Days turn into weeks.
Christmas has come and gone.
Koda still hasn't heard of her family.
The holiday was rather dull, numbing even. But Koda played along happily as to not drag down everyone else.
The boys did their best to make it an enjoyable past couple of days. Koda couldn't be more appreciative.
But despite the smile she forces everyday, she feels absolutely nothing.
She rushes Raph, trying to land several jabs.
"That's it! There ya go!" Raph says trailing backwards, blocking every quick attempt with his forearms.
He gives a punch and she throws his arm away managing a surprise and fast kick to his mid section. He stumbles backwards gripping his stomach. Koda doesn't pursue, catching her breath.
"Good one." He squeaks and crumples to the ground.
Leo still has no idea why she seeks Raph as her sparring partner. She's been getting her ass handed to her everyday until just now. And he's just had to sit and watch.
"I've been waiting for that." She huffs going to help Raph up.
"So have I." He laughs taking the offered hand.
She has much to learn but what she has picked up so far is more than impressive.
"See, told you I could handle him." Koda says confidently resting her arm on Raph's shoulder.
Leo shakes his head smiling. "I guess so."
"Throw weapons in there and you'd lose in five seconds." Raph says patting his sheathed sais.
"We'll have to see about that." She jokingly taunts walking away to take off the protective wraps on her hands.
Bruising beginning to take over her scarred hand as it does after every training session... everyday. The pain isn't even bothersome anymore, if anything, she embraces it as the only way to feel something other than empty and just existing.
Raph makes his way out of the dojo to leave Koda and Leo to their meditation. Everyone seems to have settled into a routine and the lair has been peaceful. Boring even. Koda does find at least a little entertainment in the strenuous training. It's kept her physically fit if nothing else.
"Hand still bothering you?" Leo asks as Koda tiredly sits beside him.
She stops the subconscious rubbing of her left hand.
"Yeah. I wish it would just quit it." Koda says rather aggravated, comically shaking the offender limply with her other hand.
Leo chuckles, "I told you, these kind of injuries take time." He holds out his hand and Koda happily slaps the sore appendage into his so he can work his magic.
The healing hands have been helpful although they are useless due to Koda's lack of giving her hand time to rest. The kind and consistent gesture from Leo however, is pleasant. It's the only physical contact she really gets everyday, something she sorely misses from her family. A family that is very huggy... and arm punchy.
"Are you worried about Raph going to that new year's party this weekend?" Koda asks trying to make conversation as Leo massages her hand.
His eyes are focused as a he presses and releases some tight muscles.
"A little. I'm just concerned about him drinking. Especially with a bunch of strangers."
"Well, he's got Casey, April, Donnie and Mike." Koda says biting her lip to stop the searing pain that suddenly crept up without warning.
"You trust any of them to watch him? Especially after they've been drinking?"
"Fair point- Ow!" Koda rips her hand away.
Leo's face is apologetic as he watches the poor girl nurse her hand.
"I think you need to take a break from training."
"But I'm finally kicking ass."
Leo laughs. "Once. You kicked butt once." He holds her shoulder while she continues to squeeze the source of pain tightly. "Three days off."
"No fair!"
"Consider it a new years vacation."
Koda playfully punches his shoulder. "Fine."
She focuses on her hand a few seconds more before deciding to bother Leo.
"You been doing okay?" The question becoming more infrequent over the past few weeks as he comes around.
He hasn't suffered a panic attack in a few weeks since the one that made his brother's stay in his room. Koda is glad that something seems to have worked.
"Yeah." Leo rubs the back of his neck, Koda's eyes gently pick him over. "The um... bad dreams... they're starting to stop." He looks more to the side so Koda can't read his face.
At the mention of dreams he remembers one of the few pleasant ones he's had as of late. That reoccurring dream involves Koda... and him. And although he disguises his energy well, he's finding it more difficult by the day to hide his expression from the young woman. She all the while seems completely oblivious despite being incredibly intuitive. Leo's not sure what to make of that: annoyed or thankful.
