Heather Hamato Challenges Healer CJ To A Mystic Battle! Be Warned, Heather's Got Top-notch Ghost Mystic

Everyone give this more love cuz it is awesome and here’s to hoping it’s a happy ending 🥲👍

Double-Mutated Mikey

Chapter 25: Reconnaissance

Continued from the short story written by @boots-with-the-fur-club

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Donnie wakes up first. After a small battle of disorientation, he realizes that he's in his brother's traincar and the odd weight on his stomach is Mikey. He’d forgotten that they’d all made a turtle pile in Raph’s room…

Raph is pressed up against the wall, sleeping on his side with his arms stretched out over his brothers as though he were protecting them in their dreams. Leo is on Dee’s side, clinging to his arm and legs as he desperately tries not to fall off the edge of the bed. Mikey is deep asleep, body sprawled across the three of them — his legs are folded over Raphael, his torso and head are draped across Dee’s stomach, and his arms and tail are hanging over Leo’s side.

Donnie sighs softly, wondering what made Leo and Mikey call for this. Leo seemed pretty serious… and now, looking in the dim light of late morning, he can see loose gauze wrapped around his neck and leg.

Mikey starts muttering in his sleep. His fingers curl across Dee’s plastron, trying to cling to something he can’t hold. His lips purse, his brow furrows. He moans in distress. It’s quiet enough in the room that Donnie can catch a few words he says…

“….Nnnoo… no… no more tests….. please….. I wanna… home……”

Donnie sighs and starts to trace circles on the back of Mikey’s head, hoping the motion will soothe him.

“You’re safe, Mikey. There’s no more tests.”

Mikey somehow hears Donnie in his dreams. His expression relaxes.

“…No… tests…?”

“No more tests,” Donnie repeats, trying not to let his surprise ruin the moment. Maybe he can use this to help Mikey’s dream become calmer… “Mikey, if you can hear me, you’re not in the labs anymore. You’re safe. You’re home.”

Mikey’s head turns, rolling across tummytello as his subconscious tries to adhere to Donnie’s commentary.

“…home…. home……”

Mikey stretches a bit before moving more onto Donatello, his head resting just below Donnie’s chin.

“….is…. is brothers…. home…?”

“Yes, Mikey. We’re home, too.”

“…mmmm…… Mikey loves brothers… Mikey… M-Mike—“

He starts crying in his sleep.

“…mmmm'nsterrr…. m’so sorry……”

Donnie gently wraps his arms over his brother and kisses his head.

“It’s okay.”

“………….hurt…” Mikey croaks.

It isn’t too big of a leap to deduce what Mikey could be sorry for. Leo did not have those injuries when Donnie went to bed. Leo insisting that they have a turtle pile immediately because Mikey needed comforting. Mikey must've hurt him --

It suddenly hits him.

Mikey… hurt him?

‘Monster’…

Donnie turns and looks at Leo again, this time really analyzing the wounds. With one hand, he pulls the wraps around his neck down.

There are bruises. Scratches. Scabs. Claw marks.

His leg is torn up, by the looks of his pants. There are spots and smears of dark brown blood stains on the fabric.

What did Mikey do…?

A horrible thought comes into Donnie’s mind, that maybe Mikey is in a metamorphosis and will soon be completely animalistic and will lose all sense of who he is and —

NO, no, no no no! Stop that! He thinks to himself. Those thoughts aren’t helpful. Mikey is getting better, anyone can see that! He’s speaking in full sentences now, using first person speech instead of talking in the third. He remembers their names, he knows who they are, things are looking up! They just need to give him more time… This isn’t the kind of problem that gets solved overnight or in a week. This is the kind of healing process that takes months, maybe even years. There’s no sense in getting discouraged at the starting line.

Donnie exhales deeply. Mikey rises and falls with his chest. The breathing calms them both down.

“You’re not a monster,” Donnie says. He tries to force himself to believe it. Mikey is no monster…

But what he is now…

…Is no monster either. It’s still Mikey.

He has to believe that. He has to.

Mikey rubs his cheek against Donnie’s plastron, his tail slowly sweeps across him in a lazy wag.

Donnie sighs.

