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afreakingdork · 5 months ago

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You Are My Sunshine, My Only Moonshine - Chapter 12

RotTMNT x Reader

Donnie and grapes were meant to be in this week's chapter art by @matchstique

Rated: Teen and Up Audiences

Relationships: Michelangelo (TMNT)/Reader, Michelangelo (TMNT)/You, Donatello (TMNT)/Reader, Donatello (TMNT)/You

Warnings: POV Second Person, Gender Neutral Reader, Anxious Reader, Introverted Reader, Stuttering, Aged-Up Mutant Ninja Turtles, Romance, Love, Love Confessions, Falling In Love, Unrequited Love, Rejection, Aromantic Asexual Michelangelo (TMNT), Bisexual Donatello (TMNT), Pansexual Leonardo (TMNT), Lesbian Cassandra Jones | Foot Recruit, Demisexual April O'Neil (TMNT), Implied Cassandra Jones | Foot Recruit/April O'Neil/Sunita, Endgame Donatello (TMNT)/Reader, Romantic Love, Platonic Love, Panic Attacks, Sexuality Crisis, Agoraphobia, Social Anxiety, Happy Ending, Fluff

Synopsis: You’ve lost most of your life to anxiety and fear. Now, in your late 20s, you are desperate to reclaim it and during one such outing you encounter the sun personified. With his and his similarly celestially inspired family, will you finally reach your goal or will you lose yourself along the way?

Also available on Ao3

First 💛 Previous

It felt like tipping cosmic scales that you would avoid concussion only for Mikey to suffer one. The overnight Ice Capades were canceled the moment Mikey was not easily roused. The tone of the evening switched to a dutiful one that was punctuated with prepared scenarios. Each Hamato took their role from preparing Mikey for transport to actually moving him. It was the first time you got to see them as a team and they were surpassingly serious when need be. It was particularly amazing to watch Casey, of whom you had never heard quiet, not celebrate her victory.

It was only when Mikey was situated in a hospital bed did she grumble something out about not having won fairly. While Donnie prepared a machine for a scan, Leo reassured her that he understood the feeling. The blue brother had won that bet to wipe his debts on the back of Mikey’s loss and you thought one of the others might blame him for injury. You waited for the supposed show to drop, but instead Raph returned from grabbing the rest of the belongings. He had reviewed the scene and found Mikey’s fall was caused by a crack in the ice. Since destruction was the point of the evening, there wasn’t a way to assign blame. Any of them could have caused the break just as all of them had been a source of distraction for Mikey to look away from the ice.

It was all a terrible accident.

You waited in an adjacent hall as the scan was done. Once it was read and Mikey was cleared, he seemingly heard his positive prognosis and came to. He passed his concussion assessment with a ‘minor’ label. There was a collective sigh of relief and the first non-medical related question Mikey asked was if Leo could take you home.

“That what you want?” Leo ignored Mikey and looked to you for the answer.

“No… If that’s… o-okay…?” You checked with Mikey who looked one step away from crying tears of joy.

After a mild scolding about sinus pressure and its effects on concussions, the others shared what sounded like parting words with their little brother. They filed out one by one before Splinter came by. He was worried about his little boy, much to Mikey’s chagrin, and, after listening to him drawl on for a bit, Leo returned. You figured this was your actual goodbye and weren’t prepared when Leo then immediately launched in medical jargon. It took a few delirious seconds for you to produce your phone, but you were eventually taking down notes of how to routinely check Mikey’s coherency.

You were then left alone with your friend and he lazily told you what had been planned for the evening. Donnie had rigged the place for black light skating which Mikey deliriously told you looked like the aurora borealis three separate times. There were also plans for mock ice fishing which would have come around the time when the ice inevitably became busted beyond repair. Then something about hopping ice floats which made little sense to you along with perfect s’mores created by a certain genius' high tech system. The crown jewel of the evening had meant to be lying about and staring up at an aurora holograph which Mikey had hoped to surprise you with.

“I’m sure it would have been amazing…” You squeezed Mikey’s hand where you had been holding it a while.

Mikey hummed, a calculated drowsy from his third rousing. “Did you save that baby bird?”

“Baby… bird…?” You wondered nervously because Mikey had just passed his last comprehension check.

“Yeah the coo-coo… I’m pretty sure…” He squinted against heavy lids. “I heard it right before I fell… Maybe Leo snuck it in? Magicians like that kinda thing… Donnie sounded mad… Maybe an ecosystem thing…?”

You were rushed with the memory. “Turtle dove…”

“Is that the one?” Mikey hummed.

“It… it was Leo…”

A single chuff lolled his head. “That makes sense. Leo learned a bunch of bird calls to mess with Don. Nature walks are a usual thing. Categorizing species… gets boring. Leo’s pretty good. He’d throw Donnie off with all these tweets!”

You lowered your gaze.

“Turtle dove…” He snickered. “Like the song.” With a finger up, he gave a half hearted tune. “Two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree!”

You couldn’t help but give a small smile.

“Oh, hey, hey.” Mikey waved for your attention.

You looked up.

“Turtle.” He pointed at himself. “Dove.” He pointed at you.

“I d-don’t think…” Leo hadn’t been looking at Mikey when he’d made his bird call.

He’d been looking at you and Donnie.

“Doves are symbols… of peace and love…” He made a heart with his hands and let it sit against his chest. “What’sit…? They like… mate for life or something…?”

You ducked to bury your erupting blush until you saw a twitch of Mikey’s hands going slack. Glancing at him slyly, you found him dozing off. It felt terrible to blot your brow at having dodged whatever conversation that was, so you offset your guilt by tucking Mikey in to rest.

“The platform goes there!” Donnie pointed.

He was in full directorial mode with his goggles down and a digital clipboard somehow held in his hand. You couldn’t examine how as there was a flurry of movement around you and you were trying your best to stay out of everyone’s way. You had been designated the job distribute blankets, but that only came after the necessary ground coverage was laid. Until then, besides minimizing your existence, you ended up mostly reassuring yourself that your task wasn’t given out of pity. You were only human and didn’t have lifetimes of training like the others. As soon as you were given the go ahead, you immediately rolled out four blankets in what you hoped was a satisfactory way.

Giving a weak sigh, you hunched on your knees and looked over where additionally softness was required.

Your group had set up on a building across from where they were playing a movie in the park. Apparently the Hamatos had been commandeering this rooftop for years. It seemed like when they were younger, the family used to just lean against ledges, but with age came skill. They now had what was essentially a collapsible theater that they knew how to construct or break down at a moment’s notice. The structure was one that had been perfected to mimic stadium seating so everyone had a view without having to sit right up against the edge of a building.

Years had also given each member a preferred spot. Raph crowned the top row so he could comfortably sit however he wanted without impeding anyone’s vision. Leo had a bed rest pillow that he’d jammed against the lowest step for an easy front row seat. You and Mikey were sat beside him, manning what was essentially a picnic amongst layers of blanket. On the middle tier, the girls had their own flight with a variety of chairs that they were currently bickering over.

Since there was some time before the movie started, Raph was regaling you on his specially made pillow. It looked like an oddity with its various soft appendages, but you were assured it was spike resistant and made it so it could tuck his bulky arms in any number of ways. The oldest brother then demonstrated by curling up like a cozy king of the mountain. His lazy posture acutely contrasted Donnie who was now sat beside him on a beanbag throne. He had a cocky attitude, bolstered by a successful set up, and you refused to linger. You asked Mikey to make you a snack of his choosing for the film. Lit by the idea, he cobbled together little toasts with crumbly cheese and some kind of jam all while telling you about their origins.

Nodding, but absorbing little, he ended up making you a tasting tray of treats before the movie began.

Casey hissed a shush despite no one talking and with that silence fell over the roof.

Images on the screen were a little faint from light pollution, but the picture was a classic film that you assumed everyone had seen before. Appropriate for a wide range of viewers, you tried one of Mikey’s snacks and found it palatable in a challenging sort of way. Something that made you think, you snuck the little jars away from him as he gawked openly at the film. Turning your body so you could catch the light for the labels, you read the scrawl while pondering his endearing idiosyncrasies.

You had been forewarned that Mikey tended to fall asleep during these outings. He asked you to help him avoid it for once so you grabbed a thermos of coffee. You held up the container in a shy turn to see if anyone else wanted on and Leo held up a hand. You nodded dutifully and prepared the cups which you passed off. Mikey took his blindly and sipped it without looking. You watched him nearly miss the lid in the process and chuckled as Leo bumped his little brother while taking his own cup. Tonight would be an evening of cute interactions and you returned to your line of snacks in their adorable row.

Since your overnight stay in the med bay, you and Mikey had been closer than ever. It made the swimsuit debacle almost seem worth it, if only so the two of you could work out your relationship kinks. You felt more assured than ever in where you stood with him and that was a place of comfort. Previously, you had always felt that there was some kind of surprise coming with the way Mikey spoke of wanting to see how things panned out, but it was becoming clear, at least you thought, that his phrasing had been hyperbolic.

You were also beginning to realize you might not have heard everything he’d said the night he pitched you his feelings because you had been spiraling quite a bit at that point.

