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No money being made.\nWord Count: 4,319 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: NC-17 explicit\n~~Preview art commissioned from the wonderfully talented @NeatTea", "description_bbcode_parsed": "Disclaimer: The TMNT are not mine. No money being made.
Word Count: 4,319 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: NC-17 explicit
~~Preview art commissioned from the wonderfully talented @NeatTea", "writing": "\t``O~kay,'' Mikey said in response to his father's announcement. ``What about?''\n\n\tHe stared at his father in a near panic, worried that Master Splinter was going to blurt out not only everything that Mikey had shared with him, but the fact that it was Mikey who had spilled the beans.\n\n\t``I would like for all of you to be seated,'' Master Splinter said. ``I desire your undivided attention.''\n\n\tSince Mikey was already comfortable on the rug, he remained where he was. Leo came off the couch to join him and Raph kneeled close to his older brother. They all waited for Donatello to leave his computers and complete their circle. He chose to sit on the rug near Mikey.\n\n\tMaster Splinter kneeled opposite them, placing the laptop on the rug next to him. He surveyed the group, seeming to take note of where they'd placed themselves, and then took a deep breath. ``When I accepted the responsibility of raising the four of you, I did so with very little knowledge. There was much trial and error.''\n\n\t``You did a wonderful job, Father,'' Leo said, frowning. ``We could not have asked for better.''\n\n\t``Nor could I,'' Master Splinter said. ``The four of you have completed my life in ways I could not have comprehended. My commitment has always been to be as knowledgeable as possible so that I might anticipate your needs and guarantee your safety. In this I believed that I had been successful.''\n\n\t``That sounds like a retirement speech,'' Mikey said with a laugh. ``Are you moving to Maui?''\n\n\tRaph lifted a hand and then realized he was too far away from his youngest brother. ``Hit him for me, would ya', Donny?''\n\n\tDon ignored him, his focus on his father. ``You said `believed that I had been', Master Splinter. Has something changed your mind?''\n\n\tMikey forced himself to continue wearing a look of mild amusement. Levity was expected from him and completely dropping the quips and jokes would have appeared suspicious. His last conversation with his father had not been an auspicious one and Mikey had not liked where Master Splinter's thoughts had been headed.\n\n\t``I have become aware of a certain situation which has apparently been developing for some little time,'' Master Splinter said. ``My initial reaction to the changes I sensed was to explain them away as `cabin fever'. Enforced confinement has never been received well by any of you.''\n\n\t``Ya' got that right,'' Raph said, a sour look on his face.\n\n\tMaster Splinter went on as though Raph had not spoken. ``Conversation with each of you in turn has yielded information which has reinforced assumptions that I had begun to make. Some of you have been more forthcoming and honest, which I appreciate. I am always gratified to know that you are comfortable in discussing anything with me and that you know I will not share your confidences unless you have given me permission to do so.''\n\n\tHe looked around the semi-circle, including each of his sons in his glance. Mikey felt as though his father's eyes lingered on him a bit longer, but that could have been because he was the last in the line. Whatever the case, Master Splinter's assurances helped assuage some of Mikey's anxiety.\n\n\tBefore continuing, Master Splinter tapped April's laptop with a fingertip. ``In order to become better educated about the assumptions I had formed, I required information.''\n\n\t``I could have helped . . . .'' Don began.\n\n\tMaster Splinter raised his hand to cut Donatello off. ``It was not information that I wished for any of you to know that I was researching.'' He chuckled. ``You could perhaps say that I was preparing my arsenal. It would not have done for any of the subjects of my research to have advanced knowledge of the direction my thoughts had taken.''\n\n\tMikey couldn't resist shooting a look at Leo. His older brother was being very quiet and Mikey wondered what was going through his head. As usual, Leonardo's face gave nothing away.\n\n\t``My initial concerns upon finding and rescuing the four of you included sustenance, habitation, and safety,'' Master Splinter said. ``The first two were simple enough. As a rat, I already knew where to find food and where I could find the most sheltered locations within the tunnels.''\n\n\t``Our first home,'' Mikey said.\n\n\t``Stop interrupting,'' Raph told him.\n\n\t``The third item, safety, was multi-faceted,'' Master Splinter continued. ``When you were young it was entirely my job to protect you. As you grew, more of that responsibility fell to each of you.''\n\n\t``Because of that, you began our training,'' Leo murmured.\n\n\tMikey noticed that though Leo had finally spoken, his expression hadn't changed. He was still wearing an impassive mask.\n\n\t``I was well-equipped to provide you with that self-defense training,'' Master Splinter said. ``My Master Yoshi had taught me many things. Tang Shen taught me as well; she showed me how to love and care for others, how to be selfless, and how to see the beauty in a world that could often be harsh.''\n\n\t``Right up until she got betrayed for that faith,'' Raph growled.\n\n\t``That was a lesson for all of us,'' Master Splinter said. ``What lurks in the heart can be beautiful, but it can also be bitter. It can hide its true face until it is too late. This is partly why I drilled into you not only the physical aspects of Bushido, but also its tenets.''\n\n\t``Rectitude, Courage . . . .'' Don said.\n\n\tMikey picked it up from there. ``Benevolence, Politeness . . . .''\n\n\t``Veracity, Honor . . . .'' Raph continued.\n\n\t``Loyalty,'' Leo said. ``In the conflict between loyalty and affection the code never wavers from the choice of loyalty.''\n\n\tMaster Splinter nodded, his gaze directed at Leo. ``What I taught you, what I hoped that I taught the four of you, was that your loyalty was to each other above all else.''\n\n\t``Of course, Father,'' Leo acknowledged.