#but also how affectionate raph is when it comes to his family

[sweeneydino]

WOH!Raph sheet

Why tf was he so hard to do like jesus-

[rottmnt-residuum]

Hi, I've read the Residuum comic, and I think the characterization of the boys is really good. I was wondering if you have any tips on how to write them? Especially Mikey, please.

I'd actually recommend re-watching the show with one character in mind. All my notes on the turtles come from doing separate re-watches for each of them. The key is to ONLY watch the character you are focusing on.

In the end, you'll probably be happier with your own personal interpretation. As we are with ours lol

TL;DR

Massive post under the cut

To preface: we'll be contrasting (this Mikey) against the fandoms version of Mikey, as our interpretation is very different. Don't worry if you prefer the fandom version, there's nothing… wrong per se with writing him this way. We just find him flat and uninteresting. (Main author: not me, I just hate him, lol).

Every reader or fan comes into a story with their own biases and experiences. A ton of our view of Mikey is based on how our siblings acted. We see Mikey as the young sibling that got preferential treatment from the whole family, simply due to being the youngest, but is now aging out of the privilege. Which all youngest siblings do at some point or another.

The fandoms version of Mikey is empathetic, naive, vulnerable, co-dependent and quite often a door mat who cries at the drop of a hat. And as much as the fandom like to say that people love him… when this particular character archetype is in other media, they seem to attract the most criticism. Mable pines, Bolin from Korra, people rag on Aang all the fucking time, and Steven Universe is a whole other bag. These characters don't deserve it, and yet it happens anyway.

To flatten Mikey to simply 'the baby' is a disservice. We don't see or write Mikey as the fandom “baby” version (cinnamon roll uwu). Part of this comes from having multiple siblings, so we interpret the times when Mikey does the puppy dog eyes as typical younger sibling bullshit, mostly by the way that the other turtles rarely react to it, if at all.

The other turtles traits can also get projected onto Mikey. Mikey being the fandom therapist is in the same category as this. He isn't a therapist, he's a psychology nerd who likes to psychoanalyze people and meddle in their relationships. (Donnie and Shelldons relationship, Splinter and Draxums...) he's not trying to resolve your emotional issues. Of the turtles, the character that cares the most about people's feelings is Raph. And Leo is more of a consoler than Mikey ever is. It flattens all the turtle's characterizations when you start doing this because you are ripping out parts that are integral to another characters' complexity.

Co-author has told me that they've seen people become confused when going into the show after only reading fan fiction or coming from the movie. They see his characterization as inconsistent and become upset when their view of him is contradicted. This also happens when a fandomized version of him becomes the primary characterization that they use. Sometimes when this disconnect happens (or if they just don't like the character), Mikey characterization is swung in the complete opposite direction.

They make him manipulative and abusive, or someone who is hyper violent and avoids being held accountable for anything. This is an uncharitable interpretation of him and can come off as pretty racist depending on the circumstances. (like if someone considers the turtles black or not)

Every version of Mikey is a shithead (affectionate), even this one. Especially this one, really. When Mikey not doing the "baby schtick" hes mean. If you pay attention to what he's saying, and just not his tone of voice, he's consistently saying pretty mean or condescending stuff. (You could take this as simply naïveté, but he still says mean shit pretty often regardless)

The times he does say genuinely nice stuff the turtles don't exactly expect it from him, at least, in the early season. And while he is mean, and seems to find saying mean things to be funny, Mikey isn't cruel. Nor will he ever be.

This shit-headery behavior is found in both 2003 and 18 Mikey. They have a degree of social intelligence that lets them use it to annoy people into doing what they want. 18 just has the advantage of being baby faced and having better tonal control. He's good at using people's perception of him to get what he wants.

Let Mikey have his problematic traits, but don't overexaggerate them. He doesn't revel in fooling people. He loves doing character bits, and the baby faced one just happens to be one of them. However, to infantilize or to deem him incompetent is to piss him off, he wants to be viewed as a competent part of the team and competent as an individual. He's not insecure about being young, he just doesn't want to be treated like he can't do anything.

Mikey above all is an optimistic character, he sees the brighter side quite often and is conscious of the harm his actions have on people. Mostly after the fact, but he consistently attempts to rectify the harm he has personally done to peoples lives. (Todd, Bullhop, Draxum). Food and shelter seems to be a thing that he considers to be a right. He doesn't cross a boundary twice once he learns of it, and he never pushes people too far (if he likes you, that is. if he doesn't know you or doesn't like you, he doesn't give a singular shit. But that is standard to most people.). He doesn't care about people's stuff, though. He breaks things all the time.

Mikey understands boundaries, but he doesn't automatically recognize them. He needs them to verbalized or for there to be a very obvious reaction to the boundary being crossed (unfortunately, for Todd and Donnie). Sometimes people mess up (esp. younger people), and it can take a while for teens to learn where boundary is, but he fully respects the boundaries he does know about. He doesn't act petulant when he's told about boundary, he apologizes, accepts it, and moves on. He doesn't dwell.

Mikey doesn't hold on to distressing emotions. He bounces between emotions quickly, but isn't effected in the long run. One thing Iv'e seen people often conflate is the difference between sensitive and vulnerable. Mikey is sensitive, but I have never seen him vulnerable to others. To be sensitive is to be easily influenced by the current situation. To be vulnerable is to hold that influence for a long time. Characters can have one, both, or neither of these traits. But Mikey is not vulnerable. It is the difference between compressing memory foam and a piece of metal until they deform. One will pop back, the other does not.

Those who are vulnerable but not sensitive will take longer to effect, but once you do, they will hold on to that emotion for a very long time. The vulnerable, are grudge holders. (leo). But like I've said, Mikey bounces back. What a character does has an effect on his emotions, but it doesn't make a lasting impression.

Forgiveness is another thing people like to push on him. It is not that Mikey forgives people easily, it's just that he doesn't hold grudges. He neither forgives nor forgets, but he does not ruminate. He's generally affable, first impressions seem to be a big part of how he views people. He is idealistic, and doesn't assume people are unchanging and/or evil, but he's not a mark.

Mikey isn't so much as naive or overly trusting… it's just that he's inexperienced. He doesn't get fooled by anyone in the series except meat sweats, and that's because Meatsweats is on Todd drugs. Mikey just didn't notice when he started faking. He's not… actually all that aware of people's emotional states, passively. He has to tune in to notice things like that.

Mikey isn't someone who really tries to regulate others emotions, either. The fandom like to make Mikey afraid of his brothers fighting and others being upset, but Mikey doesn't actually care. The most distressed we ever see him in a fight is in the movie, and he's not SCARED, he's just concerned (and then alarmed once it turned physical). If anything, outside extenuating circumstances (like the movie), Mikey actually seems to find their fights annoying.

(Mikey actually seems to have a pretty short fuse, but his bounciness doesn't really let it linger very long, lmao)

(One pet peeve of fandom Mikey is the constant crying, crying at fights, crying at insults, crying for no reason all the time. Sure, he tears up when he gets emotional, but when Mikey is genuinely crying It's when he's desperate, like when he's hungry, or when he's trying to save Leo from certain doom. Same thing, really.)

Mikey respects no one (we love him for this). He admires people, he admires his family: April, the turtles, his dad, Lou Jitsu. He admires Rupert Swaggert, but he respects none of them. No one is sacrosanct to the Mikey.

Above all, the way we write characters is to give them a past that informs how they act now. We view Mikey and the other turtles as teenagers that were kids, and that will be adults. Yes they all have “problematic” traits, but 1) good characters need flaws, and controversial traits are one of the best to use, and 2) they're teenagers, don't expect adult behaviors from them, also don't expect them to be kids. They're minors, not toddlers.

This is getting as long enough as it is, so we'll stop here, but this is a very broad overview of how we characterize him. There's a lot we didn't cover here, but if we even started on hobbies, or the real minutia of his quirks and ticks, or even how he feels about other specific characters... we'd be here all day. So I hope this is good enough lol

If there was something you wanted to know in particular, you'll need to get specific. Feel free to ask again ahahh

[xtreklx]

Nicknames ~ Ninja Turtles x reader

Headcanon: bayverse Turtles x reader

Word count: 1.5k

Warnings: SFW, fluff, slightly mature themes (rated 17+, see my masterlist for disclaimer)

A/N: some silly headcanons I thought up about what nicknames the turtles would use for their partners. lemme know ur thoughts 🤭 enjoy!!!

__________

~ Leonardo ~

imo Leo is not suuuuper into nicknames, but he will use some. just nothing too over-the-top for this turtle in blue

he's not a huge PDA guy in general, but he knows that you think it's super cute when he's affectionate

so using a sweet nickname for you is one of the ways in which he is publicly affectionate

his favorite name to call you is "princess" because let's be real, this man is 100% treating you as such

"hey Lee, could you do ___ for me?" "anything for you, princess."

but he will also call you things like: love, beautiful, gorgeous, etc.

because he always wants you to know how much he cherishes and loves you

examples are as follows:

"hey beautiful, how did work go today?"

"are you hungry, gorgeous?"

"I'm gonna go meditate, love. would you like to join?"

just as he cares for his brothers in an almost parental way, he's very nurturing and attentive with you

and he definitely tends to talk to you with a soft voice because you're his delicate and precious flower and he just wants to protect you alwayssssss🥹

you tend to refer to him by his full name, "Leo", or just "Lee"

but he LOVES when you call him handsome, so that's definitely your go-to

it makes him feel like he's the only man on your mind, which is 100% the case, but he loves the reassurance

you'll also use "love" back at him, or "honey", or "babe".

ever the romantic, one of his guilty pleasures is when you answer the phone, greet him, or wake up next to him with a "hey, stranger"

that has his heart fluttering and his face flushing every time he hears it

all in all, he's not a super showy guy, but will take such good care of you and do whatever you need to make you feel loved, and you just want to do the same for him

~ Raphael ~

okay this man is big into nicknames, and I know this is a fact so I am not taking criticism at this time!!!! like, tell me I'm wrong. you can't!!!!

he has a bank of nicknames for you that he uses to come off as cool, flirty, and witty

trustttttt that these are what he uses in public to show his relationship off to his family and friends

he definitely used these nicknames w you before you two started dating as a way to flirt or pick on you (🤭)

because he'll be using these nicknames if he's being sarcastic or facetious

^and these nicknames are: dollface, shorty, tiger, and sweetheart (again I am not taking criticism at this time! I am simply spitting facts)

examples:

if he's training you in the dojo: "you got yer work cut out for ya, shorty." 

every time he greets you (or after a hello kiss): "hey there, dollface."

if he sees that you are getting annoyed: "woooah, easy there, tiger."

if you're starting to get on his nerves: "aight, listen here, sweetheart--"

HOWEVER, in more intimate moments with this guy, he can be a lot more tender, and you'll catch him using names like: baby, doll, or babygirl

"baby, if I ever lost ya, I don't know what I'd do." 

"thanks for listenin', doll."

"come lay with me, babygirl."

at the end of the day, you are the light in the darkness for him, and he is going to make it known to you

as for how you refer to him, you tend to go with either more complimentary nicknames ("big guy" or "big boy", "hot stuff" or "hot shot", etc.) or more jokey nicknames ("hothead", "meanie", or "Raphie")

but secretly, Raph's guilty pleasure is the sound of your voice as you say his name (😉), because it's just a constant reminder that you are his person, a dream come true

and you are aware of this fact, so you like to use it to your advantage

if he's in the middle of something and you need his attention, you know that saying "Raphael," in a low voice and beckoning him with your finger is going to have him dropping everything and sprinting to you

he may act all big and mean, but deep down he's a huge simp <3

~ Donatello ~

like his oldest brother, Donatello is not huge into nicknames

I would argue that Donnie is probably the least likely to use a nickname with his partner

I think this is because tbh you are the most special person in the world to him, so your name is already his most favorite word on the planet!

what better way to describe his special person than with the most special word?

just like he does with his brothers, he's going to repeat your name over and over again when he wants to show you something, but you find it much more endearing than annoying

when he does use a nickname with you, it will be something short and sweet, like honey or darling or sunshine ✨(edit: OHMYGOD U GUYS I forgot abt dove!!! this is something he 100% uses. too cute!!!)

examples:

"hey honey, I fixed your computer screen for you!"

"just five more minutes, dove, I promise"

"do you think I'm a geek?" "no, but I think you're a dork." "thank you, darling."

"I love when you keep me company, sunshine. as the name suggests, you brighten my days!"

he repeats the last one all the time, but even though it's cheesy, it makes you giggle every time

if you're ever feeling especially down, he'll softly sing the "you are my sunshine" song to comfort you and make you smile. it never fails, and his voice isn't that bad!

similarly, you don't have a ton of nicknames for him either, but you will use honey back to him

and you'll call him "cutie" because you know it will make him flush immediately

ESPECIALLY around his brothers. if they hear you call Donnie a cutie, they will tease him about it to no end

he gets all flustered and acts annoyed, but he secretly loves the nickname. 

like Raph, Donnie loves to hear you say his name. it fills him with a sense of pride, knowing that you're his partner in crime. or, as he likes to phrase it, partner in science😎

he will never tell you, but one of his guilty pleasures is when you sternly say "Donatello," as you scold him for working too hard

after you've finished scolding him, he'll let the smile break out on his face and pull you in for a big hug

you always do your best to take care of him and show him how much you love him, so he'll always try to do the same for you

~ Michelangelo ~

as we all know, Michelangelo is BIG into nicknames. definitely the most likely of the turtles to use nicknames with his partner. this is definitely an inarguable fact

he has probably called you every name under the sun; every name that his brain can come up with

his most-used are definitely: sweet cheeks, angel cakes (of course!!!), babygirl, little mama, and babe

but he will also use things like: honey bun, sugar, hot stuff, angel face, love bug, cutie patootie, ohmygod the list goes on and on. 

it's almost like a game he plays with himself, attempting to fit a new nickname for you into each sentence

examples:

on the phone with you: "are you coming down to the lair today, angel cakes? ... wellllllllll, do you think you could bring some pizza with you, little mama? extra cheese? ... pleeeeEEEAaaaSE my gorgeous sugar-bear honey-bun sweetie-pie?"

his brothers, overhearing him on the phone: "SHUT UP, MIKEY!!" 

you watching him break dance: "see my sick moves, sweet cheeks? this skill is all for you, baby girl!"

him being needy: "babe, can you just come to bed? come be my little love bug! I'll give you a massage?"

he may annoy his brothers but he could never annoy you, and you always gave into his sweetness

you were not quite as creative with nicknames as he was, but you still have a few up your sleeve

like his two oldest brothers, Mikey loved when you called him "handsome" or "big guy/boy". it makes him feel like a badass being called those things by his beautiful, attractive partner

"are you gonna walk me home, handsome?" "you really think you can beat me in mario kart? you're on, big boy." ohmygoooood, he's weak in the knees!!!!

you'll also refer to him as "babe" or "baby" on the regular, the second of which his brothers also tease him for

"awe, little Mikey's just a baby. ain't that cute?" Raph always comments, laughing with Leo in the corner

but Mikey didn't give a rat's ass (sorry Splinter). he loves showing off your relationship and bragging about you, especially to his friends and family.

you are easily the greatest thing to ever happen to him. and not only that, but you are a total babe! he scored big time.

[imagionationstation]

APPRECIATE THIS WITH ME

Massive glowy ray spiraling towards them. They are seconds from death and that adrenalized fear kicks in instantly.

Donnie’s big brain recalls his previous thievery and darts for his brothers. There’s no time for a run down of his plan. He’s just hoping to keep them all together so that no one is left behind in this last-ditch effort to not die.

His older brothers have no idea why Donnie just tackled them to the ground. Their brains are still in panic mode and they aren’t noticing the fact that he’s messing with a doohickey, caught up in their impending doom.

Yet, both hands instinctively rise in an action that is more subconscious than conscious.

Then they come to the same conclusion. Little brother must be scared out of his mind and is clinging onto them in his last moments.

So they both cling back, pulling him closer to them (and in turn making their little huddle shrink down) and dragging him deeper into the impromptu hug. Their hands latch onto his shoulders (which is often done when they are attempting to comfort or ground each other) and Leo’s hand locks around his wrist with Raph’s hand wrapped around Donnie’s.

All of their eyes close as they focus on this piece of the moment instead of the ray or their fear, taking in the hug that’s likely their last.

They appear in the ship. There’s a better close-up of their huddle, with Leo and Donnie holding tightly to their brothers, eyes squeezed shut in preparation, and Raph seeming more relax, as if he accepts what’s coming.

