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Chapter Text

Galileo's POV

I look up, seeing the Full Moon illuminating the small lake in front of me. For vampires, Full Moon nights are unlucky nights and that's why we shouldn't go out during them. I'm not that superstitious, but I know that on Full Moon nights, Werewolves are more ferocious, while witches take advantage of it to cast their spells and this is usually a danger for vampires like me. But I couldn't stay at home, it's like something was drawing me out of the house, and my mother always told me to follow my instincts. Sigh, she died when I was 6,000 years old, it may have been 10,000 years since her death, but I still miss her. I can remember how it all happened, we lived in Portugal, it was a moonless night and we walked around the square because I wanted to see the stars. That's when the Hunters appeared, they threw darts at us, and when I woke up, we were in a cell. The whole place was lit by the sun. During the day, my mother would stay over me to protect me from the sun. At night, she would try to find a way to get out. But the more time passed, the weaker she became from being exposed to the sun and because she refused to eat, leaving me alone to eat. That was when the hunters came back. They were going to kill us, but my mother gathered her last strength to let out a scream that was so powerful that some of the hunters died. I can remember being in my mother's lap, her protecting me from the sun while she killed any hunters who appeared. And in the vampire territory of Lisbon, a place where hunters did not go, my mother fell to the ground. I remember her hugging me tightly with her last breaths and dying because of the sun and lack of food. After 3 hours, my father found us. His scream of pain was the worst thing I heard.

My father, who is the Vampire King, became very paranoid and then said that he would not allow me or my younger brother to go out without guards. In other words, he'll be furious to know that I left home, especially during the full moon, but I needed some time. Because I feel like I'm not living, my father says it's normal, that every vampire feels that way until they find their soul mate. And I still haven't found mine, which irritates me, since my younger brother is 14,000 years old and has already found his mate! But everything has always been fast for Duff, after all, that's his ability. All vampires have basic abilities, such as agility, superhuman strength, heightened senses, mind control and night vision. But each vampire has a unique ability, my mother's was her powerful scream, my father can camouflage himself and my brother is the fastest vampire I've ever met. And I can transform into animals, I'm the only vampire to have this ability since Dracula, who is actually my ancestor.

Being a vampire is interesting, we live all over the world, we have several territories. And if you enter our territory, you may end up being fed or killed, but there are rules: Do not kill the human you are feeding on, Do not go out in the sun without taking the Protective Potion, Erase the victims' memories and when feeding only use the upper fangs. Vampires have two pairs of fangs, one on top and one on the bottom, we use the upper ones to feed ourselves and if we use the lower ones we can turn living beings into vampires. And I feel the wind change, the hunter's scent reaches me, I jump from the bench and am almost hit by an arrow. And I allow my body to change, soon I am a bat, I fly as fast as I can and I hear one of the hunters scream.

- CUT THEIR WINGS!

This only gives me strength to go faster, but then I feel a ball of wire being thrown at me, I manage to dodge it a little. It hits my back and makes me fall to the ground, with some effort I manage to get it off my back, but I smell blood and I know I'm very hurt. I try to fly or return to my normal form, but I can't, it means I'm so hurt that I have no strength. And I hear the hunters approaching, I look around until I see a manhole, I hate that this is my only way out. But with some effort I throw myself into the manhole, at that moment the water surrounds me and starts to take me somewhere, I struggle to keep my head out of the water in an attempt to keep breathing. It was then that I felt two hands around me pulling me out of the water, I'm about to bite at the same time vocalizing my irritation. But then, I saw the most beautiful creature I had ever seen in my entire life, it was a female giant tortoise who was looking at me smiling. Her green skin was shiny and beautiful, looking so soft. While her eyes were blue, bright like freshly cut sapphires, and the smell of her blood was intoxicating. That's why, instead of moving away, I cuddled closer to her hands and listened to her say:

- It looks like you're very hurt, your back is bleeding and your wing looks like it needs some rest, but don't worry, I'll take care of you

I noticed how sweet her voice was, but at the same time it sounded hoarse, as if she had strained her vocal cords too much. I noticed that she was short, about 1.53 meters tall, I couldn't help but think about what it would be like to have her in my lap and hug her. Carefully, she began to wrap me in a blue cloth, then brought me closer to her plastron, I felt her body warm and comfortable. I let out small vocalizations, which make her smile, while I run her finger over my head and she soon began to walk through the sewers. It is obvious to me that she knows this place, I think she lives here in the sewers. Which actually makes me really sad, a turtle as beautiful as her should not live in a place like this. It was then that we entered a place that looked like a house to me, I noticed how her body tensed up, while she looked around. Until I smelled rats, then a giant rat appeared in front of us, and this beautiful turtle said.

- Sensei, I know I shouldn't go out without my brothers, but I needed to get some air and I ended up finding this injured bat. And... - I let out a vocalization of fright, when I see the damn rat hit my Turtle in the face, and she does nothing. She simply holds me closer to her plastron, while I feel her hands trembling, while I simply want to kill that rat! If I could go back to my normal form, I would dry him out until he turned into a raisin, and he says.

- Leonardo, what did I tell you about using that voice!? You're a male, so act like one, use your deep voice and stop saving animals from the sewers! Start acting more like your brothers, or will we have to go back to having lessons on being a man?! - This turtle is a female, but this rat is forcing her to pretend to be a male!? That doesn't make any sense, my turtle should have the right to be whatever she wants, and the Turtle says.

- I'm sorry, Sensei, I'll keep my deep voice as you instructed and I swear I don't need any more lessons on being a man

I can even hear the fear in my turtle's voice, his voice was deep, but from what I saw in his eyes it caused him great pain and that greatly increases my desire to kill that rat. I don't know what lessons on being a man mean, but I know that this is not a good thing, by the way my turtle trembles. She soon starts walking with her head down and with quick steps, as if she can't stand being there, and I start to vocalize. What makes her smile, passing the fact through my head, all vampires can vocalize is a form of communication on a different frequency. And I'm trying to convey to my Turtle that I'm here and worried about her, even though I know she doesn't understand, that's when we enter a room. It was a little dark, there was a single lamp, along with a bed with blue sheets and a closet. And I see a handkerchief, it has a very beautiful embroidery and it says "Lavinia", I think that's her name and that the name "Leonardo" was forced on her. That's when I hear Lavinia say.

- I'm sorry you had to see that, that was my father and I have 3 younger brothers. Our father bought us from a pet shop when he was human and we were normal turtles, then we were infected by a product called Mutagen and we became humanoid turtles and he was a giant rat. Now, show me your back

Carefully, I turn around showing my back, soon I feel Lavinia's delicate hands on me. She cleans my wounds, removing any bacteria and dirt, I admit that it stings a little. But the presence of my turtle makes me calm, I don't even feel pain when she starts to stitch the wounds on my back. And I feel her fingers caressing my head, which makes me vocalize sounds of happiness, it's been a long time since I was treated with so much affection. It's very different from the way my father and my brother treat me, Lavinia is simply perfect, and I don't want to be away from her. And I no longer feel her warmth, it was then that she finished and smiled at me, but I noticed scratches on her face and I vocalized by placing my little bat hand under her skin. Lavinia seemed surprised and said:

- Don't worry about it, it turns out that when our father bought us, he thought we were all males. And when he realized I was female, he got angry, because he only wanted males, because having a female would be like replacing his deceased daughter and all I can do is pretend to be male. So, I will be strong to protect my brothers, I will not distract my brothers with my femininity or cause pain to my Sensei. As much as it hurts, I think this is my life, now let's find out what kind of bat you are or I won't be able to feed you

She gives a sweet smile, as if she wasn't going through the worst pain in the world, which was being forced to be someone she's not. But I see her pick up an encyclopedia that says “Animals of the World” on the cover. I think Lavinia likes animals. She sits on the bed while I walk over to her, climbing on her shoulder and rubbing my head against hers. This seems to surprise her, but she just keeps reading the book, in the bat section. I know that when I'm in this form, I look like a Vampire Bat, so I know it shouldn't be hard for Lavinia to find me in the book. And she says:

- It says here that you're a Vampire Bat, so you need blood to live, but where am I going to get blood? I can't save you, just so you die of hunger later

I realize she's thinking, a part of my mind wants to give me some sign that she can give me her blood. Mainly because her blood smells so sweet and attractive, all I want is to put my fangs in her vein so I can smell her blood. Most of the time, I don't care about getting permission to take my victim's blood, I usually just take their blood and then erase their memory of what happened. But Lavinia is different, she makes my heart beat faster, at the same time that a heat seems to spread through my body. I want her to offer me her blood, I don't want to manipulate her into giving me her blood, or take her strength. Lavinia is different, so I snuggle up to her in an attempt to feel more of her scent and pass my scent on to her. Because that way, any vampire who sees her will realize that she can't be eaten or killed if she enters our territory. It was then that she sighed and said.

