Once Upon A Time in New York City

Warning: T-Cest TMNT Brother Love
Pairings: Leo/Don : Mikey/Leo : Raph/Don
Summery: April has officially announced her feelings for Casey and after a heart to heart with Donnie explained she just sees him as an awesome brother. However there may be something Donnie's been missing for years, he wonders why he never noticed before.

I do not own any rights to TMNT or the characters there of. All ideas are original and any similarities or names used are strictly coincidence.

Leo left the dojo in search of Donatello while Raph laid himself out on the hard floor looking up at the canopy of the old tree. The leaves sparkled with the little light that reached it and somehow made the fire in his heart calm to a warm glow. A smile played across his face as he closed his eyes letting thoughts drift about of how he was going to tell Donnie he loved him. Being with Mikey had showed him so much about both his dark banded brothers and even more about himself; never had he thought the tenderness he had as a tot still dwelled inside the rage he carried. Why was he so mad all the time? What made him loose the softness his brothers loved? When did they stop calling him Raphie? Heaving a deep breath he sought these answers memories played back in his mind the last eighteen years like a movie in rewind playing as he focused. So many stupid fights with his brothers, so many cold lonely nights because he had to be brave. Brave…he HAD to be strong, he had to argue, he felt it was his place in the family to question everything. But why?

“Sometimes Leonardo, you need humility to look at a problem another way. Question each possibility even if it’s most certainly a bad one.”  The chiding voice of their father pierced through the confusion like a dagger through paper. He had told the oldest this when they were 10, when their training changed from that of fun and discipline to self defense and caution.

Leo had spent hours trying to find every problem with a choice he made but only found heartache.  He remembered seeing his brother curled up with Mikey and Donnie crying because he wasn’t a good leader, that their father was disappointed in him. The other two had comforted their sibling telling him what he wanted to hear, what they believed. But in truth Raph could see every bad angle of a fight or problem; he did this so he knew what roads not to take. He had studied so many books and asked their father so many questions so he could make the right choices to protect his family. Like an alarm the answer to all his anger blared in his mind.  He wasn’t angry at all he was passionate, protective! He wanted Leo to be a great leader, he wanted to make his family happy, to do that he became the problem that was easy to see. The problem Leo always had a solution for. He’d just gotten so wrapped up in being the problem child he forgot to be a brother.

Opening his eyes Raph laughed and cried at the revolution. He felt so happy and sad at the same time. So many years he’d wasted fighting to be number one when he never really wanted to be. He just wanted to make his family happy. Sitting up he allowed himself a few more moments of peace to let everything flow as it would before removing his salted mask and using it to wipe away the rest of the evidence of his scene. Standing his full height he felt a surge of self pride rush over him as he made his way to find Mikey. He still had one more thing he wanted to do with his youngest brother before handing him over to the fearless leader.

                                ~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~

“Leonardo!” Donnie called to his brother as he passed the elevator door. Leo jumped and turned quickly to meet Donnie half way across the floor.

“Donnie I…”
“Leo We…”

Both blushed slightly and tried again letting Leo take the lead. He hands sweaty and his heart was beating faster than he had meant it to. Donnie watched the nervous display of his leader and couldn’t help but smile at how cute it seemed.
“Donnie I need to talk to you. It’s um…about us. C-could you come with me to my room…or we could go to yours, or the lab uhh…” His words spilled in jumbled mess of thoughts and he tried feverishly to hold on to his resolve to break up with his brother.

Donatello took Leo’s hand very tenderly and led him to the nearest retreat, his lab. Sitting down in his computer chair he offered the usual stool to his leaf green companion. He still smiled with slight amusement in their position. Both nervous to hurt each other, but both knowing what they had wasn’t love. This needed to stop before any more feelings could be wrapped up and strained then finally snapping. One hot headed volcano in the family was plenty and Donnie wasn’t going to be the cause of a chain reaction that might destroy their family.

Leo took the seat and cast his eyes down trying desperately to control his breathing and his body. Why was it so hard to be honest? He’d never lied to Donnie before and had never been afraid to speak his mind. With a sarcastic chuckle he kicked himself mentally. ‘This isn’t the mind fearless, it’s the heart and you’ve never been good at this.’ Looking up he met deep chocolate eyes that held merriment and a calming peace. Somehow he got the feeling Donnie knew what he was here to say and was just waiting for him to get it over with. That certainly didn’t help the words gather in his mouth, it only made him sick to his stomach at the thought of Donnie looking at this cold.

