Chapter Text
The Hidden City buzzed with its usual chaos—vendors shouting prices over steaming food carts, mystic lanterns flickering from stalls, strange creatures weaving through the crowd. The Hamato brothers have gotten used to coming here now, post-invasion, when things had begun to settle. Today was supposed to be simple: a supply run, maybe some browsing, and a chance to enjoy a world that wasn’t collapsing.
Leo walked with his usual swagger at the front, mask tails flicking dramatically even though no one was really watching. Donnie trailed beside him, tablet in hand as he catalogued materials they needed. Mikey and Raph brought up the rear, Mikey marveling at the rows of food and Raph making sure no one got too close.
It was normal—until it wasn’t.
“LEO!”
The voice cut through the crowd, desperate and ecstatic all at once. Before anyone could react, a green blur barreled forward. Leo barely had time to blink before a pair of arms wrapped tight around him, lifting him half off the ground.
“I can’t believe I finally found you!”
Everyone froze.
The one hugging Leo… looked exactly like him. Same build, same light green skin tone—though a shade deeper. He even had red stripes on his face just like Leo. The only difference about this turtle was that he had no mask on and no swords. A pair of thin-rimmed glasses, similar to what Donnie had at home, slid slightly down his snout, and his shell looked scuffed and worn. He was breathing hard, like he’d been running forever, but his face carried a radiant grin as if his whole world had just fallen into place.
Leo flailed, startled. “Wh—hey! Personal space! I don’t even know you!”
Raph lunged forward, muscles tense, and yanked the stranger off him. “Get your hands off my little brother!”
The look-alike stumbled, hands up in surrender, glasses crooked. “Wait! I’m not here to hurt anyone, I swear!”
Donnie’s instincts went white-hot. His staff slid into his hands without him thinking, slamming down with a threatening clack against the cobblestone. He moved to stand in front of Leo, blocking the stranger’s path. “You’ve got about five seconds to explain why you’re impersonating my twin before I turn you into mystic dust.”
The stranger blinked at him, confused, then looked back at Leo, eyes shining with something that made Donnie’s stomach twist—hope.
“It really is you,” the stranger said softly, voice trembling with emotion. “My brother.”
The word landed like a bomb.
“…Excuse me?” Leo croaked.
The stranger straightened, tugging his glasses into place with shaking fingers. His smile widened, nervous but radiant. “I’m Samuel. Sam for short. And you—you’re my long-lost brother. I’ve been looking for you for years.”
Leo froze, staring at him like he’d been struck. His brain scrambled for words, but all that came out was a helpless, “Huh?”
Mikey gasped. “Waitwaitwait—did he just say brother?”
Sam nodded eagerly. “When I saw you fight the Krang, when I saw how you led, I knew it. I knew you were my brother. We came from the same nest—I know it.”
Leo’s hands twitched at his sides, heart pounding. Same nest? That wasn’t possible. Was it? But those eyes staring at him… they weren’t mocking, or cold, or manipulative. They were real.
Raph growled, taking a step closer with his sais drawn. “This some kind of trick? ’Cause if it is, you picked the wrong family to mess with.”
But Donnie’s fury cut sharper than Raph’s blade. “Brother?” he spat, disbelief dripping from the word like venom. His shell prickled with heat, every nerve screaming at him to get Leo out of here. “Don’t you dare.”
Sam blinked. “I—I’m telling the truth—”
“You’re lying.” Donnie’s voice cracked like a whip. “Obviously. You probably saw him fight, got some sick idea, and now you’re here spouting nonsense to wedge your way in. We are leaving. Now.”
“Donnie—” Leo tried, his voice uncertain, but Donnie snapped to him like lightning.
“No.” Donnie’s mask tails jerked as he shook his head, violet eyes blazing. “We are not entertaining this circus act. We are not giving him the time of day. He is not—”
“Maybe we should hear him out,” Leo interrupted softly.
The words dropped like stones in Donnie’s chest.
He turned on Leo, his throat tight. “What?”
Leo looked uncomfortable, rubbing the back of his neck, gaze flicking between his twin and the stranger. “I mean… what if he’s telling the truth? Don’t you think we should—”
“NO.” The word exploded out of Donnie before he could stop it, louder than he intended. His hands shook where they gripped his staff, nails digging into the wood. His pulse roared in his ears. “Absolutely not. This is absurd.”
Sam flinched at the volume, but his eyes didn’t waver from Leo. He looked at him like he was something precious. “Please. Just give me a chance to explain.”
The crowd around them was beginning to whisper, onlookers drawn by the tension. Raph muttered a curse under his breath, glancing around.
Mikey raised his hands quickly, trying to play peacemaker. “Okay, whoa, whoa! Let’s not do this in the middle of the market, okay? People are staring. Why don’t we, uh—why don’t we take this to Draxum? He’s the one who did all that weird science-y stuff with our DNA in the first place. If anyone would know the truth about this guy, it’s him.”
All eyes swung to him.
Raph exhaled hard through his nose, but finally lowered his sais. “Fine. Draxum it is. Let him sort it out.”
Leo’s shoulders dropped in relief, though unease still churned in his gut. He risked one more glance at Sam—who, despite Donnie’s venom, still looked at him like he was something miraculous.
Donnie, however, never let his glare soften. His mind screamed a single refrain as he stepped closer to his twin, close enough their shoulders brushed.
He’s not your brother. He can’t be. You already have one. Three in fact
And Donnie wasn’t about to let anyone take that away.