Chapter Text
Naturally, the Kraang Invasion left everyone feeling strung out.
Leo kinda expected that. Honestly, even he felt pretty exhausted and it's been a couple of weeks since he was saved from the Prison Dimension. Donnie said its because of his physical exertion, Mikey insisted its because he's healing from the trauma of it all, and Raph just kinda made a face and went, "You want me to get a Monster for you?"
Yes, he would like that Monster energy drink. Thanks, Raph.
He doesn't think he has any trauma from the invasion. Sure, he learned when and where he was allowed to crack a joke or two... but he was still Leonardo, y'know? He still teased and flaunted his excellence, but just with a side of... uegh... responsibility.
Being responsible doesn't feel the way Leo thought it would. He thought being responsible meant telling Raph to stop impulse buying stuffed animals or getting after Donnie for his more explodey inventions, but he hasn't been doing anything like that. If anything, he's just more involved with that stuff. It's like... if he knows about it, it's okay. Because when his brothers inevitably need help, he's already got backup plans ready to do that. He doesn't even know if he's doing this leader stuff right, but nobody's outwardly complained to him yet so... he's gotta be making progress.
Aside from being responsible now, Leo just kinda wants to enjoy the quiet not-so-quiet way of life New York has when there's nothing life threatening around. He's sorta taken a back step on using his ninpo for a while too, probably for the best. Mikey had to stop using his ninpo until they know everything's okay (According to Draxum), so he views this as a solidarity thing. Mikey can't use his ninpo, neither will he!
Unofficially, he thinks Donnie and Raph are doing the same thing too. Not that Donnie ever used his ninpo outside of missions, but Leo was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
"I have been thinking!" Leo announced as he entered the makeshift living room of their second lair, playing off how he almost tripped over a stack of pizza boxes.
Donnie did not look up from whatever he was tinkering with on the floor, "You're able to do that?"
Leo waved his hand, "I looked up a wikiHow article."
Donnie snorted.
"Anyway, I was thinking. We should have a movie-night. We haven't had one of those since the big I."
"The big eye?" Mikey peeked up over their couch.
"He means the inter-spacial interlopers who invaded our world." Donnie supplied.
"Did you just force as many I-words into that sentence as possible?" Raph accused, kicking aside another stray pizza box.
Leo cringed. Maybe he should clean around the lair before they do any possible movie nights. When had he let things get so unkept around here?
He waved his hands around, trying to force their attention back on him. "Guys. Focus. Movie night. Jupiter Jim. Lou Jitsu."
"Yes! Raph seconds this!" His big brother fisted the air, "We could make a fort, too!"
"Oooh, brother-fort, brother-fort!" Mikey cheered.
Donnie suddenly jolted, and Leo swore he saw actual stars in his eyes. "I have the perfect projector for the occasion!"
"Awesome!" Leo smirked, triumphant that his brothers were down for his plan. He's one kick-ass leader. "I'll clean up. The pizza boxes are kinda getting grody."
"Raph'll help!"
. . .
Cleaning went by incredible fast with Raph's help, and it took only thirty minutes for Mikey to make the best blanket fort he has ever seen with his eyes. Leo almost wishes he invited Junior and April along. Welp, a picture will have to do!
"Hey, what caption says wish you were here but also, ha-ha, loser, I'm having fun and you aren't?" He asked.
"Stop tryna make April wish she was here!" Raph scolded, sitting down heavily on a pillow.
"I'm not! ... I'm just tryna make both her and Junior wish they were here!"
Mikey's jaw dropped, "Do not taunt that poor kid, he just found out what a rice krispie treat is!"
"It is not my fault the kid grew up sugar-free."
"Hmm..." Donnie made a low, disbelieving hum.
Leo reconsidered his words, "Okay, I take that back. Now let me brag to our friends!"
"You're horrible. Send them a picture of this!" Mikey stuck his tongue out and gave a double peace sign. Leo wooped and snapped a pic, just in time to catch Raph mid eye roll and Donnie's smile. He's sending that off to April and Junior and also keeping it in his favourites folder.
Since the invasion, he's gotten a total new appreciation for photos. He'll snap at least ten a day and at the end of the week, he'll ask Donnie to print out his favourite ones. He's got a whole wall covered with photos of him and his family. Mostly his family.
As Leo settled down next to everyone, sitting between Mikey and Donnie, he immediately got into fanboy mode. He had convinced his brothers to watch Jupiter Jim first before their Lou Jitsu movie runs; he's going to take advantage of this by saying every little detail he's learned on his own out loud. His commentary makes movies better, so his brother's won't mind.
"Oohh, here it goes, guys!" Leo cheered as the title card faded in.
