#oh god i’m so soft for raph being a good big brother

[luckycharms1701]

*comes into inbox driving a semi truck and starts backing it towards the Mikey Well. Once safely arriving at lip of said hole, let's out a shrill whsitle as I proceed to dumb this upon ye*

Yo Mikesters! I heard the request to think about Mikey, and I got a little something for ya!

I dug this out of my docs, it was my very first attempt of a turtle fic I scrounged up about 5 years ago. Figured y'all could use it better than having it collect dust.

All you need to know is Clay is an older sister OC who’s really close with Mikey. Warning it is a hurt/comfort with a sprinkling of soft Raph

🧡 Breaking Point 🧡

Raphael threw open the door to Michelangelo’s room with an unapologetic BANG, causing Mikey to jump slightly from where he moodily sat hunched in the corner of his bed. 

Raph was never one to give a preamble and as such marched right in like he owned the place. 

Mikey’s eyes flicked towards his brother only for a moment before chuffing dismissively and turning his shell to his brother. 

Raph narrowed his eyes at Mikey’s lack of response and respect of his oh so “overwhelming” presence. 

Something was definitely up.

Mikey’s room was his sacred place, and he didn’t let just anybody walk in. Raph was always down for a fight, always looking for one actually. That's the reason he barged into Mikey’s room in the first place. The fact that he wasn’t adamantly defending his turf put Raph on even more of an edge. 

He had to get to the bottom of this.

Raphael strode to the side of Mikey’s bed and plopped down on the corner with a slight grunt. The noise captured Mikey’s attention, and he turned to scowl at Raph over his shoulder. Raph returned the scowl with a glare of his own, folding his arms in emphasis. 

The two brother’s gazes locked in a heated staredown. It only lasted for a handful of moments, but it seemed like an eternity due to the intense silence that screamed between the two. 

Mikey was the first to look away, unable to bear the heat that was smoldering in Raph’s glare any longer. 

“What?!”  Mikey finally snapped, throwing a hand out and raising his shoulders up defensively around his head. 

Raph didn’t even blink at Mikey’s outburst, he just stared at Mikey, long and hard before unfolding his arms to jab a finger in Mikey’s direction. 

“Spill.”  He growled.

Mikey blinked at Raph incredulously, his brows creased in confusion. “Spill? What on earth are you talking about?!”  

Raph’s eyes narrowed. “ I ain’t talking about nothin’. Yous going to be the one talking.”  

Mikey scoffed, folding his arms to mirror Raph.  “Oh yeah? About what?”  

Raph threw a hand up and rolled his eyes snarkily, “Oh Idunno? Why don't you talk about what the shell happened back there in the dojo?! Or what's been up with you for the past couple of months!”  

Mikey blinked in surprise before his face hardened in a face too serious to rest comfortably on the usual happy go lucky turtle. He looked down, again shuffling away to turn his shell to Raph.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,”  he muttered darkly.

Raph’s eye twitched at Mikey's slight petulance, and let out a little growl. “Oh don't play stupid with me, little brotha. I think you do.“ 

 Raph proceeded to angrily tick off his fingers, unaware of Mikey’s sharp flinch in response to his classic less than gentle approach. 

“You train all day, and you’s up all night. You go all “beast” mode whenever we mess with the Foot, and do it all without a single cracked joke! You’s all business and no fun.

And if that ain’t weird enough then we add in that you don’t play any of your video games anymore. I haven’t seen you read a single comic in weeks! And don’t even get me started on pizza! You haven’t picked up a slice since…” 

Raph trailed off for only a second before narrowing his eyes with a small scowl and jumping right back in, “Somethings up with you, and I don’t like it.”  

Mikey rolled his eyes and flicked his hand dismissively, sassing Raph under his breath.“There’s a lot of things you don’t like, Raph. How’s this any different?”  

Raph’s eye twitched at the blatant disrespect and immediately set to ratify the perceived injustice by slugging Mikey on the shoulder. “Hey! This ain’t about me. This is about you.”

Raph barked, reaching up to poke Mikey in the forehead. Mikey’s face twisted into annoyed scowl and he irritatedly swatted Raph’s hand away. 

“Lemme alone Raph.”  

Raph let Mikey push his hand away, but he remained rooted to Mikey’s bed. 

“I ain’t leavin’ Michelangelo.”  

Raph huffed with an unyielding voice of authority, and Mikey's scowl soured further at the use of his full name. Raph noticed the dark look and simply folded his arms, leaning back against the wall nestled against Mikey’s bed as if to prove his point. 

“Not until you let out whatevers you has holed up in that big ‘ole head of yours.”  

Mikey shot Raph a sharp side glance over his shoulder, not saying anything, just boring Raph down with his baby blues. 

“I ain’t leaving,” Raph grunted again under the scrutiny, a little quieter this time but just as resolutely as before. 

Mikey’s eyes flicked to Raph’s set jaw and knew that Raph had made up his mind about this. Raph’s stubbornness was legendary in the fact that it knew no bounds. Once Raphael set his mind on something, there was no stopping him. 

Raph just sat there on the bed, waiting tensely under Mikey’s unnerving scrutiny. Mikey had something dark stuck inside him, and Raph didn’t like that. Didn’t like that at all.

For as annoying as his kid brother could be, Mikey was still his kid brother, and he was going to sit there all night if he had to, to help his little buddy out. 

Mikey stared at Raph for a couple moments more in thick and tense silence before slowly lowering his gaze from Raph’s face. Mikey bent forward, resting his elbows against his knees and intertwinning his fingers with a small defeated and weary sigh. 

Raph eyed Mikey’s abnormally solemn behavior with slight unease, his arms folded tightly against his plastron. 

Sure, he’d wait all night if he had to, but everybody knew that patience was not one of Raphael’s strong suits. Raph just silently prayed that Mikey’s chronic restlessness would snap faster than Raph’s impatience. 

It would seem however that the heavens were closed tonight, for the two turtles continued to sit in an agonizingly prolonged silence. Raph continued to sit agitatedly on the side of Mikey’s bed, waiting for him to speak. To do or say anything. 

Raph couldn’t remember a time that Mikey had been quiet or still for quite this long, and it was grating on his nerves. Heck even when he was sleeping, Mikey would fidget, snore, sleep talk or just do whatever his little energizer bunny body did when it was so called “resting”. 

This ongoing silence was going to drive Raph mad…well…madder than normal.

 Mikey finally seemed to gather his thoughts and let out a long shuddering breath. Raph almost let out a sigh himself, but refrained and just turned to his little brother expectantly. Mikey inhaled slowly and looked down at his hands for a moment.

His eyes were full of sorrow, lost and unfocused in an unnerving way as he began to absentmindedly stroke the lines in his palms with the pad of his finger before muttering in an unnatural softness, “Being the mutant heroes of the city and whatever, we see a lot of weird out on the streets.“  

Raph blinked in surprise. He wasn’t expecting that. He didn’t know what he was expecting, but that definitely was not it.  

Mikey let out a little sardonic laugh and dropping his wrists on his knees with a wry shake of his head before continuing on. “Heck, if we didn’t see something weird or out of the ordinary then that was usually a big sign something was up.”  

Raph dipped his head and lifted a shoulder in agreement, but was still confused on where this was leading. He was used to Mikey talking in circles, that wasn’t anything new. But when Raph looked up to see Mikey’s twitch up into a soft small smile, suddenly he knew exactly where this conversation was headed. 

There was only one person who could make Mikey smile like that.  

Mikey sat smiling away at his thoughts for a second and then continued. “But Clay…dude...she was weird like nobody I’d ever met. I mean who else would not scream when they saw four mutant ninja turtles in the sewer?” 

Mikey shook his head and let out a more Mikey sounding laugh at the memory. “Heck even Casey and April freaked when they first must us. But not Clay, dude. She was like totally chill.”  

Raph interjected at that moment with a smirk. “You’re forgetting that she was looking for us, man. She knew exactly what she was doin’.” 

Mikey waved Raph’s words away with a flick of his hand. “That’s besides the point, dude. Clay was different, and well...I liked her different. She was this rad mixture of like total chill and just enough quirkiness to keep things interesting” 

Mikey fell quiet at that, musing absentmindedly as he chewed on his bottom lip. His fingers twitched as he stroke his hands with some bottled up nervously energy for a moment or two as he attempted to wrangle in the rodeo that was his thought process before adding softly. 

“I liked her Raph...I liked her a lot.”  

Raph let out a snort of laughter and slugged Mikey in the shoulder with a teasing waggle of his eyebrows “ ‘Course ya did, Mikey.”  

Mikey shot him a dark look and shoved Raph to the side with an annoyed huff. “Cut it out, dude! It wasn’t like that! “ 

Raph let Mikey push his shell back against the wall with a small amused chuckle. It was good to see some fire back in Mikey’s eyes and he couldn’t help the small smirk from playing on his lips. “I know. We all liked her.”  

There was a small grunt of agreement was the only response from Mikey’s end of the bed as he slowly getting lost again in thought. “That’s just it, bro...We’re…I’m usually the first to make friends with people, but it was Clay who was the first to try and be friends with us! It was unexpected and totally out of the ordinary. Guess…I guess that’s why we got along so well.” 

The little light that had sparked into Mikey's eyes when previously mentioning Clay dimmed slightly as his smile turned sad and wrung his hands together. “Clay was the unexpected to my out of the ordinary. She was a friend to all of us, but to me she wasn’t just a friend. She was...I don’t even know… just something else man.”  

Mikey let out a breath and looked down at his hands, flexing his two fingers. Raph picked up on the nervous energy, and he could tell that Mikey was really struggling to get these words out. Mikey never struggled with words, being the friendly little extrovert that he was and it was that fact alone that made Raph hesitantly scoot in to listen just a little bit closer. 

“Clay was the first person to make me feel like I was more than just the stupid little brother.” Mikey’s brow hardened into an intense frown ,and his fingers suddenly curled inward, making a tight white knuckled fist. “I know you guys think I’m an idiot, and that I can’t take anything seriously.” 

Raph rolled his eyes and scooted closer so he could wrap an arm around Mikey’s shoulder. “ Come on Mikey. You know that ain’t true. Messing around is what big brotha’s do!”  

Mikey clenched his eyes shut and let out a low growl that was so low and full of rage that Raph had the chilling experience of feeling small in front of his kid brother for one teensy teeny tiny little second which made him completely unprepared when Mikru three Raph’s arm off from his shoulders. 

“I wish it was just messing around! But you dudes actually believe it! You dudes don’t think I can do anything!” Mikey snarled as he whirled to face Raph with a seething look.

Raph’s eyes widened in surprise at the pure ferocity that oozed out of Mikey’s voice and tense body language.

Mikey’s shoulders shook, and his hands clenched and unclenched into fists in a motion that was oh so hauntingly familiar to Raph but looked just downright unnatural when Mikey did it. Mikey continued on, his voice low and tense.

 “I’m just the kid brother who will always plays as bait because that’s all you dudes think I’m good for, and when I actually do something useful you act all surprised, like it’s a spur of the moment or whatever! You don’t think I’m actually capable of doing anything on purpose except being “annoying” do you? “  

Mikey air quoted sarcastically, and then turned to face Raph directly in the eyes, his chest heaving as he snarled into his brother’s face.

“Well do you?!“ 

Raph couldn’t believe what he was seeing right now. His kid brother who was usually the first to back down when talking to him, was now staring him down hard with absolutely no fear. Mikey held resouletely held his gaze, his jaw set as he waited for Raph’s response.

 “I… uh…” Raph stuttered and his hand came to rub the back of his neck. He didn’t know what to say. Mikey was right. They had all treated him like he was a little kid. 

Mikey continued to glare at Raph, his baby blues shockingly ice cold. The shame of being called out made it hard for Raph to meet Mikey’s eyes. Mikey turned his head sharply and looked down at the ground in disgust, “That’s what I thought.” He muttered darkly under his breath. 

Mikey raised a shaky fist, and punched it into the fabric beside him. He slowly released his fingers, digging them into the fabric with a sharp exhale. ‘

“Clay never treated me like that. She was the only one who didn’t treat me like a joke. She laughed with me. Not at me.” 

Mikey shot out before pulling his legs up into his plastron, and wrapped his arms tightly around his knees with a shaken huff.

Raph’s heart squeezed uncomfortably at the sight of his little brother curling in on himself like that. Mikey used to do that a bunch when he was scared and needed comfort as a kid. It just felt…wrong seeing the bigger-than-life turtle seem small…almost fragile all closed up like that. 

Mikey let out a long sigh and his shoulders dropped.  “We never talked like her and Donnie did…” Mikey began softly, the anger dissipating from his voice, making him seem tired and withdrawn.

 “But whenever I wanted to say something, Clay actually cared enough to listen. Even when she was arting or whatever, she’d put whatever she was doing aside and gave me her full attention.”  

Mikey tightened his hold around his legs, and plopped his head on his knees, his voice coming out in a wet croak. “She made me feel special and important. Someone worth talking to. Somebody actually cool enough to hang out with. Not just someone’s annoying responsibility.” 

His voice cracked slightly at that comment, and he cleared his throat with a sniff before continuing. “Nobody’s ever really done that before...and I guess that’s why I hung around her so often. It was nice to feel like somebody actually cared about me.” 

Mikey’s eyes got misty, a broken little smile toying at his lips as once again he wandered down a fairer memory lane. “You know, Clay had this way of making me feel like I was actually good at being a ninja, that I was a contributing and important part of this team. She believed in me in a way that you dudes never did.” 

Mikey wiped a fist across his eyes and let out a little laugh. “Shell, I don’t even think Master Splinter thinks I’ll really amount to anything, but Clay did. She saw something in me, and she made sure to let me know. But she wasn’t pushy about trying to find and train it like Leo is sometimes.” 

Raph’s brow furrowed slightly at that,  and he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. He let out a grunt trying to mask the chuckle that wanted to escape from his throat. Mikey had pegged the main difference between Leo and Clay head on.

Mikey didn’t notice and continued to plow on. “Clay was chill bro, but it was the kind of chill that inspired you. I wanted to do better. I wanted to be better, so I could be the Michaelangelo she believed I could be. That’s why I trained so hard when she was…” Mikey coughed and continued albeit a little quieter. “That’s why I continue to train.“  

Raph looked up at Mikey in surprise over his shoulder before quickly looking down at his hands. He knew exactly what Mikey meant. 

Clay had become something like…a big sister to all of them. She had this uncanny way of looking at all of them through their thick shells and seeing the young boys who just wanted love and acceptance. And what was crazy most about it? Is she just gave it. No rhyme, no reason, no joke, pattern or logic to how she did it. She simply just met the turtles where they were at, and loved them from there. 

Each of the brothers had his life touched by her gentle hand in some form or fashion, and all of them in their own unique way had wanted to keep her safe, keep her with them. None more so than Mikey it would appear. 

Mikey unfolded his legs and leaned forward on the bed, his head hanging dejectedly and his voice cracking with defeat. “But all that training did nothing, Raph. Nothing. When Clay really needed me… I wasn’t there. I couldn’t help her.”  

Mikey’s voice broke, and he dropped his face into his hands. “When I close my eyes… I still see her stupid smiling face as she lays there...broken on that roof. All because I was too slow! I was too slow.”  

His breath shuddered in his chest, making his shoulders tremble with the movement. Mikey ground the heel of his hand into his eyes to stop the tears that had started to fall down his face. In doing so he removed the orange mask around his eyes and Raph’s eyes widened with sickening horror as he saw the raw black circles that circled around Mikey’s bloodshot exhausted eyes.

 “I can’t sleep dude. No matter how exhausted I am after training, I can’t sleep. I still see her in my dreams and … I can’t help but think…” Mikey’s voice trembled, and he raised a shaking hand to his mouth. “That if I really was the ninja she thought I was... if I  moved just a little faster… I could have... she…she would still be here.” 

A strangled keening came from Mikey’s throat at his confession and he hunched forward, sobbing brokenly into his hands. 

The reservoir that he had so carefully built around his heart had finally broken. The pain, the memories, the aching in his heart was too raw and Mikey felt the waves of guilt and shame washed over him, threatening to drag him down to drown into the full depths of his despair. 

He felt like he couldn’t breathe, but he didn't care. He deserved this. He deserved to suffer. Clay was gone because of him! This was his fault. He wasn't enough. He was never enough and so it was ALL his fault. 

Hearing Mikey weep with no hope caused something inside of Raph to snap. He had to do something. Nobody messed with Mikey. Nobody. Not even Mikey himself. Raph’s eyes narrowed, and he turned to roughly grab Mikey by the shoulders.

“Michelangelo, stop that!  You an’ I know betta than anybody else that Clay wasn’t one to sit on the sidelines!“  Raph growled, causing Mikey to start at Raph’s sudden roughness, and stared at him with wide tearstained eyes. 

“You know she’s as self sacrificing as Leo is. When she saw somethin’, she did somethin’ ! An‘ there was nothin’ you or I could do about it.” 

Raph looked at Mikey hard in the eyes and leaned forward to poke him in the chest. “Now you listen here, Clay made her choice that night on the roof. She chose to risk her life to save you. We have to respect that she knew what she was doin’. Whether we like it or not.” 

Mikey looked away shaking his head with a frantic hiccup, and the anger deflated out of Raph like a popped balloon at the sound. Now was not the time to be rough. Mikey was hurting, and getting mad at him wasn’t going to help.

Raph let out a sigh and his fingers flexed with anxious energy where he held Mikey’s shoulder.

“I’m no good with this word stuff, Mikey, so Ima tell you a little somethin’ Clay told me cuz you know she’d say it betta.” 

Raph gave Mikey a small crooked smile before continuing. “The only reason we is good as a team is because we brothas first. An’ Mikey, we ain’t been a team since you’ve been gone.” 

Raph tightened his hold on Mikey’s shoulders, and leaned in a little closer, trying to meet Mikey’s tear stained eyes. Hisvoice was unnaturally soft as he murmured, “I know you’s hurtin’ and you have every right to be hurt right now... We all lost somethin’ special when we lost Clay. You more than anybody, but don’t you see?

That’s why we need you, Mikey.” 

Mikey blinked at that and looked up at Raph in surprise as if he wasn't sure if he heard his brother correctly. Raph gave his little brother a sad but surprisingly understanding smile before reaching up to yank Mikey into a fiercely tight hug. 

Mikey let out a squawk of surprise as he suddenly was engulfed by the giant hulking mess of his big brother, pressed tightly against his plastron. He hiccuped again, trembling slightly with unease of his big bad brother suddenly showing a very rare softer side. 

Raph took in a deep breath, not really caring about Mikey’s discomfort as only a caring big brother can do and gently rested his chin on Mikey’s shoulder. He lightly knocked his head against Mikey’s and muttered, “Clay’s right. What we have is special; you are what makes this team special. An’ it just ain’t the same without you. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve really enjoyed kicking your shell an’ helping you train, but I miss my little brotha.”  

Mikey went still in Raph’s arms as he tried to grasp his head around what Raph had just said. His tired brain couldn't seem to hold onto any thread of thought as one tiny, foolish spark of hope ignited in his heart. He wasn't…Raph didn't mean…

When it finally sunk in, when he realized what Raph was really tryin to say, Mikey couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. He let out a small wail and buried his face in his brother’s shoulder, his fingers coming to claw onto his brother's rough and scared shell, clinging on to Raph’s hug for dear life. 

Mikey wept, letting months of built up anguish finally be felt as tears poured like rain down his face onto Raph’s shoulder. Just simply crying as a boy who mourns for the loss of his best friend.

Raph’s face winced in pain as he heard Mikey continue to cry, but he knew that Mikey needed to get this out if he was ever going to get any better. So Raph just tightened his hold around his little brother, one of his hands coming to gently cup the back of Mikey’s neck to pull him more securely into the protection of his arms.

They just sat there together for a little while, Raph waiting for Mikey’s sobs to quiet down before quietly whispering in Mikey’s ear, “We’re not askin’ you to stop hurtin’, Mikey. Alls we is askin’ is to let us help you bear this pain.”  