\n\n\t``Trust, loyalty, dedication, love,'' Master Splinter intoned. ``These are the things I endeavored to instill in each of you. This connection you have to each other was meant to last beyond a lifetime; it was meant to withstand the ravages of an eternity.''\n\n\tHe stopped speaking and the room grew quiet. Though still wondering what else his father was going to say to them, Mikey couldn't help but to ruminate upon the things he had just conveyed.\n\n\t``I have come to realize in the last month that I had failed all of you in one regard,'' Master Splinter said, breaking the silence. ``Over the years we have had many lessons together, one of which involved biology and sex education. I recognized that you needed to understand the workings of your own bodies and relied upon the understanding of mine to relay what I believed to be all of the information you needed. I now know that I did not cover enough material.''\n\n\t``You covered the basics very well,'' Don said magnanimously.\n\n\tMaster Splinter nodded. ``The basics, yes. How the body functions and the things that occur naturally, such as early morning erections. What I did not review with you was the biological urges that occur in young males. You were the only four of your kind and I did not consider that someday you might have certain needs.''\n\n\tRaph groaned and pulled a sai from his belt. The movement caught Leo's eye and he frowned at his brother. ``What are you doing?''\n\n\t``I'm gonna poke out my eardrums,'' Raph said.\n\n\t``Do not be impertinent,'' Master Splinter snapped, glowering at his son.\n\n\t``Sorry, Sensei,'' Raph replied, looking properly rebuked as he tucked the sai away.\n\n\t``I see that I am doing this badly,'' Master Splinter said.\n\n\t``No you're not, Master Splinter,'' Don said. ``We're listening. I think we all understand what it is you're trying to discuss with us.''\n\n\t``When I talked to you about sex and needs, it was not only to educate you, but to stave off any curiosity that might lead to experimentation,'' Master Splinter said. ``I knew that you would eventually figure out how to stimulate yourselves, especially when you began to be affected by hormonal changes. Masturbation is completely normal and quite healthy.''\n\n\t``As long as we kept it to ourselves,'' Don filled in when his father paused.\n\n\t``But you have not kept it to yourselves, have you?'' Master Splinter asked, looking at each of his sons in turn.\n\n\tNo one answered. Master Splinter clasped his hands in his lap. ``That was not a rhetorical question.''\n\n\tMikey decided it was time to speak up. ``No. It's not curiosity or experimenting either. My feelings are real.''\n\n\tHe purposely kept the reference vague. All of the reasons that he and Don had kept their burgeoning relationship a secret still remained. The last thing any of them needed was for Leo and Raph to feel pressured or obligated to be together.\n\n\tWhile Master Splinter's attention was on Mikey, Raph leaned close to Leo. Though Mikey couldn't hear what Raph said, he could easily read his lips. He spoke only one word. [i]Fearless[/i].\n\n\tThere was a mocking sneer on Raph's face as he straightened back up, one that was clearly evident to Leonardo.\n\n\tBut then Mikey noticed that Leo was scrutinizing [i]him[/i]. In a second it dawned on Mikey that Leo and Raph were reacting not to each other, but to what their youngest brother had said.\n\n\tMikey's comment could easily be construed as having to do with any of his three brothers. Raph was already a little jealous of Mikey and that was entirely Mikey's fault. What he'd just blurted out might have made Raph believe that something had happened between Leo and him.\n\n\tSince Leo knew quite well that he hadn't engaged in anything other than brotherly activities with Mikey, he probably wondered if Mikey was referring to feelings he had for Raph. All of Mikey's conversations with his oldest brother of late had been in reference to how Leo and Raph were getting along. That could have sounded like Mikey wanted to have a shot at Raph.\n\n\tMikey started to open his mouth to explain himself but then thought better of it. If his brothers wanted to know the truth, then they could just start talking. That's exactly what Mikey and Don had been urging them to do all along.\n\n\t``Courage takes many forms, I am happy that at least one of you recognizes how important it is to be frank with me,'' Master Splinter said.\n\n\tA flush rose to Leo's cheeks. He had always hated to be censured by his father.\n\n\tIt was Don who spoke up, giving Leo time to recover his composure. ``You said that you didn't cover enough material and you hadn't considered we might someday have certain needs. Is that why you borrowed April's laptop?''\n\n\tMaster Splinter bowed his head once in acknowledgment of Donatello's question. ``When I found the four of you, all covered in glowing ooze, you were baby turtles. You all changed so quickly that I had no time to cogitate upon what you had been, only upon what you had become, myself included. I understood the mating rituals of rats and those of humans, having spent years in their company. What I knew nothing about was the dynamics of turtle attraction.''\n\n \tMikey's eyes widened. He hadn't thought of that and with a glance at Don, he could see that the genius hadn't either. They were so different from every other life form they'd ever met that they tended to forget that at one time they were just turtles.\n\n\t``Every species is attracted to their own kind,'' Master Splinter said. ``Since you are the only four of your kind and all males, I did not consider that this would become an issue. Perhaps I believed that the mutation had also changed that aspect of your origin. Seeing the signs indicating that I was wrong led me to learn more about turtles.''\n\n\t``One cannot go against one's nature,'' Donatello murmured.\n\n\t``Exactly, my son,'' Master Splinter agreed. ``Male turtles, whether in captivity or not, can be attracted to other males, even those from the same clutch or bale. In confinement, males will mate with other males. I would consider the fact that there are only four of you to be a type of confinement, do you not agree?''\n\n\t``Well sure, that and we're gonna be stuck down here for the rest of our lives,'' Raph griped.\n\n\tMaster Splinter raised a finger as though to emphasize a point. ``That should not be a determining factor in your behavior or your choices, Raphael.''\n\n\t``Guess not,'' Raph mumbled in reply.