#autistic donnie tells

[autistic-donnie-tello]

ao3 PLS dont make me go to wattpad dont make me this desperate

[thatkoiboi]

Sleepovers with April are the best! ...and normally accidental-

omg also i binge read dandy's "i may be invisible, but i still look good" and the reference is random but i needed it cause it was funny in the fic and references are my data collection-

[tmntphantom]

phantom turtle tots...

forgot most of donnie's outer scutes. oops

[dandylovesturtles]

Please tell me something about the Shape of Water AU I'm very curious

this is just the doc title for my "100 Feet and a World Away" AU! I have the lore post linked in my pinned.

tldr: the boys get kidnapped young and raised in a lab by humans who aren't aware they have human level intelligence, and they try to escape.

I posted a bit about Donnie (aka Turtle Four) eating french fries awhile ago but here, have the rest of the scene too:

April unwraps something. The smell assaults his nose - greasy meat, cheese, that red vegetable he’s seen sometimes - and he slips into the water and swims over, popping out just shy of the fence.

“I’m sorry, are you eating during our escape planning meeting?”

“Don’t start with me,” she says, holding up a hand. “I had to work through breakfast to catch up on my homework for my morning classes, then work through lunch to catch up on my homework for my afternoon classes, and then I worked through dinner to catch up on everything else.” She takes a bite, chews, swallows. “This is the first chance I’ve had to eat all day.”

“Huff! Fine. But did you have to bring something with so much…” he flails his hands, “smell?”

“It’s just a burger. What, you never had a burger before?”

He stares at her. She catches his eye, and then lowers her gaze.

“Right. Stupid question.”

“Sometimes the humans bring those. The burgers, you said? They eat them around noon.” He thinks of it with distaste. He can remember exactly which of the humans tend to chew with their mouths open, or talk with food in their mouths. It makes him feel slimy when he watches. 

“We call that “lunch”,” April says. She looks at the burger, then back at Four. It’s with an expression he doesn’t understand, but he’s noticed from her more and more. “Do you want to try it?”

He hesitates. He doesn’t know if he wants to or not. The smell is overwhelming, and he isn’t sure how it will taste. How it will feel, in his mouth.

No one ever offers him food, though.

“...I’m perfectly fine with my nutrition blocks,” he finally says.

“Oh come on, Donnie, that’s not food.”

“It is. It gives me all the vitamins and minerals I need. And…” He stumbles over what he wants to say. He hates when he does that, but he doesn’t know the words for what he’s trying to convey. He wishes he had a bigger vocabulary. He wishes he were allowed to read.

Wishes get him nowhere. He has to focus on the task at hand. Only, April doesn’t seem to want to continue with their escape planning unless he makes a decision about the burger.

“...And?” she prompts, startling him.

“...I don’t know… some food… feels weird,” he finally says.

“Feels weird?”

“In my mouth.”

For a moment she just stares at him. He guesses he must have said something weird. Humans must not care about how food feels in their mouth. Maybe that’s just a turtle thing.

Or maybe his brothers don’t think that way either. Maybe it’s just a Four thing.

But then April’s eyes go a little wider, and she says, ���Ooooh. You have texture issues, huh?”

“Texture?”

“Yeah. How the food feels. Some people get really bothered by it; guess you do, too.”

Oh. So it’s not just a Four thing. There’s a whole name for it. He learned something new! How exciting!

“Yes!” he declares. He feels more confident about it now. “I have texture issues!”

She laughs at that. It’s not a mean laugh. He’s not sure why what he said was funny, though, but before he can ask she’s tearing off a small piece of the meat on the side of the burger she didn’t bite.

“Here. Just try it.” She slips it through the gaps in the chain-link, where he can get to it. “If it feels bad, you can just spit it out. I won’t be mad.”

She’s always telling him that. That she won’t be mad. He doesn’t know why; he’s never seen her get mad, at least not at him. But she always tells him that anyway.

It makes him feel better, somehow, even though that’s illogical.

He takes the meat gingerly in his fingers and looks at it. It doesn’t look particularly appetizing. The smell is a lot, but not so bad now that he’s getting used to it. He likes meat - not that he’s had it much. Maybe it will be fine.

He puts it in his mouth and immediately knows it isn’t. He doesn’t like the way the meat falls apart. He can’t describe it, he just knows it’s wrong.

He spits it out. April said she wouldn’t be mad.

“No good, huh?” she asks. She doesn’t sound mad.

“No. It was bad, actually.”

“Hmm, alright…” She glances around, then grabs the sack and pulls out something else: a small container of something thin and golden brown. “Wanna try a french fry?”

“A french fry?”

“It’s just a fried potato.” She pulls one of the thin stick-things (french fry) out of the container and pokes it through the fence. “Here!”

He takes it, looking it over suspiciously. It has the same greasy smell as the burger, but it’s not meat, it’s “potato,” so it must have a different texture.

He nibbles the end, and oh.

It’s actually good!

He devours the rest of the fry. She laughs again, and when he looks back at her she’s smiling.

“Alright, so the fries are a winner. Here, have some more!”

She slips a few more through the fence, and then a few more. Four happily eats all the fries she passes him. They taste nothing like the nutrition blocks, they taste better than the nutrition blocks, and they don’t feel bad in his mouth, not even a little.

“When I get out of here,” he says, after downing the last one, “I’ll eat like this every day.”

“Maybe not fries every day. They’re pretty unhealthy.” She shrugs. “But there’s all kinds of other things out there for you to try! We’ll figure out all the foods you like to eat.”

[thejadecount]

Shoutout to all the other autistics like me who didn’t actually realize they were autistic until Rise Donnie showed up like the absolute king he is

[angelo-the-doctor-of-feelings]

Hey, uh… sorry if this is rude or personal or something- But can you talk about any experience you’ve had with a panic attack? like a story of you having one or one of your brothers having one? thanks

Donnie had a full-blown panic attack recently.

