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You’d always thought the talk of cold feet before a wedding was nonsense.
After all, if you knew each other well enough to be getting married, what was there to be nervous about? These days, tying the knot didn’t really change much. You and Leo already lived together, and you certainly hadn’t saved any part of your relationship for after today’s nuptials. All you’d have after the ceremony would be some rings and a piece of paper.
At least, that’s what you’d thought. Standing here now in a big white dress with thirty minutes to showtime, you were starting to understand what everyone had been talking about.
“Uh oh,” Sunita said, grimacing. “She’s sweating again.”
You glared. “I told you: it’s hot in here. And this dress isn’t helping.”
You tugged at the offending garment, trying to coax some airflow under the skirt. It sort of worked, but while it was certainly warm in your dressing room, the temperature wasn’t solely to blame for your current predicament.
Appearing at your side, April dabbed at your forehead with a napkin, shaking her head at you. “You’re gonna ruin your makeup.”
“Sorry,” you murmured, taking the napkin from her, being careful not to rub too hard around your eyes.
She and Sunita exchanged a glance. April placed her hands on your shoulders, forcing you to meet her gaze. “If you’re having second thoughts, we can make a run for it.”
“There’s a fire exit across the hall!” Sunita supplied.
You laughed, momentarily distracted from your mounting nerves. “No, I’m fine, really.”
“Do you think we’re dumb? Because something is clearly bothering you.” April crossed her arms, daring you to contradict her.
You sighed and plopped down onto the room’s sofa, avoiding the suspicious stain on the left cushion.
“I’m not having second thoughts, I promise.” When they didn’t seem convinced, you continued, “I’m just a little nervous, alright? Is that a crime?”
April snorted. “I guess not. But seriously, just say the word and Sunita and I will have you outta here in thirty seconds flat.”
Sunita nodded her assent. She gave you two gooey thumbs up. “You’ve got this, girl.”
You smiled, oddly touched. “Thanks, guys. I’m really glad you’re here.”
“Aww!” Sunita leaned over to give you a hug. It wasn’t a sensation you’d ever get used to, but it was nonetheless welcome. “No place I’d rather be!”
“For real,” April agreed, hugging you from the other side. Then she straightened up, checked her phone, and gasped. “Crap, Sunita, we need to get dressed. Like, ten minutes ago.”
The pair hurried off to the other end of the room where their bridesmaid dresses hung against the wall. They snatched them up and disappeared behind the divider, their voices still carrying to you but their forms briefly hidden from view.
The second they left your line of sight, you crumpled. You dropped your head into your hands, elbows digging into your knees.
You hadn’t been lying before. It wasn’t Leo who had you upset, or even that you were getting married. That much you were thrilled about.
It was the guests.
Not that anyone here was unwelcome—quite the opposite. The ceremony was pretty small, an intimate gathering of family and friends, people who had seen yours and Leo’s relationship through from the very beginning. Everyone here wanted to be, and was almost as happy for you as you were.
But as you’d been getting ready, listening to the guests slowly pass by your room on the way to the main chapel, you’d realized something. Almost everyone, save a handful of your old high school friends, had met you through Leo and the others. The wedding itself was being held in the Hidden City so that the majority of the guests wouldn’t have to cloak themselves up on the surface. You hadn’t minded; it was the obvious choice, and the one that made everyone comfortable.
Still, you couldn’t help feeling that the group was rather one-sided. There were your bridesmaids, April and Sunita, both of whom had known Leo first. There was Splinter, Leo’s father, and Todd, his family friend. There was Bullhop, and Señor Hueso, and Draxum. Hell, even Big Mama was here, along with many others who’d been won over by Leo’s charm over the years. Though you’d come to know and love (most of) them, you still saw the obvious disparity at hand. Your few human friends just didn’t compare to the army of support Leo had at his disposal.
It was a silly, selfish thought, and you regretted it the second it popped into your head. Every last one of these people was here because you and Leo both wanted them here. After today, there would be no more “his” or “yours”; all of it would be shared. His family, your friends, everything.
The reminder left you feeling warm in a good way this time, some of the tension falling from your shoulders. You were glad Leo was surrounded by so many people who cared about him; he deserved all the love in the world, and while you would spend your life trying to give it to him, it didn’t hurt to have a little help from time to time. He was, after all, a sucker for positive affirmation.
