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The first time Leo met Usagi, he didn’t like him.
It was like any other night, which is him trying to run away from an antagonist who had beef with him or his brothers in some way. This time it was Repo Mantis, only because he spotted an item that Repo stole and the slider turtle thought,
I need to steal that back.
Is it really considered stealing if it was something that used to be yours? He should ask that question to Donnie since he’s the twin with all the answers. He would ask him now but Donnie and the rest of his brothers all scattered since they’re trying to distract the mutant cat, Nubbins.
It was going all so fine. Leo thought that he had lost that mantis mutant for sure. Until he felt tugging from his bandana tails. He tripped to the hard rough roof of the ground, confused by what just happened. He lifted his head up to see a white, anthropomorphic, bunny. That's a bunny, right?
“Not so fast, ninja!” They yelled out, while holding a weapon which appeared to be a katana. Before Leo could get attacked from it, he immediately got off from the ground and pulled his own katana out.
“Hey, move out of my way! I am in need to do something, usagi-”
Leo was interrupted with the rabbit’s sword clanging onto his. “How did you know my name? Who are you?”
The slider turtle raised his brow bone. “I don’t? Your name is actually Usagi?” Because he didn’t actually think that their name would’ve been Usagi, since it was originally supposed to be a nickname. Perhaps this mutant is Japanese, Leo assumed.
“Yuichi Usagi, great, great, many-greats samurai grandson of Miyamoto Usagi- dammit!” The assumedly young rabbit pointed at the item Leo is holding. “Stop stealing those things from that poor Repo Mantis man!”
Is he.
Is he serious?
Leo uses his whole hand to point to himself. “You think that I am stealing?”
“Yes! I work part time for Repo Mantis and he ordered me to retrieve back what you’ve stolen!” And there is no way that he is working for that damn mutant.
“Are you serious? I am “stealing” copic markers from Repo Mantis because my brother originally owns it.” He tried explaining. But the samurai didn’t seem to buy what he’s saying.
“You’re stealing from your brother? That’s even worse!”
“I want to strangle you.” He said, sneering a contemptuous smile.
“Try strangling these hands, pretty kappy!” He said, while lifting up the copic markers that he just stole. Leo looked at his hands only to realize that he was holding air.
The slider turtle made an annoyed sigh. “Why would you even want to work with Repo Mantis anyways?” He asked.
“Because he stole my yoyo! And he said he would give it back if I do work for him.” Usagi explained.
“Are you- Are you serious? I may be stupid, maybe way more stupider than any of my brothers, but that man is a scammer! He is a liar and never keeps promises!”
“But he said-”
Leo interjects. “Yeah, no. My little brothers had quite enough experience to make me know that he is not one to trust and make deals with!”
“Well, I am not going to believe you because I have these copapa- whateveryoucallit- markers with me now!” Usagi said, looking away from the blue ninja in embarrassment at how he couldn’t pronounce ‘copics’.
“No you don’t.” Leo replied as he swished his katana, letting out a portal. He stuck his hand inside the glowing portal to grab the copic markers that Usagi got. After closing the portal, he lifted the copics and gave the rabbit a cheeky smile. “Told ya so.”
Usagi’s eyes widened, astonished by what he just saw. “How did you do that?”
Leo wavered his weapon around so carelessly. “Mystic weapons! Made from the finest scientist ever made!” He said, hoping that somewhere in the sewers, Baron Draxum could have the vibe that someone would acknowledge his creations.
Assuming that Draxum even made the weapons. He should get his family lore checked.
“You have-”
A familiar voice interrupts him. “Leo! Where are you?” And it was Raph, yelling to find his younger brother. Seconds after, there would be 2 other voices exclaiming his name.
Leo snickers. “And those are my brothers. You better be running off now or else you would have to mess with them.” He said, partially lying to the samurai. While it was true that his brothers are deadly dangerous, they are not exactly that intimidating most of the time. If they were to see Usagi right now, they would probably just laugh at him, trying to combat the blue brother.
