faesphere | Life in the Apocalypse

[Being one of the resistance's chosen humans - and their ward, more or less - came with some benefits, one of which was the right to come and go most places unquestioned, as long as it wasn't strictly off-limits and he wasn't in the way. Casey follows the noise, slips through the cracks of all of those bodies avoiding where Leo had disappeared into, and peers around the doorway to bear witness to what everyone else can't stand to watch.

He's still young, in training. He's not a master ninja. But he knows when to wait, when to stay quiet and out of sight when there's danger. And a very angry mutant turtle destroying half the junk room is not a safe place for a kid... yet. He can bide his time.]

[It wasn't the first time Master Leonardo had been angry like this; the loss of the oldest brother, the big one, had sent him reeling a while back too. No one was sure how long exactly it was, but they remember how quiet he'd been after the first day.

This was likely shaping up to be similar.

The noise eventually dies down. Gradually, slowly he sinks down the wall to sit on the floor, his head falling heavily into his hands. Leonardo keeps Usagi's sword tucked in against him, holding it close as he tries to breathe. There are still people around. It's impossible to ever be truly alone in the base, but someone's closer than he'd really like.]

Gimme- Just need one minute and I'll be right with ya. [But his voice is thick and wet and croaking a bit.]</small.

[It's when he sits that Casey knows it's safe to approach; he'd been about to step forward when he hears the voice calling him. He's not surprised to be caught. Sensei is the greatest ninja in the world, after all.

He isn't cowed by being less of a ninja than that - well used to it - nor did the earlier display frighten him. Scary as Master Leonardo can be, violent and dangerous in a fight, he's never truly turned that strength against one of their own. Spars and training are different. His rage is carefully targeted.

So he doesn't give Leo a minute. He quietly pads his way over to stand in front of where Leo hunches.]

Sensei...

[Soon as Casey can see him, Leonardo is rapidly trying to dry his eyes with his scarf, make it look like he wasn't just having a breakdown. But he looks up and sees it's Casey.

A little smile plays on his lips as he tries to lighten his tone.] Casey, hey. What's up? I was gonna come by and see you in five.

[Sensei's trying so hard. Everyone's trying hard. He wishes he didn't feel so young and useless. They'd been so happy lately... sensei smiled at someone new, someone not in their immediate family, and it was different. For... a while. He laughed and acted like they had a future. Like the plan was going to work and they'd be one less closer.

That person is gone now, and Casey looks down at the floor. Sensei misses him. He misses him. And if sensei's trying not to cry about it-

He holds his arms out.]

Can I have a hug?

[Leonardo blinks at that request. Did something happen while they were gone? He isn't sure if he can handle one more thing, but for Casey he'd carry thousands more things. He shifts Usagi's sword to his other arm, out of the way but not quite ready to let it go. Opening both arms to Casey.]

Yeah, c'mere. Get in here.

[Casey melts into it immediately, tucking himself up against Leo's shoulder, small arms winding around his neck to return the hug. He says nothing for a little bit, just lets them both indulge in this. It's mostly for Leo, but... it's also for him.]

[No matter what Casey's thinking, Leonardo will take the hug. He holds the boy close with his flesh arm, squeezing tight for a moment before loosening the grip.]

...Something happen I gotta beat someone up for?

[Casey curls in as close as he can get, shaking his head and sniffing quietly.]

Master Miyamoto... I'm gonna miss him...

[Oh.

He kind of knew Casey and Usagi got along, in that weird way your adoptive son gets along with your new partner he meets as an older child. But not like this...

Leonardo goes very quiet holding Casey.] Yeah.. I'm really gonna miss him too.

[Casey just hugs him tighter.]

Were you scared? To be up there all alone?

[He doesn't know the circumstances of Miyamoto's death, just that he wasn't coming back. It happened a lot, so often it was impossible to hide death from all but the youngest of children in the base. Casey remembers, distantly, the loss of his mother and Master Raphael. Understood what the memorial wall stood for. Sensei's holding Master Miyamoto's sword the way Casey himself holds his mask sometimes.]

