#Donatello appreciation post

[deadtiredghost]

a donnie appreciation post cause I haven't posted much about them yet

I didn't realise I made 30.... I was just focused I guess hehe

Guess imma have to do this for all of them now- oh well

[tangledinink]

5K DTIYS! I cannot believe there's so many of you now!!! I am positively flattered and tickled, so I wanna give out some prizes to thank y'all! Winners will be randomly selected-- Artists and writers alike are welcome to participate and get added to the raffle pool! Further details/rules below the cut.

Not an artist? That's OK! Write something that you think could be in this magazine-- an article, an interview, a quiz, etc-- and that will count as a submission!

Deadline is Halloween, 'cause it's fun. 10/31/23. There's no deadline for participating-- that's just the deadline to be added to the raffle pool to get a Fun Prize.

I'll draw two winners ('cause Gemini, get it?) I'll draw a small comic (2-5 pages) for 'first' place, and I'll do a sketch for 'second' place! I do reserve the right to decline any requests that I'm not comfortable drawing.

Submissions don't stack. Drawing AND writing something won't get you in the raffle twice, though you're welcome to do both if you feel so inspired!

Please tag me and use #gemini5kdtiys ! Otherwise the submission may not be counted. If you tag me and it doesn't seem like I've seen it (I don't like and/or reblog it,) feel free to nudge me!

You gotta be following me to be added to the raffle pool!~

THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE SUPPORT AND FOR 5K FOLLOWERS ; w ; this is a rule.

[fabuloustrash05]

Why I Love 2012 Raphael

A TMNT 2012 Character Appreciation/Character Analysis Post

If you know me or follow me here or on Instagram then you know that my favorite Ninja Turtle is Raphael. More specifically, Raphael from the TMNT 2012 series. Nowadays, this version of Raph gets a lot of unfair hate from fans (new and old), which I find to be ridiculous. So I decided to show this turtle in red some love and express my reasons as to why I love 2012 Raphael. 

To start, I wanna give some love and appreciation to Raphael’s voice actor, Sean Astin. His voice was perfect for the role. I feel so many other Raphael voices try too hard to make him sound manly and more of a giant muscular brute, often forgetting that he is just a teenage boy. Sean does a good job making Raph sound tough when needed, but still making him sound like he is a teenager. He does a great job balancing Raph’s rude attitude but also his gentle and sweet side as well. Also he nailed those girlish screams! XD I feel voice actors nowadays don’t get a lot of recognition, so I wanted to show my appreciation here.

The biggest thing I love about Raphael is his development in the show. I’d argue he had the most/best character development among the four Turtles. We all know how he is in the beginning of the series, being rude, hotheaded, constantly picking fights with Leo and other characters. The show makes it obvious that Raph in S1-2 is scared of his own emotions and feelings, the only time he truly opens up and expresses himself is when he talks to his pet turtle, Spike. The best way I can describe Raph’s character is that he is the “tough guy with a heart of gold” trope. I believe one of the show’s producers, Ciro Neili, even confirmed that was their intention when creating Raph’s character for the show. Raph is a brute, a hothead, but deep down he's a big softie. A lot of Raphael haters seem to forget or ignore that fact about his character. Yes, he is mostly known throughout the fandom to be the hothead, he is the muscle of the group, but he is also the protector. Raph knows that, so if he comes off as weak, then he loses that title. Deep down Raph, and the people around him, know that he is a big softy who loves and cares for others, but he keeps up this tough guy persona in order to protect and seem strong for the ones he loves most. 

As the series goes on Raph learns to open up to others, he grows to respect Leo as a leader and seems to control his temper way more by Season 5. On rewatch I notice in S4-5, Raph only ever gets mad for valid/understandable reasons, mainly when someone is hurting/threatening his loved ones. How did this happen? I believe Raph’s development started when he lost Spike in season 2.

Slash and Destroy is one of my favorite Raphael focused episodes and I will stand by and say that this episode was the beginning of Raph’s character development. In the episode, Raph’s pet Spike gets mutated and becomes Slash, targeting and attacking Raph’s brothers. As a reminder, up to this episode, the only person Raph could express his true feelings to was Spike. Everytime Raph ranted negatively about his brothers, Spike was there to hear it, causing him to have a negative view on Leo, Donnie and Mikey. Slash shows pure hatred for the brothers, especially Leo. After brutally attacking Leo, Slash smiles and says “Been looking forward to that for a long time.” The mutagen warped Slash’s brain, making him go crazy and viciously attack Raph’s brothers because like Raph said earlier in the episode, he doesn’t need them. Raph gets a visual representation of his words and negative thoughts towards his brothers in action through Slash. Slash’s purpose in this episode is to represent all of Raph’s anger and frustration he’s had for his brothers over the years based on what he told Spike. By the end of the episode, Splinter comforts Raph and suggests that he should “focus on the friends he has in the present''. For all of Raph’s life, he trusted and relied only on Spike, but Spike is now gone, so Splinter indirectly advises his son that it is time to trust and rely on others, to not bottle up his emotions, advice that Raph takes.

As the show goes on, Raph slowly progresses, opening up more to others, which will eventually lead to him having two great things in his life come season 4 (but we’ll talk about them later).

Casey was another part of Raph’s development that some fans don’t notice. Donnie makes a comment that Casey being around is like having two Raphaels. While Raph and Casey become best friends because of their similar personalities, Casey is also a reflection of Raph. When around Casey, Raph has to be the level headed one, the responsible one. He criticizes Casey for not being stealthy like a ninja in the S2 episode Newtralized and not planning ahead in the fight (remind you of anyone? *cough* Leo *cough*). When they first meet, Raph gives Casey the same exact advice his father gave him earlier in the episode that “anger is a dangerous alley”. Casey is a more reckless version of Raph, something Raph unknowingly sees and tries to help and protect, he has to be the mature one in their dynamic, opposite to when he’s teamed up with Leo and gets to be the rebel again. It’s like he’s getting a taste of his own medicine.

Not to mention, Raph met Casey after he lost Spike, having a new friend he can rely on. Later on in the episode Newtralized, after meeting Slash, Casey says, “Is that your old pet turtle? The one who got mutated?”. This little piece of dialogue is so important to Raph’s character but it sadly goes over a lot of people’s heads. It indirectly tells us that off screen, Raph has opened up to Casey and told him about a traumatic and hard time in his life. Progress that we will continue to see as the show goes on.

Season 3 Raph at the Farmhouse was the peak of his character development! Raphael took charge in that arc. He became the temporary leader of the group when Leo was out of commission due to his injury. After losing their father (reminder they thought Splinter was dead by this point), being chased out of their home and the city, and losing to one of their greatest enemies, Raph stepped up. He took care of everyone. He made sure that Donnie, Mikey and even April kept up with their ninja training, he was the one who is always prepared during an attack or new threat (ex: when he and the others were trapped in the geyser in the episode Eyes of The Chimera and he was the only one with a grappling hook to help them get out, criticizing his brothers for not being true ninjas and how they should be prepared for anything). April even states that for months, Raph stayed by Leo’s side when he was in his coma, refusing to eat or sleep, and when Leo did wake up, Raph was the first to help him get back on his feet, taking him out on walks to help get his strength back. 

Raph not only was there for Leo, but he was there for Donnie. After Donnie gets heartbroken when April rejects his music box gift in the episode A Foot Too Big, Mikey is sympathetic, but Raph hits Donnie with a much needed reality check. He tells him bluntly “It's never gonna happen, Donnie. We're mutants. She's a girl. You're a giant talking turtle. The sooner you get used to it, the better.” Even with that though, Raph acknowledges his brother’s broken heart and quickly tries to cheer Donnie up and get his mind off April with some training. Then later in the episode, when Donnie expresses how uncomfortable he is with Big Foot’s romantic gestures, Raph once again nails it perfectly by telling him, “Now you know how April feels.” Some may say what Raph said was mean and how he should’ve put him down more gently, but in truth this was something Donnie needed to hear and no one else was gonna do it any time soon! Someone had to open his eyes to the situation, and Raph was the perfect candidate. 

