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Splinter Week Day 6: Seasons

It was nowhere near as terrifying as it had been the first winter but Splinter could never quite stifle the flutter of nerves when the cold seemed to sap all the life out of his sons.

They picked listlessly at their food with little interest; even Michelangelo, with his commonly voracious appetite, couldn’t be bothered to finish a full meal. The characteristic, childish resistance at bath time vanished; they would sink and soak until their scales were pruny. With each new dawn they burrowed deeper and deeper into their meager bedding. That first year Splinter’s heart had jumped out of his chest when he woke to find no sign of Leonardo; it was only after he had torn most of the nest apart that he spotted him tucked far underneath the old newspapers and cardboard against a mossy corner of the wall.

One by one his brothers had joined him; one by one they awoke when the days rewarmed. Even if Splinter was now more familiarized with the interim weeks, it didn’t make them any easier.

When the boys were at their rowdiest, endlessly pestering, throwing tantrums, picking fights, he’d find himself longing for a scrap of solitude, a moment of peace. But this season of isolation, with little to do but watch over their sleep…the quiet was such a stark contrast, so much louder than they ever were.

What would he do, the distant, dripping echo of the sewers asked coolly, if they didn’t wake up this time? What would he be without them?

Hopefully he would never have to answer that question. In the meantime he would drown it out with the scrape of his nails tracing soothing circles into their shells, the faintest whisper of their sluggish breaths, and his own prayers for a short winter.

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Headcanons for which turtle gives the best most convincing puppy eyes?

I mean the most natural surface level answer would be Mikey. We've seen 2012 Mikey's puppy eyes in action, they are pretty pristine

And Rise Mikey's got the whole family wrapped around his finger and he knows it and will not hesitate to go mad with the power of the puppy eyes as needed

But I wouldn't say it's Mikey in every universe!

In 2003 I'm inclined to say Donnie. Everybody's got the lowkey-not-so-lowkey soft spot for Don, he's the unspoken glue that holds them together! (SAINW proved as much) And while Mikey's probably pulled his puppy eyes out pretty often, possibly to the point of desensitization, Don would probably save his as a last resort secret weapon. They're so unexpected and soulful that one can't help but be blindsided! It's super effective!

And in 1987 it's definitely Raphael. I will accept no arguments after The Making of Metalhead episode. When he's sick and he's like "You're leaving? But who's going to look after us till we're better?" 🥺 Look at him, he is the pleading emoji. But wanting to be spoiled when he's feeling particularly miserable is probably one of the only occasions he calls on them; he's got the snarky reputation to maintain, after all

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posh

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June of Doom Day 13: Electrocution

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Splinter Week Day 5: Nourish

“Rooibos tea,” Splinter mused aloud as if to himself, though he was fully aware he wasn’t alone. “Although she was unfamiliar with it, Ms. O’Neil was kind enough to seek it out on my request. It is praised for its reduction of pain, inflammation and anxieties.”

All of which he sorely needed now, after his time in Oroku Saki’s clutches; being suspended in chains for so long had the joints in his arms pulsing and crackling with every shift. After a measured breath against the ache and a slow sip of his tea, savoring the warm, nutty richness, he met his son’s eyes in the dark to offer a more direct invitation.

“Come, Raphael. Sit, share a cup with me. From what I have heard, you suffered great pains of your own in my absence.”

“…Leo tell ya that? Drama king,” Raphael huffed to disguise his hitched wince as he pushed himself upright and maneuvered past his sleeping brothers. “Whatever he said happened, it—it was nothin’, Master Splinter. I’m fine.”

The fact that he actually accepted the cup Splinter poured for him, however, spoke volumes. The momentary rattle of the saucer as his stalwart hands shook said even more. Tensing, he went to speak hurriedly over the sound, only for his voice to shrivel as Splinter closed a hand around his for support. The kind touch only worsened the tremor.

“You are not fine. Not yet,” he murmured. “Nor am I. But since you are more concerned with my wellbeing than your own right now, know that it would do me a lot of good to see your hurts soothed too.” Raphael swallowed with audible difficulty as Splinter thumbed his scuffed knuckles. “We are safe. Now we must be sustained so we may heal together. Please, drink.”

He drank.

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Help, why are they so extra

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The Glamrock Band!

