*switches Between Crying And Laughing Like The ToTaLlY Sane Individual I Am*

*openly weeps*

Guys…they did it. They finally did it. They had the talk. They had the hug.

I’ve been waiting for so long 🫢😖🤧😭🙌🏼💙🧡✨

"You're not a bad person-- you're young. And you're doing your best"

read the latest chapter of T&E this morning... it's gotta be my fav future Leo fic

under the cut: a glitch with the background that I thought looked cool as well

Oh you think it’s fun do you? Do you know how much it hurts?

"Tell me Atlas, what is heavier? The world or its peoples hearts?"

Loving people can consume you to the point that all you do is feel and you are crushed with the weight of its existence being contained in your own heart, as it eats you from the inside out.

Where does it go? Where does it go?

How many nights have I cried as the weight of my aching comes crushing down around me. All this love to give, and I share it as best I can.

So why oh why does it turn on me in my moment of weakness and consume me instead?

I think it's fun when characters carry so much love and have nowhere to put it down

Sometimes you do crazy things

For the things you love. At least… I think that’s how the phrase goes…

AnYhOo, I may or may not have been planning to make a fool of myself for WEEKS to attempt to do this little photo shoot with @kathaynesart Yeehaw Peepaw shirt just because I adored it so much.

I took Peepaw with me on a little adventure to my friends little farm where he got to meet Scout, Fancy and little Dash. (The wee little devil decided just to nom on my fingers the entire time I was trying to take pictures. It was awesome 😆).

Just wanted to say thank you so much Mz. Kathy for all that you do. You’re a HUGE inspiration to me and I very much want to be like you when I grow up. Please also tell Replica Leo how much I love him too. Big hugs because I’m BIG fan! (I believe in you big guy. You’re doing a great job) 🙌🏼🧡💙🤠

ALSO CONGRATS ON POSTING YOUR COMIC! I literally sat open mouth when you posted like “DAYUM! Now THAT is some serious character development, plot lining and story world building”

Uhhhhhh don’t think so, lemme go check the color wheel though. Be right back in a sec….

*sounds of papers rustling as I go digging through my notes and then comes back to push the gasses back up my nose with a small clear of my throat*

Dearest @saspas-corner, after consulting with my previous notes and past conversations, I’d like to state that you are still very much a Vintage Watermelon.

mutuals i am politely asking you what color i remind you of

gURL-

The Many Faces of the Face Man Part 2

Ooooooh, @marchaprilmayhem, you have no idea what you've just hit upon. You have no idea what can of worms you've just opened.

Before addressing any of this, I would like to say that Donnie, Mikey, and Raph have their own things. They all have their own specialty, a way to provide that is uniquely theirs.

Donnie is the genius. The utilitarian. The biggest provider to the point that if you take him out, they don't have a home. As stated here, Donatello was working at a very, very young age, to the point that it's how he defines himself. Hell, the fact that he feels comfortable to do this:

Says a lot about his character and the relationship they have with their dad.

Raph is the leader in this iteration along with the muscle. He's the defender, the protector, the older brother. He's the actual father and he's trying his best.

Mikey, on the other hand, is the artist, the cook. He's the one who feeds them all. You can't tell me that this isn't an indication of what Mikey does all while being silly.

My point? They're all useful. Specialized. No matter how little they think of themselves (especially Donnie with the fact that he might render himself obsolete with his machinery or that mystic powers might make his tech, therefore him useless, but that'll be a talk for another time.)

So where does that put Leo? Leo who is not a specialist, but a jack of all trades that can never outshine his brothers in any of their specialties?

NOWHERE.

Look at the Rise series again and ask yourself this question. When does Leo ever have anything for himself? When does the boy in blue ever have anything going for him? Lou Jitsu? That's a family thing, his dad's thing that he wants so badly to emulate because he wants to belong. Jupiter Jim? Not even. He might be the biggest fan in his family, but it's still something he shares. The only thing that's all his is magic and illusion and his family, Raph specifically, ridicules him twice in the same episode.

RAPH: *Takes ticket from Leo's hand* "I never seen Leo this excited for a book so it must be something, or it would be stupid so we can make fun of him. Either way, Win-Win! Let's get ready."

