Latest Posts by delightfulgalaxydeer - Page 2

NEW LMK SERVER OPENING

i've just opened a new server for adult lego monkie kid fans who want to find an accepting and chill environment to talk about lmk away from the kids in the fandom. the server is 18+ and has a sfw and nsfw section, as well as opt-in dead dove channels for darker topics. we have color roles, a jttw chat, pk, a music bot, and more. we accept all ships as long as dead-dove dynamics are kept to the correct chat.

if youre interested, click the link in the reblogs of this post and come say hi!

Zodiac meeting

2020′s Top Animated TV

This list has so much pride.

Steven Universe

Avatar: The Last Airbender +11

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power +1

Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir -2

The Owl House

Invader Zim -1

DuckTales +2

The Dragon Prince

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles +6

Gravity Falls +4

Castlevania +5

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure +7

Danny Phantom +5

Voltron: Legendary Defender -12

Infinity Train

The Legend of Korra +16

South Park -7

Moominvalley -13

Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts

Bojack Horseman +9

Rick And Morty +5

Adventure Time -6

Phineas and Ferb +10

Trollhunters 

Star vs. the Forces of Evil -19

Green Eggs and Ham

Amphibia +1

The Simpsons -3

Teen Titans -7

Carmen Sandiego -10

Young Justice -22

Clone High

Over The Garden Wall +2

Star Wars Rebels +15

Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart -14

Final Space -13

Total Drama +1

Transformers: Animated +7

Villainous -22

Winx Club -9

Harley Quinn

OK K.O.! Let’s Be Heroes -31

The Powerpuff Girls -2

Ben 10

Transformers: Prime

The Loud House -7

Solar Opposites

We Bare Bears -4

Kim Possible -9

The number in italics indicates how many spots a title moved up or down from the previous year. Bolded titles weren’t on the list last year.

Beyond the Rift

When Leo thought he had several months to heal, the Kraang invade from a parallel universe, and now Leo and Donnie are separated from their brothers and must team up with another turtle team from a parallel universe to save both worlds.

However, their mission turns personal when they discover their own brothers are being mind-controlled and fighting for the enemy.

Yet, nothing can prepare them for the horrors that follow.

———

Chapter 1: Nightmares

Words: 2,544

A hitched breath echoed through the empty room, tangling itself with the dust in the air. His chest was heaving up and down, eyes were closed shut, and eyebrows furrowed. Hands were balled into fists, grasping the sweet texture of cold fabric. Beads of sweat rolled down his chin and forehead, despite the coolness of the room. Choked sobs escaped his throat before he could stifle them, and bitter tears had begun to spill from his eyes.

He’d call it a nightmare, but there was a small crack in his body that’d claim that statement false—that this was reality. And all he truly knew was that he was terrified. He’d desperately clung to the small, weak flame of hope that flickered in his heart, yearning for someone to acknowledge his current predicament.

His mind flashes back to simpler times where he was a kid once again, sleeping with his brothers after an agonizing nightmare. He’d cling to them for several days until he deemed it safe enough to return to his room, his haven. However, he considered himself too old for such comforts. He stood at sixteen years old, fully capable of taking care of himself…

…If it wasn’t for his broken legs and sprained ankles. His skin was painted with reds and purples, injuries dusting every corner of his skin. His ribs ached, and with every labored breath he took, he was rewarded with more agony.

Leo needed something.

He’d been consumed by an itch he couldn’t scratch—an overwhelming need for anything to stop the nightmares from pestering him, or his wounds from hurting him. His lesions decorated his skin like cruel reminders, mocking him for everything he’d lost and gained in a week from the Kraang Invasion.

As if to stabilize himself from the oncoming nightmare—or reality; who knows?— he’d considered his small victories. For one, he was alive and breathing. Secondly, his brothers were also alive and pumping blood. Third, they’d save New York from a deadly apocalypse. Fourth, he’d heal. He knew his slumped, useless body would recover from the trauma—both mentally and physically. Logically, there is a future where he recuperates, and that everything was okay.

But that was a distant future. Leo knew that healing wasn’t linear—never will be. He’d knew there were days ahead of him filled with pure misery and sorrow, while some others would be overflowing with joy and ecstasy.

He couldn’t wait for those days where the heavy burden would lift from his shoulders and he could just breathe. Days he could take in every sound in the bustling city, and let it fall into a calming rhythm. The constant chatter of crowds, the blaring honking of cars stuck in traffic and construction sites were all a sweet remedy to him.

Thinking of this peaceful future had assuaged his labored breathing and the tears from spilling. Unconsciously, he’d release the tight grip he had on his bed sheets, as his palms now laid gently across his stomach.

“Leo?” a familiar voice whispered to him. He gently cracked his eyes open, slowly letting them adjust to the harsh lighting in the med bay. There was a purple silhouette standing by the entrance. Leo softly smiled, relieved that someone was finally there to keep him some company, and that the someone was Donnie.

“I heard you breathing quite heavily–wait, were you crying?” Donnie hurried over to Leo, his best concerned expression straining his features. Donnie was never good at showing his emotions, so really, it creeped Leo out just how worried his brother looked.

While Donnie analyzed his tear-stained cheeks, Leo was being swallowed by the weight of humiliation. He felt too vulnerable. This feeling of exposure had silently confirmed his fears of being useless, a boy forced to depend upon others. After a tense, awkward moment, Leo found his voice and obliged himself to use it, as he finally managed a weak, “I guess. I didn’t mean to.”

