#bet my draxum would try to talk to one-

[sharkfinn]

@dianagj-art ok hear me out what if they suddenly swapped places/draxums

[starsfic]

Can we maybe get some more Baronjitsu with your half rat humanoid splinter?

Screwing around with my TMNT incarnation, let's go...

If one thing had to stay the same after all these years, it was the parties.

Big Mama's parties were known across Meido. Not only were they ragers with wonderful food and drink, but they were also open to all. So none of the staff even blinked when a new face slipped through the doors.

To everyone, he just looked like a humanoid rat yokai. One in a few dozen who regularly attended. If someone noticed the man’s similarities to a certain famous champion, nobody said it. Yoshi made his way to the bar without issue, looking cool as a cucumber as he leaned against it. “Rosemary lemonade, without sake,” he ordered.

“Coming right out, sir.”

Splinter pretended to be zoning out to the music as he studied the crowd, looking for any sign of the hostess. Soon enough, a rosemary-pink drink was set next to his elbow and he grabbed it, taking a sip. Silvery hair entered his vision. He pressed a hand to his ear. “Big Mama on the dance floor. Over.”

There was a beep. “Gotcha loud and clear, Pops. Purple Planet nearly through the first layer of security with no sign of the Foot. Over.”

Splinter took a deep breath. “Be careful,” he whispered before pulling his hand away.

There was a reason that Hamato Yoshi, aka Lou Jitsu, was once again attending one of Big Mama’s parties. The reason was simple. Lou had long ago stashed a piece of the Dark Armor in Big Mama’s safe, back when they were dating. He had no idea what had happened to it after they broke up, but he was willing to bet it was still in her safe.

So, the turtles were breaking into the safe (now heavily fortified since the last time they broke into it) while Splinter kept an eye on Big Mama and the Foot if they showed up. He set the now empty glass down. “Another.”

The bartender didn’t answer. “Is that him?” they whispered to another coworker, all their eyes wide. Splinter raised a brow, glancing around. Others were gradually noticing whatever the workers had, whispering to each other. “He hasn’t attended a party in years.”

Who-?

Big Mama’s coo cut through the chatter. “Oh, Draxsy! What a delight!”

Yoshi froze.

Shit.

The familiar tall figure of Baron Draxum stood out among the yokai, his arms crossed as Big Mama chatted at him, her twitching eye showing her desire to throw him out. Not like she would. She had a reputation to uphold. Draxum looked just as annoyed and just as good.

Splinter turned before those eyes could notice him. “Boys,” he hissed into the piece. “Draxum’s here. Over.” Nothing. “Boys?” Maybe they couldn’t hear him? “Boys, answer.”

Nothing but static.

Maybe they couldn’t hear him but he had a feeling that wasn’t it. Splinter pushed away from the bar. He had to go find his kids.

He stuck to the outer edges of the crowd, keeping his eyes on Draxum, still talking to Big Mama. If anyone was to take a look at him, they would think he was just someone trying to get a better look at a rare sight.

The crowd shifted and pulsed around him.

Too many bodies. Too many eyes.

A hand wrapped around his wrist. “Lou.” Spliter froze and slowly looked up. Draxum stared down at him. Slowly, he released his wrist as the crowd shifted. Too many eyes were on both of them now.

Around them, couples were moving into a familiar position, waiting. The eyes bore into Splinter as Draxum held his hand up, waiting for him.

Music began to play.

Yoshi groaned.

He raised his hand up to Draxum's own hand, biting back a shudder of what he decided was disgust as their fingers entwined.

“What are you doing here.” he bit out, his glamorized tail thrashing. Slow steps began the dance. He and Draxum circled around each other, hands raised and eyes firm on each other. “You hate Big Mama’s parties.”

“I do, but I hazarded a guess you would be here,” Draxum said. Foul, rotten memories that used to be so sweet rose up at the words and Splinter looked away. It was Draxum’s excuse of showing up when Lou was around. Back when he was younger and more foolish, he had been flustered.

It was normal for people to come when they heard he was attending.

It was different when Draxum did it.

“I’m not here for pleasure,” Splinter said instead of the foul curse he wanted to spit out.

The music picked up and then he was being yanked close. “I’m well aware you aren’t,” Draxum said, his free hand moving to carefully grip his waist. They kept to their circles, rotating around the room. “But I spent years without a dance with you. I’ll take any excuse I can.”

That shouldn’t have sent heat flaming into his cheeks.

“Whatever you’re planning, it won’t work.”

Draxum simply smiled and dipped him. Splinter yelped, scrabbling to not fall, and several other people made shocked noises at the action. "Oh, I know it will." He looked up.

Yoshi followed his eyes and paled.

Mikey was running across the glass roof, chased by several Foot.

[lucdoodle]

Reaction to the ROTTMNT movie

So, obviously, SPOILER for the movie !!!

LEZ GOOOOOOOOOO

Holyshit is that blood ??! Is that allowed ??

5 minutes in and a main died whoa

6 minutes in and 2 MAIN DIED

I kind of just thought of it rn but Casey Jones could be Cassandra’s brother ?

(mention of the Krang) holy shit Splinter is serious

why did you guys sent did dude THE SAME DAY and not a little before whyyy

the technodrome Whou-ou !!

(leo gets the key) destroy the key leo !

( very dark sound) HOLLY FUCK IS IT RAPH ??!

haha, knew it

also thank god it was his shell, that sounds didn’t let me think that, but yeah, there’s only certain things that they’re allowed to do

the plot didn’t go where i thought it would go, with them ACTUALLY getting the key, that’s cool

I don’t need to say that at this point but the animation is AMAZING

« NICE » ?!! Dude come on XD jgftuygfvjh

yeah, you should destroy this thing

April: « then we should destroy it » Yeah !!

« guys, we’re doing my way, remenber ? » geez

Yeah, that reaction exactly !

Mikey’s comment on donnie’s soft shell reminds me of a LOT of angsty donnie fanart rn

April’s school science room will save the day ? Imagine it’s just salt, like, something mixed with just salt, lol, i bet on this

casey= and all we got is this guy// GEEZ DUDE HOLY FUCK

by the way i hope we see cassandra (foot recruit) at some point and casey say something like « sis ?! » i dunno (also I think that casey has a sister mentionned in the 2021 version?? maybe)

(April and Splinter save Donnie and Mikey) Ah, is hat herbicide?

I bet Raph is possessed in there, or like,  in feral mode

ah, yes, i saw something like that in the trailer tho

(see possessed Raph(tm)) ……………………….. the badass fanarts that will be made

(casey= we can’t chznge the future) DUDE DON T ?? SAY THAT ?!

Holy fuck the animation !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(fight against the main’s brother) Nice move Mikey !!

(Donnie going into the goo) THANK GOD THIS ISN T AN ANIME, THANK GOD THIS DOESN T HAVE AN ANIME FANBASE HOLY FUCK

(I AM A SPACESHIP line) omg, I feel like it’s a reference to something too, either a movie or the 2003 adapdation maybe ?? I’m going by vibes here)

(leo speech/and that i’m sorry)i know this isn’t refering to that but in the last season of the 2012 adaptation, in the parody of mad max i think?? there was a scene like this one, but it was possessed Leo holding Raph instead

HECK YEAH

Mickey doing the move !!! trowing extremely big object at others *cheers *

Hw did you survive that Raph ??????!!!

(you re one to talk big bro) yeah

i’m trying to think i there’s an adaptation where leo died but i don’t think so ?? i didn’t read the comics tho umm, anyway i REALLY think he’ll be okay anayway

‘you ve been portal chopped) hooolyyyyyyyyyyy fuck

holy shit

MICKEY ?!!!!!!!!!

YOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

MICKEY SMIRK AND CHUCKLE I CAN T ZIUHFIUZUJHG GOOD FOR HIM

Now that i think oof it there s a little bit of baron draxum, not even a mention or a silgle shot, or big mama, was expectng like, a reaction or something, but I guess this really isn’t about them

CASSANDRA MENTION SIUHFUIJEHRF LET S GOO

HIS FREKING MOM ??! LMAOOOOO

Raph doesn’t have his eye scar anymore ? Ah his shell is still damaged from that hit at the beginning (i knooow it’s not a ref but it’s interesting to know that in the real life (the Bay movies i think they’re called), in the first one Raph’s shell gets damaged too, they fixed it bu using duck tape)

aww !!

