Author's Notes: I'm back in the fandom, baby! Gonna write while I still got it in me! Not sure how many chapters I've got in me, but I'm here for this fic right now. Rating has changed because I have PLANS. Let's goooo!
When Leo met Mona
Part 5
Leonardo crouched, tense on the roof of a building, both katana in his hands. Karai stood before him, dressed in black combat gear, her hair pulled tightly to her head. The blades of her own swords glittered in the moonlight. Leonardo had not been able to sense her as he leaped from rooftop to rooftop. She had appeared in front of him out of the night like a specter.
"What do you want, Karai?" he called to her.
She moved so fast, he hardly had time to block her as their swords collided. Leonardo easily had the greater strength and held fast as she pushed against him.
"I wanted to see for myself how you defeated my sensei," she hissed at him. "He was a master in the martial arts." Her swords suddenly flew through the air, quick as hummingbird wings. Leonardo struggled to keep up with her speed. He blocked several times until one blade managed to get past and sliced his arm. He jumped back at the sudden pain.
"You are no master," Karai accused, pointing her sword at him. "Yet, here you are unscathed while Oroko Saki lays in a coma."
"Maybe you can blame karma for that," Leonardo growled back. "He's a terrorist. All of you are. You put this whole city in danger and for what? Money? Where is his honor? Where is yours? It didn't matter that your master was more skilled than all of us, we had to beat him. There was no other option. And if you now lead the Foot Clan on the same path, Karai, we will beat you, too."
She smiled at him. "Let's see if you can." Quick as lightning, she charged again.
.
Raphael huffed as he climbed down the fire escape, the frigid metal biting into his hands. It was late January in New York and still fucking freezing outside. If he was a smarter turtle, he'd stay down in the warm sewers this time of night. But he was also a nosy turtle. And having recently learned exactly where Leo's friend lived, he was curious to both see this place and to observe the two when they were not aware someone was watching.
However, when he reached the level of the top apartment, the scene he saw inside was not what he expected. Mona Lisa was in there, sitting on the floor alone with a blanket around her, watching an old TV that also sat on the floor. Leonardo had left the lair a while ago. He should have been here by now.
Raphael knocked on the kitchen window. Mona Lisa perked up and rose to her feet. She paused when she reached the window, realizing this was not the turtle she was expecting.
"Red One" she said in surprise as she opened the window.
"Raphael," he clarified.
"I know. I just think it's funny the four of you are color-coded." She paused and then added, "Something I can help you with?"
"Has Leo been here? Did I miss him?"
"No, I thought he was coming over, but I haven't seen him all night." Her voice sounded congested and she gave a little sniffle. Raphael just frowned in reply, visibly huffing from the cold. A stiff, frigid breeze caught them both and each braced themselves against the painful chill. "Do you want to come in?"
Raphael was thoroughly surprised by the invitation. "Can I?"
"There's a door on the roof. Make sure no one sees you."
He was still shivering when Mona Lisa snuck him into her apartment. She immediately offered him a seat on the floor near the space heater and Raphael took it thankfully. A blanked was draped over his shoulders. Though it did little to cover his massive frame, the gesture warmed him both inside and out.
"So, you guys can get cold," Mona Lisa said with amusement. "Leonardo insists he never feels it."
"Leonardo's full of shit," Raphael shot back as he huddled near the heater.
Mona Lisa laughed at that. "Sorry this place is such a mess." She began picking up piles of discarded tissues. "I have a cold."
"Nah, it's fine. Is this really all there is to this tiny place? I feel like a turtle in a fish bowl in here."
"I'm afraid so. One giant turtle is nearly this apartment's limit. Two and we'd be at full capacity." She walked over to the sink to wash her hands. "Do you want something to eat? I have pulled pork sandwiches. I was going to give them to Leonardo, but if he's not coming..."
Raphael turned to look at her. "You've been feeding that dildo? No wonder he keeps coming around like a stray dog."
She just laughed until it turned into a dry cough. Despite the rough start, Mona Lisa was glad to meet Leonardo's brothers and the rest of his family. It was nice to see with her own eyes that he had a home and a family. It was also great to see that despite being mutants, they were a very normal family with very normal brotherly relationships.
.
Outside, the chilly wind kept beating at the city, but the two battling on the rooftop hardly felt it. Both were breathing hard now, the icy air burning in their lungs and they liked the feel of it. Leonardo couldn't recall ever being pushed this hard, ever being forced to improvise his style so much in order to keep up. Karai looked winded as well, but nowhere near close to stopping. She had been relentless, always dodging his blows, turning his greater weight and strength against him. It was clear she had been trained by the Shredder. She fought like him. She was nearly untouchable like him.
At least, he couldn't touch her. She was doing all the touching and some of it was quite on purpose. It took Leonardo a while to realize she was no longer trying to harm him. She was playing with him now. Flirtively dodging all of his attacks, then getting in close to taunt him with a thick voice before bounding out of reach again. Leonardo should have been mad, but... he kind of liked it. Sometimes she would breathe on his skin or her body would brush against his. He even managed to get in her face once as well and was very proud for it.
Eventually, their sparring match did come to a natural end and the two circled the roof, still eyeballing each other.
"Are you done playing with me, Karai? Did you get what you wanted?" Leonardo panted.
She smirked at him, looking him up and down. "You speak of honor, but honor dictates that I avenge my master and take it out of your hide. Or should I say shell?" They continued to eye each other, keeping out of each other's reach as they circled the roof. "But you are right, the Foot have lost their way under the Shredder. With my sensei defeated, I now lead. We can find a new path. And I could use ninjas like you: with your power, with your potential."
Leonardo almost dropped his katana in shock at the proposal.
"You need a master to continue your training, do you not?" she continued. "A rat who is self-taught from an old picture book can only take you so far. I can take you the rest of the way. Your brothers, too. Swear allegiance to the Foot Clan and I can make sure you reach your full potential; all four of you, if you wish."
