#reticent!donnie

[tmnt-reticent]

HAPPY ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY TO RETICENT‼️‼️

All the sillies whqidhqkdhkd I love them all sm!!!

I think I said everything I could really say in the end notes for Chapter 10 (which is out right now, go read it if you haven’t yet), but once again: Thank you all for supporting Reticent over the past year, whether you’ve only just found out about it or have been here since the beginning. I appreciate every single bit of support I’ve gotten from the bottom of my heart. Especially all the comments on the fic and the fanart I’ve received, I look at it all from time to time whenever I’m down. I’ve never been this motivated for a project before and honestly I owe it all to you guys. Thank you again.

I was just going to post this piece for it since I wasn’t exactly sure what else to do but I thought they all deserved fancy outfits so!!!

I wanted all the anniversary art to be Season 1 compliant but maybe I can draw smth cute with Leo and Donnie soon! (Maybe even write a pre-Reticent fluff piece if I’m feeling nice)

I hope you all have a lovely rest of your Neil banging out the tunes day and here’s to another year of Reticent‼️‼️‼️💖💖💖🫶🫶🫶🌸🌸🫂🫂🫂🫂🫂‼️‼️‼️

P.S that last Ret Leo drawing is the best I’ve drawn him in months idk how I managed to draw his face for once it’s a genuine mystery bdsjgdjwgdj the only thing I can think of is that the art gods have allowed me to draw him well today as a little treat since they haven’t let me draw him well since the day I made him GCJSBXKBSNC

[rainyraisin]

Reticent info!

The last one applies more to instagram but same with my tumblr ask box!!! :D

My friend @eveningsummerstars did all the handwriting as mine is absolutely awful jghhkjhgjhg- she apologises for the slanted handwriting but I think it slays 💪💪💪💪

I've had some questions regarding this on instagram so I'll say here too: The series begins in early March 2022, that's why ages might seem a little off :)

All Reticent content will be under this tag:

LINK TO TMNT RETICENT:

[coffinpal]

That's very kind of you! Thank you so much!! ❤️Donatello is so fascinated by humans he's gonna ask Casey a million questions.

[panickedghost]

Tmnt reticent my beloved‼️‼️ made by @raisondetre2012 ❤️❤️❤️

[tmntaucompetition]

As promised here’s the full list of every submission plus the creator! Keep in mind I’m only human and might’ve missed a few AUs. If so, let me know! (This does not mean every au on here is in the competition! Refer to the other two lists for those who are.)

Mystic Prodigy Series - KHLegacyNexus (+ao3)

Rabbit’s Broach - Pigeonsgrame

RatTrap AU - RatTrap tmnt

Uprising Dystopia AU (ROTTMNT) - alexthenerdbird

Uprising (2012) - hypernovasmash

Down with the Stockholm - devotedtoasadpoetry

Donnie Disaster - 5ilent5ilence

Until I Found You - PhoebePheebsPhibs

Little Subjects - AllyHeart707

Snapdragon - bluesgras

Remember Forever - uncannyAlien (ao3)

Totpocalypse - pastadorable

Warriors Heart - PeanutRat20

Gemini AU - tangledinink

Kid Leo - Angelpuns

Mama’s Boys - honey_rye

Feral Casey - azucar-skull

Lone Turtle and Hunter - MidnightCreator12 (+ao3)

We ran out of rats - breadle_doodles and sheltered-uno

Tmnt search for our colors - breadle_doodles

Minor interference - bambiraptorx (+ao3)

Rita’s AU - ProbablyNotARutabaga

Catch You - mudlurkspur (ao3)

Spikerangleo - Sweeenydino

Sorry I’m Late - GeminiForest

Kendratello childhood - zeawesomeness

Kendra tells Childhood AU - AlleyHeart707

Empyrean Weeping - cupcakeslushie

Open your shell to find - Onejellyfishplease

The lemonade leak - turtleinsoup

Fears embrace - Karonkar and OwlieDoesNothing

Their memories - 3mutantsinatrenchcoat

The last ronin becomes a discord admin - MelonPaloonza

Lost and found - LilliputianDuckling (ao3)

Two souls - virgilsspidey

Jacob’s Ladder - Tapakah0

Happily ever after - Phykoha

Ghost in the shell - amevello-blue (+ao3)

Of mutants, mystics, and magic - clanofjones (sideblog: of-mutants-mystics–and-magic)

Rise of the parallel - Indieyuugure

The mutation situation - Indieyuugure

Quilt au - Cokowee

Difference (2012) - NeptuneIsaPlanet (ao3)

The colors of yesterday - boots-with-the-fur

Tmnt greyscale - broken-slime-boi

Good genes 2012 - lordshroom

Two shades of blue a new timeline - Leon/Blue

Aberration - ProbablyNotARutabaga

I’m sorry teenage mutant what now? - tangledinink

TMNT stabilize - tangledinink

Slice of life – Theawesomeninja_XD (+ao3)

Memories - Theawesomeninja_XD (+ao3)

Miraculous hamato - Theawesomeninja_XD (+ao3)

Twin-Sync (More than you think) - little-banjo-frog

Snapper and stinkpot - Paytato435

Blood Orange Multiverse - JadeClementine, Mylenapony11, Cherry-Blossom-Consumer

Teenage turtle ninja mutants - idiot-mushroom

Revelations Timeline - idk-im-just-here-now (+ao3)