Now that you’d calmed down somewhat, you could see the source of your anxiety more clearly. It was obvious, but you’d been ignoring it for months now, and clearly your efforts had not paid off.
Of all the people coming to your wedding, your own family would not be among them. It was your own fault, really; you’d dated Leo for a year, and been friends for even longer. You’d had plenty of time to introduce him to your parents and get them acquainted. But you hadn’t. You had waited until after he’d proposed, and to make a long story short, bringing home your secret mutant turtle fiancé had not gone well.
Your father especially had been furious. He was a traditional sort of man who liked things to be done his way, and evidently your choice of groom was not at all what he’d had in mind.
He had gotten angry first, saying all kinds of things about Leo that you wouldn’t let stand. Your temper flared to match, and you had grabbed Leo by the arm and stormed out of your childhood home, positively fuming. But when you got back to the lair, all that anger had turned into despair.
You hadn’t spoken to them since. They wouldn’t be coming today; you’d known as much for months now. Nevertheless, now that the time had come, all you wanted was to have your family’s approval while you started a family of your own. You wished they could see Leo the way you did. Then they’d have no choice but to love him.
To his credit, Leo had taken the rejection much better than you. You could tell he was disappointed, but he hadn’t let it dampen his mood. You decided that no matter what, you would make sure this wedding lived up to his every expectation, inner turmoil be damned.
There was a knock on the door then, pulling you back to the present. April and Sunita were still busy getting dressed, so you made your way across the room, tossing your napkin into a wastebasket on the way. You didn’t think you’d be needing it anymore.
You opened the door, revealing Mikey in all his tuxedo-wearing glory. He grinned.
“Somebody call for a stylist?”
Your answering smile came easily. “Perfect timing as always.” You stepped aside to let him pass when April’s yell tore through the room, making you flinch.
“That better not be Leo out there!”
“Just me, Apes,” Mikey called back. A moment later April’s squinted eyes were peering over the top of the screen, scanning the room. You had no idea how she managed to climb up there without toppling the thing, but when April put her mind to something, even the laws of physics found themselves bending to her whim.
Upon verifying that only the youngest Hamato had entered, she nodded and dropped back down, making a little “oof” sound when she stumbled back into the wall.
You could only shake your head. That girl and her superstitions.
“How are you feeling?” Mikey asked, guiding you into the vanity chair. “Excited? Nervous?”
“A little bit of both,” you answered as he got to work on your hair. For a man who’d never had hair of his own, he was surprisingly dexterous with it. His makeup skills were pretty good too, but he tended to go for more conspicuous looks than you wanted for your wedding day. You were already going to be the center of attention—no need to draw any more of it.
“Leo’s excited too,” he told you. He stuck a few bobby-pins into the corner of his mouth but continued to speak around them. “He’s trying to play it cool, but I can see right through him.”
You giggled, able to imagine it all too easily. “Has he been talking your ear off?”
Mikey slid the pins into your hair in quick succession. They pinched a little, but hey, beauty is pain, right?
“Actually,” he said, focusing his attention on the back of your head. “He’s been pretty quiet. You know, for him.”
That caught your attention. Your brows drew together. “Really?”
“Like I said: playing it cool.” He rolled his eyes goodnaturedly, picking up the curling iron and setting in. The conversation faded after that, you lost in thought and he lost in his work. It wasn’t long before April and Sunita rejoined you, their excited chatter making the time fly by. Before you knew it, Mikey was raising his hands, a proud smile on his face.
“Voila,” he said, prompting you to finally look yourself over in the mirror. You looked, well, bridal. He’d worked a small miracle on your hair, pinning it up in intricate loops and waves with a few well-placed curls left down to frame your face. The makeup April did for you was holding up well, and the full picture left you feeling both beautiful and as though you’d accidentally swapped bodies with some familiar stranger.
Mikey watched your reaction eagerly. “What do you think?” he asked.
“It’s great.” You stood and hugged him quickly. “You’re a miracle worker, honestly.”
He beamed, basking in the praise. A moment later, April had taken your seat, ready with a list of suggestions for her own hair. Mikey took them in stride, Sunita perching herself against the desk as she ooh’ed and ahh’ed over Mikey’s enviable talent. You could tell she was curious about the process, lacking hair of her own, and you found yourself wondering how much styling she could do, or if her form was mostly inalterable. It was no wonder she’d been so excited to help choose their bridesmaid dresses; her options for accessorizing were far more limited than your own.
