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What became of the fourth? Alternate universe. Multi-chapter, 2k3.", "count": "26", "submission_left_submission_id": "1849505", "submission_left_file_name": "2656776_hummerhouse_the_lost_boy_part_15.doc", "submission_left_thumbnail_url_huge": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/huge/2656/2656776_hummerhouse_the_lost_boy_part_15.jpg", "submission_left_thumbnail_url_large": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/large/2656/2656776_hummerhouse_the_lost_boy_part_15.jpg", "submission_left_thumbnail_url_medium": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/2656/2656776_hummerhouse_the_lost_boy_part_15.jpg", "submission_left_thumb_huge_x": "225", "submission_left_thumb_huge_y": "300", "submission_left_thumb_large_x": "150", "submission_left_thumb_large_y": "200", "submission_left_thumb_medium_x": "90", "submission_left_thumb_medium_y": "120", "submission_right_submission_id": "1853031", "submission_right_file_name": "2662159_hummerhouse_the_lost_boy_part_17.doc", "submission_right_thumbnail_url_huge": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/huge/2662/2662159_hummerhouse_the_lost_boy_part_17.jpg", "submission_right_thumbnail_url_large": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/large/2662/2662159_hummerhouse_the_lost_boy_part_17.jpg", "submission_right_thumbnail_url_medium": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/2662/2662159_hummerhouse_the_lost_boy_part_17.jpg", "submission_right_thumb_huge_x": "200", "submission_right_thumb_huge_y": "300", "submission_right_thumb_large_x": "133", "submission_right_thumb_large_y": "200", "submission_right_thumb_medium_x": "80", "submission_right_thumb_medium_y": "120" } ], "description": "The Lost Boy\npart 15\nby hummerhouse\nDisclaimer: The TMNT are not mine. No money being made.\nWord Count: 2,450\nThis part rated: R - alternate universe, adult concepts and situations, violence, TCest \nPairing: Leonardo/Michelangelo\nSummary: Master Splinter only discovered, rescued, and raised three turtle hatchlings. What became of the fourth?\n~~This amazing preview image was created for this story by the very talented CartoonLovr", "description_bbcode_parsed": "The Lost Boy
part 15
by hummerhouse
Disclaimer: The TMNT are not mine. No money being made.
Word Count: 2,450
This part rated: R - alternate universe, adult concepts and situations, violence, TCest
Pairing: Leonardo/Michelangelo
Summary: Master Splinter only discovered, rescued, and raised three turtle hatchlings. What became of the fourth?
~~This amazing preview image was created for this story by the very talented CartoonLovr", "writing": "\tThe expression on Mikey's face indicated that he could smell the change in Leo's pheromones as well. Rather than seeming frightened by that knowledge, Mikey appeared expectant, even leaning closer to Leo.\n\n\tLeo needed to give himself and Mikey something else to focus on; knowing that they both shared a mutual interest in one another wasn't enough, Mikey had to want to share his life with Leo in every way. That meant that Mikey had to care for Leo on a level deeper and more meaningful than sexual attraction.\n\n\tTaking a strong, steadying breath, Leo said, ``Please continue with the rest of your story, Mikey.''\n\n\tMikey blinked as though coming out of a daze and sat up straighter. His heightened color didn't recede though, and neither did his stimulating scent.\n\n\t``Okay, so where was I?'' Mikey asked rhetorically. ``First we had the bullies who were chased off by those wanna be gang bangers, and then the real thing in the shape of the Purple Dragons. I was keeping a low profile after I got hurt, but watching the Dragons start to take over the neighborhood hit a sore spot.\n\n\t``They were forcing merchants to pay for protection from the Dragons themselves; they started making the school personnel pay for their parking spaces and stealing anything worth money from the kids. Just about every surface in the area was tagged and the artwork wasn't nice either. I also noticed that not only were they trying to recruit kids for their gang, but they were selling drugs too. I despise both of those things.\n\n\t``Then one evening I saw the Dragons tear up the neighborhood bakery. The old man who owned the bakery had inherited it from his dad. It didn't make a lot of money because the poor man couldn't produce much anymore, but it was all he had. He sure couldn't pay what the Dragons wanted for protection.\n\n\t``It was just like when that gang was picking on those kids; I started to get really angry. I learned my lesson about the full frontal attack though and decided to use some of those skills I acquired from years of hiding in the school.\n\n\t``One of the Dragons had dragged the old man onto the sidewalk and was holding him up by his shirt front. There were three others just standing around laughing so I came around behind them and smacked the first one I could reach with my bo. Quick as I could I leaped up on the frame that held the awning over the door and slithered around to the other side.\n\n\t``The Dragon groaned as he fell down and when the others turned to look at him, I hit another one of them and then jumped into the bakery. When the last two started yelling at each other, I banged on the wall to get their attention.''\n\n\t``Did you hide or wait for them?'' Leo asked.