-xxx-

RAPH: "Alright, let's return those journals. You got 'em, right Leo?"

LEO: "Yes, right already returned them safe and sound in the vault, let's go home."

RAPH: "Leo...what are you doing?"

LEO: "I wasn't gonna read them, I just wanna keep’ em, and maybe snuggle them a little bit."

-xxx-

Leo has nothing going for him. He is useless. His specialty in strategizing? It provides nothing. No matter how much time he passes honing it, it's not directly useful, so he can't do anything. (I am not counting the fact that so many people, including myself, view Leo as the medic of the team.) So what does he do? He keeps quiet. He sometimes interjects with responsible thoughts (The blinds line coming from Leo of all people has significance, not to mention this:

LEO: "Any votes for staying home during the anti-mutant Panic? No? Okay, let's go!"

So, what's left? The cocky mess we see and something that I think gets forgotten all too easily.

Leo doesn't just hype his brothers up. He knows them. Inside and, if you want to take the medic approach, out. He is the best in position to take the lead and make sure his family always gets home safe.

But he is so undervalued, so underplayed that when he is finally given that ounce of recognition...

He panics.

Splinter recognizes Leo's potential? Yes. But, at this point, Leo has long accepted he isn't worth anything. The recognition comes far too late and Leo doesn't want the responsibility without realizing that he already has partially shouldered it through years of learning how to read his brothers and knowing how they behave to best hype them up. I would even dare to say that Leo is the one who values his family the most, if only because he knows what being undervalued feels like.

In short? Yes, Leo has learned to make his mind work that fast. He had to. Else he would have left a long, long time ago.

taglist:

@silverwatergalaxy

@thegirlwiththeninjaturtletattoos

@thelaundrybitch

@luckycharms1701

@thepinkpanther83

@avery73

@the-cauldron-witch

@redsrooftopprincess

@iridescentflamingo

@ninnosaurus

Sweet Flipping Chicken and Mercy May 😳🥺🫢

Bayverse!Leo as a Boyfriend – Headcanons

(Because even if I don’t like him, he deserves better characterization and development. And besides, I love overanalyzing.)

Pairing: Leonardo x Female!Reader

Warnings: Overprotectiveness, possessive behavior, affection-starved. Subtle (but present) hints of: narcissism, egocentrism, perfectionism, spirituality, insomnia. I developed him so well that I actually like him now—I don’t like that.

Leonardo, as a partner, would be a fascinating study in contradictions. At first glance, he seems like the perfect boyfriend—disciplined, loyal, protective, someone you can trust without hesitation. But being with him isn’t easy.

Not because he’s cold or indifferent—on the contrary, he feels too much. He’s just spent his entire life learning how to hide it. To him, emotions are a double-edged sword: love can give you strength, yes, but it can also make you drop your guard, make mistakes, and risk everything you’ve fought for.

And Leonardo can’t afford that luxury.

Since he was young, his identity has been tied to duty. He’s not just an older brother—he is the older brother. The leader. The one who must always have the answers. There is no room for error, no space for doubt. That’s why, if he ever fell in love, he would do so with the same intensity he applies to any challenge—with absolute commitment. But also, with a need for control that can be suffocating.

It’s not that he doesn’t trust his partner. It’s that he needs to make sure nothing puts her in danger. That she’s safe, that there are no loose ends, that every move is calculated. Don’t expect Leo to be the laid-back boyfriend who goes with the flow. He will want to protect you—even from things that might not even be a real threat.

If he comes to your house and you don’t answer, his mind will assume the worst before even considering that you were simply in the shower. If you go out alone at night, he won’t be at ease until he knows you made it home safely. Not out of jealousy, but because the thought of losing someone he loves terrifies him. But instead of expressing that fear, he translates it into rules, into planning, into strategies.

Because Leonardo doesn’t know how to handle what is beyond his control.

This was evident in Out of the Shadows. His instinct was to make decisions for everyone, to divide the team when he felt they were weakening. He truly believed he was doing the right thing, that carrying the burden alone was the best course of action. But in the process, he lost sight of what his brothers really needed. And that’s exactly how he would be in a relationship—not out of malice, but because he believes being the strong one is his duty.

