#I love the headcanon of future Leo calling little Leo champ that's so cute | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

dandylovesturtles · 8 months

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okay okay so can I ask for a treat with imbi leo and a future leo :3

This is about to be extremely self-indulgent lol. And maybe a little OOC but at this point in IMBI Leo's not really feeling up to his normal jokester schtick.

CW: brief talk of "giving up" and becoming a ghost forever, mention of family being dead but in a non-traumatic sense

set in the first part of chapter 14

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The place he lands is warm and quiet, well-lit but not bright, formless but still small and cozy. Leo feels calmer than he has in weeks, a deep, soft peace washing over him.

He knows he's not alone; looking around, he spots the other occupant. Head and shoulders taller than Leo, face creased by trials but also laughter, missing an arm but still looking at him with a bright spark in his eye.

Himself, over twenty years older.

Leo comes closer, and his doppelganger smiles at him, calm and reassuring.

"You're... Master Leonardo."

The older turtle chuckles. "I'm not your sensei; just Leonardo is fine. Maybe Leon, if you want."

Leo comes closer, until he's standing within arm's reach of Leonardo. "Sooo... is this a dream, or what?"

Leonardo's smile flickers, but doesn't go away. "You took a little bit of a break from consciousness; you're dissociating pretty hard, champ." He shakes his head. "But no, I'm not a dream. Turns out, Hamato "ancestor" is defined pretty loosely."

He holds his only hand out for Leo, who hesitates. "I can't..."

"Hey, it's okay." Leonardo beckons with his finger. "I can see you. We're talking. You don't think this will work, too?"

That's some logic he can't deny. Still, he's hesitant as he reaches out and puts his hand in Leonardo's palm. It's even bigger than Raph's, he thinks, and he wonders how huge his brother will get in the future.

Leonardo wraps his fingers around Leo's hand and gives a light tug, pulling him closer; the shock of it, that he actually can be touched, makes Leo jump. "Hey, it's alright," says Leonardo soothingly. He urges Leo to settle down in his lap, but Leo hesitates. If he does, it'll be obvious how bad he wants a hug.

Unsurprisingly, Leonardo sees right through him. "Who are you trying to be cool for?" he asks, his voice lightly teasing. "It's just us here."

Again, he can't argue with that logic.

Leo sits in Leonardo's lap, and immediately his older counterpart wraps his one arm around him. Leo can't help the full body shiver that runs over him at the touch, nor can he help but nuzzle into Leonardo's plastron. Leonardo chuckles again, voice warm and kind, and rubs Leo's arm and shoulder. The calm that's been present since he arrived here grows deeper, stronger, and Leo lets out a long, content sigh.

He loves and appreciates Donnie from the bottom of his heart, but there's something about being totally wrapped up in a hug like this that makes him feel safer than anything.

"We've all been watching you, you know," says Leonardo after he's let Leo sit and soak up the contact for a few minutes.

"Oh." Leo grimaces. "That's... kinda embarrassing."

"Don't be embarrassed. Everyone's so proud of you."

Leo presses his face into Leonardo's chest, hiding from whatever stares he may be getting. "Haven't done much to be proud of."

"Hey, hey, no." Leonardo takes him by the shoulders and pulls him back, enough to look in his face. "You're doing so good, champ. You're doing so good."

"According to you," says Leo. "And we've always been kinda full of ourselves."

"Okay, one, you know that's not entirely true." Leonardo pulls him in close again, rubbing his shell. It feels nice. "And two, it's not just me. I meant it; the whole family is proud of you. The ones on my side, and the ones taking care of you right now."

There's a sudden lump in his throat, and Leo swallows harshly around it.

"...I gave up," he admits softly, his voice ragged. "I gave up in there. I wanted to... wanted to stay like this."

"Ah, kid..." Leonardo pulled him closer, wrapping him as securely as one arm could hold him. "You were being hurt. You just wanted the pain to stop. That's not giving up."

"But I did. I really... really thought I was just going to..."

"No you didn't. You thought about it, then you got back up." Leonardo gives him a light squeeze. "That's all we want, Leo. For you to get back up."

"Getting up's hard."

"I know. But you did it."

"How'd you do it?" Leo shifts so he can look up at Leonardo. "All those years. How'd you get back up every time?"

Leonardo tilts his head. "It was hard for me, too. But I think you already know why. I didn't want to be without them." He smiles encouragingly. "And they didn't want to be without me."

Leo sniffs. Curls himself back up against Leonardo.

"Thought it wasn't supposed to be about me."

"Some things are about you, champ," Leonardo assures him. "This? This is very much about you. And that's okay."

Leo sniffs again. Feels his eyes burn.

"I should... probably go back, huh?"

"Don't push yourself. I'm here for you, and they're taking good care of you out there."

Leo nods. Shifts to get more comfortable.

"...Maybe I'll hang out a little longer."

"Sure thing, champ. As long as you need."

#dandy fanfiction #fic: i may be invisible but i still look good #dandy trick or treat #rottmnt #rise leo #future leo #I love the headcanon of future Leo calling little Leo champ that's so cute #let him be the champion!! he deserves it!

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