#leo and mikey decide to patrol and mikey is like i'll be right back

[nights-flying-fox]

Thinking about my silly cowboy au where everyone except Mikey needs a horse/krangfied creature to travel. Not because of his mystic powers, but because he will simply steal his brothers'

[sealofarchives]

Could you create a headcanon for ‘Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ about what kind of fathers Leo, Raph, Donnie, and Mikey would be? I find this idea fun. :3

Headcanon: Rise!Turtles being dads and sweetest husband to the reader (Separate) (Requested prompt)

A/N: I'm still uncomfortable with the idea of aging up the guys towards "mature content."

However, this idea was really cute. It only made sense for this prompt where the guys are aged up with some reference to their bad end!future selves. I went with around early 30's when the turtle of your choice and the reader are in a committed relationship and currently raising a kid at the moment.

So please have common sense and think before typing some snarky response with 'oh aged up content is bad lol' (Because I will put those ideas on the 'do not write list' if people get too weird about it...)

Raph

You know how he has the habit of that one baby voice with Mayhem. (and a bit of the hey buddy tone towards Mikey or Donnie)

- His kid is never gonna escape from it. (even by the time the kid is a grown up)

He definitely panicked for a bit when his kid (during the energetic toddler phase) enjoyed climbing over a big guy like him.

- So he had to ask Donnie to make a battle shell specifically as a soft cushion. So the spiky shell doesn't accidentally scratch the kid.

Part of him is worried anytime he has to scold his kid. And only when you're around is when he feels okay to do so.

- He definitely does the "Did you ask (Y/N) if you could have another cookie?" sort of question. (Sometimes willing to go along with what his kid wants or following (Y/N) if he got caught spoiling the kid)

You're getting at least one peck on the cheek by the end of the day.

- Or earlier in the day if he accidentally woke you up.

Compared to his younger self who slightly whined about chores, he grew to enjoy it when both of you worked on it together.

- Laundry being one example where you're usually folding clothing fresh from the dryer. And he stacks a pile back into the clean basket/hamper.

His eyesight in the right eye has gotten a bit worse. (not as bad as his bad end counterpart where he needs an eyepatch) But, you often act as his extra set of eyes and call out to any surprise attacks.

- Which earned the title of you two with a tag team couple and he still blushes thinking about it.

Leo

Every few hours before a night patrol, he always checks in to see what his kid is up to and often gives a hug before leaving.

Often gives bedtime stories through retellings of Lou Jitsu's movies or Jupiter Jim's comics.

- Even acting out of some of the scenes before a yawn decides its time to sleep.

Gave one of his spare bandana scarves to his kid.

- Had the biggest grin on his face when the kid realized "Oh hey! We're matching!!!"

Almost similar to the night patrol part, but if you can't make it because of work or some other boring life detour.

- Its a portal away for a light hang out sesh. For both of you to take a breather away from the grown up life.

Late night conversations are just a regular thing between the two of you.

- Especially when he couldn't sleep. By the time he almost dozes off to sleep in your arms, he still playfully teases you that your voice is soothing to him.

When light conversations about the bad end future was brought up during a casual match of video games, he was never used to the idea that he had a prosthetic arm.

- You instantly hugged his right arm, jokingly reassuring him.

"As long as you can crack a joke in the most serious moment. I'll still know that its you Leo."

"Even in a timeline where, me and the guys were raised by Draxum?"

You gave the red slider turtle a 'really?' pout before he hugged you into his lap.

"Nah I'm just kidding, but for real though. Draxum's former henchmen are still goofballs that know their way around the city. I'm pretty sure that Leo could get a couple of one liners and maybe from you as well."

Donnie

Almost went into a frenzy trying to child-proof the lair. (Especially the month before the kid's arrival changed the atmosphere) But eventually settled down.

- Realizing it would have stressed his kid out by any sudden new changes (and a bit of his family and your help explaining the reasoning as well)

Leo's showboating energy transferred to him but, in a way that, the softshell turtle is very grateful. That he has you as a spouse and both of you raising a kid along side his sentient inventions. And will try to bring it up in any conversation.

- The whole wallet photo gag of him showing family pictures. You love this silly turtle but, usually lightly pinch his face if its the wrong time for that.

He lights up whenever his kid goes to him for any sort of question.

- He slightly restrains himself to avoid going overboard with the answer. But, his kid is smart enough to know that and sometimes tells you that he's not being himself again.

Cannot force himself to sleep unless you're beside him. (or if you have to drag him to bed yourself)

- The few times where he woke up while you were still sleeping. He always gives you a light hug and a kiss on the forehead before getting out of bed.

He subtly took interest in one of your hobbies. (Either an ongoing or a new one) Just so he can step away from a tedious project that was going nowhere and not bother you with the boring details about it.

- Sometimes mentioning a fun fact to impress you.

You gave into his idea of letting your kid have a similar weapon like Casey Jr's.

- Only when they reached their 13th birthday and learning the basics of: constructing it and fixing parts along side their dad. How to use it defensively, offensively, and etc.

Mikey

Considering how his future self had some hair on his head, he kept it long so he can do a few matching embarrassing baby photos to his kid.

- Like giving the kid a tiny ponytail and etc. He definitely cried a bit while having his signature grin when the kid pulled too hard on his hair, laughing at one of his jokes. And you had to step in to help him.

He knows how to work around some of his kid's picky eating habits. Usually making sure his kid is having fun or decorating the plate in an artistic manner.

- However, there are times when the kid can hide the veggie or fruit out of plain sight. Or his kid asks his uncles for help when Mikey's focused on some other thing.

Absolutely does that peek-a-boo trick with hiding his face or whole body into his shell.

- He was nervous at first, if the trick might have scared his kid but, no the kid was giggling. Curiously crawling towards him in awe of it.

Will sometimes make meals ahead of time. (often being, if you returned from work, too exhausted to greet him)

- Either leaving a note on a plastic container in the fridge of: [(Y/N)'s breakfast: DO NOT EAT unless you want an surprise session with Dr Delicate Touch </3] (this also applies to lunch as well)

On very rare occasions, he will temporary wear a cloaking brooch. If you're at an area isn't very friendly towards mutants and/or yokai.

- The one time that happened, is when you forgot to bring your lunch at a job that barely lasted a week. (Stuff that was out of your control but, he was relieved that you got out of that place before your coworkers decided to physically fight back at the manager)

Spends at least one day in the week with you to do some light meditative exercises.

- On the really bad days, he doesn't mind letting you hold his hand as a stress ball or just have a quiet moment to relax while his brothers babysit your kid.

[httpvomitello]

hii, this is a kind of sensitive topic and risky ask but could you do if the bay turtles saw your sh scars? ive got scars myself so pls dont take this the wrong way😭🩷 you dont have to write this if you dont wanna ofc x

Hello, helloooo! I hope you're feeling better, and remember your scars only show how strong you were to endure all of this. If you or anyone wants to talk, know that I'll be here!

I decided to do it in separate parts, so it will be better for you to read. ♡♡♡♡

TW: talk about old scars from s a, scars

Unseen Battles *⁠.⁠✧

The lair was unusually quiet. Mikey had finally crashed after a marathon gaming session, Donnie was locked away in his lab, and Raph had gone out to patrol. You were curled up on the couch in the common area, a blanket loosely draped over your shoulders. The dull hum of machinery was the only sound filling the space as you absentmindedly traced the scars on your arm.

They were old, but tonight, they felt as fresh as the day they were made. You hadn’t noticed Leo standing in the doorway, his blue eyes softening as they caught sight of you. He approached quietly, his footsteps gentle but deliberate.

"Couldn't sleep?" His voice was low, soothing, as he settled beside you.

You shrugged, offering a faint smile. "Something like that."

His gaze flicked to your arm, to the faint scars that crisscrossed your skin. His heart clenched, but he stayed silent, waiting for you to speak.

After a moment, you followed his line of sight, your stomach tightening. "They’re not exactly pretty, huh?"

Leo shook his head. "They tell a story," he said softly. "One I’d like to know, if you’re ready to share."

You hesitated, the weight of his words settling over you. It wasn’t that you didn’t trust him—Leo had seen the worst parts of you and loved you anyway. But these scars were different. They were from a time when you’d felt lost and alone, before he’d come into your life and made you believe in something more.

"They're from a time when I wasn’t sure I’d make it," you admitted quietly, your fingers tightening around the edge of the blanket. "Before you and the guys, things were... dark. I fought through it, but it left marks."

Leo didn’t say anything right away, but his hand found yours, his fingers lacing with yours gently. "But you won," he said after a moment. "And that’s what matters."

His words, simple and steady, hit you harder than you expected. Tears welled in your eyes, but you blinked them away, squeezing his hand in return. "It’s not easy to talk about," you confessed. "But with you, it’s different. I feel safe."

Leo’s thumb brushed over the back of your hand, his touch grounding. "You don’t have to carry it alone," he said. "We face things together, remember?"

You nodded, a small, genuine smile breaking through the heaviness. "I don’t know what I did to deserve you."

He smiled back, his eyes filled with warmth. "You deserve the world," he said softly, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to your forehead. "And I’m not going anywhere."

For the first time in what felt like forever, the weight on your chest eased. And tonight, that was enough.

[eclipsedrgn]

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑨𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝑩𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑳𝒆𝒇𝒕 𝑩𝒆𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒅

(y/n) befriended the turtles along with her best friend ren. she didn't have anything to offer the family of ninjas, except her friendship and love. and when she realizes she's just pulling them back, she decided to take it to her own hands.

rottmnt!leo x fem!reader

⋇⊶⊰❣⊱⊷⋇

⋇⊶⊰❣⊱⊷⋇

It wasn't until you notice they started acting differently around you when you had a feeling they're starting to pull apart. All four turtles, each in their own unique way, rejected you. Either hanging out, or eating out to even going on patrol together. You didn't exactly offer a lot on the table if you were being honest. You were just the lucky girl who they rescued, and somehow became part of this mischivious family.

Mikey became your closest friend, you two were too much a like whether it was being completely naive to the world to being the most childish person of the group. The two of you never felt judged by one another.

Donnie, embarrissingly, became your buddy when it came to doing your homework. You did all the work of course, you hated cheating but Donnie was the one looking over your shoulder half of the time telling you from right and wrong.

Raph was coincidentally your therapist, although you mostly smile around the turtles, Raph knew the signs of depression and anxiety, most importantly anger. He saw how much anger you hold within yourself that he took upon himself to help you.

Leonardo...

To you, in your eyes, he was everything. He was the perfect turtle for you and could not stop yourself for falling in love with him. He was your everything, you were willing to even make yourself unhappy just to get his attention...

But you knew with the way he looks at Karai, it wouldn't happen.

You guess it was probably the way you let yourself loose. You ate too much pizza with Mikey, you barely exercise, or maybe how you just chilled on the couch for the longest time. The turtles noticed.

But they did not care.

And that's how you ended up in this situation, hiding behind the walls of the kitchen eavesdropping the turtle's conversation about you. Worst of all, your best friend Ren just sat there listening to them, though you didn't see her face, she was devastated that the turtles thought of you this way.

"Come on Leo, are we seriously letting this girl stay with us?" Raphael states with an annoyed tone. "She has done nothing but sit here with her thumbs up her nose"

Was all the times you come to Raph about your problems fake? Did you complain too much?

"We can't just kick her out Raph-" Donatello started but was interrupted.

"We can and we will. She eats all the food, she plays all the games while we're up there risking our lives" Raph complains.

"Dude... she's my best friend" Mikey muttered, nobody heard.

"She doesn't bring anything to the table! April does the news, Casey's a police officer- hell even Ren brings us notices about the Foot. (Y/N) does nothing" Raph says.

You are nothing.

A burden.

Leo shook his head, the warm feeling at the thought of you turned guilt, anger, confused. He knew his brothers were right. You didn't bring much to the table. But how can he kick out the only person who brought joy and compassion, no matter what the atmosphere of the lair is.

You clench both of your fists as tears stream down your face, you covered your mouth with both hands as another sob was coming. Leo barely stood up for you, Donnie barely stood up for you and Mikey... all he did was sat in silence. You wiped your face with your hands, getting rid of signs you were crying and came out of the kitchen with a smile on your face.

"Hey guys, I'm headed out for some pizza. Want anything?" you asked.

"J-Just some Hawaiian dudette" Mikey says with an unsure look on his face.

