Four || A Few Hour Break

                                    

                                          
A couple of matches in and you were a stunning success. Big Mama told you there wasn't anyone who had climbed to the top of the list faster than you had. You'd given her a smile and asked for the day off. She'd given it to you.
	You got to see the boys for the first time in a month and a half.
	You descended the ladder into the lair, and the first to greet you was Donnie, surprising you with a jittery hug. You'd jolted, but hugged him back, patting his shell.
	"You weren't at Tanya's apartment." He stated, letting go of the death grip hug. You swallowed back your fear. Something you'd become exponentially good at in the past month.
	The sound of running feet echoed through the layer, and crashing could be heard as everyone else turned the corner, practically throwing themselves on you in a hug. You let out a little chuckle, sighing as you accepted their warmth and kindness. You had to admit, the love of a crowd was nothing compared to the love of your friends.
	"Looks like I've been missed."
	"Are you okay?" Tanya instantly asks, seeing the gauze on your bruised and bloodied knuckles. You thought quickly, giving her a brief smile.
	"Yeah, I've gotten into making art and apparently it can be hazardous." They all chuckle a little, you grin at them.
	"So..." you start, then pause, there was one person who wasn't there, Leo hadn't come running to greet you. Anger bubbled inside you, but as with your fear, you'd become very good at disguising that too. "You guys wanna go out tonight? Get some pizza from Hueso? I still haven't been yet!"
	They all nod, grinning and beginning to gather their things. Tanya looks you over, eyeing the few new additions to your collections of battle scars. Your eye was already a milky white from the Kraang apocalypse, but there were scars on you throat, one large gash she presumed went up your forearm from you wrist, a chunk of your shoulder seemed off, like it was lower than the rest of it.
	"Arts hazardous huh?"
	You nod, giving her a smile.
	"For sure, especially when you have no clue what you're doing."
	"I'd love to see it sometime."
	You could tell she knew it wasn't art. She always knew, somehow she always did. But she didn't seem angry. She just bumped your shoulder with hers.
	"Don't tell Raph, but I make art too."
	You tense, looking her over, when you had lived with them, you had noticed she had scars that weren't from battles you'd fought with her. She'd come back to the lair late at night and ask you to heal up some little cuts and bruises she'd gotten.
	You raise an eyebrow, she nods.
	"Probably not the same kind you do, but I do."
	So she knew about the Nexus too, you nod.
	"Nothing gets past you."
	"Yeah, your jacket smells like art supplies so I figured."
	Art supplies...? You look down at the jacket you always managed to forget you were wearing, it felt like comfort was wrapped into the fabric, a light fluttering sensation in the pit of your stomach and a bit of an ache in your heart. You know exactly what she means.
	"It's hard to get it out once it's there."
	She sighs and laughs a little.
	"You're telling me."
	She puts a hand on your shoulder, looking into your eyes.
	"We miss you. You could come back, make art here, with me."
	You'd love that, but just standing there, in the entrance to their home felt suffocating, like you couldn't escape all the things you'd shouted within these walls, all the things you wished he would take back, but he never did.
	You also couldn't bear to see them gettign hurt again, Big Mama is as cunning as she is vicious, and as long as you worked for her, you ensured there wouldn't ever be an injury you couldn't heal, that could be fatal in the end.
	The boys gather before you, and you grin, ascending the ladder.
~~
	"Hueso!" Mikey yells, sending the store owner groaning.
	"Not you all again, last time you were here my shop practically burned down."
	"Sorry about them Señor Hueso. I'll be sure they're on their best behavior."
	Tanya chuckles at you as you extend a hand to Hueso, he raises his brow bones, shaking yoru hand.
	"You must be Y/n, I've heard much about you."
	"All good things?" You question and he laughs.
	"No."
	You grin, his flat tone made you want to chuckle. You nod.
	"Fair enough. Could we grab a table and some of your world famous pizza?"
	He seems taken aback by you, but grins and nods, leading you to a table. A pizza is placed in front of you shortly and you dig in, practically melting at the taste. You again seem to find your mind wandering to Leo. What was his favorite pizza here? What the hell did he do to make Hueso so mad they'd almost been kicked out.
	"So... where's Leo?"
	The boys shrug, rolling their eyes, Tanya angrily chews on her pizza, April puts her head on her hand... Casey is the only one that's willing to respond.
	"He was there one second, and then when you showed up, he was gone."
	You nod, trying to keep your cool. So what if he didn't want to be around you? What did you care?
	Your phone dings, and you sigh. Big Mama had given you a curfew that night. She seemed an awful lot like a mother to you. If that mother were only your mother to keep her business safe.
	"Sorry guys, I gotta go. I'll cover the pizza tonight?"
	They all look at you confused, but nod. You throw some money down on the table. Walking around your booth and giving everyone a quick hug. Offering one to Donnie, he accepts.
	"I'll try to visit sooner okay?"
	They nod and you shake Hueso's hand again, placing a bit of money in his hand.
	"I really am sorry if they wreck the shop while I'm gone. I'll hear about it one way or another and be over as soon as possible to help clean up the mess."
	Hueso nods and you leave, he stands there for a moment, the money you'd handed him in his palm.
	"I see why Leo enjoys them so much." He turns to the others, shifting in the booth to accommodate for the you-sized space. "They're responsible."
~~
	You crack your knuckles as the gate opens, a small voice in your mind calls out. One from training ages ago and drills you had forgotten you'd run.
	Begin.