Through your hollow bones - idiot-mushroom

Age Gap - pezhead

The Lonely Buzz in Blue - Overthinkingbluesparks (+ao3)

Flowers amongst ashes - Spacemimz

TMNT Reticent - tmnt-reticent

Tabletop turtles - caffetato-the-caffinated-potato

Who rescued who - shardkn1ght

Purple squared - debb987 and bluepeachstudios

Michelangalone - error-code400

TMNT Street punks - Sir Concon (DeviantArt previously, Instagram currently)

Wrong home - Demonwitchcat (TikTok)

Subnautica leon au - havendoesthings

Space pirate leon au - havendoesthings

Pacific turtles - FantasiaWandering (ao3)

Snapdonnie - Onejellyfishplease

TMNA (Tortugas Mutantes Ninja Adolescents) - matuito

Prime Leo - Darth Sonny

Onryo leo - Aquariumgirls (+ao3)

Lost in the pink mist - lost-in-the-pink-mist

Hues of mystic neon - Overthinkingbluesparks (+ao3)

The Neon void - sugarpastelTMNT (+Twitter)

TMNT but warrior cats - Fireheartfan

Reptile rampage - lexa-ocean

What once was calm - lucatea

Soulmates (evil) – error-core-animations (Oofiescreams - ao3)

The somber sunrise - Mocha_Mochaccino (ao3)

Sorrow is an autumn heart - Srloc_Elbisivni (ao3)

Replica - Kathaynesart

Mitosis - Varian_dislikes_cheese (ao3)

Vengeance is yours - that_one_dork (+ao3)

The likeness of mirrored souls - enthblaze and omgselinabeckendorf

Future!rise mandalorian - TinyP3ncil (+Twitter)

The employees - theemployees

Hello, Clairvoyant? - cogentsummoner (+ao3)

When the world crumbles - tmnt-obessesed-ace

Same story different font - tmnt-obsessed-ace

Non-canonical chronicles - tritailed-shenanigans

The cupboard game - pianokantzart (mollykittykat - ao3)

Sidelined au - Dandylovesturtles

100 feet and a world away - Dandylovesturtles

Villain leo – villainleoau

Bloom from oblivion - Aliteraladhdmess

2012 sep au - Jaydrawsdoodles

Scraps - Skrapadoodlez

Magic au - Vaudeville-Moggie

TMNT unified - Bellaizumi13

Surp-Rise! - TheWritingDork (what_in_the - ao3)

Shades of purple - the_lavender_clown (+TikTok)

Never better - less-depresso-more-espresso

TMT Croc pot - less-depresso-more-espresso

Multiple red masks - Insane_lollypop

Eclipse - G0LD_Tea (Twitter)

Mama’s Wishes - Bucketofbugz

Twins Stick Together - YourGlitchedFandom (ao3)

The last something that meant to me - kinky-asexual

Forgive me - reagi-df

Rottmnt x TADC - insane-ace

Teenage Mutant Meddling Turtles - kaysdenofchaos

Ghost au - Melliedoodles

Difference between the appearance - jasminegazer

Bayverse rewrite - ragathaempanda

Feral leo - cupcakeslushie

Feral Leo (2012) - Tmntforeverinmyheart

Just this once everybody lives - TheDragonTribes (ao3)

The rift - Mathclassd00dles

Multi-Mutant Verse - MerakiMagic

Guess i’ve been disarmed - PhoenixDeleted (+ao3)

The Little Prince - Beannary

Same as it never will be - Hecktail

Is this right - cruilty-ink

Turtles all the way down - Pommigranite

Call me here I will appear - callmehere-iwillappear (rbt_lvr - ao3)

Firefight au - remedyturtles (remrose - ao3)

Death wish - remedyturtles (remrose - ao3)

Strawberry skys - frogandbird

Swanatello - tangledinink

Finding home - sad-leon

Once more, with feeling - oncemorewithfeeling

Causa scienta - urlocalllama (ao3)

Tmnt 04 - koolaidashley

DNAngel - blye-flower

Spider-lily au - tinker-the-dragon

No crime only brooches - olliethescribe

Villain PB and J duo - onionninjasstuff

Size upgrade - twin-disaster-tutel-brainrot

Know peace - less-depresso-more-espresso

Childhood dreams - chaos-potat

Wow, what a coincidence - Mathmusic8 (ao3)

Monophobia - MarukisSnack

Little Scraps of Wisdom - spectralsleuth

Mystic Malfunction - VanillaVengeance (ao3)

Softshell in human clothing - HoonHarpoon (ao3)

Puppet tightly strung - clairakitty (ao3)

Even more a disaster - 3lectricinsomnia and teaableu (mainblog: evenmoreofadisaster)

Red rover - Red-Rover-AU

Old soul - Delicatechildwitch

Camp hamato - P0t3n1al

Ktech - dontfindmeimscared

The sky is still red - cartoonhostage

At my worst - teainthesnow

No fun in fungus - boots-with-the-fur

August’s au - star-sparkler

Years we’ve lost - reagi-df (Reagy_jay - ao3)

