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whispering-about-the-tmnt · 2 months

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Some headcanons regarding TMNT physiology

Over the years, I have come up with some headcanons regarding how I believe the Ninja Turtles' bodies work. I thought that perhaps it might be nice to finally share them with all of you.

These don't apply to all the iterations, of course, but they are pretty well universal in my mind, and I tend to incorporate most of them into my fanfics.

The Turtles (like leatherback sea turtles, echidnas, and some dinosaurs) are mesotherms, meaning they are neither warm nor cold blooded. They are, instead, in a middle-ground: they internally generate heat, but not to a constant temperature. In the Turtles' case, they will shiver when cold, and their bodies will not shut down right away when the temperature dips too low, though they may lose some energy and find it hard to concentrate.

Unlike many other modern reptiles and amphibians, who have a three-chambered heart, the Turtles have four-chambered hearts (like mammals and dinosaurs) that are larger and stronger than average human hearts and located at the center of their chests.

While the average human blood capacity is around five liters, the Turtles have about seven. Much of the blood flows under the shell -- a remnant of their lives as ordinary turtles, whose own blood does so in order to warm them when they bask. This means that the Turtles could lose close to three liters of blood before dying, while a human would only be able to lose two.

Their blood is also highly efficient at clotting, but that also means that storing blood for transfusions is difficult, and so must be directly transfused from one turtle to another in emergency situations.

Owing to their extensive circulatory system, they also have a larger lung capacity than humans and more oxygen-rich blood, and so are able to hold their breath for extended periods of time without adverse effects. Other than this, the Turtles' respiratory system is very much like humans', utilizing a diaphragm to inflate and deflate their lungs.

Like regular turtles, they do not have ribs, but rather their carapaces and plastrons serve that purpose, and they have muscles under their shells that keep their internal organs right where they belong.

Also like regular turtles, their spines curve along the insides of their shells. A direct hit on the center of their shells, then, could cause damage to their spinal column and nervous system, but fortunately their vertebral shields offer a fair amount of protection, so it would take quite an impact.

The Turtles are highly resistant to most infections and diseases, which increases their immunological responses. They do not get sick easily, and they recover quickly.

While their scales are not apparent, they are integrated into their skin, making it tougher than human skin. It takes a very hard hit to raise a bruise, and it is difficult to cut through without a very sharp or pointed blade.

Their bones are similar to humans, but are more resistant to breaking. They also heal quicker and stronger if they are broken.

Their muscles are also very close to human-like, but they are stronger than an average human due to compensating for the extra weight they carry in their shells. Because of this, their ligaments and tendons are also tougher, and it is difficult for them to have a joint dislocated.

Their sense of smell is more acute than humans, but not to an extreme degree. They are also not as bothered by foul smells (though this has more to do with living in a sewer than their physiology).

Their eyes are a bit tougher and more resistant to damage than human eyes due to a protective membrane that covers them. They see a bit better than humans in dark places and underwater.

Their hearing is somewhat more attuned to lower frequencies than human hearing, and is not dependent on external ears but rater an internal auditory system (making direct damage to their hearing unlikely).

They are capable of being knocked unconscious, but it takes a significant impact. Permanent or lingering damage to their brains is unlikely due to their structure, and so they also do not tend to suffer the same side-effects that humans would in the same circumstances (nausea, memory loss, etc.).

Although their nutritional needs are similar to humans, they do not need to eat every day, and in fact can get by quite well without food for a week if necessary (though they won't enjoy it). When food is readily available, however, they will eat as much as possible to store up energy. Their metabolism does not slow down when they do not eat, so overexerting themselves when they haven't had any food for a while can burn them out suddenly.

Their sleep schedules are much like most diurnal animals, though they are able to stay awake for extended periods of time and can get by on little sleep, if necessary. There have been times when they have been awake for days on end, getting by on short one hour naps here and there. In general, though, they like to have a regular sleep/wake cycle.

