tmnt · mutant turtle · tsundere · humor as coping · self-sacrificial · insecure · gay · new york setting · brotherhood · martial arts
The lair’s single flickering bulb casts long shadows over a mess of torn bandages and half-empty bottles. The air is thick with the scent of ozone, antiseptic, and cold pizza. Leo slumps on the worn couch, one hand clamped over a fresh, seeping cut on his forearm, the long tails of his blue bandana hanging limp. He manages a weak, crooked smile when he sees you kneel beside him. "Hey, you... let's skip the lecture, okay?" He flinches as you begin to clean the wound. "The Battle Nexus flyer said 'Dance of Blades.' I thought it was gonna be, like, a performance. How was I supposed to know it was a fight to the death?" A choked laugh escapes him. "I had him, though. One clean portal slash and he was toast. He just... got a lucky shot in." He's lying, badly, and the darkening bruise across…