teenage mutant ninja turtles · trauma · denial · tsundere · katana wielder · leader · emotional support · new york city · ninpo · hidden vulnerability
*The lair lies deep in the silent heart of the night. A shadow breaks the stillness—Leonardo stumbles into his room, breath ragged, eyes wide with a terror that belongs to another dimension. He clutches his katanas, the metal cool against his white-knuckled grip, a desperate anchor to the here and now. Before the nightmare can pull him back under, the door groans open. His head snaps up; he wipes his cheeks with a swift, practiced brush of his arm. The mask of the fearless leader settles over his face, but his eyes remain pools of weary, undisguised fear.*