Disclaimer: I do not own any of the TMNT but Shelly and other side characters used in this fic are owned solely by myself.
Note: I base my writings off of the Classic TMNT comics and/or 2k3 Cartoon series. Any reference to something being wrong that has to do with the Classic toons or 2k12/Nickelodeon series will be ignored.
For those of you who read the What We Hide series, here at last is the alternate storyline. This was the original storyline for What We Hide but was scrapped due to how dark it was. This is not a happy story, it is dark, twisted, and explores a side of Leo not usually mentioned. Tony will make a short appearance but not in the way you will expect. Sit back, buckle up, and get ready for the darkest story I've ever written; a story of loss, revenge, and brutality unlike any other.
"Find beauty not only in the thing itself but in the pattern of the shadows, the light and dark which that thing provides." -Junichiro Tanizaki
A figure in a dark hoodie and dark wash jeans was leaning heavily on a black cane as he searched for a needed key to enter the building he were standing in front of. At first glance, this individual looked like nothing more than an ordinary citizen. A closer look, though, revealed that this individual was one of the mutants living in the City, one who appeared to have been brutalized. A silver scarf was layered to cover the neck and lower part of the face, hiding all but the edges of some nasty looking scars. After a few moments, the needed key was found and utilized. With a gentle push the door swung open, and the individual stepped inside. There was a soft sigh from the mutant as he glanced up the stairs that led to the upper floor. He grunted in something akin to frustration before walking over to the , with slow and obviously struggled movements, the mutant made his way up the stairs, gripping the railing while leaning heavily on the cane with each step upward. When he finally reached the floor he seemed to be looking for, he paused at the top, breathing in sharply. The mutant's green hand was gripping the banister, knuckles nearly white from the force behind the grip. He grunted and shook his head before limping over to the door, again leaning heavily on the cane while he searched through the keys again. This time, however, the door flew open before he could fit the key to the lock.
"Leo, where the hell have you been?" a young woman sputtered, her amber curls and light mocha skin accented by the warm light behind her.
The mutant who had just made his way up the stairs, simply sighed and made a gesture that seemed to be a request to enter.
"Yeah, yeah get in here," she snapped, shoving the door further open to allow him in.
Leo made another gesture as he passed her.
"Don't you sass me," the woman snapped, "I know what you do at night. Don't pretend those stairs actually bother you."
The mutant grunted before easing himself onto the couch with a sigh, running a hand down his right leg before massaging the knee. The woman closed the door then looked at him with a frown. Leo ignored her for the time being, working his fingers along the thigh and knee of his right leg, pain flickering through his features every few moments. The woman shook her head and walked over, batting his hand away before starting to work the cramping muscle herself.
"You should really take better care of this leg," she muttered.
Leo touched the back of her hand to get her attention, then signed out something with his hands, which caused the woman to smile.
"Yeah, yeah, I know, but it's kinda hard not to be your best friend when I'm your only friend, jackass," she teased.
Leo chuckled roughly, pulling his leg away and rubbing his face with a free hand, which caused the woman to sigh softly. They remained about a foot apart, the woman leaning over, her elbows resting on her thighs as Leo looked away; his scarf was still covering his neck and lower face.
"Are you going out tonight?" she asked after a moment.
Leo glanced down at one of his hands but didn't reply. He shifted forward and touched her knee gently before making a gesture that indicated something akin to "maybe" before moving his other hand and adding another motion to the gesture. It was sign language, not the typical Standard American Sign Language, but something close. In reality, it was something that Leo had developed years ago after a near fatal accident had rendered him mute. He had told her "sorry" in the best way he could. The woman shook her head, stood, and then walked away towards the kitchen. She seemed more worried than angry.
"You come home broken up, exhausted, with your knees and hip in worse shape than they already are. I don't understand why you do this to yourself," the woman snapped, throwing plastic dishes into the sink and watching them bounce with a grunt of satisfaction.
Leo rose slowly to his feet, stumbling and wincing as his leg twinged painfully. He limped over to her, leaving his cane against the couch he had previously been sitting on. He walked with the stiff, stumbling steps of someone who knew they could collapse at any moment. Once he reached the young woman, he reached out to grip the counter, then gently placed a hand on the small of her back in a gesture meant to comfort. She glanced at him and then glared when she saw the smile on his face. She pushed a finger to his nose which only caused him to smile more, revealing the scars along his mouth.
"Don't you...dammit," she groaned and muttered angrily, "How the hell did you learn to do puppy eyes like that? I can never stay angry with you."
Leo chuckled roughly, the sound of his voice harsh and garbled. He made a series of gestures in reply.
I had a little brother.
He seemed to pause after that before clearing his throat and standing upright, his hand resting more firmly on the counter after he returned it to the surface. The woman laid her hand on his, and neither moved for a moment; the abrupt silence seemed to stretch on forever.
"Leo… have you ever thought about contacting them? It's been ten years...they might've… changed their minds," she whispered.