Even after they realize that they are no longer in the immediate danger, they continue clinging to their young brother as they slowly adapt to the lack of it.

Even after Raph lets go to scold Donnie, Leo continues to cling, even leaning closer to Donnie when his little brother ducks down in fear, subconsciously trying to offer comfort as he finally processes their surroundings.

Raph yelling at/going to punch his little brother after a tight, loving hug is such a Raph thing to do. He is no longer accepting of death. He knows only violence and angy.

Okay, but also a little later, both brothers are crouched protectively- Donnie hasn’t yet moved. Leo and Raph pull back to get in battle positions; Leo’s left hand loose to pull out a katana; Raph’s right hand clenched into a fist, ready to bounce to their feet if one of the alien dares approach to take their other little brother.

There’s so much to love about the small details/moments of this show. I don’t care how lovey-dovey other iterations may be, no one can convince me that they aren’t a loving, affectionate family.

[httpvomitello]

Hello author, can you make a tmnt from the bayverse having a mother, that is, literally Splinter's wife? How would they be with a mother in their life?

Ooh, i think it would be really sweet. I hope you like it! ♡♡♡♡

Leonardo

Leo would have a deep respect for you, not just because you’re his mother, but because he sees you as a true figure of wisdom and grace

In his eyes, you are the glue that holds the family together

The calming presence that balances out Splinter’s strict teachings

Whenever he struggles with the burden of protecting his brothers, he’ll come to you for guidance

You’ve always had a way of helping him see things clearly, reassuring him when his self-doubt creeps in

He might not always show it, but your opinion means more to him than anyone else’s

After a long, stressful day, Leo often finds peace in just sitting with you in silence

The moments of having tea together are his favorite

Even though you can take care of yourself, he can’t shake the fear of something happening to you

The thought of losing you is his worst nightmare, so he’s always on high alert

If there’s ever a threat, Leo’s the first to step in, making it clear that no one messes with his mother

You’d also be the one person who can talk him down when he’s too hard on himself

Leo tends to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders, but with you, he allows himself to let go of that burden.

Raphael

Raph has always had a tough exterior, but when it comes to you, he’s got the softest heart

You’re one of the few people who can break through that hard shell of his

If anyone so much as looks at you the wrong way, Raph’s ready to throw down

Growing up, Raph would always try to be the strong one

But you were the only person who saw through his tough guy act

You’ve always known how sensitive he really is underneath it all, and that makes your bond with him even stronger

He never has to pretend to be someone else around you

You’re his safe space, the person he can be vulnerable with

When he’s angry, you’re the only one who can calm him down

He hates seeing you worried or upset, so he’ll try his best to keep it together for your sake, even if it’s hard for him

Raph might not say it out loud, but he’s got a major soft spot for you

When he’s having a bad day, he’ll find you and just sit with you, not needing to say anything

Your presence is enough to help him feel grounded

Sometimes, he’ll even come to you in the middle of the night when he can’t sleep, and you’ll talk him through whatever’s on his mind.

Donatello

Donnie has a deep appreciation for you, not just as his mother, but as someone who always supports his curious mind

You’re the person who’s encouraged him to explore and embrace his intelligence

Even when others didn’t always understand his inventions

Growing up, you’d be the one who brought him snacks and reminded him to take breaks when he’d get too lost in his work

He loves talking to you about his latest projects, explaining all the details (even when you might not fully get all the tech talk)

You never make him feel like his ideas are too complicated or out there

You’ve always been his biggest fan

When Donnie’s working on something special, you’re the first person he shows it to

Seeing you proud of him is one of the best feelings in the world

Donnie’s way of showing affection is by creating things for you

Your happiness is important to him, and he’ll use every skill he has to ensure you’re comfortable and safe

He’s also the one who will secretly monitor your well-being, using his tech to make sure you’re safe at all times

He will never admit it, though.

Michelangelo

Mikey is the one who’s most outwardly affectionate with you

You’re his mom, his source of unconditional love, and he thrives off your warmth and attention

He’s always calling you “Momma” and trying to make you laugh, whether it’s with a joke, a silly face, or just by being his usual goofy self

To Mikey, you’re his comfort

He’s the one who will curl up next to you after a long day of fighting bad guys, resting his head on your shoulder and telling you about his day

If he’s ever feeling down or frustrated, he goes straight to you, knowing you’ll cheer him up

He loves the way you always seem to know exactly what to say to make him feel better

He’ll constantly bring you little gifts or drawings, just as a way to show you how much he loves you

Mikey’s all about making you feel appreciated

He’s also the first one to tell you how much he loves you, blurting it out randomly throughout the day

“Hey, Momma, I love you!” You’ll never have to question how much you mean to him

In terms of protection, Mikey can get surprisingly serious

While he’s usually the laid-back, fun-loving brother, when it comes to you, he doesn’t play around

If you’re in danger, Mikey will switch gears immediately, ready to defend you with everything he’s got.

[ziipzeepzop-eez]

if you still do them, is it okay you do like one shots with ROTTMNT boys and a little sibling reader?

but here’s the thing, the reader is a little pink gecko with yellow spots, they’re around 10 or 9 years old and can run just as fast as sonic the hedgehog and basically have the energy of a golden retriever, they’re like a tiny dragon and it’s adorable yet SO. FREAKING. EXHAUSTING!!

❝ pink bubbles and banana laffy taffy!! ❞

₊˚꒰🥞꒱‧ — 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐱 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠!𝐠𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐨!𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

｡˚ 𓂋 🍋﹒✦﹒✿ ˚

❝l ɑׁׅ֮/ꪀׁׅ : okay i had to squeeze this one out because OHMIGOSH it is SO. CUTE!!!! i literally got soso excited when i read this because how did you know i'm legitimately obsessed with geckos?! 😭 i literally downloaded picsart to make that collage and wrote this in the span of a day or two because i got so excited aausghshdh !! fluffybun24, fluffy, darlin'. grips your shoulders and brushes your cheek tenderly. thank you. also, i'm just now realizing you asked for one shots after the fact ajsjjhd I AM SO SORRY I DIDN'T REALIZE UNTIL AFTER RE-READING IT after writing this whole thing out XD DX but foremost, i must tell you that i mostly do my fandom writing in headcanon/reaction formats !! :(( one shot(s) aren't really my forte . . . albeit, i do hope this is just as good !! o7

(honorable mention: @agentturtlecupcake *HARSHLY NUDGES YOU* HEY. HEY LOOK. LOOKLOOKLOOOKLOKKOKLOKOOOKKLLOOOOOOOK. IT'S the, k-KID-🩷💛)

˙🍋 ̟ !! ─ oh my goodness me, you are the simultaneous love and light, the bane and exhaustion, of everyone's respective lives.

don't get me wrong, your family absolutely adores you!!

especially since you're :(( the baby :(( aww :(((

it just, kinda freaks everyone thafuq OUT when you zip and zoom and flash everywhere

just. a maniacal streak of pink and yellow.

they don't know peace because of you. (affectionate!)

like they will be mindin' their whole business in its entirety and here you come

"*walks into the main living room* heeeeeyy, anybody seen my jupiter jim issue— [*nyooom!*] SWEET MOTHER OF G O D–"

it's not like you ever have ill intentions, tho 🥹 so it's okay.

"they're cute so it's okay!" — all of your siblings at one point, probably

while they do accept your golden retriever tendencies, it be givin' them gray hairs fr 💀✋

especially because you're so f a s t

you're there one moment then next thing they know you're halfway across the entire lair, tittering and chirping happily away.

˙🍋 ̟ !! ─ so, over the course of your life, they've all developed their own designated role when keeping up with you:

raph . . .

being the oldest definitely feels the most responsible for you and acts on it! he himself has developed a sixth sense for when you zoom by and can catch you with (relative) ease every time, and has definitely saved your butt from like. accidentally crashing into a wall or smth sjsjsj

but big bubba can't prevent everything :\ so you have gotten some owies !!

but you can always count on him to be there to help you feel better.

he's your biggest bro 🥹 he always makes you feel better.

but i imagine u're also a maniacal little shit (*cough* thanks leo *COUGH*)

so sometimes you just, str8 up run away from him like ACTIVELY escape his grasp

it deffo takes some effort 😮‍💨 (petition : #saveraphfromhissiblings /lh)

"[NAME]?! Get back here, you little speed monster!!"

*cue toiny baby gecko squealing and The Daily Chase commencement*

oh yeah. it's a daily occurrence.

you stress him out 🤣😭 but it's okay. :))

(after catching you in his hands, holding you up to eye level): "Alright, you little goober. That's enough outta ya today." "But Raaaaph!!"

and then you can't really do anything because raph knows your sweet spot, your little switch, that melts you like putty - a little patch riiiight in the center of your upper back, a well-pressurized scritch is all it takes really, and oh. there we go. down for a nap !

however you simply must have your grand rebellion moments and give him arm gummy bites the entire time but he's the just personification of "😇😌"

ain't no doubting he loves you tho. adores you, really; your bright bubbliness is what makes him smile most days, and even tho your energy is a bit much for him to keep up with, and he'd really like it if you stopped fighting him for afternoon naps sometimes, i don't think he'd change it for the world.

leo . . .

is one who's fairly on par with your hyperactivity, so he's the one we all turn to when your excitement is bubbling over into something a liiiiittle too much :'))

playing tag when you're zooming to and fro is one of you guys' favorites.

but sometimes he doesn't play fair and uses his odachi to teleport >:((

and if you get genuinely upset, he just scoops you up and blows raspberries on your soft lil tummy.

he's the only one who can wear you out so he's an essential part of everyone's lives asksksjd

but bc of this

HE PROBABLY USES YOU AS COLLATERAL TO GET THINGS HE WANTS I'M NOT EVEN PLAYIN

"LEO!!! Ugghhghhh, can you please handle them?!"

"Mmmhmmmmmmm....."

"L E O ಠಗಠ! For the last time, you are NOT choosing for movie night tonight and the kind of pizza!! You've had it all week!!!"

"Ohh, suddenly I have no capability for one very specific baby cotton candy-banana pudding gecko..... Shame. Woeful, horrible, terrible, shame—"

"LEO!!!"

he's a jerk, but he's highkey your idol and he would give the entire world for you in a heartbeat, so :))

donnie . . .

acts like your hyperactivity is an inconvenience...... but in reality, he doesn't mind it.

(only when it compromises his tech. you've only had one to two incidents involving his lab before permanent damage control was done and it's been this way ever since. 😭✋)

sure, sometimes your wild nature can make him cringe on bad days, but what's a sibling if they don't get tired of your antics once every while?

it's healthy development !!

plus. he himself has his moments where his lowkey descent into madness shows its peak, so he can't really talk.

you've all got your quirks, y'know? (/ref)

in truth he accepts it as a part of you, and he loves all of you - i mean c'mon, you're his baby sibling.

and even tho he doesn't openly admit it nearly as much as the rest of your family - he really does think you're adorable.

and in more truth: donnie takes care of you a lot. like- as soon as you started showing signs of your speediness and just-consumed-five-bags-of-candy excitement levels, he completely baby proofed the lair 😭

and you can't tell me he didn't know you'd possess those superhuman levels of speed bro you CAN'T

that man is a scientist and he leaves no stone unturned, especially when it comes to his family.

he has you microchipped too sjjsjdh

[ i just thought of this just now, actually: he and leo are a team when it comes down to your genetics/biological health. donnie researches with his stem-augmented brain and studies your dna down to the very microfiber; leo adapts with his medical affinities to make sure you're the healthiest little gecko mutant kiddo you can be. <3 ]

WE MAY HAVE MADE FUN OF HIM AT THE MOMENT, because how much harm can one baby gecko do Donnie you silly fool honhonhonhon BUT HE'S THE ONLY 👏 ONE 👏 WHO CAME IN CLUTCH.

very much "who's laughing now?"

certainly donnie. my bet's on donnie.

"THEY ALL LAUGHED. THEY CALLED ME A SILLY FOOL. BUT FEAST YOUR EYES, BRETHREN. EATETH THY WORDS!!" "..... Raphie! Bonbon's doin' that crazy scientist shtick again!!" "[NAME]. >:("

on another note, i feel donnie would extend that branch of 'baby-proofing' and relate it to the gift he created for you. [ ref: s1/ep2 — "donnie's gifts" ]

maybe it was something like . . . a malleable sludge, some sort of putty, that melded perfectly over your legs whenever you were starting to get too speedy.

you were initially excited over the cute little metal band anklets gifted to you by your older brother, buuut once it activated .... :((

it made you big sads. :((

being a little speedykins was your most defining trait !! why would donbon try to take that away from you?? :(( donnie :((( donbon why :(((

.... what you don't know, (and me either tbh, we never got that 'explanation' from the inventor himself), is that donnie made it with your specs in mind.

geckos are able to climb vertical surfaces (with some exceptions of course, but for the most part !!) — when activated, those little "putty bands" would've aided in that.

because donnie knows how much you love to run around, especially climbing up the walls, but you can't stick up there forever.

was it made to simultaneously slow your ass down? yes. 🤣😭

(he's only one man what do you want from the poor guy ☠✋ your drive by's were enough to send him into cardiac arrest every time)

...... was it made to adhere to nearly any and every surface texture known to man & mutant kind? for an unprecedented amount of time? with the intentions of you having so much fun with it? also yes.

was it made with intricate care and with, overall, your best interests at heart?

yes.

but after the whole ordeal, he really did mean it when he says you're great just the way you are. :))

in your calmer moments, he likes to have you wrap around his shoulders like a fashion designer scarf and taps at your cute little tail, half as a stim, half as a gesture of affection, while he's in the lab focusing on his latest project

or even just. vibing. y'all are primetime vibey.

he finds your weight comforting. like a tiny weighted pillow.

and he'll never admit that he feels his heart nearly burst with love and pure fondness when you yourself happily curl up into your brother and fall asleep there, cooing softly into his ear.

he built a little comfort bed/pillow extension for you in his battle shell for such occasions <3

but he prefers the sibling cuddles without his shell on.

he trusts you, after all.

(i will never financially recover from this aksjddh SOBBING)

mikey . . .

is exceptionally good at matching all of your moods: your bubbly hyperactivity and bringing you to a calmer, serene state !!

how does he do it. 🧍

he catches you in his arms and strokes/scratches your back to calm you down, and it works like a charm every time !

he never has to use dr. delicate touch on you. despite being the closest in age, surprisingly, you listen to mikey very well !

call it survivor's intuition 🫠 orrrr just the fact that you and mikey are very close and in-tune with one another,

whenever he calls it quits for you - no matter how much you might whine and pout - you genuinely do tone it down.

i know i said this for leo too but i feel like mikey just has that magic touch. yenno?

no pun intended. ha.

but en ee wayz !! yusssss, mikey and [name] are the cutest little goobers.

y'all deffo get roped together being the "babies" of the family,

and despite mikey wanting to outfit that mold — mostly by means of appeasing to raph's overprotective tendencies — he babies you a bit too !!

you like to poke fun. you're observant, clever little thing. you call mikey out on it, going so far as to call him a hypocrite,

and whether you guys have a serious discussion or not is completely up to you !

but for the time being he just pets your head and affectionately tells you to hush, and keeps right on babying you.

he likes being your older brother !! so sue him !!

dynamics change the older you guys get =] so who knows what the future has in store?

you're one of his favorite muses. your color palette never fails to strike inspiration within him 🎨✨

when he catches your pink n' yellow blur in passing, he can come up with an entire idea for murals to tag around, don't play w him

he likes to do body paint on you too !! :))

(completely safe + free of harmful chemicals wbk)

probably makes flowers out of your polka dots (he definitely calls them that) or connects them to make a bigger picture.

he made an entire field of flowers and koi fish pond encompassing your back one time and you absolutely loved it.

you'll always be his little muse 💔

"[Nameeee]!!~ C'mere, polka dot! You wanna see if I can make a constellation this time?" "YAY!!!!" "Wait- waitwaitWAITWAIT SLOW DOWN—" [ *cue wii bowling ball strike sound sequence* ]

˙🍋 ̟ !! ─ ahaaa. overall, you're their cute little ball of sunshine. their little sugar carnival. their little pink bubblegum and banana laffy taffy gecko baby! and — while you being.... you, can get just shy of unbearable sometimes, they wouldn't trade you for this world and all the others.

after all, what's a family if you don't accept every part of them? no matter how exhausting it is. <3 you're a handful, but that's why you've got six pairs. and as the years go on, it only grows.

