My Fearless Leader | Leonardo x Reader

Days Like These

One month later...

Raph's POV

"If I hit you, it's not my fault."

Y/n deflects another combo I send at her, but it's obvious her head's somewhere else. "Huh?" We're rerunning ukes now, after I started training with her last week; every morning after I'm done training with my brothers. But I guess she's on autopilot because by the time she tries to deflect another combination, I've already knocked her over.

My arm froze in the air where she was just standing. Because even in the big jackets and loose baggy clothes she always wears now, I've seen how small she's gotten, and I don't want to hurt her.

But she just laid there, groaning. Probably not from pain since I didn't push too hard, but because she has to get back up now. I blink, eyes wide as I stare down at her. "Uh, you okay...?"

"Yup. Doing just fine down here."

I move to her side with a grin, waiting for her to move. "Don't tell me you got lazy on me."

"Shut up. My body is still asleep, from all the rEStInG I had to do." Her eyes roll as she pulls herself upright, and I crouch next to her.

"All that resting is gonna help you build your strength and resilience back up. I promise I'll have you kicking our butts by Christmas." I pause for a second, rethinking that. "Not all of us. Mikey and Donnie, maybe. But obviously not me–"

"Okay, okay I get it." She cuts me off, but there's part of a smile there.

With a chuckle, I get back on my feet. "Still, you're better than you were last week. And I didn't have to reteach you those ukes today. It's progress." She takes my hand when I offer it, and when I pull her up her eyes still look past me, at Sensei's closed bedrooms doors.
I glance back at the sliding doors too for a moment, then back to her. "You gonna tell me what's on your mind?" Her eyes flicker to me. But she shakes her head, seeming to worry he'll hear whatever thoughts she's having about him. "You can tell me. That smell of tea and incense means he's in deep." Y/n stares at me, eyebrows scrunching. "Meditation."

"Oh."

"It's pretty much how–"

"I know what you're gonna say. Napping in style. Sleeping for hippies. The boring ninja's way of taking a siesta."

"Exactly. The part of your training I'll let Leo handle."

"Aw. And here I was waiting for you to start teaching me how to get in touch with my inner chi." She deadpans, fiddling with the wraps around her wrist.

"Yeah, nice try." I laugh at the idea. "I can see something's botherin' ya. Spill."

"... Are you sure he can't hear us? He does have rat hearing."

"Positive. He always meditates after training us in the morning."

"Right. I forgot that." She sighs, walking towards the wooden bench off by the opposite wall. "Master Splinter and I haven't talked since he started getting out of his room more. It's like it's only getting more and more awkward."

"I thought that was like, the nature of your relationship." I sit next to her.

She shrugs. "When I moved in I thought I'd get comfortable around him eventually. And I was, when he was training me. But we haven't talked to each other one-on-one since any of this, and it's weird again."

"Well, you could always walk over there and try your luck." I look across the dojo at the room she's watching, but she shakes her head.

"I don't think we would even know how to talk to each other. Leo told me he feels guilty, with his past with Shredder and everything. It's not like I can just talk to him about it."