Either way, you found yourself thinking of your friendship with Mikey in the long term. You could easily imagine the two of you meeting up in your golden years. It was with that level of trust that the two of you were discussing an international trip. Nothing immediate, but also not a pipe dream, Mikey wasn’t rushing as you thought me might. He, at some point, had found your speed and was becoming more adept at it by the day. You could now push back when he said travel would be a breeze with Leo’s portals. You didn’t want to take advantage of his older brother even if Mikey’s mutant status would make airport security difficult. It had brought up an interesting discussion on what something he called cloaking brooches were. You learned about the Hidden City and it became yet another destination you would one day visit.

Mikey had impressed upon you that he considered that one further down the line than Japan.

Something about it being a little too mind blowing if you still had trouble with the subway.

His understanding was another little marker of how far you’d come. You liked to think yourself content with your current trajectory. Not plateauing by any means, but also not having intense growth, you had fallen into a pattern of small victories. The more you went out, the more the daily treks became easier. Going to work rarely proved to be challenging anymore and even grocery shopping was now something you thought more of as a task to knock out instead of something to dread every week.

You could maintain a quiet life and still live it.

The lead actress spoke a quintessential line and you felt the weight of a support system.

Something nearly as cozy as the blankets you were perched on, they were all around you in a literal sense. They were people who welcomed you and asked what you thought no matter how little you imagined you brought to the proverbial table. You hadn’t doubted him, but when Mikey mentioned Sunita had asked if you were coming to this event, you’d thought you might combust from excitement. It was a foreign emotion that had you pumping your fists into the air. Mikey had teased you about it, calling Sunita with video right then to capture your live reaction, but in doing so you felt he was reassuring you. Sunita exclaimed that she couldn’t wait to see you again and that was Mikey’s way of cementing that it hadn’t been his idea.

It was her.

It was the way Leo had given you the blanket task before you had to ask.

It was the way Donnie felt comfortable touching you.

It was the way Raph had approached you to talk about his pillow.

I was the way April clapped your back.

It was the way Casey would give you a curt nod of acknowledgment.

You felt it.

You would get closer to the others.

You weren’t sure if you were an honorary Hamato, but they all wanted you around.

Head bowing, you could only thank Mikey more.

He’d not only shown you a path, but he’d paved it too.

You had friends.

You had plans.

You had palpable growth.

The little throb in your heart wondered.

Selfish.

A little control and suddenly you thought you could ask for more.

You hated it.

In all the events following skate night, you had skirted Donnie. Not in a literal sense because you were nowhere near stealthy enough to actually avoid him, there simply hadn’t been a time where the two of you were alone enough to communicate. From being jammed in a karaoke box to the bar of some tiny improv show that someone’s friend of a friend had needed to fill the few seats with, none of the outings allowed interaction. For you it had mostly been a test of maneuvering foreign spaces without messing anything up and in that regard you’d done fabulously.

You were also hyper aware of the purple turtle.

Something you despised yourself for doing, you could find yourself carrying a bouquet to an unknown comedian and knew exactly how many steps Donnie was away from you at all times. His voice found your ears in a crowd no matter how mundane and you could nearly sense the second he decided to leave an event he was no longer interested in.

He’d been the first to exit every time.

You bet tonight would be no different.

Forcing yourself back to the screen, you tried to ignore the weighty purple aura behind you and actually watch.

You rewatched movies.

You had never had a problem before.

It shouldn’t be one now.

You would watch this movie.

You would pack up the set.

You would go home.

It would be fun.

You weren’t supposed to get close to him.

This was how it was supposed to be.

You were Mikey’s friend.

The others knew the distinction.

They asked you to come along, not out themselves.

It was attention you reveled in, but you knew your place.

Missing another exchange in the movie, you tried not to sigh at the spiral of your thoughts and turned to Mikey with the intention of asking him to pass the basket. Working out exactly which silent gestures would work, your eyes fell on his slack form. Coffee tipped and clearly empty in hand, he was fast asleep with a hanging jaw.

You covered your mouth to stifle a giggle and unearthed your phone.

Imagining this was what the sun did at night, you took a few quiet pictures until you heard a voice above you.

“Send me those.” April whispered with a wide grin.

You nodded before realizing you didn’t have her number. You meant to translate it, but April whipped out her phone and held it up in a knowing hand. Trading with her and exchanging contact information, it was ducked in close that you both heard a creak. Something faint, almost like cranking wood, you watched a single nervous bead of sweat drip down April’s brow before she was flung backwards.

Your hands flew to the step that separated you and you found her legs up and her chair broken.

Beside her Casey arched her whole body out of her own seat and it garnered your attention. The woman’s top teeth tore into her bottom lip and her leg came up for a blurry flurry of movement as she held herself back. Tears forming in her eyes, you were caught wondering over who you should check on first when Sunita poked her head out, last in line.

“Casey, stop. It’s not funny.” Sunita held a hand above Casey’s head so a blob of green dripped and swallowed her up.

You thought the woman might suffocate, but instead you watched as she took the cue to burst out into laughter that was completely silent from within the goo.

“Aps, you alright?” Sunita crawled around Casey’s spasming form.

“Pride. My pride hurts most.” April shoved an arm behind her.

Donnie snorted once and turned his head as soon as April shot him a death glare.

Beside him you watched Raph’s tail flick with amusement, but he kept his eyes off the scene.

“You know…” Sunita led, taking on an odd flare to her usual bubbly nature. “We could share mine…”

April’s rage turned to the semi-translucent direction.

“You only have to admit my hammock chair is the most comfortable.” The slight menace disappearing, Sunita clasped her hands sweetly.

“Oh, hell no!” April flew onto her knees and glowered. “This was a technicality! You know how old my shit was!”

Sunita pressed a sticky finger to her lips. “Huh? I thought you took great care of it.”

“Cut the cuteness!” April ripped the goo off Casey’s face just as the woman was starting to turn a shade of dark teal within the green slime. “I bet you sabotaged it! You’ve been trying for months to get me to sit in your dumb ice cream scoop or maybe ugly miss soccer mom ‘it has an umbrella attachment’ here finally got tired of us ragging on her!”

Casey tried to show her resentment even though she was desperately siphoning oxygen.

Leo gave a single sharp shush.

Sunita continued to beam. “Guess you’re stuck then… Shame! We could have gotten so cozy...” With that the slime yokai retreated and rocked down with a comfy wiggle back into her seat.

April sat in a dark shade of humiliation that rivaled Casey’s.

The latter of which got back into her own chair and made only the sound of clearing her throat as she returned to the movie.

You stared helplessly at April, not wanting to add to the injury, but also concerned.

She eventually felt it along with the loss of her other options. “I’m fine…”

“Y-You… um… i-if y-you wanted… you could… sit with us?” You gestured and scooted over to show you could easily make room on the blanket.

There must have even more chair based conflict you missed because the downcast gaze April gave your option had a sharp bitterness to it.

“S-sorry…” You shrank down though the step was nowhere near tall enough to hide you.

“Nah, you’re good. It isn’t your fault…” She sighed heavily before her next inhale seemed to give her an idea.

You watched with growing curiosity as she calculated the wattage of a bright smile and sent it behind her.

“Hey, Donnie…” She cooed saccharine sweetness.

“No.” He didn’t look.

“But you haven’t heard-”

“I’m not getting on Sunita’s bad side again.”

“Again?!” April spun to check with the slime yokai and found the jelly woman eating gummy candy.

Your lips turned down at the thought of the pseudo-cannibalism.

“She put googlyschootz in the tank’s gas tank after I sided with you in the koala debate.” Donnie glowered down.

“They’re dumb!” April huffed.

Leo turned around with a vein popping out of his head.

April gave him a pleading smile.

He narrowed his gaze with a threat that said she was on borrowed time before turning back to the screen.

April turned silent desperation up at Donnie.

He offered only a flick of his gaze before he went back to listlessly watching the screen.

It felt like ticking seconds before April climbed the step with renewed vigor. “Move over!”

“No! No, no, no!” Donnie squabbled as she tried to shove him out of the bean bag. “No touchie!”

You tented your hands over your mouth as you watched the two try to silently slap each other.

Leo gave a loud groan. “What’ll it take to shut you both up!?”

“Halve the debt.” Donnie spoke without missing a beat.

“Get out of here!” Leo spun around.

“It’s still more than you owed me!” Donnie seethed.

“You’re a grown ass man! Learn to share!” April tried to wedge her way in, but Donnie butted her out with his hip.

“Joke’s on you, having brothers only made me creative!” Donnie edged mania.

Leo tapped a weighty finger before giving a growly exhale. “Third.”

“Two-fifths!”

“I only work with real numbers.” Leo’s lip curled.

“That is-Would you stop!?” Donnie kicked April off the bean bag.

She landed on her ass and Casey hunched forward with the threat of another cackling fit.

Other than little spurts of Casey trying to contain herself everything quieted for a moment until April rose up with her head hung. Looking almost like she’d thrown in the towel, you got a front row seat as an evil glint appeared in her eye.

You resisted the urge to pull the blanket over your head.