Usagi furthered his eyebrows. “Fine, but this won’t be the last of us seeing each other.” He said, then leaving the slider turtle alone.
Leo took some deep inhales and exhales.
Who knew trying to talk to someone so painful can be exhausting?
Seconds later, his brothers showed up, relieved that their leader was alive and well with no scratches at all.
Leo's body was then wrapped around by his oldest brother’s arms. “Leo! How was fighting off Repo Mantis?” Raph asked.
“Irritating.” He deadpanned as he crinkled his snout.
Donnie inspected the older twin and widened his eyes. “Surprised gasp, you really do look irritated. Did you two have an argument or something?”
Leo shrugged. “Something like that.” He then brought his right arm to hand the black bag to the youngest brother. “Here you go, Mikey, I know how expensive as hell those copics are.”
Mikey snatched the bag, then hugged Leo, accidentally lifting him up and swinging him around in the air. “Yes! Thank you Leo, I love you for that! Now time to get high off of these.” Leo released himself from the hug and stared at his brother in ironic surprise, along with Raph.
Donnie made a dead-record scratching- screech sound. “REALLY SURPRISED GASP! Angelo, you are only fifteen and you can’t just inhale alcoholic markers!”
“I’m kidding, I’m kidding! Let’s go home now, y’all.” Beamed Mikey. The rest agreed as the three ninjas talked about how difficult it was to fight Nubbins. Leo was left to think about the rabbit samurai.
Of how annoying he is when Leo tries to justify things about himself. Or how assuming he is and to not think about a single thought. How impulsive he could be without thinking.
And how he realized that Usagi is just like him.
It reminded him of who he was before.
/)/)
( . .)
( づ𓆉
It’s been days since the whole Repo Mantis, Samurai Rabbit, incident happened. The thought of Usagi just makes Leo pissed off, but he can’t stop thinking about him for some reason.
Though,
Usagi did look nice the first time they met-
Leo really had to stop having those thoughts. Those stupid, stupid, thoughts about a person that is a spitting image of himself. Besides, there are other unwanted things that he unfortunately has to think about.
Like the fact that he had technically caused destruction of his hometown. And that he was so stupid for not listening to his older brother’s orders. Or how he let his arrogance get in the way of not listening to his brothers.
God dammit.
He needs to go outside.
And because of those unwanted thoughts that are eating his mind he decides to go to the Run of the Mill Pizza. He told his brothers that he was going out to clear his mind, with the intention of wanting to surprise his brothers with a box of pizza, along with giving himself his own box to hopefully take away. And he swore he heard Hueso mutter that there are two of them now. Okay. What a weird thing to say. The slider turtle hoped that the boned yokai wasn't talking about who he’s thinking about.
Running from building, to restaurant, to apartment, and many others, there happened to be a familiar figure in one of the roofs he was running to. He knew where those fluffy long ears could’ve come from. It was Usagi, who was sitting near the edge of the building.
So he stopped running, slowly tip-toeing from the samurai rabbit. But curse the crinkly candy wrap from letting Leo pass him easily.
Usagi’s ears lifted up and he turned his head to see once again, the blue ninja.
“It’s you! Kammy Kame!” He exclaimed. For some reason, it didn’t sound like he wanted to end Leo’s life right now. Leo desperately wanted to portal himself back home but he forgot his swords back at home.
And for some reason, Leo felt content that Usagi is talking to him right now.
So he replies. “I didn’t think I would see you again.”
Usagi made an agreeing noise, turning his head back to view the moving cars and people below him. “I would say the same thing but every night I would always see you lurking through the building roofs."
“Glad to see that I am recognized amongst the many people living in New York City!” And Leo thought it would be time for him to just leave. But he didn’t. Instead he offered himself to sit beside the rabbit on the right. Now what in the hell is he doing? “So what’s up? You seem to not be attacking me ever since our last time seeing each other.”
