Your POV
Three days later
"Stop that... You're going to make it worse... Y/n– stop. Don't get it infected."
I don't listen to anything Leo says as I continue frowning at myself in the mirror and messing with the stitches sticking out of the left side of my face, trying to see everything even though it only made the cut hurt worse. I turn my head at an angle again just to see how freakish the skin looks for a third time. I'm about to run my fingers across the contusion once again when Leo's hand grabs my wrist and pulls it away from my face, turning my body around to face him.
"Are you even listening, Y/n?"
I sigh. "Yes."
"It's not going to heal over night. Give it time, and stop touching it like Donnie said."
It's been three whole days and the cut isn't doing any better. In fact, it looks even worse than it did before. Just what I need.
I don't know what's wrong with me. I don't care that he's right. And I don't care about the throbbing and additional pain I'm causing on myself. I just glance down to Leo's hand gripping me.
"Can I have my wrist back now?"
"Not if you're gonna keep touching it–"
"I'm not."
He sighs and releases my arm. I immediately shove my hands into my jacket pockets, attempting to resist the strange urge to probe the stitches again.
"You sure are fidgety," Leo says as he eyes me.
I frown and look up at him, leaning back against my dresser. "I don't mean to be."
"Look," Leo leans his hands on the dresser, his arms on either side of me, comfortably trapping me in between them as he hovers over me closely. "I know you hate being cooped up down here like this, but it's only been a few days."
I shake my head. "I don't hate being cooped down up here. I just hate it when I never have the choice to... leave for fresh air."
"I know we don't have the freshest air down here either, but it's better than being in danger out there." He reasons.
My frown only deepens as I look up at him. "I didn't mean it like that."
"I know you didn't." He responds as he smiles a little, probably understanding why I seem so defensive. I guess I've been a little on edge lately. "Hey, I had to stay down here for fifteen years before Master Splinter started letting us go topside. I wouldn't blame you if you started going a little crazy."
There's a period of silence between us, where I don't know what to respond, just staring at each other. Until for the 27th time today I remember all over again that I have these hideous stitches sticking out of the side of my face. And realizing with how close he is, he could clearly see the unattractive tints of purple that have been added to my already red and paler-colored skin. I look down, breaking the eye contact.
"How can you even look at me right now?"
"What do you mean?"
"Don't pretend like these stitches aren't horrible. They are."
"Maybe they are, but that doesn't make you ugly."
"Actually it kinda does." I mumble, crossing my arms with no other option but to look at the floor since he's still only a few inches away.
"Okay. That's it. Y/n, look at me. Look at me right now."
"Please not another lecture," I groan. He tilts my chin up to meet his eyes boring into mine, refusing to let me look away before he's finished.
"I've told you a thousand times, and I'll tell you a thousand more times: you are not a freak. Having those stitches in does not make you any less attractive, or beautiful."
... He keeps calling me that.
Beautiful. Like he really believes it...
As much as I wasn't in the mood to, I couldn't keep the small smile from appearing on my lips.
"They're there to help you get better, not as a beauty product. I've had my fair share of nasty, unappealing gashes, remember?"
"I know, but..."
I trail off, and Leo nods once. "I get it, you have your insecurities. That's why I'm here. But the stitches will be gone before you know it. And I'll be here to drag you away from the mirror every time you wanna say something bad about yourself and remind you how adorable I think you are."
"Believe me," I say, walking past him as he stands straight again, and sitting on my bed. "I'd much rather be on a date with you right now than here constantly looking at my face in the mirror in misery."
"... I would, too." He admits. I feel the bed sink to my right as he sits next to me. When I look at him his hand is already reaching out and brushing my left cheek, holding my face so he can see the monstrosity on the other side. "Does it still hurt?"
I blush out of embarrassment and quickly pull away. "Please don't look at it." I say turning forward and putting my hand on that side of my face. I know what he said, but if it grosses me out it'll probably gross him out too. And I'd prefer he doesn't get grossed out by anything on my face.
"Y/n–"
"Don't," I plead. "I heard what you said and I know you meant it too, but you can't tell me these things don't look disgusting, or that I don't look disgusting with them. I just– please don't look at them. It's embarrassing..."
When he doesn't say anything else, I glance at him again, seeing a deep frown on his face as he stares at me.
I sigh and rub my hands over my face. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry." I say miserably, leaning into his side. His arm wraps around me as I hear him mumble a "c'mere" and kiss my cheek. I wrap my arms around his waist as I rest against him. And for a moment we just sit there, in silence.
"So... you stared at the mirror for fifteen minutes, and we got that argument out of the way. What do you want to do now?"
I look up at him, and the silly smile he's wearing. With a blank expression, I tap a demanding finger on my lips in response, making my request.