And while Leo loves with every fiber of his being, he doesn’t say it easily. He’s not the type to look you in the eyes and just blurt out an “I love you.” His way of showing affection is more silent, more tangible. He will remember exactly how you like your tea, he will learn to pick up on even the slightest change in your tone of voice, he will make sure you always have an escape plan in case things go wrong. But if you expect spontaneous hugs or verbal expressions of love, you might find yourself frustrated. Not because he doesn’t feel it, but because, to him, love isn’t something you say—it’s something you prove.

However, if someone manages to break through his armor, they will see something that few have ever witnessed. Because beneath all the rigidity, the discipline, and the self-imposed perfection, there is a boy who never had the chance to make mistakes. A boy who has spent years carrying a tremendous weight, who can’t remember the last time someone saw him and not just the leader. A boy who desperately needs a space where he can stop being the strategist, the protector, the flawless Leonardo… and simply be Leo.

Leonardo isn’t someone who easily succumbs to distractions. Not because he doesn’t enjoy them, but because he’s always believed his time should be invested in something useful. Yet on the rare occasions when he allows himself to let his guard down—in the privacy of his room or on a quiet night at the lair—small details reveal who he truly is beyond being the leader of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

For instance, he enjoys science fiction movies and TV shows. He wouldn’t admit it out loud—after all, Mikey would never let him forget it—but there’s something about exploring space, about advanced civilizations and the ethical dilemmas these worlds present, that fascinates him. Perhaps it’s because he sees his own struggle reflected in them: leaders forced to make impossible decisions, burdened with responsibility, torn between duty and heart. Whether it’s Star Trek, The Expanse, or even some of the more philosophical tales of Ghost in the Shell… Leo sits with his arms crossed, pretending not to be too interested, yet if someone pays close attention, they’ll notice the intensity in his gaze and the way his fingers tense with every twist in the story.

And although everyone sees him as the serious one, it’s not that he lacks a sense of humor. His humor is just more subtle, drier, more ironic. He won’t burst out laughing like Mikey or be as explosive as Raph, but if you’re close enough, if you’ve earned his trust, you’ll notice that there are moments when he quietly drops a joke in a neutral tone, waiting to see if you catch it. And when you do, when you respond with a retort just as sharp, the corner of his mouth barely curves, as if he’s quietly satisfied with the interaction.

But if there’s one thing that truly brings him peace, it’s tending to his bonsai trees. It’s a hobby that no one in the lair seems to fully understand. Mikey calls them boring, Raph jokes that they’re just “miniature trees,” and Donnie respects the practice but sees it more as an exercise in patience. For Leo, however, it’s more than that. It’s a reminder of balance. Of control. Of how even the smallest force, with the right guidance, can grow in the right way. And on nights when the pressure becomes too much, when he feels the weight of his role crushing him, he sits in silence before his little tree, allowing himself a moment to breathe, to reconnect with himself.

But love… love is different.

Leo doesn’t allow himself to fall in love easily. Not because he doesn’t want to, but because his mind simply doesn’t work that way. He needs to feel that his partner is more than just a fleeting attraction. He needs connection. Compatibility. A deep, unwavering understanding. And that isn’t built overnight.

That’s why, when he finally starts to realize that what he feels for you goes beyond friendship, the first emotion that floods him isn’t happiness.

It’s doubt.

And Leonardo shouldn’t doubt.

He always has answers. He always has a plan. But for the first time, he’s standing on ground where logic is useless, where he can’t break things down into a battle strategy. He can’t make a pros-and-cons list about his feelings. He can’t calculate every move the way he would in combat. And that frustrates him.

Because if he accepts it—if he acknowledges that his feelings are real—it means there’s something in his life that he can’t control.

And Leonardo hates not having control.

Leonardo isn’t someone who falls asleep easily.

Not because he doesn’t need to—his body demands rest just like anyone else’s—but because his mind never truly shuts off.

