chadobi

[chadobi]

Hey darlings! I know I’ve been a bit quieter lately, but to be honest, I’ve been having a rough time and need a little mental rest 🩷 Don’t worry, fortunately it’s nothing health-related, but just the overload of responsibilities has taken a toll on my mental health 🩷 As soon as I feel better, I’ll definitely come back to you with some new stuff!

Love you all so much!

[chadobi]

Eventually

Bayverse Leonardo x Fem!Reader

The smell of pancakes wafted through the lair like a siren song. You were still blinking the sleep from your eyes, padding barefoot into the kitchen, Leo’s oversized hoodie hanging from your frame like a blanket of stolen comfort.

There he was. Sweat still glistening on his arms from his early morning workout, flipping pancakes with the kind of focus usually reserved for disarming bombs. You paused for a moment in the doorway just to look at him. He looked so… domestic. Calm. Warm. Like home.

You sat down on one of the barstools and yawned dramatically, arms stretching overhead. Leo didn’t turn, but his voice came in low and smooth, like coffee before cream.

“Morning, sleepyhead. Coffee’s already made.”

You hummed happily and reached for the mug waiting for you,black, just how you liked it. He remembered the little things. Always.

“Pancakes too? What’s the occasion?”

“Mikey ate the last protein bars. I needed carbs.”

He glanced at you over his shoulder, smirking faintly.

“And someone needed breakfast after keeping me up all night.”

You snorted into your mug.

“That was mutual, thank you very much.”

He chuckled under his breath and went back to flipping. That’s when it hit you.

The way he stood. The way he moved. The way he always took care of everyone, whether it was training schedules, bandaging cuts, or just… making sure there was coffee for you in the morning. He had this natural, steady, unwavering energy. Solid. Protective. The kind of man who could keep a child calm during a thunderstorm and still have time to cut their pancakes into dinosaur shapes.

You didn’t mean to say it. But the words slipped out before you could stop them.

“You’d make a really good dad.”

Leo froze.

The spatula, which had been gracefully mid-flip, clattered onto the stovetop with a sharp clang. One of the pancakes folded in on itself like it, too, had just had a mild heart attack.

“…What?”

You blinked, startled at the reaction.

“What? I said you’d make a good dad.”

He turned slowly, eyes wide like you’d just suggested he run for mayor.

“Where the hell did that come from?”

You shrugged innocently.

“You’re stable, dependable, strong, emotionally repressed in all the right ways, textbook dad material.”

“I’m emotionally repressed?”

“In a hot way.”

He gave you a look.

You just sipped your coffee and smiled sweetly over the rim. He stared for a beat too long, like he was waiting for the punchline. When it didn’t come, he huffed and turned back to the stove, mumbling mostly to himself.

“You can’t just say that kind of thing before breakfast.”

“You brought me coffee first. That’s legally foreplay.”

“That’s legally insane.”

You let the silence settle for a moment, enjoying the way his shoulders looked tense in that very specific “Leo is processing emotions he didn’t plan to have today” kind of way.

“I didn’t say I want a baby now,” you added gently. “I just think… I don’t know. The idea of you holding one? Kinda melts my ovaries.”

“Okay, wow…too far. Ovaries?! Seriously?”

You burst out laughing at the expression on his face, somewhere between horror and embarrassment, with just a flicker of curiosity behind his eyes. You hopped off the stool and walked over to him, wrapping your arms around his middle from behind, pressing your cheek between his shoulder blades.

“Relax. I’m not trying to trap you. I just said you’d be good at it.”

“Why do people always say that like it’s not a trap?”

“Because it’s not! It’s just a thought. A fantasy. A stupid little daydream.”

He hesitated. You could feel the shift in him, the way his posture softened under your touch. Slowly, his hands came to rest over yours.

“You really think that? That I’d be good at it?”

You nodded against his back.

“Yeah. I do.”

He sighed, low and long, like he was working through something big. Something wordless.

“I don’t know what kind of world that’d be. Where I could actually… have that.”

You slid around to face him, fingers still loosely looped at his waist.

“It doesn’t have to be today. Or even tomorrow. Just… someday. Just… something that looks like a family.”

He looked at you for a long time, the kind of stare that stripped away armor and let his soul blink naked in the light.

“You already feel like family.”

That shut you up. A little.

Your voice went softer.

“I know. But there’s a difference between feeling like family and, like… raising one. You know?”

He tilted his head, skeptical.

“You realize I’d be the most overprotective dad in the universe, right?”

“Obviously.”

“I’d install security cameras in the nursery.”

“That sounds about right.”

“I’d train them in hand-to-hand combat by age four.”

“Leo…”

“And if Mikey ever taught them any swear words because ‘it’s funny’, they’d both end up in Hashi.”

You were laughing now, arms tightening around him.

“You’d be the best worst dad.”

“Damn straight.”

“But I’d have to stop you from naming our child after a historical general.”

“What if it’s cool? Like, I don’t know. Octavius.”

You pulled a face.

“That sounds like a Roman sneeze.”

“…Okay, rude.”

“Can’t we just name them something normal? Like Max? Or Sam? OrI don’t know—Bean?”

He raised a brow.

“You want our child to be named Bean.”

“It’s gender-neutral. And adorable.”

“Bean Hamato?”

“Better than Octavius, I’m just saying.”

He rolled his eyes but couldn’t stop the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. You could tell the idea was warming to him, not quite ready to bloom, but no longer foreign or terrifying.

“We’re not naming our kid Bean.”

“You didn’t say no to the kid part, though.”

He groaned, dropping his head to your shoulder.

“I walked right into that.”

“Yes, you did.”

Later, after breakfast was finished (burnt pancakes and all), you both collapsed onto the old couch in the common area. Leo’s arm was around you, fingers tracing lazy circles on your shoulder.

“You’d be a good mom too,” he said suddenly, voice quiet. “Even if you name our child after legumes.”

You smiled against his chest.

“I think we’d figure it out. Together.”

He exhaled slowly, the kind of exhale that lets go of something he didn’t know he’d been holding.

“Yeah,” he said. “Eventually.”

And for now, that was enough.

———————

I’m back with another version of the mini ‘baby fever’ series but this time, it’s Leo’s turn! All we’ve got left now is our Mikey!

@thegirlwiththeninjaturtletattoos @thelaundrybitch @adebauchedsloth @dontlookatmytmntcollection @the-cauldron-witch @milykins

[chadobi]

Built Like a Tank, Soft Like a Dad

Bayverse Raphael x fem!reader

It started with a baby sock.

Just one. Stupidly tiny. Pink with a cartoon strawberry on the ankle.

You’d found it while cleaning out the back of a drawer that hadn’t been touched in forever. And somehow- somehow - that little sock had detonated a bomb in your chest.

Cue the baby fever.

It had been creeping up on you for months: the way your heart melted every time you saw a toddler on the street, or when Mikey showed you a dumb meme of a baby chewing a dog’s ear. You’d tried to ignore it, brush it off. But then you found that sock, and now it was all you could think about.

And now you were lying on the ratty old couch in the lair, head on Raph’s thigh, legs curled under a blanket, casually watching some action movie with half your brain while the other half screamed, “YOU WANT TO HAVE THIS MAN’S BABIES IMMEDIATELY.”

Raph hadn’t noticed yet. But he would. Eventually.

You reached up and ran your fingers along the seams of his thigh, over the deep red bandana fabric that had been sewn into his pants.

“Hey,” you said casually, eyes still on the screen.

He grunted in response, clearly more invested in the gunfight playing out on the TV.

“If you had a kid,” you started slowly, “what kind of parent do you think you’d be?”

