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It's obvious enough to arouse Michelangelo's curiosity. 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No money being made.\nWord Count: 4,517 multi-chapter 2k3\nSummary: Something has changed in Raphael's treatment of Leonardo. It's obvious enough to arouse Michelangelo's curiosity. The discovery of that secret forever alters the Turtles' lives.\nRating: R \n\n~~Preview art of a scene from part 7 commissioned from the amazing @NeatTea", "description_bbcode_parsed": "Disclaimer: The TMNT are not mine. No money being made.
Word Count: 4,517 multi-chapter 2k3
Summary: Something has changed in Raphael's treatment of Leonardo. It's obvious enough to arouse Michelangelo's curiosity. The discovery of that secret forever alters the Turtles' lives.
Rating: R

~~Preview art of a scene from part 7 commissioned from the amazing @NeatTea", "writing": "\t``Subtle, subtle, can't be obvious,'' Mikey muttered to himself as a sort of mantra. ``Gotta make them curious, not mad. Gotta open their eyes.''\n\nHe knew that he'd set himself a tough task but he was determined to make his idea work. What Mikey knew he had to do was to get positive attention from Leo and make Raph start to question what was going on between them. At the same time, Mikey had to handle his subterfuge delicately enough that he wouldn't actually anger Raph.\n\nRaphael was competitive. If Mikey was smart, he could rouse that trait to a point where his brother would be motivated to counter whatever advances he made towards Leo with some his own. And if he was really smart, neither Raph nor Leo would realize what was happening.\n\nIt would be organic. Mikey grinned. He'd heard that on some TV show and liked the term. Raph and Leo coming together would seem completely natural. That Mikey had orchestrated everything would be his little secret.\n\nHaving an idea of what he wanted to do had been enough to help him sleep the previous evening, but only after setting his alarm for thirty minutes before the ungodly hour that Leonardo usually rose. If he was going to play at being interested in Leo he'd have to hang out with him.\n\nGetting up when that alarm sounded had been hard. Mikey had no idea how Leo managed it every morning, and he didn't even use an alarm clock. If this stratagem worked though, the sacrifice of sleep would be more than worthwhile.\n\nMichelangelo knew Leo's routine well. His first stop after a trip to the bathroom was always the dojo. Mikey made certain that he got there first.\n\nLeo's entry was silent. Since Mikey hadn't known exactly when he'd arrive, he had started a series of katas so that he'd look like he was hard at work. Mikey made certain to be in a position where he could spot any movement in the doorway. He was nearing the end of one kata when his brother stepped into the dojo.\n\nHe completed it with as much finesse as he could manage and then turned, faking a sheepish expression at seeing Leo standing there.\n\n``Oh, hey Leo. Good morning,'' Mikey said, trying to sound slightly self-conscious.\n\n``Good morning, Mikey,'' Leo responded. ``What has you up so early?''\n\nMikey looked down, raking the floor mat with one toe as he said, ``You remember when Master Splinter was coming down on Don for not taking his training seriously enough? I mean, he told Don that getting proper rest was important because he couldn't perform at his peak without it?''\n\nNodding encouragingly, Leo said, ``I do. What does that have to do with you practicing at the crack of dawn?''\n\nWith a shrug, Mikey looked at him, trying to appear as sincere as possible. ``It made me think about the stuff Master Splinter has said to me in the past. How if I just applied myself and focused that I could be as good a ninja as Master Yoshi was.''\n\n``I've made that same observation, Michelangelo,'' Leo said.\n\n``I know,'' Mikey said, eyes wide as he stared at his brother. ``I got to thinking that I want that. I don't want to just rest on my past wins as the Battle Nexus champion. `Cause you know, I remember that second time against Kluh and how much I didn't want to face him. I never want to feel like that if I'm ever challenged again.''\n\n``Does that mean you've decided to take your training more seriously?'' Leo asked.\n\n``Yep,'' Mikey said with a nod. ``You helped me before so I figured if I got up early and showed you that I was ready to put in the work, you'd help me again.''\n\n``Of course I will,'' Leo said, looking pleased.\n\n``It's not too much trouble?'' Mikey asked.\n\nLeo smiled. ``Helping you will help me to be better as well.''\n\n``Awesome, dude!'' Mikey chirped enthusiastically. ``What do you want to do first?''\n\nAs he expected, Leonardo was more than happy to line out a training program, one that would mean that he'd spend extra time with his younger brother. When their other two brothers and Master Splinter arrived for their usual practice session, they found Leo and Mikey already hard at work.\n\nAs they lined up to take instruction from their father, Mikey made certain to jockey himself into a position between Leo and Raph. The latter gave him a funny look but then paid Mikey no further attention. He hadn't seemed to think much about finding Leo and Mikey together either, but it was early in the day.\n\nBecause Mikey had managed to plant himself next to Leo, when it was time for them to split into pairs to go through exercises, they were naturally matched up. This did earn a frown from Raphael, who preferred to be partnered with Leo despite the fact that lately they were so often at odds with one another.\n\nIt wasn't during the regular exercises that the pairings mattered, at least that was what Mikey assumed; for those Master Splinter simply barked out a series of movements and strikes and each pair was required to complete them flawlessly. Leo rarely had to be corrected, with Raph running a close second.\n\nMikey and Don usually caught the brunt of it, with Master Splinter alternating between telling his youngest son to focus and his smartest son not to slouch. Don spent so much time bent over either his computer or his work table that his shoulders were developing a distinctive curvature.\n\nToday though Mikey was all about the focus. His performance was so flawless that Master Splinter had not a single correction for him.\n\nRaph however wasn't operating at full capacity. He kept tossing glances towards Leo and then end up being a step off or a fraction late in reacting to a command. This earned him several rebukes that had him scowling by the time the exercises were concluded.