#milykins

Snip, snip, just a few more…there, perfect.

You added another lavender bloom to your carefully crafted flower arrangement. Genius Built placed the order a few days ago, as they always did when the bouquets in the front reception area needed replacing.

It had been months of this, and every time there was one simple request on the order form that made you smile: lavender and purple flowers, please. Whoever placed these orders must love that colour.

They also seemed to be very pleased with your work. You always received a tip when delivering, and someone from the company had left a positive review. It has done wonders for increasing your sales.

By now, you’d been filling these orders for so long you barely needed to even look at the order form. As long as you included lavender and purple flowers in the arrangement, the sky was the limit, and you could employ your full artistic license every time.

Another thing that caught your attention about these particular orders was that they requested you to hand-deliver them. Okay, that was maybe a bit unusual, but you were the professional, and this was a high-end tech giant. Not only that, but Genius Built was a conglomerate with a fashion line and a wholesale supplies division.

You had actually been purchasing many of the main staples for your business from them. Baskets, containers, flower foam, wire, and preservatives, all priced reasonably and delivered as quickly as an Amazon package.

You sometimes wondered about the man at the very top of this company; you’d only seen him in video clips and pictures, and he certainly didn’t make public appearances all that often. It wasn’t as if he was hiding; he was incredibly well-known. Donatello Hamato, while a fashion mogul and tech genius, was also not human. In the ten years since the Krang attack, non-humans—Yokai, as they liked to be called—and mutants had been slowly integrating into modern society. Donatello, you figured, was camera-shy, the type of person who liked to keep to himself.

For some reason you couldn’t quite begin to understand, you found yourself imagining a bit about what he’d be like in a social situation. A date, perhaps? Would he smile shyly and act adorably formal, pulling out your chair before you could sit and offering you flowers of your own? Yes, you were involved in the industry that included bouquets, corsages, boutonnieres, and flowers specifically for grand romantic gestures, yet you’d never received flowers yourself. Among the few boyfriends you’d had, none of them had seen it as necessary to, in a sense, ‘give you what you already had’, but just because you dealt in flowers didn’t mean you didn’t want the gesture for yourself.

The fantasy continued as the two of you talked about your interests, and you unlocked the complex puzzle that is Donatello Hamato. From your limited knowledge, you knew he was a hero, started his company from the ground up with the help of his brothers, and was now one of the most well-respected businessmen in all of New York.

Scoffing gently to yourself, you snapped back to reality with the thought that you would likely never meet him, let alone have a conversation with him. Moreover, he probably had some high-profile girlfriend on his arm—smart, gorgeous, and wealthy, most likely. All things you certainly were not.

Your business, while still staying afloat, has always been precariously hovering just above the danger zone. Each year, more companies moved in, trying to overshadow your small shop, and people often bought cheap bouquets from local grocery and convenience stores. The saddest part was being grateful for funerals because then you were needed, but again, you weren’t the only flower shop in the area, and you had to hope they chose you over the business that claims to be cheaper and faster. A keen eye and a careful touch did not extend so far when the same could be achieved on a street corner a few blocks away.

Shelving those thoughts for now, you carefully loaded the finished arrangements into your delivery van and handed the counter over to your coworker.

Genius Built wasn’t far, just a few blocks away, but New York traffic could quickly change a fifteen-minute delivery to a forty-minute one. Luckily, the streets weren’t too bad this day.

Seeing the actual building always evoked a sense of awe and grandiosity. Like every other skyscraper, it was tall, uniform, and perfectly constructed, with reflective windows and slate-grey stone. The Genius Built logo, of course, reigned high above, violet in colour, shining like the beacon of confidence it was.

You felt proud that they had chosen you to bring colour and life to the otherwise mostly sterile reception area. One by one, the flower arrangements were unloaded and brought inside. Larger ones were placed at the entrance, and smaller ones at the reception desk. Satisfied with your work, you paused to admire your efforts and had the receptionist sign the order form.

Just before leaving, you looked straight up into the security camera with a smile and a wave, almost as if to say, ‘I hope you enjoy them’.

Unbeknownst to you, the man himself, CEO of Genius Built, had caught that little gesture while reviewing the security feeds. He smiled back in spite of the fact that you had no idea it was reciprocated. It was becoming a bad habit of his, always checking the feeds on delivery days. Just to catch a glimpse of you.

You were always punctual, effective, and always delivered with a smile. Upon seeing you leave he was up out of his chair and heading for the elevator. The first thing he always did after you completed the delivery was take a sprig of lavender to slip into his suit jacket pocket.

He’d always enjoyed the slightly sweet, subtle fragrance of the aforementioned flower. It brought a sense of calm to his otherwise chaotic mess of a life. Running a company was not for the faint of heart, and he’d come to rely on this small bit of happiness, a splash of colour in the otherwise cold, grey environment of life. Maybe not the healthiest choice, but he convinced himself that the flowers also boosted his employees' morale and therefore were necessary.

After all, he reasoned with himself, he wasn’t hurting anyone; he just admired you from afar. For now, at least.

-----

To say you were surprised when you received an offer to provide the flower arrangements to the yearly gala at Genius Built was an understatement.

You were even more surprised when a robotic turtle-bot drone in sleek, shiny violet, cruised on into your store to deliver the message.

“Hello! I’m Shelldon! That’s S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N.” it chirped happily in its robotic tone. “I have a message from Donatello Hamato at Genius Built!”

Despite being a robot, it looked kind of cute, like a dog eager to show something it had found. Stunned, you nodded, allowing the little robot to continue. “First, a proposal, Dad has requested your assistance in providing flower arrangements to this year’s gala! Do you accept?”

Before you could answer, a digital screen suddenly appeared, causing you to step back in surprise. It displayed a set of boxes with the options, ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

“Please choose one!” he happily requested.

Tentatively, you reached for the ‘yes’ option, the checkmark magically appearing. This technology was amazing. There was a chime of confirmation at your choice, and the screen disappeared back into Shelldon.

“Thank you! Dad wishes to express his appreciation for choosing yes.”

“Um,” you started, finally finding your voice and realizing wherever ‘Dad’ was, that he could hear you, “tell him that he’s very welcome. I’d be happy to.”

You’d done weddings before, but nothing on this scale. You welcomed the challenge, though, eager to demonstrate your skills for such a prestigious event. But Shelldon was not finished yet. In addition to this commission, there was an invitation for you to attend the gala as his special guest.

“One more thing, a message from Dad!”

Again, another digital screen appeared, this time showing the CEO himself. You weren’t sure whether it was live or a recording, but the message wasn't something you’d ever expect to receive.

“Greetings, in addition to providing the arrangements, please do me the honour of attending the gala as my guest. Your presence is appreciated but not mandatory. I would be more than happy to provide you with a dress of my own design. Do you accept?”

Your mouth was a permanent ‘O’ as you stood staring at the unmoving projection. You were trying to determine its veracity. The CEO was inviting you andoffering to make you a dress?!

That was...an intriguing development, to say the least, and your curiosity was definitely piqued. Who were you to say no to a custom gown by renowned fashion designer Donatello Hamato? Not you, though it was perhaps a bit unconventional. It’s not like you were famous—just a regular person working in a flower shop, not someone of significance.

“Um, yes or no, lady?” Shelldon looked a little awkward waiting for you to click the box of your choice.

Quickly, you marked ‘yes’ and apologized to the floating, little turtle-bot. “Sorry, sorry! Yes, I’d love to!”

With that, the little bot spat out an invitation like a VCR ejecting a tape and beamed as you took it.

“Oh, one last thing! I can scan you for your measurements, just cuts out the middleman, y’know? You good with that?”

Again, the technology never ceased to amaze you, and you nodded while the little robot instructed you to hold your arms out in a T-pose while also assuring you that it wouldn’t hurt a bit.

After the scan was complete, he gave a few happy flutters with his appendages, making you giggle. He was adorable, actually. Quite the eager little guy.

“Fantastic! Dad’ll be so pleased! Y’know, he talks about you all the time and—” Something made him pause suddenly, and you swore he blushed. “Welp! Gotta go!”

Overcome with a sudden urge to show some affection for the little guy, you carefully reached your hand towards his metal head to pet him. He purred, briefly leaning into the head scratches before heading back out the way he came, flying towards the Genius Built headquarters.

Blinking for half a second, you barked out a high-pitched laugh. If it weren’t for the actual gala invitation in your hand, you thought you might have hallucinated the whole thing.

But no, it was true, you were going to this gala in a month, and Mr. Donatello Hamato was making you a gown which was…totally not weird at all.

Trying not to overthink it, you were filled with trepidation and hope at the prospect of attending this life-changing event.

You stashed the invitation somewhere safe and giddily danced for a moment while you grabbed your notebook, excited to begin planning the flower arrangements for the event and even more excited to meet the mysterious man himself.

Donatello Hamato.

-----

Donnie was feeling quite pleased with himself. Besides, his ‘son’ nearly chattering out sensitive information that is. After praising the little bot for a job well done, he was sent off to oversee another job, leaving Donnie in peace once again

Seated in his large office chair behind a mahogany desk, complete with a stone-carved bust of himself and various desk ornaments accompanied by neat stacks of files and papers, he finally felt he could relax. He took a moment to lean back, closing his eyes in recognition of the hard part being over. He’d asked and she’d accepted. No need to worry any longer; he was finally able to rest.

It lasted all of two seconds, the moment of respite destroyed by none other than his obnoxious twin, Leonardo.

“Heeeere’s Leon!” he sang, bursting through the door as if he were some kind of king or dignitary announcing himself.

“So, it would seem,” Donnie said, a long-suffering sigh following his statement.

Leaning over his desk, Leon wasted no time in getting straight to the point. “So, tell me everything, she said yes, didn’t she?”

It was difficult for Donnie not to immediately roll his eyes. It had pained him greatly to have to ask his twin for help on this matter, and snark and sarcasm weren’t needed in this instance.

“If you must know—yes, the endeavour was successful. Her answer was in the affirmative.”

Leo’s expression brightened considerably at that, and he couldn’t help but clap his brother on the shoulder in a congratulatory manner.

“See?! I told you it would work; no girl can resist Shelldon. Now you got a hot date, and—”

“I offered to make her a dress.” He interjected with such finality that Leo’s expression dropped in shock.

“No, you didn’t! Don, I thought we agreed that was creepy,” he sighed dramatically, “and you were so close!”

Donnie straightened up considerably, a look of indignation on his face as he prepared to defend himself. “Oh, ye of little faith, I’ll have you know, I analyzed her facial expressions, and she looked flattered at the concept.”

“You analyzed her…jeez, Donnie, did you collect a blood sample and plant a tracking device on her too?”

“Scoff! Who do you think I am? Plenty of time for that kind of thing later.”

Leo cringed slightly with a mild look of concern as he sighed. “I don’t know if you’re being serious or not, and frankly, I don’t wanna but trust me when I say this with love. You gotta tone it down a bit, don’t chase her away with all your…you-ness. Dole that out…um, sparingly.”

Donnie looked as unimpressed as ever, replying in a deadpan manner. “Your concern is noted, Nardo. You really think so little of me that I’m going to have this woman tagged and catalogued like a specimen?”

A flicker of regret showed in Leo’s face as he tried to play it off. “Of course I don’t think that, but I know you, and you can be…a lot. That being said, if she doesn’t like you, for you, then she’s not the one.”

“Thanks, any other tidbits of brotherly advice?”

“Yeah, just one.” He fixed his twin with a smirk. “When in doubt, use your tongue.” With that, he traipsed out of the office like a celebrity. That was Leon, always with the showmanship.

Finally, peace. Donnie paused to consider his brother’s words. He admitted that his brother had a point, and Donnie had reached a stage in his adult life where he understood that his overall demeanour wasn’t exactly everyone’s cup of tea. Though he was unapologetically himself every day, he had learned to mask certain aspects of his personality, especially when interacting with his staff. It had only taken one instance of his sarcastic, deadpan attitude making a receptionist cry for him to realize he needed to check himself when interacting with people outside his immediate circle.

He was fully aware that he resided somewhere on the autism spectrum, but he knew it was no excuse for treating others unkindly. Although he would always be this way, he attempted to put his best foot forward and used his extensive knowledge of human behaviour to ‘woo’ as they put it, the lovely woman who worked in the flower shop.

*****

Four weeks flew by in no time, and by the time of the gala, you were a bundle of nervous energy. Moments of excitement mixed with flashes of doubt characterized your mood. You had your hair and makeup done at a salon, and now all that was left was the dress.

Would he hand-deliver it to you? Come to think of it, would he pick you up? The flower arrangements had already been delivered hours earlier, and you were in your apartment getting ready. Did he know where you lived? Before you could come up with further questions, there was a tap-tap-tap on your balcony door.

Bewildered, you went to see if some confused pigeon had lost its way and found the little turtle bot that originally gave you your invitation.

“Special delivery!” he chirped, gliding inside once you opened the door for him.

It was that moment when you noticed he had a tether attached to a rather large box. The gown! This must be it.

“Dad told me to tell you that the limo will be arriving in twenty minutes.”

“Thank you, Shelldon.” Carefully detaching the box with a smile, you giggled when he leaned his head in, expecting some scritches. You obliged, setting the box down first and smiling even more at his affectionate purrs.

“Gotta go, have fun, tell Dad I said hi!” he whizzed back out through the open door and was gone, leaving you to close it after him.

Returning to the box, you quickly unwrapped it before carrying it to your room, giddy as all heck to see what it looked like.

With the lid finally off, your first glimpse of the dress pulled a gasp from your lips. The bust was stunning, with satin fabric in a beautiful shade of lavender, adorned with embroidered flowers and beads. It featured a sweetheart neckline with thin straps, and he also included matching heels.

How did he know your shoe size?

You couldn’t think too deeply about that; you needed to pull the dress out to see the rest of it. Holding it in front of your full-length mirror, you could see it was styled like a princess-style, with the waist cinched and a floor-length skirt featuring the same floral overlay as the bust. It was a truly gorgeous gown, and you don’t think you’ve ever worn anything as fine as this.

With your strapless bra and sheer tights on, you carefully stepped into the dress and pulled it over. Donnie really did size it correctly, for it fit like a glove and zipped at the side, making it easy to dress yourself. The shoes fit perfectly, too, and you were pleased to see that the heels weren’t obnoxiously tall; they were a fair size and added about two inches to your height, making you feel tall and regal.

Clutch in hand with a matching shawl over your shoulders, you waited in the lobby for your ride. You assumed he would be waiting for you at the venue; someone as important as he would need to remain there, right?

You couldn’t be more mistaken. When the man himself stepped out of the limo, it almost took your breath away.

Yes, you’d seen him on the digital recording. Yes, mutants and Yokai were now a regular occurrence in the city. No, it still did not prepare you for seeing him in person for the first time. It was as if time had been slowed. Donatello Hamato, stepped out of the car like a film or TV star, carefully adjusting his cufflinks and smartly dressed in a charcoal grey three-piece suit, with a pocket square matching your dress. Completing his look was his signature mask, eyebrows drawn on just like in the pictures you’d seen of him.

Now filled with excitement, you pushed open the doors of your apartment building and smiled brightly as you approached. You saw his expression brighten, but only for a brief moment. It seemed as though he was trying to maintain his serious outward appearance for reasons you didn’t know. He still reached for your hand once you got close enough and brought it to his lips, carefully kissing the back of your hand like a gentleman.

“I see the dress fits.” He had already done a full once-over of you when you’d begun moving toward him and looked quite pleased with himself. “Perfectly, if I might add.”

“—Yes, thank you, it’s beautiful, if you could let me know how much I—"

“No thanks needed, it was a gift.” He interjected, then gently and opened the car door for you. “Please.”

Now it was you who felt like a movie star, getting into this luxurious car with him following behind you.

He was quiet during the first part of the ride, as were you, unsure how to spark some dialogue. Just when you thought perhaps there would be none, it was he, still looking straight ahead, who spoke first.

“The flowers, they’re from the orders.”

 You took a moment to understand what he just said, trying to piece together his meaning.

“The overlay.” He added. “I was inspired.”

The dress! He was speaking of the lace overlay, and immediately, you looked down at yourself. Without looking at him, you heard a soft snort of amusement.

“Lilies, purple lisianthus, lavender roses, hydrangea, and lavender, English of course, Lavandula Angustifolia.”

“Do you have a favourite?” you found yourself asking, turning your gaze back toward him.

“Lavandula Intermedia.” He answered simply. “The hybrid between English and Spike varieties. Favourite scent, as well.”

Now that he mentioned it, you could detect a faint hint of the delicate blooms. Of course, there it was, a sprig pinned to his lapel. Though it was dried, presumably, it likely came from your flower arrangements. You dealt with hybrid versions of many plants, usually the most fragrant varieties for your arrangements.

“Mine is Bellis Perennis.” You offered, citing a scientific name of your own.

Without skipping a beat, he answered. “Daisies. Hardy, yet delicate, unassuming but beautiful. Good choice.”

“And versatile,” you added. “You find varieties in just about every colour, even purple.”

Again, you saw the faintest hint of a smile and enjoyed your tiny victory in making him react. “Speaking of flowers…” From behind himself, he produced a small plastic container and presented it to you. “To tie it all together.”

It was a corsage, beautifully arranged, and you couldn’t have done a better job yourself. It contained all of the flowers on your dress, with a splash of baby’s breath to add to its elegance. Wordlessly, he opened the box and asked for your wrist. With your consent, he slid the elastic band on you and admired his work.

“This is…gorgeous.” You breathed, admiring it yourself. “I make these, I don’t usually receive them.” A small lump formed in your throat as you swallowed. “Thank you.”

“I cultivated them myself…in case you couldn’t tell, botany is of particular interest to me.”

“Then we have that in common.” You noted, smiling at the warmth of his sweet gesture. A beat passed, and shyly, you added, “I also wanted to thank you for the invite, Donatello.”

“Donnie.” He answered quickly, then spoke more slowly to explain his one-word response. “Please, call me Donnie.”

“Sure, thank you, Donnie, I’m very happy to be here.”

He had no initial response to that, only more of a smile as he nodded, “It was my pleasure.”

Already, in the short drive to the venue, you’d figured out that he was not an effusive person, carefully keeping his emotions hidden, close to his chest.

You wondered about the real him, the one who didn’t hold back from expressing himself. This man was just as tight and controlled as the suit he was wearing, and you hoped this event wasn’t a one-off. You wanted to know him better, find out the inner workings of Donatello. You suspected this was a Shrek situation with layers upon layers to peel back from this individual, and you were up to the challenge.

Upon arrival he was quickly out of the car and holding the door faster than you could blink, like he was Mr. Fantastic or something.

Still, the way he gently took your hand to help you out of the limo made your heart skip a beat. Your eyes met for a brief moment before he straightened and offered his arm for you to take.

His bicep was warm on your hand as you felt him slightly stiffen on contact. Only for a moment before he began walking in with you. Was physical touch difficult for this man? Why would he insist on doing this then?

The venue was a bustling hive of activity with your flower arrangements beautifully on display. Finely dressed individuals were happily milling about, eating, sipping champagne and chatting in small groups. You’d always found it amusing how humans created little circles of conversation. Once inside, you felt your date stop, take a breath, and forge on determinedly as if mentally preparing himself for the onslaught of human attention, and it did come.

Guests at the event zeroed in on you both almost immediately. They were curious about you and seemed surprised to see him with a date. From the small interaction, you were able to glean the fact that this was not something Donatello did often; in fact, he was absent from the last event.

Interestingly, you noticed a change in his demeanour: though he was polite and answered questions in a timely manner, his responses were clipped and to the point, giving only as much information as he had to, then he backed off. Social anxiety? Perhaps, but you did feel the need to get him away from those people.

