Archive of Our Own ^beta

For as long as Leo could remember, Splinter had impressed upon them one golden rule:

You must never be seen by humans.

It was a rule that had shaped his childhood; he lived nearly his entire teenage years in the sewers, scrounging for food in dumpsters and alleyways, learning the art of stealth and living in the shadows. He'd always loved the idea of the human world: the glimpses he saw during their scavenging trips in the thick darkness of night, and the fantastical impressions of it in the old tapes they managed to fund and watch in the TV Donnie fixed for them, told of a world of dreams and adventure. Bright billboards, soaring buildings, life bursting from the very seams of the city. It was something Leo craved so badly—the sewers were dank, empty. The only life down there was his family and the scurrying rats. 

In training, and as a son, it had become Leo's goal to impress Splinter. He trained until he could barely stand, he kept his brothers in line, he excelled spiritually, all to see a proud smile and a murmured, I am proud of you, my son. 

Throughout all of it, though, Leo yearned. He yearned for the life he couldn't have, he yearned for the colour and noise of the world above ground. He yearned for the friendship of people like Captain Ryan, of all shapes and sizes and colours.

Even after they started visiting the surface at 15, and even befriended a human, to his shock and delight, it still didn't feel like… enough. They only ventured out at night, and although the view from the rooftops and alleyways was stunning, Leo wanted to know what it looked like from the ground. From the inside. 

He wasn't that close with April, anyway. She was much closer to Donnie, creepy crush notwithstanding, and he and her just didn't really have many shared interests. Also, he was slightly scared to talk to her. The only point of reference he had for human interaction was Space Heroes, Super Mecha Force Five and the random reality show tapes Mikey had found years ago. 

But one day, while he was sitting on the couch watching Space heroes as April scrolled on her phone, she suddenly gasped. “Hey Leo, check this out! There's a Space heroes convention tomorrow night!” 

Leo shifted in his seat, turning to look at her. “What's a convention?”

“Oh, it's sort of a get together for fans of a certain thing. People dress up, and meet people with similar interests, and… all sorts of things.” She paused, frowning slightly as if thinking about something. “You know, I don’t really know what they do there.”

Leo's mouth had dropped open slightly, his heart pounding with excitement. That sounded amazing. 

“You should totally go, Leo!” April exclaimed, eyes lighting up.

“What?” Leo asked, a laugh instinctively bubbling up in his throat. “No, that's not possible.”

“Sure it is.” April jumped up, grabbing his arm and lifting it slightly. While Leo watched on in confusion, April studied his arm, brows furrowing. “You could totally convince people this is a costume. You'd fit right in!” 

It spoke to how different their worlds were, that while April was so quick to imagine these things, Leo was paralysed even by the thought. Splinter's voice ran through his head, stern and deep as if he were a child again— you must not be seen by humans.

He couldn't do it.

It was that simple.

It was a massive risk, and the reward wasn't worth it. There was no strategic reason to even consider such a reckless action.

But still, Leo found himself… hesitating. “I… can't,” he finally said, the words wavering slightly with the force of his temptation. “It's risky. Master Splinter would never approve.”

“Oh, come on, Leo,” April groaned. “It's not like there's gonna be Foot soldiers or Kraang there. It's just a sci-fi convention. Even turtle ninjas deserve to have a little fun every now and then.” 

Leo went to disagree, but then he paused. Let her words, and the thought of that amazing convention sink in. It… really wouldn't hurt anyone, would it? 

“... Can you send me the details?” He asked quietly, fidgeting with his hands in his lap.

“Of course.” 

Leo just hoped she was right. 

It felt… odd, being on the surface at day.

The sun bore down relentlessly on his scales like a weight, but the pressure was nice. Warm. Although the city lacked the fluorescent billboards night offered, the warm yellow light that bathed all the buildings gave everything an inviting atmosphere. 

He reached a hand up, adjusting his costume. He'd donned a yellowish jumpsuit that resembled the one Captain Ryan wore (he was really pressed for supplies) and a hat of… some description fashioned from Mikey’s stash of old gum, cardboard, crayons and coloured paper. Leo hoped that those additions would make his costume seem more like… well, exactly that. A costume. He still had his katana strapped across his shell, though; he was hesitant to leave the lair without his trusty weapons, and besides, the swords were sci-fi enough to blend in.