\n\nMikey hadn't thought before about how working next to Leo might motivate Raph, but he was guessing now that it did. Maybe it was Raph's competitive streak or the energy that Leo exuded, but Raph definitely performed better alongside his oldest brother.\n\nWhen it was time to begin sparring Mikey felt super charged. What he'd learned about Raph during their exercises had been enlightening, but this was the part of practice that Mikey had been waiting for.\n\nOf course they regularly sparred against each of their brothers, but whoever each was partnered with determined how much floor time a particular pairing received. Mikey was pretty sure that Master Splinter didn't even realize it worked out like that and none of the brothers had ever thought much about it either.\n\nOnly Mikey believed that Raph did think about it and that was why he always tried to make sure he was next to Leo. It didn't work out for him a hundred percent of the time, but it was pretty close. Mikey was sure that Raph probably figured this was one of those random days where someone else got next to Leo. He no doubt wrote it off as no big deal, seeing as how Mikey and Leo had begun practicing earlier than anyone else.\n\nMikey's job was to make Raph start to question just how random the pairing setup actually was.\n\nHis opening gambit was to kneel especially close to Leo. Master Splinter called Raph and Don to the floor first. As they walked onto the mats, Raph glanced towards Leo and then did a double take, his eyes narrowing when he saw that Mikey was practically in Leo's lap. Don had come to a stop, turning to face his brother, and Raph nearly ran into him.\n\n``Raphael, is something on the other side of the room more important than your training?'' Master Splinter snapped.\n\n``No, sensei. Sorry, sensei,'' Raph said, looking properly chagrined.\n\n``Good,'' Master Splinter said. ``Begin.''\n\nThe beginning bouts were normally without weapons and was good practice for perfecting holds and throws. Raph liked to grapple and when he and Leo went against one another, it was him trying to use strength against Leo's quicker movements. That strategy didn't work as well against Donatello, who was strong in his own right.\n\nDefeating Donny meant trying to outguess what his thought process was on that specific day. Don had a tendency to overthink his moves, treating the dojo like a big chess board. That worked up to a point, but then you had to let training and instinct guide you so that you could seize opportunity when it presented itself.\n\nAs odd as it was, the more of Don's brain that was partitioned off to work on a project, the better he fought. It was like whatever part of his mind was left over to be devoted to training put [i]all [/i]of their intellect on an even playing field.\n\nApparently Don's current project was a doozy, because he was giving Raph a run for his money. No one was going to be scolding Donny about not getting enough sleep.\n\nThere was also a good chance that Raph's game was off for some reason.\n\nBecause Mikey was so intent on forcing Raph to acknowledge his feelings for Leo, the younger turtle was paying close attention to Raph's body language. Even while he was sparring, Raph couldn't seem to help shooting quick glances in Leo's direction. Mikey saw that and when he realized that Raph was going to keep doing it, he decided to use those lapses against his brother.\n\nBreaking dojo decorum, Mikey leaned over to whisper an observation in Leo's ear.\n\nIt wasn't a big enough breach to warrant notice from their father, nor did it seem to bother Leo, who nodded in agreement. The effect on Raph though was nothing less than spectacular.\n\nHe was right in the middle of a move and his step faltered, his head turning to look directly at the kneeling pair. Don took immediate advantage by hooking his foot behind Raph's heel and sending the larger turtle toppling to the floor.\n\nMikey straightened and adopted his most angelic expression, appearing completely focused on the match. Once Don had Raph down, he took advantage quickly, gripping Raph's foot and twisting it until his brother tapped out.\n\nRed faced and disgruntled, Raph barely remembered to bow to his opponent before they left the floor. When Mikey stood up for his bout against Leo, he saw that Raph was glowering at him.\n\nThereafter Mikey paid him no mind. Mikey's total focus was on Leo and he was highly motivated. What Mikey wanted more than anything was to make such a good showing, win or lose, that Leo couldn't help but show him open admiration.\n\nMikey managed it too. Not only did their match last much longer than it usually did, but Mikey was so driven that he was hyper aware of every move that Leo made. He was so aware that each tic of a muscle, every crook of a finger or tightening of skin began to telegraph what Leo was going to do and Mikey countered it with a precision that he rarely showed.\n\nAlmost without realizing he'd done it, Mikey got the upper hand in their fight. As Leo's arms moved to deliver a strike, Mikey saw it happening almost in slow motion. When one of Leo's arms went down and the other up, Mikey leaped into the air and planted his foot squarely in the center of his brother's unprotected chest.\n\nThe blow caught Leo off guard and knocked him back on his shell. Mikey swiftly jumped on him, twining his legs around Leo's and pinning his arms above his head.\n\nThat position naturally put Mikey's face close to Leo's. Grinning, he stared expectantly into his brother's eyes. They were both breathing hard and even though he was well and truly caught, Leo tried to squirm out of the hold.\n\nMikey found that he was enjoying the feeling of having his brother wriggling against him. Getting to dominate Leo in a fight was something that was usually in Raph's wheelhouse and Mikey had to admit it had its attractions.\n\nFrom across the room Mikey heard a low pitched growl.\n\nLeonardo's knuckles immediately tapped the floor mat. Still wearing a triumphant grin, Mikey got off of his brother and helped him up.\n\n``Excellent match, Michelangelo,'' Master Splinter said, a pleased look on his face. ``Your focus and awareness were above reproach. Yours as well, Leonardo. Remember, a split second is all it takes for an opponent to see and take advantage of even the slightest weakness.''\n\nBoth of the turtles bowed to each other and then their father before leaving the floor. Mikey could practically feel Raph's gaze burning holes in him as he walked past.\n\nThough he studiously avoided looking at Raph, Mikey couldn't resist giving Don a quick glance. Donatello caught his eyes and offered him a nearly imperceptible nod of approval.