Then the questions turned to you, and you felt him tighten his grip on your arm a little, as if urging those people to show you respect. Most of the questions were innocent, like asking where you worked and how you met him. Proudly, you gestured to your arrangements, pointing out the signature flowers and offering business cards, before you noticed their glazed-over expressions and stopped. One woman in particular seemed very surprised—not just that Donatello attended with a date, but that he chose to bring you. Though she was polite, there was an underlying hint of criticism, implying that you were somehow beneath him. None of them made the move to take one of your cards. You felt your heart sink and wished you’d said nothing. Perhaps it was a major faux pas to offer those at events such as this.

Donnie grew rigid before speaking, addressing the group as a whole. “It would be prudent to take down her information, not only is she professional and her arrangements exceptional, but it is her personal touch that drew me to have her cater this gala. Genius Built demands nothing but the best, and that is exactly what she provides.”

Your face warmed as pride swelled within you. One by one, everyone moved to take one of your business cards. You looked at him for a moment, silently thanking him since you would have dwelled on your supposed mistake for most of the evening had it been left unresolved. He offered the smallest of nods in return. No one would disrespect you, not on his watch.

Politely making an excuse to leave, Donnie then led you elsewhere. You needed a drink after all and were quite happy to let him lead you over to the bar.

“What’ll it be?” To your surprise, the bartender was none other than his brother. Not too many turtles walking around New York after all. He was impeccably dressed in black, with matching pants and a button-down shirt, the cuffs rolled up to his elbows. A crisp, white apron was tied around his waist, accentuating it, and he grinned knowingly at you both.

Donnie remained unfazed, waiting for you to order first.

“Oh, um, just a sex on the beach, please.”

Shit, why did you order that, of all drinks?Honestly, you couldn’t identify many of the signature cocktails by name, and that was the first that came to mind.

He practically smirked, ignoring the glare from his brother while placing all of his attention on you. “Good choice, a sexy drink for a sexy lady, comin’ right up.”

“Leon…” Donnie’s jaw was clenching, his tone a careful warning to his brother to keep his antics to a minimum.

“Whaaat? I am just being honest, don’t tell me you’re so wrapped up in yourself you didn’t notice how stunning she looks.” He was teasing now, and you giggled softly. Clearly, his brother was very different, confident, expressive and clearly not afraid to poke fun at him.

Donnie was refusing to answer, and feeding into it was just what Leo wanted. “Our drinks, please, the usual for me.”

A moment later, he was sliding the drinks your way with careful precision, having both stop directly in front of both of you.

“Thank you, uh...” Shit, you were blanking on his name! How embarrassing…

With a dramatic bow, he took your hand and kissed it. “Oh, how rude of me, allow me to introduce myself. Leonardo, or just Leon, the better half of the Hamato twins and bartender extraordinaire.”

Blushing slightly, you introduced yourself. He was practically oozing charisma, but it was making you feel completely flustered.

Leon still hadn’t released your hand yet, patting it with his other. “Lovely to meet you, I wish you both a wonderful time.” Turning to his brother, he added one final nail in the coffin.

“Your lovely date here deserves to be treated like a lady.” Back to you, he added, “Come find me, Chiquita, if my brother here isn’t doing his part to give you a good time.” His tone was lilting and casual, but not without an ulterior motive, and for a moment, you could see rage simmering in Donnie’s expression. Why would his brother do this? Teasing him was one thing, but why rile him up at the party?

Regardless, it was certainly the final straw, as Donnie took his drink with an edge, glaring at his brother. “Aaaand we’re done here.”

Slipping your arm back through Donnie’s, you turned with him, fretting a little. Leon had angered him for reasons you couldn’t understand. Was the date going to be over now? Not so, he surprised you again by bringing you to a quieter part of this massive hall.

“I apologize for him. He should know better.”

Feeling relieved that he didn’t appear all that affected, you shook your head. “Oh, I’m fine, believe me, he was just saying it to get a rise out of you, brother stuff.”

Tentatively, he reached to stroke a piece of your hair, his expression unreadable, but the gesture was enough to have your breath catch in your throat.

“He should know better than to try to take...” His voice was pitched so low, you could barely hear him, but the sentiment was there, loud and clear. For a moment, he had you—trapped in his amber gaze, which made your heart race with anticipation.

He cleared his throat, just as quickly as it began; the moment was over as he turned back toward the crowd and extended his hand. “Come, there’s someone I’d like you to meet.”

You went with him as if under his spell, happy to mingle and chat with whoever crossed your path. When it came time to sample the exquisite cuisine tailored for such an event, you met another one of his brothers, the youngest, a ball of energy by the name of Michelangelo.

Mikey was standing behind the set of tables in his chef’s coat and hat with a bright smile on his face. His long black hair—wait…? yes, hair, was pulled back into a bun under a hairnet beneath his chef’s cap. He was positively beaming as you two approached.

“Oh-em-gee! It’s you!” he exclaimed upon seeing you. “I’m Mikey, and everything you see here was made by yours truly! Please, be my guest.”

 He was so adorable and friendly, you couldn’t help but smile and introduce yourself while shaking his hand heartily.

“Um, what should I try first?” you asked, to which he sprang into action.

“Oh! Let me make you a plate!” he jumped up and bustled around, picking out favourites for you to try.

You giggled and saw he presented you with two plates: on one were Donnie’s obvious favourites, and on the other a variety of things. He waited in excitement for you to try one of the hors d’oeuvres, practically bouncing.

At trying one of the savoury bites, your eyes widened, the flavours exploding on your tongue as you nodded. “Mmm!” It was one of the tastiest things you’ve ever had.

Mikey looked so proud, brushing his knuckles over his chest with a grin. “That’s what I like to hear.”

“Thank you, Michael,” Donnie said, somewhat eager to be finished with this interaction and get back to spending time with you at the party.

“Yes, thank you!” you smiled, trying another thing on your plate. “So good!”

 Mikey waved, a knowing smile on his face. “You two kids have fun now!”

 You were still giggling as you walked away. “He seemed nice!”

Donnie offered a slight nod as the two of you found a table to enjoy your food.

“Yes, Michael is arguably the most sociable of us, with Leon as a close second…” He was quite meticulous in the way he carefully ate, only speaking once he was finished chewing and swallowing.

You ate normally, still mindful of your manners as you chatted with him. Still, you were curious about one thing. “What about…there’s four of you, right? Is he here too?”

“Oh yes, Raph insisted on being head of security; he’s right over there.”

Looking in that direction, you saw him standing by the door, looking every bit a security guard. Red bandana, black suit, and an earpiece. He was absolutely massive with his huge biceps straining against the fabric as he crossed his arms. You couldn’t help but feel a little intimidated by him—something Donnie immediately picked up on.

“He’s a cinnamon roll,” he said simply. “Looks like he could kill you, but he’s actually a huge softy.”

“Really?” you commented, turning back to look at him. “He’s got that ‘don’t fuck with me’ shtick going on.”

“It’s a front. More than anything, Raph wants people to accept him and not be afraid of him due to his size.” Donnie explained. “But when he works security or does ninja work, he uses it to his advantage.”

You felt your heart soften toward the big guy, now seeing that he was truly a gentle giant. “I hope he finds that—his acceptance.”

“You might not believe it, but the big lug has a wonderful girlfriend, they’re happy, and working towards making their relationship public. The more non-human/human relationships there are, the better it is for all of us to live normal lives.” He took a sip of his Old Fashioned cocktail, his eyes focused elsewhere as he trailed off.

“Is that also what you want? A normal life? Acceptance?” You couldn’t help but wonder if all of them had similar goals.

“I care not for acceptance from the masses, only from those who matter.” He was looking at you again, his intense gaze boring into you, making your heart flutter.

“I agree.” You said softly, keeping your eyes on him until he looked away again, this time at the couples that had gathered on the dance floor.

A slow jazz arrangement was being played by a live band with people following the rhythm easily, wrapped in each other’s embrace.

“Would you care to dance?” he asked, surprising you again with the suddenness of his tone.

“I’d love to.” You sipped the last of your drink and stood, taking his hand and walking the short trek to the dance floor.

Throughout the evening, you’d come to realize that this…this entire event was likely extremely taxing for Donnie. His social battery was probably almost completely drained, yet he was still trying…for you. His priority was making sure you were having a good time, but as he gently guided you into position and placed his hand lightly on the small of your back, bringing you close, maybe, just maybe, it was all worth it.

With his hand in yours, you began to gently sway together to the music, and with your face turned up to look at his, you could see he was entirely focused on you.

Then, he took the lead in what you realized was a type of waltz, gliding along the dance floor with you in his arms and carefully planning his steps while keeping in rhythm with the music.

You’d never waltzed in your life and did your best to follow along while silently praying you didn’t step on his feet. At one point, you weren’t even looking at him; your focus was down, trying to keep yourself in check.

“Eyes on me.” He said, adjusting his hold just slightly to draw you a bit closer to him. “Follow my lead, it is more effective to let your body relax and move along with mine. You can do this.”

With renewed confidence, you took a deep breath while nodding. “I’ll try.”

He was correct in his assessment, and with guidance, you were gliding along with him in no time at all, unbothered and unafraid of a misstep that might result in embarrassment. Your heart soared with a newfound kind of hope, losing yourself in the dance and in his deep, golden eyes.

The music became slower, couples dropping out of their waltzes and seeking dances of a closer nature. Donnie, too, responded by slowing his steps.

It was now that you felt confident enough to make your move. Stepping closer, enough to press your chest against his, you felt him stiffen, his breath catching before adjusting his grip to hold you closer.

You were able to slip your arms under his and rest your hands on the back of his shoulders. When you were sure he was okay with this, you carefully rested your head against his shoulder and moved with him.

This was softer, more intimate, and it felt…right being this close to him. You could feel one of his three-fingered hands sliding up the bodice of your dress and settling against your bare skin. His touch was electric, sending small jolts of need straight to your lower body.

After about a minute of this sweet embrace, he felt bold enough to place his snoot in your hair. His chest expanded in a way that told you he was breathing you in, and a quiet, barely-there rumble had you thinking he was enjoying this. It was almost as if it was just the two of you alone in the room, wrapped in each other’s embrace.

Maybe it was the atmosphere, the close proximity of your bodies or the few glasses of champagne you’d had, but you very much wanted to kiss him. When you tilted your head to look up at him, he had the same intense look as when his brother had made him jealous. It was giving you a thrill, a confidence you did not know you possessed as you gradually brought your face closer to his.

He didn’t look away, nor did he pull back; if anything, he leaned toward you, his intentions seeming to match yours. You were full of intrigue, wondering whether he would actually do it. The thought of his lips pressed against yours had your heart racing, and you drew closer just as he slipped his hand to cup the back of your head. His expression, again, was unreadable, but the look in his eyes said everything.

You were moments away from kissing him when someone tapped his shoulder. He turned with a tsk in his voice, and a quick flash of annoyance at whoever so rudely interrupted him. It faded immediately when he saw that it was his eldest brother, Raph. He couldn’t be mad at him.

“Uh, I’m sorry, it’s time for the speeches.”

He nodded, muttering about how it was that time already, and apologized to you, asking if you could wait with his brother while he addressed the room.

“I’ll be fine, go do what you need to do.” You said, softly. You stepped back from his embrace, your body missing his warmth immediately.

Resigned to his responsibilities, Donnie took the stage to deliver his speech. All the time, his brother never left your side, offering a quiet sort of comfort and protection. He was friendly too, and very kind. You could see why he had a girlfriend. Perhaps you could have something similar in the person currently on stage, battling social anxiety and his need to be back beside you.

At the end of his speech, Donnie thanked the guests, his brothers, and you, proclaiming that you were every bit as lovely as the flowers you’d provided and then thanking you for agreeing to be his date. You were sure he could see the way your cheeks turned pink from his spot on the stage.

Once all the formalities were complete and the hour grew late, the night ended, and it was time to take you home. He was unusually quiet as he led you to the limo, almost making you wonder if something was bothering him. But no, as the driver slowly merged onto the street, his hand found yours, fingers intertwined in silent reassurance.

That sealed it, you were going to do something you’d never done in your life—you only hoped it didn’t blow up in your face.

As the car came to a stop, he took his hand from yours, suddenly becoming all stiff while attempting a polite goodbye.

“Thank you for your accompaniment tonight. It was…quite enjoyable.”

“I had a wonderful time.” You smiled sweetly, trying to work up the courage.

“Yes, well, I won’t keep you. Please get inside safely, and we will wait until you do.” He was being overly formal and too polite, which wouldn’t do at all.

“I think I may need some assistance.” You said suddenly, glancing toward the door.

His confusion was evident. “Surely you are capable of buzzing yourself in, unless you’ve misplaced your key, and I know that you have not.”

“Yes, but…I believe I might require some company.”

For a man who claimed to be a genius, he really was quite clueless when it came to hints such as these. “…you require company in unlocking the door to your apartment?”

Okay, time to be completely transparent and hit him over the head with it. “Donnie, I’m asking you up to my apartment, check the box, yes, or no.” You literally drew a few squares in the air with a checkmark and an ‘x’ to drive your point home.

Donnie was stunned, incredibly so, with his mouth slightly open and his breath coming in quick, shallow pants. Oh, shit, you were already regretting this. Based on your observations, he was freaking out and probably going to refuse your invitation, and you’d never be able to face him again.

He was taking too long to answer, and you just felt the need to run. Escape seemed like a better option than facing rejection, and you were mumbling apologies while moving to open the door for yourself.

“Yes.”

Did you hear him correctly? Turning, you saw him making a checkmark in the air with one of those ridiculously long fingers of his.

“Yes?” You needed to be sure.

“Yes. I’d be happy to accept your invitation.” He sounded very sure of his decision despite having looked like he was experiencing the blue screen of death earlier.

You flushed as you finally opened the door. “O-okay, um, please.” You stepped out and watched him thank the driver before joining you.

You fumbled with your keys, dropping them as you went to unlock the door to the lobby.

Keep it together, you wanted this, remember?

“Allow me.” The keys were retrieved, and the correct one was slipped into the lock, granting you both entry to your building. It was a short journey to your apartment, and again, he used your key to unlock that door, too.

Now it was real: you were both finally alone in a private space, and since you were woefully inexperienced at taking men home for one-night stands, you did not know how to proceed.

“Um…let me just…I’ll get you a drink.” Awkwardly, you hung your shawl and your purse on the hooks by your front door and took a step toward the kitchen.

Or, at least, you tried. Your strappy heels and the fact that you had been on your feet for hours were not your friend. You began to pitch forward, well on your way to falling, while you cried out in surprise. Impact was imminent, or so you thought.

A large hand shot out and caught your waist. In an instant, you were pressed against something solid and unyielding, with your head cradled in his other hand, and his concerned expression fixed on you.

“Are you alright?”

Those were some quick reflexes, you noted while your face burned with embarrassment. “Y-yes, thank you.” Again, those eyes, such an intense shade of brownish gold, were fixed right on you, and your heart leapt into your throat, unable to speak for a moment, so he did.

“You need not trouble yourself with refreshments; we both know the real reason as to why you invited me up here.”

If possible, your body temperature climbed a few degrees more, and you couldn’t help but nod. “How do you feel about that?”

“It’s…honestly more than I was expecting, or could’ve hoped to have.” He admitted, gently sliding his knuckle along the curve of your cheek. “But if you’re willing, then so am I.” His voice dropped to a husk as his thumb gently tilted your chin up.

 Holy shit, this is it. With a trembling breath on his part, he pressed his mouth to yours with such gentleness at first, barely a brush, but with some careful encouragement, he added a bit more pressure, sealing his lips firmly on yours.

A tiny moan managed to force its way out, and his grip on you tightened slightly. It seemed your sounds of enjoyment were all the encouragement he needed to continue, and deepening the kiss was next on his list for causing your knees to buckle.

A fire was building. Your lips fused with his, and it was so intense that you clung to him when he pulled away. It seemed as if he was processing how much he enjoyed that, his tongue darting out briefly to taste the lingering hint of you. Then the mood shifted suddenly as he stepped back, carefully steadying you on your feet before clearing his throat.

“Do you truly wish to engage in sexual intercourse with me? I require your verbal consent.” He was completely serious, and you found yourself at a loss on how to answer him at first. Did you want to? Well, yes, you’d just never had a man pose the question in quite this way.

But Donatello was not just any man. He was different, both in physical appearance and in his mannerisms.

As the seconds ticked by, he waited patiently, though he appeared slightly unsure of himself, hoping the answer would be in the affirmative. There was no need for him to say anything further to convince you; either you wanted to, or you didn’t.

“Yes. I do want to.” You drew a checkmark in the air to bolster your response and saw that it pleased him.

He seemed to relax a bit; a barely audible breath of relief was the only thing that told you he was glad he’d asked.

“Thank you.” He said in response. “I must add that in addition to this, if you decide at any time that you wish to terminate the agreement, I shall understand and leave immediately.”

“I appreciate that.” You smiled in amusement. “Anything else I should know before we begin?”

“Yes, I feel I must warn you, as a mutant turtle, my anatomy is quite different than that of a human male’s, mainly my outward appearance when aroused. You may note the lack of external testicles and the addition of a cloaca to which my…phallus will emerge from. Is this acceptable?” The way he spoke, with little to no expression, told you he’d had this conversation before and wanted no surprises.

Now you were immediately intrigued, wondering just how different his dick would look. “Yes, it’s acceptable.”

“Would you like to see it?” He was almost reading your mind at this point, and a nervous laugh escaped you as you wondered if he planned to go about this. Was he about to drop his pants here and now, or pull up a photo of his dick on his phone? He continued by unbuttoning his cufflinks and rolling up his sleeve to reveal a tech device strapped to his wrist. “I find it is best to be prepared, for your comfort and mine.”

“I, uh, yes, I’m very curious,” you admitted, watching him tap something onto the band and gasping as he pulled up a 3D model. It was exactly as he described… his manhood, and it was definitely not human.

He kept it up as long as you needed to get a good look at it. If it was true to size, then it was definitely the largest you’d ever had, large but not impossible with some time and patience. The appearance of his cock had you incredibly intrigued. You could see it extended from a slit, his cloaca as described, and the shaft was thicker at the base, tapering to a unique tip with about five fleshy protrusions flaring out from the glans. Could he move those? You couldn’t wait to find out.

“Do you have any questions?” he was prepared to wait for you to be ready, so easily that it was endearing to say the least. Casually asking as though he didn’t have a 3D model of his own dick on display.

“Can…the…tips move?” you asked. “Is this model true to size?”

“Yes, and yes,” he answered honestly, a small bit of pride in his tone, pleased you were so curious about it.

“Okay, well, that was enlightening, thank you.” He sent the model back to his device while telling you that you were welcome to direct any further inquiries to him.

You had a million other questions, but knew most would be answered as things progressed, so instead you asked the most pressing one of all.

“Do you see this continuing beyond this night?” Now, you could handle weird anatomy, behaviours related to his turtle nature, and the fact that he was a big shot CEO, but the thought of this being the only encounter you’d ever have with him left you feeling empty, and you suddenly couldn’t bear a one-off where you’d never see him again.

“I do indeed.” He answered, without pausing. “I would not have proposed this otherwise…” He paused, moving to cradle the back of your head again before continuing, “I had thought this encounter would have taken place at a later date, but if you are willing, then so am I—very willing.”

That right there sent a jolt of desire straight to your core. “Me too.” Feeling more confident, you slid your hands from his chest to his shoulders underneath his suit jacket. “May I?”

“You may.”

Both of you kept your gaze as the thousand-dollar suit jacket hit the floor, and Donnie stepped forward into your space to gather you close again.

“I should like to divest you of your gown, as stunning as you look, I feel the garment may be a bit too restrictive…”

“You may.” You were practically buzzing with excitement, and slipped your arms around his neck as he slowly drew the zipper down, keeping a hand on your side.

