Chapter 4: What she wants
Nora sighed as she stretched out on the turtle's couch, her laptop in front of her, the screen lighting up her face in the darkness. Why was he just so damn beautiful? He had the most symmetrical face she had ever seen. If only she could reach out and touch it, from an artist's perspective of course. She did not wish she could kiss every part of his sexy face. Shut up. Letting out another sigh Nora rolled over in her white washed jeans and black long sleeve. She felt her blue beanie fall off her head as she stared at the ceiling.
"Ugh!" she rubbed the heels of her hands under her glasses and into her eyes. "Why can't he be a part of my life?"
"Who?"
Nora let out a yelp of surprise and rolled off of the couch, landing heavily on the stone floor. Groaning she propped herself up on her forearms and looked up. The four turtle brothers had returned from their patrol earlier than she expected. Leo jogged to her side and offered her his hand. She took it and offered him a small smile of thanks, wincing as her shoulder throbbed. She felt Leo's worried gaze on her as he let his hand linger against hers.
"Who's this?" Turning Nora gasped and lunged at Mikey who had picked up her laptop. He dodged her clumsy attack easily and jumped behind the couch. The smile that spread across his green face made her stomach drop to her feet. "What? Is this your booooyfrieeend?"
Nora snapped straight, feeling her face start to flush red. From beside her she felt Leo tense and the other turtle brothers smiled with Mikey. Clenching her hands into fists Nora leaped over the couch after Mikey. He let out an excited scream and ran around the lair. She tried to chase after him but damn that turtle was fast! Turning around he ran backwards as he inspected the picture on her laptop screen and tsked.
"Nora I didn't know you were into bad boys. Naughty girl,"
Grinding her teeth together Nora pushed herself faster, fueled by her anger. Mikey, noticing she was catching up, tossed her laptop to Raphael who inspected the picture with Donnie looking over his shoulder. They both chuckled and soon fell onto their shells laughing. Nora's face felt as if it had been lit on fire. Raphael sat up and turned the screen to show Leo, trying to speak through the fits.
"You… you like guys… who wear… EYELINER?" Nora's face twisted into a snarl as she approached the two brothers on the floor.
"He's not wearing eyeliner he has dark eyelashes," she fumed swiping the laptop from Raphael's grip and shutting it with an angry snap. Leaning over the back of the couch she grabbed her bag and beanie before stalking wordlessly towards the turnstiles.
"Nora, come on Nora it was a joke," Mikey called. "Come on!" Nora ignored them and disappeared into the shadows of the sewers. Leo glared at his brothers, still smiling despite Nora's anger.
"Nice going," Raphael rolled his eyes and pushed himself to his feet.
"Whatever, you're just mad because it wasn't a picture of you," Leo scowled.
"No, I'm angry because you exploited something personal of hers for your own amusement," Raphael smirked.
"She'll get over it. What she won't get over is the fact that you are a goody two shoes and that turns her off,"
"Its not all about sex Raph. Maybe you'll learn that if you find someone," Raph growled.
"What like you and Donnie? Yeah you two really seem to have it together," Leo sighed and turned towards his room.
"I'll show you goody two shoes," he whispered.
The next night Nora walked along the empty sidewalks, passing by alleys cast in shadow from the dim streetlights. The plastic bag with her dinner dangling from her fingers crinkled as it bounced lightly against her thigh. She hadn't been back to the turtle's lair since yesterday and even though she had already forgiven them she wasn't sure she wanted to deal with the teasing that was waiting for her. Looking up from where her gaze was fixed on the pavement she saw a figure leaning against a lamppost a few feet from her. Tensing she kept her pace but reached into her back pocket for her mace.
