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aspoonofsugar · 8 months

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This is me trying to avoid the slaughterhouse for what I'm about to suggest (there's a good chance I'll get cooked alive anyway).

I'm not sure where you stand with Penny and Ruby's relationship, but I wanted to get your opinion on my interpretation (sorry to put you on the spot).

I interpreted Penny as the little sister Ruby never had. I think that CRWBY wanted to put Ruby in Yang's shoes during the Atlas Arc, since that was the main internal conflict within team RWBY.

Yang spent her childhood trying to protect and raise Ruby. She tried so hard to be the best big sister she could be so Ruby wouldn't ever have to suffer the same pain she felt... the pain she felt twice, with Summer disappearing and learning that Raven abandoned her. She gave up everything for her.

I saw Ruby as stepping into that role for Penny. There was that parallel, about friends. Ruby asking if Penny made any other friends, compared to when Yang asked Ruby to make some friends at Beacon.

Ruby always trying to comfort and protect Penny, even at the cost of her own safety (yes, any friend would do this, too).

I don't know, that's just how I saw it. The Atlas Arc very much was about changing perspectives, with them also being put into Oz's shoes after he left, needing to make the hard choices, prioritizing what to tell and what not to tell.

I thought since Yang and Ruby's rift was most prominent during that arc, that she was also being put into Yang's shoes with Penny. Just like Yang was put into Ruby's shoes and taking charge of her own team.

(That being said, I do see the appeal of a romantic relationship, but I was much more interested in the Potential of it, the symbolism and parallels, rather than it actually being canon.

Another statement that might get me slaughtered is that I wouldn't have liked if it became canon while Penny was alive because it felt like Penny contributed to the weight on Ruby's shoulders. She was extremely codependent on others (TOTALLY UNDERSTANDABLE and just like Ruby was with Yang at the start at Beacon) and if I was to like the ship in canon, then Penny would have had to stay alive and go to Vacuo while RWBY fell (guess Jaune wouldn't have a reason to fall anymore), and learn how to be independent.

Even then, I'd feel horrible for Penny because she hated being the Winter Maiden, and if she survived, she would no longer just be protecting Mantle and Atlas, she'd be protecting the entire world. Though... she wouldn't be doing it alone anymore. She'd have the rest of the world to back her up.

I dunno, sorry for the ramble, and sorry if you are offended (I get it, homophobes like to use the "they're just sisters argument with a lot of wlw ships, but I promise there's no malicious intent behind my interpretation. Plus, I just recently discovered and am exploring my own sapphic identity).

But yeah. I hope they don't come for me for this. I decided I'd rather talk with someone about it rather than post it as a statement. It feels like it'll come off differently as a civil conversation.

(it's greentea)

Hi!

Don't worry, it is fine for me to discuss anything, as long as people are polite!

So, this is a very interesting take and I agree on many things, while I interpret others differently. If you are interested, you find my 2 cents below.

PREMISE

So, let's make it clear where I stand on ships. I am not a multi-shipper, so I am really not that passionate about ships unless they are canon or I think they are becoming canon by the end (obviously I may always be wrong in this second case). When it comes to Ruby, I think Rosegarden is gonna be endgame, so I am mostly focused on this ship.

That said, I think that so far Ruby has shown no romantic interest in anybody:

Ozpin: Not enjoying yourself? Ruby: Oh, no, everything's fine! I'm just not much of a fancy pantsy… dancey girl. Ozpin: Well, you can't spend your whole life on the battlefield, even if you may want to. Ruby: Yeah, that lesson's been floating around a lot lately. Ozpin: If you think about it, fighting and dancing aren't so different. Two partners interlocked, although one wrong move on the ballroom merely leads to a swollen foot. Ruby: Or a twisted ankle.

In Atlas, she is uninterested in Renora's romantic conflict. In volume 9, she is the only one who doesn't get Weiss's crush on the Rusted Knight and Bumbleby's developing attraction. Basically, Ruby's focus is really not on romance and that is (imo) for 2 reasons:

She is focused on the mission and the macrochosm, rather than on her personal life

She is in a different development stage when compared to the others. In short, she is younger

Obviously, younger people fall in love too (I mean, puppy love is a thing) and everyone develops romantic feelings (if they even do) at different ages. However, RWBY is a story which makes use of metaphors and archetypes to describe the characters' inner journeys. This happens with Ruby, as well.

In particular, volume 9 has Ruby going from childhood:

To adolescence:

Little becomes Somewhat. Ruby becomes Someone. Neither Somewhat nor Ruby have figured themselves out. Still, they have grown and stepped into a new phase of their lives.

Well, I think that after this inner transformation Ruby will be more open to romantic relationships. In short, I think the Vacuo arc will focus on Ruby and Oscar's bond, which will grow to be romantic on both sides.

So, where does it leave Penny? I think Ruby and Penny's dynamic can be read in 2 ways:

A platonic friendship (my preference)

A bond, which could have developed into a romantic relationship with time once both Penny and Ruby grow

Ironically, I think the platonic interpretation is deeper and is better to explore Ruby and Penny's dynamic in canon. That said, there is nothing wrong about headcanoning a romantic attraction in a what if scenario.

In any case, it doesn't really matter because Penny is dead and personally I don't think she is coming back. Of course, there are people who feel differently and that is alright. I simply want to make clear the frame I am using.

That said, I don't think it is coincidental that so many people ship Penny and Ruby together. As a matter of fact Penny and Ruby's bond is very important and will be important for Ruby and Oscar's story, as well. After all, Penny and Oscar have been set up as foils since the very beginning:

Ruby: But at this pace, you'll be combat ready in no time! Suddenly, Ruby frowns upon mentioning her last phrase. Oscar notices this and tries to ask a question before Ruby interrupts him. Oscar: Uh…

In the dojo scene, Ruby unconsciously compares Oscar and Penny. This is also the first time Ruby indirectly brings up her friend before meeting her again in Atlas. In short, Oscar and Penny are linked when it comes to their arcs and what they mean to Ruby. So, Ruby's feelings over Penny's death are gonna be important for her dynamic with Oscar (and many other things, of course). Let's now focus on what Penny represents for Ruby.

PENNY AS RUBY'S INNER CHILD

I interpreted Penny as the little sister Ruby never had. I think that CRWBY wanted to put Ruby in Yang's shoes during the Atlas Arc, since that was the main internal conflict within team RWBY.

I like this take. I think it is interesting how you parallel Ruby and Yang's journeys in Atlas. Ruby becoming a big sister to Penny and Yang acting as a leader of her own faction.

That said, I think Penny's role in Ruby's arc is wider and it doesn't start in Atlas. Since the beginning, Penny represents Ruby's inner child:

A person's supposed original or true self and the part of the personality that still reacts and feels like a child.

Penny arrives at Beacon and is immediately presented as a Ruby up to eleven:

Penny: Sen-sational! We can paint our nails, and try on clothes, and talk about cute boys! Ruby: Oh, is this what it was like when you met me?

Just like Ruby, her initial objective is to make friends. Just like Ruby, she is sweet, innocent, hopeful and can wield lethal weapons:

Ruby grows close to Penny because of these similarities. At the same time, Ruby is immediately not only supportive of Penny:

Ruby: You're not like those things we saw back there. You've got a heart, and a soul; I can feel it!

But also protective in a way, which is uncharacteristically strong:

Penny: Ruby, are these people your friends? Ruby: Penny, get back! AAAAAH! Ruby: Penny, wait! Stop! Penny: Don't worry, Ruby. I'm combat ready!

Finally, Penny's death is what breaks the peace and happiness of Ruby's school days:

The fall of Beacon starts with Penny's dismemberment. That is the moment Ruby's world breaks and she crashes down in shock. However, she is fast to get back on her feet and immediately uses Penny's sword to fight a Nevermore:

The metaphor is clear. The Nevermore embodies grief (see Poe's The Raven) and Ruby deals with it with her inner faith, which is represented by Penny's sword.

