Before You Go | Future Leo X GN!Reader (Part V)

Before You Go | Future Leo X GN!Reader (Part V)

A/N: This is legit the longest part yet. How time flies when I write. Any constructive criticism is appreciated. To be honest, reader feedback boosts my motivation to write anything in the first place.

Summary: You’re both adopting-parents of Casey. After years of being raised in an underground base, seven-year-old Casey got to finally see the overgrounds. Bunch of fluff and family interactions.

Reader: Gender-neutral pronouns are used, except the terms “(Mama / Papa)” are also used. Second POV.

Pairing: Rise! Future! Leonardo X Reader

Warnings: None.

Word Count:  ~3660

Parts: One / Two / Three / Four / Five / ...

~

“Woo! Let’s go Leo!”

Beneath the surface was a battle, surrounded by refugees onlooking their leader, Master Leonardo, against one of Big Mama’s top fighters.

Cheers boomed and echoed the cavern. It was supposed to be a practice round for Leo to better his swordsmanship. Alas, nothing could stop the interest of spectators.

Leo leaped over a giant shuriken being flung at him, making his way right at his opponent. Right when he managed to get close, a hammer smashed him into the ground. Dust and dirt flying from the impact.

The crowd groaned, feeling the phantom pain.

You stood high above in a ledge, watching alongside Leo’s brothers and April. You couldn’t help but wince, worried that all these battles might do your blue wrong if the Kraang ever discovered your base. 

In fact, shouldn’t anyone be concerned at the slightest that the Kraang might hear the commotion? All caution was thrown out the window. You hadn’t even realize Donnie had all the time in his world to build an arena. 

..He hadn’t happened to bother the DIGG band to do this, did he?

In your peripheral vision, a short figure hopped up and down next to you.

“(Mama / Papa)! You promised to take me above!” Casey whined. Though his patience was running low, his youthful curiousity was on high.

“I’m aware. But just be a bit more patient,” you assured. “Your father’s having a big show right now. He’s fighting one of Big Mama’s strongest.”

His eyes glimmered. The seven-year-old hopped again, wanting to see past the ledge. He always had a big interest for fighters and becoming a skilled one. Did he know how? He wasn’t sure at the moment. 

“Really!? I wanna see, I wanna see!”

He yelped as Raph picked him up and sat him on his shoulders. “Gosh, Casey, you’ve got to chill out. Papa’s not goin’ anywhere.” The snapping turtle grinned. “Seeing things better now?”

“Thanks, Uncle Raph!”

The audience roared loudly again. Leo swiped his ōdachi to open up multiple portals. He leaped across from one to another to another. Making a strike. Yes, Leo’s challenger was much larger, strength incomprehensible even, but could they match his speed?

You smiled, seeing Casey in absolute awe.

“You can do it, Papa!” he yelled.

Leo jumped onto one of his opponent’s many arms. His form front-flipping to slash the head. Moments passed and a gash sent the fighter recoiling.

To top it off, he opened a portal underneath them, before another one appeared high above. This time, he anchored his ōdachi in the dirt. He gave his wrists a few twists. And as Big Mama’s fighter fell through.. Leo took a swing and—!

WHHIIIRROOSH!

A heavy wave. A burst of wind. A strong blast from Leo’s contact with his opponent went and knocked everyone off their balance!

Some chunks of the ledge you and your friends were standing in even broke off.

.

.

.

The stunned crowd erupted into cheers. Casey was leaning off of Raph’s head, wide eyes and beaming astonishment on his face. 

“WOW, THAT’S SO COOL!” 

Raph, on the other hand, felt cold sweat the moment he had his own balance faltering from the kid’s movement. “Woah woah! Easy there!”

“Let’s go, baby!” Mikey jumped. “There’s our Leee-oh!”

April examined the knackered ledge. “Yeesh! If he was any stronger, Big Mama’s fighter ain’t gonna be the only one going down.” 

“A safety hazard?” Donnie was appalled. “Great.. another thing for my agenda..”

A quick sigh of relief fell from your lips and you laughed. “Okay okay, you guys. Casey’s been waiting for his time above-ground. Let’s get Leo before we head up.”

.

.

.

“Don’t get too worked up, Big Mama.” Leo smirked. “It’s all just practice.”

The old Spider yōkai huffed. “Yes yes. I was simply hoping that it could’ve been just a tad more entertaining of a show..” She turned her head to her knocked-out fighter, laying against the wall of the arena. “Unfortunate it is to have my Champion thrown off his feet with ease— do you not have other turtley-doos partaking? Perhaps the orange one would do nicely.”

Leo let out a laugh. “Unfortunately, for you, Big Mama, we got another schedule going for today. So how ‘bout you give us a call.. a week later. Sound good?”

“Bu—.”

“Muy bien. ¡Adiós!” He waved.

“Papa!” Leo saw Casey running. He opened his arms for the boy to catch a hug. “You were so cool, Papa! You were like: swish, swash, woosh!”

“You guys were watching me!?” He seemed embarrassed.

“Hello? You got a whole ass arena here, and you think we wouldn’t check out all this screaming going on?”

“Tsk. I mean, I would’ve continued on with my projects if only Mikey and April didn’t drag me outside my lab,” Donnie spoke monotonously.

Leo then faced you.

“Wasn’t he cool, (Mama / Papa)!”

You only grinned, arms crossed. “Yes, sweetheart. He was so cool.. as expected of the greatest ninja I’ve ever known.” A flush of red caught Leo’s face as he coughed into his scarf, and everyone else being mildly amused.

“L-Let’s get moving everyone.”

“Now, child, it’s imperative for you to know that you shouldn’t be all too excited about traversing above-ground,” Donnie lectured, while the group arrived by the elevating system. “I assume your Papa and (Mama / Papa) told you about the Kraang?”

“Yes, Uncle Don!”

“Good. Be aware you are always at risk of being caught in their sight. One detected motion and they could be running here—.”

“Why do we have a ladder when we could just use this thing?”

“That’s a ridicu— I mean, good question, Casey.” Donnie saved himself. “The way up the ladder is far more narrow, a better option if you want to exit the base in a more discreet method. What we’re using can take multiple beings at the same time. 

A big risk in return, however, is that we can easily be spotted. When we reach the top, you’ll see that this Eleva-Don has a dome covered in rock and soil.”

“To camoflauge?”

“Hm.. Can’t necessarily consider it camoflauge, but sure, the purpose is to hide the entrance to this base.”

.

.

“How long does it take to go up?”

“..Now that you mentioned it,” Raph wondered. “Shouldn’t we be up a minute ago?”

Donnie hummed. “..Give me a moment— my bad, I forgot I had implemented another button to push, because some morons kept forgetting their equipment.”

The group reached the entrance. It was like the purple’s description. There was a sturdy dome over and a sealed doorway being the only thing separating Casey’s eyes from the outside world. But he had to admit: he felt a bit nervous. His small hand took yours, and you tightened your grip to comfort the boy.

Leo stepped on the other side of Casey, eyes narrowing.