\n\n\tMikey grinned. ``No open fighting for me, not then anyway. I perched right above the entrance, bracing my toes on the door frame and one hand on the ceiling. Those cowards pushed the old man in first; the leader was even using him for a shield. I waited until they were all inside before bashing the Dragon who was bringing up the rear right on his head.\n\n\t``I was trying to get the hang of how hard to hit someone with that heavy staff. The first two guys cried out but I was pretty proud that the third didn't make a sound. The thump when his body hit the floor was the only thing that told the leader what had happened.\n\n\t``When he turned around, I shoved off from my hiding place and sailed right over his head. Moving around with the bo staff is hard though; Don must be really good to be able to do that. The weight alone kept pulling me off balance.\n\n\t``I didn't exactly land soundlessly and the Dragon caught a glimpse of me. He pulled out a switchblade knife and then shoved the old man aside. I didn't want to take the chance that he'd get frustrated and go after the old man again, so I jumped out to face him. It wasn't much of a match even in that small space; the bo had the reach and I was a whole lot faster than that guy was.\n\n\t``Once he was out cold I confiscated his switchblade and asked the old man if he was okay. He just kept staring at me and I realized he was the first person to actually get a really good look at the real me. I also realized that he was scared; even more scared than when the Dragons were tearing up his place and beating on him.\n\n\t``That hurt; it hurt a lot. I guess I never thought before about how strange and different I look. I think I figured that if I saved the guy's life he wouldn't care about my appearance. I haven't found out any differently either; bad people try to kill me and good people scream and run away.''\n\n\t``We've all experienced that same thing, Mikey,'' Leo assured him. ``There are humans that will accept you for who you are, some of them are great friends of ours, but they are rare. Donny says it is part of the human genetic makeup; a survival instinct that we shouldn't take personally.''\n\n\t``I try not to,'' Mikey said. ``It can make for a pretty lonely existence though.''\n\n\tLeo wasn't sure that he could trust himself to remain calm if he tried to put his arm around Mikey again, so he settled for placing a comforting hand on Mikey's shoulder.\n\n\t``I wish we'd never been separated,'' Leo told him. ``I wish with my entire being that you had lived and been raised with us. For some reason fate decided to arrange things in this way and regrets are pointless. Fate brought us back together though and that makes me believe things have happened in this way for a particular reason.''\n\n\t``The same fate that made me look a little differently than the rest of you?'' Mikey asked.\n\n\t``From what I understand of our mutation process, the ooze bonded our turtle DNA with that of the other DNA that was on our bodies. Human epithelial tissue was left on us by the humans who owned us. I think that the reason your carapace is smaller and you have a greater range of movement than the rest of us is because you had more of the human DNA on you during mutation. My guess is that it was left there by the child who found you and stuffed you into his backpack,'' Leo explained.\n\n\t``Wouldn't the ooze have transformed the kid too?'' Mikey asked. ``I mean, if his DNA on me aided my transformation, then wouldn't my DNA have gotten on him?''\n\n\t``It's possible he didn't touch the ooze,'' Leo said. ``Since we never heard any news about a child who had turned partially into a turtle, that's my best guess. What did you do about the old man?''\n\n\tMikey sighed. ``I was pretty sure he wasn't hurt, so I told him I was wearing a costume because I didn't want the Dragons to recognize me and that he should call the police before those guys woke up. After that I got out of there.\n\n\t``Once I was home I played with that switchblade a little bit until I got comfortable with it and then started keeping it in my belt as a backup weapon. I also sat down and spent some time thinking about the bo staff I was using. I was good with it, still am, but it didn't feel right in my hands if you know what I mean.''\n\n\tLeo nodded. ``I've trained with many weapons but the katana is the only one that felt as though it was an extension of me.''\n\n\t``I kind of think a certain weapon bonds with you,'' Mikey said. ``I know that sounds flighty, but when you're fighting with just the right weapon, you completely forget you have one. Everything, every movement, happens without conscious thought.''\n\n\t``My brothers and I have talked about that exact concept,'' Leo said. ``We all feel that way about our weapon of choice. Our father knew that to be true as well, that's why he chose these weapons for us and never required that Don carry something other than the bo.''\n\n\t``Your father sounds really wise,'' Mikey said slowly. ``Do you think he'll like me?''\n\n\tLeo was elated. With that one question, Mikey was telling him that he was willing to meet Master Splinter and wouldn't shy away from him when the time came.\n\n\t``I think he will be very happy to meet and get to know you,'' Leo said. ``Master Splinter will sense the same things about you that I have and come to think of you as another of his sons.''\n\n\t``A son?'' Mikey asked the question of himself more than Leo. ``I have to . . . I have to think about how that will make me feel.''