#also out of all the skateboards he took the wheel from Donnie's

[risestarkiss]

Rise Ramblings #537

Smart Leo is a super villain.

You can not convince me otherwise.

[taruchinator]

🌹 General Audiences

🌹 5k Words

🌹 Written for the Grab A Slice TMNT Bang!

Leonardo Hamato had a crush on Yuichi Usagi.

This was a fact the teenage turtle had struggled with admitting to himself for a while now, mostly due to both his underlying insecurities, as well as never being a fan of the cliché lovesick feelings that a crush brought with it.

Yet after many long and awkward conversations with April— the only person he knew wouldn't make fun of him since his brothers would definitely never let him live this down— about what the heck was one supposed to do when they felt these sort of things, Leonardo Hamato came to the grand resolution of confronting his feelings head on!

Hey guys, Alice here! Today I come bearing my first ever ROTTMNT fic and its made specifically for the Grab A Slice Bang on Twitter!

I've been looking for the opportunity to make something sweet and fluffy with my Leosagi headcanons and now here we are: the brainriot ACTUALLY paid off!

And most importantly, this fic features artwork but lovely artists who helped in bringing it to life. The first one being by @jordyn-jpeg and the second one by @dont-throw-sand! Please go give them a follow!

Leonardo Hamato had a crush on Yuichi Usagi.

This was a fact the teenage turtle had struggled with admitting to himself for a while now, mostly due to both his underlying insecurities, as well as never being a fan of the cliché lovesick feelings that a crush brought with it.

He was a flirty guy, absolutely. But that was never meant to be taken seriously. It never meant to become real— To let him be vulnerable.

Meeting other Yokai such as himself and his brothers was always a treat for him, since it gave them a sense of belonging in an otherwise hostile world. But there was always something different about Usagi that set him apart from the rest of the inhabitants of the Hidden City.

Despite having a rocky start after meeting at Run Of The Mill Pizza— his brothers finding the bunny holding Señor Hueso with a katana to the throat as he interrogated on a matter that turned out to be a misunderstanding on Usagi's part, but still left some rather nasty first impressions of each other— the duo ended up finding common ground rather quickly.

Usagi was a farmer boy who wanted to become a samurai just like his ancestor, and as such his grandmother suggested he travel to train in the Hidden City. This very much matched Leo's own goals of becoming the strongest ninja just like Lou Jitsu. And even though Usagi was taught that ninjas weren't to be trusted, he was quick to open up to Leo and the others after realizing the kind of people they were.

There was also the fact that they shared a similar sense of humor. Whenever Leo told a joke and everyone groaned in annoyance, the rabbit would snort, and even retort with a cringy comeback of his own.

They both liked exploring what the human world had to offer.

They each cared deeply for their families, and would do whatever it took to protect them.

Heck, they even had the same goofy and reckless personality that had others wondering if they needed to be watched over.

Leo found all of this to be part of a great friendship, which was why the realization of his true feelings was like a bucket of ice cold water dumped over his head. Although technically he didn't come to this conclusion on his own.

One day in the lair, the turtle brothers were getting ready to start one of their infamous skateboarding tournaments, taking full advantage of their day off. But as soon as they were about to begin with wheels at the ready, the blue ninja got a text message. It was from Usagi, who promptly reminded him of their previous arrangement to go shopping for new training clothes, if he wasn't busy.

Mikey inquired if they could get back to the fun, only to have Donnie utter a sentence that would leave Leo's blood running cold.

“He can't. Leo has a date with his boyfriend, so we're going to have to make do with a player short.” His voice sounded nonchalant as he said this, which only angered the twin further as he felt heat creeping over his face.

“He's NOT my boyfriend! And you guys better wait for me or else everyone's getting a mustache in their sleep!” Despite trying to sound semi threatening, his voice gave way and the others merely looked at each other with smirks gracing their features. After stomping a few obstacle courses on his way out, Leo huffed in annoyance at the pink in his cheeks that just wouldn't go away.

He tried to brush it off as one of his brother's regular shenanigans to get under his skin, but it was almost as if a switch had been flipped in his brain and certain thoughts began to arise.

Like how he never noticed how darn cute his rabbit friend actually was. Everything from his little pink nose, to the softness of his fur, to the way his eyes would lit up in excitement at the mention of ancient ninja/samurai history.

Or how selfless and kind he was to everyone around him, no matter who they were or how they treated him— be it Yokai or Human alike.

Small details that Leo either took for granted or simply never took the time to pay attention to. And it all had his stomach doing backflips that left him breathless each and every time.

As such, after many long and awkward conversations with April— the only person he knew wouldn't make fun of him since his brothers would definitely never let him live this down— about what the heck was one supposed to do when they felt these sort of things, Leonardo Hamato came to the grand resolution of confronting his feelings head on.

Operation ‘Rabbit Conqueror’ was in full swing! What could possibly go wrong?

Leo's first attempt was something simple.

He wanted to get his feelings across in a subtle yet charming way, his specialty for sure.

As such, he decides to invite the bunny boy over for a night of Lou Jitsu binge watching and pizza galore, and makes special note of doing this when no one will be home. Splinter has gone out to discuss some important stuff regarding their mystic powers with Draxum, while his brothers go to April's for a sleepover, which they hadn't done in a long time.

Leo turns down the offer saying he already has plans with Usagi in the city, which April already knows about and actually offered herself to help in the blue ninja's plans by keeping the others at her apartment. Raph in particular finds it rather odd, but doesn't question it.

“Mikey just plugged in the console on the TV. They'll be here a while ;)” April's text quickly flashes across Leo's screen, leaving a small smile on his face. He'd have to properly thank her later.

“I still can't believe the others didn't wanna join us. You sure you don't wanna wait in case they can make it?” Usagi's voice brought Leo back to reality, which caused him to turn and look at the rabbit who was already getting comfortable in his seat on the couch, yet held a questioning look in his eyes.

Quickly pocketing his phone, the blue ninja chuckled as he approached his friend. “I already told you it's fine! They've already seen this one like, a gazillion times! Plus they'll take blowing up alien tech over staying at home any day.”

Leo told Usagi that his brothers were out testing new technology that Donnie had cooked up thanks to the weird advancements from the Krang invasion. Why wasn't Leo with them? Because he was tired after a week of non stop patrolling and he just wanted some time to chill with his favorite fur ball.

“So then, my good sir! Why don't we start the evening with a delicate cuisine from the finest restaurant in all of New York?” The turtle then proceeded to pull out a box of pizza from Señor Hueso's seemingly out of thin air, placing it gingerly on the plastic table in front of them. Usagi's expression quickly lit up, but the moment he reached to grab a slice, Leo's hand gently swatted him away. “Ah ah ah! Patience, my friend. We cannot have the ultimate pizza experience without soda! What kind of monster do you think I am?”