“Enough!” She shouted and threw out her arms. In a flash of ghostly green energy, a bat appeared in her hand. In an audible squeeze of the handle, she then turned with it ready to swing at Donnie. “Wanna talk about debts, D? Let’s chat!”

The fear that ran across Donnie’s face was palpable.

You could feel the similar terror rip through Raph and Leo.

You were sure Mikey had once said April was a true-blue New Yorker.

“How about the summer school I had to take after you blew the science lab every-” She rolled her neck. “-single-” She flexed her grip. “-semester!?”

Donnie’s hands meekly began to lift.

“Or the Vomitello incident of ‘22? The zombie food awakening during my Channel 5 internship?! Throwing away my signed Warren Stone lavalier!?!? Hmm!?!?”

In a crawling inch, Donnie slid out of his seat until he sat at the base of it.

“That’s what I thought.” April’s shoulders fell with an eerie calm and her bat disappeared. “You know I hate pulling rank, but you were being a real jerk.”

Donnie’s legs fell over onto the middle platform and his feet skirted the wreckage of Aprils’ chair. April happy snuggled into his beanbag and everyone else went slack as the tension passed. The sounds from the film returning, you watched Donnie openly sulk. April’s legs tucked to one side which game Donnie room to use the front of the beanbag as a backrest. He refused to slouch and instead hunkered forward were, every so often, he would toe broken chair bits. He was the picture of sadness and your heart squeezed.

There was nothing you could do.

You slithered, your own sorrowful, back to your spot and found Mikey now curled up on his side. His snoozing form gave you a bubble of happiness, but it wasn’t enough to buoy yourself. You moved his empty coffee cup away just for something to do. It led to you cleaning up a few other things and adjusting the basket until he had a more than enough space to toss and turn if he wanted. Reviewing his slack form, the thump of your heart beat a sad drum and you tried to will your gaze up to the screen.

A something rattled not unlike maracas to your left.

Lifting to look at it by instinct alone, you found Leo was holding out a box of candy with a reach that spanned over Mikey’s form.

You blinked a little straighter at it before tracing up Leo’s arm to his face.

The slider had a tilt to his lips and only flicked his gaze behind you before returning his pupils to yours.

You understood.

It was for Donnie.

Leo was trying to pass on a gift for his guilt.

You had a feeling Leo felt bad for not accepting the bet splitting offer.

He felt responsible for Donnie getting kicked from his spot.

It wasn’t the best peace treaty offer, but it was one all the same.

You shifted your weight, preparing to reach for it when you remembered a certain someone.

You did you own pupil flick toward Sunita who was sat behind Leo and very much able to see exactly what was occurring in front of her.

Leo only shrugged and gave the box another faint shake.

You guessed he was taking his chances with upsetting the slime yokai.

You had a feeling as the messenger, you would be spared.

You grabbed the candy with careful attention so the contents wouldn’t shift and glanced back to Donnie’s crestfallen form. He hadn’t moved in the slightest, let alone noticed what had just transpired. It made you feel worse for him as you crawled up the little step. The moment the rubbish before him was disturbed by something other than his own feet, he shot his gaze up with wary concern.

He caught you mid motion, with one leg hoisted, and you felt like an intruder crawling in through a window. Scrambling for it, the box slipped between your grip and rattled loudly which garnered an irritated click from Leo. Donnie moved to help, doing a sweep with his leg to kick away the rest of April’s chair, and knelt down in the new space afforded. You met him in the middle where he caught the other end of the box and you both leaned in for a hushed exchange.

“From Leo.” You told him.

Donnie rolled his eyes. “If he thinks this makes up for…”

“I’m not… sure? He didn’t say anything. He only asked me to pass his.”

“Oh.” Donnie’s lips rounded.

“Do… do you like these?” You wondered.

Donnie’s lids lowered as he looked at the box. “They’re my favorite movie theater snack.”

“Not your favorite usual snack?” You tilted your head at his distinction.

“Occasion is of the utmost importance.” He gave a version of a smug smile.

“True…” You ruminated over the snack Mikey had given you. “Something not too loud for movies.”

“Exactly.” His eyes shone as you understood.

You nodded and felt the alarms in your head that you were prolonging the exchange. “I…I hope… it helps…”

“Are you not enjoying the film…?” He asked, having not properly taken the candy yet.

You also hadn’t let go. “It’s… fine… I’ve seen it before…”

“I see…” Donnie’s gaze shifted as he seemed to think of something.

Let go.

You willed your fingers to release.

“Want�� some?” Donnie tapped a waiting finger to the box.

No. “I-it’s y-yours, I c-couldn’t-”

“I don’t mind. Seems like you do.”

You didn’t. “W-well…”

“Come on.” With a tug to his end, he used the candy to pull you over.

You haplessly followed and sat behind him on the top step.

Finally letting go, your heart raced out of your chest as he opened the box up. Once he peeled back the cardboard to his liking, he then offered you the first pick. You grabbed a few pieces and held them close to your chest.

“How many times?”

You jarred and looked at him.

“Have you seen it?” He used gesturing to the film as part of his movement to toss some candy into his mouth.

“A b-bunch… I guess…?”

Donnie hummed with faint interest before offering you the box again.

You shook your head and revealed you still had your first handful.

“I told you, it’s fine.” Even though his voice was turned down low, you could still hear the scoff to him.

Only feeling worthy because of it, you took a single piece and put it in your mouth. The sweetness tickled your tongue and for the first time in you couldn’t remember, you saw the screen. “Oh…” You slurred a little around the treat you hadn’t bitten yet. “That’s parmesan cheese.”

“What?” He leaned closer to you with an incredulous air.

Your blood pressure noticed. “N-Not t-the c-candy! T-the… dandruff… I-n the m-movie! It’s…It’s a fun… fact?”

Donnie bobbed with a bit of laughter and ate some more candy. “A bunch was not hyperbole. You must be a big fan.”

“I’m not… I don’t know… I g-guess I find, um… behind the scenes… interesting?”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah…” You confirmed and ate another sweet. “Seeing…” The swirl on your tongue seemed to help loosen it. “… what they decide… to keep or cut… how creative they get… it’s an interesting process…”

Donnie nodded. “I’ve got my own encyclopedic knowledge of something similar.”

“You… do?” Usually people got fatigued after one or two facts.

He had a hum to him that seemed to think you already knew.

You searched your mind hoping to place it.

For a moment, you had nothing.

Then you were struck with a sharp memory that also happened to be about movies. “Jupiter Jim and Lou Jitsu.”

Donnie grinned brightly. “Not common knowledge, but it’s the masses' loss and my gain.”

You blinked as if forcing a shutter to go off so you could remember him like this always.

He offered you the box again.

This time you took a few more pieces.

“Tell me another.” He urged.

“T-the… d-drugs they smoke… it’s actually oregano…” You looked away toward the screen to hide your embarrassment.

“They actually smoked it?”

You gave a tight nod.

Donnie swallowed a chuff and leaned back against the beanbag in what looked like an uncomfortable contortion of his body.

“I…”

He waited with a lazy smile.

You wished you had debated as you pressed your head to the cushion beside him. “I’ve… always wondered… d-did it smell like pizza? When they l-lit it…”

This time a little of his laugh leaked out. “Sounds like an easily testable theory.”

“Mikey’s going to miss his spices.”

“If he notices.” Donnie wiggled his brows and rolled onto his side to face you with the beanbag propping up his body. “Keep going.”

You mirrored him, but curled your hands up beside your cheek. “Each actor took a piece of the set home.”

“Which parts?”

You told him that and more. After exhausting what you knew about this movie, you started telling him about others from this director. He filled in spaces, knowing some factoids himself, but otherwise continued to prompt you. Before you knew it, you had both run off on some sort of tangent and were talking about crash test dummies when Leo stood and stretched loudly.

“Dinner? I’m craving biscuits and gravy!” Leo rumbled with desire.

“You’ve described a breakfast dish and it is night.” Casey flattened her hand out in the air as if watching Leo commit some heinous act.

“There are no brinner haters. Only people who haven’t had good enough brinner.” Leo smirked in return.

“Sausage, bacon, eggs, ham…” Raph swooned and rolled over to squeeze his pillow dreamily to his chest. “We’re going with or without you Case!”

“With!” She protested with her hackles up. “I’m already here!”

“Of course you are…” Sunita patted the other woman on the shoulder.

“Traitor says what?” April rushed.

“What?” Sunita blinked before it set in and she gave a burst of laughter. “You got me!”

April smirked and jumped straight down to Mikey’s level. “Hey, Chef. Time to wake and bake!”

“B-bake?” He roused, blearily. “I leave the oven on again?”

“Nah, we’re getting artery clogging diner food.”

“Biscuits and gravy?” Mikey rolled over with purpose to glimpse Leo.

The blue brother gave a thumbs up and looked skyward with the promise of grease.

“Let’s go!” Mikey cheered and went to look for you.

“Up here.” You waved from where you had stood up to put a little distance between yourself and Donnie.

He squinted at you for a long moment.

The scrutiny had you feeling dizzy.

“April wasn’t your chair right there?” Mikey blurted out.

