Leo woke up in Donnie’s arms, in his bedroom. He was really excited. This was going to be their first shared birthday as twins! On top of that, Donnie hates physical contact! The two of them spent most of the night before getting Leo introduced to Lou Jitsu and Jupiter Jim and they fell asleep together! He curled into Donnie’s arms, wanting to prolong the moment a bit longer. He had Donnie’s present picked out weeks ago and had it safely stored in a hidden safe in his bedroom wall.

He made the hole years ago accidentally when he and his old friend Shika were roughhousing. They hid the hole behind a portrait of him and his mother. As the years went by, it was clear Big Mama knew of the hole. Leo would hide special things and presents in the hole, and as he grew older a four digit pin safe was installed. Leo, the clever tot he was, set the pin to 13-11-1-19. M, L, A, S; the initials of his family. He wanted to get a bigger safe since he had more things to hide from the additions to his family.

<~>

Leo felt Donnie stirring, meaning he was starting to wake up. Leo giggled softly and pressed his face into Donnie’s plastron.

“G’morning Nardo.”

“Morning Dee. Happy birthday twinsie.”

“Happy birthday. Five, four,”

“Why are you counting?”

“Three, two, one -”

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”

Raph and Mikey ran through the door and attempted to turtle pile on them. Leo made a portal behind him and Donnie and reappeared off the bed where their two brothers looked at them with happy and sheepish grins. Donnie was grateful Leo saved him from the turtle pile, but he and his brothers had a tradition.

Every year, for each of their birthdays, there would be a specified sneak attack group hug for each birthday up to that point. The early morning turtle pile counted for three of those hugs, four if he was still sleeping. Now that Leo saved him, he and Leo had a full thirteen hugs coming their way. Woe is them~

The door re-slammed open with Suzie, Jack, Daniel, and April grinning like the mischievous older siblings they were. Leo felt his blood run cold as he met Donnie’s eyes.

“Retreat?”

Raph and Mikey met their older siblings' eyes and smirked. All six of their siblings stared at them with large smirks.

“Tactical retreat.”

Leo made a portal beneath them to the lounge where Big Mama waited for them with Abigail, Godrick, and Splinter

“How nice of you boys to join us. Happy Birthday Baby-shell and Donatello.”

Big Mama smiled warmly at them. Leo ran up to give both his moms and Godrick a hug. Donnie received a loving head pat from Splinter; the rat was keenly aware of how his purple son felt about hugs. He had a piece of his ear bitten off as a permanent reminder.

“Leo! Donnie! Where’d you go?!”

“Sorry Mama, we have to go.”

Donnie ran to Leo as they portaled out of the lounge just as Raph, Suzie, and April burst through the door. The twins landed outside the doors of Run of the Mill.

“Pepino, and purple one.  Come in, come in. Feliz Cumpleaños pequeños.”

Leo and Donnie shuffled into the pizzeria clad in their matching purple and blue unicorn onesies (that Abigail happily made for them.) They were sorely out of place, but Hueso Junior saw them from the counter and waved excitedly to them. He was on Spring break from his college classes and helping out at the restaurant.

“Dudes! Happy B-Day! Pops, can I make the birthday special for them?!”

“Yes, Junior. Make an additional pineapple, two meat lovers, two vegetarian, and three orders of stuffed garlic knots. Their familia will be here shortly. And don’t think you two are going to portal out of here. You niños are going to sit here and wait for your family. I will not have you gallivanting all over the Hidden City at six in the morning.”

Leo and Donnie were seated at a table large enough for their entire family. H.J brought out two mugs piled high with whipped cream, a chocolate cookie stick, chocolate shavings, and a single candle each.

“Blow it out, make a wish!”

Leo and Donnie smirked at each other as their second eyelids closed. They came across an ability when hiding from Gus weeks ago and Leo called it their “twin telepathy” to Donnie’s begrudging amusement.

“DeeDee, what should we wish for?”

“You dum dum, if you say your wish it won’t come true.”

“We’re not talking outloud.”

“True…I’m wishing for uranium. Imagine the improvements to my battle shell and tech bo!”

“I’m wishing for…um…for you to get the uranium you want!”

Leo didn’t really have the need to want or need for anything. He had the one thing he always wanted, a giant family. Two older sisters, three older brothers, a twin, a baby brother, two moms, two dads, two uncles, and a cousin. What more could he possibly want for?

The twins blew out their candle and dranks their hot chocolate greedily.

“Gracias Tío Hueso y Primo Júnior!”

He and Donnie’s efforts were, sadly, for naught. The very second everyone arrived at the restaurant he and Donnie were squished inside a big sibling hug. Then a double motherly hug. Then Donnie was whisked into a Splinter hug (of which he struggled not to bite his father) and Leo was hugged by Godrick. Then Hueso and Junior hugged them both. The turtle twins were opposite sides of the same coin; Leonardo loved and craved physical affection while Donatello did everything possible to avoid it.

The gigantic family ate a large breakfast of pizza and cheesy stuffed garlic knots. Leo teased Donnie for not liking his pineapple pizza and Donnie teased him right back for not liking the meat lovers. They did this every time they ate pizza together.

Big Mama: “Boys, today for your birthday, we are going to go to the beach. Sweet-wing has your swimsuits in her nowhere space so we can depart right after we eat. Baby-shell, if I remember correctly, the first time you used your portals you went to a beach?”

“Yeah! It was super pretty and warm!”

Leo was excited. He loved going to the beach! Leo ate his food quickly and stood by waiting for everyone else to finish. He was picturing the beach he was at and made a portal to it.

“The Leon Express is in the station! All aboard!”

His theatrics got some chuckles from his moms and sisters and Mikey. Everyone walked through the portal with Leo waving bye to his uncle and cousin. When he stepped through he was given his swim trunks and his favorite lilac swim t-shirt. He raced to hide behind a palm tree to get dressed.

