So this is where dignity goes to die

Oh no! Cringé!

[weevil-writes]

is this the Mastered Post?

This is my embarrassing, cringe sideblog. No way I’m posting this stuff on my main. You read my blog title.

call me weevil! (yes the bug) they/them

Absolutely NOTHING nsfw will be on this blog. I will block blogs that do have 18+ content.

Leo x reader: Am I annoying?

Staples, comics and banana bread

feel free to leave a request! Just some rules and warnings though-

-I’m a horrible writer.

-again, do NOT request nsfw! I will harvest your bones

-this is my self-indulgent blog. I’m only writing if I feel like it lol

-I will write angst, fluff, comfort. PG stuff only.

-I’m kinda obsessed with Rise Leo, so I’m mostly mainly writing for him. Sorry :V

-I don’t take super specific reader or oc requests. Strictly g/n reader that is the same age as the turtles. If I do future leo, than assume reader is about 30-40 ish. Vise versa.

-I just started! I only have like two stories written lol

-I’ll reblog stories I like! :)

[neononeil]

Helloo!! I hope you have wonderful day as always! I would like to request again! No pressure and take your time <3

I would like to request about Rise!Leo who tries so hard to be Reader's friend, because for whatever reason the Reader is close with everyone but him, even though he's the face man. The Reader is always so formal with Leo, while the other gets hugs.

It even took Leo a year to finally make Reader call him 'Leo' instead of 'Leonardo'.

When finally, you become close with Leo, he's ecstatic (and downright obsessed). So when suddenly, an incident caused you to get your memory lost and forget the whole progress of your relationship with him, can you imagine how pissed he'll be with the enemy?

—

Okay this uses a very cliche trope of losing memory, I hope you don't mind! No worries, don't have to do it if you don't want to <3

======💙======

When he noticed it for the first time, because, trust me, he DID notice it, he just thought he was imagining things. Because, come on, he was him; the loud core, the charming one, the guy who could walk into a room and make even total strangers laugh in under thirty seconds. Usually, people either loved him immediately or got exhausted by him eventually. There wasn’t really an in-between.

You were just…polite. Always polite. “Thank you, Leonardo”, “Good job, Leonardo”, “Could you pass that over, please?”

And that would be completely understandable to Leo, if you meanwhile wouldn’t be hugging Mikey from behind while he tried new recipes, or let Donnie ramble to you for hours about stuff nobody else understood (and honestly, half of the things you didn’t understand either). Or even sitting beside Raph during movie nights with your head in his shoulder sometimes.

And with Leo there was…nothing; no casual touches, no teasing nicknames or comfortable smiles. Only that careful and formal distance like if he was some kind of coworker you tolerated, instead of one of your closest friends.

And, oh boy, it was driving him INSANE.

—Okayyyy, I gotta ask —he finally blurted one evening, flopping dramatically across the couch beside you—. Am I somehow secretly the worst turtle alive or sum?

—What? —you blinked at him from your book.

—There! —he pointed accusingly— That. The confusion. You act like I just spawned here yesterday.

—I do not.

—You absolutely do! —he crossed his arms—. You call me Leonardo like im about to hand you a business card.

—You said that was your name —a tiny crease appeared between your brows.

—Well, yeah! But from you it sounds like I’m in trouble.

And that was what finally made you laugh. And our boy Leo froze for half a second because, wow, okay, he wanted to hear that again.

—You’re being dramatic —you told him.

—Thank you, finally someone appreciates my talent —he joked and it made you smile again. It was a small smile, but it was real. So he leaned closer immediately, like a cat spotting movement—. See? That’s what I’m talking about. Why are you always so guarded with me?

You kind of hesitated and it was that little hesitation which hurt him, because this suddenly didn’t feel funny anymore.

—I’m not guarded —you said gently.

—You kinda are.

—You are just…easy with everyone, so I assumed you didn’t really care if I was around or not —your eyes dropped to the book although you clearly weren’t reading anymore.

Leo stared at you in silence, because, for once, he was speechless.

—You thought I didn’t care? —he asked.

—You flirt with everyone, joke with everyone, so I didn’t think I was particularly important —you said, shrugging.

And, there it was: the damn misunderstanding. The stupid and ridiculous misunderstanding that had apparently lasted over a freaking year.

—Okay, so first of all? Rude —Leo sat up properly this time—. Secondly, I have spent an entire year trying to get you to like me.

—What? —your head snapped up.

—Have you got any idea of how hard I’ve been working to get you stop calling me “Leonardo”?

—You looked weirdly emotional the first time I called you Leo.

—I swear I almost cried! —his words made you laugh, and you covered your mouth this time, so Leo pointed at you dramatically—. There! That! I want more of that!

—You’re fucking unbelievable.

—And yet you’re smiling —he grinned when you rolled your eyes.

—Sorry, Leo —you said after a tiny pause. The way you said it, like naturally this time, made something ache pleasantly in his chest.

—Oh —he said, weakly—. Wow, okay, yeah- D-Don’t call me Leonardo again.

And from this day on, after you finally became closer to him, Leo never shut up; in fact, if he had never shut up, now it was worse. I mean, maybe not in an annoyingly way (although for Donnie it really was annoying); Leo just acted like if he had won some kind of personal championship.

Because you now sat beside him willingly, or nudged him back when he teased you, or laughed at his dumb jokes before he even finished them. Sometimes you greeted him with a quick hug, and Leo would just stand there looking so unbearably smug that even Raph threatened violence everyday.

But the biggest victory of all was:

—Leo!

Just hearing you say it so naturally made him light up every, single, time. And it honestly became embarrassing.

—You’re staring again —Donnie said one afternoon.

—Can you blame me? —Leo didn’t even blink, having his chin rested in his palm as he watched you help Mikey frost cookies in the kitchen.

—Yes.

—They like me voluntarily now.

—Please, hear yourself —Donnie rolled his eyes but Leo ignored him completely.

This mattered to him more than he wanted anyone to know: you chose everyone easily. But with him it had taken time, patience and trust. Which meant every little thing you gave him felt earned. So yeah, the boy was attached, EXTREMELY attached. Maybe too attached, if you ask me.

And then the mission happened. One stupid mission, just a damn stupid mutant with psychic abilities and one stupid second where Leo looked away.

The explosion of purple light had knocked all of you backwards. Donnie was yelling something about “neurological disruption”, Raph was already charging the enemy again, and Leo…Leo only cared about you.

Because you’ve hit the wall pretty hardly.

—Hey- Hey, hey, hey —he teleported beside you instantly, dropping onto his knees—. Look at me. C’mon cariño, look at me.

Your eyes fluttered open slowly and for one second, relief flooded him. Then you looked at him with polite confusion, and smiled nervously.

—…Leonardo?

And, God. Leo’s stomach dropped. The others noticed it immediately too. You looked around at all of them uncertainly, clearly recognising everyone, but when your eyes landed back on Leo, there was distance there again, that awful distance he hadn’t seen it over a year.

—Whys he looking at me like that? —you asked quietly and Leo actually laughed. Not because it was funny for him, but because he was so angry that he physically didn’t know what else to do.

—…Selective memory damage —Donnie muttered as he scanned you with a device—. Recent emotional associations seems unstable.

—Fix it —Leo snapped immediately.

—Yeah, I’m trying to.

—No, like, now Donnie.

—You think I keep emergency anti-amnesia juice in my pocket? —Donnie stared at him.

Usually Leo would have thrown something at him, but instead, he stood completely still.

—Did I do something wrong…? —you asked when you noticed how still he was. And that almost made it worse, because you sounded genuinely worried.

—No, no, no, nono, don’t do that. You didn’t do anything wrong —Leo turned towards you so fast it startled everyone. His voice was shaking with rage.

The enemy had escaped during the chaos and Leo could still remember their fucking grin right before the blast hit you. And suddenly, all he could think about was getting his hands on them. Just be a he knew how hard this had been, how long it took for you to trust him like that. And now, all those small moments, every inch of progress, are gone.

You flinched when he started pacing.

—Leo —Raph stepped forward carefully.

—No —Leo’s voice came out frighteningly calm—. No, I’m gonna find that guy.

—Leo —Donnie warned.

—He took my person and reset us back to the factory settings!

—You are sounding deeply unstable right now.

—I’m deeply unstable right now! —he snapped.

You stared at him visibly overwhelmed and that immediately changed his expression. Because even furious out of his mind, Leo still noticed when you looked uncomfortable around him. And that hurt too.

His anger cracked a little around the edges. Slowly, he crouched down in front of you again, keeping his voice softer this time.

—Hey —he murmured—. I know this is weird.

You looked at him uncertainly, and there it was again: the distance. Fuck, he hated it.

—I’m sorry —you said quietly—. I feel like Im supposed to know something important.

—Yeah —Leo admitted after swallowing hard—, you are.

And for a while, none of you spoke. Then, and despite everything, Leo managed a tiny crocked smile.

—But it’s okay, i’ll just make you like me again.

—Again? —you blinked.

—Oh, absolutely! You were obsessed with me~

That made Raph snort.

—Historical revisionism —Donnie immediately deadpanned.

—Silence from the peanut gallery! —Leo pointed aggressively without looking away from you.

And you finally smiled, and although it was a little smile, it was enough for Leo to stare at it like if it brought him literally back to life.

—Cool —he said standing back up and spinning a portal open—. Now im gonna commit several crimes against the idiot who did this to you.

—LEO!!! —all three brothers shouted at once.

[neononeil]

WAUH. saw the donnie nesting season writing. i need more *grabby hands*

can has leo maybe this time? i cant even tell if requests are on or not-

“NESTING SEASON” —ft. rotTMNT Leonardo

The first time Leo cancels on you, you don’t think much of it. The second time, you start raising an eyebrow. By the fourth day of complete radio silence from him besides the occasional “busy rn ttyl,” you’re sitting on the edge of your bed staring at your phone with your jaw tight, trying very hard not to take it personally.

Because this was Leo.

Leo, who usually showed up uninvited through your window just because he “missed your face.” Leo, who called you dramatically in the middle of missions to complain about Donnie stealing his charger. Leo, who physically draped himself over you every chance he got like some oversized, clingy cat.

And now he wouldn’t even let you visit the lair.

At first you assumed he was injured. Then you assumed he was hiding from responsibility. Then maybe he’d accidentally broken something expensive and was avoiding everybody equally.

But no. Because Mikey still texted you memes. Raph still answered your calls. Even Donnie acted normal. Only Leo had vanished.

So eventually, after another dry, weirdly formal text from him saying, “Can’t hang today. Sorryyyy 😬,” you decided you were done trying to decode him alone.

Which is how you ended up standing outside Donnie’s lab while machinery buzzed loudly behind the sliding door. You knocked twice.

“Enter if you value efficiency,” Donnie called immediately.

The door slid open with a hiss, revealing the usual disaster of wires, screens, half-built inventions, and at least three things that looked mildly explosive. Donnie sat hunched over a workbench while he tightened something tiny with a screwdriver. Shelldon rolled past your feet carrying what looked suspiciously like a melted toaster.

Donnie glanced up briefly. “Oh. It’s you.”

“Nice to see you too.”

“You’re interrupting a critical calibration.”

“You say that every time I come here.”

“Because every time you come here I’m doing critical calibrations.”

Fair enough. You crossed your arms. “Okay, serious question. Is Leo mad at me?”

That finally got his attention. Donnie stopped working. Not dramatically. Just enough to tell you the question mattered.

“…No,” he answered slowly.

“Then why’s he avoiding me?”

Donnie looked weirdly uncomfortable immediately after that. Which, honestly, was more alarming than if he’d just said Leo got trapped in another dimension.

He adjusted the googles of his forehead unnecessarily. “He’s not avoiding you specifically.”

“That is not comforting.”

“He’s just…” Donnie grimaced. “…going through something.”

You stared at him. “Wow. Mysterious. Helpful. Incredible work.”

“I’m serious.” Donnie sighed and leaned back against the table. “Look, this is gonna sound fake, but it’s not fake.”

Now you were concerned. “What happened?”

Donnie rubbed the back of his neck like he already regretted this conversation. “Okay, so, technically speaking, certain turtle species experience periods of heightened territorial and domestic instincts.”

You blinked once. “…What?”

“Nesting season.”

Silence. Then: “I’m sorry— nesting season?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

You actually laughed at first because there was no way. No actual way. But Donnie wasn’t laughing. In fact, he looked deeply annoyed to even be explaining this.

“He gets like this every year,” Donnie muttered. “Usually we can manage it before it gets too bad, but this time…” He waved vaguely toward the ceiling. “Well. You exist now.”

Your face warmed immediately. “…Oh.”

“Yeah. Oh.”

You sat down slowly on a nearby stool, trying to process that information without combusting from embarrassment. “So what does that even mean?”

Donnie pointed the screwdriver at you lazily. “Means Leo’s instincts are currently screaming at him twenty-four seven. He gets overprotective, territorial, clingy, emotional— honestly kind of unbearable. Usually he hides in his room because he hates feeling out of control.”

“And he doesn’t want me seeing that.”

“Bingo.”

Something in your chest softened immediately after that. Because suddenly all those awkward texts made sense. Leo wasn’t ignoring you because he was tired of you. He was hiding because he was embarrassed.

Which honestly sounded exactly like him.

“So he’s okay?”

“Physically? Yes. Mentally?” Donnie tilted his hand uncertainly. “Debatable. Yesterday he hissed at Raph for touching a blanket.” you snorted and Donnie deadpanned, “I wish I were joking.”

“And you guys just… let him hide?”

“What else are we supposed to do?” Donnie said. “Every time Mikey tries to cuddle him, Leo wraps himself in blankets like a defensive burrito.”

That image nearly killed you. Still, despite the amusement, worry lingered in your chest. “Should I text him?”

Donnie considered that. “You can. Just don’t push him. He’ll come out when he’s ready.”

So that’s what you did. You gave him space. Even though it sucked. You stopped visiting the lair for a while because you knew if Leo really needed distance, the last thing he needed was guilt on top of whatever instinctive nightmare he was already dealing with. You still texted him occasionally — stupid little things, updates about your day, photos of things that reminded you of him — but you kept it light. No pressure. No asking when you could see him again.

Sometimes he answered immediately. Sometimes hours later. But every response felt strangely emotional underneath the jokes.

miss ur face :(

Donnie stole my good pillow btw. betrayal.

u still using that hoodie i left there??

The last one especially stuck with you. Because yes, you were. And somehow Leo replying with just “good” afterward made your stomach flip.

Then, nearly a week after this whole thing started, your phone buzzed at almost midnight. You were half asleep when you checked it.

Leon 🐢💙

u awake?

You immediately sat up.

You

yeah. everything okay?

The typing bubble appeared instantly, then disappeared and then came back.

Leon 🐢💙

Please come over.

Your eyebrows lifted.

You

Now?

Leon 🐢💙

please

The message after that came so quickly it almost felt frantic.

Leon 🐢💙

And uh

can u bring something that smells like you???

You stared at the screen.

You

“…What?”

Another message arrived immediately after.

Leon 🐢💙

NOT IN A WEIRD WAY

well maybe a little weird

just PLEASE

Your heartbeat sped up despite yourself. Because beneath the jokes, beneath the awkwardness, you could practically feel how badly he needed you right now. So you didn’t question it. You just grabbed the hoodie you wore constantly — the one he always stole whenever he visited — pulled on your shoes, and headed for the lair.

The lair is quieter than usual when you arrive. Not silent — never silent — but quieter. Somewhere deeper in the tunnels you can hear distant arguing, metal clanging, Mikey laughing loud enough to probably shake concrete loose, but the energy feels strangely subdued tonight. Like everyone collectively agreed to keep things calm around one specific turtle.

You barely make it down the fire escape ladder before Raph spots you from the kitchen area. “Oh thank god,” he says immediately.

You blink. “That bad?”

Raph points toward the hallway leading to the bedrooms with the exhausted expression of a man who has seen horrors. “He bit me over a blanket yesterday.”

“…Actually bit you?”

“Like a raccoon.”

“IT WAS INSTINCTIVE!” Leo’s voice immediately shouts from somewhere down the hall.

Raph cups his hands around his mouth. “YOU GROWLED AT ME.”

“I SAID I WAS SORRY.”

“You hissed after apologizing!”

There’s a pause. Then Leo yells, deeply offended, “Okay, wow, way to bring up my lowest moments in front of my partner.”

You can’t help laughing at that, the tension in your chest easing for the first time in days. Raph points at you again as he walks past carrying a mug.

“Please go deal with him. Donnie says if Leo steals one more pillow from his lab chair he’s gonna lose it.”

“THE CHAIR DOESN’T EVEN NEED SIX PILLOWS!”

“THEY WERE MEMORY FOAM, LEO.”

You shake your head, smiling despite yourself, and continue down the hallway. The closer you get to Leo’s room, the warmer it feels. Not temperature-wise exactly — though that too — but softer somehow. The harsh industrial feeling of the lair slowly disappears under layers of blankets spilling out from beneath his door, dim yellow lighting leaking through the crack underneath.

And you hesitate for a second before knocking. Not because you’re scared. Just… nervous. Because Leo asking for you like that had done something strange to your chest. Because you still remembered the frantic speed of those texts. Because despite all the joking, you knew he must’ve been miserable to finally cave and ask you to come.

Your hand tightens around the hoodie you brought. Then you knock softly. Immediately, there’s movement inside. Rapid movement. Something crashes. A muffled curse.

“COME IN.”

The second you open the door, you understand why Donnie called it nesting.

“Oh my god,” you whisper.

Leo’s room looks insane. Blankets everywhere. Pillows piled into walls. Hoodies, sheets, soft clothes, random cushions stolen from who-knows-where. His mattress is barely visible beneath what genuinely looks like a giant nest built by a touch-starved cryptid with access to several department stores.

There are fairy lights hanging crookedly along the walls. At least four plushies shoved into corners. One of Mikey’s giant beanbags somehow incorporated into the structure like structural support. And right in the middle of all of it—

Leo. Curled under three blankets, shoulders tense, eyes locked directly onto you the second you step inside.

For a moment neither of you says anything. And then his entire expression changes. Relief crashes over his face so fast it’s almost painful to witness. Not embarrassment. Not joking. Just pure, overwhelming relief.

“You came,” he breathes.

The words hit harder than they should.

“Yeah,” you say softly, lifting the hoodie a little. “I brought the—”

You don’t even finish the sentence. Because Leo moves. Fast. One second he’s across the room tangled in blankets, and the next he launches at you with absolutely zero dignity left intact.

“Leo—!”

He grabs you around the waist immediately, practically hauling you off your feet before you can react properly. You barely manage to laugh before he’s carrying you backward like you weigh nothing, dramatic as always, and then both of you crash directly into the mountain of blankets behind him.

The nest swallows you instantly. Soft pillows everywhere. Warmth surrounding you from every direction. The mattress dips hard beneath the combined weight as Leo practically drags you into the center of it with desperate urgency.

“Okay— wow—” you wheeze between laughs. “Little warning next time?”

“No.”

Leo buries his face directly into your shoulder before you can say anything else. And just stays there. You feel the shudder leave him slowly. Like he’d been holding tension in his body for days and finally let it collapse the second you touched him.

“Oh my god,” he mumbles against you, voice muffled. “You smell right.”

You blink once. “…That is the creepiest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

“I know.” He sounds completely unashamed. “I can’t help it right now.”

The honesty of it almost catches you off guard. Because usually Leo would joke his way around vulnerability. He’d turn this into flirting or sarcasm or some dramatic bit to avoid actually admitting how strongly he felt.

But now? Now he just clings to you tighter. Completely serious.

“I missed you so bad,” he admits quietly.

Something in your chest twists painfully at that. You lift a hand automatically, rubbing slowly over the back of his shell. “You could’ve told me.”

“I tried not to.”

“Why?”

He groans dramatically into your hoodie. “Because this is humiliating.”

You snort softly. “The blanket cave isn’t helping your case.”

“It’s not a cave,” he mutters defensively. “It’s a highly advanced emotional support structure.”

“Built from stolen pillows?”

“Those pillows chose me.”

You laugh again, quieter this time, and Leo visibly relaxes at the sound. Actually relaxes. You can feel it happening little by little where he’s practically draped over you now, one arm around your waist while he shamelessly steals the hoodie from your hands and immediately stuffs it into the nest beside him like treasure.

