struggling with ideas for my future rottmnt post so i'll throw a snack out here to keep you guys fed until then
((thank you mr juice for beta-ing again ilysm))
thinking about (platonic) future leo. sticking by your side more often than not, finding excuses to be close - nudging your shoulder and placing a gentle hand on your shoulder to grab your attention.
future leo who takes you under his wing with zero prompting and treats you like his kid alongside casey. just kinda flocks to you right away.
now that he's back in the past, left without a resistance to lead and the weight of crushing responsibilities off his shoulders, he finds he has a large amount of free time to spend. naturally, he spends a good chunk of it with you.
he tends to hover over you like a helicopter parent, refusing to let you train with anything even remotely sharp and scolding his younger counterpart if he even thinks about letting you mess with his odachi. even in the kitchen, the knives are all off limits and that includes the peeler. if you need a sandwich or something, he can just make it for you.
fear not, however. he’s a fun guy when you’re not around anything you could hurt yourself with; very playful and willing to joke around with you quite often, turning up the dad jokes and silly antics to guarantee a smile. he’ll wrangle joy out of you one way or another.
leonardo gets antsy if you don't ask anything of him for a while. being the leader of an entire settlement with hundreds of people relying on and reporting to him for two decades had its effects, that expectation of being constantly alert doesn't just go away now that he's safe. he needs to feel needed, especially now. he's lost his purpose and he desperately needs something to replace it.
he takes great pride in his ability to care for you. he’s free almost all the time, so he can pick up as soon as you call and respond right away. he’s strong, so he can carry you and whatever you need him to with little to no effort. he’s great with his words, so he can give good advice and help you navigate difficult parts of your life, so please, please, please just ask him for it.
he will often do things for you without being asked,, but gets happier if you ask more often. sometimes he’ll even put stuff you use on the highest shelves you can’t reach so you’re forced to look for help, creating his own scenarios where you have to reach out for him.
he’s willing to tuck you in and takes his self-assigned role of parent very, very seriously. he makes you lunch and invites himself into your room with a plate of fruit and a cup of tea when you can’t sleep.
leonardo will never admit it, not to you, but he loves when you get sick. even if it’s the mildest thing possible, he dotes on you with an insane amount of care. he feels very satisfied when you can’t even get up on your own, because it means you’ll need him.
having matured and toned down over the years, he’s very secure in his control. he’d wormed his way into almost every major part of your life as someone you’ll go to for aid, and because of it, he gives you a whole lot of freedom to mess around with. he doesn’t mind if you stay up a little late or live somewhere he can’t see all the time, because he knows you’ll always come back. and if you don’t? well, he has the tools to make you.
has a softer tone he only uses with you and casey. something gentle and laced with fondness every time he talks to you. even when he’s mad, you’ll never get the full force of his anger, always stopping just short of a shout.
he feels most at peace with you and casey beside him; in his immediate reach and kept in his line of sight.
