"This is so stupid! I should be out there looking not dealing with a palace full of sexist and transphobic jerks!" Leo said dressed in more casual masculine clothing his chest constricted by a binder to give him his preferred look, makeup and jewels removed save for a single plain broach that served to tie his vest together.
He was pacing inside his little brother's room as his servant and the princes only friend April helped him with taking Michelangelo's jewels off.
April is a human with dark coco skin, brown eyes, red rimmed glasses, messy brown curls done in two poofy pigtails, and was nineteen years of age. She wore a green dress with yellow highlights that was plain enough to indicate her as a servant, but still extravagant enough to show she was a servant with status. Her father and husband had worked the grounds when she was a child and by happy luck the princes got to meet her and they all bonded. They were so close together she was treated more like a older sister than a servant.
She used to be a guard actually, prince Donatello's guard specifically but after he disappeared she was demoted to a servant for her failure. Mikey managed to convince their father to let her serve him instead of throwing her out, but many glares at her when she left the room alone.
The brothers never blamed April for it, his disappearance was not her fault.
"You mean we should be out looking for them right Leo?" Mikey asks as April finishes taking off the last of the jewellery he wore except for the bracelets.
If you are wondering the importance of the bracelets here is the story. Each of the kappa royals had a pair special bracelets made for them when they were young that matched each others identically besides the gems it was composed off. Due to this the four brothers always wore the bracelets as a sign of their bonds, closeness, and unity with each other. When the oldest two princes went missing all that was found of them were there bracelets and so the two remaining princes each took one and wore it with them always hoping and praying for their brothers to be okay.
They never took off the bracelets even when they slept.
Leo knows Mikey's noticed him without the bracelets but he hasn't commented yet thank the ancestors.
"No me. You are better off staying here where it's safe," Leo said and his brother snorts. "You are such a hypocrite. You snuck out today, came back late, and since you scared off another handmaiden of yours April had to help you get ready," Mikey states arms crossed.
"I don't need some selfish prince tying me down! Mayhem would make a better ruler!" Said pet looks up from his plush bed at the sound of his name and wags tail seeming excited at Leo's suggestion. "I love dad but the kingdom is in terrible condition! Mikey if you or Raph saw and heard what I did today you would be raging just like me! There are so many problems that can be solved once we take the throne just like we always dreamed," Leo said speaking with a hopeful passion.
April stood in front of Leo arms crossed and fixing him a look no other servant would ever dare show him.
"Leonardo Blue Hamato you and I both know that even if your right Raph and Donnie would want you safe right now and not putting yourself in harms way," April stated like a scolding mother and Leo snorts rolling his eyes. "And second you prefer some rabbit who's related to a shogun stabber over a prince. Yeah this ones dim, but it's just marriage! It's not like you have to talk to him," April said attempting to cheer Leo up and he chuckles softly still in a bad mood though.
"Besides Lee," Mikey jumps up from the vanity and dramatically hugs Leo with a protective pout.
"Prince or Princess your still the prettiest sibling here so we'd still be beating all those snobby boys back with a stick anyway," Mikey reasons and Leo laughs softly and dramatically puts the back of his hand to his forehead.
"My untold beauty is both a blessing and a curse that I am unfortunately burdened by. Be grateful you and the bros do not know even a second of this hardship I endure," he said in a dramatic stage voice. Mikey rolls his eyes and said. "Yeah we're... hey!" He realises what Leo just said and pushes him back the prince laughing mood greatly improved as he fall back on Mikey's plush bed.
April rolls her eyes fondly happy that the two were in better moods. "Here how about we end this night with a happy bubble bath and even use some of Don's salts huh?" The two cheered up immediately at that.
The four boys were known to have warm bubble baths together sometimes and Don always had the best types of salts. Besides having his scent in the water was comforting to the two.
"I'll run the bath," April said and Mikey jumps up. "I'll grab the soaps," he states eagerly running off to his bathroom with April following a happy smile to his face.
Leo watches this and has a small smile. He loves his brother so much and even though he's a bundle of pure joy getting a genuine smile out of him was hard these days.