\n\n\t``Try not to dwell on it,'' Leo said. ``You should simply be yourself and let things happen between the two of you. Master Splinter is a very spiritual and giving individual.''\n\n\t``Okay, I can do that,'' Mikey said, a tentative smile etching his lips. ``He must know a lot about weapons.''\n\n\t``He knows a lot about many things,'' Leo said. ``One of the things he knows and taught me is that the weapon is only as good as the hand that wields it. There is no such thing as the best weapon and anything can be used as one. He carries a walking stick and has trounced me many times with it when trying to prove his point.''\n\n\tMikey was smiling wider in response to the joy in Leo's voice as he spoke of his father.\n\n\t``I know what he means about weapons. The Dragons carry all kinds, including guns, but aren't very good at using them. That turned out to be a lucky thing for you,'' Mikey said jokingly as he glanced at Leo's wound.\n\n\t``That's right, rub it in,'' Leo responded humorously.\n\n\t``I don't like guns at all,'' Mikey said, sobering. ``I decided not to collect them when I started to take weapons away from the Dragons. I know they have their uses, but the one time I held a gun it felt wrong. It gave off a really negative vibe and I wound up tossing it in the river.''\n\n\t``We don't use guns either,'' Leo said. ``They feel impersonal and dealing death with them seems dishonorable. What do you mean by collecting weapons?''\n\n\tMikey waved towards his wall of weapons. ``After a couple of fights using the bo, I decided I needed to find a weapon better suited to my personality and the way I move during a fight. Since I got my first bo off an enemy, I figured I'd get every other kind of weapon off of them too.\n\n\t``The Dragons weren't exactly fertile shopping grounds though. Other than the occasional bo staff, they mostly use guns, pipes, bats, chains; random stuff I could pick up for myself at the junk yard. I do have a fairly nice collection of knives that I got off of them, but not much of anything else.\n\n\t``Then one night I saw a couple of guys dressed entirely in black paying the Dragons for a briefcase they'd stolen out of the trunk of a car. I'd been trailing the Dragons but I switched over to the other guys once the transaction was complete. It wasn't just that they were buying stolen goods; it was the fact that they wore ninja gear that got my attention.''\n\n\t``The Foot,'' Leo said with disgust.\n\n\tMikey wrinkled his beak at the mention of their clan name. ``Yeah, I found out a little about them later. I guess you know about them too, judging from the way you just said that. They carry a much better grade of weapon, but they're also a lot harder to beat.''\n\n\t``I take it that means you've had some run ins with them,'' Leo said.\n\n\t``Not many,'' Mikey admitted. ``My main focus is the Purple Dragons and I didn't want to get sidetracked by this other group. Whenever their paths cross with the Dragons, they also cross mine and that's the only time I engage them. I got the rest of my weapons off of Foot ninja, including these.''\n\n\tMikey proudly pulled his nunchucks from his belt and displayed them for Leo.\n\n\t``I'm guessing that once you touched these you knew you'd found your true weapon?'' Leo asked.\n\n\t``Yep,'' Mikey said, grinning widely. ``It didn't even matter that I beat the heck out of myself while learning to use them. Having the nunchucks seemed pretty poetic; it was Bruce Lee's use of them that got me interested in learning about weapons in the first place. I think I always knew I'd wind up with a pair.''\n\n\tLooking at them lovingly, Mikey gently set them on the nightstand. As he leaned away, Leo took his hand off of Mikey's shoulder, missing the contact immediately.\n\n\t``Would you mind if I removed my katanas?'' Leo asked.\n\n\t``Oh, I'm sorry,'' Mikey yelped. ``I should have asked if you wanted to so you could be more comfortable.''\n\n\t``You've been a great host, Mikey,'' Leo assured him. ``Considering I'm probably the first guest in your new home, you've been remarkably polite.''\n\n\t``You're my first guest ever anywhere,'' Mikey admitted as he watched Leo divest himself of his weapons and set them carefully aside. ``You're only the second friend I've ever had. It's okay if I say you're my friend, isn't it?''\n\n\t``Yes, because it's true,'' Leo said. Unable to help himself, he lightly cupped Mikey's cheek, staring into the younger turtle's eyes as he did so. ``Mikey, I want that to be a forever thing. Is that all right with you?''\n\n\tHe could feel Mikey shiver and watched as the youngster's lids lowered slightly. Mikey's mouth opened, closed again, and then Mikey bit is lower lip before opening his mouth again.\n\n\t``I'd like that,'' Mikey answered in a low voice. ``Leo, can I ask you a question?''\n\n\tLeo was feeling mildly breathless as he watched Mikey react to his touch, but managed to say in a fairly even tone, ``You can always ask me anything, Mikey.''\n\n\tMikey leaned into Leo's palm a little more, his eyes never leaving Leo's face. \n\n\tTaking a deep breath, Mikey asked, ``Do you have a crush on me?''\n\nTBC..................\n\n \n\n", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "\tThe expression on Mikey's face indicated that he could smell the change in Leo's pheromones as well.  Rather than seeming frightened by that knowledge, Mikey appeared expectant, even leaning closer to Leo.