\n\nMikey's heart jumped in his chest and he practically floated down to his kneeling position. Master Splinter's praise had felt great, but Don's recognition made him feel ten feet tall.\n\nMaster Splinter spent a few minutes reviewing the two matches and then called Leo and Raph to the floor. Mikey watched them eagerly, wondering what effect his actions so far would have on the pair.\n\nLeo seemed unperturbed but Raph was as tense as a kitten in a roomful of rocking chairs. His fists were clenched and his body spring loaded. When Master Splinter called a start to their match, Raph launched himself at Leo as though he were rocket propelled.\n\nIt might have been Mikey's fertile imagination, but he could swear that the air around the pair was electrified. He could practically see sparks coming off of them whenever their bodies connected and that happened a lot. Neither was trying to avoid contact, they fought with a physicality that was unusual for the duo. Usually Raph was the brawler while Leo's moves were predicated on more thoughtful refinement. And staying out of Raph's clutches.\n\nAs the match progressed, Mikey could see that Leo was becoming more calculated, while Raph was letting his frustration slow him down. Each time he seemed to have Leo in his clutches, the older turtle would slip free. However, he did so in a way that caused Raph's hands to slide across his skin, almost as if he was giving Raph a teasing taste.\n\nIf that was part of Leo's overall strategy, it was working well. Raph's composure was slipping further, his attacks becoming rash and ill-conceived. Master Splinter had begun to frown, looking more puzzled than disturbed. Leonardo, whose emotions were always hard to read, suddenly had a triumphant glint in his eyes.\n\nAs Raph bore down on him again, Leo stood his ground, making no attempt to move. His hands came up, as though he was going to meet Raph head on, and that caused Raph to lift his arms as well.\n\nIt was clear that Raph meant to let Leo punch him in order to grab hold of the other turtle's shoulders and drive him to the floor. What he didn't expect was for Leo to duck under those grasping arms at the last second, throw his shoulder into Raph's solar plexus and lift him off his feet.\n\nRaph's own momentum helped Leo pick him up and then all Leo had to do was fall forward, carrying Raph with him. They hit the floor together, with Leo on top, and he quickly crawled up to jab at pressure points that would momentarily freeze Raph's upper body.\n\nIt was never a good idea to give Leo the opportunity to use his expertise with pressure points, and as soon as he found that he couldn't move, the look on Raph's face said he understood his mistake.\n\nMikey bent forward, avidly watching the tableau. Leo was straddling Raph's hips, his hands pressed against his brother's sides. Very slowly he leaned forward, his hands sliding along Raph's skin, up onto his chest, then neck, before cupping the prone turtle's cheeks.\n\n``Do you yield?'' Leo asked, his voice husky and low.\n\nRaph glared at him. ``Fuck you,'' he muttered.\n\n``What was that?'' Leo asked, moving closer, his eyes boring into Raph's.\n\n``Fuck you!'' Raph all but shouted.\n\n``Raphael,'' Master Splinter said sharply. ``Yield with good grace. You are beaten.''\n\nGaze still locked with Leo's, Raph went silent, one corner of his mouth lifted in a snarl. Then Leo shifted slightly, rocking on Raph's hips and sliding his toes under his brother's thighs.\n\n``I yield!'' Raph suddenly yelped, his bottom lifting from the floor as though trying to buck his brother off of him.\n\nLeo rose slowly, stepping back and away from Raph without offering a hand up, even though the feeling was returning to his brother's upper extremities. Raph sat up and lifted his knees but made no attempt to stand, instead making a great show of flexing his arms.\n\nMikey had a pretty good idea as to why Raph wasn't ready to get right up, and why he was sitting so that his legs blocked the view of other parts of his anatomy.\n\nNo one said anything as they waited. Master Splinter seemed to believe that Raph was simply waiting for the feeling to return, because their sensei did not look suspicious, just dissatisfied.\n\nWhen Raph finally got up, he made a curt bow to Leo, which was returned in a more formal fashion. Then they turned to bow to their father, whose lips were pursed in a way that meant serious business.\n\nAfter all four of his sons were once again kneeling, Master Splinter walked over to stand before them.\n\nTaking a deep, calming breath, Master Splinter said, ``Three of you acquitted yourselves well today. You were focused, concentrated, and dogged. Skill is not always the determining factor in a fight, oftentimes it is the combatant who sees and takes advantage of their enemy's lapses who wins the day. If you are the one who allows yourself to be distracted, then any level of opponent can benefit. I believe that is enough training for today, you are dismissed. All but Raphael. Please remain here.''\n\nThe other three turtles rose and bowed before making their way out of the dojo. Before they were out of earshot, Mikey said loudly, ``I volunteer to make breakfast. What do you want, Leo? I'll make your favorite.''\n\nHe had no opportunity to see how Raph reacted to that, but Mikey was certain he'd scored a hit. Mikey made sure to follow through with the breakfast offer, because he knew that later Raph would notice.\n\nThroughout the day Mikey did his best to stay within Leo's orbit, being careful not to seem as though he was following Leo around, but that he was only interested in Leo's activities. They even watched the afternoon news broadcast together, with Mikey going out of his way to make salient observations about the headlines.\n\nHe saw Raph walk past them as they sat together on the couch, and a little while later make another pass. Mikey turned sideways on the couch so that he had one leg curled under him, his knee nearly touching Leo's thigh. With one arm curved over the back of the couch behind Leo, Mikey leaned in to engage his brother in a lively conversation.\n\nRaph was practically pacing by the time the news ended. He had started off near the second level, where the televisions were, but wound up on the third level overlooking the media area and the couch.\n\nWhen Leo excused himself to go to his room and meditate, Mikey remained where he was, carefully avoiding looking towards Raph. As soon as it seemed that Mikey was going to stay put, Raph came back downstairs again and headed straight for his punching bag.\n\nMikey let him burn off some steam before getting up and going downstairs as well. He saw Raph hesitate as Mikey drew near him, but when the younger turtle went past on his way to the service bay, the rhythm of punches started up again.