the apocalypse doesn't leave a lot of room for a childhood, but leo does his best to give casey the bonding time he had as a kid. usagi is fond of his attempts.
~1k words.
[ao3]
Usagi found Leo in the cobbled-together bunker-turned-dojo, sprawled flat on his back in front of a giggling Casey Junior.
The toddler- wait, when is a kid a kid, not a toddler? Was five too old for a toddler? It almost certainly was, Casey was a kid now, how did that happen- was holding a banged-up wooden sword and grinning widely as Leo theatrically clutched his hand to his chest.
"You've bested me once more, great warrior!"
"Mama said I would," Casey said, wiggling happily where he stood. "Said I would annotate you."
Leo chuckled, letting his arm drop to the floor beside him. "I think she might have said annihilate, kiddo."
"Oh. A mile late?"
"An-high-uh-late," the turtle enunciated patiently, rolling onto this side- away from the doorway Usagi was peeking through- and propping himself up with his elbow. "Means to beat somebody badly."
Casey grinned again, smug right to his toes in a way that seemed much older than he was. "So she was right."
Leo's breath of laughter was so fond it made Usagi's heart flip in his chest. "She was right, Case. Good job."
"I'm gonna go tell her! Bye Sensei!" He paused briefly on his way out the door to turn his sun-bright smile on Usagi. "Bye 'Sagi!"
"Seeya, Casey," he responded, ruffling the child's hair as he rushed past him.
"Hey, 'Sagi," Leo called, mimicking Casey's tone on the nickname and rolling to sit with his legs crossed. The "sparring" match left him softer than Usagi usually got to see him, and it left the samurai with an extra dose of affection for little Casey. "What is it?"
"I was planning to stretch before I realized the dojo had turned into a battlefield," he answered truthfully. "But I'd be happy to come back later if you're still using the space."
"I have six siblings. I know how to share."
Usagi toed off his shoes and padded across the worn mats, settling down in front of Leonardo with a raised brow. "That number seems to change every time I hear it."
"We seem to collect them. Stray humans, mutated fish, enemy-henchmen-turned-sisters," he counted, ticking a finger for each. "You know how it is."
"Enemy-henchman-turned-sister, yeah."
"So you do know how it is."
"Can't say I've had the mutated fish thing happen, though."
Leo let out a snort of laughter, rolling his eyes and spreading his legs into a wide stretch that Usagi mimicked. "Piebald likes you enough that it's only a matter of time until she brother-adopts you, don't worry."
Usagi thought that sounded like plenty of reason to worry, but didn't point it out. Instead, "So, that makes Casey your nephew?"
"Close enough. I haven't given it a lot of thought." He paused, stretching his arm towards his right foot. "Family's family. Haven't bothered with it much past that in a long time."
It wasn't like familial titles meant much in the current day and age anyway, Usagi figured. The Resistance looked out for each other, regardless of clan.
Especially the children.
"He's a good kid," Usagi said, jerking his head towards the door. "Seems like he's got the makings of a real swordsman one day."
Leo hesitated. "Yeah, he does."
"...But?"
"He's a good kid," he repeated quietly.
Usagi sat silently, stretching out the stiffness in his hip from spending his young adulthood getting tossed around by Yokai and Krang alike. Silence was hardly his strongsuit- but given the furrow to the leader of the Resistance's brow, Usagi suspected there was more to hear.
"He deserves more," Leo admitted under his breath, proving Usagi's hunch correct and catching him off guard all at once.
He glanced up, unsure how to proceed, how to keep Leo comfortable enough to continue with his unusual vulnerability. Stay silent? Say something? Agree? Offer an anecdote of his experience with Hana? Reassure him that Casey was getting the best opportunities possible?
Leo saved him, exhaling sharply through his nose. "He deserves the world, but at this point I'd settle for some crayons." He looked up with a wry smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "They're a little hard to come by these days."
"If I see any, you'll be the first to know," Usagi promised.
His tone was more serious than Leo had expected, judging by the way his eyes went wide. But as always, the turtle recovered quickly- quickly enough that Usagi didn't have a chance to regret it. "Thank you," he smiled, genuinely this time.
A warm beat passed.
"Well then," Leo smacked his leg, smile morphing to a familiar smirk. "Care to spar? Casey softened me up- you might stand a chance now."
"I see he's surpassed you in smack talk."
"I think you're biased."
Usagi rolled his eyes fondly, pushing himself off the ground and extending a hand to Leonardo. "C'mon, old man. Time to get annotated. Again."
💕 X went and swept Hime off of her feet and gave her a loving and bold kiss on the lips.
Hime blinked as she was picked up, the Cattran utterly confused as to what the Murian was planning. She blushed as he kissed her so passionately, purring afterward.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Susie goes home after a long day at school.
——————–
Chapter 4 of Fresh Snow is up!
TRIGGER WARNING: Physical and verbal abuse
If you can’t read this chapter, I’ll be posting a short summary of it at the beginning of the next chapter so you don’t miss anything <3 Thank you for your patience!
“If you want to know why I’m so afraid of bugs...I was disemboweled by a giant alien wasp bug thing. From that I got an artificial digestive and excretory system that breaks down the waste my body produces into pure energy...”
"How have you survived being anywhere-” Harley paused, hand resting on her him. “On second thought, I think I’ll keep that to myself. It’ll give you a reason to not go into the Nest.”
