Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Leo was exhausted.

They walked back to the lair like zombies. He dragged his feet—all the stealth he was known for had been left behind. His brothers weren’t doing any better. The weight in their steps was obvious. 

Raph was walking near him, unsteady. He was still radiating heat from his time inside that oven. Leo could swear he even saw wisps of steam rising off his head.

He knew his brother well enough to understand that any attempt to offer help would be rejected. So he chose something more subtle, staying close. Close enough to catch him if he fell.

His younger brothers, on the other hand, didn’t share the same philosophy. Donnie, too disoriented to stand on his own, leaned heavily on Mikey. The youngest was whispering soft words of encouragement and affection, along with chatter about the last card game he’d played with ICK.

Yeah, it had been a really bad night.

As soon as they reached the lair, Splinter vanished, a shadow slipping into the dojo. Leo didn’t try to stop him. He understood his sensei’s need for privacy after everything that had happened.

The four of them looked at each other in silence. Words weren’t necessary. They all silently agreed to put the topic aside, at least for the night. As much as it hurt to see their father like that, they were exhausted and wounded.

To be honest, Leo accepted it more for his brothers’ sake than his own. If a way to save Karai appeared right then and there, he would’ve run for it without hesitation. He was sure of that.

"End of the line, Dee. My bed’s screaming for me."

"My head’s the one screaming. I need a pill... or a vacation. But since the second one’s not happening, I’ll settle for the first."

"Hey, at least it was just your head. I almost got roasted alive." Raph crossed his arms with a scowl. Donnie mumbled something unintelligible about the inconsistency of that statement. "Ugh, I’m pretty sure I don’t even taste that good."

“Aww, dude, I bet you wouldn’t taste that bad. Though they say a bad temper toughens the meat.”

Raph turned to look at the youngest Hamato with even more steam coming off him. He raised a hand, ready to strike. Mikey dodged the swipe with a giggle and darted off to his room, a goofy smile on his face.

Before the hothead could chase after the youngest, Leo grabbed his arm.

"Not so fast, Raph. We need to check you first."

"Pff, I’m fine, thanks!"

"Yeah, no. I saw you in that room, you nearly passed out."

"I just overheated a little, no big deal—"

"Actually," Donnie cut in, "you were exposed to an intense heat source for a prolonged period more than enough to induce heatstroke. Considering we’re turtles, your body likely retained even more heat. Like an oven with no vent. Underestimating thermal stress in that situation isn’t exactly smart."

Raph rolled his eyes but didn’t argue. "Alright, alright. I get it, Einstein. What do I do?"

"Lowering your core temperature is the top priority. The most effective method is cold water immersion, but judging by your outward condition—"

"English."

Donnie sighed, exasperated. "Drink water and use cold towels."

"See? That wasn’t so hard."

Leo watched his younger brothers silently. He resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose, too much effort at this point. Honestly, a vacation didn’t sound half bad.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, Raph. I'm going to get my pills," Donnie said as he walked to his lab. "And get that water. I’m not helping if you roast yourself like a chicken tomorrow."

To his credit, Raph actually listened and went to the kitchen. He came out a little while later with a jug of water and shot Leo a silent provocation. An unspoken ‘Happy now?’

Leo responded appropriately with an even more defiant one; he rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. ‘Yes, thank you very much!’

His hothead brother answered without a word. With a crooked, teasing grin. Leo knew him well. He just had to wait. And as always, it worked. Raph clicked his tongue before disappearing down the hallway, closing his bedroom door just in time to miss the final face Leo had ready for him. Ha, coward.

Leo walked over to the couch and sat down to wait. He wasn’t going to bed until all his younger brothers had gone to sleep. While he waited, he reflected on the events that led them to this unpleasant situation.

That trap had been deadly. He didn’t want to dwell on it, but if they hadn’t escaped… he didn’t even want to imagine the outcome. They’d been lucky, and that alone gave him chills. Something bad could’ve happened. Something bad could’ve happened to them.

Thinking about Karai didn’t help either. Leo was sure she was fine. She had to be. Because the other alternative was devastating, especially for their sensei. He doubted their father could handle losing his daughter again.

Calm. Inhale, exhale.

Leo took out his T-phone and checked the time: ten whole minutes, and his brother was still in the lab. Getting some pills didn’t take that long.

He got up with a yawn from the couch. Fine, then. If Donnie wouldn’t come out on his own, he’d drag him out. There was no way he was letting his little brother stay up all night.

He walked carelessly; his steps echoed through the silent lair. He made no effort to hide them. He had no need to hide his presence. He peeked into the lab and, almost immediately, let out a soft sigh. 

In the end, his worry had been unfounded.

His second youngest brother was fast asleep, slumped over his desk. He still held the pill bottle in his right hand, mumbling in his dreams.

Leo watched him for a few seconds, lost in thought. It wasn’t the first time he had to carry one of his brothers to bed, and he was pretty sure it wouldn’t be the last. Honestly? He didn’t mind.

He didn’t say it out loud, but it was obvious. He loved those three with every fiber of his being.

He stepped inside calmly, more carefully now. He didn’t want to startle him. He gently took the pill bottle from his hand and looked inside. Just a few left. He closed it and returned it to the shelf. Then he realized he didn’t know if Donnie had actually taken one. He assumed so. Or maybe he’d just picked it up to look?

Well, whatever. He was going to wake him up anyway to take him to bed.

"Hey, pshh," Leo gently shook his shoulder. "Donnie, did you take the meds?"

No answer. Instead, Donnie blinked his eyes open briefly before shutting them again just as fast. Leo nudged him a bit more insistently, still keeping his touch gentle. His brainy brother shifted uncomfortably and hid his face under his arm.

"Mmm, yeah," he mumbled. "yes, I did."

Leo smiled softly in response. Now for the second part of the plan, make sure his brother didn’t fall asleep in a way that would wreck his neck.

"Alright. How about I help you walk to your room?" Leo nudged him again when he saw him slipping back into sleep. "Sleeping in your bed... sounds good, huh? C’mon, let’s go."

Donnie sighed as he fought to keep his eyes open. Leo wondered if it was a side effect of the pill. Giving in to sleep like that wasn’t normal for his brother. Then again, neither was having a brush with death.

Leo gave a subtle shake of his head. Yep... Not the time to think about that.

The oldest brother leaned down and took his little brother’s arm, placing it over his own shoulders for support. Then he wrapped an arm around his shell and started lifting him slowly. Donnie muttered sleepy complaints at the unsolicited movements, but he didn’t resist.

They took longer than expected to make it out of the lab. That pill was definitely a sedative, there was no other explanation. Every three steps they lost their balance. Luckily, they hadn’t fallen yet.

After what felt like a thousand stumbles, they finally made it to Donnie’s room. It was neat and spotless, as always. Out of all four of them, those two had always been the cleanest when it came to their bedrooms. Raph didn’t really care, and Mikey… was Mikey. He wouldn’t be surprised if their youngest brother’s middle name was literally the opposite of cleanliness.

“Almost there, just a little more.”

Donnie rested his head on Leo’s shoulder, humming a soft confirmation. He snuggled in, making little chirps in his sleep. Leo’s cheeks turned pink. He loved them, sure. But affection like that? No, no. Not since childhood. If Raph were here, he’d never let Donnie live it down.

For his sake, Leo would keep the secret.

...Or not. Depends.

He smiled to himself, a conspiratorial little grin, before guiding his little brother to the bed. He turned on the golden glowing lamp, and the warm light spilled softly over the sheets. He sat Donnie near the headboard so he could stay upright.

He carefully removed Donnie’s gear. It was uncomfortable to sleep in all that, Leo knew from experience. He set it on the floor, trusting his brother to put it away in the morning. Lastly, he untied his purple mask, folded it gently as if it were his own, and placed it under the lamp.

He tucked him in like a little kid. Donnie sank into the pillow, letting out a contented sigh.

“Good night, Donnie,” Leo whispered, gently stroking his head.

Normally, that kind of gesture wouldn’t have been well received. But right now, his genius brother wasn’t really in his right mind, and Leo wasn’t about to let the opportunity slip by.

He adjusted the blankets one last time, giving them a soft pat, then turned off the lamp. He made his way to the door in quiet steps.

“...Wait.”

Leo stopped at the doorway and turned. His brother was curled up in the darkness like a turkey roll. Leo felt the urge to snap a picture.

“Something wrong?”

“Mmm... thanks,” Donnie mumbled as sleep overtook him. “thank you, Leo.”

Leo couldn’t help but smile. He replied, knowing his words probably wouldn’t reach him.

"Anytime, Dee."

He stepped into the hallway three times more tired than when he’d arrived, but with his heart a thousand times fuller. The silly smile stayed on his face for minutes. Still, he was tired and wanted his own bed.

This time, he walked with extra care to stay quiet. He knew everyone was asleep. Not that Leo had to try too hard—his brothers’ rooms, including his own, were all along the same hallway.

He tiptoed into his room and closed the door slower than a snail. He sighed in relief when the lock clicked. Mission accomplished.

He took off his gear as fast as possible, not even caring where it landed. Only his blue mask got special treatment. With the same care he’d shown Donnie’s mask. He placed it under a Captain Ryan action figure on his shelf.

Leo really liked that figure. He was sure it brought good luck.

He lay down with a yawn and stretched with satisfaction. Nothing was as comforting as his bed after a long day. He stared at the ceiling, accompanied by the faint dripping of pipes.

The dark thoughts he’d pushed away earlier came knocking again. A distant echo, but persistent one. He closed his eyes and breathed calmly. Inhale, exhale.

His brothers' jokes and laughter filled his mind, pushing the bad voices away. They were okay. Leo smiled, remembering his younger brother cuddling up to him. They were okay. Everything was fine.

Everything will be fine.

Leo was sure of it.

Elsewhere in New York, a figure stood tall and imposing. He took in the light of the magnificent moon, patient. Darkness crept in from every corner of the room, like living shadows. Moving, lurking.

"Father."

Shredder turned slowly, full of expectation. His daughter knelt before him, her body marked with injuries, most already treated. He let out a low grunt. Karai’s state was unfortunate but necessary. Collateral damage in service of something greater, a means to an end.

"The plan was executed successfully, Father."

He smiled behind the mask, pleased with the news. The first and most crucial phase was complete. There was no room for error. Everything had been calculated, down to the smallest detail. His precious daughter, as expected, had not failed him.

The filthy rat of a brother would pay for taking her away from him.

"Well done, my daughter."

The parasites had been planted.

Chapter Text

Leo opened his eyes.