He was scared. More scared than he'd ever been facing enemy ninja, aliens, even his Father’s nemesis. His heart was galloping like a horse, up, up, up his throat until he felt like vomiting, and his hands were shaking slightly. It just didn't feel real, the thought that he was about to walk into a building full of humans in broad daylight.

It wasn't too late to back out. 

He let that thought sink in, like cold water seeping through his brain, and imagined just… leaving. He could get up right now, sneak through alleyways and over rooftops, and get back home before anyone even noticed he was gone. It would be the safer decision. It was the better decision.

But… now that he was here, watching the science-fiction themed humans milling around in front of the building, he wasn’t sure he could bring himself to leave. Seeing them all, laughing and talking and just existing in the open, drew out the shameful desire he kept hidden deep down.

That somewhere, a small, weak part of him had always wished he’d been born human. 

Stop that, Leo thought to himself, shaking his head to clear it of the unwanted thoughts. Maybe he shouldn’t have been here, but he was now, and he was determined.

He wanted to experience the human world just once. 

He sucked in a breath, then blew it out slowly, easing his weight forward to peek over the edge of the building. He was crouched on a rooftop across from the con building, which was a large, futuristic looking structure. It was decked out in decorations and banners advertising the con, and hundreds of people dressed in colourful costumes were milling through the doors. Some of them had full body alien costumes, while some were more restrained.

April was right, Leo thought with a breathless laugh. He would blend in. 

Narrowing his eyes into slits, he tracked the paths of the humans, planning his entrance strategy. He couldn’t exactly just leap off the building and join the throng, and he was hesitant about walking on the streets away from the convention. He could drop into the alley next to the building he was sitting on, then sneak into the street.

On silent feet, he stalked towards the other side, then in one smooth motion heaved himself up onto the fire escape. From there, he scaled downwards, making sure to stay silent. 

By the time his feet landed on the slightly cold concrete, his chest was thrumming with anxiety, and he felt strangely out of breath. He tried to ignore it, sidling up to the end of the alley and looking back and forth to ascertain if his path was clear.

It was. No one was looking his way. It was the perfect time to step out and join the crowd.

Leo lifted his leg, then hesitated. The weight of what he was about to do pressed down on him, sinking through his skin and filling his lungs like wet concrete. He was about to let himself be seen by humans for no reason other than his childish interests. He was about to break Master Splinter’s golden rule. 

Was it really worth it?

He drew his foot back, retreating into the comfortably familiar shadow cast by the building, and pressed his shell against the wall. His muscles felt like jelly, and he had that same fight-or-flight instinct he felt when fighting the Kraang thrumming through his veins.

This was becoming more than a fun, slightly rebellious outing. This was becoming about Leo needing to prove to himself that he was strong enough to overcome this irrational fear. The humans couldn’t hurt him. He’d gone toe to toe with mutants, ninja masters, aliens, and had come out unscathed. What did a bunch of sci-fi geeks have on Leonardo?

Slowly, deeply, he took a breath, focusing on the slight prickling sensation the cold air had on his lungs, then squared his shoulders. He could do this. He was going to walk into the convention, have a good time, then walk out. It would be easy.

Before he could second guess himself, or fall too deep into the churning sea of anxiety, he darted out of the alleyway.

All at once, he was overwhelmed by a solid wall of noise and sensation; he’d walked straight into the thickest part of the crowd, and now stray elbows and legs jostled him from every side. Fighting the urge to draw his weapons just to feel that familiar, leather-bound hilt in his palms, he let the crowd lead him, keeping his hands close by his sides. 

His eyes darted around as he walked—or, more accurately, was herded—towards the con entrance, scanning for any hint of hostility or fear. Even though he did resemble the other costumed humans here, there was still a level of detail his real body had that a costume could never replicate, and especially while people brushed his skin, he worried that they might realise the difference. 

Every second he didn’t see fearful eyes or hear screams of mutant, he calmed down slightly, his heart relaxing into a more normal rhythm. This was okay. He was okay. 

Suddenly, he was at the door, where a beefy man wearing black clothes and sunglasses stood imposingly. He froze, muscles locking into place as he prepared to either run or fight; this man was looking at him too closely, he must’ve know what Leo was, known that he was pretending— 

“Fifteen for an adult, twelve for a child,” the man said with little interest, jaw clicking as he chewed on some gum. Leo stared at him for a moment, then noticed the sight behind him, which read, Ticket Booth.

Oh.

