#raph with eye patches is so canon to me

[itzjazzyjazzin]

Here are my silly redesigns !! ❤️💙🧡💜

#may tweak with Donnie’s design more… #raph with eye patches is so canon to me #rottmnt #save rise of the tmnt #unpause rise of the tmnt #tmnt #rottmnt fanart #tmnt 2018 #rise of the tmnt #tmnt leonardo #tmnt michelangelo #tmnt donatello #tmnt raphael

[dandylovesturtles]

Donnie and Raph treat

I didn't really have anywhere to state this exactly but this is set pre-canon, Raph is 13 and Donnie is 12 here.

---

Raph's halfway through his workout when someone knocks on the wall outside his room. "Buzz off!" he yells.

The knocking becomes more insistent. He grits his teeth, not putting his weights down.

"Whatever it is, deal with it yourself."

"Oh Raphala," comes Donnie's voice through the curtain. "I require the assistance of my one and only older brother."

Raph sighs and puts the weight down, getting to his feet and yanking the curtain back with a snap.

"Someone better be dyin'," he says, before his eyes trail down from Donnie's face to the ziploc baggie he's holding in his hands. "...Is that hair?"

"Fur, to be precise. Rat fur." Donnie shuffles his feet. "...Splinter's fur."

Raph drags a hand down his face. "What did you do?"

"Well, I've been testing my new DNA analyzer. And Papa wouldn't give me a sample of his fur, so I thought I would procure one myself while he was taking his post-milk and cake nap, and... it would seem I... miscalculated and cut too much." He half-bows, imploringly. "I need your help to fix it."

"Yeeeaaah, this doesn't sound like my problem," says Raph, turning to go back into his room.

"Raph, wait! If Splinter finds out about this, he won't take me to the junkyard later! And I need parts for my new battleshell!"

"Still not my problem!"

"You're really going to abandon your little brother to his fate?"

"Yep."

"...Well, I didn't want to do this, but you leave me no choice: I'm telling Dad who broke his life-size Lou Jitsu cardboard cutout."

Raph whirls on him. "You swore to secrecy!"

Donnie crosses his arms. "That was before you turned me away in my hour of need, brother."

"...Argh, fine!" Raph waves Donnie forward. "Let's see the damage."

Immediately, Donnie is smiling. "Thank you for your cooperation."

Raph follows him to where Splinter is asleep in his chair, his snores echoing through the room. On his forehead is a very noticeable bald patch, jagged and uneven from Donnie's hack job.

"Why did you need to get so much!?" hisses Raph, voice low.

"I wanted to run several tests," Donnie answers, doing a terrible job at volume control. Thankfully, Splinter is too deep under to rouse at that.

"You couldn't just take it from his back!?"

Donnie holds up a finger and opens his mouth, then seems to think it over. Raph watches the gears turn, impatient.

"...An excellent suggestion that I'll remember for the future."

"Fine, whatever." Raph rubs at his temple, trying to think of a solution. He's too young for the wrinkles he's already getting. "Look, just... go to Mikey's room and grab some duct tape, then go to the bathroom and get that fancy hair gel Pops says he's saving for a special occasion."

"Duct tape, hair gel. Got it."

Donnie retrieves the items quickly enough, and Raph puts his plan into action. He folds the tape in a circle and presses it gently to the bald patch on Splinter's forehead, careful not to wake him. Then he sticks all the fur he can onto the tape. It doesn't all stick, but enough does that the spot is... mostly covered. Then he uses the hair gel to slick all the hair on Splinter's head down, so it's laying flat to match the taped part.

"There," he says when he steps back to admire his work. "It looks, uh... good?"

"I guess... it's not obvious... from a distance," says Donnie, uncertain.

"Look, it's just gonna have to work, because-"

"Mmwah... Purple? Red?"

Raph and Donnie both jump as their father wakes up, looking at them both suspiciously. "Why does my forehead feel... wet?"

"Oh, that's, uh... Donnie and I were just... givin' you a makeover!" says Raph quickly.

"What? Is that what we're going wi-" Raph elbows him quick in the side, and Donnie hisses a breath in before standing straighter and nodding. "Ah, yes! A makeover. That is definitely what we were doing, no ulterior motives here."

Splinter looks between them, his suspicion still evident. "A makeover...?"

"Uh, yeah!" Raph casts his gaze around, then grabs the first reflective surface he sees - an old hubcap they were using as a frisbee the other day. He lifts it, holding it out for Splinter. "See? Looks great!"

"Hmmm..." Splinter leans in, tilting his head this way and that in the improvised mirror. Raph holds his breath, and he can feel Donnie doing the same next to him.

"...Ahhh, I see!" says Splinter at last, grinning, and Raph sinks in relief. "I look even more handsome now. Thank you, sweet boys!"

"Heh, glad you like it, Pops!"

"I like it very much. I will look veeery spiffy for our trip to the junkyard." He looks at Donnie, still grinning as he tosses the hubcap aside. "Speaking of, I'll be ready to go soon, Purple."

"Yessss," says Donnie, doing some happy wiggles with his hands. Splinter nods at both of them, then hopes down from his chair and heads toward his room.

Raph watches until he's gone, then lets out a sigh of relief. "Can't believe he bought tha- oof."

He's cut off by Donnie suddenly throwing himself against his plastron, arms wrapping around him as much as possible. Raph can't help the rush of surprise at the gesture; Donnie hugs are rarer and rarer these days.

It's nice. Raph wraps his arms around Donnie and gives him a quick squeeze, only as tight as Donnie will allow, and thinks that maybe he doesn't mind helping him.

(In the end, his little brothers have him wrapped around their fingers.)

"Thanks, Raph," says Donnie when he lets go.

"Heh, yeah, yeah, just don't do it again." Raph shakes his head at him.

"I won't," says Donnie, and Raph knows that's absolutely a lie but doesn't call him on it. He glances back in the direction their dad went, and grimaces. "What are we going to do when he showers, though?"

"Let's just hope he forgets about this by then..."

...

It's the next morning when Splinter walks into the kitchen, still a bit damp from his shower and wearing one of his fluffier robes. Leo snorts as soon as he catches sight of their dad, bits of his frosted flakes spraying the counter.

"I didn't know rats got receding hairlines," he says, and Splinter glares up at him from the floor.

"What are you talking about, Blue?"

"I'm talking about your bad combover job," Leo says, his grin huge. "Come on, Dad, we're all bald, just own it."

Splinter frowns at him, reaching up to touch his head. "You are talking nonsense, Blue. I am not... not..."

He freezes when he touches the bald patch. Raph catches Donnie's eyes, but luckily Leo and Mikey are too busy looking at Splinter to notice their expressions.

"What... what has happened to my hair!?" Splinter yells, before running back out of the room. Leo cackles after him, and Mikey joins in with laughs of his own.

Donnie and Raph look at each other again, then both decide to become very interested in their cereal.

"BLUE!" Splinter comes back into the room like a whirlwind, leaping onto the table and smacking Leo across the wrists with his tail ("Ow!"). "What did you do to my hair!?"

"I didn't do anything!" Leo protests, but Splinter isn't having it.

"This is not a funny prank! You are grounded!"

"What!? But I really didn't do it!"

"No comics, no TV, no going to the surface!" Splinter continues, ignoring his pleas. "Not until my hair grows back!"

He storms out of the room, and Leo gets up and scrambles after him, continuing to protest his innocence.

Donnie crams one more big bite of his Cheerios into his mouth before looking at his bare wrist and saying, "Oh geez, is that the time? I have to go do something somewhere that isn't here." Then he flees the kitchen.

Mikey looks in the direction Leo and Splinter went. Then he looks in the direction Donnie went. Then he looks at Raph.

Grinning.

Raph sighs.

"There's ten bucks in my teddy bear stash."

"Thank you!" says Mikey in a sing-song, hopping off his stool and disappearing toward their bedrooms.

Raph runs his hands over his face.

Definitely wrapped around their fingers.

#dandy trick or treat #rottmnt #rise donnie #rise raph #don't worry they made it up to leo later #or maybe he just got his revenge #either way he'll be fine

[fanfic-inator795]

Okay, I just gotta ask. To the people who say that Raph “raised his siblings” and who write fanfics where he’s the main caretaker of the other turtles while Splints lays in bed depressed/watches tv... Do you guys have a reason why you think this was the case, or are you just projecting?

I don’t mean to be rude, I really don’t, but some of the fics I’ve seen recently just kinda take this idea to an extremely OOC degree. I know the Turtle Tots stuff we got in the show was pretty light so their past is pretty open to interpretation, but I just don’t see any indication that Raph was ever parentified.

In the Turtle Tots short, he’s fooling around with the weapons just like his brothers are, not being worried about them hurting themselves or trying to be all that responsible. Same with the flashback in the s1 finale, where it’s RAPH who decides to play with/throw a fragile tea pot. Again, Raph is playing WITH them, not babysitting them.

I’d also like to add that while Splinter isn’t fully supervising them, he does come check on the boys IMMEDIATELY after he hears a smash in the s1 finale example. Speaking of that ep, we see brief flashbacks of Splinter engaging with his kids (encouraging Mikey’s art, patching up Donnie, playing lemonade stand with Raph and Leo) and we know that Splints did things with them when they were younger too, like take them trick-or-treating (Turtle Tots short) or help out with their Lair Games. Flash forward to their teen years, and for as much tv watching as he did, the moment that the Turtles asked for more training in the ELoM ep, Splinter immediately got to work with them, only using the Lou Jitsu method because he thought the Turtles weren’t ready for tougher things/was being protective NOT because he was being lazy/wanted to relive the glory days (at least, not entirely).

