The Words That Hurt Me

Fifty-Nine: What's Left?

Usagi brought Leo around the neighborhood, showing him the places he used to eat, the one with the best ramen, the one with the best ice cream, and the one where his family used to eat together. He fondly pointed out the shop he used to visit after school.

"The Icees there tasted better after school!" Usagi laughed, jumping to the next building, "Oh! And that place had the best brownies!"

"You know a lot about this place," Leo said, resting on a ledge. From this view, they could see the entire block, from the shops to the run-down buildings.

"Well, yeah," Usagi giggled, sitting beside Leo, "I may have been born in Japan, but this is where I grew up. This is home,"

Leo hummed, enjoying the warm breeze that blew by. The moon was bright that night, shining down on New York. Leo could feel the heat radiating off of Usagi, and he started wondering if they were sitting too close. 

"So, um," Leo cleared his throat, "Why did you want me to come with you? Why not Mikey or Goo? You're closer to them,"

"Well..." Usagi sighed, "Goo's been through a lot recently, with their parents and all, and Mikey honestly needs a break. He cares a lot, y'know? He takes it upon himself to try and fix things, and tires himself out,"

"Yeah, that sounds like Mikey," Leo chuckled, "Getting excited and tiring himself out, I mean. There's, apparently, a lot I have to learn about my brother,"

"I hear ya," Usagi grinned, leaning on Leo, "It's about time I open up to Kit,"

"Your sister?"

"Yeah," Usagi sighed, "I've...been avoiding it. She deserves better than that,"

Leo nodded, leaning against Usagi in kind. They watched the view for a while, one reminiscing and the other just enjoying the moment. Until they remembered where they were supposed to be, reluctantly leaving their spot and returning home.

.

"Should I start spamming him?" Mikey asked, Raph laughing beside him, "Get my revenge?"

"Let's wait a little longer, Mike," Donny laughed, "We don't want to interrupt their bonding,"

"Y'all interrupted me n' Leatherhead so many times!" Mikey chuckled, "What's it matter?"

While Mikey had known that Leo and Usagi had disappeared from Murakami's, the rest of the group didn't find out until they returned to base, poking fun at the idea that Usagi and Leo were getting close. Goo thought it was hilarious. Leon and Yuichi thought it just made sense. 

"Hey, it's better than him and Karai," Raph mumbled, making Donny choke on his drink. Mikey let out a laugh, sending a text to the brother in question, letting him know that they were home. He quickly received a reply.

"'K', he says, geez," Mikey chuckled, glancing around the lair. While the Other Turtles were rebuilding the fort, Cassy was with Arron, helping him practice Goo's name and pronouns. She was surprisingly educated on the topic of gender, easily explaining the subject and shooting down any arguments. Speaking of Goo, Mikey didn't see them in the lair or their mother. 

He didn't linger on that thought and instead made his way to the kitchen. Dinner was on the mind and he was making it. He managed to convince his other brothers to do the worried brother routine before Leo got home. (It was hilarious, thank the gods Tello recorded everything!) Goo still hadn't shown up, but a call from Leatherhead distracted him before he could dwell on it.

He had been getting ready for bed in his room when he heard a knock on the door. There stood Goo, looking as exhausted as always.

"Hey," Mikey greeted, stepping aside to let them in, "What have you been up to?"