#I'm very much straight as a board tho so forgive me for anything i might've gotten wrong

[mad4turtles]

May Ii request for Rottmnt story. But with Leosagi please?

Heya! Sorry this took so long and sorry if it's not exactly what you wanted, but here you go!

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Splinter knew he wasn't the best father out there. Far from it.

Of course, he'd ensured his boys had everything they could ever need: food, shelter, beds, clothes and toys—no matter what it took, no matter how it came to them, he wouldn't let his sons want for anything. Within reason.

(Donatello could beg on his knees all he wanted, he was not getting uranium for his birthday.)

Growing up, he'd let his boys know they were loved every day in his own ways with hugs and kisses goodnight, with washed-out books or toys he'd dug from the sewers or dumpsters in alleys, with their favourite snack on a bad day. Sometimes with noise-cancelling headphones for when Purple needed silence after a meltdown. Sometimes with needles and spools of yarn for when Red needed to calm down or Blue's favourite brand of tea when he couldn't sleep. All the little things Splinter didn't have after his mother left.

And even then, he'd nearly missed them.

He can be lazy, he knows. Lazy, flippant, dismissive to the point he wonders how much he'd actually raised the boys rather than the boys raising themselves (or Red, as the biggest and oldest. The mother-hen tendencies must come from somewhere). Invested in his shows, his comfy chair and bed, sleeping the days away when the boys reached their teens, he'd barely been a part of their lives. And when he was, he was stealing their tanks for joyrides or sending them out on errands in his stead.

Shredder's return, and Draxum's meddling, had opened his eyes and then some. And it became clear how badly he'd failed his children.

Yet despite his failings, they proved how capable they were without the family's traditions or disciplines he'd discarded as a foolish young man. They showed him how he'd succeeded in teaching them love above all else, the importance of family first.

Their love for each other, and their fool of a father, had won the day in the end. Pride couldn't begin to describe how he felt.

Still, one incredible victory couldn't erase years of absence, so he sought to rectify that. Thankfully, he wasn't too late.

His sons are no longer babies or turtle tots, growing into fine young men, but he does his best to be more present. He starts their training schedule back up and takes more interest in their personal lives. Sure he's still lazy and lax, but he's here, far more than he'd ever been, and he makes it known that no matter what, he wants to be a part of their lives. 

He doesn't need to be the greatest father or teacher. He just wants to be a good one. Two years after Shredder's defeat and he thinks he's doing alright.

But then—

“Hey, Pops? Can I talk to you?”

Ear twitching, Splinter turns from the screen. Blue stands with his fingers pressed together, shifting on his feet. Already that's concerning, but Splinter narrows his eyes. “What did you do?”

“What—nothing, I didn't, no, I just—“ Leo runs a hand over his scalp, sighing roughly. “I-I need—can I just talk to you, please? In private?”

Oh. Okay then.

Splinter shuts off the projector and hops out of his chair. “Okay, Blue. Come, we'll speak in my room.”

Leo shuffles quietly behind him. Another red flag. Leonardo Hamato-Jitsu does not shuffle. And he's never this quiet. He doesn't have Red's 'fear stink', but Splinter can feel his son's nervousness.

Gods, what have I missed this time?

He shuts the door after Leo and motions him to sit on the bed with him. “Now,” he says, facing Leo, “what is it you wanted to talk about?”

Leo folds his legs and plays with his fingers, not meeting his father's eyes. He purses his lips, eyes shifting around the room. Splinter waits in the tense, awkward silence for a full two minutes before Leo speaks:

“U-Um—so... y-you know how you told us about the—ugh, the birds and the bees a few years back?”

Jeezy tap-dancing Creezy, what a way to start a conversation!

Splinter fights to keep an even face and nods. “Yes,” he says slowly, cautiously, fear deep in his bones, “I do. It was—”

“One of the worst effing moments of our collective lives, yes,” Leo says quickly. He's still not looking at Splinter, rubbing his neck. “A-Anywhizzle, you—back then, you said it was, like, when—when a guy and a girl like each other and stuff—”

Please, God, Splinter prays with a desperation he hasn't felt since Shredder's return, if this is what I think it is, give me strength—

“What if... What if it was, like... not a guy and a girl?”