Donnie pursed his lips together, clearly unsatisfied with Leo’s answer. He wasn’t the most reliable or emotionally available person, but he’d been trying to make more of an effort lately. He couldn’t simply sit and watch as Mikey drained himself, comforting his brothers when he was also struggling.

“Listen, Leo, i’m your twin, right? You don’t need to put up a front with me. You had a nightmare—I wasn’t born yesterday.” Donnie sat on the stool by Leo’s bed, crossing his arms and raising an accusing eyebrow at his brother. He’d logically used the word twin, as Leo loved to refer them as that, even though it was not accurate.

(Truth be told, Donnie actually never minded being called Leo’s twin, and very much liked the term even if it went against his science.)

Leo’s mouth gaped, and his eyes had a sort of spark in them that Donnie had not seen for several weeks after defeating the Kraang. Leo quickly sat up, whisper-yelling to his brother, “Twin? So you finally admit it when i’m on my deathbed, huh? Didn’t know this was all it took!” He showed his signature toothy grin, pushing the gnawing feeling of his nightmare into the depths of his stomach.

“Scoff. Don’t change the subject, Nardo. Do you, well, I don’t know… Wanna talk about it, I guess?” Donnie spoke with great difficulty, gathering his words as they spilled from his mouth before he could arrange them properly. He shifted uncomfortably, eyes skidding everywhere but Leo’s own pair. He’d do anything for his brothers. (He reluctantly guessed.)

Leo softly shook his head, eyes lingering towards his bruised arms and hands. “I’m fine. I guess i’m just, I don’t know, put down by the state of my body. I’ve never seen so many injuries on me before…” His voice trembled, barely above a whisper.

If it were up to him, he’d rather talk about his feelings with Mikey, albeit with a little reluctance. Donnie didn’t even have the capacity to understand complex emotions, so what could he know about Leo? Had he looked so feeble and fragile that even Donnie, of all people, was stepping in with concern?

Donnie sighed, hesitating before giving a weak nod. A pause between them stretched before Donnie spoke up with a little more confidence behind his words, “I know. I see you, Leo. I can see you’re hurt and lost… maybe even confused, too.”

Before Leo could object—deny that no, he wasn’t lost in a dark void inside his head, and no, he was okay—Donnie looked him in the eye, his hands fidgeting nervously.

“Maybe all you need is someone to just be here next to you while you recuperate, because that’s what I need too.”

It took one thing for Donnie to talk about his feelings, but it was another for Donnie to admit his own vulnerability.

Leo, stunned to silence, gaped at him. His brain scrambled for words, urging his voice to come out and say something—anything—but it failed him. He felt the urge to deflect, to make a joke or push away, but something stopped him. His fingers twitched, reminding him that he still had control, even if he didn’t have the words.

So he leaned in and hugged his twin.

Both of them were caught off guard. Leo acted on pure impulse, doing what felt right. Donnie, on the other hand, froze—eyes wide, mouth slightly parted. He never welcomed physical affection without warning, always quick to brush it off when his brothers tried. But this was Leo. Hurt, vulnerable Leo, who had just sacrificed everything for his brothers. This was the Leo who cared deeply beneath his usual clownish facade, allowing it to slip just for this moment. For Donnie.

Donnie couldn’t just leave him hanging. He hesitated, but slowly let his arms fall onto Leo’s shell, unsure but determined. His head found a resting place on his twin’s shoulder. He squeezed him tightly, and to his surprise, found comfort in the simple weight of Leo’s arms around him.

It felt almost like a warm blanket.

(He considered surrendering himself more to the rest of his brother’s affectionate touches, but he quickly decided against it. Maybe he’ll just allow it for serious moments like these. It felt nice.)

Donnie felt Leo's racing heartbeat against his chest, each beat a soft and gentle reminder that his brother was here, real and alive. No longer trapped in the Prison Dimension, no longer out of reach. With each pulse, Donnie found a quiet solace, his own tension easing as he clung to the steady rhythm of Leo’s heart.

He squeezed his eyes shut before releasing a trembling sigh. “Are you scared?” He murmured softly, the sound hardly louder than a thought.

Leo was truly, undeniably, petrified. The weight of his vulnerability made his stomach churn, leaving him reluctant to accept help from his brothers. He considered his options, ways to dismiss Donnie’s question. He settled for an ambiguous answer with a lighthearted tone, a mask for his unease.

“I have you, don’t I?” he replied, a hint of playfulness lacing his voice.

“Yes, you have me. I’m ignoring your tone of voice right now, stop playing around. Scoff!” Donnie immediately dropped the hug, giving his brother a repulsed expression. That, he was good at.

“What? We were totally having a bromance moment there, dude. You ruined it!” Leo crossed his arms, eyes closed with his face turned away dramatically.

Donnie jabbed his index finger to Leo’s plastron. “We were, until you ruined it!”

“Ruined it? You’re the one who said I was playing around after I said something totally sweet and nice to you!”

“As if! You’re just trying to run away from this conversation with jokes and your childish, jokey tone. I said I wasn’t born yesterday!”

“Ugh, Raph! Donnie’s middle child syndrome is leashing out again!” Leo hollered towards the entrance of the med bay, genuinely hoping for Raph to step in and handle his annoying brother.

Donnie loudly gasped, hand over his heart, his expression the epitome of mock offense. “Middle child syndrome?! You’re literally the middle child too, dummy!”

“Yeah but everyone’s agreed that the title goes to you. I’m just the cool guy. The face of the team, ya know?” Leo flipped his nonexistent hair, a smug look stretching across his features.

The soft shell dramatically rolled his eyes. “Whatever you say Leon. Dad thinks i’m the funniest, you’re just a nuisance who attempts to be my level of funny.”