Could Splinter have been more hands-on/responsible as a parent? Yeah, absolutely! But there’s a big difference between you and your siblings being allowed to play in a different room/do your own thing while your parent does their own thing, and you having to babysit your siblings and fend for yourself while your parent does nothing. Yes, Splints became more distant as the Turtles got older and became more independent, but even in early s1 where he was at his ‘worst’, he showed that he cared about them. 

Honestly, if Splints truly was an extremely neglectful and emotionally distant parent during their early childhood, then why do the Turtles still love and care about him so much? Yes they’re his kids, but those natural family ties only goes so far - a parent still has to put in at least some work for their kids to truly love them, and the Turtles love Splinter! If they felt like he didn’t give a crap about them, they would’ve left as soon as they got their mystic powers. If RAPH felt like their dad didn’t care and thought he could find a better life for himself and his bros, then HE would’ve left and taken the other turtles long ago. 

Hell, APRIL HAS BEEN THEIR FRIEND SINCE SHE WAS 11 YEARS OLD! If there was serious neglect and emotional mistreatment going on, April would have noticed and talked to Raph about it. She certainly wouldn’t be as close with Splinter as she is in canon if she heard about him forcing Raph to be the one to make sure their home’s pantries had food/be the one making their meals/being the one putting his bros to bed/being the parent/etc.

“So why is Raph so protective/why does he feel like he has to be responsible?” you may ask? Well, maybe that’s just in his nature!

As the eldest sibling in my family with a brother who’s only a year younger than me (same age gap as the turtles), I’d usually be the one letting him inside after we both got home from school. I wasn’t ‘babysitting’, I was just keeping an eye on things until my parents got home from work, where I’d usually just watch tv or whatever while my brother played video games in his room. I had to be responsible, yeah, but there was no parentification or anything like that.

Guess what? I still ended up being protective of my brother - not because of any influence from my parents, but because I love my brother and (back then, at least) I had a mother hen-esque mindset when it came to him. And I just feel like Raph was the same way - it’s just what kinda happens when your siblings are also your closest friends growing up. He was never forced into caring for his bros, he just did it! He was never told to be a good example, he wanted to be one! He took up the role as leader of his own accord - and if anyone should be blamed for making Raph feel like he had to be responsible, it should be the other turtles who (during specific moments at least) chose to relax instead and ‘just let Raph handle it’.

And really, for as responsible as Raph can be sometimes, he’s just as much of a goofball as the other Turtles, and can be just as reckless (if not more so at times)! He doesn’t feel like a mini adult or a parent, he feels like a kid who has a better grasp on when to get serious than his brothers do (which makes sense for Raph, since he cares the most about protecting others and actually being a hero!) 

I’m gonna reiterate: I DO NOT THINK that Splinter was a perfect parent. I fully believe that there were likely moments where he could’ve been better - less forgetful, less distant, less focused on TV - and he certainly could’ve been more responsible. But Splinter still ACTIVELY TRIED to be a parent - at the very least, he tried to when the Turtles were little and actually needed more care and guidance (VS them being teens and being able to be more independent, which I could see Splints - who didn’t have a good parent relationship himself - interpreting this as them not needing him or wanting him around).

He wasn’t the best parent he could be, but he was FAR from the worst. Furthermore, I don’t believe there was any true parentification of Raph done. Maybe it could have been done accidentally - I’m sure there were times where Splints had to leave Raph in charge while he went to go scavenge for food - but purposely? After the treatment that Splinter went through from his grandfather, who was essentially trying to force him to grow up (for a noble and important cause, but still)?? I really doubt it.

tl;dr: Splinter was an imperfect parent but he wasn’t THAT bad. Just because Raph is naturally a bit more responsible and a bit overprotective doesn’t mean he was parentified. And if you’re going to write angst or hurt/comfort fics based in the Turtles childhood, PLEASE make it in-character instead of only focusing on the angst bits.

#rottmnt #vent

[aroacedaddytalksshit]

Maria the Leatherback Yokai

(My rottmnt oc)

Basics Facts:

She/They, femme non binary

5’7”

Golden eyes and long dark brown hair

A stockier/thic build (like a good middle ground between the twins’ and Raph’ shape)

Light grey skin with darker grey spotting and patches

Soft, pointed, ridged shell like a leatherback sea turtle, dark grey or black with white along the ridges

Ability to grow in size, up to 5 times their normal height (max 30f)

Half sibling of Heinous Green (same mom)

Last descendant of the turtle yokai (father’s side)

One eighth human (dad’s side)

Orphaned at 1 then raised by Big Mama

Is/was Big Mama’s right hand lackey (the masked turtle/ninja looking one that shows up like twice in the show)

She’s pretty fleshed out so feel free to send me some asks if you’re curious

A basic visual concept thanks to a tmnt generator on meiker.io, but imagine them with hair

Debating whether I suck it up and try to learn how to draw the tmnt style or buy a commission 🙃

#rottnmt #rottmnt oc #tmnt 2018 #tmnt #tmnt oc

[sylvain-writes]

Guarded Hearts and Safe Houses (Leonardo x Reader) Chapter 2/9

Rated: T Gender Neutral Reader, canon typical violence/injury, light angst, strangers to lovers, supportive family. -for @melodiousmelodrama

Your father stumbles over his words as he asks you to repeat yourself. He's caught whispers of a faction of vigilantes working in the shadows, but he could have never imagined mutants. Mutant turtles.

Your mother, of course, takes one look at the state they're in and any concerns she has about who and what they are are swept under the rug. She sees people who need help. People she is in the position to help. So she gets right to it.

The couches usually give ample seating as they wrap around the walls of the living room. Tonight, they make do as beds for the turtles with their firm, but plush cushions and their deep seats. Father covers the cushions with sheets to catch the worst of the blood and grime, but Mother is so caught up in the hustle and bustle of these strangers in need that she doesn’t seem to notice her white carpet is getting stained with it all.

“Grab me the big kit, sweetheart,” she says to you in a rush. “The one under the bed.”

You’re on it. You turn so quickly, you don’t notice the turtle standing behind you until you’re pressed against his armored chest. “Oh, sorry.”

You look up at him and he looks down at you, eyes narrowing. Their crystal blue color is mesmerizing, so much more human than you would have guessed possible given the rest of him - shell, tail, and all. But beyond the remarkable color of his eyes, you see a depth of pain.

“Excuse me,” he says. His voice is rough with exhaustion, and his gaze slowly turns to his injured companions. “I must see to my brothers.”

You nod as you pass and hurry down the hall to your parents’ bedroom. The first aid kit under the sink was one thing, full of adhesive bandages and a small roll of gauze. Some spray for bee stings and antiseptic wipes. The medical bag your mother stores under her bed is a whole other story. She’s used this kit to stitch your father’s finger after he sliced it making her anniversary breakfast in bed. And set your broken arm while you waited for a taxi to bring you to the hospital.

By the time you return to the living room, Mother has the turtles arranged along the couch. The one with the most pressing injuries lies in front of her. She’s removing his orange bandana and wiping his head with a damp towel. Mother gives you a small word of thanks for placing the bag beside her.

“Injuries need to be cleaned. Whomever is able is welcome to use the shower. If not, use bottled water to help flush out deeper wounds.” You could see the pinched expression on her face. None of this is ideal. But she has enough sense to keep these men far from the hospital.

The red-banded turtle shifts in his spot. His mouth twists and his shoulders roll as if anxious to get moving. Instead of asking if he’d like to go first, you tell him straight, “The bathroom is down the hallway. The first door on the right. Come on. I’ll get fresh towels from the closet.”

He looks to Leo and receives permission by way of a hum and a nod.

“Go on, Raph,” Donnie says as he cradles his injured knee. “I’m better off having the doc take a look at this first.”

The couch and Raph both groan as he stands. He follows you to the shower and the look of relief on his face when he finds the wheelchair accessible shower Father had installed for Gran is wide enough for him. The knobs of the shower are self-explanatory and since he doesn’t ask for help, you don’t offer.

You stack a few towels on top of the sink, place extra bars of soap beside them, and leave him to the rest.

Mother meets you in the hallway with her jacket and purse in hand. “I need to run out for more supplies. Your father is keeping Gran busy in her room so she doesn’t ask about the commotion. Those young men will be fine while I’m gone, but I want you to continue helping them clean up. Leonardo is wonderful, but he’s trying to do more than he should in his condition.”

She cups your face with her gentle touch and gives you a soft smile.

“Ma?” you ask, wondering why the tender look in her eyes.

“I’m so proud of you,” she says.

You smile back at her and let her go.

In the living room, Leo kneels at Michelangelo's side, taking up where your mother had left off. He's silent while Donnie bites back a hiss of pain.

You rush over to help him with his knee. As you watch the wound, no longer soaking the towel with blood, your brows knit together in curiosity. "Are you... healing already?"

"Our healing factor is quite remarkable... compared to humans. By my calculations the tissue damage done to my knee will take only a few days to heal, while the cartilage and bone may repair within the week. Based on my study and understanding of human biology, the same injury in a human would require reconstructive surgery."