The final brother dynamic in the farmhouse arc with Mikey and Raph was little when it came to screen time, but Raph still shows how much he loves his little brother after Mikey gets captured by the Punk Frogs in the episode The Croaking. As soon as he sees Mikey, Raph drops everything mid fight to hug his brother, relieved for his safety, though the hug abruptly ends after Raph and Mikey find the situation to be “weird”, a very brotherly response if you ask me XD 

With this, we know full well how much Raph loves his brothers. Despite his “lone wolf” attitude in season 1, Raph makes it clear from the very beginning that he does care about his brothers more than anything else in the world. He's loyal, he stays by his brothers' side and has admitted countless times that he would rather die than see them get hurt. "I have no problem risking my own life, but risking my brothers?" (S1 ep14) and he states this again in the next season, “Sorry, Slash. My brothers come first, no matter what.” (S2 ep7). Raph makes it clear (to the audience) that his brothers and his family always come first (so I don’t know why fans keep saying he hates them).

Also, anyone that says that he abuses and is a bully to Mikey needs to go touch some grass because that is a big fat lie and you obviously didn't watch the show (or you're an only child). Brothers are going to fight and pick on each other. That is normal! As someone with an older brother (who is much like Raph btw), I can confirm that siblings to this and in the end we still love each other and have each other’s backs. Out of all the brothers Raph is the most protective of Mikey. The second he learns that Mikey is hurt or someone wants to harm him he is the first going in for the attack or the first one to take action to protect Mikey and bring him to safety.

I mentioned this earlier, but I love how Raph grows/learns to respect Leo as a leader, though he still questions his brother’s judgment from time to time. By season 5, in the episode The Forgotten Swordsman, Raph and Mikey are out on patrol and start talking about Leo. Mikey expresses concern for Leo to which Raph says “He just misses Master Splinter. Being sensei's hard on him. I just wish we knew-”. Raph gets cut off, so we never know what he was going to say, but I headcanon he was going to say “I just wish we knew how to help him.” Raph acknowledges Leo’s growing stress and pressure of being the new sensei after Splinter’s death and he wants to help out anyway he can, but he (and everyone else) just don’t know how. He looks up to and respects Leo and cares about him a lot more than fans and even he himself believe.

Though we see very little moments of them, my overall favorite brother dynamic is Raph with Donnie. I like how Raph is the only brother who is direct and tries to help Donnie move on from his crush on April because he worries and cares for Donnie and knows he’s sensitive when it comes to his feelings. Even when Raph shows disapproval of Donnie’s crush on April, Raph will still be a wingman for Donnie. In the episode Operation: Break Out, after rescuing April’s dad from the Kraang prison, Raph starts hyping Donnie up in front of April to make him look good. Also Donnie refers to him and Raph as “The New A Team” in the episode Arena of Carnage (Mikey does too at one point in another episode, but later he calls him and Raph “Team Awesome”). I just think Donnie and Raph are a fun team and a very underrated sibling duo of “brains and brawn” in the series. It deserves more love and attention from fans.

I’ve talked about how much Raph cares for and is loyal to his brothers, but he is the same towards his friends too. He's protective of April, being the one to go rescue her from the Kraang in the episode The Kraang Conspiracy. He’s even the one who’s words get to April when she was possessed by the alien Za-Naron in the episode The Power Inside Her, reminding April about how much she cares for Donnie which gives her the strength she needed to free herself from Za-Naron’s control. Raph shows he cares for Casey's safety when they do dangerous missions that are out of Casey’s element and was the one who made sure Casey was safe when he was cursed by Alopex’s blade in season 4, and despite their past, Raph is always worried and shows concern for Slash.

Raph shows throughout season 2 that he has faith in Slash to turn to the side of good (something Raph gets proven right about later on). Raph is even one of the first people to trust Slash when he returns with his new team The Mighty Mutanimals in season 3, despite Leo's harsh judgements and suspicion.

The strange thing is, it is usually the other way around, with Leo wanting to make allies and Raph being the distrusting one, a dynamic switch we will see again in season 4…

I can’t make a 2012 Raphael appreciation post/character analysis without talking about the queen herself, Mona Lisa! As mentioned previously, Raph is a softie, and one of the biggest examples of that is when it comes to his relationship with his love interest, later girlfriend, Y’gythgba aka Mona Lisa. When trying to survive on the ice planet, Raph is the only one to suggest that he and the others should team up with the Salamandrians to find the metal they need to fix their ships and get off the planet. Though Raph’s plan is highly motivated by his newfound feelings for Mona, he knows that it is the best option that can help save his family and friends, and despite Leo dismissing the idea, Raph sneaks off alone to convince the Salamandrians himself. 

Raph’s feelings for Mona Lisa have always interested me, specifically how he fell for her. Unlike his brothers with their love interests being the cliche “love at first sight”, Raph’s was “love at first fight”. We all know how Raph fell for Mona, they fought each other after a misunderstanding and after one good punch to the face Raph was smitten. He quickly began admiring her strength, acknowledging what a power punch she gave him, and amazed by her skills and spirit as a warrior. Raph admits right from the start that he loves Mona because she's “bigger, stronger and a better fighter than” him. He never once feels that his masculinity is being threatened when around her, and throughout their relationship never told her to not be herself. He loves that she's better than him as a warrior and can beat his shell! He shows excitement at the suggestion of him and her sparring together someday in the episode The War for Dimension X. He adores her, and never cares about others' judgment regarding his relationship with her. When Casey laughs at him after discovering his crush on her, instead of denying his feelings or getting angry at Casey and later the others for mocking him (something we would expect Raph to do), Raph instead continues expressing his romantic interest in her to everyone. He opened up about his feelings to others! If S1 Raph met and fell in love with Mona, I’m convinced he would’ve been a tsundere and just be in denial about it the entire time, not wanting to look soft because he has a crush. Raph met Mona at the perfect time in his life. He has emotionally mature. In truth, I think Mona made Raph a better man and was the key to help him continue his character growth throughout the rest of the series.

A good example of how much Raph has changed and matured is when Mona betrayed him in the episode The Evil of Dregg. Discovering that his first love, the one person he trusted “more than anyone in the galaxy” betrayed him, broke Raph’s heart and his fighting spirit. When Mona pleads for forgiveness, you can understand Raph’s anger and now he’s not quick to forgive her, but even when he’s mad at her he still loves her. Look at Raph right before Mona goes off into battle:

If he was truly mad at her, he wouldn’t be looking back, his back would be fully turned, refusing to have his eyes meet with her’s. He looks back at her but he’s not looking at her with anger or hatred, it’s sorrow. Raph still cares, he’s just hurt at the moment. Because of the betrayal, Raph believes that everything he and Mona have been through meant nothing to her, but then Mona assures him that his doubts are wrong when she tells him that she loves him for the first time, and that’s all Raph needed to hear to bring back his fighting spirit and run into battle to join her. Raph even snaps and tries to kill Lord Dregg after he harmed Mona and shows just how far he’ll go for her if someone ever tries to harm her (he does it again in S5 when Bishop insults Mona, he quickly jumps in to defend “his woman”). By the end of the episode, Raph and Mona reconcile. Him forgiving her shows how much Raph has grown as a character. S1 Raph would never have forgiven her, he would’ve held the grudge and not let go of it, but this Raph knows what Mona did was out of her control, she was blackmailed, so Raph did the mature thing, understood her situation, and forgave her. Him forgiving her shows how strong their love for each other is, and they keep on showing how much they love one another throughout the rest of the series. 

Some other little details about Raph’s character that I like is that he's an animal guy. With his first pet Spike and the rooftop pigeons, we see a side of him that everyone else rarely gets to see. This minor trait about his character speaks a thousand words. It shows that he is gentle and caring at heart despite his tough persona he gives out to everyone else. We see this not only with Spike in seasons 1-2, but also later in seasons 4-5 with his new pet, Chompy Picasso.