“Casey, before I open the entrance, you must brace yourself,” Donnie warned. “There are hot winds blowing and dry air outside. Move your eyes away from any flying dust too. 

In fact, be quick to cover your eyes. You’re not used to the light.

..Do you understand?”

“Yes, Uncle Don.”

The hinges turned. And as told, a bright light beamed through and the boy had to clasp his hands over. It was blinding, especially for someone who had spent his whole life in dim undergrounds. 

It took a long while. 

He felt the winds drying the moisture off his skin, even the sweat he released.. Bit by bit, Casey’s fingers separated. His sights eventually adjusted to seeing his shoes. Then, from side to side upon his parents’ footwear. Then, some prickly brush nearby. 

And then.. the horizon.

He didn’t know what to expect. He heard all the recreations from his uncles and aunt. He heard more from the refugees. They all said the same thing: red skies and dried.

However, somehow, this was more than he could’ve dreamt of.

There were skeletons, bones of different kinds on the ground. Large boulders to play hide and seek in. Flying cotton balls to make a snow ball.

Casey looked back at the horizon. There afar was a giant city. Broken, yet it was still a magnificent city in his mind. Tall skyscrapers were shattered in half, ragged edges remained.

But his amazement stopped at the sky, bloody-colored skies and dark clouds. Right above New York City was a floating.. ship of some sort. It looked like that one yōkai’s eyeball, always plopping out and back in.

The boy cowered behind your leg. 

He tugged onto your hand. “Hey (Mama / Papa)?” You looked down. “I thought you said you found bunch of things and food here. Why is it so empty?”

“Empty?”

“Yeah.”

“..It might look like that. But I promise you, Casey, there’s more to it than meets the eye. It’s been many years away, so expect that a lot is buried in sand and dirt.” You began leading him. “Come along.”

“..That’s.. kind of boring. What about fighting Kraang and stuff?”

“Hm.. You know..” You just noticed: there were barely monsters in your area. Could they have gone to the city? Best of luck to the others going then.

“How can you find anything?”

“That’s easy,” Mikey spoke up. “The best way is to catch a glimmer, some sort of sparkle on the ground. Sometimes, you’ll find something valuable.”

“..Oh! Like this?” The boy picked up an empty plastic chip bag. Mikey deadpanned.. and cleared his throat. “My poor boy, of course not. That’s useless trash.” For a moment, Doctor Delicate Touch came out. He snatched it away and threw it behind him.

“If you see anything more like that, toss it right behind you. Or even better, don’t pick it up. Trust me, it’ll save you so much time.” 

Casey slumped. This wasn’t the finders-keepers experience he was... He shook his head. Whatever, he should just follow you instead—.

Another sparkle in the distance. This one gleamed brighter than that chip bag.

He glimpsed around. You were a couple of feet away. Mikey disappeared. His Papa in a couple of feet in the opposite direction. The red-eared turtle appeared to be casting his gaze at the landscape, arms crossed. The others? Didn’t follow their path.

At least, he had his parents.

The boy moved closer. It was in an open box? There was some really smooth-looking cloth on the inside. Cushioned in it, there was.. a long necklace.. He recognized what a necklace should look be, many refugees had one of their own to cherish. 

Oh, hold on.. there were two necklaces?

He examined the pendant. Shiny. Silver-like. It looked like a heart, except there seemed to be a gash right in the middle. “Oh..” 

It was broken..

.

.

An idea lit up.

Casey took the box, brushing off the sediment, closed it, and shoved it down one of his pockets. Maybe Uncle Don could help him.

“Oho? What do you have there, Case?” He flinched when he heard his father from behind. “Don’t think I didn’t see that.”

“Don’t scare me, Papa!”

“Pfft. You’re just like (Mama / Papa).”

The boy fiddled his fingers, before reaching back into the pocket. He pulled out the box. “I found this necklace.. but.. it’s broken. I thought Uncle Don might fix it!”

Leo took the box from his hands. He chuckled.

“It’s not a broken necklace, buddy. These are couple necklaces.”

“Couple necklaces?”

“They can be two separate ones.. Put them together though..” Leo clicked the two halves in place. “..And they become a whole.”

“They look.. a lot shinier together!” Casey admired.

“Yeah.” Leo’s eyes squinted as he smiled. “It does, doesn’t it?”

“What about ‘friendship’ necklaces? Are those any different?”

The red-eared turtle blinked. He realized he assumed these were meant for couples. Maybe it was because everything that came in pairs reminded him of he and—.

“Oh, I have an idea!” Casey proposed, grabbing the box from Leo’s hand. He faced himself in your direction. “Maybe these can be for you and (Ma / Pa)—mmrph!”

“Hm?” Your head turned towards them. “Did you two call me?”

“Uh! No no!” Leo frantically waved his hand off. “We didn’t say anything.. at all! You can keep doing your own thing, (Name).”

Blinked once, twice. You shrugged, eyes down on the ground.

Leo sighed, releasing his other hand from the kid’s mouth. “Bah! Papa! What was that for? Don’t you show (Mama / Papa) about this? They’ll love it a lot!”

“Shh shh.. I’m sure they will, Case. But.. I have another idea on how we can show them. Okay?” The red-eared turtle proceeded to whisper into the boy’s ear, hoping you wouldn’t catch it if you tried.

The seven-year-old clasped his mouth, eyes sparkling. He nodded his head.

.

.

“Find anything, (Name)?” April asked, the group rendezvousing.

You sighed. “Only packets of vegetable seeds.”

“Hey, more food, the better.”

“Let’s just hope Todd will be able to work his magic on them.”

“Knowin’ he raised who-knows-how-many puppies back then, m’sure he could handle a couple of plants.”

“What about you?”

“The city’s tough to get through as ever. We only got a couple of blankets and scraps of metal for Don. You didn’t come to the city?”

“With a child who barely knows how to nagivate out here?”

“Point taken. How’s the kid doing?”

“..I.. I think he likes the rummaging.” 

“Why’d you hesitate to say that? Giving me a scare for a sec.” April laughed behind her hand. “That’s good, that’s good. Gives ‘nother reason for him to go out more.”

“Just as long as he watches himself.”

“Have some faith in him, (Name).”

“Of course.” You closed your eyes. “Commander O’Neil.”

“H-Hey!” She wrapped her arm around your neck, while you laughed. “Thought I said I don’t want my own friends calling me that.”

“Do you not like it?” 

“Yeah I do, but..” April pulled away and rubbed her arm. “I don’t want you guys to forget what we all were before.”

Your breath paused.

She continued, “We were all close friends. If we start calling each other these formalities, I.. don’t know how different we’ll treat each other.”

“...”

“Man.” April almost felt her eyes sting. “Young me wouldn’t be this emotional over some title. Only in our late twenties, and we’re already talkin’ like we’re gonna die.”

You chuckled. “This world’s making us old, isn’t it?”

“Sure is..” 

Your friend slowly faced the base entrance. “Guess we better return. Boys! Let’s head back!” she called out. They moved along, except for Leo and Casey. They stood in place and gave a knowing look at each other.

