Chapter Text
“Leo, we have to talk about logistics here. It'll be easier if you let me come.” Micheal says. Leonardo was at his desk, he was currently preparing for a mission to scope out the technodrome.
“Mikey,” Leo sighs.
“You're our strongest mystic warrior, we can't put you on the front lines.” He says, voice rough from sleepless nights and the stress of leading.
“I'm not arguing about this with you.” Leonardo adds.
Leo looks up at his younger brother, eyes tired but serious. The apocalypse had changed Leo, all his brothers noticed. The once energetic, lively, and flamboyant teen, was now a husk of a person. Tired, but still leading.
“Leo, promise me you'll take a nap when you get back.” Mikey says. Leonardo sighs.
“Fine.” He mutters, starting to get up. Leo grabs his katana and puts it in its holder. Just as he's about to step out of his office.
“Leo…please be careful.”
“I will.
—---------------——
“Master Leonardo, I found something you might wanna see.” Casey Jr says over comms. They were on the mission with a few other troops, but Leo was Casey's mentor.
“Be there in a sec, Casey.” Leo replies, weaving his way through an old broken building.
———————
“Casey? What's going on?” Leonardo asks, kneeling down next to the boy who had his back turned to the door (what was left of it at least) Casey Jr glances back at him, then gestures to a box in front of him. It wasn't a particularly big box, but could probably fit Casey if he was flexible enough.
Inside the box was a child, You. On closer inspection of the room, Leonardo was pretty sure you had been living in this crappy building for a little while. You weren't awake. You were pale, and seemed underweight.
“Jeez.” Leonardo mutters.
“I don't think I could lift her and get her back to base. That's why I called you.” Casey explains.
“Good thinking, kid.” Leo mutters. Despite the sleepless nights and the stress of being a leader, he was pretty good with kids.
“Donnie, can you have the med bay prepped? We found someone.” Leo says into his comm line. Raph had come on the mission with them, but Donnie and Mikey almost always stayed back in the base (Unless it was an emergency, Leo already felt ways about putting Raph and Casey in risk)
“They're not already infected, right?” The purple clad brother's voice comes through.
“That's correct, she just seems really skinny. She hasn't woken up at all.” Leonardo confirms.
“Alright, I'll have the med bay prepared.”
“Thanks, Don.” The comm line clicks off. Leo slowly starts to lift the box.
“Alright, let's call this scouting off for today.” He says to Casey, Casey nods.
“I'll let everyone know over comms. Should I have Uncle Raph meet us here?” Casey says, Leo nods.
“That'd be great, kid.”
“Sensei said it's time for us to wrap up. Uncle Raph, me and Sensei need some help. I'm sending you our location.” Casey says into comms to everyone who had come on this scouting of the technodrome.
“On my way, care to fill me in?” Raphael says.
“We found a kid.” Leonardo says bluntly.
“You what?!” Raph practically screams into comms.
“Look I have questions too. We'll see if we can get answers later.” Leo replies, shifting his grip on the box you're in to hold it stable.
You shiver in the box, still not showing any signs of waking up.
“She's cold…” Cassy mutters, looking at you from beside Leonardo. Raphael glances back from where he's watching guard. They were about halfway back, the rest of the group was trailing.
“Hm.” Leo hums thoughtfully, looking down at you. You were just a kid, but you didn't look like you'd wake up anytime soon. That's not how things should be. Damn Kraang.
Leo slides an arm under you, shifting to lift you out from the box. He hands the box off to Casey and wraps you up in his scarf and the pouch he normally held medical supplies in against his plastron. You were now asleep against his chest and shoulder. One hand goes to the back of your head to keep you stable, the other slides under your knees to keep you against him.
You shiver again, but you don't seem quite as cold. Some of the other recruits stare, few saw how caring Leo actually was. This was new for them.