Rubbing his hand in fake annoyance, the bunny boy rolled his eyes with amusement. “Man you're obsessed with this stuff, I hope you're aware. Might even need medical attention. Just hurry up, I'm starving!”

With a wink, Leo quickly made his way to the kitchen where their bubbly beverages were waiting.

The plan was simple. Ahead of time, the blue ninja had written something on the inside of the pizza box's lid. He tried thinking really hard on a good pick up line that best showcased his abilities as a comedian as well as flirting, which ultimately led to something straight out of a bad romcom— ‘I know it's cheesy, but would you go out with me? <3’

The line made him giggle aloud as he was serving up the drinks. It was so perfect yet so stupid, all in the best way!

As soon as he gave Usagi his drink and let him open the box, the samurai would surely swoon and find himself a blushing mess in an instant. Or at least that was the plan, since the idea of those soft fluffy cheeks going pink in embarrassment brought a goofy smile to the blue ninja's face.

Yet that fantasy was shattered the moment he heard noises coming from the living room.

Not really knowing what to expect, he made his way over with the drinks in hand to see what the fuss was about, only to have his stomach drop in an instant.

“Yo, Leo! Why didn't you tell us you guys were watching Lou Jitsu without us? We would've come back sooner!” Raph spoke with a mouthful of pizza as he lounged on one side of the couch.

“Well I guess Leo didn't wanna interrupt your fun. I'm glad you could make it, though— the more the merrier!” Usagi, as clueless as ever, spoke with a smile on his face as he held a slice of pepperoni in his right hand. Confusing the blue ninja's disappointment with confusion, he responded. “They came in a few minutes ago. I'm surprised you didn't hear them!”

“Guess I was stuck in Usagi land…” Leo thought in despair. Trying not to let it show on his face however, he turned to Donnie, who sat cross-legged on the floor with cheese dribbling on his fingers. “I thought you guys were gonna stay at April's.”

“Yeah, her mom ended up coming back from the hospital earlier than planned. So we had to reschedule. Angelo! Any more salami over there?” His twin spoke nonchalantly yet again and quickly changed the subject to more pizza as he turned to their youngest brother.

Mikey, who sat right in the middle of the couch and next to Usagi, replied with a hint of guilt as he sported a sheepish grin. “Sorry, Dee! Got the last one… Oh! Don't worry Leo! I saved you a slice!” As Mikey waved the aforementioned slice in the air for his brother to see, Leo's eyes immediately went to the discarded pizza box on the floor, stomped on and totally wrecked from the massacre.

A buzz in his pocket followed soon after, which he fetched only to find a single text from April looking back at him. ‘My mom didn't get called on overtime after all. I'm sorry :(’

Attempt #1 for Operation ‘Rabbit Conqueror’ was a bust.

Despite the obvious disappointment at his plans being fouled over, Leo didn't let it deter him in his quest. Second attempt!

There were so many different ways someone could confess their feelings to another. And the next one on his list was the wonderful art of gift giving.

There was always something about Usagi getting him small gifts that left Leo completely entranced. They were always simple things like charms or trinkets he'd find in the market that reminded him of the turtle, but it was clear from all of that that the bunny boy was someone who appreciated a good present.

Which was why this time, he ended up enlisting the help of his father for this particular task.

Usagi had commented how he'd been looking for a new training sword for a while, complaining that the one he currently owned was one he had since he was a child, and as such, had seen better days and didn't quite have the strength he was looking for. On the other hand, the ones he did find being sold in the Hidden City were either extremely out of his price range or simply not well made for a samurai.

Enter Hamato Yoshi, AKA Lou Jitsu, AKA his father, who may not be one of the most exemplary ninjas out there, but he was trained in the arts of one, and as such knew everything of basic skills such as that of forging a sword.

Which was why the blue ninja immediately begged Splinter to help him in crafting a basic sword to give to his beloved. The rat man found the request extremely odd and out of character for his son, but took it as an opportunity to bond with him, so he didn't question the need for a new sword when the ones he currently had worked perfectly fine.

With the shiny new sword now in his possession, Leo was quick to prep it all nicely with a bow. He'd give it to Usagi during their weekly training spar, ask him to be his boyfriend and live happily ever after. Simple!

“Come on, Usa! You can do better than that!” Leo easily evaded the rabbit's swing to his left, counter attacking with a swing of his own that quickly got blocked.

“You're one to talk! I know when you're going easy on me, Hamato. Afraid of showing what otherworldly powers you're hiding?” Usagi was a fun opponent, since he never backed down from a challenge and was quick to match Leo's taunting with his own. He arched his eyebrows with a sly smirk, which had no right in being as sexy as it was.

With a slight blush dusting his cheeks which he hoped came off as exertion, Leo chuckled as he lowered his weapon, panting and reaching for a bottle of water for himself and his partner. “Didn't think trying to be nice would be considered going easy on someone. Let's take five! I'm sure we both need it…”

He then tossed one bottle to the bunny boy, which he was able to catch easily. “Fine… But we're settling this today! No more ties!”

As Usagi started chugging down on his drink, Leo turned an eye to look at the new sword which was still hidden on the other side of the tunnel they were practicing on. It actually blended well and could come off as Mikey's graffiti if Usagi ended up locating it.

Everything was going according to plan! No one to distract him from his goal!

Or so he thought.

“Leonardo. I see you've brought company…”

A soft female voice echoed through the tunnel, quickly bringing both boys out of their resting and into battle positions with one back against the other. Both had raised their swords and started looking back and forth for the source, only to be met with a giggle.

“I apologize. I didn't mean to frighten you. Perhaps I should've made myself present earlier.” It was then that Leo really took a good look at his surroundings. A faint glowing green figure began to emerge before him, and the moment it started to take form, he immediately lowered his guard and couldn't believe the luck he had. “Gram Gram?!”

Oroku Karai stood before him, a warm smile plastered on her face as she nodded in greeting. “It is good to see that you're doing well.”

After the fight with Shredder, the turtles thought that they'd never get to see their beloved ancestor again. For months during their recovery they mourned her, yet one day she miraculously appeared before them as a spirit, which brought everyone in the family to tears.

The best explanation that Splinter could come up with was now that Oroku Saki no longer existed in any plane, Karai had been freed from her curse and tie to the Hamato clan, which turned her sacrifice null and allowed her spirit to remain in the teapot that was once connected to Shredder's soul.

And despite being able to move on and go to the spirit world, the fierce warrior confessed that she yearned to be with the family she never got to meet, hence being able to stay with the living.

Leo was ecstatic about this fact, and his Gram Gram was someone he loved talking to whenever his brothers annoyed him or April wasn't available.

He loved her, and yet her timing couldn't have been any worse.

“Wait! Y-You-re… Oroku Karai! Daughter of the Shredder! And Leo's great great grandmother!” Usagi's nerd instincts kicked into high gear, as he looked at the woman in awe with his weapon discarded on the ground. “My grandmother told stories about you along with those of Miyamoto Usagi! You're a legend and staple of ninja history!”