That got his attention. His hand, which had been draped lazily over your hip, twitched.

“…What?” he asked, voice suspicious.

You turned your head to look up at him, all innocent-like. “It’s just a question.”

Raph gave you the look. That squinty-eyed, furrowed-brow mix of “I’m onto you” and “what the hell are you planning?”

“You plannin’ somethin’ I should know about?” he asked.

You shrugged. “No. Maybe. I dunno. I just think you’d be a really good dad.”

He made a sound that could only be described as a mix between a scoff and a surprised cough.

“A good dad?” he repeated. “Me?”

You nodded, dead serious. “Yeah. I mean it.”

He shifted under you, the hand on your hip tightening slightly. “Babe, I don’t even do dishes. How the hell am I supposed to raise a kid?”

You smiled and poked his side. “You’re loyal. Protective. Scary to strangers. Soft with me. You’d be a great dad. Like… a girl dad, even.”

Raph’s eyes widened like you’d just slapped him with a bottle of baby powder.

“A what now?”

You grinned. “A girl dad. You know, the big tough guy who melts when his little daughter puts stickers on his face and makes him wear a tiara.”

“Hell no.”

“Oh come on-”

“Absolutely not,” he said, straightening a little. “If I’m gonna be a dad, I’m raisin’ boys. Tough ones. Lil’ fighters. Sons that can handle their own. I ain’t lettin’ some five-year-old wrap me around her finger.”

You burst out laughing. “Too late. I’ve already got you wrapped around mine.”

Raph glared, but his cheeks were turning a very satisfying shade of red.

You propped yourself up on one elbow, eyes shining. “You’d totally be the kind of dad who holds a tea party with teddy bears, fully in your gear, because your daughter asked you to in her tiny princess voice.”

Raph looked horrified. “That is slander.”

“You’d sit cross-legged on a tiny chair and pretend to sip glittery tea.”

“I got dignity, babe!”

You poked his chest. “No, you’ve got heart. Which is worse.”

Raph let out a long groan and rubbed a hand over his face. “Why are we even talkin’ about this?”

You paused, suddenly a little nervous. But then you looked at him, really looked at him, and said softly, “Because I’ve been thinking about it lately.”

He blinked. “Wait… for real?”

You nodded. “Yeah. I mean, I’m not saying right now, and I know we’d have… you know, logistical hurdles to figure out, but… I think I want kids someday.”

Raph went quiet.

You watched the way his jaw shifted, how his hands flexed like he was trying to grip something invisible.

“You mad?” you asked gently.

He snorted. “Mad? Nah. I’m just… surprised. You really think about that stuff?”

You leaned against his chest and murmured, “Lately? A lot. Maybe it’s dumb.”

“Nah, it ain’t dumb,” he said, wrapping both arms around you. “Just… new.”

You sat in silence for a few minutes. The movie continued in the background, forgotten.

Then Raph, voice low, asked, “You really think I’d be a good girl dad?”

You smiled against his skin. “Raph. You already are.”

He pulled back to look at you. “Excuse me?”

“Who bakes cookies with Mikey just because he says pretty please?”

“I supervise. That ain’t baking.”

“Who carries me around the lair like a princess when I’m tired?”

“I carry you ‘cause you fall asleep in weird places.”

“And who literally threatened to ‘break a man in half like a glowstick’ because he flirted with me at the bodega?”

“That dude had it comin’!”

You grinned triumphantly. “Exactly. Girl dad behavior.”

Raph groaned. “You’re never gonna let this go, huh?”

“Nope.”

“You’re killin’ me.”

“You love it.”

He grumbled something incoherent but pulled you closer, burying his face in your shoulder. His breath was warm, steady.

“…You know,” he said, voice muffled, “if we ever did figure it out… I wouldn’t hate the idea. You. Me. A tiny version of us.”

You froze. Your heart did a backflip.

“You mean that?”

He pulled back just enough to look you in the eyes. “Yeah. I do. ‘Cause I think about it too sometimes. What it’d be like to have somethin’ good like that. Somethin’ real.”

Your voice was soft. “It already is real.”

“Yeah,” he said. “But maybe someday, it could be even more.”

You rested your forehead against his. “I’d love to see you with a daughter. You’d brush her hair with those big clumsy hands and carry her on your shoulders everywhere.”

He sighed dramatically. “You’re really sold on this girl dad thing, huh?”

“You wouldn’t last a day raising a mini-you. You’d lose your mind.”

He grinned. “You sayin’ I’m a handful?”

“I’m saying you’d be begging me to trade for the tea party and tiara.”

He let out a raspy laugh and kissed your cheek. “Alright, alright. Maybe I’d be both.”

“A hybrid dad?”

“Boy dad rage, girl dad heart.”

You melted.

Later that night, as you lay tangled in blankets and limbs, Raph rested a heavy hand on your belly, absentmindedly tracing little circles on your skin.

“Hey,” he mumbled sleepily.

“Hmm?”

“I ever do end up brushin’ some tiny girl’s hair with my clumsy hands…” he yawned, “she’s gettin’ the coolest freakin’ tiara I can find.”

You smiled, tears pricking at your eyes from the warmth of it all.

“She’s gonna be the most loved kid in the world, Raph.”

He pulled you closer. “Damn right she is.”

——————————

Heyyy!

I recently wrote something like this with Donnie, and I’ve been thinking… maybe I should turn it into a little mini-series with the other boys too?

What do you guys think?

Donnie version here!! 💜

@thegirlwiththeninjaturtletattoos @thelaundrybitch @adebauchedsloth @thejudiciousneurotic @the-cauldron-witch @milykins (and yeah i want to be in yours tag list Please 🩷)

[chadobi]

Let Me Look at You

Pairing: Bayverse Leonardo x fem!reader

Theme: Established relationship, sensual buildup, emotional intimacy

Warning: spicy, sugesstive but not smut,

AGED UP!!!!!

It started like most nights did, with the quiet.

The lair was finally still. Mikey’s laughter had faded behind a closed door, Donnie’s keyboard had gone silent, and Raph had retreated with his music loud enough to shake the floor beneath your feet. But here, in Leo’s room, it was different.

There was no noise. Just a soft lamp flickering against the concrete wall, shadows swaying like slow waves across the space you two called your own.

He sat on the edge of the bed, the gear stripped from his body, legs spread slightly, arms resting on his knees. That always-stoic, commanding presence now dimmed, softened into something quieter. Something just for you.

You leaned against the doorframe, watching him. Still in your tank top and loose shorts, makeup smudged from the day. But the way he looked at you-like the air left his lungs every time you entered the room-made you feel like sin and salvation all at once.

“I like it when you stare at me like that,” he said, voice low, laced with amusement. “You’ve got that look again.”

You stepped closer slowly, eyes never leaving his. “What look?”

“That one that makes me wonder if I’m about to get kissed or devoured.”

A smile tugged at your lips. “And which one would you prefer?”

His answer was a slow breath, controlled but deep. “I don’t think I’d survive either. But I’d die happy.”

You were in front of him now, your hands finding his shoulders, thumbs brushing over his warm skin. He smelled like sandalwood and sweat and something distinctly him, familiar and grounding.

“Rough night?” you asked, voice gentler now.

He nodded once, closing his eyes as your fingers ghosted over his collarbone. “Yeah. Patrol was messy. Head’s a little heavy.”

You dipped your head to kiss the edge of his jaw. “Then let me help you forget.”

He opened his eyes. There it was, that heat.

Not the kind that rushed in wild and reckless. No. This was slower. Like a flame coaxed gently to life. Like trust.

His hands slid to your waist, thumbs hooking under the hem of your shirt. His touch was steady, but his voice had thickened.