She approached the figure; clutching her bag so tightly she was sure he r knuckles had turned white. Every step bringing her closer she remembered her self-defense. Mace the eyes, crush foot, bring face down on knee, kick stomach repeated in her head like a mantra. Then she was within the circle of orange/yellow light, her eyes trained cautiously on the figure she passed by quickly; and paused. Something about that filled out shape looked familiar. Silently turning around she looked back, feeling relief swell in her chest followed quickly by annoyance. Nora stalked towards the figure, angrily shoving the mace back into her pocket.
"Leonardo Hamato you gave me a freaking heart attack! What are you doing out here someone could see you!" she fumed quietly, trying not to draw attention.
The leader turned casually in her direction, still leaning against the lamppost with his arms and legs crossed. Nora's brow crinkled in confusion as she saw what he was wearing. A black leather jacket hung open, exposing his plastron as if it was his bare chest, the collar popped up like a 1950s greaser. Dark sunglasses covered his eyes and a toothpick stuck out from between his lips. His mouth twisted into a smirk resembling Raph's, Nora bristled in irritation. Slowly Leo reached up and took the toothpick from his teeth with a silver decorated hand. Were those rings? Did they even make rings that big? Tossing the toothpick to the side he stood to his full height, being half a head taller than Nora.
"Don't worry about it babe. I'm not,"
"Excuse me?" Leo turned his attention to the plastic bag hanging from her hand.
"What do we have here?" He moved too close to her too quickly, their chests almost touching. Nora's face flushed red and before she could stutter out an answer the bag was pulled out of her grip.
"H-hey!" Leo dug through the contents, pulling out the pizza gyozas she had picked up. Though she normally refused to eat the strange foods the turtle's normally liked she had to admit, the pizza gyozas were good. Leo opened the container, steam escaping into the cool night air, and started to eat them. Nora's mouth fell open as she froze in shock, her body refusing to let her stop him. When the turtle had finished he threw the carton aside, letting out a loud burp. Nora's cheeks flushed red with anger and she shoved him, registering the surprised look on his face before the infuriating smirk was back.
"What?"
"Y-you just- what's up with you?" Nora stammered, still in shock. Leo's smirk grew and he stepped towards her.
"I want to show you something fun," He leaned forward and she could feel his breath against her ear. She hadn't realized how close he was. "You do like fun don't you?" Nora could feel her cheeks burning, was she on fire?
"I uh,"
Before she could stutter out an answer she felt Leo bend down and wrap an arm around her knees. Air rushed past her face and she raised her arms to protect her face from hitting his shell. The scent of leather and something musky filled her nose, making her gag. Opening her eyes she watched the light grey of the sidewalk turn into the dark, rough concrete of an alley. This was all moving so fast for her. Nora was still in shock about Leo eating her gyozas. Leo ate her gyozas. Her hands curled into fists and she was about to yell to be put down and pound on his shell when he took her from his shoulder. The movement was so smooth she didn't realize that she was sitting sideways in his lap. Or that he was sitting on a motorcycle.
He turned the key and the engine rumbled to life underneath her, making her scream in shock. She felt Leo laugh against her shoulder as he leaned forward, bringing his face closer to hers, and pulled back on the throttle. The bike shot forward out of the alley and, tires squealing, turned onto the street. Nora gasped as she was thrown back into Leo, desperately wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her head into his jacket. For a long time she only saw darkness and heard the growl of the motor as Leo took them around the city. She felt him lean down and talk in her ear.
"You should open your eyes,"
She frowned, her grip tightening around him, but turned her head away from his jacket. Keeping her eyes closed she felt the wind rush past her face, loud in her ears, and when she finally opened her eyes she gasped again. They were on one of the bridges that connected Manhattan to Brooklyn. Over Leo's arm she saw the Statue of Liberty and, straining to look over his shoulder, she glimpsed the city, lit up brilliantly against the dark night sky.
"Beautiful isn't it?" Leo's voice was soft and thoughtful. The hard edge from before had disappeared. His lips brushed lightly against Nora's ear as he spoke and she shivered. Noticing Leo pulled her against his plastron and wrapped his jacket around her. She zipped it up part way to keep the ends from flapping in the wind and rested against him. All thoughts left her mind and she ignored the fact that Leo was acting strange, if only for one beautiful moment.