[eternalglitch]

Like Father Like Son: Chapter 2

Prologue Arc 1: Chapter 1, Chapter 2

“And yet you…. You aren’t filling your role at all, are you? You were meant to be the leader…” Draxum trailed off, rubbing his chin. “So I’m curious how you screwed up so miserably,” he finished.

Read it HERE on ao3. 

Chapter Specific Warnings: no specific ones (please see the general ones listed in the prologue) 

Chapter Two: Draxum’s Gift

Splinter rummaged through the fridge, searching diligently for his tub of sour cream. He hummed to himself, tail waving as he clutched the bag of potato chips in one hand and tried to grab at the half-empty tub in the way back of the fridge. His arms were too short, though, as with every attempt he made, the sour cream slid away from his nails and became that much harder to reach. Ah, well. He supposed this is what having four taller kids was all about.

“Boys!” he called, wandering back into the television room from the kitchen. He spotted them easily enough; they were all clustered around his chair, armed with a dozen different blankets and pillows. Or, wait: one, two, three… where was Blue? Splinter turned to look at the clock, and he frowned, puzzled. It was 8:30 pm, and yet there was no tell-tale smell of pizza or dirty boxes lying scattered around.

“Boys,” he repeated again, softer. “Weren’t you supposed to order pizza?”

There was another moment of silence from them, Splinter only answered by the distant chatter of television superstars and loud sound effects backed by upbeat music. Then Purple blinked, his gaze darting to meet Splinter’s own before he turned back to the television. “Yeah, yeah,” Purple answered, eyes glued to the screen. “Leo’s on it.”

Orange blinked, the first to shake himself from his movie stupor. “Wait,” the youngest said, frowning. He got up, looking around for something... or someone. Did he also feel like something was wrong? “Wasn’t that like, an entire hour ago? We’re on the fifth movie of this arc, we started on the fourth.”

“Eh, hard to tell with autoplay,” Purple commented, waving a hand dismissively. “They all seem to blend together.”

“An hour,” Splinter repeated. He pushed down his fear, keeping his expression calm. Young and experienced as they may be, his sons were large, powerful mutants. They had gone largely unknown to anyone except their little human friend, and Splinter couldn’t think of any enemies out to get them. Two faces flashed in his mind, and Splinter shook his head slightly. No, any of his own enemies thought he was dead. Blue probably just got lost or distracted, and the others could go get him, easy. An hour wasn't that long, just twenty minutes longer than usual... but still...

“Maybe it just took Leo a while to get back while carrying the pizzas,” Red suggested, unknowingly following Splinter’s same line of thought, but the eldest had also stood up, his brow furrowed. "Or the deal for cheap pizza made the place so busy that the pizzas are taking forever? That happens sometimes, right?"

“Ugh, you’re making a big deal out of nothing, I’m sure,” Purple groused. “He’s done this hundreds of times.” The soft-shelled turtle, however, still hit pause on the movie, and joined his brothers in standing. “If I had known this would happen, I would’ve just sent a drone or something. You’d think that with a teleporting sword he’d be a bit quicker about it.”

“Not now, Donnie,” Red said, shifting uncertainly from foot to foot. “Pop’s right; it’s been a suspicious amount of time. It wouldn’t have taken him forty minutes just to get back here. We need to go and search for him.”

“You- you think something bad happened to him?” Orange asked, his voice small.

Splinter smiled, patting his youngest on the shoulder. “No need to worry, Orange, I’m sure Blue would have called if anything was seriously wrong. Why don't you three go out and find your brother, I’ll stay here and call if he shows up.”

“Good idea, Dad,” Red agreed. “C’mon guys, let’s go.”

Splinter watched his sons all walk off, the three chattering quietly amongst themselves. Orange was clearly anxious already, but Purple and Red were doing a decent job of keeping their cool, their only giveaways Red’s constant checking that his other two siblings were still there and Purple refusing to look up from his wrist tech, probably already trying Blue's cell phone. Splinter stood there, watching his sons until they were all out of sight, before he climbed into his reclining chair and popped open the bag of chips.

Nothing to do but wait, he supposed.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Being captured was, in one word, boring.

Sure, there were the constant pressing worries of what next and will the others notice I’m gone soon? that plagued one’s mind, but really, Leo just felt kind of nauseous. Draxum’s lab was stupidly bright to him at the moment, and all he really had the energy to do was lay on the ground and stare up at the green vines that formed the bars of his tiny cell.

It wasn’t exactly comforting to be stuck against the thing that exploded but a few weeks ago, but Leo had initially expected that he’d be out of here within an hour or two. But it had been more than four hours, it was late, and oh yeah, not only did he have a concussion, it wasn’t like there was a way for him to see a doctor (or just Dad or Donnie) in the current situation he was all wrapped up in. Like one giant turtle-shaped present.

There was a creaking sound as the door opened again, followed by footsteps- Draxum’s from the sound of it, or someone wearing tap shoes. There was a snarky retort to be made somewhere in there, Leo was sure, but he had the worst headache to deal with right now.

A shadow fell over Leo’s face and he scowled, forcing his aching body into a sitting position despite everything. He hunched over, keeping his shell facing Draxum, and glared at the wall. “Well aren’t you behaving now,” Draxum said, too close for Leo’s comfort. “I had almost thought I had grabbed the wrong turtle, from how you bit me earlier.”

“I would say I’m sorry, but I’m not,” Leo muttered, turning his head just enough to give Draxum the stink eye. He noticed that the two gargoyles had made it back; they each perched on a shoulder, snickering to themselves. “You learn to fight dirty sometimes when you have three brothers. And, speaking of which, my brothers are sure to have already have noticed my absence; I bet they’re coming here right now and are going to be kicking your sorry butt in no time,” he said. “So I’d let me go now if I were you.”

“Oho, what fire,” Draxum said, chuckling slightly. He crossed his arms, giving Leo a patronizingly fake look of understanding. “I’m sure they will. I’m sure they noticed you were gone and immediately realized that was a bad thing for them.”

There’s something in Draxum’s voice that Leo didn’t like, a feeling that sent something cold down his spine. Don’t fall for it, Leo, he thought furiously, determined not to show any weakness to his captor. But it was too late; his shoulders had tensed ever so slightly, and when he met Draxum’s gaze, he knew the warrior scientist hadn’t missed it. Draxum didn’t move, his smirk only widening.

“What,” Leo managed to say. “Do you mean by that?”

What a stupid comment. Of course his brothers had noticed he was missing! Leo had been getting pizza, they would’ve been on high alert at all times. And, much as they fought, his brothers cared about him. A lot. What did this jerk know, anyways?

Draxum shrugged, straightening up to his full height. He sneered down at his captive audience. “Maybe your “brothers” will notice you’re gone and be glad for it. Maybe they’ll think, ‘ah, the extra weight is gone-’”

“They wouldn’t!” Leo shot back, getting to his feet. He swayed, dizzy, before he regained his balance. He couldn’t stand at his full height, so he had to awkwardly remain bent forwards as Draxum loomed over him. “What do you know, anyways? You’ve met us, what, three times?”

“And yet I created you.” Draxum’s eyes narrowed, his face tilting so it was mostly covered by shadows. “I know so much more about you then you would ever dream of; I’m practically your parent.”

“Wow, you are messed up,” Leo said, raising his brow as he let out a short bark of amusement. “Like, do you hear yourself, dude? You owe Dad like thirteen years of child support before you can even begin to make that claim.”

The green vines suddenly shuddered and Leo flinched away, leaning back as the bars of his cage slid back into the ground, leaving the space between him and Draxum open. The yokai didn’t move towards him, however, instead tilting his head to look up at the pillar that contained more mutagen behind Leo. “A father, you say?” Draxum mused. “I wondered what kind of yokai or human took you in. Clearly he didn’t know what he was doing, though; you’ve been trained all wrong.”

“Yeah?” Leo asked. He hesitantly straightened up, stepping gingerly over where the vines had been. Was this a trap? He kept sneaking glances at Draxum, waiting for the yokai to suddenly attack him. But there wasn’t anything, so Leo awkwardly stood there, eyes flitting over the nearby walls as he kept an eye out for every available exit. It would be hard to move too quickly with the concussion, but he would just have to do it. He just had to wait for an opening. “But oh, I don’t know, I’d say I turned out great,” he added, hoping to prompt the villain into a long, distracting spiel. “You’ve seen what I can do with my Odachi.”  

