#bro don even blink

[ritinja-draws]

Venti headcanon: poetry

#bro don even blink #venti the bard #venti barbatos #lord barbatos #gi venti #venti #genshin #genshin incorrect quotes #anemo archon #genshin headcanons #venti headcanons #headcanon #Mondstadt

[awarmbowlofhomemadesoup]

Leoichi but make it Oblivious x Oblivious part 2

See part 1

Part 3

Leo and Usagi would be insufferable together even if everyone but them had realized that they were into each other. 

The turtle bros are casually physical with each other and Usagi had rubbed off on that with Leo, like grabbing Leo’s arm and dragging Leo’s attention to whatever distracted him this time. 

Leo and Usagi would definitely do victory poses together after defeating a bunch of bad guys (the others could tell they had practiced). 

Since there’s almost a foot of height difference between them, Usagi would sometimes use Leo’s shell as a landing pad or a springboard. Their team-up practices made Leo get used to bracing his feet each time. 

They definitely hype each other up, Mr. Greatest Swordsman Ever and Mr. Greatest Ninja of All Time.

Leo once confided in Usagi that who would want to date him if they found out he almost caused the world to end in the most devastating invasion anyone could ever imagine. 

Usagi immediately jumped to defend him. “That’s not true, Leo! You’re pretty and funny and strong, and you strive to do better! Anyone would be an idiot not to see that.”

Leo blinked before putting a hand over his mouth. But he wasn’t going to be one-upped in such manner. “Aaaw, you’re pretty awesome too, Usagi! Screw your grandfather’s tragic love life! If anyone would choose over you, they’re an idiot when you’re cute and dependable and-”

And because Usagi’s face was cupped by Leo’s hands in Leo’s attempt to drive the point home, Usagi’s voice was muffled when he interjected, “I think you’re handsome too, Leo!”

Gen, who was walking by at that point, aged 10 years in exasperation over the two before continuing on his way. 

Stupid Sparring

Usagi once mentioned the time he defeated a guy with a table. Leo mentioned the time he used two swordfishes to beat up bad guys. 

They ended up in a match against each other with Gen, Kitsune and Chizu cheering Usagi on while he has no weapon but a table, while Raph, Don and Mikey rooted for Leo armed with nothing but a pair of swordfishes. Both parties are waiting to make fun of their champion if they fail spectacularly. Donnie, of course, recorded the whole thing for his Youtube channel. 

Top comment of the YouTube video asked when would the rabbit and the turtle kiss.

How They Actually Spar

At least once a week, their spar would be a serious, learning-from-each-other, battle of skill and strategy. Then Usagi would respectfully thank Leo and Leo would mirror him since the formality is part of Usagi’s culture, and to Leo’s extent, his own. 

The rest of the time, it’s a sort of playful banter and showing-off-to-friends-brothers spar that somehow goes into an escalating self-feeding cycle of rivalry-to-tension-to-more-rivalry-to-more-tension because Usagi always rose to a challenge and Leo was competitive. They would often end up on the floor, too exhausted to even be confused about what the heck was that about.

A Moment in the Minotaur Maze

Leo wanted to go to the Minotaur Maze again to get his face on the wall of champions. Usagi wanted to go too because he, Gen, Kitsune, and Chizu couldn’t reach the maze's center in record time. 

Neither brothers nor friends wanted to go. So it was just Leo and Usagi.

“Good, maybe this time you’ll figure it out,” Kitsune said. “Figure what out?” Usagi asked before being dragged by Leo away to their epic quest. 

Said epic quest ended sourly when Leo had a flashback. They got out of the maze with Leo’s mood in shambles, frustrated at himself for having a flashback and failing at the maze again.

After making sure that Leo was alright, Usagi marched straight back to the maze and cheated.

Leo was flabbergasted out of his funk when Usagi presented his picture next to Leo’s in the Wall of Cheaters.

“I thought samurais are supposed to be honorable,” Leo said.

“An honor that I can regain,” Usagi said with dramatic loftiness, “when we’ll try again next time. But for now,” he gestured at their pictures together, “Anata wa hitori ja nai,” he finished in his native language to let Leo know that he meant it.

Usagi wondered why Leo was looking at him like that. 

The next day, Chizu, Gen and Kitsune stared at Usagi’s picture on the said wall. 

“And I cheated,” Usagi proudly said, “on purpose.” (“That’s the point of cheating, Usagi,” Gen said)

Reflections in the Night

On those nights when insomnia hits and Leo couldn’t distract himself with his family, Leo privately reflects. 

Leo knew that he could be egotistical and Usagi could be too. But that’s the thing. Usagi’s ego is based on valid confidence in his sword skill and a positive aspiration to be like his ancestor. While Leo’s ego comes from a feeling of lack and doubt. 

Leo was very much aware that while Usagi chased aft his ancestor Usagi like a beacon of light, Leo was chasing after the light that was his Usagi. Which was why Leo valued their friendship. A lot. More than he would let on.

He hoped their friendship would last for a long, long time. 

The First Base is Adoption

It was a while before they let Usagi know that Case Jr. was from the future.

When Usagi asked about himself, Junior said he had known Master Leonardo as a single dad his whole life. Usagi wondered what he meant by that. 

Leo happily said that at least they gave Splinter a grandkid in the alternate future timeline.

Usagi was silent as he thought of how isolated the turtles were before they knew of the hidden city, and how Auntie raised him alone on a farm. “Do you want to adopt together someday?” he asked.

Leo gasped, “You’d do that for me?”

“I’d do it for us; besides our friends and your brothers, we’re a team.”

At this rate, Chizu, who was in the same room, threw up her hands before saying, “I can’t.” At this rate, those two would have kids before they’d even start dating. 

The Fell Asleep Together Trope

Leo and Usagi once fell asleep together in the Hidden Lair’s living room. It looked less than a reason to cover Mikey’s eyes and more like the impression of a body dumped on top of another body. Leo’s temperature ran cool, and Usagi’s ran warm. Together they both achieved a perfect balance that conked them out deeper into their sleep. 

They woke up with the worst cricks on their necks.

#leoichi #leochi #sliderbunny #samurai rabbit: the usagi chronicles #samurai rabbit the usagi chronicles #rottmnt #samurai rabbit #yuichi usagi #rottmnt leo #usagi chronicles #the usagi chronicles #leo x yuichi

[risewriter]

ROTTMNT: Turtle Pile

A terrified cry for help reaches the three older tot brother’s ears.

"Mikey?!" They make eye contact with each other before racing to Michael's room.

Opening the door, the only thing lighting the room is a little nightlight of a unicorn. It's flickering, showing the silhouette of a little orange turtle. Shaking like a leaf, Mikey looks up.

''R-Raph?''

''Hey, bud.'' Raph replies. While he and the crew nears he adds: ''What's up?''

''The sky..'' The little box shell's head slumps onto his folded knees.

A snort Leo lets out is cut short by an elbow from both Raph and Donnie in each of the slider's hips.

''It's... doing the scary noises again.'' Mikey's eyes stray to his night light. ''Even Jorge is scared..''

''Aw, Mike. It's just a little thunder. It can't hurt ya.'' The snapping turtle sits down next to Michael.

''Yeah! You're kinda in a bunker here, bro.'' Leo plops beside the two. ''Nothin' is getting through here, right D?'' Throwing the stick to Don, which he wasn't prepared to catch, the soft shell steadies his glasses.

"O-Of course! These sewers are one of the safest areas to be at during storming weather conditions. I can guarantee that being struck by lightning is highly improbable.''

''See? Even D knows it's a pro babble!''

''Improbable.''

''Yeah? That's what I said.''

The two lock eyes, though Donnie knew from experience that this is a battle which doesn't deserve his effort.

''Although, if this was a flood, we would be in danger. We can hold our breaths for a long while, but we would have to move to a different area- Ah-''

Now noticing that his brothers were signing him to stop talking, little Mikey begins to cry.

''Shh, Mikey! There's no flood! It's ok!''

As Raphael and the others try to calm their little brother down, a light crack in the sky followed by a loud rumble trembles the floor beneath them.

''AAAH!'' Mikey screams, covering his ears with the hope the drums above the clouds would stop.

But then, without warning, Jorge's light goes out.

''J-Jorge?'' Mikey looks up to see only darkness. ''Raphie?'' With each cry, the box shell feels his anxiety grow. ''Le-Le? Dee?''

The orange turtle senses getting jostled. At first, it freaked him out even more, but then it became more and more familiar.. and warm.

''I got it.'' The soft shell calls out. Within a few seconds, the night light blinks back to life. Though, Donnie didn't just fix the light, he worked his magic to make Jorge slowly switch to each of the colours of the rainbow.

Now being able to see clearly, Mikey's eyes widen. He's now being held by his big red brother in the opening of his crossed legs.

''In case anythin' tries to hurt ya, I'll be the roof!'' Raphael brings out a toothy grin.

''Oh! Oh! I'll be like- the really, really important cool guy! I'll be so cool that I can stomp on the ground and scare that thunder away!'' Imitating a ‘woosh’ sound, Leo let himself fall on Raph's side.

''I'll make that lightning a light thing!'' He winks, causing both the turtles to giggle.

''Aaand since nobody knows how lightning works, I guess I'll be the lightning rod.'' A tad reluctant, the soft shell leans against the snapping turtle's back shell.

Raph wraps his arms around Leo and Mikey as the drowsiness takes hold. With Jorge keeping a watchful eye, the rainbow colored turtle pile dozes off.

Looks like tomorrow will be sunny.

#Thank you theawesomeninja-xd for the idea! #ficlet! #turtle tots #rottmnt #rise of the tmnt #rottmnt leo #rise leonardo #rottmnt mikey #rottmnt donnie #rise donatello #rise michelangelo #rottmnt raph #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #rise raphael #rise leo #rise donnie #rise mikey #rise raph #rottmnt incorrect quotes #tmnt incorrect quotes

[captainofthedauntless]

Glow in the Dark

Bayverse Donatello x Reader imagine

Info + Warnings: Comments on Reader's appearance (all positive, no identifying features described). No gendered language, pronouns, or Y.N used for Reader. Friends-to-lovers type beat, still in the friends era. Set a few years after OOTS.

Commentary: I think Donnie deserves to get a little short-circuited, as a treat.

"You're starin'," Raphael muttered behind him.

Donatello tried to come up with an eloquent response.

"What the fuck?" He managed, voice an awe-filled whisper. He blinked rapidly, spinning his desk chair away from you and meeting his brother's eyes, motioning back over his shoulder in an are you seeing this. "What.... the fuck."

Raph chuckled, patting him on the shoulder, just shy of patronizing. Donnie couldn't bring himself to care. "Good luck, genius." Then, he walked past Donnie and away from the computers, calling your name. "What's got you all dressed up?"

Donnie spun back, gaze landing on you again. You were offering his brother a bashful grin, saying something about the event you had attended- Don had known what it was, you'd told him what it was on the phone just the night before, but he couldn't remember the details now- and looking like one of his dreams come to life.

You were, in fact, all dressed up; more formally than he had ever seen you. Your clothes seemed tailor-made for you, perfectly highlighting all of your best features, the colors you wore contrasting your skin tone beautifully.

The cherry on top of Donatello's "I'm-thoroughly-screwed" sundae was the purple bracelet you wore. It was thin and elegant and caught the lights of the lair like the universe was begging him to see it.

Like he ever could have missed it.

And then you were laughing, damn it all, and Donnie was so swept up in you that he nearly missed the pillow flying at his head.

He caught it at the last possible second (thank you, Splinter) and whipped his head to the side to glare at Mikey.

"Go over there!" Mikey said in a stage whisper before Donnie could ask what his problem was. "This is your moment, bro!"

"What moment?" He asked incredulously in an actual whisper.

"To make a move! Because if you don't, I might- umph!"

Donnie, pillowless once again, glanced back at you and froze immediately when you were already looking at him.

You smiled- half warmth and half curious amusement, probably about his whipping a pillow at Michelangelo- and gave him a small wave. He managed one in return, urging his mind to please regain its balance already.

As much as he enjoyed the chemical soup you caused in his brain, he suspected Mikey had a point. This was a moment, even if he had his doubts about it being his moment, and the last thing he wanted was to be blinded by dopamine.

Your attention turned as Leonardo walked in. Donnie couldn't hear what either of you said, but he could see that almost shy smile of yours return as Leo spoke- another compliment on your appearance, judging by how you looked down and smoothed out your already-smooth clothing before responding.

Donnie nudged the floor with the toe of his boot, smoothly turning back to his monitors and exhaling heavily through his nose.

"Donnie," you called a few minutes later, startling him back out of his newly-found groove. "You got a minute?"

Like he'd ever say no.

"Um..." he muttered, hitting save on his spreadsheet and bracing himself before spinning his chair around towards you and leaning back. "I do now."

You smiled at him again, shooting butterflies into his stomach. "I got you something," you said, pulling a small shopping bag out from behind you. "It's a little silly, but- well, it made me think of you."

He took the bag with a smile and quirked brow, glancing at it and back to you. He reached inside, freezing when he bumped into crumpled packing paper. Setting the bag in his lap, he carefully pulled the paper-wrapped item out and discarded the paper, finding a blown-glass sphere with swirls of orange and yellow. "The sun?"

"It glows in the dark," you offered, a tension in your voice that he didn't anticipate. "from the museum. The venue was right near it, so I swung in. Found this. I thought maybe you would have a spot to hang it."

He nodded, a grin on his face. "I do! There's an empty space over my work bench that would be perfect." He turned the ornament in his hands. "Thank you."

"Yeah. It's uh... a light in the shadows, so..."

Oh, he had to be hearing things.

"Like you."

Or dreaming.

"Anyway!" You clapped your hands once softly before rubbing them together awkwardly, turning towards the kitchen. "I should go get something to drink, so-"

Donnie's mind finally caught up with your words, and he found himself stepping out of his chair and towards you. "Like me?"

You hesitated, glancing up at him. "Yeah, with the whole ninja thing, y'know? The shadows, all that."

He couldn't help a little smile, tilting his head slightly. "So, uh, you're- you're suggesting I glow?"

"Maybe a little." He definitely wasn't imagining you matching his gentle teasing, or the way your shoulders relaxed. "Or maybe I'm saying you're full of hot air."

He chuckled, looking back down at the sun he held.

"It's... probably more about the glow, though."

"If anyone here is glowing," he started, hearing Mikey's encouragement in his mind, "I believe it's you. You look amazing."

You let out a small huff of laughter, looking away from him with a shy smile. "Nice deflection."

"It's not deflection. It's the truth."

"It can be both."

He hummed, and you looked back up at him.

"...Deflection or not, thank you."

Donnie nodded, motioning with the sun. "Thank you. This was really thoughtful."

"Of course."

"Let me make you some tea?" The offer came out softer than it usually would, a tentative note that your exchanges usually did not have.

You smiled warmly, nodding. "I'd like that."

It probably wasn't- definitely wasn't- the move Mikey had meant, but Donnie couldn't help but mentally pat himself on the back as he poured steaming water into your mug. It was something he had done dozens of times, but there was something different in your expression, your body language.

He was a turtle of science. He wasn't going to draw conclusions from one datapoint, couldn't be sure that the softness in your eyes wasn't a fluke.

But he could allow himself the most minute hint of optimism when he sat down next to you and you leaned against his shoulder.

#*writing #imagines #donatello #bayverse x reader #tmnt 2014 x reader #tmnt 2016 x reader #2014 #donatello x reader #tmnt x reader #tmnt imagine #i may continue this. idk. #also first time writing him lmao #trying to strike that balance of his canon confidence and a little flustered

[someone1348]

I've been stuck in a lee mood for a while so we're writing to fix it!

This is another turtle tots fic! Because I love them and I miss rise so much!

People in this: Lee!Leo, Ler!Donnie

This is kind of a spoiler for the last episode so if you are not finished with the series here's your warning in advance

You'll see what I mean in a minute :]

Tw: none this is adorable!

I hope you all enjoy!

-K :]

____________~☆��♡°☆°♡°☆~______________

Body Language

It happened by complete accident! Donnie and Leo were hanging out in their shared room when Leo laughed a little too hard at a funny memory and started glowing! It wasn't too bright, but it was enough to see that he was indeed glowing. every mark on his body, and shell started to glow. Donnie blinked as he looked at his twin in surprise.