By the time Chompy enters Raph’s life, he has matured. The purpose for Spike was for Raph to have someone to talk to about his feelings and express himself without judgment. Spike was like a therapy dog. Chompy however is not that. Raph has learned to open up by this point in the story, so he doesn’t need Chompy to talk about his personal problems and frustration as much as he had with Spike. Yes, Chompy is there to listen to Raph but at this point in the story Raph is open and expressive and not afraid to show his feelings to others. Raph has probably mention things to Chompy he still wouldn’t say to others (like in The Tale of Tiger Claw, he talks about Mona Lisa to Chompy, seeming that this isn’t the first time he’s done this), but Chompy isn’t a pet for Raph to vent to, instead he was a way for Raph to learn a new responsibility. Chompy is just a baby who just needs someone to love him, to look after and care for him, and Raph is that someone. He took a big responsibility to take care of Chompy after it was believed that his mother, Tokka, was killed. Raph doesn’t need another therapy dog, no, Chompy needs a caregiver, and when Tokka returns to take back her baby, she sees how much Chompy loves Raph and decides that it is better for him to stay on Earth with Raph where she knows he will be safe. I will always stand by this: Raph needed Spike, Chompy needed Raph.

This is probably an unpopular opinion, but I think Raphael is more similar and a parallel to Splinter than Leonardo is. Leo may be Splinter’s “best pupil” and next in line to be sensei for the Hamato Clan, but Splinter and Raph have a lot more in common than the show’s canon or even the fandom acknowledge and it hurts to think of the wasted potential. Raph obviously inherited Splinter's temper. We see in flashbacks that when Splinter was a young man he had an uncontrollable temper that Shredder could easily manipulate, and we still sometimes see that temper blow up in the show when Splinter is upset and disciplining his sons. There’s more similarities though than just them both being hotheaded. They both have a love and appreciation for art. Splinter mentions in Lone Rat and Cubs that he always wanted to be an artist, and it’s well known he loves the renaissance artists. Raph being an artist is a cute and fun little detail about his character that I really like and you see many times in the show, but fans barely acknowledge. He’s the one who painted the Venus pin up girl on the Party Wagon, he gives his girlfriend the nickname “Mona Lisa” (which he indirectly tells her that every time he calls her Mona Lisa he is reminding her that she is a beautiful work of art), and names his pet "Chompy Picasso" after the artist Pablo Picasso. Not to mention that both men know the pain and fear of the woman you love dying in your arms. I love Raph’s relationship with Splinter in the show, and it’s honestly way more interesting than Leo and Splinter’s.

I love their little “Spike, chew on your leaf…” bit in season 1 and how they bond over the Japanese mantra to help Raph overcome his fear of insects in season 4 (btw Raph being scared of bugs was so fun, I like the trope of the big strong dude being scared of something so small and harmless). The episode ends on a fun note, Splinter tells Raph to not tell the others of the mantra cause he “might use that trick on them one day”, showing that Splinter has a devious fun side to him similar to Raph’s.

Is 2012 Raphael perfect? Not at all. No character is. He still has flaws, but I feel that’s what makes him such a fun character still. I feel he had the best and most character development in the series. I love his voice actor, I love his character development, I love his relationship with his brothers, friends and girlfriend, I love all the little character details about him from his love of animals to his passion in art. It’s just my personal opinion, but I think 2012 Raph is the best version of Raphael. He has faced injustice in this day and age with fans misrepresenting his character and hating him for the wrong reasons. You don’t have to like him, everyone has their own opinions on certain characters and I respect that, but there’s a time when not liking him goes too far with saying he’s a bully and abuses his family. The haters can go argue with a wall, 2012 Raphael is the best and I love him, and I hope this post made you appreciate him a little bit more too <3

[tinkabelle24]

Our first ever commission 🥰

Well, first paid commission 😅 I still have that Valentine's portrait you drew for me way back when ♥️

The red-banded terrapin paused to side-eye Val, who was grinning slyly at him from behind her lashes. Her eyes bugged out when he suddenly snapped toward her, arms outstretched. “I’ll take that hug now-”

"Don’t you dare!” She immediately fled around the dining table, desperate to put some distance between herself and the incoming terrapin. “Get away! Stop! Raph, no... I mean it- ah!”

Donnie and Mikey leapt back, cackling as their brother proceeded chasing the squealing woman around the kitchen. He cornered her almost immediately, leaning into her palm pressed against his plastron.

“I’m dead serious.” Val warned, playfully staring him down. “Come any closer and I’ll smack you.”

~ TBaH, Chapter 11: Into The Light

Thank you so much @android-cap-007 for bringing my story to life 🫂♥️

[auggiedrawsturts]

I haven't posted anything in a while so uhhjh please accept these shitty doodles from some magma sessions with @skillzissue as compensation

[theturtlelovers]

爪ㄖ几ㄒ卄ㄥㄚ 丂卄ㄖㄩㄒㄖㄩㄒ丂

ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ᴍᴏɴᴛʜ, ɪ ᴅɪᴠᴇ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɴᴀʟʏᴛɪᴄs ᴛᴏ sᴇᴇ ᴡʜᴏ's ʙᴇᴇɴ ꜰᴜᴇʟɪɴɢ ᴍʏ ꜰᴀɴꜰɪᴄ ᴀᴅᴅɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴜɴᴡᴀᴠᴇʀɪɴɢ sᴜᴘᴘᴏʀᴛ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏsᴛ ᴀᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴜsᴇʀ ɢᴇᴛs ᴀ sʜᴏᴜᴛᴏᴜᴛ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ, ʟᴇᴛ's ꜰᴀᴄᴇ ɪᴛ, ʏᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴀʙʟᴇʀs ᴏꜰ ᴍʏ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴏs. ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ꜰᴏʀ ɪɴᴅᴜʟɢɪɴɢ ᴍʏ ᴏʙsᴇssɪᴏɴ!

sᴇᴘᴛᴇᴍʙᴇʀ ²⁰²⁰ ᴏᴄᴛᴏʙᴇʀ ²⁰²⁰ ᴅᴇᴄᴇᴍʙᴇʀ ²⁰²⁰ ᴍᴀʏ ²⁰²⁴

[cowboy-in-training]

[cjthestoryteller]

2012 Donatello Appreciation Post

I love him so much!!! 💜💜💜💜

Click here for more TMNT pictures… 😉

[oozedninjas]

Hey, Tim! If it's cool, could I please request what it would be like dating the 2012 boys? If you don't do 2012, then Bayverse please?

By the way, keep up the amazing work 💜

Got some free time today! Hope to post the others soon too. Ily thanks for staying in tune!

2012 / sfw / kissing/ninja guys are late 20's

Leo

Prepare to be protected. At all costs? You can bet so. Against your will? Probably sometimes.

He'd value your safety above anything else.

He would probably plan all your dates, which would always be incredibly thoughtful and romantic. Like rooftop picnics overlooking the city.

Leo always keeps his promises.

He might introduce you to martial arts, meditation, or his favorite shows. It's exciting to share his hobbies with you!

10/10 Leo is respectful and courteous. You will always be treated with kindness, care, and consideration.

The type of boyfriend who carries you bridal style.

His kisses might start hesitant, like testing if you're willing, but quickly overflow with passion if he's reciprocated.

Raph

He's very intense in the way he communicates his feelings. Deeply committed and fiercely loyal.

While he's always there to protect you, he loves that you can fend for yourself and adores seeing you kick ass.

Dates with Raph would be thrilling, often entangling action-coded activities.

His brutal honesty always keeps you leveled on where you stand with him.

Raph loves banter and teasing, so be prepared to keep up with him.

He probably shared with you the story of Spike, and honestly, wtf.

He's the type of boyfriend who carries you like a potato bag. You can't change my mind.

His kisses are always deep and passionate right from the start, biting and sucking at your lips, a bit of growling against your mouth if it gets too steamy.

Donatello

Your personal problem solver: He’d build or fix things for you, always using his skills to make your life easier!

He'd equip you with several tech tools designed only for you, and they're always incredibly mindful: Oh, your charger isn't working? Here! A whole-ass sun-fed battery resistant to water, dust, and hackers.

Donnie would be super supportive of your interests, always eager to learn more about them.

Dates always have a hint of science: aquariums, planetariums, museums, and the best part is the thrill of breaking in the middle of the night. Good thing he has a device to fool security cameras.

He carries you on his back, piggybacking or bridal style when he feels a bit more romantic.

His kisses are sweet and shy at first, eager and needy right after.

He cups your face softly and sighs when you pull apart.

