Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Usagi Yuichi’s day has been going poorly so far.

Gen needed something for Ashibasha from this ‘hidden city’ place and he just can’t find it for the life of him. Why couldn’t it just be a little alley in Neo Edo? Why’d it have to be in this crowded place full of yokai? He’s totally out of his element…

On top of that, Spot ran off somewhere and in this crowd there’s no way he’s going to find him easily. All Usagi can do is call his name. He sighs.

Oh well, he’s sure that Spot will turn up somewhere. This place can’t be that big, right?

Usagi keeps on walking, coming across a fork in the road. With no other option he just picks to go left, hoping that he’ll come across his tokage.

“Spot??” Usagi calls over the chatter of all the yokai around. “Spot, cmon, you can’t have gone far, you’ve only got little legs.”

Usagi stops for a moment, sighing and using his string like a whip in frustration. He sighs once again.

The strings are an admittedly unusual phenomenon, but they have been normal since the dawn of time itself!— or so Usagi’s told.

The strings, according to the stories, are tied to your soulmate. One half is attached permanently to your ring finger (Usagi’s pinky) on your left hand, and when you eventually meet your soulmate, it will turn a cherry red and stay that way. You only get one soulmate, and if they die before you meet them, your string is snapped and just hangs off your finger. The strings are infinite, winding, bending, twisting and turning wherever they need to to keep you both together. Not only that, but you pass through strings that aren’t your own as if they aren’t even there. They can reach an incredible distance. Your soulmate could be on the other side of the world.

Usagi sighs. Love is stupid. Ever since his auntie told him what the strings were he’s rejected the idea of soulmates altogether. It’s dumb, what if he doesn’t even like them?? He hates soulmates- no- doesn’t believe in them. If they actually exist, he’ll simply choose to ignore them. They can’t make him fall in love! And plus, Usagi would much rather hang out with people whose company he enjoys and is used to rather than some total stranger he’s supposed to fall in love with.

Gah, all distractions to the current mission: Finding Spot. Curse you, strings!

The rabbit eventually makes it to a slightly clearer area, at least he’s able to walk properly now. He keeps an eye out for the part Gen and Ashibasha need, must be somewhere around here. Gen said it’s close to a place called Run Of The Mill, so he guesses maybe he could ask around as to where it is.

Usagi’s string is suddenly pulled taut and yanks him over to the right. The rabbit stumbles to the side and yelps before staring down in shock at his hand as confused as ever. How the hell? These strings are meant to be infinite, why’d it tug him so hard?

Usagi tries to shake it off and continue before he sees a certain tokage’s tail peep out through the crowd before slipping away again. Usagi smiles. Gotcha! His string rears off to the left but he ignores it, chasing after Spot until the string tugs him over once again and he looks up, only to find the most shocking sight he’s ever seen.

—

In Leo’s most professional opinion, the hidden city has no business being this crowded.

Every time he’s here it’s all hustle and bustle, yokai shoving into him, stall owners borderline imploring for others to buy their products, the works. Leo just wants to get to Hueso’s to meet his brothers and to get out of this crowd. It’s hard to walk with his crutches in this sea of yokai. Leo was a little preoccupied before, planning with April and Casey Jr for Raph’s birthday, but when he was practically begged to come to Hueso’s… well, how could he say no? It’s Hueso’s!

Somebody bumps into him, disrupting Leo’s train of thought. The slider sighs, glancing around. So many yokai… so many strings.

Leo’s eyes often wander to the strings. His is white, like most. As he looks around he can see many just like his, though others are red. Sometimes Leo’s heart sinks a little when he sees them.

It’s a little disheartening. The idea of your soulmate, your perfect match, the literal one, could be so far away, could never meet you, could die before you even get to know who they are. Someone’s soulmate might consider these strings a curse on everyone. Heck, your soulmate might not even like you! Anything can happen. He doesn’t want his soulmate to die, to never meet them, to have them hate him, but life is cruel, Leo supposes. If it wasn’t it wouldn’t do all this shit.

Leo has always been curious about who his soulmate is. Somewhere in his early childhood Leo remembers being disgusted with the idea that some girl could be out there, ready to- ugh- love him. More recently though, Leo has thought that maybe it would be nice. Somebody who would love him, care for him, think of him so highly. His perfect match. It makes his chest all warm and light, he’s smiling just thinking about it! One day Leo had a talk with himself and ever since then he’s really wanted to find whoever his soulmate is, no matter who or even what they are.

Leo, of course, has some standards, but he trusts that fate will have picked somebody he’ll like. Leo could bet it’s written in the stars.

It makes him wonder though… who is he? What will he look like, sound like? Will they bounce jokes off of one another or will he roll his eyes sarcastically at Leo’s stupid puns, punching him lightly in the shoulder and telling him to knock it off. Will they sleep next to each other, so close their noses bump together? Assured in the safety of each other’s presence, will they dream of the other? Will they look up into the stars and see that they’ll forever be together? No matter what? Will they start a family?

Leo shakes his head, looping his string around his other finger absentmindedly.

He hopes so.

Leo chuckles inwardly at his subconscious use of ‘he’. He’s always sort of known he didn’t like girls, but he wonders if the universe knows that. He’s never had to think about it, just always sort of knew. He’s never told anyone though. Liking boys was never presented as an option for him, so he never consciously knew he could, never really saw it as an option. When he realised, it certainly made him a lot happier. Still, not even his brothers know about it. It’s not like he’s afraid of not being accepted or anything, however there’s always a worry in the back of his mind. He can’t help but worry these days.

His string at the moment is rearing off in front of him, weaved in between the crowd. Leo slows down and removes his hand from the crutch handle, giving the string a firm tug, why not? He hears a yelp in the distance. Leo sucks in a short breath through his teeth before chuckling slightly to himself. He hopes he didn’t trip anybody. Leo looks back down at it longingly. If only he could just follow it forever. Ah, but it would be pointless. He could be trying to follow it to Alaska for all he knows. (Or even, shudder, New Jersey!)

No matter, Leo thinks, shaking his head and starting his walk back up. He’ll find them one day. He just knows it.

Speaking of his string, it is getting a little tight. Leo frowns, what is going on? It rears off to the side, then a little to the left, then a LOT to the left. The string is pulled taut, and as Leo looks it’s way and slows his walk to a stop, the crowd parts to reveal the most surprising sight Leo’s ever witnessed.

In an instant, his string fades to a bright crimson, passer-by’s looking on in shock. The other end of Leo’s string also turns red, the colour meeting in the middle. The slider’s eyes follow the now red string to the hand of a snow white rabbit yokai.

Leo is immediately awestruck by the stranger. His fur looks soft, a tuft at the top of his head and two on his cheeks. His long ears are tied back in a sort of ponytail, hanging just at his shoulders. Leo wonders how long they’d be if he let them down. He’s wearing a dark blue… hakama? Leo thinks that’s what it’s called. He has a sword, too! Maybe they could battle!

Leo lets a stupid grin creep onto his face. He’s found him! He’s finally found his soulmate! His heart soars with joy, butterflies invade his stomach and he breathes out in disbelief. The stranger stares into his eyes, both captivated by the other for a brief moment that feels like it lasts a lifetime. Leo laughs, still astonished.

“Hello??” He almost asks, frozen where he stands.

The stranger blinks, his eyes flitting back and fourth between Leo and something in the crowd.

Suddenly, he speaks.

“Uh- S-Sorry. I have something to do real quick!” He says before dashing away into the crowd. Leo laughs, incredulous.

“Wha- Hey! Come back!” The slider yells, still laughing and starting to chase after his soulmate. He’s going slower than he’d prefer with his dumb crutches, but keeping up surprisingly well. His, now red, string makes it easy to find him, Leo’s heart beating a little faster every time he sees its new colour. He still can’t believe it, Leo found him!

He can hear the stranger getting further away and calling out something. All of a sudden, Leo is lead into a clearing in the crowd, his soulmate tackling some other yokai-like creature and tumbling onto the ground subsequently pulling Leo down with him. They crash onto the ground and Leo’s grip on his crutches fails, scattering his aids next to him. The string tangles them together, Leo’s soulmate writhing to keep his.. pet(?) down.

“Spot! I’ve been looking for you everywhere! Where have you been??”

The creature, Spot, yips and the rabbit sighs, patting its head. “I just can’t stay mad at you.”

The slider untangles himself from the string as the rabbit turns his head to see Leo as the crowd moves fluidly around them.

“Oh. You came with me?”

Leo chuckles catching his breath. “Yeah. I mean, we are…” He holds up the string.