Raph pulled back to look Mikey in the straight in the eyes and tightly squeezed his shoulder to let Mikey know that he meant what he said.

“As a team.”  

Raph lowered his head and rested his forehead against Mikey’s with a determined whisper. 

“As brotha’s.”

oh anon-chan, this is so good!! my heart, poor mikey 😭😭😭

@justalotoffanfiction you were looking for mikey inspo, the people have provided!!

[lady-squid]

Hypocrites With A Cause CH1/2 

Summary:

The family returns to their home after the Krang invasion. Leo and Donnie are both hurt but are too anxious about the other to take care for themselves. Luckily big brother Raph is here.

Words: 1713

Chapter 1: POV Leo

The trek back home from Staten Island was long. Every inch of Leo’s body hurt, it felt like fire. The open wound on his side mixed with the unbearable pain in his arm in the forefront of his mind. The group slowly made their way past the debris of New York and towards the subway entrance. The blue brother could feel all eyes on him, the silent concern heavy in the air. They repeatedly asked if he was okay. Sure, it hurt, but he’s put them through enough already. Leo thinks to himself, that the pain he’s feeling is nothing compared to the pain he just put his family through. So he smiles. 

 Leo has never been so happy to see their subway tunnel home. The graffitied trains and walls are lined with the memories of their new home. The turtles, their father, April, and Casey enter the makeshift home, He can tell they are as relieved as he is. God, it’s good to be back, he just wants to lay down and sleep until- wait. Donnie isn’t here with the rest of the group, did he run off once they got back?

His thoughts are interrupted by a sharp pain in his side causing him to stumble, Casey catches him and hoists his sensei's arm over his shoulder as a hiss of pain escapes the ninja's lips. A sad smile forced itself into the human’s face, not quite reaching his eyes. Leo can’t figure out why but a sudden feeling of Deja Vu washes over him.

“Leo take it easy, can you go three minutes without hurting yourself?” Oh, Donnie’s back. He quips from behind like he has been there the whole time. “Where’s the fun in that Dee?” The purple teen rolls his eyes, Leading the two to the living room. Leo notices Donnie's usual annoyed expression after one of his jokes is nowhere to be found, instead replaced by poorly masked unease. Dread began pooling the slider’s stomach, something was not right. He’s seen Donnie worried or upset sure, but this was different. 

“Don, you ok?” The soft shell’s eyes grow wide with disbelief, seeming to have struck a cord. “Am I- Leo how could you be asking if I’m ok?!” Donnie raised his voice, is he shaking? “You’re the one who almost-” He stopped himself, all fight leaving his body. Sighing he runs a three-fingered hand down his face. “I’m fine Nardo, just focus on getting better, ok?” The purple brother doesn’t wait for an answer before walking ahead of him and Casey to the living room.

The group behind them seems too caught up in the moment to worry too much about the interaction. From anyone else's perspective, Donnie would just seem annoyed by Leo, but unlike the rest of the group, Leo notices something shift in Raph’s expression, His worry seeming to drift between Leo and Donnie. 

The team follows. Worried for their friend, their son, their brother. Leo assumed he looked like shit judging by everyone’s concerned gazes. He isn’t surprised if he does, the Krang really did a number on him in the short time he was trapped in the prison, it’s his own fault really. He didn’t fight back. He didn’t think he was coming back, so what would have been the point?

Being as gentle as he can Casey lowers the teen onto the couch, careful not to further distress his master. Leo tries hard not to show the amount of pain he’s in, to not further worry his family. Blood from his side starts to stain the couch a crimson red. But he’s fine, really.

“You’re all being dermatic!” Leo attempts to smile, waving his hand dismissively as he speaks. “I’m fi-” A white-hot shock of pain moves through his arm like lightning, fuck that hurt. Judging by everyone's faces, he did a poor job hiding the pain. “Like hell, you’re fine!” Raph retaliates, clearly distressed, as Donnie kneels beside the couch holding his twin's arm and gently inspecting it. Raph continues flinging his hand in the air in exasperation. “You could have died, Leonardo! Do you not understand that?” The blue ninja flinches at Raph’s sudden movement, seeing this the turtle’s arms and expression drop. Damit, he didn’t mean to flinch. 

Mikey places a firm hand on the distressed leader's shoulder, his eyes silently comforting Raph. The snapping turtle sighs, running his large hand over his face. “Sorry, sorry. I-” He looks away, unable to look Leo in the eyes anymore. “I didn’t mean to yell…” The following silence was excruciating. Leo never liked the quiet. Always opted for music when alone in the layer because the silence of his brothers not being there always unnerved him. It made him feel alone. Despite the number of people in the small living room, his brothers, Casey, April, Dad. He felt alone

That’s all the teen could feel when he was in the prison, alone. The emptiness of the dimention seeped into his poors, his skin. Alone, hollow, and empty. Forever. He had acepted the concept of being alone forever, accepted it as his reality, it was worth it to save his family. 

“God- Leo.” Donnie finally cut the silence. Judging by his focus on him, Leo wasn’t even sure Donnie realized there was an awkward silence. “It’s broken.” He states matter of fact standing and ordering Raph to grab a first aid case in his lab to wrap it. Much to Leo’s displeasure, Donnie insisted on checking him over completely, The others sticking close trying (but failing) to not hover. 

It isn’t anything that time and a lot of bandages couldn’t fix, He’ll be fine, he always is, but god everything was sore. Leo doesn’t think he’s ever been this tired in his life. Sometime during Donnie’s agonizingly long inspection, a Lou Jitsu movie was turned on, a distraction Leo was very thankful for. Everyone sat around only half watching the film, looking after each other's injuries, while April tried and failed to explain to Casey what the hell a movie was. Leo couldn’t focus on the film though, his concern being taken over by Donnie.

Something was wrong, he was rigid and stiff, so unlike his usual lax expression. He doesn’t look so good. Of course, he isn’t ok, they all aren’t super hot right now. But this is different. He looks like he’s in pain. He looks scared. Leo knows he should say something, he’s about to interject when his purple brother froze. Just staring ahead, the bandage he was in the middle of wrapping around his arm still loose in his hands. It’s like his soul had been sucked from his body. It unnerved Leo to no end.

“Don?” Nothing, like he didn’t even know he was there. Worry for his twin started to take over, is he hurt? Why is he helping him if he’s clearly not ok? “Donnie?” He tried again, this time grabbing his attention. He finally looked up to meet the slider’s eyes. He looked out of it, lost in his own world. “Donnie, Can you hear me?” It’s like he is seeing right through him, does he even know he’s there?  “I’m fine, Leo.” the younger twin attempts a reassuring smile, hoping to ease Leo’s distress, but it wavers. He is not fine. Why does he always push others away when he’s hurt? He hates that his twin never takes care of himself, and that he is worrying about other's needs when he clearly isn’t ok. 

Leo takes a deep breath, readying himself for the inevitable conversation, only to get his breath cut off by pain radiating in his side. Hearing footsteps coming their direction Leo looks up only to lock eyes with Raph. “Hey, Leo take it easy!” Raph takes his place behind the kneeling Donnie. “I’m fine.” Raph looks like he’s about to argue before Leo cuts him off. “Donnie however, isn’t.” That seemed to throw the leader off, Looking down at said kneeling turtle before him. “Wha- Donnie?” The soft shell doesn’t move, only continuing to stare into nothing. 

The crimson ninja seems unsure of what to do, his Raph Cason ™ Bigger than ever. “Donnie?” No answer. Before Leo can tell him it’s a bad idea, Raph puts a hand on his shoulder. “Donnie are-” His body was moving the second Raphs hand came in contact, as if it shocked the life back into him, Grabbing the leader's wrist that rested on his shoulder. “ Don’t .” He spoke desperately but quietly like anything louder might break him. He sounded so… scared. Donnie’s scared and probably in pain and he’s worried about him? Said turtle seemed to realize who Raph was, releasing his hand and turning back to finish bandaging the injured blue turtle's arm.

 “S-Sorry…” Sorry? Why is he sorry? The purple twin quickly wraps his arm, seeming uncomfortable with the attention. “Why-” Leo doesn’t even get to finish a word before Donnie stands quickly, backing away from the chair. “I’m done.” With Donnie’s confirmation, the rest of his family crowded around him, asking question after question. “How are you feeling now, my son?” Splinter asked, cupping his face with his rat palm. “Does your arm hurt? Oh! I know!” Mikey beamed at Leo, bouncing on his heels. “I could draw on your bandages if you’d like!” 

He felt a hand resting on his shoulder, belonging to Casey. “How’s your head, master?” He thinks April said something too, but his mind was preoccupied. The Slider turtle looked between the bodies surrounding him, looking for Donnie. His eyes landed on a shaking purple form in the corner. He is not alright. Leo’s twin needs him. He tries to stand from the old blood-stained couch only to be forced down by a hand on his plastron. 

“Not happening Leo, you need to rest.” April quipped, trying to smile for the turtle. No, no she doesn’t understand he needs to get to Donnie, he needs to make sure he’s ok, he- “Leo.” Red comes into his vision, a hand gently grabbing his arm, giving Leo a reassuring squeeze. “I got him.” Raph let go, walking towards the softshell on the other side of the room. He’ll be ok, Leo tries to reassure himself. We’ll be ok. 

Be sure to check out ch2!

Roses are red, 🥀 Violets are blue, 🔵 The twins are a disaster, 🧑🤝🧑 What else is new,💀

[mew-cake]

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is literally one of the best interpretations of the characters I have ever seen. It does something new with these established characters that is just a breath of fresh air.

Raph was always “the angry one”. But now he’s the tank. The big guy with a heart of gold. And more interestingly, he acts like a leader. I remember is past turtle stories there would be friction between Raph and Leo about who the leader is which always felt kinda forced because the only reason Raph acted like that was because he was the designated lancer. But taking that character and making him the hard-shelled, soft-hearted older brother who looks after his siblings?? Oh my god, it’s so good.

Donatello has always been The Smart One(tm) and while that stays the same, they play it up more. He isn’t just the tech guy when plot demands it. Right down to his fighting style he is The Tech Guy who knows what to do. I’ve also seen some stuff about how he’s good representation of low empathy, especially when it comes to people on the autistic spectrum and yeah, I def see it. He does lack empathy a lot of the time, but that doesn’t make him any less compassionate.

Mikey I’m kinda sad cuz it feels like he hasn’t gotten a lot of time to shine. As of now I just finished episode 17 out of 26 and it’s honestly sort of a let-down. Mainly because I love Mikey?? I remember early on there was a comment about him being an artist and my brain was like “!!!” because hey! I’m an art kid who loves the color orange! Like, let me see some of his art!! Even with my own personal gripes, I adore the changes made to Mikey’s character. Before he was just the designated goofy character, but now he feels more like a whole person rather than a gimmick.

Leonardo has Protagonist Syndrome and it is a tad annoying. BUT! I’m not asking for perfect and nuanced character writing here. He’s a fun dude. Analysis brain turned off. He’s pretty cool. ALSO I really like he’s a red eared slider because we have those turtles were I live and I love them.

Splinter was kinda hard to get behind at first since, ya know, he’s normally the wise old master. Now he’s just sort of a old grandpa. But!! I appreciate the change in direction, and I really like how they’re going about the whole story. Like, he’s a kung-fu movie actor. Who also is apparently actually good at fighting. At least enough to get noticed by Draxum and mutated. So that creates this really cool dynamic of someone who lived the high life of stardom and is now just sorta chilling out.

ALSO also at first I was a tad irritated because they kept failing a bunch of mission stuff and I’m like “wtf aren’t they cool trained ninjas??” but THEN I realized that by “trained ninjas” it just meant they watched their dad’s old action movies. They learned how to fight by watching movies and the practicing those moves in real life. Which explains a lot actually. And it’s also a really brilliant way to tie in every aspect of the turtles and their origin story. They are, in fact, cool ninja turtles dudes. But they’re also stupid teenagers who are in way over their heads.

This show is really good and I’m having a fun time.

[moxfirefly]

Leo with prompt #8 please

Pretty pretty pretty please

With so many thank you on top. You're writing sends me into the best mood.

Aww shucks it always makes me happy to hear that!

Rated Explicit (18+ only)

Leo was an asshole.

Not just in general terms, an obvious statement that Raph could literally break his neck agreeing with you, but Leo was an honest to god asshole.

You wanted to throttle him. Possibly even slap him. Maybe knock over one of his bonsai trees.

Okay that would be cruel at the very least, guy loves his bonsais, but...

You felt another jolt rip through your body causing the drink in your hand to slosh about. Some of it spilled on the hardwood floor and by the looks of it Vern would have a coronary due to it. April placed a hand on your shoulder, concern in her eyes. “You alright y/n? You look a little in pain?” She was only looking out for you but the only thought in your brain was to just yell, ‘Leo is a fucking asshole’.

Speaking of said asshole, he was over by the billiards table, resting against it while Casey and Raph had their latest competitive bought. The blue banded leader was the very picture of innocence, hell he wasn’t even drinking the god damn boy scout. “Hey Leo, you ready to get your ass handed as soon I finish handing it to your brother” Casey rested his weight on the billiards stick, possibly another coronary for Vern who had them imported from some fancy woodwork place.

Leo was busy looking at his phone, his thumb running across the screen in a nonchalant flick. “Might have to rain check that one, Case” His expression was neutral, bored at best. “Oh come on man, my birthday my rules” The birthday boy in question frowned, even more so when a ball was knocked into the corner pocket where he was standing. “Sorry, chief Vincent has been texting me all night updates of a new case” He flicked his thumb more rapidly, Casey assumed probably pictures of the possible offenders.

“Are we working later?” Was Raph’s question as he lined up another shot, which Casey prayed he would miss. He didn’t naturally.

“I’ll let you know, but doesn’t seem so” Leo actually felt proud of himself, an honest to goodness lie out of his own mouth. You would be proud of him, if you weren’t busy glaring daggers at him.

The situation was the following, you had only yourself to blame, but it had occurred to you to incorporate some outside play with Leo. So, you had purchased a remote control vibrator, a fancy little egg shaped thing that was currently resting inside your underwear. It could be controlled remotely via a phone app and while Leo wasn’t big on public stunts like this, that reptile part of his brain was yelling in excitement.

Two hours.

Casey’s little birthday party had been active for two hours. Which meant a that Leo had been running dangerous circles around his phone screen and you were already forgetting how to walk and talk at the same time. Vern’s penthouse was a little more packed than the usual gang it could inhabit, a few off duty officers that Casey hung out with and knew the terrapins were there.

You had told April by now that your day of the month had come up and the cramps were just a little more harsh than usual. Knowing all too well those woes, she rubbed your arm affectionately. “You don’t have to stay if you’re too beat up” She was bummed out, it was fun to have a human female friend given her circumstances had her putting up with five testosterone filled men, four of which were literal giant turtles.

You shook your head with a smile. “And miss out on drunk karaoke? I’m good, I can handle- th-this” Oh that was dangerous, that was truly entering very dangerous territories. When your eyes landed on Leo, stupid smug brat with his pretty lips and holding his phone like the prized possession it currently was, you glared. Excusing yourself you made the slow walk towards Leo, he had been standing at the mini bar area (that you found clashed horribly in this man cave) looking quite proud of himself.

“I’m going to kill you��� You stage whispered at him, a full smile on your lips. Your large terrapin boyfriend chuckled, phone at his side and his thumb making a series of swivels on it. A hand landed on his plastron, nails pressed harshly on the plates. “You look a little red faced, too much wine?” He turned slightly, reaching over the mini bar to grab a seltzer water.

“You are the biggest asshole at this party and that says a lot given that Vern lives here” The treacherous buzzing eased off when Leo took a second to unscrew the bottle of seltzer water. You took the opportunity to breath but just as he took a sip, he was back to swiping his finger. “May I remind you that you bought it and you told me to do this, I really don’t see how I’m the bad guy here” He left the phone on the small counter space, another brief reprieve.

“But if I’m the biggest asshole here, I guess I should live up to the title” He smiled, he honest to god gave you that typical sweet boy smile.

Before proceeding to basically DJ his phone screen with an index finger.

You pressed your face to his arm and prayed to god that, welll, just, fuck!

“Leonardo I can’t have an orgasm in public!” Your words were muffled by the skin of his arm, regardless the party was on full blast. There was a delicious thrill at the idea of it though, as Leo wrapped an arm around your waist and pulled you close to him, you could make out just how much he had been enjoying this game.

He kissed your temple, nothing salacious about it, just a sweet peck.

Then his mouth fell closer to your ear.

"I don't give two shits that we're in public and people are watching."

Your eyes went wide, the intensity of the toy being put on full blast and Leo twitching his finger on the screen without any intention of letting up.

He hugged you closer to him, smiling against your temple as your grip became iron tight on his clothes. As the music got heavier and the chatter picked up, you did all you could do to muffle your moans of pleasure against Leo’s plastron, thankfully using the same thing to hide your face.

Because your eyes were rolling back and Leo didn’t seem to have any intention of slowing down. Even when Raph’s gaze landed on the pair, Leo just mouthed ‘cramps’ at him with a sad expression, the large brute made a sympathetic look before returning to his own on going conversation.

Only when he felt you start to tremble, incoherent babbling he could only make out to be begging, did Leo ease up to a soft rumble that only served to shock you from time to time. When you felt like your vision returned, you looked up at him all red faced and shakey breathing.

Leo petted your hair, smirking down at your slightly disheveled state. Surely this was going to be his favorite toy, even if it was currently back firing on him. He was hideously turned on and your warm body against him only served to make things worse for him.

But naturally you wanted some payback, since he had been a wonderful, delightful and merciless asshole.

“Sensei, please?” You whispered up at him, all pouty lips and innocent eyed. Inside you were grinning victoriously when he grunted and held you tighter.

Even when his eyes landed on the bathroom, you knew the real winner had been you.

[this-world-of-beautiful-monsters]

what continues / has been willed

Prompt: Facing a Fear.

Title taken from the poem Abuse by Michael Goldman.

(warnings for child abuse, phobia, bugs, solitary confinement, emotional manipulation, psychological abuse, vomit)

Something brushes his leg and Raph claps his hand over his own mouth, choking down a scream. Brave, he reminds himself. Be brave, brave like Leo. He's almost ten, he shouldn't be losing his mind over such harmless little things.

But then something else jumps against his other leg and he yelps, shell clacking against wood. It wouldn't be so bad if he could see the little bastards, but as it is he doesn't have a clue where they're coming from or how to brace himself.

More movements, more tickling, shifting. Raph closes his eyes, thunking his head against the wall of his prison. He tries to remember Splinter's mantras, but all he can think of is icky creepy crawlies, wriggling up his legs, under his shell, under his tail if he's not careful.

The worms crawl in. The worms crawl out. The worms play pinochle on your snout. Oh god, worms in his snout, pushing their way into his brain, filling all his thoughts with bugs bugs bugs--

"Raph?"

He chokes down a whimper at the sudden noise. "Leo?"

Silence. He can hear his brother shuffling around outside. "Are you doing okay?"

More bugs, fluttering against his skin. He kicks them away and nearly slips. "I--I'm fine. Really fi--ine. Everything's g-good." God, he sounds like such a baby. He waits for his brother to start teasing him mercilessly.

But instead, Leo's voice is soft. "You're being really brave, Raph," he says. "We're all so proud of you. You're doing a super job.”

Raph swallows hard, blinking frantically. "C-course I am." His nerves are tingling, nausea boiling in his gut. His hand quivers ever so slightly. "I'm the best, dorkwad, remember?"

"I know," Leo says quietly. He takes a breath. "And...and Sensei's gonna let you out really soon, okay?"

"How soon?" Raph regrets it the minute he says it--it sounds too anxious, too tinged with desperation. "I mean--uh, there's a wrestling thing on tonight, and I don't wanna miss it."