You smiled, "Sure Mikestar, I'll be back in a few"

"At least she brings us food" you hear Raphael scoff as you walk further from the lair.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

You barely looked where you were headed, you were just walking aimlessly for the past 20 minutes since you left. The depression was getting worst, your anxiety is off the roof and the fact the only people who truly liked you has been faking all this time...

You sighed as you yelp when you bumped into something... soft? You opened your (e/c) eyes seeing the father of the four turtles. You forgot Splinter likes to take walks around the sewer twice a day, curing boredom he said when you asked him once.

"My child, were you crying?" Splinter asks.

You sniffled and shook your head, "Allergies, Sensei"

"I can tell in your eyes you are lying. Tell me, what's going on?"

And so you did.

You snitched.

You told him how the turtles hurt you. How they didn't know you've listened to their cruel words.

The look on Splinter's eyes slowly dimmed, his sons, were not nice towards you?

"I'm gonna leave" you decided, Splinter looks up surprised you even claimed such decision. "I can't spend the rest of my life being a burden to everyone. I need a change of pace, I need to leave New York City"

Splinter sighs, "I cannot change your mind. But I do have an offer for you. My Master Yoshi has a friend in Japan called the Ancient One, fly there and tell him Splinter sent you. Tell him your desire to change, he will help you"

Your eyes became misty as tears started to gather, you hugged Splinter tightly and then came up with a plan. The turtles need to know how much you've been hurting, you became a little bit of a bad person.

That night you came back home, calling your tech friend to fake a news, hacking into the lair's tech and played the news.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾

"We interrupt this program for some breaking news."

Leo paused sharpening his katana as the news blared on, Raph paused his benching, Donnie came out of his lab and Mikey stared blankly at the TV.

"(Y/N) (L/n) was found dead in her apartment at 21:34, her cause of death is currently unknown."

"No" Leo gasps his eyes widening, the brothers followed, Mikey gagged sprinting towards the bathroom. Leo watches at the apartment building you once live in, burst into flames, the firefighters rushing to put it out.

"Firefighters rush to stop the fire but it is all too late. The body was found with burned beyond recognition and the police have ordered an autopsy... Stay tune for further news"

"She never came back" Mikey croaked, leaning against the door frame. "She went out for pizza and never came back"

"S-She must've went to get more money, went home and then boom" Donnie says rushing towards his computers for answers.

Leo slammed his katana against the ground he was sitting on so hard, it broke into two pieces. He stood facing his hotheaded brother with a menacing look in his eyes.

"Are you happy now?" Leo sharply asked. "You asked for her gone right! You told us, to kick her out right! Well here you go Raphael. She's gone. For good"

"I-I never meant-"

"You knew she was depressed, you knew she fighting on... Raph, you have no idea!" Leo yells.

"BOYS!" the four flinch at their father's tone.

Splinter...

What're they going to tell him?

"What is going on here?" Splinter demands.

"(Y/N)'s dead" Mikey says voice cracking as the tears finally streamed down his face. "She's dead and its all our fault"

"Mikey..." Donnie says comforting his baby brother. "We should've helped sensei... but we... we didn't"

"5 times" Leo says confusing the others. "I saved her 5 times and this time, I couldn't"

"Leonardo..." Splinter sadly said.

Leo shook his head and walked away, the others slowly went their own way to grieve.

Splinter stood there with one though, he hopes you know what you need to do.

[fishsticksloser]

Abandoned!Reader

RotTMNT & f!turtles+ gn!reader

Warnings: abandoned kid, adoption, family

A/N: this was asthmatic!reader on my to-do list, but I couldn't find the ask/AO3 comment in my photos (cause I screenshot when I get them). Maybe I read it wrong or deleted it by accident... I'll keep looking though

Previous | Next

They're first time truly exploring the Hidden City, they found you

They looked for your family

You were really young so you had to have a family, right?

They took you home with them to keep you safe

They fed you, gave you new clothes

But no one came looking for you

So Splinter decided you could stay

Mikey was so happy to be a big brother

He started teaching you to cook

He did arts and crafts with you

Raph gave you some of his stuffies to help you sleep at night

He even gave you his softest, warmest blanket

Leo absolutely gave you some of his Barbies, his My Little Ponies

When you play with Leo it's just drama

The story lines are really fun

Donnie stayed away at first, not really interested in a small kid

But eventually you grew on him too

Donnie allows you to help in his lab

He's teaching you a bit of engineering...

Robotics, welding, programming

Everything he knows

Donnie will even draw eyebrows on for you.

Future boys:

Raph found you abandoned topside during a patrol

Of course Kraang don't take babies

Why even waste time disposing of them when there are people "more worthy"?

Raph obviously brings you back to the bunker

Much to Donnie's distaste

They were barely supporting the kids that already lived there, why being a baby?

Though it didn't take much for Donnie to shut up

Mikey was so excited about having a baby in the family

He gushed and was the main one taking care of you

Leo liked holding you when he managed to catch a break

Though his brothers would find him asleep with you in his arms

Raph was there if you had a nightmare

Keeping scary monsters away

Donnie was there if you ever wake up at night

He's a night owl, practically never sleeping so it seemed like the logical thing to decide

[savemeafruitjuice]

Lee raph spot feet maybe Mikey uses his chains against him

Alright, I'm using this prompt for the poll, so let's do this! I don't think this has any spoilers, so we're all good!

(A/N: I FINISHED IT. I sincerely apologize for the wait, but I hope you enjoy! 😌)

lee! Raph

ler! Mikey

TW!: Some swearing!

The sound of scuffling brothers bounced off the walls of the lair, yelps and war-cries reaching every corner of the sewers as training began. The turtles had been a bit agitated all day, leaving a very annoyed Splinter to send them all to the dojo to blow off some steam.

Per usual, a duo was sent to fight while the others watched until it was another pair's turn, Donnie and Leo going first, the leader of the team winning within a couple minutes, but now it was Raph and Mikey's turn. A cocky smile overtook each turtle's features as the smack-talk began.

"You sure you don't wanna surrender before I knock you out? You'd be saved a couple bruises if you do, you know." the two circled one another, tension creeping into the room. "Hm. I think you underestimate me, Raph. Because, if I remember correctly, I beat you the last time we trained. Yohou didn't see me coming!" cheeky giggles flooded from the freckled turtle's mouth.

Raphael was getting fed up. Suddenly, he lunged at the younger and managed to land a hit to his shoulder with the handle of his sai. Mikey grunted, swinging his nunchucks out, whining as his brother dodged. The red-themed turtle swung his leg at the other's head, following through with another one aimed at the side of his shell.

Donnie and Leo cheered for their siblings, giving each one equal praise when a hit handed. Master Splinter took note of each move, giving guidance when it was needed. "Michelangelo, keep your leg straight. Raphael, do not focus entirely on offense."

"Mikey's lasting longer than usual, maybe he's been training more?" "Not likely. He complains when we go on an easy patrol around the city. He is holding out longer than I expected though, even Sensei seems surprised." Leo whispered back, head whipping from side to side as his little siblings ran across the dojo.

Raphael lowered himself to the ground and spun around, twisting his leg so that he bent his little brother's knee, almost making him lose balance. Mikey landed a few hits with his nunchucks to the sai-user's calf, making him wince before jumping back up.

The two seemed evenly matched for once, but as time passed Mikey started to lose focus. He took a few more kicks before deciding he needed a plan to win. 'Okay, this isn't getting me anywhere. Maybe if I think like Donnie I'll get the upper-hand? Wait, I want to win. Although..' A thought popped into the youngest's head. He wasn't sure if Master Splinter would approve, but it was worth bragging rights, right?

He waited for Raph to aim a kick high up again, gaining distance with a few swings of his nunchucks in the meantime. Soon enough, the older thrusted his leg up, and that's when Mikey struck.

He ducked and backed up slightly, swinging the chain of his nunchuck around the fiery-tempered turtle's ankle, smirking as a shocked noise pushed its way out of his throat. He pulled up, forcing Raph to awkwardly hop forward as to not fall. "Mikey! You can't do that, it's cheating!"

"Well, it's not my fault I found a vantage point!" still, the younger glanced at Master Splinter to make sure what he was doing wasn't actually against one of the super boring, excessively drawn out rules that he didn't have the attention span to listen to. His father didn't say anything, merely nodding in confirmation that he could continue. Mikey smiled, pulling back even more and snickering a bit when his brother struggled to not tumble to the floor.

After a few more moments, the orange-themed turtle raised his free hand, making sure Raphael could see it before wiggling his three fingers at him. He slowly inched towards his foot, and the other turtle's face flushed as he realized what was about to happen. Desperately trying to pull back, the sai-user soon came to the conclusion that he wasn't going to be able to escape. With that, he made a mental note to absolutely kick this guy's shell into oblivion later. "Mikey! I swear. I am so gonna- KGH!"

The inevitable eventually came, Mikey's wiggling fingers touching down on his brother's foot as a strangled shriek filled the room. The two seated mutants leaned to the side to see what was going on, smirking when they saw the tactic the youngest had come up with.

Raphael swiftly covered his mouth to prevent any more embarrassing noises from escaping. His entire leg jolted and kicked as Mikey kept scribbling away at his foot, making it increasingly more difficult to keep standing upright. His sais dropped to the floor, clattering on the mat. "MIHIkey! Stoho- Ihi'm goHONNA KIHILL YOHou!"

Eventually, the dam burst, a wide smile forcing its way upon the older's face, his shell meeting the ground soon after. Mikey, who at this point was having the time of his life tickling his brother, followed him to the ground and sat on his calf, using his knees to hold the sides of his nunchucks down, effectively pinning Raph's foot down in the process as he scritched along the flat surface.

The elder sibling screeched and flailed in an attempt to launch his brother off of him, but the tickling was sapping his strength away. His free leg was quick to hit into Mikey, trying desperately to stop the fluttering sensation building up.

"Ohhh Raph~! Looks like I'm winning again!" the orange-themed turtle smugly taunted, unfazed by the flailing limbs coming at him. "Maybe you need to practice some mo-"

The youngest was interrupted by a loud cackle, followed by the quiet giggles of his other brothers who were more than entertained at this point, watching their edgy brother being taken down. "ShuHUt yohohour MOHOHOUTH! DAHAMNIHIHIT! STAHAHAHAP!"

Raph threw his head back and desperately tried to squirm away, arching back into the matted floor as fingers scratched at the base of his toes. Mikey, on the other hand, was smiling like a dork, 100% enjoying the usually grouchy turtle laughing his head off.

"What's the magic word?~" Mikey was full of himself, sticking his tongue out in response to a rather rude hand gesture, retaliating with a sharp squeeze to the knee. Raph couldn't handle much more at this point, and though it was beyond embarrassing to admit defeat to the youngest of the family, let alone be found in this situation in the first place, he couldn't breathe very well, and he was too weak to really fight Mikey off anymore.

"MIHIKehehey! I cahaha- I gihive uhup!" the turtle's eye-ridges arched up in surprise. "Hmm? What was that Raphie? I can't quite hear you over your girlie screams!" the elder glared at his obnoxious brother through his laughter, but despite how much he wanted to punch him in the face, he still needed to tap out. Jeez, he was never gonna live this down.

"Ihihi sahaid stoHOHOP! PLEHEHEASE! AHAHA!" the nunchuck-user had began quickly scribbling over the ball of his foot for a few more seconds, before stopping his hands and jumping off his brother to avoid any attacks. As soon as his leg was free, Raph kicked the nunchuck off of him, sending it flying against the wall, and promptly curled up, wrapping his arms around his knees and caught his breath.

"Michelangelo, despite using.. unorthodox methods, is the winner." Master Splinter gave a look to Mikey, who only smiled mischievously. "A turtle's gotta do what a turtle's gotta do!" he shrugged, doing a little victory dance, failing to notice that Raphael had recovered, and was now creeping up behind him, a vengeful glint in his eye.

"I won, I wo- EEK! WAHAIT! RAHAPH I'M SAHARRY-!"

"Oh, but you don't know how sorry you'll be.."

[matrixxsystem]

Boots With The Spurs (the real first chapter)

"Turn left here."

"Where?"

"Just- Up here, left- Left! Your other left!"

"Don't yell at me!"

"Then don't miss the turn!"

"Do you wanna drive?"

"I would but I can't!"

"Well-! Oh.. S-Sorry Don.."

"..It's fine.. just... You stick to driving and I'll stick to giving directions okay big guy?"