“You sure you’re ready for that kind of distraction?”

You leaned into him, mouth brushing his ear. “Leo,” you whispered, “I’m yours. I’ve always been ready.”

He moved like a storm beneath a still surface, controlled, but only because he wanted to be.

His lips found yours, slow and seeking, hands splayed across your lower back as he pulled you flush against his chest. You straddled his lap instinctively, thighs bracketing his hips, and he welcomed you there with a low, rumbling sound in his throat.

Kissing Leo was always something that left you dizzy. He kissed like he thought he might lose you if he didn’t put everything into it. Like every second counted.

But tonight, it was deeper.

More sensual than hungry. More deliberate than frantic.

You could feel it in the way his fingers dipped under your shirt, curling against your bare skin. The way he kissed down your neck, slow enough to make your chest tighten.

You slipped your fingers beneath the edge of his plastron, dragging them along his sides. He shivered slightly beneath the touch.

“You’re always so composed,” you murmured. “Even when you want to fall apart.”

His gaze met yours, half-lidded and burning. “That’s because I fall apart quietly. With you.”

Your shirt was gone before you even realized his hands had lifted it, discarded to the floor in a soft whisper of fabric. His eyes raked over you, slow and reverent, like he was studying art.

“God, let me look at you,” he whispered. “Just for a second. Please.”

You didn’t cover yourself.

You didn’t have to.

Under that gaze,so full of longing and awe,you felt more sacred than exposed. His hands trailed up your sides, gentle but purposeful, callused fingertips dragging heat in their wake.

“Every inch of you…” he said softly, pressing a kiss between your breasts, “feels like something I don’t deserve. But I’d give up heaven just to keep touching you like this.”

You leaned forward, pressing your forehead to his. “You’re not undeserving, Leo. You just… never had someone tell you you’re allowed to be loved like this.”

He exhaled like your words had struck something deep. His hands stilled on your back, pulling you in tighter.

“You love me?” he asked quietly, like he already knew but needed to hear it.

“I see you,” you replied. “And I love every part I see.”

You shifted in his lap, pressing kisses along his jaw, his throat, your fingertips gliding across the edges of his shell. His hands gripped your thighs, anchoring you there, breath trembling with the tension coiled beneath his skin.

“Tell me what you want,” you said softly, breath brushing his ear.

“I want this,” he said without hesitation. “I want the way your voice sounds in the dark. I want the way you touch me like I’m not a weapon. I want the way you look at me like I’m worth breaking for.”

Your heart stuttered at that - because it wasn’t just desire.

It was devotion.

The rest of your clothes fell away piece by piece, not rushed but inevitable. Like gravity. Like time.

He undressed you with slow hands and watchful eyes. And you, in turn, unfastened every strap of his gear like you were unwrapping something holy.

Your bodies pressed together, skin against skin, heartbeats trembling in sync. Not rushing. Just existing in that perfect in-between of want and worship.

He kissed your shoulders, your stomach, your thighs, never demanding, always savoring.

And between every kiss, every gasp, every wordless sound, came the unspoken truths:

You are safe here.

You are wanted.

You are loved.

————————

Hey there!

I’ve been debating whether or not to post this for a while now, it’s not exactly smut, but it does touch on some suggestive themes. I just want to make it clear that both Leo and the reader are in their 20s here, so this isn’t written with minors in mind or anything like that!

It’s my first time writing something like this, and honestly, I’m a bit nervous about how it’ll be received 🩷

Oh, and I also want to tag (I think that’s how you say it?) some of my favorite authors whose work I really enjoy reading!

@thelaundrybitch @milykins @adebauchedsloth @thegirlwiththeninjaturtletattoos @thejudiciousneurotic @the-cauldron-witch

[chadobi]

Can I request the Rottmnt Disaster Twins (separately) comforting their fem!S/O after she has a bad fight with her dad? Thank you and I love your work!

Absolutely, and thank you so much! 💙💜

ROTMNT!Donatello

Donnie isn’t the best with emotional support in the traditional sense, but when he hears your voice crack over the phone, something shifts in him. He drops his tablet mid-project and zips over in his battle shell without another word.

He doesn’t ask for details right away. Instead, he opens his arms silently, offering comfort without pressuring you to talk. Once you’re wrapped in his arms, surrounded by the cool scent of metal and lavender, he lets you cry it out, gently running his fingers through your hair.

After a while, he breaks the silence with something like.

“I could turn his car into a smoothie maker. Just say the word.”

That gets a watery laugh out of you, and he smiles softly.

“No? Alright. But seriously… what happened?”

When you explain the fight, Donnie listen, really listens. He might offer a few clinical insights (like how your dad’s defensiveness is likely rooted in generational trauma), but he’s surprisingly good at validating your emotions.

“You have every right to feel what you’re feeling. You’re not overreacting.”

Afterward, he lets you curl up in his lab while he works on a “project” that just so happens to include your favorite music, snacks, and a weighted blanket he “engineered for optimal snuggle comfort.” You stay the night, safe and soothed by the soft hum of his lab and the warmth of his presence.

ROTTMNT!Leonardo

Leo knows something’s wrong the moment he sees you. Your shoulders are tense, your eyes red. He doesn’t make a joke-rare for him-and that’s how you know he’s serious.

“C’mere,” he says gently, opening his arms. “Talk to me when you’re ready.”

He pulls you into a tight embrace, tucking your head under his chin. His fingers stroke your back rhythmically, grounding you. He doesn’t push for answers, just holds you until your breathing evens out.

When you finally speak, you expect him to interrupt or make a quip. But he just listens, eyes unusually soft.

“That’s not okay. I don’t care who he is…he doesn’t get to treat you like that.”

He doesn’t try to fix it, doesn’t pretend everything’s fine. He validates your pain, and then he offers you an escape-portal-style.

“Wanna get outta here for a while? I know a rooftop where the stars look better than your dad’s opinions.”

He portals you both to a quiet spot above the city, spreading out a blanket he somehow remembered to pack (along with snacks and your favorite hoodie). You lay beside him, his hand in yours, the skyline twinkling above.

“You’re not alone in this. Not now, not ever.”

And for the first time all day, you believe it.

[chadobi]

Your writing makes my day, you have no idea how much I like it 🥺🩷

Feel free to decline this request if you don't want to do it. Can we have some tmnt2012 with a little turtle sister reader who dies instead of splinter ? Like remember the episode where the super shredder stabs splinter and throws him off a rooftop, well it'll be the same but the reader reacts in time, shoves splinter aside and gets the hit instead of him and they unfortunately die.

I need some angst right now you have no idea.

Hope this isn't much, have an amazing day 🩷🩷 and Happy birthday 🎂🎈

Thank you for those wonderful words and wishes! Really! I got more birthday wishes here than in real life haha! But if you had other ideas, I’d be really happy, because lately I’ve been getting a lot of requests for a sis!reader who dies instead of Splinter and at the moment, I’m just not feeling it at all :((

But who knows, if I eventually connect with the idea and get that spark for it, maybe I’ll write it! I hope that’s not a problem 🩷 Wishing you and everyone lots of good things!

[chadobi]

CHADOBI!!!!! Your birthday was yesterday?!?! I'm sorry I missed it, HAPPY BIRTHDAY 🎂🥳🎉🎈🎁🎊 You are so talented and every ninja turtles fic you've ever written has a special place in my heart. I hope you had an AMAZING day and that the rest of your week is great too!! 🫶

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! Really, for the wishes and those kind words! Being in your 20s is seriously weird! Lately, I haven’t been around much because I’ve been working non-stop! But I’m writing something for you guys in the meantime, so I hope you’ll be happy with it! 🩷

[chadobi]

Happy Birthday!