There isn't wrestling on tonight, at least not that Raph knows of. Tonight, they're supposed to be watching that stupid space show Leo loves (and it hurts Raph that he's going to miss it, just a little, even though he knows he shouldn't doesn't care).

But Leo doesn't mention any of that. "Not long, okay? You'll be out here in no time."

"O-okay." The shaking is getting worse. So is the movement of the bugs around his feet. "Can you...can you stay with me? I d-don't want to get bored." 

"Sure." More shuffling, and he hears the sound of Leo's shell being propped against the wall. A beat, and then he says, "I... I helped Sensei get the bugs. For you. I mean. I didn't want to--but. I'm sorry." He sniffs. "I tried to count 'em, but...I couldn't keep my thoughts straight. I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Raph closes his eyes, wondering if Leo can hear his heart hammering on the other side of the wall. "It's not a big deal, Leo. I just need to get a little braver, right? For us. For everyone." He presses his legs together, hoping he won't get sick on himself.

Silence. And then his brother says, so quiet Raph almost thinks he doesn't hear him clearly, "I should be brave enough for all of you."  

Raph blinks. "Leo?"  

A pause, and then Leo says, more brightly, "Do you wanna hear about what I think is gonna happen on Space Heroes tonight?"  

"Jeez, dude, that stupid blue chick is not coming back." The damning sentence, proof that he's paying a lot more attention than he'd ever feel comfortable admitting to, slips out before Raph can stop it. Damn it. 

But Leo doesn't pounce. "You don't know that!" he protests. "I think that tonight Captain Ryan's going to get another distress call, to some super-cool planet like the one with the purple floating flowers, but it's gonna be from someone who knows him and--"  

"Leonardo?"

Leo stops talking. Raph freezes, fists clenching at his sides. 

He can hear his brother standing up. "I was just talking--"

"This is something Raphael must handle alone." Their father's voice is stern, but not angry (thank God). "How else can he look after himself on the surface with you to hold his hand?" Raph flushes at that; Sensei's right, he messed up by even letting Leo talk to him.

Leo, to Raph's surprise, doesn't cave. "But Sensei--"

"Leonardo." And now there's anger, just a hint, but enough to chill Raph's blood.

"All right," Leo says sullenly. "Bye, Raph."

"Bye, Leo." He's proud of how little his voice shakes. "I'll see you in a little while, yeah?"

"Yeah." And then he's walking away. Raph can hear Sensei speaking to Leo, telling him what a good job he's doing, and Raph isn't jealous, he isn't, but he--  

More fluttering between his feet and he tries his hardest not to whine. The creepy crawlies are sticking and wriggling around his ankles, so it's a good thing he's brave and it doesn't matter it doesn't.  

A little while later, he loses the fight against nausea.

A little while after that, the shaking has spread through his whole body.

A little while after that, he realizes they're going to leave him in here forever, and he  deserves  it because he's so very weak.  

A little while after that, Sensei finally lets him out. Raph's voice is so hoarse from screaming he can't even respond when Leo quietly, brokenly calls his name.

[soldrawss]

I’m literally begging. I need more of your human aus. They’re so wholesome!!!!

I am always up for more BBM AU so! Here’s a mini-story I wrote when Zach asked if Raph has any underlying ptsd or fears about being alone!

Raph was fine till he was about 7. He doesn't remember his mom, and he barely remembers dad, and Mikey would sooner have a heart attack than leave Raph ALONE alone, so Raph didn't really grow up with the fear of being alone cause he's never really experienced it. He’s always had Mikey. He’s always had Leo and Donnie. It’s never occurred to him that that could ever change. That he could ever not have his big brothers there by his side.  But it's during one, late-night when everything kinda just lets loose to the idea that Raph COULD be separated from the rest of them, and really it all goes downhill from there. It's the night Leo came home with a black eye and bruised jaw. Leo said he just got into an accident, to not ‘worry about it, bud. I’m gucci’, and since Donnie didn't say anything about it and Mikey got to stay home for the night to be with them, Raph didn’t worry about it. Cause if his brothers said it was all OK, then it was, because it always had been before, and Raph figured it always would be like that, cause big brothers just had that power to make everything better. They’d never lied to Raph before. This was no different. But then he wakes up that night because he has to go to the bathroom, and he slides himself out from under Mikey's arm. (they had fallen asleep on the couch to a Lou Jitsu marathon, which was rare, cause they never watched dad’s old movies cause it made Mikey sad sometimes to remember dad. But he was in a reminiscent mood, so they threw a couple on and wow, Raph was kinda star-eyed and soft gasps, cause dad was kinda AWESOME) And Mikeys snoring gently, so tired his body is like a dead weight on top of Raph, and Raph's arm is a little numb from where Mikey was drooling on it. And as he's walking through the dark hallway, knowing the layout by heart so he didn’t bother risking turning on the lights in case he woke up Mikey, he tiptoes on sock-clad feet, until he notices a light coming from Dee and Leo’s room. And there are soft voices coming from the barely cracked door, and Raph is super never one to snoop, but theirs a curiosity bubbling in him and he can't help but detour from the bathroom ever so slightly, because he DOES have to go to the bathroom, but a few seconds of listening in won't kill him, and his big brothers NEVER let him in on their secret conversations. So Raph leans in, his ear pressed as close to the crack as he dared- "It was stupid, that's what! Do you know how much trouble you could have been in? You could have been expelled, Leo! It could have gone on your permanent record!" And oh... that was Donnie's voice... and he sounded... well, he sounded mad... but more than that... he sounded... scared. "Well, it didn't. And you worry too much. Nothing was gonna happen. It wasn't like I got into a fight with the principal’s kid! They didn't do more than a slap on the wrist and a few weeks detention." And Leo.... Leo got into a fight? Raph didn't know that. Why didn't they tell Raph that? Why did they... lie to Raph?

Raph pressed himself closer to the door. The bathroom long-forgotten behind him.

"And that's the thing! YOU don't worry at all! God, you're so self-absorbed! Do you really not get how bad this could have been?" "Look, I said I was sorry about getting involved, but I'm not sorry for slugging Tatsu in the nose. They BROKE your glasses Dee, you can't expect me to NOT to get mad about that." "This isn't about that stupid fight with some bullies, Leo-" "Then what is it about Donnie?! Because you've been riding my backside about it all night, but haven't said a word why! Why are you still so mad at me about this?" "I'm not MAD at you, I'm-" "You’re what then? Is this about what they said? About Mikey and me? You’re mad because I stepped in and threw a punch before you could? You’re mad because I made you the victum here? Look, I know that you hate it when I meddle in your business and try to fight your fights for you but I’m-” "I’M SCARED YOU COULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN AWAY, YOU ASS HOLE!" And Leo seemed to be just as surprised as Raph felt. They had been talking in pretty quiet voices up until Donnie practically screamed that last part, and it sent an electric shock through Raph's whole system. And Raph couldn't see their facial expressions, he didn't dare move an inch closer to the door to peek inside, but he could tell from the hitch in Donnie's voice. Donnie was crying now. "You could have been.... You could STILL be.." Donnie sniffed, and Raph felt his own eyes sting in proxy. "Tatsu's dad didn't this time, but he could have very well made an issue out of this. He could have brought this to the attention of the school board. And then the school board would have had to call Draxum, or worse, Bishop, and you KNOW child services don't need a reason to separate us! Bishop will take one look at your black eye and blame everything on Mikey and then they'll take us AWAY Leo! Don't you get that?" And that... what did that mean? What was Donnie talking about? Take us away? Take us away where? Who was Bishop? What was child services? Raph's mind was spinning, like car wheels on ice with no traction to go anywhere. His feet felt planted to the floor, sunk right there into the carpet. "Wait.. wait what?... Bishop? He's still a thing? I thought he got switched out for that other agent?” "Just because he doesn’t do house visits anymore doesn’t mean he still isn’t our case holder. He can still ruin our lives just as easily from his cubicle," And Donnie didn't sound like he was crying anymore, but there was still a raw roughness to his voice that Raph was whole years not accustomed too. "Raph's a baby. Heck, WE'RE still considered babies in the eyes of the law. It won't take a whole lot for them to take even the slightest infraction to deem Mikey unqualified. And then what would happen? We could probably manage to stay together cause people are kinder on not separating twins, but what about Raph? They'll take Raph for sure and ship him off to the other side of the country and there'd be nothing we could do to stop it and-" And Raph stopped listening after that. because... Because... What? Raph could be sent away? There are people out there that could take Raph away from Leo and Donnie? Away from Mikey? And that easily? And why? Because Mikey wasn't good enough? That... That didn't make any sense? Mikey was the best! There was no one better than Mikey in the whole world! How could there be people who didn't see that? And didn't they know that Raph couldn't go anywhere without Mikey? It didn't make any sense. None of it. But there was a pounding boom in Raph's chest that made it hard to breathe. His head spun, like he was just gone 4 rounds on the merry-go-around on the pier, and Raph couldn't THINK straight. He ran back towards the living room, he didn't care if he made any noise. He didn't care about anything really, at that moment. All he cared about was... Mikey. Still asleep and drooling on the couch from where Raph left him, and Raph practically jumped on top of his chest and clung onto his big brother for dear life, pressing his tear stained face into the front of Mikey's shirt. "Ouuufff! Hey- Hey Raph. You ok?" Mikey says in a startled slur, eyes blinking rapidly to tear away from sleep. His arms wrapped around Raph instinctually, like his body new what to do before his mind could catch up, and it felt like the most natural security blanket in the world to Raph. He cried harder into Mikey's chest. "Hey shhhhhh-shhhhhhhhh, buddy, it's ok. Breathe." Mikey was sitting up now, sleep all but forgotten as he stared down at the 7-year-old attached to his front, rubbing slow and gentle circles into Raph's back. "Raphie it's ok. You're ok sweetheart. You're safe and sound right here. Was it a nightmare? Did you have a bad dream?" And it sure felt like it. The world was spinning rapidly in a downward spiral of breathtaking hurt, just like a lot of Raph's nightmares. Except the monsters were real. They were real and practically right outside Raph's door and they could take Raph away any SECOND and Raph couldn't respond to Mikey. He wouldn't respond days, even weeks, later, when Mikey askes about it. All he can do is cry. Cry like his heart is breaking in half, and cling onto the safest and only lifeline in the world that he knows.

Thus spiraling Raph into a "clingy" stage, where he's terrified to be left alone for too long. Terrified to be separated in the grocery store, INSISTING Mikey hold his hand the entire time. Terrified to go to school and be away from his brothers for too long. Terrified to even SLEEP alone in his bed. And it's so wild to Mikey, because at first, it was kinda cute how a little bad dream made his baby brother all clingy to his side, and Mikey kinda enjoyed the endless attention. 

But then it started getting a bit too close to real, actual hysteria and paranoia that Raph was dealing with, and it took a mental breakdown on Raph's part, after Mikey had been a little late picking him up from school one day, because Leo and Donnie both had extracurriculars, and usually Raph just hangs out in the playground and waits for Mikey to come. But this time, he's crying his eyes out, pale and breathless and endlessly fussy with his teachers by the time Mikey arrives, and he clings unto Mikey, like he'd never see Mikey again, and Mikey HAS to have a talk with him, because what on earth could scare his brother as bad as THIS? And when Raph finally tells him, Mikey doesn't know what to do but hold him to his chest as tight as he can and whisper pretty half-truths to Raph to make him feel better. Because Mikey couldn't blindly let himself believe the "Of course! Nothing will ever take you away from me Raph, it's all ok! You have nothing to worry about! Your big brother will make sure all of you are all safe and ok! I promise kiddo. No one is taking anyone away. I won't let that happen." How could he? This was a very real fear. It was Mikey's Biggest fear on the daily. But he couldn't let Raph feel like this. To carry this fear and burden. That was too much for a 7-year-old. Mikey didn't even realize Leo and Donnie were aware of their situation to that degree. 

And it puts seeded pits of fear in his chest, taking root in his heart and feeding into something dark and cold and fearful. But Mikey does his best to push it down. Push it away. Out of sight of Raph and Leo and Donnie. And he smiles and laughs and presses kisses to Raph's temple and carries his baby brother piggyback all the way home, because he'll carry whatever weight his brothers are dealing with. Take on any fears. as long as they don't have to face them alone. As long as Mikey can still protect them, for as long and as hard as he can, then when the day comes that Bishop DOES show up at their door, he'll be ready for him.

[remmushound]

Okay so I offered a headcanon about 2018 Mikey being a therapist for Clearly Clinically Depressed 2003 Mikey and here are the details:

the Rise kids see 03 Mikey in an obvious RSD episode where he's hiding his frustration and rage at himself, and the 03 brothers are oblivious because their Don didn't actually investigate it enough.

So Dr Feelings, with Dr Delicate Touch right behind, makes 03 Mikey do stim play with his art supplies.

The other Rise kids have a "conversation" with the others, with 03 Raph scoffing and 03 Leo rolling his eyes. Rise Raph not happy.

...

This isn’t based on personal experience LOL nope nah (I went from 03 Mikey to 18 Mikey)

“Hey hey hey hey guys look!” Mikey held his Nexus trophy in one hand while his other arm was wrapped around Leonardo holding his own trophy, “He won his world’s battle nexus! We’re trophy-twins!”

Leonardo smirked, eating up the attention just as much as Mikey was. “You hear that Donnie? He wants to be my twin!”

“Good.” Donatello groaned from where he sat with Donnie. “Maybe you’ll finally leave me alone.”

Leonardo shot forward and hugged Donatello’s shell, rubbing his cheek against Donatello’s and making the softshell groan his annoyance at the obnoxious loving. “I could never~”

“Get off me, Nardo.” Donatello growled and shoved Leonardo off of him and back to Mikey.

“My god there’s two of them now.” Leo shook his head as he looked over Leonardo and Mikey.

“How do you think I feel?” Raphael joked with a laugh, “I got three of them! Speaking of which, where’s Mikey?”

Raphael looked around and it didn't take him long to find the box turtle sneaking up on an unsuspecting orange cat.

“Come here kitty, I just wanna feel ya!”

“MIKEY LEAVE THAT POOR CAT ALONE!”

Michelangelo jumped on the cat as it woke up scrambling and held it tightly against his chest so he could pet it. “But it’s so soft!”

“You’re allergic to cats!”

Michelangelo was already sniffling, but didn't care. “It’s a price I’m willing to pay.”

“Oh my God— Donnie, you leave that mutant’s things alone!”

Donatello had both arms full of various machines, and his spider arms held onto various more. “He said I could have em!”

“Actually, I asked you to please not take my things—“

“Shush, other me!” Donatello pressed a metal claw to Donnie’s lips to shush him.

“Donnie, you put that stuff back right now or so help me—“ Raphael glanced back to where Leonardo and Mikey had just been, but only found the latter. “Where’d Leo go?!”

Mikey shrugged.

“CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, LOSER!”

Leonardo blew a raspberry from where he hung upside down in a doorway, flipping off and landing on his feet while making a come-hither motion.

“I can—you know I can— I have bigger legs than you!” Raphael jumped forward and wrapped his arms around Leonardo, only for the slider to slip right through and jump up on his shoulder.

“And I’m a slider!” Leonardo jumped off and slid away before Raphael could catch him again, skidding toward Mikey and grabbing the box-turtle by the arm to use him as a body shield against Raphael.

“Leo— get your tail— out here— now!” Raphael tried to dance around Mikey’s shield unsuccessfully while making a grab for Leonardo.

“Hey— watch the trophy!” Mikey tried to protect his trophy from the struggling brothers. He yelped as Leonardo pushed him aside and made a dash for it, the Nexus trophy knocked out of his hands and clinking to the ground.

“Sorry!” Raphael called as he ran off after the difficult mutant.

Mikey scrambled to grab his trophy quickly off the ground and hold it protectively to his chest. “Careful! This is the nicest thing I own!”

“It’s just a trophy, Mike.” Raph laughed, still offering a hand to help Mikey to stand up. “It’s not that important.”

Mikey stuck out his tongue. “Dude, I won the shell freaking Battle Nexus!”

“So have hundreds of other creatures.” Donnie pointed out as he was starting to replace the stuff Donatello had taken, “There’s a new winner every three years.”

“Well, yeah, but…” Mikey looked down at his trophy and sniffled softly as he tried to buff out a scratch.

“It’s not that big of a deal, Mike.” Leo said, “We have bigger issues than a scratched trophy.”

Mikey hung his head and didn't speak again. Raphael caught Leonardo but before anything could happen, Leonardo pointed out the sad box turtle to Raphael and both stayed silently watching. Donatello snuck up beside them with the same thought on his mind that none of them needed to voice. Michelangelo was the first of them to notice and was already on his way over to the other mutant, taking Mikey by the arm and offering a wide smile.

“Hi! Did your trophy get scratched?”

“Yeah.” Was all Mikey said, not looking at the smaller box turtle.

Michelangelo humphed and grabbed Mikey firmly by the hand to guide him away toward the bathroom while Mikey blindly followed without looking up from his trophy.

“That’s okay!” Michelangelo cast a furious look back at the other turtles before rounding the corner and disappearing. “We can fix it!

****

“See?” Michelangelo held the trophy up to Mikey, beaming at the newfound gleam on the surface, “No more scratch! Toothpaste takes it right out!”

“Thanks…” Mikey accepted the trophy, staring back at his reflection for a second before quickly looking away again and dropping the trophy into the sink.

Michelangelo frowned and stared at Mikey another moment before taking his hand and yanking him once more to guide him.

“Ah— hey little dude.” Mikey laughed weakly, “Where are we going?”

Michelangelo didn't answer. He stuck his tongue out in concentration and hummed loudly, looking around until he found the kitchen and continued to pull his new friend along. He grunted and shoved Mikey down into a chair.

“Stay!”

Michelangelo reached into his belt and pulled out several paint bottles and little baggies.

“Uh, okay?” Mikey huffed and rested his chin on his hand, “Whatever you say, little dude.”

Michelangelo hummed brightly as he inserted some paint into the bags, choosing the best and brightest colors he had and filling three bags full so he could use each and every color without the bags being too crowded. Then he rooted through the drawers until he founded just what he needed— tape!

“Here!” He taped the baggies to the table in front of Mikey so that the full beauty of their colors were showing. “Play with these while we talk!”

At first, Mikey stubbornly refused. Michelangelo didn't mind, and he only smiled when he saw Mikey starting to glance at the bright colors with a longing gaze in his eyes, though he had yet to start to play with them. Michelangelo decided to just give it some time.

“So.” Michelangelo sat in front of Mikey. “Tell me about your trophy. How’d you win it?”

“My brothers and I fought a whole bunch of other dudes in the Battle Nexus!”

“And you won?”

“Yeah! Out of thirty-two dudes and dudettes!”

“Really?” Michelangelo’s eyes went wide, “That’s a lot of people to beat.”

“Well I only fought four of them— half the guys would get eliminated every round, so it wasn’t really that difficult…”

“Still, out of all those people you made it to the end!”

“It was just a fluke— a lot of other stuff was going down and I just won by default…”

“Other stuff?”

“Yeah… Leo got poisoned and there was this whole usurper dude and a time vortex — it was weird, man.”

Michelangelo put his fingers to his lips. “I see.”

“I mean, it’s not like it was my fault!” Mikey hardly noticed how his hands automatically went to the paint bags and began to press them around, “And I won the other rounds fair and square, and beat Kluh in a rematch!”

“So you did earn the trophy.”

“So what if Splinter surrendered?! That was his choice! And so what if I tricked Raph— I still beat him!” His focus became more attached to the colors he was moving around.

Michelangelo leaned back and stuck his feet on the table as he relaxed.

“And I… I know I’m not as strong as Raph or as smart as Donnie or as bossy as Leo— so what?! I’m my own turtle!”

His features scrunched up as his teary eyes locked onto the table, the many colors that had once been separated now spiraling into one shape, mixed together and creating various new shades.

“You’re right!” Michelangelo quickly noticed the paints reaching the end of their usefulness and pulled out a small hunk of orange playdough to offer to the other box shell, who took it and started to mold it without stopping his rant.