“Don’t speak to your leader like that, Donnie!” Leo dragged out the word "leader," determined to win their banter.

“Whatever.” Donnie resigned with an exaggerated sigh. One point for Leo, zero for Donnie.

Leo softly snickered at Donnie’s defeated expression. For a moment, it felt like old times. The air around them had been heavy with tension and unease ever since the Kraang invasion. Everyone was still on edge, still processing. But this moment of banter? It felt like a breath of fresh air.

It was all over now. Sure, they all had ghosts of scars plastered across their skin and minds, but those scars twinkled like distant stars. Each one, big or small, tied them together—a reminder of what they went through and a symbol of survival.

Maybe acknowledging this was one small (or big) step for Leo toward his journey of healing. Maybe those days bursting with glee and bliss were closer than he thought.

He watched Donnie as his brother’s lips quirked up into a small, genuine smile, a soft laugh escaping him. Leo’s heart warmed at the sight—Donnie, even with the dark circles under his eyes, finally looked a little more like himself. Relaxed. Present. Leo hadn't realized how much he had missed this—his brother, simply enjoying a moment.

Before Leo could stop himself, words tumbled out.

“Donnie?” His voice was softer now, his smile fading as something heavier settled in his chest. Donnie glanced at him, his expression shifting to curiosity and mild concern.

“I missed you. Please stay.”

Tears were brimming at the edge of Leo’s eyes, his own words hitting him like a punch. He hadn't truly felt it until now—just how much he missed his brothers being themselves.

Donnie blinked, momentarily stunned. His usual sharp wit wavered. He fidgeted with the corner of his shell, glancing away before looking back at Leo. “I’ve been here, Leo. You see me every day. Why do you miss me?”

Leo swallowed, struggling to find the right words. “You’ve been here, but not really... not as yourself. You’ve been too preoccupied, too worried. You haven’t laughed in a long time or smiled. Before, you would return my teasing, but it was only out of a sense of duty, right? But this time, it felt... real. And I realized I missed that. I miss you. I want you to stay with me. Just... stay a little while.”

Donnie hesitated, his eyes softening as he processed Leo’s words. He didn’t say anything at first, the silence stretching between them, thick with unspoken emotions. His hand twitched slightly, as if wanting to reach out but unsure if he should.

Then, in a rare moment of vulnerability, Donnie finally spoke. “Okay, Leo. I’ll stay. For as long as you need.”

“Let’s watch Jupiter Jim! Get me my phone, please. Actually, where even is it? I’ve been so bored since I got to the med bay. I feel like I got grounded.” Leo’s tone shifted from excited anticipation to irritation, furrowing his eyebrows to highlight his annoyance.

“Oh. I forgot about that… Well, the LED screen is bad for you anyway. Especially since you’re recuperating right now.” Donnie objected, reluctant to give back Leo his phone when he was supposed to focus on resting.

“Uh, I’m pretty sure LED screens won’t make my wounds reopen. Now, hand over my phone—I need Jupiter Jim and Instagram reels. Unless, of course, you’re buying me a whole TV to watch those on instead?”

Leo crossed his arms, knowing he’d get his way. He always did.

Donnie groaned, lifting the covers and moving to the drawer where Leo’s phone was hidden. “Fine! But you’re getting limited screen time. Two hours a day, max. You’re supposed to agree with me, medic.”

Leo rolled his eyes. “Who says that’s stopping me?”

Donnie’s expression darkened into a mischievous smile. “Who says I didn’t put a special password on it?” Donnie stretched his arms to Leo, phone in hand.

Leo’s face dropped. “Even I wouldn’t go that far! That’s my phone, not yours!” He reached for his phone, but when he tried his password, it didn’t work. Huffing in frustration, he reluctantly handed it back.

“Please,” Leo grumbled.

Donnie grinned victoriously as he unlocked the phone. “Your two hours start now. Use them wisely, dear brother.” He whispered with a playful cackle.

“Well, are you lying down with me or what?”

Leo’s casual invite was all Donnie needed. He sighed, unable to hold back a small grin as he lifted the covers and lay down next to his brother, getting in a comfy position to watch one of the many Jupiter Jim movies.

He could hear Leo’s own heartbeat, and Donnie released a long breath he didn’t know he’d been holding.

’He’s here, and he’s alive— next to me.’

———

I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter, there is a lot more to come!

This fic was posted in AO3, you could read it here if it’s better for you to directly read it from the site. Kudos and comments are deeply appreciated and bring happy tears to my eyes. They keep me going.

Updates happen on the weekends (Saturdays or Sundays), but I usually post sooner. However, don’t expect earlier updates.

This fic has a minimum goal of 30k words and 15 chapters.

Some words to use when writing things:

winking

clenching

pulsing

fluttering

contracting

twitching

sucking

quivering

pulsating

throbbing

beating

thumping

thudding

pounding

humming

palpitate

vibrate

grinding

crushing

hammering

lashing

knocking

driving

thrusting

pushing

force

injecting

filling

dilate

stretching

lingering

expanding

bouncing

reaming

elongate

enlarge

unfolding

yielding

sternly

firmly

tightly 

harshly

thoroughly

consistently

precision

accuracy

carefully

demanding

strictly

restriction

meticulously

scrupulously

rigorously

rim

edge

lip

circle

band

encircling

enclosing

surrounding

piercing

curl

lock

twist

coil

spiral

whorl

dip

wet

soak

madly

wildly

noisily

rowdily

rambunctiously

decadent

degenerate

immoral

indulgent

accept

take

invite

nook

indentation

niche

depression

indent

depress

delay

tossing

writhing

flailing

squirming

rolling

wriggling

wiggling

thrashing

struggling

grappling

striving

straining

chillin on a Saturday night

The perfect cozy adorable coat for this winter season! This adorable coat is the perfect gift for for your friends and family that are cat lovers!