"I'm still having a lot of anxiety." He says, starting to feel that very anxiousness now.
"I think you are naturally a very uptight and anxious person." She comments. "So get used to that. But also learn how to let go, man." She mocks a California surfer accent.
"Hmpf, yeah. I wish I could just let it go."
She shrugs with a smirk, "you'll figure it out eventually."
With that she straightens her posture and slips into meditation with Leo joining her.
Leo's favorite time of the day is getting to spend these quiet mornings with Koda. Not because he's alone with her, but because she understands. She listens. She heals.
He's starting to find the idea of her not being around a difficult one. She fits in this family almost perfectly. Sometimes what gives him the most anxiety is that at one point, she'll go back home.
The next few days continue on and new year's eve creeps up rather quick. Raph, Donnie, Casey and April head topside to attend the party. Mikey, who intended to join, ended up bedridden from a cold of sorts.
Koda has half a mind to join in Mikey's place. See what these city people do for fun and perhaps get out of this boring lair. But she decides to hang behind: one, to take care of Mikey and two, keep Leo company. She's tried her best to convince Leo to go and enjoy himself, however he was adamant that he'd have more fun staying here.
In all reality, he doesn't want to babysit his drunk brothers and friends then escort them home. If he goes then they throw away all responsibility and he gets stuck with bunch of idiots while he has to be the adult. Which Koda understands but wishes Leo doesn't have to feel that way about it.
The pondering on the matter stops as she leaves Mikey's room and quietly shuts the door. The poor thing is sick as a dog and Koda can only do so much for him. Currently the youngest is out cold, his fever finally took him out.
"How is he?" Leo asks as Koda crosses the kitchen to wash her hands.
"Alright. He's warm but at least he's not still hackin' like a forty year old heavy smoker."
"I feel bad. He gets sick on at least one holiday every year." Leo says putting his phone down.
"Well social butterflies tend to catch everythin' goin' around." Koda chuckles as she sits.
"Apparently. Mikey is no exception."
They sit awkwardly for a moment.
"So this is fun." Koda says picking up a glass of water from earlier.
"I sense sarcasm."
"You're senses are on point."
Leo chuckles, "did you have something in mind other than taking care of Mikey?"
Koda shrugs. "No. But I am bored." She slouches and rolls the cup around along its base, tempting the water against its edges.
"Yeah. Lair isn't very appealing when everyone else is having a good time up top."
Koda nods still playing with her glass.
Leo watches her, just as bored himself. An idea strikes him, but he's unsure Koda will be keen on it.
"We could uh... go to dinner... I guess. Murikami's. We've brought food down from him before."
"Oh, the dude that makes them pizza dumplin's right?"
Leo flashes a smile, "yeah."
"Sweet. Let's go."
...
Koda slips through the front door into a very busy and crowded restaurant. Patrons standing and sitting alike make it hard to get to the counter as she weaves through trying not to bump anyone or get bumped. A task unsuccessful as half the people here are at least a little tipsy.
She manages to get to the counter. The bell has long been broken. Unsure of herself, she calls out the blind man she's never met.
"Murikami. Sir?"
The aging plump man turns around and approaches her.
"You are a new voice. Have we met?" His tone is sweet and friendly.
"Oh no sir... I'm uh pickin' up for Leo... erm Hamato." Koda feels awkward.
"Ah Leonardo... I see he finally got a girlfriend." Koda's cheeks flush red as the nice man reaches below the counter to grab the order.
Murikami chuckles scooting the bag across the hard wood. "Well I can't actually see. But you do sound lovely, my dear."
Koda gives a smile as she exchanges the money for the food.
"Thank you, sir."
"Please, no need for formalities. A friend of the Hamatos is family to me."
Koda nods then becomes embarrassed realizing the blind man can't see that.
"Right ah... thank you. It was nice to meet you."
