Set in the 2k3 universe.

For Whom the Bell Jingles

It is nearly impossible to sneak up on a ninja. Unless, of course, that ninja is deep in meditation. In his own home. And no matter how keen his sense of awareness, if you are on his mental list of "safe" people, your presence will barely register on his subconscious before being shunted aside.

And if you are on his "safe" list and you are also a ninja, well...then it's child's play to jimmy the lock on his door, creep into his room, and ambush him before he knows what hit him.

Unfortunately for Leonardo, Michelangelo is well aware of the tiny chink in his brother's mental armor.

For a brief moment, all is silence. Leo's legs are folded beneath him, hands resting loosely on his knees, blue-masked face serene and still. The next instant, Mikey leaps from the shadows and throws his arms around his brother in a wild crashtackle, sending both of them flying across the room.

Leo lets out a very un-leaderlike "WAAAUGH!", flailing uselessly against the bearhug trapping his arms against his sides. They narrowly miss knocking over the lit candles, tumbling to a halt with Leo pinned on his back, staring in shock into his brother's face a few inches away.

"Hi Leo!" Mikey says brightly. "Dude, you're getting rusty. I was right in front of you and you didn't even notice me!"

"Mikey!" Leo sputters. Mikey is wearing a bright red Santa hat. The fluffy white pom-pom on top flops forward against Leo's nose. Torn between aggravation and amusement, Leo blows the pom-pom out of his face and fixes his brother with a baffled glare. "What the shell – ?!"

"It's time to quit meditating and start Christmas!"

"And you couldn't have knocked?"

Mikey's grin becomes insufferably smug. "Well, sure I could have knocked, but where's the fun in that?"

"How long have you even been in here? I didn't hear you come in."

Mikey rolls his eyes. "I am a ninja, bro."

Leo lets out a long-suffering sigh. The subtle smirk on his face is the only warning sign before he breaks Mikey's hold and springs to his feet. Mikey topples backwards with a "yeep!". He accepts Leo's outstretched hand up with an expression of exaggerated dignity.

"I didn't mean to stay shut away for so long," Leo says with an apologetic glance at his clock. "You should have come to get me sooner. Do you need any more help decorating?"

"Don't worry about it." Mikey waves his hand dismissively before slinging his arm around Leo's shoulders to guide him to the door. "We took care of it."

"Anything I can do to help with dinner?"

"Nah, Don's got it covered. But there is one thing we need you to do." Mikey knows that if Leo makes eye contact with him, his observant brother will see the sly gleam in his eyes. So Mikey deliberately averts his gaze as they walk...and Leo has no warning until he steps into the hallway to see Raph and Don waiting.

"Guys, what...?" Leo's steps falter, brow creasing in confusion as he sees the mischievous grins plastered on his brothers' faces. Raph's eyes hold an almost predatory gleam beneath the brim of his Santa hat. Leo's confusion rapidly turns into alarm as he spots the antler-adorned headband in Raph's hands and the camera in Donny's. "Wait. Uh-uh, not a chance."

"Say cheese..." Don sing-songs.

"Oh-ho no." Leo shakes his head, preparing to duck away from Mikey's suddenly confining grip around his shoulders. Raph's grin becomes positively sharkish, and he steps close to Leo's other side, shaking the antlers invitingly. The three bells on the top of the headband jingle with sickening cheerfulness. Leo scowls. "Guys, I am not wearing that. You are going to have to find someone else to – urk!"

Raph's thick forearm flashes out and catches him around the neck to haul Leo back against his chest. Mikey grabs the jingly antlers and plops them onto his brother's head.

"There!" Mikey says with a self-satisfied grin.

"Ain't you cute?" Raph gives a rumbling laugh, tightening his grip as Leo tugs at his confining arm.

Donny stops humming "Jingle Bells" long enough to snicker at the choked expression on Leo's face. He lifts the camera and snaps a picture.

Leo blinks in annoyance at the bright flash. "Don, really?"

"Oh, come on," Don says with a knowing smile. "We all know that if you really wanted to get away, you'd toss Raph into Mikey and make a break for it."

"He would not toss me," Raph says darkly.

Mikey bounces forward to snatch the camera from Don's hands, laughing when he sees the picture. "Aww, we're adorable! Check it out, bros!"

