Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Leo is 16, still healing from the Kraang invasion with a customized leg brace for the foreseeable future, and a new dad to a same-age teen from the future, when he is proposed to.

...sort of.

After just...everything, they had finally gotten through all the mess of relationships and everything. Big Mama had invited them to visit quite often, scolding them for not calling often and checking in on them (while also not so subtly flirting with both their father and Draxum, ew). But it, you know, made their dad happy and now they had like three parents. Which was...cool. It was cool. They were still healing from the Kraang, Mikey's arms were no longer numb to the touch and now he had some cool orange scarring. Raph's eye had healed enough he could see with glasses, which of course Donnie traded out for contacts he created, and they'd put on a shell fix for the hole in his...shoulder part of his shell.

And Leo spent about two months in bed, one of them floating on pain killers and the idea that this was all a dream and that he was still back in the prison dimension, the next month bored out of his skull.

But his arm was healed, and his leg was...getting there. His ribs felt off all the time, but they were healed, he could tell. He wasn't the team medic for nothing, after all.

Anyway, all this to say, that them visiting Big Mama in her booth with their dads was a common thing by this point. While they weren't very interested in the fighting anymore, the 'thrill' of it gone for now until they were truly healed from 'Doomsday', they did like spending time with her and seeing the other champions who now were having a better life since Splinter had raised a full argument about how she treated people.

(It was one for the centuries but Leo digresses, he doesn't really remember that much from those two months, and he was glad to not know of the thunderous arguments that were sure to arisen. Their dad was very sure of where he stood on things, and you had a hard time shaking him from it.)

Today was going to be a free for all between a few champions and some newcomers who had volunteered, either because of the pay or just for fun, whichever. Casey had joined them in one of his rare moments, unsure of how to take the woman who constantly pinched his cheeks and would say 'Call me Grandmama, sweetie diddly dums!'. He hovered near Leo wearing a soft blue hoodie and jeans, while Leo had taken his own blue hoodie this time around. His brace, which kept his leg from collapsing under him, had his name stitched at the top courtesy of Mikey and with plenty of puffy stickers attached to it.

He had one arm curled with Casey's, staring and tapping at his phone as his twin was on the other side, also wearing his normal purple hoodie. They were engaged in a game of words, and Casey's head kept swiveling between them, amused and watching as Raph and Mikey had ran to get snacks.

Draxum and Pops had already went on which, fair, they hated waiting. But Leo liked seeing all the newcomers sometimes. It gave him something more to do than just...sitting around.

A few people who knew them as Big Mama's sons passed by, waving and chattering on, and they continued to wait for their brothers. A small crowd came and went, and then right when Leo was putting down 'understandable', sure to win the round, someone cleared their throat.

All three of them looked up at the group in front of them. They were all different Yokai but three of them were rabbits, two being taller and obviously older. The oldest, with black fur that twitched around his nose, wearing something he'd seen once in an anime, held up a hand. "Ah...hello...ah, s-speak Japanese?"

"Sorry," Donnie piped up. "We're not fluent. If you touch your brooch," he pointed out at the rabbit's lapel, "it's a translator, makes things easier."

The rabbit Yokai blinked, looking at his compatriots before touching it. "Ah, can you understand me?"

"Yup," Leo said, feeling Casey squeeze his arm from nerves, and the turtle smiled at the group. "How can we help ya?"

The Yokai relaxed a bit, laughing. "Whoo, that's good! We got turned around, were heading for the tournament, you know? We were in town for a conference and heard about it but man, New York sure likes its mazes!"

"Yeah, that's the truth!" Leo chortled, pointing behind them. "If you're looking to participate, go in and find the green sign on the right-right, yeah, right, Tello?"

"Truthfully so, Nardo," Donnie mumbled, tapping on his phone as the larger Yokai laughed with his group.

"Ah, you two must be brothers! This is our brother's first tournament as well, so we're hoping he wins! C'mere, Usa!" he pulled up another rabbit Yokai from the group, who was only taller than Leo because of his ears that drooped slightly as the older brother ruffled the fur on top of his head.

'Usa' was...his age? Perhaps? He wore a robe like their father sometimes did, but this one was a dark blue with a bit of fringe on the sleeves. The obi was golden with tassels that dangled, with two swords on his right hip. Leo could admire a fellow dual wielder, truly. The Yokai also held one looped piercing on his right ear that twitched when his ears moved, and his eyes were bright green. His fur was pretty snow white, and he felt several little jokes about Snow White bubbling up.

But, for some reason, his mouth just refused to cooperate, so he smiled at the other, his face feeling a little warm. "Hi! Usa, right?"

"Usagi," said the other, with a soft huff as he shoved his older brother, getting a laugh out of the others. He paused, finally taking in Leo, who merely gave an amused glance, ignoring his twin's curious click of a tongue. "U-Uh, Miyamoto Usagi...and you are...?"

"Hamato Leonardo!" He gave a quick little wave, tilting his head beside him. "That's my twin-"

"Only in your head, dork-"

"Hamato Donatello, and my sooooon, Casey Jones!" He crooned, hugging Casey who chortled, being smushed between the two turtles.

The older Yokai, whose name he didn't get, frowned. "You...have a son?"

"It's a lot to it," Leo waved his hand, sliding his phone in his hoodie pocket so he didn't drop it, not failing to see how the two glanced down and saw his leg brace. "Anyway, go on in, Big Mama hates waitin'."

"You'd know," Donnie mumbled, making Casey chuckle harder, which was nice to hear after you know, everything.

Usagi's brother nudged him with a click, some unknown thing passing between them as well, and they were bid goodbye, although he kept noticing that the white rabbit Yokai kept glancing at him.

He gave a smile.

Usagi's face turned pink, and he almost ran into a pole.

Huh.

It took no time at all for their brothers to appear, Mikey on Raph's shoulders and holding several drinks, while Raph held the popcorn. "We're back! We miss anything?"

"No-"

"Some rabbit's got a crush on Leo."

"Dude!" Leo squealed, kicking with his good leg at his betrayer of a twin. "He does not!"

"He did stare at you a lot, Dad," Casey mumbled, grinning innocently when Leo shot him a deadpan look.

"It was like half a minute, who the heck has a crush in half a minute?!"

"Jupiter Jim," Raph reminded him, and Mikey nodded.

"That thing with Señor Hueso."

"I was 14!" He groaned, waving his hand at them. "You see how your uncles treat me, Case? I'm abused, always made fun of for the wrongdoings of my past!"

They all laughed at him, the troublemakers, so he fussed back and they headed in, ready to watch the tournament.

When they made it to the elevator, Jotul, an ox bodyguard disguised as a bellhop, bowed slightly to them and opened the gate. "It is nice to see you, children."

Even now, years older, they were still the 'children'. Which, he supposed wasn't so far off. Raph was only 17, and Mikey, 15, so they were all pretty young. Still. They waved at him, ducking in and heading up to the top.

Krimsi, a Flamingo looking Yokai, opened the gate for them with a quick nod. "Big Mama, the children arrived!"

"Oh, schnookums!"

And there she came, albeit in her smaller, human form. She left their fathers on their couch, arms extended wide which Raph happily returned, all of them in a Family Hug that was part and parcel of their raising. She tutted, reaching over to Leo and cupping his cheek. "Darling doo, you should rest your leggy teggy."

"Mama, I told you, a bit of exercise is good for the tendons," he chuckled, letting her check them all over as if in between when they had seen her yesterday and today, they had gotten in some scuffle meant to irreparably harm them.

Mikey clambered off of Raph, bouncing to the couch. April, surprisingly, had gotten there earlier than them and was in a recliner, tapping at her phone and taking her fruit punch from Mikey with a kiss to his cheek. "Thanks, babe!"

"No probs, babe!" They shot finger guns at each other, then Mikey was off handing off drinks to everyone else as Casey helped amble Leo over to the other couch facing the window. This one had an ottoman that he rested his leg on, letting out a sigh as the muscles relaxed. Yeah, it was good to exercise his leg, but damn did it ache considerably. He patted Casey's arm.

"Thanks, Case. Go get your snacks, bring me the gummy worms!"

"Will do," he smiled, bouncing away. It hadn't been too long ago that Casey had been like a suction cup on him, attached literally at the arm and terrified of moving away. If one of the others came by, and Leo was either asleep or busy, then he would just follow them around like a lost duck. Thankfully they'd managed (or, Donnie did, by way of hacking and ~magic~) to get him enrolled in school, and each day April would drop him off and pick him back up.

Things were going good for the kid! He was no longer swimming in his clothes, his hair had more...fluff to it, even though Leo didn't know much about hair, honestly. And he was doing more! Good stuff, all the time.

He flexed his toes lightly with a sigh as Draxum, vying for the Worried Parent spot with Dad, patted his arm from nearby. "Alright?"

"Eh, it's just the tendons, they're tired of being forced to stretch a certain way," he snorted, slumping into his chair as he took up the Sprite Mikey gave him. "It's all good, Dad."

Draxum nodded, leaning away after a moment after scrutinizing him, and going back to the conversation he was having with Raph about who they were betting on.

April pointed out the window into the fray. "I saw a Yokai who's about as big as Raph! I bet him."

"Nah," Raph scoffed, "really? As big as me?"

"Sure shootin'!"

"You gonna vote for the rabbit?" Mikey teased, and Leo dug through his popcorn to throw an unpopped kernel at him.

"Shush!"

"Oh?" Big Mama said as she came back from fixing up her microphone, a curious look in her eyes. "Rabbit?"

Donnie piped up before Leo could stop him. "Some Yokai were lost and we gave them directions, and Usaaagiiii," he drawled out teasingly, "kept sneaking looks at Leo."

Traitors, all of them.

"It's not that big a deal!" he said, prepared to chuck the popcorn bucket as they chuckled at him, Lou chortling as he ate a piece of chocolate.

"Do I smell a marriage in the works? Finally, one of our boys, getting married!" he playfully swooned as Leo then aimed for him, flicking more popcorn as Casey shifted onto the couch beside him, digging for his favorite gumdrops. And man, it was nice to see he had favorites, you know? Warmed Leo's soul.

Big Mama cleared her throat, taking up a small speaker in her hands as she chuckled. "Too soon for romance, darling! Give it, oh, a hundred years~" Draxum nodded beside her as their dad rolled his eyes playfully, and Leo couldn't help a chuckle.

"I'll try to remember, Mama."

"Goodly good! Now, onto the show!"

With a quick announcement, it began. She would introduce the fighters, the new and old, and then they would fight. It was nice, but again, they weren't too interested in fighting nowadays. He did spy Usagi come upon the battlefield, and he sat up, clapping eagerly and waving his hands as if trying to catch the rabbit's attention. "Hey! Usagi!! Heeeey!"

"There he is," Donnie said, but it was washed away as the rabbit, somehow, as if knowing Leo was cheering for him, looked straight up at the booth. He blinked, giving a hesitant nod, and Leo laughed, giving him a thumbs up.

Casey snorted beside him, picking out the cherry jellybeans to chew on. "I dunno, Dad, that sure does look like a crush to me."

"Oh, hush, you!" he playfully ruffled the other's hair, both of them laughing as Usagi brought out his two swords, ready for battle.

It was over in seconds, the crowd cheering for him so loud it made the glass rattle on the window. Mikey cheered because he always cheered for everyone, and Raph gave a holler as well, both of them revving up with the energy. Leo grunted, realizing all that soda had went somewhere, of course, so he patted Casey's shoulder before pushing up off the couch. "Gonna take a break, I'll be back."

"Want someone to come with, bluey tooey?" Big Mama asked, curling the wire of the speaker around her fingers that meant she was concerned. He shook his head, tilting a bit and rest his weight on his good leg.

"I'll be fine, it's a good day! You guys watch the rest, I'll be back." He gave a wave behind him, his brothers mumbling a 'bye' that either meant they'd listen or they would go after him sneakily. That was fine, he absolutely knew the fear that was running through them all still.

Plus, just because it was a good day didn't mean his leg would still hold him...

Krimsi nodded at him, letting him on, and Jotul tipped his hat at Leo as he tried to walk out steadily. His leg was holding well, which he was grateful for, but he could feel a strain echoing up his hip as he started for the bathrooms. A bit of a crowd had gathered, some getting food while waiting for their favorite champion, others doing the same as him and darting to the bathroom.

He felt himself starting to limp and he paused as if waiting for the crowd to die down, leaning against the wall as he took in a breath. He could feel each stretched muscle twinging, as if whining about being in the brace, and yeah he could undo it and walk a little ways, but there was this lingering fear. Fear that if he did that, then his leg would seize up and he would crumple, causing more fractures and then more healing time and then...

He was trying to power through this, and Mikey making it look really neat was helping. The little blue strands showing his name encouraged him, and he swept a thumb over a plush cloud sticker near it, pushing down onto it to get the feeling of it for a moment.

He just needed a moment. Just-

"Leonardo-san?"

He blinked, swinging back out of his mind as he looked beside him, a furry hand gently touching his shoulder. It was Usagi, the earring glinting in the light as the other stood next to him, and oh, he was a little off on the height difference. Usagi was about two inches taller than him, even including the ears. Huh. He gave a slightly shaky smile, knowing from what the others had said that he usually looked pale when his leg was giving him a hard time. "Hey! Usagi, right? Nice to see you again, you did great!"

Usagi chuckled at him, his hand still on Leo's shoulder, burning into his skin. "I saw, actually. It was...refreshing to have someone beyond my brothers cheer for me."

"I feel that, my bros are cool and all but it's like, written in the brotherly handbook you HAVE to cheer for each other," he snickered as Usagi nodded, removing his hand and leaving Leo a little bereft before he offered his elbow. Leo raised an eyebrow.

"You look like you could use a walking buddy," Usagi said easily, and there was a part of Leo who, at first, bristled at the unsubtle nudge that he needed any help. It was easily quieted by the fact that Usagi was right, and there was no harm in having some help get the rest of the way, especially since he left his damn crutches thinking this would be a good day.

So, he smoothed down his own feathers and gave a snarky grin back, winding his arm with Usagi's. "My, how gentlemanly of you! Of course, that would be mighty fine, Usagi-kun." Usagi's ear flicked and his nose twitched, but sadly beyond that there was no other indication of his feelings on the matter. Darn. He thought he was pretty funny, personally.

Usagi didn't push, which was exactly what Leo needed, and in no time he was pushing from the wall, leaning more into Usagi than he thought he would've been. "So," Usagi began as they walked towards the line, "just needed a break...?"

"Chugged too much soda," Leo chuckled, "but you ain't gotta help with that one. I'm a big boy," he stuck his tongue out, finally making Usagi laugh.

"I do apologize, but I was not about to offer help with that," he admitted, and Leo snickered. "However, if you need help walking in-"

"No! No no, I do not need to suffer that embarrassment," he chuckled, feeling a blush crawl on his face as they made it to the entrance. "I'll b-r-b, don't move!"

"Alright," Usagi said, their arms sliding from one another almost hesitantly, and then Usagi had tucked his arms into his sleeves like Dad did when he was thinking and Leo was bustling inside.

He came out with a sigh of relief, flexing his leg a bit and swinging it out before pushing on it, stretching his arms. "Whoo! They on the next round yet?"

"Yes, then it's the secondary round, third, and then the finals," Usagi said, offering his arm again but this time Leo was feeling much less ~woo~ and much more playful. This time, he grabbed onto Usagi's arm with both of his, dangling on like he would one of his brothers when they were playing around. Usagi seemed taken aback, his face turning pink again and Leo inwardly cackled at that.

"Neat! Help me back to the elevator, thataway!" he pointed, and Usagi chuckled, patting his hand over Leo's as they walked, both of them unaware of the sharp looks of the bodyguards-disguised-as-bellhops.

Usagi spoke up after a moment of walking. "So, beyond watching the Battle Nexus, what do you do?"

"Mm, skateboard, er...not right now," he mumbled, shaking his head. "But beyond that? Just goof around, go around New York with my bros...I have this giant book full of ailments and things and it's so cool!"

"You're a healer?" Usagi latched onto that curiously, one ear tilting towards Leo who smiled nervously, and he would've scratched the back of his head but his hands were still caught in the crook of Usagi's elbow.

"K-Kind of! I know a lot about medical stuff, I've sewn up a wound or two, the physical body is fascinating, you know?"

"Yes," Usagi murmured, and Leo blinked as their eyes met. "It truly is."

...uh...were they talking about medical stuff still...? He cleared his throat nervously, looking away with a nervous laugh. "Yeah! Mikey, that's my little bro, he likes more the mind stuff which is neat and all but I like...I dunno, I just like body stuff."

Usagi hummed in return, nodding slowly. "What is the book of yours called?"

"The PDR Family Guide Encyclopedia of Medical Care!" He chattered out eagerly, his fingers tightening on Usagi's arm as they walked, happy to infodump just as his twin often did. "Did you know hiccups are spasms of the diaphragm, which is about here?" he nudged his elbow at himself, motioning at about the middle of his plastron. "And they can last for days!"

"Days?!" Usagi sputtered out, obviously not expecting that.

"Yeah! People can die from hiccups!"

"No!"

Leo felt his grin wobbling, so he let out a laugh, biting his lip. "Okay, so, not just from the hiccups, but like if you don't sleep or eat, then you'll die for real. But isn't that neat!"

Usagi blinked, looking concerned for a moment before slowly nodding. "That is...very interesting information to learn, Leonardo-san."

"Oh please, just call me Leo! Everyone does." They started coming up on the elevator, so he sighed, nodding at Jotul who raised an eyebrow at the both of them. "Guess this is my stop."

"Leo-san," Usagi said so seriously, as Leo had started to release him, that he had paused, letting their arms stay entwined. Usagi opened his mouth, closed it, then opened again, the pink blush to his face darkening. "Might I...fight in your honor for the last match?"

...fight...in...his...honor?

For some reason, that sparked an old movie of Dad's he had seen with his co-star...Felicia? Perhaps? Where in the background, explosions happened, and he held her by the waist. "Felicia-" Maybe it was Jessica? "I will win this battle in your honor!"

"Oh, Lou Jitsu!" she had squealed, wrapping her arms around him and her blonde hair flying around, and then they kissed and since Leo had seen the movie at the ripe old age at 10, he did what anyone would do when faced with a kissing scene. He immediately made gagging noises and begged to skip it.

So...Usagi was definitely hitting on him, right? Yup, that's what this was! Albeit, very different from the people at Hueso's who would ask his phone number and he would laugh them off. Still...Usagi was nice and, well...a little harmless flirting was never, like, bad or nothing. So, he winked, chuckling as Jotul opened the elevator for him as he leaned back. "Win the battle and I'll give you my cell, yeah?"

Usagi's face went up like a forest fire, and he could hardly say anything when his brothers swooped in, the rabbits and their friends yelling about something and cheering Usagi on. Leo chuckled, shaking his head as he limped into the elevator, waving off Jotul's concerns.

It wasn't long until he was back, dropping into his seat with a hard sigh as Big Mama fluttered her hands around him nervously. "Darling, must you be ever so rippledy stubborn? Resting your leg-"

"Is good, Mama, but it's been three weeks, if I don't put it through its paces, it'll degenerate," he calmly explained, letting her touch his forehead as if he had a fever, pushing the ottoman closer with her foot. He'd already explained this to everyone several times, to which Draxum and Pops had understood. Draxum due to his being a scientist, and Pops because he had torn several ligaments during his time in acting and he'd received the same advice from doctors.

She huffed, crossing her arms nervously. "Very well, very well. I do wish you'd let one of my pippy choo doctors look at you."

He traded a nervous look with his twin who took up the spot on the other side of Casey. When they were in hiding with their Pops, he had been terrified of even thinking of coming back to the Hidden City. They had been very lucky over the years to never get something more than a simple cold, but of course their luck had run out.

Thing was, they were still...uncertain on others helping them out. It had always been Pops, and then it had been Leo who took it on after becoming obsessed with medicinal practices, far more than their dad's simple attempts at chicken noodle soup and 'this is what my mother did for me'. He wanted to know the hows and the whys, and he dived in.

For now, he merely sighed. "Mama, look, we're fine. We'll do it, eventually, if it gets worse, okay?"

She did not look like it was okay, but she sighed, rubbing his head with a fond smile. "Very well." She pinched his cheek and he grumbled, making Casey laugh as he adjusted his leg, undoing the brace for now to give it a rest.

The next round began, and they returned to watching and jeering or betting on this one or that one. It took a bit to get back to Usagi, who was now facing a contender that Leo knew fairly well, Blackjack. He was a large oxen monster that was fairly nice to them when they visited, and had been a reigning champ once or twice. Usagi glanced up, and Leo gave a hearty wave, something that Blackjack seemed to see as well. He bounced his fists together, roaring as he charged at Usagi as the fight began.

...and...somehow...Usagi won? Which, you see, if you knew Blackjack, it was very odd. Blackjack took pride in his Raph-like focus on fighting and while Usagi was good, Leo knew this was pretty much his first go in the Nexus, and most of the newbies had already been bested by this round.

Eh, well, he was pretty impressed, so he gave a clap as the audience cheered and Blackjack shook hands with Usagi.

They seemed to talk for a moment then went their separate ways, but Leo went to his popcorn bucket for a moment, less interested in the other fights.

It took not long at all for Usagi to sweep the floor with the others, and he came face to face with the current, three time champ: Palin, a large Orc looking Yokai who enjoyed using a crossbow to throw his opponents off-kilter.

Donnie seemed most interested as he leaned forward, grinning wide as the audience went wild. Leo muttered about 'not only me having a crush', squawking when Donnie leaned over to yank his mask roughly. "Hey!"

"Darling twin, hush thine mouth."

Leo hissed at him, righting his mask as Casey chuckled between them, horribly amused at them as Leo reached over to the boy, ruffling his hair. "H-Hey, Dad!"

"Mwahaha, you can't escape me!"

They swatted each other playfully, and then a gasp rang out in the audience. Palin had readied his crossbow, did a tumble just as Usagi slashed at him, and then immediately pinned the rabbit by both sleeves to the wall. Usagi bent his head to indicate his defeat, and the audience went wild as Donnie sat back with a pleased grin. "Guess your rabbit can't win 'em all."

"Aw, that's a disappointment," Leo joked, although they all knew Palin was rough to say the least. There was a reason he had won several times, after all. "Think he'd like a pick-me-up?"

Donnie muttered something only to get swatted by their dad's tail this time. "Purple, no insulting your brother! And yes, baby blue, it would be nice to say hello to your little boyfriend," he said, finishing off a handful of popcorn as Leo sputtered and his brothers laughed at him.

"Wow, this family is the pits, honestly," he muttered, shaking his head as he stood up again, ensuring his brace was tight on his leg. "I see how it is! Horrible, horrible, the lot of you!" he grumbled, limping his way to the elevator, knowing they would catch up in no time, especially since Casey was attached at his side and helping him.

"You good, Dad?"

Leo smiled at Casey as they rode the elevator down together, Casey helping keep him steady on the way down. "Yeah, nothing some downtime at home won't help, heh. Kind of pushing it by now." Casey nodded, and Leo wondered what he was thinking about, if he thought about old wounds on an older Leo, or if he was trying to dredge up ideas on how to help his leg. For now, Leo ruffled his hair, breaking Casey's concentration and making them both laugh as they got out, Jotul tipping his hat at them.