His cheeks heated up slightly with embarrassment.

Glad he’d had the foresight to bring some cash, he hurriedly searched through his pouch for it, then handed the man $15. He just nodded at the door and stepped to the side, so Leo cautiously continued forward, pushing open the glass door. 

The room he found himself in was more incredible than he ever could’ve imagined. The ceiling soared high above Leo's head, and the floor was covered in various stalls and attractions. Humans covered every inch of the place, bustling excitedly, their chatter filling the room. On the far wall was a massive banner that read Space Heroes.

Leo flapped his hands, feeling some of the nerves leech away, to be replaced by a warm ball of anticipatiom. He was really here. This was really happening.

He was so excited. 

Nearly forgetting his earlier worries, he speedwalked to the nearest stall, where a middle-aged human man with a brown goatee was selling action figures. Leo pushed through the crowd, a smile growing on his face.

They looked so much better than the few he’d managed to find in dumpsters. They were shiny and new, made with sleek, smooth plastic.

Hesitantly, he picked up a Captain Ryan figure, who was wearing the snow uniform from one of the episodes set on the snow planet Kelhar, casting a nervous glance to the vendor. He wasn't sure if he was allowed to touch the merchandise.

He seemed unconcerned, though, and when he caught Leo's eye just gave him a friendly smile. Leo froze, mind racing as he wondered what to do—was he meant to smile back? Or was there another obscure human social tradition that he didn't know about, and if he smiled he would just advertise to the world that he was an imposter?

“Sick costume, dude,” the man said, saving Leo from his conundrum and throwing his mind for a loop.

He just gaped at the man for a second, so puzzled by seeing a human with a friendly expression directed at him, before he floundered to reply, “Oh, uh, thanks—you too!” 

“I'm not wearing a costume,” the man replied with obvious amusement.

“Oh, uh… I'm sorry?”

The human snickered, eyes sliding down to study the figure Leo was clutching for dear life. “Captain Ryan fan, eh? I'm more of a Dr. Mindstrong guy myself.” 

“Yeah, I, um,” Leo began, body still tense and clenching the figure tighter, “I love Captain Ryan. He's my idol.”

The man nodded. “Sweet. You getting that?”

Leo started, looking down at the figure in his hands. He'd never actually… bought anything before. He wasn't sure how the transaction worked. Also, it felt kind of wrong to get something new. Something untouched. 

Leo almost put it back, but the smooth, posable plastic felt so good in his hands. It… it wouldn't hurt, right? He had money (April had generously lent him some for today), so he may as well use it.

“Yes,” he decided, squaring his shoulders and face lighting up with a proud smile. “Yes, I am.”

“Uh huh,” the man said, reaching forward to check the price on it. Leo reluctantly let go of it, getting out his money pouch and fingering the cash awkwardly.

He realised now that he'd forgotten to check the price.

How much did human things cost anyway? Leo wasn't sure. He didn't even know how much he had, let alone what that was worth. His heart sped up slightly as the man readied the register. What if he didn't have enough?

“That one's fifty, but for you I can do forty.” 

Leo blinked. “No, thank you. That’s very kind, but I can pay the original price.”

“Nah,” he said with a wave. “You seem sweet, and this is obviously your first con. Just take it, kid.”

“... Okay,” Leo agreed after a minute, taking out the money and handing it to him. “Thank you very much, sir.”

Only when Leo was halfway to the next stall, precious bag held tightly in his hands, did it hit him that he just had a minutes-long positive interaction with a human.

His grin was blinding.

Was this what the human world was like? Was this what it was like to just be a normal teenager? Because Leo loved it.

Leo eyed the audience, who all stared up at him with wide, excited eyes.

He wasn't sure how he got here.

He'd just been drifting from stall to stall, keeping a low profile and draining April's cash supply on Space Heroes merchandise, when a man in a lanyard grabbed his shoulder.

He'd started, adrenaline surging through his veins and hands twitching towards his katana, when the man said, “You've been nominated for the costume competition, kid. Head to the main stage in 30 minutes. Here's your ID.”

Then the man was gone, but not before he pressed a laminated piece of paper in Leo's hand, that read Contestant 57. He'd just stared dumbly at it for a second, then the main stage, which was at the other end of the building, sprawled between the two walls and raised as high as Donnie and Mikey stacked on each other.

Yeah, no. Absolutely not.