His gaze landed on the digital clock sitting on his dresser. Fifteen minutes left before the alarm went off.

It wasn’t unusual for him to wake up before the alarm, especially when he was stressed. And without a doubt, yesterday had pushed his stress levels well past the usual. He knew trying to fall back asleep would be a waste of time.

He got out of bed yawning. Almost immediately, he went to put on his gear. As he tied the blue mask around his face, he repeated to himself the last thought that crossed his mind before falling asleep.

Everything will be fine.

Still, the bar wasn’t exactly high compared to yesterday. Eh… yeah, positivity. Mikey made it look easier than it really was.

He opened the door and stepped outside. His plan was to head to the kitchen for some morning tea while waiting for the others. Most likely, he’d find his youngest brother awake but he wasn’t counting on it. After tough missions, they usually slept in a little longer.

Normally, Leo acted as their personal alarm clock, going from room to room knocking on doors. It usually earned him grumbles all morning, like a bunch of kids.

So, imagine his surprise when he heard noises coming from the kitchen—and not just any noise: it was his brothers. He couldn’t help but feel puzzled. He’d thought he’d have to scrape them out of bed with a spatula, and he wouldn’t have blamed them if that were the case.

However, that feeling was quickly replaced by relief when he realized he wouldn’t have to wake anyone up. Better than dealing with their morning grumpiness. Ugh.

Before he knew it, he was already in the kitchen.

“Ooooh, look who woke up, Sleeping Beauty.”

“Good morning to you too, Raph,” he replied with disdain. Too early for taunting.

“Mornin', bro!” Mikey spun around with a frying pan in hand. He almost accidentally smacked Raph, who growled in response. “How do you want your eggs? Scrambled, boiled, poached, fried…”

Mikey set the frying pan back on the stove and kept up his chatter while cooking. Leo rolled his eyes inwardly, fondly. His little brother knew his tastes perfectly. It was pure theater.

Donnie looked up from his magazine to greet him. A freshly made cup of coffee sat beside him. Hm, drinking coffee this early can’t be good for your health, right? He said nothing. Taking Donatello’s coffee away in the morning was like snatching a cat’s favorite toy. No, bad idea.

“Good morning, Leo,” he said before returning his attention to the magazine. “Hope you slept well.”

Meanwhile, Mikey kept listing a thousand ways to cook eggs. Leo glanced over at his younger brothers, checking for any signs of discomfort. They seemed fine, which was a relief.

Being mutant turtles had its perks. Like healing fast, for example.

“Good morning. At least some of you have manners in this house.” he said, narrowing his eyes at the second oldest. Raph just huffed and turned his head.

Mikey shot him a sideways glance, not quite getting the message.

“Of course! I’m Dr. Manners, dude— but seriously, pick an egg style!"

“Scrambled, thanks Mikey.”

“Coming right up!”

Leo walked over to the pantry to get his tea. He set aside the utensils needed for preparation, but when it came to choosing a flavor, he paused. Maybe some oolong… or jasmine. Mint was nice too.

“Toast?” the youngest asked, holding a bag of sliced bread. The three older brothers nodded in agreement.

In the end, Leo chose jasmine. He took out the tea bag with the right amount of leaves and grabbed the kettle to fill it with water. He turned on the burner and waited for the water to boil. Okay, now he just had to wait.

He sat beside Donnie, who looked up from his magazine when he noticed Leo’s presence. His brother took a sip of coffee and went back to reading.

Well, the eldest brother had a question.

“So, what’s everyone doing awake at this hour?”

“What’s up, Fearless? Jealous we’re early risers and you’re not?”

“Well, normally my greeting to you, Raph, would be good afternoon.”

Raph was ready to retort but caught himself before speaking as Mikey jumped in first. Instead, he crossed his arms and frowned. That’s classic Raph.

“Ohh, you know how it goes, Leo! Like the saying goes, the early worm gets caught by the bird!” Mikey said, pouring the contents of the pan onto the plates for the third time.

“Actually,” Donnie pointed at the youngest, “the saying goes, the early bird catches the worm, not the other way around, Mikey.”

“Whatever.” Mikey replied, pouting as he set the empty pan in the sink.

“So,” Leo interrupted, “is there a special reason?”

The youngest Hamato smiled, conspiratorial. He definitely had a good answer ready.

“I just came to the rescue of my poor older brothers on the brink of starvation!”

“Excuse me?” the impulsive one exclaimed. “You’re the one who dragged us to the kitchen!”

Mikey placed his hand dramatically on his chest. Leo already saw where this conversation was headed.

“Oh no, bros, you were the ones who woke me up saying: Mikey, Mikey, we need food or we’re going to starve, help us, save us! ” the youngest replied, doing a deliberately bad voice.

“You were in the living room eating a slice of old pizza,” Donnie added. His magazine lay forgotten on the table. “as soon as we mentioned breakfast, you ran to the kitchen.”

“No way! I was sleeping!”

“You eat and sleep at the same time?”

“Yes, it’s slipwalking. One of my many talents.”

“It’s sleepwalking, Mikey, and I’m pretty sure you don’t have it!”

Leo got up with a half-smile on his face; the kettle had started whistling. As his little brothers kept chatting, he prepared his tea.

“How can you be so sure about that?”

“Let me think…” Donnie made an exaggerated thoughtful gesture. “Maybe because we’ve lived in the same house since, I don’t know, forever!”

“Unfortunately.” Raph complained.

Leo smiled as he stirred the jasmine leaves with the chasen. Then he poured in the hot water and stirred again. He was well-versed in the process. Master Splinter had made sure all four of them learned the basics of tea preparation. Leo, of course, was the one who took it most seriously.

He returned to his seat with the tea ready. The conversation around him flowed naturally. Somehow, they had jumped into debating which dessert was the best.

Mikey was juggling dishes while serving breakfast, making his case for why frozen pizza should count as a dessert. If Leo hadn’t seen him do the exact same thing with food a thousand times, he might have been worried.

And just as Neapolitan ice cream was mentioned, a loud meow echoed.

Mikey beamed. “Ice Cream Kitty’s awake!”

“Guess she didn’t want to be left out.” Leo said, taking a sip of his tea. The flavor was pleasant.

Mikey pulled the ice cream from the freezer and placed it on the table right beside him. “She’s the best dessert! Right, kitty?”

The mutant ice cat meowed and shook herself enthusiastically, spraying sticky droplets onto the three older brothers. Nothing new. Sometimes Leo suspected that little ball of ice cream did it on purpose.

The conversation continued, now with ICK joining in. Obviously, she was taking Mikey’s side. The four of them started eating, and his little brothers weren’t exaggerating. They looked really hungry.

Leo, as the eldest, had better self-control and ate much more slowly. It was delicious, but a little overcooked. Strange. When Mikey isn’t experimenting, he’s usually pretty precise with his cooking.

He pushed the thought aside; everyone makes mistakes.

Splinter hadn’t left the dojo, and Leo was starting to worry.

Training should have started ten minutes ago. He could sense that they wouldn’t be training that day, in fact, he expected it. That was usual after tough missions.

But Splinter always gave them a heads-up.

Leo was sitting in the living room with Mikey and Raph. Donnie had excused himself a while ago to go to his lab. The TV was playing Crognard in the background, an episode they’d seen multiple times. Even so, it had the youngest completely mesmerized.

Leo fidgeted on the floor, glancing at his T-Phone and the dojo door every few seconds.

Mikey was too absorbed in the show to notice. Raph, flipping through one of his comics, did notice.   

“What’s got you so jumpy, Leo?” he said, raising an eyebrow.

“Training should’ve started already. Twelve minutes have passed.”

“Are you crazy? We almost died last night.” Raph frowned and squinted at his comic. “Wait— are you timing this?”

“Master Splinter is never late.” Leo said, letting none of his annoyance slip.

Raph snorted and stretched out on the couch, unconcerned. Yes, it was certain that his impulsive brother thought he worried too much.

“You’re overreacting, Fearless. He’s probably just meditating. After what happened yesterday, he needs a break too.”

Those words did little to ease the tightness in Leo’s chest. He shifted his gaze between the T-Phone and the dojo entrance once again.

“Still, it’s not normal.”

Raph clicked his tongue, resigned in his attempt to get Leo to drop it. And he was right. Leo wasn’t going to stop worrying.

Mikey finally looked away from the TV and asked, confused.

“We’re not training today?”

“No, unless Splinter Jr. wants to make us.”

Leo gripped his T-Phone a little too hard. Raph really knew how to push his buttons. He checked the time, four more minutes late.

“That’s great, a day off!” Mikey exclaimed, raising his arms. “We should celebrate. This is a rare and unique event, bros!”

He was sure Mikey wasn’t trying to annoy him like the others, but sometimes his little brother had a special talent for testing his patience.

“No, Mikey. This isn’t normal,” he sighed, irritation leaking into his voice. “and when something’s not normal, it needs to be investigated.”

An awkward silence settled over the room, broken only by the TV in the background. Raph snorted again, grabbing his comic. Leo glanced one last time from the dojo to his T-Phone, three minutes late now.

Leo knew he couldn’t wait any longer. With a sigh, he pushed himself up from the floor.

“I’ll go see what’s going on.”

Leo walked straight to the dojo entrance. Just before stepping through the door, he heard his little brother mutter in a pouty voice.

“Ow, such a party pooper.”

From a very young age, Leo had admired his father.

He remembers watching his gestures closely, absorbing every action like a sponge. It was the baby Leonardo’s ability to observe and imitate that earned him the title of eldest.

By the time he was almost two, he mimicked a kata with his chubby, uncoordinated limbs. He was clumsy and rough, as one would expect from such a tiny turtle. His father paused, but little Leo continued the exercise. Seconds later, his brothers stood up and copied his movements, step by step.

His father stroked his beard and smiled with pride. When they were done, he carefully picked them up and carried them to sleep in that old box with blankets they called a bed.

That was his first encounter with ninjutsu.

From that moment on, he became more observant and analytical. He absorbed every action of his father. Every little gesture, every small habit. Raph never teased him about Splinter Junior for no reason.

So yes, Leo knew Master Splinter very well.

And he had never seen him feel this bad.

“Master Splinter… are you okay?”

The atmosphere in the dojo was heavy, gloomy. His sensei sat in front of his small altar. He stayed still in his meditation pose, but the faint twitch of his ear showed he was listening to Leo.

Leo waited for a minute, then two. His master’s silence was like a void tightening his chest. The sadness was too palpable in the air, like a dark, dense cloud that was impossible to ignore.

He wrestled with whether leaving was the best choice, until his sensei’s words broke the silence.