Donnie allowed me to share this story with you.

Warnings: food issues, disordered eating (?)

It was a typical morning, Donnie was the first to get up & started brewing coffee in our kitchen.

I'm always the second to great the day - it's my unofficial job to make breakfast, then Raph joins later, drawn in by the lovely smell of food & and lastly our night owl, Leon. I actually doubt he gets proper sleep anyway. He's up until the morning hours & then randomly passes out of exhaustion.

I decided to make pancakes for everyone, Donnie insisted to eat his same food, oatmeal - he always sticks to those when he's having a hard time or when he knows it will get stressful OR when the day had been stressful. I have stopped to ask him for a change in his eating habits since pressure won't do anything & I'm happy he eats. You should know that Donnie's relationship with food is complicated & it has been very troublesome in the past.

We started preparing the food & setting the table.

I decided to make some strawberry yogurt to go with the pancakes when I had the dough ready to bake.

"Hey Donald, could I get some of your yogurt?"

"Sure." He passed me the container without giving me a glance & I noticed he was staring at his bowl.

"Is everything alright?" I asked carefully.

He didn't answer.

I shrugged it off & started baking the pancakes & mixing the yogurt with the chopped strawberries.

I was growing a bit concerned by the minutes passing. Usually, Donnie vocally stims (chirping & soft humming) when he's preparing his food, but on this day, it was different. Donnie didn't make a single noise.

When the pancakes were ready, Raph joined us & finished setting the table.

"Yo, Mike, yo Don!"

Donnie remained silent as he placed his bowl of oatmeal at his place. Raph looked at me puzzled, but all I could do was shrug.

After breakfast was ready to consume, I went to wake Leon, who slept in (again).

Before I left the kitchen, Donnie grabbed my bath robe (it's sooo comfy!) with a tight grip.

His face was blank & he seemed very tense. "Yes, Donnie?"

He struggled to find words, I saw it. This is never a good sign. I raised my hands & wiggled my fingers to signal he could do sign language as well.

Donnie let go & started signing.

"I can't eat."

"What do you mean, you can't eat?" I asked carefully.

"It's the oatmeal."

"What about it?"

Donnie fidgeted with his hands, looking away. I touched his shoulder comfortingly. He had eaten it for three years straight, every single day. What could have been wrong with it now?

"Don't worry, Donnie. You don't have to eat. I am going to wake Leon now, alright?"

My purple brother simply nodded & I left the kitchen.

Only to find Donnie absolutely devastated a few minutes later sitting on the kitchen floor, rocking back & forth while crying.

"Oh my gosh, what happened, Raph?" Leon was still very sleepy, but he was quickly awake when he saw Donnie.

"He smelled at his oats & then just started crying & shaking!" Raph answered.

I sat beside Donnie & tried talking to him, but he couldn't communicate verbally, nor with his hands.

He was hyperventilating.

"Shit."

And then our group dynamics changed as they ways do, when something like this happens:

I fixed my glasses (I usually wear contacts) & got up.

Therapist Dr. Feelings became the leader of the team.

I told Raph to pick Donnie up & carry him to his room & I told Leo to gather Donnie's emergency kit for situations like these from his lab.

Donnie has a plan for every possible situation that we both worked out together.

I could cry every time I have to make Raph carry Donnie when he's having a panic attack or a meltdown. Donnie started screaming & hissing at Raph when he tried to pick him up. When Raph had him in his arms, Donnie started hitting him.

But Raphael is strong & he doesn't mind that. He knows Donnie is not able to think clearly & he's in stress & survival mode.

"He can hit Raph. It's cool. Just not himself."

We put him under his weighted blankets & made his room dark & I turned on his infrared lamp for warmth & comfort.

He instantly calmed down a bit & his hand reached out under the mess of blankets & pillows, Leon had put on him.

I took his hand & I stayed with him for five hours until he whispered:

"I lost my favourite same food today, Mikey."

"What happend?"

"It was weird. All of a sudden, I couldn't stand the smell of it. I couldn't even bring myself to eat it. I felt sick & ready to throw up if I had put some of it in my mouth. I'm afraid, Mikey. What if I lose my other foods, too? What if I can't eat anything anymore? I don't want to go down that spiral again."

And I understood why he had panicked.

He lost his safe food, that literally saved him out of his disordered eating spiral. All of a sudden.

No wonder he panicked.

"We will always be there to help you, Donnie. You don't have to battle your mind alone."

He hasn't touched oats, yogurt & pudding since then. I saw that he tried, but he always got nervous & put them back.

Now Donnie only eats rice cakes & peanut butter, but hey, he eats.

Sometimes, I wish I could take all his struggles away.

[invisiblehoodie]

I fucking love this turtle sm

[autitello]

Donatello HCs part 8

or

I watched ROTTMNT again and you have to suffer with me

MORE DONATELLO HEADCANONS - more visual sensory things!

He loves going up to the city at night because of all the lights and colors.

He takes inspiration from it and that’s why his lab and room are decorated with so many LEDs and such. It’s a visual stim for him.

Additionally, he never uses the overhead lights in his lab unless he really needs the extra light and doesn’t have any overhead lights in his room at all.

He gets really upset if someone turns on the lights in his lab without warning. Both because it’s a sensory shock and because he’s usually concentrating and does not want to be interrupted when hyperfocusing on a project.

He likes steady color changing lights in his work spaces. It has multiple settings for different color combos. His favorite is one that shifts between shades of blue, purple, teal, and magenta.

He does like strobing effects and how they look but they’re overstimulating after a few minutes.

He likes concerts with laser effects and will watch them from a distance so it’s not as overwhelming (too many people, too loud, and difficult to leave if he gets overstimmed). Just close enough so he can feel the bass shake whatever he’s sitting on.

He likes bright colors and neon effects in art and Mikey will often make a drawing or mural with that effect for him.

He secretly likes stimboards/moodboards but kinda thinks they’re cringe at the same time.

