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Then came the day he was invited to the estate of the Hamato Clan, and his entire life turned upside down.", "count": "16", "submission_left_submission_id": "2233834", "submission_left_file_name": "3247459_Sundayeyes_bell_flowers_8.doc", "submission_right_submission_id": "2242508", "submission_right_file_name": "3260485_Sundayeyes_bell_flowers_10.doc" } ], "description": "Michelangelo had never been known to stay in one place for very long. Taverns and street corners were his hearth and home, because roots can?t take hold if you just keep moving, and why would anyone want to sink into the ground so deep that you got stuck?\n\nThey were smart words to live by and had done a good job of keeping him happy enough. At least until the day he was invited to the sprawling estate of the Hamato Clan, and his entire life was turned upside down.\n\nAlternate Universe, AU\nPairings: Leonardo/Michelangelo, Raphael/Donatello\n\n~*~*~*~\n[url=https://inkbunny.net/s/2233834]<--- Chapter Eight[/url] __//__ [url=https://inkbunny.net/s/2242508]Chapter Ten --->[/url]\n~*~*~*~", "description_bbcode_parsed": "Michelangelo had never been known to stay in one place for very long. Taverns and street corners were his hearth and home, because roots can?t take hold if you just keep moving, and why would anyone want to sink into the ground so deep that you got stuck?

They were smart words to live by and had done a good job of keeping him happy enough. At least until the day he was invited to the sprawling estate of the Hamato Clan, and his entire life was turned upside down.

