#prompt 9: raph

[fletcherwilbury]

@whumptober Day 9: Alt Prompt 6: Playing Cards

Warning for Past hospital setting, past seizure, past injury, verbal abuse, weapons

[goodlucktai]

9, raph and leo?

dialogue prompts

9. “I know, I know it hurts.”

x

When Raph was eight years old, the twins decided they needed their own bedrooms and, like with all other things they had ever decided, they made it everyone else’s problem. As a united front, the two of them had the capacity to wear down a squad of Navy Seals in a manner of days, let alone one overtired single father. 

The campaign for separate bedrooms turned out to be a long con. Donnie had been denied an evil science laboratory by Splinter multiple times, on the grounds of it being dangerous, and Donnie being seven, and evil being bad. But a room of his own could be whatever he wanted, and he wanted a lab. 

It took most of a week for Splinter to discover that the twins were still doubled up in the room that was ostensibly Leo’s while Donnie’s was being used for nefarious purposes, but by then Donnie had installed an electronic lock on the door that he built out of components gutted from old kitchen appliances and was fully ready to die on that hill. 

While Pops and Donnie were locked in a contest of wills that would ultimately go in Donnie’s favor (because Splinter’s achilles heel back then—and even now—was that he thought little turtles at their most sulky and unreasonable were just adorable) Raphie had looked at Leo with a confused frown on his face. 

“How come you went along with it, Lee? You didn’t even get your own room.”

Leo shrugged, bright gold eyes shining with interest as he watched his twin and his father argue back and forth. He was following it carefully, probably ready to join in if it looked like Donnie was going to lose—more engaged than he ever was playing video games or flipping through comics. 

At the time, all Leo said was, “Just wanted to see if I could.”

Raph thought it was because he was a troublemaker, and he maintained that idea up until Mikey—intuitive beyond his years, even as a sweet little six year old—said he figured it was just that Leo’s head went as crazy fast as Donnie’s did, only in ways that didn’t involve breaking and building things. 

A full decade later, Raph knows Mikey was right on the money. Looking back, he sees a kid who was wickedly smart and terribly understimulated. Leo didn’t create trouble for the heck of it, he just liked having problems to solve. He wanted conversations and tricks and puzzles, he needed hoops to jump through like dolphins did on TV, or else he’d get cranky and sneaky. 

Their world became a much simpler, more peaceful place once Leo got his first phone and discovered an online chess app with a leaderboard. 

All this to say, Leo has had a mind for strategy since before he could talk in full sentences. He’s a natural-born leader, and after the failed Krang invasion, he really stepped up and took it seriously. Raph is so proud of him he doesn’t have words big enough to contain the size and shape of it all. It isn’t as hard as he had imagined it would be to let go of the reins and give Leo the room he needs to shine. 

Some days are better than others. For the most part, Leo says jump and his brothers don’t even ask how high, they just shoot for the rafters. Their teamwork is cohesive, as solid as it was when they initially realized their ninpo, and Raph thinks he’d feel sorry for the Shredder if that guy showed his face in their town again. 

But there are also days like today, when Leo says something that Raph’s big brother meter pings as Leo being silly, stirring shit up for lack of better thing to do, and he doesn’t linger on it past that initial knee-jerk impression. 

They’re working with a group of mutants out of Hell’s Kitchen, mutants who are walking the line between vigilantism and outright crime. They’re rough around the edges, but good-natured for the most part. The turtles kept bumping into that other group as they crisscrossed around the city until finally their leader, Old Hob, said, “Why don’t we just get on the same program instead of stepping on each other’s heels?” and a tentative partnership was formed. 

It’s been a week since then, and in that time Raph and his brothers have been firmly adopted by the grown-up mutants, who ask pointed questions about what time they went to bed the night before and whether or not they had a decent breakfast and how their online classes are going. 

“This must be what having overbearing aunties is like,” Donnie said to April on the phone none-too-quietly, and Sally, feline mutant and aforementioned overbearing auntie, knocked her knuckles on his battleshell reprovingly. But that about summed it up. 

There was one spanner in the works, and that was Liam.  

——

“Anyone else getting bad vibes from that guy by the way?” Leo says one day. 

There’s something performative about it, his usual pomp and charisma with a plastic edge. Mikey tilts his head like a service dog who just caught the scent of a potential medical emergency. Donnie looks up from his phone, eyes keen the way they only are when he and his twin are about to communicate with the telepathy they’ll deny they have.

But Raph is having a bad pain day, and his well of patience for shenanigans is much shallower than it normally is. 

“Leon, don’t start,” he says, rubbing the slider’s head playfully to take any sting out of the dismissal. “If I have to put up with any middle child nonsense today I’m gonna scream.”

There’s a beat, his second-youngest brother visibly hesitating on a mental fork in the road. He’s gotten so good about being forthcoming but his first impulse is still to play along, deny, conceal-don’t-feel. He still has this idea in his head of what a good leader is supposed to be, and he’s still willing to whittle parts of himself away that don’t fit that mold. 

To his credit, Leo tries again. “I don’t like him,” he says with less certainty. 

“You don’t have to be best friends with the guy,” Raph replies. There’s enough warning in his tone that Leo knows to drop it. “Just get along until we go home.”

He works his shoulder, trying to do something about the solid ache it’s become, and Leo’s eyes drop to the mass of scarring there and then flit away. He starts to outline the route their patrol is going to take, reaching into his belt bag for the jar of Tiger Balm he’s taken to carrying with him and handing it over to Raph as he talks. 

Raph smiles, the warmth in his chest ballooning up to swallow the impending impatience and annoyance brought out by pain. That warmth stays with him through their whole run, even as Donnie video-calls April and deadpans “POV you’re tailing some guy who didn’t get the memo that armed robbery is cringe as hell,” even as Mikey goes out of his way to jump and tumble off a fire escape in time to give Mondo a high-five as he skates by in the opposite direction, even as Leo progressively gets quieter the closer they get to their two AM check-in at the Mutanimals’ railyard base.