My first time drawing them, and honestly my first time drawing this much fnaf in a long time. Hopefully I've done their fans proud. If not, I still have a lot of time to practice. :)

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Splinter Week Day 4: Break Day/Promote an existing work

I'm pretty proud to promote my Turtle Tot One Shots series, which is exactly what it sounds like: exploration of the turtles' childhood and how Splinter adapts to whatever curveballs new parenthood throws at him! Registered Ao3 users can find the whole series here or if you want links to the individual fics here on Tumblr:

Hunger (I want it so bad, I can taste it)

Drowning Out

What's Yours is Mine

Tear Down, Build Up

Swing and a Miss

Out of Depth

More Than He Could Chew

Better Safe Than Sorry

Enjoy!

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Day three: legacy

Battle nexus episode makes me go bonkers bouncing off the walls kinda crazy

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Splinter Week Day 3: Tradition

Splinter didn’t often have the luxury of fully immersing himself in and processing age-old memories and emotions. Life with his new family moved so fast, he knew they would all be better off if he was fully present for every moment.

That said, he was still conscientious enough of the past to carve out one day a year.

Given the circumstances he could obviously never attend a formal funeral for his Master Yoshi and Tang Shen. Upholding what he knew of tradition was a challenge with the unworthy humble accommodations and offerings of the sewer but regardless he tried.

For a while he could pretend it was just him and the shadows cast on the walls by the candle…imagine the shadows were those of his loved ones gone, believe the warmth of the charcoal and ash was their hands on him. But with four young sons, solitude was a rare luxury too.

“Papa?” Leonardo ventured at the entryway, quietly cautious as he realized he’d interrupted something but also too curious to back out. “…That smells good. What are you doing?”

“This is powdered incense. I am burning it in remembrance and respect of people I have loved.”

“Oh.” He sounded faintly puzzled; of course he wouldn’t know of anyone else Splinter had cared so much about besides him and his brothers. Splinter wasn’t ready to tell them the full story, not yet. But now that he was here… “Can I try? To respect them too? If you loved them, they must have been really good.”

Dear, considerate boy. The warmth made Splinter’s eyes sting and his heart ache as he smiled at him. “Of course, my son. You honor me as you honor them. Please bow. Now come here. With your right hand, take a small pinch of incense…”

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Splinter Week Day 3: Legacy

Splinter had wondered offhandedly once when he first found the turtles (and so, so many times less offhandedly since then, countless times in the dead of night when every fear and doubt crept in and clenched close to his heart) what he was getting himself into, bringing them into his life. More importantly, he wondered what kind of life he was getting them into.

His past was a ruin of anger, loss and grief. His future, their future? Sometimes it didn’t feel like they had one. They felt so small under the surface of the world, huddled close against the dark and the damp and the cold. But they were together and that had to count for something. They got through one day to the next. That was something.

Was that to be the whole of the life he offered them? Mere survival, one gray day after another with precious little to show for it? Was that really a life?

He wondered. He wavered. He wanted. He poured everything he could have wanted into those little creatures, whenever and however he could, and hoped it was enough. All the lost time he craved with his beloved master, he offered them. What else did they have down here but time? Each other. They were his life, his world.

They still were, even after their world expanded to let surface light and shadows in, even after they couldn’t huddle away anymore. He was terrified, letting them go to face it head on, but such was life.

The nights they returned standing tall and grimly proud, hearts large and eyes afire, delivering news of people they had saved—or stopped—he didn’t have to wonder. The future was theirs to take. His privilege was to watch as they earned it and then some.

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THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING 2003 | dir. Peter Jackson

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If I had a nickel...

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If You Give a Raph a Towel

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Cute little turtle tots

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Your dad made you follow instructions, didn’t he?

(closeups)

sooooo my thought process is like. mike couldnt (or maybe didnt want to) see all the shit his dad was doing, and if you wanna go the nightmare chamber route, will literally controlled what he saw for possibly years. cc spent his last week being completely ignored by everyone around him, he cried and cried but no one would listen to him. liz died bc she didnt listen to her dad, possibly the only time she was ever disobedient.

it gets reversed later, when mike is the only one who has seen and knows everything that the company is trying to hide, the only way to set everyone else free is by giving cc the birthday he always wanted, and liz spends years being a perfectly obedient robot, only to break free and then immediately fall for someones manipulation again. these kids just make me sad, man.