Like other reptiles, the Turtles never stop growing throughout their lifetimes; however their growth is slow, topping off at about 1-2 inches every five years.

Does anyone have anything they would like to add to the list? I actually had fun compiling it!

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turtlebra1nrot · 1 year

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Not Normal (Raphael x Reader)

DESC: A surprise visit from the turtle in red leads to shocking new discoveries with even more shocking outcomes...

TW for cursing, but this story will be very vague on which specific version of Raphael so imagine your desired version!

"Hey."

Raphael turned his head quickly, eyes meeting yours as your head peeked out of the door. His mouth quirked into a discreet smile and he waved a three-fingered hand.

"Hey." He repeated back to you. Your body shivered as you moved out of the doorway and onto the concrete roof, night air nearly howling with your every step. With frigid fingers tucking into the sleeves of your jacket, you stood beside him, back to the glowing city while praying that no one noticed the two of you up at this height.

"Late night for you to invite me on patrol, Raph." Your voice, filled with distaste, interrupted the silence between you both. His irises vanished beneath his lids as he blinked quickly. His hands gripped the railings of the roof, red mask flowing freely in the wind while he was quiet. You knew he didn't call you up here for that. There was something else. The turtle inhaled, "No, it's not that. I just, uh...I had somethin' I wanted to tell ya."

Raph seemed nervous, occasionally scratching at his face or shifting his weight to the other leg as he leaned against the railings. This worried you -- did something happen? Was he in trouble?

"What is it?" You questioned, tone laced with worry. It was the middle of the night. One of your best friends had called to speak privately on the roof of your parent's apartment building and made you go through the effort of sneaking out. This had to be important.

It was quiet once more, nothing but the whispers of the wind and loud beeps down below bringing tranquility to the awkward pause. Raphael glanced at you a few times, earlier smile now gone and replaced with an unreadable expression. You pushed away from the railing, taking a small step closer to him. Your grip found his arm and you stroked a hand calmly over it, "Raphael?"

"We're friends...right, _____? A-And no matta what happens -- what I do or say -- that won't change...right?"

He stuttered as he rapidly quizzed you, expression now showing desperation. You held a look of surprise on your face at the sudden question, but answered anyhow, "O-Of course! Why would anything change? You and the others are my friends. You're my friend. No matter what."

Raphael was quiet again, staring out into the big, bustling city of New York. His mind started thinking of the moments leading up to this one.

"Really?" He said, tearing his gaze away from the buildings to place his eyes on you. The turtle seemed stunned by what you had said.

Where had this suddenly sprung up from? You chuckled lightly shoving at his arm. It had no effect on his stance, "Raph, it's hard enough having to repeat everything to Mikey. I already told you, there's nothing you can do that will make me wanna stop being friends with you. Same goes for your brothers."

"You guys are a big part of my life, I don't know what I'd do without you."

Raphael stopped short, still glaring down at you in awe. "_____." Your named escaped his lips softly and his eyes shimmered beneath the glow of the moon as they glossed over with a strange expression.

The next few moments seemed like fantasy. The brawny terrapin reached for your smaller figure, picking you up and placing you atop the metal railings of the roof. You couldn't help but feel a jolt of terror at the adjustment -- you were just sitting nearly 40 feet above the ground with the wind deciding to suddenly pick up in speed.

But, you knew Raph wouldn't dare let you fall. And never on purpose, nor on accident. Especially not with the vice grip he had on your torso right then. "Raph?..." Your voice was laced with confusion at his actions. He didn't answer, hold on you growing tighter. Was he always this close to your face?

The turtle glared at you, only one emotion being felt by him at that moment.

Disgust.

Pure, unbound disgust.

The feeling only enlarged the longer his eyes rested upon you.

You.

This was all because of you. He felt this way because of you. He couldn't think straight because of you. He couldn't escape his own mind because of you. He couldn't get rid of the overwhelming twists and turns everytime you were near. He couldn't help feeling disgusted by himself because of you. It was all your fault.