He’s so unbelievably tired…

Maybe he can sleep in a little more, since everyone else is still resting. It must’ve been a late night for them all.

Donnie holds Mikey close and closes his eyes.

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Leo is woken when something behind his head makes a deafening buzz in the silence of the room.

In his startle, he falls off the edge of the mattress and lands with a bump onto the floor. He groans, rubbing his bottom in discomfort as he slowly rises to get the phone.

It's not even his, it's Donnie's. Good thing Leo remembers the passcode...

BZZ! INCORRECT PASSKEY.

Maybe he typed it in wrong? He tries again.

BZZ! INCORRECT PASSKEY.

Huh. Dee changed the code. That's not like him. He only ever does this when he's working on a surprise that he doesn't want spoiled, or if something is bugging him...

Fortunately, he doesn't need to unlock the phone to see what the buzzing was for. There's a message on the lockscreen from Casey Jones Jr. in the group chat.

CASEY: GOING OUT TO GET SOME PIZZA FOR YOU GUYS

Leo smiles. That's nice of him. Considering how he's still unfamiliar with this un-kranged, warless New York and is coming to terms with all the changes (good and bad) that came with time travel, going to order and pick up a pizza for a surrogate family is a pretty big step.

Leo's smile fades as he thinks about it more.

Is... is Casey even a part of their family?

Splinter calls him 'future boy', still. It's a term of endearment on Splint's end, but how does Casey feel about it? Donnie treats him like a new teammate, not so much like a friend. From what Casey has said, his Donatello was like an uncle to him. Mikey was some mystic butt-kicking warrior... but Mikey is exempt from this scenario due to recent events. Raph is also exempt, considering that... well, that Casey didn't really know him. He died when Casey was still a little toddler.

Leo swallows the fear that comes with such a thought. He watches Raph, his breathing, slow and steady and clearly visible. Donnie snores with every other breath, his mouth wide open and drooling. Mikey purrs with each exhale, mostly curled on Dee's chest.

He thinks that by watching them, the fear that they could be lost at any time will dissipate. It doesn't. It only grows. How does he know events won't continue as foretold? How does he know that Raph won't die in his twenties? Or that Donnie will die in his thirties? Or that Mikey -- Mikey...

...How does he know that none of them will ever suffer again?

And how does he know that he won't be forced into a decision that takes him away from them all again?

It isn't until Raph starts stirring and groaning that Leo realizes how loud his hyperventilating is, and that he's been crying. He quickly scrambles back onto the bed and wipes his face against the sheets and covers before Raph can see him.

It's quiet.

You up?

Leo sighs, relieved that Raph didn't catch him in his moment of weakness.

Yep. What's up?

How's Mikey? Why did you want to do a cuddle sesh?

Can't a guy just ask to get uncomfortably close to his brothers late at night every once in a while?

Mikey was crying. Why?

Leo sighs, and sits up so Raph can see the bandages.

He had a nightmare and... woke up rough.

Raph's eyes go wide.

Holy $#!%.

Hey! Leo scolds with a smirk. I thought we weren't allowed to swear?

Sorry, sorry, I forgot you could hear my thoughts. Mikey did that...?

Yeah, Leo sighs as he lays back down, arms propped behind his head so he can see still see Raphael's expressions. But it's not that bad. Just some abrasions and bruises... the leg doesn’t even hurt anymore --!

HE GOT YOUR LEG TOO?! Raph yells in his brother's mind, causing Leo to flinch.

Dude! Volume!

Leo, this is serious!

You remember what it was like.

Well... yeah. But seriously, Leo... Are you okay?

Leo pauses to think it through.

I'm... I dunno. Physically, I'll be okay. My leg stings slightly, but that won't last, so I'm not worried. I got it cleaned and bandaged last night before bed.But emotionally? Mentally? I... I can't say yet. I don't know what to say to Mikey about it. We talked before we came in, and... he seemed more hurt by what happened than I did. He's really struggling with this, I think. More than he's letting on.

Raph gets that feeling, too... he sighs. And... he ain't the only one struggling.

What do you mean --?

What're you guys talking about? a third voice asks, entering the private mind call.

The two jump out of their skin, causing Leo to once again tumble out of the bed.