\tLeo needed to give himself and Mikey something else to focus on; knowing that they both shared a mutual interest in one another wasn't enough, Mikey had to want to share his life with Leo in every way.  That meant that Mikey had to care for Leo on a level deeper and more meaningful than sexual attraction.

\tTaking a strong, steadying breath, Leo said, ``Please continue with the rest of your story, Mikey.''

\tMikey blinked as though coming out of a daze and sat up straighter.  His heightened color didn't recede though, and neither did his stimulating scent.

\t``Okay, so where was I?'' Mikey asked rhetorically.  ``First we had the bullies who were chased off by those wanna be gang bangers, and then the real thing in the shape of the Purple Dragons.  I was keeping a low profile after I got hurt, but watching the Dragons start to take over the neighborhood hit a sore spot.

\t``They were forcing merchants to pay for protection from the Dragons themselves; they started making the school personnel pay for their parking spaces and stealing anything worth money from the kids.  Just about every surface in the area was tagged and the artwork wasn't nice either.  I also noticed that not only were they trying to recruit kids for their gang, but they were selling drugs too.  I despise both of those things.

\t``Then one evening I saw the Dragons tear up the neighborhood bakery.  The old man who owned the bakery had inherited it from his dad.  It didn't make a lot of money because the poor man couldn't produce much anymore, but it was all he had.  He sure couldn't pay what the Dragons wanted for protection.

\t``It was just like when that gang was picking on those kids; I started to get really angry.  I learned my lesson about the full frontal attack though and decided to use some of those skills I acquired from years of hiding in the school.

\t``One of the Dragons had dragged the old man onto the sidewalk and was holding him up by his shirt front.  There were three others just standing around laughing so I came around behind them and smacked the first one I could reach with my bo.  Quick as I could I leaped up on the frame that held the awning over the door and slithered around to the other side.

\t``The Dragon groaned as he fell down and when the others turned to look at him, I hit another one of them and then jumped into the bakery.  When the last two started yelling at each other, I banged on the wall to get their attention.''

\t``Did you hide or wait for them?'' Leo asked.

\tMikey grinned.  ``No open fighting for me, not then anyway.  I perched right above the entrance, bracing my toes on the door frame and one hand on the ceiling.  Those cowards pushed the old man in first; the leader was even using him for a shield.  I waited until they were all inside before bashing the Dragon who was bringing up the rear right on his head.

\t``I was trying to get the hang of how hard to hit someone with that heavy staff.  The first two guys cried out but I was pretty proud that the third didn't make a sound.  The thump when his body hit the floor was the only thing that told the leader what had happened.

\t``When he turned around, I shoved off from my hiding place and sailed right over his head.  Moving around with the bo staff is hard though; Don must be really good to be able to do that.  The weight alone kept pulling me off balance.