[He thinks back to those moments. Intel drive in hand, but staring down a Krang assimilated Usagi, the pink pulsating flesh bursting out of his white fur, the way he was clearly trying to fight it off. Long enough to hand Leo his sword and try to shove the turtle away. He couldn't let him go like that. Leo couldn't just let Usagi exist like- like that.

He buries hi face against Casey for a second holding him still.]

...Yeah. I was. He gave me a chance to get out and back here.

[As prone to tears as he is, of course Casey's crying. But he's glad sensei is talking about it. He should get to cry, too... he's always holding himself back for everyone else. It isn't fair that everyone else gets to cry and he doesn't.]

He saved you...? He helped you come home?

[He may be talking about it as best he can with a child, but he's drying his eyes a bit. No crying while talking to Casey. If anything were ever to happen to him, he'd want Casey to remember him better.]

He did, yeah. He- made sur we got what we needed.

[Boo, sensei, boooo. D- at emotional maturity.]

Sensei. [The tiniest thump of a sad fist on his plastron.] That doesn't matter! What matters is you! He saved you...

[Go!

No- I can get Mikey to help, he's been working on this, we can try to ninpo blast the Krang out-

Usagi is in so much pain holding himself together, trying to fight off the infection as long as he can. It always happens so fast; he's lasted longer than anyone so far and won't for much longer.

There's no time, and no guarantee. There's a pod down this hall, two doors on the right. Go. Now.

Not without you.

Usagi shoves the sword in his hands as the last of his eyes are taken over by angry vibrant pink and yellow. He yells at Leo with an unholy screech.

Leonardo knows he'll see those last moments in his mind for the rest of his life. He couldn't save his father, or his brother, or Cassandra. And now he couldn't save Usagi. The thumb against his plastron brings him back to himself.]

...Y-yeah, he did. And I'm here.

[Casey shifts a little, enough that he can turn his head and brush one hand over the hilt of the sword. His voice can't reach the dead, but... Hamato can speak to the dead through their ninpo. Maybe Master Miyamoto had ninpo. Or the samurai equivalent. And he was family. Maybe he'll hear it somehow.]

Thank you... for saving sensei. You're a hero too.

[There's the briefest flash of instinctive anger, protectiveness wanting to yank the sword away-

But he doesn't. Leonardo pulls his face into careful neutral, watches Casey. It breaks his heart.]

...I'm sure he'll keep looking out for us.

[Casey doesn't let his hand linger. Message sent, and he's intuitive enough even at his age to know what touch may be unwelcome. He can hug sensei, because it's his sensei. Master Miyamoto's sword isn't his, so he won't touch it beyond what he feels he has to. Weapons are special, he knows. Extensions of yourself.

(He'll get one someday, too. He just needs to figure out what his extension should be.)]

Like Master Raph... like my mom.

[Like everyone else who's died and they miss terribly.]

...Yeah. Like Master Raph and your mom.

[Exactly like them. Like everyone else they've lost in this war. He can't cry like this. He can't let go in front of Casey. He'll have to wait until he can do a night patrol while everyone's asleep or something. Hours away. Just hold it together until then.]

You kept an eye on everything while I was gone?

[Casey scrubs at his eyes a bit. If sensei can't cry, maybe he shouldn't, either. ...He can try, at least.]

Uh-huh... kept everybody in line, promise. [Nevermind that people really only humour him. He was very stern about everyone doing their job while sensei was working hard too.] And I helped! We moved stuff to a new med room.

[Casey should absolutely cry. Leo doesn't really see what he's instilling in the boy acting the way he does, but he looks proud if nothing else.]

I know that was a huge task I couldn't figure out when to do, so thanks for seeing that through. That'll be a big help later on.

I hope so... [Casey rests his head against Leo again, taking strength from the familiar toughness of his plastron.] I wish there was more I could do to help you.

[He wishes he was big and strong, as powerful as Master Miyamoto, so he could fight at sensei's side. Protect him. Make sure he comes home safe again.]

[With Casey leaning into him like that, Leo lets out a slow exhale and leans back against the wall. Most everyone is leaving him alone now that he's quieted down and not giving them much attention.]

You're doing plenty. Knowing I come back and you're here safe does wonders, Case.

[Casey lifts his head to look at Leo, wide-eyed.]

Really? Is that enough?

[But there's so much else to do!]

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