\n\n\tTheir father's look softened. ``I know that you find boundaries to be particularly egregious, Raphael. I am not dismissing your feelings on the subject, I am merely indicating that they are not a basis for making life changing decisions.''\n\n\tRaph shrugged. ``Yeah, okay. I see your point.''\n\n\t``Male turtles can be tenacious and competitive during courtship,'' Master Splinter said. ``They are single-minded in focus and are sometimes violent. Courting rituals vary, but often males will bite their prospective mate on the neck.''\n\n\tThis time it was Raph whose color rose. His hand lifted to stroke at the mask tails covering his love bite, which was by now barely visible.\n\n\t``Having learned these things helped certain pieces of the behavioral puzzle to fall into place,'' Master Splinter said. ``Aggression is born of natural instincts. Acceptance of that aggression, even the [i]welcoming [/i]of it, is also natural. It fulfills a need.''\n\n\tIn that moment Mikey realized that having that information to start with would have aided him in analyzing Leo's and Raph's behaviors a lot sooner. It would also have helped when Mikey was discussing things with Master Splinter.\n\n\tAt the same moment as Mikey was having his revelation, he saw Leo lightly touch Raph's thigh, withdrawing his hand quickly. Mikey read that as some sort of signal and immediately focused his attention on the pair.\n\n\tRaph made no attempt to be artful in the way he responded to that signal. He turned his head to stare at Leo, his eye ridges raised in what was clearly a `go ahead' message.\n\n \t``Father,'' Leo said, his voice steady as he got Master Splinter's attention. ``Raphael and I have something that we would like to tell you. What you have guessed to be happening between us is true. We wish to be in a relationship with one another.''\n\n\tRaph's expression morphed into a look of satisfaction at Leo's declaration and then immediately became a scowl when his brother bowed deeply, touching his forehead to the floor.\n\n\t``I have dishonored myself,'' Leo said. ``I should have come to you first, rather than to pursue my desires without your approval.''\n\n\tMaster Splinter contemplated his eldest son. ``Am I correct then that the fighting, the arguments, and all of the disagreements of late between the two of you have been a courtship of sorts?''\n\n\t``Yes, Sensei,'' Leo said without lifting his head.\n\n\t``And you, Raphael,'' Master Splinter said, ``This is a mutual understanding between you?''\n\n\tRaph scratched at his neck, looking both embarrassed by the question and put-out by Leo's behavior. ``Yeah. I mean, yes Sensei. I guess Leo and me, we've always sort of had a thing for each other.''\n\n\t``I see.'' Master Splinter turned to look at Don and Mikey. ``The reason for the escalation in their antagonistic behavior has not been a mystery to you?''\n\n\t``It was at first,'' Don admitted, choosing to be forthright. ``I eventually put two and two together. I'm not as observant as Mikey.''\n\n\t``That's only `cause you're too busy trying to do pretty much everything for us,'' Mikey said, resisting the urge to take Don's hand into his. ``You don't have time to investigate the stuff that goes on around here.''\n\n\t``Have ya' been spying on us, ya' little douche nozzle?'' Raph demanded, looking furious.\n\n\tMikey avoided giving him a yes or no by saying, ``It's not spying if you guys are doing things right in front of me.''\n\n\t``Leonardo, I wish to ask you a question and I would like to see your eyes as you answer it,'' Master Splinter said.\n\n\tLifting his head from the floor, Leo sat up ramrod straight, his gaze directed at his father. ``Yes, Sensei.''\n\n\tMaster Splinter compressed his lips tightly for a moment and then asked, ``Do you and Raphael wish to be together merely to have sex?''\n\n\tMikey almost swallowed his tongue. He had not expected such a direct question from his father. Leo's rapid blinking was a good indication that he'd been caught off guard too.\n\n\t``No, of course not,'' Leo responded.\n\n\t``Then if you please, one of you define for me what you mean by `relationship' and having a `thing' for each other,'' Master Splinter said.\n\n\tLeo frowned. ``I do not understand what you are asking, Father.''\n\n\t``Are ya' asking what it is about Leo that makes me want to be with him?'' Raph asked.\n\n\tMaster Splinter gave them both a hard look. ``If you cannot each honestly tell me how you feel about your brother, then how do you expect me to condone something that at the moment seems an excuse to pursue your carnal desires?''\n\n\tMikey wasn't surprised that Raph was having a hard time putting his emotions into words. He was a turtle of action; the feelings happened and he reacted to them. He'd never been good about verbalizing them and had once actually said that talking about feelings was for sissies.\n\n\tLeo, on the other hand, had already known that to hold onto Raph he'd need to have this discussion with their father. For a turtle who usually thought everything through in advance, his not having an immediate answer was sort of puzzling.\n\n\tThat didn't mean that Mikey couldn't take advantage of the situation. Maybe if he took the lead this time, then his more alpha type brothers would follow his playbook.\n\n\t``I want to be with Donny,'' Mikey blurted out. ``Pretty sure I always have.''\n\n\tComplete shock was the best way to describe how Raph reacted to that revelation.\n\n\t``What the hell . . . ?'' Raph began. He looked from Mike to Don. ``Donny?''\n\n\tIn contrast, Leo seemed to take the news as confirmation of something that he had already gleaned for himself.\n\n\t``Mikey and I have realized that we have been drawn to each other for some time,'' Don said. ``He is unique and intriguing. Mikey's mind is fascinating and his spirit unrivaled. I am in love with him.''\n\n\tThe grin on Mikey's face was so wide he almost couldn't talk, but somehow he managed to say, ``Donny has everything a guy could want. He's smart and gentle natured. He's got a great imagination and he can talk about anything. Oh, and did I mention that he's really hot? `Cause he is.''\n\n\tThis time Mikey did reach for Don's hand and was gratified that his brother had the same notion, meeting him halfway.\n\n\t``Thank you for being so candid,'' Master Splinter said. ``It is a healthy sign that you are able to articulate the reasons that you want to be together. Tell me, if I were to forbid such a thing, what would you do?''