Completely flabbergasted at the offer, Leonardo opened his mouth, but no words came out before Karai attacked again. She was even faster this time, hitting much harder. Leonardo didn't know what happened before he landed flat on his shell. He blinked in stunned silence as Karai stood over him, straddling his swaist. She surprised him even further by sitting on his chest and leaning forward until they were nose to nose.
"Your skills are on a plateau, Leonardo. You cannot go any higher than where you are now. Think about it."
Those last two words were practically breathed into his mouth and he felt his face grow hot and his body respond. Quick as a blink, Karai was up again and she disappeared off the side of the roof. Leonardo scrambled to his feet and peered over the side where she went. There wasn't a single sign of her.
.
Once the adrenaline wore off, the few slices Leonardo had gained during the fight began to sting in the bitter wind. He looked forward to getting inside so he could take a better look at them, and maybe let Mona Lisa baby him a little. She would fuss and demand to know what happened, but then she would touch him all over and he was certainly okay with that.
Once he climbed down to the kitchen window, however, Leonardo paused before he knocked on the glass. Raphael was in the apartment. What was he even doing out here? He and Mona Lisa sat in front of the TV watching a movie. Mona Lisa was curled up on her side, a blanket around her. Her pillow was propped up on Raphael's thigh, her head resting comfortably on top. Leonardo couldn't hear the conversation, but he could see them conversing together. Raphael started laughing. He placed a hand on her shoulder and leaned down to say something to her. She laughed as well, snuggling closer.
Raphael glanced to the window as motion caught his eye. But there was no one there now, the fire escape was empty outside.
.
Later that night, Raphael came home to find Leonardo in the practice area, robotically going through his katas. The same katas he always did; the ones that were in The Book. The only ones any of them knew because Karai was right. Splinter was skilled at the ninjitsu he knew, but his knowledge was limited. To learn more, to get to the next level, Leonardo would need a new master. Just thinking about it stoked a fire of frustration and anger in his chest.
And speaking of things that made him burn with anger, there was Raphael in the entrance way, leaning against the frame and looking very judgmental. Who should have been judging who after this night?
"Raphael," Leonardo greeted in that voice of his that was somehow both neutral and dangerous at the same time.
"Leo," Raphael shot back flatly. "Where has your shell been all night?"
Leonardo didn't respond, just continued through his same motions that he could now do in his sleep. Again, the basic nature of his training angered him. There had to be more difficult katas out there, but there were so many limited ways to find an instructor who was a true master to teach him.
Raphael stormed into the room until he was barely out of reach of his brother's blades. "I asked you a question, asshole. Where the hell have you been?"
Leonardo suddenly stopped and snapped his head around. "Where have I been? What were you out doing tonight?"
"I was at your girlfriend's place waiting for you!"
Leonardo blinked at him, a bit surprised to get such a straight and honest answer.
"She was expecting you all night and you didn't show up. So where were you?"
Leonardo looked away with a frown. "I was on my way there, but I ran into Karai."
Raphael blinked at him, noticing for the first time there were bandages on his arms. "Holy shit." All the righteous anger in him was gone. "What happened?"
With a sigh, the blue-clad turtle sheathed the swords on his back. His hand then idly rubbed at one of his bandages. "I don't know. I think she was playing with me... she- she was so fast, Raph. We thought we were such ninja masters, but we really don't know anything." He looked up at his brother. "She offered... she said if we joined the foot clan she would take us as her students and teach us."
"What?" Raphael demanded, his nose crinkling at the mere mention of doing anything with Karai. "What kind of game does she think she's playing. You didn't believe anything she said, did you?"
"...No."
"Don't, Leo. Don't play her game. If she tries to talk to you again, tell her where she can shove her whole Foot Clan."
This just irritated Leonardo all over again. Raphael hadn't been there, hadn't heard the whole conversation. How could he jump to conclusions so easily without even considering this opportunity? What if Karai was giving them a legitimate offer? Wouldn't they be fools not to take it?
"I'm not an idiot, Raph. I know when someone's trying to trick me. When she talked to me, it seemed genuine. Karai runs the Foot Clan now. She didn't approve of Shredder's ways. She says she wants to bring honor back to the clan. We could help her do that. We could show her the right path and she could teach us what she knows."
Raphael frowned at him. "You really are just a huge sucker for any pair of tits that comes your way, aren't you?" He immediately found himself shoved into the wall, Leonard's forearm digging into his throat.
"Be careful," Leonardo growled in a dark voice. "I wasn't the only one out tonight. What were you chasing when you went to Mona's place?"
The red-clad turtle's eyes suddenly widened in understanding. "You saw me there. You went to the apartment after you finished screwing around with Karai, but I was already there with your girl so you left in a big huff and came back here to pout." He laughed. "You are sniffing in the wrong direction if you think I want your sloppy seconds, bro. I came looking for you. She invited me in."
Leonardo remained suspicious. "Why were you looking for me? I'd been home all day."
His brother then finally looked a little uncomfortable.
"You were looking to spy on me, is that it?"
Raphael shrugged. "Guess you'll never find out since you didn't show."
Leonardo finally let him go and turned his back with a scowl.
"Your girl's sick, by the way," Raphael called. "That's the only reason I stayed there. I thought she'd like the company until you showed up. But you never did."
Leonardo thought back to what he had seen through the window. Mona laying on the floor, wrapped in a blanket, laying on Raphael's thigh. That wasn't the way she normally watched movies. She was laying that way because she wasn't feeling well? She was ill and he hadn't been there. And Leonardo knew it was his own fault. He didn't respond. His anger now turned inward, no longer mad at his brother, but at himself.
"I like her, by the way," Raphael then said, cutting him out of his inner irritation. "She's nice. And she's actually kinda funny."
"She is," he agreed, disarmed by the comment.
"So you probably shouldn't fuck it up." Raphael turned and disappeared into a deeper part of the lair, leaving Leonardo with his own thoughts.
.