Hueso raised leo - shardkn1ght

Remnant au - SelinaBeckendorf

Alt ninpo au - azure-fl0wers

Bad end ninja turtles - butterfilledpockets

Teetlez-verse - shiveagit

The girl who was once human - YourGlitchedFandom

Killer donnie - Yumeleo

wanderer - vangh17a

Live life - centerofleesmind

Twinpathy - vangh17a and centerofleesmind (mainblog: twinpathy)

Wouldn’t it be easier - 12Muffinz

Portal baby - Quartergremlin

Clarification - Quartergremlin

Caseys high school disaster era - Quartergremlin

Teenage mutant neglected turtles - nerves-nebula

Krang infection - Abbeyofcyn

Mutant Menace - 3m0n3rd

One turtle short of a lair - bucketofbugz (+ao3)

Remember your mission - Srae13 (+ao3)

Two arms left - intotheeliwoods

Rise rodeo - wanderinguteruspress

Dadatello - dadatello

Tlr rise - x bluebell (TikTok)

True colors - V-albion

TMNT 1999 - ezguple

Five Nights at the Mad Dogs - cj-can-art

2000s au - Youtube (???)

Mutinis - mutinau

Same as it never was – Kittynumyumm

Dee-evolution au - cnwolf-brainrot

The dragon on 5th ave - Lavender_Chaos (ao3)

Please Don’t Leave I Need You - TownFowl (ao3)

Battle scars - kaysdenofchaos

Blood is thicker than ooze - Linkymew

Loyalty leash - Nicoforlife (ao3)

Little brother au - Sharkfinn

Spider’s web - blue-star-doodles

Multidimensional turtles - multi-dimensional-turtles

Raised by the capybara au - rube-tmntluver and auggie-arts

Minecraft isekai - calebscornerofart

Ronin plural au – cpunkhobie

We’ll go from there - koolaidashley

Universes - XxLea_nardoxX

Honor bound - Terrazooid

New home au - clovers-super-cool-ask-blog

Crusade of a lonely turtle - revitalizationrat

Mustachello - revitalizationrat

Little warrior - NovelistServant (ao3)

TMNT x Sonic the Hedgehog - theelvishfiddeler

Aftermath - Happyfoxx-art

August and papatello au - Star-Sparkler

Her inspiration - Onejellyfishplease

Memories of a tyrant - Idk_im_just_here_now

TMNT Pokemon au - rubie-tmntluver

Bad end friends x tmnt - Landon Discher

Tmnt masa - Masadesign

Separated leo au - dianagj-art

Sewer punks - kettle-bird

Rottmnt ghost au – melliedoodles

Its not always the rabbit that takes a wrong turn (Dimension Hopper Leo AU) - nights-flying-fox (nightsfox - ao3)

Snapper lou au - Kittynomore

Reboot: a second chance - donniesbrows

Tmnt foodie au - Sleepis4theweak

But first they must catch you - mudlarkspur (+ao3)

Mirror maze au - idk-im-just-here-now

Omniverse - glitter-alienz

Life goes on - Andromeda_Galaxy2877 (ao3)

The unicorn paradox – Mushangaa

Starblind - WeirdNCrazy (ao3)

Prison leo au - Turtleblogatlast

Tiz sep au - Tizeline

Mutanimatronics - patate.frenchie (TokTok)

Not quite kintsugi, but close - terveneula

There must be something in the water - Filsamek (ao3)

Once upon a turtle - Metalshootingstar

Hunger games - daboyau

Fireflght - dandylovesturles

Tmnt chicago style - its-captain-sir

Tmnt shen and the lesbian league - genderfluid-envy

Broken trifecta - genderfluid-envy

Prodigy AU - koolaidashley

Leomori - koolaidashley

Four knights - lactoseintolerantswag

Leaves from the vine au - Cheetochild989

The extracurriculars - Nameissmile

Unfamiliar Familiar - Torable (ao3)

Goosey Leo au - GooseyLeo

A ninjas life for me - Triona-tribblescore

Grown apart - Chriscribbs

Turtle torchwood - Kiaxet

[tmntbestsibscompetiton]

Entries part 2

Soul Switching- @blackfire-fanfiction

Seperated Leo- @dianagj-art

“Wow, what a coincidence”- @mathmusic8

Lav and Cima- @lucatea

HEA- @phykoha

Gali and Leo- @sad-leon

Hamato Wanderers- @thegunnsara

Mutant Manhunt- @baskeigh-ball

Ttmn Raph and Mikey- @idiot-mushroom

Reticent Casey and April- @raisondetre2012

True Colors- @v-albion

Tmntov Donnie and Mikey- @glitter-alienz

SOS- @frogandbird

Rotp 2012 Raph and Leo- @indieyuugure

The Crispeel crew- @bucket-of-nickles

Red Rover- @red-rover-au

April and Donnie- @tizeline

Hamato Destiny- @fan-maniaer

Traumatized Turtles- @lil-beanz000

Vanity Turtles- @doturtlesdream

Cali and Yuichi- @cokoweee

Rise sibs- @charcoaldustonmyfingers

If there’s anything incorrect please drop an ask, I’m trying to be as organized as I possibly can before I start making the thingy mabob chart

Dms don’t work at the moment

[zinovi768]

*Throws down a comic for the 1v1 Comp Propaganda and leaves in a puff of smoke with ghost magic*

MS!Mikey joined the Comp!!