Speaking of the bunny of the hour, said rabbit was being playfully jeered by his brothers as they walked by, one of them pointing Leo out who waved as Usagi's face turned a blistering red. "Aye! Leonardo-san!" the older one, the brother from the beginning he thinks, waved him down, dragging the snow white rabbit with him who squirmed, trying to get away from what was about to happen. "Ah, tis a shame our dear brother got knocked flat on his ass out there, isn't it?"

Leo snickered as Casey smiled, halfway hiding behind him as they talked. "Nah, Palin's tough, you don't get to be champ without holding your own for a while. You did great, Usagi-kun!"

The little group made 'oooh!!' noises at them but Leo could hardly care as said rabbit blushed even darker, his fur was bound to burn at this point. "A-Ah, thank you, Leo-san. I had hoped to win that favor you had...spoken about."

Favor...? OH! His number! He was so silly, sometimes, honestly. He held out his hand, which Usagi took easily with a confused look at Leo grinned. "Here! My number, you tried, so that's all that counts!"

Usagi didn't take the paper he'd magicked out of thin air, which was a disappointment, he'd been working on that trick for days now. Instead, he turned Leo's hand over to the back of his hand, and before he could do anything, soft furry lips grazed his skin and left him breathless as Usagi went from the half bow back to standing, and in the distance, the elevator dinged, announcing his family's arrival.

Usagi smiled at him. "Perhaps next time, when I win, I will be able to bring great honor upon my family name, and perhaps, convince you to change yours to mine."

...

...

HUH?!

Leo felt his brain short-circuit as Casey sucked in a breath behind him, staring wide-eyed as the older rabbit grabbed his brother roughly by the back of the neck, dragging the love-struck bunny away from Leo. "Baka! Sorry about our little brother, he is SUCH a JOKESTER-" he laughed nervously, his eyes darting from Leo to behind him where he assumed at least one or two of his parents were coming up behind him, especially since he heard a very shocked 'EXCUSE ME?!' from Big Mama.

Usagi gave a happy wave as he was dragged away by his brothers who were scolding him in a sharp voice, and Leo felt Donnie bump his shoulder as he approached, popping a piece of gum in his mouth. "Missed a marriage proposal there, dear twin. You would be the first to marry out of all of us, which would ruin my bet I've made with myself." He paused, as if waiting for a response. "My bet had been on Mikey, mind you. He loves the idea of weddings."

Leo's face was burning hot, and he was pretty sure he was going to pass out.

That damn rabbit also took his phone number!

Chapter Text

Usa-Kun (10:30 PM): Leo-san? This is you?

Neon Leon (10:31 PM): Usagi! Hey! Wondered how long it would take ya 2 txt me

Usa-Kun (10:31 PM): Apologies, jet lag has always been a strain upon me.

Neon Leon (10:33 PM): Nah, no bigs. My mama is still super mad at you lmao

Usa-Kun (10:35 PM): Ah…was it…about…?

Neon Leon (10:37 PM): You proposing 2 me int eh lobby of her hotel in front of literally everyone without asking nobody? Yeah kinda lmao.

Usa-Kun (10:40 PM): …ah. I…apologize.

Neon Leon (10:42 PM): I think this is the kinda convo one makes over the phone, dude.

Leo sat in the small arch of the skylight, staring up as rain tapped against the glass when his phone started to buzz. He shifted, letting his good leg dangle as he answered it. “…hey.”

“…hi.”

Yeah. That was Usagi’s voice, for sure. He felt his face flush a bit, shifting and adjusting the pillow behind his back. “…sooooo…about the whole…proposal thing??”

“A-Ah…well…um..” Usagi stumbled a bit before sighing. “In…my culture, when one fights for the honor of another, they tend to ask for their hand in marriage.”

“And they do that without even knowing them?” he asked in amusement and Usagi chuckled.

“Nowadays, no, it’s more a formality. I…thought, perhaps, it would be…a little funny to do that in front of my brothers, however. You know the feeling of wanting to annoy them.”

Oh he absolutely did, although he felt a little disappointed it had all been a joke. “Mm. Well. Fun in the sun, but man, she’s probably gonna gun for you guys when you come back to the states.”

It was quiet for a moment, the rain breaking the silence as thunder rolled through New York, and then Usagi spoke.

“I think you’re amazing, Hamato Leonardo-san.”

Leo choked on his spit then, nearly dropping his phone but grabbing it from the air, jamming it back against his ear. “Y-You don’t even know me!”

“I don’t,” Usagi admitted. “But I’d like to. You…you’re very beautiful…and you’re so smart, and the way you talk about your brothers and your…son?”

Leo sighed, letting his eyes shut as he thunked his head back against the wood on the window. “I…yeah. My son. Casey. He’s really cool, just…just really hates like, going around people, we’re working on that,” he chuckled.

“…may I ask…?”

“Did you hear about New York’s invasion a while back?” he asked, staring out into the darkness of the night, idly wishing he had crawled out there to feel the water against his skin.

“No, sorry, we did hear about a few things but nothing like that.”

“Look it up, kay? I’ll tell you stuff after that.” He hummed for a moment, shutting his eyes and relaxing. “Okay, so, I’m banned from freaking marriage ‘cause of you, so you better do the ‘honorable’ thing and chat me up some.”

Usagi let out a chuff of a laugh, something kind of cute that had Leo relaxing even further. “Very well. My name is Miyamoto Usagi. I have three older brothers. My father taught us all Bushido, and one day when I am older, I will take over my father’s business.”

“What does your dad do?”

“He…it is difficult to explain.”

Leo chuckled, wondering if Usagi even knew what they all got up to in New York, staring at his leg, free of its brace, and wiggling his toes lightly. “Oh, I think I could believe it.”

“…he is…one of a spare few with connections to the Spiritual Realm who keeps it all aligned.”

“…whoa,” Leo let out a breath, blinking. Usagi chuckled.

“I did warn you.”

“You did,” he agreed, shifting to put the phone in the crook of his neck as he rubbed at his knee with a sigh. “But I’ve dealt with some crazy spiritual stuff over the years. I can believe it.” He paused, clicking his tongue. “So if we ever did get married, let’s say-“

Usagi’s laugh drowned out his sentence and he grinned, feeling less irked and flustered now that he was able to make the other laugh. “Y-Yes?” Usagi stuttered out, still laughing.

“We gonna half it up? Japan in the summer, New York in the winter? I only fly first class, sweetums,” he crooned, holding up his hand to examine his nails as if Usagi could see him.

Usagi’s laugh grew louder, to the point it sounded painful, like he was in tears, and Leo started laughing too, both of them cackling hard enough to bruise their throats.

Eventually they started to calm down, only for Usagi to then say “so if I get you a diamond ring does that mean we can fly coach instead?” and they were set off again, Leo sputtering as he wheezed.

They calmed down again, and Leo turned towards the window, curling up close to the slight chill of the glass as his face ached from smiling so hard, tears of laughter on his cheeks. “…so if we do get married,” he sniffed, clearing his throat as he continued to laugh, “who’s your best man?”

“Kiyatomi,” Usagi chuckled, a soft rumbling noise that made Leo shiver as he shut his eyes to listen, “I supposedly promised him when I was about five, and I refuse to break a promise, no matter if it sounds false.”

“That’s adorable,” he crooned, chuckling harder for a moment. “All my brothers would probably fight over it, but it’d probably be Donnie. The purple one you saw me with?”

“Ah, yes, Donatello. Your…twin…yes?”

“Yeah. We share the same birthday. We’ve always been twins, doing the same things together.”

Usagi was quiet for a moment, and Leo relished the gentle hum between them for the moment, and then he opened his mouth.

“I don’t…think I can marry you, Usagi.”

And at first, he thought the other would get mad, or hang up, or something.

But all he heard was a laugh in return. “That is alright, Leo-san. I do not think we can marry yet anyway. We only just met, after all.”

Leo chuckled, shifting on the windowsill and stretching out his leg. “Yeah. Yeah, we did.”

“However,” Usagi’s voice became very determined just then. “I will not stop trying. I think you are a very interesting individual, Leo-san, and…” he grew quiet for a moment, enough that Leo thought he had lost him for a second. “I think you would be someone very nice to marry.”

Leo’s face was burning as he held the phone close, trying to hide his goofy smile. “Maybe. We’ll see. When are you coming back to the states?”

“Next month. My brothers ratted me out to Father, so he’s decided to make excuses to come over to try and ‘help his youngest son’s dating life’ or, something to that effect.”

Leo chuckled, ducking his head closer to the window, letting his breath fog the glass. “Next month is February. Valentine’s. You better bring me something nice as hell.”

“Oh? What would you like?”

“Nope! You gotta guess. Byyeee, Usa-kuuuun~”

“Heh. Goodbye, Leonardo-kun.”

Leo hung up, clutching the phone to his chest as he curled up, his heart thumping loud enough in his chest that he wondered if Usagi, a whole ocean away, could hear it.

~~

Leo blinked at the bouquet sitting in front of Jotul, who appeared very amused. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Yup. For you. From a very not secret admirer,” he chuckled, pushing the bouquet further at Leo, who looked at Casey next to him. Casey was shaking laughter, face red as his hands were clasped over his mouth to prevent himself from laughing loudly.

Leo sighed, smiling even as he shook his head and took the bouquet, leaning on Casey a moment to keep the weight from his leg. “Uh, well. He could’ve sent it to the lair.”

“I think he believes you live here, young Prince,” Jotul said, and Leo thought they had argued against being called anything like that but perhaps he was wrong.

He hummed, twisting the bouquet a bit to look over the flowers. Little clusters of blue-Agapanthus he would later find out-all surrounding a large pretty chrysanthemum. He whistled, smelling the flowers with a sigh. “They smell good! Really pretty.”

“I would suggest looking up their meanings,” Jotul said lightly before shooing them on. “Go on, Big Mama waits for no one, even her children.”

“Yeah yeah yeah, c’mon Casey, let’s go annoy Grandma,” Leo laughed, and they dragged themselves into the elevator as Leo played with the flowers a bit. “Watcha think? Pretty enough for me?” He batted his eyelashes as Casey snorted hard enough that his ribs probably rattled, swatting at Leo’s shoulders.

“Dad! Geeze,” he chortled, rubbing an eye from tears of mirth. “They are kinda nice, yeah. Smell good.”

“Yup yup. Donnie will looooove them, you know, he likes all the flower stuff,” he hummed, twirling the flowers in his hand idly. Casey hummed, leaning closer for a moment only for Leo to wrap his arm around him, hugging him sweetly.

“…I know how to press them, if you want,” he mumbled, shifting to duck closer, as if somehow, he was still the frightened 15 year old, and Leo, much much older. “When I found things I liked, I would keep them in books, and then in my pocket. It was fun.”

“I’d like that, kiddo,” Leo ruffled his hair gently, patting his shoulder as Casey huffed with a laugh. “Still gotta bribe Donnie with one as a favor for the future, heh. But the rest? Yeah, go wild, my guy. Let’s go see Big Mama and get outta here.”

Casey smiled, the same one he often gave them when he was allowed to do something new, and Leo felt himself relaxing even more as the elevator dinged, letting them off into her office.

“My toodley boo bears!” came Big Mama’s voice, her spider form scuttling from the ceiling to pounce upon them and drag them both in a hug, crooning. “I missed you!”

“Mama, it’s been like two days,” Leo laughed, patting her arm as she let them down on a couch, physically adjusting Leo to push his leg on the ottoman and patting Casey’s flyaway hair now that he had been released from the hug.

“Oh, but it feels so much longer…how are you feeling? How’s your leggy teggy? How’s school, Casey Wasey?” she purred, nuzzling her massive head between them and peppering kisses on them like they were little infants.

Leo snorted at the ticklish feeling, tilting away as Casey patted at her face, laughing. “It’s good! Lots of exams though. I don’t really like them.”

“They’re good for you, I think,” she murmured, settling behind the couch with a large grin. “So, how can I help my boys today?”

Leo snorted. “Uh, Mama, you invited us here, remember?”

“Oh, I sure did, didn’t I?” she hummed, and for a moment he recalled how dangerous their mother could be. How she was, essentially, a Kingpin for the entire Mystic City of New York.

For a moment, he wondered who pissed her off.

And then he remembered Usagi’s proposal, and oh he really WOULD not see that rabbit again, would he? Whoops.

“That little…paramour of yours,” she purred, claws tapping the back of her couch as the boys held in a chuckle, “wants to use my hotel when he comes back! Who knows what riffraff he’ll bring with him!” She huffed, waving a claw in the air. “No no! I shan’t hardly stand it!”

“I mean, he could stay with us, Mam-“

“Never mind, the hotel will be goodly good for Miyamato-san and his children,” she quickly changed her tune, huffing when both boys started laughing at her. “Oh, shushles, both of you! You can’t possibly marry him, my little blueberry! You’re too young,” she nearly, nearly whined, sagging on the back of the couch with pleading eyes. “Please don’t break your dear mama’s heart.”

Leo just shook his head with a soft smile, chuckling. “Mama, honestly, you’re all acting like we’re engaged and have been dating behind your backs for years. Chiiiiilll, it’s all goooood,” he wiggled his head as Casey snickered as she whined, still pouting.

“You’re all just so young. I remember my first lovey wuvey,” she sighed, and Leo’s face dropped to a bored look as Casey hid his face, shoulders shaking in laughter as she crooned. “He was a little man who had a very big cannon~”

“Mama!” Leo shouted, throwing his hands up as his face burned. “We do not need to know about your own…paramours!!”

“Oh, but darling boo, I was hardly in my hundreds at the time, and you’re so yooouuung,” she whined, head turning to their bodyguard at the elevator. “Krimsi, you’re with me, aren’t you? They’re too young to be gaining attention!”

Krimsi blinked, looking up from their phone as they looked between the three. “Big Mama, that’s just the turn of the times. Yokai are getting engaged as young as their early 60s now! You should know that, wasn’t it your own sister that got engaged when she was only 178?”

Big Mama slumped, feeling outnumbered as she pouted. “But my darling boys have hardly even seen the half of a century…”

Casey was laughing hard by now, tears in his eyes as he leaned against Leo who shook his head, smiling as he patted Big Mama’s claw. She looked down at him, smiling back as he chuckled. “Look, Mama, he’s got a crush on me, and I…kinda like him back.” Oh, more than ‘kinda’, buddy. “But we just met! You guys act like we’ll elope in a week’s time if you said no.”

“Credit to you, bud, but that sounds like something you’d do,” Krimsi piped up and Casey gasped through his laughter.

“Th-They got you there, Dad!”

Leo huffed, crossing his arms. “Tormenters, the lot of you!” He rolled his eyes, chuckling. “I’m just saying, Mama, this isn’t like…what you guys do. It’s just something a bit fun, okay?”

She sighed, leaning over the couch to nuzzle the laughing Casey’s cheek. “Fine, fine, if that’s what you toodly choose. …however, I do have it on good accord that Miyamato-san’s children are very respectable Yokai.”

“You do, huh?” Leo grinned, figuring she did a loooot of deep digging after it all went down. She hummed, hugging Casey and patting his shoulder, another arm wrapping around Leo.

“I do. I suppose, if I had to choose amongst the riffraff that perverses my darling hotel…then his youngest son might be…mid-range.”

Leo howled in laughter at Big Mama labeling Usagi ‘mid’, which cheered her up, and they were soon sent off with oodles of cookies and cakes to share with the others.

She transformed into her smaller human form, staring out the window into the Mystic City for a moment. Hands clasped in front of her, tapping her fingers together in thought. “I’m taking it too far, aren’t I?”

Krimsi clicked their beak, looking away for a moment, then back again. “They’re not children like we think,” they said gently. “They’ve done more than…even you did at their age.”

“When I was their age,” she sighed, watching her breath fog the glass, “I was laid within my mother’s web, knowing there was safety around me, and that some diddly day, I would eat my first human.”

“Mm. But still, Big Mama…they’ve done so much. The Shredder…the aliens.” Krimsi paused, a shudder echoing over them both as they recalled those hard months, how they were all still healing after that. “…I think you should let Blue choose his own path. Even if it’s hard.”

“I will,” she sighed, hand touching her locket that held a photo of her darling family. “I can only hope I’m not making a mistake.” With that, she went back to work, telling herself that it was just a simple crush, and if it went further…

Well.

That was for the future.

Chapter Text

Neon Leon (6:33 AM): morning!

Usa-Kun (6:40 AM): good morning, Leo-kun.

Neon Leon (7:21 PM): night, Usa-kun!

Usa-Kun (7:30 PM): good night, Leo-kun.

Neon Leon (5:18 AM): morning! (Leo has sent an image, giving a peace sign, one arm around Casey who’s also holding up peace signs, both of them in pajamas with waffles in front of them)

Usa-Kun (5:45 AM): I am sorry I was not up earlier, but good morning, Leo-kun and son. (Usagi sent an image, draped in a simple sleeping robe, no earring, one eye shut and the other open)

Neon Leon (5:55 AM): whieopaefop you made Casey blush, haha! (Leo has sent an image, Casey hiding his face, his cheeks obviously bright red as Mikey in the background seemed to be cooing over him)

Usa-Kun (6:00 AM): Adorable. I must go now for my own breakfast.

Neon Leon (6:12 AM): Kay, have fun!

Neon Leon (8:21 PM): night, Usa-kun.

Usa-Kun (8:23 PM): …everything okay, Leo-kun?

Neon Leon (8:25 PM): in a bit of pain. I’ll be okay. Thanks for worrying =^w^=

Usa-Kun (8:30 PM): Cute emoji. If you are certain, then. Good night, Leo-kun.

Neon Leon (8:13 AM): WHAT THE HELL, USA-KUN

Usa-Kun (8:30 AM): Ah! Did you receive my letter?

Neon Leon (8:32 AM): IWAFJOWFWEO I’M GOING TO THROW YOU OUT A WINDOW. AFTER KISSING YOUR STUPID SMUG FACE. EVIL!

Usa-Kun (8:35 AM): I take it you like it then <3 Wonderful!

Neon Leon (8:40 AM): iwoefja89j2839j892J@*(#

Usagi chittered happily, his tiny bunny tail wiggling happily as he swayed back and forth from where he kneeled on his favorite meditation pillow, feet shifting under his thighs. His ears twitched cheerfully, the chosen earring of the day clinking delightedly as he felt warmth bubbling in his chest.

He had been trying so hard to create something worthwhile to send by letter. Letters contained a piece of the soul, after all, an aura of the one who sent it, and he wanted it to be a warm and loving one after all. Nothing short and easy like their texts, even though he highly enjoyed them. He had to consult his brothers, Kiyatomi laughing in delight when asked for help by his little brother, Tizan and Lomin both cooing over him and tugging his ears before letting him and Kiyatomi work together. He was the one who had been there with Tizan that day, the black rabbit amused thoroughly by Usagi’s love-stricken look. He just knew Kiyatomi would never let him live it down.

Still, he would help, and help he did, in between trying to yank him out of his ‘compliment Leo-kun’ mode. They had managed to finally get words down in Usagi’s swirls of ink, the top portion being written in his native language of Japanese, while on the bottom he wrote out the translation.

He wondered if, perhaps, Leo-kun had any interest in learning the language, but then he recalled that Leo knew another language, just not Japanese. Perhaps he could…teach him…together…sitting side by side and reading poetry togeth-ow ow ow! He chittered angrily as Kiyatomi tugged his ear harshly. “Oi! Focus, baby brother, yeesh. What’s his address?”

“Big brother, please,” he groaned, pulling away and swatting at him with a hiss. “Why must you continuously pull my ears?”

“Same reason I do it to Lomin when he gushes about Amalee!” he laughed, thumping Usagi’s cheek and making him whine. “Both of you lose your marbles thinking about ‘em! Now, address, baby brother, address.”

“Right, right,” he mumbled, quickly marking it down on the envelope after they used their wax symbol to seal the envelope.

And then it was off through the Mystic System, now that he knew for sure they did not reside at the hotel. Leo-kun had given him a nearby address ‘no one lived at’, so they could receive mail and packages there.

Meanwhile, it wasn’t Leo who had grabbed the letter, it was his darling, sweet, adorable, annoying baby brother. Mikey had gasped, scrambling back through the manhole and into the lair, holding the beige letter with the seal on it tightly in his hand. “LEO, LEO, LEO, LEEOOOONAAARDOOOO-!” he squealed, sliding through the doorway, cackling excitedly. “BUNNY BOY SENT YOU SOMETHING!”

The others were sitting at the breakfast bar, Leo with a piece of toast dangling from his mouth, wide eyes as he stared. Casey was next to him, spoon in mouth, cereal bowl cradled in his hand. Raph and Donnie stared at Mikey, glancing between each other as Splinter paused in pouring himself some tea. April and Cassie had been debating something, Cassie’s hand outstretched to ruffle her hair, but had stopped to watch Mikey with wide eyes. Draxum had been by to visit, staring as his tea cup curled warm steam to the air.

Leo spat out his toast on his plate but Donnie was faster, scrambling up and hopping over to Mikey. “How interesting, little brother! Open it.”

“No! That’s mine-Raph! Stop them, unfair, I still have my brace on-!”

“No way,” Raph laughed, hand on Leo’s head as he waved his arms angrily. “We wanna see what ooey gooey love note your boooyfriiiiend wrote!”

“Dad!” Leo sputtered, pushing at Raph’s hand as Mikey held up the letter, cackling. Splinter and Draxum traded a look, and Splinter chortled, picking up his cup.

“Have fun boys, don’t be rude to each other!” And then he just disappeared.

“TRAITOR!” Leo yelped, starting to climb up Raph’s arm as Casey started digging back into his cereal, and April bolted over the bar with ease, racing to Mikey’s side as Draxum sighed, picking his cup up in time.

“Please don’t kill each other,” he mumbled, trusting Splinter’s judgment as he too left. Leo was busy hissing at them as Donnie plucked the letter from Mikey’s hand, letting him climb up his shell to peer over his shoulder with a grin. Donnie easily cut through the top of it, leaving the wax seal alone since he knew it would be collected by Leo later on, and he shook free the letter.

“Gimme!” Leo came close to snatching it, only for Raph to twirl him away, and Donnie backed away into the kitchen with a dark laugh.

“Never! Time to see what your boyfriend wrote you now!”

“We gotta go on, guys,” April kept pushing Leo’s hands away playfully, as they all knew he was just playing along with it. “Hurry up!”

“Love letter, love letter,” Cassie chanted, throwing her arm around Casey and rocking them both with a laugh. He chortled through his cereal as the group argued, Leo trying to get around Raph who kept ensuring he didn’t fall and hurt his leg worse, while also making sure he didn’t snatch the letter yet.

“C’moooon, Leo,” Mikey pouted. “Can we pleeaaase read it?” He gave him big puppy dog eyes, and Leo groaned, flopping on Raph’s shoulder and hiding his burning face.