Mikey

Mikey holds your heart in his hands with such heart-warming love and adoration it's almost too sweet.

He would always make his best effort to make you feel loved in the exact way you'd appreciate the most.

He learns your love language by heart and tries to complement the others. He's best at words of affirmation and acts of service.

Always there for you when you need him.

Also incredibly protective!!

Dates with Mikey are always fun and creative! You follow each other into your current hyperfixations or hobbies like painting, skateboarding, and graffiti… we don't talk about this one in front of Leo, tho.

You subscribed him to a cooking master class and everyone in the lair thanked you for it.

He carries you like a potato bag sometimes, and other times he lifts you up so that you embrace him with your legs by the front.

He loves to brush his nose with yours.

His kisses are playful and steamy, with lots of smooches in between. He nibbles at your lips, tasting every corner of them.

[wonderingpanda]

Hallooo!

May I request reader catching the bayboys staring at them? Lovesick, maybe?

I just love the Eugene staring at Rapunzle scene.

Lovesick Stares

Bayverse!Turtles x Reader

Hi! Sorry for not posting in so long, I’ve been really busy the past month. I also want to apologise, there was another Bayverse request in my inbox but I must of accidentally deleted it since I can’t find it anymore. If the person who sent me it wants to re-request it feel free to do so. Now, I decided to not really do headcanons for this one but I wouldn’t call them oneshots either. They’re more like mini-scenarios. Anyway, with that all out the way please enjoy.

Leonardo

I was just in the lair sharpening my katanas when I noticed Y/N sit down next to me. “Mikey becoming too much for you?” “Nah, I’m just tired and don’t feel like skateboarding right now.” They pulled out their phone and began doing something on it but I couldn’t see what. I decided to just focus on my blades since I was losing concentration. After a moment or two I heard the sweet sound of Y/N laughing and turned to see them smiling at some video. I couldn’t help but let my gaze linger for a moment, they were so pretty and calm I couldn’t look away. Y/N must of realised that I had stopped sharpening my swords since they looked over to me curiously. I immediately fixed my eyes on something away from them but I knew it was too late and I’d already been caught. “You do realise you’re staring at mouldy pizza right?” Yup, caught red handed. “Well I mean mouldy pizza can be interesting. Anything can hold a story. You never know this pizza could’ve been through amazing things, lived an incredible life.” “Ah yes an incredible life of slowly dying on a sewer floor.” We laughed together for a moment before Y/N decided to lie their head on my arm and smiled with their eyes glued to their phone. “You know if want to stare at me you can. I do it to you all the time.” “Heh, thanks… wait what?”

Raphael

I swear sometimes my brothers piss me off too much! It was late in the evening and I was beating up a punching bag to let out my rage. I was so focused on hitting the thing that I didn’t realise Y/N had walked in. They leaned against the wall and just looked at me. I stopped what I was doing and turned to face them. “What is it?” “I was just waiting for you to finish up.” “Why? You want to use it?” “I’d appreciate it.” I smirked and stepped aside as Y/N walked up to the punching bag, this was going to be interesting. I was surprised when they began to land pretty tough punches on it. “Wow, who got you so riled up?” They leaned back and rolled their shoulders. “Just an annoying co-worker, don’t worry about it.” They then threw their jacket onto the floor and continued to beat up the punching bag. As they went at it I kept wanting to look at them, their face and arms, eyes, lips… I shook my head and blinked a bit when I saw Y/N staring right back at me. “Is there something you want to tell me or…?” “Uh I think I hear Donnie calling me, I gotta go.” With that, I ran off. All I could do was hope they didn’t read too much into it.

Donatello

I thought it would just be another long night in the lab. I had been spending the night working on a few adjustments to my computers. Some of them were glitching and one had stopped working completely so I was trying to fix them up asap. I figured I’d be alone the whole night since everyone seemed to have already gone to bed but I was proven wrong when I felt a tap on my shoulder. “Agh! Oh Y/N, it’s just you. Wait, Y/N! What are you doing here this late?” “Well I was spending the night studying alone but I got bored, and knowing you I knew you’d still be up and awake in your lab.” “I suppose that makes sense.” I slid my chair to the side slightly and gestured for them to grab the free one I had sitting in the corner. They pulled the chair up next to me and sat down. “Oh, and apologies for not knocking. You didn’t answer before and when I peeked through you seemed so involved in your work that I didn’t want to disturb you too much.” “Not a problem. So, were you wanting to study or join me in my computer repairs.” “I figured I could just study while you do your thing, I was just desperate for some company.” “Understandable. I’ll just get back to this and feel free to ask me if you need any help with your studies.” “Of course. Thank you Donnie.” I grabbed a few of my tools and got back to work as Y/N began researching stuff on their laptop, looking through books and writing notes down. I looked over to them and noticed the way their face scrunched up at certain things, how they seemed so hyper focused on whatever they were typing. They were simply a sight to behold. My thoughts were cut short when Y/N sent me a curious smile. “What?” I figured I must have been staring and gave an awkward laugh, looking away to the computer I was currently fidgeting with. “Nothing.” Soon enough I heard the sound of books closing and felt a heavy weight slump onto my shoulder. “I know I should be heading home right now but I think it’ll be ok if I’m a little late to class tomorrow.” “Goodnight, sleeping beauty.” “Night, turtle boy.”

Michelangelo

I was bored, and I mean really bored. Nothing was happening! Leo and Raph were training together and Donnie was locked up in his lab again. April was busy with Casey, Master Splinter was meditating. I was so close to giving up on everything when a voice filled the air. “Oh guys! Guess what I brought?” I snapped my head around only to find my gorgeous Y/N standing happily with a stack of pizza boxes in their hands. I ran over to them but before I could grab a box they pulled the pizza away from me. “Uh excuse me! You’ll be waiting for your brothers before laying a hand on this pizza.” “Ugh! But everyone else is already busy. I’ll just take a few boxes and be on my way, pretty please?” They gave me a deadpanned look. “Mmm no.” “Well then…” I stepped back and readied myself. “I’ll just have to take it by force.” I lunged at Y/N picking them up and pulling the pizza out of their grasp. “Mikey, put me down!” “Mmm no” “Michelangelo Hamato I swear to god!” They proceeded to grab my face and get close enough to the point their nose touched my snout. “If you don’t put me down safely and hand over that pizza this instant I will beat you up with your own weapons, understood?” I wanted to make some sort of witty comeback but as I looked into their eyes I found myself at a loss for words. I knew they couldn’t really beat me and they knew it too but the determined look on their face was so adorable I wanted to just let them. After a little while I felt something hard flick my forehead. “Ow! What!?” “You zoned out dummy.” “Hey I’m not a dummy! You’re the dummy.” “You sure?” “Uh huh.” “Turn around.” I twisted my head to the side and noticed that all the pizza was gone! I looked back to Y/N only to be met with a fist to the face. But to see their cute face up close it was totally worth it.

I hope this was okay. Again, sorry for not posting in a while. Please have an amazing day/night wherever you are!✨

[fishsticksloser]

Can I request a reader x Future Donnie where Reader is being very stubborn and refusing to let him leave cuddles to work? Like clinging onto him, hanging off of him, etc etc just silly n fluffy?

-Shadow

Self-Care

F!Donnie x gn!reader

Warnings: angst, Donnie is upset, fluff, exasperated Donatello, Kraang future, Donnie needs rest, swearing

A/N: Another late post? Crazy.... I'm very sorry it's so late...

"Donnie?" You ask softly, your hands gently resting on his softshell. You press a soft kiss to the nape of his neck, his body tensing at your touch. His concentration breaks for a moment, turning his head to glance at you, a mix of surprise and irritation in his eys.

"Can't you see I'm in the middle of something here?" He snaps, his voice laced with annoyance. He tries to shrug your hands from his shell, not wanting any distractions. "I've got important work to do, so please, just let me focus." His words come out curt and dismissive, as if he's already moved from the brief interruption.

"You're tense..." You sigh, your hands moving to his shoulders. Donnie's body stiffens even more, his irritation growing.

"I said I don't need your help," he grumbles, his voice strained. "I'm perfectly capable of handling my own stress." His words come out sharp, laced with frustration. Despite his resistance, a small part of him secretly enjoys your touch, but he refuses to let it show.

