simpin' ain't easy

~Leonardo~

I'm pacing back and forth in my bedroom like a maniac. I can barely contain myself.

Ashley called a meeting this afternoon and told us she had just spoken to her cousin. 

Liv will be here in approximately 24 hours from now.

And I'm so not ready. Holy mother of all that is good on God's green Earth, I am not ready.

Hell, I could barely hold my shit together when I saw her over video chat. And I didn't even meet her! I only watched her!

Oh, God, what if she meets us and she's terrified? What if she meets us and refuses to stay?

What if she meets us and thinks we look like horrible monsters?

Even worse, what if she doesn't mind that we look like complete freaks, but she doesn't like… Me?

I'm not sure I could handle it.

I need to pull my shit together. 

I need to get some of this nervous energy out.

Meditation? 

Reading?

Katas?

Mikey.

I hurry out of my room and head to Mikey's room. Ashley waves to me with a big smile. She's on her way out with Donnie to grab some food that Liv likes, then he'll drop her off at work. I wave back at her with a nervous smile, and turn down the hallway where Mikey's and Raph's rooms are located.

As I get to Mikey's door, Ashley comes jogging down the hall, "Hey," she says, a look of love and concern on her face.

"Hey," I say, looking down, mindlessly letting my hands fiddle.

She puts her hand on my forearm and I look up at her. "It's gonna be ok," she whispers. "What's got you so upset?" She asks me.

"I'm just afraid she's not gonna like me, I guess. You know, she's gonna look at me like I'm some kind of freak. A monster," I confess.

"The great Leonardo? Prince Charming himself? Not possible," she says, reassuring me, and making me smile shyly. "Leo, she's gonna love you. Really. I need you to trust me on this. I didn't freak out, right?"

"No," I agree with her, "but you're different." 

"And so is she. Think about all the stories I've told you over the past, what? Eight, nine months? Does she seem the type to just judge someone based on their appearance?" She asks.

I think for a few seconds before responding to her, "No, but she's never seen anything quite like us, either. I'm sure," I tell her.

"Leo, I want you to have some tea, do some meditation, and maybe burn some incense that relaxes you. After you do whatever you're gonna do with Mike, that is," she instructs me. "I promise you, there is absolutely nothing to worry about."

I nod and take a deep breath.

"Alright, now, I need to go with Donnie before he beheads me," she says, rolling her eyes. "He's already bitching about other things he has to get done before patrol tonight."

She smiles and squeezes my arm before she turns to jog back to Donnie so they can leave.

Deep breaths.

I love that girl - like she was my own sister. Mikey did well. He really found himself a great woman. 

I knock twice on Mikey's door and let myself in. He's sitting in a gaming chair in the corner of his room, playing Mortal Kombat.

"Hey, Leo! What's going on?!" He asks, excited to see me as he turns around toward the door.

"I need to be distracted," I tell him, straight-faced, stepping back and forth nervously.

"Ah. You have 'The Night Before Christmas' syndrome," he chuckles.

"Excuse me?" I ask.

"You know… So excited you can barely function. Super giddy. A bit anxious. Thinking about every scenario that could possibly happen when she arrives… You're a bundle of nerves because you're about to get the best gift of your life!"

"I don't think she's a gift for me Mikey, but I think I understand what you're getting at," I say smiling at my brother, who is CLEARLY being ridiculous so I calm down and cheer up.

"It's an analogy, man," he smirks," but you never knOOOooow… She could be," he says, wiggling his brow ridge. "NOW! Come sit down so I can beat your ass in some Mortal Kombat!" He exclaims.

I grab his other gaming chair and roll it to the TV that's hanging on his wall and he tosses me a controller with a smile. I smile back at him, grateful he doesn't poke and prod about my feelings. He doesn't have to. He just knows, and I love him for that.

After four hours of having my ass handed to me, we decide it's probably time to make some dinner, and I follow him to the kitchen to assist him in whatever he's going to make everyone for dinner.

Mikey is the chef in the house because no one else likes to cook. He has this amazing ability to take something that no one likes to do, and he finds a way to love it. He researches and practices until he's perfected it. Dude cooks and bakes like a Michelin Star Chef.

"Whatcha feel like for dinner, bro?" He asks me.

"Is it weird that I want your chicken and vegetable soup?" I ask with a smirk.

"Not at all, man! It's a comfort food!"

He goes to the large fridge that holds all the produce, taking out everything he needs.

"Can you flip the counter to the chop-board side?" He asks, bringing his selection to the island-countertop where I'm standing.

"Of course," I say, clicking the switch and then pushing the button to flip the countertop in, revealing the wooden cutting board beneath.

"You mind cutting some veggies, while I prep the chicken and spices?" He asks with a hopeful smile. Cutting vegetables is his least favorite thing to do. I, however, love it.

"Heck yes!" I say, grabbing a knife, and getting right to work.

The soup, along with some homemade garlic bread, is made and served within an hour - and it's absolutely delicious.

As we sit and eat at the Tatami, the others are discussing Liv, how they think she'll react, and what they think she'll be like - having only heard about her personality through Ashley's stories.

Everyone seems really excited that we will have another guest in the lair - even Sensei - who's been sitting with a sly grin on his face all through dinner. 

We decide to continue our little gathering and enjoy some desserts and hot beverages together.

Raph is drinking some hot chocolate and nibbling on some French vanilla Pirouette cookie sticks. Mikey has a tall glass of milk and he's eating some chocolate chip cookies that Ashley made for him earlier this morning. Donnie is enjoying a piece of Tiramisu with his giant cup of coffee, and I'm drinking some lavender tea with a couple of shortbread cookies. And, as per usual, Dad has his nightly vanilla chai. He's also decided to try some of Ashley's cookies, which he's really enjoying.

Once all the chatter starts to calm down - finally - Master Splinter pipes in, "I would like to add some insight in contribution to all this excitement," he says, sipping his chai.

We all turn and look at him, nodding and waiting for his wisdom.

"I realize that there is a wonderful human being about to move in with us for an unset amount of time," he begins. "A lot of times when non-family members move in, some… Feelings… Can develop," he continues. "And I want you all to know that this is both normal and completely ok with me."

We all stop and glance around at each other.

Oh, no. Where is he going with this?

"Actually, I want you all to know that I would love nothing more than for one of you to get close to her," he says.

Ok. That's not so bad. 

We all go back to consuming our after-dinner treats.

"Just keep in mind, there are others living here, and you all tend to have zero sense of privacy for one another - you all like to walk into each other's rooms at any given moment," he says. "So, you need to lock your doors and keep it down if you're going to be boning our guest," he says, deadpan.

We have a simultaneous, unbridled reaction.

"DAD!" Raph yells, as Donnie chokes on his coffee, I spew my tea across the table at Mike, and Mikey just spits out a belly laugh.

Master Splinter slowly raises from the tatami with his now empty cup, chuckling.

"Have a nice night, my sons," he says, not looking back as he exits the room.

"What the…" Says Donnie, still recovering from choking, as I clean up my mess on the table.

"He thinks he's hilarious," says Raph, shaking his head.

"He is!" laughs Mikey.

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