Chapter Text
Leo was a cuddler.
He had always been a cuddler.
From the time he could understand the world around him, Leonardo had been the first to break the boundaries between man and kind, binding the remnants together as father and son. His first cradle had been one of anticipation and relief, curling into the chest of his forever future, the touch of skin a warm kiss to his own.
It had been different compared to his next bond, cuddled among the creatures beside him. It had been a confusion of extended joints and limbs, uncertainty of balance, and curious observation of the world around. Crawling had felt natural despite the use of palms and knees, but it was the warmth that he sought —what had felt soothing, and comforting, and safe, and pure.
He had clambered atop the biggest of them, eyes curious of the mountain he had climbed, though the creature paid him no mind. Sleepiness had taken him over, rocking gently on his back…an unnatural way, but cleverly discovered all the same. The teetering had wobbled them both, his added weight unbalancing the rhythm, and kicking out a leg, he found himself flat on his gut, though the other remained still.
His toes had found a friend though.
The face attached had not been so pleased.
But Leo had offered the other a smile of good will, regardless if it would be accepted or not. His cheeks had curled, reaching out a lone arm as he rested his head along the other, squatty fingers splatting a firm touch to the new noggin. It rested there for a moment before it was brushed away and the other turned, doing his own best to navigate the world around.
A rush of vibrations shook the ground with a splash, and though the wave never touched them, the pitter pattering of the gentle rain still felt somewhat soothing against his head…nostalgic in a strange, primitive way. His gaze peered up beyond the cardboard den they had been lounging in, observing the lack of color his world seemed to have.
Gray, and dingy, and nothing like the last place, so colorful with so many things to look at…not a clue of what any of it meant.
But in his daze, he fell victim to the daydream and was startled when his face was grabbed by another —a tinier hand smaller than his own.
Their beady eyes had linked for a moment, innocent curiosity investigating what was new, and bright, and different.
The tiny finger poked along his face, trailing up from cheek, to eye, to head…motioning the path of the markings like one to finger-paints, ending with a cheerful smile…one reflected in his own.
Leo knew not what had caught the attention of the tiniest one at the time, but he had found his own curiosity to poke a shoulder spot stifled as the youngest tried to pull himself atop the mountain, too, using Leo's face as the ballast. And though the grip on his head had been rough and confusing, the accidental squish of their cheeks had triggered an immediate giggle from each of them, both startled at the sound.
It was surprising and foreign and new—
…and happened to wake the sleeping giant ever so gently.
He rocked forward on his rear, nearly tumbling them both off, but in a small pile they remained as the three of them shared a curious moment of communication, the smallest still latched onto Leo…and his arm had clung back. And this felt natural. More natural than anything he had known. And with this knowledge…with this understanding…he reached out and pulled the outlier within their circle, clamping him close.
Leo's smile curled as he had held them both tight, the tiniest snuggled happily as the other's sense of awareness kicked in, finding the warmth and security somewhat enticing. But nothing had felt more secure, more sturdy, or more stable than when the largest had scooped all three and scrunched them in tight.
If Leo hadn't known what a grin was before, he certainly knew it then.
He had been caught in the center of blanketed bliss: safe, and happy, and loved…
Heaven was only a feather's reach when his father spun him about, pulled tight to the point of danger, but Leo always knew when to dive in, when to be gentle, and when to be firm.
He had become a professional at the concept of physical contact, grown to master the craft with those he felt comfortable with, and thrived on the idea of being exactly where he needed to be when he was wanted. It wasn't uncommon to find him wedged along his father, coiled among his brothers, or curled up against a friend during one of his long winded stories.
It had become natural for him to swing a lengthy arm along the nearest neck to share in his ideas, breaking the concepts of personal space for the betterment of his point.
Movies always came with a blanket and a cradling chest pillow…
Naps, faced down on a bean bag, arms slung out and taut.
It had become so ingrained and apart of who he was that he never once questioned the ability, or lack thereof, to express himself in the most simplistic and genuine way he knew.
To throw out his arms in support,
to swoop in the hype,
to tug along the weary,
and to nestle in the pride.
So came the day Leonardo found himself in overzealous delight over his newest favorite pro skater landing his all time desired move, he had launched over the back of the couch with a howl, phone flung and arms swung to the nearest possible contender, "He nailed it! He totally did it! Did you see that? I can't believe—" The tackle had been fierce and unexpected as he swung about in absolute ecstasy, his grin wide and cheek nuzzled up in joy, in delight, in—
His neck cracked twice as his head shoved back sharply, eyes lost in their disoriented focus.