♡♡ GET YOURS HERE ♡♡

OMG I FOUND THE HOODIE HERE!!

I found these HERE

Sapphics ships! For PrideMonth

Thanks to everyone who participated on ig to give me ships!

Sound on for this one

Current Nominees

Updated 8/14/24 (if you recieved more nominations, there will be a + showing how many)

I am tagging the creators so they know if they've been nominated. If they wish to retract the nomination, they can let me know.

Donnie @phykoha (Tiny Mutant Feral Turtles) - 1

Future Leo @nani-nonny (Reunion) - 1

Tenoch Oroku @gelu-the-babosa-multiversal (Forgotten Clan) - 1

Donnie @consume6810 - 1

Omega @kathaynesart (Replica) - 15 +14

Mikey @seaghosstt (TMNT: Bay Area) - 1

Reticent Leo @tmnt-reticent (Reticent) - 1

April @theartofeverything (In This Together) - 1

Donnie @kaysdenofchaos (Teenage Mutant Meddling Turtles) - 2 +1

Venus @ (Jumpstart Separated) - 1

Sensei Donatello @theredponcho (Microwave) - 1

Swanattello @tangledinink (Swanattello) - 1

Mikey @ (Deep Water) - 1

Dai @sweeneydino (Paper Scales/Little Dragons) - 6 +5

Hamato Antonello @ants-turquoisewave (Led Astray) - 2

Kasey Jones @caseyjones-junior (Krang Parasite) - 2 +1

Baby Mikey @pezhead (Age Gap) - 1

Mikey's Cat @anomalysstuff (Anomaly) - 1

Splinter @broken-slime-boi (Grayscale) - 2 +1

Yuichi Usagi @azucar-skull (Feral Casey) - 2 +1

Marcelo @irequirealobotomy (Just Around The Corner) - 2 +1

Leonardo @dancingthesambaa (Star Blind) - 1

Cerise Mylene Hamato @fanartmayhem (Mikey's Unplanned Purpose) - 1

Calamari @cokoweee (Quilt) - 1

Glamrock Raph @thejade-forest (RotTMNT x SB)

Ghost @AmevilloBlue (Ghost In The Shell) - 3 +2

Casey Jones Jr @delicatechildwitch (Old Soul) - 1

Shelldon @mostlyvoid-partiallyturtles (Lifetime Achievement Award) - 1

Donatello @kaysdenofchaos (Battle Scars) - 2 +1 & Leo

Little Leo @misshowdoyoudo (Reminiscing That Old Time) - 1

Maro @eternalleader - 1

Villain Mikey @onionninjasstuff (Villain PB&J) - 3 +2

Future Leo @cosmoscrow (Odd Man Out) - 2 +1

Donnie @jacky_fruit3529 (Deep Water) - 1

Cassandra Jones @gremlinscomics (Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself) - 1

Donatello @cryptidofthecove - 2

Caiji @gornackeaterofworlds (Butterfly Effect) - 4 +1

Mustachello @revitalizationrat (Mustachello) - 4 +1

Poptart @intotheelliwoods (2 Arms Left) - 4

Toast @intotheelliwoods (2 Arms Left) - 5 +2

Liam @fishsticksloser (Last Echoes) - 6 +1

NEW

Krangified Donnie @abbeyofcyn (Krangified Donnie) - 1

Raphael @thegunnsara (Hamato Warriors) - 1

Feral Leo @cupcakeslushie (feral Leo au) - 2

Kid Leo @angelpuns (Kid Leo au) - 1

August Hamato @star-sparkler (August Hamato) - 2

Leo @villainleoau (Villain Leo au) - 1

Raphael @remedyturtles (Firefight) - 1

Hop @nights-flying-fox (Dimention Hopper Leo) - 2

Future Leo @loryska2 (GooseyLeo) - 1

Leo @andistarbee (Extra) - 1

Brook @

Feral Donnie @kittynomore (Snapper Leo) - 2

Mikey @allyheart707 (Little Subjects) - 2

Prince DubbleBubble @sketchiefoxie (Rottmnt x Adventure Time) - 1

Frigid Leo @sketchiefoxie (Rottmnt x Adventure Time) - 1

Mikey @tizeline (Tiz Sep) - 3

Draxum @tizeline (Tiz Sep) - 1

Donnie @tizeline (Tiz Sep) - 1

Leo @nights-flying-fox (Gentle Hands I Don't Recall) - 1

Micheal @gingerchickens (Astray) - 1

Leo @kathaynesart (Replica) - 1

Chompy @probably-not-a-rutabaga (Mutant Chompy) - 1

You have until the end of Friday this week to nominate. Show creators some support, ask them questions, and have fun.

Megapolis's hero

best trope and you can fight me over it (i abuse this so hard with my ocs)

Alright people, it's time for more Villain Leo lore!!!

Today we are diving into Leo and Splinter's relationship!!!

Read under the cut because this got so LONG, these two have so many issues and there was so much to work with.

Alright, so it's no secret that Leo and Splinter have a....less than ideal relationship. You can see throughout all of TMNT history that Leo looks up to Splinter an insane amount, and Rise Leo is no different.

This boy looked up to Lou Jitsu his whole life, and we can often see him doing the same movements and catchphrases that Lou did. Granted, all the boys do, but Leo seems particularly attached to Lou

And we've all seen the smile comparisons, it's insane how similar his grandiose smile is to Lou Jistu's.