"Yeah... Okay.." The drive seemed to take forever, going from New York all the way to "the middle of nowhere" wasn't exactly around the block. Donnie glanced back to where Mikey was sitting, a Jupiter Jim comic in metal hands Donnie had loaned him while his were still recovering. Leo was sitting next to him, watching Mikey read to him doing his signature voices for all the characters. There was a faint smile on his face but it was overcast by the dark circles under his eyes and the bandages covering his limbs. Everyone still had injuries that were hearing but Leos took the most time considering he got the worst of it.. Well, him and Raph really. Raph was another case, it had only been four years since the "Kraang incident" and everyone seemed to be dealing with their own aftershocks even now. 

Leo lost his arm coming through the portal back to Earth, his mind was a mess, constantly having nightmares and losing sleep over his memories. Raph lost his right eye, and split a new alter from the time he was possessed by the Kraangs parasites. Donnie suffered severe nerve damage in his back that sometimes flared enough to cause seizures, Leaving him bedridden, sometimes for days. And Mikey's carpal tunnel got worse, with mild Tendinopathy added to his diagnosis only meaning he wasn't able to use his hands half as much as he'd like to. He could hardly hold a pair of chopsticks long enough to finish a meal before his hands started to cramp up. But they all helped each other through it, they all took turns playing nurse and making sure their family was okay. Or as okay as they could be at least.. The final straw that made them want to leave the city was when Splinter passed away and Leo had a minor mental breakdown. They all decided to go somewhere they didn't have to hide. Somewhere quiet, without the constant reminders of everything they'd lost or the constant threat of danger. With the NYC foot clan disbanded there was less crime, and less reason for them to patrol or try to be heros there. "This is it." Donnie said as he pointed to a driveway that was coming up. "Decrease speed and proceed into the driveway." 

"On it, so.. This is like... A house big enough for all a' us right?"

"Something like that. But fret not, I have a plan to make sure its able to accommodate all of our needs." Raph parked the car, everyone perked up now that they'd stopped moving. Mikey rushed to open the door, excited to see what their new home was going to be like. He expression quickly went from ecstatic to confused. "Dee.. Are we at the right place? This one looks... Janky"

"It is 'Janky' Michael, it's a large plot of land I only managed to get for cheap because of it's quote unquote 'Jankyness' so.."

"It's not janky, it's just a fixer upper is all! Nothin' a lil elbow grease and.. uh... Regular grease can't fix!" Leo got up last, following everyone out of the turtle tank. The overgrown grass and weeds, the dirt road beneath his feet, the warm breeze against his back.. "Raph as fun as this brotherly DIY project sounds, were all seriously injured and none of us can hold or lift anything long enough to repair the front door  let alone this entire house. This is a job for my tech.. The last job for them..." He took out a remote from his pocket and pressed a few buttons, dozens of small robots sprung from the tank and ran towards the house. Scanners covered the house, barn, and even the yard. Then they took a moment to calculate before they started humming with energy. 

"Donnie..?"

"They're supposed to sound like they're about to blow up, the internal motors are half the size of their exoskeletons to give them extra power. Just sit back and be amazed." A few took to the lawn, what looked like a mouth turning into spinning blades that trimmed and seemed to eat the grass. Others went to the house, and started repairing the wood, spewing resin and metal threads, gnawing the broken wood into clean cuts and merging them with the spun material. Others did the same with the barn. And the last few flung themselves into drains and pipes, cleaning them from the inside. They all came together, mixing the materials they'd harvested and made it into paint, coating the house and barn. And after five minutes the house looked brand new, like they were transported to a completely different place.

Donnie gently clapped his hands together and the robots disappeared into the house, "Alright fam, we have two hours, sixteen minutes and forty three seconds till the sun sets. As long as you stay on the property you are free to do at you please, but be reminded there are wild animals and birds of prey about and I won't have a foolproof fence up and running till the bots are finished recharging. Mikey's ordering dinner for us when he feels up to the task and we will be calling first dibs on rooms with the usual exception that the biggest one goes to Raph and I get one downstairs." 

Leo glanced between them with a nod, "I'm uh.. I just wanna sit out here for a bit, stretch my legs and all if it's cool with you." 

"In the grass? I mean, suit yourself but take a shower when you get inside cause, eugh, dirt.."

"Donnie don't you love gardening?"

"Ironic isnt it?" 

"Oh oh I want to pick my room! C'mon Red let's go see what it looks like on the inside!" Raph took Mikey's hand and let himself be pulled into the house, Donnie was busy walking the perimeter and taking measurements, just his usual nerd stuff. Leo went and sat in the grass, it looked faded and dead, but it wasn't as scratchy as it looked, it was actually kind of soft.. He felt another warm breeze and laid back, one arm behind his head as he looked up at the sky. It was so quiet compared to the city, no cars, busses, or trains. No one shouting or promoting anything in the streets. Not even the constant chatter of birds and various stray animals. Sure everything ached, but breathing the fresh country air made that pain seem so small. 

"Leo- Hey, Leoo"

...

"Jesus Crimmity Leo get up before you catch a disease-"

Leo opened his eyes and suddenly the sky was dark. He saw Donnie standing over him with an unamused expression. "Oh.. Hey Dee... I uh"

"You fell asleep. It's fine but maybe do it inside the house next time? Kay?"  Leo rolled his eyes as Donnie offered his hand to help Leo up. He knew by now as much as he didn't want to admit it that he needed to accept defeat. He took Donnie's hand and stood up, "Thanks. What did Mike end up getting for dinner?" 

"You'll see, just get inside before something eats you"

"Pfft.. Okay"

Leo headed inside, opening the door to reveal a surprisingly nice place..? A few feet ahead was a straight staircase leading to the second floor. To the right was a open archway into a decently sized kitchen with an island counter and everything they needed, well, except the food but all the appliances were there! To the left was probably going to be the living room, right now it was pretty empty but it wouldn't take love for Donnie to fill each corner with a plant or Mikey to staple his art to the walls and make it look more lived in. He could see it now, how lively this place would be once they settled in and started their usual shenanigan's.. What were their usual shenanigan's again? He rubbed his eyes trying to think back to why they even left New York in the first place.. He knew his dad passed away but that wasn't the only reason right? 

"Hey Leo! Come check out our rooms!!" Leo snapped out of his thoughts and saw Mikey waving at him from the top of the stairs. He smiled a little and put his hand on the railing heading up to see what the commotion was about. 

"Alright alright I'm coming! Which rooms did you guys pick?" Mikey was practically bounding in place as he waited for Leo to reach the top, widely gesturing to a door that already had an Encanto style sketch scribbled onto the front. "This is my room! It had the best lighting for art! Raphs is the one across from yours over there!" He walked past him pointing to the door with a small blue sticker stuck on at eye height, on the left side of the hall, the back of the house. Then to the door on the right with several red stickers. "Donnie says the one next to mine can be his too so he has a room up here to store stuff, but dont worry that's why he gets the small one hehehe" Leo nodded a little, opening the door to his room, it had a bed, classic. Some empty shelves, a small dresser and two boxes which were presumably his stuff from the tank. He looked back to Mikey who stood in the doorway, still looking so excited he might combust or something. "Soooo? What do you think?" 

"I think.." He shrugged and put his hand on Mikey's shoulder, "It's nice. Really. I can't wait to put it all together, maybe you could make some posters to liven the place up a bit when you're up for it?" 

"Ohhh that's a good idea! Yes! Well need one with cats, and one with lasers! And one with a cat, shooting lasers!!" Leo let out a little chuckle, Mikey always had the craziest ideas..

"Hey Donnie said you took care of dinner, so what're we having?" 

"He didn't tell you? That silly goose, I got some stew from some local restaurant. The.. The Fancy Phrog or something idunno, but it's really good! The dining room is through the kitchen, or there's a hall behind the stairs that goes there too so, take your pick! I'm gonna see if Raph wants seconds"

Leo nodded and left after Mikey, heading downstairs and taking a right to see the rest of the house on his way. The living room had a bookshelf and a long couch, a few of the robots from earlier had formed a monkey chain and were passing books from a box up to the bot who was neatly placing them on the shelf. There were a total of three rooms in that hallway, one was a full bathroom on the left, then Donnie's lab/room in the middle, and a spare room that they had agreed would be their medbay across from the archway to the back of the dining room. Donnie was sitting at the table, he didn't have his phone like he usually would, not even a tablet or projector.. Instead he had a notepad and a pen scribbling something down with one hand while he ate with the other. Leo took the blue bowl that hadn't been filled yet and served himself from the container on the table. "Watcha writing there..?"

"Code.."

"... Okay .. For what?"

"A sentient tractor"

"I'm sorry what!?"

"Kidding. Sort of.. It is code, but it's... How do I put this in a way a Leo would understand- I want a function that lets the machine assess the situation and use variables to determine the best course of action, but the parameters for those variables isn't set in stone, so it needs to be able to adapt and understand a vast blanket of skills to have a full and accurate assessment.."

"...Okay so, a robot with opinions?"

"Sure, well go with that." 

Leo shrugged and ate his food, he was never a big fan of vegetables but the stew was pretty damn good.. His mind wandered back to why they were there in the first place, it was something unpleasant for sure but why couldn't he remember? He looked back up at Donnie, "Hey... This is.. It's gonna sound stupid but can I ask you something?"

"That's never stopped you before."

"Oh ha ha, but seriously, why did we move out here again?" Donnie's hand stopped writing, he looked back at Leo a little confused at first but there was something else too, he was nervous? "You don't recall you're morphine induced rant about wanting to be a 'cowboy baby' or however the Vine goes?"

"..No- But c'mon that can't be the only reason we left the city right? I mean, you guys wouldn't leave everything just cause I randomly blurted out that I wanted to be a cowboy, while I was loopy"

"Well- No that wasn't the only thing that provoked us leaving. But if you don't know the reasons maybe it's better to keep it that way? Your brain might be trying to protect you from information you might not want to know?"

"Oh please, I saw big mama shoot webs from her ass and saw Jericho throw up the special sauce that's used on his food. I think I can handle whatever my brain is worried about!" Donnie sighed, putting his pen down, "Leo, I shouldn't be the one to talk about this really.. But a lot of bad things happened, it was just a constant stream of bad luck and injuries, nearly losing everything, and everyone.. It was bad, so the less you remember the better."

"...But that doesn't answer my question-"

"Then ask someone else! I can't talk about it."

"Can't or won't??"

"Fine. I won't talk about it." Leo huffed and leaned back in the chair. "Ugh... Whatever" Donnie took his bowl and notepad, heading into the kitchen then to his room downstairs. And Leo was alone again. 

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The next morning rolled around  and it seemed like the only thing to do was unpack, anytime Leo tried to ask Raph about why they were there he was only met with, "Go ask Raph" which really wasn't helping.. When he asked Mikey he was also told to "Go ask Raph" so, it was a lose-lose battle really. Eventually he gave up and finished unpacking his boxes, there really wasn't much besides his knick knacks and comics. Most of his other things were trashed or left behind.. He was older now anyways, a lot of what he kept in his teens just didn't spark joy like they used to. 

He pulled out a string of photo booth pictures with him and what used to be his boyfriend, he scoffed at the pictures but he'd held into them all this time. It showed him, on his twenty first birthday and the guy beside him with his arm around Leo. Some dog yokai with blonde fur and a streak of blue dye in his hair, he had a drink in hand and so did Leo. They looked messy and absolutely trashed, but happy. If he was being honest he didn't remember much of that year or the one before it, but like Mikey says, if you don't remember then maybe it's not worth remembering? He set the pictures down on his dresser and flattened the boxes under his arm, "There's gotta be a way to remember all the stuff I'm missing right..? Maybe Cherry can help.. Leo headed out of his room and downstairs where Mikey had dragged Brick, one of Raphs alters, to play "Downbeat" a game Leo never understood, I mean all you do is shake dice and then yell 'downbeat' it's not very fun in his opinion. "Hey, can you help me Mikey-"

"Downbeat!" 

"Mikey hey-"

"Oh! Hey Leo! You wanna play with us?" 

"I'd rather stick my tail in an anthill, then in a fire- Sorry, no, but I do need your help with something soo.. Can you come here for a sec" Mikey pouted a little but put the dice down and headed into the kitchen with Leo, "What's up? Need help rewrapping your nub?"

"Wha-? No, no this is unrelated to me. I need to talk to Cherry" 

"Well, Brick's fronting right now, it might be rude to ask him to leave?"