“I will poison you all,” he said, which was an agreement all the same, so they laughed and Raph let him down, April squirming up close to Donnie to peer over his shoulder.

Donnie opened his mouth, eyebrows furrowing, and then slowly, his face started to turn red. Before either April or Mikey could say anything, he quickly folded it back, pushing it in the envelope and throwing it like a throwing star at Leo who yelped as it knocked him in the cheek. “Nope, nope, you can read that alone.”

“What! What did it say!” Mikey pleaded as April started laughing at Donnie’s embarrassment, and while Raph looked intrigued, he did help Leo back down with a soft pat to his shell.

“Aw, I bet it’s super sweet. You know Donnie hates cute stuff.”

“Wrong, I hate affection,” he hissed, despite the fact Mikey was hugging him from behind and April had her arm around his shoulders. “Anyway, just, read it, I’m going to my lab,” he huffed, shooing the both of them away and shuffling away with a grumble of ‘stupid flirty rabbits’.

Leo swayed when Raph put him down, opening the letter again curiously as he tugged out the letter. The ink was pretty, made with a brush, and he felt his heart pick up just a little at the handmade feeling of it all.

You know, until he read what was in the letter itself.

Then his face was blistering hot as the others laughed at him, catching on that whatever Usagi had said had been…a little too much for the blue turtle, and he fussed at them for teasing him so, sending ‘angry’ texts at Usagi who merely was proud that he had received the letter.

When Casey, April and Cassie had went off to go do some Saturday school thing for a club, and Raph and Mikey had teamed up to go annoy their dads, he slinked away to his bedroom, propping his leg up with the heating blanket wrapped around it as he took out the letter again, face burning in…something. He felt something about it. Definitely not touched, and definitely not falling even more in love.

Usagi had even written in kanji above the English translation, something he found appealing…and fascinating. He wished he could read it on its own. His eyes trailed down to the lower part of the letter, shifting a bit as he got comfy on his bed.

‘Were you and I to go walking through
A grove of Sakura trees
I think you would be
The prettiest of them all

Statuesque, tall and formidable
You would be hard to bend
The wind could hardly bend Fuji to its whims
Nor could I imagine you would be easy to do so

But there is something about you
That is not all hardened shell
But rather, soft, warm and sweet
That I, a woodpecker, would dig its way through to find

And in doing so, would make a home in you as you have made in me

Your legs-‘ he had to stop here, letting out a shrill chirp as he hid his face in his pillow, his heart threatening to burst out of his chest as his face burned, breathing heavily for a moment. He wasn’t sure HOW to feel really, but it was all squirming into his chest and through his heart so he couldn’t help feeling…things.

And oh stars, his twin had read over it, which made the whole thing even WORSE.

He took in a breath, then shakily bringing the letter back up to his face.

‘Your legs, strong, sturdy
Leading your gait forward
Each step taken, each step won
I could watch you walk for ages’

Gods be damned, Usagi, you can’t just SAY STUFF LIKE THAT-

‘The way you move, as easily as water around a stone
Forging your own path
You turn heads where they meant to remain still
But none more so than mine own

Were it be that many would fight for you
I would hoist my sword in your namesake
And kneel before you, bloodied and tired,
And would earn the right to have you by my side.

Yours,

Miyamoto Usagi’

Leo groaned, letting the letter flop onto his chest as he whined, hiding his face for a moment as a grin plastered on his face. Usagi really went balls to the wall with this, didn’t he? He didn’t really mind it, that much, it was nice, even! He just…how was he supposed to react to that?!

He let out a huff, holding the letter to his chest a moment, feeling the paper crinkle under his fingers before he smoothed it back and refolded it. He plucked up the envelope, replacing it and shifting to reach out to his Special Shelf where he put a signed copy of Jupiter Jim and a super cute old pic of all the turtles as little kids, being cuddled by their older brother. Leo leaned it against the image, smiling as he shifted and pulled his phone out, sighing as he opened his text messages.

Neon Leon (9:15 AM): I liked your letter, goofus

Usa-Kun (9:18 AM): I am so happy :) I spent a while on it. I pondered if you enjoyed poetry, but everyone loves a good poem or two.

Neon Leon (9:22 AM): I like ‘em fair enough. Mikey loves poetry though, Raph 2. So, you like my legs, huh? ;)

Usa-Kun (9:31 AM): Your legs are very long and pretty and I would like to touch them.

Leo dropped his phone in shock, letting out a wheeze of a laugh as he picked it back up.

Neon Leon (9:32 AM): 283ur9q0[

Neon Leon (9:34 AM): IGNORE THAT you cant just say that omgggg Usaaaaa

Usa-Kun (9:44 AM): :) It is true, though. You are very handsome and pretty.

Neon Leon (9:46 AM): Staaahhhp D> how tf am I supposed to respond 2 that. Nerd. Dork.

Usa-Kun (9:50 AM): :) I have the day off tomorrow, so I can stay up late, would you like to…talk a bit?

Neon Leon (9:55 AM): Oh! Yeah yeah, call me!

It took a bit until his phone rang, and he shifted a bit, leaning on his side and curling his leg a bit as he answered, his face twitching with a smile. “Hey!”

“Good morning, Leo-kun,” Usagi yawned, now changed into his sleep robe as he sat on his bed. “You like the letter~”

“You sound smug,” Leo shot back, chuckling. “I liked the letter. My brothers will never let this go.”

“Heh. Well, neither will mine,” he hummed, leaning back to lay on the bed with a sigh. “What did you want to talk about?”

“I dunno. You wanna play 20 Questions?”

“I’m unaware of what that is?”

Leo chuckled, idly looking up at his ceiling now as his fingers tapped against his thigh. “It’s just a learning thing. Ask each other questions to find out more about each other. Figured it’d be fun, you know?”

“Sure. I still have an hour before I’m too tired.”

Oh, right, it was like, almost 10 or 11 at night Usagi’s way. Whoops. Leo sniffed idly, rubbing his nose as he got comfy, rubbing his knee lightly above the blanket. “Sorry, yeah, we’ll just do a few, until ya fall asleep, yeah?”

“Sounds good, Leo-kun,” Usagi chuckled. “Would you like to go first?”

So they did. Leo learned Usagi’s favorite color was actually a bright sunflower yellow, while his most disliked fruit was mangos. Usagi learned Leo aspired to be a medical doctor of some kind someday, which he figured from their first meeting, and his favorite outfit was a bright green sundress that had polka dots. Unfortunately, it was torn, but his brother was fixing it. Usagi had gotten quiet for a moment, and Leo thought maybe this was something that would make Usagi rethink the whole ‘marriage’ thing, but instead he stuttered out how much he would adore to see Leo in such an outfit, and Leo had to cover his face again, giggling breathlessly.

Usagi’s favorite brother was all three, as he could not choose, while Leo’s was ‘definitely Raph, our big bro, but then there’s Donnie, and it’s a twin rule you have to love your twin, and also Mikey because we’re both the little brothers of the family’. Usagi was laughing as he listed off all the reasons they were number one, and then they talked about places they’d love to visit, with each other’s houses being top of the list.

Leo asked him his biggest fear.

“Getting lost,” Usagi said sleepily. “I was always afraid of being lost as a child, even though Father says that has never happened.”

“Fears are weird. Mikey knows more about it, from psychology and stuff,” he said, folding a piece of paper idly as his ibuprofen slowly bled the pain from his leg and he sighed, flexing his toes as he figured it was about time to get back up.

“What about you? What’s your biggest fear?”

Leo paused, thinking for a moment as he sucked on his teeth a moment, clicking his tongue after a second. “I dunno. Went through the uh…Kraang…and…stuffed, and that kind of killed any fear I had…” How could anything ever measure up to what happened in the prison dimension? He frowned, biting his lip. “…ask me again in like, three months. It’ll be the color mauve then, heh.”

“…will you ever tell me what happened back then? You don’t have to,” Usagi explained, yawning again. “But I’d like to know more about…you, in general.”

“…maybe someday,” Leo chuckled. “Maybe someday. One secret at a time.”

“Oh? Are we sharing secrets now?” Usagi’s voice became playful, something Leo liked very much more than the sudden somber vibes that had entered into their little corner of the world. “How about that? Share a secret a day?”

“Eh, sure, why not, can’t be too bad, can it?”

“I don’t know, I might find out you actually dislike rice and then it would be over for the both of us,” Usagi sighed dramatically, and Leo let out a smothered laugh, hand on his face.

“Suuuure, buddy. You go first.”

“Hmm…people find it funny I am quite literally named Rabbit, but Miyamoto Usagi was my many greats grandfather.”

“Really?”

“Yes,” Usagi answered. “He was snow white, and legend stated he came from the moon. He defeated a great dragon, and was forced to leave Earth to go back home, where he pounds mochi on the moon.”

“Mochi.”

“I didn’t say it was a very extensive legend.”

Leo snickered, nodding. “You got me there.” He hummed softly, thinking of something he could say that wasn’t too deep to really break the fun little atmosphere between them. “I guess since we’re talking names…when we were kids, Donnie and I shared similar names.”

“Oh. Really?”

“Mm-hmm. Dad’s got this…thing about names, and choices, but basically he called us by some names he liked and the color of our bandannas until Donnie and I hit about…8. Donnie liked the sound of Donatello, and I…” he paused, remembering flipping through the book as Donnie talked about how they had to ‘match’, how he’d pointed at a name and Donnie had said, so innocently, ‘but that’s a boy’s name’. How their dad quickly butt in, saying that it didn’t matter if it was or not, that Leo’s choice was Leo’s and it had to be respected. How they eventually learned that it was the lack of choice that led their father to becoming Lou Jitsu and running to America, leading to the series of events where he became a single father of four for a time.

He remembered thinking ‘but I am a boy’, even though for his whole life until that point, he’d been called ‘daughter’.

And how his father was the one to connect the dots far faster than his own son.

“…I liked the sound of a boy’s name.”

There. He put it out there. For some reason, this was far more terrifying than when he came out to his family, just blurting it out at the kitchen table one day only for his brothers to act as if they knew all along. He could feel Usagi’s questioning gaze through the phone, and he knew that he was going to ask, which he’d probably quickly hang up because like…yeah they were getting closer, but…how do you…reveal that??? To a potential date?? Oh damn, he should’ve asked April, oh man he screwed up.

“What about your brothers?”

“…huh?”

“Raphael and Michelangelo? Did they choose their own names? If so, that’s very funny,” Usagi chuckled, and Leo felt the tension roll from his shoulders as he laughed as well.

“Mikey didn’t! His name had always been Mikey. Dad said it just…fit him. Raph…yeah, he changed his, but it was pretty similar.”

“Fascinating. There’s a few clans who do that, you know? Call the children one name until they’re old enough to choose.”

“Huh! Cool.” There was a lull in conversation, and he felt his fingers tapping against his thigh as Usagi spoke up finally.

“I have to admit, I like your name as well, Leonardo-kun. I do not think there could be a better fit.”

Leo felt his heart thrum a bit faster, fingers doodling circles on his thigh as he started to sway back and forth, smiling like a dork. “You definitely fit your name, bunny boy, hehe.”

“Oh shush,” Usagi chuckled. “Alas, it is nearing midnight…I do have to get up for breakfast. Perhaps we shall have more fun tomorrow.”

“Yeah…yeah. I’ll talk to you later, Usa-kun. …g’night.”

“Good morning, Leo-kun. Have a great day.”

They hung up then, Leo curling around the phone with a goofy smile before bouncing up, eager to go walking around and get the tense muscles to untighten, and Usagi to curl up in bed, thinking deeply on quite a few things that Leo both said and didn’t say. Sleep took him in no time, and he was busy dreaming about going to the beach with the other Yokai, a pleasant dream…

Until his brother woke him up that was…

Chapter Text

Today is One Of Those Days. He had always had OOTD over the years, him and his twin sharing the day to be Quiet, trading writing on pieces of notepad paper for sign language as they grew older. Leo’s OOTD sometimes had no reason to appear, until Donnie would arrive, quiet and thin-lipped. Things were Loud for them then, and they would hide away with pillows to mask their ears, or headphones when they were older.

Sometime after…Draxum and Shredder and them, they stopped sharing OOTD and would experience their own. They both still became silent when the other did, a fancy ‘twin power’ they would tease, but when Donnie needed to curl up away from the world, Leo wouldn’t. He would instead go pacing, his voice stolen from him for the day but that was okay. He was used to that.

Today was Leo’s OOTD, one that was not shared with his twin.

He stirred awake at 3 in the morning, staring at the ceiling decorated in glow in the dark stickers given to him by their youngest brother. Next to him, curled up and facing the wall, Casey snored, a small tempo to the sounds of the room. His Spotify had quit playing, and he was sure that’s why he was woken up, the music lapsing into silence that felt overbearing today.

He didn’t want to wake Casey up either, the kid always had a horrible time trying to go to sleep as it was, and he would tease that he’d inherited the insomnia from Leo himself. Casey’s eyes would crinkle in amusement, and then they’d put on some music from some movie and they’d fall asleep after about an hour, lost in their own minds and thoughts.

They had tried the whole…your own bed thing, with Casey, but he’d end up pacing the lair and honestly Leo had never felt bad for sharing his bed, whether it was with his brothers or his kid.

He, in fact, slept better, knowing they were nearby and that he wasn’t adrift in space-

Okaaaay, not going down that road.

He picked up his phone off the charge, blinking at the sudden light. He quickly turned it down, shifting his stiff leg a bit as he bit his lip. It was still night over Usagi’s way, but…that meant he was up, right? He could say hi, at least?

Or, was it afternoon…?

Neon Leon (3:11 AM): hey

Usa-Kun (3:15 AM): Leo-kun? It is quite early for you. Is everything alright?

No. It wasn’t. But he wasn’t sure how to tap all that out, to lay it out to his possible boyfriend?? Datemate? Whatever they were, you know? He bit his lip a bit harder, quickly slipping his tongue over the pained skin with a wince. Ow, dammit.

Neon Leon (3:18 AM): cant sleep. Water u up 2?

Usa-Kun (3:28 AM): Apologies, I was finishing up a conversation with my father. It’s about mid-afternoon for me, so I was going to go walking the stalls to see if there was something to catch my eye. Did you want to talk?

Neon Leon (3:31 AM): cant. Quiet day.

Usa-Kun (3:33 AM): what is a quiet day?

Leo blinked, words building up on his tongue only for him to let out a huff of a laugh, smile quirking at the edge of his lips. Then Usagi text again.

Usa-Kun (3:34 AM): You do not have to say if you don’t want to! I have been told I am quite nosy.

Leo let out a short chirp, a giggle building up in his chest that he smothered so as not to wake up Casey. He was still snoring softly, so he was safe right now thankfully.

Neon Leon (3:37 AM): its ok lmao. Smtimes words are big an bad. Idk how 2 say. But me n donnie jus dont talk smtimes.

Usa-Kun (3:42 AM): And you are not hurt? You are alright?

Neon Leon (3:44 AM): I

Neon Leon (3:46 AM): I mean. Is not that bad. Jus. Annoying.

Neon Leon (3:48 AM): had a bad dream

There. He put it out there. He felt a little childish saying so, a stirring in his chest that always tightened up when he acknowledged the nightmares that would spring up. His hand shook as he held the phone tightly in his hand.

Usagi took a while to respond.

Usa-Kun (3:59 AM):…may I call you?

Leo blinked, then shrugged. He wasn’t going to force a talk, even if Usagi thought he could ‘try’ like how their dad did at first. He had assumed they were just playing some game, and had tried to goad them into talking. When he was unsuccessful, he thought they were sick and tried to find medicines for them.

It took a while for him to understand that sometimes it was just…One Of Those Days.

Still, Leo hit the call button, nabbing his headphones so it wouldn’t be loud for Casey and he leaned back on his pillows as Usagi picked up. “Good morning, Leo-kun.”

Leo made a buzzing noise, but other than that, he didn’t respond.

“I thought that perhaps, you would like to accompany me on my trip out.” He paused, but moreso to give Leo a moment to register the words than waiting for a reaction. “I thought I would hunt for something fun to do, I used up all my calligraphy ink yesterday on my latest letter. I was pondering something more than the usual black ink. My father is partial to golden, so long as he’s writing on black paper.”

Usagi rattled on as Leo let the phone cradle on his chest, shutting his eyes and relaxing a bit. It was like he was right beside him in the slightly cool evening day, walking through a stall where a woman tried to entice them with a necklace made of jade. Usagi expressed some interest, but he admitted that his interest lied more with earrings, which she had none of.

Leo felt his shoulders droop slowly, the sound of Usagi chattering on about some rain earlier feeling like fingers dancing across his head, smoothing across his brain like a Good Feeling. Every so often he would pause to talk to one of the vendors, the words chittering over the headphones and pouring a warmth in his chest.

Somehow, between one breath and the next, he’d fallen asleep, listening to Usagi as he walked home, talking about a neighbor of theirs who had found a little family of cats, the words running over Leo’s ears and smearing into the background of his dream as he dozed off.

(In the morning, he stared at his phone, flushing bright at the ‘two hour call’ blaring at him from the call’s details. Well, good to know it wasn’t just HIM who was a chatterbox!)

~~

SHELLDON hovered near Leo’s shoulder in the medbay as he examined the images, his leg encased in the brace stretched out on the bed in front of him. He frowned, comparing the two images together. One was from today, and one was from a week ago.

He took a marker, marking the edge of one of the fractures as he did with the other one, and then laid them on top of one another. After examining them, Leo grinned, pointing down at it before quickly signing at SHELLDON. ‘They’re healing! It’s less wide and smaller than last week.’

“Aw dude, that’s great!” SHELLDON chirped, doing a backflip in the air as Leo nodded, rubbing a thumb over his knee.

‘I was real lucky it didn’t break the skin…guess I got Dad to thank for that,’ Leo let out a huff of a laugh. He could imagine Draxum puffing up with pride as Donnie did when he was informed of something of his going right.

“Yeah dude, it was totally bonkers!” SHELLDON laughed nervously, bouncing around in the air as Leo slid the images onto a side table. “You uh…it don’t hurt no more, yeah?”

Leo shrugged. ‘Sometimes. It’s always going to hurt now, most likely, but so long as I’m careful not to, you know, get stomped into the ground by a giant machine, I think it’ll be okay.’ He didn’t really imagine any event where he’d break his entire leg again, but hey, they were ninjas. Weird things happen, right?

SHELLDON nodded, giving an electronic sigh. “Gnarly. Dee’s on his way!”

Leo chuckled, just as Donnie appeared in the open doorway, frowning as he started to sign at his twin. ‘You said you’d wait on me.’

‘Sorry,’ Leo signed back, holding up the images. ‘Got a little excited. Come see!’

Donnie rolled his eyes, taking up a stool that he dragged over, taking up the images. Out loud, he clicked his tongue, a sure sign of worry from the softshell as he glanced over both images. He put them down to sign quickly. ‘They’re healing, so that’s good.’

‘You’re worried.’

‘Well, yeah, your muscles are all…’ he made some semblance of a sign, then just flapped his hand in a way that Leo understood.

‘That’s why I’m exercising it, Don. The PT and stuff is good for it. But there’s no…straight-forward healing with muscles.’ Leo shrugged, letting his hands drop as Donnie sighed.

‘…we’ve just never been hurt this bad. Making me itchy with nerves.’

‘I get that. How’s the shell?’

Donnie rolled his eyes, but turned around to let Leo check him out. Medbay was Leo’s territory that he protected vehemently, as Donnie did with his lab. It had really made everyone feel off-kilter when Leo was unable to do what he loved most and was instead sentenced to bedrest.

So, you know, Donnie figured he could let him fiddle around, ensure everyone was healing right. It was just as much as them checking on him through the day.

Leo let out a breathy laugh, tracing the edges of Donnie’s shell. Every so often, he expected to see it ripped up again, pulsing wounds with pink gunk trying to infect it. But they had helped wash out the wounds and fix Donnie up.

All that was left was some…funky scarring that twirled like Mikey’s art when he used to draw on their shells.

He made sure that there was nothing new, nothing unseen that they had missed, and he carefully thumped Donnie’s shoulder to make him turn his head. ‘All clear.’

‘Cool.’ Donnie paused as he turned around, rubbing the back of his neck in the way he did when he was trying to build a thought back together when he was pulled away from it. Leo waited patiently as SHELLDON happily flopped onto the bed, leaning into Leo’s hand as he pet him. ‘You wanna go walk around the repo place later?’

Oh did he ever. He could feel the burst of speed building up, tapping around his legs and goading him to get up and walk, run, do SOMETHING. But he’d been trying to take it as easy as possible, to ensure there would be no return trip to the medbay bed and everyone’s worrisome hovering. He smiled, nodding quickly. ‘Heck yeah! Let’s do it!’

‘Solid, let me go get the cart.’ Oh Donnie, ever a packrat. Donnie held out his hand and Leo happily gave him a high three, then they bumped knuckles and Donnie was off, rubbing his hands together in deep thought as Leo ensured his brace was back on, keeping him a steady walker for the afternoon.

~~

Usa-Kun (5:30 PM): Leo-kun, may I ask you something?

Neon Leon (5:43 PM): sure! Im with dontron rn so I might be slow

Usa-Kun (5:45 PM): Of course! I do not wish to interrupt brotherly bonding. Or a prank session. Whichever you have occurring.

Neon Leon (5:59 PM): LOL a bit of both ;)

Usa-Kun (6:12 PM): Father is coming to the states next week. I had something in mind for our first date, but I wasn’t sure if you were free or not.

Neon Leon (6:13 PM): I

Neon Leon (6:16 PM): I am very free you should in fact kiss me many times upon the mouth

Neon Leon (6:18 PM): OWEJF*(W#FW

Usa-Kun (6:20 PM): Hello, Donatello!

Neon Leon (6:21 PM): I’M GOING TO BECOME SUDDENLY TWINLESS.

Usa-Kun (6:23 PM): :3

Neon Leon (6:35 PM): shit shut uuuupppp you smug jeeeeerk. Jowjaweapo. ANYWAY. Uh. YES. Yeah! Im free! What’s the plan, when where?

Usa-Kun (6:39 PM): Haha. And that is a secret :3 However, Father is setting us up to stay at your mother’s hotel, so I should not be far from you.

Neon Leon (6:42 PM): Cool cool!! Then I will c u theeeeen. 4 now, I must commit siblicide, pardon moi

Usa-Kun (6:45 PM): Have fun, Leo-kun <3

Neon Leon (6:46 PM): <3

Bootyyyshaker9000 (7:45 PM): So you managed to get tickets, I take it?

Bastard Rabbit (7:46 PM): I did! Thank you for your assistance in that.

Bootyyyshaker9000 (7:47 PM): It’s no big. Would have been a b-day gift but ours isn’t for a while. Figured it would be a nice stepping stone into the foray of the dating world.

Bastard Rabbit (7:48 PM): Yes, yes, I understand, you want something in exchange, I remember.

Bootyyyshaker9000 (7:50 PM): I do, even though I do adore my twin, my help does not come cheaply so.

Bastard Rabbit (7:52 PM): It’s so sweet that you’re worried about him <3

Bootyyyshaker9000 (7:56 PM): Ew I’m literally gagging, you’re both the same and I hate you. Joking. Ugh, little brothers.

