and now i miss everyone

PREVIEW:

They’re all understandably jumpy, the first little while after kicking Shredder’s shiny metal ass. New York itself is jumpy; the rampage of destruction over the course of 48 hours left long, random patterns of ruins. The news hasn’t stopped raving about it, with the internet being even worse- but, hey, if someone wasn’t in the know about what went down, the fearful confusion is natural.

Leo is someone who knows the details, however, which is why he feels irked that an unease hasn’t left him even a week later. His injuries, like the rest of his family’s, have healed enough that he can be reasonably trusted not to keel over in a gutter. The immediate two days following Shredder’s banishment were spent basically living in each other’s pockets; no one had been eager to be alone overly long.

Raph is still feeling like that, even if he won’t admit it outright. His fretful clinginess is part of why Leo is roaming on his own right now; like, of course he loves his big brother, but Raph’s anxiety about abandonment has ratcheted up to an overwhelming level. He just needs some space and a bit of fresh air, then he can head home and let Raph smother him with affection again.

Leo wishes Mikey the best of luck, since their youngest brother is an even bigger target for mother-henning, and Leo and Donnie have both scampered off for alone time tonight.

Alone time which, admittedly, isn’t helping as much as he’d hoped. Leo stops off on a building overlooking a torn-up street; it used to be a string of shops, cafes, and the like, but now it looks like a tornado blew through. The sight of the damage makes him feel a little queasy, silent judgement of his own actions coming to mind not for the first time.

Maybe if he’d been faster, maybe if he’d been cleverer. Maybe if he’d talked Big Mom into a better deal, maybe if he hadn’t squandered so much time making sure everything lined up just so. Then maybe this street and dozens of others wouldn’t be in the state they are.