Leo wastes no time. He grabs my waist and chin at the same time, smashing his lips against mine. A big smile finally comes to my mouth today when I feel his gentle lips on mine and the butterflies fluttering in my stomach. I rest my arms comfortably around his neck, sighing blissfully and kissing him eagerly.
"Someone's suddenly excited," Leo mumbles, making me pull away and give him a playful unamused look. He smirks cheekily. "Forgive me?" He says before kissing my hand. A giggle comes out of my mouth as his kisses travel slowly up the sensitive parts of my arm, lingering on my shoulder for a moment, just before finally kissing over the join of my shoulder and neck. I bite my lip, still not at all used to being kissed there. When his lips move higher and nips at a more sensitive spot, my breath catches, inhaling too quickly. His lips all over me always feels like he's setting my skin on fire. It was amazing. The next thing I feel is his lips curling into a smile, and the vibration of his voice against my skin. "Does this feel good?"
I bite down on my lip harder and open my eyes, trying to keep my reactions in. "W-what if someone catches us?"
"Catches us what? The door is closed and we're not doing anything wrong." My eyes close again as his hot breath covers my skin and he moves his kisses up and down my neck. "Plus it was your idea."
"But... what if... what if..." I start to ask, but struggle to finish while his lips are working on me like this. "... the others... w-what if they... ugh, screw it."
I finally give in because he just feels way too good. I place my hand on his neck and pull his lips back up to mine again, harder and more passionate this time. I try to get lost in him again, and it would've worked had he not accidentally placed his hand on my left cheek, right on the cut. The touch was gentle enough, so I try to ignore it. But when his thumb brushes against my skin, against the tender part, I wince and have to pull away.
"Ow– ow, ow, ow!"
"What? What is it?" He says quickly at my pulling away, breathless.
"Uh– it's nothing," I answer, holding my cheek.
Leo's eyes move to my cheek and he says as he stares at it, "I'm sorry."
"It's okay," I shake my head at him, then rub softly against my throbbing cut, and look at Leo, somehow laughing. "... The kissing kind of hurt, too."
"Well that's why I stuck to your neck," he remarked with a grin. "Until you came begging for my lips again."
I roll my eyes at him, most definitely with a blush, and playfully nudge him. "Oh shut up."
He chuckles and nudges me back sportively. "I guess kissing is out then... Unless you wanna try again?" He grinned, tempting me more than he knew with that half joke. To be honest, I do want to try again. I mean why wouldn't I... This boy is addictive. But, something's been nagging at me for the past few days... So in reply to his cheeky question, I just give him another look, but I can't help but laugh too. It makes his smile grow. "Well at least your smile's back."
I lean in and give Leo one last kiss on the cheek. "Thanks to you anyway." I credit him, making his smile grow further.
Too bad I'm about to drop this bomb on him.
I clear my throat, casually.
"So... I think it's time you told me about Karai..." I change the subject slowly, going ahead and dropping the bomb. But he says nothing in response, like he's trying to hide a reaction. "Ya know, the really tall girl who gave me these?" I say pointing to the stitches.
"Tch. I know who she is. I don't want to talk about her while–"
"I think I deserve some kind of an explanation from someone considering what happened, Leo." Leo sighs and scratches the back of his neck, I guess pondering. "You're not gonna get out of this."
"Okay, okay. Fine..." He starts with a sigh. "You remember when I told you about The Shredder?"
I nod. "She's his daughter, right?" I know about that much. Leo hesitates, still not keen on the idea of explaining her to me I guess. "Adoptive daughter, yes... He... he took her in a long time ago when she was just a baby."
"Oh," I nod, waiting for him to go on.
"She and Oroku Saki– Shredder, that is– used to live in Japan. Back then he was madly in love with her mother, but..." Leo paused again, staring off in thought.
"What?" I ask, concerned. "But what?"
For a moment, he doesn't answer, or move. Until he looks at me again, and takes another pause before responding. "After both of her parents died in a fire that he caused, he took her in as his own, and moved here. He's been feeding her all kinds of lies for years. He told her that he was her father. Then raised her to be evil, as part of his own birth clan: The Foot."
Huh, that explains why she's so angry all the time...
"And, she still stayed with him through all that...?" Leo doesn't say anything. My eyebrows raise in realization. "She doesn't know..." He shakes his head in confirmation. "Then, how could you possibly know this?"
"He and Master Splinter were part of the same clan growing up. But Shredder was always paranoid and jealous, and he turned on him. He convinced himself that Splinter was the reason for the fire that night that had killed Tang Shen– er, Karai's mother."
"So that's why they hate you guys..." It comes out as more of a statement than a question. "Not just because you always stop them and all his plans, but because they blame your father for Karai's mother dying." Leo nods. "And, she thinks she's only lost her mother, and not her father too?" He nods again. "Have you ever tried telling her the truth?"