"I know, that's why I need your help.. Think maybe you would be down to bake? You get to cook, I get to talk to Cherry, you two get some quality time?" Mikey narrowed his eyes at him for a moment, "I don't know why you need to talk to her, but I do want to break in our new kitchen so.. Fine, I'll do it." Leo smiled and put his hand on Mikey's head ruffling the air where hair would be. "While you do that I'm gonna go see what Dons up to, any idea where hes at?" 

"Yeah uh, he's in his downstairs room, the middle one." Leo nodded and headed through the dining room to get to Donnie's room, he knocked seven times in a special pattern. "Password" 

"Wha-? Donnie, open up I did the special knock"

"Password." Leo sighed and rubbed the bridge between his eyes, "God damnit- Just- Open the goddamn door." After a moment of silence the door opened, "You sir, are no fun."

"It's too early for this."

"It's 11:15."

"My point stands."

"State your business"

"Brotherly shenanigan's."

"For or against?"

"For, it's already in motion"

"Seeking asylum then?"

"Why would I do that with you? No, I'm killing time while I wait for the pay off." 

"Noted. Entry granted." Leo stepped into Donnie's room, a few boxes were stacked along the walls, a table was set up with a chair and one of his forearm crutches leaning against it. Along with a bed on the opposite wall. A potted plant already sat on the table beside a stack of papers. "Getting all settled in are we?" Leo joked as he went and sat on the bed. Donnie gave a little shrug as he sat back in his chair, taking one of the papers off the top of the pile and sketching something out. "Yeah yeah, I know, I should be focused less on causing trouble and more on fixing things up or whatever clever advice you have in mind."

"Well that wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but close enough. You're still healing, not just physically either."

"Whats actually funny, is that you guys keep telling me that I'm healing, but you still won't tell me what I'm healing from- I mean if you're going to lie at least make it convincing"

"Oh what? You want me to break your foot or something?"

"I'm just saying a physical injury is way more of a reason to be bedridden than a mental one"

"Well think of it like your brain being punched, is that a mental image wounded enough to make you stop acting like a dum dum?"

"I didn't come here to get roasted."

"Then you came to the wrong brother, my sanctuary comes at a price, otherwise what would be the means to harbor such a fugitive within my quarters?"

"Ugh, I lose braincells when you start using big words-" Donnie rolled his eyes as he kept writing, it was only quiet for a few more moments before one of the small robots that had rebuilt the house came to his side. They both looked down at the small machine and waited for it to do something. 

It started dancing

Leo looked more and more confused and Donnie just nodded along, "Mhmm, Mhmm, I see" He muttered as the little jig went on. "Oh you can't be serious- Did you actually program them to talk through dance? Just give it a voice box-!"

"Shhh! He's not finished. Please, Stephan, continue."

"Stephan??"

"I said shhh!!" He watched as the robot danced for another minute or so before bowing, Donnie gave a small applause and leaned over to extend his hand, picking the robot up and examining it closely. "Well- Are you gonna tell me what it said?"

"..You're still here?"

"Yes! And I'm being nosey! So what's the deal with that thing?"

"To answer your previous question, yes and no. The dancing itself wasn't the form of communication but it was the steps. The tapping was mores code, he was informing me about the structures that were reformed and the ones that would need to be repaired by hand."

"..Oh?"

"Ill be taking care of it later, thankfully with the long, long drive out here I had plenty of time to rest and gather strength so that I would be able to do a fair amount of physical labor provided my bots were unable or I was unable to have one of the Raphs help me since they're quite a bit stronger. But don't worry about it."

"Well hey wait I can help-"

"Did you not listen to the part I said fifteen minutes ago? You, my dear dum dum, are still recovering and are down one arm. While you'd be a good supervisor, or even director if you could read blueprints, it still wouldn't be as much help as the physical strength required to say, lift a post or a seventeenth of a ton of bricks. So, the gesture is appreciated but I'll pass. Besides, you're still seeking shelter correct? Just, sit here and don't touch anything. We'll watch a movie or something you approve of later." 

"Are you seriously gonna go out there?" Donnie looked unamused at his poor attempt to prevent him from leaving, "Should I be worried?" He asked, pushing some papers aside to organize them while he waited for Leo to try and rationalize how much of a dum dum he was being. "Well- No.. But..." Donnie rolled his eyes, "Then yes, Once all the repairs are fully complete we can start doing the real work." He got up from his chair, about to head out. "Real work?" Donnie nodded, "But of course." He looked back to Leo as he stood in the doorway.

"You didn't think I'd purchase all this barren land and not plant something, did you?" Chapter 2

[aquak1ra]

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Chapter 08

★★★★★I, MONSTER★★★★

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Y/n decided to stay at the turtles place since she found out her apartment was overdue on rent. The girl packed all her belongings after having one last glance at what used to be her new home. The turtles waited outside with bags in their hands. Deciding on packing her mother's most precious belongings Y/n sighs heavily. The cold of the night made it more depressing. Climbing off the fire escape the group then jump from roof to roof top.

"So dudette what's your mother like? " Mikey decided to risk it and break the uncomfortable silence.

"Well Mikey...she is kind, smart, wise, lovable, and well kinda strict. As you know she is my sensei, she is always trying to teach me something new." She sits down drinking from her favorite water bottle. The turtles look at her she seemed lost in her own world.

"We will find her Y/n" Raphael said with a reassuring voice. "Your mom's a tough cookie. Just look at you, you're a cool kunoichi" those sentences surprised everyone except Y/n. She knew there was someone compassionate beneath that rough exterior.

"You are right Raph, thank you." She looks at the turtles with a fond smile."This time I am not alone, I have you guys. I am happy I met you." She stretches her arms looking at the sky. The five of them sit in silence enjoying their company.

"You know guys it's always been me and my mom against the world." She starts talking again. "I never really had any friends since I have been traveling the world with my mother. Gosh I sound so sappy but I have always felt so alone."

"Y/n you have us now dudette, right guys?" Baby blue orbs scan the turtles with a wide smile.

"Yeah dummy" Raph speaks crossing his arms with a tiny smirk.

"Of course you do Y/n" Donnie smiles showing his gapped teeth.

"They're right Y/n, we're a team now. You won't ever be alone anymore. " Leonardo stated with a smile of his own.

"Well enough of this sentimental stuff." Raphael said trying to act cool. "We gotta patrol the city after bringing Y/n's stuff to the lair"

"You're right raphie boy" the girl gets up from her resting place. A tiny vein mark appears above Raphs forehead.

"I have told you millions of times. Don't call me raphie boy or I'll beat that tiny head of yours!" He yells in a hushed tone.

"Not a chance turtle boy. I like calling you that" she giggles jumping from roof top to roof top again.

"Argh, I'm gonna get you back at the lair Crimson!" he runs after her.

"Is it me or ever since Y/n came into our lifes. Raph has turned a little mellow." Donnie questioned looking at his two remaining brothers.

"You are right even though he is still a hothead he seems a little off sometimes." The blue bandana wearing turtle spoke holding his chin.

"Could it be that Raphael was abducted by the Krang?!" Mikey exclaimed dramatically.

"Don't be silly Michelangelo." Leo rolls his eyes while patting his back. "It could be that Y/n is just what we needed" the three turtles run after them with their own thoughts in mind.

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Y/n and April were walking side by side to the redhead's new apartment. After the gauntlet incident Kirby and her regained some sense of normality.

"Are you sure you don't want to come live with us Y/n?" the girl asked with a soft smile.

"Yeah, I just feel that living under the sewers is better for now. I mean I know I still have to go to school but being in the shadows is what I was trained for" Y/n explained while carrying the groceries April had bought.

"Well, ok Y/n but if you change your mind you can always come live with us. There is plenty of space." She stated while patting her back.

"Uh, thanks for the offer though" Y/n said sheepishly and smiled.

The girls stopped at their tracks when they noticed a dark colored rat holding a pretzel.

"Aw hey, little fella. Where's your mama?" April asked the rat.

"April I think it doesn't have one. It looks old enough to roam on it's own." she stated with a cheesy grin.

"How do you know that?" she raised an eyebrow questioning her.

"I have read a lot of books of animals around the world. It kept me from going insane; the training sometimes tends to be boring" she shrugged.

"That's actually real fascinating" the sixteen year old said with awe. Then the moment was cut off by loud shrieking. Behind them there was a lot of rats running towards them.

"Can you explain this behavior T/n?!" April yelled scared.

"Heck no, Come one April!" she dropped the groceries whilst yanking the poor bewildered girl.

Both of them end up on top of a roof. Thanks to Y/n's impressive ninja skills. Y/n knew how to fight but she wasn't sure if she could hit any animals. Even if they are considered a pest.

"I'll call Raphael" the young kunoichi

dialed his number on the phone Donnie had made for her to use. The turtle picked up with a smug tone.

"What do ya need, crimson?" He asked and the girl sighed.

"April and I are stuck on roof. Get your arse over here turtle boy and bring the others please!" She yelled through the phone.

"Ok, we are coming dummy"he hung up.

"They are coming" Y/n said while taking off her black sweater revealing her crimson suit.

"You know you look like spider-man doing that" April states trying to calm her nerves.

"I guess so" she laughs passing the sweater to April.

"Here it's quite chilly on top of a building. Good thing I had this on." The girl finishes taking of her pants.

The girls spotted the turtle's running from roof top to roof top. The girl covered her face with the mask looking for any people. She had a secret identity to hide.

"Guys watch out!" Leonardo yells and the girls notice that the rats chewed up a telephone pole.

"On it chief!" The girl swiftly moves April out of the way onto another roof top. Covering April's face with her hands to shield the older girl from the debris.

"Dudettes are you ok!?" The four turtles jump to the same roof top.

Donnie quickly runs to April's side then Raphael unexpectedly runs to Y/n's aid.

"Y/n what's wrong?!" The hot headed turtle asked worriedly.

"Don't worry raphie boy I just got some debris on my eyes" she rubbed her eyes sneezing.

"God, you scared me for a sec dummy." The rest of the turtles watched them and he immediately changed his composure. "I was worried you bad excuse of a ninja wouldn't be as fast" he teased her.

"Ow, come on dude." she states while slapping his shoulder a little. That scene was now normal among them. Y/n and Raphael were good friends after all. The turtles and the two girls stared at the rats down below.

"Chew on that rat finks!" The blue bandana wearing turtle shouted pointing at the rats that were trying to climb up to no avail.

"Leo boy, that was uncalled for" Y/n giggles and Leonardo pouts.

"Aw, come on! That sounded cool!"

"Sure, keep telling yourself that buddy" the girl crosses her arms with a small smirk.

"Guys, does anyone know what the heck is going on?" April asked while burying herself in the sweater Y/n gave her.

"I'm not sure. But whatever it is, this attack is extremely well coordinated. Obviously, there is a higher intelligence at work here." Donnie answered.

"Well, that rules out Mikey." Raphael announced.

"I'm serious." Donnie states again. "Someone or something is controlling every rat in the city."

"Wait a sec. Every rat?" The red bandana turtle questions.

"That means that Splinter could be-" Leonardo is stopped by Y/n.

"Come on guys! This could be really bad." They all nod and follow her to the lair.

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The teenagers find Splinter laying onto the mat in the living room.

"Is he okay?" April said with a questioning gaze.

"Donnie, you're the smart one. What do we do?" Raphael asked.

"Maybe we should poke him." Donatello suggested.

"Good idea. Mikey, poke him." Leonardo ordered Mikey.

"No way, I'm not poking him. You poke him!" The youngest brother protested.

"Okay, we'll put it to a vote."

"Mikey" The other teens say.

"Y/n you too?" he asks whining.

"Bro, I learned my lesson from the other time I tried to wake him up" she recalls with comical fear. "Besides you are older than me" she smirked playfully.

Donnie gives Mikey his staff whilst Y/n smiles with victory.

"Fine." the orange bandana wearing turtle sighs defeatedly.

Michelangelo neared the stick to Splinter with evident nervousness.

"Easy, easy. Careful not to squeeze the-" Donatello is cut of by the noise of the blade popping out. The blade almost cut his face off.

"Aahh!"all of the people in the room screamed then Mikey dropped the staff.

"Okay, let's try it from the other end." Donnie picked up his staff and handed it to his sibling again.

"Whoa, he is totally out of it." He continued poking him. Now touching his nose."Dudes, check out the nose nuggets."

Donnie facepalmed and Y/n tried not giggle. She imagined that would have kicked his butt because of that.

