[Open + 1 Closed] Insomniac turtle, what crimes will he commit

[faceguy]

Who: Leonardo Hamato faceguy and YOU
What: Mutant menace loose in Michigan
When: January, post-age swap, mostly at night
Where: Around Central City
Content Warnings: mentions of crime?

A: Training Time

[Leo has two katana now, but his powers haven't stabilized yet. Not really a surprise, since the new sword isn't really a twin of the old one. Still, it hasn't stopped him from trying to get it working.

He can be found many nights throughout the last half of January up on the roof of the Diadem, or any flat roofs of surrounding buildings, going through sword katas and then trying to get his powers to work.

Perhaps you catch him as he throws one of the swords across the roof (thankfully he has so far managed to not throw it off the roof), then disappear in a spark of blue electricity...

...only to crash down halfway from where he was trying to go.

Or maybe you catch him with a blue, shimmering portal only big enough for a hand open in front of him, while he mutters disappointedly.]

Come on, get bigger!

[Either way, he doesn't seem to be getting anywhere.]

B: A Little Vigilantism Never Hurt Anyone

[Of course, he can only train for so long without getting bored, and the natural consequence of being awake at night a lot is that he happens to see some of the shadier activity that happens in Central City's alleys under the cover of darkness.

Anything that looks like organized crime he doesn't get involved with, but petty thieves? Pickpockets? Muggers? That's something he can handle.

Speaking of...

Perhaps you are the one being mugged, or perhaps you are just an innocent bystander - either way, the eagle-eyed observer may just notice the flash of white eyes in the darkness before a suspiciously green teen appears and clocks the mugger cold with the handle of a katana.]

What can I say? I'm a real knockout.

C: Salt and Pepper Diner

[He's not always out in the middle of the night, though - sometimes he's out at a more reasonable 8 or 9 PM. And one of the places he likes to go is a diner Six showed him that is more friendly to Metas; it's not quite the same as going to Run of the Mill in terms of "fitting in," but at least no one gives him actively hostile looks if he puts his hood down.

Just going in and quietly eating his pizza isn't really his style, though, and Leo can't help but get up to a little mischief.

Like what he's doing right now: queuing up six plays of What's New Pussycat? in the diner's jukebox.

After that, who knows? The night is still young!]

Closed for Huvrye

[Spending so much time in the Diadem, Leo has gotten to know a bit about the habits of his fellow universally misplaced neighbors. Specifically to this instance, he has learned that Huvrye likes to order a lot of delivery - and by the smell of it, tonight he has ordered pizza.

He must be in his room, but Leo isn't trying to be quiet or subtle when he walks up to intercept the delivery guy on his way, holding up a hand to hale him.]

Delivery for Huvrye Tirvio? I got it!

[The name is unique enough that it looks like the underpaid delivery man will not ask questions. He holds the box out and Leo goes to take it.]

Comments

[effiomsfavorite]

[He probably could. It would not take Huvrye long to catch up.]

[But pain is not the intent here; Huvrye just wants to get to the bottom of this...situation. He loosens his grip when Leo agrees but doesn't move his hand, leading them instead towards the elevators and pushing the button with the edge of the pizza box.]

Yeah, I don't trust you not to run off.

[Lenient, not stupid.]

[faceguy]

[He’ll get in the elevator, but he doesn’t look happy about it.]

You know, I’m pretty sure forcing teenagers to follow you is villain behavior.

[He’s just saying.]

[effiomsfavorite]

[To Huvrye's credit, he does drop his arm once the elevator doors close, and instead he hits the button for one of the higher floors. Being higher up suits him well.]

I don't know if you've noticed, but most people here are human, which means we stick out. I didn't think you'd want to have an argument in public.

[People may forget two people having an argument, but they sure will remember "the winged guy and the turtle had it out in the lobby."]

[faceguy]

[He’s right, but Leo is gonna be a little shit about it. He leans against the wall, his shell making a light thunk when it connects.]