Karai looked over at the bunny boy in surprise, but then allowed herself to laugh at his words. “I would not consider myself a legend, but thank you for your kind words. As for Miyamoto Usagi, he was indeed a powerful ally and a wonderful friend…”

“You.. You knew him?” Usagi asked with sparkles in his eyes.

Karai nodded with a smile. “We fought together a handful of times, yet his heart always showed to be pure. If you'd like, I would be more than happy to share some stories.”

“That would be great! Thank you so much! I should probably get more water though, we've been training all this time so we're kinda dehydrated- Anyway this is a huge honor!” Without even sparing Leo a glance, Usagi bowed and quickly left to the kitchen to bring more drinks.

Gram Gram walked over to Leo and smirked, a knowing twinkle in her eye that indicated she had secrets to share, yet would never tell. “He seems like a nice boy. I hope you remain good friends.”

Leo groaned in frustration and embarrassment as he covered his blushing face.

Attempt #2 for Operation ‘Rabbit Conqueror’ went down the drain.

This time, the blue ninja was not holding back.

His third attempt would be the biggest and most extraordinary display of affection that even the Yokai down the street would know of his affections for the rabbit samurai.

All of his previous failures had two things in common. They were at his home where distractions could occur at any time and were trying to remain subtle. But this time he wouldn't be home, and he'd be anything but subtle.

With lots of begging and promises to Señor Hueso of washing the restaurant's dishes for a month, Leo was able to get himself and Usagi a fancy table at Run Of The Mill Pizza. Candles were placed, lights were dimmed, and even music was provided to make the atmosphere as romantic as possible. Señor really knew how to make an impression.

With a romantic dinner at his side, Leo was going in guns blazing. He would go in, have a wonderful time with his crush, and confess at the end of the evening after buttering him up throughout the whole date. And yes, this was meant to be a date.

And Leo was sure to make that point very clear.

“Since when do you like having pizza on dinner tables? I thought you said grease tasted better on booths.” Usagi was trying his best to be as casual and carefree as the duo usually was when they came to Señor Hueso's, but it was clear that all the fancy stuff around him was getting a little distracting.

When Leo had told him he wanted to have dinner that night, Usagi had assumed the usual— either chaotic dinner with his family or the usual pizza palooza they enjoyed at Run Of The Mill. And well, he was partially right.

Leo placed a hand against his chin, leaning with a smirk gracing his features as he looked at his companion in a way Usagi had never seen before. “Oh, well you know how it is! You go big or go home when you're taking someone lovely out for dinner. Can't have none of that basic stuff when you're on a date.”

Pink quickly dusted over the bunny's cheeks, and Leo had to hold back his squeal over how adorable he looked. Just as adorable as he'd imagined, which meant things were going according to plan. Usagi forced a chuckle as he started fiddling with his thumbs. “Right… a date. Good one, Leo! S-So! We having the usual or…?”

The blue ninja was taken aback by the change of subject, but tried to regain his footing as he grabbed the couple's menu that Señor had provided for them. “You know, I'm not really in the mood for pizza. What do you say we go for the Italian pasta bowl? It says here it's perfect for two~”

Usagi only then noticed his own menu, and proceeded to look for the dish his friend was suggesting. He raised his eyebrows in confusion, but didn't seem to protest. “I mean… I'm not the biggest fan of spaghetti, but… you never know unless you try, right?”

“Exactly!” Leo closed his menu and ushered one of the waiters in their table's direction. “One Italian pasta bowl, please! Make it ‘Lady and the Tramp’ style, for me and my date here.”

The waiter nodded and left, leaving a confused Usagi and a smirking Leo at the table. “You're the Lady, by the way. And I, am but a mere humble Tramp…”

“Leo!” Usagi spoke up a bit louder than intended, but it was effective in getting the blue ninja to snap out of whatever he was doing. With a deep inhale, the bunny scratched at the back of his neck sheepishly. “Sorry, I didn't mean to yell… Look, I appreciate all of this, I really do! Going out of your way to plan something like this for us must have taken a long time. But… I prefer when we get to sit in our booth and just laugh at whatever lame joke we come up with.”

“W-We can still do that! I thought I was cracking jokes, you know?” Leo tried to play it off, but Usagi's stern look quickly deflated his efforts. “I mean… I just wanted tonight to be special.”

“But why?” The rabbit samurai scooted a little closer and placed one hand on top of Leo's. The softness of his fur was enough to get the turtle's skin to tingle. “You've been acting weird for a while. I didn't think much of it at first because well, you're you. But after this… I can't help but wonder if something's going on. Is everything okay?”

As Leo looked into the other boy's eyes, he found nothing but genuine concern for him, and it only squeezed his heart in a painful way.

This was it.

He had to tell him, or else he'd keep worrying about him.

Taking a deep breath, he held Usagi's hand between his own and felt his face heating up. “The truth is… Usa- Yuichi. The thing is… I-”

And almost as if the universe was mocking him at this point, the door to the restaurant was forcefully shoved open, causing other customers to stare in confusion.

Hypno stood in all his ugly hippopotamus glory along with Warren, the little worm creature perched atop the other villain's shoulder as he waved a paper bag in the air in what could only be compared to a child's tantrum. “You forgot my guava sauce, Hueso! I order the same thing every Tuesday night!”

“If my roomie doesn't get the respect he deserves, then perhaps you need a bit of a reminder on who you're dealing with!” Hypno used his raw strength to pick up a nearby table and started throwing it around to cause commotion.

“Give me a frickin break…” Leo couldn't help but mumble under his breath. Letting go of his date's hand, he went to reach for his katanas. Usagi wasn't far behind, bringing out his odachi and taking a stance.

As the duo began their fight, Leo was aware of the looks Usagi kept glancing his way, and there really wasn't a way for him to stop and say anything in return.

The third attempt was most definitely the worst.

It had been about three weeks since Leo's last attempt at Run Of The Mill Pizza.

Usagi didn't pry again, but Leo knew that he was still worried about him. Regardless, the blue ninja decided the best course of action at this point was to just ignore. He pretended like the past couple of months didn't happen, and did his best to go back to his goofy and prankster self, while also treating the bunny boy the same as usual.

Or at least, he tried to.

There was no denying that he treated Usagi differently now, and may even be avoiding him on an unconscious level.

But could anyone really blame him?

He'd pretty much made a fool out of himself in front of the boy he liked and now even had doubts he never considered before. Like what if Usagi didn't like him back? What would happen if Leo confessed and it ruined their friendship? What if he lost him forever, all because he couldn't get over a stupid little crush.

So that's what he was planning to do. Try and get over it.

So far it wasn't working.

He and Usagi had been assigned a specific part of the city for their monthly patrol. The other turtles were somewhere else, trying to cover more ground for any crimes that could be occurring. But of course, it was the one night New York decided to be peaceful and not have anything going on.