Alternate Universe, AU
Pairings: Leonardo/Michelangelo, Raphael/Donatello

~*~*~*~
<--- Chapter Eight __//__ Chapter Ten --->
~*~*~*~", "writing": "[center]~*~*~*~\n\nChapter Nine: Gravity\n\n~*~*~*~[/center]\n\nLiving on the streets with no real place to call home for so many years had trained Mikey to always wake before dawn. The rays from the sun meant being charged for a full day by the tavern owner, so it was usually best to be gone before daylight had a chance to fill the rented room.\n\nHe blinked his eyes open to the hazy grey twilight only found in the earliest hour just ahead of the morning, comfortable on his side, confused at first by the arm slung over him and the warm body pressed up against his shell. It took a minute before the fog of sleep cleared enough for him to remember where he was.\n\nWhen he had finally ventured inside the cabin, he saw that his use of the word cozy had been very apt. It was a single space, with a wood stove in one corner and a table and chairs close to it placed up against the wall. The rest of the room was occupied by two large futon mats, one containing Don's sleeping form and the other Leo's.\n\nMikey had hesitated, strangely nervous now that he was faced with the reality of sharing a bed with the clan leader's son. But realizing it was that, or the ground outside he crawled onto the mattress, keeping a respectful distance between them so as not to wake anyone up.\n\nObviously Leo had rolled to him during the night, maybe for warmth, maybe for some other cosmic reason, and Mikey took a second to bask in the comfortable feeling of waking in someone's arms, finding that he liked the way their bodies fit together.\n\nOf course, he had to get up. Mikey wasn't sure he would be able to handle the sleepy stretches that would come as Leo started to wake and he didn't want to embarrass himself.\n\nInching toward the edge of the mattress Mikey froze as Leo snuffled in his sleep, scrunching his face up adorably at being jostled, before rolling over with a murmured grumble and going still again, bringing a fond smile to Mikey's face as he stood.\n\nRaphael had indeed returned during the night, just like Leo said he would. He was lying open mouthed, snoring softly, on his carapace, his arm wrapped around Don, holding the olive turtle tucked up tightly against his side. Don's face was buried in Raph's neck as he slept, and Mikey was sure the image the two created was just about the sweetest thing he had ever seen.\n\nHe quietly crept outside, floored again by the beauty of the view just beyond the cliff's edge, wanting to see what he hadn't been able to in the darkness the night before. Leo and Raph had certainly chosen the perfect spot for their little retreat. The air was crisp and damp, a fine misting of dew coating the grass, and above his head a smattering of stars still twinkled, each disappearing one by one as the light at the horizon slowly turned a lighter shade of grey.\n\nHe lost himself a little for a length of time, gazing upon the world from his high perch, the details of the landscape fading into clarity with the rising light.\n\nJust like his awareness of the presence standing next to him.\n\nWith a start he turned, holding his hand over his heart to try and save his dignity as he stared, wide eyed at Raphael.\n\nThe second son was watching him with a tolerant raised brow. \"If you're gonna be stickin' around then we've gotta work on your spatial awareness.'' he grumbled.\n\nReleasing the breath he was holding, Mikey grinned apologetically, \"Sorry, I tend to get a little lost in my own head sometimes.''\n\n\"That's a quick way to get ya'self killed.'' Raph said. It was a statement, not a threat, one Mikey knew was true all too well, and the sharpness of Raph's steady gaze made him shift his shoulders in embarrassment. What was it with these Hamato brothers and their ability to make him feel like they were staring right into the darkest corners of his soul without any effort at all?\n\nMikey nodded, swallowing as he searched for something to say, \"It's funny, I always knew my life was filled with danger and excitement, but this place... this place is on a whole other level.'' Chancing a glance at Raph, he saw the second son was considering him carefully. \"I've never spent much time around nobles. Is it always like this?''\n\nTo his relief Raph smiled, huffing out a laugh through his nose, \"Yeah, kinda. And don't call me a noble, I hate those bastards.''\n\nThey shared the laugh, daring to relax a little with each other and Mikey felt like maybe he had just cleared the first fence with Leo's brother. That was a good thing.\n\n\"So, Leo seems to be takin' a shine to ya','' Raph continued after a beat, \"And Donnie hasn't stopped talkin' about ya' since ya' showed up. So, I wanna make things clear between us. Ya' hurt my brother or Donnie in any way and it's me your gonna have to deal with. Understand?''\n\nRaph had turned to him with a pointed finger as he spoke, a stray beam of light from the rising sun hitting his face and flashing off his fierce golden eyes, like the spark of a flame.\n\n\"Noted.'' Mikey answered with a short nod and what he hoped was a placating smile, unsure what else he could say in response to a statement like that.\n\nRaph's devotion to the ones he loved was palpable, encompassing everything that he was so clearly that Mikey was a little overwhelmed by it. He wondered what that must be like? To be loved by someone so much. It was almost too much to hope that someday he might find out.\n\nAnd suddenly so much about Raph was clarified in his mind. Up until this point he'd had trouble seeing how two people as different as Raph and Don could find enough common ground to be so in love. But now, he thought he finally saw it.\n\nRaphael was easy to figure out, he was the younger son, always second best, always in his brother's shadow, it was a common enough thing among noble families to barely be noteworthy. But Mikey knew that Don saw Raph as his most important thing, his prominent focus, Raph was first in Don's eyes and that made all the difference.\n\nAnd though Don hadn't explained enough about his past yet for Mikey to know for sure, he had the impression that it was just as screwed up as his own, maybe even more so. So, obviously Raph was Don's safe harbor, his solid pillar of security that made Don feel like he was worth the effort. Mikey could definitely understand that.\n\nAnd, he thought with sudden awareness, it explained a lot about why Don had been so upset the day before.\n\nHe looked at Raph shrewdly, deciding to be blunt, \"Are you going back to talk to your father? Donnie deserves that much, you know?''\n\nHe realized that may have been the wrong thing to say as Raph turned his head with a scowl, but it seemed obvious that Raph was the type of person to respect a direct approach, and he'd already said the words anyway, so he straightened and looked into the second son's face with as much confidence as he could muster.\n\n\"What's that supposed to mean?'' Raph said, low and demanding.\n\nMikey swallowed but didn't back down, \"Just that... you know he'll never be happy if you abandon your life for him. He's given up so much every day, just to be with you. The least you can do is go back and have a simple conversation. Both of you have made enough sacrifices already, don't you think?''\n\nRaph's jaw was set and there was a hard glint in his eyes that was making Mikey nervous. He may have miscalculated. He'd always had a bad habit of running his mouth.\n\nRaph looked him up and down, \"You're a brave little thing, ain't ya'?''\n\n\"I'm not wrong.'' He shot back, the shake in his voice barely noticeable.\n\nFor a second Mikey was sure Raph was going to hit him, and he flinched a little, bracing himself. But the swing never came and after a beat Raph's shoulders sagged and he turned away, looking back at the still and silent cabin.\n\n\"Taking Don back would put him in danger.''\n\nThere was a quality to Raph's voice as he spoke that gave Mikey pause, like he was begging someone, anyone to give him the answer he needed because he couldn't find it himself.\n\nSo, Mikey licked his lips and stepped a little closer, speaking low because he wasn't at all sure that he was about to say the right thing.\n\n\"I've never been in love... but I would like to think that I would face any danger for something that important. Isn't he worth fighting for? You want to protect him, but isn't standing up and declaring what you want better than running and hiding for the rest of your lives?''\n\nRaph's head twitched to the side, his eyes staring into nothing, a deep frown bringing his forehead down. Mikey chewed his lip, self-conscious, worried he was just digging this hole deeper with every word.\n\nBut after a minute Raph turned to him, the frown still wrinkling his brow, only now his face held more curiosity then dismay. \"Thanks.'' he finally offered.\n\nMikey shrugged, looking to the side, \"Anytime.''\n\nRaph stalked back to the cabin, disappearing through the door and Mikey released a breath, swallowing down his disbelief that he had managed to make it out of that conversation without getting pummeled. He wasn't usually that lucky. And while it definitely could have been worse, he had the distinct feeling that Leonardo's brother was difficult to get along with on a good day, so all in all the morning was going well.\n\nThe sky was barely starting to streak with rays of orange and gold, a band of pink lighting the horizon pleasantly when he heard a quiet shuffling sound coming out from the cabin. He turned with a smile to see Leo walking toward him, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.\n\n\"Good morning.'' Mikey said eagerly, moving closer.\n\n\"Morning.'' Leo murmured, he almost sounded irritated. Mikey was about to ask if he was alright when Leo shook his head a little and sniffed, \"What do you say we go see if we can catch something for breakfast?''\n\nThe sudden request was a little jarring, but Mikey was always up for an adventure, so he just shrugged, \"Sure! Um, just let me grab my boots, I left them inside...''\n\nLeo's hand shot out and grabbed his arm as he passed, stopping him mid-step. He looked down, confused, at where Leo's fingers curled around his elbow. Mikey opened his mouth to question what was going on when he heard it, a soft rumbling churr coming from inside the cabin.\n\n\"Oh.'' He said quietly, blushing a little as Leo watched his reaction. \"You know, I can just go barefoot, that's fine.''\n\nLeo nodded his agreement, rigidly walking away, and Mikey silently giggled, convinced he had just seen the smallest of amused smiles twitch across Leo's lips.\n\n~*~\n\nThey had stopped only for a moment at a small shed built close to the cabin to grab fishing gear and tackle, before quickly vacating the area. Mikey found the whole thing very entertaining and had no problem giving Raph and Don as much time as they needed to be as loud as they wanted to be.