You raised an eyebrow.

“Leo! Casey!” April shouted again, only to be stopped by Donnie. He pushed her off, whispering something in her ear. Raph, strolling behind and past you, tapped your shoulder. Then, Mikey winked.

You were confused.

What was going on?

“(Name),” your blue called, signalling for you to come with them. “Casey and I got something to show you.”

They led to a short hill, where the three of you sat watching the horizon. The whole world might’ve changed dramatically, sunrises and sets still exist.

“Vegetable seeds weren’t the only thing you found, was it.”

“How perceptive.” You snorted. “No.. there was something else. When we walked further an hour ago, there was something I recognize..”

You pulled out something wrapped in a brown cloth and unwapped it.

It was.. Cassandra’s hockey stick.

Leo’s eyes widened. “You.. No way..”

“I can’t believe it was intact after many years..” You teared up, holding the stick close to your chest. “I thought it disappeared with her..”

“..She probably dropped it, switching to her hyperbeam guns..,” Leo guessed. “You chose not to tell April?”

“Hey.. I get emotional talking about anything related to Cassandra to anyone else. You’re the only other guy who knew exactly what happened anyway..”

Casey was perplexed. 

He tugged onto the blue scarf. “..Papa? Why’s (Mama / Papa) crying over a.. wooden stick? Who is she talking about?”

“Don’t ask me, buddy. Your (Mama / Papa) knows this person a lot more than I do.”

You moved your arm, pulling the boy close to you. “Casey.. There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you for a while..” You gazed down at him. “Did you know you have another parent?”

“...”

Casey was absolutely shocked, flabbergasted, open jaw and wide eyes.

Meanwhile, Leo was dying on the inside. You couldn’t help but laugh as well. “Heyy! Are you trying to joke around?” 

“Sorry sorry. I didn’t mean to laugh,” you quieted down. “But it’s true.”

You pulled out a photograph. There was you, Leo, and everyone else.. except for an unfamiliar woman with piercings and a paler complexion in darker clothing. Casey took a closer look. “She’s also my Mom?”

“Yes, she is.”

Casey then glared at Leo, who was taken aback by the kid’s offended expression. “..(Mama / Papa),” he not-so-quietly whispered. “..Did Papa cheat on you?”

The red-eared turtle coughed hard. He was ready to argue, charge at the boy for even thinking he would do that to you. Where did he even learn the concept of cheating? Those gossiping girls who somehow remembered everything from their high school career?

“Hey—!”

“Don’t worry, he may seem like the kind, but he would never.” You teasingly smiled, testing Leo. “You actually have two fathers.”

“How come he isn’t in the photo?”

“..He just.. doesn’t like pictures.”

“Oh.”

“Mhm.”

“What about other Mom? How come I’ve never seen her?”

You sighed. “Casey.. You know how sometimes Papa and I go out to make sure no Kraang comes near us?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you miss us when we’re gone?”

The boy fiddled his fingers. “Even though Uncle Mikey.. Uncle Raph.. Auntie April.. and sometimes Uncle Don take good care of me, I still wish you were there with me.”

“And we miss you too.” You tightened your embrace. “That’s because we love you, Casey. We are both always worried that something can happen and we won’t be there to help you. 

But we also have a job to do for everyone, to make sure we are all safe.”

“..Is that why other Mom is not here?”

“Correct. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t love you. In fact, she was willing to fight the whole world to make sure you’re in good hands.” You tapped his chest. “She had to fight the Kraang too. She knew she won’t be able to see you for a long time. Because she loves you so much, she wants only the most capable to raise you.”

“...It’s okay, (Mama / Papa). You don’t have to say it like that.”

You felt yourself freeze.

“I’m growing up. I can handle it,” Casey assured. “..Is she up in the stars?”

“..She is.”

His arms wrapped around your back and Leo’s shell. “Well.. In my heart, you’ll always be my (Mama / Papa) and Papa to me. Nothing will ever change how much I love you.”

You inhaled, struggling to keep a stoic face.

Leo covered half of his face in his scarf. In the end, even he couldn’t hide his feelings. He decided to give you both a sudden big hug himself. “Gah! Come here, you two! You really know how to make a grown man cry.”

“Ah, Leo! You’re.. hurting.. our lungs..!” In reluctance, the turtle released you. “Look what happened, your Papa’s turning into an sobbing mess.”

“This was a heartwarming moment for me, (Name). Don’t you dare judge.”

Casey bit his lip. This was when he made his move.

“Oooh. Did you know Papa can also turn into romance?”

Leo froze.

“Hey hey, hold on there, buddy..” A nervous chuckle. “Couldn’t you give a cue? We’re.. doing this right now, no warning?” 

“But this was your plan!” Casey countered. “Stand up, both of you!” You followed along. The hockey stick set aside for now. At this point, better not to ask more questions.

“(Mama / Papa).. Papa says he has something special to show you.” The boy gave Leo a box.. Indiscreet as he was, he tried. A grin appeared on his face when he scurried off behind a nearby rock.

“So.. I’m guessing this had to be related to my name called back there.” You put your hands on your hips.

“He’s still learning his social cues. He’ll get his self-awareness from me, you’ll see.” Leo cleared his throat. “Anyways.. (Name).. it’s been a long time since we got together. Even longer when we first met.. say about twelve years ago. 

Gotta admit.. first impressions weren’t special.

You were just another high school kid. You were the second human I know to ever like hanging out with us mutants. You just seemed like another person to me.

But you were.. considerate.. kind. I wasn’t used to having someone actually listening to me, ‘cause we were all idiots back then. The gang and I would only fool around, bite each other and all.

It wasn’t until you.. said something.. Those words to me..” He felt his hand reaching out. 

You took it in both of yours. There was a light in your eyes. You remembered exactly what that moment was. Your voice slipped, 

“..You have always been my champion..”

Leo’s grip tightened as he immediately went down on both knees. “No one.. no one’s ever said that to me... I couldn’t help it anymore. 

I couldn’t help looking your way every time you were there.

As much as I hate to swallow my pride, I couldn’t help but act all cool and badass whenever you’re looking.. even though most times didn’t work out so well.

You were the only one who believed in me.. and I knew it has to be you.”

Then, Leo released your hands. He took the box out and opened it. “I know it isn’t an overrated ring.. but..” The two heart halves revealing themselves on separate chains.

“(Name).. Will you.. marry me?” 

.

.

.

“..Yes.” You were tearing up again. “Yes! But..!” 

His heart suddenly chipped itself off. That last word was never assumed to be a good sign. “Is there something wrong? ..God.. did I do this too soon?”

You, though, were trying not to snicker. “No no. It’s just.. you’re supposed to propose on one knee, Leo! Not both!”

“They chose to question that over the whole ‘apocalypse proposal’?” Donnie muttered to the others. “How does anyone even consider that as romantic?”

“Donnie, shut your aro-ace ass.” 

Your blue turned red. Embarassed, his face was flushed. He groaned, “Not the teasing right now. Is being the only person to get me on both not enough for you?” 

“Hm. We’ll just have to see how we do in bed.”