The wind had picked up even more since the last time he had been out. Since he had fought Karai. There was still a thrill in him when he thought about it. Half of it was merely the fight. A battle of skill from someone far more advanced than himself or his brothers. Or even his master. One that didn't hold the fate of the city at stake. He was free to appreciate the sportsmanship of the battle without stressing over the consequences if he lost. It was new and exciting and he wanted to do it again.
But he also wanted to be within the warmth of Mona's small but cozy apartment, wrapped in her presence. It's where he should have been in the first place. It should have been more important than sparring with Karai. It should have been more important than allowing Raphael to take his place at her side when she was ill. And now he was out in the winter dark, the bitter wind ripping at his skin. Mona Lisa's window was dark, as would be expected. It was nearly 2 AM now.
Leonardo remained on the fire escape, back to the brick wall as he scowled. Of course she would be asleep. She would need her sleep if she was sick. He shouldn't try to wake her. Instead, he remained a dark turtle-shaped gargoyle at her window, allowing himself to grow bitter as the wind, too, thrashed its bitterness against him. It was the coldest night of the winter yet. He should get inside; he should go back to the lair. But he remained as if to punish himself. He deserved to freeze out in the elements. He had been an idiot.
A light knock from the other side of the window startled him. The window then slid up, and he crouched to see Mona's bleary face. Just being awake seemed to disagree with her; her hair a mess, lips and nose red and chapped.
"There you are," she said in a froggy voice, brushing stray hair from her face.
"Have you been up waiting for me?" he asked.
"Just snoozing off and on. I know you have a habit of sitting out here in the cold. I didn't want you to stay out too long."
"You didn't have to."
"I tried texting you and you didn't answer. Raphael stopped by earlier and he didn't know where you were either. I've been worried."
Again, he was the idiot. He hadn't taken his phone with him anywhere in the past few days. It was still sitting in his room, receiving all of her texts, ignored.
"Sorry, I should have come over when you expected me."
"Was it...not safe?" she worried.
She wasn't exactly wrong. Though Karai seemed more interested now in his potential than seeing him dead, he still knew better than to ever indicate Mona's existence to her, let alone where she lived.
"No...something happened. I thought it better that I check on you later."
She gave out a wet cough. "You coming in? It is freezing out here."
"Maybe I should let you rest."
Leonardo had never seen her look so tired and cranky when she said, "Just get your damn shell inside."
"Yes ma'am," he smirked.
Once she had let him in, Mona left him to lock the door as she immediately plopped herself back on the mattress, rubbing her temples.
"I'm sorry you're not feeling well." Leonardo sat himself cross-legged in front of her.
"It's just a cold. I'll be over it in a few days." She blew her nose and dropped the tissue into a growing pile. "Sorry, I'm gross right now."
He smiled gently. "I don't mind."
"I don't know if I can get you sick or not. I read somewhere reptiles and mammals can't really catch the same viruses, though I don't know the science of that. But you don't really have to stay here. If you need to go-"
Leonard pressed a finger to her lips. "I would rather be here with you."
She smiled, but closed her eyes as if it gave her a headache to keep them open. "How is your family?" She gave a stuffy sound of amusement. "I really like that I can ask you that now."
Leonardo smiled back, even though she couldn't see it. "They're all doing well."
"I saw Raphael earlier. He was looking for you. Did I already tell you that?"
"You did."
"Ugh, I should probably sleep some more." She flopped back onto the mattress and then winced as if that hurt her head, too. "I'm calling in sick tomorrow, though I don't want to. I just started that new job."
"And how's that going for you?"
"Not bad. I'm still learning the ropes. But I get a desk. It's nice to be off my feet. Are you hungry? Your brother ate most of the food I had for you, but there's a little left I think."
"It's fine. I'm not hungry."
"Raphael got after me for feeding you. He said you wouldn't be around making as much of a pest of yourself if I stopped giving you food. I told him that feeding you to keep you around had been my plan all along."
Leonardo gave a soft laugh. He picked up her legs and rotated her body so the whole of her lay on the mattress. "You need to sleep."
"But I want to talk to you."
"Sleep. I'll talk with you in the morning."
As he pulled the blanket over her, she asked. "Do you want to stay for the day since I'm not going to work?"
He breathed loudly out of his nostrils. "I will if you sleep."
"Yes," she cheered softly, pumping her fist in triumph.
Both amused and touched by her enthusiasm for his company, he crawled around the mattress to settle himself next to her. She rolled over to face him, both of them laying on their sides. Outside, the city lights reflected off the snow and into the apartment window, lighting the room well enough that they could see each other without the aid of lights.
Mona kept watching him, a soft smile on her lips. Her clear adoration warmed him more than the heat of the apartment ever could. Though her eye lids continued to droop and the space between blinks became longer and longer, she would always open them to look at him again.
"Sleep," Leonardo whispered.
"I will," she insisted dreamily. "I just want to bask in your presence for another minute."
She gave a big yawn and Leonardo reached over to manually close her eyes for her. She made a sound of amusement and caught his hand. Though she kept her eyes closed, she continued to hold it, feeling his movements as he traced the line of her cheek bone with a finger.
Then she did the same, lidded eyes watching as she reached for him. It was the first time she ever explored his face. She felt the slope of his nose, then across the cheek. When her finger slid under his mask, he pulled it away and bent his head closer to hers.
"Try to sleep," he urged again. "Please. For me. I want you to get better."
She let out a long breath as if she didn't want to honor his request, but closed her eyes anyway. Leonardo purposefully did not move, did not make a sound to give her any reason to react with him. In only a few minutes, she was completely out.
Leonardo watched her in the darkness, head propped up on his folded arm. Though she looked at peace, it was obvious she was sick. He should have been there to take care of her.
I'm sorry, he mentally told her. I'll do better, I promise.
Unable to breathe with her clogged airways, Mona began to snore. Leonardo remained where he was and tried not to laugh.
.