Seeing the battle rage in the eldest’s eyes Donnie finally leaned forward and kissed his brother with a passion they’d only held a few times. Wrapping arms tightly in a thankful embrace he pressed deep into the kiss trying to convey that everything was alright, that Leo didn’t need to fight to say what was in his heart. Heck this worked pretty well for him in the beginning so he should understand. Don hoped with all his heart the tender, blue banded, turtle he held would.  They both emerged from the kiss breathless and red, both pairs of eyes searching the other for reactions. They both found what they’d hope to see. Understanding.  In the depths of awakened stares they saw a bond breaking and just as quickly a new, more familiar one replacing it. Tears were not held back as they both joined hands once more and shared in the beautiful pain but freedom of the moment.

“So, this is how it feels to break up with some one. Huh…I actually feel really stupid for acting the way I did after April let me down. Thought if it had been with a kiss I think I could have managed.” Donatello laughed lightly and leaned back in his desk chair looking on as Leo composed himself once more. “But Leo, I’m sorry I will be honest with you. I think I like someone else. I’m not sure they’d even ever consider me as a partner but I can’t hold on to your kindness and carry these feelings.” He spoke soft and sincere noticing the peaceful calm that had settled over his brother.

“It’s alright Don, it’s the same for me. I noticed you struggling with my feelings for you. Maybe they were the wrong ones.  I’ll be honest too. Mikey kissed me last night after we went out. For some reason it was like a rocket exploded in my mind and I couldn’t get him out of my head. It felt so…”

“Right.” Donnie finished nodding his head in agreement. But that did beg the question… “Wait MIKEY!? As in Raphael’s mate, the orange ninja goof off?” He sat straight almost falling forward out of the old chair.

Leo nodded and swallowed hard thinking how to explain to their brainy brother how Mikey had come up with the hole thing to get his attention. He chose to tell the entire story Mikey had explained the night before in detail of how he’d shanghaied  their hot headed sibling into playing along if only to distract him from seeing himself with Donnie. The scientist took it all in, every word Leo spoke and every scene he’d seen over the last six months, the change in behavior for both brothers, and Raph’s docile side coming out after years of being locked away. It all finally made sense. Then it formed a glorious idea in his mind. He jumped up and gave a rather large and strong hug to the startled form in the seat and rushed to the door.

“Leo, find Mikey and kiss him like your life depended on it! I’ve got a lot of repairs to fix this jumbled mess I’ve made.” With that he blew out of the lab and Leo could hear the rushed steps followed by the whirl of the elevator motor. He laughed and leaned back on a table looking to the bright lights over head. He remembered what had caught his eyes about Donnie, that energy and excitement the purple mask was unable to hide when Donnie became inflamed. That wonder and electric static that came to life had always followed Mikey every day; it was always around so he’d missed it. But with eyes wide open he was ready to dive into that lightening storm and enjoy the ride.


                               ~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~

Night settled on the city, the busy streets settled to the usual evening bustle, family stores closed for the night as the bigger corporations dawned neon attractions. The people of the city hurried home in need of respite before the next cycle, however not all its populace was winding down. Some were just beginning to rise through shadowed streets and empty windows; this was the time of night that called to the four brothers beneath the city streets. Together they emerged to patrol the rooftops and protect the occupants of New York.

Four shadows gathered on the roof of an old water powered factory. Perched on it's point the blue banded brother looked over his team. "According to Casey's intel both the Foot and Purple Dragons have agendas tonight. So who's up for a little contest of skill?" His smirk was matched times three as he spoke.

"I'm in Fearless, but only if I get the brainy one. You can have the goofball tonight." Spinning his sai he moved to stand beside the slender turtle.

"Alright then Mikey's with me. We'll take the Foot since you're better at dealing with thugs. So how about losing team has to do morning and evening chores for the winners for a week."

"Annd they have to take winner's spot with sensei in 'extra meditation' for a week."  Mikey cooed from beside Leo.

"Ok only if you throw in a week of dinner too." Donnie retorted as he leaned against Raph's shell crossing his arms.

Leo slung his arm playfully around Mikey's shoulder and eyed his previous lover. "Looks like the terms are set. First ones to get back to the lair with useful intel wins." Grabbing Mikey's arm he threw a smoke pellet and took off to the riverside area where the Foot was waiting.

Coughing through the smoke Raph growled and turned to the residential area. "C'mon genius I ain't cooking for Mikey's picky pallet for a week." Raph's eyes went wide when he saw Donnie sprinting a few feet ahead.

"You better hurry if you don't want to spend hours and hours with Master Splinter for a week." Donnie's laugh sent a shock through Raph's body. Watching his fire brand sibling pick up his pace made the fire inside roar to life and he let loose a series of whoops and howls as he bounded over the rooftops.

Raph joined in merriment with the olive form leading the way. The view was just as nice, if not better, than the sound of Don's voice. Somehow the city scape and night air gave the feel of mystery and magic to the chase.

As the city knows it's protectors will save the innocent the four brothers will serve justice to the criminals of its streets. But one thing the heart of the city knew better than the four shadows that moved atop it's peaks is most romances begin

Once Upon A Time in New York City.