The whole thing should feel ridiculous. And it does, a little. But mostly it feels strangely intimate. Because Leo isn’t performing right now. There’s no cocky grin. No dramatic posing. No teasing little smirk after every sentence.

Just him. Needy, exhausted, touch-starved him.

After a moment, he finally lifts his head enough to look at you properly. His markings look darker in the low lighting. His eyes tired.

“You’re not weirded out, right?” he asks suddenly, quieter now. “By… this whole thing?”

The vulnerability in his voice nearly breaks your heart. You stare at him for a second before reaching up and smoothing a thumb gently beneath one of his markings.

“Leo,” you say softly, “you literally tackled me into a pillow nest within five seconds of seeing me.”

“…Yeah?”

“I still came in willingly.”

That finally gets a grin out of him. Small at first. Then bigger. Then suddenly he’s pulling you impossibly closer again with dramatic intensity.

“Oh, you have no idea how much I needed to hear that.”

[justanotherrottmntfan]

I love it sm 💙💙💙

[justanotherrottmntfan]

30 Days to Change: Leo x Gn! Reader Part 4 FULL

Taglist: @altumsomnum @rrosssieeee @tellmewhattoputhere @skrinklyskrunklyskrimblos @the-rainbowstranger @emmy21842 @regretisstoredintheme @ohcosmo @kai-0oh

“Tell the troops to scout the coasts. And record the stolen goods. Some of it might have already been sold,” Leo announced, “Require boat checks to any ships on the docks. Tell the sailors it's for safety or something.” 

He awkwardly shuffled on the throne, resisting the urge to prop his feet up on the sides. As a kid he’d love to sneak onto it, but nowadays it felt suffocating. Yet, his father wasn’t judging him. Not too hard, at least.

The old rat stood off to the side, comically small for his extravagant robes. He’d give a nod or stroke his chin every now and then, but he’d been relatively quiet. Honestly, Leo would’ve preferred having Raph with him, but he wouldn’t dare say it aloud. 

“As you wish, Your Highness,” The noble servant guy (Leo wasn’t paying that much attention) bowed, and gracefully took a written edict from Casey Jr. 

The prince gave a half-hearted wave as his subject scurried out the throne room. The doors shut with an echoing slam, despite the nearby guards’ care in closing them.

 For the first time in the entire day, no one ran in to take the man’s place. Even with Casey and his dad watching, Leo let out a sigh and stretched his arms. 

“Euughh… Is that everyone?”

“Everyone in the kingdom that would like to speak with you? Hah! Not even close.” Splinter waved off the question.

Leo’s cheek fell to his palm, “I’m gonna be doing this everyday? Man, no wonder you’re always busy.” 

The rat’s tail slapped the side of the throne, emitting a cracking sound that made the turtle jump. 

“Alright, you’ve done enough, Blue.” Splinter began to shoo him off, “Now, give me back my throne.” 

Casey smiled at his friend scrambling away, nearly tripping down the steps. He placed his quill into the inkblot, and stood out of his chair. 

“Si-.. Leo.” The human corrected himself, “You’ve been in a good mood recently.”

Leo turned to look at him, and Splinter raised a furry eyebrow. 

“Well, guess I’m just excited for the festival,” He grinned, “And sweeping the commoners off their feet.” He flipped his imaginary hair. 

Back on the throne, Splinter’s commanding, no nonsense voice returned.

“My son, do you plan on marrying a commoner?”

Leo was immediately sent into a coughing fit,

“W-What?! No… That would be… terrible! A commoner in the Hamato family bloodline- I mean, April’s an exception ‘cause she got possessed by Gram-Gram that one time but-!”

“Leonardo.”

For once, Leo shut his mouth. 

“I’d like to remind you, there was a time… that I believed Lena was a commoner, and I loved her no less.” 

The king’s voice was soft, and despite never hearing her name, Leo and Casey knew exactly what he was talking about. 

“The heart wants what it wants, even if it only leads to misfortune.” 

The words hung in the air, filling Leo with an uneasy feeling. No one spoke, and Splinter dismissed them with a wave of his hand. 

At his chambers, Leo shed and tossed his robes to the side. Left in shorts and a white undershirt, he collapsed into his bed. He barely heard Casey follow him in, and shut the door behind them. 

“Master-”

“Was I ever married in your time?” The prince blurted out. 

Casey froze.

“...What?”

“In your universe, timeline, whatever. Was I married? I mean, the other me was King by now, right?” Leo looked at his friend, who was clearly taken aback. 

“I… Do you… have someone in mind?”

He opened his mouth to argue, make an excuse, or just lie. But nothing came out.

Maybe it was his Dad’s comment, or just an exhausting day, but he didn’t feel like lying to Casey. 

He ended up not responding, and the human stopped waiting for him. 

“You were married,” Casey admitted, “But it was only a contract. A leader of a warrior clan to get their support. I never really saw you two together.”

It should’ve been obvious. Marrying off royalty for more power would be the first solution for a kingdom going to war. He was really out of it.

“Yeah, it was a stupid question.” He backtracked, rolling over in his bed. His back was to Casey. 

What did it even matter? You’re a peasant living on the outskirts. Your family likely would’ve been among the first to be infected or killed.

Casey’s Leonardo probably never met you. 

Despite not knowing and also being the guy, Leo felt sorry for him. 

He bought you another drink that night in his honor. 

Eighteen days left. 

….

Lady Barbara had finally found a dress, and expected everyone to treat it as a divine omen. It was a mess of lace and frills, and made your head hurt if you looked at the details for too long. But like every servant in the manor, you were just glad at least some of the nightmare was over. 

Your job became less inventory checks and more signing off deliveries and ordering more jewels, fabrics, and food for the festival. Each noble was to bestow an offering to the royal family, but it was clearly more aimed towards the Prince to gain his favor. 

So, Viscount Bruce was spending his time between the armory, jewelry, and the kitchen, trying to figure out what food item or shiny rock he would bestow to a man who already had everything. It made you wonder if commoners were expected to give something. 

Eh, you already paid your taxes. That’s enough.

You brought it up to Lee that night, and he just shrugged.

“Yeah, the gifts are nice, but it gets old pretty fast.”

“You say that like you’re the one receiving them.”

“Well, the Prince sometimes shares the food, and other stuff.”

“Uh-huh. Sure, Lee.”

He cleared his throat,

“Well, I don’t think you need to bring anything. Just yourself and-” He straightened in realization, “How’s your outfit coming?”

Leo knew he couldn’t control what you wore, but the nicer you looked, the easier it might be to explain himself to his family. And possibly the entire kingdom and its allies. 

“I mean… I just barely started. I don’t exactly have a lot of free time, and I can’t let my parents find out.” 

You didn’t want to imagine how mad and disappointed they’d be.

 If Viscount Bruce kicks you out of his house without any letter of recommendation, you’ll never get a job higher than shoveling manure. Risking your job and career credibility just for a night out… How could you even face them?

“Hey… is everything okay?”

You blinked. Lee was staring right at you. 

“Are you alright, Y/n? Did the fabric go bad? W- I could always go back to the Night Market and-”

You shook your head, “It’s fi-...Did you just ask if the fabric ‘went bad’?”

He nodded, as if it wasn’t the dumbest question Lee ever asked. 

You let out a laugh, “You really need to brush up on tailoring.”

“Please, I barely even need clothes. I’ve got natural armor.” He gestured to his shell. You wondered how he could wear a knight uniform without a fitting chestplate. 

“What about you? Do you have an outfit to wear outside of your uniform? I mean, you can’t be on duty for the entire thing right?” “I’ll have some time. And, uh… I haven’t really thought about it.”

That was a complete lie. The prince had an outfit picked out less than a day after the festival was announced. However, he was still figuring out what “Lee” would wear… and how he’d reveal himself to you and everything.

“Well, you’ve got over two weeks to figure it out.” You nudged him, and began offering your help. Leo gave a few nods, but stared off to the side. 

“Yeah…”

Seventeen days left. 

….

For the next few days, Leo spent his free time plotting. He’d saved his family from countless situations, rescued his brothers from certain death, and outsmarted enemies threatening his kingdom. But he just couldn’t figure out how to be honest with you. 

He thought about wearing his cloak, and throwing it off to reveal a glamorous sapphire suit… but he couldn’t imagine it ending any other way except getting slapped in the face.

He could take you back to the docks and tell you everything, not even bringing the festival into it… but if you reject him, then he’s back to marrying a stranger, and everything is back to how it was before. 

Leo sliced a training dummy in half, as if to cut the idea out of his head. Sure, he could probably write his ideas down, but as Donnie would say, the brain is nature’s scroll...or something. 

“Something’s going on with you, Leo.”

The prince didn’t even have to turn around. 

“No clue what you mean, hermano.” 

Raph let out a sigh, the drawn exhale wobbling his youngest brother, who was perched atop his spiked shell. Tucked under his arm, Donnie was pressed to his brother’s side, clearly not happy with the arrangement, and no doubt snatched from the depths of his lab. 

Leo cocked his head toward his brothers, “So, are you guys here to watch me train, or are you trying to make a turtle pile?”

Mikey seemed to brighten at the latter, but Raph shook his head. 

“You’ve been acting weird. Good weird… sometimes, but still weird. So, your loving brothers want to know what’s up.” 

“I don’t see the problem.” Donnie remarked.

“I like this new Leo!” Mikey piped up.

“Relax… I’m just stepping into the leader role, makin’ some personal changes. No biggie.” He waved them off, preparing to slash another dummy. 

Raph gave him a quizzical look, “Case said you asked about marriage.”

Leo’s grip on his sword wavered.

“He..uh, said what now?”

“You asked about the other Leo’s partner! Does this mean you have someone in mind?” Mikey squealed with an all too wide grin. 

“That or he was just trying to make the festival choice easier.” Donnie shrugged, “Try not to corrupt the time continuum again.” 

“Well, which is it?” Raph asked Leo expectedly. 

He fumbled with his sword, nearly making a cut on his plastron. 

“Just curious, y’know. Festival jitters. You got me.” Leo put on his best defeated expression. 

Raph softened, and Leo knew he was in for the big brother baby voice. The eldest put Mikey and Donnie down, and bent his legs to talk to Leo. 

“Hey, it’s okay buddy. You’ll meet someone who loves you just the way you are. Just like we do.” He cooed. 

“In a very different way than we do.” Donnie corrected, his attention on another gadget in his hands. 

“Yeah, uh-huh. Beautiful words, I’m really moved.” Leo feigned tearing up, “Now, I’m gonna go back to my room and… *sniff* stir in my emotions a little longer.”

Donnie rolled his eyes into his forehead. 

Mikey started to say something, but Leo portaled before Dr. Feelings could make a visit. 

When he was back in his room, he dropped his sword and slumped onto his bed. 

In all honesty, he could laugh at Raph’s speech. 

You’ll meet someone who loves you just the way you are.

What nonsense… Everyone at that festival wanted him for his power or wealth. Maybe his looks were a bonus, but he knew anything further than a “hello” from another noble was nothing but a ploy. If he hadn’t met you, Leo couldn’t imagine finding a partner he would really connect with.

Wait… what did he just call you?

He smacked himself. What did it even matter? You didn’t like him. You liked Lee. 

If you knew that he’d be lying to you, and have been the very yokai you’ve hated this whole time… 

What could he possibly think would make you forgive him?

Leo didn’t meet you that night. It was ironic that his brother’s speech had the complete opposite effect it was supposed to. He’d been so sure that he could find a way to tell you the truth, and still be by your side, yet it seems life is more complicated than a glamorous reveal. 

He took up Mikey’s offer for a turtle pile, and sent you a letter through a messenger bird, making up an excuse about a mutant silverfish infestation. 

If his brothers noticed his odd lack of one-liners, they didn’t mention it. 

Fourteen days left. 

….

Two weeks left until the festival, and Viscount Bruce was no kinder. More threats, more writing, and more orders. He ordered enough weapons and food to satisfy an army. All for a prince who wouldn’t care. 

A few swords and daggers were especially glamorous, and caught your eye with the intricate designs. You lost your dagger in the Night Market incident, as it was long gone when you finally remembered it was stuck in the stone wall. You knew that Lee would protect you, but you itched for something to defend yourself. And him of course if it came to it. 

Speaking of, word had spread about your apprehension of some Night thieves, along with a cloaked yokai by your side. It was a fairly quiet village, and news traveled fast. Your parents might not get out much, but they sure weren’t hermits. Whether it was from one of your father’s meetings with his old comrades or your mother’s tea and book club, they found out about your Night Market escapade. 

Needless to say, they weren’t pleased that you had sneaked out and got yourself in trouble. You only managed to hide one of the rolls of fabric under your cottage floorboard, and claimed that you wanted to be prepared in case Lady Barbara destroyed your uniform again. 

But no matter what you said, you couldn’t make them stop talking about your new friend. They even offered a basket of goods to bring to him at one point, but you refused. You knew that you were old enough to marry, and had even gotten a few offers, but no one you really knew. It was always semi-wealthier commoners and lords that wanted you to do their work for them while they got to enjoy their own riches and profit.

You were just lucky to have parents that allowed you to refuse them.

Still, it had to happen eventually, right? No matter the gender, anyone with marital status was treated better and had greater security than those that didn’t. 

Viscount Bruce’s wife had been visiting family for months, so you hadn’t really seen her. It certainly wasn’t a coincidence that the Viscount hadn’t gone to many social gatherings without her present. 

If you ever want to be someone important, you’ll need to find a partner eventually, even if you don’t have as many choices as Prince Leonardo. 

…Would Lee-

You didn’t let yourself finish the thought. Your inkwell was drying up anyway, and there was still plenty more to do. 

It felt ridiculous when your mind inevitably repeated it. 

Marry Lee… no way. 

You didn’t even know his last name. Hell, you never even spent time with him during the daytime, and barely knew much about him other than his job and his brothers. Even then, he never told you their names, except for “Dee.” 

Wow, did this guy really put up with you talking about yourself for three hours every night?

Well, actually, you knew he liked swords, and mystics, and a practice called ninjitsu. He also enjoyed illuminated manuscripts, showing off, and unicorns. He always worried if he was doing the right thing, and despite his knack for trouble, truly wanted the best for his family. 

You did have a lot in common… outside for the knack towards trouble, but then again, Lee had rubbed off on you. 

Even if you didn’t know everything about him, he was your best friend. Maybe, if he needs a partner for a promotion or something… 

“L/n! Are the affairs in order yet!?”

You nearly shook your head out of instinct, but just caught yourself, instead giving a quick nod. 

“Right away, Your Grace.”

That night, you greeted him with a smile. He returned it, but you couldn’t help but notice it didn’t reach his eyes. 

“Did you get rid of all the silverfish?” You asked as he approached your usual table in the dark corner. Lee gave you his best wink in response, 

“Yeah, but it took a while. Damn things multiply every time you destroy one, but I took em out,” He made a face that screamed of a “rad skillz” monologue approaching. You pulled out his chair for him and he gave a chivalrous bow of appreciation. 

“If they keep multiplying, how do you get rid of them?” You took a swig of a drink you ordered without him. Somehow, you knew he’d still end up paying for it.

Lee smirked, “Well, it’s easy. You- Uuuh eugh….” 

A strange noise fell from his throat as his eyes widened like saucers, a mix of jawdropped shock and utter dread. You nearly laughed and choked on your water at the funny sound.

“What? Silverfish got your tongue?”

Without a word, he pulled his cloak down completely over his face. Lee had begun taking it off more often, but now his hands nearly shook as he tried to hide as much of himself as possible. You looked around in confusion, wishing you had your trusty dagger. 

What is going on…?

…

Leo’s day had been uneventful. After waking from the turtle pile, he had enjoyed breakfast with the fam, and resumed tutoring, studies, and more throne practice. Nothing had seemed out of the ordinary. 

He didn’t get a response from you, but he assumed you just didn’t have paper and a quill on standby. 

Mikey had asked about you a few times, but only when Raph wasn’t around. Donnie had looked at him in confusion, but he made up a few excuses to get his twin off his back. 

Well, it appeared to not have worked as well as he’d hoped, as he could recognize the styled purple cloak anywhere. Weaved with an intricate design and fitted to hide his battle shell, his favorite twin was talking to Hueso, April by his side, and throwing looks over in his direction. 

He was so screwed…

….

You noticed another cloaked turtle yokai approaching your table, but didn’t address him at first. Next to him stood a shorter human girl, wearing a green but smaller cloak, glasses adorning her face, and curly brown hair put up in two buns. 

They were staring at Lee. 

You looked between the three of them. 

“Do you know them?”

He didn’t respond, as if trying to disappear. If it wasn’t for the commoners at the surrounding tables, you were sure he would’ve portaled away. 

It wasn’t until they were standing right beside you that your friend decided to speak up. 

“Hey… Y/n, I told you about my brother, Dee, right? And this is April!” He introduced you in an unnaturally high voice. The forced enthusiasm made you cringe. 

You turned to his brother and friend, “Uh, nice to meet you?”

Dee stared at you for a long moment while April had a forced smile on her face. She looked a moment away from smacking Lee across the face. 

“Nice to meet you! Uhm…”

“…Y/n, was it?”

Leo was already starting to inch out of his chair, just as April took a seat beside you. As the two of you were chatting, and he was about to make his getaway, Leo caught his twin’s glare. A hidden metal claw sneaked out of his cloak’s sleeve and made a sit down gesture. 

“Le-” Donnie began, but Leo shook his head rapidly, making a “cut it out” motion by his throat. You tilted your head in confusion. 

“Lee? What’s going on?”

“Um, as I said, this is my brother and honorary sister. I wasn’t expecting to see them here.” Leo grit his teeth at the end. Why did this have to happen now?

Donnie’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Yes. My dear brother seemed to forget that any messenger birds leaving the palace are traced and intercepted by yours truly.” 

“…”

…As a war strategist who had dealt in plenty of spies, Leo really should’ve seen this coming. If anything, he should be glad it was Donnie that read his note instead of Draxum, the main security head. 

You were none the wiser. A palace knight with a brother working in the palace too? His parents must be proud. You wondered what his other brothers did. 

Finally addressing you, Dee gave you a rather elegant bow for someone who worked in palace security, and declared,

“I must ask what this dum dum has said about me, just to clear up any confusion.” 

“Just that your name is Dee and that you don’t like studying rocks. That’s pretty much it.”

“Dee?” He repeated.

“Uh… Dee the third?” You tried. 

Dee looked back at his brother with a look between disappointment and offense. 

“He’s also an inventor.” Lee said quickly, “Really smart. A genius and all that.”

The softshell stared at the slider with a growing annoyance.

“I accept flattery from parent-aged adults, not from you.”  Still, Dee reluctantly took a seat across from you and next to his brother. Lee tried to shake it off, lowering his voice.

“Ha… so, Dee, Apes, how about we keep this whole sneaking out thing on the down low. I don’t want some people to know about me.” He faced his brother and sister, and gestured to you with his eyes. 

A look of understanding flashed through their faces, as did your own.

He was sneaking out of the palace to see you! Of course he didn’t want to get caught by his family. If anyone in the palace found out, they could mistake him for a spy, especially with him sending you a letter. 

Lee was risking his job, his livelihood every night to meet you. How could you let yourself forget that?

You stood up in your seat.  

“I’m sorry he’s sneaking out to see me. We’re just friends. I swear I don’t mean any harm.” You explained yourself. Your tone was uneasy and apologetic. 

Leo’s eyes widened in surprise and he placed a hand on your shoulder without thinking. You didn’t believe that this was your fault, right? 

“Hey, you’re…” He suddenly cleared his throat, very aware of his audience, and the hand on your shoulder lightly slapped your back, “Yep! You’re great! Mi amigo favorito!” 

April and Dee shared a look. You felt yourself sweat under their gaze. 

His brother sighed. 

“Nard-...cough..!” Donnie cut himself off with a poor attempt at a cough. 

You looked between him and Leo, who he was…trying to address?

“It’s his last name,” April quickly excused, patting the softshell’s back. 

Your mind completely cleared at that, and you stared at Lee.

“Your last name is Nard?” 

“Yep! Ha-ha… Sure is. Dee’s more of a nerd than a Nard though. Now how about we grab the check and get outta here?” This was wayyy too many feelings for one night, thank you very much! 