Leo dropped her off four blocks from her apartment an hour later and left without saying goodbye. When the motorcycle had turned a corner out of sight Nora growled and stamped her foot in frustration before turning and jogging home. She reached her building ten minutes later but the doorman refused to let her inside, saying her stepmom had instructed him to do so. Fuming Nora kicked the front door, making the glass wobble dangerously, and stalked down the steps to sit on the curb. She pulled out her phone and hit the only number she wanted to call.
"Hello?" April's sleepy voice filled the line after the third ring.
"Hey April. I'm sorry I know it's really late," Nora said.
"It's alright. What's going on?" April yawned into the receiver as she spoke.
"My stepmom locked me out of my apartment building. Can I stay at your place for the night?" Nora could hear the defeat heavy in her voice. She heard rustling on the other end and the soft click of a door.
"Yeah come over. My aunts asleep on the couch," April finally said.
After a profuse amount of thank you's Nora hung up and took the subway to April's. When she reached the brown-bricked apartment building the time on Nora's phone read 12:30. The doorman politely let her in and guided her to the elevator, wishing her a good night as she pressed the button. She stood in front of the burgundy door with a metal 35 screwed into the wood. Sending a quick text to April she leaned tiredly against the wall in the dim hall light. Did she look as wild and angry as she felt? She didn't want to scare April. The doorknob turned and the door opened, catching on the security chain. Leaning forward Nora peered into the darkness and offered a small smile to the bright blue eye staring back at her. The door closed and the clicking of metal echoed through the wood before it swung wide. April stood in white cotton shorts and a purple t-shirt. Her ginger hair, out of its usual ponytail, hung loose and wavy around her shoulders. She yawned a greeting and stepped to the side, gesturing Nora in.
The girls quietly padded across April's aunt's apartment, listening intently to the steady rhythm of snores coming from the darkened living room. Only when April closed her door did Nora let out the breath she had been holding. Turning April leaned against the door and looked Nora over before raising her eyebrows.
"What happened?" Nora's brow creased.
"I told you I-" April shook her head knowingly.
"Something else happened,"
Nora rolled her eyes and sighed, letting herself fall backwards onto April's bed. She felt the mattress sink beside her as April sat down and waited for her to start. Letting out a long breath Nora recounted what had happened tonight. When she finished she turned her head, watching April's face contort in concentration. Then, to Nora's surprise, she smiled and soon fell backwards, consumed by giggles. Nora's chest tightened with hurt as she watched her friend. When April finally regained her breath and looked over she smiled even wider.
"Wow you really don't see it do you?" The hurt dissolved into confusion.
"Don't see what?" April rolled her eyes and shoved Nora playfully.
"He likes you silly," Nora shook her head.
"No, if he liked me he wouldn't have been so rude," April snorted.
"Leo's trying to impress you, he must think you like the 'bad boy' type," Nora's eyes widened as she processed this new information. Did he really like her? She tried to think of a time when he acted like he did. April watched her, sitting cross-legged on the plain bedspread her aunt had given her. "Do you like him?" she asked quietly.
Nora's chest tightened, stopping her breath. Did she like him? She had never really thought about it. She started to twist the covers around her fingers as she thought. How she couldn't help but smile whenever he did. How she couldn't seem to breathe regularly whenever he touched her; came close to her. How she relived every moment she spent with him in her dreams. Finally she looked up at April who was quietly waiting for an answer. Her eyes suddenly widened and a smile spread across her face, bigger than before.
"Oh my god you do like him!" she said loudly. Nora jumped forward and covered April's mouth with her hand.
"You're so loud. Do you want to wake up the whole city?" April rolled her eyes and gently pulled Nora's hand down.