"Michelangelo is awesome" he imitated Splinter's voice. "He is the smartest, handsomest, butt-kicking-est of all my" His father wakes up throwing him against the wall. "....sons"

"Sensei, are you ok?" Leonardo asks helping his father stand up.

"No, Leonardo. I am not." He answered him. "It would appear that your former adversary, Dr. Falco, has returned."

"Wait who is that if you don't mind me asking" Y/n said curiously standing near Master Splinter.

"Dr. Falco used to be a scientist that we fought. But sensei how is that possible?" Donatello questioned.

"Somehow he has acquired a telepathic connection with every rat in New York. And he now calls himself "the Rat King." Splinter answered.

"Oh, great!" The youngest of the turtles exclaimed sarcastically. "So now we're letting the bad guys name themselves? We gotta take him down!"

"Yes, Michelangelo, you do. The Rat King will not rest until he has total control of this city...and my mind."

"Sensei?" Leonardo asked concerned.

"Everything I knew is gone. My wife, my daughter, my clan, even my humanity. You four are all I have left."

"Master Splinter, that's not true. You have me and April too. And pretty soon when we find my mom. All of us will be like a clan" she pats his back with a sweet smile.

"That sounds like a plan Y/n" the wise man states imagining that scenario with a slight smile.

"Don't you worry, sensei. We'll stop him." Raphael assured nodding at

Y/n as a thank you.

"But we gotta find him first." The intelligent turtle points out.

"When the Rat King attempted to take control of me, I could see into his mind. You will find his lair in an abandoned utility junction beneath Herald square." Splinter told them.

"Let's go play exterminator." Raphael yelled pounding his fists.

Splinter cries in pain and collapses on his knees. Leonardo and Y/n rush to his aide.

"Fight him, sensei" his eldest son said to him.

"I will, just hurry"

The turtles start walking out the lair while April declares that she will stay back.

"Remember Master, you are a man. Most importantly you are their father and my sensei too"she hugs him and runs over to the guys. " I will protect your family too!" She yells determined shocking Splinter and April.

"This child is something else" he thinks to himself replying her words of encouragement.

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"What's going to happen to Splinter if we can't stop the Rat King?" Michelangelo asked the rest of the turtles and the kunoichi."Which, by the way, lamest villain name ever."

"Let it go already!" Donatello demands.

"We're going to stop the Rat King, and Splinter's going to be fine." Raphael reassures his youngest brother.

"Besides you have the crimson soldier by your side" Y/n adds with a soft smile. "I am sure you guys can handle this fight but if anything goes wrong I will fight alongside you." The turtles look at her, she wasn't being smug about it. She was genuinely interested in their well-being.

A small mouse ran past them.

"Shh, quiet. Do you guys hear that?" Donnie asks with a hushed tone.

Then a massive horde of rats appears, running towards them.

"You gotta be kidding me." The hothead said.

"Aw, ra-" Raphael slaps his hand over his brother's mouth.

"Rats" Y/n finishes the sentence ignoring the glare Raphael gave her.

"Uh, Leo, any ideas?" Donnie asked.

"Just one. Move!"

They run as the rats chase them. They managed to grab onto the pipes. Mikey shook a few rats off as one bit his head.

"Oh, no. They've got the taste for turtle now." Michelangelo said.

"Come on. Just keep moving."

All of them carefully climb past the wave of rats.

"I'm just saying, I can think of a million better names than the Rat King. There's Ratzilla, the Verminator, Lord Rattington-" Mikey is cut off.

"Can it, Mikey. We're almost there. The utility chamber should be on the other side of that wall." Leonardo informs.

"Uh, you mean that disgusting, furry, squirming wall?" Raph asked.

They looked and saw thousands of rats.

"How are we supposed to get past that?" Donatello questioned.

"Raph, those barrels. Ventilate 'em." Leonardo ordered.

"You got it." He throws ninja stars, causing oil to leak.

"Uh, Leo, you do realize those chemicals are highly combustible." his younger brother points out.

Leo pulls out his katana."You don't say." He cut an electric wire and caused a massive explosion. Blowing the rats away the girl looks at it surprised.

"Awesome dude" she states making Raphael smirk. Y/n was always enjoying explosions.

"Let's move." He orders.

The turtles and Crimson soldier arrive at the Rat King's lair.

"Ah, my turtle friends, we meet again. I see you brought a new friend to toy with" Falco said noticing the new ninja among them.

"I could say it's nice to meet you but my master always said not to lie" the female faked her male voice with a smug tone.

"Let me introduce you this is the Crimson Soldier and at least his attire doesn't look like a sad Halloween costume" Raphael remarked making all of them laugh.

"Good one" she high fives his friend.

"Shut up! I am the rat king" Falco yelled.

"Lame," Michelangelo said upset that he couldn't name the villain.

"Sorry, we don't have any treats for you. But we've got a few tricks." Leonardo said earning a snort from Y/n.

Then the sound of birds echoed through out the room. Which was actually Donnie's ringtone for April.

"Way to ruin the moment, Donnie." Raphael remarks.

Donnie answers his phone. "Uh, April, now's not really the best time."

"Donnie, it's Splinter. He's gone!" April told him.

"What do you mean, 'gone'? Gone where?"

"Here." Brainwashed, Splinter enters and glares angrily at the gang of teens. The turtles along with Y/n gasp in shock and horror, wide eyed by seeing their sensei brainwashed.

"What's wrong with him?" Raphael asked.

"It's like his brain is completely turned off." Donnie answered.

"You mean like Mikey?" Raphael and Mikey asked at the same time.

"Dude, you are so predictable." Michelangelo added.

"Sensei, snap out of it!" Leonardo exclaims.

"Master remember what I told you!" Y/n said trying not to panic.

"You waste your words. This is where I belong, with my brothers." Splinter said in a calm tone.

"He is mine now. Imagine my delight when I realized that controlling your master would not only make me invincible, but would also be the key to your demise. He laughed like a maniac. "Splinter, destroy them."

Splinter begins to step forward.

"Sensei, DON'T!" Leonardo yells which makes the sensei falter a little. Falco takes off his mask to reveal a corpse-like face and forces Splinter to attack.

"Are we really going to do this?" Donatello asked with uncertainty written in his tone. He grabs his staff hesitant.

"Remember, we did beat him once. Kind of" Raph pointed out reaching for his sais.

"Which I could've been there to witness that" Y/n inputs taking her mother's katana out of it's sheath.

"We can beat him again. We can do this, guys. Do not hesitate. Take sensei down."

They charge at Splinter. But Splinter dodged and knocked them into different directions.

"I just had a horrible realization. He's been going easy on us all these years." Donnie realized.

"I wonder if my mom did that to" Y/n the girl yells charging at him.

She breaths heavily receiving punches from the old sensei. But Y/n doesn't back down. She trained ever since she could remember. Her mother teached her the moves of the ryuuzaki clan for emergencies. The sensei seemed surprised but their was something in her. She was hesitant she didn't want to harm him. Splinter saw an opportunity and knocked her off her feet. The young kunoichi grunts in pain after hitting her head against the pavement.

"Crimson!" Donatello yells angry.

Donnie goes forward and tries to attack. Splinter discharged his bo and knocked him.

"Donnie!" Mikey uses his nunchuck but gets knocked."

"Nobody hits Mikey but me. Sensei you just hit Crimson!"

Splinter backflips and knocks him out. Leo is the only one standing. Y/n opens her eyes cursing at herself. She was supposed to be the best of the best. And now she couldn't even safe her sensei due to her feelings.

"Sensei, please."

Leo starts to attack Splinter. He loses his swords and gets easily defeated. He points the katana at his son.

"Wait!"

"Finish him." Falco commanded.

"Remember who you are, Hamato Yoshi. Donnie, Raph, now!" He shows him a photo of his lost family.

The turtles pinned him down.

"Please, father. We need you."

"We all need you" Y/n let's the tears fall. She couldn't lose him he was her sensei. A father she had never had...she couldn't tell him. But she needed him like she needed her mother. "Remember...our plan" the turtles look at the fragile girl. It's been a while since they saw her crying. She walked to them and Splinter looked at her with some kind of warmth.

"Don't listen to them, brother. Your place is with me!"

Splinter breaks free until he finally snaps out of it.

"My place is with my sons!"

His eyes now returned to their normal color.

He used the final blow and knocked the Rat King down.

"Sensei!" Everyone yelled in unison and hugged him. Y/n was a little dizzy but she didn't care. She desired the warmth of her friends.

The rat plague began to take Falco away.

"And that's the last we'll see of Count Ratula." He said in a creepy voice. Splinter shook his head. "Yeah, all right. It's Rat King. But I'm naming the next one!"

✧༺♥༻✧✧༺♥༻✧✧༺♥༻✧

"Sensei, are you sure you're okay?" Leonardo questions.

"I am fine, thanks to you." Splinter got up. "You did well, my son."

"Well, you did hesitate, and hesitation leads to vulnerability." He told Splinter.

"We did pretty good, too, huh? Yes." Michelangelo asked while Raphael flexed his arm and Donnie waved.

"I am proud of you all." Splinter answered.

"Who knows, maybe one day we'll be even better martial artist than you." Leonardo declares.

"Remember my son, everything you know I've shown you. He grabs him and flings him across a wall. "But I have not shown you everything I know."

"It's great to have you back, sensei." He says with sarcasm and in pain. Splinter watches him in satisfaction as the rest of the turtles smile in amusement.

"Wait Master" Y/n goes after him with a sad tone. "I am sorry I couldn't help..." The turtles stare at her and notice her gloomy mood.

"Like I said Y/n I am proud of all of you" he smiles warmly. "It's ok you did falter but I understand.... I would've faltered too. Your moves were remarkably done. Hope you can teach me some of them sometime" he states and Y/n looks at him bewildered.

"Master...thanks for everything. I mean it. And thank you guys... I am thankful for all of you guys" Y/n bows respectively.

"You are very humble child" he pats her shoulder. "I am sure your mother is proud of you." He leaves the room leaving the turtles and her in the dojo.

"Wow,dudette! Splinter asked you to teach him some moves." Mikey jumps excitedly.

"Be sure to teach us too, ya dummy" he messes her hair earning a groan and a giant smile from Y/n.

"Ok guys but be sure to handle this heat. Waa waa waa" she hits the air making goofy moves.

"Gosh you are so dumb Y/n" Raphael looks at her feeling butterflies on his stomach he sighs trying to get rid of the feelings.

"Why won't these feelings go away" he thinks while looking at his brothers battling her playfully."When you cry my heart aches and I want to tear down what mad you unhappy, tch..."

Hello sorry for the long wait. It's been 1 or 2 years since I left this story. I hope someone still reads and I am thankful for those who read. 🩵(wattpad note)

[dangerous-advantage]

Number 16? 💜

[link to ask prompts]

16. How many fic ideas are you nurturing right now? Share one of them?

oh man... calling me out, huh? /lh

off the top of my head, including everything from vague ideas to the fully fleshed out ones, to the ones i've actually written stuff for? nine (at least). which may not seem like a lot, but as i am incapable of writing anything short and/or sweet, that is way more than i am capable of handling at the moment, haha.

as for the au, i've talked about this before on here, but i've fleshed it out a little more to a place where i'm happier with it! so, here's my origami ghost au!

credit where credit is due, i got the og idea/sick-ass name from @noodlenoodlenoodlenoodle. (thanks for letting me adopt this au, and play around with it! i swear i'll write that seratello follow-up fic one of these days <3)

the basic premise is this: leo gets put in a coma, and nobody knows why or how. mikey, who was with him when it happened, was found in a similar state, but woke up the next morning with no memories of what happened. everybody keeps hoping that he'll wake up, writing notes and folding them into little origami shapes for him to read through when he recovers. but time progresses, and they begin to lose hope.

when strangely folded origami notes start appearing around the lair, often scrawled with incomprehensible writing, the mad dogz begin to wonder. raph, not wanting to inspire false hope, dismisses the occurrences, encouraging the others to do the same. however, raph has a few suspicions of his own. enlisting the help of cassandra in order to avoid the suspicion of his brothers, they begin following the trail of strange, mangled origami animals and their often nonsense notes. following a series of clues to the gutters and back alleys of new york and the hidden city, they begin to uncover the truth behind what is happening. old grudges start to come to light, and with each secret uncovered, they find themselves beginning to question the very nature of what's been happening, leading them to ask the larger question behind it all: why?

meanwhile, donnie doesn't buy it. things just aren't adding up, and he's frustrated that raph seems so willing to just let something like this go. leo and him have always been close, and he doesn't believe for a second that his brother is beyond hope. he confesses his feelings on the matter to april, who has been having similar thoughts. the two of them decide to start doing a little research of their own on the side, without the knowledge of the others. on a hunch, they head to the mystic library (which they are banned from) and are able to "convince" (blackmail) a newer employee-- the long-suffering usagi yuichi-- to aid them on their quest. thrown into a world of ancient rituals, cursed items, and other "mystic bullshit" (donnie's words), the b team soon finds there's much more to this than they had thought. not to mention, things get dicey when their meddling goes just a bit too far, and somebody gets paranoid. (thank god they have a rabbit bodyguard...)

finally, mikey. mikey, whose been taking this all the hardest, whose brothers have been disappearing more and more often. who can't seem to remember what happened that night, and blames himself more with each passing day. not to mention, due to the effects of the invasion, his hands are too shaky to fold origami "right" (his words.) mikey begins to withdraw, acting like he's fine, while internally, he begins to obsess over what happened that night. his family doesn't seem to notice, being so busy with things they won't tell him about. it seems like it should be easy to slip out, leaving the others unaware, but he didn't count on thing: casey jr, leo's shadow and unspoken "second-in-command." in the spirirt of looking out for him, casey demands he be let in on whatever mikey is planning. mikey isn't happy, but he relents, letting casey in on a secret: he does remember something from that patrol. something that's been keeping him up at night. something that he isn't quite sure he can trust. together, the two of them start looking for the truth behind exactly what happened that night, and more importantly: who is to blame. driven by his growing anger, with casey keeping an eye out for him, he dons the moniker of the 'origami ghost,' venturing into the darkest parts of the city in search of a killer. but to catch a killer, mikey might just have to become one.

