Chapter Text
Raph wasn't nosey. It wasn't his thing: that was more something Donnie would have done, if truly in need of some sort of distraction, or that Mikey would, with no other reason but an impulse control problem. But being nosey wasn't Raph's matter, no sir.
This, well, until he didn't see Leo writing on a small notebook something with some sort of lovey eyes: he kept his mind on those words until he got interrupted by Master Splinter, who called him from the Dojo and that made their Fearless Leader forget on the kitchen table the little notebook with the pen between the last written pages. And well, sibling blackmailing is a matter that doesn't concern your nosey ability.
He made himself sure no Leo was gonna be around soon; then, he permitted himself to give a quick look to the notebook. It was blue - obviously -, with some Space Heroes stickers on the front page and Leo's name written on in the middle of it, followed by a "please please PLEASE mind your own businesses!". With this preamble, Raph was even more decided to read it from the first to the last page. What secret was Leonardo keeping so gelously? Did it have something to do with his too-frequent solo patrols every day or so?
It had been some strange weeks, in the previous nine months or so. It had started with a solo patrol every two weeks, until it evolved in five per week. The ones during the weekend were the longest: Leonardo disappeared for hours and came back happier than ever - and when you got out from your place to kick some butts and you come back, maybe kicked too, you're not that happy. And whenever he or Donnie insisted on coming with him after a rough day, he kept making up excuses to avoid the company. So, Raph couldn't exactly be blamed for being curious about whatever had busied his brother in the past months, even if it was something good: Leonardo wasn't exactly known as the best one at assure his own well-being.
So, when the other two brothers showed up at the kitchen's doorstep, he didn't put the notebook down. "Dude, what are you doin' here?" Mikey asked. "Think I just found Leo's diary, guys". Donnie made an interested look. "Peeking in someone's personal diary is rude, Raphael", "Yup!", the genius and the youngest said. Then they basically attached to his shell to look over his shoulder the content by themselves. "Well, no one said you should stop" Donnie insisted. "Yeah, go on!" Mikey added. Raph took a deep breath before turning the front.
"Are these... unsent letters?" Donnie pointed out, kind of confused, after the first page was opened in front of their eyes. The turtle wasn't exactly wrong, though. Even if the receiver's name wasn't written, the writer was obviously talking to someone else, and in the end there was written "yours, Leo". Every page of it followed this scheme, but never once a name was revealed, apart from their brother's one. "They're love letters!" Mikey exclaimed. He wasn't wrong either. The first 'letters' were sort of modest, kind of ashamed to be put on paper, but then they got sweeter and sweeter. Raph almost feared to get diabetes, reading those things. "Didn't know he was capable of this emotional intelligence" the purple one muttered without sarcasm - that concerned Raph. How stupid did Donnie think they were?!
Raph decided to ignore his younger brother to focus on the words - because he was smart, thank you so much. Apparently, the first letter was dated about six months before; in the last ones Leo kind of got bold with terms, and so did his relationship to the Unknown, because there were dreamy reports of dates starting about four months before. "Leo has a girlfriend!" Mikey tried to murmur, almost failing. It was then that they heard the Dojo's door close again and with all the furtivity they were capable to, they put the notebook back to his place and ran away from the kitchen.
In his room, Raph started pacing like he was getting ready for a marathon. What had been going on under his nose?! Oh, Raph remembered how crushes used to play tricks on his brother: and now, a whole girlfriend out of nowhere? Who could assure Raph she wasn't some idiot using his big brother? Who could ensure Leo's heart wouldn't end up broken? Now, Raph trusted Karai; after all, she had been behaving good with everyone, but the hot-headed turtle remembered way too well how she used to flirt and trick on Leo for her purpuses.
A heavy feeling grew up in the turtle's chest, and threatened to turn his guts upside down: why did Leo hide this whole person to them? Did he not trust them? Does he not trust me? But who would be caring for his big brother if not him? Leo watched up for the three of them like the mother they didn't have; as second oldest, it was Raph duty to protect him when he was too selfless to do so, even if some days it seemed as he couldn't care less of the other. But how could he do so if Leo didn't tell him things as huge as this one?
Standing freezed in the middle of the bedroom, Raph decided that his nosey skills had to wake up again for a bit.