THANK YOU SOO MUCH!!

[chadobi]

Hiyaaa, I have a request ^ ^

Do think you could make some headcanons of how the Bayverse boys would act around you when they start to have feelings for the reader? like how fast they would realise they had feelings, whether they would try hinting it or keep it hidden, if how they act around reader changes drastically or has little to no difference.

And also, if you want to, headcanons of the Bayverse boys when it comes to confessions? Like if they're the ones who confess or reader has to be the one to confess, how they would react to it (if being confessed to), where it would happen or how it would happen (like is it just a random "funny thing, i've had a crush on you the past couple months" while watching TV or a carefully thought out plan to be as romantic and meaning as possible). Thank youu !!!

Oh my God, I absolutely love this idea! I hope you’ll like my version of it!

When They Realize They’re Falling for You (Bayverse TMNT x Reader)

Leonardo – The Slow Realizer, Quiet Protector

Catching Feelings

•Leo takes a long time to realize he’s falling. He’s so focused on duty, leadership, and keeping his brothers safe that he suppresses anything that feels “too personal.”

•At first, he just notices he’s always hyper-aware of your presence. He listens more intently when you speak, he watches how others interact with you.

•When he does realize it’s romantic, he’s deeply conflicted. He doesn’t think he should have feelings, let alone act on them.

•Still, his behavior shifts:

•He starts checking in on you more.

•Offers to train with you a lot (even if you don’t fight).

•Subtle smiles just for you, more eye contact, softer voice.

Confession

•Leo wouldn’t confess first unless he’s sure you return the feelings.

•If you confess, he’s initially surprised but serious, giving you his full focus. He wants to be sure you understand what being with him means.

•When he confesses (if ever), it’s carefully thought out, private, and sincere.

•Likely late at night, maybe on a rooftop, when the city is quiet.

•Might say something like: “I tried not to feel this way. But it’s you. It’s always been you.”

•He’ll make you feel safe, like you just unlocked the part of him no one else gets to see.

Donatello – The Overthinker, Gentle Nerd

Catching Feelings

•Donnie realizes it pretty fast, but he immediately falls into denial.

•“It’s just dopamine. She makes me laugh. That doesn’t mean anything.”

•Internally, he’s spiraling. He’ll replay your interactions in his head, obsess over every detail. Externally? He’s awkward as hell.

•Starts inventing reasons to be near you: fixing your phone, upgrading your laptop, making gadgets “just because.”

•Blushes a lot, laughs at your jokes (even the bad ones), and gets nervous touching you.

•His voice cracks. He stammers. It’s kind of adorable.

Confession

•He wants to confess, but it takes him forever to work up the nerve.

•If you confess first, he’s shocked and then so relieved he just starts rambling:

•“Wait, really? You too? Because I-I’ve had this hypothesis for weeks, but I didn’t want to assume and-oh my god, I’m so glad-”

•If he confesses:

•He’ll do it through a gadget, maybe he gives you something with a little message hidden in the code.

•Or he leaves a note tucked in a repair he did for you.

•Or blurts it out randomly after a bonding moment, like:

•”You know I think about you more than is statistically healthy, right?”

Raphael – The Deniable Crush, Slow Burn Angst

Catching Feelings

•Last to admit it to himself. He feels it , hard but refuses to name it.

•Acts like nothing’s changed, but his brothers can tell, he’s more irritable, distracted, easily jealous.

•He’ll tease you more, maybe annoy you just to get your attention.

•If you’re in danger, he goes feral. No hesitation, no chill. You become his number one priority.

•He stares at you a lot when you’re not looking. The moment you catch him, he grumbles and looks away.

•Deep down, he thinks he’s too messed up to be loved, so he guards his heart fiercely.

Confession

•Will not confess unless pushed to the absolute emotional limit, like you’re leaving, or he thinks he’s lost you.

•If you confess first:

•Freezes.

•Once he believes you, he opens up in the most raw, honest way.

•If he confesses:

•It’ll be mid-argument or emotionally charged moment.

•“You don’t get it… I can’t stop thinking about you, and it’s driving me insane.”

•Might kiss you in the middle of a breakdown, then apologize for being rough.

Michelangelo – The Heart-on-His-Sleeve Flirt

Catching Feelings

•Realizes it first and fastest.

•At first, he thinks it’s just another crush. But when he notices how nervous you make him, how badly he wants your approval, he knows it’s more.

•Suddenly, his flirting becomes more genuine, a little softer.

•He starts doing little things just for you, your favorite snacks, playlists, inside jokes.

•Will still joke and play, but his eyes linger longer. His hugs last a bit too long. He gets quieter when you’re sad, he feels it with you.

Confession

•Most likely to confess first, but in a very Mikey way.

•Might be spontaneous, like while playing games or watching TV:

•“So, like… funny thing. I’ve been totally in love with you for, like, three months. Cool, right?”

•If you confess first:

•He will absolutely scream internally.

•Grins the widest you’ve ever seen. Might tackle-hug you.

•“You’re joking. Wait, for real? For REAL? Bro, I’m gonna cry. Don’t look at me.”

•After that, he’s all in. Constant compliments, physical affection, proud to show he’s yours.

[chadobi]

Babes, it’s my 20th birthday today!! 🥳💗 Sooo as a lil treat for y’all, I’m doing a mini marathon!! Say hello to the first story of the day, get ready for a tiny spam 😭 Anyway ily all sm!!

You’re More Human

TMNT Bayverse – Michelangelo x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Mild language, injury mention, emotional vulnerability, fluff

New York never truly slept, but tonight it felt quieter. Calmer. The buzz of traffic far above was reduced to the occasional hum, muffled by layers of concrete, steel, and sewer grates.

You walked through the tunnels with dirt on your jeans and dried blood caking your shirt. It wasn’t yours, but it didn’t matter. The fight was over. The city was safe. For now.

Your boots splashed through shallow water as you followed close behind the turtles, your fingers twitching at your sides. You weren’t sure if it was from the cold, or from the adrenaline that hadn’t quite settled yet.

Leonardo walked ahead, silent and focused as always. Donatello was checking a crack in his tech-glasses, mumbling to himself. Raphael muttered curses under his breath every time his injured leg dragged. But Michelangelo… he lagged behind.

With him, silence felt unnatural.

You glanced back. His nunchucks were strapped to his side. His mask hung loosely around his neck. His shoulders were lower than usual not just from exhaustion. Something was off.

He caught you looking. Tried to smile.

It didn’t reach his eyes.

The lair was dim when you arrived. Donnie immediately headed for his workstation, muttering something about recalibrating sensors. Raph went to the dojo without a word, limping but refusing help. Leo disappeared into the shadows like he always did.

That left you and Mikey.

He dropped heavily onto the beat-up couch, breathing hard. You hovered by the doorway, unsure. You’d been in the lair before, many times but never when things felt like this.

Quiet.

Heavy.

Not even the TV was on.

“Hey,” you said gently. “You okay?”

He looked up at you, and for a second, he was just Mikey - your Mikey - goofy, sweet, and full of warmth.

Then he broke eye contact and exhaled, slow and low.

“I’m good, Angelcakes,” he said. “Just… tired.”

You weren’t convinced.

You walked over and sat beside him. The couch creaked under your combined weight, but neither of you cared.

He leaned back and stared at the ceiling. The silence stretched.

“I hate when people scream,” he said suddenly. His voice was quiet. Unsteady. “Even if it’s not me they’re scared of… I still hear it. Feel it.”

You turned to face him.

He wasn’t looking at you.