“The invisible scars are the deepest, Leonardo.” Leo tensed but didn’t interrupt his father’s words. “There will be no training today, nor tomorrow. I need time. I will let you know when I am ready. Tell your brothers and April of my decision.”

The words hit him like a bucket of cold water. Leo clenched his fists, dismayed. It was the first time he had heard Splinter this affected.

It took him a few seconds to find his voice. When he did, it was forced. like sandpaper against his throat.

“Understood, Master Splinter.”

He bowed and left the dojo without saying another word.

Raph and Mikey weren’t in the living room when he came out.

Leo wasn’t sure how long he’d been, but he was surprised to find they were gone.

If he hadn’t had a message from his father, Leo wouldn’t have gone looking for his brothers. He felt like watching Space Heroes and also needed some alone time to think. An empty room was the perfect opportunity.

Leo sighed. This was an obligation, not a choice.

He found the three of them in the lab, huddled together in front of Donnie’s computer, smiling at something on the screen.

Leo tried to see what was so interesting… and instantly regretted it.

His face turned bright red. On the screen was a tiny, confused six-year-old Leo, covered from head to toe in glitter. Miniature Mikey and Raph were in the corner of the shot, grinning mischievously.

He remembered that day vividly. Mikey had wanted to prank him, and somehow convinced Raph to help. Donnie recorded the whole thing with a video camera he’d managed to fix (the second one; the first only took pictures).

It had taken weeks to get all that glitter out.

He couldn’t help pulling his head slightly back into his shell. Talk about embarrassing.

Donnie shut the laptop with almost guilty quickness, avoiding eye contact. He scratched his head and muttered something about how contagious Mikey’s curiosity could be.

The accused defended himself, of course. Still, the youngest didn’t miss the chance to point out how adorable little Leo had been. Leo frowned at the irony of the comment. Of the four of them, Mikey was the family’s certified baby—how could he call his older brother “adorable” ?

Mikey jumped to grab his arm, and Leo let him cling for a bit, still blushing. Raph snickered quietly at his reaction. Ah, siblings.

After a few seconds, Leo pulled himself together and gently pushed his little brother away, earning a pout. Still distracted, he shook his head slightly and conveyed the message his father had entrusted to him.

His brothers’ faces briefly showed mild concern, but it faded quickly. As always, they deflected their distress. Leo understood; his brothers preferred not to dwell on pain. In part, so did he.

Then they reacted exactly as expected: Raph snorted, Mikey grinned while talking about all the things they could do with a day off, and Donnie hurried to call April with a goofy smile on his face.

At least they forgot about that video… right?

Leo knew there was nothing he could do about Donnie’s digital folder of family memories on the computer. Master Splinter didn’t use technology, but he greatly valued the photos and videos from his old cameras. Sometimes, his father would ask to see those digitized memories, happy to keep them safe and accessible.

But that didn’t mean he appreciated his brothers poking through his baby memories. Not at all. So, indirectly, he tried steering the situation toward something more pleasant for him, maybe an activity that didn’t involve the family album. Or at least not his part of it.

That video of tiny Mikey caught in the act eating the whole cookie jar was pretty cute too… as was the one of mini Donnie embarrassed after cutting the power, or kid Raph’s sappy conversation with Spike.

There were plenty of options besides his.

It didn’t work. He wasn’t surprised, but he didn’t like it either. Sometimes—many times—his brothers could be very mischievous. Yes, professional comedians. They could start their own clown college at this point.

With a furrowed brow, Leo crossed his arms and walked off without another word.

The living room was a mess.

Cushions scattered everywhere, candy wrappers everywhere, and the TV still on.

Leo sighed and shook his head. Was it really that hard for them to tidy up a little? Annoyed, he picked the cushions up off the floor and put them back on the couch. He tossed the wrappers into the trash and went looking for the TV remote.

He checked under the furniture and across the floor, searching the whole room. Nothing.

Leo grumbled to himself; Mikey had probably taken it. The youngest had a habit of leaving the remote anywhere in the house. Once, it had somehow ended up inside the fridge.

Ugh, It was a lost cause to look for it right now.

With no other choice, he decided to work the TV manually. He hooked up the DVD player and slid in a random Space Heroes disc. He didn’t care if any of his brothers wanted to watch something else—at that moment, it was his TV, end of story.

Leo put a hand to his face and gave himself a light tap.

Calm. Inhale, exhale.

He breathed a few more times, needing to shake off the heaviness in his chest. Holding onto negativity wasn’t good, but he understood why he felt that way. Yesterday had been objectively terrible, and today wasn’t likely to win any awards for best day of the year.

The screen came to life with his favorite show, and he let himself drift with it, like the tide in the ocean. His focus settled on Captain Ryan and his team, the amazing heroes of space.

Leo got comfortable in his spot, letting frustration flow like a river and wash out of his body.

Everything’s going to be fine.

It just has to be.

Chapter Text

Not every day was full of excitement or wonder.

Every now and then, they slipped into a routine that could pass as normal for an ordinary New Yorker. Honestly, Leo was grateful for it. They’d had more than enough excitement to last them the rest of the month; they didn’t need anymore.

This time, the atmosphere was calm. They had breakfast, debated over the best movies of the year, and then each went their own way: Donnie dove into his lab, thrilled with a new project; Raph hammered away at his punching bag; Mikey played on the console; and Leo caught up on a book he’d been putting off for quite a while.

They’d been at it for some time when Leo grew tired of reading. That’s when an idea came to him.

“Mind if I play?” he asked from his spot on the couch.

Mikey stiffened slightly, the words must’ve snapped him out of his trance. The suspicion was confirmed when the game over music chimed. Oops…

“Of course, bro!” he exclaimed with a smile that seemed a little forced. Yeah, losing must have bugged him. “Oh, I think I know which one we should play!”

Leo nodded. He set his book on the couch and got up to sit next to his younger brother. Mikey handed him the other controller and asked him to sync it while he swapped out the disc for another game.

It was one of their favorites. They had found it in a remote part of the sewers shortly after Donnie restored the old console their father had brought from the surface (as if it were a matter of fate). They’d spent countless hours glued to the screen, so many that they eventually burned themselves out on it.

Leo loved it, and truth be told, he was really good at it. It was highly likely he was the reason Raph had gotten sick of playing.

…He admits he can be a bit of a show-off too. Can anyone blame him?

They started playing, and as usual, Mikey took the early lead. His little brother's chaotic, improvised playing style usually gave him that advantage. Leo was more patient, more strategic. He preferred to watch carefully, waiting for the perfect opening to counterattack.

But something felt… off.

Mikey was playing more frantically, maybe even more aggressively. Leo picked up on more patterns, more openings, which he exploited without giving it much thought. He was too caught up in the competition to stop and analyze it.

Until it became too obvious.

Leo kept his eyes glued to the screen, though his extremely analytical mind picked up on more details. His younger brother’s brow was slightly more furrowed, his eyes reflecting an unusual tension. The sound of his fingers hitting the buttons was a bit harder, a bit faster. That wasn’t his usual expression—he was holding back.

So he really did get upset about losing earlier, huh?

The match went into overtime; adrenaline pumped through his veins. Leo waited for his moment, patient. One slip on his brother’s part was all it took, and he made his perfect move to claim an instant victory. He smirked, ready to laugh it off.

“I won.”

“Yeah, nice job!” his little brother replied, springing up from the floor. “You haven’t lost your touch.”

“Of course not, I’ve always been your sensei at this.” Leo glanced at the controller left on the floor. “Want a rematch?”

Mikey looked away. “Uh-uh, sorry bro, I promised Ice Cream Kitty another round of cards!”

“Oh.”

“Anyway, that was fun, good game!”

Leo didn’t even get the chance to respond before his brother disappeared. He stayed still for a while, dazed, sitting in the same spot. The loading screen music droned in the background. He blinked a couple of times, then looked at the abandoned controller at his side.

Well.

He frowned, embarrassed. Then he remembered they weren’t the only two around. Maybe Raph would want to play.

With renewed hope, he turned toward the punching bag area, scanning for his hot headed brother. He wasn’t there. Apparently, Raph had slipped out at some point.

The disappointment was hard to ignore.

Leo sighed and began tidying everything up.

Leo loved training.

It wasn’t a mystery to anyone—his brothers never failed to tease him about it. Ninjutsu was a part of him, built into his body like programming into a machine.

Don’t get him wrong, rest was always welcome. A ninja’s usual training was exhausting and extensive. The problem was, he’d had too much free time these past few days. Somehow, it felt wrong. Like he was wasting something valuable.

So yes, he needed to move. Nothing too extreme, of course. Running through a standard kata routine should be enough to settle him down.

He thought of the dojo but dismissed it immediately; for obvious reasons, it wasn’t available at the moment. He’d have to make do with the common area. Well, it wouldn’t be the first time.

He got up from the couch, resolved. Mikey, who was reading a comic on the beanbag, glanced up at him curiously. He didn’t say a word, since he didn’t have to be a genius to know Mikey wouldn’t want to join in if he asked.

Leo expected his younger brother to look away after a moment, but he didn’t. Feeling slightly awkward, Leo paused mid-kata and asked if he wanted to join. Mikey blinked, quickly said no, and buried his face back in his comic. Leo just shrugged and carried on.

He was on his third kata when Raph stepped out of his room; he looked over the scene for a moment, then frowned. Not that Raph was ever not frowning. Leo didn’t even bother asking if he wanted to join. He knew better, as he’d only get a sarcastic remark for his trouble. No thanks.

His brother muttered something Leo didn’t catch and walked off. Leo didn’t see where, but judging by his footsteps, it was toward Donnie’s lab. Hm. Maybe something of his had broken? Wouldn’t be unusual. Raph ranked second in “most careless sibling,” right after Mikey.

Leo went back to his training. Forty minutes later, he finished in an empty room. Mikey had somehow managed to sneak off without him noticing. He had to admit, it was pretty impressive.

Leo was in his room reading a Space Hero comic, one of his favorites, when his stomach protested. He snapped out of his daydream and checked the time. To his surprise, it was already pretty late. His brothers hadn’t called him for dinner either, so he figured that meant no pizza tonight. In other words, self-service.

He headed straight for the kitchen and opened the fridge only to find that the leftover Caprese pasta salad from the day before was gone.

Uh, that answered the question of whether they’d eaten.

On one hand, he was glad his brothers were finally getting more vegetables in their diet. If there was one downside to discovering pizza, it had become nearly impossible for them to go a day without eating it.