Your eyes rolled back with relief.

“I’ll catch you up.” She tucked her hands under his arm and yanked him up before he was ready.

Mikey squawked and got to his feet before scolding her.

She took it in stride and Donnie stepped into his directorial position. “Alright people, let’s get this packed up!”

You lingered until he was done giving a few instructions. “Thanks… for listening to me.”

“I asked.” He said simply and you couldn’t tell where his gaze was due to his goggles.

You gave a faint nod and meant to step away before you threw something over your shoulder at him. “I’d… love to hear what you got about your movies...”

Fleeing the scene, you nearly tripped over a step.

Mikey chuckled below you as he picked up the basket and asked how you liked the snack he’d made. You barely remembered and offered your best vague descriptions. Doing part two of your blanket-related job, retrieval, you helped pack up and Leo sliced a portal that he promised held decadence in the form of a truck stop bathroom. He was bemoaned for his description and you were eventually ushered through where you emerged outside a 24-hour diner. Something classic, the family flowed around you until you were inside.

A smart looking pig mutant in an adorable waitress uniform took your order and had Raph openly stumbling as he bit back on ordering his meaty delights. She openly teased him for it and dismissed the discrepancy about pork products. Writing his meal down for him as he was a ‘biggun,’ she moved through taking others’ decisions down. You meant to peep out something small, but Mikey cut in asking if you’d share with him. Nodding as it helped alleviate your choice, he ordered, and you sunk into the booth you’d shoved into.

Without a big corner seat to sit the whole group, the gang had split up between two booths, back to back. With you squished into the middle, Mikey flanked you and April had dragged Raph with her across the table. It meant immediately behind you sat Donnie with Leo and Casey and Sunita were in a tactically advantageous position as far away from April as possible. Knowing you were in the middle of some cold war zone, you listened to Leo and Mikey yak about what kind of gravy it was and if it ruined their New York heritage.

“Firstly, there are 80 titular films.”

Your eyes shot wide as Donnie’s voice coaxed your ear.

“If we start in order-”

“There’s no way.” You turned to find the purple brother’s chin resting on the backrest that separated you two.

“Pardon?” He brought up a brow that regarded your challenge as a weak one.

“Godzilla has like 30! There’s no way this… space guy I’ve never heard of has more than twice that!” You sent huge eyes at him.

“The Godzilla franchise has its merits, but it’s not Jupiter Jim.” Donnie grinned deviously.

“Show me.” You straightened to see him better.

As if knowing you’d ask, Donnie’s arm slunk over the back of the booth with a wiki up.

You scrolled up and down it. “How…?”

“Anything is possible with a low budget, which brings me to my first fact…”

Buckling up in a very metaphorical way, Donnie began to tick off movie facts one at a time. Keeping the plot vague as there seemed to be an implication that you would soon watch the movies, you became enthralled with the many little details. A true work of passion, the story spanned a scripted galaxy until Donnie began to piece in what they found out was real. There were actual yokai who the sometimes delusional Marcus Moncrief would confuse for aliens and it turned out several of his films had mistakenly captured true events.

Your food arrived and you only snuck bites of it in order to continue to listen to Donnie’s spiel. Asking your own questions or positing your own thoughts gave him a chance to eat. Finding a good balance, you often caught Mikey in some of your backswings. He seemed to be openly enjoying the conversation which broadened your sphere of consciousness. Now realizing the entire group was quiet and listening in, you flushed at being the center of attention and poked at a complimentary bowl of fruit.

The lull prompted Donnie to taper off where he was explaining something about a Pluto Vacation.

Moving a honeydew around, you heard him give a faint huff. “If you’re going to play with your food, give me your grapes.”

You offered them up and tried not to look at him.

He plucked only one when he’d mentioned plural and you were forced to glance as he left you holding the bowl.

His profile was waiting and only when he was sure he had your eye did he bring the morsel to his lips. A contrasting shade of purple to his own, he bit only the tip of it and in a quick suck, shriveled the berry.

“W-what?” The syllable popped out of you.

He extracted the rind and it disappeared over into his booth to be disposed of. “Problem?”

“What was that?” You giggled and tried to see where he’d put the grape husk.

He blocked you with his body. “I don’t like the texture.”

“Then why eat it?” Your features scrunched in smiling confusion.

“I like the juice.”

“Then order juice!” More laughs leaked from you.

He looked to be near gloating. “I dislike the sugar content.”

“Grapes are sugary!” You covered your mouth.

“Added sugar.” He clarified, now smarmy.

“Make your own.” You offered the bowl.

He plucked another single grape. “There’s a process that includes straining the pulp.”

“Of course, you’ve tried.” You shook your head, hopelessly.

“Even the finest sieve did not catch all the particulates! This is truly the only way.” He held a purple bud up high and tipped his head back ready to suck another’s juices.

“You’re a grape vampire!”

“You know there were color sucking creatures in Jupiter Jim and the Sepia Chase…”

“Trying to save money on color film?” You stole the grape back from him as he was distracted.

He turned with a faint leer. “Nice catch, but no…” In a sweep he caught the other two from your bowl. “There is more to it!” Biting the end of both at the same time, he expertly drained them.

“You desecrate fruit’s good name!”

“And he’s not even caught up on the comics.” Leo mused.

“There’s comics?” You glanced at the blue brother, on too much of a high to even notice he had butt into the conversation.

Leo’s eyes gave a similar glint to Donnie’s.

“We’re discussing film!” Donnie hissed.

“I don’t know…” Leo swirled his head. “I was hearing mostly fun facts and I’m chock full of ‘em!”

“Leo owns every single Jupiter Jim comic.” Mikey added.

“No, back to the movies! We do sing-a-longs to the musical ones every year. You should come!” April offered.

“Oh, oh! Does that mean I’m allowed back?” Sunita bounced in her seat.

“Did ya learn the words?” Raph folded his arms. “I may not be much for musical theater, but three strikes you’re out on the lyrics is a pretty good one.”

“Pretty sure they don’t kick the performers if they mess up Rose's Turn too many times…” Leo pointed with his fork.

“They should! What’s the point of studious practice if there isn’t the threat of torture?” Casey grumbled.

“Yeah, yeah, we’ve all seen you cry at Carmen.” April remarked.

A gasp heard round the dinner, everyone lit up with debate and you were left blinking at what happened.

Suddenly alone amongst a crowd, you turned to find Donnie staring at Leo with an odd expression.

It brought your eye from studying him to the grape you’d stolen and something in you urged you to reach out to touch him.

He animated with a silent startle and you offered him the berry in your outstretched palm. “Do… the color suckers come before or after Star-Gazer Chacón?”

Donnie’s gaze oozed affection as he both took the grape and your detail-oriented attention in. “Before…” You butted up close against the back of the booth where he pressed to meet you and continued his facts.

💛 NEXT 💛

Thank you kindly to my betas @tmntxthings and @thepinkpanther83

#sunshinemoonshinefic #rottmnt #rise of the tmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #rottmnt x reader #rottmnt donnie x reader #donatello hamato #donnie x reader #rise donnie #rise donnie x reader #rottmnt donatello #rottmnt Donnie #me #fanfiction #my fanfiction

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allyheart707 · 1 year ago

Note

Are you still taking art prompts?

I had an idea! It would be fun to see a little crossover between your fic and your comic!

Ex: Due to some cosmic glitch, Leo connects with LS Donnie instead of EDHPMW (tricky acronym lol) Donnie. Confusion ensues.

Leo: Where's Donnie..?

LS Donnie: I'll do you one better, WHO is Donnie?

Anyway, no pressure. Love to see your updates!

- Later, in a different universe -

Donatello. It was a name that felt as if it had been stuck on the tip of his tongue the second Carol had brought up naming them. He wasn’t sure why it felt so right, or where the warm feeling came from- like a dream long forgotten, but it was the perfect name. Raph, the snapping turtle, had insisted that he was their brother and this name was the second piece of evidence that pointed towards that possibility. The first one, of course, was him being a mutant turtle.

He still wasn’t sure he could trust the two strangers- especially the other one… Heishi. He had been nothing but a menace since he arrived. It seemed he was trying to get them in trouble. Currently, the slider was desperately trying to convince his brother- Michelangelo- to further break their bed.

“If we pull this part off here I bet I could use it to make a weapon! Now that would be a distraction!” He pushed Mikey, who looked to his brother for the answers.

Donnie shook his head- that would almost certainly get them in way more trouble than it was worth. Plus, they just wanted to go outside, not to hurt anyone. Mikey frowned, but turned back to Heishi and shook his head.

“Nu-uh, mm sorry, but they would get really mad if we broke our bed.” Mikey answered, making Heishi groan.

“Hmmm, welllll… what if I promise to show you all my cool warrior moves?” Donnie knew exactly how this would turn out, and groaned as his brother let out an excited squeal.

“REALLY?” He gasped, and Heishi gave him a big grin.

It did not take much to break his little brother, who thought on the new deal for only a second before giving in and nodding.