Hey, I’m human, too! On my second dad’s side.

[Leo doesn’t really think of himself as human. A person, sure, but not a human. He’s just being difficult.]

[effiomsfavorite]

Okay, well, you don't look like most humans, and people will remember that.

[It's a fast elevator. It's not fast enough. Please go faster.]

[faceguy]

[Yeah, he’s wishing his portals were working right now. Instead he’s stuck in awkward elevator ride purgatory.]

Yeah, I got it. This isn’t my first rodeo, you know? I mean, I’m literally an escaped lab experiment.

[effiomsfavorite]

[Huvrye blinks.]

What?

[He'd honestly figured Leo had come from a world of animal people, and he hadn't planned on asking, but here they are.]

[faceguy]

[Ohhhh yes. He’s found what will distract Huvrye from the pizza thing!]

Oh yeah, didn’t you know? I’m a mutant turtle! Born an adorable little red-eared slider, mutated into the devilishly handsome specimen before you!

It’s actually a really long and engaging story.

[effiomsfavorite]

How would I have known that?

[The elevator dings, and Huvrye puts his arm back around Leo's shoulders. Nah, buddy.]

Later. We have other things to talk about.

[He guides Leo to his room and opens the door. Most people would like having a room near the elevator; given that Huvrye's preferred means of egress is the window, this is the first time it's really come in handy. He opens the door, lets Leo in, and shuts it behind both of them.]

Have a seat.

[The room is messy, in a clothes on the floor and empty coffee cups sort of way, but the couch is clear.]

[faceguy]

[Dang it. He really thought he had a shot.

He goes in, taking a cursory look around. His room is a way bigger mess than this so he isn’t bothered.

He hesitates, then plops on the couch, curling his legs up against his chest. A little defensive, but he’s not looking forward to being chewed out.]

[effiomsfavorite]

[Huvrye sets the pizza down next to the coffee maker, turns around, and...oh. Oh, that posture says a lot. He's fixing to yell at this kid, and they both know it.]

[He looks back at the pizza, then at Leo again. Why is Leo doing this? There's some due diligence here that he hasn't done yet, and that needs to happen first.]

[He crosses the room and takes a seat on the couch, not right next to him but close enough to talk, and sighs heavily.]

Are you getting enough to eat?

[It's an actual sincere question, and not what he'd initially planned on leading with, but here they are.]

[faceguy]

[That… was not at all what he was expecting.

Leo’s eyes widen, clearly surprised. He was ready for anger, not concern, and it catches him off guard.

And… makes him feel a bit bad, because there isn’t a reason like that at play here.]

Oh, uh… yeah? I mean, I kinda spent too much on the card and now they won’t let me buy anything without filling out forms, but they’re still letting me get room service.

[He will not starve to death - well, not this month, anyway.]

[effiomsfavorite]

[...okay the forms thing sounds terrible. Not the point of this conversation, but still a pain.]

[But Leo still has access to money and food, so he's not doing this out of necessity. That should be enough to set Huvrye off again, were this a fellow adult, but Leo is a kid and Huvrye's temper has been defused well enough to keep the conversation civil. A little on the terse side, sure, but civil nonetheless.]

Then explain why you've been taking my food.

[faceguy]

[Terse is not as threatening as yelling, and so Leo lowers one leg, still keeping the other up against his chest. Guarded, but not as much so.]

Ahaha, so, uh... the first time was just supposed to be a joke? And I was going to give it back! [He says that part quickly.] But then you didn't show up to check on it and I decided, you know, don't let it go to waste.

And after that I guess it was a game? To see how many times I could get away with it.

[Could it also have been a bid for attention? Who knows; Leo isn't going to psychoanalyze himself that hard.]

[effiomsfavorite]

[That is not a good excuse, and the flat expression on Huvrye's face should convey that.]

So instead of asking the front desk to contact me, or trying it yourself, you just decided to keep it, and then keep doing it.