You slowly nod as he speaks, in awe of him - his existence, his healing factor, his knowledge, his fearless confidence in his body's resilience.

Behind you, Leo huffs and a pair of tweezers clatters in the metal bowl beside him.

Your gaze darts between Donnie and Leo. Leo’s mouth is set in a hard line, his brow is furrowed with concern. Donnie flexes his leg and wraps clean bandage around his knee. Since it looks like Donnie has things under control, you shift your focus to Mikey and Leo.

You stand behind Leonardo, the sight of his swords sheathed across his back reminds you of his skill and leadership. But as you watch over his shoulder, you see the source of his frustration as he stares down at his hands. Broad, blunt fingers would be ill-fitted for the delicate work of picking shards of glass and metal from his brother’s wounds. Even if his hands weren’t shaking.

You gently clear your throat and pick up the tweezers from the pan. You kneel beside him, trying to ignore the way his gaze lifts to watch you settle down but finding it impossible to ignore the bulk of him at your side.

Your arms brush as you reach toward Mikey and he makes a small move to give you room, but the full mass of him is right there, hovering. He’s warm and solid. His breath on your shoulder comes and goes so steadily you think he must be counting each inhale, pause, and exhale.

Instinct tells you to talk to fill the silence between you. Talking with Donnie was easy. Heck, even getting Raphael into the shower wasn’t too hard.

But Leo is an imposing figure. He’s their leader. He’s all strength and seriousness. He’s in mourning. He looks over his youngest brother and you can see the weight of his failures in the stoop of his shoulders and the drawn down corners of his mouth.

“My mother will be back any minute,” you say as you pull shards of metal wire from Mikey’s palms. “She’ll have you all patched up and ready to go as soon as she can.”

“We’ll be out of here before her return.”

His confession halts your progress and you turn to get a good look at him. “I think you should stay.”

His eyes widen at your insistence, but you know that you’re right. You think Raph may back you up, if he were around, but he seems mighty comfortable spending his night in the shower. Donnie’s eyes are on the ceiling, pretending he has nothing to do with the conversation. So, you continue.

“Mikey, right?” Delicately taking hold of the unconscious turtle's limp hand, you bring Leo’s focus to his youngest brother. “He stays. If you go, fine. But he stays.”

“I’m not letting him out of my sight.”

“Well, neither am I.”

Raphael finally shows up with a towel over his shoulders. “Who’s doin’ what now?” He favors his left arm, but you wonder if that’s due to injury or handedness in general. Even the wounds to his side have started to heal, leaving light, smooth scars in the place where stab wounds and slashes were before.

“Mikey stays here," you say with conviction. "He hasn’t woken up yet and my mother would kill me if you all left in your condition.”

“Well, I’m not going yet,” Donnie replies lightly, “I didn’t get my shower. And Raph probably used up all the hot water, so we gotta wait for the boiler to fill.”

Donnie heads to the bathroom while Raph lies back on the couch. He folds back the sheet so he can lie on the couch. And you let him know there are throw blankets and extra pillows in the basket beneath the end table.

“Thanks. Dunno why you’re anxious to leave, Leo. This is real hospitality.” Raph’s jabs would have landed harder if his eyes didn’t flit to Mikey’s unconscious form while he spoke. Raph grabs a book from your father’s stack of crime thrillers and thumbs through it while he waits for Donnie’s return.

As you fish debris out of Mikey's wounds, Leo paces through the open layout of the apartment. From the kitchen counter to the electric fireplace, he stalks back and forth. Raphael grunts when his brother blocks the lamp light, but he stopped turning pages ten minutes ago.

Your work on Michelangelo is almost done. His wounds are clear and clean, free to heal without trapping debris under the skin. You can feel Leo’s eyes on you as you spread antibiotic lotions over his cuts and check under the rest of his bandages to see the healing progress of the rest of his wounds. It’s incredible how fast their bodies repair themselves. It makes the fact that Mikey hasn’t woken up yet even more unsettling.

Donatello returns and crashes on the couch next to Raph who’s trying desperately to look like he’s not ready to fall asleep. “Though we heal quickly," Donnie explains, "the process takes a lot out of us. To heal most efficiently, Mikey’s energy is being diverted to his deeper wounds, keeping him unconscious. Raph, on the other hand, is embarrassed by how bad he snores.”

“Hey.” Raphael smacks his brother's chest and Donatello crosses his arms, laughing to himself.

“I don’ care if ya hear me snore. I just don’ wanna fall asleep and then get woken up by our fearless leader over here, who’s gonna make me carry our little brother back home.”

A quiet voice speaks up from the kitchen. Leo sounds tired and beaten, “We’re staying here for the night. I won’t move Mikey in his condition.”

It’s as if the room itself breathes a sigh of relief.

Donnie and Raph quietly raid the basket for pillows and blankets, making themselves comfortable enough to sleep on the couch. They're making themselves at home, you think, and that settles some of the anxiety you’d been feeling at not having more room for them to rest. But Donnie and Leo are only half of the story. You tuck Mikey, giving him a whisper of hope and a caress on his cheek, then you join Leo in the kitchen.

Leo stands, hands braced against the counter top, as you approach.

“You’re doing the right thing.” You say, trying not to startle at the way his head snaps up at you. Trying not to shrink away from the raw emotion in his eyes.

It’s not your place to judge what’s best for his family, but you can’t help but follow the feeling in your gut. And that’s telling you that the brothers came into your life for a purpose. You try to reason with him. “My mother can monitor Mikey and check that everyone’s injuries are healing properly when she returns. And again in the morning.”

He turns his face away from you with a huff and grumbles through his teeth. “We’re not accepting charity.”

You take a step back, confused. They had just fought off an army shouting plans to take over the world. If anything, you were looking for ways to pay them back for their protection, for their sacrifice. “You needed help. We’re doing the best we can.”

Leo doesn’t respond right away, but when he does, his tone doesn’t have the same edge of frustration. “We shouldn’t have come here.”

Careful not to encroach on his space, you approach the table that stands between you. “Well you’re here now. And your brothers are healing. Why don’t you let me take a look at your shoulder?”

He looks at you once again and his icy resolve has been replaced by surprise. As if he thought no one had noticed the way he’s been stooping and favoring his right arm. You’d catalogued his injuries when standing over him as he kneeled tending to Mikey. The lacerations to his shoulder had looked thin but deep and the burns on his shell spanned most of the upper rim.

You pull out a chair. “Sit.” Your word is gentle but firm. There’s no room for argument.  

He sits.

You take a deep breath as you assess the damage done to his trapezoid. It’s nasty stuff, clean lines but if he doesn’t take it easy and let himself heal, then the cut is going to separate. Your mother may be able to save him from a thick scar if you can convince him to let her stitch it up. For now, you’ll make do as you can with butterfly bandages and gauze.

Your work on him is delicate. He doesn’t say much, but neither do you. You pay close attention to his reactions as you move from his shoulder to his shell. Every hitch of his breath pierces your heart.

Though he tries to remain silent, it’s clear by his gasps and the way he holds his breath that the burns have made his shell and the skin behind his neck far more tender than his shoulder. After a few minutes, he’s no longer hiding his pain.

You console him with a smooth drag of your hand over his arm. His thick muscles twitch under your touch, but he doesn’t pull away. He doesn’t make any sound for you to stop.

“I think I got all of the gravel,” you say, giving his bicep and encouraging squeeze. “I’m going to apply some burn ointment. It stings before it soothes. Are you ready?”

Leo sits straighter and gives a short nod.

You squeeze the ointment onto the wound and spread it with your fingertips.

Leo grips his knees and pulls in a sharp breath between his teeth. His breaths come in quick, harsh puffs. You pet a wide patch of uninjured shell to ease him through the worst of the pain.

“Think I prefer Father’s poultice to this,” Leo says through clenched jaw. “Makes me want to gag but it doesn’t pack such a punch.”

“You have a father?” You feel like it’s a stupid question the second it comes out of your mouth. They’re brothers, they are a family, it makes sense that they’d have parents.

Leo looks over his shoulder at you. His eyes still wet from the pain of his shoulder. “Our sensei. He took us in when we were first mutated. He’s looked after us all these years. Taught us the way of the ninja.”

“Master Splinter,” you recall from the story he told your parents.

“He’s like a father to us,” Leo explains. “He’d never let us accept help from humans. We were never supposed to be seen.”

“So, now what?” You’re not afraid of Leo, but the way he speaks about his father with reverence and deference, has you worried for your family about what it means to be the only humans who have encountered these mutant vigilantes.

Leo places his hand on yours. “We’ll protect you.”

“From your father?”

“No. No, he’d never want any harm to come to you. Especially not after all that you’ve done for us. But you’ve placed yourself at great risk with the Krang. And the Krang isn’t the only danger out there.”

You look down at your joined hands. Leo’s thumb brushes your inner wrist as he speaks. You wonder if he realizes the movement at all.

“We’ll protect you,” he says again. He seems to notice his hand is still on yours and drops it quickly. He turns so you can no longer see his face. “As payment for your kindness and medical care. We are in your debt.”

Your stomach twists at the loss of his touch. You stare at the back of his head for a moment before turning to the table to pack away Mother’s supplies. “Thanks,” you say shortly, zipping up the bag. “Looks like the shower is free. And your brothers left you plenty of space on the floor to sleep.”

“I won’t sleep. Someone needs to keep watch.”

