#kadeen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

...

They kept their breathing even, their gaze at what they were painting, trying to focus on anything other than the feeling of the fabric over their burns.

It was stupid, they knew, to be spraypainting of all things when they were injured like this. But what else did they have to do? They were really starting to hate needing to keep their eye closed.

...

There's a quiet whistling coming from down one of the sewer tunnels, and they pause to listen. A deep breath, and they continue to paint- choosing not to react to the shudder of surprise behind them.

Meanwhile, Leo was completely freaking out. What was a human(other than April, obviously) doing in the sewers?! And they're spray painting... Leo can't help but tilt his head, slowly but surely making his way over to the distracted stranger.

He wandered up behind them, too entranced to realize-

...

"What are you doing?-""BWAHHOLYPIZZASUPREME-"

"...hello to you, too."

"...Wait, you-... you're not- afraid?"

"Of course not, you were whistling earlier. Why would you have any reason to hurt me when you clearly don't have the self preservation to keep out of the sewers?"

"Okay, excuse you-"

"Don't even try it, you know you shouldn't be seen by humans. Sure, people don't often come down to the sewers, but that doesn’t mean it's not dangerous. Especially when you're a yokai- you're lucky I knew of your existence at all."

"...I. Am. So confused- okay, not only are you not afraid of me, you're hypocritical, and you're saying I'm something I'm not. What is going on here?"

"...Things you do not need to know if you haven't already found them out yourself."

hff. "Wow, thanks for that tidbit, mister sunshine-and-rainbows. What? What's so funny?"

They're wearing fingerless gloves, along with the hoodie, cargo pants, and flower-patterned bandana they wore around their lower face. He's a little curious as to why they're covering their eye... that is, until he notices the red peeking through. What on earth was going on with them?

"They them pronouns, please. And I'm not used to people assuming I'm a guy."

"I'm sorry what?" his eyes flicker to their hands.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kadeen stared straight ahead, an odd fuzz flowing through their brain. They. Were. Sick. Of being bedridden.

It's good that they finally got to see their family again, don't get them wrong. But they hated being stuck, helpless- unable to fully stop the pain flowing from every burn. It's been months, now. It didn't help that they-

Their phone rings, and they sigh. Mikey...

~-

...

"Hello-?" "KADEEN WHAT THE F-"

"Heyheyhey, kids show, Mikey! What's going on??"

"Why, pray tell, did you not say a word- ABOUT THE SHREDDER?"

"...Mikey."

"Hey, don't give me that tone! You knew about this, you knew-"

"Mikey, please let me speak?"

...you know I can't tell you guys these things because-"

"I'm sorry. I knew you would all be okay, just...

...the others just wanted me to talk to you." Kadeen sighs.

"Because things could collapse, whatever.

...

"I figured they did- you know why I don't say these things already. I do want to do more for you. I don't know how."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"...How about I tell the others you didn't see this?"

"...that... might be best. Thank you for always doing this for me."

"It's not a problem."

Kadeen watched the others in the Turtle Tank around them. April, Splinter, Raph, Donnie, Mikey- Leo...

...

They'd missed everything. Again. They- knew they would... why are they taking them on this mission? It doesn't make sense. They knew they'd take them with, but they don't understand why-

"Hey, you okay?" Mikey murmurs, and Kadeen stops rubbing at their arms.

But truly, he wasn't the only one- really, Kadeen and Mikey were the only ones without a suspiciously chipper attitude. Kadeen can't help but smile halfways at his antics, going to stand and follow with practiced ease. Mikey lingers for a second, giving up and following behind.

"...Yeah, just... thinking."

"....I'm... assuming you know-"

"We're here!~" Leo says, in a tone that's much too sing-song for how recent the final Shredder fight was.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two more who know...

...

April puts her hand on Kadeen’s shoulder. "You okay? You've been mopey for a while. And- yeah, I get it," she says with a laugh as they both walk behind her mom in the store. "The, uh..."

...The secrets are getting harder to keep.

"Yeah, those meatloaf-looking guys were sucky for everyone. It's alright, really- I mean, I wasn't even here for it. I shouldn't be grumbling about, especially with Leo and Donnie's birthday coming up, but- yknow, here we are. Ooh, they'd like these, right?"

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...

"Hola, mariposa," Kadeen coos, shutting the front door behind them. Leo’s sitting on the couch, playing a game on the TV as they walk in. Leo smiles warmly as his new partner sits by him, laying their head on his shoulder.

"Hola, cariño. How was it?" he asks, only halfway paying attention. Kadeen hadn’t told him where they'd gone, yet- but he had a feeling they'd day something now that they were home. Maybe they just had something they wanted to surprise him with.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"It went alright, for my first time there. It was... a little freeing. And people didn't end up as bad as I expected, so that's good." Huh?

"What about you? I don't think I've seen this game before. You don't mind me watching you play, do you?" Kadeen asks, wrapping their arm around Leo’s shoulders as his eyes sparkle brightly.

"No way. I thought your universe would've had this one! Okay, so the premise of the game-"

...

}~~~~.~~~♡~~~.~~~~{

"...You have to tell them."

"Tell us what? They know somethin' we don't and will refuse to tell us 'till the last minute? Yea we already know that, Leo."

"...Actually... I kept all those events a secret because who knows wether or not the timeline would survive it, yknow? The only reason I told Mikey first is cause Mikeys are typically info black holes in the multiverse."

"Excuse me?! What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means I don't know anything about the future anymore. The only stuff I know now that I shouldn't is the shit y'all did when I was bedridden. And- Donnie, you're gonna have to send me that document of questions again, I lost the link.

Anyway, 'Sidi just texted- I need to go help with preparations for the Multi-Elemental Festival." Kadeen kisses Leo's forehead. "See y'all in a few days." They teleport off, leaving everyone but Leo, Mikey and CJJ to process the information like an old computer.