- Okay, I know what I have to do, usually the blood has to be from a bird or a mammal. But I'm half mammal because of Sensei, so there shouldn't be any problem with you taking my blood and I'm big so you won't have to take much of my blood. You can take it, I don't mind

Carefully, she removes the band from her wrist, while I walk down her body to her wrist. And I look at her, wanting to make sure she wants me to do this, but Lavinia smiles at me and confirms, giving me permission. Slowly, I open my fangs from above and dig into the vein in Lavinia's wrist, I feel her body tense up. But I start to give her good and relaxing sensations, through my bite, soon I feel her body relax and her eyes close. And I concentrate on drinking her blood, all I can think is that this is the best blood I've ever had in my entire life. He is so sweet, and at the same time he seems to cloud my mind, I think I could spend the rest of my eternal life drinking his blood. But I force myself to pull away, but I place small licks on the two holes in Lavinia's wrist, this makes them heal completely. And I go back to snuggling into Lavinia's plastron, feeling her warmth, and she opens her eyes, and says.

- I'm glad you've eaten, besides, I don't feel tired and that must be a good sign. Besides, you can't even see the holes in my wrist, so no one will realize that my blood is your food and now, what am I going to call you?

She looks into my eyes, while I do the same with her, I could control her mind and force her to take me to my house. But I don't want to be away from her, from her warmth, her blood and that simply sweet smile. I think I can stay here until I recover, I just have to find a way to warn my family, before my father decides to destroy the whole of New York in an attempt to find me. Besides, I can't leave Lavinia here, especially with that damn rat hurting her like that. I feel like hitting him, but then I hear Lavinia's sweet voice say.

- Well, I know it sounds silly, but I'm going to call you Vamp. It seems to suit you, and besides, it's nice to have a companion who knows I'm a female. Now, I think we should go to sleep, where do you want to be?

She turns around, while I snuggle into her arm, I've never felt so good.

Chapter Text

POV Leonardo/Lavinia

I open my eyes, I don't even have to look at the clock to make sure it's time to wake up. Carefully, I get up, look at the Vamp who slept the whole time on my arm. What I think is really sweet in my opinion, I don't hesitate to run my finger over his head, he opens his eyes and I notice that his red ones. At the same time they seem to show great intelligence, I leave him under my bed, but I notice how his eyes follow me and that's so good. Mainly because, for the first time, someone knows the truth about me, even if it's just a bat. My eyes go to my mirror, looking at it is so painful, because I keep imagining what it would be like if my head wasn't shaved every week by Sensei. If my black hair could grow, if I didn't have to hide my thin, sweet voice, in a reality where I didn't have to act as if I were male like my brothers. And sometimes, when I look in the mirror, I think about what it would be like to wear make-up or even a Komon, which is a kind of casual kimono. But thinking about it won't help, it won't change my reality. Sensei has already told me that I need to be macho, he's given me many lessons on how to be macho and just thinking about it makes my body tense up. In some of these classes, he forces me to watch videos of men working out, fighting and even having sex with women. Other times, he asks me questions about how a man would act, and if I get it wrong, he punishes me by hitting me or cutting my skin with his claws. I know he's only trying to help me, because if I show everyone that I'm a female, I'll distract my brothers and put everyone at risk.

And one thing I refuse to do is put my brothers in danger, I love them with all my heart. Even if Rapha doesn't like me, I know he hates me, I can see it in his eyes and he always shows it by refusing to follow my orders. I remember how close we were when we were little, wherever Rapha was, I'd go after him, because I felt safe around him and when Sensei gave me lessons, I'd run to hide in Rapha's room. But Sensei didn't like that, he told me I was seducing my own brother, he got so angry that he wouldn't let me eat for five days and I had to apologize to my brothers. After that, I distanced myself from Rapha and stayed focused on learning to be macho, but I admit that I miss him a lot, but I don't want to seduce him, even though I've always thought of him as my brother or never in a romantic way. Only I know that Sensei must be right, after all, he's always right. This makes me think of Donnie, he's amazing, I'm always surprised to see how intelligent he is, but I always have to wake him up to go to sleep or he ends up sleeping in the lab, which isn't healthy. And then there's Mikey, he's a sweetheart and I don't mind tasting his food, even if it's very disgusting sometimes, and I always try to protect him as much as possible, which isn't always easy.

That's when I feel a touch on my hand, I'm happy to see that it's Vamp, he looks at me worriedly. And that's lovely, I carefully show him my wrist. And I'm happy to see that he understands and starts to feed, just like yesterday, I can feel my mind being surrounded by a fog and I can almost see a beautiful man in front of me offering me his hand. But soon everything falls apart, I open my eyes, which I hadn't even noticed were closed, and I see that there's no mark on my wrist. And I say to him, forcing my voice to become thick.

- Now, I have to go and eat, if you want you can come with me or stay here in my room where it's safe. Rapha doesn't like the animals I bring, in fact, Sensei doesn't like them either and I always have to return them to the sewer - The Vamp looks at me strangely, as if he's sad because of me, I'm surprised when he starts climbing on my shoulder and I'm glad he's coming with me. Then I hear Donnie shout.

- Leo! Mikey's made pancakes, come quick, or Rapha won't leave any for you! - I feel disgusted at being called Leo, but there's nothing I can do about it, so I leave my room and head for the kitchen. I can hear my brothers' laughter, which brings a smile to my lips, as I enter Miley says.

- Don't move, Leo! There's a bat on your shoulder, but don't worry, I'll get rid of it and save you! - Mikey throws a fork in Vamp's direction, but I quickly deflect it. At the same time, I notice that Vamp is looking irritated at Mikey. He looked ready to throw another fork, and I said with pain in my throat.

- Mikey, this is Vamp, I rescued him from the sewer and he looked hurt, so he's going to stay with us until he's fully recovered - Obviously, I'm not going to tell them that he's a Vampire Bat, who happens to be feeding on my blood. And I notice Rapha rolling his eyes, he never liked me bringing animals, and he says.

- Why do you keep bringing these pests? Sensei already said it's not safe, besides you shouldn't get so attached to them, you're like a girl -- Immediately, I look around, because Sensei can't hear that. If he thinks my brothers have found out I'm a female, it would be a disaster, I remember what he did to me the last time they said something like that. That's when I'm snapped out of my thoughts by Donnie's worried voice saying.

- Rapha, are you all right? I know you like pancakes, but you don't have to stick your face straight into them - Donnie and Mikey start laughing, while I smile when I see Rapha's dirty face and how annoyed he looks. I don't know what happened, or why he did it, but I don't think I should worry about it. And Rapha says.

- Stop laughing! I think I've had a kind of fainting spell, one minute I'm complaining about the fearless, and the next I'm face down in pancakes! - I crack a smile, because that's a horrible explanation, look at Vamp who has a strange look on his face and glares at Rapha. I don't think they like each other very much, and Mikey says.

- I like Vamp, he's kind of cute, plus Rapha has Spike, Donnie has his robots and I have my kitchen, I think Leo deserves to be with Vamp - I smile, because I really want to be with Vamp, but I know I can't be with him forever. Mainly because Sensei would get really annoyed with me, and I don't want to keep fighting with Rapha either," I say with effort.

- Thanks, Mikey, but Vamp won't be staying with us permanently. He's only here until he recovers from his injuries, then I'll find somewhere safe to release him, as he probably has a family worried about him

Carefully, I put Vamp under the counter, he looks suspiciously at my brothers and I start eating. Mikey's food is great today, I can cook too, but Sensei forbade me to do it. He said it's too feminine and I was a male, so I can't do it, and that's why he lied to everyone that I can't even heat hot water. And that for safety reasons, I shouldn't cook, but sometimes I still watch cooking shows or read recipe books, without anyone knowing obviously. It was then that Vamp let out a vocalization, it was obvious that his vocalization showed that he was angry, I see that it's Sensei and that makes me look away. While Vamp climbs back onto my shoulders, at the same time looking at Sensei angrily, Vamp must have seen Sensei hit me and now thinks Sensei is a threat. Which isn't true, Sensei isn't a threat, he just wants the best for our family. And Sensei says.

- I'm glad you're all awake tonight, you have to catch Snakeweed. He's still running rampant through the city, this can't go on like this and Leonardo, come with me and leave your pet - I can feel my body tensing up, partly because I don't want to leave Vamp, and partly because I'm sure I'll be punished somehow. So I leave Vamp on the bench, while I see Rapha's annoyed look, he hates me because he thinks I'm preferred and that hurts. And we arrive at the dojo, I say to my Sensei.

- Is everything all right, Sensei? Haven't I done anything wrong? - My throat burned and stung, every time I spoke I felt a pain and a burning coming from my vocal cords. But that doesn't mean I can speak normally, it just means I have to work harder to thicken my voice, and Sensei says.

- I want you to get rid of that bat, and stop bringing animals! Even your brother has noticed that you're acting like a girl, imagine if they knew you were a female! Would that distract them, or do you need me to show you again what happens when you're a female? - I close my eyes as he approaches me, I can feel his hand squeezing my waist and moving down my body. I feel like throwing up, it happened once when I was 12, I argued with him saying I didn't want to be a male and he showed me what happens when you're a female. And I said.

- No, Sensei, I don't need you to show me how to be a female. I'm going to try harder to be a male, and I'm going to take the Vamp somewhere else, and not bring any other animal - I bite my lip, in an attempt to cry, especially when I feel Sensei's hands inside my shell and approaching my intimacy. But I let out a sigh of relief when he pulls away from me and says.

- Leonardo, I know you think what I do is wrong, but everything I do is to protect this family. And for this family to be safe, it's essential that you're a male, or you could end up distracting your brothers, or even seducing one of them. And know that I take no pleasure in hurting you, or in showing you what happens if you become a female - And I look away, not wanting to look at Sensei, while I feel an overwhelming sense of disgust and I say.