Bastard Rabbit (7:57 PM): Hah. I will discuss with my father about your inquiry, and I’ll bring along any scrolls we have on that type of thing.

Bootyyyshaker9000 (7:59 PM): Excellent. Now get back to my brother, he’s eyeing up a mountain of cars and I dread dragging him home to inform everyone the reason he has a newly broken hip is ‘he was bored’.

Chapter Text

Spinning, spinning, everything is spinning-

Everything hurts-

His shell, his leg, his arm, ribs, concussion? Brain bleed? Fever. Fever. Fever.

Everything hurts-

Big. Something big. Something monstrous. It touches his head and he lets out a cry, or what he thinks is one, but it tapers off into a warble, a plea for mercy-

“Shh, shh, baby bro, it’s okay.”

Don’t hurt me don’t hurt me don’t hurt me-

“I’m not-I swear-shh…deep breaths…”

For a moment he doesn’t believe, but he can’t fight back. His arms feel so heavy, and his brain spins like an out of control carousel, and then he realizes the loud noise is still him, letting out shuddering squeaks. ‘Pain-scared-pain-scared-mercy-mercy-mercy

“Shh…Raph’s got ya.”

Raph-Raph-Raph, big brother, protection, safe safe safe safe. He lets out a chirp at that, and his brain finally stops spinning so fast that it makes him sick, but instead he manages to latch on to the latest of memories. He’s in medbay. He’s home. He’s safe. He’s home. He’s safe.

“You are, you are, yer safe, Leo.”

Don’t want to go back, never go back again, he chirps and chirps until his tongue hurts at how insistent he is. There’s another voice he recognizes, one that he’s heard his entire life, but he’s focused on the big being that’s now holding his hand tightly.

“Yer not goin’ back, Leo…Don’s gonna give ya somethin’ to make ya sleep. Yer gettin’ worked up and, i-it’s not good for yer stitches.”

Sleep? No. Bad. Bad things happen in his sleep. Stay? Stay? Stay?

A somewhat amused chuckle resonates up his arm. “I’m stayin’. Not goin’ anywhere, Leo.”

He chirps again, feeling a stick in his arm but he’s used to that by now. He’s suddenly flooded with tiredness, and he didn’t even know that he’d been holding so tight onto the big being that his fingers ached when they released their grip.

Good. Here. Stay. Stay. Stay.

He plunges back into the sea of unconsciousness, a storm he will continue to endure for a few more weeks, but each time he resurfaces, someone new and loved is there to hold his hand and still the quiet of his mind.

He is loved. He is loved. He is loved.

Chapter Text

April and Cassandra stood shoulder to shoulder, Cassie digging through the package of cookies as April watched the scene before them in rising amusement and curiosity.

Mikey sat on a stool, sipping juice from a glass as he rocked on the chair, watching as a shoe flew out of Leo’s bedroom. “Hey, guys!”

“The hell am I seeing, baby?” April asked him, approaching to wrap her youngest brother in a hug, kissing his head as he chirped happily. Cassie waved from behind.

“Heyo, Mikey!”

“Leo moaewo aweojpeaw owaejoaw,” he mumbled into April’s jacket as a sweater flew out of the room, nailing Cassie in the head. She scoffed, holding it up curiously.

“I understood the word Leo, but nothin’ else, Mikes,” April chuckled as he leaned back, nibbling on the straw idly as Cassie scowled at the sweater.

“The hell is this monstrosity?”

“Bad Sweater Christmas Exchange,” they both said immediately. It was a puke green sweater with fuzzy baubles dangling off of it, one or two strings to indicate they’d been lost to time. Mikey piped up again as a random headband was flung out of the room, knocking against the wall. “Leo’s finally got a date with that bunny and he’s legit freaking out!”

“Date?”

“Bunny?!”

Both girls exchanged a shocked look before April felt a lightbulb pop on. “Oh! Oh my fucking-oh shit-that dude?!” she laughed, leaning over with her hands on her knees as Cassie looked to be close to trembling in anger.

Mikey went to speak but Leo came out, face bright red from frustration as he tossed down a sheer top that was more meant to cover oneself while swimming. “I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR! THIS IS A TRAVESTY, A FASHION DISASTER-!”

Cassie tossed the cookies at Mikey, who caught them, and she grabbed Leo by his shoulders roughly as he blinked at her, eyes a little misty from his dramatics. “Tell me who dared to ask you on a date and I will ENSURE HE DOES NOT DEFILE YOUR HONOR!” she shook him quickly, making him laugh as April snickered.

“Cas, the whole point of dating is to defile your honor,” she winked at Mikey who snorted, rolling his eyes as Cassie gasped, dragging Leo closer and holding him tight.

“HOW DARE THEY! WHOEVER IT IS SHALL PAY FOR THINKING OF SUCH THINGS FOR MY CO-PARENT-IN-LAW!”

“That’s a lot of words,” Leo grunted, patting her arm with a sigh. “It’s that guy, remember? From the Battle Nexus? We told you what happened.”

It took a moment, the gears turning slowly before she released him, one arm still around his shoulders as she rubbed her chin. “Ooohhh yeah the smooth as hell dude. First he proposes, then asks you on date? Guy’s going backwards,” she huffed, thumping his back and almost making him fall over as she laughed. “Good on you! First of the team to finally snag a date!” At April’s raised eyebrow, she rolled her eyes. “Okay, first of the four of ya, geesh, get off my back, O’Neil.”

“Yeah but now I have nothing to weaaaaar,” Leo groaned, burying his face in his hands. “A hoodie is too casual! But like, what if we go somewhere warm and I’m wearing a sweater?! What if it’s somewhere super casual and I’m dressed up! What if-“

“Okay, he’s spiraling,” April said, patting Mikey’s head with a huff. “I say we drag Mister ‘Woe Is Me’ out and go outfit hunting!”

“Aw heck yeah!” Mikey squeaked, bouncing up and doing a little dance in place. “Outfit, outfit, outfit! Imma go tell Pops and Raph!” He sped off before anyone could say anything, although none of them really tried to stop him.

Leo whined, hugging onto Cassie dramatically. “I’m doomed, absolutely doooomed. He’ll see me dressed like some hillbilly and he’ll run far away!” he groaned, and Cassie just thumped his forehead with a tut.

“You really jump to doom and gloom easy, huh?” she snickered as he rubbed his head, pouting. “Look, dude, I get it, first crush, first date, right? But you can’t let this stress you! Literally thousands of fish in the sea! You’re young and pretty handsome I guess, so you can nab anyone!” She hugged him to her side, squishing their cheeks together as she grinned, and he melted a bit, chuckling.

“Aw, thanks, Cass-“

“And if he breaks your heart I WILL BREAK HIS SPLEEN!” she cackled, clenching her fist as he felt a sweatdrop appear on his head.

“Ah, there she is. Right-o, never break my heart, I’ll warn him of it.”

“YOU BETTER!” She knocked their heads together and Leo let out a laugh as April snickered.

“Man’s gonna jump ship once he meets the crew.”

Leo whined, slumping in Cassie’s hold as he heard his father chattering nicely with Mikey, heading their way. “That’s the other thing I’m afraid of.”

He adored his large family, for sure! But ye Gods above they could be protective. Which, he could as well of course. They all tended to team up to watch out for the one who needed it, especially after…everything. Now they just had…additional eyes on the prize, so to speak. The last time was when Mikey had decided on a trip through the Mystic City…and had four bodyguards following him courtesy of their mother.

Who certainly got an earful about how he was old enough to be on his own, to which she reluctantly promised not to do again until asked.

Leo was pretty sure they were still followed sometimes, but he opted not to mention anything. It was a little…comforting, actually. Help when they needed it, or whatever.

Anyway, whatever they could think up, he was sure it would be the best thing ever!

~~

It was the worst thing ever.

Mind that he had no problem trying on clothes in front of his brothers, even his dad really. They’d had their whole lives living together for any nerves to be thrown out the window really. But this was so important!

And their other parents were there now!!

And April. And Cassie. And Casey. Sunita had said she couldn’t make it so that was one less person but dear Gods above could they have just made it them and April???

Too late now, he grumbled, several pieces of clothing pushed into the changing room. He scoffed, holding up a literal turtleneck sweater dyed purple, and throwing it right back out the door. “It’s not THAT cold, Donatello!”

“Oh forgive me for ensuring my twin is kept safe from the horrors of brumation!” came the salty response, but Leo just shook his head with a chuckle.

The first outfit he came out with was a pantsuit, bright blue with pink lines on it and he gave a flat look at Big Mama who clapped delightedly. “Bluey Tooey, you are so cutesy wootsy! Won’t you agree, my darlings?”

“He’s very bright,” Draxum said, sipping some tea as Lou cleared his throat, reaching over to hold Big Mama’s hand.

“Look, sweetie,” oh ew Leo was about to gag, and his brothers made a face teasingly as well, “such color matching went out of style back in our day. It’s all about the pastels now!”

Leo nodded, pulling on the suit a bit with a grimace. “Plus, it puts way too much strain on my shell! Maybe next time, Mama.”

“Oh, very well,” she mumbled, shooing him back into the changing room.

He came out in a set of overalls and some simple sandals, with a very unimpressed look when his dad threw a jacket at him. Raph gave a thumbs up. “Raph approves!”

“Babe, you can’t even see an ankle,” April commented, popping a bubble of gum as Cassie held in a wheeze of laughter. “No wonder you approve.”

Raph gasped, hand on his chest in fake shock. “Raph approves because it’s very fashionable! Right, Pops?”

“You have no taste, Red,” Lou responded in kind, sending the rest of them into peals of laughter as Leo shook his head, turning back to the changing room.

“I’m not wearing overalls and a jacket on a date!”

He threw Cassie’s pick out at her, which was an entire suit in black which had them all howling. He could hear Draxum pipe up with ‘it looks fine to me’ only for Pops most likely to throw something at him.

Based on the ‘ow, Lou!’, it was definitely Pops.

He threw out Draxum’s outfit as well, a neck to toe covering as well which finally set off April on how ‘prudish’ they were all being, Cassie cackling up a storm as Casey most likely was just happy to snack on the sweets Mikey snuck in for the both of them.

Speaking of Mikey, he picked up the pile his youngest brother had tossed in with some shoes, and a grin slowly snaked its way onto his face.

Mikey always did have the best taste in fashion.

This time he whipped open the door with pride, happily grinning up a storm.

The chosen outfit was a pretty nice dress with long sleeves that reached his wrists, a little bit of a V but nothing provocative (not that he really had ‘anything’ there but still), and the dress went to the tops of his knees. It was black with roses on it, and held up around his shell nicely. The simple heels Mikey threw in really tied the whole thing together in his opinion.

“Weeeelll? Watcha think?” he twirled in place, striking a pose with two fingers in a V against his eye as he winked. Mikey whistled, clapping as did Casey while his pops grunted, giving him a once over with a detailed eye.

“Are you wearing shorts?”

“DAD,” Leo groaned, dropping his arms as Raph nodded seriously. “It is NOT that short!”

“Feb’s cold, bro,” Raph piped up as Cassie snickered.

“What about tights? They’re warm?”

Leo pointed at her, nodding quickly with puppy dog eyes. “Yeah! Tights, how’s that, Pops? C’moooon! You wore shorter things in your movies!”

“You did-OW,” Draxum hissed as Lou quickly elbowed him, clearing his throat.

“Shorts are necessary for all skirts higher than the knee! It is important for blood circulation and keeping the death of the flu away!”

Leo groaned, dropping his head as he realized the argument would not be swayed. Their dad always had only one important rule, and that was double layering during the Winter. They figured it was mostly due to the whole hibernating/brumating thing, but never really asked too much on it. “Fine fine fine, shorts, but! What do you thiiiink? Is it cute? Too much for a first date??”

“Oh, you look very pretty, Blue,” Pops said, his tail nudging Big Mama who perked up.

“Very pretty indeed, blueberry pie!! Right, Draxy Waxy?”

“Mmmm, yeesss,” he drawled out with a groan as if admitting it was torture for him. “But no hand-holding.”

“Dad!”

“Prude,” Lou scoffed as April cackled, throwing popcorn at Leo who threw it back.

“You heard your daddy, Leo! No haaand-hoooolding,” she jeered, and Raph nodded again.

“Yeah! Hand-holding lead to kissin’, and kissin’ leads to…hot spas?”

“This isn’t a romcom, Raph,” Donnie piped up, tapping his fingers against his chin in thought as he examined his twin, finally nodding. “I think it looks decent. Nowhere to hide a weapon very well though, is it?”

“Should’ve went with mine,” Cassie muttered as Casey gave Leo a thumbs up.

“I think it looks rad, Dad.”

Aww, now he had all the warm fuzzies as Mikey matched Casey’s thumbs up. “Yeah! Looking tight, dude!”

That’s all he needed, so he struck another pose, grinning back with his normal self-assurance. “Hell yeah! I’m gonna rock this first date!”

Chapter Text

“So, are you making treats for your boyfriend then?”

Leo looked over his phone from where he’d been playing a new Gacha game, twisting idly on the stool near the breakfast bar. He frowned, staring at their dad in confusion as Draxum started making tea. “Uh. Huh? I mean I can? Why? What do you know, father o’ mine?” he dramatically pointed, then scrambled as he nearly lost both his balance and his phone.

Draxum rolled his eyes with a smile, flicking a hand and a vine quickly shot out from the breakfast bar, pushing Leo back onto the stool with ease as he poured the water into the tea kettle he and their Mama had joined up to gift their dad after the whole…everything. “For Valentine’s day, my son.”

It was early morning, a time that Leo’s insomnia had roused him awake once more, but Usagi had been busy with some kind of training with his father. Their dad was often busy with doing his own thing as well, sometimes coming home to-well, he didn’t give it much thought what their two fathers did-while Big Mama often tried to entice them all to move into her hotel. Either way, Draxum was an earlier riser as well, or maybe he wanted to prod more details out of Leo about Usagi, whichever came first.

Leo blinked. “Heeee’s taking me out somewhere? Figured I’d get him something neat but I dunno what yet?”

Draxum just let out a sigh, the same sigh that often meant ‘save me from my obtuse children’. Leo squinted at him as he poured two cups of tea, happily taking up the obvious Earl Grey as Draxum sat across from him. “Your father is Japanese, as is Usagi.”

“…I don’t see where we’re headed with this.”

Draxum snorted, picking up his cup with a sigh. “Holidays are celebrated differently in various cultures. I can’t say I’m too surprised he did not tell you this as children,” he mumbled and Leo winced, giving a quick nod.

Their pops was awesome, okay? First and foremost. But their pops had a loooot of baggage from his past, enough that for a while, the Hamato name seemed to give him pain. It wasn’t until they hit their teens that he seemed to have slowly healed, which also, he couldn’t fault him! He was busy keeping up with four kids who refused to settle down, healing through some fancy trauma was bound to be on the back burner.

However, he did pass along a few things from his own childhood to them. Chicken bone broth that pulled fever from sick children, with the bones meant to be split between their teeth for the marrow (Raph’s favorite). Two small and mobile shrines, one for his mother and one for GramGram, that he would light incense for in the mornings. Bowing politely to others they met. Other little things that he never gave much weight to as they were taught it.

(To be fair, supposedly the generations before were very happy to leave Leo and his brothers as ‘martyrs for the cause’, which their pops vehemently declined to allow. Thankfully.)

Still, all this to say that yeah there were a few things that he failed to inform them of.

Although, he doubted their pops really imagined them ever getting married despite the slight nudging.

There went his mind wandering, Dad just sipping his tea as he waited while Leo quickly shook his head, trying to spin the dice back to their original positions. “I mean, kinda had a lot going on instead of uh, holidays. Anyway, what do you know, tell meeee,” he hissed, clutching his phone to him as Draxum snorted, rolling his eyes with a chuckle.

“Well, it’s not like I really know, I’ve lived on this side of Pangaea all my life,” he hummed as Leo gave him a flat look that told him he was not buying the whole ‘I’ve lived forever, I know it all’ schtick Draxum tried to pull now and then. Before they had much more to say, Splinter popped into view on the counter, despite that being one of Mikey’s rules that no one climb on top of them, nabbing the tea kettle with his tail, groaning.

“You two are too loud! Chatter chatter chatter, feh! What is all the hubbub?” he mumbled, pouring himself some tea and sitting down with ease as Draxum mumbled a ‘good morning’.

Leo leaned over, poking his pops in the shoulder. “Dad says V-Day is different for Usagi, what does that meeaaaaan?”

Splinter blinked, swiveling his head between them a moment before the lightbulb popped on. “Ah! Yessss, I remember. Girls often gave the boys chocolate! If you give him some, call it…honmei-choco!”

“Hoooonmeeeei,” Leo drawled the word out, frowning. “Yeah but now I have to make some for him! Or buy some. That’s no fun though, making’s more fun,” he mumbled with a groan as Splinter laughed at his poor son’s torment.

“I am certain Orange would adore to help you, baby blue.”

“Gasp!” Leo stood up quickly, the phone flying up once more only to be caught by a vine, dropping it back into his hand. “Mikey! Thanks, Pops! I’ll go wake him up so we can go shopping!” He flew out, blue sparking across his body as he accidentally transported in his haste, and they could hear an ‘ow! Leo!’ from their youngest’s room.

Draxum chuckled, sipping his tea with a sigh. “Don’t suppose you like chocolate, do you, Lou?”

Splinter snorted, tutting as he swirled his tea in his cup, sighing. “I put aside all those holidays when I came to America, Drax. I’ll be happy to get the boys out of the house for the day!”

Draxum hummed, chuckling as he stood up, passing the cup to a vine to slide into the sink to wash later. “Mm. Well, you and I both know how she will be about it. I’ve heard tales about grand balls, dancing the night away, chocolate fountains…”

Splinter made a noise of disgust, sticking his tongue out as he ambled up, hopping off the counter so his youngest wouldn’t have a fit. “People, feh. No no, I’m old! A night in is all I need!”

“You’re not that old,” Draxum said, but in a way that felt more hesitant than teasing. “…how old ARE you?”

Splinter swatted him with his tail, both of them chuckling as they headed to the ‘movie room’, content to watch reruns of Lou’s shows until their sons demanded their attention.

~~

Leo groaned, scrolling through the many search options as Mikey dug through his many pots and pans in the slightly early hours of the morning. “Dude, what if he hates chocolate? What if he’s allergic?!”

“Then let’s make something he won’t be allergic to!” Mikey tugged on a pan, letting out a victory laugh as it plopped onto the counter. “Find somethin’ that a lot of peeps ain’t allergic to!”

Leo snorted. “Dude, that’s literally anything nowadays.” He mumbled, tapping away on it as Casey ran through, grabbing up the paper bag on the counter. “Have a good day at school!”

“Thanks, Dad! Bye, Dad! Bye, Uncle Mikey!” he yelled, getting a good-bye back from Mikey as April popped into view at the doorway, dragging Casey into the sewers with her.

“Let’s go, main man! We are rolling out!”

Leo chuckled, sighing as he put his phone done for a moment. “What about this thing? Strawberry…daifuku?”

Mikey shrugged, leaning over the phone as they looked over the recipe. It seemed to be mochi with strawberries and red bean paste. They’d all had mochi as kids, ice cream that didn’t melt in their hands, a little chilled but not too bad, a treat even their pops could make despite his inability to cook very well.

“Let’s do this!”

“Si, chef!” Leo saluted him, and in a moment they both had matching aprons on.

Unfortunately, he forgot how stressful it could be to cook with his little brother.

“Chop it more thinly-“

“Mikey, come on, I’m trying here!”

“You’re not doing it right, you’re going to chip my favorite knife!”

“You have a favorite?”

Raph rumbled into view then, staring as Mikey kept swiping at the knife that Leo was using to chop strawberries, both of them hissing at each other and covered in flour with a few destroyed pieces of…rice paper of some kind to the side? He rubbed his head with a frown. “Raph is confused.”

“Help! I’m trying to make Usagi treats!” Leo held out his free hand, just as Mikey swiped the knife with a victorious laugh.

“Got ya, baby! Daddy’s never gonna let you go again,” he crooned, cradling the knife to his cheek as Leo and Raph stared on.

“Did you know about the favorite knife thing?” Leo quickly whispered to him.

“…Raph knew about the butter knife, but not a favorite knife.”

“The but-what happened to-“ he sputtered out just as Mikey launched over the counter again, pushing the sliced strawberries to the side.

“I’ve got this handled, bro! You just watch me!”

“Miiiikeeey,” he groaned, slumping a bit as he tried to tug back the chopping board. “It’s supposed to be made by me!”

“You can make soup! You’re not a dessert maker!”

“It-it’s the thought that counts! Right, Raph?”

Raph put his hands up as the two looked at him, taking a solid step back. “Nuh-uh, baby bros. Do not involve me. Unless I am suitably bribed, that is.”

Leo scoffed as Mikey tossed him a stray strawberry, and he caught it in midair, humming happily as he chomped on it. “Heck yeah! Alright, what’re we doin’?”

With a quick explanation, and a chef’s hat placed firmly on Raph’s head, they were back at it again in the kitchen. The mochi making was easy, but when it came to wrapping up the strawberries…well…Mikey’s was, of course, brilliant. He had tons of practice.

Leo’s looked more like weird ovals, some with the strawberry peeking out, some of them looking…a bit gooey. He sighed, plopping his arms on the counter and laying his head down. “This is torture! I hate baking!”

Raph patted his head with a grunt. “Me too.”

“Raph, you ate all yours we gave you.”

“I like eatin’!”

Mikey laughed, playfully nudging Leo as he pushed a few of his daifukus around, spreading out the mochi more evenly. “Look, dude, Usagi’s gonna love it even if it’s uneven!”

“…he will?” Leo asked with a sniffle, huffing.

“Yeah! As Rupert Swaggart says, ‘food is all about how much love you put into it…and cheese.’”

“Not so sure I wanna trust what Meat Sweats says,” he mumbled into the counter, but Mikey had a point. The pig Yokai had been a celebrated chef, and he knew his stuff. Er. Maybe. Leo was never into those shows, more keen on watching House or Scrubs instead. He sighed, shifting to sit his head up with a soft smile. “Alright, let’s pack this up then. There’s only like a few days left!”

Raph and Mikey fistbumped behind him, pleased they’d averted another crisis on the way of Leo’s romantic life, and with a little bit of arts and crafts, they made a cute little box to put all the sweets in.

Er…how long was it until he came, again?

~~

Usagi knelt on the cushion before the table separating him and his father, Miyamato Kassan, two mugs of tea with their porcelain tea pot nearby. His nose twitched idly, reaching out for his mug when his father nodded. “Hello, Father. What is this about?”

His father was a large Belgian Hare Yokai, brown fur turning rusty from the years, wearing a dark blue yukata with golden tasseled sleeves, something he was used to seeing his father wear. Said rabbit chuckled, reaching out as well to pick up his cup with a sigh. “I just want to know more about your intended, Usagi! Please, just humor an old man a little?”