Leo's laughter went down and so did his glow "Y-You were glowing for a second Lee Lee!" Leo blinked even more confused than Donnie "That's silly Dee Dee I can't glow that's not a thing" Donnie growled and protested "You did you were glowing! Hold on!" He cleared his tiny throat as he brought up another funny memory and sure enough there was the light again! Donnie held up his arm to show him,

"See! You're glowing!"

"Woah!" His laughter stopped, but he kept glowing, This fascinated Donnie, He had to experiment.

"It seems to be staying even after you stopped laughing,,,intresting" He spoke softly to himself as he traced the markings over Leo's arms

"DeHehe Dee! What are you doing?"

Donnie smiled at him "I'm collecting Data now shush you'll ruin the flow of my genuis"

Leo blinked again confused "Data?"

Donnie sighed "Yes, I am observing this phenomenon with all of my senses to study this interesting endeavor"

"Big words Don"

Donnie sighed again as he adjusted his glasses "I'm testing out what's making you glow"

"Oooohhh okay!"

"Now stay still!" Donnie walked around the back of him to his shell as he traced his fingers around the markings in it

"EE! DOhOhoNnie! CAhareful!" Leo said as his face started to tint red and Donnie raised a drawn on eyebrow at him

He seemed to be glowing more now this turned Donnies confusion into a smirk

"What's the matter Lee Lee?~ I thought your shell wasn't ticklish?~" He gently tapped the area as Leo lightly chirped

"IhIt's nOhot!"

"Oh?~ then what's so funny giggles?~ is something tickling you?~" He ran a few fingers gently down the sides of his shell

"DehEEE! NOhO! FaHair!" He covered his face as the brightness of his shell and markings increased "oKaHay! I lied iHIhit ReHeheally Tihickles!"

Donnie gasped jokingly "Lyings not good Lee Lee~ you know the rules~" he smirked before scribbling all over his twins ribs

"DOHOHONNIEHEHE NOHO! NOHOHOT THEHEHERE!" He fell backwards into his twins arms as Donnie smirked at him moving the hands out of his face to see the markings around his eyes glowing the brightest

"Hello~"

"Hihihi!"

Donnie smiled before he went back to scribbling all over his twins tickle spot "Tickletickletickletickle~ Coochie Coochie Coo Wittle Lee Lee~"

"DOHOHONNIEHEHE! LEHeheT mE gOHoHo!" He chirped as he tried to get away but nothing worked

"You are enjoying this huh?~ barely even trying to fight back"

"AhAHaM nOHot!"

"Well your body language says otherwise~" he smirked referring to the ever so bright green hue that gave it all away with every giggle out of his mouth

The turtle tot in purple giggled before blowing raspberries all over his ribs "You have the most amazing laugh little brother"

"DEHEHE DEHEHE!"

"Okahay okay you're free now you gigglebug!"

Leo giggled as he caught his breath and tried to rub away the ghost tickles "ihihi think the glowing made me more umm you know"

"Ticklish~"

"Yeah that!"

Back in the present time after discovering their nimpo and that they can glow Donnie smiled to himself thinking about that memory as he looked at Leo

"Whatcha' thinking about bro bro?~" Leo teased before Donnie swiped a finger down Leo's now glowing shell

"EEP!"

'I guess some things never change~'

_________________________________________

This one is short but sweet! I hope you all enjoyedd! Definitely more to come very soon since it's summer!

I'm so proud of you! Drink water! Eat something yummy! Treat yourself, Take care of yourself and remember that you are loved, appreciated, valued and valid no matter what! You will always be more than good enough! /p /gen /pos

-K :]

#k writes tk things #disaster twins #disaster twins tickle fic #disaster twins tickle #lee!leo #lee!leonardo #ler!donnie #ler!donatello #rottmnt tickle #rottmnt #rottmnt tickle fic #k's lee mood post for the week #anna ignore all of this i know you're reading it!

[desceros]

After Leo finishes with the debrief and dismisses the group, Mikey is waiting for him just outside the doorway. He's wearing that solemn expression that tells Leo what's wrong before he even opens his mouth.

“Glad you're back safe, Lee.”

Leo pats him on the shoulder, ignoring the bone deep exhaustion that he feels. “Thanks, little brother.”

A few seconds of silence pass between them before Mikey sighs and speaks again.

“I've been trying to pull him out of it, but...” He doesn't elaborate. They both know how Donnie gets when this happens.

Leo closes his eyes for a moment before opening them again.

“How long?”

Mikey looks away, staring at the floor. His response is quiet, almost drowned out by the sounds of distant explosions far, far above them.

“Three days. Hasn't been eating, but I got him to drink something yesterday.”

Leo nods. Swallows.

“I'll take care of it.”

-

The makeshift lab is darker than usual, the familiar notes of that song growing louder in Leo's tympanum as he walks further in. The melody makes his throat tighten, makes his chest ache, and the sight of Donnie doesn't help.

He's sitting at his worktable, random bits of metal scattered about, but he isn't working. He's staring at nothing, hunched forward with his forearms resting on the surface of the table. One hand rubs the lavender mask tied around the other wrist between his fingers. His face is blank, his eyes unfocused, and Leo can see the dark bags under his eyes even through his mask and visor.

The ending notes of the song fade out. There's heavy silence for a moment before it starts again, and Leo forces himself to breathe through the grief that squeezes his lungs like a vice.

Focus on Donnie.

It's been a while since he was this bad, Leo thinks. Donnie doesn't react to the chair he's in being turned. His hands just fall into his lap, still rubbing the lavender fabric between his fingers. He doesn't react to Leo removing his visor, either, or to Leo softly calling his name. It isn't until Leo places his hands over Donnie's own that there's a reaction. Don's breaths stutter, eyes blinking and searching until they finally focus on Leo's face. There's the barest hint of recognition, and Leo tries to smile.

“Leo?” Donnie's voice is a quiet rasp, his tone uncertain in a way that physically hurts to hear. Leo presses on.

“Hey Tello,” he murmurs. “I need you to come eat something, okay?”

Donnie just stares at him. His eyes start to drift, and Leo grips his hands tighter in an attempt to keep him focused. It works, thankfully, Donnie's eyes finding Leo's once again.

“She's gone,” he whispers, looking down at the tiny mask looped around his wrist. “They're… they're both…”

Leo feels his eyes start to burn and pushes down the grief still swelling in his chest. He can't afford to give in to it right now. Not with Donnie like this.

“I know, Tello.” He stands, pulling Donnie's hands until he's standing, as well. The song ends before starting up once more. “Come on, bro. Let's get you something to eat, yeah?”

Donnie doesn't respond, but he lets Leo lead him toward the mess hall and away from the melody that haunts them both.

Leo will make sure to turn it off before he lets Donnie return to the lab.

#me wanting to shoot you but 1) i started it and 2) i literally asked for this #ask tag #symphony tag #not my fic #OOF. HURTS GOOD. LOVE IT THANK YOU

[aquietwritingcorner]

Recycled Nightmares

Title: Recycled Nightmares   Fandom: TMNT 2003 Word Count: 4949  Author: aquietwritingcorner/realitybreakgirl Rating:  T Characters: Donatello, Leonardo Warning: NA Summary: During his first childhood, Don didn’t have nightmares. This time around, Don seems to be having quite a few—including ones where Leo is the only one who can comfort him. But whey they figure out why, it wasn’t what they were expecting. Notes:  Part of the Little Don AU, an AU I’ve had forming in my head where, during a crisis with the Time Scepter, Don sacrificed himself to save everything. Instead of it killing him, though, it turned him into a baby, and his family has needed to raise him all over again.  ff.net || AO3

______________________________ 

Recycled Nightmares

A shriek split the silent night. High pitched and terrified, it broke the silence like glass shattering, jolting everyone in the lair to wakefulness. A second shriek, this time, with a name, or at least as much of one as the voice could pronounce, split the air again.

“EEEEEEOOOOOO!!!!”

Leo shot out of bed and moved faster than he had ever moved in his life. He snatched his swords up as he ran, not even bothering to put the strap on, and pulled one out even as he practically flew to Donnie’s room, somehow passing both Raph and Mikey, who were also moving quickly.

The door to Donnie’s room was open, but so was Splinter’s. With Donnie barely being one, they still kept his room on the bottom floor and close to Splinter’s in case he needed anything. Splinter had, obviously, gotten there first, but Leo wasn’t far behind, and he all but burst into the room they had renovated for their now-baby brother.

Leo stood for a moment, his eyes sweeping over the room, katana out and ready but there didn’t seem to be any threat. He could hear Raph and Mikey come up behind him, feel how ready they were, but there didn’t seem to be a threat. Just Splinter, holding a crying and wailing baby turtle, trying to comfort him without success.

“I believe he had a nightmare,” Splinter said over Donnie’s wails.

There was a second’s pause, and then they all relaxed a little. Leo sheathed his katana and let out a breath. “I’m glad that’s all it was.”

“Scared the shell outta me,” Raph said, huffing out a breath.

Donnie was still crying, but it seemed to have quieted a touch.

Leo frowned. “Let’s check the perimeter anyway,” he said, looking back at Splinter. “Just to be sure. We want to make sure that nothing got in.”

“A wise precaution, my son,” Splinter said, still attempting to soothe the still crying Donnie.

Leo turned to leave, and Donnie started wailing again.

“Eo! Eo, Eo, Eo, Eo!”

“I think you’re being paged, bro,” Mikey said as they all turned back around.

Donnie was looking at him, distress on his face, and reaching his hands out towards him. Leo blinked for a second, surprised. It wasn’t that Donnie didn’t come to him. No, he went to all of them freely. It was just unusual for him to be this insistent on it.

Setting his swords down, Leo walked up to Splinter and took Donnie from him. The little turtle immediately latched on, crying and sniffling, but holding tightly to him. He babbled between his cries, and Leo had no idea what he was saying, besides his name. Still, he held onto his little brother and rocked him gently.

“It’s alright, little brother. I’ve got you,” he said. “You’re safe. We’re all safe.”

“Mike and I’ll go check around,” Raph said, watching the scene. “You can join us after Donnie calms down.”

Leo nodded. “Sounds good,” he said, still holding the distraught Donnie. He watched as his other two brothers left, and then looked at Splinter. “What do you think got Donnie so upset?” he asked as he tried to calm his baby brother.

Splinter shook his head. “I do not know. He is too small to verbalize much to us,” he said, running a hand on Donnie’s head. “Hopefully, whatever it was, it will leave him soon.”

“I hope so,” Leo said, looking down at the still crying Donnie.

It took almost an hour for Donnie to stop wailing, and another thirty minutes after that for him to stop crying completely. Leo attempted to pass him back to Splinter, but the moment Donnie was out of Leo’s arms, he started wailing again. Eventually, Leo gave up, and just took Donnie out to the couch, where he wrapped them both up, and they slept together. Come morning Donnie refused to let go of Leo and started crying anytime Leo put him down. He wanted no one and nothing but Leo and refused the rest of his family completely. None of them could figure out why the little boy was so upset, but he was, and they just had to deal with it.

Still, by that night, he went down fine, and the next day he was back to normal, laughing and playing with all of them again. The family just collectively shrugged and went about their day, thinking that perhaps it was a one-time thing.

It was two years later when another similar incident occurred. Nightmares, they had discovered, were not that uncommon for Donnie to experience. According to Splinter, Donnie didn’t have nightmares when he was a child the first time. However, this time around, they were something that the family had learned to deal with. Tonight, another scream rent the night air, although this one started out by screaming Leo’s name.

“YEEEEEYOOOO!!!”

It was a terrified, heart wrenching cry that once again had Leo flying out of his bed as fast as his feet could take him and to his little brother. His family was there with him, of course, Splinter already in the room, trying to console the three-year-old, but Donnie only screamed louder, almost hysterically, until he saw Leo. Then he reached for his brother and sobbed.

Leo wasted no time in scooping the toddler up, cradling him against his plastron and shushing him. “Another nightmare?” he asked, even as he tried to soothe his brother.

“I believe so,” Splinter said.

“It’s alright, buddy,” Leo said to Donnie. “It’s alright, I’m here.”

Donnie’s breath hitched as he cried, holding tightly to his oldest brother.

“You got this, bro?” Mikey asked from the doorway.

Leo nodded. “Yeah. You two go back to bed. I’ll stay with Donnie.”

His brothers filed out, but Splinter stayed with Leo, even as Leo tried to calm the tot. Eventually, Donnie’s cried calmed, then quieted, and Leo gave his shell a few more rubs.

“There you go. It was just a dream. You’re safe now. Why don’t you let Father put you back to—”

Donnie’s arms tightened on his neck, and his breathing started to catch again. Leo quickly backtracked. “Or I can stay with you tonight,” he said.

Donnie seemed to calm a little at that, and Leo looked over at Splinter. “Looks like this one is mine, tonight,” he said.

Splinter nodded. “Then I will leave you to it,” he said.

Leo went over to Donnie’s bed and laid down with the little turtle. Donnie pulled his blankets and an old, stuffed dinosaur to him, but he didn’t ever completely let go of Leo.

“You had a bad dream, huh?” Leo said.

Donnie stared at him, but nodded “Mm-hm,” he said.

“I’m sorry it scared you,” Leo said. “Can you tell me what it was about?”

Donnie was quiet for a moment. “…Dere was a scawy man,” he said.

“A scary man?” Leo repeated.

Donnie nodded. “Mm-hm. Gian’!”

“Oh, a giant,” Leo said.

Donnie nodded. “Fi’e ev’eywhere!”

“Oh, that does sound scary,” Leo said.

Donnie started tearing up again. “Yous hurt!” he said. “You ‘er blee’ing and ha’ losta owwies!”

Oh, that explained a lot. Leo reached out and pulled Donnie closer to him.

“Scawy,” Donnie whispered.

Leo began making shushing noises again, doing his best to reassure his little brother. “It was a just a dream,” he said. “I’m right here and I’m alright. No owwies, no bleeding. I’m right here and I’m not going anywhere.”

Donnie huddled against him, eventually falling asleep cradled in Leo’s arms. Leo laid awake for a little bit longer, thinking over what Donnie had said. A giant scary man with fire, and Leo hurt. It was probably from that new show that Mikey had been watching. Wasn’t there a character named Leo on there? He’d talk to Mike in the morning. That might have to be a show that he watched only after Donnie went to bed.

Leo stayed with Donnie the whole night, and the next day Donnie followed Leo like a little shadow, staying as close as possible to his biggest brother, often clinging to him or asking to be picked up. The day after that he was alright, pretty much back to normal, but it did remind Leo of that time when Donnie was one, and he filed that in the back of his mind.

Three years later it wasn’t a loud cry or a shriek that woke Leo up, but a stuttering, tear-filled little voice.

“L-l-l-le-ee-ee-o?”

Leo was awake instantly and rolling over to see the silhouette of his six-year-old brother in his doorway, clutching a blanket and an old dinosaur toy to him. Leo rolled out of bed, heading straight for Donnie.

“Donnie? Buddy, what’s wrong?” he asked as he approached him.

Donnie sniffed, and Leo could see the tears forming in his eyes. He wasted no time, just reached down and scooped up his brother. Donnie immediately clung onto Leo, hard, and started to cry. Leo made his way back to his own bed, sitting down with his little brother and rocking him.

“Hey, hey, shhhh, little brother, I’m here. What’s wrong? Are you hurt anywhere?”

Donnie shook his head at that question, but he didn’t stop clinging or crying.

“Okay, that’s good,” Leo said. “Was it a nightmare?” he asked.

Donnie froze for half a second, and then nodded, still clinging and crying.

Leo nodded, and readjusted, scooting back so that the wall was to his shell.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Leo asked.

Donnie shook his head hard, and Leo got the message loud and clear.

“Do you want to sleep here tonight?” Leo asked Donnie softly, and to that, Donnie nodded. “Alright,” Leo said, shifting to lay them both back. “You can sleep with me, and if you start to have another nightmare, I’ll wake you up, okay?”

Donnie sniffed. “Okay,” he said softly.

He clung to Leo even as he slowly fell asleep, but even after Donnie was asleep, Leo didn’t try to move him. Instead, he just held his brother to him, and dropped off to sleep as well, making sure to keep Donnie safe and warm.

