Ch.4 Dinner at the Hamato's; Getting a little Closer:
Leo has started making dinner for April and their father. Leo always enjoyed cooking. When he was younger he always helped his mother out in the kitchen, and cooking always reminds him of his mother so enjoys it very much.
Leo even got his own apron that has his favorite color on it which is blue.
Right now its 4:50 which meant April will be home soon and Leo hoped their father will get to come home to eat but with their bills, it was very unlikely.
The house phone rang which got Leo out of his thoughts. He wiped off some food on his apron as he answered the phone.
"Hamato residence, Leo speaking."
"Hello Leonardo." Splinter said in a tired voice which made Leo worry.
"Hello father…are you okay? You don't sound too well…" Leo asked his father not noticing April came in with two others.
April just looked at her brother with a sad smile. She wished her brother will relax. She knew Leo was going to be upset when she invited Donnie and Raph in but she had a feeling that their father wouldn't be coming to dinner tonight.
"I'm fine Leonardo…Just a bit tired is all. I'm sorry to say this son…but I won't be able to make it to dinner tonight. I was really looking forward to eating your cooking. What are you preparing tonight my son?"
Leo gave off a sad smile hearing his father wouldn't make it to dinner. Leo sensed someone watching him and he turned around and nearly screamed seeing Raph and Donnie in the kitchen while April check on dinner with her own apron on as well.
"Leonardo? Are you okay son?" Splinter asked making Leo move his gaze away from the two gang members as he went back to talking to his father.
"Y-Yes I'm fine father. I just saw a spider and it startled me. Anyway, I'm making April's favorite; taco-lasagna tonight. I'll save you some for you to eat when you get home." Leo said with a smile when he heard his father sigh. He knew his father loved his food and was upset that he didn't get to eat any.
"That's kind of you Leonardo. I'll let you go son, I need to get back to work. Tell April I love her and I love you as well son. Good night."
"I will and love you too father. Night, and be safe." Leo said and hung up the phone.
"I take it daddy isn't coming home for dinner tonight again huh?" April said as she turned around to look at her brother.
"Afraid not April. But he said that he loves you." Leo said with a smile ignoring the two others.
"I had a feeling he wouldn't get to come. That's why I offered to let Donnie and Raph eat with us. You guys can go into the living room and watch TV or something while Leo and I finish up dinner." April said to the gang members ignoring Leo's glare.
"Thanks baby. Sorry for the intrusion Leo." Donnie said with an apologetic smile and Raph just shrugged his shoulder at Leo.
Leo shook his head but didn't say anything as he went to see how he's food doing.
Donnie and Raph left the kitchen and left the two Hamato siblings alone.
"I'm sorry Leo…"
"April…I…I wish you would of at least asked me. I don't mind you inviting your boyfriend, but why on Earth did you invite Raph too?!" Leo asked trying not to sound worried but it didn't work because April saw right through it.
"Oh come Leo, don't worry so much! I told you that Raph's going to be with Donnie for a while because of The Foot rucks going on. Besides…why won't you give Raph a chance? He's been asking about you, ya know." April said with a smile as she saw Leo blush.
"Ahem! You should know I'm not going to do that April. Just because you're with a gang member doesn't mean I will. As long as you're happy I don't care what happens to me. Just…please stop worrying about me." Leo said as she finished putting the rest of the ingredients in the pan and put it in the oven, walked away as he took his apron off and hung it up in the kitchen closet.
April just watched her brother with a sad smile as he left the kitchen.
"Sorry big bro…but it looks like I'm going to be playing cupid for you…cause I want you to be happy…and I think Raph is just the guy for ya." April said to herself as she checked on the food.
"Looks like the food will take while…which means…time to play cupid!" April said with a smile and began working on her plan.
With Raph and Donnie:
"Shessh! He did NOT look happy to see us. I hope we didn't upset him." Donnie said worried while he sat on the Hamato's couch with his brother.
"Bro chill! We're here, so we might as well deal with it." Raph said relaxing on the couch like it was his own.
Donnie just shook his head and he heard the kitchen door opened and saw Leo come in.
"Leo…if you want us to leave we can…It was rude of us to just come in not letting you know we were coming." Donnie said making Leo look at him.
"No, no! It's fine you two just surprised me so just make yourself at home. It's going to be a little bit before dinner is ready so just relax. If you need anything April should be in here or in the kitchen and I'll be in the back room where our dogs are. If you need me just ask April and she'll tell you where I am." Leo said with a smile and nearly ran in the back in the room to the Hamato dogs.
Just when Leo went into the back April came in and just saw her brother to see the dogs.
Their dogs are whiner dogs that were their mother's and Leo always go in there to calm his nerves or when he's worried about something.
"Okay boys like Leo said, dinner will be a bit so…want anything to drink? And no Raph we don't have beer so don't asked." April said when Raph was about to ask for a beer.
When Raph heard that he put his hand down and April just laughed at him.
"Where did yer brother go?" Raph asked sitting up looking toward where Leo walked off to.
April just smirked.
"He went to spend time with our mother's dogs. He spends time with them a lot and some of that time is when he has a lot on his mind. But I can show you were it is. I think Leo could use the company even if he doesn't say so." April said as she motioned Raph to get off the couch to follow her.
Raph then followed her to where Leo would be at while he kept thinking about Leo and wondered what he could do to make Leo give him a chance.
"Here you go…" April said getting Raph out of his thoughts.
Raph was about to open the door but April stopped him and he looked at her and she gave him a serious look.
"Raph…Leo has been through so much heartache…the loss of our mother, losing his first love to Ricky…I just want my brother to be happy…And…I think you can do that for him but it's not going to be easy. If you're really serious about this then go ahead…if not…then stop messing with my brother." April said and she made her way back to the living room leaving Raph in his thoughts.