Usagi scoffs. “You were right.” No fucking way.
Leo used his left hand to put it close to the left side of his head. “I’m sorry, I didn’t hear that. My ears are not as big as yours-”
“YOU WERE RIGHT!” He screamed off. Leo jumped and almost fell to his untimely death. But he didn’t die so he positioned himself back up. “You’re right about Repo Mantis being a scammer. I found it easier just stealing my yoyo back instead of doing constant work. Kuso, he doesn’t even pay me.”
Kuso. That’s a phrase Leo says all the time.
“Glad to see that my word got into that brain of yours.” He replied. Usagi gave a little ‘psh’ as a response. As Usagi is looking below, Leo took a glance at the rabbit. It was obvious that he wasn’t in New York for a long time since his attire isn’t exactly New York-like. “You look new, when have you gotten here?”
“Eh, A couple of weeks ago. Auntie decided that I deserved to have a break after everything that has happened back in Neo Edo.”
“Where’s that?”
“Japan.”
Leo gasps. “You’re Japanese?”
And Usagi nods his head. “Yes!”
Leo’s lips quirked up to a dorky smile. “I-I-I thought so, since your name is literally Yuichi Usagi.” He said, which sounds odd but was relieved that he didn’t find much offense to it.
“Are you Japanese also?”
“Hell yeah I am! I am Leonardo Hamato, son of the Hamato clan and wielder of a mystic weapon and a ninpo!” He beamed. Then Usagi started saying words that he didn’t understand at all. Not a single word. “No offense but I have no idea what you’re saying.”
The rabbit stopped and asked. “You were never taught Japanese?”
“No, I don’t think my dad knows his Japanese anymore since he moved to America at a young age. He does say phrases though and I copy off of him. Like kuso!” He cursed out. Usagi made an irked out noise.
“Leo, that's a curse word!”
“It is? Ohhhh, that explains why dad always looks at me weirdly whenever I say that!” He mentioned. Then Usagi started to laugh. Was it at him or for something else? “What are you laughing at?”
“When we first met, I thought you were this serious ninja person who didn’t want to talk with anyone and would hiss at any form of interaction. I assumed you were bad based on the ninjas I had back in Neo Edo.” So that’s why Usagi didn’t like him. Leo felt kind of bad since his reason for disliking him was kind of petty.
“Understandable. If you want to know an antisocial guy who would hiss at interaction, my twin, Donatello slash Othello Von Ryan slash BootyShaker9000 slash Tello slash Dee, is there for you.” He joked, letting out a little laugh at the thought of his twin of many names. “But yeah, my first impression of you, you were honestly annoying as shit. But it turns out that you’re pretty okay.”
“What made you change your mind?” Usagi asked, while bringing out a toy from his hand.
It was the yoyo that he mentioned. The rabbit played around with it while he was still at the edge of the building.
“I guess it just takes one conversation to realize that we’re both not as bad.” He half admitted. Though it was true as both aren’t attacking each other but yet enjoying each other’s company.
But Leo thinks that Usagi wasn’t ready nor deserved to hear the other reason why Leo didn’t like him. Those were some unwanted thoughts that even present Leo wondered why past Leo would think about that. Stupid, stupid, impulsive emotions.
Luckily his train of thought was interrupted by someone dragging his shell and lifting him up. Leo wondered who the hell was grabbing him like that until he was turned to meet Raph. “Leo! Where were you?” He asked.
“You needed me?” Leo replied.
“Yes! Raph called you 10 times, I called you 15 times, and Donnie called you one time!” Fretted Mikey. Leo turned his head to face Donnie and made a fake sad expression.
“One time? I didn’t know I wasn’t cared that much by my own twin brother!” exaggerated Leo.
The softshell’s eyebrows furthered down. “No, you dum dum, I only called you once because I realized that we can just track your ass here.”