The point is, Leo really looks up to his dad, and we can see this in his actions and attitudes towards not only Lou Jitsu, but also Splinter in canon.

"Trust me pops!"

I mean, just look at how happy he is to be there with his dad, in his element. This episode is Leo at his peak, outsmarting everyone and predicting his family's moments to the letter.

Also, idk about you, but that smile seems incredibly genuine. That's not even a Lou Jitsu smile, that's a 100% Hamato Leonardo smile at his dad whom he looks up to so much.

And what does Splinter say to his son's ask for trust?

"I knew I should have brought Purple!"

....what.

That is his SON. His 14, maybe 15 year old son, who is asking for his father to trust him.

....and he responds by saying that he wishes he had brought his more intelligent twin brother instead, who he has already shown an implied favoritism towards in the past

"And I thought Purple was the funny one!"

"Told you guys I was the funniest."

This is a pretty harmless comment tbh, but Leo takes so much pride in his quips, one-liners and puns that this had to sting a little bit.

There's such a huge amount of content to sift through when it comes to these two, and that fact actually saddens me because I had SO MUCH to pick from when making this post, but here's some highlights.

One thing that I noticed while watching a Splinter and Leo compilation is that during the memory episode, Leo is the only one Splinter directly hits

NONE of the other three were directly hit like this is any point in the episode and yeah, this could totally be played off as a bit or just a case of wrong place, wrong time, but we'll get to my theory later, right now I'm just laying out the facts.

An important detail I'd like to point out here too is Leo's face after the first hit.

Guys, he looks HURT. Donnie and Raph are looking at him, checking that he's okay, but he is looking right past them at the shadow Splinter, who is dressed and looks just like his childhood idol, who just hit him specifically right in the face.

Not only his idol even. No, the most pure and unfiltered representation of his father, the man who's raised him his whole life.

And he just got hit in the face.

Ouch. For a kid as emotive as Leo (who I honestly think feels his emotions even more intensely than Mikey when he lets them out), this is a devastating blow. Literally.

Then, let's talk about this scene, you all knew it was coming.

"Can someone tell my son I am NOT TALKING TO HIM!!"

"You got this pops! I love you!"

Guys this scene hurts my heart. Like, once again, he can't be older than 15 at this point. Yeah he's being a badass stratigiser this whole episode, but you cannot convince me that he wasn't at least a little excited to see his dad, his HERO in action, and wearing a matching outfit as well, and show his dad, his idol and hero, exactly what he's capable of. Leo absolutely worships the ground Splinter walks on and what does his father have to say to his son"s encouragement??

"NO!"

GAHHHH like yes, Leo was kinda being a little shit this whole episode and could have clued his dad in on the plan a little bit, but honestly that could have ruined everything if Splinter had any holdbacks.

Not to mention, this is the only Leo and Splinter episode we get. Donnie gets the derby, Mikey gets the Hidden City bonding, even Raph gets the ending of the memory episode, and in each, they have a genuine moment of bonding with Splinter.

Splinter never ONCE apologized for his actions in this episode. Not once. RAPH is the one who tells Leo in this episode later on that he trusts Leo, something he's been begging Splinter for the entire time.

All of a sudden, this moment doesn't seem so out of place.....

"I love you soooo much!" "No, no you don't, I'm your least favorite!!"

This line could totally just be a throwaway line, but as it was pointed out to me by the wonderful @nardos-primetime, the alarms that the boys did for Google home have a REALLY upsetting one for Leo

Go to about 1:57 and listen to that one and just......cry.

NOW that line in "Rat Flu" makes a LOT more sense. Splinter LAUGHED at Leo when he asked if he was his favorite. LAUGHED at him.

But wait, you may ask. What about the ending? Splinter made Leo the leader, obviously he trusts him!

....yeah, just take a look at their faces here.

Donnie and Mikey are basically horrified beyond belief and in complete shock

Raph is.....blue screening, honestly

And Leo looks completely taken aback and shocked and scared and honestly, I don't blame him. There is absolutely NO precedence for Splinter to do this. He has proved time and time again that he does NOT trust Leo, he never ONCE tells Leo that he trusts him even though he asks for that trust during the entirety of "Unhappy Returns". NONE of them look happy about this new change.

You could see this as Splinter finally giving Leo a chance, but I see this a lot more as one of the more popular Fandom interpretations of Splinter wanting to give Raph a break. Raph had a huge breakdown during the finale and I don't think it's unreasonable for Splinter to have heard of that and decide that his beloved eldest needed a chance to recover.

Who better to pass this burden on to than his least favorite son!

We also see in the movie that this shift in power dynamics really doesn't do much other than create a lot of interpersonal conflict between Leo and Raph, something Splinter does absolutely nothing to help out with, other than telling them to quiet down.

Now that we have all of our evidence (and I put more work into getting evidence for this than for the English project I'm supposed to be doing right now can I just cite this as a source for me being capable of gathering evidence???) we can actually get into the analysis of how this all would affect him.

First of all, I mentioned that I would discuss the repercussions of the memory episode. This analysis is more for Splinter, but I feel like it's still important. We've seen time and time again that Leo is very similar to how Splinter was as a young teen in both looks and attitude. If Splinter truly resents his younger self and how he acted, it would make a lot of sense for him to also subconsciously resent his son who acts a lot like himself at that age. This would cause him to lash out at Leo in his subconscious, the one place where his true thoughts and feelings are on full display.

I just wanna point out his face again here, Leo looks so hurt. He definitely already knows that he's not anywhere near Splinter's favorites at this point, but it still hurts him to see that get confirmed.