His phone rang from his little medic pouch. A picture of black, cartoon rabbit ears showed up in place of a photo. Leo knew immediately who it was with a light pink flush cover his cheeks and an excited grin.

“Hi Teddy!”

“Hey Leo. I just wanted to call to wish ya a Happy Birthday. I dropped a present for you at the hotel’s front desk.”

“Thanks Teddy! Hey, um…do you want to come to the beach with my family?”

“So I finally get to meet your mom and  your infinite brothers and sisters? Gonna have to take a rain check on that. Maybe some other time.”

“Okay. Bye Teddy.”

“Talk to ya later Leo. Happy Birthday.”

Leo’s smile could power the entire Hidden City with no issues. It certainly made his siblings suspicious but one look from the adults, they kept their questions to themselves. Leo, Raph and Mikey were engaged in a very serious game of marco polo. Jack and Daniel were being the “evil” older brothers they were by messing around with them, randomly calling out marco or polo to confuse them. Suzie and Donnie were relaxing on the sand playing a game of cards.

The adults were setting up the actual party decorations. Since they were on the beach, the theme was obviously going to be “Tropical Paradise.” There were mats covering the sand, chairs for musical chairs, the snack/cake table, the present table, and the typical balloons and streamers.

The snack table was always the main highlight of the party. Shelled coconuts with virgin pina coladas, grilled fruit and veggie kebabs, steak kebabs for the meat eaters, chips, pretzels, deviled eggs, crackers and dip, flavorless juice, ice tea, and the cake; or well, cupcakes. Peach mango cupcakes with passion fruit flavored whipped cream frosting. Leo made it very clear to not have a bunch of pineapple-y things to cater to his twin’s tastes. It was his birthday too.

The twins were [forced] to wear matching purple and blue flower leis as they were given their final hugs of the day. Leo didn’t like the birthday song. It was overrated and annoying. He preferred hugs anyway. Donnie didn’t care one way or the other, but he enjoyed the party. He kept eyeing the gift table the whole time though.

When it was finally time to open presents, Donnie was the one to drag Leo to the table with Leo laughing at his brother’s excitement. Donnie got purple paint from Mikey, random metal scraps from Raphie, and a random assortment of wires from April. Leo got him a new weighted blanket and hoodie, both purple of course and the hoodie was stretchy so he could wear it with his battle shell. Big Mama and Abigail gave him new computer equipment to replace the ones he brought with him from the sewers.

Jack and Daniel gave him thirteen homemade coupons for “no questions asked” favors and a purple sweater with neon blue words spelling out, “Thing 1.” Splinter had given him a pair of sound canceling headphones (that Big Mama paid for), Suzie gave him some advanced math and science textbooks she found in the mall, and Godrick gave him a catalog for weapons and two one hundred dollar gift cards for online shopping.

“Just like Suzie and Leo, when you complete your weapons training, you will receive your preferred weapon.”

“Thank you Mr. Godrick.”

Godrick chuckled and shuffled the mask on top of Donnie’s head.

<~>

Leo tore into his present with the same intensity as his twin. Mikey gave him homemade double fudge and strawberry brownies, Raph gave him a copy of “Grimm's Fairy Tales”, and April gave him a new photo album and a new polaroid camera.

Donnie sheepishly gave him a picture frame of the both of them at Run of The mill. It was the first time Big Mama took them out to eat and they all got their picture taken. It was also the first time Donnie hugged Leo on his own. Leo didn’t even know that a picture of the special moment was immortalized. It easily became one of his prized possessions.

Big Mama and Abigail gave him new nice clothes and a new phone case. Jack and Daniel gave him the same coupons they gave Donnie with a neon blue sweater with dark purple words, “Thing 2.” Needless to say that got everyone to laugh.

Splinter gave him a pendant with a symbol on it.

“That is the Hamato Clan Crest. Each of your brothers has one, it seems appropriate that you should receive one as well.”

Leo was beyond happy. He knew with consistent kindness (read stubborn tenacity) he would get Splinter to see him as family. The pendant was around his neck immediately. Suzie gave him a new skateboard and ice skates. She planned to take Leo ice skating during the winter.

Godrick gave him a long box wrapped in dark blue paper. Leo was confused but opened the box to find a gorgeous sword. A shiny white and sapphire blue blade, a black hilt wrapped in a purple and silver leather, and a black scabbard with his familiar loopy scrawl spelling out his name.

“The blade is made from carbon steel and ivory. The carbon steel was specially treated so it would appear blue in color. The leather on the hilt is charmed by a witch to prevent blisters, but that will have to be renewed yearly.”

Leo had nearly tackled Godrick in a hug after carefully putting his sword down.

“Thanks GoGo! I love it!”

No matter what happened in his life, Godrick would always be his father.

<~<~>~>

Leo woke up late at night. Donnie, Raphie, and Mikey fell asleep watching a Jupiter Jim movie and he passed out reading his fairy tale book. The picture frame Donnie gave him and the pendant sat inside his “secret” safe and his sword sat on a sword rack on his wall. He quickly got up and slung his sword over his back. He opened a portal to the front lobby and ran to the desk.

“Good evening Young Master. What can I do for you?”

“Hi Mr. Trent. Was a package dropped off for me earlier today?”

The bat yokai pulled an ordinary brown box from behind the counter. In messy handwriting, the top of the box read “Happy Birthday Leo, From Teddy.” Leo happily took the box and portaled back into his room. He had to open the box before midnight. He carefully opened the box and took a black rabbit's foot keychain and white rabbit stuffed toy from the box. The keychain was clipped to his sword’s hilt and the toy was placed in his safe. All his important things will remain safe in his, well, safe.

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