request: Just to start this off, your fanfiction is AMAZING. Top tier, it's like trying your favorite food for the first time except every time is just as good as the last time you had it... Sorry for the food analogy, that's the only way I can describe my love for something. Anyways, I read one of the rise!tmnt posts you wrote where the reader was all girly and loved pink... I was wondering if you could do something similar for 2012 Leo? Reader is all bubbly and constantly energetic, it's like Mikey but 20x worse and theres no stop button. Romantic? :3 Even if you decide not to (which is fine!!), just know I love your writing! ૮꒰ྀི∩' ᵕ `∩꒱ྀིა
🝮 girly!enthusiastic!s/o HCs
2012!leo x gender-neutral reader
author’s note: I love this little bunny ૮꒰ྀི∩' ᵕ `∩꒱ྀིა
word count: 1.8k
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ leonardo ❤︎༻°₊ ｡
ఌ He is amazed that such a bright and delightful person lives in New York.
No offense to April, but this was a very drab and dingy place, so to see such a beacon of joy and color standing amidst the wear and tear of his city? Well, what isn’t there to admire..
ఌ Forgive him for somehow always being there to swoop in and protect you regardless of the hour or setting. He isn’t stalking, I assure you that.
It’s just a bit difficult not to notice bright pinks amidst the grays, especially when it’s followed by a squeal and a criminal shouting, ‘ damn, little lady! ‘
“ You have no right! “ You barked at the harasser, charging your stance to swing your purse again. It held just the essentials—gloss, hygiene pouch, lipstick, deodorant, back-up heels, scrunchies, and an ornate wooden comb.
The criminal stumbled back, growing more and more irritated by the second. You were SUPPOSED to be an easy target—squeal girlishly, fork over all your belongings, profit.
But noooo, he just happened to stop the one little weasel who stood her ground. That really grinds his gears. His hand shifted to his back pocket, and for a moment you worried about biting off more than you could chew.
Suddenly, a figure larger than you touched down between you and your assailant, his footfalls heavy yet graceful. It felt like slow-mo was activated as your eyes followed up one of the two blades the figure wielded. One was held firm in front of him while the other seemed to cup around you.
“ Whoa.. ” You whispered, following down the blade and up to the hero’s back. A shell?
From his crouched position, the hero rose to stand tall, twirling his katanas into a forward stance. “ Halt, villain. ” He growled with an obviously feigned intimidation.
The criminal tucked tail from the hulking appearance and weapon alone. You tried to contain the tightly-wound ball of energy in your chest as your fists tightened, rising to press against your chest. The thundering of your heart might as well been hooked to a speaker for all to hear.
“ I presume you’re safe, citizen? ” He turned to you, looking ever so serious.
“ YOU’RE SO COOL! ” You threw your hands out, palms wide and gesturing wildly towards him and all he was.
His face fell instantly, deep foresty hues blooming across his cheeks. “ I-I am? I, I mean, I am! ”
ఌ The fact that your girliness belies your headstrong attitude was all the more alluring. Sure you did need Leo’s help when it came to matters much larger than a human’s capabilities, but too many times before had he stepped in to save you from petty theft or stick-ups, only to arrive upon a scene that seemed more like the assailant needing help.
ఌ Because of how excited you get when he swoops in to save you, Leo wonders sometimes if you get in the altercations on purpose.
“ Don’t you realize the situation you’re in!? ” The stranger ragdolled you in his grip frustratedly. He was a purple dragon grunt, holding you scruffed by your jacket—a lovely pink jean jacket with lacework and a beaded Sakura tree blossoming across the back, up your shoulders, and down to the elbows.
You held a compact mirror, adding a touch more mascara to lengthen your eyelashes. “ I do, but look! ” Your fists balled cutely, trembling with excitement by your cheeks as you held back a squeal of joy. When your finger stretched out to point towards the sky, down came a familiar vigilante who struck the grunt with such speed that you were seamlessly swapped into his grasp instead.
“ Why does trouble always find you? ” Leo grumbled in a tone laced with distress. He was too worried to even consider how he held you—his arm wrapped around your midsection, holding you horizontal against his side.
“ Mmmaybe… ‘Cause I’m… cute? ” You batted your eyes up at him with a beaming grin, hands clasped together in the position of prayer hands. As if to punctuate your point, you clicked your heels together, crossed behind you like a teenager on her phone.
Leo averted his gaze to hide the embarrassment painting across his face.
ఌ He loves when you come by the lair, but he finds it incredibly unnerving how you can deliberately walk without a trace of sound in heels longer than the tantō concealed within his swords’ hilt.
ఌ Leo swings back and forth between how he feels about your intruding on his practice times.
On one hand, he enjoys the attention of a fan cheering him on. You were always very genuine and transparent about your feelings, so he didn’t have to guess whether you were being facetious or truly invested.
Leo stepped forward swiftly, a single katana in his double-handed grasp, delivering a lightning-quick slice across the training dummy before him. Before he could poise himself for another strike, hoping to better his stance and the hesitancy in his hold, Leo was shaken to his core as you cried out in praise.
“ Eee!! So cool, so cool, so coooooll!! ” You kicked your feet in your sat-position across from him. You were supposed to stay on the sidelines, quietly. That was not a word within your repertoire.
So, on the other-other hand, Leo had a tough time tolerating your company.
“ Could you please, I don’t know.. ” His arms dropped as he slouched a bit, trying to find a kinder way to put things, “ like, go? Or-or at least be quieter.. than.. Uh, never mind.. ” He gave up after seeing your giddy look soaking up every word he said. It felt like he was trying to kick a puppy, and for some odd reason, the idea of you actually leaving made him feel uncomfortable.
