Chapter Text
The first snow was thin, powdery, and unlikely to stick once the sun hit it for more than an hour. It was a good sign, this early in the season, for how much snow pack they could depend on later in the year. Usagi glared at it outside his window, daring the wind to try the seal, and sipped the last of his tea. He hated the cold…
At least the insulation on both barracks was finished before this freeze, though the interior walls to break them up into proper rooms were little more than a single layer of wood so far. Usagi’s room was less bare now (he’d kept the storage room, while the main bedroom had been turned into a meeting room and library once the wall was fixed) with most of his personal possessions including the bed frame moved from North Province in barely an hour. He was glad of the extra blankets, though the bed seemed too wide some nights.
Maudlin and useless thoughts. Usagi shook them off and went to dress for the weather.
Additions of self-heating kettles and personal stores of food meant that people could avoid the mess hall for at least one meal a day if they wanted, but Usagi wasn’t that fond of his own cooking, and knew better than to be seen as reclusive. By now Chizu and Gen were the only other people left from North Province, though a handful of people from each Ward were still scattered around the breakfast tables. Usagi smiled at various greetings and let himself be waved into an empty place across from Teasel. The village head’s smile was only a little evil as they said,
“And now that the captain’s here, we can begin planning for the name vote tomorrow!” The table laughed as Usagi lifted his tray up immediately as if to flee until Teasel shook their head and asked about today’s patrol assignments.
The arguments and suggestions over what to call their home now that it was more than ‘the work camp’ had gone from an idle proposition the day after the villagers’ vote to accept what help they needed from the Provinces to stay, to a point of contention that could escalate to shouting even between people who were normally very non-confrontational. Teasel had rolled their eyes when Usagi brought it up, saying only that they had a plan and not to worry.
Since Usagi was defense and not interior security, he gratefully left THAT mess as not his business.
Drover, the watch lead for the morning shift, waved as Usagi came up the wall stairway, “y’know, cap, if you start the cold season by bundling up, it won’t work when the temperature really drops.” Usagi gave him an unimpressed glare, and got a tongue-lolling smile in return.
“…I’ll take my chances.”
“S’your cold toes.”
“If they stay warm on patrol today, that’s all I can ask for.”
The sun had burned away most of the snow by the time Usagi’s patrol group swung around back to the main road. He hadn’t expected any krang attacks today (they disliked the cold even more than he did), but he thought it was odd that there hadn’t been any signs near the boundary they’d been pushed to either.
The thought needled him enough that the sight of the gate door open and an armed group circled outside it had him breaking into a much faster walk, his patrol group taking a moment to catch on and hurry back with him.
“Marla? What is it?”
The woman stood up straight and saluted, which was a fight Usagi was currently losing. “Krang remnant, sir, can’t see where it came from.”
Usagi looked down at… well, not all krang had distinct heads, but this one had only three eyes and a mouth above the cleanly sliced ‘throat’ someone had stuck a stake through to set the head upright in front of the door.
The slicing was uncannily clean.
“When did this show up?”
“Spotted it from the wall ten minutes ago, sir, there wasn’t any obvious tracks-“
“Mmm, that’s probably fine. Get a decontamination crew on it, would you? I doubt it’s a threat.”
“…yes. Sir.”
Usagi flagged Gen down as his patrol broke up, “I’m off duty barring emergencies until after supper.”
“ARE you?” Gen eyed him and glanced at the decontam team hurrying towards the gate. “…related to anything specific?” Usagi gave him a blank smile and walked towards headquarters.
Showers were warm if they were kept under five minutes; Usagi rinsed off in two. He didn’t feel like a complete brush out today and-
He swung the door open to find Leo sprawled on his bed, legs crossed and leaning up against the wall, a diaphanous skirt pooled around his hips as he read one of the many westerns that made up a large chunk of the library. “Heyyyyy, babe! Didja like my present?”
“Certainly. Is that skirt new?”
Leo grinned, his head lolling upside down over the edge of the bed, “new to you anyway!” His legs fell forward, and he’d rolled off the bed to stand in front of Usagi by the time the door swung shut, “better for twirling than the first one, don’t you think?”