Donnie scooted closer to the front, likely to get a better view of the movie, "Y'know, I did a little looking into this movie a few days ago."
"Why?" Leo asked, not looking away.
"I needed a brain break." Donnie waved his hand, "Did you know they CGI'd the portal in the beginning?"
"What? No they didn't!" Mikey cried, "They used lights to do that, didn't they?"
"It looks so weird, though." Raph wrinkled his nose.
Leo tsked, "Sorry, Dorkatello, Mikey's right. It's all lights and rubber hoses."
"It isn't. Look! That's much too animated for it to be practical."
Leo squinted, leaning in. That portal did look too real, didn't it?
"Nah, that's all lights, baby!"
"CGI, I'm telling you."
"Raph doesn't remember the portal being on the screen this long."
Leo jerked from his spot. "That's because it's not!" That portal's not from the movie, it's real. It's in front of them.
Suddenly, he feels like he's staring down the ugly, glowing eyes of a predator. He feels a bitter chill race up his shell, not unlike the way he felt facing down the Kraang for the final time.
He leapt to his feet, "Everybody, get ba—!" "WAHH!"
It took a moment, but Leo realized he was flat on his back with something— someone— on top of him. There were pillows and blankets everywhere; likely from how hard he and whoever was on him landed. Leo looked up just in time for the person on top of him to get their bearings.
"Ow, that did not feel like a pillowy land— Oh. You made it through! Wagadooey!"
Leo blinked a couple times, staring at a mutant— a turtle mutant— No, wait, a Teenager turtle mutant— Wait, wait, wait, a teenage mutant Ninja turtle?! What is going on. The turtle above him had a snaggle tooth like Raph, except his was on his bottom jaw pointed skyward. His eyes were bright— a little too bright, actually. It made Leo tense aggressively— and he had a glaringly bright green mask on. Someone needs to teach this fellow about colour theory.
Did he have red sharpie all over his face?
The turtle on top of him sat up, looking around casually and then looking back at the portal that he shot out of. The portal closed with an eerie hiss.
"Weird." Greenie mused.
"Can you get off of me?" Leo snapped.
"Oh, sorry! Didn't think you minded since you kinda just let me fall on you. Haha."
Leo bit back a sneer, instead scoffing and sitting up while Greenie stood up. "I didn't let you..."
"What are you doing here?" Donnie asked, staring at the turtle like he couldn't quite believe what he was seeing. "And you look... like us."
Greenie blinked back at Donnie, "Was I supposed to go somewhere? Kinda thought the plan was to come here and regroup."
For whatever reason, Raph and Mikey seemed frozen in spot up until that moment. Mikey's shoulders tensed and he got a fiery look in his eyes while Raph rapidly approached Greenie with a growl. It struck Leo that out of the two times of people inviting themselves into their lair uninvited, it has ended rather horrible for everyone involved. And while he didn't particularly know why Greenie was here or trust him, he didn't think they needed to start a fight or anything.
"Raph, wait." He ordered, not missing the way Raph looked at him in disbelief. He'd explain himself later. Leo looked at Greenie, "What's your name?"
Greenie stared, "My name?"
"Yeah. Unless you want me to call you Greenie in my head forever, you gotta tell me a name."
"Leo, you're freakin' me out."
A terrible silence flooded the room, but Leo could hardly recognize it because of how violently his instincts kicked in. He shifted his stance, preparing to lunge. With the way Greenie's eyes followed his movements, it seemed like he knew what he was about to do.
"I think we're on the wrong foot!" Donnie declared, slicing through the tension, deescalating just enough that Leo's shoulders relaxed a fraction. "How do you know our names? Did Draxum send you?"
"Pardon?" The turtle squeaked, voice oddly lilting to... a british accent?
Donnie breezed through the accent shift like it wasn't the randomest thing to happen, "Is that a no? Did you come from Big Mama?"
"Why are you naming people who don't like me?" Greenie smiled, bemused, "You're teasing me, right?"
"You'd know if I was teasing you. Insert evil smile here!"
"Raph doesn't think he should just be roaming around our lair." His older brother motioned at Greenie with disdain.
"Rude," Greenie said after a beat, "but fair."
Raph squinted at the new turtle, "I dont trust you."
"Donnie what'd you call that? Practical?"
Leo tensed again. This turtle is setting off every alarm bell he has, sorta irritating him in a special way with how easily he bantered and breeze by their interrogation.
Mikey's furious growl snapped them out of it, "Who are you?"
Greenie's eyes snapped to Mikey and finally he had the common sense to look nervous. He flapped his hands and shot a look at Leo, as if he was going to step in to help him or something. Why would he do that?
"Um, your brother?" Greenie messed with the sleeve of his green glove, "Sandro?"