“Okay! But only if you do it on my bro’s bed- er… Dee’s bed! He likes his bed cuz the cameras can’t see it!” He whispered the last part as he pointed to the bottom bunk where Donatello currently sat, staring at the both of them in disappointment.

“You're going to get us all in trouble, you know.” He offered, but Heishi was already yanking on the middle rung to their bunk, attempting to pull it from the bed.

“Yeah! An’ what if they put those handcuffs on you again?! Or worse?” Raph added, making Donnie nod- at least someone had some sense.

Of course, his brother and Heishi were not listening- both now on his bed, pulling against the rung until there was a resounding C R A C K and they both tumbled backwards- the wooden rung now in their hands. Ugh.

“AH-HA! Now this is a plan!” Heishi shouted triumphantly, holding up the splintered remains of their bunk as if it was something spectacular.

Donnie turned and flopped against his pillow- refusing to see the end of this. ‘Will they fix our bunk?’ He wasn’t sure. When the light broke a few weeks ago- they fixed that but… him and his brother have never broken anything on purpose before. ‘They took away our books… would they take away their papers next? Or their bunk? That is what they broke so what if-’ Donnie shook his head, burrowing it further into his pillow-

‘no, Carol wouldn’t let them take their bunk. Plus, how would they fit it through the door? It wouldn’t fit!’

‘... wait… how did it get into the room? … was it always here?’ Donnie lost himself to his thoughts as he watched the large snapping turtle pace back and forth at the door and attempted to ignore the delighted chattering between his brother and Heishi.

“Master Draxum says I'm too ‘small and weak’ for big weapons… but he does let me use a wooden sword sometimes! I’m really good with it too!” His words were followed by whooshing sounds and Donnie's bed bobbing up and down with each thrust of Heishi’s “sword”- making Mikey gasp in excitement. Even Raph seemed to be a little impressed, stopping his pacing to watch, big eyes wide in a mixture of nervousness and awe. That only fueled the fire in Heishi. Ughhhh. Curiosity got the best of Donnie and he finally decided to turn his head to watch the ‘greatest warrior’ swing his ‘sword’ around.

He couldn’t stand on the bed without hitting his head, so instead he was moving around on his knees- despite that rather awkward position, he was keeping himself upright which was already a little impressive. He moved with surprising speed, twisting his arms and slashing the sword about as if fighting some imaginary enemy. Every time Donnie thought he would hit the wall or one of the bedposts he would pull away just in time and begin another set of random exercises.

It was… a little … cool.

Then, as Donnie tried his best to cool his expressions and Heishi swung upwards for what looked like a finishing blow, that the sword exploded in blue light. Heishi screamed, throwing the sword and hitting his shell against the wall as they all stared wide eyed at the bright blue that danced over the sharp wooden stick.

-Meanwhile-

-To Be Continued- (??? If people are interested.)

I thought it would be fun that, for the crossover, they switched media! My comic being written, and my fic being in comic format! :DD

I was so nervous to post this and kinda went blind re-reading it over and over again soooo there are probably grammar/spelling errors I missed. Sorry about that- I might go through and edit them later?

#rottmnt #tmnt #rise of the tmnt #ally asks #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #little subjects au #turtle tots #rottmnt seperated au #Even Dead #crossover

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shallowseeker · 1 year ago

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Dean’s grief on speedrun

How long was Cas dead, anyway?

I think they reunited around day 18-24 days ish. The scripts give us some clues. (Based on this post)

==Dean is grieving hard==

He’s not in denial, like Sam seems to be -> “Is he really dead?” “You know he is.”

And because Dean now knows Chuck & Amara, he’s not getting stuck in bargaining stage (his usual MO). There is no door of hope to leave ajar after the cosmic consequences are rendered. (Not even the symbolic going-through-the-motions kind that he never intends to open again.)

No, this time, Dean’s in the throes of an incredibly frightening, paralyzing despair (images).

This is partially due to the fact that he saw it coming, and he fought so hard. He resolved to avoid the looming, cosmic consequences, to “not let Cas walk away, not again (script).” Dean made up his mind to act to protect the, “everything he’s ever wanted (script).”

And still, everything went so wrong.

///

The grief, then, is different. It’s a despair born of crushed hopes and dreams. Not to mention, forgiveness and acceptance—as Dean got onboard to help Cas, regardless of his own misgivings, because Cas “had faith in the kid.” This time, he stood behind Cas when he asked, and it still went rotten.

After everyone dies, Dean pleads with God/Chuck. Chuck is the one who brought Cas back before and the only one who seems able to rebuild angels. He doesn’t answer.

Even though Dean had a special connection to Amara, the one who resurrected his burned-up, supposed-to-stay-dead mother, she doesn’t answer either.

This time, he knows they’re out there, perhaps even listening. And they’re not answering because Dean’s run out of free passes and miracles.

This time, that knowledge crushes him where he stands.

///

DAY 1-2 (Lost and Found)

13x01 starts in the twilight hours after the big Lucifer fight.

Dean takes a shot at Jack, and Jack flees.

Heaven and Hell hunt them relentlessly.

They retrieve Jack from North Cove police station.

An angel stabs Jack in the chest with an angel blade, and he seems astonished to be “fine.”

Sam and Dean take time to grieve and scatter ashes.

The funeral occurs that evening, and they quickly get on the road.

///

DAY 3 ish (The Rising Son)

In 13x02, they're still driving home from the funeral towards the bunker, "12 hours till we get home," and Sam convinces Dean to stop at a motel.

Addition: When they eat, Jack remarks that he's 3 days old. "3 days, 17 hours, and 42 minutes."

Over the course of this episode, per the script, 2 days pass.

They eat dinner, go to a tattoo parlor, meet up with Donatello, and stay overnight in the motel.

Heaven and Hell continue to hunt them relentlessly.

Sam, Dean, and Donatello debate nature vs nurture, with Dean and Donatello leaning towards nature.

Sam psycho-analyzes Dean and delivers euphemisms to Jack about Dean “wanting to protect everyone and getting his wires crossed,” but ultimately, he isn’t forthcoming to Jack about the reality of the situation. (That is, it was Lucifer that killed Cas, and Lucifer who pulled Mary into another world--that Dean's grieving!) These important details might've helped Jack to understand his situation with a lot more clarity and grace. This will cause Jack to cool towards Sam when Dean reveals the truth during an argument.

Demons find them the next morning.

In fact, Dean nearly dies against a common demon, getting cornered on a hotel bed, but he is saved at the last minute by Sam’s interference.

Jack, tricked by Asmodeus, nearly releases the Shadim.

They drive home.

Later, Jack freaks out about being impervious to stabbing. In his new bunker room, he laments, “What the hell am I? I can’t control… whatever this is. I will hurt someone.”

Dean tells him he will be Jack's executioner if Jack loses control.

At most, it's been only 5 days since everyone died.

///

DAY 5 ish (Patience)

13x03 picks up mere hours after they get home, and it covers 5 days total. So, that brings us to a decently solid total of 10-ish days when this episode finishes.

Dean can't bear to be in the bunker with mission-mode Sam and Jack, so he takes off on a hunt.

Clearly in no shape to hunt, Dean dies at the hands of a wraith (and so does Jody). They are both saved by Patience’s interference.

Dean tells Patience there’s no joy in this life. Only pain and death.

Sam and Dean have a huge fight about Jack, during which Dean accidentally gives Jack context to the situation (re: Cas’s death, Mary’s plight). This causes Jack, already exhausted by Sam’s well-meaning training regimen, to cool towards Sam the next morning.

Cas appears to awaken in The Empty on day 9 or 10.

///

DAY 10-11 ish (The Big Empty)

13x04 SEEMS like the very next morning, because Dean AND Jack are both still chilly towards Sam. The air is described as arctic, with Dean giving Sam a, "don't even try it, motherfucker," face. Jack accuses Sam of wanting to use him as an interdimensional can opener and "being just like Asmodeus," and Sam comes clean about the truth.

Sam pushes them all to go on a case together. Jack says he doesn’t want to go at first. Sam wants Jack to go with them for the express purpose of forcing Dean to be around him and warm up to him, which isn’t fair to Dean or Jack…not really.

This storyline covers the family therapy scene (great analysis), wherein an interesting attempt at therapy is made under dishonest constraints.

Dean, still clearly in no shape to hunt, is easily overtaken by the shifter and nearly dies. He is saved by Jack’s interference.

According to the script, 13x04 occurs over 4 days. Commentary//

That means that Dean thawed to Jack, after our total of a mere 14 days. By the end of this episode, they're on shaky terms, and by the beginning of 13x06, calling out to each other in a friendly manner, "How was the case?"

Jack "puts a dent in Dean's armor," per the script, even before he saves them with his powers. Dean is doing everything he can not to like Jack, and it’s clear from the script that he’s failing.

At the end of the episode, Dean tells Sam to absorb the weight of the hunting burden, because he’s got no hope left.

Cas appears to awaken in a field on day 14. Presumably, his ashes are in the middle of nowhere, and he starts walking.

///

DAY 14-20 ish? (Advanced Thanatology)

Here’s where it gets foggier.

I can't tell exactly when 13x05 picks up with respect to the previous episode, but it seems like only a little bit of time has passed.