“That is little more than buffoonery and luck half of the time,” Draxum snapped, turning his head to track Leo’s movements. “I’m talking about being more that just that.” The two gargoyles were both watching Leo with their bright red eyes, and the turtle shifted uncomfortably. “You know I designed you specially,” Draxum suddenly said, looking back at the ooze, oblivious as to how Leo was inching his way backwards around Draxum and creeping towards the exit doors. “Unlike the current generation of mutants, my ooze didn’t transform based on existing character traits; it was meant to do the opposite and give you specific ones. It’s why I used simple-minded animals, rather than the other way around,” he revealed. “Lou Jitsu with a bit of snapping turtle DNA would have been formidable, of course, but that wouldn’t have made him perfect. And you, you four were meant to be perfect.”

“Uh… okay?” Leo asked. He took another step backwards when the yokai's head snapped towards him and stared him down, cold anger flickering in his eyes. Leo froze where he was standing, trying in vain to act like he hadn’t been trying to move across the room. He cast a discreet glance behind him, swallowing. Just a bit more. “Let me take a wild guess; things didn't go according to plan.”

“It was a disaster! I mean, really?” Draxum gestured at Leo, who shifted, trying to keep the door behind him from Draxum’s view so the yokai wouldn’t think too hard about what he was up to. “Not only did it take all four of you turtles thirteen years to get to the optimal size, just look at you in particular. The biggest failure of the lot.”

Leo’s mouth fell open. He blinked at Draxum, confused. Him? A failure? That was ridiculous. He and his brothers were all awesome, and they had a father that loved them and a best friend that didn't care what they looked like. He shouldn’t listen. He knew he really shouldn’t listen, but… “What do you mean by that?” he demanded, his voice tight. How did that old saying go? Curiosity killed the cat? Well, make it a turtle, because Leo was officially an idiot.

“Were you not listening? I gave you all roles, advantages for the battlefield,” Draxum mused. “And yet you…. You aren’t filling your role at all, are you? You were meant to be the leader…” Draxum trailed off, rubbing his chin. “So I’m curious how you screwed up so miserably,” he finished.

Leo felt cold.

“You- you’re bluffing,” he stammered, for once unable to think of a quick retort. “Me? Leader? That’s a joke. I’m not leadership material, no part of me is leadership material! I’ve never wanted that! There’s no way I was intended to be—“

“Well.” Draxum cut him off, and with a gesture of his hand the doors behind Leo suddenly slammed shut with a loud crack. He jumped, whirling to look at his exit. Muninn and Huginn grinned back at him, giving each other a high five. “What are you even good for, then?” Draxum finished, now right behind him.

Leo spun back around to keep an eye on him, his eyes shooting to the large pipe on the second story area. Since they had entered the lab that way the last time, Leo was pretty sure that meant he could get out that way as well. His eyes drifted back to the imposing figure right before him, and Leo gave him an uneasy smile. “I’m- I’m plenty useful! I’m the- y’know, the, the face man!”

“The face man,” Draxum repeated, looking entirely unimpressed. “I should’ve known to take one of the others; it’s not like you’d be of any use to me. You’re the weakest of the bunch, after all.”

That first part of the comment was enough to make any thoughts of escape slip away from Leo in one go. The red-eared slider shrank back, breath stuttering in his throat. “What? No. No, stay away from my brothers!” Leo demanded. His eyes narrowed. “If you dare hurt one of them, I’ll show you how I’m—“

“Useful?” Orange eyes met his own, and Leo tried and failed to nervously swallow. His throat felt uncomfortably dry. “Why don’t you prove it, then? I’ll give you one final chance. Join me. We can put a stop to the human threat, and you’ll see the true potential you can achieve.”

“Uh. Wait. What?” Leo asked dumbly. Draxum just watched him, expression expectant. “Dude. I should’ve guessed! This was all just another villain pitch! But again. Roof,” Leo stressed. “Now multiple roofs.” He shook his head, trying to clear his head of Draxum’s words. “Wait, I know this game. You’re… you’re manipulating me! Like Donnie, when he wants me to get extra juices for him and goads me into going!” Leo gave Draxum the most unimpressed look he could manage. “This was all just to get under my shell, wasn’t it? You really have the worst approach to making friends that I’ve ever seen, and I’ve watched Donnie try and socialize before.”

“So is that a no?” Draxum clarified.

Leo chuckled. “Uh yeah, no duh it’s a no. I’m not getting in on an evil villain membership card anytime soon, thank you very much.” His head throbbed and Leo suppressed a wince. “Now, it has been a very long day, and much as I’d love to stay for tea…” It was now or never; Leo tensed his muscles, ready to bolt for it.

“Hm, a pity,” was all the warrior scientist said, suddenly stepping back. In actuality, he didn’t look all that disappointed. “For you, that is.”

“What—“ Leo managed to say before he yelped, thick purple vines bursting up from the ground and lithely wrapping around each of his limbs and his torso. He hadn’t even seen Draxum move to do that, and he struggled in vain to free himself. “Hey! This is so not cool!”

“Huginn,” Draxum said, turning away from Leo. “Bring that to me.”

“Right away, Boss!” the gargoyle chirped, shooting off into the distant corner of the lab.

Well, that wasn’t worrisome at all. Leo gave up struggling, his futile efforts making him feel nauseous and dizzy all over again. “For the record, I was only caught because I have a concussion,” he insisted. “If I had my sword and was in top shape, you’d be regretting this right now!”

“I’m sure,” Draxum dryly replied. “And what happened when you had all of that earlier today?”

“Uh,” Leo said. He averted his eyes. “Well…”

“That’s what I thought. But don’t worry,” Draxum said, sharing a knowing glance and chuckle with Muninn. “I’ll fix all of that soon enough.”

“Here, Boss!” Huginn darted back across the room, wings straining, as he carried a very… familiar…

“Uh, wait up, no,” Leo said, eyeing the blue object as Huginn dropped it into Draxum’s waiting hand. “Do you even know where that thing’s been? Have you properly washed it at least?”

Draxum’s roots suddenly shift, dragging Leo upright until he’s forced to stand on his tip-toes to have any sort of purchase. “I happened to have had it offered to me by the mutant that you call Meat Sweats,” Draxum said, admiring the collar (for that’s what it actually was, even if Leo had never called it that when it was just a gift from his brother) in the light. “He was quite helpful once I mentioned what I wanted to use it for.” Draxum started to approach, the collar held aloft.

“So, what,” Leo bit out. “You’re gonna stop me from saying my one-liners? Big whoop.”

“I think you’ll find,” Draxum coolly said. “That this has been modified to do so much more than that.” Leo was yanked closer, and Draxum pulled the collar down over Leo’s head. Leo struggled, glancing down at it for a moment in panic and then back up at Draxum’s grin as the collar let out a soft beeping sound and suddenly tightened, becoming two sizes smaller so that it was pressed smug against Leo’s skin. Well, that was new.

“What—“ Leo started to demand, but the collar suddenly crackled to life. A shock five times worse than anything Donnie had ever tried traveled through Leo’s body and hit him in the chest like a sledgehammer, the vines releasing him so he collapsed on the floor in a twitching ball of pain. He whimpered, and the shock occurred again, somehow worse this time. He choked down yet another gasp of pain as his body instinctively curled in on itself, his hands uselessly clawing at his throat as he desperately wheezed for breath. There was nothing but white static for a moment, and when Leo came to, he was on his knees, head bowed before Draxum. He gagged, wiping spit from his mouth. The pain receded, but Leo’s body remained locked up, his mind muddled.

“Careful,” Draxum said, the tip of his hoof prodding Leo in the side. The turtle slowly looked up, shoulders shaking slightly. The look on Draxum’s face was not unlike looking up at a predator that knew its prey was all out of stamina. “If you make any noise while being shocked,” Draxum continued, the two gargoyles settling back on his shoulders and openly laughing at Leo. “It’ll go off again.”

The collar was tight.

But Leo’s throat was now too dry for him to be able to swallow, anyways, as Draxum started to laugh.

(Chapter Three -->)

[singthebodyelectric-tmnt]

I Sing the Body Electric 3

Leon Leon stomped out of the kitchen in a huff. Raphie was able to help with his mood but only by a small margin. It really irked him that the pests were still there. Why didn’t he have reasonable counterparts just like his brothers? He glanced at Michael and Raphie talking to each other, a smile on their faces, as he left the kitchen, occasionally talking to thin air. Must be real nice.