@chachachannah + @sweetparty for the dividers 🩷 @cureqt for the cute emoji combo 💛 & pinterest for the pictures! [the collage is by me!!] 🥰

⟆ ˙🍋 ̟ !! ─ further author notes . . .

™ : as always, susceptible to future editing for grammatical/formatting corrections !!

i absolutely loveddd writing this!! and for the intricacy, this is the quickest i've ever pulled a request-bun fresh from the oven!! :o kudos to you, fluffy! <3 i do hope you like this as much as i did aaaa!! now i've got polka dot gecko sibling brainrot. 🥴 it's true: you never know it's a good idea until it's presented to you !!

a couple of fun facts: "sugar carnival" is a term coined by me, in reference to one of my free verse poems a while back! i, also, consider myself a sugar carnival being at most times ˶ᵔᗜ ᵔ˶ & i came up with the title on the spot after hearing + envisioning "pink gecko with yellow spots". ideal color combo, criminally underrated. fluffy your brain deserves a pedestal and i will personally create it for you with my bare hands.✋🩷💛

╰┈➤ tues. jan 23, 9:18 pm, '24.

[luckycharms1701]

[slides into your ask box like a very suave ninja]

i see you doing thoughts on mating seasons [eye emojis] how about... Bay Leo in mating season?<3

hmmm... a very suave ninja you say? is he wearing blue perhaps?

i... might have a few ideas for bay leo's mating season. maybe a couple of thoughts. some headcanons, you might say

as always, yadda yadda, lil sexy, spice emoji 🌶️

The thing about Leo is, he is not used to doing things for himself. Everything he does, every skill he learns, is for his family, for his city. For you. Even the things he enjoys doing, he does because he knows they are an outlet that will help him control himself. It’s… something he is working on. So when he is unusually shy while asking you to share his mating season with him, you know that he is asking for himself. That in itself is everything.

He stutters a bit as he walks you through what to expect during his time. It’s adorable. To him, though, this is the most intimate thing he could ask of you. Mating season is when he struggles the most with the loss of his iron control, when he’s at his most vulnerable. Asking you to share this time with him is the strongest way he knows to tell you that he loves you. He’s nervous, okay, don’t tease him!

Leo’s season comes on slowly, so gradually it’s barely noticeable. You find it in the little details. The way he scents you for longer than normal when he hugs you hello, beak nuzzling into your hair. The way he stands closer to you, especially when his brothers approach. The way his hand slides lower on your back as he escorts you to the lair exit. It gives you more time to prepare, something he is very grateful for.

The other thing about Leo is, once he decides something is his, it’s his. Man is incredibly possessive. This manifests in a unique way during his season. He makes you a nest. It is very soft and cozy and you are not allowed to leave it unless you need to use the facilities. For the entire duration of his season. There’s no need for you to brave the outer world and all the people out there. That’s what he’s for. (He got into an argument with Raph about this once. Once. Raph never brings it up again.)

At the beginning of his season Leo is very sensual in his lovemaking. He is all slow, smooth thrusts as he holds you close and buries his head in your neck. He can spend hours just making out with you while you finger each other. It gets a little more intense each time. As Leo realizes that you’re enjoying yourself, he lets go a little more and more until both of you are absolutely feral.

He never forgets your preferences in favor of his own pleasure though, not even deep in his season when he’s more instinct than anything else. Many of your preferences are in line with his own anyway. He always, always makes sure that you finish at least once first. Sometimes that means he has to beg you to come while he holds off on his own orgasm.

He is generally a quiet lover. However, to both of your surprise, you find he likes to talk when it’s his season. He likes to talk a lot. The things he says are… well. He might not be in complete control of himself, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be in control of you. Rather than manhandling you, he likes to sit back and tell you what he wants you to do. Of course, if you misbehave all bets are off. You will be doing whatever he wants either way. He will also say absolutely filthy things when he’s deep inside you. You find that you enjoy being called a little slut as long as you are Leo’s little slut.

As his season tapers off, he becomes increasingly affectionate. He returns to the smooth thrusts that light a slow fire in the both of you. He’ll spend a lot more time cuddling with you, beak buried in whatever body part of yours is closest. He might sleepily mutter about how happy he is that you smell like him. Sometimes he will just run his hands over you, watching them travel over your skin as if he can’t believe that he is allowed this, that you will let him have everything and more if he asks.

Once his mating season is over, Leo becomes a little bashful. He gets a bit of a guilt complex about every bruise and mark on you, and he’ll cringe remembering some of the things he said. He requires assurance that you are okay, that you haven’t been scared off by his… more primal instincts. You will have to hang out at the lair for a few extra days, because he gets anxious when he doesn’t know exactly where you are. He will make sure to carefully care for each bruise until it’s gone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

head bonks: @yorshie @avery73 @justalotoffanfiction @thejudiciousneurotic

[ghostytoad]

* Fun n' Games *

ROTTMNT Boys x GN! Leo-esque reader who enjoys drama, making jokes, and being overall awesome

Summary: The Hamato brothers unexpectedly fall for the smug, but genuine, fun-loving reader despite their egocentric habits

Headcanons for: Mikey

GN! Reader; Romantic; Fluff || Words: 1.8k

Raph | Donnie | Leo | Bonus!!

Mikey:

this boy will not hesitate to call dibs on being y/n's best friend the moment they meet; not only are they super cool and confident, they're pretty funny too!

he genuinely admires everything about y/n, from their charismatic and funny nature to the way they seem to keep their cool under pressure

mikey likes to refer to them as the "color bomb of our family portrait" (whatever that means) and will insist they are the splash of color the group's been missing this whole time

nicknames!! he will literally call y/n everything under the sun as a show of affection; some of his favorites include "leo 2.0" and "rainbow"

mikey will take every chance he gets to cling onto y/n like a koala bear or use them as his personal lap pillow; he is the most physically affectionate of the brothers, so expect lots of tackle hugs and cuddles too

insists that it's completely platonic though! cuddling doesn't always have to be romantic or just for couples or anything! if he's not holding onto y/n's hand, he's at the very least hovering in their space at all times

he just happens to enjoy how warm y/n is and they don't seem too bothered by the touching so it just makes sense that y/n is the first one mikey calls when he's in major need of hugs

y/n has a big ego, but mikey doesn't exactly help that fact with his endless praise and compliments; it's like he has stars in his eyes every time he sees them do anything mildly exciting. if anything, y/n is TOO HUMBLE in his eyes

he constantly brags to his brothers about how great y/n is (and how lame the boys are compared to them) to the point where it's painfully obvious to evevryone how lovestruck he is; every conversation somehow loops back to y/n and if no one's around for him to gush about them to? he'll just channel that affection into his art!

every time he invents a new dish, y/n is the first person to taste test his new creation. and if they say they like it? he will make it his new specialty dish for the next few weeks. y/n gets to name it too! a special privilege for only the greatest of greats in his eyes

every time y/n comes over to the lair, he immediately stops whatever he's doing to greet them and show them around like it's their first time ever being in the lair. it's basically a tradition at this point.

no joke, he will literally take them on a tour of the place like it's a new bachelor pad or something

"welcome to our humble little abode~ please feel free to relax on any of our luxury beanbags or "sacco" as the italians call it! to our left, we have the most advanced in genius technology, created by our very own donatello hamato!" "mikey, this is the third time this week they've been here. please for the love of plato, get out of my lab and let me work."

it's also just a fun little way for him to show off his new art without looking too braggy and he can't pass up a chance to pester his brothers; truly a silly little menace

if he's drawing, he usually has y/n pose for his practice sketches; they're just so photogenic and fun to draw, the perfect muse! and they don't complain as much as leo does when he has to model for mikey

he also keeps a special sketchbook meant just for y/n and him; they hand off the sketchbook back and forth every other week to fill with sketches and doodles of anything and everything. mikey thinks it's the purest form of bonding and gives every one of his doodles some meaning that ties back to y/n

the one-liners aren't exactly his style, but he still finds y/n to be incredibly funny, especially when it comes to their pranks. he will not hesitate to join in on their latest scheme (he's terrible at keeping secrets tho so they don't always work out)

is genuinely considering starting an improv troupe or a comedy duo with y/n; he thinks they could make it big if they just had the right venue! or maybe they could start their own cooking vlog together?

"c'mon, just one open mic nite! i promise it'll be fun and you're gonna kill it on stage! and i'll be front row cheering you on!"

y/n has their own little spot in the projector room right by mikey for movie nights; complete with a secret snack stash he's hidden in their beanbag for the two of them to share (he will eat most of it tho if y/n doesn't stop him)

he's not too keen on the idea of dragging them along on dangerous missions, but he will not hesitate to take them for a trip to the hidden city. after all, what better way to introduce y/n to yokai/mutant culture and the untamed world of mysticism than by exploring the mystic metropolis itself?

takes y/n to all of his favorite restaurants and parks when they're out, he enjoys being able to share his safe space(s) with someone special to him! and of course, he wants y/n to have fun too so he won't say no to visiting some of their favorite places!

unlike donnie and leo, mikey's pretty good at keeping y/n's more impulsive nature in check; he might be the wild card, but he's also very aware of the fact that Y/N is a human and as such, should be handled with care! (ironically, he gets upset when raph does the same to him)

don't get him wrong, he doesn't baby y/n, no no. he is simply trying to be a caring, considerate, and responsible friend. he's sure y/n can handle themselves, but the yokai world is new to them! mikey just wants to take it slow is all!

it's not until papa splinter decides to bring up the dreaded topic of grandchildren that mikey is confronted with his own feelings

"All I know is that you boys are only getting older and with each passing day, my hope for grandchildren is getting smaller and smaller."

"DAD, WE AREN'T EVEN ADULTS YET! At least give us a chance to vote for the first time before you start yapping on about kids!"

"It is not the timing I am worried about. It is the sheer lack of game you three seem to have with the ladies. You have to BE a player to start the game." Splinter muttered the last part as if he were talking to himself. A bewildered trio of turtles sat before him in their usual "begging circle" before his favorite chair, unsure of how this conversation went so wrong. All they wanted to do was borrow their dad's iconic Lou Jitsu suit. And he was lecturing them about romance and grandchildren?!

Y/N and Mikey had no idea just what they were walking into when they sauntered into the projector room together, bags of snacks in hand for another movie marathon. Splinter let out a fond chuckle as Y/N greeted the rat with a bright smile and a wave.

"You see, I do not worry about Orange. Clearly he is the only one to receive my dashing looks and irresistable charm! How else would he have caught Y/N's sleek eye?" The old man threw a wink Mikey's way as the turtle stopped in his tracks to glance back and forth between his brothers and father.

"What… did I just walk in on?" his confusion translated into a sharp grimace, the corner of his frown quivering.

"Dad here's bugging us about dating." Leo couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"Wha- I thought he was gettin' on our case about grandkids or somethin'?"

"No, no. He was clearly implying that we have no social, relationship, or emotional skills to speak of and therefore have no chance at prospective mates with which we might eventually settle down with and have offspring of our own." Donnie's pout was apparent as he recapped the conversation, unsure if what his father said was a positive or negative sentiment.

Mikey and Y/N exchanged equally horrified glances, dropping the bags of goodies.

"WH-WHAT?!" they cried out in unison.

Y/N could barely get a breath in between their screeching tirade of 'NO NO NO' and Michelangelo's "STOP STOP STOP", both of them making a show of flailing about in humiliation and shaking their heads. Y/N and Mikey? Settling down?! KIDS??!!

"I feel as though I may have missed something…" Splinter watched the spectacle of shame with a quirked brow, stroking his greying beard and shrugging to himself.

The young mutant stopped his panic long enough grab Y/N by the shoulders and sharply turn them to face Splinter, pointing his finger into their cheek as if he were presenting them.

"DAD, WE are FRIENDS. FRIENDS! FFFRIEEEENDSS!" he hissed between clenched teeth, motioning between himself and the human that stood beside him. Behind him, his brothers quietly chuckled and snorted amongst themselves, but he chose to ignore them as he continued.

"WE are NOT getting married any time soon!" he gave Y/N a gentle pat on the shoulder and shot them a soft smile, "No offense."

"N-No, none taken!" Y/N nodded, eyes still wide with shock.

"WE are NOT having kids ANYTIME SOON!" With each word, Mikey's face loomed closer to his father, the man's amused grin unwavering.

"And if anything, I sincerely doubt someone as amazing, sweet, and funny as Y/N would ever wanna have kids with someone like me considering THIS whole situation!"

His hands waved over his body frantically to refer to his mutant form, oblivious to the now-offended scoff Y/N gave.

"Y/N and I were just here to-"

"You don't think I'd be with someone like you just because you're a mutant?" Y/N couldn't keep their irritation from seething off of them as their arms crossed tightly on their chest and their foot tapped impatiently against the cold floor. They were not happy. Mikey shrunk in on himself at the display and waited for them to continue, the entire room now listening intently.

"I'm sorry, is it just me or did you drink a big ol' mug of DENSE juice?" Their finger aggressively poked against the young turtle's plastron, "I happen to LIKE everything about your 'whole situation' and I happen to think YOU are just as amazing and funny, Michelangelo Hamato!" Despite the sincerity of their words, each syllable was spat from their downturned lips as their glare became fatal with angst. Neither of them paid any mind to the others, mouths gaping and eyes rounded with surprise. The box turtle's green cheeks burned a dark red at their words, his heart pounding wildly against his chest and his muscles tense with excitement.

"Does… does this mean I can hold your hand now? Like romantically...?" he squeaked, barely able to contain his glee. Y/N sheepishly nodded as they took his hand in theirs and pulled him into a gentle embrace. From behind him, a chorus of groans and sighs sounded from his brothers. All he could think of now was that Y/N liked him back. Maybe even loved him. Not even his brothers could ruin a perfect moment like this.

[afreakingdork]

Weak Spot - Chapter 63

RotTMNT Donatello x Reader

The Hamato are back together in this chapter art by @imatheneonleon

Warnings: Aged-up Turtles, Romance, Meet Cute, Villain Donatello, Cussing, Crushes, Xenophobia, Fear, Intimidation, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Hurt/Comfort, Love, AFAB Reader, Vaginal Sex, Sex Rough, Sex, Penis In Vagina Sex, Creampie, Teasing, Scent Kink, Sexual Tension, Breeding Kink, Multiple Orgasms, Cunnilingus, Fellatio, Marathon Sex, Somnophilia, Bondage, Feral Behavior, Feral Donatello, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Public Sex, Dom Donnie, Human/Turtle Relationships, Turtle Noises, Roleplay, Sexual Roleplay

Synopsis:  A love story of villainous proportions! Though it hadn’t come easily, as these things rarely do, you found yourself in a whirlwind romance with a handsome and mysterious mutant. His idiosyncrasies had been easy to ignore as attraction grew into something more. However, will love endure when the unknowns about him end up being far darker than you ever considered?

Fem!Reader References/Warnings Below Cut

Also available on Ao3

First 💜 Previous

Fem!Reader References/Warnings: crutches, muscle weakness, talk of abuse, mental breakdown

“So that’s the menu.” Mikey rose up and dusted his hands.

You leaned against a counter getting some time upright and nodded over the messy handwritten note cards Mikey had brought over. Coated in loving use and old ingredients, Mikey had clearly been fine tuning these recipes for years. They felt to you like precious artifacts with their ancient evolving notes. Moving them around affectionately and wondering how many total of these cards there were, you tipped your head towards the turtle. “How are you going to bring all this over?”

“So, we got ingredients purchased and being delivered to an agreed upon location first thing tomorrow.” Mikey paused to give a raised hand to Donnie for his participation.

Donnie, who had been writing some code on his computer, scarcely looked over.

“I’ll take everything down, start placing my mise and then head over here for my regular shift around noon to cook it up.” Mikey fanned out the cards once before sliding them back into a fold. “If I did my math right then everything will be ready for dinner at 6:30pm sharp and our guests will arrive.”

You nodded, thinking over the process.

“I’ll have my assistant in spurts.” Mikey winked at you.

You rolled your eyes. “I’m sworn to rest when I need to. I get it, but I’m not letting you do everything.”

“Everyone has different kitchen dynamics.” Mikey chirped happily. “I love seeing how they all mix and our cooking chemistry though, like 90% of the time, I default to get out of my way!”

You laughed along with him. “I get that.”

“Having someone you can deal with in your space in that kind of heated situation is a big deal.” Mikey wiggled his brow ridge around his pun.

You hummed affectionately and remembered one particular time with Donnie. “Is that so?”