- I know, Sensei, so I'm going to try harder to be Leonardo

Soon afterwards, Sensei leaves me alone in the disgusting place, and for the first time in a long time, I allow myself to cry. But it's a completely silent cry, I try my best to avoid making a sound, because that could make my brothers ask questions or I could be punished by Sensei. All I can feel is anger mixed with a deep sadness, anger because this is my life and nothing can change that, and sadness because I'll never be the son my father wants me to be. At the same time, I can remember three years ago, screaming at my Sensei that I didn't want to be Leonardo and that I was Lavinia. I can remember him attacking me, putting a cloth over my mouth and tying my hands, him telling me that he was going to show me what it meant to be a female. And I feel the tears falling, as I remember him on top of me, his penis erect and I remember trying to scream. Of feeling the floor of the dojo, while I felt the weight of my Sensei on top of me, of him saying that he didn't enjoy doing this and that he just needed to show me what it meant to be a female. I could feel an overwhelming urge to vomit as I remembered him inside me, his claws clawing me and pinning me to the floor. I closed my eyes, hoping it would end, and when it did I felt him cumming in me, only to open my eyes again when he grabbed my face and forced some medicine into my mouth. At the time I didn't know what it was, but later I found out that it was to stop me getting pregnant, but I jumped with fright when I felt something touch my hand. I look down and see Vamp looking at me and I say, forcing my throat as much as possible and smiling, with tears streaming from my eyes. 

- It's okay, Vamp, I'll be fine. I just need to show my Sensei that I'm a male turtle, then he'll never have to punish me again or show me what it means to be a female - The more words come out of my mouth, the more tears flow from my eyes, the more sobs tear from my throat. It was then that the Vamp looked around and I was startled to notice his body change. Soon, he wasn't a bat, but a man, the same one I saw, and he said

- Stay calm, Lavinia, I'm Galileo and a vampire, you don't have to be afraid of me. I won't hurt you, I overheard your conversation with that disgusting rat, and know that you're perfect, Lavinia, my flower - I looked at Galileo, he had brown hair that was as dark as the earth, his eyes were a beautiful red and his skin was as pale as moonlight. He put his hand on my cheek, and by instinct, I pulled away and said in my girlish voice, because I couldn't force my throat any more.

- Do vampires exist? Of course they exist, I'm a Giant Tortoise, if I exist it's obvious that Vampires must exist. And Sensei is just trying to take care of us, besides I'm far from perfect, I have to be Leonardo and not a flower - My words were confused, because the whole situation was simply confusing, and I could hear my brothers approaching. Galileo noticed and said.

- I know you have a lot of questions, I want to answer them all, but not here where we run the risk of being caught. Meet me at St. Sanguini's Church, it's in the north of the city, it's Vampire Territory, but no one will hurt you, my flower -- Before I can say anything, he advances and places a kiss on my hand, which turns me redder than the blood in my veins. And then he turns into a bat and flies away, while I run back to my room, trying to pull myself together and wondering, what just happened?

Chapter Text

POV King Dracarys

I pace back and forth, I know this is not proper behavior for a King, but right now I don't care. Because a whole day has passed and I've had no sign of Galileo, I've even sent the guards to search New York and the entire Vampire Territory. But no sign of Galileo has been found, and I don't know whether to scream with rage that Galileo didn't obey me and stay at home during the Full Moon. Or allow myself to cry at the mere thought that my son may have been caught by the hunters, and that I have lost another member of my family to the hunters. It makes me think of Liby, she was my companion, only she was human when she was born and we met by accident. It was during a trip to Italy with my parents, I was in the Vampire Territory looking at some books, when I smelled the best smell of my life and when I turned around I saw Liby walking around lost. At that moment, I realized two things, the first was that she was a human and the second that she was my companion. I ran to her, before any vampires got close, and took her out of the Vampire Territory. I explained to her that she shouldn't go through those gates. She laughed and said I was funny because my teeth were pointy. I was embarrassed at the time, and immediately asked her to go out with me, I remember her smile and she said that she would go out with me. But she didn't understand why a rich man like me would want a servant and then she walked away. And all I could think about was her beauty, how sweet and elegant she was, then we continued to meet until I revealed the truth and asked her to spend eternity as my Queen, and she accepted, and I turned her into a vampire at that moment.

After several years, we had Galileo and Duff, and after their deaths it was only them that I had left. Duff is easy to deal with, he's a vampire who likes to paint and draw, his companion is the same age as him, 14,000 years old and is training to become a warrior. I've never had any problems with him, sometimes it's hard to understand what he's saying, but it's just that he talks very fast because of his vampire ability and speed, but in general he's obedient. My problem is Galileo, I love my son, but he has Liby's tendency to get involved in complicated situations and this only got worse after his mother died. My son saw his mother die and I know that it scarred him for life, he often goes on walks without guards and that drives me crazy because I don't want to lose him to hunters! Despite this, I know that Galileo will be a great king when I retire, he cares about our people and wants the best for us vampires. But he will never reach his full potential if he doesn't find his mate, and the fact that he hasn't done so brings great pain to my son. But I'm hoping that he will, but I'm sure it will be complicated, after all, he's just like his mother, always getting into trouble.

What's more, the Council is panicking, thinking that we've lost the Crown Prince. But I'm hoping I haven't lost my son, and the Council is always exaggerating, I know they have a list of Vampires they want to introduce to my son. Sometimes Vampire Kings keep their mate, but take another Vampire as Queen. But my son would never agree to that, and that's when the doors to the Throne Room open, I turn around and feel relief wash over me as I see Galileo walk in with a silly grin on his lips. I'd never seen him smile like that, and he stank, so I asked him.

- As far as I can see, you're fine, aren't you, Galileo? But where were you? You didn't show up or give any news for a whole day, I was almost destroying the whole of New York in an attempt to find you! - I was relieved that my son was all right, but at the same time I was angry, because he was all right! I thought he was in a ditch, imprisoned or even dead! But he was fine! And Galileo says.

- I only went out during the full moon, I was following my instinct, but I ended up being chased by hunters who hit me when I was in bat form. And I ended up falling into the sewer, that's when I found my companion! She was so kind, she took me to her house and healed my back, she was lovely - I widened my eyes, the Hunters almost got my son!? He also fell into the sewer, which explains its strong smell, and I say.

- Son, how did you manage to be chased by hunters? You know you should be more careful, besides, I'm going to get someone to check your back - I try to go and send for a Vampire Healer, but Galileo stops me, much to my annoyance. But I could see something in Galileo's eyes, an endless glow of happiness. And Galileo said.

- Dad, I'm fine, don't worry, and none of that matters! All that matters is that I've found my companion, her name is Lavinia, she's sweet, caring and lovely! And I'm going to make her my Queen, what do you think? - I sigh, now I understand Galileo's strange behavior and the way his eyes sparkle. I smile, because I'm happy for my son and I say.

- I'm happy for you, my son, you certainly deserve all the happiness of finding your partner and your mother would be happy too. But tell me, where is she? I don't suppose she's a Vampire, don't worry, that won't be a problem - I was being honest, Liby would be very happy for Galileo and it's not a problem that his companion isn't a Vampire, after all Galileo's mother wasn't and that was a scandal at the time. But I focused on Galileo, who seemed a little nervous, and said.

- She's not really a Vampire, but she's not human either, do you remember we had reports of mutants here in New York? Lavinia is one of those mutants, she was a simple turtle when she was bought at the Pet Shop, she and her brothers were hit by something called a Mutagen, which made them turn into Humanoid Turtles and the man who bought them became a Rat, and that's not the most complicated part - I was sure that this would happen, that my son would have a complicated companion, I just didn't expect it to be a Mutant! And I say.

- The Council will go crazy over this, but tell me, what's the most complicated part? - And I saw Galileo's eyes fill with rage and bloodlust, he wanted to kill something and he said to me.

- The damn Rat wanted the four turtles to be males, but Lavinia is a female! And he's forcing Lavinia to be a male, making her thicken her voice, behave like a man and I think he's sexually abused her - I sigh, and say.

- Let's protect Lavinia, my son, now, how are you going to win her over? - And he smiled.

POV Lavinia/Leonardo

I run as fast as my legs can carry me, until I fall to my knees on a rooftop. I've never felt so angry as I do now. And it's because of Rapha's behavior, I knew he hated me, but today he crossed the line. He disrespected my orders and challenged me in front of our brothers, he said I was spoiled and that I was Sensei's little darling. I remember shouting at him, saying that it wasn't true, but he didn't care and said that I was a bad leader and that he would tell Sensei everything about how bad I was. And I turned pale when I heard that, because if he did, I'd be punished and he might even do it to me again. And I did the only thing I could think of, I told Rapha that he was the leader now and wished him good luck, then I ran away so they wouldn't see the pain and fear in my eyes. But I'm sure he'll tell Sensei what happened, along with a lot of lies, and I'll be punished, so I didn't have the heart to go back to the Den. That's when I hear someone behind me, and I'm surprised to see a Kunoichi from the Foot Clan, which is something new for me. And she says in surprise.

- Wait, the files said that the Turtles were male, but their shell is that of a female. So, Hamato Leonardo, it's a female and..." She looked completely confused, but I ran up to her, as fast as I could, and covered her mouth with my hand. She's completely annoyed, because she moves away from me and I say before she does.