DUDE! What are --

You think I don't know a silent conversation when I see one? Donnie asks incredulously. I practically invented them. What are you two trying to keep secret?

Nothing, just... wanted to talk about Mikey, Leo answers.

...Oh, Donnie replies flatly.

...Uh, anything you want to say? Leo asks, raising a brow at his twin. You sound like you have something to say.

Donnie strokes Mikey's head quietly. His fivehead furrows, he presses his lips together tightly to keep them from quivering.

Raph takes Donnie's freehand, and squeezes it twice. Donnie glances over at him, tears pricking the edges of his eyes. Leo wonders if they're doing a private mind meld on another line, or what. Eventually, Donnie swallows hard and squeezes his eyes shut before turning back to his other brother.

.........Leo...... I think there's something that... that I need to tell you...

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Bishop groans as he stands in line for his food. He’s so sick of coffee and stale donuts, so he’s decided to go for a signature NYC meal… pizza. Sure, it’s not the recommended meal of an EPF agent, but he’s not so sure he can even call himself an agent anymore.

It’s getting harder to do his job, for many reasons. Professor Honeycutt sent him some footage he managed to download from the drones. They got a blurry frame of Mikey. So now they know where he is… well, they already knew. Now they just have confirmation. Honeycutt also sent him a single frame of a young human boy. Bishop hadn’t seen him during the initial sighting. Apparently they’d tried facial recognition with the kid, but nothing came up. There was no record of him anywhere. No medical history, birth record, citizenship status, social media profile, internet history, nothing.

Well, almost nothing.

They’ve found one thing of interest.

Apparently Ms. Campbell had uncovered a blurry pic on some social media site taken during the invasion, moments before the destruction of the alien ship.

A young man, swinging across the city with a grappling hook and hockey stick as he fought against the strange monsters and protected the civilians. The caption read ‘PICS OR IT DIDN’T HAPPEN’.

The boy from the drone footage was wearing an oversized red hoodie and ripped jeans with sneakers, completely casual clothing and not something you’d typically wear in a mutant-infested sewer.

The mysterious hero was wearing a mask and armor-like attire, so for mere mortals it was difficult to connect the two.

But the build and height was the same. The hair was the same length, colour, and style. But most notably, and most importantly, the thing that really tied them together — was the fact that they both had the same weapon.

Bishop has been studying the face. It’s a bit pixelated and blurry, and the shocked look of surprise makes his expression difficult, but it’s all he has. He’s been focusing on features that are easy to identify — the long hair, the chipped gap in his teeth, and of course the weapon.

Though, the guy wouldn’t be stupid enough to carry the weapon in broad daylight.

Then again, he is just a kid, judging by the looks of him.

Bishop sees his order come out — a heavenly golden slice of mushroom and olives, with a soda and salad to go. He thanks the server, leaves a tip, and turns to exit when a shoulder bumps into him.

"Sorry," they say quickly, shying away from him.

"No worries --"

Bishop freezes when he sees a tuft of navy black hair slip from the hoodie. He analyzes their figure... same height... same build... and a heavy tote bag with the end of what looks like a hockey stick poking out.

The kid keeps their hood up, but offers the server at the counter a handful of dollars and requests a full pizza to go.

"...You know what? I got that," Bishop says, handing his card back to the server. "I'll pay for it."

"Really?" the kid asks, turning to look at Bishop.

Bishop recognizes his face instantly. It is the same person from the drone feed.

And he knows where Mikey is.

"Yeah," Bishop answers him with a smile, "it's no problem. So, where's the party?"

"Huh?"

"You're getting a large pizza, are you gonna eat it all yourself?"

The kid goes stonefaced.

"Yep. All mine. I'm really hungry. Have you never eaten a whole pizza by yourself?"

"Not since I was in college," Bishop says with a dry chuckle. "but after the week I've had, maybe I'll try it again. But I was just wondering. Hey, mind if I ask you a weird question?"

The boy doesn't answer, only grips the strap on his duffle bag. Bishop sees how he carries himself, how he stands tall and straight and feigns his confidence, but not his bravery. This kid is a soldier. Bishop wonders who's been training him to be a soldier as a teen...

Bishop he takes out his phone and shows him the video frame of him swinging his hockey stick at the drone.