Silence hung between the two Yokai, and honestly Leo preferred it that way. Well, more like he preferred the silence to having the bunny boy be interrogating him. He'd much rather the two of them be talking like normal. Listening to the other laugh. Knowing that he was the one who caused that.

After rounding the same corner for the fifth time, Leo thought it would be a good idea to call it a day.

But before he could even utter a sentence, he turned to look at his companion. He stood awkwardly in place, fidgeting and turning from one place to the other. Almost as if he was… nervous?

“You okay, Usa?” Leo asked suddenly, which caused the samurai to jolt in response, but quickly forced a smile as he chuckled lightly. “Y-Yeah! Never been better! Why you ask?”

This time Leo was the one who gave him a stern look, and all Usagi could do was sigh in response. “It's just… I wanted to ask you something. B-But I don't wanna upset you!”

“Here it comes…” Leo braced himself for the interrogation that was long overdue. He'd just tell him he had the flu or something and that was the reason why he'd been acting so weird for the past few months. Trying to give him a reassuring smile, the blue ninja replied. “Come on, Usagi. It's me! Whatever it is, it can't be that bad. You won't upset me. Promise!”

Studying his face for a moment, Usagi must have found what he was looking for, since he took a deep breath and started fidgeting under the other teen's gaze once more. “Alright… here it goes.”

“I've been… thinking about this for a while. Like, a really long time actually.” The samurai chuckled to himself at that. “But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. And after everything that's happened, I think… I think it's time for me to take a chance.”

Leo simply stared at his friend in confusion. He really didn't know where he was going with this.

“Leonardo Hamato.” Usagi looked at the turtle in front of him with conviction as he uttered his full name, making the other blush with intensity. In a matter of seconds, the samurai pulled something from his pocket and placed it between them, bowing his head with red covering his entire features. “Doyouwannagooutwithme?!”

It took Leo about ten seconds to realize what Usagi was holding— a red rose.

It took him another ten seconds to process what the other had said.

Until his face finally erupted in flames after a total of thirty seconds. “W-What?!”

“I-I said… Do you-?” Usagi was about to ask again, only to have Leo interrupt him with slight annoyance in his voice. “No, I heard what you said! But that's not fair!”

Usagi's ears quickly flattened at the side of his head, and Leo immediately made sure to correct himself. “I've been trying to ask you out for months now in the best possible way, and then you come in and just outright say it? I-It's just not fair!”

After processing what the other said, the bunny boy smiled widely. “So I was right!”

“Right about what?”

“About you liking me! I hoped that you did, maybe my mind was playing tricks on me, but it wasn't! Like the pizza thing, the new sword and then the restaurant!” Usagi blurted in a single breath which made it difficult to keep up, but Leo somehow did. “Wait. You… You knew about all of that?”

Sheepishly looking at the ground, he nodded. “I mean, not at first. I saw the message in the pizza box after it was in the trash but thought maybe they gave us the wrong one. Then your father told me you made that sword for me, but I figured you were just being nice. And the restaurant… well I didn't know what to think of it. Maybe you were playing games with me? I dunno…”

At that last statement, Leo quickly grabbed the other by the shoulders and stared into his hazelnut eyes. “Yuichi, I would never play about something like that…”

The use of his first name brought more pink to the bunny's cheeks. Leo only used it when he was serious. With a smile slowly lifting in his corner, he quickly leaned in, and stole a nuzzle against the turtle's face, before pulling away just as fast. “Yes…”

Trying to accept the fact that his crush pretty much kissed him, Leo felt the world around him spinning, and the butterflies in his stomach multiplied in an instant. “H-Huh?”

“Yes, I will go out with you. That's what you wanted to ask, right?” Usagi kept his smile, pink never leaving his face.

Leo started laughing, red going from one cheek to the other. “And I would love to go out with you too…”

At that moment, the blue ninja couldn't be any happier. Everything he'd done over the past few months hadn't been for nothing, and it was actually totally worth it in the end. He'd make sure that Usagi didn't regret this decision, and based on the look the rabbit gave him, he was thinking the same thing.

Holding each other's hands under the beautiful midnight sky couldn't be anything more than cliché, yet he didn't care.

Life really was good after all.

“Oh, would you look at that? The gays have finally come out of their shell! Get it? Shell? Anyways gentleman, I believe you owe me money.”

“Aw Leo! Why didn't you tell us you were into Usagi? We could've totally hooked you up sooner!”

“Yeah bro! Dr. Feelings could've given you a free consultation!”

As he heard the snickers and snaps of pictures being taken from the rooftop, Leo sighed once more.

Well, he'd been planning stuff for months already.

What was one more scheme to help him become an only child?

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[gladiatorofthevoid]

Rise April Challenge 16: Mask

Prev - Next - Masterpost Ao3 Link: Here

(This is a bit of a long one, but I think it’s worth it. Also, I go to make April say “bitch” so that’s fun. Warning: Feels Ahead!)

The Boys were acting weird. Which was quite a feat considering that they were mutant turtles, trained in the art of Ninja-ing. April wasn't even counting the fact that they were teenagers. In April's experience, all teens were weird. So yeah, the boys were acting stranger than normal. 

It started when she went to meet them on the roof of her current job. Raph arrived first and gave his lovely snaggle tooth grin. 

"Hey, big guy!" She calls out, waving him over to sit next to her by the small wall that went around the edge of the roof. "The others on their way?" 

"They stopped by Run of The Mill to get us some pizza." He said, sitting down and crossing his legs. 

"Cool." She responded and opened her phone, expecting Raph to do the same. 

But when she looked up a few seconds later he was staring at his lap, the place where his eyebrows should have been furrowed in concentration. He was thinking very hard about something, and when Raph was thinking hard about anything it was normally meant bad news. 

"You good over there, Boss Man?" April asked. The mutant jumped a little and snapped his head towards her, a big smile twisting his face. 

"Yep! I'm good! Why wouldn't I be good? I'm the best at being good!" Raph said, words rushing out like water out of a firehose. 

...Yeah, something was definitely wrong. April put her phone down and turned to face him. 

"Come on, bud. What's going on?" she asked and tried to look him in the eyes, even as the snapper nervously turned his head away from her. "You always say that you're here for all of us, no matter what. And you know that we would do anything for you."  

Raph softened at the girl's words. He shifted and squirmed, and though it was hard to tell with his green skin, April thought she saw him blushing. She waited and didn't look away, trying to project a calm and loving aura. The turtle finally sighed and faced her. 

"I'm Ok, April. Raph promises." His smile was softer now, more real and relaxed, and April knew that that was the best she was going to get. She patted his arm, scales smooth on her hand. 

"Alright, but just know that we're here if you need help. Or if you just need to talk." She leaned back against the wall and picked up her phone again. It's best not to push her friend unless he really needs it. 