"Stop trying to change the subject," Nora sighed and stood up, suddenly not able to keep still.
"Well, maybe I do? Ugh I don't know!" she dragged her hands down her face as she paced back and forth along the carpet.
"Oh you two would be so cute together!" April gushed, pulling her knees to her chest and resting her chin on them. Nora stopped pacing and turned to April with a small smile of her own.
"Not as cute as you and Donnie would be," Even in the darkness she could see April's cheeks darken.
"We- we're just friends,"
"Yeah right, he has the biggest crush on you, and since you're wearing the t-shirt he gave you I'm guessing the feeling is a little more than mutual,"
April grabbed a pillow and threw it at Nora, landing on her face. She grabbed the pillow and, smiling, hit April on the side of the head. They both fell onto their sides, laughing silently. Nora rolled onto her back and watched the light of a passing car travel across April's ceiling. The muffled sounds of the city seeped through April's windows as Nora lied and stared. Her world seemed to have been blown apart in the last ten minutes and she waited impatiently for the fallout, but it never came. She turned her head and watched April, curled around the pillow they had fought with. Her hair fanned out behind her delicately as she slowly breathed in and out. Nora's own eyelids started to droop and soon she had fallen into her dark subconscious.
The next morning April's aunt hadn't been surprised to see Nora walk into her kitchen with April. They had eaten breakfast and Nora left to change, promising to meet up with April and the turtles later. When she had entered her stepmom's apartment she made sure to make as much noise as she could before escaping to the roof. She wrapped her sweatshirt covered arms around her knees as she watched the world pass below her. Even the sound of people yelling at each other in the streets was music to her ears. Leaning back she took the pencil from behind her ear and started to draw.
Her phone rang, shattering her concentration. Putting her pencil between her teeth she picked up the shell shaped device Donnie had given her for her last birthday and looked at the caller ID. A picture of April appeared on the screen and she answered, taking the pencil from her mouth to continue drawing.
"Hey April what's up?"
"You're late,"
"No I've still got-" she looked at the time and tensed. "Crap I'm late!"
"We'll see you in a few minutes," April replied before the line went dead.
Clutching her supplies to her chest she scrambled down the fire escape towards the street. Once there she struggled to pull the manhole cover open before slipping inside. Her shoes splashed against the drainage water as she rain through the tunnels, following her memorized route. She only stopped when she reached the entrance to the old subway station. Catching her breath she walked into the lair. Everybody was seated on the couch, looking up as she approached.
"Sorry, lost track of the time," Nora apologized.
"Is she here yet?" a voice called out from the kitchen, sending unwanted tingles down Nora's spine.
Leo entered the room carrying two bowls of popcorn. He placed them on the couch before leaning against its back, crossing his arms. A black dress shirt, left open, had replaced the leather jacket and the sunglasses still covered his eyes. Something glittered near his throat, a gold chain. Nora suppressed a grimace at the cliché.
"Nice of you to show up," Leo said sarcastically. Nora's grip tightened on her sketchpad.
"Sorry, I was busy being invited on a motorcycle ride," She said stonily.
Feelings or not Leo was still being an asshole. The turtle's mouth spread into a smirk and he jumped over the back of the couch to sit. Nora caught April's gaze, silently telling her to talk to him. Sighing she walked around the couch to the only open seat beside Leo. As she tried to sit down she squeaked in surprise, jumping to her feet. Turning she noticed Leo was lying on his side, his legs on her spot.
"Could you please move your legs?" Nora asked.
Leo gave her an indifferent look and pulled his legs off the cushion. Nora sat down, setting her sketchpad beside her and before she could react Leo stretched his legs across her lap. She glanced down at them in surprise and glared at Leo but he was already watching the movie. She sighed and pushed his legs off her lap, or tried to. He was heavier than she had thought. After a couple of failed attempts Nora gave up and leaned back to watch the movie.