He glanced at the corner of his eye and damn it his counterpart is still there. Wait… there was only one of them. The one closer to his age with dark blue eyes and the one that droned on and on about honor and destiny and trivial stuff he doesn’t quite understand. The one that questioned Raphie being the leader. He was the one that he tried to punch in anger. Currently, this Leo was silently following him. Good. He didn’t need more bullshit and he refused to make small talk to assholes. What worried him was the other Leonardo that was currently missing, the one that was older. He was the one that was observing everything and Leon knew he was assessing the situation, judging everything. He just knew. He lifted no finger to stop Leo and Leon from arguing so in his opinion, that Leo was just as bad. Leon put on the noise-canceling headphones that his beloved twin made for him when things got too much and he needed something to ground him.

He could feel that Leo wanted to say something so he turned up the volume in his earphones. The other Leo looked away frustrated. They sat apart from each other in tense silence. When Leo looked up to peek at his counterpart, said counterpart was actually meditating... weird. Also, the older Leonardo is back, once again observing. He noticed Leon looking at them and tapped his head likely trying to get Leon to put the headphones down, signaling that he wanted to talk to Leon. Leon sniffed and looked away. Leonardo sighed and shook his head. Draxum came in a little later and Michael happily tackled him. The sheepman caught the youngest turtle and laughed. He then put him down to greet Raphie walking toward him. Leon just smiled and waved when Draxum looked in his general direction. The old man nodded in acknowledgment. Leon peeked at his counterparts because he knew they would react and yes they did. Leo looked on in concerned confusion but Leonardo’s expression was the interesting one. His mouth was a thin line of displeasure and he had his arms crossed.

Michael and Raphie must have explained the situation to Draxum because his smile disappeared. He listened on for a few minutes and then nodded and said something. Mikey then happily led him to Don’s lab. Raphie sat down next to Leon. He had a ball of yarn and had his specialty knitting needles out. Leon stood up, stretched, and then climbed up his brother’s carapace. He could feel his counterparts’ surprise but he couldn’t give a damn. He settled on his brother’s shoulder, spent a few minutes watching his brother knit something small, concentrating on the music blasting through his headphones and zoned out. He felt something tap his forehead and he blinked. Leon looked down at Raphie’s hand as his brother signed, “ You okay?” He signed back, “ Yeah, I’m--” Leon noticed that Leo had clumsily climbed up Raphie’s shell to sit on his other shoulder. He narrowed his eyes. “ Well, I was fine”. Raphie gave a snort. “Dude, I know you. Why not give them another chance and talk to them, yeah?” “ But you don’t know what they said about you man!” “I’m sure it wasn’t that bad Leon. I also know that you’re stubborn. Maybe, you could try listening to what they have to say” Leon huffed, annoyed, and glanced at his older counterpart, quite fascinated by the exchange between the two brothers. He frowned. What are the chances this Leonardo knew sign language? He then glanced at the other Leo but that one was looking confused at what Raphie is doing. “ What are you doing by the way?” Raphie signed back patiently, “ Don’t change the subject. Take those headphones off, please, so I can continue doing this”. Leon sighed and pulled his headphones down his neck. “So...What are you doing?” Raphie chuckled and began to knit again. “Raph said he had a pet turtle and Raphael said that his Michelangelo had a cat. I’m making tiny sweaters for them”. Leon grumbled. That was a cute idea. He noticed that Leo had startled while Leonardo had a smile spreading on his face. Leon shifted to rest his head on his arms. “Leo’s sitting on your other shoulder,” he muttered. Raphie, the big softie, smiled. “Well, he’s very welcome to stay as long as he likes” “He doesn’t mind? That’s---I honestly don’t know what to say,” said Leo surprised. Leon grit his teeth, “You could apologize for judging my big brother and being an ass, for starters”. Leo stiffened, then deflated. “I’m...I’m sorry for judging your brother too harshly”. Leo shifted a bit. “It’s very sweet of him to make something for Raph. I know it would make him really happy if it’s for Chompy. Please give him my thanks” Leon did, Raphie laughed and said, “It’s no problem, man. I like making stuff so this is nothing. Now please talk to each other, yeah?”. Leonardo chuckled, “I see why he’s the leader now. That patience is something that comes naturally to an elder brother”. He gave Leon a grin. “You really love your big brother to be this protective of him, don’t you?” Leon gave Raphie a hug (“Oof! Let me finish this row, Leon”) and excitedly said, “You bet! He’s like the best big brother a kid could ever ask for! He gives the best hugs, he looks out for us! His plans may not be the best, but he always gets us through tough situations fine”. “Hey!” “Oops, didn’t mean to say that out loud” Raphie rolled his eyes good-naturedly and continued his knitting. Leon shifted once again, then hesitantly asked, “Hey Raphie, would...I be a good leader?” Leo and Leonardo both looked at Leon, then at Raphie. Raphie lowered his knitting and gave his brother a toothy smile, “Yes, you would. You’ve got hella a lot of potential and you notice stuff we don’t. You can predict things because you observe people. Actually, I would love it if you stepped up once in a while. It would really help me out too, ya know? I could use a break sometimes” Leon almost fell off his brother in surprise. “R-really? You mean it?” Raphie chuckled, “I really do. Just one thing, Leon. Ya gotta work on listening and learn impulse control. To be a good leader, you need to know when to follow. Or do I need to remind ya of the time you kept eating those poisoned pizza puffs even when I told you three NOT to!?” Leon whined, “ Raphie! ” as Leo almost fell off Raphie’s shoulder and Leonardo burst out laughing. Leo sputtered, “Excuse me, wh-what!?” while Leonardo wheezed out, “Holy shit !?” Raphie huffed and looked to the side. Then he chuckled, “Yeah no man, it happened. Shaved a few years off my life, I’m telling ya” “Dude! The other Raphs are here too? Not cool” “Leon, I love ya, but I swear you needed to hear that. And if I’m right, and the other Leos are planning to help train you, then they need ta know what they’re getting into”. Leon pouted as Raphie patted his arm before continuing his knitting. Leo readjusted himself on Raphie’s shoulder as Leonardo chuckled, “Duly noted”. He then uncrossed his arms. “We all got off on the wrong foot, so let’s try again”. He gave a bow to the younger turtles. “Hello Leon, Leo. I’m Leonardo Splinterson. It’s nice to meet you both and I hope we can get along”. Leon blinked. Splinterson? Like a Viking name? That’s actually pretty cool! He turned to Leo. Leo put a hand over his heart and bowed, “Hey, we’ll be working together from now on, so I’d like to get to know you better. I’m Hamato Leonardo, and it’s an honor to meet my brothers in arms”. Leon scratched his cheek and nodded his head at them both, “Yeah, um...It’s nice to meet you both. I’m sorry for the earlier outburst. I’m Hamato Leonardo, and the second youngest of Lou Jitsu's kids. Please take care of me”.

[2k18leo]

Mystic Library notes:

((Spoilers))

- I missed Mayhem so much

- How in the hell did he get stuck in the mirror. I bet you he could get out of there if he really wanted. He’s prolly just fuckin with April so he can procrastinate getting a bath

- “Experts on mynthic stuff” Leo’s ducking face I can’t 😂

- HAHAHA THESE IDIOT BOYS I LOVE THEM

- Donnie is definitely the adult figure in this family

- All the faces that these boys are making — I’m wheezing. The animators had SO much fun doing this episode, I can tell

- The netherworld? I want that subject to come up again. GASP what if that’s where “shredder” (or his ghost/spirit) is trapped

- As soon as Mayhem started fading you could tell he was like “I fucked up. I’ll take the bath I’m sorry”

- Damn Donnie has so much shit in his shell

- Omg April has a framed picture of her and mayhem in her bathroom

- The mechanical arm is killing me

- LIKE COMICS BUT THICKER

- Poor April

- Hahaha that janitor just said “fuck it. I’m going home”

- RAPH’S FUCKING FACE AGAIN. WHAT IS UP WITH THIS EPISODE

- Renaissance artists. I saw that. Love the orange pants on David

- Yknow, I really thought that the damn Jupiter Jim saves a cat comic would ultimately be how they saved Mayhem

- LEO YOURE ABUSING YOUR BROTHER AGAIN

- YEET

- “Said nobody ever”

- I love Leo’s enthusiasm in this episode

- You could’ve just said “Gen-turtles” instead of “gentle-turtles”

- Donnie’s lips I can’t 😂

- Mikey’s overdue hahaha

- National Library competition ??? What is that ??? Read all the books ?