He could feel the grip on his face: firm, cold, and stark before he was pushed back a few steps and met with a frosty gaze, observant in their judgement.
Cassandra Jones.
His arms had slunk to his sides, the muffled volume of his phone cheering through the cushions of the couch behind them, but the silence that followed between had been awkward, if not prickly.
His bright blues peered curiously at her olive greens, a sheepish grin doing its best to match the energy of her sour pout, "O-Oh, not a…not a hugger, huh? That's —uh, I can respect that! My bad." His hands waved innocently, unsure of where to put them before he tucked them into a cross.
It was unusual for the teen to remain so quiet —he had always known her to be quite the vocal creature, but her silence unsettled him as his eyes darted, and taking a side shuffle, he removed himself from her path and out of her line of sight. Her frown had remained, but she marched on, and quietly, Leo found himself sinking into the couch, feeling the awkward tension sink in with him.
He had always known that with actions came consequences, but never had it dawned on him that not all positive actions were desired by his comrades. He was no stranger to playful rejection, or even rejection due to impatience —his brothers each had their own way of waving him off and even Splinter knew when a smack or two was due. But it was always in good faith.
April's hugs were warm and cheerful and inviting, and without a doubt all the brothers had agreed that she made for a great pillow: cozy, and tender, and accepting of who they were and had always been.
But this…had felt off.
And it bothered him more than he thought it would, arms crossed behind his head as his foot wobbled along his knee in the dead of night.
Had it been too soon?
They had known CJ for quite a few months now, and that didn't factor in the time she had spent fighting for The Foot. Their trust in her had grown somewhat overnight, for anyone willing to fight for their father's honor was worthy to linger in their sewers.
It went without saying that Splinter enjoyed her tenacity…something he hoped would inspire his own sons to embrace each of their own inner strengths as she did. Raph had found a vivacious new sparring partner, and her monstrous appetite was always welcome in Mikey's kitchen. She was more than willing to beta test Donnie's most questionable inventions, and April had finally found a real human friend…still a bit odd, but definitely human.
Leo's relationship with her had been somewhat hit and miss…
Jokes falling flat, or conversations ending at a standstill over which teams were best…
'Foot Recruit' had stuck like glue and he had yet to move on from the nickname when everyone else had.
Had he made her uncomfortable?
His frown deepened, for that had never been his intention.
The apology had been quick, though the sting of awkwardness had still lingered.
And lingered it did when he found himself in the midst of bear hugs, squeezes, and clenches…and their eyes would happen to meet. Off in a corner. Seated on an armrest. Leaning in an archway.
She would study him like an experiment, hawk-eyed and hyper fixated until his snuggle ended, and only then would her interest fade off toward anything else within the given moment.
At first, he had chalked it up to pure imagination. After all, why would she care if he was cuddling others who desired it? His brothers adored him (he liked to think), and he had always pined for his father's attention. Theirs was a family of welcome devotion, an ever flowing lovefest of acceptance.
And April was their long time friend, their best friend, and a sister-figure Leo had always admired. Their embraces were the stuff of champions, pure willed and ferocious, cheek to chubby cheek compatible with giggles and grins to match.
But it was during one of these tender moments that he found the scrutiny ever vigilant, his gaze peering out over April's shoulder toward the green eyes that darted away, and for the first time, CJ appeared flustered, her brows knitting as tightly as the arms she crossed.
It was in that moment that Leo realized he had nothing to offer her…or had offered her nothing, rather.
Where his one-to-one's were filled with arm swinging clasps and tender nuzzles, he had simply steered away from CJ, kept his distance, and refrained from creating further awkward tension between them. And as leader —the new leader…he could do better.
He had been nothing but adaptable his entire life.
He could accommodate.
The fist bump had felt most appropriate.
It was an action universally accepted by most, and the moment he had offered it to her, he knew it had been in the right direction. Her response had been immediate and familiar, and soon enough the awkwardness between them faded away into dust with he having something to offer everyone now.
And now things felt right.
"La Mega is going down, Raph. I will bet my whole twenty dollars on it."
"That is the dumbest bet you've ever made and the fastest money you'll ever lose."
"Big Al Dirden is a lumberjack. Look at the guy! He looks like he hunts camp councilors in his sleep!"
"Hey, guys!"
The two broke for a moment to wave behind the couch as April walked by, but Cassandra paused her step and clamped onto the plush of the backing, "Ooh! Did the match start yet?"
