#and raph is a really good listener

[kiingbiing]

Raph is literally his pet project

[turtleblogatlast]

I think a lot about Leo standing up for his brothers in the things that really matter to them.

Like- Leo is the one who immediately pushes Mikey and Donnie into finding Raph the second it’s clear that their oldest brother is missing because he knows Raph can’t handle being separated like that.

Leo is the one who stands up for Mikey when Mikey wants to go on a solo mission, actively vouching for him and being the one to convince Raph into letting Mikey go, because being independent and proving himself just as capable of standing on his own two feet as everyone else means so much to Mikey.

And Leo defends Donnie’s honor in particular when his brothers’ intelligence is insulted because Leo is well aware of how important Donnie’s smarts are to him - and how important having those smarts valued and acknowledged is as well.

All this goes right into just how well Leo knows his brothers. For as much as he’ll tease or fight with them, he knows them, and he loves them.

[triona-tribblescore]

Just a little headcanon of mine~ I feel like Raph would feel a lot of mixed emotions after the whole Krang invasion. Maybe if he was the leader things wouldn't of ended so badly in the first place. I mean, wasn't he good enough before? He struggles to understand splinters reasoning for it all, and can tend to feel frustrated at himself that he wasn't good enough. Even while thinking he would have been able to prevent all that happened, he has conflicting guilt knowing of how he actually hurt his brothers instead. He was supposed to protect them right? But instead, he almost killed them… Anyway! mans just needed a good cry ig lol (shhh Leo's got his back dw :] x )

(this took way too long to make for what it is lol, not too happy with a lot of it tbh, but I needed to get the idea outta my head sooner than later~ )

[seagull-scribbles]

'Best man' can’t even tie a bow tie 💒

[skeleton-in-a-hoodie]

Physical description of the DDMG Turtles

General stuff: Their mum was a 1st generation Japanese immigrant, and their dad was mixed race (Japanese American and Latin American - haven't pinned it down exactly yet, still working on it). All the guys have olive skin and freckles, though Mikey's freckles stand out the most.

Leo: Black hair, straight texture- at the start of the au it's cut short, but as DDMG progresses he starts to let it grow out until his hair goes right the way down his back. Also at the start of the au he dresses like he's about to have a job interview, but gradually relaxes and begins wearing more casual clothes. Despises being cold, so tries to wear as many layers as possible. Scars wise there's several nasty looking ones across his throat and knee. Speaking of which, he wears a knee brace and uses a cane.

Raph: Still dark haired, but his is brown. Very bright green eyes. Has his hair cut really short, but it's texture is similar to Leo's. Tries to dress in clothes that he thinks will make him look intimidating, which doesn't entirely work cause he's 11. One day, he will own a spiked leather jacket and cover it in patches and pins. From the back of his left shoulder and over the top of the left side of his chest there's a lightening shaped scar. Also has scars across his knucles and fingers - this kid gets into a lot of fights.

Donnie: Redish brown eyes and black hair - if it wasn't for the fact his hair is curly, he'd look just like their mum. Still has 2012 Donnie's tooth gap. He's also got scars on his hands and arms from accidents whilst working on projects, and another scar on the left side of his face from when he got hit in the head with a rock. Alot of his clothes are 2nd hand from Leo, but when they live at the Lair he ends up dressing a bit like if Gonzo let Doc Brown borrow his clothes and all the lights were out.

Mikey: Looks a hell of a lot like their dad. He got their dad's curly blond hair and blue eyes, and whenever he laughs his nose scrunches up. Most of his clothes used to be his brothers, but he prefers bright, colourful clothes that he can move around in easily. Has a scar on his left arm that he got about 6 months before Playing with Shadows when his arm got broken. To be honest, I didn't really have a concrete image in my head of what Mikey looked like when I started writing Playing with Shadows, until @yunisketch and @candyhearts0w0 drew fanart, and now whenever I think about DDMG Mikey, that's how I picture him.

[kathaynesart]

The eye of the hurricane. I like to think Cassandra sometimes called the brothers by the nicknames their dad used, given they were probably pretty close before his passing.

BEGINNING || PREVIOUS || NEXT MASTER POST

Man oh man, this one was way messier and off model than my last few updates but whatever, we got to keep this ball rolling! Life's been crazy so I've had to take some unwanted breaks in between updates. Thanks everyone for your patience as always!

One thing I wanted in this flashback was to really get a sense of how the brothers worked as an experienced team with Leo at the helm as a proper leader. It's something we never got to see much of in Rise and I felt it was important to include since half the team is already gone by the time of Replica. Team Dynamics Ted Talk under the cut!

We know from Casey Jr that Leo stressed the importance of listening to your team. A big part of that also means knowing how to communicate with them in general.

With Michelangelo, he keeps it short and succinct, trusting his brother to know what he's doing when in his element. This trust goes a long way with Mikey, having spent years of his youth as the baby striving for the respect he felt he deserved. Leo knows it's best to not bog Mikey down with details, allowing him to improvise as needed. This unspoken freedom has only grown over time as Mikey has dipped deeper into spiritual arts that, frankly, go completely over Leo's head.

The greatest sacrifice Leo has ever made was read Donnie's Big Book of Bad Guy Codes. While he doesn't remember ALL the numbers, he has memorized the ones that matter and it has helped tremendously in avoiding miscommunication with his genius brother. More importantly it silenced any of Donnie's usual belly-aching. As Leo's "twin"/"equal" the two still butt heads from time to time. Donnie respects his brother's authority (mostly) but will still push the boundaries of what he's allowed on a semi-regular basis. Give Donnie an inch and he will take the mile and then find a loop hole that allows him to go twenty miles more. This is partially due to him often being the one left behind at HQ, making the turtle just a TAD stir crazy. Leo does his best to keep him in line regardless.

Big brother Raph will forever and always be big brother to Leo. As such he holds a place of authority in Leo's heart and is someone he still regularly seeks counsel from in both the ways of leadership and more. Raph is always happy to support his younger brother and does a surprisingly good job (albeit after years of practice) of walking the line so as not to step on his brother's toes in the process. At least not since the secret of "the Key" blew up in their faces several years ago. They don't talk about that anymore. Leo is the leader now and he's done a great job in recent years as far as Raph is concerned. He trusts him to make the right call. The two have a close bond and regularly use mind meld to quickly communicate rather than speak ...this will be important to remember for the future.

Hope that overall feeling came through for this group!

[katanablue]

Me: yeah I just started this blog yesterday so maybe I’ll put some of my writing out in the future

Also me:

Just a lil something to get the ball rolling 🫡

I used a spinner wheel for turtle+prompt+variation

Intimacy prompts!

07 Turtles + Diff Types of Intimacy:

. . . . . ╰──╮꒰💙꒱ ╭──╯ . . . . .

Leo + 31. holding someone by the waist

“Now make sure you grip it tight by the base, unless you want it to go flying out your hands.” He smirks, crossing his arms over his chest as he watches you adjust the position of your hands.

“How’s this?” You ask after shifting your fingers a bit. Leo nods approvingly, letting his eyes roam over the rest of your form, his eyes squinting the slightest bit when he notices the width between your feet.

“Better. Let’s fix your stance though.” He comes closer, gently nudging your feet apart while his hands hover on either side of your waist. He steps back with a tilt of his head and a raised eye ridge before lightly tutting and coming to stand behind you.

“Okay so straighten up more— yeah like that. Now,” He puts a warm palm on your lower back while his other rests on your hip, once again placing his foot next to yours to shuffle it into the proper position. At first you don’t register just how close he is, truly focused on trying to get into the right stance to hold his katana.

You had asked him to teach you how to wield them and he obliged but not after giving you a whole speech on how “katanas are not a toy, but an extension of a ninja.” And then he started off by teaching you how to hold one before even dreaming about you handling two.

“Okay now bend your arms just a little…” There’s a strong, intimidating presence about him but after knowing him for so long you know that there’s nothing to be afraid of, that he would do anything and everything to make you feel safe and comfortable. You can feel his plastron just barely brush against the back of your T-shirt, his presence like a flame that’s slowly enveloping you.

“Twist your hips now,” He slides his hold to your waist, his grip gentle but firm enough to maneuver you the right away. You can feel the edges of your lips starting to curl into a smile once you feel the warmth of his skin seep through your clothes and onto you. You look back at him over your left, pleasantly surprised to find him closer than you anticipated.