\n\nNow he and Leo were sitting on the grassy bank of a wide lazy river, surrounded by tall trees and greenery that transformed the space into a warm secluded hideaway, enjoying the first rays of the sun as they started to peak over the tree line. Leo had secured the fishing pole in the open knothole of an old log and they watched as the line drifted out across the water.\n\nMikey could tell Leo was still a little grumpy from the way he had been awakened and could barely contain his amusement over the grimace on his face, \"So... did they at least ask you to leave before they started or did they just...''\n\n\"Yes, they asked me to leave.'' Leo cut him off impatiently, and Mikey couldn't hold it in anymore, a laugh burst from him and he fell over on the grass, chuckling merrily.\n\n\"Sure, laugh it up,'' Leo said in mock annoyance, \"But I was having a really nice dream.''\n\nSitting up, still giggling, he had to ask, \"Yeah? What were you dreaming about?''\n\n\"You.''\n\nMikey's laughter quieted, but the smile remained on his face, warmth flushing through him. He'd walked right into that one of course, but it was enough to make him stop and think for the first time about where he actually was, alone, with Leo, in the middle of the woods, with no chance of being interrupted.\n\nChewing his lip, he tried not to look too flustered, \"Well, I am pretty dreamy.'' He countered, looking sideways with his head tilted over his shoulder, freezing at the way Leo was looking at him from under his eye ridges.\n\nA sudden wave of nervousness had him moving closer to the river before he even had time to think about it, plucking at the fishing line as a distraction, trying to control his breathing. What was this feeling twisting in his chest? Why did he have the sudden urge to hide in the bushes? Yesterday they could barely keep their hands off each other, and now...?\n\nHow was this different? Other than the fact that nothing was standing between them now, nothing to deter or distract them. A truth was poking at the back of his mind, insistent, nagging, trying to make him see something important, but he couldn't concentrate, couldn't focus on it, not with Leo so close, so...\n\nHe turned his head to find Leo watching him with a weighted, patient look, not saying anything or making a move toward him. Leo was letting him breath and Mikey was so grateful for it. He needed a minute to sort this out in his head.\n\n\"So, what happens now?'' He said, a little too quickly, hoping that squeaking sound he heard hadn't come from him. \"Will we go back? Will your father really give them his blessing and let them bond? What does that even mean anyway? Bonding, sealing a bond, you guys talk about it all the time, but I've never even heard of anything like that before now.''\n\nLeo tilted his head, confused, \"You don't know what bonding is?''\n\n\"I mean, if it means what I think it does, then yeah, I guess, but there's not much ceremony to it.'' It usually wasn't even worth talking about, it was just something that happened between feeding the chickens and sitting down for dinner, \"You know, farm boy meets village girl, their fathers talk over a glass of whiskey, maybe a goat changes hands, then they pledge themselves to each other in front of the whole village and a year or so later a kid comes along... sometimes the kid comes first.'' he finished with a shrug.\n\nLeo laughed, \"Well, I suppose bonding is essentially the same, but it's also a fair bit more complicated than that.''\n\nMikey carefully kept his eye on Leo as he settled himself comfortably on the ground, his carapace against a thick old oak, one leg drawn up with his arm resting on his knee, looking for all the world like an open invitation and Mikey tried his best not to stare.\n\n\"A bonding is, not only a religious ritual, but there is a magic to it as well. Only the priests know what that truly means, and they guard their secrets closely as to how it works. But the ceremony, if done properly, bonds two souls together, sealing their connection for the rest of their lives.''\n\nMikey looked up, distracted by a sudden thought, \"Magic? You mean the swirly lines on your father's arms...?''\n\n\"Bonding filigree,'' Leo nodded, \"The marks are set into the skin during the ceremony, it's what connects the two souls, so they can always feel each other, even when their bodies are apart.''\n\n\"Even if one dies...'' Mikey said with quiet realization.\n\nHe looked up as Leo sighed, \"He will feel her in this life until the day he leaves us.''\n\n\"That's... sad.'' Mikey said, frowning as another thought came to him, \"But what about Hun? He had those marks on his arms, but they were different, like someone had cut them into his skin.''\n\n\"Hun is an abomination,'' Leo spat, his face going dark with a deep scowl, \"When you bond with someone it seals your soul to another, and only one other, for the length of your life. But Hun has perverted the rite. Somehow, he has discovered how to form bonds with as many people as he wants, locking them to him. That's why his filigree is jagged, like the lines themselves are fighting to be free of him. We've never been able to prove how he does it, so the council has forbidden any clan from challenging him over it. This might be our chance, this thing with Don, it might be a blessing in disguise.''\n\n\"He's holding people prisoner by their souls?'' Mikey said, shocked at the revelation, scooting closer to Leo until he was kneeling just out of reach. \"That's what he wanted to do with Don?''\n\n\"Like I said yesterday,'' Leo answered, dangerous and low. \"Hun never would have made it off the estate with Don, we would have killed every one of Hun's men to save him. Raph and I would do anything to keep Don safe, even if that means we would have started a war.''\n\n\"Isn't that what's happened anyway?'' Mikey's head was buzzing, almost unable to believe what he was hearing.\n\nLeo shrugged, \"Perhaps.''\n\n\"So, what do we do?''\n\n\"[i]We[/i] do nothing.'' Leo asserted, looking pointedly at Mikey, \"Hun has made a demand for his claim so my father will likely open negotiations as a diversion while Raph and I try to discover the truth of just how many bonds Hun has collected. If we can prove his guilt, then he can be captured and brought before the council to answer for his crimes.''\n\n\"And... what about the poor people he has captive?'' In his mind Mikey remembered seeing, from the ridge, the hulking pavilion set up at the center of Hun's camp, and could only imagine the huddled figures inside, desperate to be freed.\n\nLeo shook his head, \"The priests believe that the only way their false bonds can be broken is if Hun dies. That they may be linked to his life force rather than his actual soul.''\n\n\"Wow.'' Mikey said, blinking, looking down at his hands twisting in his lap, \"Bonding is... a lot more serious then I was expecting. Donnie made it sound so romantic...''\n\n\"It is romantic.'' Leo said with a soft grin, extending his leg just enough so that his foot was lightly resting against Mikey's knee, \"Hun may be a deviant but that doesn't change what the rite is supposed to represent. I asked Don once what it was like for him, the day he met Raphael. He was quiet, with this dreamlike smile, and he said that there had been a gaping emptiness inside him that he didn't even know was there until they looked at each other, and that when they touched for the first time he felt like he was completely fulfilled. I'll never forget the look on his face.''\n\nHe was speaking so reverently, and Mikey was captivated by the tone of his voice. Glancing up he found Leo's soft hazel eyes, open and honest, locked on his face. The quiet rushing of the river was the only other sound.\n\n\"The priests teach us that two souls enter this world searching for each other, and when you find the one you're meant for it's like a dam bursting free. Like there will never again be anything more important than reaching for that person and holding them for the rest of your life.''\n\nLeo curled and uncurled his fist where it hung in the air balanced off his knee and Mikey held his breath, suddenly aware of the weight of those words between them. There was a truth shared in what he said, and Leo sat perfectly still, offering himself, open and vulnerable and raw. Mikey could feel the power that Leo was giving him, the power to lift him up to the clouds or the power to crush him under his heel.\n\nIt was heady and potent, and Mikey gasped, insistent pressure building in his chest. Releasing a shaky breath, he spun on his knees and sat with his carapace to Leo, needing a moment to breathe, needing a chance to think.\n\nHe knew what he felt when Leo was close to him, the thrill of the lust shooting through his veins, but was that all? Was it only the primal, ancient pull of instinct? Or was it more? Was it deeper? How could he possibly be expected to understand what he was feeling with Leo's eyes boring a hole into the back of his skull?\n\nHad Leo told him what Don said to him because that was what he was feeling? Did he also find an empty space inside him that he didn't know was there when Mikey had appeared? And if all of this was true about souls searching for each other then why hadn't he felt any of those things when he saw Leo for the first time?\n\nThe answer was simple, crashing through him even as he tried to ignore it. It was because he never let himself feel anything. He had spent so long hiding behind the wall he had carefully built around his heart that he hadn't even noticed when Leo had started chipping away at it. And now that he could hear the tink, tink, tink, sound of it, he could also see the cracks and the light shining through them.\n\nHe was starting to panic, his breath coming in short gasps, if he had been standing, he would have been pacing. He needed a distraction, he needed his guitar, why did he leave his guitar back at the...\n\nHe twitched, the light touch of fingers tracing the grooves in his shell bringing him back to sharp focus, calming him, quieting the questions bouncing around in his head. Leo was gentle with his touches, not pulling, not pushing, just there, quiet and steady and waiting.\n\nMikey took a deep breath. He could do this. He could make an actual decision without resorting to finding the nearest hill and running for it. His fingers were tingling, just like his shell where Leo continued his soft strokes up and down the ridges and Mikey found himself relaxing into him, leaning back just a little, the urge to flee fading into nothing as he closed his eyes and just felt.\n\nLeo was like the pull of the tide, a heavy all-encompassing weight that surrounded him and tugged at him. He'd been caught in a riptide once, stupidly swimming out too far from the shore on a dare after a night of drinking. He remembered the spike of fear that sobered him almost instantly, allowing him to push back the panic and concentrate on letting the water carry him along at its will, complacent until it eventually deposited him back on the moon drenched sand a mile from where he had started. Once he had let go and surrendered to the power of the waves it was like he knew the sea would take care of him, comforting as it surrounded him and held him buoyant. He had never taken the ocean for granted again.\n\nAnd because of that he realized that he couldn't find it in him to take Leo for granted now.