#nqk au

[pastadorable]

Round one @rottmntpeepawpolls

It was a good fight @daedelweiss truly an honorable first battle!

Aus present:

NQK @tervaneula

WRORAU @weranoutofrats-rottmntau

Arm+A Leg @newellthedragon

WBBS @purplecatghostposts

Red Rover @red-rover-au

Shell Shock @lieutenantbiscute

FABT @cartoonhostage

[tervaneula]

the heir and the ronin by katterv

Chapter 2

A little bit of family backstory, and a little bit of family shenanigans.

Wahoo it's the bros!!!! These refs aren't 1:1 because they do actually wear tops but I was too impatient to draw more before posting this 😂

ANYWHIZZLE, hope y'all have fun reading this chapter!! <3

[rottmntpeepawpolls]

ALRIGHT EVERYBODY!!

The bracket's all been put together!

Please note that there were a few more submissions that I had to take out of the running for the sake of space, but I hope that everyone's still excited!!

Full list of names (the text is tiny ik I'm sorry) and links to the content themselves below the cut

For the record, I put all of the names in the order I had them saved then just shuffled them, I didn't make these match-ups.

I also haven't seen 100% of these, nor do I remember all of them, so if I don't remember the nicknaming system used in that specific fic, I apologise.

Left Side

ITBOTB Blue vs. Fracturing Time Mikey

Hansel AU Leo vs. Kosmara Mikey

wify,ifm Leo vs. TAE Leo

AMW Leo vs. RtEoTW April

NQK Leonardo vs. Red Rover f!Leo

TFLB Donnie vs. JTOEL Donnie

Full Lair Leo vs. Dead Man's Deal Leo

IBEH Leo vs. GitS Ghost

Right Side

Separate Times Donnie vs. MNMC Leo

Cass' Uncle Donnie vs. 2 arms left Leo

Time Napped Raph vs. LCD Leo

His World Nidas vs. Kosmara Leo

WMAS Leo vs. Two Souls Aoi

LMAD Leo vs. Mystic Hands Mikey

NQK Michelangelo vs. OMO Leo

Replica Leo vs. Last Hourglass Leon

[luckychild]

I remember you talked about what it’d be like if NQK were Keiko’s sibling—I can’t find the post, but I’ve been thinking about it a lot! I imagine NQK would be the more free-spirited one, maybe even the troublemaker between them, kind of like a Costello and Abbott duo! They'd defo put Keiko onto their music 😂

I feel like Kei would be such a good influence on Keiko, helping her loosen up and live a little! I can totally picture Kei and Yusuke skipping school together, only to get scolded by Keiko afterward—so funny--even funnier would be if Kei doesn't encourage Yusuke to skip school but they just end up seeing each other outside school😂😂! I wonder if NQK would ever try to set Keiko and Yusuke up, or if they’d just stay out of it completely?

I’m also curious: what do you think Kei’s new name would be? If the Yukimuras had a second child, what would they name them? I can imagine so many things would be different with Kei around. For instance, how do you think Kei’s first meeting with Yusuke would go? And would Kei still end up transferring schools? I actually think that could play out in a similar way!

Oh gosh, I know that in the current story, NQK’s parents don’t know that this is their second life! So when Kei’s true identity eventually comes to light, how would Keiko feel about that? Would she decide to keep her parents in the dark? It really makes you wonder!

And then there’s the scene (one of my favorite LC scenes ❤️) with Kuwabara after Yusuke’s death—would Keiko be there this time? I can see it both ways. If she isn’t there, it could leave her feeling even lonelier :')

Kei would definitely still want to get powers, and I wonder if they’d encourage Keiko to try as well. I think they’d push her a bit, though I’m not sure if Keiko would go for it. And would Keiko join Kei in Aikido lessons? That seems possible too! What would that mean for tigger and rabbit! Would Keiko be included to NQK otherworldly friend group 🤔

There’s so much potential here! I need to sit down, brainstorm, and start writing these ideas out—I’m so excited to explore this!

I feel like you talked about most of what I said, sorry about that if it is the case! I just needed to let my thoughts out 😅

TBH, I don't remember everything I've said about this subject!

Some spoilers for LC under the cut.

I halfway suspect NQK and Keiko wouldn't get along very well. I can be an aloof know-it-all, and I can be sensitive. Keiko is so smart and competent and kind, I think she might find me a bit abrasive (and I might find her annoying when I can't measure up and inevitably because the 'screw-up' sibling). I might come across as patronizing to her; the sense of "I know something you don't know" radiating off of NQK might grate on Keiko's nerves and render the relationship imbalanced.