Donnie stuck like glue to Leo the next day, getting as close to him in training as he could, and following him everywhere. Leo had decided not to do some of the training he had planned on doing today because of it, and so he was sitting on the couch, watching some television while Donnie scribbled away on some paper.

Leo hadn’t thought much of it. Donnie was always working on something, even now. It was usually some grand idea for a vehicle, or something that he could build, but sometimes he’d do things like plants or animals. Sometimes he tried to draw out the stories that his brothers told him. But most of the time it was a design for something.

So, when Leo shifted positions and glanced at what Donnie was drawing, well, he froze. He hadn’t been expecting to see a black and gray figure with red eyes and spikes on the paper.

“Donnie,” he said, keeping his voice calm. “Who’s that?”

Donnie didn’t look up at Leo, but his coloring slowed. “…It’s the bad spikey man,” he said.

“The bad spikey man?” Leo asked.

Donnie nodded. “Mm-hm. From my nightmare. The bad spikey man is there, and you’re hurt really, really badly. We’re at Aunt April and Uncle Casey’s, and there’s fire everywhere and a giant man that tries to hurt Aunt April.” He paused his crayon slowing. “You’re hurt so bad that when we get out of Aunt April and Uncle Casey’s I don’t know if you’re alive or not.”

Oh. Oh.  No wonder Donnie wanted to stick so close to him after a dream like that. But Donnie wasn’t supposed to have any of his memories from before. How was he dreaming about this?

Leo reached down and pulled Donnie up into his lap, cuddling the boy. Donnie didn’t resist, cuddling into Leo, his paper crumpling slightly as he held onto it.

“I’m sorry,” Leo said, his voice a little rough. “That… that sounds scary.”

Donnie sniffed a little and nodded. “It is,” he said his voice watery. “It’s terrifying.”

“I know,” Leo said. “But I’m here, now, and I’m not hurt, and the bad spikey man can’t hurt me or anyone.”

Donnie let out a little noise of agreement, but curled into Leo and cried anyway. Leo let him, rocking him.

Later, when Donnie was down for his nap, Leo gathered up the pictures and went to Splinter with them, telling him what Donnie had told him. Splinter, like Leo, was disturbed at this, and spent the rest of Donnie’s nap time contemplating what to do. Eventually the old rat decided it would be best to sit down as a family and explain what had happened to Donnie, in a child-friendly way, of course. They had decided long ago not to hide things from him, and this was no different, especially since he was already having nightmares about it.

When it was time, Leo got Donnie up from his nap, and the boy immediately cuddled into him, sleepily waking up. Leo smiled, enjoying the cuddles.

“Aunt April and Uncle Casey are coming over for dinner tonight,” Leo said softly.

Donnie raised his head. “Are Gus and Marie coming, too?” he asked, clearly wanting to see his human cousins.

Leo shook his head. “Not tonight. Just April and Casey.”

Donnie frowned. “Why not?” he asked. “They usually come, too.”

“They’re going to spend some time with their grandmother tonight,” Leo said.

“Oh.” Donnie frowned, and Leo could see that he was still thinking through the answer. It didn’t completely satisfy the boy, but he wasn’t contradicting it just yet. Leo wasn’t too surprised. Donnie was good at ferreting out when things didn’t make sense, and good at figuring out why, even if it took him a bit.

Still, the afternoon passed fairly quickly, Donnie still sticking close to Leo. By the time that April and Casey arrived in the lair, Leo was helping to cut up vegetables in the kitchen, Don by his side, carefully measuring things for Mikey.

“Hey guys,” April greeted them as she walked into the kitchen.

“Hi, Aunt April!” Donnie said, his face lighting up at the woman.

“Heya, squirt,” she said. “I brought some dessert!”

“Oooh, whaddya bring?” Mikey asked.

“Peach turnovers and ice cream,” she said.

“Ohhhhh!” Donnie said, clapping his hands together.

“Just stick it in the oven, April,” Mikey said. “It’ll keep warm in there. The rest of the food is on the stove and almost done.”

“Can do!” April slipped the dessert into the oven, and then turned to Donnie, hands on her hips. “So. What have you been up to, Squirt?”

Donnie chattered to April about his day, going into detail as Mikey, April and Leo finished up the food, Raph, Casey, and Splinter coming in to help set the table. It didn’t take long for everyone to settle in, and dinner to start. It went well enough, with the family chatting about things, until supper was over.

Donnie sat in between Leo and April, eating and joining in on the conversation, but still obviously trying to figure out what was going on. He grew more suspicious when, after dinner was finished and the table cleared, dessert wasn’t gotten out.

Donnie glanced at everyone. “What’s going on?” he asked, looking a little nervous.

Leo reached over and pulled Donnie into his lap. “We need to talk to you,” he said, keeping his voice gentle. “Don’t worry, you’re not in trouble. But it’s still something we need to talk about.”

Donnie turned uncertain eyes up at his brother. “Talk about what?” he asked.

“Your nightmare,” Leo said.

Donnie shrunk back. “Oh,” he said quietly. “What’s—what’s wrong with it? Is it ‘cause when I have it, I wanna stay near Leo? I’m sorry.”

“Wait—what do you mean, when you have it?” Leo asked. “You’ve had this dream before?”

Donnie shrunk back a little more and bit his lip. “Mm-hm,” he said quietly. “It’s always scary, ‘cause you get so hurt, and I’m always scared that it’s true,” he whispered out. “I’m sorry if I bother you…”

That put a new perspective on things. He’d been having this nightmare before, and every time he wanted Leo? Leo looked up at his brothers and then over at his father. “Master, do you think—when he was a baby—"

“Perhaps,” Splinter said. He turned his attention to Donnie. “My son,” Splinter said, reaching over to cup Donnie’s cheek. “No one is upset that you want to spend time with Leo after these dreams. However, we wish to know about them. Can you tell us about your nightmare last night? I have your drawings from today, if that helps.”

Donnie was anxiously pulling at his fingers, but he nodded. “O-okay,” he said, trusting his family. Splinter sat the drawings down in front of him, and Donnie looked at them for a minute, before looking back at his hands.

“Um… it always starts out in Uncle Casey and Aunt April’s building, up in the apartment. We’re all there, except Uncle Casey, Gus, and Marie. But I’m not worried about it, cause it feels like they’re not supposed to be there. But Leo’s not there, either, but it feels like he should be. It’s storming outside, and everyone is really worried about Leo not being there. It feels like something bad is about to happen.” He paused, licking his lips a little and biting his bottom one for a moment. “And then—and then something happens and Leo’s there and he’s hurt.”

“Whaddya mean, something happens?” Raph asked gently, when Donnie hesitated.

Donnie looked up at him, and then reached for the pictures, shuffling through them. He had never been the best artist, when it wasn’t technical, and that was still true. But with the context he was giving them, his childish drawings took on a new meaning.

Donnie pushed one forward. “I mean, something happens. Sometimes I see it, and sometimes I just hear it, and sometimes Leo’s just there, but it happens.” The paper had a blue square on it, with a jagged hole in the middle, colored black, and what was clearly meant to be Leo on the ground under it. “There’s always a broken window, and glass, and Leo hurt,” he whispered out. He looked at the drawing, and then down again. “I don’t like to draw him hurt.”

Leo gave Donnie a squeeze, and April reached over to squeeze the small turtle’s knee in support.

“What happens next, Donatello?” Splinter asked gently.

Donnie shuffled through the drawings again, and pushed another one forward, this time with lots of black stick figures, and green figures with their respective colors on them. Leo’s was near a pink figure with red on top, and there was a gray and brown figure there too.

“People—ninjas—break in. They come through the windows, and crash into Aunt April’s apartment. There’s lots of them, and they’re everywhere, even at the door. And I know that they don’t wanna just hurt us, they wanna kill us.” Donnie curled up more starting to tear up. “Aunt April has Leo, but he’s too hurt to help, and I dunno if he’s gonna be okay. But we fight and we fight and we fight. We managed to get down the stairs, but there’s people in cool hats in the shop,” he pushes another picture forward, black figures with brown smears over their heads, “and they fight us, too, only they’re a lot better than the other ninja.”

Donnie bit his lip again and looked over at April, before shuffling through the papers. “S-Sometimes this part happens, but sometimes it doesn’t. But I hear Aunt April scream, and she doesn’t have Leo anymore, and there’s a huge man who I know is going to hurt her. But Raphie saves her.”

He shoved a picture forwards, the pink figure of April looking small next to a big black square with a pink circle that has yellow on top. The adults all looked at each other. Hun.

“And then—” Donnie stopped, his breath hitching, like it does right before he cries.

Leo hugged him tighter. “And then what, little brother?” he said softly.

Donnie took in a gasping breath, and reached a trembling hand forward, pushing another paper forward. “And then he comes,” the child whispered out.

On the paper was a figure drawn in more detail than the rest. Black and gray, with red eyes, and spikes coming out of him, it was clearly a picture of the Shredder.

Donnie teared up. “He gets there, and I get so, so scared. Because he’s not supposed to be there. He’s not supposed to be able to hurt us. But he hurt Leo, hurt him badly, and Leo’s not moving as much as he was. We all try to fight him, but he beats us back. He steals my staff and uses it against Father, and I’m scared, because he could hurt Father, but also I’m fighting all these bad ninja without any weapons and they’re getting closer and—”

Donnie cut off, and reached his hands up, wiping at his face, at the tears that were falling. “It’s so scary,” he said, his voice watery. “Uncle Casey gets there soon, on his motorcycle, through the store’s window, and he helps, but there’s too many of them still. We keep fighting, but Leo’s stopped moving or talking and I’m scared he’s dead.” Donnie’s voice wavered, but he kept talking. “We all run and hide in a closet, but then the closet gets locked from the outside, and there’s smoke, and I know that we’re gonna blow up.”

Donnie was fully crying by this point. “We’re gonna blow up, and Leo’s hurt and might be dying and the ninjas were trying to kill us and we’re all gonna die!” He curled in on himself. “We crawl out a hole in the back of the closet, but then Aunt April and Uncle Casey’s building blows up. But we have to run, we have to get away because the ninja might still try to come after us. We’re all hurt but Leo’s hurt the worst and I don’t know if he’s gonna live or die, and that’s when I wake up and—”

Donnie turned in Leo’s lap, standing in it throwing his arms around Leo’s neck. “It’s so scary!” he wailed. “I don’t want you to die! And it feels real! And when I wake up, and you’re not there, I think it might be, and I get scared and then I just have to make sure you’re alright the rest of the day, because it was so scary!”

For a moment, Leo just held Donnie close, shushing him and rocking him gently. “It’s alright, Little Brother. I’m here. I’m not hurt and I’m alive. It’s alright.”

Leo looked at the others, who all looked a bit stricken. It was hard enough to understand what had happened at fifteen. How were they going to explain it to a six-year-old?

When Donnie had calmed some, Splinter reached out for him. “Donatello. Come here, my son,” he said.

Donnie obediently went, immediately curling into his father’s hold, little hand curling into his robe. Splinter smiled down at him and pressed his nose on his head. He pulled back just enough to be able to see Donnie’s tear-streaked face.

Splinter took a breath. “Donatello. Do you remember what we told you when you started asking about the older turtle in purple in the pictures?”

Donnie sniffed but nodded. “Mm-hm. You said he was me, but an older me, and that the Time Scepter had made me a little kid again. And that while I was the same, I was also different.”

Splinter nodded. “Yes, very good. That Donatello had many adventures with his brothers, as I am sure you will have one day. But not everything that happened to him was good,” Splinter said gently. “Nor was everything that happened to this family.”

Donnie looked up at Splinter, his brow furrowing as he tried to piece together what his father was saying. Splinter reached over and picked up the picture of the Shredder.

“We had thought all your memories from your previous life were gone, but it appears that a few have stayed,” Splinter said.

Donnie’s head shot up. “You mean—you mean it’s real?” he said. “My nightmare is real?”

Splinter let out a heavy sigh. “It was a real thing that happened, yes,” he said.

Donnie’s head whipped around to look at Leo in horror. Leo just gave him a sad smile back.

“When we were fifteen,” he said, “we defeated the Shredder—or so we thought. But he survived, and in revenge he decided to hunt me down.” Leo’s smile faded. “It was a rainy day, storming, and I was hurt very, very badly.”

“We were staying at April’s,” Mikey said. “She and Casey weren’t even dating yet, so it was just April’s place. The Foot—those bad ninja in your dream—were hunting for us down in the sewers. We were just hiding out at April’s hoping to wait them out.”

“They did throw Leo through a window,” Raph said. “And he was hurt badly. Worse than any of us had ever been hurt before.” Raph’s fist clenched. “And then the Foot Ninja came pouring through the window and we had to fight for our lives, just like you dreamed.”

“I did try to take care of Leo,” April said. “And we did fight our way downstairs. There was a big man, too, Hun, who tried to hurt me twice that night. Raph saved me the first time. Casey saved me the second.”

“And the Foot Elite, the ones with the cool hats, they were there, too,” Mikey said. “And they were really dangerous.”

“I busted in just like you said, Little Man,” Casey said. “Took down as many of those ninja as I could.”

Splinter ran a comforting hand over Donnie’s shell. “We fought hard but had to retreat to an old cooler that April was using as a closet. The Shredder set the place on fire, mostly likely cut the gas lines, and did blow up the building. We were fortunate in that there was a patched hole where a freezing unit used to be that we could escape through.” He ran a soothing hand on Donnie’s head. “But Leonardo was badly injured and growing worse at that point. We escaped up to the farmhouse, and Leonardo recovered there.” He sighed again, although he smiled comfortingly at Donnie. “Your dream, my son, was more than a dream, but a memory.”

Donnie had been tracking each person as they spoke, and now his eyes were fixed on Splinter. Horror and fear danced through them, even as he teared up again, and he began to tremble from fear. “It all happened?” he said, his voice soft, but horrified. “The spikey bad man is real? He’s the Shredder?”

Don had known that the Shredder was a bad guy, but he hadn’t realized how bad. His eyes teared up. “But—he can’t get us again, right? We’re—we’re safe?” He looked over at Leo. “He can’t hurt you like that again, right?” Tears began to fall. “Right?”

Splinter cuddled his smallest son to him, making sure to keep him as safe and secure as possible in his arms. “No. He cannot hurt anyone ever again.” Splinter said, his voice firm. “Never.”

Donnie turned into Splinter, burying his face in his fur, and crying. It took a few minutes for him to calm down again. “Can I sleep with you tonight, Father?” he asked, his voice muffled.

Splinter pressed a kiss to Donatello’s head. “Of course you can,” he said.

“And Leo, too?”

Leo smiled. “Yeah. I’ll come, too.”

“And Mikey and Raphie?”

“Why don’t we just have a sleepover in the living room,” Raph suggested instead, clearly seeing where this was going. Donnie peeked out from Splinter’s hold and nodded a bit.

“You know what every good sleepover starts with?” Mikey said, standing up. “Dessert! Why don’t we get into those peach turnovers that April brought over?”

Donnie sniffed. “Okay.”

They ate dessert at the table, Donnie ending up back in Leo’s lap again. After cleaning up, Donnie was carried into the living room, where he was passed from person to person while they watched movies, until April and Casey had to leave. After that, his brothers piled with him in the space they had made on the floor, Donnie in the middle, and Splinter nearby.

Donnie cuddled into the middle of the pile of warmth, listening to the TV and to the song Splinter hummed under his breath. He was still upset that the man in his dreams had turned out to be the Shredder, and that Leo had really been hurt so badly. The idea of anyone wanting to do that scared him. But here, with his brothers, he felt safe and protected. His nightmare was true, and that was scary. But his family was here, and they’d made it through. And right now? Right now, that was enough for Donnie. He cuddled in, closed his eyes, and let sleep take him. And anytime he felt restless or started to have a nightmare that night, well, a brother was always right there to soothe him back to sleep. Just like he knew they always would be.

#TMNT #TMNT 2003 #TMNT 2k3 #TMNT AU #TMNT Donatello #TMNT Leonardo #Little Don AU #tmnt fan fiction #tmnt fanfic

[summersnow82]

That Familiar Feeling

Fanfiction_TMNT Bayverse/ 2003 crossover

Fictober 2023_Prompt 3: “Okay. Show me.”