“Oh yeah, gotta be a marker of true love.” Mikey picked his cards and was slow to take on a forlorn look. “This is it…”

“Yeah…” You straightened a little yourself.

The family dinner marked the end of the Hamato watch. Though it hadn’t been officially discussed, you knew Mikey had passed on the information about Donnie meditating and Raph had obviously reported Donnie’s first time disengaging his powers. It had been a good sign and just about every person who’d entered the apartment since had seen some form of Donnie’s practice. The little purple particles that would percolate at a certain focused step were unmistakable. Whether Donnie was testing his emotions to manifest them or simply working on their creation, you had yet to know, but since he’d gone weeks without a single mishap, he was deemed safe enough to be left to his own devices.

Leo was just a portal away if anything went wrong.

You dampened more thinking about the blue brother. You guessed this was how it was now. You weren’t going to repair things with Leo and, after tomorrow, you never would have another chance to. You wouldn’t see him again and he would be an emergency contact at most. It stung. You knew it was probably for the best, but leaving whatever your relationship was with him in such disrepair deeply bothered you. You guessed you had others like this, people from your past that you were doomed to only have a negative memory of, but it ached regardless.

“Michelangelo.”

That was Donnie’s voice and you raised your head where your back was to him.

“Yup?”

Leo would be next and then Raph before Mikey returned for his final watch.

“I want to meet with him.”

You almost didn’t want Mikey to leave.

“…”

Maybe you could ask Raph to switch so you could sleep through most of Leo’s shift.

“Well?”

“Why?”

You blinked.

“Obvious.” You turned to find Donnie with narrowed eyes, but little heat as if he found the exchange tenuous.

“If it was, I wouldn’t have asked.” Mikey bit back with a similar lack of heat, but faint irritation.

You didn’t interject, but sent confusion toward your mate who didn’t look.

“I need to… speak with… him.” Donnie swallowed bile.

“About what? Why now?” Mikey folded his arms.

Now on one crutch, you moved from where you were leaning your weight on the counter and hooked it with learned ease to your body to go over to Donnie.

The movement caught his eye and he watched you with his closed off affection.

“If I could discuss the matter with any of you, I would have.” Donnie told you, though he spoke to Mikey.

You heard Mikey unfurl with a huff.

You tilted your head in question.

Donnie’s eyes had little response.

Mikey made an upset sound.

Donnie’s lip moved a centimeter which was the most smile you could get under these circumstances.

“He can come to dinner.”

Donnie’s head flew to Mikey in fury. “A joke!”

“Nope.” Mikey’s brow ridge bobbed, smug. “Not a question either. That’s the only way I’ll pass the message along.”

“This conversation is not for any of you!” Donnie’s lip curled back, but it was obviously out of tender fear as opposed to actual anger.

“I’ll head out when it's time.” Mikey’s shoulders bounced. “Give you space.” 

“Not for…” Donnie trailed off and looked at you in a similarly anxious way.

You weren’t meant to listen either.

You frowned.

Donnie’s gaze shot away in a pained way.

“We’ll.” Mikey was quick to add. “Step out.”

You looked to Mikey.

He nodded to you for encouragement.

“You need to talk to Splinter that badly?” You asked quietly.

Donnie flinched at the name and his wounded gaze stayed glued to the floor.

Mikey bent his elbows to the counter and waited.

“Yes.” Donnie spoke as small as he could.

Your chest tightened.

You knew you’d been keeping things from Donnie, but to hear the inkling that he was doing the same felt like a new wound.

It wasn’t on purpose, you wanted to scream.

You were going to unload on him as soon as you were alone.

That meant he probably would too.

The realization sobering, you leaned heavily into your crutch.

One more day.

“Dinner. The whole dinner. You don’t get to kick dad out after just because you feel like it.” Mikey laid down his ground rules.

This time Donnie surfaced slowly and with actual anger. “You expect me to entertain that-” He bit his tongue to keep a derogatory word out of his mouth. “-in my own home?!”

“You’re doing that with us, aren’t you?” Mikey spoke without malice.

The younger turtle even seemed oddly stoic.

He almost looked like Donnie when slipped all of himself under that emotionless mask.

Donnie’s eyes only narrowed.

“It’s either that or you try Leo, which, good fucking luck. Then there’s Raph and we both know how that’s going to go.” Mikey’s head cricked with the slightest tip.

Donnie inhaled slowly.

“You asked me for a reason.” Mikey spoke knowingly.

Donnie juggled something mentally before looking back to Mikey. “I did.”

“My terms or nothing.” Mikey lifted up and out of the conversation.

He walked over to where Leo’s portal would appear.

You saw that, as soon as Mikey’s back was turned, Donnie let a whole litany of emotions pass over his face.

There was outright fury.

You could see how much he wanted to strangle the other turtle.

There was bargaining.

He tried to work out a thousand ways he could get out of this.

There was anxiety.

The chance to speak to Splinter was slipping through his fingers and you could see just how much your boyfriend needed to do this.

You touched Donnie’s arm lightly.

He jarred from his swirling mind and you saw the whirlpool settle at the sight of you.

Another tap was more of a nudge.

You had his back.

You could take the verbal heat off if need be.

You could be Splinter’s chaperone.

Donnie’s expression welled with gratitude before he looked back to where Mikey still had his carapace to you both.

“Done. Do ask-” Donnie’s voice was gravel.

“For him to be on his best behavior?” Mikey cut Donnie off with a turn of his head that just barely showed his face’s silhouette. “I’ll ask him. I’ll do what I can, but he’s my dad.”

Leo’s portal appeared and the blue light reflected off Mikey’s eyes for a malevolent gaze.

“Our dad. The three of us.” Mikey spoke venom. “Don’t you forget.” He stepped through the portal.

-

The rest of the time until Mikey’s return was done in a preparatory wait. Leo had appeared casual with a levity that said he was ready to get this last shift over with. You imagined that he might even enjoy the dinner since it was a final blemish for him to endure. Skirting away from him to keep the mood light, you had very little to do. You mostly stuck close to Donnie who was trapped with the weight of what was coming.

Your mate stood in various parts of your apartment with nothing to keep his hands busy and eventually you coaxed him out of sight where you lingered in his space. Sneaking behind a partition felt juvenile in your own home, but you signed to each other regardless.

‘Why now?’ You started. 

‘Can’t explain like this.’

‘Later? Alone?’

‘Both of us.’

‘I’ve been planning to.’

‘Good. You’ve been avoiding Blue.’ 

‘Yeah. Long story.’

Donnie made the motion for ‘kill’ and raised his brow with delighted question.

You shook your head and placed both your hands over his.

He brought them up to his lips.

You mouthed, ‘I can’t wait to be alone with you.’

“Me too.” He murmured warmth and came down to press the side of his head to yours.

You lingered like that as long as you could.

-

You did your best, but the closer it got to Mikey’s and subsequently all the turtle’s final appearance in your home, Donnie’s stress was transferring to you. With each second hand tick of the clock, Donnie got more on edge. You meant to be strong for him. You wanted to show him that this was alright; that even though you didn’t know what big thing he wanted to discuss with Splinter was, you would be unflappable.

The only problem was, you were painfully in tune with your partner and him being upset was then permeating you through your bond.

You hated to see him uncomfortable and, though Raph recognized the dense air in the room, you could tell the older turtle was mislabeling it. All four men hadn’t been in the same room since the hospital discharge. You imagined Raph, rightfully, imagined the entire bale together bothered Donnie, especially in his own home. If there wasn’t some big talk added on top, you were sure that would have upset Donnie too, but you found it hard to believe that would have driven him to his current state.

You guessed Raph might have also thought Donnie was concerned to then be alone with his ninpo. 

You hadn’t gotten to talk to the older turtle and now still wasn’t the best time because he was just as distracted as you in watching Donnie move about like a stubborn plant searching for a crack of sunlight. In slow rotations, Donnie swayed, barely perceptible and feeling out his space blindly. He couldn’t do an activity because he was too emotionally confined to the pot, but he was deprived of something vital which had him wriggling with all his remaining strength.

You could hardly breathe by the time Leo’s portal appeared.

Raph was up and prattling on about lending a hand just to have an excuse to leave.

In a file, you watched as Mikey and Raph carted a bunch of food, pots, pans, utensils, and other kitchen gadgets in until your home was overflowing. Donnie made space on his desk and helped arrange the spill before Raph turned with his hands on his hips.

“Alright. I got class and then me and Leo will come by right on time?”

“6:30.” Mikey swung a spoon to cement his point.

Raph threw his own finger up genially and spun on one leg to leave through the portal.

“Ah!” Mikey suddenly fussed and passed the spoon off to you. “Hold it! I have something else to grab! Forgot something! You know me!”

Donnie’s head shot up where he was clearly cataloging as everything had been accounted for thus far.

“Don’t spike the food!” Raph complained but pressed a hand up to the top half of the portal like he was holding a door.

“I’m not! In this house?!” Mikey shot you a wink out of Raph’s eye line before ducking through the blue light.

“Yeah, yeah.” Raph shook his head after Mikey. “See y’all.” He gave a parting nod and disappeared as well.

“There shouldn’t be-!” Donnie furiously searched for what was misplaced.

You were about to help when Mikey returned with two stumbling leaps and a bottle of soda in hand.

Donnie gave an irritated face.

Mikey shook his head. “This was just cause I saw it. I actually forgot…”

It brought Donnie’s brow up before there was a blur and the portal shut.

For a moment, you didn’t register a change.

Then Donnie inhaled sharply and went ramrod straight.

You looked to find Splinter standing where the portal was holding a baking dish wrapped in foil. With his eyes downcast and wearing a little cardigan, he looked the picture of trying to do his best.

Your heart squeezed and you were in motion with a clunk of your crutch. “Splinter.”

“Y/N!” He walked up with his dish and found it occupying his hands. “I was worried! The boys kept me updated. I’m glad to hear that you…” He breathed a bit unsteady. “I am sorry this happened to you.”

“Yeah…” You’d heard that more times then you could count. “It is what it is…”  

“Still! Those police are an absolute joke! Useless! A waste! Morons!” Splinter huffed.

You couldn’t help but smile.

“Big Mama has been on a rampage.” Splinter told you casually before heading towards Mikey.

“Huh!? What?!” The younger turtle lowered himself to take the dish from his dad. “She what now!?”

“She was disrespected!” Splinter spoke as if this should be obvious news. “She has been methodically tearing down and restructuring the entire city center in her fury! So very her!”

“She’s…” You shook slightly in a rotation.

You looked to Donnie and couldn’t tell whether he knew that or not.

“Doing it for you!” Splinter threw a gesturing hand to you as soon as he was freed from his dish. “Oh, this is my very special green bean casserole, by the way! Also for you!”

“For…?” You took a few steps. “Wait, Big Mama can’t be doing that for me.”

“You, you.” Splinter waved a hand and looked around the packaged kitchen. “This place is too small!”

Mikey tapped his dad’s head with a spatula. “Don’t complain.”

“Hmph!” Splinter rotated. “You were her guest. Her new hotel’s poster couple! I’m surprised she hasn’t killed off and replaced the entire police department. Morons!”

He’d repeated himself, but the words didn’t seem real. “It didn’t seem like she liked me.”

“She likes you plenty! She wouldn’t do that for anyone!” Splinter turned, remembering something. “Put that in the fridge, orange!”

“I’m gonna be doing fridge Jenga, dad.” Mikey rolled his eyes. “Y/N, wanna help?”

“Uh, yeah!” You moved to set your crutch on a nearby counter. 

Splinter saw he was in the way and scrambled a few nervous steps out of the kitchen.

As you passed him, you saw him keep his head down as if he wasn’t allowed to look around the living room proper.

Concern stuck to your features as Mikey held the fridge open for you.

Stepping around it, he used the door as a barrier for a private conversation. 

You moved a few items in the icebox and gave a skeptical look as it would hide nothing.

He frowned and gave up trying to translate to instead focus on the task at hand. “How about I pass you perishables? That good?”

“Yeah. Standing in one place is easy. I’m just wobbly if I move too much.” You settled as a wedge in the fridge door as Mikey moved to pass things.

“It didn’t take too long to prep. I mean I’ve got a good few hours here so I wasn’t sweating.” He passed a few things over.

You methodically organized them.

“You’ll have to return my dear Tupperware.”

You paused in show of holding an old butter container that had something chopped inside.

“A family heirloom.” Mikey told you haughtily.

“Clearly.” You joked back and slipped it in.

Mikey walked you through the upcoming steps as you stuffed the fridge then freezer. When you came up with a semi-cleaned work surface, you glimpsed Splinter sitting on the couch near the closest arm and Donnie standing at a side angle near his desk. You imagined it would take some time for them to be able to approach each other and dove into the normalcy with Mikey. He ended up being a better teacher at cooking than meditation and walked you slowly through what you could best help with. In contrast, his own tasks disappeared in a flurry where he chatted casually as he moved around a full stove’s worth of burners and an active oven. You weren’t sure how he kept track of all the different cook times, but he seemed to know just when to move or extract something.

It had been at least an hour and you were casually washing some utensils for their third or fourth use when you heard Splinter’s voice. “You’ve made… quite the home.”

You didn’t hear Donnie respond and instead turned to Mikey who knowingly held up more dirty dishes.

With those soon cleaned, you moved on to oven Tetris for the many dishes that needed to be baked when you heard Donnie say something.

“You are still in contact with Big Mama.” 

“Y/N!” Mikey blurred through your vision, moving faster than your eye to put the last pans in and slam the oven door shut for you. “You gotta look at this sunset!”

“Sun… set?” You blinked.

“Yeah!” Mikey slipped around you and opened the kitchen window.

“The sun doesn’t set for another-”

“It’s beautiful, you have to see!” As if it were a door, Mikey stepped right through the opening. 

You stumbled a few steps after him in confusion and bit your lip on a noise when his arms shot out to grab you. In one perfect tipping lift, you were hoisted up and angled right through the window before you were set on the fire escape. “Wha-!?”

Mikey held a finger up to his lips and put great care in slowly closing the window.

When it was noiselessly shut he let out a big sigh.

“It’s time.” Mikey told you and then fell back to sit on a metal step.

“They’re talking?” You perked up.

“Yep. Not about to be a part of all that.” Mikey twirled a lazy finger and took a deep breath of city air. “Sky’s mostly blue.”

You leaned against the brick to look up. “Yeah…”

“It’s pretty.” Mikey murmured.

“Yeah.” You agreed.

For a long time you sat in the moment and let the bustle buzz as a dull hum until you made it over to Mikey. He moved aside to give you room and you both occupied the same step.

“Can you hear them?” You asked softly so as not to disrupt the moment.

“Nope.” Mikey tipped his head towards you. “Donnie’s got super glass or whatever he does.”

You snorted. “You’re going to slip up calling him that.”

“He can get me then.” Mikey threw up lazy fisticuffs.

“Thank you.”

“For saying I’ll fight him?” Mikey still had his arm’s akimbo and looked at you.

You bumped him with your shoulder, but left your body pressed to his. “For helping save me. For shortening my healing time. For teaching Donnie meditation. For making all this food. For getting Splinter...” You shook your head at the list. “For texting me about Donnie cooking.”

Mikey lightly chuffed and leaned a metered amount of his weight back. “I should thank you.”

“For what?” You looked at him.

You got to see up close how gooey his expression was when he turned to you. “For saving him.”

“I didn’t.” You shook your head. “He saved himself. I just got to watch.”

Mikey thought for a moment and returned. “Let me rephrase.”

“Go ahead.” You chuckled.

“Thank you for making him happy.”

Your heart jumped and you smiled brightly.

“Cute.” Mikey teased and leaned his carapace back on the steps.

You nudged him lightly where you couldn’t do the same and stared out at the darkening city until you felt a familiar pressure in your stomach. “Oh no…”

“What?” Mikey’s voice was sleepy.

“I have to pee.” You groaned and remembered how you’d been so on edge with Donnie many hours before Mikey had even arrived. That added to the current till, meant you hadn’t visited the bathroom since early that morning.

“Hold it!” Mikey sat up. “Do you know how rare this is!?”

“You think I don’t want to!? This was dropped on me the same time as you!”

“Yeah!” Mikey’s head shook with stress. “Stupid secret diner meetings with dad were not on my Donnie bingo card, but this marks the fourth time they’ve spoken ever! So I say again: hold it!”

“We have to go inside eventually!”

“Yeah, when the timers go off!”

Something beeped.

One single clear time.

“Mikey…”

Mikey paled.