He’s concentrating on your body but once he feels your tender stare at him, his deep brown eyes settle to look right into yours. There’s a half second pause between you two, a flex of his fingers against your waist while his mouth creeps up into a faint smile as well.

“Good?” He speaks softly, the subtle movement of his fingers rubbing up and down not going unnoticed by you.

“Good.”

You don’t miss the quick fleeting look to your lips before he returns it back to your hips.

. . . . . ╰──╮꒰❤️꒱ ╭──╯ . . . . .

Raph + 8. interrupting with a kiss

“And then! They really had the audacity to—“

Raph huffs a laugh as he listens to you talk about yet another disastrous day at your job. He tosses a ball into the air while he sits on your bed, propped against your headboard while you pace back and forth in the center of your room. Every now and then you look over to him to catch his reaction, pleased when he makes a face of agreement or says a few words of input. It prompts you to keep going, thinking you’re almost done until you remember something else your least favorite coworker did.

“Did I tell you what they did last week?” You ask with an exasperated scoff.

“Yeah, babe.”

“And what they did later on the same week?”

He snorts, catching the ball in his hand before looking over at you and throwing it. You catch it with ease, tossing it between your hands while you wait for his answer.

“Yeah,” He tries not to laugh at the slightly defeated look on your face. He sits up even more and beckons you to come closer with a simple expression. With a heavy sigh you oblige, crawling on your knees before plopping right in between his legs.

“They’re just so annoying!” You exclaim, giving him the ball back while you adjust your position to sit more comfortably. He puts it down by his side and places his hands on your thighs, rubbing up and down in a soothing touch and trying to edge you away from the conversation you’ve been having (with mainly yourself) for the past 20 minutes.

“So why don’t you stop talking about ‘em?” He suggests, the faintest hint of sarcasm laced because he just knows how difficult it is for you to actually do so.

You open your mouth to protest, ready to claim yet another thing your lame coworker did that you just remembered.

“But Raph—!”

You’re silenced when you suddenly feel his mouth on yours, his three fingered hand taking a hold of your chin to keep you in place.

“No more talkin’. Got it?” He murmurs against your lips, giving you another peck. You lock gazes with him, those honey gold eyes piercing right into yours. You sigh through your nose, nudging it against his snout delicately.

“You could’ve just told me to shut up.”

His laugh is deep, rich and warm against your mouth, coursing through your chest when he pulls you closer to sit on his lap completely.

“I like this method better.”

. . . . . ╰──╮꒰💜꒱ ╭──╯ . . . . .

Donnie + 38. delightful smiles

“Isn’t this just the coolest thing ever?”

Donnie had managed to find a broken down photo booth at the junkyard on their last scavenging hunt, convincing Leo to let him take it back so he can fix it up.

What he left out was that he wanted to fix it for you.

“You really think you can get this thing to work?” You ask him, seeing his shell peak out just barely from the back of the machine. You place your hand on it, inspecting the once vibrant colors of orange, purple and green now a dull shade. You pull back the purple curtain to glance inside, scrunching up your nose when clouds of dust fly up and hit you right in the face. You wave it away, going to sit on the small bench inside and look at your reflection on the screen.

“Uh, have you met me? Been working on this thing for at least a week now.” You hear his voice a bit muffled from the other side of the booth, scoffing a laugh while he continues to tinker away at machine.

“Oh, my apologies ‘oh smart one’.” You remark, sitting back against the wall and closing your eyes while you listen to him fiddle with something metal. It stops a few seconds later and soon you hear Donnie pulling back the curtain to look at you with a teasing unamused expression.

“Hey, this smart one is fixing this booth up for you.”

His statement makes you smile, making you open your eyes to glance at him. You see him sporting a grin as well, warmth flooding his heart when he sees the way you look at him.

“Better have that same delightful smile when this baby is up and running.” He jokes, stepping back to let the curtain fall and go back to his work. You sit there beaming, cheeks starting to hurt from how hard you were straight cheesing.

It’s nearly an hour later when you hear his triumphant “aha, yes!” followed by the click of him closing the panel back onto the machine. Donnie goes to plug it in and the lights above you flicker for a few moments before staying on, the display screen in front of you whirring to life with some kind of electronic song blasting through the speakers.

“No way you actually did it!” You laugh and turn your head towards the curtain when he pulls it aside and sits down next to you. He rubs his hands together and leans forward to begin selecting a frame for you two.

“You doubted me?” He asks smugly, giving you a playful side eye while he scrolls through the selections. You watch him with a content smile, scooting closer to rest your arm against his.

“Never.” You reply softly, leaning forward to stop him from moving the screen to select a frame that’s purple with hearts all over. He looks down at you fondly, throwing an arm around your shoulders to hug you into his side.

“There’s that delightful smile.”

. . . . . ╰──╮꒰🧡꒱ ╭──╯ . . . . .

Mikey + 10. going on a date

“Dude, you are going to love what I have planned for us!” Mikey happily tugs you across the rooftop, your giggling like music in his ears as he brings you closer and closer to the date spot he set up. He had been planning this for at least 2 weeks, scrambling between his brothers, Splinter and April on what to do for the perfect first date.

Ultimately at the end he figured out he should only rely on April’s advice, given that she’s the only one in an actual relationship.

“You’ve been buzzing nonstop, Mikey! What, did you finally get your hands on the ‘Shell Invaders’ remake?” You ask, putting a bit more pep in your step to walk alongside him rather than behind. He laughs and briefly looks at you before returning his attention back to the front.

“Nah, but now I know what to do for our next date.”

That makes your stomach flip, grinning ear to ear and giving a squeeze to his hand.

“Next date?” You tease in a sing song voice, enjoying the way you can practically see his blush cross his cheeks. He lightly shakes your enclasped hands and looks over at you.

“Next date.” He states confidently, showcasing a big toothy grin when you’re the one who ends up flustered. You walk for another minute or so before he stops abruptly.

“Okay, close your eyes.” He lets go of your hand, bouncing on the balls of his feet while he waits for you to do so. When you do he goes to stand behind you and gently nudge you forward and turn left until the tips of your shoes just barely brush against the edge of a picnic blanket.

You can feel the warmth radiating off of him, even when he lets go of your shoulders and instead reaches down to grab your hand once again.

“Okay… open.”

You can hear how nervous he is, the hope that what he did is enough for you.

And it is.

You gasp quietly when you take in the scene of various foods and drinks scattered across the orange and white checkered blanket, perfectly placed at the end of the building. You lean forward to look over, a small laugh passing your lips when you catch a group of people beginning to set up on stage for some sort of performance. You look back to see Mikey practically vibrating in his spot, anxiously waiting for your words or approval at his date.

“Well…?” He asks with a shy smile. You walk closer and place a small kiss on his cheek, interlacing your fingers as best as possible with his three fingers.

“It’s perfect! This is… outstanding for a first date.” You whisper softly. Mikey can’t help but pull you into a hug, squeezing you tight for a moment before letting you go and gesturing for you to sit.

“Awesome, I knew April wouldn’t let me down!”

You enjoy the food and each others company for the remainder of the night, watching the small band perform their set list down below.

Yeah, this is a perfect first date.

[obsessedwrhys]

Hello, could you create a headcanon for ROTTMNT where April saves the reader (gender-neutral) from being kidnapped by a Yokai and brings the reader to the hideout without telling the turtles? What would their reaction be?

MEETING THE BROTHERS FOR THE FIRST TIME

ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 .ᐟ fluff, bit of angst? Reader is gn!! (Sorry this was rushed ☹)

Background

What that Yokai wanted from you was unclear, you were simply on your way home when suddenly you found yourself to be cornered by a scary looking creature. All you knew was that it wasn't human.

It started shouting at you, demanding of something that you had stolen from them but you were unfamiliar with the description of the object they were after as you had no memory of coming across such item. It was when they lost their anger and about to lash at you, potentially taking you away, your classmate, April was able to jump to your rescue.

With the Yokai out cold, she grabbed your hand and began taking you somewhere. Somewhere she said will be safe for the both of you. However you didn't expect it to be the smelly odour of the sewers you would be hiding into. After a few walks and turns, you stumbled upon what seemed to be an underground lair. You were too astonished by the place to even notice the four creatures staring at you.