(featuring: my raph & cass qp agenda, donnie's horrible realization that feelings are a thing that exists (ew!), and some good old fashioned villan!mikey <3)

[mythicalninjas]

Hey would you do one where the turtles are friends with a girl who’s a total sweetheart and down to earth.. but also loaded. She’s got money coming out of her pores. They think it’s gonna be another dull Christmas in the lair. But one night after a patrol they come back to the lair decorated for the holidays, a spread of food and baked sweets and the girl waiting with gifts. She wanted to make their holiday extra special and fun with hours of video games and music cause she loves her boys and wants them to finally enjoy a Christmas

My first Christmas ask 🎄❤ Sorry if I got your request after the holidays. Hope you like it!

Rate: SFW, Friendship, family. Bay.TMNT x Fem!Reader.

White smooth mat of snow cover every spot of the most known isle in the world, its streets and buildings decorated with hundred twinkle lights over the squares. The cold breeze of Winter travels along the skyscrapers producing a melody whistle and giving Manhattan a calm vibe for Christmas night.

Heavy steps and thuds echoed through the open space on the roofs, the small group of mutant turtles had just an calm night patrol which they feel relived for. Normally in holidays night there're no assaults or slays as they have noticed throughout their years of experience outside underground world.

"I think it's time to go home." Leo commented, heading to the edge and ran his blue eyes along the view down there on streets. "Today we hadn't assholes to kick on."

Raphael joined his eldest brother, looking at the same spot as him "Do ya think it is safe to leave now? What if an idiot decides to make bullshit after our leaving?" He questioned.

"We've been outside for 5 to 6 hours straight, Raph. And we haven't witnessed any criminality yet. Tonight is very quiet."

"Thank God. That's means we can go home now!" Mikey said eargly as walks at Donnie, who was searching and checking for any more signals around with his wrist hologram, his three-fingered hand flying and typing over the hologram screen. "Everything seems normal, for now." Donnie continued "I do risk to say we would lose time if we continue searching for criminals. There's nothing but people celebrating out there."

"Hear? Let's go home! Let's have a good Christmas time." Mikey made quick little jumps, waiting for Leo's decision. The leader glanced at each brother, taking mental notes to get on a conclusion about leaving or staying. For years in their lives they've spent holidays outside to take care of the city and its citizens. It's their job. But they have the right of enjoying a great moment with each other, with their father, with their humans friends. It's not a bad idea to end the patrol and go home.

Mikey's Cat in Boots eyes made Leo melt. ''All right. Let's go home, guys.''

Three excited voices commemorated together, making Leo smile.

☆☆☆☆☆

"Do you think they are going to like it, though?" You asked April while helps to set the final light sparkles above the lower part of the Christmas tree. The brunette lets out a satisfying giggle "I'm pretty sure they will."

You took a step back to admire the decoration you've been working on. It's shiny and stunning, perfect for holidays. You smiled "I do hope." The mouthwatering smell of food caught your nostrils, making your stomach growls. You turned, facing the main table covered with a beautiful patterned tablecloth with christmas illustrations, and various food options spreaded along it. A tender smile curled over your lips.

April walked by and headed to Mikey and Raph's room space ''I'm going to get the games ready for later.''

''Got it. I'll check if I got all drinks required for tonight.''

They deserve it. The heroes of New York—of the world—deserve it. It's sad knowing that their all hard work is not recognized; the heroism and dedication for the people, and for their home. Tonight is going to be different. Different and funnier than the Key of The City Cerimony. Tonight the mutant brothers will have the best holidays night they've ever had.

"Hot Chocolate, Orange Crush, Coca-Cola, other sodas..." You murmmured to yourself as confirm the various drinks "Perfect!" You yelped.

Four teenager voices echoed from the main entrance, startling you from your drink-counting business. Already? Aren't they supposed to be on patrol? They should not be back now. You quickly ran your eyes around, assuring that everything was in great conditions.

Everything good.

"Wait. Are ya'll smelling this?" Mikey asked.

Raph slowed his walk to sniff the air, a wonderful baked food smell invaded his nostrils. "Oh. It smells good. Who is cookin?"

"Master Splinter?"

Leo, who was walking in the front, turned "No. Dad don't usually cook in the middle of the night. Also, what we are smelling seems to be heavy food. Master don't eat much heavy ones."

Donnie gasped as soon as had a glimpse of familiar lights in the Lair. "Guys... If it's not Splinter, then who is-".

The brothers stand side by side, wondering their eyes around the just decorated environment. Is it a dream? Are they in their real home?

"Merry Christmas, guys!" You grinned while headed to where their gifts are setted. April soon appearing from Mikey and Raph's room space with their video game on her hands toward the TV space, right beside the waterfall. "Oh! Merry Christmas, boys!" She greeted.

Leonardo stepped foward, and started to walk at you as look at April on the other side of the waterfall, conecting the video game to the eletronical stuff. "Did you... Did you do all of this?..." He asked softly, you are sure of seeing his eyes watering a bit. You knew he got emotional.

You nodded. "Me, April and Master Splinter did."

Mikey ran by his eldest brother and hugged you strongly, lifting you from the ground and spinning. "Dudette. This is more than wonderful! Thank you!"

"Y-You're-" You gasped to take some air "Welcome".

Donnie's jaw dropped, even his computer station is decorated! He brought his closed fist above his mouth and huffed a surprised laugh. "Hoho! This is awesome!"

It seems impossible, but Raph's heart melted. He composed himself to not show his vulnerability. "This is... Um..."

"Mikey. Put Y/N down. You're chocking her."

Finally you could breathe again "Thanks, Leo. And your welcome guys, you all deserve it." You took another deep breathe, and smirked. "But is not me who should to be thanked only." You pointed your eyes at April, and toward where Master Splinter currently is.

Mikey shared a devil smile with Raph, who just nodded. Both brothers turned and walked slowly at April. Mikey signed with his thick finger. "Come here. We want to give you our thanks."

April's eyes went wide. "Y-You're welcome!" She stumbbled over some stuff on the ground as walk away from them. Mikey suddenly action took the reporter out of guard, warping his muscled arms around her and sqyeeshing her in his arms. "A 'Thank You' hug!" Raph shouted.

Donnie leaned at Leo "Do you think we should do it with Master?".

Leo gulped. "Master would kick out asses if we do it with him. A soft hug is enough."

Donnie smiled. "Y/N, what you did is... I have no words to describe how surprised and emotioned I am."

"I'll take Donnie's words as mine." Leo said, placing his hand over your shoulder, making you blushing. "Anytime, guys. I wanted to make you all feel happy and proud. Proud of yourselves. Everything you did and do for this city and citizens could not be reward on utmost. This is my, and April and Master's, care for you. If I could do more for you, I would."

Leo pulled you for another hug, this time without take the air off from your lungs. Donnie sniffed "Don't make me cry, for Gods sake."

You giggled, reaching out to the tall terrapin and joining him in the hug.

"Alright, enough! I can't breathe!" April protested, releasing from Mikey and Raph's bear hug. The both mutants laughed, punching their fists against each other. GASP. "Wait! No way!" Mikey expressed, locking his eyes at the plataform in the middle of the Lair, covered with gifts. "ARE THOSE GIFTS?"

"Yep! All for ya'll!" You announced, watching the younger brother running on light speed to the stack of gifts. "Chill out. There's enough for everyone.''

''Hey! Don't take all just for you!'' Raph objected, but soon a smile drew his lips when a red-packed gift called his attention. He picked it up, reading ''From: Y/N, to: Raph.'' His cheeks warmed.

All the boys gathered their related gifts, you started to take a mental picture of them as children opening their gifts. Your heart shined.

''Oh.'' Raph expressed, his eyes cathing others left gifts ''There's more.''

''These are for April and Splinter.'' You smiled.

April gaped. ''Hey! I didn't know I would get gifts as well.''

You approached at April and placed an arm around her shoulders ''Do you think I would forget you? Hell, no!''.

Mikey grinned, very happy for his crush and father earn gifts, but then his face droped sadly. ''But... And you, Y/N?''

You looked at Mikey, confused. ''What?''

He tilted his head. ''You're the only one who didn't get gifts.''

''Oh, It's okay. Being here, spending the holidays with you is what matter.''

A familiar shape you thought to see out of the corner of your eye made you glance toward the other side of the Lair. Master Splinter was there, standing, a proud smile on his face as smooth his long beard. He's not very a ''party man'' sociable, but when it's about a special celebration, he'll participate without hesitation. With people he most love. The old rat headed to his family, ripping happiness sounds from his sons and April. You grinned, stretching your hand to him, blissfull for see him with you all.

Merry Christmas. 🎄💙❤🧡💜

[downwiththemutantnjnjaturtles]

We Met Within This Screen (chapt. 2)

[Donnie x fem reader]

Sfw, part 1 here

Intellectually, Donnie was the best matchup for their leader as today was sparring day. He'd gone against his oldest brother many times, sometimes even coming out the victor himself, but today was just not his day.

He held his staff with that iron grip of his and waited for Leo to come at him. Donnie was more on the defensive than any of his brothers; he had to be. Out of all he was weakest physically but superior in calculations, but he was missing range in this matchup. Leo had a hard time disarming him as his katana could sometimes get lodged in the solid wood staff, giving Donnie leverage to perform the finisher in the short time it took him to dislodge his sword. He thought this time would be how that would happen.

"You're slow today, Donnie," Leo said as he lunged at his brother with a swing of his katana, forcing Donnie to step back. He was too focused on blocking Leo's rapid succession of attacks to respond.

Leo reeled back to swing his blade again but Donnie parried and struck his arm with his staff, shoving it aside. For a split second, Leo actually thought he was fixing to go down by this move if Donnie could hit him again quick enough. But his brother hesitated in thought, and without any reluctance himself, he used his other katana to put him in a compromising position. The match was over and Donnie was forced to stand down.

"Why did you hesitate?" Leo questioned him, lowering his blade. Raph watched from the sidelines with Mikey as they prepared to go up next. Since Leo was the winner, it was Raph's turn next to spar in his younger brother's place.

Donnie huffed and dropped his stance, putting his staff away. "It's just an off day," he replied. Splinter wasn't there to dictate today's training session and tournament, so Donnie was already on his way out to go to his lab by the time Raph stepped up to spar. But Leo sheathed his sword and put a hand on Donnie's shoulder, stopping him in his tracks.

"You've been pretty eager to run back to your lab lately," Leo said matter-of-factly. He was wondering what was going on, why Donnie seemed weirdly distant the last couple of weeks. He had gone through a very withdrawn phase in earlier times upon entering his teenage years, but now, he was legitimately making everyone guess. He didn't snap at his brothers, and he wasn't any more impatient than usual. But something was different. He'd been spending a lot more time holed up in his lab, which everyone began to notice. Leo wanted to know what was wrong.

