𝚒𝚝'𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚖𝚎;

a morning jog was non-negotiable for leo. his training was a ritual he never got lazy with. discipline was the key to success. it's what his father had instilled into him and his brothers. it's what leo passed on to others he took under his wing. his solo training was the only time leo felt he had a moment to himself. the worries of elias could melt away for a second. there was no pressure to have it all figured out or be perfect. it was simply leo in his body, the greatest tool and weapon he had been gifted. the bright, warm summer sun kissed his tanned skin. his turtle side was more than happy to be basking in warmer weather again. he felt alive, dare he say rejuvenated even. leo wasn't one to make conversation when he was in the zone, but his curiosity did get the better of him. the sight of someone working on a random fence was odd. granted, leo had come from a world where fences weren't really a thing. at least not the white picket ones everyone dreamed of.

"looks a little crooked to me." leo replied, although he wasn't sure if the guy was asking for an answer. "if you like finagle it to the left a little i think it might be straight." leo wasn't exactly the best person to give straight answers either, but here he was.

"aw. that's sweet. i'm glad you think about me." it wasn't what the other said at all, but jinu didn't care about anything. these days he didn't even care about himself. "oh, i have plenty of people to pester, but you're more fun to pester than anyone else." jinu grinned. cheeky if nothing else. "oh, please, we should totally get matching tattoos."

leo swore there was a hidden camera somewhere. he was waiting for mark beaks to pop out of the bushes and yell he had gotten him for some ridiculous internet prank show. it was the only reason leo could believe he was being subjected to jinu once again. after their last encounter he hopped the message of annoyance was loud and clear. normally, leo was level-headed. a serious case of resting bitch face but a lot more pleasant than his twin. jinu pushed those limits.

"where did i imply that?" leo asked, gesturing to the space around them. on top of being annoying, he was also delusional. "damn, how unfortunate for me. i think you should find a new favorite. i'm actually already claimed as favorite person to pester by others. i can't take anymore clients." he tsked with a shrug, pretending to be oh so disappointed. "so you do have a death wish. great. matching tattoos, it is then. i hope you have your will sign, sealed and deliver, pal because you're gonna need it."

somehow, after the winter storm took whatever semblance of normalcy mandy had been holding on to, she was finally starting to feel at home in her own skin again. it was taking a strange amount of time and effort to get there, frustratingly so, but her place in this city - and furthermore her place in this club - were being solidified. her sense of belonging here was stronger than it had ever been back in endsville.

of course, that didn't stop the rowdiest of regulars from reminding her that most in here didn't take her seriously. while she could definitely hold her own in a verbal spat and while no one expected her to do anything but pour a fucking beer, her tiny frame and shock of blonde hair gave some of these men a level of confidence that didn't make sense. she smirked at leo's offering anyway. " i'll let you know if i need a security guard," she droned, tone stuck in its typical monotone cadence. hands, refusing to stay idle, reached for empty glasses, for napkins, for rags. "been busy enough to not think about anything else," she agreed. "halle-fucking-lujah."

it was slowing down now, though, which was why she was looking for something to do. in lieu of drinks, she poured a couple glasses of ice water and handed one over. "i hope you at least got something interesting to tell me. hate when this shit gets busy and boring."

leo knew that he was insane for willingly putting himself in enemy territory. he had been reminded of such by donnie constantly. the twin were both worrywarts in their own way. donnie's often manifested in new gadgets for protection. leo assured he was fine. and for the most part that was true. he could handle his own against the toughest here. he was hopper's champion after all. a title that had been earned fair and square. no power ups or strings were being pulled behind the scenes. it was all leo's skill that got him by. he had to remind himself that this was all in the name of helping elias. but how far could leo continue to put his body on the line for this cause before it finally gave out?

there were small perks to being in the locust fight club daily. the workers, minus the grasshoppers, were great. leo had come to know them all. most tried to get in his good graces, hoping he'd be a hopper ticket, others kept him humble - like mandy. which leo appreciated. his ego did need a good grounding every now and then. "noted," he hummed while taking a sip of his drink. protecting was an integral part of leo's being. it's what he was raised to do. however, he could recognize when people didn't want or need his help. "damn, that bad huh? if you need a distraction you could've called."