You nudge the burn ointment over the tabletop. “For after your shower,” you say. And, with your stomach still in knots, you bring the medical equipment back to the living room.

#tmnt x reader #gender neutral reader #leonardo x reader #leo x reader #tmnt leonardo x reader #my writing #guarded hearts and safe houses fic

[2k18leo]

Portal Jacked notes:

- noice, I love boneman. Love seeing more of him

- AN ARTISTÉ

- Omfg his name is Hueso?? That literally means Bone in Spanish 😂 I love it

- Finally a Leo-Centered episode

- Leo’s “Haaaaachi Machi!” Whenever he attempts to “portal” is the funniest thing

- HAHAHAHA whenever Hueso is showing the demonstration of Portal Jacking, all the boys are different shapes as to how their heads are portrayed. I.e: Leo is a triangle, Donnie is a rectangle, Raph is a square, and Mikey is a circle. I love it

- I am a strong believer that Leo has started using so much Spanish because he’s been hanging around Hueso so much

- Leo: *shoves entire ship replica that probably took endless hours to create inside a briefcase that obviously can’t contain it, thus breaking the entire ship model* HELPING✔️

- It’s canon that Todd likes Pizza as he is the favorite customer of the restaurant. What an angel

- Also, Hueso working on his ship replica is a total foreshadow that he used to be a pirate

- OH MY GOD LOOK AT HUESO JR. HUESO IS SUCH A HAPPY BONE POP. LOOK AT THAT FATHER AND SON BOND. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH

- I love the chemistry that Leo and Hueso have on screen. They’re so funny

- I also really enjoy learning about Hueso’s backstory

- Awww Leo said “Hard as Nails!”

- Okay when Leo has glossy eyes as he has Hueso pinned down, is that showing that Leo was almost in tears? Did he almost start crying out of fear that his only hope to find his brothers after a mistake he caused just ditched him ? Poor bby lemme give you a hug

- I mean, Leo is pretty correct when he admits that he’s the faceman of the group. Leo is on a LOT of ROTTMNT merch. Because I mean, he’s the pretty one (dont @ me, you know he’s beautiful) even if he isn’t the leader anymore. But he is well aware that he needs the rest of his team to actually be a team

- HAHAHA HUESO SAVING LEO WITH HIS OWN FUCKIN LEG AND THEN FALLING OVER HAS ME IN TEARS

- He’s so sure about getting Raph and Mikey back but with Donnie he’s like “🤷🏽‍♀️I guess” 😂😂

- This dumb bitch with two eye patches I LOVE HIM

- “i tHiNk I KnOW wHaT i’M dOInG” *slams into pole*

- This whole ventriloquist act had me WHEEZING

- Leo saying “but remember, you’re the straight man” is definitely going to get people more on board with saying Leo is gay 😂 I can see the posts now

- Pffft and of course Piel means Skin

- Ew. He’s literally JUST skin. That’s actually so disgusting 😂

- He’s the captain AND the flag

- Hueso is definitely the little brother

- These animators have WAY too much fun with this show

- HUESO JUST WENT ALL IRON SPIDER ON PIEL BUT WITH HIS RIB CAGE. THATS CRAZY AS HELL

- Can someone please make edits of Leo with blacked out eyes now? I’m a bitch for dark Leo 😂

- I love how determined Leo is to get his brothers back

- Donnie’s goggles going through his hat is the best thing

- Fuckin Donnie and his sarcasm 😂😂😂 I cant

- HAHAHAHA I JUST REALIZED THAT HUESO HAS BEEN CALLING LEO PEPINO AND THAT MEANS CUCUMBER. IM DECEASED

- Okay overall, I loved this Leo-centered episode. I’m so glad Hueso was with him because I adore that character, and their chemistry is just the best 😂 So please, more Leo-centered episodes, Nick. I love them

#teenage mutant ninja turtles #tmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #rottmnt #tmnt leo #rise of the tmnt #tmnt leonardo #tmnt 2018 #tmnt donatello #tmnt donnie #tmnt raph #tmnt raphael #tmnt mikey #tmnt michelangelo #leo #leonardo #raph #raphael #donnie #donatello #mikey #michelangelo #ninja turtles #tmnt 2k18 #portal jacked

[thelostandforgottenangel]

Eminem - Till I Collapse [HD]

This song actually inspired the character development of one of the guys in my AU because in all honesty you hear the lyrics and It just screams him

He isn’t just the biggest of his brothers or a complete hothead there is so much more - I heard this and it just reminds me of Raphael.  I can just imagine him in his gym working out or going at his punching bag while listening to this 

Now even though Raph tries to hide it he’s got a big heart and cares for his family more then he likes to admit aloud… and that leads him to do something risky in order to support his family putting himself in danger every night 

I have this head canon that my AU Raphael – without his family knowing – participates in an illegal underground fighting ring (MMA/Boxing with no rules) in order to provide for the small family after Donatello loses his job as a tech support operator and money gets really tight making it hard for them to get groceries or even the essentials needed for them to survive making him and the teen girl Splinter took in shadow restaurants who trash their leftovers making friends who will place all of the stuff in containers before putting it outside for them, with April and Casey unable to help them out by much the turtle comes up with a plan after hearing about a money gig from the cop/vigilante

His brother’s always knew he’s big into Boxing, from the age of ten he watched every match they ever televised and practiced on his punching bag almost as much as he does in the dojo with the others until he perfects it mixing it into his fighting technique making him not only unpredictable but a force to be reckoned with if there was ever a time he didn’t have his sais

What they didn’t know was at night when he tells them he’s going out to patrol alone he heads to the warehouses by the docks where he poses as a fighter known as a fighter known as ‘Nightwatcher’; the same as he did on the streets when he went rouge, going head to head with some pretty dangerous people; due to the fact there are no rules most fight dirty and it quickly becomes clear to all challengers he doesn’t hold back, he also is unfazed by his own injuries taking more than enough wounds to drive his genius brother nuts.

That’s where his youngest sibling comes in once she gets trained in medical assistance, she is always concerned for him but never turns him away when it comes to treating his wounds patching him up never fully believing the Foot much less the punks they now encounter more often could land a hit on him – and she starts wondering where he really goes at night but to this point only Jones knows what the turtle is up too

People at first think it’s some elaborate costume he wears while fighting but after a while people do wise up and discover that the shell and green skin is all him – they practically worship him. To the people in the Undergrounds he’s a hero and undefeated champ -  they make him feel like he’s appreciated

This is also where he first meets Hun and the Purple Dragons

Raphael makes more than enough money to run the small family for a few months in just one fight but as a passion he keeps going back addicted to the challenge he gets by going several rounds with someone who’s just as big as him, and with all the money he rolls in he puts a portion towards his family’s needs handing it to the human girl to go out and get supplies, food, and anything they need to survive giving the excuse that he does odd jobs to help Casey out at night and in exchange the man pays him for the assistance but the other part he doesn’t hand to his human friends to help them in rough times goes towards another passion of his – one he would never tell  

He donates most of his earnings to animal/homeless shelters if not to a charity that supports the cause making several private donations or buying things he drops off in the night around the various homeless camps helping the needy

He does this for years with only the human man he runs with knowing what he truly did in his spare time, or at least that’s what he thought never realizing someone was sneaking in to watch him fight always cheering him on but disappearing before he could leave the ring at the end of the nights.

It takes a while for him to discover who his green eyes fan is

#addicted to this song #tmnt raphael #teenage mutant ninja turtles #AU #headcanon #tmnt 2016

[kleptotello]

Why Mutant Apocalypse Broke So Many Hearts... (Under the cut for spoilers.)

If there are responses to this I will reply AFTER Apritello Week. :)

First, the things I liked:

Donnie: his design was nearly perfect, that is, if you’re okay with the fact that he’s basically dead, except for his brain. I wasn’t entirely okay with it because that’s my boy, but you learn to move on. I appreciated the star patch over his heart, but more about that in a moment. Also, he was basically Bunnytello and that warmed me to the design more than I would have thought.

The animation: Yes, it was lovely as always. The animators for this show have never given anything less than their best and it shows here too.

Tremors gag: I wonder how many people were old enough to get it.

Casey Bomb: I’ve said it before. This was his deathbed wish. You can fight me. It’s how he wanted to go.

Now, for the rest...

I’ll begin by saying, several people have pointed out that this story line isn’t canon, it was just a “Tale.” And you know, I get it. If the folks at TMNT had a thing for Mad Max, I can see why writing an entire TMNT AU script would be fun. And I think, it could have been fun for me to watch. Maybe. But here’s the problem:

It was the very last episode. And we were given no warning that we should have said “goodbye” to our favorite characters prior to watching it. We all wondered if our questions would be answered. Not just about our ships, but about story lines that seemed to taper off into oblivion. Characters like Karai and especially April never got the closure they sought through the entire series and, by the end, this fact seemed unimportant to Ciro and the other showrunners. We spent five years getting to know these ladies and, as a full grown adult, I can say I loved our kunoichis.

This show has continuously pushed strong women to the side to bolster male characters, like Leo, who really don’t need it. I know this show is about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. But let me ask this, what is the point of creating dynamic, beautiful, strong, clever, fierce and determined female characters with intriguing story lines, if only to abandon them in the end? And for another, Our Male Lead is Flawed but Only Because He’s So Heroic story?