A thought arose then, questioning how her dress was staying on her at all given how fluid she was, but you decided not to worry about it. Some things you just didn’t need to know.
April’s styling was almost finished when there was another knock at the door.
“I’ll get it!” Sunita chimed, sliding off the table and prancing to the door. You stepped to the side so that you could see who it was, smiling when Raphael’s face was revealed. Before he glanced up and saw you watching him, you could swear he appeared nervous, but the expression was quickly covered by a small grin.
“Hey,” you greeted, approaching him, at the same time that April yelled again about not letting Leo into the room. “What’s up?”
“Hey,” he parroted, gazing past you. “Um, is Mikey almost done? We need him for, uh, some stuff.”
You raised a brow.
Sunita laughed. “‘Some stuff’?”
Raph’s responding chuckle definitely sounded nervous. “Ah, yeah, you know. Just pre-wedding, brotherly stuff. Nothing serious.”
Good lord. You turned, calling, “Mikey, you almost finished? Raph needs you.”
It took only a few seconds for him to appear, April mere steps behind him. “All done,” he announced, making his way to your side. “Is there some–OHH!” His question cut off into a squeak as Raph grabbed his arm and all but yanked him into the hallway.
“We’ll be back!” Raph told you, dragging Mikey off and around the corner. Baffled, Sunita let the door close.
“What was that about?” April asked.
“I have no idea.”
Shrugging, April grabbed your wrist and pulled you back into the room. Once she got you into the light, she began to study you in earnest, stroking at her chin as though she were pulling on an invisible goatee. She squinted, staring at your face.
“Something wrong?” you asked, holding back a laugh.
She waved away your concern. “No, you look incredible.”
“Obviously,” Sunita emphasized.
“Obviously,” April echoed. “But something…” A frown tugged at her lips. Suddenly, she stepped forward and pushed your hair out of the way, her scrutinizing gaze falling to your ears.
You knew she was looking at your earrings, but you didn’t know why. They weren’t anything special, but you thought they matched your dress just fine. Besides, who other than April would ever pay them this much attention?
Just as you opened your mouth to defend your choice in jewelry, she let go of your hair and reached up to her own ears, deftly removing her earrings and offering them to you on an open palm.
Your eyes went wide, instinctively trying to push April’s hand back towards her. Those earrings, with the drooping pearls and diamond accents, had been a gift from her mother for her college graduation. She only wore them for very special occasions—you couldn’t take them.
And you told her as much. “Apes, I can’t take those.”
She smiled like she’d already gotten her way. “You aren’t taking them; I’m just loaning them to you.” She covered your hand with hers. “You know, something borrowed.”
Understanding hit you, and if you were any less touched, you’d be rolling your eyes again. But touched you were, so you obediently removed your own earrings, passing them over so that you could trade. And once you had them on, you had to admit, hers complemented your dress so much better.
“Thank you,” you said, and she beamed. “I didn’t take you for such a traditionalist, though.”
She huffed out a laugh. “People need all the luck they can get during weddings.” She paused. “Least, that’s what my mom always said.”
There was a third knock at the door then, this one a bit louder than the last.
“Guess it’s my turn,” April sighed, making her way down the short entryway. Another round of frantic knocking erupted shortly after. “I’m coming! Hold your horses!”
She opened the door a crack so she could peek through before throwing it open wide, propping a hand on her hip.
“What.”
You didn’t think it was possible for a turtle to look pale, but Raph was managing. He started up that nervous laugh again, the sound falling flat. Mikey and Donnie were flanking him on either side, Mikey wringing his hands and Donnie engrossed in something on his phone.
“We just need to talk to you for a quick second,” Raph answered, eyes flitting past April. “And Sunita, too.”
You crossed your arms. “Not me?”
“Ha ha ha,” Raph said–literally said– as though you’d been joking. “Just for a second! It’s…uh…”
“A surprise!” Mikey shouted, way too loud.
“Yes, yes, that. A nice wedding surprise.” Then he smiled, his right eye noticeably twitching.
You watched him a moment longer before turning to April. “You guys had better do what he says; he looks like he’s gonna blow his last fuse.”