I would say a week at most has passed, but possibly as little as a day or two, and the case itself, per the script, covers another 4 days.

However, if Cas awoke in The Empty on day 10, and woke in the field around day 14, I think I favor a shorter timeline here with some of the “days” being overlapping back story from the case itself.

Anyway, Jack has been making his way through Sam's DVDs, "Red Sonja, Beast Master, Beast Master II." Commentary//

Sam does not intuit why Dean is up late at night/early twilight hours, making a PB & J (analysis).

Sam tries to remedy Dean’s overwhelming grief by pushing breakfast beer and strip clubs toward him. Alcohol to numb the pain + sexy stuff as a distraction. Now more than ever, Dean seems to perform those only for Sam’s benefit. (It seems Sam did not pay attention to Mia Vallens's therapy, except as a means to validate his own motives for trying to save Mary. Ouch! Poor Sam!)

Sam is not great with empathy here, bless my neurodivergent man-child. He’s dealing with a loss of his own, of course, and he’s been shown to be an impatient, mission-motivated griever (analysis).

Anyway, he’s completely at sea with Dean’s powerful grief, and he seems tragically unaware of Dean's close calls/being off his game over the course of the last few hunts.

Sam, perhaps understandably, wants Dean to be there for him n’ Jack, as caretaker and comrade, but Dean is too mentally wounded to bear the weight of that expectation. (Btw, I don’t think Sam really “gets” the Cas thing till 15x09 The Trap: Sam’s future is symbolized by Eileen-as-hope (analysis) and Sam realizes Dean’s future is built around Cas-as-foundation.) Dean dies...again//

Dean attempts suicide.

He tells Billie he doesn’t matter.

After he revives, Dean tells Sam, “No. Sam, I’m not okay. I’m pretty far from okay… And I would take the hit… And now Mom and Cas… And I – I don’t know. I don’t know.”

This is an elegant parallel to season 7’s grieving Dean, about his not being able to “shake” what happened with Cas, and admitting, “he doesn’t know why.” (Cas is different. Cas has always been different.) In season 7, he also says, “I’ll do what I can,” in response to Sam telling him to get his head in the game and stay alive. Cas is a core wound in both scenarios.

///

==Death & resurrection==

So, that would bring our guesstimate to Cas reuniting with the boys around 20-24 days. So, at most a little over 3 weeks but possibly closer to 4, especially if the backstory timelines of actual “case days” overlap, like 13x05 potentially does.

I am reasonably certain Cas awakened in the field near day 14. I’d personally put the actual reunion at 18-20 ish days, and certainly not longer than a month. They reunite in early June, I think. Blackberries are a summer fruit, and there are wild blackberries in the field where Cas awakens.

Dean drives to Cas and meets up with him, "in the middle of nowhere," so it seems Cas's grave and subsequent walk to civilization was in quite a remote area.

///

Going back through this, I was pretty astounded how Dean kept dying or nearly dying in those days following Cas’s death. He was definitely in no state to be hunting.

(images from CSN, SPN wiki, fangirlism.com)

#shal meta #dean/cas #tfw + grieving #dean + grief #spn season 13 #jack kline #the don't talk about cas sam wont' touch the cas thing with a ten-foot pole and i love that about him so much #saaaaam you are so focused on things that are ACTIONABLE like saving mom

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sapphiretanto · 2 years ago

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Okay, as much as I love the positive Rise x 2012 crossover comics/drawings and fanfics where Rise helps 2012 with their problems, there is no way the boys would start crying or talking about their physical and mental scars upon the first meeting. They wouldn’t be open for hugs (maybe Mikey, but that’s the only one I can see). 2012 went through the ringer and no amount of Dr. Feelings/Dr. Delicate Touch is gonna help that. Here’s what Rise would have to help 2012 work through both individually and altogether:

**Please look at the “Altogether” section before notifying me if I forgot one; Otherwise, I may have genuinely forgot… this was all from what I can remember

**This is NOT bashing the fics, art, Rottmnt.

Leonardo

Possessed/Controlled (Parasitica, Buried Secrets, China Town Ghost Story)

Burdened with being the leader/eldest/Sensei

Right knee is fucked

Dislocated shoulder and arms (both causes of his arms being Super Shredder)

Weakened heart from when he died in space and was resuscitated

Has fallen off multiple high points (elevator shafts, rooftops, fire escapes)

Hands are most likely damaged from holding onto the chains that were wrapped around Kraang prime

Was in a 3-month coma

Throat was ruined

Was bitten by Armaggon

Hit by a blast meant to take out Hiidrala (The Cosmic Ocean)

Deal with having slain Shredder

Captured

Was thrown through a second story window

Cracked shell

Training/Battle injuries: hits on the head, kicks to the plastron or carapace, thrown into buildings or debris, pressure pointed

Under way too much pressure

Almost cut up by swords (Fourfold Trap)

Struggles with perfectionism; he’ll often feel at fault or like he failed for things out of his control (i.e. when Karai fell into the mutagen)

Frustrated as he doesn’t always get a lot of respect (particularly in the earlier seasons)

Took some bad advice from Splinter to heart— most of the time it added to the burden he carried as the leader

Betrayed by Karai

Raphael

Possessed/Controlled (Parasitica, brain worm, vampire, Chinatown Ghost Story)

Has watched those he cared about fallen from high places (Spike/Slash, Splinter, Zog, Leo)

Had to deal with his phobia (Cockroach Terminator, Insecta Trifecta)

Switched bodies

Lightning bolt plastron crack

Captured (and tortured - Clash of the Mutanimals, Within the Woods)

Betrayed by his girlfriend

Electrocuted

Nearly cooked to death (Fourfold Trap)

Swallowed squirrelanoids

Lost Spike to mutation

Nearly had to give away Chompy

Fell from various high heights (ravines)

Anger issues

Felt unfavored compared to Leo

Training/Battle injuries: hits on the head, kicks to the plastron or carapace, thrown into buildings or debris, pressure pointed

Watched Splinter be thrown into a sewer drain and nearly drown

Watched Spike/Slash, Zog, and Splinter fall off/be thrown off the rooftops

Donatello

Possessed/controlled (Parasitica, Buried Secrets, a car)

Electrocuted

Captured

Nearly cut up by Vizioso’s goons

Watched Splinter be thrown into a sewer drain and nearly drown

Lost metalhead

Under too much pressure

Burdened by being the only tech/science guy

Struggles sometimes with the fact that he’s a mutant

Struggles with his weapon— not handling, but that it is very simplistic compared to some of the more high tech things they deal with

Has his experiments ruined or messed with

Became mindless

Training/Battle injuries: hits on the head, kicks to the plastron or carapace, thrown into buildings or debris, pressure pointed

Has to change his jargon so his family can understand what he’s saying

Michelangelo

Captured

Tortured by Triceratons

Frustrated as he’s not always taken seriously

Mind invaded by neutrinos

Possessed/Contolled (Chinatown Ghost Story, Buried Secrets)

Struggles sometimes with accepting that he’s a mutant (earlier seasons— wanted various human friends besides April and Casey)

Swallowed by Mega Shredder

Burned his ass on a geyser (Eyes of the Chimera)

Betrayed by Bradford

Watched Splinter be thrown into a sewer drain and nearly drown

Training/Battle injuries: hits on the head (is hit a lot more than the others on the head in combat), kicks to the plastron or carapace, thrown into buildings or debris, pressure pointed

Was alone in Dimension X for an unknown amount of time

Nearly drowned (Invasion of the Squirrelanoids)

Knowingly/unknowingly and sometimes unwillingly made the bait or drew the short straw

Separated from Leatherhead

Altogether

Saw Master Splinter die (twice)

Watched their dad fall into the abyss (The Super Shredder/Darkest Plight)

Saw their world be destroyed

Survived multiple invasions (Kraang, Triceratons, Kavaxas, Dregg)

Saw their sister fall into mutagen

Fought various horrifying/disgusting mutants (Mom Thing, Squirrelanoids, The Creep, Parasitica, Dregg’s bugs, mutated cockroach, Snakeweed, Muckman, Rat King, mutated fungi, Don Vizioso, April clones/April Derp etc)

Witnessed each other’s deaths: Raph drained of mutagen in Within the Woods; Donnie - reduced to molecules in The Power Inside Her; Leo - died in space in Earth’s Last Stand; Mikey - vaporized by K’Vathrak/The Newtralizer in When Worlds Collide

Witnessed various other deaths: Bradford/Rahzar/Dog Pound, Tang Shen, Hattori Tatsu

Have had their minds taken over

Poisoned by Karai

Electrocuted

Nearly froze to death (Moons of Thalos 3)

Inhaled hallucinogenic toxins

Survived various explosions

Survivor’s guilt

Have been fighting in multiple rigged or burning buildings

Almost burned up entering the atmosphere (Battle for New York)

Had a “nightmare”— courtesy of Jei—where they were the last ones standing after their brothers had been killed

Witnessed the undead (Shredder, Rahzar, various spirits)

Possessed/controlled by Jei; dream beavers

Dimensional and Time travel

Had to fight each other or their friends unwillingly

Went no contact with April after having a hand in accidentally mutating her dad

Severe injuries from various opponents (Slash, Tiger Claw, Newtralizer, Super Shredder, footbots/chrome domes)

#tmnt #tmnt 2012 #tmnt 2012 leo #tmnt 2012 raph #tmnt 2012 mikey #tmnt 2012 donnie #rottmnt #mari rambles #not bashing just an observation #I’m sure the comics and fics are in jest #but some of them that are more serious… yeah 2012 has tons of shit #and I swear if someone asks or says the word ‘abuse’ I will block your ass

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sweaterrat · 9 months ago

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i spent like 2 hours editing these LMAO

⬇️ Designs under the cut ⬇️

⭐️ Hot Soup!! Now available in my shop!! 💙💜❤️🧡

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hyperfixated-homo · 1 year ago

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Day four, amulet. more horror donnie. :)

#rottmnt #tmnt #risetober #risetober 2023 #rottmnt horror au #cosmic!donnie #donatello #tmnt donnie #shadow draws #art

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thefiercest · 1 year ago

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TMNT Name meanings

Leonardo - The name Leonardo means, (and I am pretty sure you can all guess), "Brave Lion."

