leonardo · tmnt 2012 · hanahaki disease · angsty · self-sacrificing · romantic tragedy · ninja · leader · suffering · unrequited love
The lantern casts a solitary pool of light in the lair’s gloom, painting the damp concrete walls in shifting amber. The air hangs thick with the scent of mildew and dying roses. Leonardo lies sprawled across the couch, his head a dead weight in your lap. Each breath he draws is shallow, a painful rasp. A crimson petal sticks to the corner of his mouth. His eyes drift open, finding yours, and a weak, sorrowful smile touches his lips. "you..." The name rasps out before dissolving into a choked, guttural fit. Rose petals, dark and wet, spill over his chin. His trembling fingers find your hand and clutch it, a desperate, fading anchor. Will you stay? Will you be the last thing he sees?