“What was that!?”

“The… fifteen minute warning?” Mikey eeked out and went to grab his phone. “It’s 6:15…”

“We need to go inside!”

“We can wait!”

“Let’s just peek!”

“You peek!” Mikey scrambled up a step further from the window. “I’m not chancing nothing!”

You didn’t blame him in the slightest and inched forward slowly where your hips were weary. Nothing you couldn’t handle as you were a base level of sore as of late, you edged forward and carefully placed your fingers to the sill before hoisting yourself up to look inside. A clip of the counter blocked some of your vision, but you could see Donnie sitting with his back toward you and looking down the couch where you imagined Splinter was.

“What do you see?” Mikey was obviously impatient. 

“I can only see Donnie, but there’s no signs of a fight. He’s just…” You stared hard at the back of your boyfriend’s head. “… sitting there.”

“That’s probably fine…?” Mikey seemed to be genuinely asking.

“Yeah…” Your crouch put further pressure on your bladder. “I’m opening the window.”

“Y/N!” Mikey clanged against the fire escape as he shied another step away.

“We have to go back in eventually! Everything will burn!” You pressed the jamb lightly before cracking it.

You felt the rush of air and the scent of food waft out, but little more.

Your heart beat fast in your chest and you moved to check with Mikey.

His eyes were a new kind of wide.

‘Bad?’ You mouthed as obviously as you could.

Mikey shook his head furiously.

Your abdomen pulsed.

You pushed the window further up.

Mikey caught your arm.

You wordlessly pulled from him.

His head shook so fast his hair was coming out of its tie.

You yanked to the side and both of you struggled in front of the window.

“Is it really possible to love someone who is evil?”

Both you and Mikey froze at the sound of Donnie’s voice

Then you were nearly beating each other to try to close to the window.

“I once told her I knew there was still good in her.” Splinter’s response came next.

You heard a dull sound.

Something indistinct and electronic.

Mikey’s eyes turned white and he disappeared from you.

Blinking into the empty fire escape, you swore you heard the faint sound of a timer in the distance.

That meant the food was done. 

You had to go inside no matter what. 

Stunned, you looked toward the window with your heart plummeting and pushed it all the way up so you could climb back inside.

“I was wrong!” Splinter’s voice cracked as your belly pressed against the sill, halfway through. “Still good!? What does that mean!? She never said anything, but she must have known. Why was I so hung up on the distinction? Good. Bad…” He heaved a heavy breath.

You nearly somersaulted over, but you channeled every ounce of your physical therapy and just barely saved yourself with a careful foot to the floor.

“Love does not know such things! I loved her in spite of everything. I loved her after she imprisoned me. I loved her because I loved her. Her alignment or however you would say was not what my heart chose. I chose the woman who understood me. Who sat by me. Who liked going out dancing as much as she appreciated a good movie night on the couch!”

The last of your muscle strength was spent on dropping as silently to the floor as you could.

“I wonder if it was… my fault we drifted apart and… that may be…? Oh, but these things happen... I did not condone her activities. I still don’t, but I’d be lying if I didn’t think I liked that she’s still feisty!”

Donnie gave what was almost a laugh.

It also sounded congested.

You slithered on your belly with only the intention of getting to the bathroom and not interrupting.

“Donatello. None of us chose the life we are born into. I’d say we get to choose after and to a point I did, but a certain destiny caught up with me. Right… Wrong… Who’s to say? I made the decisions I did.”

You were close to the edge of the counter.

“What I can tell you is that when the time comes, for whatever that may be, you get the choice in how you react. When I had my hand in stopping the Shredder or the Krang, I wish I could say I thought of humanity. I didn’t. I thought of my boys. I thought of…” Splinter cut himself off and his voice shook. “I did what I did out of love. I continue to do it for the same. If you are worried that is bad, then you are wrong. Love may be the only right choice any of us can make.”

Your head appeared out from the wood and you saw Splinter first.

He had slid down to the middle of the couch at some point and Donnie now took his old spot at the sofa’s arm.

With his back to you, Donnie was slightly hunched, but that wasn’t what you were looking at.

Down on Donnie’s knee, you saw Splinter’s spindly pink hand settled on top of Donnie’s.

Neither party moved and there were tears in the air.

You meant to run.

You meant to fly.

You were going to lock yourself in the bathroom.

You weren’t going to intrude on this scene.

Instead you rose at the same time a blue light flashed.

Your heart hit the floor.

Donnie and Splinter jolted apart and turned in that direction.

“Y/N!” Mikey hissed as quietly as he could behind you.

Your head tilted toward the sound, but you couldn’t peel your gaze away.

Leo slipped out of the portal with his eyes closed and a carton of cream in his hand. “Yello, dinner party people!”

Raph’s arm appeared next, but Leo froze in his way.

Donnie spun and was heading towards you with his head down.

Staring at where your boyfriend had just been on the couch, Leo was looking at the vision of his father with huge fat tears in his eyes.

“Dad…?” Leo whispered a silent spell.

As if your blood pressure hadn’t fallen enough, it broke through the floor.

Leo didn’t know Splinter was going to be here.

Mikey’s earlier action slapped you in the face.

“What-” Leo’s voice darkened and he moved toward you.

Donnie passed you and Mikey squeaked where he was clearly still in the window based on the way he struggled.

A blue light broke out behind you and you turned to watch Leo’s head appear there, cutting Donnie off. “-did you do!?”

Donnie’s head snapped upright and from this angle all you could see was Leo’s face.

It was broken glass and horrified awe.

Raph whispered something to Splinter.

He was making sure his dad was alright.

“You…” Donnie spoke against the will of his body.

Leo was stuck by only his own accord while Mikey was very literally wedged in the window.

Donnie’s got his sights on the youngest.

“Why was Leonardo not informed?” Ice crystals could have formed on Donnie’s words and you would have believed they were real.

“Th-th-that’s-! U-um!!” Mikey’s hands splat against the wall where he tugged as hard as he could before he popped out of the jamb.

He hit the ground in a flop and shot to his feet, curling around Leo’s portal.

“Th-this looks bad, but I-I told you! There was no way Leo or Raph would have agreed! I couldn’t tell them!” Mikey stopped just shy of passing his disembodied brother.

No one moved.

“They would have stopped me! Or dad!” Mikey pleaded, tears welling up in his eyes. “You know that!”

Donnie inhaled a single time.

“I agreed!”

The scene had not defrosted, but you felt everyone’s attention shift to where Splinter had yelled out.

“When Michelangelo told me you wanted to talk, he shared his concerns about the others!” Splinter’s harsh voice didn’t have a single edge. “I agreed it would be best for me to slip in! They know I am stubborn! As long as I got here, they would not make me leave!”

Smoothly, his words slid and coiled around the group.

“Do they…” Donnie lifted his head and you knew he’d placed his villain persona on. “… control you?”

 Splinter made an audible jarred sound.

“Elderly rat at the whims of his more powerful sons?” Donnie was careful in rotating so he stayed out of your view and hit a button to turn off the oven.

“Donatello…” Splinter begged.

“All you do is lie.” Donnie’s malice broke and it dripped to the floor with several hard plops. “Always! All of you!” In a spin, you finally glimpsed your mate and the tears that flung from the velocity of his rage. “You never stop! You compulsive animals!!! HOW?! HOW CAN ANYONE BELIEVE ANYTHING YOU SAY!? WHEN YOU TAKE NOTHING SERIOUSLY?! WHEN YOU NEVER HAVE!? HOW CAN ANY OF THIS BE REAL!? WAS ANY OF THIS-!?!”

“It was!” Splinter stepped up onto the arm of the couch with tears matting his fur. “Donatello, please! You have to understand! I take this matter more seriously than any other!”

“Oh.” The cadence of Donnie’s words bled. “This then? You take this seriously? Now? NOW?!” He bellowed and even you flinched. “OBVIOUSLY NOW IN YOUR OLD AGE! LATER! OF COURSE! I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN! YOU ALWAYS HAD IT IN YOU! YOU JUST HAD TO HAVE ME GROVEL! NOT BEFORE THOUGH! THIS IS THE MATTER OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE! NOT WHEN A CHILD GOES MISSING! NOT WHEN A LAB EXPLODES AND YOU SAW, YOU SAW, ONE OF FOUR NOT END UP IN YOUR CLUTCHES?! NOT THEN!? NOT TO EVEN LOOK ONCE!!! NOT WHEN A LITTLE BOY WAS LEFT AND TORTURED FOR YEARS!!!”

Donnie choked.

Splinter welled up.

You looked to the others.

Mikey had brought his hands up to cover his mouth and his tears flowed from grossly large eyes.

Leo still hung, half in, half out, of his portal across the apartment and his face was painted with the bitter weight of the knowledge.

Raph’s lips drew a warped line and his features winced, but he refused to look away.

None of them knew.

Like Leo hadn’t known about the library.

Only you knew Donnie’s past.

“Now…” Donnie threw up his tear stained cheeks and checked around the air. “NOT, NOW HUH!? NOT IN THE ONLY APPLICABLE MOMENT?! NOT A SINGLE GUN!? NOT EVEN A BULLET! WHAT A HANDY FUCKING SCAPEGOAT THAT ALLUDES ME!!! YET ANOTHER BLIGHT BROUGHT UPON BY THE HAMATO NAME!! WHY!? WHY NOW!? WHY DOES MY ACCURSED NINPO NOT MANIFEST NOW!?!”

“It’s because you’re not angry.”

Donnie turned to you with outright betrayal on his features.

You rose with the blow of it and felt your face crumple. “You’re not mad… You’re… You’re sad…”

You watched, up close, how every emotion fell off Donnie’s face.

Left only with featureless surprise, his pupils shook with the empty off-whites in his eye before he turned.

He was going to run.

He needed to leave.

You would field the others.

You only needed to stop four mutant men.

Simple enough on a broken body.

They were already looking at you.

You would give Donnie an opening.

“THAT’S ENOUGH!!!” Raph’s voice cut through at a volume that caused the wall fixtures to shake.

It created a new spell, this one stopping time instead of freezing it.

“NO-!”Raph reached into the portal near him and yanked Leo out of the kitchen and to his side where he threw an enraged finger over top to keep his younger brother in place.  

Leo’s eyes took up his entire face and his head shrank down into the top of his plastron in translation that whatever Raph was doing was new.

“MORE-!”Raph stormed into the kitchen where he skirted Donnie long enough to pick up Mikey. 

The youngest was thrown clear across the apartment, toward the door, where he barely activated his flight, and staved off colliding with the surface with a burst of orange sparks.

Raph then looked out at his family across the apartment and pointedly put his shell to you and Donnie. “-LIES!!!”

Again, the apartment shook.

He stood there, a shock of muscles quivering with rage before he turned with watery eyes. “You’re right!” Raph told Donnie. “You’ve been right!”

One of Donnie’s hands started to lift.

“All this time!” Raph’s features fragmented and he had to scrub them back into place like a sliding puzzle. “Not how you did it! You fucked that up so bad, but about us! Of course you wouldn’t trust us! How could anyone trust us!?”

Donnie had clear reservations, but didn’t speak.

“We’ve said a thousand times before that we’ll change, we’ll tell the truth, that we’re finally going to quit lying, and not once has it been different! We’re not going to be different until we stop acting like it is! What happened!? Happened! What’s done!? Is done and I’m sick and tiredof pretending it’s anything else!” Raph shook with what was almost a laugh. “I’m out, Lee. As of right now? I quit.” Coming up, he looked the most serene you’d ever seen him. “I quit the team. Hell! As it is? I quit the family.” 

You heard Leo scramble.

Raph looked right at Donnie. “I’m going to the roof and I’m going to explain our ninpo. I’m going to tell the damn smoggy sky for all I care. You come or you don’t. Raph is currently a solo act.”

Raph then walked straight over to the window and stared at it for only a second before he grabbed the casing.

Your body pulsed with fear, but Raph barely flexed and pulled the entire frame straight out of the wall and brick outside. “I’ll fix this later.”

Setting the window frame down with far too much care for the destruction he just wrought to your wall, Raph walked out onto the creaking fire escape and climbed up out of view.

Donnie only surveyed some rubble that had landed by his foot before he moved to follow.

You stared as your partner stepped onto the metal. 

He paused for a moment, never looked back, and continued after the oldest.

You felt a brush and looked down to find Splinter at your feet.

The old man gave you a single even nod before he too followed out the hole.

Leo made a noise.

As soon as Splinter stepped outside a blaring red wall appeared to block the path.

You heard a knob click.

You spun just in time to see Mikey in your front doorway where he had a similarly empty expression.

Your lips parted to ask.

Mikey drew a tight line with his. “No more lies.”

You wanted to yell that you weren’t.

Of the entire lot of them, you’d lived the most honest.

That wasn’t quite true.

You only had excuses.

Guilt wringing you out, Mikey left and the door closed behind it.

That left you and Leo.

With Mikey manning the front door and Raph blocking what was once a window, you were now trapped with the only turtle who despised you.

You stood in the lingering heat of the oven.

Despite melting down, Donnie still took the time to save the food you and Mikey had worked so hard to prepare.

You loved your mate so much.

Had you hurt him?

Why had you told him that about his ninpo?

Should you have stood up for him more?

You held your hands close to the oven handle.

It seemed then, and still did, that you had said what you needed to.

You needed to be alone with him to deal with everything that had happened. 

You’d already agreed to do exactly that. 

It would help if you had a few of those categories sorted. 

Donnie always did prefer you to have done your homework. 

He’d done his both with Splinter and then would come with spades having had a conference with Raph. 

That left you now needing to deal with your shit. 

So you said what you needed to. “Guess we could start with the easiest stuff.”

Leo grunted lightly in what you imagined was him getting to his feet.

“How you’ve said you wanted me dead twice now.” You threaded your fingers through the oven handle, but only held it.

“Wrong.” You heard Leo try the front door.

Either Mikey or S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. was keeping it closed.

You imagined the automaton was somewhere with popcorn.

“At the gala, one. You wouldn’t remember my name.” You squeezed metal. “And the last time we really spoke. You said I hoped I would be your final straw.”

“I didn’t say hope.”

“But you did say you wanted me dead.”

“This is purgatory.” Leo decided and a thunk sounded that you knew to be his head against the door.

“Welcome to hell.” You gave a sort of smile. “We’re doing this.”

“Raph can’t quit.” Leo spoke distant.

You crossed the apartment.  

“We all agreed. No one was coerced. He’s not going to talk about our ninpo. We agreed.”

“It’s over, Leo.”

“I’m their leader.”

You stared.

There was no way to reach him.

He was going to encase himself in as many lies as he needed to protect his fragile heart.

You knew that all too well.

You had your own man doing the same. 

You were careful in signaling you were going to touch him before you did.

Leo only gave you a sharp glance, but didn’t move. “Dad’s there. He’ll stop him. Dad knows the threat.”

You took Leo’s wrist and led him to turn.

He came with his head down, locked in on his delusion, and turned toward you in a show that he would not be moved.

“Mikey took a different route. He’s got me. Mikey is always my best back-up. He makes openings with his ninpo. He takes the heat. He’s fire incarnate.”

You released Leo and sized him up.

“Then I slip in. You never got to see us work coordinated. Raph’s too obvious as a bruiser. Mikey’s the real tank. I’m the speed and precision and Raph finishes them off.” His foggy gaze gave way to how happy the memories were.

Your body ached and you used the pain to watch him clearly.

“We head home to dad.” Leo was exactly where he described. “He wouldn’t ask what we did. We wouldn’t ask what he did. We existed in the moment. That’s how it was. ‘Orange, whip something up.’ ‘You got it, daddy-o!’ ‘What’s on the menu tonight?’ ‘Well, we’ve got quite the array of the latest day old delights! Locally sourced from the finest dumpsters.’ ‘I’ll take the chef’s special.’ ‘Coming right up!’ ‘Think we’ll be able to pronounce it this time?’ ‘Not a chance, Rapharoni. Not a chance…’”

You hugged straight into Leo’s center.

He made an audible, “Oof.”

Getting as much of his carapace in your hands as you could, you squeezed him with all your might.

Leo’s arms hung limp over yours.

“’It’s knock-knees.’ ‘What the!? Gnocchi! What’s wrong with you?’ ‘You say it like no-key!’ ‘Of course there’s no key! We live in a subway! Where would we keep a door?’ ‘Leo!’ ‘That’s worse than your bit yesterday with the pho.’ ‘I thought you’d pho-geddaboudit!’ ‘Not again!’ ‘Why do you always do that!?’”