The treatment of April is particularly heartbreaking. Ciro himself once said that April was meant to be THE FIFTH TURTLE. Some time ago I made a post about how her first season design even resembled the turtles because she was meant to be a part of the team, unlike in previous incarnations, when she was basically an aunt or surrogate mother to the turtles. So, if you successfully make one of your characters a real part of the team, why take them out in the end? Why say, no, they’re really not part of the team? And you’re being a sore loser if it upsets you? And what is the point in insulting fans who have stuck by your show, through good times and bad for five years when you know exactly why they’re upset?

Ciro and company gave us our April O’Neil. I loved this April more than any of the others. They made her everything TMNT fans ever deserved and, in the end, told us she didn’t matter. Aside from a symbol over Donnie’s heart and a broken tessen swinging on the rear view, she didn’t even warrant a mention? There was plenty of time for crazy violence and multiple car chases, but there wasn’t a 15 second period in which Donnie or even Raph could have said, “We lost more than just our brothers...” And hey, I’m perfectly fine with violence. It was definitely excessive, but I would have been good with it, if it hadn’t been at the expense of closure for the audience. Even if this story wasn’t canon, the other Tales of TMNT arcs that have been released also gave us nothing.

As far as we know, April’s mother really did die. Her father was clearly suffering from PTSD, but that was never addressed either (he gave Casey some serious evil eye at one point and it didn’t seem like a gag). Karai never got her revenge on the man who killed both of her parents because, you know, Leo needed another HERO moment. Not only did Karai not get to take down Shredder, she was completely benched for the final fight.

Without going into a long rant (I know, too late), this just feels like Joss Whedon Level fake feminism.

“See, we love strong female characters! Look at these women! They’re powerful, resourceful and independent!”

And then:

“But having strong female characters shouldn’t come at the expense of proving that our male characters are more important. In fact they are MORE important than the female character we once said was JUST as important. We totally get women.”

So, I hope fellow fans can see why this upset me. I will forever be a TMNT fan. And I will always love certain things about this incarnation. But I will also always feel cheated. Yes, Ciro, I’m happy you got the ending you wanted. I never would have asked you to sacrifice that. Afterall, you did wonderful things for the franchise. All I ever wanted, and all your other fans ever wanted, was to see ALL of our characters get the ending they deserved. And I think April, Karai and even the Turtles deserved better.

I have so much more to say about the whole arc, but I’ll leave it for now. I have a fandom week to celebrate and I won’t let this dim my spirits! I hope, if you’re reading this, you’re having a great Apritello Week!

#tmnt #Raphael: Mutant Apocalypse #spoilers #tmnt critical #btw I predicted the end of this arc in the first five minutes of the first 'episode' #sorry for any typos it's very late

[renaroo]

Not Alone Anymore

Disclaimer: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and related properties are owned by IDW/Viacom/Mirage Studios. Warnings: Canon-typical violence Rating: K+ Pairings: AprilxKarai Prompt: ( anonymous ) Awesome, thanks! Some of the good femslash potential for TMNT2012 only emerged this current season with a new character, but my OTP remains AprilxKarai. So maybe something with Karai patching up an injured April with their typical snarky banter? If you please and thank you. :)

A/N: This is actually my first time writing in the 2012 continuity so I hope my voices feel right. It’s actually a blast writing a younger April and Karai from what I’m used to, and hopefully you’ll enjoy this too, anon!

Being hurt didn’t have the stakes it used to. 

April remembers being younger and being smaller, how just the idea of pain was enough to make her hesitate and rethink things. The threshold for it was so low, like a child first learning not to touch a hot stove. 

Hurt is something that teaches, but it also numbs. Physically, anyway. 

It numbs with callouses over time and with endurance and skills learned -- until you’re no longer a kid and suddenly hurt is something that doesn’t just describe something physical. It describes the feeling of a young girl scared she’ll never see her father again. Of a friend who feels sick with worry and guilt when her new family is endangered for her sake. 

For April, maturing is about learning the different ways she can be hurt, but not back down. 

But none of them are quite as difficult to deal with as the hurt of feeling replaced.

She tells herself that it’s not fair to think that way. She tells herself that it’s not fair to be so vehemently antisocial toward someone simply for existing in a occupancy that she once held so dear and privately to herself. 

But it’s hard. Because being best friend, sister, daughter -- those roles are things April loves about herself. 

And they’re roles she is now sharing with Karai. 

Karai. The woman who was once the enemy. 

Now she’s...

Now Karai belongs maybe even more than she does and April just isn’t sure anymore how she’s supposed to deal with that. 

So she does what the Hamato Clan has taught her as they took her under their proverbial wings. She goes to the dojo, knowing that at the time it is Splinter’s soap opera hour and the boys are out getting a pizza. She takes time to stretch, to wrap her bare feet and knuckles with tape. 

Then she goes to work letting out all the feelings that she can. 

There are the katas from Leo, the dodges and rolls from Mikey, the straightforward punches to the sandbag from Raph, and of course the staff practice from Don. 

She puts them all to use in rapid succession, perhaps overlooking the most important of all -- meditation from Splinter. 

But she doesn’t feel like meditating. April feels like hitting things. 

Hitting things that frustrate her. That she can pretend, just for a second, are Karai’s smug expression being wiped right off her face.

“What are you doing?” 

April’s sweeping motions become unbalanced with her surprise and her momentum carries into the swing of her practice bo. With a short yelp, she swings out wildly toward the source of the voice.

Fortunately (or unfortunately as it may be), Karai catches the staff in one hand and raises an eyebrow coolly at April. 

“What are you doing?” April finally sputters back, trying to yank the bo back from Karai’s grip.

Karai tugs back. “I asked first.”

“I chose not to answer first,” April grits out, grabbing the staff with both hands and pulling with all her might. And, as April probably should have been expecting, Karai released the staff and allowed April to fall backward onto the tatami mats. “Ugh! Why are you even here!?” 

Rolling her eyes, Karai folds her arms. “I live here now.”

“Not in the dojo, go to your room or something! Hang out with Splinter or the guys! Leave me this when I want to work through my frustrations,” April snaps. She closes her eyes and waits for the sound of Karai doing so. Of course, it didn’t come and when April opens her eyes she sees that Karai has walked over to the practice weapon rack and is grabbing a staff for herself. “Uh, hello! Did you hear me--”

“You’re sloppy and it’s a disservice to Splinter’s lessons to you,” Karai critiques.

“Master Splinter,” April corrects her. “And my technique is-is flawless! Don told me so--”

“He’s sloppy in the same way you are, so that makes sense,” Karai replies, turning around to face April. She shows off, spinning the bo around herself and then aiming it toward April. “You both practice technique stiffly. There’s a lack of cohesion because you’re thinking too much. You’re two of a kind. Makes sense.”

“We can’t all be little ninja princesses,” April mocks. 

Karai’s eyes narrow. “Fight me.”

Caught off guard, April drops her shoulders. “What?”

“Fight me. Spar. Practice,” Karai demands. “Instead of moping around and doing yourself a disservice by practicing the wrong techniques, spar with me and learn how to fight with instinct instead of a predictable rhythm with the same moves repeated over and over again.” Her eyes gleam with something almost dangerous. “Fight me, April.”

Nervous, April hesitates before shaking her head. “No, that’s stupid. I’m not on your level--”

“You’re not,” Karai agrees. “Fight me.”

Puffing out her bottom lip, April narrows her eyes at Karai. “Why? So you can just beat me up for fun?”

A certain smile came across Karai’s lips. “Maybe.” Then, again, “Fight me.”

There are few things that April despises more than losing, and one of those is giving Karai satisfaction. Which is ultimately what makes this a no-win proposition for her. 

But, of course, April doesn’t like backing down either. 

With a quick yell, April pulls the staff into a full forward swing. It’s predictably blocked by Karai, but its momentum leads into her attempt to pivot around to Karai’s more exposed left side with the second strike. 

Karai blocks again.

They continue in this manner, striking, blocking, pivoting. 

April remembers that Leonardo once told her that fighting is a lot like dancing with a partner. There isn’t winning so much as there is falling in line with the steps and biding your time in the steps until you can take the lead. 

Thing is, April has never been a huge fan of dancing either. 

She knows Karai isn’t trying, at least not really. There’s no attack on her end, just defense and that cocky smile that April would give almost anything to wipe off her face. It makes April strike harder, faster, wilder. 

With ease, Karai leads their dance. 

Then, just as April least expects it, Karai pivots forward and knocks the staff out of April’s tightened grip as if she had not been holding it at all. 

Shocked, April looks at Karai just as the former Foot kunoichi whips both of April’s raised wrists, knocking them down to her sides and leaving nothing between the end of the staff and April’s throat. 

Swallowing, April can feel the grind of the wood against her skin. 

Her heart’s pounding as she looks into Karai’s smirking face. Then, surprisingly, Karai lets up and eases up, stepping back with a laugh and throwing up her staff before catching it midair again. 

“Too stiff,” she points out again. “Relax.”

“Ugh!” April growls. “I know what I’m doing, you just... took me by surprise. That’s all, alright? Don’t let it get to your head!” April snaps.

“You’re right. My high confidence couldn’t take another boost. It’d become too overpowering,” Karai remarks, though April swears she cannot tell how much of it is sarcasm or not. 

One thing April can tell, though, is when she has an opening. 

Karai’s smugness is nearly wiped off her face when April lunges toward the kunoichi’s knees and below her center of gravity, toppling her over April’s shoulders just like Raphael has taught her. 