Raph then eyed the rabbit who was still sitting and playing with his yoyo. “Who is that bunny guy beside you? Is he trying to hurt you?” He said as he threw Leo to be behind him.
“That’s-”
“Usagi! Where have you been?” An unfamiliar voice interrupted Leo. They directed their heads to see a rhinoceros as big as Raph, a fox that is taller than Mikey, and a cat who is the same height as Donnie.
“Oh, hey, Gen!” Usagi said, stopping to grab his yoyo and wave at his friend. The rabbit got up to head near to his own set of friends.
“Who are these four turtles? Are you being attacked?” Gen asked, putting his hand in front of Usagi in defense.
Usagi flinched at his friend’s sudden protectiveness. “No! Me and, blue kammy kame were just talking.”
“You two were talking?” The cat girl, Chizu, questioned.
“Yes?” Leo replied.
Mikey’s face brightened and patted his older brother’s back. “FINALLY! Leo, you keep bitching about how you wanted more friends that are not potential father figures, and look at you now! I am so proud of you, Vinci!”
“Your brother is complaining about wanting more friends also? You should hear Usagi wanting to make friends with all the mutants, since in context, not many mutants are really in Japan. Only us, Antoros.” The fox girl, Kitsune, chimed in.
“Hey! You can’t just say that!” Usagi said, hiding his face with his own long years in embarrassment. Which lead to Leo laughing,
“Well, I’m glad to be the first!” He said, not looking at the rabbit because he too is embarrassed. Luckily the embarrassment lasted for so little since it was interrupted by an annoying ringtone. It being Leo’s recorded scream as Donnie’s ringtone.
The younger twin pointed at his phone. “Look at the time, dear papa has been calling us for… oh shit…” He stared at the notifications for a good 3 seconds. “twelve times. We really have to go!” He exclaimed.
“Us too. It was nice meeting you guys.” Usagi said as his friends are already off without him. Raph looked at the 2 pizza boxes and took it with him, patiently waiting for his brothers to join him.
“Yeah. And hey, Usagi, sorry for being such a bitch to you when we first met.” Leo apologized.
“I’m sorry also. Can I get your phone number?” He asked. With no hesitation, Leo whipped his phone out to let Usagi exchange his phone number.
“Hell yeah! Do you have Discord also?” Usagi slowly nods, probably indicating that he doesn’t use it as much.
“No fucking way did I just heard that.” He can hear Raph mutter.
“Imagine what would happen after with all those annoying Discord pings and their E-dating!” Complained Donnie, earning those rightful giggles from his brothers.
Leo’s face felt hot. “We are not going to E-Date!” He argued back at his younger twin.
“I can hear those Discord calls from a mile away.” Mikey cringed at the thought of it. Leo begs for them to stop.
“Your brothers really know how to tease you, huh?” Asked Usagi.
“Yes, and I swear they are always so creative with it.” Leo said. Once they are done exchanging their numbers and usernames, the slider turtles waves the rabbit goodbye. “Anyways, see ya, Usagi.”
He said as he ordered his brothers to hop around the buildings now. And this time it didn’t feel like the last occurrence where both teenagers couldn’t stand each other.
“See you around, Kammy Kame.” Usagi yelled back, then began to run around the buildings also. Leo smiles.
It reminds him that he has one more friend to talk to.
—
It took a minute or two for Usagi to catch up with his friends and he couldn’t feel any better.
“I haven’t seen him look at someone like that since, Chizu.” Kitsune commented. Usagi quickly deflected since he only had a millisecond of a crush on the cat ninja.
Seriously! One spec of flirting and that was it.
No feelings for her at all!
And no other feelings for Leo.
Hopefully.
Maybe.
“Looking at him was like looking at you but if you were a turtle.” Chizu said.
Gen sighs. “Imagine if those two date.”
WHAT DID USAGI SAY IN HIS IMAGINATIVE MIND?!?!
NO OTHER FEELINGS FOR LEO.
Maybe.