He draws stars on his arms around his markings because he loves the way they look (also feels nice)

Mikey saw him drawing stars on himself with a pen and got him a brush pen to use instead (looks AND feels better)

This was longer than I expected it to be. I still have more ideas for this ashdhjfkls anyways hope you enjoyed :)

[louloubookworm]

Their non-binary

And autistic

[ratdad29]

Ur daughter (?) Creepy a f jfc

She’s not that creepy. Donatello’s eyes glow red in the dark and when he was 5-12 he’d stand in the middle of the hallway staring at my door waiting for me to come out. Leonardo can predict everything i’m going to say. Raphael is…. Well he’s not scary at all. And Michealangelo has Dr Delicate Touch.

She’s just a bit startling.

[autistic-donnie-tello]

Chapter 3 is live!

[daflangstlairde-art]

lightning in our fingertips today

Work 1 of DFL's Whumptober 2024

Summary:

Donnie and Leo get hit with a wayward body swap spell. You could say it gives Donnie a new perspective on the matters of his dear twin. When was Leo going to tell them that his Ninpō hurts him?

—

Chapter 1

It was an autistic nightmare, sure. While yes, Donnie felt like a god in physical form on good days, on bad days, he barely dealt with his own body. Especially after the Invasion. He shuddered.

And now–

“Duudeee, you seriously have to take this thing off more!” his own voice teased in Leo’s cadence, and the softshell turtle body let out an exaggerated sigh as he put down Donnie’s battle shell. 

Donnie stared at him, as he moved over to take his battle shell. Dang it, it shouldn’t just be put down in the living room, he has a specific place for it.

“Man, this is still totally boggling Raph’s mind,” Raph commented. He hadn’t stopped looking between them and addressing them incorrectly the whole way back from the mission to their Lair. 

“Eh, I’m sure it’s got an easy fix or something,” Leo shrugged with Donnie’s shoulders, unconcerned. 

Donnie stared at him, holding the battle shell close. Fingers flexing with a phantom memory.

“Oooohh, maybe I can magic you up!” Mikey wriggled his fingers in their general direction. 

“No way Mikes, let’s leave this up to Draxum, huh?” Leo countered. 

“Yeah Mikey, your hands are still recovering,” Raph reminded, and Mikey let out a dejected-slash-annoyed grunt.

Oh, perfect opportunity, Donnie cleared his throat. 

“Right, Mikey’s hands,” he started smoothly, and eugh it was weird to hear Leo’s voice from his own mouth– “speaking of, uh, Leo, can we–”

“Oh, truuee!” Leo grins with Donnie’s face, and starts doing carpal tunnel stretches in the middle of their living room. “Now I can finally prevent you from ruining your own!” 

Donnie huffed at yet another change of topic. Was Leo seriously unaware? Or was he doing this on purpose? 

Donnie tried to bring this up several times ever since the Hidden City mission that caused this whole Freaky Friday situation (on a Tuesday, no less). 

Some overly-confident-but-otherwise-clearly-inexperienced wizard with a staff violently going wild. It wasn't even the mage herself that was the culprit; the staff seemed to be firing off on its own. Not really important. They just grabbed the staff from her. 

But not before Leo jumped to block a wayward spell, causing him and Donnie to get the ol’ switcheroo in the middle of the whole thing. And sure, at first, it was jarring! Then, at second, it was kind of fun, actually. Leo laughed and rolled with it, and amidst the action and all, it gave Donnie the thrill to also roll with it. They are twins after all, much as he denies it for The Drama. 

And then... at third... 

Donnie stared at the sight of Leo, in his body, retreating to med bay to inspect for injuries. 

When they got switched, Donnie had been in the middle of a swing with his bō, a Ninpō construct of a hammer at the end. 

When they got switched, Leo continued the arc of the swing, smoothly. This gave Donnie, ever the curious scientist ready to experiment within new circumstances, an idea. 

And he swung Leo’s sword. 

And that is when he felt it. 

Mikey’s hands, hah. Ironic. Donnie flexed his fingers again, shuffling the battle shell to one arm. He looked at his free hand—Leo’s hand. Like there would be any indicatory, enlightening wounds, which of course, there were not. He rubbed the fingertips together, remembering the feeling. It's like it lingered still.

When was Leo going to tell them that his Ninpō hurts him?

—

Well! One positive of this body switch thing: Donnie could be sure Leo would check them both over for injuries, and do it well. Since one was Donnie’s body and the other was, currently, Donnie’s perception. 

As Leo was doing now, in med bay. Standing in front of Donnie, in Donnie’s body. Donnie sat on the gurney, going along with the examination. Leo clicked off the light, and Donnie blinked to clear his vision. 

“No concussion,” Leo commented, and oh, that’s good. His shell—an actual, hard-scute carapace—and his right shoulder were a bit achy, but if Leo found nothing wrong, it was probably regular fight aftermath and would all be gone by tomorrow.

Donnie had never before questioned whether Leo treated himself medically as well as he did with them. But, well. 

Donnie looked back down at his hands—Leo’s hands—rubbing the fingertips together, frowning.

“Alright, you’re good to go,” Leo said, in Donnie’s voice but in his own manner, very odd. The words lilted all the wrong directions, down instead of up. They even spoke with slightly different registers. He patted Donnie on the shell, getting up. 

Donnie had never questioned Leo’s care of himself before, but this situation made a lot of new queries pop up. 

Did Leo’s mystic powers hurt him? Or was this a consequence of Donnie being in his body? Or, if it was a regular thing for Leo—since when? Since always? Since they unlocked their Ninpō? Or was it some sort of recent development?

And, more upsettingly, if it was a regular thing... why did Leo never say anything? How did they never notice? Donnie wracked his memory, but not a single peep about it arose. No complaining, no jokes, no flinch or wince, no stutter when summoning up a portal (except back when his portals were at their most... faulty), nothing. Not a single thing. 