[He's gonna let that one sink in for a while. He's not quite glaring, but it's close enough.]

[But after a second or two, he sighs.]

Look, I don't have to eat very often, so if I'm ordering something, it's either a treat or I'm at the point where I need it. [The latter hasn't really happened yet beyond his initial arrival, but nobody needs to know that.] Also, the extra food in the last meal was supposed to go to a kid who just got out of the hospital. [It's a bit of an exaggeration - Hunter's been out for a while, though he is still on the mend - but Leo probably doesn't know that, and Huvrye wants to drive the point home.] If you need food, fine - I can help you with that. But this whole stealing thing needs to stop.

[faceguy]

[Oof. If Huvrye's intention was to guilt trip him, it worked. More than the almost-glaring does.]

Yeah, yeah, I get it. It's not fun now that you caught me, anyway.

[He's both a sore winner and a sore loser, but he can concede this one. He knows what he was doing wasn't really cool anyway, so he won't push it.

Especially now that he knows...]

...Was he sick?

[The kid, of course.]

[effiomsfavorite]

Getting caught is never fun.

[There's a raw, hysterical laugh somewhere deep in Huvrye's mind at that particular understatement, and he buries it. Focus. At least Leo gets it now - or seems to, which is close enough for Huvrye to go with it.]

Injured. He's still recovering.

[faceguy]

Oh. What, did he superhero a little too hard?

[He doesn't mean that dismissively. He's also a kid who has superhero'd too hard.]

[effiomsfavorite]

[Huvrye just fixes Leo with a level gaze.]

If you wound up in the hospital, would you want me telling people how you got there?

[faceguy]

Depends on how I got there! Like, if I saved a baby from a runaway train, you better tell everyone.

[Just smiling back at that Gaze. This is what you signed up for when you brought him here, Huvrye.]

[effiomsfavorite]

Okay, but then I'd have your permission to tell people, and that's different.

[Please don't make him spell it out, Leo. You can pick up what he's putting down.]

[faceguy]

[He does know, and believe it or not this is his way of changing the subject. He's a nosy kid, but he knows when to back off (whether he chooses to is another matter, of course).]

I'm not giving you permission, I'm giving you a duty. If I go down in a blaze of glory, you have to sing my praises to everyone!

[effiomsfavorite]

[There's a short, involuntary intake of breath at that. Hunter may be on the mend, but his near-death experience is still very much fresh on Huvrye's mind, and the idea of another teen dying presented so cavalierly takes him by surprise. He doesn't comment, though - doesn't want to think about it - and instead leans back against the back of the couch a bit.]

'Oh, yeah, that Leo guy. I think he stole my food a few times.'

[He raises an eyebrow at Leo.]

No dying until after you do something cool. [A beat.] Or, just, no dying.

[faceguy]

[For the briefest instant, a mere flicker, Leo's expression pinches into something more like a grimace than a smile. Because what is he supposed to say?

That he already did something cool?

That he's already as good as dead?

But then his smile smooths back out to normal. No, there's still a chance he can get back home. He has to hold on to that.

Besides, who here would believe he saved the world, anyway? (Who would laud his achievements, if they knew he broke it in the first place?)]

Alright, no dying. But I'll find some way to live up to your standards.

[effiomsfavorite]

[Huvrye doesn't miss the flicker, but he also doesn't know what it means in the wider context of Leo's life - because he doesn't have the wider context of Leo's life - so he doesn't comment. That said, on the heels of that flicker, I'll find some way to live up to your standards is worrying. Regardless of what Leo thinks Huvrye's standards are, the kid does not need any additional pressure on him - not when he's been in this dimension for like two weeks.]

[(Also, it's not like Huvrye is a good person to look up to anyway. Or a good person at all. If he wants to live up to someone's standards, Leo could definitely pick someone better.)]

Turns out 'no dying' is my standard. [A beat.] And also 'no stealing my food.'