Atlas is just the repetition of this story. Penny arrives like a ray of hope in the grim situation the heroes are. They have just discovered Salem can't be killed and Ozpin has left them. Still, a lost friend appears out of nowhere and brings new happiness to the characters:

Penny: It'll be just like Beacon again!

Thanks to Penny, Ruby is able to go back to her happy place. She is back at Beacon with her friends all working hard to become extraordinary Huntresses and Huntsmen. Sure, some things have changed, but Ruby can find solace in the things that haven't. This is why Ruby's line to Pietro is so telling:

Ruby: Even if the worst does happen, you can always reactivate her again, so maybe try not to worry so much.

Pietro is worried about Penny's well being and Ruby tells him not to because if push comes to shove Pietro can just revive Penny again. Ruby clearly sees Penny as an ideal existence that can defeat death. However, Pietro is quick to shoot down this belief. This is foreshadowing for Penny's eventual death and how Ruby will have to accept it. Penny's second death brings out all the negative feelings Ruby has been repressing:

The scenario is the same of the one at Beacon, but this time Ruby can't stand up and struggles to find Penny's sword again:

Jinxy: Enough hope to fill this jar.

She has not enough hope to wield her inner blade anymore.

It is deep down still there:

Ruby: I… I thought this was lost forever. How’d you have it? Blacksmith: Nothing. No one is ever truly lost.

However, Ruby can't see it.

In other words, Penny is symbolically linked to Ruby's hope. She is the embodyment of the inner child that shines within Ruby and brings light to others. Still, Ruby is growing up. The coping mechanisms that worked as a child are starting to lose their grip on her.

It is not by chance that in Atlas Ruby struggles to use her silver eyes. She finds an inner equilibrium in volume 6, but Salem's words in volume 7 are all it takes to throw Ruby off:

After that, Ruby manages to sucessfully use her eyes only when Penny is in danger:

So, symbolically Penny is the one keeping Ruby together. This is why she is undone the moment Penny dies. Penny's death marks the end of Ruby's childhood.

Volume 9 is really Ruby grieving her child self in Penny. This is made clear by Little, who is Ruby's innocent self and shares many similarities with Penny. They love hugs and friends and Ruby. They are hopeful and want to grow up and help others. They are both Ruby and Penny in a nutshell.

So, Ruby's final goodbye to Somewhat is really Ruby saying goodbye both to her child self and to Penny:

Ruby: Well, uh… To me, you seem like a friend. Blake: A guide. Weiss: A protector. Yang: A…dorable. Ruby: Do any of those sound close? Somewhat: Hmmm. Somewhat. Yeah. Somewhat. I’m not any one thing, I’m somewhat of a lot of things! Ruby: It is a true pleasure to meet you, Somewhat. Somewhat: It will be my honor to serve you. Ruby: You’ve already done more for us than you know. Somewhat: You do feel… familiar. Like a happy dream I can’t remember.

She is moving on towards adulthood and self-actualization. She is working through her grief for her friend's loss.

Of course, this process has just begun:

What survives After all the dust has gone? Were you there till the end (the end)? Were you at least called a friend?

My wish came true That day that you appeared And called me friend

Penny is absent from Ruby's final confrontation with the Blacksmith (my main complaint about volume 9 ending). Still, this is clearly because Ruby is going to symbolically face her later on.

It is the same with Jaune and Pyrrha:

No more Sudden movements Please So tired, I'm sleepless And haunted by you Falling Forever Was I always just A man out of time

Both fallen maidens indirectly appear in the climax of the volume, but neither is properly addressed. They will be in Vacuo. They must be because both Jaune and Ruby are still hung up on them.

RUBY IDEALIZES PENNY

Neo-Penny: Just like you were too late to save me at the Vytal Festival… I died in Atlas too, didn’t I? Can you imagine what that's like? To be completely and utterly failed… time and again… by someone who meant the world to you…

This is the Penny Ruby sees in her head. This is in no way the real Penny. In her final moments, Penny is not looking for someone to save her, but rather she is searching for ways to save others.

In short, Ruby idealizes Penny to an extent. She sees her as someone innocent and pure to protect, but Penny is much more. Penny is her own person and her arc is about reaching self-actualization. She isn't the Pinocchio who is created by the Blue Fairy. Rather, she is the Pinocchio who creates the Blue Fairy:

All of this to say, I disagree with this take:

She was extremely codependent on others (TOTALLY UNDERSTANDABLE and just like Ruby was with Yang at the start at Beacon) and if I was to like the ship in canon, then Penny would have had to stay alive and go to Vacuo while RWBY fell (guess Jaune wouldn't have a reason to fall anymore), and learn how to be independent.

Or to better say, I see things a little bit differently. It is true that Ruby and Penny's dynamic is one where Ruby is mostly the one supporting and Penny is the one supported. It is also true that Penny is unsure about herself because of how her life has been controlled by others. Still, the way this dynamic works is also because Ruby keeps on projecting on Penny a very frail and vulnerable part of herself.

I actually think your parallelism with Yang and Ruby's dynamic is pretty poignant. Yes, Ruby is initially dependent on Yang. Still, Yang too is clearly projecting on Ruby her guilt and belief that love is conditional. This is why Yang should let go of Ruby:

This doesn't mean for Yang to stop caring for Ruby. However, it is not Yang's fault Ruby drinks the tree tea. Similarly, it is not Yang the one who can save Ruby or decide who Ruby is gonna be. Only Ruby can do that. That is because Ruby is her own person outside of Yang.

The same goes for Ruby and Penny. Ruby is a wonderful friend to Penny. Still, it is not her fault Penny dies at Beacon and at Atlas. Finally, Penny has in herself the strength to grow up and become her own person. Something she does before dying.

If Nuts And Dolts were written to become canon, Penny should grow more self-assured, so that she could be there for Ruby. At the same time, Ruby should stop projecting her inner child on Penny.

THE CONFLICT THAT WASN'T THERE

I would like to highlight that volume 7 offers the perfect chance to change Ruby and Penny's dynamic.

As we know, Ruby's main internal conflict there is if to tell or not Ironwood about Salem's immortality. Well, if Penny were to have an arc intertwined with Ruby, so that they could grow together and end up as a couple, this conflict needed to be addressed between them.

After all, Ruby doesn't tell Penny about Salem. At least, we have no reason to think otherwise. Penny is close to Ironwood and Winter and trusts easily. So, it is to be expected that if she knew, she would insist to tell the Atlas higher ups. So, not only is Ruby hiding info from Ironwood, but also from her friend. She obviously does so not to put Penny in a thight spot.

However, if Penny were written to grow into Ruby's partner, I think she should have entered a minor conflict with Ruby over this. In volume 8, Ruby not telling her should have been mentioned and Penny should have called Ruby out. She should have demanded Ruby to trust her more.

So, why doesn't this happen? Simply because imo Penny and Ruby are not written to be endgame. Moreover, the ones who enter a conflict with Ruby over this are Yang and Oscar. In particular, Oscar gets the part of the conflict, which could have easily been Penny's. He is the one who grows the closest to Ironwood. He is the one General objectifies. He is the one who eventually reveals the truth. He is the one who faces Ironwood in a last desperate attempt to get through to him.

Obviously, there could have been many other ways to write Penny and Ruby as a ship. Still, Penny is right now dead and her arc is done. In general, Penny and Ruby's arcs are not even that intertwined structurally:

Penny's arc is about reaching personhood through making difficult and tragic choices. She explores the theme of humanity, duty vs want and faith. Finally, her destiny in the sense of final goal is linked to "friendship". Her final choice is to say goodbye to Winter and to solve their conflict. She also chooses her friends over her duties as a Maiden. The character at the centre of her arc is Winter and not Ruby.