"yeah, so, funny thing. when you stop sleeping with the boss you stop getting access to the juicy secrets of this bugfest." his fingers tapped against the bar, playfully. "however, i dead hear the big guy threaten molt again. guess he thought he could put his hands on the merchandise too."

eric felt the second leo grabbed onto him. not just physically, but everywhere. in the way his fingers trembled against his arm, in the way his breathing stuttered unevenly between them, in the way the walls leo always kept so painfully high were finally starting to crack apart again. and god, eric would've sat there forever if it meant leo would keep letting him in.

his hands moved instinctively, one coming to rest against leo's wrist while the other settled carefully at his waist, grounding him there against the open air around them. eric had spent so long watching leo carry the weight of entire worlds on his shoulders like it was some sort of punishment he owed everyone. like if he stopped holding everything together for even a second, the entire universe would collapse around him. and maybe everyone else believed leo was unshakable, but eric had always seen through it. he saw the exhaustion hidden behind every plan, every forced smile, every sharp word spoken out of fear instead of anger.

then leo kissed him.

the force of it nearly stole the breath from his lungs. eric kissed him back immediately, desperately, like he'd been starving for this exact moment. his fingers tightened at leo's side as if he was afraid letting go would wake him from some cruel dream. he didn't care about the danger beneath them either. the world could've split open and he still would've stayed right there kissing him.

when leo finally pulled back, eric kept his forehead pressed against his for a moment, eyes shut tightly as he tried to steady his own breathing. hearing leo apologize hurt in a way he couldn't explain. not because he didn't deserve to say it, but because eric knew how hard it was for him. every word sounded ripped painfully from somewhere deep inside him.

"hey," he whispered softly, cupping leo's face before he could spiral any further into his guilt. his thumbs brushed beneath his eyes, catching tears as they fell. "look at me."

he waited until leo did.

"you do not have to carry everything alone." his voice cracked slightly around the words. eric swallowed hard, shaking his head faintly. his arms wrapped tighter around him then, holding leo against his chest like he was something precious. because he was. he always would be. and god, hearing him say he didn't want to go back? that he wanted something better? eric felt his chest ache so hard it almost hurt.

"good," he breathed out shakily, a small watery laugh escaping him. " i don't wanna go back either." he pressed a lingering kiss against leo's temple before resting his cheek against the top of his head.

“I had a feelin’ you could use some comfort food today, so I made your favorite.” Tiana slid the pan between them with a small smile. “And yes, before you fuss about it, I swapped the walnuts out. Used smoky praline pecans this time.”

"Is my distress that noticeable?" Leo asked, he attempted his usual jovial flair, but he knew it fell flat as of late. He hated when he was transparent. Leo was about to fuss, but promptly shut his mouth. Instead, he gave a gracious smile. "I wasn't going to fuss about walnuts. I was going to say you didn't have to do this ... but I am a sucker for your smokey praline pecans."

"You're a culinary genius as per usual, Tiana. You have to let me get you something now. A coffee doesn't hold a flame to what you can create, but I'll happily get you one on me."

The rooftop was quieter than the city deserved to be at this hour.

Wind moved through the space in slow, unhurried waves, tugging at loose fabric and carrying distant traffic noise up in softened fragments. Above them, the skyline stretched out in scattered gold and red; windows lit like scattered thoughts neither of them had managed to organize yet.

Kate sat on the edge of the rooftop ledge with her knees pulled up, arms resting loosely around them, like she was trying to decide whether gravity was a suggestion or a challenge.

“This is officially,” She began, squinting out over the city, “a ‘why does my brain hate me specifically at night’ kind of setting.”

She let the moment naturally settle around them.

Kate tilted her head slightly toward Leo without fully looking at him.

“I feel like my thoughts are doing that thing where they all show up at once, uninvited,” It was added, lowly. “Like a group chat I never agreed to join, and now they’re all typing at the same time.”

The wind picked up slightly, ruffling her hair across her face before she pushed it back absently.

Below them, the city kept moving like nothing in it ever paused long enough to ask questions.

Kate let out a slow breath, then leaned back on her hands, gaze drifting upward to the sky.

“Okay,” She chirped after a moment, quieter now but still carrying that familiar edge of humor, “serious question.”

She glanced toward him this time.

“Are we doing the responsible thing and pretending sleep is a normal option right now…”

Another quiet moment lingered in the air as she geared up to finish off the question.

“…or are we accepting that neither of our brains are shutting up and just staying up here until the world feels a little less loud is more plausible?”

Rooftops had become a sacred place for Leo. When night fell over the bustling city of New York, it was where he and his brothers would finally be free. The wind against their shells and stars painted across the night, illuminating their way as they escaped the sewers below. It felt like destiny up there with his brothers. Their beginnings had been stained with tragedy, but their reward was this unbreakable lifetime bond.