Leo takes a deep breath. "It's, complicated..."
"Complicated how?"
"Well..." He trails off, obviously not wanting to say.
"Did she used to be part of your team or something?" I guess after thinking about what had Karai said to me.
"What?"
"I remember, before she... cut me, Karai said something about how you guys replaced her. Is that why you haven't told her? Because she left you guys to be with her father?" As soon as I ask the question, I realize a possibility that might make more sense, confusedly trying to put together the pieces of the puzzle. "Or, did she leave because you did tell her and she thought you were lying?"
"Not exactly... She was never part of the team; she's always been with the Shredder." His mouth stays open as if he wants to say something else, but stops himself, clearly unsure.
"What?"
"There... there was a time when I thought I could get through to her. I was trying to bring her over to our side. I didn't think it was too late; that Shredder hadn't completely ruined her and turned her evil."
I nod, urging him to go on, but not exactly sure where this is going. "And?"
"I– what I'm trying to say, Y/n... Karai... she and I... we, kinda had a... thing?"
I pause for a moment, taking a second to process what I've just heard. "A... 'thing'?" He doesn't say anything. "What do you mean?"
"... I liked her."
Silence.
"... Oh..."
"I met her at a time when being a leader was still new and stressful to me, and none of my brothers would really support me... It was in a weird way, but, she helped me cool down when I needed to and relieve some of my stress. We would vent to each other a lot about stuff like that. She was fun."
I try to keep a plain, neutral face as he's explaining this very new information to me. Not just for his sake, but for mine, because I don't know myself exactly how I feel about this– or how I maybe should feel about this right now. After all it's not like they're together. But I don't exactly see the people... And I just can't help but wonder what she possibly could have vented to him about.
Oh, Leo, trying to take over the world is so stressful. Especially when there's someone constantly keeping you from doing it. But how's your day been?
"Well... until she wasn't. Which turned out to be pretty fast after that."
"So... you two were... dating?"
"No! No– we weren't anything really... I liked her and that was it. I mean..." He sighed, shaking his head. "She would complain about Shredder all the time and I thought it meant she wasn't loyal to him. But it was before I knew he was her father... Whatever all the games were between us, it's long over. I made that perfectly clear after she kept attacking my family."
I nod as he finishes his story, frowning slightly. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."
"Yeah, well... I've moved past it."
"So, the others know then? About you and her?" A bit of a smile threatens to inch onto my face at the thought of the others' reactions to Leo of all people having a crush on Karai.
"Uh, not at first. But now, yeah..." He scratches the back of his neck, eyes still averting. "We've moved past that. You can bet Raph wasn't too happy when they first met."
I grin slightly. "Oh really? What happened?"
"Well," he starts after a deep breath. "We were breaking into one of the Kraang's bases that was disguised as the Worldwide Genome Project, trying to investigate about an attack on April. Raph caught Karai following us, so naturally they started fighting."
"Oh well of course," I beam amusedly.
Leo smiles a little, and continues. "And I tried to break them up, but accidentally set off a security alarm in the process..."
"Really? That sounds like something Mikey would do."
"I know right? I still can't believe I did that."
I chuckle at him and then press on. "So what happened after that?"
"Long story short: the Kraang found out we were there, Karai released one of their mutant monster experiments– Mikey named him Justin– then ditched with one of the android bodies to use, there was a giant fire... and everyone found out about her..."
"Smooth," I say, nodding.
"Yeah," Leo smiles sheepishly, "it was not my best night."
"She did leave you to run off with a Kraang... that's gotta hurt a guy's pride."
Leo laughs and so do I, feeling happy with myself that I could make him laugh and smile like that after telling such a story. Amazing... "Ya know, I never thought I'd be able to laugh about that."
"That's because I can make you laugh about anything."
Leo blesses me with his beautiful dorky grin and reaches up, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. His hand stays, fingers brushing against my neck and thumb stroking my unharmed cheek. He leans over to me, and I close my eyes in anticipation. But he kisses my cheek instead. I open my eyes.
"... You did not just do that."
He smirks and leans away. "You said the mouth kissing was hurting you."
"That is so unfair!" I whine.
"Is it?" He laughs.
Before I can answer, there's a knock on the door. "Yeah?" I ask, looking over to it.
Donnie's head pokes in the doorway. "Dinner's ready, guys. Guess what we're having."
"More pizza?" Leo guesses as we both get up.
"Actually, Mikey made pasta this time. I think hell froze over in the process."
"Oh thank God," I laugh walking over. I never thought it was possible, but months of hardly any food but pizza have almost made me completely tired of it, something I never thought could happen.
"I know," Donnie says with a growing smile.
"Mikey already made pasta?" Leo asks as we join Donnie at the door. "I could've helped him."