The dress fell to the floor with a soft thud, leaving you in nothing but your undergarments—a delicate pair of underwear and your strapless bra. You still had tights on as well, and he just stared, his expression flat and calculating.

Nervous at suddenly being so exposed, you teased him in an attempt to lighten the mood. “Don’t like what you see?”

“On the contrary, I find you very aesthetically pleasing. Particularly here.” One of his hands drew its way up your thighs, squeezing the fullness gently.

Your voice came breathless and belaying your need to have him tell you more as you replied, “A thigh man, I see…”

Without warning, you were swept completely off your feet, strappy heels still on, but now he could reach the delicate clasps on them, and they too went clattering to the floor to join your dress and his suit jacket.

“Actually, I find all aspects of you to be quite…alluring. You are a very beautiful woman, and I look forward to seeing what makes you tick.”

With a declaration like that making you blush, he carried you off to your bedroom. It was no mystery to him, since he’d already known the layout of your apartment. Donnie was efficient like that; there was no point in wasting time when there was a woman to romance.

You were laid ever-so-gently on the bed as if you were a type of priceless artifact or gem just waiting to be examined. From there, he methodically began unbuttoning his shirt and removing his pants. Stepping out of those, he was left in his mask and a pair of tight, black boxer briefs.

Looking at him, you found the dark marks across his mask to be somehow adorable. They accentuated his brow ridges, giving the appearance of eyebrows when clearly it would be impossible for him to grow a pair of his own.

“The mask stays on?” you questioned, already knowing the answer.

“The mask stays on.” He confirmed, placing a knee on the bed and crawling over you.

His tight boxer briefs were absolutely sinful, leaving nothing to the imagination. If he was aroused, you couldn’t tell yet, but in the low light, his sharp features were even more pronounced, his expression calm, but intense.

You drew a trembling breath as he settled himself over you, a comforting weight, distributed carefully as not to crush you. Placing a hand on your face, he rubbed the pad of his thumb along your cheek. He must have sensed your nervousness, for when he next spoke, it was soft and gentle. “My dear, again, you can tell me no at any time. I mean for this to be a deeply pleasurable experience for both of us.  Let me show you.”

All you could do was nod, exhaling shakily when he ran a hand along your chest, smoothing it across your skin. Warmth erupted in your belly as he travelled further, finding your erogenous zones like he was finding weak spots in a circuit board. Your breasts were of particular interest to him, and with your consent, your bra was tossed away, discarded quickly after undoing the clasp.

“Perfection.” He breathed, testing the weight of them in his hands and brushing the quickly hardening peaks with his thumbs.

You sucked in a breath and bit back a moan that was quickly swallowed by the sudden kiss he bestowed. Passions were igniting, like two chemical compounds coming together to create something new, so were the two of you, and he was nowhere near finished with you yet.

Your own hands were clinging to his shoulders while your tongues were engaged in a battle for dominance. Finally, he broke away, but only to give you air and to place his mouth elsewhere. First, the valley between your breasts and then the nipple itself, sending you arching off the mattress slightly.

This was a favourable reaction, for he smiled against your skin, drawing out the sensation with his teasing tongue a few moments more before switching to the other breast. His mouth was on a journey, traversing your soft skin, travelling lower and causing your breath to catch as he reached the band of your tights.

“Your scent is intoxicating…I need to go directly to the source…with your permission, that is.” His voice had dropped, thick and with so much want for you, it was impossible to deny him.

“Yes…” You lifted your hips for him to remove whatever was left, your tights and underwear being dropped to the floor along with everything else. Slick had already been gathering between your legs, and when he spread your thighs to open you to him, he practically growled.

“You… are absolute perfection…” He looked just about ready to devour you, and you were not about to tell him no.

The speed and enthusiasm in which he dove between your legs had you arched up and gasping. His tongue was hot and searching, tracing a path from your opening right up to your clit and pausing there, licking and sucking gently while you fisted the sheets in your hands.

This time, you openly groaned, chanting ‘yes’ softly as you spread your trembling legs wider for him. He seemed intent on drowning himself in you, your scent, your soft thighs, everything, and he was completely intent on showing you just how well he could use that silver tongue of his.

“Fuck!” You cried when his teeth grazed your most sensitive area, and he hummed. This time, your thighs went for an involuntary squeeze over his head, and his hands were quick to apply gentle pressure, holding you open to him. The vibrations conjured up from deep in his throat brought an added layer of pleasure to his already relentless tongue.

The rumbling grew louder, and you practically jolted when he thrust his long tongue deep inside you. The length of it was enough to reach a certain textured patch, the one most men have ceased to do anything with. His thumb still worked, rubbing your clit in circular motions, pushing you closer and closer to the precipice of release.

Your breath came in soft, shallow pants. Squirming and giving him a soft cry, you gasped out, “Close! Donnie! I’m…!”

He withdrew, grinning salaciously over the soft expanse of your belly while his ministrations continued. “I want to hear you scream for me.”

This simple, nearly emotionless command was accompanied by him diving back into your center, his tongue once again resuming its persistent dance upon your clit.

Your body jerked, you with an open-mouthed scream, arched your back and cried out wantonly from the rush of pleasure overtaking your body.

Unlike most men you’d been with, who barely went beyond a few licks just enough to get you wet so they could get what they wanted, Donnie lingered, drawing out every last ounce of dopamine and oxytocin your body had to give.

“Orgasm…la petite mort, or the little death. Still with me?” He said, gently rubbing your thighs, soothing the areas where he gripped you tightly just moments ago.

You were still catching your breath, body still shuddering with post-orgasm aftershocks, when you realized he was saying something to you. The experience had been so intense that your brain needed a moment to log back in.

“Yes…that was…holy shit…no one has ever gotten me off like that.” You tried propping yourself up on your elbows to get a better look at him and saw he had quite the self-satisfied grin upon his face.

“That would be because you’ve never had anyone like me before.” He’d cleaned the evidence of your release from his lips and moved up next to you while speaking. “I can guarantee with much certainty that all of your previous encounters will pale in comparison to this one.”

Cocky bastard, you thought with amusement as you settled back into his arms. “You seem very sure of yourself.”

He chuckled deeply, his hand brushing over your breast and giving your nipple a light pinch. There was something darker in his gaze this time, and it brought a fluttering thrill deep in your core. “If you need to be convinced further of my sexual prowess, I would be happy to draw two or more orgasms from you. As many as it takes until you lose the ability to think with nothing but my name upon your lips, begging for me to fuck you.”

If possible, you were even wetter from that statement, holy shit. “Okay…point made…” There were no further arguments from you as he bent, kissing you slowly. You felt him shift a little and realized he was finally removing his last piece of clothing, the stiffness against your thighs evidence of his own arousal.

This, you needed to see and broke the kiss just as he was kicking away his underwear. You had been grateful that he prepared you for it, but it was still one of the most remarkable things you’ve ever seen. Emerging from his slit, his cock was a deep violet fading into a softer rose at the tip of his shaft. The fleshy protrusions you saw in the diagram could indeed move on their own, and you saw them twitch a little involuntarily. How would that feel inside, hitting the deepest, most intimate part of you? You needed to find out. Impatiently, you moved your hips, hoping to entice him into entering you sooner.

Donnie, though, refused to be hurried. After you got a good look at what he had to offer you, he was kissing you again with a soft growl of satisfaction. He liked that the sight of him had pleased you and not had the opposite effect. If anything, it made you all the more excited to have him.

“Please…” You breathed when he finally broke free from your mouth.

“Please, what?” He husked, hiking up your legs and slipping them over his shoulders.

Your face burned since you were not the type to say things such as these, but as you felt the unique head of his cock pressing against your opening and going no further, you would’ve said anything to have him breach your entrance.

“Please fuck me, Donatello…I need you.”

He groaned, some of that carefully controlled demeanour slipping as you felt the fleshy bits contract just enough for him to slip inside. “Relax for me…” he growled.

Another gasp was pulled from your throat as you’d tensed up slightly from the size of him. At his request, though, you took a deep breath, relaxing your inner muscles to the point where he could go further, those protrusions flaring out delightfully once he was a few inches in.

“Perfection…” He groaned, shuddering a little as he filled you completely.

Your knees were resting on his shoulders as he sat back on his thighs, lifting your hips to meet his while giving you some time to get used to him.

“Donnie…” you moaned, “You feel…infuckingcredible…”

He huffed out a laugh, pulling out just a little to thrust back inside. “I appreciate the compliment, but…I’ve barely begun. Please reserve your words of delight until after I’ve made you cum on my cock…repeatedly.”

His final word was punctuated with another thrust, this time deeper, followed by another, his hands gripping your hips to turn those errant movements into a steady rhythm, perfectly tailored to your body’s needs. Knowing your shoe size and how to navigate your apartment was one thing, but shifting that knowledge into a more intimate understanding—knowing exactly what it took to make you scream—was a feat no other man had ever been able to achieve.

Donatello Hamato was about to wreck you for any further partners, and you were not about to stop him.

Your moans, the uncontrollable soft sounds of pleasure that he drew out of you with every thrust, seemed to bolster his resolve. He revelled in the way you reached for him, needing him closer, wanting his lips on yours.

“Harder…” You gasped, watching him bend your legs into you more, just enough for his face to be brought down to yours, capturing your lips in a series of feverish kisses while his hips snapped into yours harder and faster than before.

Your second orgasm had been steadily growing like a small flame, but now, with Donnie’s hips snapping into you, it had become a wildfire, threatening to overtake you by surprise.  Suddenly, you were gasping, eyes wide, as your whole body shuddered with release, and your cries were ragged as you brokenly cried out, “No, not yet!”

His pace never faltered, fucking you with ease while you fell apart beneath him. You weren’t ready for it to be over just yet, but when you finally came down from the high, you quickly came to realize he was still hard. He hadn’t finished, far from it in fact, as he was still on task, his expression darker than before as he gave you one more particularly hard thrust and stopped.

“Turn.” His tone made your skin prickle, low and with the subtle warning that this command must be obeyed. You did as he asked, turning on your side and waiting with bated breath.

From behind you, he was repositioning himself and lifting up one of your thighs to slide back into you. His length was such that this was an easy task for him, and this new position brought an entirely new set of sensations.

“You will cum for me one more time. We aren’t finished here yet.”

You didn’t know how, nor could you even question his ability to keep going; all you could manage was a whimpering moan as he began to move. With your upper leg raised, he ground his hips against your rear, increasing his pace to what it had been prior to this change in position. This was the endgame, and you were trembling all over with your third orgasm on the rise.

He was speaking again, whispering filthy praise as his hand slid between your legs to play with your oversensitive center.

“So fucking sweet, taking my cock so well…I knew you’d be the one…”

A strangled cry was your response, your thighs shaking as your inner walls were clamping down on him once more.

“I can feel you…you’re close.” The rough pad of his thumb was unrelenting, and he was fucking you harder while you hooked your leg on his. All that could be heard was the slap of his skin against yours, accompanied by your cries of pleasure and the deep grunts of effort from him. “Let…go…for…me.”

It was inevitable, your breath quickening as your body tensed before you were overcome once again with an overwhelming amount of pleasure. This time, you practically screamed his name, and he groaned from behind you, dipping his face into your neck with a few more uneven thrusts.

You knew the moment he came, filling you with his warmth as the tip of his cock kissed your cervix for the final time. He was panting softly behind you, his hot breath on your neck as he seemed hesitant to move for a minute. Your heart was pounding as you also needed to catch your breath.

“Did you…find that experience to be satisfactory?” he murmured, finally lifting his head while you turned to meet his gaze.

“That was…more than satisfactory…I can’t even find the words…” You huffed out a soft laugh. “I think you’ve ruined me.”

“Ruined you?” He looked slightly amused as he carefully removed himself from you so that you might turn properly so he could hold you in his arms. “As in…for all future men, I’m assuming?”

“Yes,” you laughed, your cheeks pink. “None will compare.”

He paused in his response, caught in a moment of quiet reflection before kissing you softly. “No, they won’t because there will be no others,” he said softly, cupping your cheek. “Because unless I’m wrong, and I’m never wrong…you won’t wish to be with any of them.”

It was not just the tone of finality he used and his intense, yet soft gaze; it was how he failed to hide some of his vulnerability in the way he spoke. It wasn’t just about the sex; he genuinely wanted to be with you.

Sucking in a soft breath, you lowered your voice just slightly, “Just with you?”

“If you’ll have me.” He kissed the inside of your wrist and held you in that tenderness for a brief moment. “You are more than an adequate mate. I feel as though I’ve always known that it would be you.”

Your head was spinning with the onslaught of information. Did you feel the same? This was moving faster than you’d previously thought. Perhaps this man did not want to waste time on these things, and based on what you knew of him, efficiency was the best course of action when it came to doing things such as ‘finding a mate’.

You couldn’t help but think back to the gala. The sideways glances—those who were wondering what you were doing there with him. Was there really a place for you in his world of finery and upper-class status?

“I…if you're sure you’ll have me. I’m just a flower shop girl, no one noteworthy, just a person trying to keep a small business afloat. You deal in million-dollar deals…I deal in…plants.” You sighed, wondering where this unhealthy dose of self-deprecation came from. That wasn’t attractive. Why couldn’t you just keep your mouth shut? This is what you wanted!

Donatello tsked, quietly conveying his disapproval of you being so unkind to yourself before speaking. “Have I not made myself clear in my intentions?” He asked you pointedly while rubbing your shoulder with his thumb. “I can assure you that no decision tonight was made lightly. I know what I want, and it is unapologetically and irrevocably…you.”

A small, but hopeful smile spread from one corner of your mouth to the other. Still, you felt the need to ask, “Why me?

“Because, whether you realize it or not, you are remarkable in all ways. Strength, kindness, tenacity—you possess all of these qualities and more. Fighting when the odds are low and persevering when faced with adversity—I admire you for it.” He paused, pressing his forehead to yours as he continued. “In the chaos of my life, you are the rain that washes away my stress—you are a grounding force, a reminder for me to breathe and take things as they are. You are the calming sprig of Lavender I tuck into my suit pocket every day, need I go on?”

You shook your head, tears gathering in your eyes as you smiled more. “I think you’ve made your point.” You wavered, your throat thick with emotion.

He chuckled softly, brushing away tears before kissing you softly. “Please, do not ever doubt yourself again. Your worthiness is not measured by your current status in the corporate world or life itself. You are worthy in my eyes, and that is all that matters.”

With a soft sob, you wrapped your arms around him, pressing yourself as close as you could to convey your appreciation for him. He held you just as tightly, whispering all of the ways he was going to please you just as soon as you’d had some time to recover.

You got very little sleep that night.

*****

In the days, weeks, and months that followed, true to his word, Donatello was quick to establish the relationship between you both, nurturing the tiny sprout of connection with phone calls, texts, and actual dates. He’d also taken to having you go up to his office to sign the order slips for the flower deliveries. It was a shameless display of leverage to have you all to himself in his soundproofed office. He’d bolt the door, hold all calls and take full advantage of your presence, usually by bending you over on that smooth mahogany desk of his. That desk wasn’t just meant to sit there and look pretty, and neither were you.

He didn't care at all about what others thought, even when the tabloids started appearing, portraying you in quite an unflattering way. Mysteriously, all copies of those magazines vanished overnight, and no new issues ever showed up again. You couldn’t prove it, but you knew he had something to do with that. He even released a statement addressing the rumours that had begun to spin out of control. Donatello Hamato was officially off the market, and he demanded his privacy on the matter.

Finally, you were able to see his true self emerge, and he was…slightly unhinged, as you expected. At the risk of sounding ‘crazy’, he did ask for your consent to place a tracking device on you—not a subcutaneous one yet, but a highly advanced version of an AirTag. You did agree to it, and after learning all the history with his brothers and enemies that still existed, you would consent to the subcutaneous one in the future. He introduced you to his world, his family, and gave you exclusive access to his most personal areas, including his lab in their old home. You attended events and press conferences where his brothers served as your own personal bodyguards. You’d gotten to know them better, too, and Leonardo had personally apologized for his callous remark at the gala. You’d suspected he was a bit jealous of his brother, stemming from being the only one without a partner. You’d forgiven him and were now besties with all of them. You’d also met Mikey and Raph’s girlfriends as well.

Throughout all of this, you thought that maybe all this attention might boost your sales and generate more revenue. Sales were down, and you were in your lowest-income month since opening day, struggling to make ends meet. It had gotten so bad that you were in danger of not being able to afford your rent payment. You’d refrained from revealing this information to Donnie. It was not his problem to solve, and he was likely aware of the situation regardless. Instead of offering you a way out, he’d suggested dinner with your parents. It was the next likely step in your relationship, and you’d hesitated to agree. Your reluctance had nothing to do with him; your parents were well-educated and ‘picky’ about certain aspects regarding your life choices. He assured you that everything would proceed as expected and that you need not worry.

Admittedly, you were concerned that your parents might not accept your choice of partner, but they ended up quite pleased. Donnie had reserved a spot at one of the most exclusive restaurants in NYC, a rotating dome atop a skyscraper, offering a breathtaking view. His influence and reach were remarkable, and he behaved like a perfect gentleman, introducing himself to your parents and guiding everyone to the table.

Dinner conversation weaved between questions of his success, to how you both met, and wound down to the topic you’d been dreading—your business.

“So, how is the shop faring?” Your mother asked airily while sipping her wine. You knew better than to take her at face value at this point, as she was clearly fishing for a reason to criticize your business decisions, but despite that, you thought it best to be somewhat honest with her. Something about Donnie being there had bolstered your confidence on the matter.

“Business is…low at the moment, could be better, but wedding season is nearly here and—”

“Oh, my poor girl!” She sighed in quite a dramatic fashion. “You don’t need to be so modest. I know the shop is struggling! It was a lofty dream to open a flower shop in one of the most prodigious areas in the city after all.”

God, she was infuriating. You cast a quick glance at Donnie, but he remained impassive, and instead, you prepared to defend yourself. “I’ll be fine,” you said evenly. “I always manage to make it through.”

“So you say, I think you should be counting yourself lucky that you caught the eye of this one. You don’t have to worry anymore.” She casually gestured at Donnie, who still held a neutral expression but had raised one of his drawn-on eyebrows at her comment.

“And what do you mean by that, Mother?” Oh, this situation was deteriorating, and you tried your best to keep calm and collected as you challenged her.

She huffed softly, “When your business inevitably fails, he can bail you out or give you a job. It’s perfect.”

That was the last straw, curse her! You were two seconds from getting up from the table and leaving when you felt Donnie’s hand clamp down gently on your shoulder. Then he was addressing your mother directly.

“I won’t be.” He said calmly, catching her shocked gaze, “giving her a job, that is.” Your mother was sputtering then, accusing him of letting you fall, when again he silenced her by speaking. “Her business is not going to fail, not because I can ‘bail her out’ as you so eloquently put it, but because I will be providing her with the tools to succeed.” His tone left no room for argument as he went on to explain all the ways he would strengthen your shop, business plans, advertising, and catering events. You would be the one to save your business, not him, and for the first time ever, you felt seen. Your ideas, thoughts, goals and aspirations mattered, and your successes and achievements were going to be your own. This shop was important to you and, therefore, important to him.

Your parents were stunned into silence, then quietly apologized for their rudeness. You accepted, and the evening was salvaged incredibly. Donnie had unknowingly put in place the first few stitches in repairing your relationship with your parents, and you could not thank him enough for coming to your defence.

At the end of the night, goodbyes were exchanged, and the two of you headed back to his apartment, where things quickly became heated once again. This time, in the aftermath, you shared the one thing you had been meaning to tell him for a while.

“I love you.”