"Is this you?"

The kid's face goes pale. He swallows softly.

"...Where did you get--" he whispers.

"I think you know," Bishop whispers, taking off his shades. He maintains eye contact to make sure the boy understands the severity of the situation.

The teen takes a step back, but Bishop grabs his wrist.

"Look kid, I'm not here to do anything to you. Or to our mutual friend, Mikey."

The kid's eyes widen.

"Let me go--"

"You're all in danger," Bishop says quickly, quietly. "They know what you look like, and that's not all..."

Bishop swipes and shows him the frame of Mikey and the teleporting mutant.

"Leo?" the kid whispers in horror.

He takes the phone and stares at the screen image.

"What... why are you telling me this?" he asks, looking up in fear at the grownup. "What do you want?"

"For Mikey to stay safe," Bishop whispers back. "If the EPF get their hands on Mikey again, they'll end up killing him with their stupid experiments or whatever else they have planned."

"But you're the EPF," he snaps. "Why should I trust you? What do you have to gain?"

"The EPF isn't supposed to be like this," Bishop defends. "They've corrupted it for their own successes and... it needs to stop. We're trying to take it all down."

"Who's we?"

"Me and a friend," Bishop clarifies. "We've been collecting data, smuggling info, gathering evidence. But we can't do it alone. I understand you have a hacker on your side? Likes the colour purple, wants us to 'leave them alone'?"

The kid huffs a chuckle.

"Well, what if I do?"

"We could use their help in collecting some more data. If you agree, I can send you some of our evidence files and some of the studies of the --"

"You said we were in danger," the kid interrupts. "What did you mean by that?"

Bishop halts mid-sentence, realizing he got off topic.

"...Right. They know where you are."

"Hmmph," the kid grumbles. Obviously they do, they have a picture...

"They're sending more drones into the tunnels, but with every wave your hacker friend disables them."

"So where's the danger?" he asks, snarkily.

"Don't you see? You're up against a government-sanctioned board of insane scientists with an army of muscleheads and tech nerds at their disposal. They will not stop until they get Mikey back."

"I've been up against worse," he answers. The tone in his voice makes Bishop believe him completely.

"I'm sure. But kid, this isn't to be taken lightly. They're coming for you. Whether by drone or drill, they will be attacking soon."

"So then, what do you suggest we do?" he asks.

His voice is accusatory, and Bishop can't blame him.

He's the one that told them where Mikey was...

Bishop heaves a heavy sigh.

"...Mikey has a tracker imbedded somewhere under his skin. I don't know where, but that's how we found him."

"WHAT?!" the kid growls. "You tagged him??"

"Yes, and you need to find that tracker and disable it immediately. Then, move out. Find some new place to hide. Anywhere. Keep it secretive. They'll be keeping an eye out for you specifically and your blue-green friend here with the portals. Is there anywhere you can go?"

The kid's eyes dart away as he thinks it over.

"...Well, in the meantime --" Bishop takes out a small scrap of paper and quickly writes on it. "-- here's my info. If you need anything, I'll be in touch. Oh, and if you or your hacker friend should decide to help us out to take down the EPF, then here's my email... as well as my friend's contact info..."

The kid looks down at the paper as Bishop writes on it. His eyes suddenly go wide.

"YOU'RE John Bishop?!" he asks, flabbergasted.

"Yes, I am," he says quickly.

Maybe the hacker found his info and warned them about him...

"...And my friend is Professor Zayton Honeycutt, he's an engineer with the EPF. He's a little jumpy, but a good egg."

Bishop hands the scrap of paper to the boy, whose jaw is still dropped.

"I'll be seeing you around, kid," he whispers as he places his glasses back on and walks out. "Stay safe. Enjoy the pizza."

The teen watches him, almost starstruck as if he were some celebrity.

Bishop guesses his reputation proceeds him... but how does this kid know him?