He still remembered the stomachache they’d all gotten after eating nothing but that cheese-and-dough bomb for a week straight. According to Donnie, even their mutant biology had filed a complaint over the glucose spike and the calorie overload. Luckily, they bounced back quickly thanks to their mutations.

On the other hand, he couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. That salad had been really good, and he would’ve liked another serving. He even remembered complimenting Mikey several times during lunch, until his little brother started deflecting the attention, embarrassed.

Leo closed the fridge when he found nothing he could eat without cooking. He was strictly banned from using the stove ever since he blew up the toaster for the third time. His little brother would have a heart attack if he burned down the kitchen or something.

So he went for the one safe option—his exception in the kitchen, the one thing he was actually good at: instant ramen. For some strange reason, he could make that but not toast.

He filled a pot with water and set it on the stove. Then he grabbed a packet of instant ramen from the cupboard. They had stocked up recently, so there was plenty.

He sat down and scrolled through his T-Phone while waiting for the water to boil. At Mikey’s insistence, Donnie had installed games on the devices, and in moments like this, Leo was grateful.

Soon, the sound of water bubbling pulled his attention back. He carefully prepared his ramen, making sure not to burn himself.

He ate in silence, accompanied only by his own thoughts.

“Donnie?”

His brother turned faster than lightning. He jumped as if he’d just been caught red-handed. The little gadget he was tinkering with under the magnifying glass sparked a couple of times before shutting down. Donnie scowled and muttered under his breath about having to start all over again.

“Do you need something?” he tilted his head, his face tight with annoyance. “Cause in case you haven’t noticed, I’m a little busy here.”

“Yeah, I noticed.” Leo grimaced at the sight of the desk. It was covered in blueprints, half-finished gadgets, and even jars of unknown chemicals. It was clear his brother took the responsibility that had fallen on him very seriously, and Leo was glad for that. “I just want to ask if you know where Raph is. I won’t bother you after that.”

Donnie narrowed his eyes with suspicion. Oh, he’s probably thinking I fought with Raph and now I’m looking for him to give one of my lectures. Of course not, but he could understand why Donnie thought that. The two oldest brothers could be like wood and fire sometimes.

The genius gave him a look up and down; Leo felt a little uneasy and raised his hands.

“We didn’t fight! We were just going to train, that’s all.”

Leo had to swallow the bitter taste on his tongue. That… wasn’t entirely true, though not exactly a lie either.

For the past few days, Raph had been acting more wound up than usual. Leo could see it in his gestures, his posture, the tension coiled tight in his muscles. His younger brother bottled up his anger under his skin, and when he couldn’t hold it in anymore, he exploded.

Leo knew that feeling well. He’d learned how to keep it in check, under control, as part of the job of being a leader. Balance was key, and to keep it, you needed a release, a way to let it out.

Meditation worked for Leo; Raph, on the other hand, needed something far more… physical.

Once Leo figured that out—quite a while ago—he began to intervene. Sometimes he challenged him outright, other times he provoked him just enough to make him vent it all. But Raph wasn’t dumb; sooner or later, he was bound to see through his true intentions.

And he did, after a long confrontation. Leo still shivered remembering the sharp tone when Raph called it stupid self-sacrifice.

They’d reached a silent, unspoken agreement. Both started opening up more about their problems. Raph would seek him out to burn off energy when he felt overloaded, and Leo did the same. Because sure, meditation worked, but sometimes he needed action.

Today was one of those days. Or at least, it should have been.

The day before, when he noticed Raph hitting the punching bag harder than usual, Leo had finally worked up the nerve to ask if he needed to "train". The tension bottled up inside his brother was too much. He couldn’t keep waiting around for Raph to come to him.

Raph glanced at him from the corner of his eye, fists still hammering away. Then, the anger in his gaze seemed to ease, and with his usual brusqueness, he agreed to train the next day before disappearing into his room.

But now he was nowhere to be found. The hothead brother had decided to vanish. Oh, fantastic. Now he needed to let off some steam too.

“Leo?”

He looked up, pulled out of his thoughts as Donnie sighed.

“Sorry, I didn’t hear you. Can you repeat that?”

“I was saying…” Donnie dragged out the words in annoyance. “Raph went out with Casey.”

“He what?” Leo asked reflexively, not quite believing what his genius brother had just said. He crossed his arms, more confused than upset, and muttered to himself, “Why?”

Donnie still heard him and answered wearily. “I don’t know, Leo. That’s your problem, not mine. ” He turned back to his project before gesturing toward the door. “Now if you don’t mind, I’ve got a lot of work to do.”

Leo froze for a second, a faint discomfort settling in his chest at Donnie’s indifference. He figured his brother must be stressed; he had gotten stressed just looking at the chaos in that lab.

“Right. Thank you, Donnie.”

His brother replied with a nod, already focused again on the little gadget. Leo sighed inwardly and headed for the door.

Before leaving, he caught sight of one of the brain worms he and Mikey had brought back a while ago. Donnie had built it a small terrarium, where the disgusting creature seemed more comfortable than before. It made sense he’d want to keep them healthy, they were essential in figuring out a way to help Karai.

But that reasoning didn’t make Leo any less disgusted by the things.

He averted his eyes and walked out of the lab.

A familiar breeze swept through the lair at certain hours of the night, a quiet welcome to the earliest hours of dawn.

Leo sat on the couch. The TV was on at a low volume, little more than background noise. He hadn’t paid attention to the screen in a while. All his senses were sharpened, alert. Waiting.

Raph still hadn’t come back.

Hours earlier, Mikey had insisted he was getting messages from Raph, with updates on where he was and pictures. He kept checking his T-phone with a grin he couldn’t quite hide, like he’d just been handed the best gossip of the year.

Donnie, on the other hand, had commented before disappearing into his room to go to sleep that obviously he had Raph tracked, and Leo should stop obsessing over it.

Leo couldn’t. Not when his messages were being ignored. Why was Raph shutting him out? He knew his brother was stubborn and hated it when Leo tried to keep order. But this time he had crossed a line. And that was without even considering the promise they had made to meet that day.

The heavy thud of footsteps pulled him out of his thoughts. He looked up, his face tight with exhaustion and frustration. His brain, buzzing from lack of sleep, whispered that maybe this wasn’t the best night for that conversation. Leo ignored it.

“Why aren’t you answering my messages, Raph?”

His younger brother tensed instantly, ready to defend himself with the ferocity of a wolf cornered. The room seemed to drop three degrees in an instant. Things were very likely to go wrong. Leo knew that. Still, he didn’t back down. He needed to know why.

“Why should I? You’re not my mom, Lame-o-nardo.”

Leo clenched his fists, holding back from taking the bait. Raph was acting more of a jerk than usual.

“You weren’t anywhere.” He shot back, rising from the couch. “You didn’t tell me.”

Raph crossed his arms, not backing an inch. “So what? I did say where I was and what I was doing.”

“You said—”

“Jeez, what’s your problem, Leo?!” Raph snapped, his emerald eyes blazing with anger. “You always have to be in control of everything! I don’t have to ask you for permission!”

Leo flinched at the outburst. His mouth opened, his brain ready to fire back with the full weight it was carrying. But his eyes flicked to his T-phone, and the reminder that it was three in the morning hit him. If they started shouting, everyone was going to wake up.

“Raph, quiet.” He whispered firmly, both arms raised in a calming gesture. “You’ll wake everyone.”

“Tch, of course that’s what you care about.”

Raph shook his head. His face twisted into a grimace before he headed straight for his room. Leo stayed frozen with his hands still raised, an impulse deep inside pushing him to follow. He managed to intercept his brother just in time.

“Wait.”

“Move.” His stubborn brother tried to slip past him, without success. Leo was too good at blocking the way. “Step aside, Leo.”

“Not until you tell me why.”

“Why?” Raph shot back. His voice was rough, strained. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m sick of this.”

Leo’s expression softened in confusion. “This?”

“Yes!” Raph exploded, shoving his older brother. “Leave. Me. Alone.”

Leo must have dropped his guard, because Raph found a gap in his defenses. The shove that knocked him aside was harsher than usual, fueled by his unstable state. Leo stumbled back several steps, and by the time he turned, all he saw was the door to his brother’s room slamming shut.

He stood there for a while, unable to fully process what had just happened. Fights like this weren’t unusual. Most likely, by morning everything would be fine again. That was normal. It always had been.

It didn’t feel right.

The next morning went just as he’d expected. True to his emotional constipation, Raph was visibly uncomfortable through breakfast. Mikey—who was far more perceptive than he was given credit for—noticed, and somehow managed to push their hothead brother into mumbling a reluctant apology.

Leo had expected to feel better. Watching Raph’s clumsy attempts at apologizing was usually entertaining.

But this time, he felt nothing.

His brothers were far too wrapped up in their own business.

They only came out to eat, and immediately after, each locked themselves away in their rooms. Well, Donnie in his lab, which was basically the same thing.

Leo respected that, he really did. The need for privacy was something you learned early on when you had three brothers. Sometimes, you just needed to disconnect from everything and everyone.

Of course, that didn’t stop him from being bored. He’d been glued to the TV for hours, sunk deep into the couch. None of his brothers had left their caves for any reason. They looked like bears in the middle of winter.

Leo glanced at his T-phone. It was already night.

Heading out on patrol around that time was fairly common. On a normal, routine day, he would’ve called them without hesitation. But he knew better. His brothers probably wouldn’t want to go. Why else would they hole up like that? It was obvious they wanted time alone.

Honestly, Leo wasn’t all that eager to dive back into their crazy lives either. Going out on patrol could easily drag them into some ridiculous adventure, because apparently they were magnets for trouble. No, they needed a break.

On the other hand, his body didn’t agree with him.

There was a tingling in his limbs, along with some kind of cramp in his legs. Even his knee felt unusually good, better than it normally did. As if his whole body was desperate to move, to do something.

Either way, he didn’t really have anything better to do.

He wouldn’t lose anything by stepping out for a bit.

The cool night wrapped around him like a blanket. Leo closed his eyes and let that tranquility wash over him. Above, the city he called home rose in all its grandeur; thousands upon thousands of lights flickered, a mirror to the star-filled sky. The moon at the center stood tall. The cherry on top of a perfect scene.

He sat down on one of his favorite rooftops, admiring the city with nothing else to do. The streets were unusually quiet, and it felt strange. Where had the Purple Dragons, the Foot Clan, or even the common crooks gone? Was it World Peace Day or something? It wasn’t that Leo wanted to find trouble, just that it was odd.

Maybe he was a little disappointed.

Dealing with a theft or some minor crime would’ve been satisfying enough. At least it would have kept him busy for a while. Definitely more encouraging than being left alone with his thoughts. His head and he had already spent plenty of time together these past few days.