Every day, every hour, every minute. You were what he dreamed of. He loved you more than anything (besides his siblings). Your genuine care for Raphael and his family, the way you treated everything like it was a normal occurrence.

But it wasn't. This wasn't normal -- He wasn't normal. And that's why he was so angry with himself.

The idea of romantic, even platonic attraction had been out the window the moment he was born. He was a freak of nature. Something shunned by whatever god or deity was out there. Having someone to call their own would have never been possible for him and his brothers. Raph assumed this from the start.

Sure, he'd have crushes on people he saw on TV, whether they were fictional or not. And sure, he'd see couples showing affection to one another and long to gain what they had. But, deep down he knew it wasn't possible. Not for him.

...

But what if...

Raph's eyes were blank now and you grew confused as he went to press his forehead against yours. The fabric of his mask rubbed gently against your skin and you couldn't help but hold your breath. The proximity between you both was dangerous. You tried to stay calm, but the feeling a warmth on your skin caused you to shake. And to make matters worse, the boy's eyes never left yours. He was hyper-focused on you and only you.

You weren't completely sure that this was something friends did. "Careful." You whispered as he was starting to push himself closer while you were frozen in place. You were too anxious to move for multiple reasons. Your earlier faith in your own safety was beginning to dwindle quickly.

Raph stared into your eyes with a wave of curiosity washing over his body. Many voices called to him, all saying to do different things.

Hug you.

Talk to you.

Leave you.

Kiss you.

...kiss you?

Now he was sure he was batshit insane. He'd have to be a real Mikey-brain to pull some crap like that.

Raphael had to accept it. He was a mutant with no semblance of a normal life. There was no use in trying, it was pointless to go on. He couldn't possibly ever gain your affection. Not in the way he wanted to.

And yes, it's silly. Big, tough Raphael, falling in love with his best friend? Getting all gushy and warm in the head over some human teenager? Blasphemy, preposterous!

But he was a teenage boy before anything. Before turtle, before gym buddy, before lab experiment. He would always be a kid exploring and experiencing life for the very first time. His feelings weren't invalid. But, he never had anyone to tell him otherwise. And that's where the problem derived.

The night air felt as if it was growing thin as minutes passed by, seemingly, in slow-motion. Apartment lights switched off as the hour crept by and more of the city's inhabitants grew weary, going off to bed. Taxis began filling up the streets below and corners started piling up with pedestrians. All of this went unnoticed by the couple of teens on the roof. Your eyes seemed to have trouble choosing on what to focus on, jumping wildy from your friend's lost eyes to his pursed lips.

Why were you so nervous? Minus the height, this should have been just fine! You and Raph always felt comfortable in each other's embrace, hugging and cuddling whenever you could. You couldn't grasp why but this was so...different than those other times. This felt special. Intimate, even.

"Raph could you um, put me-"

You were cut off by a sudden stinging in your arms and you winced. But before any vocal reaction could be made, you could feel your body being yanked forward ever so slightly.

With your arms tucked to your side unknowingly, your body started to react alarmingly. Your eyes went wide as a new feeling shocked you.

Whatever it was felt strangely soft with a mix of chapped-ness. And in all honesty, the warmth was enrapturing. So very foreign but amazing all the same. Your eyes blinked shut as the feeling overtook your senses, leaving you immobile. What exactly was happening?

You were kissing him. Raphael.

No.

Raphael was kissing you. _____.

My god, it was euphoric. Almost in a painful way. You'd never thought you'd enjoy the feeling of butterflies inside you, spreading outward at the speed of light, causing a wave of joy to wash over your figure.

Despite this, you somehow managed to free your trapped arms and use your fingers to search over your friend's upper body, looking for literally anything to ground you right then. While his three-fingered appendages rested upon your waist once more, your hands found solace on the sides of his biceps. Though, your hand-span didn't even come close to closing around his arm. You found this amusing.

Low hums left you. The time you both spent in that position seemed short once you both eventually pulled away from each other. But, something was off.