RAPH

Out of all of the brothers, he was quick to pull April aside and ask her why she thought it was a great idea to bring a random HUMAN into their secret lair.

It was when she explained how you were being targeted by a Yokai that caught his attention. You? Being targeted by a Yokai? What could a Yokai need from a human like you?

Despite his unease having a stranger in the lair, he decided to let you stay when April assured him you were a good person. If she trusts you enough then he'll trust you too.

Seeing how April explains to you this whole new world to you, he could only watch as your expression changes every second from the pure shock of all of this.

He had to admit, he had expected you to freak out and run away but surprisingly you approached him and his brothers to introduce yourself properly.

"My name's (Y/N), it's nice to meet you. April says you guys are the good guys" You'd say and he couldn't help but stare at you. You're not afraid of them??

After the events of that day, you'd come by often to understand this new world of Yokai better, also for the sake of understanding why you would be targeted by one in the first place.

You were kind, patient and not to mention respectful towards them. That's why he decided to offer you some self defense lessons to ensure you were capable of protecting yourself.

As the eldest and being the one bearing so much responsibilities, he appreciates it when you would take the time to hear his rants. Like he never thought he'd find someone who would just get how he feels.

You guys would definitely do relaxing activities together to calm your minds. He now finds it more fun when you're doing it with him.

Yoga, knitting, making tea? Count him in!!

That's why it comes easily that his uncertainty towards you would change. He'd feel himself starting to feel more comfortable around you, at the same he'd also be protective of you since he now considers you a close friend.

"If you ever need anything, I'm here for you, you can always count on me to be there"

LEO

The moment you came inside the lair, your presence had him raise his brows out of interest. Like who are you? And why are you here?

Second to Mikey, he would also approach you to introduce himself. He had to admit, he was just happy to befriend another human.

He literally didn't listen to a single thing to what Raph said about you, all he knew was that you needed safety and was being targeted by a Yokai. But hey, just because you're here to figure things out, that doesn't mean you can't make your stay fun at the same time!

He'd be all over you, like whatever it is that you're doing, he wants to include himself in it. But if you really need the privacy or concentration to do something, he'll back off.

Once you become his friend, be ready for the weekly rants about the different varieties of comics he'd finish reading. If you happen to do the same, he'd be glad to lend you his collection ONLY IF you return it without a scratch.

Honestly, I like to think that he's the one who constantly tries to get you in trouble with his crazy activities. That's because Raph will let him slide easily if you were involved. He likes to boast about how it's a 169 IQ strategy but what he doesn't realise is the pile of chores he'll have to do after every attempt.

He's aware of you being targeted by this unknown Yokai but that doesn't stop him from taking you to the Hidden City. He's a risk taker, what did you expect?

He has probably lost you once or more and it always costs him a lot of trouble to finally find you. Just imagine at the end of the day, he'd be begging you not to tell anyone about what happened because he's afraid of being lectured.

He definitely let's you play with his samurai swords if you ever asked. You once accidentally teleported one of Donnie's gadgets and you both agree to keep it a secret. Til this day on, he's still searching for it.

Also if you need someone to have fun with, he's the guy.

If you wanna skateboard with him, he'll gladly do so. If you don't know how to, he'll be patient in teaching you. His hands intertwined with yours to make sure you don't fall off.

To be fair he doesn't think much of your sudden appearance to the group, as long as you're cool and a genuinely nice person, you're welcomed to the club!

"If you ever need a BETTER company, I'm the man!!"

DONNIE

No way did April just let a random person in their lair as if it's thanksgiving.

He'd be conscious about you, watching your every move and every expression, anything to catch just a hint of bad intentions behind your sudden appearance.

When April was explaining your situation to Raph, he couldn't help but eavesdrop. You were almost kidnapped by a Yokai? Yikes. Why would someone do that?

Even though April reassures them how you are trustworthy, Donnie feels like he'll need to judge your character himself.

After the day you guys got to know each other, you would regularly drop by their place to stay for a while, your reason being either that you wanted to come by to chill or that you felt safer in the lair.

Personally Donnie would be invested in figuring out why you were targeted by a Yokai in the first place. If you're ready to talk about it, he'd question the night of the event to get some answers.

While he's on his computer doing his investigating, he wouldn't mind having you inside his room. Just don't break or touch any of his things. He can get frustrated when you move even just an inch of his stuff.

Since you are uncertain of your safety, Donnie would be willing to make a watch for you. It can track where you are and if you happen to be in an emergency, just one press on the emergency button and he'll instantly get the message.

He's not mean or anything but it takes a while for him to put down his guard around you. Once he does then it's like seeing a whole different side of him, he'd be much more chatty and smiling.

If you're sort of a nerd who likes to geek out then he's your pal to geek out with. Math, science, whatever that is a common interest between you both, he can go on for days if you dare challenge him.

To be honest I can see him being the type to sneak into school just to see what you're doing. Not in a stalking way but more of a, oh you need company that day because April isn't present? Or you have a school event and you want him to be there? He just wants to ensure your safety in case a Yokai somehow sneaks in, which is ironic since he's doing the exact same.

Clearly when you came to the lair for the first time he is very wary of you but after a few days of getting to know you personally, he realises how the misunderstanding led to a new friendship. He won't complain since you turned out to be an alright person.

"Oh great you're procrastinating again. GO BACK TO WORK!!"

MIKEY

His eyes lit up when he saw you entering the lair with April beside you. Its almost like an alarm went off in his head signalling "NEW FRIEND. NEW FRIEND" over and over again.

He was the first to approach you, he was introducing himself and talking about lots of nonsense. All you could make out was how he said he was thrilled to meet you and that he was excited to paint rainbows together (?). You were confused as you struggled to keep up with his pace of talking.

When Raph told him the tight situation you were in, he actually gasped, like audibly gasped. A Yokai tried to kidnap you? How could someone do that??

That's why he was willing to let you stay any time you needed. He didn't complain since that meant he gets to have some company.

He really does care about your safety so if you'd like, he would like to join you whenever you went out. If its in the morning then he'll be on the rooftops watching after you as you walked down the city. Anything to make you feel less anxious.

Speaking of anxiety, he'd offer to have you paint murals with him. The lair has plenty of walls for you to use so if you're an artist itching for some place to test out your skills, he knows just where is the perfect place.

Something also tells me he would like to create matching bracelets together. Yes, he's just that good at making new friends. He'll definitely make your beads your favourite colour while you do his signature orange.

He's so the type of friend to make sure you're always looking your best. You have something in your teeth? He'll tell you discreetly. Is your hair not hairing? Don't worry bro's a stylist.

He obviously tries to lift up your spirits as his brothers are busy helping you out. If you ever need someone to talk about your worries to, he's there to lend a shoulder. He'll have tissues ready if you happen to need a good cry.

Based on the details you shared about what happened, he can't help but come up with a theory that you could be some secret hybrid. Maybe you have some secret powers you're not aware? He once brought that theory to Donnie who immediately dismisses it.

But who knows, maybe he's onto something.

Nonetheless, he's just glad to have made a friend like you. Sometimes some good can come out of an unplanned surprise.

"You're my friend now!! We're gonna have soft tacos together 😊"

[citruswriter]

Prompt

"Did you really just call me —---"

I just like the idea of the boys being called the wrong name by an overtired reader

Bayverse Turtles x Eepy Reader

Listen with me! ↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺

A/N: THANKS POOKIE!

Leonardo x Reader 🧡

You'd been up for over 24 hours.

You were working on some damn essay and surrounded by a graveyard of red bull cans.

You were barely even awake, slowly tapping at the keys on your laptop while Leo sat on your bed reading a book.

"I think it's time for bed, dear." He said finally, getting up to take you to bed.

You whined in protest as Leo gently tugged you. "Fuck off, Mom. I need to finish this". You muttered and Leo couldn't help but laugh.

"Oh I'm mom now?" He questioned and you tilted your head back to look at him, a sleepy smile appearing. "Oh hey Leo".

Que this man laughing his ass off.

"Come to bed, blossom. You're so tired, you just called me mom". He said, picking you up bridal style.

You couldn't help but snort with laughter. "That's fucking hilarious."

You were asleep before your head even hit the pillow.

Leo took the time to pick up a little bit before crawling into bed with you

"Of all things to call me, you call me mom". He muttered as he kissed your forehead.