Ruby's arc is about overcoming Summer's death. She is a wide-eyed child, who is confronted with the darkness of the world and has to resist it. She must keep her idealism in the face of the worst happening. The characters at the centre of her arc are honestly Summer and Cinder so far. Still, I think Oscar will be key, as well. I mean:

Foreshadowing is foreshadowing.

That said, Penny and Ruby are incredibly important for each other. They are linked to each other's best parts. Ruby is the first to recognize Penny's humanity. She is Penny's guide and inspiration to grow up. Penny reminds Ruby of her most innocent and hopeful side. She is an even more simple soul than Ruby herself.

So, I personally don't ship them, but I can understand why people are passionate about their relationship. As for me, I am more interested in their individual arcs and what they have to say. Thank you for the ask!

#rwby #ruby rose #penny polendina #rwby meta #my meta #greenteaandtattoos #tw: penny's death

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pupstim · 8 months

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HRM I've been thinkin on it a lot on like Bad wondering what the right thing to do as a parent and I've not looked more into what other people but wanna just throw my 2 cents in. It'll be under the cut because it is a little bit heavy

Hrm this is just me thinking aloud and I might be getting jus a little bit personal but what really struck me was Bad asking what the right thing to do is. It's a moral conundrum and one I've had to scrabble with myself. What's the right action to take like with helping someone or figuring out how best to help them.. talking with my therapist though she's never said what the right thing to do is and when I asked her she said because really people are like so complex and multifaceted that the right thing to do with one person isn't the right thing to do with another. So there isn't really a right thing to do. Instead just the best thing to do and that's completely up to you.

That being said though I do think the best thing for Bad to do with Dapper is to talk to him about it. I know most of Chat wants Bad to respect Dapper's privacy but... I dunno... It just feels like all of Dapper's actions are a cry for help. Dapper knows he can talk to his dad about this but Dapper also has Bad's trust in coming to him, and Dapper is really worried about the wrong word getting out. Bad has Chat and it kind of seems like Dapper knows the Federation somehow is able to know whats going on with Bad when Bad's live. HRM This is hard for me to articulate.

I think Dapper is feeling like he HAS to keep this a secret to prevent the Federation or someone else getting this information about this potion. He's worried the info will leak out and obviously the less people know the better. Plus it sounds like in his own way he's trying to protect Bad and Pomme (and the thoughts of maybe he is being coerced by the federation) So anyway I think he's feeling like he has to keep this a secret but he doesn't want to. He wants Badboy to find out about this and ask him, He wants Bad to dig deeper and find out more and help him. To me all of Dapper's actions, at least from an RP perspective is a call for help. Which is devastating.

Just... He kept the book Bad read in the beginning for so long, adding more and more onto it and just putting off burning the book. It became he's going to burn this book after a few pages, after 10 pages, after 20 pages, after he finds a way to give it a proper farewell just... He put up these super secret documents right where Badboy is in his own room, he changed the shed so much that Bad couldn't have helped notice, he left the clipboard and blueprints where anyone could see it, he's come to talk to Badboy about this like 3 or so times I think.

And yea I know from a meta perspective most likely this is just Dapper's Admin trying to lay out some clues for Bad to investigate but purely from an RP perspective its just... This really feels like Dapper trying in some way subconsciously asking Bad for help. He feels like he has to carry this burden all on his own, he's always held as the most responsible one, the one that has a plan, the one that has the most resources and is considered a genius and one that OTHER PEOPLE always go to. He doesn't feel like he has the luxury of asking someone for help, maybe even especially because Bad is becoming unglued after the election but he's also just a lil kid. He's like 3 months old and still a kid and a baby but he HAS to do this even though he doesn't want too. Even though he desperately wants his Dad to come in and help him. Just... yea...

tl;dr I think Bad should ask Dapper about it because Dapper is asking for help in just about all ways except outright and he clearly needs it.

#qsmp #qsmp analysis #q!badboyhalo #qsmp Dapper #woof this is a long one and hmm #a little bit heavy I guess?#these cubitos man...

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jaggedpeak · 2 years

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horizon part 9

#warrior cats #wc #warrior cats oc #wc oc #warriorsona #robinskip #the three cats at the start belong to lawyerkitty n muckrooms on twt and @ferncloud on here!!#i dunno if im gonna make a lot of these map part gifs but ive seen a couple people do them n i always thought they were kinda sick #so figured may as well give it a shot lol #robbie short king moment #my art #my animation #my ocs #2 cents

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daz4i · 7 months

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at the risk of sounding like the "JUST LIKE BIDEO GAME" meme. i did just figure out a great analogy for how i feel abt most health tips

it's really really really really really hard to do things. to the point it feels impossible. and most people would just say "hard is not impossible! that means there's still a chance!" but like. you know how in some games you can speed to the final boss from the start, or start a certain section of them when you're underleveled and have no gear? it's like. technically, you can do it. it's not impossible to do these battles. look how many people finished the game and did it already! yes, they were a higher level, yes, they had all the right gear or they looked up some guides on the perfect build to beat them, but they did it! that means you can too! you being underleveled makes it harder, but it's not impossible!

like. do you see where I'm getting at here. certain disabilities and mental illnesses make it so you're permanently underleveled. and you can't level up. at most you can find some gear (meds, mobility aids, painkillers etc) or party members (loved ones) who can help you, but you can't do much damage yourself, and one hit will make you go down. some people can do it. some people like you can still pull off some perfect combo and beat the boss. but most people, in this state, can't.

and like. you can go do the easier parts, ofc. you can do low level missions and beat low level areas. but you can't level up, so you can't proceed (best way i can put it is. these areas simply don't give enough xp for that. your game has this weird glitch that only goes away after you pass a certain part of the game - that's a way higher level than you are - so just make sure to get through it and you'll be fine!). or maybe you have the perfect build and gear to beat some high level bosses you run into, but none of the others. like. you bought the game and you can play it. you just can't really do much in it and it all becomes very repetitive at some point. every time you try to step out of those missions you're used to, you get decimated, and eventually it just starts being honestly scary to try.

I'm mostly talking about my depression here, tbh. i think the most despair inducing part of it is seeing how some people still manage to proceed, pass that glitched out area, and are able to level up and even finish the game, while you still can't bc you, fuck i dunno, don't have fast enough reflexes to pull off some perfect combo you need to get through it. you go online and see how people keep praising the game and how fun it is but you literally can't see it

and this analogy applies to p much every single task, every single thing you need to do in order to get better. technically, it's possible, but it's so hard it might as well not be. and most people see it as super basic, super easy, even other people who were in your situation don't seem to remember how hard it was now that they're past it, because managing to do it somehow shattered that feeling of impossibleness they may have had (and tbf, they probably had to be very persistent and try time and time again. and. i really don't have that quality in me tbh)

idk it's probably very silly. if you read it then thanks, hope i didn't put you off with that lol. if you relate (not just about depression, but anything that can be disabling you may have going on) then I'm glad you can feel seen by this and also I'm sorry you're going through this 🙏 if you don't relate then I'm happy for you 🫡

#long post #i dunno. had some thoughts. i think this is why i always get genuinely upset when i run into these tips #it's like a loading screen tip saying ''consider being good at the game'' aight cheers mate i haven't thought of that #''consider keep playing the game even though you're not having fun at all and would rather do anything but this''#''it'll be worth it bro the ending is so good'' why can't i just play a different game with a different good ending.#ok my analogy is getting flimsy rn. anyway these are my 2 cents. i am very sad #(i have the um. appointment? for the program that helps you with recovery. this monday)#(can you tell i am very stressed lol. can you tell i would rather be dead 😃)

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buckys-metal-arm · 6 days

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The Man in the Mirror

Bucky x GN!Reader

Description: When a bad nightmare leads to you finding Bucky in the bathroom with a pair of scissors in his hand, you offer to help him recognize himself in the mirror

Warnings: fluff and angst, Hurt/Comfort, haircuts, facial shaving, gratuitous use of pet names, Bucky’s trauma, HYDRA abuse/torture, mentions of blood, mentions of… forced haircuts I guess? I dunno if that’s a warning but there it is

A/N: I think we as a society need more “Bucky gets a haircut” fanfic in the world, so here’s my 2 cents

((18+ only below the cut please and thank you!!))