Well after sunrise, Mona remained in slumber. Leonardo was content to allow her to sleep in as much as she wanted. He didn't know how much of the night's rest she had foregone waiting for him. She may have kept getting up all night if he hadn't shown up. So as the gray winter sun began to shine through the New York smog, Leonardo padded silently around the small apartment, waiting for her to wake.
He thought about attempting to make breakfast, but that for sure would rouse her. Instead, he sat himself cross-legged in an open area and spent the morning in meditation. It had been a while since he had taken time to nurture his spiritual side. It was difficult to do in the lair if any of his brothers were awake. They and the energy they radiated were always so loud. Leonardo still had no idea how his sensei could tune them out so easily when he could not.
Mona's place was different. Despite it being a run-down studios apartment, it was always homey and inviting. Mona made it that way. Her energy made this place feel like it was somewhere he belonged. It was easy to drift off.
He hadn't realized he had gone so deep into his own mind until her suddenly felt another presence around him. He opened his eyes, expecting to see Mona stirring in bed. Instead, he found her face mere inches from his own. It started him enough to jerk back.
"Sorry," Mona said, retreating to give him space. "I wasn't sure if you fell asleep like that or what."
"I was in meditation."
"Oh, I didn't know you did that." She paused and added, "I guess we spent a lot of time not knowing much about each other."
"But we've changed that," he reminded. "All questions are allowed."
"All answers are given," she finished with humor, then coughed several times.
"How do you feel?"
She sniffled. "Still sick. I'm glad I'm taking the day off."
He regarded her a moment. "Not many people can sneak up on me like you just did."
"It's my ninja skills," she teased. "No, it's just that you were really in it. I was checking to see if you were breathing, you were so still."
She suddenly looked tired and leaned back onto the mattress with a moan. "Uh! Being sick suuuuucks."
She remained there for several minutes and Leonardo began to wonder if she had fallen back asleep. He crawled over, hovering, and saw her sniff and scratch at the side of her nose. She was still awake. An impish smirk pulled at the side of his mouth as he lowered himself to pressed his snout to the side of her neck.
"Eww, Leo!" she instantly, protested, swatting him away.
"Eww?" he asked, hurt by her reaction to his presence.
"No, no! You're not eww, I'm eww. I haven't showered in two days. I don't remember the last time I washed my hair."
"I don't mind."
"I am gross, Leonardo. I'm sick and dirty."
She said it with such finality, he sat back on his haunches. "I still don't mind."
"That's sweet, but I do mind that I'm wearing two-day old underwear. I am nasty right now." She propped herself up on her elbows, eyeing the bathroom. "I'm trying to decide if I have the strength to stand for an entire shower. I wish I had a tub. I haven't had a nice, hot bath in sooo long."
Leonardo eyed the bathroom. The idea of helping her shower was extremely appealing. "I don't suppose I would fit."
She barked out a coughing laugh. "I barely fit." She groaned as she forced herself to sit up and rubbed her face. "I can do this. I can do this."
"How can I help?"
He had been serious, but she took it as a joke. Snorting, she got to her feet. "You stay there, Mr. Wise Ass."
None too gracefully, she pulled herself to the bathroom and closed the door behind her. The shower sounded soon after as Leonardo remained sitting in the now empty room. He had never been here while she showered. Just on the other side of the door, only a few feet away, she was naked, hair wet and clinging to her.
The thought was slightly arousing, but also comforting. This is what normal couples did. They went about their day around each other, orbiting one another. Living in the same place, sharing each others energy. It was a nice thought, but also it made a part of him sad. He could not live in this tiny place with her, holed up while she went to work every day. He was too big. He needed more space. And she could never live down in the lair with him. He would never ask her. This was how they existed, living in large orbits that took them far from each other and then they would sweep around to pass once another, bask in each others glow, and then off into space once more. This was the fate of these two planets.
Mona didn't stay too long. Twenty minutes and she was out, body wrapped in a towel, hair wrapped in another. This was also a state Leonardo had never seen her in and he straitened where he still sat on the floor. Mona didn't even glance his way as she stumbled back to the mattress and flopped over it. Yanking a blanket to cover her feet, she was soon asleep again.
"Really?" he said out loud.
Mona did not stir. She was sick, he reminded himself. She needed the rest. Should he...look after her? He wasn't sure what to do. She should eat, he decided. A look through the kitchen and he found eggs and toast. Perfect. He wasn't all that skilled at cooking, that was Mikey's department, but he could cook eggs.
He hoped.
He focused on the eggs first. Wouldn't take his eyes off them. He refused to let them get overcooked. If he was going to make her anything, it was going to be perfect. She always fed him and the food was always good. He wanted to do this right for her.
"Look who's being domestic," said a soft, adoring voice.
He glanced back to find Mona sitting up, towel now falling out of her hair. Apparently she wasn't as dead to the world as he originally thought.
"I thought you might be hungry," he said as he immediately put eyes back on the eggs. He refused to let them get too dry. "How do you like your eggs?"
"Surprise me."
He heard shuffling behind him and glanced back. His face instantly felt hot as he turned back around. Mona was naked, digging through her clothes. He hadn't gotten any full view of her body as she was crouched on the floor. But that was definitely more than he had ever seen of her. He remained frozen, afraid to move as his face burned and he listened to the sound of her movements somewhere behind him. He could picture her in his mind's eye slipping into a pair of panties, putting on a bra, before covering the natural color of her with soft comfort clothes. Those big sweaters, they always made him want to slid his hands under their bulk to feel the smaller form beneath...
"You're going to burn those eggs."
She was suddenly right next to him in a fuzzy pink sweater. He didn't realize his skin had become heightened until he felt the soft brush of her and nearly jumped out of his shell.
"Damnit," he hissed at the darkened edges of his sunny-side eggs. He mixed them viciously with a frown. "Scrambled it is."
"You were checked out for a while, were you?" Mona teased. She then sneezed and grabbed her box of tissues. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked you to stay. You're bored."