There's a moment of silence when Donnie and I just remain quiet and look at him. After a moment of remembering the whole soup incident a while ago, Leo laughs nervously and scratches the back of his neck. "Heh... Just kidding."
With a smile plastered on my face, I shake my head and follow Donnie out the door. Leo falls in stride next to me, looking down at me. "I'll just save cooking for my lessons with you."
I smile at his words and don't mention the light pink blush on his face as we're walking into the kitchen. Even though he's done it countless times, I guess I'm still not cruel enough to poke fun at his blushing like he does me. Even if I do kind of enjoy it when he does...
"Man that smells good."
"That's what I said," Raph concurs with me about the pasta, already at the table. "And it's not often I can pay Mikey a compliment."
"Well at least I don't have the brain of a bloated buffalo." Mikey says with an unimpressed expression on his face, not even looking at Raphael as he pours the wet spaghetti noodles into a drainer.
Leo and Donnie laugh in unison and I can't help but grin as I try to hold back a laugh.
Raphael's expression mirrors Mikey's.
"Oh, didn't expect me to say anything back did ya?"
"Unless you guys want Master Splinter to come in here and start pushing pressure points, you might wanna quit while you're ahead with the bickering."
Raphael crosses his arms at Leo's suggestion. "He take only does that when I beat you guys up."
"Exactly. He's trying to teach you an important lesson in life."
"Oh really? And what is that?"
"Oh, I don't know," Donnie cuts in sarcastically. "That you can't punch somebody every time they get on your nerves?"
There's a pause of silence as Raph tries to take in what Donnie said, obviously he doesn't understand. "It's worked pretty well for me so far..."
"Not gonna lie," I jump into the conversation as I sit myself on one of the stools. "If punching works to shut up annoying people, I have a good long list of people from my school I'd like to try it on."
"I'm assuming that Leo would still be somewhere on that list." Raph says with a smirk, clearly happy with my choice to agree with him.
"Oh yeah he's made top of the list," I reply wickedly with an amused smile, looking over at a Leo who is suddenly not in the mood to confabulate anymore. I grin when he still sits down next to me and nudge him playfully so he knows I'm joking. He only smirks and rolls his eyes in response.
"It wouldn't matter anyway," Mikey says, sprinkling sea salt into the pasta sauce. "We all know I'm her favorite."
Raph raises an eyebrow. "Ok, so, not that I care, but why would you be her favorite?"
"Hm, let's see. I'm the funny one. I'm the cute one. And I make a mean spaghetti and meatballs!" Mikey waves the wooden spoon around as he lists his reasons, splattering his pasta sauce all over this side of the table. "... Plus I got the freckles."
"Those aren't the only things that matter in life, Mikey." Leo points out, leaning his elbows onto the table.
"Ya know, that sounds an awful lot like something a non chef would say, doesn't it Leo? Maybe, if any of you had my mad skills you could actually be her favorite."
'Wow,' I mouth to myself at that burn.
"Oh, please. Like it's such a big deal being able to cook." Raph wipes up some of the sauce with his finger at the same time Mikey sets a small bowl of sea salt and a bowl of oregano on the table. He tastes it. "It's missing something by the way."
"I wasn't finished yet." Mikey rolls his eyes and sets the sauce pan back on the stove, grabbing half a handful of oregano.
"Well, Y/n is right here–" Raph starts, gesturing to me.
"Oh someone noticed," I pointed out sportively, getting up with my glass to get some water.
"Why don't you ask her yourself, Mikester?"
I pour my water from the water pitcher over the countertop and shake my head, Mikey scoffing as if the suggestion was pointless.
As if this whole conversation isn't pointless.
"Y/n, I'm your favorite right?" Setting the pitcher down, I look back over to everyone else, their eyes on me, waiting for an answer.
I can't help but laugh. "I have got to get new friends," I tell myself as I pass Mikey and sit back in my seat, taking a sip of water.
"Ah who needs you anyway," Raph smirks and throws some of the oregano at me.
I close my eyes before any shreds of it can enter my eyes and set my glass down, grabbing the bowl of sea salt beside me. "Hey I have sea salt here. The saltiest of salts, I won't hesitate to start throwin'."
"Must we have a food fight before every meal?"
"Yes, Y/n, must we?" Raphael chastises, setting the bowl back down as Splinter walks in.
"I hate you," I say with a grin and a shake of my head as I also set the bowl of salt down.
Master Splinter clears his throat before sitting down in his spot at the head of the table.
"Sorry..." I say, a bit embarrassed.
"Sorry, Sensei." Raph apologizes simultaneously.
Splinter only smiles lightheartedly in response, luckily.
"Dinner is served!" Mikey announces, proudly holding his spaghetti ladle in hand before taking our plates.