It was the scream that woke you up

You groggily reached your hand out to the other side of the bed, searching for Bucky’s warmth

But it was empty

You noticed the bathroom light was on, and had knocked on the door, calling out to him

When he didn’t respond, you had decided to let yourself in

“Baby, I’m gonna open the door, okay?” You called softly before opening the door.

You weren’t entirely sure what you expected to walk in on.

But a shattered bathroom mirror and your boyfriend leaned over the bathroom counter, his Vibranium hand gripping the marble, a pair of scissors clenched in his other was not one of them

“Oh my God, Bucky!” You quickly grabbed your slippers and slid them on, rushing to his side, “what happened?”

You grabbed his right hand, removing what you now saw to be a pair of scissors as gently as possible

“Are you okay?” You began to search his body for injury, “Honey, what happened?”

Bucky didn’t respond.

His glassy eyes met yours, looking at you but not really seeing youYou took his face in both hands, leaning your forehead against his and gently stroking his cheekbones

“It’s alright, Baby,” you cooed, brushing his hair out of his eyes and tucking it behind his ear, “it’s okay, Bucky, you're safe, Sweet Boy…”

His breathing slowly started to even out as you continued to hush him, slowly starting to come back to you.

“Doll?” He asked in a quiet, broken voice that broke your heart.

“I'm here, Honey,” you wrapped your arms around him, cradling his head against your shoulder, “I'm here, it's okay…”

He’d sobbed into your neck as you held him, rocking him back and forth and rubbing his back

“It’s alright Sweetheart,” you’d cooed, pressing little kisses against his temple, “you’re alright, it’s okay…”

When he’d finally calmed down, Bucky told you about the nightmare that had sent him into this spiral, the vivid flashbacks of HYDRA’s torture

“It felt so fucking real, Doll.” Bucky’s voice shook. You hugged him a little closer, “they had these…taser things. Cattle prods, really. They– they would jam them into my sides for hours. And I swear I could feel it. When they decided they'd had their fun I felt them grab me by the hair and start dragging me, they used to do that a lot. I woke up before they could toss me into the Chair.”

“Oh… oh, Bucky,” you whispered, running your fingers through his hair, “oh, baby…”

“I tried not to think about it,” he whimpered, “I just went to go splash some water on my face, but when I looked in the mirror all I could see was the Soldier and I couldn't take it.”

He motioned to the scissors, “I tried to take care of it myself, but I couldn't stop fucking shaking.”

You hugged him close, “oh, Baby. I’m sorry…”

“I just… I can’t keep my hair like this,” he said, hiding his face your neck, “I can’t keep seeing the Soldier every time I look in the fucking mirror.”

“I know, Baby, I know,” you told him, “how about this, help me clean up the glass, and then I’ll cut your hair after, okay?”

“I think I want to shave too,” Bucky replied, “could you…?”

“Of course, Honey.”

Cleaning up the glass was quick, so you sent him to get the kitchen ready while you grabbed the supplies

You found him in the kitchen, seated in a chair and twiddling his thumbs You kissed his cheek and draped an old towel around his shoulders, setting down the things in your hands.

“I thought I could start by putting it in a ponytail and cutting the length off,” you explained, “then maybe trim the top and then clean it up with the clippers. Does that sound good?”

He nodded, and you began to comb your fingers through his long locks, gathering it up to put in a hair tie. He hummed at the feeling of your hands in his hair.

“Did I ever tell you about my first few decades at HYDRA?” Bucky asked as you finished the ponytail, his eyes not meeting yours.

You shook your head, confused.

“They shaved my head for a long time. Sanitary reasons. I didn’t really get a lot of chances to shower. It’s easier to keep your hair clean if you don’t have any,” his blue eyes focused on the ground, “I guess it was for medical reasons too. They always had things stuck on my head in the early days.”

Bucky took a deep, shaky breath.

“I hated it. They would always cut it before tossing me in the Chair,” he continued, “it felt like I was being fucking scalped. They had to hold me down, I fought them every time. ”

You wrapped him in a tight hug, “I’m sorry.”

“I’ve been letting my hair grow out because I couldn’t stand the idea of that again,” he murmured into your shirt, “bad memories and all.”

“I won’t hurt you,” you promised him, “I won’t ever hurt you. I promise Buck, you’re safe here.”

“I know, Doll. I know,” Bucky took a deep breath,“we should get started. Before I lose my nerve.”

You nodded, straightening up and grabbing the scissors, “can I make the first cut?”

“Yeah,” he straightened up in the chair a bit, “Go ahead.”

He sucked in a breath as you carefully snipped off the chocolate colored ponytail, holding it out for him to see once it was off

“Good job, Sweetheart.” You smiled, “first cut’s done. Do you want to keep going?”

Bucky stared wide eyed at what you’d cut off, “I didn’t realize it had gotten this long… Uh, yeah. You can keep going.”

You hummed and continued.

He was doing so good, keeping so still for you as you worked.

“You’re doing so well, Honey. I’m so proud of you,” you pressed a kiss to his cheek, “I’m gonna use the clippers now, is that alright?”

Bucky nodded, closing his eyes and resting his head against your stomach

He flinched away hard when he heard the clippers buzz on, despite your warning about the noise.

When HYDRA had shaved him they’d used manual clippers, raking them along his skull with little care.

It felt foolish, but on some level he’d forgotten those weren’t the standard anymore.

You switched the device off immediately and rubbed his shoulder, trying to give him what little comfort you could

“You okay?”You asked, “talk to me, Bucky-Baby.”

“The…the…” he stammered, shifting on the seat, unable to articulate what was in his head.

That the buzzing was loud in his ears, bringing him back to a hand dragging him towards a room he knew too well, to metal clamping down on either side of his face and screaming as his mind was torn away from him.

“The buzzing,” he finally forced out, “The Chair…”

You nodded, understanding.

“You’re not back there,” you whispered, stepping in front of him and holding his face with both hands, “you’re home with me. I won’t hurt you, I won’t let anyone hurt you, Buck.”

Bucky nodded, taking a deep breath.

“I know, I know you won’t,” he assured you, taking a deep breath and forcing himself to calm down, “just… just do it. I’m ready.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I’m ready, I’m okay.”

You kept a hand on his shoulder, “okay Baby. Deep breath, okay?”

He obeyed, and you kept your free hand on him as you carefully cut away his soft hair.

“You’re doing so good, Sweet Boy,” you cooed as you gently trimmed his sideburns, Bucky tensing at how loud the buzzing was, “it’s alright, you’re alright…”

You switched off the clippers once you’d finished, running your fingers through his shorn locks, loose bits of hair falling down his back and onto the tile.

“There we go,” you stood in front of him, holding his face, “your hair is all done, Sweetheart. Do you still want to shave?”

He nodded, and you grabbed his shaving cream.

You sat down on his lap and Bucky instinctively wrapped his arms around your waist

You began to carefully rub the cream onto his face, planting a little peck to the tip of his nose, earning you a little smile.

Once his face was sufficiently lathered, you grabbed his razor and smiled softly

“Ready?” You asked.

He nodded, and you began to carefully shave his face.