I’ve never really done one of these before so bear with me but I think this is going to be fun (and very chaotic-)

Tags for the group photo:

Chompy - @aspen-washere

Lowe’s Donnie - @itsnotillegalyet07

Shaped man (splinter) - @olibensstuff

Cassius - @flockofcrowsinatrenchcoat

Ace_of_arrow’s Donnie - @ace-of-arrows

Apollo’s April - @apollothesunrat

Bumble’s Donnie - @witchybluedeity

Rai’s Donnie - @tmnt-reticent

&

MS!Mikey - @zinovi768 (me)

———

1v1 Comp - @1v1-tmntiteration-battlenexus

[non-rise-tmnt-au-competition]

the childrens garden summary: casey and april are childhood friends, who meet four wildly different bugs in their backyard, deciding to them them leonardo, rapheal, michelangelo, and donatello (as they are watching tmnt 2012 together) and they all go on adventures, helping each other and defending them from the footclan, the wasps

tmnt reticent summary: leo, raph, mikey, donnie and their best friend april meet a vigilante named casey jones and aid him in his fight against the foot clan, mostly to keep casey quiet about their existence. however, they start to learn more about their clan and each other as they delve deeper into new york’s criminal underground.

teenage turtle ninja mutants summary: not provided

the childrens garden - @nakanemiya

tmnt reticent - @raisondetre2012

teenage turtle ninja mutants - @idiot-mushroom

[battiegutz]

Hi!!! We’re in the @/tmnt-iteration-competition together!!! :D I wish u all the luck!!! - creator of @tmnt-reticent

your donnie 🤝 my donnie

bringing weapons of destruction to tge polls

[jxstacey]

“Yo! I figured if were all stuck here together we might as well look decent. So here: A MMP original (patent pending). You can thank me later~ And Raph too, I guess, since he sewed it.”

If you hate it feel free to tell him he’s too confident for his own good/silly

Good luck in the competition‼️‼️‼️🌸🌸🌸🌸💖💖💖🫶🫶🫶🫶🫂🫂🫂‼️‼️‼️

(This is @tmnt-reticent btw!!!!)

Leo: “Damn this looks nice!” *turns around* “All in favor of having Donnie where this say Aye.”

Raph: “Aye.”

Mikey: “Aye.”

Donnie: “What?”

Leo: “Two ayes and a what, Donnie loses.”

Donnie: “I Just walked back in what are you guys talking about”

Oh yeah good luck!

[tmnt-reticent]

Y’all don’t know how excited I am to get to season 2 AGDKWGCKWBXKHSXK

[rainyraisin]

Look at them!!! They're so happy! They're so healthy! They're so not traumatised!!!!

@trust-sancus Unforgotten!Raph won't leave me alone ufcugocfygvi (I love him tho)

All the unforgotten beans are great but...Raph 🥺🥺🥺💖💖💖💖🫶🫶🫶/p/verypos

This is early Season 2 Reticent Don btw :)

[wearelondonhq]

(kayla) welcome to london, ADONIS “DONNIE” CREED! did anyone ever tell you that you look just like MICHAEL B JORDAN? well, no matter, we hear that you are 36 and working as a BOXER. we also hear that you currently HAVE your memories from CREED and have a tendency to be SUPPORTIVE as well as RETICENT.

— WELCOME TO LONDON, adonis “donnie” creed! you look very familiar, do we know you from somewhere? anyways, take your time settling in because whether you want to or not, it looks like you’re going to be living here for awhile! // welcome kayla, please be sure to follow our checklist here. welcome to the group!

[sylvain-writes]

Doors Will Open (Donatello x Reader)

Rated: G

Gender Neutral Reader, pre-relationship, movie night, tenderness, cuddling, supportive brothers

You surprise Donnie with lembas bread for your Lord of the Rings movie night.

for @blancoluna

Donatello is holed up in his laboratory of mischief and oddities when you arrive at the lair bearing treats. But Mikey is there to greet you, jumping out of the Pit to graciously unload the deep tupperware of cookies from your hands. 

His eyes twinkle as he leans in to stage whisper, “You’re my favorite, know that?”

April walks up behind him with a gasp of indignation. “I’m gone five minutes!”

“But, but...” He lifts the box in his defense, “Cookies!”

“Ooh.” April’s eyes go wide and warmth floods your cheeks at their enthusiasm. She rubs her hands together with delight. “Can I grab one for the road?” You nod, of course, encouraging her to take as many as she likes. “You’re my favorite too,” she says with a giddy bounce.

Your laughter draws Raphael and Leonardo from the tunnels, and your excitement for the evening mounts. Rising to your toes hopefully, you try to capture a glimpse of Donatello behind them. The tunnel, however, is otherwise empty. Your heart sinks just a little.

Everyone gathers in the kitchen, welcoming you and trying to convince April to stay, but with each passing minute, the absence of your best friend grows harder to ignore. 

“Wheel of Time is in my bag,” you mention to Leo half-heartedly. It’s a book series he’s been begging to borrow for ages. You’re proud of yourself for remembering to bring it, and you don’t want to get distracted and forget. 

“Thanks!” Leo unlatches your messenger bag immediately, diving into a confession that only serves to prove what a nerd he is. Apparently, he sped through the Lord of the Rings this week in his excitement for the weekend movie marathon. You nod along with an amused smile. You're usually overjoyed to have the fellow bookworm to talk to, but your attention keeps drifting to the empty tunnels. 