- I don't know who you are, but please don't say that out loud, I know we're enemies, but no one must know or I'll be punished by Sensei - I admit, I was saying a lot, but I'm sad after what happened to Rapha. And I'm also undecided as to whether I should find Vamp, or rather Galileo. And the Kunoichi says.

- I'm Karai, but why would Hamato Yoshi punish you? And why can't anyone know about it? - It was obvious that she was curious, to be honest, I wanted to talk to someone about it. So I told her.

- Sensei bought me and my brothers from a pet shop, he thought we were all male, we were hit by something called Mutagen. That turned me and my brothers into what you see now, we grew up and Sensei noticed that I was a female, but he didn't accept that, because I could seduce and distract my brothers. So, he tells me to thicken my voice, teach me how to act like a man and if I make a mistake, he punishes me - And I hadn't even noticed, but I used my real voice, which seemed to give my vocal cords some relief. And I was surprised when Karai took my hand and said.

- I can see there's more, can't you? But I don't think you're ready to tell me yet, and besides, that rat is disgusting. So, what's your name? No Leonardo, your real name - I squeeze Karai's hands, feeling good in his presence. And I say.

- When we're alone, you can call me Lavinia, it's the name I chose. By the way, I think it's almost midnight, I kind of have a date - And I turned red, while Karai cracked a big smile and said.

- Well, consider me your big sister, and we'll make you look beautiful for your date. And it's a good thing you have a phone, because I want to know everything about this mysterious date

And I smile in agreement, because I've always wanted to put on makeup, and it might be nice to do it with Karai. So I let her apply my makeup and take off my mask, after which she hands me a mirror and goes back to jumping around the rooftops. I think she's gone to do the Foot Clan Patrol, I look at my cell phone, where I've added Karai's phone number and see that it's almost time to meet Galileo. I look at my appearance in the mirror, she's put eyeliner on my eyes and a bit of blush on my cheeks, and somehow she's put red lipstick on my lips. And I admit, I've never felt so beautiful. I start looking at the map, wanting to make sure where I'm going, and I start making my way. The further I run, I realize that I'm further away from the city, I seem to be on the edge of New York. And I end up in front of a cemetery gate, but for some reason, I can't see what's hidden beyond it, which is a bit annoying. So I approach a little nervously, but before I can push open the gate. I hear footsteps, look to the side and see a man, he's shorter than me and his hair seems to be a darker red. He bows to me and says.

- I'm Steban, you don't look like a vampire to me and you don't even look human. But I've been a vampire for so long that nothing surprises me anymore - I sigh, I feel a bit nervous about this situation, because I'm a Giant Tortoise and that's a bit complicated to explain in any kind of situation. But I think about what to say, so I simply tell the truth.

- I'm not a Vampire and I'm not human, I'm a Humanoid Turtle, my name is Lavinia and I was invited by Galileo. From what I've researched, the church I have to meet him in is on the other side of this gate -- I notice that Steban is surprised, then he comes closer to me, he seems to be smelling me. And when he senses what he wants, a big smile opens on his lips, he looks really happy and he says.

- As I said, I'm Steban, I'm the Guardian of the Entrance to the Vampire Territories, I make sure that the hunters don't get in. I allow humans to enter, because sometimes they serve as food, only sometimes they are invited to the Territory and enter with scarves around their necks so they don't serve as food. I believe your vampire forgot to give you one, didn't he? - I turn red, because I had no idea about this to be honest, and I'm really annoyed with Galileo, since I've almost become vampire food. But I sigh, and say.

- He didn't give it to me, I think he might have forgotten that it was all a bit quick and strange. Actually, he was going to explain everything to me at this meeting, you know? - I start to turn red, because it's all so new and scary, I'm not even sure I should be here. Steban smiled at me in a friendly way, which made me feel calmer, then he threw me a blood-red scarf with golden threads and said.

- Put this scarf on, it's the Colors of Prince Galileo, not what is usually used to mark the future companion. But it will do, until he gives you a suitable one - I put the scarf around my neck, but then I realize what he's said, and I say.

- Wait, Prince Galileo? He's a prince?! - Steban laughs, while seeming to melt into the shadows, and I sigh, then push open the gates more nervously than ever

Chapter Text

Galileo's POV

I look in the mirror, usually vampires can't see themselves in the mirror, but this is a magic mirror created by a witch centuries ago. So it's possible that I can see my clothes, which is ideal since I want to look good for my date. I can feel the excitement running through my body at the thought of seeing Lavinia again, of going on a date with her! I want to look into her beautiful blue eyes, that pretty, delicate smile, I can feel my anxiety growing by the minute. Because I can't wait to take her hand, to show her my Kingdom, to take her everywhere so that she can see that I can make her happy. All I want most is to see her smiling, not having to worry about her brothers discovering her secret, or the rat forcing her to be someone she's not. I want to see Lavinia happy and calm, I'm going to do everything I can to make her feel safe by my side, to let her know that I'm going to protect her and take care of her. And I have our meeting all planned out, I'm going to start by going to the church and telling her the truth, since I'm sure Lavinia must be confused by the whole situation. Then I'm going to take her to my father, I even thought about leaving that for another day, but my father was insistent that he wanted to meet Lavinia as soon as possible. And I just hope he doesn't do anything to embarrass me, I love my dad, but he can be a bit intense at times. And after we go to see my dad, I'm going for a walk with Lavinia, I'm not sure where yet. But I want it to be special for both of us.

This makes my eyes go to a drawing of me and my mother, it was done a year before she died, I was 5,999 years old and I was on her lap. In the drawing, she was smiling at me while hugging me tightly. Looking at this picture always makes me sad, because I miss her so much, and I wish I had her by my side. I wonder if she's proud of me, of how I look after the Kingdom and strive to be the next Vampire King, but one thing I'm sure of is that she would love Lavinia. To be honest, I think it's impossible not to love Lavinia, as she's simply perfect. To my displeasure, I start to think about that rat, who Lavinia calls father and Master. I have a great desire to destroy him, to kill the rat in the worst possible way, that would be perfect! Because he's physically and mentally abusing Lavinia, the rat is controlling her food while forcing her to be something she's not. And I'm sure, he sexually abused her, he raped her! And that makes my blood boil, especially because Lavinia doesn't realize the seriousness of that rat's actions, she thinks everything is normal and seeing that is so painful. But I'm going to protect her from everything and everyone, even if she doesn't want me to, I'm her companion and it's my duty to protect her.

But for now, I just ignore all this and leave my room through the window, I turn into a crow and start flying through the night. I can feel the moon illuminating my flight, it's a beautiful night, which makes it perfect for my meeting with Lavinia. I really hope it all works out, because I want to make Lavinia my Queen and turn her into a vampire, I know I might have problems with the Council because she's a Humanoid Turtle and I'm not sure what our children would be like. But I don't care about any of that, all I care about is having Lavinia by my side, the rest doesn't matter. I arrive at the church and immediately notice Lavinia, she's kneeling on the grass in front of my mother's memorial. I return to my human form and say.

- You know, this is a memorial to my mother, she died when I was 6,000 years old, I was just a child. You know, I'm sure she would have loved you -- Immediately Lavinia jumps in fright, I don't think she noticed me, and she turns to me. Immediately, I'm taken aback by her appearance, her green skin looks so soft, her make-up highlights her eyes and her lips are inviting. And she says.

- I'm sorry about your mother, to be honest, I don't know what it's like to have a mother. It's always been Master Splinter and my brothers, but I'm sure your mother must have been amazing and I believe you, when you say she would have liked me - I sit down next to Lavinia on the grass, taking her hand in mine, I notice how soft her hand is which surprises me. Because she's a ninja and a fighter, I imagined her hand would be rough. And I'm happy to see that she's speaking in her normal voice, and I say.

- I know you must be confused by everything that's going on, so I wanted to apologize for not explaining anything before - I noticed how Lavinia's face was a beautiful shade of red, which makes her simply adorable, and I approached her and smoothed her face with affection. Which made her face turn even redder, I liked seeing how red she turned with the little attention I gave her. And Lavinia says.

- There's no need to apologize, I understand why you didn't say anything before, since you were in bat form and shouldn't have been able to speak. But I'm open to listening, whatever you want to tell me -- I smile, because Lavinia was so captivating, she was perfect and feeling her next to me brought me so much joy. So I move closer to her, which makes her turn as red as a strawberry, and I say.

- To begin with, I'm a Prince, my father is the King and I have a younger brother called Duff. That night, I was being chased by hunters and ended up falling into the sewer, which was the best thing that could have happened - It was then that Lavinia laughed and it was like listening to a beautiful song, her laugh was just perfect, it sounded like a song I've been waiting to hear all my life. And she says to me.

- I think it's the first time I've seen someone happy to fall into the sewer, but I have to know, why do you think I'm your companion? It just seems so surreal, you know? - She turned her blue eyes away from mine, it was obvious that she was a little nervous about the whole situation, which I guess is normal. But I grab her face and make her look at me, then I smile and say.

- I don't think you're my partner, I'm sure you're my partner! I knew it the moment you rescued me, know that I'm not wrong and vampires love for eternity -- Lavinia looked into my eyes, while I did the same, her eyes showing charm and loneliness. She felt alone, but at the same time she was enchanted by me and she said.

