Flowers
Title: Visiting Grandpa
Summary: A little girl is excited to visit her grandfather for the first time…
Rated: PG
Character: Leo, OFC
Dis: I don't own TMNT
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Leonardo heard the pitter-patter of feet outside his door but kept his eyes closed as the hinges of the bedroom door creaked, signaling that someone was entering the room. He kept his eyes closed as the bed he rest upon dipped with an added weight. He smiled as a nose pressed against his and very slowly he opened his chocolate eyes to connect with the gray ones of his niece.
"Hi Lizzie."
"Unca Weo!" The child with strawberry curls that had stolen his heart from the moment he met her grinned as she stood up then promptly plopped down on his plastron. He grunted as the air was forced out of his lungs. "Today is the day I get to meet Grandpa."
"Yes," he said with a sad smile. "It is."
"Daddy said ta go back ta bed," said Lizzie, crawling off of Leonardo's plastron and instead plopping onto the empty side of the bed. "He's cranky in the morning."
"You should've met your dad when he was younger," said Leonardo, sitting up and pulling the blanket off. "He was cranky all the time."
Lizzie giggled, pressing her hands against her mouth, her eyes sparkling. Leonardo stood and after putting on his belt and mask he held out his arms. Lizzie immediately got up and jumped into his arms. He hiked her up and then carried her out of his temporary bedroom into the hall. The farmhouse was quiet, a sound not being made save for the steady breathing and the occasional snore from his family. Lizzie held up a finger and pressed it to her mouth, making a shushing noise as he eased down the stairs.
"You're lucky I like to get up before the sun does, Lizzie."
"Unca Donnie and Auntie April sometimes does too. But only sometimes. I hafta knock before I go in their room, ecuzzzz I caught dem kissing once!"
"Trust me," said Leo. "We all have."
"Unca L-L-Weo?"
Lizzie was still struggling with her L's.
"Yes, Lizzie?"
"Can we pick f-wowers before we see Grandpa? Mommy and I take f-wowers to my other grandpa, I think Grandpa Sp-winter would wike them too."
"I think that's a good idea, Lizzie."
Leonardo made it to the main floor. When he woke up this early while up at April's family farmhouse he sometimes went out for a run or even meditated in the front yard until the sun had finally risen from its slumber. With Lizzie awake he instead went into the kitchen and sat her down at the table.
"Did you go potty, Lizzie?"
"Yes! Can I have cocoa cereal?"
"Sure."
Leo got out two bowls. He wasn't much of a cereal eater like Lizzie and her father, but he enjoyed a bowl or two with her. He poured the cereal and together they ate it. Leonardo reminded her to take small bites several times until he was gathering their bowls and spoons and setting them in the sink. Lizzie bolted for her coat and pulled it on along with her slip on shoes. He didn't worry about her legs getting cold due to her wearing flannel pajama bottoms. Soon, with the rising sun, they were out in the yard. Lizzie ran ahead but Leo kept a watchful gaze upon her as she started picking wildflowers. He smiled as a rabbit caught her eye and she did her best to chase it down, giving up when a different flower caught her attention instead.
His eyes drifted to a tall oak tree at the edge of the yard. They had gotten in late the other night, and along with helping Lizzie and getting unpacked he hadn't had time to go there. He wasn't about to now either without his brother being present with Lizzie. Behind him he heard the screen door squeak open, the stress of the spring, then the sound of the wood hitting the frame as it closed. The heavy shuffle in the grass alerted him as to who it was before he even spoke.
"Hey," said Raphael, voice laced with sleep. "She wake ya?"
"I was already awake." Once again Leonardo's eyes drifted to the tree. "She's excited to meet Splinter."
"Yeah." Leo glanced over at Raphael as he ran an evergreen colored hand down his bare face. "If I had ears they'd be talked off by now with how she went on." It was Raph's turn to look at the tree. "Five years. Can't believe it's been dat long."
"Yeah. I know."
"DADDY!"
Lizzie raced up to the brothers, hands filled with various flowers, her hair flying behind her as she sprinted. She made it to Raphael and he easily scooped her up in his large arms. She made care with the flowers, making sure none of the petals were squashed before she hugged him tightly around his neck.
"Hey, Squirt, what'cha up to?"
"Picking f-wowers for Grandpa."
"Oh… He'd like dat," said Raphael, eyes closing briefly.
"When can I meet him?" she asked, eyes imploring.
"Soon. Mommy's gotta get up first, cause she hasn't met him yet either."
"Oh." Lizzie shifted around in his arms. "Let's go wake her up!"
"Yeah, okay."
"Unca Weo says you were crabby when you were wittle," commented Lizzie as Raphael carried her back to the house.
"Oh he DID, did he?" asked Raphael, smirking as he looked back at Leonardo. Leonardo offered a sheepish smile as Raphael entered the house, the screen door bouncing closed behind him.
Leonardo swallowed thickly before staring at the tall tree. Slowly, he made the trek forward and soon was standing before a large, smooth stone with the name 'Splinter' engraved on it along with the year 2008. Leonardo got down on his knees and started cleaning the area around the rock, pulling out the weeds and extra-long grass. Finally, his hand rested atop the stone and he bowed his head.
"Father… I miss you… Raph and I can't believe it's been so long… I feel like it was just yesterday you were training us, molding us into the men we are today. We… We miss you so much but… we're okay. Raph met someone. You'd like her. You'll meet her and her daughter later. Raph has taken the role of father surprisingly well… Donnie and April are together still and have great news for you, but I won't spoil it, I want them to be the ones to tell you… Mikey and I are still searching for our other half but I'd like to think your hand is guiding us even in death… I love you…"
Leonardo looked up at the sound of the door in time to see Lizzie sprinting toward him. Behind her was Raphael, his arm slung around the shoulders of Lizzie's mother. The door opened again to reveal a disheveled April, her hand rubbing the bump that was her stomach as Donatello exited the house as well for he was never far behind her these days. Lizzie stopped in front of him and got a serious look on her face as she stared at the stone. Slowly she sunk down to her knees and placed the jumbled bouquet of flowers atop the stone.
"Hi Grandpa."
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END