\n\nDon was seated at one of his work benches, a soldering iron in one hand and a circuit board in the other.\n\n``Whatcha' doing, Donny?'' Mikey asked.\n\n``Trying to turn this into something that actually works,'' Don said. He set the items down and turned in his chair. ``And what are you up to?''\n\n``Just chilling,'' Mikey said with a shrug.\n\n``Uh huh,'' Don said, sounding suspicious. ``Why don't I believe that?''\n\n``I don't know, Donny,'' Mikey said. ``I thought you had a more trusting nature.''\n\n``Not where you're involved,'' Don said.\n\n``Moi? I'm a complete open book,'' Mikey said. He figured enough time had passed for the next part of his plan and began walking back towards the lair proper. ``I'll just leave you to it. Catch you later.''\n\nDon watched him go, eyes narrowed in thought. Mikey would worry later about the genius, at the moment he had an important item on his agenda.\n\nHe began whistling before he drew within sight of Raph and kept it up as he sailed past, thus ensuring that he had caught his brother's attention. Mikey jogged up the stairs, growing quiet as he made directly for Leo's bedroom.\n\nTapping gently on the door, Mikey didn't wait for an invitation, instead turning the knob and stepping inside after a half second. Closing the door behind him, he saw that he'd given Leo enough time to set up his candles and situate himself on the floor.\n\nLeo's eyes opened when Mikey came in. ``Something you need, Mikey?''\n\n``Thought I'd meditate with you, if that's okay,'' Mikey said, sitting next to Leo.\n\nHis brother looked at him in surprise. ``You hate meditating.''\n\n``This is my `imitate Leo day','' Mikey said. ``If I wanna be better and more focused, I've gotta be more into my own head, right? I've gotta understand myself. Be one with my inner self. That's what you do, isn't it?''\n\n``Not quite,'' Leo said. ``It's more about making peace with the energies around you. Becoming one with both the external and internal universe.''\n\n``Not sure I'm ready for a whole universe,'' Mikey said. ``My brain kinda jumps all over the place. I'll be happy to learn how to keep it all on one track.''\n\n``Then don't try to control your thoughts,'' Leo said, closing his eyes. ``Let all of those thoughts out and then look at them one by one. Allow them all to fall into place on their own.''\n\n``You have a lot of confidence in my thoughts,'' Mikey said dryly, shutting his eyes as well.\n\nThey both fell silent. Mikey wasn't really buying into the whole making peace with stuff, but he did have to wonder what it was that Leo even thought about. His older brother could sit for hours like this, perfectly still and completely relaxed.\n\nMikey had talked to Don once about what he did during meditation, because the genius could go into a trance as fast as Leo did. Don had admitted that his thoughts usually turned towards his work, on the mechanics of the things he wanted to do, or on more esoteric concepts.\n\nDon and Leo were similar in the whole cerebral department. For Mikey and Raph life was more of a visceral thing. They didn't dwell on abstruse notions, they focused on what was right in front of them, like day to day living.\n\nWhen Master Splinter forced him to meditate, Mikey usually just told himself stories, letting his imagination create scenarios in which he battled alongside the Justice Force as a super hero, earning accolades from the citizenry. It was an enjoyable way to pass the time and it made Master Splinter happy.\n\nRight now all Mikey needed to do was stay in Leo's room long enough to worry Raphael. Mikey was actually surprised at how little effort he'd had to make to get Raph's hackles up. He was sure it would have taken more than a day for Raph to start feeling worried or jealous. If that growl Mikey had heard during practice when he'd pinned Leo down was any indication, Raph was already feeling like his little brother was encroaching on his territory.\n\nMikey opened one eye and peeked over at Leo. He took a moment to study his brother critically, trying to see the attraction. Leo was nice enough looking as far as mutant turtles went, leaner than Raph but still having good muscle definition. Not bad skin color either, though Mikey thought that Donatello's olive toned skin was the nicest of the bunch.\n\nRaph's sported the biggest muscle mass of the group, but that was because he worked hard to pump himself up. Donny didn't even try, his muscles came from good honest labor.\n\nTurning his mind towards their personalities, Mikey pondered his two alpha brothers. The responsibility of leadership meant that Leo was pretty serious all of the time, making him kind of uptight. Raph on the other hand was a victim of his own mood swings and tended to be volatile. To Mikey neither of them would be much fun in the long run, but they certainly saw something in each other that got their motors running.\n\nAs far as Mikey was concerned, Don had the best personality. His emotions were almost always on an even keel, he was generous and thoughtful, smart and funny. He did everything for his family and asked nothing in return. Let Leo and Raph have each other, just so long as they left Donny out of it.\n\nMikey remembered what Leo had told him during his rematch against Kluh. Leo had said, [i]``In this life, we only have each other.''[/i]\n\nAll Mikey had been troubled with at the time was trying to figure a way out of the grudge match, so he hadn't paid much attention to his brother's words of wisdom. They made more sense to him now. They really did only have each other; they were the only four of their kind. Because of that, they had to be [i]all [/i]things to each other.\n\nThat epiphany gave Mikey a strange feeling and he opened his eyes. More than enough time had passed and he didn't want to sit there any longer with those uncomfortable realizations running through his mind.\n\nVery quietly he stood up and tiptoed to the door. Leo was so far into his meditation that Mikey could have stomped across the room without drawing his notice. Moving silently seemed to better fit the mood Mikey was in.\n\nHe opened the door carefully and backed out of the room, pulling the door shut again with barely a click.\n\nWhen Mikey turned to head for the stairs, he ran smack into Raphael.\n\nIn a deeply menacing tone, Raph asked, ``Ya' want to tell me what you're up to?''\n\nTBC.....\n\n", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "\t``Subtle, subtle, can't be obvious,'' Mikey muttered to himself as a sort of mantra.  ``Gotta make them curious, not mad.  Gotta open their eyes.''

