TMNT.

Leo took a deep breath and relaxed his mind.

"Raph is this about that or what happened three months ago?" Leo asked.

Raph took another step back, his eyes sill glued to the floor as he whispered under his breath, "Both."

The eldest frowned and took a step forward. Raph didn't move.

"Raph, yes, Usagi's my best friend and yes, I see him as a brother. He's proven himself time and time again as a noble and dedicated warrior. He's saved my life."

"So that's how it is?" Raph asked in a shaking voice.

Leo stepped forward and placed his hand on Raph's shoulder, "Raph, you're my brother too and my best friend as well."

Raph took another step back and his eyes flew up to meet Leo's, unbelieving. That didn't make sense, a best friend was one person er being and there wasn't two…right?

"Raph, you're my little brother, nothing changes that. I never stopped being your best friend."

Leo was shocked by the small pools of water building behind Raph's eyes but continued on, "And I certainly never stopped being your brother."

Raph slammed his eyes shut, "Leo I-"

His voice cracked and Leo stepped forward once again to pull Raph into a hug. These moments were always rare between them but with what happened weeks before…well…maybe.

Raph himself was not a turtle normally to give into emotions but nightmares haunted his mind and he knew if anyone could get rid of them, it would be his older brother. With little hesitation his arms circled Leo and his face rested on the eldest's shoulder before it grew damp with silent tears.

"Shh," Leo cooed while pulling his little brother closer.

The eldest was at a loss of what to say. 'It's ok' or 'It'll be ok' would just make him a liar and 'Don't worry' would be like telling him to not breathe. Instead Leo just held on tightly letting his little brother know he was just…there. There's no telling how long they stood like that but at some moment Leo lead his brother out of the dojo. The rest of their home was unusually quiet.

"Bro?" Raph whispered, his head still plastered against Leo's shoulder.

"Yes Raph?"

"You wouldn't leave too would you?" he murmured against the eldest's shoulder.

"No," Leo said guiding his immediate younger brother towards the couch.

Once settled Raph's silent tears doubled and small whimpering sounds came from his throat.

"I-I tried I-," Raph stuttered before his voice faded into whimpers once again.

Leo pulled the red banded turtle closer and his voice faded to a whisper, "Shh, I'm here."

Raph's shoulders started trembling. He was clearly on the edge of breaking down. Leo wasn't really sure what to do, his hot headed little brother hadn't acted like this since they were seven. What had he done to calm him down? The blue banded turtle scanned his memories and then took a deep breath. Without a warning to the younger turtle, the eldest pulled his little brother into his lap and tucked his head under his chin while whispering whatever comforting words he could find. In another shocking move Raph didn't pull away, he curled into Leo's plastron and started trembling worse than before. Leo mentally slapped himself, this wasn't helping but his younger brother hadn't needed comfort before, especially not from him. If Raph ever had a problem he dealt with it himself or went to their sensei.

Leo took another deep breath and shifted. He let one arm drape across Raph's shoulders while the other gently massaged his plastron, right over his heart. The younger shivered and pressed himself closer to his older brother. The images were flashing through his mind a million miles a minute and although he couldn't block them, he had the strength to endure them. Leo, Raph had to admit had been a pillar of strength for him for years and right now, he needed that strength more than ever. The next movement was unexpected, so unexpected that Raph forgot everything for those next few seconds. Gathering up all the gentleness he was composed of, Leo slowly bent his head and nuzzled Raph's temple with his beak.

The red banded turtle curled closer and took three deep breaths before allowing the tears that had built up behind his eyes to escape and race down his face. He felt the comforting hand on his plastron move up until it rested on his face, wiping away the tears as they fell. He was indeed shocked, his older brother hadn't shown such tenderness to him in years but now that he felt it, he didn't want to be anywhere else. The next shock came when Raph pulled away a bit and glanced up at his older brother, his eyes pleading for something only they knew. Leo blinked twice, he wanted him to…it had been years but it didn't matter. All the years, nothing overshadowed him being a big brother. That was one pride he wouldn't swallow, no matter what.

Leo dipped his head and closed his eyes. Raph closed his eyes as well and he felt a slight smile cross his face as Leo left a light kiss on his forehead. This quieted the whimpers but he could feel the sobs trying to escape his throat. He curled close to Leo again but turned slightly to press his face into his neck. He relaxed marginally as he felt Leo's hand massaging his shoulder and as the other hand traveled back to his plastron, settling over his heart and tracing circular patterns around it. The move was always one that calmed him down as a younger turtle. One thought suddenly brought more tears to his eyes. He had been acting like a jerk to Leo since he returned from Usagi's world and now…oh, he was such a jerk!