Bucky was shocked by how gentle you were with him, moving his face as you needed with only the tips of your fingers and pressing little kisses to each patch of smooth skin that was revealed

Once you were done, you gently patted his face dry with a towel and applying his aftershave.

“Very handsome, Sweetheart.” You smiled, gently tilting his face from side to side, inspecting your work.

“You really think so?” Bucky asked with anxious eyes.

“Of course I think so. Why don’t you take a look?”

The mirror is still broken so you held your phone up with the camera opening, allowing him to see himself.

You watched him examine his new look

He chewed his lip, staring at the short hair, the clean-shaven face.

“What do you see, Buck?” You asked, his silence making you nervous.

“I… I see me…” his right hand reached up and touched his own cheek, “I see me…”

You smiled softly, cupping his face and lightly stroking his smooth skin, “you look so good, baby.”

Bucky hugged you tightly to him, and you leaned your head against his collarbone.

“Thank you,” he murmured into your hair, “thank you so much.”

“Any time, Buck.” You stood up, taking his hand, “c’mon, Honey, why don’t we get you some rest?”

“But what about the mess?”

“It’ll still be there in the morning.”

You guided him back to your bed and pulled him into your arms, his head on your chest.

You ran your fingers through his hair, so much shorter but still just as soft.

Bucky smiled softly up at you, and you cupped his cheek

“I’ll miss the beard a bit, I’ll be honest,” you murmured, stroking your thumb along his cheekbone.

“Thought you might,” Bucky chuckled, remembering how often you touched his scruffy cheeks, “maybe I’ll let some stubble grow in, give you something to run your hand over.”

“I’ll love you no matter what you do. You’ll always be the most handsome man in the room to me,” you kissed his lips softly.

“Thank you,” he whispered when you pulled back, taking your hand and kissing your knuckles, “for helping me look like me again.”

You smiled, pressing a kiss to his forehead as he settled back down in your arms.

“Of course, Bucky.”

A/N: this guy might get pulled and edited/rewritten at some point. I'm not sure how I feel about it quite yet, I feel like there's a lot unnecessary stuff in here. I dunno, we'll see what the reception is. I hope you enjoyed 💜💙

#bucky barnes #mcu #james bucky barnes #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes fluff #bucky barnes headcanon #hurt/comfort #james buchanan barnes #james barnes #buckybarnes

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shadowbends · 2 years

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STUFFED CRUST!! ROTTMNT FANFIC RECS (BETWEEN 5,000 AND 15,000 WORDS)

Hello again, cultured turtle fans! Do you enjoy good fanfic? Hopefully so, because I’m back with more recs! Whether you’re new to the fandom and diving into the ROTTMNT fic scene for the first time, or a veteran looking for content you might have missed, my hope for this project is to point you to something you’ll enjoy!

This rec list is the second of three and focuses on short stories in the fandom, with a length between 5,000 and 15,000 words each. Much like a stuffed crust pizza, they’re the perfect option when you’re feeling for something indulgent, but don’t want to go all out. If you want to browse a little more though, feel free to check out the other lists below!

NEW YORK STYLE, BABY!! ROTTMNT FANFIC RECS (UNDER 5,000 WORDS)

STUFFED CRUST!! ROTTMNT FANFIC RECS (BETWEEN 5,000 AND 15,000 WORDS) — You’re here!

DEEP DISH!! ROTTMNT FANFIC RECS (OVER 15,000 WORDS)

If you enjoy any of these fics, make sure to reblog and spread the love! Don’t forget to check out the other works by these authors; many of them have written multiple wonderful stories not featured here that are just as good. Additionally, consider leaving the authors a comment! I’m not always the best at that myself, but fic writers work hard and deserve all the love in the world.

Now, let’s get to the recs. Bon appétit!

➤ ➤ ➤ PRE-SERIES

The Corner Store by KicsterAsh

12,790 words, 5/5 chapters

Character Focus: Raphael & his brothers, w/ Splinter coming in later

Genre: Fluff, Adventure

“I know what I’m spending my three dollars on,” Raph said. He and Donnie dragged Leo to the machine, which was near the front desk of the store, and sat him down against the wall. “Make sure he doesn’t fall asleep,” Raph said to his other siblings, before rushing to the front desk.

The man, who had been watching them since they dragged Leo into view, looked at the turtle as he ran over. Raph tried ignoring that he noticed this and only looked back once he had reached the counter, where his chin just reached over the top.

“Hello, Mister,” Raph said as politely as he could in his urgency. “How much is a small cup of hot chocolate?”

The man pushed up his glasses and looked at the machine. “It’s two dollars and seventy-five cents after tax,” he said.

“I dunno what tax is, but here.” Raph slapped three dollars down on the counter and then pointed at the machine. “Can you show me how to pour one, please? I’ve never done it before.”

I have such a soft spot for this fic; it was one of the first I ever read for the fandom, and it has the perfect blend of adorable turtle tot hijinks with just enough risk involved to make you concerned and keep the story gripping. To summarize the premise: Splinter lets the boys play topside in the snow while he scavenges for food and supplies, but is gone longer than anticipated. As the hours pass and the temperature drops, a young Raphael decides to break the rules and seek out human shelter to keep his brothers from freezing. All of the turtles’ budding personalities shine through in this story, but good older brother Raph is especially a treat here.

Lost and Found (Family) by ashtreelane

7,007 words, 2/2 chapters

Character Focus: April & Michelangelo, April & The Family

Genre: Fluff, Adventure

"Wow!" April says, her eyes wide with fascination. "Are you some sort of…turtle alien?"

"Yeah! Well- not the alien part, but I am a turtle!“

"So how can you talk?" April asks, leaning in to peek into Mikey's head hole. Her voice echoes slightly in the shell.

"Cause I'm not allllll turtle, duh!" Mikey says, smiling. "Our dad doesn't really like to talk about it, but he says that we’re the product of parental love and ‘unholy sorcery’!

"Oh wow! That’s way more interesting than how I got born!"

After being left behind on a field trip and struggling to find a way home, a young April finds someone just as lost as herself. A charming little story that tells how April met the turtles for the first time.

responsibility by TheWhitesOfYourEyes

11,733 words, 4/5 chapters (last updated 11/07/21)

Character Focus: Splinter & his kids

Genre: Character Study, Family Drama

Hamato Yoshi never wanted kids.

In fact, he found the very idea sickening. The thought of having to care for another life shook him to the core, reminded him of responsibility and clans and forgotten family. Whenever his longest lasting girlfriend (before she turned out to be a giant spider) would tuck a strand of white hair behind her ear and mention the idea of children, sheepishly, a sly grin on her face, he would sputter and make an excuse, change topics, find a way to get out of the situation. Once, drunk, he’d even puked.

The Hamato clan would end with him, he’d decided as a child as he watched his mother disappear into a haze.

And yet life, as always, throws the most vicious of curveballs as he retreats from the crumbling lab with four bundles in his arms and hair sprouting from his legs.

So we can all agree Splinter’s been through some <i>shit</i>, right? Well, this fic decides to unpack all of that, from the loss of his mother, his many one-night-stands and the betrayal of Big Mama, being type-cast as an actor, to his painful mutation and more. The early challenges of fatherhood are where this fic truly shines, though. While it may be incomplete, these four chapters stand well on their own and make for a compelling read.

warmly in the dark by bobtheacorn

8,923 words, 4/? chapters (last updated 10/23/2022)

Character Focus: Donatello & Leonardo, Ensemble

Genre: Fluff, Humor, Hurt/Comfort

"You want the lights off, too? Donnie?”

He realizes Donnie probably can't hear him around the headphones and reaches in to lift one of them, repeating the question.

Donnie hums.

"Want some mood music?”

Donnie hums a negative.

"Okay okay, last question, I promise. I'm gonna get my Jupiter Jim comics - want me to read them outloud? I'll do the cool voices!"

Another negative.