“Adorable. A better color on you too,” Usagi gave up keeping a straight face, smiling as he stepped forward to put his hands on the indigo waistband, fingers dipping below and sliding around. “Was that present for something, or just because?”
“Mmmmmmmm, surprise,” Leo’s face tilted down, nuzzling Usagi’s cheek before he let himself be kissed, “figured… you’d like to know there’s a lot less out there now.”
“A VERY nice present…” Leo had yet to put his arm around Usagi’s shoulders, so Usagi spared a hand to grab the top of his plastron and yank down for better leverage, “shall I show you how much I appreciate it?”
“Mmmmmmmaaaayybeeee…” Usagi felt Leo smiling against his lips. He was about to bring his hand up from Leo’s waist when he felt Leo’s fingers wrap around his ears and pull his whole head to the side so Leo could bite up his throat. “M’not really in the mood for patience, though, whatcha thinkin’?”
“Oh, in THAT case…” Usagi closed his eyes, pressing himself against Leo’s front and enjoying the sensation of gentle teeth on his neck, “if I might make a request instead…”
“I’m all yours, baby, whatcha need?”
It took Usagi a moment to find his voice at that… and not just because Leo was biting a mark into soft skin. “…I’m tired, ah, of- of thinking up solutions today, and I think-“ Leo pulled his head the other direction to work down the other side of his neck, “hm. Do something about that. Whatever comes to mind.”
“Wow, all this patience I didn’t have before,” Leo sucked hard at Usagi’s shoulder until he was shivering, “amazing. You found it. Can’t believe.”
“Ridiculous turtle…” Usagi buried his face against Leo’s neck, breathing him in; five days wasn’t so long, not even a week. Leo had left him with a wrist communicator when he’d left at the beginning of November. It wasn’t as if they hadn’t spoken -
Leo’s hand let go of Usagi’s ears, dropping to wrap around his waist and hoist them both onto the bed, “Kenichi said you guys got some snow,” his fingers tugged at Usagi’s ear wrapping as Usagi shucked his vest and shirt. “Figured you might need a bed warmer just a little sooner…”
“If that’s your excuse, I’m not complaining,” Usagi kicked off his pants and pushed Leo into his pillows, savoring the hungry way Leo watched him, clear even behind the blue mask he hadn’t bothered taking off.
“Oh, I’ve got a long list of excuses,” Leo barely waited for Usagi to sprawl over his plastron before he was biting his way along Usagi’s neck again. “Totally legit, every single one, on a rotation… won’t catch me reusing anything for a whole year…” He rolled them to the side, and it was Usagi’s turn to be pressed into the mattress, one of Leo’s legs pushing up between his until Usagi moaned, hips jerking involuntarily. “Aw, baby…” Leo’s smile was interfering with his task of marking up Usagi’s collarbone next, “miss me that much?”
“Very much so,” Usagi panted, hooking both his legs around Leo’s, rolling his hips with more intention now, “too used to having you in arm’s reach, sweetheart.” Leo made a choked off noise, snout buried in the fur above Usagi’s chest. “Asked and answered,” Usagi nuzzled the top of Leo’s head, grinning, “did you expect me to say ‘no’?” Leo grumbled, moving to shove his face against Usagi’s shoulder again. “Did you expect,” Usagi unwrapped one leg to tease his foot against the bottom curve of Leo’s plastron, “that I wouldn’t be saving up all the ways I want you?” Leo whimpered, hips rutting up compulsively. Usagi wiggled a hand free, reaching down to tease his cock out, “There’s my good boy…”
“Okay okay,” Leo pushed back just enough to roll Usagi over, pulling him snug to his plastron, “stupid question, missed you too.” His cock pressed up against Usagi’s lower back, hand wrapped around Usagi’s cock, chuckling when Usagi sagged against him. “One brain factory reset coming right up, babe,” he went back to the bruising along Usagi’s neck, kissing gently. Usagi relaxed under the weight of Leo’s arm, the solid wall of him at Usagi’s back, feeling comfortably warm for the first time since getting up that morning. He brought his hand up to cup Leo’s cheek, tilting his face till Usagi found his mouth; the kiss was slow, lingering, like they had all the time in the world. And Leo’s eyes were dark and glittering when Usagi broke away to pant, his hand working steadily on Usagi’s cock. “Hi.”