Trust me, you will never live this down. He's teasing you about it for years.

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯

Raphael x Reader 🧡

Raph had been out on a night patrol and had left you in his room. You wanted to wait up for him, really you did. But you were just so damn tired.

So you got all comfy and cozied up into a little tiny ball before drifting off.

When Raph finally came back, he couldn't help but smile down at you

"I'm back kitten." He muttered, gently shaking you. You whined and pushed him off if you.

"Lemme aloneeeeee." You whined, not exactly fully awake. Raph raised a brow ridge at you and tried to pull the blankets back in hopes for some cuddles.

"Hunter if you don't fuck off, I'm beating your ass and then telling mom". You growled before turning over, huffing.

Raph stood there for a few seconds before chuckling and rolling you onto your back.

"Hunter?" Was all he said and you cracked your eyes open.

"Hm? Oh hey baby." You said with a sleep giggle, unraveling some to give him some blanket so he could crawl in and cuddle you.

You hummed as he drew you close against his plastron.

"So who's Hunter?" He asked and you scrunched up your face. "My older brother." You replied.

Raph laughed softly and kissed your cheek. "Go back to bed, sweetness"

And for your information, yes. I have an older brother named Hunter. Fuck you Hunter.

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯

Donatello x Reader 🧡

Oh boy.

For once Donnie was trying to drag you to bed.

It had been hours and you were still researching for your latest hyperfixation. And as much as he understood and admired your passion, it was bedtime and goddammit this man wanted his fucking cuddles.

He noticed your eyes droop and he sighed, standing up to tug at you.

"Bedtime, little one". He said but you just whined, tugging your arm back. "Five more minutes, Dad."

Donnie let out a laugh. "Did you really just call me dad?" He snickered and you slowly drug your eyes over at him before giggling.

"Oh my gosh I did." You said, planting your face in your hands and laughing with him.

"You. Me. Bed. Now". He said, picking you up. "Bossy, bossy." You teased but nuzzled into him none the less.

He scoffed and laid you down. "You're way worse. Don't even." He said as he cuddled up to you, arms trapping you against him.

"G'night". You said, speech slurred from how sleepy you were. Donnie nuzzled into your neck, breathing you in and chrruing softly.

"Good night, my dove".

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯

Michaelangelo x Reader 🧡

You were so tired. You had stayed up all night last night playing video games with Mikey and now it was midday and you were dead tired.

You leaned your head back onto the couch that you and Mikey had been sitting on and you could feel yourself getting drowsy.

Mikey looked over at you and nudged you. "(Y/N)?" He questioned as he notified you drifting off.

You whined and pushed his arm away. "Not now, April. Whatever earth shattering news story you have right now can wait". You complained.

Mikey couldn't help but laugh. "No way you just called me April." He called and you lifted your head to look at him and laugh yourself.

"Oh fuck. I'm so sorry, Mikey". You giggled out and Mikey smiled softly, grabbing you and placing you on his lap.

"Get comfy. You can take a nap on me." He offered and you smiled, squirming around until you were all comfy.

It didn't take long before you drifted off into slumber against him. Mikey did his best not to move too much.

And when you woke up, there was pizza and orange crush waiting for you.

Oh and you're never living this one down. Not with Mikey. Be prepared to die of embarrassment.

It's shitty, I know. But it's also super cute so I'm posting it anyways and ya'll can suffer with my cringe.

[httpvomitello]

Falling in love with you *⁠.⁠✧

Raph is the type to be completely oblivious to his feelings at first

He might notice he’s being extra protective or spending more time with them, but he brushes it off as him just being the big brother or a good friend

Love? Not even on his radar.

He’s more physically affectionate with them than anyone else, giving them little pats on the back, playful nudges, or even full-on hugs when they need comfort

His protective instincts go into overdrive whenever they’re around, making sure they’re safe at all times

Raph becomes a little shy and awkward around them, but he doesn’t understand why

Normally, he’s confident and sure of himself, but around them, he stumbles over his words and gets flustered

His brothers totally notice and tease him about it, but Raph denies everything, saying they’re just "seeing things"

When Raph gets jealous, it’s hard for him to ✨hide it ✨

He won’t be mean, but he’ll cross his arms and get grumpy, maybe throwing in a comment like

“You don’t need them, you’ve got me"

The moment Raph realizes he’s in love is during a serious situation

Probably when they’re in danger, and he feels a level of fear and protectiveness that he’s never felt before

It hits him hard that they mean more to him than just a friend, and he panics internally, unsure how to handle it

He would eventually open up to one of his brothers, most likely Mikey, about what he’s feeling

When Raph decides to confess, it’s in the simplest, most straightforward way possible

He’s not good with fancy words or big romantic gestures, so he’ll probably just blurt it out during a quiet moment

“I… I think I really like you. Like, a lot"

He shows his love through actions more than words

Offering them his favorite teddy bear to sleep, standing between them and danger, or just being there to listen when they need to talk

Raph will never admit it, but he once felt jealous of his own teddy bear when he saw them sleeping cuddled up in his bed.

[mochiimadness]

Hey! could you do 2012 tmnt how they would react if s/o is a dancer? Sorry for bothering have a good day/night!

Fearless Leader

He is so quiet when watching you dance

You’re not sure what he’s thinking exactly,

Kinda unnerves you at first

So, in the middle of a particularly tricky move, you look over to see him watching you and just ask

“Do you not like dancing or something?”

You’ve never seen him panic so fast

He’s immediately animated, frantically waving his hands in front of him

“No, no, no-! It’s not that, I was just- you’re just- your dancing is so impressive!”

Leo didn’t even realize he had been staring so hard

After years of training and fighting, he sort of just- analyzes movements, studying them.

(Which actually made him decent at dancing but he doesn’t do it often)

He’s absolutely impressed by your dance moves, he got too busy caught up in analyzing, and appreciating how you make each flow, to realize he might’ve been coming off as judgmental

After explaining, you offer to teach him a thing or two

Are there stars in his eyes??? He’s already standing next to you ready to go

Loves to learn moves from you!

Makes the cutest concentrating face- especially on harder moves

(He sticks his tongue out a little, don’t tell him though because he’ll stop!)

You two could spend hours in the dojo just practicing dance moves.

He’ll bring refreshments and snacks!

Offers to teach you ninjitsu or meditate in return <3

Mean Green Fighting Machine

Raph can definitely bust a move

He can also vogue- I don’t make the rules, he just can.

Enjoys watching you dance!

He’ll even challenge you to a dance battle

Doesn’t matter what style of dance you choose,

He’ll do his own thing while throwing in a few moves he’d seen you do.

You find out how well he actually pays attention to your practicing during these dance offs.

Raph is actually decent at mimicking moves he sees others do

Surprisingly good at ballet

And of course,

✨Hip hop✨

Loves having these friendly competitions with you.

…even if he sometimes gets butthurt at losing

Just pull him into a silly little dance and all will be well

No fancy moves, just enjoying the music

“Aw c’mon Raph, you did great!”

“Hmph, still lost >:/“

“C’mere and dance with me already!”

“Alright alright I’m coming!”

Never actually gets angry about losing

Will pout a little though

Loves to see you grin about it <3

Is so incredibly supportive and proud of his s/o!

Donnie-pedia

Donnie dances like a dork /pos

He can either do the robot or some really awkward dance movements

It doesn’t bother him much-

Or at least it didn’t until he met you

Donnie loves watching you dance

You make it look so easy!

Gets a nervous if you ask him to dance-

Literally spends hours watching tutorials trying to learn how to dance better

He wants to be able to dance with you properly!!

Absolutely swoons if you offer to teach him

He picks up a few moves but still is pretty awkward overall

Once you tell him that you don’t mind,

He adores to dance with you

He genuinely enjoys just watching you dance too!

Finds it ✨fascinating✨

Gets you a good bag to store your dance stuff in- like your shoes and clothes

Decorates it with little dance charms and pins

And a purple turtle ofc

He also builds you a small music box with your favorite music!

That way you can listen and dance to it whenever!

"I uh made you this portable music box with your favorite tunes! You can listen to it wherever, whenever- if you want too of course. If not it's totally fine and-"

"Woah! This is great, D, thanks!!"

"Really?? :D"

You can practically see his tail wagging (it is actually)

Dr. Prankenstein

One word-

✨Hyped✨

Is your number one hype turtle

Always excited to see you dance!

