Chapter Text
Being a teenager is hard enough. Your body is changing, you’re going through some of the most important things in your life, and everything is just crazy.
Being a turtle mutant who was also a high schooler and a ninja also didn’t help. Of course Leo was glad he didn’t have to deal with body hair- (gross!) or being worried about ab size, since he didn’t have any. But that definitely doesn’t make things easier.
It felt like one day he was the same height as Donnie, and the next he was as tall as Raph. Raphael was not pleased with this sudden growth spurt, and desperately tried to gain more height on him. But being taller didn’t mean he was stronger.
Leo was lanky. Of course he was a ninja- He had trained all his life, and was the last of his brothers to actually train in ninjitsu daily. However, he was rightfully upset when his arms looked like sticks, despite all of his effort.
“You have to be kidding me!!! I look like some tall malnourished Victorian kid who hasn’t eaten in weeks!” Leo complained, staring in the mirror.
“That sounds like a you problem, Leo.” Donnie said, scrolling on his phone.
“Did I ask, Donnie?!?”
“Well I answered, so it doesn’t really matter now.”
Leo also was having problems internally. The whole April rejecting him was… not fun. They were still friends, but it felt somewhat awkward. He didn’t understand how he really experienced romantic attraction quite yet. That was a whole different story for another day.
He didn’t know what he wanted anymore. Sure, he wanted to be a leader. And a ninja. But he already was those things, and nothing had changed. His brothers hardly listened to him, and he never got to use his skills anymore.
So what was the point? What was the point of living? Yeah, there’s prom, and turning 18, and getting jobs and stuff. But… it’s just the same stuff over and over again.
Was there even a point?
“Nardo. Naaardoo- hey dude. Snap out of it.” Raph was snapping his fingers in Leo’s face, somewhat concerned.
“Oh-! Uh, sorry.” Leo looked back down at his bowl of spaghetti. It was cold. Had he really zoned out for that long? He needed to get better about that.
“Have you been taking your meds, Leo?” Donnie queried, sharing the same concerns as Raph did for their brother.
“Yeah, yeah. I just was thinking about life in general. Sorry if I freaked you guys out.” Leo responded, looking up from his food and at his siblings.
“You can always talk to us man. We’re here for you, alright?” Mikey reassured Leo. He meant it. Leo knew that, and he understood that.
That changed nothing. It didn’t change the gross feeling of emptiness he’d feel in the day. It didn’t change how he felt about himself. You can’t just make someone stop hating themselves.
Leo wanted nothing more than to just feel normal again. He wanted this whole ‘depression’ thing to stop. He was fine. Sure he stayed in bed so long during a small break for school that there had been a dent in his mattress.
And trash in his bed.
And he forgot to brush his teeth.
That was completely normal teenage behavior.
He was completely fine.
Leo decided to take a walk. It had been about 5 months since they defeated Superfly and started going to highschool, and their fame had not yet died out. He just hoped that he wouldn’t be harassed.
The walk was mostly uneventful. He sees a few people from school, and gets a cheap energy drink from one of the corner stores. After leaving the corner store and deciding to sit down on a bench, he finally has time to think.
There’s people who walk in front of him. Of course there are. Why wouldn’t there be? It’s a sidewalk. He doesn’t notice any of them. They don’t stand out, they all just blend together.
He starts considering just staying here for the rest of the day. Maybe even just sleep somewhere else for the night. He has no idea why. He loves his brothers, and his home. Leo just wanted something new.
He could crash at April’s apartment, maybe.
No. She hated having people over, and she’d tell his brothers.
A small part of Leo was starting to get concerned. He was thinking this through too much- so much that it seemed less like a passing through, and an actual plan.
He tried to reason with himself. “You’d get in trouble. You’d get kidnapped. You’d get murdered. Your brothers would be worried.” It was that last thing that really held Leo back from doing most things.
His brothers meant the world to him, and one night away from them wasn’t worth the trouble.
Leo just started walking. He eventually brushed off the idea of running away, and just decided to walk until it was dark. He felt his pocket for his phone. It was dead. Okay, fine. His brothers are just gonna have to deal. He’ll get home soon enough.
It was finally dark out. Leo was too far from home. If he walked back, it’d be 2 am. He could get in trouble. He saw a man closing up his bodega, and politely tapped him on the shoulder.
“Hi, sir- um, do you mind if I sleep behind your building tonight? I just lost track of time, and it’s too risky for me to walk home.”
“Sure, kid. You’re one of those turtles, right?”
“Yup.” Oh boy, he was in for it now.
“Cool. Just don’t be stupid.”
Leo walked to the back of the bodega, sitting down. This was so frustrating! He was gonna be in so much trouble when he got home. He literally decided against sleeping away from home only to sleep behind a bodega!
All he could do was retract himself into his shell, and hope for the best.