Or, at least, it should have, if Karai wasn’t as slippery as a snake, so to speak, and maneuvers out of April’s grip, pushing off her back and sending April to the floor as she lands delicately on the mats. 

There is no such delicacy as April fins herself careening toward the ground and only moment to try and tuck into a roll that doesn’t quite work out for he, rolling her from a bruised shoulder to the weapons rack where he left ankle smacks into the metal fittings that kept the rack attached firmly to the wall. 

Letting out a sharp cry of pain, April got onto her but and immediately recoiled her injured limb, hands grasping around the ankle and foot as she bit back hisses from the searing pain. 

In the corner of her eyes, April could see Karai, and she fully expects laughter or a look of amusement. But she doesn’t see it. What she gets instead is a notable look of surprise followed by Karai freezing up.

April decides to ignore Karai for the moment, tending to her already swelling ankle instead when Karai suddenly slides in to her side, looking alarmed.

“I didn’t mean... You shouldn’t have...” Karai thinks out loud before glaring at April. “Why did you go and hurt yourself?”

“Ugh! Are you serious right now?” April yells back.

“Yes! No... I mean,” Karai growls and slams her fists down on the ground beside her. “This is so hard!”

Not knowing what Karai is referring to, April simply shakes her head and points back toward the other end of the dojo. “Grab the medicine kit. I sprained my ankle and I’ll need to compress it before it swells up too much.”

"I don’t...” Karai hesitates, looking over her shoulder then back to April. “I don’t know where that is.”

“Seriously?” April demands, frustration high in her voice. “Over by the sink, under the counter. It’s... It’s a medical kit, you know? With the red cross--”

“Okay, fine! I know what a kit is,” Karai blasts back as she raises to her feet. Once more, she hesitates, chewing on her lip, before walking with less confidence in the direction where April directed. 

Ankle throbbing, April quickly turns her attention back to the swelling and groans to see a purpling bruise already in the works.

Before she knows it, Karai is back -- always so quick and quiet -- and dropped down to her side, medical kit in her lap. 

“Do you know how to wrap a compress?” April asks. 

“I could make one out of the sleeve of my own shirt if I needed to,” Karai answers, pulling out the adhesive wrap. 

“We’ll need to ice it, too,” April points out. 

“Well, I didn’t see any ice under the sink,” Karai snaps.

April barely keeps her eyes from rolling out of their sockets. “Oh my gosh, you can’t be serious -- here!” April says, reaching over Karai and taking a cold pack from it. “These have chips inside of them that you break like this,” she flattened the bag between her hands, “and activate them for cooling. See.” She hands the bag back to Karai. “Wrap that against my ankle, too.”

“Normally I leave my enemies to tend their own wounds,” Karai replies, taking the cold pack and doing as ordered.

“Yeah, well, I didn’t exactly ask for your help here today so that’s on you,” April retorts, crossing her arms. She then flinches as the compress is pulled tight. 

“Sorry,” Karai says unexpectedly, wrapping more carefully. “And I didn’t... I wasn’t including you.”

Grunting a bit in response to the pain, April looks at Karai testily. “Including me in what?”

“An enemy,” Karai clarifies, looking up toward April. “It came out that way but... it’s far from what I meant. So. I’m sorry. It’s more accurate to say that... I’m not used to taking care of people. Or caring about people. Or approaching people... or liking people... or not fighting people...”

“Wow, when you put it all that way, it’s almost like you suck or something,” April can’t help but laugh. 

“Only at the things that matter,” Karai snarks back. 

April lets out a deep breath. “Look... Karai, it’s not your fault. About the ankle. You were just sparring. I’m... I have been not so great with adjusting to having you around. Everyone here they’re... It’s my second family. And I’m not used to sharing that yet... to feeling like someone else can take my place. But that’s wrong of me. And I’m sorry.”

“No one can take your place, are you kidding?” Karai asks critically. “Have you seen what they’re all willing to do for you? I’m... family. But I was also an enemy. No one knows where my place is yet. So if I’ve been irritating or imposing on you lately it’s... it’s only because I’m hoping that maybe, learning from you, I’ll figure out where my place in the family is, too.”

Surprise no doubt shows on April’s face and she pulls her legs tenderly into a lotus position, sitting across from Karai. “I’m sorry, Karai. I had no idea... and more than that, I’ve not been welcoming. Which isn’t fair.”

“It’s really not,” Karai laughs. “You make it so hard for a girl to get ahead. I mean, even after I asked all the guys to let us have the lair alone.”

April blinks. “That’s why they’re not here? Because you told them to go?”

Kaai shrugs. “They didn’t have to listen.”

“No, it’s alright,” April says, nervously reaching up and brushing some hair from her cheek. “Heh, I guess... I guess I see the value in having some alone time now. Let’s us talk about things.”

“We needed that,” Karai agrees.

“Maybe see things we didn’t before,” April nods.

“Hopefully,” Karai replies, smile still present, though April no longer sees it as snark. It is a cover for something more hesitant, more fragile. More hopeful. “I’d like if we tried.”

“Me, too,” April says. “After all, neither of us are alone anymore.”

#writing #turtle fic #femslash february #AprilxKarai #April O'Neil #Karai Hamato

[brightlotusmoon]

Sneak Peek: A “Mikey The Lifegiver” side story

So, while working on the “Spirit And Oxygen” fic, I got poked in the writerbrain by yet another “Donnie thinks about how much he adores Mikey” story that didn’t quite fit, but maybe it could, so right now it’s going to be a side story, at least until Season 5 rolls around and we get canon confirmation on some things.

Stuff that is my heacanon here: 1) Shinigami is in a polyamorous relationship with Karai and Michelangelo, and the girls have their own bedroom in the lair. 2) Raph has taken a shine to Shini and her attitudes on life and is so proud his little brother has such an awesome loveperson who is also banging his awesome sister. 3) April has finally decided to try dating both Donnie and Casey, although she’s spent more time with Don, and casey doesn’t mind. 4) Both Splinter and Shredder are dead (Karai killed Shredder, take that Leo, although Leo was there too and got some hits in). 5) The Might Mutanimals are very involved in the turtles’ lives. Mondo has learned first aid from Dr Rockwell and engineering from Don. 6) Leo and Karai have been duel sensei-ing and still argue over who gets to be Actual Sensei. 7) Abandoned military bases are turned into hide-outs for the more vicious, feral, and angry mutants in every borough. Mikey, Mondo, and Shini like to try and find them to befriend the tamer, friendlier ones. Karai and Raph wind up getting angry out of love and fear. 8) Mikey is Donnie’s assistant in the lab and is a field medic who uses his emotional reach to comfort the injured. I don’t know if any of it will reflect in real canon. We shall find out in March. I did see the Korean leaks and I’m not saying a damn word. Also, I am happy to discuss where the rest of the story might go and how and why, and I’ll probably switch to another perspective like April (Storm) or Karai (Iron) or Ghost Of Splinter (Wind) or Shinigami (Magic). Mostly I’m just in love with writing Donnie talking about Mikey, and this would be my third Earth And Oxygen fic in the “Mikey The Lifegiver” series.  (PS, Mikey is Oxygen, duh. Don is Earth, Raph is Fire, Leo is Water. The Tumblr post for Mikey The Lifegiver is the second most popular blog post I’ve written so far. The first one is me waxing pagan about all those winter holidays from dozens of religions with hundreds many gods) Also, for my regular readers: You knew this sort of thing was gonna happen again. It’s all I write. Apparently, though, since 1999, I’ve had the most  wonderful contemporaries and competition. You hardcore Mikey fans, you’re the best, I love you all.

Lying in my bed I hear the clock tick, And think of you Caught up in circles confusion Is nothing new Flashback warm nights Almost left behind Suitcases of memories, Time after Sometimes you picture me I'm walking too far ahead You're calling to me, I can't hear What you've said You say go slow I fall behind The second hand unwinds If you're lost you can look and you will find me Time after time If you fall I will catch you I'll be waiting Time after time If you're lost you can look and you will find me Time after time If you fall I will catch you I'll be waiting Time after time After my picture fades and darkness has Turned to gray Watching through windows you're wondering If I'm ok Secrets stolen from deep inside The drum beats out of time If you're lost you can look and you will find me Time after time If you fall I will catch you I'll be waiting Time after time You said go slow I fall behind The second hand unwinds If you're lost you can look and you will find me Time after time If you fall I will catch you I'll be waiting Time after time

-Cyndi Lauper, “Time After Time”

 Earth And Oxygen: Time After Time

 Donnie’s dreaming hard again, and he cherishes it. Usually is dreams are soft and quick, minnows in a stream, full of chrome and rust and the scent of oil, and there are tiny things in his hands, beeping and whirring, and there are giant things in front of him, clicking and rumbling; and the scars all over his hands reminds him that these are his, he made them, and they make sounds at him as though they are praising him.

Almost a year ago, shortly after Splinter died and Shredder died and Karai moved in, things began happening that challenged every science imaginable, but Donnie learned to be completely fine with it. Aside from Leo and Karai in a constant subtle battle over who would be sensei, Raph mellowed out and Mikey stopped pranking. Donnie was the only one who recognized Mikey as the catalyst: after enduring a series of traumas that they wouldn’t wish on their enemies, Mikey had become quieter, softer. His odd hyperfocusing moments turned on books without pictures and science documentaries and Donnie spent three weeks spying on him; it was no surprise when Mikey caught him each time, because Mikey had changed the most. Donnie and April ran every single test, and Mikey endured them with a strange fidgeting patience, but Rockwell in the end explained that Mikey’s Dimension X brain had finally caught up with him. He was almost like April. Don stopped being surprised when a beaker full of An Unusual Chemical dropped from his hands and floated back up to the table, despite it only being him and Mikey. Mikey, who folded his arms and grinned cheekily, and that was the day Donnie went to the closet and handed him a lab coat with his name on it.