“Ha ha ha,” he said again, the imitation of a laugh so painfully bad that it made you cringe. April tried to say something to you, but Raph had grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her through the door before she could get a single word out. Waving Sunita after them, he disappeared around the corner, his brothers following after them. Sunita, with a shrug thrown your way, closed the door behind her, leaving you alone for the first time today.
To your credit, you at least considered giving them the privacy they so clearly wanted. Something had gone wrong, obviously, and Raph and Mikey were freaking out about it. Maybe somebody dropped the wedding cake, or the officiant hadn’t arrived. They must not have wanted to worry you with it, whatever it was. But to hell with that. This was your wedding–it was your job to deal with these things.
You slipped through the door as quietly as possible, letting it rest against the frame without clicking shut. The others hadn’t gone far; you could hear them talking just down the hall in hushed voices. You slinked along the wall, probably looking like a total creep, until you reached the corner where you peeked around the edge. None of them spotted you, all too engrossed in their conversation to notice your eavesdropping.
“What do you mean he’s gone?!” April hissed, teeth clenched together.
“How did you lose your brother?” Sunita asked at the same time, mouth twisted into a frown. “That’s like, so irresponsible.”
Mikey looked to the floor. Raph tried to explain, “He was in his dressing room when I left! Donnie was right outside, he would have seen him leave!”
“He. Can. Teleport. You. Moron!” April yelled, punching him on the shoulder with every word. She wasn’t strong enough to budge him, but her words brought enough shame on their own. “And you thought it’d be a good idea to just leave him alone?”
Donnie, who had seemed indifferent until this point, scoffed. “Sorry, didn’t realize we were supposed to be playing prison guards today. To think I left my taser at home!”
April turned her glare on him. “You were supposed to watch him. That’s what groomsmen are for–to keep an eye out for cold feet, and then to tell him to suck it up and get his scrawny butt down the aisle!”
Sunita’s frown was replaced by an expression of puzzlement. “Didn’t you say earlier that we could help (y/n) make a run for it?”
Waving her off, April said, “That’s completely different.”
Silence enveloped the group. Sunita was the one to breach it. “Have you tried calling him?”
“ No,” Donnie drawled, “I can’t believe I didn’t think of that.”
The group broke into scattered arguments for a minute, everyone whisper-yelling over each other. Honestly, you probably would’ve been able to hear them from the couch in your room.
“The ceremony is supposed to start in five minutes,” April informed them, and the worry in her voice had silence falling once more. Mikey glanced towards the doors leading into the main auditorium, teeth sunk into his bottom lip.
“What are we going to do?” Sunita asked, voice wavering.
“What should we tell her?” Raph wondered.
“The truth, probably,” Donnie answered, glancing up from his screen for the first time. “Considering she’s standing right there.”
The others whirled around, their expressions equally guilty upon realizing that you’d heard everything. Abashed, they stepped away from each other, making room for you to join the circle.
“It’s alright,” you said before anyone could start apologizing. You would have done the same thing in their situation.
“I’m sure this is all a big misunderstanding,” Raph assured you. “He probably forgot to bring socks or something and went home to grab some.”
“Yeah, that sounds like something he’d do,” April agreed. She faced Donnie. “And then he probably got caught up in some dumb Foot plot on the way back. Dee, you still have that subcutaneous tracker on him, right?”
Donnie let out a sigh. “Unfortunately, he made me remove it. But I haven’t seen him in the security cams, nor has anyone tripped the motion sensors. Wherever he is, he isn’t at home.”
It was uncomfortably quiet until April forced a smile onto her face. “Well, there’s only so many places he could be. And there’s still likely some dumb, Leo-esque explanation for everything.” Her words were meant to soothe you, but she couldn’t hide how worried she was.
“Maybe he went for pizza?” Mikey suggested.
April nodded, latching onto the example full-force. “Yeah! He’s been here all morning. Maybe he got hungry and went to grab a bite. I’m sure he’ll be back any minute.”
The others nodded along robotically. You acknowledged, as though from a distance, that they were attempting to reassure you. Rather than feeling better, you were ultimately left wondering what they were so worried about. It’s not like Leo had run out on you—he would never do something like that. It’s just like April said: he must have gotten mixed up in a ridiculous Foot Clan emergency, or forgot his tie, or remembered at the last moment that he hadn’t put on deodorant and ran to the store to buy some. He wouldn’t stand you up, not in a million years.
