Chapter Text
Well, it’s official. Leo hates hospitals.
The sickening smell of sanitizer in the air and quiet tap of shoes against the floor just outside his room. The sound of beeping and shrill ringing of the telephone every now and again. Mostly though, it was quiet and Leo hated the quiet.
I mean, it’d probably be more bearable if he could actually get out of bed. However, his legs were less than useless at the moment, laying pathetically on his bed with enough scars to make Frankenstein jealous. Well, he can technically get up and walk around with the help of his crutches, but the chronic pain today left him bedridden and debating calling his brothers to bring him some morphine or something.
Damn Draxum and his bright idea to make them resistant to most drugs.
Though that does make it pretty hard for them to get poisoned.
Ughhhh, he was so bored. Leo would do anything to have a comic book right now. Or literally anything that could distract him from the throbbing in his body and the paper white walls of his room. And visiting hours were over, so he couldn’t even ask his brothers to bring him anything until tomorrow, which he’s already sent over a list.
God, he’s only been awake for two days and he already wishes he were back home instead. There’s a reason he’s not at home though, and it all has to do with his stupid split second decision. So really, he can’t complain. This is all his fault after all. Besides, there are worse things to be in this situation.
Like dead.
Yeah, being bored was much better than that. Though if only it didn't hurt so much. Still, he could manage and he will manage. At least until he can get out of here and back into his sweet, sweet bed, then he can complain to his brothers. Until then though, Leo needed to get out of this room, do something. As much as his body was absolutely killing him with pain, if he sat around here for much longer, he might just die of boredom. Or lose his mind in the white void of paint and smell of antiseptic.
So, with a few grunts of exertion and shaky hands, Leo manages to grab a nearby wheelchair and slips into the seat, ready to finally figure his way around. After all, from the way the doctors talked about his condition, it sounded like he was planned to stay here for a while.
Oh yeah, his conditon. Well, it wasn’t great, but at least he was alive. He was really close to dying when his brothers and Junior were trying to take care of him in the Lair medbay. It took Draxum flat-out threatening them to take him to a Yokai hospital and nearly kidnapping him before they finally considered that maybe they just couldn’t help him.
They relayed this story to him the other day when he woke up, but apparently it took them forever to finally get him admitted into the long-term care medical facility because Splinter wasn’t in any of their Yokai systems, being a former human and all, and Draxum wasn’t legally a guardian to them. So, much to everyone’s dismay and annoyance, they got Draxum legal guardianship of Leo- thank god they had gotten his name and charges cleared a year earlier- so they could bring him in. After that though, it was pretty much smooth sailing. They finally got Leo stabilized and figured out the exact treatment he needed and, in less than a week, he was awake and back to his old self.
I mean, he was in a lot more pain that he usually was and was pretty concerned about the fact his entire lower body hurt and wouldn’t move when he wanted it to, but after some explanations and a quick run down of the extent of his injuries, he wasn’t worried anymore. Recovery was rough so far, to say in the least, but it was probably a lot better than if he were recovering at home. Especially since it’d be pretty embarrassing to have his brothers help him keep track of his bladder and help him to the bathroom every day.
Since recovery was going so well, Leo decided it was about time he get up and meet some of the other kids in the building. Maybe make a friend or two.
A hospital probably isn’t the best place to make a friend, but maybe it would help to find someone his age who knew what he was going through right now. Or maybe he’d be able to entertain some kids. Whatever he ends up doing today, he hoped it’s not wasted time.
It took Leo a while to figure out how to use the wheelchair right, spin around and turning to get to the door, and move his IV at the same time but he eventually got it down. He also tore a piece of his mask tails off to wrap around the IV pole and secure it to the handle of the wheelchair so he didn’t have to hold onto it. He would keep an eye on it though.
‘ Someone should give me an award for my genius” Leo thought as he slowly maneuvered his way to the door. It took a lot more effort than he thought it would to just make it halfway down the hall. At this rate, he wondered how he was gonna make it downstairs, let alone back to his room once his journey is over. Nonetheless, he pushed on. Leo was never one to turn around when the going got tough, he always pushed forward.