A pause. 

“What?”

Leo starts to sweat, fidgeting where he sits like he's about to run off. Sure enough, he sits up abruptly—“Y'know what, pssht, it doesn't matter!” He forces a laugh and starts to shuffle off the bed, “It's stupid, it's dumb, don't even worry about it! Sorry I wasted your time, you can go back to watching your show I'm just gonna—”

Splinter's tail catches him around the wrist. 

“Leonardo,” he says. Leo goes very, very still. “Please. Talk to me, my son.”

When Leo finally looks at Splinter, his eyes are wide and shining, his shoulders trembling and—oh. Oh. 

Splinter's heart breaks into a million pieces. He's messed up. Again.

How did I miss this?

Gently pulling Leo back to the bed, he unwraps his tail and takes his son's shaking hands in his own, his thumb gently stroking calloused, scaly knuckles. He mulls the words carefully in his head, conscious of the silence and Leo's bouncing knee as it stretches perhaps a bit too long. Finally, he looks up—“How long have you felt this way?”

He's not sure if it's the right or very wrong thing to say as Leo bursts.

“I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!” he cries, gripping Splinter's hands hard enough to hurt. “I didn't—I-I know I'm, like, the farthest thing from normal in the history of all things normal, but I—I know this—this isn't normal either, I looked it up online and, yeah, no, it's really not normal, 'cos like, I'm a guy and, and guys don't like other guys, and, and, and—”

Splinter yanks him forward into a hug tight enough to bruise a human's ribs, curling his tail around his shell. Leo's still so tense, face damp with tears, and Splinter cradles the back of his head. 

“I love you so much, my son,” he says. “I know I have not been... present as much as I should have, and I have missed so many things. But you—all four of you—are my world. I would not trade you for anything, nor will I ever forsake you, no matter who you choose to be or who you love. You will always be my Baby Blue.”

His only warning is a choked sob before Leo bursts into tears. He buries his face against his shoulder, squeezing Splinter and curling up against him as he did when he was smaller. When Splinter could pick him up and hold him and take all the hurt away with a hug or a kiss on the forehead. He's much bigger now, older and stronger, with scars inside and out that won't go away so easily, but damn him if that'll stop him from holding his son now. Six, sixteen or sixty, it doesn't matter. He's still his baby.

“I'm sorry,” Leo whimpers. 

Splinter hushes him. “Nothing to be sorry for.”

Leo sniffles, nuzzling Splinter's cheek, smearing his fur with tears. “I love you, dad.”

Splinter holds him tighter and grins. “I love you too, Blue.”

The following day, Leo struts out of his room in his favourite hoodie and a pride pin with bold white text: 'BABY BI-BI-BI!' 

Raph spits out his soda and grabs him in a hug shy of breaking his shell. Mikey is beside himself, leaping across the lair and finally onto Raph to join the hug. April has tears in her eyes—“You're amazing, baby,” she says, and Leo's eyes glisten.

Donnie smirks. “Called it.”

“What?” Leo wheezes from Raph's arms.

“You knew?” Splinter asks.

Donnie rolls his eyes. “Please. Leon's 'closet' was made of glass.”

Raph nearly passes out he laughs so hard, falling back and taking everyone with him to the floor. Then Donnie joins the pile, bumping foreheads with his twin in silent congratulations. Splinter watches from the couch and smiles.

Yes, he's missed a few things, some bigger than others. But he's here now, and he thanks god he didn't miss this.

Then three months later, Leo brings home a boy.

“Everyone,” he announces with a flourish as he gestures to the flustered-looking rabbit Yokai waving awkwardly beside him. “This is Usagi Miyamoto. We're dating. Have been, actually, for like three weeks, so, yeah." He drapes his arm around the blushing rabbit boys' shoulder, grinning wide. "We're boyfriends now.”

Splinter chokes on his sake.

A boyfriend. 

Usagi--the boyfriend--turns to Splinter and bows. "It is an honour to finally meet you, sir. Leonardo has told me so much about all of you." He smiles, small but polite. 

Splinter grimaces back.

I am not ready for this.

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Send more requests if you'd like!~<3