Raph forced his tear filled eyes open slightly before taking a deep breath, inhaling the scent of his older brother. After 12 attempts to speak he finally managed a whisper.

"Leo?"

"Yes, Raph?" Leo said, gazing down at his little brother as an old spark lit in his eyes, the spark and shine of pride.

"D-do you h-hate me?"

"Hate you!?" Leo yelled and then cursed the way he had screamed.

He knew how proud Raph was, the others shouldn't see such a thing. Thankfully, their little brothers were already asleep and their sensei was in his room.

Leo took a deep breath and shook his head, "I could never hate you, you're my little brother," Leo paused for a moment trying to decide if his next words would be alright, once he believed they would he lowered his voice and shifted to nuzzle Raph's temple again, "And, you're my best friend."

Raph felt more tears spring from his eyes. Great! Now he felt like an even bigger jerk! He trembled and raised his hands to wrap around Leo's neck before pressing his face deeply into his neck, breathing heavily, trying to keep the sobs at bay. Leo tightened his arm that was still draped over his little brother's shoulders and ran his other hand up and down Raph's plastron, trying to calm him down. He was trembling so fiercely, as if he would fall apart at any moment. The eldest seemed at a loss of what else he could possibly do for his younger brother. He glanced to the side of the couch where a blanket was neatly folded. He reached out and scooped it up, unfolding it as quickly as he could with one hand while his other continued to massage Raph's plastron.

Raph opened his eyes when he felt something surround him. A small red blanket was around both him and Leo. For some reason he felt himself smile and he snuggled closer to Leo. In turn, Leo draped his arm back over the red banded turtle's shoulders and started whispering comforting words to him once again. The blanket felt like ice to the younger turtle and he wanted to throw it off but he didn't want to move. He felt Leo's hand leave his plastron and travel to his face once again, wiping away the tears as they raced down his cheeks. The eldest bent his head again and left another light kiss on Raph's forehead. Leo turned his hand, letting his palm rest against the side of his little brother's face as he watched the younger lean into the touch.

Yeah, the blanket felt cold to the younger turtle but pushing it away meant moving away from his big brother. He leaned into Leo's touch and managed to quiet his quaint whimpers for a few seconds. He let his hands fall away from around Leo's neck and into his own lap. He didn't really want to move. He wanted to stop trembling and he knew his older brother could remedy that. He didn't want to move, Leo was…so warm. With a last small smile he took a deep breath before leaning into the eldest and allowing his mind to lap into unconsciousness. The blue banded turtle glanced over his shoulder and reached out slowly and carefully, so he wouldn't wake up his brother, to flip the light switch. The illumination in the room vanished, leaving only the darkness behind. Leo decided that it was better not to move and to remain on the couch for the night, holding his little brother close.

Leo opened his eyes slowly and then closed them again to heighten his other senses. There were no sounds in the surrounding darkness but he froze as he felt the form in his arms trembling.

"Raph?" he whispered.

As if it was on cue, the trembling turtle curled closer to his older brother and ceased trembling. Leo threw off the blanket, realizing that it wasn't very helpful, for he had thought at first that his little brother had simply been cold. The blanket was very thick though. Leo knew that said blanket was much warmer than any heat his body radiated. He raised one hand and felt Raph's forehead. There was no chill to his skin and no fever. The blue banded turtle was now confused, what was causing the trembling? Maybe a nightmare.

Leo climbed to his feet slowly and carefully. His family would be up soon and no doubt Raph wouldn't want them to see them like that. The eldest made his way to his little brother's room and carefully slipped him into his hammock but as he made to pull away Raph reached out in his slumbering state and latched his hands around Leo's neck. As the eldest tried to pull away the younger turtle pulled him closer. Sighing in defeat Leo pushed Raph aside slightly and climbed into the hammock beside him. As if on pure instinct, Raph turned and snuggled against his older brother. Leo sighed and wrapped his arms around the figure that returned to trembling. Hours later Raph finally stirred and Leo was ready for a loud yelling accusation from his hot headed little brother but, the younger simply stared up at the eldest with a strange look.

The blue banded turtle glanced towards the ceiling…tonight would be quite difficult for everyone, especially for Raph.

TBC…………

AHHHHHHH!!! I'M LIKE, DROWNING IN ALL THE FLUFF!!!

HELP!

And please leave a review while you're at. ^_^

~Moonsetta