Fictober 2023_Prompt 24: “Is it over? Is it really over?”

Author’s note: A continuation of Unexpected Gift in my series Of All the Lives I've Led.

.....

“Heya!” Mikey’s cheerful voice rang out, breaking the silence as he reached his arm up in a friendly wave. “How ya doin’?”

The dark haired woman blinked, and then a broad smile spread across her pretty face. She leaned forward, ever so slightly, and put her hands on her knees. “Michelangelo?” Leo didn’t think it was possible, but her smile grew even larger. “Mikey!” She clasped her hands together, moving them to her mouth in a motion of pure delight. “My boys,” she murmured, still beaming. “Not my boys, but, oh wow, my boys.”

“Uh, Raph,” Donnie asked, leaning over to his red clad brother. “What exactly did you give her?”

Raph was shaking his head, eyes wide. “Nothing this strong.” He paused, looking back. “I don’t think.”

“I don’t care what you gave her,” Mikey said, his smile almost as big as hers. “This is the best reaction ever. I say we keep her.” The woman tossed back her head, giggling at this, and Mikey gave her another wave before turning to his brothers. “Dibs,” he hissed quietly.

“Hang on there, Mikey,” Leo said, thrusting an arm out like an overprotective mom. “Something’s not right.” His eyes narrowed a touch. No one was ever this happy to see them the first time.

“What? Not ready to share your little girlfriend?” Raph sneered in his direction.

“Girlfriend,” the woman repeated, cocking her head to the side. “That escalated quickly.” She cocked her head to the side as if the idea wasn’t that crazy to her, and Leo lost it.

“Great, Raph! You’ve probably given her a concussion or worse all because of some paranoid delusion. We’ve got to get her to a hospital or something. Who knows what you injected her with, and what crazy hallucinations she’s having,” Leo shouted at his younger brother, waving his hands about.

“Um, Leo?” Donnie stepped forward with one finger raised as if to interject. He nodded in her direction. “I believe she has something to say.”

Leo turned back to see her standing, arms crossed over her chest, and her head cocked to the side in a defiant pose. Her brow was furrowed, and her lips were pursed in frustration. “I am not hallucinating,” she said clearly. “And it was chloroform, not an actual injection, which explains the headaches, but I assure you, it does not cause hallucinations.” She paused, then added firmly, “Leonardo.” His eye ridges shot up in surprise, and she gestured with one hand. “Your lair is nice. Different from my turtles’ home, but I like it. It’s a definite vibe.”

“Um, excuse me?” Donnie said, raising his hand like he was in class. “Your turtles?”

She raised her chin ever so slightly, and gave him a sly grin. “Mmmmhmmmm.”

Leo glanced back and forth between Donnie and the woman, trying to put the pieces together he knew Donnie was already shaping in his mind. “You know our names,” Donnie continued. “And you’re not afraid of us, but we weren’t what you were expecting, either.”

She nodded. “Would you like me to fill in all the blank spots, Donatello?” She asked the question gently, only lightly teasing. He nodded. “My name is Annabelle Harris, but if you Google me you’ll find another woman’s records, if she even exists here at all.”

“...because you’re not from here, are you?” Donnie breathed out the question with wide eyes.

“No,” she confirmed. “I am not. I’m a time traveler, and from the looks of you boys it seems I’ve crossed over into inter-dimensional travel, as well.” Donnie blinked at her, his mouth open in shock.

The laughter from his brothers broke him from his reverie. “Oh, c’mon, Don,” Raph snorted, slapping his brother hard on the shell. “You don’t really believe that, do ya?”

“I mean, she’s cute, and all, but c’mon bro,” Mikey added.

Leo narrowed his eyes at the woman who called herself Annabelle, and cleared the space between them, flipping in the air, and landing directly in front of her. She took a step back in surprise, and he rose to his full height, staring down at her with blazing blue eyes. “So you’re a time traveler, huh? Okay. Show me. Prove it.”

She blinked, unphased, looking him up and down. “You really are quite tall here, you know.”

He leaned down, thrusting his face into her personal space. “Show. Me.”

She leaned back in, her nose almost brushing his snout. “No.”

“Um, Leo?” Donnie again. “If what she’s saying is actually true maybe opening a portal to time and space randomly wouldn’t be the best idea. You know. Logically speaking. Remember Krang?”

Leo rose back up to his full height, never breaking eye contact. “Fine. But you’re not going anywhere until we have the whole story.”

It bothered him she didn’t seem concerned or even a little intimidated. “Not a problem, Fearless,” she shot back. His eyes went wide.

“What did you call me?”

“Fearless. As in Fearless Leader? They do call you that here, too, don’t they? Or is there a different dynamic I’m missing because so far,” she gestured at his brothers, “everyone seems to line up with their parallel world selves.” She paused. “Actually, my Leo is far more hospitable.”

“Your Leo?” Mikey asked, popping his head to the side so he could catch her eyes. “Like...your Leo?” His eyes widened a touch. “Are you two like a thing?”

“Mikey!” Leo barked, his eyes still trained on the woman who called herself Annabelle.

“His eyes were brown, too,” she murmured, almost absentmindedly, and for a moment Leo could’ve sworn she looked sad.

“I see we have a guest.” Leo didn’t move at the sound of his father’s voice. His eyes were trained on Annabelle: he saw her eyes widen, her head whip in Splinter’s direction, and her mouth drop in an audible gasp.

“Sensei.” The word fell from her lips in a rush of breath, and he saw tears spring to her eyes.

“Do you not recognize our guest, Leonardo?” Splinter asked, and Leo’s brow furrowed. He turned, casting a glance at his father then back at Annabelle. There was that itch at the back of his brain again; she felt familiar, but why? He looked back at her in time to see her move forward, and he thrust an arm out to block her path. The moment his body connected with hers he felt a rush of air leave his lungs, and a moment later the world went black.

…..

When Leo opened his eyes he was lying on something remarkably soft in a room far nicer than any he’d ever entered before. It was modern – maybe too modern – and spacious. A screen on the far wall was displaying movie credits, and a man was crooning a sappy love song Leo would never admit he found rather charming.

“Welcome back to the land of the living, sleepy head,” a soft, feminine voice hummed, and he could hear the smile in her voice. He shifted to see her face, and blinked. His head was resting on Annabelle’s lap, and she was playing with a loose tie from his bandana with one hand and stroking his forehead with the other.

“Is it over?” He asked, glancing back at the screen, and already knowing the answer. “Is it really over? We just started it.”

“We can always watch it again,” she assured him. “You clearly needed the rest.”

He smiled up at her. He wanted to reach up and stroke her cheek, but he restrained himself. “Did you like it?”

She smiled, and her eyes crinkled in the corners. “Yes, very much so.” His eyes were getting heavy again, and even though he struggled to keep his eyes open he was quickly losing the battle. “It’s okay, Leo. Just rest. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

…..

This new room was cold and dark, but it felt oddly comforting. He blinked in the darkness, and turned in a slow circle. Where was he now?

“You need to wake up,” a voice behind him called. He turned to see a form sitting in meditation form in front of singular lit candle.

“What?” Leo asked. Something about this guy seemed oddly familiar; that same itch at the back of his brain was going crazy. He stepped closer, and while the other person didn’t move his form was becoming clearer.

“You need to wake up, Leo,” he said again, and this time he turned his head to look up. Forest green skin, dark brown eyes, and a bright blue bandana. Him, but...not.

Leo stepped back in surprise. “I’ve been here before,” he realized slowly. The turtle across from him stood, arching an eye ridge.

“I said. Wake. Up!”

….

Leo sat up, gasping. “Leo? Leo!” Raph sounded suspiciously happy to see his older brother awake, and Mikey threw himself into his arms for a giant hug.

“You’re okay, bro! You fainted!” Leo grunted, frowning. Faint?

“Or a seizure,” Donnie said, shoving Mikey off him so he could shine a light in his eyes. Leo jerked away, looking around the room he was in.

“I’m back,” he murmured, taking in his home.

“Where else would you be, my son?” Splinter knelt by his side, reaching to touch Leo’s forehead. “Are you all right?”

Leo blinked, shaking his head. “I saw... something. I think,” he rubbed his head. “Where…?”

“Maybe you should lay back down.” He turned back to see Annabelle kneeling behind him looking visibly concerned. Leo shifted to look at her better, and she cocked her head to the side, equally curious. “Are you sure you’re okay, Leo?”

“She stays,” he said firmly, his eyes never leaving hers. “Until we know exactly what is going on here. Donnie, get April and Casey to run a check on this Annabelle Harris. Let’s see just who our new house guest is.”

#fictober #fictober23 #fictober 2023 #tmnt #teenage mutant ninja turtles #tmnt 2k3 #tmnt 2003 #ao3 fanfic #fan fiction #tmnt bayverse #annabelle harris #my ocs #ao3 writer #tmnt leonardo #tmnt donatello #tmnt crossover #tmnt michelangelo #tmnt raphael #tmnt splinter

[truths33k3r4]

CHAPTER 8 - Hidden Scars

Raphael raised his hands defensively.

 “ Am I wrong?? ”

Leo dropped his shoulders and bobbed his head at his far-from-sensitive brother. He was still being mindful of the pointed syringe in his hand, but still wanted to show his disapproval of Raph’s comment.

“ Really, Raph? “

His crimson-detailed brother only shrugged, raising his eyebrows. He opened his mouth, most likely about to spout out another hurtful comment, or perhaps a weakly-supported defense, but was interrupted by their youngest brother making his way through the still open doorway of the Med Bay.

“ Yeah, dude. That’s rich hearing YOU complain about someone's fear of needles.”

Raphael’s face instantly changed. His calm relaxed eyes grew wide the tiniest bit, forcing his pupils to constrict. His open mouth closed, hiding the spit he gulped down. His posture became tight as his arms crossed over his plastron, almost like a shield over his prideful, yet sensitive heart.

“ Yeah whatever.. “ Raph mumbled as he rolled his eyes.

Mikey smirked as understanding washed over his face. He immediately recognized the opening for relentless teasing and payback for the MANY times Raph had made fun of him for his phobias.

‘ Time to taste your own medicine, big bro. ‘

“ No please, Raph, tell us all about the times you’ve been SO brave when it came to getting a shot. Tell the whole class! “ Mikey gestured to Leo and Don. ( Probably not Lotus, seeing how she was still….out of commission.)

Raph’s shoulders rose as they dug further into his plastron. 

“ Shut up. “ Raph hissed through gritted teeth.

Unfortunately, Raph’s growing annoyance only fueled Mikey’s thirst for vengeance.

“ Tell us all about the time dad found you hiding in the tv cupboard. “ Mikey was now speaking in a demeaning, baby-like tone, “ Was it because you were scaaaared of a wittle needleeee??? “

Raph’s shoulders now escalated nearly to his ears, as he gritted and bared his sharp teeth. 

He was the only one of his brothers to have fangs, and often used such a trait to scare them when they were kids. They would joke sometimes that when God created Raph, He knew that he would have the temper of a lion, so he gave him teeth to match.

All throughout their childhood Raph would growl, bite, and sometimes even hiss when he was upset or scared. The brothers would call it his “ Feral Mode”.

.. and Mikey was poking the lion like a laughing baboon with a death wish..

“ SHUT UP, MIKEY. “ Raph warned. 

Leo’s posture straightened at the sound of Raph’s growing anger. 

He was unsure as to why the current conversation was causing Raph to get so.. TENSE.. Thanks to his lessons with Sensei, Raphael had actually made lots of progress with his temper. 

..So what’s happening now??

Out of all the brothers, Raph and Leo would fight the most growing up.. So he knew when Raph had reached his breaking point.

… and he was nearly there.

“ Mikey, lay off. We get your point, now drop it. “ Leo was trying with all his might to protect any survivors from the imminent eruption of flame and seething anger about to go off. 

Mikey chose to continue poking, shrugging off Leo’s warning.

“ Nahhhh he’s the tough big brother! Only babies fear things. Right, Raph? Isn’t that what you said to me when we were kids? “ 

Mikey’s voice was only seeped with innocent instigation. There was no poison on his tongue. Not a word was meant to truly HURT. Just.. a little payback now and then was rare. So you take it when you can get it. Afterall, his brothers and him would always tease each other. It never really caused bad blood. Perhaps a playful wrestling match on the ground, but nothing else.

Raph’s hands began to shake.

Mikey didn’t notice.

BUT DON DID.

It all clicked in his brain as to what was happening in his twin’s mind. The same awful memories blazed in his own, like a forest fire fueled by fear. 

Flashes of being chained to the hard floor blinked in and out. The sight of his twin.. being strapped down to a table. 

The eerie glow of green, painful liquid filling his veins-

- the screaming-

Don blinked. He shook his head to rid it of the horrid visions attempting to alter his reality. That’s all bad dreams were.. Just fantasies. Fantasies can’t hurt you.

… But Don knew. He knew what happened to them wasn’t just the bad dreams he was plagued with every time he tried to sleep. 

It was real.

It happened.

He was there in that lab. And so was Raph.

He knew he needed to act fast.

Don’s gaze shot to his unknowing little brother with far more threat than he would’ve liked it to. He walked to the side of Mikey, gripping the youngest’s shoulder with his hand.

“ Mikey..”

His youngest brother turned his head the tiniest bit, still with the same smile on his face. 

Raph turned his face away, as well as his body.

Don saw he wasn’t getting through to his ignorant little brother, so he turned him around using his tightening grip on the youngest’s shoulder.

“ -OW. Don! Ow- what?? “ Mikey nearly shouted, pulling away from Don’s vice of a grip. 

He didn’t mean to hurt Mikey. But that’s what you get when you don’t listen. At least now he’s paying attention.

“ Mikey, please, that’s enough. “ Don stated quickly.

The seriousness in his older brother’s tone mixed with the unrelenting gaze of his eyes, made Mikey instantly question his methods of said payback. His eyes fell to being full of remorse as he gave Don a “ What did I do wrong? “ kind of look.

Don disconnected his gaze on Mikey and walked to go join Raph. Before he reached his twin, he turned around and signed to Mikey,

‘ Mistake. None. Knowledge. No. Raph. Fine. ‘

( You didn’t do anything wrong. You didn’t know. Raph will be fine. )

Don stopped in front of Raph, and deliberately made it so Leo or Mikey couldn’t tell what he was saying.

Leo noticed how Don didn’t immediately touch Raph, but withheld until after he spoke something. Raph nodded minutely and the two walked out of the Med Bay, Don’s hands guiding his twin’s body out the door.

Mikey barely caught it, but he knew he could see Raph wipe something from his face.

‘ There’s no way.. ‘ Mikey thought. ' What- what did I do to him? ‘

Mikey turned to face Leo, with eyes beginning to fill with tears. 

“ Did…” Mikey squeaked, barely holding his composure; His breaking voice failing to hide his shame, 

 “ .. did I do that to him? “

Leo looked at his youngest brother with just as many questions on his face. His eyes softened as he gave a weak smile.

“.. I don’t….I don’t think so, Mikey. I.. I don’t know what that was about either. “

Leo’s voice overflowed with concern for his brothers. So much had happened in the past 6 days.. So many horrible things.. 

And like the good leader and oldest brother he was supposed to be, he left his brothers to suffer.

ALONE.

Well.. that was fun. :) Enjoy!

To God be the glory!

Masterpost <- PRIOR CHAPTER NEXT CHAPTER ->

#my version of tmnt!! #the strength in weakness #tmnt #tmnt au #tmnt art

[lazypanartist]

So of course Im gonna do a Bonus Thing for Donnie x Yokai reader like the rest but i just had... either a Big Brain or Big Dumb idea of the different readers and the brothers talking to each other hang on lemme just--

----

Mikey: I dunno... *sigh* What if I mess up confessing to Starsick?

Raph: *snorts* Please, theyre so delighted with anything you say to them they wouldnt even notice.

Don: *typing something, deleting something, typing again* You could probably say something along the lines of "mmme date? you? please yes?" and they'd think its cute.

Leo and Raph: *laughs*

Mikey: Oh shut it! >:[ I just dont want to ruin my chances...