Looking back, Raph can count all the red flags he missed and hates himself a little more for each one. Leo sometimes causes problems for fun, and he likes to see what trouble he can get away with or get himself out of, and he is a downright menace to society when he’s bored—but he’s good. He’s sweet, and charming, and wants to help. He wouldn’t have raised an issue with the other group of mutants, potentially cutting ties with useful allies, unless he had a decent reason to. 

And that reason, Raph discovers that night—after information has been exchanged and all that's left is to hang out at the base watching TV and playing table tennis until Splinter inevitably texts to remind his sons of their curfew—is Liam. 

He doubles back into the meeting room where he left his phone and sees the goose mutant has put himself between Leo and the only exit, head lowered on a serpentine neck, beak open to show a flash of sharp teeth in a display that Raph’s animal hindbrain reads clearly as threat. 

His grip on the doorframe causes it to crack. 

“Leo,” he says in a voice he doesn’t recognize. 

His little brother’s head jerks up, half-hopeful, half-disbelieving. Later, Raph will hate himself for putting even a sliver of doubt in Leo’s mind, for unknowingly invalidating his feelings. Leo should never be surprised that his big brother showed up for him. He should never have been left to fend for himself in a situation that made him uncomfortable, especially after he found the courage to be upfront about it. 

“C’mere,” Raph says, lifting an arm—a little turtle’s cue to tuck themselves safely against Raph’s side. 

Whatever his expression is doing, it’s caused dead silence to blanket the room like a foot of packed snow. Liam looks markedly unhappy to see Raphael standing there, but Leo runs to meet him. 

A strategist, a faceman, a leader, and barely seventeen years old. 

“We were just talking,” Liam says with a lightness that rings as false. 

“Next time I find out you and my brother were just talking, I’ll wring your skinny neck,” Raph replies, matching his tone. Liam may be twice Raph’s age, but he’s half Raph’s size, and Raph has gone head-to-head with the Krang general and the Shredder and walked it off each time. Raph is fully prepared, in this moment, to murder this fucking goose. 

Leo taps on Raph’s carapace, just as one of his violent inner voices is lifting its head in the back of his brain and considering making an appearance. On Leo’s end, a warning that someone else is coming from down the hall. On Raph’s end, a reminder that his first priority is the one he’s holding. 

He turns, keeping Leo beside him, in time to see Hob appear around the corner. The cat mutant stops dead in his tracks, slitted eyes moving from Raph, down to Leo, to the doorway beside them, and back again.  

“Problem?”

“We’re going home,” Raph says, a rumble in his voice he wouldn’t know how to temper even if he wanted to. “And we’re not coming back. Don’t call us unless someone’s dying or there’s another alien invasion.”

“Knock on wood,” Leo mumbles near-silently. 

Old Hob doesn’t answer right away. It’s impossible to tell what the older mutant is thinking on a good day, outwardly recalcitrant and unfriendly, even though he has never snapped at Mikey’s cheerful rambling or Leo’s wheedling attempts to goad him into yet another chess match or even Donnie’s accidental ninpo-related shortage of every appliance in the Mutanimals’ kitchen. He and Sally and Ray and Herman all go out of their way to make their base comfortable and accessible to the turtles and Mondo and Pete, like it really matters to them that the younger mutants have a safe place tucked away that they can fall back on. 

And Raph had appreciated that, up until now. Up until they proved it wasn’t safe, actually. Up until he’d seen a grown man leering meanly at his baby brother, just because he thought he could keep getting away with it.

When Hob does speak, all he says is, “Get home safe, boys.”

Raph shoulders around him, and collects Donnie and Mikey from the main room immediately. Mikey says, “Woah, are you guys okay?” and Donnie shoots a poisonous look behind them, like if he glares hard enough he can see back in time to what happened to put those expressions on Leo and Raph’s faces. 

“We’re peachy, Miguelito,” Leo says, disquietingly convincing. “Just had a difference of opinion with our hosts is all.” 

“Stay out of Hell’s Kitchen from now on until I say so,” Raph adds sternly. 

Raph tells dad about Liam when they get home, because there is no universe where that doesn’t happen, and Leo immediately gets hauled into Splinter’s room for what sounds like a very serious conversation. Raph, Donnie and Mikey cluster shamelessly outside the door to eavesdrop, and some frightened thing in Raph’s heart lets out the breath it’s been holding when Leo says, “Nothing happened, papa, I promise. He was just weird.”

“Let him be weird to my Baby Blue one more time and I will show him exactly why your father was the undisputed Battle Nexus champion,” Splinter says. He cups Leo’s face and rubs his thumb over a striped cheek, as if he’d like to keep his son right there where no one had the capacity to hurt him. “Thank you for telling us. I’m so proud of you. I will actually kill him if he looks at you again.”

Leonardo smiles brightly, daddy’s boy of the family and glutton for attention that he is, those leftover dregs of anxiety in his eyes finally melting away. 

“I think we should let dad kill him,” Donnie announces, eyes icy, tone flat. 

“Nah,” Mikey says, disingenuously cheerful. “Next time we run into Liam I’m setting him the fuck on fire!” 

“Language,” Raph scolds by rote, but his heart isn’t in it. 

He can’t get that scene he walked in on back at the railyard out of his head. He can’t help thinking what if something worse had happened because I didn’t listen? 

It feels like there’s a ghost in his chest, rattling his heart. He’s haunted by the what if. 

——

After dinner, Leo looks at Raph meaningfully and points at the infirmary. Doctor Leo’s orders supersede all others, 100% of the time, so Raphael sighs and surrenders his controller to Mikey’s grabby hands without bothering to make the token argument. He keeps driving Princess Peach off the track anyway. 