"Obviously." Considering you haven't eaten all day... Or actually slept in 3." You point out, a tiny hint of sarcasm in your voice.

Donnie's eyes widen in surprise as you pull him away from his desk, effectively blocking his access to his work. He looks at you with a mixture of annoyance and curiosity, his irritation momentarily overshadowed by your actions.

"What are you doing?" He asks, a slight flicker of concern in his eyes. "I told you, I have important work to do. I don't have time for this." Deep down he knows you're right about his lack of self-care, but he's too stubborn to admit it.

"Bed. Now." You point over to your bedroom down, remaining firm as you know the excuses that will come from the stubborn turtle. Donnie's eye narrow at your words, his frustration growing once again.

"Excuse me?" He retorts, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Last time I checked, you don't get to boss me around." He crosses his arms, his stubborness rising to the surface. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myslef, thank you very much. I don't need you telling me what to do." Despite his defiant words, there's a flicker of vulnerability in his eyes, a hint of weariness that he's been trying to hide. He stands, his large form looming over you, but you don't back down. "I won't be treated like a child, and I won't be controlled. So let me get back to work."

"Absolutely not." You shake your head, you hold your ground, letting him know you didn't plan on moving. "Bed now, please."

"I'm not going to bed just because you say so," He answers, his voice firm and resolute. "I have work to do. I can't just abandon all of that because you think I need rest." He crosses his arms over his chest again, his stance unwavering. "I appreciate your concern, but I can take care of myself. I'm not some fragile creature that needs to be coddled." His words come out with a mix of determination and exasperation, his frustration palpable.

"You're such a stubborn ass..." You hugg, crossing your own arms. You knew he could very easily pick you up and move you, but both of you knew the other wouldn't give up. "You can't do your best if you're tired, if you're not eating. So go to bed."

Donnie's eyes narrow at your remark, his frustration reaching its boiling point. He takes a step closer, his towering figure casting a shadow over you. "Stubborn ass, huh?" He mutters, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Coming from someone who's just as stuborn as me." He shakes his head, a mix of irritation and admiration playing across his features. "I don't need you to tell me what's best for me," his voice defiant. "I know my limits, and I know how to push myself. I've been doing it my whole life." His voice tinged with stubborn pride, unwilling to admit he needs a break.

"I'm not going to let exhaustion or hunger stop me from doing what needs to get done." He takes another step closer, his voice lowering to a dangerous growl. "So, if you think you can boss me around and make me do what you want, you're sorely mistaken." He locks eyes with you, a challenge burning in his gaze. "If you want me to rest, you're going to have to make me."

"You know I can't..." You whisper, looking at him with pleading eyes. "Donnie. Please, you're destroying yourself by keeping this up. You haven't slept, you haven't eaten." Your hands hesitantly rise to cup his face, he doesn't pull away, allowing your hands to find their normal place on his cheeks. You see his nose wrinkle, anger filling his eyes. "I know you probably think I'm mean and you probably hate me right now. I honestly don't care what you call me, what you say to me. What matters is your well-being, not me."

Donnie's anger wavers for a moment as he looking into your pleading eyes. He can see the genuine concern etched across your face, and it gives hiim pause. Your words strike a nerve, resonating with a part of him that he often tries to bury beneath his stubbornness and pride. He takes a deep breath, his features softening slightly, but his guard remains up.

"Don't pretend like you know what's best for me," he mutters, his voice filled with vulnerability and defiance. His gaze flickers away from your, his jaw set in a stubborn line. "I can't afford to rest, to be weak. The Kraang won't wait for us to catch our breaths." He hesitates, his eyes darting back to you, his voice quieter. "I appreciate your concern. I know you're just trying to look out for me. Maybe... Maybe I've been too hard-headed."

"Fine." He finally conceds, his voice softer. "I'll rest. I'll eat." His lips quick into a small, weary smile. "But only because you asked, not because you're right. Got it?" he raises his an eyebrow, a hint of his usual sass returning.

As Donnie retreats to the bedroom, his mind is filled with conflicting thoughts and emotions. The weight of his own stubbornness and pride weigh heavily on his shoulders, and he can't help but feel a twinge of guilt for pushing you away. But the scientist in him, the part that is driven by the need to protect his family and defeat the Kraang tells him that he must priotize his work.

In the bedroom, he sits on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands. He knows he needs to rest, he knows that he can't continue pushing himself to the brink of exhaustion. But the fear of failure, the fear of letting his family down, gnaws at him. He want to prove himself, to be the one that saves the day, and he's afraid that if he takes a step back, he'll lose that chance.

His mind races, thoughts and emotions colliding in the chaotic mess. He knows he loves you, he knows you care about him deeply, but the tangled mess of his own insecurities prevents him from fully expressing it. He wants to reach out to you, offer some form of comfort, but he can't bring himself to do it.

Donnie's head turns as he hears the sound of the bedroom door opening. He freezes for a moment, his eyes locking on yours as you step into the room. There's a flicker of surprise in his gaze. He wasn't expecting you to follow him, to bridge the distance that had frown between you.

For a few heartbeats, the room is filled with heavy silence, hsi gaze searching yours as if trying to decipher your intentions. His lips part, as if he wants to speak, but he hesitates, uncertain of what to say.

Finally he breaks the silence, his voice tingerd with longing. "I... I didn't expect you to come in here," he admits, his gaze dropping to the floor for a moment before returning to meet yours. "I... I guess I thought you needed space from me. But if you're here, maybe we can talk. Maybe I can try to explain, try to make you understand." His voice cracks slightly, the vulnerability seeping through the cracks of his usually composed exterior. He takes a deep breath, steeling himself for what he's about to say.

"I'm sorry," He admits, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm sorry for pushing you away, for not being able to fully express... Everything.I care about you, more than I can put into words. But sometimes... Sometimes I get so wrapped up in my own fears that I forget to show it." His eyes never leave yours as he continues, his voice sincer and desperate. "I don't want to lose you. I don't want to be the reason you're hurting. I'm trying, I really am, to find a balance."

He reaches out tentaively, his hands overing in the space between you. "I don't know if you still want me, if you still belive in us. But if you do... If you're willing to give me another chance, I promise I'll work on showing you how much you mean to me." His hands tremble slightly, the vulnerability palpable. "Please," he whispers, his voice filled with hope and fear. "Please tell me we can find a way back to each other."

You step closer, allowing him to grab you hips, pulling you to stand between his legs. You craddle his face gently, shaking your head. "Space? From you?" With a surge of boldness, he leans in, capturing your lips in a tender kiss, pouring all of his love and longing into that single moment. It's a promise, a pledge to fight for your relationship, to never let you doubt his feelings again.

As the kiss lingers, he pulls back slightly, his forehead resting against yours. "I love you," he murmurs, his voice vulnerable and full of adoration. "And I'll spend the rest of my life showing you just how much."

"I love you too." You mumble, your lips finding his again, his heart soaring from your words. As your lips find his again, he surrenders himself to the slow tender kiss, a gentle sigh escaping his lips.

⋆｡ ﾟ｡☁︎👾｡ ﾟ｡⋆

Donnie's eyes flutter open, his mind slowly emerging from the depths of sleep. You whine softly as you feel the bed shift, Donnie sitting up to go back to the lab. You quickly stop the terapin, pulling him back down into bed with you. "Do you have to leave?"

"I have things I need to work on." He admits, his voice laced with regret. "There's always something that needs my attention, somethign I need to fix or improve."

"Well, I'm not allowing it." You huff, moving to lay on top of him. He knew very well that he could easily move you if he so desired, but he didn't.

Donnie lets out a soft chuckle as he wraps his arms around you. "You're a stubborn one, aren't you?" He teases, a playful smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "But I suppose, I'll stay here a little longer, just for you."

[tmnt-tychou]

Bayverse Headcanon - Intimacy

As usual, they are adult age when referring to them in this headcanon. The Bayverse boys are always at least mid 20's in my head.

Raph

Raph is the “What do you want me to do to you?” type of partner. He is Burger King and he is taking orders so you can Have It Your Way. He loves to give in the bedroom and he loves to get feedback that he's doing a good job and that his partner is enjoying what he's doing. He will still get his in the end, but he will happily go all night first, making sure the one he is with is thoroughly satisfied with his performance.

