Reviews love, please do so. I also like constructive stuff. Don't own the turtles.
Leonardo was up early, despite the late night. He enjoyed the quiet of their home before his brother got up and started to go on with the day. It gave him time to meditate and focus on things that were troubling him without any interruption, and give his katanas their daily cleaning. As he rubbed the oil into the metal, his thoughts focused on the former reporter that had fallen so suddenly into their laps after being gone for so long. He remembered the graceful way she moved after getting cleaning herself up, sleek and feline in her movements.
Then he remembered Raph, constantly asking if she needed anything, always right there next to her. It was insanely out of character for his brother, but Leo guessed if he was in Raph's position, he'd be the same way. Later, Leo watched him tucking April in bed, knowing his brother wanted nothing more than to curl up next to her and watch her while she slept and he felt the sting of jealousy deep in his soul. The leader hated the slithery feeling that came to his stomach when he thought of them together. He was expected to make sacrifices that would improve his brothers, and Raphael's relationship with April had always been a big one. She helped sooth his temperament, and there were fewer outburst because of it.
But….
But Leonardo wanted her affection more than anything else in the world. He wanted their Hogosha to be his, for her smile, her laugh, her gentle touches, all that to be his. Last night only made the longing worse and add the fact that spring was starting, disaster could strike at any minute. They were all more aggressive this time of year, and with April back with them, it wasn't going to be good.
The last spring before April disappeared hadn't been too bad. Master Splinter had explained to her what was going on, and she seemed to take it in stride. She had taken Raph up with her to an old farmhouse that she had in upstate New York and it had taken some of the strain away from the lair. The two came back near the end of mating season, and it was pretty clear that April and Raph had been busy, from the sight small mark on her neck.
He was shaken from his thoughts by a sound at the doorway. The object of his thoughts and desires stood there, her kusarigama in her hand. She was dressed in some clothing she had left at the lair years ago, and they didn't seem fit quite right, but it was better than nothing. His eyes went to her neck, and saw that the mark was still there. Not that he couldn't make one of his own to cover it up. She smiled at him when he noticed her, making his heart jump, and held up held up her weapon.
"Hey," she said, moving into the room. "I was wondering if you had anything I could clean this with?" Leo reached behind him and grabbed a spare cleaning kit, tossing it to her. She caught it and sat down cross-legged on the floor. Pulling out the rag, she dabbed it in the oil, and began to run over the blade of the scythe in small, easy circles. He paused to watch her, her face quiet and focused on her task. Her scent began to fill the room, and Leo closed his eyes to breathe her in. Her original scent was now mixed with new ones- oil and leather from her weapon, and she no longer used the pear body wash she loved so much, instead, going for Cherry Blossom. It made him light headed, and he had to open his eyes to make it go away.
"What attracted you to the kusarigama?" he asked, going back to his work. A thoughtful look came across her face as she moved down the chain of her weapon.
"It just seemed to fit me." She said. "I like the fact that it has long and short ranged capabilities. I can overpower my opponent before getting in close and finishing them off." Leo flinched at the way her tone suggested something he really didn't want to think about- the idea of her killing people. It made him sick to think that his beloved Hogosha, his guardian spirit, had blood on her hands. She finished with her task, and handed the kit back to Leo, who put it back on the self behind him. "Anywhere I can put this?" she asked, picking up her weapon. Leo jerked his head to an empty hook behind her.
"Back there should be fine." She turned away, and reached to hang the kusarigama.
"Thank you." She said, turning back to him, Leo just shrugged.
"It was nothing." He said, as he began to finish up his task. April shook her head.
"No Leo, I mean for everything. Taking me in even after I hurt Raph, it just means so much to me."
He was about to say something else when his brothers came in for morning training. Instinct immediately pegged them as competition for the female's attention, and it took all of Leonardo's discipline not to growl at them. Raph did catch the hostile look in his eyes, and raised an eye ridge at him. Then he saw April, who had stood up when they had walked in the room, move over to him, stand on her tiptoes, and wraped her arms around Raphael's neck. Leo tightened his grip on the hilt of the blade, shut his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them, Raph had pulled her close to him and buried his face in her hair. Standing abruptly, Leo cleaned up the cleaning kit and walked past his brothers towards the dojo.
"It's time for training." He said sharply to them, walking inside. Following them to the doorway, April leaned against the frame, looking around the room.
"You think I could join you?" she asked, watching as they moved into warm-up stretches. The turtles all looked to Donatello, who shook his head.
"I want to give you a proper examination before I can give you the green light." He said. "After that, it's up to Leo."