“Tonight,” he continued, “we saved a whole family from those Kraang freaks. Got ’em out just in time. But the mom…she screamed when she saw me. Shielded her kid like I was the threat. Like I was worse than the damn aliens.”

You swallowed, hard.

“She was just scared,” you whispered.

“Yeah,” he muttered, finally glancing at you. “Of me.”

The pain in his voice hit you in the chest. You wanted to say something , anything but words felt useless. So instead, you reached out and touched his hand.

It was warm. Rough. Strong.

And trembling slightly.

He looked down at your hand, then up at you.

“Why don’t you ever flinch?” he asked.

“What?”

“When you look at me. You don’t flinch. You don’t stare. You don’t… hesitate.”

You met his eyes. “Because I see you.”

His expression cracked. Something unspoken passed between you, something deeper than any joke or flirtation you’d shared before. Something real.

“You know,” you said softly, “you’re more human than most people I know.”

Mikey froze.

It hung in the air like a revelation. Like a secret you’d just exposed.

Then, without warning, he stood up and paced to the far end of the room. He ran a hand down his face.

“Don’t say stuff like that,” he said, his voice thick.

“Why not?”

“Because I’ll believe you.”

You rose slowly. “Good. You should.”

He turned to you, shoulders tense. His eyesusually full of fire and laughter, were glassy. Broken.

“I’m a six-foot-tall mutant turtle,” he said, gesturing at himself. “People run from me in the daylight. I eat pizza off sewer grates. I sleep underground. I’ve never had a normal life. I never will.”

You crossed the room. “You think humanity is about where you live? What you look like?”

He stared at you, lips pressed tight.

You reached out and placed your hand on his plastron, right over his heart.

“Humans love. They feel. They fight for what matters. They laugh even when it hurts. That’s what makes us human, Mikey. And you? You’ve got more of that than most people I’ve ever met.”

He inhaled shakily. Then, slowly, so very slowly, he wrapped his arms around you.

You melted into his chest, feeling the tension in his body. He held you like he was afraid you’d vanish. Like you were something precious.

“I didn’t mean to lose it,” he whispered. “I just… I try so hard to be the light. The happy one. I want people to see me and smile. Not scream.”

“You’re allowed to break sometimes,” you murmured against his skin. “Even the sun has to set.”

He chuckled wetly. “That was poetic as hell.”

You smiled. “Maybe I’ve been hanging out with you too much.”

He pulled back just enough to look into your eyes. “Not possible.”

For a moment, everything was still.

Then he leaned in and kissed you.

Soft. Hesitant. Like a question.

You answered him with your lips.

When he pulled away, he rested his forehead against yours.

“You mean it?” he whispered.

“Every word.”

“More human than most, huh?”

You nodded. “And more mine than anyone else’s.”

He grinned, a real grin, this timecand lifted you off the ground in one swift lotion.

You squealed, laughing as he spun you in a slow circle.

“Mikey!”

“Sorry, can’t help it! You’re my favorite person and you just called me human! I might combust!”

He set you down, holding you by the waist.

“Don’t combust,” you said, smiling up at him. “I kind of like having you around.”

He winked. “I’m not going anywhere, angelcakes.”

And for the first time all night, he looked… light again.

Still bruised. Still tired.

But light.

Later, the others drifted in and out of the room, Donnie muttering something about circuits, Raph grumbling about protein shakes but no one questioned the way you and Mikey sat curled on the couch together, tangled like vines.

Your head rested on his shoulder. His fingers traced lazy circles on your back.

“I think I get it now,” he said quietly.

“What?”

“What you meant. About being human.”

You looked up at him. He met your gaze, soft and full of understanding.

“It’s not about being born one,” he said. “It’s about choosing to be one. Choosing to feel. To care. Even when it hurts.”

You nodded. “Exactly.”

He kissed the top of your head and exhaled deeply.

“Then yeah… I’ll take being human. As long as I’ve got you.”

You closed your eyes and held him tighter.

“You always will.”

[chadobi]

Heyyy! Hope you’re all doing good 💕

Things have been kinda crazy on my end lately, so I haven’t been super active, but I’m trying to put some stuff together for you whenever I get a minute haha (it’s a struggle 😅) Anyway here’s what I’ve been up to while I’ve been MIA lmao

[chadobi]

When I wasn’t sure if I’d get back into this account, I started writing to calm down a bit, and since I’m obsessed with Bayverse Donnie, I had to let the stress out somehow, haha.

Anyway, hope you guys like it!

Night at the Museum

Bayverse!Donatello x reader

The mission was supposed to be quick.

In, out, no problem.

Retrieve a stolen tech device that some high-end thief stashed inside a museum exhibit — easy enough. Mikey had already volunteered to stay on comms (a little too eagerly), Leo was on patrol elsewhere, and Raph… well, Raph hated museums.

So it ended up being you and Donnie.

You didn’t mind. Not at all. Actually, you were kind of excited.

It wasn’t every day you got to break into the Museum of Natural History in the middle of the night with a 7-foot-tall mutant genius.

Besides, you liked Donnie. Maybe a little too much.

Maybe a lot too much.

The skylight creaked as Donatello silently dropped down into the dark exhibit hall, scanning the area with a soft whirr from the goggles resting above his eyes.

You followed, landing more clumsily than you meant to, but he steadied you with one large, gentle hand on your back. Just briefly. Just enough to make your heart stumble a little.

The museum was quiet. Dim security lights cast long shadows across the dioramas and display cases. Time felt different here, slower. You could hear your own breath.

Donnie pulled out his modified tech tracker, scanning for the stolen device.

“The signal’s faint, but it’s somewhere in the west wing. Possibly near the biological sciences hall,” he muttered, typing fast. “Shouldn’t take more than twenty minutes.”

You nodded.

Twenty minutes, and then you’d be gone.

That’s what you told yourself.

But twenty minutes turned into thirty. Then forty.

Because the second you passed the ancient civilizations exhibit, you slowed down. Your eyes lit up like stars in a planetarium.

“Oh my god,” you whispered, walking past the glass display of Greek pottery. “This is an actual kylix. That design’s from around 500 BCE- probably used during a symposium.”

Donnie blinked. “A what now?”

You turned to him, grinning. “An ancient drinking party. They’d sit around talking about philosophy and pouring wine. Socrates was probably wasted all the time.”

“…Not how I pictured classical philosophers, but okay.”

He followed you as you drifted from case to case, words tumbling from your mouth without hesitation, the Mongol Empire, Egyptian medicine, early Islamic astronomy. It was like watching someone enter a dream.

You weren’t just reading plaques. You were remembering.

And you were glowing.

Donnie had never seen you like this.

Eventually, the tracker led you both to the natural sciences wing — a darker, quieter section of the museum, lit by the eerie blue glow of underwater exhibits and bone-white casts of ancient skeletons.

The tech you came for was easy to grab. Stashed behind a climate-controlled insect display, tucked inside a fake fern. Donnie secured it in his bag without a second thought.

But neither of you moved to leave.

You were standing frozen in front of the massive glass wall of the biodiversity exhibit, staring up at the suspended skeleton of a blue whale.

“You okay?” Donnie asked softly, stepping up beside you.

“Yeah,” you breathed, eyes wide. “It’s just… I used to come here as a kid. My parents couldn’t afford much, but on discount days, we’d take the subway in and I’d run straight to this hall. I’d pretend I was a scientist.”

Donnie’s chest ached a little.

He looked at you… really looked. The awe on your face. The fire in your eyes. How you stood there with your hoodie half-zipped, looking like someone who had the universe mapped out in her heart and still wanted to learn more.

“You ever consider going into science?” he asked quietly.