The stranger sighs, also untangling himself and standing up. He dusts himself off, his pet jumping onto his shoulders and yipping suspiciously at Leo. Leo smiles sheepishly up at his soulmate, the light the stranger is standing in front of catching his fur perfectly and making him glow. The rabbit’s brown eyes stare into Leo’s own curiously, one of his ears twitching gently. His soulmate reaches out his hand, the string wrapped around his pinkie finger. They both have weird hands, Leo remarks, the rabbit only having four fingers as opposed to Leo’s three, both of their strings attached at the pinkie.

A small smile creeps onto Leo’s face as he reaches his hand up to grab the rabbit’s. It’s warm and fuzzy, Leo isn’t used to feeling hands like this. The stranger helps him up, Leo grabbing his crutches. As he steadies himself and regains his balance, the rabbit lets his hand go, and even though they’ve just met, Leo feels like he misses it.

The rabbit glances around in the silence and then sighs to himself, looking down at his side of the string. Leo smiles again, feeling uncharacteristically timid.

“Uh-… what do we…?”

The rabbit chuckles. Leo looks on at his smile, it’s… okay, it’s adorable. If he wasn’t already, Leo would have no choice but to smile back, it’s infectious.

“Usagi.” He says, holding out a hand for a handshake. “Yuichi Usagi.”

Leo takes it and they shake. “Uh- L-Leo. Hamato. It’s nice to.. meet you?”

Usagi sighs, letting go. “Yeah, you too. This is Spot, my tokage.”

Spot yips. “Hey, Spot! Good to meet you, too.” Leo says, reaching his hand out to pat Spot on the head. He yips happily and Usagi smiles.

“Well, Spot likes you, so I can’t be too mad.”

Leo raises an eyebrow. “Mad? Why would you be mad? You just met your..” Leo pauses and averts his eyes. “W-Well, your soulmate!” He looks back. “Aren’t you happy? I’m happy!”

Usagi sighs and shakes his head. “Look, you seem great and all, but I’m not into the whole ‘soulmates’ thing. We could be friends if you want, but…”

Leo’s heart sinks slightly, but he understands. “Ah.. that’s alright, hah. I-I get it, I guess. We can hang out!” He says, looking away awkwardly. “I-if you want.” Leo adds, earning a smile out of Usagi.

The rabbit nods. “Sure. You’re a local, right?” Leo nods. “I was wondering if you knew this place called Run Of The Mill?”

“That’s where I was going! It’s like fate!” Leo says without thinking as his face lights up.

Usagi blinks disapprovingly.

“Sorry-“ Leo says sheepishly. “A-Anyway, I go there a lot and my brothers are there. We can meet them together!”

“Oh no, I was just sent to get something from a stall near Run Of The Mill, n-not in it, haha. We can still go though, I guess. What… is Run Of The Mill?”

“A restaurant!” Leo says. “Cmon, you’re gonna love it!”

Usagi nods. “Sounds good. Lead the way!”

Leo smiles and turns as Usagi follows with Spot in tow. As the red slider crutches along he notices Usagi staring.

Leo chuckles. “What?”

Usagi shakes his head. “Nothing, just, what happened to your leg… s?”

Leo sighs. “Eh, I just fell. That’s all.”

“Pretty bad fall, huh?” Usagi asks. Leo smiles back sadly. He wishes it were that simple.

“Yeah,” Leo says, vivid memories flashing briefly through his mind before his shakes them off. Not today. Please not today. “Yeah, you could say.”

Leo turns to Usagi. “What about you? Where are you from?”

Usagi smiles. “I was living on a farm with my auntie, but now I live in a place called Neo Edo with all my friends! It’s quite a long while away from here.”

“Cool! So you’re a long way from home, huh?”

Usagi nods. “Yeah. What about you? Where do you come from?”

Leo smiles brightly. “Here! Well, not here, but I live really close to here. In the human world me and my brothers uh, well, we can’t really go out with this whole situation,” Leo gestures to his face. “so we live in the New York sewers! It sounds gross but it’s not actually that bad.”

“Oookay?” Usagi smiles, puzzled. “By the way, in the least insulting way possible, what… are you?”

Leo barks a laugh. “Ahaha, don’t worry, it’s not immediately obvious with my hoodie on. I’m a turtle! A red eared slider turtle, to be exact. That’s what these crescents are.” He points to the red markings over his eyes.

Usagi leans in a little. “Ooh! That’s so cool! I’m just a rabbit, haha.”

“That’s cool too! I like…” Leo pauses. “…rabbits! Actually I don’t think I’ve ever seen a rabbit. But from the looks of you, they seem cool.”

Usagi laughs. “Okay, haha. How do you navigate this city? It’s a mess of yokai in here.”

Leo shrugs. “You get a sense for it. I was clueless the first time I came. Still kind of annoying though, I wish I could portal there…”

“Portal?”

“Yeah!” The slider says. “I used to have this mystic odachi that let me summon portals to wherever I wanted! It took me a while to get used to but after that it was so awesome! Using portals in combat was such a fun way to fight.”

Usagi nods. “That does sound cool! What happened to it?”

Leo shrugs. “It got lost. Sad, but, hey, what can you do?”

“Ah, I get that.” Usagi says. “My ancestor’s sword Willow Branch got lost for ages once, I found it though! Me and my friends saw a bunch of ghosts fight in a spooky haunted battlefield and it was pretty nice.”

“Now that sounds cool. Do you do stuff like that all the time?”

Usagi nods. “Totally! I’ve been and seen and done so many awesome things. It’s really been a great time.”

Leo smiles. “That sounds great! I have too! I’ve been on so many cool adventures with my brothers.” He says, and before they can continue, Leo glances in front of him. “Oh, we’re here!”

Usagi gazes up at the restaurant and then looks around before he points to a store nearby that sells car parts. “There! I need to go there.”

“Let’s go then!” Leo says, Usagi running off as Leo follows on his crutches, the red string still linking them.

Leo smiles faintly, standing a little ways away from Usagi making his purchase. This isn’t how he expected to meet his soulmate, and now he doesn’t know what to do. At least they can still be friends, right? Yeah. It’ll be fine. It isn’t about Leo, Usagi’s feelings should be respected. And plus, he gets where Usagi is coming from. You can’t just love someone you just met. Not like that. It wouldn’t be real.

Leo shakes his head as Usagi walks back to him holding a bag.

“Got it! Let’s go meet your brothers, then?” Usagi asks.

Leo smiles and nods. “Sounds like a plan!”

The two walk off together towards Run Of The Mill, and as they enter, Usagi pulls the string connecting them tight, stuffing the slack into his palm and letting out just enough to let Leo walk a comfortable distance away. Leo gets the hint and pulls his side into his hoodie sleeve as they approach the rest of the turtles.

Raph looks up. “Oh, Leo, hey!”

Donnie’s gaze flits between Leo and Usagi, a glint of suspicion in his eyes. “Brought a friend?”

Leo chuckles. A little paranoid that the very red and very obvious string is visible, Leo shuffles a little closer to Usagi, hooking an arm around his shoulders.

“Uh, yeah! Hope you guys don’t mind. This is Usagi and his...”

“Tokage” Usagi fills in quietly.

“His tokage, Spot.”

Spot yips in greeting as Usagi waves awkwardly. “Hi.”

After a beat Mikey jumps out of his seat an offers out a fist bump which Usagi eventually returns. “‘Course! The more the merrier, right guys?”

Raph smiles. “I don’t see why not.”

Leo nods and he and Usagi sit next to each other, Leo propping his crutches up in between him and Mikey. “Thanks guys.” Leo turns to the rabbit. “Usagi, these are my brothers: Raph, Donnie, and Mikey.”

“Nice to meet you all.” Usagi says, smiling. Spot hops off of Usagi’s shoulders and immediately runs to Mikey, the box turtle starting to play with him.

“We’ve never seen or heard of you before, Usagi.” Mikey says, Spot perching on the top of his head. “How’d you guys meet?”

“Well, we, uh, we actually met just today.” Usagi replies.

“Yeah, we were heading the same direction and kinda got chatting.” Leo adds, shooting Usagi a ‘play along’ glance. “Good thing I found you, too, ‘cause you were going the complete opposite way to Run Of The Mill. I needed to be your tour guide~” Leo says, winking and elbowing Usagi lightly in the arm.

Usagi laughs and elbows Leo back. “Hey! It’s not my fault I’m not from here and there are literally no maps!”

“Where are you from?” Raph asks.

“Oh! I’m a long way away, from a city called Neo Edo!” Usagi says. “I live there with my friends.”

“Ooohh, sounds cooool!” Mikey says. “You’ll have to take us sometime! I can tell we’re gonna be great friends.”

“Don’t hold your breath..” Donnie mutters under his breath, staring down at his phone that’s hidden under the table.

Mikey smacks the back of his head playfully. “Learn to make new friends, Donald.”

“Neveeer!” Donnie says, smacking Mikey back.

Usagi chuckles as Raph attempts to break up their little play fight. “Are they always like this?” He asks quietly.