\n\nHe leaned back further, pushing against the ground slowly until he came up against Leo's plastron, nestled between his knees. Leo brought his hands up to rest on Mikey's shoulders, gently rubbing circles with his thumbs. No, not circles... he was tracing the shape of the bell flowers stitched onto his tunic. Mikey looked down with a start, having completely forgotten they were there, blue silk against the orange fabric. The same blue as Leo's haori. Suddenly he understood the symbolism and smiled at the thought that it was a part of him now.\n\nLeo was a part of him. Leo was comfortable, and safe. Leo was trust. He trusted Leo, implicitly, from the moment their eyes met, even as he had questioned his motives, Mikey had trusted him to be open and honest, to see him as important, to see him as an equal, to see him as worthy, to see him...\n\nHe shivered at the feel of Leo's breath on the back of his neck, his lips ghosting across his skin.\n\nThis was the moment of truth. If he turned around now, then there would be nothing to stop what would happen. But Leo was giving him the choice, selflessly, like he did everything else.\n\nMikey loved that about him... he loved....\n\nHe froze, momentarily blocking the traitorous thought, he could still stop this, he could get up and walk away, from Leo, from the estate, he could go back to his life the way it had been and that would be fine. Pick things up right where he had left off and nothing would be different.\n\nHe swallowed and closed his eyes, his mind shuddering against the lie, it was that big, he knew it, but trying to protect himself, forcing belief in something by telling himself it was true was an old habit, and those die hard.\n\nAs Mikey sat there, still as stone, Leo continued his soft caress down his arms, around his elbows, back up to trace across his shoulders and along the ridge of his shell, his lips heating the skin at the edges of his collar, and he knew he never wanted to stop feeling it. He never wanted to stop feeling Leo against him. His skin, his breath, his blood, his very soul was screaming at him to give in, he couldn't fight it, he couldn't say no, he wanted... he needed...\n\nHe lifted his hands and gripped Leo's knees, stilling those gentle fingers on their path down his arms, each of them holding their breath, all sounds in the glade dull and fuzzy. Mikey pushed up, sitting up, staring hard at the river as it continued to flow in front of them, nothing could stop it, nothing could stop this.\n\nMichelangelo turned around.\n\nHe turned and found hazel eyes dark with need pulling him in as Leo reached for him, gripping him at his shoulder and his neck, drawing him down into a kiss that promised everything.\n\nHe shuffled until his knees were under him again, leaning in at an angle. It was awkward and his thighs immediately began to burn as he held his weight up to keep it off where his hands pressed into Leo's knees, but he could ignore every little ache and pain as long as Leo kept kissing him.\n\nLeo's hand dropped to his hip, squeezing and pulling him forward, tender but unrelenting, until Mikey was forced to pick himself up, sighing at having to break their kiss as he lifted his knees, one at a time, crawling over Leo, straddling his hips.\n\nLeo smiled up at him, his fingers gripping the bottom edge of his shell, pulling him in until Mikey was comfortably seated in his lap, reaching up to begin twisting the wooden toggles undone, to push the shirt from his shoulders.\n\nOne last flash of panic and Mikey was grabbing at Leo's hands, stopping his advance, staring at him with all his fear laid bare between them, \"I've never done this before.''\n\nLeo blinked, his eyes darting down to where their bodies pressed together, suddenly unsure, \"Really?''\n\nMikey heard his words as Leo responded and his eyes widened in distress, \"Oh, no. No, I mean, I've never felt this... I've never let anyone close. I don't think I know how. I've always kept everyone at arm's length because... then I'm always safe.''\n\nSome of the desperate flush faded from Leo's face as he absorbed what Mikey was telling him, his eyes growing concerned with the understanding.\n\nHe took Mikey's hand, uncurling their fingers, and laid it flat against his chest, \"Do you know what this is?'' Mikey shook his head even as he was comforted by the steady thump of Leo's heartbeat, \"This is us. This is you. Can you feel it? This was my emptiness and you filled it. I can't get enough of you, and I will never hurt you, I would sooner cut off my own arm.''\n\n\"Leo...'' Mikey whispered, leaning down and pressing their foreheads together to hide the tears gathering in his eyes.\n\n\"I need you, Michelangelo.'' Leo responded, just as quietly, bumping their noses together, \"I'll always keep you safe.''\n\nMikey gasped, inhaling his own sob, surging down to meet Leo on his way up, their mouths opening, tasting, telling, passing their truth back and forth between them until they couldn't breathe.\n\nThe glade enclosed them, sheltering them from the world, letting them forget for just a while, letting them think they were alone in all existence.\n\nMikey trembled, fumbled, resolute in his choice, pulling at Leo's shirt, unwilling to stop touching him for even the few seconds it took to remove it as well as his own. Separating only long enough to divest of their pants as well before he was back in Leo's lap, comfortable and secure. Their bodies fit perfectly, legs and hips, arms and lips, he wrapped himself around Leo, holding him close, his toes curling with need as Leo pressed his fingers into the soft skin of his thighs, massaging him, coaxing him down until his breath was steady, even as his heart was racing.\n\nHis fear was melting away, consumed by the fire of Leo's words, his touch, his kiss, and the solid, undeniable heat rising between them.\n\nAnd as the fear dissolved his playful confidence took over, remembering what to do, remembering how Leo had teased him the day before. With a devilish grin he ducked down and nipped at Leo's lips, teasing the bottom one with his teeth, drawing back every time Leo pushed forward for deeper, more satisfying kisses. Leo moved in and Mikey danced away, leaning back with a roll of his hips, darting in to happily swallow the gasping exhale he got in response. Mikey's laugh was breathy, cooling the wetness he left behind as he licked and bit, never staying still long enough to catch.\n\nHe shuddered with satisfaction as he pulled a frustrated groan from deep within Leo's chest, feeling the tremors in his muscles as he strained to keep Mikey still. Laughing, throaty and low when Leo finally had enough and wrapped his arms around Mikey's waist, lifting him, pushing him, throwing him down onto the grass, capturing his hands that were starting to wander and pressing them up over his head, locking his wrists with one hand while the other ventured lower.\n\nLeo stared down at him, holding him with his eyes, pupils wide and black with desire. Mikey thought he would burn in their heat, and he bit his lip, bucking his hips, throwing his head back against the grass, his chest vibrating with a deep churr when those heated fingers found what they were looking for.\n\nLeo dove in to claim the offered neck below him, sucking at the flushed skin, his responding churr pulsating against Mikey's collarbone, resonating through every bone in his body. Licking a line from his shoulder to his lips, Leo kissed him again, Mikey groaning into his mouth with needy desperation, straining against him with whining gasps, pulling at the hand that still held his wrists. He wanted to touch, to feel, he pressed closer, sucking down his kisses like he had never been kissed before.\n\nSmiling into his mouth, Leo released his hands, hissing through his teeth as Mikey immediately claimed the skin at his sides, trailing teasing tickling touches along the sensitive flesh there.\n\nEverything before this had been a shadow, a reflection of this reality, ethereal and fleeting. But Leo moving against him, his hands, his fingers, his nails dragging along his thighs, was like a lightning storm coursing through him, solidifying sand into glass. He felt the blood pumping through his veins, the air filling his lungs, the hammering beat of his heart, full to bursting.\n\nHe needed more. He needed this to last forever.\n\nLeo rose over him, pressing his knees apart, quickly filling the morning chilled air between them with his singular brand of blue fire, hotter than the sun. Mikey reached up, clinging to Leo's shoulders, pulling him down for more kisses, keening against his tongue as Leo brought their lengths together, surrounding them with his fingers, pulling pleasure filled gasps from Mikey's throat with every stroke.\n\nMikey was panting, writhing, rising onto his elbows to look down between them, watching with hooded eyes. Leo's arm shook with the strain of holding his weight, his breath coming in short gasps through gritted teeth. He pressed his face against the side of Mikey's head, kissing all along his cheek and around his ear, whispering half formed endearments between breaths that Mikey could barely make out over the pounding of his own heart.\n\nThere was a rising, throbbing pressure building, deep within him, he turned his head, trading sloppy kisses that missed half the time, broken only by a chant of one single word repeating over and over as their movements become more frantic against each other, ``Leo, Leo, Leo, Leo...'' he whispered it like a prayer, falling back onto his shell, reaching down to take Leo's hand in his, twisting their fingers together so they were sharing the act.\n\nLeo grunted and his arm gave out, dropping him down to his elbow to bury his face in Mikey's neck, biting down, stiffening with a single jerk of his hips, growling out another rumbling churr. And the sound of it shot down Mikey's spine, bursting in his belly, pinpoints of light flashing behind his eyes, pulling a cry from low in his throat. His head fell back as he tipped over the edge, lost in the ecstasy and the feeling of warmth and wetness spreading across their bellies and their joined hands.\n\nThey collapsed beside each other in the grass, gasping for air, unable to speak, Leo's arm possessively draped over Mikey's middle, unwilling to let him go.\n\nIt might have been a minute or an hour or a day, he would have laid there forever if it meant never having to leave the warmth of Leo's arms, but eventually Mikey moved, rolling toward Leo, bringing his hand up to trace the lines of his plastron with a soft sleepy smile.\n\nLeo pulled him close, caressing his arms and his shoulders, trailing gentle lines down the side of his face and along his jaw. Mikey closed his eyes and melted into the touch, sighing happily when Leo leaned in, peppering kisses all over his cheeks and his chin, brushing his lips across Mikey's brow and down to flutter against the soft skin over his eyes.\n\n\"I think I'm falling in love with you.'' Leonardo whispered.\n\nAnd Michelangelo smiled.\n\n[center]~*~*~*~\n\ntbc...\n[/center]", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "
~*~*~*~

