My Fearless Leader | Leonardo x Reader

The Talk (Bonus Chapter)

Leo's POV

I knew this was going to happen the second I decided I would offer Y/n a place to stay, but the timing of when Sensei pulled me aside didn't bother me any less. Sure, Donnie's probably the only one she actually needs in there anyway, but that doesn't mean I can't still help.

"Your rashness concerns me, Leonardo." Master Splinter starts once I realize we've reached the privacy of the dojo. "This is not like you."

"I'm sorry about all this, Sensei. I thought about calling ahead but we had to move fast and I thought it would be easier explaining this face to face." He stops and turns to me. "Tonight was never supposed to go sideways and now she needs our help and I wasn't okay with letting her go back home–"

"Why don't you start by explaining from the beginning." He suggests with a hand on my shoulder to stop the rambling. He sits in front of the Cherry Blossom tree to listen. "Clearly I've missed much."

"Right. Okay." I nod and take a breath, guiding my memories back to that night as I sit with him. "I met her when some guys were harassing her on the way home one night. It was just me, the others were each covering other territories. And I handled it but they put up a fight and eventually I had to reveal myself so she wouldn't get hurt. After it was over, I helped her get home. And I only went in because the place was empty. My arm got cut and she helped me take care of it. She lives by herself and doesn't have anyone else." Sensei listens as attentively as he always does while I explain. "And, since she still gets home on her own with no one else to watch out for her, I do. She's nice and thoughtful and trustworthy... And I made sure there was nothing to worry about for our safety."

Splinter doesn't respond at first. I can tell he's analyzing me. "You believe she is different."

"Definitely different enough. She treats me like I'm normal, and she said she wasn't scared of me that night because I helped her. That and, she already heard about the mutant rumors on the news which, curved the shock I guess... But Y/n hasn't told anyone and she doesn't want to."

"That is good. But still, you trust her enough to bring her here?"

"Well, I wouldn't have brought her down here if she could've gone back home but, either way I still trust her enough to do it now."

He nods once and gestures a hand towards me. "Go on. What has transpired tonight with the Purple Dragon gang?"

"Well, we were at Murakami's." I clear my throat. "I-I kinda felt bad about always being at her place so I thought it would be cool to hang out there." I explain with a sudden worry that it would sound like a date like it did to my brothers. "But then the Purple Dragons showed up trying to shake down Mura again and when I took them down they threatened Y/n."

"This was a serious threat directed specifically to Y/n?"

"They said they recognize her from when she used to walk home at night alone. Before I started taking her." I nod. "One of them hurt her, and they only threatened her because she was with me. I didn't want to take the risk because they know we're friends."

Sensei stood there with both hands sitting on the staff, eyes closed in thought, and I knew he had heard enough. "I am proud of your compassion, Leonardo." He says when he looks down at me again. "You said Y/n lives alone?"

"She said she's... emancipated?" I pause, trying to remember the term she used. But Splinter nods again, seeming to understand. "But partially... she's still involved with some foster branch she mentioned...? It sounds complicated."

"So she truly has no other family." He deducts gravely, and I shake my head. "Have you gotten to know her well?"

"I– you could say that." I answer not so smoothly... something about the question and the way Sensei's eyes refocused on me throwing me off.