To that point, I don't think NQK would let Keiko meet Rabbit or Tigger (though they might not exist in those forms in this world if no one was reincarnated as a character, but rather as just a random person). NQK would spend a lot of time safeguarding secrets from others, Keiko herself included. But I do think NQK would teach Keiko to fight a little more! Maybe not encourage her to get powers, but definitely to fight.

NQK would still probably be really obsessed with sticking to the script in this AU, and I think this would manifest in hardcore Parent-Trap level matchmaking shenanigans, trying to force Keiko and Yusuke to fall in love. All at once, NQK would be both overbearing AND distant, a baffling and likely infuriating combination that could have unexpected negative consequences on the subjects of NQK's meddling...

When NQK's secrets come out, I think they ease some of the strain in the relationship between the sisters. I think Keiko (feeling protective of their parents) might encourage NQK to come clean, though. Being kept in the dark hurt Keiko in some ways, so I don't think she'd want history to repeat with their parents.

Oh, inspiration moment: Keiko gets cut with the sword (in lieu of Botan in LC) and develops demon powers that way! Or she develops dream powers after having multiple prophetic dreams (this is canon, and I used that to justify NQK's dream powers in LC). Either way, I don't think NQK would plan for this to happen, but it would be a real headache (or another point of jealousy) for NQK if it did!

For irony, I think NQK's name in this AU might be 'Sara,' which can be spelled with a character that means 'good luck.' Considering this sounds like a pretty normal American name (and a feminine one, at that, with no easy masculine or gender neutral nickname), NQK would probably hate it! :D Haha!

There's definitely a lot to explore here, that's for sure, and I'm super happy to read your thoughts!

[luckystarchild]

how different would be lucky if if you had chosen maya as your self insert instead of keiko? what would u have named the story?

I considered using Maya, actually! Not too seriously (Keiko made more sense for the story I was intending to tell, and that was obvious from the jump), but still. A few people have asked this question over the years; there's even a few unanswered asks in my inbox about it. In one past post on the subject, I said the following:

"If she ended up taking Maya’s place in canon, she’d have to think on her feet to avoid having her memory erased. Now THAT would be a recipe for disaster."

Early on in the story, I think Not-Quite-Maya's goals would center around avoiding getting her memory wiped the way Maya's is wiped in canon. She might stay away from Kurama only to get dragged back into his orbit by fate or destiny or whatever you want to call it. Having my mind messed with is a HUGE phobia for me, so knowing Kurama might try and alter my memory after a run-in with Hiei would probably influence my/Not-Quite-Maya's actions until the danger zone has passed.

What would that avoidance look like? I might try to stay away from Kurama, I might try to change Maya's relationship with Kurama, I might try to make friends with more of the YYH cast... who knows? But that would be a huge focus on the early part of the story.

After that point and once canon started up in earnest, Not-Quite-Maya's journey would be VERY different from NQK's. NQK is often preoccupied with the ramifications of increasing Keiko's roll in canon. If she were reborn as Maya, she'd be increasing the changes to canon even more since Maya was never intended to be there in the first place. It makes me question if I would allow myself to get involved at all. At least Keiko is supposed to go to the Dark Tournament; Maya isn't supposed to be featured after Kurama meets Yusuke, so tagging along as Maya would likely wreak even greater havoc than what we got in LC with NQK. There's a case to be made that NQM would stay away entirely as a result, and we'd probably get a Not-Quite whose story didn't intersect much at all with the canon cast's.

That's why I picked Keiko, in the end. Her role is much more involved with the main character's, which makes it easier to involve her in the story and bend canon to accommodate her presence. Accommodating Maya would mean BREAKING canon, not bending it. And since I'm a cautious person, I can't see myself giving readers a very interesting story while inhabiting the role of Maya. Using Maya as the insert character, therefore, didn't contribute to the story I was trying to tell, and Keiko had to be used instead. But it still fun to think about this AU.

As for what I'd call it... the themes of the story would be very different from LC's themes, but I haven't explored what those themes would be yet. Since I tend to choose titles that reflect the themes of their story, it's tough to say what I'd call a NQM story at this juncture.