In the lair, when everyone else is asleep—when even Donnie has finally stepped away from his monitors, and Raph has stopped pounding the punching bag—Leo is still awake. Arms crossed, back stiff against the wall, gaze lost in the dim light of his room.

It’s in those moments of solitude that his mind betrays him.

When he tries to dissect what he feels, to categorize it, to put it into some kind of logical order. Because he’s always in control. Always.

And this… this shouldn’t be any different.

He’s not impulsive like Mikey, letting himself be carried away by every emotion without a second thought.

He’s not a ticking time bomb like Raph, ready to explode at the most unexpected moment.

He’s not even like Donnie, obsessively analyzing every variable to the point of overload.

He is Leonardo.

Leader. Warrior. Strategist.

And there is nothing he can’t control.

So if he has reached the conclusion that what he feels for you is real, then he will take the reins.

It won’t be difficult.

It shouldn’t be difficult.

He will force himself to keep everything in place, to act with precision. His glances will linger just a second longer—but not enough to be obvious. His words will be measured, carefully chosen, but still carrying his usual composed tone. He will make small, almost imperceptible changes.

Like making sure you walk on the safer side of the street.

Adjusting his stance subtly to block the wind when you’re on the rooftop.

Asking if you’ve eaten well—but casually, as if it’s not really important.

And the worst part? Unlike Donnie, who would give himself away with nervous fidgeting and stammered words, you will never notice.

Because Leonardo won’t allow you to notice.

All you’ll see is someone who has everything under control. Someone who watches you with the same intensity he reserves for his enemies on the battlefield, as if he’s calculating every single one of your movements.

But what he doesn’t want you to see is the opposite.

That inside, he’s nervous.

That his palms sweat when he touches you, when his fingers accidentally brush against yours.

That his pulse quickens when you get too close, and he has to remind himself to breathe normally.

That in every conversation, in every moment, there’s a small part of him afraid that one wrong step will ruin everything.

Because if there is one thing Leonardo could never forgive himself for, it’s losing what you’ve built together.

Not just losing you, but losing your trust.

And if that were to happen… how could he justify it?

How could he explain to himself that after a lifetime of making the best possible choices to protect those he cares about—this was the one he let slip through his fingers?

And when he finally allows himself to admit it—when he has broken through every mental barrier he imposed on himself, when he has analyzed every angle, when he has measured every consequence—Leonardo feels something inside him loosen.

For a moment, just a moment, it’s as if he has won the hardest battle of his life.

The weight on his shoulders dissolves, and for the first time in what feels like forever, he breathes deeply without the pressure in his chest tightening.

You are his.

Not in some shallow, possessive way, but in something deeper, more primal.

Like an instinct that has always been there, buried beneath layers of discipline and responsibility, waiting to be acknowledged.

And now that he has… there is no turning back.

But the peace doesn’t last.

Because almost immediately, another weight crashes down on him—heavier, inescapable.

Before, his burden was uncertainty.

Now, it is certainty.

Now that he has you, he must protect you.

With everything he has.

Not just from the dangers of the outside world—but from himself.

Because Leonardo cannot afford to fail.

And even though love is uncharted territory—a battlefield he has never stepped foot on—he demands perfection from himself.

To be the ideal partner.

To give you exactly what you need before you even ask.

To measure every word, every gesture, every decision.

To make sure you never have to question if he is enough for you.

Because he has to be.

He is Leonardo.

And Leonardo does not fail.

But there is a problem.

Because you don’t want the flawless strategist.

You don’t want the leader who is always in control.

You don’t want the polished, calculated version of him.

You just want Leo.

The Leo who watches sci-fi shows but would never admit to liking them.

The Leo who pretends he doesn’t enjoy messing around with his brothers, but secretly loves the rare moments when he catches Raph off guard or makes Donnie roll his eyes.

The Leo who tends to his bonsai trees with quiet devotion because, though he never says it out loud, they reflect his philosophy: patience, growth, balance.

And that is a terrifying concept for him.

Because showing you that side of himself means lowering his guard.

It means allowing you to see what’s underneath the armor.

The boy who gets frustrated.

Who sometimes doesn’t know what to do.

Who fears he won’t be enough.