Leo laughs with him. “Yeah. You’ll get used to it.”

—

Usagi sighs for the fifth time on the ride back, his bike kicking up dust as he rides the dirt road back to Neo Edo.

The samurai’s now red string trails behind him, a nagging reminder of all the jumbled up feelings in his heart. Usagi shakes it off once more as he’s been doing this entire drive, but he can’t get that damn turtle off his mind! There’s just something about him that Usagi can’t place.

The spotlights waving in the sky and glittering lights of Neo Edo distract the rabbit for long enough, him riding full speed ahead towards his home. As he slows down and enters the city, he glances back behind him, his eyes following the red string further and further until it disappears over the hills, far far away. Usagi turns his eyes back towards the road, halfheartedly returning greetings from passer-by’s and making the turn to head home, his mind occupied and his heart confused.

Usagi parks his bike and picks up a sleeping Spot and the car part he bought for Ashibasha. He walks to the sliding door, holds up his hand to push it open, and then hesitates.

He’s never hesitated to enter his home before.

Usagi knows that it will be impossible to hide the red string from the others, impossible to avoid the questions. He just doesn’t want to deal with all of that. He doesn’t want to hear all of the ‘Oh, Usagi! You finally found your soulmate!’ and ‘Usagi, you must be soooo happy!’. He just doesn’t want to hear it. Usagi isn’t in love and he never will be. Leo is a nice guy, and a good potential friend, but Usagi will never want to be in love, will never try to be in love, and will never, ever fall in love.

Usagi sighs softly and slides open the door, trying to sneak past the dining room before anyone could see or hear him, but alas, he can never escape trouble, can he?

“Usagi, hey! Join us!” Kitsune calls.

Gen peeks his head out of the door and Usagi quickly shuffles in front of his string, hiding his left hand behind his back. “Did you get that part for Ashibasha?”

“Yeah, I did! I’ll just put it in the garage and join you guys in a sec.” Usagi says, rushing over to the garage and hastily shutting the door. The rabbit sighs in relief and Ashibasha flares to life, whirring happily to see him.

Usagi turns around to face it and smiles, putting the bag with the part in leaning against the wall. “Hey, Ashi. I got that part you needed.”

Ashibasha honks, and then whirs curiously at Usagi hiding his hand.

Usagi sighs and shows the car his red string. Ashi honks with excitement and moves closer.

“Yes, yes, I know…” Usagi sighs. “I don’t know what I’m gonna tell the others, Ashi. What do I say? I said before that I’d never fall in love, a-and I’m sticking by that, but… now they’ll never cool it with the questions, I just know it.”

Ashibasha beeps reassuringly a few times and Usagi nods. “Yeah, you’re right. I’ll just try and tell them that it’s no big deal, and we’re just friends. I just hope they don’t push it with the whole ‘falling in love’ idea.” He says. “Thanks, Ashi. I’ll see you tomorrow with Gen to put that part in, kay?”

Ashibasha whirs goodnight and Usagi pats its hood before walking out with a sleeping Spot on his shoulders.

The samurai drops off his tokage in his bed before walking to the dining room, trying to stop his string from dragging behind him for as long as possible. He hides the slack in his palm and walks in, quickly sitting in his usual spot.

“Hey guys!”

Kitsune smiles. “Hey Usagi! Have a good time in the hidden city?”

He shrugs. “It was really crowded, but yeah.”

Chizu nods. “I’ve heard stories of that place. Seems pretty interesting from what I’ve heard.”

“I’m glad you got that part,” Gen says. “Ashi really needed it, so thanks!”

“No problem.” The rabbit replies, beginning to eat (with only one hand, which is proving to be more difficult than he anticipated) and prolonging the inevitable for as long as possible. Usagi’s string is right behind Kitsune and God forbid she finds out because she will scream. Chizu stretches her arms briefly, remarking something about how tired she is from training when she suddenly stops mid sentence. Fuck. Usagi just knows she’s spotted it.

He shrinks where he kneels as Chizu blinks to confirm what she’s seeing.

“Uh, Usagi??”

Usagi smiles sheepishly. “Yeees..?”

Kitsune raises an eyebrow. “What is it Chizu?”

Chizu’s mouth hangs open in sheer disbelief. “Ohhh my god, his string!”

The fox turns around as Usagi questions how he actually got away with it for so long.

Kitsune lets out a massive, dramatic gasp as she sees it’s red colour and Usagi groans. “Oh. My. GOSH!! Usagi, you found your soulmate!!”

“Wait wait- what?!” Gen exclaims, all three of them dashing excitedly to Usagi’s side.

“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh!!” Kitsune squeals. “Do you like him? What’s his name? Do you find him funny? Are you in loooove yet??”

Usagi shakes off the rapid-fire questions and sputters, his face feeling like it’s on fire. “Wh- No! A-And why are you assuming it’s a guy?!”

“Well, you know…” Chizu mumbles under her breath.

Kitsune shrugs. “Eh, whatever gender they are doesn’t matter, I just want to know EVERYTHING!” She sits down and leans forward. Gen and Chizu also lean closer, interested. “Soooo?? What happened? How’d you guys meet??”

Usagi sighs. “Spot was running off in the crowd and then my string got tugged, a-and before I knew it, well…”

Kitsune squeals again, bouncing up and down in her seat excitedly. “That’s so cute! What happened next??”

“Look, I’ve already told you guys that I don’t believe in soulmates.” Usagi says. “We’re just gonna be friends, and that’s what I told him. That’s it.”

Kitsune sighs. “Meeh.”

“So it is a guy.” Chizu says.

Usagi pauses. “A-, Wh-, Ju-, I—“ He sighs. “My point still stands.”

The cat chuckles, clearing up their empty dishes because, miraculously, they managed to finish dinner before anyone noticed. “Whatever you say.”

The samurai sighs. “Whatever, I’m heading to bed. See you guys in the morning.”

“Goodnight Usagi!” Gen says.

“Don’t lose sleep over this.” Chizu calls after him, earning a laugh out of Kitsune.

“Night, Usagiii!”

The rabbit enters his room and collapses into bed, staring at his string trailing under the door. He sighs, burying his head in the pillow. He won’t fall in love. Hopefully training tomorrow will distract him long enough.

Usagi hesitates before pulling the unfamiliar technology he was given out of his pocket. He rolls onto his back and inspects it. Small and rectangular, the back inscribed with a ‘D’ shape. The whole thing has a good weight to it.

He turns it over in his hands to see the screen. A T-Phone, they called it…

—

* * *

“Well, I’d better get going.” Usagi says, mounting his bike and placing a very sleepy Spot in his place on the front. “I wouldn’t wanna miss dinner.”

Leo watches as the red string connecting them stretches, Usagi starting the engine and shooting Leo a look over his shoulder.

“Goodbye, Leo. I’ll see you around?”

Leo’s heart constricts. He opens his mouth to speak but nothing comes out, his clammy hands around his crutch handles. He forces a weak smile onto his face and his soulmate returns it, holding the eye contact for a split second longer than necessary. Leo’s heart hammers in his chest, his head telling him that Usagi isn’t going to come back, of course he isn’t, there’s no reason. Not even Leo can justify it to himself. They barely know each other, why would Usagi come back?

As the rabbit turns back, prepared to drive off, Leo sucks a breath in. His ticket out of this is leaving, never coming back. The only thing interesting that’s happened to him since the invasion, his only new distraction is leaving.

In a moment of desperation, Leo’s voice calls out his name. He tries to keep it steady, to not break his cool, collected, and confident image already.

“U-Usagi, wait!”

Leo smiles faintly as Usagi looks back to him, a puzzled expression on his face. His brown eyes look on as if staring into Leo’s very soul, seeing his every flaw, his hesitation and his desperation, but Leo hides it, he puts on a mask and lets out that breath he was holding in. Leo digs in his hoodie pocket, the slightly damp grass of the field tickles his ankles. The slider pulls out a heavy piece of his twin’s technology and holds it out to the rabbit.

“Here.”

Usagi hops off his bike and walks towards Leo, taking the tech and turning it over in his hands. “What’s this?”

“A T-Phone!” Leo replies. “It’s how me and my bros keep in contact if we’re not using our watches. I-I thought it’d be useful if, y-you know…” Leo quickly loses steam (and confidence). “… If you wanted to maybe.. keep in contact?” Leo suggests hopefully.

Usagi smiles and puts the T-Phone in his pocket before placing a hand on Leo’s shoulder. The touch is gentle, quick, yet still electric, lightning coursing through the slider’s veins. Leo’s shoulders tense up at the rabbit’s touch, his cheeks feeling slightly warmer than usual.

“Thank you, Leo.” Usagi says, smiling that stupid smile. “We’ll talk soon, yeah?”