BUUUUT... I named LC after the translation of Keiko's name (when spelled with slightly different kanji than what was used in canon, but w/e). Maya's name is spelled with a character that can mean either "hemp" or "numb" and a character that can mean "increasingly/further" (or a variation that denotes distance/a measurement growing bigger) or "mend." Other spellings of the name use characters for "truth" and "reality," and also "night" and even "irony." I'd probably make a title that plays on those definitions.

Just spitballing here, but if NQMaya's main hurdle is how distant she is from canon compared to NQK, I think a title that plays on that latter kanji could be cool? Something that plays on the distance between her and canon, and possibly mending that distance, or maybe that distance increasing over time. Throw in "numb" for some color if possible.

Typing all that out made me realize one of the themes of a Not-Quite-Maya story, especially one where she chooses to distance herself from canon, might revolve around the theme of learning to let go. So her story's title could very well be something like, "The Irony of Distance," or "A Distant Truth," or some kind of play on the "so close and yet so far" adage. Hard to say without actually writing the story, but you get the idea.

Thanks for this ask! Was a fun brain teaser.

[mapleleavesart]

I'm taking drawing requests again

But only for the rise boys. The more specific the better, but it doesn't have to be (a name is fine if you can't think of anything, it just might be different than you're hoping for). You can request multiple things. It can even be an AU/fic turtle, as long as I'm familiar with it. 2al, CAS, Wanderer, LFLS, TAE, NQK, Neon Void, etc

If you're not sure if I know about a certain au or fic, ask! I won't bite, I'm just trying to learn the Rise style

Edit: you can send either a reference photo or a short written description for a pose!

[shittygaypornmagazine]

TFLB Donnie is quite literally fucked. Not only by his placement against JTOEL Donnie, who is a literal God compared to my swagless son, but also by his close proximity to both NQK and Red Rover AU Leo's

[danka27]

She laughed, the sound full of relief and happiness, flowing and mixing with the wind, that insisted on involving her body, seeming all to content on carrying the heartfelt melody with it.

" Love, ya may look different, but I would have ta be deaf to not recognize yer laugh"

With tears runnig free down her face the woman held his face, warm and so very real beneath her fingertips, too overwhelmed, to even talk, and only leaned foward, the heat from his body and the ever present wind reminding her that no matter her appearance, she was still herself.

@luckystarchild I present you the jin x past self au you may not need but I certainly do.

[tervaneula]

Doodled some more for this so I guess it's a proper AU now?? LMFAO

(don't come at me for the poses I just took the first refs that caught my eye. it's 11pm okay I was running out of time because what's tomorrow, I don't know her)

[tervaneula]

(This is an edit of the pic I drew for chapter 15)

Maybe in another universe? 😭 I wish NQK was this, but it's not, and I have no idea why I had to hurt myself (and Leonardo) like this. Oh my gohdfsjdvdhdhfjgj. Screams falls down on knees cries throws up etc

[tervaneula]

Your art is NOM NOM NOM NOM!!

CAN KISS RAPH'S FOREHEAD LIKE A PROUD MAMA?! BECAUSE I LOVE MY BABY 🥺🥺🥺🥺

THANK YOU FOR LOVING HIMMMM YOU DEFINITELY CAN<333

You gave me Raph feels so I drew that one scene :3c

“You really think Dee can keep his big mouth shut?” Leonardo sighs as he tips his shoulder forward to let Raphael take the rabbit off his hands.  “...he’s… he’s very soft and small…” Raphael mumbles instead of replying to Leonardo’s question when he lifts the yokai into his arms. It’s no secret that their brother in red is a big softie, but seeing him cradle a complete stranger so gently… Leonardo feels something shift in his heart at the sight.  “Everyone’s small compared to you, big brother,” he says softly.

[tervaneula]

listen... Listen.. No seriously LISTEN LISTEN LISTEN LISTEN LISTEN LISTEN!!

These goofy goobers are giving a fighting show for the audience but since the referee gave them the go aheadv they haven't move a single inch.

Why? Everyone are looking at them held breath, are they thinking how to counter each other? Are they thinking about how to kill each other in the most painful way?

Unknown to them, these doofies (new level of goofiness) are trying so hard to NOT drool over how HOT their competitor is!! And how just looking at each other's eyes is getting them weak to the knees!! They're trying so hard to NOT throw the sword away and dmand a kiss on the lips!

The audience feeling the overwhelming air of "intimidation" but it's just these idiots getting a little bit horny/aff/lh

YES

They're both trying to think of how to ask the other on a date and bluescreening because of the pressure

[tervaneula]

the heir and the ronin by katterv

A somewhat reclusive clan with an heir who everyone thinks is a crime lord or something equally unsavoury?