“I wanted to. Biology, maybe. But… I don’t know. I was always better at the humanities, philosophy, history, culture. I love systems. How people work. What they believe, and why.” You glanced at him, a little embarrassed. “That probably sounds dumb next to the stuff you do.”

He was silent.

You looked down.

And then…

“Don’t ever do that. Please.”

Your head snapped up.

Donnie was staring at you. His voice was low, almost hoarse.

“I think your brain might actually be hotter than your face. And that’s saying something.”

You blinked. “…What?”

“I mean-” he groaned softly, covering his face with one hand. “That sounded way less weird in my head.”

But you were already smiling.

“Are you flirting with me, Donatello?”

“…Yes?” He peeked through his fingers. “Is it working?”

You stepped closer. “That depends.”

“On?”

“Are you always this into girls who nerd out about dead empires and whale skeletons?”

He chuckled, low and nervous. “Only one, so far.”

Your heart did that annoying skip again.

And you were standing so close now. You could smell the faint scent of metal and coffee on his gear. His brown eyes locked with yours, and for a moment, the museum didn’t exist. Just the hush of breath. The hush of maybe.

Then, with a voice barely above a whisper, he added:

“You make me want to learn everything I don’t know. That’s… kind of a superpower.”

That did it.

You reached up, slow, testing, and brushed your fingers along his jaw.

He leaned in like it was gravity.

And in the shadow of ancient bones and glowing dioramas, you kissed him.

You didn’t leave the museum until two hours later.

But Donnie didn’t mind.

Because he’d found what they came for.

And so much more.

[chadobi]

Rottmnt boys realizing they’re in love after hearing you laugh (and snort)

Rottmnt!Leonardo

•Leo lives for the sound of laughter (especially when he causes it)

•The first time he hears you laugh, it’s this sudden, loud bark of laughter that ends with a tiny snort.

•You slap your hand over your mouth like “oh god no,” but Leo just freezes.

•It’s not even the prettiest laugh he’s heard, it’s real, and a little chaotic, and it completely melts him.

•He teases you about it, of course:

“Whoa, who invited the goose to the lair?”

But he’s smiling like a dork the whole time.

•Lowkey starts trying to make you laugh in every conversation after that, dumb jokes, dramatic impressions, anything.

•The moment he realizes he’s into you? When he finds himself grinning like an idiot just waiting for that laugh.

Rottmnt!Donatello

•Donnie is usually focused, composed, not someone easily flustered.

•But your laugh? Oh, your laugh.

•It happens during a late-night tinkering session in his lab. You say something sarcastic, he fires back, and you just lose it.

•It’s wheezy. A little out of control. You even snort.

•He blinks. Dead silent. Looks at you like you’re a math equation he never saw coming.

•“Is… that your real laugh?” he asks, genuinely curious.

•You look embarrassed, but he waves it off like:

“No, don’t hide it. It’s… weirdly charming.”

•Starts recording your laugh to “study its acoustic pattern”, definitely not because he listens to it when he misses you. Nope.

•His chest does this weird fluttery thing whenever he hears it again. That’s new.

Rottmnt!Michaelangelo

•Mikey is overjoyed the first time you laugh around him.

•It’s during movie night, some dumb joke on screen, and you lose it. Your laugh is unfiltered, loud, and ends in this wheezy little wheeze-snort combo.

•He gasps. “DID YOU JUST SNORT?”

•You’re already covering your face in shame, but he’s beaming.

•”That was ADORABLE. Do it again.”

•From that moment on, he makes it his mission to hear that laugh at least once a day.

•Draws you as a laughing sun in one of his doodles.

•Says cheesy things like,

“Your laugh is my favorite sound in the world, sunshine.”

•Thinks your imperfect laugh is proof of how genuine you are. That’s when the crush becomes full-on heart-eyes love.

Rottmnt!Raphael

•Raph is a little surprised the first time he hears you laugh like that.

•He’s telling a dry story about something dumb Leo did, and you just burst out.

•It’s loud, kind of ridiculous, and you hiccup at the end.

•He actually jumps a little like, “What the…?”

•You apologize, face red, but he just gives you this small, soft smile.

•“Nah… that was cute.”

•He doesn’t say much, but after that, he starts paying extra attention to the way you react to things.

•Gets this warm, protective feeling in his chest whenever you laugh.

•The moment he catches himself smiling because you’re laughing (not even at him, just in general), he realizes:

Oh shell… I’m in trouble.

•Starts cracking jokes more, even if they’re not good, just to hear that sound again.

[chadobi]

OH MY GOD YOU GUYS!!

I’ve been trying to recover my Tumblr account for the past few days because I forgot the password and had to change my phone, the old one broke!

I’M GONNA CRY, I THOUGHT I LOST YOU ALL!!!

[chadobi]

Lonely Together

Bayverse Raphael x Reader

The Lair was buzzing with life tonight or at least, Raphael’s version of “buzzing,” which meant Mikey was yelling about pizza toppings, Donnie was arguing with himself over a glitch in his latest gadget, and Leo was being, well, Leo. In the middle of it all, like always, you were there. Sitting cross-legged on the couch, arms loosely draped over your knees, watching the chaos unfold with that same tired smile you always wore.

Raph noticed it more than he cared to admit.

You were around a lot. Practically every night for the past few months, even when nothing exciting was going on. You’d sneak down to the Lair through April’s shop with a casual “Hey,” act like part of the furniture, and never ask for anything in return. No expectations, no drama. Just quiet company. That should’ve made sense to him, considering how private you were, but something about your presence always made him… wonder.

Why were you here so often?

Why weren’t you with friends? Family? Someone?

Raphael wasn’t exactly the king of social intuition, but he wasn’t blind either.

So tonight, when the pizza boxes started emptying and the volume in the Lair lowered to a comfortable hum, he found himself watching you again from across the room, elbow braced on the kitchen counter, half a slice of pepperoni pizza forgotten in his hand.

You were just sitting there with your eyes slightly unfocused, your gaze somewhere in the soft flicker of the TV, a mug of lukewarm tea cupped between your palms.

And that same tired smile.

Raph didn’t know what made him move, but he did. Quiet steps, bare feet against tile. No one noticed they were too busy arguing about whether pineapple belonged on pizza.

He sank onto the couch beside you, letting out a grunt as he got comfortable.

You blinked and turned toward him slowly, as if startled from some far-off thought.

“Oh. Hey,” you murmured, smiling again.

Raph tilted his head. “You ever don’t say that when you see me?”

You snorted. “Well, I don’t usually have a lot of time to think of clever greetings when a six-foot mutant turtle just appears beside me.”

“Touché,” he muttered with a smirk.

A short silence fell between you, comfortable, if a little tentative. You looked down at your mug. Raph watched your fingers as they played with the rim.

He cleared his throat. “So uh… you ever hang out anywhere else but here?”

You looked up, surprised. “What?”

He shrugged. “Just… noticed you’re always around lately.”

“Oh.” You looked back down. “Yeah. I guess I am.”

There was something in your tone that didn’t sit right with him.

“Not that I mind,” he added quickly. “S’just… you got friends or somethin’? People your age usually do, right?”

You laughed, but it wasn’t the kind of laugh he liked hearing from you. It was short. Dry. Almost bitter.

“I used to,” you said quietly.

That wasn’t the answer he expected.

“…Used to?”

You shifted in your seat and stared at the TV for a few seconds before sighing. “Yeah. I had this group of friends. We were super close. Like… sisters.”

He didn’t interrupt, just watched your profile as you talked.