He'd figured something like that was optional, and although being noticed in any capacity should've set alarm bells ringing, Leo was having too much fun to care. He figured he'd stay another twenty minutes, then disappear before the competition, and they'd all be none the wiser about the fact that he was a bona fide turtle.

But Leo failed to account for how he lost track of time.

Twenty minutes turned into forty, and he failed to notice all the other attendees heading towards the main stage. 

“Contestant 57,” a garbled voice called over the speakers, and Leo startled, clutching the ID to his chest. “Please come to the main stage.”

Leo’s heart stuttered.

It was time to go. 

Casting one last, longing glance at the parts of the con he didn’t make it to, Leo began to speed walk towards the front doors. He felt surprisingly sad about the thought of leaving; for the past hour or two, he’d been able to leave all his family feuds and saving the world behind him, and just be a kid who loved Space Heroes. That kind of freedom was intoxicating, and Leo wanted more.

But he couldn’t have that, he knew. He just had to leave. 

He’d hesitated, just for a moment, as he stared at the door in front of him. 

That had been his mistake. 

“Hey, kid!” someone called from behind, causing Leo to spin around. “Competition’s started, come on! You’re gonna miss it.”

The man, who Leo saw now was the same staff member from earlier, latched a hand around Leo’s wrist and started walking. 

Leo dug his heels in, saying, “Actually, uh, sir, I don’t really want to participate sorry, I have to get home—”

“Nonsense!” he said with a scoff. “With a costume like yours you’re pretty much guaranteed to win! It would be a crime for you to leave now.”

“But—”

The man turned his head and made a zipping lips motion and, too shocked to think things through, Leo just stumbled along behind him with wide eyes. They weaved through the crowd, then climbed some stairs at the side of the stage. 

They emerged in the wings, concealed behind the curtains. Leo could see hundreds—maybe even thousands—of human faces staring up at the stage, and his stomach swooped.

“Good luck,” the man whispered into Leo’s ear before he shoved him forwards. 

Ninja coordination forgotten, Leo gracelessly stumbled into the centre of the stage, where the announcer holding a mic stopped interviewing the girl he was talking to. He straightened, looking at Leo in confusion.

Leo shrunk in on himself slightly, edging backwards. His heart was pounding in his ears.  

“Looks like we have a late entrant!” the announcer boomed as he walked towards Leo, who backed away until he collided with another costumed boy behind him. “Dressed as… uh… who are you dressed as, kid?”

The mic was shoved in Leo's face, the spotlight blinding his eyes. His mind came to a screeching halt. “Uh…” he said dumbly, mouth half open as he gaped at the crowd. He'd never seen so many human faces before, certainly never staring at him…

Someone coughed. Leo started, suddenly remembering where he was, as the announcer stared at him with confusion. “I'm dressed as a… Leonalien. They're, um… in an unreleased episode. My brother has a tape,” he said at last, internally smacking himself for the poor excuse.

“Ooh, a mystery element to this one, folks,” the announcer said, turning back to face the crowd. The spotlight and eyes turned away from him, and finally Leo allowed himself to breathe. “Intriguing. Well, you have my vote!”

As the announcer talked to the last few contestants, Leo tried to just focus on breathing. He’d gone from never being seen by any humans to being paraded on a stage in front of them in a matter of hours, and his mind was still reeling from the suddenness of it all.

“Don't forget to vote!” the announcer called as he finished the interviews. “We'll announce the winners at the end of the day.” 

As the people on the stage began to disperse and the spotlights died down, the painful tension in Leo’s muscles finally eased slightly. He stumbled down the stairs, bracing himself against the wall as he just breathed. Even going head to head with the Shredder hadn’t made him panic that badly. 

Master Splinter was going to kill him. 

After casting another uneasy glance at the crowd, many of whom were now studying him curiously, Leo was overtaken by an explosive desire to be anywhere but here. He started to walk, then sped up until he was nearly running, veering off from the main room into a hallway that had a sign that read toilet.

Locating the men’s room, Leo sprinted into a stall, slamming the door behind him and fiddling with the lock. He’d never used a public toilet before, and the stupid locks were confusing and too finicky for his thick three fingers, and— 

He finally managed to lock it with a loud clang, and then he backed away from the door, sitting on the toilet lid and drawing his knees to his chest. He dragged in one shaky breath, then a second, then a third.

With each breath, the haze of panic lessened slightly, and his pounding heart calmed. In, out, in, out, and finally Leo felt okay again. Sort of.