Leo choked. 

“WHAT—.”

“(NAME), NOT IN FRONT OF THE KID!” Raph screamed.

Before You Go | Future Leo X GN!Reader (Part II)

A/N: Constuctive criticism is appreciated.

Summary: You’re both adopting-parents of Casey. Leonardo was all exhausted from handling a flustered Casey.

Reader: Gender-neutral pronouns are used. Second POV.

Pairing: Rise! Future! Leonardo X Reader

Warning(s): None.

Word Count: ~1140

Parts: One / Two / Three / Four / Five / ...

~

"Argh.." 

Leonardo heaved when the baby in his arms continued to cry. The headaches from his last time dealing with Casey returned. "Come on now, tell me what is it.."

He gave him what he could offer: the attempt to feed the boy, pat his back to release any gas, and even spin him around for trial-and-error’s sake. Yet for a long while, Leo hadn’t been able to stop those tears.

And already were there other worries in mind.

He muttered, "Don't you embarrass me in front of (Name).. or anyone else for that matter.." 

Out of nowhere, Casey cried much louder and thrashed around in Leo’s arms. His eyes widened upon the commotion. The turtle hushed. “Hey hey! Calm down a bit.. Everything’s alright."

God, how hypocritical.

He had dark circles underneath his eyes, half-lidded from lack of sleep and much worry. He dragged his palm across his face and muttered, "God, what was the song they sang to those kids..?"

Leo promised you this time, he would take care of the baby, while you would be busy gathering food and patrolling. It was practically switching shifts, but you seemed a bit too excited about it. The problem? Well.. he understood why and realized he'd probably have an easier time dealing with kids much older than two years old.

"If you're not hungry, or lonely, or—." He grimaced and groaned. "Ohh man.. don't tell me it's about the diaper—."

"I changed it when you went to take a quick breather outside," you spoke.

Leo jumped. Tired eyes widening again. “(Name)! What are you— you shouldn’t be back so soon. I had....” He yawned. “I had everything under control.”

You raised an eyebrow.

He was exhausted. It was obvious. 

Even then, you played along. He was the one who suggested for you to take that day out after all. He wanted to spend time with Casey too. And you wouldn’t dare discourage Leo like that.

“I know, I know. Sometimes, it doesn’t hurt for the either of us to check in though.” You gave him a peck. “Besides, you haven’t gotten enough sleep lately.”

He grunted. “I’m fine. A little less sleep’s not gonna kill me.”

“It tells me something when you chose to leave Casey in Donnie’s hands while you were away for a second.”

“Y-You were here when that happened too?”

Leonardo cleared his throat. "No, no. Everything's under control, (Name)," he proclaimed, lying through his teeth. "Casey and I are doing just fine..!" 

Unfortunately, the baby's teary expression said the complete opposite.

"You're having trouble with him, aren't you?"

He scoffed. "Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Did you get the sack of potatoes from Todd?"

"Yeah." You deadpanned. "I did. They’re gonna get sick of eating them, but we don’t have much of an option— don't go changing the subject on me! Leo, you look dead! You didn’t even get some rest before taking on Casey!”

Leo huffed. “Why are you making him sound like some video game boss?”

“Let’s get you some sleep.” You tugged him towards a small dugout. It was supposed to be your bedroom, but seeing how much had collasped in this underground base from battles, it wasn’t nice nor clean.

“No, I can’t sleep.. I can’t—.”

You took the baby from his arms, and while he was confused, shoved him onto a shaped pile of dirt called a bed. Face on the “mattress” and a long sigh out.

Leo gave in.

“Okay.. okay. You win, (Name).”

“Good, you can stay here for an hour and I’ll—.” You yelped when his arms wrapped around you and yanked you back onto the bed with him. “Leo!” Casey started to giggle.

The turtle froze.

“Agh! So all this time he was crying for no reason?!”

“I told you before that babies can be dramatic!”

“I didn’t think he’d be dramatic enough to cry,” Leo scoffed. “He was loud at that too.” His arms went to cover his eyes, facing the ceiling.

“The experience was much different than you realize, huh?” you murmured, laying your head next to his. Casey still in your arms, biting on them.

“..I thought I could do it.”

“Hm? But you were already doing it. You kept track of feeding him, releasing his gas, playing with him.. You considered changing his diaper too.. They’re all exactly what you needed to do for him.”

“But you took care of it in the end, as always.”

“..Took care of what?”

“He was crying just now, (Name). Don’t try to pretend like it didn’t happen.. I know I’m not the best father-figure to him.”

“Seriously?” you chuckled. “That was you too. He didn’t stop having that upset look on his face until you pulled me down. He.. probably enjoys surprises.”

“..Huh.. now you mentioned it..”

You sat up, turning your face to Leo. Your hand trailed along his jawline.

“Where’s the overconfident guy I know and love?” you hummed. “It’s not like you to put yourself down like that. You trying your best makes you the best father to Casey.”

Leo’s eyes gazed up at you.

“You’ve helped me a lot by covering a turn for him.”

“(Name), please. Whenever it’s my turn, things always get messy.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me, Leon.”

“..What?”

“You never noticed your pattern of taking Casey out of my hands before you get some rest? We do these switches after your patrol too.”

His mind clicked.

“..Ohh.”

You scoffed. “Yeah. You always look dead when I come back from my trip outside.” 

.

.

.

You stared at his lying form. Your fingers creeped underneath his head to signal him, and Leo adjusted. His head resting on your thighs.

“Leo,” you whispered. “Do you love me?”

Breath hitched. “When have I not?” he responded in a groggy voice. “..Why do you ask?”

“Do you love Casey?”

Said-boy babbled upon hearing some familiar syllables. He gave a soft kick on Leo’s arm, while playing with your fingers.

“...Even though he’s kind of exhausting, I’d give the world to the little guy.” He smiled, remembering the small moments when Casey would crawl over to his large feet and hand him a dead bird. “..Why?”

“Because you can’t help the both of us if you can’t help yourself.”

Hand trailing Leo’s jawline again. You spoke softly, “I don’t want you to kill yourself. Losing sleep is only going to do that, and I can’t risk losing you.

So promise me.. you’ll take care of yourself.”

“...I promise.” Leo slowly shut his eyes.

“...(Name)?”

“Hm?”

“Can you.. Remember that lullaby?”

“The one to the kids at the orphanage?”

“Yeah.. can I hear you.. sing it again?”

.

.

.

That night.. was one of the few when everyone managed to sleep without being woken up by a baby’s cries.

Like You | Donnie X GN!Reader (Part II)

A/N: I had to do something with Donnie. In order for me to try and replicate his character, I had to repeat his sarcastic voice in my head over and over. It was an absolute pain, because to focus on this entire imagine (both parts), I had to try and shove all the trauma I got from the movie away for a couple of hours.

Summary: You were trying to ignore your feelings by avoiding the turtle himself. What you did not expect was that he’d be at your homecoming dance, confronting you.

Pairing: Rise!Donatello X Reader

Reader: Gender-neutral. Second POV. 