"Boooo," Leo says.

Just some vignettes about Leo and Donnie growing up together over the years and looking out for each other. Chapter 3 is set when they’re teenagers, but everything else has been set during their younger years, hence its placement in this category. Each chapter can stand well on its own, and there’s a nice mix of humor and feelings all around.

➤ ➤ ➤ NEBULOUS TIME

Feel the Colors in Between by GalacticDreamer

9,520 words, 1/1 chapters

Character Focus: Leonardo & ???, Ensemble

Genre: Suspense, Whump

They’re asking what he is talking about. But what kind of question is that? They’re playing hide and seek, wasn’t that obvious? And Lemon-Lime was being too loud, which could get them found by the person who’s ‘It’, which was the pure opposite of the point of hide and seek.

He tells them such. He tries to explain it all to them to the point that he is running out of breath. But they’re still not getting it. He knows they’re not getting it. But how could Lemon-Lime not, when they were hiding with him in the first place? Instead, they’re asking something else that should be known:

Who is ‘It’?

The world becomes brighter, free of its shadows. The wall in front of them is no longer where it used to be. In its place stands a large, snake-like figure towering over them, blindingly white save for the drifting, purplish, prisms that make up their clothes. Hundreds upon thousands of diamond prisms are embedded into their skin, shifting and melding together before reforming their individual shapes in a never ending cycle as waves of rainbow pulse across their entire body.

They’re familiar. He knows them. They’re ‘It’, he’s certain of it, just as much as he’s certain that the feeling inside of him is disappointment as he tells Lemon-Lime they just lost the game.

Leo plays a deadly game of hide and seek while on an acid trip from hell. Not that he’s aware of that—he’s having a pretty good time. And if he can’t remember who or where he is, much less what he’s lost? It’ll be fine, probably. Don’t worry about it. :)

Freezerburn by ashtreelane

8,225 words, 2/2 chapters

Character Focus: Michelangelo & Family

Genre: Angst, Medical Drama, Hurt/Comfort

Leo kneels down, grabbing his brother's wrist, pressing his fingers into the soft skin.

It's still. The room is quiet as he searches.

He can't feel it.

He can't feel his pulse. His heart isn't beating. His baby brother's heart isn't beating.

He hears his breath hitch, he knows his expression must be terrifying.

"Leo." Raph says, his voice pitching up in panic. "Leo, please, please."

Leo doesn't know what he's begging for. Maybe just for Leo not to say it.

Things I didn’t know until I read this fic: box turtles can be frozen alive but still survive, even if their heart stops. Too bad Mikey’s brothers don’t know that! This fic is mean, but an absolute delight if you enjoy your angst with a hope spot.

the kids aren’t alright by Werepirechick

8,710 words, 2/2 chapters

Character Focus: Michelangelo & April, Draxum & The Turtles

Genre: AU, Angst, Hurt/Comfort

“How badly did you want her to escape?” Donnie asks in a quiet mumble, eyes fixed elsewhere. “Badly enough for this? To risk-?”

“Yes,” Mikey says without hesitation.

That makes Donnie stutter, mouth twisting in a scowl. He recovers, hissing, “It’s inevitable, Mikey. Draxum is going to beat humanity, and we’re going to help him, this setback is just that. A setback. We’ll get the carriers back, or- or make more, and it will happen. You’ve just prolonged it all, this didn’t change anything.”

“It changed things for her!” Mikey snaps without meaning to. Donnie glares, but he doesn’t cower. “…It changed things for her,” he repeats, calmer.

An AU where Draxum raised the turtles, after capturing them five years after the lab accident. How loyal they are to him varies, however, which comes to a head when a certain human wanders into their base looking for her new pet... All around, this is a great read—I only wish it were a little longer.

Of Soft Shells and Little Brothers by ihaveathingforpink

6,717 words, 1/1 chapter

Character Focus: Donatello & Leonardo, w/ Mayhem

Genre: Action, Hurt/Comfort

“Leo,” Don pushed, voice a rare gentle tone.

Leo glanced at him but said nothing. He seemed almost determined to remain stubbornly silent, and a dark thought crossed Donnie’s mind.

“Leo, why’d you offer to stay back with me?”

Leo shrugged and replied, “Because whatever you were finishing sounded important to you, and Pops wouldn’t have let you stay behind by yourself, and Raph and Mikey have been looking forward to this for weeks. So I volunteered. Why’d you ask?”

When Mayhem goes missing one Thanksgiving when April’s trapped by family and can’t get out of the house, Donnie volunteers to find him. To his surprise, Leo comes as well. What follows is one hell of a chase scene and a look into the two brothers’ relationship; the kind of reflection only acts of extreme violence can bring out.

Side Character by technofantasia

5,775 words, 1/1 chapters

Character Focus: Leonardo & Donatello (Leo-centric)

Genre: Character Study, Hurt/Comfort

He wasn't lying when he said he queued this up on a whim, even though it felt like a lie saying it. It really is just that he hasn't seen it in a while! Too long. It always used to be his comfort movie, so that kind of gap of time between viewings is just unbelievable.

…Though, watching it now, with the experience of one-and-a-half-or-maybe-two years under his belt (and the craziest one-and-a-half-or-maybe-two years of his life, at that), he's a bit startled to realize that it isn't quite as comforting as he remembers. He's noticing some things about it he never noticed before, like, well…

Well. The fact that it seems kind of bad, and it's suddenly really hard to like it.

JJ films are always cheesy, that's just a fact of life. What else could you expect from low budget sci-fi made in the mid-20th century? They're cheesy, and wacky, and Leo loves cheesy and wacky, he really does! But he's only now noticing that this film in particular is maybe a little bit too cheesy and wacky. Even though it's obviously trying to be a cool, epic adventure, half the lines are just lame jokes that ruin the atmosphere, and that's not even mentioning how the plot is completely unbelievable, and all because of how weirdly annoying…

…Anyway.

Unable to sleep, Leo decides to watch one of his old favorite movies, but it doesn’t hold up as well as he remembers. Honestly what’s really impressive about this fic, though, is how it showcases elements of Leo’s personality that don’t get addressed in canon until the Rise Movie—despite being written well before its release! The Jupiter Jim film Leo and Donnie watch in the fic is such a perfect mirror for the Krang invasion that I had to check the post date twice, but no, it really pre-dates it. Parts of this story get blisteringly intense, but it’s a great character study delving into Leo’s insecurities, balanced by love and support at the end. A very good read.

➤ ➤ ➤ SEASON 2 (SET DURING OR AFTER)

Culture Shock by JustAndrea

8,486 words, 1/1 chapter

Character Focus: Splinter & The Boys

Genre: Family Bonding

“What are you doing?”

Raph flinched, surprised to see his dad in the doorway, though not embarrassed at all at being caught in the middle of his lessons. “Oh, hey Pop! Or- kon'ni chee-wa, otōsan.”

Splinter blinked. “Uh, konnichiwa to you as well, Red. So, you are… learning Japanese?”

“Yeah!” Raph grinned, “I mean, I just started a couple weeks ago so I still got a ways to go, but I think I’m startin’ to get the basics down! Hmph, though, I don’t think I’m gonna be able to write it for a while.”

Splinter chuckled a little. “Hiragana and katakana are not so bad. Now kanji? That is when it can get complicated.”

Raph gave him an incredulous look. “There’s more than one way to write it?!”

Set after the Season 2 finale and with thoughts of family history on the mind, the boys take an interest in their cultural heritage. Splinter gains a new appreciation for how meaningful that can be. This is a sweet fic that’s perfect for anyone who craves content where everyone grows closer as a family.