- I CAN DIVIDE BY BIOGRAPHIES

- Ooooh the bats are cool

- I will constantly be amused how Raph can lift his brothers with absolute ease

- MIKEYS FACE

- I love how the animators make it seem like a sticker just being moved around the frame whenever something is like taken away by flight 😂 does that make sense at all?

- I love Mikey’s Echo moment because that’s absolutely some shit I would do

- I REGRET NOTHINNNGGG

- I love how the boys don’t even try to stop the bats, they just watch as they wonder if he’ll be alright

- Wow the kiddie room is terrifying

- *uses mystic orb as a magic 8 ball*

- Already memorized the directions in song-form—PLEASE YOU BETTER SING JOSH BRENNER

- I love it when the foot show up when I don’t expect them to

- HE’S RAPPINGGGG

- Awwww Leo’s so into it

- Oof there he go

- Raph mocking Donnie gives me life

- “You tryna get Donnie fired?” WHAT. THEY CAN BE FIRED?

- I so believe that with all the teasing the boys do about getting Donnie off the team, he’ll go dark mode (maybe even for just an episode) and side with Draxum

- “We fight them as quietly as the quietest lions in the jungle of SILENCE !!!”

- Oof blowing dust in his face. Playing dirty

- What the fuck is up with this show

- Leo became a duck — LEO IS NOW DEWEY

- Seriously what the fuck is up with the animators

- HOW TO AVOID TRIPPING — IM SO DONE. THATS HILARIOUS

- Tiny foot ninjaaaassss

- Raph made Lieutenant’s own foot ninjas betray him

- Oooh nah I wouldn’t answer April’s phone call cause I just KNOW she would be loud

- Did raph just eat his phone ???

- I love these high-speed moments because of the animation and music. They’re so badass

- Hahaha WHAT IS THE POINT OF THIS

- Raph is definitely the best at his mystic weapon, no denying that. Mikey is very close behind, and Leo is getting there

- He YEETED himself

- Hahaha the scene where Mikey is like the tribal leader reminds me of Jack Sparrow in the second pirates of the Caribbean

- Oh yeah, that book is definitely going to come into play later with Shredder

- Overall, hilarious episode. I loved the humor and facial expressions. Definitely one of my favorites. I can’t wait to see where the plot will go with that book (if it even will)

- P.s. if you guys actually read through these, I just want to say thank you so much. It’s really just be talking to myself about memorable moments I found in the episode, but I love that you guys like them too :)

[different-as-it-ever-was-au]

DAIEW AU - Part 6

((Alright, I'm gonna be honest witch you guys. This part was finished for a long time, I just forgot to post it here. :P))

The Truth

Leo has never experienced a more unconfortable silence in his life.

Another one of Future Raph’s sighs interrupted it though.

They have been sitting like this in silence for the past seven minutes.

Future Mikey took a deep breath.

“Look, Raph, I-I’m sorry for lashing out like that.“ He hung his head down in shame.

Future Raph gave his younger brother a tired smile.

“It’s fine, Mikey. I kinda get where you’re coming from.“ His smile fell.

“You do?“ Future Mikey’s eyes widened.

“Yeah, I do. I mean, I’m glad, that we finally found Donnie, and that he is alive. But he’s already keeping secrets from us!“ Future Raph huffed in frustration.

“Then why did you side with him?!“ Future Mikey snapped at his older brother in confusion.

“Because I didn’t want him to leave!“ Future Raph defended himself.

As Leo listened to his brothers‘ bickering, he let his thoughts drift to his unofficial twin from the future.

He was worried for this Donnie, but at the same time, he wanted to know, what is he hiding.

While he was thinking, his eyes drifted to the ominous door behind him.

He wondered, what secrets lay behind it.

And…does he really want to know?

How would they open it, anyway?

It’s not like a secretive person like Future Donnie wouldn’t lock the super secret door after himself!

And then it clicked.

“Hey, guys?“ He interrupted the two bickering brothers.

“Yeah, Leo?“ Future Raph shifted his attention to Leo.

“Should we go after Donnie?“

“I mean, we would, but it’s not like we can get through the locked door!“ Future Mikey motioned towards the mysterious door behind him and Leo.

“But what if we could?“ Leo smirked at his confused brothers.

“What do you mean?“ Future Raph managed to look even more puzzled.

“You see…“ Leo started to get off the old couch. “Our dear genius brother seems to be a tad forgetful. Doesn’t he?“

“Leo, what are you talking about?“ Future Mikey frowned.

Leo started to slowly walk backwards towards the door. “Because…“ He grabbed the door handle.

“He didn‘t lock the door.“

He pullled the door open with ease as his brothers gaped.

“What.“ Future Raph looked between each of his brothers and the door.

“Leo, you’re an absolute genius.“ Future Mikey was looking at Leo, still amazed.

“Oh, you know, it’s natural.“ Leo’s cockiness returned along with a grin at the praise, but that grin fell right off, when a loud crash echoed from the open door. A quiet curse was faintly heard afterwards.

Only when they all properly looked inside the door, did they notice the spiral staircase leading into a lower level.

“Huh…“ Leo exhaled.

Future Raph stepped forward.

“Let’s go.“

The staircase seemed endless, but maybe that was because they were going so slowly.

Leo didn’t complain.

None of them were sure, what to expect at the end.

Unfortunately, they could already see the last step of the staircase.

Future Raph suddenly stopped, also stopping the younger two behind him.

“Why did you stop?“ Future Mikey whispered to his brother.

Future Raph pointed at something in front of him, but then moved aside so the two behind him could see, what he was pointing at.

There were glass shards on the floor, some a bit bloody.

“Oh geez….“ Leo whispered to himself.

He almost didn’t want to go further.

Almost.

Each of them carefully stepped around the shards and looked around the room.

It looked like some sort of secret underground lab.

It seemed pretty empty and small, the only things there were a desk filled with papers and notes, a closed door and some weird huge curtains.

Future Raph stepped around the shards again to get to the desk and started looking through the papers.

Future Mikey joined him soon after.

But Leo wasn’t interested in some boring papers, he wanted the real secrets.

So, he went straight for the huge curtains.

He reached for one of the curtains, but before he could see what’s behind, he heard a loud sound to his right.

The door was wide open and inbetween stood a shocked Future Donnie.

“What are you doing here?“ He asked in a hurried tone.

“We came to see, what YOU were doing here.“ Leo responded cockily.

“That’s none of your buisness.“ Future Donnie’s shocked expression quickly turned into an irritated one.

“Donnie you’re our brother and we’re worried about you!“ Future Raph frowned.

Future Donnie looked like he wanted to say something but his older brother cut him off.

“Which makes your buisness also our buisness.“ Future Raph gave his genius brother a stern look.

The said genius didn’t say a word, he just gritted his teeth and stormed back into the second room, but before the door could shut, Future Raph stopped it.

He entered the room with a desperate call for his brother.

“Donnie! Why do you always--“ He suddenly stopped mid-sentence, when he saw Future Donnie’s terrified look.

He just now noticed the weird hospital bed right beside his terrified brother.

He froze.

His eyes went wide at the sight before him.

“Raph?“ Future Mikey’s worried voice cut through the silence as he folowed his older brothers into the room.

He came to stand right beside his oldest brother and gasped, when he saw the reason his brothers were so quiet.

Tears started flowing from his eyes, soaking right through his mask.

They heard hesitant footsteps.

“Guys?...What’s up?“ Leo peeked around the door.

“Leo don’t come in here.“ Future Raph said through gritted teeth.

Leo had a feeling the anger wasn’t directed at him, and as it seemed, it was directed at the terrified genius in the middle of the room.

“Come on, Raph!“ Leo whined as he tried to squish between his brothers.

“Just let me see!“ He tried and tried.

And finally, he got the distraught orange-banded brother to move.

“Now, what are you all so quiet abou--“ His words got caught in his throat.

“W-What?“ He croaked out.

But…that wasn’t possible!

“Donnie…“ Future Raph growled.

“L-Look, I can explain!“ Future Donnie took a cautious step away from his older brother.

Future Mikey pointed an accusing finger at the genius and stepped forward.

“Well, you better! ‘Cause we’re not fooling around anymore!“ He was furious.

“Is that…“ Leo couldn’t find the courage to utter the single word.

Future Donnie looked at Leo.

“Leo…“ He whispered apologetically.

He breathed out as his shoulders slumped.

Future Raph took a loud step forwards, gaining everyone’s attention.

“Yeah, that’s…that’s our Leo…“ His gaze drifted to the bed beside him.