For a fearless leader, the name Leonardo, was perfect for Leo's character. It suits him well in every TMNT that has ever been, even in the 2018 version.

Being fearless is what Leo is most known for, it is why his younger brothers look up to him and why Raph nicknamed him, "Fearless."

Raphael - The name Raphael means, "God has healed"

Even though I doubt the turtles were raised to believe in God and were more raised in buddhism since that is most likely Splinter's religion. I think the name Raphael is suiting for a protector like him.

Think about it, "God has healed" meaning, God is always watching over you and is always ready to help you when you need him.

You just got to have a little faith.

Even though his brothers questioned him sometimes because of his lack of control over his temper, you can still always count Raphael to be there to stand beside you and protect you when you are in danger.

Donatello - The name Donatello means, "Given; Gift from God"

As we all know Donnie if very gifted, so this name is very, very suiting and you know what, not just that but he is like a gift to the world. With Donnie and his brains, he holds the power to change everything.

Make the world a better place and is always able to find a solution to problems. Without Donnie and his gifts, his brothers wouldn't have the equipment they needed for the Kraang or any other threat and they could have come home dead without Donnie's doctor skills.

So yeah, Donnie is gifted but he is also a gift for everyone else.

Michelangelo - The name Michelangelo means, "He who resembles God"

This name is really, really suiting for Mikey. I know a lot think Mikey is just the goofball in the group, but he isn't.

He isn't the weakest link, he isn't just the baby brother, and he is not useless.

Mikey does a lot more than others think. He gives his family hope and faith when they can not find it for themselves. He is his brothers' strength. Mikey is always there to make sure no one falls in despair and keeps them forward.

He gives his family constant support, comfort, and he always watching their backs.

April - The name April means, "To open." - O'Neil - and the name O'Neil means, "Champion."

April I think is a good name because, "To open" meaning the opening of Spring which means like rebirth.

Think about how April was just a normal girl who had a normal life but then she meets the turtles and suddenly her whole life begins to change but she does as well. She went from a normal teenager girl to a half alien, psyche power kunoichi with mutant friends.

As for O'Neil, I think that is suiting as well because we all know that April is driven, and she will not stop until she becomes victorious.

(Pretty sure Casey's first name is Arnold so going start from there)

Arnold - The name Arnold means, "Ruler, strong as an eagle" - Casey - The name Casey means, "Brave in battle" - Jones - The name Jones means, "Son of John or Yahweh is gracious"

Arnold is suiting because despite his flaws and over-confidence, he is as strong as an eagle. He is full of freedom and holds the power for this need to protect others. He is always keeping a watchful eye, like many Vigilantes.

Casey, is always Brave in battle. He never shies away from it, only straight towards it.

As for Jones, Casey is gracious he is kind and courteous.

Monalisa - The name Monalisa means, "Beauty." - Painting represent - Cosmic link connecting humanity and nature

Monalisa is a beautiful woman, not just in appearances but spirit as well. She is so brave, so straightforward, and selfless. A true warrior.

As for the name painting, she is named after, even though Mona is not human, she still represents humanity.

Shinigami - The name Shinigami means (Which we all know), "Angel of Death."

Shinigami is a true force to be reckoned with, even though we have never seen her do it, she is shown that she will not hesitate to end someone's life and she seems to be the type who does not fear death for herself either.

She is not evil, just has evil traits and she only brings the fear of death to those who deserve it.

You know I had to save the best for last...

Miwa - The name Miwa means, "Beautiful Harmony" Karai - The name Karai means, "Spicy, sever, hot."

Miwa, I think was the perfect name for her! I know a lot of people like Karai and believe that she would never change her name to her real name, but I believe otherwise.

The name Miwa is way more suiting for this character than Karai. It may not sound as evil or as cool as Karai, but that name is suiting for the past Karais before 2012.

For this version of Karai, Miwa is better and I think I know why they chose that for her real name.

"Beautiful Harmony,"

Karai is Harmony. She is always in between, never one or the other.

What I mean is, she is not quite Foot Clan but not Hamato Clan either, she is not really a villain but not really a hero, and she is not really mutant but not really human either.

Everything about this Karai is always in the middle! She is everything! She is Foot and Hamato. She is a hero with villainess traits, and she is a mutant that can transform back into human!

I like to think that while Karai does not think or love Shredder as her father anymore, I like to think of her as the daughter of three clans, (including Tang Shen)

She has the spirit of her mother which we all know, but she has the heart of a warrior like her father, and she has the skills of a Foot solider like Shredder.

I believe Karai will accept the fact that she can not escape the things she has learned for Shredder, but she can take what she has learn and make it better. I don't believe Karai would want to stay Karai because Karai is no longer who she is.

Karai was a ruthless vengeful villain, she was Shredder's daughter, and a powerful weapon for the Foot clan.

Miwa is no longer vengeful or hateful, she was Hamato Yoshi's and Tang Shen's daugher, and she was no one's weapon or tool.

Miwa is Karai's future and Karai is Miwa's past.

(I love Karai so much as you can probably tell)

I do not like the name meaning for Karai, I don't really think they thought that name through either like Saki's name. The only one I agree with is sever, that's suiting. But spicy and hot?

I don't know. I don't like it.

So that's the end of that.

I just love it when names fit the character, that's why I am always so nit-picky about names and why I always change them, is because I want it to be perfect for the character. I don't like picking random names just because I think it sounds good.

When you make a character, you can't just like throw stuff together, you know?

You have to think it through. You got a think about appearances, personality, the clothes they wear, the things they like, physical movements, their name!

Every little thing is important. It makes the character who they are! That's why when I watch shows or read books, I pay attention to every little detail. I don't just like the character because they are strong, or I think they look cool; I have to like everything about the character.

People put so much thought and work into their characters and for people, like my dumb brother, to say that's my favorite character because they look cool and are a lot stronger than the others. I think is just disrespectful to the creator. I do.

There is so much to the character than just looks and fighting abilities. I lot of things that they worked hard on, so you can get to know the character, you know? They make the character to be someone you can relate to.

Like Karai is my favorite character, not because she is a badass but because I relate to her so much! I never been through the amount of what she has been through, but I know what is like to have an unloved parent, to be in someone else's control, for your whole world to fall apart in an instant, to lose someone important to you, and to be angry and hateful.

I had to rediscover myself because I never had the chance to before and I am still trying to figure myself out.

Karai was my comfort character through those times because watching her, going through worse than me and still going on fighting, just gave me hope. I know that may sound stupid, because she is not real, but it is true.

(Sorry if I was too much there, I am just really passionate about stories and characters)

#tmnt 2012 #tmnt karai #tmnt leo #tmnt donnie #tmnt mikey #tmnt raph #tmnt april #tmnt casey #tmnt mona lisa #tmnt shinigami #name meanings

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mermmarie · 2 years ago

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The Red String of Fate

Authors Notes: So, I had been thinking about this idea for a while, and admittingly I started this ahead of OC x Canon week, but the idea fits perfectly for the Day 3 prompt: Soulmate. So please enjoy chapter 1 of my Red String of Fate fanfic featuring Donnie!

Pair: Donatello x Reader

Word Count: 2k

Rating: T?? (Although, characters depicted are adults)

Content/Trigger Warnings: Mention of blood.

||Chapter 1|| ||Chapter 2|| ||Chapter 3|| ||Chapter 4||

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Chapter 1: Cosmically Bound

The Red String of Fate was a fairy tale you didn’t believe in anymore. A long time ago, yes, but after so many rejections, heartbreaks and betrayals how could you now? It was silly to even consider it a possibility in the first place. Just the idea that two people could be romantically bound by some magical, crimson colored thread was ridiculous. Especially when there was a zero point zero, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero three percent chance of it happening to anyone, let alone you.

While it was a fantasy you daydreamt about from time to time, you understood that it was just that; A fantasy. So, when you noticed a string of red laced around your ring finger, your first initial thought was that your head was in the clouds once more, dreaming of the impossible. However, the usual trick of closing your eyes and shaking your head of the thoughts only made the fantasies disappear, but the little red string remained.

