The Bravery in his Eyes - A TMNT Leo X Reader Story

Chapter 39 - Revealing the Truth

A/N - Thank you all so much for sticking with this story and giving it the success it has! I'm so happy that you like it!!

As always, stay true to you and never stop loving who you are! Even if Leo wants to save you, you are the ultimate decision maker of your future. You determine what happens next in your story. Take care of yourselves.

Leo's POV

I led us up to the surface and into an abandoned warehouse. My brothers and I had discovered it a while back while on patrol, and I remembered where it was just in case we needed it for something. Now was the perfect time.

After checking to make sure the coast was clear, I brought Y/N inside and shut the door, placing a large plank on top of the handles to barricade us just in case. "We're safe here," I said. I studied her as she hugged herself and looked around the open space with wide eyes. "It's going to be okay."

Y/N watched me tentatively as I sat down on an old stack of cinder blocks and lightly patted the space next to me. After hesitating for a moment, she slowly jumped onto the cold blocks and dangled her legs off the edge, letting her hair fall in front of her face.

"Hey," I said, brushing her hair back and tucking it behind her ear. "Let me look at you."

She glanced at me for a moment before looking back at the ground.

I sighed. "Listen, I just want to help you. Did I do something wrong?"

"No, no. It's not you. I'm not really myself right now, there's a lot that I'm not ready to say."

"That's okay." I continued brushing her hair with my fingers. I think it calmed both of us. "I'll listen to whatever you want to tell me."

Y/N nodded. She looked conflicted as she stared off into space, as if she was having an argument with herself. I knew she said this had nothing to do with me, but shouldn't I have known? Shouldn't I have been paying more attention to her, like a good boyfriend would? Or even more so, a good leader?

"I guess I've been thinking about myself a lot, who I am, what I look like," she began. "It didn't help when my mom called me."

My eyes widened. She didn't tell me about this. "When did she-"

"A few days ago. She was begging me to come home and go back to being controlled by her." Y/N crossed her arms and slouched forward, deep in thought. "I said no and blocked her, but before I could, she said some things that validated my own thoughts about myself."

What have you been thinking about? "But you know you're perfect already. There's nothing to change about you. Anything your mom said is wrong, I know it."

She whirled her head around to face me, tears beginning to spill from her eyes. "Don't you see? I'm nowhere near perfect! I didn't have a huge problem with it before, but when you see people that are perfect, it messes with your head!" Her voice was breaking.

I leaned back abruptly when she let out a loud sob. What do I do? I don't know anything about humans and physical appearances! Well, I am considered a freak to humans who don't understand me. But I don't feel the need to change anything about myself to match their standards.

I was about to counter when Y/N whispered, "Why did you give up on Karai anyway, knowing that she's the best out there? Why would you settle for someone like me?"

"What are you talking about? Karai's nothing next to you!" I took one of her hands and tried to kiss it, but she jerked back and swallowed hard.

"No, Leo, she's everything! Everything j can't be! She even looked good while she was unconscious! I have to work so hard to even look half as put together, and I'm awake!"

I was hurt for her. I didn't know what to say. How could she think that Karai was more than her? "I don't understand! I love you for who you are, Y/N, not for who I want you to be. I just want you to be you. What do you think you should be?" I took her hand slowly, pausing until I saw that she was okay with it. "Tell me. Help me understand you."

She gestured to my belt with her free hand. "You're a martial artist," she started. "You train hard, you look great, you're skilled as heck. But me, I don't even look the part. I'm not fit. I don't even workout at all. There's way better for you out there."

"No-"

"Just look at Karai! She has crazy abs! And she can do crazy ninja things according to Raph and Donnie! I can't do any of that! I'm not right for you, I just know it. I'm not even right for myself."

I scooted closer to her and turned her face towards me, but she refused to look me in the eyes. Her cheeks were wet with the tears hurling down them, the emotional outburst way overdue. I had been missing this for so long, and I was ashamed I let her think about herself this way. "Don't you ever say that about yourself. Please. You don't get it."

"Get what? Splinter won't even train me because I'm not good enough! I'll never be a ninja that can stand next to you and feel worthy of calling you my boyfriend, it's just not possible."

Splinter wouldn't train her? That's why she was in the dojo with him earlier! "It's not you, Y/N, I promise. Splinter looks for a lot of qualities in a person before training them. Believe me, it's not easy to convince him."

I wiped away her tears with my thumbs, and she took quick breaths with a shudder. My poor princess. "I love you no matter what. You need to know that, okay? I seriously don't care what you look like. I mean, look at me! I'm an ugly mutant. It's heaven on earth to even be dating someone as beautiful as you."

She leaned into my chest and held me close, sobbing out all of her fears and anxieties. I wrapped my arms around her, wishing I could protect her from the poisons of her mind, and stroked her hair.

"I love you," she mumbled, her voice muffled against me."

I kissed the top of her head and rubbed small circles on her back, doing everything to let her know I was here. "I love you more, angel. We're going to get through this together."

I just hoped that I could be enough to save her from herself.