Slowly standing, dragging his hands up Leonardo's sides as he did, he licked at the deep bite in his shoulder before pausing with his teeth over his brother's throat. He smiled as he felt his brother tense in expectation and simply waited, drawing out the suspense of when the pain would come.

"You think they'll notice all these bites?" Raphael whispered. "How'll you explain 'em if they don't heal in time?"

Even if Leonardo had the presence of mind to think up a comeback, he couldn't deliver it. Gritting his teeth and keeping his mouth shut was his last defense, and even that couldn't completely muffle the constant noises and half-drowned groans coming from deep within himself. With his eyes covered his sense of touch intensified, and Raphael's deliberate torture threatened to overwhelm him.

Steeling himself for the next bite, he gasped when his brother very gently nuzzled his skin. He didn't know why but the soft touch pierced him more than pain would. His heart pounded so hard that it echoed around him and he fought the rope around his wrists, struggling in earnest to get free. The ropes tightened and creaked. If he could just focus--

Raphael's arm snaked around him and drew him close, holding him tight against his body. His other hand slid down Leonardo's arm, grabbing his wrist hard enough to bruise. Leonardo couldn't fight and the teeth suddenly stabbing into his throat scattered his focus and his brother held him still like a snake wrapped around a mouse--he couldn't stop himself--he cried out, the broken remnants of his voice dying in the last syllables of Raphael's name.

Spent and exhausted, Leonardo shivered and leaned against his brother's shoulder, taking deep breaths as Raphael held him. After a few moments of savoring his victory, Raphael picked out the knots around Leonardo's right wrist. It was slow work one-handed, and when he had one wrist free, Raphael carefully managed his brother in his arms as he reached around for the other hand. Leonardo's struggling had made the ropes tighten so much that Raphael was afraid he'd have to cut them off. He was no slouch with a sword, but he didn't trust himself to cut so close to the skin with his brother's razor sharp katana.

Fortunately he didn't have to. The last knot finally gave and he helped his brother to the ground, leaning against the wall and holding Leonardo in his lap. His brother panted as if he'd been through a long fight, but he had enough strength to put his hand on Raphael's shoulder.

Raphael smiled and traced his finger along the mask over his brother's eyes. It had slipped a little when he yanked too hard on the ends, but it still kept his brother blind. Even better, Leonardo didn't try to take it off.

"You still alive?" Raphael asked.

Leonardo didn't answer for a moment. Groaning once, he adjusted himself in his brother's arms and curled up slightly.

"Never thought you could be patient," he murmured.

Raphael's smile broadened. "Didn't think you'd want me to rush."

"Could've sped it up a little..."

Reaching up along Leonardo's raised arm, Raphael gently grabbed his brother's hand and held it out where he could see it. Several marks lined Leonardo's wrist, some of them deep bruises and others friction burns, all left from the tight rope.

"You really tried to get free a couple times," he mused. "I'm kinda surprised you didn't."

"Couldn't focus."

Nothing less than a revelation, that confession. Leonardo never would have admitted a loss of self-control to their master. And until the not-so-long-ago night he lost a fight to Raphael and gave in to everything he did, Leonardo wouldn't have admitted it to himself. That he let Raphael do these things to him, that he encouraged him and enjoyed them, still surprised them both. Not that either would admit it yet.

"Got ya to scream," Raphael teased.

"...that wasn't a scream."

"You screamed my name," Raphael said. "When I bit you right...here."

His hand brushed the deep teeth marks on Leonardo's throat and his brother hissed in pain. Even more amusing, however, his brother curled closer to him for comfort. He frowned and wondered if more pain would bring Leonardo snuggling closer and closer, just where did Leonardo's absolute threshold lay? Considering the fights and injuries he knew his brother had endured with little to no complaint, those thoughts could lead them down a very dark road indeed.

He wondered if Leonardo would walk it willingly.

"If I told you to crawl for the rest of the day," he whispered, "would you?"

Silence, but he knew better than to assume that meant his brother would acquiesce. Several seconds passed, then a minute, then another. Leonardo seemed as if he hadn't heard, but he could probably hear mice scurrying around outside, especially with his eyes covered.

"Would you really tell me to?" Leonardo asked softly.

Raphael tilted his head as he thought. "Not today," he said firmly. "But in a couple weeks...I don't know."

Neither of them spoke. Leonardo relaxed a little more in his arms, and Raphael wondered if he'd gotten enough sleep. Probably not. The smallest thing could set him on edge, like the tugging of his mask, and this whole trip centered around those small things.

"How far will you let me go?" he asked.

Leonardo half-shrugged, but the tone of his voice sounded like he gave the question real thought. "Haven't thought of that. But..."

Raphael glanced down even though he couldn't see his brother's eyes. "But?"

"We haven't hit my limit." He sighed as Raphael touched one of the bruises on his throat. "Not even close."

Blood, bondage and screaming, and that wasn't even close? Raphael didn't mention that he didn't feel reassured by that.

tbc...