“Hello,” Usagi ran his thumb along the edge of Leo’s mask before reaching behind to tug gently at the tails, “and what will you be doing with your new found patience?”
“I, uh… hm.” Leo’s hand paused, and he didn’t even smile at Usagi’s noise of protest. “…Okay, I had a thought… it’s kind of a trust exercise except I pinky promise it’s not as dangerous as it sounds.”
“That’s… encouraging.”
“It’s-! Okay wait,” Leo rolled over Usagi, off the edge of the bed, kissing Usagi’s cheek when he growled. “This needs a second hand, just a sec’.”
Usagi watched as Leo reattached his arm, digging in the side drawer as it clicked through its boot up sequence, nudging Usagi until there was enough room for him to sit on the edge of the bed.
“Okayokayokayokay, so…” his sword was laying on the floor, wrapped in a new compromise towel. (Usagi bit his tongue, again ) Leo hefted it and flicked up; a blue rift appeared in front of him. He stuck his metal hand through just as a second blue ring appeared behind his head to flick the tails of his mask up. “-so closing these ON something is actually hard , see… my record for accidental portal chopping is zilch, and, uh, so… so?”
Usagi set his chin in his hand and waited; perhaps eventually he would be able to trace the pattern between Leo stating a thing outright or talking around it, but until then silence always worked.
Leo huffed, “you get to be little spoon and still fuck me, yeah?”
That… that took a moment for Usagi to understand and then it hit him all at once.
Leo grinned, his eyes tracing down from where Usagi could feel his ears burning and back up again to meet his eyes, “I’ve sucked my own dick like this, wanna see?”
Usagi’s imagination provided him with an image complete with noises and he coughed, “…later. I don’t, hmmm, I don’t need the encouragement.”
“Are you suuuuuuuurre?” the blue lights vanished and Leo sprawled across the bed, laying his head in Usagi’s lap, “are you so completely really and truly-?”
Usagi covered his mouth, ignoring when Leo reflexively licked it, “this is your idea, Leonardo, focus.”
“M’focused,” Leo pulled Usagi’s hand away and leaned up to kiss him, “totally. Completely focused. You gotta be focused to make portals go where you wannem, you know.”
“And where are you putting them?” Usagi said in between kisses and letting Leo push him over.
“Okay, OKAY, I’m on it…” Leo rolled him on his side, “listen; it’s not like this is easy for fiddly work! Dya see how big this sword is?”
Usagi gave him a long look, letting his gaze travel up Leo’s arm and then back down his body and lingering. Leo’s face was red enough to blur the edges of his markings when Usagi glanced up again, his metal arm reaching up to rub the back of his neck. Usagi smiled; “I see.”
“ Yeah, alright, that, uh… that one’s on ME…”
It took less fumbling than Usagi expected, once Leo did find the focus needed; once again Usagi had a wall of turtle shell wrapped around him, Leo’s hand on his cock, contemplating the glowing rift in front of him.
“Still good?” Leo murmured against the side of Usagi’s neck.
“Yes… just-“ Usagi huffed a laugh, “I know it isn’t going to be cold, but I can’t seem to convince myself otherwise.”
“Aw, babe…” Leo’s voice tilted into a fake concern, and Usagi was smiling even before it turned into sly glee, “-would this help?” A metal finger, just slightly warmer than skin, nudged him, sliding in at Usagi’s hum of agreement. He sighed, turning his face into Leo’s cheek and feeling his lover’s smile. “Ready now?”
“Mm. You’re right, it did help.”
Leo snickered, curling the finger he had inside Usagi as he guided Usagi’s cock-
It wasn’t cold. It barely felt of anything before Usagi felt himself sliding easily into Leo, felt the way Leo’s breath caught in his chest. Usagi rolled his hips forward until Leo’s arm squeezed around his waist.