"We'll see what happens." Leonardo replied, and moved from the warm up into his basic katas. "You can watch us if you want." He added, nodding to a platform at one end of the room. April moved onto it, and settled herself down to watch them fight.
It was interesting watching how different their fighting styles were, even though they were trained by the same person.
Donatello was always calculating his movements, trying to stay two or three steps ahead of Michelangelo, which was kind of difficult as the youngest turtle seemed unpredictable. They came together, Donnie trying to trip up his brother with a sweep of his Bo, but Mikey avoided it by jumping over the weapon. He retaliated with an attempted strike to Donnie's chest, but the purple turtle, ducked down and placed his shoulder into the orange one, knocking him to the ground.
April, finished with her assessment of the two younger turtles, then turned to focus onto the older ones. Leonardo was exact in his movements, each strike clean and precise. Today there was something more to his fighting. She smiled as she saw his eyes move to her and back to Raph, almost too quick to notice. Raph caught one of Leo's katanas in the prongs of his sai, and easily disarmed him. Leo just smiled at his brother, and she saw him check to make sure she was till watching. Moving into a different position, he charged at Raph. The red turtle was caught off guard by this clearly uncharacteristic move and was just barely able to avoid the attack.
Leonardo was focused on the larger turtle in front of him. After seeing the intense way April was watching his fight, a rush of something hit him. All he really knew was that he had to show April that he was a better choice for her. He was the strongest, the leader of the group, the true Alpha, so it should be obvious she should be with him. He lunged at Raph as his brother met him, blocking Leo's attack with his sais. Leo pushed the attack, forcing his brother into total defense, determined to put this Beta in his place. He had first choice for mates, and April, being the only female around, she was supposed to be HIS. Raph was saying something to him, but the only thing he could comprehend at that moment was April's scent and the fact that it was all over this rival male.
Raph couldn't believe that whoever he was currently sparing was Leonardo. His attacks felt different, like he was actually trying to hurt him. There was a dark determination in Leo's eyes as he continued his endless barrage of attacks. Then, Raph saw Leo look over at April out of the corner of his eye, and what was going on hit him. Leo was showing off for April- at least had started off doing so. Now it seemed like the older brother was flat-out fighting him for her. Like she would just change her mind if he was defeated. Raph had to snort at that idea. If April still wanted him after he got his shell handed to him by the Shedder, she wouldn't be fazed by Leo taking advantage of this kind of situation, which only pissed Raph off even more. This was supposed to be only sparing, not an actual fight.
April, in the meantime, was watching the fight intently, a true look of shock on her face. She didn't expect it to escalate this quickly. This wasn't good- she had to stall some more somehow. It would be a week before the plan could move on to the next level. She frowned as Leo swept his leg, causing Raph to lose balance and stumble backwards. It was like he wasn't in control of his own body as he pressed the tip of his weapon to his brother's throat. Leo stood there, breathing heavily as Raph watched him, stunned.
"Leo!" he heard someone else's voice snap at him. He turned, a half-growl in his throat at the possibility that anyone else would challenge him for his April. What he saw was his two younger brothers; Donnie with a stern look on his face, and Mikey just looking shocked as he slowly backed away from the blue masked brother.
"Raph!" Leo turned to see April rush to his brother, and it was only then it kicked in what just occurred. Pulling his katana away from his brother, he took a step back, shaking his head. What the hell had just happened? He closed his eyes and took deep breaths, trying to steady his heart rate. When he opened them again, Raph was right up in front of him, his face in a dark snarl.
"What the hell was that about?" Raphael growled, getting up close to him. This only brought back the raging competitive feeling that had come over Leo. He pulled himself to his full, height, despite the fact that he was a few inches shorter than Raph, and was about to say something when April caught their attention.
"Raph, you're bleeding!" She said, tugging at the red turtle's arm. Leo's eyes went to his brother's neck and saw a small trickle of blood moving down it. He must have nicked it at some point, and suddenly Leo felt ashamed.
"Raph, I-" He was cut off by Donatello stepping in between them.
"I suggest we head to the infirmary." The tall turtle said gently. "I'll patch up Raph and then check out April." The three of them left the dojo, all while April fussed over Raph, asking if he was okay.
Michelangelo was silent until he was sure they were gone.
"Dude, what was that about?" he asked, still keeping is distance from his older brother. "I know it's getting to that time of year, but you know that Raph loves April more than anything in this world." Leo saw a look of disappointment come to his baby brother's face as he turned to leave the dojo. "I'll come get you when breakfast is ready." And with that, the orange turtle left the room, leaving Leo to his own thoughts.