“Check? Why not put it on the ta-”

“Get outta here and do what?” April questioned, throwing him a judgemental stare. This was feeling like less of a meeting and more of a confrontation you were fourth wheeling in…

“He’s been teaching me how to dance. With the festival coming up and all.” You answered for him, as Lee seemed pretty content in chugging whatever drink was in front of him. (Your drink)

“Well, I am much superior in that field.” Dee huffed. 

“...Congratulations?”

April facepalmed next to you, before straightening up in realization.

“Wait, are you a commoner?” She demanded as if wanting some kind of declaration. You just nodded dumbly. Your new uniform might look slightly classy, but it wasn’t that gaudy, right?

Her and Dee shared another look. It was like they could read each other’s minds. You presumed they must’ve been friends for years. 

“And how long have you known Leo-oover here?” 

“A little over a month, I think. Right, Lee?” You looked to him for assistance, and he was shrinking into his chair. 

Leon was disconnected, thanks for playing everyone! He didn’t know what scared him more, the mortification of his siblings piecing his actions together, or you figuring out something you shouldn’t.

Who was he kidding this whole time!? He is NOT ready for you to know about him!

“Yeah… riiiight.”

Donnie squinted, “And how often have you been meeting?”

“Hey- this is not the Salisbury witch trials! Y/n here is a good friend. Who I’d like to invite to the festival!” Leo waved his arms in exasperation. 

Why the hell did he say that last part?

“Invite? I kinda assumed I’d just meet you there. What, does being a knight make you a VIP?” You nudged him. He stiffened. 

“A knight!? Like you have the discipline-” April angrily whispered, and he prayed to whatever medieval pizza supreme in the sky that you couldn’t hear it. 

“What do you do, April?” 

You broke the silence and awkward stares with an innocent question. Regaining composure frighteningly fast, April smiled,

“Well, I do a little of everything. I’ve become a knight, worked as a clerk, done some town cryin’. The works.” 

“Wow, that’s incredible!” 

You gawked at her achievements. It took everything for you to escape the life of a farmer. Career changes were like skipping through social classes, and this girl did it multiple times. 

Man, being around a multitalented prodigy and palace workers, you couldn’t help but feel a little insecure. 

“It's hard to keep a job sometimes since these guys keep getting me in trouble!” She jabbed a finger at each of her brothers. 

“Well, I can see that for him.” You gestured to Lee.

He huffed, “The Night Market was your idea!”

“You suggested it first!”

“I’m sorry, the Night Market?” Donnie looked to his brother in annoyance, eyebrows furrowing.

Leo fought back a wince. He was really digging his own grave tonight, wasn’t he?

“So, uh, why don’t you tell them what you do, Y/n?” Leo changed the subject.

“I’m head of affairs at Viscount Bruce’s manor.” You smiled, instinctively rubbing at the wrinkles in your uniform. 

“Viscount Bruce?” Donnie repeated. His eyes narrowed. 

You nodded, “His manor is an hour’s ride off the village.” 

“His house is a place of… rumors. Many rumors.” He glanced to the side, as if he wasn’t one of the biggest gossip snoops in the kingdom. Leo nearly rolled his eyes, but held back. 

“Most of them are probably true.” You joked. Dee didn’t laugh, instead sporting some kind of “I knew it” look.  

Keeping his arms crossed against his plastron, a metal limb poked out of his cloak and took your drink, holding it up and shaking it for a barmaid’s attention. You gaped.

“What’s that?” 

Not letting his brother respond, Leo blurted out the first one liner to come to mind. (What? He was coping!)

“It’s a Dee’s Nards original.” 

Donnie sideeyed his brother and you heard a kick under the table. Leo winced. 

“It’s my own invention. An additional set of hands for increased mobility and efficiency.” He explained.

“You made it yourself? Woah… I’ve never seen anything like it!” 

For a turtle that claimed he wouldn’t be won over by flattery, he seemed pleased with your surprise.

“It is but one of my many innovations. Including the elevator, a vertical carrier that combines the use of hoists and windlasses with the power of gravity-”

Leo leaned over to whisper loudly, “Told you. More nerd than Nard.” 

A metal claw pushed him off his chair, just as a server came to the table. Leo tried to ask for the check, but his family was already asking for drinks.

Not fighting it anymore, he let it happen. After everyone ordered, Leo spoke up. 

“Hey April, who was that Earl guy you used to work for? The one who was like, obsessed with silence.”

“You mean Gned? Yeah, that guy was nuts.” April laughed, “Locked up every animal, musician, anyone who spoke louder than a whisper.”

“Can’t be worse than Lady Barbara.” You snorted. 

You were so focused on having April and Donnie’s attention that you didn’t notice that Lee’s “cut it out” gesture was directed to you this time. Leo nearly tried waving his arms and shaking his head, but it was too late.

“She’s been obsessed with the crown prince ever since this festival was announced. Like, she kisses his portrait at least once a day. I think she might even have a shrine to him! She hasn’t even met the guy, it’s insane.”

“Is that right?” 

Dee and April looked at Lee for some reason. 

“Yeah, uh, something tells me the Prince won’t like her.” He looked away.

“The Prince likes anyone who looks his way,” You chuckled, “When his festival spotlight’s gone, she might be the only one left.”

The table went dead silent. April looked at Leo in surprise. He wasn’t shocked by your remark, but that didn’t make it sting any less. 

“It seems you have an… unfavorable impression of his majesty?” Donnie raised an eyebrow. 

You felt your face heat up. Talking dirt on the crown? In front of witnesses? You really let yourself get too comfortable! 

“I’m sorry- I shouldn’t have-”

“It’s fine. They’re not offended.” Leo said, voice completely calm. “Right guys?”

A beat.

They recovered quickly. 

“Nope! Not at all!”

“I’ve said worse.” 

You still felt guilty, and offered to pay for their food. You’ve been able to save a lot of money lately. 

April shook her head, but gave a thankful smile, 

“Thanks for the offer, but Do- Dee and I are gonna head out soon.” 

“Oh, do you have the time? I’ll have to get home by midnight.” You asked. Dee reached into a hidden pocket, and pulled out a pocketwatch. You never understood why people paid for a fancy handheld clock, but it looked rather expensive. 

“Nearly half past the witching hour.” 

You cursed under your breath, “Then I’ll have to pack it up. But it was nice meeting you both, April and Dee.” 

“Likewise.” April smiled. 

Dee gave you a nod, and seemed to look briefly under the table. Out of your chair, it seemed he had a second set of mechanical arms that was… jotting down notes? Was it doing that the whole time?

“You seem to be a hardworking and competent… friend,” Dee concluded, and looked back at Lee, “I’m surprised you find companionship in my dum-dum brother.”

The brother in question loudly cleared his throat. 

Before you could say anything else, the clock tower echoed its toll. Midnight was approaching. 

You grabbed your coat, and gave the two of them a bow, just as they had done for you. Then, you turned to your side.

“Same time tomorrow, Lee?”

He gave a thumbs up, looking a minute away from collapsing in his chair.

April and Donnie said their goodbyes, the latter “subtly” putting the notepad behind his back. 

On the way out, you paused.

…Hey, what the hell? It had been a good night. 

“See you Nards later!” You called as you shut the door behind you, blocking any response and no doubt making some patrons turn their heads. You found yourself cackling on the way back to your horse. 

Donnie sighed, mostly to himself, “I take it back, they’re perfect for you.” 

To his and April’s surprise, Leo didn’t have a comeback. His head was in his hands, and he rubbed his hands over his face.

“Just… don’t tell Raph or Dad, okay?” He begged. 

Donnie softened, and April put a hand on the slider’s shell. With a nod from April and a “very well” from his brother, the slider felt a sense of peace. 

Leo’s heart was still pounding, but there was a sense of relief in knowing he wasn’t alone in this secret. It was nice to know that they were on his side, no matter how this turns out.

Thirteen days left. 

…

“Donnniieee! I can’t believe you went without me!” Mikey whined, throwing himself onto Leo's bed. Donnie shrugged, not even looking at his younger brother. 

“If you had told me that Leo was going out for the past month, I would’ve.” 

“That’s not fair, Dr. Feelings has physician-patient confidentiality!”

“And I have genius over dum-dum confidentiality.” 

Leo held the pillow over his head. Even putting on his eye mask and obnoxiously snoring wasn’t enough to shoo them off. Mikey had pounced on the twins as soon as they returned to their quarters. 

Leo tried to make an excuse, but Mikey had watched them sneak in from a telescope in Donnie’s chamber. The box turtle wasn’t mad, but betrayed that Donnie got to meet Y/n before him. 

Mikey sighed, resting his head on Leo’s shell,

“Well, they’ll be at the festival, right?”

“They mentioned it, but they don’t know he’s the prince. And this dum-dum won’t tell them.” Donnie jabbed a finger at his twin. 

“Romantic!” Mikey intertwined his fingers and put them to his cheek. 

Donnie rolled his eyes, “Yes, because lies and fraud is the perfect way to start a relationship. He said sarcastically.” 

“What am I supposed to say!?” Leo blurted out. He took off his sleep mask and threw his hands up. “They hate the Prince. They hate all nobility! What am I supposed to tell them!?”

“They’ve tolerated your presence for this long.” Donnie pointed out unhelpfully. The slider hit him with a pillow in annoyance. 

“Why don’t you introduce them to Raph? No one can hate Raph!” Mikey suggested, “They think you’re a royal knight, right?”

“No way. Raph can’t know. Him and Dad will kill me.” He put his hands on Mikey’s shoulders, “You know that, right? You promised you wouldn’t tell!” Leo chastised him almost maniacly. 

“He already knows.” Donnie casually dropped. 

Leo’s neck nearly pulled a 180 spin. The softshell continued tinkering with a pocketwatch that looked suspiciously like Leo’s. 

“I’m sorry, did you tell him already!? I know you didn’t snitch after I just made you promise-”

“He’s been waiting outside for the past few minutes.”

Donnie adjusted a few gears, as if he just explained something common knowledge. 

The slider’s heart dropped right to his stomach. 

His eyes reflexively went to the window. The sun was out. It was morning. Morning meant training.

Raph should’ve dragged him out of his room by now.

Leo had a look of horror, before he ran to his chamber door and flung it open. 

The eldest’s shocked and guilty face stared back at him.

Fuck…

…

“...April?”

Her name tumbled out of your lips, to which you were immediately scolded for speaking out of term. The head maid introduced her as a new servant, albeit temporary, to help the Viscount prepare for the festival until he could replace the many servants who had quit or were fired by his daughter.

April was sent to work before you could speak another word, and the Viscount swiftly called for you to finish your duties. Without a choice, you had to obey. 

You managed to talk to her on your way back from a bathroom break a few hours later, and quickly pulled her aside.

“What are you doing here? Did you hear what I said about this place last night!?” You whispered. April gave an “it’s fine” gesture. 

“Relax, I’ve had worse bosses. Plus, it’s only temporary. Have I told you about how Lee got me fired from my last job?” 

You shook your head. She opened her mouth to tell the story, but you cut her off. 

“Are you sure about this? It’s not going to be easy.”

She grinned, “Believe me, Y/n. I can handle it. I’ll talk to you during lunch, alright?”

You opened your mouth to speak more, but heard the clacking of fancy shoes down the corridor. April straightened, and you made a run for it. 

With your mind on autopilot from so many days following the same routine, you nearly forgot to meet with her. Thankfully, she stayed by the servant dining quarters, and you found her quickly. 

“April!” You called out her name, thankful there was no one to scold you this time. 

“Y/n! How’s it going?” She gestured to her empty bench. 

You gave a so-so gesture, and took a seat beside her, placing down your pottage lunch. 

“How’s your first day been?”

April mimed wiping sweat off her forehead, “You weren’t kidding. Whew…” 

“Yeah, no one is here by choice.” You laughed, “The second I get enough coin, I’m getting outta here. Start my own business, get some land, something like that.”

“Are you going for a title?” She asked. If a noble was poor enough, and you had the gold, there was always the option of buying their title out. 

“Hell no,” You shook your head, “Never in a million years am I becoming another goddamn noble. I’m getting power my way.” 

You said the last part with a smile, but when you turned back to look at her, April was frowning. You raised an eyebrow in question, to which she spoke,

“Not all nobles are like her, y’know. I’ve worked for a bunch of ‘em. Even made some friends.” She kept her words vague. 

You gave her a disbelieving look, “No offense, but what noble would want to be friends with a peasant?”

She shrugged, “They might be rich, but they’re just like the rest of us.”

Talk about an oxymoron..

“They don’t have to worry about finding work, or getting fed, or lasting through the winter without getting sick. Nobles have everything they could ever want.” You pointed out. April stirred her stew.

“But life ain’t about the money, is it?” 

“No, but it’s a lot better with privilege.” 

She looked up at you.

“Is that why you’re here? For privilege?”

“I’m here to make a difference. Everyone deserves privilege in their own right.”  

April hummed, contemplating for a moment, before raising her cup of ale.

“Hey, I’ll toast to that.”

You clinked your cup with hers, and took a swig. She didn’t speak for another minute, probably trying to stomach the poor excuse of a peasant lunch. With the Viscount working on a potential food offering, the servant’s rations took a notable hit in quality. You brought the last of your pottage to your lips, and drank up the rest, needing as much energy as you could get. 

April was already beginning to speak as you put it down. 

“Y’know…I like you, Y/n, but maybe you should give nobles a chance. I’m serious. Not all of them are as bad as you think.”

You wiped your mouth and cocked your head at her.

“Like Lady Barbara?”

“Hell no- some people are just rotten. She’s one of ‘em. ” She practically waved off the idea. 

Your lips quirked up, and you let out a shrug. 

“Honestly, so is Prince Leonardo.”

April inhaled sharply, and when you saw her face, she looked like you had slapped her. You could hardly register the girl’s odd reaction, her genuine hurt and anger at the comment between the noise of her spoon falling from her hands and clattering on the floor.

“Never say that again.”

As if you had lit a match, a roaring flame sparked in her eyes as her words dripped with nothing short of venom. 

You didn’t know how, but it felt like you had just said something horribly wrong. 

….

“Um, it’s not what it looks- er.. sounds like?” Leo gave his best attempt at a wobbly smile. His mind was blank, no matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t think of a way out of this. 

Raph’s expression was unreadable, but if anything, he looked… hurt. 

“So… Let Raph get this straight.” The red branded turtle pinched his forehead, making his chasm stick out more than usual.

“For the last month, you’ve been sneaking out to meet up with a commoner. And.. this whole edict and festival business was just so you could bring them? And-” “It wasn’t just for them!” Leo defended, “I was tired! Of acting like commoners are beneath us. Not just Y/n, but April, Cassandra, Sunita… I don’t want to rule like that!” 

Leo could vaguely hear a shuffling sound as his other brothers made their escape through his chamber window. 

“This whole new attitude you’ve got. Is that because of Y/n, too?” Raph questioned.

“‘Because of’ is a strong word. Actually two words. And technically, I just came to realize that the true king was inside of me all along-” 

“Leo. Just.. stop.”

Raph’s face went blank again, and his gaze drifted to the floor. 

“I’m your brother. You know I want the best for you. I know you hate following rules, and I hate enforcing ‘em, but… above all…”

Raph looked his brother in the eyes, and Leo noticed the tears that were welling up.

“...Raph just wants you to be happy.”

“Wait-”

“I’m on your side!” Raph cried, “I-I know I’m tough on ya! And, you think I’m a buzzkill, but I… I want to know these things…”

“It’s not that I don’t trust you! I just knew that you wouldn’t approve, or you’d send someone after me… and I don’t want that! I like what I have right now, and.. I think it’s working well for everyone!”

“They don’t even know who you are!”

“It’s better that way, isn’t it? You’re the one who’s always telling us to hide ourselves from the commoners!” He retorted. 

“Do not put this on me!” Raph yelled, raising his voice enough to make his brother wince. 

“You’ve been putting yourself, and that means your kingdom too, in harm’s way so you could meet up with a friend? If you had just told me… I wouldn’t have stopped you!”

“And you’re stopping me now!?”

“Yes…! No! I don’t know!” His voice cracked. Raph shut his eyes, covering them with his hands. How could he be so stupid? Why did he let his brother go? He knew Leo wasn’t ready to lead. 

But at the same time… he could understand. It was the taste of adventure that led to them meeting April in the first place. It was what kept them grounded, and not another shiny product of wealth.

Yet this felt different. Not because of his brother pushing him away, or the two growing apart with age. Not even because of the lies or losing the crown prince title. 

It was different because Leo was treating him like an enemy to outsmart. 

Raph opened his eyes, and judging by the look on the younger’s face, he was thinking the same way.

“...When did we become like this?” 

They weren’t children anymore. Sometimes it felt like they weren’t even friends. 

"I don't know." Leo admitted. Slowly, giving plenty of time for him to refuse, Raph put a hand on Leo’s shoulder.

"You know I love you, right?" It was a simple question. No dramatics or baby voice. Just the plain truth.

"I know, I mean, I love you too. Even when you go all mother hen on us." He put a hand on his brother’s outstretched arm.

That made Raph smile, the snaggletooth as prominent as always.

"I won't stop you from seeing them, but... could you be more honest with me? And, I'd like to meet them too."

Leo gave a slow nod, feeling his eyes get a little damp. He wrapped his arms around Raph in a tight hug.

“I’m sorry. For not trusting you.”

Raph hugged back immediately, gently nuzzling his brother. Leo accepted the affection, and let himself melt in his arms. After a moment, Raph gently pulled away. He looked down at his hands, twindling his thumbs.

“Do you… love them?”

Leo sighed at that. The question had been lingering in his mind for weeks. A nagging inquiry scratching at the back of his brain.

But if he’s going to be honest with his brother, he’ll have to be honest with himself.

“...I think I do.”

His chest tightened with a familiar warmth. A silent longing to find you, and make everything better. A yearning he can’t imagine getting used to.

He hoped you were doing well, with whatever you were doing.

…

You felt a pang of fear at the look your new friend gave you. She didn't seem to mind when you talked about the prince last night. So why was she so offended now?

"Are you okay?"

"Don't talk about him like that."

"I-.. I'm sorry?"

"Leo- The Prince is not rotten. He's one of the most selfless people I know."

"You should keep your voice down-"

"You need to hear it," She snapped, "Leonardo is the farthest from rotten. He nearly died to keep us safe!"

April was grateful for all you've done for him, but she could never accept someone talking down on someone she loves. Especially not Leo. Not her brother who sacrificed himself to stop the Kraang.

But commoners didn't know that part. No one outside of the royal family did. Before the festival, he was simply known as the newly selected crown prince whose pride started the worst conflict the kingdom had ever known.

However April could defend someone like that made your blood boil.

“Half the kingdom did die! My dad almost died because of his stupid war!”

You thought back to every letter you sent. Every prayer and every tear that went into hoping he would come back to you. April didn't back down.

“It wasn’t his fault! Trust me, if it weren’t for him, we all would have died… or worse.”

 “That doesn’t make it right! It doesn’t make any of it right! Someone like him, arrogant, impulsive, spoiled… He shouldn’t get to play with our lives like toys!” Your mind conjured an image of a puppeteer. A corrupt wielder of unimaginable power only used for his own good.

“He doesn’t think that way. He’s not like that!” April grabbed your wrist, scenes of night terrors, tearful turtle piles, and days where the prince wouldn’t even leave his room ran through her mind all at once. The reveal that the prince you hate has also been your best friend lingered on her tongue, but she couldn’t betray him like that. 

Leo had changed for the better because of you. He had to tell you on his own terms. 

To your surprise, April seemed to deflate. The dejected look in her eyes made you pause in your own fury.

“Lee and the Prince… aren’t as different as you think.” She held up a finger when you opened your mouth to argue.

“Just.. think about it, okay?”

“...I-”

CLAP!

You both jolted at the sound. 

The head maid clapped her hands, declaring it was time to go back to work. Mind still reeling, you meekly apologized, and you each went your separate ways. 

The argument ran fresh in your mind for the rest of the day. You pondered her words as you continued to work. Like the ticking of a clock, you followed your routine, counting down the time you had left.

…

When he saw your horse approaching the fencepost, Leo laid back on his hay throne. The whole emotional confrontation with his brother had really drained him for the day, and from the looks of it, you weren’t much better. 

You dismounted your horse, slightly stumbling, and gave him a smile that didn’t quite reach your eyes.