"What's your favorite color?"  

The question was sudden and so different than what they had just been talking about it took a few seconds for April's brain to process it. 

"...It's yellow, why-" She was cut off by a loud whoop and the sound of skateboard wheels, and when she looked over Leo was jumping over from the neighboring roof with a pizza box in his arms. The skateboard flipped under him and rolled across the roof as he landed next to them. Mikey and Donnie shortly appeared next to him, 

"It's Pizza Time!" Leo yelled and that was just enough of a distraction that by the time they were all settled, April had forgotten the strange question.

-

The second time was with Leo. 

They were having a makeover day, with different types of eyeshadows, blush, and nail polish spread all over the living room table. It was hard doing make-up on someone who was green, but Leo looked great if April did say so herself. They were munching on candy and watching some stupid internet challenge video, while waiting for their nails to dry when Leo asked the question. 

"So what do you use for your pigtails?" She blinked and turned to him. 

"What do you mean?" Leo had his look that he always used when he wanted to look natural but was really after something. 

"Just, you know, you always complain about how hard your hair is to style. But it always looks fabuloso, So, you know, I just wanted some tips." Leo flashed his sparkling teeth at her like it would distract her from how weird his question was. 

"You don't even have hair. What do you need tips for?" 

"Casey said that Mikey had hair in the future. I'm hoping it will grow in." April narrowed her eyes at Leo, who was examining his nails with a clearly fake casualness.  

Well... it wasn't like it was personal or anything. 

"I can't wear hair ties because my hair is too thick, they always snap and they're a pain to use. I normally just use some ribbons to tie them up." Leo smirked 

"Wow. You're sweet, strong, pretty and with a bow on top!" April shoved him away.  

"Oh, come on that was a "ribbon" good one." Uuuhhhh, why her?! 

"Ow! Alright, alright I'll stop "ribbon" on you. OW! Ok, I'll stop! Wait hold on-WAIT! APRIL, I'M SORRY! UNCLE! UNCLE!"

-

Next time was with Donnie.  

April knew the soft shell had problems with boundaries, they've had to have several interventions to explain to Donnie that "It doesn't matter if you think you know better, you can't mess with our stuff without asking." Or "I know that you wanna keep us safe, but you can't tag track us without telling us." But it was normally alright. Donnie just needs some help understanding some things, and he usually said he was sorry, even if he still insisted that he was in the right. But April had thought that Donnie at least understood the basics of social etiquette, like not digging through a girl's closet without asking! 

But when she entered her bedroom after a long day of work, there he was: sifting through her shirts with his back facing her, and with a pile on the bed that was not there when she left. 

April closed her eyes, took a deep breath in, held it, and slowly let it out and relaxed her shoulders. She gently set down her backpack and opened her eyes. 

Then she took a flying leap and tackled Donnie to the ground. 

"OW! APRIL?! You're home early. How was- OW!" April wrestled the turtle into a chokehold, holding him down as he struggled, and she hit his chest with all the rage she could muster.  

"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, YOU ASSHOLE?!" 

"Wait! April, Stop! I can explain-" 

"EXPLAINE?! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" 

"Currently, I'm being beaten by a small, angry, teen-" 

"YOU DON'T JUST GO TROUGH A PERSON'S CLOSET! THAT OFF LIMITS!" 

"It wasn't like I was looking for your underwear! I was just looking at your shirts!" 

April stopped and glared down at Donnie squirming in her arms.  

"You got one chance to say something that will fix this, or I will be giving Leo an airhorn, and telling Mikey that you need more therapy." Donnie stilled. 

"You wouldn't." 

"You wanna test that?" April said, gritting her teeth. "Try me, Bitch."  

Donnie sighed in defeat. 

"I just wanted to get a sense for your style." 

What the heck? April let go of Donnie and crossed her arms. 

"Why?" 

"Style is an important part of expressing yourself, it reflects how you want others to see you, as well as what other factors like personality, overall mood, values-" They were getting too far off topic. 

"Yeah, I get all that. But why do you wanna know all that?" 

"...To be a better friend..." Donnie said with a fixed and stiff smile. April didn't stop glaring. Donnie drew back a little but stopped. The smile dropped and was replaced by a regretful look. "I'm sorry, April. I get that I was wrong and shouldn't have done that. I swear that I wasn't doing it to invade your privacy and I do have a reason. I just... can't tell you right now. But I promise I will! And I also promise that I will never do this again." 

April sighed and uncrossed her arms. She was still angry, but she had an apology and Donnie did promise. 

"Fine. But this is the only warning you'll get, and you owe me big time." 

Donnie smiled, a real one this time. It was soft and grateful, and felt so sincere that it threw her for a loop when she saw it. It didn't feel like it matched the situation at all. 

"Of course. Anything you want."

-

The third time was with Mikey.  

She had woken up in the middle of the night to find him hanging upside down outside her window, tapping on the glass. She stumbled out of bed, and towards the window to open it. 

"Mikey? What are you doing? It's late." 

"Sorry, I just needed to ask you something." 

... 

... 

Why did it have to be April? 

She thought about just slamming the glass in his face and going to bed, but, knowing Mikey, that would not deter him. So, she just sighed. 

"What is it?" The turtle dug around in his pockets and shoved two small squares of fabric in her face.  

"Which do you like better?" He asked, smile never leaving his face. She was too tired of this, but she still reached out and felt the squares. 

"This one," she said holding one up. Mikey took them back and nodded. 

"Great. Thanks, April. Night." He vanished into the shadows and was gone. 

April shut the window and fell to bed, too sleepy to care what on earth that was all about.

-

The last time, it was with all of them. 

A few days later, she walked into the living room and found the four brothers sitting on the floor in silence. 

Raph had called April a few minutes and asked her to head down to the lair as soon as she could, that it was important. He had said that nothing was wrong when she had asked, but with the way they were all gathered in a semicircle with serious looks on their face it felt like they wear going to tell her someone died. 

What was happening?!

April walked and sat down with a thump in front of them and narrowed her eyes. The tension in the room was thick, but she wasn’t going to back down from whatever this was. She would face it head on and beat it into submission. She wouldn’t run, not from her friends, not from whatever this was. 

“What’s going on?” she asked, staring into each of their eyes. They stared back. 

“We wanted to give you something,” Raph said, sounding calm and centered. But there was a lilt to his voice, a quake that made him sound... nervous? 

The red turtle reached behind him and handed over a flat white box. April took it and saw Mikey wriggle out the corner of her eye.   

This felt... big. Like some kind of old sacred ritual. It felt as though there was something else in the room, a presence that made every move seem purposeful and heavy. It made her hair stand on end.  

April placed the box in her lap and looked at the brothers. Each of them was turned away and... blushing? 

Screw it. She’d just have to rip the Band-Aid off. 

She opened the box. 

Inside, was a mask.  