Perhaps– perhaps Donnie really was just making far-fetched assumptions. Classic Donnie overthink! It was most likely just a side effect of the body swap—their Ninpō was a reflection of themselves, it was unfitting and unnatural to use someone else’s, surely. He wasn’t even sure why he’d considered the option! 

(“Casey, when I get to the other side, you close that door–”

Staring upwards, shellshocked. 

Color and light and debris hurling as a portal snaps shut.)

Donnie’s breaths were shallow and perfectly measured, and he–

“Dee?” his own voice questioned, and Donnie blinked, clearing his throat and pushing himself to his feet. He was faced with his own questioning eyebrow arch. Man, that really did look great. What an occasion, to truly witness oneself from an external point of view. Fascinating!

“I’m good, I’m good, no concussion,” he affirmed. 

“You’re spacey,” Leo pointed out, arranging his stuff in med bay. Which was hilarious, considering he left a mess literally everywhere else. But med bay? Always stocked up and organized. 

...Well. Hm. Thinking about it... Leo’s room was... cleaner recently, too. Or perhaps that wasn’t the most precise of descriptors. More... neater. Far less clutter. 

Far less trinkets and colorful posters. Odd.

Anyway. Wow, Donnie’s face was expertly skeptical. 

Donnie rolled his eyes. Leo’s eyes. The eyes that were currently under his temporary ownership, responsibility and control. 

“Yeah, I was... thinking,” he said casually. 

“Uh, yeah, when aren’t you?” Leo joked, his lighthearted grin cracking over Donnie’s face. 

Donnie generously ignored that, because he had questions to dig out answers for. 

“Hey, you kinda used my Ninpō during that fight, right?” he started. 

“Sort of, I guess,” Leo shrugged, closing the cabinet and leaning on it relaxed to face Donnie.

“Did it hurt?” 

“No.”

And then. 

“Yeah, a little, now that I think about it,” Leo tapped his chin, casual, easy. No tells whatsoever. Donnie scrutinized him. Absolutely zero deviation from his regular mannerisms. Heck, he somehow made them sit comfortably even in Donnie’s body.

But. 

But Donnie had caught that. The immediate denial. He narrowed his eyes at his twin.

There were two options: 

Leo had not felt the pain, and it was specific to Donnie using Leo’s mystic ability; 

Or Leo had felt the pain, and his immediate reflex was to lie about it. 

Donnie had absolutely no clue which one was the truth. At his sides, he rubbed his fingers together, reflecting. 

It was sharp. Like a shock. But a... shock from a very tiny blade. But if a small blade could cover the entire surface of his hands. His fingertips and palms, gripping the katana’s hilt. 

“Did you?” Leo asked, approaching and reaching a hand to take Donnie’s current ones, probably to check them over. 

Ack. Welp, can’t really get out of this one. 

“Yes, a little,” Donnie said, offering his—Leo’s—hands for inspection. Oh, wait, this was a perfect opportunity! Leo was actually engaging the conversation instead of deflecting! “Does it usually–”

“‘Course not, imagine that,” Leo laughed, gently rubbing and prodding his fingers and palms. No pain. 

“...Huh, I... guess it must be from the switch,” 

“Oohh yeeaahh yeah yeah yeah!” Leo nodded, “Totally, you’re so right,” 

...Very weird to hear that from Donnie’s mouth, but, okay.

—

All things considered, dinner was pretty normal. Sure, Donnie’s body felt... weird, and their brothers kept getting them confused, prompting a quick mask switch. Donnie also took his goggles and arm brace. 

Seeing Leo’s blue bandana on his own face, and with no additional eyebrows, was incredibly... well. Donnie never quite understood the feeling of “uncanny valley”, but he was now getting a Bachelor's. Maybe he'd experienced something similar when seeing humans for the first time? But he’d been so young, it had been easy for his mind to adapt and roll with it. They're mutants and they engage with all manner of other sapient and non-sapient and of-questionable-sapience beings—he doesn't pick up on facial expressions on all of them equally. 

Not the point.

Point is, he was watching his body, with Leo’s cut mask and Leo’s mannerisms, across the table. But Leo appeared... unbothered, really. Behavior: standard. Which seemed to be putting everyone else at ease. 

Donnie wondered how he looked from the outside. He tried to imagine Leo’s body with his own posture and expressions, and it just felt... uncomfortable. They're twins, so a lot of their attitude often overlaps—to the point where their brothers call it creepy sometimes. But when it differs? It differs. Kind of like when Donnie messed with their brains and accidentally overdosed them with his personal brand of Neurodivergence™, but... in reverse. Mmmmkind of.

But! Right now, they were just eating pizza, with Mikey showing them videos of a new Youtube channel he got into. Uhh something about scrapbooking or journaling?? And Donnie actually felt quite hungry, so he was just... eating.

Everyone was just... sort of alright with the current situation. It's just a thing that is. Draxum will fix it. And if he doesn't, they'd find a way. Compared to the world ending due to an alien invasion, this seemed banal. 

“Hey hey hey, dudes, watch this,” Leo caught their attention, waving his hands and getting up. Then, with Donnie’s voice and way too accurately in Donnie’s style, he leaned back and crossed his arms, saying “Eugh, this pizza has cheese? That is way too much flavor for moi’s precious taste!” 

Oh so that's how it was going to be, huh? 

“That's not how you use moi,” Donnie said dryly. 

“That's not how you use moi,” Leo parroted, in Donnie’s voice, just as dry. With just a toooouchh of mockery in it, and their dual-trademark smirk. Raph and Mikey, the traitors, giggled and cackled.

Donnie leaned back, a hand to his plastron—Leo’s plastron—for The Drama™. 

“Well I, your lea-dur, say it isn't flavorful enough!” he stated with a swooping tone. “Put some kiwi on there! Throw in a couple marshmallows too, for good measure!” he declared, making their other two brothers laugh. 