“You are hardly that old, Chichi,” Usagi rolled his eyes, a bit of a flush on his face as his nose twitched. Leo was…not exactly his intended, even if he did give a roundabout proposal, but those were mere semantics to the Miyamoto family. He sighed, shaking his head. “I do not know what to say. He is pretty…”

Kassan chortled, tapping his fingers on the low table with an amused smile. “That is exactly how I talked about your mother when I met her. What’s he like? Does he train? Fight? Who is his clan?”

Ah, there it was. While his father was kind to his children, he was also very much the head of their clan still. Because Usagi was meant to inherit his role, it meant that he had to be…careful on who he chose to fall in love with.

But that hardly mattered, right? Leonardo’s small family, while amazing in their own right, seemed to hold their own in New York, far from the politics of Japanese Yokai. He rolled with it though, smiling as he thought about Leo. “He is amazing! He can speak Spanish and sign language…although I do not know how, he only has three fingers,” he fidgeted with his cup, flushing. “He is a Kame Yokai, almost my height!”

“So tall,” Kassan murmured, his stiff ears twitching lightly. “But then your brothers are very tall, you may match their height one day.”

Doubtful, but Usagi wouldn’t say as much. He hummed in thought. “He trains, he’s a…he proclaims himself to be a ninja, but he uses double swords.”

His father frowned, arms crossing in front of him, and Usagi felt that ‘disappointing your father’ vibe creep in as he sunk a bit in place, swallowing thickly. “Chichi, please, he’s very kind! Not like other ninjas at all.”

His father hardly twitched, letting out a sharp sigh. “I am having some doubts now, Usagi…you didn’t say who his clan is.”

Usagi thought for a moment, just as his father picked up his cup to take a sip. “Oh! I remember now. Hamato! Hamato Leonardo.”

His father’s tea made a reappearance as he choked, spitting it up and making a mess as Usagi squeaked, ears shooting up nervously as Kassan stared incredulously at him. “Hamato?! Really! All the way in New York?” he muttered, picking up a napkin on the side to pat at the spill on the table.

Usagi gave a nervous life, nodding, unsure of where this was headed. “Y…yes…?”

“Oh this is great honor, Usagi,” his father nodded, smoothing the napkin to the side with a breath. “Such a glorious honor, for certain. I…I need to discuss this, with their patriarch, of course.”

Well now he was downright curious. What in the world had the name Hamato had their father tripping over his feet so bad? He merely nodded, finishing off his tea easily. “Mm, their father is nice from what I hear…but I have yet to meet him.”

His father waved a hand, laughing. “Oh, this is between parents only! Don’t you dwell on it, my son. You just…keep doing as you are with this Leonardo…is he the eldest of the family?”

Usagi felt his patience dwindling, aching to go back to texting Leo so they could both complain about overbearing parents. “No…that is his oldest brother. He is…third? He has a twin.”

Kassan’s eyes narrowed in thought, a hand brushing over his cheek idly. “A twin…hm. Hm hm…and younger, as well…that would be good…”

“Chichi, I appreciate what you’re doing,” Usagi explained, sighing. “But…Leo-kun and I are just…barely starting off! We are ‘getting to know each other’, as he says. There is no formal agreement in place.”

Kassan blinked, tilting his head with a twitch of his nose as he chuckled. “You younger generation, you do things so strangely! When I was your age, my arrangement had already been agreed upon!” Here he goes, Usagi thought, the same old explanation he’d heard a thousand times.

This time he sighed, nodding, his earing twitching against his ear as he flicked it. “Chichi…It…I know, it’s unusual…but Leo-kun is…an unusual Yokai,” he chuckled, staring down at his cup with an adoring face. “…I want to be the one to be able to catch his eye, not with help of others. You know?” He looked up, and his father sighed, smiling back at him.

“Feh, you younger boys, I swear. ‘Let me do this on my own’, nado nado nado,” he chuckled, running his hand up over his ear and smoothing down the fur. “I…suppose there would be no harm in allowing you to continue as you are…but! I still must meet with their patriarch, or matriarch, I can’t recall which they went with,” he muttered, shaking his head. “Matters not. Introduce me when we go, I’d like to meet him.”

Ye Gods above, introduce his father to his date before their first date?! He’d be pulling out all the baby stories! He laughed nervously, clearing his throat. “M-Maybe…may I go now? I want to finish up a gift I had for him.”

Kassan sat back, waving a hand at him. “Go go go, shoo! I have to draw up an invitation as it is.”

“You don’t have to,” Usagi said as he stood, giving his father a quick bow. “Their mother owns the hotel we visited last time. Anyway, bye, Chichi!” he zoomed out of the room, leaving Kassan blinking, then chuckling in amusement.

“Ah, children and their first love…Hitomi!” he called out to one of the guards, a lizard Yokai who quickly ducked inside. “Get me my brush and ink! I’ve got another son to formally introduce!” With a bow, the guard was off, and he was left with a goofy grin on his face.

This would be so, so interesting…

He wondered if Sho even knew about this branch of the clan? Best to write him as well, just in case…

Chapter Text

Leo had sat in the lounge of his mother’s hotel many, many times before, but never with so much nerves racing through his veins. To be fair, he was never waiting on a…d-date either. He knew Bullhop-who’d gotten his job back as a part time thing for now-was glancing at him from the desk, teaching a new bodyguard/concierge the ropes, but he was resolute in sitting on the frilly couch, hands buried in his lap under the pretty box they had made with the mochi treats inside.

The dress suddenly felt Too Much, the sleeves grazing his wrists and making his arms feel weird, but he couldn’t pull them up either because they wouldn’t go past his elbows. And April had been very adamant that was a fashion DON’T. Or more like she was like ‘wear an undershirt with it if you’re tired of it’. But did he listen? Nooooo, of course not!

He did of course wear shorts underneath, because otherwise he’d be grounded for eternity and not the fun kind either! It wasn’t even Winter still!

…wait, yes it was.

…wasn’t it?

His train of thought went right off the tracks when he heard his name, focusing back in and looking up. Usagi stared back at him, wearing a bit more of a casual set of clothes. It seemed to be a white shirt with a black jacket over the top, with the bottom half of a black yukata. Leo squeaked, flushing as he scrambled to stand up, lost his balance, then plopped back on the couch, hiding his face in his hands as Usagi hid a chuckle, heading over.

"Apologies, you know how brothers can be," he mumbled, smiling at Leo who held up the box with a flush. "Hmm, what can this be?"

"H-Honmei! Er, not chocolate, strawberry!" Leo piped up as Usagi sat beside him then, happily taking the constructed box from his hands. "Uh...I never asked if you liked chocolate."

"I don't mind it, although I suppose lemon is my favorite flavor. Strawberry is next on the list," Usagi smiled, his eyes darting over Leo as his face darkened in a blush. "You look...very beautiful today, Leo-kun."

Leo blushed harder, smiling as he fiddled with his sleeves. "Y-You look really good too, Usa-kun. Digging the casual look, haha."

Usagi smiled, chuckling. "My brothers threatened to throw me out a window if I wore one of my more formal yukatas. Father scolded them." Leo snickered as Usagi balanced the box on his lap, fiddling with his pocket for a moment before pulling something out. "I-I made you something! You don't have hair, but, um, the mask tails, on your bandanna? I thought, maybe..." he unfolded his hands, revealing a little brooch. It was made out of sparkly gemstones that were reminiscent of something Mikey would've bought at Michael's during one of his hobby hopping days, a pretty sparkly blue butterfly on a clasp.

Leo squeaked. "That's super cute, Usa-kun! Where should I...?"

"Here, let me?" He held it up and Leo quickly nodded, shifting to turn around and let Usagi at his bandanna. It was loosened for a moment, slipping down his nose and making him wiggle it a bit, and then it tightened back up. There was a weight now at the back of his head, the brooch a little cold but warming up against his skin as Usagi threaded the tails through it with ease. "There! Want a photo?"

"Yes!" Leo squirmed in place, swinging his left leg beside him as Usagi quickly took a pic, tapping his shoulder so he could turn around and see.

Usagi's phone showed a clear image of the now dutifully tied bandanna. The brooch sat square in a beautifully tied bow behind his head, the tails no longer trailing behind him but rather cupped around the butterfly like a blue flower. It was pretty, something he'd definitely reserve for the days he felt more okay with making himself pretty. He chirped happily, reaching up a hand to gently touch at the flower. "Pretty! I love it! Thank you, Usa-kun!" He couldn't help throwing his arms around the rabbit Yokai, nuzzling their cheeks together and making the other blush bright.

"Y-You're quite welcome!" He cleared his throat, scratching his own cheek. "W-We best be going, it's almost time."

"Oh yeah!" Leo hopped up, the dress twirling around him as he tugged on Usagi's arm, the box still held tightly within those fuzzy arms as he stood up. "Let's make tracks, as the kids say!"

"What kids?" Usagi asked, but eagerly followed with a laugh, the two guards from afar watching them as they left through the doorway of the hotel.

Bullhop nodded at the Antelope sneaking out of the elevator wearing a black samurai outfit, her face hidden by a mask. She nodded back, disappearing in a hot second as he texted the other turtles. The new hire, a slime Yokai watching steadily, swallowed. "I-Is this normal for uh, the hotel?"

"The turtles are Big Mama's kids, so...uh...yeah, kind of."

"Oh boy."

"That's what I say every day. Now, when you're logging in, you have to be gentle with the key on the register, it sticks..."

~~

The surprise was a fairly ritzy little place that was hosting a 'comeback' show for a very popular magician, someone they had went against a few times before. He was Leo's favorite villain to meet up with, even if they tended to test Ron and Warren's patience time and again. It had little individual tables lit by small candles with plush seats, and the stage set with purple curtains and a small table with a glowing orb set atop it.

For a half a moment, he wondered if it was a trap by Ron again, but then brushed it away. There was absolutely no way his ear-to-the-ground twin would let anything go off if he thought it would end up injuring several people, so this had to be...safeish? Safe enough, yeah.

Usagi even pulled out the seat for him with a playful sweep of his arm. "My darling~"

Leo let out a soft laugh, picking up the edge of his skirt for a short bow. "My, what a gentleman! Thank you very much~" he cackled, plopping in the chair as Usagi let out a giggle, taking his own seat across from him.

"Of course, for such a beauty in tonight's light, how can I not be one?"

They were both giggling up a storm by that point, Leo's ankles crossing under the table as he plopped his arms in front of him. Usagi laughed, one arm curled in front, the other extended on the other side, and Leo, in a sudden rush of courage, slid his hand out and took Usagi's hand in his. Usagi let out a hiccup, face bursting in red but smiled at Leo, both of them floating high on the start of a great date.

The little box sat beside them, a centerpiece if you will.

Behind the curtain, Ron was on the phone, sighing as he fanned himself. "I'm only saying, your brother can date whoever he pleases," he peered around the curtain out into the crowd, finding the turtle of the hour holding hands with the rabbit Yokai who'd caught his eye, both of them just smiling and giggling. Ron sighed softly, smiling as he thought of Warren for a moment before shutting the curtain with a huff. "He looks perfectly content to me!"

"Yeah well so did a lot of serial killers," came the purple turtle's voice over the phone, all of them stationed...on the second floor, staring down with binoculars which, Ron was wondering how in the world said blue turtle never spotted them. "Besides, he'd pull the same shit on us and we all know that."

"...I can't deny that," Ron rumbled, fiddling with a deck of cards in one hand, flicking out an Ace of Spades with a grin. "After all, you all were a mighty big help with me and Warren. But I don't want to break them up, look at them! They look like an after-school special!"

"Like a what?"

Ron let out a rumble, steam pouring out his nose. "I can't believe I'm talking to people who have never seen an after-school special-it doesn't matter! Look. I'll make sure they don't break each other's heart, but I already said I won't break them up."

"That's fine!" came Orange's chipper voice, which made Ron's ears flick happily. He was such a sweetheart, helping him figure out how to make one of Warren's favorite meals. "We just wanna make sure Leo has a great time!"

"Mm, yeah, I can do that," Ron shrugged his shoulders, stretching for a moment with a grunt, trading his phone to the other hand as he flicked the cards through the air, shuffling them and sliding them back up his sleeve. "Alright, now remember! Don't interfere! True love is a slow, ever-evolving-"

"He's spouting poetry again, I'm out," came Purple's voice, while the other two were busy laughing as Ron continued on, waving his hands and releasing a few doves as he went on about love.

Ah, teenagers.

Meanwhile at the table, Leo was busy regaling Usagi with his favorite magic trick of all time, the ever-floating orb. "You do this thing, with your hand?" he wiggled his free hand in the air as if showing off exactly what it was. "And the ball just stays perfectly in place!"

Usagi chittered curiously, tilting his head, the sparkle of his hoop earring catching in the light. "How curious! And it's humans that have done this?"

"Debatable. Houdini was most likely an immortal," Leo said it so seriously that it took a moment before both of them started giggling up a storm just as the waiter appeared.

"Good evening, Pepino...and friend."

Leo gasped, looking up excitedly, his feet bouncing under the table. "Señor Hueso!! I didn't know you were...going...to be here," he tried to hold in his laughter, cheeks puffing up, and by a glance at Usagi, he was doing the same, one hand covering his mouth as if trying to prevent any noise.

Hueso was decked in a full out, sequined tuxedo, his hat flickering bright fairy lights as he stared at them both with a flat face. "Yes, yes, diviértete todo lo que quieras, now what are you two ordering tonight?"

Leo snickered, clearing his throat, his cheeks burning from smiling so wide. "Uh, not gonna explain, dearest bone man?"

"No."

Well then. Leo let out a dying wheeze, laying his face on the table and waving his free hand at Usagi who cleared his throat. "Ah, yes, could we two slices of Hawaiian pizza each, please?"

"Sprite for me!"

"Any kind of herbal tea if you have it."

Hueso sighed, nodding at them both as he rolled his eyes. "I should have known you would pick someone with questionable tastes, Leonardo." He reached over, patting his head and making Leo cackle as he left, Usagi's eyes darting from Leo to Hueso and back, ears flicking lightly. Leo tapped his fingers on the table, waiting a moment before leaning up quickly.

"See! What'd I say?!"

"And here I thought Morgan Freeman had a hot voice, kuso tara," Usago muttered, covering his face as Leo cackled, squeezing their hands that they still held together on the table.

"And see, everyone always makes fun of me for that stupid crush, but like, come on!" he whined, flapping his hand towards where Hueso had walked off, Usagi nodding quickly.

"No no, I see it. Tizan used to crush on Audrey Hepburn, once he found out who she was, of course."

"Eh, that's everyone's first crush, that's not fair."

"Not mine," Usagi said smugly and Leo snickered, flexing his thumb to press against Usagi's playfully.

"Who was yours?"

"You~" Usagi purred, and Leo squeaked, face flushing as he reached out and tugged an ear, making the other Yokai laugh, catching his hand. "Oh, I have you now!"

"Ach, no! Release me!" he laughed, both of them playfully tugging each other before lapsing into a comfortable silence, fingers laced with each other and grinning like loons.

Donnie lowered his binoculars with a grimace. "Ew. Romance."

"Don, please," Raph pleaded as Mikey peered over the edge of the second floor, cooing over them.

"It's soooo cute! Leo better make me flower guy though, or I'll dye his clothes bright pink!"

"We all know he would like that and would then wear all clothes obnoxiously around the lair until our retinas burn," Donnie explained, passing the binoculars to Raph as April and Cassie traded popcorn between each other. Casey was busy playing on an old Gameboy one of them had found eons ago, tapping idly at the buttons as the radio crackled to life.

"Tortugas, is this really necessary to spy on your brother?"

"Didn't you ever spy on yours?" Raph asked, fumbling with the radio in his hands as he peeked into the binoculars, losing focus for a moment as he hunted for the lovey-dovey couple.

"My brother followed me on my first date with my wife and I shoved him in a river," Hueso said, a malevolent glee pouring out from the words. "I, of course, informed our father of him both sneaking out and also following me, and he was grounded for an entire month!"

Mikey squeaked, sweating nervously as he fiddled with his hands. "Pops won't ground us for this! Will he??"

"Uuuuhhh," Raph said, looking at Donnie who shrugged while April snorted.

"Splints will ground us for fucking sure, babes. Now, Drax and Mama? ...they might bribe us for doin' it," she mumbled as Cassie snickered, agreeing.

Raph shook his head quickly. "Look, we're only watching out for Leo!" Down below, Ron made his appearance, doves pouring from sleeves to the delight of the crowd, and of course Leo and Usagi who were now laser-focused on the action before them. "He's, you know, the first of us datin'! And also he's my little brother-"

"Our little brother-" Donnie piped in, to which Raph ignored of course. Middle siblings, honestly.

"-and I'm pretty sure this is like, somethin' all big brothers do!" He looked at Mikey who shrugged but gave a thumbs up, which was all Raph needed.

Hueso mumbled something but clicked off, appearing below with some meals for a few tables, dropping off Leo and Usagi's meals as well.

Raph sighed, ignoring Mikey trying to swipe the binoculars from Donnie again as they argued about who got to spy on Leo next, April and Cassie taking bets as Casey tilted his head at Raph, still matching blocks on his game. "What's wrong, Uncle Raph?"

Raph hummed, a little strange delight in being called 'uncle' as always, as he shrugged. "I dunno. Just feels like...like it's a good thing but also kinda scary." Casey nodded, not answering as Mikey tackled Donnie, the binoculars flying into a wall and startling a few patrons who then started to laugh, thinking it was part of the act. "...I know ya don't talk much about the future, but uh...were they...?"

Casey paused in his button mashing, staring at the screen for a bit, blinking. Raph didn't rush him, this wasn't exactly something one should like...bug someone about, obviously, but he was still curious. After a moment, Casey sucked in a breath, looking up at Raph with a soft smile. "I don't...remember a lot about him, actually, but um...my mom said they used to 'fight' about who'd get to hold me when I was really little. She said one time Usagi-san got tired of it and said 'I can solve this,' then just...picked Sensei up when he was holding me," he snorted, shaking his head. "She said they were really silly a lot, but talking about him around Sensei...well...I mean...you get it, right?"

And Raph did. There was a lot Casey said and there was a lot he didn't say in-between the words, and Raph may not have been super duper smart like Donnie and he may not be way into psychology like Mikey was, but even he could spot what Casey was getting at.

It hurt too much to talk about someone who had died, after all.

But it also gave Raph a bit of insight, even if the Usagi Casey knew was not the same, exactly. He patted Casey on the head with a nod and a sigh, ignoring the small explosion as Donnie lobbed a paint bomb at Mikey. "Yeah, I get it, kid." He paused, letting the semi-silence sink in for a bit. "Still don't mean I can't embarrass him a little, right?"

Casey snickered, swinging his legs as they fist-bumped, cohorts in embarrassing the people they love, as Ron got into the apex of his show, a ring trick that he had promised would not kidnap any civilians and would merely be for fun.

Unfortunately they were immediately distracted by the ensuing battle behind them, which took about ten minutes or so to get the two to calm down. Cassie pointed down below. "Hey guys. Think we lost 'em."

Raph made a noise, snagging the binoculars from Donnie who yelled at him, and he scanned the crowd nervously, finding hide nor shell of the two. "Aw dang it! Mad Dogs, move out!"

Of course, they would have no idea that the two had immediately ducked out once the show had ended, and Leo had decided to show Usagi his favorite place by the docks. It held a little bench with a fancy rope on it that felt prickly, and when the moon was high in the sky, it glinted off the ocean and made things feel romantic.

...as romantic as the ocean could be in New York that was. Especially when all Leo could think of was Staten Island some days, ruining the pretty image of the bay...

Leo shook his head from where he had taken a seat, the brace on his leg digging in a little more than usual so he started in pulling the straps looser as Usagi sat next to him. "Do you want some help?"

"No, I'm good. Thanks though. Just, sometimes it hurts. Still not used to it," Leo laughed nervously as Usagi nodded, placing the box next to him. He'd actually nearly eaten them all, saving a few for sharing...aka showing off...to his brothers, and the box as a keepsake of course. With a few quick rips of velcro, Leo let out a sigh of relief, flexing one hand quickly before smiling. "There! ...that was fun!"

"It was." A beat passed. "I think your youngest brother set something on fire?"

"Oh, he absolutely did, those jerks," he chuckled, leaning back on the bench and brushing their shoulders together with a snicker. "But that's the price to pay for, I dunno, being a brother I guess."

"Not to worry, my father sent his own spy on us," Usagi rolled his eyes, nose twitching with a chuckle. "I'm quite certain she ordered the octopus rolls."

"Guh! I can eat a lot of things but not octopus," Leo stuck his tongue out, both of them giggling up a storm as they relaxed for a moment, Leo humming a mindless tune. "This was nice. I kind of saw it going like, downhill, you know?"

Usagi chuckled, reaching out his hand and Leo happily took it, face darkened in a blush as he smiled. "It was quite nice...while I may not have much an interest in the more...human magics, that hippo man was very fascinating to watch."

"Ron's like super magic. ALMOST like Houdini. Almost. Not all the way!" Leo chuckled, winding their fingers together as he leaned closer with a smile. "Now! Second date obviously has to be something for you."

Usagi's face burst in a blush, his ears up in the sky as the earring bounced, stuttering out, "S-Second date?"

Leo laughed, patting his cheek with a grin as he stood up, the setting sun making quite the scene around them with smears of red and engulfing blue chasing it away as Leo bent down, pressing his lips to Usagi's cheek for an eternity, a moment, something unable to be measured.

And then he pulled away with a smile, chuckling at Usagi's lovestruck face. "Yeah. Second date. My brother's birthday is in a few days, actually...if you stick around, maaaaybe we can drag your annoying brothers along with and gross 'em out with some Super Creepy Supreme pizza." Sparks of blue light danced across Leo's form as he winked, a portal zapping into place behind him. "Only if you wanna come, of course. Night, Usa-kun~"

Usagi gave a small wave, his ears flopped down as hearts danced around his head as Leo took a few steps back and disappeared, not even about to ask what the portal thing was about. "G-Good night, Leo-kun~"

It was quiet for a moment before Hanashi stepped from the dark, plucking the last remaining octopus roll out of her to-go box. "Sir, I mean this with all the love in my heart...you two got it bad."

Usagi pulled his ears in front of his face, groaning as his fur darkened by the second.

Oh yeah. He got it bad.

Meanwhile, Leo stepped out of the portal into the quiet of the lair, taking in a steadying breath for a moment. Obviously his brothers hadn't yet made it back, so that gave him plenty time to decompress and plan his own revenge...for now, he broke out in a grin, flapping his hands wildly and stomping his feet as he spun in a circle. "YesyesyesyesYES," he squeaked out before immediately bursting into a run. "DAD, LOOK WHAT USAGI GOT ME-"

(No one would know peace until Leo reiterated every single detail of his date, which to Lou was a delightful punishment for spying on their brother without permission.

Draxum slipped Donnie twenty bucks and the others a high five. No one had to know.)

~~

Long talons reached out for the next letter, a curious click of a beak as they recognized the clan symbol. "Well, what do we have here..."