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Gift for @biconic-disaster25 ! Based off her amazing fic: “Who says nostalgia can’t solve anything?”Her fics are amazing and I highly recommend ppl read it

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Sophie if you’re see this, I just want to say thank you. Your fics been such a huge source of comfort to me during trying times and inspiration to me ( heck your fic, “Where the Cherry Blossoms bloom (that’s where I’ll be)” is what literally inspired me to make Healer!Cj’s Ninpo teal). I don’t know what I did for you to regularly comment on my Healer!Cj posts but I just want you to know that such acknowledgment is so very encouraging and it means so much to me. Esp when it comes from someone whose stories I love/admire so much. Your ability to write such nuanced, realistic and wholesome dynamics and emotions in such a raw but organic way is incredible to me. But that’s enough mushiness for now. Hope you like this gift heheh and I hope my silly little au was able to bring you just a fraction of the joy I felt reading your stories and I hope you have an awesome day! Now see ya~😜

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Also ngl low lighting pieces are rlly not common for so hope it turned out ok 😅

HUH!? I didn’t see that you followed me!!!!!! Hello new mutual!! :D

You get a bunch of random questions now (you don’t need to answer any/all of them if you don’t want to!)

- Who is your favorite character from rise?

- Favorite duo?

- What’s your favorite color?

- Any other hobbies besides art you enjoy?

Hope you have a great day! ^-^

Haha hi! Hello fellow mural! I followed you a few days ago ! 😂

- hmm my fav character is a tie bwt Leo and Cj, second place is a tie bwt April and Mikey

- fav duo? F!Leo and F!Mikey! Or Pb&J Duo

- fav colour? Blue~🌊

- Oo as for my other hobbies I like to sew and skateboard! Currently working on making a dress. I’ve actually done most of it all I need to do is sew on the sash. Then I’ll be done so yay! 🎉

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Edit: changed some stuff cuz I realise I forgot to specify 😅

I love this comic 🥲

first panel:

Thraka: Guess we have an even better reason to celebrate now!

Lio: Guess so.

second panel:

[later…]

third panel:

Gueira: …Why do they have a bed here?

Lio: I know it’s only been, like, a day, but I’m surprised we haven’t heard about any incidents about the Burnish.

fourth panel:

Gueira: Well, I mean, isn’t that a good thing?

HOLY SHEET- this was only supposed to be a small mini side project but alas I forget that finals exist 🥲 but hey, here’s this small piece of fluff (*cough if you ignore the movie opening*) ft; a 6 year old Cj and his Duncle Mi as a small piece of apology for all the angst and silence I threw at yall for the past month while we wait for me to finish my other ideas haha 😂😂

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Audio: YMCA_ZY (Instagram)

I know I’m late cuz I jsut found this and idk how much of this is true but-

AHA I WAS RIGHTTTT VINDICATTIIIOONNN

The kids ref:

P.S: training started as early as five (if the kid made it that long) this is cuz, even if they never made it to the frontlines ( if they got older they were allowed to specialised elsewhere like mechanic work, physical trauma care, full on wilderness training to be a scout etc etc. not everyone was a soldier ) first aid, wilderness, combat skills were essential for obvious reasons.

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Of course it first started out as very kid friendly games like ninja hide and seek and what not. Basically, think of their training as their version of our education. Also I didn’t include this but all the kids were taught to read and write as part of that training. Literacy is importance guys!

Hello!

I LOVE your story!!! CJ having healing Ninpo is so genius and it’s making my brain run wild with possibilities!

Are there any tidbits you’d like to share about the au? Also could you possibly explain what happened with CJ aging due to Ninpo (in the latest update)?

(No need to answer any of the questions if you do not want to)

AWESOME COMIC, AWESOME STORY, AWESOME ART!!! I can’t wait to see more!!!

Hope you have a great day ^-^

BDJDHDHDHDHD Aww dude stop you have no idea how happy this makes me 😭 I’m so so so happy you love my au!! 💗💗💗 I love the concept of Casey with healing powers! He’s has a temper but I still think suits him so well given how protective he is as a person ahah!! And I’m so glad there are ppl out there who agree with me too! But Hehe yesss join me join me in my healer!Cj brain worms hehehe

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Hmm since you asked bout the aging(and that’s a little complicated) I’ll answer that first. So I can’t go into too much detail cuz that will spoilers for a comic and some other art that will explain everything! ..Maybe😂 But I will say this. Cj unlocked his Ninpo when he was 10 he was fine, he was aging normally. Till a certain incident happened when he was 11 and well.. we all know what happened next, freshly baked trauma and he aged a couple years forward overnight plus some extra long term injuries (that I will go into later).