“I’m Michelangelo Splinterson and I’m a party dude!” The playdough quickly started to take the shape of a cat, “And I like pizza, and I hate bullies! I know they don’t mean to be mean, but it still hurts!”

Michelangelo nodded along solemnly. “Have you told them that?”

“Well— no.” Mikey sighed and deflated, “And I don’t think I want to…”

“Is there a reason?” Michelangelo latched onto the opportunity and scooched closer to Mikey.

“Well, I’m the fun one.” Mikey’s molding of the clay slowed, “Nothing fun about complaining and yelling…”

Michelangelo experimented with a gentle touch to Mikey’s back before attempting a hug, which Mikey returned with a great force.

“You don’t have to be happy all the time.” Michelangelo said from his squished position, “I mean, you can’t be!”

“I’ve gone twenty years being happy! I— I can’t just suddenly be sad!”

“But… you weren’t all happy during that time. You can’t have been.”

Mikey looked away.

“There had to have been at least a few times you were angry or upset…”

“Well… before the rematch against Kohl I was kinda… scared. And… and I tried going to Master Splinter and Raph and Don about it, but they just… made fun of me. But I was really scared! They just didn't care…”

“So you’ve felt fear before— that’s different than happiness, isn’t it?”

“Way different.” Mikey laughed weakly, “And there was that time Donnie uh… double mutated and we didn't know what to do.”

“Double mutated?”

“He was mutated again and turned into a gross monster and we couldn’t figure out how to turn him back because we couldn’t read his notes.”

“And that made you feel sad and scared?”

“Yeah…”

Michelangelo hugged Mikey again the minute he felt the box turtle slipping into guilt again. “Hey, that’s okay! It’s okay to be sad when something like that happens! I get scared too when Donnie gets hurt.”

“Your Donnie got hurt?”

“Well, he’s really soft.” Michelangelo giggled, trying to encourage a smile back into his friend, “So he gets cut easy— that’s why he wears that cool shell thing!”

“Radical!” Mikey smiled.

“And whenever he’s not wearing his armor I get suuuuuper scared that he might get hurt. But he’s always okay after, and then I feel better. But that doesn’t mean I never felt sad. I feel sad lots of times. And sympathetic and mad and scared and ambitious and all these other things! And you do too, you just don’t want to admit it.”

Mikey gave a nervous laugh as a darker green blush crept into his face. “I… I guess. I just wish my brothers would understand that.”

“Well, they can’t understand if you don’t tell them how you feel.” Michelangelo said softly.

“Oh… uh…” The anxiety returned fast, “I don’t think…”

“You don’t have to tell them now— you’re still upset! You don’t even have to tell them today or tomorrow or this week— just when you feel comfortable. So when something like this happens again, they know what you’re going through, and they can help you.” Michelangelo put his hand on Mikey’s, “Trust me: they’re your brothers, and they love you.”

Mikey gave a raspy churr before grabbing Michelangelo and pulling him into a hug. “Thank you for listening, little buddy!”

****

“Hey!” Raphael didn't mean to be so loud, but his voice echoed like thunder off the wall. The three box turtles looked at him with bewildered expressions and Raphael quickly waved them over. “A chat, please.”

Donatello and Leonardo loomed at Raphael’s side like two angels on his shoulders, except judging by their expressions they were both demons.

“Yeah?” Raph huffed as he and his brothers took a similar stance, except with Leo in the center and him at the shoulder.

“Did you not see what just happened?” Leonardo leaned on Raphael’s shoulder and motioned to where Michelangelo and Mikey had disappeared to. “What you just did?”

“We didn't do nothin’!” Raph snarled, pointing a finger at Leonardo, “Yous made him drop his trophy.”

“And you criticized him for getting upset over it.” Raphael said quickly in his brothers defense, “What Leo did was an accident, what you guys did wasn’t.”

“So? It’s just a dumb trophy.”

“Raphael.” Leo warned gently to his brother before finally getting a word in, “Mikey is fine— he’s probably off skating with your Mikey right now.”

“Actually, statistics indicate that even if they are off skating right now that doesn’t mean everything's fine. Studies show that physical activity can help manage meltdowns if handled correctly—“

“Meltdowns?” Raph interrupted Donatello, “That ain’t no meltdown. That’s my baby brother getting upset that his toy was scratched.”

Leonardo gasped dramatically. “Exsqueeze me?! A trophy is not a toy! It’s a declaration of how awesome we are!” Leonardo held out his Nexus trophy for the box turtles to see.

“So you just wear that around everywhere you go?”

“Uh— duh! Gives me bragging rights! And if I ever meet a cute boy or hot girl, I have a conversation starter~” He waved the medal mockingly.

“Not helping Leo.” Raphael said gently, looking to the younger turtle before going back to their counterparts, “It doesn’t matter if it’s not a big deal to you— it clearly was a big deal to him. You should apologize for making him feel upset. It’s the brotherly thing to do.”

“Um… in my humble opinion, mister snapper Raph, I don’t really think I did anything wrong…” Donnie said softly.

Raphael offered a gentle smile and kneeled to Donnie’s level. “That’s alright— you won’t always recognize when your words hurt someone, but if they did you should still apologize. Make sense?”

Donnie nodded and smiled in turn. “Makes sense.”

“What about the rest of you?” Raphael looked around to adress the rest of the box turtles.

“I ain’t apologizing.” Raph stuck up his nose stubbornly.

“I just don’t see why I should.” Leo said, not nearly as agressively.

“But… you’ll apologize?” Raphael appealed to Donnie.

“Uh… y-yeah, I will when I see him next.” Donnie agreed.

“Good fella.” Raphael gave him a head pat out of habit.

“Uh… thanks.” Donnie flushed and looked away to hide his embarrassed look.

“I still say you were major jerks,” Leonardo pointed his odachi at Raph and Leo.

“But we can’t force you to apologize.” Raphael finished with a sigh.

“I probably could, but that might be crossing the lines between what is classified as ethical and what might put me on the same wavelength as Draxum or Sergei Briuk-honenko and his dog experiments.”

[tmnt-mags]

Raphael x Fem!Reader

Part 2/ ??

Just a reminder that the timeline and ages have been adjusted so that i don't feel uncomfortable. Also the reader will be 18 by the time anything starts happening.

Warnings: some mention of sexual stuff but not really.

Im completely new to TMNT fanfic. Please be nice I’m just doing this for fun.

I stared at the 4 large turtles and they stared back. April sighed and guessed what I had come out of my room for. She stepped back to the kitchen to go into the laundry room and grabbed my sweater. She brought it to me and gave me a push to my room.

“Go put on some clothes.” she said as I stumbled back to my room in shock. I heard some voices in the living room.

“What the fuck April?” one of them said.

“What? I never said It would be just us and you never asked if she would be here.” April said and I could practically see her shrugging.

“You never mentioned she lived here.” It was a nervous slightly higher voice that spoke this time.

“Oh I didn’t?” That voice sounded far too innocent to be innocent. I pulled on some shorts and pulled on the sweater. I rubbed my hair with the towel and walked back out only to see that they appeared to be leaving.

“Sooooo, is this why you said they were shy and didn't like meeting new people?” I asked. The brothers stopped and turned toward me. I probably looked like a mess. My hair was a wet and tangled and my face was probably red from the warm water and exfoliating scrub I had used.

“Do you have any questions?” April asked and turned to the boys, “sit down, you're being rude.” The boys sat back down, and I shuffled my feet feeling awkward.

“Well yeah, but I'm not sure how to ask them without them sounding mean.” I moved my hands behind my back and fidgeted.

“You can ask me anything you want baby angelcakes.” The short one with an orange mask said.

“Ummm okay. Well....” I took a deep breath.” okay so... Right okay.” I started and stopped a few times looking between all of them.

“It's okay, you can ask us anything.” The nervous voice said. It belonged to a very tall turtle who had a purple mask and glasses on.

“Right! Okay,” I bit the inside of my cheek and thought about the best way to start.” So you’re green.”

The boys nodded as I cringed at my very obvious observation. I looked over at April.

“These are your new friends?” my sister nodded and I turned back to the brothers.” You- you’re all very big.”

“This is some real smart conversation.” The biggest one in red said gruffly. I looked up with furrowed eyebrows.

“You’ll have to forgive me. I didn't expect to walk out of my room to this. This is very confusing and new and I don't wanna be rude so I’m trying to think of how to ask things with being that.” I said looking at him.

“How about we introduce ourselves first.” The turtle in blue suggested and I nodded my head, “My name is -”

“Allow me!” the orange one interrupted. He was suddenly right next to me with an arm around my shoulder. “I’ve been working on an introduction!” He motioned over to the purple one who gave a small smile. “Donatello is over there in the purple, he's a technical genius, who is technically a genius!”

He turned me and moved his arm to point at the big one, “Raphael’s in the red, he's like a big cuddly teddy bear, if big cuddly teddy bears were incredibly violent.” Raphael shook his head and scoffed.

“This is Leonardo. He's in the blue. Our fearless leader, silent but deadly.” This turtle rolled his eyes at the orange one. He suddenly let go of me and with a flourish presented himself.

“And I'm Michelangelo, sporting my signature orange. I'm a triple threat... Brains, brawn, and obviously a dazzling personality,” he leaned in and wiggled what I guessed were eyebrows under the mask. “ Ladies like to call me Mikey.”

“Are you done?” Leonardo asked. Mikey shrugged and smiled.

“Well it's nice to meet you. April told me alot,” I looked over at my sister, “obviously not everything though.”

“Would you have believed me?” my darling sister asked me.

“Ummm, no probably not.” I looked at the turtles and my eyes widened. “They are the vigilantes aren't they! The ones you came home freaking out about!”

The boys looked over at April who gave a simple yes as an answer.

“Okay, so you are turtles right? Or like maybe aliens?” I questioned.

Donatello spoke up.“We are mutant turtles”

“And we’re ninjas.” interjected Raphael.

“Huh,” I looked down and tried to process it, “Somehow I feel like aliens would have been easier to accept. We have this kind of science?” I looked back up at the glasses wearing turtles.

“Oh there's lots of science that the public doesn't know about!” He said it much too cheerfully for my taste.

“That's kind of a terrifying thought.” I sighed and moved past the brothers and sat in a chair. They all rather hesitantly sat down too. “This is kind of a lot to process.”

“You’re doing better than April did.” Leonardo said helpfully.

“Seriously? What did she do?” I was eager to find out.

“She fainted.” the deep voice of Raphael said. I laughed out loud and turned to look over the chair at April who groaned.

“You went out looking for the vigilantes and passed out when you found them?” I giggled.

“It's not my proudest moment. Do you want some pizza?” She walked out of the room.

“Don’t try to distract me with food, but yes please!” I turned back to the brothers.”God I wish I could have seen that.”

“I probably have a video of it. I record a bunch of our patrols.” I wiped my head over to donatello.

“If you do I swear to god I will kiss you.” I said excitedly, not really noticing the way the turtles all suddenly looked. “Oh do you guys go by your full names or do you all have nicknames like Mikey?”

“Uh-” Leonardo cleared his throat, “Yeah I go by Leo,” He pointed at Donatello, “He goes by Donnie.”

“And I go by Raph.” I looked up at him.

“You know, that name suits you.” I turned my attention to the plate of pizza that was now being presented to me by my sister.

We all settled in and talked. They told me about how they met April and how they found out they actually already knew her. I wasn't happy when I found out she had anything to do with the Sacks building and I didnt know how to handle finding out that not only was she thrown from the top of the building but also was on the spire as it fell to the ground.

Leo, Donnie, and Mikey all seemed to relax as the night went on, but Raph didn't. At least not in a way that I could notice. We hung out until late and I didnt remember falling asleep but I woke up the next morning on the couch.

Turtles-

“Wow, I can’t believe we met Donnies future wife.” Mikey joked as the jumped rooftops to get home.

“Shut up Mikey!” Donnie yelled back.

“I bet your gonna start looking for that video right away so you can get a kiss~” Mikey sang gleefully

“Shut up mikey!” Raph warned his brother. He wasn't sure why but the idea of it made him mad.

“Oh but dudes! When she came out in that towel! All dripping wet and barely covered! My shell felt tight.”

Enough Michaelangelo!” Leo snapped at his brother, “That’s April's little sister and I don't think she would want you talking like that.”

“Oh fine! But she was hot dudes. Like seriously hot!” Mikey yelped as Raph punched him in the arm and went ahead. The shortest turtle whined and followed after Raph complaining about his arm. When they got to the lair Donnie grabbed Leo.

“Do you think that she would really kiss me if I had that video?” He didn't want to get any hopes up but the opportunity was almost too good to pass up. Leo stopped and looked at his brother.

“I don't know Donnie. Maybe. She seems like a nice girl so maybe she would or maybe she was joking.”Leo shrugged, “but you can certainly try.”

The two walked off and didn't notice raph glaring at them. He didn't like that either, and He wasn't sure why he felt so upset about it. He thought back on tonight. How careful she was with her questions so that they wouldn't sound mean, how she didn't really freak out or run away when she saw them. Mikey was right too, she looked so good when she came into the living room, and he was kind of happy that April didn’t tell her they were coming over. Then when she came back out in the large green sweater, he wasn’t ashamed to admit that his shell also felt tight. She was small and pretty, and April was right; she did have curves for days. She looked soft and warm. She was sweet with a bit of sass. Raph sighed as he laid down and thought of (y/n).

She was their age. The first person they had met that was so close in age to them. It was strange but really nice. He wanted to get closer and he wondered how close she would let them get. There was just something he really didn't like about the way Mikey talked about her or Donnie actually wanting her to kiss him.

[nights-legacy]

What I Like About You-TMNT

Requested by @nesting-dreams​

+reaction boys to a s/o, where the boys are unsure about their appearence, does s/o like their appearence? Why does s/o like their appearence and which parts? S/o finds their beak/snout really cute and their biceps are not half bad either, how do the boys deal with this info?

2003 Turtles

Leo:

The guys have always been a bit self-conscious when it comes to their look. They’re giant, talking turtles for god sakes. So when Leo got to call Y/N his girlfriend finally, those self-conscious thoughts stayed and also started to ask why she would be with someone like him. One day, Y/N catches him in his self-doubt when he is supposed to meditating.

“Why does she like me? I mean, I am a turtle. What’s so attractive about me?” He muttered, not being able to focus much. Y/N stood in the doorway silently listening to him.

“He really thinks this?” She thought to herself. She pursued her lips before kicking off her shoes and walking out onto the dojo floor. Leo was so unfocused that he didn’t even notice her walking towards him. She stood in front of him for a second before pushing his arms away and straddled his lap.

“Well hello.” He smirked with his eyes still closed and placed his hands on her waist. He peeked out one eye and saw her staring at him. He didn’t know she had heard him. “What’s this pleasant surprise for?”

“Do you really think all that about yourself?” Y/N asked. Leo’s face dropped and he looked away.

“You weren’t supposed to hear that…”

“I figured.” She said and placed her hands on his shoulders. A thought came to mind and she smiled. “I loved your smile. I love your eyes. I love you confidence.” He looked up at her. “I love the way you care for your brothers and your friends. I love every single bit if you, especially down to these scars that you have from protecting everyone. There is no other like you Leo. Human or mutant.” She said while tracing some of the scars that run on his arms.

“Y/N…” He took a big breath. He went to say something but stuttered and shut his mouth. He placed a hand on his face covering it out of embarrassment. She giggled and kissed the back of his hand. He peeked through his fingers and smiled. “What did I do to deserve you?” He whispered.

“I guess you can say you were rewarded for every good deed you’ve ever done.” Y/N said with a big smile. He brought his hand down and set it on her cheek. “If you ever feel like this, please don’t hesitate to come to me. I don’t want you feeling low and like something you’re not.”

“I will. Thank you. For everything.” He said before leaning forward and kissing Y/N softly. She kissed back before applying more pressure to his lips. He groaned before pulling back. “Are you trying to emphasize your point?”

“Maybe…Is it working?” She giggled. He just smiled before pulling her back to his lips.

Raph:

Raph has always been the most sensitive to their mutant status. He hates is and wishes so much that he could be human. In a way, when Y/N and Raph finally came together, those thoughts got worse and better. He didn’t think about them as often as he used to but when he did, it was bad. Not only did he think about how he was a freakish mutant, but he also thought about how he thought Y/N deserved better than a freak and why the shell she was with him.

“You know what Mikey! I’ve can’t even with you right now!” Everyone heard Raph yell throughout the lair. Y/N had been waiting for Raph to finish his training when she heard his outburst. He storm out of the dojo and past everyone and out the door.

“What happened, Mikey?” Donnie asked from the kitchen as Leo and Mikey came from the dojo/

“For once, I have no clue. It wasn’t me.” He held up his hands. Leo made a comment of agreement. Y/N looked out the door, lost in thought. There was something in his voice that gave way to something else. Y/N got up and followed him without a word.

“I can’t believe…Why do I…How could she…” Y/N could hear raph’s ramblings from the ground as soon as she exited the manhole. She climbed up the fire escape and sat down on the ledge of the building, watching him pace. “How could she ever love a freak with a temper like me?”

“So that it.” She thought to herself. She just sat there and watched him vent into the air without even knowing about her presence. That was until she adjusted and the metal railing of the ladder creaked. He immediately turned, Sais at the ready. “Hi.”

“Y/N…” He relaxed. She smiled and waved him over. He trudged over, knowing she heard him.

“You should apologize to Mikey.” He nodded and set his head on her shoulder. She reached up and rubbed the back of his neck. “You have the most amazing smile when you let it show. I love the way your eyes shine when you are excited about something or you are having fun. You’re the most handsome male I have ever met.”

“Y/N.” I set a finger on his lips.

“You give the best hugs when I need you. You may see yourself as a freak but I see you as the beautiful man that I love. You are more man than half of the city of New York, even if you are a turtle. Be proud of who you are. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“I don’t know either, but about you. You’ve made me a better man, umm, turtle.” He chuckled and lifted his head. He looked at Y/N and saw the soft look she was giving him. He melted and hug her close. “Thank you.”

“I’ll always be here when you need me.” Y/N whispered and wrapped her arms around his neck. They sat in each other’s arms for a few minutes before Raph pulled back. He pecked her lips.

“Now I need to go apologize to Mikey. For once, he didn’t do anything.” Y/N chuckled and yelped as he picked her up and made way back to the lair.  

Donnie:

Donnie was more fascinated with what they are then having a problem with it. Being the scientist he is, it wasn’t surprising to say the least. They only reason he had for hating what they are is not being able to have a normal relationship with Y/N. Not being able to do normal couply things with her, for her.

“Can’t take her on a normal date. Can’t give her a normal night together. Always hiding, always having to look over my shoulder. My god.” Donnie fumed in his lab. They had been out on patrol and Donnie saw a couple out together and became irritable. He remained silent the rest of the night until he got home to his lab.

“What did you guys need?” Y/N asked, walking into the lair. They shushed and directed her towards the lab. At the door, she could hear Donnie’s rambling and her heart fell. She looked back at his worried brothers. She smiled and silently slid into the lab.

“Why is she even with me? I can’t give her what she needs. Not while I look like this!” He screamed the last word and threw his bo across the room. It crashed against a shelf and things came crashing down.

“Donnie!” Y/N yelled. He whipped around and looked at me surprised. Y/N stood there holding her now bleeding arm with a broken piece of an old radio on the floor.

“Oh my gosh! Y/N, I’m so sorry.” He rushed over, picked her up, and sat her on his medical table. He went to work on cleaning her wound.

“Your hands are strong and capable of anything.” He paused for a second. “You can so anything you set your mind too. I love the way your arms hold me, the feel of them against me, clutching me tight. Your biceps are very nice too.” Y/N ran her hands up his arms. “I love your cheek bones and how they become more pronounced when you’re excited about a project.” He looked up at her.

“What are you saying?”

