A/N: Written for LeoSagi Week for the "Disaster" prompt. Now with more cuddles to appease my beta reader. ;) Enjoy
Miyamoto Usagi stepped across the courtyard, the crunching of snow against his feet, and his own breathing, were the only sounds that accompanied him. Under different circumstances the ronin would have taken time to appreciate the way the gardens looked, blanketed by the snow, or the frost the wrapped around the trees. Today however, Usagi could not help but feel apprehensive towards these signs of winter, well aware at the dangers underlying such beautiful sights.
To say that the past few days had been unnerving to the samurai would have been an understatement, as a sudden and unexpected storm had made traveling into the province an arduous task. The snow in the air and on the ground made it difficult to discern local landmarks, and the sparse lodgings in the area ensured that many nights were spent outside rather than in a warm inn. Dealing with these hardships each winter was an unfortunate reality of being a ronin, but it was doubly challenging when traveling with a companion.
Leonardo had agreed to visit Usagi so that they could enjoy the last moments of autumn together, for the season was the turtle's favourite. At first their time together had been enjoyable, enjoying the conversations that naturally flowed between them and the comfortable silences they shared. The early snow, and subsequent blizzard, had turned their gratifying excursion into a frantic race to reach the Geshu province.
To make matters worse, along the way Leonardo's cold-blood had betrayed the turtle, causing him to quickly develop a chill, which soon developed to a cough. The turtle's voice, which in normal circumstances was already quiet, had become a whisper. They both knew, though neither of them said it aloud, that if Leonardo did not receive some medical attention soon, things would turn even direr for the turtle.
He thanked all the gods he could think of when they finally approached that house on the outskirts of the province. While it took some time before a doctor could properly tend to the ninja, the homeowners, an elderly couple, were especially helpful in ensuring that the turtle was fitted into dry clothing and was kept by the fireside at all times. When the doctor did arrive he brought some medicine to help with the cough and the difficulty the turtle had with breathing, which took several days to heal. During this time Usagi had written to Lord Noriyuki, alerting him as to why the duo was taking longer than anticipated to reach the palace. The young lord was especially empathetic, and considerate, to their plight. He offered for a means of transportation to bring them to the palace, once Leonardo was well enough to travel, and the snow on the main road was cleared.
When Lord Noriyuki's transport finally arrived the turtle's breathing was much easier, and his temperature was near normal, but he still spent most of his days sleeping. Still he was conscious enough to be guided inside of the norimono with ease. Leonardo smiled fondly as Usagi wrapped several blankets around the turtle, and joked that before long there would be more blankets than turtle in the space.
With this task complete, Usagi saddled himself with a spare horse, the runners took their positions, and the party was off. Thankfully the amount of snow had depleted since the initial blizzard, but the party still moved slowly to ensure no one would be injured from any remaining ice. This made Usagi anxious, but he understood the necessity of their restrained procession. He wondered how Leonardo fared in his palanquin. The ronin personally loathed that method of transportation, it always made him feel seasick, but then again so did the "cars" that Leonardo had commonly traveled in, so perhaps he was unaffected.
Their arrival at the Geshu palace was a glad one, with Tomoe Ame greeting them at the gates and directing them towards the chambers where Leonardo could rest. Upon opening the sliding door to the palanquin Usagi smiled, seeing his lover resting in a deep sleep. Until recently, the turtle's sleeps had been fitful, so to see him sleep deeply was a sure sign of his recovery. He reluctantly nudged the ninja awake, and guided his dear friend across the palace grounds, and then through hallways until they finally reached their room. With their new living space, Usagi ensured that Leonardo was fitted in the sleeping clothes that Lord Noriyuki's servant brought before them, as opposed to the now chilled outfit that the turtle wore on the journey. With this task complete, the ronin brewed some tea and set out the medicine that the healer had provided them many days ago. The supplies were running low, but judging by Leonardo's progressive recovery this would not prove to be an issue.
After drinking the tea, and taking the medicine, Leonardo went back to the same deep slumber from before. With the additional privacy allotted to them, by having their own room, Usagi had decided to take the opportunity to lie next to his partner. It had been several days since they had been last able to sleep side-by-side, as all of Usagi's energy had been put towards ensuring that his lover would recover. He pulled his futon next to Leonardo's, and carefully maneuvered himself next to his partner. He laid a little on top of the turtle's left side, but not too much so that he could breathe easily, and nuzzled his nose into the green flesh of his mate's neck. A content sigh escaped Leo's lips. Usagi continued to watched over him before, slowly, succumbing to sleep himself.
