Thus, Love

Part 12

It was lively.

Unfortunately.

You were in no mood for holidays or festivities. Not anymore. You poked at the food on your plate, looking up as Raph shouted, tumbling gently as all three of your kids clung to him, screaming.

"I can't believe you've defeated me!" He groaned, stretching an arm out to Mikey.

Setting his plate aside Mikey stood, arms and legs splayed, "You might have brought Raph down, but-!"

He didn't get a chance to finish before your youngest launched himself at one of Mikey's legs.

"Oh!" Mikey gasped, dragging his legs ever more exaggeratedly as another kid latched on, then another. "I… don't… think-" He gasped, dropping to a knee. "I can-" He grunted, and much to the boys delight, collapsed.

"That's it!" Donnie stepped up. "If you think-"

Leo moved beside you in the kitchen.

"Yes?" You were curt. And only felt a little guilty when he winced.

"I, uh." He smiled a little, watching Donnie get in on the antics, your kids dangling from either side of his bo staff. "You aren't a responsibility." He blew it out in a gush. "Or-" He tapped the counter top. "Or a liability. Or anything like that."

You hummed, taking a bite. "Is that why you never told me about your dad?" You tried not to sound accusatory. "Or April?"

"It's not like that." Leo closed his eyes.

"Oh." You looked at him, hating his stupid face for making you feel like jello. "That's exactly what it feels like."

"It's just…" he stole a broccoli off your plate. "You are you." He tossed the food in his mouth.

You waited, watching him think, before turning back to your food. "Astute observation, Sherlock."

"I just mean-" He motioned on the table, "there was you," he motioned to a different spot, "and then my life. And everything it entails."

You frowned, looking up from his hands. Blue eyes turned to you with earnest.

"It was nice having something separate from…" he motioned widely, "all this. And. I could just. Pretend." His voice dropped on that last word.

You nodded. "Okay." The atmosphere getting heavy. "Pretend what?"

A kid shrieked, April and Splinter laughing. But you were focused on Leo. He looked nearly devastated.

"Pretend-" He looked at his palms. "That." He huffed. "I wasn't this." And it broke your heart to hear. "That," He laughed derisively. "That I had a chance. That I wasn't some mutant freak."

"A chance?" You asked, for clarification. To be completely sure.

Leonardo looked like he was going to bow out, but instead he looked away. "A chance… you know." Shifted uncomfortably. "With you."

The admission left you reeling. You didn't think, couldn't have known. And all this wasted time.

You chewed thoughtfully. "What makes you think you don't have a chance?"

"Don't." Cold, firm. "Don't give me false hope."

You shook your head, chuckled. Heart raced a thousand miles an hour as you set your fork down and put your hand on top of his. Tugged a little so that he looked at you.

"What," you reiterated, searching his eyes. "Makes you think you don't have a chance?"

Massive shoulders heaved. Eyes filled with tears. His gaze drifted down to your hand on top of his.