“Calm down, Leo,” he whispered to himself, pressing his palms against his eyes. “This is fine. You’re fine.”

He sat there for a few minutes, mentally digesting everything that had happened in the blur that was the past ten minutes. Finally, when he felt something resembling calm, he stood up again, reaching for the lock.

He needed to leave now. That wasn’t even up for debate; his cover had been worse than blown, he’d been put on a stage for all to see. He had to disappear. He had to be a ninja. 

It was just… the thought of his dark, musty sewer home had never been more unappealing. Was it really so wrong for him to enjoy himself for one day?

His phone buzzed, and he pulled it out of his pocket, seeing a text from April.

April: hows the con going

Leo thought for a second, then typed a reply.

Leo: It was fun. I’m heading back to the lair now.

April: you sure? the website says it ends at 4, and captain ryans voice actor is coming 

Leo’s breath caught in his throat. If he stayed, he could meet the Captain Ryan, his idol, the person he respected the most after Master Splinter. The thought was tantalising, glittering like a gem in his mind and tainting his thoughts. 

Leo: I shouldn’t.

April: oh loosen up leo, itll be fine. just enjoy your geeky little self k?

Leo hesitated, turning the thought over in his head. If he stayed, he'd risk exposure, but he'd be able to meet his idol. If he left, he'd be safe, but he'd always regret not staying.

Leo sighed. He'd already made his choice, but that didn't stop him from feeling guilty about it. What was with him today? Selfish choice after selfish choice.

He looked back down at the phone, and quickly typed a message.

Leo: okay

Something heavy and thick stirred in his chest, but it was largely overtaken by the excitement that filled his ribcage now. He was actually going to meet the Captain Ryan.

It didn't even feel real.

He unlocked and opened the stall door, heading to the sink and turning on the tap. He furrowed his brows as he studied the strange white contraption above the sink, and when he cautiously placed his hand under it a foamy white substance was dispensed onto it.

With confusion, he brought it to his face, sniffing it hesitantly. It was some sort of soap, but it didn’t resemble the bars they used back home. Leo ran the tap, then rubbed his hands together, gasping slightly as the soap went all bubbly.

This was so cool. Humans had so much cool stuff.

While he was staring in wonder at the soap, he sensed a presence approaching, and very carefully froze.

“The… Leonalien, I take it?” a slightly high-pitched, nasally voice asked, and Leo turned to see a teenage boy dressed as a Kangaroolien. 

Leo looked around for a second, before realising he was the only other one in the bathroom. This strange boy was talking to him. “Oh, uh, yeah, that's me. Just a human boy dressed as an alien…” He gritted his teeth, all too aware of how unconvincing the words sounded.

Maybe he needed to go to acting classes. 

He had a feeling talking turtles wouldn’t be welcome, though.

“You know, I’ve seen every episode, comic, and spin off of Space Heroes ever created,” the boy said with a sniff, studying Leo over his hooked nose. “Every. Single. One. Multiple times.”

His voice was intense, resembling the way Shredder’s henchmen might speak before a fight. It felt very out of place in a Space Heroes Convention.

“Uh… good for you?” Leo tried, flashing an awkward smile and then turning away.

“You don’t understand,” the boy insisted, grabbing Leo’s wrist and his dark eyes boring into Leo’s very soul. “I’ve seen everything. And never, in all of my sci-fi endeavours, have I seen or heard any mention of a race of turtle aliens called—what was it? Leonaliens?”

Leo wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry. He wanted to do both. “Look, kid, I’m busy. I don’t have time to—”

“You have to be lying!” he cried, sticking an accusatory finger in his plastron. “You have to be, or else I am not worthy of the title of Space Heroes Expert. Please, I’ve devoted my whole life to this, tell me I haven’t failed—”

Leo just stared at him. This kid was… wow, okay, if Leo was obsessed this kid was a devotee. “Okay, you got me! I, uh… took some liberties.”

“I knew it!” the boy shouted, releasing Leo’s arm and pumping an arm in the air. “Ha! Take that, Mom! You said it was a waste of my life and it rotted my brain, but look at me now!”

While the kid kept talking to himself, Leo skirted around him and darted out of the bathroom. 

He hoped that wasn’t what he looked like to the guys. 

This was it.

Leo looked above him at the large sign that read, Voice Actor Signings. Underneath it was a long line of humans, all chattering to each other excitedly. 