Dearest ____,

You are cordially invited to the wedding ceremony for Miyamoto Lomin and Hizaraki Amalee. Your presence is most welcomed. The ceremony will take place March 1st, an auspicious date for the Miyamoto Clan.

No gifts are required beyond your appearance, which is truly gift enough.

The ceremony will begin from the time the sun meets the horizon, where the veil is thinnest, and in accordance with tradition, will extend until the sun rises once more to greet the day. (Exceptions are made for children and the elderly.)

Please RSVP as soon as you can!

"Lomin? Figured this would be the introduction for that youngest of his. Usagi, wasn't it?"

"Tale was he met someone, yes."

"Hm. Waits too long, whoever's caught his eye will get asked for by another."

"Real hush hush about the clan name, haven't they been?"

"Can't be as bad as Hizaraki, whoever they are. I mean, honestly-"

"The clan's dying out, it's why they're merging with Miyamoto, everyone knows that."

"Pitiful shame Amalee's the only one of her generation."

"Mm. So, shall we attend?"

"Of course we'll attend. It would be a snub not to...and perhaps we'll see this mysterious new person. After all, if Usagi's of the age to be taking in requests then so are they."

A soft laugh. "That's hoping they have more to the family."

"Well, a Heron can hope. Now, let's see what else was in the mail..."

Chapter Text

In the past, they had several different kinds of birthdays. Most of them had been held around the lair, but Leo could distinctly recall one or two in a park pavilion, their father putting out small little cupcakes for tiny hands to take hold of, as he rumbled out a happy birthday song, the patter of rain in the background depending on whose birthday it was.

It was only recently that they were able to go and do more things on their birthdays. Although, if he had to be honest, despite the fun of spending the fourth of July birthday chilling in a swimming pool, his most favorite still remained the one where their dad gave them all little sparklers and let them stay up past bedtime when they turned seven.

Still, Leo was pretty sure that Raph's favorite would be this one, where upon hearing that his birthday was 'soon', Hueso immediately offered use of his restaurant for the night. "Only tonight," he cautioned, but it was with a teasing smile, so they eagerly took him up on it. Leo had texted Usagi about the location, and had received an acceptance to the invitation.

Sadly, Usagi's one brother, Lomin, was busy with something about a wedding, but his other two brothers were happy to join them for festivities. His father was...busy meeting with someone, but Leo didn't really think too much on it.

He ended up back at the hotel, ready to portal them all to Run of the Mill (even though they could literally walk there...still, still). Today he had on a simple purple hoodie with a large elegant D stitched on with blue thread, a present from their father on their birthday, a usual tradition of his. Leo adjusted his brace easily, tapping the hilt of his sword to the room door that was immediately flung open.

Oh. Not Usagi.

Nope, Kiyatomi, the large black bunny with ears that looked like they were just lightly dipped in white paint. "Oooohhh ho ho! Little brother's boyfriend is here," he said, leaning against the doorframe with a smirk. "I see you've got his gift on," he pointed out, the butterfly brooch clasped to Leo's chest just to the side of the D. Leo grinned, rocking on his heels.

"Nice to see you too, Kiyatomi-san."

"No no no! Dear otouto, call me gikei instead!"

Leo looked amused more than anything. "Gikei? Like that?"

Kiyatomi looked overjoyed, ears flicking as he started to cackle before yelping, immediately falling to the floor on his knees as Tizan stood behind him, leg extended out from where he'd kicked his older brother. "Kiya, if you don't stop tormenting him-sorry for that. Older brothers, am I right?"

Tizan was more of a brown than a black rabbit, with two white circles on his cheeks like a blush. Kiyatomi whined from where he was on the ground about 'rude little brothers' while Leo snickered. "I'm third in a row so, yeah, I totally get it," he rolled his eyes as Usagi bounced behind Tizan, bowling him over to get around them to Leo. His face was dusty pink as he reached out and Leo happily took his hands with a flustered smile.

"Leo-kun! They've been menaces all day," he whined, pouting as Leo cooed at him.

"Poor poor Usa-kun...but as baby of the family, it's literally duty of the older brothers to embarrass you,"

Usagi whined more, ears drooping as Kiyatomi got up, him and Tizan only a few inches apart as he elbowed his younger brother. "Yeah! This one gets it!"

Leo giggled as Usagi chittered at his brother angrily, only to notice the butterfly brooch and cheer up considerably. Tizan, who seemed to be the more level-headed one of the bunch, sighed, hand on his hip. "We really should be heading out. One is only one time if one is early, you know."

"Sounds fake," Leo chirped, leaning up and tapping his forehead against Usagi's chin, making the rabbit Youkai melt as he released one hand. "But, true! Plus, you guys have to try the Super Creepy Supreme, it's wiggledy!"

Kiyatomi and Tizan seemed to trade looks and snickered together, nodding as blue light started to zap across his arms and shell, a portal flicking into place behind him. Tizan whistled, eyebrows raising up. "Portals, huh?"

"Uh-huh! Used to need my swords for it, but not anymore! C'mon!" He tugged on Usagi, who of course followed without question. Tizan snorted, shaking his head.

"I think the whole world could explode and our baby brother would never notice."

"He could get thrown into a brick building and he'd have little cartoon hearts twirling around his head," Kiyatomi whistled, whirling his finger in the air, both brothers snickering at their poor lovestruck brother's plight.

Run of the Mill was always loud and cheerful, even more so with the birthday of someone special. There were streamers and a banner with '18!' on it, and a few customers although they were more off to the side. None seemed to mind, happy to wish the birthday boy a good day as they came and went.

Leo dragged Usagi along, so the two brothers followed along towards the large booth with other people seated there.

In the middle sat a large snapper turtle with a little birthday hat on his head, him and a smaller box turtle both blowing noisemakers together. The larger one wore a red mask and a red hoodie, while the shorter had orange for both. To his other side sat a rat, who also wore a birthday hat and was blowing a noisemaker loudly and on purpose, much to the perplexed face the goat Yokai next to him was wearing. He held onto a small noisemaker but wasn't using it. Three girls on the other side were also cheering and making noise, only pausing when Leo arrived with their guests. "Got 'em!"

"Heeeey hot stuff!" the girl in the green shouted, blowing a noisemaker as the others laughed. The two older rabbits gave a quick bow, Kiyatomi reaching out to the very much distracted Usagi and yanking an ear to ensure he gave proper respect.

"Thank you for having us here," Kiyatomi said as the rat Yokai waved a hand, fiddling with the noisemaker now.

"Not a trouble at all, come, sit!" he waved at the booth, and they all quickly took up some more seats, Leo grabbing up two chairs to drag over for him and Usagi.

Tizan hummed, leaning back in the booth with a frown. "I thought you said you had three brothers...?"

"DonTron's hiding in the bathroom with Casey," the girl-April now that they were introduced-said, "loud noises makes 'em both agitated so we thought we'd get it all out of our system first!"

Raph, the birthday boy, finally put his own noisemaker down with a chuckle. "Yeah, but it's time to eat! Mikey! Go grab 'em!"

"On it!" Mikey gave a salute, scrambling over the back of the booth and shooting off into the distance.

Tizan hummed as Kiyatomi reached into his robe, pulling out a small gift. "We got you something! Since it's your birthday and all."

The large snapper blushed, scratching his cheek as he took the gift. "Aw, thanks, ya didn't have ta!"

"Birthdays mean gifts, little...er...big brother," Kiyatomi chuckled. "Besides, we're in town, figured why not and all."

April cooed over them, taking out a camera to take pictures as Leo and Usagi were pulled into a game of rock paper scissors with Cassandra over who got first dibs on cake...after Raph, that was. It didn't take long for Mikey to come back with the last brother and Casey, who quickly took a seat near Leo, hands tense and tugging on his shirt a bit. Donnie seemed uncaring, even yawning as he sat next to the goo Yokai as everyone encouraged Raph to open the gift.

Raph's eyes lit up as he opened it, a book with a circular colorful object with pegs. "Oooohhh, a looooom!"

"Your brother said you liked crafting and such," Tizan said. "Our soon to be sister-in-law suggested it."

"I can make so many hats," Raph whispered, holding it tight as his eyes darted to Mikey, squinting at him as if trying to measure his head then and there, before looking back at the rabbit brothers. "Thank you! I love it!"

They murmured an acknowledgement as conversations started, Casey's hand quickly grabbing onto Leo's arm as the turtle leaned against him, letting him squeeze tight for a moment.

It took no time at all for Hueso to swing by with a chocolate cake and candles, all of them playfully singing-or murmuring-Happy Birthday, and small gifts being handed to him.

A scarf from Sunita, the goo Yokai. Boxing gloves from Cassandra. A carved image of...something they weren't sure but was greatly appreciated from a blushing Casey, who hid his face in Leo's arm. A sketchbook filled with lineart so he could color it in from Mikey. A new red bandanna from Draxum ("Thanks, Dad, mine's gettin' kinda threadbare," he chuckled, and Draxum looked pleased with himself. No one mentioned that that would make five bandannas for Raph.). A boxed set of incense with a journal from Lou, which included a nice big hug which every single person got, especially Donnie who had already given his gift back at the lair (a personalized training session he'd made up with SHELLDON that nearly beat Raph! It was amazing!).

Leo had already given his gift, which was a sewing machine he'd nabbed from the dump and had teamed up with Donnie to fix, but he also gave him a bag of candy for fun. "I know, I know," Leo said as the others started giggling at Raph's deadpan face, "my gift is the best! You don't have to say it."

Raph took the noisemaker and blew it, smacking Leo in the face with it. He squawked, swatting at him as he turned to Usagi with a pout. "Did you see how he treats me?!"

"I think you said something earlier about older brothers and younger brothers, something something," Usagi said, laughing when Leo used his free arm to swat him.

Sadly, the 'one night only' drained those who had limited social batteries, straining Casey's in particular, but Raph certainly didn't seem to mind. He was happy to have everyone there, even Usagi and his brothers.

All in all, Raph had a brilliant 18th birthday, which was culminated when Usagi's brothers were shown the creepy pizza. Their disgusted and shock-filled voices would fuel Leo for daaaaaays.

~~

Big Mama placed her cup down on the table between them, smiling as she crossed her ankles. "No."

Miyamoto Kassan held his cup gently in one hand, a twitch of his nose the only indication he was surprised. "Might I ask why? You know as well as I do this is mostly a pleasantry."

She sighed gently, hands clasped in her lap with a chuckle. "Be that as it may, Miyamoto-san, you must understand. My boys do not understand our world. If we told them that baby bluebee was engaged, for realsies, they would not take it well."

Kassan scoffed, placing his cup down as he crossed his arms. "Be that as it may, it's very well-known that being promised just ensures one is not offered to anyone else. And besides, imagine it! The Outer Ring combining with the Inner Sanctum! It would give both our clans a much needed prosperity increase!"

She let a small frown grace her face, looking away from him with a sigh. "I know, I do, dear bunny tunny...but I also know my son. While he may love yours, should be forced into a marriage, he would end up despising him just as much."

Kassan shook his head. "Preposterous, this has been done for ages! My wife and I-"

"-are not our sons," she implored. "Baby bluey has a very strong head on him...he is so much like one of my sisters, it concerns me," she let out a shaky sigh. "Were this any other time, years ago even, I would have agreed."

"Then what has changed, Kumohime-san?"

She stared at him a moment, shutting her eyes with a sigh before smiling. "I suppose age, perhaps. This new generation of Yokai...they're so vastly different than us. They don't want to be encapsulated by the trials of old...they want to be something new." She opened her eyes, smiling softly. "Perhaps I envy them. I don't know." She paused for a moment, picking up her cup again. "But for now, no. I will discuss this with their fathers first, and with my baby bluebee himself."

Kassan chortled, shaking his head. "It's been one thing to allow them to chose who they please...but to let them have a voice in it?" He sighed, ear twitching with a smile. "...feh. Perhaps I really am too old, set in my ways. Very well. The Inner Sanctum always did have such...fascinating traditions. Very well. The wedding ceremony for my third child will be the first of March. Will you, perhaps, allow him to come a little early? My wife has a way of speaking with the children that is...less blunt than myself."

She chortled, shaking her head as she tapped her foot idly. "Perhaps the day before. I'll have to see about his brothers. If they aren't invited, he may not wish to attend." It was as much a nudge as it was a threat: were the brothers to be left out, then Leo himself would not attend.

Kassan hummed, tapping his hand against his thigh. "...have they ever been to their homeland? I attempted to contact Sho to discuss the matter with him, but what with the marriage and Taekae-san's funeral that was being planned, I hardly had the time."

"No, I daresay dearest Louey has been adamant that he not return," she paused, as if thinking over her words. "Or...he had been...we'd not discussed it as of late but...do you think...?"

"I think a discussion should be had, oh yes," Kassan said. "After all, if what we've all heard is true...

..the Hamato clan needs a leader now more than ever."

Chapter Text

Their father was not a screamer.

There was a handful of times that Leo could count that he’d been yelled at, on purpose, by their father. The first time had been when he was little, leaning over the ledge and staring at the choppy water, only for a tail to pull him back immediately into his father’s view. He got a chewing out for that one, which of course to a little five year old, that set him off sobbing. They ended with a hug and an apology, and then Lou had started to teach them all to swim the next day.

Of course, that was when he realized, hey, he’s raising four turtles, so that was kind of funny.

Still, there was just not a lot of times that their dad yelled at anyone. There was the playful yells, or the sharp holler of their names when he inclined to scold, but to actually go on a huge rant at them over something?

…okay. There was one time that happened. But it was accompanied by great sobs and forced promises to never, ever do that throw himself into a prison dimension without thinking about how they’d all feel again.

Leo had been completely doped up and the ‘ ‘m fiiiine, Daddy’ drawl and pat to the head did nothing to ease Lou’s worries.

Anyway, all this to say that their father was not a screamer.

Except, of course, when it came to their other two parents.

Now, Leo knew they all cared for each other. They’d all seen it in the sappy way that Pops and Dad would lay in the recliner together watching their shoes or watching when one of them would put on a silly play when they were bored. When Mama would call to check on them and she’d exchange super sappy words with both men, making the rest of the family gag out of grossness. Adults were super gross when flirting, you know.

But Lou was about as hard-headed as Leo could be, since they were definitely almost the same person at times. Trying to convince either one to do something they didn’t want to do was like trying to convince a brick wall to walk up the Empire State Building. Absolutely fruitless.

Leo let out a sigh as he pulled the blankets over his face, only moderately glad that Casey had went to have a sleepover with April to get out of the lair for a bit. At least he didn’t have to hear all this.

“-and I told you, I refuse! I left for a reason-“

He wondered if any of the others were awake hearing it, too. Mikey surely wasn’t. If he was, he would have skittered into Leo’s room, teary-eyed and scared before bundling up with the third oldest. Neither of them dealt well with arguing, even if it was his favorite pastime with Raph. If Donnie was awake…no, his lab was soundproof, there’s no way he’d hear it all. Raph…

He’d probably bury himself in the mound of stuffed animals and try to sleep.

There were things he knew about Dad that they didn’t or that they found confusing, so maybe he understood why he was arguing so loudly over the phone with Mama?

The arguing tapered off for a moment, and he let out a shuddering sigh, squirming to curl up on his side. He winced, his hip deciding he was an idiot for doing that, so he was forced to lay back on his back, tucking the blanket around his head again. He debated grabbing up his headphones and either listening to music or bug Usagi, but silence reigned in the lair for the moment.

…actually, that was more painful than the arguing.

He sighed deeply, sinking into his bed, eyes fluttering shut as he felt sleep pushing at him.

Distantly, he thought he heard a soft, ‘okay’, and someone sniffling. A protective surge flickered in his chest, because by the Gods they’d been through so much and now someone was trying to make their dad cry? But it was swept away in sleep so deeply that he thought he dreamed that last part.

When he did wake up again, it was to a crash of guilt. Like. It was absolutely none of his business what their parents argued about, right? But like…Pops raised them alone for 13 solid years, and he knew that he loved them and they loved him. So there was like this little fidget of himself that demanded he defend their first parent from whatever it was.

After all, he knew their dad would do the same for them.

He sighed, staring at the ceiling, and the checking the time on his phone. It had only been an hour. Would it make him a jerk to wake up Dr. Feelings for this one?

Yeah. Yeah it would. It was 5 in the morning after all.

He got up slowly, tucking his blanket around him in the slight chill of the lair. It was his favorite fluffy one, the one with a unicorn with a rainbow mane on it shooting out of a galaxy. It had wool on the inside of it that kept heat in, a true treasure that he had no clue where their dad had found it years ago but he never asked.

Alright, blanket on hand. Cell phone? …nah, the light would be too bright and they had a light on in the kitchen at all times anyway so, no need. With that, he steeled himself, shuffling out of the bedroom with a steadying sigh.

There was nothing unusual about the living room/kitchen combo when he exited his room, and he ducked lower into his blanket, nearly into his shell for a moment before he peeked back out.

Ah. There was a flashing light under the door to the TV room. So Dad was up and watching his shows.

Leo sighed. Okay, so it’s not near Raph territory yet. He could totally handle this. He shuffled across the way, careful not to bump into one of the stools around the breakfast bar, ducking close to the door. Hesitantly, he reached out, opening the door.

“Dad…?”

The armchair was faced forward away from the door, so he didn’t see his dad, but up on the screen there he was. Lou Jitsu. It was one of his much older films, done up in the slightly sepia coloring that most films had been done back in those days. You could clearly see wires on the enemies, or stunt doubles, but there was Lou, smiling up a storm as he cartwheeled with the same ease that Leo did, sweeping down an army of ninjas without a care.

He was pretty sure his dad was asleep, but never let it be known that Leo let a little thing like no one answering him stop him. He weighed which way to go, figuring a little tug of heartstrings wouldn’t be out of the question. He shuffled forward a bit, clearing his throat. “Daddy…?”

A snort from the figure in the chair-damn it, he WAS asleep-and he heard rustling as a blanket slipped down into the other’s lap as Lou sat up with a yawn. “Ah, baby blue, eh? What is the matter? Akumu?” came his father’s slightly rough voice, and even now as a teenager he felt a thrum in his chest at wanting to run and hop up in his lap and beg for assurances that all was okay.

Leo shook his head, shuffling closer hesitantly. “N-No…uh…I…you…,” he trailed off, rocking on his heels for a second. He heard his dad sigh and he ducked his head, squeezing his eyes shut. He had had a whooooole plan of what to say and do but now it felt like when he was little and would sneak into their dad’s room instead of, you know, confronting their dad about the 4 AM(? Close enough) screaming match.

“Come come, baby blue, time for recliner cuddles.”

Recliner Cuddles(TM) were the holy grail of all cuddles. They had been a cornerstone of their raising, curled up in the beloved recliner with their father and sleeping or napping, or being rocked while sick. Leo chirped happily, scrambling around the chair and climbing in with the blanket, ignoring the ‘oof!’ from Lou as he cuddled up on the side. He did offer up part of his blanket, to which Lou also tucked the scratchy blanket he kept as his own around them both. It took a bit of moving around, since Leo was now twice his height, but soon enough his head was tucked up close, curled up tight, bad leg extended out onto the ottoman of the recliner as he sighed happily. Lou chuckled, hand tucked under his son’s head and rubbing the back of his head, idly grazing the red crescent marks and making Leo purr in contentment. “Feh, why must you boys get so big? Honestly! Stop growing so much.”

“Can’t stop that, Dad,” he chuckled, eyes shut in the semi-darkness as the film continued, Lou Jitsu blasting barrels behind him before running away. The explosion was hardly as loud as it could be, more a distant rumble of thunder than anything.

Lou huffed, his tail wrapping around Leo’s shell as he scratched lightly at an old scar near Leo’s jaw, humming. “What woke you up then? Could not have been my shows, your brother would have sent a warning!” Right, the loud warning that blared if you dared to disturb Donnie’s rest. It was quite hilarious to trigger it on purpose. Leo shrugged for a moment, purring at the content feeling washing over him cuddled up in the recliner.

He let the movie play a bit before he answered. “Dad? Are you…okay?”

Lou hummed, some aimless tune that he used to use on them to coax them into sleep. “…your mother is quite forceful,” he muttered, and Leo let out a snort at that.

“Could’ve told you that.”

“Feh. She is so much like your brother,” he muttered, and Leo sleepily wondered which one he meant. Raph could be that way if he thought he was right, and Donnie was constantly. Mikey could, if he felt like he wasn’t being listened to. Maybe they all had a little bit of their parents in them, who knew. “I will be alright, baby blue. We’ll talk about it in more when everyone is awake, when cooler heads prevail.”

He supposed that was as much an answer as he would get at this time, so with a mumbled ‘okay’, Leo let himself slip into the sleep that was tugging at the edges of his mind. He was pretty sure his dad stayed awake for a while longer, but he couldn’t be entirely sure.

He dreamed about being at sea, about eating a clam, and about missing home.

~~

Usa-Kun (8:02 AM): Father wanted me to send a formal invitation, but, did you perhaps want to attend my brother’s wedding? I know it’s a little out of the blue but he was bothering me to ask.

Neon Leon (8:11 AM): I’ll call you later.

~~

“So lemme get this straight,” April said, swinging her bat as she tried to shoot a rock from the rooftop to the other rooftop, missing. She bent down, tossing it back up in the air. “Your dad leaves Japan, comes here, becomes a big actor-“

“You’ve got it so far,” Leo piped up from where he laid lazily over the edge of the roof, Raph bouncing a ball between his hands as the other two brothers cheered April on as she swung and missed.

“-literally swears never to go back, and now he wants to all of a sudden.”

“He says Mama talked to him about it,” Raph said, tossing Donnie the ball as he caught it in his metal hand, throwing it at Mikey for a bit. “Leo’s booooyyffriiiieeend-“ they all made ‘ooohh!’ noises at Leo who threw sand at them with a scoff, “ ‘s brother is like, also getting married so we, as a family…clan?…got invited. And uh,” he took on the same voice as Draxum, with a bit of an inflection to it that made it a little different, “ ‘we must appear or it would create hardship for the Hamato Clan.’ So. Now we gotta go.”

“And Leo still gotta call Usagi!” Mikey piped up, throwing the ball his way as April finally hit the rock. They watched as it arched through the air, pinging off the little faux chimney, scattering several birds who had been napping. The rock then fell off the side, and they peered over, Leo squeezing the ball as the rock smacked a random guy on the shoulder. He looked around him, over his shoulder, then up to the sky and they ducked away with a laugh, giggling and snorting and shushing each other.

“YOU KIDS NEED TO GO TO SCHOOL!” came a yell, and that burst the bubble as they laughed harder, April slapping her leg as she bent over.

“That was a good one!”

Leo snickered, tossing the ball and smacking Raph’s shell with a giggle-snort as the ball rolled to the side. “Anyway yeah I gotta tell him what went down…and that we’re going visiting for a bit.”

“When are ya’ll headed out? Oooh, can I come with? I’ve only been outta state once!” April squealed, twirling her bat in her hands as Mikey tackled her, hugging her from behind as Donnie shrugged, tapping at his phone.

“It’s not until next month but Mama and Father believe going to stay for a week will be…beneficial. Papa was not pleased. But, he agreed.”