A lull in his rambling gives you an opportunity to ask, “Is Donnie coming?” You have trouble meeting Leo's eyes, but you try your best to keep the question sounding casual and light. You don’t want Leo, Raph, Mikey, or April to feel like you don’t value their company, but you brought down supplies for Movie Night under the impression Donatello would be joining in; you don’t want to start without him.

“Oh, I’ll get that knucklehead,” Leo says, stacking the books to carry. “He probably just lost track of time.” 

Turning from Mikey's final, futile plea for April to stay, Leo heads toward his room to drop off the books, then to the workshop to gather their missing brother.

The muted sounds of tools and machinery come through the heavy door in clanks and whirrs. But Leo knows Donnie won't mind the intrusion.  He raps a knuckle against the small frosted window and gives his brother a shout. 

Donatello raises his voice over the buzz of a circular saw to ask, “Emergency?” But the sound of the blade cutting through metal continues without pause.

“No.” Leo won’t lie. He won’t test Donnie’s nerves with trickery, not even when the reveal is something his brother has been looking forward to all week. 

“Password?” Donnie counters next.

Leo screws up his face, searching his memories for the right answer. “I don’t know, dude. There’s cookies? And, like, ten hours of movies, so-”

The saw goes silent before the 'shop door opens with a snap. Leo takes a step back to give his brother room. 

Donnie’s face pops through the gap, his eyes looking unnaturally large through the magnifying lenses perched atop his beak. “What day is it?”

“Uh, Friday.”

“Y/N is here?”

Leo's exasperated answer hisses through the tunnel. "Yes." 

Donatello lets the door swing wide as he pulls off his goggles and hangs them on their hook. “Why didn’t you start with that?” he asks as he tidies up his station. His hands fly over the tables, reorganizing the space for his return. He fumbles his wrenches into their case in his rush. "How long have they been here? Why didn't anyone get me sooner?"

Leo doesn’t hide his grin, so happy to see Donnie this close to admitting his crush. “Oh, so they’re the password, huh?”

Donatello’s blush starts at his neck and rises up to his ears. “That’s not…” He gives a little huff as he rolls his tool cart to its place against the wall. “Shut up, Leo.”

Slinging an arm around Donnie's neck, Leo drags him into the hall. He grinds his knuckles over his little brother's head with a light chuckle.  Though Donnie easily squirms free, Leo knocks him with a shoulder, a tease and a mark of support. 

At first, Leo had been reticent to encourage his brother's feelings for you, but over time it's become obvious that Donnie’s affections are far from one-sided. Being what they are, that came as somewhat of a shock to him, but it was the best kind of surprise.

Donnie's lucky to have you in his life. And Leo hopes that one day soon, the two of you will get your acts together. It's about time you two admit just how happy the other makes you.

*

You're picking at the edge of the countertop, stomach in knots, when you hear the echo of footsteps draw near. Leo and Donnie enter the main living space pushing and shoving, but there's not a hint of anger on their squabble. Laughter stretches their smiles wide. 

You bite your lips together, anticipating the moment when Donatello finds you. There's become a shared second of pause when you meet, though you don't know when that began. You try to prepare yourself for it each time, but it always leaves you breathless. 

When Donatello’s eyes fall on you, his laughter peters out and his smile goes soft. Your lungs ache with the breath you've forgotten to release until Donatello breaks the spell. "I was told there would be cookies?"

You gesture to the box, hoping the slight tremor in your hand isn't obvious. "Lembas, actually." It's silly, your newly developed nervousness around him. Donnie is the person with whom you feel safest, most free to be yourself. He's your best friend in the world. 

Your crush on him shouldn't change that. But it does. It could change everything.

Donatello's eyes slide to the box and his jaw drops comically. "Are you kidding me? How did you-? Why did-?" His long strides bring him to the table before he has a chance to form a full sentence.

"It's our weekend," you say. A blush colors your cheeks as you catch your choice of phrase. "I mean, Lord of the Rings weekend. Remember?" You fiddle with the ring hanging from your neck, your fingers running back and forth over the elvish script. 

"I didn't. I do now! I didn't realize it was Friday until Leo… But Lembas!" He's probably the biggest nerd of you all.

"Go ahead." The mess of crumbs on the counter is evidence Raph and Mikey have grabbed their share. Thankfully, they left some for the rest of you. 

Leo skirts around you to take a cookie for himself while Donatello inspects his square of pastry with care. Turning it over in his hands, Donnie hums. "It smells like citrus and almond."

"There's lavender too," you supply gently. It took a few tries and a few tweaks of the recipe you found to get it just right, but you're quite proud of the end result.

"Yeah," he gives a slow nod. "And lavender. I was getting to that." He looks at you in awe. "This is really… it's so cool."

"You didn't even try it." Your racing heart switches gears from nervousness to anticipation for Donnie to have a taste.

"Oh, right." Donatello takes his first bite, follows it quickly with a second, and the cookie is gone. "Wow." Crumbs fall from his lips and you chuckle at his enthusiasm.

"I can make more," you offer as he reaches for another, "if you guys like them so much."

Donnie nods and drops his gaze as he seems to consider it. "...maybe you can make them here," he says finally. "With me, y'know? Show me how it's done."