She froze when she saw it, its long tails spread out and the eye holes stared back at her. 

It was yellow.  

“What’s your favorite color?” 

She reached down and touched it. She knew this fabric. 

“Which of these do you like better?” 

That wasn’t all that was in the box though. There were also two long, green ribbons, knotted at the ends, and strung through a beaded charm, that glinted in the light. It was the symbol of the Hamato Clan. 

“We were thinking you could use them for your hair.” Leo said, his eyes locked on the floor and skin a bright pink when April whipped her wide eyes up to look at him. “Because you can’t wear the mask all the time like us.”  

"So, what do you use for your pigtails?" 

“We wanted to make sure it could be something you could wear without it looking out of the ordinary for you.” Donnie added, scratching the back of his hand. 

"I just wanted to get a sense for your style."  

April looked down at the box in her hand. Her hands trembled. 

This was-

Her vision blurred. 

So, all this time it was-  

Her throat went tight. 

She had called them her brothers before, had called them her family. But she had always worried that she was wrong, that it was just her that felt like that. But this was an undeniable confirmation that yes, you are Hamato. You are our sister. We love you.

“It’s ok if you don’t want-” She lunged forward before that sentence could be finished and wrapped them in a hug. She clung to them desperately, trying to pull them closer and closer. She buried her face in someone's chest and sobbed. Tears and snot ran down her face as she kept whispering: “Thank you, thank you, thank you, I love you, thank you.” over and over again. 

The mask lay on one floor, having fallen out of its box, and the two charms glinted like distant stars. All the while, the Hamato Clan children hugged and cried together. 

Prev - Next - Masterpost Ao3 Link: Here Please check out @zee-rambles who came up with this challenge (you can blame them for the feels) and look at @rise-april-art-challenge to see more submissions by other fans. Please give me feedback if there is anything I should work on.

[dakotafinely]

Turts and april with a s/o who has deadpool powers/ healing factor please?

FASCINATING!!

Okay, okay, hold on. DeadPools powers are like, regenerative right? Sort like Warren Stone’s but cool. So like, even if there’s a molecule of him left he’ll still regenerate? I’m not sure how his powers work but. I’m gonna assume it works like that.

(Don’t worry we’re not going that far, just wanna traumatize my bois a lil’ bit)

(Gosh this gets really long)

Raph:

After months of persisting, he finally gave in and let you go with him on a mission

And so far so good, you listened and stuck with him like you’d promised

Then came actually having to fight the Foot Clan

Not that you can’t fight, it’s just- well you know, a fight against literal paper ninja’s

You had fought off at least five of them when one finally got the better of you, sneaking up from behind just in enough time that

Slice

Raph practically fainted at the sound of your scream

Looking back in horror to see you, cowering on the floor with an arm twitching on the floor as you gripped the bleeding shoulder

It was a blind rage from there, he saw nothing but target’s of a rage he hadn’t felt in years

When it was finally over, Foot Brute and Lieutenant barely making it out before Raph could catch them, he made his way over to you in a panic

The adrenaline fading into fear as the others crowded around you, he gently shoved them to make room for him to be face to face with you

Where you smiled at him, that comforting smile you give him whenever you know he’s feeling overwhelmed, it makes him feel even more guilty as he should be the one trying to comfort you

He was apologizing, regretting having let you go, you hushed him

“Raph, baby, chill, my arm’ll be back in like, a week tops.”

Annnnnnnnnnnd, he fainted for real this time

Donnie:

You promised you wouldn’t touch any of the tempting big red buttons

You swore of it

But... big red buttons. Big Red Buttons I say!

Unfortunately for you, you touched the most dangerous button first

One that shot a circular saw at the unexpected victims hand, cutting it off

Donnie ran dropped the coffee mugs in his hands and bolted out of the room as he heard your shriek 

Now, you’d told him before any of this about your powers, hence why you were in his lab in the first place. He wanted to take a study of it and you were willing to it because aye, why not?

However, as he saw you bent over, blood dripping between your fingers and onto the now severed hand on the floor. His mind did not bring up your regenerative powers

“Oh Mi Gosh!! I Told You Not To Press The Buttons!” He shouted, not in anger, but in panic, rushing over to you as he scrambled to find his first aid kit. Which, despite always putting it in the same place, he’d forgotten where it was stashed to begin with.

“Why do you have a button to saw off peoples hands???“ You retorted with gasp of pain. Watching him scramble to open the first aid kit. Trying to bandage you up with shaky hands

As the pain eased, you began to realize more and more of your boyfriends silent panic. The shaky hands, the slow exhales of air in order to slow his heart rate. And the tiny tears that were on the brink of breaking through to his eyes

“Hey... hey,” you say making him meet eyes with you “relax, it’ll be back in a week. I know your worried about only having one hand for shell scritches.” You say with smile, trying to make him laugh.

A scoff and an eye roll is what you get, but a smile nonetheless eases onto his face.

“Yes, that’s clearly what I’m worried about right now.” He retorts

“I know, I know, your always so selfish. Guess that’s why I love you Dee.”

Leo:

To be fair, you totally thought you could make that trick flip

Not your fault that you fell off the skateboard and scraped your face against the cement

Leo watched your body roll across the floor in slow motion, like he couldn’t believe what he’d just seen

Mostly because he couldn’t

You were usually the one teaching him tricks that watching you fail one so dangerous made his body tense

He finally snapped back to current time as he heard you groan, curling up as you gripped your face

Leo turning pale as he saw one part of your face on the complete opposite side of the ramp. Blood trailing to you it made him want to gag a bit at the sight.

He rushed to as you sat up, still gripping the left side of your face with a hiss

“Oh mi gosh, are you okay!?” He asked

“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” you saw, pulling your hands away to see if you had any blood “wow, that’s a lot,” you comment as you stare at your drenched hands, looking up

Leo’s color was gone, completely, as he stared at your freshly skinned face, blood oozing down onto your chin as he could see in HD the definition of you face muscles

“...Leo? Leo!”

He woke up, slowly sitting up in before the night before hit him like a brick wall.

“(Y/n)? (Y/n)!” Leo called out, bolting off his bed (unsure of how he got there now that he thought about it)

To find you, in the kitchen, talking to Dee. Half your face bandaged as you held a nice cup of OJ

“So, yeah, at least, that’s what I’ve noticed about my regeneration,” “Fascinating.”

“(Y/n)!” “Oh hey Leo, you okay love? Your head made a pretty loud thud hitting the floor last night.”

Leo stutters before pointing at your face

“Me!? What about you!? Half your face was taken off by the cement last night!”

“Yeah, but like, I can regenerate and you could’ve totally had a concussion. You kinda take the priority babe.”

And for once, Leo’s at a loss for words. Bumbling and stuttering trying to find a response.

“You can regenerate???”