Leo: Believe me, baby bro, they are ENTIRELY smitten with you. Just go for it! Heck, at least you arent in Don-Tron's shoes.

Don: *stiffens* Hey!

Raph: Night Eyes is...Kinda scary man, sorry. I dont know how you wont choke asking em out.

Leo: You think theres like a whole custom thing you gotta do? or can you just take em out for tacos and woo em with your knowledge of ant farms?

Don: *grumbling* I shouldve dumped the colony in your bed while you were asleep- Look, ill take em to a nice restaurant, maybe go dancing... once I text them....

Raph: You cant take em to Hueso's, Mikey called that one.

Leo: Hey, not to bat for donnie, but Mikey also called like....17 other places. He's gotta pick one. And anyways, Raph, whats your plan?

Raph: *blushing* I dunno what you mean.

Mikey, Leo and Donnie: PLEASE.

Donnie: You are, according to extensive data research and watching you and Origami with my own eyes, crushing HARD on each other.

Mikey: Yeah! Come on big guy, you gotta ask em out. You're so sweet on them and they seem like they feel real comfortable around you.

Leo: *nods nods* You gotta do it bro. You're adorable together, and I think youre really good for em. Plus im worried they might, like, cry or throw up if they try and ask you out.

Raph: Whatever *rolls eyes* ...and what about you, eh?

Leo: *blink* What do you mean?

Don: ???When are you finally gonna ask Homie out??

Mikey: theyre already dating guys. I overheard them talking about date night on saturday.

Leo: Guys i already told yo- wait were you eavesdropping on us...? nevermind. We arent dating. Homie's just a close friend, they dont even like me like that.

Raph, Donnie, Mikey, Splinter (who just wanted some cake and is now part of This Shit): 🤨😒

-- Elsewhere, at a cafe --

Starsick: Gosh i dunno what if Michelangelo's just being nice?

Night Eyes: Mh, no. He's down bad. He looks at you like you hung the moon in the sky.

Homie: Look, if he doesnt ask you out by the end of the week, hes probably just nervous. try confessing your feelings and see if that helps!

Origami: *nods* a direct approach is a good one.

Night Eyes: Which is why I'm asking ~Othello von Ryan~ to come visit me at a dance hall. after dinner, of course. Sushi, my treat. 💅✨

Homie: Ooohohoo~ Look at you, going in for the kill!

Night Eyes: Hes just so cute~ I like how he talks about space travel. so facinating!

Homie: So, when are you going to tell Big Red you like him?

Origami: *sputters, face red* What!! No! I do not! I just, he, um..!!

Starsick: Is nice to you, helps calm you down, encourages you to take care of yourself....

Homie: *counting on fingers* reminds you of a teddy bear, thinks you look cute when you pout, helped get you out of the foot clan...

Night Eyes: Is so painfully smitten with you yet you remain unaware.

Origami: >~< he's so sweet, and Im worried I might...be mean, or blunt, and it makes him not like me....How did you ask Leonardo out?

Homie: ...??? who, me?

Origami: ...yes??

Homie: Oh, we arent dating. We're just friends, he doesnt like me like that.

Night Eyes, Origami, Starsick, April (who was bringing their order and is now in the middle of all This Shit): 🤨😒

-📝 Anon

WNSKABDODB

OHHH MY GOD

Everyone being friends and trying to help them ask each other out?? Leo and Homie being Big Gay Idiots is, like, my WHOLE Aesthetic!

#kana's chats #rottmnt #rottmnt x reader #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #rise of the tmnt #rise leo x reader #rise donnie x reader #rise raph x reader #rise mikey x reader #📝 anon

[obsidiancreates]

What Makes Him Tick

One of the biggest questions Donnie always ends up having during a fight in a villain's lab is, where do they get all of their equipment and space?

Even Stockman had a giant vat of mutagen when Donnie can usually barely find it. But no, villains just always have endless resources.

Really, how did Vizioso even get a lab like this in a run-down hotel basement?

As if the whole getting-shot-in-the-chest-with-a-rocket ordeal wasn't enough, now he's sedated and being clamped to a lab table.

"I don't wanna wait for Doc Feral," Vizioso mumbles around a mouthful of food. "Do it now."

"Do what, now?" Donnie knows the answer. He knew the moment Vizioso's eyes light up at the sight of the crack in his plastron.

"What do you think, huh mutie?" Vizioso wipes his mouth with a soggy, stained napkin. "We're gonna cut ya open, see what make ya tick."

Donnie blinks sluggishly, the sedation drug making his mind feel heavy, turning thinking into a physical struggle. "You... you're going to-"

"Dissect you, yeah," one of the twin henchmen sneer.

The words roll around slowly in his mind, like they're sticking to glue traps as they make their way into his understanding. He finds himself mumbling, "Technically, it's vivisection when I'm still alive."

"Lookit that, we learned somethin' from the mutie blabbermouth," the other twin laughs. "Good to know, kid. Now the lab report will be accurate."

"We gonna do a lab report?"

"I'm makin' intimidation quips, back me up here."

"Wait." The full weight f the situation sinks in, and Donnie's heart starts racing. "Wait, if-if you hold on, a sec, I-I can give you an... an A+ presentation that... that explains how mutants work." He tries to tuck himself into his shell as he speaks, but the clamps on his limbs keep them firmly in place. As he swallows, he realizes there's even one around his neck.

"So you can skip the whole... vivisection, thing." He tries to laugh, but it comes out weak, like a whimper more than anything else. "Come on, I-I'm a kid, like you said."

"Yeah, but you're a mutie kid. Even worse, we know you freaks can reproduce." The first twin puts his knife to the crack in Donnie's plastron.

Donnie's breath catches. "I-I'm not a freak, I just- had a different start in life! Come on, I-I'm basically a normal person!"

"That's what disgusts me about you mutants," Vizioso spits, flecks of lamb flying out with the venomous words. He could at least swallow first, this lab is anything but sterile but still, the contamination of that... "You're walkin' around, pretending you belong in this world! Pretending you're anythin' other than disgusting mistakes! Playin' human!"

"A lot of us did start human!" Donnie's voice gets higher as he feels the knife point touch the skin under the plastron crack. "I-I can make retromutagen for the ones who want to be human again, I swear!"

"What about ones like you then, huh?" Vizioso leans over, and Donnie is forced to suck in the Don's breath as the knife peirces.

"You didn't start out human, huh?"

"N-no, but-"

"And I bet you wouldn't wanna be a turtle, now that you've gotta taste of the good life, huh?"

"I-I would prefer not to but-"

"So we're on the same page." Vizioso leans back. "Do it, boys."

"No, no no wait don't, no- AHHHH!"

The drugs don't dull it much.

He nearly passes out, his heart racing and head aching and the pain flaring and he's really not getting out of this one-

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY BROTHER!"

His vision's gone hazy, so his brothers are little more than green blurs, but it's them, undoubtedly. Donnie feels the knife ripped out of his abdomen and his entire body goes slack, all of the tension it held through the whole ordeal suddenly vanishing and leaving behind only a need to sleep.

"Donnie! Oh, come on, stay with us bro. Stay- ... L-Leo, Leo! They cut him open!"

"What?! Oh, no... it-it's okay Donnie, it's not that bad, we can- we can fix this."

"I don't know if he can hear you, man." Donnie's eye is pried open, when did it even close? Orange and green blurriness is all he sees, but it's a good sight, he thinks. "Donnie? Bro, can you hear us?"

He manages a weak nod.

"Okay, just- just stay awake!" Suddenly the restraints are gone, and Donnie is lifted off the table. Now it's red and green. "I'm so sorry, Donnie, I-I shouldn't have run off again, I-"

"Later, Raph. For now we need to get him home."

"Right, right. ... Leo, it's-"

"It's bad. I know. We need to move now."

They're moving, he thinks. He's not sure. The adrenaline that kept him awake is fading, and now the sedative is working at full strength.

"Keep your eyes open, bro! Hey, Sensei can fix him up, right?"

"Of course he can Mikey."

"How are we gonna stitch him up with his shell in the way though?"

"We'll just have to try our best. It's not like we can go to a doctor with this, so just... don't panic. We'll figure it out."

Can't go to a doctor.

Can't figure out how to do stitches.

Can't even know if his shell will heal.

Because they're freaks.

It sticks in Donnie's barely-functioning mind. Freaks.

"Leo, he's crying!"

"Just run faster! It'll be okay, Donnie, we're almost home!"

Freaks.

Mutants.

Mistakes.

"Don't fall asleep! Don't fall asleep on us!"

He really wishes he could do as Raph asks. But he loses what little consciousness he had, and sinks into dreamless darkness.

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

"Will his shell heal up, Sensei?"

"I do not know, Michelangelo. While Raphael's did not, you were all so small when it happened... it is impossible to say."

"I'm sure it will. He's tougher than we all give him credit for, right? ... Especially me."

"We shall see. For now, we must let him rest."

"What do we do about Vizioso, Sensi? He got away."

"That is a problem... for another time. For now, I do not want any of you to leave the lair for a while. We do not know how many more anti-mutant weapons he possesses."

"What?! Sit around?! He almost killed Donnie! I'm going to rips his stupid teeth out of-"

"Raph!"

"What, you don't want to beat him down for what he did?!"

"Of course I do, but that won't help anyone right now! This whole mess happened because of this exact attitude!"

"YOU-! ... You... Arh, you're right. ... So... what? We just... wait for him to wake up?"

"Yes. And when he does, we must be prepared for a long recovery."

"But... we've had worse, Sensei."

"Perhaps, Leonardo. But I fear his spirit has been wounded just as terribly as his body. Perhaps... even more so."

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

Mutie.

Monster.

Freak.

Mistake.

Pretending.

FREAK

#tmnt 2k12 #tmnt 2012 #tmnt donnie #tmnt donnie 2012 #tmnt donatello #tmnt fanfiction #tmnt fic #fanfic #my attempts at fanfic

[3rdsday]

Not as Thick as Blood (2012 TMNT Fic)

Chapter 1/2, 5k words

Summary:

“What if he found something bad in his DNA test?” “Bad? Like what?” Leo asked, and Mikey shrugged, but Raph’s face grew dark. “Like a disease? Or maybe he found out that our expected lifespan is only, like, 20 years or something,” Raph mumbled, not taking his eyes off the screen. --- Donnie gets curious about his and his brothers' genetic makeup. He ends up finding something he didn't expect, and Mikey feels like his entire world has been thrown off balance.

Read on AO3 here or click keep reading

Mikey wasn’t the type to question things. Even when he didn’t understand the point of something, he trusted his brothers, so most of the time it was easier to just go along with what they told him.

With that said, he didn’t understand why Donnie wanted to stick a cotton swab in his mouth.

“You don’t understand, Mikey! With the new DNA analyzing kit I managed to snag from Stockman’s lab the last time we fought, I could learn so much about our unique biological makeup!” Donnie exclaimed, practically vibrating out of excitement.

Mikey just pouted. “What does that have to do with putting a stick in my mouth?”

“That’s how I get the DNA,” Donnie explained, buzzing with anticipation and perhaps a bit of annoyance now as well. “I already did the same to myself, and I’ll be asking Leo, Raph, and Sensei for a sample as well!”

Hearing that this wasn’t a test he alone was forced to undergo, Mikey shrugged and opened his mouth, bracing himself for the unpleasant feeling of a foreign object being stuck down his throat like the one time he’d been sick. Instead, it was rubbed against the inside of his right cheek for a few seconds before removed and placed in a test tube.

“Thanks, Mikey!” Donnie shouted, already speeding off to locate the rest of the lair’s occupants. Mikey blinked for a few seconds, surprised at how simple that had been, before deciding it didn’t matter much and flopping down on his bed, picking up the comic book he’d been reading before Donnie barged in excitedly.

If it made Donnie happy, Mikey didn’t have any complaints.

===

By the next morning, Mikey had essentially forgotten about Donnie’s actions the afternoon prior. While he was certain his scientifically minded brother would find something to be excited about over some icky mouth germs, it wasn’t exactly high on Mikey’s list of interests. What he was interested in, though, was making breakfast.

“And… voila!” he exclaimed as he masterfully flipped a pancake straight from the pan to Leo’s plate, repeating the action for Raph and Donnie before serving himself. “Gentlemen, I give you my not yet world famous banana mozzarella sausage pancakes!”

Expressions of varying degrees of wariness and disgust stared back at him, which he ignored, opting instead to sit down in front of his own plate and drizzle his breakfast in syrup before taking a large bite.

He sighed happily as the meal met his tastebuds. Yep, he nailed it again. Hesitantly but politely, Leo cut a slice from his own pancakes and brought it to his mouth, his expression morphing into one of confusion and then intrigue, before settling on something positive. Upon seeing Leo’s approval, Raph and Don took bites themselves, and Mikey was beaming when they both seemed to at least tolerate his latest creation.

“I have no idea how you made this work, Mikey, but it’s not half bad,” Leo admitted as they each continued munching away at the atypical breakfast.

Mikey grinned through a mouthful. “Hey, I have my secrets, bro!”

“Clearly those secrets don’t include swallowing before you talk,” Raph grumbled, but even he seemed to be in a good mood that morning. It was shaping up to be a good day, and when everyone had finished eating, they made their way to the dojo together.

===

Training went well. Mikey actually won a match against Donnie, which, while not unheard of, was definitely less common than Donnie winning against him. Mikey couldn’t hold back an enthusiastic cry of victory, pumping his fist in the air before helping Donnie to his feet. “Did’ya see that? I out-ninja’d you, bro!”

Donnie rolled his eyes. “Don’t get too confident, Mikey. You only won because I was distracted.”

“By what?” Leo asked as he accepted a high-three from Mikey, who was still feeling the adrenaline from his victory.

A long, high-pitched beep sounded from across the lair, in the direction of Donnie’s lab. His brown eyes went wide, and he turned around to face Master Splinter. “By that! Uh, sensei, may I be excused from the rest of training? My samples are ready to be analyzed!”

Splinter stroked his beard thoughtfully. “It is clear that your mind is not fully devoted to training today. You may be excused, but I expect your performance to be back to its normal standards by tomorrow.”

Donnie bowed, gave a quick “Hai, sensei!” and dashed out of the dojo.

“What was that all about?” Mikey asked, confused. It was rare for any of them to be excused from training, and the fact that Mikey had beat him was being attributed only to Donnie being distracted? He’d been training hard lately, ever since the farmhouse, and he’d put his all into the spar against Donnie. Was it so hard to believe that maybe he was getting better?

There was a hand on his shoulder, and Mikey was surprised to see it was Raph. “Don’t worry, little bro,” he was saying, “Donnie’s too focused on his science, but we saw how you won that fight.”

Mikey smiled gratefully.

“Michelangelo, Raphael, you will face each other next,” Master Splinter decided, and they took their stances across from each other, Mikey feeling confident.

He didn’t win, but he got close.

===

“Is Donnie still in his lab?” Mikey questioned as the rest of them headed into the pit to wind down from training around an hour later, noticing a lack of a purple bandana wearing turtle.

Leo shrugged. “I guess not. He was pretty excited about the DNA thing.”

Raph scoffed as he turned on Crognard, the brothers settling on the couch. “He’s always excited about some nerdy shit, why am I not surprised?”

Mikey let out an exaggerated gasp, placing a hand on his plastron and making the best offended look he could manage. “Raph, language! What if Ice Cream Kitty heard you!”

“I couldn’t give a fuck if she heard.”

“Raph! Her poor, innocent ears!”

“Maybe it’s good for her, she can’t stay sheltered forever, right?” Raph smirked, and Mikey playfully shoved at his arm, starting a play fight.

Leo just looked on with a shake of his head, probably letting them get it out of their system. Mikey knew his big brother would intervene if they took things too far or roughhoused too much and risked breaking something. They could get a little bit carried away, he admitted to himself as he and Raph wrestled on the ground, but that’s just how being brothers worked. At the end of the day, everyone would make up and they’d go back to being as close as ever.

Leo must have gotten sick of their fight at some point, though, because he stood up and announced he was making popcorn. “If either of you want some, you better be sitting nicely on the couch when I come back.”

That got the fight to stop pretty quickly, the two of them settling on the couch as the sound of kernels popping from the kitchen met their ears.