Leo’s heart practically vibrates, his smile bright and full. “Y-Yeah.”

Usagi nods and lets Leo go, hopping back on his bike. With a simple wave Leo’s way, he drives off, Leo waving frantically after him until the dust over the horizon clears and Usagi is gone, the only evidence of his existence being the red string that trails after him, a silent reminder of Leo’s longing heart. The red-eared slider stands there, frozen with a stupid grin on his face, the breeze rustling the leaves on the trees and the tall grass clumped around his ankles and stretching across miles of hills and rocky mountains. Leo had no idea that the yokai world could be so beautiful, he and his brothers have never visited this part of the mystic world before, no longer any city in sight, the sky dark but glittering with stars. The hills and the mountains and the greener pastures are not very far. He guesses he just needed to be shown the way.

* * *

As Leo flicks idly through a comic book he’s read a zillion times before, he once again reminds himself of how bored he is. He brushes his thumb across the corner of the pages, humming quietly to himself.

All of a sudden, Donnie throws the train car door ajar, Leo wouldn’t doubt if he flung it off the hinges. He storms inside and towers over Leo. Leo, unfazed, turns the page in his comic.

“You could’ve knocked.”

Donnie huffs. “Well? Anything to say for the missing T-Phone??”

Leo innocently flicks his deep brown eyes up to look at his brother.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Donald.”

“Oh, really?” Donnie grumbles and begins to pace around Leo’s room. “You gave one to that rabbit, didn’t you? What did I say about going in my lab without permission?!”

Leo glances away. “I wanted to keep in contact with him.”

Donnie lets out a frustrated noise, storming out of Leo’s room. Leo snickers to himself because in Donnie’s huff he didn’t even notice Leo’s red string. Leo has been waiting so long for any of his siblings to notice, but they just haven’t and Leo can’t contain his laughter.

He decides to be outright about it now, snagging his crutches and exiting his room. He can’t wait to tell all of his brothers that he’s found his soulmate and they didn’t even notice!

Leo waltzes into the TV room. Mikey’s face is buried in what appears to be a sketchbook (but honestly he could be painting in there and Leo would be none the wiser) and Raph is on his T-Phone. Leo leans on one crutch, tucking the other under his arm and flipping his mask tails before looping his red string around his finger.

“Hey guys, guess whaaaat~” Leo says.

“What?” Raph asks without even looking up. Leo’s almost insulted.

“Look!” He says, holding his string out in front of him. “Look, look, loooook!”

Raph looks up and blinks. “Huh?” He squints before realising what the slider is talking about, a big grin spreading across his face. “Oh! That’s great, Leo! I’m happy for ya.”

Mikey finally peels his eyes away from his book and gasps.

“Oh. Mi. GOSH!!” Mikey exclaims, putting down his sketchbook and dashing over to where his brother stands. “Leo!! That’s so awesome, congrats!!”

Leo giggles. “I know!”

“Who is it?” Donnie asks, his presence unknown until he spoke. Leo yelps.

“AH!” Leo whips around and holds out his crutch as a sword. “You scared the pants off of me!”

“We don’t wear pants.” Donnie states. “Who is it?”

“Yeah, Leo, who is it?” Mikey asks, peeking over his shoulder.

Leo panics. If he says it’s Usagi then that might jeopardise their friendship or make Usagi mad that he told somebody without consulting him. But if he lies then his brothers will want to meet his mystery soulmate and probably won’t stop pushing until he gives in.

“Uhh…”

“Yup, I knew it.” Donnie says, shrugging and walking over to sit near Raph. “It’s that rabbit.”

Leo’s eyes follow his twin in horror, his mouth agape. “Wha…?”

Donnie’s eyes remain glued to his phone as they have been the most of this interaction. “I saw your string in Hueso’s.” He says. “I just wanted to see if you were gonna try and lie about it because you didn’t mention it, and you two looked like you were trying to hide something.”

Leo looks away, sweating. “No…?”

“You do know if you phrase it like a question it doesn’t sound convincing?” Raph asks, smiling.

The red slider points a finger at his brother. “What do you know about lies?!”

“More than you and Donnie apparently.” Raph says shrugging.

“Unnecessary shots fired.” Donnie mumbles.

“Usagi’s your soulmate?!!” Mikey asks, glee coating his voice.

Leo groans, glancing down at his string and then up at his brothers.

“Yep.”

Chapter Text

So far, New York has been… uh, dull. The lights are bright, the people are noisy (and pretty weird), and it’s really strange here. Usagi thought at first that it bore a striking resemblance to Neo Edo, the two sharing some qualities like their occasional bustling crowds, shops and other miscellaneous things. However, New York is much bigger, much louder and far less inviting. Shocker. Leo had warned him that it kind of sucked.

Usagi sighs, climbing their fifth flight of stairs. “I don’t know, Leo, this city so far hasn’t seemed all that great.”

“Hah! It isn’t, really,” Leo begins. “I can see why you don’t like it …but, just give this part a chance.”

“If you say so. But just so you know, I’m expecting something big.” Usagi half jokes. He really does hope this is good.

Leo chuckles, glancing over his shoulder at him. “Oh, I’ll deliver, Usagi. You’ve only seen this place from the ground, but luckily for us…” The slider begins, the two finally reaching the top. Leo pushes open a door and Usagi steps out onto a rooftop “…I have connections.”

Usagi’s eyes dazzle at the sight in front of him. Originally, he was a tad bit suspicious when Leo asked to meet at night. But now, confronted with the sight of a sparkling skyline, the soft whistle of wind in his ears and a chill in the air making his fur prickle and stand on its end, he can’t say that it was a bad idea.

“Wha…” Usagi mutters, walking closer to the fence and sliding his fingers into the gaps.

Leo crutches up next to him and smiles. “Pretty nice, huh?”

“‘Pretty nice’?!” Usagi asks, incredulous, turning to look at Leo. The slider’s face is illuminated by the beams of streetlights from below. “This is, this is…” Usagi looks back at the skyline, skyscrapers decorating the horizon. Lost for words, Usagi exhales and it says everything for him.

Leo smiles and looks out towards the sky, little pricks of light shining through like holes poked in a dark cloth. The stars are drowned by the polluted lights of the city. Nothing will ever compare to the stars that twinkle over Neo Edo when they shut off the power each night. Usagi’s eyes are drawn to a distant storm of acid green, warm grey and deep crimson, swirling and seemingly hanging dormant near what he believes to be…

“Is that.. Staten Island?” Usagi asks.

Leo sighs and looks towards it, his eyes prickling with a muffled sorrow. But it quickly fades, replaced with a playful glint and an admittedly charming smile instead.

“Yeah, that’s it. Ew, right? Jersey, bleh!” Leo jokes, nudging Usagi’s upper arm.

Usagi smiles. “I have no idea what you’re talking about!”

The slider bursts out into laughter, leaning back on his crutches as if their original purpose was to stabilise him during a fit of hysterical laughter. “Ah, nothing. Just a little in-joke~”

Usagi sighs. “Yeah, whatever. What is up with that weird storm thing though?” He asks, noting that the shape is disconcertingly similar to the gateway that the Clavis opened when attached to the Ki-Stone. The same one that released the Makkine upon his world. Usagi shakes off the vivid memories of that day and glances over to Leo for a distraction. “Not that I know much about the human world, but it looks weirdly colourful, right?”

The turtle shrugs, looking out on at the dusky skyline broken through with polluted lights. “Yeah,” he murmurs, eyes fixed on the swirl of colours protruding from the eye of the storm like a shockwave from a bomb. “Yeah, it’s a weird one. It’s the worst storm we’ve had in a while. Part of the reason why so much of the city is under construction.”

Usagi sucks in a breath through his teeth. “That bad, huh?”

Leo nods, his face completely unreadable, but a small part of his expression, deep below the surface, looks hurt.. “Mm, yeah.” He says briefly, brushing the topic quickly to the side. “I saw you had a sword, by the way. You fight?”

Usagi’s face brightens. “Yeah! I’m a samurai!” He says, smiling proudly. “I actually used to fight yokai to keep my friends and I out of jail. It was this whole thing, but I gave up that life a long time ago. I guess I realised that not all yokai are bad like I thought.”

“That’s awesome that you’re a samurai, ‘cause I’m a ninja!”

Usagi blinks. “A ninja..?”

Leo smiles, puzzled. “Yes…?”

Usagi narrows his eyes. “You’re not one of those ninja who indoctrinate children and teach them to only solve their problems using violence, right?”

It’s Leo’s turn to blink in disbelief, his smile dropping immediately. “No???”

Usagi smiles sheepishly. “Oh! A-Alright, good.”

Leo stares in shock, mouth agape. Usagi decides he should probably explain. “W-Well, there was just…” He stumbles over his words under Leo’s confused gaze.