\n\n\tMikey was hit again by the same drowning sensation he'd gotten during his last private talk with Master Splinter. The prospect that his father might do that left him slightly speechless.\n\n``I would . . . uh . . . .'' Mikey stopped, not sure what his father wanted to hear.\n\nDon didn't share that difficulty. ``I would ask what the basis for such a decision was and try to meet each argument with an answer that would satisfy you.''\n\n``Logical, as always, Donatello,'' Master Splinter said. He returned to his perusal of Leo and Raph. ``Were the two of you aware of the shared interest between Michelangelo and Donatello?''\n\n``I sure wasn't,'' Raph answered quickly.\n\nLeo responded more slowly. ``I was starting to become aware that something was going on with Mikey,'' he said. ``He has shown a keen interest lately in how Raph and I have been getting along. I began to wonder if there wasn't an ulterior motive to his antics of late.''\n\n``Antics?'' Master Splinter asked.\n\n``There seemed to be a hidden agenda in how he interacted with both Raph and myself,'' Leo said. ``I'd also begun to read something more between the lines in the conversations Mikey and I had. He appeared quite invested in getting Raph and I to communicate in a more meaningful way.''\n\n ``In other words, Mikey was butting in again,'' Raph said, glowering at his youngest brother.\n\n``He was trying to help,'' Don said. ``So was I. Do you think either of us likes hearing you and Leo fighting? Especially when we sense that you are both after the same thing but are too stubborn to be the first to back down long enough to listen to what the other has to say?''\n\n``I suppose next you're gonna say it's all my fault,'' Raph said belligerently.\n\n``Don't be so self-involved,'' Mikey said. ``Don said `both'. He wasn't calling you out.''\n\n``Oh, so now we got the two of ya' up in our faces,'' Raph sneered. ``Ya' discover ya' got the hots for each other and suddenly ya' know everything. You're a pair of snoops.''\n\nMaster Splinter's tail smacked the ground hard enough for the sound to reverberate through the room. ``I do not intend for this discussion to devolve into name calling,'' he said. ``We are here because there could potentially be dire ramifications due to the changes in your relationships. Your inability to at least define what you want from each other does not bode well for this family nor for your team, Leonardo.''\n\n``I do not wish to sound as though I am making excuses, Sensei,'' Leo said. ``One of the reasons I haven't been forthcoming is that I [i]have [/i]been pondering the effects on us as a team.''\n\n``Then why the hell haven't ya' just straight up said that to me?'' Raph asked, staring at his brother. ``Ain't I a part of this? Maybe instead of keeping that crap to yourself and trying to figure it all out on your own, ya' could share it. Maybe I might surprise ya' and have some good ideas or insights.''\n\n``Hard decisions aren't burdens to share,'' Leo said. ``They are a function of my role . . . .''\n\n``Bullshit!'' Raph shouted. ``It's just another way for ya' to say you're better than me and that my opinion don't count! What the hell are ya' after, Leo? Is this all about ya' manipulating me into doing what ya' want and that's it? Are my words only important when they're an echo of the stuff ya' say?''\n\n``You are misunderstanding me,'' Leo said. ``I think you do that on purpose. Just because we're together doesn't mean that our individual roles have changed. We still have to consider the consequences of our actions before those actions lead to bigger problems.''\n\n``I guess I'm one of those bigger problems,'' Raph said. ``Right? My actions is what ya' mean to say. Ya' got no problem with them when I'm on my back and you're on top of me, but let me start acting like I got some say so in what happens, and ya' pull that `I'm the leader' bullshit.''\n\nLeo glanced at Master Splinter and then back at his brother. ``This is not the place to discuss what we do in private.''\n\n``Sure it is,'' Raph countered. ``Ain't that the whole point of Master Splinter getting us all in here? Didn't he straight up ask ya' if the only reason ya' wanna be with me is to have sex?''\n\n``I answered that question,'' Leo said hotly.\n\n``A flat out no ain't an answer,'' Raph fumed. ``How come ya' wanna be with me, Leo? What is it about me that ya' like?'' He snorted a laugh. ``Do ya' even like anything about me?''\n\n``He asked both of us to define what it is we're after,'' Leo shot back. ``You didn't tell him why you have feelings for me either.''\n\nRaph jumped to his feet, clearly furious. ``Maybe I don't! Maybe I don't wanna waste my time on someone who's got the emotional depth of a rock!''\n\nHe turned on his heel and stomped out of the room, heading for the stairs.\n\n``Raphael, Raphael!'' Master Splinter called out, standing up quickly. ``Come back here now! We are not finished!''\n\n``I'm finished!'' Raph yelled without slowing down. ``I am completely done with this shit!''\n\n``Raphael!'' Master Splinter shouted, sounding angrier than he had in a very long time.\n\n``Let him go,'' Leo said as he rose. Other than the way his jaw was working, it was hard to tell what he was feeling. ``He'll burn off some steam and be back soon enough.''\n\nMaster Splinter spun on him. ``This situation has gotten out of hand. You will repair it immediately, Leonardo. Do you understand me? I will not have the four of you at odds with one another for any reason.''\n\nLeo bowed stiffly. ``As you wish, Father.''\n\nWith a last long look at his eldest son, Master Splinter walked away, disappearing into his room. Leonardo spared but a single glance at his two remaining brothers before leaving as well, his steps taking him in the direction of the dojo.\n\nMikey had continued holding Don's hand throughout the violent exchange and only let go when his brother got up to retrieve April's laptop. Hopping to his feet, Mikey moved over to stand close to Don. The confusion and anxiety that Mikey was feeling could easily be seen in Don's expression as well.\n\n``Now what?'' Mikey asked.\n\nDon sighed. ``That is a very good question, Mikey. Now what indeed.''\n\nTBC.....\n\n", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "\t``O~kay,'' Mikey said in response to his father's announcement.  ``What about?''