Your blush returns at the suggestion and you find yourself hesitant to agree to the plan. 

Donatello's eyes blink wide and his almost pout is irresistible as always. You can't fathom why you'd give up the chance to be the one teaching Donatello something for once. 

With a leap of your heart, you give in. "Yeah, of course. We can swing by my place later and grab the stuff. Could be fun."

"Could be," he agrees quietly.

Donnie meets your eyes again and the moment of stillness between you stretches long--

Until Raphael speaks up from the couch with an exaggerated groan. "Can ya please get over here already? There's a whole mess of movies waitin' for us and you're busy yappin'."

Donatello grabs the box of cookies and rummages through the cabinet for Pop-Tarts while you make your way over to the TV. Of course, not even lembas can fill his appetite for sweet pastry. 

In the Pit, the lighting is dim. Title screen music rises and falls, drawing you into the fantasy world of Middle Earth.

Leo has taken a seat atop the back of the couch to give Raph and Mikey room on the cushions below. At the sight of your approach, Mikey scoots toward his brothers to make you a place by the armrest.

It's a comfortable fit, even for your favorite position, sitting with your legs pulled up, criss cross. But when Donnie comes in, there's no real room for him. He doesn't seem to mind. He places the plate of lembas and box of Pop-Tarts on the coffee table. Then, without hesitation, he takes a seat on the floor in front of you.

Mikey starts up the movie and the epilogue scenes cast the room in shadows and flashes of light. Donatello settles in against your legs and everyone's eyes focus on the screen.

The film plays and the temptation to reach toward Donatello increases with his every shift. Though he hasn't complained, you think he must be uncomfortable down on the floor. If nothing else, the way he rolls his shoulders probably means he's feeling stiff. 

It's dark enough, you could lay your hands on his shoulders, work the knots out of his muscles and neck, without attracting the attention of his brothers. But you don't. As you indulge yourself in fantasy, Donatello shifts once more.  He slides into position between your knees and the tails of his bandana catch on the hem of your jeans. 

You stare for a moment, unsure if you're allowed to touch. Then, Donnie leans back and smiles up at you and you could swear your heart stops. It only lasts a second before his eyes return to the screen, but it fills you with comfort, confidence, and calm.

Careful not to tug, you take the tails of his mask in hand and lay the long strips of cloth over your lap. With steady passes, the fabric runs through your fingers. It's soft and worn. Stained and fraying on the ends. The movie plays on, but as far as you're concerned there's only this. 

You twist the tails of Donnie's mask around your fingers. You tie them into loose knots, losing yourself in the quiet intimacy of having Donatello so close. 

Donnie tips his head to the side as you play, turning his body just enough that he can rest his head on your knee. 

You bend at the waist and drop your voice as quiet as it can go to avoid being overheard by the others. "You OK?"

Donatello nods, nuzzling his cheek against your knee just enough for you to notice. "It's nice," he says, and you drag the tails of his bandana through your fingers again. 

As you sit up, you spare a glance at his brothers. Raph and Leo are sitting forward, elbows on their knees, enraptured by Arwen's race on horseback. But Mikey's watching you through the corner of his eye. He gives you a small, knowing smile before turning his attention back to the screen.

When it's time to switch DVDs, everyone agrees it's time for a stretch. 

Donnie's the first one back to the Pit. And he takes it upon himself to lie across all three cushions of the couch with a lazy grin. Mikey doesn't even bother with him, ducking out to meet up with April and leaving his older brothers to fend for spots on the broken recliner and floor.

Donatello makes grabby hands as you return from the kitchen with a pair of sodas. You think he'll sit up, make some room. But to your surprise, Donatello exaggerates his sprawl. He takes the drinks and places them on the floor, then extends his hands toward you again.

You only have a second to register his request before he takes your hand in his and gently pulls you onto the couch with him. 

Cuddled up between the couch and your back, Donatello gives a little shimmy and a wistful sigh. 

Your heart is racing and you're tingling from your hands to your toes, but fitting against the curves of Donatello's bent knees and soft embrace takes no thought at all. And once you're there, you can't imagine ever wanting to leave.

*

The second Fellowship DVD comes to an end, and Donatello's breath tickles your neck, "One more?"

You shrug into the feeling of his words ghosting over your skin. "I'll fall asleep," you admit regretfully. You're so comfortable in his arms, you don't want to go home. But it's precisely that warmth and safety that are making it so hard to stay awake.

"I won't make fun of you if you snore," Donnie teases. There's soft pressure on your scalp and you're sure that's the feeling of him snuggling into your hair.

"I make no promises," Raph chimes in from the recliner. You'd long since forgotten you had company. The sound of his voice should come as a shock, should have you scrambling out of Donnie's arms. But it's only Raph, and he's picking on you the same as always. And there's a kind of approval in that -- the kind you never dreamed of receiving.

You try to shoot him a scowl, but you're grinning because you can't help it. 

*

You were right about having difficulty staying awake. The film isn't on for five minutes before your eyes drift closed.

"Are you asleep?"

"Still listening," you mumble dreamily. Donatello's arms tighten around you and his chin tucks over your head. It's enough to send you adrift into a deep and peaceful sleep.

You wake up in the morning alone but wrapped in a purple knitted blanket you recognize from Donnie's room. You pull it snug around your shoulders as you sit up to check your phone.  There's a text from your roommate and emails that can be ignored, but one notification stands out. You touch the media message from Raphael. 