“Leo really thinks he’s in charge of us all the time, huh?” Raph said with a small huff, although he didn’t seem particularly upset. “We weren’t even hurting anything just now.”

Mikey shrugged, opening his mouth to respond, but whatever he’d been planning on saying evaporated from his mind immediately when Donnie walked in the room. “Hey, Dee, come watch Crognard with us!  Leo’s making popcorn too, so… uh, is something wrong?”

Donnie had entered the room with his head hanging down, which should have been enough of a sign that something was up with him. When he met Mikey’s eyes, though, there was something… off. It was like a shadow had been cast over them. Mikey didn’t get long to tell what it was, because Donnie’s gaze quickly flitted away from Mikey’s after they met for only the briefest of moments, Donnie looking almost as if he’d flinched away.

“Nothing’s wrong,” Donnie insisted, but his tone was off. Too sharp, too guarded. “You said you’re watching Crognard?”

Mikey nodded and patted the cushion next to him. “Come join us!”

Donnie looked between the screen and the couch, his eyes refusing to fall on Mikey again. “Um, that’s okay. I’m going to go find sensei.”

And with that, Donnie left the room in the direction of sensei’s room.

Raph looked at Mikey, his brow creased in confusion. “That was weird, right?”

“What was weird?” Leo asked, holding a bowl of popcorn as he walked back over to his brothers.

Raph and Mikey exchanged a glance before explaining Donnie’s weird behavior, and how something seemed to be bothering him. Leo frowned, and the telltale signs of Leo Worry were visible in the way he crossed his arms and fidgeted with his hands.

“I’ll talk to him when he comes back if he still seems upset. Maybe talking to sensei is all he needs,” Leo told them, but Mikey doubted Donnie was getting away from this without at least having a brief talk with Leo. “Let’s just watch Crognard, okay?”

They each grabbed a handful of popcorn and turned their attention to the show. None of them seemed particularly invested anymore, but no one suggested finding something else to do.

Then a new thought crossed Mikey’s mind, and he broke the silence.

“What if he found something bad in his DNA test?”

“Bad? Like what?” Leo asked, and Mikey shrugged, but Raph’s face grew dark.

“Like a disease? Or maybe he found out that our expected lifespan is only, like, 20 years or something,” Raph mumbled, not taking his eyes off the screen.

“Maybe there’s something wrong with Master Splinter, which is why he went to talk to him?” Mikey suggested, trying not to let his voice shake at the thought. What were they going to do if there was something wrong with sensei?

“Stop,” Leo ordered in his leader voice, and Raph’s mouth snapped shut immediately. “Look, we don’t know what’s wrong with Donnie. Maybe he’s just upset because his experiment didn’t work, have we considered that?”

Mikey thought about it and nodded. That did make sense. He knew how much Donnie’s experiments meant to him, and how excited he’d been for this one. It would definitely upset him if it was messed up in some way.

But why had he been looking at Mikey like that? Or rather… not looking?

Maybe he thought Mikey had messed things up somehow? But that didn’t make sense either. If he thought that, he would have gotten mad at Mikey, not avoided him. Something about the situation wasn’t adding up, and it was because of Mikey, he was sure of it. Afterall, Donnie hadn’t avoided looking at Raph like that.

April and Casey arrived shortly after, although Mikey wasn’t entirely sure how long it had been since Donnie had left to speak with sensei. He’d been watching Crognard, but he hadn’t been truly processing the show, too concerned about the Donnie situation.

“We brought pizza!” Casey shouted, leaning the boxed on the back of the couch as the three present brothers stood up to greet their friends.

“Hi, guys,” April waved. “Where’s Donnie?”

“Talking with Master Splinter,” Leo said, but before he could get further, Donnie and their sensei walked into the room.

Donnie smiled. “Hey, April! And Casey. I heard you brought pizza?” He walked over and took a slice out of the top box, biting into it immediately.

It was fake.

Mikey couldn’t explain how he could tell, but Donnie’s smile was fake. His words were fake. His whole attitude was fake, and whatever was bothering him before was clearly still an issue. He was just trying to hide it now.

Everyone gathered in the kitchen, sitting and passing around slices as April and Casey shared about their days. It seemed like any other afternoon in the Hamato home, but Donnie still wouldn’t even look in Mikey’s direction.

When April mentioned something about biology, Leo’s eyes widened slightly and he looked over at Donnie. “That reminds me, Don, how did the DNA project go?”

Donnie immediately stiffened, but seemed to force himself to relax, shifting in his seat in a way that he tried to pretend was simply finding a more comfortable position, but was clearly an attempt to hide his discomfort.

“Ah, well, you see…”

“Did something go wrong?” Mikey asked, trying to make his words sound as sympathetic as possible. Clearly Donnie wasn’t having a good time, no matter what was going on, and maybe if Mikey made it clear that he’d be supported if something had gone wrong was what he needed in order to share what happened.

But Donnie shook his head. “Uh, no, actually th-the testing went perfectly! It was very informative, although I don’t know i-if any of you w-would think it’s interesting—”

“Cut the bullshit, Donnie,” Raph said sharply. “Which one of us is dying?”

Donnie’s eyes went wide. “What? No, no, nobody’s dying! Why did—what, why would you…?”

“Then what’s so messed up about those DNA samples, huh?” Raph demanded, volume rising. “Y’know, maybe we aren’t geniuses like you are, but we aren’t idiots! We know there’s something wrong that you’re not telling us!”

“N-nothing’s wrong!” Donnie insisted, voice rising to match Raph’s. “All of the samples suggested peak health, despite the fact that we’ve spent our whole lives in the sewers, which is actually quite remarkable when you think about—”

“Then what is wrong, Donnie?! If it’s not the DNA, what is it?!”

“I’m telling you, Raph, there’s nothing—”

“Oh, don’t give me that—”

“Why won’t you listen! Everything’s—”

“It’s me,” Mikey said softly, but the arguing continued over him, Leo, April and Casey not seeming to notice he’d said anything, let alone Raph or Donnie.

“You always do this shit! You act like you’re better—”

“Maybe there’s some things you don’t need to know! Have you ever considered—”

“GUYS!”

All eyes were suddenly on Mikey, his outburst startling the whole group. He didn’t want the attention now, the eyes on him seeming to burn into his skin.

Especially Donnie’s.

“It’s me, isn’t it?” he asked in a small voice, looking directly at Donnie. “There’s something wrong, or-or different, about me. Right?”

Donnie looked like he’d been slapped. He took a deep breath and looked around the table, frowning slightly when he saw April and Casey. “Um. April, Casey… thank you for the pizza, but I think this is a personal conversation between us…” He trailed off awkwardly, rubbing his left arm with his right hand.

April nodded and stood up, gently tugging Casey to his feet as well. “We’ll come back tomorrow, okay?”

“Sorry,” Donnie said, looking the most awkward Mikey had ever seen him, which was saying something, since most of his interactions with April were almost painful to watch. Everyone shifted awkwardly as the two humans left, and as soon as they were likely to be out of earshot, Donnie slumped forward.

There was ringing in Mikey’s ears. He didn’t know where it was coming from. All he knew was that he’d been right: something was wrong with him, something serious enough that Donnie didn’t think April and Casey needed to know. His heart felt like it was trying to push its way out of his plastron and his lungs felt like they were being squeezed. They were like water balloons filled too far, and the slightest bit of pressure could cause them to burst. He was still in the kitchen, seated at the table with his brothers, but everything felt a little bit fuzzy. Had he fallen asleep? Was he simply dreaming that he was here, waiting a million seconds for Donnie to speak again?

An arm was suddenly around his shell, the comforting weight bringing him back to his senses a little bit. Leo had slid his chair closer to him, although Mikey couldn’t remember when he’d done so.

He was glad that his big brother was there to comfort him.

“Alright, Donnie,” Leo said, his voice low, almost as if they were discussing something forbidden, something that shouldn’t be said aloud. “Now will you tell us what’s wrong?”

Donnie bit his lip and hesitated, but let out a sigh and began speaking slowly. “There’s nothing wrong, per se. No one’s sick or… or dying, everyone’s perfectly healthy, and I expect us all to stay that way.”

“You already said—” Raph tried to say, but Leo held up a hand, cutting him off.

“Go on, Donnie,” Leo encouraged.

Donnie took a deep breath before he continued. “I was mostly hoping to find any potential health risks in our DNA by studying in it, although I must admit that a part of me was simply excited for the fun of it… Uh, the thing is, there was something I found out that…” He paused, seeming to collect his thoughts. “Honestly, it shouldn’t mean anything. It isn’t something that impacts any of our lives, it’s just…” He looked between Raph and Leo, then let his gaze fall to Mikey, before returning to the elder two. “Before we were mutated, not all of us were related. Bio-biologically, I mean. Leo and Raph, the two of you must have come from the same pair of turtles. Mikey and I… we both had different turtle parents.

“That’s not all,” he continued when Raph opened his mouth again, seemingly prepared to cut Donnie off again. “When we were—I mean, well… when anyone or anything is mutated, the mutagen locks onto the DNA of the last living being that the mutated organism came into contact with. For example, April’s dad had been swatting at bats before he was mutated, erm, the first time.” He paused again, taking another deep breath. “I had assumed… reasonably, I would say, that the four of us all obtained our human DNA from Master Splinter. A-and that’s—that’s almost true, but—”

“But I’m different?” Mikey asked, whispered, really. It felt like the water balloons that had replaced his lungs had finally burst, icy water flooding his insides.

Donnie just gave a small nod.

“How, though? Where would it have come from?” Leo was saying, but Mikey wasn’t really listening. It was hard to hear over the rushing water in his ears.

“I’m not certain, but if I had to theorize, it was likely a pet store employee, or perhaps another customer…”

“Why only Mikey, though?”

“I’m not sure, Raph, although it’s possible…”

The words faded away as his brothers—no, wait, they weren’t brothers, were they? —continued speaking around him. He needed… he needed… he wasn’t sure. All he knew was that the cold water inside him felt bad, felt wrong, he needed to do something.

He was standing before he realized he had even moved at all, breathing heavily and leaning against the table, palms flat on the slightly messy surface, lightly coated in crumbs and pizza grease.

“Mikey?” Leo asked gently, and he turned to face his older—no, not brother—the… elder turtle. “Are you okay?”

He blinked a couple of times. Why was he being asked that…? “Uh, yeah, I’m fine! Ha ha, I just got a little bit dizzy!” He pleaded for them to accept it, not to interrogate him. He couldn’t handle that right now…

“Mikey,” Donnie spoke up, “You know this doesn’t change anything, right? The DNA results don’t mean that you’re not still our brother.”

Then why couldn’t Donnie meet his eye earlier? Instead of voicing that thought out loud, he plastered a smile on his face. “Don’t worry, Dee, I know! Jeez, and you had us all worried that you were gonna announce that we were all gonna die tomorrow or something. Psh.”

His brothers exchanged a look that he didn’t know how to decipher, and then Leo’s hand was on his shoulder. “Look, Mikey…”

He casually shrugged the hand off. “No need to worry, bro! I think I’m gonna go read some comics, though.” He picked up his plate, which still had two slices of pizza. Technically, food wasn’t allowed in their rooms, but that rule had never been enforced as much as it probably should have, and none of his broth—the others made any move to prevent him from doing so.

As soon as he was out of sight, he let the smile drop, his shoulders sagging. He honestly had no idea how he felt. It was as if the freezing water that had been inside of him had warmed up to a neutral temperature, but was still sloshing around, making him feel unbalanced.

Before he was out of earshot, he caught a comment from Leo that clearly hadn’t been meant for his ears. “Give him some time,” the leader’s tone carried out from the kitchen. “He probably needs time to process things, and then he’ll be himself again.”

He didn’t wait to hear what Donnie or Raph might have to say to that. He didn’t want to know. He couldn’t face it, not now. So he rushed to his room and closed the door quickly, abandoning his plate on a shelf before collapsing on his bed.

He didn’t feel like reading comics. He probably wouldn’t be able to, anyway, with the tears blurring his vision.

===

The next few days passed normally, for the most part. Mikey pretended like he wasn’t more aware of every mistake he made during training, how he couldn’t keep up with the other three, and it seemed his supposed improvements lately had just been a fluke. He pretended that he didn’t notice the looks his brothers the other turtles would send his way when they thought he wasn’t paying attention, how their eyes were full of concern even when their mouths were pulled into unwavering smiles. He pretended it didn’t sting a little more than usual when they were scouting out a new Kraang facility and Mikey was told no less than four times to not touch anything.

Everything was normal. Everything was fine.

And Mikey wasn’t going to do anything to give his—the family any reason to decide he wasn’t worth the effort anymore.

So, he smiled during the day, doing his best to not act any different from before. And if he’d toned down the pranks immensely, or not fought for the last slice of pizza, or gave up TV privileges to the others more easily, what did it matter? He needed to be less annoying anyway.

And if he went to bed earlier than normal, no one had to know that it was because he couldn’t handle being around the rest of them any longer, couldn’t keep up his act. His nights were spent restlessly, his mind plagued with worries about what he would do when everyone got sick of him and he could no longer call the lair his home.

The Mutanimals would likely let him stay for a few nights, but he couldn’t ask them to house him permanently. April would also let him stay temporarily, but staying in a human apartment for a longer amount of time would be too dangerous. Casey wasn’t an option; Mikey knew his home life wasn’t good to begin with, and doubted his dad would be accepting of a giant talking turtle asking to crash there for a while.

He could always hide away at the farmhouse, but he had no way of getting there on his own. Plus, if any of the others decided to visit, they’d find him. That wasn’t an option.

He decided that the best course of action would be to find a suitable part of the sewers on the opposite side of the city to hide in. That way he’d be out of his the brother’s shells, but would be close enough that he didn’t have to worry about moving his stuff too far.

If they let him take it with him.

He rolled over and pulled his blankets tighter around himself, begging his body to finally give in and pull him into unconsciousness. It was almost 9 am; they were expected to be up at noon due to their mostly nocturnal lifestyle. He needed the three hours of sleep he could still potentially get, but it didn’t seem like it was going to happen.

Groaning, he pushed himself out of bed and let the blankets fall in a messy pile on the mattress. Maybe getting some water would help his mind calm down enough to sleep.

Of course, it wasn’t that simple.

Donnie was in the kitchen, facing the wall where the coffee maker was positioned on the countertop. He turned around, mug in hand, and proceeded to spill it all over himself when he jumped at the sight of Mikey, clearly not expecting anyone else this late at night.

“Mikey!” he shouted, and then hissed, dropping the mug and shaking his burned hand. They both winced when the mug shattered as it hit the ground, and Donnie jumped back, trying to avoid the broken shards of ceramic that now littered the ground.

No, no, no, this wasn’t supposed to happen. This was bad. This was so bad!

He knew he should be checking on Donnie to make sure he wasn’t badly hurt, but Mikey felt like he couldn’t breathe. He ran from the room, trying to remember how to make his plastron rise and fall as he took in air, suffocating on nothing. He stumbled back to his bedroom and collapsed on the mattress, fumbling with the messy blankets he’d only just abandoned until they were wrapped tight around himself and pulled over his head.

His whole body was shaking as he sobbed, tears wetting the blankets and his pillows as he pulled his limbs into his shell, wanting to disappear. He’d gotten Donnie hurt and caused him to break a mug. If they hadn’t already decided to get rid of him, this was sure to seal his fate.

It couldn’t happen so soon, though! It had only been four days since they’d all learned the truth, he hadn’t had enough time to prepare! He wasn’t ready to lose the only family he’d ever known, to say goodbye to the people who he’d loved with all his heart, and had loved him in return.

The tears fell harder, his eyes stinging, the sobs growing uncontrollable, and he wailed.

“Mikey? Mikey?” He barely registered a voice as he pulled his head into his shell as well, not wanting to face whoever it was, not ready to lose everything. If he hid, maybe he could keep his life a little bit longer, maybe he could pretend it wasn’t all falling apart.

There was a pressure on his carapace, and he shuddered, unable to flinch away from the contact. It began rubbing small circles into his back, and the same voice spoke again. “Mikey, I’m okay. I wasn’t badly burned, and I didn’t get hurt by the mug,” came Donnie’s voice, but surely that wasn’t right. Where was the anger?

