#selfinsert

Walk with me,

You waited up late at the lair for your Leonardo to come home.

At first, the hours passed easily.

You sat with Splinter in the dojo, sharing quiet conversation while the soft sounds of the underground drifted through the lair.

Master Splinter spoke calmly, offering bits of wisdom between stories, and for a while it kept your mind occupied.

But as the night stretched on, exhaustion slowly began settling into your bones.

You tried to stay awake.

First, you lingered in the kitchen, absentmindedly picking at a snack while glancing at the clock every few minutes.

Then you moved to the living room, curling up on the couch with one of Donnie's abandoned books. You barely made it through a few pages before rereading the same sentence three times.

Eventually, your feet carried you somewhere familiar.

Leonardo's room.

You paused in the doorway for a moment, smiling softly at the sight of it.

Everything was exactly as he always kept it—organized, disciplined, and painfully neat.

Books neatly tucked away on the shelf. Training gear was carefully put away. Even his bed looked untouched, the blankets smoothed perfectly across the mattress.

It was so painfully him.

You sat down on the edge of the bed.

Just for a minute.

Just until he got back from patrol.

The faint scent of him still lingered on the blankets, comforting and familiar. Without thinking, you pulled them closer around yourself.

Your eyelids felt heavier.

And heavier.

The next thing you knew, sleep claimed you completely.

When you finally woke, confusion hit you first.

This wasn't your apartment.

There was no sunlight filtering through your bedroom window.

No familiar ceiling above you.

Instead, your cheek was pressed against something warm and solid.

Your brain took a moment to catch up.

Plastron.

Leonardo's plastron..

The realization made your heart stumble.

At some point during the night, he'd returned from patrol and climbed into bed beside you.

One powerful arm rested beneath your head while the other was wrapped securely around your waist, keeping you tucked against him as if he'd never intended to let go.

His blue mask sat discarded near the corner of the room beside his katanas, evidence of how exhausted he must have been when he came home.

Yet somehow, he'd still taken the time to pull you into his arms.

You didn't even remember him getting into bed.

Slowly, you tilted your head upward.

Leonardo was still asleep.

Without the stern focus he carried during the day, he looked younger somehow. Softer. The constant weight of responsibility that usually sat on his shoulders seemed absent for once.

For a moment, you simply watched him.

The rise and fall of his chest.

The faint scar crossing his eye.

The way one hand remained curled possessively against your side, even in sleep.

As though he instinctively needed to know you were still there.

Your chest ached with affection for him.

Maybe it was silly.

But moments like this felt rare.

No missions.

No training.

No danger lurking around the corner.

Just you and him.

Safe.

Together.

As if sensing your stare, Leonardo let out a low groan before shifting slightly. His arm tightened around your waist, pulling you impossibly closer.

His eyes never opened.

"Go back to sleep," he mumbled, voice rough and heavy with exhaustion.

You couldn't help but smile.

"You knew I was awake?"

A faint huff escaped him.

"Mm."

You laughed quietly.

His only response was to bury his face against the top of your head and pull you closer still.

The room fell silent again.

Wrapped securely in Leonardo's arms, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath your ear, you let your eyes drift shut once more.