“You can give me everything I need just as you are.” She said without pause. His hands paused in wrapping and eyes widened when he realized she heard him. He sighed and finished wrapping the bandage. “What you are and everything you do, is enough or more than enough for me.”

“Y/N…” She placed her forehead against him and kissed him. “Why do I ever doubt us.” He asked against her lips.

“You don’t doubt us. You just doubt yourself and I don’t know why.” She pulled back. “I love you and couldn’t think about live the rest of my life without you.” She kissed him again. He smiled against her lips.

“Sometimes I think you’re more of a genius than me.” He whispered. He picked her up and sat down in his chair with her in his lap.

“Na. I just more in tune with the emotional side of the spectrum then the scientifical side.” She leant into his plastron, wrapping her arms around his neck. He nodded and held her tight.

Mikey:

Mikey has always been the most care-free out of his brothers but he’s also always been more empathetic. He cares about what others think and wants to help in any way he can. This also means that he takes things to heart when people comment on who or what he is. Unlike his brothers though, Mikey prefers to actually talk about it than the alternative.

“Mikey. They just don’t understand. You know most people don’t understand the mutant thing.” Donnie tried to comfort his younger brother.

“Yeah I know. But they don’t have to immediately jump to the monster factor.” Mikey sniffled before running ahead into the lair. He wiped his eyes and bolted for his room.

“My lord Mikey!” Y/N screamed, book flying, as Mikey slammed into the room. She noticed the tears on his face and reached out. “Mikey, what’s wrong?”

“Monsters! They called us monsters!” He flung himself on the bed and buried his head in Y/N’s tummy. She stroked the back of his head as he cried. “I don’t normally get this upset but for some reason, this time got to me.”

“It’s perfectly fine to be upset, Mikey.” Y/N tried to reason with him. He got up and started pacing.

“I mean it got me thinking.” He started to talk with his hands. “Why is someone as beautiful as you with a mutant like me? You could have any man you wanted and you chose me. I just don’t get it.” He dropped to his knees in front of the bed. “You chose a green, mutant freak show…monster.”

“Now stop that right now Michelangelo.” Y/N said sternly. She scootered forward. “You are in no way even possible in this messed up world a monster. Not even remotely close.”

“I guess.” He muttered looking down.

“Mikey.” She sighed and grabbed his hands. “You know, a monster wouldn’t have this adorable snout.” She kissed it, right below the mask. “A monster wouldn’t have your dazzling smile. And a monster definitely would not have this amazing bod.” He gulped as she placed one hand on his plastron. “And most of all, a monster would not have these magnetic, dreamy eyes that caught my attention and made me see past your differences.”

“Oh cupcake!” Mikey exclaimed and pulled Y/N into his lap. He held her tight and placed kisses all over her face.

“Mikey!” She giggled and tried pushing him away to stop his attack. “S-s-top!”

“NO! I have to thank my cupcake for helping me. Like she always does.” He pecked her face a few more times before pulling back. “I wish I knew how you did it. You always know how to make people feel better, even Raph.”

“I don’t know. I just always been good at it.” She wiped off the remaining tears. “Are you sure you’re feeling better?”

“Yeah. Some people won’t accept me for who I am and that’s fine. I have the people I need right here in these walls…and in April’s apartment.” Y/N giggled. She was glad that her happy-go-lucky boyfriend was back. She cuddled into his neck as he rambled on about something.

“Oh, good. You’re feeling better.” Raph stood in the door way. “Leo sent me to tell you foods here.” Mikey yelled with glee before carefully helping Y/N up. Then he shot out of the room. “Thanks. You are a miracle worker and saint.”

“Awe. Is Raph going soft?”

“Shush. I got a Rep to protect. Now come on, before your boyfriend eats it all.” Y/N laughed and followed her nun chuck head path to the kitchen.

[haziel-luz]

I'm mobidly curious of what would happen if the turts gender neutral s/o reveals to them they cosplay and goes to like contests and sh*t so could I get some head cannons? Thanks -Cosplay anon

Of course! I’ll try to do my best since this is my first head cannon. Also, I didn’t know which version you wanted but I tried to generalize it.

Here we go~

😮OH! Your also my very first request, so thank you for taking a chance on me, deeply appreciate it.😊

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

Michelangelo:

Your confession made his eyes would shine brighter than the sun and stars. He loves watching people cosplay his favorite comics, movies, and shows.

Mikey wants to be part of it but his appearance just won't let him enjoy the things he loves.

You as the clever person you are, help him make a cosplay that makes his entire appearance look legit.

You both sneak out at night because his brothers would never approve of it. To hell with it, you only live once.

Mikey enjoys every second of the place and you smile to yourself knowing that your not the only one who loves this.

During the contest, Mikey just stays with the crowd and cheers you on. He thinks your cosplay is better than everyone else's.

To everyone's surprise, you didn't get to win. Only because Mikey won the contest. This highly unlikely outcome just became the best memory for both of you.

Mikey finally felt like he was part of something he loves, and it was all thanks to you. He gives you a lot of love and affection on your way home.

What made you pale and Mikey stiff was his brothers waiting for you both, but they ended up confused at what you two were wearing.

Ignoring their confusion, Mikey just show's them his prizes and brags about how the people love his appearance.

Raphael:

He stares at you for a second, processing what you revealed to him. He wasn't trying to be judgemental, it was just surprising to him.

Raph was interested but didn't want to show it, so he shrugged and asked when the contest was taking place.

You were relieved that he didn't make fun of you like he thought he would. It's not that you thought he would bully you, but the comments he would throw at Mikey on how stupid those things were made you a little timid.

Raph came with you to the event and to your surprise, he didn't stay at the rooftops like you thought he would. He stayed with you "only to make sure you're safe".

All he wore was a black hoodie and sweatpants, making himself look less of a turtle.

That only made you laugh when someone commented that he looks like "A good interpretation of a mutated batman". Raph almost did dress like him, and his voice was on point.

You held on to Raph and kept walking before he had the chance to threaten your fellow cosplayers.

Needless to say, you both made some good times, despite Raphs denial, he just loves seeing you happy doing the things you love.

Knowing he said rude things to Mikey, he never thought that those words were like boomerangs, hurting you in the process. Joining you today was his way of trying to make it up to you the best way he can.

He watched you win the contest with a soft smile, he was impressed with your cosplay, so having other people complement on it made him a little tense.

He's not used to you having this much attention from others beside his family, but he let's it slide.

Going back home, he doesn't make eye contact with you when he tells you "Whatever makes you happy makes me happy." This made you blush and hug him.

All this time you were worried about his reaction but in the end he surprised you more.

Of course you'll tease him about being a 'Mutant Batman' later.

Donatello:

He smirks at you and informs you that he already knew. You were shocked to know that he found pictures and videos of your previous cosplays and contests.

Don was a sneaky son of a bitch when it came to wanting to know things about you. Well at least this time you were relieved because now it doesn't feel like a secret at all, just a fun fact about you.

He wanted to be present for your next cosplay so he tells you to come with the outfit. He didn't want to give you details but you shrugged it off and came back the next day.

You brought your sealed up bag that contained everything for the cosplay and the outfit itself.

Donnie see's this and 'tsks', making you frown at his reaction. He picks up the cosplay and observes it while saying "I'm gonna give you some major upgrades."

This made you really happy and excited for Don's help in making the cosplay more realistic.

Once Donnie was done you thanked him with a big hug and kiss, very generous for his help.

Donnie was happy to help, he wanted to be there for every part of your moment.

All those times you've been there for him in his lap, helping him with his work and watching out for his well being so he wouldn't over work himself. He wanted to return the favor.

His heart was filled with pride at the way you showed off your cosplay, like it was the best thing no one could afford to have.

Don went simple to the event with you. You were thankful that he was smart enough to come up with an explanation for his 'cosplay'.

Thanks to Donnie, you won the contest and you both celebrated with pizza back at the lair with everyone else.

You showed his brothers your cosplay and they were in awe. You were happy that they thought it was cool.

Donnie gave a loving smile towards you, he really loves the way you appreciate his work. You give him the most credits for your cosplay even though you inspired him with it.

Leonardo:

The leader chuckled and said that it sounds interesting. He's still learning things about you, and he's willing to know more.

You knew he wasn't the judgemental type, making this revelation much more easier to you. You just didn't want him to think you were childish but that didn't stop him from going with you.

Leo doesn't want you to feel like you couldn't have fun just because of his 'leader' title. So, he joins in on the fun.

His amateur cosplay made you laugh and melt your heart. You just couldn't leave him like that, you had to help him.

Arriving at the event, Leo observes everything and listens to every piece of information you give him.

Leo loves it when you ramble about everything you liked and knew about. It was just too cute to see you so happy.

He got a little nervous when he was asked questions about his cosplay, and thank god you helped him.

Leo is proud of you for winning the contest and rewards you by buying a small gift from the event as a momento. Sure, he doesn't have much but for you it's better than the reward you won.

Every time he's around you, he doesn't have to have that 'leadership' label on. You can always unwind him from that label by just being you, and he's so thankful for that.

Once you both get back home, he shows you how much he loves every part of you by gathering all the shows and movies you love, based on the knowledge you've given him during the event.

What? You thought he was gonna forget? What can he say, you can outrank him in the cosplay department but he might've beaten you in the romance department.

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

🙏I hope this is met your expectations. I had fun writing this.😆

[doodles-arts]

Sarcastic!DonatelloX Reader

Type: one shot

Pairing: DonatelloX Reader

Description: your a real hardcore kinda of gal, a real Raphael type without the short fuse. Though the rough housing you liked was too much for the witty and solitaire Donnie. So he kept his distance as much as possible, but maybe one night changes all of it!

And thank you so much @incorrecttmntquotes for inspiring me with a, as you said, bitchy Donatello! I love you content! Please give this story a reblog if you like it!❤️

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

If there was one thing that you and Donnie had in common, it was the sarcasm. The differences were a much LONGER list. You were an extreme badass and Donnie was a nerd. Where Donnie was technical, you were cynical. Where Donnie was soft spoken and well mannered, you were loud and straight to the point. You spent most of your time with Raphael and Mikey, rough housing like a delinquent. But it seemed to be your home, it was what you were best at.

So when the turtle family begin you spending more time with the nerd of the family, at first they were confused. But as time went on, they started to catch on to what was worming it’s way through.

Being rough was all you ever knew, with 4 of your own brothers at home, and being the youngest. You were the runt of the pack and learned from a young age to fight or be fought, and possibly bruised. All of Your brothers were big and burly boys, they got it from your dad. So keeping up with Raph and Mikey was a breeze, considering the boys were a lot more gentle with you unlike your own brothers.

As you can imagine, being hardcore can be very exhausting and leaves lots of scars and bruises. You however had no shame showing them off. Donnie didn’t really pay you any mind at first because of the way you carried yourself. It wasn’t really something he could keep up with.

One night, when all the other boys were asleep and Donnie was working through the night, you called. Unusual for you to call his phone this late, or his phone at all. You were close to the turtles but were more intimately engaged with Raphael and Michelangelo. Though noticing how late it was and in desperate need of a distraction he picked up your call.

It was weird enough you had called, but even weirder that you sounded in shambles. Sitting up in a concerned way Donatello asked what was wrong. You pleaded on the phone for him to come over, that you were in desperate need of medical attention. Claiming you couldn’t even make it down to the lair. Refusing to go to the hospital. That was what sold it for him, and possibly scared him.

When Donnie made it to your bedroom window and knocked on the glass he could see your shadowed figure limping to the window. “Oh my god.... what-what happened?” He asked sheepishly. Not knowing how to act towards this. Not use to this banged up version of you.

You were quite beat up with your bruised cheek, almost ripped shirt and cut up leg. The way you were holding your arm was his first concern. A broken arm could get serious- QUICK. You replied to his question with, “I don’t wanna talk about it.”

He wanted to point out that he didn’t really care, he was just being polite, but your current expression made him keep his mouth shut. Keeping his eyes on the task and being as gentle as possible. Thankfully your arm wasn’t broken but simply dislocated. Popping your elbow back into place as you swore in pain and checking the cuts on your leg after picking out the shards of glass from your leg. As he stitched up a pretty deep cut, you groaned and sucked in your breathe. That’s when he really saw and studied your face, your cheeks were reddish with swollen eyes and wet from recent tears.

Whatever happened to you, shook you up pretty bad. And for once Donnie felt bad for you. You were always so rough that he never really cared for the bruises you sported before. He always kept his distance, thinking you’d simply try to overpower him the way you did with his brothers.

You felt bad for snapping when he questioned you and felt your heart tug as he gently spread a numbing salve on your wound before continuing to stitch your wound up. He took great care with each cut. You took a deep breathe and confessed.

“Two of my older brothers got in a huge fight. Fists and all, they were tense about some disagreement and it spiraled out of control. I was the only one in the room at the moment and tried to separate them myself. I’m not sure what I was thinking, I should have called for my other brother’s.” You took a breathe as Donnie listened, looking intently. You could tell he wasn’t judging you for once. He had a tendency of always giving quick, witty and sarcastic comments under his breathe to just about everything.

You cringed at your own weakness and looked away. “They didn’t mean to hurt me, they tried to push me out of the way, that’s how I got my elbow all banged up. But I guess at the time I didn’t feel i-it”, you choked on a sob. Wallowing in your own self pity and disappointment. Still shaken up from the situation.

Donnie placed a gentle hand on your own, “you don’t have to force yourself to explain it. I’m just glad your alright”. You smiled while the last of your tears dried up. You weren’t angry with your brothers or even upset, you were angry at how weak you felt from the incident.

Perhaps it was the fact that no matter what you did you were still vulnerable and could still be hurt. Maybe it was the fact that no matter what you did, how tough you acted, or worked out. You would still be the runt of your family. You were still just a tiny, insignificant sister who would always be below her brothers. Maybe that was hard for you to swallow, maybe it had always been hard for you accept. But at this very moment where Donnie brushed it off as if it were nothing and helped you anyway. The feeling was rejuvenating.

Having someone finally see the part of you that you tried to hide so hard was very satisfying. A weight that was lifted off your shoulders, even if Donatello didn’t exactly understand what your were so conflicted about. All he knew was that you weren’t exactly acting strong right now and he wasn’t phased by it.

“You feeling better?” He asked as he wrapped the deepest gash on your leg. You gave him a lop-sided grin and said, “i just love emotions, I have them all the time.” He chuckled at your mono-toned voice and sarcastic remark.

Since that night, you spent more time with Donatello. He appreciated your sarcastic remarks and had a few of his own to throw back. You didn’t have to act strong around him but you didn’t have to tip toe around him either. Just because he was shy and soft spoken didn’t mean Donnie couldn’t be a smart ass! He caught you off guard multiple times!

~

One time you were in the lab watching Donnie work as you two simply talked, chewing on bubble gum as you swung your legs from the table you sat on. As he worked on some wires the lights in the lair flickered and shuttered. You laughed it off with him and kept talking until Leo walked in. He demanded to know- “Donnie, what are you even doing?”

And your Donnie boy didn’t even falter in his response, “Leo, when you ask that you really just mean stop, you don’t really wanna know my thought process.”

Turning back around and continuing to work on whatever he was trying to do. You couldn’t even hold back your roar of laughter as Leo rolled his eyes and reminded Donnie to warn them when he was gonna mess with things like that. From that day forward, you noticed how quick wit Donnie could be. Even if he was a dork sometimes!

~

There was another day in which you walked into the lair, sweating from the surface sun, bringing in some things he ordered online with your address. while walking into Donnie’s lab, which was stuffier than the rest of the lair, exclaiming “god, it’s going to be so HOT today!” And Donnie hadn’t even skipped a beat when replying with, “yes, it’s good practice for hell.”

You snorted and laughed so loud that he looked at you and smiled. You just had to ask, “do you even believe in god?” You asked in between laughs. While gesturing to his lab he replied, “I believe in hell, and it feels like I’m in it”. He turned his chair fully around and watched as you laughed.

He found that cute...

~

Donnie had always had a smart mouth, but being around you made him think that it had encouraged him further. He couldn’t help it, things would just slip.

He was more sarcastic around his brothers as well, more than usual. And voiced them louder at times. A perfect example would be the current moment that the boys were trying to fix the TV and Donnie tried to do it by himself.

“We can help Don, ya know”, was Raph’s very gruff response to Donatello hogging the TV. As much as Donnie appreciated the help, he’d be better off doing it on his own. He just thought better that way.

“It’s alright, I always take care of it anyway”, he never meant it in an accusing way, but it was true and he was simply calling it out. Mikey was quick to try and hit back.

“Hey! You know what, we’re clever too, smarty pants.” Donnie snorted and already knew what to say, never turning his back as he spoke and continued to fix the TV. “What’s the difference between a gamete and a zygote?” The silence that filled the air made him smirk.

Raph tried to reassure his little brother, “don’t fall for it, Mikey, he’s just making up words”. Donnie almost felt the nerve of making another quick wit remark, but the sound of the TV turning on beat him to it. And filled him with all the satisfaction he needed.

~

However you found his remarks very funny and always knew how to give a come back. He started noticing how different you acted with him than with the others. And he found that very reassuring, special even.

He watched as you played with Mikey on mario karts and walked slower to the kitchen for his glass of water as you won and jumped up. Rough housing with him in until he let you topple him over. Laughing but punching him on the shoulder.

Thinking it over as you walked over to his lab and walked over to his desktop and gave him a quick side hug. Something you rarely did with Mikey or Raphael. Than you dragged a seat you brought from the living room to his lab and pulled out his spare laptop to play a game. Watching him from a distance, he could feel your eyes in him.

You sat quietly next to him playing a quiet computer game next to him. Watching him was relaxing, even when he pushed his adorable glasses up his snout or mumbled to himself. You were never this way with the others, though you shared a harsh joke or two now and than with Donnie you never really rough housed.

He liked that....

~

Days like that he treasured, though he did like the ones where you distracted him. With flirtatious words and offers like watching movies on his huge computer screen, or play games together, never the competitive ones. You were fine playing things like Gary’s mod or Minecraft. Pretty boring but it had its highlights. The days were you stayed up late texting nonsense and illogical conversation, that for some reason he tolerated and enjoyed.

He liked the ones where you’d force him to eat with you and take more breaks from his work, and to sleep and take even more breaks. You were sort of a slacker but Donnie was stubborn so it worked out. He never really had anyone think of him, in that kind of manner. A mother hen would just piss him off and you understood that. So sometimes you’d just left the food on his desk and brought him plenty of water every so often. He found it endearing, you were never this kind to the others. You were like a pufferfish, they never knew when you’d spike up, but never with Donnie.

His favorite memory so far he had of you was when you and asked him advice for pranking Mikey. He was the brains of the family after all! “I think I worked out a plan..” he mumbled while working it out in his head.

His remark sounded like Leo and you snickered while replying, “All right count me out.” He snapped his vision to you and laughed, enjoying your very well thought sarcasm. “You haven’t even heard it yet!” He said knowing he sounded like his elder brother and mimicking his voice when answering.

You stood up with a huge grin, enjoying his dorky laugh very much. “See how I’ve learned?” You laughed as you walked over towards him and resting your right elbow on his left shoulder. “Alright Doll, let’s hear it.”

Doll? He blushed and blabbered his plan, thinking and overthinking that one nickname you had given him.

~

Though just like the good days came, so did the bad ones. You were a tough cookie, no one could deny it. You loved training at the gym and taking kick boxing lessons. You always sported a bruise Donnie couldn’t help but look at, sometimes they looked serious, And they could be! Though it was the days you trained with Raphael that put Donatello at most unease. It’s not that he didn’t trust you could hold your own, but at what cost? Another bruise? A cut? A sprained ankle?

Though he never interrupted or interfered. He knew better than that. But one night you came to the lab, littered in cuts and a big shiner on your left eye. When you explained you had gotten in the middle of a street fight that had bets involved and got a good 70 bucks from it. Donnie had almost lost it. He couldn’t believe how careless you were being with your own well-being.