Fat tears knocked on your head one at a time.

You hugged him tighter and his sentences devolved until he was humming the tune of the past.

What had you really learned about this man?

You had no idea.

Leo never said what he meant.

Where Donnie was precise, Leo was ambiguous.

Both calculated, Leo played mental chess thinking of his finishing move while Donnie remapped the board at each step.

While each had their advantages, it was Leo’s methodology that you couldn’t follow.

Retroactive action had once threatened your relationship with Donnie.

It destroyed your knowledge of Leo before you could even place what it was.

He was too sharp.

He knew exactly how to push other’s buttons.

He was a master manipulator.

He’d done exactly what he wanted and kept you at bay.

Not without taking critical damage himself, it just so happened that you had a knack for such a thing.

You’d only inflicted him with wounds because you hadn’t planned at all.

You had time now. 

It was with yours, you found Leo, small and trapped in what had to be his teen years.

He clung to memories before the world came crashing down around them.

His family.

He never saw them differently.

That was why he spoke the way he did.

It shaped how he acted.

He created a mold then and there and pressed the rest of him through melted wax.

Only the die was imperfect.

He decided his final move as a child and never looked back. 

His family was his entire worth and everything he did was for them. 

Only he was so focused on preserving the them of that moment, that he hadn’t seen the field of play had changed. 

They no longer needed him in the way he’d decided. 

No matter how many times they tried to tell him, he kept stubbornly forcing himself through that old mold. 

Each time he extruded a blue shape that was more and more malformed.

It showed every edge where the plates hadn’t been properly set.

Trying relentlessly to make it work, Leo had spent decades refusing to rework the machine.

He only needed to try again.

The wax was wrong.

He was wrong.

He could fix it.

He just needed to try.

He’d sat stubborn.

Long past when the materials ran out and he had begun to crush his skin between boiling metal.

Through each throttle and scar, he continued until he no longer knew when to stop.

When his family acted out of the distorted image he drew, it was an attack of his very being.

He was betrayed again and again and forced more of himself into the mold.

If only he could get it right.

It would be an injustice for you of all people to stop him.

Not you. 

Not when he’d worked so hard.

He’d worked himself past flesh and to bone.

Then from the dust, he continued to toil.

He’d been right.

You both were.

You were happenstance over a sandwich.

You’d told him about choice, but his answer sheet was worn down.

How could he make any other, when he wasn’t on your plane?

He was a trapped time traveler and his portals only cut space.

He was also wrong.

Raph’s fed up speech ghosted your ears.

Things happened.

It was done.

You felt the shift.

By speaking those few words into existence and disrupting the flow, Raph had upset the status quo in the same way you had.

Then Splinter followed.

Before Mikey made his own path.

Which left two, one wholly present and the other here in body alone.

You anchored that side of him, having hugged him so long your arms screamed with a force very unlike all the stressors from your crutches.

Leo was sobbing, but he didn’t hold you.

He simply rained his sorrows down.

What could you do?

You couldn’t tell him.

He’d heard a thousand words.

They’d had family meeting after meeting.

They’d spent a lifetime and were still in the same rut.

What about Raph’s simple action had been so different?

What about yours scared Leo so deeply, to his core?

If it was what you said, then you should have reached him.

He’d said you’d dug it out of him.

Eyes damp against his shirt, you saw a mental flurry of Leo’s baring their souls.

It wasn’t you.

It had never been you.

It had been time.

Just like Donnie.

It was time.

“You did good.”

Leo babbled a few more syllables, before he stiffened in your hold.

“You did so good.” Tears threatened your vision so you closed your eyes and put all your strength into the hug. “You were right!”

“That-” You felt his hands ghost up to push you away.

“You were!” You forced your body flush with his and sent a watery grave into his eyes. “You were right to love! You were right to fight! You were right to worry! You were right to try! You were right to do everything you could to protect your family! Leo, you did an amazing job!”

A revelation did not pass over Leo’s features.

He stared down at you, spellbound.

He saw you.

The current you.

He saw now.

“They lived!” You told the parts of him, one foreign and aged mingling with the other who hadn’t properly looked in a mirror in years. “You did it. You got them all here! You protected them!”

“I…?” He believed you.

Your cheeks threatened to swallow your eyes. “Every one of them.”

“But they…”

“But nothing!” You stepped closer into him and he had to widen his stance to stay upright. “You can keep punishing yourself, but that doesn’t do them any good! They’re waiting for you! They don’t care what you did! They care what you do now! So, you didn’t save them the way you wanted? Does that really matter? The end result is the same!”

His own philosophy crashed the pieces of him together and he wobbled.

You squeezed until you thought your shoulders might pop out of their sockets. “And that’s where you are. You’re at the end of the road, Leo. You did it. You’re done. Your job is done.”

The first breath he took gave his new form life.

The second felt the years he’d lost.

The third sipped bittersweet in the many lives the old him had touched.

Then came happiness.

In a wave so large, his teeth lined up for a decade’s wide smile.

The time between flowed like a river down his face in droves.

“You can rest.” You buried your face into him, but saved your mouth. “Your loved ones are here and they’re waiting. They’ve been waiting all this time. They want to thank you. You did everything you could.”

Leo hugged you.

In one giant sweep, all that you had squeezed into him was returned until you were nearly bowled over.

You genuinely had no idea how either of you were still upright.

“He’s in good hands.” You added as soon as you got your oxygen back.

It was crushed right back out of you and together you both cried.

The downpour washed the slate clean.

You weren’t sure if you would etch it anew, but for now you were going to store it.

There was time.

So much so, especially for Leo, that you languished in it. It brought you both stumbling to the couch where neither of you could let go. It was only after being seated side by side did you feel sturdy, but Leo didn’t let go with an arm slung around your shoulders. He grew into a frustrating weight, but there was a certain comedy to it that had you both barbing each other with little spikes for a sense of normalcy. You weren’t sure if that would be your relationship moving forward, but for now it felt like you could traverse it on your own terms.

When Raph came down the fire escape in a series of clangs, Leo only arched out where he still had a hold on you and greeted his brother with a wry smile.

If Leo’s newly current presence was obvious to you, it was plain as day for Raph, who was moving forward. “Leo!”

“Hey, bro. Miss me? Bring that big beautiful mug over here for me to see!” Leo extracted his arm from you and whispered a parting sorrow in your ear. “Sorry, doll.”

For a moment you were on a rooftop until you were back in your apartment looking at Leo.

“What can I say?” He was all smarmy charm. “A fling’s a fling! No hard feelings?”

You had a thousand insults on your tongue, but Donnie’s arms wrapped around your middle and he extracted you with a bitter glower.

Leo didn’t pay him any mind and caught Raph by the cheeks to squeeze them. “Prickly, you forget to shave?”

“What can I say? It’s past five o’clock.” Raph fluttered his lashes.

“Big news: I’m thinking about quitting too.” Leo gave Raph’s face one last squish before he let go. 

“Oh?” Raph craned his brow ridge through his mask. 

“Yeah, thinking about starting a new team. I’m still workshopping a name. I’m thinking Mayhem’s Mutants. We get ourselves a cute mascot. Everybody loves a cute mascot.” Leo tipped his head, amused. 

“He is cute.” Raph caught the joking bug. “Good luck with that, I’ll have to see. I sent out a ton of resumes and have already gotten a few calls back.” 

“That right? Well, make sure to suit up for the interviews and when they hit you with that bit at the end asking if you have any questions, you always, always, ask ‘em about parking. They eat that shit up.” Leo threw out his hand in a smoothing sailing motion. 

“Thanks. I think I will.” Raph chuckled. 

“Also, like remember though, I’m just saying, my thing has dental…! So… you know… keep your options open, alright?” Leo clucked. 

Donnie cuddled you close where he’d pulled you clean over the back of the couch.

You leaned back and bumped your head against the underside of his chin.

He rested there.

Little nail clicks were Splinter and you opened your eyes to see him crawl up onto the couch to approach his middle son.

A small fear caught you and you grabbed Donnie to share the load.

He held you tightly.

It hadn’t occurred to you that Leo’s change could be an impermeant one, but faced with this father, a certain manifestation of how he came to be could upset the balance.

You wanted to interfere, but it was out of your hands.

Splinter touched Leo’s arm before moving to cup his son’s cheek.

He then pinched hard and pulled.

“Ow, ow, ow!” Leo squawked.

“Do you know how long we’ve been waiting!?” Splinter complained.

It was the perfect response.

Leo immediately welled up with tears.

“Come on, pops! C-can’t have been that long…” Leo spoke weepy.

“Foolish boy!” Splinter scolded, but his sharp edge was disintegrating by the second. 

Raph smiled and you watched his eyes flash red.

Leo’s joined for a flicker of blue and you felt Donnie jolt around you.

Looking up you found him with a shine of purple in his iris and then the front door exploded open.

“Leo!!!” Mikey shrieked and flew straight to tackle Leo off the couch and into Raph.

“Alright, alright! There’s enough of me to go around! Stop acting like I’ll disappear into another dimension or something!” Leo complained. 

A beat of silence passed. 

“Not funny, Leo!” Raph growled and pulled all the Hamato into a hug. 

“What is wrong with you!?” Mikey hissed. 

“You dare joke-!” Splinter threw out frustrated balled fists. 

Leo laughed brightly and you felt a very specific fracture in the family mend.

You leaned further into Donnie.

He moved to envelope you, but a growl rumbled out from his stomach.

There was a pause that could only be broken by Mikey, “Dinner bell!”

Everything then went into motion. The meal was salvaged in various stages and you found that the cream you had seen Leo with was because Raph wanted to make his own dessert. He apparently had a cobbler recipe he was proud of and wanted to show off to you specifically. Splinter was able to present his green bean casserole which was admittedly delicious and supposedly his tout to where Mikey got his culinary skills. There was talk of jobs and this and that. In moving groups, you got to mostly rest as the men scarfed down comical plate loads and got into arguments over the silliest things.

It eventually broke off where Raph took full advantage of the kitchen and its central food hub as he always baked. Making quick work of repurposing a casserole dish, he eventually had time to take some measurements of a wall and Donnie dismissed him only to point outside. Raph poked his head out to find supplies on the fire escape and a calling card post-it with a caricature of S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. on it that made Leo shudder. Clean up happened with Leo taking heavy point of washing many dishes and Mikey humming alongside him as a mystic dryer with orange tinted air. Raph stacked things up to eventually take with them and Donnie shot off a message to S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. from his computer about what was left for the window repair.

It eventually brought a curious Raph over to the computer as he wasn’t going to let his promise go of being the one to fix it. The eldest tacked on a resume of the work he’d done around the lair where he’d expanded arch ways to better fit his size and architecture slid into Donnie’s special interest category. Both men were soon scouring blueprints and you feared it wouldn’t just be a window put back in place in your kitchen. 

Nothing you could really do to stop them, you drifted to the side, where the other pair of turtles were entertained and found Splinter alone with a cup of tea on your couch. He gestured you over and made you one where you only faintly wondered where he’d gotten his supplies. You drank an incredible cup of smooth liquid that had you sending awe at the old man who took your praise in stride. A timer went off and Leo got a little too excited. His hand went up where it had been hand mixing a bowl of cream. The fling brought ire then a laugh from Mikey who seemed relentless in hanging off the blue brother.

All of it brought smiles to Leo’s face where piping hot cobbler was passed out with fresh dollops of cream running off.

Donnie was busy fixing a schematic and didn’t step away to grab a portion.

You’d been resting for long enough and got him one sans cream as you knew the melting whip would only sog the cobbler’s crispy top, a complaint you’d known well of your partner. Bringing the plate and a fork over, you set it down beside him to take at his leisure and he passed you a distracted glance along with an affectionate mating call for your effort.

It brought a plate clanging silence to the room.

Donnie immediately bristled.

Raph was the first to break out his excitement. “Life partners?!”

Fury was abated for repulsion on Donnie’s face. “Is that your descriptor?!”

“Uh, duh.” Leo rolled his eyes. “Kinda bigger deal than boring old English to have a special way of saying ‘I love you.’ What do you call it?”

Donnie turned and tried to bury his beak into his computer.

“Nope! Not letting that go!” Leo jumped the counter with Raph excitedly gushing about romance right behind him.

It caused Donnie to up and run from the pair where they circled the apartment making kissy faces as your boyfriend got more and more flustered.

Mikey appeared by your side with a forkful of cobbler. “I’m not into the whole thing.”

You nodded for the sake of it, watching the display and witnessing Splinter doing the same with an overflowing affection.

“Cretins!” Donnie reared a hand on a turn and with it came a wall of purple that Raph and Leo both slammed into.

Leo blinked a few rapid times before he peeled his face off the projection.

“Woah…” Raph ran his hands over the clear purple swath. “When’d you learn to make less lethal stuff?”

“Was he mad mad?” Mikey asked you. “Like ninpo making mad?” 

You shook your head as you honestly didn’t believe so. 

That made this Donnie’s first projection seemingly created his will alone. 

This was confirmed for you as Donnie came forward to study the barrier with a finger curled to his lips.

“Amazing.” Leo was unenthused. “It’s literally a rectangle. Whoop-dee-doo. Wanna actually impress me, egghead? Make it disappear.”

“Here we go.” Mikey exaggerated an eye roll.

“It’s not magic!” Leo bristled.

“You were one step away from saying abracadabra.” Raph snarked.

Leo mimed the magic word mockingly to the oldest. 

Donnie had his brow wrinkled during the exchange in clear effort. 

Something then occurred to him and he leaned away with a slow exhale as if giving up.

The wall crumbled with pixels collapsing like a perfectly cleared Tetris screen.

Leo arched his mask. “Huh. Well alright.”

“Let’s try for a pistol.” Donnie flared with a tame malevolence for him.

“I’m blameless! You shoot your sensei!” Leo pointed at Raph as he exited and headed over to Splinter. “Got a cup for me?”

“I’d need to boil more wa-” Splinter yawned.

Mikey’s expression grew gooey. “About time.”

“I can stay up!” Splinter complained.

“He’ll be passed out in ten.” Raph told you.

You giggled.

“I will not! This is a special occasion!” Splinter brushed his eldest off with a wave of his hand.

Leo put the kettle on and Splinter fell asleep before it even hissed.

Burners clicked off, there was a quiet movement of gathering things and dividing leftovers. It struck you that Donnie hadn’t consumed anything, but you had a feeling he might later. All based on chance and how things held up, you did your best in choosing to take dishes he might like and a portal was soon formed to transport the rest. Straight into the lair kitchen, things were filed out with the final retrieval being Raph carrying a snoring Splinter through to put him to bed. The eldest then returned once the apartment was emptied and the three Hamato children stood in front of the portal for their goodbyes.

A less than poignant affair, you mostly got a group hug where they wished you well and there were promises of check-in texts. All in order, Donnie stood politely aside and watched on for a slight nod as his great thank you. It was accepted with a few jeers that he barked at and with that the men exited one at a time and Leo’s portal blinked away for the foreseeable future.

Donnie swept you off your feet within seconds. “What happened?”

“Which part?” You tittered as he was pressed behind you and carried you like a hostage to the bathroom.

“You were close! You smell like orange and blue all over.”

“Mikey pulled me out the window and I finally got through to Leo, for real this time.”

“You will shower and explain.” He decided gruffly and it was so endearingly him that you didn’t mind as you stripped.

He sat off to the side, peeking through the curtain as you did a quick wash of your body while regaling him with all that had occurred that night. For Mikey, Donnie cared little, but he ran a gambit of fury at the audacity of the middle Hamato for slighting you. He was still mad, but quieted as you exited the shower damp and nude. It distracted him and he only held a huff as he did his washing up at the sink where you eventually brushed your teeth. Whisked to bed in a none too romantic sense, Donnie instead ate up physical affection in a very literal sense. Mouthing over whatever skin wasn’t coated in pajamas, he obviously scented you before cuddling close where you finally asked him about how he watched your physical therapy.

He began by impressing upon you how proud he was to have you as his mate. He explained that even when he struggled to watch or help, you fought mercilessly and he couldn’t have been more enamored. He even went so far back to remark on your handling of the kidnapping, a lost time that he still applauded you for because however long it was, you’d survived. You’d eventually kissed into him, sweetly at first, in a way that reminded you of tasting a rare bottle of wine. The complexity came with airing and outpoured details.