Leo lifted his gaze. Judging by the moon’s position, it wasn’t very late yet. He decided to take one last round. This time, he’d follow a different route. With some luck, he’d find something to keep him distracted before heading back to the lair.

He’d drifted away from his usual path, the one that passed near April’s apartment, while lost in thought.

For a few minutes, he looked up at the building where his friend lived. The memory of that fateful night hit him with force. The conversation with his father the next day, the heavy atmosphere in the dojo… She was the only one who had witnessed the fight between Splinter and Karai. If anyone knew why Master Splinter had been so shaken, it was April.

The lights inside the apartment were still on, so Leo assumed she must be awake. It was fairly late, but that wasn’t unusual. April’s schedule had changed drastically since they’d met her. Leo still didn’t understand how she managed to juggle school and her nighttime life.

He landed silently on the balcony of her apartment. His hand hovered just inches from the window as he debated with himself. Maybe he shouldn’t bother her at this hour just to ask a question, but the doubt had taken root in his head like a weed. What if it was important? What if it could help Karai somehow? Or Master Splinter?

He ignored the voice in his head that whispered he also just wanted to talk to someone.

He tapped on the glass, and almost immediately footsteps sounded inside. April yawned as she looked through the window, blinking when she saw him.

“Leo?” She rubbed her eyes as she slid the window open. “What are you doing here?”

“I need to talk to you.” Leo studied her for a moment. He wondered if he’d been wrong to assume she wasn’t sleeping. Though, on the other hand, she was still in street clothes. “Were you asleep?”

“I wish I could sleep,” the girl muttered with another yawn. “Ugh, can’t it wait until tomorrow? I’m stuck with a school project.”

Disappointment washed over him right away, hard to hide. April must have noticed, because her gaze softened. After all, she was psychic and could pick up fragments of emotions.

“Come on in.” She sighed as she stepped aside.

“Uh, thanks.”

Leo entered the apartment in one fluid jump. She leaned out the window, as if making sure no one else was there.

“Are you alone?”

“Yes, I came alone.” Leo fidgeted with his hands, uneasy about stealing her time. He was starting to regret not just turning back earlier.

“Oh, you usually show up with someone,” she said, shutting the window with a thud. “Well then. Want something to drink? I could use a break too.”

“If it’s not a bother.”

“For you guys? Of course not.” She winked and headed toward the kitchen.

Leo followed her. As he stepped into the living room, his eyes fell on the chaos spread across the coffee table and the floor: piles of papers, half-finished charts, posters, and even a couple of cardboard models. The sharp smell of paint hit him for a moment.

Tired, April apologized for the mess and told him to watch his step. Luckily, it didn’t take long to reach the kitchen.

“Orange juice? Or I’ve got pineapple.”

Leo shrugged. “Water? Whatever’s fine.”

April rolled her eyes, pulled the orange juice out of the fridge, and poured him a glass. “Here.”

Leo accepted it but didn’t drink right away. She grabbed the pineapple juice and poured herself a glass too. Silence settled between them, broken only by the faint tapping of fingers against the glass. April studied him as she sipped her juice.

“So,” she said, lowering her glass for a moment. “What is it you want to talk about?”

“I need to know what happened that night.”

April’s eyes widened in surprise before narrowing into a frown. Her shoulders sagged slightly, and her gaze took on an accusatory edge. “You want to know what happened with Karai.”

“Well, yeah. It’s for Master Splinter; he hasn’t been the same since that night,” Leo answered, maybe a little too quickly. “If I can figure out what happened, I can do something to help.”

“I know. Donnie told me.” She set her glass on the counter. “Listen, I’m not sure I should tell you.”

Leo hadn’t expected that answer, and of course it wasn’t the one he wanted.

“April, please. Was it really that bad?”

The redhead drew in a deep breath, as if unsure what to say.

“What you need is to calm down. No, no— uhm…” she faltered, glancing to the side as she clasped her hands together. “It’s not my place to talk about it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Believe me, I get it, Leo. But sometimes there are things we can’t control. Pushing them could do more harm than good.”

The recent fight with Raph flashed through his mind. Was he being too overbearing? Too controlling? The questions bounced around in his head like a ping-pong ball, soon mixing with April’s words.

April let out a soft sigh and leaned against the counter. Her arms crossed, but her shoulders were relaxed. For a moment she looked away, and when her eyes met his again, they held a quiet understanding.

“I know you feel responsible, Leo. You try to carry everyone on your shoulders, and that’s admirable, but—”

“I understand,” he cut her off. Leo lowered his gaze, carefully turning the untouched glass of juice in his hands. He felt the weight of her words sinking into his mind. “I think I should go.”

April’s eyes lit up, as if she’d just remembered something important. She walked over to the cupboard and pulled out a box. Leo tilted his head, curious.

“Before you leave, I want you to take this.” She opened the box to reveal homemade cookies. “I took a baking class! They’re nothing fancy, but Casey says they’re good.”

The smell of fresh pastry and chocolate chips reached his nose. The temptation to grab one nearly overwhelmed him—they looked really good.

“Oh, uh, thanks.”

“By the way, I didn’t give you that juice just for you to stare at it,” she scolded playfully, pointing at the still-full glass. Crossing her arms in mock annoyance, she added, “Drink it.”

Leo glanced down at the glass in his hands and let out a small laugh.

The patrol had helped.

Leo felt lighter, clearer. Stretching his legs had turned out to be a good idea. It showed in his steps, now softer. The talk with April hadn’t gone the way he expected, but he understood it had been necessary. There were things he needed to reflect on.

The box of cookies she’d given him rested in his hands. On the way back, he had tried one, and it was really good. She was being way too modest when she said they were nothing special.

He had planned to share them with his brothers, maybe the little gesture would finally get them out of their self-imposed confinement. Well, at the very least, Donnie would come around. They were April’s cookies, after all.

He was almost home when the echo of his brothers’ laughter hit him. Their voices rang out happy and carefree, blending with the sound of the TV in the background. Something unpleasant lodged in his chest, and it took him a moment to identify it.

Leo pushed it aside. It wasn’t right to harbor feelings like that—not when they were born from someone else’s joy.

He entered the lair cautiously, the delicious smell of cheese and pepperoni filling his nose. His brothers were surrounded by pizza boxes, the TV playing an animated movie he hadn’t seen before.

Leo blinked twice, like a confused owl. Weren’t they locked in their rooms when he left? When had they come out? Why hadn’t they called him? By instinct, he pulled out his T-phone and checked his notifications. Nothing.

Mikey noticed him and jumped up excitedly from his seat.

“Leo!” he greeted with his mouth full. “Where were you? We ordered pizza—it’s movie night!”

His other two brothers turned and waved, looking a little uncomfortable at the abrupt interruption of the movie, now paused. Leo frowned. This wasn’t movie night. No way. He had a calendar with all the dates marked.

“Isn’t it too early for that?” he asked, gripping the cookie box a little tighter. “I have it written down, I'm sure it’s not today.”

And normally, I’m the one who has to remind you. The words stuck on his tongue.

Raph muttered something about hypocrisy before replying. "What's the matter? You get to vanish without a heads-up, but we gotta run our movie night by you first?" He sneered, crossing his arms in defiance. “Blah, Leo! We can have movie night whenever we want.”

For the second time that night, the memory of that conversation came back, and this time his head buzzed in protest.

“Well, yeah, but…”

“We wanted you to join us, but you weren’t here,” Donnie added, the remote still in his hand, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Technically, it was. “You still can, if you want.”

Leo stood still for a second, the box trembling slightly in his palms. He loved spending time with his brothers, loved movie nights. The question of whether he wanted to be there was unnecessary. They should know that. Forcing a smile, he stepped closer.

“'Course I want to. I hope you saved me some pizza.”

“We tried, but Mikey’s a first-class glutton.”

“Hey!” the youngest shot back with a laugh, not really offended. He came over to Leo with a plate in hand. “Of course I saved pizza for my dear big brother. What do you take me for?”

Leo smiled wider and accepted the plate with a word of thanks. Mikey’s gaze then locked on what he was carrying in his other hand. He sniffed the air in an exaggerated gesture before lunging toward him.

“What’s that?!”

Following his little brother’s eyes to the cookie box, Leo realized he’d forgotten he was even holding it. The dents his fingers had left on the cardboard startled him, and he loosened his grip immediately.

“Cookies,” he said, short and plain. He hadn’t meant to sound like that.

“Oooh, gimme gimme!” Mikey’s baby eyes went full force as he bounced like a kangaroo. “C’mon, Leoooo.”

Leo let go of the tension in his shoulders, tension he hadn’t even noticed until now. For some reason, the image of an overexcited puppy popped into his mind. His mouth curved into a more genuine smile. The distraction cost him, though—before he realized it, the box had vanished from his hands.

If Mikey put those ninja skills to use on patrols, the world would be a better place. Or at least, their missions would be easier.

“Mmmm, chocolate chip!” Mikey exclaimed, already with one handful in his hand and another in his mouth. “Delicious!”

“Hey, wait up, you little gremlin! I want some too,” Raph said, already on his feet to chase after the youngest. “You can’t hog it all!”

Donnie raised an imaginary eyebrow, his fingers toying with the remote. The gears in his genius brother’s brain were turning.

“Where did you even get chocolate chip cookies in the middle of the night?”

“April—”

“April made them?!” Donnie shot up, eyes locked on the cookie box. “Mikey, give me that box!”

“Sorry, dude, finders keepers!”

In no time, the youngest had two of his brothers chasing after him. Leo sat down on the couch, waiting for them to finish their little chase before starting the movie. He glanced at the slice of pizza Mikey had given him and tried not to grimace when he realized it was a flavor he didn’t like.

After some cornering and scuffling, his brothers finally rejoined him. Their breathing was broken up by laughter. The empty box lay discarded to the side, the clear loser of the chase.

Leo didn’t mention that he’d wanted some of those cookies too—there weren’t any left, and saying so would only spark an unnecessary argument.

The movie resumed, one he hadn’t seen before. He tried to ignore the small things: how they subtly edged away from him, how his brothers huddled closer together, how they didn’t really acknowledge his comments or questions about what he’d missed.

Movie night ended after that single film.

It used to last until the early hours of the morning.

Chapter Text

Everything seemed to be going fine.

The four of them were sitting at the table, having breakfast like every other day. His brothers chatted and laughed; he listened and sipped his tea. The usual.