Once the movie ended and the screen had turned black Nora and April stood at the entrance to the turtle's home. They hugged the three turtles goodbye and when Nora turned to Leo she found him holding her sketchbook, staring at one of her drawings. She felt her cheeks heat up as she reached towards him and snatched the pad from his hands. Glancing at what Leo had been looking at seconds before she tensed, feeling like her face was on fire. Embarrassed tears began to fill her eyes and she saw Leo's eyes widen behind his ridiculous sunglasses. Before he could say anything she turned and ran out into the sewers.
Nora ran until her breaths came in painful gasps, her sketchbook held protectively against her chest. Stopping she leaned her back against a damp stonewall, watching the air escape her mouth in thick clouds. Thoughts swarmed around in her mind like a swarm of angry bees. Why did Leo have to look at that picture? Why did she have to draw it? Nora let her forehead fall onto her knuckles. She ruined everything.
"I didn't think you could run this far," The voice made her jump; pressing the picture closer to her chest so he couldn't see. Leo leaned against the wall beside her, arms crossed, his eyes shielded by those infuriating sunglasses.
"Why did you follow me?" Nora asked between breaths. Leo's arms fell to his sides and he stood straight.
"You were crying and I-"
"Why do you care?" Nora snapped, cutting him off. "All you've been doing is making sure I know you don't care,"
Even though she couldn't see it she could tell her words had stung. Closing her eyes she dropped her arms in defeat, the sketchpad landing on the ground. Her hair fell over her shoulder and dangled in front of her face as she looked down. They both stood in silence, staring at the drawing. It was the view from the bridge Leo took her on the night before. The skyline blazed brightly through the graphite like it had when she first saw it. The Statue of Liberty silhouetted against the starry night and underneath the cords of the bridge was two figures, facing each other on a motorcycle. Their foreheads touched and Nora remembered wanting to shape the space between their bodies like a heart. Finally looking up Nora stepped towards Leo, only the sketchbook separating them.
"Leo, I don't know why you've been acting really strange, or why you decided to wear those stupid sunglasses," She rolled her eyes. "But I don't like it. I- I just," Nora paused and let out a frustrated breath. "First of all I want to see your fricken eyes,"
Reaching forward she gripped both sides of the sunglasses and gently pulled them away from his face. Leo squinted from the sudden light but after blinking a couple of times he looked down at her. Without warning her breath caught but neither of them registered the lack of steam clouds. Were his eyes bigger than she remembered? They watched her with the colour of the bottom of the ocean, giving her chills. Pulling her gaze away from his she looked at the sunglasses in her hands.
"I just want Leo back," she whispered.
Before she could register what happened the sunglasses were torn out of her grip. Surprised she looked up to see Leo stepping on them with an angry force. She watched the lenses crack and the frames bend with a deep satisfaction before stepping over the sketchpad to stop him, closing the distance between them.
"I think they got what they deserved Mr. Hamato," Nora couldn't help the giggle that escaped her as he gave them one last stomp. When he was done he turned and pulled her into him. Her eyes widened as his warm, bare arms wrapped around her, the strong, musky smell forcing its way into her nose. She didn't care. Gripping the edges of his shell she buried her face in the small area his chest, left uncovered by his plastron, and tried to control the tears that filled her eyes. After a few moments Nora pulled back and looked at Leo with what she hoped was a threatening glare.
"Don't you ever do that again," The turtle snorted and bent to pick up her sketchpad.
"I won't, promise," They began walking back towards the liar. Leo wrapped an arm casually around her shoulders, squeezing gently, and she reached around his shell to grip the back of his shirt.
"I did like the leather jacket though," Nora, said absentmindedly. Leo laughed, making Nora frown up at him but he just smiled back at her.
"Apparently you also liked the stealth bike too," he teased, gesturing to the sketchpad. Nora blushed and punched his shoulder, making him laugh again. Sighing she leaned her head against his flannel covered shoulder and smiled. It was good to have her Leo back.