- I believe in you, Galileo, as surreal as that may sound. And what are we going to do now? - I smile at her, move closer to her face and say.

- Well, I'm going to do something I've wanted to do for a long time, then I'm going to introduce you to my father and don't worry, he already loves you

Lavinia looks at me confused, but I move forward and capture her lips. For a moment I feel her tense up and I worry that I've rushed her. But gradually she began to relax and kissed me, it was obviously her first kiss, but in my opinion it was perfect. I explored her mouth, while she repeated my movements, her kiss tasted like lavender tea and her lips were soft. I pulled her closer, wanting to feel more of her, who had put her arms around my neck and was pulling me closer. This kiss was perfect, so I was sad when it ended and I went ahead and kissed her forehead. Then I stand up and offer my hand to Lavinia. It's obvious that she's embarrassed, but she doesn't hesitate to take my hand. Immediately, I pull her into my arms and carry her, then I start jumping across the rooftops to the castle and Lavinia lays her head on my chest. I can see her simple, adorable smile, how her eyes seem to sparkle as I look at her, this evening is perfect. And I enter through the window of the Throne Room, placing Lavinia on the floor, I can see my father on his throne and he seemed to be reading a document. But when he notices us, he gives us a big smile, I know he's excited about the whole situation. And he says.

- It's a pleasure to meet you, Lavinia, ever since Galileo told me about you, I've been really excited to meet you and I know you'll be a great companion for my son - It was obvious that Lavinia didn't know how to behave, I think the reason is that my father is the first King she's met, which can end up being a bit intimidating at times. But Lavinia took a deep breath and said.

- It's a pleasure to meet you, Your Grace, I hope I can live up to your expectations and be a good companion for Galileo - Soon after, Lavinia bows to my father, which makes my father immediately laugh, while he uses his agility to pull Lavinia into a big hug. I noticed that my companion tensed up at first, but soon relaxed and hugged my father, who said to her.

- There's no need to be so formal, Lavinia, you can call me Dracarys. After all, we're going to be part of the same family, and you're much better than I had imagined - I cracked a smile, it was amazing to see how Lavinia seemed to be fitting in perfectly with my family. It was fate showing me that I needed to take care of her and protect her, that Lavinia is my companion. And Lavinia said.

- I'll do as you asked, I'll call you Dracarys, I'm very happy that you welcomed me into your Kingdom. To be honest, it seems incredible so far, and I really want to get to know as much of it as possible - His words give me an idea, I approach Lavinia, taking her hand which makes her cheeks turn red. And I just loved seeing how red she got, so I say.

- Well, now that you've met my father, why don't we go to the market? It's a very nice and lively place, I know you'll like it --- Immediately a big smile opened on Lavinia's lips, which made me melt, because she was just perfect. And my father smiled and said.

- And don't worry, no one will care that you're a Tortoise, we Vampires are so old that nothing surprises us

I look at Lavinia, who nods in agreement. I immediately start pulling her out of the castle and towards the market. I think part of the reason is that no one stares at her because she's a turtle, which makes me happy since I want her to feel comfortable. When we arrived at the market, I began to explain that Vampires need blood to survive, just as humans need water. But we can also eat normal food, I notice that Lavinia's eyes light up as she looks around the market, I make a point of buying different foods for her and I notice that Lavinia seems to find everything amazing. I also explain how our society works, I'm happy when Lavinia asks me more about it, it was obvious that she was curious to know how it all works and this assures me that she's going to be a great Queen. But what I like to see most is how happy she is, how she always has a smile on her face. And I notice that she's looking at the clothes eagerly, which gives me an idea: I'm going to have a dress made just for her and it will be my first parade gift. It was then that we arrived at the square, which was lit by lamps, making the atmosphere beautiful and welcoming. We sat down by the fountain, I took Lavinia's hand, while I looked into her eyes and said.

- My Flower, I want you to be my Queen, I want to turn you into a Vampire and have children with you! I want to spend all eternity by your side, my Flower - I don't think I've ever been so sincere in my life, I wanted to show all my love for her, all my desire to live eternity by her side. But I focused on Lavinia, who looked away from me as I noticed tears in her eyes, and she said.

- I've never been as happy as I am right now, but I can't abandon my family. I can't abandon my brothers, and my Sensei - I pulled Lavinia closer, feeling her tears on my clothes, but that didn't matter to me. Because I couldn't bear to see how she was suffering, her pain, I wanted her not to suffer so much. And I say.

- I know what that damn rat did to you, mentally, physically and sexually, just as I know you're not happy in that place! But I can make you happy, besides, you need to stop seeing your brothers -- I can feel Lavinia's body trembling, but she pulls away from me a little, I can see a battle in her eyes. I hate to see her so divided, especially when it's because of me. And Lavinia says.

- You're right, I can't lie to you, Galileo. The Master hurt me, but I know he's only trying to protect our family, but I understand what he did wasn't right. But I need time to understand that - I know it was hard for her, to understand that what that rat did was wrong, that she didn't deserve to suffer like that. But I come closer and kiss her forehead. And I say.

- I'll give you the time you need, my flower, but I want to be introduced to your family and be by your side, you can say that I'm your friend and I won't tell you the truth unless you ask me to - Lavinia smiled at me, while she came closer and kissed my lips, but before we can continue her phone rings. And I'm surprised to see that the phone looks like a turtle, I see that Lavinia's eyes widen as she reads it and when she shows it to me I see that it's a message from Raphael that says “S.O.S.”

Chapter Text

Raphael's POV

I sigh as I sit on the rooftop, gazing at the skyline before me, admitting that New York is truly beautiful. But my eyes drift to my T-Phone. I sent Leo an S.O.S. message. He promptly replied asking for my location, and after I sent it, he said he was coming to find me. But all of this ends up making me even more nervous, with a knot that seems to be forming in my stomach, and I hate it. It turns out I know I was a horrible brother, that the way I acted gives Leo every reason to hate me. But I don't understand how our relationship became so complicated. Everything was simpler when we were kids. Leo followed me everywhere, always wanting a hug or to know what I was doing. We were inseparable, and I liked that. Every time after Leo's private lessons with Sensei, Leo would come running to my room to sleep with me. I always thought it was strange; he always came to my room trembling and scared. At the time, Leo trusted me and idolized me, but something happened. He spent five days alone in his room, and Sensei wouldn't let anyone near him. Afterward, he apologized to all of us and never came near me again. Leo changed completely. He no longer accepted my hugs, became more distant, and no matter how many times I asked, he never said anything to me and always seemed to have some kind of fear in his eyes.

But things got weirder over time. Leo became more and more distant, and I started to get more and more angry with him. Because I thought he thought he was better than all of us, but I guess I was wrong. When I yelled at Leo today, for the first time, I saw pain and sadness in his eyes. It was like he was trapped and didn't know how to break free. It was devastating, and he left before I could do anything, like apologize. And then we attacked Snakeweed, which was a huge disaster, since Mikey is unconscious in the lair and being cared for by Donnie. Sensei was really angry, but not with me. He seemed angry with Leonardo and told me I should find Leo and deal with Snakeweed. To be honest, I don't understand Sensei. He always gives Leo extra training, but at the same time, he always seems angry and disappointed. For some reason, I remember a strange situation, which to this day, I don't understand. We were 12 years old. I was sleeping and thought everyone was asleep, when I heard screams coming from the dojo. I was very young, so I stayed in my room, but I went to the door when I heard footsteps approaching, and through the crack, I could see Leo. But my brother didn't look well; there was blood running down his legs, along with claw marks, and his eyes were swollen. I saw him go into his room, then I started to hear him crying, and that night, I wondered what Sensei had done to Leo?

I remember going back to my room, trying to sleep and, above all, to forget that image from my head. I had never seen my brother look so broken and empty inside. I had even forgotten about it, but today, when I yelled at Leo and said I would tell Sensei, I saw Leo's broken, empty look again. And again, I wondered, what had Sensei done to Leo? But that's simply impossible. Sensei is our father; he would never hurt us, especially Leo, his favorite son. But the feeling that something is happening, something dangerous, won't leave my mind. It was then that I heard someone behind me it must be Leo and I said,

"Leo, I wanted to apologize for the horrible things I said, and I know you're a much better leader than I am. And who is this!?" Mid-sentence, I stood up and turned toward Leo, but I was surprised to see that Leo wasn't alone. There was a man there, he had dark brown hair, his eyes were red, which is very strange, and his skin was pale. Leo was smiling, with a scarf around his neck, but then the man approached and bowed, then said,

"Hello, I'm Galileo, you must be one of Leo's brothers, it's a pleasure to meet you! I'm a great friend of Leo's!" Immediately after he said this, Leo turned bright red, which left me extremely confused. I had never seen my brother blush, but at the same time, I had never seen him look so happy, and the whole situation was strange. It was then that Leonardo spoke.