He knew that he'd set himself a tough task but he was determined to make his idea work.  What Mikey knew he had to do was to get positive attention from Leo and make Raph start to question what was going on between them.   At the same time, Mikey had to handle his subterfuge delicately enough that he wouldn't actually anger Raph.

Raphael was competitive.  If Mikey was smart, he could rouse that trait to a point where his brother would be motivated to counter whatever advances he made towards Leo with some his own.  And if he was really smart, neither Raph nor Leo would realize what was happening.

It would be organic.  Mikey grinned.  He'd heard that on some TV show and liked the term.  Raph and Leo coming together would seem completely natural.  That Mikey had orchestrated everything would be his little secret.

Having an idea of what he wanted to do had been enough to help him sleep the previous evening, but only after setting his alarm for thirty minutes before the ungodly hour that Leonardo usually rose.  If he was going to play at being interested in Leo he'd have to hang out with him.

Getting up when that alarm sounded had been hard.  Mikey had no idea how Leo managed it every morning, and he didn't even use an alarm clock.  If this stratagem worked though, the sacrifice of sleep would be more than worthwhile.

Michelangelo knew Leo's routine well.  His first stop after a trip to the bathroom was always the dojo.  Mikey made certain that he got there first.

Leo's entry was silent.  Since Mikey hadn't known exactly when he'd arrive, he had started a series of katas so that he'd look like he was hard at work.  Mikey made certain to be in a position where he could spot any movement in the doorway.  He was nearing the end of one kata when his brother stepped into the dojo.

He completed it with as much finesse as he could manage and then turned, faking a sheepish expression at seeing Leo standing there.

``Oh, hey Leo.  Good morning,'' Mikey said, trying to sound slightly self-conscious.

``Good morning, Mikey,'' Leo responded.  ``What has you up so early?''

Mikey looked down, raking the floor mat with one toe as he said, ``You remember when Master Splinter was coming down on Don for not taking his training seriously enough?  I mean, he told Don that getting proper rest was important because he couldn't perform at his peak without it?''

Nodding encouragingly, Leo said, ``I do.  What does that have to do with you practicing at the crack of dawn?''

With a shrug, Mikey looked at him, trying to appear as sincere as possible.  ``It made me think about the stuff Master Splinter has said to me in the past.  How if I just applied myself and focused that I could be as good a ninja as Master Yoshi was.''

``I've made that same observation, Michelangelo,'' Leo said.

``I know,'' Mikey said, eyes wide as he stared at his brother.  ``I got to thinking that I want that.  I don't want to just rest on my past wins as the Battle Nexus champion.  `Cause you know, I remember that second time against Kluh and how much I didn't want to face him.  I never want to feel like that if I'm ever challenged again.''

``Does that mean you've decided to take your training more seriously?'' Leo asked.

``Yep,'' Mikey said with a nod.  ``You helped me before so I figured if I got up early and showed you that I was ready to put in the work, you'd help me again.''

``Of course I will,'' Leo said, looking pleased.

``It's not too much trouble?'' Mikey asked.

Leo smiled.  ``Helping you will help me to be better as well.''

``Awesome, dude!'' Mikey chirped enthusiastically.  ``What do you want to do first?''

As he expected, Leonardo was more than happy to line out a training program, one that would mean that he'd spend extra time with his younger brother.  When their other two brothers and Master Splinter arrived for their usual practice session, they found Leo and Mikey already hard at work.

As they lined up to take instruction from their father, Mikey made certain to jockey himself into a position between Leo and Raph.  The latter gave him a funny look but then paid Mikey no further attention.  He hadn't seemed to think much about finding Leo and Mikey together either, but it was early in the day.

Because Mikey had managed to plant himself next to Leo, when it was time for them to split into pairs to go through exercises, they were naturally matched up.  This did earn a frown from Raphael, who preferred to be partnered with Leo despite the fact that lately they were so often at odds with one another.

It wasn't during the regular exercises that the pairings mattered, at least that was what Mikey assumed; for those Master Splinter simply barked out a series of movements and strikes and each pair was required to complete them flawlessly.  Leo rarely had to be corrected, with Raph running a close second.

Mikey and Don usually caught the brunt of it, with Master Splinter alternating between telling his youngest son to focus and his smartest son not to slouch.  Don spent so much time bent over either his computer or his work table that his shoulders were developing a distinctive curvature.

Today though Mikey was all about the focus.  His performance was so flawless that Master Splinter had not a single correction for him.

Raph however wasn't operating at full capacity.  He kept tossing glances towards Leo and then end up being a step off or a fraction late in reacting to a command.  This earned him several rebukes that had him scowling by the time the exercises were concluded.

