#bc even in the turtle tot short he wasn’t quite at that cocky level yet

[turtleblogatlast]

Imagine little Turtle Tot Leo practicing his best Lou Jitsu grin in the mirror during the nights he can’t sleep. He’s gotta be just like his idol, after all! So he masters the art of the cocky grin, slowly perfecting his imitation.

Eventually that confident grin becomes his default one, and the quiet, happy smile that he’s born with, the one that he first greets his father with, that one is the rarity.

Until the invasion happens. Until he throws himself into the Prison Dimension. Until he’s beaten within an inch of his life and he’s holding onto his last remnant of his family through sheer willpower alone.

In that moment, looking at the photo of the ones he loves, that quiet smile comes back.

[whattraintracks]

#Leo makes my heart hurt#he’s most himself when no one’s looking#violence mention /#high key considering drawing this lmao#oh time why dost thou forsake me#anyway I’m obsessed with Leo deliberately practicing his smile as a kid#bc even in the turtle tot short he wasn’t quite at that cocky level yet#but he starts to get there when he gets the bandana#so I like to think it REALLY starts around then#a tiny boy just wanting to endear himself to his father#not knowing that he’s had his dad’s love from the start

Imagine little Turtle Tot Leo practicing his best Lou Jitsu grin in the mirror during the nights he can’t sleep. He’s gotta be just like his idol, after all! So he masters the art of the cocky grin, slowly perfecting his imitation.

Eventually that confident grin becomes his default one, and the quiet, happy smile that he’s born with, the one that he first greets his father with, that one is the rarity.

Until the invasion happens. Until he throws himself into the Prison Dimension. Until he’s beaten within an inch of his life and he’s holding onto his last remnant of his family through sheer willpower alone.

In that moment, looking at the photo of the ones he loves, that quiet smile comes back.