“We did everything together. Sleepovers, birthdays, vacations. They were my whole world.” You let out a short exhale. “Then stuff started to change. I didn’t even notice it at first. One of them would ‘forget’ to invite me to something. Another would borrow my clothes and never return them. Little digs, you know? At first, I thought I was being sensitive.”

Raph frowned. “You weren’t.”

You smiled faintly, not looking at him. “Eventually, they just… dropped me. Like I was nothing. After years of being ‘sisters.’ I asked why. They said I was too ‘emotional,’ too ‘needy,’ that I made everything about me. But I wasn’t, Raph. I swear I wasn’t.”

Your voice cracked slightly, and he stiffened beside you.

You took a shaky breath and forced a smile. “So, yeah. I’m around here a lot because this is the one place I don’t feel like I’m walking on eggshells. With you guys… it’s different.”

Raphael didn’t answer right away.

He felt a strange twist in his gut. Not anger — not exactly. But something deeper. Something bitter and ancient and all-too-familiar.

“…They sound like assholes,” he said eventually.

You let out a surprised laugh, genuine this time.

“Yeah,” you admitted, “they kind of were.”

Another pause. This one stretched a little longer. The sound of Mikey singing badly in the background filled the space between you.

Then, Raph shifted. His voice dropped.

“I get it, y’know.”

You turned to him.

“Get what?”

He scratched the back of his neck. “Feelin’ like that. Like… you’re too much. Or not enough. Or both, somehow.”

There was something raw in his voice now. Something that made your breath hitch a little.

“I mean,” he continued, staring down at his own hands, “look at me. I’m literally built different. Too big, too angry, too much muscle, not enough brain.” He chuckled dryly. “People always act like I’m supposed to be the ‘tough one,’ but… I dunno. Sometimes I feel like I’m the most breakable one. Just… in different ways.”

You watched him in silence, heart tugging hard in your chest.

He shifted again, slower this time.

“When I get mad, people leave. When I don’t talk, people assume I’m fine. When I do talk, they think I’m scary.” His jaw tensed. “Ain’t really much middle ground.”

You set your mug down gently and turned fully toward him. The light from the TV caught on the edge of his shell, outlining him in silver.

“Raph,” you said softly, “you’re not too much.”

He blinked. Slowly looked up at you.

“And you’re not scary. You’re protective. You feel deeply. And that’s not a flaw. It’s… rare.”

He didn’t say anything, but something in his shoulders loosened.

You smiled gently. “I think that’s why I like being around you. With you, I don’t have to pretend.”

Raph swallowed thickly. “Yeah. Me too.”

The air between you suddenly felt warmer. Closer.

You looked at each other for a long time. Something passed unspoken. Not quite romantic, not quite platonic. Just something real.

Raph let out a soft grunt. “Y’know… bein’ alone sucks.”

“Yeah,” you agreed. “It really does.”

“…But bein’ lonely with someone else?” He looked at you with something vulnerable in his eyes. “That don’t suck so much.”

You felt your throat tighten, but you smiled anyway.

“No,” you whispered. “No, it really doesn’t.”

There was a moment of stillness, like the world around you had gone quiet, like you and Raph were the only two people in it. You both sat there, neither moving, neither speaking and yet, something between you shifted permanently in that space.

The silence wasn’t lonely anymore.

Raph glanced at you again, almost shyly.

“You uh… wanna stay a bit longer?”

You nudged your shoulder into his gently.

“I was already planning on it.”

⸻

You were curled up beside him on the couch. Mikey had long since passed out on the floor, and Donnie had retreated to his lab. Even Leo had disappeared to his room with a book and a sigh of peace.

But you and Raph remained.

The TV flickered silently now, muted, casting soft shadows across the Lair.

You were half-asleep, your head resting lightly against Raph’s shoulder, his arm stretched along the back of the couch like a quiet guard.

For once, he didn’t feel like too much.

And for once, you didn’t feel like not enough.

And together, just like that the loneliness began to fade.

Not because it was fixed.

But because you weren’t carrying it alone anymore.

————-

Hey there! I hope you’re all doing well! The topic of this one-shot is quite heavy, but I wanted to talk about it.

I was a bit inspired by events from my own life, because I’ve needed to pour my emotions into writing for a while now.

If you’re feeling lonely, remember that no matter what, you’re not alone in this.

Someone who truly deserves you will come into your life eventually 🩷

Enjoy reading!

[chadobi]

The Look of Love

Bayverse Leonardo x Fem!Reader

The lair was glowing, alive with the kind of warmth that only came from mismatched furniture, half-working lights, and the presence of people you didn’t have to pretend around.

April’s laugh cut through the air like a song you never wanted to end, mingling with the excited chaos of Mikey’s voice shouting something about “technically legal Uno moves.” Donnie was trying to explain the rules (for the fifth time), and Raph had just thrown down his cards and declared, “This game is dumb anyway.”

You smiled, curled up on the edge of the couch, watching the dysfunction unfold like a well-rehearsed play. And yet, despite the comfort of it all, your mind felt distant, adrift.

You rose quietly, unnoticed in the blur of playful accusations and flying playing cards, and made your way toward the kitchen.

It was dimly lit, washed in soft gold from the overhead lamp. The walls still carried faint traces of past meals and late-night laughter. You reached for a glass in the cabinet, already picturing the taste of cold water, when…

He was there.

Leonardo stood near the counter, his back to you, the mug in his hand still steaming.

You paused.

He turned at the sound of your step, slow and instinctive, eyes landing on yours. His expression shifted, subtle, but noticeable. Just enough to catch your breath off-guard.

“Oh,” he said, not startled but definitely surprised. “Didn’t hear you come in.”

You swallowed. “Didn’t mean to sneak up on you.”

A ghost of a smile tugged at his lips as he turned back to his mug. “You didn’t. I just wasn’t paying attention.”

The air felt different now. Not tense, but… aware. Like even the quiet between you two was watching.

You moved to the sink and filled your glass. From the corner of your eye, you could feel him still there. Unmoving. Present.

“So,” you said, breaking the silence softly, “needed a break from Uno madness?”

He exhaled a breath that might’ve been a laugh. “You have no idea. Mikey and April teamed up, and now it’s not even Uno anymore. It’s some mutant version called ‘Undefeated Mikuno.’”

You snorted into your glass. “I don’t know if I’m impressed or horrified.”

“Both’s a safe bet.”

You turned, leaning back against the counter across from him. He mirrored the posture, arms folded casually over his broad chest. His hoodie was slightly too small for him now, tight across his shoulders. You’d seen him train, fight, lead, always with control. But here, in the warm quiet, he seemed… softer. A little more human.

Your eyes met.

It wasn’t intentional.

Or maybe it was. Just a second too long.

Something flickered there, between the space of a breath and a blink. It didn’t speak, didn’t demand. It just existed, like a light between two rooms.

You didn’t look away.

Neither did he.

It wasn’t intense, wasn’t wild. It was quiet. But it burned. A stillness that made the blood in your neck rush warm and visible under your skin.

The look of love, the rush of blood.

Not love, you told yourself. Not yet. But something.

Something enough to make the world feel a little less steady under your feet.

His gaze was unreadable in that moment, but not cold. If anything, it was too open. Like he forgot to build the walls in time. And you were suddenly aware of just how close he was. How little space separated the tips of your toes from his.

His lips parted, as if to say something, but no words followed. Just another breath. Another moment suspended.

Then…

“Yo, Raph! You owe me twenty bucks!”

Mikey’s voice pierced the silence like a stone through glass.

You startled, nearly dropping your glass. Leo flinched too, blinking rapidly and straightening up.

You both turned toward the entrance of the kitchen.