“That’s nice,” Leo sounded breathless, just now remembering to work his hand, “that’s… yeah, that’s good. How you doing, babe?”
The ring of blue light wasn’t doing anything so concrete as buzzing, but there was a faint vibration when Usagi moved, a sense of contained energy that made him shiver and rut forward into it, “very good… you’re still stalling, sweetheart.”
“Not…” Leo’s voice hitched again and he crooked his finger to slide the second one in, “-not trying to…”
Usagi laughed softly, pressing kisses against Leo’s cheek and jaw, “m’just making sure you don’t drag this out too long,” Leo’s hand was gentle as he found a steady rhythm and now Usagi was starting to pant, “-I want to feel you , sweet thing, my good boy…” Leo whined, turning to catch Usagi’s mouth, fingers moving until Usagi gasped for a break, hips moving compulsively.
“You good?” Leo had pulled his hand so that just the tips of his fingers were inside and Usagi had to stop himself from rocking back.
“ Fine. Yes, I’m- …I’m good. That’s enough, come on …”
“You’re the boss…” Leo’s hand moved away, and Usagi heard the faintest mechanical whine at the edge of his hearing, but before he could ask, Leo’s cock was nudging up against him and in-
Leo buried his face against Usagi’s shoulder, a long, low rumble in his chest sounding a counterpoint to Usagi’s humming as he leaned back until he was gloriously, satisfyingly full. Leo’s hips jerked forward at the last second, setting off a few seconds of chain reaction; Usagi rutting up into Leo rolling back until they forced themselves still, Usagi laughing while Leo squeezed his waist.
“Okay… okay so maybe …” Leo’s metal hand came back, holding Usagi’s thigh this time, “s’little, uhhhh, s’little more than I thought… this is fine, we got this.”
“Of course you do,” Usagi turned his face into Leo’s cheek, letting the turtle rock them forward into a slow rhythm, “so clever, look at you…” he brought a hand up to cup Leo’s cheek, “there’s my good boy, doing so well for me…” Leo whined, moving his face from Usagi’s shoulder to nuzzle the crook of his neck. Usagi kissed his temple, “was that a complaint, sweetheart? Too much work for you-? Hah…mm…” his breath caught as Leo sped up, the louder rumble in his chest the only response that he’d heard. Usagi pressed his fingers harder against Leo’s cheek, thumb against his jaw until Leo was forced to lift his face up, “careful, gorgeous… I want, hm, I want to hear you-“ Leo’s metal hand slid down Usagi’s thigh, lifting his leg enough to change the angle just so . Usagi’s head fell back against Leo’s shoulder with a gasp, trying to find air to speak again.
“Gonna, heh, gonna make this real short if you- you keep talking like that, babe…”
Usagi could only smile for a moment, too caught up in the rolling wave of Leo’s hips against his. As Leo began mouthing against the marks on Usagi’s throat, he turned to press his face into Leo’s cheek again, hand cupping the other side so Leo couldn’t move away. “Not even if I tell you to keep going, sweet boy?” He smiled at the choked noise Leo couldn’t muffle, “I’ll tell you exactly how good you are, how clever you’ve been, and you’re going to listen, sweetheart…”
“Fuck…”
“Mhm,” Usagi kissed the red slash under his eye, rocking forward faster than the pace Leo had been setting, “just like that… you’re so pretty when you’re panting for me, Leo…”
This part was easy to predict; the way Leo whimpered out “Please…” turning his face away from Usagi’s to kiss at his hand, his fingers, the way he adjusted his grip around Usagi’s waist and on his leg as a distraction. Usagi let him try, pushing two fingers into Leo’s mouth and feeling him press his tongue between them, sucking eagerly.
“Working so hard to be GOOD for me…” Leo’s hips stuttered and Usagi rutted forward, moving faster, “so excited to be my good boy, mm?” The rumble in Leo’s chest was pitching up, wavering as he moved to keep up with Usagi’s rhythm. “I missed hearing you, sweetheart,” he pulled his fingers out of Leo’s mouth, reveling in the noise his lover made, the way he leaned forward in the slightest protest before Usagi was gripping his chin. “I want to hear you come for me right now, Leo.”