Especially if you do any hip-hop/break dancing

If you do, he 100% joins in

Mikey is an awesome break dancer!

You'll always have a good time dancing with him.

If you don't do any hip-hop/break dancing-

He still loves to watch and join in when he can

Very good at following the flow of the beat

Can dabble in pretty much any dance style,

He's the fastest at being able to pick up on new styles/moves

After a few moments of watching you,

He's able to replicate the move you're doing!

Ofc it's not perfect (most of the time anyway)

But it's still pretty impressive.

Loves to just dance with you.

If you preform you better believe he finds a way to watch

Doesn't matter if the place is crowded and it's in the middle of the day,

Mikey always finds a way to come out and support you

(you may or may not have nearly screamed after seeing him pop out of the ceiling rafters but shhh)

If you ever need someone to give you feedback too,

Mikey's your turtle!

"S/o!! I saw your dance today, it was awesome!"

"How did you even-?"

"Oh, I found a crawl space under the floor and propped it open a bit, no biggie :D"

":O"

This, and many others, have been sitting in my ask box for over a year now.

I hope you enjoyed it, I apologize for the wait. Have a good day/night!

[turtleblogatlast]

I love watching the other series and comparing how the characters are presented in each iteration. It’s honestly so interesting to see how each series tackles the same base concept and I genuinely haven’t found one I didn’t enjoy/haven’t been enjoying.

[ashtheketchum]

How they met you Bayverse TMNT

A/N: I kind of felt like writing something with the turtles again. :3 In my private time I have written a lot about them (especially about Donnie) and I could publish my stuff here :D (Picture from Pinterest!)

Warnings: Mention of weapons and violence

Part 2

__________________________________________

Leonardo (Strangers to Lovers):

On the night patrol, Leo had decided to split up a bit

On the roofs, he looked closely at the streets and alleys to ensure the safety of the city

At a traffic light, Leo saw you

You were standing next to an older lady and you were chatting with her as you helped her across the street

Your smile was gentle and loving as the older woman laughed with joy

Leo looked at the scenario for a while before you and the older woman walked across the street

When you were on the other side, you waved to the older lady and then continued on your way

Leo briefly looked after the older woman before following you over the rooftops

He followed you until you were at your apartment and put some food out for the street cats

With such a simple action you had Leo's full attention and he was happy that there were still people like you

He made it his own mission to take care of you

Raphael (Cinnamon roll and Guard dog):

Raphael spotted you while he was on patrol

You were backed into a corner and threatened with a gun. The thief wanted your valuables and all your money

Raphael immediately intervened by throwing his sai so that the weapon was knocked away by the thief

Then he grabbed a few bricks and threw them down to knock out the thief

The thief ran away while you still stared up to see your savior

Raph saw a dark corner where you couldn't see him and he jumped into it

"Give me back my weapons."

You had thrown them into the shadows as you silently looked in his direction

You thanked him several times before you stood up and tried to walk towards him, but Raph immediately growled loudly, making you jump back

"Can I meet you again?" you asked him

Raph just huffed before climbing up and leaving you alone

Donatello (Sexy sassy and timid nerd):

Donnie sometimes sneaked into famous universities (without Leo knowing) to see what it was like at a public university

He also saw you quite often during class

Donnie found you very interesting, even though you never really listened, didn't take notes, and never participated in class, you got good grades and got through every class

You were quite popular, with the boys and girls, but you had rejected everyone

One day Donnie had put his number in your bag, hoping he could get to know you better

He knew it was risky, but he wanted to try it. His brothers simply weren't allowed to know

Of course you found his number and called him immediately, but it was a video call

Donnie had always taped up his cameras, but it still scared him. Then he answered

You talked for a while and he had to spend a really long time proving that he didn't go to your university but was homeschooled

You had a good time and even became friends

Donnie found himself admiring you as you still had your camera on and sometimes smiled into it

Michelangelo (Aggressive chihuahua and calm giant):

Mikey had spotted you when it was Halloween and everyone was out celebrating

He snuck out and tried his luck at talking to you. He always got along well with his looks, including you

You had put on the Hogwarts uniform and even had a wand

Mikey complimented you and you had a very long conversation, which you both enjoyed

You told him that his costume looked incredibly realistic, to which he could only giggle nervously

"I've been working on it all year, little one."

His little nicknames for you always made you giggle and his heart fluttered every time he heard it

But when Mikey was whistled back by Leo, he staggered towards you in disappointment before disappearing into the crowd so that no one noticed him anymore

You were disappointed that he had to leave, just like Mikey was disappointed to leave

Since then, you came to the place where you met every day and Mikey saw you there all the time

But Leo had forbidden him to talk to you

[thegirlwiththeninjaturtletattoos]

Random Turtle HCs

Based on the Bayverse turts, guys are 25+ SFW

-Donnie listens to 70s/80s funk jams in the lab. Anything with a groovy beat helps keep him focused on his tasks, but sometimes he subconsciously starts dancing when his favorite songs come on the speakers. Mikey caught him once, and he's never heard the end of it.

-When they were tweens Mikey got Raph into animes like Dragonball Z and Bleach. It was something they both really got excited about when the re-runs would come on tv. As they get older, both guys still watch it together for a lil brother bonding time. They're currently binging Jujustu Kaisen and One Punch Man. Donnie will sometimes watch an episode or two with them, but he never really got into it. Leo makes fun of Mikey and Raph for liking such bro-y shows, but secretly watches shojo/shonen animes like Fruits Basket or Oran Host Club. He's re-watching Inuyasha right now (for the third time). He would die of embarrassment if his brothers found out (Donnie knows).

-After seriously pulling a muscle a few years ago, Leo got really into massage therapy. He did a bunch of research on physical therapy and different massage techniques, and figured out how to marry the two ideas so he could help out when his brothers inevitably hurt themselves. Cough *Mikey* Cough.

-Speaking of which, Mikey is literally always hurting himself. He's not clumsy, he's just a wild dude who tends to overestimate the capabilities of his board. He's smacked into the side of a building more times than his brothers can count.

-Raph has a tendency to yap in the weight room. He's serious about working out, but if one of his brothers comes in to work in with him, he'll get reeeaal chatty. It's just the space he feels most comfortable and open, where his walls come down. Mikey doesn't mind, but it bugs the crap out of Leo.

-Donnie has to be dragged to the weight room to lift weights. Leo insists on it, and even gave him a perfectly tailored workout plan, but Donnie will make up every excuse to not go. He's never been able to build muscle like his brothers, and they know that, but Leo still wants him to continue strength training. Once as a teen, he was tossed over Raph's shoulder and brought in. Raph got away mostly unscathed.

-Leo writes Star trek and Battlestar Galactica fanfic. No, I will not elaborate.

-Mikey has been teaching Splinter new slang words, mostly to irritate Leo. The other night at dinner he used "no cap" in a sentence, and Leo got up and left the table. Mikey was cackling.

-Donnie swears. A lot. Raph and Mikey do too, but Don is real bad. Leo tries not to, out of respect and in the name of good manners, but if he gets heated in a videogame against Mikey, watch out.

-Mikey struggles with depression, but uses his sense of humor to cope. His jokes occasionally border on self-depreciating, which is a heads up to his brothers that he's not doing great. They take camping trips or plan fun days to help him out of the funk.

-Leo is the biggest flirt in the world. He doesn't realize he's doing it sometimes, until his victims are more blush than person and a puddle on the floor.

-Donnie is incredibly sassy. Like 1000%. He loved sitcom shows like The Golden Girls growing up, and learned how to deliver absolutely fatal comebacks with ease. He doesn't strike to kill unless he's annoyed, usually.

-Raph loves to sing. Like actually loves it. He won't sing for his brothers, but if you follow him on nights when he sneaks off, he goes to abandoned warehouses for the acoustics. Raph has a beautiful voice, with a little rasp to it, and he likes the way it echoes off the rafters. He usually sings along with 90s/2000s r&b, but sometimes will pull out some classic rock ballads. He's been singing Because of You by Ne-yo the past few nights.

-When Mikey discovers a new artist that he likes, the whole lair knows. He plays the music on full blast, going through the full discography. Donnie usually has to threaten to disconnect the wifi before he'll turn it down. His newest fixation was the Silk Sonic album.