“There used to be a group in Neo Edo called the Neko Ninja Crew who would take young kids and train them to be violent criminals.” Usagi begins, finally finding the words. “My friend Chizu…when I met her she was secretly a part of the ninja but she decided to leave them behind and join us. She even rose up against the former leader Lady Fuwa to save the rest of the kids, challenged her in a fight for leadership and won!”

“Wow.” Leo gasps.

“Yeah, right? She became the leader and set those ninjas right. Cool as hell, yeah, but that’s my experience with ninja. I was just checking that you guys don’t do that.”

Leo shakes his head frantically. “No! No, no. We definitely don’t. No kids are involved, and even if they were that’s not how we fight here. We stop crime, not encourage it.”

Usagi sighs with relief. “Good. I don’t think I could deal with another ninja robbery…”

Leo chuckles. “I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that, conejo~ I’m aaaalll good!”

“Haha, you’re so weird.” Usagi says, reaching forward and flicking Leo.

Leo gasps and laughs. “Hey! You’re not getting away with this!” He says, reaching over to try and flick Usagi back. Usagi waves his hands in Leo’s general direction, trying to steer his hands away.

“Ah! L-Leo stop!” Usagi laughs as the back and fourth continues, Leo slowly but surely advancing until the rabbit is almost pinned against the fence. Usagi tries to dodge him but Leo manages to pin him against the fence. The rabbit squeezes his eyes shut, chuckling, expecting to feel Leo flick him in revenge. Both of his hands are in one of Leo’s, restrained playfully against the cold fence above his head. He braces himself, but no flick comes, only Leo’s sudden silence. Usagi opens his eyes, only to be faced with the slider staring blankly back at him.

“Leo?” Usagi raises an eyebrow, slowly wriggling one of his hands free. The turtle’s deep brown eyes are unfocused, staring right through Usagi and through the fence and past all the scenery. He pokes Leo’s cheek. Nothing. Usagi clicks his fingers and instantly Leo snaps out of it.

The slider blinks, his eyes focusing onto Usagi’s face.

The rabbit cocks his head, ear twitching. “What was that?”

Leo frowns. “I dunno.”

Usagi averts his eyes, shuffling uncomfortably under Leo’s now focused gaze. “Uh…”

Leo blinks again, the both of them now incredibly aware of their proximity. The slider immediately backs off and Usagi’s other hand is released. Leo chuckles nervously and averts his eyes.

“S-Sorry.”

“Meh, it’s fine.” Usagi shrugs, walking away from the fence. “As long as you’re, you know, alright?”

Leo stares, confused.

Usagi continues. “That was pretty weird is all.”

Leo chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, I know. It’s normal, for me anyway. Don’t worry.”

“I wasn’t~” Usagi says, walking straight past Leo and patting him on the shoulder. Leo smiles, turning around and walking next to Usagi, the pair settling back on the fence where they were.

“So, besides being a ninja, what else do you do?”

Leo shrugs. “Not a lot besides fighting crime and eating pizza.”

Usagi raises an eyebrow. “…Pizza?”

Leo’s mouth falls open incredulously. “There is no way you don’t know what pizza is.”

The rabbit shrugs and smiles.

“Oh my god.” Leo pinches the bridge of his nose. “I thought you looked confused at Hueso’s.”

Usagi laughs. “Is that what you guys were eating?”

Leo nods. “Ever since we discovered it, me and my bros have been smitten! We need to get you cultured, Usagi.”

Usagi rolls his eyes and smiles. “Can’t wait.”

—

“Mmmm…” Mikey squints at his cards. “Got anyyyyy… sixes?”

Raph raises his brow and smiles.

Mikey sighs, defeated, reaching for the card pile. “You don’t have to say it.”

Leo’s legs hang lazily off the couch arm, T-Phone in hand. He types, waits for a response and then smiles at the screen, typing something back. Leo can see Donnie narrowing his eyes at his smile. Leo isn’t watching or playing something on his T-Phone, but Donnie doesn’t have to know that.

As Mikey picks up another card, Raph sighing and remarking something about how he should just try and lose on purpose next time, Donnie decides to speak up.

“Awfully cheerful, Leo. What’s got you smiling so much?” He asks, suspicion dripping from his voice like honey out of a beehive. Leo’s eyes flick briefly up at his brother who is now leaning over him slumped on the couch, and then back at his screen.

“Nothin’.”

“Lies.” Donnie states. “Probably that rabbit.”

“He has a name.” Leo retorts. “Why do you care anyways?”

The softshell shrugs. “Oh, I don’t know, he’s just an outsider is all.”

Leo rolls his eyes. “Why does that matter?” He asks quietly.

“Because, Leo, he isn’t to be trusted. Have you forgotten how secret we’re supposed to remain? Y’know, the whole point of us living in the New York sewers?? Even if he’s your soulmate, it doesn’t mean he couldn’t hurt us very gravely in many ways if you get too close too quickly.” Donnie says. “We’ve had years to trust April, and Casey Jr has lived with future versions of us for his whole life so he already knows everything.”

“Whatever.”

“I’m just saying, Leo. Be careful.” Donnie says, turning his back on the slider and walking back to his original spot on the opposite side of the couch. “You never know.”

Leo grumbles. “My soulmate wouldn’t try and hurt us.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Yes I—“

“Alright.” Raph sets his cards face down. “I’m breaking up this non-fight before it becomes one.”

Donnie sighs and Leo groans as Raph gets up from where he was on the floor with Mikey and sits in between them. “Donnie, I understand your suspicion and you’re right. Objectively.”

Donnie smiles. ‘Gotcha’ his eyes say.

“But,” Raph continues. “We can’t be overly suspicious of every single person we try and be friends with. If we were, we wouldn’t have met April or her mom, wouldn’t have allied with Casey Jr. Heck, we might not have befriended Draxum! There are a million little reasons we could come up with not to trust them, but we pushed those aside and put our trust in them, and look where it got us.”

Leo smiles smugly, Donnie appearing upside down from his point of view.

“We need to learn to trust people again. Need to just assume some times that people have good intentions. Not everybody is out to get us anymore, a nd it’s normal to feel cautiously about stuff like this,” Raph says. “especially after… everything. I get you both. I do. But you need to try and give this a shot, Dee. Plus, Usagi’s a yokai too, so I doubt he’d try anything too awful if he did have bad intentions, which, for the record, I don’t think he does. He seems like a nice guy.”

Donnie’s eyes linger on the floor before looking over at Raph.

Raph smiles at him, resting a hand on his shoulder. “Let your guard down. Everything is behind us.”

For a moment Donnie is silent.

“I hate being wrong…” The softshell sighs. “…but, you are right. Sorry, Leo.”

Leo shrugs, heaving an arm up and over Raph’s lap to hit Donnie’s leg in reassurance. “S’alright, Dee. No sweat. I understand.”

Mikey sighs, partly in relief. “Well, if that’s all over, I’m ready to turn this game of Go Fish around!”

Raph stands up and resumes his original position. “Sure about that little brother? I wont go easy next game!”

Mikey smiles. “I’m positive!”

Leo chuckles and he shares a look with Donnie before tuning his brothers out and looking back at his screen.

The chat is at a standstill as Leo re-reads Usagi’s messages to remind himself of what they were previously talking about.

U: The view up there was crazy!!!

U: I have something AWESOME to show you

Leo smiles faintly.

L: wut?

Usagi types for a moment.

U: You’ll see!!!

Leo chuckles. Of course it’s a surprise.

L: lol alr! when?

U: Sooooooon

U: Totally soon

U: I’ll text you a good time

L: I’m free all this week so cool

L: unless some bad guys decide to steal an ancient artefact or whatevr

L: then I’ll have to go crime fightin

As soon as Leo sends that message he’s hit with an uncomfortable pang of familiarity that hits him just a little too close to home. He cringes, wishing he just hadn’t said anything in the first place. That’s a normal thing bad guys do! Why does it have to sound so sickeningly familiar?

U: Sounds good lol!

U: You’ll love it!

Leo’s heart flutters slightly, his previous discomfort dissolving near instantaneously. Usagi thinks he’ll love it? He’s thinking about him. The slider groans quietly, his cheeks getting warm and the butterflies in his stomach singing the K-I-S-S-I-N-G song. He can’t fall for him. He just can’t. Usagi doesn’t believe in soulmates. Leo needs to remember that or else Usagi might leave forever and Leo doesn’t know why that scares him so much.

As the slider continues his conversation, his brain buzzes on in the background about Usagi this, Usagi that. The white rabbit is so strangely endearing. Only two weeks they’ve known each other and already Leo is attached.

He’s scared. Scared Usagi will leave, get bored of him, catch on that Leo feels like… this. Whatever it is, the slider is afraid that Usagi will disappear.

