A/N: I had originally wrote this for my dear friend naledi-the-mabeco, on Tumblr because she's awesome! So I decided to share it with you guys too! I don't normally do Christmas things, but I'll do it just this once!

I OWN NOTHING!

The first part happens just before 'Buried Secrets.', and the second part happens some time after 'In Dreams'.

Enjoy!

"Yo, Leo! You coming down yet, bro? We're all waiting for ya!"

With a startled yelp, Leonardo nearly fell off his bed in surprise. "U-uh, yeah! Just gimme a minute Raph, I'm almost done up here!" Leo called back from his room, blushing madly even though he was alone as he turned his attention back to the paper in his hands.

He made a face as he stared down at the writing. He knew that this was rather silly, childish even. He'd stopped believing in Santa Claus years ago, though it was only after Donnie and Raph did; he kept on believing for a little longer for Mikey's sake. And ironically enough, it was because of Mikey reminding him over and over again on how he'd missed Christmas and that Santa was still waiting for his letter that he was even writing this cheesy letter in the first place.

However, if Leo wanted to be brutally honest, he was also doing this because…well, with everything that had happened to them recently, they all needed a little bit of cheering up.

After adding the finishing touches to his letter, he put down the pen and quickly read over the letter one last time before nodding to himself once, sighing with satisfaction before tucking the letter underneath the pillow so Raph wouldn't see it should he ever sneak into his room again. With that done and dusted, he grabbed his crutch off the side of his bed, stood with only a little bit of difficulty and then hobbled out the door, shutting it behind him as he went downstairs to meet with the rest of his family.

Later that evening, Michelangelo slowly cracked the door of Leo's room open, peering inside the darkness in search for something important, something that would aid him in his grand conquest of pranks. Sure enough, he found the marker pen lying on Leo's bed, and he grinned like the devil as he snatched it. "Aw yeah!" he crowed, eying the marker like it was a prize gemstone, "doodling time for Sleeping Beauty!"

After their training session that late afternoon, Leo decided to relent to Mikey's persistent begging and watch a marathon of Crognard the Barbarian with him. However after the first three episodes, Mikey turned around from the T.V to find that Leo had fallen asleep, probably tuckered out from all of the Barbarian epicness. So Mikey decided that the best way to pay him back was to draw on his face again!

Just as he was about to leave the room, cackling like a villain, something caught his eye underneath Leo's pillow. Quirking a brow, Mikey went closer and lifted the pillow to find that it was a folded piece of paper. Curiosity got the better of Mikey as he picked up and unfolded the paper, setting himself down on the bed as he began to read.

Dear Santa,

…I'll admit it, this feels a little weird after years of saying I don't believe in you, but for this year I think I can make a small acceptation.

This year has been…well, to put it mildly, one of the best and the worst year of our lives. We've gained a lot, but then lost so much in the space of so little time, it's unreal.

So this year, this is all I ask from you.

Can you keep my brothers' sprits alive for me? I know I can't do it alone the way I am right now, so I'm asking you for help. And not just my brothers', but help my sister (April) and Casey too. They've lost just as much as the rest of us, and they deserve so much better. Just keep them happy and hoping that someday we can all go back home, take back the city and find our father together.

I'm positive he's still alive. Somewhere.

I don't need anything personally; being with and knowing that what's left of my family – my whole world – is enough for me right now, and I know you can't exactly heal my messed up leg. That's something I'll need to work on doing on my own.

That's all, I guess. Just do that one thing for me, and I'll be more than grateful to you. Heck, maybe I'll start believing in you again and you can put me back on the nice list.

Leonardo Hamato.

By the time Mikey had finished reading, the pen in his hand had dropped, completely forgotten, and rolled under the bed as he stared down at the letter.

Through his tears, he was beaming.

"Leo! Leo!"

Aware that his shoulder was being shaken roughly and that his name was being called, Leo groggily opened his eyes, yawning as he looked up at Mikey's freckled face that was very close to his own. He let out a tired sigh. "…aw, I'm sorry, Mikey," he said as he sat upright on the couch and rubbed his eyes. "I didn't mean to fall asleep. I guess I was – wait, have you been crying?"

Leo noticed that even though Mikey was smiling, his mask was damp and he had tear streaks down his cheeks. Worry began to rise as Leo reached out and gently grabbed Mikey's shoulders. "Mikey, are you okay?" he asked anxiously. "I-I didn't mean to make you –"

He let out an 'oof' as Mikey suddenly came forward and wrapped his arms around Leo's waist, burying his face into his chest as he held on like a vice.

"…you're more than enough to keep us hoping, big brother," Mikey murmured.

Leo's eyes widened slightly at that. But it was quickly replaced with a warm smile as he hugged Mikey back, wrapping his arms tightly around his little brother. "…thanks Mikey," he said. And then a sadistic grin spread across his face as he looked down at him. "You do realize, though, that now that you've been in my room and read my things without asking, you have unleashed the 'you-know-what' monster, right?" he snickered evilly.

Mikey's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. He swallowed nervously as he drew back to look up at the sinisterly playful smile that was stretched across his older brother's face. "Uh oh. No, no not the Tickle Monster!" he cried as he released Leo and ran out of the living room, laughing and screaming all the way out of the farmhouse despite his imminent doom.

Grinning like a fool, Leo leapt up off the couch and bolted after him. "YES! The TICKLE MONSTER has awoken!" he shouted, bursting through the farmhouse door as he gave chase to his baby brother. "Get back here, Mikey!"

A/N: A bit of Mikey and Leo fluff, for there's not nearly enough of that in the show! I hope you enjoyed it!