Mikey hadn't thought before about how working next to Leo might motivate Raph, but he was guessing now that it did.  Maybe it was Raph's competitive streak or the energy that Leo exuded, but Raph definitely performed better alongside his oldest brother.

When it was time to begin sparring Mikey felt super charged.  What he'd learned about Raph during their exercises had been enlightening, but this was the part of practice that Mikey had been waiting for.

Of course they regularly sparred against each of their brothers, but whoever each was partnered with determined how much floor time a particular pairing received.  Mikey was pretty sure that Master Splinter didn't even realize it worked out like that and none of the brothers had ever thought much about it either.

Only Mikey believed that Raph did think about it and that was why he always tried to make sure he was next to Leo.  It didn't work out for him a hundred percent of the time, but it was pretty close.  Mikey was sure that Raph probably figured this was one of those random days where someone else got next to Leo.  He no doubt wrote it off as no big deal, seeing as how Mikey and Leo had begun practicing earlier than anyone else.

Mikey's job was to make Raph start to question just how random the pairing setup actually was.

His opening gambit was to kneel especially close to Leo.  Master Splinter called Raph and Don to the floor first.  As they walked onto the mats, Raph glanced towards Leo and then did a double take, his eyes narrowing when he saw that Mikey was practically in Leo's lap.  Don had come to a stop, turning to face his brother, and Raph nearly ran into him.

``Raphael, is something on the other side of the room more important than your training?'' Master Splinter snapped.

``No, sensei.  Sorry, sensei,'' Raph said, looking properly chagrined.

``Good,'' Master Splinter said.  ``Begin.''

The beginning bouts were normally without weapons and was good practice for perfecting holds and throws.  Raph liked to grapple and when he and Leo went against one another, it was him trying to use strength against Leo's quicker movements.  That strategy didn't work as well against Donatello, who was strong in his own right.

Defeating Donny meant trying to outguess what his thought process was on that specific day.  Don had a tendency to overthink his moves, treating the dojo like a big chess board.  That worked up to a point, but then you had to let training and instinct guide you so that you could seize opportunity when it presented itself.

As odd as it was, the more of Don's brain that was partitioned off to work on a project, the better he fought.  It was like whatever part of his mind was left over to be devoted to training put all of their intellect on an even playing field.

Apparently Don's current project was a doozy, because he was giving Raph a run for his money.  No one was going to be scolding Donny about not getting enough sleep.

There was also a good chance that Raph's game was off for some reason.

Because Mikey was so intent on forcing Raph to acknowledge his feelings for Leo, the younger turtle was paying close attention to Raph's body language.  Even while he was sparring, Raph couldn't seem to help shooting quick glances in Leo's direction.  Mikey saw that and when he realized that Raph was going to keep doing it, he decided to use those lapses against his brother.

Breaking dojo decorum, Mikey leaned over to whisper an observation in Leo's ear.

It wasn't a big enough breach to warrant notice from their father, nor did it seem to bother Leo, who nodded in agreement.  The effect on Raph though was nothing less than spectacular.

He was right in the middle of a move and his step faltered, his head turning to look directly at the kneeling pair.  Don took immediate advantage by hooking his foot behind Raph's heel and sending the larger turtle toppling to the floor.

Mikey straightened and adopted his most angelic expression, appearing completely focused on the match.  Once Don had Raph down, he took advantage quickly, gripping Raph's foot and twisting it until his brother tapped out.

Red faced and disgruntled, Raph barely remembered to bow to his opponent before they left the floor.  When Mikey stood up for his bout against Leo, he saw that Raph was glowering at him.

Thereafter Mikey paid him no mind.  Mikey's total focus was on Leo and he was highly motivated.  What Mikey wanted more than anything was to make such a good showing, win or lose, that Leo couldn't help but show him open admiration.

Mikey managed it too.  Not only did their match last much longer than it usually did, but Mikey was so driven that he was hyper aware of every move that Leo made.  He was so aware that each tic of a muscle, every crook of a finger or tightening of skin began to telegraph what Leo was going to do and Mikey countered it with a precision that he rarely showed.

Almost without realizing he'd done it, Mikey got the upper hand in their fight.  As Leo's arms moved to deliver a strike, Mikey saw it happening almost in slow motion.  When one of Leo's arms went down and the other up, Mikey leaped into the air and planted his foot squarely in the center of his brother's unprotected chest.

The blow caught Leo off guard and knocked him back on his shell.  Mikey swiftly jumped on him, twining his legs around Leo's and pinning his arms above his head.

That position naturally put Mikey's face close to Leo's.  Grinning, he stared expectantly into his brother's eyes.  They were both breathing hard and even though he was well and truly caught, Leo tried to squirm out of the hold.

Mikey found that he was enjoying the feeling of having his brother wriggling against him.  Getting to dominate Leo in a fight was something that was usually in Raph's wheelhouse and Mikey had to admit it had its attractions.

From across the room Mikey heard a low pitched growl.

Leonardo's knuckles immediately tapped the floor mat.  Still wearing a triumphant grin, Mikey got off of his brother and helped him up.

``Excellent match, Michelangelo,'' Master Splinter said, a pleased look on his face.  ``Your focus and awareness were above reproach.  Yours as well, Leonardo.  Remember, a split second is all it takes for an opponent to see and take advantage of even the slightest weakness.''

Both of the turtles bowed to each other and then their father before leaving the floor.  Mikey could practically feel Raph's gaze burning holes in him as he walked past.

Though he studiously avoided looking at Raph, Mikey couldn't resist giving Don a quick glance.  Donatello caught his eyes and offered him a nearly imperceptible nod of approval.