“Long day?” He asked.

“Yeah, just… a lot to think about.” You shrugged. 

“Same here. Don’t have much of an appetite, but I’m still up for Hueso’s if you want.” Leo offered. Despite the emotional drain, he felt.. Lighter. Sure, he still held the weight of an entire kingdom on his shoulders, and wasn’t quite ready to expose himself to you, but it had been a long time since he had an honest conversation with his older brother.

He didn’t know what happened to you though. If anything, you looked more stressed. Did Lady Barbara do something?

“Can we… do something else?” You suggested.

“Sure, got something in mind?”

Despite the exhaustion pulling at your eyelids, you smiled. A real one. Without another word, you hopped back on your horse. Leo almost thought you were going to ditch him. 

But then you held out your hand. 

“Can I bring you somewhere this time?”

Ha… His face wasn’t heating up! Totally not. Noooo…

“Well?”

“Huh? Yeah- I could totally go for some water-”

“Yes or no, Lee. Are you getting on?”

“Yes!” He cleared his throat, “Sure, yeah, sounds good.”

His voice changed pitch at least three times in that one response, but you didn’t comment on it. Leo took your hand before he could embarrass himself further.

His three fingered hand nearly intertwined with your own, and you tugged it up your horse. He didn’t budge, and you threw him a look of annoyance. 

Lee gave his signature smirk.

“...Are you trying to pull me up? Cause you’ll need a little more muscle.”

“Just get on,” You huffed. 

He obliged, and your horse seemed to complain about the added weight. Lee wrapped his arms around you, and you flicked the horse’s reins with a slight force to distract yourself from the contact. With a loud neigh, the horse trotted forward. 

It had been too long since Leo had gone horseback riding. As the designated “portal guy” there wasn’t much need, though he spent plenty of time petting the horses in the castle stables as a kid. 

The shaking and uneven trots on the stone roads were slightly uncomfortable, and he hoped wherever you were taking him wasn’t too far, as he didn’t want to deal with bareback horse pains (did you even own a saddle?) in the morning. Leo couldn’t even see that far ahead of him, not sharing your odd ability of making things out in the darkness. 

But some traitorous part of his brain reminded him that you were warm, and holding you like this was kinda nice…

He loosened his grip to smother the thought, or god forbid if he started churring. Leo was thankful that the horse’s movement probably hid his racing heartbeat.

A little ways off the village, not quite at the distant outskirts yet, you brought the horse to a stop in a grassy field. It must’ve been abandoned farmland or meant for cattle, as the grass had grown up to his knees. It was slightly uncomfortable to walk on, but he wouldn’t say it out loud. 

With both of you dismounted, you pointed to a small hill.

“Up there. Is that alright?”

“Whatever you say, N/n.” He grinned. 

You let go of the horse’s reins, trusting him to stay in the area. Instead you took Leo’s wrist, pulling him in the direction of the hill, overgrown grass itching your legs. Despite how unkempt the place seemed, it had an aroma that Leo couldn’t quite place, but it rivaled the purest perfumes in the palace.

The side of the hill had a thin, uneven dirt road, if it could even be called such. It was likely a wear on the land from so many journeys to the top. You kept pulling him along, and sometimes he’d pull back just to mess with you. It was a quick and quiet hike, and at the top of the hill, the grass was much shorter, and surrounded by a few flowerbeds. 

He whistled, “Did you grow this?”

You laughed, “I haven’t had the time to come up here in a while. My parents found this place before I was born.” 

You made a sweeping motion on a patch of grass, dusting off any potential insects, and laid down on your back. 

Lee stood over you.

“You aren’t gonna place anything down first?”

You didn’t look at him.

“Part of the experience.” 

Your words were slightly slurred, as if you were distracted. Squinting, he tried to follow your eyes, but it meant having to crane his neck. 

With a dramatic sigh, and making sure not to step on any flowers, he placed down his cloak and laid on it. The grass felt soft, almost moss like against his back. Leo let out a breath as he stared up at the sky, the moon and twinkling stars staring back down at him. 

“Never took you for a star gazer.” He breathed. 

The view felt… different. Breathtaking. 

Sure, Leo’s chambers were located at the top of a tower, and he even had his own telescope to see the stars up close, but this was far from the same. It was as if he wasn’t up close with the stars, but far beneath them. It made him feel like he really was a small speck of existence, looking into the eye of the milky way. 

It made him dizzy to think about, despite his knowledge of space definitely surpassing your own. 

The two of you laid in silence for a while. Whenever his mind started to drift back to his responsibilities, and that unbearable weight tried to seize the moment, Leo turned to his side, quietly listening to your shallow breaths. He’s sure you’ve dozed off a few times at least. 

Eventually, you turned and caught his gaze, making his heart race a little faster. It took everything not to look away, and he felt smug when you were the one to turn, face flushed. He thought the action gave him a second heartbeat, but Leo quickly realized it was just his traitorous tail. He sighed, mostly to himself. 

What he wouldn’t give to kiss you right now. 

He covered his face with his hands, hiding a groan. 

Why did his mind always have to ruin it?

“You okay?” You asked him. He quickly turned back, and frowned at your concern. 

“I’m good. This reminds me, Dee’s got some spare star charts back at his lab. I can borrow some if you’d wanna do this again.” 

He couldn’t fight back a smile at the way your eyes lit up. 

“You’re adorable. You know that?”

It slipped out before he could stop it. Both of you froze. You rolled to your side to face him. He was already preparing to commit seppuku. 

After a moment of silence, you rolled to lay your back again. Your body slightly shook with… laughter? Leo huffed, turning his attention back to the night sky. 

Spotting a familiar constellation, the prince slowly rotated his body to piece it together. He didn’t realize how much closer he had gotten until you were nearly side by side. When he noticed, he didn’t speak up.

And you didn’t either. After such an eventful day, you embraced this time you had with Lee. The growing rhythm in your heart was becoming a familiar melody. It played on, its own fruit of love dwelling as you rested your head on his shoulder again. This time, Leo leaned back against you.

He knew the stars better than you could realize, and had a much closer view from his personal tower. 

But this was better, simply because you were there. 

Out in the distance, the clocktower rang. 

Twelve days left. 

…

You had a pep in your step the next day, noticeable enough that even Lady Barbara narrowed her eyes at you. April had a knowing look for some reason, and the two of you spoke over lunch again. 

“How long did it take you to become a knight?”

“A couple of years. Lost a lot of good swords… and bats.”

“Have any spare daggers? I lost one to a bandit a week ago.” 

“I’ll check, but Mayhem’s got a bad habit of takin’ em lately.”

“Are they your sibling?”

“He’s my… mystic pet. Still don’t know what kind.”

You let out a “huh” and took a bite of your lunch. Wiping your mouth, you quickly remembered what you’d been meaning to say. 

“By the way, sorry for lashing out on you yesterday. You didn’t deserve that.”

“Nah, it’s alright. We’ve all got qualms about a noble. You just gotta remember that he’s a person, too.”

“Yeah…” You still weren't really convinced, but didn't want to argue again.

The rest of the day came and went. Viscount Bruce ordered more junk, made his cooks work overtime and exploited their personal recipes for his offering, just typical work. Not your department, not your problem. 

What was your problem was the water droplets hitting your face, growing by the second as you rode away from the manor. April was lucky and had her mystic pet teleport her home, but you couldn't leave your horse. He was kicking up mud by the time he reached the village, and your mind was still in work mode that you didn’t redirect him home.

Lee stood a small distance from the fencepost, trying to hide from the rain beneath the edge of a roof. You didn’t see him at first, and he gave a whistle for your attention. 

Careful not to slip, you tied your horse down and made your way over. 

“Nice weather we’re having,” He remarked. 

“Yep. Feels great.” You were already half drenched. He didn’t pity you nearly as much as you’d hoped. 

You sighed at his dry form,

“You aren’t gonna give me your cloak?”

“Nah,” He gave his punch-me-in-the-face smirk before he added, “But I brought a spare.”

In a small bag strapped to his waist, he pulled out a balled up cloak. It was identical to his, but looked slightly more fashionable. He handed it to you, and your eyes widened at the material. The fabric was durable and absorbent, yet felt like silk.

“Woah, where did you find this? Did you bring it from the palace?” 

“You could say that. Yours to keep. Gift from me to you,” He forced a smile, “An apology for last night.” 

“You probably have to say that a lot.”

“Hush, you,” He put a finger to your lips. You tried to bite it.

“I hate to say it, but I saw Hueso on the way here. The place is closed for the night.”

“Again? Who keeps scheduling those things?” You complained. 

"Dunno," He sighed, "But it means more one-on-one with little ol' me." His lips curled in a grin.

"What a nightmare."

"I'm a dream and you know it, N/n."

"Keep telling yourself that!" You had to call out. The rain was really coming down, making loud splatters against the cobblestone ground.

"La-la-la! I can't hear you~!" Lee yelled back, running away from the side of the house he was staying under. Pulling his hand from his cloak, he swung his sword, opening a portal and leaping through it.

You hesitated to follow, but your shoes were already soaked through. The blue ethereal glow beckoned, and you returned its call before another moment could slip by.

Running face first, eyes closed through an unknown portal was not a good idea. Leo just managed to grab you before you ran yourself into a wall. "Woah! Easy there, what's the rush?"

"Sorry, first time willingly going through a portal."

You wiped at your eyes, rain still pouring down. It took a moment for your eyesight to clear. You were still somewhere in the village, and you spotted abandoned stalls lining the ends of the streets.

"Is this... the Night Market?"

He nearly scoffed at the idea, "Oh no, the Night Market is rain or shine. Crime never takes a break. This is the regular market."

"This is the Town's Square?"

You had been plenty of times, but it was always crowded. It had the highest quality goods, but the prices were high, and you had to push your way through crowds.

"I've never seen it so empty before."

"Well, not a lot of people do their shopping in the rain." He stepped into the middle of the street, "So we've got the whole place to ourselves!"

”How romantic.”

Lee tried to form a response, but it turned to awkward laughter.

“Ah…haha..”

You spun around, taking in the sight. The puddles reflected the lights of the village, emitting their own otherworldly glow. It reminded you of that night on the docks.

“This is… really pretty.”

“You should try it barefoot.” He suggested, gesturing to his own absence of shoes. His cloak was discarded in an abandoned fruit stall.

“I’ll get sick. Plus, this streets probably nasty.” You reminded him that the puddles probably contained at least a week’s worth of dirt.

“You worry too much, N/n. Wanna dance?” He outstretch a hand playfully.

You looked around again. There was no one around. No music except for the cascading rainfall. Just as you opened your mouth to respond, a splash of water hit your torso. You staggered back, Lee innocently hiding one foot behind another, as if he hadn’t just kicked a puddle at you.

“You son of a-“

You narrowly dodged the second. You were already drenched, but still!

Before he could make a taunt, you sidestepped around the cobblestone ground and charged him. Leo easily swung his body to the side, more than happy to show off. He laughed as you tried to grab him again, and managed to grab your wrists instead. Water dripping from your hair despite your cloak, he tried to dip you, but you kicked his shin.

“Oof!”

“You’re an asshole.”

“You know it! Are you done fighting it now?” He gave you puppy dog eyes, as if trying to make you feel bad about a fight he started.

”Never!” You kicked up a puddle at him. What came next was a messy tango of chasing and dramatics. You alternated between splashing each other, trying to grab the other, or pulling each other into a chaotic dance.

You tripped up a few times and nearly tapped out, but he talked you out of it.

“What if we slip and fall?”

“Then I’ll just have to pick you back up.” He tried to throw you over his shoulder again for emphasis, but you pushed him back, trying to blind him with your cloak.

CRACK!

A white zigzag slashed through the storm clouds like a whip. You and Leo jumped, and you were immediately pulled into his plastron. Your heart soared with the thunder.

Your bodies stilled, waiting for another possible strike. Your face pressed to the keratin, the world around you was reduced to the dripping rain and Lee's quiet breaths.

Another moment passed, and he let you go.

"Well, maybe it's time to pack it up for the night." Leo suggested. He was not looking forward to the trek back to the palace. If his brothers hadn't known about you, he'd be scraping for excuses by now.

"Yeah, that's probably the best idea." You breathed.

You picked up your discarded layers, and offered both cloaks back to Lee, to which he insisted on letting you keep it again.

Putting the cloak back on, you paused as you nearly mistook a hidden pocket for a sleeve. Lee called for you, and your eyes widened with the realization.

"You ready?" He called, waiting next to a portal.

“Wait… wasn’t this Dee’s?”

Swinging his sword over his shoulder, he shrugged, but couldn't hold back a laugh.

“Eh, he’ll get over it.”

--------

Hueso's Run of the Mill Tavern was practically silent. The growing rainfall camouflaging the hushed whispers beneath the surface.

"Did you hear?"

"Are the supplies ready?"

"How much is in stock?"

"How long do we have to lie low?"

"Patience, everyone." A woman’s voice cut through the crowd. Everyone turned their attention to her. No objection or second thought, just how Big Mama liked it. “As always, it’s a pleasure to meet all my supporters. And I’m ever so grateful for your help. Especially with the Prince-a-roo’s festival so close…!” She smiled. Her lair was far from this pathetic excuse of a tavern, yet it was the only place she could meet with her spies in private.

”Now,” She continued, “We must bide our time.”

A few muffled grumbles from the crowd.

”And extend our thanks for these lovely weapons and scrumptious treats.” Big Mama grinned, “Your contributions to our cause are much appreciated, Viscount Bruce.”

The man in question bowed his cloaked head to his queen.

“When I reclaim my throne, I promise you all the riches your hearts desire. For the rest of you, I will bring a new age of prosperity greater than this kingdom has ever seen!”

The room erupted in cheers, the silence long forgotten. Her spider web was widening, just waiting for the perfect time to strike.

Unbeknownst to her followers, the former queen whispered to herself.

“My dear Yoshi…how I’ve longed to see you again. I’ll look forward to renewing our contract… even if someone had changed the terms at the last second.”

[heartonmyshell]

The Mask Falls Away (fluff/mild angst)

💙 ROTTMNT Leonardo/Female Reader 💙

A/N: This is a commission I’ve done for @celestialiron 💙🐢

Enjoy!! 😊

CWs: Fluff, mild angst, blood/injuries, wound cleaning, medical descriptions, negative self-talk (self-deprecation & guilt), anxiety, hurt/comfort. All characters are aged-up.

Leo doesn’t know how long he’s been awake.

It could be minutes or an hour. Time seems to slow down in these moments, here in the quiet sanctuary of your room. The world outside, with its endless, bone-wearying battles, feels a million miles away. Because here, there is only the soft morning light, the gentle sound of your breathing, and the deep, settling peace that fills his chest whenever he’s with you.

He carefully studies your profile: the elegant slope of your nose, the curve of your lips, parted just slightly as you breathe. Your eyelashes casting delicate shadows across your cheekbones. Your skin, warm and rich like caramel. A single vibrant strand of hair has fallen across your cheek, and he feels a strong urge to brush it behind your ear, but he holds still, hand hovering for a second before retreating.

He wouldn’t dare disturb this.

You look too peaceful, and after last night—after the panic he caused you—you deserve every moment of rest you can get.

His mind drifts back. It was supposed to be a simple recon mission. A cakewalk. Instead, they walked straight into an ambush. He remembers the searing pain as a blade sliced across his bicep, the jarring crack when his knee connected with concrete. Then there was the adrenaline-fueled panic as he tried to portal his brothers to safety while fending off multiple attackers at once.

They had made it out, but not unscathed.

Donnie had a concussion, Raph’s shell was chipped along the edge, and Mikey’s arm would inevitably end up in a sling. Leo, with his own bleeding arm and throbbing knee, had felt the crushing weight of it all settle on his shoulders. He was the leader. The one who was supposed to prevent this, to stop things like this from happening.

When they’d finally limped back to the lair, despite exhaustion hitting him like a brutal punch, he helped the others to the med-bay and grabbed the kits and ice packs, moving on autopilot. But as Donnie patched up Raph and Mikey tended to his own sprain, Leo slipped away.

He needed you.

He remembers portaling to your fire escape, the blue light of the mystic energy fizzling out as his knee buckled beneath him. His breathing was ragged, vision swimming slightly, as he leaned against your window. He’d tapped on the pane and waited, praying you were home.

Your face when you slid the window open is burned into his memory. First, there was the soft, sleepy smile of a welcome, and then it vanished, replaced by a look of unfiltered shock and horror that twisted your features.

“Leo! Por Dios, what happened to you?!” Your voice had been a sharp, worried gasp.

Before he could even make a joke—before he could say something stupidly charming like, “You should see the other guy”—you were there. You managed to hold him up as you guided him inside. You didn’t ask questions about the mission, not then. Every ounce of your attention was on him.

You had him sitting on the edge of your tub, your brow furrowed in concentration as you moved around the bathroom, gathering supplies. Out came the first-aid kit, along with a bowl of warm water and a clean washcloth. He watched you through a haze of pain and fatigue as you set the supplies down on the sink.

“Hold still, mi amor,” you murmured, your voice quavering just a little. Your hands shook slightly as you dabbed at the gash on his arm. He’d flinched, letting out a hiss of pain through his teeth, and your face softened as you winced with sympathy.

“Sorry … sorry,” you whispered, your fingers trembling as you tried to be gentle, hovering over the injury. “I have to clean it.”

He remembers the feeling of your fingers, so warm and careful against his skin. He remembers the soft scolding, a tangle of languages that made his heart both race and ache. “Idiota. So reckless. You need to be more careful. You think you’re invincible … but you’re not. You’re flesh and blood just like everyone else.”

Even now, staring at you sleeping, he hears the worry beneath those words, the tenderness hiding in the reprimand.

As you worked, your anger slipped away, leaving only a gnawing worry. He rested his head against the tiles of the wall, eyes closed, just listening. He felt the antiseptic sting, followed by the pressure of a bandage being tightly secured. Once his arm was done, you kneeled before him to examine his knee.

“Can you move it?” you’d asked, your hand resting lightly on his thigh. It was already swelling, a painful-looking purple and yellow bruise blooming.

“Yeah. Just a bad bruise, I think. Took a rough landing.”

“You are so lucky,” you sighed, the breath rushing out of you. You ran your hands through your hair in exasperation, tugging slightly at the roots. Finding an ice pack, you wrapped it in a towel and secured it around his knee with an elastic bandage.

Once you finished, you looked again for any injuries you might have missed. You stood to wash your hands, drying them on a towel. And he took those same hands, pulling you closer until you were resting against his plastron.

“I’m okay, love,” he whispered into your hair. “Thanks to you.”

You didn’t say anything, just tightened your arms around his waist, careful of his bruises, burrowing your face into the crook of his neck. He let out a relieved exhale as the last of his tension melted away.

“You’re staying here tonight,” you had stated, your voice muffled against his shoulder.

He hadn’t argued; the thought of leaving the warm, safe bubble of your apartment was unbearable.

You helped him hobble to the bedroom, acting as a crutch, and eased him into bed. The moment his head hit the pillow, the last of his adrenaline vanished, and exhaustion crashed over him like a tidal wave. He was asleep before you had even finished pulling the duvet up over his shoulders.

Now, in the light of a new day, he looks at you again. You, who had seen him at his lowest, battered and broken, stripped of his bravado, and never flinched. You who had not shied away from the blood, the grime, the reality of what he was. You had just seen him.

Your Leo.

And you had set about putting him back together.

Leo thinks back even further, back to when the two of you first met.

You were eighteen, a college student, sitting on a park bench in the evening with a sketchbook. He had been on a solo patrol, a cocky nineteen-year-old ninja who thought he was the smoothest turtle in the tri-state area. He’d dropped down onto the bench beside you, posing dramatically, ready to deliver a one-liner. But he’d been so captivated by the intensity in your eyes as you sketched that he had just … sat there, silently watching.

Eventually, you looked up, startled, your eyes wide. He braced himself for a scream, for you to run. The usual reaction. But you didn’t scream. You just blinked, your gaze moving from his blue mask tails fluttering in the wind, down his plastron, to his three-fingered hands, and back up to his eyes. Then a slow, curious smile spread across your lips.

“Well,” you’d said, your voice laced with amusement rather than fear, tilting your head to the side. “You’re definitely not in the tourist brochures. Are you a performance artist? Or just really committed to cosplay?”