All the years that Raph's been through, he never felt so sure of himself. After he lost his little sister Raph hasn't felt like himself. Only his little brother kept him going, and stopping The Foot from killing anymore innocent lives again and…he met Leo…Even if he only met Leo just today, he felt like he wants to protect him, get to know him. Usually Raph just dates, messes around, and leave…but with Leo…he can't explain it.
"Sigh…guess I have to figure it, but I can't do it just standin' here." Raph said to himself softly and he opened the door slowly.
Leo was sitting on the floor with the dogs playing with them. Being with his mother's dogs always puts his mind at ease when he has a lot on his mind and when he can't go talk to his mother's grave he goes to his mother's dogs to put his mind at ease.
Then the dogs noticed Raph started growling a little but they came closer to him and sniffed his boots.
Leo turned around to see where the dogs are going and he sees Raph. Leo blushes a little bit but not as bad at the parking lot at the park.
Raph let the dogs sniff him and he slowly kneeled down to the floor to pat their hands.
"Ay little guys. I ain't gonna hurt'cha." Raph said with a smile that made Leo's heart flutter a little. He shook his head to get his mind in order.
"So…what's their names, and are they a boy or a girl?" Raph asked looking at Leo with a smile.
"T-They're a boy and a girl. The black one is a girl, and her name is Misty; and the brown is the boy and he's name is Harry….T-They belonged to my mother…She loved them so much…so…I love them very much. They seem to like you pretty well. They usually don't take well to strangers." Leo said with a small smile as he watched his two dogs play around Raph.
"Heh. That's pretty sweet of ya, takin' care of yer ma's pups. She sounds like a pretty cool lady." Raph said still petting the dog's head.
"Thank you…Yes she…she was a great woman. She loved these two pups very much and I want to take care of them." Leo said as he called the pups over so he could pet them and they licked them and Leo just smiled.
Raph just smiled at the scene. He thought Leo was cute but seeing him with those two dogs made him even cuter.
They were quiet for bit because neither didn't know what to say. Until Leo broke the silence.
"Uh…Raph?" Leo said quietly.
"Sup Leo?" Raph asked just smiling at Leo.
"I…I just wanted to say I'm sorry for being rude to you and Donnie when you two came in. I was just very surprise to see you two…but that's no excuse so…I apologize." Leo said as he lowered his head to the ground watching the dogs play around Leo's legs.
Raph chuckled and walked over to Leo and sat next to him, but he made sure he didn't sit too close to make him uncomfortable.
"Ya don't hafta apologize. I would be surprise as well if two unexpected guest walk in my home." Raph said giving Leo a smile which made Leo smile back a little.
"I…need to apologize ta ya though." Raph said making Leo look at him.
"I didn't mean to make ya uncomfortable at the park…But I wasn't pickin' on ya or pullin' yer leg…I…I really would like ta know ya more Leo." Raph said with a serious look on his face not looking away from Leo's face.
Leo's eyes widened and he blushed as he raised his knees to his chest and hugged them to his chest and he looked toward the door not wanting to look at Raph.
Leo felt Raph getting a little closer and he blushed harder trying to ignore him but Raph gently touched his chin to move Leo's face to Raph's.
"I ain't gonna hurt ya…I just want a chance…There's…somethin' different about cha…" Raph said as he rubbed Leo's cheek softly when he lowered it to the ground.
Leo's eyes widened and blushed more but he moves his gaze to the dogs playing around him and Raph.
Raph just watched him, hoping that Leo will give him a chance.
"Raph…I…I'm flatter that you…you want to be with me and get to know me…And…In a way I would like to know you but…I…I'm scared…" Leo said quietly as he messed with his shirt to keep from fidgeting.
Raph nodded at him and he rubbed Leo's shoulder a little bit.
"You're scared…because of yer ex-boyfriend Ricky, right?" Raph asked and Leo's eyes widened.
"H-How do you know about him?" Leo asked looking Raph in the eye clearly afraid.
"Sigh…April told me ya had a boyfriend, but if it makes ya feel better…she didn't tell me why you two broke up…I guess she wanted to leave that to ya. But just because some bastard hurt ya…doesn't mean that every guy is gonna do that to ya…I know I ain't." Raph said making Leo blush more and he couldn't help but smile at that.
"How about it Leo? We can go on a date…just get to know each other a little better. We can…do whatever ya want." Raph said as he got closer to Leo's face and Leo took notice and back up a little into the wall be-hide him but Raph kept getting closer that it looked like he was about to kiss Leo.
"R-Raph…I…I…" Leo didn't know what to say but he knew he couldn't look at Raph so he turned his head away to look at Misty. She was looking at him and it looked like she was enjoying the show.
"Just give me a chance huh? Even if ya say no…I ain't gonna give up. I'm pretty stubborn. Tomorrow's Saturday. I know this great diner, makes the best burgers you'll ever have. I ain't gonna take no for an answer." Raph said with a smirk.
Leo just looked at Raph for a few moments and he actually smiled.
"Hehe…even if I say no…I have a feeling…you're going to come here tomorrow and make me go with you either way, am I right?" Leo said still smiling but it's kind of a sad smile.
"Damn right. So…tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. how does that sound?"
"Well…I have things to do…like keep the house clean, make sure we have enough food-"
"Leo relax a bit! April can handle it. She want's ya to have fun, she told me herself. So…tomorrow?" Raph said with smirk which made Leo glare at him but it didn't bother Raph. It made him laugh.
"Sigh….Tomorrow…" Leo said giving up. He hopes he isn't making a mistake like he did with…Ricky…