"You as well, dear. Have a happy new year."
"You too." Koda turns to leave, beginning to feel stuffy around all these folks and of her awkward interaction.
A few native New Yorkers give her an uncomfortable stare as she makes her exit. They can tell a country girl when they see one... and hear one. While these people mean no harm, they are just curious- Koda thinks how she better try and drop the accent when in public as to avoid trouble and unnecessary attention.
She gets back outside and gets around the alley corner, the cool air feeling ten times more refreshing than when she walked in the joint two minutes ago.
Leo greets her in the shadows and takes the bag.
"So why'd I have to deal with all the people? That was just about the most odd feelin' interaction with society I've ever had."
Leo tries to stifle a laugh.
"On super busy days like this we try not to go in there. It's a small restaurant. We don't want our dumpling man to lose customers."
"I know that. But them people were starin' at me just as strangely as they would've you."
"Yeah but a lot of people won't come back to a place they've seen a mutant in."
"True." Koda replies defeatedly, finally losing the embarrassment of being in that building moments ago.
"Now, let's go get a good view of the new year's ball." Leo says leading her down the street.
"The ball? Like the one I've heard about here?"
"Uh yeah... Don't know that there's another." Leo chuckles.
"I've never seen the ball drop. We don't have TV back home and the closest to a city I've ever been is Kalispel." Koda states as she quickens her stride to keep up with Leo long legs.
"Well then I've got something cool to show you."
...
The two sit side by side watching the new year ball from atop a roof, finishing off the food from Murikami's. The ball is a good distance away, but close enough they can lightly hear the crowd partying below.
"Pretty cool huh?" Leo asks turning to see her face.
"Not as cool as lighting off a hundred illegal fireworks at once in the backyard." Koda chuckles, her eyes scanning the distant city lights dancing amongst the black of night.
"I take it that's how you rednecks celebrate everything."
"Damn straight, boy." She laughs meeting his gaze. "This is cool too though."
"Being a self proclaimed pyrotechnic does sound a tad cooler."
"As long as we're on the same page about which is better." She laughs, her eyes are gentle with her wide smile.
Leo chuckles softly, how he wishes he grew up in the woods. He finds the city life less and less attractive these days. Though, he does enjoy either himself or one of the others giving her a grand tour of something new everytime she goes topside.
"I want to move to the countryside someday." Leo says, observing the girl's tanned cheeks which have long begun to fade after months underground, in the winter no less. Slowly revealing freckles otherwise not seen on her previously darker skin.
"Where would you go? I personally highly recommend the Rocky Mountains of Idaho."
Leo giggles, "I'd stay a little closer. April's got this farm house in the Adirondacks that we can use anytime for anything."
Koda nods looking back out across rooftops. A long strand of silence sits between them.
The turtles are about twenty, if Koda recalls properly. But none of them really seem to have strayed far from how they grew up. Something she sort of understands yet doesn't. She can tell they all want to stay close despite growing into very different adults with different wants.
"Why haven't you gone already?" She finally asks out of curiosity.
"I don't want to leave my brothers. Or you... We have to get you home first. Then I'll consider it again."
"I kinda messed thin's up didn't I?"
"No. Not at all. Weird things like you are completely normal for us to be dealing with."
Koda gives him a smiling side eye as his whole face turns red.
"Oh so y'all do think I'm strange after all?"
"No! No. You're not weird. No. I-I meant t-that... like... weird events like us saving you from the Kraang... very common.. er no... just we're used to it-"
Koda cuts him off laughing.
"I knew what you mean, silly. I'm messin' with you."
"Oh... sorry." Relief washes over him but his face is still red.
Koda wants to laugh but doesn't want to embarrass Leo further.
"Well, I never took you for a country boy." She states trying to reignite the conversation.
His big blue eyes would look beautiful in the sunlight, she realizes she's never seen him in real daylight.
"What did you take me for?" He asks, his signature smile returning and making his face bright.