Donnie shifted and shrugged, "Like I said, I've been busy with some projects. Also, it's not like I have much to do out here beside training and patrol."

Leo opened his mouth to speak, but Mikey jumped on between them. "You missed game night last week! You never miss it," he butted in. Both Donnie and Leo gave him a look as if to say really? and he added in, "Well, uh...not usually."

Gently moving Mikey aside, Leo wanted to continue, but he saw Donnie staring at him expecting a follow-up when he didn't really have one. Whatever this was, Leo knew that coming at Donnie with questions was not the way to go about it. So he stepped back and gave his brother some space.

"We all have off days," Leo said finally after an awkward moment of silence. "Just work on your speed, Don."

"Got it."

With that, Donnie turned to leave, and Raph entered the ring to go against Leo in the last match of the night.

Once Donnie was gone, Leo got ready to spar with Raph. As they got into position, he contemplated bringing this recent development up with the other two, but decided against it in the end. He didn't want to incriminate Donnie, especially with Raph's assertive approach to handling things. Donnie could be somewhat flighty at times when it came to resolving matters of emotion, at times a little too introspective, but Leo couldn't fault him—he had his own struggles with that very thing, too.

Done, finally, Donnie thought as he skirted into his lab and started up the game. He was late to the party quite literally; training lasted longer than he'd thought, and he was disappointed to see that his newest friend was online, but not responding to his invite. Did everyone get together and play without him? After a few minutes, he almost decided on giving up. The instance made him contemplate whether he even wanted to continue this. Perhaps he'd been too eager.

He sighed. And then the menu pinged, and he was there reading the message in an instant.

Hey, sorry I partied up without you, I just didn't know if you were gonna be on or not :/

Without even thinking, he licked his lips typed back, repeatedly deleting and retyping his message to make sure it was casual but not too casual, apologetic but not desperate—

It's okay, don't worry about it

Likewise sorry it took me so long to get here.

That would do. He'd be lying to say he wasn't feeling that flutter in his stomach; the excitement of something new got to him in a way that only a discovery in his research did, or how he felt when he mastered a new technique in his training.

Let's get started then :)

They started the game, and this time he kept the mic on, as she did. They talked back and forth as they fought creatures and enemies and looted things, eventually coming to learn that she herself was in New York City. He was surprised; suddenly, the world felt a lot smaller, and he couldn't concentrate on just playing after that. The time they spent became more of an opportunity to converse than to play a mundane game for hours on end.

At some point, she switched the topic to his whereabouts. Donnie's breath hitched.

"I'm...not anywhere near. So it doesn't really matter," he told her, cringing. If the guys found out—if Splinter found out—he would be in such trouble.

"Oh," she paused for a moment, trying to find something to say. "That's alright, I don't want you to feel like you have to tell me, you know?"

He'd muted his mic to release a deep breath. He got lost in thought thinking about how in that moment, he wanted to be human. If he weren't a giant mutant turtle, he could actually form a connection with someone. It was a very "Mikey" thing to think, he reckoned, but at times he wanted friends just like his brother did.

"Yeah, sorry, I just…"

"It's really no problem, dude."

He felt as though he could hear the smile in her voice. What did she look like, he wondered. He wanted to see her, but he couldn't ask for that when he could never do the same. If he could get her name, he'd be in the clear to do some preliminary lookups on this person, but so far, she'd been dodgy about sharing info about herself as well. He couldn't blame her. They were two strangers online, one with a huge secret and the other completely in the dark about who he truly was. For all she knew, he could have been a creep, looking to stalk her online and perhaps do even worse. The thought made him feel almost nauseous, how she could be considering that about him as a possibility as they spoke. But she seemed comfortable enough. Unlike him, who was still slightly skeptical of the entire thing, because after spending his whole life in practical isolation, he was at a loss as to what to say or do after a certain point. The conversation died off and both of them thought simultaneously about how weird the sudden silence between them felt.

She hummed, as if searching for something to bring up. When she spoke, he was taken aback—"Hey, I'm gonna be honest, I really like talking to you but this game is getting boring. Do you wanna chat somewhere else?"

"Uh…" he trailed off, mind shooting blanks. Oh, was it just a horrible idea. He couldn't keep the jig up forever; the truth was bound to get revealed somewhere down the line. He was fixing to reject the proposition, tell her that he didn't want to take it that far. She could be anyone. The likelihood of it being a clever ruse on account of the Foot Clan was slim, but the paranoia still worked ambiently in the background noise of his mind. But his other doubt stopped him—when would he ever have a chance at this again? He wanted to have the strength to say no and leave it at that. The loneliness that crept up on him from time to time had something else to say.

"Yeah," he answered after a terribly long pause of mumbling, fighting with himself all the way as she told him where to add her. He could have kicked himself had it not been for the fact that he knew how to encrypt data, and that as long as he didn't leak a word about his inner circle or life, it would be okay. It didn't feel okay, though.

"Nice! I'll text you, see you later, Bo. I had a lot of fun tonight," she chirped.

Before he could respond, she was gone from the party, and the mic went silent. It happened so fast. He was barely caught up with the fact that he was now receiving messages and prompts to talk, but he couldn't bring himself to answer right away. He had to refocus his logic; how could this be used by the enemy as a way to get to them? Could they have somehow anticipated he'd download this game and find this random on there? The more the thought about it, the more glaringly obvious it was that it was not the case. It was just too improbable.

"The probability of the Foot being able to simulate such a specific scenario in order to get intel on us is so slim, it is practically non-existent," he told himself as he finally pulled up the messages. He read through them. "Approximately a zero-point-zero-zero-zero..."

My name is (Y/N), by the way :)

Well, that was easier than expected. He figured that somehow, the name suited you—a fitting name for such a personality. But it also gave him a glimmer of hope. It made him want to ask why you appeared to trust him, as he could be anyone on the Earth over the screen, not his benevolent self. Which she had no way of proving, technically. But he soon came to realize the screen painted him in a whole new light that it casted on him. It hit then that he could be anyone. He didn't have to be himself; not necessarily. She'd never have to know, as he could wear a human mask and she'd be none the wiser. Problem was, the lying made him feel guilty, and slowly would develop to be the thorn in his side.

Donnie thoughtfully stared at the screen. Now that he was here, some of his anxiety began to fade. He found himself actually able to talk, someone to listen to his tangents and even build upon them. They spent hours texting back and forth about anything and everything until it was almost time for him to put the phone down to leave for patrol. He felt giddy, like a kid, all over again.

________________________________________

Had you ever been able to talk to someone this easily?

You asked yourself that question as you exchanged with the faceless and nameless stranger over your screen, chatting from afternoon to night. Time flew by in an instant, with him, and you loved every minute. He was someone intellectual, but funny and so easy to talk to that it was as though the conversation carried itself. After some time he came out about his age after you revealed yours. Oftentimes, he'd just present to you a random question when the subject tapered off and run with it, like now:

What do you think of reptiles?

Puzzled, you took a second to reply. Odd question.

Why do you ask? Do you have one?

I was just curious

What do you think of them?

The chat indicator flip-flopped between "typing" and "idle" a few times before a message finally popped up, and you smiled. You'd learned over this short time that he was a dork in a cute way.

Well...I think they're pretty cool.

They've got natural armor and you would be surprised to know just how fast a turtle can be

You laughed a little to yourself. It was such a random thing to bring up, yet you were endeared. Deciding you'd go along with it, you asked him what else he knew about turtles.

Well...

__________________________________________________

Donnie was wondering what he was talking about just as much as she probably was. Stupid, he thought, facepalming. His first time really speaking with a human as an equal and he starts talking about turtles. Of course he knew a lot about them, he was one himself—but for some reason he found himself wanting to dispel myths and misunderstandings about turtles as if they reflected on him, when as far as she knew, he was just a human guy like herself.

He groaned lightly and typed, thinking up a fact that wasn't too conspicuous.

Red eared sliders are semi-aquatic.

As he typed the next part, he caught himself writing "we" instead of "they", to his dismay. He quickly fixed the error and continued, feeling weirdly exposed as it was almost as though in sharing this information, he was putting himself under a microscope for her to inspect.

They can hold their breath for up to thirty minutes, usually

Holding his breath was something he'd tested numerous times before. He and his brothers had actually made a game out of it on a few occasions, with Leo leading at thirty-three minutes, Donnie in second at thirty-one. Raph broke at twenty-nine minutes and Mikey followed behind in last at just twenty-seven. The ability could be trained, nonetheless.

That's interesting, I wonder what it's like to be able to go underwater so long?

It's kind of cool, you should try sometime

For THIRTY MINUTES?

Shit. He promptly replied:

No—not like I can hold my breath that long, I just mean you should try to see sometime I guess

I tested it just for the fun of it.

Looking up how long humans could hold their breath on average (between thirty seconds and two minutes), he bumped the number up a little bit and added:

Personally, I'm at two minutes and forty-five seconds

He was embarrassed, partially covering his face as he waited for a response. Such a foolish slip-up; he couldn't afford to say anything cryptic. But he still was fairly sure that he had recovered that alright. He couldn't help but think about how awkward or weird he seemed to her. Who talked about this?

I don't think I could hold my breath for more than a minute, kudos to you haha

Anyway, sorry to switch gears all of a sudden but if you don't mind me asking, what's up with your family? You have any siblings?

He told her no. He would not bring his brothers into this, lest it be the slim chance of a ploy, after all. He said his family situation was unconventional and left it at that.

With that, he said to her goodnight and put his phone away, getting up to go get geared for patrol. It was only then he noticed the figure leaning against the doorway.

Chapter 3

[everything-tmnt]

I'm Right Here

     "Take a deep breath, it'll be okay. I have to be strong," you say to yourself over and over again hoping it will help calm you down. You were curled up on your bed, tears staining your pillow case and a million thoughts going through your head. Leo was missing.

     The guys went out on their nightly patrol and ran into some foot ninjas. Correction, a shit ton of foot ninjas and shredder. It was an ambush. They fought hard, but had to retreat and go their separate ways knowing to meet back at the lair. Everyone made it back but Leo. Donnie had called you asking if he was over at your place, and when you said no, he told you come to the lair. Your stomach turned to knots, you knew something bad happened by the sound of Donnie's voice. Once you got to the lair and they explained everything that happened, you couldn't decided if you were more sad, worried, or scared. They told you to go back to your apartment in case he shows up there and they would let you know if he showed up at the lair. That was last night, it had been 24 hours and your Leo was still missing.

     Your phone rang and Mikey's name popped up. "Hello" you say trying to control your heart rate. "We haven't heard anything yet. Raph and Donnie are out combing the streets and sewers," Mikey says sadly. More tears begin to fall down your cheek, you didn't even know how to respond to him. "Y/n it's going to be alright, Leo is strong and brave, he'll come back to us," he tries to say in a happier voice. "I know Mikey, I'm just worried," you say laying back down on your bed. "We're worried too, I'll let you know if I hear anything, stay strong angle," Mikey says and hangs up.

It's been four hours since Mikey called you and still no word. The sun was going to be rising soon so the guys would have to go back down to the lair. "Where are you Leo," you say softly, tears starting to make their way down your face again. "I'm right here love," you heard Leo say as you jumped out of bed. You ran to him wrapping your arms around him crying into his chest. Leo picked you up and pulled you as close as possible to him without hurting you. Leo started rubbing your back, "shh y/n, it's okay. I'm here," Leo whispers into your ear. Leo walks over to your bed and sits down placing you in his lap. You're still clinging to his chest to afraid that if you let go, he'll disappear again. "Sweetheart look at me," Leo says trying to tilt your chin up. You shake your head no and grab him tighter. "Love I'm okay, I'm here," Leo says while slightly moving your head so your ear was over his heart, "listen, that's my heart, I'm okay y/n." You sat there for a few more minutes listening to his heart beat. It soothed you and helped you stop crying. You finally lifted your head off his chest and looked up at him. He had bruises on his face and a few cuts here and there. "There's those beautiful eyes," Leo says smiling down at you. "I was worried about you, we had no idea if you were okay or what happened," you say staring up at Leo. He moved his hand to your face gently wiping away your tears, "I'm sorry I worried you love, a lot happened and I had to lay low. It was to dangerous going back to the lair or to your apartment," Leo says hoping you will understand. "There's nothing in this world that would ever keep me from coming back to you," he says leaning in and placing a kiss on your forehead. "I love you so much Leo, please don't ever scare me like that again," you say with a soft smile. "I promise I won't, I love you too," Leo says leaning in again and placing a kiss on your lips. You pull away and look out your window. The sun was coming up, "I guess you're stuck here till the sun goes back down," you smile at him knowing that he would be spending the rest of the day with you; where you knew he is safe.

