Disclaimer: I don't own the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Spoiler alert! Spoilers for a few season 3 episodes! Also this is a continuation of Shelled up.
Leo x Reader (2012)
It has been three months since you had fled New York city, Leo had finally woke up. It seems every time you left the house something would go down. First there was the whole Creep thing, then you came home to find Big Foot, the Momster from the Krang, then the giant mutant frogs, the Dream Beavers and now Casey insists on going after Speed Demon to quote "Teach that guy a lesson." Sighing you returned to the large pot on the stove gently stirring as you added a bit of seasonings. "Oh hey (Y/N)," Leo said limping into the kitchen. "Hey," you smile turning your head in his direction. "What're you making?" He asked motioning to the pot. "Oh… nothing special. It's just soup," you smile brushing some of your (H/L) behind your ear. Slowly you took a small spoon dipping it deep enough to get some broth and lift it to your mouth, lightly blowing to cool the hot liquid. After cooling it you wrap your mouth around the shiny flatware turning it over to lick it clean before pulling it out, you give a semi satisfied hum as the warm liquid washes over your tongue and down your throat. "Could use a bit more salt," you mutter sprinkling a pinch of salt into the soup. "Leo… could you help me out?" You ask glancing over to him. "Hm? What do you need?" He asked walking over to you. Grabbing another spoon and getting a sample you lightly blow on it before holding it out to him. "Taste this." You say holding the small spoon out just above your other hand to keep any from spilling on the floor. Slowly he leaned in allowing you to feed him the warm broth and humming as he swallowed. "Wow (Y/N) where did you learn to cook like that?" He asked with a warm smile. "Oh… I uh had a chef in the family. He always held his passions close and proud. I remember he'd always be late to family gatherings to prepare something both aesthetically pleasing and tasty." You smile turning back to the pot. "Wow he must have been a good teacher," He smiled sitting at the table. "Oh. He didn't teach me. My parent(s) did. I just used to talk and share the passion with my uncle. We had so much in common especially our love for Japanese cuisine and culture. One of my fondest memories was going to sushi place with him and ordering in Japanese." You smile covering the pot and lowering the heat. "Don't worry (Y/N) when this is all over I'm sure you'll get to see him again," Leo said balling his fist. "No I won't." You softly say shaking your head. "Don't say tha-…" Leo started. "You don't understand. Last year he died, from a terminal illness. He's gone…" You sigh washing the two tasting spoons.
"(Y/N), I'm sorry I…" He started. "It's fine. You didn't know. Sides he lived a long happy life, so for that he was grateful. Anyway I should probably tell the others that dinner is ready," you say leaving the kitchen. "Dinner is ready you guys," you call into the living room. "Alright!" Mikey calls out stretching on the couch. "Want me to go tell Casey and Donnie?" April asked standing from the stairs. "If you wouldn't mind," you smile. "No problem." She smiled back heading for the door. Everyone quickly served themselves and spread out to eat Raph, April, Mikey ate in the living room, Casey and Donnie returned to the barn to finish the hot rod. Leaving you at the table with Leo, alone. You both ate in silence until you stood to clean up your dishes. "I-I'll get it," He said standing and knocking the chair over. "It's fine, really." You smiled walking over to pick up the chair. "I could have gotten that too you know," He grumbled as you set the chair back in it's right place. "It's fine. Are you done with that?" You asked motioning to his bowl. "Only if I can wash it," He answered. "I'm already going to wash my own, I'll take care of it." You offered reaching for it. Suddenly you and him were fighting over the dishes, trying to keep the other from grabbing it. Before you knew it you had lost footing after tripping over his foot, falling back you reached out grabbing his shoulder and he leaned in to catch you. His sapphire orbs stared directly into your (E/C) eyes, blush dusted over both of your faces as your heart raced. "Am I interrupting anything?" Raph asked in a teasing tone from the door way. Surprised and embarrassed Leo let you go, hitting the ground hard you groaned. "Oh sorry," He said looking down. "Smooth Romeo," Raph sarcastically rolled his eyes. "I'm fine," you said pulling yourself up. "Guess Raph can have the dishes," you smile dropping yours and Leos bowls into the sink. "Raph's got dishes? Sweeeeeeeet!" Mikey exclaimed dropping his bowl and spoon with the others. "Thanks Raph," April smiled piling hers into he sink as well. "Fine. I got this," Raph said starting on the dishes. "But Donnie and Casey are on their own." He called as you all left.
The next evening everyone had gone out to catch Speed Demon. After beating him everyone returned home yawning and stretching. "Hey (Y/N) don't you have something you want to tell someone?" He asked patting your back. Your eyes widened in surprise before you gritted your teeth and balled your fist. "Now is not the time," you tried to sound cordial. "But you said…" He started but you stomped your foot so hard a ring of dust was pushed from where you stood. "I said it's not the time Raphael, so drop it." Though your tone was polite your presence felt dark, like a huge storm cloud formed around you prepared to strike anyone who pushes the very touchy subject. After your confession to the unconscious Leo when you first got here you ran into Raph just outside the bathroom. You knew right away he'd heard you though he hadn't teased you until Leo woke up. Thankfully he knows how to keep a secret yet April pretty much caught on from Raph's teasing and managed to get it out of you as well. Everyone was quiet stunned by your sudden mood swing, taking a deep breath you went to get ready for bed or at least taking a hot shower and sitting in front of the window of the bedroom you were staying in. Silently Donnie mouthed a phrase to Raph and they got in a silent argument which promptly ended as they went their separate ways. After showering, drying and dressing you sat in the dark bedroom staring out of the window, silently brushing your hair. It's true you had said that after Leo had woke you'd tell him, but if things weren't getting in the way you probably would have already said it. Though the fact remained that there are far more important matters to deal with as of now. "He needs to focus on getting better, then we'll have to worry about going back to New York city. I can't burden him… with what I have mulled over and over." You silently remind yourself. Laying down you struggle to find sleep, over and over you kept having nightmares the past week. After the whole frog thing you decided leaving the farm house wasn't an option since every time you left something just had to happen and you'd get to here about it over dinner. Finally drifting off into darkness you found yourself once again floating through the void.