And that was it. That was the beginning.

Your friendship had been a slow burn, built on late-night conversations on rooftops, sharing pizza, and your endless, patient acceptance of his bizarre life. You learned about his brothers, his father, the hidden city beneath the streets. And he learned about your passions, the way you hummed songs when you were happy, the specific brand of chips you adored.

He had fallen for you long before he ever admitted it, even to himself.

He’d fallen for your wit, your kindness, your fierce loyalty. He’d fallen for the way you saw him, not as a mutant or a hero, but as a person. You saw the guy behind the bravado, the vulnerability behind the constant jokes. You were the only person who could make him feel truly, completely seen.

When you finally got together, a little over a year after you first met, it felt less like a beginning and more like a homecoming. It was the most natural thing in the world. And in the years since, you have become the steady ground beneath his feet in the whirlwind of his life.

He shifts his weight slightly, trying to get comfortable, but a dull ache radiates from his bandaged arm. It’s a reminder of his fallibility and his weaknesses. In his line of work, weakness can get you—or the people you care about—killed. So much of the time, he projects effortless confidence, unshakable cool. It’s a mask he wears for his brothers, so they don’t panic. For himself, so he doesn’t crumble.

But with you, the mask falls away.

He doesn’t have to be the unflappable leader or the witty hero. He can just be Leo. Sore, tired, and a bit broken. And you love him anyway. He leans in, pressing a feather-light kiss to your temple, inhaling the scent of your hair. He is so, so lucky.

The thought hits him so strongly, so completely, it feels almost tangible in his chest, a feeling so full that it expands behind his ribs until it’s close to bursting.

The first thing you’re aware of is the warmth.

It’s a steady presence pressed against your back, solid and comforting. And then there’s the smell: clean linen, a faint trace of last night’s antiseptic, and beneath it all, the familiar scent that’s unmistakably him.

Leo.

The transition from sleep to wakefulness is slow, like swimming up through warm, thick honey. You feel the gentle pressure against your temple, a kiss that seems to seep directly into your consciousness, pulling you towards the surface. Your eyelids flutter, heavy and reluctant to open. But you stretch, your joints popping, and yawn. Your hand comes up to rub the sleep from your eyes, and when you pull it away, your vision clears.

Leo is propped up on one elbow, looking down at you. His face is bare, his mask draped over your bedside lamp. In the morning light, you can see the faint silvery scars on his skin. His expression is one you’ve come to cherish: unguarded, gentle, full of an adoration that makes your heart ache in the sweetest way.

“Hey,” he murmurs, his voice a smidge raspy.

“Hey,” you say, your own voice heavy with sleep. Your fingers lift to trace the line of his jaw. “How are you feeling? What about your arm … your knee?”

Your immediate concern for him makes the smile on his face soften even more. He captures your hand, shifting slightly to bring your palm to his lips before pressing a kiss into its center. “Sore,” he admits. “The world’s most pathetic excuse for a ninja this morning. Every muscle feels like it’s been put through a blender. But I’ll live.” He shifts, a slight wince crossing his features as he moves his injured leg.

“Don’t move too much,” you chide gently. You push yourself up into a sitting position and lean over him to give the bandage on his bicep a careful inspection. It’s clean, with no signs of bleeding through. Then, almost instinctively, you rest your hand on his knee, on the swollen joint. “Definitely staying put today. No portals. No jumping. No showing off.” Your tone leaves no room for argument.

He watches you, a fond, amused expression on his face. “Yes, ma’am. Whatever you say.”

You meet his gaze, and the intensity there makes you pause. It’s more than just morning affection; there’s a depth there, a gratitude that feels profound. “What are you thinking about?” you ask, almost shyly. “You’re staring.”

He hesitates for a moment, as if trying to find the right words to contain a thought too large for language. Then he settles back against the pillows and gently pulls you down with him, so you’re lying on your side, facing him. He tucks you in close, wrapping his uninjured arm around you and resting your head on his shoulder. You can feel the steady thrum of his heart beneath your ear, a reassuring rhythm.

“Just … last night,” he begins, his voice a quiet murmur against your hair. “You. Taking care of me. Even when I looked like a mess.”

“Of course I did,” you say, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “You were hurt. I was so worried.” You lift your head to look at him again. “You really scared me. When I saw you at the window …”

“I know,” he says, his thumb stroking your back in slow, soothing circles. “And I’m sorry. But it’s more than that.” He sighs contentedly. “I was just lying here, watching you sleep, and thinking about how ridiculously lucky I am.”

Your heart gives a little flutter. “Leo …”

“No, really,” he murmurs, his voice low, almost fragile. “My life is messy. Dangerous. Half the time I’m just pretending I’ve got it together—cracking jokes, so no one sees how much it actually gets to me. So Raph doesn’t freak out, or so Dad doesn’t worry. It’s exhausting.” His eyes lock onto yours, and it’s like he’s holding out the raw edges of himself for you to touch. “But then I come here … to you. And everything stops. The chaos, the pretending. You see the jagged parts and don’t run. You see the leader who failed his team, and you still patch him up.”

Tears prick at the corners of your eyes, and you blink them back. You press a kiss to his plastron, right over his heart. “There are no cracked parts, mi vida. Just parts that need a little extra love sometimes. And you didn’t fail them, Leo. You got them home. That’s what a leader does.”

He tightens his hold on you, burying his face in your hair. “See? Lucky.”

You lie together in quiet comfort, simply existing in each other’s presence. The sun climbs higher, spilling warm golden light across the room. Outside, the city gets louder by the minute, but here—on this bed—it feels like your own private world, safe and still.

“So,” you say eventually, your voice muffled by his shoulder. “What’s the recovery plan for the world’s ‘most pathetic ninja’?”

You feel the rumble of his laugh. “I was thinking it involves staying in this exact spot for the foreseeable future. Maybe moving only for bathroom breaks.”

“An excellent plan,” you concur. “I can order food. We can binge some movies and build a pillow fort.”

“A pillow fort?” he echoes, his voice filled with delight. “You’re speaking my language. Can we make it a fortress?”

“Only the best for my Champion,” you tease.

He pulls back just enough to look at you, a mischievous glint in his eyes that tells you he’s feeling more like himself. “But on one condition.”

“Oh yeah? What’s that?”

“You have to be the one to get the remote. It’s way over there.” He gestures vaguely with his head towards the dresser, a good ten feet away. “Far too perilous a journey for an injured warrior such as myself.”

You roll your eyes, a laugh bubbling up from your chest. “You are unbelievable.”

“Unbelievably handsome, you mean?” he quips, his signature smirk finally making a full appearance.

“Unbelievably lazy,” you correct, poking him gently in the ribs. “But fine. For my wounded soldier, I’ll brave the treacherous terrain of the bedroom floor.”

You make a show of sighing dramatically as you untangle yourself from his embrace and slip out of bed. Then you climb back in, remote in hand, and pull the blanket up over both of you. Immediately, he pulls you close again, greedy for your warmth. You put your head on his chest, while he rests his chin on the top of your head.

“Thank you,” he murmurs, the word full of a sincerity that goes far beyond just your fetching of the remote.

“Anytime, Leo,” you whisper back, snuggling deeper into his embrace. “Anytime.”

The rest of the day drifts by. You order an absurd amount of food and settle in for a marathon of cheesy movies, laughing so hard your sides ache as the two of you provide running commentary on the bad special effects.

“That monster looks like a reject from Draxum’s lab,” Leo snorts around a mouthful of crust, pointing at the screen with his good arm.

“Hey, don’t insult the rubber suit guy; he’s trying his best,” you defend, feeding him another slice.

Between bites and chuckles, you doze on and off, tangled together in a nest of blankets. He shares stories about his brothers’ latest antics, like how Mikey tried to cook a soufflé with mystic fire and would have singed his eyebrows off—if he had any to begin with. And you fill him in on the commission you just landed and the difficult client who wants everything in ‘shades of beige.’

Through it all, he clings to you, his hand constantly seeking yours, as if your very presence is a balm he can’t live without. And you let him. You pour all your love and your care into just being there, into creating a space where he can heal. Not just his body, but also his spirit. Because here, in your room, amidst the pizza boxes and bad movies, he is not a hero or a leader or a mutant.

He is just Leo, and you are his.

And that’s more than enough.

[prettyplumpossum]

A Date Down Under (GN Reader x Leo)

OH MY GOSH IT’S BEEN FOREVER SINCE I’VE POSTED!!

If you guys are wondering where I’ve been I write more on A03 with two original fanfics in the making! But, my tumblr account deserves some love too! This fanfic has been siting in my file for a long while and I originally wanted to post it when I was deep in the ROTTMNT fandom (still love it and miss it man). So, I decided to take out my oc in it and make it a reader fanfic so everyone can enjoy!  @bootyyy-shaker9000 ​ I know how much you love Leo so have some of the wonderful boy in blue!!

Keep reading

[kurrentobsession]

Scent Marking: Leo

Another ficlet based on my scent marking headcannon. Enjoy!

Leo x Reader

Word Count: 1,189

(Leo is 20+ for this story. Reader is 20+ for this story. Reader is gender neutral.)

The first time Leo met you, he HAD to use a one liner. And when you laughed? That sealed the deal for his friendship. Leo was more than happy to hang out with you. Whether it be for late night pizza runs, catching a movie, or just reading comics. Need transport? Leon’s got it. Forgot something at home? He’d just portal it for you. You could always depend on him to have your back!

But something changed Leo’s perspective of you. Maybe it was how he could always get a reaction out of you for his jokes and one liners, no matter how bad they were. Maybe it was how you sent him videos of magician acts because they reminded you of him. Or maybe… it was how he didn’t have to try so hard to get your attention. Even if you were hanging out in his room reading comics, he’d catch you looking at him with a soft smile on your lips. Whatever it was, the red-eared slider was now head over heels for you. But one teeny-weeny problem… he had this whole situation going on *gestures to entire self*. How could he confess his feelings to you? It’d be ridiculous! Somebody should tell that to instincts…

Leo had been reading his comic in a bean bag chair, when he noticed something. Raph’s scent was all over you. Raph had been showing off how he could carry you and still get chores done. Seems the snapper had tucked you under his chin. Which had been far too close for Leo’s liking. So now? He had to up his game. If you two were hanging out, his arm would be slung over you. Just hanging around the lair? Expect Leo to be right beside you. Going for a walk to grab some pizza? Well, he HAD to hold your hand. What if you got swept away by the crowd? Er, something something, purely tactical, something something… So what if his scent ended up all over your arm or your waist or your shoulder?

Leo had decided to invite you to an impromptu sleep over. And by that he meant asking you that night while you were hanging out in his room. You told him it was a little last minute, and you didn’t have your stuff for a sleep over. He psh-ed at you with a classic “Leon’s got it” as he opened a portal to your room. You grabbed some pajamas and your tooth brush before hopping back to the lair. Leo stood there, proud of himself. He asked if he was your hero, or was he your hero? At your eyeroll, he pouted. Leo placed his head on your shoulder, big puppy dog eyes at you, and mumbled that he wanted to be called your hero. …Pretty please? You gave him a fond smile as you told him (with only a little sarcasm) that he was your hero. Leo looked more than pleased at that as you two settled in for the night. Expect “hero” and “champion” to become part of your regular vocabulary with Leo.

You had perched yourself on top of the counter while Mikey gathered ingredients from the pantry. Leo wanted to make himself a cup of tea. You were in front of the cabinet. Rather than have you move and interrupt, Leo had a better idea.

“Hey, I’m just gonna grab a mug. Don’t mind me.” He smirked, moving into your space.

“Leo. I can move, ya know.” You huffed, trying to slide past him.

“It’s fine, it’s fine, it’s fine!” Leo waved, placing a hand to your shoulder to keep you in place, “I’m just gonna…”

He was practically leaning on you now, his cheek brushing against your head as he reached for the cup. Leo made sure his cheek brushed your temple several times to put his scent on you.

“Aha! Got it!” Leo proclaimed when he finally had a finger around the handle.

He moved away from you then, happily sauntering off to boil some water while whistling a jaunty tune. You looked at Mikey, your hair slightly tousled and shirt rumpled. Mikey just shrugged as he got dinner started.

You were in Donnie’s lab, the techy turtle upgrading the graphics card on your laptop, when Mikey rushed in.

“Donnie! Did you use my apron?!” The orange clad turtle exclaimed, looking outraged.

You were almost afraid he’d bring out Dr. Delicate Touch.

“Ah. Apologies, Angelo. I had a… mishap in the kitchen with some expired yogurt.” Donnie shuddered at the memory, “Your apron was the closest item to remove the offending product.”

“But you know it’s my favorite!” Mikey whined, rubbing his cheek and chin against the fabric.

“I promise! I shall clean it for you.” Donnie smiled, grabbing the apron with one mechanical claw and patting Mikey on the head with another.

Once the box turtle had left, you turned to Donnie.

“What was with Mikey and his apron? I don’t think most people want the smell of ‘eu du expired yogurt’.” You joked, adding a terrible french accent.

“Oh. Michel was simply scent marking. We do this with some of our favorite items.” Donnie explained.

“Wait, like cats?” You scoffed, giving him a look.

“More sophisticated, but yes. Clothes, items, boxes, spots on the couch, people…” Donnie listed.

Your brain stopped short.

“I’m sorry. Did you say… people?” You asked.

“Yes. I thought you knew that since you had Nardo’s…” Donnie trailed off as he noticed your expression. “Oooooh… You didn’t know…”

Leo had been relaxing on his bed, reading a Jupiter Jim comic, when you slammed the door open.

“Heeeeey. What’s-” Leo started, until he saw your face.

“You’ve been scent marking me?!” You hissed, taking a step into his room.

“Euooh boy…” Leo grimaced.

You marched up to his bed, standing over him with your arms crossed.

“Well? Care to explain, Leonardo?” You scowled.

Oh, you proper named him. He was in trouble.

"Look... I probably should have told you, but look on the bright side! Now you and everyone else knows you're with me!" Leo tried.

Evidently that was the wrong thing to say as it only seemed to make you more upset.

“Okay.” Leo sighed, sitting up, “I… like you. Have liked you. For a long time.”

Leo looked into your eyes, far more open and vulnerable than he let himself be.

“I just wanted the guys to know how I felt about you.” He mumbled.

“Why didn’t you tell me how you felt?” You questioned.

“Because I’m a mutant turtle and you’re a human?” He had a self-depricating smirk on.

You sighed at that, before doing something Leo didn’t expect: you hugged him. His head was near your chest.

“Leo. You know that doesn’t bother me. I like you for who you are.” You ran your fingers over his scalp, gently caressing until you tipped his head to look at you, “And you know what that is?”

Once you saw his brow raise in curiosity, you smiled.

“My hero.”

Leo practically melted against you as he gave the loudest churr of his life.

[turtlecleric]

Brownies

rise!leo x reader, sfw, hurt/comfort; cws: panic attack, dissociation

---

When your living room lights up with that soft blue light, you can't help but smile. Leo hadn't said he was coming over, but you're definitely not complaining. It's been days since you saw him last, much too long for your liking, and he hasn’t been texting as much as you'd like, either. Busy week, you guess.

Maybe you'll pull out that brownie mix you've been saving. Put on some music and let him hold you from behind while you stir. Scold him through a laugh when he dips a finger into the batter and licks it off. Maybe you can dance with him in the kitchen while the brownies bake and the smell of chocolate fills your apartment. It's been too long since you both-

Leo stumbles through the portal and falls to his hands and knees. Your smile drops. 

“Leo?”

He doesn't answer. The portal wavers, arcs of electric blue sparking oddly around the edges before it collapses with a crackling hum. You grab the remote and turn off the TV, and it's then that you hear his shallow breathing. Shaky and harsh, little whimpers punctuating each breath, and then you hear him start to mumble.

“No no no no no, I'm not- I didn't-” Leo chokes on his next inhale, a sob catching in his throat. His voice gets smaller, somehow, even as his pitch rises. The wild panic that's building - just hearing it makes your throat tighten. “I got out. I got out, I'm not- he's not-”

Oh no. 

You rush to kneel in front of him and grab his shoulder. Squeezing in a steady rhythm, offering that firm, gentle tether that reminds him that he's here. 

Here. Not there. 

Your other hand cups his face, and the tentative way he leans into the touch - like he's afraid, like he's still half-waiting for the next blow - it makes something tear open in your chest.

“You're safe, Leo. You're with me. You're safe, I promise.”

When he looks up, his eyes are wide. Unfocused and glassy, but desperately searching. Searching. They don't quite find your eyes, but they do settle on your face. There's a hint of recognition there, and when he whispers your name it allows a bit of hope to peek through the cracks in your chest.  

“I'm here. I'm right here. You're okay. Breathe slower for me, yeah?”

His next inhale still shudders, but it's a little slower. A little deeper. One of his hands reaches for you, trembling in the air, and your hand on his shoulder moves to squeeze that instead. 

“Please,” he whimpers, saying your name again like a prayer. “I'm- I'm here, right? I'm not in the- the-”

His breaths pick up again, his eyes shutting tightly as he starts to curl in on himself. Terrified clicks spill from his throat, and you pull his hand to your chest and hold it there. Thankfully his eyes open again, and you scoot closer so that you're sharing the same breaths, so he can feel your warmth. 

All at once he surges forward and pulls you into him, holding you so tightly that it's a little hard to breathe. You swallow and scratch lightly along the back of his neck with your free hand, your other still trapped in his and pressed between the two of you. You can feel him trembling, feel his panicked breaths as he holds onto you like a lifeline. You keep squeezing his hand. Keep reminding him that he's safe.  

“You're here with me, Leo, I promise. You got out. Your brothers saved you. You're not there, okay? You're here.”

He's mumbling something. You pause, just long enough to listen, and feel your heart break in two. 

“Please be real, please please please be real please-”

“I'm here,” you choke, eyes burning. “I'm real. This is real. You're here with me, Leo, I promise. I promise.”

There's no way to know how long he shakes against you. Long enough that your knees ache. Long enough that your voice starts to rasp. When he finally seems to come back to himself enough, you coax him off the floor. Into your bed, where you melt into one another. Where he wraps his arms around your waist and holds his head against your chest. Your heartbeat helps, he'd told you once. And… you. Just you. 

There was no warmth or softness in the prison dimension. 

It's hours later that he's finally back. Limp with exhaustion, pale and quiet in a way he should never be, but… even so. He knows where he is. And he knows where he isn't. 

“Sorry,” he murmurs.

“No sorrys, love,” you remind him gently. As you always do. “Are you hungry?”

You feel his weak shrug. 

“I've got some leftovers in the fridge. A box of brownies we could make.”

There's a long moment of silence before he shifts in your arms, leaning back to peer up at you. Still pale, with that too-familiar look of guilt in his eyes, but… a glint of something else, too. Something that starts to ease the sharp tangle in your chest. When you see his smile, tiny and timid as it is, your heart sings. 

“...Brownies, huh?”

---

tag list: @yorshie @luckycharms1701 @thejudiciousneurotic @khayalli @thelaundrybitch @mxalmighty @justalotoffanfiction

[icrypop]

In the quiet

ROTTMNT Leo

Sleepy! Leo x GN! Reader

Fluff/Character comfort

This takes place after the events of the Kraang invasion. Idk why but TMNT been a recent hype fixation (I blame Chaos), and I've just been wanting to write for it until I start getting requests! Much Love!

-Writer Icy<3

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sound of distant explosions echoed through Leo's mind as he tossed and turned in his sleep. The Kraang invasion replayed vividly in his nightmare: the city in ruins, his brothers fighting valiantly but being overwhelmed, the despair that had clawed at his heart. Raph being taken and Kraang possessed, Donnie's broken battle shell, Mikey's tears- He jolted awake, gasping for breath, his chest heaving with the remnants of panic. It felt real.

For a moment, Leo lay still, staring at the ceiling of his room, trying to shake off the nightmare. The familiar surroundings did little to comfort him, and the images of the invasion lingered in the corners of his mind. Deciding he needed a distraction, he quietly slipped out of bed and made his way to the kitchen.

The apartment was silent, having stayed with his s/o for the night, the only sound being the gentle hum of the refrigerator. Leo flicked on the coffee maker, watching as it gurgled to life, the rich aroma of brewing coffee filling the air. He leaned against the counter, rubbing his eyes, trying to shake off the residual fear.