The good news is that as long as he doesn’t push himself like that again he will be aging mostly linearly again? But the damage has alr been done 😅. But anyways, after the incident, he never pushed himself like that again. One, cuz the Hamato fam would never allow it and Two, cuz the recovery period is so long/bad (cuz Cj is no master and worse he’s a literal child unlike Mikey who was in his early 20s when the cursed Aging started) no one can afford for him to be knocked out of commission like that again. It makes him wayy too vulnerable.

Post-incident, at his worst he has only aged a few days forward but cuz that’s so small no one except Master Michelangelo (cuz he’s a mystic master and cuz he’s also in the same boat) can tell the difference. Plus it’s so negligible it doesn’t technically matter.

But long story short, pulling himself tgt from that incident physically and mentally took loooonnng time haha. But as you can see even now it still leaves its scars haha and probably always will.

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As for any other tidbits? Oh gosh where do I start ? Ahh there is just so much to say! Ok update wise I’m actually working a PMV for Healer!Cj so if I go quiet for a while that’s why. Idk how long it’s gonna take but I’m excited to show some sneak peaks along the way lol. This is my first time doing something like this so here’s to hoping it goes well!

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Lore wise: although Cj does have a subway car in the lair. Once he gets more settled in he actually bounces around quite a bit. Boy was not meant to stay in one place for too long. While he does spent most of the week at the lair cuz the underground is familiar too him, he will spend 3-4 days crashing on the couch at April/Casey’s apartment. And on a rare blue moon he’ll give Draxum a heart attack 😂 by breaking into his apartment and sleeping on that old man’s couch. After a while it becomes their own little inside joke 😂. Draxum tries Cj-proof his apartment using mystic or otherwise and Cj makes it a point to still try and sneak in.

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And the surprise of no one. In this Au, Uncle Mi is Cj’s favourite uncle. Sometimes second pesudo dad. But mostly on accident by a very sleep deprived Cj.

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I have plans for P!Casey to eventually develop Ninpo a few years down the line. But I can’t think of any powers for her so if ya’ll got any suggestions pls fire away.

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And oh P!Leo is gonna permanently need a leg brace. Sometimes on rlly rlly bad days, he will need to use a crutch (not that he ever does cuz he’s wayy to stubborn) but you get the picture.

Raph’s eye is permanently gone, Donnie and his shell will heal but bro will have chronic back pain for life plus certain parts of his shell where the tendrils dug into the thickest are now numb cuz ya know, nerve damage from being literally ripped out the technodrone. Mikey will need to wear compression gloves but his shaking gets significantly better over time. So he draw but he still needs to every two months or so he can get pretty bad flareups which are jsut Oof.

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Good news is April is fine aside from a broken arm during the invasion that will heal. Splinter was surprisingly not that badly injured just a few pulled muscles here and there. And Cj is Obvi fine too aside from a minor concussion that he got prior to time traveling. Which to him was basically nothing. The reactions by everyone else was hilarious and a major culture shock for Cj. Turns out his apocalypse pain scale was drastically different to their normal not apocalypse pain scale.

It was hilarious the gang were like: “you’ve running around taking care of us a lot. Are you good?”

Cj: “yup all fine. Just a few bumps and scrapes”

8 Hours later..

Cj: “It looks like everyone’s settled? Great. I’ll go grab painkillers for my concussion now.”

Them: “I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU WERE GOOD!?”

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Long story short no one escaped the failed invasion unscathed :’D but also whoops sorry for the long ramble 😅 this kidna got away for me 😂

Heck yeh! I’ll bring a big umbrella (to give us some shade) and some onigiri 😁! Heheh y’all @ksenya-and-the-artistic-cucumber @1cat200 @metaldragon1221 +anyone else wanna come along?

would u like to have a picnic :3 i’ll cut fruit :3

yes!!! ill bring all the bread and baked goods !! ^_^

who else is coming ? :D

[Fic] So let’s try this again:

- See I wanted to make this a comic but then I felt it would lack a certain nuance and complexity of character povs that I wanted to to delve into. Cuz man there is just so much to say about these two and their dynamic, Soo Fic it is! Pls go easy on me, guys I’m not much of a writer and these guys are hard to write for me 🥲

—

“Wow, guess Donald was right.” Came a chuckle, “You are like a little shadow.”