If you turn the tables on him, if you ask him to sit back while you give him love, you are going to blow his little turtle mind. And if you blow other things in the bedroom, he will follow you around like a love-sick puppy for days after. He is a big cuddler and is so nice and warm to sleep with on cold winter nights. And an absolute heater in the summer. In the height of summer heat, he will complain that you don't want to cuddle, even if you both get super sweaty because of it. If it's too hot for proper cuddles, if you put a hand and/or a leg on him while you sleep, he will be satisfied. But you'll probably still wake up drenched in sweat with a massive, hot turtle wrapped around you.

He isn't very good at post-coital pillow talk. Especially talking about himself and his feelings. It may take a few times before you can start coaxing the real stuff out of him. And you will need to be patient. Lay quietly next to him for a while after asking a question and give him proper time to form an answer. He appreciates patience and the silent moments in between.

Donnie

Donatello probably has the lowest sex drive of the four turtles. He's a little bit ace and doesn't need sexual satisfaction all the time. Sometimes too much physical and sexual stimulation overwhelms him, especially at the beginning where he's getting used to being manhandled on the regular. He's hypersensitive to physical touch so be gentle with him at first until he acclimates to having an intimate partner.

But that doesn't mean he doesn't want to be near you, share with you, touch you. He wants to be close and interact with you all the time, he just doesn't need quality time with you to involve sex. If he does have a partner with a much higher libido, he can work his way up to it if you give him some time to adjust. Having a regular sex schedule will do wonders in getting him in the mood more often. If you miss one of your scheduled days, he may even go looking for you.

Donnie needs both physical and mental intimacy from a partner. He is big on communication and is always open to anything you want to talk about concerning the relationship. You can ask him what he likes or ask questions about his body and he is happy to respond with all the information. And he hopes he can ask the same things of you and continue with healthy and open conversations.

Donnie gets super chatty afterwards. He's got all the happy hormones swimming around and he's just feeling good. He wants to tell you about every little thought in his head. If you've got him under a starry sky, it's going to get really deep and philosophical. If you're alone in a bedroom, it will be soft, affectionate pillow talk. Either way, he just wants to talk to you. After your bodies were so close, he wants your minds to also be as close.

Mikey

If you're intimate with Mikey, you're intimate with Raph, because he tells his brother EVERYTHING. More than he ever wanted to know. Raphael knows all about your scars and birthmarks, favorite positions, and that thing you did that one time that really blew his brother's mind. So when you're dating Mikey, get used to knowing looks from Raphael. Maybe even a humorous smirk or two. Unfortunately, you will not be able to get Mikey to stop sharing. He is having such a great time with you he has to tell somebody and that somebody is usually Raphael. Mikey is a very intuitive partner. He checks in often to see if the one he's with is enjoying themselves. It's very important to him that his partner is having a good time and he's good at matching energy with energy in bed. If his partner is suddenly not into it, it crashes his libido. He will want to stop and talk about what happened and what he can do to make you feel better.

He is a firm believer that sex should be fun and enjoyed by both participants. He likes to talk a lot and laugh and joke during intimacy. He gives words of affirmation that he's into you, that he finds you so attractive, that he's enjoying himself. He wants to get the same back in return. He will try anything once. You can speak openly to him about things you want to try or any erotic fantasies you have. He also wants to know what your boundaries are and anything you're not into. He wants to make sure quality intimate time with him is always a good experience and he loves having a healthy sex life full of fun and communication.

He's very much a 50/50 partner. He loves to give, but he also wants to receive in kind. Having a “pillow princess” type partner who lays back and makes him do all the work will not satisfy him for long. He wants an active lover who is into it as much as he is. Someone who matches the energy he brings. He needs to be touched and held and loved on just as much as he wants to touch and hold and love on you.

Also, post-coital snack time will be a regular thing. Hope you're okay with crumbs in the bed.

Leo

Leonardo is a tough nut to crack when it comes to intimacy. He is definitely a 'friends before lovers' type of person. He has to have complete trust in a partner and will open up to them first emotionally before he will ever let them get close to him physically intimately. It takes him a while to allow your touch and even a while after to fully be used to it. But then he will start seeking it out and do more initiating. When he sees you as his, he will pull you into his space more and show you his world.

In the bedroom, he will be experimental at first to figure out what you like. Then, it's going to get pretty predictable. While Leonardo doesn't mind doing all the work—in fact he will work you over every time like it's his job—it will always be the same moves in the same order. Because he knows they are moves you like. But if you also like a little variety and spontaneity in the bedroom, you're going to have to have a discussion with him. Also, he will very much follow your lead. If you start trying new things or being spontaneous, you can inspire him to do the same. And though he will never ask for it, he will be absolutely thrilled if you take over every now and then and love on him.

Leo is one of the guys who will fall asleep on you right after the sexy times. Usually because he's worked hard and physical stimulation is a lot for him. Also, a good orgasm makes him sleepy and you are very soft, warm, and cozy. If you want him to stay up for some pillow talk, you'll need to catch him before he drifts off. And even then, if you talk for too long, you might look over and find a sleeping turtle.

How Mutant Turtle Bodies Work

This headcanon is something that changes from time to time depending on my mood and playing with different ideas. This is what is currently my favorite at the moment of writing this and I certainly don't mind if it doesn't align with yours.

Their genitals are kept inside their shells in a cloaca, but can be dropped or released at will. When they are inside their shells, you can finger and even penetrate them, but you should be gentle. They find it to be very pleasurable, though the attitudes about being penetrated vary from turtle to turtle. Once they are out of their shells, however, you have lost your chance to penetrate them until they release and go back inside. They can get hard and even orgasm while still in their shells. But once they are erect and have dropped from their shells, they can't pull back in until sexual release. Testicles remain in the body at all times and are never visible.

For regular turtles, the genitals are kept in the tail. For mutant turtles, this of course has changed. But they still have a pseudo slit in the tail that's very sensitive. They enjoy having their tail played with: stroked, licked or fingered. They can orgasm from just tail play alone and it can be very intense if you work them just right.

Regular turtles are also known for making a lot of noise during mating and the instinct is there for our boys to be noisy during sexy times. They fight it to varying degrees, depending on the turtle. Some prefer not to be loud and some don't really care how loud they are. You'll get a lot of whines and squeaks from them if you're the one giving them pleasure. (Some turtles will deny it, but they totally squeaked at you.) Of course, the beloved turtle churrs. This comes out more when they're being the dominant ones. Though unlike the purr-like sounds of a contented churr during snuggles, sexually aroused churrs have a bit more of a deeper growl to them.

They can get high off their own post-coital hormones. But it's usually after an intense sexy-times session where their pleasure was the main focus. And probably at least one intense tail-related orgasm. Afterward, they are absolutely useless. Completely stoned on feel-good chemicals, they are just big blobs of snuggly, fluffy turtle. If they try to put sentences together, it's funny as hell. But mostly, they just want to snuggle and nap. They WILL lay on top of you so you can't go anywhere while they sleep off the sexy times.

Tag list:

@thelaundrybitch @leosgirl82 @dilucsflame33 @happymoonangel

@fluffytriceratops @thepinkpanther83 @yorshie @yamanekomono

@androidships007 @raphsmuneca @silversunskyless

[fabuloustrash05]

A Character First, A Love Interest Second: RaMona Did It Right!

((A TMNT 2012 RaMona Analysis))

Something I feel we as a fandom don’t give Raph enough credit for is how he’s the only brother to NOT have a “love at first sight” trope with his love interest Mona Lisa, and I feel that says a lot about his character and relationship with her, not only that, but it saves Mona’s character.

How you may ask? A lot of people don’t seem to realize this, but I love how when Mona Lisa is first introduced she’s not immediately established to be a love interest unlike the other girls. Mona is given some time to be her own character and show off a bit of her personality. For the other girls, there introduction is through the Turtles POV, established as a love interest FIRST then her own character/personality is shown later. This is made clear just from each Turtles reaction when first meeting their love interest. We are introduced to the female character through the “love at first sight” moment!