Mikey's heart jumped in his chest and he practically floated down to his kneeling position.  Master Splinter's praise had felt great, but Don's recognition made him feel ten feet tall.

Master Splinter spent a few minutes reviewing the two matches and then called Leo and Raph to the floor.  Mikey watched them eagerly, wondering what effect his actions so far would have on the pair.

Leo seemed unperturbed but Raph was as tense as a kitten in a roomful of rocking chairs.  His fists were clenched and his body spring loaded.  When Master Splinter called a start to their match, Raph launched himself at Leo as though he were rocket propelled.

It might have been Mikey's fertile imagination, but he could swear that the air around the pair was electrified.  He could practically see sparks coming off of them whenever their bodies connected and that happened a lot.  Neither was trying to avoid contact, they fought with a physicality that was unusual for the duo.  Usually Raph was the brawler while Leo's moves were predicated on more thoughtful refinement.  And staying out of Raph's clutches.

As the match progressed, Mikey could see that Leo was becoming more calculated, while Raph was letting his frustration slow him down.  Each time he seemed to have Leo in his clutches, the older turtle would slip free.  However, he did so in a way that caused Raph's hands to slide across his skin, almost as if he was giving Raph a teasing taste.

If that was part of Leo's overall strategy, it was working well.  Raph's composure was slipping further, his attacks becoming rash and ill-conceived.  Master Splinter had begun to frown, looking more puzzled than disturbed.  Leonardo, whose emotions were always hard to read, suddenly had a triumphant glint in his eyes.

As Raph bore down on him again, Leo stood his ground, making no attempt to move.  His hands came up, as though he was going to meet Raph head on, and that caused Raph to lift his arms as well.

It was clear that Raph meant to let Leo punch him in order to grab hold of the other turtle's shoulders and drive him to the floor.  What he didn't expect was for Leo to duck under those grasping arms at the last second, throw his shoulder into Raph's solar plexus and lift him off his feet.

Raph's own momentum helped Leo pick him up and then all Leo had to do was fall forward, carrying Raph with him.  They hit the floor together, with Leo on top, and he quickly crawled up to jab at pressure points that would momentarily freeze Raph's upper body.

It was never a good idea to give Leo the opportunity to use his expertise with pressure points, and as soon as he found that he couldn't move, the look on Raph's face said he understood his mistake.

Mikey bent forward, avidly watching the tableau.  Leo was straddling Raph's hips, his hands pressed against his brother's sides.  Very slowly he leaned forward, his hands sliding along Raph's skin, up onto his chest, then neck, before cupping the prone turtle's cheeks.

``Do you yield?'' Leo asked, his voice husky and low.

Raph glared at him.  ``Fuck you,'' he muttered.

``What was that?'' Leo asked, moving closer, his eyes boring into Raph's.

``Fuck you!'' Raph all but shouted.

``Raphael,'' Master Splinter said sharply.  ``Yield with good grace.  You are beaten.''

Gaze still locked with Leo's, Raph went silent, one corner of his mouth lifted in a snarl.  Then Leo shifted slightly, rocking on Raph's hips and sliding his toes under his brother's thighs.

``I yield!'' Raph suddenly yelped, his bottom lifting from the floor as though trying to buck his brother off of him.

Leo rose slowly, stepping back and away from Raph without offering a hand up, even though the feeling was returning to his brother's upper extremities.  Raph sat up and lifted his knees but made no attempt to stand, instead making a great show of flexing his arms.

Mikey had a pretty good idea as to why Raph wasn't ready to get right up, and why he was sitting so that his legs blocked the view of other parts of his anatomy.

No one said anything as they waited.  Master Splinter seemed to believe that Raph was simply waiting for the feeling to return, because their sensei did not look suspicious, just dissatisfied.

When Raph finally got up, he made a curt bow to Leo, which was returned in a more formal fashion.  Then they turned to bow to their father, whose lips were pursed in a way that meant serious business.

After all four of his sons were once again kneeling, Master Splinter walked over to stand before them.

Taking a deep, calming breath, Master Splinter said, ``Three of you acquitted yourselves well today.  You were focused, concentrated, and dogged.  Skill is not always the determining factor in a fight, oftentimes it is the combatant who sees and takes advantage of their enemy's lapses who wins the day.  If you are the one who allows yourself to be distracted, then any level of opponent can benefit.  I believe that is enough training for today, you are dismissed.  All but Raphael.  Please remain here.''

The other three turtles rose and bowed before making their way out of the dojo.  Before they were out of earshot, Mikey said loudly, ``I volunteer to make breakfast.  What do you want, Leo?  I'll make your favorite.''

He had no opportunity to see how Raph reacted to that, but Mikey was certain he'd scored a hit.  Mikey made sure to follow through with the breakfast offer, because he knew that later Raph would notice.

Throughout the day Mikey did his best to stay within Leo's orbit, being careful not to seem as though he was following Leo around, but that he was only interested in Leo's activities.  They even watched the afternoon news broadcast together, with Mikey going out of his way to make salient observations about the headlines.

He saw Raph walk past them as they sat together on the couch, and a little while later make another pass.  Mikey turned sideways on the couch so that he had one leg curled under him, his knee nearly touching Leo's thigh.  With one arm curved over the back of the couch behind Leo, Mikey leaned in to engage his brother in a lively conversation.

Raph was practically pacing by the time the news ended.  He had started off near the second level, where the televisions were, but wound up on the third level overlooking the media area and the couch.

When Leo excused himself to go to his room and meditate, Mikey remained where he was, carefully avoiding looking towards Raph.  As soon as it seemed that Mikey was going to stay put, Raph came back downstairs again and headed straight for his punching bag.