Leo jerked up and moved away as if he'd been stung. The smile was gone, instead and in its place, a dark frown was turning down the edges of his mouth and twisting the scars there. His hands moved in a sharp gesture that could be interpreted as anger.
They want nothing to do with me.
"Leo," the woman started, "It's been ten years. How do you know they aren't worried? That they haven't been looking for you? Last time any of them had heard from you, you were suicidal."
Leo turned and glared, his hands moving in subtle gestures accented by bold movements.
Then they can continue worrying or think I am dead.
With that, he turned and limped away, snatching up his cane and leaning into it as he passed the couch before entering a back room and slamming its door closed.
"Oh, Leo," the woman sighed.
She finished washing the dishes before making something for dinner. Once it was done, she opened the fridge to grab two bottles of beer, bumped her hip into the fridge door to close it and then walked down towards the end of the hall. She stood outside Leo's door for a moment, smiling at the blue sign hanging there with his name on it. Across from it was her room, with a bright cheery yellow sign and her name Shelly written on it. They had made the signs on a joke one evening and never took them down. It seemed to help with the dreary and battered look of the cheap apartment they shared. Shelly shook her head, before knocking lightly on Leo's door with a knuckle. When there was no response she adjusted her hold on the plates and drinks before opening the door and stepping inside.
Leo was stretched out on his back with a headset on and the drone of loud music coming from them. His eyes were closed and he had changed out of his street clothes. Instead he was wearing only a pair of loose black lounge pants, the scars on his torso and arms all too visible. Most of the scar tissue was from burns but some looked like scars from a whipping, and others were obviously self inflicted knife wounds to his forearms. Shelly shivered a little when she caught sight of the scars on his throat and face. Those scars never ceased to make her cringe. They too were mostly from burns, but also accompanied by brutal slash marks that crossed over his throat more than once, up his face, through his right eye, and even around his mouth.
Shelly turned away from him and looked for his desk, snorting in humor when she saw the light armor tossed across it. she pushed it to the floor with her elbow and then sat the food and drinks down. She jumped when she spotted his mask, it was shaped like a japanese demon mask. Leo called it a hannya samurai mask. Most of Leo's armor and gear was black or dark grey, but his mask was blue. In reality the mask was part of a lightweight helmet that helped protect his head. There were sensors in the right side that gave Leo a warning for incoming attacks since he was blind in that eye. All of this gear was for something that Shelly didn't like.
Street fighting.
A brutal all out, no rules, series of fighting matches with cash prizes to the winners. She couldn't deny that despite Leo's handicaps, he was good. Leo won more than he lost, but was always in horrible shape after each fight. People died in those fights at least Leo always came home. Shelly held his mask and shivered at the wicked, fanged, grin it offered her.
On the streets they called him Ao Akuma or "Blue Devil". She wasn't sure she wanted to know why. She glanced over at Leo who was still stretched out on his bed, headphones firmly in place, with his eyes closed. He knew she was there, he was just ignoring her.
She sat his mask down, walked over to him and jerked his headphones off his head. Leo sat up and glared, his good eye flashing gold in annoyance.
"Next time you fight, make sure I am there," she stated firmly.
Leo raised an eye ridge at her, then after a moment he nodded before signing out his reply.
You won't like it.
"I know, but you're my best friend Leo. I want to cheer you on," she whispered, then turned away abruptly to walk over to his desk.
After gathering up the plates and drinks she sat on his bed and offered them to him. Leo accepted them and watched her curiously. Neither of them made any attempt at conversation for a few minutes.
"I'm sorry I brought up your family," Shelly whispered after finishing her food, "and for what it's worth I'm sorry about what they did to you."
Leo shrugged roughly without looking at her but Shelly saw the sorrow in the down turned face. She knew he missed them just like he missed Him. Leo had so many secrets, so many horrible memories, and so much sorrow. Despite this, his heart was kind, which was a rare thing in someone who had been through the kind of horrors he had experienced. Around Leo's neck was a simple silver chain necklace with three small pendants. The first was a silver disc with the letter "L" cut out, the second was another silver disc but this time the letter "T" was cut out. The last pendant was the Japanese symbol for Yu which Leo had later told her meant courage. Leo was never without this necklace. He had given Leo the "T" pendant and worn the "L" pendant on a matching chain. The last pendant was one that Leo had gotten for himself as a reminder to never give up against the odds he faced. Shelly reached forward and gathered the pendants in her hand. Leo paused, allowing her to look at them.
"You've never told me his name," she asked softly.
Leo placed his hand over her's and sighed then signed into her hand a name that he hadn't told anyone in years.
Tony.
A/N: I know I've been MIA on here lately. I've had issues in RL to deal with; mostly medical. Astra, What We Lose and What We Gain, and Fallen Angel will be continued as soon as finals are over and I can catch my breath. This story will be updated bit by bit as I get further along with the others mentioned above. Please leave a review!