Though you roll your eyes at the blurry thumbnail, your curiosity has you pressing play. The video is only 20 seconds, anyway. 

It loads immediately and the image clears. You smile at the closeup of Donatello asleep on the couch. The audio is low but you can clearly make out the snuffling rise and fall of his snores. You allow yourself a little laugh as you watch the video play through again. And you don't miss the way Raphael panned to show you and Donnie together dozing comfortably -- your limbs entangled and your face tucked into the crook of his neck.

You're unsure where you two stand and where your relationship will go, but your stomach is full of butterflies and your heart is content.

"Did you sleep OK?" Donnie asks as he comes in from the kitchen. He's brought tea and toast -- a simple but sweet gesture. 

You take a moment to enjoy the sight of him bringing you breakfast 'in bed' and tuck your phone away with a smile. "I slept great."

[elvsium]

✱ ╱ ben barnes + cis man + he/him ━ if you happen to find yourself stuck in tartarus, make sure you don’t run into DESMOND TITAN there. the FORTY-THREE year old has made quite the reputation for themselves under their alias as HADES, a BOSS for THE SOULS. while their enemies often describe them as unyielding and reticent, their syndicate would say that they’re astute and just. they DO think that zane was murdered, but they’ll be keeping that to themselves for now. ( specks of red on an otherwise impeccable three piece black suit, always being five steps ahead, holding fast to your own set of morals )

the stats ,

FULL NAME: desmond emeric titan.

NICKNAMES: des.

BIRTH PLACE: tartarus, california.

BIRTHDATE: november 19, 1977.

AGE: forty-three.

ZODIAC: scorpio sun.

MBTI: intj — the architect. 

GENDER &  PRONOUNS: cis man & he/him.

SEXUAL ORIENTATION: bisexual .

AFFILIATION: the souls.

ALIAS: hades. POSITION: boss.

FAMILY: kronos titan ( father ), rachael titan ( mother ), zane titan ( brother ), donny titan ( brother ), sara titan ( sister-in-law ), reese titan ( nephew ), dennis titan ( nephew ).

the story , (tw: brief mentions of death, abuse, murder, cancer)

the youngest child of kronos and rachael titan, a couple who seemed to be together since the beginning of times, desmond was born in a life of opulence and violence. his father had already created a crime empire in california by then, and the family business was never a secret to the child, nor the certitude that that was his future. 

rachael was a caring mother who tried her best to protect her sons from the titan patriarch, a cold man who was ruthless in his business and at home. he had a plan for his sons and expectations that would be met. oftentimes emotionally and physically abusive, his only reason was that he was raising men.

always more introverted than his older brothers, desmond was content being by himself. he wasn’t a loud or hyperactive child, preferring books and puzzles. he had an insatiable curiosity and thirst for knowledge, and showed brilliance at an young age that his father immediately saw as an asset to be explored. 

at a too young age, desmond knew more about guns, drugs and the ins and outs of crime than people twice his age. he was thirteen when he watched his first execution. a man who had wronged the titans and his father used the opportunity as a teaching tool. all in preparation for when the man would leave his empire to his sons. 

he thrived in his studies and graduated high school much earlier, leaving tartarus to go to college. it was a chance of temporary freedom outside of his father’s domain where not everyone knew what being a titan represented. still, he knew that being there was just part of his father’s plan and he would ultimately be back to the fold.  

at nineteen, he was back with a degree in business and finance and to the news that his father had been diagnosed with cancer and was ready to step down. despite his young age, he wasn’t surprised when his father gave him the position of consigliere. it was a way to have his sons at the head of the syndicate.

the three brothers made a solide team, each with their own complementing specialities and personalities. but only a few years after the change of administration, their father had second thoughts and word got to the brothers that kronos was planning on overthrowing the three and take the syndicate back.

by then, it had become clear that his condition had decreased and the disease and treatment alike were taking a taking a toll on the man’s mind. seeing their father slowly deteriorate into nothing and with the threat of an attack hanging over their heads, zane, donny and desmond came up with a plan to deal with it all. 

they kept it between only the three and made sure to make it as quick as possible for the patriarch, a mercy killing. to everyone it was simply an accident; an old, sick man that fell down the stairs, no one bothered to check his system for narcotics that had nothing to do with his chemotherapy. 

the syndicate only grew after kronos’ passing, but with the years so did the divergencies between the three brothers. desmond would say it was brothers’ brashness and inability to see reason that ultimately made caused the split. after that last conversation he left the room knowing he would never go back.

taking the very few he felt he could trust, he formed the souls. many, getting the downtown area could be seen as drawing the short straw, and maybe it was, but that didn’t bother the youngest titan brother. he already had a plan about how to make the souls the biggest syndicate in tartarus and full grasp of his own potential. 

in the last five years, the souls have grown as he predicted. finances couldn’t be better, he has plenty of loyal members by his side, ambrosia has been a hit and they’re a force to be reckoned with, but power is addictive and he wants more. 

zane’s passing came as a surprise, and not a good one, despite their fights and differences, the man was his brother. desmond knows he was murdered and finding out who did it and avenging his older brother is only one of the many things in his mind. 

the personality ,

he has a presence and confidence that just commands respect, that makes him a great leader. knows what he wants and will do whatever is needed to make it happen. 