“Have you been stretching?” Leo says, feeling along Raph’s upper arm, where the muscles are visibly knotted. Even his careful touch hurts—that whole side of his body is tender with pain. Raph can’t help but flinch when his shoulder spasms and Leo hisses. “Shit, sorry, I know, I know it hurts. God, Raphie, you gotta say something before it gets this bad. I’m not afraid to bench you, big guy.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Raph says, amused by his little brother’s no-nonsense tone, warmed by the care Leo always takes with his family when they’re sitting in his infirmary and putting their hurts in his hands. 

There’s nothing performative about him here. It’s just Leo, stripped of every false layer. 

“Let’s try to massage it out,” Leo says, all his attention bent to the task. “Then we’ll apply heat.” 

Raph hums, watching him work. His arm radiates pain, and he has to grit his teeth as Leo goes to work on the knots and the ache flares close to unbearable and wanes to a dull throb and then flares again. 

“Hey,” Raph says before he can overthink it any more. “What would you have done if I didn’t see you and Liam?”

Leo pauses, but only for a split-second. He’s as good as cornered here, because there’s no way he’ll leave Raph when he’s in pain, and there’s nowhere to hide. Thankfully for Raph’s sanity, he doesn’t try to pretend he doesn’t know what they’re talking about, even if he takes a long moment to finally answer. 

“Would’ve made Angie make me a Portal Promise to never be alone with him,” Leo admits. Flushing slightly, he mumbles, “It’s, uh, a thing we do—we both make portals, you know, so—it just means we have to keep that promise no matter what happens or what rules we have to break, and we won’t get in trouble later as long as we’re honest.” 

Raph’s heart hurts. His little brothers are so sweet, and people exist in the world who would hurt them, and he has no idea how to reconcile that. He hates that both things could be true at the same time. 

“Tello doesn’t need to be encouraged to stay away from people, and I’m pretty sure he can read my mind? But I would’ve told him anyway,” Leo goes on. “I tell him everything. I’d try to word it so he didn’t get angry enough to do something drastic, like, cut the brake lines on Liam’s Toyota Corolla. And I’d have to make it sound like you and I were on the same page, otherwise he’d go to you about it, and you’d—uh, be annoyed that I didn’t drop it, I guess.”

Getting impaled by the Krang hurt less than this, Raph thinks. He feels sick. 

“Leo—”

“I know,” Leo says quickly, a little too loud. “I know that I don’t always take stuff seriously. It’s not your fault for thinking—you know. You didn’t do anything wrong, Raphie. I just gotta grow up.”

This kid, who—like the rest of them—has already matured well past his age, well before he should have had to. Who’s terrified of letting his family down, who has so much he thinks he needs to live up to. Any perceived failure weighs on him like the death penalty, and Raph knows he had a hand in that. 

He needs to listen. Even when he’s aching and short-tempered. Even when Leo is talking around something that scares him. Maybe especially then. 

“Can we make a deal?” Raph says, reaching up to hold Leo’s hands still under one of his own. Leo is staring hard at Raph’s plastron and doesn’t seem willing to lift his eyes for love or money, but he jerks his head in a nod. “Next time I’m not hearing you, and it’s something serious like today was serious, tell me, and I’ll stop.”

Leo’s mouth twists a bit. If it were for anyone else’s sake, he’d get in Raph’s face and make himself heard no problemo, but it’s an entirely different story when it’s his own safety in question. That part of Leo that wants to always rely on his brothers is constantly at war with the part that believes he’s not supposed to need anyone’s help anymore. 

It would be impossible for him to plant himself like a tree and refuse to be budged and demand Raph’s attention if he thought for one second that it would make Raph angry at him. 

“What if we came up with a code word?” Raph offers, squeezing Leo’s hands. “If I’m being a stubborn punk, you can tell me the code word, and I’ll listen, and I won’t get mad. Even if it turns out to be a mistake or a misunderstanding. Okay?”

He finally gets a peek of gold as Leo dares to make eye contact. He looks embarrassed, like they’ve made a huge deal out of this for no good reason, and hiding inside his shell until everyone promises to pretend like nothing happened is looking more tempting by the second. 

But he’s Leo, their fearless leader. He stared down that portal into the prison dimension without flinching. If he can do that, he can do anything. 

“What word?” he finally says. 

“You pick,” Raph tells him. 

A smile creeps onto Leo’s face, picking its way carefully across shaky ground. 

“‘Goose’,” he suggests.

"‘Goose’ it is," Raph replies firmly, committing it to memory.

He lifts his good arm and drags his little brother into a solid hug, ignoring the twinge in his back and side. Leonardo scrambles to return the embrace, shoving his face against Raph’s unscarred shoulder and clinging for all he’s worth. Which is a lot. He’s worth so much. 

Later, when Raph’s got the electric heating pad on his arm and he and Leo are watching TikTok compilations to pass the time, Mikey comes through the infirmary door at top speed, waving his phone above his head like a maniac. 

“Look what Mondo sent me!” he shouts at full volume. “I put it in the group chat!”

The video shared in the Mad Dogz chat shows Liam being kicked out of the railyard, his bags tossed into the road. Sally is going off at him at the top of her lungs, and Hob is standing by with his arms folded like he’s fully ready to let her maul the guy, and the rest of the grown-up mutants are making it pretty clear with their body language that the goose isn’t welcome anymore. 

“Dunno what they saw on the security cam, but they effin’ hated it,” Mondo says in the recording, unbothered by the absolute chaos unfolding in front of him. “Good riddance, Liam sucks. Oh, Mikester, Hob wants to know if you guys’ll be back in the Kitchen for Herman’s D&D oneshot on Saturday so he knows how much food to order. He said you should bring your dad around this time—as if we need another boring old man in the group, ugh. Anyway, let me know and I’ll pass it along, dude!”

A weight Raph hadn’t even realized he was still carrying melts off his shoulders. Leo huffs under his breath, a disbelieving little laugh. 

“Can we go, Raphie?” Mikey asks with wide eyes. “Don worked so hard on all our character sheets. He even 3D-printed custom figurines.”

“My bard is going to carry this team,” Donnie says loudly from the next room, because he’s never met a private conversation he wouldn’t shamelessly listen in on. 