Donnie

Leo (I hate that I’m using this as an example this but this help prove my point)

Mikey

Edit: I timed it to see how long the girls intros were before they were established as a love interest. Here’s the LINK

I wanna clarify before people start assuming, no, I’m NOT saying that the other 2012 girls have no personality. They do, it just bothers me how they were introduced. Them being the love interest seemed more important to establish to the writers then her own character first.

Meanwhile for Mona Lisa; she’s introduced to the audience NOT the Turtles. This gives her a chance to establish her character/personality first then show her as a love interest later!

We learn just from her introduction scene and even her moment when confronting the Turtles that she is: strong willed, prideful (she’s proud of being the warrior she is and takes her battle’s seriously), stubborn (fight first, ask questions NEVER, like Raph), honorable, loyal (we learn she’s a lieutenant and respects and highly looks to her Commander), and even a bit short tempered (again, like Raph).

Her and Raph even get to speak to each other and have a little banter of threats before romance between them starts to blossom. There is no love at first sight. Unlike the other Turtles who immediately fall in love with the girl just from looking at her and thinking she’s pretty. Their feelings for each other took more time.

Raph did not fall for her looks like his brothers, he fell in love with the person Mona is. Physical attraction (I believe) is very important in a relationship and Raph does show and admits he does in fact find Mona attractive (Ex: calling her a beautiful work of art) but her looks is not what caught his attention. It was her personality, her spirit and capabilities as a warrior! I saw someone mentions this in another post once, but on rare occasions do we get to hear the other Turtles explain exactly WHY they like their love interests other then that they found the girl pretty (Yes, Donnie admits he thinks April is “cool” and Leo says Karai’s “fun” but that’s not enough!), meanwhile for Raph from the very beginning he has his list of reasons ready as to WHY he likes Mona! And he has no shame to admit it proudly!

And throughout the rest of their relationship, we see more of those reasons unfold. We see Raph and even Mona show more reasons as to why they love each other so much. And unlike the others ships, we actually get to see them act and be a couple! They flirt with each other, embrace and hold hands, make out, write love letters to each other, etc. The reason they worked so well is because as I said we get to see them be a couple, but also because Mona got to established herself as a character first before being Raph’s girlfriend.

Many of us can agree that TMNT 2012 failed greatly in the romance department, but they at least did one couple right with the relationship of Raphael and Mona Lisa. So I thank them for that <3

[tmntkiseki]

11. if you're a writer or artist, what fic or piece of art are you proud of making?

I'll include both asks in one post, if that's all right!

11. if you're a writer or artist, what fic or piece of art are you proud of making?

Ahhhh, that's a tricky one because there are several pieces I'm proud of, whether it's something that shows how far I've come learning to draw the turtles or just something that same out really well. Last night's Mikey illustration takes the cake though just because I pushed myself to practice a little foreshortening with his hands and feet.

16. a tiny detail in canon that you want more people to appreciate

Bwaaaaah, TMNT 2003 has so many tiny canon details that I want people to talk about more that it's hard to pick just one. I'll go with this fairly minor animation detail from the pilot episode; when Leonardo grabs Donatello's Shell Cell, Don spins around and tries to get it back; Leo, however, silently wags his finger "no" at him. There are a lot of instances of the brothers silently communicating with each other throughout the series and I just. Love this instance in particular because it is such a sibling interaction.

[goodlucktai]

the way things change

tmnt 2007 word count: 2k post-movie / canon compliant b team & leo-centric

this was my main piece for the @turtlestogetherzine ! it was such a fun project that so many talented people came together on and if you haven’t already you should definitely check out everyone else’s AMAZING contributions !

title borrowed from rivers and roads by the head and the heart

read on ao3

x

Donnie and Mikey have always been something of a matching set. 

During their early years, they went everywhere together. Even when Mikey was at his most irritating and Donnie seemed two seconds away from disposing of him in brutal fashion—even though the two of them could be like night and day at the best of times—they were always on each other’s team first. 

Raph used to call them ‘the twins’ because they were both his younger brothers and they were both, in his own words, tag-teaming little twerps. The twin moniker caught on and even Splinter would use it occasionally. In the back of his mind, Leo still does.

Three weeks after the dust had settled over the remains of Winter Corp, he found himself thinking, Guess some things never change. 

“Donnie, a tablet at the breakfast table?” Leo asks dryly. “Really?” 

Blatant disregard like this for one of sensei’s longest-standing rules was usually much more Raph’s speed. 

Don pauses mid-scroll and thinks for a moment. 

“Mikey, what day is it?” he says eventually.

“It’s the eleventh, dude, you’re good,” is Mikey’s distracted reply. 

He’s making a game out of pouring as much cereal into his bowl as it will physically hold, which has amounted to a sizable mound of off-brand Lucky Charms. Leo is reluctantly curious to see what he’s going to do when he remembers he still needs to add milk. 

Donnie, for his part, immediately goes back to ignoring the rest of them as a whole. 

Raph puts his spoon down. “Explain what just happened.”

“It’s a prime number day,” Mikey says blithely, without looking up from the careful, exacting process of shaking another couple of marshmallow pieces out of the box. “Prime means primo screen-time.” 

Splinter is sipping his tea without refuting Mikey’s explanation, so that must be a thing now. Leo blinks, processing this. He can’t help remembering how it was before he went away, the strict ‘no electronics at the table’ policy, because mealtimes were family times. 

Raph directs his confusion down a different route. “Mike knows what prime numbers are? Since when?”

Donnie looks up from his tablet to angle a narrow look Raph’s way. His warm brown eyes are markedly cooler than before. He clearly didn’t appreciate the joke. 

He’s never been one to pick fights with his siblings. The Donatello Leo knows is a gentle soul, every bit as deadly as the rest of his family, but more inclined to mediate disputes than start one himself. 

So the last thing Leonardo expects is for him to take a page out of Raph’s book at eight in the morning. 

When Mikey starts tapping and humming, Leo can't help smiling a little. It’s a sound he missed in the jungle. 

“God, I can’t even hear myself think around here,” Raph grumbles. 

To Leo’s ears, it’s not unkind. Teasing, but good-natured. Leo knows what Raphael sounds like when he’s ticked off beyond all reason—when he’s angling for a fight and determined to get one, when he’ll say anything to get Leo to punch back—and this is very much not that. 

But something darts through Mikey’s expression that makes the big brother half of Leo’s brain sit up and pay attention. Donnie notices, too. 

“He has ADHD, asshole,” he snaps. “If it bothers you that much, put on some headphones or go away.”

The atmosphere changes on a dime. Splinter’s ears go up, whiskers slicked back. Raph looks as surprised as Leo feels.

“Donnie!” Leo says, more stunned than scolding. 

Donnie puts his tablet down, not quite hard enough to constitute a slam. “Are we really going to pretend that Mikey’s stimming is more annoying than listening to Raph when he’s in one of his moods?”

“Er, no.” Leo briefly looks to Splinter for guidance before he catches himself. “I mean—it’s just the way you said it.”

“The way I said it?” Donnie demands. 

“Dee, knock it off,” Mikey interjects unhappily. “You know I hate it when you guys put me in the middle.”

It pulls Donatello up short. He visibly grits his teeth, then bites out, “Can I be excused?” 

Splinter knows when to pick his battles. It’s a lesson all of his sons could stand to learn. 

“Take your plate, please,” the rat says. 

To Donnie’s credit, he doesn’t storm down the tunnel to the lab, even though it looks like he’d like to. The reinforced door shuts behind him with a decisive clang that rings through the lair. 

Leo feels wrong-footed by the entire exchange. Somehow, in the last three minutes, a comfortable family breakfast went entirely off the rails. 

Mikey isn’t humming anymore. The kitchen feels quieter than it should. 

“Hey, I didn’t mean—” Raph starts uncertainly. 

“Don’t be dumb, I know that,” Mikey says, not looking at anyone. He tips his dry cereal back into the box and then picks at his toast until he’s moved enough of it around that his plate appears halfway finished and he’s allowed to leave the table. 

He does so at a run, booking it to the lab. The door opens right up for him. It was locked the last time Leo tried it. 

And it’s locked the next time he tries it, too, half an hour later. 

“It’s me,” Leo calls, feeling a little foolish standing out in the hall. “Can I come in?”