Leo clutched his bag closer, hand shaking slightly, but not with fear. With excitement.

He was actually going to meet Captain Ryan.

A breathless giggle escaped, and he clamped a hand over his mouth, looking around in embarrassment to check if anyone else heard. 

No one reacted.

Leo relaxed slightly.

Finally, the line moved up, and Leo was standing in front of his idol.

He felt like he was going to explode.

“H—hello, sir, it’s such an honour to meet you,” he stammered, smiling so widely his cheeks hurt. 

The man smiled goodnaturedly, and said, “I always love to meet fans. What’s your name?”

“Leonardo.”

“Well, Leonardo,” he started, taking out his pen, “would you like a signature?”

Leo blinked, then hurriedly took out the first Captain Ryan figure he’d bought, offering it to the man in front of him. “Sorry, I forgot, but, uh, would you be able to sign this? Please?”

“It’d be my pleasure.” With one deft movement, he signed it in a flourish, then placed it back into Leo’s unresponsive hands. “Anything else I can do for you?”

Leo’s cheeks darkened, and he scuffed a foot against the floor, looking down slightly before mumbling, “Can you say the thing? The… bold and daring plan?”

“Of course.” His smile grew wider, and he cleared his throat, schooling his expression into something dramatic and passionate. “Gentlemen, I have a bold and daring plan!”

“There is no time for hesitation,” Leo whispered at the same time, eyes wide as saucers. “My orders must be carried out without question.”

“You’re obviously quite the super fan,” he observed with an amused smile.

“Captain Ryan, sir, sorry to hold you up,” Leo said quickly, glancing at the queue behind him, “but do you have any advice on how to lead?”

Ryan huffed out a laugh, leaning back in his chair and hooking his hands behind his head. “Well, although I’m not actually a space captain, I’ve had my fair share of experience with leadership. The best advice I can think of is to let go. Just that little bit. Trust your team to do the right thing, and trust yourself to make good calls.”

Leo nodded, hanging onto every word. They were a soothing balm for stresses he’d carried with him for so long, and just hearing the simple permission of letting go from someone he trusted made everything seem so much easier. “Thank you, sir! I really appreciate it.”

“No worries, kid. Enjoy the con!” He gave Leo a wave, then turned his attention to the next person in the line, so Leo reluctantly walked away from his idol.

He just met Captain Ryan.

With a blinding grin on his face, Leo looked down at the figure clutched tightly between his shaking hands. The signature was elegant and professional, befitting of a well-respected space captain. 

Leo thought this might have been the happiest day of his life.

The rest of the con passed in a blur. 

As it neared four, and some of the attractions began to pack up and people trickled slowly out the door, Leo had to confront the heavy knowledge that this was it. This was the end of his ‘regular human teenager’ experience, and after this it was back to training and fighting and hiding and running.

Although he felt slightly sombre, he wasn’t entirely upset. Although he wished he could’ve had more, just this one experience was incredible, and Leo would treasure it forever. 

They announced the winner of the costume competition, and it was the Kangaroolien boy (apparently he’d complained to the judges that Leo’s costume wasn’t canon and was therefore cheating, so he’d been eliminated.) Needless to say, Leo was relieved that he didn’t have to return to that hellhole disguised as a stage; he’d had more than enough lime light for the day. 

More like for the next decade. 

And so, with the sun still high in the sky and humans milling about the streets, Leo left. There was a certain pang in his chest when he turned and took the building in again, but he pushed it down immediately. 

And, just because he could, he walked home. He didn’t sneak through alleyways or leap over rooftops, just walked down the street in broad daylight like a normal person.

It felt nice. 

And when he slipped through the manhole cover and into the slightly musty sewer tunnel, then ran down until he reached the abandoned subway tunnel they called home, he was surprised to find that he wasn’t disappointed. As exciting, enchanting, and amazing as the human world had been, it really couldn’t beat home. 

As Leo leapt over the turnstiles, Raph glanced up from the comic he was reading and did a double take, his eyes roving over Leo. “Is that a Space Heroes scarf?” He asked with a laugh, putting the comic down and leaning forward. “Dude, what dumpster did you get that from?”

Leo froze, flashing his brother an awkward smile. “Uh…” He brushed his spare hand over the scarf and grinned awkwardly, attempting to subtly hide the bag containing the rest of his brand new merchandise behind his shell. “... April got it for me?”