And Casey freezes, hands barely hovering over Leo’s arms. Suddenly he’s seven years old again, caught red handed peeking through a little crack into meeting room.

A crooked grin, spreads itself across the slider’s face. “Hey shadow” His voice lilts playfully. So much younger and so much lighter yet still so achingly familiar, that if Casey hadn’t already spent 10 days into past? the present? being punched with that oh so wonderful cocktail of grief-nostalgia-fondness, he would have burst into tears already.

Instead, Casey smiles wryly. Awkwardly shuffling away from the bedside. “Sorry I didn’t mean to wake you. I just wanted to check on your injuries”. He raises a brow “I can go if you want..?”

“Nah it’s cool. I’ve been sleeping lots anyways.”

“You were in a coma” The human deadpans.

“Eh.. same thing.” Sensei-no just Leo now,shrugs.

“It’s really not.” Casey snorts. A beat. A pause. And then because he’s been holding onto this for too long and his mom didn’t raise no coward. And Uncle Mi didn’t teach him to be the kind of person who doesn’t apologise. Because Leo’s been awake for two days now, cmon Casey you can’t hold onto this forever-

“I’m sorry.”

“Whaat? I’m sorry? Sorry for what?” The slider laughs, tilting his head to the side. “Did you ruin my very rare first edition Jupiter Jim saves a cat comic?”

“Well..no.”

“Then you got nothing to be sorry for” Leo smiles, a clear attempt at lightening the mood.

But Casey won’t let him. This needs to be said. Nervous, the teen wrings his hands together. “I meant what I said in the tunnels.”

“Ah. That.” The blue toned slider falters ever so slightly. “It’s fine!” He grins brightly, casually waving Casey away. Too casual. Because of course he is. They are different. But Sensei and Leo shared a past together once. And it shows.

“You were right,” Leo continues, “I was being arrogant and I wasn’t listening to my team itz all good.”

“Well yeh, I wasn’t wrong there.” Frustrated, Casey yanks a hand through his hair. “But I was being too harsh. I was expecting you to be like Sensei when I shouldn’t have. It’s not fair.”

“Yeh… You shouldn’t have.” Leo agrees, looking away. Uncharacteristically quiet from what Casey has seen of him over his two day (and currently halfway through his third) long coherency.

Oh Shell, He’s just made this worse didn’t he?

“That’s not what I meant” Casey’s hands ball into fists. Should he hug Leo? Would that be too weird? Hugs were for family, he was only a stranger. “I- I’m not good with words.” The ravenette groans, wringing his hands together again.

“It’s not about you. But it’s not not about you, you know?” He gestures to the bed ridden turtle emphatically. “It’s about all of you guys. Your family loves you. Their Leo, not Master Leonardo. You don’t need to be anything else. You’re enough just the way you are. Michelangelo wouldn’t have opened that portal otherwise. They need you, just as much as you need them.”

An indiscernible flash flickers across the other’s face. But he quickly relaxes back into a smile. “Hmm.. If you say so” Leo drawls, perfect mask. Perfect play. But something in his shoulders ease ever so slightly. So Casey has hope that there is something that sticks.

A silence then descends upon the Med Bay. It drags on and lingers. Both parties not knowing what else to say. Casey’s about to go excuse himself, when Leo opens his mouth. “You know we’re your family too right?”

The younger teen blinks. “Huh?”

“We’re your family too.” The turtle repeats. Narrowing his eyes firmly. “Look, I dunno what’s been going on this past week. but knowing the others, they’re probably just trying to figure out how to broach that ‘ole subject with you without making you uncomfortable”

Wisely Cj only hums and says nothing. Knowing whatever he says would sound about as unconvinced as he feels. Tell that to my Ninpo he wants to say bitterly. Tell that to every conversation he’s turned stilted and cold, because he’s slipped up and believed for a second that things were one and the same.

(When mom died, April it was you brushed my hair. And taught me how to tie my hair.

