Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Leo was exhausted.

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

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

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

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

Yeah, it had been a really bad night.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Pff, I’m fine, thanks!"

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

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

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

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

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

"English."

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

"See? That wasn’t so hard."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Calm. Inhale, exhale.

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

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

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

In the end, his worry had been unfounded.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Almost there, just a little more.”

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

For his sake, Leo would keep the secret.

...Or not. Depends.

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

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

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

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

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

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

“...Wait.”

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

“Something wrong?”

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

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

"Anytime, Dee."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Everything will be fine.

Leo was sure of it.

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

"Father."

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

"The plan was executed successfully, Father."

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

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

"Well done, my daughter."

The parasites had been planted.

Chapter Text

Leo opened his eyes.

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

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

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

Everything will be fine.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Scrambled, thanks Mikey.”

“Coming right up!”

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

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

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

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

Well, the eldest brother had a question.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“No way! I was sleeping!”

“You eat and sleep at the same time?”

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

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

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

“How can you be so sure about that?”

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

“Unfortunately.” Raph complained.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He pushed the thought aside; everyone makes mistakes.

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

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

But Splinter always gave them a heads-up.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Still, it’s not normal.”

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

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

“We’re not training today?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“I’ll go see what’s going on.”

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

“Ow, such a party pooper.”

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

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

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

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

That was his first encounter with ninjutsu.

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

So yes, Leo knew Master Splinter very well.

And he had never seen him feel this bad.

“Master Splinter… are you okay?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Understood, Master Splinter.”

He bowed and left the dojo without saying another word.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It had taken weeks to get all that glitter out.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

At least they forgot about that video… right?

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

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

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

There were plenty of options besides his.

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

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

The living room was a mess.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Calm. Inhale, exhale.

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

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

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

Everything’s going to be fine.

It just has to be.