Donnie wouldn’t get mad at you for spooking him, a voice said, and he was tempted to believe it, but that was before Donnie knew the truth.

And Donnie was a scientist. If any of them were going to reject Mikey first, it made sense that it would be him.

So why was he here, rubbing Mikey’s shell in that comforting yet awkward way, with just a little bit of hesitancy that Mikey wasn’t sure Donnie noticed in his own motions? Donnie wasn’t good at comfort—although he was better than Raph—but when he tried to offer it, this was how it always went. Those uncertain motions, the calm statement of facts.

He managed to slow his sobbing to a controllable degree and poked his head back out of his shell, still wary that he’d been deceived somehow… but Donnie wouldn’t do that, would he? Donnie was a lot of things, but cruel was not one of them.

And he wanted to make sure Donnie really was okay.

His big brother the older turtle’s eyes lit up almost imperceptibly when Mikey looked up at him, and the first genuine smile Mikey had seen from any of them since they found out the truth appeared on Donnie’s face, even if it was small.

“I’m okay, see?” Donnie repeated, then held out his arm for Mikey to examine. He pulled one of his own arms out of his shell to carefully observe Donnie’s hand, which seemed slightly swelled and irritated, but far from the worst injury any of them had ever received. “It’s first-degree. I’ve gotten burned worse working on Metalhead,” Donnie assured him, and gently patted Mikey on his head as his tears were finally slowing and his lungs learned how to function once more.

“Sorry,” Mikey said in a small voice, wincing as he braced for Donnie’s next words.

“Mikey, you didn’t do anything wrong. I was just startled because no one else is usually awake around this time.” Donnie frowned as he seemed to remember something. “Speaking of that, is there a reason why you got up?”

Mikey didn’t want to admit the truth, didn’t want anyone knowing about his fears and his plans.

Why not? A voice in his head asked, and he didn’t have an answer for it.

“Had a bad dream,” he mumbled instead, looking away from Donnie as he eased the rest of his limbs back out of his shell.

Donnie gave him a look of sympathy. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Mikey shook his head.

“Was… was it about the DNA thing? Because if so—”

“I’m tired,” Mikey cut him off, not wanting him to continue whatever he was going to say. “I wanna try to get a little bit of sleep before training tomorrow.”

Donnie looked dissatisfied, but Mikey couldn’t bring himself to care when Donnie dropped the subject and stood up from where he had sat on the edge of Mikey’s bed. “Alright… but you can talk to me, okay?”

Mikey answered with a half-nod, half-shrug before shifting his blankets so they were more comfortable and placed his head on his pillow. He really was exhausted, and he felt his eyes closing heavily, feeling sticky from the now drying tears on his face.

He heard Donnie move towards his door, but the elder turtle paused before leaving. After a few seconds, Mikey was about to open his eyes and ask if Donnie needed anything, but the other turtle spoke up before he had a chance, his voice soft. “Love you, Mikey.”

Then he was alone in his room again, and he let himself be pulled into the darkness of sleep.

#tmnt #tmnt 2012 #2012 tmnt #tmnt 2012 fic #2012 tmnt fic #not as thick as blood fic #i decided to post the whole story here this time #instead of just on ao3 #see if more people are interested in reading it this way

[risewriter]

ROTTMNT: Afloat

The four brothers are camping in the serene forest. While Raphael is gathering food and Mikey is collecting firewood, the two other turtles wait at the riverbank, paddling their feet in the water.

''Heh, you sure you're okay without your phone? Last time you went kinda loco.'' The slider spins his finger next to his own head.

''Ha ha, Leon.'' The snarky reply is followed by a small sigh. ''Sometimes it's nice to have the quiet.''

Blinking a tad surprised at the rare side of his brother being shown, Leonardo smiles at his own reflection.

''It's great to be surrounded by this much handsome water, that's for sure.'' The blue turtle finger-guns back at himself.

''Then why don't you join it and the fish feces that accompany it.'' The soft shell scoffs, pushing his distracted brother into the river.

Resurfacing, Leo spits out a spray of water at his brother.

''When swimming I'm even more handsome, so thank you for that~!'' He grins, stroking back and forth in front of Donnie.

''Oh, please.'' Donatello looks away with a huff, only to be pulled into the lake soon after. ''You little-!''

*Splash!*

Coming back above the water, Donnie flies towards Leo. ''You're lucky that I'm not wearing any tech or you would be-!'' Noticing Leo is zoned out while drifting on the river, he changes tone. ''Leon?''

''You should try doing this floating thing, bro.'' Putting his hands behind his head, he releases a big exhale.

A bit reluctant, Donnie does as suggested. It is weird how quick he feels at ease. The worries and anxiety are washed away by the currents.

''Oh.''

''I know, right?''

Now side by side, they enjoy a few minutes of stillness.

''Say,'' Leo turns his head to Donnie. ''Do you ever.. think about it?''

Donnie opens his eyes. ''About what? Our brothers? The Kraang? The Foot? Shredder?''

''The spaceship.''

The soft shell falls silent for a few seconds.

''I wish I couldn't think about it. It will most likely remain a scar.''

''Yeah, me too. When I thought I was a goner in that other dimension, lots of things filled my head.''

''That would be a first.''

''Heh.'' Leo's and Donnie's eyes meet. ''You know what's cool though?''

''What?''

''We got twin scars.''

Donatello groans. ''Leo, we're not twins. Mutual brother scar would be more accurate.''

''Sure, keep denying it and say the mouthful instead. While you waste your time saying multiple words, I'll say twin scar.'' Leo chuckles with a snarky smile.

''Fine.'' Don stands up in the river. ''I'll call it twin scars, but just to save my precious time and energy.'' He sits back on the edge of the river bank.

''Whatever you say, D.'' The slider swims to his brother. “Whatever you say.”

#hope you like it @wildfeathersworld~! #ficlet~! #Sometimes the calm brings things out in the open #rottmnt #rise of the tmnt #rottmnt leo #rise leonardo #rottmnt donnie #rise donatello #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #rise leo #tmnt incorrect quotes #rottmnt incorrect quotes #rise donnie

[idiotic21]

Mr and Mrs Hamato

Chapter 1 - Denial

Previous All Stories

Timestamp - 2 years after Shredder's defeat, 6 months after the Krangg were defeated

"So..let me get this straight," 

Casey Jr facepalmed himself, once again being held by the custody of his friend/future uncle. Casey pinched his forehead together and waited for the turtle to continue.

"I, have a 'w-wife', in the future?"

"Yes, for the thousand time yes,"

"Thousandth, time. With 'th', kay," Donnie pointed out, ".. and also, me, a wife?"

Casey tiredly nodded. 

"My genius bad boy image.... didn't do a thing?" the genius rambles further, tensing himself up.

"Pfft... for one, I believe in Leon Jr, and I think your bad boy image would crack under the pressure of a beautiful damsel in distress, Don Tron" 

Donnie slammed his head in his hands. Leo now had the upper hand with new teasing material to mess with his twin. "For the record, Leon... his name is Casey. The spawn of our very own Cassandra Jones. Second, I WILL NOT have my bad-boy image get spalt in twain by some... some-"

"-Beautiful queen?" 

As if the genius' day couldn't get any worse, Mikey decided to join in storytime. Raph was leaning against the door of the medbay with a smug look. 

"So, Donnie is the one to carry the Hamato name? Looks like Dad will get grandkids after all," Raph entered the room and noogied the younger Hamato twin. 

Donnie stomped his foot, face blushing at Raphael's insinuation, "Knock it off, Raph. Technically, I haven't met this, Dianne-" 

"AWWWW.... and he already knows her name before even meeting her," Mikey cried out with hearts in his eyes, "Guys, it's a match made in heaven," Leo, Casey, and Raph all nodded in agreement. Leaving Donnie even more flustered, or angered? He couldn't really pinpoint the feeling. 

Wait... did he just register an 'un-sure feeling'?

Donnie blinked himself back to the hooligans who dared insinuate such lies! "-AND!, I am a turtle, guys. I don't think we would be even physically compatible with a human. Scientifically speaking. Also, falling in 'love' would require emotional availability which, if you guys do realize, I don't express nor practice much."

Casey just shook his head, reminiscing how the future version of his Uncle Don reacted the same way when a younger Casey asked about his uncle's love life. Future Donnie still kept his bad boy image around. 

"Come on, Dee. Just because you're a turtle, doesn't mean you won't find love. Love is a beautiful thing, just ask Doctor Feelings." Donnie slapped a hand on Mickey's mouth, "Silence, sweet Angelo. I know you mean well, but this brother of yours is 100 percent sure that I could live a long and prosperous life without the invasion of space from a 'significant other'."

Donnie thought he had won the argument, but Leo identified the loophole. "Sure, bro. Whatever makes you happy, but you said, and I quote the word, "could", in other words it means you 'could' also find yourself sharing your life with a significant other, eh?"

Leo shot his brows up twice and smirked. "Nardo, that's not how it works.."

"I don't know Dee, Leo does have a point. Right, Casey?" Raph turned to the Jones Jr, who now became the main focus of Donnie's sharp and intimidating eyes.

"Uhh... I think I will leave Master Donatello's love life discussion to you guys," Casey replied shyly and scratched the back of his neck. 

The brothers began to squabble again only to meet a high-pitched squeal... or high-pitched squealing.

"Ancestors, are my rat ears deceiving me? Or did I not hear the word 'love-life' being associated with my 'genius cinnamon roll of a son' Purple?"Hamato Yoshi (Splinter a.k.a Lou-Jitsu) struck a pose by the door and then fell dramatically into the waiting hands of April O'Neil. "No, Splints. I think your ears worked just fine," she confirmed and proceeded to unceremoniously drop the rat man to the floor and marched up to Donnie.

On the other note, Donnie was horrified. His father and sister have been officially dragged into his future-wife mess. Could things get any worse? Donnie ground his teeth, seething lost patience.

Shoving her finger up to his face threateningly, she declared with anger, "Have you been holding out on me, D? Are you dating someone? Where'd you meet her? What's her background? Is she involved in the Illuminati?" 

"CAN IT APRIL! There is no wife, I said!" 

The brothers and Casey were losing their cool, laughing and slapping each other's backs.

The word 'wife' echoed once again. Donnie cringed so bad when he heard the deafening hum of Splinter's 'Lou-Jitsu Love Advice Persona' beaming to life. Think Doctor Feelings, but 10 times amplified. Now you see where Mickey gets it.

"Hmm... Donatello?" all the children in the room (except Donnie) were in awe. The rat man is about to give one of his famous Lou-Jitsu love-tackling advice.

"Yes, Dad?" Donnie replied bluntly.

"Did or did I not hear the word 'wife'?" The room shook. Every atom vibrates at the deep octave of Splinter's advising voice.

Donnie rolled his eyes in annoyance and nodded. Soon, he found Splinter directly in the line of his peripheral vision. Splinter yanked Donnie's shoulder, "Love, is a beautiful thing. When it comes your way, be mindful and do not let go. It creates a part of you that you would never have known to have existed. When you find the one, you will not just know love, but you will live by love."

Everyone in the room had their eyes glistening with tears, mouths pouting and hearts heeding the great wisdom poured by the old man. All except Donnie of course who just maintained his bored and empty, cold and calculated look. 

"Sure, Dad"

Suddenly, a gust of wind picked up from behind Splinter, making his grey fur move majestically, swept in glittering *dust*. Donnie could hear the ridiculous awe of the rest of his family. He mentally resisted face-palming himself for who knows how many times that day. 

"ALRIGHT! Let's get this over with and-"

"Why are we talking about Donatello and a possible future with a wife?" 

"OH MI GOSH, Draxiball you heard it too?!" Mickey jumped into Draxum's hands and began to rant about Donnie's possible love life.

He facepalmed. Donnie finally facepalmed again.

"So, in the future, you will have a wife? Interesting. I didn't know humans would think turtle-human yokai to be .... urhm, attractive?" the baron was intrigued, to say the least. Another variable to add to his growing study of his new... sons.

"You steppin' on Don or sometin', Draxum?" April stepped to him for stepping to Donnie.

Leo gasped in faux hurt, "Draxum, are you implying that we are not handsome and chivalrous turtlemen? I get it if Donnie is less attractive than I am. I am the face man but no doubt we are more than just attractive."

"Yeah, we got Lou-Jitsu blood burnin' in our veins!" Raph dabbed and Michelangelo razzmatazed with Splinter raised on his shoulders. 

"For the record, this is just another variable for me to put into the study of human-yokai relations alright." Draxum eye rolled. "On the other hand, you boys do hold human DNA, which might make you compatible with a human being so-"

"HAH! Don, please, eateth thy words" Leo clawed his way up the medical bed to headlock Donnie. The latter had already given up, but his face was red like Raph's mask.

While the rest of the family began to throw around possible ideas of Donnie can find his future wife in the present time, Donnie himself began to think. 

'Why in the world would he need love?'

'How needs love with all the mystic tech power he had'

'I'm a genius, I'm married to my work'

Before he entered classic-Donnie overthink, Dee decided to put his foot down. "ENOUGH love talk today!"

His voice rang with finality that all the members of his family knew not to go against. He wasn't mad at them, they knew it, but Donnie's bad-boy persona was crumbling when a specific thought suddenly entered his brain. 

He patted Leo's head before yanking himself away, "Dear fam, I am pleased to hear that you are all invested completely in a part of my life that has only a less than 1 percent chance of happening."

"Which is still a high percent chance in Leon's book, but carry on,"

"Wipe the smug off your face Nardo. Anyways, Donnie and love life have no semblance at all because I am a brilliant scientist who is too busy for dumdum things, getting in my way. You are welcome and thank you,"

The room was silent, Leo hating that Donnie decided to deny something that has not happened. Then a loud "BOO! LOSER BOO!" was heard from the corner of the room.

"CASSANDRA?!" "MOM?!" 

At the corner of the room, Cassandra Jones sat with an empty bowl of popcorn and a half cup full of soda. "Oh, hey guys.Son. Also, I think the tech whiz just jinxed himself by saying he may never find love. Usually, it's people who reject the insinuation of being in love with someone, who would find love earlier than anticipated."

April nodded gleefully, "I agree. Also, how long have you been there?"

"NO ONE NEEDS TO KNOW!" 

The whole group just remained awkward. "Anywho, who want's to watch a Lou-Jitsu marathon? Draxum, you gotta join us this time. You promised,"

The baron sighed, he could never say no to Mickey. "Fine.."

"I will join you guys later. I have some tech to fix. Also, Nardo needs to stay on the drips." Donnie ordered and gave Leo a frightening look, daring his twin to try to retaliate. Leo was still recovering from the injuries he acquired from the fight with the Krang.

Leo gulped and nodded, "Until you give me the clear sign, Dee, I will live by the drips."

Donnie kept his hard look before it finally broke into a gentle smile. The others shuffled out to the hall to watch Lou-Jitsu on the new flat screen tv Donnie built. 

---

Hamato Donatello sank into his bed. Sheldon was charging at his corner, displaying a row of 'Z's' to show that he is sleeping. Donny laughed to himself. "Imagine if he was a living and breathing child. The trouble I would have."

"Then again, Splinter would finally have a grandchild. Technically he has one but..." a frown made its way to his face.

"GAH! Why am I suddenly thinking of children?" He began classic Donnie rambling. The turtle began to pace around the room, "I am a turtle for crying out loud. A yokai. Wait, no not a yokai, I AM A MUTANT!" 

"Great Gallileo, why did I even have to think that finding love would be a nice change of pace?" 

You see, that was the one thought that bugged him earlier. The one thought that stood out from the rest. One that bled in desperate need of longing and comfort. For one second, Donatello was curious about love and the idea of sharing his love with another.

"Damn it!" Donnie released his battle shell and fell face down into his plush bed, groaning.

Everything was quiet for a while until he felt a familiar hand land gently on his soft-shell. 

"I thought you were enjoying the movie marathon..." Purple whispered quietly. Splinter chuckled, "I was. I went to get popcorn but when I passed your room I saw my son ranting about his love life."

Donnie peeked out a little to find his dad smiling at him softly. He grew flustered and buried his face deeper into the pillows. "Please don't tell the others about this, Papa." 

Splinter frowned a little but agreed. "Can I at least ask you a question, my son?"