This had been three days ago, and now Leonardo was mostly recovered. While he still slumbered longer than he usually would, the turtle's breathing was easier, and his temperature returned to normal. Still, Usagi had seldom left his partner's side during those three days. He was concerned at the risk of a potential relapse, and made sure the turtle would want for nothing. Despite being familiar with this other dimension, so much that it could be called the ninja's second home, Leonardo was still very much a guest in this world, and Usagi was loathed to have anything to happen to his lover under his supervision. Leonardo was no different; whenever Usagi had visited New York City, the turtle would ensure that the ronin was as comfortable and safe as possible.
Usagi smiled to himself. New York City made him think of a much happier time, many years ago, when he and Leonardo enjoyed the winter together. It had been his first "Christmas", and he had hoped to make a good impression to his guests. He had saved his gold for several months in preparation to buy his gift, for it would be in poor taste to give a dear friend a poor quality present. The process of finding the correct blade had been a challenging one, for it was difficult for a samurai to know what sword a ninja favoured, but he finally found a blade that suited his goal. The katana was lighter than most, and yet it was clear in those practice strokes that the blade was ideal for those with 'unique' fighting styles. The sword could adapt and flow to the more unorthodox of techniques, such as Usagi's own, and despite its light build could still create a harsh blow to one's enemies.
Satisfied the ronin purchased the blade, and anxiously awaited for the day he would send his gift. The result was greater than the samurai had hoped, as he saw the turtle's eye widen in appreciation and joy. Much to his surprise, his recipient had the same thought, as Leonardo presented a wonderful blade before him.
While he seldom, if ever, used the katana in combat, he still enjoyed keeping the weapon with him. The "Christmas katanas", as they had been nicknamed, initially served as a symbol of their friendship for each other, but as their relationship developed and changed so did the blades' meaning. Now they served as symbols of their love for each other, to the point that Leonardo's brothers had jokingly referred to them as "engagement rings". (He still recalls the flush on Leonardo's face as he explained the joke, and the way his own cheeks heated).
His life had changed in many strange and unusual ways after their initial meeting at the Battle Nexus. Most would not believe the tales he would tell about the adventures that he had with the turtle and his brothers, and many still could not believe a samurai and a ninja could become as close as they were now. But, even as they faced numerous trials, be they enemy's fought or personal demons slayed, Usagi was proud to continue on this path with his dearest friend. His brother-in-arms. His heart.
The rabbit exhaled deeply, his own breath billowing out like a small cloud of worry. He knew it was not his fault that Leonardo was unwell, truly it was no one's fault, but the guilt still ate away inside of him. Still, the walk outside had proved helpful, as it both calmed the ronin's nerves and reminded him of something important. The storm was over, and they were both safe.
With this in mind Usagi turned back to the main palace, only to pause at the sight before him. Leonardo was standing on the garden veranda, a small smile on his lips. There was a blanket wrapped around his shoulders, which was a sign that the turtle was not as cold as he was previously.
Usagi sped up his walking speed, a difficult task given the layer of snow beneath his feet, and practically sprinted once his feet touched the wooden floor of the veranda. He embraced Leonado, internally cheering at the warmth he felt on his lover's skin, and felt his friends wrap his arms around him.
"I did not wish to wake you," Usagi admitted.
The turtle smiled, "Don't worry, you didn't. I just needed some time to stretch my legs. And from the looks of things so did you."
The pair pulled back from their embrace, relief clearly displayed in both their features. While the two had seldom left the other's side, it had been quite some time before they could talk with each other, and actually enjoy their partner's company.
"Do you feel up for more than tea and rice porridge?"
The turtle nodded. "You have no idea. I feel like I haven't eaten in months!"
The rabbit laughed. "Then I suppose it will be my job to make sure you are well fed."
Leo quirked his brow. "Oh really? What if I told you I had an appetite to rival Mikey and Casey?"
"I am a man of my word Leonardo. Or do you doubt my skills?" Usagi stated with a playful smile.
Now it was the turtles turn to laugh, gods how Usagi missed that sound. "I would never doubt you Usagi."
The pair continued to banter as they continued to their room. The storm was over, and they were safe.