"After we fought, I didn't want to be alone and I was sad, so I went to Galileo's and we took a walk." I take a deep breath, resisting the urge to roll my eyes, because it's obvious from Galileo's look that they were on a date and not just hanging out. But I decide to say this:

"I'm Raphael, I'm Leo's brother, so I want to know exactly what happened on that walk, because I understand what's going on!" Galileo smiled, winking at Leo, and my brother turned so red he looked like a tomato, while I noticed a strange stain on his lips, but Leo tried to hide it behind the scarf that I knew wasn't Leonardo's. It was then that Galileo said:

"I'm glad to meet you, Raphael, and I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to talk. Since I have no plans to leave Leo!" I thought it was impossible, but my brother turned even redder, hiding his face in his hands. But I look at Galileo suspiciously. I don't know anything about him, so I can't trust him, and I need to protect Leo, since he can be a bit naive sometimes. Leo says,

"Can we stop talking about this? I know you didn't just send me an S.O.S. to apologize, and where are Donnie and Mikey?" I immediately sigh, feeling guilt building in my chest. Especially when I see Leo's concern. He's always been very protective of Donnie and Mikey, while I was very protective of Leo, and I hate myself for having stopped protecting Leo. And I say,

"We went after Snakeweed without you, but it was a real disaster. We got beaten up. Mikey was unconscious, so we went back to the Lair. Donnie's with him, and we can't wake Mikey!" Leo's eyes immediately widen. It's obvious he's worried, and I hate that I caused him to worry. I saw Galileo put a hand on Leo's shoulder, and I was surprised to see my brother calm down. Leo said,

"Let's go back to the Lair. I think there's a way to wake Mikey!" I looked away, remembering Sensei's words, and said,

"Sensei said we can only go back after we've put an end to Snakeweed."

As if waiting for his name to be spoken, the damn Snakeweed appears, prompting Leo to grab his katanas, and I grab my own weapons. Soon, Leo starts giving me orders, and this time, I don't hesitate to obey them. But I'm even more surprised when Leo orders Galileo, who pulls out a large sword I didn't even know he had! And I have no idea where he hid it! It was then that we began fighting Snakeweed, but I didn't have to do much, because Leo and Galileo fought as if they were in a dance. Which was truly incredible! I'd never seen my brother fight with such joy and elegance, while I was happy when he and Galileo easily dispatched Snakeweed. I walk over to Leo, put a hand on his shoulder, and say,

"Now that Snakeweed is no longer a problem, we can go back to the lair and try to wake Mikey." Leo quickly agrees with a smile, but before he does, he's pulled away by Galileo. They seem to be having a conversation that makes my brother blush and give him an adorable look. Galileo takes Leo's scarf and throws it away, then puts another scarf around Leo's neck. This one was red with threads that looked like gold and had a G embroidered with expensive-looking stones. Galileo kisses Leo's head and disappears into the shadows. Leo turns to me, blushing, and says,

"Why are you looking at me like that!? Let's go back to the Lair. The sooner we wake Mikey, the better." I laugh as I walk behind Leo, and we enter the sewer. I want to talk to Leo before we get to the Lair, and I say so.

"You know, I never would have guessed you preferred men, Leo. But I'm curious, how was your date? And that's a beautiful scarf." Immediately after I say this, Leo stops in his tracks, and I see his entire body tense. And when he turns to me, I see his eyes full of panic, and it scares me. And he says,

"I admit, Galileo is my boyfriend; in fact, we started dating today. But Sensei can't know anything. If he does, he'll end up punishing me, and I'll never be able to see Galileo again! And the scarf was a gift from Galileo, to show that we're together." I'd never seen my brother so scared. I'd never realized how afraid he seemed of Sensei. It felt like I was discovering some kind of secret, something happening around me that I'd never noticed. And I say,

"I'm not going to tell Sensei anything, Leo, but I don't understand. Why are you so afraid of Sensei?" Leo smiles at me, but it's obviously a nervous smile; his whole body feels nervous. I don't understand. I've never seen my brother act like that. For a moment, I remember him at 12, walking into his room with blood between his legs. But I ignore it and hear Leo say,

"Don't worry about it, Rapha. You just don't know Sensei like I do, and I hope you never do!" It seems like speaking hurts Leo. His voice has always been very deep, sounding forced, but now it seems like every word hurts him. I lean closer and say,

"Wait, Leo. There's a lipstick stain on your face, and know that I will always protect you. Forgive me for all the pain I've caused, but I will take care of you now, I swear!"

I'm surprised when Leo steps forward and hugs me tightly. It's been a long time since Leo hugged me. I simply hugged him tightly, noticing he was thinner and his body was different from mine, more elegant. But before I could think much more about it, Leo pulls away, and I'm sure I see a few tears. However, I choose not to comment on it because I don't want Leo to feel uncomfortable, and I wipe his face. I notice my brother adjusting his scarf. He seems to be debating whether to hide it or not, but in the end, he seems to have chosen to keep it, and I believe it was the right choice. I'll make sure they don't ask too many questions. After all, I promised I'd take care of him, and I won't break that promise. It was then that we entered the Lair. Leo immediately ran to Mikey. I was about to approach him, but I felt Sensei's hand on my shoulder, and he began to lead me to the dojo. But before Sensei closed the door, I noticed Leo's look of fear. I know he was afraid I'd turn him in. But I'm not going to do that. I looked at Sensei, worried about Leo at the same time, and Sensei said,

"My son, tell me, where was Leonardo all this time? Also, what's that scarf that looks like it cost a fortune around his neck?" At that moment, I could turn my brother in; Sensei would be proud of me, but I remember the fear in Leo's eyes and the oath I made to him. So, I tell Sensei,

"I was looking for Leo when I saw a woman throw away this scarf. I thought giving it to Leo as a gift would be a good way to apologize for everything I've done. Later, I found him meditating in an abandoned building." I noticed Sensei's suspicious look. I hope he didn't see through my lie. That would be a real disaster, and I'm starting to get worried. But then Sensei smiled at me and said,

"I'm glad you found Leonardo, but I need to know, were you able to deal with Snakeweed? That creature can't be loose in the city." I feel relief wash over me, feeling calmer because Sensei believed my lie, and I say,

"Snakeweed was killed, Leo managed to kill him easily. It would have happened sooner if I weren't such an idiot, but now everything is okay between us." I think for the first time since we were kids, everything was okay between Leo and me. And that was very nice, and I could finally go back to caring for and protecting my brother. And Sensei says to me,

"I'm glad everyone's okay, but you should avoid giving Leonardo any gifts, understand? Also, after Mikey wakes up, ask Leo to come to the dojo. I want him to train some more and learn a few more things about being a leader." I immediately feel a terrible premonition, as if something bad was going to happen to Leo, but Sensei would never hurt Leo, would he? That's what I want to believe, but part of my mind is telling me Leo isn't safe with Sensei, and I say,

"Don't worry, Sensei, I'll let Leo know you want to see him. Now, I'm going to go see if Mikey's okay." Sensei gives me a proud smile, which made me happy, but I was so worried about Leo that it worried me. And Sensei said,

"I'm proud, Raphael, I hope you stay that way." As I leave the dojo, I think it would be good to check on this training, and that Donnie can help me with that.

Chapter Text

Leonardo/Lavínia's POV

I pace nervously, pacing the dojo. Sensei once commented that this was inappropriate behavior, but right now, it helps me calm down. But I can feel my nerves fraying, as tension spreads throughout my body, because the last thing I wanted was to be here. But I know I'm going to be punished; after all, I shouldn't have abandoned my brothers like that. But I was so angry and hurt by Rapha's words that I couldn't think and simply left. And because of that, I know I deserve to be punished, because I failed, because I acted wrongly, I allowed my position as Leader to be questioned, and I couldn't handle some provocations. Therefore, I was weak, I didn't act like a man, and this will make Sensei punish me. And I deserve it; after all, Mikey got hurt because of me, and if I had been around, he wouldn't have been unconscious for so long. I made many mistakes, I was completely selfish, and because of that, I have to suffer the consequences of my actions. Even though I know this, a part of my mind tells me it's not my fault and that I shouldn't be punished. But that can't be true. I know my duties, that I must take care of my brothers, not let them know I'm a female, and protect them above all else to make Sensei proud. What I need to do is stifle this part of my mind, which tries to tell me Sensei is to blame, which tries to show me I'm the victim of the situation. But I know that's not true; the only one to blame is me.

Immediately, my thoughts turn to Galileo, which makes my cheeks flush and heat. Because I can remember our encounter in the smallest detail, everything was so perfect and sweet, I fell madly in love with Galileo. Which, in fact, is truly frightening, because I've never felt anything like this in my entire life. It's like my heart is complete, like it's finally beating right, and that's simply incredible! But Galileo isn't just a young man from New York; he's a Vampire, something I never thought possible, and as if that weren't enough, he's also the Crown Prince of Vampires. So, I don't understand why he would like me? I'm a Humanoid Turtle, who's never seen the surface during the day, who knows nothing of the world beyond the sewers. But somehow, Galileo loves me, says I'm his mate, and I can't doubt his feelings. Because it's obvious every moment, when he hugs me and kisses me, I feel all the love he has for me. And I also enjoyed meeting King Dracarys; he was really friendly, and I thought it was incredible that he supported our relationship. I also met Karai. She was so happy to do my makeup, and I'd never felt so beautiful. I have to text her to tell her how the meeting went, but without mentioning Galileo being a Vampire.