\t``I didn't exactly land soundlessly and the Dragon caught a glimpse of me.  He pulled out a switchblade knife and then shoved the old man aside.  I didn't want to take the chance that he'd get frustrated and go after the old man again, so I jumped out to face him.  It wasn't much of a match even in that small space; the bo had the reach and I was a whole lot faster than that guy was.

\t``Once he was out cold I confiscated his switchblade and asked the old man if he was okay.  He just kept staring at me and I realized he was the first person to actually get a really good look at the real me.  I also realized that he was scared; even more scared than when the Dragons were tearing up his place and beating on him.

\t``That hurt; it hurt a lot.  I guess I never thought before about how strange and different I look.  I think I figured that if I saved the guy's life he wouldn't care about my appearance.  I haven't found out any differently either; bad people try to kill me and good people scream and run away.''

\t``We've all experienced that same thing, Mikey,'' Leo assured him.  ``There are humans that will accept you for who you are, some of them are great friends of ours, but they are rare.  Donny says it is part of the human genetic makeup; a survival instinct that we shouldn't take personally.''

\t``I try not to,'' Mikey said.  ``It can make for a pretty lonely existence though.''

\tLeo wasn't sure that he could trust himself to remain calm if he tried to put his arm around Mikey again, so he settled for placing a comforting hand on Mikey's shoulder.

\t``I wish we'd never been separated,'' Leo told him.  ``I wish with my entire being that you had lived and been raised with us.  For some reason fate decided to arrange things in this way and regrets are pointless.  Fate brought us back together though and that makes me believe things have happened in this way for a particular reason.''

\t``The same fate that made me look a little differently than the rest of you?'' Mikey asked.

\t``From what I understand of our mutation process, the ooze bonded our turtle DNA with that of the other DNA that was on our bodies.  Human epithelial tissue was left on us by the humans who owned us.  I think that the reason your carapace is smaller and you have a greater range of movement than the rest of us is because you had more of the human DNA on you during mutation.  My guess is that it was left there by the child who found you and stuffed you into his backpack,'' Leo explained.

\t``Wouldn't the ooze have transformed the kid too?'' Mikey asked.  ``I mean, if his DNA on me aided my transformation, then wouldn't my DNA have gotten on him?''

\t``It's possible he didn't touch the ooze,'' Leo said.  ``Since we never heard any news about a child who had turned partially into a turtle, that's my best guess.  What did you do about the old man?''

\tMikey sighed.  ``I was pretty sure he wasn't hurt, so I told him I was wearing a costume because I didn't want the Dragons to recognize me and that he should call the police before those guys woke up.  After that I got out of there.

\t``Once I was home I played with that switchblade a little bit until I got comfortable with it and then started keeping it in my belt as a backup weapon.  I also sat down and spent some time thinking about the bo staff I was using.  I was good with it, still am, but it didn't feel right in my hands if you know what I mean.''

\tLeo nodded.  ``I've trained with many weapons but the katana is the only one that felt as though it was an extension of me.''

\t``I kind of think a certain weapon bonds with you,'' Mikey said.  ``I know that sounds flighty, but when you're fighting with just the right weapon, you completely forget you have one.  Everything, every movement, happens without conscious thought.''

\t``My brothers and I have talked about that exact concept,'' Leo said.  ``We all feel that way about our weapon of choice.  Our father knew that to be true as well, that's why he chose these weapons for us and never required that Don carry something other than the bo.''

\t``Your father sounds really wise,'' Mikey said slowly.  ``Do you think he'll like me?''

\tLeo was elated.  With that one question, Mikey was telling him that he was willing to meet Master Splinter and wouldn't shy away from him when the time came.

\t``I think he will be very happy to meet and get to know you,'' Leo said.  ``Master Splinter will sense the same things about you that I have and come to think of you as another of his sons.''

\t``A son?'' Mikey asked the question of himself more than Leo.  ``I have to . . . I have to think about how that will make me feel.''

\t``Try not to dwell on it,'' Leo said.  ``You should simply be yourself and let things happen between the two of you.  Master Splinter is a very spiritual and giving individual.''

\t``Okay, I can do that,'' Mikey said, a tentative smile etching his lips.  ``He must know a lot about weapons.''

\t``He knows a lot about many things,'' Leo said.  ``One of the things he knows and taught me is that the weapon is only as good as the hand that wields it.  There is no such thing as the best weapon and anything can be used as one.  He carries a walking stick and has trounced me many times with it when trying to prove his point.''