A wandering ronin with an ill reputation and looks to match?

Will they meet and test their mettle in a battle to the death?! Uh, wait what do you mean they just went out for tea and mochi cakes–

—

This is the premise. Is this also how the story begins? Not exactly, no… but it's close enough.

Here we goooo, the first chapter! I'm having a lot of fun writing this silly thing, hope y'all have fun reading it. And please leave a kudos if you enjoyed!! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

[tervaneula]

If it's alright for me to suggest: how about Leo & usagi begin the hier of their clans?

Some AU where people outside the clan (for example: hidden city folks) talk about how scary, intimidating and horrific the hamatos are because they have a Japanese style of mansion/house and they spin lies about Leo saying he's this and that... But in reality? He's a sweet, sensitive man who doesn't hurt people for the joy of it.

Imagine his surprise when the same lies goes about Usagi a samurai rabbit that makes him look like an antagonistic character while in reality? He's so gentle and sweet man just like Leo.

The plot am thinking of is kinda like: oh this guy is somewhat awful because of the rumors talking 'bout how of an awful man he is but i fall in love the moment i know all these rumors are lies and he's so sweet!!

Like imagine how cute it is if people said "he hates sweet" but see him drinking a smoothie or milkshake. Another says "he has muscles and well fit" but in reality he has those cute chubs on him 🥺

I'MMMM AJSHGASDJFGHJSDFKGG

YOUR BRAINNN OH MY GOD. I WANT TO WRITE THIS??!!?

Holy shit that's so good. Amazing. Wonderful and brilliant and sweet and everything I could ever want from an AU like this. And let's put them like a few centuries in the past so word-of-mouth is the primary way people share information :D

And shdgfhsd here's my take on an edgelord Usagi, but wait. Can it be. Is he actually a sweetheart under all that edge??? AAAAAAAAAA THIS IS MAKING ME [incomprehensible]

A somewhat reclusive clan with an heir who everyone thinks is a crime lord or something equally unsavoury?

A wandering ronin with an ill reputation and looks to match?

Will they meet and test their mettle in a battle TO THE DEATH?! Uh, wait what do you mean they just went out for tea and mochi cakes–

[tervaneula]

Concerning ✨this post✨

@witchofthemoss @antimattercontainment

Y'all are SO RIGHT LMFAO

“Babe. Babe, did you write this?” 

Yuichi turns to look at Leonardo and, seeing him holding the yard sale sign he was going to laminate and put up a little later, raises a brow. 

“Yes. Who else would it have been?” 

Leonardo stares at him for a second. 

“...what does this sign say?” 

Now frowning in concern, Yuichi puts down a box full of old vinyl records he was bringing outside and goes to the slider. 

“Leo… are you okay? It says “yard sale”. Have you had enough water today? Do you need to lie down?” 

The corner of Leonardo’s mouth twitches. And then he laughs. 

Yuichi doesn’t understand. 

“Leo—” 

“Yard sale!” Leonardo wheezes, tipping his head back and covering his eyes with his palm. “No, it says–” he giggles some more before leaning towards Yuichi and bringing the sign right up to his eye level, “–it says yale sale.” 

Yuichi stares at the turtle. Then at the sign. Then slowly at the turtle again. 

He flushes so hard that the tip of his nose turns bright red. 

The sign is promptly snatched from the now bent-over-in-laughter turtle, crumpled into a tight little ball and thrown in the trash. It won’t help anymore, of course – Yuichi knows that Leonardo will undoubtedly bully him for this, probably forever – but it makes him feel a little better. 

He smacks his husband upside the head as he goes to leave the room to get a marker and another piece of paper, smugly grinning at the indignant yelp. 

It’s okay. He’ll get it right this time. 

[tervaneula]

Okay call me crazy but it's 5 AM and am thinking about YOUR leo x usagi (sue me/lh) but listen here... Listen.. Listen...

I love my fluff like my France fries dipped in sauce 🩷

So i thought of about one of your previous NQK chapters where leo tries to wake up but can't because he's just exhausted or burned out but he have to!

When he was with his family - after going back in the past - he somewhat had to wake up and do something unless his family would get worried about him but after marrying his honeybun Usagi?