Without missing a beat, his expression became tender as he replied, “I love you too.”

“Thank you.”

“No thanks needed, it was a gift.” He said softly, gently caressing your hair. He’d said the same thing when you thanked him for the dress all those months ago. “You deserve everything, and more.”

You kissed him softly, savouring it before pulling back. “You have everything I have to offer. My whole heart belongs to you.”

“I shall hold it carefully.” He promised, “For it too, is a gift, as are you.”

Even while being present for such a heartwarming moment, you still sometimes had to convince yourself that this was not, in fact, a dream. It was unbelievable, almost like a fairy tale. He, the closed-off, impassive big-time CEO, found you, the sunny, bright, humble woman working in the flower shop. Although you were the unknown variable in this equation, together, you made the perfect solution—the answer to all of life’s difficulties.

There would still be challenges, of course—questions to be answered and matters to discuss—but for now, they were content to lie in each other’s arms, dreaming of what the future might hold. You had a feeling it would be as bright and sunny as the flowers you arranged every day.

The End

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Leonardo Hamato was going to be the death of you.

When you first applied for this job, you had no idea exactly how it would play out. Oh, did you quickly learn.

Leonardo, brother of Donatello Hamato, CEO of Genius Built, was head of the Marketing Department. With his silver tongue, he oozed charisma and charm, setting up important meetings and closing business deals. He was the obvious choice for such a role. He was also downright full of himself, cocky as all hell, self-serving—most of the time—and completely insufferable.

You swore he sometimes tried to make your life more difficult, and that man never missed a shot.

Calling you at midnight because he couldn’t find his favourite shirt? You knew exactly where it was. Covering up the latest scandal he’d gotten himself into? You had the legal team on speed dial. Even completely ridiculous requests, such as finding this very specific brand of sparkling water. You’d had to go to three stores to find it, but you did—you did it all, and through it all, you wondered how in the heck someone like him was in such a highly respected position.

The thing about Leo, or Leon, as he preferred to be called, was that despite his carefree attitude and unrestrained nature, he was entirely competent when he wanted to be, scarily so. He did the job, and he did it well. Genius Built had skyrocketed in popularity under his leadership, and you couldn’t begrudge him for that.

You could, however, begrudge him for the number of women this man seemed to rake in. It seemed like every other week there was someone new. Girlfriends never lasted long with him. As soon as it came time for him to commit, he’d bail. There had been at least ten women (that you’d seen) in the year since you’d come to work for him—not that you were counting, because of course you weren’t. You’d rather not know at all, but he had no qualms about showing off how ‘popular’ he was

The man may have been a mutant turtle, but he was devastatingly handsome, and he knew it. Charm and good looks were his tools of the trade, and very few people were immune to his beguiling ways.

Not you, though. When you first got hired, he’d tried, just like Flynn Rider with the smoulder. Leon had tried flirtatiously sidling up next to you with promises of wining and dining you so the two of you could ‘get to know each other better’.

You shut that down immediately. You were there to work, and fraternizing with your boss was a complete faux pas. At first, you were offended that he’d even tried that with you. It took a few serious conversations for him to finally concede that he might be wrong. To his credit, there were no further attempts at ‘seduction’ from that moment forward.

He still infuriated you on a daily basis, though. Not only did you have your daily tasks, but you were also essentially babysitting a grown-ass man who somehow was stumbling his way through life in a very prestigious position.

For the most part, you were content with your work despite his ridiculous demands. It was temporary, after all.

This job was meant to be a stepping stone for you anyway. You were trying to climb the corporate ladder to a position of power and respect. You were a highly educated woman, and it was not your life’s dream to be an assistant to the one Leonardo Hamato.

You had no idea how much he admired you.

*****

Leonardo liked comfort and familiarity. Once he became comfortable with something, he wanted to hold on to it and never let it go. Not the most rational notion, but after the complete chaos of events leading up to and following the attack on the city, he needed something that did not require him to think too much.

You were an enigma, challenging him in ways he hadn’t expected. He was actually ashamed of himself for how he’d acted on that first week you were hired. Very quickly, he’d learned that you were not going to take any shit, especially from him.

…And he loved that about you.

But he knew your opinion of him wasn’t the greatest, so he did what he did best: he deflected, threw himself into his distractions, which more often than not happened to be other women.

It wasn’t his intention to have you believing he was a complete rake; it was easier for him to cast his mind to thoughts of you while being in the arms of another.

While he did occasionally send you off on a mundane task once in a while, he preferred the ones that made you come to him, especially in the off-hours. He relished in creating interactions where the two of you could just talk, and he’d tell you anything if you so much as asked about it.

Currently, he was pacing about his large walk-in closet in nothing but his white button-down and a pair of black boxers. You should consider yourself lucky he was clothed; you’d seen him in far less. You were tasked with choosing the perfect tie for him to wear at the upcoming conference, in which the two of you would be in attendance. Secretly, he believed having you there would bring him luck in closing the deal with a few key individuals.

You were asking him about the recent gala where he’d served as the bartender, and you nearly dropped every single one of the ties you had lined up on your arm when he told you what he’d said to his brother and his potential new girlfriend.

“Sir, you didn’t!” you’d gasped, “in front of Donnie and his date?! You have a death wish, don’t you?”

Leon laughed, completely disregarding your question while plucking a tie from your arm and holding it up to his neck. “Is this one too green? I feel like it will deflect from my natural emerald, don’t you think?”

Sighing in quite the long-suffering way you did every time he said something stupid, you peered at him, examining his face for a moment. “Well…judging from the fact you don’t look bruised, I’m guessing Donnie didn’t maim you after that lovely comment.”

“Oh, come on, Chiquita, it was all in good fun! Ol’ Dontron knew I wasn’t actually aiming to steal his girl, I was just giving him a little push, and it worked, you should’ve seen how they danced.” For a moment, he waltzed himself around the room, humming to the classical tune that had been playing before stopping in front of you.

You quickly fought away your blush as he leaned in close for a moment.

“He was aiming to kiss her on that dance floor and would have if not for the speeches.”

His face was so close to yours you could feel the soft puff of his breath on your forehead, gently stirring up the fine hairs on your head that had managed to free themselves from your bun.

“And…they left together, and I know he stayed the night.”

Slowly, you drew back, coughing slightly from the awkward implication and bringing it back to your original point.

“Still, Sir, that is no excuse for what you said. Apologize to her.”

“It’s no big deal, she knew I wasn’t—”

You nearly whipped a tie at his face as you pursed your lips in annoyance. “You blatantly flirted with her, knowing that she was there with your brother, embarrassed her, and you're assuming she’s just fine with that? You'd better apologize, Leonardo Hamato.”

“Ooh, I like it when you get feisty…”

That comment earned him an eye roll and a disapproving click of your tongue. Much like a parent with their child, you fixed him with a pointed stare while crossing your arms expectantly. This was your superpower: he rarely listened to anyone, but he would listen to you.

“Fine! I’ll apologize…” he huffed. “Eventually,” he added quietly.

Nodding, you presented him with a blue tie, his favourite, and the one that went with everything. “This is the one. Pair with the grey, pinstriped suit.”

He beamed, taking it and placing it on the suit in question. “This is why I love ya.” He smirked, teasing you a bit.

You let out the faintest hint of a laugh as you reached to grab your purse and coat. “Will that be all for tonight, Sir?”

“…Yes.” Did you detect a hint of reluctance in his voice? “Thank you, and enjoy your weekend, do something fun for yourself.” Softly, he added, “You deserve it.”

With your back to him halfway to his door, you turned slightly and smiled, “Thank you, Sir.”

“Leon,” he corrected, though he knew you’d never call him anything but Sir as long as you kept the boss-and-personal-assistant dynamic. You’d drawn that line in the sand the minute you began working for him, but he still tried, hoping to hear his name on your lips. When he didn’t, he added, “Goodnight, mi querida.”

“…Goodnight.” You replied, softer this time, nodding before heading home to your apartment. Curse him for being infuriating one moment and sweet the next. He was still a complete rake, with enough scandals under his belt to make the National Enquirer blush. Another would seriously affect the company. No, you couldn’t allow yourself to be drawn in like those other women; you had more self-respect than that, and nothing was going to jeopardize your position at this company.

It was better to keep your head down. You could endure the Spanish terms of endearment and get the man his chai latte, not from the Starbucks directly across from the building, but from a locally owned coffee shop several blocks down the street, tucked neatly inside a little bookshop—a blink-and-you’d-miss-it place. You’d taken to leaving for work fifteen minutes early just to give yourself extra time to get his drink order from this place because Starbucks didn’t do it right.

Picky bastard, he was lucky you liked the extra walk and found the bookstore adorable. You’d gotten several good books from there as well.

When prompted, Leo would say he preferred supporting small business owners, which you did believe was true. Picky with a purpose, because you’d come to learn that behind every action appeared to be a well-thought-out plan. Some you still couldn’t verify, but with everything he did, there was some kind of ulterior motive.

It was as though he had a plan for every conceivable outcome. He liked to be prepared, taking everything into account before committing. He was the one who looked for all the possible ways to exit a room upon entering. At the same time, however, he could appear totally unhinged and nearly impossible to rein in. He was the very definition of "if he wanted to, he would."

There was so much more to Leonardo Hamato than what lay just below the surface, and though you didn’t know it yet, the walls were all about to come crashing down. A figurative tornado of emotions, ready to sweep you off your feet.

And it all began with an elevator.

*****

On top of being your daily pain in the ass, Leon Hamato was the self-proclaimed office prankster. Most of his pranks were juvenile annoyances, like unplugging all the USB sticks for the mice or taping air horns under their adjustable office chairs. No one was safe, especially not you, and anyone willing to retaliate by pranking him was praised. Leo loved being pranked almost as much as he enjoyed pranking others. Not from you, however, even though you were on the receiving end of many of them.

This particular day had begun with you fussing over his outfit and matching tie while scolding him yet again for pranking the Treasurer by swapping the ink cartridges in his fountain pens from blue to red. All those documents would need to be redone with the correct ink colour. He also encased your fob key in Jell-O. He knew it was your favourite flavour and probably assumed you could eat your way to it.

You and Leon were on your way to a board meeting a few floors up. The heads of the department were convening for the monthly debriefing to discuss how finances would be allocated over the next four weeks.

It wasn’t as if you had to accompany him; assistants were not required. However, in pure Leonardo fashion, he’d insisted on having you there with him. Since his twin brother was the CEO, he could pretty much get away with most things. His requests for a personal sauna for his office and the staffroom candy bar had been swiftly shot down, though.

When confronted about the fob key prank, he blew out a soft huff of air and shrugged. “Couldn’t have been me. What proof do you have?”

You gave him the most deadpan look you could manage. “I know it was you, no one else in the office knows blueberry Jell-O is my favourite.”

“You wound me, cariña,” he gasped, clutching his hand to his chest dramatically. “To think I would dare such a thing…it cuts me deeply.”

You were already pushing his dramatic ass into the elevator, ending his little display of amateur theatre with a sigh of exasperation. “Uh-huh, I feel so broken up at that notion. Now get in, or we’ll be late.”

This, he allowed you to do, straightening up once the doors closed and the elevator began moving.

“Aaaanyway, didja see that episode of So You Think You Can Dance?” He began rambling on about his favourite dances, seemingly completely unbothered, while crossing his arms behind his head as the elevator went up. He paced around, stumbling a bit on his black dress shoes, causing you to do your best to hide your smirk and soft snort of laughter.

“I saw that.” He smirked, presenting you with a particularly knowing grin, eyebrows raised, like a dog about to run for the stick that was about to be thrown.

“You saw nothing, Sir.” You replied, maintaining your composure as best you could.

“Uh huh…you think I’m funny, I knew it all along.” He chuckled to himself triumphantly.

Again, you rolled your eyes, giving him a small grin of your own. “Very well, Sir, considering slapstick is the lowest form of comedy, you’re hilarious.”

Although he didn’t say so, he loved it when you challenged him, craved it even. “Then I’ll just have to try a little harder,” He’d turned to you, looking down on you smugly, bringing his face a little closer to yours.

For a long moment, you held his gaze, a greenish-brown that was both warm and inviting. There was a certain softness in his eyes reserved only for you, and you feared you’d drown in them if you stayed a few seconds longer.

That was the exact moment you both felt the elevator stutter and stop completely with a jolt. In the shock of it all, you’d grabbed onto his upper arms while he laughed, resisting the urge to pull you closer to his chest.

The power had obviously been cut, leaving only the emergency lights on. Being the strategist he was, Leon was already assessing the situation as he gently patted your shoulders. “Calm, mi vida. It’s just a power outage. I’m sure they’ll fix it momentarily.”

“S-sorry, Sir,” you said, backing away from him, slightly embarrassed you’d reached for him at all.

“No need to apologize, it looks like we have some time to kill.” He was already removing his suit jacket and placing it on the elevator floor.

Assuming it was meant for him to sit down, you prepared to remain standing, unwilling to sit on the questionable floor of this elevator. “I suppose we do.” You crossed your arms and sighed softly to yourself. Given how long it could take to fix the elevator, standing for an indeterminate amount of time in your heels would not be a pleasant experience.

You jumped slightly as he cleared his throat. “For the lady, please sit.” He was gesturing like a gentleman, but, as with everything this man did, it was exaggerated to the point of being ridiculous, and your first inclination was to refuse out of pride for yourself.

“I’m fine.” You replied stiffly.

“Very well.” Shrugging, he sank to the floor beside his abandoned jacket. “Great view of your legs from here,” he noted casually, laughing when your hands found the edges of your skirt and your face coloured with a blush.

That asshole. You knew he wouldn’t stop until you listened to him, and you cursed yourself for the pencil skirt and blouse combo you’d chosen to wear that day. You groaned inwardly, carefully lowering yourself to the floor and gingerly settling on the smooth silk of the inner lining.

“That was easy,” he crossed his arms and leaned back in a more reclined position, settling in comfortably.

You didn’t note the way his eyes followed the curve of your soft thighs, and the way your skirt rode up just a little as you sat yourself down on his jacket. You’d busied yourself with getting as comfortable as you could while maintaining your professional demeanour.

After a few seconds of silence, you suddenly realized something in a moment of frustration. “Aren’t you a ninja? With powers? Can’t you get us out of here?”

That jerk just laughed, making no move to do anything. “…Mmmaybe, but I think it might be safer to wait it out.” Unbeknownst to you, he had an inkling that his twin was behind this, payback for the fact that he still hadn’t apologized for the gala yet. “I couldn’t very well ‘ninja my way out’ without taking off my suit anyway, and I don’t have my swords. You that eager to see me stripped down to my skivvies?”

“No,” you scoffed, muttering, having already seen him in such a state by accident in the past. “Some ninja you are.”

Leon didn’t respond, just remained completely unbothered while watching you with amusement.

“Great,” you groaned softly. “You’re definitely not making that meeting, and that’s going to push back your phone appointment, and then you have an interview…your lunch break will have to be pushed and—.”

“Whoa, whoa, be calm, querida, I’m the boss man, remember? I call the shots around here, and I say I’m indisposed for the next hour.” He relaxed again, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Very well…” You tapped the toe of your heel on the floor. “Now, what do we do?”

“We could talk.” He suggested, as if it were the most obvious choice. “You know, talking, the thing people do to get to know each other.”

“You know me.” You deflected, averting your gaze.

“Do I? All I really know is that you like blueberry jello and hate my pranks. You get this little grin when I make my appointments on time and the day’s events move in an orderly fashion. You also find me completely insufferable, and your nose scrunches up when you sass me.” He chuckled softly.

You tried not to outwardly sputter and turned to him slightly with a clear look of indignation on your features. “Because you are! You have no regard for your schedule; you just do whatever your little heart desires. You send me out on the most asinine errands and call me up at midnight for the dumbest reasons! And then there’s your personal life! I’ve had to call your legal team twice last month! Did you really need to be caught with the girlfriend of the CEO of our rival company in his limo?!”

Without meaning to, like a rubber band that had been stretched too tight, you’d snapped; you couldn’t stop yourself and poured out every last one of your frustrations as you were trapped in this stupid elevator with him.

“Sometimes I don’t even know why you hired me!” You’d crossed your arms and turned away again, cursing yourself silently. Now he was going to fire you, you idiot.

The elevator was uncomfortably silent for a minute or so until Leon started laughing, not just a chuckle but a full-on belly laugh, until he was practically crying. “That was great,” he said, wiping his eyes. “Do you feel better now?”

Once the shock wore off, you nodded. Strangely, you did feel better and released a breath you didn’t know you’d been holding. “Yes, Sir…” pausing, you added, “I like…reading, I like that little bookstore you make me walk to every day for your chai latte. I like watching romantic movies and nerdy ones. I love reality shows like Dancing with the Stars and Nailed It. I have a cat named Bluebell, and prefer tea over coffee.” You shrugged slowly. “That’s the gist of it, happy?”

“Very.” He replied, grinning ear-to-ear, before leaning in close. “I feel very close to you right now.” Raising one eye-ridge flirtatiously, he continued. “I say we discuss this further, over dinner…happy ending guaranteed.”

This ass, you could smack him, “Sir!” You pushed gently on his chest while trying to hide your blush. “Please, that was not an invitation for…that.”

Pulling back, he rumbled out another laugh. “I know, querida, I was kidding.” Getting relaxed once again, he crossed one leg over the other before continuing. “And I am sorry, I don’t mean for you to always be the one to clean up my messes. I’ll do better.”

You peered suspiciously at him, looking for signs that he may be lying. “I’ll hold you to that.”

“You deserve it, and as for why I hired you? You’re the best.” He answered simply.

You hid your smile, nodding quietly. “Thank you, Sir.”

For the next forty-five-ish minutes, you talked, really talked. Leon was especially chatty, even letting certain things slip, making you privy to some of his innermost secrets. You’d had no idea the man had an affinity for romantic comedies—the cornier, the better. He now knew you liked watching them too—mostly because you enjoyed picking them apart and exposing obvious plotlines. It wasn’t just collecting Jupiter Jim memorabilia and bingeing those movies. Leon was a huge nerd in many ways.

“Don’t tell anyone, Chiquita, it could ruin my ‘impeccable’ reputation.” He said, placing a dramatic hand on his chest.

You snorted softly, rolling your eyes slightly, “Don’t worry, Sir. I’ll keep your ‘guilty pleasure’ under wraps.”

“This is why you’re the best.” He said it so easily, with confidence, expressing how much he appreciated you. Something within you began to soften. He really wasn’t as annoying as you’d originally thought.

You were so lost in conversation that he startled you by suddenly standing. “Yo, Donnie, I think you’ve had your fun. I’ll apologize, alright, I promise.”

The elevator abruptly began to move, still on its journey upward even though the meeting would’ve been concluded by now. Leo strolled on out like he owned the place, with you following close behind.

“Could you have said that at any time?!” you hissed.

“Yep, knew it was DonTron messing with me.” He was so nonchalant about it, heading to the boardroom to see his brother exiting. The two shared a knowing look, a silent understanding between the twins that you couldn’t decipher if you tried. Donnie handed him his notes, and that was it. He abruptly turned and handed them to you before heading back to the elevator.

“Welp, that’s that, a job well done!”

“B-bu—” you managed, quickly following after him. “That’s it?”

“Yep! Go ahead and take five.” He pushed the button and waited.

“O-okay, Sir.” You shuffled the papers in your hands and took a breath. Watching the numbers slowly illuminate floor by floor, the idea of taking the elevator suddenly became less than appealing. “Um, Sir?” You lightly tapped him, causing him to tilt his head down to look at you.

“Can we take the stairs?”

*****

Your head was pounding, and for once it wasn’t related to anything Leon had done. You were sick; your sinuses were sore, your nose was blocked, and your voice sounded unrecognizable because your vocal cords were red and swollen. You had already called in sick for the next few days and sent Leon your notes and the updates to his schedule. You told him specifically not to call you for anything; he either needed to be dying or the world ending.