It’s so important to the Mutanimals that their young friends feel safe with them, and here’s proof of that in Mikey’s hands. Raph doesn’t fully understand why they care, but he’s grateful that they do. It didn’t hit him until now how much it hurt to have the railyard taken away—and how relieved he is that they can go back, after all. 

He squeezes the arm he still has around Leo’s shoulders, prompting his brother to look up at him. 

“What do you say, Fearless?” he says warmly. “Your call.”

Raph’s listening this time. 

[novastar-creations]

I MADE A ROTTMNT ART CHALLENGE FOR MARCH

Rules: GO WILD! (Tag me tho, I wanna seeeeee)

- You can create however you like (draw, write, sew, taxidermy dress up, ect.)

- You can interpret the prompts how you like!

- You don’t have to complete every day, you can just pick prompts you like or do every second day or mash prompts together, ect.

- Basically the only rule is have fun without causing harm (yes, “harm” includes tcest. None of that shit. You’d think it’d go without saying, but apparently I have to say it. Fiction affects reality. Don’t use my art challenge as an excuse to draw proships)

The prompts are either based off events happening that day or characters!

Prompts (plus some explanation of the more confusing ones) under the cut!

1. Mikey

2. Mardi Gras - In honour of the day the Mardi Gras festival ends (or at least the one near me), create something Mardi Gras and RotTMNT themed!

3. Donnie

4. Raph

5. Leo

6. April

7. Pancakes - In honour of the National Day of Pancakes over in what I’m assuming is America (I wish we had it here), create rise + pancakes! Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Pancakes?

8. International Women’s Day - Celebrate International Women’s Day by creating something based on your favourite female character from rise!

9. Fav AU - Create something for your favourite RotTMNT AU. If you don’t have a favourite, you can consider this a free chance to make your own (or just create what you want, I’m not the boss of you)

10. Splinter

11. Lou Jitsu

12. Brownie Clan - Apparently the 12th is Girl Scout Day? Create for the RotTMNT equivalent - The Brownie Clan!

13. Sunita

14. Pi Day - International Pi Day! Whatever this prompt inspires, create it!

15. Draxum

16. Fav Ship - Create something for/based off your favourite ship! If you don’t have one, that is a-okay. Consider this a chance to create something w/ any of the characters x therapy bc damn do they need it

17. Green - Saint Patrick’s Day, green, I feel like this prompt is pretty self explanatory.

18. Karai

19. Big Mama

20. Casey Jones Jr

21. Atomic Lass

22. Fav Villain

23. Mayhem - America’s National Puppy Day deserves to be celebrated with the best dog/cat/thing!

24. Foot Clan

25. Jupiter Jim

26. Hueso

27. Kendra

28. Cass

29. Movie Night - create something movie night-y (or watch the movie, who am I to stop you?)

30. Fav Character - Create from your favourite character from rise!

31. Trans Day of Visibility - the one day a year when trans people can’t commit crimes bc we can be seen :[ Do you headcanon anyone from rise as trans? Create from that! If you don’t (that’s valid too), consider this a freebie to create what you want!

[artsybun]

Day 9 + 10 of TMayNT: Fav Raph + Fav turtle curse word

2k3 Raph is incredibly dear to me. It’s funny, I didn’t like him that much as a kid, but now as an adult re-watching the show I understand him so much better. I also love the time and effort taken to explore his anger issues and the fact sometimes he scares himself with what he’s capable of. I love him v much. Added day 10 prompt bc duh.

@tmaynt

[snailslimestuff]

Days 9 and 10! Farm house and the foot clan.

I literally can’t make myself finish anything for the farmhouse prompt so here’s an unfinished sketch for Vision Quest 💀 and for the foot clan I just pulled a Foot!Raph design I had. Very lazy day 2day.

[3llio]

New Limited Time Blog Event!

Being sick sucks.

So in a delirious, fever induced state– you decide to call up one of your good friends!

Do they provide good company and support you with remedies and a good tv show or do they listen to you suffer wearing a mask and gloves from across the room?

AN: Hello! My name is Ellio and I’m starting a tmnt writing blog starting…. (checks wrist and looks at the poorly drawn watch) right now! This is my first time trying something like this but I’m excited to try it out :)

So without further ado let me break this down. Each turtle from the three iterations- 2012, Bayverse, and Rise, will each get their own little short one-shot following the sick prompt above BUT lovely reader, this is where you come in…

Each turtle, while only able to be written for once, will each be written with the addition of a trope and prompt of your own! Once someone sends in an ask with a turtle then that turtle will be no longer available for your requesting! So this is a first come first serve situation!

(ofc I’ll still be open to other requests outside of this event- this is just a little bit of a kick starter in hopes of building this blog)

All the characters with a 1/1 next to their name have been requested and are no longer available for this event. Those that are crossed out have been written and can be read here!

2012

Leo 1/1

Raph 0/1

Donnie 1/1

Mikey 0/1

Bayverse

Leo 0/1

Raph 0/1

Donnie 1/1

Mikey 0/1

Rise

Leo 1/1

Raph 1/1

Donnie 0/1

Mikey 1/1

Just incase this doesn't make sense I’ll include an example.

🦇 Bat right here would like to request 2012 Leo! But Bat will also need an idea that plays into the sick prompt from above! This is what Bat wrote in my inbox to request-

‣ Hi! Can I do 2012 Leo for the sick event? My trope is ‘friends to lovers’ and my prompt would be “you just threw up 3 times, you are not fine!”

I shall include a list of prompts below! Feel free to use your own :p

1. “You okay in there?”

2. “And how long have you been throwing up for?”

3. “I think you're coming down with something…”

4. “I’ll take care of you.”

5. “You sound awful.”

6. “You’ve been like this for how long?”

7. “Just take the tissues.”

8. “You look like shit.”

9. “What do you think you’re doing out of bed?”

10. “Back up. You're all germs right now…”

11. “Hi. I am here to be your nurse.”