“Donnie, start talking. Now.“

His previous calm manner was completely gone by now.

Future Donnie pointed his defeated gaze to the floor and sighed heavily.

“Four years ago, when I went to search for Leo on my own, I did find him.“ His gaze very suddenly shifted into a glare.

“He was unconsious and badly hurt. But he wasn’t alone. Draxum was there with him. He wanted to make a deal. He said he’d give me back Leo, if I didn’t ever see you guys again. Well, and as you can see, I took the deal. I had to act quickly, because of Leo’s injuries. Thankfully, I found this abandoned factory and made it into my hideout. I took care of Leo’s wounds, and had been waiting for him to wake up ever since.“ The quick explanation came to an end and no one said a word.

Future Raph broke the silence first.

“You know, Donnie… I don‘t even know, what to believe anymore.“ He quietly said and left the room.

The sudden hurt expression on Future Donnie’s face was something Leo thought he would never see.

“Why didn’t you tell us..?“ Future Mikey’s eyes were glistening with unshed tears.

“I…was afraid. I feared, that Draxum would hurt you guys, if I did. And… I didn’t know, if Leo would survive this… I didn’t want to get your hopes up, only for them to come crashing down.“ The purple-banded brother looked at the unconsious turtle next to him.

Future Mikey’s sad frown turned into anger in the matter of seconds.

“WE THOUGHT YOU TWO WERE DEAD, YOU KNOW!!“ He shouted, tears spilling out of his eyes.

Both Leo and Future Donnie were surprised at the loud outburst, but the older of the two recovered quickly.

“I THOUGHT ONE OF US COULD BE DEAD!!“ He shouted back with an extremely desperate expression.

Future Mikey went silent, but after a minute, he spoke in a quiet voice.

“I bet you didn’t even try your hardest to save him.“ The anger behind those words was obvious.

He left the room afterwards.

Leo heard a faint “Raph, wait!“ a few seconds after.

He sadly looked at his miserable looking twin, and then left after his other two brothers without a word.

To be continued…

[fanfic-inator795]

RotTMNT/Baron Jitsu fanfiction: Dating… With Children - Chapter Four

(Also on AO3 if you want to leave a comment or kudos)

Plot:  Benjamin Draxum hardly considered himself a man of high social standing. Not because he was uncouth or unworthy of it, mind you, but simply because he didn’t have much of a social life. Hard to have one when he usually spent his days at work, cooped up in a lab for so long that he often had his lunches in there, and his nights at home reading or doing research for more personal projects. But perhaps meeting handsome semi-retired movie star - as well as his four young sons - could change all that…

First off: Thank you all so much for the kudos and comments, it's just so SO encouraging that people are supporting this AU ^v^ Your kind words and feedback mean the world to me!

Secondly: That hiatus I was gonna go on to work on original stuff? Yeahhhh, didn't really pan out... BUT, i'm still gonna try to work on original stuff the best I can, I'm just gonna also work on fanfics when I'm in the mood. I figured trying to limit myself and divide my focus is better than going cold turkey on fanfics and not having anything to work on when I hit writer's block on my original stuff. So yeah, expect semi-frequent updates, and I hope you all enjoy this chapter! ^v^ Quick note: It takes place directly after Lou and Draxum's date in the last chapter (but before the little bit at the end of ch. 3 with Draxum going into work and Huginn and Muninn noticing his good mood, heh). Okay, here we go!

“...So, how come we’re meeting Dr. Draxum for breakfast?” Raph asked, glancing away from his window and the passing New York architecture.

“Actually it's brunch, but yeah, why?” Donnie said from the back-left seat, though he didn't bother to look up from his book, “Didn't you guys JUST see each other yesterday night?”

“I bet you guys are really good friends now!” Mikey grinned, “Just like us an’ April!”

Looking up from the road for just a moment, Lou smiled at his youngest son using the rear view mirror. “Yes, we are… But, Dr. Draxum wanted to see you all again too.” He left it at that for now, wanting him and his new boyfriend to explain the situation to his children together, as well as answer any questions they may have had.

Thankfully, three of his four kids were satisfied with this answer and went back to either looking out the window or, in Donnie’s case, reading. Leo however couldn't help but stare at his father. Something was up… He knew something was up! Maybe he wasn't as smart as his twin, but Leo still liked to think that he was a bit more observant than the average six year old, at least.

He saw the extra smiles his dad would make whenever Draxum was mentioned, and how excited he was to see him again. And his face would sometimes get sorta red too… While yeah, Leo would've been happy with his dad just making a new friend, there was something about how he hung out with the long-haired doctor that made him seem like way more than a friend. How happy his dad was to see or hear from him, how long they'd talk over the phone, how close they'd sit or stand near each other…

Oh yeah, Leo could see it clearly. The boy tipped his blue cap low over his face, trying to hide his smirk. He'd seen enough Disney movies to know EXACTLY where this was going - and maybe he hadn't shared his theory with his brothers yet, but he was still gonna rub it in their faces that he knew all along.

Soon enough, the family of five arrived at one of the big city’s cozy local diners. Before moving to help his kids out of the car, Lou made sure to swap out his normal yellow tinted glasses with his darker sunglasses - or his ‘sneaking around so no one knows I'm a movie star’ glasses, as dubbed by his kids. (Not that they even really minded whenever their dad was ambushed by fans, usually making a game out of who could sneak into the most photos or who could get the most compliments.)

Thankfully, the glasses did their job, and the hostess greeted them like she would any family. “Table for six, please,” Lou told her, “we’re still waiting for one other person.” The hostess nodded and led them to a large, round table near the back of the restaurant.

It was only a few minutes later, after they were given coffee, milk and free crayons to draw on the kids menus with, that Draxum arrived looking the most casual that Lou had ever seen him. The scientist was wearing a dark green polo with brown jeans, and his long hair was actually loose rather than in a ponytail or braid, instead simply resting over his broad shoulders. Lou quickly waved him over, flashing his boyfriend a grin that in turn made him smile softly.

“‘Morning, Dr. Draxum!” Raph greeted while Mikey waved and the twins nodded.

“Good morning to you as well, boys,” he nodded back, sitting down, “And to you, Lou.”

“Yes, a very good morning.” Lowering his voice a bit, Lou added, “For the record, you should definitely wear your hair down more often.”

Draxum rolled his eyes, though let himself smile back at the man just a little. “I’ll consider it. So, what's everyone get-?”

“Waffles!” “Pancakes!” “French toast!” “Breakfast burritooooo!”

“Boys, inside voices, remember?” Lou lightly scolded. His boys mumbled an apology before eagerly making additions to their breakfast requests, now at a much quieter volume. Draxum smiled, a bit amused by the wholesome scene. How Lou could manage to keep a level head while raising four slightly rowdy boys on his own, Draxum didn't know, but it was certainly impressive. Maybe fatherhood was just easier after dealing with the stresses of Hollywood, Draxum supposed.

“I’ll probably just get one of these bacon and cheese omelets,” Lou told him, “and what are you getting?”

His date hummed. “I think I may get a couple pieces of French toast, as well. Though just so you know, we’re getting separate checks-”

“Ah-ah, no way,” Lou told him, insistent, “You made dinner last night, I can buy breakfast today.”

“Technically it's brunch, and honestly Lou, this was my idea and I'm perfectly capable of buying my own breakfast-”

“Didn't say you weren't, Ben.” The ex-star then angled his face down a bit so Draxum could see his eyes over his glasses. “I'm just saying that I'm the type who likes to treat a guy right.”

Draxum huffed. “How annoyingly chivalrous of you,” he retorted, even if his expression was anything but annoyed. Lou just flashed him a grin.

While his brothers continued to draw and talk, no longer interested in the strange conversation, Leo just made a face at the two adults across from him. What was that thing grown ups called it? Flirting? Was this flirting? Groooooss - even if it was another bit of proof that he was right in his deduction.

Eventually, the waitress returned and took their orders. Having more than a few minutes until their food would be brought back, Lou decided that there was no better time than now. “So, my sons,” he began, getting his kids’ attention. Draxum also made sure to sit up a bit straighter, suddenly feeling a bit nervous.

...Hoping for approval from kids under ten years old. Huh… What a strange turn his life had taken in just a few weeks.

Lou seemed to feel the same, fidgeting his hands slightly as he made sure his tone stayed calm. “There was a reason why we - er, Dr. Draxum and I - wanted us all to have brunch together, because there is something we wanted to tell you all. Ah, don't worry, it's nothing bad, though it's also okay if you aren't too sure about it or have questions, okay? We just want to be honest with you all.”