But it seemed that the members of your wedding party weren’t so sure.
They spoke for another few minutes until Raph appeared to be seconds away from exploding with restless energy. April decided that their time would be better spent searching around for your lost groom, and promptly sent the boys away.
“We can stay with you,” she offered, but you were shaking your head before she’d finished speaking.
“No, someone needs to stall the guests,” you said, checking your phone with a frown. It was three minutes past go time—and just like everyone else, you had no new messages from Leo.
Sunita perked up. “We can do that!”
“And someone needs to keep an eye on the boys. We don’t need anyone else going missing.”
April nodded, if not a bit reluctantly. Clearly, leaving you alone went against her base instincts as maid of honor, but she wasn’t going to fight you on it. In a moment, the two of them were gone, April running after your future in-laws while Sunita slipped through the huge doors into the main chapel with an overly large smile plastered on her face. The doors banged shut, and you were once again on your own.
It was too quiet for your liking. You hadn’t realized until now just how much April and Sunita had been distracting you all day. Aside from while they were dressing, you’d had very little time to think, or to worry. But now, in the near-silence, a fear you’d never had to consider before was taking hold in your heart.
Leo wasn’t ditching you, you knew that. He would never.
But where was he? And why hadn’t he told anyone where he was going? Surely he knew what time it was. What could possibly be so important that he’d be late to his own wedding?
Where was he?
You pulled out your phone again, staring at your screen expectantly, as though you could will a text from him into existence. You wanted to trust him, but every second that passed without knowing where he was only made your worry grow.
Raph and Mikey had looked so nervous. Did they know something you didn’t? Did Leo have cold feet?
No. You stuffed your cell deep into your dress’s pocket and turned on your heel, marching determinedly back into your dressing room. You had one last detail to see to before you could walk down that aisle, a detail whose importance April had been sure to emphasize.
Old shoes. New dress. Borrowed earrings. And a baby blue garter.
The dainty loop of lace sat ready in a little box on the counter. Even if you didn’t see its importance, you had to admit it was very pretty. Plus, you’d gotten it for cheap, so you really couldn’t complain.
You picked it up, letting it dangle between your fingers. It had a bit of elasticity, enough—you hoped—to keep it in place through all of the afternoon’s activities. You hitched up your skirts, propping your right foot up on the vanity chair. Bending over was difficult, and you grunted against the weight of your dress, attempting to squish it down so that you could see what you were doing.
There was a smooth satin bow in the middle of the lace, and you pointed it forward as you slipped the garter over your ankle and quickly dragged it up your leg. You were so focused on keeping your dress contained that you failed to notice the edge of the garter catching against the buckle of your shoe. And when you yanked it up, half of the lace stayed put.
You felt more than heard the ripping, and even though you couldn’t yet see the damage, you knew it wouldn’t be good. Slowly, you pulled the garter back down, removing its torn edge from your shoe.
It was ruined, that was clear. They say you get what you pay for, and your hundred dollar shoes had stomped your bargain bin garter into the dust. The lace had pulled almost completely apart, leaving only a few stretched threads to maintain the loop. It would never stay in place now.
You tossed it into the trash, alongside your napkin from earlier. You stared at them for what felt like an eternity, an awful feeling taking hold of you.
No parents. No garter. And no fiancé.
Stumbling back out the door, you hurried to put distance between yourself and the signs of your failure. The hallway was just as empty as before, the voices in the chapel a bit louder. The guests were growing impatient. They knew something had gone wrong.
It seemed that everything had gone wrong. Maybe April was right to be superstitious. Maybe they were all right to be worried.
Biting your lip, you reached for your cell and opened your contacts, scrolling down to Leo’s name. Your thumb hovered over the call button, hesitating a moment before giving in and putting the phone to your ear.
It instantly went to voicemail.
The ugly feeling grew. Leo never ignored your calls. You felt your heart kick in your chest.
What if he wasn’t coming?
It was time to face facts. It was fifteen minutes past your start time; you should be Mrs. Hamato right now. Leo had been here, disappeared without telling anyone where he was going, and hadn’t been in contact since. Maybe you’d been wrong. Perhaps all of this was happening too fast.