There, in the dim archway, were all of them. Donnie, Mikey, April, and Raph. Peeking around the corner like the world’s least discreet spies.

“We were literally betting on how long y’all would stare at each other,” April whispered, covering her mouth like it would muffle her amusement. “I said four minutes. Donnie said three and a half. Raph said…”

“…that it was weird and I didn’t wanna talk about it,” Raph grunted, arms crossed but unmistakably smug.

“I said nothing!” Donnie protested. “But I did start the stopwatch.”

Leonardo sighed heavily and rubbed a hand down his face. His cheeks were dusted with a deeper shade of green.

“You guys are unbelievable,” he muttered, already stepping toward the doorway.

“Wait!” Mikey grinned, wagging a finger. “We’re just saying-if you’re gonna be all moony-eyed in the kitchen, you could at least give us popcorn!”

“Out. Now,” Leo deadpanned, voice low but firm, ushering them back like a grumpy shepherd.

They scattered with laughter echoing behind them, leaving only faint shadows of teasing behind.

You turned away quickly, letting out a long breath and pressing your cool glass to your cheek. Your heart was pounding and you were very aware of it.

You bit your lip to keep from smiling.

“They’re never gonna let us live this down, huh?” you asked softly.

He shook his head, running a hand along the back of his neck. “Not a chance.”

A pause. Not awkward. Not anymore.

“I’m sorry if that was… weird,” he added after a beat. “Just… didn’t expect…”

“No,” you cut in, then smiled, eyes flicking up to meet his. “Don’t apologize. It wasn’t weird.”

He looked at you for a long second. Then, nodded, slow, thoughtful.

“Good.”

There was a comfort in the silence that followed, like the moment had passed but left something behind. Not a confession. Not even a plan. Just a mutual, quiet understanding that something had happened. And maybe that was enough for now.

You nudged his shoulder gently as you walked past him, glass still in hand.

“I’m heading back before Mikey starts narrating our nonexistent love story to the entire sewer system.”

Leo smirked, following you a step behind. “Too late. He’s probably already drafting the fanfiction.”

You both laughed quietly, and for a moment, the world felt smaller again, just you and him, and a flicker of something waiting beneath the surface.

Not love.

But maybe something that would become it,

In time.

[chadobi]

You Don’t Get to Leave Me

Pairing: Rise!Leonardo x Fem!Reader

Genre: Angst, Friends to Lovers, Emotional Confession

The rooftop was quiet in that special, after-battle kind of way,the kind where everyone breathed a little deeper, laughed a little louder, because they knew they were lucky to be here.

The city sparkled below, dusted in post-storm starlight.

The turtles sat in a circle with April and Casey Jr., pizza boxes scattered around them like trophies of survival. There was a warmth in the air, not from the wind, but from relief. From family.

Everyone was talking. Laughing. Joking about Donnie’s dramatic portal dive. Mikey’s hero moment. Even Raph teased Leo for his “near-death, sacrifice-the-team-for-drama” tendency.

Everyone but you.

You sat at the edge of the rooftop, legs pulled in close, arms wrapped around yourself. You hadn’t said a word since they pulled Leo back through that portal. Since he stumbled out of the void half-frozen, half-broken, but smiling like it didn’t matter.

Like he hadn’t just almost died.

He kept glancing your way, trying not to make it obvious. You could feel his eyes on your back. But you couldn’t look at him yet.

Not without falling apart.

You heard him laugh. Heard his voice, tired and raspy, but still somehow steady. Alive. And with every second, something inside you just kept winding tighter. A rubber band stretched to its breaking point.

April tossed you a glance now and then, brows furrowed.

Casey Jr. offered you a piece of pizza. You took it, but didn’t eat.

Donnie asked if you were okay.

You nodded once. That was all they got.

And Leo, he kept quiet too, at least when it came to you.

Until finally, when the others got distracted by a story Mikey was acting out with far too much flair, he rose and walked toward you.

Careful. Slow.

You didn’t turn.

“Hey…” he said softly, kneeling beside you. “You’ve been awfully quiet.”

Still nothing.

He shifted his weight, glancing sideways at you. “Did I do something?”

Your jaw clenched. You gripped your sleeve.

He hesitated. “I mean, besides almost sacrificing myself in a collapsing interdimensional prison. Which, okay, yeah… was maybe not my best plan ever.”

That did it.

You stood up so fast the movement startled him.

“Not your best plan?” you snapped. “You think this is a joke, Leo?”

His eyes widened. “No - I just meant -”

“You almost died.” Your voice cracked. “You were gone. That portal was closing, and you…you weren’t…I thought…”

Your throat closed up.

Everyone fell silent.

Raph stopped chewing. Mikey froze mid-gesture. Even Donnie looked up from his phone.

Leo stood slowly, hands lifted like you were a wild animal he didn’t want to spook.

“I wasn’t trying to scare you,” he said gently. “I just… I had to. There was no other-”

“There’s always another way!” you shouted, tears springing to your eyes. “But you didn’t even stop to think about us! About me!”

He flinched.

The city lights blurred behind your tears, but your voice didn’t falter.

“You’re not just a leader, Leo. You’re my best friend. You’re…You’re everything to me. And you were just going to throw your life away like it didn’t matter. Like we wouldn’t be left to live without you!”

He opened his mouth then closed it.

You stepped closer, voice trembling. “You always act like your life is expendable. Like the mission comes first, no matter what. But what about us? What about the people who’d have to live in a world without you?”

He was silent.

You shook your head. “I couldn’t breathe when you disappeared. I thought… I thought I’d lost you. And all I could think was that you’d never know, you’d never know that I…”

You bit your lip. Swallowed. “That I love you.”

Gasps. Somewhere, Mikey dropped a slice of pizza. April whispered a soft “oh.”

Leo’s eyes widened.

“I love you,” you repeated, softer now. “And I’m so, so angry at you… because you were willing to leave me behind without even knowing that.”

The silence stretched, thick and aching.

Then Leo took one step forward.

Then another.

Then he was in front of you, gently taking your hands in his, his thumbs brushing over your knuckles like a silent apology.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just… I couldn’t watch any of you die. I thought it was the only way to keep you safe.”

You looked up at him, tears slipping silently down your cheeks.

“You idiot,” you breathed. “We’re only safe when we’re together.”

He let out a shaky breath and then wrapped his arms around you.

You melted into him. Wrapped your arms tight around his waist and buried your face in his plastron. He was warm now. Solid. Real. No longer just a memory or a nightmare.

Leo rested his chin on top of your head.

“I love you too,” he said. “I think I’ve been in love with you for a while now. I was just too scared to say it out loud.”

You laughed through the tears, a soft, broken sound.

“Don’t ever scare me like that again.”

“I won’t,” he whispered. “Not ever.”

And behind you, the others slowly smiled.

Donnie gave a knowing look to April. Mikey wiped at his eyes a little too dramatically. Raph smirked, whispering something like “Took ‘em long enough.”

But it was Casey Jr. who watched the longest.

Sitting quietly by the edge, legs swinging, he watched as the two of you stood there wrapped in each other, framed by city lights and stars. His lips curled into a soft smile, the kind born from deep memory and warmer days long gone.

Because he remembered.

He remembered the two of you in the future, the quiet strength of your partnership. The way you’d bicker and banter and steal little glances when you thought no one was looking. The way you always had each other’s backs, always reached for each other’s hands in the worst of times. The kind of love that didn’t need words.

You didn’t know it yet, but this was the beginning of that love.

And from where Casey sat, he smiled not because he hoped it would last.

But because he already knew it would.

——————————

Okay, after watching the movie I got such a burst of inspiration that I immediately started writing ahaha. Well, I hope you’ll like it!