Suddenly Leo hears a knock on the door and he tenses. It was late, way past the time dad summoned them for anything and they had not ordered for anything from the servants. Leo quickly runs to Mikey's weapons chest and grabbed a dagger from it. Usually he carried a weapon on hand, but dresses were terrible for concealing weapons.
The knocking happens again a little louder. It could either mean whoever was on the other side was in a hurry or nervous neither a good sign. Not to mention they had not called for them like all palace servants were trained to do which means they are not a servant.
Carefully Leo stood up dagger gripped behind himself as he made his way to the door and gripped the handle. Steeling his nerves he swung the door open prepared to defend himself when he stops short his eyes going wide.
Dressed in a stolen servants uniform and carrying a tea tray with empty cups was none other than Usagi, the boy from today. His face was turned away looking at the lavish hallway, but turned back when he saw Leo and lights up seeing him.
"You! What are you doing here?" Leo hears some guards approaching for their shifts and he grabbed the bunny pulling him inside checking up and down the hallways to make sure he was not spotted.
"Get in here," Leo said closing the door as Usagi looks around the room. "Wow this place is bigger than some homes. Did the prince do the art himself?" Usagi asks looking at the art on the walls.
"Yes he did now what are you doing here? How did you get past the guards and security?" If this guy got past the guards then his father clearly hadn't been maintaining Donnie's security systems, but that was a worry for another time.
Usagi turns to him and smiles sheepishly. "It was hard, but I managed it. I came to return these," he answers and pulls out Leo's bracelets. Leo gasps and grabs them clasping them both onto his wrists the weight comfortable and familiar to him.
"I'm really sorry my uh Tolka stole it," Usagi said adverting his eyes clearly lying. Leo raises a brow amused and puts his hands behind his back. "Oh really? Well he was your Tolka," Leo points out. "He's still just a Tolka," Usagi defends and Leo laughs amused.
"Just checking were you gonna stab me?" Usagi asks noticing the dagger and Leo blushes a little. Usagi found the action adorable. "Well even in a palace you can never be too paranoid. For all I know you could have been some nasty kidnapper here to whisk one of the princes away," Leo defends.
"Well I promise I would have stopped that samurai's honour, but... after seeing you fight today I doubt there'd be much for me to deal with," Usagi compliments and Leo ducks his head biting his lip to keep from giggling like a school girl.
Dammit he is a prince who has trained himself to always be calm and collected in front of people. How does this rabbit make him blush just from one compliment alone he hears compliments all the time.
None about his fighting though, not even his own brothers have complimented his fighting before.
Still Leo has some rizz. "Well if we did fight together would it be partner in arms or partner in romance carrots?" Leo asks with sultry eyes and Usagi's sputters his blush bright enough to be seen clearly on his face. "Uh uh either?" He stammers and Leo lets the giggle escape watching with an adorable fixation as the rabbits nose twitches.
"Wait carrots? Isn't that a stereotype? What if I called you slow?" Usagi asks challengingly. "You saw today I ain't slow snowy. Unless you like it fast?" Leo asks and oh god he thought the bunny couldn't get anymore flustered he was wrong. Maybe he should stop before the bunny had too much blood rush to his head.
"Who ordered the tea?"
Both heads turned and Leo's eyes go wide seeing Mikey had returned dressed in a simple robe that covered his entire body saves his head.
Usagi's blush went away and he looked confused as to who this was. Mikey looked to Leo opening his mouth to ask a question when Leo beat him too it.
He doesn't want Usagi to know who he is, he really really doesn't want him to freak out.
"I did!" He said quickly walking behind Usagi. "Your highness," Leo said the way all the servants did while gesturing to the bracelets on his wrists and mouthing words while Usagi straightens up his face dawning in understanding.
Mikey furrows his brows. "Why are you acting weird?" Mikey asks Leo as April calls. "HE'S ALWAYS WEIRD," from inside the bathroom. From the voice Usagi assumes it was the other princess yet to have the chance of transitioning to prince.