“I prefer mine with radiation,” Leo said primly, sticking Donnie’s snout up, making Mikey chortle.

“Careful, it may mutate you,” Donnie warned kindly, trying to mimic Leo’s way of speech from memory, “And then you might actually gain a second brain cell,”

It... hm. Yes, they teased each other, yes, it was banter. Raph and Mikey wooped, they started placing bets, and Donnie and Leo did increasingly stupider impressions of each other, and it was fun.

But it didn’t... feel right. Now that Donnie was seeing everything through a new perspective—quite literally—Leo was acting... odd. Unusual, as in, outside of what Donnie grew used to being Leo. He was only noticing it now, when Leo’s face and his voice couldn’t deceive him that it’s still Leo, of course he’s acting like himself.

Leo didn’t escalate it. Not really. He didn’t go for the throat. He didn’t go Full Silly. His entire demeanor felt... dampened, which was really, really weird for their Always Full-Max Silly brother.

...Oooorrr Donnie was just being weirded out by watching his own face and body move externally and out of his control. 

— 

Donnie felt nausea upon going to bed, but that's alright. Stomach upset sounded like a reasonable side effect of being body swapped. The pizza sat heavy. 

His shoulder and shell were still cramping, too, even after he'd done some stretches. Eh. Not like he isn't used to some cramping or whatevs. 

It just... felt like he couldn't get comfortable in his bed. Maybe it was the hard carapace, he'd theorize, but it's not like he hasn't slept in his battle shell before which, sure, wasn't exactly snuggly, but he'd still been able to sleep. 

He tossed. He turned. His eyes—Leo’s eyes—felt a little buzzy, like the melodic hum of electricity all around, so it's not like he wasn't sleepy. And it felt like there was a... some sort of weight on his chest. He couldn't decide whether his blankets were too warm or not warm enough.

Donnie sighed, rubbing his face. Leo’s face. Weiiirddd. 

He turned on his side yet again, to check the time on his epic purple analog clock. 

00:23 p.m. 

Not even that late. And yet it felt like the night was stretching endless. A liminal space. He turned to lay on his plastron. Leo’s plastron. The weight there persisted. Hm. Hopefully Leo wasn't having lung issues. Just in case, Donnie inhaled. Long and deep, feeling the air pass through his nostrils. Until he felt his lungs stretch and strain. 

Nope. That felt like a pleasantly deep inhale. No whistling, no obstruction, nothing. 

Strange thing: Donnie’s room smelled like... him. It smelled like Donnie. Which... shouldn't be surprising. But usually you can't smell your own scent, due to being exposed to it constantly, and therefore being entirely desensitized. 

Donnie couldn't smell Leo’s, right now. Yet he could smell what he could only, logically, deduce was his own scent. Or at least that of his room.

Metals and plastics and other materials. Soldering. Ever so slightly—pen and marker ink. The bed sheets. Something specific he could not quite describe.

It... wasn't a bad smell, he was pleasantly surprised to note. He could see how this smell could be comforting, even. Familiar and homey and secure. He pulled the blanket a little tighter around himself, curling into himself. Yawned. Buried his face—Leo’s face—into his pillow. 

...

Simultaneously, the weight in his chest both loosened, just a little, and ached more. His shoulders—Leo’s shoulders—felt too wide, his thighs too thin, his back... weird. He curled his toes.

Donnie wondered if... there was something he needed. Something the body needed, that he just couldn't analyze and figure out. Water? Food? 

...No, no it didn't feel like any of those, even though he was not an expert on the matter. He’d practically just eaten, too. Maybe it was the ache in his shoulder and his shell that was off-putting? 

...You know what! There could be a simple, obvious solution to this. Donnie grabbed his phone. 

The smarter twin™: I can't sleep and I feel weird

The smarter twin™: Is there something I'm missing for your body

It was immediately seen.

Yapper boy™: lol

Yapper boy™: cmere

The smarter twin™: ???

Yapper boy™: youkl see

The smarter twin™: SIGH

Donnie sighed, for realz, rubbing his eyes. He hated it when–

...Hm. Well, actually. Thinking about it.

Leo hasn't really done the very annoying “not telling them the plan” that he used to do. Not since the Invasion. Only really for silly stuff. 

Huh.

You could say this situation was giving Donnie a new perspective, zing. He was really seeing the world through different eyes, ha! 

He grinned a little, wrapping the blanket around himself. Time to go tell these to Leo and then gloat how he had been the one to think of them first, because he is hilarious. 

Leo immediately opened his arms upon Donnie’s arrival, smirking, and huh.

Huh. 

The press of another’s body helped tremendously with that... weight. With the odd sensation of misplacement. Like everything slotted into place as easily as slotting into an embrace. Literally. 

This wasn't much like Donnie. Sure, it's not that he hated physical contact—was quite the fan of it, really, unless he was actively upset. Or if it was from somebody who wasn't his loved ones. He wondered what brought on this new craving. Leo’s body?

...Strange.

Leo never came to them to snuggle. 

Even though he was a huge cuddle-bug before. But not anymore, evidently.

Donnie, ever-so-discreetly, frowned at that. 

...When did that happen? 

—

When he woke up, the light pain in his right shoulder and that one crick at his shell—Leo’s shell—remained. 

Donnie grunted, rolling sort of on his side, sort of on his back, digging his heels into the mattress and rolling his shoulders. Pushed himself up, smacking his lips, blinking. Rubbed his eyes. Yawned.

Eugh, his breath was rancid. 

“Do you ever brush your teeth,” he muttered, jarred to hear his voice sounding so different. Right, right. Body swap. 

He was a little surprised to hear an off-tone chuckle, and he properly cracked his eyes open. Oh huh, Leo—in his body—was, in fact, still here. He looked to have been awake for a bit. He was scrolling on his phone, but clicked it off and put it to the side now. 

“It's a waste of time, I've got so much leadering to do,” Leo joked, also pushing himself up and stretching. 