He, for the most part, had been surprisingly respectful of your request. It seemed he recognized that you were genuinely ill and was giving you the time you needed to recover. It was nice… and yet you were still somewhat suspicious of how quiet he was being.

While sitting shivering on the couch, wrapped in a cocoon of blankets, you sneezed, wincing as the action made you feel as though you were swallowing shards of glass. This sucked. You could barely muster the energy to feed yourself, and moving in any direction made your head feel worse.

A knock on your apartment door made you groan. “Please go away…” You murmured.

A moment later, you heard the door unlock and slowly open. Blearily, you wondered who could’ve had your key. You’d only given it to one close friend in the case of an emergency and…Leon. Oh, no.

“Sir?” You squeaked out, slowly turning your head to see that it was indeed him. After closing your door, he started making his way into your small kitchen.

“Don’t talk, no need to strain your voice,” he said, placing several bags on your counter.

Instead of heeding his request, you shifted slightly to see what he was doing. “You didn’t have to come…I’m fine…just gotta wait it out.”

“Querida, what kind of boss would I be if I knew my faithful assistant was gravely ill?” He was pulling out what appeared to be a thermos, a box of tea, and a jar of honey. From the other bag, he removed cold medication and lozenges.

“What is all that?”

Putting on his best Lou Jitsu impression, he gestured dramatically to the little silver thermos. “Hooot SOUP! Courtesy of Mikey.” He declared proudly. “Chicken noodle, homemade of course and just the thing for this nasty cold to go bye-bye.”

Before you could protest, the man was filling up one of your bowls and bringing it over to where you sat. He was surprisingly gentle as he placed the bowl in your hands, helping you adjust before asking, “You got it?” Maybe it was the fever making you delirious, but the way he spoke was creating all kinds of nice feelings in your belly.

“Got it, thank you…” You rasped, taking the spoon to your lips and blowing off the steam before giving it a taste. “Mm…” the soup was good, really good. Thankfully, you still retained this of your five senses so you could enjoy every spoonful.

Leon looked pleased once you had eaten the whole bowl. You declined the offer of a second bowl, so he made you a cup of tea instead. “Now, you know I don’t like to brag…” You snorted at this, “but this little blend is what I like to call: The Coldinator.” He added a tablespoon of honey to the cup and stirred. “Did I ever tell you about Dad’s rat flu? This tea was a lifesaver.”

He hadn’t, and you shook your head at him, giving him the go-ahead to begin a tale, the likes of which you’d never heard before. The tea was actually quite pleasant, the honey added a hint of sweetness and soothed your throat.

“Don’t worry, Donnie created a vaccine a long time ago.” He snorted softly. “Can you imagine the onslaught of chaos if that were ever to hit the general public?”

You shook your head, unwilling to speak any longer since it was far too painful. You winced again as even turning your head caused you pain, and you closed your eyes in discomfort.

Not only did Leon notice, but he was also immediately up, rifling through one of the bags for something else. Moments later, a pill and a glass of water were being carefully pushed into your hands. “Here. Take one of these, and then it’s time for you to sleep.”

You took it, realizing it was an Advil cold and sinus tablet and realized you’d need to go to the bathroom first before sleep.

Gingerly, you moved to stand, and quick as a flash, Leon was right there, helping you stand and dutifully walking you to the bathroom. Thankfully, he did let you handle that on your own, but stood like a sentry on the other side, waiting for you to come out. After finishing your business, you were helped into bed and tucked in at that. Your body was shivering again at the sudden change in temperature. Your warm blankets on the couch had been swapped with room-temperature sheets, and you whimpered softly as a cool hand was placed on your forehead.

“You’re burning up, querida…the medicine should help.”

All you could manage was a nonsensical reply as your body finally calmed and you closed your eyes. With sleep on the horizon, you began to drift off. You could have chalked it up to a fever dream, but you swore you felt the press of a soft pair of cool lips on your forehead just before sleep claimed you.

You were out like a light for the next eight hours.

As you woke, you still weren’t completely recovered—not like you’d be magically cured after one night, like in the cartoons—but you did feel slightly better, your headache wasn’t as bad, and you were able to pull yourself out of bed and wrap yourself in a fluffy blanket before shuffling into the hall.

You half-expected Leon to be gone, but what surprised you more than seeing him sleeping deeply on your couch was that your main room was spotless. Everything was so clean; the mess he’d made on your counter was gone. All the cold medicine had been gathered in a neat little pile, your dirty dishes had been cleaned, and there was a fresh teabag in your cup, with hot water in your kettle on the keep-warm setting.

Just as you were about to pour water into the cup, a quiet snort from the couch made you jump. Turning—slowly because you still had a slight headache—you saw your boss, limbs stretched out, one leg on the couch, and one leg off, with one of your throw blankets wrapped haphazardly around his middle. He was softly snoring and still dressed in his rumpled shirt. A few of the top buttons had come undone, revealing a peek of his sunny yellow plastron beneath. His turtle anatomy had always been a source of fascination to you, and aside from the occasional clothing mishap…you did not see much more than his face or hands on a daily basis.

It amused you that he and his brothers used to gallivant around the city practically naked when they were teens. Nowadays, clothes were their standard way of being as they lived their lives as citizens of New York. There was something quietly intimate about seeing him like this, vulnerable, and his rambling mouth quiet for once.

He was also murmuring in his sleep, and it suspiciously sounded like your name. What could he be dreaming about?

“Please, mi amor…please put me out of my misery…”

A slow smile crept across your face as you stopped to listen.

“You always stack the papers so nice…oops, dropped my pen, get it for me…bend over…just like that…your ass is so pretty…”

Your cheeks were aflame now. Was he serious?! A fantasy that involved you picking up his pen?! His sleep talking would just get more ridiculous as you continued to listen.

“Gimme a slice of that cake…you’re like a sexy Viennetta.”

This time, you nearly choked on your own spit, trying not to laugh when you saw one of his eyes slowly crack open. Quickly, you turned to go back into the kitchen, hiding your face as he slowly sat up, yawning.

“Hey…feeling better?”

“Yep!” You answered much too quickly. “I’m much better…” Your voice still had a decent rasp to it, but you at least felt less like you were dying.

“Good, now, sit, I’m making you breakfast.” He rose, giving his body a good stretch that had you sneaking a glance, and then he was shooing you out of your kitchen, ignoring your protests that you could do it yourself.

“B-but, Sir! Don’t you have…” You’d been effectively sent to timeout on your couch as you peeked at your phone, gasping softly. “You have a meeting in five minutes!”

“Not important,” he winked back, rolling his sleeves up to his elbows. “They’ll just have to wait.” He was searching through your cupboards and exclaimed with a quiet ‘aha’ as he found what he was looking for. Your bag of quick oats hit the counter with a soft thud as he went to search for a measuring cup next.

You were trying to quell your anxiety. Although you appreciated him coming over to take care of you, it wasn’t as if you wanted him to jeopardize important shareholder meetings on your account.

“Calm, chiquita, I already rescheduled it.” It was as though he’d sensed your discomfort, highly aware of how much you disliked the schedule being deviated from.

“…Oh.” You relaxed a bit, not expecting him to actually think ahead.

“Don’t sound so surprised, I can take care of things if I need to.” He said, slowly stirring the oatmeal on the stove.

“Of course.” You answered quietly. There were a lot of thoughts swirling around in your head currently, as you wrapped the blankets more tightly around yourself.

Minutes later, he was presenting you with a bowl of oatmeal that he’d already added milk to and topped with a sprinkling of brown sugar. He sat with his own bowl nearby and watched you begin to eat.

“I will need to be going soon,” he said between bites. “I know, I know, don’t miss me too much,” he teased.

“I’ll be okay.” You promised, giving him a smile. “Fine by Monday.”

He was smiling as he finished off his bowl of oatmeal. “If you aren’t, let me know. I need my assistant to be in top shape. We have that conference coming up.”

“Yes, of course, I’ll be good for it.” You ate more slowly, relieved he’d gone with something easy to swallow.

The meal was finished quietly, and Leon did the dishes before straightening up and preparing to leave.

“Arrivederci,” he bid you farewell with a swooping bow and added in a more serious tone, “Please take care of yourself, mi querida.”

You caught his gaze, answering back in your own tone of no-nonsense. “I will, Sir.”

He departed after that, and you were left alone with your thoughts, time to process all that had just happened. What was happening? Why was he suddenly so... caring? After all, this was Leon — self-absorbed, arrogant, and a pain in your neck. The man who had just dropped everything to take care of you for the past twenty-four hours revealed a very different side of him, one you hadn’t known existed. Clearly, there were many more layers to him than you'd realized.

You were going to need to keep a closer eye on him.

*****

In the weeks following your recovery, you’d watched Leon for any other odd changes to his behaviour.  While not odd, per say, you did notice he’d been behaving himself and hadn’t done much to make your life more difficult; instead, he’d spent all of his time preparing for the business trip that was in a few days.

You’d been preparing for the trip as well. It wasn’t as though you could refuse, nor did you want to. The good behaviour had intrigued you, and you were curious to see how it played out on this business trip. In the past, he’d never really taken them seriously and always ended up stumbling back to his hotel room with some floozy on his arm. Somehow, he’d also managed to give his presentation perfectly, which infuriated you to some degree.

This time, it looked to be different, but you weren’t going to hold your breath.

The journey went smoothly enough. The flight was on time, you had first-class seats, and spent the better part of it with your nose buried in one of the books you’d brought with you. At one point, Leon had convinced you to watch a movie with him. It was another one of those cheesy romantic comedies, the type you could scoff at for how predictable it was. Like before, it became a sort of game with the two of you trying to successfully guess what would occur next.

From there, the cab ride to the hotel went relatively quickly. It was around 4pm, and you had the rest of the evening to prepare and rest up. Your room was clean with fresh, crisp sheets on the bed and the signature chocolate on the pillow. Leon’s room was right across the hall; he’d booked it that way on purpose, preferring to have you close just in case.

After freeing your top sheet and duvet from their tightly folded corners and toeing off your shoes, you’d flopped into bed and fell asleep minutes later.

A light tapping on your door roused you hours later, and you quietly made your way to the door, only to open it and see Leon with a tray in his hands.

“Evening, sleeping beauty, thought you could use some dinner.” His mouth quirked into a grin as he surveyed you. “Love the bedhead look, so chic, wish I had hair so I could replicate it.”

You blinked owlishly as you realized he was teasing you and chuckled softly. “I think you could pull it off.” Stepping back, you moved to let him set the tray on the table.

“Nah, tried it once, looked fabulous, but the hair was an evil kleptomaniac, which kinda put a damper on things.”

You decided not to question him further on that little tidbit of information and instead sat down to see what he brought you.

The smell was so good that it had your mouth watering instantly. It was a pasta dish, simple but delicious, with bowtie noodles in a creamy rose sauce, sliced chicken breast, and a triangle of garlic bread. You half-expected him to invite himself in to chat while you ate, but he didn’t. To your surprise, he left, citing the need to finish preparing for his presentation.

 What was going on?

The real test would come the following day, after he finished his presentation—he aced it, of course, despite some xenophobia during the question period—and you both had the rest of the evening free. Typically, you’d both have a few drinks. Leon would find a piece of eye candy to latch onto, while you would eventually go back to your hotel room alone.

You were bracing yourself for it this time. Seeing him with other women was disheartening in a way you could not quite explain. It brought the feeling of something heavy settling in the pit of your stomach, a leaden weight that refused to be moved. You’d tried reasoning with yourself that he was an adult and that it was none of your business what he did in his spare time, but it felt almost like a slap in the face nonetheless.

One of these times, you’d be the one to take someone up to your hotel room.

Take that, Leon.

You were sitting at the hotel bar’s polished marble counter and on your second drink when she walked in. You recognized her right off as a member of the conference and exactly Leon’s type—tall, legs for days, and blonde with an air of sophistication. She’d already been eyeing your boss, still finely dressed in his pinstriped suit and tie, and was heading his way. The two of you weren’t sitting together at the bar by chance. He’d arrived after you and was now chatting with that woman.

Here we go.

Turning away, you sighed softly as you swirled the contents of your cocktail and took another sip.

“May I join you?”

You swallowed a gasp as a smooth-talking man slipped into the seat beside you.

“Um, sure.” You replied, giving him a smile.

He ordered you a drink, and the two of you got to talking. He was also attending the conference, and his business was based elsewhere in NYC. You couldn’t help but notice how sweet and charming he was, and thought perhaps this was your chance.

You did not notice Leon sporting a menacing glare in his direction from across the bar. He was barely able to attend to the leggy blonde in front of him and was practically grinding his teeth as you stood with the man at the bar and accepted his invitation to dance.

The blonde was trying her hardest to bring his attention back to herself. “I like dancing.” She declared in hopes that he’d say something along those lines instead of watching his eyes follow his assistant and the man from the bar.

“Let’s dance then.” His answer was clipped as he abruptly stood and took her hand.

“Oh!” She gasped, practically being dragged there. She had already surmised that this was his eagerness in trying to close the deal with her, and was more than happy to comply.

Leon just wanted to get as close to you as possible.

Now, it’s possible you were a little tipsy at this point, with three drinks under your belt and not in the greatest of headspaces. You got caught up with the fact that someone was giving you attention for once. You were inadvertently making Leo jealous, too. Good, see how he liked it.

Within an hour of meeting this guy, you were allowing him to pull you into his embrace as you slowly danced around with the other couples.

Softer, jazzy type music was playing from a live band, and you were quietly chatting with Guy while you slowly moved around the dance floor. He seemed nice enough and genuinely interested, and it didn’t take him long to slip you an extra room key in hopes you’d make your way up there.

Your heart was pounding as you watched him walk away and clutched the little card close while marvelling at the opportunity suddenly presented to you. An invitation for sex that might as well have been served on a silver platter.

None of this went undetected as Leon was following your every move. The moment you left the lounge, he was hot on your heels. Jealously and protectiveness had outweighed all sense of logic at this point, and soon he was stopping those elevator doors just as they were closing to get on with you.

“Heyyy, chiquitita, off to bed? I’d be more than pleased to escort you.” His jovial nature this time seemed a bit forced, and you narrowed your gaze slightly.

“Actually…I’m heading somewhere else.” You hedged, raising an eyebrow at him. “What happened to Miss tall, blond and ditzy?”

It was a challenge, and he knew it; still, he tried to play it off. “She was fine, not my taste today.”

 Time was running out for him to stop you as the elevator doors opened. “Oh, what a shame, well, here’s my stop.” You were ready to step around him when his arm shot out next to your head while his forearm pressed against the cool brushed aluminum wall, effectively caging you in.

“Wait.” He implored softly, now showing you the barest hint of vulnerability. “Don’t go to him. If a release is all you’re needing, then—”

You pushed hard against his chest, suddenly furious with him as the elevator doors quietly slipped shut.

“You are unbelievable! The one time a guy notices me, and you pull this shit? Screw you, and this stupid, jealous crap you’re trying to pull.”

His expression conveyed both shock and awe as you laid into him, but he did back up to give you space while the elevator climbed to the next floor, both yours and his.

“I was just looking out for you.” He tried, the excuse was weak, and you both knew it. It did very little to quell the flames of discontent within you.

“No, screw you and the stupid, fucking double standard. So, it’s fine if you go off screwing every pair of legs that gives you the time of day, but the one time—the ONE time I try it, you—”

“That was before!” he interjected, finally losing his cool and throwing his arms down.

“Before what?!” you demanded, and when he didn’t answer you right away, you asked again, louder this time. “Before. What?!”

“Before I started to care about you!” he finally exclaimed, and the doors opened on a little old couple trying to get down to the lobby. Neither of you had gotten off at your floor, so the elevator had gone back down again.

You and Leon had fixed each other with tense expressions while the little old man and woman chatted sweetly with each other. You were still trying to process what he just said. Maybe he was messing with you? He’d had a few drinks up until this point; was it a drunken mistake? No, drunk words are sober thoughts after all, and you were forced to consider that maybe, he might possibly be telling the truth.

Leon cared about you. He didn’t want you going off to some random man’s room when he was right there to give you what you needed. That still didn’t excuse the fact that he was being a complete asshat about it.

You huffed softly, crossing your arms as the couple walked off, and Leon quietly pressed the button for your floor again. To your surprise, he also pressed the bottom to the floor your ‘date’ was waiting on.

“I’m sorry.” He finally said. “You’re right, and it’s none of my business who you decide to spend your off-hours with. My suggestion was callous and fueled by unfounded jealousy,” he sighed softly and continued, “I want you to be happy, but please be careful, you don’t know this guy, although I would hazard a guess that he’s not a bad guy.”

You relaxed, visibly as you nodded. “Thank you, Leon.”

He smiled then, “That’s the first time you called me Leon instead of Sir.”

Blushing and scrambling for an excuse, you said, “Ha, it’s just because I’ve had a few…don’t read too much into it.”

Once again, elevator doors opened, and this time, Leon stood aside. He said nothing more as he watched you finally exit the elevator. His gaze never wavered even as the doors slowly closed and you glanced back, one last time.

You huffed softly to yourself as you slowly walked down the hall. Stupid Leon…who does he think he is? How dare he? He thinks he can just…

In the midst of your fuming, you’d ended up right at the door of your supposed date. Your heart was pounding; the key had been retrieved from your pocket, yet you were unable to complete the final motion of tapping it against the sensor to unlock the door.

This is stupid, just do it!

You were still in the same spot a minute later, frozen and becoming increasingly self-conscious of anyone seeing you.

Swallowing a groan of frustration, you had to admit, the thrill of engaging in a one-night stand with a perfect stranger was less than appealing, and when you pictured yourself in a lover's embrace, someone else came to mind. He had a cocky grin, emerald-green skin and two red crescents cutting across each eye.

You were doomed, but you felt guilty about not going, so instead you went back down to the hotel bar to find the blonde from earlier. You slipped the keycard into her hand on the pretense that it belonged to Leon and dropped the floor and room number for the man you were with earlier. Someone might as well be getting laid tonight.

Five minutes later, you were knocking on Leon’s door. It was dumb, and you certainly didn’t need to do this, but you felt compelled to let him know you’d changed your mind.

He opened the door with a look of concern, shirtless with a pair of grey sweatpants on.

You spoke first, complete with a dramatic shrug. “I didn’t go, alright? Are you happy now?”

He was more than happy , so much in fact that he crossed the distance between you, slipped his hand around your waist and pulled you in for a kiss with enough passion to make your head spin.

Your first instinct was to wrap your arms around him and try to take control of the kiss, and he was more than happy to oblige, angling his mouth to kiss you more deeply. You just wanted to feel something good for a change, a choice that was more or less influenced by the alcohol you’d consumed earlier, but also sheer stubbornness.

Unfortunately, logic had to rear its ugly head as you felt Leon trying to guide you into his room and close the door behind you. The click was enough to make you pull back and take a breath, catching his lust-filled gaze with your own. This…couldn’t happen, you’d fought so hard to maintain a professional relationship with him, and now here you were about to toss it all out the window.

This couldn’t happen…

But fuck, you wanted it to.

“Something wrong, mi amor?” he brushed the side of your cheek with his fingertips and cradled the back of your head with his other hand. Those hands held so much promise, the hidden pleasures they could bring and yet you were about to refuse him.

“I…can’t, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have…kissed you back.” Gently, you pushed on his chest, and he released you. Let it be said that Leon was a man of his word and would never coerce a woman into sleeping with him. He didn’t need to. Still, there was a hint of regret in his eyes as he let you go.