That side of him—no one has truly seen it.

Not even his brothers.

But you… you want to see it.

And the road to him letting you in will be a long one.

Because accepting that you love him for who he is—not for what he represents, not for what he does, but for his very essence—is the hardest test Leonardo has ever faced.

Leonardo believes he has everything under control.

That he can handle his emotions the way he handles a katana: with precision, with discipline, with absolute mastery over every movement.

But you…

You are a challenge unlike any other.

Because while he struggles to keep his composure, while he measures every word and makes sure not to take a wrong step, you simply are.

You don’t need strategies or plans. You don’t analyze every interaction as if it were a life-or-death mission.

And that unsettles him.

Because deep down, Leonardo doesn’t know how to be loved.

He knows how to protect. He knows how to fight. He knows how to sacrifice himself for others.

But when it comes to receiving love… that’s where the conflict begins.

He appreciates that you’re not overly affectionate with him.

That you don’t suffocate him with displays of affection that would make him uncomfortable, that would force him to lower his guard all at once.

But at the same time, he dies when you take his face in your hands and kiss him.

At first, he goes completely still, trying to process it, trying not to lose control.

But the moment you feel his breath hitch, the moment you notice the way his fingers grip your waist tighter than he probably meant to—you know he’s falling.

And the worst part is that he hates it.

Because Leonardo shouldn’t let himself go.

He shouldn’t forget the weight on his shoulders or allow something as simple as a kiss to make him feel lighter—as if, for just a moment, the world didn’t depend on him.

But he does.

And it frustrates him.

Because he’s supposed to be the unshakable fortress.

He’s supposed to be untouchable.

And yet, here he is.

With his heart pounding too fast.

With his mind completely blank.

With you stealing his control with just a simple touch.

It sounds contradictory.

Because it is contradictory.

But Leo is a contradiction.

Because while he says attachment is a weakness, he holds you tighter when you try to pull away.

Because while he insists emotions cloud judgment, he stays awake until dawn thinking about what he feels for you.

Because while he tries to convince himself that his duty is more important than his happiness, he wonders if, just this once, he can have both.

And that is the real battle.

Not against an enemy.

Not against an external threat.

But against himself.

Because loving you means lowering his guard.

It means trusting that, even if he doesn’t have everything under control, you’ll still be there.

It means accepting that love isn’t a problem to solve, nor a responsibility to bear.

It’s just… love.

And no matter how hard he fights it, no matter how much he tries to convince himself he can keep his distance, there is one truth he cannot deny:

You are the only person in the world who can make Leonardo stop fighting.

Leonardo isn’t someone who takes intimacy lightly.

For him, physical touch isn’t just an act. It isn’t just a moment.

It’s an offering.

And he doesn’t give himself away so easily.

Not because he’s afraid—or at least, he’d never admit it.

But deep down, there’s an unease that eats away at him.

His size. His strength. His biology.

You’re human. Fragile in comparison.

And even though he knows you’re strong, that you wouldn’t do anything unless you were absolutely sure, his protective instincts won’t allow it.

It’s not just about protecting you.

It’s about himself.

His own control.

Because control is the one thing he’s always had.

Ever since he took on the role of leader, ever since he understood that his life wasn’t his own but belonged to those who depended on him, Leonardo learned to restrain himself.

To hold back.

To be the balance in the midst of chaos.

But you…

You make him lose that balance.

And if he allows himself to let go, if he allows that wall to crumble, he fears what might happen.

Because to Leonardo, intimacy isn’t just physical pleasure.

It’s a connection.

It’s binding his soul with yours.

It’s giving you a part of himself that no one has ever seen before.

And that is the real danger

Because if he gives you that—if he allows himself to feel you, to touch you, to love you on such a profound level—

Then there’s no going back.

He knows he could become addicted.

That the moment he lets go of the weight on his shoulders and focuses only on you—on your body beneath his, on your breath hitching, on the way you say his name—

Everything else will fade away.

And Leonardo cannot afford to forget his duty.

But… what if, just this once, he could?

What if, just this once, he could be Leo and not the leader?