The rabbit feels like something new, something different. He had no idea who Leo was two weeks ago and that lets the slider come across as who he wants to be. Of course he loves being around his family and April and Casey Jr but they know too much. They’ve seen his mask slip one too many times. Sometimes Leo catches their gaze when they think he’s distracted enough doing something else. Pity. It’s pity they look at him with. It feels awful, Leo’s whole body coated in their subconscious but sympathetic gaze. Sticky. He can’t rid himself of it. This air of pity is attached to him across every inch of his body. Nobody can just let him be himself anymore. People mean well but all they do when they look at him like he’s some kind of victim is just reduce him to the horrors he endured on the other side of that portal, and apparently, that’s all he’ll ever be. A victim.

Bad things have happened to him. It would be stupid for Leo to try and deny that. But Usagi? He knows nothing about him, and when Leo is with him he can transport himself back to a time where things were simpler, when Leo was nothing but a brother and a face man. That’s all he wants. For things to go back to the way they were, even if life was still a little hard on him, it didn’t matter back then. It was easier to conceal, to keep things normal.

When he’s with Usagi, Leo is back in control. Leo has a choice again. He can choose what to tell him, what to say, what to exhibit. The mask stays up, he can be exactly who he wants to be, exactly who he was before the invasion, he can be that Leo again, that arrogant, insecure, mess of himself, that’s who he’s supposed to be. The mask will not slip again, Leo will make sure of that. Nobody will look at him with that sickly, pity filled gaze anymore, he won’t let it happen, no matter how curious Usagi is about his cracked shell, about his still injured legs and his arms now covered in healing scars, his eyes never looking at things the same.

Leo’s act will keep on going no matter how many times he spaces out without warning or gets reminded of the past, it doesn’t matter, keep pushing and keep stepping forward and never let it slip and never, whatever you do, tell him anything. Never let it bob up to the surface, don’t forget yourself, Leo. He doesn’t have to know, he doesn’t have to know, he won’t know and Leo won’t tell anybody, Leo won’t tell anybody anything ever again.

Leo’s eyes stare at the blue light screen. His fingers trace along the grippy rubber of his T-Phone’s case. Familiar.

The slider’s eyes sting from how long he’s been staring. How long has he been staring? His eyes glance around the room, Mikey, Raph, and Donnie. They’re all still here. Leo chuckles quietly to himself. He got a little carried away there. What was Usagi saying? Leo’s eyes divert back to his T-Phone.

U: I’ll take you there on my bike

U: It’ll be like a road trip haha

L: oooooo sounds divertidooo

L: same place n time?

U: Yup!

U: It’s kiiind of a long drive but it’s totally worth it

U: trust me :D

Leo exhales softly. He hates how this feels. His heart flutters at every happy emoticon, every exclamation mark, every positive affirmation from the rabbit that reminds him they’re friends. Friends and nothing more. The butterflies in his stomach flutter around, dormant for so many years now ready to flourish and spring to life. It’s just a tiny crush, what could go wrong? As long as Leo doesn’t let anything slip nobody has to know. He closes his eyes and settles his steadily beating heart, bringing his thumbs back up to the screen, the presence of the string on his finger uncomfortably discernible.

L: thoroughly trusted conejo

L: I’ll be there

U: Or be square

L: lol yeah yeah whatever

L: im not a square I’ll tell u that for free

U: If you say soooo!

Leo chuckles.

L: cant wait

L: and I’m expecting something big!

U: Hahaha I’ll deliver

U: Just you wait heheheeee

Leo smiles as the sickly stares of pity melt off of him, his head cleared and his eyes thoroughly scorched by the blue light from his screen. It feels better. Much better talking to him. Let’s just hope Leo doesn’t screw it up.

—

Leo sighs as hour two ticks by on his phone clock. The rubber of the bike seat is firm under him, Leo sitting right behind two tufts of white fur, holding his shoulders a little tighter as another bump passes under them.

“‘Kind of a long drive’, huh?”

Usagi chuckles. “Yeah, sorry! We’re almost there.”

“That’s like the fifth time you’ve said that!”

“I mean it this time! I swear!” The rabbit says. “It’ll be totally worth it. You’ll see.”

Leo smiles and looks out on the scenery, spring green blurs of trees line the dirt road they’ve been driving along all this time. Hills and mountains dot along the horizon, rocky slopes dropping down to fresh rivers, cherry blossom petals fall from pink trees and catch in the water.

“I’m excited.” Leo says. “You still haven’t told me what we’re seeing.”

Usagi chuckles. “It’s a secret! Plus, I want you to see where I live too.”

As the slider opens his mouth to speak, Usagi goes over a hill and what Leo assumes to be Neo Edo comes into view. The city glitters hello as the sun shines onto its many multicoloured rooftops and yellow lanterns and other various spires and symbols, the both of them already hearing the hustle and bustle. It looks sort of similar to the hidden city in a way, except it’s out in the open for all to see. It’s a very grand city, standing tall and proud above all the trees and hills and rivers. As they advance across the road, Leo’s mouth falls further open in complete awe.

Leo lets out a laugh in disbelief. “You live here?!”

“Just up the hill, yeah! Why is that so hard to believe?”

“It’s not, it’s just…” Leo trails off as Usagi’s bike crosses the threshold of the city’s entrance. “…Wow, man! This is awesome.”

Usagi smiles behind him. “It sure is.”

As they drive through, passing various stalls and alleyways populated by various yokai, Usagi is smiling and saying hello to everyone, like they all know him or something. He reminds Leo of himself in a way, the slider says hi to lots of people he’s aquatinted himself with in the hidden city, or at least, he used to. Leo has always liked to make friends. It’s nice to know people.

Usagi drives up a hill to a house with a big courtyard, filled with some training equipment. The rabbit parks his bike and Spot hops onto his shoulders.

“Okay, so, I live with my friends and my sensei.” Usagi says. “They might go a little nuts when they see you, so just, you know, try to…” he trails off.

“Be nice?” Leo asks.

“Sure.”

Leo smiles and gently swings his legs off of the side of the bike. “Well, great, cause I’m awesome at that!” Usagi quickly grabs his crutches off of the back of the bike and helps Leo off, the slider trying to pretend his stomach didn’t flip at that mere action. He’s probably just being polite, you’re overthinking, he tells himself. But the rabbit pays his strange reaction and inner dialogue no mind, them making their way to the gates which Usagi promptly opens.

As soon as the pair approach the sliding front doors, Usagi instinctively hides Leo behind him as the doors are shoved open by an orange fox.

“Oh my gosh- is he here?!” She asks, a black and white cat dressed in red and a rhino with a prosthetic horn peering curiously out of the door. Leo’s eyes are drawn down to the red string connecting the fox and the cat, his eyes glance back and fourth between their string and his and Usagi’s own. He smiles faintly. Would you look at that?

“Yes..?” Usagi says slowly, a pair of dark brown eyes peeking out from around his ears. “Chill out, Kitsune. It’s not a big deal.”

The fox- Kitsune- hops excitedly down the two steps leading up to their door and speed walks over to Usagi. “Psh, ‘not a big deal’? This is your soulmate!!” She says. “Let me see him.”

Usagi reluctantly steps to the side to reveal his soulmate. Leo glances away, and then back to Kitsune gasping in shock… excitement? He’s not sure what to do so he just smiles and tucks a crutch under his arm, offering out his hand in greeting.

“…Hey!”

Kitsune’s smile grows. “Oh my gosh!! Hello!” She says, stepping forward and shaking Leo’s hand intensely. “My name’s Kitsune.”

Leo nods. “Leo.”

By now the other two have stepped closer to him.

“So, this is your soulmate.” The cat says to Usagi.

He nods. “Yup.”

Once Kitsune is finished inspecting Leo, the cat steps towards him and shakes his hand as well. “I’m Chizu. It’s nice to meet you, Leo.”

Leo smiles. “Yeah, you too.” He turns to the rhino. “And you are?”

“Gen.” He says. “Good to meet you!”

Usagi smiles. “Well, the mystery is over now. You can stop asking, Kitsune.”

Kitsune giggles and nods. “I will, don’t worry~”

“Why’d you bring him here?” Chizu asks.

“Ooh! Are you going to show him the—“ Kitsune chimes in before Usagi slaps a hand over her mouth.

“It’s supposed to be a secret!” He says, laughing.

Leo raises an eyebrow. “Now I’m even more curious!”

Usagi elbows him lightly. “You’ll see. I keep telling you, it’s gonna be worth it.”

Leo rolls his eyes and chuckles. “Whatever you say man~”

“Totally better than your sightseeing.” Usagi adds under his breath.

“What was that??”

“Nothiiiiiing…”

“Oh, you are taking that back!” Leo says, playfully shoving Usagi forward.

“Hey! Knock it off! “Usagi says, shoving Leo back.