\tHe stared at his father in a near panic, worried that Master Splinter was going to blurt out not only everything that Mikey had shared with him, but the fact that it was Mikey who had spilled the beans.

\t``I would like for all of you to be seated,'' Master Splinter said.  ``I desire your undivided attention.''

\tSince Mikey was already comfortable on the rug, he remained where he was.  Leo came off the couch to join him and Raph kneeled close to his older brother.  They all waited for Donatello to leave his computers and complete their circle.  He chose to sit on the rug near Mikey.

\tMaster Splinter kneeled opposite them, placing the laptop on the rug next to him.  He surveyed the group, seeming to take note of where they'd placed themselves, and then took a deep breath.  ``When I accepted the responsibility of raising the four of you, I did so with very little knowledge.  There was much trial and error.''

\t``You did a wonderful job, Father,'' Leo said, frowning.  ``We could not have asked for better.''

\t``Nor could I,'' Master Splinter said.  ``The four of you have completed my life in ways I could not have comprehended.  My commitment has always been to be as knowledgeable as possible so that I might anticipate your needs and guarantee your safety.  In this I believed that I had been successful.''

\t``That sounds like a retirement speech,'' Mikey said with a laugh.  ``Are you moving to Maui?''

\tRaph lifted a hand and then realized he was too far away from his youngest brother.  ``Hit him for me, would ya', Donny?''

\tDon ignored him, his focus on his father.  ``You said `believed that I had been', Master Splinter.  Has something changed your mind?''

\tMikey forced himself to continue wearing a look of mild amusement.  Levity was expected from him and completely dropping the quips and jokes would have appeared suspicious.  His last conversation with his father had not been an auspicious one and Mikey had not liked where Master Splinter's thoughts had been headed.

\t``I have become aware of a certain situation which has apparently been developing for some little time,'' Master Splinter said.  ``My initial reaction to the changes I sensed was to explain them away as `cabin fever'.  Enforced confinement has never been received well by any of you.''

\t``Ya' got that right,'' Raph said, a sour look on his face.

\tMaster Splinter went on as though Raph had not spoken.  ``Conversation with each of you in turn has yielded information which has reinforced assumptions that I had begun to make.  Some of you have been more forthcoming and honest, which I appreciate.  I am always gratified to know that you are comfortable in discussing anything with me and that you know I will not share your confidences unless you have given me permission to do so.''

\tHe looked around the semi-circle, including each of his sons in his glance.  Mikey felt as though his father's eyes lingered on him a bit longer, but that could have been because he was the last in the line.  Whatever the case, Master Splinter's assurances helped assuage some of Mikey's anxiety.

\tBefore continuing, Master Splinter tapped April's laptop with a fingertip.  ``In order to become better educated about the assumptions I had formed, I required information.''

\t``I could have helped . . . .'' Don began.

\tMaster Splinter raised his hand to cut Donatello off.  ``It was not information that I wished for any of you to know that I was researching.''  He chuckled.  ``You could perhaps say that I was preparing my arsenal.  It would not have done for any of the subjects of my research to have advanced knowledge of the direction my thoughts had taken.''

\tMikey couldn't resist shooting a look at Leo.  His older brother was being very quiet and Mikey wondered what was going through his head.  As usual, Leonardo's face gave nothing away.

\t``My initial concerns upon finding and rescuing the four of you included sustenance, habitation, and safety,'' Master Splinter said.  ``The first two were simple enough.  As a rat, I already knew where to find food and where I could find the most sheltered locations within the tunnels.''

\t``Our first home,'' Mikey said.

\t``Stop interrupting,'' Raph told him.

\t``The third item, safety, was multi-faceted,'' Master Splinter continued.  ``When you were young it was entirely my job to protect you.  As you grew, more of that responsibility fell to each of you.''

\t``Because of that, you began our training,'' Leo murmured.

\tMikey noticed that though Leo had finally spoken, his expression hadn't changed.  He was still wearing an impassive mask.

\t``I was well-equipped to provide you with that self-defense training,'' Master Splinter said.  ``My Master Yoshi had taught me many things.  Tang Shen taught me as well; she showed me how to love and care for others, how to be selfless, and how to see the beauty in a world that could often be harsh.''

\t``Right up until she got betrayed for that faith,'' Raph growled.

\t``That was a lesson for all of us,'' Master Splinter said.  ``What lurks in the heart can be beautiful, but it can also be bitter.  It can hide its true face until it is too late.  This is partly why I drilled into you not only the physical aspects of Bushido, but also its tenets.''

\t``Rectitude, Courage . . . .'' Don said.

\tMikey picked it up from there.  ``Benevolence, Politeness . . . .''

\t``Veracity, Honor . . . .'' Raph continued.

\t``Loyalty,'' Leo said.  ``In the conflict between loyalty and affection the code never wavers from the choice of loyalty.''

\tMaster Splinter nodded, his gaze directed at Leo.  ``What I taught you, what I hoped that I taught the four of you, was that your loyalty was to each other above all else.''

\t``Of course, Father,'' Leo acknowledged.