Your lips were curled into a shy, endearing smile while Raph's wasn't.

He looked horrified. Not just surprised or disturbed -- he had a look of absolute fear on his face. Like he had just seen unimaginable horrors.

Your title left him in a low tone and you perked up.

You were scared. What was wrong? "W-What is it, what's the matter?" You stumbled over your words with concern for him. You'd think that there was some sort of explosion behind you with the look the turtle held. That's what you assumed at first. Until he simply answered, "Ya let me do that. Why did ya let me do that?" He seemed dazed and, strangely, confused. You went to press a palm against his plastron soothingly. But you only earned a quick jerk backward from Raphael.

"I mean yeah, there's less shabbier and life-threatening ways to do this but-" You started off, face still flushed along with a sheepish look. He only gave a confuzzled, scrunched up expression as you spoke, then interrupted. "No no. Ya don't unda'stand, you should- Why?"

You were struggling to understand his misunderstanding. The look in his eyes was puzzling and you cocked your head slightly, trying to figure out what emotions Raph was trying to convey.

"Why...?" You repeated questioningly.

What you didn't expect next was the sound of someone's broken, choked sob. Your lids rose as your eyes widened in surprise. In the light of the moon, a single tear was illuminated on the turtle's cheek. He was...he was crying.

You couldn't comprehend it and neither could he. The flurry of feelings in him was too strong. "Control your emotions, Raphael". "Keep your storm at bay". There was no reason to do so now. What he was feeling was too painful. It may have had to do with your response to his sudden affection, but the main problem originated within himself. You reached out hesitantly, slipping down from the railing and taking careful steps toward your friend. Then, you asked what was wrong once again.

Head in his hands, the reptile could only muffle out words. "I-I don't get it. How could ya not hate me for that _____?" Raph asked. He watched your face change into a bewildered and aghast expression as he slipped down to his knees with a thud. You followed suit, quickly grabbing his wrists and tearing his fingers away from his eyes, "Why would I ever hate you Raph?" You asked worriedly.

There were a few seconds of silence before he answered. "Because...I like you. I like ya a lot."

Your face tingled with heat once more and you blinked. "A-And I wanna be around ya, take ya on dates, buy you useless shit just fer the sake of it, y'know, all that stupid stuff. I shouldn't feel like that 'bout you, but I do and it...it keeps me up at night." Raphael continued to vent his feelings and you listened carefully. "I know it's wrong. I shouldn't feel like this at all, b-but I can't help it." You could feel him shaking, words coming out in a slight stutter every so often. You held your companion's hand tightly, rubbing your thumb over the back of it leisurely, "Oh Raph..." You murmured with a sad smile.

You stayed quiet for another moment, nearly blinking back tears. Your best friend had been hurting. Suffering all because of you. Not even just because of you. His whole life, he had one path made for him to follow. He never had a choice or a say in what he wanted, neither did his brothers. Where they lived, what they could eat, who they interacted with. There was never a second option. They were trapped in a box, forced to abide by the rules of society's standards and hide below ground. And here the red-clad turtle was, attempting to pour his heart out to you the best he could only for the effects of life's forced hand to deal him a shitty deck. Simply put, years of isolation led to mountains of insecurities for Raphael.

The terrapin eyes were trained on the concrete, tears drying and leaving a tight feeling upon the skin of his green cheeks. The feeling of warmth captured his face suddenly and a force pulled his gaze from the ground to your soft-spoken eyes. The tips of your fingers pushed Raph's face up slowly and you gazed at each other. His eyes, shimmering in the light, searched yours for any form of judgement or execrate, to which he found none. You truly did not care. He could see now. When your gaze fell upon him, you did not see a creature or monster. You saw a partner, a companion. Someone to trust. A person.

Reluctantly, you pressed your lips to his again, eyes shutting in a similar fashion to the first time. Your other palm joined his free one and your digits intertwined lightly. Everything else seemingly vanished from existence as you both screamed your emotions into a single kiss.

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