Leo cherished this, breakfast along with lunch were the unshakable moments of the day. They always shared them. After that, each went their own way and took care of their own things. He didn’t stop them. In the end, he understood they had their own interests.

They were talking about video games, Mikey and Raph in particular. His youngest brother seemed determined to defend his stance, raising his voice and throwing out wild theories. Donnie, who was reading a magazine, added the occasional precise remark.

He tried to join the conversation, but his words seemed to hang in the air, with no one catching them. A bitter taste spread across his tongue, but he decided to brush it off. They were excited, that was all.

Leo took another bite of his toast. The plates were nearly empty, and the sound of cutlery had stopped some time ago. His, on the other hand, still had food on it. That meant his brothers had finished faster, or he had eaten slower. Not unusual.

“Whose turn is it to wash the dishes?”

“Oh no, don’t look at me, Mikey,” Raph shot back as he headed for the exit. “I washed them two weeks ago.”

It was his turn. Still, he wasn’t sure if he should say it. For some time now, he had started lingering in the kitchen a bit longer, sitting nearby to keep whoever was washing company. It wasn’t much, just a small moment he had grown to appreciate for some reason.

The question crossed his mind: would any of his brothers stay?

“It’s my turn,” he finally spoke up. After all, they would’ve figured it out.

Mikey, who was in front of the fridge, glanced at him sideways. “Awesome, all yours!”

The youngest opened the freezer and pulled out ICK. The mutant cat let out a happy meow at the sight of him. Both left the kitchen, probably heading to Mikey’s room. At least that meant Leo would see him a couple more times before lunch. Ice Cream Kitty needed to stay close to the freezer.

Raph had already left a moment ago. Only Donnie remained, still sitting in his chair.

Leo looked at his last brother there. The surprise he felt at seeing him still there was unexpected. Was he really that sure Donnie would go? He shook his head and focused on finishing his meal. His brother looked far too immersed in his reading to try and strike up a conversation.

Donnie stopped just as Leo took his final bite, as if someone had flipped a switch. He stared at him for a second. It was too brief to tell if it had really happened or if it was just his imagination. He saw Donnie frown, refill his coffee cup, then say a quick goodbye before heading out as well.

His brother had stayed with him for a while—he didn’t understand the feeling that tightened in his chest.

That day, Leo didn’t move from the common area.

He turned on the TV and settled in for a Space Heroes marathon. He couldn’t find the remote, so he had to make do on the floor. Every so often, almost on impulse, his eyes flicked toward the bedroom doors and the lab. His fingers drummed lightly against the ground.

His brothers did come out a couple of times. It wasn’t like they stayed locked up all day. But none of them came over to talk to him or watch TV. In fact, they didn’t even stick around wherever he was for long, even though it was the spot with pretty much all the entertainment. The call for lunch was a relief he hadn’t realized he needed.

After eating, his brothers scattered again just as quickly. The food sat heavy in his stomach. They were too wrapped up in their own affairs—he understood that.

He swapped out the Space Heroes disc for Crognard and turned the volume up a little. He told himself it was because he wanted the series fresh in his mind; he and his brothers were so close to finishing it. They were bursting with excitement to see the grand finale.

After a while, though, he found himself paying more attention to his surroundings than to the screen. His brain, without warning, zeroed in on the doors and on his T-phone. He repeated the action every few minutes, waiting.

As night fell, the silence began to smother him. It crawled under his skin like tiny insects, spreading unease. Leo didn’t know what to do with the feeling. Before, calm had been pleasant. Peace and quiet had been pleasant.

It had never felt like this before.

His room was dark, the only sound a faint drip from some dripping pipe. Leo lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling in silence. He couldn’t sleep. The clock read four in the morning.

Something… something felt off, maybe even wrong. He told himself he was imagining it; lately he’d been spending more time alone with his thoughts, which gave his mind all the space it needed to make things up.

He liked calm and quiet, of course. But he missed the chaos, the mess, and the noise that came with being around his brothers. No kind of peace could replace those three. In fact, nothing ever could. Even if they drove him crazy sometimes, disobeyed him, or got on his nerves.

He had always known this. They were his little brothers, his responsibility. The most important part of his life.

What he hadn’t realized was how much he needed their presence. It was hard to admit how much he had taken their company for granted until now; the simple act of being with them had become a second kind of oxygen. He’d had plenty of time to reach that conclusion—and now he didn’t know what to do with it.

Leo didn’t want to be a bother, didn’t want to control. His brothers had the right to decide what they wanted to do. He couldn’t impose his own wishes on them, that wouldn’t be fair… right?

But he could take the initiative. He would try. He would step forward.

He wanted to believe he was wrong.

After a couple of tries, he gave up on suggesting activities after lunch. His brothers always found ways to slip away. Leo didn’t want to smother them. There was still the rest of the day, anyway, and he had his own pending tasks to deal with.

For example, his katanas were overdue for maintenance. He had been neglecting them, and that wasn’t good. Master Splinter had always reminded them of how important a ninja’s weapons were.

It was as he stepped out of his room with his beloved blades in hand that he saw his younger brother glued to the arcade. A gentle wave of excitement washed over him. Mikey looked fired up; he must have been close to breaking a record.

Leo approached carefully. This time he made sure not to interrupt his game. He learned his lesson last time; he didn’t want to break his concentration. He watched in silence as the youngest seemed unaware of his presence, too absorbed in the game. It had to be a really good run.

Leo began turning over what to say once he finished. He could ask if he could join in, though he would have preferred something more collaborative. The arcade was single-player, and he didn’t want either of them to be stuck just watching. Playing on the console was an option, or watching a movie didn’t sound too bad either…

The sound of “game over” and his little brother’s groans snapped him out of his thoughts. Uh, yeah, maybe he could cross video games off the list. Judging by his reaction, Mikey didn’t seem in the mood to keep going with that.

“Pff… this is so rigged,” he muttered to himself. He switched the machine off and spun around listlessly. His light blue eyes locked with Leo’s; the youngest blinked and practically bristled like a startled cat. “Whoa, Leo, you scared me! What are you doing just standing there like a statue? That’s creepy, dude.”

Leo moved on instinct at the comment, even though he hadn’t realized how stiff his muscles were. “I wanted to ask if you’d like to watch a movie.”

Mikey’s expression shifted into something more bored. He averted his eyes, avoiding eye contact. “Um, don’t think so. I was gonna paint now, so…”

“Paint?” Leo couldn’t help but cut in. That was something he hadn’t considered. Mikey always enjoyed creating art with company; he loved showing off his works-in-progress. “Can I join you?”

His little brother began to shuffle his feet, his smile fading. “No. It’s a secret.”

The air of expectation deflated from his lungs. That was… strange. The youngest had always been boastful about anything he did, as he saw it as an achievement worth showing off. He loved getting attention.

“Well, that’s okay,” Leo said. After all, it was Mikey’s decision in the end. “Have fun.”

“Aww, thanks, Leo!” he exclaimed, his spirits seemingly back. “Catch you later!”

Leo watched him disappear quickly down the hall. The sound of his door shutting was all the signal he needed that his little brother had chosen to paint in his room. It shouldn’t have surprised him, as Leo also liked having his own space for activities that required focus, like meditation.

If Mikey wanted privacy for his art, that was fine. He shouldn’t find it so strange. Leo glanced down at his katanas and noticed the tension in his hands. He loosened his grip. Right. Maintenance.

Donnie shouted from his lab that he was heading to the junkyard.

Leo paused mid-kata. Excitement sparked. This was the perfect chance. Plus, some fresh air sounded tempting. His body felt heavy, probably from being cooped up inside so long. Getting out would do him good.

He made his way to the lab and found his genius brother already ready to go with a bag in hand, typing cheerfully on his T-phone. Leo smiled; his enthusiasm was contagious.

“Hey.”

His brother looked up from the screen. The cheer drained from his face at the sight of him, and his grip on the bag tightened. Leo tried not to take it personally.

“Hey, Leo,” he replied flatly, maybe even with a hint of suspicion. “What’s up?”

“Can I come with you?”

Donnie opened and closed his mouth like a fish. His eyes darted back to his T-phone, typing rapidly.

“Don’t think so. Mikey’s already coming with me.” Without looking up, he kept typing. “We’d rather keep it just Team B. You understand, right?”

Leo’s smile froze. Strange. Earlier that afternoon, his little brother had turned down a movie with him because he was supposedly going to read comics all night. He was about to bring it up, but the words died in his throat when a blur of green and orange zipped into the room like lightning.

Mikey jumped up and snatched the bag from Donnie’s hands. He burst into a stream of chatter so fast Leo barely caught any of it—something about hunting for cat toys and needing a new music player.

Donnie rolled his eyes fondly at the younger one’s rapid-fire words, but the smile had returned to his face. He looked more at ease now, the earlier tension completely forgotten.

The two of them headed out mid-conversation. They walked right past him without even a glance. Their laughter was light, carefree. Leo felt invisible, a tight ache pressing against his chest.

His eyes lingered on the door for a long time, struggling to process what had just happened. He swallowed hard, a bitter taste rising in his throat.

He went back to finish his katas.

They ran into each other by pure chance.

Leo was heading back to the lair after taking a short break on the surface. The closed air down there had started to feel suffocating. Besides, his attempts to get closer to his brothers had turned out… difficult. The cool night breeze helped him relax.

He was so lost in thought that he didn’t notice his hotheaded brother barreling toward him. If not for their ninja reflexes, they would have crashed.

“Oh, just what I needed,” his younger brother muttered in annoyance. Arms crossed, emerald eyes lit with that ever-present irritation of his.

Leo let the attitude slide. This was another chance. His brother was clearly heading out—maybe he could tag along. “Hey Raph, are you—”

“Yeah, and you’re not stopping me.” Raph cut in sharply.

Seriously? Did he really think he was going to stop him? Why? Well, okay, he usually reminded him to give a heads-up before leaving, but that was it. Just a reminder. Which, of course, Raph hadn’t done. Again.

“I wasn’t going to,” Leo said, choosing not to call him out on sneaking off.

Raph narrowed his eyes, like he didn’t believe him. “Good. ’Cause I wasn’t gonna let you anyway.”

They stared at each other for a moment, tension hanging in the air like a thick cloud. Raph exhaled, shoved him aside with one hand, and kept walking. Leo let him. He didn’t want to push. Or rather, push him more than he already was, which with Raph, was usually a given.

“Where are you going?” Leo followed close behind. He felt a little ridiculous, tailing his younger brother like some lost kid, but what else was he supposed to do?

“With Slash.”

Leo’s spirits sank. That pretty much killed any chance of joining, or even a direct rejection. After all, he wasn’t nearly as close to the giant mutant turtle as Raph was.