When he got to the elevator, he was almost worried he’d be caught by a doctor and told to go back to his room, but he was able to make his way to the floor with the play/game room for the kids and hoped that there was something he could do here. He entered and was met with the curious eyes of several different yokai kids. All of them wore hospital gowns like Leo himself had on. However, there was one person who wasn’t wearing a hospital gown that caught Leo’s eye.
The kid was much bigger than the others, probably about Leo’s age. He was a rabbit yokai with snow white fur and ears tied back into a ponytail.. He sported a plain navy blue hoodie and dark sweats. This guy was with another, much smaller, kid and roleplaying a battle with two plastic swords. It was clear to Leo though that the rabbit was a real fighter, given his stance and the way he held the toy. He watched as he carefully poked and prodded the kid with the end of the plastic sword before falling over dramatically after one hit and ‘dying’. The other kids cheered for the winner and the rabbit sat up, grinning at the proud look on the other kids face. It was then he caught Leo’s gaze, who was still by the door. The rabbit stared at him quizzically and Leo felt himself growing red over the fact he was caught watching him.
To avoid further embarrassment, Leo tried rolling away but the rabbit caught up to him easily.
“Hey, I’ve never seen you around before? You new?” The rabbit asked. When he spoke, Leo realized he had a two pronounced teeth, like a real rabbit would. He was also wearing red eyeliner, which almost made Leo snicker but it complimented the red scar on his face pretty well. And he looked really tired, though so did most everyone here, Leo included. He figured it was just the hospital atmosphere.
“Oh uh, sort of? I’ve been here a while but I was unconscious. Never been around though.” He said as cool as possible. Even though Leo was supposed to be the ‘face man’, he felt his hands getting sweaty and he was nervous talking to this kid. Leo works with adults, he’s never really met anyone his age, especially not a guy his age. Fate just had the worst timing to have him meet the first guy his age at a hospital when he can’t even stand for two seconds on his own.
“Huh, well my name’s Usagi. I kind of run this place. The people here love me.” As Usagi says this, he shoots a finger gun at a nurse, who rolls her eyes and walks away annoyed. Leo laughs at this and replies,
“Well, my name is Leo. Hidden City isn’t really my domain, I’m a big hit topside though.” he flaunted. Usagi smiled at the match in wits and took note of Leo’s condition. The giant bandage on his shell, the cracks and scratches in his plastron under the gown, the scars scattered on both of his legs, the scar on the back of his head. He must’ve suffered quite a beating.
Leo notices Usagi staring at him and chose to mention what happened, “Oh yeah, I kind of got caught in the invasion that happened up in New York. No biggie though, I’ll be up and outta here in no time. They can’t hold me down!” Leo joked. He purposefully left out the whole ‘accidentally giving up the key and almost dooming the whole world before sacrificing himself’ thing. He didn’t want to scare Usagi away after all.
Usagi made an understanding click noise and replied, “You’ll be out of here soon then, huh?” After Leo nodded in response, Usagi explained, “Well, I’m just here for my auntie. She has breast cancer.”
“Oh,” is all Leo is able to say. What was he supposed to say? Sorry?
Usagi, however, finds this hilarious and snorts, a noise Leo finds both hilarious and adorable. “It’s cool, she’s getting better. Don’t worry about it. She’s just got a fever so we’re staying here until it clears up.”
Although relieved, Leo desperately wants to change the topic and get to know Usagi more as a person instead of the medical stuff, so he asks “Do you wanna go back to my room?”
And, after an excitable nod, not another word was said as the two headed back to the elevator together, Leo glad he didn’t have to push himself to get there.
And strangely, his pain has subsided partially. Just from meeting and talking to Usagi the whole way back to his room and for the hours that followed. He wasn’t even thinking about the ache in his thighs and knees. The pounding on his shell didn’t even cross his mind once. All he could think about was the boy in front of him. No, the cute boy in front of him. With his wide eyes, gap-toothed grin, messy hair, loud ass laugh, witty comebacks.
Leo found himself both disappointed and excited when Usagi left, promising to return tomorrow. All he could think about that night was this boy.
Usagi, Usagi, Usagi
Leo was gonna learn everything about this boy.