\t``Trust, loyalty, dedication, love,'' Master Splinter intoned.  ``These are the things I endeavored to instill in each of you.  This connection you have to each other was meant to last beyond a lifetime; it was meant to withstand the ravages of an eternity.''

\tHe stopped speaking and the room grew quiet.  Though still wondering what else his father was going to say to them, Mikey couldn't help but to ruminate upon the things he had just conveyed.

\t``I have come to realize in the last month that I had failed all of you in one regard,'' Master Splinter said, breaking the silence.  ``Over the years we have had many lessons together, one of which involved biology and sex education.  I recognized that you needed to understand the workings of your own bodies and relied upon the understanding of mine to relay what I believed to be all of the information you needed.  I now know that I did not cover enough material.''

\t``You covered the basics very well,'' Don said magnanimously.

\tMaster Splinter nodded.  ``The basics, yes.  How the body functions and the things that occur naturally, such as early morning erections.  What I did not review with you was the biological urges that occur in young males.  You were the only four of your kind and I did not consider that someday you might have certain needs.''

\tRaph groaned and pulled a sai from his belt.  The movement caught Leo's eye and he frowned at his brother.  ``What are you doing?''

\t``I'm gonna poke out my eardrums,'' Raph said.

\t``Do not be impertinent,'' Master Splinter snapped, glowering at his son.

\t``Sorry, Sensei,'' Raph replied, looking properly rebuked as he tucked the sai away.

\t``I see that I am doing this badly,'' Master Splinter said.

\t``No you're not, Master Splinter,'' Don said.  ``We're listening.  I think we all understand what it is you're trying to discuss with us.''

\t``When I talked to you about sex and needs, it was not only to educate you, but to stave off any curiosity that might lead to experimentation,'' Master Splinter said.  ``I knew that you would eventually figure out how to stimulate yourselves, especially when you began to be affected by hormonal changes.  Masturbation is completely normal and quite healthy.''

\t``As long as we kept it to ourselves,'' Don filled in when his father paused.

\t``But you have not kept it to yourselves, have you?'' Master Splinter asked, looking at each of his sons in turn.

\tNo one answered.  Master Splinter clasped his hands in his lap.  ``That was not a rhetorical question.''

\tMikey decided it was time to speak up.  ``No.  It's not curiosity or experimenting either.  My feelings are real.''

\tHe purposely kept the reference vague.  All of the reasons that he and Don had kept their burgeoning relationship a secret still remained.  The last thing any of them needed was for Leo and Raph to feel pressured or obligated to be together.

\tWhile Master Splinter's attention was on Mikey, Raph leaned close to Leo.  Though Mikey couldn't hear what Raph said, he could easily read his lips.  He spoke only one word.  Fearless.

\tThere was a mocking sneer on Raph's face as he straightened back up, one that was clearly evident to Leonardo.

\tBut then Mikey noticed that Leo was scrutinizing him.  In a second it dawned on Mikey that Leo and Raph were reacting not to each other, but to what their youngest brother had said.

\tMikey's comment could easily be construed as having to do with any of his three brothers.  Raph was already a little jealous of Mikey and that was entirely Mikey's fault.  What he'd just blurted out might have made Raph believe that something had happened between Leo and him.

\tSince Leo knew quite well that he hadn't engaged in anything other than brotherly activities with Mikey, he probably wondered if Mikey was referring to feelings he had for Raph.  All of Mikey's conversations with his oldest brother of late had been in reference to how Leo and Raph were getting along.  That could have sounded like Mikey wanted to have a shot at Raph.

\tMikey started to open his mouth to explain himself but then thought better of it.  If his brothers wanted to know the truth, then they could just start talking.  That's exactly what Mikey and Don had been urging them to do all along.

\t``Courage takes many forms, I am happy that at least one of you recognizes how important it is to be frank with me,'' Master Splinter said.

\tA flush rose to Leo's cheeks.  He had always hated to be censured by his father.

\tIt was Don who spoke up, giving Leo time to recover his composure.  ``You said that you didn't cover enough material and you hadn't considered we might someday have certain needs.  Is that why you borrowed April's laptop?''

\tMaster Splinter bowed his head once in acknowledgment of Donatello's question.  ``When I found the four of you, all covered in glowing ooze, you were baby turtles.  You all changed so quickly that I had no time to cogitate upon what you had been, only upon what you had become, myself included.  I understood the mating rituals of rats and those of humans, having spent years in their company.  What I knew nothing about was the dynamics of turtle attraction.''

 \tMikey's eyes widened.  He hadn't thought of that and with a glance at Don, he could see that the genius hadn't either.  They were so different from every other life form they'd ever met that they tended to forget that at one time they were just turtles.

\t``Every species is attracted to their own kind,'' Master Splinter said.  ``Since you are the only four of your kind and all males, I did not consider that this would become an issue.  Perhaps I believed that the mutation had also changed that aspect of your origin.  Seeing the signs indicating that I was wrong led me to learn more about turtles.''

\t``One cannot go against one's nature,'' Donatello murmured.

\t``Exactly, my son,'' Master Splinter agreed.  ``Male turtles, whether in captivity or not, can be attracted to other males, even those from the same clutch or bale.  In confinement, males will mate with other males.  I would consider the fact that there are only four of you to be a type of confinement, do you not agree?''

\t``Well sure, that and we're gonna be stuck down here for the rest of our lives,'' Raph griped.

\tMaster Splinter raised a finger as though to emphasize a point.  ``That should not be a determining factor in your behavior or your choices, Raphael.''

\t``Guess not,'' Raph mumbled in reply.