This brings me to my next point of Leo's psyche. He is a very confident, witty, smart teenager, but he's still just that. A teenager. He's anxious, insecure, and very self-reliant. He looks to others for praise often and rarely receives it, usually having to hype himself up. His relationship with Splinter only emphasizes these qualities about him and makes Leo look so much worse in Splinter's eyes because his son is just a modern-day representation of his past self.

Now let's put this into perspective of Leo's decent into villainy.

If Leo is hurting and under the impression that his brothers are maybe starting to dislike him, even hate him, adding Splinter on to this can only make it worse.

Maybe he goes to his dad for tips on how to lead when he feels like he can't talk to Raph anymore and needs his father's advice.

Maybe he sets up a dinner for him and Splinter to just chat and bond instead of sitting at the dinner table with another one of Mikey's meals that he feels too sick with anxiety from his little brother's disappointed looks to eat.

Maybe he goes to his father crying from another nightmare after not feeling welcomed in Donnie's lab anymore after they fought for an hour the day before.

And maybe, just maybe, Splinter waves him off every time.

Forgets.

Laughs at him.

I mean, this is a kid who relys on others to build him up, to praise him and love him because after all....

Who is he without his family?

Maybe it's time to find out.

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Link to an AMAZING ficlet by the FANTASTIC @beetleviolet

So. Uh. @midwesternvibes I've kinda been spamming your profile lately (my b) buuut I wrote something inspired by this villain Leo analysis, especially your unique perspective on why Splinter made Leo the new leader. Super cool! I hadn't thought about it like that!/gen

I didn't go in a villain direction because YOU ARE LITERALLY KILLING IT I AM SO INVESTED YOU DONT EVEN KNOW BRO!

This is more hurt/comfort. Feel free to ignore or enjoy :)

Tw: arguing, child neglect/emotional neglect, childhood trauma, and reference to suicide, but in reference to Leo's prison dimension stunt so uh. Kind of suicide.

Ironically, it was Splinter's idea. 

He wasn't the best father, that much he knew, but he wanted to be better. He couldn't hide from his problems behind a TV screen, not anymore. Not when he had 4 big, big problems that he had caused. 

He brought the idea to Michelangelo first, always the most willing for second chances and growth. Orange didn't look as ecstatic as he might have months ago, no, he had grown in those few months, perhaps too much. He studied Splinter for a moment before a small, hopeful smile,

“I'm glad you want to try.” And, well, if Splinter wouldn't do anything for his sons before, he would do everything for them now.

“Go with Leo first.” Splinter tilted his head. He had been planning to go with Purple, the most obviously insecure, or maybe Red, who would accept the affection easily. 

“With Blue? Why?” 

“Just trust me.” Mikey said, “And be nice!” Be nice. Why wouldn't he be nice? It kind of hurt that his son thought otherwise, perhaps a kind of hurt he deserved. 

Blue was slippery. He snuck out of any invitation, like he could smell what Splinter was thinking. Mikey had more than one hushed conversation with him, tucked away in his subway car with the door closed. 

Finally, after almost two weeks of trying, Blue agreed to go out for a walk. And that was that. 

Leonardo was… abrasive. Obnoxious at best and an egomaniac at worst. It was odd that Orange had suggested that Splinter spend time with Leo, the most confident, and the most well adjusted after the events with the Krang. 

Maybe this would be a sort of warm up, an easier bonding experience before he had to deal with Red or Purple. 

Hm. “Deal with” probably wasn't the right phrase. Take care of? Help? He wanted to help. 

Blue prattled away, as always, talking about anything under (and over) the sun. Making joke after joke. None of them were very funny, Splinter preferred Purple's dry sense of humor. His Lou Jitsu days were so full of puns, he found he could hardly stand them anymore, but he gave a couple pity laughs. Mikey had told him to be nice, after all. 

“So, you ready to head home, Daddio?” Splinter glanced at Leo's face, which was spreading an easy smile, 

“What- it has only been fifteen minutes!” Blue shrugged, not slowing. They had been walking aimlessly around Central Park, Leo with a slice of pizza and Splinter with a soft pretzel. 

“And I don't think you want to break that streak.” He said it in that animated tone he always took on when he was joking. But this time, it wasn't funny. Or, well, more not-funny than usual. 

“What streak?” 

“Angie said if you made fun of me, I could go home.” Splinter stumbled, having to press forward faster to keep up with Leonardo's unfaltering steps. Angie said if you made fun of me, I could go home.

“Why would I make fun of you?” To a stranger, Leonardo would appear unaffected, but Splinter caught the downward twitch of his brow, the sudden tensing of his shoulders, quickly hidden as his hands rose to rest on the back of his head, his expression smoothed into something nicer, so quickly, it might have been a passing shadow. He wouldn't notice if he was a stranger. He might have noticed sooner if he barely wasn't. 

Leo did something rare. He hesitated, covering it up with a shrug and a glance to his left. Casual, easy-going. He laughed, something high and sweet. And then he didn't say anything more. 

Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. 

“Why would I make fun of you?” 

“Kidding, Pops.” He assured, picture perfect grin. A blink, and Splinter almost felt like he was looking in a mirror, 17 years ago. 

Splinter wracked his brain, trying to remember all of the parenting books he had asked April to get for him. 

Take accountability, he had read, you have to show respect for your children, and apologize when you make a mistake. 

Splinter had never been very good at apologizing. Maybe it came from being a movie star. Maybe it came from before. His Grandfather used to make him his favorite foods, cut him the sweetest fruit. Splinter didn't think there were enough strawberries in the world to make up for everything. 