“Awwww, you guys are so cute!” Kitsune coos, clasping her hands together. Chizu sighs.

“Stop that, you.” The cat says, nudging her soulmate’s shoulder, Usagi staring as if someone just insulted his auntie. “You know he hates it.” She says a little quieter.

Kitsune brings the back of her hand to her forehead. “I can’t help myself! They’re too cute together.” She says. Chizu smacks her lightly on the back of the head.

Usagi sighs. “Well, anyway. The thing I wanted to show you only happens until pretty late, so we have some time to kill.”

Leo shrugs. “Fine by me. Maybe you could show me around?”

“That sounds like a great idea!” Usagi says. “Any of you up for that?”

Gen sighs. “I can’t, I promised Toshiko we’d do something today.”

Chizu and Kitsune share a glance. “We’re free!” The fox says. “And I know exactly where we should go.”

—

Ah, the arcade. Low light broken through by flashing neon colours, blips and zips and whirs echo around, howls of dismay and shrieks of delight and multiple screams of ‘That’s not fair!’ or ‘I wasn’t ready!’ ringing out and bouncing off the walls adorned with colourful posters and cash-grab mascots. Children are speckled against the colourful carpet of red and blue stripes, gleeful eyes staring down the grand prize, a comically large stuffed bear, locked away behind the ticket counter like it’s a kidnapped princess in need of saving.

Leo’s eyes practically glow as the four of them enter the dark building. Usagi’s attention is immediately diverted to his favourite game, the Ki-Cycles, the game he has a permanent high score on.

“Well? What do you think?” Kitsune asks.

“It’s…” Leo trails off, eyes sparkling with childlike wonder. “It’s beautiful!”

“I can’t believe you’ve never been to an arcade before.” Chizu says as Kitsune immediately dashes over to a claw machine game.

“Well, I couldn’t just go into one in the human world, and there were none in the hidden yokai city.” Leo says, shrugging and still admiring all of the lights and colours. “And plus, I didn’t know how amazing they were until today!”

Usagi smiles. “Well, you’re about to find out, dude! Cmon, I think you’ll be able to play Ki-Cycles without your crutches!”

As the two run off to the biker game, Chizu wanders over to Kitsune focused in intensely on the same claw machine Usagi’s yo-yo got stuck in while fighting O-Dokuro. There are different plushies in there now, a little owl mascot in various different colours.

Kitsune groans as the claw drops the toy and Chizu chuckles. “You never learn, do you?”

Kitsune smiles. “Shut up, Chi. I’m trying to win it for you.”

“For me?” Chizu asks quietly.

“Of course!” Kitsune says brightly, patting her on the head. “It can’t be very entertaining to watch this. Go and find the boys. I’ll be here.”

Chizu smiles and gives her a quick side hug. “Alright. Good luck, Kitsune.”

As he swerves around the digital obstacles whirring up and then down the game’s landscape, Usagi flicks his eyes quickly over to the right where Leo, who is doing quite well for his first time playing, is still being absolutely thrashed by the rabbit.

“Getting tired yet?” Leo asks, his eyes meeting Usagi’s for only a moment. It only lasts a second but it’s electric, sending shivers up Usagi’s entire body making his fur stand on end, his ears twitch. Usagi quickly snaps his attention back to the game, narrowly dodging a hill.

“Haha! Made you look~” Leo teases from beside him as his score goes up, but Usagi refuses to look at him this time. Leo won’t trick him again!

“You’re never gonna beat my high score!” Usagi says over the blocky music in the background. “Not even with that trash talk.”

“We’ll see about that, conejo.” Leo says slyly. “I’m aaaall over this game already. You don’t even know!”

“I doubt it~”

“Come mierda, dear friend.”

Chizu rolls her eyes as she approaches, Usagi just catching her out of the corner of his eye. “Hey, I saw that!” He says laughing.

“What’d she do?”

“Roll her eyes.”

Leo gasps dramatically. “The audacity!” He says, even so bold as to take a hand off of the handlebars to place it on his chest before he and Usagi burst out into laughter.

Kitsune approaches and smiles. “What are they laughing about?”

Chizu sighs. “Nothing, they are just …” she pauses, listening as their conjoined laughter melts into trash talk again. “…totally made for each other.”

“I knew you’d see it like I did!” Kitsune giggles. “Now cmon, I wanna play Super Punchy Kick Face Go and I need a partner~”

Chizu smiles as the two run off. “You know I’m always up for that.”

Usagi watches, mildly amused, as Leo swirls around his straw in his cup, watching the tapioca pearls in the bottom swish around. The slider turtle’s dark eyes follow them curiously in a way Usagi can’t help but find endearing.

“Have you seriously never had bubble tea before?”

“Nope.” Leo shakes his head. “I’ve seen stores for it in the human world and stuff but I’ve never had it before.”

Kitsune sips her drink. “Well, you’re about to have an experience.”

Leo tries some and his eyes light up with stars. “This is the greatest thing I have ever tasted.”

Usagi can’t stop a laugh from bubbling up in his throat and escaping. “That good?”

Leo nods furiously and says nothing more, too preoccupied with his drink to speak. Their group conversation winds on and on as it often does when they’re together, and now Leo barely feels like a stranger anymore. No, Usagi thinks, he isn’t. Now that he’s thinking about it, Usagi has stopped thinking of Leo as ‘just his soulmate’. He’s something more now. Just a friend, of course, Usagi has to reassure himself, but something more than just a stranger that he’s supposed to love. Now that he knows Leo, it’s easier to stop thinking like that, but that won’t change his opinion. He will never fall in love. That is a promise.

Usagi turns his eyes cautiously towards his soulmate. Out of pure curiosity, nothing more, he stares for a few seconds longer than he’s supposed to at those red crescents going over dark eyes, most of them hidden behind Leo’s blue mask. He wonders what he looks like behind that mask. Probably not much different, but it’s a strangely exciting thought. Usagi’s eyes trickle down to their hands, Leo’s firmly on his cup and Usagi’s rested on the table. They’re so close, red strings on left hands always connecting them. Always together, in a way. There’s a strong urge to just move his hand a little to the right. Just a little couldn’t hurt, right? Usagi slowly inches his hand over, unsure of why. Their hands are magnets, it seems. But then he snaps out of it, as if Leo’s magnet turns around and propels him away. He rips his hand away as if the table burns as scorching hot as lava. It smacks him in the chest, gently brushing as light as a feather against the red slider’s hand. Leo glances over, as does Kitsune and Chizu.

“Usagi?” The fox asks. “You okay there?”

Usagi’s heart races, his hands tremble slightly against his thundering chest. His brain tells him he knows why but the rabbit pretends he doesn’t, it’s the only thing he can do.

Usagi purses his lips. “Yeah. Totally great.”

—

Leo cant possibly contain his curiosity. Usagi has been secretive all day and he hasn’t made a peep as to why. Kitsune mentioned about showing him something, but that’s the only clue Leo has. It’s getting late, and dark, and it’s definitely been a fun day but the slider is starting to get antsy.

After dinner is when he decided to ask Usagi about it, approaching the rabbit somewhat cautiously though he doesn’t know why. He’s sitting on the low porch outside of the house. Kitsune, Gen and Chizu are talking with another one of their companions, Kiyoko, a robotic bug looking creature with neon green lights dotted around her body. Spot is near Usagi as he often is.

“Heeey…” Leo says, sitting down next to Usagi. “So, when is this thing you wanna show me happening?”

Usagi smiles sheepishly. “Are you fine to stay until midnight?”

Leo blinks. “Well, sure!”

Usagi lets out a sigh of relief. “Okay good. I was so excited to show you that I totally forgot it was so late and-“

“Ah!” Leo says, placing a finger to Usagi’s mouth. “Say no more conejo. I don’t really get that tired around midnight anyways.”

“Wh.. why?” Usagi chuckles. “I’m usually falling asleep when I stay up and watch it.”

Leo shrugs. “Yeah, I’m just an insomniac.”

“Aw, I’m sorry. That must be annoying.” Usagi says, placing a hand on Leo’s shoulder. Spot nuzzles up against his leg and yips in support. Leo’s shoulders draw up subtly, his smile peeking through without him realising.

“It’s fine.” Leo says. “I deal with it.”

“Have you always been like that?”

“You could say.”

Usagi nods. “We’ve got about three hours before midnight. You wanna watch a movie?”

“That sounds perfect!” Leo says, and so they do. They watch several movies, in fact. First, some comedy-zombie movie, and then a mild horror movie where the effects are so bad they’re just funny, and after that they watch a cringeworthy rom-com (at Kitsune’s request) and everything is good. It doesn’t matter that as soon as the main character explained her feelings to her best friend it all hit Leo a little close to home, doesn’t matter when the two love interests held hands for the first time Leo wasn’t looking at the screen. It wouldn’t make anyone even bat an eye that the slider was perhaps more focused on how the string that connects him and Usagi coils across the floor, his close their hands are, how the line is now crimson red after being snow white for so many years, how Leo glances over at Usagi when there’s a joke he wants him to laugh at. It doesn’t matter. Nobody would even notice.