12. “Just when I thought you couldn't get any more annoying, you have exceeded my expectations.”

13. “Get your ass back in that bed.”

14. “Please don't make that noise ever again.”

15. “When you said you were sick I thought you meant a cold- not the freaking plague!”

16. “Please stop wasting whats left of your voice on complaints about soup you can't even taste.”

17. “I’m no doctor but I'm pretty sure you need to get medical attention.”

18. “Your voice sounds like rocks scraping against sandpaper.”

19. “You need rest.”

20. “You’ve been sick for how long? And you didn't say anything because?”

[pluvionpc]

march for raph day 9: "what's wrong with me?" 💥

a little raph comic based off a snippet from a poem i wrote as a kid

growing up watching 2012, i really related to raph's struggles with his anger. it's part of why i like him so much. he's loud and impulsive and defensive, and it can be destructive to himself and those around him. seeing him learn how to let things go a little helped put things into perspective for me and a little note to both him and past me: yes, it does get better :)

[that-gay-gal]

March for Raph day 9:

“What’s wrong with me?”

My poor son :(

[tmntheadcanons]

Hi! 🖖🏻

Can I ask abt morning routine from tmnt 2003? It maybe fun,if Leo and Mikey are morning persons and Raph and Donny more like owls 🥲

or just Mikey is morning happy boy 😁

Thank you! 🍀

I'm so sorry this took so long! I was out of town for all of January and then I got swamped with school and work. But I love this prompt so much! In these head canons I'm assuming this is on average days where they aren't on late night patrols or anything. Just more casual days.

Leonardo:

Leo goes to bed (or at least falls asleep) late. But he is usually the first to get up in the morning.

I feel like Leo enjoys the quiet first thing in the morning. He likes to get up, make tea and just relax in the living room for like half an hour before anyone else gets up.

He might slip outside for a little bit and watch the sunrise while it's still quiet out.

Tea is his preference for a morning drink but he'll take coffee if he's really tired.

First thing in the morning Leo is usually pretty calm and relaxed. I feel like he might even be more sociable in the morning. Like if someone is up at the same time as him he'll suggest they go out and watch the sunrise together and hang out for a bit.

As a kid, the morning is when Leo got a lot of one on one time with Splinter. He and Splinter would be the first ones up, Splinter would make him tea and breakfast and they would talk. So mornings are kind of domestic and peaceful for Leo.

He wakes up around 6-7. Maybe even as early at 5 depending on how late he was up the previous night.

Raphael:

Usually wakes up to the sound of his family being loud.

If left to his own devices he would naturally wake up at around 10, but he's a light sleeper so he's up around the time Leo, Splinter and Mikey start making noise.

The first thing he does is go and eat breakfast. He just heads straight for whatever Mikey just made and if Mikey didn't make anything then it's cereal straight out of the box for Raph.

Raph isn't cranky in the morning he's actually pretty quiet. He just wanders into the kitchen, casually grunts to announce he is awake, eats his breakfast and lets his brain catch up with him.

Once he is awake enough he'll usually go and do a pre-training work out to get warmed up.

Wakes up at around 8:30-9.

Donatello:

He sets 10 different alarms and he might actually get out of bed at alarm #7.

He violently rolls over, slams his snooze button and goes right back to bed. The movement is so swift now the alarm will only go off for a second so it doesn't wake up the entire house (Not that it matters because he is probably the last on up anyway)

Doesn't even wipe the crust out of his eyes before he is checking his phone.

Donatello is actually the one who is cranky in the morning. If he is awoken before his alarm there will be bloodshed.

He won't be functional for at least 15 minutes right after he wakes up. He makes a beeline for the kitchen, gets coffee and just sits at the table and stares into his mug.

He gets up at 9:30 exactly because that's the latest splinter will let him sleep in for before he starts making comments about the importance of a balanced sleep schedule.

But the day after late night missions he will sleep until 1 pm no problem.

Michelangelo:

Mikey is naturally a morning person. Even when he is up late he rarely sleeps in past 9.

When Mikey was a kid, all the good cartoons were on first thing in the morning. Also Splinter let him watch tv before training so the earlier he was up, the more he could watch. So that trained Mikey to be up when the sun comes up

Mikey's mornings are slow and relaxing. He gets up, wanders down into the kitchen and starts making breakfast. He will throw on some coffee and he'll cook for everybody. Then when he is done he will grab a blanket, sit on the couch and watch cartoons while he eats breakfast. (He never grew out of loving a good morning cartoon)

His usual breakfasts are pancakes, scrambled eggs, waffles, french toast and bacon he likes something sweet in the morning.

Also I bet he puts a ton of cream and sugar in his coffee.

He's upbeat in the morning and he's probably pretty loud. His brothers will wake up to the sound of loud singing and dishes clanging in the kitchen.

On average he wakes up at around 7-8.

[sealofarchives]

Oneshot scenario: Leo x GN!Reader - Late Hour Conversations

Prompt: A surprise visit from Leo when the reader couldn't make it to the lair due to pms (tone can be viewed as platonic or romantic)

Warnings: mostly towards the topic of pms (nothing too graphic though) and a slight mention of throwing up (again not too graphic)

Close to 2 am...

You just woke up from an accidental nap in attempt to get rid of the monthly menstrual headaches. Your phone was a few inches away as you winced grabbing it.

Sorry Leo, I can't make it to the lair today.

I couldn't sleep because of pms and I still have a terrible headache because of it...

The electronic screen laid out the messages you sent a few hours ago. You looked for some other video to watch while adjusting your head back onto the pillow.

The sound of a light blue portal appearing close to your bedside immediately caught your attention. As you tried to sit up while the red slider turtle almost dropped a plastic bag, slightly startled that you were still awake at this hour.

Leo cleared his throat but, still held on the bag filled with menstrual products, attempting to hide the worried look on his face.

"The store ran out on what you usually use so... Think you can manage a few days with these?"

"Its fine thanks but, you're not using this time to skip out on the night patrols?"

