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New York City is a great town, but it is fuckin’ freezin’ come wintertime!
Every year it’s the same damn thing… Mikey asks if we can get a fireplace and Donnie has ta explain no we can’t have a fuckin’ fireplace! Then they got together and he started ta try and bribe him that if we get a fireplace, they can stay double warm fuckin’ in front of it.
I love my baby brother but he’s a moron sometimes. Ain’t nobody tryin’ ta see all that!
Master Splinter ain’t getting’ any younger so even though he’s a tough ol’ guy, he gets cold so the first space heater we ever got went straight ta him. I’m sure it goes along good with his little stash, don’t think I don’t know he’s drinkin’ more than just hot tea in his room! Well, I didn’t know fer sure but I kinda suspected. Then Leo and I got together and he admitted when he makes Dad’s evenin’ drinks they have a little extra warmth ta ‘em. Guess he didn’t mind Leo knowin’ since he’s the least likely ta get curious and grab anythin’ especially without askin’. Hell I would and I know Mike would, only he’d drag Don with him ‘cause the kid ain’t gettin’ in trouble alone. Besides, Donnie gets in the least amount of trouble so he gets off easy the few times he does and even then, it’s usually when all of us are in trouble.
‘Cause Leo, he’s a goody-two-shoes and all but despite his control it don’t take much fer me ta take him down fightin’ enough that we both get yelled at. I know I’m an ass fer it but seein’ him get all flustered when he’s bein’ reprimanded is worth it. Especially now since sometimes he’s worked up fer angry sex and damn if he ain’t double mad at me fer gettin’ us in trouble and himself fer rewardin’ me doin’ it!
He don’t like ta admit ta weaknesses and it’s why I started teasin’ and callin’ him Fearless. But the one thing he will complain about is bein’ cold. Could probably hibernate in a sauna and we’d still hear him whine about he’s fuckin’ freezin’…
Anyway… one day April comes over wearin’ a hockey sweater. Like it’s obviously not hers, ain’t her size or style or nothin’. I don’t get it since I’ve seen her place, she got more clothes than my entire family put together! But she’s all smiles and Casey is grinnin’ like an idiot. Guess it’s some human thing, girls be wearin’ their boyfriend’s hoodies or whatever.
Then I overheard Donnie mutter it may be an unconscious part of their matin’ ritual wearin’ the other’s clothes ‘cause it smells like them and that got me ta thinkin’… like I wouldn’t be wearin’ my bros clothes but then again we mainly just wear pants and that’s weird. Besides, ain’t like there’s a fashion line in size mutant turtle. But shit, I can knit. How hard could it be, makin’ a sweater that would fit us? Time consumin’ yeah and I’d need a hell a lotta yarn, not the cheap stuff either but somethin’ that would be warm and comfortable while still not catchin’ on our scales.
Well it’s fuckin’ hard! Like I guess the average time is at least forty hours and that’s fer human sizes, probably people who know what they’re doin’ too. Or at least don’t have ta make adjustments fer a shell. I worked on that thing whenever we were watchin’ TV or sometimes when we were playin’ games while I was waitin’ fer my turn, and of course it’s what I usually do when Leo is meditatin’ since he considers it my own form of meditation. Some nights when he’s readin’ before bed I’d pull it out and fer some reason sometimes he’d start readin’ out loud like we were kids again, but it was kinda nice actually. I dunno, it felt weird at first like why is my big bro readin’ ta me like I need a bed time story but I guess sometimes things get a little too quiet even fer him.
I finally finish the thing ta where it actually fits real nice. I’m bigger than Leo but, hey, so is Casey ta April and she looked happy. Ain’t callin’ Leo a girl or nothin’ but I’m just sayin’ maybe a little larger than he needs might make it warmer. I don’t wanna wear it since it ain’t mine ta stretch out and also, I don’t get cold like the others do. Don says it’s ‘cause I work out so much. I dunno, Leo exercises a lot—he just works on his form more than his muscles. But maybe that’s what he meant. Either way, works out fer us… He likes my size and I like the way he looks!
It fits on me so it should be cozy enough fer him. So I keep it with the rest of my clothes and any time I’m not sleepin’ with Leo, I bring it out ta sleep on. Just, ya know, makin’ sure it smells like me. ‘Cause damn if it works fer humans it sure as hell should fer us since we thrive off each other’s scents. I tell Leo I prefer us in my room since my bed is more comfortable given my size but he probably knows I’m lying, I just like when he’s not there and I can still smell him. I know it’s the same fer him, he’s just less obvious about it. Caught him once with one of my masks, he said I must have forgotten it in his room but I would remember that ‘cause his room is so neat and tidy it’d be obvious if anythin’ is outta place. Pretty sure he just kept it around fer the same reason I like keepin’ him in my room.
Then the question was… how do I give it ta him without makin’ it weird?
If I was thinkin’ ahead I would have knitted him a blue one and said it was a gift, but I was too busy thinkin’ it was my sweater to give him ta be all cozy in so I made it red. I’d never admit it ta any of my brothers but yeah, sometimes I can be a real meathead. Now it didn’t make sense ‘cause I don’t even need ta wear a sweater!
After about a week Leo asked me about it. Guess he was kinda hurt I’d spent so long on a project and didn’t show him the finished product. Hadn’t thought about it that way. So I pull it outta my drawer and show ‘im only fer that dork ta ask me if it fit. No, dumbass, I spent all that time on it makin’ it too small!
So I put it on and he reaches over ta drag me ta the bed, just starts cuddlin’ sayin’ how nice it feels. Sap.
But hey I take the opportunity and ask him if he wants ta try it on, sayin’ if he likes it I can make him one. I get good ideas too!
Well Leo looks at me all excited like I just offered ta blow ‘im and I’m like, well damn. So I peel it off (and none too soon, I was startin’ ta burn up already) and he darn near burrows in it.
Lemme tell ya about Leonardo… he is a pretentious, overachieving diva.
But damn… he’s fine as hell!
All that perfectionism pays off in his figure, the form of his body as good as the form of all the katas he obsessively practices until he excels.
But right in that moment, his eyes are lookin’ up at me and I never realized how well blue goes with red. Ya think I’d know better but that red sweater seemed ta make his blue eyes light up and I just couldn’t get over how… pretty he looked. Er, maybe cute is a better word. I ain’t tryin’ ta make him seem like a girl. And he was cute, this huge turtle lookin’ smaller because he’s wearin’ somethin’ too large.
Even better, he’s lookin’ cute because he’s wearin’ somethin’ of mine. I smirk and before I could say anythin’ he beats me ta the punch…
“Hey, Raph… can I have this? Do you mind? I know you worked really hard on it so I understand if you want to keep it.” I try ta act like I gotta think about it a moment.
“Eh, sure, Leo. If ya really want it. Kinda too hot fer me anyway. It’s all yers!” Again his eyes light up like a Christmas tree and I noticed him cling to it a little tighter. “Ya really like it? Think it’ll keep ya warm?”
“Absolutely! It even smells like you… this has to be the most cozy sweater ever,” he sighed as he rested his head on my shoulder.
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