an introvert who likes his own company and doesn’t have much patience for small talk. actually, doesn’t have patience for anything that doesn’t interest him or will simply make him waste his time. 

very observant, he will figure out what it is that you want and use it to get what he wants, he can be very persuasive and manipulative. also the owner of a dry sense of humor. he can also sound insensitive and patronizing.

he is a very strategic person, not prone to impulsive decisions. desmond likes to analyze and ponder before choosing a course of action and then he will have four different backup plans in case something goes wrong. 

also pragmatic and extremely organized. he can get very frustrated when things don’t go his way, but is cold enough to remain rational and works well under pressure. 

desmond doesn’t trust easily and can be paranoid at times, but it comes with the job. he knows there’s always someone scheming against him and he must be on alert. 

also doesn’t gets emotionally attached easily. he has an armor he's built around himself that makes hard for people to get too close to him and refuses to show people any vulnerability.

someone who puts a great deal of value in loyalty. if someone proves themselves to be loyal to him he will fight as hard as he can for them, but it only takes one betrayal for it all to be gone.

he tries to be fair when he can and isn’t unnecessarily cruel — he sees that in itself as lack of control —, but he’s a ruthless man to his enemies and those who cross him. 

enjoys quiet nights at his place reading a book or playing online chess, though lately those haven’t happened very often. he is an workaholic and though he can delegate he knows he still has to keep an eye on everything.

the most important thing to know about him is that desmond has three dogs that are his children.

[brokehorrorfan]

Blu-ray Review: Running Time

The long take, or oner, is a single, continuous film shot in which the actors perform while the camera moves through the scene without cutting for standard coverage. These setups are complex to choreograph and shoot, but a successful one can effectively immersive the viewer. Well-known examples can be found in Goodfellas, Birdman, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Atonement, Boogie Nights, Panic Room, Children of Men, and Oldboy.

Some filmmakers have dared to take it a step further, presenting an entire film in real time as one, unbroken shot (with cuts - necessary to due the restraints of shooting on film - seamlessly hidden between scenes). While Sam Mendes' recent 1917 was lauded for accomplishing this feat, it was Alfred Hitchcock's 1948 film Rope to first pull it off. And somewhere in between - 1997, to be exact - is Running Time.

Genre icon Bruce Campbell (The Evil Dead) stars as Carl Matushka, whose first order of business after serving five years in prison is to pull off a heist. His crew includes his longtime partner in crime Patrick (Jeremy Roberts, The People Under the Stairs), safe cracker Buzz (William Stanford Davis, Ray Donovan), and junkie getaway driver Donny (Gordon Jennison Noice, Head of the Family). Carl's old flame, Janie (Anita Barone, The War at Home), also gets mixed up in it. Nothing goes according to plan, leading to rising tensions among the hastily-assembled team.

Running Time was shot chronologically over the course of 10 days for $120,000. It clocks in at a tight 69 minutes, six of which are dedicated to credits - including the Saul Bass-inspired opening title sequence where Joseph LoDuca's (The Evil Dead) score shines. Like Rope, director Josh Becker (Alien Apocalypse) and co-writer Peter Choi use drama to ratchet up the suspense, but there's some action along the way as well. (A sign of the times, but there are multiple uses of the homophobic F slur, including by Campbell's character.)

Embracing the high-contrast film noir inspiration, Becker opted to shoot the film in black and white in a 4:3 fullscreen aspect ratio on 16mm film. The decision to shoot in black and white was not only a stylistic choice but also a logistic one; it made it possible to go between interiors and exteriors without having to filter for color temperature - since, unlike Rope, Running Time was filmed on location. Kurt Rauf (My Name Is Bruce) served as cinematographer, with Billy Gierhart (who has since directed episodes of The Walking Dead and Sons of Anarchy) taking on the Herculean task of the roving camera operator.

Campbell is in nearly every frame of the film, and he delivers one of the strongest performances of his career. His signature bravado is present but more understated in comparison to most of his output. He has a good chemistry with Barone; horror aficionados will recall the pair posed together for the Evil Dead poster (though she does not appear in the movie). The supporting cast fits in just fine, including Art LaFleur (Cobra) as the warden in the opening scene.

Running Time has been newly restored in 2K from the original camera negative, approved by Becker, with the original theatrical stereo mix for Synapse Films' new Blu-ray edition. It features reversible artwork by Gerry Kissell and Wes Benscoter. Bruce Cambpell sits down for a new, 20-minute interview, which is presented in 4:3 black and white to echo the movie. Candid as ever, he recounts his first exposure to Becker in junior high and details the production. He's fond of the film, appreciating the artistic challenge after a creatively unfulfilling experience on McHale's Navy.

The archival extras are just as entertaining. An audio commentary with Becker and Campbell, recorded circa the film's original release, is an informative listen. While they’re reticent to reveal exactly where each of the film's 30 cuts are hidden, they share plenty of anecdotes about the production, from the challenges of the long takes to actors detonating their own squibs. A Q&A with Becker and Campbell from the 1997 Freaky Film Festival in Illinois is worth the price of the disc. It took place before the film screened, so Campbell spends the majority of the 19 minutes shooting the breeze with the exuberant crowd. The trailer is also included.

Running Time will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on March 16 via Synapse Films.