"Its been kind of a slow week so not much was happening. Until we all saw your message."

"When you mentioned the headache part, we didn't want to risk making it worse. Since we can get a bit rowdy and I dunno, just one turtle checking up on you seemed like the best idea."

"I'm guessing you guys were panicking when it happened to April."

Leo rolled his eyes as he made himself comfortable sitting in a nearby chair.

"I wouldn't call it panicking if we ended up getting pale faces with how Splinter explained it. At least April can make it sound like something out of a scary movie."

The turtle took notice towards a cup by your desk before looking back at you.

"I'd hate to bug you about staying hydrated at this hour but, if the headache's back, I could go grab a refill for you."

A sly smile showed up on your face as you briefly paused the video.

"When you say it like that, you're almost starting to sound like Raph."

Leo got up from the chair as he stuck out his tongue at you, taking the empty drink.

"You and Donnie always forget to eat breakfast right before Raph or Mikey wake up. Just be lucky I haven't told them about it."

The turtle returned back with the glass of water just as you readjusted yourself sitting by the edge of your bed. You briefly muttered a thanks with a remark.

"If you did, you'd be whining about missing a few hours for your well needed beauty sleep."

Leo sat beside you but, ignored the comment. Feeling his face heat up as you sipped your drink.

"You still kind of scared us when you were close to throwing up in the turtle tank. Just taking a shortcut away from reaching your favorite fast food place."

You muttered a geez under your breath, realizing it was a month ago when that happened.

"Don't remind me, I would have to be Donnie's helper for a few weeks if I ended up making a mess on his prized vehicle."

Leo lightly chuckled relaxing his shoulders as he began to stretch.

"I'm pretty sure Donnie will ease up on the workload. The fact you can keep up with his neverending tangents helps a lot. But, in case he gets a little too over his head, just get a spare beach ball-"

You lightly pinched Leo's cheek before going back to finish your drink.

"Yeah no, I can hold my ground against Donnie if he's gonna be stubborn about taking breaks."

"When he claimed, he can surpass my messed up sleep schedule by noon. Around 9 am, when I placed a pillow close to his keyboard. He was already snoring on top of it."

Leo rubbed his cheek while crossing one of his legs on to the edge of the bed.

"I guess any beach ball pranks are out of the question because..."

"I can already imagine you rushing to defend Donnie from those 'dreaded colorful spheres.'"

A light hum and smirk surfaced your face as you pretended to ignore Leo.

"If you keep bringing up it, I'll mostly spare Mikey and Raph and just aim for your face instead."

"Hey, I was kidding about that?! I wouldn't go that far to scare Donnie!"

The red slider turtle pouted as you laughed but, not loud enough to draw attention to your room.

"I know, just wanted to see if you're still keeping up to being the face man of the group~."

"Uh duh, its still part of my image. I don't need to be reminded-"

"Unless you want to keep pestering me about it~."

You playfully pushed Leo away but, grinned back at him.

"I guess I owe you a pizza since my headache hasn't come back to bite me."

"So, thanks Leo..."

Leo almost froze from the hug but, nuzzled near your shoulder because of your high body temperature.

"Are you gonna hate me if I really want pineapple toppings?"

You poked his face with your empty cup as Leo hid his head from your annoyed smile.

"I'll glare at you if you don't give me something in return..."

Leo gave a quick thumbs up before hurrying out of the door to refill your drink.

After a couple of days, both of you reached a compromise on an empty rooftop building, trading the pizza box for your favorite food. You still silently judged Leo's choice of pizza toppings.

However, he was more content that he got to see a genuine smile from you.

Bonus drawing:

I couldn’t draw the body without making it too wonky so here’s a quick sketch of a POV where you don’t notice Leo acting almost soft around you > /// <

[dreamstormdragon]

Sounds of Silence

https://archiveofourown.org/works/64379098

Splinter was weary of peace and quiet. He used to long for it in the beginning when the boys were newly mutated. He loved them, no doubt about it but when they all shared one very small burrow, the noise was deafening.

He valued silence. It was the way of the ninja. Mask your footsteps, never make a sound. Do not let the enemy know your location. Strike first.

Yet, quiet was the enemy of any parent when it came to one child, let alone four.

Chirrup!

The rat yawned as his robe moved, a little green head poking out, as a very small turtle looked up at him with sleepy eyes.

Five.

He still wasn’t quite used to it. 

Splinter brought a hand to the little ones back. It was rather cold this morning and Spica, his youngest and the latest child was cuddled up to her father for warmth, tucked against his fur. 

The little girl looked up at her father and smiled, churring.

“Good morning to you too, Spica-chan.” 

Splinter trailed off as his ear flicked back and forth.

He took a glance at the clock, sitting up carefully with his daughter in his arms. 

9:30 AM.

Splinter balked at that. He always got up at 6 AM, no later. He had the boys on a schedule for a reason! 

“What in the-”

His boys never slept in. He would’ve heard them. 

His ear flicked.

Spica chirruped and he shushed her.

Silence.

… That could not be good.

Splinter threw open the door with a start.

“Boys!?”

‘

The partition to their bedroom was closed. He pressed an ear against it, closing his eyes.

He could hear quiet conversation… a chuckle or a laugh.

Splinter exhaled a sigh of relief…

“Pfftahaha! Mikey!” Raphael… 

“Shh, shh! You’ll wake Dad up.” Donatello shushed his younger brother. 

“C’mon, we’ve been quiet all morning! I’m sure he slept enough.”

“He’s been up with the baby, goof.” Leonardo quietly, chided him. “We agreed we’d let him sleep in. That’s why Donnie turned his alarm off, remember?”

Splinter’s eyes widened, his heart warming.

His boys had taken to their roles as older brothers so well… and even now, he was shown they were really growing up.

Considerate… 

… Perhaps he could go back to bed.

Spica chirruped and tugged on his fur.

Splinter rubbed her back, kissing her head.

“I know, I know.” He whispered. “You want to see your brothers?”