“You could have gotten really hurt! That black eye could have been a broken eye socket or a dislocated jaw! You could have been shanked!” You tried to brush it off, saying they were no match for you. The big grin still shining on your face.

But Donnie had had enough of ‘turning his right cheek’, he had to address this. “Do you hate yourself?”

You were dumbfounded at this question, “no?” You answered carefully. He had to hold back the edge in his voice, “You sure as hell don’t act like it. You could have killed yourself tonight. Your brothers would have been devastated and for what? 70 bucks? That’s no where near how much your worth” he grumbled while examining your black eye.

Something clicked... did he?

Did you?

“I’m sorry Donnie-“, this gave him pause, “-but why? Why do you help me so much? Why do YOU care?” He looked at you fondly and your heart drummed, something definitely not unwelcome, and it wasn’t unusual either nowadays. He snapped his gaze somewhere else when replying, “because my life is a mess right now and I compulsively take care of other people when I don’t know how to take care of myself”. You stared at him, knowing that was just a witty joke. “Really. That’s all?” You asked knowingly.

“Because your special to me- to me a-and my brothers of course..” he stammered and tried to cover up quickly.

Donnie didn’t want to overstep on something that may just be in his head. You grabbed one of his hands and looked at him smugly, “why? What’s so special about me?” He sighed, picking up on your facial expressions, he couldn’t believe what he was about to say.

“How long you got?” He answered with a raised eyebrow (bone?). You chuckled at his sarcastic remark that showcased his New York accent perfectly before realizing what he meant. You looked up adoringly, while he looked away bashfully. “Donnie.. do you actually like me?” He sighed while shrugging, “I don’t see why not?-why I shouldn’t” he answered while nonchalantly putting two medical butterfly clips on your busted chin.

You smiled with wide eyes, “wait. So was that a confession?” He answered quickly, “well it wasn’t some-some kind of political hearing, so I’ll assume it was.” You laughed at his joke, he was trying to keep calm, but his soft voice and tiny stutters while his hands trembled softly when putting away his medical supplies threw off his facade.

You smirked while hopping off his examining table and while he set down his medical box next to you. You slid under his left arm and hugged his plastron. “Your the only person I can really relax with. It would be an honor if you’d let me find peace with you there to help me. I’d love it if you told me off like that more often, I sorta need it” you finished with a sly smile. Donatello was frozen in his spot. So you hugged him tighter.

Donnie was speechless but slowly wrapped his arms around you. He could get use to this, you were just so different than him, but so warm. So small. Did you really want to be his? “You sure about that? You don’t always wanna hear my opinions” you grinned up at him chuckling to yourself as you replied, “if you voice them like that hell yeah!”

He chuckled along knowing you were up to something but decided to play along. Feeling strange but oddly at peace as you swayed him while you held each other. “And why’s that?” He asked, already regretting it as you smirked. “Because it’s HOT” he laughed but blushed and looked away.

“Your a handful!” He softly exclaimed while looking away. You chuckled and stood on your toes to press your lips to his cheek. Laughing again as he became even more bashful. If he could, he would of hide his face in his shell right at that moment. It was strange to see the gloomy and witty turtle so bashful, shy you were use to- but bashful? It was adorable!

As you pressed against his plastron you commented, “it takes a real man to love me even when I’m THIS fucked up. Black eye and busted chin, the whole package!” Donnie knew you were joking, but it still rubbed him the wrong way hearing you talk like that. Not able to hold back his mouth.

“They don’t bother me, I know what your really like, that’s what re-really all that matters to me.” Your heart drummed as you smiled and reached up to clasps his cheeks in both of your hands. What a sweetheart! He really was strangely-dorky adorable.

You leaned upward while he fumbled on what to do, you fluttered your pretty lashes closed and puckered your lips to meet his. Donnie’s height making it difficult for you to take the whole step, he would have a to meet you halfway. Mirroring everything you did and leaning down to you, your soft lips brushed his and he almost pulled back. Unsure of himself and his ability to even be near you in this kind of way.

From the outside of the Lair you could hear Raph yell, “MIKEY YOU OWE ME 5 BUCKS!!!” Donnie jumped backwards and when he came back to his senses flared at his older brother. You laughed, “it’s just a dumb bet they had, something about who would kiss who first.”

He looked down at you with an accusing look, “what if I just knocked him unconscious?” You gave him a look before responding, “that won’t change the past!” He snorted when saying, “but it would make the present so much nicer”.

You leaned closer to him one more time before nuzzling his plastron.

“Thank you for letting me be soft, nerd”

“Shush you big softie, I still can’t believe you got in to a street fight”

.....

.

.

“How many did you win?” You laughed while hugging him harder. You would like this very much.

[fabuloustrash05]

Courting A Salamandrian

Chapter 1 Chapter 2

Word Count: 2711

Warning: Some minor language and swearing

Author’s Notes: Just a heads up to avoid any confusion, this chapter is in Raph’s POV. It’s something I wanted to try and might do again in future chapters. Another thing I have to mention is that I really struggled with this chapter mainly because I added so much and it wasn’t fitting in and making me happy. So I decided to save some things for a later chapter! Now I’m happy with the final product! Hope you enjoy! :3

~~~~~

Chapter 2: Lost In His Thoughts

My eyes widened and my heart began to beat fast, “W-what?” I quickly sat up, gently removing Mona from my arms. 

“Are you and I married?” she said, repeating the question as she sat up.

I didn’t know what to say, so I just asked her, “Why do you ask that?”

“You said that a marriage on your planet is a relationship that has trust, care, and respect for one another. We have that in our romance. You also said that when two people truly love each other, they are married. And I love you dearly, Raphael, and you love me. You even said I was your mate, your ‘perfect mate’ to be exact, so we must be married. Aren't we?” She gives me a cute little smile, making my face heat up.

“I love you too, Mona,” I said still shaking from the question, “but um..” I scratch the back of my head, unsure of what to say, “Mona, you and I are...” I looked at Mona, seeing a mix of joy a curiosity in her eyes. Will my answer upset her? I don't want to do that, but I don’t want to lie to her. I take a deep breath and I said, “No... we’re not married.” 

Mona tilts her head in confusion, “We’re not?”

“Yeah...we’re not…”

“Oh.. I see...” Mona’s look of confusion turned to a slight look of disappointment and uncertainty. 

“Mona, I love you. I really do,” I said quickly as I sat in front of her, “I don’t want you to think that I don’t care about you.”

“Don't care about me?” She laughs “I know you do.” She gently places her soft hand on my cheek. “I already know you love me. I was only curious about the marriage tradition on your planet. That’s all.”

“...Mona Lisa, I’m-”

Mona gently places her finger on my lips, hushing me, “I understand, Raphael.” Mona says as she gets up from the ground. She grabs my hand she lifts me onto my feet. “I apologize for my assumptions.”

“You don’t have to apologize. It’s just...”

Mona lifts my chin up and looks at me with a smile, “I don’t want you to worry about this topic,” She kisses me on the forehead and smiles, but I don't react. I’m still confused about what just happened. How is she so calm? 

“I love you, Raphael. We don’t need marriage to prove that, but I wish to ask you this.”

“W-what?”

“What are we?”

“What are we?” I repeated.

“In our relationship? If were not married than what are we?”

“Mona…” Unsure what to say, so without thinking, I quickly answered, “We’re dating. It’s just you and me.” 

She was quiet for a moment as she stared at me with her beautiful eyes, but soon she smiles.

“Then, that's perfect for me,” she says softly as she gives me smile, “I should be heading home. It’s far past curfew.” She begins folding the blanket we had while lying on the roof. “I promised the Mutanimals that I would help them with their training tomorrow morning. Would you care to walk me home, my love?” 

I noticed that she was offering me her hand, for which I give her credit -- finally learning that on Earth it doesn’t mean you want to challenge someone to a fight. But I don't take it. Mona’s question was all I could think about. She’s right for asking. If we are not married, then what are we? Boyfriend and girlfriend, right? That’s basically what I told her. We’re a couple, we’ve been one for a while now. But not anything more. 

“...Raphael?”

I come back to reality, “Oh, ugh, yeah. Sure.” I take her hand and we begin to leave the building’s roof.

Marriage. How have I never thought of marriage until now? I’ve been with Mona for so long, and yet the idea never came to me. I mean, Mikey and Casey have brought it up as a joke once or twice before - but I just always ignored them. How have I never even talked about the future with her? I’ve been so caught up in the moment with her, living in the present. But now, why can’t I stop thinking about our future? Will our relationship stay this way forever? Will anything change? Our lives with each other have been the same and were happy, but now it feels different. Like, something is missing...

“Raphael, are you alright? You’re awfully quiet.”

I was so lost in my thoughts that I hadn't realized we had already made it to the Mutanimals place, “S-sorry, I was just... thinking.”

“Are you ill?” she says as she gently places the back of her hand on my forehead.

I take her hand and hold it in mine, giving her a smile, “No, I’m not ill. I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not fine. You’re still thinking about what I asked.” 

She’s good at that. She knows me well enough to see when I’m not myself. I nodded.

At that moment she grabbed my other hand and held both of them in hers.

“Raphael,” she said in a firm voice, “I don’t want you to worry about anything. I hate to be the reason for your grief. Like you said, ‘We’re already a part of each other's lives’. We don’t need marriage. Our lives are fine the way they are now. I’m already in your life.” Mona again lifts my chin and gently kisses me. 

“Goodnight, Raphael,” she whispers in a soft, loving tone.

I smile, “Goodnight, Mona Lisa.”

As I watch Mona enter the abandoned building the Mutanimals call home, she turns to me one more time, giving me a smile and waving goodbye. Once I know she is safely inside, I head home myself.

It was almost 2 o'clock in the morning when I returned home. I know Leo is gonna nag me if he finds out I missed curfew. I entered the lair quietly so as to not wake my brothers. 

In the lair, I found my little brother, Mikey, asleep on the couch. As is his custom, he was surrounded by empty pizza boxes, and half eaten slices of pizza were still on the floor. The TV was on. He was probably watching a Krognard the Barbarian marathon, but fell asleep from gorging himself. Typical Mikey. Next to him, also asleep, was Ice Cream Kitty, and my precious Chompy. I smile at them, and grab a blanket for the shivering Mikey. I cover him up, turn off the TV, and begin quietly cleaning up a little of the mess he left behind. I took the pizza boxes and threw the empty ones out. I put the ones that weren’t opened in the fridge, along with putting Ice Cream Kitty back in the freezer so she won't melt. 

I gently picked up Chompy, trying not to wake him, and held him in my arms. 

“You're getting heavy,” I quietly said to him. He was getting big, almost the size of a full grown dog. Pretty soon, I’m not gonna be able to pick him up any more. 

I carry Chompy to my room and close the door behind me. I set him on the foot of my bed where he can rest. As I sit on my bed next to Chompy, I begin to relive what happened between Mona and I that night.

Especially when she said, “I’m already a part of your life, we don’t need marriage.”

I mean she’s right! She IS a part of my life. She’s always been there for me from the moment we met. I remember the moment I realized I had feelings for her. Love hit me hard, literally. That punch strangely awakened my feelings for her and those feelings turned into a crush and that crush lead to me falling in love with her. I don’t even know why a woman like her fell for someone like me, but she did. She called me “noble” and fought by my side so we could get off that ice planet. I earned her trust, and then her affection. She kissed me, God it was amazing! And at that moment I finally understood what my brothers were talking about when they would gush about their crushes. I had finally found someone who I can give my heart to, but then too soon, she had to leave.

Our long distance relationship was like hell - being in constant wonder if I’ll ever see her again, worrying that she’ll find someone else and forget about me, and I’ll forget about her. When Mona and I reunited in Dimension X, I knew our relationship had hope. I then asked her out for the first time, and she said, “Yes”!  After that, we found a way to stay in touch by sending each other messages. Even when we had long distances between us, I knew she was out there -- sending me her support and love, no matter what planet we were on. She would message me telling me about her recent battles she had fought in. I would update her on our progress in our mission to stop the Triceratons. And all that while flirting from time to time. I would write her love letters, something I thought I would never do. Everything was great, until he found out about our relationship.

I never thought one of my enemies would use my feelings for someone against me, but Lord Dregg achieved that. When he learned about my relationship with Mona, he blackmailed her to work for him, to lure my brothers and I into a trap, to betray my trust in her. For the first time in my life, I experienced heartbreak. I couldn’t fight. I was broken. I was full of anger and sadness. I was mad at Mona, but also hurt. Even with all my anger and frustration from her betrayal, deep down I still cared for her. I know now that she had her reasons, and I understand why she did it. She had to make a choice, her entire planet full of innocent people or me. I knew she regretted every second of what happened. It hurt her as much as it hurt me. Now, she never wants to talk about it. I can respect that. 

At the end of it all, she apologized to me and, like usual, my anger took over and controlled me, not letting me forgive her, leading her to make a big sacrifice. She said she loved me for the first time. I realized something that day. She was the key to my strength. I used to just fight for the fun of it. I finally had a true reason to fight. Her love made me stronger than I ever was before.

I blame myself for what happened to her next. Mona Lisa nearly gave her life to save my brothers and I from Dregg’s planet when we tried to escape. I couldn’t protect her. I remember when I held her in my arms when she was unconscious from being stung by one of Dregg’s monsters. I was so scared that I was gonna lose her and for a moment I thought I did. That whole experience we shared was something we never wanted to repeat.

Again, we dealt with long distances once my brothers and I returned to Earth, but this time, maintaining our relationship was more difficult. I had no way to contact her. We were back to where we started. I hated it. Keeping my pain and feelings to myself, I waited for the day she and I could reunite. I didn’t want to open up about how much I missed her to anyone, except maybe Chompy. I never stopped thinking about her. Any time I saw the stars in the night sky, I thought of her. More girls entered my life, but they were nothing compared to a woman like Mona Lisa. I loved her and I stayed loyal to her, even if a part of me doubted that I’d never see her again. But my hope was strong, and soon she returned. And this time, I didn’t want to let her go.

When we finally reunited again, I remember suggesting to Mona that she stay on Earth with me. The choice was difficult for her, yet she agreed. After that day, our relationship grew. We wanted to be with each other all-of-the-time to make up for those times when we weren’t together. I remember when we finally went on our first earthly date. I took her out on a tour around New York City, showing her the sights, and my favorite places to go. I showed her how things work around my planet. She loved it, saying that she’s never seen or experienced a planet quite like mine. After that, I took her to other places, Murakami’s restaurant, April’s old farm house. She even dragged me into space at one point so she could go visit Sal Commander. There I learned more about her culture, and she even taught me how to speak some Salamandrian. I mean, I’m still not good at it, but it's nice to understand Mona a little bit more when she speaks in her planet’s native language.

She started bonding with my friends and family. Leo, that dork, got her into Spaceheroes, and now they watch it together all the time. Mona has gotten close with the Mighty Mutanimals as well. She, Slash, and Leatherhead all became really good friends and are a very impressive team in combat. She and Rockwell always have these intellectual conversations that I never understand. Then, there’s Mondo Gecko who won't stop flirting with her! I always have to give him a “friendly reminder” that she’s already taken. I’m mostly grateful that Mona gets along great with the other girls. My sister, Karai, really likes and respects Mona as a fighter, and Mona feels the same. Meanwhile, there's April who absolutely loves spending time with Mona. Actually not just that, they’ve bonded so much that they told me that they are best friends. So much so, that April convinced Mona that she and I should go on a double date with April and Donnie! 

I can’t believe we’ve done so much. We have done everything together -- from the sparring sessions (with her proving every time why I love her so much when she beats my ass), watching movies together, talking on the phone for hours, going out on patrol to find bad guys to beat or just using that as an excuse to go and make out in private, hehe… 

Anyway, I always enjoy her company. When she isn’t around, I think about her beautiful smile and how happy she makes me feel. Her existence in my life gives me the strength to keep on fighting.

“Are we married?”

Her question repeats in my head. Marriage does require trust, care, and respect. She’s right, we do have that. I do love Mona and I know she loves me. I can always see it in her eyes, her beautiful eyes…but this isn’t just about our love for each other. I remember Splinter once told me that his marriage with his wife was not only about their love. It's about being there for the other one -  to take care of them. Two lives becoming one. Sharing the same goals and dreams. That's what a husband and wife do for each other. 

Am I ready to always be there for Mona? To care for her? To share my life with her? 

“I’m already in your life…”  I hear her whisper in my mind.

She’s in my life but she’s not a part of my entire life…

It's not enough. I realize that now. I don't just want her in my life, I want her to be my life. I want to be there for her, to care for her, protect her, and share my life with her. I am ready to make that commitment. I’m ready to do all of that for her because I love her!

For the first time in my life I’m finally planning ahead, seeing our future. I know what I want now in our relationship, and it's a change I’m ready to make.

Happy and confident in my decision, I lied down in my bed. With a smile on my face, I peacefully fall asleep.

~~~~~

[TAGS]

@waferreyes (for making the beautiful cover) 

@terra-mations (for giving me some helpful writing tips and being the beta reader for this chapter)

@starfiretheninja @kiaratheleo @petrichormeraki @monarel @cesarin @ryebread-02 

(if you would like to be on the tag list to be updated on the newest chapters, message me and let me know!)

Thank you again everyone who showed their support from the first chapter! You’re love and support for this fanfic makes me so happy and encourages me to keep working on this story! Now its time to get chapter 3 done! ;)

[broomballkraken]

Title: Dog Days

Fandom: Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Pairing: Dedue/Raphael

Word count: 3659

Warnings: None

Summary: Maya travels to Duscur to visit her brother and his husband, and she is shocked to find that their family has grown since she last saw them...but not in a way that she would have expected.

Written for Dedue Week Day 7, Prompt: Future

“Wow! Is this really where Raph lives now?”

Maya’s jaw dropped as she glanced back down at her map, double checking that she was in the right place. Her travels through the Kingdom and Duscur had been largely uneventful, but gave her many opportunities to paint some rather beautiful landscapes. Duscur especially, since it was an entirely different country, built anew after being razed during the Tragedy. Her brother and his husband, Dedue, were the ones who led the rebuilding effort, and Maya’s heart swelled with pride at the fact.

Looking up from the map, she adjusted the weight of the pack on her back and started down the road, her destination the house that sat in the middle of a vast valley, overflowing with blooming flowers of all kinds of different colors. It was summertime in Duscur, but the climate here was a bit colder than Fódlan, so Maya was wearing a light jacket to chase away the slight chill in the air.

As she approached the house, two major things caught her eye: the huge garden on one side of the front yard with a greenhouse on the other, and an enormous barn that was visible from behind the house. Did her brother and Dedue start raising horses or something?

Maya was just about to knock on the door, when a loud barking noise hit her ears. She turned towards it, but was suddenly knocked off of her feet when something large barreled into her, and she fell to her back with an ‘oof!’ Fear welled up in her for a moment, but dissipated immediately when a wet tongue raked across her face, and she started laughing as she pushed herself upright.

It was a dog that had tackled her, and a huge one at that. His pink tongue hung out of his white jowls, which dripped with drool. His head was covered with dark brown fur, that turned white at his neck and legs, before finally turning light brown over his back. His long fluffy tail was wagging so hard that she thought it would fly off at any moment. Maya giggled and reached up to pet the dogs head, and he barked happily.

“Beefsteak! What’re you barking at-Maya?!?”

Maya looked up as the front door opened, a beaming smile crossing her face when Raphael stepped outside, his eyes wide with surprise when he saw her. He looked the same as he always had, with his massive muscles trying to break out of his shirt and blindingly bright smile on his face. The only thing different about him that she noticed was the blond beard that now covered his face.

“Hey Raph! Long time no see!” Maya said. She tried to push herself to her knees, but Beefsteak started licking her face again, forcing her to fall back onto her elbows.

“C’mon, Beef! That’s enough, you big lug!” Raphael said, reaching down to gather Beefsteak into his arms with ease, as if the large dog was as light as a feather. Beefsteak whined and wiggled around, choosing to assault Raphael’s face with slobbery kisses instead.