Leo moaned, both arms wrapping around Usagi’s waist as he rutted up into him, twice, three times. Usagi felt him clenching around his own cock, and let his head fall back, gasping out his own climax. The moment spun out into hot, aching pressure on his cock, inside him and on him and Leo gasping in his ear and it all felt so good it was almost painful and then it was painful and Leo’s metal hand (cool, no longer slick) wrapped around-
The blue light in front of him vanished and Leo pulled out, both of them gasping in relief.
Usagi moved first, kissing Leo’s cheek and rolling out of the circle of his arms to sprawl on his back, one leg dangling off the bed as he caught his breath. Leo shifted until he was face down in the pillows, metal arm draped over Usagi’s waist.
Usagi laughed quietly, running his fingers over the back of Leo’s hand, “you always have new ways to surprise me.”
“I’m very talented,” Leo’s voice was muffled, but Usagi could hear the way he grinned. “You’ll never see which way I’m… coming.” Usagi smacked a fist against his shoulder and got a laugh, as Leo pulled his face out of the pillows and tugged him back in closer.
“Ridiculous turtle…” Usagi murmured into the lazy kiss. He would have been content to stay like that for another hour… which of course meant that Gen knocked an emergency pattern on the door at that moment.
Before Usagi could do more than sigh and flop back against the mattress, Leo was rolling over him and onto the floor, bouncing across to crack the door open and grin into the hallway.
“Hey, wassup?”
“Well, you make this slightly less of a problem. Tell whichever of your brothers is hovering outside the gate that it still looks threatening, would you?”
“Say what?”
Usagi stood up and pulled the curtain back enough to glance out the window, “…is that what Shelldon looks like?”
“Sometimes?” Leo shut the door and started tapping at his wrist, “he’s in all- Donnie, what the hell? I thought you said you’d let me know when you were done!”
“You may have noticed, brothersome bother, you DID set yourself on ‘D N D’, ergo, I deed not dee. AS promised, unless there was an emergency. And your lack of pants does not constitute an emergency!”
Usagi let the curtain drop as Leo sputtered, “if you could stop hovering at the sentries’ faces until we clear the courtyard, Donatello, I’d appreciate it.”
“I just wanted to see if this woman with a spear is going to try it… yes, copy, see you soon, Captain.”
Leo glared at his arm for several seconds after the display winked out, until Usagi rapped against his shoulder, “and why is your brother invading my posting, Leonardo?”
“Huh? Oh, he’s bringing new water heaters,” Leo reached down for his pile of clothing, “I thought he’d take longer cleaning up- oh, huh. Turns out time flies when you’re getting fucked. Anyway.”
“Cleaning up what?”
“Your krang problem?” Leo had on his guileless look, “I was just going to burn the place when I was done, but Donnie said something about ‘samples’ and ‘tracking off-shoot factions’ and ‘data bases’ and blah, blah, BLAH, so he got to-“
“The… the whole nest?”
In what might be a deference to the cold, or MIGHT have been an excuse to toss the end dramatically over his shoulder, Leo wrapped a blue scarf around his neck and winked as he opened the window, “well duh, not gonna half-ass THAT job and call it a present, right?”
“You’re insane,” Usagi said fondly as he pulled on his boots, “and I had almost gotten used to these patrol routes.”
“S’what happens when you let me freerange, babe,” Leo had thrown one leg out the window, sitting on the sill, his head thrown back to grin at Usagi, “guess you’ll have to leash me untilohokay-“
“…you mentioned water heaters?” Usagi said, pulling away and letting go of Leo’s scarf.
“-uh-huh.”
“I’ll meet you down there.”
“Yessir.”
Usagi shut the window as Leo took a running leap to the roof of the next building and turned towards the door. Lawrence had said there would be more snow tomorrow, and his room was chilly from the short time the window had been open. But somehow as Usagi walked out into the hall to face Gen’s Looks and the minor panics waiting for him… he didn’t mind the thought at all.