Chapter Nine: Gravity

~*~*~*~


Living on the streets with no real place to call home for so many years had trained Mikey to always wake before dawn. The rays from the sun meant being charged for a full day by the tavern owner, so it was usually best to be gone before daylight had a chance to fill the rented room.

He blinked his eyes open to the hazy grey twilight only found in the earliest hour just ahead of the morning, comfortable on his side, confused at first by the arm slung over him and the warm body pressed up against his shell. It took a minute before the fog of sleep cleared enough for him to remember where he was.

When he had finally ventured inside the cabin, he saw that his use of the word cozy had been very apt. It was a single space, with a wood stove in one corner and a table and chairs close to it placed up against the wall. The rest of the room was occupied by two large futon mats, one containing Don's sleeping form and the other Leo's.

Mikey had hesitated, strangely nervous now that he was faced with the reality of sharing a bed with the clan leader's son. But realizing it was that, or the ground outside he crawled onto the mattress, keeping a respectful distance between them so as not to wake anyone up.

Obviously Leo had rolled to him during the night, maybe for warmth, maybe for some other cosmic reason, and Mikey took a second to bask in the comfortable feeling of waking in someone's arms, finding that he liked the way their bodies fit together.

Of course, he had to get up. Mikey wasn't sure he would be able to handle the sleepy stretches that would come as Leo started to wake and he didn't want to embarrass himself.

Inching toward the edge of the mattress Mikey froze as Leo snuffled in his sleep, scrunching his face up adorably at being jostled, before rolling over with a murmured grumble and going still again, bringing a fond smile to Mikey's face as he stood.

Raphael had indeed returned during the night, just like Leo said he would. He was lying open mouthed, snoring softly, on his carapace, his arm wrapped around Don, holding the olive turtle tucked up tightly against his side. Don's face was buried in Raph's neck as he slept, and Mikey was sure the image the two created was just about the sweetest thing he had ever seen.

He quietly crept outside, floored again by the beauty of the view just beyond the cliff's edge, wanting to see what he hadn't been able to in the darkness the night before. Leo and Raph had certainly chosen the perfect spot for their little retreat. The air was crisp and damp, a fine misting of dew coating the grass, and above his head a smattering of stars still twinkled, each disappearing one by one as the light at the horizon slowly turned a lighter shade of grey.

He lost himself a little for a length of time, gazing upon the world from his high perch, the details of the landscape fading into clarity with the rising light.

Just like his awareness of the presence standing next to him.

With a start he turned, holding his hand over his heart to try and save his dignity as he stared, wide eyed at Raphael.

The second son was watching him with a tolerant raised brow. "If you're gonna be stickin' around then we've gotta work on your spatial awareness.'' he grumbled.

Releasing the breath he was holding, Mikey grinned apologetically, "Sorry, I tend to get a little lost in my own head sometimes.''

"That's a quick way to get ya'self killed.'' Raph said. It was a statement, not a threat, one Mikey knew was true all too well, and the sharpness of Raph's steady gaze made him shift his shoulders in embarrassment. What was it with these Hamato brothers and their ability to make him feel like they were staring right into the darkest corners of his soul without any effort at all?

Mikey nodded, swallowing as he searched for something to say, "It's funny, I always knew my life was filled with danger and excitement, but this place... this place is on a whole other level.'' Chancing a glance at Raph, he saw the second son was considering him carefully. "I've never spent much time around nobles. Is it always like this?''

To his relief Raph smiled, huffing out a laugh through his nose, "Yeah, kinda. And don't call me a noble, I hate those bastards.''

They shared the laugh, daring to relax a little with each other and Mikey felt like maybe he had just cleared the first fence with Leo's brother. That was a good thing.

"So, Leo seems to be takin' a shine to ya','' Raph continued after a beat, "And Donnie hasn't stopped talkin' about ya' since ya' showed up. So, I wanna make things clear between us. Ya' hurt my brother or Donnie in any way and it's me your gonna have to deal with. Understand?''

Raph had turned to him with a pointed finger as he spoke, a stray beam of light from the rising sun hitting his face and flashing off his fierce golden eyes, like the spark of a flame.

"Noted.'' Mikey answered with a short nod and what he hoped was a placating smile, unsure what else he could say in response to a statement like that.

Raph's devotion to the ones he loved was palpable, encompassing everything that he was so clearly that Mikey was a little overwhelmed by it. He wondered what that must be like? To be loved by someone so much. It was almost too much to hope that someday he might find out.

And suddenly so much about Raph was clarified in his mind. Up until this point he'd had trouble seeing how two people as different as Raph and Don could find enough common ground to be so in love. But now, he thought he finally saw it.

Raphael was easy to figure out, he was the younger son, always second best, always in his brother's shadow, it was a common enough thing among noble families to barely be noteworthy. But Mikey knew that Don saw Raph as his most important thing, his prominent focus, Raph was first in Don's eyes and that made all the difference.

And though Don hadn't explained enough about his past yet for Mikey to know for sure, he had the impression that it was just as screwed up as his own, maybe even more so. So, obviously Raph was Don's safe harbor, his solid pillar of security that made Don feel like he was worth the effort. Mikey could definitely understand that.

And, he thought with sudden awareness, it explained a lot about why Don had been so upset the day before.

He looked at Raph shrewdly, deciding to be blunt, "Are you going back to talk to your father? Donnie deserves that much, you know?''

He realized that may have been the wrong thing to say as Raph turned his head with a scowl, but it seemed obvious that Raph was the type of person to respect a direct approach, and he'd already said the words anyway, so he straightened and looked into the second son's face with as much confidence as he could muster.

"What's that supposed to mean?'' Raph said, low and demanding.