When he finishes gracefully serving us and himself, and sits down at the head of the table next to Raph and me, it's then that I realize I'm sitting where he usually sits at the table. Usually it's Splinter at the end of the table with his four sons splitting two on the sides, with me at the opposite end. I know it's not a big deal, but if I'm being honest I'm glad that that extra shred of attention isn't on me now where I'm sitting. I hope he doesn't mind, and I want to say something, like sorry, but that would just be a weird topic to bring up. It's not like high school around here where everyone sits in the same self designated spot everyday and you're doomed to social exile if you dare to sit in the wrong place.
...
Again with my overthinking.
I'm brought out of my thoughts when I feel a pair of eyes on me and glance at everyone before my eyes turn to Leo, his big blue eyes already on me, casually staring.
(Those eyes– honestly. You're welcome.)
"W-what?" I accidentally stutter quietly. But I can't help it, his gaze burns holes into my eyes. Leo just shakes his head and shrugs, but continues to stare. "I-is there something on my face?" I know there's not but I'm awkward and I don't know what to say, ok?
Leo smiles a little and shakes his head again. "No, your face looks good."
I try not to show that the sudden compliment befuddles me, but a little grin forms on my lips and I look down at the floor, letting my hair fall over the side of my face so that he can't see my reaction. After a moment to recover and trying to wipe the dumb smile from my face, I look up to see Donnie now looking at me.
"How do the stitches feel?"
Great. I had almost forgotten.
"Um... they're fine." I answer, feeling completely caught off guard.
"Have they irritated you a lot today?"
"Not a lot," I poke awkwardly at my spaghetti. I suppose I can't blame him for asking as soon as he noticed how much worse it's gotten. But I keep my eyes on my food as the others occasionally look up from theirs to either look at Donnie or me– or what's on my left cheek– as he makes his inquiries.
"Well if it's still hurting too much," he goes on, "I can always get you more medicine."
I glance up at Donnie and smile a little. "No, thanks."
Donnie nods at my answer and picks up his glass of water. "Well if you ever need any more, just ask."
I nod at him silently, and luckily he finally drops the subject. I pick at my food for a few more seconds before getting the vibe that Leo is looking at me again brings me out of my thoughts. When I look up at him this time he's not staring. This time it's meant to be sympathetic.
'You gonna eat?' He mouths, pointing his eyes to my plate of food. I nod quietly and force a small smile before looking back at my food and swirling the noodles around my fork.
That's when I feel a hand on my thigh, and freeze. I know exactly whose it is, not just because he's right beside me or because he's the only one at the table who would do such a thing, but because of the immense tingling sensation surging through me from his fingers, spreading to my stomach and to my heart as it thumps faster against my chest. When I look over at Leo a third time, he offers me a slight reassuring smile, and I get that the gesture is meant to make me feel better... And that his hand would be resting on my hand instead of my thigh right now if it were actually under the table out of everyone else's sight.
But all I can do is force a bit of a smile back before he can notice what his touch is actually doing to me at the moment.
What was probably only a few seconds in reality, felt like forever before he pulled his hand away and continued eating the meal again. But that feeling on my right thigh lingers there and my stomach is still doing flips and my heart is still palpitating in response to him. Before I start staring at him myself, I quickly look away after he does and redirect my attention to my plate for the umpteenth time since the start of the meal.
Once dinner is over we all help clear the table so Donnie can do the dishes, including Casey and April who had come over just as we had finished and suggested playing a game. To which Mikey brought up some game called "Mazes and Mutants" that he said they hadn't played in a while.
So next thing I know everyone of us, even Splinter, is sitting in a circle in the middle of the living room, excluding Leo who is getting the game and Donnie who is probably almost finished with the dishes. Helping clean up the rest of the kitchen didn't take very long since there are seven of us.
As I'm about to join the circle with everyone else, Leo comes back into the room with what I'm assuming is the game in his hand. The others don't notice yet as they're talking and laughing with each other, or when Leo pulls me aside a few feet away from the slightly loud group and lowers his voice.
"Just so you know, I asked Donnie not to bring up the stitches anymore while everyone else is around."
My eyebrows raise in surprise, and a bit of worry as I look up at him. "You didn't have to do that."
"I could tell it bothered you. And I knew he'd understand if I asked him."
"So it didn't bother him then?" I ask hopefully.
"You're overthinking." He lays a hand on my arm and smiles. "Of course it didn't bother him."
"Good." I exhale. "... Thank you. That was sweet."
"Sure. So you can un-tense your shoulders now," he says smiling a bit. When he says that I realize my shoulders are a bit tensed up. I chuckle and release a relieved sigh at the same time, feeling my shoulders lower themselves and relax. Leo chuckles as he steps past me. "You really need something to help you relax."
I roll my eyes playfully and take my seat in between April and Raph, at the same time that Leo sits in between Splinter and Casey.