“Well, what is it?” Raph asked, voicing what he as well as Donnie and Mikey were thinking.

“Well… Dr. Draxum and I have decided to officially start dating.” Lou felt himself grin, still feeling the leftover excitement and happiness from the night before. “As of last night, he is my new boyfriend.”

“Yes,” Draxum stiffly nodded, figuring he should participate in this too, “We are dating and, and we hope that you are all alright with that.”

Raph began to speak when Leo let out a cheer. “YES! I knew it! I knew you guys were gonna say that!” The boy in blue exclaimed.

“What?! Nuh uh!” Donnie argued, “you couldn't have known!” At the same time, Mikey asked in awe, “How'd you know?”

“Cause I saw how Dad would give Dr. Draxum weird smiles, and he'd do the same to Dad,” Leo told them, “And I saw how they'd get all lovey dovey and do the weird-gross flirty thing too! So I just knew they were in love!”

Draxum held back a chuckle. As embarrassing as it was to have it all laid out in the open like that - and by a child, no less - there really was no denying it at this point. He had fallen in love, and had done it more quickly than he ever would he thought. Perhaps Lou just had that special something, or maybe it was just easy for him to drag people up to his speed. Either way, Draxum couldn't say he wasn't grateful for it. Not when the results were this surprisingly satisfying.

“...Hey, Dr. Draxum.” Brought out of his thoughts, Draxum directed his attention squarely on the boy in red. “How come you think we wouldn't be alright with you dating our dad?”

“Er, well-”

“Cause you're really cool-”

“And nice!” Mikey chimed in.

“And super smart,” Donnie smiled.

“And really tall with pretty hair,” Leo added.

“Yeah! So you seem like a good boyfriend to us!” Raph finished, nodding at the doctor in approval, “Just as long as you keep bein’ nice to our dad and don't make hurt his feelings or cheat or anything!” At this, all four boys put on a bit of a scowl, a silent (and unfortunately for them, sort of adorable) warning.

Still, even while being a bit shocked that kids so young apparently knew what cheating was, Draxum made sure to look serious as possible as he nodded back at them. “I promise to try and be the best boyfriend I can be to your father.” After he said this, he felt a hand grip his from under the table. Looking back at his date, he saw a much softer smile now.

“And I will promise the same thing,” Lou said simply. And that was all Draxum needed.

“...So, what made you wanna start dating Pop anyway?” Donnie asked, raising an eyebrow, “Wouldn't you wanna date someone as smart as you?”

Draxum quickly brought his other hand up to his mouth, trying to cover up his muffled laughter while Lou gave his middle child a bit of a look. “Geez, Donnie, you should be a bit nicer to your old man, don't you think?”

“I'm not trying to be mean!” Donnie argued, “I just thought it was kinda weird. Don't scientists date each other?”

“Maybe in the movies and comics,” Draxum told him, “Not so much in real life. But as for why I wanted to start dating your father, well… It's the same reason why I chose to keep in contact with him after meeting him at the museum: I enjoy his company, and I feel comfortable with him.”

“And I'm ‘less annoying than other people’, you can't forget that,” Lou quoted with a grin. Draxum nudged him with his elbow, and Lou nudged him right back.

“So, wait,” Leo said, grimacing as he began to realize the downside to being right, “if you're boyfriends, does that mean you guys gonna start making out all the time now?”

Draxum immediately blushed, which in turn caused Lou to laugh, too amused to be embarrassed. “No, we are not going to be making out all the time. We are however still going to kiss and hug sometimes, but we’ll try to do it when you kids aren't watching, okay?”

Leo still stuck out his tongue, “Grossss.” Lou just chuckled again, leaning over and ruffling the boy’s hair.

“How do they know what ‘making out’ and ‘cheating’ are?” Draxum whispered.

His boyfriend sighed slightly. “Let’s just say that Donatello is way too good at hacking the parental locks on the tv.”

Draxum shook his head, an amused smile returning to his face. Unbelievable… Yet completely fitting. As he spotted the waitress returning with their food, he felt himself relax. That had gone over pretty well, actually. The kids were okay with it, they answered all their questions, and there had only been maybe one or two awkward moments, and they were going to have a decent, hot meal to finish off the occasion. All in all, not bad.

His French toast was looking really good as well, topped with powdered sugar and brought with hot syrup. Everyone else quickly dug into their meals - with the exception of Mikey and Lou, with the latter helping the former cut his breakfast burrito up into a more manageable size for such tiny hands - so Draxum didn't hesitate to do the same. He cut off a piece, brought it to his mouth, and-

“Are you two gonna get married?”

Draxum sputtered, nearly choking on his bite but forcing himself to swallow. “W-Wha-?”

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Lou sitting up a bit straighter, forcing a sheepish smile. “Ah, heh, Mikey, that's-”

“Oh yeah!” Raph said, nodding at his youngest brother, “Grown ups who date always get married.”

“Not always,” Donnie lightly argued as he poured syrup on his pancakes, “They also breakup sometimes.”

“But that counts as being mean, right?” Leo asked, “So if Dr, Draxum breaks up with Dad, are we allowed to beat ‘im up?”

“You boys will not be beating anyone up,” Lou said sternly, “And, ah, marriage is, well, i-it's a long way off. Very long way. We just want to enjoy dating each other for right now, understand?” The boys all sort of shrugged and nodded, accepting it more than understanding.

“Though, I will probably be around a bit more often to visit you all as well as, well, taking your father out on dates,” Draxum added, “Which means you all don't have to be so formal with me. I won't mind if you don't use my title or call me Benjamin or Ben instead.”

Mikey hummed, scooping up a forkful of burrito. “Nah, I'm gonna keep calling you Draxum.”

“It does sound cooler,” Leo commented, “Way cooler than just Ben.”

“Well, fair enough, I suppose,” Draxum told them, not minding the technical insult.

Thankfully there were no more surprise questions for the rest of their meal, even if the conversation itself was still primarily controlled by the children at the table. Donnie and Leo happily shared the books and comics they would be hoping to find at the library later that day, sparking a discussion for all three of them about their favorite books and stories. Granted most of Draxum’s favorites were a bit too high-concept for children, but he was happy to break them down for them, endeared by their comments and observations.

On the other side, Lou listened to his oldest and youngest sons tell him about the puppet show that would also be happening that day - both the good and bad things about it. (“Raphael, baby, I promise you that the puppets are not actually alive, nor are they evil, no matter what the older kids say.”) When Mikey decided to invite Draxum to come along with them to watch, Lou had to hold back a laugh when he saw the taller man’s face twist into a forced smile.

“As… fun as that sounds, Michael, I have a few errands I need to run before the day is over, so I don't think I’ll have the time.” He may have liked Lou’s kids, but he had his limits. “But I hope you and your brothers enjoy yourselves.”

“We will!” Mikey grinned, while Raph just slouched in his seat, looking much more unsure. Lou gave him another pat on the back.

Once the dishes were cleared away and Lou paid the bill, the six of them headed out to Lou’s car, with Draxum once again taking the extra step to walk him to it.

“Well, that went over pretty well, don't you think?” Lou asked, leaning on his gold painted vehicle, his kids already inside.

Draxum nodded. “Yes, I'd say it was the best reaction we could've hoped for.” He chuckled lightly before adding, “Though, I’ll have to keep your sons’ warning in mind.”

“Oh, I'm not worried.” Maybe they would last and maybe they wouldn't, but Lou had a feeling he didn't have to be concerned about his new lover cheating on him or doing anything else extremely hurtful. Although, there was one other thought in his mind… “But, ah, I'm sorry if any of the boys’ questions caught you off guard.” He rubbed the back of his neck, his smile a bit more sheepish. “Like… The whole marriage thing?”

Draxum stared at him for a moment, taking him in as he tried to wrap his head around the image of such a normally open and bold person actually looking somewhat bashful. He felt his own smile soften a bit. “While it may have surprised me a bit, yes, I supposed we should have expected it. It's only natural for a child to jump to things like that, after all. ...But, I think that you were more flustered by the idea than I was.”