Donnie rolled his shoulder, trying to rub it a little to see if that’d relieve the persistent ache. It didn't. He yawned again. 

Leo got up, snatching a hoodie to put on.

“My battle shell is–”

“I know, D,” Leo cut him off. “I’ll go get it in a mo. Your shell just feels weird bare,” he shuddered theatrically. “Like a lizard,” 

“Yeah, well, yours feels like a badly fitting box,” Donnie fired back. “Box boy,” 

Leo gasped. “My curves! You wound me,” he dramaticized himself out the room, and Donnie chuckled. 

That just left him. Still sitting in Leo’s bed, in Leo’s body.

He should get up. Right.

It just. Felt... like... mmm. Not fun? 

He... doesn't usually have this pause before getting up. Usually he's itching to get out of bed and get back to whatever ongoing project he has. 

He stared at Leo’s room, still sitting there on Leo’s bed. 

...Dang. Leo’s room... was cleaner. Hm, well, again, maybe not cleaner. 

...

Emptier. Where did his many posters go...? Now there were only two left. One of Lou Jitsu, and one of Jupiter Jim. 

...Welp, Donnie wasn't going to judge his brother’s turn to the light (tidiness)! 

Now he just had to get up. 

...Except... there was a new weight. Was it Leo’s shell? Was he not used to the weight of a natural, irremovable carapace? Weird. 

That didn't ring very plausible, because the weight wasn't at his back. It was... it was... 

Chest. Legs. Everywhere. Making it difficult to break the position he hunched over in the longer he remained in it, a vicious cycle. 

He just had to get up! Go and brush his teeth so his mouth didn't taste foul. Get water to drink. Coffee, perhaps breakfast, even though he did not feel that hungry. Maybe. He wasn't sure. There was just a prodding in his stomach. 

Ugh.

Thinking about it all made the weight worse. It felt like standing on that rooftop, looking up at the Technodrome. Raph lost. No plan, no direction, no hope. Nothing. And now, no Leo to turn around with a crazy idea that nonetheless inspired some desperate hope within. 

Just weight. Just... dread. Anticipatory exhaustion at the awaiting cardio. 

Why was he feeling like this?

In the end, Mikey called him for breakfast and that aided in kicking his buttocks out of bed. 

—

Donnie didn’t feel much like eating this morning, so, he wasn’t eating much. It wasn’t unusual for him. Mikey knew not to be hurt by it. Donnie was focusing on some fruit. 

Leo was eating normal as ever. He was smiley and fresh as ever. Which were strange observations. Not things you’d pay mind to. But Donnie was. He wasn’t sure why, but he was paying a little more attention to Leon after their switcheroo. 

Leo was hurt after the Invasion, but he’d bounced right back up. In fact, he’d bounced back up faster than any of them. In fact, he’d bettered himself.

Case in point, 

“So when’s Draxum coming by with his magic whatever-there?” Leo said, in Donnie’s voice, slurping on a smoothie. 

Readily asking for Draxum’s presence. Donnie would bet it was for his sake, not due to Leo having a sudden change of heart about the man. 

“A little later!” Mikey answered. “Why, is something bothering you??” 

“Nah, not really,” Leo shrugged. “I just want to go back to feeling happiness looking at the mirror,” he teased, and Donnie rolled his eyes. “Plus I’m sure D can’t be enthused about this,”

“Meh,” Donnie shrugged. “Honestly? It is not as abhorrent as you’d imagine,”

Leo looked at him, just for a second. Over too quickly for Donnie to pay proper attention to it and to then analyze it. 

“Wanna know whose body would be super cool to warp into?” Leo brought up. 

“Oh! Oh!” Mikey waved his hand up like he’s in a school classroom, grinning, “Lou Jitsu?”

“Lou Jitsu, babeeyyy!”

It was half an hour later that Donnie realized just how smoothly Leo had diverted the conversation. 

(And only later would it occur to him it might’ve been intentional.)

That half an hour later just so happened to include Donnie’s alarm blaring.

“Oohh, a crime,” he stated, checking the info to rattle off the relevant code. 

“Alright team, let's roll!” Leo exclaimed easily, his energy immediately bouncing off the rest of the team, everyone going off to grab their weapons. 

...Wait. 

Their... weapons, oh, boy, uh, well Donnie had leagues more experience with a bō, buuut they never tested if they can access their own Ninpō like this, ah, dang–

That question was quickly answered by Leo skidding to his lab. 

“Dude, you would not believe this–”

“You can't access your Ninpō? Yes, me neither,” Donnie agreed, already holding his bō out for Leo to take. “You know how to use it?” 

“...Well if I don't, I'm about to learn real quick,” Leo was grinning with his face, “Portal us in, leader in purple!” he tossed his katanas to Donnie, and Donnie scrambled to catch them by the hilts and not roughly in the middle i.e. where he would catch a bō staff. 

Hoo boy was this about to be an experience. 

At least like this Donnie needn’t relay the location information to his portal-able brother, because now he was the portal-able brother. 

Now all he had to do was make a portal. A proper one, with concentration. 

And with that same shock-burn to his hands. 

Hhhngh. Well! At least getting lightly (or medium-level) electrocuted wasn't a new experience for him! Honestly, Donnie wasn't sure why it was so hhhngh to him. It should be familiar as anything. 

Perhaps he was overthinking it. Classic. But judging by his scanners, they had to get to the scene now. 

So as Mikey and Raph joined in on their huddle, Donnie sucked in a breath and slashed the swords through the air in one of the ways he's seen Leo do. 

“No, you gotta put more juice into it,” Leo commented oh so helpfully upon the nothing that took place. 

“Ah, thank you, such constructive critique,” Donnie deadpanned, hands gripping the hilts. Ugh. He'd already struggled with one set of mystic powers, now he had to figure out another?! 

...Hmm, y'know, that might be a good idea. Donnie thought back to his own arduous mystic journey. 