Donnie’s voice answers immediately. “List the first ten prime numbers and I’ll think about it.”

Okay, this is Donnie with a grudge. Leo remembers enough of what that looks like to tread carefully. 

“I just want to talk,” he says. “Is Mikey okay?”

The door unlocks and Donnie rolls it open. He gives Leo an inscrutable look before he stands back to let him in. 

Mikey is parked in a huge bean bag chair in the corner, headphones on, drawing tablet propped against his knees. His ninja senses must have pinged when Leo walked in; he glances up right on cue and offers a hang-loose sign. Leo mirrors it, entirely because he knows it’ll make Mikey snicker. 

“He’s fine,” Donnie says unnecessarily, sitting down at his desk. “We look out for each other.” 

If that’s a jab, it’s a well-aimed one. 

“Yeah, I see that,” Leo says. “Look, I’m sorry if it sounded like I took Raph’s side back there. But you know that Raph doesn’t think Mikey’s stupid. He would be the first to break somebody’s jaw for implying that.”

“So that makes it okay to say whatever he wants to a neurodivergent teenager?” Don presses, eyes flashing. “But when I say something to Raph—”

Leo can feel himself losing his patience. “Donnie, come on. All I meant was that you shouldn’t pick fights when you know better.”

As soon as he says it he knows it’s the wrong thing to say. Donnie spins his chair around to face the computer monitors, neatly severing his half of the conversation.

“Close the door behind you when you leave,” he says in a clipped tone. 

Across the room, Mikey is watching them with round eyes. He’s a few seconds from tossing his art aside and getting up to diffuse the fight. As much as he hates when his brothers put him in the middle, he has no problem putting himself there. 

It almost seems like Mikey isn’t sure if it’s safe to leave Donnie alone with this strange newcomer who looks a lot like the big brother who left them all behind. 

Leo breathes through the sharp pain that brings him and thinks, Fix this. 

He draws another chair over and sits down. Donnie’s shoulders go stiff but he doesn’t react otherwise. 

“Sorry,” Leo says quietly. 

It takes a minute but eventually Donnie nods, brown eyes full and troubled. 

“Me too,” he replies. “I know I’m being difficult. I’m just—I feel so angry all the time.”

Donnie isn’t Raph. He never had any problem with Leo’s authority. He had his own parts to play on the team, parts he took pride in—doctor, scientist, engineer. He was relieved to hand back that mantle of leadership, to step back into his curated role, but that doesn’t mean everything just returns to the way it was.

Donatello still resents his big brothers for abandoning him, each in their own way. He’s still bitter about all the extra weight he had to carry, without thanks or credit. He’s been stuck in place for the last two years, no outlet, no time for himself, and nobody on his team but Mikey, the one person Donnie has always been directly responsible for and could never bring himself to burden. He picked up an I.T. job he hated and stuck with it for longer than he should have, because he wouldn’t know how to quit something halfway if his life depended on it. His typically strong relationship with Raph—one that Leo’s secretly envied since they were kids—soured and left him without their hothead’s support. He had to figure out how to be a grown-up at the tender age of sixteen. 

Then Leo came back, expecting everything to be exactly how he left it. 

Of course Donnie’s angry. It’s no wonder he’s picking fights left and right. 

“You’re not being difficult, Don,” Leo says immediately, wishing, not for the first time, that Splinter had never sent him away. “If you want to scream and throw things at me, I think that would probably be more than fair.”

“I don’t want to do any of that,” Donnie replies wryly. He swivels his chair slightly, facing Leo again. There’s something grudgingly hopeful about him now—Leo’s little brother, trying to remember how to put his faith in Leo’s hands. 

It’s such a precious thing to hold. Leo can’t screw this up again. 

“You’ve worked out a pretty solid system while I was gone,” he says, bumping Donnie’s shoulder with his fist. “Can you show me the ropes?”

Give Donnie a chance to teach and he shines. Sure enough, he brightens a little. 

“We help April with acquisitions for her antique store on Thursdays. Do you want to come?” 

Leo heard about that from April. Apparently it’s more of a game than a chore, a city-wide scavenger hunt. He was hoping for an invitation but he wasn’t expecting one. He feels himself smile. 

Mikey, who has clearly been listening in, lowers his headphones and asks, “All four of us?”

That brings Donnie up short. Leo jumps in. 

“I told Raph I wanted us to do a team-building exercise sometime soon, and he said he’d be down for anything, as long as you two promised to go easy on him.” 

That’s exactly what he said, too—only he’d added, gruffly affectionate, ‘those tag-teaming little twerps.’ 

“Sound good?” Leo asks them warmly. 

Mikey beams. Donnie’s disagreeable outer shell begins to soften. By some miracle, Leo still knows how to do this. Two years wasn’t enough to overshadow a lifetime. 

It’s a privilege to sit in the lab, watching Donnie bring up files on his latest project, listening attentively to engineering and mechanics that go clean over his head. Mikey joins them at the desk and shows Leo the digital painting he’s been working on, chattering energetically about watercolor and composition and the new brush he’s obsessed with. 

Raph wanders in some time later with an apology in hand—drinks from the twins’ favorite coffee shop. He probably left right after breakfast to be back already. 

Donnie smiles after the first sip. Raph must have got it exactly right.

Leo lets his tea warm his hands and soaks up their company the way regular turtles bask in sunlight. 

Donnie and Mikey built a house in the empty space their brothers left behind. The door isn’t always open, but Leo and Raph can always knock. Maybe they could even live there together someday, once they remember how to be on each other’s team. 

Until then, Leo is willing to put in the work. It’s what he’s always done. 

He’ll do whatever it takes to get back home. 

[downwiththemutantnjnjaturtles]

Hello how are you? I was looking at your blog and thought it was amazing. I had made an oc that was human but turned tortoise because of a lab accident. I've had it in my head and would love to see the reaction of the bayverse boys finding another mutant that is a female tortoise. if you can do it, if you can't just ignore it and I loved your posts 💕(●♡∀♡)

Bayverse boys react to discovering mutant!reader!

Leonardo:

Leo was taken off-guard when he discovered another mutant. Being told all his life they were on their own in their big, lonely world, Leo almost could not believe what he was looking at when they found her. He was skeptical at first; where did the other mutant come from, how was she created, and why, were his questions. For a moment, he thought that she had to have been a mole, artificially created and sent solely to thwart their family. Their enemies were not below experimenting with mutagen. But when she explained that her DNA had been spliced on accident, he gradually warmed up. He helped her adjust to her new life and body, teaching her all the things it could do and opening up all of the possibilities to cheer her back up.

Michelangelo:

Mikey was ecstatic when they discovered another mutant. To know there was another mutant in the world meant there could be more, and that thought was exhilarating. He forgets she was mutated from a human, not a turtle, so things aren't easy for her like it is for them. To get her mind off of the drastic change in her life, he wants to show her the fun sofe of everything instead of letting her focus on the negatives. He's great at adapting so that talent rubs off on her when it comes to accepting that she's a tortoise now and no longer human. Mikey is just glad to have a companion who is like him, instead of wishing he could be human to be with them. 💛 He wants to know what life topside is like from an insider's point of view, so really appreciates that he can connect with someone on that.

Donatello:

Donnie is just as surprised by the discovery as she was when she discovered the turtles. He came off a little overbearing at first trying to run test to see how stable her mutation was from human to animal, but just out of curiosity! He wanted to see that her transition went well and seeing that everything was looking good, he admitted he just wanted feel helpful. Secretly he's amazed that there's another mutant roaming New York City, but after running probability tests, concluded that she is one of a kind. :) Tries to relate to her as mutants together, as well as on the things that make you two people like the humans topside.

Raphael:

Raph was next to Mikey in terms of excitement when he learned there was another mutant. For once, he didn't feel so alone in the world knowing they weren't the only ones out there. Was standoffish at first as usual, but his brothers could tell he was cooking up scenarios in his mind as soon as they discovered her. It was like a light bulb went off in his head. He's so family oriented so she quickly became part of the group, under his protection like everyone else. It's a habit of his to go overboard in doing that, so maybe annoys her a little by treating her like a dependent, even though she had more topside experience than all of them.