The purple turtle was quiet for a while, then he sat up to face Splinter, nodding. "Why are you so disturbed by the fact that you may find love? Do you not want to love someone and have a family of your own in the future?"

"It's, well... it's complicated. I really don't know what to feel," Donnie paused, allowing Splinter to take in the information. "I just... aside from loving my family, you, April, the guys, I don't know if I can love or have the ability to love some random stranger. How can I even think to find love? Look at me! I'm a mutant! A freak of nature"

Splinter grimaced but decided to poke some fun, "So, I am guessing I am one as well,eh?"

"Wha- Dad no I didn't mean it that way."

Splinter chuckled and told his son to calm down, "I'm joking, Purple. I will tell you this. Love is hard to explain, even for someone with my experience."

Donnie listens on quietly. "I didn't think I would learn to love Big Mama, you know. Obviously, I was a handsome young superstar back in the day, and getting the girls was easy, but finding someone to confide in was a challenge. I never knew if I would find someone who would genuinely love me for who I am. Not what I am."

"Didn't Big Mama lure you only to kidnap you as a fighter for the BattleNexus-"

Donnie's logical rambling was cut short by Splinter's finger pushed to his face, "Shus! Your Papa is talking."

"Anyways, what I am trying to say is that loving someone else is not a bad thing. It helps you discover things you never knew about yourself and makes you a greater person in return. It changes you for the better. Yes, Big Mama was a thieving 8-legged, beautiful, cute, smart, cunning, and uh... did I mention beautiful-"

"Dad, stop gushing over your ex, please?"

"Oh, ho ho, yes. Before the kidnapping me days, I had fallen head over heels for her and she forever holds a place in my heart. She is the one for me and will always be. Big Mama, is just... herself. She does have room for sympathy and love in her heart."

Donnie chuckled, watching his father gush about his previous flame. He realized how happy Splinter was that it made him seem to have aged back a few years. "You really loved her, huh?"

Splinter nodded, "And I still do." The father-son duo basked in the comforting silence until Splinter decided to leave Purple to his thoughts. " I will let you think it over, son. If you need love advice, I will spill Lou-Jitsu's Top 5, How To Get The Girl, tips to you."

"Just five?" Donnie grinned.

"Just five. See you later, Donatello." 

As Splinter left the room, he saw how contently Sheldon was resting, in a futuristically designed charging port, fitted with a Sheldon-sized movie and gaming console for the young AI turtle to play. He was truly the spoiled brainchild of Donnie. 

"If it means anything to you, Purple, I think you are a wonderful father too. My AI grandson seems to be living his life with you as his parental figure," Splinter chuckled as Donnie's face grew red in fluster. 

Donnie watched Splinter shuffle to the kitchen and let out a heavy sigh. "Maybe..."

"...nah...but possibly? You know what, I don't have time to think about this."

The purple tech whiz scooped up a blanket and switched off the neon purple lighting of his room. Before leaving for the movie marathon however, he caught the glimpse of Sheldon snoozing away, purring mechanically. A tiny but genuine smile graced his lips and Donnie clapped himself on his shoulder. "I am a great dad,".

---

Little did Donnie know, that in a few day's time, he would meet the love of his life.

The future, Mrs. Hamato. ❤

Next

#rottmnt #rise donatello #rise leo #rise mickey #rise raph #rise of the tmnt #rise of tmnt #tmnt 2018 #Youtube #rottmnt fanfiction

[4dtk]

Hii~ congratulations on 4K!! May I request wearing that lingerie underneath that coat to visit jaehyun in the recording studio and then he proceeds to take the reader into the recording booth and then they ;) this sounds like a plot to a cheap porno but it’s been living rent free in my head for awhile now lmao u can also make it as smutty as u like!! Thank u <3

my MIA era 😍 bro the moment i get the motivation to write, i do and then when i post something i literally go back into hermit mode :/ but either way i hope u like this! side note idk if those were crotchless undies so i just said they were :(

pairing: jaehyun x reader

warnings: semi mean dom!jaehyun (only at some parts), sub!reader, semi-public sex, degradation, praise, brief oral (m receiving), missionary (on chair???), fingering, clit stimulation, vaginal penetration, unprotected sex, breeding/creampie, implied second round, n*sfw under the cut

“alright, it’s time for a break everyone. good job!” the producer calls out to the boys as they disperse from the recording studio. one by one, they either rush to the toilets or make their way to the water dispenser.

jaehyun doesn’t do anything but make his way to you who’s still wrapped on your trench coat. normally it’d be something to take out but you have good reason to keep it on, and you’re waiting for just the right time to show your boyfriend.

“hey,” jaehyun says quietly, sitting beside your figure that’s resting comfortably on the couch, “you good?”

“never been better with nine men shouting the song title non-stop,” jaehyun appreciates your sarcasm, laughing as he scoots up closer and pats your head. his fingers tangle themselves in the strands, while his other tease the straps of the coat like he’s almost asking you to remove it, but you only pull it closer to your body.

saved by the bell, your conversation is interrupted by the members slowly filing into the room. one by one, they squeeze into the room, watching amused as they continue from where they left off.

the ‘nine men shouting the song title non-stop’ wasn’t that bad, if you had to be honest, although you think it’s the day’s errands and events catching up to your droopy eyelids until all you hear is your boyfriend’s voice an hour later.

“sweetheart, hi, hey, should we go?” the recording booth is dark, the only lit room being the control room that seems dim in your brief moment of grogginess. slowly, you blink the fatigue away, but oh no, you’re far from leaving this place according to your friends.

they were the ones to blame for planting this silly idea in your head, of wearing nothing but lingerie under a trench coat and waltz into the company building like nothing.

you’re surprised you even got through security, and now since the group is gone, you’re willing to put your plan into action. after all, you remember one of the boys saying there weren’t cameras in the recording booth.

“go? so fast?” you pout, “don’t you wanna see what’s under here?”

it takes a while for the gears to run in his head because how could his sweet, sweet girlfriend have the courage to walk in with nothing but lace on her body, right? wrong. it clicks after a few seconds, the recognition appearing on his face. jaehyun doesn’t have time to protest because you’re already trailing a hand down his body, shamelessly brushing over his pelvis.

there’s already a noticeable bulge, evident how the tight jeans he dons only makes it worse. you notice how even the slightest squeeze prompts a soft sigh, and you smile as you reach right over to turn the lock on the door.

if jaehyun is impatient he doesn’t show it, hissing through his teeth when you unzip his pants. you pull out his cock that’s almost hard, stroking it gently while pressing little kisses along his slit. you tease him a little more, taking the tip in your mouth and sucking like a lollipop and you just hope the doe-eyed look you’re giving him is enough to make him lose it.

“oh… fuck, stop teasing, baby,” he moans quietly, still cautious of the risky place you decided to initiate this. until you take in all of him, deepthroating his cock into your mouth that it’s down your throat that it brings out a loud groan. “never mind, i’m sold, f-fuck. c’mon, up. up.”

jaehyun tugs you up by your arm a little roughly and drags you to the recording booth, but you only gesture with your eyes to the surprise that’s awaiting him and that seems to do the job.

“you know, i was going to fuck your mouth but i think i’ll need to be in your tight little cunt first.” it’s obvious how your body reacts to his words, so lewd and inappropriate from the scripted things he’d say on air.

“you like it when i talk dirty, huh?” jaehyun smiles when you nod, feeling the plump of your ass through the coat. your fingers untangle the knot you’ve tied, and the build-up is so worth it to see the look on jaehyun’s face. the lingerie covers nothing of your private parts and rather just around it. he takes advantage of it, and of the soundproof feature.

“did you want this in you? hm?” jaehyun shoves two fingers into your dripping pussy, “so fucking wet i’m surprised you didn’t leak through the coat.” prepping you doesn’t take much work when you’re so used to his cock being in you, almost always going at it like bunnies after his schedules. still, your boyfriend believes in equal treatment, and if you tease, he teases back.

“j-jae… please, wan’ you in me, please—” the atmosphere feels so closed in because of the walls, but it makes everything more intimate and dirty. your juices soak his fingers to the knuckle and you beg again, for something more, anything. “jaehyun p-please!”

“needy little thing, i’m getting there,” the other places a quick kiss onto your lips as he pushes the chair against the wall and makes you sit down. naturally, your legs come undone, admiring how your pussy’s on display with the crotchless panties you decided to wear. “what a whore, you are,” it’s a taunt, almost, and he snaps one of the straps against your cunt.

he doesn’t waste any time, slapping his cock against your neglected clit as you moan, drinking in the sight from below you. “you like to see your cunt take my fat cock?“ jaehyun does too, and when he slips in, he shivers as how snug your walls wrap around him. whining, pulling him closer by the shoulders and beg him to move, a string of incoherent words falling from your mouth when he finally bottoms out. “c-can i move, baby?”

you can barely manage a nod, much less a word when all that leaves your mouth are whimpers and mewls for him to get faster, deeper. it’s like his cock’s never enough for you, but it’s enough to get your eyes rolling back and toes curling. “j-jae, baby, oh my god! don’t stop, please—”

no one hears you fuck in the recording booth, but it’s all that resonates in your ears as jaehyun drives his cock into you, grinding into you so deep that all you can hear are the wet, sloppy sounds of your juices mixing with his until the knot in your stomach becomes too much.

“jaehyun, i’m— i’m close.” you’re crying into his neck, sobbing even when his fingers rub your clit messily. he leaves open-mouthed kisses on yours, muttering words you can’t make out because his cock is hitting all the right spots.

“are you? cum with me, sweetheart.” his thrusts are more erratic, knowing you’d cum sooner than you’d expect with how much you’re squeezing him, but you won’t until he promises you something.

“i-i promise i’ll fill you up, baby. that what you want?” he smiles, because while he loves breeding you, he feels so lucky to have some who loves getting creampied in her sweet little pussy, so it’s a win-win situation. “you want me to breed you? y—yeah, i’ll give you all my cum—”

you’re crying out his name as you came, thighs shaking from the overwhelming feeling while jaehyun keeps going for his own orgasm. his groans are muffled by your skin when he reaches his high, cock twitching inside your pulsing cunt while he shoots hot, white cum deep into your womb.

“s’that enough?” jaehyun mumbles tiredly onto your mouth, already feeling his cum leaking out of you and onto the seat. you want more, though, ass perking up to him as your front is against the walls.

his cum’s viscous in the way it drips out of your pussy, and even though jaehyun is weary out of his mind, he loves the way your leg is propped up on the chair, hand pulling your cunt apart just to show him what your hole needs more of.

event post here, request here

#sushic4t #jaehyun x reader #nct fluff #nct scenarios #nct imagines #nct smut #nct #nct x reader #nct drabbles #nct x reader smut #nct x you #jaehyun smut #nct 127 #nct 127 smut #nct 127 scenarios #nct 127 imagines #nct 127 x reader #jung jaehyun imagines #jung jaehyun fanfic #jung jaehyun smut #jung jaehyun scenarios #jung jaehyun x reader #jeong jaehyun #jaehyun imagines #jaehyun x you #nct jaehyun smut #nct jaehyun fluff #nct jaehyun x reader #nct jaehyun #jeong jaehyun imagines

[redwinterroses]

It's that time of night where I get the urge to randomly share bits of a WIP, so... have some Doc and some Ren and some moon-flavored hurt-comfort stuffs.

________________

Doc hadn’t seen Ren in nearly three days.

Three days and three nights, during which the moon loomed ever larger and a worrying number of phantoms spawned over Octotown.

<DocM77> Ren are those your phantoms? You’re bringing down the real estate value, bro

He stared at the communicator in his hand, tapping the top of its shiny case with an absentminded finger. None of his recent messages were marked as having been seen. While it was annoying when Ren left him on read while working on a project—the man was almost as bad as Doc himself for getting lost in his work and forgetting to respond to chat—it was more concerning that he apparently wasn’t even checking his messages.

Doc sighed and let the shulker he’d been holding under on arm slip to the sandy ground. He could afford to take a break and go check in on Ren. The strange urgency in his bones, the urge to build, build now, build fast, before it’s too late (though too late for what, he wasn’t sure) could be ignored long enough to check in on his base-buddy and business partner.

He donned his elytra and launched into the air, relishing the way the cool evening air ruffled his hair and wicked away the sweat of a hard day’s terraforming and carting heavy shulkers of materials from one end of Octagon island to the other. Rising high into the sky, he blinked up at the pale light of the moon peeking over the horizon.

Peeking wasn’t really the right word.

Looming felt more accurate.

He gave a little shake of his head and turned his eyes down, scanning the shoreline and the area where Ren had been working. No time for moon shenanigans right now. He’d just seen Ren a little while ago—no more than a bit of motion when he’d glanced across the water while snagging a drink of water, but the wolfman had been near the beach then. So surely he’d be somewhere nearby now…

Aha. Found him.

Doc spiraled down, skidding to a stop in the loose, grassy soil at the top of a dune. “Hey, man,” he called to Ren as he landed. “You are not checking your chat.”

Ren didn’t respond.

Actually, he didn’t even seem to register that Doc was there.

Doc squinted. Was he listening to music again? He had a tendency to pop in his earbuds and turn up his “tunes” so loud he wouldn’t hear a TNT block going off next to him. He’d probably died a dozen times this season alone from not hearing a mob until it was too close.

“Ren, turn off your music, man.”

Ren still didn’t move, his shovel held loosely in his grip as he stared up at the rising moon.Unease stirred in Doc’s gut and he forced his hesitant feet up the hill. “You’re freaking me out,” he called, trying to keep his voice light. “Ren? What are you—”

He moved around Ren to look him in the face, and froze in place.

“Oh,” he breathed. “Oh no.”

Ren’s eyes were fixed on the moon, the pupils shrunk down to tiny pinpricks and the irises filmed over with a milky whiteness. His stare was vacant, his skin pale, and his parted lips unmoving.

For a brief, horrible second, Doc thought he was dead.

He grabbed Ren’s shoulders, digging in to the fabric of his shirt, heart hammering in his throat. But under his fingers, he could feel warmth and the faint movement of breath. Ren wasn’t dead—of course he wasn’t, this was Hermitcraft: they respawned here. Death wasn’t a true threat. He was fine. They were fine.

Except Ren was clearly not fine.

Doc let out a trembling sigh and gave Ren a little shake. “Come on, man,” he growled, mingled relief and worry making his voice rough. “Snap out of it.”

There was no response. Not even when Doc snapped his fingers inches from Ren’s nose.

“Oooooookay.” His relief was quickly fading. Something was very, very wrong here, and—glancing up at the moon on the horizon—Doc had a creeping suspicion he knew what.

But first things first. The cry of a phantom echoed overhead and Doc’s lip curled in a frustrated growl. He needed to get Ren inside, and quickly: under a roof that blocked the light of the moon and the swooping menace of the night terrors.

“Right,” he said. “Yeah. Come on, then, Ren.” He tugged at Ren’s elbow, and was gratified when he followed easily, moving with the docile mindlessness of a sleepwalker. With the sounds of phantoms getting louder, Doc moved as quickly as he could without tripping Ren and led him toward one of the nearby buildings. The Odditorium, Ren was calling it. He shoved the door open with his hip and pulled Ren inside, leaving him standing expressionless while Doc went back to close the door on the phantoms and the moonlight.

“Okay. Okay.”

Doc gently pushed Ren to sit in a chair beside the raised central fireplace, and then stepped back, his brow furrowed. He needed help, much as he hated to admit it. He should probably tell Xisuma what was going on, but the admin had been acting… oddly the last few weeks, and Doc was reluctant to involve him. Besides, if this was what Doc suspected it to be—

No. There was no time for hedging around the bushes. Doc knew exactly what was going on, and if there was going to be any hope of bringing Ren back from whatever moonscaped wasteland he’d vanished into, they’d need the one other hermit who knew Ren as well as Doc did. Or better.

Pulling out his communicator, he dialed a number and waited for the connection to go through. A sleepy voice, tinny through the device’s small speakers, answered:

“Doc? Do you know what time it is?”

“Falsie.” Doc took a deep breath. “I need your help.”

#redwinterwrites #remember that thing about guardians of ga'hoole leaping out of my past to grab me by the throat? this is that fic #docm77 #rendog #hermitcraft #moon big