He never quite managed to get the hang of “just do it”. It didn't come naturally to him, not in the same way it appeared to with his brothers. 

But Donnie focused on the same feeling that helped get his Ninpō thrumming. Acknowledging the facts: that this was something he could do for his family, to help them, to boost them, and he liked helping and boosting them. Even now it pushed this not-unpleasant tightness at his chest that made him want to shake his hands and chuckle a bit. 

In the same rhythm, a glow crawled up the blades. 

“Oh, uh, also you gotta think about exactly where you wanna go,” Leo mentioned, and now that was actually useful guidance. “And where you are and the distance between the two. And, y'know, the size of the hole you're shredding. Ooh, and also the angle and where it's facing, and–” 

“Jeez, do you seriously think about all that when making portals?” Mikey was staring at their– well, their current soft-shelled brother, which, huh. Good point. Now they were all looking at Leo, who shrugged, nonchalant as ever.

“Donnie, portal,” Leo snapped his fingers, and right! Right, crime! 

(Another diversion Donnie only caught later, when he thought back to it.) 

“Right!” he slashed the blades through the air, and then once more with the crackle of mystic energy and–

Donnie yelped as the electricity-like pain bit down on his hands, immediately dropping the swords to the ground. Gah! It was worse the second time around! 

Leo snorted and clapped his back, hopping into the portal that hung before them. And he did need to hop, it wasn't particularly large, oh boy, Donnie sure hoped Raph would be able to fit through.

[httpvomitello]

Hiii I'm 🫐 anon and I have loved your works!! You write so well ^^, if you're up for it ...

Could I request Leo and Donnie hcs (if not both than just leo) for if their autistic s/o finally unmasks in front of them by stimming (spec. Waving their hands up and down) when they see them, and when the turtle(s) see it, they ask what it's about and s/o explains that they were really happy to see them, and just couldn't contain their excitement, and the turtle(s) are happy to see their s/o so happy to see them?

If not please don't worry!! I hope you're feeling great and are taking care of yourself!

Hello, hello! Thank so much for liking what i do. And I hope I wrote it correctly, the way you wanted! Anyways, i hope you like it ~ ♡♡♡♡

Stimming Out of Excitement *⁠.⁠✧

Leo’s the kind of guy who notices everything about you, even the little quirks you try to keep under wraps

He’s super observant, especially when it comes to the people he cares about

So, the first time you see him and your hands immediately start flapping up and down with pure, unfiltered joy, he’s caught a little off guard

“Whoa, that’s new,” he says, tilting his head with a curious smile. “What’s up, superstar? What’s the hand thing?”

You freeze for a second, unsure of how he’ll take it, but his easygoing demeanor puts you at ease

You explain that you’re just really happy to see him, and sometimes the excitement is too much to keep inside, so it comes out as stimming

Leo’s grin widens as he steps closer. “Wait, so this is because of me? You’re that excited to see me?” His tone is teasing but warm, and you can tell he’s genuinely touched

He doesn’t hesitate to encourage you. “That’s awesome! I love it. If I make you this happy, I must be doing something right.”

From that point on, Leo actively looks for your happy stims. He’ll do silly things just to see you wave your hands like that again

“Ah, there it is! My favorite hand wave!” he’ll say, clapping his hands together

He makes it clear that he adores seeing you unmask and be your authentic self.

Donnie might be the brains of the group, but when it comes to emotional stuff, he’s not always the quickest to catch on

So when you greet him with excited hand flapping, his first reaction is pure analysis

“Interesting... a sudden burst of kinetic energy. What’s the stimulus?” he asks, adjusting his battle shell like he’s about to run a scientific study

When you shyly explain that it’s a happy stim because you’re so excited to see him, Donnie’s eyes widen behind his goggles. “You’re stimming… because of me?”

He’s quiet for a moment, processing the information, but you can see the faintest smile tugging at his lips

“Fascinating,” he murmurs, before clearing his throat. “I mean, it’s... endearing. Quite endearing, actually.”

Donnie is thrilled by the idea that he brings you so much joy, even if he doesn’t always know how to express it

He’ll even try to incorporate it into his interactions with you. “If my calculations are correct, you’ll be very pleased with this,” he says, handing you a new gadget or a favorite snack, watching intently for your reaction

When you start stimming again, Donnie feels a quiet sense of pride

Ah, success,” he’ll say, making a mental note of what made you happy.

[jadethebluereblogs]

Ooooooh thank you for the tag ^^ this looks so fun

I haven’t really found anyone I super kin yet and apparently I dont come across on here like I do irl so idk how accurate this will seem hahaha

@strawberrysaucereblogs @poetique823 @truths33k3r4 and anyone else who wants to join ^^

Not me having some kinda type... Who shall I tag? I think I wanna tagggggg... @mybugsmybugsmybugs @mexicangela @lunar-years @biscuitboxpink but no pressure!! I just thought it would be fun!

[personne-reblogs]

AUTISTIC SWEEP

The shouts of the crowd are fading into white noise. 

The curtains are closing. 

The lights are dimming. 

The air still feels filled with static, though. 

This is a fight Donatello had known he couldn’t win, logically. The competition had been all fun and games, but this challenger was another story. No amount of support or hype could make up for such a gap; the bone deep certainty didn’t leave room for hard feelings. 

Struggling to catch his breath, battle shell against the wall, Donatello looks up from where he’s been getting some rest - not passed out rest, mind you. More like a beauty nap.

He lets out a genuine chuckle. 

Shigeo Kageyama is simply standing there, as he has been for most of the fight. 

“Sweet Marie Curie,” he puffs, keeping his voice level. The roar of the crowd hasn’t entirely died down, but he knows he is heard. “You don’t even have a scratch.”

The one they call Mob is giving him a stare. He still seems a little out of it. 

“You fought well,” he states calmly, and Donnie giggles. 