Leo elbows Raph hard in the gap between carapace and plastron, making his red-masked brother back up just enough so he can duck out from under his arm. He grimaces as the antlers jingle noisily with the movement. "Okay, can I take these off now?"

"No, you've gotta keep 'em on!" Mikey says urgently. "It's Christmas!"

Leo gives him a flat look. "Not a good enough reason."

"What about Klunk?" Mike bends to scoop up the orange cat rubbing against his knees. "It's his adoption anniversary!" Klunk mews and shakes his ears. The bell around his neck lets out a little ring, suspended on a red and green ribbon. "He can't be the only one wearing bells."

"Why not?"

"Because he'll be lonely and sad."

"So why can't you wear the bells?"

"Because I am already wearing a Santa hat and you look precious."

"Mew!" Klunk adds.

Leo rolls his eyes. Raph is chuckling again and Don covers his mouth as he tries – poorly – to disguise his laugh as a cough.

"Okay," Leo relents with a put-upon sigh. "I'll wear the antlers. But just for tonight."

"Wahoo!" Mikey cheers. "You hear that, Klunky? Uncle Leo's gonna wear the bells for you!"

Leo wrinkles his nose. "Uncle Leo?"

Raph bursts out laughing again. He claps Leo on the shoulder hard enough to pitch him forward and make the bells on the headband ring. "Come on, Jingles. Time for dinner."

Klunk squirms out of Mikey's arms and bounds on ahead, the bell on his collar tinkling merrily. Don falls in step beside Leo as they walk, grinning up at the bells on his head that jangle with every step. "At least we'll be able to keep track of you," he says with a laugh.

"Hey, Donny," Mikey interrupts, sniffing the air, "do I smell something burning?"

Don's eyes widen. "I hope not!" He takes off at a run, Mikey at his heels.

"Hey, Raph!" Casey's booming voice echoes off the walls of the lair. "Where you at, bro?"

"Here, Case!" Raph runs ahead as well. "I hope you remembered the beer."

"Dude, what kind of friend would I be if I didn't?"

Left on his own, Leo's eyes narrow and his mouth curls a little in a sly grin. He makes a subtle adjustment to the position of the muscles in his neck and shoulders as he walks, then rounds the corner into the main room.

Christmas is a small event that year, with just Casey, April, and Angel coming for dinner. Leo puts up with Casey's ribbing about the antlers and Angel's "Aww, you look so cute!" with good grace. April doesn't mention it, but there is laughter in her eyes and she drops a fond kiss onto his forehead when she hugs him hello, which is something she doesn't always do.

"Where's my kiss?" Mikey demands indignantly.

April laughs. "All right, get over here." She gives him a side-hug and smooches him on the cheek.

Raph smirks. "Not gonna help you, bro. You're gonna be ugly no matter how many kisses you get."

"Raphie-boy, I think you just called me a prince in disguise."

"If you count dressing in drag as a disguise. How many times have you done that, now?"

"Your jealousy is so transparent."

"Time for dinner!" Don raises his voice a little louder than normal to break through the rapidly escalating banter. "Leo, I could use your help bringing stuff in."

Leo lifts a skeptical brow ridge. Don's voice and face are clear of any mischief, but Leo has a sneaking suspicion that his brother is deliberately asking him to move around because of the bells. Well, he'll be in for a disappointment. Leo smiles, though, and heads for the kitchen. "Sure, Don. What do you need?" He feels three pairs of eyes on him as he walks, and when he emerges from the kitchen carrying a heavily loaded plate in each hand, Mikey is already starting to pout.

"Hey," Mikey says, watching Leo pass off the plates to Raph and Casey. "You're not jingling! That's no fun. You're supposed to jingle when you move around. Is that thing broken?"

The smug expression on Leo's face is enough to rival Mikey's. He pulls off the antlers and whips them at his brother's face. Mikey barely manages to catch them in time, eyes widening as the bells ding-a-ling! loudly when they slam into his palm.

Leo winks at him, grinning broadly. "I am a ninja, bro."

This story was inspired by artwork titled "Sharing the Cheer" by Skycat on deviantart. I highly recommend checking it out, because it is adorable. :D