And I think about Galileo's proposal: he wants to make me a Vampire, to make me his Queen, and it sends a thrill through me. But I can't agree to that. I have to protect my brothers, but I also want to be happy, and I know I can't be happy without Galileo. I hate having to choose between my happiness and protecting my brothers. I feel like I'm being pulled in both directions. Before I can come to any conclusion, Sensei enters the dojo. I bow my head and say,

"Sensei, I apologize. I know I made a lot of mistakes. And most importantly, I shouldn't have left my brothers unprotected." I immediately feel a hard slap on my face, I can feel it burning and blood running down my face. But I stand firm because I was expecting it. I knew I wouldn't get away with this whole situation, and Splinter says,

"I'm disappointed in you, Leonardo! You were weak, not to mention acting like a hurt girl. Now, I want to know where you went?" I take a deep breath, trying to stay as calm as possible and, above all, not cry, which would get me punished again. But I focus on the lie Rapha told to help me, so I start speaking, straining my vocal cords to the max.

"I spent the whole time in an abandoned place. I was meditating, that's when Rapha sent the message for help, and I went to find him." Sensei approaches me, which automatically makes me move away from him. I can feel the fear in my bones. It was then that Sensei grabs my head, forcing me to look up. I'm startled to see something akin to joy in his eyes, and he digs his claws into my face, then says,

"It turns out you need to learn a lesson, Leonardo. To understand that you must act like a man, instead of running away like a girl who's had her feelings hurt." And I close my eyes, immediately feeling him release my face, but then I feel the blows of his staff hitting me. He hits every part of my body, even my head. I end up falling to the ground, and I start to cry,

"Sensei, I'm sorry! This won't happen again! I'll get better! I'm sorry I failed, please stop!" I could feel tears welling up in my eyes, my voice cracking from the pain of straining my vocal cords. It was then that Sensei grabbed my head, forcing me to stand, despite my trembling legs and the pain in my body. And Sensei said,

"You know, you deserve much better than this. I know what you did! You were seducing your own brother like a streetwalker, and you even got a handkerchief as a gift! Tell me, what did you have to do for that? You must have introduced yourself to Raphael, showing off like a slut, and that's just disgusting!" I shook my head, trying to show him that wasn't true, but he simply dug his claws harder into my face. And I could feel the tears streaming down my face as I spoke.

"I didn't do it, Sensei! Rapha gave it to me as an apology gift. He doesn't even know I'm female, and I would never seduce Raphael, or any of my brothers, I swear!" I admit I was desperate. All I wanted was to get out of here, to escape Sensei and his look, which showed joy, as if he enjoyed what he was doing. It was then that he threw me against the tree, making me hit my shell, and I bit my tongue to keep from screaming. It was then that I felt Sensei's body, pressing me against the tree, which made me hyperventilate as I felt his fingers on my body, and he said,

"I think it might be necessary to repeat this old lesson, for you to see what it means to be female. But not now, maybe tomorrow, or the day after, but go to your room without dinner, and you know how to cover the bruises." And I ran straight to my room.

Raphael's POV

My mouth remains open in shock, because I can't believe what I just saw, because this can't be true! When I set up this camera with Donnie's help, to see what was happening in the dojo, between Leo and Sensei, I never expected it to be like this, never imagined I'd see my older brother running away in fear from our father. This causes a tightness in my chest. I've never seen Leo so scared, never seen him so submissive, and he didn't even fight Sensei, just stood there and took every blow. For the first time, I saw Leo look fragile. In that moment, all I want to do is hit Sensei and protect Leo. But I need to understand, how could this have happened? Why did Sensei, our father, who always loved us, do something like this to Leo? I hate not telling Donnie to put a microphone with the camera, because I want to know what Sensei said to Leo! Because it must have been horrible, judging by Leo's pained look. In fact, seeing all of this was one of the worst tortures I've ever experienced. I was so frozen, I didn't even go there to save Leo, something that makes guilt grow in my chest, but I jump when Donnie speaks, since I'd forgotten about him.

"Rapha, how did we never notice this? After all, it's obvious this has been going on for a long time, how did we not see the signs?" I look at Donnie in confusion, because I had thought this was an isolated incident, never thought it could be something long ago. The thought of this going on for so long makes something tighten in my chest. I don't want to believe we were so blind, and I say to Donnie,

"How can you be so sure, Donnie? This could have started today, it could be an isolated incident, because of Sensei's concern for Mikey." I couldn't believe my own words, but I watched Donnie, seeing him shake his head and look genuinely worried. Which only increases my own concern, until Donnie looks at me and says,

"This has been going on for a long time. Sensei physically abused Leo, and that explains everything! That's why Leo distanced himself from us. He pushes himself until his body can't take it anymore, he risks himself without hesitation for us, because if he doesn't, he'll be punished! And now, it's obvious how nervous and scared Leo is around Sensei." And I start to remember what I saw when I was 12, but I don't have the courage to ask Donnie what it meant. I'm afraid of the answer, so instead, I ask,

"Since you know more about all this, what should we do? We can't let this continue. Sensei might end up killing Leo!" Donnie immediately sighs, as he starts saving the video we made, which leaves me confused. Because all I want to do is destroy it, and Donnie says,

"We need to take Leo somewhere else. It's not safe for him to be near Sensei. Maybe he can stay with April? But no one can know. It would be very embarrassing for Sensei, and dangerous for Leo." I rub my face hard, feeling tired and broken inside, and I say,

"I'll go talk to Leo, see what he wants to do. He can stay with someone other than April, but he's trustworthy, and don't let Mikey know about it."

I get up and walk away from Donnie, heading toward Leo's room, and all I can think is that I failed. I was supposed to protect Leo! Take care of him, make sure he was safe, but I failed and refused to see the obvious signs! And I remember the scene I saw when we were 12, which to this day, I can't understand. And there are questions that repeat themselves over and over in my mind: How far was the abuse? Was it just physical, or was it psychological too? How much did Sensei hurt Leo? And I wonder, can we still be a family? I don't have the answers, and it makes me hate myself! And I reach Leo's bedroom door, take a deep breath, and knock. But I hear nothing; it's as if Leo isn't even there, which scares me. But I walk into Leo's room and see the light is off, so I can't see anything. I hear Leo say...

"Rapha, can you leave, please? I don't want to talk right now, and I'm not having dinner, but we can talk tomorrow if you want." I recognize the pain in Leo's voice; it seemed like every word he said brought him pain, and I don't know why. But it hurts me, seeing my brother go through this pain, and I don't even know what to do. But I decide to be honest and say,

"I set up a camera in the dojo with Donnie's help. We couldn't hear what was happening, but we saw everything Sensei did. Why didn't you ever tell us what was happening?" It was then that Leo turned on the light, which startled me. I saw the raw pain in his eyes, and I saw the bruises on his skin, the claw marks on his face, and the dried blood. And Leo says,

"It's just that I didn't want to bring more trouble to you and our brothers. Besides, I just need to become more proper. When Sensei is satisfied, this pain will end." It was obvious Leo was trying to comfort me, but I could tell he didn't believe his words; he knew this would only stop when Leo stopped breathing. And I said,

"Leo, there's no way you can be more proper! Sensei will only stop when you die. Tell me, what did he tell you? What's going on that I don't know yet?" I knew there was more to this story; it wasn't as simple as physical and maybe mental abuse. The memory of when I was 12 kept coming back to me. But I wasn't ready to ask, and Leo said,

"There's nothing going on, Rapha. Sensei just wants me to be a better leader and brother, that's all! I'm just failing at all of this." Leo didn't look at me. I knew he was lying, and I hated that he couldn't trust me. And I said,

"Leo, I think it would be best if you went away for a while. Maybe stay with your boyfriend, Galileo, what do you think?" Leo immediately starts crying, which makes me panic; I've never seen him cry so desperately. And Leo starts saying,

"I can't leave you guys. I'll try harder to be what Sensei wants!" I can't stand still, watching my brother cry like that. I go to him and pull him into my arms. His head rests on my chest, and I stroke his shell and say,

"Leo, I don't want you to die, so I'm going to call your boyfriend to come get you. And you're going to pack your bags, and I swear on my turtle honor that we'll come see you and we can even patrol together, and I'll make sure everything works out!" And I feel a sense of relief when Leo agrees with me.

Chapter Text

Galileo's POV

I walk through the sewers, hating that my partner lives in a place like this, and I see that Duff doesn't like being in the sewers either. It turns out I thought it would be a good idea to bring my brother with me in case something goes wrong. Since I have a bad feeling about this situation, something tells me it won't be easy. After all, when I answered Raphael's call, it was obvious he was very nervous and worried. And I was surprised when he asked me to pick up Lavinia. Of course, he called Lavinia Leonardo, since he doesn't know the truth. And when I asked why he wanted this, he said their house was no longer safe for Lavinia, and that made a tension build in my chest. Because no one knew what Splinter was doing, but it seems Raphael found out, but how much did Raphael find out? How much of the truth does Raphael know? I believe he only found out about the physical abuse, not about the sexual abuse or that Lavinia is female. I just don't understand why he's asking to get Lavinia, the Rat who should be leaving, right? I sigh, all I can think is that that Rat deserved to die. I want to rip his head off and drain all his blood. Obviously, I won't drink his blood, because he's so rotten that I'll probably get sick if I drink his blood. I want him to pay for all the pain he caused my partner. I know my family will be more than happy to help destroy that Rat, to make him suffer the worst pain the world can possibly experience.