"I'm not bored." He grabbed a plate from the cupboard and guided the least burnt parts upon it. He then offered it to her. "I don't come here so you can entertain me. I come here to spend time with you."
A smile pulled at the side of her mouth. "That's good, because my song and dance routine will be a little lack-luster today."
Leonardo sat himself on the floor in that way she loved. Slow and graceful in a cross-legged pose. There was something charming and old fashioned about it that she always liked. "I can forgive that if you can forgive that I honestly have no idea how to take care of you right now."
Her whole being melted for him and she no longer had any interest in food. "You want to take care of me?"
"Yes," he said sincerely. "If I can. If there is anything of me at all that you find useful."
She made a soft sound of endearment, a sound that was roughened by her dry throat, but it brought a strange tingle to him nonetheless. Then surprise came over him and she crawled into his lap, pulling a blanket with her. He sat there, almost afraid to move, as she snugged up against him. Her legs draped over his thigh, her arms going around his mid section the best they could. Her head rested against his chest plate.
"This. I just need this for a while," she said with a yawn, her eyes drooping. "I hope that's okay."
Leonardo leaned back, propping his shell on the cabinet. He readjusted and pulled her in, arms protectively around her. This small gesture made his heart ache for her. He wanted to be of use to her. He wanted to be everything she needed. A pain came from a thought deep in his mind that he didn't know how. A part of him believed there was nothing he could do to be all the things he wanted to be for this woman. One day, she would find someone who could. Someone she could walk with in the daytime. Someone she could marry, buy a house with, have children with. He could give her none of those things. All he could do was take, like he took this moment now and tucked it up tight in his heart to keep him warm on lonely nights.
She thought he was taking care of her, but he was being selfish and he was going to allow himself to be selfish for as long as he could.
.
After she had fully recovered from her cold, Mona announced to Leonardo that she wanted to make dinner for his family. If they were okay with it. She would never know how much of a storm she had caused from the moment Leonardo mentioned her request to the date of the dinner.
Michelangelo would not. Shut. Up. He kept asking Leonardo what he should wear, what Mona's favorite colors, jokes, desserts, music, everything was. It had gotten so bad that Leonardo had actually hidden from his brother once or twice when he saw the orange-banded turtle looking for him.
Donatello became a little antsy, too. Unfocused, twitchy. He wandered a lot, lost in his head. Raphael cleaned. The day of, Leonardo watched his larger brother tidy up the den, impressed. If this was all it took to finally get Raph to clean up after himself, he would have to let Mona come down more often.
April would not be over this time. No female companion to help mediate. Mona Lisa would be the only human in the lair and Leonardo sent warning vibes that everyone should be on their best behavior the second he entered with Mona at his side.
Both of them had their arms full of food. Mona had settled on spaghetti as the night's dish. The main challenge for feeding this family was that every member could eat like a horse. Realizing this, she then understood why pizza was always the food of choice. It was filling and easy to get a hold of in great quantity. She decided to stick with more carbs to make sure no one went hungry. Thus, she had several bags of pasta, large jars of marinara sauce, several baguettes for garlic bread and a bunch of giant meatballs. It was enough to feed a whole basketball team and she still worried it wouldn't be enough for the four brothers and their kind father despite Leonardo's assurance that whatever she made and how much would be fine.
"Yay! My girl's here!" Michelangelo cheered the second they walked into the lair. He made like he was going to sweep her up in a big hug, but at Leonardo's stern look, he instead took her items and cheerily led the way into the kitchen.
Or what passed as a kitchen. Only Michelangelo ever cooked, and that was when he would be in the middle of some cooking show and decide he was going to be the world's first turtle chef. He would cook up a storm for a few weeks—most of it very edible—and then the kitchen would fall into neglect until the next time the fancy hit him.
Still, since he knew his way around, Leonardo let his little brother take the lead and show Mona around. He was behaving himself and treating her with respect, assisting her with everything she needed. But he was still being weird. Twitchy. Mona noticed it nearly right away, but she couldn't put her finger on it. The orange-clad turtle would help her, then retreat to the wall and...fidget? She wasn't sure what he was doing. But Leonardo was still around and he seemed unworried by it, so she tried to ignore it.
While the pasta was boiling, Raphael entered the room and looked so pleased to see her, it made Mona Lisa's face warm. Certainly a stark difference to the first time they met.
"Hey there, Big Eyes," he said in a voice softer than she had ever heard him use. Even Leonardo looked up from where he sat at the table in the dining room.
"Red One," she greeted back in a teasing tone.
His smirk. The way his jaw moved as he smiled at her. He seemed to like that nick name—that she would give him one. He glanced her up and down. "I'm glad to see you're all better. You look good."
"Thanks," she blurted out, face feeling warm. Was he being flirty? Holy shit. Any girl who caught this turtle's eye better watch out. She wanted to keep the conversation going just to see how he would react. Seeing Raphael pleased was so much better than seeing him irritated. But something else caught his attention.
"What are you doing, Ding Dong?" Raphael asked of Michelangelo, who was back to fidgeting against the wall.
That was when Michelangelo stopped trying to hide was he was doing and openly scraped his shell against the rough, brick wall. "Ugh! It's my shell. It's driving me crazy!" He turned his shell to his brother. "Scratch it for me, Raph. Just this one place right here."
"Fuck off, I'm not touching your shell. Gross."
Mona blinked at them. "What...what's wrong with his shell?" she asked in a small voice, wondering if it was a rude question.
"He's shedding," Donatello answered as he came in from some dark entrance in the back. "Fun fact about reptiles, our skin doesn't grow with us, so we have to shed it. The same for us turtles with our shells." He turned Michelangelo around to show old pieces of his brother's shell beginning to curl away from the new surface beneath. "The scutes peel off now and then and it can get a little itchy for us."
"Hella itchty," Michelangelo whined. "Donnie, scratch my shell, just right there, please?"
Donatello sighed and did what was asked.