“I didn’t know you had a dog!” Maya said as she stood up, wiping her face.

“Sure do! This here is Beefsteak!” Raphael said, laughing as he rubbed his bearded face against Beefsteak’s head, who barked and finally managed to wiggle out of Raphael’s arms. He tried to lunge at Maya again, but Raphael caught him around the middle mid-jump, so Beefsteak could only whine and wiggle his paws in her direction.

“He’s huge! I’ve never seen a dog like him before.” Maya said, moving to stand next to her brother to get a better look at Beefsteak.

“He’s a Saint Bernard! They’re known for being huge, but my Beefsteak here is just a big ‘ol softy, right Beefy?” Raphael cooed, and Maya giggled when Beefsteak barked and licked Raphael’s face again. He then finally seemed to calm down a bit as he sat down on his haunches, looking back and forth between the siblings as they finally had a chance to hug.

“So he’s just like you, eh bro?” Maya said as Raphael lifted her into the air with his massive, strong arms.

“Ha! I guess so. They do say that dogs and their owners start to look and act alike after a while.”

“I’ll say. You’ve certainly gotten hairier.” Maya reached up and pinched a bit of Raphael’s beard between her fingers. “Why’s your beard so scruffy? Hasn’t Dedue taught you how to properly groom it yet?”

“C’mon sis! That’s harsh!”

“Ah, hello Maya.”

Maya and Raphael turned to the door to find Dedue standing in the entryway, a small smile on his face. He also hadn’t changed much, except that he also had a full beard, although his was much more well-kept than her brother’s. Dedue seemed to be in the middle of cooking, for he had an apron draped over his front, and the smell wafting out of the house behind him had Maya drooling almost as much as Beefsteak.

“Darling, bring your sister inside. You will both catch a cold standing out here, and dinner is almost ready.” Dedue said, crossing his arms over his chest and raising an eyebrow at his husband, who blushed and rubbed at the back of his neck.

“Eh, sorry hun, I got excited.” Raphael said, grabbing Maya’s travel pack from her. Maya thanked him and headed inside, with Beefsteak padding along beside her. She gazed around the room, and a small smile crossed her face. It was a modest size, with a fireplace on one side and a large couch on the other. Two large dog beds sat in one corner, and the kitchen was a good size, big enough for someone as bulky as Dedue to maneuver around comfortably.

“Make yourself comfortable!” Raphael said as Dedue quickly gave Maya a hug before returning to the kitchen. Maya sat down on the couch, and was immediately joined by Beefsteak, who assaulted her face with more slobbery kisses before he lay down, his head resting on her lap. She laughed and ran her hands through his soft fur.

“Did you have a good trip, Maya?” Dedue asked as he flipped some steaks over in a pan on the stove. “You arrived much sooner than we expected.”

“Oh, yeah!” Maya said as Raphael sat on the couch on the other side of Beefsteak. “I managed to hitch a ride with a couple riding in the same direction once I hit the Duscur border. Real funny pair. One of ‘em kept on falling asleep while he was talking to me, and the other tried picking fights with any knights that we passed on the road!”

“Hm, they sound familiar…” Raphael mumbled, his face scrunching up thoughtfully.

“They sound like Caspar and Linhardt.” Dedue commented, not looking up from his cooking.

“Yeah! Those were their names!” Maya exclaimed, “They did say they knew you guys when I told them who I was going to visit. They said to say hello for them.”

“I’m glad they’re doing well. They kinda just up and vanished after the war, so I was worried about where one of my best sparring buddies ran off to.” Raphael said. Maya opened her mouth to respond, but she was interrupted by a loud scratching sound coming from the back door on the other side of the kitchen.

Dedue chuckled and abandoned his cooking for a moment to go and open the door. Maya’s eyes widened as another dog trotted through the kitchen and into the living room, stopping in front of Maya and sitting down. She was just as huge as Beefsteak, but seemed to be of a different breed. Her face and ears were dark, while the rest of her fur was a light brown.

“Maya, that is Dahlia.” Dedue said, looking over at the dog fondly. “She is a Mastiff. She may look intimidating, but you will not find a sweeter companion.” Maya let out a delighted squeak as she reached out to scratch behind Dahlia’s ears.

“Oh my gods, you are so cute!” Maya said, and she giggled when Dahlia stuck out her tongue and panted happily, her tail wagging vigorously. She heard a loud whine coming from her side, and Maya turned to see Beefsteak staring at her with sad eyes. Maya laughed and pet his head with one of her hands, while the other continued to pet Dahlia.

“Jeez, Beef! You just can’t let your sis get attention without butting in, huh?” Raphael said, laughing as he rubbed Beefsteak’s belly. He immediately rolled over, tail wagging and leg kicking when Raphael scratched at just the right spot.

“Dinner is ready. Raphael, will you help me for a moment?” Dedue said, and Maya, Dahlia, and Beefsteak all immediately turned their attention to him.

“Yeah!” Raphael leapt up from his spot on the couch, quickly moving to his husband’s side to help him set the table.

“Need me to do anything?” Maya asked, feeling a bit awkward about just waiting around while her hosts worked.

“You can feed Beefsteak and Dahlia if you want!” Raphael called, almost hitting Dedue with a plate as he spun around to address Maya. “Oops, sorry honey!”

“It is fine. Please be more careful, darling.” Dedue said, chuckling as Raphael flushed with embarrassment. “Their food is in that barrel by the door. One scoop each.” Maya smiled and nodded, barely restraining herself from teasing Raphael and Dedue; her brother and brother-in-law were too cute for their own good.

“C’mon doggies! Time for dinner!” Maya said, and she had to run to the barrel, because as soon as the word ‘dinner’ left her mouth, both of the dogs barked excitedly and barreled along right behind her, their heavy footsteps almost making the entire house shake. Maya laughed as she quickly scooped out the food into the two bowls that sat against the nearby wall. Beefsteak dug messily into his meal, while Dahlia used a little bit more restraint while she ate.

“So where did you find those two?” Maya asked when she sat down to eat with Dedue and her brother. She took a bite of the Duscur bear steak - and it was the best thing she had ever tasted in her life - while eyeing the other end of the table where Raphael and Dedue’s free hands were entwined and resting on the surface.

“While we were still working hard on the rebuilding efforts,” Dedue said, sighing as he glanced over at Raphael, who was busy shoveling as much meat as he could into his mouth, “we found Beefsteak and Dahlia as puppies, sick and starving to death. We could not just leave them, so we took them in a nursed them back to health. They have not left our side ever since.”

“Aw, you guys are so awesome! I’m glad you were able to save them!” Maya said, looking under the table where the two huge dogs lay, quite obviously waiting for any scraps that may fall from their plates.

“Us too!” Raphael said, swallowing a mouthful of meat and managing to dribble sauce down his chin.

“Raphael, dear,” Dedue grabbed his napkin and wiped the mess from his beard, “You are making a terrible mess of yourself.”

“Whoops! Sorry Dedue! Your cooking is just so good! I could eat like ten helpings of this meat!” Raphael gushed, and Maya giggled when a light blush rose high on Dedue’s face. They really did seem like they were made for each other; gentle giants with the kindest hearts. As soon as Raphael had introduced Dedue to her, she had no doubt in her mind that they would be together forever.

The meal continued with casual conversation, and when they were done and cleaning up, Maya suddenly remembered something that she wanted to ask about.

“Oh, hey Raph! What’s with that barn you guys have? Do you have horses?”

Raphael smiled and shook his head. “Nope! Do you wanna see what we have out there?” Maya’s eyes lit up with curious excitement and she nodded eagerly. “C’mon, it’s feeding time anyway.”

“Past feeding time. It is a wonder that they are not causing a ruckus by now.” Dedue commented, and now Maya was really curious as to what was in that barn.

The three ventured outside, the evening sun bathing the land in an orange glow as they made their way to the barn. Dedue and Raphael shared a smile as they pushed open the sliding doors, and Maya’s jaw dropped at the sight.

Dogs of various breeds were scattered throughout the large barn, and Maya did a quick count; there were at least 20 of them. When Dedue and Raphael stepped into the barn, all of the dogs turned towards them, and a chorus of barks and howls started up as they rushed to their owners.

Maya shrieked with unconstrained joy as she was suddenly surrounded by fluffy, excited dogs, and she crouched down so that she could pet as many of them as possible while getting a bunch of sloppy kisses.

“Why do you have so many dogs?” Maya said, laughing as she held up a fluffy yellow dog with an elongated body.

“Well, when we nursed Beefsteak and Dahlia back to health and resumed the restoration efforts, we realized that there were so many other homeless dogs that needed help,” Raphael said, “After Duscur was fully rebuilt, we build this barn together and decided to take in as many dogs as possible. We make sure they’re happy and healthy, and some of the people from the nearby town have adopted a few of them already.”

“Aw...You guys are so wonderful!” Maya gushed, and the dogs around her suddenly bolted off towards Dedue when they noticed that he was starting to fill up their food bowls. Maya set down the dog that she held, and she lay down instead of running after the other dogs, which confused Maya. That is, until she saw six puppies run up to the dog and start nursing.

“Babies!” Maya exclaimed, unable to handle the overwhelming cuteness without shedding a few tears.

“Oh yeah! Her name is Sausage!” Raphael said, patting Maya on the back. “She’s a Corgi! She was pregnant when we found her, and she gave birth just a few weeks ago.”

“They’re...perfect.” Maya said, sniffing as more tears fell down her face.

“Why are you crying?” Raphael said, an alarmed look crossing his face as he looked Maya over. “Are you sick? Or hurt? Or-”

“Raph, please,” Maya said, laughing as she wiped away her tears. “They’re just...so cute and precious. I love them.” One of the puppies finished her meal and bounded over to Maya, barking as she nibbled on her shoe.

“That one is named Paprika.” Dedue said, smiling softly as he placed a hand on Maya’s other shoulder. “She is the runt of the litter, and almost did not survive birth. I had to rub her back continuously for a long time before she finally started breathing on her own.” Maya picked her up and started sobbing again when little Paprika starting licking her face with her tiny tongue. Raphael and Dedue shared a glance, and Dedue nodded.

“Would you like to adopt her, Maya?” Raphael said, and Maya stared at him with wide eyes. A huge, beaming smile slowly spread across her face, and she nodded vigorously as she hugged Paprika gently against her chest.

“Oh my gosh, can I really? I’d love to!” Maya said, kissing the top of Paprika’s head as she started falling asleep in her arms. “I’ll take good care of her.”

“We know you will.” Dedue said with a nod, “She cannot leave her mother permanently yet, so you will have to stay with us until she is ready. Is that alright?”

“Yeah! I’ve got all the time in the world. Oooh, I think I could get some really cool paintings done around here too, with the flowers and dogs and…” Maya said, trailing off to mumble to herself. Dedue and Raphael laughed, and as Maya finished helping them tend to the dogs, she couldn’t help but feel incredibly proud of her brother and Dedue, and what wonderful things they were doing with their lives. She followed them back into their house, with little Paprika tucked away against her chest, and she was excited for the weeks to come.

*

“Wow, what a day!”

Dedue chuckled as Raphael plopped down on the bed next to him, quickly discarding his shirt before snuggling up against Dedue. Setting the book he had been reading aside, Dedue wrapped his arms around Raphael, pulling his head to rest against his chest as Dedue placed a kiss on his forehead.

“Indeed. Did Maya get settled in alright?” Dedue asked, and Raphael nodded, his soft facial hair tickling Dedue’s chest.

“Yeah! She’s got Paprika sleeping with her, and Beefsteak and Dahlia too! They really like her a lot!”

“Good. It will be nice to have the bed to ourselves for once.” Dedue mused. Beefsteak and Dahlia usually slept in their bed with them, and Raphael had to build them an extra large and sturdy one in order to hold their massive dogs as well as themselves.

“Heh, yeah it will.” Raphael said, grinning as he kissed Dedue, who sighed contently, wrapping his arms around Raphael and pulling him close. Calloused hands roamed over Raphael’s back, tracing over faded scars and taut muscle that had become as familiar as Dedue’s own. It felt like a dream, being wrapped in the arms of the man who loved him, living a peaceful life away from war in a recovered Duscur that he and Raphael had rebuilt with their bare hands. Dedue smiled against Raphael’s lips, and the latter pulled away slightly, his beautiful golden eyes gazing deep into Dedue’s seafoam green.

“What’re you thinking about, dear?” Raphael asked, nuzzling his nose against Dedue’s, laughing as the silver hairs of his beard tickled his nose.

“You,” Dedue said, taking Raphael’s left hand in his so that he could run his fingers over his wedding ring. “Or rather, you and I. I feel like I was blessed by all of the deities in both Fódlan and Duscur with the most wonderful man that I get to call my husband.” Dedue chuckled when Raphael’s face flushed pink.

“Aw, Dedue, you’re makin’ me blush here...” Raphael said, burying his face in the crook of Dedue’s neck to hide his embarrassment.

“It is true though.” Dedue cupped Raphael’s face with one hand while his other continued to trace the scars over his back, causing Raphael to shiver, “I think if someone had told me back in our academy days that I would end up married to the love of my life and living in a rebuilt Duscur, I would not have believed them.”

“C’mon honey,” Raphael said, his brow furrowing as he pouted, “Don’t talk like that! You’re the greatest guy that I’ve ever met! I had the biggest crush on you when were we still in school!”

“Really?” Dedue blinked as he tilted his head. He never would have guessed that Raphael had harbored feelings for him that soon. Dedue had always assumed that Raphael did not grow to love him until they had reunited after the start of the war.

“Yes really! I was super sad when the war tore us apart, ‘cause I never got to tell you how I felt until five years after that. I was also really scared that I’d...never see you again.” Raphael’s face fell, and Dedue smiled softly, cupping Raphael’s face as he placed a chaste kiss on his lips.

“I am sorry for worrying you, my darling sunshine,” Dedue whispered, his fingers setting in Raphael’s soft beard, and a beaming smile slowly returned to Raphael’s face. That beautiful, ethereal smile that never failed to take Dedue’s breath away. He was determined to spend the rest of his days making sure that smile was never absent from his husband’s face for longer than a few moments at a time.

“It’s fine! It all worked out in the end! We’re married and living a good life. I’m just...really happy Dedue!”

“I am happy too, Raphael.” Dedue chuckled when Raphael grabbed his face and kissed his tenderly, but he pulled away shortly after, lips pursed together as if he had eaten something sour.

“Hey, hun?” Raphael asked, “Do you, uh, think my beard is scruffy? Maya said it was.” Dedue blinked at him, before letting out a hearty laugh.

“Honestly, it could use a bit of trimming.” The horrified look that crossed Raphael’s face was so silly that Dedue laughed harder.

“Dedue! Why didn’t you say anything before? Ugh, how embarrassing…” Raphael’s voice dropped to a mumble, and he pouted again as he rolled over onto his back.

“I thought that you kept it that way on purpose. I can help you trim it if you want.” Dedue said, and Raphael rolled back over on top of him, causing Dedue to grunt and his face to flush.

“Really? You’d do that for me?” Raphael said excitedly, causing Dedue to chuckle at his unbridled enthusiasm.

“Of course, darling.”

“Yes! Gods, I love you so much, Dedue!” Raphael said, laughing as he slid his arms under Dedue, pulling him into one of Raphael’s signature bear hugs that Dedue honestly could not get enough of.

“I love you too, Raphael. Always.” Dedue whispered into Raphael’s ear as he returned his hug. Dedue pulled away, caressing Raphael’s cheek with the back of his hand as his husband smiled sweetly at him, before closing the distance between them again by pressing his lips to Dedue’s. They quickly lost themselves in the passion of their love, and Dedue knew that with Raphael by his side, his future would always look as bright as his husband’s smile.

[amnachil]

To the Perfection Chapter 1 Part 9

Me late ? Never :)

Thomas Wednesday February 13

He had always wondered what he could say to a girl who asked him out. I'll hurt them whatever I reply, right ? Usually, he had been trying his best to reassure them, but not this time. This time he just threw her like trash. To be honest, since last weekend, Thomas lived in a world of anger, bitterness and frustrating love. Anger towards everyone, and especially Raphaël. Bitterness against his brother too. I'm mad at him. The worst ? Dan seemed nicer and nicer which each day. And fatter. Being at home with him was hard, because he was so sweet, so understanding... Of course, he had tried to make an apology for Raphaël, and Thomas loved him even more for that. He's the only human part of my brother. Otherwise, he's just a freaky manipulative monster.

"Yo Thomy, we're waiting here." hailed him Joël.

They were supposed to train, right. The ginger smiled to his friend and started to run, the whole team behind him. He could feel Cody's stare behind his back, but he ignored it. You're spying for Raphaël, I know that already. I can't trust you. He sped up to outstrip them. Of course, it was the warm-up and they were supposed to follow, but who cared ? He finished his race far ahead the other. Or at least he thought. Joël arrived at the stadium a few minutes after him.

"That was quite intense." he smiled. "Don't you think it's a bit too much ?"

"You managed to do it." Thomas retorted. "The others should too."

His friend came closer and drank some water.

"The Jessica games ends tomorrow." he said. "And to my own disappointment, you're winning since I didn't have the balls to ask her out. What will you demand from me ?"

"It's a surprise."

The ginger hadn't thought much about it. He started this as a simple game, but right now he was so mad only means things came to his mind. But he looked for it anyway. And it would be nice to teah him a lesson. The others eventually arrived. With satisfaction, Thomas noticed Ilhan was the last, and exhausted. Nobody saw it yet, but he could glimpse a little roll of fat over his short. Seems like I'm having an impact on him...

When he came back home this evening, the young lad was satisfied by his session with Ilhan. He's complying so well to my orders... He wasn't like Cody or Joël, both traitors. It's just wild sex after a good stuffing session. Feelings are not involved, and that's great. Thomas was almost home when he noticed his science teacher coming straight fowards. Damnit. He tried to hide, but Darren saw him anyway.

"Thomas ? It's pretty late to wander around."

It's only 8 pm. What are you ? A nun ?

"I was studying at Ilhan's place." he explained with a smile. "We have a mathematic test coming soon."

His teacher nodded. Apparently, he had drunk because his cheeks were redder than usual. Thomas didn't like his lanky body, but he had cute feature. The girls in their class were always gossiping about him.

"It's nice to see you're opening to your friends." Darren said.

"Yeah... they're... very helpful. You're not coming from the highschool by the way. You were ?"

I know I shouldn't ask that but well... Maybe he would learn something interesting about his lame teacher.

"I was with a buddy, Dan Vince. Maybe you know him, since everyone seems to know eachother in this town ?"

What ? Thomas froze, surprised. Darren and Dan are buddies ? What the hell ?

"Yeah, I know him." he laconically replied. "Anyway, I must go. See you next week sir."

The ginger left pensively. No way I'm letting this awful teacher near Dan. He'll spread Raphaël's word, and I don't want that. His brother was probably always criticizing him, no need for Darren to do the same. I'll have to think about it...

When he finally arrived home, Thomas almost fainted. He just had to enter in the living room, and all his fantasies were reawaken. His dick get hard in one second. Because Dan was lying onto the couch, overstuffed. His belly was incredibly round, forming a wide dome. He was panting, obviously in pain. His tee-shirt was barely hiding anything now, and the ginger admired the soft skin of his friend with amazement. What the hell did he ate ? No... What the hell he's eating ? Because Dan wasn't only moaning with discomfort : he was still wolfing down crips, donuts and cakes which lied around. When he noticed Thomas, he lowered his eyes.

"Sorry burp..." he moaned. "I... burp... can't stop myself..."

As he talked, he took another creamy donut and shoveled it. His stomach produced some painful gurgles. This is... The hottest thing I ever saw... The ginger was short-winded. He couldn't think straight. He came close to the junior, and put tenderly an hand on his overbloated belly.

"Urp... That's... painful..." complained Dan.

But still you're eating. Slowly, Thomas rubbed his friend's stomach.

"It's okay." he whispered. "I'll apease the pain. You really put yourself in a food coma dude."