Just thinking about Lavinia makes my chest ache. I love her so much, even though I've only known her for a short time. And I know we were destined to spend eternity together. My partner is so beautiful and pure; she didn't deserve to go through all this suffering. But I promised myself that I would protect Lavinia; I wouldn't allow any kind of pain to come to her. I want to show her how incredible eternity is, how they can travel the world and discover the wonders hidden in every corner. I'm eager to turn her into a vampire. I'm sure she'll be an incredible vampire, who will light up the night like the moon. And I'm curious to know what her ability will be, but I think it doesn't really matter. Because Lavinia will be incredible, even if her ability is simple—although in my opinion, Lavinia is anything but simple. And I'll do everything I can to make her happy. I know her life has been horrible so far, being abused by that damned Rat, and I want to give her so many new and good memories that she'll no longer remember the suffering she went through. All I need to do is convince her to allow me to turn her into a vampire, so I can care for and protect her properly.

Plus, Duff is really looking forward to meeting Lavinia and wants to introduce her to Estel, his partner. I'm sure Lavinia will really like Duff and Estel, and they'll like her too. Because Lavinia is simply perfect and sweet! That's when I smelled the Turtles, along with that damn Mouse! But mostly, I smell Lavinia, which is simply perfect and really excited me. And I see the Turtle with the red stripe at the entrance, and I know it's Raphael. From what I can see, he's really tired. And he also seemed to be feeling a mixture of anger and sadness, all at the same time. I approach him, and he turns to me and says irritably.

"Galileo, when I called you, didn't I tell you to come alone!? Who's that kid next to you!?" I immediately see Duff grimace, which makes me certain he and Raphael wouldn't get along. But I'm not fazed; Lavinia warned me that Raphael has temper issues, and it's obvious right now. And I say,

"This is Duff. He's my younger brother. I was worried, so I thought it best to bring Duff in case things get out of hand." I see Raphael looking at me suspiciously. I know he doesn't completely trust me, which is a little annoying, since he asked for my help. But I just give him a smile, and it seems to irritate him. But I'm trying to be nice; it would be terrible if Lavinia's brother hated me. And he says,

"You knew our father was beating Leo, didn't you? That Sensei was physically abusive, and I think psychologically too." I clench my hand into a fist, because it goes far beyond physical and psychological abuse; he raped Lavínia and forced her to be something she's not. But I take a deep breath. I can't reveal my partner's secrets, so I tell him.

"Leonardo told me, but he asked me not to tell anyone, even after I offered to kill Rato." And my brother starts to smile, twirling a dagger in his hands. This amuses me. Because Duff doesn't know Lavínia yet, but he already cares about her, I see Raphael getting scared, and Duff says,

"We can kill Rato tonight. You can even help us, Raphael. After all, if Rato is dead, all our problems will be solved, and we can use Rato's head as a trophy. It would be incredible, wouldn't it?" I noticed Raphael had gone extremely pale, he even looked like he was going to vomit, but that confused me because I thought he'd like the idea and even help us! And Raphael says,

"Listen, no one's going to kill our father! All we need is for Leo to get out of the house for a bit, so Sensei will have time to get back to normal, and no one will get killed!" I walk over to Raphael, feeling the irritation coursing through every part of my body. I want to punch this Turtle since he made it seem like it was Lavinia's fault. But that would make Lavinia mad at me, something I don't want to happen, and I tell him so.

"You know, I thought you wanted to keep Leonardo safe, that you wanted me to stay with her while you kill the Rat. But apparently, you think this is all Leonardo's fault! It's the damn rat who should have been killed, actually, he deserved to die! Instead, you're expelling Leonardo, who is the victim!?" Raphael's eyes immediately widened. It was obvious he was afraid of me, but I didn't care. And Raphael said,

"I know our father is to blame and Leo is the victim, but I want to fix everything so Leo can come back to live with us and not be hurt anymore. It's just that it was easier to explain Leo's absence to Mikey and April than Sensei's." I don't know what to say, but I feel like breaking something, but that's when Duff approaches and says,

"You're an idiot, who prefers to stay with the abuser, instead of his brother! Because it would be easier to lie to others about Leonardo's absence, than about Mouse's!?"

I enter Lavinia's house, passing Raphael, who lowered his head in shame. He couldn't say anything else. After all, neither Duff nor I lied, since Raphael was truly being an idiot. As we enter, I notice that Lavinia's other two brothers aren't there. I know this was Raphael's plan. He must have found a way to keep his younger brother, Michelangelo, from knowing what was happening, and it makes me furious. It turns out that Raphael and Donatello, who also knows the truth, are hiding everything, preferring to lie rather than protect their older sister. That's when I see Lavinia. She's truly hurt, while sadness seems to have settled in her eyes, and she's wearing the handkerchief I gave her. When she notices me, she runs to me, hugging me tightly, and I don't hesitate to place a loving kiss on her head. What makes her hug me even tighter is when I smell the Rat. I lift my head, seeing him approaching. I resist the urge to just jump on him and rip his head off, and the Rat asks,

"What's going on here!? Who are you two!? And most importantly, why isn't Leonardo in his room, as instructed!?" I see Raphael approaching, and I notice Lavinia's fear growing. It was obvious she was terrified of the Rat, so I place myself in front of her, to ensure her safety. But I focus on Raphael, who says,

"The one with brown hair is Galileo, while the blond one is Duff, his younger brother. Galileo is Leonardo's boyfriend. Besides, Donnie and I know you've been hitting Leo for a long time." I look into the Rat's eyes; it was obvious he was furious, which didn't surprise me. I simply pulled Lavinia closer, wanting her to feel safe, and I said,

"Know, Rat, that I know everything! And that I will protect Leonardo from you, no matter what, and you will never touch him again!" Splinter glared at me, and even as I saw the disgust in his eyes, Rat knew I knew the whole truth. That Lavinia was female, that he sexually abused her, and Rat said to me,

"You're making a mistake, Galileo. You shouldn't date Lavinia. Soon, you'll realize she's useless, an effeminate freak!" But before I could yell at him, Lavinia pulled away from me. She looked shaken, but at the same time, very sure of herself. I could tell Raphael was confused, but I focused on Lavinia, who looked at Rat and said,

"I'm not a freak! I'm simply a Female Turtle, and I'm tired of pretending to be a male because you can't accept that you bought three males and one female! And it's not my fault the Pet Shop made a mistake when they said I was a male!" I saw the Mouse's somber expression, but at the same time, I felt proud of Lavínia, who had used her real voice and wasn't hiding anymore. And I could tell Raphael was shocked by the whole situation, and the Mouse said,

"If you think your life is so bad, if you think I'm a monster, go away with your boyfriend! After all, you've always been a streetwalker, it would be better if I didn't always worry about you seducing your brothers! And Galileo, you should know that she must have spread her legs for anyone, since she's not even a virgin anymore!"

And I know exactly why she's no longer a virgin! I can't stand hearing him say these horrible things anymore, especially when I see that Lavinia has started crying nonstop, and with each tear, I feel a pain settle in my chest. So I jump, shifting my body and becoming a large tiger. I approach Rat, who falls to the ground, crawling away from me, and I love seeing the fear in his eyes. Because all I want is to rip his head off, to have his blood stain my fur. But out of the corner of my eye, I see Raphael reaching for his weapons, and I know it's not to help me kill Rat. He wants to defend Rat, when he should be protecting his sister! I can't understand this. He knows what Rat did to Lavinia, but still, he wants to defend him!? But before I can finish off the Rat, I feel Lavinia's hands cup my face, forcing my head to look at her. And I see her beautiful blue eyes looking at me with care and love, and she says,

"Gali, I want you to take me away from here, take me home. I don't want to be here anymore, especially near him. And don't kill him. I don't want to bring pain to my brothers." I close my eyes, allowing my body to return to its natural form. I take Lavinia's hand in both of mine. As I approach her, placing a kiss on her lips makes her smile, despite the tears streaming from her eyes. I turn to Duff and say,

"Duff, take all of Lavinia's things and take them to the car. The faster we leave, the better it will be for all of us." I get up from the ground, hugging Lavinia tightly, while Duff nods, and begins to use his speed to do as I ask. But I look at Rato, who seems confused by the whole situation, and at the same time, scared. And my companion says,

"Rapha, I'm leaving with Galileo, and I don't intend to return as long as our father is here. I'll keep in touch with you and the others, but I'll never be Leonardo again. I can't keep lying, and don't worry, I'll be safe with Galileo and your family." Raphael still looks shocked by the whole situation, but he sighs, looking compassionately at Lavinia. And I'm not sure what he's thinking at that moment, but then he says,

"I know you'll never abandon me and our brothers. I won't ask you to be Leonardo when it hurts you. But I really hope you come back. I'll find a way to help Sensei, so we'll be a family again." All I could think was that Raphael is an idiot, Rato will never change, and Lavinia would never be happy or safe here. It was then that the Rat got up from the ground, which worried me. I kept Lavinia close to me so the Rat wouldn't hurt my companion. The Rat asked angrily,

"What are you!? You're obviously not mutants, nor are you normal humans. What do you want here?!" Before I could say anything, I heard Duff laughing, and I realized he'd already taken all of Lavinia's things. I could tell the Rat was uncomfortable with Duff's laughter, and my brother said,

"We're Vampires. Galileo is 16,000 years old and is the Crown Prince of the Vampires. And I'm the youngest Prince!" I took advantage of their surprise and took Lavinia away.