Maybe…
He lied.
Usagi couldn’t even reply to Gen because of his own realization. A realization that didn’t feel too bad to think about.
Chizu comments. “It’s like looking at slightly altered clones. Like the Neko Ninjas.”
Usagi shouts. “I am literally right here!”
/)/)
( . .)
( づ𓆉
Ever since then, the turtle and the rabbit would constantly message each other. From “how are you doing?”, memes that they/friends/brothers made, or images that remind them of each other. Leo would get sent turtles that are walking way faster than usual because it surprises Usagi that they aren’t always that slow. And Usagi would get sent emo looking bunnies with Leo captioning it “you”. And also Sailor Moon.
Outside of many text messages, they would often find each other around the evening, above buildings and apartments. They would just talk about their day, sometimes even fight each other for fun or to flex their mystic weapons.
Over the course of weeks, Leo has gotten a crush on the rabbit samurai. He once accidentally admitted his crush in front of his brothers and they immediately started teasing him.
Like many other nights, they bumped into each other once again, then decided to sit on the edge of a random building. It appeared that Leo came out of the Asian market to get himself some snacks and food. He offered Usagi to look through his bag and get something he liked.
So the rabbit got botan rice candy and inside it had a little sticker with a maid with pink hair. In Usagi’s opinion, he scored, since his previous botan rice candy boxes would give him bad stickers.
Usagi takes out the rice candy out of its wrapper. “You know, when my auntie told me that I am going to New York, I sort of panicked.” He said as he placed the candy into his mouth. Now that piece of candy looked way too good so Leo asked Usagi to offer him one piece.
“Why’s that?” Leo asked, also placing the rice candy in his mouth. And it was pretty good.
“Have you heard about that one creature invasion? The one from a couple of months ago.” Leo coughed and almost choked on his candy, then swallowed it.
Of course Usagi would mention that one! Literally the only event that stopped around thirty percent of its population from going to New York City.
“Oh, I’ve definitely seen that. Not exactly one of my most fond experiences.” He said, trying to not let his memories haunt him now.
Out of nowhere, Usagi says out of the blue. “Ever feel like you fucked up things that weren’t even your fault?”
“All the time. What’s up?”
“Have you ever wondered why I moved to Japan?”
“You said it was because your auntie wanted you to have a break after events happening in Neo Edo.”
“Yeah. I may or may not have caused some chaos in there while at it.” Oh.
Oh
If Leo is guessing right…
“I’m guessing you almost ended the world with a single mistake you’ve made.” He assumed. Usagi turned his head to face the slider turtle.
“You too?”
He was correct.
“Yep.” Leo said, while popping the P.
Usagi’s eyes had widened, probably piecing everything together. From context clues and the major event happening from the Kraang invasion. Leo was selfishly hoping that if the rabbit guessed correctly he wouldn’t leave Leo.
He was relieved that he didn’t.
But it led the two to a painful silence.
Leo was the first to interrupt the silence. “It must’ve sucked for you since you can’t hide from everyone. And you just have to live with the fact that people who are strangers or even closed ones are going to view you in a different aspect. They know that you were the cause of everything that happened, and despite you redeeming yourself, your mistake will still engrave their mind.” He rambled.
Everything that his thoughts were screaming at him to say, everything that he held to himself for so long, and everything that he told himself to not tell because no one else would get it. It was kind of petty since his family had gone through the same thing as him, and some even had it worse.
But what is there to say when your conflicts are so similar yet so different? What is there to say for anyone in his family to admit their own struggles if they are thinking the same thing?
They say that they are slowly recovering and just taking it step by step. But at this moment it felt like Leo had walked backwards.
“That’s a lot of what you said.” Usagi cuts in from Leo’s nightmare of a mind palace. Leo thought back to what his mind was saying before.
Damn.
He should learn how to stop overthinking more.
“You have no idea how long I’ve been wanting to tell this to someone. But all I get is ‘it’s not your fault’ from everyone else and not more of someone who can relate to me.” He said.