If he could forget the world for a few hours—lose himself in you, in the warmth of your skin, in the way you look at him as if he’s more than just a warrior, more than just a responsibility, more than just a soldier trained to sacrifice everything.

If he could simply be yours.

That… that is what truly terrifies him.

Because if he tastes it once, he knows he’ll want it again.

And again.

And again.

Until there is nothing left of the fortress he has so carefully built.

Until there is nothing left of the perfect leader his brothers need.

Only him.

Only you.

Just two souls bound together—no rules, no duties, no limits.

And though he tries to convince himself he can resist…

He knows that, eventually, he will fall.

But Leonardo knows he’s not ready.

That he can’t let it all go—not yet.

Because if he does, who will bear the weight of the world in his place?

If he falls, his brothers fall. If he allows himself to be selfish, even for a moment, everything he has built could collapse.

So he waits.

He waits for you to understand.

To understand that there are things he still cannot give you, no matter how much he desires them.

But that doesn’t mean he gives you nothing.

Something just as intimate, just as addictive.

Vulnerability.

Not with his body, but with his soul.

So when night falls, when the world goes quiet and there is no one but the two of you, he lets you see beyond the barrier.

He lets you step into his sanctuary.

He pulls out the blankets he keeps tucked away in the back of his closet, the ones with the worn-out Rebel Alliance logo, and hands them to you without a word.

He lets you see the space-themed pillowcase he would never admit he still uses.

And then, in the dim glow of his room, when there are no more distractions, no more responsibilities, you talk.

Not about strategies. Not about training. Not about what is expected of him.

You talk about everything and nothing all at once.

About stars and distant galaxies.

About the Star Wars episodes he never gets tired of watching.

About the times he wondered if his destiny was already written or if he could take a detour.

And it’s there, in those organic conversations—unplanned, uncalculated, imperfect—that you witness something few have ever seen:

Not the leader.

Not the eldest brother.

Just Leo.

And then, when sleep finally claims you, you curl up against his chest—no fear, no hesitation.

Your breathing slows, steady and peaceful.

Your warmth seeps into his skin.

And Leonardo, the one who never lets his guard down, the one who is always on alert, stays still.

Feeling.

Listening.

Your heartbeat, syncing with his.

Nothing separates you but a thin layer of skin.

And for the first time in a long time, he forgets.

Forgets duty, weight, sacrifice.

Forgets that he must be strong, that he must be everyone’s shield.

Because in this moment, there is only you.

✨🌎🧡Organized Chaos🧡🌎✨

Wasabi friends! Jayus is the name and being aggressively affectionate is my game! A very warm welcome to my crazy, but charming, little corner of Tumblr.

If you chose to therefore interact with me please be warned that you WILL be loved and appreciated once I’m done with you.

That is both a threat and my promise ~✨🧡

I really do enjoy chatting with people because words of affirmation are my love language in the fact that words in fact affirm me as a person. So please do come in and feel free to share your words with me.

Tags to keep this somewhat organized

~ #just being jayus: Jayus is an Indonesian word meaning, “A joke so poorly told that you can’t help but laugh.” Figured if anything would sum up my life, that would be it. This will be used to tag any stories or thunks that have to do with me and my wild hayride thing I call life. ~ #serendipity247: Serendipity is a word meaning “the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.” I’m always on the look out for the little things that make me happy and this tag will be used to do just that. Will mostly include most of my art reposts. ~ #good to know: The random things that tickle my fancy and I find useful or will find useful in some form or fashion. ~ #doing this ugly and scared: My motto for life as I try to encourage myself to break out of my comfort zone and my unfortunately unhealthy perfectionistic mindset. It is my hope to share things in a safe environment in an attempt to help inspire others to share what’s close to their heart

~ #pretty random turtle thunks: Y’all are never going to believe this, but sometimes, and only sometimes as I am only a VERY casual TMNT fan, I think about turtles and I have ideas.

~ #Raph🧸❤️, #Donnie🤔🟪, #Leo✨💠, #Mikey🎨🧡: As this will mainly be a TMNT fan blog these tags will be associated with said turtles in reblogs and original posts ~ #jayus’s jammie jams: Just some songs that inspire me to some degree or another and I will get to creating because of it. One day. Maybe. No promises. Till then, just vibe with me.

