request: Requesting a Rise Leonardo x fem reader where she is having bad days of her life and it's her birthday and everyone had a surprise for her until Leo basically forgets about it? Then he remembers that he messed up and goes after the reader went and makes something I her bedroom like an apology ? Angst/Fluffy stuff!
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"Okay, so everyone remembers the plan right?" Raph asked, the three brothers, including April, were hunched around in a circle in the middle of the projector room. Splinter was lounging on the recliner trying to watch his shows, a large foam cup was waved in the air as he yelled at the group to move out of the way. For once he just wanted to relax and watch some t.v, his body flung itself around on the recliner trying to gain the group's attention, to no avail.
"Yeah, yeah," Donnie reprimanded, flicking his wrist in disinterest. He had calculated that 4 hours of his week had gone to just explaining this plan than actually doing it. Mikey's grip on April's and Donnie's shoulders tightened as he bounced all giddy, "How could we forget? (Y/N) leaves school at 3pm, April diverts her to a cafe while we set this place up for a totally amazing surprise party!"
"Yeah, that. Has anyone seen Leo by the way, he's integral to the plan." Raph groaned, but his eyes held worry. April patted the big guy on his shoulder, her voice as soothing as always, "Calm down, Raph. I'm sure Leo will show up, I mean, c'mon, it's (Y/N) we're talking about; the guy's practically gaga for her." Raph felt his breathing steady at her words, "You're right, April. Leo can't even speak when (Y/N)'s around, guess I was worried for nothin'."
- A few hours later -
"April, why are we going to a coffee shop again?" you asked, shuffling the straps of your backpack around your shoulders, the joints becoming sore with all the books you were carrying. April seemed to straighten her posture at the question, but pulled it off effortlessly, "Just thought you'd like to grab a drink before we head down to the lair. Besides," she began, nonchalantly, "It mean's I get to spend some time with the birthday girl before you're whisked away by the guys."
"Fair enough," you shrugged, appeased by her reasoning. Like the caring person that April was, she held open the door for you and paid for your drink, something about how the birthday girl should never pay for her own coffee on such a special day. Your walk to the lair was slow, barely moving faster than a snail, "Apriiiiilll, come ooooon." you dragged out, your patients running thin.
"Oh, come on (Y/N), when do we ever just stop and take a look at the environment?" April was running out of excuses, but she couldn't take you to the lair yet she hadn't had a text from the boys to say it was done. "Say, how 'bout we walk around Central Park again?"
"Apriiiill," you whined. Your feet were beginning to ache after all the pointless walking you had done, shoulders and back still sore from lugging around your backpack, you just wanted to sit down. April gave you a sympathetic smile, she did feel a little guilty for dragging you all across New York, but she knew the wait would be worth it. Finding a bench to sit on, you flopped your back against it and sighed in relief when your feet no longer felt pressure. Lazily patting the empty space next to you, April followed and sat beside you, occasionally checking her phone for any updates.
Just as the moment of pain washed over you, April's phone binged and with that she sprang from her seat and grabbed your wrist. Pulling you up she began to trek her way to the closest manhole cover, while you were whining behind her.
- Back at the lair -
"Okay, I just gave April the all clear, let's do one final check to make sure everything is done." Raph's leader side was showing again as he paraded around the lair with a small checkboard in his overly sized hands. Marching into the projector room, streamers and balloons hung on every inch of the walls, Raph muttered to himself. Splinter stood in the room, patches of fur missing from where he had fought against the ducktape in his hands, "Projector room?"
"Check." Splinter sighed, padding to his room to pass out for a few hours; he'd make sure to see you before you left. Raph then went to the kitchen, his snout twitching at all the delicious smells evading his senses, "Food?"
"Check!" Mikey shouted back, in one arm he held a bowl in the other a whisk while he dashed around the kitchen. At one point he opened the oven with his foot, that has to be unsanitary Raph thought to himself. Heading into the main entrance of the lair, he watched in awe as a small canon fired streamers and confetti around the high railings all the way to the ceiling. Donnie stood beside the canon admiring his work, a small beep emitting from his tech-brace.
"April says they're almost here," he pointed out. Raph's eyes widened, someone very important was still missing! From the tunnels surrounding the lair the brothers could hear faint chatter and laughter, "Quick, everyone hide!" Raph shouted, ducking behind the skate ramp. Donnie had grabbed his canon and hid facing Raph beside the opposite ramp, Mikey was hiding in the entrance of the kitchen and Splinter was hiding in his room... wrapped in a blanket...fast asleep.
Yet there was no red-eared slider insight.
"Geez, why is it so dark in here?" the brothers heard you say, quickly jumping up the lights flicked on to reveal the fully decorated lair. "Surprise!" they shouted in unison, wide smiles on their faces. You jumped at the screams but soon found yourself laughing and thanking them just as fast, "So that's why you didn't want me back at the lair," you mused, finally putting it all together.
"Yeah, I was the distraction while the guys set this all up." April rubbed the back of her head nervously, hoping you would forgive her for dragging you around. You launched yourself at her, squeezing her frame in your arms, "Thank you!" you gleaned. The boys soon joined in on your little hug, you could feel so much warmth surround you but something was missing; or someone.
"Where's Leo?" you questioned, tilting your head around their bodies to see if he was still hiding, which was always a possibility with him. The brother's seemed to stiffen, sweat dripping from under their masks, "Guys?" you repeated. Still no answer.
Mikey was the first to step forward, placing a reassuring hand on your shoulder, "I'm sure he'll turn up, (Y/N). Maybe he's just finding the perfect gift and lost track of time?" You smiled at the box-turtle, hoping that it was true, "Yeah, he was never good with being on time anyway." you joked, feeling yourself relax around their presence.