Michelangelo you always encouraged me to draw on our walls till the last of our chalk was gone.

Donatello you let me sleep in your lab even on the days you banned even Sensei from coming in.

And Leo- .. Leonardo you were everything. You who used to tie my shoelaces and the first to come running when I cried.

I can recite the lines from so many different Lou Jitsu movies I never got to see.)

He must not hide it as well he thinks. Because Leo shoots him the most exasperated -are you serious look-.

“Dude, Dad and Raph found a subway car for you. April snuck you a discount at her new workplace. And shell-!” Leo throws his hands up, “Donnie let you fix our cameras, and don’t even get me started on how Mikey lets you help him in his kitchen even though I’m his favourite brother and I’m banned.” Leo grumbles, crossing his arms together.

“I- I guess you do have a point .” Despite his best efforts, Casey ducks his head down and his eyes begin to burn. Boy, Casey is really starting to hate how much sense Leo is making. For all the differences between Sensei and Leonardo, why did the universe have to give them the one similarity that lets them talk their way into whatever they want and making Casey agree with them? Perhaps.. perhaps what Casey had Misconstrued as polite obligation was maybe something deeper after all.. ?

“Course, I do. I’m awesome.” Leo smirks, flicking his mask tails with a flourish that has Casey resisting the urge to groan and roll his eyes.

“I know it won’t be the same. But you are family Case. I promise you. All of this means something. We won’t let you be alone” His eyes soften, “You’re my family.” And it’s true, Leo does not know Casey. In his eyes, it’s been a little under 72 hours since he’s met Casey. And only 48 hours since all hell broke loose. But hell could have been so much worse and he can see everything.

The expertly wrapped bandages around Mikey arms and Donnie’s shell, the carefully filled resin over the hole, they had so graciously given his biggest brother’s shell, with such precision his beloved purple twin couldn’t hope (nor want) to achieve. Corners of the med bay that had been gathering dust now suspiciously clean. Faithfully ushering their sister to and fro the lair. Heck even the way the oily haired teen (which ew gross, someone really had to go teach that kid how to wash his hair) was hovering over him now, taking shifts so his father and brothers and sister could rest.

Casey didn’t have to do those things. He owed them nothing. They weren’t the people who raised him. He could have just up and left once the initial invasion was over, he didn’t have to try so hard. Once it became clear that Leo, and by extension the others, were nothing like the people Casey grew up with. But he didn’t, he stayed. He cares. He cares so much.

And Shell, if that didn’t make Casey family, Leo didn’t know what will. If he could tolerate Baron ‘you threw me of a roof’ Draxum into his family he can definitely accept Casey.

A strangled noise breaks him from his thoughts, Leo comes back to himself to see a sniffing, now crying Junior.

“Ok bring it in, little brother” Leo grins smirking fondly, spreading his arms wide (because yes, of course one of the first things Leo asked, once he established Raph, Donnie, Mikey, April and dad were ok. Was what was Casey’s age. He needed to know if he could rub his age into Casey’s face. He needed his shit-eating grin older brother rights damn it!). Immediately, Casey rushes forward sobbing, wrapping his arms around the turtle as tightly as he can without further aggravating the other boy’s injuries.

“I’m so glad you’re here Leo.” He chokes out wetly, the tears he had been holding back for this entire interaction now freely flowing because truly, this was all he really wanted. He could never and would never ask the present Hamato family to be crushed under the same weight his guardians had been. All he asked was to be loved, and not alone. And sure he still had a lot of doubts but maybe, just maybe, Leo was right and he wasn’t as alone or unloved as he thought.

(He is future boy, freshly uprooted and fumbling blindly but maybe, just maybe not nearly the lone orphan without a home)

“I couldn’t have lost you twice” Casey shudders, burying his head deeper into Leo’s shoulder.

“And now you won’t. It’s all thanks to you.” Leo replies determinedly, tightening his grip around the other boy. And then in a much quieter, more vulnerable voice, he adds,

“I’m so glad I’m here too.” Because he was, Leo most truly and definitely was.

(And somewhere, deep down subdued, not so isolated teal begins to tentatively reach towards waiting blueredpurpleorangegreenwhitepink maroon and pulse a little less weakly again)