He might as well start. Give it a try. Let Blue know that he was trying. 

“I would like to apologize to you.” This time, it was Leo who faltered. He played it off as a trip, and brought his hands down. Suddenly Splinter was looking at a little turtle, sitting on the kitchen counter, fidgeting with his fingers and sneaking a glance at the broken glass beneath him. Sneaking glances at Splinter. Leo was a much better actor now then all those years ago, maybe a better actor then Splinter ever was, but he still picked at his nails.

“You… what?” Leo said with a laugh, letting his genuine confusion shine through. Splinter gestured to a nearby bench, 

“Come, sit with me.”

“Um, I'd love to but, see, I promised Donnie-” 

“Leonardo.” Splinter was expecting resistance, a groan or dragging feet. 

He wasn't expecting a full body flinch. 

Take accountability. 

Be nice. 

Looking out at the sidewalk, Splinter could almost see a little Baby Blue, only 5 years old, a tiny turtle all wrapped in clothes and sneaking towards the pidgins, hell-bent on catching one. Weeks later, when Splinter had stopped going out, Blue actually managed it. He was with Red at the time, and he had told Splinter about it excitedly that night, shouting to be heard over the noise of the TV. Turning up the volume was so easy. Up, up, up, and everything would leave Splinter alone.

“...I am sorry I snapped.” He said, softer. Leonardo didn't look at him, but his brow twitched, so quickly disguised. Be up front, and honest. “I will not force you, but I would like to have a conversation with you.” Splinter watched patiently as Blue scratched the back of his neck, fumbling out a couple starts to excuses, before petering out and sitting beside him on the bench. 

Up, up, up, and he would leave his everything alone. All alone. 

“I have not been a good father.” Leo hesitated, like he wanted to object, “You do not have to say anything.” So he didn't. “I left you- all of you alone when you needed me, time and time again.” Deep breath. Ok, “I am sorry.” A moment of silence, then another. 

And then Blue began to laugh. 

It wasn't his high, silly laugh, when Donatello fell over or Michelangelo was sassy, or his big, performative chuckle, when making a joke or in front of a crowd, or even that sweet giggle that he had long grown out of, from hugs or tickling or watching a silly show. 

No, this was new. 

This was crackling, high up in his throat and covering his eyes with a hand, a shake of his head. This was filling time so he didn't have to speak, covering his eyes so he didn't have to look, this was his son hiding away, this was paint spread over Hamato Leonardo so it looked pretty. And deep, deep down, this was a flicker of hope, tucked away so no one could see when they blew it out. 

“..Is this a joke?” There were no cracks in the armor of his voice, but his fingers twitched and tapped together, eyes still looking away. 

“No.” Splinter assured. Leo laughed again, this time shorter, a little sharper, 

“I think you misunderstand,” He chuckled, the performance one, “I. Am. Leo!” He said each word slowly, dripping with sarcasm, “This seems like more of a.. Splinter-Mikey conversation.” He smiled. Mirrored. 

“I have talked to your brother already.” Splinter explained, still a little confused. Where was this going? “But I wanted to apologize to you as well.” Leo studied him. Really studied him, up and down. His brow twitched before melting back into his usual expression. Pleasant, smooth, easy-on-the-eyes. He smiled. Splinter was beginning to hate that smile. 

“Let's just head home, we were going to hang out with April-” 

“But I wanted-” 

“We don't have to do this!” There was the snap Splinter had been anticipating. Leonardo's eye contact was sharp, face almost exasperated. Almost. 

“...do what?” Splinter asked. 

“This!” Leo gestured between them, “I've given you, like, two different chances to opt out!” 

“I do not want to opt out.” 

“Well that's a first!” 

And

Ouch. 

Leo looked away, deflating. 

“Sorry.” He muttered, hand over the back of his neck. 

Accountability. Apologize. 

“No, you are right, and I am sorry for that, but I want to spend time with you now.” 

“Why?” There were no lies in the question, no distant undertones or cover ups. It was the first deeply honest thing Splinter had heard from Blue that day, maybe even that year. 

“Because you are my son, and you deserve to have someone looking out for you.” 

“Why?” 

“Because you are a person.” Leo looked like he wanted to say something, another snap perhaps, one true and stinging, but he just looked away. 

“...stop messing with me.” 

“I am not.” 

“Just stop!” There was no one around them to look up at the shout, “Just- Can we just go home already?” 

“I want to-” 

“Spend time with me, right?” Leo rushed on, “What would that do, huh!? I'm sure you'd rather be with Donnie or- or anybody!” 

“I do not-” 

“Did I have to earn it? Is that what this is? Did I finally do it!?” Tears. 

“Earn what?” 

“This!” His voice cracked as he gestured in between them. “You- you never wanted to do this before! Did-” He swallowed, “Is it because I'm taking things seriously now? Is that all? I just had to try and kill myself and you'd actually love me!?” 

“I've always loved you!” Splinter cried, horrified. And Blue…

His Baby Blue laughed at him, hand over face to wipe his eyes. 

“It is true!” Splinter felt his own eyes began to water as well. It had been… how long since his son had cried to him? “And I am a fool to ever let you believe otherwise!” 

“I don't care!” Leo almost snarled, “I don't-!” He stopped himself, tucked his head down with his hands on his knees. A collection of leaves blew across the sidewalk, causing a pigeon to startle, settling down a few steps later and pecking at the ground. Leonardo kept his tears silent and steady, sitting on the bench with his hands gripping his knees, almost like seiza. 

“..Can I ask you something?” 