You found out Donnie had in fact been doing mental constructions during his meditation. While Leo had stopped him from implementing new security cameras, Sinai Hospital had their own footage which Donnie had pilfered and gone through. When he played the tape back and examined it, he’d found that his ninpo didn’t just appear out of thin air, it was constructed there, piece by piece just as he had learned as a child. Hearing Mikey say meditation came with a variety techniques helped him pair the ideas and he found the schematic process to be a soothing one regardless of the lethal creation it was trying to curb. He was pleased with the progress and, as you had seen, had recently start to tap into his ninpo as a pool of energy. 

Until tonight he hadn’t been able to conjure anything, but in his increased meditation, he no longer found the raging purple flame inside him. It was now an organ like any other, only it extended far beyond his body’s reach. He could now imagine himself approaching the well as if it were a materials cache. He imagined with practice not only could he manifest anything he could imagine, but there were probably other uses for the purple ooze beyond that. 

You added what you knew about the other turtle’s power and Donnie revealed to you the conversation had on the roof. Just as Raph had said, he only explained the history and knowledge of the ninpo and nothing more. It was apparently a combined manifestation of the Hamato clan’s essence. A generational pool of power passed down, it was an exclusive art that was thought to only be tapped by wholly connecting and trusting one’s family. It manifested uniquely to each user, but seemed as unlimited and wild as all mystic arts. There was no discussion after the presensation and the trio on the roof had spent a time in silence, allowing the knowledge to permeate. 

You tucked in close to Donnie at the thought of him wholly connecting to save you, his family, and he confirmed that, in that moment, he forgot all else, but a drive to save you. Overridden yourself, you felt compelled to open up about your healing humiliations. From stink to lashing out, Donnie took his time dismantling your concerns while also rubbing those exhausted muscles of yours.

Exhaustion and eventual mutual caressing coaxed loose lips where revealed he’d asked Splinter over because he needed a firsthand account of how love worked between a supposed hero and villain. Now that the forewarned grave harm had finally come to you, Donnie found it difficult to imagine you could have any sort of safe life together so he had to turn to the only pair he knew that had chanced and survived such a feat, successful or not. You admitted what you’d overhead and Donnie didn’t fault you. He only plied affections on how you’d snuck in without his knowledge. 

Beofre he diverted back to you, there was something about the way Donnie spoke of his conversation with Splinter.

He had a finality to him.

Not as an ends, but a means to, something about his tone made you think this was the final barrier that had kept him from actually proposing. 

You had to ask if that was the case as your lids grew heavy. 

It was drawing close to dawn.

You’d spent hours catching up.

“Yes..” He breathed warmth at your intuitiveness. “I had reservations. Unrelated to the grotesque concept of asking a father’s permission, however.” 

You were both gazing at each other from your pillows. “That last bit hadn’t crossed my mind. I swear.”

“He… did help...” He admitted. “He apparently proposed to Big Mama.”

You startled as much as your tired body could.

“Her response was to reveal her plans and imprison him to fight as a slave in her arena.”

“Oh…”

“He… still has the ring.”

You reached for Donnie.

He met you with careful fingers.

You wondered if Splinter had been any sort of stuck like Leo. There was the many names the old man had and he’d been open about his regrets. A frustrating like father, like son, you supposed it made sense and felt optimistic for the Hamato going forward. 

Their familial bonds were apparently transcendent. 

“His didn’t work out, but you think ours will?” You murmured.

“He was happenstance, to be clear. An example, if anything.”

You made a curious trill.

Donnie wormed closer. “Sleep, my love.”

“What was it, Don… exactly?”

Donnie’s beak lightly brushed the tip of your nose. “I was reassured that I am unlike them. Their cycle does not apply to me. I am something new. I am me and am immune to their failure.”

You brushed his cheek with a sloppy swipe. “Only one of you.”

“And you.” He pressed closer to seal the comment, before giving you space to sleep.

💜NEXT💜

Can you believe these two have been around since chapter 21? Hard to imagine a time before my betas @tmntxthings and @thepinkpanther83

[rosey-mango]

HAHA! 4/4 turtles done!

Extra info below cut 👇

- Knows very little Japanese. Can pick put a few words in a sentence, but he is lost otherwise. Bro is struggling enough with some English words /hj

- Bro LOVES visual arts. He's super creative and designs a lot of different things for fun! He's the one who also sews the others' clothing and whatnot if they've been damaged after a battle AND sometimes helps Donnie design things for inventions or do a paint job

- When it comes to the whole bug thing, he's not too interested in them, but doesn't mind them. There's a few he likes, like the fuzzy moths. He's more of an animal guy, though.

- He's SUPER sweet and energetic. He doesn't like when things are sad or tense. He likes to try and lighten the mood. He does occasionally have his moments where he can't stay the sunshine character, but they don't happen too often.

- Only reason he's considered the therapist is because he's the most in touch with his feelings and tries to help the others do the same. He does, however, try to ignore his sadder feelings to where his brothers might be the ones helping him, but again, that's because he doesn't like those feelings. He likes being the happy guy who helps others.

- He's a very affectionate guy. Sometimes, he forgets about boundaries when super excited but will apologize and back up if need be. He just loves spreading the love!

- He tries to befriend people. He knows when he can't at times but tries at least a little bit. Only moments he doesn't make an attempt is if he gets SUPER bad feelings about someone. If Mikey doesn't trust someone, you shouldn't either until further investigation.

- Likes to pull a few pranks every now and that but never goes too far and makes sure not to be a HUGE brat about it (rarely can be, though). He just likes to have a little fun and keep things interesting.

- Can sometimes be a little too lighthearted in dark moments... doesn't mean to, but he doesn't always have the appropriate energy during certain times. He'll try and fix it, though.

- Can be a bit snippy at times. When he's mad, he's MAD. Doesn't always last long, but the aggression is natural for his species (same goes for Raph)

- Usually the cook/baker of the family. His brothers can cook too, but they're not as good as he is, and he doesn't always trust them in the kitchen. There's been a few... 'incidents'

- Second strongest and most skilled in the family. He's super playful with how he fights, and it leaves him unpredictable.

- ADHD child fr

- Goofs off a bit more than Leo, but he's better at turning it off when he needs to. If the situation is serious, he's better at taking it as such.

- He's not necessarily dumb. He's just a bit oblivious sometimes and not as educated as the others. Occasionally, things go in one ear and out the other if he's already focused on something else.

- His gap tooth is natural (like Donnies), and he thinks it adds to his cuteness factor. He tries to convince Donnie not to be so insecure about his, but it isn't always successful

- He is baby, he is sweet puppy and we love him very much

If you wanna know more, feel free to ask!

[fishsticksloser]

Mikey SFW HCs

Warnings: opinions, fluff

A/N: You know how Spotify has those Daily Mixes? I listen to them sometimes to find new songs, but it just plays the songs I have in my playlist... >:[

Raph | Leo | Donnie

A = Affection (How affectionate are they? How do they show affection?)

The most affectionate out of all of them.

He's also the easiest to notice due to his love languages being Touch and Words of Affirmation.

Though he isn't the biggest fan of PDA, he does like holding your hand and kissing your temple when in public.

He also thoroughly enjoys hyping you up. Mikey is the #1 hype man.

B = Body part (Their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

He loves his hands, it's what he uses to make art.

It probably is the same for you. He likes your hands because he can hold them and you can hold him with them. He also likes kissing your palms when he's distracted.

C = Cuddles (Do they like to cuddle? How would they cuddle?)

Massive cuddler.

Once again, his main love language is physical touch, so cuddling is a no brainer to him.

He loves any position, whether you're holding him or he's holding you. As long as you're touching, Mikey doesn't care.

D = Domestic (Do they want to settle down? How are they at cooking and cleaning?)

He does want to settle down.

He's a great cook, loves cooking. Mikey is the chef of the family.

But... He's not very clean. Sure, he'll clean what he uses in the kitchen but he has a tendency to not clean his room.

E = Ending (If they had to break up with their partner, how would they do it?)

If he had to?

He definitely wont Dr. Delicate Touch his way out of it.

Mikey really doesn't want to hurt your feelings, but he'd be honest. He'd get a little into Dr. Feelings to try and make sure he didn't hurt you.

Of course, break ups hurt, he knows that. But he doesn't want it to seem like it was all you and not him.

F = Fiancé(e) (How do they feel about commitment? How quick would they want to get married?)

He'd wait a while. He's the baby of the family.

Mikey would definitely have a conversation about the future of your relationship and the future in general.

He'd probably wait a few years before asking.

G = Gentle (How gentle are they, both physically and emotionally?)

He razzes his tazz a lot with you, but he can also be really gentle. Ultimately it's up to what's going on.

Emotionally, he's probably the gentlest without babying you. He'll make you comfortable before ever making you talk about your feelings, making sure you know it's a safe place.

The only ones who aren't allowed to be comfortable (they know they're safe, but Mikey jumps right into the issue) are Donnie and Leo because the more comfy they are, the less they talk.

H = Hugs (Do they like hugs? How often do they do it? What are their hugs like?)

Huge hugger, he's the one that initiates most of the hugs.

He'll hug you every chance he gets.

His hugs very. Sometimes they're playful and giggly, other times they're full of love.

I = I love you (How fast do they say the L-word?)

A little like Leo, but instead of it coming out of left field, he planned to say it, but he accidently said it at a different time than he planned.

It wasn't set in stone, but it was a weird time to say it.

He waits until he feels like the words are actually true, he doesn't want to love bomb you.

J = Jealousy (How jealous do they get? What do they do when they’re jealous?)

Mikey doesn't get jealous very often, it takes a lot to get him jealous.

But when he does... Dr. Delicate Touch comes out.

K = Kisses (What are their kisses like? Where do they like to kiss you? Where do they like to be kissed?)

Most of the times his kisses are short and sweet. On very few occasions have they been different.

He loves kissing your nose and lips. Mikey enjoys your smile when he kisses either of those places.

Anywhere, literally anywhere. He loves feeling love through your kisses.

L = Little ones (How are they around children?)

The best with kids.

He really likes hanging out with kids because they're so creative and don't care how good/bad their drawings are.

He just isn't sure if he wants his own or not, he's leaning towards yes.

M = Morning (How are mornings spent with them?)

He gets up decently early. 7-8am.

If he gets up too late, he'll feel like crap the rest of the day.

But mornings with him are fun. He makes breakfast and loves when you help. He'll teach you new things, like how to make eggs benedict.

N = Night (How are nights spent with them?)

He pretty much goes to bed whenever, normally after Raph but before Leo.

Mikey will do anything to cuddle with you during the night.

O = Open (When would they start revealing things about themselves? Do they say everything all at once or wait a while to reveal things slowly?)

Normal first date kind of things come immediately. Favorite color, animal, whatever.

But things like Draxum and other Hidden City/mutant things he'll keep to himself until you're a permeant part of his life. He doesn't want to put you in any more danger than necessary.

P = Patience (How easily angered are they?)

He's very patient. With you anyways.

Not so much with his brothers.

But he doesn't get angry very often, he knows how to get his anger out without hurting anyone.

Q = Quizzes (How much would they remember about you? Do they remember every little detail you mention in passing, or do they kind of forget everything?)

He's very good at remembering things.

Sometimes he forgets things you say in passing, but overall, he's really good about remembering what you say.

R = Remember (What is their favorite moment in your relationship?)

Your first kiss.

When he asked you out.

Taking you to his first art show.

He rolls around on his bed, giggling and blushing when he thinks about these memories.

S = Security (How protective are they? How would they protect you? How would they like to be protected?)

Mikey can be pretty protective, but he knows that you can take care of yourself.

Though, he does check in and make sure you got to your destination safely.

He doesn't need much protection, just give him space to vent and let his guard down.

T = Try (How much effort would they put into dates, anniversaries, gifts, everyday tasks?)

He tries incredibly hard.

He doesn't go all out like Leo, but pretty close.

Especially for anniversaries.

U = Ugly (What would be some bad habits of theirs?)

He bites his nails and the skin around them.

Mikey also bounces a lot, even when sitting. It can sometimes be annoying.

V = Vanity (How concerned are they with their looks?)

Not too concerned, he wants to look nice but it also isn't the end of the world if everything isn't perfect.

W = Whole (Would they feel incomplete without you?)

Ever since he met you, he can't think of anything or anyone else.

His best art pieces are of you...

X = Xtra (A random headcanon for them.)

He plays music in his room, almost at full volume. How he hasn't burst his eardrums is the 8th wonder of the world.

He likes painting in Van Gogh and Michelangelo's style. He finds it fun and a good way to learn. Although he prefers Van Gogh.

Acts like he likes FNAF to hang out with Donnie, but is absolutely terrified. Especially after Albearto.

Y = Yuck (What are some things they wouldn’t like, either in general or in a partner?)

Once again... Don't make fun of his brothers, especially Donnie.

Don't baby him. He already deals with it enough from his dad and brothers.

Z = Zzz (What is a sleep habits of theirs?)

He talks in his sleep.

Mikey occasionally sleep walks but only after eating a specific thing, still no one know what it is.

[yanderes-galore]

Make Yandere headcannons for 2003 Raph

Sure, sorry for the long wait, still really new to the 2003 turtles (Can I just say I really like how they depicted Baxter in this variation?)

If things are OOC, I am sorry. Aged up as usual.

Yandere! 2003! Raphael Concept

Pairing: Romantic/Platonic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Stalking, Jealousy mention, Murder mention, Manipulation implied, Obsession, Violence, Protective behavior.

2003 Raphael seems like he'd be different from his counterparts.

He isn't mellow like 2018 Raphael.

But he seems more mature with his anger than 2012 Raphael.

He's his own turtle but in terms of anger he's similar to 2007 or 2014 Raphael.

This Raphael still loves the fight, he just wouldn't be too sadistic like how I write 2012 at times.

He's actually scared to be angry at times in fear of hurting those he loves.

As a result he's more mature and can control his anger better.

He's caring and concerned at times, even loyal to those he cares about.

He can be impulsive and sarcastic at times, however.

"I just... don't want to hurt you, alright, darling?"

This Raphael would try to control his anger around his darling in order to have you trust him.

Compared to any Raphael other than 1987 and 2018, that's quite an improvement.

This Raphael can dish it out just enough anger to defend you or when he's jealous.

Speaking of jealousy, compared to other incarnations he can hide it well.

It bubbles out more as him being grumpy or moody before becoming completely violent.

"I don't like them, alright!?"

Raphael in this version would not hurt his darling intentionally.

He's certainly more aware of his anger and what it can do.

As with most turtle incarnations, if not all, Raphael would stalk his darling.

He's not going to record everything about you (Donatello) or be obsessive about your safety (Leonardo)...

He's also not all that clingy (Michelangelo).

He just likes to know about you enough to spark conversation and just... be near you.

If he ever did get angry around you, he's apologizing profusely in case he hurt you.

He doesn't care as much if he hurt someone he's jealous about being near you.

He only apologizes because you make him-

"Fine, fine... I'm sorry! ... don't have me catch you around (Y/N) again, dirtbag."

If anyone threatens his obsession, they're hunted.

He knows his way around the streets, he's impulsive, and he's concerned for his obsession's safety enough to kick someone's shell.

He's a no-nonsense kind of person.

If his darling put up resistance against his affection, Raphael's shutting it down in the least violent way he can manage.

"Hey... I'm just trying to show I care for you!"

In terms of if he'd murder for his darling, only if he has to.

Jealousy would drive him to beat someone up but usually not murder them.

Unless he gets a bit too into it.

Usually murder would be if your life is in danger.

The first time it is, at least...

It gets easier after the first time.

Kidnapping does not come easily.

He's impulsive but not when it comes to kidnapping.

He prefers being a... guardian to his darling more than anything.

He likes to hide in the shadows and watch you, pouncing on anyone he sees as a threat.

He believes he can protect you from your home or his.

Plus, he feels he's strong enough to intimidate many different foes.

Luckily, with this Raph you may not have to deal with kidnapping unless your safety is threatened in any way.

"I'll protect you. That's what anyone should do for family, that's what Leo says atleast...."

In terms of affection, Raphael is willing to give/take.

He isn't as affectionate as the 2003 incarnations of his brothers, yet he enjoys it.

He acts like he's reluctant when you hug him or lay beside him...

He quickly isn't.

He even looks like he's enjoying himself when he feels you run your fingers across his skin and shell.

He gets defensive if anyone sees him so vulnerable other than you.

If the companionship between you is more forced, he'll be the one doing the affection.

He seems a bit hesitant but he'll still hug you and nuzzle into your hair.

"This isn't so bad...."

The best part about this Raph is certainly his more mature way of dealing with anger.