As he poured himself a cup, he heard soft footsteps approaching. He turned to see his s/o, their hair slightly tousled from sleep, padding out of his room. They gave him a sleepy smile before wrapping their arms around him from behind, resting their head against his shell.

"Leo, what are you doing up?" Y/n murmured, their voice soft and concerned.

He forced a smile, trying to play it off. "Just couldn't sleep. Figured I'd make some coffee."

They didn't buy it. They never did. With a gentle but firm tug, y/n pulled him away from the counter, guiding him back to the living room. They sat down on the couch, patting the spot beside them. "Come on, talk to me."

Reluctantly, Leo sat down, his shoulders slumping. Y/n rubbed his shell comfortingly, their touch soothing the tension that had built up in his muscles. "Was it a nightmare?" they asked, their voice barely above a whisper.

He nodded, not trusting himself to speak just yet. Y/n continued to rub his shell, their touch grounding him, bringing him back to the present. "The Kraang invasion," he finally admitted, his voice hoarse. "I keep seeing it... hearing it."

Y/n pulled him closer, letting him rest his head on their shoulder. "You don't have to go through this alone, Leo. I'm here for you."

He sighed, the weight of the nightmare beginning to lift as he felt their warmth, their steady presence. "It's just... it was so real. I thought we were going to lose everything."

"But you didn't," Y/n reminded him gently. "You and your brothers fought back. You saved the city. You saved each other."

He nodded again, feeling a bit more at ease. "I know. It's just hard to forget."

Y/n held him tighter, their hand still rubbing soothing circles on his shell. "I understand. But you don't have to carry this burden by yourself. We're a team, remember?"

A small smile tugged at his lips. "Yeah, we are."

Y/n kissed the top of his head before leaning back, coaxing him to lie down with them on the couch. "Let's try to get some more sleep, okay? We'll face whatever comes next together."

As he nestled against them, feeling their heartbeat steady and strong beneath his cheek, the remnants of the nightmare finally began to fade. Their presence was a balm to his troubled mind, and he let himself relax, the tension melting away.

With their gentle touch and reassuring words, Leo found himself drifting back to sleep, the nightmare banished by the warmth and love of the one who held him close.

[coff33notforme]

hi!! Could I request a rottmnt Leoxreader where after they get back to the lair at the end of all the fighting there’s just a lot of comfort and helping take care of him from his s/o? I don’t really have anything specific but I just watched the movie and I NEED this boy to have so much love and fluff thank you!!

A/n: The movie caused me emotion damage, and I desperately need this boy to be okay. Sorry this was so short ^^

Genre: A slight bit of angst with a lot of fluff

Pairing: Leo x Gn Reader

Leo was exhausted, his muscles felt twisted and strained, laced with an aching, burning feeling with every movement he made, causing Leo to let a small sigh of frustration slip from his cold lips.

Leo had been training more harshly than he usually would, Leo had always been more light-hearted and carefree when it came to training or fighting in general. But something was different. 

He had been feeling so constrained lately, like his head was wrapped up in something entirely different than whatever task he had been dealt with. Of course this had its issues already. 

But Leo couldn’t help but feel that he was distracted. 

Sure things had gone back to normal after the battle with the Krang but that experience had haunted Leo, everything he and his brothers had to endure, he just couldn’t seem to get it out of his head. 

Especially his battle with the Krang. 

It was an experience he couldn’t simply shake. The thought that he was going to lose everything. To be trapped in that god forsaken prison for the rest of eternity, the feeling of isolation wrapping its cold hands around his throat. 

It felt like his life was being choked out of him, twisting his body in such a harsh way. A sharp chill running up and down his spine with an overwhelming intensity. 

That feeling still shakes him to his core. Leo shook the thoughts from his mind, yet that uneasy feeling still resonated within him as he walked back into the lair completely exhausted and wanting nothing more than for you to hold him in your arms so he could drift to sleep peacefully.

Leo hardly ever had nightmares when he slept beside you, like you were his dreamcatcher, chasing his nightmares away while he rested easily knowing that you weren’t going anywhere. 

Leo stretched yawning as he allowed his body to slump over as he lazily dragged his feet across the cold floor, the icy feeling burning through the soles of his feet. He rounded the corner, opening the curtain to his room.

His droopy eyes widened at the sight of you already waiting there on his bed mindlessly scrolling through your phone before you had taken note of Leo's  presence in the room, causing a smile to grace your soft features as you got up to greet the blue turtle.

You opened your arms for him in which he happily accepted closing the gap between you two quickly. 

“What are you doing here?” Leo asked into the crook of your neck not quite ready to let go yet. 

“What? I can’t come to see my handsome boyfriend.” you joked turning your head to lay a soft kiss on the side of his head before you let go, a small blush covered his face at the unexpected compliment you had thrown his way.

He chuckled, scratching  the back of his neck awkwardly. 

“No, of course not. I just didn’t think you’d come all this way especially when it's so late.” Leo remarked, glancing at the red clock that hung from his wall. 

“Well I’m here now aren’t I? Let’s lay down.” you smiled softly, taking his hand into yours. Leo felt his heart melt at your words. You always knew exactly when he needed you. You knew him like the back of your hand. 

Leo felt his muscles loosen as the feeling of the soft mattress engulfed his body causing him to let a content sigh slip past his lips. Leo threw his arms over your torso pulling you closer to him as he entangled his legs with yours.

As he buried his face in your neck causing you to let out a small giggle as Leo smiled against your skin, your laughter was the sweetest melody.

Leo closed his eyes feeling his head go foggy as he hears you humming softly, the sound growing further away as the tides of sleep have washed him away.

[heartonmyshell]

Can I request a Leo (you decide which version you prefer) x Female!Reader from his perspective? I want to make him suffer a little so I want him pining hard for the Reader and thinking that his love is unrequited for whatever reason. Can you add a scene where he is observing her having fun with one of his brothers and his mood worsening because he doesn’t know how to have that kind of complicity with her? If you want you can make him discover that his love is reciprocated at the end ahah

A/N: I chose Rise Leo for this one because I enjoy the thought of this version pining for some reason. Enjoy! 💖

You Just Have to Be You (angst/fluff)

💙 ROTTMNT Leonardo/Female Reader 💙

CWs: Angst, pining, anxiety, jealousy, misunderstandings, feelings of inadequacy, confessions, first kiss, and a happy ending. All characters are aged-up.

Leo is the master of deflection.

A virtuoso of the witty comeback, king of the quip. It’s his brand. It’s his armor. And right now, that armor feels about as effective as wet paper.

When you arrived in the lair tonight, your smile lit up the room like someone had turned the sun on just for him. Or, at least, that’s how it felt for a heartbeat. When he let himself believe, for a single second, that maybe—just maybe—the smile was meant for him.

But then you veered left, straight toward Mikey.

Of course it was Mikey. The emotionally available, effortlessly charming, cosmic ray of chaos and warmth. You two had a rhythm, a shared wavelength of spontaneous laughter and inside jokes.

Leo lingers in the doorway of the communal area, arms crossed like it would keep his chest from splitting open. He’s trying to look casual, but tension hums through every taut muscle in his body. You’re here. That, in itself, is enough to send his carefully constructed cool into a tailspin.

But you’re across the room, caught up in a laugh with Mikey. The way your face lights up when he’s around makes something twist inside him, sharp and aching. He wants to be the reason you smile like that.

But he doesn’t know how.

He watches you. You and Mikey share a language he can’t speak: a language of stencils and color schemes, of bumping shoulders as you reach for the same can of paint. You move in sync, a natural, uncomplicated complicity that makes a hot, tight coil of something bitter and ugly form in his stomach.

It’s jealousy, raw and caustic.

Every single one of his interactions with you is a calculation. A script. What’s the wittiest comeback? Will this smile make your heart race? He’s so busy trying to be the guy he thinks you want that he’s completely forgotten how to just be. Seeing Mikey make you glow with laughter without a single premeditated one-liner makes him feel like a fraud.

Leo catches himself scowling, turning his head to hide the sting. He’s supposed to be the strong one. The leader. How did he become the guy who watches, hopelessly pining, stuck on the sidelines? He tells himself to walk away, to go train. But he can’t. He’s frozen, an idiot watching the girl he’s hopelessly in love with.

You, of course, have no idea—and why would you?

To you, he’s just Leo. The face-man, the one who cracks jokes when things get serious, the one who dodges feelings like he dodges punches. How could you ever look at that and see someone worth taking seriously? Someone worth loving? The thought is a bitter pill he swallows down every single day.

Your laughter finally trails off, and Mikey nudges you playfully toward the kitchen. “C’mon, I made those matcha mochi brownies you like.”

You squeal, delighted, and Leo’s stomach sinks further.

He starts to turn away—he should turn away—but then you glance up. Just for a second. Your eyes meet his.

And suddenly, it’s hard to breathe.

Your smile softens. It’s not the same one you gave Mikey. It’s … different. Gentler. A flicker of something that makes Leo’s heart stutter. But then Mikey’s orbit claims you again, leaving Leo reeling from that split-second of possibility.

He exhales sharply, running a hand down his face. He’s being ridiculous. Over-analyzing. That look probably meant nothing.

Didn’t it?

Donnie slides up beside him, unnoticed until he speaks. “You’re staring again.”

Leo jumps, scowling at his brother. “Do you mind?”

Donnie shrugs. “Not particularly. But your emotional repression is starting to make me uncomfortable.”

Leo groans. “Go away.”

But Donnie doesn’t. Of course he doesn’t. He stays, arms crossed, eyes watching the same scene across the room. You’re leaning on Mikey’s shoulder now in the kitchen, your laughter muffled against his hoodie as he dramatically reenacts something.

Leo’s heart clenches.

“I’m just saying,” Donnie murmurs, voice uncharacteristically quiet, “if you want something to change, maybe stop watching her like a sad protagonist in a movie and say something.”

Leo doesn’t answer. He can’t. His throat is tight, his tongue suddenly heavy in his mouth. Because the truth is, he has tried. Sort of. In his own backwards, cryptic, ‘ha-ha-only-kidding’ way. A carefully curated compliment here. A joke with a sliver of truth buried deep in the punchline there. But it never lands.

Or maybe you never see it for what it is.

And why would you? He hides everything behind irony and confidence. Smoke and mirrors. That’s his whole thing.

Leo rubs the back of his neck, irritation flaring. “It’s not like I can just walk over and tell her I like her. It’s complicated.”

“It’s not,” Donnie says. “You like her. So talk to her. Try doing it honestly. Radical concept, I know.”

Leo glares at him. “This, coming from you?”

Donnie shakes his head with a huff.

“I’d mess it up,” Leo says after a few beats of staring at you. Then, his voice is barely audible, like the words burn on the way out. “I’d mess it up, and then things wouldn’t be the same.”

Donnie sighs. “You know, for a guy who talks all the time, you’re remarkably bad at communicating.” He pats Leo’s shoulder. “Just … think about it, would you?” Then he’s off, leaving Leo alone with his heartbeat thudding traitorously in his ears.

Leo stands in the hallway alone, wrestling with the weight of his feelings. The idea of messing up with you—of putting his heart in your hands and watching it shatter when you hand it back—is the scariest thing he’s ever faced. And he’s faced mutants the size of buildings.

Donnie’s words echo in his head, and Leo clenches his fists at his sides, knuckles white. Say what? ‘Hey, I’m sorry to interrupt you while you’re having fun with my brother. But are you aware that my entire sense of self-worth hinges on your smiling at me? Also, here’s a terrible one-liner.’

Yeah, real smooth.

He takes a deep, fortifying breath. Okay. New plan. Not a grand confession. Not even a flirtatious overture. Just … he’ll walk into the kitchen. He’ll grab a drink. He’ll lean against the counter and just be there. Part of the group. Not a weirdo lurking in the shadows. He can do that.

He’s just pushed off the wall—when you’re walking toward him, a half-eaten brownie in your hand, a smudge of chocolate at the corner of your mouth. His plan evaporates. Abort mission, ABORT!

“Hey,” you say, your voice soft. You stop a few feet from him, tilting your head. “Hiding out?”

Leo’s mouth opens, but the witty retort he was searching for has apparently fled the country. He settles for a weak, “Just, uh … thinking.”

“Mikey was saving you one of these, you know.” You hold out the brownie. “Or what’s left of it. I have no self-control.”

He should take it; it’s a simple, friendly gesture. But his hands feel like lead weights. He stares at the brownie, then at your face. That gentle smile is back.

And for a moment, that smile is all that exists in the universe for him.

His hand moves before his brain can stop it. It’s a slow, hesitant motion, betraying the frantic panic inside him. He reaches out, and instead of taking the brownie, his thumb brushes against the corner of your lips. The touch is feather-light, barely there, wiping away the small smudge of chocolate.

The world seems to stop spinning.

Your eyes widen, just a fraction. Your breath hitches, a tiny, audible sound in the sudden quiet. The playful ease between you dissolves, replaced by something charged and fragile. You don’t pull away. You just watch him, your expression unreadable.

Leo’s own heart slams against his ribs so hard he’s sure you can hear it. Idiot. Moron. What are you doing? You can’t just touch her face! He yanks his hand back as if burned.

“Uh,” he says, his voice cracking. He feels a hot flush creep up his neck. Desperate for a distraction, he grabs the offered brownie from your hand, his fingers brushing yours. It’s another jolt, a spark of electricity that travels right up his arm. “Thanks.”

He shoves a large bite into his mouth, mostly to give himself an excuse not to speak. It’s delicious, of course; Mikey’s a savant in the kitchen. But Leo barely tastes it, chewing mechanically as he avoids your gaze. He’s done it; he’s messed it up. He’d finally tried something that wasn’t a joke, and it had been clumsy and weird, and he’s probably made you incredibly uncomfortable.

You touch the corner of your mouth where his thumb had been, a dazed look on your face. “Oh. Uh, yeah. You’re welcome.” Your voice is softer now.

The silence that follows is thick enough to choke on.

“You looked … far away,” you finally say. “Everything okay?”

There it is. The opening. The moment to be honest, like Donnie said. But Leo can feel his signature smirk trying to take over his face, a defense mechanism he can’t control. “Peachy keen, jellybean,” he says, and immediately wants to throw himself into a portal.

You smile at the quip, but it’s smaller now. Uncertain. Like you’re trying to decide if he’s pushing you away or pulling you closer.

Leo hates how good you are at seeing through him—and how bad he is at letting you in.

“I, uh … should let you get back to Mikey,” he adds quickly, motioning vaguely toward the kitchen. His voice doesn’t sound like his own. It’s thin, frayed at the edges. Like a string pulled too tight.

You glance toward the kitchen, then back at Leo. “He’ll live,” you say. “You, on the other hand, look like you’re about two seconds from teleporting to another dimension.”

He huffs a breath and leans back against the wall, eyes flicking up to the ceiling. “Wouldn’t be the worst idea I’ve had today.”

He expects you to laugh. You don’t.

Instead, you ask, “Why do you always do that?”

His gaze drops instantly. “Do what?”

“Deflect. You’re always five steps ahead of a genuine answer.” You tilt your head again, curious, not accusatory. “Even now. You don’t have to be on all the time.”

He swallows, hard. He doesn’t have an answer that won’t sound like an excuse. So he shrugs, which is the coward’s answer.

“I saw you watching us earlier,” you say softly.

Leo’s breath catches. A warning siren blares in his brain.

This, he thinks, is when everything is about to spiral. Where you tell him he’s being weird, or invasive, or jealous. Where he loses what little ground he still has with you. But your voice doesn’t sound judgmental; if anything, it sounds nervous.

“I don’t think Mikey realized,” you go on, voice gentle, “but I did.”

His pulse pounds. “Sorry,” he mutters. “Didn’t mean to be creepy or anything. I just …” He trails off.

You shift on your feet. There’s a flicker of hesitation before you say, “I wasn’t upset. I just wondered why you didn’t come join us.”

 “You noticed I wasn’t there?” he asks, surprised.

“I always notice when you’re not where I thought you’d be.”

Something flickers in his chest—warm, then sharp. He wants to ask what that means, but he’s terrified of what he might hear.

You step a little closer, barely a foot away now. You’re looking up at him with that same soft expression, the one you gave him across the room. “I enjoy being around you, Leo,” you say, like it’s the simplest truth in the world. “Even when you’re quiet. Even when you’re just … just watching.”

The words hang in the air between you, and Leo’s entire defense system crashes. He flinches, bracing for the accusation. Watching like a creep. Watching like a jealous loser.

A small, almost shy smile touches your lips. “I’m not mad about it,” you clarify. “It’s just sometimes, when I’m laughing really hard with Mikey, I’ll look over. To see if you’re laughing, too.”

And there it is—the final, fatal blow to his armor.

You were looking for him. While he was torturing himself, thinking he was invisible, you were looking for him. The thought is so overwhelming, so contrary to the narrative he’s been spinning in his head for months, that the words just spill out.

“But that’s the problem,” he chokes out, the sound rough. He gestures helplessly between the kitchen and himself. “You laugh with Mikey. It’s easy. It’s natural. With me, it’s … it’s a tightrope walk. I’m so afraid of saying the wrong thing that I end up saying a million stupid things instead.”

The confession is a torrent now, and he can’t stop it.

“I see you two, and it’s like this perfect, easy harmony. And I’m just standing on the outside, trying to figure out the chords. I’m not … I’m not him. I don’t know how to just be.” He finally looks at you, his walls shattered, revealing the pining mess underneath. “I want to be the reason you smile like that. And I have no idea how. So I just watch. And I hate myself for it.”

Your brows draw together, soft and pained. “Leo, why do you think you have to be Mikey for me to like you?”

He opens his mouth. Closes it. Because isn’t it obvious? The way you shine when you’re with Mikey? The way you gravitate toward him? Leo’s spent months studying every glance you throw his way and convincing himself they’re nothing, that he’s nothing. That the cool guy routine is all he’s got—and even that doesn’t work on you.

But you’re looking at him now like he’s just said the saddest thing in the world.

“I don’t want Mikey,” you say gently, stepping in so close now he can feel your warmth. “I mean, I adore him, don’t get me wrong. But not like that. It’s just easy because there’s nothing at stake.”

Leo’s heart skips a beat.

You continue, your voice steady. “With you? It’s harder because I care more. And when something really matters to me, I get weird. Shy. I wait for you to make a move because I’m scared I’ll misread it and mess it up.”

His mind is racing. Spinning. Crashing. “I thought I was the only one feeling this,” he admits, raw and wrecked. “And it’s been killing me.”

You reach up and gently—slowly—place your hand on his plastron, right over his racing heart. “You weren’t the only one.”

He lets out a shaky laugh, half relief, half disbelief. “You’re gonna have to say that again; I think my brain just malfunctioned.”

Your smile crinkles your eyes. “You don’t have to say the right thing with me. You don’t have to be funny or charming. You just have to be you. And you? You already make me smile. More than anyone.”

Leo swears his soul just left his body. And for the first time in weeks—months, maybe—his chest doesn’t ache. The weight that’s been crushing him, all that lonely longing and self-doubt, eases just enough for him to breathe.

He glances down at the brownie still in his hand and chuckles. “You know, I didn’t even want a brownie.”

“I figured not,” you say, grinning now. “But I wanted a reason to walk over here.”

He bites his lip, then takes a small step forward. Closer than close. Testing the waters. “Can I try something dumb and probably very overdue?”

You smile, warm and a little breathless, and nod. He leans in, slow and unsure for once, and presses his forehead gently to yours. You don’t pull away. Then he shuts his eyes and finally, finally, lets himself close the remaining distance.

It’s not the dramatic, world-stopping kiss he’s replayed in his head a thousand times. It’s hesitant, a question asked without words as his lips gently meet yours. For a single, terrifying second, he thinks he’s miscalculated again, that he’s screwed things up for good.

But then you sigh into the kiss, a soft breath that feels like pure relief. Your hand slides from his plastron up to the back of his neck, your fingers tangling in the ties of his mask. You kiss him back. Not with desperation or heat, but with a gentle certainty that unravels every knot of anxiety in his chest.

It’s the feeling of coming home after being lost for a very long time. It’s simple, and it’s real, and it’s a hundred times better than anything he could have ever imagined.