Mikey swallowed but didn't back down, "Just that... you know he'll never be happy if you abandon your life for him. He's given up so much every day, just to be with you. The least you can do is go back and have a simple conversation. Both of you have made enough sacrifices already, don't you think?''

Raph's jaw was set and there was a hard glint in his eyes that was making Mikey nervous. He may have miscalculated. He'd always had a bad habit of running his mouth.

Raph looked him up and down, "You're a brave little thing, ain't ya'?''

"I'm not wrong.'' He shot back, the shake in his voice barely noticeable.

For a second Mikey was sure Raph was going to hit him, and he flinched a little, bracing himself. But the swing never came and after a beat Raph's shoulders sagged and he turned away, looking back at the still and silent cabin.

"Taking Don back would put him in danger.''

There was a quality to Raph's voice as he spoke that gave Mikey pause, like he was begging someone, anyone to give him the answer he needed because he couldn't find it himself.

So, Mikey licked his lips and stepped a little closer, speaking low because he wasn't at all sure that he was about to say the right thing.

"I've never been in love... but I would like to think that I would face any danger for something that important. Isn't he worth fighting for? You want to protect him, but isn't standing up and declaring what you want better than running and hiding for the rest of your lives?''

Raph's head twitched to the side, his eyes staring into nothing, a deep frown bringing his forehead down. Mikey chewed his lip, self-conscious, worried he was just digging this hole deeper with every word.

But after a minute Raph turned to him, the frown still wrinkling his brow, only now his face held more curiosity then dismay. "Thanks.'' he finally offered.

Mikey shrugged, looking to the side, "Anytime.''

Raph stalked back to the cabin, disappearing through the door and Mikey released a breath, swallowing down his disbelief that he had managed to make it out of that conversation without getting pummeled. He wasn't usually that lucky. And while it definitely could have been worse, he had the distinct feeling that Leonardo's brother was difficult to get along with on a good day, so all in all the morning was going well.

The sky was barely starting to streak with rays of orange and gold, a band of pink lighting the horizon pleasantly when he heard a quiet shuffling sound coming out from the cabin. He turned with a smile to see Leo walking toward him, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Good morning.'' Mikey said eagerly, moving closer.

"Morning.'' Leo murmured, he almost sounded irritated. Mikey was about to ask if he was alright when Leo shook his head a little and sniffed, "What do you say we go see if we can catch something for breakfast?''

The sudden request was a little jarring, but Mikey was always up for an adventure, so he just shrugged, "Sure! Um, just let me grab my boots, I left them inside...''

Leo's hand shot out and grabbed his arm as he passed, stopping him mid-step. He looked down, confused, at where Leo's fingers curled around his elbow. Mikey opened his mouth to question what was going on when he heard it, a soft rumbling churr coming from inside the cabin.

"Oh.'' He said quietly, blushing a little as Leo watched his reaction. "You know, I can just go barefoot, that's fine.''

Leo nodded his agreement, rigidly walking away, and Mikey silently giggled, convinced he had just seen the smallest of amused smiles twitch across Leo's lips.

~*~

They had stopped only for a moment at a small shed built close to the cabin to grab fishing gear and tackle, before quickly vacating the area. Mikey found the whole thing very entertaining and had no problem giving Raph and Don as much time as they needed to be as loud as they wanted to be.

Now he and Leo were sitting on the grassy bank of a wide lazy river, surrounded by tall trees and greenery that transformed the space into a warm secluded hideaway, enjoying the first rays of the sun as they started to peak over the tree line. Leo had secured the fishing pole in the open knothole of an old log and they watched as the line drifted out across the water.

Mikey could tell Leo was still a little grumpy from the way he had been awakened and could barely contain his amusement over the grimace on his face, "So... did they at least ask you to leave before they started or did they just...''

"Yes, they asked me to leave.'' Leo cut him off impatiently, and Mikey couldn't hold it in anymore, a laugh burst from him and he fell over on the grass, chuckling merrily.

"Sure, laugh it up,'' Leo said in mock annoyance, "But I was having a really nice dream.''

Sitting up, still giggling, he had to ask, "Yeah? What were you dreaming about?''

"You.''

Mikey's laughter quieted, but the smile remained on his face, warmth flushing through him. He'd walked right into that one of course, but it was enough to make him stop and think for the first time about where he actually was, alone, with Leo, in the middle of the woods, with no chance of being interrupted.

Chewing his lip, he tried not to look too flustered, "Well, I am pretty dreamy.'' He countered, looking sideways with his head tilted over his shoulder, freezing at the way Leo was looking at him from under his eye ridges.

A sudden wave of nervousness had him moving closer to the river before he even had time to think about it, plucking at the fishing line as a distraction, trying to control his breathing. What was this feeling twisting in his chest? Why did he have the sudden urge to hide in the bushes? Yesterday they could barely keep their hands off each other, and now...?

How was this different? Other than the fact that nothing was standing between them now, nothing to deter or distract them. A truth was poking at the back of his mind, insistent, nagging, trying to make him see something important, but he couldn't concentrate, couldn't focus on it, not with Leo so close, so...

He turned his head to find Leo watching him with a weighted, patient look, not saying anything or making a move toward him. Leo was letting him breath and Mikey was so grateful for it. He needed a minute to sort this out in his head.

"So, what happens now?'' He said, a little too quickly, hoping that squeaking sound he heard hadn't come from him. "Will we go back? Will your father really give them his blessing and let them bond? What does that even mean anyway? Bonding, sealing a bond, you guys talk about it all the time, but I've never even heard of anything like that before now.''

Leo tilted his head, confused, "You don't know what bonding is?''

"I mean, if it means what I think it does, then yeah, I guess, but there's not much ceremony to it.'' It usually wasn't even worth talking about, it was just something that happened between feeding the chickens and sitting down for dinner, "You know, farm boy meets village girl, their fathers talk over a glass of whiskey, maybe a goat changes hands, then they pledge themselves to each other in front of the whole village and a year or so later a kid comes along... sometimes the kid comes first.'' he finished with a shrug.

Leo laughed, "Well, I suppose bonding is essentially the same, but it's also a fair bit more complicated than that.''

Mikey carefully kept his eye on Leo as he settled himself comfortably on the ground, his carapace against a thick old oak, one leg drawn up with his arm resting on his knee, looking for all the world like an open invitation and Mikey tried his best not to stare.

"A bonding is, not only a religious ritual, but there is a magic to it as well. Only the priests know what that truly means, and they guard their secrets closely as to how it works. But the ceremony, if done properly, bonds two souls together, sealing their connection for the rest of their lives.''

Mikey looked up, distracted by a sudden thought, "Magic? You mean the swirly lines on your father's arms...?''

"Bonding filigree,'' Leo nodded, "The marks are set into the skin during the ceremony, it's what connects the two souls, so they can always feel each other, even when their bodies are apart.''

"Even if one dies...'' Mikey said with quiet realization.

He looked up as Leo sighed, "He will feel her in this life until the day he leaves us.''

"That's... sad.'' Mikey said, frowning as another thought came to him, "But what about Hun? He had those marks on his arms, but they were different, like someone had cut them into his skin.''