As the credits roll, Usagi glances at the time and then gasps quietly, practically vibrating in his seat with excitement. “Oooh! It’s almost time, you guys!”

Chizu smiles. “Alright, let’s go to the spot then.”

As Leo is about to ask what and where ‘the spot’ is, Usagi just smiles at him, the rest of his friends approaching the door. “Trust me.” He says. “Just give this part a chance.”

Leo smiles, Usagi echoing his words from before. He follows the rabbit and his friends outside, leaving the house; opening the gate, passing Usagi’s bike; walking across the field. As soon as they get to ‘the spot’ Leo deduces that the activity Usagi has been hyping up is stargazing. He chuckles to himself fondly. What a copycat.

As soon as he thinks that though, Usagi motions for him to lie down and so he does. It’s a little uncomfortable with his shell, but he manages. As Leo looks up at the faint stars in the sky, the spotlight beams and city streetlights from Neo Edo shining up into the vast, inky blackness and surpassing the brightness of the distant dots of light, Usagi nudges his arm.

“It’s time.” He says, almost whispers. “Buckle up!”

Leo chuckles. “Alright th-!”

Before he can even finish his sentence, Leo’s breath is knocked out of him when all of the city’s neon lights and beams to the sky shut off completely. Every single one. And as they do the figurative clock strikes midnight, revealing what Leo could not see before: the stars.

The white dots seem to multiply tenfold, a mix of purple and blue and aqua swirl together, seeming to dance in front of their very eyes. The stars twinkle, glitter in the sky. A thousand tiny speckles of molten-gold, polar-white, and sequin silver lie suspended in the vast openness, like a large hand had tossed diamond dust out into the sky.

Leo releases a breath he didn’t know he was holding, eyes mirroring the sparkling pinpricks all a-glitter in their heavenly finery. It seemed there was a distant snowfall sparkling in the void black of outer space, a sight Leo felt privileged to witness. A sky untainted by the polluted yellow streetlights of New York City. Hills watching so silently with them, the air still and unchanged by the familiar cacophony of honking cars and whirs of construction Leo and his brothers had become so accustomed to. It’s quiet. It’s calm.

Usagi leans over, Leo’s eyes still fixed on the beauty above. “Well? What do you think?”

Leo breathes out a quiet laugh. “This is… wow.”

“I know,” Usagi says. “The first time I saw it was a really special day.”

Leo smiles, but then he notices something. Right above the building that Usagi told him the Ki-Stone is kept in (a concept Leo had only been educated on a few hours ago) there is a clear constellation of a butterfly. Not just a few stars that you could trick yourself into seeing, no, there are what looks to be hundreds, clustering together to form a clear picture in the sky. Leo points up. “What is that?” He asks.

“Hm?”

“Look,” Leo says, tracing the shape of a butterfly in the sky with his finger and leaning closer so Usagi could see. “it’s a butterfly.”

“Ohh, that! Yeah, that’s from…” The rabbit trails off.

Leo finally tears his eyes away from the sky to glance over at Usagi. Leo props himself up on his elbows. The rabbit looks pensive, thoughtful.

“When I first arrived here, I was a little dumb. The Ki-Stone started malfunctioning ever since I got to Neo Edo and I accidentally turned it’s keeper, Tetsujin, into a ghost kind of thing and released all of the yokai trapped inside the Ki-Stone.” He explains. “Eventually, after we all realised that yokai aren’t dangerous, we stopped having to fight them. But along with the yokai, I released a powerful one called Kagehito who wanted to open a portal to destroy our world. After we stopped fighting the yokai, Kagehito found the clavis and put it on the Ki-Stone which started to open a portal to unleash something even worse.” Usagi continues to tell the story of giant monster’s claws peeking out of portals in the sky, of mind control, of shoguns and ancestors and pieces of ancient stones.

“Once we repaired the Ki-Stone it was strong enough to create a balance between it and the clavis, keeping the portal closed but creating a weird energy butterfly.”

Leo gasps. “Woah. That sounds intense.”

“That’s not even it.” Usagi says, also sitting up on his arms to look Leo in the eyes as he explains. “That butterfly stayed there for a while, probably what caused that constellation. The bat squadron have always been angry that the lights of Neo Edo stayed on during the night, so while this was all happening they were planning an attack on the Ki-Stone temple.” Usagi recounts, waving around his free hand. He tells Leo how he and Kagehito entered a quantum bubble containing the former villain’s people to search for clues. Tells him how the Ki-Stone temple was attacked by the Makkine and the bat squadron at the same time, how their robot friend Kiyoko was created by the enemy but raised by the heroes.

“The bats drained the Ki-Stone’s energy which caused the portal to open back up and release the Makkine. We fought them for hours. Tetsujin’s defence botto fought, all my friends fought. It was that giant monster we had only seen the claw of before. It stood taller than all of the buildings, so tall I thought maybe it could’ve picked a star out of the sky.”

Leo says nothing. Portals in the sky? Fighting for hours? This is all sounding bone chillingly familiar.

“I knew I could only cut the clavis off and close the portal when it was the right time. A vision of my ancestor, Miyamoto Usagi, told me that. ‘One must not spring the trap until the prey is in it’. The Makkine were after the Ki-Stone because they were afraid of her. She had enough energy to defeat them but someone had to channel that energy.”

Leo gasps. “You didn’t..”

Usagi simply smiles. “I did. My whole body grew ten times my size and suddenly I was all energy, fighting that massive monster in full samurai armour! As soon as I defeated it the Makkine’s ship started coming through the portal. I had to get to the temple and as soon as I did I cut the clavis off. The portal closed, cutting the Makkine’s ship in half! After that Kagehito took the bubble containing his people and returned home, since Kiyoko had powered down we gave her new batteries.” Usagi says.

“And now every night at midnight, the lights turn off to give the bat squadron it’s long desired peace.”

Leo is speechless, only muttering out a wobbly ‘wow’ in response. He doesn’t know if he can properly articulate anything else right now. He feels an uneasy buzz in his chest, a shake in his hands. Leo’s mind is invaded by forceful, angry flashbacks. Of that awful place, those horrible feelings and that terrible choice he had to make. Leo tries to bring himself back down to Earth, he breathes out and stares at the grass beneath them, fidgeting. Usagi frowns.

“You okay?”

Leo shakes his head and smiles. “Yeah, I’m fine.” The slider removes his elbows from under him, lying back down. “Thank you… for showing me this.”

Usagi smiles back. “Anytime. You always have a place here.”

Leo lets their conversation fall into silence, allows his eyes to wander from the glowing sky above him to the red string trailing from Leo’s left hand to Usagi’s.

Always together in a way, he thinks.

—

It’s probably for the best Leo didn’t go home tonight, Usagi thinks. He certainly offered, completely willing to drive him the two hours back, but Leo declined, saying how ‘his brothers wouldn’t mind’ and ‘he was too tired anyway’. Usagi digs out some bedding from the spare cupboard for Leo to use. A soft pillow; massive, fluffy blanket; and a bunch of extra padding to put on the floor, anything he can find. The rabbit picks all of that up and staggers to his room, pushing the door open and dropping what’s in his arms with a sigh.

Leo yawns as soon as he enters and wordlessly helps the rabbit set up, falling onto the bedding with a sleepy sigh as soon as it’s ready. Usagi chuckles, patting Leo on the head before closing the door and sitting on his own bed. The rabbit tugs the hair tie around his ears off and lets them fall to his sides. Already having gotten into his pyjamas, he rubs his eyes and relaxes with a sigh for this impromptu sleepover.

Usagi lies back, settling under the covers. His eyes drift towards Leo in his sort of bed they created, already nestled comfortably under the white sheets. Despite his previously mentioned insomnia he seems to be drifting to sleep just fine. That’s good, Usagi thinks, turning away to face the wall. He’s glad he isn’t having any problems on his first night here.

Usagi shakes his head inwardly. His only night. It isn’t that Leo is a bad guest or that Usagi didn’t enjoy their time together, not at all! He just can’t let himself get carried away. He can’t let himself get too close to him. He hates soulmates, that will never change. His mind is fixed, his opinion is set.

But what if it doesn’t have to be?

Usagi’s heart rate picks up. He glances over his shoulder at the turtle. He’ll rain check that thought. His heart might implode if he doesn’t.

The rabbit shuts his eyes, breathes out, and just hopes. Hopes that what briefly flashed in his mind just now isn’t true.

”G’night, Sagi…” he can hear Leo mumble.

”Goodnight, Leo.”