"Nope! The fun's about to begin." Leo grinned as Raph shoved him over,
"Leo just made the worst bet of his life —he put his money on Dirden."
Cassandra's eyes clicked toward Raphael, her gaze stark and haunting, "I'll double it. Dirden will destroy you."
"Aw, what! CJ, you can't be serious —you're a Dirden fan?"
"A lady of culture, Raphael," Leo chuckled, poking at the top of his brother's head, "You heard her. That's forty on Big Al. Let's go Big Al! Woo!"
"He will decimate his opponent's bones! I've seen him smash tree trunks with his bare fists! He is incredible!" CJ barked, head sinking between her shoulders as she leaned forward, though Raph waved away the thought,
"La Mega is practically Ghostbear's protégé. He trained in the same gyms and he's signed under the same manager. If anyone is good enough to fill those shoes, it's him."
Arching a brow, Leo leaned along the armrest, his fingers pressed against his cheek, "Yeah…if he's anything like Ghostbear, I'd love to see him lose."
"…Being a great wrestler does not equate to being a great person, Leonardo —but Ghostbear was still the best."
"Careful, Raph. Your quality time with Donnie is showing."
"Enough! It's starting." CJ smiled eagerly, and glued to the screen they remained, from bell to screech to cheer, each side rooting for their chosen warrior with every will of their being.
Shadow boxing, couch shaking, and pillow biting galore until finally,
"He's got him pinned! He's got him pinned!"
"DO THE COUNTDOWN!"
"NO!"
"YES!"
Ding-ding-ding!
"—and in a chaotic twist of events, tonight's champion moving on to the Belt Classic—"
"Big! Al! DIRDEN!" Leo hollered out of his cupped fist into his brother's ear.
He backflipped off the couch as Raph capped his face in misery, quick to greet his winning companion who had screeched at the bell. Forty bucks wasn't a bad payday at all, and faster than he could process, his arms had swung wide open, far too accustomed to the old way of doing things—
In a snap of realization, Leo caught himself, arms slapping to his sides, and slowly hooking his fingers along his hip, he extended a fist gently in her direction. His massive grin had softened in hopeful understanding as her eyes tilted down toward the offering, her own hand flexing in response.
But the bump never came.
And too quickly the awkwardness resumed its previous linger as Leo's smile faded, uncertain of what to do now as the window of appropriate response was quickly shrinking to a close and tightening the tension around them.
His eyes darted self consciously, and he tweaked a toothy smile as he tried to save face by flexing his finger into a playful point, but to no avail.
Her palm had swatted it away.
And the awkwardness loomed into a wince as his shoulders lowered, at a loss for the correct words to make things right.
It only took a few seconds to realize they weren't needed.
The lunge had been savage.
His neck had crammed into her dire headlock, eyes wide and jolted as her rugged grip constricted much of his ability to move his jaw, but it wasn't the aggressive nature of her mannerisms that had stunned him, but the realization that perhaps he had misinterpreted Cassandra from the very start.
As a seasoned professional, Leo could openly admit that an attempt so fierce could not have stemmed from distain or disgust as he had thought…but perhaps from a lack of exposure —for he had lived his entire life wallowing in tender bliss and frankly knew nothing of a world without it.
But this venture…this effort…this hug —was a step into the unknown with arms that mimicked what she had observed with the only strength she knew, for it was an embrace of raw purity that proved previous attempts in her life had been far and few.
Wriggling his head into a more comfortable position, Leo wrapped his arms about her and crunched her in with just as much vivacity, finding in all his years, he had never experienced a clasp quite like that. It was unique to her…and he liked it.
His tiny smile lingered over her shoulder until he caught Raphael's curious gaze, and with practiced gusto, Leo slid from her grip, arm lingering about her shoulders,
"Well. Someone's a cuddler."
His tease had been lighthearted and sincere, sneaking a playful wink the moment Raph turned. It hadn't done him any favors, though.
The punch had been quick and merciless, sending a shock of numbness down to his elbow, but her sly smile alerted him that they were even.
"You owe me money, Red!"
Leo rubbed along the spot with a weak smile as she turned on his brother, giving him a moment to recoup. Solid shot. She…really didn't hold anything back.
His smile softened.
But, she wouldn't be Cassandra Jones if she did. Besides, there would always be future opportunities for him to bestow his teachings, if she was willing.
And perhaps one day, she could show him what those perfect hugs were all about.
His neck stretched with a pop.
Well…nearly perfect.