Wringing your hands, you began to pace the length of the foyer. You tried not to listen to the guests, but you couldn’t help catching snippets of conversation. They raised the same question you yourself had been puzzling over for the past half hour, wondering aloud about the source of the delay. What did they think about all of this? Did they think it was too soon?
Did Leo?
You’d only been dating for a year when he’d portaled you to the top of the Empire State Building, got down on one knee, and popped the question. He hadn’t even looked nervous, just sure of himself in that way that was as attractive as it was annoying. He’d known you would say yes, as had you. It was just so obvious. The two of you had been friends for so long; when you finally broke through that barrier and got together, everything just fell into place. Being with him was the most natural thing in the world. So when he asked you to marry him, you’d given him the easiest yes of your life.
It all felt so right that you didn’t see the point of waiting. After you’d picked out the wedding date, some of your friends had remarked that it was awfully soon. “Trying to lock him down before he can make a run for it?” they’d asked with a laugh. Sure, you hadn’t been together officially for all that long, and the engagement had been brief, but it didn’t matter to you. You loved him, and you saw no reason that you shouldn’t get married as soon as possible. He was it for you.
You thought he felt the same way, but maybe your friends had been right. Maybe Leo really did get cold feet. He had proposed, sure, but what if he wasn’t prepared to make that commitment only a few months afterwards?
Your mind raced, combing through your memories of the last four months, looking for a sign that Leo had been anything but happy. You found none except for that awful day at your parent’s apartment. Though he had hidden it well, you knew he was disappointed about how everything had gone down. He had spent more time picking out the right button-down to wear that day than he’d spent picking out his tux. He had held you for the better part of an hour afterwards while you cried into his chest, and that had been the last time either of you had brought it up. You made it clear that if they were forcing you to choose, then you would choose Leo, every time.
You thought Leo was okay with that, but maybe all of it had been bothering him more than he let on. Leo adored his village; maybe he didn’t want to marry into a family that he could never truly be a part of. Perhaps it was too much to ask of him.
You came to a stop, eyes beginning to prick as you fought the urge to cry. You stared at your phone screen, at the small picture of your fiancé, and wondered what the hell you were going to do.
From around the corner, you heard the sound of a door opening and shutting. Probably April coming to deliver the bad news. You turned towards the chapel doors and hit the call button again, knowing as you did that the result wouldn’t be any different.
“Fancy seeing you here.”
His voice, coming not from the speaker of your phone but from a few steps behind you, made you gasp in surprise. You whirled around, jaw lax as you gaped at him, his voicemail message beginning to play as your hand dropped back to your side.
Leo's gaze raked over you, the corner of his mouth tipping into a pleased smile. “Turtle got your tongue?” he asked. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were surprised to see me.”
You shook your head, snapping out of it. You ended the call, pushing your phone down into your pocket where it would stay for the rest of the day. “You’re late,” you admonished, aiming for stern but feeling a little too giddy to get there.
Leo’s grin spread. He stepped closer, nodding. “Had to give the guests something to talk about. What’s a wedding without a little drama, am I right?”
Raising your chin, you fought back a smile of your own. “You didn’t answer your phone.”
He blinked, momentarily confused. Reaching into his pants pocket, he fished out the device in question, understanding flooding his face a second later. “I turned it off this morning,” he explained, showing you the black screen. “So I wouldn’t get distracted.”
An acceptable answer, you supposed, but only a partial one. You crossed your arms. “That doesn’t explain where you were.”
Amusement flashed in his eyes. “You were worried,” he realized, looking a little too pleased by it. “You thought I made a run for it.”
“Did not,” you countered immediately, feeling a bit embarrassed because for a minute there…well, you weren’t sure.
“So did,” he laughed, pulling you into a hug. He pressed a gentle kiss to the top of your head, careful not to mess up Mikey’s hard work. “Don’t worry babe, I’m here to stay.” And just like that, you felt the last of your fears slip away. You wrapped your arms around his waist, your face nestled in the crook of his neck. Someone—probably Raph—had sprayed cologne on him, and while it smelled good, you preferred this, the smell that was nothing but him. It calmed you straight to your core.