Between their rotating autistic traits and interests, Donnie with engineering and physical science and Mikey with social sciences and cultural studies, they managed to create Things that made the lair easier to live in. With Mikey around, it was easier to navigate the entire city and study humans’ patterns, so certain stores, warehouses, junkyards, and clinics would stay their “borrowing” targets. With Donnie around, they had vehicles and cloaking devices to move further and deeper in.

So Donnie dreams heavily, about jumping from roof to roof in Staten Island, looking for that one military facility that up until now always had staff. Mikey is right behind him, ready with both kusarigama and grappling hook. Donnie stops and signals, and Mikey presses right against his carapace, wrapping one arm around his waist, extending the other to aim the grappling gun. Don signals again, and Mikey pushes off and practically flies – scratch that, he literally glides – and Donnie feels perfectly utterly safe as he casually throws an arm around his little brother’s shoulders. Mikey wouldn’t let them drop; they’d only hover. That’s how good he’s gotten. The grappling hook keeps catching on roof edges and Mikey lets it hover and glide to the next and the next, and they keep going.

They’re on the roof of the facility, over a mile from where they started, and Donnie pries open the secret door and they move in, and their flashlights roam. They remove their backpacks when he finds the correct room, and collect the items he’s already listed on his T-Phone. It’s silent, it’s swift, and the only thing that warns him is Mikey’s hiss and his voice in Donnie’s head: Donnie, get DOWN—

And Donnie flattens himself on the floor and the creature grazes him with a long metal toe as it leaps over him, and his right shoulder and bicep both rip open wide and his body spills blood rapidly. But it’s not the pain that makes him scream. It’s the strangled screeching gasp, full of pure agony and horror, that Mikey makes from somewhere behind him. No living creature should be making a sound like that unless it’s about to die...

There is precious seconds of heavy silence, and he hears Mikey make that familiar, inhuman growl that all the turtles make when enraged, when their human sides shrink and their literal reptilian brains take over with crushing power. The creature howls in pain and shock, and Mikey lets out a roar that contains Donnie’s name scrawled into it, and then there is crashing, there is stabbing, punching, shrieking, snarling, bones cracking and flesh squelching and liquid spurting and other noises that Donnie will hear in his post-traumatic nightmares. Donnie crawls forward, collapses on his back, turns around and forces himself to stand.

The creature has Mikey pinned to the ground, and shadowed blood is pooling everywhere. And then Mikey kicks and flips the creature over with a furious shriek, and through the darkness Donnie sees his teeth flash in a savage grin, you do not want to see that kind of smile on Mikey’s face, and Donnie sees him coated in shadows, launching again at the creature, smacking his nunchaku again and again…and then the creature stops moving, stops making noise; and Donnie hears his own harsh, pained breathing, and his brother’s harsh, pained breathing, and he manages to call out, “Mikey, are you okay?”

There’s a pause. “I’m always okay, Dee,” comes a breezy reply, but it is thin and strained. “Hey, Dee, what’s hurt on you?”

“My right shoulder and upper arm, but I can patch it up. You?”

A longer pause, much much longer.

“Can I take a raincheck on answering that?”

Donnie feels his gut turn to ice. “Mikey?”

He sees the dark figure of his brother hold up a finger. “Just…gimme…a sec.”

Within that second, Mikey falls to his knees. Donnie feels himself lurch forward. His eyes strain. The shadows on his brother are not shadows. They are too shiny. He’s covered in it.

No. No. Please, no, not again, I can’t handle this again.

It’s not the blood loss making Donnie feel so dizzy. He struggles to move, and watches, in slow motion, as Mikey falls over completely, smacking the floor, and it is a wet smack, and liquid is still pooling around him. And Don starts to hyperventilate, because he’s not sure where the light switch might be in this room and where the first aid kits are, and suddenly the darkness is too dark and the floor opens up and he is being swallowed, and he cannot reach Mikey, and then he falls, and as he falls his T-Phone rings, and something presses its energy button, and it’s blaring in his ears, louder and louder, calling MIkey’s name.

Donatello bolts up screaming, and it is too dark and he can’t see. A door crashes open. A body launches at him, and before he can take another breath, a pair of arms are wrapped around him and a plastron is pressed against his, and his chin is on a broad muscley shoulder, and the scent he breathes in is pure Raphael.

“Raph,” he squeaks out. “Hey--”

“Sshhh, Donnie, easy,” the hoarse voice murmurs. “It was a dream. You’re okay.”

He finds himself awkwardly patting his older brother’s upper carapace, trying to politely pull away. “Raph…Raph, I realize that…can I breathe? Please?”

Raph pulls away, green eyes serpentine in the darkness of his bedroom. The way his head tilts, too.

“I’m fine, Raph. I promise. I know it’s a nightmare.”

Those eyes and that head tilt remain fixed on him.

“Donnie, this is your fourth nightmare. Do you realize that?”

Really?

“Um. No?” He’s been so busy between his lab and the sectioned-off infirmary that Rockwell and Slash and Casey helped build that he sometimes doesn’t remember going to bed.

“Well, it is. And I’ll bet it’s the exact same one. Yours are weird.” Raph sits back, agura style, and Donnie draws his knees up to make room. “They’re like clockwork. Once a week. And, y’know, this is the fourth week since--”

“I know. And you guys dragged me to my own bed when you knew I wouldn’t stay here.”

“You did this time,” Raph points out.

“True. Wait, I did?”

“Congratulations on a full twelve hours of sleep, bro. It’s ten in the morning.”

Donnie feels his eyes grow wide. He throws the covers off and jumps off his bed. “I’m missing work, I--”

Raph’s strong hand slaps against his chest. “Remember what we all agreed on? Until your shoulder and arm is fully functional, you don’t do anything complex without someone helping you. I hope you were planning on asking someone.”

Donnie narrows his eyes. “Do you know how to handle the complex alien chemicals I need to work on? Plus the newer components of the retromutagen?”

“If not me, you have April. Or Rockwell. Or Shini.”

Donnie sighs, looks at his immobilized arm, and sighs again.

“You’re a stubborn bastard, Hamato Donatello.”

“You’re worse.”

“I am a paragon of complacency, little brother.”

And Donnie winces. “Try not to call me that?”

“Oh. Right. I forgot. You’re right. Sorry, Don.”

Donnie sighs and gets dressed.

“Um.” Raph rubs the back of his head. “So, nothing’s changed this morning. That’s…like, good, right? Kinda?”

“Kinda,” Donnie says. “It means that Mikey is continuing to heal. Which is the best we can hope for in this situation.”

As he heads out of his room and toward the lab doors, Raph catches up. “You should eat something first.”

“I need to check his vitals and change his IV bags.”

“Karai did that.”

“Even the GI tube?”

“Yeah, that one too.”

Donnie pauses. “I just need to see…”

“Donnie.” Raph is impossibly firm, and very soft. “Donnie, everything you could do has been done. We’ve watched you and learned from you for a whole month. It’s a routine. And part of the routine is that those of us who aren’t doing the routine help ourselves first. It’s your turn.”

Donnie is very silent as Raph steers him toward the kitchen. Leo is finishing up eggs, toast, and tea. Shinigami is making two more plates.

“Oh, you got him up! Good morning, Donatello. Did your nightmare complete itself?” The witch’s smile is knowing and polite, and he has gotten used to her specific brand of sass. She is, after all his little brother’s girlfriend and his sister’s girlfriend.

He mumbles “yes” because shrugging his shoulders still hurts. He eats mechanically, even as he is poked at to make conversation. Raph has started giving him daily protein shakes. There is one next to his plate. He drinks it and crushes the bottle, casually proving how fine he is. Sometimes the others forget how strong he is.

He misses having Mikey around to defend him.

“I’ll be in the infirmary,” Shinigami says, and Donnie startles. When he looks at her, he sees dark, deep circles under her eyes. Her fair complexion is blotchy and even paler than usual. And he wants to slap himself. She loves him. She has so much love, she loves Mikey and Karai. And Karai, to see her baby brother like this. Abruptly, he stands up, wraps his arms around Shini, and grips her like one of Mikey’s famous octopus hugs.

She simply buries her face in his neck and holds him tight.

#tmnt2012 #tmnt 2012 #mikey #empath mikey #psychic mikey #autistic mikey #neurodivergent mikey #neurodivergent donnie #my neurodivergent turtle children #polymarory #karai #shinigami #mighty mutanimals #splinter #ptsd #mikey the lifegiver #break the cutie #iron woobie #headcanon autistics #canon au #headcanon #i love mikey but i also must hurt him #hurt the ones you love #i love donnie too but i like to mess with his mind #emotional torture #splinter is a ghost sorry #tiger claw is the villain now #i am sadistic #i'm learning so much about wound care #i love writing this series

[sylvain-writes]

Guarded Hearts and Safe Houses (Leonardo x Reader) Chapter 7/9

Rated: T

Gender Neutral Reader, canon typical violence/injury, light angst, strangers to lovers, supportive family.

for @melodiousmelodrama 

The blood drains from your face. You feel light-headed and unsteady on your feet. “Are my… are my…”

Donnie’s eyes lock on yours. “Raph’s there with Mikey. Everyone’s OK,” he says, but it brings little relief. “Your parents were at a charity function for the hospital.”