She nodded and grinned up at him.

“Alright…”

Splinter pushed the partition open, startling his sons.

“Good morning, my sons!”

His boys were crowded around a mismatched monopoly game he had found them, bowls of cereal nearby, indicating they had taken care of their own meal.

“Sensei!” Leonardo jumped up, bowing his head. “I’m sorry, did we wake you?”

Splinter chuckled, making his way over, rubbing his eldest’s head.

“No, no, your sister did that. She had enough of sleeping in.”

“Spica…” Mikey huffed before he laughed, getting up and eagerly taking the baby turtle from him, nuzzling her. “You get some sleep, huh?”

Spica squealed happily, pushing her cheek against her big brother’s.

Donnie tilted his head, looking up at his father, with a worried look.

“Did you get enough sleep, Dad?”

“Yeah, you looked ready to keel over, last night.” Raphael frowned. “We were gettin’ worried.”

Splinter knelt to his sons’ level.

“Having a little one around isn’t easy sometimes. Thank you so much for letting me sleep in.” He looked at each of his sons, pride in his eyes. 

“It was my idea!” Mikey exclaimed, prompting the other three to protest.

Spica looked between her brothers before chirping loudly and nodding with Mikey.

“Yeah, you tell ‘em, Spica!” 

“Don’t teach her to agree with ya!” Raph scoffed. “Gimme the baby.”

‘NO!”

Mikey’s voice echoed across their bedroom as his children filled his home with noise once more.

Splinter chuckled, shaking his head.

Now, this was more like it.

----------

Spica is owned by @theblueskyphoenix go give her some love! Aileen has graciously given me permission to use Spica in my Fish out of Water AU.

[side-shuffling-hyperfixations]

In Sickness and in Spirit #3: Raph

A miniseries of sickfic shorts utilizing prompts from Feveruary 2025.

The prompts that inspired Part 3:

3. Caught in the Rain + 9. Face Masks + 7. “I’m still not used to being taken care of.”

~~~~~~~~

A fun fact about Donatello, little known (or at least rarely experienced) outside of the family: he could give lectures as scathing and longwinded as Leo if he put his mind to it, especially when it pertained to health and safety. Unfortunately Raph was barely cognizant enough to keep his feet underneath him right now, much less pay heed to a stern spiel.

Thus, as he sat him down on the exam table in the lab, Don settled for a simple, incredulous “What were you thinking, going out in this kind of weather? We’re coldblooded, Raph, and it’s all sleet out there!”

“K-Keep your s-shell on, Donnie, s’fine,” he slurred numbly. As Don started draping towels and a shock blanket over him, his attempt at a shrug was a lot more like a bone-deep shiver. “S’actually k-kinda half sleet, h-half rain…Fifty-fifty.”

“Oh, because that’s such an improvement!” Snatching the nearest clean shammy cloth, Don patted down his brother’s dripping neck and cheeks. On any other day Raph’s pride wouldn’t have let him lean into the warm touch. Tonight he barely seemed to notice he was, only stirring enough to flinch when Donnie tried to peel away the stiff red fabric of his mask and was met with chafing resistance. “Geez, the wind chill must have been nasty; this is practically frozen to your face!”

“S-So…? Jus’ rip it off like a b-bandage, s’f-fine…”

“And rip off a layer of frostnipped skin with it? How would that be fine? Why do you keep saying it’s fine?”

“I d-dunno, jus’…makin’ myself feel better ’bout all this.” Hazy eyes trailed in Don’s wake as he tossed the soaked shammy aside and grabbed a fresh one to stuff in the microwave. “Bein’…f-fussed over.”

“I’m not fussing,” Donnie protested, glancing restlessly between his patient and the microwave. The thirty seconds he had to wait for it to heat felt like an eternity. “I’m just trying to take care of you.”

“S-Same deal. Bein’ on this side of it…ain’t somethin’ I ever g-get used to. …S’posed to b-be me lookin’ out f-for all of you.”

He and Leo were two peas in a pod with their whole sword-and-shield complex, Don mused ruefully, but he wasn’t about to say that when Raph was being surprisingly open with him.

“And you do it very well,” he agreed instead, earning a sluggish, lopsided grin and then a hitched breath of relief when he eased the warm compress under his eyes. “So just relax and let me return the favor.”

[vdragon-creations]

TMayNT Day 9: Best Raph

Day 9 of @tmaynt Prompt: Best Raph! Guys....I got a confession to make. I don't really like Raph. Never really have. Raph was always one of those characters that just...rubbed me the wrong way. Not helped by the writers of every version of the turtles going with the same old boring "Leo and Raph have beef" conflict they set up in EVERY SINGLE VERSION! And while yes, Leo does seem to be making the worse choices in those arguments (Glares at Bayverse Leo), I feel like Raph tends to start them and I just...can't vibe.

Rise might be the only Raph that I like to a degree because he's not the same obnoxious and irritated edge-lord that some of the other Raphs are. (With the exception of 87, where he's more or less the comedic relief. ) And while, yes, some of the Raph's do have some very redeeming moments, like 2003 Raph helping the blind lady and him helping Leo remake his swords. I just feel like a lot of the time, those moments just...get ignored to keep the status quo of Raph "Being the angry one". in one piece.

I could go on, btu I'll stop it there. So for best Raph, I just chose the version of Raph I've drawn the least and have the hardest time doing. Just for some practice. So enjoy some 2007 Raph!

[mikasleaf]

YO CHALLENGE TO CELEBRATE THE TURTLES'S 40 YEARS! LETS HAVE A T-MAY-NT

Hi fellow shellheads! Since we have this special date coming upon us! This may 5th will be the 40th anniversary of the creation of our beloved turtles! So i wanted to make something special, an inktober but turtles themed! and I also don't think it needs to be only an art challenge,many of the prompts I shared could also be completed just sharing a picture or something! But the idea is to fill all kinds of platforms with our turtle boys! I already got a lot thought out but I know many of you may have great ideas that im missing, I'm gonna share the prompts on my art profile and stuff, but of course I'll credit you if with the username you choose if I include one of your prompts! Here's what I have so far, any suggestions on prompts or prompt orders will be welcomed of course!

Also like inktober I'm pointing to have a version of the challenge where you just draw 1 prompt a week and just answer the rest

Okay now, here they are:

1. Your Favorite turtle(-)

2.Favorite turtle merch/toy that you own

3.Favourite lesson

4.fav low ranking villain!

5.Favorite turtle curseword!

6. Favorite April!

7. Fav splinter

8. Favorite shredder

9.Favorite villain!

10. Favorite ally!

11. Favorite ship!

13. Baby turtles!

12. Favorite pizza toppings! And who'd like it the best?

13. Best leo (from all incarnations)

14. Best raph (from all incarnations)

15. Best Donnie (from all incarnations)

16. Best Mikey from all incarnations

17. FAV turtle Duo!(of 2)

19. Turtles in their 40's

18. Favorite episode (from any series)

19. Favorite movie

20. Favorite rivalry (Turtle+Villain Dynamic)

21. Favorite turtle + ally dynamic

22. Favorite opening or t

23.fav High ranking villain

24.Human turtles!(-)

25.favourite alternative outfit or design

26.Favorite turtle curse!

27. If you were a mutant! What would you be?

28. best gadget/vehicle

29. fave turtle video game

30. best Casey jones

31. best karai!

32.your turtle Sona!

33.Favorite opening or theme song

34.Human turtles!(-)

35.If you were another kind of mutant(not turtle) What would you be?

36.best gadget/vehicle

37.fave game

38.One of the three oldest versions of the turtles (1984, 1987 or 1991)

Which ones do you vote out? All feedback you can give will be welcome!

[xxbritishrosexx]

Day 9: Best Raph

Still going strong on this challenge, but hey it's good I think. Now I realised that, this is the third Raph picture in row in this challenge.. I should choose other characters on this. I'll try on the next prompts.

Anyways I love 03 Raph but I do love 12 Raph the same amount (tho Rise and all others are close behind) and I couldn't resist the idea of them sharing experiences of turning to other animals (03 turning to frog and 12 getting turkey head) plus the outfits are silly

(and yes I used white eyes on 03 Raph even tho the costume is from Btts)

@tmaynt

[moriah-dooodles]

Celebrating 40 YEARS Of Turtles!!!

I wasn’t able to do any of the drawing prompts so I wrote my answers out instead! (If you can’t tell, all of these answers relate mainly to ROTTMNT & Mutant Mayhem!)

TMayNT Art Contribution and Master Post

1. My favorite turtle is ALL OF THEM!

2. Favorite April O’Neil is the April O’Neil from Rise Of The TMNT & April from Mutant Mayhem

3. Favorite henchman are Huginn & Muninn (Baron Draxum’s henchmen) from ROTTMNT

4. AAH, I LOVE THE TURTLE TOTS!!! (From ROTTMNT & Mutant Mayhem)

5. Best Leo is the Leo from Rise Of The TMNT!

6. Favorite mutant ally: Todd Capybara & Cassandra Jones from ROTTMNT

7. Best turtle gadget is Donnie’s Tech-Bō from ROTTMNT

8. Favorite ally + Dynamics: I don’t know if this counts but… Mikey and Ice Cream Cat from ROTTMNT!

9. Best Raph is the Raph from Rise Of The TMNT!

10. “Oh my banana pancakes!” “Holly truffle mac & cheese!” “Oh my muffins!” - Rise Donnie

11. Favorite splinter is the one from Mutant Mayhem & second best is Splinter from Rise.

12. The Turtle Tank from ROTTMNT

13. Best Donnie is the Donnie from Rise Of The TMNT!

14. My favorite movie is the Rise Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie & Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

15. Favorite Karai is Karai Hamato from Rise Of The TMNT

16. I don’t have a favorite episode! They are all amazing (ROTTMNT)!

17. Best Mikey is the Mikey from Rise Of The TMNT!

18. Human versions!!! WHA—

19. Best Casey Jones is the Casey Jones from Rise Of The TMNT!

20. My favorite turtle merch is my official Rise Of The TMNT T-shirt and fan made ROTTMNT plush keychains!!!

21. Favorite Shredder is Rise Of The TMNT Shredder

22. Favorite turtle duo: The Disaster Twins (Donnie & Leo) and PB&J (Mikey and Donnie) also Raph and April are great too!

23. Favorite human ally…there aren’t many human ally’s in my favorite TMNT series…

24. Favorite turtle + villain dynamic: Hypno-Potamus & Warren Stone vs. the turtles!

25. (I don’t have a Turtlesona)

26. Favorite series is definitely Rise Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!!!

27. Favorite mutant / alien villain: Big Mama & also Hypno-Potamus from Rise Of The TMNT

28. Favorite turtle theme song / intro song: Rise Of The TMNT theme song!

29. If you have ever watched “the cloths don’t make the turtle” episode from Rise, then you know that cloths look GREAT on the turtles!

30. Favorite human villain is Cassandra Jones! From Rise Of The TMNT

31. The turtles in my favorite styles: from Rise Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem!

Tumblr turtle artist that I love (some of my favorite artstyles of the turtles):

- @/theelvishfiddler

- @/sunnyyyteaaa

- @/zenb0ii

- @/tapakah0

- @/somerandomdudelmao

- @/funneylizzie

- @/wickcipher

- @/2aceofspades

- @/lvl1cat

- @/abbyofcyn

- @/polygonpiscine

- @/pointss

- @/mrabubu

- @/imatheneonleon

- @snugglecat453

- @/concerningamountofcrows

- @/intotheelliwoods

- @/andva-ri

- @/sweeneydino

- @/sanfazu

- @/ffiascooo

- @/crowstare

- @/miniyunart

Honorable mention:

-@/risestarkiss (they don’t draw but I love their rambles!)

I had to post this before the month was over! AAAHHHH!!!