-All the brothers' music tastes are influenced by each other. Raph listens to Rap, Leo likes R&B, Mikey's into Hip Hop, and Donnie's music is soup (there's a bit of literally everything). They all share music with each other, adding to the queue when they're in the garbage truck. The only consensus is that country sucks.

tags: @thelaundrybitch, @sophiacloud28

let me know if you'd like to be added to my tag list!

[imababblekat]

Pushing Buttons

Anon Request, “ Love your content it’s sooo cute! Can I get a snarky sarcastic reader who calls April for a chat on speaker phone then gets into a funny argument with Ralph trading jabs. Like he tries to get April to hang up because their in the middle of something important but reader gives him a snappy comeback. They keep going with everyone listening. Tired of this April is gonna hang up on them but before that happens “Wait wait! give that guys digits he sounds hot! You know how I love pushing a guys buttons!”

A/N: I hope this is okay, gonna be honest I struggled to write this one for some reason. Hope it’s still at the very least readable \TvT/

~xXx~

April hadn’t meant to answer the phone, but Mikey curiously nudging into her had caused her to ultimately accept your request. As if to make a point at your horrible timing as April and the boys were in the mist of a game plan to take down a new gang, you’re voice rang loud through the speaker causing everyone to simultaneously jump.

“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!! April you are not going to believe what happened to me at work today!!”

April sighed, giving the ninja turtles apologetic glances. 

“I can’t really talk right-”

“I’ll make it quick! I swear! Okay, so I got up at seven like I usually do, right? I was really tired though, so I went to snooze my alarm and-”

Before April could politely ask you to skip ahead to what had happened at your job, the human girl was thrown for a shock when Raphael had suddenly snatched the device straight out of her hand. She went to reprimand him but all he had done was hold a large hand up to block her as he angrily snapped into the call.

“She’s busy. Call back later.”

*click*

April’s eyes had never been as wide as they were in that moment. No way did Raphael just hang up on you of all people. Said terrapin, with a triumphant grin, reached out to hand her back the phone, when it had suddenly started going off again right in his palm. If it weren’t for the growing agitation, he could have sworn it seemed to vibrate with a vengeance. With a hard tap, he answered the call ready to repeat what he had done only a few minutes ago.

“I said-”

“Excuse me!!”

Raphael felt himself fumble at your sudden shout, April standing across from him with a knowing look.

“And who the hell do you think you are, huh?! You do not cut me off when I am talking to my gal pal!!”

Raphael sputtered, caught off for but a second before snapping back.

“Who do I-?! April’s busy! I’m sure whatever little issue you got goin on at work ain’t that important!”

“Oh, and how would you know that?! You read minds huh?! I’d ask if you’re some sort of phycologist but frankly just from your voice alone I’d say you’re need of one.”

“What is that supposed to mean?!”

“I think you know what I mean, big boy.”

Raphael felt his blood boiling in that moment, his brothers Mikey and Donnie doing their best to stifle their laughter behind him while Leo simply smirked at his dismay. All the while all April could do was hide her face in her hands at the embarrassment she felt for her close friend on the line.

“Don’t call me that.”

“What? Would you rather I call you big baby instead? Ya gonna cry about it? Good, cuz sounds to me like you need to shed a few tears. It’s perfectly healthy by the way. Just thought I’d let you know that since you give off the vibe that you’d rather walk around with a stick up your ass then express your emotions.”

“A stick up my ass?! Seriously?! How about I come over and shove one up yours?! You’re just all bark and no bite!”

“Ooo, don’t promise me with a good time~.”

If it were possible, Raph’s face would match the color of his mask at your raunchy response, the suave to your tone not making things any better. It was at the sudden burst of laughter behind him from his brothers and Aprils own snickering that the brute decided in that moment the best course of action was to, once again, hang up the damn phone. 

A groan bubbled up from his throat at he tossed April back her phone, sending a glare to his still cackling siblings. 

“Will ya all stop laughin. Let’s just get back to the stupid plan.”, he glared, arms crossing.

It was Leo, who had to take a few breaths to gather himself, that brought back the others to focus.

“Okay, okay, you heard the big boy. Let’s ready up.”

Green eyes glared daggers at the leader in blue for his jab, the other winking back with a shit eating grin. Raphael stepped forward to make a quip in response to Leo, when a chortle behind him had alerted all the turtles. It was from April, who’s eyes crinkled in the corners as she did her best to bite back some giggles, holding up her phone to show what had caused such a reaction out of her. Each brother leaned in, squinting at the small text on screen and then let out more laughter, Mikey rocking a groaning Raph’s shoulders with congratulations.

On the screen before them, read a text sent by the very person who riled him up quicker then anyone on record.

*Hey girly, you gotta get me your friends digits! Dude sounds hot af 😉💗*

~xXx~

[hotheadedhero]

First Date

AN: Wow, wow, WOW! You guys went haywire for 'Like 'em Big', didn't ya? I have yet again been surprised at the popularity of something that started as a joke. Thank you all for your patience and showing the love, it really warms my heart as always 🙏 Without further ado, here's part two ❤️(I'd also like to preface that I haven't been on a first date in years, so I apologise :'])

Part 1

All characters are aged up

Raphael x Reader

Warnings: Brief mention of ROTTMNT Movie, near peril (again), meddlesome brothers, cute idiots being cute

Returning home after the mind-boggling excursion you endured had tired you out to the point of near collapse. Yet, you couldn’t sleep after everything that happened. Your mind was racing. Not because you were nearly eaten. Not because you had met a giant turtle. Not even because you found that same turtle adorably attractive. No. It’s because you were fool-hardy enough to give him your number and after you embarrassingly called him beautiful, no less. More often than not, your overzealousness has been your downfall and you wouldn’t be surprised if that were the case here.

Universal blessings had other things in mind. The beacons lit, your prayers answered, and hope restored before your weary brain has a chance to sink - a text - and the chime of that first notification is a sweet melody indeed. All of that karmic debt seems to have been paid off. About time. Again, you won’t get too ahead of yourself but this is already a good start. And, so entails days of messaging, sneaking texts on work shifts, leg-kicking with the gushy motions, and downright losing your mind over how sweet this guy is.

As for Raph, this is uncharted territory; a piece of ocean he never dreamed he’d sail because he never thought it would be accessible to someone like him. He finds himself terrified of the mornings, worried that you’ll wake up with your senses and realise who - what - you’re talking to. Such concerns immediately disappear when he opens his phone to see a routine ‘Good morning’ paired with a heart or kiss.

During this time of exchanging pleasantries, he has been falling ever so gracefully for the character that makes up your person. He’s amazed by how bold you are in your messages during the times he shies away out of fear. It’s probably no surprise that a gorgeous lady such as yourself has at least some experience in the field, which makes him all the more nervous. Meanwhile, he’s working with two left feet and terrible advice from his family. Try as they may, he knows better than to listen to them where these things are concerned. The only one who has had experience is their dad and they all know how things turned out with Big Mama. 

Raph reckons he’ll take his chances. If your texting is anything to go off of, he likes to think he’s doing pretty well for himself. That hasn’t stopped his brothers from meddling, however. He expected Leo to poke his nose where he shouldn’t but he didn’t anticipate all of them getting involved. Even now, they’re desperately trying to clammer onto him in an attempt to get his phone. He has the advantage of being much taller than them but, of course, Donatello is resourceful and snatches it with one of his robotic limbs before throwing it to the youngest of the four. Lousy cheater. 

The unspoken rules of the game are the least of his worries when Mikey quickly messages you. He drops the phone as Raphael lunges for him and retrieves it before it hits the ground. Then he sees the extent of the damage dealt by his sibling: he’s asked you out on a date tonight. No no no! The large turtle is mortified! Sure, he’d considered the same proposal for a couple of days now but he wasn’t sure if it was too soon. This is going to make him look like a fool! He’s finished. You’re going to read it and you’re going to ignore it and he’s going to be ruined.

The receipt goes to ‘read’ and, surely, that to be the end of it until he sees you’re formulating a response. He bores holes into his screen. The taunting three-dotted line rises and falls and each second has him in the sweats. His brothers’ heads comically peak past his shell, each invested, placing bets on what your answer is going to be. Whoever had put their money down for a positive result is just that little bit richer. Three words. Three little words that would turn out to be Raphael’s salvation: ‘I’d love to! X’.