\tTheir father's look softened.  ``I know that you find boundaries to be particularly egregious, Raphael.  I am not dismissing your feelings on the subject, I am merely indicating that they are not a basis for making life changing decisions.''

\tRaph shrugged.  ``Yeah, okay.  I see your point.''

\t``Male turtles can be tenacious and competitive during courtship,'' Master Splinter said.  ``They are single-minded in focus and are sometimes violent.  Courting rituals vary, but often males will bite their prospective mate on the neck.''

\tThis time it was Raph whose color rose.  His hand lifted to stroke at the mask tails covering his love bite, which was by now barely visible.

\t``Having learned these things helped certain pieces of the behavioral puzzle to fall into place,'' Master Splinter said.  ``Aggression is born of natural instincts.  Acceptance of that aggression, even the welcoming of it, is also natural.  It fulfills a need.''

\tIn that moment Mikey realized that having that information to start with would have aided him in analyzing Leo's and Raph's behaviors a lot sooner.  It would also have helped when Mikey was discussing things with Master Splinter.

\tAt the same moment as Mikey was having his revelation, he saw Leo lightly touch Raph's thigh, withdrawing his hand quickly.  Mikey read that as some sort of signal and immediately focused his attention on the pair.

\tRaph made no attempt to be artful in the way he responded to that signal.  He turned his head to stare at Leo, his eye ridges raised in what was clearly a `go ahead' message.

 \t``Father,'' Leo said, his voice steady as he got Master Splinter's attention.  ``Raphael and I have something that we would like to tell you.  What you have guessed to be happening between us is true.  We wish to be in a relationship with one another.''

\tRaph's expression morphed into a look of satisfaction at Leo's declaration and then immediately became a scowl when his brother bowed deeply, touching his forehead to the floor.

\t``I have dishonored myself,'' Leo said.  ``I should have come to you first, rather than to pursue my desires without your approval.''

\tMaster Splinter contemplated his eldest son.  ``Am I correct then that the fighting, the arguments, and all of the disagreements of late between the two of you have been a courtship of sorts?''

\t``Yes, Sensei,'' Leo said without lifting his head.

\t``And you, Raphael,'' Master Splinter said, ``This is a mutual understanding between you?''

\tRaph scratched at his neck, looking both embarrassed by the question and put-out by Leo's behavior.  ``Yeah.  I mean, yes Sensei.  I guess Leo and me, we've always sort of had a thing for each other.''

\t``I see.''  Master Splinter turned to look at Don and Mikey.  ``The reason for the escalation in their antagonistic behavior has not been a mystery to you?''

\t``It was at first,'' Don admitted, choosing to be forthright.  ``I eventually put two and two together.  I'm not as observant as Mikey.''

\t``That's only `cause you're too busy trying to do pretty much everything for us,'' Mikey said, resisting the urge to take Don's hand into his.  ``You don't have time to investigate the stuff that goes on around here.''

\t``Have ya' been spying on us, ya' little douche nozzle?'' Raph demanded, looking furious.

\tMikey avoided giving him a yes or no by saying, ``It's not spying if you guys are doing things right in front of me.''

\t``Leonardo, I wish to ask you a question and I would like to see your eyes as you answer it,'' Master Splinter said.

\tLifting his head from the floor, Leo sat up ramrod straight, his gaze directed at his father.  ``Yes, Sensei.''

\tMaster Splinter compressed his lips tightly for a moment and then asked, ``Do you and Raphael wish to be together merely to have sex?''

\tMikey almost swallowed his tongue.  He had not expected such a direct question from his father.  Leo's rapid blinking was a good indication that he'd been caught off guard too.

\t``No, of course not,'' Leo responded.

\t``Then if you please, one of you define for me what you mean by `relationship' and having a `thing' for each other,'' Master Splinter said.

\tLeo frowned.  ``I do not understand what you are asking, Father.''

\t``Are ya' asking what it is about Leo that makes me want to be with him?'' Raph asked.

\tMaster Splinter gave them both a hard look.  ``If you cannot each honestly tell me how you feel about your brother, then how do you expect me to condone something that at the moment seems an excuse to pursue your carnal desires?''

\tMikey wasn't surprised that Raph was having a hard time putting his emotions into words.  He was a turtle of action; the feelings happened and he reacted to them.  He'd never been good about verbalizing them and had once actually said that talking about feelings was for sissies.

\tLeo, on the other hand, had already known that to hold onto Raph he'd need to have this discussion with their father.  For a turtle who usually thought everything through in advance, his not having an immediate answer was sort of puzzling.

\tThat didn't mean that Mikey couldn't take advantage of the situation.  Maybe if he took the lead this time, then his more alpha type brothers would follow his playbook.

\t``I want to be with Donny,'' Mikey blurted out.  ``Pretty sure I always have.''

\tComplete shock was the best way to describe how Raph reacted to that revelation.

\t``What the hell . . . ?'' Raph began.  He looked from Mike to Don.  ``Donny?''

\tIn contrast, Leo seemed to take the news as confirmation of something that he had already gleaned for himself.

\t``Mikey and I have realized that we have been drawn to each other for some time,'' Don said.  ``He is unique and intriguing.  Mikey's mind is fascinating and his spirit unrivaled.  I am in love with him.''

\tThe grin on Mikey's face was so wide he almost couldn't talk, but somehow he managed to say, ``Donny has everything a guy could want.  He's smart and gentle natured.  He's got a great imagination and he can talk about anything.  Oh, and did I mention that he's really hot?  `Cause he is.''

\tThis time Mikey did reach for Don's hand and was gratified that his brother had the same notion, meeting him halfway.

\t``Thank you for being so candid,'' Master Splinter said.  ``It is a healthy sign that you are able to articulate the reasons that you want to be together.  Tell me, if I were to forbid such a thing, what would you do?''