When Leo pulls back, it’s only by an inch. His eyes open, and you’re still there, looking at him with an expression so soft it could undo him all over again. Your eyes are a little wider, your lips slightly parted, and there’s a new, dazzling smile playing on them. The one he was so desperate for.

And it’s just for him.

“Okay,” he breathes out. “So … that wasn’t a dumb idea after all.”

A happy laugh escapes you. “No, Leo. It was the smartest idea you’ve ever had.” You reach up with your free hand and trace the line of his jaw, your touch sending a fresh wave of shivers down his spine. “I was starting to think I was going to have to tackle you to get you to stop overthinking and just do it.”

He lets out an actual laugh, the ever-present weight on his shoulders lifted. And before he can say anything witty or otherwise, you lean in and kiss him again. He’s so lost in it, in the feeling of your hand in his and your lips on his, that he doesn’t hear someone approach.

“Hey, did you guys want more—WHOA!”

You both jump apart, heads whipping toward the sound. Mikey stands there, a plate of brownies in his hands, his eyes wide as dinner plates. The silence stretches for a beat—before a huge grin spreads across his face.

“OHMIGOSH!” He points a finger at the two of you, vibrating with excitement. “It’s happening! Donnie! Raph! It’s finally happening!”

Leo blushes furiously. He glances at you, expecting you to be mortified. But you’re just covering your mouth, trying and failing to stifle a fit of laughter.

Raph comes thundering out of the dojo, looking ready for a fight. “What?! Is someone hurt?!” He skids to a halt, taking in the scene: Mikey doing a victory dance, Leo and you standing close together, both bright red. His features soften. “Oh! Oh, it’s about time.”

Donnie makes his appearance last, not looking the least bit surprised. “And … timeline back on schedule. My projections were only off by a week. The variable, as always, was Nardo’s spectacular density.”

“Hey!” Leo protests, before he looks back at you.

You’re watching his brothers’ chaotic celebration, your face alight with that same beautiful, unrestrained joy he’d envied from afar. You lace your fingers through his, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. He realizes, with a clarity that cuts through all the noise, that he doesn’t need to be the one to make you laugh.

He just needs to be the one standing next to you when you do.

[marwhoa]

request: Could you possibly write another rottmnt leonardo x y/n? About the aftermath of them exchanging numbers? Maybe like them hangout at night like a little cute midnight date

🝮 “ the treasure’s treasure ”

rise!leo x g/n

author’s note: i’ve been contemplating for a while whether chair-ry would get a sequel ,,, It’s hard to live up to your very first fic :))) !!! also i’m so tired rn

word count: 3.5k

Sitting upon a park bench, someone was sharing a conversation with the moon and stars, patiently anticipating the arrival of a special someone they had met earlier this week.

“ You should have seen him,”

They said, shaking their head as the wind blew in a manner that could have been taken as the luna above laughing alongside.

“ He said to me, ‘Catch you on the flip side!’ and leapt into a portal. What’s worse is I actually laughed, but he wasn’t there to see. ”

They weren’t speaking to any particular person. In fact, maybe it wasn’t the sky they gave their words to. Perhaps their conversation was with themselves, and the moon simply happened to listen in. Antsy fingers rose up, gingerly holding their new brooch. While the index finger began tracing the oleander’s rim, their other hand was holding up their phone to see a notification, “ running late! “

“ Pft—how do you run late with the ability to teleport? ”

Pocketing the phone, you were smoothing out your clothes when a hand reached out and took yours, twirling you towards him and dipping you. Your heart skipped a beat as your eyes met a familiar shade of cerulean.

“ Can’t a man lose himself to time in the practice of ‘dress to impress’? ”

Your breath hitched in your throat as you clung to the silly boy who smiled brightly at how much of an upper hand he had here.

It was summer, so you were a bit confused by the leather jacket he donned. Underneath was a plain short sleeve—blue, shocker! And a pair of denim jeans. Rather plain, no? Not like you were focusing on that though.

“ Don’t drop me! ”

In some kind of mixture between laughing and screaming, your hands held on for dear life, and Leo decided to dip you a bit further, just a tad bit lower.

“ Oh no, my grip—it’s slipping! ”

He teased, busting out laughter as you screeched “ don’t you dare!! “ The moment you both shared was lighthearted, pulling you both closer. Grip loosening, you momentarily reminisced upon the many, many messages you both shared back and forth over the days leading to today. It was your idea, actually—sticking your neck out for your hero in green. The relief that you felt when he agreed was tremendous.

He brought you back up to your feet, letting go and resting his hands against his knees while laughing up a storm. You wiped tears from your eyes and caught a bit of his contagious laughter.

“ Kee—keep this up—Pft—a-and we’ll wake the whole neighborhood, Leon! ”

There was a quip or two resting on his tongue, urging him to tickle you with all his funniest jokes, but nothing could have made him interrupt how it looked when you laughed and smiled. You truly were framed as though you were “ the world’s precious treasure”, and boy had he no idea how to show the universe how grateful he was for a chance with you.

“ Wouldn’t want that, Y/N. ”

You didn’t even seem to mind who or what he is. He could tell just by how you held his hands and said his name, the way you looked at him—just, everything. It had only been a week, and already he was head over heels. Just how magical are you?

“ So, what is this special thing you said we had to see? ”

Right, as the initiator, that makes you the leader as well. With a shy smile, you waved your hand in a “ follow me ” motion and left the black bench to follow the park’s path. It was only a few more steps until you turned off path. Despite being confused, he trusted you enough to follow blindly.

Only, he was confused when you both finally made it to your goal. The park had a lake, and sure it looked nice—but only during the day. At night it was more like an eerie void of inky black. It was only the two of you, framed by the rustling of branches, crunching of rocks under your feet, and the light sloshing of the water against the shoreline.

“ I know I’m drop-dead gorgeous, but not exactly looking to be murdered just yet, Y/N. ”

Joking, he leaned into you with a nudge. One push later and you were spreading a blanket you brought along the ground.

“ Oh hush, who would want to kill you anyways? Too easy! ”

His gasp was reward enough. Beside you he sat, as both of you shifted your attention to the water.

“ Now, we wait. ”

You responded, pulling up your legs to your chest. One of your arms laid atop it, and then you laid your head against it. Leo leaned backwards. His legs stretched out and crossed while his hands planted behind him, supporting his weight.

“ wait for what? “ he asked after the cloud of awkwardness passed and room for speak opened. You hummed, insisting he was more than capable of waiting. Taken as a challenge, he immediately accepted and the minutes turned to an hour as you both talked about any and everything.

About him, his brothers—little extras added since you had heard a lot of it already through your daily texts and video chats. Since trading numbers, you had both talked to each other so much. Perhaps a few hours of a sleep were omitted, but who cares? The hours spent together was so much fun. Calls while cooking, calls in the morning, even some calls where you both slept together. There was even one that lasted even through a teeth-brushing montage ((prior to this, you never would have expected someone to be able to make a contest out of that, but never had you ever done your brushing routine THAT quickly.)) But in return, you shared even more little tidbits about yourself, your family, etcetera.

The longer you both went, the more similarities you were able to discover about the other. To say it lit a flame of hope in your chest was an understatement.

Eventually the conversation fell into nonsense, little games of truth or dare, “ I Spy “, and even would you rather. That had served to be… quite interesting.

You and Leo had leaned down, laying in the blanket and staring up at the sky. Arms. Crossed, forearms as makeshift pillows behind y’all’s heads. After growing tired of I Spy, Leo snapped his fingers in a “ gotcha! “ moment.

“ Would you rather get a paper cut every time you turn a page or bite your tongue every time you eat? “

“ Really, would you rather? ”

“ Are you admitting defeat? ”

“ What! You can’t ‘win’ would you rat—oh forget it. ”

You groaned out loud, dragging your hands down your face to ready yourself for this. There were some rocks under the blanket, embedding into your back, so there was a long second of contemplation as you mindlessly moved them and laid back down. With a drawn-out exhale, you turned your head to look at him.

“ Well, either is so messed up, but I think bite my tongue—I do it accidentally a lot already. Might as well up my odds. What about you? ”

Leo chuckled in a way that could only spell out trouble—or a devious loophole.

“ Papercut. Why? Because,”

He holds up his phone, shaking it.

“ Internet, baby. No page turning necessary. ”

“ No fair! And, you’ll never be able to read a real book without cuts. ”

“ I’m prepared to make that sacrifice. ”

Scoffing, you crossed your arms dramatically and tapped your fingers against your forearm. What’s a good question you can ask? A real conundrum—with no loopholes!

“ Ah! Would you rather have a pause or a rewind button in your life? ”

This one throughly perplexed him. Either that, or the “ hmming “ was just him messing with you. You had your answer already, but his was what you were more curious about.

And his response only made you more curious.

“ Rewind, definitely, ”

He sits up, turning on his side and resting his head into his palm while his elbow digs into the blanket.

“ I’ve found a sound I wouldn’t mind hearing on replay. ”

“ Oh yeah? ”

You asked with sitting up, hands laid behind your back to hold you up. The statement was spoken with an intonation practically begging him to continue. Alas, he didn’t seem to catch on, so you followed it up with,

“ And what’s that? ”

“ Ah, ah, that’s not how the game goes. It’s my turn. Would you rather have everyone able to read your mind or for everyone you know to have access to your Internet history? ”

Immediately you were laughing in an incriminating way, averting your gaze anywhere but the questionner. Oh god, both were such mortifying scenarios.

“ Oh shit, that’s horrible, Leo. You’re the worst at this game! ”

“ I think you mean the best. ”

“ Eeeeek, okay, internet history. I can just clean it up! ”

“—No erasing, either! ”

Cue the hitting, as you lightly hit him with your fists!

“ No fair, no adding clauses afterwards!! ”

Leo laughed all the while, taking your light little barrages.

“ What about you, tough guy! ”

“ Internet history, but definitely deleting stuff. ”

“ YOU!! ”

With an “ oof! “ Leo was pushed over onto his back by you, further pinned down as you took your rightful throne upon his chest. It was hard, likely due to the plastron he had. While you weren’t putting all your weight into him, you were still sitting on him enough for him to be slightly inconvenienced.

“ Someone is a sore loser.”

Groaned Leo in a low voice as he accepted defeat.

“ No, you are. So, my turn! Would you rather… ”

There were a few seconds filled not with your voices, but rather with the chirping of bugs filling the space. What was a good question… Ooh, perfect!

“ Would you rather find true love today or win the lottery? Knowing you, you’ll say—“

“ Lottery—“

“ Ah-hah! I knew it. ”

“ I would rather win the lottery because I already found loved. ”

There was a…

A fondness—a sweetness and a comfort—in the air immediately. It felt akin to that of moments in movies when two character would, or /should/, kiss, and that feeling only deepened as you lowered your gaze to meet his. Leo’s voice had said that so… So gently, so lovingly.. His eyes filled you with a warmth, an addictive sight that you almost couldn’t look away from.

But still, you did. To calm your thundering heart, you looked away with a breathy laugh.

“ Wow, that sure was… Just, wow.. ”

Your eyes trailed to the water, noticing it was finally time. Leaning up off him, you brushed your clothes of any dust, and crouched to pick up some rocks near the blanket. Leo had risen up to a seated position, watching you curiously.

“ What about you? ”

He asked sincerely, eyes on you as you looked down. The collected rocks were rolled in your hand as you contemplated your own answer.. You held out your open hand, gesturing for him to give you his.

“ I think… I would choose the true love today, just to… Make sure it happens, y’know? Don’t want to get too cocky and lose a good thing. ”

As you took his hand, there was a little spark and a bit of heartbeat skipping, but pretty easy to ignore. In his palm, a sizable pebble was placed.

“ A rock? ”

“ For skipping. That’s the real surprise the whole time. What we were waiting for. ”

“ Ah yes, waiting to skip rocks, I’m really swooning over here. ”

“ Not that, you dumdum! What comes after. Just—throw it with me, okay? ”

Nodding, you both stood up, reeled your arms back, and began the countdown

Three,

Two,

One!!

And off the rocks went, skittering along the water—his faster than yours, amazingly so—but that wasn’t supposed to be the focus. The true point of it all was what happened with each tap to the water’s surface.

Lines of orange, like plane runways lined with neon hues, streaked and bloomed with every touch. By the time the rocks twirled and blipped through the lake, sinking down to their new home, the orange lights had fanned out into the air like teensy fireworks. Zipping from here and there, the little balls of energy bobbing and plinked along the water—awakening their neighbors until nearly the entire area here was covered with the little buggers.

“ Fireflies? ”

Leo inquired, amazed at the sight. It was a genuine reaction, not masked at all for any “ cool guy act ” or a “ more mature act ”. No, you were getting the exact response you hopped—the orange reflecting in his eyes, the toothy grin, and the playful glint when he turned back to you.

“ Not quite. ”

You shook your head and held out your hand, clicking your tongue as one would to a cat. By the first click, some of the closest little sprites were already skipping over to you as though copying the rocks bouncing past them earlier.

“ They’re like, little balls of warmth, little sun sprites, see? ”

They were tiny, too small for their heat to hurt. It was more of a welcoming warmth tickling your hand. Their little frames would roll and bump into each other, rubbing themselves all over your hands. That’s probably fine.

Leo stuck out a finger, reaching to poke one, then freaking out as it zipped in a spiral-motion up his finger and arm.

“ AH—! I, I mean. Act, just acting, haha.. How did you find these…? ”

“ I was waiting for you to ask! ”

You plopped back down onto the blanket and patted for him to follow. More of the sprites were surrounding you, and thankfully it seemed that their fire wasn’t a spreadable kind.

“ That word you said to me last week, yokai? I know you said, ‘Oh you’re a human, rah rah rah, no need for you to know!’—“

“—I don’t sound like that—“

“—hush, anyways! I think they’re yokai, don’t you think? I looked the word up when I got home, supernatural beings! ”

He could tell you were pretty pleased with yourself.

“ Y/N, I only said that to keep you safe. Need I remind you who needed to be rescued by a handsome blue knight? ”

He puffed out his chest, even flexing a bit. One little sprite appeared to be trying to copy him, but given their circular bodies, you weren’t too sure.

“ I already said thank you, and you can’t blame me! Who seriously just ignores something so—so, so groundbreaking! I mean, yokai? They’re fictional creatures, except now nonfiction because I saw them, I was chased by one! So, yeah, excuse me for looking into it. ”

Shrugging, you crossed your legs and leaned forward. Hands on the blanket, palms facing up, you invited the sprites to hop on or off. Soft giggles followed their little brushes against your hands.

“ Right, still doesn’t answer how you found these guys? ”

He followed your example, watching them curiously twirl his digits—thicker yet fewer than your own hands. It seemed like one of the little guys was putting pieces together as it flipped back and forth between your hands. In the end, they bobbed over to you, and Leo muttered a “ going to cry about this later ” playfully.

“ Well, I found them way before the ‘chairable incident.’ ”

“ Ooh good one, is that what we’re calling it? ”

“ Thank you, and yes—no interrupting, mister Leonardo! ”

“ Hey, that’s mister Leo to you! ”

“ Pft—well, I always through they were fireflies or pollen, but after that night you dropped me off, I was curious! So, I came here again and again, stirring them and trying to call them over. “

Y/N’s eyes were scouring over the little guys, turning to the water to see the others. It seemed they were searching for something.

“ Hmm, well anyways, it took a while, but the other day when I did it, one of them came over to me! Seeing them up close made it all make more sense. ”

Leo had noticed you looking around and followed your gaze. Alas, he gave up soon after realizing he didn’t know what to look for. Silence joined you both, sitting right between while your focus was on the cute little sprites. Some had already rolled back to the water. They seemed to float on top, similar to how oil and water “ mix ”. Few remained though, leaning into your hands, climbing your legs, or rummaging through your hair specifically. Leo had a hat, a beanie, and one sneaky little guy did manage to squirm on inside of it.

Your attention only shifted as a little purple sprite slowly bobbed over. It was hard to see them in the inky water, but this special little guy had a flickering ability. Whether the others did too was anyone’s guess, but this one! He only flickered in and out, illuminating with the fiery orange and then fizzling into the camouflaging purple. He was the first to come check you out when you tried calling for the little creatures.

“ This is Blinker! He’s a little special, isn’t he? ”

A tad bit bigger, he rolled and fluffed up in your hand—only stopping when Leo leaned in and reached his index towards him. Blinker ignited immediately, bobbing and then spiraling up Leo’s finger just like some of the others did.

“ Wow… Well, you sure know how to plan a first date. I have some real competition, huh? ”

He slouched over, resting his head against the palm of his hand while watching you with a lazy grin. Blinker had already began burrowing, slipping up into the sleeve of Leo’s jacket.

“ Oh? You sound like you’re wanting a second date already. ”

Copying his position, you grinned in a way that could only be saying “ oooooohhh, you liiiiikeee meee, don’t you? ”

“ Ah,”

A sound like a cough and he was casting his gaze to the right side, as though something away from you was much more important. His left hand moved to cover his cheek, and you recognized it all instantly. He was blushing, wasn’t he!

You leaned forward, taking his wrist and holding it away from his face. His attention was back on you, with big blue eyes staring, waiting.

“ I knew it, you’re blushing! I made you blush, mister handsome knight. ”

He stuttered then held his tongue, looking away. Didn’t even try to deny it! He was blushing, you made him blush!

There was a warmth surfacing on your cheeks, especially upon seeing his other hand move to take your other one. He didn’t make any eye contact, but your fingers were interlaced. Now one hand cuffed his wrist while the other hand locked with his hand.

“ O-Oh.. ”

You muttered, leaning back a bit to sit. After some silence, your handcuffed motion loosened, and he didn’t waste any time. His other hand was slowly lacing with yours. Sitting cross-legged, you both reflected each others sitting position while your hands rested between, holding the other fondly.

“ Mm.. I, maybe I wouldn’t mind a second date. ”

It was your turn to avoid eye contact this time.

“ Really? I’m glad. ”

His voice was softer than you had yet to hear it. So little time, yet already you were seeing newer sides of him. The sprites were floating around you both, basking both of you in warm golden hues. A summer breeze rustled the trees as they leaned in, anticipating the next move. Crickets sung their music, and the waves bumped the shore as if coming closer to see the moment. It was as if the whole world came to see, see who their treasure had chosen.

All the imaginary eyes were resting on you both. They were overjoyed to see the special one, the treasure’s treasure.

Everything dispersed as you gave a nervous cough. Both of you looked away, recoiling your hands and wiping them against your clothes.

“ W-Wow! T-The time, right? ”

“ Time? Oh, yeah! Yeah, it’s so late, I should get you home before it’s too—is it cold to you? Wow, so chilly! ”

Scrambling for your things, you both hopped up and waved goodbyes to the lake’s lights. Leo held up his hand, flicking his fingers until a blue shimmer enveloped his index finger. The stripes on his face shone as he reached out and traced a portal in thin air.

“ A gentleman would never let you walk home! ”

You leaned forward to walk through the portal, but were tugged back.

“ Ah—! No, uh, you can’t. I um, you’re. ”

He was trying to come up with something, then settled for clearing his throat and holding out his hand.

“ Safety reasons, portal passengers have to hold my hand. ”

Part of you felt like that was a lie. The other part of you knew you weren’t a portal expert. And another part of you maybe just wanted to go along with it regardless. So, you gave him your hand. He gently pulled you close to his chest.

The world held its breath as the two of you met each other’s eyes. There was so much emotion. You looked at him with something that he couldn’t yet pinpoint, but god he was addicted to it.

Please never stop looking at me like that, he thought, as his arm moved to rest along your waist and hold firmly. Through the portal, you basked in the familiar tingles and tickles, giggling as you both stepped out at your door, in your home.

“ How did you know—? ”

“ From our video-chats. Remember when I said you talk too much when it’s late? “

“ What! I thought, I thought you just meant—what else have I told you?! ”

“ Er, don’t worry about it, seeya! ”

“ Wait! ”

He was quick to try and leave the same way he had once before, falling through a portal, but you were quicker. Grabbing onto him, he stared wide eyed and quickly closed the portal as you both thumped against your floor. His hand was holding your waist securely, mentally condemning you for such a reckless move.

On the spot, you chuckled nervously and tried to come up with a reason to have stopped him…

“ Ah, er…. W-Wanna stay for, um.. Dinner? ”

[st4rryyynight]

hey so can I have scenario where rise leo is cold and his new s/o and him are hanging out and s/o just hugs him to warm him up. Their hugs are so gentle and cozy?