"Hun is an abomination,'' Leo spat, his face going dark with a deep scowl, "When you bond with someone it seals your soul to another, and only one other, for the length of your life. But Hun has perverted the rite. Somehow, he has discovered how to form bonds with as many people as he wants, locking them to him. That's why his filigree is jagged, like the lines themselves are fighting to be free of him. We've never been able to prove how he does it, so the council has forbidden any clan from challenging him over it. This might be our chance, this thing with Don, it might be a blessing in disguise.''

"He's holding people prisoner by their souls?'' Mikey said, shocked at the revelation, scooting closer to Leo until he was kneeling just out of reach. "That's what he wanted to do with Don?''

"Like I said yesterday,'' Leo answered, dangerous and low. "Hun never would have made it off the estate with Don, we would have killed every one of Hun's men to save him. Raph and I would do anything to keep Don safe, even if that means we would have started a war.''

"Isn't that what's happened anyway?'' Mikey's head was buzzing, almost unable to believe what he was hearing.

Leo shrugged, "Perhaps.''

"So, what do we do?''

"We do nothing.'' Leo asserted, looking pointedly at Mikey, "Hun has made a demand for his claim so my father will likely open negotiations as a diversion while Raph and I try to discover the truth of just how many bonds Hun has collected. If we can prove his guilt, then he can be captured and brought before the council to answer for his crimes.''

"And... what about the poor people he has captive?'' In his mind Mikey remembered seeing, from the ridge, the hulking pavilion set up at the center of Hun's camp, and could only imagine the huddled figures inside, desperate to be freed.

Leo shook his head, "The priests believe that the only way their false bonds can be broken is if Hun dies. That they may be linked to his life force rather than his actual soul.''

"Wow.'' Mikey said, blinking, looking down at his hands twisting in his lap, "Bonding is... a lot more serious then I was expecting. Donnie made it sound so romantic...''

"It is romantic.'' Leo said with a soft grin, extending his leg just enough so that his foot was lightly resting against Mikey's knee, "Hun may be a deviant but that doesn't change what the rite is supposed to represent. I asked Don once what it was like for him, the day he met Raphael. He was quiet, with this dreamlike smile, and he said that there had been a gaping emptiness inside him that he didn't even know was there until they looked at each other, and that when they touched for the first time he felt like he was completely fulfilled. I'll never forget the look on his face.''

He was speaking so reverently, and Mikey was captivated by the tone of his voice. Glancing up he found Leo's soft hazel eyes, open and honest, locked on his face. The quiet rushing of the river was the only other sound.

"The priests teach us that two souls enter this world searching for each other, and when you find the one you're meant for it's like a dam bursting free. Like there will never again be anything more important than reaching for that person and holding them for the rest of your life.''

Leo curled and uncurled his fist where it hung in the air balanced off his knee and Mikey held his breath, suddenly aware of the weight of those words between them. There was a truth shared in what he said, and Leo sat perfectly still, offering himself, open and vulnerable and raw. Mikey could feel the power that Leo was giving him, the power to lift him up to the clouds or the power to crush him under his heel.

It was heady and potent, and Mikey gasped, insistent pressure building in his chest. Releasing a shaky breath, he spun on his knees and sat with his carapace to Leo, needing a moment to breathe, needing a chance to think.

He knew what he felt when Leo was close to him, the thrill of the lust shooting through his veins, but was that all? Was it only the primal, ancient pull of instinct? Or was it more? Was it deeper? How could he possibly be expected to understand what he was feeling with Leo's eyes boring a hole into the back of his skull?

Had Leo told him what Don said to him because that was what he was feeling? Did he also find an empty space inside him that he didn't know was there when Mikey had appeared? And if all of this was true about souls searching for each other then why hadn't he felt any of those things when he saw Leo for the first time?

The answer was simple, crashing through him even as he tried to ignore it. It was because he never let himself feel anything. He had spent so long hiding behind the wall he had carefully built around his heart that he hadn't even noticed when Leo had started chipping away at it. And now that he could hear the tink, tink, tink, sound of it, he could also see the cracks and the light shining through them.

He was starting to panic, his breath coming in short gasps, if he had been standing, he would have been pacing. He needed a distraction, he needed his guitar, why did he leave his guitar back at the...

He twitched, the light touch of fingers tracing the grooves in his shell bringing him back to sharp focus, calming him, quieting the questions bouncing around in his head. Leo was gentle with his touches, not pulling, not pushing, just there, quiet and steady and waiting.

Mikey took a deep breath. He could do this. He could make an actual decision without resorting to finding the nearest hill and running for it. His fingers were tingling, just like his shell where Leo continued his soft strokes up and down the ridges and Mikey found himself relaxing into him, leaning back just a little, the urge to flee fading into nothing as he closed his eyes and just felt.

Leo was like the pull of the tide, a heavy all-encompassing weight that surrounded him and tugged at him. He'd been caught in a riptide once, stupidly swimming out too far from the shore on a dare after a night of drinking. He remembered the spike of fear that sobered him almost instantly, allowing him to push back the panic and concentrate on letting the water carry him along at its will, complacent until it eventually deposited him back on the moon drenched sand a mile from where he had started. Once he had let go and surrendered to the power of the waves it was like he knew the sea would take care of him, comforting as it surrounded him and held him buoyant. He had never taken the ocean for granted again.

And because of that he realized that he couldn't find it in him to take Leo for granted now.

He leaned back further, pushing against the ground slowly until he came up against Leo's plastron, nestled between his knees. Leo brought his hands up to rest on Mikey's shoulders, gently rubbing circles with his thumbs. No, not circles... he was tracing the shape of the bell flowers stitched onto his tunic. Mikey looked down with a start, having completely forgotten they were there, blue silk against the orange fabric. The same blue as Leo's haori. Suddenly he understood the symbolism and smiled at the thought that it was a part of him now.

Leo was a part of him. Leo was comfortable, and safe. Leo was trust. He trusted Leo, implicitly, from the moment their eyes met, even as he had questioned his motives, Mikey had trusted him to be open and honest, to see him as important, to see him as an equal, to see him as worthy, to see him...

He shivered at the feel of Leo's breath on the back of his neck, his lips ghosting across his skin.

This was the moment of truth. If he turned around now, then there would be nothing to stop what would happen. But Leo was giving him the choice, selflessly, like he did everything else.

Mikey loved that about him... he loved....

He froze, momentarily blocking the traitorous thought, he could still stop this, he could get up and walk away, from Leo, from the estate, he could go back to his life the way it had been and that would be fine. Pick things up right where he had left off and nothing would be different.

He swallowed and closed his eyes, his mind shuddering against the lie, it was that big, he knew it, but trying to protect himself, forcing belief in something by telling himself it was true was an old habit, and those die hard.

As Mikey sat there, still as stone, Leo continued his soft caress down his arms, around his elbows, back up to trace across his shoulders and along the ridge of his shell, his lips heating the skin at the edges of his collar, and he knew he never wanted to stop feeling it. He never wanted to stop feeling Leo against him. His skin, his breath, his blood, his very soul was screaming at him to give in, he couldn't fight it, he couldn't say no, he wanted... he needed...

He lifted his hands and gripped Leo's knees, stilling those gentle fingers on their path down his arms, each of them holding their breath, all sounds in the glade dull and fuzzy. Mikey pushed up, sitting up, staring hard at the river as it continued to flow in front of them, nothing could stop it, nothing could stop this.