He's mature and tries to not allow you to be harmed because of him lashing out.

He hopes this means you'll feel mutual about him if he displays his care for you.

Even if it doesn't come easy to him... he's still not used to the lovey dovey kind of stuff.

Overall, this Raphael would be significantly more concerned about how his anger affects the relationship between you...

This does not mean he isn't a monster behind the scenes, unfortunately.

"Look, he needed that beatdown, I promise. I was just looking out for you!"

[nnnyxie]

SLIDES IN AND PROCEEDS TO KNOCK DOWN A SMALL SIDE TABLE AND A VASE HAAAAAAYYYYYYY BESTIIIEEEEEE !!! ヘ⁠(⁠￣⁠ω⁠￣⁠ヘ⁠) I come bearing my anticipated requests!!; if it be in your best interest, I would LOVE to see what concoction you bubble up in that cauldron of fascination we call a brain. It goes unsaid! — I love your writing. 🌷

(Insert New Yorker accent) Y'see, CJ.. i've had a hankering for some Peepaw Turtles (& Mama April if you can imagine it). (swirls cup in hand, sloshing the contents inside like some sophisticated taboo drink, some mystery liquid, but it's literally just cranberry juice)

I'm diggin' for the typical Found Family trope, all that jazz. Feel me? Platonic, of course! Who d'ya think I am? — Envision with me, CJ! (that one Buzz and Woody meme, you know the one)

Headcanons for 🥁🥁 :: A child reader! Adopted into the loving encompassing warmth that is the arms of the Hamato Clan? Each of them aged up as appropriate barely functioning adults, ✨thriving✨ in the happy ending that is Post-Kraang New York, everyone doing their own thing and most importantly they've got each other. THEN, oh, but THEN—

A kid comes along. That kid, cast-aside with nobody and nothing to their name (because apparently after a whole 🍑 war, we can't have EVERYTHING THAT'S NICE /lh /but also srs), timid and beaten by the world but still loves somethin' fierce with a heart of gold, is found one day by the respective member of the Clan! All of whom, individually, agree to take them in and watch them flourish from under their wing. At least until they can fly on their own. But even then, they'll still always be there for them. They never thought they'd have a kid Leo with the exception of Casey, and Don's Shelldon ofc I have respect on my main bot's name, but that's just life isn't it? It's full of surprises.

Whaddya say? You up to the plate? (affectionately and very gently slugs your chin, like a dad or smth PFT 😂💕)

𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙢𝙪𝙘���� 𝙪𝙥 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚 !!

𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙖 𝙘𝙪𝙩𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨�� ! 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 10?? 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝

𝙑𝙀𝙍𝙔 𝙈𝙐𝘾𝙃 𝙋𝙇𝘼𝙏𝙊𝙉𝙄𝘾 (@ 𝙪 𝙬𝙚𝙞𝙧𝙙𝙤𝙨 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚)

- idk if you have siblings but,, yk how they’ll playfully fight and say “mom/dad found you in the dumpster”?? well that was ACTUALLY the case for you. you were literally found in (near) a dumpster.

- i think april was the one to find you ofc !! she saw you were badly bruised and injured but still held out a fight against her bc you didn’t know her.

- eventually she gets you to calm down and leads you back to the lair. on your walk back she lets everyone know the situation

- when you walk into the lair with april, their hearts immediately drop bc,,, why is there a little kid out in the city alone???

- the first thing they do is take you to med bay to tend to your injuries. it hurts the turtles and april to see a little kid so injured.

- while they’re patching you up, april asks you what was going on and why you were alone. you explained to her that your parents were lost during the war and you had stayed at a foster home before running away bc your foster mom was a pos :(

- this made them feel very conflicted bc on one hand, you need to go back but on the other, you shouldn’t go back.

- they made sure you were asleep before bringing this topic up.

“we can’t just let them go back there… you heard what the kid said!” april exclaimed, her voice was cracking at the thought of what that woman did to you. “i know… i know. but what can we do? there’s obviously gonna be some sort of search or something.” donnie sighed into his hands. “what if we just like… kept them but legally.” leo suggested with a curious look. mikey tilted his head, “do you mean adopt them?” “ahah! that’s what it’s called!” leo snapped his fingers. raph told them they should discuss this in further detail before jumping straight to that.

- so after a very long discussion on what to do, they decide that adoption would be a good choice, but only if you wanted them to.

- when you woke up from your nap, they sat you down and spoke to you about it. you were extremely wary of them, being in the system was difficult and unsafe sometimes.

- you decided to say ‘f it all, if they kill me then at least i’ll go out with a full stomach’

- april is quick to start the process. she knew that she could adopt you. she has a stable income, a two bedroom place, and plenty of time to raise you well.

- once the forms and orders are properly processed, you’re officially released into her care.

- it’s the first time you’ve felt,,, safe since the loss of your parents at 6 yrs old.

- they protect you with their life, train you to defend yourself, and help you with your schoolwork (donnie mainly)

- they see how much potential you have and teach you the hamato clan’s ways.

- they see your burning passion for justice even though you’re so young.

- never would they have thought that a kid (besides casey) would effect them this much.

- they didn’t even expect to be raising a kid, especially all together. it was never in their itinerary. but that doesn’t mean they love you any less.

- you’re their world now and they need to protect you until you’re strong enough to take off on your own. they hoped it’d be long before that could happen.

- also when casey jr sees you he’s just like ‘ayo?! my older sib is a whole child now???’

- then upon hearing this, the clan now knew that no matter what were to have happened, they would’ve taken you in anyways.

𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙨𝙤 𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚 <3

[hyperfixationiris]

(In advance I apologize for any grammatical or syntax error that I may have, English is not my first language).

The Separated AU by @cupcakeslushie has been my complete adoration and obsession in recent days, so (with the author's permission) I created this playlist for Separated!Donnie!

I have chosen the songs mostly for their lyrics, so the musical genres may be all over the place, hehe.

The title comes from the mini comic "Thirds", also part of the Separated AU and creation of Cupcakeslushie, because damn, that interaction between Donnie and Splinter hit me hard.

That there are thirty-three songs (Three Three) in the playlist is... totally a coincidence! But it is one of which I feel very proud!

You can listen it on YouTube here or on Spotify here (I recommend the YouTube version more, since on Spotify I couldn't find all the songs or not in the versions I wanted).

Below is a brief explanation of why I chose some of the songs, (you can ignore this if you like) But enjoy the music and go see the Separated AU, I recommend it with all my heart!

(This part is very based on my interpretation of Sep!Donnie, so I may be wrong about some things.)

— "Saint Bernard" and "Cradles" are the first songs for being the ones I most associated with Donnie. The first for talking about being a failure and that there is something intrinsically "wrong" with you. The second I associated with his way of seeing the world and the fact that he does not perceive what has been done to him as abuse.

— The instrumental melodies I chose I feel they are a good reflection of his mental state, especially in one of his episodes.

— "Papercut" was a song I heard and it was immediately like: "Oh, yes, this is Donnie talking about Three and the hallucinations he has of his brothers".

— "Immer Sie" is one of the few songs I chose with a specific moment in mind, in this case: Donnie attacking his family because he felt they were leaving him behind and abandoning him. The song speaks of a desperate and almost aggressive love, in addition to having in its lyrics a fairly broken syntax. That is why I think it can reflect Donnie's altered mental and emotional state in that specific moment.

— There is a song that clashes a lot with the others and is "Lovefool (Remix)". However I think it represents the affectionate behaviors, although sometimes too intense, of Donnie, as well as his need to be loved.

— I think "Pale Machine" is a song that would play once Donnie was rescued by his family and once he was living with them. Although he is very happy and basically the situation is a dream come true, that does not mean that all his problems are fixed.

— Two other songs for specific moments are "What I've Done" and "Cop Graveyard". I am referring to the moment Mikey finds out about the collars his brother made for Big Mama, and when Donnie realizes that he basically helped Shredder poison Leo's mind.

— "Rolling Girl" is the first of the comfort songs, being a reflection of the way Donnie sees himself and how his family is doing everything possible to help him out of that vicious circle.

— I see "Demons" as a song dedicated to the relationship between Donnie and Vee (which I love). In turn, "Devil Town" would be Donnie's relationship with Leo, Raph and Mikey.

— "New Soul" is basically Donnie on the road to recovery, with its ups and downs.

— Finally, "Somewhere I Belong" is not exactly a happy or entirely positive song, but whose central theme is something that Donnie has been working on and has wished all his life: a place to belong to.

And with this ends my TED Talk, thanks for coming.

[skeleton-in-a-hoodie]

Thinking about DDMG Raph and Splinter's relationship.

Under a readmore cause long

Their relationship starts out rocky. Part of it is Raph doesn't trust anyone who isn't his brothers, and Splinter not being able to share much information about himself does not help.

These two are also really similar (I will die on the hill that 2012 Raph took after Splinter, whilst Leo is more like how Saki was before everything went to hell/ if Saki was somewhat less of a thundering asshole) and that results in them butting heads the more time they spend around each other. They're both snarky with dry senses of humour, have a temper and love fighting. They're also both stubborn as mules, and telling them not to do something makes them more likely to do it. Both are romantics, who try to be realistic about things (see Splinter with DDMG Shen, Raph with Mona.)

There's other things at play there too. Raph has always had the unofficial job of protecting his bothers, usually by throwing himself in the firing line and taking the heavy hits in their place, but now the world is so much bigger than Raph ever thought it could be. There are monsters he can't hope to defeat, but Splinter can and Raph can feel his place in their family becoming unstable. Raph doesn't know who he is if not the one who protects his brothers, and he doesn't understand why they'd want him around if he can't do something for them.

Splinter meanwhile is not going to start fighting with an 11 year old. He's a grown man, and that's a struggling child, so even if him and Raph butt heads, he's going to be as compassionate and gentle with the kid as he can. He's old enough and has enough experience to know Raph is lashing out, though Splinter doesn't know the exact reasons why.

Which just freaks Raph out more, because surely his brothers will prefer the much calmer ghost to their brother who struggles to control his own temper. Raph has grown up being called a problem child and a nuisance, he's heard people say his brothers would have been adopted by now if it weren't for him. It's not true, but there's only so many times a child can hear stuff like that before they start to believe it, even if they consciously know it's wrong.

Things do get better between him and Splinter. They come to an understanding, Raph realises he's not being replaced, and Splinter figures out what's eating at Raph and so is able to address it.

Outside of Mikey, Raph calls Splinter father the most. Raph is a really affectionate kid, it's just it takes a while for him to decide if someone is worth the effort or not. But once he decides someone is one of his people, he's keeping them. That's his rat dad, he does not care about what other people think. (This is one of the things that convinces Mr Silver that Splinter and the boys are a good fit. Raph doesn't let just anyone in.)

I think realising Splinter is also an angry person helps Raph, because he gets a role model who has the same problems as him and can help him work through it. The water over stone conversation still happens, or at least a version of it, and they work on how Raph can deal with his emotions without throat punching that annoying asshole.

(I KNOW IT IS TEMPTING, BUT IT WILL CAUSE MORE PROBLEMS THAN IT SOLVES.

"Says the guy who punched Bradford."

... TOUCHE.)

Usually when Raph has had a rough day at school, he just has to ask Splinter to spar with him, and they'll go outside and fight for a bit until Raph feels better, and then they'll talk about it. Sometimes 'talk about it' just means Raph screams into the dirt, then rolls over, jumps to his feet and gets a snack.

Splinter also gradually realises that his own anger is not a bad thing. Whilst anger left unchecked can become self-destructive, anger isn't a bad thing on its own. A lot of emotions can become toxic and destructive, and having a 'bad' emotion doesn't mean you're a bad person. It's what you do with it that matters. It's something he and Raph learn from each other, and it starts to heal some old wounds Splinter didn't know he had.

[Redacted] was not a bad child because he was angry. He was simply a child who, like Raph, was struggling and needed help and didn't get it.

Sometimes, when either of them is annoyed about something, they'll text the other something along the lines of "Can I rant at you for a bit?" Raph does it more often than Splinter, because often the stuff that drives Splinter up the wall is official head ghost business that he doesn't feel comfortable sharing with his child, so he discusses that with his adult friends instead (this Splinter has other adults he talks to regularly, because 12 Splinter having no one makes me sad and i think explains a lot of his questionable decision making).

They do have their differences though, because even if they're similar, they're not the same person. Splinter is more prone to severe bouts of depression and self loathing, and struggles to look after himself. His anger tends to point more inward, and that's not a good thing. Raph's anger is all over the place, and his opinion of himself tends to stay uniformly terrible with no major dips. Both gradually get better, but it's a tough journey and has more than a few setbacks.

Splinter sometimes hesitates to act, because he's aware his own impulse control is non-existent and it's caused problems in the past, plus he doesn't want to stifle his boys' independence; Raph will act without thinking and then overanalysing his actions and feeling bad about minor things.

Raph also likes King Kong more than Godzilla, and they had to agree to disagree on the matter. Very much a "I love him, but he's wrong." (Godzilla vs Kong caused so many arguments between these two.)

[httpvomitello]

Heya girl, greetings from Colombia, I'm very curious about what the Bay Turtles would do when they meet their s/o's parents and they are two men, something like their s/o is adopted.

Hello Colombia, greetings from Brazil! I hope you like it! ♡♡♡♡

Leo would approach the situation with respect and diplomacy, just like he does with everything

He’s the type to do his homework ahead of time

So he’d ask you about your family dynamic, wanting to make sure he knows how best to show respect to both of your dads

When he meets them, he’s calm and collected

He’ll shake their hands and thank them for raising such a strong and kind person like you

Leo’s all about showing respect to family

So he’ll be polite, courteous, and maybe a little formal at first

Internally, though, he might be a little nervous because he knows how important this meeting is for you

He wants to make a good impression and show your dads that he’s a reliable partner

He’ll even talk about the ways he looks out for you, subtly trying to assure them that you’re in good hands

They don't need to know how good Leo really is with his hands...

By the end of the meeting, Leo would have earned their respect

And he’d feel a sense of relief, knowing that they approve of your relationship.

Raph’s immediate reaction when he finds out you have two dads?

“Cool. Let’s do this.”

He’s not one to get caught up in formalities or worry about it too much

Raph isn’t intimidated by much, but he does want to make sure your dads know he’s serious about you

He might be a little quieter than usual at first, trying to gauge how your dads feel about him

Raph’s not the best with meeting new people, so there’s definitely a little bit of awkwardness

He’s aware of how big he is and how he can come off as intimidating, so he tries to tone down the tough-guy act, at least in front of them

When he talks to them, Raph would be honest, straightforward, and a little protective

If your dads try to poke fun at him or grill him a bit, Raph can take it, and he’ll probably throw a joke right back at them

Once he feels like they’re comfortable with him, Raph relaxes and lets more of his personality show

He’s won them over with his loyalty to you and his straightforward nature

He might not be a “meet the parents” kind of guy, but he’ll leave knowing he did right by you.

Donnie would be a little nervous going into this

Meeting parents is always a big deal, but meeting two dads?

Donnie would definitely feel the pressure

He’ll probably try to bond with them over something intellectual, like science or technology

If either of your dads has any interest in that, Donnie will take the opportunity to dive into a conversation about it, and before long,

He’s geeking out and feeling more comfortable

If they’re not into that, Donnie will shift gears and be as polite and respectful as possible

He wants to make sure they know that he’s totally supportive of your family dynamic and that he respects your dads deeply for raising you

He might also fidget a little, worried he’s saying the wrong thing, but once he realizes they’re cool and accepting of him, he’ll calm down

In the end, Donnie will likely impress them with his smarts and how genuinely he cares about you

Mikey’s all about positivity and love, so when he hears you’ve got two dads, he’s immediately pumped

“Two dads? That’s awesome!”

He sees it as a chance to make twice the impression, and Mikey’s all about winning people over with his charm

When he meets them, Mikey’s full of energy, throwing out compliments and cracking jokes

He’s the kind of guy who’d win over your dads within the first few minutes with his infectious personality

He’s got no problem talking about how much he cares about you and will definitely hype you up in front of them

Mikey would also be super affectionate, not in a clingy way, but just showing that he’s really into you

He’ll say stuff like, “I’m the luckiest turtle in the world to be with your kid,” and your dads will appreciate how genuine he is

By the end of the night, Mikey’s probably convinced them to join in on a game or some fun activity, and they’ll be laughing along with him

Your dads would walk away knowing that Mikey’s got a heart of gold and that he’s going to treat you with all the love and care you deserve