Happiness is a Warm Puppy by JustAndrea

8,567 words, 1/1 chapter

Character Focus: Raphael & Michelangelo, w/ Todd

Genre: Fluff, Family Bonding

“Ugh...“ Raph pinched the bridge of his nose while Mikey just giggled. He could already tell that Mikey wasn’t going to take no for an answer. Still, he had to at least try. “Mike, I already told you, I’m just a little tired. I don’t need a special break or anything-”

“Who says you have to need it?” Mikey said simply, dropping all amusement, “Can’t you just enjoy it?” Raph huffed, but didn’t give an answer, instead choosing to look down at the silver wrapper still in his hand.

Leaning forward, Mikey put his hand over his brother’s. “Like you said, things have been rough. This whole situation is just… a lot. But we’ve all been working hard to move through it, especially you! Don’t you think that work deserves a reward?”

Post-S2 Finale, Mikey decides Raph really needs a break after all that stress. What better way to relax than to play with a swarm of puppies and some one-on-one time between the biggest and littlest bros? This fic is a fluffy bonding experience, with cameos from Todd that gave me a good laugh.

salvageable by bobtheacorn

6,038 words, 1/1 chapter

Character Focus: Donatello & Family

Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Humor

It was Donnie's idea to come scavenge for all of his broken (useless) tech, but now he's just standing here staring at the scattered vestiges of what is essentially his life's work. All the time designing and building weapons, and for what?

The Shredder tore through all of it like paper.

(See, he is the funny one.)

Set early in Season 2 after “Many Unhappy Returns”, Donatello throws himself into working on his damaged tech to stave off confronting how affected by the fight he really is. This obviously works perfectly, zero complications. Just ignore the panic attack.

Sr. Hueso, After Hours by obsessedwithstardust

7,616 words, 5/5 chapters

Character Focus: Señor Hueso & Leonardo, Ensemble

Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort

“What about… a dishwasher?”

“I have an automated one that does the job very well.”

“Oh c’mon BM, you know what I mean!”

“Pepino, while I appreciate the sentiment, most of my guests prefer their glasses in one piece. You’ll find they are more effective that way.”

“That’s just rude! I do the dishes at home all the time!”

Hueso maintained his flat stare.

“Okay, some of the time.”

“Hm.”

“Fine! Very, very rarely. But that’s just ‘cause I hate chores, not ‘cause I break them!”

Confession: I love Señor Hueso, he might just be my favorite of the many new characters Rise introduced to the franchise. Imagine my delight, then, when I found this little gem! It’s a charming 4+1 setup featuring Hueso being forced to deal with Leo’s antics until the young turtle grows on him.

superfight by swordfright

11,719 words, 3/3 chapters

Character Focus: Leonardo & Donatello, Donatello & Raphael, Ensemble

Genre: Humor, Family Drama, Angst

“Prepare to meet your ĐǿƠ𝓜, brother.”

The rest of his family looked up.

“Pfffft.” Leonardo rested his chin in his hands. “As if anything you come up with is gonna beat former U.S. President Fillard Milmore and his bumblebeard, let alone me .”

“Millard Filmore,” Donnie corrected. “And honestly, Leon, you ought to cease running your mouth, lest it catch flies~!”

Leo glared. “Alright, that’s enough theatrics. Lay your cards down and we’ll see who the real winner is.”

Donnie laid down his cards.

“See, the thing is,” he said, smugness oozing from his voice, “I agree: I really can’t beat you, Leo. No one can. And that’s why I win.”

Set after the quartet of “Tales of the Hidden City” episodes, this fic is actually more of a response to “Lair Games”—namely, how hard Donnie’s had to struggle to catch up with his brothers, combined with Leo’s propensity to be a poor loser. It’s not all drama, though. The first two chapters are mostly humor-focused, with some incredibly strong dialogue that had me hooting. It’s also not angst for the sake of angst—I really loved where both boys end this fic at emotionally.

➤ ➤ ➤ POST-MOVIE

Aftermath by ItsJustKade

9,195 words, 3/? chapters (last updated 10/07/2022)

Character Focus: The Boys, Ensemble

Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Family Drama, Family Bonding, Action

“That’s what this is about?” Hypno asked, standing up and dusting himself off, “Aw geez, I didn’t mean to bring up old wounds. I was just trying to rob a bank. You know, low-grade villian stuff!”

The four looked at Hypno, a little dumb struck. Donnie spoke up. “What?”

“I mean, we all went through quite a lot with the alien attack, especially you guys. I thought something light and non-threatening like robbing a bank could get us all back on our feet.” Hypno explained, waving a cloth and somehow making a circular table appear, the cloth acting as a tablecloth. Out of thin air, Hypno pulled out five stools and set them up by the table, then somehow grabbed a teapot and teacups and set them up too. “Tea?” He began pouring.

There are a lot of fics out there tackling how the turtles work through everything the movie put them through, but this one sets itself apart by how episodic it is. I mean that in a good way. There’s continuity between all the chapters, but each one has a different setup and focuses on a different problem. Each of the boys are fully fleshed out here, and there’s some fun cameos. Like Hypno!

bad blud by bigdamnher0

9,051 words, 3/3 chapters

Character Focus: Leonardo & Donatello, Ensemble

Genre: Supernatural, Hurt/Comfort

The bracelets were haunted—that, or turning 18 had unlocked a whole new meaning to the phrase “twin telepathy.” They entered rooms together, poured milk into each other’s cereal bowls, finished each other’s sentences, which meant the arguments never really ended; they only paused indefinitely until one of them realized they weren’t arguing out loud.

The yokai who sold Leo the bracelets said they amplified strong threads between siblings or friends or lovers; the kind of rare ties only lucky people had. You look the type, she said, and what else could Leo say to that? (The bracelets were also discounted for AAPI month, but Donnie didn’t need to know.)

Ohhh, this fic is an absolute treat. There’s not a lot of fic out there that play with Rise’s mystic elements, which is a shame because it’s one of the strengths of the series. Imagine my delight, then, when I first found this gem and its vivid portrayal of cursed baubles and yokai folklore. It’s a lovely package for the emotional focus of the story, which centers on Donatello and Leonardo growing older and growing apart, and the uncertainty of where that leaves them. This is a must-read.

Cracked Shield by JustAndrea

8,094 words, 1/1 chapter

Character Focus: Raphael & Splinter, Raphael & Leonardo

Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Angst

“...I think I might be a bad older brother.”

“Nonsense.” Splinter reached across the table, squeezing his eldest son’s hand. “You are no such thing, Red One. You are selfless, kind-hearted, protective, and far more patient than most. You are far from being a bad older brother.”

“Hmph.” Raph still kept his eyes locked on the old wooden table they were sitting at, his father’s compliments just bouncing off him. “Alright, then I’m a bad influence.”

For a long time, Raph has built his identity on being the oldest—the protector who would do anything for the sake of his little brothers. He has a harder time accepting them doing the same for him, though. How do you deal with that?

decompress by Tenka

13,254 words, 1/1 chapter

Character Focus: Leonardo & Family

Genre: Humor, Family Bonding, Hurt/Comfort

"I do not want to be in your brain," Leo says, poking at Donnie’s forehead, who swats his hand away. "What am I gonna do if you start on one of your nerd rants? I'm not gonna be able to run away from my own head."

"Wow thanks Leo, and now that I think about it, melding my mind with yours would probably only decrease my overall IQ, and we'd all die the moment we'd have to perform basic arithmetic."

"I would love to have a session with Dr. Delicate Touch and the both of you," Mikey says, serenely, and Donnie and Leo both wisely scoot away from Mikey and closer to each other for safety. "A mind meld would mean no escape for either of you."

"Maintain eye contact, and make slow, careful movements," Leo warns, grabbing Donnie and clinging to him with his one good arm. "Never turn your shell on him."

"Heeey," Donnie says, clinging back to Leo. "How about. Instead of Dr. Delicate Touch. We have a chat with literally anyone else. Like. Dr. Feelings…?"

