So, hi! I really admire you all, and think your writing is fantastic. I was wondering if when you get the chance, could you maybe do a little thing with Leo (2012 is my preference, but you guys are pretty good at making them general) and a v happy close friend who is dealing with a family member passing away and kinda breaks down? Only if you're comfortable, I know it's a hard subject, I just was curious. Thanks!
Imagine waiting on the rooftops for Leo. You keep turning on your phone, typing out a text telling him you can’t make it tonight, but change your mind halfway through and delete it.
It’s good to get out of the house. It’ll be good to just hang out with him. It’ll keep your mind off of things.
You repeat it to yourself over and over again. This is a good idea. I don’t want to just shut myself up in the house. I want to have fun. I can do this.
You see him in the distance running towards you. You wave.
“Hey.” He says, slightly out of breath, sticking the landing right next to you.
“Hey!” You say, with your best nothing-is-wrong-everything-is-great smile.
“I’m really sorry I’m late. Training went a little longer tonight. Mikey and Raph got into an argument halfway through our forms, which turned into one of their fights. And Donnie and I had to stop Raph from ripping Mikey’s head off and then Sensei got mad at all of us. Which is totally unfair because they were the ones who were fighting. And then we all had to sit and listen to him lecture us and… I’m really REALLY sorry.”
“Leo, it’s cool.” You shrug. “I only just got here.” You lie.
He smiles in relief. “So, ready to go on patrol? Maybe if we’re lucky we’ll come across some Purple Dragons up to no good.”
You crack your knuckles. “Here’s hoping!”
After an hour of running around, the two of you stop to take a break. You sit side by side on the edge of the roof. You hand him a water bottle you had in your bag and grab the other for yourself.
“Thanks! It’s too bad we haven’t found anything yet, but at least it’s a really nice night.”
You nod in agreement. You check your phone and see messages from your family. You feel reality creeping back. You put it back in your pocket without reading them.
“Are you alright?” The tone of his voice snaps you back into the conversation.
“What? Uhm. Yeah, I’m alright.” You stumble a bit with “alright”. You’ve been saying you’re alright so often lately that it feels like a message from an answering machine.
He looks worried, so you try smiling. Your face feels as tight as your throat. Your head feels muddy and you’re trying to keep your breathing steady.
“I-I’m really sorry.” You croak. You’re trying to fight against the tears but you can feel yourself losing. “I-I just-” Hot tears start running down your cheeks.
Leo reaches out and pulls you to him. He holds you tightly as your words turn into sobs. You feel yourself shaking as your eyes start to burn and your nose runs.
He holds you until you stop crying and keeps holding you until your breathing slows.
The two of you sit there for a moment in silence. He hands a cloth to you and you blow your nose.
“It…happened. Didn’t it?” He says softly.
You wipe the tears from your cheeks. “Yeah, we found out yesterday.”
“Oh,” he pauses. “do you want to go home?”
“It’s really weird. They’ve been around since before I was born. I’ve known them my whole life, and now, they’re just gone.” You start shaking again and Leo puts his arm around you.
“I don’t really know what to say. I can’t even imagine what you’re going through right now. But, I’m here for you, okay? If you need to talk to someone or if you just want to be left alone, just let me know. You’re one of my best friends, and I want to help you any way I can.”
“Thanks Leo.” You blow your nose into the cloth he gave you and notice for the first time, it’s blue. It takes you a few seconds to process the information and you whip your head around in horror.
Leo’s mask-less face awkwardly grins back at you.
“Oh my god.” You gasp. “Oh my god.”
“It’s really not a big deal.” He says awkwardly.
“LEO.” You yell a little louder than your intended.
“I didn’t have anything else on me! You were crying and…It’s not like I keep a box of tissues in my shell!”
“Really, it’s okay! I have spares at home.” He adds quickly.
You snort and punch him in the arm, feeling grateful for having a friend like him.