“ Don’t kick me out, please, I’ll be quiet, watch! ” You feigned pulling a zipper across your mouth and then did little jazz hands excitedly on either side of your head.
“ I.. I won’t. You can stay—just, please, let me concentrate. ” How ever he could do that with the thundering in his chest was beyond me. Leo had a word for the feeling in his chest that he didn’t quite feel ready to admit to yet.
ఌ He would reorganize his patrolling hours to coincide with the times you were out, simply due to your innate ability to find trouble.
ఌ Leo was astounded by your way of putting pieces together for downright adorable outfits. Styling a plain shirt whose sleeves were cuter than its body, with a vest that was too plain as a top, and then tucking a skirt seamlessly into a matching belt?
The lengths you would go to and the mental steps along the way to just know each garment would combine together to create a cohesive sight? It was like watching a painter lay down strokes of color until it built, from the ground up, a gorgeous masterpiece.
Leo sighed affectionately, watching you toss random accessories around the room. He didn’t realize he was staring until you turned to him and gasped. “ W-What? ” His complexion paled as he considered you may have taken offense to his staring.
“ You’re staring! ” You smiled, dropping down to rifle through the bag of clothes you had brought down to the lair for the sole purpose of dress-up, “ that’s tots a sign you wanna join! ” Your voice lilted with excitement.
“ It does? ” He questioned.
You rose up holding pants that matched the floral pattern of your skirt, “ Sure does, try these! They’ll definitely fit you, I made sure-sies! ”
ఌ Though it took time, Leo came around to your Mikey-like enthusiasm and energy.
“ And then I was wondering, ‘ oh, but if we’re supposed to wear gloves when we use the gluey-thingy, then maybe we should wear masks too, cause what if they’re fume-y! And—“ You prattled on about something Leo had gotten lost on much earlier in the conversation.
“ Right. ” He nodded along, trying his best to keep up even if it was just by a hair.
“ … ” Taking in an unexpected breath, you held it for a few beats before then letting it go. It was a soft pause, a breath laced with affectionate intention. A rare moment of silence passed by between you both.
Leo would’ve been comfortable with the silence, if it weren’t incredibly misplaced with someone so full of life like you. “ Are you okay? ” He asked, head tilting with a mixture of worry and curiosity.
“ I’m fine, it’s just… ” You shook your head, hand reaching out to graze his, a quiet motion asking permission to hold hands.
Leo obliged, albeit with an averted gaze and darkening hue encircling his face.
As you both walked back to your place, head leaning over to rest on his shoulder, a blanket of comfort laid across your body. “ You always listen to me, even when I’m not saying anything worthwhile.. You’re very kind, Leo.. ” Your eyes focused on the synchronized swing of you and his feet, watching the ground pass under you both. “ The streets were cleaner than usual, ” you thought.
“ Well.. ” Leo started, but realized he had nothing to add. He simply hummed in agreement, his hand gently squeezing yours as you both walked.
The silence grew more comfortable, as if a puzzle piece finally fell into its rightful place.
“ I really appreciate you… Like.. I love you, I think. ” You muttered, though it was a mystery whether it was to yourself or to Leo.
Nonetheless, he stopped still. You halted a couple seconds later as you felt resistance from his hand, turning to see him staring widely at you.
“ Ah, too much? ” The softness in your voice betrayed your usual Mikey-like demeanor.
“ N-no, you’re, “ Leo paused, hesitating for a moment to find words hopefully more intelligent than the only ones in his tongue, “—you’re never too much... ” He could already feel that this would be the end of him—happily?
ఌ As a couple, your energy seemed to double. There was something about mixing high energy with affection that turned you into a constant force to be reckoned with.
“ Leonardo, you appear to have a visitor. ” Splinter spoke with a tone strangers could misconstrue as heavy and intimidating, but by Leo could easily detect the fondness it carried.
“ Yes! Hi—hi Mister, no, Master? Hi Master Splinter! ” Your heels clickety-clacked with the energy of a professional tap dancer as excitement filled your entire being. It was hard to contain.
Splinter dipped his head in acknowledgment.
“ Ah, thank you, Sensei.. ” Leo wore a lopsided smile as he bowed to adjourn his practice. He turned to you, walking over with a wave, “ You’re earl—“
“ Leo !!! ” Your cheeks must have hurt from how widely you were grinning. Barely a second had passed before you launched into his arms, rubbing your cheek against his, “ I’m not early, I came right when I wanted to see you! ”
ఌ Sometimes Leo would liken your affection and energy to a lovable puppy. That comparison turned out to be too cutesy and made his heart swell a tad bit much.
ఌ Truly, Leo was most incapable of holding his usual composure when you would use him as a practice board for make-up. Particularly because you only ever practiced your lipstick and gloss on him.
“ A-Ah, hey.. ” He mumbled, eyes darting all over the room without anything to settle on—certainly not on the sight of you sitting between his legs, yours criss-crossed between.
You hummed curiously, turning your head backwards to look up at him behind you. Your back was against his plastron, “ Yes? ”
“ Nothing, just, is there a reason for you to be, uh, ” Leo was trying to walk around the subject until sighing and getting straight to the point, “ not that I mind, but why are you using my hand to swatch? ” He gestured to his left hand which became a canvas of different shades and sparkles—some more visible than others.
“ Oh! Easy, hehe! ” You took his hand and kissed it again, leaving behind a pretty cerulean shade with specks that glittered like the night sky, “ I’m looking for which of my lip-sticks makes kissing you even cuter. ”
I’m sure you can imagine exactly how he short-circuited