"Oh!" Mikey says, snapping his fingers. "That's a great idea and you just reminded me. Leo! Let's talk."

In terms of emotional catharsis, this might be one of my very favorites for the Rise fandom. Leo may be the focus character here, but the rest of the family gets a strong showing with top-notch dialogue and meaningful moments. There’s a section where Raph and Leo try a mind meld, and no joke, my heart was so full I cried. Other features of this fic: well-intentioned sibling hijinks with Mikey and Donnie with the kind of banter that could be taken from the show, as well as a thoughtful heart-to-heart with Casey. And don’t even get me started on Splinter’s section; that made me cry again. Twice, with this fic! As for Leo himself? I don’t say this lightly (because there’s SO many good fics out there tackling this subject), but this might be one of the most satisfying portrayals of how he comes to confront his mistakes and trauma. Honestly I could gush for days about this fic, I can’t recommend it enough.

How to spruce up your lair in 10 easy steps! by bigdamnher0

7,776 words, 1/1 chapter

Character Focus: The Hamato Family

Genre: Family Bonding, Hurt/Comfort

On the news, New York was rebuilding. Why couldn’t they do the same? And when was the last time they showed the lair a little love?

“Far too long,” Donnie agreed, his first words after weeks; the whole family went quiet to fish-gape at him. Post-Kraang, the adrenaline swirled out of his system and Donnie had clammed up. Nothing but the mechanical churr from his lab for days. "What?” He blinked. “Well? What are we working with here?”

Raph cleared his throat. "Guys?"

Splinter raised his hand.

“Dad, I cannot replicate your favorite Hollywood suite," Donnie said blearily. "If you haven’t noticed, we live in a sewer. I cannot build you a veranda with a lake view."

Huffing, Splinter lowered his arm.

The family copes with the aftermath of the invasion with some home renovation! It goes about as well as you’d expect, and may or may not be a metaphor for how not well they’re dealing with it. Strong hurt/comfort, with a healthy dash of hijinks.

I Can’t Lose You Again by Sparklepool101

8,258 words, 3/4 chapters (last updated 10/17/2022)

Character Focus: Michelangelo & Family

Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort

He went to grab the sandwich, but pulled his hand back the second he touched the bread, taking in a sharp breath.

It hurt. Like pins and needles, but worse. Almost like electricity. It spread along his hands, up his arms. Pulling them close to his chest, Mikey winced, feeling the tears start to gather in the corners of his eyes. His toes curled up and he bent down, hunching over his lap.

“Mikey? Mikey, you okay?”

“Orange, what’s wrong?”

“Master Michelangelo?”

He couldn’t answer, couldn’t say anything, too focused on trying not to cry.

Some Mikey-centered fallout content post-movie, which sees him with some growing separation anxiety after what happened to his brothers, as well as chronic pain from the consequences of opening the portal. The sunshine boy’s really going through it in this one.

Secondary Colors by NotMichelangelo

10,248 words, 5/8 chapters (last updated 09/10/2022)

Character Focus: Donatello & Michelangelo, Ensemble

Genre: Action, Fluff, Angst

“Say, ‘Angelo,” The soft-shell started slowly, “What if we… What if we did a solo mission?”

Mikey’s eyes widened. “You mean, like, just you and me?” Donatello nodded.

“Think about it. You feel like you have something to prove, which is unnecessary but your feelings are acknowledged nonetheless, and I feel like I… Also have something to prove. If we can beat these guys, just the two of us, we’ll have nothing else to prove to ourselves, right?”

About time we reached some adventures with the B-Team! Feeling some inferiority to their brothers, as well as frustration for how overprotective they’ve become, Donnie and Mikey set out to show they can manage things on their own—only to find this isn’t just a simple robbery, and that they may have bitten off a little more than they can chew.

Trepverter by ATrueDonaldist

11,726 words, 4/? chapters (last updated 09/11/2022)

Character Focus: Leonardo & Family, Ensemble

Genre: AU, Angst, Sci-Fi

"Sensei, are you okay? You went still for a moment," the boy noted softly, eyebrows furrowing together in concern. His clothing left much to be desired as well, consisting of brown rags and mismatched patches of colour and thread, each equally covered in dust from the wind.

Leo opened his mouth to ask who he was, where they were, but something else left his mouth entirely.

"I'm alright, Casey. Just tired after scouting.”

His right hand (he didn’t move it, he wasn’t moving it, he wasn’t in control,) reached out to pat the boy—Casey, it seemed—gently on the shoulder.

There was almost a detached amount of horrified interest as Leo watched his arm reach out. Or rather, watched not his arm, but… Raph’s arm?

Figuring out which category to put this fic in was a struggle. Technically it’s set weeks before the movie is set—though it’s plot will surely see it catch up to the events of the invasion—yet huge, important sections of it detail the events of the apocalypse timeline, and— WELL. Can you see my struggle?? Even so, this fic has a intriguing setup, and is well worth the investment. The premise? Long before things are meant to go wrong, Leo starts to experience his future self’s memories and has no idea what to make of it. These memories become harder and harder to dismiss, but it’s unclear what they mean just yet, or what changes will come about as a result.

➤ ➤ ➤ APOCALYPSE TIMELINE

Echoes of What Never Was by SairenHaria

10,662 words, 2/? chapters (last updated 09/01/2022)

Character Focus: Ensemble (focus varies by chapter)

Genre: Angst, Action

"Greetings, you rebellious insects. I have a special show for you today," Kraang said to the camera.

Of course Kraang understood how to demoralize people, he was too smug to not know-

"It seems one of your leaders finally came out of his shell," he said, the cameras moving to focus on Donatello, and he hated how he saw fear on his face. He hoped that it wasn't so clear to everyone else, that the wideness of his eyes, the clench of his jaw seems more like determination than terror.

His family would know the truth though.

"It was quite the plan he had to try and hurt the Kraang. A virus to disrupt our systems. I'll admit, I didn't expect any of you to be smart enough to figure out how to do that," Kraang said coolly and pulled up Jeremy's body. "Would you like to tell them what you did, hero? The cost of your little program?"

Donnie looked at Kraang. Then at the camera. He still had his plan. He still had his plan.

This is another one of those fics where each chapter stands fairly well on its own. I don’t know if the author intends to continue it, but the first chapter alone dug its hooks in me with its tale of Donatello’s last stand—and his farewell to Leo, Mikey, and April. It pumped me up and broke my heart all in one go; that alone would be enough to get it on this list, but the second chapter is fairly strong as well, detailing the family’s first encounter with the Krang, in the timeline where Casey wasn’t there to assist, and haha, it hurts. But in the best of ways.

Perfectly Similar by TheArchaeologist

6,683 words, 1/1 chapter

Character Focus: Leonardo & Michelangelo, Ensemble

Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort

“So, what’d he do? Help dye Shelldon’s hair behind you back? Switched your toothpaste with glue?”

“Leo.” Donnie-boy says again, this time with the kind of exhaustion usually reserved for post-battle failed surgery. Turning to look at him, Don’s face is ragged, haunted, too much like... when Dad died.

Sitting up properly, Leo regards him. “Don?”

“He-” Cutting himself off, that deep-set anger returning to Donnie’s eyes. After a moment, he huffs, though it’s closer to a snarl, and flings his hands into the air. “It’s all this stupid mystic bullshit! We never should’ve gotten involved with it. We were fine before, and now-”

“Donnie. What’s he done?”

“It’s what he wants to do that’s the problem.”

The idea to use a timegate comes long before we see Michelangelo use it in the movie—long before the end. In the face of that, Leo makes him a deal. A nice look on the history of the bad timeline, and who else was lost long before the turtles were reduced to a duo.

Posted: 10/27/2022

#rottmnt #rottmnt fic #rise of the tmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #fanfic recs #two down #one to go!

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