“Querida?” He questioned, looking concerned. “I’m sorry, I’m the one who shouldn’t have—”

You didn’t blame him, but you also didn’t give him much more time to explain himself; instead, you backed out of his room quickly – a soft blush covering your cheeks as you made your retreat. “Goodnight, Leon.”

Back in your own room, you flopped on the bed with a groan. “What is wrong with you…?” Now you had no one to warm your bed. Stupid Leon for making you feel all conflicted, and damn him for being a good kisser and making you question everything.

Try as you might, you couldn’t shake the fact that you found him attractive and, dare you say it, actually liked him. He was still a pain in your ass, but he’d sort of changed lately. He didn’t even entertain that woman who’d been flirting with him.

It was not typical behaviour for him, and now that kiss…you felt all twisted up inside. A month ago, you’d decided that enough was enough and you needed to take that next step up the ladder, so you’d started applying for jobs and had actually gotten an interview. This potential job would be a game-changer, a chance to really show off what you could do. And it wasn’t as if you could have a relationship with Leon anyway in your current state, and he was not the type of man you’d typically go for.

Now, your rational mind was pointing out the hard facts you simply could not ignore. He couldn’t possibly have feelings for you; you weren’t his type, either. You’d both been drinking, caught up in the moment, that was all it was. You were colleagues, work partners, and that’s all you ever would be.

All you ever could be.

**

“You’re hired, you can start as soon as your new hire paperwork is submitted.”

Hearing those words filled you with a sense of elation. You couldn’t believe you’d gotten the job. Out of all the candidates, they’d chosen you. Now all you had to do was complete the paperwork and submit your two weeks' notice…to Leon, who had no idea you were going to be leaving him.

You couldn’t afford to be weak now. This was your career, and nothing was going to stand in your way, not even him.

You pondered the best way to broach the subject as you began typing up your letter of resignation.

There would be no easy way to tell him. Better to rip the band-aid off and leave it on his desk Monday morning, along with his morning latte. He’d understand… wouldn’t he? Would he even care? Would your absence be felt, like a wound needing to be stitched and bandaged? Would he be happy for you, hiding a deep ache every time he walked by your empty desk?

His reaction was far different from what you’d expected. The look of confusion when he was presented with the letter had quickly been replaced by a cold sort of understanding he wasn’t adept at hiding.

He was happy for you, he said, barely reading it before tossing it back on his desk. You could no longer read him after that, but you could glean from his tone that he was not as pleased as he appeared. His responses were a little too quick and clipped for your liking.

“This is…great, it’s good, so good in fact that you shouldn’t even bother coming in for the remainder of your time.”

Now, you were confused, protesting softly as you tried to decode his ‘Leon speak’.

“But, Sir…I’m not sure I understand…”

“Oh,” he waved a hand dismissively. “You’ll still be compensated for your time, but I need to start training your replacement. I’ve had my eye on Miranda; she’ll do nicely.”

His words stung. To be told that you could be replaced so easily might as well have been a slap in the face, but by Miranda? Really?  She was eager to please, but there weren’t many thoughts bouncing around that blonde cranium of hers. What was he playing at? She’d never be able to work out his complicated schedule, let alone all the other ridiculous things he asked for. Was this because of that night at the conference? He couldn’t get you, so he was now jumping at the chance to replace you with someone more... accommodating?

“But don’t you need me to—" You try not to stammer, shocked as you are.

“Nope! I got this.” He didn’t even know what you’d been about to say, but it didn’t matter. He didn’t need you—for anything anymore, apparently. “Better go clear out your desk. You can pick up your severance cheque on the way out.” There was a finality in his tone that you knew would be impossible to contend with.

You’d heard it before, when a business deal had gone south and he had ended negotiations right then and there. Now he was using it with you, and all you could manage was a stiff nod and a softly spoken, “Yes, Sir.” You would not let him break you or see your tears. You would keep a stiff upper lip and clear out your desk over the next hour.

If that was the way he’d like to end your partnership, then fine. Go ahead and burn that bridge, Leon.

You were glad you never did end up sleeping with him. It would’ve made this even more difficult.

You cast one last glance at his office, only to see him in the same position as when you left. You said your goodbyes to your coworkers and exited the office for the final time.

It wasn’t until you stepped out onto the street with the box holding all your belongings that tears stung your eyes. How dare he? After everything you’d been through? How could he so easily discard you like a piece of trash? You’d thought he’d changed, but he was still the same jerk he’d always been. Unfeeling and uncaring, selfish and concerned only with self-preservation, all wrapped up in a cold, calculating demeanour.

 Jerk

Little did you know that Leon was anything but fine. Panic gripped him as he watched you walk out of the office and subsequently out of his life because, like an idiot, he’d pushed you away. Easier to leave someone before they leave you, after all. That fact hadn’t even registered with him. It wasn’t until the day was long over and the workplace empty of all employees that he dared walk by your old office.

You’d left your desk light on, forcing him to go in and click it off. Realization hit harder in that moment as the room was bathed in shadows. It was too large, too empty, devoid of you and all the warmth you carried.

He leaned over your old desk, gripping the edge slightly. You were gone, and he only had himself to blame.

Just when he’d come to the realization that he did indeed love you.

**

Weeks passed, and you settled into your new job. Leon stayed silent on his end, and you’d assumed he was absolutely done with you. Despite how he’d acted, an obviously terrible reaction to your leaving, you missed him. You missed his stupid face and the way he always smiled like the sun shone out of your ass whenever you’d completed a task or provided him with something to sign. You were still furious, of course, and in no way ready to forgive him, but still, you found yourself reminiscing about the times you’d enjoyed yourself.

You missed his warmth and the calm contentment of working alongside him. Damn him for making you care, especially in the last few months of working for him. There was a deep ache in your heart whenever you thought about him. He’d hurt you, and there was no closure to be found as long as he seemed intent on maintaining a closed line of communication.

Very well, you might need some time to heal, but you would be strong and move on from him. You wondered how he was faring in your absence. Was Miranda as good a replacement as he’d thought she’d be? Bitterly, you came to the conclusion that he’d probably already slept with her and barely even thought about you. People don’t change that easily.

Leon was absolutely miserable. Miranda’s work ethic had paled in comparison to yours, and he’d barely used her. The atmosphere in the office was noticeably somber too. There were no more pranks on his part, and he’d barely left his office, even to take a lunch break.

This did not go unnoticed by his twin. He was the eyes and ears of the entire building after all, nothing got past him, and right now, his brother was hurting. It was up to him, apparently, to knock some sense into him—not the best choice, Mikey or Raph would’ve been better for this, but alas, they were busy.

“Ah, good afternoon, dear brother of mine.” He’d said while striding into his office, much like Leon did whenever he went upstairs to his.

Leon was staring moodily at a coffee cup; the drink had long since gone cold since his new assistant had fetched it for him. She’d gotten lost on the way to the coffee shop in the bookstore and instead had purchased it from the Starbucks across the street. Not only was his drink prepared incorrectly, but she’d also taken the liberty of adding whipped cream to it—ew. “What is it?” he asked in a bored tone. “If this is about the sales in this month’s past quarterly…”

“It is not,” Donnie said, moving to one of the chairs in front of his desk. “You still haven’t apologized to my girlfriend for your callous remark at the Gala. Since you have so much extra time on your hands from firing your assistant, I believe now is the time.”

Leon scowled, scoffing lightly as he threw his hands up. “Really? That’s why you came all the way down here?”

“Yes, just because you screwed things up with her doesn’t mean you can’t still make things right with my girl. Maybe then you’ll see how much of an idiot you’re being and actually fix your mistakes for once.” He gave his brother a pointed look to drive his point home.

The slider was quiet as he contemplated his words. “It’s too late…” he said finally, “I was losing her, so I pushed her away. Is that what you wanted to hear?”

“Does admitting it out loud make you feel better?”

With a rueful laugh, Leon shrugged. “I guess? It doesn’t change anything. She’s still gone. I should just let her live her life, and…”

“It’s never too late. That’s quitter talk and not the mentality of this company’s face man, now is it?” Donnie gently pressed. “She deserves to know the truth.”

“I…it’s stupid.” Leon shook his head. “I drove her nuts when she was my assistant, that’s why she left…she wanted to get out. She wanted to leave…me.”

With that, Donnie got up, popped the lid off Leo’s untouched drink, and threw it in his face. The resulting sputter of shock went completely ignored.

“Did you even spend five minutes learning what her actual career path was? It wasn’t to be your assistant forever, you dumdum. You were so afraid of losing face that you ignored everything and treated her like crap on top of it all. Well, guess what, you look dumb now, your worst fear realized and look at that, you survived. Now get your head out of your ass and go talk to her.”

Leon gaped at him, shock evident as he snatched some tissues to dab up the mess on his shirt and face. “Okay, say you have a point…what should I do?”

“Well, first clean your face because let me reiterate, you look dumb. Second, grand romantic gestures are your forte, not mine. Watch some romance movies, particularly the one called Two Weeks Notice.” He returned to his seat with a self-satisfied nod.

“Thanks,” Leon said, smiling for the first time in weeks. “I’ll apologize to your girlfriend next time I see her.”

“See that you do,” Donnie said, preparing to leave without sparing him a second glance. “And not that you need it, but good luck.”

Leon was left not only with his thoughts but also with a sticky mess to clean up. True to his word, he finally apologized to Donnie’s girlfriend and then set about concocting a plan to talk to you. A lot of things needed to be set in motion, and it all had to go perfectly.

He just needed to borrow Shelldon.

End Part 1 - Part 2

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The predicted winter storm had arrived earlier than expected. Thick, clumped snowflakes floated past your window on their mission to cover the city in white. A sudden drop in temperature and fierce wind had everyone hunkering down indoors, waiting for it to pass.

Some of your neighbours had even stocked up on water and non-perishables in case the power went out. You’d picked up a few of these items, but what worried you more than a possible power outage was the fact that you hadn’t heard from your boyfriend, who was actually a mutant turtle, in over two hours. The last thing he’d texted you was that he was heading on a quick patrol around the city before the storm began, and it had already been raging for over an hour.

He was always a little vague about how some of his ‘turtleness’ worked, which you suspected was from a desire for you not to worry. But you did worry, so you had done your homework on him. Being a mesothermic being, he generated his own heat but had difficulty maintaining his body temperature, especially in the face of unexpected freezing temperatures. Pacing worriedly, you texted him once more, asking him to please let you know if he was safe and back in the lair. Too much cold could mean his body would go into brumation—a type of hibernation unique to reptiles.

It was another hour before you were startled awake by the scrape of your balcony door, the shock of cold and wind jolting you upright.

“F-f-fuck… s-stupid… d-door.”

It was him! You almost tripped over yourself to get to where he was still struggling with the door, his hands shaking from the cold.

“I got it.” You said, taking over for him and sweeping as much snow as you could from the bottom of the door so you could close it properly.

He took a few steps back, slowly, almost as if he was still wading through deep snow despite being indoors.

He needed some warming up, starting with a hug.

“I was so worried…” It felt like hugging a block of ice. His outerwear was freezing, and if survival shows taught you anything, he needed to get out of his wet clothes immediately and gradually raise his core body temperature.

Stiffly, he managed to hug you back and pressed his ice-cold snoot into your neck, causing you to exhale sharply. “S-sorry baby, storm started early.”

You noticed he was shaking and felt like scolding him for being so reckless. Usually, he and his brothers stayed in the lair during winter. Trips outside were strictly limited, reserved for emergencies only.

“You promised me you were going to be more careful…” you whispered, concern in your gaze and a lump in your throat as you looked up at him.

There was regret in his eyes as he hugged you tighter, still having trouble forming words from being so cold still. “I know…w-we had to, people were getting hurt.”

Likely, their mission was assigned to them by Chief Vincent herself, something that could not be easily ignored. You nodded and stepped back to unzip his coat and push the garment off his broad shoulders.

It hit the ground with a heavy thud, showing how much snow and water it had soaked up. His hat was next, then his wet gloves, and finally, his boots. As quickly as possible, his wet belongings were either hung up or placed on the vent to dry.

He was still shivering as you led him to the bathroom. With trembling hands, he tried to undo his pants while you started the shower, but his frozen fingers were stiff and uncooperative.

Gently taking over for him, you began to unzip them. “Let me.”

“Thanks,” he whispered, standing still so you could finish undressing him. He looked so tired that you had to work quickly. Pants and underwear gone, you checked the water temperature one more time before telling him to get in. Not too hot and not too cold, warm enough that it wasn’t a shock to his system.

He sighed softly as the warmth seeped into him. “Feels good…”

At first, you simply watched him, feeling relieved that he was finally warming up. Your intention was to let him enjoy his shower while you prepared something hot to eat and drink for him, but when you turned to leave, there was a quiet protest.

“Wait…”

“Hm?” Switching direction, you went back to see what he needed.

“Come in with me?” It was a seemingly small request that belied the promise of something more, and you couldn’t find it within yourself to deny him.

“Alright.” You smiled. Disrobing slowly, you placed your clothes with his. You could feel the heat of his gaze, yet he made no move to touch you until you stepped into the shower within reach.

You were pressed against his chest, a solid mass of tough plastron and muscle, still slightly chilled, causing you to shiver. His hands were cold, but as he tilted your face up to kiss your mouth, his lips were warmer.

Suddenly, the chill didn’t seem quite so bad, and you could feel him growing stronger, absorbing both the warmth of your body and the shower stream. It drew a groan from his throat as you deepened the kiss, pressing yourself closer to him.

Cold forgotten, a fire was now sparking between you two, the embers fluttering to life in your belly. His large hands were all over you, sliding down your back and cupping your ass while he broke from your lips to give the skin between your neck and shoulder a few playful nips.

You let loose a giggle and gasped out half-heartedly, “Stop…your hands are cold…” and felt him rumble back, “Mm…and you’re so warm.” Now you felt hot kisses and a soft sucking on your pulse point as he began marking you as his.

It made you gasp, especially when you felt him lift you up, pressing you against the shower wall so he could access your chest now. This was much easier, and you could tell by his wicked grin that he was far from finished with you.

Wrapping your legs around him, you cupped his face, playfully squishing his cheeks with a slight smirk. “I’m going to let you continue, but promise me you won’t scare me like that again.” You paused, rephrasing the last part since your request was perhaps a tad unrealistic, considering he's both a ninja and a vigilante. “At least try not to. I can’t have a turtlesicle for a boyfriend.”

He laughed, nodding while kissing your playful pout, as you slipped your hands around his neck. “That would make things difficult.” He sobered then, fixing you with an apologetic look as he continued. “Listen, though I can’t promise this will be the last time I come stumbling in like this, I can promise that I’ll always make it up to you.”

“Always?”

“Always.”

Overcome by the sudden urge to kiss him, you didn’t hesitate, expressing your love for him with as much enthusiasm as you could muster.

It was he who took control of the kiss, pressing you more against the tiled wall of your shower and groaning his approval while his tongue slipped inside to tangle with yours.

The shower still ran, soaking you both as a different type of slick gathered between your thighs. The need crackling between you both as he rocked against your core, his tail curling underneath himself.

Sex with him could be slow and methodical. It could also be quick and dirty, and the latter seemed to be correct in this case; you could already feel the tip of his manhood at your entrance.

Cupping your breast and pushing it up, you gave a soft cry as he nearly enveloped the entire thing in his mouth, licking, sucking and flicking your nipple with his tongue. You felt him rumble against your skin as the second breast received the same treatment as the first.

“Gonna drop into you…” He murmured, grinding against your center. “Can I?”

He was already in position, aching for you, trying to hold back from releasing himself right then and there. Ever the gentleman, he still needed your consent before continuing. “Yes… fuck, please, yes…” You quickly replied, nearly incoherent from how much you needed this.

Making extra sure he was positioned correctly, he still entered you slowly, filling you inch by inch. This part of him was a bit cold still, and you gasped with the contrast of how he slid into the confines of your warmth.

His entire body trembled, struggling to stay in control and not rut into you like an animal. Your warmth was like fire, seeping into him as if it were the most precious substance on Earth.

“So hot…you feel…incredible… I can’t…” he bucked his hips once, and you both moaned, you clamping your legs more tightly around him on instinct.

“Don’t hold back then… I need you.”

At your admission, he unleashed a growl of pure satisfaction, finally giving you what you’d both been craving. In that moment, you felt as feral as he, a slave to your primal urges. Instead of being in your modest apartment-sized shower, you imagined the two of you in a cozy, warm cave, tucked away from the blowing snow and freezing temperatures. He made you feel wild and exhilarating in a way no one else ever could.

His thrusts were unrelenting, slow at first but quick to make you gasp and tremble in his arms. Breath quickening, you cried out that you were already getting close. His cock buried deep, hitting you in all the right places.

He managed a grin of self-satisfaction when hearing you admit that, because he knew. He always could tell when you were close to your release. It was the way your breathing sped up, how your body tensed and squirmed, thighs trembling, and the ensuing string of curses that could even make a sailor blush.

“C’mon then…don’t hold back either…let me see just how good I’m making you feel.”

A few well-placed thrusts later, you were there, like the raging winter storm, drowning in white-hot pleasure and crying out his name.

Now it was his turn to curse. The feel of you clenching and tightening around his cock was his undoing.

“Fuck…fuck, I’m gonna…” clutching you so tightly it was sure to leave marks, he delivered one final, deep thrust that made you see stars.

He growled loudly enough for you to feel it in your bones as he released himself inside you. Breathing heavily, you fell limp in his arms, a testament to the intense session of lovemaking.

The shower was growing cold, yet he still held you close, kissing you with reverence and a deep appreciation for you and everything you meant to him.

“I love you…” It was whispered so softly, almost as if he was afraid someone might overhear.

“I love you too.” It was both a declaration and a promise, no matter what, even if he did come stumbling in again like this, that you’d love him still; nothing was going to change that.

Finally, he helped you get back on your feet, and after a quick rinse, it was time to dry off and get cozy. Together, you went to get dressed—you on shaky legs and him moving to steady you. He opted for a pair of soft grey joggers, while you picked the comfiest pyjamas you owned.

Outside, the storm was showing no sign of stopping, but you were both safe and cozy in your apartment. Even after dinner was eaten and you were cuddled up on the couch, a sudden power outage was of no concern to you.

After all, you had plenty of ways to keep warm.

End

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Leo has been under stress for days; there's a pressing issue he hasn't been able to solve or address, and it’s beginning to affect his outward behaviour. His brothers have all decided to give him plenty of space since bringing up the issue causes him to grumpily snap at them to leave him alone. He was being as stubborn as only he could be in this instance, determined to handle his problems himself.

You, longtime friend of the turtles, were the only one brave enough to approach him after his brothers had failed. At first, you get a clipped "I'm fine." No, you're not, you stubborn turtleman. So, you try again, this time with tea and something you've made especially for him. He can't say no to that.

He takes the gift and the tea, and still, he tries to dismiss your concerns when you ask him what's wrong. Firmly but kindly, he tries to tell you it's not something you need to worry about. This is when you take one of the treats you made and throw it directly at his face. It comically bounces off his snoot and onto the floor while he stares at you in shock. You'd had just about enough of this.

"Leonardo Hamato, stop trying to act like everything is okay when it clearly isn't! Whatever way you're trying to deal with this isn't healthy, and everyone is beginning to worry about you, myself included, because I... I really care about you, and I’m here for you. Night or day… no matter what it is, so please stop trying to be a hero, just this once, let someone else help you."

It’s a softly spoken confession that reveals more than just your initial concern for his well-being. You had secretly loved him for years, but the idea of being with him seemed like some lofty, unattainable goal, much too high for you to reach, like all 6’5” of him.

When he doesn't answer, still in too much shock from the small tirade and the confession, you do leave him alone to think about what you just said.