Koda shrugs, making her long braid of hair slip back behind her. "Not sure. You definitely aren't city oriented." She tilts her head looking him over. "A pair of of chaps and a cowboy hat would suit you though."
They both laugh.
"I'm not sure I'd make much of a cow wrangler."
"Maybe not. But it'd be entertainin'. Us country folk would sure love to see a man sized turtle get tossed around by a bull. Heck, we'd make a festival out of somethin' like that."
Leo laughs so hard he snorts.
Koda chuckles, "I'm quite serious too."
"I know. That's why it's funny." Leo says as his laugh rolls off.
The two just stare, smiles plastered on their faces just a few feet apart. Leo leans in and presses his lips against Koda's. For a split second of numb confusion, she doesn't fight it.
She abruptly pulls away as it hits her, "Leo!"
Leo jumps back. His eyes widen like a deer in headlights as his cheeks flush bright red. He nervously looks away.
"Sorry! I-I don't know why I did that! That was selfish. Stupid. I'm sorry."
"No its ok... I just wasn't... wasn't expecting it." She looks away too, feeling embarrassed. "There's just too much going on right now."
Leo nods in agreement. His cheeks are still red but fading. "I know. And that was a jerk move. I'm so sorry."
"Stop apologizing like a damn Canadian."
"Sorry."
Her family crosses her mind as the "too much going on."
After months of putting these feelings away: she starts to cry and that activates Leo's panic button. He doesn't know whether to comfort her or just sit there... so he awkwardly exists in the middle of those choices.
"I didn't mean to... Koda..." Leo's arms are half way to embracing her, but he stops himself short, not sure thats now the best idea.
"It's not your fault." She wipes her eyes. "I guess I should've seen that coming."
"I didn't mean to push anything on you. I didn't... Don't cry... that was dumb. I'm dumb." He says still panicked.
Koda shakes her head sniffling. "You're not dumb, Leonardo."
"Am I something worse? Curse me out with one of your creative insults. I deserve it."
She flashes the panicked turtle a smirk through tears. "No, you're a good guy, Leo." She looks back off to the new years ball as it drops and he watches with her as the crowd below cheers.
She's only ever heard of people kissing at the drop of the ball, not necessarily regretting being kissed. She thinks herself stupid for not figuring out Leo sooner. She's been so caught up in everything that she never even gave Leo or anybody that kind of thought since home. It shocked her more than anything. She feels bad for not being more prepared to deal with this. After all, she is living in a lair with a group of young men, turtles, but still guys. She pushed Raph off. But Leo she wasn't expecting.
The silence is long, awkward and daunting. Koda strives to end the uncomfortable air.
"It's... It's not you I'm upset about." Koda says sniffling and wiping her cheeks.
"Do you have someone back home? I'm sorr-"
"No. No... My family." She daps her eyes on the back of her sleeve.
Leo desperately wants to apologize again but keeps his lips pressed shut at the threat of being called a Canadian. Which he isn't really sure is an insult but she says it like one.
Koda does her best to shove the emotions back down. Crying won't do anything for anybody.
Koda gives a light chuckle as her tears fade. "You know, I've only ever kissed two boys... My brothers beat up the first one. Second one ran away at word of the first. We can count you as the third." Leo gives a half smile.
Koda takes a deep inhale, putting away the feeling of anymore tears. "The rest of the boys in school were too afraid to come near me. I've never had a relationship. And with everythin' thats happened... I don't know... its just too much."
"I've never really had a relationship either... Now isn't exactly a good time for either of us to learn. I'm sorry."
"No. It's not."
"I'm sorry."
"If I acknowledge your apology and forgive you: will you stop apologizing?" Koda softly chuckles with a sniffle.
"Yes."
"I forgive you... Lets just forget about this for a while... and go home... Should probably check on Mike." Koda grabs the trash off the edge of the roof top and stands.
Leo and her head home, utterly silent the whole walk back.