Genre: Hurt & Comfort

Warning: Good luck on being confronted.

Word Count: ~1260

Part: One / Two

~

You stood on the roof, arms resting on the concrete. It was frigid at night, especially with the wind blowing along your skin.

You weren’t into dances. You weren’t supposed to be here, but not only did your friends beg you to come to homecoming, Leonardo had asked you to meet up on the roof tonight. 

Sure, you had to pay him back for asking him to sneak calculus material out of his soft-shelled brother. Though, you didn’t expect that his request would be to prank you like this.

You sighed. “It’s Leon. I should’ve seen this coming—.”

“Oh Fibonacci.” You heard someone mumble, followed by a creaking of the door. You turned around, facing the mysterious person— or rather— turtle. 

Your eyes widened. “Donnie..”

Oh God. This was Leon’s plan. You wanted to collaspe into embarrassment. You were well aware that you had been avoiding his brother. Maybe this was Leon being pissed after doing so. 

You never wanted to push him away, but the logic was there.

You eyed his tuxedo, features of violet to match him. That and the bandana together. Donnie looked.. incredibly handsome, so much so you felt your face heat up.

No. You shook it off. 

“(Name)..” Your eyes met his again. There was a trace of pain in them, and.. your heart ached. You gazed away as Donnie walked closer to your side, facing the city. “Strange that I haven’t seen you in a while.”

Your hands gripped your clothing.

“...Remember the name?”

You followed his sight to a dot in the sky, shining bright. You knew it well. “..Sirius A.”

“Define a logarithm.”

“The power of a number being raised.”

“Base two logarithm of 32.”

“Five.”

“...Suppose that explains why you haven’t answered my texts.. You didn’t even need my help.” Donnie faced down, eyebrows furrowing. “(Name).. What have I done wrong?”

“No!” You were quick to deny that. “You did nothing wrong.” How could he think of himself like that when you were the one avoiding him without an explanation?

“Then.. why were you avoiding me?”

“I.. I didn’t mean to—.”

“I have common sense, (Name),” he scoffed. “If the lack of it is what you’re trying to take advantage of.” 

You had nothing to say.

“You haven’t contacted me in so long. I thought you might have some family issues or even an existential crisis, but then, you and Leo....” Donnie shook his head. “I know I have something to do it. Why were you avoiding me?”

“I already told you—!”

“For the love of Galileo, (Name), you’ve avoided me enough, so quit dodging my questions!” he snapped. “Tell me, so I don’t have to keep beating myself up over every possible reason that could separate you from me!” 

Donnie heaved, before a couple of tears form in his eyes. He tried to blink them away, but the pain was overwhelming. “I like what we had before, hanging out together in libraries, tutoring you, experimenting with tech.” Though he was hesitant, he let the words slip from his mouth. “As much as it’s not my thing to say affectionate words.. I’ve... missed you.”

You froze as he took and held your hand.

“And I mean it, a-all right? There’s no one else who has a passion for mathematics like you. There’s no one else who would try to memorize a hundred different stars with me like you would. There’s no one else who appreciate my sciences, my passions, my intelligence, like you—.”

“Stop.”

Donnie stopped rambling. “..What?”

Your face was turning hot, burying it into your hands. “Why do you have to make things so hard for me...”

He was starting to panic. “I.. I’m sor—.”

“No! It’s not like that!” You used one of your hands to wave it off. “You.. So this is what it’s about?”

“What’s what about?” Donnie tugged on his collar.

“Are you trying to confess to me?” you laughed. “I never took you for the romantic type.”

You opened your eyes through your hand to find the turtle with wide eyes and a blush darkening his face under the night. “Well—. I—. You—.” He was trying to fight back his short-circuiting. “That’s absurd! Donatello Von Ryan never involves himself with romanc—.”

“I like you too, Don.”

Suddenly, he’s the one hiding his face. You looked away with flushed ears. All this time, your fear—. Oh. The vibrant colors from your moment faded when you remembered your fear, the reason why you were avoiding the turtle.

You.. did owe him an explanation.

“...I was avoiding you,” Donnie uncovered his face, “because I started to like you romantically.” 

You crossed your arms as another gust of wind blew. 

“I was afraid you’d find that weird: a human— a much different.. biological being— falling in love with a mutant. And then, we were becoming really close, so I separated myself to prevent either of our— no, my feelings from getting hurt.”

His brows furrowed

“I am so sorry, Donnie.” 

“...”

WOOOOOOOO!

Cheers from behind the door grew louder as music blasted, startling the two of you. Donnie looked back and huffed, “Way to ruin the moment... I was wondering why no one was actually dancing at a ‘homecoming dance.’” 

You snickered.

The turtle faced you, to see you more light-hearted in his presence had a smile growing on him. “(Name).” Donnie held his hand out. “May I have the honor of holding a dance with you?”

Your face fell. You found yourself backing away. “R-Right now?”

“Oh, of course, I’m asking you for a dance that’ll happen in a century,” Donnie remarked, his face holding a smug look until he realized. “Unless.. you don’t know how to—.”

You quickly interjected, “I’ve told you once that I had never attended dances..”

Donnie proceeded to take your hand anyway. “I’ll show you.”

There was still hesitation in your eyes. He lifted your hand in his left up, and placed your other one on his shoulder. Donnie pulled you closer, making you heat up yet again. 

He definitely has confidence in dancing, that’s for sure. 

“Don’t move too quickly.”

“Don’t fret,” Donnie lowered his voice, “I know how to take it slow.”

Ignoring the shiver on your skin, you deadpanned. “You were so flustered just a moment ago, and here you are.”

“Oh, but (Name)! That’s the fascinating power of dancing: growing comfortable in your own shoes. Try not to watch my steps closely, and simply move along.”

He gave you a spin, he led you a step to the right, behind you. Then, as “Dandelions” played in the background, he twirled you out before bringing you back in. 

Palm to palm, you both moved clockwise and counter, like as if you were dancing in a ballroom. No longer minding the footwork, you were enjoying yourself.

“Were you jealous of my other tutor?” you spoke.

“What an assumption.” Donnie scoffed, “Surely, he can’t be as great as moi, Donatello Von Ryan.”

“Nope,” you answered with no consideration. “In fact, he’s so much worse of a tutor than you that I had to ask Leon to sneak calculus material from you to me.”

He went stiff. “You asked him to get it from me?”

“Don’t tell me you were also jealous of—.”

“Ahahem,” Donnie coughed. “I merely thought he taking my credit.”

You laughed. “Oh come on, we both know well enough that Leo is never interested in calculus, or any subject besides physical education.”

You leaned in closer, hand caressing his face. 

“You know, calculus is still biting me by my ankles..”

“Mhm.”

“I’m wondering.. Donatello.. if you would be interested in being my tutor again?”

“..Always.” He pulled you into a kiss.

Let Me Know | Turbo X F!Reader (Human AU)

A/N: Looks like I’m getting into writing fan fiction for Turbo F.A.S.T. Honestly, the show is so underrated, meaning no one question every hour why I’m in love with a snail. All I can say is that personality attracts me a lot. Enjoy!