“Of course.” A small hitch. Leo kept his eyes down. 

“Why did you make me leader?” That… wasn't what Splinter had been expecting. 

“Because Raphael-” 

“Needed a break.” Leo finished. Splinter tried not to be irked at the interruption, “Needed to chill out, right? It was hurting him.” He looked right at him, “Right, Splinter?” The first name rolled so easily off of his tongue. He didn't wait long for an answer, “But better it hurt me then him, right? Since I'm already such a fucking screw up, you might as well finish the job!” 

“Leonardo-” 

“What did I ever do to you?” His voice had a ring to it, a rare one. Honesty. That honest, genuine tone that always came with the "I love you"'s and the ‘hey, its okay"'s and the oh so rare "I'm sorry"'s. Shaky and truthful and hard as a diamond, “I wanted you so bad, I just want- Dad just-” 

There were no parenting books for this. 

Blue let him sit in startled silence, taking his time to wipe his tears. 

Splinter had fucked up. Badly. And he was 10 years too late to fix it all. 

But he had to try. Try again and again until his son knew he wasn't kidding. He wasn't joking. He might never forgive him, but Splinter wasn't joking. 

“I do agree with you, Red needed a break.” Splinter leaned back on the bench and looked at the sky, giving Leo some privacy, “I did not mean to pass that burden on to you. In all honesty, I did not think about it. You are incredibly strong, my son," Blue stiffened at the compliment, "I did not realize how much stress was being put on you. That is my mistake, and I am so incredibly sorry for it.” Leo brought his leg up and hugged it to his chest, looking away. 

“I made you the leader because I thought it would help you grow. Because you are clever, and brave, and can keep your brother's out of trouble without them even knowing it.” Leo huffed out his nose, almost amused. “You are not a screw up. You are a person who makes mistakes and learns, just like any other person.” Splinter took a deep breath. Now for the hard part, “My neglect was no fault of yours.” He was expecting more silence.

Instead, there came a choked sob. 

Leo held his knee tight to his chest, tucking his face away. His hood was up. Splinter reached out a hand, pressing it against his son's shell. 

“It is not your fault.”  

Leo didn't speak to him for the rest of the day, hiding in his room as soon as they got home, but not before leaning into his touch, shoulders relaxing, just a little. 

i thought that it was love - Submitted by Anonymous

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A thought

Even though he's heavily flawed, Macaque still loves and misses the old Wukong - the one he fell in love with.

But Monkey King hates the Wukong he was before

Sonic the Hedgehog & Terios the Hedgehog - Sonic Adventure 2

CHRISTIAN DIOR Resort 2025 if you want to support this blog consider donating to: ko-fi.com/fashionrunways

I rewatched the Dragon Prince recently since season 6 is coming out next month (WOOOOOO) so naturally i had to put my most recent blorbos in a The Dragon Prince Au

(drawing notes under the cut if you wanna hear my rambling about the designs!)

Jack

so Jack is a Skywing elf mage-in-training because the power set of Sky mages seems to match Jack's powers the closest. They create gusts of wind, storms, can fly, breathe ice breaths, and frost touches. It was a tough choice between that or a Moonshadow elf, what with the whole invisibility thing, but i just can't imagine Jack not being able to fly :/

And even though most Skywing elves dont have wings, i gave him the wings because vibes and because i can

i did add some moon opal charms to his staff though, so he can do some small moon spells

Toothless

i wanted to adjust some of the details to Toothless's design because i didn't want it to be a 1-to-1 of his design in HTTYD. I noticed the dragons in Xadia all have snouts, horns, and muscled forelegs, and i tried to incorporate some of that to Toothless. With a narrower head and longer legs and more hand like claws.

I added more prominent scales, nose plates (like the storm dragons in TDP) and tried to add more horns to spots on his legs and wings.

I also made Toothless a lot bigger than he is in the HTTYD universe because those Xadian dragons?? Excuse me?? Even a common one is still pretty huge!

There's also a dragon that exists in the Dragon Prince universe called a Midnight Dragon, and it's connected to the Moon Arcanum! They're said to have pitch black scales and are sensitive to light, so i thought it was fitting for Toothless. There weren't any pictures of the dragon tho so i kinda just made the design as i went.

Hiccup

i tried using costume designs from both the first two movies, with the vest, the belts, and the pant pattern.

colors took me longer to figure out, because i wanted to have some red (like in RttE) along with the greens and browns. Overall though im happy with how it turned out!

I think Hiccup would be the son of Commander or General Stoic in the Katolis army some years before or during the events of The Dragon Prince/Mystery of Aaravos.

These designs are for early in the story, before Hiccup loses his leg and when he meets Toothless for the first time. Definitely thinking that him and his village are known for their handling of dragons and elves in the region and then Hiccup shoots Toothless down just like in the movie. But as they become friends, Jack finds them and misunderstands the situation and thinks Hiccup is going to kill Toothless.

So that'll be fun >:)

it came to my realization that 99% of my fandom related headaches would be cured if everyone understood this

I want to have this kind of energy..

No thoughts, only chipi chipi chapa chapa 🐢

A,B,C,D!

I Don't Know My Name!

Tell Me If I'm Dead Or If I'm Just Going Insane!

XDDC!

The Writing On The Wall!

The Vowels And The Consonants Say

"Save Us All!!"

Digital hallucination by OR3O

ATTENTION

If you see this you are OBLIGATED to reblog w/ the song currently stuck in your head :)

Yesssss!!!!

Everyone reblog this IMMEDIATELY

I love it!!!

This is so good!!!

// spotlight on me and I’m ready to break