The joyous uplift of deliverance soon flees when it truly sinks in. You’ve agreed to go on a date with him. A date. With him. He’s going on a date. With you. Where will he take you? What will you both do? What is he going to wear? He’s desperate enough to call on his brothers’ aid for any input they can provide. After all, he can’t deny that their antics have led to this. Listen, these guys have all watched how much of an impact this has had on him. Sure, they’ll poke their fun but it’s genuinely warming to see their big lug of a brother with that dorky grin on his face. 

After a quick montage of his family hyping him up, going through outfits, and detailing the do’s and don’t’s, he’s finally ready. You both decide to meet on the roof of your apartment complex seeing as the sun will still be out. He double, triple, and quadruple-checks the location on his phone just in case he’s managed to pick the wrong one. As he’s about to check a fifth time, the little door to the side opens and out comes you in an even cuter outfit than the one worn on your first meeting. You, too, are in awe of what stands before you, having not expected him to go through the effort of dressing up at all. It’s nothing striking but it lights up all the parts of your objective brain that make you the size-hungry gremlin you are: a grey, sleeveless hoodie that shows off his arms very nicely. 

Sitting on the roof and people-watching seems to be a good enough pass time until it gets dark. Raphael’s legs hang over the side whilst yours lay to the side of you. He should have made a note of things to talk about. You’ve both already covered basic information over the phone alongside the odd funny video here and there but he’s completely blank now. Crap. He can feel the sweats coming on.

“So, hey,” he hears your voice suddenly, “what’s the highest up you reckon you’ve ever been?”

He knows the answer to that but it’s not an instance he much likes to think about. It would have been during the Kraang invasion years back when he and his brothers plummeted from heights of the sky no person should outside of a plane. That will be a story he keeps to himself. Too deep. He doesn’t want to dampen the mood. 

His brain wracks itself for something else and he says the first thing that comes to mind, “Uh… well, there was the time me and my brothers zip-lined from one building and into a roof pool.”

“No way! That sounds like so much fun!”

The elated look in your eyes makes him smile and his chest inflates with pride. “Yeah, it was! Our friend April even got it on video.”

“Do you have it?” you ask eagerly. “I’d love to see.”

That’s when you scoot closer to him to the point that your arms are brushing. Do you want to see it that badly? Yes. Was this an excuse to get close? You will die at your doorstep before you admit to anything without a lawyer. He sucks his lips in at the contact and looks down at your sparkling face before fumbling for his phone. He’s almost certain he has it somewhere. 

As you’re both watching the video, three sets of eyes have their sights on you. Three pairs of eyes belonging to three incredibly nosy brothers. They’re stood on one of the buildings behind you two, a few floors higher for a good view.

“So, how come we’re spying on Raph and his date?” the one in orange asks keenly.

“Listen, we all know that Raph chokes under pressure and we’re just here to make sure things go smoothly,” the blue-banded turtle responds with a hand to his chest. The other hand grips onto a tarp that seems to be shielding a box. “And I have just the thing to get some romance going.”

Beneath the blanket, Leo unveils a cage of doves all more than ready to be set free. Where, when, and how he managed to get these birds is a mystery but life is full of those. Best not to question his eccentricities. He quietly whispers, “Fly, my pretties,” before turning the latch and throwing a flurry of birdseed in the unsuspecting couple’s direction. 

Large brows furrow above concern. “Aren’t they a little too close to the edge?”

Ah. That might be problematic.

“Oh my gosh,” you laugh, “I think I would have a heart attack zipping along something like that.”

“It’s really not so bad when you get used to it,” Raph chuckles reassuringly. 

“Pft! You’re a lot braver than me.”

You both smile at each other as he puts his phone away. He doesn’t believe that for a second. You were brave enough to give him your number after all. He’s about to say something else when a series of aggressive flaps and coos break him of whatever thought he had. Following, a flock of doves barrages into the two of you. Luckily, he’s a sturdy pillar but the same can’t be said for you. A shrill scream breaks past your lips as you tip over the ledge. There’s a short moment when all that surrounds you is air. Nothing but air and the impending dread of what sits below. You were only joking when you said about dying on your doorstep.

Just as your eyes clench shut in preparation, the breath in your lungs gets knocked out of you when a force catches and cradles you by your gut. This strong force lifts you up and you’re met with an even stronger chest. You slowly take a look up at your saviour and he’s got you in a tight lock against his body. His other hand is clasped onto the roof ledge and he breathes heavily. Raphael swallows hard. That was close. Way too close for comfort.

Not wanting to dawdle over the long drop for much longer, he hoists himself back onto the roof with you in his clutch. The threat of falling diminished. The threat of falling in other ways climbs higher from your stomach. Oh lordy, you’re getting the vapours. As he gently eases you back on your feet, you look up at him with wide eyes.

“I think,” you breathe out, in again to recollect yourself, “maybe, we continue this on the ground.”

“Agreed.”

Thankfully, it’s dark enough that he should be able to waltz around in the public eye without it being too bothersome. From a neighbouring rooftop, there’s a rushed scurry but when he looks, nothing appears to be there. Must have been more of those doves or something. That still begs the question of where they came from but he’ll try not to worry about it.

So, a little bit of a rocky start but it doesn’t appear to have shaken your spirit. You’re a little jittery from the adrenaline, perhaps. That and being in his arms for that short moment made you realise what you’ve been missing out on all this time. You need to get a hold of yourself, woman. For the sake of not ruining this, get a hold of yourself. The slight tremble in your fingertips doesn’t go unnoticed. Luckily, Raph has just the remedy.

He walks you to a park, quiet from day nearing its end, lit up with the gentle hug of streetlamps dotted along the pathways. The setting itself is already enough to coax you back into a level head but curiosity peaks when the mutant urges you to sit on a bench. He asks that you close your eyes before dashing off. Just what is he planning? You’re tempted to take a peak but, respectively, you sit and patiently wait. When he returns, you open your eyes to see him standing in front of you, three hot dogs in one hand, two sodas in the other. 

“It ain’t much but I figured it’ll help,” he admits bashfully. “‘Specially some sugar.”

You blink up at him and shrink down with a shy bat of your lashes. “Thank you.”

Your lips spread into a mile-wide smile as you take the food and drink from him. He sits down beside you and you happily dig in. There must have been a food stand that you had walked past without noticing, yet he noticed. He’s also noticed how greedy it must look for him to have two hot dogs. 

Suddenly conscious of the fact, he clears his throat awkwardly, “I hope it’s okay I got two for myself.”

“Hm?” You look up at him with a mouthful and swallow. “Oh! Have as many as you like.” Your nose scrunches up as you wave him off. “The other night I had about five to myself. Not even with the buns either.”

You laugh at yourself as you take another bite. It sounds like a bizarre way to eat them outside of their intended purpose but when Mother Nature calls, there’s no point in questioning it. Besides, the best part of a hot dog is the Frankfurter. Why waste stomach space on all of that bread? You shrug it off casually but the tall turtle’s attention remains on you as he rallies something up in his head.

“How do you feel about salami?”

The way he asks is gentle, not interrogative but carefully interested with a harboured hope. What an adorable query. You can’t say you have any strong opinions about it but if it’s there in front of you, you know you wouldn’t be able to help yourself. There’s a glimmer in his stare as he awaits your answer and it takes a lot for you to not grin like an idiot.

You glance side to side, pretending to be shifty-like and lean in towards him whilst cupping your mouth. “Once, I ate an entire pack of assorted pepperoni and salamis in one sitting.”

Raph’s eyes sparkle, almost forming into hearts. He doesn’t register how he replies, going purely on automatic as his head wanders off into la la land. His free hand grips onto the side of the bench and he can feel his heart palpitate with a swarm of warmth. Has he just found his soulmate? Is it too soon to think something like that? Does it matter? He’s not too sure he cares now. Those rose-tinted glasses are his new contact lenses and he’s never taking them out.

A few trees over, the eclectic triad of trouble is back at it again trying to formulate their next plan in the ‘Romance for Raph’ operative. Donatello tinkers with something as the other two watch their brother. They have no idea what you said as you leaned into him but it must have been something mind-altering from the way he’s staring off with stars in his eyes.

“Hurry up with that thing, Dee! I wanna hear what they’re talking about.”

