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He couldn't find him, he had searched for Casey in every single corner of the base and the little 7 year old seemed to have disappeared, he teased Usagi when he couldn't find him because Leo would go and the little boy's giggles would immediately give him away from his hiding place.
But not this time, a sandstorm had shaken all resistance and everyone's support was needed to shelter the rubble they called home, he had promised the little boy to come back as soon as possible but maybe the hours flew as much as the metallic garbage that almost crushed them.
Leo couldn't think of a world without Casey, the boy was braver than many resistance recruits and as bright as the sun sometimes, even enough to lift him up on his worst days, his little hope.
And now he was here, calling out to him a little bit too desperately because what if he had gone out? The wind was still quite strong and carrying fragments everywhere, could it be strong enough to carry Casey away? if he shook his scarf he could still get some sand out, would the sand bury him?
The catastrophic line of thoughts was gladly stopped by a metallic sound behind him.
Behind a cunningly hidden box was a door, which was more like a simple piece of metal that covered a new hiding place, and out of it peeked nothing more nor less than Casey Junior Jones crying his eyes out.
He barely caught a glimpse of his snot-filled, whimpering face before the child ran and he naturally bent down to greet him with open arms.
"There, there, Case- Casey breathe" he prompted when the boy wasn't able to say a coherent word between crying, he treid patting him on the back, but the kid just hugged him even tighter by the turtle's neck.
Now, Master Leonardo wasn't the best at dealing with Casey's crying, or anyone's, but he knew his brave little boy just needed reassurance that he was there, that he wouldn't lose him like the others, he just had to ground Casey to reality.
"Close your eyes-" the hug tightened, but the turtle's raspy voice caught the boy's attention.
"Have no fear, the monster's gone, he's on the road-" He wasn't the best singer and the music was reserved for special occasions in the resistance but he was trying, gently rocking the child in the embrace as the whimpering subsided and the breathing steadied.
"S-Sensei" he whispered.
"and your daddy is here, beatiful, beatiful, beautiful-"
The crying had stopped and the hug was very loose at this point, Casey had finally looked up into the turtle's face, wiping the snot off with the dirty sleeve of the worn t-shirt.
"Beautiful boy." With the scarf he wiped his boy's cheeks, a mixture of dirt, sand and tears that would soon bother him but was covering the too young scars on him.
He hoped he didn't have to say much more, to his luck he trusted Casey was also a very smart kid and he returned a weak smile and a shorter but security laden hug, he hadn't lost it, he kept his promise and his sensei was here.
The storm was over.