Throughout the entire game Splinter and I spend most of the game being confused, since we're the only ones who haven't played the game before other than that, and it's a really weird one at that. How Casey manages to completely understand the game so easily during his first time playing and manage to be winning baffles me. But that doesn't matter so much since we're all having such a good time and a lot of laughs. Even as we sit on the floor in the middle of the very lived-in living room that's spent most of its time being dirty; scattered with pizza boxes and video games and comics and VHS's– and Mikey's underwear that I've been readjusting to for the past few months.
Life with four boys has proven to be difficult, but luckily I took the time to adjust from living with just myself to living with six people. Occasionally eight when April and Casey come over. Thank God the lair has enough room for that much. And the boys have all done their part in helping me by deciding to be less careless with leaving their messes around.
But ultimately, I think I might be happier this way... I always really enjoyed having my own place in the apartment and having the alone time when I needed it. But inevitably around winter or summer break there were those times when music or Disney movies and Netflix shows or piles of junk food didn't fill the void of silence left by lack of company. I hardly got out of the apartment except for the rare occasion when I would meet up with Camila and some of the others from f/a. Here it's drastically different. There's hardly a time when I can ever find myself left alone, but it never bothers me that much because simply living with this family is an adventure.
I realize that despite all of my complaining, if there was a place I had to stay confined to indefinitely, I'm grateful that it's here with all of these guys.
• • •
Several hours later and we're still playing the game, having laughed for hours. Splinter has already retired for the night, but the rest of us remain strewn across the floor or leaning up against the couch. Drinking lemonade or soda– or tea if you're Leo, and eating some (fav/dessert) throughout. In my opinion, this is how summers should be spent. Late nights with friends and games. It's always nice to relax like this; everyone can let go of their cares and worries for a while.
But I'm reminded that all good things must eventually come to an end when we finish out the last game. I sigh and drop the 20-sided dice onto the game board. "I still don't get it."
Some of the others chuckle. "I think you're too used to normal board games." April tells me.
"I think you're too used to a normal life," Raph corrects to me, making me laugh.
I grin and pick up the dice, throwing it at him. "I used to be, and then your brother just had to save me one day."
Leo rolls his eyes playfully. "I'm so sorry." He says flatly. Mikey laughs along with me and the rest of us, and I look over at him as he plays with Ice Cream Kitty. Next to him Raph is holding Chompy on his arm and petting him to sleep, which, I gotta admit is kinda cute. The sleepy Chompy lets out what sounds like a yawn, and at the same time fire comes from his mouth, scaring the cat into a brief fit of clawing and spasms that cause her to knock over a glass of lemonade that sat on the couch, spilling onto the floor as well.
"Guys, come on. The living room's already enough of a mess as it is."
"Don't worry..." Mikey tells Leo in a calm voice in order to soothe Ice Cream Kitty. "I'll have it cleaned up by tonight."
"What's tonight?" I ask as I sit up.
"... Um, did I say tonight? I meant now... Right now. I'll clean it up right now." Mikey rambles as he starts to get up, visibly winking in the most un-sliest of manners as he passes Leo on his way into the kitchen.
Leo lightly rolls his eyes, in contrast to his usual overt manner. Which means that, like Mikey, he was trying to hide it. But I don't bother in trying to figure out why the behavior or anything, because by the time I'm sitting up I'm feeling hungry again. We ate dinner at such an earlier time than usual. Maybe I'll try to find some bag of chips that haven't gone stale yet to hold me over until tomorrow morning.
My eyes go to Casey as he checks his phone and then rocks back up into a sitting position. "Hey, it's almost time for night patrol."
"Oh yeah, we should hurry." April says as she starts to get up. "I'll put the game up and change."
My eyes flicker between the two of them. "You guys are going on patrol with them tonight?"
"Yeah, being out of the loop was super boring." Casey tells me as his back leans against the couch and he fiddles with the rough fingerless gloves on his hands. "It's time to get back into action!"
"Plus it's easier to cover more ground this way." April explains.
"That's why I asked them to do it today. Now that they're done with the college tours."
I smile playfully and rest my head on top of my hand, looking at Leo. "You like to make sure I'm all alone during the patrols don't you?"
"What? No." Leo laughs. "That's not it at all."
"Oh don't worry, you won't be alone." April says, getting up with the organized box the game is in, moving to put it up and scurrying past Leo as he gives her a pointed look.
I'm assuming she's talking about Splinter, even though he went to his room and probably to bed a while ago. But before I can ask, Leo is looking over at me.
"Um, Y/n, there's something in my room that I wanted to show you..."
"Okay...?"
Leo gets up and walks over to me, offering me his hands and making me smile as I place mine in his, and he pulls me up.
As we walk to his room he doesn't let my hands go, walking backwards as he pulls me along. "Are you excited?" He asks me playfully.