“Oh, please. I’ve been losing tournaments at home for as long as I can remember. You don’t need to feel sorry for me.”

At that, Mob flashes a grin. “I’m not sorry,” he says bluntly, coming over in lazy steps. “But it hasn’t been easy, either.”

He sits down, legs stretched out in front of him, and Donnie can now see that his breathing is a little heavy. He feels himself get cocky. 

“Well, I wasn’t about to just let you win. If I had to go down, might as well give ‘em a show, right?”

Mob sends him a sideway glance. “You really are all about dramatics.”

“What can I say?” Donnie sighs theatrically, proving his point. “This whole competition is about being swag. I could hardly disappoint.” 

“I don’t think you could," his opponent utters. “You’re very expressive.”

Donnie raises a perfectly drawn eyebrow. This is something he hasn’t often been told. He looks over to Mob, and the tension in the boy’s shoulders makes him hum in thought. 

“I don’t know who’s next, but you are going to crush them,” he provides. When Mob gives him a nonplussed glance, he goes on. “And even if you don’t, it’s still the last one. How good does that sound?”

“... it has been getting a bit much, to be honest.”

“Yeah, this is wild,” Donnie agrees. “Anyway, what are you gonna do with your trophy once you get it?”

Mob’s smile is a little shy, but he seems happy with the distraction. “I don’t know, actually. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten one. What would you do?”

“Well, you see, there was this one time I won the Lair Games…”

--------------------------

In the next room, a very proud sensei and three worried brothers are getting impatient. 

The student and the sibling don’t seem to care at the moment. 

The crowd is gone. 

The curtains are closed. 

The lights are off. 

For now, making small talk with a former rival is just enough.

--------------------------

EDIT: there is now a sequel!

YOOO IT'S BEEN SUCH A WILD RIDE

Disclaimer: I have never read/watched mp100 and I deeply apologize for making him probably very ooc. Just wanted to celebrate this beast of a match in my own way, which is wishing I could draw and deciding to heave words on a doc instead lol

CONGRATS ON MOB!! The final match between mp100 and undertale is gonna be soooo funny but I think Mob's gonna win this thing like it's nothing tbh (he has my vote at least)

@autismswagsummit thank you for reblogging all that Donnie propaganda, I genuinely think he never would've made it this far without the signal boost!

All my thanks to the Rise fandom for these past few days! You guys have made such powerful content and there's been so much hype I'm shocked. SHOCKED I TELL YOU

[torturedblue]

Part 2 of endless Disaster Twin parallels, the not so fun version

Part 1, the fun version

Considering the series shows Donnie coming off as autistic, he’s portrayed that way much more in fan art and fanfics, etc. We often see it in fan portrayals through an aversion to touch or his senses getting overwhelmed, etc. In the show I noticed Leo actually has a consistent aversion to anything with a gross texture too: like in the first episode when they’re all sliding down Draxum’s vines and he’s tripping over himself, the only one bothered by them “I hate this!”

He also starts flailing in a panic after a worm jumps on his face (and do I even need to bring up how the texture of worms ain’t all that enjoyable let alone on your face), recoils when that evil Hidden City massage guy pours hair serum all over his head, and he’s the most visibly repulsed when Raph gets trash all over them in the beginning of Battle Nexus: New York. So on multiple occasions he comes off as pretty texture or germ averse as well

Both also have insecurity issues about their role to the team: “If mystics can do everything I can but better then why would you guys even need me?” “I’m nothing without them!”

Ironically, in Many Unhappy Returns, Splinter thinks Leo doesn’t know what he’s doing and isn’t taking the mission seriously, saying he should’ve brought Purple. But in the same episode during fights with Shredder Donnie’s seen texting on his phone half of the time. Which is also very parallel to Leo making quips in the beginning instead of helping fight like Donnie and the others

In that same fashion, Donnie’s also goofiest when everyone’s acting serious in Insane in the Mama Train, while Leo’s the unserious one in the following episodes. Another role reversal from their norm

The show also portrays these two as feeling the most affected by Splinter’s history of emotionally distant parenting. Donnie constantly talks about his unmet need for parent-aged-adult approval/validation, and Leo shows his struggle in a more Leo-like way, constantly finding father figure connections in other people like Jupiter Jim and The Dunk. He also rejects/roasts Splinter a lot too, which seems more like a form of overcompensation; acting like he doesn’t totally need or crave Splinter’s attention. The exact opposite of Donnie’s methods. “No! I’m not going back to what’s-his-rat.”

“He’s my all-time favorite actor/role model/father figure!”

“That eccentric billionaire, who was kind of a surrogate father figure to me, has shown me a version of myself I don’t like.”

Leo acts like he doesn’t pine for his affection. I’m sure he sees the way Donnie openly, desperately goes after it when it’s offered and then gets crushed even harder with disappointment (ahem Turtle-dega Nights). No way Leo’s opening himself up to that. I mean come on how sad is the moment when Splinter says they should do something together and Mikey is so eager to jump on the opportunity before it gets taken away, only for Donnie to have to pull him aside and remind him it’s usually some kind of trick or he’s likely possessed? Just for Mikey to immediately respond, “You’re right, I always fall for this!” Ouch. Honestly considering Mikey’s empathy and emotional maturity in mind, the reason both he and Raph seem to handle Splinter’s lack of attention so well is probably also because in addition Raph became a second parent himself, and taking on that role like Splinter, he knows from his own experience that even though their dad doesn’t show it in the ways they wish he would, of course he loves them and what he does do to take care of them as a parent proves that

I think the parallels and direct contrasts between how Leo and Donnie show their dissatisfaction in their relationship with Splinter is probably the most developed and interesting one to me 💔

I mean Leo’s the only one who would actually say something like this to Splinter and you can’t tell me there’s not some deep-seated resentment in the way he looks and the way he says it…

So yeah. There’s the sad edition of Disaster Twins parallels. Let’s all cry together 😃