\tMikey was hit again by the same drowning sensation he'd gotten during his last private talk with Master Splinter.  The prospect that his father might do that left him slightly speechless.

``I would . . . uh . . . .''  Mikey stopped, not sure what his father wanted to hear.

Don didn't share that difficulty.  ``I would ask what the basis for such a decision was and try to meet each argument with an answer that would satisfy you.''

``Logical, as always, Donatello,'' Master Splinter said.  He returned to his perusal of Leo and Raph.  ``Were the two of you aware of the shared interest between Michelangelo and Donatello?''

``I sure wasn't,'' Raph answered quickly.

Leo responded more slowly.  ``I was starting to become aware that something was going on with Mikey,'' he said.  ``He has shown a keen interest lately in how Raph and I have been getting along.  I began to wonder if there wasn't an ulterior motive to his antics of late.''

``Antics?'' Master Splinter asked.

``There seemed to be a hidden agenda in how he interacted with both Raph and myself,'' Leo said.  ``I'd also begun to read something more between the lines in the conversations Mikey and I had.  He appeared quite invested in getting Raph and I to communicate in a more meaningful way.''

 ``In other words, Mikey was butting in again,'' Raph said, glowering at his youngest brother.

``He was trying to help,'' Don said.  ``So was I.  Do you think either of us likes hearing you and Leo fighting?  Especially when we sense that you are both after the same thing but are too stubborn to be the first to back down long enough to listen to what the other has to say?''

``I suppose next you're gonna say it's all my fault,'' Raph said belligerently.

``Don't be so self-involved,'' Mikey said.  ``Don said `both'.  He wasn't calling you out.''

``Oh, so now we got the two of ya' up in our faces,'' Raph sneered.  ``Ya' discover ya' got the hots for each other and suddenly ya' know everything.  You're a pair of snoops.''

Master Splinter's tail smacked the ground hard enough for the sound to reverberate through the room.  ``I do not intend for this discussion to devolve into name calling,'' he said.  ``We are here because there could potentially be dire ramifications due to the changes in your relationships.  Your inability to at least define what you want from each other does not bode well for this family nor for your team, Leonardo.''

``I do not wish to sound as though I am making excuses, Sensei,'' Leo said.  ``One of the reasons I haven't been forthcoming is that I have been pondering the effects on us as a team.''

``Then why the hell haven't ya' just straight up said that to me?'' Raph asked, staring at his brother.  ``Ain't I a part of this?  Maybe instead of keeping that crap to yourself and trying to figure it all out on your own, ya' could share it.  Maybe I might surprise ya' and have some good ideas or insights.''

``Hard decisions aren't burdens to share,'' Leo said.  ``They are a function of my role . . . .''

``Bullshit!'' Raph shouted.  ``It's just another way for ya' to say you're better than me and that my opinion don't count!  What the hell are ya' after, Leo?  Is this all about ya' manipulating me into doing what ya' want and that's it?  Are my words only important when they're an echo of the stuff ya' say?''

``You are misunderstanding me,'' Leo said.  ``I think you do that on purpose.  Just because we're together doesn't mean that our individual roles have changed.  We still have to consider the consequences of our actions before those actions lead to bigger problems.''

``I guess I'm one of those bigger problems,'' Raph said.  ``Right?  My actions is what ya' mean to say.  Ya' got no problem with them when I'm on my back and you're on top of me, but let me start acting like I got some say so in what happens, and ya' pull that `I'm the leader' bullshit.''

Leo glanced at Master Splinter and then back at his brother.  ``This is not the place to discuss what we do in private.''

``Sure it is,'' Raph countered.  ``Ain't that the whole point of Master Splinter getting us all in here?  Didn't he straight up ask ya' if the only reason ya' wanna be with me is to have sex?''

``I answered that question,'' Leo said hotly.

``A flat out no ain't an answer,'' Raph fumed.  ``How come ya' wanna be with me, Leo?  What is it about me that ya' like?'' He snorted a laugh.  ``Do ya' even like anything about me?''

``He asked both of us to define what it is we're after,'' Leo shot back.  ``You didn't tell him why you have feelings for me either.''

Raph jumped to his feet, clearly furious.  ``Maybe I don't!  Maybe I don't wanna waste my time on someone who's got the emotional depth of a rock!''

He turned on his heel and stomped out of the room, heading for the stairs.

``Raphael, Raphael!'' Master Splinter called out, standing up quickly.  ``Come back here now!  We are not finished!''

``I'm finished!'' Raph yelled without slowing down.  ``I am completely done with this shit!''

``Raphael!'' Master Splinter shouted, sounding angrier than he had in a very long time.

``Let him go,'' Leo said as he rose.  Other than the way his jaw was working, it was hard to tell what he was feeling.  ``He'll burn off some steam and be back soon enough.''

Master Splinter spun on him.  ``This situation has gotten out of hand.  You will repair it immediately, Leonardo.  Do you understand me?  I will not have the four of you at odds with one another for any reason.''

Leo bowed stiffly.  ``As you wish, Father.''

With a last long look at his eldest son, Master Splinter walked away, disappearing into his room.  Leonardo spared but a single glance at his two remaining brothers before leaving as well, his steps taking him in the direction of the dojo.

Mikey had continued holding Don's hand throughout the violent exchange and only let go when his brother got up to retrieve April's laptop.  Hopping to his feet, Mikey moved over to stand close to Don.  The confusion and anxiety that Mikey was feeling could easily be seen in Don's expression as well.

``Now what?'' Mikey asked.

Don sighed.  ``That is a very good question, Mikey.  Now what indeed.''

TBC.....

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