It always starts so nice… normally. But today you were thrown right into the worst part, your nightmares hadn't bee this bad since the first week here. You stood alone in a desolate New York city, there were burning buildings strewn about, Shredder's and the Krang's forces flood the streets. The ground had become soft yet thick, like you were being pulled down into mud, sinking down into the lair where your doom awaited. You'd much prefer to drown or be ripped apart by the Shredder repeatedly the face the terror below. Bound and chained, powerless to escape as your friends and family had shouted at you. "It's all your fault! You abandoned us! You could have helped, where were you when we needed you? We've lost loved ones because of your dumb ass! You were so afraid of your own feelings, real people suffered real injuries! You're selfish! Selfish! Who'd ever love you? He'd never choose a coward like you! You're a failure! It should have been you! You should have been left and forgotten like the rest of us!" They continued shouting. "Stop!" You awoke with a start gasping as you held your chest. Looking down to your phone you realized it was the wee hours, running your hand through your (H/C) hair as you slumped out of bed. Shivering you made your way through the cold dark until you reached the kitchen where purring came from the freezer, filling a small cup with water you gulped down the cool liquid. "They're only getting worse…" You mutter refilling your cup. "What is?" Leo asked from behind. "Nothing. What are you doing up?" You ask turning around. "I heard you shout. Are you okay?" He asked. "O-oh. Yeah, it was just a bad dream…" You trail off tracing the rim of the glass with your finger. "Is that what's getting worse?" He asked looking deep into your (E/C) eyes. "It's nothing… really." You try brushing it off. "Why do you shell up when I'm around?" He asked stepping towards you. "What?" You ask shocked. "You think I haven't noticed? For a while you didn't let any one in, then you warmed up to Donnie and now the others. Do you not like me or something?" He asked sounding hurt. "That's not it, I like you a lot!" You say knocking the cup from your grip. It shattered and water spilled every where causing you to curse, grabbing a towel and squatting to pick up your mess you felt his gaze on you un-moving. "Sorry… it's just. I feel guilty." You cave throwing the broken glass out and ringing the towel dry. "Guilty? Why?" Leo asked eyeing you. "Because… the day of the invasion. I was late on purpose. I didn't want to show up… with my innards exposed. I was fighting an internal struggle and couldn't face you guys like that… but… if I had been there…" You struggle to fight back your tears as your shoulders began to tremble.
"It's not your fault. In fact I'm glad you didn't get hurt by getting involved," Leo said pulling you towards him. "It destroyed me… seeing you like that… I wish it was me," you sob breaking down in his embrace. Your words struck him hard causing his eyes to widen, he'd never known you cared so much about him and his family. "…And every night I have to face the image of you being thrown through a window over and over again… only for you and everyone else to tell me how selfish I was! I abandoned you guys over some stupid thought that doesn't even matter…" You said between sobs. Slowly he rubbed your back trying to console you. "I didn't want anyone to see the weak coward I was… I couldn't let people I cared for try to take care of me… but I wasn't there for them…I-I'm a horrible friend…" You cry. Silently Leo lifts your chin for you to look up at him, wiping away your tears with his thumb as he stares into your tear filled eyes. "But that's what friends do for each other, they care for each other no matter what the struggle is. Hiding and pushing us away won't fix anything," He said softly drying your eyes from the now silent tears. "L-leo… there is something I… need to tell you," you mutter lowering your gaze. "What is it?" He asks with concern lacing his words and expression. "…I… I have developed feelings for…" You started then paused swallowing hard. His eyes widened as you looked back up into his blue eyes, a sudden spark of confidence had been struck in your darkened eyes. It was the first thing Leo had noticed after waking, your eyes had dulled from their usual vibrant fire and right now the smallest flame was making it's presence known. Slinking an arm around his neck and slowly placing your other hand on his check you inched closer. "…Thief." You whispered as your tired eyes fell half open. He had to think about it for a minuet but he silently closed the distance between your lips kissing you softly. "And I don't plan on giving it back," He smiled before kissing you again. "So I take it, the feeling is mutual?" You ask between heated kisses. "You have no idea." He answered pressing you against the counter. "So I take it that is what Raph was hinting at?" He asked with an amused smile. Silently you nod in response. "How long has he known?" He asked tracing kisses over your cheeks and stopping with one on your nose. "Three months? Donnie has known longer though," you shrug. "Geeze, took you forever then." He teased rubbing his nose against yours. "Well… how long have you liked me?" You ask making him blush. "Well… uh let's just say a while," he answered and kissed you again to end the conversation.
"Geeze get a room," Mikey said passing by and stopping in front of the freezer. "Yeah some of us would actually like to eat," Raph teased pushing past you guys. "Heh heh. I just thought of a really dirty joke to go with what Raph said," Donnie chuckled sitting at the table making you both blush. "H-how long were you there?" Leo asked looking over to his brothers. "Long enough." They answered. Letting out a soft yawn you grab Leo's wrist, "I could really go for a nap." Getting the hint Leo allowed you to lead him from the kitchen to your bedroom, cuddling together under the covers you fell asleep in the leaders warm embrace to find better dreams, though they don't compare to real life at the moment they'll suffice.
Thanks for reading and please do leave a comment! Hope you enjoyed my reader insert and let me know what you think! ^-^