"Aw yeah, that's the stuff," Michelangelo groaned as he leaned into the shell scratches.
"If it's that bad, go soak it," Raphael said.
"But I don't wanna soak it, Raph. I want to be in here with you guys."
Mona looked intrigued. "Where do you guys soak it?"
"Girl, we got a big tub in the back, you can join me." Michelangelo was suddenly right next to her, itchy shell momentarily forgotten. "We could have a nice hot tub party. I hope you brought your swim suit." He openly looked her up and down. "Not that they're required. We could both go in au naturel."
"Okay, that's it." Raphel reached over to a previously unnoticed rubber band on Michelangelo's wrist and fiercely snapped it.
"Ow!" the smaller turtle complained. "Wha~at?"
"You know what you did."
"What was that?" Mona whispered to Donatello.
"April's making him wear it. She said it's good for getting rid of bad habits," Donatello replied in the same whisper. "You snap the band any time you perform the undesired behavior in order to reprogram your way of thinking. In this case, Mikey running his mouth."
Mona snorted. "That's funny."
"We're enjoying it. Mikey, not so much."
Aforementioned turtle was then reminded his shell still itched and grabbed the scrub brush from the kitchen sink and scratched his shell the best he could.
Raphael made a noise of distaste. "Don't you dare put that back with the dishes. Disguising."
Mona watched the brothers interact with a curious look on her face.
"You doing okay?" Leonardo called from the table in the dining area.
She knew what he was doing, staying out of the room but keeping nearby. He wanted her to get to know his brothers better. He wanted her to be comfortable around them. So he was attempting to remove himself to give them the space they needed to interact without his hovering. She appreciated that. But he was still keeping an eye out and she appreciated that, too.
"I'm fine," she called back. When Leonardo kept giving her a questioning look she amended, "I know it's weird to say, but sometimes I forget that you're all turtles. This conversation about itchy shells and shedding skin just brought it all home, I guess."
"The life of a turtle, I'm afraid," Donatello said as he leaned on the counter next to her, both of them resting on their elbows.
Mona eyed him and touched his arm, feeling the texture of his skin with the pad of her thumb. She never thought about it before, that their skin was different. That they just didn't look different, they were fundamentally made different; their bodies working differently right down to the way their skin rejuvenated itself. Interesting.
Donatello seemed pleased as punch that she was directing her curiosity his way. She held her hand out to him palm up and he mimicked the movement. Her thumb then felt the smoother palm of his hand.
"May I?" he asked shyly and she allowed him to then do the same.
As Donatello merrily enjoyed his own exploration of her hand, she glanced to Leonardo to see he was still watching her. Even from a distance, his eyes were so light blue behind that mask. The ridges of his brows were up, asking silent questions, then narrowed a bit when their gazes met.
Mona Lisa was suddenly filled with the urge to touch him, to explore him all over with her finger tips, to learn the texture of every part of him. She wondered if that showed on her face as his expression changed slightly. The hint of a smile pulled at the side of his mouth as he watched her with his brother.
She smiled back, only a slighter pull to her lips. It felt like flirting. Very low key, very secretive flirting, and she loved it. Secret glances shared from across the room were kind of thrilling.
They were quickly interrupted by Michelangelo's bitching as he wandered around the room again in discomfort. It immediately stopped when Splinter entered.
"It smells delicious in here," the aged rat said.
"I hope so," she piped back, excited to see him. Now that she had met the family, Leonardo talked about them all more, especially Splinter.
During their mutation, the rat didn't have to stay to take care of the four baby turtles. He owed them no care, no love. They were strangers to him. He had chosen to love them, to be a father to them. To raise his sons into the amazing young men they were today. And she loved Splinter for it every time Leonardo did something that touched her heart.
"I appreciate you taking the time," Splinter continued with a bit of humor. "I know this family isn't easy to feed."
"We're going to to our best," she replied with alacrity.
"Michelangelo," Splinter than said in a sharper tone when he caught his son twitching. "You will go soak after we eat."
The orange-banded turtle let out a large groan, radiating baby brother energy everywhere. "Uh, fiiiiine!"
.
Dinner went very well and the food lasted well enough to feed them all, though it was still completely gone by the end. But it its wake were a lot of belly pats and satisfied customers. The turtles took over the dinner conversation that night, telling Mona stories about their youth—mostly humorous tales of all the dumb and foolhardy things they did as boys. Splinter would follow up with his own perspective of finding his sons either during or after their daredevil exploits of being bored little boys down in miles and miles of sewer.
Mona loved all of it. She wanted to hear stories all day long. And the flirty glances continued. Any time she heard something particularly cute or endearing about Leonardo she would glance his way. Sometimes he was embarrassed, which was absolutely adorable. Other times he laughed out loud at the memory and she loved that most of all. She was quickly falling in love with this whole family, especially when they were all laughing together.
"So, where's your family from, Big Eyes?" Raphael suddenly asked when dinner was over.
Mona paused in the middle of gathering up empty plates. "Oh, uh, it's just me. No family."
Raphael leaned back in his chair, fiddling with the toothpick hanging from his mouth. "Nah, that's not true. You got a family." Her expression was confused until he added, "You got us now. We're you're family."
Her eyebrows went up in surprise, glancing at all of them. No one disagreed. Leonardo especially looked pleased at the statement.
"Oh, okay," she said in a bit of a daze as she gathered up what plates she could and took them back to the kitchen.
Donatello followed suit, planning on going back to his lab. But since he was up, the polite thing to do was to take a few things back on his way. He stepped into the kitchen to find Mona at the sink, her back to him. Her posture was off; closed in on herself, hands over her face. He approached carefully, slipping the dishes into the sink.
"Um...are you...okay?"
She jerked her head up, eyes wet. "Oh, yeah! I'm fine." She swiped at her wet eyes with a finger. "Just kinda...happy, I think? I don't know. I'm being dumb."