That night, he's ready to talk, and you can feel the tension rolling off of him in waves, but he begins by apologizing to you. There was so much guilt on his part for unloading his issues; you shouldn't have to deal with it. He wanted to spare you—pretty, perfect, kind, thoughtful you—from all the emotional baggage he'd been carrying. He’d spent so long taking everything on just so others wouldn’t suffer that he’d forgotten to take care of himself.

Calmly listening while he poured everything out, you boldly lean in close and kiss that frowny pout of his while effectively silencing him as well.

"Your loved ones are always willing to listen, Leo. Myself included... I love you, it's okay to let me in."

You swear you saw a shimmer of tears in his eyes as he needed a moment to compose himself, rubbing his face with the back of his hand. He was well and truly humbled, and his hardened heart completely thawed by you.

The burden wasn't just his to bear. You might be small, you might be human, but you were strong. You could handle it, and seeing him acknowledge this was a beautiful thing indeed.

Sometimes, even as a 6’5” mutant turtleman, it’s okay to ask for help and keep your heart open to the possibility of more. Leo wouldn’t be forgetting this anytime soon.

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It took nearly a week for your body to fully recover from the mating-season marathon with your turtlemen lovers.

It was a combination of ice, heating pads, and ibuprofen, and two weeks later, you got your period. A small part of you felt a little sad that none of them actually managed to ‘breed’ you, even though it was silly to think you’d want to be a parent, especially in a relationship that was still quite new.

As promised, they all kept in touch with you very regularly. You had your individual conversations with them and a group chat that was quite entertaining. It made you feel less alone, since you were unable to be with them.

April, of course, demanded details, not the intimate ones, of course, but more or less how each of them behaved, and if any of them did anything dumb that she could tease them with. She filed away Mikey with the bottle of lotion and the box of tissues for later.

You’d been feeling really good lately, counting down the days to when the guys would be done with their season so you could see them again. Your excitement, and theirs, was steadily building, Mikey’s especially; he was insufferable, according to the other three.

Unable to contain yourself, you mentioned the type of relationship to a coworker and ‘hypothetically’ posed a ‘what if’ question. Both of you were members of the same book club, and one of the recent books featured the reverse-harem archetype.

Her response was largely negative.

“Four?!” she scoffed, “Why would anyone ever actually want that? I can barely handle one!”

“I mean, you could, but what sane woman would want to deal with four men? How would that even work?”

“It’s great to read about in theory, but that’s too many dicks for me.”

The seemingly innocent comments—one person’s negative opinion —unintentionally sparked a few doubts.

What if you couldn’t make this work? What if juggling four men was just too much for you? The more you thought about it, the bigger the storm of anxiety grew. There was no one you could confide in; April was out of the question — she’d likely criticize you for leading them on, and now you were having doubts?!

What if their jealousy led to fights, and they couldn’t come up with a fair schedule so your lady parts wouldn't be complaining from overuse? What if you couldn’t split your time evenly so none of them felt neglected? Unknowingly, you’d gone quiet from your phone, unsure and feeling ashamed of having these thoughts.

Your silence was duly noted, and your four were becoming quite concerned.

Going above the surface during their season was strictly off-limits. Not being in full control of their faculties with raging hormones on top of it all meant patrols and general city travel were out of the question.

…Except in the case of emergencies, and your prolonged silence was quickly becoming just that.

You dissolved into tears on the third night, completely at a loss for what to do or say, and curled up on the couch, unaware of the four imposing figures surrounding you.

Also, when Mikey started talking, it completely gave them away.

“See? She’s crying, Raphie, what did you do?”

“Fuck off, Mikey, I didn’t do a goddamn thing.”

“Evidence suggests none of us did anything to make her cry. The prolonged silence points to something else entirely.”

“Stand down, you two. We agreed to do a wellness check, and that means no fighting.”

You couldn’t help but smile a little as you looked up to see four pairs of eyes fixed on you, concerned for your well-being and risking their self-control by being in such close proximity to you and each other.

“Y-you didn’t have to come… what are you all doing here? Isn’t it dangerous?” You wiped your tears quickly and tried to compose yourself. “I’m fine… I just had a lot on my mind, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you all worry…”

Mikey was the first to approach, kneeling before you and taking your hand. “Aw… our little sun isn’t shining quite so brightly anymore. Angelcakes, tell us what’s wrong.”

Donnie knelt beside his brother to give you a quick once-over with his tech. “Physically, you seem fine, but you can tell us if something is bothering you. We’re more than willing to listen.”

Raph sat to the right of you, and Leo was on your left. It was best that those two weren’t directly beside each other.

Raph spoke first. “I didn’t think I did nothin’… but if I did… if any of us did, then we’re sorry.”

“Whatever the issue is, we’re here to work it out with you together. You don’t have to do this alone.” Leo finished.

If they had thought their words would calm you and lead to a confession, they were wrong. You instead burst into tears, and they quickly wrapped you in their arms as best as they could.

Your guilt had bubbled over into shame, and you felt like the worst person for thinking such things and making them worry.

They said nothing more, but continued to hold you until you were calm enough to speak. You needed to be honest with them, even if it hurt.

“I-I was worried about how we were all going to make this work… maybe it would be too complicated, and I don’t know how I am going to deal with jealousy or one of you feeling left out. I’m only one person… maybe it would be better if three of you go find your own partners and I just… pick one of you…?” As soon as the words were out of your mouth, you regretted them. It was a callous thing to say. They weren’t straws to be drawn. But you didn’t know how to solve this, and you also hated the idea of having to choose only one when you’d been intimate with all four of them. In despair and confusion, you buried your face in your knees.

They all remained silent for a painfully long moment. At last, Leo spoke, always the one who knew best, prepared to give a completely honest and unbiased opinion.

“There are no expectations in this relationship other than our collective enjoyment. We will follow your lead, however you want this to look, because as far as we’re concerned, you’re our mate and we’ll do whatever we can to make you happy.” He paused and kissed your temple. “You’re our sun, we all revolve around you.”

Upon looking at each of them, they all nodded at you in agreement and you dried your tears.

“Ain’t gotta make it complicated, babes, we love you, plain and simple.” Mikey’s voice piped up, and not one of them denied it.

Raph, in a rare display of honesty, was next. “No one I’d rather be with,if you’ll have me. Sorry you gotta deal with numbskull here, though.” He playfully nudged Mikey’s shoulder.

His indignant protest of, “Hey!” made you laugh softly.

Donnie added a few words of his own to this claim. “We can’t promise things won’t get complicated, or messy even, but we’re committed to making this work. We’re committed to you.”

Your heart had never been so full, reassured by their steadfast love and support, and there was only one thing left to say.

“I love you guys…” It was the first time you’d admitted it to all four of them, and despite their differences during this time, they hugged you closer, unwilling to let you go just yet. “I’m sorry for—”

Raph cut you off. “Ah, ah, no apologies, Sunny, ya don’t gotta do that. In fact, as my first act as your boyfriend, I’m gonna have to ask you to only apologize when it really matters, or not at all, definitely not for this. We know being with us ain’t gonna be easy.”

“It’s completely understandable that you’d have some doubts,” Donnie added.

“Pfft, not me, but Fearless over here? He—ow!” The brother in question had flicked Mikey in the head to quiet him while sighing deeply.

“No relationship is going to be perfect, but you are perfect for us, and we love you.”

Taking a deep breath, you released it slowly. Relaxed in their arms, feeling complete and comforted like never before. This felt right, and what they said was true and resonated within you. No matter what, as long as you had commitment, trust, communication, and love, there was nothing you couldn’t handle. You were theirs, and you got the best deal of all. No need to choose one when you could have them all.

Begrudgingly, you realized you owed April for all this and suspected it had been her little plan from the start. What began as a simple podcast interview had escalated into to getting four boyfriends. To hell with that coworker and her negativity—you were living the dream, a genuine romance novel complete with four gorgeous non-human men.

And they were still all in season.

The End

Last Chapter - First Chapter

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“Mr. Smith,” you spoke through gritted teeth, “I need those reports on my desk in the morning… no, not by lunch, by 9am and not a minute later.” Huffing irritably, you then threw your book bag down on the couch, trying not to seethe as you said, “Well, maybe I should ask Bob, at least he seems reticent to complete his work on time.”

Your employee was angrily arguing back, coming up with every excuse in the book about why he couldn’t do the reports. It sounded like weaponized incompetence to you, as now he was claiming you’d be the better choice to complete the reports.

“…Or maybe you should do the job you’ve been hired to do!” You almost barked, inadvertently raising your voice and needing to reel it in.

Calm down, don’t fire him yet, calm down.

Forcing yourself to take a breath, you calmly reasserted your earlier statement. “Andy, you have had more than enough time to complete these reports. I will see them on my desk at 9am Monday morning. Or do we need to re-evaluate your position within the company?”

Andy, to your surprise and not surprise, continued to be disrespectful, ignoring your warnings and essentially forgetting that you were his boss, assuming he could bulldoze over your authority and do what he wanted. You had just about had it.

“This discussion is over. Bob will take over doing the reports. Don’t bother coming in on Monday.” Sarcasm was now dripping from your tone. “You can just enjoy a long, long vacation.”

You were so furious, so completely done with this continued disrespect from someone who was meant to be working for you. You nearly scoffed aloud as Andy, foolish, foolish Andy, immediately started to backtrack, promising to do the reports himself and to please not fire him. Coward.

You sighed. You were tough, but you weren’t a monster. “Very well... Andy, this is your last chance, 9am, on my desk, on Monday. Goodbye.”

Still angry, you continued your tirade after ending the call. “And another thing, asshole, I am your boss, not the other way around! And don’t think for a second I won’t fire your lazy ass!” You were so tired of it all, the disrespect, the mansplaining, the overall misogynistic attitude toward you. It wasn’t just him either. You’d basically had to claw your way to the top, earning every step and still, still, you had men who didn’t take you seriously. It was slowly grating on you, like a stone, constantly being beaten by waves.

In one final act of frustration, you threw your phone onto the couch cushion and covered your face with your hands, letting out a deep groan. You had expected the phone to bounce off the couch and hit the floor, but it didn’t.

He was here. Your phone was in his hand, no doubt caught with his lightning-fast reflexes. Uncovering your face, you watched as he calmly placed the phone on the coffee table before fixing you with a look of concern.

“Rough day?” There was something about his voice, his whole demeanour, that was so soothing, and you nodded, unwilling to fall apart just yet.

“Yeah… just… Andy being an idiot.”

He crossed the space between the two of you in a fraction of a second and claimed your lips in a soft kiss. “You can tell me all about it later, but right now, I want you to do those breathing exercises I taught you, and I’ll be right back.”

Leo was the only one who could tell you what to do, and you’d never feel like he was ordering you around. You kicked off your heels and settled into a chair at your kitchen table, closing your eyes. In… 1, 2, 3, 4… out… 1, 2, 3, 4.

At first, you were glad it was just him and not his brothers. They’d never seen this side of you, and you’d purposefully kept them in the dark because you didn’t want them to see how much you’d been struggling. You always tried to present yourself as strong and more than capable of taking care of yourself. To see you like this... you were sure they’d be shocked, and you hated being put in a vulnerable position.

Still, perhaps it was time to let them in on it. You’d just about reached your breaking point.

If you had been in the lair, Mikey would’ve given you a hug, and Raph would have offered to pound the guy, while Donnie, tech-master that he was, would have been intent on destroying him online for you. Leo’s brothers were sweethearts and cared for you nearly as much as he did. Maybe it was time to tell them.

Leo had given you a chaste kiss and then left out the window, which was so normal for the two of you by now that you didn’t even think twice about it. After finishing your breathing exercises, you called April, who knew better than anyone what it was like to fight for the respect she deserved. She was a wonderful sounding board for your frustrations and assured you that the fight was worth it, and it wasn’t always going to be like this. Her words were comforting and inspiring to you, and you ended the call just as Leo was climbing back through your window.

This wonderful man returned with your favourite takeout and a little something extra. Despite your attempt to stay calm, his thoughtfulness caused your laten emotional response to rise to the surface as he quietly asked, “what happened?”

You broke, finally, soft sobs choking out of you as you tried to explain. You’d given your employee, Andy, a week to finish the reports, and they still weren’t finished, and he was dragging his feet on it as he had with everything you’d asked him to do. You knew he had no respect for your authority, and this was the final straw.

“I’m just… so tired… of fighting, I’m sick of it, I feel like quitting…”

By this point, Leo had set the bags on the counter and pulled you into his arms, feeling your tears soak into his worn grey T-shirt.

“You could just fire him and be done with it.” It was a simple suggestion, but still not one you were willing to entertain at present.

“No… why bother, there will be another one just like him.” You had fallen back into the familiar hole of negativity. You were so tired, drained, and your head hurt.

Leo lamented the fact he could do nothing to improve your current predicament at work. He wasn’t a computer expert like Donnie, nor did he possess the ability to work for your company, and he highly doubted the fact that you’d want to be ‘saved’ in this manner anyway. As much as he loved being your ‘knight in shining armour,’ this was something you’d need to solve on your own.

Your work issues remained forever out of his control, but once he had you in his arms? Well, now you were his, and he was going to do everything in his power to put a smile on your face.

“Hey…” he quietly interjected, rubbing your back while giving you a light squeeze. Pressure hugs always worked to calm you, and he felt you inhale a deep yet somewhat shaky breath. “Don’t think about it anymore, push it as far as you can from your mind. You have my complete confidence that you will find a solution to this problem. You are strong and capable, and you have earned every right to be in your position. Do not let the words of a fool define you, for you are a queen.”

You tilted your tearstained face up to look at him. His words resonated within you, although you didn’t feel quite so queenly in that moment. He thumbed away your tears, and you offered him a small smile in return.

“You hear me?” he rumbled softly, watching as you nodded. “Good, now let’s get you comfortable and fed.”

Before you could protest—not that you were going to—he was already carefully pulling the chopsticks out of your meticulously styled bun. You breathed—a barely audible exhale of relief as the pressure on your scalp was no longer present. His fingers slipped into your silky tresses, gently loosening and smoothing, allowing your hair to flow freely across your shoulders.

You felt him kiss your head and shivered with the rumble of his voice in your ear. “Go change into something more comfortable. I want this pantsuit off.”

Again, he was lucky he had such a compelling presence. Authoritative, and being the natural leader he was, he was used to telling others what to do, but with you? It gave you a bit of a thrill. No man other than him could give you such an order and not receive a tongue-lashing in return.

About fifteen minutes later, you emerged adorably clad in your favourite pyjamas, nothing tight or constricting like your everyday wear—heels that pinched, no-nonsense hairstyles that pulled, and office-appropriate attire that threatened to suffocate. You took great pleasure in removing your bra from underneath your loose-fitting top and tossing it over Leo’s shoulder.

He caught it, of course, ninja master that he was and chuckled softly, “Good girl, now sit, I’ll bring your dinner.”

Your complexion reddened with the compliment. Damn him for dropping such a seemingly innocent comment to get you all flustered.

He presented you with a hot meal and a mixed drink of the alcoholic and fruity variety. The two of you ate quietly, and the drink was enough to help you feel a little more relaxed. After the good meal, you moved to the couch, and Leo took it upon himself to put on one of those competition cooking shows that you enjoyed.

-----

Mesmerized by the show, you didn’t notice Leo quietly cleaning up and then moving to sit directly behind you with his large hands on your shoulders.

“Let me help you relax.” It was whispered in your ear in such a way that it made you tingle all over, and all you could manage was a breathy “yes… I’d like that.”

You already knew your turtle in blue had ‘magic hands’. He and his brothers all had varying levels of skill when it came to massage. Being mutant turtles living underground, such a treatment was hard to come by, so naturally, they had to teach themselves to ease sore muscles and work knots out of their shoulders from all the strenuous activities of being ninjas.

You rolled your shoulders with a sigh as he got to work, starting with your upper back. You never had to worry about him pushing too hard into your skin with his fingertips. He was always gentle, but effective. The only discomfort you felt was him working the knots out of your tight muscles, but then he always soothed them with careful strokes of his open hand.

As he continued, you began to feel as though your tank top was a bit of a hindrance. You carefully slipped the thin straps off your shoulders, allowing them to hang halfway down your upper arms. You felt rather than heard him chuckle behind you. A sort of low rumble that conveyed more than just amusement.

He carefully slipped your arms out of the straps and lowered the fabric to just above your mid-back while still keeping your breasts covered. “Feel better?”

“Mmhmm…” You felt so relaxed already, it was amazing how easily he shooed away all feelings of anxiety and unrest.

Leo, ever the perceptive one, understood the assignment and began slicking his hands up with your favourite lotion.

The massage continued, his hands moving more smoothly over your skin now, rubbing, soothing, and working the muscles beneath. Acts of service while expecting nothing in return was one of Leo’s love languages. He was more than happy to make you feel good and let the massage be just a massage.

When he was finished with your back, he went to grab your favourite peppermint-scented foot cream and continue with your sore, aching feet.

You exhaled a moan of relief, feeling his fingers and thumbs on the pressure points in your sole.

“Those high heels you insist on wearing are doing your arches no favours,” he said, speaking low with your right foot in his hand.

“Mm… I know, but it’s what they expect…” It was true. You’d built this entire image of yourself: a professional, competent woman who demands respect, and the heels were an integral part of this ‘illusion’. If you were being completely honest with yourself, though, you hated them. You hated all shoes that squeezed, pinched and forced your feet into unnatural angles. It was akin to torture, almost, just on the cusp of it being more than you could handle at the end of a long day.

You heard him exhale softly, not quite in a way that told you he was exasperated, but one that spoke of his concern for your well-being. He was highly aware of how much you pushed yourself on a day-to-day basis and had mostly kept quiet about it. Tonight, however, he did have some wisdom to bestow upon you. He may not be fully human, but he knew a thing or two about overdoing it.

“Just because it’s what they expect doesn’t mean you are required to follow through with it. You do not have to conform to their standards. If anything, they should be conforming to yours.” He’d moved onto your other foot, giving you time to ponder his words.

He did have a point. Were you, or were you not the boss? You were securely settled in your position, with little chance anyone would bat an eye if you chose to wear flats instead of heels.

“I guess…but…” You weren’t quite sure you were ready to take that step—literally.

“Take it from someone who wears a mask, not just the one on my face. You can lead in any way you choose, but that is the bottom line. You are leading them, not the other way around.” He finished with your foot, then moved, the couch shifting beneath him as he helped you slip your arms back into the straps of your tank top.

You thought back to your earlier conversation with that insubordinate employee of yours and thought about how silly it was to argue with him. He was replaceable, and there were no requirements to keep him. It was no sweat off your back if he was reassigned or fired, even. It was in your power to do so. Maybe it was time for you to make some changes come Monday morning.

Leo lay back on the couch with you in his arms, his solid frame made more comfortable with throw pillows and blankets, and he was just the comfortable bed you needed.

He rubbed your back and kissed your forehead while murmuring, “I love you.”

“Love you too, Leo, thank you for taking such good care of me.” You settled in with a happy sigh.

He gave you a slight squeeze. “Always will, that’s my job as both your lover and your friend.”

You smiled, brimming with contentment, and you wished you’d had enough energy to give back as much as he’d given you, but sleep won out, and you were out like a light within five minutes of laying with him.

Leo stayed with you the entire weekend, patrols be damned. The city could wait as his priority was you and only you. By Sunday evening, you felt stronger and entirely determined to enact some changes in the workplace.

With flats on instead of heels, you’d walk in there with your head held high. Whether Andy had finished those reports or not, you were reassigning him anyway, and you had the perfect place for him in the mailroom. You could hardly wait to see the look on his face.

There may still be difficult days ahead, but you felt prepared, armed not only with your own inner strength but also Leonardo’s. His unwavering faith in you and constant support were everything you never realized you needed. With him in your corner, you felt capable of anything.