It was also a place where Leo found himself the most vulnerable. Even before he was given the title of leader, Leo would stuff down his problems until he couldn't see them anymore. It was easier to go through life as the designated comic relief. Now that there was so much more for him to shoulder, it was easier being something solid when life was full of uncertainty. But the night knew his secrets. So many times, he spent up here with Donnie, confiding in each other about their woes, their dreams, and their hopes for the future.

Never in his wildest dreams did Leo imagine life would lead him here. In his youth, he had longed for companionship from the outside. Yearning for peer acceptance was normal for a teenager, something Leo knew was hard when he wasn't exactly human. He would watch kids his own age from the sewer openings' hangout, and he hoped that one day he could find something like that. April had been that blessing, but over time, his circle grew. With how dangerous the city had become, it was now a driving force for Leo to keep pushing. It wasn't just the lives of the innocent that needed protecting but the people he had come to love.

Kate had snuck her way into his heart the same way Agnes had. The slider had tucked them under his wing and provided guidance when he could. Late-night talks were a common occurrence between the two. Insomnia was an old friend of Leo's. His human DNA often clashed with his turtle DNA. One of those battlegrounds was his circadian rhythm. The internal time clock of a red ear slider was different than that of a human, so restless nights were his norm. "Didn't you know nighttime is prime time for spiraling thoughts?" Leo joked with a soft laugh.

A thought hum left him, acknowledging Kate's words. "You didn't remember to put your anxiety on do not disturb?" His eyes never left the skyline, but even at night, his gentle smile could be seen. "Yeah, that's the perfect way to explain it. And you don't want to leave the chat because it'll seem rude even though you didn't ask to be there."

A comfortable silence fell over them. Leo was used to a city that never sleeps, but when he peered down at Elias, for the first time in a very long time, it was peaceful. The threat of Gods and magical wars was silenced. "I think you and I both know that you don't pick the responsible option." He teased, getting close enough to nudge her shoulder. "And I never pick the normal one, so I guess we're accepting neither of our brains are shutting off." He patted the space between them, encouraging Kate to move closer. "C'mon. Tell me what's on your mind."

Zoey had been debating for weeks now whether she actually wanted a tattoo or not. Every time she thought she had settled on an idea, another possibility crept into her mind and tangled everything up again. A puzzle piece crossed her thoughts more than once, something tied to her autism, though she knew people had complicated feelings about the symbol. Then there were music notes, simple and elegant, something that represented the songs she loved so deeply and the way music had always managed to reach her even when words failed. She had even considered incorporating her hearing aid somehow, turning something she once felt insecure about into art she could wear proudly on her skin.

But standing inside the studio now, surrounded by the buzz of tattoo guns and the sharp scent of antiseptic mixed with ink, she found herself hesitating all over again.

Maybe it was because tattoos felt permanent in a way she wasn’t ready for yet. Maybe it was because every design seemed to carry too much meaning, as though choosing wrong would somehow say something terrible about who she was.

Her thoughts drifted back to Jinu despite herself. Their meeting still lingered in the back of her mind like the echo of a song she couldn’t stop replaying. Knowing he was here, alive, real, and breathing in the same world as her again had eased something deep inside her chest she hadn’t realized was hurting so badly. Things were still complicated, still messy, but the weight she had been carrying alone for so long no longer felt quite as crushing.

A laugh escaped her when the person beside her made another teasing remark about her obvious indecision. Zoey rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly before shaking her head.

“Yeah, okay, no tattoo for me today,” she admitted with a grin.

Instead, her attention shifted toward the jewelry case nearby, eyes catching on the curved barbell meant for a Medusa piercing. Her smile widened immediately.

“That though? That I can do.”

There was something fitting about it. Medusa was powerful, feared, impossible to ignore. But beneath all the stories and monstrous imagery was still someone tragic, someone transformed by pain and circumstance into something the world misunderstood. Zoey could relate to that more than she wanted to admit.

“Besides,” she added with a soft laugh, touching her upper lip thoughtfully, “Medusa was kind of kickass.”

Leo looked down at the tattoo flashes the parlor was offering today for a moment longer. If he was going to get anything on him, it was going to be something with his brothers. The bond that they had was deeper than any tattoo and more permanent than the ink that would stain their skin. Their bond transcended lifetimes. Leo would choose his brothers in every life. He'd walk this earth with them until the universe ceased to exist.