Universe: Human AU where the F.A.S.T Crew are university students with a common interest for car racing.

Summary: You weren’t answering his messages or calls, so Turbo had to find you himself.

Genre: Fluff.

Reader: Feminine (She / Her).

Word Count: 690

~

“She’s not here?”

Your roommate shook their head. “And she never said anything about where she went?” Theo asked.

“I did ask her, but she hasn’t responded to my text.” The man could feel his heart nearly drop. Where had you gone? Your roommate saw the concern on his face and continued, “I would probably check with the library and cafés first. Maybe she has a project she needed to work on.”

Theo nodded. “Thanks.”

Walking away from your dorm, he checked through his phone. A minute passed, and he did it again. Theo tried to call you, but you made no answer, taking him to voicemail instead. “Please, just send a text,” he mumbled. Theo stared at his last message, which was sent two hours ago.

Thoughts ran in his head. The idea of you cheating on him was honestly one of his least worries. But the idea of you being kidnapped or even…. His heart started to pump faster, and Theo had to shake his head. No, he shouldn’t think that way. He needed to stay calm.

BRRING! BRRRING!

Theo jumped, immediately answering the phone call. “(Name), where—.”

“Now, where the hell did you go, Turbo!” No, it wasn’t you, but his captain. “Don’t you dare tell me you forgot about our meeting. Even your brother came and he ain’t an actual member. What, couldn’t let me know if you decided to be bold and skip out on practice—.”

“Look, Whip, I’m sorry, but I really got to find (Name). I haven’t seen her all day, and I—,” Turbo sighed. “See you.” He ended the call.

The racer sprinted to the library, the local cafés, trying not to look panicked. He even went through the career fair happening today, because he figured you’d want to find an early opportunity to get in touch with an employer. 

As much as he didn’t want to admit it, Theo’s eyes were starting to tear up. He decided to head back to your dorm, hoping that you returned. As Theo passed by, the doors to a lecture hall suddenly opened. He took a step back and watched in surprise as the administrators and students exited, all conversing with one another. 

This lecture hall was reserved for certain occasions, so Theo wondered what was happening in there—.

Was that you talking to your media productions professor?

Gosh, Theo almost shoved someone when he ran over. Your professor just left when you found your boyfriend tackling you into an embrace. “(Name), (Name),” he breathed. “…I’m so glad you’re all right.”

You exclaimed, “Turbo?” You returned the affection for a moment, until a realization had you push him away. “Don’t you have a meeting! What are you doing here, this far from the track?!”

No words fell from his lips. Theo came closer and buried his face into your neck. 

“Mmm, mmm,” he mumbled incoherently. 

“I can’t hear you, Theo.”

“I just miss you.”

You scratched his head. “All right, but you don’t need to skip out on practice. It’s not like you to not take the opportunity to race, and plus, Whiplash’s going to kick your ass for this.”

“Hey,” he pulled away, “at least I told him why I’m there.”

“But he called you first, didn’t he?”

“Sure, but at least I answered his call. I would’ve expected you to do the same, or even reply to my messages? It doesn’t have to be long, even a—.”

“You didn’t just see, Turbo? I was in the lecture hall. Phones are off in there. 

I had a presentation to convince the administrators to grant my media productions class permission to do a school-wide podcast or radio.” You rubbed your nape sheepishly. “The idea didn’t just come from our want to share news though. I, personally, also wanted to… help get more people to see the crew’s races.”

“You did that for us?”

“I mean, I did notice there was a lack of audience in the track. I thought hyping it up could work, especially since not many students actually know about you guys—.”

Theo hugged you again. “…Just give me a heads up sooner.”

Comfort and Confession | Rise!Leo X F!Reader

A/N: This is my earliest one-shot on Tumblr, and I’ve decided to dedicate that to Leonardo from Rise of TMNT. He’s my favorite character due to his charismatic personality. 

Also, I included some Spanish at the end, but due to a lack of knowledge in that language, I resorted to Google Translate. Anyone with experience in Spanish please inform me if I made a mistake.

Enjoy yourself!

Rise! Leo X Female! Reader (One-Shot)

Word Count: ~2600

You were quietly seated at your study desk, your mechanical pencil maneuvering over your sheet of algebra homework. Your senior year would soon be coming to an end, and yet, your days kept getting overfilled with responsibilities. Not to mention your scholarships and university applications.

Headphones snuggled over your ears, you sighed, holding your chin up with your hand. The shuffled playlist of songs made your silence bearable, even against the loud streets of New York City during the late evening.

Nothing changed out there.

And here you were, feeling your own life about to flip over.

You tapped your pencil rapidly. You tried to shove away those questions, but they seeped in anyway. Have you done enough? Have you made the most of everything? Have you spent enough time with your friends? Soon, your grades wouldn’t be your worry anymore, but your career.

It scared you.

How you could never relax. Let yourself vulnerable.

You were quite popular among your peers: persistent, open-minded, and had always tried to maintain top-quality work. You should be happy, but you ended up being haunted by a fear of slipping up. People say they wouldn’t care, but is it really the case? You had underclassmen looking up to you, friends who admired you, so who’s to say they wouldn’t turn you away once you disappoint them?

Oh, how you could never settle down.

The hues of your eyes gazed out the window, which perfectly hung right by your desk. Your face looked solemn, scanning over the street lights hanging around your neighborhood. Then, you shook your head and took off your headphones, worried that you might have grown distracted. Your music playlist paused.

The mechanical pencil flickered around in your hand, while you turned to read the ninth unit of your AP Chemistry textbook. 

. . .

Tap Tap.

You smiled. Must be the rain. It should’ve been hot outside. Then again, rainfall comes often when you’re by the sea and the temperature’s high.

You felt a bit glad though. Rain had a therapeutic effect on your mind.

There was a pause.

You hummed. Well, that was a quick sprinkle. 

Tap Tap.

Now, the sound puzzled you. What kind of rain paused like that? 

You turned your chair, going to check the weather. Except, your body practically jumped for a second and lost your grasp of the pencil. In that split moment, you knew exactly where– or who– the sound came from. A figure tapped onto your window, waiting to be let in. Your heart still raced under your shocked breaths.

You ran a hand through your hair, trying to laugh your way to being calm again.

“Oh my God.” 

You recognized the person– turtle– who came by occasionally to bother you out of their boredom. He wore an electric-blue mask and adorn in his iconic red markings. He rubbed his nape, cheekily smiling. 

“Leon.” You lifted your window up for an opening. “You scared me. I thought it was some random homeless guy. Or some delinquent trailing me from school. You–. Please give me a heads up next time! You literally have a phone!”

Unfazed, Leonardo waved his hands. “Okay, okay. Relax, Cariña.” He grinned. “You have nothing to worry about! Anyone who tries to come after you will have to mess with me. And who’d be dumb enough to fight a guy like me anyway– did you say someone was following you?”

“Some underclassman, but one of my guy friends usually handles him.” You shrugged.

“I can handle him, (Name)! You could’ve called me!”