“Ya gonna invite Cassie?”

“We’ll try. Last time we invited her camping she claimed any day apart from her dear girl scouts was too long,” Raph explained as Leo dug his phone out from his bag, tapping away on it.

“So that’s Casey, April, us…SHELLDON, yeah?” Donnie gave a quick nod. “Well…at least it’s only a week and then we’ll be back.”

“Yeah,” April said, playfully squishing her cheek with Mikey’s as they laughed. “Home sweet home, ain’t it?”

“Yup, ain’t nothing changing it,” Raph said, and they all agreed.

Nothing would ever change these easy days of playing on rooftops, fighting with enemies, and generally being teenagers in the backalleys of New York.

Absolutely nothing…

Chapter Text

Usa-Kun (7:30 PM): So, Jammy and Sarabeth can’t be with Ina, because Ina has a crush on Trit, but Trit can’t be with Ina because…Trit is engaged to Yina?

Neon Leon (7:34 PM): yeah exactly and Yina is a stubborn jerkwad who refuses to let Trit go to his true love which is actually Jammy.

Usa-Kun (7:36 PM): The economic life of unicorns astounds me.

Neon Leon (7:43 PM): HAH that’s nothing B) B) B) I had to separate the herds bc they kept fihting and u kno I need my sleep and its like pls stop ur arguing babes ur all fabulous

Usa-Kun (7:48 PM): L o L

~~

Neon Leon (10:43 AM): did u seriously send me Lisa Frank notebooks with unicorns on it

Usa-Kun (2:15 PM): I saw it in a window at the mall and thought of you <3 <3 <3 Do you like them?

Neon Leon (2:17 PM): *image of the notebooks all squished together on a bookshelf with unicorns holding up each end* I’ll never fill them up they will remain here for eternity <3 <3 <#

Usa-Kun (2:40 PM): <3 <3 <3 <3

~~

Usa-Kun (10:03 AM): So they can’t fly?

Neon Leon (10:05 AM): thats pegasi, they have wings and go woosh in the air and no horns

Usa-Kun (10:07 AM): Hm.

Neon Leon (10:08 AM): now if you want like say a crossover, thats an Alicorn. Precious babies. Free to be and sing and like flyyyyyyy

Usa-Kun (10:12 AM): If I had wings I would carry you to the sun and also dye them rainbow <3

Neon Leon (10:15 AM): HELL YEAH, BABES

~~

Usa-Kun (9:12 PM): So it’s just a game about raising…horses?

Neon Leon (9:17 PM): AND UNICORNS AND PEGASI AND I NAEMD THEM ALL AFTER MY HERD

Usa-Kun (9:20 PM): Hmmm…consider: we can merely share ownership of the horses.

Neon Leon (9:28 PM):…you…wanna…raise unicorns together??? With me??? .//.

Usa-Kun (9:35 PM): Only if you want to!

Neon Leon (9:36 PM): OF COURSE I DO! This is better than april showing me neopets!!! Okay hang on I’ll show you how to get in the game

~~

Bastard Rabbit (10:17 PM): Donatello! I have those scrolls ready for you.

Bootyyyshaker9000 (10:20 PM): Excellent timing.

Bastard Rabbit (10:22 PM): Oh? Were you moving it already?

Bootyyyshaker9000 (10:27 PM): Nothing of the sort. However, we have been…invited, instructed, what have you to come over to Japan and visit and make nice while attending your brother’s wedding. So, instead of mailing, I will merely pick them up from you. Makes things vastly easier.

Bastard Rabbit (10:38 PM):….you’re coming over here?

Bootyyyshaker9000 (10:39 PM): Leo failed to mention it in one of his many, many, many text exchanges with you during the day, didn’t he.

Bastard Rabbit (10:43 PM): Oh my Gods I have nothing to wear to see him in!

Bootyyyshaker9000 (10:49 PM): Oh I so don’t care, he said sarcastically. Look, Nardo definitely isn’t going to be looking for whatever you wear, I can tell you that. He likes you, which is vastly more important than whatever threads decorate your fur.

Bastard Rabbit (10:55 PM): Aww…Donatello! That was surprisingly sweet of you to say this late at night.

Bootyyyshaker9000 (11:00 PM): Don’t tell anyone, I have a Bad Boy Reputation(TM) to uphold.

Bastard Rabbit (11:02 PM): My lips are sealed.

Bootyyyshaker9000 (11:06 PM):…ah. You mean metaphorically. I was concerned. Anyway, go bug my dum dum twin, he’s been waxing poetic about sharing custody of ‘Taman-chan’ for the past two days.

Bastard Rabbit (11:09 PM): Thank you, Donatello, I will. Good night!

Chapter Text

Riding in a train meant for Yokai only was an experience, especially when the train car had been…specially reserved for them. Somehow, someway, it would end up traveling from New York to Japan, which confused them all a little but at this rate, nothing could really surprise any of them.

Big Mama was out schmoozing so to speak, with Draxum…’ensuring the safety of the train’ whatever that meant, so that left the rest of the small family in the train car. Leo and Donnie sat near a window, Casey dozing between them with his head bobbing and bouncing from one shoulder to the next when they’d bounce on a track. Rain tapped against the window as Donnie tapped lightly on his phone. Leo was sound asleep, his own headset on his head lit up to the music he’d fallen asleep to.

Raph was in his own seat, sleepily crocheting something he’d refused to tell the others about. Every so often he’d pause to rub at his eye, or just to put down and shut his eyes for a few moments. It wouldn’t take long for him to drift off to sleep, only to wake up later on to curse that he’d forgotten what stitch he was on.

This left the small group that consisted of Lou near a window, Mikey stretched out on the chairs with a blanket over him and sleeping with his head on his dad’s lap, and April and Cassie arm wrestling for a moment. When Cassie slapped her arm down, April flexed her hand with a grimace, shaking her head as she looked over at Lou who was happily looking out the window at the green hills covered in a shower of rain. “Hey, Splints? So, how did you come to America anyway?”

“Hm?” he said, looking over at her from where he’d been busy running his hand over Mikey’s head idly, the mask dangling on the boy’s neck now as he dozed. “Eh? Why the sudden interest?”

“I dunno,” she said, shrugging as Cassie, done with her ‘winner’s dance’ plopped back down beside her, taking out a package of gummy bears. “I mean…I dunno! I just thought about it.”

“Eh, same way many Japanese youngsters did back then. Boarded a boat secretly and found myself in New York!”

Cassie snickered, chewing down two gummies. “You just climbed on, huh?”

“Yes!” He boasted, puffing up a bit. “Then I found a studio who in return for getting my green card, I would work for them for free for a time. Then I became an actor after…oh, about three or four movies.”

Cassie and April blinked, trading a look as April frowned. “…I think working for free would be like…illegal? Maybe?”

“Eh, it was the way things were done,” Lou shrugged, not really seeming up to explaining. “Eventually I became a famous actor and then that was that!”

April shrugged, leaning back in her chair as the train car door opened, and the two once known as Foot Lieutenant and Foot Brute, Rito and Bungorou respectively, stepped through. Bungorou was pushing what looked like a small trolley, while Rito held a backpack on one shoulder and a kettle in the other for tea. “What kind of establishment only has lemon tea?! Honestly…here, Hamato-san,” Rito nudged at the trolley where Bungorou quickly started handing out cups of tea as Lou chortled.

“I told you just to call me Lou!” he said for the fifth time, taking the cup despite his hand still patting idly on his son’s head. Mikey barely moved, too used to the loud chatter of his family over the years to truly be bothered out of his sleep by the new voices, a blessing Lou had come to see over the years as the once newborn slept soundly through screams and yelling of his older brothers. He took a sip as Bungorou shooed Cassie over, taking her seat as Rito leaned against the trolley, settling the kettle down.

“Mm, sorry, I think my mother would rise from the grave to scold me for a hundred years if I did that,” he said, chuckling as Cassie and April resorted to digging out a stack of cards to play a game. “It isn’t…weird that they’ve invited both your family and ‘the Foot clan’, is it?”

“No, most clans still see the Foot and the Hamato as one. We are distant cousins after all,” Lou said, sipping his tea as Cassie snorted, dealing cards between her, April, and the two Foot leaders.

“Hm. I suppose,” Rito sighed, taking a hand of cards to play in the game. “Still, feels…like a trap. And we would know about traps, we made plenty of them!”

Lou merely hummed, looking back out the window as the rain poured down around them, April shouting in excitement as she beat the others at whatever game they were playing.

Lou knew the exact thing that the two were concerned about. He knew exactly what this could mean, for all of them.

But, he ignored the simmer of curiosity and concern, because all it was was a thought. An idea. A guess, one might say.

For now, he focused on his family, his sleeping sons content and warm in the swaying train as his daughter happily and eagerly showed Cassie how to ‘get her butt whooped’ in Gin Rummy.

What he wouldn’t give to have this moment continue forever…

~~

Leo stared at the large map on the train station’s wall, comfortably tucked into his hoodie with a backpack dangling off one arm. There were so many various routes, red and yellow and blue lines intersecting like a Celtic knot through the train system. For a moment his vision wavered, the colors flickering to a ghoulish pink and he felt his chest hitch, fingers digging into the strap of his backpack as they swirled-

“Leo!”

He twitched, looking away from the map with a stutter of a breath as near the stairway, his little brother waved energetically from Raph’s shoulders in the crowd of their family. “Come on!! It’s this way!”

Ah. Right. Japan. Their dad’s homeland. The Clan’s invitation. That was…weird. He shook his head, shifting his shoulder to adjust the backpack as he shifted, pushing past the stiffness of his leg to start heading that way. “Hang on, hermano! I’m comin’!”

It hardly took any time to cut through the small afternoon crowd, and he grunted as a large hand came down to snag him by his backpack. “Raaaaph!” he groaned as he was set up on the opposite shoulder of Mikey, huffing.

“No way, little man, I saw ya limping. Raph’s gotcha!”

Leo snorted, shaking his head even as he relaxed, watching as Raph shot a discerning look over Donnie who had returned to his phone, arm linked with April now that his twin was safe and secure. If they weren’t careful, Raph would end up collecting everyone onto his shell and become an island in the streets, slow moving with the family climbing around on him, but that’d be his dream probably. A tap to his leg had him sitting up again as their dads and mom started looking over a different map with Cassie’s side of the family. “Call your boyfriend already, he’s probably worried himself bald.”

“He would NOT,” Leo said even as he buried his hand in his hoodie pocket to find his phone, thumping his backpack in his lap as Mikey snickered at him. He felt Raph pause in his steps as they waited for the parents to figure out where to go as Leo quickly pulled up Usagi’s number, tucking it into his neck and swatting Mikey’s hands from trying to hit the speaker button. It only took one ring for his…boyfriend, heheh…to answer. “Usa-kun!”

“USAGI, HEY, IT’S ME, MIKEY-“ Mikey shrieked even as Leo swatted at him to be quiet, Raph’s laugher bouncing them for a moment as his shoulders moved.

“Leo-kun! And Michelangelo,” Usagi laughed, and Leo couldn’t help but roll his eyes as he flicked Mikey’s cheek.

“Yeah my jerk of a baby bro. You should know, you are one!”

“How cruel, Leo-kun! It’s called baby brother privilege.”

“Yeah yeah yeah,” Leo snickered, leaning back onto Raph’s shell as they slowly followed after the small group, their dad having climbed up on Draxum’s shoulder to point the way he ‘remembered’. “Anyway, we made it in, the ‘rents are consulting a map. I think we’re lost,” he ‘whispered’ quite loudly to his dad’s even louder ‘WE ARE NOT LOST, I AM MERELY TURNED AROUND!’

“Oh, you’re lost? I can come help,” Usagi said, someone in the background quickly arguing otherwise as Leo snorted.

“Nah, even if we get lost-er, I can probably portal us back to the trAIN STATION-“ he squeaked as Raph moved, snagging Casey up and onto his shoulders between Mikey and Leo. They stared at him as Casey flushed, shrugging. ‘Moving too slow?’ he mouthed, and the two merely shook their heads, Mikey happily cuddling up to Casey and babbling on about all the cool art that came from Japan while Leo tossed his arm around his adopted son. “Aaaanywhoooo, it’s all chill!”

“You sure? Because I am already halfway out the window.”

“The win-the what-window?!” Leo sputtered to Casey and Mikey’s amusement as a loud voice that he could only guess was one of the older brothers shouted in the background.

“HE SURE IS BECAUSE HE’S AN IDIOT, BAKA, GET IN HERE-“

“But I’m helping my boyfriend!” Usagi shouted back, and then there was a scuffle and Leo had to hold his phone against his forehead for a moment because the image of Usagi getting dragged in by his brothers all because he thought Leo was in trouble was absolutely going to send him into rolling laughter and he didn’t need to fall off of Raph.

He let them scuffle for a bit, the brothers scolding Usagi as he tried to plead his case, watching as Raph carried the three of them out and into a somewhat busy street. Humans and Yokai were mixed, a little bit like New York really, although some gave a double look at Raph who smiled nervously and waved, ducking around the groups to a side spot where he wouldn’t be in the way.

After giving it a moment, he went back to his phone just as their dad waved with his tail, egging on the group to follow once more. “I think we’re good, Usa-kun! Dad seems to have found his way.”

“It has been thirty years, a man can get a little lost!” Lou shouted over the crowd as they ducked through a street, the pavement fading to cobblestone and dirt, as if the bubble of modernism had been popped and the traditions of old were coming back anew.

Leo snickered as they passed a few small houses, most of them made of wood and several kids peering over tall concrete walls or through windows at them. Mikey and Casey happily waved, just as curious as Usagi sighed over the phone. “If you’re sure…but do call once you get settled in! Or, or you can finally come over! I don’t think our clan home is very far from yours.”

“Great question! I have no idea. But, we’ll see!” They chatted a bit as the children scattered back to their homes, Raph easily cutting a path through as the others led them on.

It took no time at all to finally reach a break in the homes to a…well…it was a fairly big home! It was made of wood, holding that traditional style to heart, but without the wear and tear one would assume would happen after years of being left alone with no one to tend to. The roof was halfway in repair from dark brown to blue slate, the Hamato symbol bright and pretty on top. A sign on a small concrete tower also proclaimed it as the Hamato Clan Household, the symbol etched on the base of it along with a series of characters lining both sides.

‘Anata wa hitori ja nai’

You Are Not Alone.

Yup. They made it.

There was a noise and almost as one, they turned from staring at their dad’s old home to a woman standing to the side, her groceries dropping to the ground. A golden apple toppled, rolling over and bumping into Draxum’s leg. She had long black hair with a pink handkerchief tied around the top of her head, dark brown eyes and wearing a stylish kimono with soft gold thread on the top and a green bottom. A little girl stood to her side, clutching her side, black pigtails sticking out with a small scar on her cheek. The woman opened her mouth, then closed it as their dad seemed to perk up, hopping down from Draxum’s shoulder as he stretched, hands laced behind him. “Ohayou! My, is that you, Hinata-chan? How you’ve grown!”

The woman’s hand came up to her mouth, gasping. “Yoshi-ojisan?! No, no, you-you changed your name, I remember that,” she said, her face flushing a little as her eyes bounced around. Leo wondered what she thought about them, Raph ducking his head nervously as Leo happily waved with his little brother and son. She looked down at where his twin stood with April, tapping on his phone, staring hard at Cassie and her dads and the few left of the foot clan who waved politely, staring almost misty-eyed at their dad. “Lou. Lou-ojisan, I remember that.”

“Mommy, who’s that!” the little girl squeaked, and Hinata gasped, quickly picking up her groceries and waving off Draxum’s attempt to offer the apple as she gently gripped her daughter’s hand.

“Where are my manners, indeed! Just a moment, come, Illa, sweetie,” she hustled them around the group to the front of the home, all of them watching curiously as she put the groceries on the porch and turned back around, gently touching the little girl’s head and bidding her to bow just as low as her mother did.

“Okaerinasai, Lou-ojisan.”

“Okaerinasai, Lou-ojiis-ojisan! Come and stay for a while!”

Leo couldn’t see his dad’s face then, but he was pretty sure the old man was tearing up a little as he straightened up with a soft sigh.

“Tadaima. It is…good to return.”

And then the front door opened, a woman in a bathrobe shoving it open. “EHH?? LOU-OJISAN IS HERE?!”

Several other relatives peeked around the house, and Raph let out a very nervous laugh. “Oh boy…more…people.”

Leo sighed, taking out his phone again as Hinata-chan started to scold her apparent sister for yelling so loud as Illa bounced forward, taking up Lou’s hand to hold with a giggle. “I’ll tell Usagi it’ll be a little…seems a family reunion is in store, eh?”

“AW HECK YEAH, BABY,” Mikey slid down Raph’s arm, the energetic sunshine turtle immediately falling into the fray of ‘new relatives’. “New people!!!”

“Yay, he said very sarcastically,” came Donnie’s voice, being dragged by April forward. RIP there went his twin.

Well, at least no one could say the Hamato Clan was boring…

~~

After being pretty much dragged in and then settled outside at a table due to…Raph’s height, they were introduced to the family.

There was Hinata who Lou knew from his youth, the little girl at the time being basically a little duckling and following him around as he grew into a teenager. She was married and had two children, Illa who was attached to Lou’s side and her two month old, Nini.

Hinata’s sister, the uproarious woman who slammed open the door, was Torin with her wife, Kati. They had two sons, Pata who instantly hooked up with Mikey and dragged him away to a tree to show off some of his art, and Tomi, who kept staring at Raph with wide eyes.

There was another nephew who had yet to return from work, but they met the three little children of his. Yani, Matti, and Tori, all three climbing around Leo and demanding to see his phone for games and to know what color he liked best (blue) and who Usagi was and did they kiss?? Like, a lot??? Ew.

Hideko who had already been in the middle of creating lunch had looked Raph over and whistled before thumping Lou with a wash towel. “What in the seven hells are you feeding him? Tell me so I can feed it to Hanami! You are so big, Raphael! But you should eat more, looking a little skinny here,” she huffed, reaching up at his cheek and pushing on his face.

“I’m f-fine, Miss Hideko-owie-“ he mumbled out through muffled words as she scoffed, thumping his nose.

“Miss?! Obasan, Obasan, young man! Honestly!”

The triplets giggled around Leo, the two girls and boy happily shrieking, “Obasan! Obasan!!”

“You shush, I am trying to feed your cousin!”

Hideko was married to Kichi, a quiet woman with shocking white hair that stood out from the sea of black haired relatives. She smiled gently at them, holding a little girl on her lap as she sat next to Donnie. “It is a pleasure to meet you all. This is Hanami. Hanami, can you say hello?” she whispered, and the little girl peered up from where she was hiding in her mother’s shoulder, fumbling hands signing out a hello.

Donnie, looking up from his phone, quickly held up his own hand and signed to her, the girl’s face brightening as she squirmed around in her mother’s lap and leading a fumbling conversation between the two in silence.

In response, they were introduced to the Hamatos of New York: April, Cassie, Raphael, Donatello, Leonardo and Michelangelo, along with Casey, and the reintroduction of the foot clan, Rito and Bungorou and their various members.

Torin reached over to April, playfully patting her head. “Yup! That’s a Hamato alright! I can see the spitfire in you, girl. And those two,” she nodded at the Casey’s, laughing as Pata ran in to get some more markers for him and Mikey. “Definitely Hamato! Stars above, Lou-ojisan, were you just collectin’ ‘em up in New York?”

“You could say that,” he chortled as Draxum waved at Illa who kept staring at him and Big Mama was conversing with Kati about their children.

Hideko exited the kitchen with the last of the food, sliding the platter to the middle of the table, steam rising from the rice and meat combo in furls. “Enough chatter already! Too much chatter makes your head big! Eat, go on, get it! Pata! Michelangelo! To the table!” she yelled, the two perking up from the tree and hurrying back over as Tomi leaned closer to Raph, poking at his arms.

“Dude, is that all muscle? Like, you lift?”

“Yeah, Raph lifts!” he laughed, flexing one arm as Tomi whistled, pulling the sleeve of his shirt down a bit to flex. Obviously his muscle was not the same, but there was a bit there. He sighed, letting his arm fall to his lap.

“Man, I wanna be muscular too. Like those people on Baywatch.”

Raph nodded easily enough, taking up a bowl of food. “They got muscles for days.”

Tomi nodded, ducking his head as Hideko started to fuss about them talking and not eating. Raph devoured his meal in earnest, getting cooing encouragement from various members of the family as they slid him more food. Leo and Donnie traded pieces of their meal as usual, Hanami happily sliding pieces of egg to Leo who would then toss them in the air to snatch up and devour, to the amusement of the triplets who would then try to throw bits of bread at Donnie.

The twins were, hilariously, a hit with the younger kids while Mikey and Pata were trading art tips, Mikey even trading several markers of his least favorite colors for Pata’s least favorites.

Getting to bed was…interesting. Cassandra and April instantly stole a guest room, trying to tempt Casey from Leo’s side to no avail. New place meant new anxieties after all. But the triplets loved him and wanted him to sleep in THEIR room, while Hanami wanted Donnie in HER room and Pata had already promised Mikey he’d drag a sleeping bag out and they could stay up all night reading scary stories-

“Et! Stop it!” Torin said, clapping her hands over the children arguing, hands on her hips. “Our guests get to choose where they so wish to sleep! Lou-ojisan, where would you-“

“Ojiisan wif me!” Illa squeaked, hands grabbing at him from where her mother was holding her in the air, looking amused as Lou chortled, his tail darting up to pat her pigtails as she cackled.

“Ah, my sons can make their choices! As for me I recall my old room, I’m heading to bed! Boys! Don’t stay awake all night, we have things to do tomorrow!” With that he hustled out, Big Mama rolling her eyes with a smile as Draxum snorted, heading out after him.

Torin nodded. “You heard him! Children, decide amongst thyselves. We’re going to bed, now!”

…the younger kids got their way. Leo didn’t feel too horrible, really he didn’t. The three had scooted together into Tori’s bed, tucked under space sheets when their father came home, having been told over the phone of their new guests. He was quiet, tall, with graying hair and a short beard, named Riku. He gave Leo and Casey, who had been getting dressed for bed, a quick little bow of the head before mumbling softly to his three children. It took no time at all for the three to be snoring away, Yani facing the wall, Matti curled up against her brother, and Tori in the middle.

Riku smiled, nodding again at Leo and Casey, who had just pulled on his pajama shirt. “Should you boys need anything, let us know. Make yourselves at home. Good night.”

He left and Leo shot a look at Casey with a shrug. “To the point, isn’t he?”

“Probably tired,” Casey mumbled, yawning himself as he squirmed onto the plush duvet, tucking under the blanket with a sigh. “It’s late but it feels early.”

“Think Dad called it jetlag,” Leo said, slowly pulling off his brace and folding it up to the side, pulling his pajama pant leg down. He sighed, rolling on top of the blankets, before plunking his head next to Casey. “…lot of people.”

“Yeah.”

“…and you never met them.”

Casey’s hand twitched, his eyes shut even as his breath evened out. “Wish I had. They’re…interesting.”