You straightened in your recliner, head cocking curiously as you focused your gaze on the thread. You flexed and curled your fingers, thinking that the illusion might disappear if you were to physically affect reality, but just as before, it stayed. A small gasp escaped your mouth when you lifted your hand into the air and the string extended. Following the red thread, your eyes grew wide with disbelief when it pointed out the window that was lined up next to your chair and suddenly all the dull sounds of New York were drowned out by the pounding of your heart in your ears.

Somewhere out there in the bustling city was your soulmate.

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SCANNING.

UNKNOWN PERSON NO.1

SEX: MALE

HEIGHT: 6 FT 0”

WEIGHT: 190 LBS

OBJECTS ON PERSON: SWITCH BLADE

SCANNING.

UNKNOWN PERSON NO.2

SEX: MALE

HEIGHT: 6 FT 2”

WEIGHT: 211 LBS

OBJECTS ON PERSON: CROWBAR

SCANNING.

UNKNOWN PERSON NO.3

SEX: MALE

HEIGHT: 5 FT 9”

WEIGHT: 173 LBS

OBJECTS ON PERSON: BOX CUTTER

Fittingly, Unknown Person No.1 had struck first, then Unknown Person No.2, but Unknown Person No.3 had decided to stay behind. Possibly a strategic tactic to fall back and assess the situation first, but it was more likely that he was just a coward. Although, his Sensei had taught him that a wise man was able to recognize when he was beaten. Unfortunately, none of them were wise. Just foolish thugs thinking they had the upper hand in the situation because it was three versus one.

The realization came quickly to Unknown Person No.3 however when Donatello easily disarmed and knocked out his fellow associates. The whites of his eyes became more evident as the lean turtle approached him. His shoulders inching upwards and nearly touching his ears while he attempted to put on a menacing scowl, but by the way his teeth clattered against each other the front was obvious. Still, like a cornered rat, fear driven adrenaline compelled him to make a move, despite having already witnessed how that turned out for his comrades.

Donatello effortlessly maneuvered out of the way of his first attack, and prepared himself to counter in the midst of his recuperation but faltered after having noticed something peculiar…

As his metal staff spun between his large green digits, he saw a contrast of red on the smallest finger of his left hand. For a split second he assumed it was blood, thinking he somehow had been wounded in his scrap with the other two crooks, but there was no open gash or cut present on his hand. His eyes narrowed behind his goggles to focus his vision on the stark color and he brought his appendage closer to his view, nearly forgetting that he was in the middle of a fight until a familiar voice called out to him.

“Donnie!!” They warned and he flinched. Fear striking him when his gaze snapped to the short blade of the box cutter that was being thrust towards his face. Luckily, years of reflex training had him move just in time to avoid a critical injury, but he didn’t go unharmed. Unknown Person No.3 managed to nick him on the top of his cheek just below his left eye. Ignoring the sudden appearance of red momentarily, he turned his attention back to the thug and spun his bo into his diaphragm.

Another one of his Sensei’s lessons about ‘ never underestimating his enemies ’ and ‘ to remain focused during battle ’ echoed in the purple-coded mutants’ head and spite burned between his brows. Just as the man recovered from the air being knocked out of his lungs and he lifted his head, Donatello smacked him across the face with the tip of his staff. The man finally falling to the ground and unconscious.

Bastard.

Before he had time to inspect his injury, his cold-colored brother was at his side with his hands on his shoulders.

“Donnie, are you okay?” He asked, but didn’t wait for his answer. Instead, he moved his hands to his face, maneuvering it into a position where he could get a better look on the cut of his cheek. His normally, cool-blue eyes we’re blown up with a look of fear that Donatello didn’t witness often, and it had him reconsidering the severity of the attack. However, the anticipation that built in his chest subsided when Leonardo’s gaze softened.

“Bad news; it’s gonna scar. Good news; you’ll finally match the rest of us.” He smirked.

Donatello huffed and pulled his face out of his brothers’ hands. Pushing his goggles to the top of his head and sheathing his bo staff to his shell.

“What happened back there, Donnie? I kind of expect Mikey to lose his head in the clouds but not you.” He pressed.

Donatello grumbled and dropped his gaze. He could feel that his eyes wanted to wander back to his left hand, but he was almost too afraid to look. As he swung his final blow on the assailant, he caught the crimson color in his view again and recognized it for what it really was. He had heard of the ‘Red String of Fate’ as a myth. A legend, a rumor, an old wives tale. There had been some speculation of it happening to people throughout history, but no scientific proof. And Donatello wasn’t the kind of guy to believe in something without seeing it first hand for himself.

So, if he didn’t look at it, that would mean it didn’t actually exist… Right?

Uncertainty pulled at the corners of his lips as he extended his hand in front of his brother and splayed out his fingers. A bright red string wrapped snuggly around his smallest digit. Leonardo’s eyes widened again as he stared at the thread, but this time he looked with confusion. He brought his gaze back to him expectantly and naturally, he opened his mouth to explain.

“It’s–” He started but paused when he realized how silly it would be to speak of it out loud, let alone embarrassing… “Um–”

“The Red String of Fate.” Leonardo finished for him.

Donatello’s brows arched with surprise. “Y–You know about the myth?”

“Well, I wouldn’t necessarily call it a myth now.”

“Oh. Right…” Donatello lowered his hand and his gaze fell with it. His eyes locked on the red string in deep thought. He curled and flexed his fingers, speculating that the construct might simply vanish if he were to tamper with its existence. But as he turned over his hand, the tail end of the string extended and pointed into a specific direction away from the both of them. The two cool-colored mutants straightened in attention, but stayed silent as they looked off in the distance.

Eventually, Leonardo broke the silence with a question that had Donatello snapping his head back to him in disbelief.

“So… We gonna go find them?”

“ W-What?!” The lean mutant exclaimed and cringed at how his voice cracked. His cheeks immediately turning a darker shade of green.

Leonardo couldn’t help but to smile, albeit a bit sheepishly. “Okay, the way I worded it was a little– weird. ”

“ Ya think? ”

“What I meant was, don’t you wanna– investigate a little? See who your cosmic soulmate is?” The blue clad turtle shrugged.

“No!” He covered the red string on his hand with his other, as if that would snuff out his brother’s questionable curiosity.

“What do you mean?--”

Donatello groaned tiredly. “I don’t even know if I believe in this!”

“How could you not? The proof is right there!” Leonardo pointed at his hand.

Cautiously, Donatello lifted his right hand just enough for him to peak underneath it. Checking to see if the little red thread was still intertwined around his finger. It was of course and he groaned again.

“Okay… I suppose I can’t deny its legitimacy but–” He chewed on the inside of his bottom lip.

Out of the twenty-million residents who lived in New York, fate had decided that he, a mutant ninja turtle, was to be romantically bound to another. Who they were or what they looked like, he had no clue, but statistically thinking… His ‘other’ was most likely a human being. And from his experience, most human beings didn’t react positively to the fact that he was a nearly seven-foot tall, bioengineered reptile when they first saw him. He doubted that it would be any different in this case.

Even with the literal string attached.

“I’m not ready.” He paused again before adding on quickly, “To see them yet that is.” He shifted his weight from one leg to the other and averted his gaze from his brothers’.

Leonardo stared at him in silence, and it felt as if he was trying to burn a hole into his head. As if to get inside his mind and find out what he was really thinking. Just as it was beginning to feel like too much, he finally spoke.

“Alright.” His arms flopped against his side and he turned away from him, looking in another direction. “Let’s tie them up and head home then.” He gestured to the thugs with a cock of his head and started to walk off, but Donatello reached out and grabbed his arm, stopping him from going any further.

“Leo,” he started, but licked his bottom lip in hesitation. “Thanks… And please don’t tell Raph or Mikey. Especially Mikey.”

An amused puff of air escaped Leonardo’s nostrils. “I won’t say anything to them, but you know Mikey’s gonna be upset when he eventually finds out. Probably cry about how it didn’t happen to him instead.”

Donatello hummed in agreement and for a split second, he kind of wished it had happened to his orange-clad brother instead. At least then he’d be able to observe the phenomenon from the outside and record his findings on the matter if he were to experience it for himself. Normally, he didn’t mind going into things ‘ blind ’, metaphorically speaking. It was part of being a scientist, figuring things out through trial and error. But with this kind of subject? He’d prefer to have some knowledge on how to go about it. Unfortunately, he was on his own.

Turning to follow his brother, Donatello took one last look in the direction the red string pointed off to and wondered if you were having the same troubling thoughts? Then, the idea of you looking for him crossed his mind and it pushed his focus back to the round up. The last thing he wanted was for you to find him in the middle of the night, amongst bodies of thugs, and with a bloodied face.

#OC x Canon Week #OC x Canon Week 2023 #TMNT #TMNT x Reader #TMNT Bayverse #TMNT 2014 #TMNT 2016 #Donatello #Donatello x Reader #TMNT Imagine #TMNT Lit #Mermies Writing

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