“You’re forgetting something, Leo.” You pointed your finger from down to up his figure. “You’re a turtle. I don’t know how well NYC’s gonna take you. Once someone sees you, you’re plastered all over the news.”

He huffed, making himself comfortable on your bed. His katanas laid on the floor. Hands behind his head, Leonardo shut his eyes. “Y’know, having my handsome face across billboards doesn’t sound so bad.”

You snorted. “I wouldn’t exactly say you’re ‘handsome.’”

His grin faltered. Ouch.

“Say whatever you want, Cariña.” He puffed out. “So? Gonna tell me whatcha up to, (Name)? Let me guess: homework here, homework there.” He wagged his feet as he went on.

“Pretty much.” You winced, not expecting your voice to be so strained. “Nothing really changes when you’re a student about to enter the ‘adult’ world.” You curled your fingers in quotations. Leo opened one of his eyes. The lightheartedness he had dropped when he noticed you pursing your lips. You seemed out of it. “Just more responsibilities coming my way. And I thought I’m already having it hard.”

“(Name).”

Leonardo sat up. He extended his palm to yours. His scaly yet gentle touch comforted you. Low-key, he caught you off-guard by how genuine he can be instead of teasing or joking around. You returned a weak smile, rubbing his hand with your thumb.

“Hey. Y’know I’m here to listen. I’m all ears.” He immediately rubbed his nape. He averted his gaze and whistled, “Okay, Leo, weird of you to say when you don’t have any ears– but you get the point.”

You took a deep breath.

Your spare hand twiddled with the hem of your top.

“You remember how I met you and your brothers as a high-school junior, right? Like by accident. Then some time of hanging out and fighting the Foot Clan passed, you guys and April accepted me.

Even when being so different in our personalities and standards, I guess we bonded well. I’ve always appreciated our friendship, because no one there tries to expect anything out of me. Like you guys only cared if I spend time. Although, you are all really goofy to be picky about a friend anyway.”

Leo snorted.

“Except, this year, I’m a senior.” A frown tugged on your lips, and your twiddling hand crept to hold Leo’s other. “The final stage of high school before moving on to college... Even if I attend a school close to here, I’ll be so occupied with my classes, I won’t have any time to spend with you like we normally do. I’ve put in so much effort to focus on my studies. I’m scared to disappoint my family and everyone, but that means I have to give up seeing you guys too.”

Your voice began to break. Your hands retreated and buried your face. The stress of your situation dawned on you.

The thought of you leaving almost stabbed his heart. He clenched his hands. “Hey.” he shook your shoulders. “Enough of that. Don’t get yourself down in the dumps. So what if you don’t come ‘round anymore? You don’t have to be the one to visit us, (Name).” 

Leonardo pulled your hands away from your face, meeting your eyes again. 

“I mean, my brothers and I are ninja turtles, (Name)! April even handled the Foot Clan on her own. If we could do that, busy or not, you bet we’ll trespass the school for you,” he declared, standing up tall with his arms crossed over his plastron.

He seemed a bit too serious with that one.

“Woah, hold on there, Leon,” you laughed, tugging his arms to stop him from continuing. “You’re overlooking a few things, again. Roommates are a thing.” You counted on your fingers. “And would April and your brothers even agree to this? You guys are risking your identities, and April, her journalism career if an officer comes by.”

“No worries.” He tossed the ends of his mask behind, as if flipping his locks of hair. “As the ‘Face’ of Mad Dogs, with my charming personality and for the sake of you, my brothers and sister will never turn down my idea. And since we have Donnie, our plans are unstoppable. We can meet whenever, wherever, s’long as you’re up for it.”

He held his palm out, this time, asking for yours. “So what do you say?”

You stared into his eyes. His sly and devious grin, his charismatic persona, and his oddly-effective methods of reassurance. No wonder you would let yourself fall too long for him.

Your fingers wiped off the trailing tears that linger by your hues, and you leapt off of your chair to embrace Leo to your bed in a hug. Face snuggled into his shoulder while your fingers played with the ends of his blue mask. “Of course.” The red-eared slider tensed– you could tell. Though it wasn’t long until Leonardo loosened up, returning the contact by sliding his arms over your waist. It remained that way for a while, feeling each other’s body rise and fall between each breath.

“Mind if I show you something?” Leonardo whispered.

A soft chuckle left your lips. “Sure.”

“We’re probably gonna have to climb to the top of the apartment, though.”

Now, you tensed up. You could feel your palms become sweaty. You grumbled, “Leonardo–.” “Come on, I’ll hold your hand as we go; you’re not gonna fall,” he promised.

“Even with the fire escapes, you can’t expect me to trust them with how rusty they’ve gotten over the four years of living here. We’re five stories high!”

“Just trust me, (Name).”

You rubbed your palms onto your clothes, drying away the blood-rushing feeling in them. An hesitant smile appeared on your face. “All right. Fine, I’ll go.”

“You won’t regret it, Princesa.”

You shoved his shoulder lightly. Your ears flushed. 

“Please don’t.”

You and Leonardo ducked underneath the window toward the fire escape. At such a height of meters over the bustling streets, your heart rate began to speed up. But like the turtle promised, Leonardo took your hand firmly and guided you up. Your vision quickly adapted to the darkness, so you noticed there was actually– barely any rust on the escape. You could assume the metal had been galvanized. 

At least you could confirm that there’s a lower chance of the escape breaking apart. 

You narrowed your eyes. But never zero.

“All the way to the top, Leon?” Your voice held hesitation. 

“We’re close, (Name). You got this. Just keep holding onto my hand.”

The creaking of the ladder continued, until the two of you finally made it to the apartment roof. You heaved a loud sigh, relieved nothing went wrong. You dusted off your hands. “So, what exactly would this ‘something’ be, Leo?”

The red-eared slider grinned. Placing his hands on your shoulders, he turned you around to face the city. 

And your breath left. 

Your eyes practically glittered.

From that height, the city looked more enchanting. All those vehicles and voices sounded more quiet. So much so, the one thing you could hear were the cool breezes. You walked over and leaned by the edge, taking in the landscape. The mutant held his hand on your waist, making sure you won’t get caught up in the sightseeing.

“Leo.” You sighed in awe. “The view’s so beautiful.” Glancing between him and the scenery, you remarked, “You see this every night, running and hanging on those rooftops? I’ve never gone this high up during the night. And now, I wish I could do this all those nights ago.”

Leonardo only hummed. His hand held his chin, eyes closed, as if he was thinking of something else. You called to him. “Is something up? Do you have to go somewhere?” Your heart almost fell at the idea.

He opened his one eye, before huffing lightheartedly. “No, nothing’s wrong. There’s something–. I swear it should be here–.” Then, he whipped his head up. “Oh-ho! There we go! About time!”

“Huh?” Your eyes gazed up to the sky, covered in layers of clouds. From what you could tell, those clouds were heavy.

Pit. Pat.

Pit. Pat.

Pitter. Patter.

You felt something cold touch your head. It dripped down your face. “Raindrops,” you realized and faced Leonardo, strolling back to your side with a pleased smile. “You were expecting rainfall?”

