the stargazer - tmnt (3) [✔]

eleven

CHAPTER 11

THE DOJO AND THE CHEATER

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PIPER couldn't remember what happened after she shut her eyes and rest her head on Leo's shoulder. She simply recalled doing exactly that before waking up the next morning in Leo's bed without Leo anywhere in sight. 

She woke up the next morning to the smell of food. It was a strong smell revolving around spices, but she couldn't exactly pinpoint what the certain food was. 

Subconsciously the woman pushed the sheets off of her legs and walked over to the door that remained wide open. She slipped through it and wandered down the hall, stopping at the edge to look into the kitchen. 

She smiled when she saw the four turtles sitting at a table with Nadia and Florence. They all ate like one large family, including the little girl sitting between Raph and Nadia. At first Piper thought it was Nadia's kid, but Nadia seemed to young for a girl that age. 

The little girl was at least ten years old with red/brown hair that was put up in a high pony tail. She had a sharp jaw and bright brown eyes that were creased while she grinned and sat next to Raph. 

Piper, too caught up looking at the similarities between the two, didn't realize that Leo had spotted her. He smiled and beckoned her over to the table with a jut of her chin. 

Piper smiled and shook her head side to side, earning a frown from the blue clad turtle who appeared in a slightly better mood than the day before. He waved his hand for her to come closer with a smile that Piper couldn't seem to turn down. 

She awkwardly walked over to the table just as it silenced. Heads turned to her as she inched closer, earning a smile from Leo and Florence. 

"Hey!" Greeted Mikey as he fixed his apron and waved around the table. "I made enough chow for all of us so dig in!" 

She thanked him and took a spot across from Leo next to Florence and Raphael. Then for the next thirty minutes, Piper and the small turtle family enjoyed each other's company while learning a few new things about one another. 

For one, Piper learned that Leo never liked drinking coffee. He'd always choose tea or water over anything. She discovered that Mikey would eat nearly everything, including a mixture of pancakes, waffles, bacon, syrup, and eggs all mashed up into one burger-like monster. Piper saw how Florence and Donatello would always share each other's food whether it was intentional or not. She would watch as Florence occasionally stole a few things from Donnie's plate and when Florence wasn't looking, Donnie would do the same. 

On the other hand, Raph and Nadia were the most mature couple at the table. They would look at one another and cast each other long glances for a period of time, but Piper presumed that it was only because of the four months that the two spent mentally far away from one another. 

Then Piper met Avi who, she decided quickly, was the most mature and respective ten year old she had ever greeted. She held her head high and didn't stutter or shyly blush when she introduced herself. 

Piper saw how outgoing the little girl was, but she didn't ignore the hollow look in her eyes when she spoke of how much she missed her sister. 

All in all, Piper was glad to have discovered a few new things and after just a thirty minute long breakfast, she felt as if she knew all of them for years. 

After everyone had eaten, Piper lingered behind to help Florence clean while the four turtles and Avi (who begged to watch) went to go train in the dojo. The blonde was sweeping when someone tapped on her shoulder.