Leo then his whole body squeezed, looking down to see that Usagi was hugging him.
“I guess that just makes the two of us.” He replied, still not looking at Leo but still meaning well.
“Yeah. No matter how many times people tell us it’s not our fault, it still is by some technicality.” He said, while feeling Usagi’s head nodding in response. “I can’t believe I used to dislike you. Turns out that we’re just the same people. Too ignorant, too insecure-”
“Too handsome?” Usagi interrupts, while breaking away from the hug.
Leo clicks his tongue. “That too.I mean I am handsome. Not you. You are too pretty, though.” He corrected himself.
Usagi’s face felt hot and the compliment. He could only say, “Aw.” in response.
Leo’s head went up to face the stars. “And too scared to admit that we need help. But hey,” He looked back at Usagi, “at least we can help each other.”
Usagi likes the thought of that. “I would at least like to feel better with some food. It makes me feel better.”
Leo gasps. “Oh my gosh, same! Don’t I have restaurants here in the yokai world for you to go to if you ever felt like shit.” He recommends. It’s been a hot while that he’s gone to one and thinking about it makes his stomach growl.
Usagi lets out a little chuckle. “And we can find other coping mechanisms so we don't have to keep spending our money.”
“Yeah! We don’t even have to go to special places whenever we feel down. We can just talk about our day and how it’s going.” Leo said.
The thought of it was nice. Less of meeting each other at random and more wanting to willingly hang out. Perhaps walking around outside markets and poking fun at goofy toys that are in front of a shop. Go out and sing songs with their horrible singing voices in karaoke, and window shop things that they will never buy in their lifetime.
Maybe even afford therapy.
But there are way better things to spend on than weekly mental health checks.
Leo roughly shakes his head at his own impulsive thought. His own stupid, stupid, thoughts, preventing him from making a smart, smart, decision.
Before feeding more to his conflicted decision, he comments. “Not gonna lie, this is kind of gay as fuck.”
Usagi chortles and smirks. “Admit it, you like me.”
Leo smiled back. “Yes. Yes I do.”
“Wait you do? As in “I want to date you” kind of like?” He asked. Holy.
Holy shit.
Leo nods his head. “Yeah, have you not noticed my romantic implications from time to time? I thought it was pretty obvious!”
“I thought that you were being extra nice!” Exclaimed Usagi. The two looked at each other, then looked away because they couldn’t stand seeing how embarrassed they looked. Usagi places his hand behind his head. “We really are a mess.”
“We really are.” He replied, letting both boys laugh.
It was then a horrible ringtone that had alerted Leo (which was a bunch of meme sound effects combined together because Donnie thought that he was THE shit). Leo answered the call, and because of Usagi’s big rabbit ears, he could hear the majority of the conversation. Something about Donnie mentioning how Mikey wanted to make Onigiri but he needed Leo to do it because he makes it way better than him.
Aw man. Leo has to leave now. On the bright side, he is doing it to make one of Usagi’s favorite snacks.
Leo hangs up the phone call. “Say, let’s discuss our mere future together some other time! Hopefully tomorrow you are available.”
Usagi’s ears had risen up in joy. “Yeah! I’ll see you again, Leo!” He said, while waving his hand. Out of nowhere an item was thrown at his hand. After catching it he realized that Leo gave him a Yan Yan snack. He smiled. It felt like he was back home.
The turtle winked back at him. “Right at ya, Usagi. Bye bye!” He replied, waving back at his potential boyfriend. As he left he emitted little giggles of happiness.
He felt way different than he was weeks and hours before. He was elated with joy! When he came back home, his brothers were greeted with a smiling mess. They wondered what made that teenage boy so happy.
Well, he was happy that he can relate to someone who dealt through the same stuff as him. It wasn’t much to immediately fix his inner demons but it was the start of something.
It reminded him that he was not alone.