Despite the heat returning to his face ever so slightly, the ex-star scoffed. “What, me? Nahhh, never!” Lou insisted. He might have gone on, if he hadn't noticed Draxum’s flat stare. “...Well, I mean, maybe a little. But, but not because the idea is unappealing or anything! I've got nothing against commitment, I can assure you I have been in exclusive relationships before-”

Lou cringed. Yeah, tell him about your past loves, that's JUST what your new love wants to hear! “I just, ah- we don't want to take things TOO fast, you know? We just started dating, for goodness sake! I may enjoy life in the fast lane sometimes but- Er, but like I said, I wouldn't mind getting married either. Totally cool with marriage! Definitely wouldn't mind if it was with you! That is, as long as you wanted to-” Wait, you guys literally got together YESTERDAY, are you seriously-? “N-Not that you have to decide that this very moment, that would be ridiculous! Heh…”

Lou held back a groan, feeling like he could slap himself as Draxum continued to stare at him, eyebrows raised. When it came to things like flirting and getting people on his good side, it felt like he could do know wrong, words and smiles flowing through him like air. But sometimes, when it was time for much more emotional and personal things - the more awkward things - it was like being shoved into a soundstage without a script! “Look, what I'm trying to say is-!”

*BEEEEEEEEP!*

Both men flinched at the loud horn, with Lou nearly crashing right into Draxum’s chest. “Daaaaad, are we gonna go yet?” a muffled voice from the car asked.

“I will be there in a moment, Leo, now please get back in your seat!” Sighing, he turned back to Draxum.

“So,” Draxum began, his gaze still soft and free of judgement despite everything, “what were you trying to say, Lou?”

“...I think, what I am trying to say… Is that I do not want to pressure you into anything, or push you into anything because… I don't want that either.” Even if Draxum was the first person he felt fairly serious about. Feeling a smile come onto his face, if only a little, made his thoughts come to him a bit more easily.

“You… You are a good man. Smart and interesting, fun and kind and-” And hot, so VERY handsome- “and, I want to just enjoy being in these moments with you, without really thinking of- without worrying about the future, because… Well, you're the first person that I've wanted to do that with in a long time. Not in a ‘this is a fling’ sort of way but, just in an ‘I enjoy being around you, and this feels good so let's just roll with it, a-and I also really don't want to lose this feeling or scare you off’ way, you know?”

“...Well, maybe not the fling thing but, yes, I do understand,” Draxum told him, taking a step as he kept the space between them close, “and, considering that you've kept me for this long… I think you and your kids would have to try a lot harder if you ever did want to scare me off.”

Lou grinned, taking his boyfriend’s hand. “Heh, I will keep that in mind…” Speaking of his kids, even without any more blasts from a car horn, he could hear them start to complain. Draxum could hear it too, and gave Lou a quick peck on the cheek before he needed to leave.

“Until our next appointment, doc?” Lou said, stepping back and putting his hand on the driver’s door handle.

“Are you going to keep using that line?”

“Sure am!” Draxum sighed, briefly wondering why he was agreeing to all of this again, and remembering only a second later as he watched Lou smile and cheer along with his kids as they finally left the parking lot…

He was nearly in bed when he heard from Lou again, only it wasn't a phone call but a text. Specifically, a text and a photo of a simple, fairly messy drawing of the two of them, holding hands and surrounded by a giant pink, glittery heart (as well as small, multi-colored hearts).

“Look what Mikey drew at the library arts and crafts table. I think he supports us - and he captured your likeness pretty well!”

Draxum scoffed despite his smirk as he texted back, “That boy of yours is too adorable for his own good.”

Lou’s reply came in only a couple seconds later. “I’ll let him know you liked it. ;)”

Draxum nodded at the screen. He expected to be bombarded with numerous similar looking drawings the next time he visited the Jitsu home, but it was just as well.

Taking a moment to save the picture to his phone, Draxum then set his alarm before getting into bed, a fairly relaxed and content expression on his face as he slipped into sleep.

((Splinter's awkward dad apology/speech at the end of 'Evil League of Mutants' is so sweet, he's trying his best, ya'll... Such a good rat dad... But yeah, that's pretty much where I got my inspiration for quite a bit of Lou's dialogue in this chapter, lol. Just another side of him I wanted to show. Anyway, hope you all enjoyed! ^v^))

[brightlotusmoon]

Anyway, I had my first 2018 dream last night. I probably will do a fic once more episodes get under way. I'm waiting for more episodes before I start writing fics. Also I have, like, four fics for 2012 and 2003 that I need to finish or continue chapters on. Plus one for Darktober.

The fact that many fans are STILL WHINING about the specific changes in Rise means that we have a while to go before the 2018 fandom and the 2018 series becomes comfortable enough beyond the initial "THIS IS WEIRD AND OUTSIDE THE BOX AND EITHER TOO BIZARRE OR SURPRISINGLY FANTASTIC" reactions. I think both of these thoughts and totally accept the show. My very first reaction was "Whoa, damn, that is really really different and weird" and once I saw the action I fell in love with with the characters and the animations, although sometimes my epilepsy isn't so fond, but that's nobody's fault. I decided that it was too extraordinary not to turn away from.. I quickly got over the initial WTF of Splinter’s design once I reasoned that he was too much like Uncle Iroh from Avatar The Last Airbender if Iroh was selfish and dismissive because he never got over his Tragic Traumatic Past. He'd probably become a resentful slacking neglectful surprise parent who had no idea what he was doing with a bunch of kids and his kids probably grew up knowing of his trauma and not wanting to bug him much. But I believe he loved them completely while raising them into their teens. He most likely used their colors as nicknames, you know, Purple, Baby Blue - hell, there were already headcanons about nicknames like Little Blue, Little Red, Little Purple, Little Orange. It would seem they were confirmed. Also Leo is actually his favorite, and with Stage Three Leo had been trying dissuade Splinter by denying it. I had originally scolded Splinter for his color nicknames him just not paying attention, but I really think there epic reasons for everything Ratdad does in Rise. We will find out, slowly, probably in two parter episodes, as the series goes on. And speaking of that, fears about the Teen Titans Go influence are, well, wrong. Rise Of The TMNT is actually better than TTG, because of the character interaction, and the general storylines being mysterious enough. The design is a lot nicer, too. I watch TTG for the quotes, kinda a hate watch, because I use it for autistic echolalia and scripting, and ADHD husband and I will talk like Starfire at each other. Point is, I don't loathe TTG but I don't love it, and with that opi I say that TMNT 2018 is far more awesome.

We haven't even gotten to a cohesive storyline yet. My husband even wondered if it was just slices of life without an overall plot while watching Repo Mantis and Shell In A Cell. And he knows how much I hyperfixate on TMNT, he's been my resource for my fanfiction where I need to severely injure someone, describe quantum physics, discuss art history, and create visual art (he's a fucking mensch and jack of all trades, it's scary). Like, even though I'm writing two urban fantasy novels with autistic main characters, every time I bounce into the living room and start with "Hey so what would happen if" he grins and says "Is it for the Turtles?" and then I pout sweetly.

So far, we have ideas for overall plots: Splinter and his past and how he became his current character, which would include how he raised the boys. How Baron Draxum is how he is plus the birth of mosquitoes. How the boys met April. How they agreed on big brother Raph being default interm leader as Leo obviously was not ready yet and won't be til the second season. We already saw why they don't have their signature weapons. It's a good reason, seeing those weapons destroyed and finding magic ones and being too excited about those new ones. Besides, Raph can do just as much havoc wreaking with tonfa he could with sai - He has spikes, and his squishy desire to be protective is more suitable for smashing than stabbing, for once in the franchise his anger is controlled. Leo is fabulous with that odachi and excuse you have you seen how quietly sarcastic and snarky the past Leo versions have been, he's just letting it out while he can along with being the clever intuitive strategist we all know. Mikey can have more fun ramp up his supernaturally athletic prowess with his mystic whip that unleashes a fuckin fire spirit that I hope becomes his kitty friend, plus his goofball side is tempered by both his brothers sharing his hammy flamboyance and his soft sensitive, naive yet wise, ADHD with obvious RSD, and silly adorable sweet artistic creativity that he will obviously put into his weapon use. Donnie having his incredible beautiful tech bo and eventually getting that magic staff we saw in promos is truly epic and now I bet my husband will build his own tech bo, plus Don probably knows a ton of science that he could teach his excited brothers especially empathic Mikey.

(Holy run on sentences, Batman)

What I am getting at is that there is so much to explore and look forward to.

We're not there yet. The audiences of excited children need to first be appeased by silly hijinks and sweet adventures before we get to the meat and probably angst. Then we can get deep and deeper into actual hard-core plots.

So chill out, angry people. It's twelve minutes that you could ignore if you really want. The rest of the fandom will tell you when it gets better.