“Mm-hmm.” He hummed, hiding a yawn behind his hand before letting it fall to the side. “…wait, Dad said we had things to do? What things?”

Casey mumbled something, and Leo figured that was the best he was going to get, letting the future boy fall asleep. The three other little children snored on, Matti squirming and turning over as she drooled on the pillow. Huh. From here, he could tell she had a little upturned nose, her hair the usual black color but there were shades in it.

Man. He wished he had hair.

No. He had hair once. It tried to kill him! No. No need for that.

Wait, why did he have blonde hair when none of their parents did?

That was a question for Donnie, it appeared. Genetics may be fascinating but not at no…near midnight?! When did it get-

There was a tap at the window.

Leo blinked.

They had no enemies in Japan, and it would be out of the question that something bad would happen on their first night there.

But not impossible.

He slowly uncurled his arm from Casey, who finally after months of being woken up from someone snoring in the room, was now fast asleep despite the tap. The children slept on, so it was only Leo and this strange intruder.

He slid a hand under the pillow they gave him to the straw he’d snuck under it, ready to turn it into a sword as he slid out of bed slowly and into the shadows. The tap came again and he slid forward, his Ninpō coursing over his skin in static bursts.

And then he blinked, staring out the wooden window in shock.

“Usagi?!”

Usagi, dressed in a simple starry set of pajamas, waved gleefully from where he was dangling from the roof. Leo felt like laying down and pretending he didn’t see this as he quickly pushed open the window. “Dude! What the hell?!”

“Ah…hello, Leo-kun! I am glad you are okay and settled in.”

“Stalker,” he shot back and Usagi squeaked, his fur bristling and turning dark as he squirmed in mid-air.

“N-No, I swear! I just…really missed you,” he pouted, and Leo was of course immediately cooing over the cute image of his boyfriend in his mind.

“You’re so cute. Ugh, fine. Hang on,” he chuckled, tossing the straw onto a table nearby as he climbed out the window. Through a little bit of acrobats, he managed to somehow dangle onto Usagi, who wrapped his legs around Leo’s waist before yanking them up onto the roof, both of them stumbling a bit and laughing before Usagi fell onto his butt, grinning up at Leo and patting next to him.

Leo, however, was feeling a little…playful, perhaps, just to mess with the other a bit for startling him.

So, instead of sitting down beside him, he shuffled a bit and then plopped right in Usagi’s lap, arms around Usagi’s shoulders as the rabbit stared with wide eyes. “There we go! Much better.”

“A-Ah! Yes! Um, if you, are certain,” he stammered, his hands floating in the air as if he were unsure of where to put them as Leo snickered.

“You got me out of bed without my brace. Yeah, I’m stealing your lap. Gotta carry me back in, too~” He huffed, snagging a sleeve and yanking Usagi’s arm down to wrap around him, snuggling in close with a happy purr. Usagi’s ears twitched happily, cuddling Leo close in the cool night air. “How’d you know what room I was in anyway? …or did you just knock on each window?”

“Ah. Your brother told me.”

“…Donnie?”

Usagi nodded, his cheek brushing Leo’s head and making the turtle warm up at the touch as he nuzzled back. “Yes! I asked and he answered.”

Leo huffed, poking at his jaw. “And he just told you. For no reason.”

“Oh, no, I had something to give him he wanted to study. For a kame who claims to not like magic like he does, he sure does have a fascination.”

…yeah you know what? Leo was too sleepy for this conversation. He shook his head, huffing. “We’re totally talking about you mysteriously giving my twin magic scrolls, but later. Cuddle time now!”

Usagi perked up, happily squeezing Leo closer into a hug. “Cuddle time~”

The stars above them twinkled in different constellations than he was used to, the moon not yet entirely full but getting there. The wind picked up a little, rustling leaves down below against an old maple tree. Leo hummed, eyes tracing the sky for a moment. “New York’s pretty bright but you can still see the stars, sometimes.”

“Can you? I never stayed out late when I was over,” Usagi mused as Leo chuckled.

“I’ll show you the best spots one day. Me and Mikey charted ‘em once, when he got a book on constellations from Dad.”

“That sounds very fun~”

The rustling wind slowed, the chill creeping across Leo’s hands for a moment until he buried them into Usagi’s fluff, cuddling up closer. The other squeaked, peeking down at his boyfriend as Leo grinned playfully, wiggling fingers against his skin and making him squirm. The both of them laughed for a moment, laughter easing into gentle breaths, green eyes catching blue before they both leaned in, kissing under a starry sky.

Above them, a passing star flew across the sky.

(And, below, in a room with a sleeping little girl, a purple turtle flicked on a reading light and began to research.)

Chapter Text

The sizzle in the pan and the smell of butter permeated the home that morning, Hideko stirring a pan of eggs as Mikey took up her other side, dropping a slice of bread in to his pan to make french toast. Not many were up this early beyond Leo and the triplets, who had heard Casey going to the bathroom and immediately climbed into the bed with Leo, demanding to play with him.

He sat at the breakfast bar, the three crowding around him on stools as he showed pictures of their home back in New York as Hideko took a sprinkle of cinnamon and dashed it in the eggs. “Hanami loves a little sweetness in the morning.”

“So does Raph! Well, we all like a little sweetness,” Mikey explained, flipping the bread over idly as the triplets went ‘ooohh!’ over an image of Hueso on Leo’s phone. “Donnie likes it if it’s oatmeal but only likes oatmeal once a month. Raph will eat anything but no nuts! He has an allergy.”

“Ah, you must be the little cook of the house then,” she said, taking up a plate and piling up eggs on it for her little girl, quickly cracking more eggs for the rest of the family. “Knowing everyone’s preferences and the like.”

“Aw shucks,” Mikey giggled, flipping the toast onto a plate and putting a new slice in as he spoke up. “Hey, Leo? Can I borrow your charger? I forgot mine and you know Dee’s doesn’t charge it.”

“Hm? Yeah, hermano, I’ll go get it.” Leo hefted up Tori who had flopped into his lap, dangling the boy over the stool before plopping him down to the kid’s delight as he got up with a stretch. “Beeee right back, don’t have fun without me!”

“We won’t, itoko!” Tori piped up, giggling as Matti and Yoni cheered him on. “Itoko, itoko, hurry back!”

“I will, I will!” he laughed, waving behind him as he stepped out of the room, Raph’s rumbling steps through the hallway as he sleepily headed towards the bathroom, and Leo could hear Tomi chattering his head off this early in the morning.

The triplet’s room wasn’t far, so he ducked inside as Casey, having been shooed from the bathroom by the girls, was drying off his hair sleepily as he headed to the kitchen. Leo gave him a hearty wave, while Casey mumbled sleepily. Considering it was now night time in New York, it was a given they were exhausted.

Open the door, ah, there was his bag on the bed. He whistled, heading over to it, little thrums of ghost kisses on his face from his and Usagi’s ‘date’ last night making his heart flutter all happy-like under his plastron. He felt like he was floating on cloud nine, if he was honest. And his leg wasn’t even hurting today!

He reached the bag, unbuckling it and digging around for his cord, wrapping it around his hand idly before tossing the bag back, turning around and stumbling on something one of the children had forgotten to put away.

He looked down

And

He

f̴e̴l̸t̸
̵
̴s̸i̶c̸k̴

One of the kids had left a small box of toys to the side which he had knocked over. A toy boat skittered under the bed, flopping onto its side, while a little doll flopped face down. But it wasn’t those toys that caught his eye, no.

It was the squid.

It was one of those you get in a package of real animals, filled with little plastic beads and a silicon skin to make it feel more realistic. This squid in particular was a dark red, or it had been at one point. One of the children had taken a highlighter to it, scribbling all over the thing until it was bright neon pink.

He’d stepped on it, the head squishing under his foot and ballooning up a little.

It squished between his toes, and it

It

It

Itsqueezedaroundhisankleitthroughhimthroughrockitslammedhimslammedhimslammedhim-

Oh hey that was weird.

He suddenly felt like he was floating.

Like his brain had been slowly pulled out of his body, dangled above him like a puppet. He vaguely felt himself sway in place, and then he fell backwards onto his butt, hitting the carpet, eyes wide and staring into space.

He never heard the tiny nervous knock at the door, Matti peeking through a crack in the door. Her bright brown eyes peered at him. “Leo-itoko…? Are you okay?”

He blinked, but it felt like his mouth was wired shut, no way to answer her beyond a twitch. She frowned, tilting her head, and then she was off racing and screeching that ‘Leo-itoko is crying!’.

He wasn’t crying. He was…

…what was he?

There were fast footsteps and then the door was opening and then someone had their hand on his shoulder and their hand on his chest. There was a shake on his shoulder, then another one, the hand on his chest thumping sharply and making him cough, blinking out of the weird floaty feeling he was experiencing.

It was Mikey, staring at him a little teary-eyed, a brush of knuckles against his chest like how he’d taught them to do when someone wasn’t responding (something they’d had to use in the aftermath of the Kr-the thing). Leo felt his chest expand, breath stuttering in his lungs as Mikey let out a wet laugh. “You scared the little kids…”

“Sorry…” he murmured, eyes flicking down but Mikey’s hand got in the way, kicking behind him quickly as Leo looked back up. “Um. Got. Whoozy.”

“Yeah. Yeah,” Mikey said, and Leo didn’t have to ask if he knew. If he saw it. He could hear the thing roll under the bed, and he’d know that it’d be under there and he’d imagine it for every night they would be there and- “Leo. Leo. You’re doing it again.”

“Sorry,” he wheezed out, his hands shaking from where they were bunched up against his thighs, clearing his throat again. “…I think I gotta go throw up.”

“Okay…”

He was grateful that Mikey let him go, a warm gaze on his shell letting him know his brother was not about to let him out of his sight anytime soon. But that was okay. He just had to go be sick for a moment and then he’d be peachy keen. A-OK. Nothing to it but to do it.

What a way to ruin a morning.

~~

“I dunno, I usually gotta get special clothing, ya know?” Raph said, shifting and ducking his head down as Kati waved him down closer, a measuring tape in her hand, red-rimmed glasses sliding down her nose and her blonde hair tickling his nose as she kept adjusting her hold on him.

“I know, hon, being bigger than life itself has to make it hard, huh?” she murmured, pushing her glasses up again on her nose and he held in a laugh, not eager to cut her hands on his spikes as she kept measuring his shoulders.

“Eh, a little,” he admitted, watching as several children ran by. It was…well, about as loud as their own home was if he was honest. If it wasn’t Leo and Mikey ripping through and screaming about something, then Donnie was on their tail ready to take aim with an airgun or paintball or something. It felt…just like home, if he were honest.

He rumbled idly, relaxing a bit and yawning as Kati pulled the tape over one shoulder, and he could hear his dad dozing in a chair nearby as Draxum and Mama helped carry in various bolts of clothing. His tail shifted lightly as Mama dropped some of the silky cloth in a nearby chair, hands on her hips as she looked him over. “Oh, Reddy-beddy, aren’t you such a handsome man!” she cooed, and he laughed, cracking open an eye idly.

“Mama, I ain’t even dressed yet.”

“Still,” she said, waving a hand as Kati mumbled a series of numbers, taking a pencil from her ear to scribble on a notepad as she turned to the bundle of clothing. Draxum held up his bundle idly but she shook her head.

“No, he needs stretch fabric, especially since his shell is not at all giving.”

“Hm.”

There was a bit of shouting, someone’s name echoing down the hall as someone ran and Kati sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose as Lou snorted awake. “Aya, who could that be?”

“Sounds like one of mine,” Raph rumbled, ready to scold whoever it was as the door slid open, and Leo slid in like a baseball star hitting a homerun, rolling on the ground before hefting up a pristine white package with a blue bow on it.

“USAGI GOT ME A PRESENT!”

“Don’t run inside,” Raph rumbled in response as Mama gasped, clasping her hands together in excitement.

“Oh, baby blue! What did he get you? Let’s see, let’s see!” She was almost more excited than he was as he took a spot on the ground, legs crossed as the triplets piled in after him, squealing and running in the room before Raph snagged all three up in his tail. They shouted, patting at him as he sat still while Kati picked up one piece of cloth, looking it over with a squint as Leo bounced in place.

Everyone peered around him as he carefully tugged the blue ribbon free, sticking it on Matti’s head. She squeaked, laughing and playing with it a moment as he opened up the box. He reached in, curious, as he pulled out…a yukata?

It was pretty and dark blue at the top where it would cover around his torso, black embroidery around the edging. When he lifted it up, the bottom part fanned out, going from a dark blue around the waist to near white at the bottom, like a passing ocean wave. The kids ‘ooohhhh’ed over it, even Raph making an impressed noise as Leo squeaked. “Wow!! This is pretty!”

“Put it on, bluey!” Mama cooed at him as Draxum crossed his arms, clicking his teeth as Leo bounced up to his feet.

“Odd gift, but this new generation has always been very odd.”

“You’re just old,” Lou playfully shot back, his tail thumping Draxum’s arm as a small warning not to be too harsh on their son. Said goat man merely rolled his eyes with a small huff as Leo held out the yukata, staring it down.

“…I don’t know how to put it on.”

“C’mere, I’ll help you,” Kati waved him over, moving his arms up to stretch out. “You always need a helping hand if it’s your first time. First you pull it on like this,” she slid it across his shell, leading his arms into the sleeves as he vibrated in place excitedly as she tugged on the edges a bit. “Fits your shell? Not too tight?”

“It’s good!” he squeaked out, holding still was not his strong suit. She nodded, taking up the bottom portion and letting him pull it on as she helped him tuck the robe correctly around him, sliding the obi around his waist to tie it as she walked around him.

“It looks good, honestly, really complements your figure,” she praised, and he chirped happily, swaying in place as he waved his arms, looking at Raph.

Raph gave him a lazy thumbs up as the triplets cheered for him. “Looking good, baby bro!” Leo flailed his hands excitedly as Kati pushed a bit on his shoulder, making him turn in a circle to show the rest of it off.

“I’ll wear it every day!”

“It is only for special ceremonies, Blue,” Lou finally spoke up. “You can’t wear it every day!”

“Aww…” he pouted, crossing his arms as Kati sucked in a breath, grabbing at his shoulder.

“Eh?! What is this!”

“What?” He craned his neck back, trying to see what she was looking at as she pointed.

“He can’t wear this!”

“What! It’s my gift!” he fussed, one hand waving in the air angrily. Even if she was an aunt or a great-aunt or whatever, it was still his choice! “Dad!”

“Lou-ojisan, you know he can’t wear it with-with their crest on him!” she pleaded, letting him go as he spun around, angrily crossing his arms and looking much like the petulant teenager he was. Mama had a hand over her mouth, eyes wide but hiding a grin, while Draxum’s face was flushed a bit, and he had to clear his throat to hide his amusement.

“You can’t tell me what to do!” he shot back at her, only for a tail to quickly swat his shoulder. “Ow-Dad!”

“Do not be rude!” he scolded as Leo pouted, plucking at the sleeve of his present as the three triplets stared with wide eyes, Raph looking between them all nervously as Lou grunted. “I do not see the issue? It is from his boyfriend, of course it would have their symbol?”

Kati made a strangled noise, waving at Leo, her face turning dark red as if holding in her anger, although Leo couldn’t tell if it was directed at him or not. “They give this to him as if he’s-“ and she shot him a look, then back at their dad, eyebrows raised and mouth thinned.

It was unearthly silent for a moment, and then Lou nodded at Leo with a smile. “Baby blue, would you please go make sure your brothers have not started any fires? Red, go with him, please.”

“Got it, Pops,” Raph rumbled, slowly standing up and lifting the little kids with him, all three quiet and clinging to him as he helped them climb up his shell. Leo sniffed, frowning harder as he dug his fingers into his sleeve.

“I’m still wearing it.”

“I know,” Lou said, and that was all Leo needed to hear as he twirled around, darting out the door easily.

Whatever it ‘meant’ that they had sent the Miyamoto symbol on Leo’s back, just seeing Kati’s anger had immediately made him want to rebel. He supposed he was a lot like their father in that moment. Any chance at being told what to do, and he was fighting tooth and nail against it.

Raph shut the door behind him, snagging Leo by his waist and picking him up to dangle like a bag from his arm as Leo huffed. “Hey…”

“I think ya look good,” he said, not mentioning the tension in the room.

Yani slid up over Raph’s shoulder, her bright brown eyes peering down at Leo. “Leo-itoko, I like your gift, too.”

“Thanks,” he muttered, huffing as he held on as Raph shuffled through the home, heading through the small courtyard where a large tree took residence. “Ugh. She doesn’t get to tell me what to wear, does she?”

“Nah,” Raph said, hesitating a moment. “But…I dunno. She seemed…kind of upset? Maybe?”

Matti perked up, climbing up Raph’s arm as Tori swung from his tail. “Raph-itoko, it’s because, um! It’s because!! Usagi-san likes Leo-itoko!”

Leo snickered, playfully batting at her as Raph plopped down on the side of the wooden frame of the house, letting Leo down to stand up and dust off his clothes, stretching them a bit to make sure they still fit right. “Well, of course he likes me!! I’m his boyfriend!”

Matti pointed at him. “That’s why he gave you his crest!”

“He wants to marry you and have babies!” Tori yelled, Raph choking on a laugh as the boy tumbled from his tail, scrambling up and holding onto a pillar. “When someone gives you their crest, they wanna marry you forever and ever!”

Yani nodded, plopping her head next to Raph’s. “Oko-chan in our class gave her crest to Riri-chan. Now they’re going to move in together when we all turn thirty.”

Leo, whose face had turned a deep, deep red, cleared his throat with a cough. “W-Wait, why thirty?”

Yani blinked, staring at him. “That’s when you’re old and gonna die.”

Okay, now Raph lost it, laughing so hard he fell back on his shell as the kids squealed and laughed at him. “Wait-help! I can’t get up!” he howled in laughter, rocking a bit as Leo and the kids tried to help him sit back up.

For a moment, he ignored, totally, the implications the kids gave him.

But, at the same time…

…well…

His shell felt warm where the crest laid, three circles in the points of the triangle.

…it wouldn’t be that bad if he wore it, right?

Right????

~~

Neon Leon (5:15 PM): um. So. I like the gift but. Uuuuhhh. The other folks got mad about it???

Usa-Kun (5:20 PM):….??? What gift?

Neon Leon (5:23 PM): the yukata? The pretty blue one? Some fancy fox lady dropped it off saying it was from the ‘Miyamoto Clan for Hamato Leonardo’.

Usa-Kun (5:35 PM): Ah

Neon Leon (5:37 PM): ?????

Usa-Kun (5:39 PM): Sorry, I am just considering how to yell at my mother.

Neon Leon (5:42 PM): Oh. So it wasn’t from you.

Usa-Kun (5:45 PM): Leo-kun I love you but even I know that gifting you anything with my crest on it would no doubt end in bloodshed from your side to me. I also do not ever want to fight Raphael. He is a little scary.

Usa-Kun (6:03 PM): Leo-kun?

Neon Leon (6:15 PM): You love me?

Usa-Kun (6:17 PM): Oh

Neon Leon (6:19 PM): call me

~~

Twin Creed Rule Number 57: Should one half of the Twins become enamored, at any point in time, the twin creed shall be that no matter what, the twins shall be there for one another.

57A: If one twin has an inclination of abuse of any sort from the paramour of the other, then the stipulation shall come in about Lethal Force (please see subsection 37C) - Donatello, age 12

57B: If both twins fall for the same paramour, there shall be no in-fighting as it causes major property damage. Rather, if it is a passing crush, this shall be resolved by Paper Rock Scissors, and if serious, both twins must speak with said paramour and accept any answer. - Leonardo, age 14

(Written in bright red crayon on the front of a very old book, ‘Don’t Forget: Be There For Each Other’ remains by a loving father who just wanted his children to get along.)

Donnie thinks it’s a nightmare that has Leo sitting at the counter, tea in hand, one of the numerous blankets around his shoulders with a lamp on as he stares blankly at the warm cup.

But his face wasn’t wet with tears, he was missing his mask, and he looked…not shaken up, precisely. He just looked…rather thoughtful for however late it was or early. Donnie really couldn’t tell, nor care.

He slid his phone away in his pocket, stepping into the kitchen slowly. “ ‘Nardo?”

Leo blinked, although not shocked that his twin was there. They always knew when each other was around. Twin powers, you know? He looked up, a smile quirking his lips. “Oh. Hey, Dee.”

Donnie blinked, sliding into a seat next to him, plopping his head on crossed arms. He made a questioning trill and Leo sighed, shrugging idly. “Just…thinking.”

Donnie raised an eyebrow idly. “About…the yukata?”

“Well, that,” he said, raising a hand with a sigh, flopping it back down in his lap, “and like, I text him and he didn’t know anything, but then he pulled out the ‘I love you’ card all nonchalant and I was like whoa wait, what,” he picked up his cup, taking a quick swallow as Donnie squinted.

So this was Usagi’s fault, that bastard bunny. He may have been able to fool them this long, but trying to force Leo to say the very big four-letter word this soon in a relationship!? This won’t STAND!

“-and I don’t look good in Fall colors!”

Donnie blinked. Rubbed the bridge of his nose.

Sighed.

“I’m sorry. What.”

Leo blinked. “Oh, I was saying I don’t want a Fall wedding, you know? Winter seems my jam. But like, it’s too soon for one, right? Highly doubt that Dad would even let me,” he pouted. POUTED.

Pouted like he didn’t send Donnie on the quickest emotional rollercoaster ever!

Here he was, gearing up to defend Leo’s honor and smite that bunny where he stood and Leo was over here pouting at the injustice of it being at the wrong time.

He reached over and flicked Leo in the cheek, making the slider startle. “Ow?!”

“I was worried about you, bozo,” he grumbled as Leo pouted even harder, rubbing his face.

“Sorry??” He paused, thinking about how it seemed. Himself, moping in the dark, cup of ‘sad tea’ and chilling in the quiet, before arriving at the conclusion that he too would have assumed he’d had his own heart broken.

He gave Donnie a very sheepish smile. “Sorry, really…I got mad at Aunt Kati for all her stuff going on and then one of the kids started snoring and I couldn’t sleep. Guess I didn’t think.”

Donnie sighed, rolling his eyes as he took out his phone, the moment of ‘despair’ passing as he tapped on it. “It’s fine, I suppose. I’ll try not to whoop his ass in public just for you.”

“Aww, thanks, Dee,” he crooned, squawking when Donnie put his hand on his face and pushed him away.

“Hush. Anyway, wanna break out the insomnia movies and try to sleep?”

“You’ve got my number, twinnie!”

(They are five years old, and their favorite movie is about a small yellow animal with his best friend, a human. Lou finds out that he can put this movie on, and tuck a thick blanket around them both, and they will inevitably fall asleep, shoulder to shoulder, shell to shell, basking in the comfort and quiet together.

Sometimes, Lou thinks as he pulls a pale purple comforter over the two sleeping teens in the living room, the glow of the television replaying the main menu of the movie, they still are those same little boys. He puts away the cup dangling from Leo’s hand, kisses them both on the head, and turns the light on low.)