He had seen for himself how little she had. When Raphael too had seen her apartment, he confided in Donatello how much it surprised him. The more Donatello knew about her, the more grateful he was for his own life. He had a cozy home full of love; he had a family. And he was happy to share what he had with this person who was so kind and who had his brother's heart.
"Do you maybe...want a hug?"
She looked at him with a sniffle. "Yes. Thanks Donatello."
She stepped into him and Donatello put his arms around her. "Everyone usually calls me Donnie."
"Okay, Donnie."
He held her for a moment and she let him. "You're soft."
"Oh, thanks?"
"Really soft. The softest thing I've ever touched."
She snorted into his chest. "It's the sweater. I like touching it, too."
Donatello made a sound of agreement as he stroked the fabric over her back.
"Yeah, okay, Donnie. I think that's good," Leonardo's voice came from the entrance way. There was a slight hint of...what? Jealousy in it?
"You get all sad on us?" Raphael asked over him.
Mona shrugged, embarrassed. "It was the family comment, I guess. It's been a long time since I had one."
Raphael folded his arms over his chest, looking pleased that his words had touched her. "Well it makes sense to me. We all like ya, and Leo's got a raging hard on for you—"
"Raph!" the leader hissed.
The biggest turtle just shrugged. "Family's family. You just know when you meet someone who's a part of it."
Her mouth turned down into a sad face as her eyes watered again. Raphael panicked for a moment. He didn't want her to be sad.
"Can I get a hug from you, too?" she then asked.
A wide grin split his face. "Yeah you can."
She went willingly into his arms. He picked her off the ground effortlessly in a big bear hug and she squealed in glee.
Raphael looked down at Leonardo with masculine pride. "You ever make your girl make that noise?"
Leonardo glared at him.
"Woah, we hugging in here?" Michelangelo said as he poked his head in.
"Michelangelo!" Splinter's voice called. "Go soak!"
The orange clad turtle groaned and stomped off.
It was sometime later, Leonardo and Raphael took Mona to the den where she and Leonardo sat on the couch and Raphael took the abused lazy boy next to them. They were continuing their casual chatting when Michelangelo blew in like a flower-scented summer breeze.
"Check it out, baby, got the biggest piece off." He waltzed in with a large hexagon shaped piece of what looked like grooved, semi-transparent plastic. He handed it to Mona from behind the couch.
"Woah, this is your shell?" she marveled as she inspected it. "Cool. You smell really good by the way."
Michelangelo draped himself over the couch. "All fresh and clean, babe. And speaking of smells, sweet thing, this scent you're giving off right now, it's like it's already spring and we're both in season to fu—"
Leonardo clenched his jaw and snapped the band on Michelangelo's wrist as hard as he could. The sound echoed through the entire room.
"Ouch! Goddamn it, Leo!" Michelangelo barked as he grabbed his wrist. "Sonofabitch, that hurts!"
Raphael laughed until there were tears in his eyes. "Oh man, I gotta thank April for this. This is the gift that just keeps on giving."
.
That night, Leonardo walked her home as per his usual. An escort was always required. The now third time to and from the lair and Mona still had no idea which twists and turns led from one to the other. The fact that Leonardo could unerringly go from one part of the city to the other without ever having to go topside to check his location was amazing to her.
She invited him in to stay and Leonardo was happy to do so. She cheerily let him in, quickly shutting the door behind them as one of the residents down the hall stepped out of their apartment. Leonardo had to bodily move her out of the way to close the door in time. They both laughed a little at each other, faces close.
Mona leaned in and kissed him. He gently accepted, letting her lips remain as long as she wished them to be there. She pulled back with a satisfied look and Leonardo couldn't help but think she was the cutest thing he had ever seen. She took his hand and guided him further into the room. He allowed himself to be pulled. He would gladly go anywhere she led.
Her hand was in his and she pulled it up so she could inspect it. She measured the size of it compared to hers, learned the texture of it, both the palm and the back of his hand. Leonardo allowed it as her curious finger continued up his arm. Their relationship had grown close and they cared deeply for each other, but physical exploration had never been a part of it. They were two hearts hovering in each other's glow, but never touching. Each had their own fears that kept them from crashing headlong into each other. Instead, each step was slow and careful.
Leonardo waited, ever patient, as she trailed her fingers up his arm and across his shoulders. He could see her measuring the full size of him with her eyes. Her index finger moved up to brush along the line of his jaw before sliding down to his chest. With one finger, she lightly traced the shapes of his plastron, how it curved around his pectorals.
"Can you feel that?" she asked softly.
"Yes," he whispered back.
She continued to trace his lines. "I never thought about your shell having any sensitivity. But your brother said his was itchy."
"It can get a bit itchy when we shed," he agreed.
She walked around him, trailing fingers along his arm as she went. She touched the ridge of his shell and followed the arc of it as she looked it over. All the interesting grooves and swirls mother nature had put on him with care. Then the deep scars that others had added with hate.
Her nails raked lightly down his shell and she heard his intake of breath.
"Does that feel okay?"
"Yeah, it's not bad." There was a bit of thickness in his voice. "You can do it harder...if you want."
Intrigued, she scratched his shell in earnest, as hard as she could without breaking a nail. Leonardo leaned into it. She set about scratching him with both hands and his shoulders visibly relaxed.
"Aw, you like this," she teased with amusement.
"It's nice," he admitted softly.
She gave him a good raking across as much of his shell as she could. Maybe she should buy a good bristle brush for the next time. Eventually, Mona's fingers gave out and she walked back around to meet his face. He looked absolutely serene and content. More relaxed than she had ever seen him. She wanted him to be absolute putty in her hands because she wasn't done with him yet.
He allowed her to back him into the mattress on the floor and he sat on the edge. Mona knelt between his bowed legs so they were eye level and her exploration of him now focused on his face. That slight guarded look he always had returned when she cupped his face. Her thumbs caressed the slope of his cheeks. His eyes were so blue. Unnaturally, beautifully ice blue. The color always glowed out from behind that mask he wore.