Mikey:

You were chopping onions for Mikey as he practically danced around the kitchen to prep dinner. The recipe called for an oddly large amount of onions, granted you were sure having someone as big as Raph to feed probably meant Mikey quadrupled the recipe.

Constantly having to stop and rub your eyes as they got blurry from tears. At first it wasn’t all to bad, but with onion you finished up it began to feel as though you were rubbing your eyes every second chop.

You eventually get frustrated, and continue chopping even as your vision gets blurrier and blurrier. Just wanting to complete that part of the recipe and move on.

Eventually you accidentally chop off a finger due to your recklessness

Mikey jumps at your unexpected scream, whipping around and turning pale at the sight. Seeing blood cover the onions as you gripped your hands so hard your knuckles turned white.

Looking at the finger left to lay on the chopping board before snapping back to reality as you let out a groan of pain.

“Oh mi gosh! (Y/n) what happened? Are you alright?” he asks quickly pulling out the first aid kit he keeps in a drawer to patch up your hand.

“Yeah, sorry! I just got frustrated with the onions,” You say, wiping your eyes of tears both from the pain and the stupid onions. A moment of silence falls between you before you let out a growl of frustration.

“What? Is the bandage to tight?”

“No! I just realized I ruined all the onions I just chopped!”

“Love... you do realize you cut off a whole finger right?”

“Yeah, but that’ll come back in a week. I can’t regenerate the time and energy it took to chop those flippin’ onions!”

“Look, we’ll just leave the- wait you can regenerate??”

April:

You and April were just walking to her house when some idiot came up to you two

“Give me all the cash on your wallets and no one gets hurt.” He whispers, a gun pressed to you back, wrapping an arm around your neck and making distance between him and April

April looked at you with wide eyes, but you stayed calm. Yes, your heart was beating into your ears, but that was mainly because you were afraid he’d switch targets

“Hey man, look-” “Shut up and just give me the money!” he interrupted you, pressing the gun deeper into your back

April began shuffling through her purse, trying to find her wallet as quickly as possible. The wheels in your brain began turning, churning ideas you were sure would get you hurt

But hey, you could handle it.

“Alright, my wallet’s in my pocket can I get it?” you ask him, hearing a grunt of approval you move into action

Taking a swift elbow and digging it as deep into his ribs as it would take to make him let you go, he lets out a yelp of pain and releases you.

You take a jump back and turn toward him, shielding April from view as he glares at you

The gun shots were deafening, shooting you three times in your chest before running off.

April let out a shrill as you fell to the floor. Limp as your eyes lay wide open and lifeless

She dropped to her knees and pulled you into her arms, clothes getting bloody from your fresh wounds as she sobbed over your temporary corpse

This goes on for a few minutes until you let out a large gasp. As life returned to you and pushed the bullets slowly out of your skin. April jumped at the sudden action of your body moving, Looking down at you with wide eyes

You looked up at her, feeling guilty as you see her puffy eyes and the slow tears falling onto your face

“Sorry babe, I couldn’t let you get hurt.”

“What? I thought-”

“It’ll take more than that to kill me I promise.”

(Sorry this took so long to get out! Also, I know April’s is a bit cheesy but I can’t help it. I’m a sucker for the cheesy bro. I hope you liked it!)

[troubledthoughtsfromahappywriter]

Chapter 1:Teen Spirit

A bright yellow school bus pulled into the high school campus, its doors folding open with a soft hiss. A few teens hopped out and began to talk amongst themselves, discussing homework and plans for the weekend. The last of the riders was an odd-looking boy who got off by himself. Instead of heading inside with the rest of the crowd, he slipped behind the building and leaned against the wall. Out of sight, he reached into his pockets to pull out a cigarette and lighter. It was a typical morning for him. After a smoke, the boy headed straight to the cafeteria, where he found his usual table. He took his headphones out of his bag, starting his favorite playlist as he put them on. The odd boy lay his head down and became absorbed in his music, ignoring the usual hustle and bustle of high school life. With the music blaring, he didn’t notice a lighter-skinned boy coming to stand across from him at the table. The newcomer was also wearing headphones, and carried a skateboard under his arm.

"Hey, Casey,” the new boy greeted him as he lifted his backpack onto the table. “Jesus Christ, did you hear the thunder last night? It was fucking loud!" He took off his headphones and sat down across from his friend, waiting for an answer. After a minute with no response, he impatiently slapped the other boy’s arm. "Yo, wake up. I'm talking here." The odd boy, Casey, looked up at him and smirked.

"Since when does your black ass get annoyed by loud noises, Tazz? I hear you over there listening to that shit full blast." Tazz rolled his eyes.

"Please, Casey, spare me.” He snorts and adds, “I'm fucking hungry."

"Did you see Liz yet?" Casey asks, clearly not interested in food at the moment. Tazz spins the wheel on his skateboard, frowning.

"No, but you need to stop stressing about her. If she doesn't want to see you, she doesn't have to." Casey put his head back down.

"She’s got something to tell me,” he said quietly. “Could be good, could be bad. You never know with her." They sat in silence until a third boy came to join them. He was pale and muscular, with a broad smile.

"Hey, Casey. Tazz."  He and Casey showed off their personal handshake.

"How's your mom?" Casey asked, now giving his full attention to the table. The third of the group, Donnie, answered him.

"She's doing fine. They're gonna keep her in the hospital a bit longer to make sure she's good to come home."

“That’s good,” Casey murmured, unsure of what to say next. Tazz decided to speak up for him.

"Thank God you got her there when you did. I know how much she means to you." Casey nodded in agreement.

"Thanks guys." He reached into his backpack and pulled out a bagel wrapped in foil.

"Got enough food for us too, Donnie?" Casey teased him.

"Fuck you." Donnie laughed as Tazz stood up.

"The cafe line is getting short. Let's go, Casey." Tazz and Casey left the table to get in line together. Donnie took a bite of his bagel as he took his phone out of his pocket.

---

"Are you sure we have time?" A girl’s voice asked softly amidst a make-out session.

"I'm sure of it. School doesn't start ‘til 9 and it’s only- "8:20." He brushed the girl's hair out of her face to look into her eyes. "You’re so beautiful Izzy." He moved his hand onto her lap.

"I don't feel beautiful." She muttered, looking away from him and out the window. He kissed her hand.

"Why not, baby?" He asked as he was moving his chair back. Izzy tied her hair into a bun.

"Because- he pauses, "Ethan." She moves her hands towards his crotch. "I get that you're busy working to take me out, but you rarely buy me anything without me asking." She starts unzipping his pants.

"I know, baby. Our one year anniversary is coming up in a couple of months. How about we go get a tattoo?" He proposed, hoping to please her. Izzy was not placated.

"Ethan, this is exactly what I'm talking about." She stops and sits in her seat. "You only want to get me one because I keep asking for one." She was upset and Ethan knew it. He zipped up his pants and started the car. After a few long minutes of silent driving, Ethan pulled into a Brunch N’ Munch.