"I'm... nervous." I laugh, wondering why he's so excited to suddenly show me something in his room. Leo rolls his eyes at me before smirking mischievously, making my eyebrows raise. "Wha–" Before I can even ask anything, with a gentle yank, Leo quickly pulls me towards him flush against his chest. Next his arms are encircling my waist and pulling me up over his shoulder again. "Ugh, Leo, no!" I groan again and start wriggling to get out of his hold.
I can practically hear him smirking as he says, "This is your punishment for that remark," and continues towards his room.
I roll my eyes at the back of his shell. "You're so meeeeeeeeeean!" I whine like a little kid, because right now it's all I can do since he refuses to put me down yet.
"Yep. That's me." He says nonchalantly, and I can't help but giggle because of the show it reminds me of. "Don't try to come up yet." Leo warns, and a second later I can see that we're passing through his doorway. Luckily I gave up on my struggling 20 strides ago, otherwise I might've hurt myself by hitting the doorway while being carried through; like Leo obviously realized.
And finally, Leo grabs my waist once again, in a way that tickles me a little because his fingers touch some of my stomach. I can't help but giggle while he carefully supports my weight as he bends over his bed, draping me across it until I'm laying down on his sheets. When he pulls away I bite down on my bottom lip to silence my brief fit of middle-school-girl giggles. But I can tell by the way that Leo looks down at me after I've done so, that he enjoyed it. A smirk soon spreads across his face and next thing I know, he's climbed on top of me with his face hovering inches above mine. His hands rest on either side of my head, same with his legs surrounding mine, trapping me.
...
Is this the surprise?
"Um..."
I squirm a bit under his gaze, hyperaware of the body heat radiating off of him and seeping into my now-rattled senses. My skin crawls in anticipation of I don't even know what.
How did it only take him a second to make me feel like this?
My hands reach up awkwardly and play with the tails of his eye-matching blue mask that hangs over his shoulders to dangle above me. "Uh... hey there, Captain..."
Leo's eyes turn from hot-mischievous to adorable-amused as he breaks his dominating stare and chuckles down at me.
Yep. He's way used to my awkward by now.
But how else am I supposed to react? He's hovering over me.
With his door closed.
On his bed.
When Leo leans down and presses against my body, my hands become trapped in between the two of us, flat against his chest. His heart beats through his shell and against my fingers. I can feel his lips go to my neck and pick a spot to toy with. His breath is even and calm in contrast to mine as he kisses all over one of the neck areas where I have to admit, I love being kissed by him the most, making a soft smacking sound each time he pulls away and then kisses me again.
My fingers clench in sudden anxious excitement as I stare up at his ceiling, my eyes met with nothing but blank space to stare up at and making me hyperaware of his lips moving against my tingling skin.
"What's this for?" I breathe, closing my eyes.
I can feel him smile, nuzzling my skin. "Totally selfish. I just wanted to hold you."
My teeth bite down on my bottom lip once again. He pulls away to see my face, and I can't help smiling up at him. I know I'm blushing, but I didn't really care this time. He smiles back and peppers my unharmed cheek with kisses, making me giggle. He chuckles and continues along my face. "You are so adorable."
I shake my head, making him roll his eyes before leaving more kisses.
"Stay in here for a minute okay?"
"Hm?"
I didn't even hear what he said, but I'm more focused on his lips toying with me at the moment.
When Leo pulls away I can see that he's not nearly as flustered as I am right now. He never is. It's impossible for me to figure out how in the world he stays so cool and collected all the time. It makes me envious of him but admire him all the more at the same time.
"Stay in here with the door closed while the others help me get things ready."
Suddenly, the presence of his body disappears from mine, and I can feel myself being able to breathe again. I can feel the moment de-escalating in my bones as he moves off of the bed, leaving me so suddenly.
"W-wait..." I start to sit up disorientedly, at the same time trying to gather all of my thoughts as the neck tingling starts to fade. Until I finally remember what it is I'm forgetting. "Wait, I'm confused. What was it you wanted to show me?"
"Uh... take a free five minute personal tour of my room!" Leo says with a bit of a shrug, sounding like he's in a hurry. "I'll be right back."
"What? Wait. Leo, this doesn't make any sense."
"I'll be ready in exactly five minutes, okay?" He asks as he steps towards the door. That's when I notice a smile forming that he tries to suppress.
"... Ready for what?" I ask again in further confusion.
"You'll see." He grins at me knowingly before opening his door. "Don't leave the room." And with that he closes his door, leaving me in an empty room of Leo.
I'm completely lost as I sit dumbfounded in the middle of Leonardo's room, on his bed that smells like him. I'm tempted to lean down to smell the sheets so I can enjoy the sentimentality, but that would be creepy. So I don't do that.