Upon entering they find Mikey balled up in a blanket at the kitchen counter.
"Where were you guuuys? I'm so thirstyyy." He whines.
Koda strolls over quickly. "Mike, we have phones ya'know. And water isn't hard to get."
"I wanted juice." His hoarse voice still whining.
Leo slowly joins them and disposes of the trash from dinner that Koda handed him a while ago on the walk back.
"Thats not hard to get either, Mike." She tries to hide a chuckle as she goes in the fridge for the gallon of cranberry juice.
She pours him a glass and he pathetically looks up at her from his deep slouch.
"What?"
"Can you do the thing where you mix it with orange juice?" He pleads with puppy dog eyes.
Koda affectionately rolls her eyes and returns to the fridge for the requested juice. She mixes the two and Mikey's sad eyes light up.
"Thank you, bartender."
Mikey pulls out a straw from under the blanket and sticks it in the glass. A straw he only could have gotten earlier from the container on the counter five feet behind him. He's been waiting all this time just for her to make a simple mix of juice.
Koda jokingly shakes her head at the youngest while she puts the juices away. She gatches a glance with Leo as she turns back around. The corner of his lips give her a half smile. She doesn't reciprocate and heads for the cupboard with plans to make Mikey some soup.
Leo's eyes dash to the floor. If he could undo that kiss he would.
He heads for his room without saying anything. Not wanting to stand there and make both of them feel weird.
The next morning, Koda doesn't join Leo for morning training. Leaving him feeling guilty as he sits alone in the dojo, praying Koda eventually makes her way there.
Raph enters, stretching his arms.
"Is the star pupil ready to get her ass handed to her?" He laughs strolling up to the tense Leo. Noticing the spunky woman is nowhere to be found, Raph glances around awkwardly. "Where is she? Afraid to pay for yesterday?"
"No... I'm surprised you're not too hung over to train today." Leo replies trying to divert the conversation.
"I only had a few shots. Decided to actually enjoy the party." Raph plops a seat next to Leo.
The silence aggravates the hot head.
"So where's the spitfire? You didn't lose her last night did you? You know Donnie hates when he loses his science experiments." Raph chuckles referring to Donnie testing physchic powers on both Koda and April recently.
"No." Leo gulps feeling tight in his own shell. Part of being close with his brother again involves sharing things, no matter how uncomfortable or how much he may be made fun of for it. "I think she's too uncomfortable to come in."
Raph raises a brow with folded arms, waiting for his older brother to spill the beans.
"I... kinda... sorta... may have kissed her-"
Raph comically hits Leo on the top of his head with his fist.
"You idiot! Even I wouldn't have done that."
"You weren't there!" Leo defends himself rubbing his head.
"Yeah but I know what you were looking at. You're way in over your head, dummy."
He sighs. "I know... it was just spur of the moment."
"Yeah. What'd she say about it?"
Leo shrugs, his hand finally dropping from his head to his lap. "That it's just too much right now... I agree."
"Well, I know why you did it. You're lucky that she's a smart, level-headed woman or that could've gone very south."
Leo nods.
"You're also lucky she's not a six and a half foot tall alien salamander or your ass would've gotten beat." Raph chuckles standing to leave.
Leo gives a haphazard smile to his leaving brother. He has no idea how he'll find peace enough to meditate today. As a matter of fact it's been months since he last meditated with out Koda.
Seconds later Raph burst back through the door with a squirming Koda over his shoulder.
"She was on her way. A little late for morning training."
"Put me down you green idiot!" Koda shouts playfully, smacking her fists against his shell.
"What an insult." Raph sarcastically mocks. "I say we show her what master Splinter used to do to us for being late."
With that Raph gently tosses the young woman on the ground. She sits up, fire in her eyes.
She softens looking to Leo, a forgiving smile on her face.
Leo returns the smile.
Everything is going to be alright.
But first, he and Raph are going to tag team Koda for being late.