I can imagine leo feeling guilty like " I need to do something today, something productive... Doesn't matter what " and Usagi whom sleeping next to him is like " Do you have too? " Like Usagi has no problem spending the whole day with his hubby, cuddling in bed, having a nice breakfast in bed (bet they feed each other) and doing bad flirts and top it off with saying how much they love each other as they share kisses.

You know. YOU KNOW. This has been my go-to comfort ask for over a month now and it's been so, so needed. Thank you so much for sending it. It's beautiful.

And now that I haven't been well, I needed even more comfort so I wrote a little ~800 word thing for it :') <3

Leonardo blinks.

And blinks again.

His blurry gaze sharpens slowly, the switched-off ceiling light above him coming into focus little by little. He takes a deep breath and slowly lets it out, finally closing his eyes.

He doesn't know how long he's lain awake just staring at the ceiling, unseeing, barely hearing the rain outside, the thoughts inside his head yelling at him to get up. Get up, be useful, get up, get up, get up.

He can't get up and he can't make the voices go away. He's stuck and he can't do anything about it, his fists clench in the sheets, a frustrated sob forcing its way out of his dry throat– 

"Mmh, Leo? How long have you been awake?"

Leonardo twitches his head to the side and sees two brown eyes glinting in the low light of the late morning, looking at him, fuzzy from sleep but intent, and a brow furrowed in concern. He tries to reply but he swallows the words instead, closing his eyes again with a barely-there shake of his head.

He hears a soft hum, feels the mattress next to him shift and soon two arms are wrapping around his neck, a warm weight settling on his chest. Yuichi nuzzles his cheek, then his neck, and presses his face against him. His fur is so soft on Leonardo's scales.

"You don't have to get up, you know," the white rabbit murmurs, voice gentle but still rough from sleep, "we've nothing to do today."

Leonardo disagrees.

"...breakfast."

"There's cereal in the cupboard and berries in the fridge."

Leonardo huffs at the straightforward reply and somehow that spark of amusement lets him finally regain control of his own body. Yuichi has trapped his right arm under him but the left one is free to move, and he moves it straight up to bury his fingers into his partner's sleep-fluffed hair. He earns a soft chitter for it and he purrs in response, feeling a sorely needed warmth spreading from his chest outward.

-

Yuichi forbids him from getting out of bed, getting up himself, and bringing a tray filled with various low-effort breakfast items with him when he comes back. There's the promised cereal along with a carton of yoghurt, a big bowl of assorted berries, a bunch of grapes, a cold coffee drink and two glasses of orange juice.

Leonardo drags himself upright and the tray is carefully set on his thighs. Yuichi burrows under the blankets, emerging right next to him and pulling the tray towards him so they both have equal access.

"Well then," the rabbit smiles, light and loving and loved. "Dig in!"

-

They finish eating, unhurried and comfortably silent, content to enjoy the taste on their tongues and the warmth of each other's presence. Yuichi picks up the emptied dishes and moves them to the floor, then turns back to Leonardo, grinning from ear to ear.

"Guess what's next?"

"We… get up?"

"Nope!"

-

It's late afternoon when Leonardo wakes up. He stirs slowly, indulgently, so very different from before, feeling warm and cosy between his mate's arms. His beak is buried in silky soft fur, his head cradled in an embrace so gentle it's as if he's something precious, something to be treasured and held with utmost care.

He's been on the verge of tears the whole morning – well, the whole day at this point – and they finally start to fall. It's a quiet cry, merely a release of the anxious energy that's finally letting him out of its grasp, a relief.

He breathes in Yuichi's scent, comforted and– and happy, he thinks, so very happy.

No matter how cruel Leonardo's mind is to him, Yuichi makes sure to never judge. They both have their bad days, Leonardo's being worse but it's never been a problem for the rabbit.

He looks at him and accepts him and is there for him, for better or for worse.

He reminds him that it's alright to take it slow. It's alright to just exist.

He loves him, his jagged edges and gooey core, the whole of him. 

And Leonardo knows he loves Yuichi more than he could ever put into words, more than his actions could ever express. 

More than there are stars in the sky. 

Leonardo doesn’t know what he’s done to deserve a love like this but for once in his life, he doesn’t question it. This good thing that he has, this new life he’s built with his family strong by his side – it’s not something to doubt, to ruin by stubbornly waiting for the other shoe to drop. He feels deep in his chest that this is it. 

This is it for him, and no matter if he’s earned it or not, he will hold onto it with everything he’s got. 

(he holds onto Yuichi just a little bit tighter.)