\tMikey was smiling wider in response to the joy in Leo's voice as he spoke of his father.

\t``I know what he means about weapons.  The Dragons carry all kinds, including guns, but aren't very good at using them.  That turned out to be a lucky thing for you,'' Mikey said jokingly as he glanced at Leo's wound.

\t``That's right, rub it in,'' Leo responded humorously.

\t``I don't like guns at all,'' Mikey said, sobering.  ``I decided not to collect them when I started to take weapons away from the Dragons.  I know they have their uses, but the one time I held a gun it felt wrong.  It gave off a really negative vibe and I wound up tossing it in the river.''

\t``We don't use guns either,'' Leo said.  ``They feel impersonal and dealing death with them seems dishonorable.  What do you mean by collecting weapons?''

\tMikey waved towards his wall of weapons.  ``After a couple of fights using the bo, I decided I needed to find a weapon better suited to my personality and the way I move during a fight.  Since I got my first bo off an enemy, I figured I'd get every other kind of weapon off of them too.

\t``The Dragons weren't exactly fertile shopping grounds though.  Other than the occasional bo staff, they mostly use guns, pipes, bats, chains; random stuff I could pick up for myself at the junk yard.  I do have a fairly nice collection of knives that I got off of them, but not much of anything else.

\t``Then one night I saw a couple of guys dressed entirely in black paying the Dragons for a briefcase they'd stolen out of the trunk of a car.  I'd been trailing the Dragons but I switched over to the other guys once the transaction was complete.  It wasn't just that they were buying stolen goods; it was the fact that they wore ninja gear that got my attention.''

\t``The Foot,'' Leo said with disgust.

\tMikey wrinkled his beak at the mention of their clan name.  ``Yeah, I found out a little about them later.  I guess you know about them too, judging from the way you just said that.  They carry a much better grade of weapon, but they're also a lot harder to beat.''

\t``I take it that means you've had some run ins with them,'' Leo said.

\t``Not many,'' Mikey admitted.  ``My main focus is the Purple Dragons and I didn't want to get sidetracked by this other group.  Whenever their paths cross with the Dragons, they also cross mine and that's the only time I engage them.  I got the rest of my weapons off of Foot ninja, including these.''

\tMikey proudly pulled his nunchucks from his belt and displayed them for Leo.

\t``I'm guessing that once you touched these you knew you'd found your true weapon?'' Leo asked.

\t``Yep,'' Mikey said, grinning widely.  ``It didn't even matter that I beat the heck out of myself while learning to use them.  Having the nunchucks seemed pretty poetic; it was Bruce Lee's use of them that got me interested in learning about weapons in the first place.  I think I always knew I'd wind up with a pair.''

\tLooking at them lovingly, Mikey gently set them on the nightstand.  As he leaned away, Leo took his hand off of Mikey's shoulder, missing the contact immediately.

\t``Would you mind if I removed my katanas?'' Leo asked.

\t``Oh, I'm sorry,'' Mikey yelped.  ``I should have asked if you wanted to so you could be more comfortable.''

\t``You've been a great host, Mikey,'' Leo assured him.  ``Considering I'm probably the first guest in your new home, you've been remarkably polite.''

\t``You're my first guest ever anywhere,'' Mikey admitted as he watched Leo divest himself of his weapons and set them carefully aside.  ``You're only the second friend I've ever had.  It's okay if I say you're my friend, isn't it?''

\t``Yes, because it's true,'' Leo said.  Unable to help himself, he lightly cupped Mikey's cheek, staring into the younger turtle's eyes as he did so.  ``Mikey, I want that to be a forever thing.  Is that all right with you?''

\tHe could feel Mikey shiver and watched as the youngster's lids lowered slightly.  Mikey's mouth opened, closed again, and then Mikey bit is lower lip before opening his mouth again.

\t``I'd like that,'' Mikey answered in a low voice.  ``Leo, can I ask you a question?''

\tLeo was feeling mildly breathless as he watched Mikey react to his touch, but managed to say in a fairly even tone, ``You can always ask me anything, Mikey.''

\tMikey leaned into Leo's palm a little more, his eyes never leaving Leo's face.

\tTaking a deep breath, Mikey asked, ``Do you have a crush on me?''

TBC..................

 

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