The flashes didn't ... exactly convey that sort of devotion. His joke seemed to fall flat, so he set it down. "Fair enough," he replied.

"Yeah, I don't think piercings are part of the special today for the event, but hey, if you want one, go for it," Leo told her with a shrug. He had only one of his ears pierced, his left one, which usually had a small hoop in it. Sometimes he'd switch it out for a sword earring if he was really feeling himself. He followed Zoey to see what she was looking at. "Medusa is totally kickass. Her piercing, however, no disrespect to her, seems uncomfortable. All I can think about is it grating over my teeth." He shivered at the thought, looking at other piercings. "Why not go for a simple lip one first?"

he narrowed his eyes. it was that person that tried to fight him for no reason when he was clearly going through something. jinu bit his lip to keep him from saying something mean. "i think you're more of an eyeball on your forehead kind of person, since you see things that don't exist all the time."

The moment Leo heard that voice, an immediate eye roll followed. If his eyes could roll into the back of his head, he was sure they would be falling out of his eye sockets and rolling on the floor. The universe had a sense of humor. He knew that all too well. What he didn't expect was to run into this guy again. In fact, Leo would have gone out of his way to never interact with him again. Yet here he was ... talking to him. It's like he wanted to ruin the slider's mood.

"I don't need a third eye to tell me I'm looking at an annoying man." The slider didn't even try to hold back his bite. If the guy was going to make stupid comments, he was going to get 'come correct' answers. "Do you not have anyone else to pester? Please, I'm trying to decide if I want a cute tattoo and if you're not going to get one with me, then you better get to steppin' buddy."

The city felt different after New York. It lacked the rush of busy people with a million places to be. The impatience of the east coast was truly unique. His skateboard cracked sharply against the pavement as he dropped it down in front of him, one foot settling onto it with practiced ease. The motion was automatic at this point. Familiar muscle memory from years of skating through alleyways and rooftops trying to outrun his own thoughts. The late evening air was warm enough that he’d ditched the heavy hoodie for once, sleeves shoved up to his elbows while his goggles rested loosely around his neck. His duffel bag sat abandoned beside the bench nearby, still half unpacked from the trip and now his stuffed with gym clothes.

Jasper would absolutely complain about it later. The thought pulled the faintest smile out of him before he caught himself doing it. Donnie pushed off hard against the pavement, skateboard rolling smoothly beneath him as he glided down the stretch of sidewalk bordering the park. New York had given him too much time to think. About Jasper. About the engagement sitting heavy and warm on his finger. About Yoshi. About the encrypted files currently hidden on three separate drives involving mutagen stabilization and a project labeled For Raph.

Maybe that was why he nearly clipped someone while turning too sharply around the corner. Donnie jerked sideways at the last second, sneaker dragging hard against concrete to stop himself before collision.

“Woah, okay, either you appeared out of nowhere,” he said immediately, stepping one foot off the board as he steadied himself, “or my depth perception has finally been destroyed by sleep deprivation.” His eyes flicked upward properly then, expression easing into something dry but noticeably less guarded than it used to be. “Please say the first one. It’d be less medically concerning for me.”

Leo knew that Donnie was back in town. The static nipping at the back of his neck informed him that his twin was here. He could always feel Donnie in their shared ninpo, but it was stronger now. In that moment, Leo felt whole again. He was aware that he and Donnie had a toxic codependency forged from the trauma they had endured as children, but truthfully, neither of them wanted to fix it. They were twins. Yin and Yang. Packaged together and meant to not be separated.

Which is why it had been hard for Leo not to travel back to New York with his twin. Leo's sour mood would have dampened the good news Donnie wanted to share. The last thing he wanted was for their father's attention to be on him, which was a shocking statement given that Leo had always done what he could to be in the spotlight. It was Donnie's moment, so Leo stayed behind. There was nothing he wanted more than to see his dad and brothers again. The chance would come, just not this time around.

He was heading back from yet another night at the fight club. The battles never got easier. The more he won, the harder the next opponent tried to take him down. Leo was pushing his body past its limits. It was only a matter of time before he collapsed. He could feel it in his bones yet refused to stop.

The electrical buzzing intensified once he turned the corner. A tell sign his twin was around, but he could have guessed that after nearly being knocked on his ass by Donnie. "Both, lowkey. Dad did teach us the art of surprise, but also, I wouldn't be shocked if your lack of sleep finally got the better of you." A playful grin danced on his lips. "First day back and you're trying to take out your twin? For shame, tello."