[mythicalninjas]

A Hard Choice To Make - Part 1

"Go talk to him. It's the only way to wash your emotions away." April, the reporter of Channel 6, advise you.

"No!" Your eyes went wide "No, I won't!"

"Then do you want to live with it stuck into you for the rest of your life?"

You lower your head, not knowing what kind of response you should give besides this not-desired possibility. April is right.

Since you met the brothers—three years ago—you have created a strong family bond with all of them, specially with the fearless leader in blue who your heart shines for. You knew that something within you is brougth to life every time Leonardo is around, and it is kind of torture because you literally fell in love with this terrapin.

But there's a doubt haunting you: Is Leo with the same feelings about you? The objection behind it is almost invalid in your point of view. He is the leader of his group, known as being the only one who tries to keep his brothers in line, making decisions for each time they are out for patrol, dealing with the most heavy and difficult choices and moments throughout their adventures. And you... You are just a human as you always say.

You sigh, turning your eyes back at April "Ya know, I have no idea if he feels the same about me. I'm afraid of how he'd react from my declaration."

April leaves her desk, and sits next to you on the sofa in the living room of her apartment. "Y/N..." she said softly, landing her slender hand on your shoulder "Soon or late he will know; but if I were you, I would go talk to him. He won't figure it out alone". You nodded, staring at the floor again with your mind lost in an ocean of thoughts and emotions. "Try, Y/N. Do not let it consume you; or it will get worse" the reporter rubs your shoulder and embrace you in a comfort hug.

"Would you like me to talk to him?" She offered herself.

"No! No... I must be prepare myself first."

April let's out a soft giggle "Okay. Take your time, sweetheart. Call me if you need help." She smiled.

You let the comfort of her embrace take you completely as a help to try to kick out your anxiety, but your nervousness insists to stay. How would you say to the most respectable man that you're in love with? How would he reacts? Will he treat you in a bad or good way? You knew he wouldn't treat you like an idiot or something but even that you are not secure.

A few weeks has passed since April's advice.

You and Casey Jones were called by Chief Vicent to attend a meeting at NYPD police station for a debate about Shredder after his sudden disappearance in the day that Technodrome has appeared in the sky. And for your surprise you're not the only one who were invited.

Your mutant turtles best friends are there.

And speaking of them...

"Hey Casey and Y/N!" Mikey was the first one who came up to welcome you both as you enter in the police station. "Finally you're here! Chief Vicent is waiting for you" the young brother pointed at up stairs of the building.

You and Casey went quickly to the second floor.

Arriving there, Mikey pointed at one of the several rooms throughout the large corridor. From outside you could see three shells facing the only door of the small space, and your eyes shone. In the middle of the three massive terrapins, a blue and well-written kanji with a pair of katanas.

"Y/N? Are you coming or...?" Casey called, noticing your behaving.

You froze, desperate about what you would do with that handsome man a few steps away from you—actually standing on the other side of the table.

Gulping, you walked behind Casey as you both enter the room.

"Good evening, Casey Jones." the blond-haired woman nodded from the other side of the rectangular table, facing you both "And Y/N" she nodded again, sharing a polite smile. Other three pairs of eyes landed on you while you stand beside Casey "Hey, guys" Donnie waved with that cute grin he has. "Hey..." Raphael said with a neutral voice; and finally Leonardo who, as Chief Vicent, shares a nod and a smile.

Oh God, that smile makes your bones shiver.

"So what are the news, Chief?" Casey asked, leaning above the table to watch papers and pictures scattered above it.

"We got a prove that Shredder must be still alive" she continued "We have captured Karai who was with him in the day that Kraang has arrived on Earth for the first time, and has confessed that Shredder was teleported into Technodrome. It was the last time she has seen him" she finished, glancing quickly at Shredder's picture on her right side and then looked up at everybody there present.

"Wait, wait..." The hot head turtle interferes "Last time? But how? Karai and Shredder used to work together all the time! Perhaps she is laying-"

"We don't know, Raph." The leader cuts his brother, then Mikey continued "Or maybe Shredder is working for Kraang.", Donnie moved his body a bit to stand face-to-face with his brothers and continued "We do not know if all those suggestions are valid, but I fear what Mikey said. Shredder must be working for Kraang."

Chief Vicent nodded positively, leaning above the table "I wouldn't discard this possibility."

The idea of Shredder working for Kraang freaks you out. Shredder is known for being dangerous, and Kraang is known for being deadly; and the two of them together is a nightmare.

After a few minutes of silence, Casey questioned "So, what are we gonna do now?"

"Wait. For now." Chief Vicent responded, not breaking her eye contact with the Shredder's picture beside her, and the room was filled with Raph's indignation voice "Wait?! How much time of wait?!"

"Raph, more respect!" Leo punch his brother's arm, murmuring and shaking his head in disapprove by his brother's behaving.

You tried to not giggle by their brotherhood behaving.

"We don't know..." Chief Vicent replied "but all we can do now is use what we have available to find Shredder; and Kraang. I'm highly doubt that Shredder isn't on Earth. Maybe he was brought back by Kraang. As you said before, Donatello" she pointed "the atmosphere in Technodrome is toxic for those who have a normal cardiovascular system. Hardly Shredder would survive in that thing out there".

"There's an interesting point" Leo continued "But It's been months since his disappearance and till now no one has seen him. For sure, if someone have, they would warn us."

"Or they would help him" Raph participated one more time "We don't know if someone is his follower."

"You mean a new Shredder?" Mikey asked, surprised.

"I would freak out if it is true." You said.

"Me too." Chief Vicent agreed, sighing.

The worst nightmare of the boys is that another (or other) person ended up like Shredder. For sure someone out there have inspired themselves on that horrible assassin and perhaps will keep on doing his dirty work as a next generation of the Foot Clan. It must be happening in any city, state or country right now.

After two hours of debate, Chief Vicent has decided give a break, and then back to the reunion.

You are checking out your Pinterest in another small room of the building to spend some time. But your is mind busy thinking more about Leo than paying attention to the pics on your social media. You just scroll down, the pics passing through your phone screen quickly; then your mind focused in flashbacks of your conversation with April a few weeks ago.

You want to confess your love for Leonardo. You want to face him and say how much you love him.

But why are you feeling something negative inside you?

You sighed, without knowing what to do. Your eyes lift from the screen and scanned the small room around you. There's a desk with a deactivated computer in the left and a cupboard on the right. Cupboard? Why is it here in a office? Maybe this room is used like a kitchen. And speaking of it... where's the coffee machine and other stuff used by workers?

You shrugged, ignoring it and paying attention to your phone again.

"Y/N?" A familiar deep voice called from the door frame. You jumped and quickly looked up at the person.

Actually, at the turtle.

"Oh, hey Leo" you smiled, pretending you didn't got scared by his sudden apparence. But he was giggling a bit "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you" he came in, picking up a chair and sitting beside you.

Butterflies started to fly wildly in your belly.

"Come on, Y/N! Say something!" you thought. "So... How's things going?". "Really, Y/N?! Is it all you can say?!" You coursed at yourself.

Leo glanced at you and says confused "Um... Things are great. Thanks." he smiled.

Now is the time. You have to tell! You want to tell! But you're fucking afraid.

Your thoughts says to do not do it but your heart says yes. You took a deep breathe, rubbing your hands on your thighs nervously and finally looked up at him.

"Leo..." You called softly.

"Hm?" He looked back at you in the eyes. It seems that your heart will get out of your chest, and you could feel your cheeks burning.

"I...".

He just tilted his head, waiting for your answer.

"I... am gonna take some coffee. W-Would you like some?" That's it. You wanna punch yourself in the face.

He lift an eyebrow—at least you could see.

"Um... Yes, please". He answered, still suspicious about why are you acting that way. You got up from the chair where you were and walked out of the room, but before you could leave, Leo grabs your arm and makes eye contact with you, worried "Are you okay?"

"Why? Yeah! Why wouldn't I am?" You tried to act as normal as possible, but you couldn't hide it from him. This man can notice if something is right or not. And you fear that. You don't wanna mess your moment. You just want to relax with him, and not put more worry into him. Leo and his brothers are already dealing with Shredder's disappearance which is shaking them inside out frenetically. And the last thing you want is bother him with your love.

"I'll be right back." You gently released from his massive hand and left the room, leaving him alone.

"Damn, Y/N! What's wrong with you?" the whisper leaves your mouth and suddenly you bumped with another woman, hitting your shoulder with hers.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry! Are you okay?"

"Oh, no. It's okay" the red-haired waved, grinning "I must apologize, I was distracted".

"Don't worry, I was distracted too." You giggled, then kept on your way to find a coffee machine which you have no idea where it is.

For sure your thoughts are torturing and preventing you by something you wish to do. You've been hiding your love for Leo for almost three years.

After ask a cob where to find a coffee machine you finally have found it in somewhere on the third floor of the police station.

"Okay, Y/N. You can do this" you whispered while you fill almost to the top two cups with the dark liquid. "You can do this. You can do this..." You continued to repeat, trying to fill you with courage.

"I'm ready. I can do this!"

Picking up the two cups with dark coffee youheaded back to the small room where the handsome man is waiting for you.

Stopping beside the door frame—you can't see what is happening inside the small room—you took a deep breath and get yourself ready for the long-awaited moment of your life.

Smiling, you walked in.

And froze.

Leo was there, as you expected, but he was kissing the woman who you accidentally bumped early on your way to get the coffee.

Your heart broke like someone has ripped it out from you.

It seems that the world has fallen under you; your body falling into an precipice.

You prepared yourself for three years for nothing. All the worries, expectations, and hopes you used to have, all that moments you've spent practicing what you would say to your best friend, all the great moments you and him spent. Three years of your life were wasted.

Leo and the red-haired woman broke the kiss and directed their eyes on you, surprised. You have to admit that you saw a light blush covering on his cheeks.

"Oh, Y/N." He said, smiling "Allow me to introduce you my girlfriend".

You felt a knot forming in your throat.

"Y/N, this is Melissa. Melissa, this is my best friend, Y/N." He used his hand to mention you and his girlfriend while introduce you both.

"Nice to meet you, Y/N." Melissa waved.

"Nice to meet you, Melissa..." You shares a small smile, hiding your frustrating, and waved back.

You take a step forward to place the cup on the small desk next to you. Some drops of the dark liquid slipped out from the object "You should drink before it gets cold, Leonardo." You simply said, trying so hard to not cry. The leader got surprised when you said his full name. It's rare to you do it. Since you both got intimate—as best friends—you started to say his nickname as you do with the others. He doesn't understand very well the reason of your sudden change.

"Um... Yes, I will". He pronounced every single word slowly, tilting his head a bit as he looks at you. Melissa noticed your uncomfortable expression and asked worried "Are you okay, sweetheart?"

"No!" you screamed mentally. "Yes! I am. I gotta go. Sorry." You whispered the last word, turning and heading out of the room, leaving the woman and your best friend together. Your eyes starts to get warm and a wet feeling of tears disturbs you completely; you refuse to cry in front of important and serious people from this place. So you forced your legs to walk fast towards the exit.

You were so distracted that you almost bumped Chief Vicent. You gasped.

"Hey, Y/N. We're going to back to our reunion right now. Have you seen Leo? I can't find him anywhere." the blond-haired woman asked.

"He-*deep breath* He's in that room." You pointed at the door in the end of the corridor. C. Vicent lift an eyebrow, studying your facial expression.

"Are you okay, Y/N?"

"No, I'm not!" You gulped as see Chief Vicent's eyes going wide by your anger, then you immediately completed, "I'm not feeling good..."

But before Chief Vicent had a chance to talk to you, you lower your head and ran away, the knot in your throat and the pain in your heart growing up wildly.

You couldn't stay in that building anymore, not with Leo there. Not with the news of his sudden dating with someone. All you want now is go home, lay down on your bed, bury your face into a pillow, and cry like there's no tomorrow—well, actually there's no tomorrow for you.

How much time Leonardo is dating? And why April didn't tell you about it? Or any of his brothers? Do someone know about his dating? Or does he didn't tell to anyone yet?

You don't wanna know.

Actually you couldn't blame him because he has no idea that you are in love with him.

And now you have to deal with a new reality.