My 12 reaction photos to this comic because I swear I love this a normal amount

The eye of the hurricane. I like to think Cassandra sometimes called the brothers by the nicknames their dad used, given they were probably pretty close before his passing.

BEGINNING || PREVIOUS || NEXT (SOON) MASTER POST

Man oh man, this one was way messier and off model than my last few updates but whatever, we got to keep this ball rolling! Life's been crazy so I've had to take some unwanted breaks in between updates. Thanks everyone for your patience as always!

One thing I wanted in this flashback was to really get a sense of how the brothers worked as an experienced team with Leo at the helm as a proper leader. It's something we never got to see much of in Rise and I felt it was important to include since half the team is already gone by the time of Replica. Team Dynamics Ted Talk under the cut!

We know from Casey Jr that Leo stressed the importance of listening to your team. A big part of that also means knowing how to communicate with them in general.

With Michelangelo, he keeps it short and succinct, trusting his brother to know what he's doing when in his element. This trust goes a long way with Mikey, having spent years of his youth as the baby striving for the respect he felt he deserved. Leo knows it's best to not bog Mikey down with details, allowing him to improvise as needed. This unspoken freedom has only grown over time as Mikey has dipped deeper into spiritual arts that, frankly, go completely over Leo's head.

The greatest sacrifice Leo has ever made was read Donnie's Big Book of Bad Guy Codes. While he doesn't remember ALL the numbers, he has memorized the ones that matter and it has helped tremendously in avoiding miscommunication with his genius brother. More importantly it silenced any of Donnie's usual belly-aching. As Leo's "twin"/"equal" the two still butt heads from time to time. Donnie respects his brother's authority (mostly) but will still push the boundaries of what he's allowed on a semi-regular basis. Give Donnie an inch and he will take the mile and then find a loop hole that allows him to go twenty miles more. This is partially due to him often being the one left behind at HQ, making the turtle just a TAD stir crazy. Leo does his best to keep him in line regardless.

Big brother Raph will forever and always be big brother to Leo. As such he holds a place of authority in Leo's heart and is someone he still regularly seeks counsel from in both the ways of leadership and more. Raph is always happy to support his younger brother and does a surprisingly good job (albeit after years of practice) of walking the line so as not to step on his brother's toes in the process. At least not since the secret of "the Key" blew up in their faces several years ago. They don't talk about that anymore. Leo is the leader now and he's done a great job in recent years as far as Raph is concerned. He trusts him to make the right call. The two have a close bond and regularly use mind meld to quickly communicate rather than speak ...this will be important to remember for the future.

Hope that overall feeling came through for this group!

Today on is my brain finally going to let me write, we have scent headcanons. I just got tagged by @thegirlwiththeninjaturtletattoos on a post that I honestly mostly agree with save for one thing.

Donnie would probably create some colognes and perfumes for Genius Built Apparel, but he would not be the maker of them. Who would? Leo. Why?

This.

Praise to StarKiss for seeing and catching this, because this made it incredibly interesting in finding something that would agree with little boy blue's sensitivities, especially when it comes to soap because you better believe Leonardo Hamato would want to smell like something after a shower.

Because what is Leo without his eccentricities?

So, either Leo starts looking for some brands outside of the usual range or he makes his own which I don't think he'd go with, not immediately, at least.

However, knowing Donnie and his desire to get a proper fashion label going, he would struggle in making some nice colognes and perfumes. Struggle, that is, until the day Leo walks in on Donnie working on one and starts critiquing the smell. And while I fully expect Donnie to get upset, he would have to concede after he fixes the formula and it works.

From there, pretty sure Leo helps his twin every time he makes colognes or perfumes. Probably even wears the ones he particularly likes himself. So Leo's scent profile would change pretty regularly, although I'm sure it would keep the same woodsy base.

Pretty Random Turtle Thunks

Rating: Chocolate Milk (18+ only please)

What do Bayverse Leo + Donnie have in common?

big DICtion energy

Diction (n) the choice and use of words and phrases in speech or writing.