Yeah, I'll act as a friend. Any normal person would help him, right ? Sure, I'll enjoy every second of it, but it's not like if someone would know....

"Do you want this cookie ?" he asked with a smile.

Dan Friday February 15

This is getting out of control. Completely out of control. Dan took a deep breath and sucked as much as possible. He had to get this pants on. C'mon, fasten already. He tried his best to close the button, without success. I'm just way too big for these jeans. Well, way too big for any clothes from my wardobe... He looked at himself in the mirror. Around chirstmas, he had been quite brawny. Now, he was flabby. His tights was soft and fleshy. His rear too. It's wider than it has ever been... He had little man boobs. But most of his gain went to his middle section, like always. His belly stood out more than he thought. It poked out his briefs significantly. Dan patted it pensively. It feels kind of nice but this is the limit. He probably had exceeded 85 kg (187 pounds) now. Well, the junior liked to be well-padded but he didn't want to be unhealthy for all that. His belly gurgled. He realised he was famished. Damnit. That was the problem... He couldn't stay away from food since Thomas made him indulge with his amazing cooking's skills. He had became more and more dependant, and now he was constantly snacking. Dan's alarm rang. Oh... I'm late, time to go.

He dropped off Thomas at school first. His friend didn't look happy to go, despite his warm smile. Since they were basically living together, the junior was understanding better his friend. I also made a fool of myself in front of him... Thanks god, Thomas took his "out of control eating habit" pretty well. Dan remembered vaguely the ginger rubbing his distended stomach several times these last days. He's a feeder, it's not like he would help me to lose weight... He's constantly providing food, and not the healthiest kind. But I can't blame him for that since I don't say anything.

"Hey Thomy." he hailed him before he left the car. "Is everything alright at school ? You look a bit unmotivated..."

His friend lowered his eyes and pouted. A cute and childish pout.

"There's nothing in particular." he said nevertheless. "I would just prefer to spend my day at home with you... School is pretty lame actually. And my science teacher is being an ass with me."

Dan frowned. He really dislikes Darren uh...

"After all, he's the one who texted Raphaël and put me in this situation, isn't he ?" continued Thomas. "I wish he was nicer with me but like everyone else, he had to be on my brother's side..."

"There ain't side Thomy, you know ?" mumbled Dan. "I don't understand, you and Raphaël have always got along famously..."

His friend smiled. A warm, cheerful and completely fake smile. The junior didn't like it. Why is he lying to me ? When it become so natural to you to hid your feelings from your friends ?

"It was before he began to boss me around. But don't worry Dan, I'll not endanger your relationship with your boyfriend for my personal pride."

Thomas left after this mysterious and a bit annoying statement.

Dan struggled during his presentation. Not because it was difficult, but because his clothes were snug and he was hungry. That was probably why he left Carol afterwards and headed straight to the nearest fastfood. I shouldn't do that. He ordered three menu for himself, and started to eat as soon as his food arrived. He truly was terrible at controling his appetite. But suddenly, his phone rang. Raphaël ? I wonder why he calls at this hour.

"Hi love." he picked the phone up. 'What's up ?"

A long silent followed. A strangely long silent.

"Raph ? Are you alright ?" he asked, more and more worried which each second.

"Dan ? I'm sorry my phone called you by itself." finally replied his boyfriend. "I was resting."

This is weird. Firstly, Raphaël's tone seemed a bit off. Secondly, his voice was cold, and Dan was prey to a bad feeling.

"Sorry I disturbed you." repeated his ginger's lover. "I'm very tired. You don't mind if I hung up ?"

"Not at all, you should take all the sleep you can love."

"Thanks." concluded Raphaël.

I don't like this. Thomas who almost said he hated his brother, and now Raphaël who seemed ill ? Maybe I should go visit him ? But he asked me to stay with Thomas... Damnit, I don't know what to do... Dan had always been undecided. And that was why he eventually chose to do nothing...

To be continued

Nothing much to say here ! Dan’s having second thought on his ever expanding waistline while Thomas is enjoying the show from behind.

Raphaël is being all mysterious like always. By the way I like Joël but idk why :)

[remmushound]

Damage, part 5; the Hogosha

@errorfreak88 @brightlotusmoon

Splinter did his best. Ever since that night he had first gotten the boys, he tried his to do right by them. To feed them. To teach them. To encourage them. To make them happy. He always made an effort to go out of his way for their wants and needs, because that’s what a father does. He made an effort to make them laugh and ask how they were doing. To touch them and to kiss them and to love them and make them know they were loved. It was times like this that made it so difficult.

He didn't care about his own wounds. The pain was nothing compared to the pride he felt for his sons. Raphael, for tossing himself on top of Donatello and protecting the younger shinobi with everything he had. Leonardo for fighting with all he had to protect Michelangelo. Michelangelo for being so strong and so willing and eager to recover. And Donatello, for dragging each and every one of them from their deathbeds and giving them a second chance at life.

The old mutant slowed as he passed by Michelangelo’s room. Drawn on by the sound of voices, the shinobi father couldn’t help but press his ear to the door to listen.

“... telling you, it’ll work!” Leonardo’s voice was heard above all, “Trust me, Raph will love it!”

“A suggestion if I may?”

Donatello’s voice came as a surprise to Splinter and drew the old rat even further into the conversation. Donatello didn't wait for an answer.

“We’re talking about Raph, right? Our Raph? The Raph that regularly busts through walls and ears glass? That Raph?”

“Yep! That’s the one!” Michelangelo’s voice chirped.

“Then foam and cloth just isn’t gonna cut it.”

“Well what do you suggest, big brain?” Leonardo asked.

“Well there have been significant successes with 3D printing bones for transplant, and even an example of a turtle shell being printed successfully! Maybe we do that? Except with the section of shell Raph is missing.”

“Oh oh oh!” Michelangelo chirped his normal ‘I have a question’ noise.

“Yes Michael?”

“Maybe we do both! You do your printy-thing and then we put some foam over it to make it more comfortable and then we add the cloth!”

Donatello hummed. “Hm. Sounds doable. Though we may have to build a framework out of wire to support the foam so it doesn’t shift too much and cause irritation. And several layers of cloth so we can secure it properly to the framework—“

“Yeah yeah yeah, less talky more doey!”

“Hey! Do you have any idea how long it’s gonna take?! I can’t do it snappy-snappy!”

“Why not?!”

It made Splinter’s heart soar to hear the bickering of his sons carrying on in the other room. They sounded happy, and most importantly they were awake, and together. He wiped his beady eyes as he walked away, tail swishing his euphoria as the newfound hope made this day one of the best in months.

When night came, Splinter didn't need alarms or clocks or the chore chart to tell him what to do. He just did what fathers do, like he always had. He knocked on Raphael’s door before entering.

“Oh! Hey pops!” Raphael’s tail wagged at the sight of his father. He was sat at his vanity looking at himself in the mirror like he often did.

“Hello Raphael.” Splinter’s wrinkled face split in a smile as he walked over to Raphael, tisking his tongue along the way as his tail swept through trash and collected it. “Really, Raphael? Four water bottles? You’re turning your room into a pigsty!”

“Goodnight to you too, pops.” Raphael laughed, closing his eye as Splinter heaved himself up the snapping turtle’s arm to kiss him on the cheek.

“Honestly, I don’t think you need this old thing anymore.” Splinter mused as he helped Raphael untie his shell cover and folded it on the nightstand.

“Donnie’s orders.” Raphael laughed.

“Well I say you’re perfectly healed.” Splinter eyed the scars curiously, “And if anything, the scars make you look badass.”

Raphael’s shoulders shook as he bellowed. “Thanks dad.”

Splinter smiled and nosed playfully against his son's cheek a moment before giving the mutant a gentle tap with his tail.

“Now scoot! It’s bedtime!”

“Dad, I’m almost sixteen.” Raphael said, “I think I can choose my own bedtime now.”

Splinter raised his brow.

Raphael started to sweat almost immediately. “Uh— I mean— yes. Right. Bed time.”

“Good boy.” Splinter pat Raphael’s shoulder as the snapper lurched over to his bed. “Remember: I didn't put the fear of God in you, I put the fear of rat!”

Raphael climbed into bed and churred happily as Splinter came over to tuck him in and give him his teddy bear.

“There we are… Good night, little Red.”

*****

“Oh Baby Blue~” Splinter poked his nose into Leonardo’s room, “I’m respecting your privacy by knocking, but asserting my authority as your father by coming in anyway!”

Splinter blinked as he saw the state of his son. Leonardo was on his bed, having tried to remove his day clothes by himself and failed miserably. Somehow, he had managed to get his head stuck in the arm hole and his arm locked at an odd angle in the head hole, his trousers hanging half-off.

“Help me.”

Splinter couldn’t hide his laughter as he helped his son undress the rest of the way and assisted in helping him put on his pajamas.

“There we are, silly boy.” Splinter rubbed Leonardo’s head before putting the turtles nightcap on. “Now, I know you like magic, but you’re not quite Houdini status yet.”

Leonardo snapped. “Darn! I’ll get there one day!”

Splinter hummed his agreement and used his tail to open Leonardo’s bedside drawer and pull out a soft, blue sleeve. He gently slid it over Leonardo’s wounded arm and secured it before giving the nub a kiss, and then kissing Leonardo on the head.

“Thanks dad.”

“Anything for my little one.”

****

“Orange~ why, would you look at that?”

Michelangelo was already snug in his bed, dressed in his sleeping onesie and clutching a story book with a bright smile on his face.

“Someone was ready for me.” Splinter pulled himself onto the bed and took the book from Michelangelo, clearing his throat as he started to read. “In a warm and sultry forest far far away, there lived a mother fruit bat and her new baby. Oh, how Mother Bat loved her soft, tiny baby. “I’ll name you Stellaluna.” she crooned…”

By the end of the story, Michelangelo was snoring softly. Splinter carefully crept from the bed and slid the book back into its place before giving Michelangelo a kiss on the head.

“Love you, my son. Sweet dreams…”

****

Splinter always left Donatello last. Not out of malice, of course! Donatello just needed the most comfort, the most time! And it wouldn’t be fair to make the other brothers wait so long for their fathers affection. But now the rest of his sons were tucked safely away, Splinter crept into the softshell’s room with a gentle knock.

“Donatello? Purple?”

Donatello was laying in his bed with his back turned to the door. Splinter hummed and quickly approached the bed, laying a hand on his son's shoulder.

“I hope you didn't think I forgot about you.”

“No.” Donatello’s voice was soft and somber.

Splinter cleared his throat and shifted himself onto the bed, pulling the blanket over Donatello’s head and starting to hum softly as he traced his paws across his son’s arm and shell bridge in a comforting manner, like he always did when they were turtle tots.

“Mori mo iyagaru, Bon kara saki-nya. Yuki mo chiratsuki-shi. Ko mo naku-shi…”

Donatello grabbed Splinter’s hand and held it while he started to hum along to the lullaby.

“Bon ga kita-tote, nani ureshi-karo… Katabira wa nashi, obi wa nashi…”

Splinter sang the lullaby to its entirety and, though Donatello was still awake by the end of it, neither father nor son made any attempt to leave or interrupt the comfort of each other's presence. They both fell asleep together.

****

“Keep your eyes closed! Keep 'em closed! Closed closed closed closed closed!”

“They’re closed, Mike!” Raphael bellowed his laughter at the eager young mutant that covered both Raphael’s eyes while sitting on his shoulders. “What’s the surprise!”

“Wait for it! Wait for it!”

“The suspense is killing me!”

“NOW!”

Michelangelo pulled his hands away with a happy squeak and Raphael opened his eyes. Raphael blinked a few times to get used to the light again before he processed what was in front of him. Leonardo and Donatello, both smiling as they held a large something between them.

The prosthetic piece was an impossibly bright red color, the cloth some of the most vibrant Raphael had ever seen! There were several ridges on it and Raphael’s eyes widened when he recognized the shapes from his shell. He looked back at his shell, then to the prosthetic, then back at his shell.

“Tadaaa~” Michelangelo jumped from Raphael’s shell, landing with a loud grunt, and did jazz hands.

“It’s made of reinforced acrylic— it’s not as strong as your actual shell, but strong enough to take a solid hit.” Donatello explained, “I wanted to make it a more natural color, but Nardo here insisted it stay red.”

“What? Red is totally his color!” Leonardo scoffed, “the Kanji was Mikey’s idea— figured Bo-su was most suited to you.”

“And Donnie made sure the measurements were right so it could fit over your shell!” Michelangelo squeaked, “Do you like it?”

Raphael didn't answer. He couldn’t answer, not for an uncomfortably long time. And when he did answer, it wasn’t with words. It was with a loud, whimpering squeal as he scooped all three brothers in for a hug and crushed them against his chest.

“I love it…” Raphael nuzzled each brother in turn, “And I love you all so much…”

[chickenscript]

A/N: nyeh. and so it begins. i'm doing this in a series 'cause i've seen a few other people do it like that and well, i wanna experiment with new formats. sorry it took so long btw. i’ll be buckling down on the prompts that were sent in- enjoy!

- ho boy is there a lot of sass to go around when you two are together.

- you complain about things to each other that you wouldn't with other people. especially if it's about those other people.

- he really doesn't get emotions all that well- they weren't programmed into him right, so he's great at the language of sarcasm and composed comments. you honestly can't tell when he's not serious sometimes.

- it's great when something unpredictable to him happens though, then you get to watch how his brain starts running around in that big noggin of his, trying to figure out what the hell was happening.

- cold, hard science was his anchor, with the exception of metaphysics, so when stuff like that teleporting mutant they found pops up, he's bewildered and thrown off but crikey is he excited. ten times as much as when mikey gets new paint.

- it's pretty funny to you, but don get laughs out of you any time.

- he makes hella good blunt jokes and they always get you going because you share that same kind of dry humor.

- he doesn't really like touch so much and it took you a while to adjust to the preference since you're kind of a touchy person. (hence why you go to the other brothers when you're in a cuddly mood)

- he does sometimes seek out a hug, or want to just lean over your shoulder while you're doing something and pull you closer until your backed up into his chest. he also likes to gently talk when he gets like that, voice all low and pebbly.

- a big shift from his crackly, puberty one. 

- he also corrects people a lot offhandedly. you got used to it though. just like you got used to how he gets very in the zone about stuff, and you notice when he does while you're talking and start saying weird shit to get him to focus again.

("And oh, by the way, turtle soup? I’m a big fan.”

"Mm hm- wait, what did you just say?" (well, maybe that’s more morbid than weird)

- when he isn't so impassive and really, genuinely smiles or laughs, you like to coo and prod at him.

- you make fun of each other, a lot actually. you're banter kings, and practically unstoppable when you fire pokes at his brothers. they are no match for you two.

- like mikey, you’re usually an extra hand during a project and he's taught you a ton in the realm of science and tech. it’s a good thing you soak up stuff like a sponge when it’s within your interest. 

- like how to hot wire a car or just be able to know your wires and never cross them incorrectly. it took a hefty amount of trial and electricity burns to figure out your way around machine guts. and a couple fires. but he's never kicked you to the curb and called you unteachable. 

- you're always welcome in his lab and to assist with experiments so long as he's taught you whatever it is you're trying to do thrice.

- it's great because you’re not as terrified of explosions - or maybe just shrapnel - as his brothers are, and you’re a good thinker so you make a great assistant (or co-mind. you’re still brainstorming better names)

- lots of hands/robo arm gestures. you actually get into the habit of doing them too and leo points it out with some light jabs about how you're starting to get stuck in that lab all day too.

- like April, you like to hitch a ride on him but not as much as Raph. then again, everybody feels the same about that to be honest.

- you tend to borrow his tools in case you have something you need to fix at home, but sometimes you over estimate yourself so you call your good ole handy man turtle and he either talks you through the repair, or jets over to help if it’s something you’re really unfamiliar with and unsure of. (you may or may not have nearly blown your fridge sky high)

- you guys are like grease monkeys when it comes to the turtle tank.

- don't get yourself started on the stealth cycles- you loves those puppies so much. (you’re a real motorhead and was always excited to drive something for the first time)

- don’s taught you a lot on the care of both the tank and cycles, but he won't let you drive a cycle without him on the back. and without you wearing an assortment of sports pads and a helmet he modified. (he’s actually designing smart armor for you if you ever get caught in a battle. april shot him down when he offered to make her some for no good reason in your opinion, like free smart armor bro. who’d say no to that?) 

- humans aren't as sturdy as turtles.

- you could say the same for him and his soft shell when the all the battle buff is off.

- you really do appreciate his ways of showing he cares though. it's sweet and quietly tactful.

- oh, you guys are huge sugar junkies. he eats sweets and drinks high in sugar or caffeine stuff all the time when he's binging work or skipping sleep. if you can't get him to bed, then you'll compromise by joining in on the sugar rush so you'll be able to get him to there when he crashes.

- which takes forever, mind you. you're usually the first one to zonk out on the pile of bean bags you helped him gather and nest in a corner of the lab.

- but he joins you at some point. the geometric edges of his battle shell jolts you awake and lets you see that.

- you honestly do a lot of the self care don doesn't do for himself. you remind him to eat often when he's got a project going- you bring him his favorite sandwich from subways, a tall coffee, or mikey's cooking (which is usually heavy udon whenever he knows don is at work so he can get hearty meals).

- you really just make sure he’s alive, and kind of healthy. (”Oi, stay hydrated.” you toss Donnie a bottle of water that one of his shell’s spidery arms catch instantly. He mumbles something like a thanks, still much too busy to watch you set yourself up on the beanbags with your laptop)

- he properly thanks you in subtle ways, like the odd gift.

- victim example being a custom made roomba. (his names connor btw, and you adore him and how much he helps keep the apartment clean since you and your uncle are horrible at upkeep. even when you get strings of messages about him being stuck in precarious situations that aren't even)

- sometimes don knows he can say things that sound too harsh and he can't always tell when they've gone that far, so he makes sure you're not upset about it later by surprisingly asking outright if it’s really bothering him.

- he really is a softie under some layers, or at least he doesn't want to be on anyone's bad side. then again, you're not sure he cares all that much about the latter.

- you still act like dicks to each other sometimes, not that you’ll ever really mean anything.

- and if you do say something with some bite to it, you know how to grow some balls and apologize. (you do a lot of that when you’re one of the reasons he cracks. sometimes he even needs some tlc if he’s really messed up over whatever made him blow a gasket)

- after all, don liked to think he was the mature one out of the group.

- so you let him keep thinking that.

- you have indeed asked about his eyebrows. he just never acknowledges you once you bring them up.

- and he’s as melodramatic as leo sometimes, and god it annoys you when you’re not in the mood. so does having to kiss up to him when he’s moody.

- you don’t try so much anymore, but you do get him his favorite snacks when you’re feeling merciful.

- well, actually, you’re really just a doormat for the people you love. you couldn’t stay mad at any one of the turtles for an hour on average, or less. long lasting grudges toward friends just weren't in your nature.

- you understanding don and being able to sit through his little rambles about his newest creation or a theory, or anything else in that regard makes him so very happy.

- he’s gotten a cut to the chase comment way to many times before and you are amazing for listening. (a true talent that is, being an ace listener.)

- to you, he's just really interesting to listen to. and he doesn’t mind when you ramble either. 

- but you do realize how odd it is that you know someone who’s motto is; the blast radius should be about here. but i’ve been wrong before, or, your other top favorite, it shouldn’t blow up. much.

- jeez, don is such a dweeb.

bonus:

"You're ambidextrous?"

Donnie blinks at you, "Yeah, what of it? All geniuses are."

You scoff and shake you're head, returning to your book, "You're getting more full of yourself by the day, nerd boy."

"Oh, why thank you for noticing~"

bonus bonus because the ideas won't stop:

- don wearing a leather jacket makes you feel questionable. like really tight in the throat questionable.

- so does the suave way he's wiggling his eyebrows when he catches you staring- nope. nevermind. your dork friend is back.

"Loser."

"Dick."