“Slash? And what are you two gonna do?” he asked, partly out of habit, partly just to know where they were going.

Raph froze. His body trembled with rage, like a ticking bomb seconds before going off. Oh no. Leo already knew how this was about to end. Too intrusive, wasn’t it?

“Why the hell do you care?!” Raph exploded, spinning around. His fists were clenched so tight his knuckles turned white. “Exactly! you don’t!”

Leo instinctively stepped back a couple paces, though he didn’t need to; Raph had already turned away, growling. Before he knew it, his brother vaulted over the turnstile and swung onto his bike.

The last thing Leo heard was the roar of the engine fading into the distance.

In reality, it was easier said than done.

Leo had to admit it; he wasn’t exactly sure how to take the initiative. That was more Mikey’s territory. His youngest brother had a gift for interacting with anything that breathed. Sometimes, Leo envied him (not that he’d ever say it out loud).

He’d never really needed to learn, either. They were mutants living in the sewers of New York; he’d spent his whole life with the same four people. How was he supposed to learn how? From the very start, his little family had been his entire world. Even after their first trips to the surface, that hadn’t changed.

His brothers, on the other hand, had managed to form outside connections.

Casey and April, their only human friends, were close. But in a more personal way to his brothers. Leo didn’t blame them; he was so wrapped up in his own shell that it made sense why they found it easier to bond with the others.

Honestly, he hadn’t realized how closed-off he was until now. Truth be told, it was a little embarrassing. He just needed to put in more effort, that was all. Just… it was proving harder than he’d thought.

The words rang hollow in his mind. 

Donnie had spent the entire day in his lab.

He hadn’t shown up for breakfast, or for lunch. The empty chair in the kitchen stood out like a glaring spotlight. Sure, his genius brother tended to hole himself up, especially when he got caught up in a project. Leo had lost count of how many times he’d dragged him out just to make him sleep.

But… this time, it felt wrong.

Maybe it was just his own skewed perception. Still, the feeling wouldn’t go away. Honestly, he was getting tired of it.

So he decided to take some leftover mac and cheese from the day before and bring him dinner. The old peace offering trick. Yeah, that should work.

He approached with soft steps. He felt a little nervous, though he didn’t know why. Which didn’t make sense: he was just bringing mac and cheese to his younger brother. He sighed inwardly and eased the door open.

Donnie had his back turned, working on some small, odd-looking device. Kraang tech, maybe? He figured they must have found some things on their last run to the junkyard. Good to know. When they’d come back that day, no one had told him how it went.

His younger brother shifted, and that’s when Leo noticed he had his T-phone pressed against the side of his face.

“You really shouldn’t worry about that, April,” Donnie said. Mm, so he was talking to her. “Your project is important.”

The genius stood up from his seat and walked over to a shelf. He rummaged absently through a toolbox while staying on the line. Leo stepped into the lab on light feet. The idea of interrupting the conversation made him uncomfortable.

“Yeah, yeah. I know,” Donnie went on. April’s reply was too faint to make out. “Alright, we’ll be careful. Don’t worry.”

The lab was even messier than he remembered from last time. Donnie must’ve been seriously seriously deep into some idea to let it get like this. The workbench was cluttered with jars, most filled with chemicals; vials of other substances; half-built gadgets; and blueprints beyond Leo’s comprehension. The shelves, even the floor, weren’t much better.

In one corner of the table sat some dirty dishes. Well, at least Donnie had been eating. Leo carefully picked them up and set the mac and cheese down in their place. He hesitated, unsure whether to leave or wait until his brother was done.

While still debating, he spotted an empty mug hidden behind some tools. He reached for it, but in his distraction he knocked over a jar. Dilemma solved, fantastic.

“Sorry, give me a second. Looks like someone came in.” Donnie set the T-phone face down on the table and turned, his attention fixed on the device in his hand. “Why didn’t you knock? Never mind, you can– oh. It’s you.”

“Hey…” Leo greeted, picking up the jar. Thankfully it was empty plastic. Since when was he this clumsy? “I brought you dinner. I didn’t want—”

“That’s great, thanks Leo,” Donnie cut in curtly. He turned back to his T-phone and lifted it again, as if Leo weren’t even there. “You can go.”

Something inside Leo tightened. Discomfort, frustration, sadness, exhaustion. He couldn’t pin down which one, maybe it was all of them. He headed for the exit; there was no point in staying. His brother didn’t acknowledge his goodbye.

“Oh, yeah, that was Leo. The cookies? Delicious! Perfect for movie night. Mm? Sure, I’ll tell him.”

Leo lost the rest of the conversation as the door closed behind him.

He felt tired.

No surprise there. Feeling tired was normal if you weren’t sleeping well, and of course, Leo hadn’t been sleeping well lately. More than anything, it was a nuisance. Having no energy was an obstacle to the plans he had.

His feet carried him back to his room. Just looking at his bed made him drowsy—it seemed to call to him. He sat on the mattress and, against his better judgment, lay down.

His eyes focused on a small crack in the ceiling. Thoughts bubbled up in his mind, some not so pleasant. He frowned and pulled out his T-phone. He’d rather distract himself that way. Soon, his eyelids started to grow heavy.

Leo closed his eyes. He’d try to nap a little, an hour or two at most. He needed to recharge if he wanted to make it to lunch in good form. Maybe this time he’d actually get to talk with his brothers. He’d spent the night before turning over interesting activities for fun things to do with them. He had several ideas.

He underestimated just how tired he was.

Looking back, it was foolish not to set his alarm; he kicking himself for it now. Leo hadn’t thought he’d sleep that long. The worst part was that his body didn’t even feel rested, and his head was buzzing. It was frustrating. It made no sense.

He switched on his T-phone, relieved he hadn’t crushed it in his sleep. Checked the time again. Yes. He’d slept for six hours. The number hung over him, empty, meaningless for a moment… until the weight of what it meant came crashing down on him.

He’d missed lunch.

His brothers hadn’t called him. A feeling he couldn’t quite name washed over him as he opened his notifications. Nothing. Messages, nothing. He knew there hadn’t been any calls; Leo didn’t like to turn on Do Not Disturb in case of emergencies. Still, he checked. Nothing.

The air caught in his throat. Hunger churned into nausea in his stomach. He didn’t want to lose one of the only moments they still shared. He didn’t.

He nearly toppled off the bed as he tried to get up. A wave of dizziness hit him for standing too fast, but he brushed it off. With a bit of luck, maybe he could catch them outside. Though the thought of them going out without him felt like thorns under his skin.

He stumbled out of his room, his steps clumsy. The hallway stretched before him, heavy with anticipation in his gut, not really knowing what to expect. It was dark, silent. That first glance pulled him back down to earth. He stepped out and confirmed what he’d suspected: no one was there. Leo didn’t know if he should feel relieved or disappointed.

Even without an appetite, he should eat something, he reasoned. It’d be hypocritical to skip a meal when he was always nagging his genius brother not to. With that new goal in mind, he willed his feet to take him to the kitchen.

Hope sparked in his chest when he saw the light on. Someone was in the kitchen, or maybe more than one. Had lunch run late? Was that why they hadn’t called him? Were they about to? Leo couldn’t stop those questions from circling his mind as he walked.

Then he heard music. Bright, cheerful, danceable. Leo would recognize those melodies even with his ears plugged. Mikey’s favorites.

That could only mean one thing.

Leo quickened his pace and peeked into the kitchen doorway. The place was a complete mess. Flour everywhere, bowls and dough scattered across the table. The oven was on, and the smell of gummy candy mixed with chocolate reached his nose.

In the middle of the room, Mikey was dancing to the beat while holding a bowl full of dough. ICK swayed her head and meowed from atop the table.

Yep, no doubt about it. His little brother was in the middle of one of his experimental cooking sessions.

Even if it meant he’d missed lunch, Leo’s expression softened. His little brother was clearly having fun; he didn’t want to step in and break the moment. His stomach, as if it had been waiting for the cue, growled. Leo shook his head. He could wait until Mikey was done to use the kitchen.

He was about to turn around when a cold sensation on his arm stopped him. Looking down, he saw a smear of ice cream clinging to his skin. An inquisitive meow followed. Leo traced the sound with his eyes. The mutant cat was staring at him, head tilted, as if asking why he wasn’t going in.

He put a finger to his lips. Ice Cream Kitty tilted her head even further, smudging the table with ice cream. She meowed again, louder this time.

“What is it, kitty?” Mikey stopped dancing and turned off the music player connected to the speaker. A new one, another thing they must’ve found on their junkyard run. “Why’d you stop?”

Great. Betrayed by a cat. With no other choice, Leo stepped into the kitchen. Mikey looked up, and his whole face lit up.

“Ohh, hey Leo! What happened? You didn’t come for lunch.”

The sheer enthusiasm in his younger brother’s voice froze him in place. He hadn’t expected it. In stark contrast to the unease that had been sitting in his chest since he woke up, Mikey’s warmth and brightness melted it all away in an instant.

“I fell asleep,” he answered softly, leaving out the part about not being called. Leo didn’t want the mood to shift.

“Eh, it happens.” Mikey smiled and walked back to the counter. “I’m a big fan of sleep myself. One of my favorite hobbies.”

He picked up a blue bowl and carried it back to Leo, offering it with a syrupy smile and wide puppy-dog eyes—the kind Leo could never resist. Ah, the perks of being the baby of the family.

“Thanks,” Leo said as he took it. He glanced inside and felt a flicker of déjà vu.

“I got inspired by April’s cookies,” Mikey explained, leaning against the table. “Of course, these have Michelangelo’s special touch.” The mutant cat meowed in agreement.

Leo stared at the bowl, his stomach did a nervous flip. They didn’t look bad, and they didn’t smell off, but everyone knew Mikey’s experiments could get… exotic. Very exotic. He glanced at his brother, who still had those puppy-dog eyes fixed on him. With a sigh, Leo resigned himself to the very real possibility of a stomachache in the near future.

He took a cautious bite. And they tasted… good?

Sure, they weren’t exactly like April’s. These had more sugar, and even a hint of gummy candy found its way onto his tongue. The aftertaste left a slight bitterness; it wasn't unpleasant, actually, as it balanced out the sweetness so it wasn’t cloying. Yeah, they were good.

“You like ‘em?” Mikey leaned closer, waiting for the verdict. “I made the first batch especially for you, since you missed lunch…”

“Yes, I like them.” His hunger had kicked in, and he ate another one. A warm feeling spread through him from head to toe. His little brother had noticed he hadn’t eaten and baked him cookies. Maybe… maybe he’d been misreading things wrong.