After a minute of this, Leo pulled back, gazing down at you with that love-struck look that always gave you butterflies. He closed his eyes and started to lean forward but you stopped him with your fingers against his mouth, making his eyes open in surprise.
“No can do, casanova,” you said, resting your hand against his chest as he straightened back up. When he raised a brow, you continued: “Bad luck. If April finds out we’re out here together she’s going to tan our hides.”
His eyes rolled. “Don’t tell me she’s still going on about those stupid superstitions.”
You chuckled. “You have no idea. According to her rules, our marriage is officially doomed.”
“And let me guess, if I kiss you, it’ll somehow be doubly doomed.”
You nodded, then thought about it. “Triply doomed, actually.”
“Triply?!” he exclaimed. “What did I do to deserve three times the dooming?”
Another laugh bubbled in your chest. “Nothing,” you assured him. “This one was all mine. I tore my garter earlier, so really all of this is my fault.”
He didn’t immediately understand, but then you watched the realization hit. “The blue garter,” he murmured.
“That’s the one.” You sighed. “It’s a shame, really, cuz I think this whole relationship thing might have worked out otherwise.”
He smirked, and god, he really looked good in that tux. You’d always thought that black clothes suited him well, and you loved being proven right. Plus, his blue bow tie and pocket square matched his mask perfectly, a beautiful contrast to the markings on his face. He was perfect, and soon, he was going to be yours forever. How crazy was that?
“Well,” he said slowly, in that way that meant he was plotting something, “I think we can do something about that.”
Your brows scrunched together. “What do you–EE!” You squeaked as, without a word of explanation, Leo dropped to his knees and forced his way underneath your skirts.
“What are you doing?” you hissed, frantically looking around to make sure there wasn't anyone here to witness…whatever the hell this was. Not that you were entirely against it. “We are in public!”
“In a church, actually,” came his muffled reply. He lifted your left leg, making you wobble as your balance was disturbed. Though you could no longer see him, you felt him rustling around, his hands brushing against you as he tied something around the middle of your thigh. After making sure it was secure, he pressed a kiss to the skin just above the inside of your knee and ducked out from under your dress. Cheeks warm, you looked at his now smug, maskless face, and understood what he’d done.
“Something blue, right?” he asked, entirely too proud.
“Right,” you replied. You traced the edges of his markings with your fingertips, wondering if it was possible to love him anymore than you did right now. You traced the edges of his markings with your fingertips as they began to emit a gentle red glow. Leo let his eyes slide shut and leaned into your touch. “You still haven’t told me where you were.”
“Let’s just say I was getting a last second wedding gift.”
A scoff escaped you before you could restrain it. “Seriously?”
“Babe, would I joke about this?” he asked, staring you in the face.
“ Yes!”
He waved you off. “Okay, well I’m not this time. And speaking of time, we really should get this show on the road. We’re running late, if you haven't noticed.”
“You're really lucky you’re cute.”
Stepping towards the door, Leo straightened his bowtie, throwing his next words over his shoulder. “I guess I’ll head in and cool April off while you check out your gift.”
“Can’t it wait until after?” you asked, exasperated.
“Not even a little bit. I left it in your room," he informed you with a smile, the picture of angelic innocence.
You pinched the bridge of your nose. “Fine. Whatever. Just make sure April doesn’t find out you saw me already, she’ll totally flip.”
“Right,” he said, reaching for the door handle. “I’ll definitely not mention how perfect you look. Or that you’re the most beautiful bride anyone’s ever seen.”
“Yeah, probably best to omit those.”
He opened the door a crack, pausing to glance back at you. “Sorry I worried you. For the record, I’m pretty psyched to be getting married.”
“Which won’t be happening if you make our guests wait any longer.”
“Alright, alright. Not even down the aisle yet and already staring in with the nagging.”
“Leo…”
“I’m going!” He stepped halfway into the chapel, blocking your view of whatever was going on inside. And he was still watching you, something impossibly soft in his eyes that made you feel a little weak in the knees. “Just make sure you stop by your dressing room, yeah?”
“I will,” you promised, even though you didn’t see how a wedding gift could possibly be this important. Knowing him it would be some new pizza he wanted you to try before it got cold. “Now go! I’ll see you soon.”
With a kiss blown your way, he slipped inside and shut the door behind him. Even through the thick wood, you heard April’s shouts above the din, making you laugh. No need to tell him off yourself when you had her on your team.