Michelangelo turned around.

He turned and found hazel eyes dark with need pulling him in as Leo reached for him, gripping him at his shoulder and his neck, drawing him down into a kiss that promised everything.

He shuffled until his knees were under him again, leaning in at an angle. It was awkward and his thighs immediately began to burn as he held his weight up to keep it off where his hands pressed into Leo's knees, but he could ignore every little ache and pain as long as Leo kept kissing him.

Leo's hand dropped to his hip, squeezing and pulling him forward, tender but unrelenting, until Mikey was forced to pick himself up, sighing at having to break their kiss as he lifted his knees, one at a time, crawling over Leo, straddling his hips.

Leo smiled up at him, his fingers gripping the bottom edge of his shell, pulling him in until Mikey was comfortably seated in his lap, reaching up to begin twisting the wooden toggles undone, to push the shirt from his shoulders.

One last flash of panic and Mikey was grabbing at Leo's hands, stopping his advance, staring at him with all his fear laid bare between them, "I've never done this before.''

Leo blinked, his eyes darting down to where their bodies pressed together, suddenly unsure, "Really?''

Mikey heard his words as Leo responded and his eyes widened in distress, "Oh, no. No, I mean, I've never felt this... I've never let anyone close. I don't think I know how. I've always kept everyone at arm's length because... then I'm always safe.''

Some of the desperate flush faded from Leo's face as he absorbed what Mikey was telling him, his eyes growing concerned with the understanding.

He took Mikey's hand, uncurling their fingers, and laid it flat against his chest, "Do you know what this is?'' Mikey shook his head even as he was comforted by the steady thump of Leo's heartbeat, "This is us. This is you. Can you feel it? This was my emptiness and you filled it. I can't get enough of you, and I will never hurt you, I would sooner cut off my own arm.''

"Leo...'' Mikey whispered, leaning down and pressing their foreheads together to hide the tears gathering in his eyes.

"I need you, Michelangelo.'' Leo responded, just as quietly, bumping their noses together, "I'll always keep you safe.''

Mikey gasped, inhaling his own sob, surging down to meet Leo on his way up, their mouths opening, tasting, telling, passing their truth back and forth between them until they couldn't breathe.

The glade enclosed them, sheltering them from the world, letting them forget for just a while, letting them think they were alone in all existence.

Mikey trembled, fumbled, resolute in his choice, pulling at Leo's shirt, unwilling to stop touching him for even the few seconds it took to remove it as well as his own. Separating only long enough to divest of their pants as well before he was back in Leo's lap, comfortable and secure. Their bodies fit perfectly, legs and hips, arms and lips, he wrapped himself around Leo, holding him close, his toes curling with need as Leo pressed his fingers into the soft skin of his thighs, massaging him, coaxing him down until his breath was steady, even as his heart was racing.

His fear was melting away, consumed by the fire of Leo's words, his touch, his kiss, and the solid, undeniable heat rising between them.

And as the fear dissolved his playful confidence took over, remembering what to do, remembering how Leo had teased him the day before. With a devilish grin he ducked down and nipped at Leo's lips, teasing the bottom one with his teeth, drawing back every time Leo pushed forward for deeper, more satisfying kisses. Leo moved in and Mikey danced away, leaning back with a roll of his hips, darting in to happily swallow the gasping exhale he got in response. Mikey's laugh was breathy, cooling the wetness he left behind as he licked and bit, never staying still long enough to catch.

He shuddered with satisfaction as he pulled a frustrated groan from deep within Leo's chest, feeling the tremors in his muscles as he strained to keep Mikey still. Laughing, throaty and low when Leo finally had enough and wrapped his arms around Mikey's waist, lifting him, pushing him, throwing him down onto the grass, capturing his hands that were starting to wander and pressing them up over his head, locking his wrists with one hand while the other ventured lower.

Leo stared down at him, holding him with his eyes, pupils wide and black with desire. Mikey thought he would burn in their heat, and he bit his lip, bucking his hips, throwing his head back against the grass, his chest vibrating with a deep churr when those heated fingers found what they were looking for.

Leo dove in to claim the offered neck below him, sucking at the flushed skin, his responding churr pulsating against Mikey's collarbone, resonating through every bone in his body. Licking a line from his shoulder to his lips, Leo kissed him again, Mikey groaning into his mouth with needy desperation, straining against him with whining gasps, pulling at the hand that still held his wrists. He wanted to touch, to feel, he pressed closer, sucking down his kisses like he had never been kissed before.

Smiling into his mouth, Leo released his hands, hissing through his teeth as Mikey immediately claimed the skin at his sides, trailing teasing tickling touches along the sensitive flesh there.

Everything before this had been a shadow, a reflection of this reality, ethereal and fleeting. But Leo moving against him, his hands, his fingers, his nails dragging along his thighs, was like a lightning storm coursing through him, solidifying sand into glass. He felt the blood pumping through his veins, the air filling his lungs, the hammering beat of his heart, full to bursting.

He needed more. He needed this to last forever.

Leo rose over him, pressing his knees apart, quickly filling the morning chilled air between them with his singular brand of blue fire, hotter than the sun. Mikey reached up, clinging to Leo's shoulders, pulling him down for more kisses, keening against his tongue as Leo brought their lengths together, surrounding them with his fingers, pulling pleasure filled gasps from Mikey's throat with every stroke.

Mikey was panting, writhing, rising onto his elbows to look down between them, watching with hooded eyes. Leo's arm shook with the strain of holding his weight, his breath coming in short gasps through gritted teeth. He pressed his face against the side of Mikey's head, kissing all along his cheek and around his ear, whispering half formed endearments between breaths that Mikey could barely make out over the pounding of his own heart.

There was a rising, throbbing pressure building, deep within him, he turned his head, trading sloppy kisses that missed half the time, broken only by a chant of one single word repeating over and over as their movements become more frantic against each other, ``Leo, Leo, Leo, Leo...'' he whispered it like a prayer, falling back onto his shell, reaching down to take Leo's hand in his, twisting their fingers together so they were sharing the act.

Leo grunted and his arm gave out, dropping him down to his elbow to bury his face in Mikey's neck, biting down, stiffening with a single jerk of his hips, growling out another rumbling churr. And the sound of it shot down Mikey's spine, bursting in his belly, pinpoints of light flashing behind his eyes, pulling a cry from low in his throat. His head fell back as he tipped over the edge, lost in the ecstasy and the feeling of warmth and wetness spreading across their bellies and their joined hands.

They collapsed beside each other in the grass, gasping for air, unable to speak, Leo's arm possessively draped over Mikey's middle, unwilling to let him go.

It might have been a minute or an hour or a day, he would have laid there forever if it meant never having to leave the warmth of Leo's arms, but eventually Mikey moved, rolling toward Leo, bringing his hand up to trace the lines of his plastron with a soft sleepy smile.

Leo pulled him close, caressing his arms and his shoulders, trailing gentle lines down the side of his face and along his jaw. Mikey closed his eyes and melted into the touch, sighing happily when Leo leaned in, peppering kisses all over his cheeks and his chin, brushing his lips across Mikey's brow and down to flutter against the soft skin over his eyes.

"I think I'm falling in love with you.'' Leonardo whispered.

And Michelangelo smiled.

~*~*~*~

tbc...
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