“Awesome!” Mikey spun around in a jump and grabbed a small bowl full of flour. “Those are all yours, bro! I’ve still got a ton more to bake.”

Leo had an idea, a bad idea. But he felt so at ease that it slipped out of his mouth without his brain's permission. “Can I help you?”

Mikey froze mid-motion. He turned slowly, as if Leo had just said something crazy. “Uh, no? Leo, I’m not letting you loose in my kitchen,” he declared, arms crossed. His seriousness didn’t last long; the smile returned the second he looked at the mutant cat. “Besides, Ice Cream Kitty is already my co-chef. Right, kitty?”

She answered with a meow. A tiny chef’s hat—one that hadn’t been there a moment ago—was now perched on her head.

“Well, you’ve got a point,” Leo replied, struggling to keep the dejection out in his voice. He ate another cookie; this one tasted more bitter. “How about watching a movie when you’re done?”

Mikey’s baby-blue eyes landed on him for a fleeting moment, bright and full of life. His little brother turned away, and for less than a second, Leo thought he saw his gaze darken. It must have been a trick of the light, or his own tiredness.

“Mmmh,” Mikey hummed, his back to him. He switched the speaker back on, melodies bursting through the room again. “Yeah, why not? …Tomorrow night, ‘kay?”

“Really?” The word slipped out with a painful disbelief that was hard to admit.

“Of course, bro!” Mikey answered in an overly cheerful tone. He pointed toward the door with the whisk. “Until then, yeah? I’ve got to keep going with my culinary pursuits.”

“Uh, right. Got it. Thanks for the cookies.”

“Anytime! See ya, Lee!” Mikey waved, and Ice Cream Kitty chimed in with a happy meow.

He left the kitchen with a faint smile on his face. Tomorrow. He just had to wait until tomorrow. Maybe he’d even convince his other brothers to join. Maybe everything could go back to the way it used to be.

He thought about heading back to his room. But he’d already slept plenty, and besides, it wouldn’t hurt to go through the CD and VHS box. That way he’d have ideas ready for what to suggest the next day.

He walked to the center of the living room. A wave of nostalgia washed over him as he looked around the space that used to be so full of life, now empty. It didn’t feel right.

Until he noticed the mess.

Anxiety coiled around his stomach like a snake. They’d been there while he slept—everything pointed to it. Suddenly, the smell of the cookies weighed heavy on him. He pushed them aside and pressed his fingers to his temples.

It was fine. Mikey had confirmed they’d watch a movie, and his other two brothers could join too. And so what if they’d decided to hang out while he was napping? Perhaps they just wanted to respect his space.

It was fine. He kept telling himself that, even as he picked up an empty pizza box and crushed it in his hands.

Leo was excited.

It threw him off. It was just a movie. He knew that, obviously. And yet, he couldn’t help the restless energy running through him from head to toe. He wanted tonight to go well, and he was determined to make sure it did.

After breakfast, he embarked on the hunt for the perfect movie. The night before, he hadn’t managed to search much before retreating to his room; he just wasn’t in the mood. Now, though, he felt like he could search all day without getting tired.

In fact, that's exactly what he did.

He even finished lunch first. Since it wasn’t his turn to do the dishes, he slipped out quickly. His brothers’ barely hidden stares burned at the back of his neck, but it didn’t matter. He just had to wait for the nightfall.

The choice wasn’t easy. The first thing he ruled out were movies that were personal to him. Honestly, he would have picked one of Mikey’s favorites; he knew plenty of them. The problem was, if his other brothers decided to join in, it was better to pick something everyone would enjoy, right?

Better to play it safe. Leo was good at that.

In the end, he was pretty satisfied with his choice. An animated classic for movie nights. Perfect. From the outside, it might sound obvious, but nothing could be further from the truth. The movie in his hands had gone through a rigorous selection process.

Now all that was left was to wait.

He checked the time on his T-phone. It was already nighttime, so the wait shouldn’t be too long. He sat on the couch and opened his puzzle app. He'd started to develop a taste for that game. It was pretty strategic.

A full hour passed, and his little brother still hadn’t shown up. Leo stifled the rising anxiety in his chest. They hadn't specified a time. Besides, it was still early. Why did he feel like this? Usually Leo was the most patient of the four.

He sighed and turned off the screen. A sudden thought crossed his mind, and he shot up from the couch. Of course—he’d been so focused on the movie that he’d forgotten everything else. Where were the snacks going to come from, or the pillows? His spirits lifted again. He could take care of that.

With that in mind, he went to his room for pillows and blankets. After getting everything set up, he’d order a pizza. Yeah, that sounded like a good plan.

He returned to the living area and started fluffing pillows and spreading out blankets. He was just about done when he heard a door swing open carelessly. Only one of his brothers ever did that.

His head snapped up instantly, full of expectation. Leo was sure his eyes must’ve been shining in that moment. He couldn’t help it; his body betrayed him. On one hand, he found it a bit unsettling to get so excited over something so mundane, on the other, he absolutely did not care.

Mikey burst out of his room in such a rush he nearly slammed into the wall. Leo caught the little laugh under his breath—the kind he usually made when he was plotting mischief. He went straight for Raph’s door and started pounding on it.

Leo blinked. Why was his younger brother doing that? Maybe… No, better not get his hopes up. Then he noticed the skateboard tucked under Mikey’s arm, and something inside him twisted. That sixth sense that almost never failed pricked at his scales. A warning.

“Mikey?” Leo set the remaining pillows on the couch and stepped closer. “Why do you have your skateboard?”

Mikey turned around after giving the door a couple more knocks. He was bouncing on his feet, practically bursting with adrenaline.

“Mondo invited us to go skating tonight!” he announced, brimming with excitement. “He says he found this spot that’s really…”

Leo lost the thread of what his little brother was saying. His brain latched onto only the first part. Invitation? Go skating? Now…? What?

“So Raph’s coming too, isn’t that awesome?” Mikey finished his ramble.

“No…” Leo faltered. His confusion tangled with the mess of emotions boiling inside him. “Weren’t we… supposed to watch a movie tonight?”

Mikey fell silent for a minute. He furrowed his brow, pressing a hand to his chin in a comically exaggerated gesture. Leo stared at him, dumbfounded; his heart pounding hard against his ribs.

“Oh,” Mikey blurted. He threw his hands up against his head, mouth open wide in mock shock. “Oooh, dude, sorry. I totally forgot, haha. Oops?”

Leo was speechless, the air knocked out of him. Mikey forgot. Just like that. Forgot? How could he forget? His little brother could be scatterbrained, sure, but forget something like this? It didn’t make sense. It just didn’t. Leo frowned, trapped in the storm inside his head.

Mikey glanced away, mumbling another apology with a smile. He looked more dismissive than regretful, and that only made the storm worse. Leo knew he was at the edge of his self-control. Why? he thought, Why over a movie? He was supposed to be better than this. He needed to calm down.

A loud door slam shattered the fragile tension. Raph stomped out of his room, skateboard in hand, grumbling.

“Mikey, if you keep banging on that door I swear—” His emerald eyes swept over the scene, narrowing as they landed on Leo. “What’s going on here?”

“Well, I forgot I was supposed to watch a movie with Leo tonight,” Mikey explained brightly, admiring his skateboard. “But it’s cool, right?”

Raph laughed at the situation and teased Mikey for always having his head in the clouds. The younger one stuck his tongue out in reply. Leo suddenly felt shut out, like he was watching them through a pane of glass.

“Pff, you know how scatterbrained Mikey is,” his hotheaded brother stated with indifference. “If his head wasn’t attached, he’d lose that too.”

“Uh-huh,” the youngest agreed with mock solemnity, then his eyes shot open, offended. “Wait– Raph!”

Leo froze. He needed to breathe, or punch something. No, wait. He wasn’t Raph; he wasn’t going to punch anything. Breathe, just breathe. He clenched his fists anyway, because breathing alone wasn’t enough. His brothers chatted away, indifferent to his presence, and his chest burned.

By some miracle, he managed to keep the whole storm bottled up inside.

“It’s not that big a deal, Leo,” Raph suddenly said to him. Mikey nodded silently, not disagreeing. “I mean, compared to everything else? A movie? Pretty boring.”

That was the last straw. Leo’s mouth opened, and he was about to blow like a pressure cooker.

“Casey Jones has arrived, people!”

Leo’s jaw snapped shut. He let out a long sigh, deflating. He’d almost lost it… over a movie. And to think he was supposed to be the mature one. Hilarious.

Footsteps grew louder as the teenager approached. “What’s taking you so long? I get that turtles are slow, but Mondo—” Casey stopped, raising a brow at the scene. “Am I interrupting something?”

“Nah, just some trouble with Mr. Perfect here. No big deal.” Raph grinned with a sneer. “We’re heading out now, right Leo?”

The storm inside him felt like a distant echo. The frustration still simmered under his skin, but banked. The fire had shrunk back, condensed. Leo tried to convince himself that was the right thing. He was lying.

“Yeah, get going already.” His words came out firm, detached.

Before he could even finish, his brothers and Casey were already wrapped up in another conversation. Leo watched them head for the exit in silence. He had nothing left to say.

“See ya, Leo!” the boy called as he passed through the turnstile.

His brothers waved vaguely, too caught up in their chat to turn around or speak to him directly. Leo clenched his fists again, his palms stinging.

Calm. Inhale, exhale.

His little breathing trick wasn’t working so well this time. At least no one was around to see him. Leo opened his eyes, realizing what that meant.

No one was there. 

His brothers and Casey were gone. 

He was alone.

Every emotion in his chest flared back to life from the ashes. The silence roared in his ears, the sight of the empty lair felt grim. The buzzing returned to his head. The space he’d prepared for movie night now left nothing but bitterness on his tongue. Leo didn’t want to be alone.

His gaze drifted toward the dojo entrance, tempted to go to his Sensei, but he dismissed it as soon as he thought it. Master Splinter had been clear: he wanted his space, and Leo was going to respect that. His eyes fell on his genius brother’s lab instead. Donnie wouldn’t mind if he dropped by for a while, right? He could listen to him ramble for hours.

He approached cautiously and tried the door. His heart sank when it didn’t budge. Donnie had locked his lab.

It was a clear message, his brother didn’t want to be disturbed. Maybe… maybe he didn’t want him around. Leo leaned against the door, sighing. Slowly, he slid down to the floor. He sat there, lost in thought about everything and nothing at once.

The loneliness gnawed at him, crushing his chest.

He couldn’t go on like this.