★..aren't turtles cold blooded.. (0_0) ??

oh well, erhh, whateves =P★

★ — rise!leonardo with a s/o whose hugs are cozy !!

!! — content: scenario, fluff, romantic scenario, rise!leo x reader, canon x reader, hugs, affection.

★ — Nuzzled up against their warm embrace and tucked in between their arms, shivered the blue-cladded turtle who has found protection from the freezing winter temperatures. That protection being none other than (reader), who gave a small- humoured huff as they held their cold reptilian partner close. Their voice muffled the low sounds coming from the film they were both watching on the projector, to which- they both stopped paying attention to it a while ago, as they both got too caught up in the soft moment between them.

"..and I thought that reptiles were resistant to the cold." They teased, their voice quite as to match the serene atmosphere that was built not too long ago. Their playful remark was met with a small, yet dramatic chuff that came from the red-eared terrapin.

"wellll- and I thought that you'd wouldn't mind warming up your favourite turtle - !" His response feigned drama, face pressing up against their cheeks- his scales a contrast to their warm, soft skin. "orrr was I wrong ??"

(Reader) only hummed at him, giving the terrapin gentle squeeze- to which he churped, a content sound which betrayed the dramatic persona.

"no, you dummy, of course I don't." They laughed a little, letting the terrapin rub his cheeks onto theirs, finding this way of affection odd, yet adorable.

"mhm- thought so ..!" Mumbling against their face with an almost triumphant tone- he let himself melt in their hold, glad to be in the presence of such a content person. It almost felt like a win for him, being held in such cozy embrace, an embrace in which melted away the cold that he felt.

[tmntfixationxreader]

"Hiya!!! Do you think you can do some sort of angst/comfort fic with the rise boys of comforting a they/them reader who’s struggling with getting an injury cleaned/a bone set?"

Absolutely! Sorry this one took me so long to do. Hope you enjoy!

♡Bone setting♡

This contains Rottmnt Movie Spoilers.

~Platonic Rottmnt x Gender neutral Reader~

Summary: After the Krang invasion, everyone needs medical attention, including you.

Warnings: Pain, slight blood, angst + comfort, slight language? Reader description advised.

Word count: 1,855

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

“L-Leo!!” Mikey called out, holding Leo in a death grip, the two collapsed on the ground in a sweaty mess.

Leo winced, grunting once, patting Mikey on the head gently with his good arm.

“Good-to-see-you-too-Mikey,” Leo muttered, but it came out as a muffled sler. Leo coughed, sending bolts of pain through his body as red dribbled down his lips.

Donnie’s eyes widened and Raph was starting to panic.

Mikey had golden burns glistening on his arms, rectangular patterns etched into his skin from the overpower in his mystic energy. Donnie had the same etched purple burns on his right arm, and Raph had them on his left in red.

Despite the burns on his arms Mikey continued to squeeze Leo as hard as he could, tears rolling down his cheeks.

Donnie had tears rolling down his cheeks too, his expression emotionless as his eyes betrayed him.

Raph scooped Leo and Mikey into a hug, yelling as he held back sobs. “Leo- don’t you EVER do that again!”

Donnie sank to his knees, hugging Leo and Mikey as Raph squeezed them all.

April ran up to them with a horrified look on her face, Spinter wobbling behind her looking tired and panicked, Casey on their heels, his face tear streaked.

“Master Leonardo!!” Casey shouted.

“Leo!!” April called out, immediately joining the brothers in a death-grip of a hug.

Casey hesitated, eyes wide. “Is he…?”

“I’m not- mph- dead yet Casey…” Leo muttered, and a huge wave of relief washed over all of them.

Donnie sat bolt right up from the hug, looking around at April and Splinter.

“Y/n…?” He asked, wide eyed, standing up quickly before wincing and gripping his arm, only making it sting even more.

April looked around. “Y/n!!” She called, walking and looking out at the chaos.

You were with April and Splinter when they were fighting off one of the Krangs… They had made sure you were following when they started off towards the brothers, but….

Everyone looked panicked.

Mikey looked up from Leo’s shoulder, tears still rolling down his cheeks.

“Y/n- w-what’s wrong with them-” Leo muttered, coughing harshly again, his brain going fuzzy.

“Leo- don’t talk, don’t move,” Donnie hissed at him, seeming even more panicked and overwhelmed then he already was. He shook his hands a little and exhaled slowly, trying to ground himself.

“April- where did you last see them?” Donnie asked, shaking from the extremely stressful and scary situations they had just been through.

Raph, even though it was taking everything for him to keep himself together after what just happened, noticed Donnie.

“D, calm down… I’m sure they are just-” Raph started.

“Guys!!” You yelled over to them, one hand across your ribcage, your other arm loosely hanging at your side. “Just had to- mph- stop for a second…”

You slowly made your way to them, April running up meeting you halfway.

“I thought I lost you!” She hugged you, and you winced loudly.

She pulled back immediately. “Y/n, you…?” She muttered.

You looked out at the brothers, wide eyed at how messed up they all looked. “Leo- d-did he make it back?”

April nodded. “We need to get him to the lair… But he’ll live… How bad are you-?”

“We need to get them home… I’m not hurt badly, just a little… bruised,” You muttered, arm still clinging to your ribcage. You lied. You had lied to April, just to keep her and the others from worrying. They were clearly more hurt than you. They needed medical attention first.

It was hard to tell what exactly was hurting within you. Your ribcage stung, a painful sharp sensation that hit you in the gut with every breath. Your other arm… You didn’t even want to guess its condition. You could move it a little… But not much else without the shaper pains setting in further. Your good arm was preoccupied clutching your ribs, so you couldn’t exactly help to fix them up, either.

April nodded quickly and the two of you rushed over the brothers. You were much slower than April in your condition, but to keep them from worrying you kept a pace.

You and the turtles were hurt badly.

As you held open the back hatch of the back-up turtle van, Raph carried Leo, who was biting his tongue to prevent from making noise, setting him in the backseat.

This was going to be a long night…

Leo was propped up on a medical bed, somewhere between high on medications and painfully awake, but patched up. His voice was raw and scratchy from dust and yelling, and he was tired out of his mind.

Donnie had his arm and soft shell patched up, a crap-ton of disinfectants poured onto his shell to prevent possible infections.

Raph’s arm was wrapped, an eyepatch over one eye that the Krang had taken over. All the Krang-parts that had been infected and taken over were wrapped up, Krang now gone but wounds still there.

Mikey’s arms were wrapped up, all the way past his elbows and almost to his shoulders.

You had brushed off Casey and April’s medical attention until everyone else had been fixed up, and by then you were dead tired. Your arm was swollen and hurt to even think about, your ribcage sucking the air out of your lungs with each shaking breath. You leaned against the doorway, watching April and Casey finish with Leo’s cracked shell.

Casey whipped his brow. “Ok… Leo’s finished for now…” He muttered with a sigh, seeming exhausted. He hadn’t slept since he had come through to this timeline, not to mention the days of survival beforehand.

April immediately turned her attention to you. “Ok, your turn…”

You wanted to argue, but with how hard your ears were throbbing from pain, you couldn’t. Everyone else had already received medical attention, so it was your turn anyways.

April had you sit down on the bed, Casey using some of Donnie’s tech to scan you.

Donnie (and Leo but they forbid him) wanted to help with medical stuff, but everyone had put him on bedrest. Luckily Casey knew how to use Donnie’s tech because of the training he had gotten in his past timeline.

Casey hesitated as the laser-scanner scanned your rib cage and arm.

April’s eyes widened. “Y/n- how the heck are you still walking around?”

Casey gave her a quick look or warning to keep you from possibly panicking. “I-it’s not too bad… just a little… Worse for ware.”

You groaned. “Yeah, I can tell.”

Casey rubbed the bridge of his nose before sighing again, the immense bags under his eyes seeming to show themselves more.

“We have to set your arm… And wrap up your ribcage…” He said, looking over the scan. “Commander- er… April, we need some wraps… And possibly another set of hands..”

April nodded, going over to a cabinet to get out the medical supplies. Donnie and Raph nodded as well, ready to help.

“Wait, setting it…? Like with Leo’s leg?” You swallowed. You had watched the process of bone-setting they had done on Leo’s leg. It took Raph, Donnie, and April to hold Leo down while Casey set the fracture. It was loud and hard to watch, and they had insisted you wouldn’t help with your arm being in its condition. By the end of it Donnie was really overwhelmed and Raph helped ground him again, but it took a bit.

Casey nodded. “Yes… The others will help to stabilize you while I set your arm.”

You nodded a little.

Casey walked over to your injured side, pulling down an old pair of Donnie’s goggles so he had an X-ray of your arm.

Raph, April and Donnie stood around you. Mikey stood nearest to the head of the bed, unable to help hold you while his arms were wrapped but still being with you.

“You got this Y/n…” Mikey said, and the others nodded in agreement while Casey looked over the fracture one more time.

“Ok.. On the count of three,” Casey said.

“Deep breath,” Donnie helped to instruct.

You did as he said, taking a deep breath in as Casey counted to one.

“Two…” He said, and everyone helped to hold you.

Right as you took a deep breath in, Casey finished his count.

You barely heard the word three as he started setting the fracture, everything else being muffled by the ringing in your ears.

The others held you as your body naturally reacted and fight or flight kicked in. They were strong enough to easily be able to hold on to you to keep you still.

The whole process only lasted a few painfully long seconds, and by the end of it your voice was raw and blood pounded in your ears.

“There…That’s it- it’s done…” Casey said, his voice weaverying from stress and exhaustion.

Everyone let go of you as soon as Casey said the word, still staying by your bedside.

“It’s over now…” Raph said, patting your good arm.

Mikey wiped away a tear attempting to trail down your face. “No more… Now it can heal…” He whispered, his voice tight with nervousness from throughout the day.

Donnie stepped back and let himself take a few deep breaths before patting your good shoulder. He nodded to you, not saying anything because he was overwhelmed by everything that had happened from the day.

Leo had his head turned so he could look at you. He gave you a smile that made it clear he was fighting off sleep medications.

After a bit of calming back down Casey did a few more scans on your ribs and deemed they were badly bruised but would heal on their own. He put your arm carefully in a cast, and gave you painkillers for the night.

April sat down on the bed next to Donnie, patting his shoulder as she fought off exhaustion.

“Does that mean everything is addressed?” She asked, and Casey gave her a nod.

“Everything that can be… Now we are just waiting for things to heal,” Casey said, leaning against the wall between the medical beds you and Leo were on.

He checked Leo’s IV, making sure it was still flowing properly. Leo was already passed out, snoring a little now that the painkillers had kicked in and it was safe for him to sleep.

Raph was on the fourth medical bed, Mikey asleep on his lap, snoring against Raph’s good arm.

Raph sighed. “So now what?”

“We sleep it off…” Donnie signed instead of speaking. “Until tomorrow at least…”

April nodded, stretching out on the foot of the medical bed. “Sounds like a plan…” She muttered.

You nodded too, eyes growing heavy already. You stayed in the same position they had told you to stay in to prevent straining your ribs or pulling on your arm.

Soon everyone was dozing off, Splinter keeping watch to make sure someone didn’t roll over onto their casts or need medical treatment in the middle of the night.

Everyone was healing, finally getting the rest everyone deserved.

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Hope you enjoyed it!

Bye bye butterflies!!

[izliz-zzy]

I was bored and decided to make this.

Bottle flip challenge with Leo's partner Leo: If I make this you have to kiss me. *Flips bottle and fails.* Y/N: If I make this, I can leave. *Flips bottle and wins.*

Leo: *Looks devastated for a moment before after Y/N wins and actually begins to leave the lair.*

Y/N: *Walks past Leo and gives a little kiss to his forehead.* "Later, loser."

Leo: *blushes and is stunned for a moment.* "That was not a competition. *he's mad about losing, but did like getting a kiss.*

[chadobi]

You Don’t Get to Leave Me

Pairing: Rise!Leonardo x Fem!Reader

Genre: Angst, Friends to Lovers, Emotional Confession

The rooftop was quiet in that special, after-battle kind of way,the kind where everyone breathed a little deeper, laughed a little louder, because they knew they were lucky to be here.

The city sparkled below, dusted in post-storm starlight.

The turtles sat in a circle with April and Casey Jr., pizza boxes scattered around them like trophies of survival. There was a warmth in the air, not from the wind, but from relief. From family.

Everyone was talking. Laughing. Joking about Donnie’s dramatic portal dive. Mikey’s hero moment. Even Raph teased Leo for his “near-death, sacrifice-the-team-for-drama” tendency.

Everyone but you.

You sat at the edge of the rooftop, legs pulled in close, arms wrapped around yourself. You hadn’t said a word since they pulled Leo back through that portal. Since he stumbled out of the void half-frozen, half-broken, but smiling like it didn’t matter.

Like he hadn’t just almost died.

He kept glancing your way, trying not to make it obvious. You could feel his eyes on your back. But you couldn’t look at him yet.

Not without falling apart.

You heard him laugh. Heard his voice, tired and raspy, but still somehow steady. Alive. And with every second, something inside you just kept winding tighter. A rubber band stretched to its breaking point.

April tossed you a glance now and then, brows furrowed.

Casey Jr. offered you a piece of pizza. You took it, but didn’t eat.

Donnie asked if you were okay.

You nodded once. That was all they got.

And Leo, he kept quiet too, at least when it came to you.

Until finally, when the others got distracted by a story Mikey was acting out with far too much flair, he rose and walked toward you.

Careful. Slow.

You didn’t turn.

“Hey…” he said softly, kneeling beside you. “You’ve been awfully quiet.”

Still nothing.

He shifted his weight, glancing sideways at you. “Did I do something?”

Your jaw clenched. You gripped your sleeve.

He hesitated. “I mean, besides almost sacrificing myself in a collapsing interdimensional prison. Which, okay, yeah… was maybe not my best plan ever.”

That did it.

You stood up so fast the movement startled him.

“Not your best plan?” you snapped. “You think this is a joke, Leo?”

His eyes widened. “No - I just meant -”

“You almost died.” Your voice cracked. “You were gone. That portal was closing, and you…you weren’t…I thought…”

Your throat closed up.

Everyone fell silent.

Raph stopped chewing. Mikey froze mid-gesture. Even Donnie looked up from his phone.

Leo stood slowly, hands lifted like you were a wild animal he didn’t want to spook.

“I wasn’t trying to scare you,” he said gently. “I just… I had to. There was no other-”

“There’s always another way!” you shouted, tears springing to your eyes. “But you didn’t even stop to think about us! About me!”

He flinched.

The city lights blurred behind your tears, but your voice didn’t falter.

“You’re not just a leader, Leo. You’re my best friend. You’re…You’re everything to me. And you were just going to throw your life away like it didn’t matter. Like we wouldn’t be left to live without you!”

He opened his mouth then closed it.

You stepped closer, voice trembling. “You always act like your life is expendable. Like the mission comes first, no matter what. But what about us? What about the people who’d have to live in a world without you?”

He was silent.

You shook your head. “I couldn’t breathe when you disappeared. I thought… I thought I’d lost you. And all I could think was that you’d never know, you’d never know that I…”

You bit your lip. Swallowed. “That I love you.”

Gasps. Somewhere, Mikey dropped a slice of pizza. April whispered a soft “oh.”

Leo’s eyes widened.

“I love you,” you repeated, softer now. “And I’m so, so angry at you… because you were willing to leave me behind without even knowing that.”

The silence stretched, thick and aching.

Then Leo took one step forward.

Then another.

Then he was in front of you, gently taking your hands in his, his thumbs brushing over your knuckles like a silent apology.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just… I couldn’t watch any of you die. I thought it was the only way to keep you safe.”

You looked up at him, tears slipping silently down your cheeks.

“You idiot,” you breathed. “We’re only safe when we’re together.”

He let out a shaky breath and then wrapped his arms around you.

You melted into him. Wrapped your arms tight around his waist and buried your face in his plastron. He was warm now. Solid. Real. No longer just a memory or a nightmare.

Leo rested his chin on top of your head.

“I love you too,” he said. “I think I’ve been in love with you for a while now. I was just too scared to say it out loud.”

You laughed through the tears, a soft, broken sound.

“Don’t ever scare me like that again.”

“I won’t,” he whispered. “Not ever.”

And behind you, the others slowly smiled.

Donnie gave a knowing look to April. Mikey wiped at his eyes a little too dramatically. Raph smirked, whispering something like “Took ‘em long enough.”

But it was Casey Jr. who watched the longest.

Sitting quietly by the edge, legs swinging, he watched as the two of you stood there wrapped in each other, framed by city lights and stars. His lips curled into a soft smile, the kind born from deep memory and warmer days long gone.

Because he remembered.

He remembered the two of you in the future, the quiet strength of your partnership. The way you’d bicker and banter and steal little glances when you thought no one was looking. The way you always had each other’s backs, always reached for each other’s hands in the worst of times. The kind of love that didn’t need words.

You didn’t know it yet, but this was the beginning of that love.

And from where Casey sat, he smiled not because he hoped it would last.

But because he already knew it would.

——————————

Okay, after watching the movie I got such a burst of inspiration that I immediately started writing ahaha. Well, I hope you’ll like it!

[3llio]

Hoi!!!, I recently saw the event and is it ok if I ask for rise leo? My trope is opposite attracts and my prompt is number 20 on the list (hope you have a great day/night :]!!!)

Being Sick Sucks.

Rise Leo

AN: I feel like I didn't do this one justice (･ω･;)

──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────

The plan was to suffer in silence.

Wake up, eat a cracker or two, take some medicine, and then go right back to sleep. Thug it out until you eventually get over it. And it was going swimmingly until you had a visitor at your window during the wee hours of the night.

You had completely forgotten about the Jupiter Jim marathon you had planned with a certain blue-clad turtle.

Leo stood with his hands on his hips and a disappointed look on his face as you sat on your bed. He even did that little impatient foot tap you see on shows.

“And you’ve been sick for how long?”

“About two days…”

“And you didn't say anything because?” He drawled his words, his pitch increasing at the end of his question. Being met with your guilty silence, he let out a sigh as he forced his rigid shoulders to relax. “Look, I love you and all but you’ve seriously got to start voicing your discomfort.”

As he talked he moved around your room. “I mean first it was riding in the Shell Raiser with Donnie driving- which I completely understand, that guy has some serious road rage problems, secondly-!” Grabbing an extra blanket or two from your closest, he joined you on your bed by belly flopping onto the unoccupied side. He continued to slowly derail the conversation as he pulled up one of your favorite movies.

“But my point still stands, you could've said something.” He went surprisingly quiet as the opening played.

“And cancel our plans?”

“Well I mean I would have shown up anyway… but that's not what I'm saying! I would have brought you some soup or something.” He cringed as he delicately picked up a used tissue with the tips of his fingers and tossed it off the side of your bed, quickly retracting his hand as if he would get cooties. “Or maybe some more tissues.”

The two of you fell into a comfortable silence as you watched the movie play out before you. At some point one of the blankets Leo brought to the bed ended up over your shoulders. He denied ever even grabbing it and said your illness is making you delusional.

Every time you sniffled he looked at you through the corner of his eye and even got up and grabbed your extra box of tissues when you ran out. By the end of the movie his hand had found your back and followed up and down your spine with a gentle caress.

He hadn't even noticed you fell asleep until he woke up to his phone being blown up by Raph at 3 in the morning. With slow movements, he untangled himself from the sheets and your limbs- (don't let him fool you it was him who was wrapped around you, not the other way around.) and was rudely interrupted by a call from said big bro.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’m on my way home!” Is what you woke up to Leo whisper-yelling into his phone as he attempted to free his foot from the blanket that had somehow managed to wrap and tie itself around his ankle.

Needless to say, he froze like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar when you wordlessly sat up and released him from his cotton shackle. He mouthed a quick “thank you” as he continued to quietly argue with Raph as he rolled out of the bed and grabbed his katana.

Just as he was about to create a portal, he rushed back over to your bedside and bent down to give you a quick peck wherever he could reach on your face before backing up and waving excitedly as he portaled out of your home.

You got a notification seconds later.

LEO: I'll swing by later tomorrow after patrols

LEO: Get better quicker so we can do something fun soon 🫵😈

── ⟢ ・⸝⸝

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