“You can’t rush good work,” he states, though he holds up the complete product no more than a second later. “But yes, you may now marvel at my new masterpiece.”

It’s a dinky-looking drone, fitted with the best mic system and soundless heli-propellers this turtle genius can build, small enough that it should be able to soar around unnoticed. Leo and Mikey tussle over who gets to fly the device first, each pulling on the remote control. During their scuffle, they hit a button and it quietly thrums to life. Before Donnie can intervene, the little drone is already flying around in seemingly no point of direction until it nose-dives towards them and crashes into the tree trunk. The entire tree shakes so much that a flurry of birds dart off and head for yourself and Raph.

They sore overhead with such ferocity that you both flail your arms up to cover your heads. Unfortunately, the soda in Raphael’s hand flies up into the air with the abrupt action. It falls onto the pathway but not before spritzing his hands with the fizzy liquid. Great. Now his hands are going to be uncomfortably sticky. What is the darn deal with these birds today? Alfred Hitchcock might have been onto something. The vermin of the sky turns into an afterthought when you spot your date looking over his fingers with a wrinkled frown.

Glancing around the park, you suddenly jump up onto your feet with an idea. You gesture for him to follow after you and lead him to a nearby lake. It’s the only way you could think for him to wash away the sugary beverage. As he gets on his knees and dips his hands in, you opt to stand and keep an eye out for any more winged miscreants. Figuring the coast is clear, you go back to facing the lake with your hands behind your back. 

“It sure looks pretty,” you remark quietly.

Not initially knowing what you’re talking about, Raphael glances up at you. He then follows your gaze back to the lake, taking his hands out to shake them dry. The water ripples from the movement but when it settles, he thinks he understands what you’re talking about. Starlight is often hard to come by in a city such as New York but it seems they have blessed you both with their presence. They twinkle delicately, reflecting off the water and it looks as though they’re dancing, like fireflies in the calm of night. Pretty indeed. He can’t remember the last time he sat back and appreciated something like this if ever he has.

“If you don’t mind me asking,” he hears you again, quieter this time, “what made you ask me out on this date?”

His face and the entirety of his body warms. He hadn’t expected to be put on the spot like that but he supposes you would’ve asked sooner or later. It’s only fair that you’d be curious. The palms of his hands press into his knees as he sits on his feet. 

“My brothers kinda had a hand in that. I’d been thinking about doin’ it before that, though!” he quickly rectifies just in case you thought this was completely his family’s doing but you giggle. He chuckles nervously and lowers his sights. “You just seem like someone I’d wanna get to know. Why’d you give me your number?”

“You saved my life that day,” you say as if it’s obvious. He narrows his eyes at you playfully and you figured he’d eventually realise that there’s more to it than that. “Okay, so, maybe there were other reasons.”

This is where your throat fails you and instead of talking, you attempt to motion with your hands. You hold them parallel to one another and map out the air in front of you sideways. Then, you make the same movement but vertically, one hand rising as the other lowers. He isn’t sure what you’re insinuating at first but it soon clicks. Are you referring to his stature? The thing that people usually fear? Nah. Surely not. That’s when it dawns on him. There was a word - one particular word that night which threw him off guard; a word he thought he had imagined but this just about confirms its existence.

With a newfound confidence, he sits up straight and raises a brow at you. “You think I’m beautiful?”

A brash heat burdens your cheeks as they puff out. You’ve certainly dug your grave on this one. How do you even answer? That probably isn’t an issue. Your reaction must be answer enough. With a blown-out breath, you swivel on your feet away from him, not knowing how to verbally respond. Just as you turn, a pebble hits you square on the forehead and knocks you back into the lake. It makes for a mighty splash but an incredibly discomfiting feeling around your body. Your head shoots up with a gasp and you hold your upper body with your hands in the sickly, cold mud, squelching between your fingers like wet clay. If birds had apposable thumbs, you would assume this was their doing considering how the night has gone.

Raphael shoots up to his feet and extends a hand to you, much like how he did when you first met. His face is laced with the same amount of concern as that day. Less hesitant than that instance, you immediately reach out and his fingers engulf your hand just as they did before. He hoists you up onto your feet, looking over you worriedly. You’re soaked head to toe.

What he doesn’t expect is to hear you laugh, “Deja vu?” 

His head cranes to the side but he finds himself smiling sadly when you continue to laugh. An unshakable spirit; that’s something he’s quickly realising you have and it’s admirable, to say the least. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for your body. You hug yourself and shiver, teeth almost chattering. Even summer nights can nip at the skin when drenched in freezing lake water.

In his haste to find a solution, he enacts the first thing that comes to mind without thinking of asking on your behalf. He quickly slips his hoodie off and holds it out to you. It’s probably a little counterproductive since it won’t dry you but it should hopefully shield you from the cold. Just enough to last you the walk home. You bite your tongue as you gratefully take the garment and slip it on. In a generalised state of mind, this is every girl’s dream right here. Your dream. It sits over you in all of its oversized glory like a great big hug. Perfect. It’s a shame to be calling the night to an end here but you both know you won’t be able to completely enjoy yourself with a dripping head.

Those same three figures dash off into the shadows, one sorely guilty for causing such a catastrophe. All Michelangelo had intended to do was throw that rock at Raph to gain his attention. It had a note stuck to it with some cute lines he could have said to you. The last thing he wanted was for it to smack you dead in the face and topple you over. He swears his aim isn’t usually that bad, hence he’ll blame the note for messing with the air dynamics or whatever Donnie called it.

As yourself and Raph journey back to your apartment, he finds himself in a bit of a funk. He tries to keep his enthusiasms up for the remaining minutes you have together but there were a fair share of disasters this evening. Not how he envisioned things panning out. He walks you up to your front door but lingers in the middle. You stop, too, and stride down one, meeting him head-level.

“Everything okay?” you ask.

"Sorry," he sighs as he sits on one of the steps. "This has got to have been the worst first date ever."

His whole body slumps and he hangs his head low in shame, arms resting atop his thighs with his hands dangling limp between his legs. This feeling just can’t seem to shake. There were so many mishaps: you falling off the roof, soda spilling over himself, and to top it all off, you got yourself a nasty bath in muddy water. He wouldn’t blame you if you took his presence as a bad omen. Disaster does seem to follow him and his brothers wherever they go. His eyes suddenly open wide and stare at the floor when he feels a soft cushion of skin against his cheek.

"Actually, it's the best first date I've ever been on," you say and he'd see a large smile on your face had he the strength to look. Removing the hoodie, you hang it over his arm and giggle, "I mean, I might have a fear of birds now but I’ve had a really lovely time. I look forward to the second one."

You peck his cheek once more before slipping off into your apartment, leaving him to sit with eyes like saucers and rosy cheeks. He supposes it wasn’t all bad. There was a lot of laughter. You two found a lot in common with one another and once you got talking, the conversation was easy. There weren’t many cases where he caved under the pressures of those ‘first date’ nerves. He felt comfortable. Really comfortable, in fact. 

Raph blinks down at the hoodie and holds it up to his face. It’s a little damp but the scent of your perfume lingers on the fabric. It smells nice and he hopes he isn’t creepy for being happy about having this until you next see each other. His face hurts from all of this smiling, achy and strained. Painful but a good pain, nonetheless. An experience so new to him. He doesn’t know what to do. His body is running on highs it’s never known before. The burley mutant stands to his feet, hoodie in hand, and does the only thing he can think to do: he dances, blissfully unaware of the three sets of eyes watching from a building across the street.

"Oh, god, he's doing his victory dance right outside her apartment. Can't he save it till later? He's gonna make a fool of himself."

"Aw, but look how happy he is!"

"Indeed. I would say this is a big win for our illustrious leader."

"Hey, don't forget about our win. None of this would have happened without us and that deserves a pizza reward. Am I right, guys?"

The other two nod and mumble in agreement. It’s probably best that they flee the scene before they’re spotted, anyway. They’ll be excited to hear about their brother’s ventures when he returns and, of course, they’ll act as if they haven’t witnessed every moment of it. Take it to the grave, boys. Take it to the grave.

_________________________

I kinda love how the first part of this story was written during a fever and I had to wait until I was ill again to finish this part. Also, have to mention... the comments people!!! You ravenous animals are as crazy as me, I love it. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading these comments and I just had to include some of them here

You are my people and I love all of you so much <3