Leo points to the rabbit than his bracelets and mouthed. "He returned them I'm a servant," Finally Mikey's eyes widened and he nods a unconvincing smile on his face.
"Oh your ah yes! Thank you servant just put the tea right there," Mikey said pointing to the closest table and Usagi promptly puts it down. "Your majesty," Usagi bows and Mikey nods. "Yes I am the prince, the prince who has lots of clothes and has two brothers and a s-s-sister. Yes who bosses around his servant," Leo motions for Mikey to stop talking. Wasn't donnie meant to be the bad actor? And what was up with the nerd voice?
Usagi glances at Leo unsure what to do and Leo smiles back when Usagi looks back at Mikey as Leo motions for him to leave. "I'm gonna go and give uh Mayhem!" Mikey picks up the creature who yelps confused at suddenly being picked up. "A bath goodbye," he said and promptly leaves.
"But don't those types bath themselves?" Usagi whispers confused turning to Leo who forces a awkward smile. "Uh he doesn't really get out much," Usagi nods clearly believing Leo turning to him fully.
"I thought you said the brothers were accepting of the prince's pronouns?" He asks.
"They are but the public isn't really meant to know not even the servants. If the public finds out the prince will get in trouble. Not that the prince cares. He'd prefer people to know," Leo explains.
"Okay well I was wondering if you wanted to have a stroll around the palace? I feel like I talked so much about my life earlier I know nothing about yours. I'd love to know where you learned to fight," Usagi said and Leo blushes again.
He opens his mouth to respond when Mikey calls out.
"Oh servant! Mayhem won't clean themselves!" Mikey calls and Leo rolls his eyes.
Usagi's ears droop to show his disappointment. Leo managed to hide his own disappointment if barely. He can't believe himself, he is a prince he cannot be swooning and fawning over this random rabbit like some damsel in a fairytale! They just met!
"Well I guess you have to go," Leo said disappointed. "Yeah, but maybe tomorrow night I can have that stroll?" Usagi asks hopefully and Leo looks shocked. "What no you can't come back! Why should you?" Leo asks.
Usagi thinks before he spots it. With a cheeky grin he reaches out unlatching the broach on the robes making them loosen visibly, but still covered the turtles body. Holding it up he grins. "So I can return this. Tomorrow night I'll meet you in the courtyard when the moon is at it's highest," Usagi said pointing out the window to the courtyard below.
Leo glances down there then back at Usagi. "But what if you get caught?" He whispers but feels a bubble of excitement he hasn't felt since before his twin and older brother went missing.
Usagi musters up all his confidence to put on a confident grin and said cheekily. "I believe a wise person once said. Your only in trouble if you get caught," he said and Leo awes. "You think I'm wise?" He asks. Usagi laughs and said. "Nope! I said it too which means I'm the wise man. See you soon blue," He said and than bops Leo on the beak before running out of the room leaving the turtle stunned and a deep red blush on his face.
Mikey and April peek out from the corner having watched this whole thing with keen interest. "Should we?" April began. "Let him have this April even if it's just for a minute," Mikey said.
Meanwhile Usagi had the brightest grin on his face as he observes the broach he had taken. It was definitely worth more than everything Kitsune had stolen put together and Blue didn't seem upset by him taking it, but Usagi is determined to keep this safe. He hears some soft clicks and looks down seeing Spot at his feet looking proud. "Good job for distracting the samurai guards Spot. Those guys give a bad name to samurai if someone like me got past them," Usagi said as he looks at the broach again. "Miyamato I know he's a personal servant of the prince and all, but they sure do make sure even the servants dress like nobles," Usagi comments as he bumped right into a guard.
They looked at him with a angry glare and a seemingly permanent scowl on their face. "Evening," He said with a low scowling voice. "Evening!" His voice had to squeak at that moment and he coughs clearing his throat. "Evening," he repeats. With his ears he could hear who was approaching behind him. "Guards are behind me aren't they?" He asks and turns around seeing three more men in identical uniforms with matching scowls.
He laughs softly. "Uh hi,"