"Two breakfast burritos, an orange juice and a mint frappe, extra whipped cream please." Ethan ordered the food as Izzy laced her fingers with his.

"I do love you, Ethan. Sometimes I just want you to spring something special on me. Instead of you going out with friends, you can take me somewhere nice." She kissed him and he kissed her back.

"$15.38." The cashier said as he handed them their food. Ethan dug into his pockets for the cash.

---

Donnie raised his hand. The teacher, Mr. White, saw him, but continued to lecture as though he hadn’t. Exasperated, he began to wave his hand back and forth until he was finally recognized.

"Yes, Donnie?" Mr. White called on him, annoyed.

"Can I use the restroom?" The teacher rubbed a hand across his face. He was used to Donnie asking only arbitrary questions.

"Fine. Make it quick." Donnie got up and quickly left the room. Another boy caught up with him in the hall. Donnie knew the boy’s name, Joey, but hardly spoke with him. Word gets around in high school, however, and Donnie was always being picked out by people who hardly knew him, just so they could give him unwanted condolences.

"Donnie man!" Joey called, following him into the restroom. Donnie ignored him until they were at the urinals, when he spoke again. "I heard about your mom, man. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, I've been getting that all day." Joey zipped up his pants and walked over to the sink.

"I hope she gets better." He washed his hands and left. Donnie felt a buzz in his pocket.

---

"Why do you have to leave, Donnie?" The school office worker asked, hesitant to let him go.

"My mom is in the hospital, and my-" Donnie hesitated, conflicted with his thoughts. The incessant clicking of the office keyboards was starting to get on his nerves. "You know what, never mind. I'll just be on to class." The woman gave him an odd look, but dismissed him with a nod. Donnie left quickly.

---

"Donnie, where are you going?" Casey called out, chasing after him as he was leaving school. He had been waiting for Donnie’s last class to be over. "We were supposed to go see a movie. We've been planning this for a while." Casey grabbed Donnie's arm but he pulled away.

"I can't make it. My sister-" Donnie shook his head and kept walking, not finishing his thoughts aloud. Casey watched him go, baffled by his friend’s sudden departure. He met up with their group of friends a while later in the school yard.

"Is he coming?" His friend Ethan asked. He was holding a pretty girl in front of him, rubbing her sides as she swayed in his arms. Casey pulled some cigarettes out of his pocket before answering.

"Something came up." He offered the pack to Ethan’s girlfriend, Izzy, the only other person who smoked in the group.

"Thanks." She put a cigarette in her mouth and Casey slipped the pack away.

"He didn't really say what, but-"

"It's fine man. Shit happens,” Ethan interrupts. Casey took a drag, glancing once more in the direction where Donnie disappeared.

---

"Mom, I'm home!" Casey called into the house, dropping his keys on the table. No one answered him.

"Hello, somebody?" More silence as he wandered into the living room. He noticed the bathroom door open and the fluorescent light on.

"They’re not here," a voice finally answered him from inside. A girl came out into the living room, wearing nothing but a robe and panties.

"Where did they go?" Casey asked, walking past her to the fridge to get a pitcher of ice.

"My dad had to go into work,” she explained. The girl started to head up the stairs. "I'll be in my room."

"Put some clothes on!" Casey called up after her.

---

Donnie sat in the hospital cafeteria by himself, his phone pressed firmly to his ear.

"Why aren't you here?" He asked concernedly into the receiver.

"I had to work all damn day, Donnie. I can't make it into Buffalo the day after a big case," a soft but exasperated voice replied to him.

"Lauren, please. Mom could be dying, and I feel like I’m losing Dad because of it." The line went silent for what felt like an eternity.

"I'll see what I can do. I have to go, I’m in a meeting." She hung up before Donnie could respond, leaving him to his despairing thoughts. He put his head in his hands, dreading to hear more bad news about his mother.

---

"Why'd you leave us yesterday, man?" Tazz asked Donnie as he reached over to take his biscuit. They were in the school cafeteria at their usual table together. Donnie had been secretly avoiding his friends until lunchtime, when he decided they would start asking questions if he didn’t show.

Donnie watched his biscuit as it was whisked away and disappeared in Tazz’s mouth. "Oh, I- wanted to see how my mom was doing." He looked to Casey for affirmation, but the other boy gave him a skeptical look.

"Why'd you mention your sister? Is she coming to town to visit?" Tazz asked, sounding hopeful.  Donnie punched his arm, playfully appalled by his friend’s interest in his sister.

"No, she just started some huge case. She doesn't have a free day." He ate a spoonful of vegetables and stood up suddenly, the sound of his chair squealing away getting the attention of his friends. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom, I’m not really feeling well today." Ethan glanced at the clock.

"It's a fucking Friday afternoon. You can't stay for one more hour?" Donnie shook his head.

"Not feeling well,” he repeated absentmindedly. Ethan gave him an odd look.

"Yeah, you said that. Feel better, man." The boys at the table looked on in silence as Donnie left the cafeteria.

---

"Baby," Izzy crooned, coming up behind Ethan at his locker.

"Yes, sugar?" Ethan queried, rummaging through his locker for his bag and a science book.

"Can you take me to the store before work? I need to pick up a new candle for my collection." He turned around and kissed her forehead.

"I would, but I have to leave right now or I'll be late. I'll take you tomorrow, okay lovebug?" Izzy’s playful tone evaporated.

"Oh. Alright." She frowned.

"Are you okay, Iz?" Izzy just shook her head and walked away as Tazz approached.

"What’s her problem?" Tazz asked, nodding in Izzy’s direction. He leaned up against the locker next to Ethan's and popped open a bag of chips.

"I don't know. Yesterday she was talking about not feeling beautiful, and about me not buying her any gifts. Today she wanted me to take her to get a candle." Ethan slammed his locker shut. "I gotta go man, can you do me a favor?" Tazz hums in compliance as he drops a chip in his mouth. "Can you talk to her and see what’s up?" He crunches loudly.

“Sure,” Tazz mumbles, trying not to spit crumbs everywhere.  The two fist bump and go their separate ways.

The night sky was especially dark. Tazz had shut off his car motor outside of Izzy’s house, wondering how he was going to ask her a simple question for the sake of his friend. Ethan was stocking shelves at his job, eyeing the couples that wandered in and out of the store. He caught himself scowling at an especially affectionate pair, passing loving glances and generally appearing to be a perfect match. Casey sat outside his home, with a lighter in one hand and a pact bong in the other. His troubled thoughts continued to ravage his mind. On the other side of the wall, his step-sister was touching herself to a picture. Izzy was staring intently at herself in the mirror, admiring how she looked with all of her hair held back to one side. She was desperate for a change. Donnie finally stepped onto his porch after a long day. The smell of weed and vomit assaulted his nostrils as soon as he opened the door. His father was on the couch, a drunken mess and lost without his wife.