Deciding that you’d better hurry up and get this show on the road, you quickly made your way back to your dressing room, finding the door shut just as you’d left it. Feeling a little put out by the theatrics of the day, you pushed into the room, not expecting to find someone there waiting for you.
And certainly not expecting that someone to be your mother.
You stood there in the doorway for a long time. Your feet felt frozen to the spot as you watched your mom watching you, your tongue glued to the roof of your mouth. She’d been sitting on the little couch, but when she spotted you, she stood and took a single step closer. There was still too much distance between you, but neither of you moved after that.
There were so many emotions storming through you that you couldn't figure out how you should react to her presence. You were still so angry at how she and dad had treated Leo. Did it matter that she was here if she still didn’t approve of the man you were about to marry?
The questions circled around and around in your head, but no answer came to you. It wasn’t until your name fell from your mother’s lips that you were able to break out of its spell. She took a breath, wringing her hands in front of her. And then, she just said it.
“I’m sorry.”
You sucked in a breath, suddenly feeling winded. “Why are you here?” you asked, though you already had a pretty good idea. You wanted to hear her tell it, wanted to know exactly how Leo had pulled this off.
She swallowed, then offered you a shaky smile. “Your fiancé came by the house. He, um, said that you really wanted us here.” She looked down, staring at the carpet. “He’s a good…a good man.”
“I know.” Your voice sounded funny, but you didn’t think she noticed.
She met your gaze again, and some of her nervousness had faded. “We reacted poorly and we treated him even worse, and I wish I could do it all over again. I just want you to know how very sorry I am for not…for…”
She trailed off, her eyes growing misty. It took you three quick steps to reach her, and you fell into her embrace like you were both years younger. She wrapped her arms around you tightly, putting all of her regret into the hug, and you understood every bit of it.
“It’s okay,” you told her, and found that it was true. The wedge between you, the one you’d thought would be there forever, had melted away. Dad wasn’t here, you knew, but it meant the world that she was. That tight band of anxiety and pain that had been constricting your chest since the fight dissipated, leaving joy in its place. It was just like Leo to be able to do this, to know exactly what you needed without you having to say a word.
You loved him so much. You couldn’t wait to marry him.
Everything happened in a rush, after that. April returned not even a minute later, Sunita hot on her heels as they informed you of your groom’s return. You just nodded, unable to think about anything other than getting down that aisle and making that beautiful man your husband.
Your mom hurried off as April did her last second checks. A bouquet was thrust into your hands and music started to play. Sunita went first, then April, and then at last you stepped into the aisle.
Distantly, you were aware of everyone watching you. Your mother was there, seated near the back, and your friends were down in front. There was Splinter, sobbing into a tissue, and Piebald patting him on the back. There was Draxum with a genuine smile on his face, and Big Mama wearing a dress that was only about three shades off of white. And further down were your girls, April and Sunita, looking beautiful in their blue dresses, with Mikey and Donnie so perfectly handsome in their tuxes. There was Raph, holding the rings, and they were all watching you, but you didn’t see any of them. Your gaze belonged only to Leo.
It felt like you floated all the way down the aisle, right up until you passed April your bouquet and Leo took your hands in his own, grounding you there with him. You stared up at him, and to your surprise, he didn’t look smug at all, just happy. Completely and totally happy.
Something warm slid down your cheek. Leo brushed the tear away with his thumb, his marks beginning to glow again. “Best wedding gift ever, am I right?” he asked, voice low.
You felt like you were glowing too. “I love you so much.”
“Enough to marry me?”
You sniffed, fighting the tears. “Why, are you asking?”
“As if I’d have to do it twice.” He bent down and pressed a light kiss to your lips, letting you feel his smile.
The officiant cleared his throat, and Leo reluctantly separated from you. From the crowd, someone that you’re pretty sure was Cassandra whisper-shouted what sounded like “can they get on with it already,” making a wave of laughter roll through the room. You joined in, your happiness turning you giddy, and Leo kissed you again, never able to resist your laugh.
Now the officiant huffed in annoyance, and Leo took a half step away this time as you turned to face the robed mutant. “Okay,” Leo said. “For real this time.”
And as the officiant began to read out the vows, you heard April’s murmured admonishment:
“That is such bad luck!”