You were a Boss Babe, and tomorrow they were all about to see a brand new you.

You could hardly wait.

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Your friendship with the four terrapin heroes started nearly a year ago.

Originally, like many others, you were simply a fan of the mysterious mutants who called themselves ‘ninja turtles’. You’d never actually seen them, only blurry photos, and many believed they didn’t exist. A complete fabrication of hope, an urban legend like Bigfoot or the Mothman. You knew better, firm in your beliefs. To you, they were as real as the wind that ruffled your hair or the sun that warmed your skin and made you sprout a few more freckles than you’d like.

You were so firm in your beliefs that you launched a podcast in the spring, which highlighted their many feats and heroic deeds. And when the famed April O’Neil agreed to guest star on your podcast, you nearly fainted right then and there, narrowly avoiding dropping your phone as you read the email over and over.

You’ve seen all of her news reports. After the Krang attack, she’d named those responsible for saving the city: Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael. You’d give your right arm just to be in the same room as those four, and this might just be your chance.

To your absolute delight, and hers, the podcast episode went swimmingly, ending with you and April laughing and chatting as if you’d been friends for ages. It truly felt like you were kindred spirits, sharing the same outlooks and beliefs. You were unaware that April, as clever as she was, had a secret ulterior motive. When she asked if you’d like to meet up with some of her friends, your heart almost stopped. No, you couldn’t allow yourself to hope for that, as if it would actually be them.

Yet, you couldn’t help but feel a spark of hope when she suggested you go up to the rooftop with her, your heart pounding as you followed her up the stairs.

You heard them before you saw them, a mix of differing male voices, all conveying a range of emotions from apprehension to excitement.

“See?! I told you April would introduce us to her hot friends!”

“Shut up, Mikey!”

“Ya gonna scare her away, dingbat, shut it.”

“I’ve been listening to her podcast since May, she really knows her stuff, we’re well, we’re like her heroes.”

“Hopefully, she’s not too ‘starstruck’, it would be nice to have more humans treat us like normal people.”

“Guys, chill,” April had reached the top by then, with you in tow. “She can totally hear you.”

Finally, laying eyes on them, you tried not to fangirl over them too much, but holy hell, they were magnificent. Four large silhouettes illuminated by the city lights behind them. You were stunned, taking them all in as if they were the angels of salvation they seemed to be.

April introduced you to them with a subtle little grin on the corner of her lip. It was rare for her to do anything that didn’t serve some purpose for herself and them. This was no exception. She knew her boys were lonely.

As expected, you hit it off with all four of them. Laughing and joking around with Mikey, discussing science and nerding out with Donnie, having formal yet intellectual conversations with Leo, and talking textiles with Raph. You’d actually just started crocheting recently, and he’d had more than a few tips to offer.

They all wanted to see you again, and after some in-depth discussions with Leo, they agreed to be individual guests on the podcast. They had been interested in the possibility of living alongside humans and thus began the integration process.

It was a perfect, low-risk way to introduce them to the public one at a time. Listeners could call in to ask questions or leave comments. Raph’s interview, in particular, attracted many viewers with just his voice alone. You received more than a few comments asking him to say a few lines from one of the more popular romance novels.

You would declare those sessions a success, and the next step was to do a recorded interview with one of the news stations. April was already working on that.

Besides working together on the podcast, you started spending more time with them. Sometimes one-on-one with a brother, or all four together. As you got to know them and became friends, you realized just how special each one was. Each had unique qualities, and instead of gravitating toward just one, you wanted them all to receive equal attention.

 So, you did.

With Mikey, it was all about video games, cooking, baking, and making you laugh so hard you could barely breathe. His carefree, flirtatious nature was charming, and he always did his best to lift your spirits and make you smile. He loved his ‘pet names’ for you, too. At first, he was all over the place, calling you ‘babe’, ‘angelcakes’, ‘beautiful’. It was as if he needed to allow himself to believe that you were going to be a constant in his life before settling on the perfect nickname for you.

One day, he saw sunlight streaming through one of the grates above their home, bathing them in a radiant glow. From that moment, you became ‘Sunflower,’ feeling both humbled and pleased that you’d earned this special term of endearment.

His brothers followed suit. In fact, once the nickname stuck, the other three decided to come up with their own sun-themed nicknames. Raph called you ‘Sunny’ for the most part, switching to ‘Sunburn’ when you were playfully razzing him about something. Leo called you Sunshine, simple and with a tenderness that made you feel like melting. Donnie, of course, added a scientific twist to your nickname; sometimes it was ‘Sol’, Latin for ‘sun’, and other times it was ’Sunspot’. It was more nicknames than you could have hoped for, and you loved them.

Once Raph’s trust was earned, you were given an exclusive hall pass to discover a few of his lesser-known interests: his love for musicals and penchant for fruity mixed drinks, especially those that fizzed and tasted of strawberries. He was secretly a total sweetheart, leaving small surprises for you to find—tiny tokens of friendship like your favourite Starbucks order or a chocolate bar hidden where he knew you’d spot it. He also taught you self-defence and knitting, providing crochet patterns as well to expand your skills.

Leonardo took the longest to open up to you; he was very closed off and guarded at first. Overprotective didn’t even begin to cover it, but he trusted April’s judgment and very much wanted to give you a chance. It didn’t take too long, though. He had to admit, you did have a compelling way about you. With every joke you told, your cute laugh, and the way your eyes crinkled when you smiled. He found himself making excuses to be near you. Instead of in the dojo, his morning meditation had been moved to the spot where you liked to have your tea and read. He also completely took over brewing tea for you and saved his best blends for your visits.

While Raph was teaching you self-defence, he taught you meditation and tai chi. He showed you how to brew the perfect cup of tea, introduced you to all of his tea pets, and gave you the gift of peace when everything felt out of control. You admired his quiet appreciation for nature and all things Zen. Now you made a point of trying to be near him and meditate with him a few times a week. If it were up to him, it would be a daily occurrence.

Donatello was both shy and hopeful when you started coming around. At first, he’d convinced himself that you’d be completely uninterested in his projects and kept to himself during those first few weeks. Unfortunately, this approach left you confused and led you to believe that he didn’t like you.

When you confided in April about this, she quickly set you straight. Donnie just struggled a bit to express himself, but you owe it to yourself to try again with him. He was a sweet guy; he just needed a little encouragement, and she had the tools to help you draw him out of his shell… figuratively, of course.

The next time you found yourself in the lair, you were armed with confidence, fancy coffee and strawberry Pop-Tarts. Once the two of you started talking and you showed interest in one of his projects, he was fully and completely enraptured by you.

Little by little, you had built strong ties with all four of the brothers. What started as small sprouts of connection had grown into something that might have gone beyond friendship.

Like the shining yellow star that inspired your nicknames, a spark of hope had ignited. There was just one problem: you didn’t only have feelings for one of them, but for all of them, and this admission both intrigued and frightened you.

At the very least, you needed to sort out your feelings and determine whether one or all of them had feelings for you in return.

There was just one issue.

In mid-spring, about a year after you met them, they suddenly cut all contact with you; by all accounts, it made no sense at all. You felt both confused and heartbroken, desperate for answers. April was vague about the details; they just did this every year, and you shouldn’t worry. In about eight weeks, they’d be back as if nothing had changed. Eight weeks?! There was no way you could endure these feelings for eight weeks.

In your defense, April never told you not to go down there. But you needed to get to the bottom of this, and you didn’t want to wait two months to do it.

Before you could solidify this decision, fate decided to force your hand. While running an errand, your apartment, along with a few others, was broken into, and a bunch of your belongings were stolen or damaged. It wasn't anything with sentimental value, but electronics like your game systems and TV. Police were called, and you were advised to vacate your apartment for at least a week while the investigation and repairs took place.

While packing your bag, you realized you could stay with April, but there was only one place you wanted to go, and it was high time you paid a certain four turtles a visit.

----

The lair was eerily silent when you stepped through the doorway and set your bag down. Usually, it was a hive of activity with Mikey at his game station, Raph at the weights, Donnie typing away madly, and Leo training or relaxing with a book.

“Hello?” It was a hesitant call, because you half believed they might have really gone somewhere this time and wouldn’t be back for about forty-two days.

A flicker of movement caught your eye as you finally spotted one of them. Mikey had emerged from the bathroom holding a box of tissues in one hand and a bottle of lotion in the other.

He froze when he saw you, panic evident as he nearly dropped those two items, juggling them before catching them.

“S-Sunflower?! What are you doing here? Didn’t April tell you…?” You watched as he shuddered, inhaling deeply while tightening his grip on the items in his hands. “You need to go. Now.” His voice was a low, warning tone that had every one of your senses on alert.

This must be what prey feels like, yet you were unable to make your feet work properly.

“Mikey? What is going on? Why do I—"

The speed at which he reached you was inhuman. Something very strange was happening; this wasn't the Mikey you knew. No, he had gone on a vacation. This Mikey… was something completely different. He’d dropped both items and pressed you against one of the bricked-up walls surrounding the lair.

“Mikey…?” you sounded hesitant, scared even as you felt him lightly tap his fingers against your cheek and bury his nose in the crook of your neck. “What are you—”

He was rumbling, chuffing slightly as he rubbed his snout on your skin. A gasp escaped your lips as you felt his tongue dart out, tasting the salty sweetness there.

You heard him muttering, trying to press himself closer to you, while continuing to keep his mouth against your pulse point. “Shouldn’t be here… shouldn’t have you around right now… but you smell so good…”

If you weren’t so taken aback by whatever was going on here, you’d probably have considered this to be teasing, but Mikey clearly wasn’t himself. He was normally completely respectful, not… animalistic like… oh no.

He was kissing your neck now and pulling at the collar of your shirt to reveal more skin.

“Mikey, stop—wait.”

A deep growl startled both of you. Mikey lifted his head but stayed put, holding you tighter as if you were his catch of the day, and he was ready to fight tooth and nail for you.

“Let ‘er go…”

The voice was Raph’s, but it didn’t sound quite right, either, and when you craned your head to see around Mikeyyour only thought was holy shit. Raph looked positively feral. Being the biggest and strongest of his brothers, he looked downright terrifying right now.

“Back off, Raph! She’s mine… she’s already got my scent all over her.” Though Mikey was smaller, he showed not a single hint of fear as he challenged his brother for you, as if you were his prize. Your heart was pounding as you ran through the possibilities of what that meant, and who would be the victor.

With another menacing growl, Raph took a step closer, and Mikey snarled and hissed in response. His refusal to back down was causing you to panic. Shit, this was really happening. What if they killed one another?!

“Stop it, both of you.” Leo’s no-nonsense voice cut through the room like a blade before the sunset duo could begin their brawl. “Mikey, let her go. Now. She’s scared.”

Reluctantly, as if it pained him to do so, Mikey, seemingly regaining composure, finally released his grip on you. He sheepishly grabbed the bottle and the tissue box before stepping back cautiously. It was quite interesting, as he did so in a way that kept his shell turned away from Raph, intentionally showing he was not retreating in a submissive manner.

You released all the air in your lungs, finally, while looking accusingly at all three of them. “Somebody better tell me what the hell is going on. Right. Now.”

“I can help with that.” Donnie’s quiet voice piped up. You hadn’t seen him emerge, but he looked rough, all of them did, in fact. Completely wound up and exhausted-looking. You could see that even Leo’s shoulders were tense, and the muscles bunched uncomfortably.

“Spring is…mating season for turtles. It’s when we… well, we have the urge to mate, and we can get territorial and ‘grumpy’. Didn’t April tell you?”

No, she did not, and you were going to give her an earful the next time you talked to her!

“No… all she said was that you’d be back in less than two months, and I was worried; you all ghosted me.” It had hurt you, and you’d been worried and confused.

Your admission had them all looking a bit guilty.

“We didn’t know how to tell you.” Raph’s gravelly voice cut in. “Didn’t wanna scare ya considerin’…”

“Shh! Raph!” Mikey looked panicked, as if his brother had been about to reveal some kind of key information that had you intrigued.

“Stop it, both of you. We agreed that after the season would be best.” Leo said, silencing them both. “Sunshine, you'd better go. We can’t be entirely responsible for our actions at this time. Our baser instincts are…hard to ignore.”

All of the pieces were falling into place. Sex. They wanted it, needed it, and having you there, it was like dangling a piece of meat over a hungry lion—just out of reach.

“Oh…” was all you could manage while stumbling over your words. “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—I can go but…”

Leo looked visibly relieved, but pained; in fact, all of them did. You were beginning to realize that they wanted the choice to be them but refused to admit that.

You had more questions, you wanted to know more, to confess your feelings, but maybe now wasn’t the best time, not when they were in their current state of mind, but the fact remained, you had nowhere else to go.

“I… can’t. My apartment was broken into… I was hoping to stay here for a little while.”

 Four pairs of eyes widened, and a collective, “What?!” pierced the silence as they all started talking at once.

“Did they catch the guy?! I’m gonna kill him…”

“I told you I needed to set up some security there…”

“Omigosh, Sunflower, are you okay?!”

“Well, that settles it. You’re staying.”

 You were all staring at Leo now, the last one to speak and make this declaration.

“Whoa, wait, Leo, are you sure about this?!” Don’s voice had gotten all squeaky with worry, and there were similar expressions of uncertainty on his brother’s faces as well.

“We would need to set some ground rules, but yes. We will not be abandoning her in her time of need.” Leo said firmly.

“This is a bad idea, Leo…” Raph was extremely doubtful; he knew how strong the urge to mate could get. Already, he was having difficulty with you and your sweet scent being so close. Unfortunately, Mikey’s was there too, but he was confident he could erase that and replace it with his own.

“Raph, this is final, it’s just a week, we can keep to our rooms.” Leo was not budging on this, and he fixed his brother with a look and a slight growl.

Raph looked slightly cowed but crossed his arms stubbornly. No further protests were voiced.

Mikey just looked both nervous and excited at the same time.

“Hold on, I think I might have something that will help.” Donnie disappeared into his lab and returned with a small box in hand. “These are... tranq darts; piercing our skin with one of these is enough to knock us out for several hours, Sol.” He was speaking to you directly now. “I think you'd better sit down because if you’re staying with us, you’re going to need a quick lesson on turtle mating season 101.

“…Okay.” Already, you were getting a little nervous. What kinds of instincts would necessitate the use of tranquillizers on these guys?!

Donnie, at his word, delivered a quick, concise explanation of their mating season. Their baser urges were strong and hard to control but in no way would they put your safety and comfort at risk. To keep you safe, you were instructed to carry the tranqs, and they would work out a schedule to keep you from staying in the same room with any of them for too long.

This could work… could it? You weren’t so sure.

Your first night was quiet, and you lay in the spare bedroom with only your thoughts to occupy you.

Would it really be so bad to let yourself have a little fun? Stop that, they explicitly told you to stay away.

I bet they’re just jacking off non-stop.

What if they’re thinking about you when they’re doing that?!

Actually, that’s kind of hot…

You sat bolt upright in bed, red-faced and ashamed of yourself. You weren't going to take advantage of them while they were in this state! You could do this. You had to.

Your resolve lasted about two days.

-----

You summoned the four brothers to the kitchen as you nervously paced just beyond the long counter where the four stools sat empty.

They all looked perplexed as you tried your best to articulate your feelings.

“So, it’s like this…for a pretty long time now, I’ve had… feelings, and not just for one of you, you’re all really special in your own way, and I feel like I’m making your season worse by being here, and if you’re suffering right now because of me, then I wanted to… I want to help you with that.”

They gaped at you. Mikey looked absolutely elated at this prospect, while Raph scoffed audibly in disbelief.

“Sunny… you got any idea what you’re offering?”

“Yes, and I’m aware of where my offer might lead. I hope you know I am not trying to take advantage of the situation here. We can keep the current arrangement, I just wanted you to know.”

“You’re not…making it worse,” Leo spoke up. “Admittedly, your presence is… distracting.” He was attempting to be polite about it, but you knew better. “But we can manage, you don’t have to… offer yourself up like this. For your own safety, I think we’ll have to refuse.’

Donnie was next, his glasses seemingly flashing a little as he looked your way. “Logistically speaking, Leo, having a possible ‘mate’ might not be a bad thing, if she’s willing of course. The issue would be preventing us from fighting and performing displays of dominance to essentially… win her favour.”

“We could take turns.” Mikey shrugged, convinced the simplest solutions were the best. “And if one of us does something she doesn’t like, she can always jab us and be done with it.”

“If she has to jab any of us, then the whole deal is off, and she stays with April until her apartment is fixed,” Leo said evenly. “But, I believe first we need to make something clear before this goes any further.”

You waited, nearly holding your breath to see what they were about to say.

“Well, to put it simply…”

“We ain’t just sayin’ it cuz it’s the season.”

“Leo wanted us to wait to tell you, but—”

“We like you too!” Mikey finished.

“But I’m not sure if this is the best way to begin a relationship.” Leo fretted. “We’ve never had a woman around at this time…”

“Leo,” you calmly interjected. “I think Mikey’s right, we don’t need to overthink this, we can take turns, work out a schedule for the next four days and then at the end of your season, we can reassess whether a relationship with all four of you could work.”

“Kay… then, who’s first?” Mikey’s hopeful voice piped up, cutting right to the chase.

Leo didn't look convinced; frowning, he kindly asked you to return to the spare bedroom so they could talk amongst themselves. You complied easily, though you might have been second-guessing your suggestion. Perhaps it was wrong of you to ask and burden them with this.

“Why are we even talking about this, Leo? If she’s DTF, who are we to stop her?”

“We might not be at each other’s throats at much if we are getting our needs satisfied by an actual woman.”

“She was into it, bro, she wouldn’t have suggested it otherwise.”

“I think you’re all forgetting about the fact that this is our friend, not just some random woman offering to help us satisfy ourselves.”

The other three were quiet but determined, a brief moment of clarity in the haze of their lust-addled brains.

“We know that, Leo. We were all just discussing what a possible relationship with her might look like. Ain’t just any girl who would willingly hang out with us.

“And technically, we’ve gotten very close with her already. She’s found a fair reason to move things along to the next step. It just happens to be during the season.”

“Well, I dunno about you guys, but I love her, I’d never do anything to hurt her. This is why I should be first.” Mikey declared proudly.

Leo just uttered a deep, long-suffering sigh. “We all have strong feelings for her, but I want to make things perfectly clear: if any one of us does hurt her, accidentally or not, we could lose her forever. Are we all willing to take that risk?”

 Raph simply shrugged his shoulders. “Yeah, cuz something like this ain’t gonna come around again for as long as I live, and I’m not gonna give up this chance. She’s special.”

“She’s got the tranquillizers, and she’s in a clear state of mind. Really, it’s up to us, and I’m good with it. I propose twenty-four hours each, and on the fifth day, we reassess the findings.”

“She ain’t an experiment, Don, what the hell are we gonna assess? How many times we made her cum or somethin’?”

“A whole twenty-four hours, shit, man, that sounds totally awesome! Please, Leo, please?”

A long moment passed before he finally acquiesced, “Very well, but we’re drawing straws to decide the order first. No arguments, fights, or displays of dominance. We stay in our bedrooms as much as we can when it isn’t our turn. Is that understood?”

The only times they’d need to leave were to eat, and with a schedule worked out, it was unlikely you’d run into each other; luckily, all four had their own bathrooms. You had free rein; it was unfair to think you wouldn’t, since you were willingly putting yourself in the situation. Still, the worst that could happen was they got grumpy and territorial if they crossed paths.

 Later, you’d reconvened in the kitchen again and carefully laid out the terms of the agreement and everything it entailed. You agreed, the straws were drawn, and the results displayed.

“Hell yeah!” Mike crowed, delightedly clutching the longest straw.

Chapter 2

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