She dared to let her fingers slide beneath the mask and was surprised when Leonardo's hand reached up to snatch her wrist.
"No?" she asked, unafraid and unoffended.
He seemed to wrestle with something internally. It only lasted for a second. Those beautiful blue eyes looked right into hers as he pulled her hand to his mouth and kissed her palm. Heat shot right through her. A new kind of heat that she had never felt before.
He returned her hand to his face in silent permission for her to continue. His eyes were closed now as she loosened the bandanna and let it drop to hang from his neck. It was a moment more before Leonardo dared to open them again and see her reaction to everything he was bared before her.
All he saw was intrigue and adoration. Her hands went back to mapping out his face. At first, her touches were light, learning the slope and structure of him, feeling his texture. Finding his scars. It evolved into her pressing in with her thumbs, massaging at his temples, then the ridge of his brows. His eyes were closed, his breathing deep when she worked her way to the space between his eyes and the bridge of his nose.
The apartment had been completely silent when a new sound rumbled ever so slightly.
Mona paused. "What was that? Was that you?"
Leonardo immediately stopped the soft clicking that came from the back of his throat.
"Were you purring? Can turtles purr?"
He glanced away, completely embarrassed. "Sorry."
Her face flushed with glee. "Don't be sorry. It was cute. Do it again."
He shifted a little and his self-consciousness was just the cutest thing ever. "I didn't do it on purpose. It just kind of happened. It's another turtle thing I guess."
She kissed his nose and his eyes instantly returned to her, wide and surprised.
"You don't have to be sorry for what you are," she whispered, warm and affectionate. "I accept what you are and all the turtle things about you. The shell shedding, the purring."
"It's called a chur."
She squealed in delight. "Oh my god, that's so cute!"
Leonardo's self-conscious posture suddenly changed as he wrapped his arms around her. "You're cute." He flipped them around, dropping her on the bed as he hovered over her.
His mouth found hers—the first time he had ever initiated. And he kissed her eagerly. She returned the kiss with a happy noise against his mouth. This encouraged him to keep going as she pawed at him, pulling him closer. His hands found confidence and smoothed themselves over her very soft sweater, then under to the skin at her sides.
There, he hesitated, but Mona made the move for him, pulling the sweater off and tossing it aside. The grin Leonardo made was absolutely priceless. One quick glance at her in her bra and he was kissing her again, easing her to lie back on the bed.
His mouth grew bolder, taking his turn to explore her face with kisses. He lapped up every soft sound she made as he kissed her cheek, across her jaw. That particular squeak when he mouthed her neck sent his veins full of electricity. His tongue ever so slightly explored the dip of her collar bone before blazing a trail between her covered breasts. God, she was so soft. The smell of her was driving him crazy.
"Leo?"
The sound of her voice made him pause. Not that she said his name, but the sudden trepidation in her tone. He pulled back to check on her. Where she should have been flushed and happy, she was pale and clearly in distress.
"What?" he asked, concerned.
She trembled and crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't know. Something's happening." Embarrassed, her hands went to cover her face. "I don't know what's happening."
She was having a panic attack. To Leonardo, it was clear to see. He helped her sit up and draped the blanket over her shoulders, rubbing her back.
"Breathe," he said in a low, calming tone. "Take deep, long breaths."
Tears stung her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen. I didn't want to stop. I couldn't control it."
Leonardo pulled her in, smoothing his hands over her back and arms. "Nothing to apologize for. You can tell me to stop at any time for any reason. I won't ever be mad."
"It's this damn scar. The thought of you touching it...I don't know why I freaked out."
Her fingers unconsciously went to the vertical scar between her breasts and Leonardo realized he had seen her making that motion ever since he knew her, he just never understood the context until now.
He held her, rocked her slowly, as she took the time she needed to calm herself. Then she pulled away to meet his gaze, a look of gratitude on her face.
"Better?" he asked.
"Yes. Thank you." She couldn't quite meet his eyes. "To be honest, I've never been intimate with another person. Since the attack, the thought of another person touching me has always freaked me out. I thought it was over with you. I never felt like that with you until now. I wasn't expecting it."
"Don't worry about it," he said so kindly, smoothing hair back from her face. "You're okay. We're okay. We'll just take things nice and slow. And only do whatever you're comfortable with."
She smiled at him gratefully. "Thank you. I'd like that."
"Good. Then will you do something for me?"
Her large eyes widened. Leonardo never really asked her for anything. Everything she gave was of her own volition and the turtle merely accepted with humble gratitude. She always wanted to do more for him, but never knew what he needed. That he would now voice a need; she was all ears.
"Here, lay down." He guided her to return to her back, her head cradled in his hand.
She obeyed curiously, not knowing where this was going.
His eyes were right on hers. "I'm going to touch the scar. Just one finger, okay?"
That sick feeling returned. She swallowed it. His touch was welcome. Leonardo only touched with care, and it was always welcome. "Okay."
He kept glancing up her her, testing her reaction as his finger made contact with her sternum, then slid slowly down the line of repaired skin.
"So soft," he murmured.
She let out a long breath, but seemed okay. Leonardo lowered his head and pressed his mouth to her chest, kissing his way down her scar until he reached the line of her bra. Then he looked up to check on her.
Mona could hold it in no longer. A sob ripped through her and she rolled over, curling up in on herself. Leonardo immediately pulled her in, pressing her shaking form against his chest. He had never seen her cry like that. It hurt him in his heart; a pain he had never experienced before. But it also felt like there was healing in these tears. They needed to flow.
"I'm sorry," she sniffled. "I didn't mean to..."
"Sweetheart," he cooed to her, holding her tight, running his hand over her hair and down her back. "It's okay. You can cry if you need to. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."
Those words released a fresh stream of tears and he continued to hold her, rock her, whisper soft words until she cried herself out. They lay there silently in the dark. Leonardo's kiss pressed to her forehead spoke volumes to her as Mona drifted off to sleep. No other words were needed.