Mikey let him burn off some steam before getting up and going downstairs as well.  He saw Raph hesitate as Mikey drew near him, but when the younger turtle went past on his way to the service bay, the rhythm of punches started up again.

Don was seated at one of his work benches, a soldering iron in one hand and a circuit board in the other.

``Whatcha' doing, Donny?'' Mikey asked.

``Trying to turn this into something that actually works,'' Don said.  He set the items down and turned in his chair.  ``And what are you up to?''

``Just chilling,'' Mikey said with a shrug.

``Uh huh,'' Don said, sounding suspicious.  ``Why don't I believe that?''

``I don't know, Donny,'' Mikey said.  ``I thought you had a more trusting nature.''

``Not where you're involved,'' Don said.

``Moi?  I'm a complete open book,'' Mikey said.  He figured enough time had passed for the next part of his plan and began walking back towards the lair proper.  ``I'll just leave you to it.  Catch you later.''

Don watched him go, eyes narrowed in thought.  Mikey would worry later about the genius, at the moment he had an important item on his agenda.

He began whistling before he drew within sight of Raph and kept it up as he sailed past, thus ensuring that he had caught his brother's attention.  Mikey jogged up the stairs, growing quiet as he made directly for Leo's bedroom.

Tapping gently on the door, Mikey didn't wait for an invitation, instead turning the knob and stepping inside after a half second.  Closing the door behind him, he saw that he'd given Leo enough time to set up his candles and situate himself on the floor.

Leo's eyes opened when Mikey came in.  ``Something you need, Mikey?''

``Thought I'd meditate with you, if that's okay,'' Mikey said, sitting next to Leo.

His brother looked at him in surprise.  ``You hate meditating.''

``This is my `imitate Leo day','' Mikey said.  ``If I wanna be better and more focused, I've gotta be more into my own head, right?  I've gotta understand myself.  Be one with my inner self.  That's what you do, isn't it?''

``Not quite,'' Leo said.  ``It's more about making peace with the energies around you.  Becoming one with both the external and internal universe.''

``Not sure I'm ready for a whole universe,'' Mikey said.  ``My brain kinda jumps all over the place.  I'll be happy to learn how to keep it all on one track.''

``Then don't try to control your thoughts,'' Leo said, closing his eyes.  ``Let all of those thoughts out and then look at them one by one.  Allow them all to fall into place on their own.''

``You have a lot of confidence in my thoughts,'' Mikey said dryly, shutting his eyes as well.

They both fell silent.  Mikey wasn't really buying into the whole making peace with stuff, but he did have to wonder what it was that Leo even thought about.  His older brother could sit for hours like this, perfectly still and completely relaxed.

Mikey had talked to Don once about what he did during meditation, because the genius could go into a trance as fast as Leo did.  Don had admitted that his thoughts usually turned towards his work, on the mechanics of the things he wanted to do, or on more esoteric concepts.

Don and Leo were similar in the whole cerebral department.  For Mikey and Raph life was more of a visceral thing.  They didn't dwell on abstruse notions, they focused on what was right in front of them, like day to day living.

When Master Splinter forced him to meditate, Mikey usually just told himself stories, letting his imagination create scenarios in which he battled alongside the Justice Force as a super hero, earning accolades from the citizenry.  It was an enjoyable way to pass the time and it made Master Splinter happy.

Right now all Mikey needed to do was stay in Leo's room long enough to worry Raphael.  Mikey was actually surprised at how little effort he'd had to make to get Raph's hackles up.  He was sure it would have taken more than a day for Raph to start feeling worried or jealous.  If that growl Mikey had heard during practice when he'd pinned Leo down was any indication, Raph was already feeling like his little brother was encroaching on his territory.

Mikey opened one eye and peeked over at Leo.  He took a moment to study his brother critically, trying to see the attraction.  Leo was nice enough looking as far as mutant turtles went, leaner than Raph but still having good muscle definition.  Not bad skin color either, though Mikey thought that Donatello's olive toned skin was the nicest of the bunch.

Raph's sported the biggest muscle mass of the group, but that was because he worked hard to pump himself up.  Donny didn't even try, his muscles came from good honest labor.

Turning his mind towards their personalities, Mikey pondered his two alpha brothers.  The responsibility of leadership meant that Leo was pretty serious all of the time, making him kind of uptight.  Raph on the other hand was a victim of his own mood swings and tended to be volatile.  To Mikey neither of them would be much fun in the long run, but they certainly saw something in each other that got their motors running.

As far as Mikey was concerned, Don had the best personality.  His emotions were almost always on an even keel, he was generous and thoughtful, smart and funny.  He did everything for his family and asked nothing in return.  Let Leo and Raph have each other, just so long as they left Donny out of it.

Mikey remembered what Leo had told him during his rematch against Kluh.  Leo had said, ``In this life, we only have each other.''

All Mikey had been troubled with at the time was trying to figure a way out of the grudge match, so he hadn't paid much attention to his brother's words of wisdom.  They made more sense to him now.  They really did only have each other; they were the only four of their kind.  Because of that, they had to be all things to each other.

That epiphany gave Mikey a strange feeling and he opened his eyes.  More than enough time had passed and he didn't want to sit there any longer with those uncomfortable realizations running through his mind.

Very quietly he stood up and tiptoed to the door.  Leo was so far into his meditation that Mikey could have stomped across the room without drawing his notice.  Moving silently seemed to better fit the mood Mikey was in.

He opened the door carefully and backed out of the room, pulling the door shut again with barely a click.

When Mikey turned to head for the stairs, he ran smack into Raphael.

In a deeply menacing tone, Raph asked, ``Ya' want to tell me what you're up to?''

TBC.....

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