The party had gone on swimmingly, Mikey had spent the day cooking so you were all gorging on his delectable meals. He had offered to light the cake, but you were adamant you wanted to wait until Leo got there. The rest of the evening consisted of movies, games and random stories told by Splinter of the boys when they were only tots; much to the horror of the guys.
4 o'clock had come and gone, the sun had set and the stars were trying their hardest to shine in the New York smog. You had packed you bag, some leftover cake in your hands, neatly wrapped up by Donnie. "We're sorry Leo didn't show, when he gets back I'll be sure to have a word with him about it." Raph spoke, his brows furrowing at his clown of a brother. You pushed it aside, opting to smile and hug your friends goodbye than to focus on the disappointment you felt in your heart. "It's fine, I'm sure he had a good reason."
He better have, Raph grovelled to himself. You had left without an escort home, opting to have some time to yourself after such a busy, but fun, day. You couldn't help but think of Leo, why hadn't he shown up? No, there had to be a good reason, maybe he was fighting the Foot or Hypno, someone!
Maybe he was embarrassed, especially after yesterday. He had wanted to show you a cool skateboarding trick, he had messed the trick up and fell to the ground in a pile, the skateboard bonking him on the head as it fell from the air. You and his brothers had rushed over to him, you immediately went to inspect him even if he kept telling you he felt "Fine."
You had helped him to his room, his brothers trailing behind. You had promised to get him some ice for his forming bruise along his jaw-line, saying you would only be a few minutes. When you came close to his door, you could hear his brothers taunting him, you were just about to walk in and give them a piece of your mind but then you heard it:
"C'mon, Leonard, just admit that you like her. It's pretty obvious, even to Mikey."
"Hey!"
"I- I don't like (Y/N), she's just a f-friend." you could hear Leo defend. You wouldn't lie and say that hearing him say that didn't just shatter your heart into a million pieces.
"Yeah, a friend you totally have feelings for." Raph laughed, you could hear them all making kissing sounds continuously, teasing the injured turtle until he cracked. "OKAY, FINE!" he roared out, the taunting sounds stopped, "I like (Y/N), okay? Happy now?" he moaned out. All attention had turned to the cloth-covered door, Donnie had pulled the material aside as they all witnessed your blushing face. You hadn't even noticed that you had dropped the bag of ice, probably what alerted them in the first place, "You like me?" you asked, lip trembling.
Leo's face bloomed red, leaping from his bed he pushed past his brothers and you. Without any words, he grabbed his sword and portaled out of the lair. He had left you dazed and confused, had you done something wrong?
Shaking your head from the memory, it was starting to make more sense as to why Leo was a no-show at your surprise party. Unlocking your apartment door, you shuffled around the space dropping off your bags and food in the kitchen then mopping to your room. Your parents were out on business trips, they had rung you in the morning wishing you a happy birthday and a promise that they would do something when they got back. You were alone...on your birthday; great.
Flicking the light on in your bedroom, you released a harrowing cry at the figure on your bed. Leo was sat there head down, until you came into the room, his eyes were wide in surprise. He jumped from your bed and ran over to you, tugging your hands from your face and shushing you; he didn't need your neighbours around.
"Hey, hey, calm down, it's just me." he repeated in a hushed tone, his thumb doing its best to stroke your hand. Your expression had turned from shock to a glare, anger slowly burning in you, "See, all better?" he asked with a warm smile.
"Why didn't you come?" you deadpanned, not wanting to hear any more excuses today. Leo was taken back by your statement, hands dropping from yours to his sides. "I-I didn't mean to," he stuttered, his fingers digging into the flesh of his neck, "I just...I needed some time to think about- think about yesterday."
"Oh, you mean when you ran away from me after saying you liked me?" you jutted your hip out at him, hardly believing him at this point. "I didn't want you to find out that way!" he shouted, drawing your attention to him pretty quickly. He looked so small in your room, shoulders burrowed in on themselves, hands fiddling with the fabric of his gloves. "Wha-"
"I wanted to tell you, I wanted it to be special. But then Raph shouted it out and- you were there, I just- I didn't want it to be like that." he huffed out, frustrated with himself. "I promise you, I didn't mean to miss your party, truly. I- I just had to think of how to do this properly."
"Do what?" you asked, cursing yourself for falling into his ploy. Leo looked up at you with pleading eyes, he stepped closer to you, taking your much smaller hands in his again. "(Y/N), we've been friends for years now and somehow every year I still learn something different about you. I'm still enamoured by you and everything you do, how strong you are, how smart you are. You take my breath away every time I see you. Yesterday was a mistake,"
He saw your face scrunch up in tears, quickly he amended himself, "Wh-what I mean is, I wanted to tell you how I felt, I never wanted you to find out from anyone that wasn't me. I wasn't at your party because I was planning the perfect way to tell you how I feel about you, but I guess in a way, it made it worse. I'm sorry for not showing up, but you have to believe me when I say that I love you (Y/N) (S/N)." he declared.
"Y-you lo-love me?" you could feel the tears burning your eyes, falling down your cheek like rain from the sky. Your bottom lip trembled as you tried to hold back the sobs. You grabbed Leo by his arms and pulled him against you in a hug, your arms barely went around his shell but you didn't care, all you felt was him. Leo replicated the hug, easily snaking his arms around your waist and pulling you impossibly closer. His head fell into your hair, smelling the sweet scent of your shampoo and feeling the softness of your locks.
"Happy birthday," he muttered into your hair, smiling wider when he felt you place a gentle kiss on his plastron.