"Ninjas, I need this place spotless and cleared out in less than five minutes!"
Instead I get up and ease closer to the door, listening as Leo fires off commands on the other side, almost sounding like a drill sergeant. There's something else Leo says after that that I can hear, and almost understand. It was quieter and sounded like it was meant specially for one person. But I couldn't understand a single muffled word. When my curiosity gets the best of me I can't help not even trying to restrain myself as I turn his doorknob and open the door a crack.
Only to be met by the backside of Casey Jones.
"Casey?" He's already turning around to face me. My eyes try to look past him, but his close and taller figure prevents me from seeing anything that may be going on behind him. All I can tell is that there's a whirlwind of teenagers doing something in a rush in the living room. "What's going o–"
"Sorry, Y/n. I've been given strict instructions not to let you, under any circumstances, outside of the room or to let you see anything before it's time."
"Anything of what?"
"Nuh uh, that trick doesn't work on me anymore." Casey says as he points at me and then crosses his arms with his normal smug smirk, as if he's avoided being outsmarted. "Like I said, I'm under strict orders from Leo."
"How strict?"
"Lock-you-in-the-room-if-necessary strict." He answers.
I sigh and lean against the doorway. I could probably outsmart Casey in this situation if I wanted to, but physically I won't stand a chance. So I don't argue as Casey's smug smile widens and he makes a circling motion with his finger for me to turn around and go back into his room. With crossed arms and a pout, I acquiesce and oblige, sitting myself back on Leo's bed while hearing Casey close the door behind me.
So after five boring minutes of listening to quick moving footsteps and idly playing with Leo's Captain Ryan doll, the blue masked leader finally comes back to his room to fetch me. I note the sudden silence on the other side of the door as well as Casey's absence as Leo walks in towards me and claps his hands together with a big grin.
"Are you ready?"
"No... For what?"
"Wait a second, what are you doing with my Space Heroes Captain Ryan action figure?" I smile and try not to laugh at how he always feels the need to unnecessarily use the full name when referring to his dolls.
"I was playing with him while I got bored since you imprisoned me." I respond casually and looked down at Captain Ryan– more like Little Leo– and start moving around his little arms playfully in example.
Leo rushes to my side and ever so carefully takes the figurine from my hands. "Whoa, whoa, whoa– okay, the Space Heroes Captain Ryan action figure is not meant to be played with." I watch in quiet amusement as he turns and places it back on his shelf where it was before, being so careful to place it just right as if his life depended on it.
"Ya know it used to be me you liked." I quipped, making him turn back to me with a pointed look. With a sigh, I hop up and stand next to him. "Are you gonna tell me what the past five minutes of craziness were about?"
Leo looks in my direction again once he knows all of the figures are safe, and flashes that heart warming smile in my direction. "Why tell you when I can show you? Close your eyes."
"Wait, why..." I ask suspiciously.
"Just trust me and close your eyes. You wanna see what it is don't you?" And with that, I sigh again and close my eyes. "And put your hands over your eyes. No peeking." I obey and do so. Even though I can't see it, I can feel Leo waving his hand in front of my face. "Good."
Next thing I know his hands are on my shoulders, and he starts steering me from behind.
"Is this the part where you take me somewhere secluded to kill me and then bury my body to cover your tracks?"
Leo laughs and gently squeezes my right shoulder to take a right. "Something like that."
Okay. That mischief in his voice is not helping me feel any less nervous...
"Aaaaaand," Leo stops me and turns me in a slightly different direction. "Here we are." I feel him move from behind me, around my side to my front. And then I feel him place a quick kiss on my nose, and I'm grinning like an idiot.
"Ok, move your hands and open your eyes."
I waste no time in allowing myself to see again, more than eager to see what all the fuss has been about.
And I have to take in the scene before me very slowly.
I'm standing in the living room, only it's not even the living room anymore. It's a better cleaner version of it from a different dimension...
At least it would seem so since I've never seen it this clean and spacious looking during the time I've been staying here. The entire room is rid of the stray comic books and VHS tapes and Mikey's questionable underwear– thank God.
Not only that, but there's this lovely arrangement that's been set up. What looks to be a couple of folding TV trays that you eat on are pushed together, under a plastic table covering that lays on top to make a small table that will seat two. And on top of the table there's a little flower arrangement of my favorite color, and a few matching votive lit candles line horizontally across the middle. There are two place settings set up across from each other with silver platter domes in their places.
It's make shift but still so simple and romantic. Especially with the lights turned down like this...
((These are extremely cute and romantic so I thought I'd share them. But it's your date so imagine it however you guys envision it when I described it, only you're sitting much closer to each other 😉))
"... What is all this...?" I ask quietly as I turn to Leo beside me.
He grins. "I promised you a second date, didn't I?"