The red-eared slider sat down by the edge, letting his legs dangle off. He patted the space next to him, meeting your eyes as he did. 

You remembered the height of this building. 

Being cautious, you hesitated. But after months of interaction with someone who’d helped save the city countless times– despite the idea most humans likely wouldn’t treat him back too kindly– you had always put your trust in him. 

“Sí, Cariña,” Leonardo responded. “What would be a better, relaxing day than some rain in New York City~?”

You raised an eyebrow. “I never realized you’re a rainy-day type of guy, Leon. I thought you’d prefer the sun... I mean, sunny weather feels more like your personality after all.” Your contented mood died down, when you found the turtle turning his head away. You quickly felt troubled.

“..Have I said something wrong–?”

“What? N-No, nothing like that.” Leonardo shook his head as he waved his hands. The silence caught up again, so you decided to continue speaking. “You know, Leon. Rain being part of your ‘something’ for me is really a coincidence, because–.”

“I overheard you.”

“I... I’m sorry?”

The red-eared slider felt his blood rushing and heart beating quick. He should be comfortable expressing his feelings. He was supposed to be overly confident! That daring kind of guy! That one mutant with the audacity– as Donnie often reprimanded him. But the embarrassment he felt here was high.

“When you were hanging out with April and Sunita that one time, I... might have or might-have-not overheard you say how much you like rainy weather.” Leonardo rubbed his nape with his clammy hands. His blush was becoming more apparent– even under thick clouds that covered the moonlight. 

“And since Donnie has a weather forecast that predicted a 70% chance of rain, I thought today would be a perfect day to show you the city lights.” His words slowly died into a sheepish mumble.

You were stunned. Your face couldn’t hold back the light blush either. “That was so long ago, I can’t believe you even remembered that.”

You pursed your lips and told him straight on. “I really appreciate it, Leon.”

Anything for you. Leonardo felt his heart flutter inside. “Yeah. O-Of course. I mean, you’re not wrong: I prefer the sunny days and all. Doesn’t mean I don’t mean it when I say rainy days are chill. Never thought I’d feel any more unwinded until today.” He brought his knees close to his plastron.

Soft winds blew. The sprinkling rain pitter-pattered. You could confirm: they were all reasons why you found rainfall soothing. “So,” Leon murmured, “You have any idea on where exactly you’re gonna go past graduation?”

Your face faltered, slowly looking back overhead the city. “Not sure. I could go to the one in Massachusetts to pursue my studies in a high-class school, or stay in New York. I hope to stay as close to here as I can, to be honest. Close to you and everyone: Raph, Donnie, Mikey, April; Casey and Splinter too.”

“You know Mikey’s gonna miss you treating him so well.” Leonardo rolled his eyes and scoffed. You snickered and spoke with the most annoying voice you could conjure up, “Aww. But he’s so precious, how can I not resist giving him special treatment?”

“Youngest child privilege,” he grumbled.

“Thought you love your little brother, Leon~?”

“Woah-woah. Hey now, Cariña, don’t get me wrong. I’ll always love my brothers when they’re not abusing their benefits,” he defended. “Speaking of which, how come I get any?”

You couldn’t tell if your forehead was sweating, or if they were only raindrops. Either way, you sensed some blood rushing to your face. You playfully crossed your arms. “Oh come on, I-I can’t answer that.”

“I’m being serious, (Name)! Let me count my hermanos off.” Leonardo extended all three fingers. “One, you treat Mikey like a mother to a kid. ‘He’s a teenager?’ My point’s still kind of there. Two, you buy a bunch of snacks for Raph whenever you visit. Low-key, I think he’s getting obsessed with shrimp chips. Three, you occasionally have Donnie to tutor you!”

You stopped him. “I wouldn’t even consider that last one a benefit, Leo.”

“Trust me on this one, (Name). As his brother, I know he loves it when he gets the chance to– in his words– ‘share his intellect.’” Leonardo did the bunny-quotes. “But what about me? I’m not looking for any favors– not trying to be that guy. I’m just trying to understand if I did anything wrong to be treated any differently from my brothers.”

You would have continued to tease him, thinking nothing serious of it. However, his fallen shoulders and pained expression told you otherwise.

You fell silent. 

You began, slowly moving your hand toward his, “Leo... I’m sorry, I can assure you you haven’t done anything wrong to upset me.”

“Then, what is–?”

Pit pat, pit pat, pit pat.

Plop, plop plop, plop plop plop.

As more sounds reached your ears, you cursed. “Oh my God. They’re getting heavier. I shouldn’t get sick for tomorrow’s assembly!” You leaned over the fire escape, stopped upon the height, and glanced toward the red-eared slider. 

“L-Leon–.”

“Don’t worry.. I’m here.”

The rainfall became dense. Leonardo held your hand all the way until you two reached your apartment window, where the water had condensed onto the glass, and where some of it fell into your bedroom.

You quickly grabbed two towels from the bathroom, drying any water off your head and on the floor. Walking back to the opening, where Leon waited, you picked up the turtle’s twin swords, knowing he’d have to leave soon. “I hope it won’t be too cold for you to handle out there, Leon.” You handed his weapon.

He shrugged. “Eh... What’s a bit of rain going to do to a mutant turtle living in the sewers? Don’t forget, I got Lou Jitsu’s blood in me too.” He winked. “‘The cold never bothers me anyway.’”

You huffed lightly. “Stay safe.”

“Will do.” Right as Leonardo was about to leave, by instinct, you took your chance and suddenly grabbed his hand, holding him back. The red-eared slider– with wide eyes– gazed down at you, confused yet expectantly.

“I.. I never answered that other question.”

Leonardo’s shoulders slumped. “Forget it.” He waved off. “You said you couldn’t tell me... I shouldn’t be begging you to spill anything personal.”

“No, not like–.” You sighed. “Just come here.”

Leonardo leaned down near the window, concerned. But then, your hand reached out through, fingertips tracing along his jaw, caressing his skin. Your intentionally slow pace gave him enough time to process this moment.

Your red-eared slider leaned right into your touch, and he gulped. His face bringing out a light blush. The very charismatic and overly confident mutant melted under your hold. You moved him closer and closer. Your hues locked in contact, before you both slowly shut them.

The tiny space between your lips gone as you crashed into a kiss.

“Mmm.” His shoulders visibly relaxed. You wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him closer, as he did around your waist. The heat on your face not going away. Leo’s hands trailed down and gripped your thighs, while you went on playing with the ends of his mask.

After what felt like a minute, you both broke from the kiss, panting softly. Those breaths can be seen against the cold.

“Eres buena para tu primer beso, Cariña~.”

“Como si tuvieras alguna experiencia con los besos, Cariño~.” You used your finger to close his gaping mouth. 

“H-Hold on, you speak Spanish–?”

“High school requires at least two years of a foreign language.” You kissed his neck. “Next time we get a rainy night, you wanna climb up the roof again?”

Sign the Petition (Rise)

Bring ROTTMNT Back - Change.org