Thus, Love

Part 15

Leonardo stood at the table, looking over the math problems. They weren't hard, necessarily. But… his gaze rose to you, your back to him. Your form hidden underneath layer of clothes.

He'd become increasingly curious about you. What you represented, offered. What he could do. Leo inhaled, dialing Donnie, setting the phone up so that they all could see his brother as he accepted the call. Too close to the camera at first, as usual.

"Dee!" Leo grinned at his brother's unamused face. "Kiddo here needs math help."

"Leon." Donnie acquiesced, leaning back in his skateboard chair. 

"I'm going to go change." You announced casually.

Leonardo watched you turn the corner. Walk down the hall.

"Alright." Donnie sighed. "What're we working with?"

Your bedroom door closed and Leo stood abruptly. "I'll be right back."

No one responded, probably didn't notice. Not really. As he rose from a chair. Made his way down the hallway. No one else could hear how hard or fast his heart was throbbing as Leo knocked on your bedroom door.

Asked to be let in.

No one else felt the adrenaline rush through their body as you opened the door, looking up at him with a knowing that made Leo feel obvious.

The room was surprisingly mismatched. Smaller than he would have thought. It didn't suit you and he let you know. Feeling a bit like an ass when you explained it was all thrifted. Not like he cared, all his stuff was someone's trash too.

It made him… happy, content, to know the both of you had this in common. Made him feel less like an alien force in your life. Leonardo felt the vibrating in his throat, the wind pushing out through his vocal chords, before he was aware of another strange thing his body could do.

But you hadn't minded. You'd accepted another odd, foreign thing about him. And maybe that's where he got the courage to ask. Maybe that's what comforted him enough to be selfish. Just a little.

Just in this way.

"Can I help you undress?" He looked at his outstretched hand, the way his fingers shook. Dropped them to his sides in fists.

And you had allowed it. The high combined with nerves. Trembling fingers lifted your scrubs, peeled off your undershirt, tossing them to the side.

Leonardo had watched porn, of course. All the brothers went through their horny teen phase eventually. But he hadn't realized that parts of it were real.

Like how unprotected the human body was. Not an ounce of protection on the outside. Your skin was covered in fine hairs, so unlike his own. You had scars from growth, stretching. They were like lightning bolts running over your flesh. 

Your belly button broke the expanse of your stomach. No hard edges, no rough scales.

He couldn't talk. Couldn't breathe.

You were beautiful. His throat closed up as he moved lower, spotting more things from closer up. Freckles, bumps, moles. He tucked his fingers into your waistband. And froze.

Looking at the bizarre image before him. His overly sized four fingers, sickly green compared to your skin. His reptilian flesh compared to your softness. It was… wrong. It had to be a mistake. His heart picked up the pace as panic set in.

Leonardo couldn't move, think. His gaze found your face. A part of him felt like weeping. This had to be a mistake, had to be a fantasy. How could someone like you allow something like him-