“And Gram?” Your throat’s gone so dry, you can barely get the question out.

“At the neighbors’.”

A shaky breath passes through your lips as you wrap your arms around yourself.

Leo stalks the mat as he thinks aloud. “This was a targeted attack. Their numbers might not be what we projected. But they didn’t get what they came for - hostages or us. They’ll be back. We have to get the humans to a secure location.”

Your thoughts extend beyond the safety of your family. “You have to protect the apartment building.”

“Yes.” Leo gives a sharp nod. “We have to defend the city. They’ll strike the building again. We can set up a base of operations somewhere close. Keep a lookout.” He whips out his phone and calls his brothers. “Mikey, sweep the area for somewhere to set up a base. Prepare for another attack.”

Mikey’s voice carries over the speaker. “You got it, bro.”

“Donnie,” Leo commands, “get us ready to move out. Whatever we need. Devices to track their signature, that new bo you’ve been working on. Anything else you got that might help against these guys. We’ve never been up against something like this before. We’re gonna need every advantage we can get.”

“The new weapons? But I thought you said...” Donatello rises to his full height at his brother’s nod of approval. “Of course, Leo. It’d be my honor to supply the team with new hardware. To be used in tandem with our traditional weapons, of course.”

Leo urges him, “Go!” and Donnie heads out at a sprint.

When Leo turns to you, you’re having trouble catching your breath. Tears cloud your vision and the lump in your throat makes it hard to speak.

“This is my fault,” Leo says by way of apology. “I shouldn’t have let my feelings distract me. Your family should have never been in danger.”

You understand now. How being a distraction to him is dangerous. The world depends on him. Tending to you, indulging you, led to this.

You believed his fears and insecurity about being vulnerable, showing weakness, were baseless. But leaving the city open to attack, leaving your family at risk… it isn’t worth whatever feelings stir in your chest when you think of him.

You’d rather have him and everyone else safe, than to be selfish. This isn’t him choosing to ignore you, this is him choosing to save the world.

When you return to your family home, Leo kneels before your parents and Gram. “I have dishonored you, failed you. I know my words are not enough, but I hope you will allow me to defend you and your home. I will not fail you again. On my honor. On my life.”

Your father, filled with fear, sputters before leaving the room. You know him, he doesn’t put the blame on the turtles, not really. But he doesn’t have anywhere else to direct his feelings of anger, fear, and confusion. Not yet.

Leo appeals to the women as they remain. “I allowed my mind to be clouded by distraction. It will not happen again. I devote my life to ninja and to your protection.”

His apologies hurt more than you thought they would, know you’re the distraction of which he speaks. Though you came to that same conclusion less than an hour ago, hearing it from his lips ties your stomach in knots.

“It’s time for you to go,” you find yourself saying. “You being here puts a bigger target on us, doesn’t it?”

Leo nods and stands.

“Then, go save the city, Leo. We won’t stand in your way as distractions anymore.”

Leo’s face twists in pain before his emotions slip behind the wall he builds so well. He heads for the window and you close it behind him with more force than necessary.

Once he’s gone, you try not to think of him. Your family needs you. They’re shaken and confused. And you don’t have all of the answers, but you have faith in the brothers. You have to believe they can fight this threat to the city. You have to believe they can win.

The Krang don’t attack again that day. Or that week. And a lookout returns to the roof. But it’s Leo and you won’t go up there. You don’t want to talk to him and it’s clear he doesn’t want you around.

But being in the apartment, unable to spend time on your rooftop escape, is making you stir crazy. You do get little drop ins from the other guys, sometimes right before their patrol.

Raphael will stop in to see Gram, ask about a new stitch he’s working on for his latest yarn project - a blanket for Mikey. A birthday present the young turtle isn’t supposed to know about.

Donatello dropped in to give you a secure phone so you could contact them in case of an emergency. “Or, you know, if you ever just want to talk about life, the universe, and everything.”

Mikey leaves you horoscopes, but it’s bittersweet. He doesn’t stick around to explain what he thinks they mean.

You convince yourself you’ve gotten over Leo, that the reason you spend more time looking at his horoscope than the others is because he’s the one perched on your roof and if the horoscope is predicting bad news for him then that translates into bad news for you, for your family, for your building. And you need to be prepared. You are absolutely not looking for any clues in regard to his feelings for you, any clues as to when you can expect him to knock on the window and apologize for pushing you away. When you can expect him to announce he’s come up with a way for you to be a boon to their cause instead of the distraction he’s determined you to be.

When the Krang launches an attack on Times Square, it’s all over the news. People are frantic. The city is in chaos. And you don’t know what to do. There’s no way off the island - and though you’d like your family to get to New Jersey, to get somewhere safely out of the way, you don’t even think of leaving yourself.

You and Leo haven't spoken to each other in over a week and you have no idea how he’s been handling everything. The guys haven’t given many clues. Mikey’s horoscopes are too vague to understand without his interpretations.

You know Leo holds so much inside, not wanting to burden his brothers with more than what he thinks they can handle. Why doesn’t he realize that if he trusted other people to share the burden, it’d be easier for everyone to carry? His brothers wouldn’t be as worried about him and all four of them would be better prepared to handle whatever dangers are to come.

You kiss your parents and Gram goodbye and head south toward Times Square. They know where you’re going. They don’t try to stop you. Mother straps a pack full of medical supplies to your back and squishes your face before you go. “I would be right beside you,” she says, then casts a meaningful look at Gram and Father.

The city is madness. The streets, which you thought would be teeming with people running for cover, are empty. Everyone who could find shelter has found it. Those who couldn't, well, they don't need shelter anymore.

You charge through the streets on foot, sure the subways are out of order. There are no cabs to take you, no clear streets to drive through even if there was a vehicle to drive.

You duck behind an abandoned news stand as a disembodied brain alien floats past. You peek through the rows of magazines to see it's not the only one. There must be a dozen krang moving down the streets. They don't seem to be looking for anything, led by an unseen force.

You startle when you feel a large, cool hand close over your mouth and nose. "Don' scream, a’right?" You'd recognize Raph's voice anywhere.

The tension in your shoulders eases up, but only a little.

"Your supposed t’ be hitchin’ a ride with Don. Gettin' the hell outta here with Gram and ya parents."

You pry Raph's hand from your face and gasp for air. The dude really doesn't realize just how massive his hand is. "I'm not leaving. I can help."

You notice the gash on his arm, and without hesitation, you swing your backpack off of one shoulder and around to your chest. It takes only a few seconds for you to fish out antiseptic spray and a roll of gauze. You patch him up efficiently. And Rapahel grunts. It's about as much thanks as you could hope to get while he's focused on the fight.

"Told you. I can help. Get back out there. Is anyone else hurt?"

"Bout a few thousand New Yorkers." Raph’s brow furrows and his eyes look haunted. It only lasts a moment before he shakes his head and shifts his frown to a grimace. “These slimeballs fucked with the wrong city.”

You look around at the First Responders on the scene. "What about your brothers?"

"Why dontcha ask 'em yourself?" he asks as he scans the area for any sign of those things .

You grab the secure cell from your pocket and dial the open line to the turtles. "Mikey. You alright?"

"Hey! What's shakin'?" Mikey’s greeting is casual and bright, even amid bedlam.

"You sound winded."

"I'm kinda in the middle of something,” he explains, and you can hear the thuds and shuffling of a brawl. “Can I call you back? Later? Oof. A lot later? Yow! That's my good side, dude!"

In spite of everything, he manages to make you smile. "Where's Leo?"

A gruff voice joins the line. Deep and calm. “I’m right here.” Mikey’s channel cuts out and the background falls silent. Leo has found somewhere quiet to talk. "Where are you?"

Raph leans toward the phone to answer for you. "Wit me."

There’s shock in his voice, confusion and concern. "You're supposed to be with Donnie."

"Well, I'm-"

"Helpin', alright?” Raphael defends. “Got a little banged up over here. Glad I had someone on my side t' patch me up.”

You smile at him and he shoves your shoulder a bit before smiling back. And you were wrong, your first impression of him… that his snarl couldn't be improved by a smile, because when Raph smiles it really does light up his face. Softens his edges.

It's like the rare occasion when Mikey lets himself get lost monologuing about his interests - before he catches himself and hopes that you aren't upset by his enthusiasm.

You've only seen Donnie smile like that once. Carefree.

But you've never seen Leo wear a carefree smile. Not ever.  Maybe something tight lipped. Or something fond. Sad. Leo’s smiles hold secrets and burdens. His shoulders hold responsibility. There isn't a carefree bone in his body. He holds the weight of the world on his shell. And try as he might to hide the toll it takes on him, his brothers can see he can’t do it alone.

"Fine,” Leo concedes. “Stay with Raph."

"We're comin' to you, brutha."

"Wait where you are- No!" There's a thud and a gasp and Leo gives a shout of pain before the line goes dead.

#tmnt x reader #leonardo x reader #leo x reader #gender neutral reader #tmnt leonardo x reader #my writing #guarded hearts and safe houses fic