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afreakingdork · 8 hours
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Stumbled upon this on my recommendations and reminded me of weak spot:
https://youtu.be/MdsomKHDEWA?si=ojAOMBB3779P5luc
NOW AIN'T THAT APPROPRIATE!
Thank you!!! Can't wait to listen!
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afreakingdork · 1 day
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Last gif not srs, Thank you for the delicious chapter
Pffttt that mage my giggle! I can see y'all grabbing my hands like STOP DORK STOP!
Thank you for reading!
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afreakingdork · 2 days
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I’ve limited myself to one a day at most
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How I imagine any mention of me going
Pfftttttt that works
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afreakingdork · 2 days
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Outline - Weak Spot Chapter 53
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That is not what happened in the chapter and you want to know why? Because it was part of the outline which is where I discuss my writing practices in depth! You can read this and more for only 1$ over on patreon!
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afreakingdork · 2 days
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@rufwooff
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afreakingdork · 3 days
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hi i have a dumb question cause i freaking love you weak spot story, but how do you think it would go if Y/N and Donnie switched roles? like just a whole role swap between the two?
your writing is awesome
Not dumb at all, bun! There are no dumb questions!
Roleswap Weak Spot... I guess I have a few questions before I can properly answer this if you don't mind? /gen
Donnie became a villain because of what happened to him after being separated. My thought would be he would simply follow canon and be a hero if he was just placed back into the bale. Would you want my to take a crack at this as if it was still a separated AU or like that?
Also, if the latter is true, that's just basically canon Donnie in love with a villain 🤔
There are quite a few people whose OCs or even canon characters are like this (looking at Kendra) so it's an dynamic people love for sure.
For a regular human to turn evil... are we thinking regular human evil? Foot clan evil? Knows about the Hidden City evil? or has been mutated evil? Because in my mind, all these go down different branching paths.
My personal head canon, and I said this a long time ago, was Donnie was putting on about the cute but mean line because this is also the guy who said he's an emotionally unavailable bad boy which I also don't see as true. His all time fictional crush is a hero, ya know!
But yeah, sorry I can't be clear cut, but this scenario isn't so cut and dry of a switch! Let me know your thoughts though and don't be shy writing in! I'll do my best to get your question answered!
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afreakingdork · 3 days
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Accept these memes as repentance
Lol this is the first one I've been like 'almost' because Donnie was always coming at Coral with neutrality because she aggro'd him first 😂
He was thinly veiled emotionless while his eye was ROVING, especially since they met right after he off'd the bossman so....
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afreakingdork · 3 days
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Don has drawn 25 so many times, he can start his own Uno factory! 😂
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afreakingdork · 3 days
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OH NO!!!!!!!!!! WENDELL!!!!
ᵒʰ ʷᵉˡˡ
😂
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afreakingdork · 3 days
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I can’t go without it, not now TwT
She's always there for you! Except now where you are not allowed to read!
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afreakingdork · 3 days
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READER STAN DROPPING IN FROM A HOSPITAL BED AND BOOOOY THIS CHAPTER IS FEEDING ME SO MUCH BETTER THAN HOSPITAL SANDWICHES GYAAAAAAHHH. He said it!! he said it!!
Everything Leo's done and he's outclassed by SANDWICH /j but oof. I knew Leo must have an understandable miff against Reader but seeing him admit just how deep that jealousy goes?? Because of course. Because Donnie's his *twin*, because they've had this song and dance of being at eachother's throats and in spite of that Leo still yearns for some sort or connection or an excuse to sever it completely.
It lowkey makes me remember the discussion if how WS!Donnie would react to his close-canon self/Crush too much self. How would *Leo* react to seeing a version of him that got into Donnie's space freely and without worry? A version of himself that got to wholly have Donnie as family,as a full fledged twin brother with no hard eggshells to walk on?
READER STAN, YOU ARE HOSPITALIZED?!?!?! I HOPE YOU'RE OKAY!!!! I'M SENDING HEALING VIBES!!! 😭😭😭 IM WORRIED ABOUT YOU!!!
This Leo reveal is so momentousness because I've been sitting on it for years and you've summed it up so nicely here! If we think about the timeline first in Weak Spot, though scary, when the bastard's three are introduced, we seem them as a little scary, but Leo is trying to do this bit in the midst of it and it doesn't fit and it feels wrong. Then when reader really meets Leo, he's bitter and paranoid and nothing like that person and so knowing what we know now, you see the aptly named song and dance was Leo's only source of connection. As bitter and cruel was it was, as lethal, it was the only one he had and that worked, but then we piece in more such as how Leo talks about how Donnie was finally gone, how they finally beat him back and there's such a bile there, like that's not something he wanted and then Donnie reappears, with some human, and he's different, he isn't playing the game and by all accounts he's wrong. Donnie is new and not the person Leo has known almost a lifetime and this upset Leo so so very deeply. Then, then, we place a recent piece about how reader said they understood Leo's banter comment from chapter 60. That's Leo comment about how they always do banter from chapter 19. In 60, Leo laughs. Leo laughs. Why laugh? Just because of the callback or because of something else? Because Leo then specifies he's lost his mind. Because reader doesn't get it. Because reader has made a critical error. Reader interfered.
I don't know! That came from somewhere where I've been sitting on this for WAY WAY too long!!! Thanks for letting me expound on it!
Oh DOING THAT WITH LEO!? THAT'S DELICIOUS, LET'S SEE: WS!Leo would need to talk to CTM!Leo. He would need to hear the story, just seeing it would not be enough for him. Hearing this other Leo talk about being the ultimate wingman and how he sacrificed for the team and all he did would bring WS!Leo to absolute tears. CTM!Leo would be sort of embarrassed like, hey big guy, it can't be that bad right? And WS!Leo would clamp a hand on his shoulder and try to suck it back up and tell him he did a good job which would surely water CTM!Leo's eyes from that (older) adult and self approval! For canon, he'd watch it like he were watching the TV show and just smile.
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afreakingdork · 3 days
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the same blastoise.
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afreakingdork · 3 days
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i put every bone back in place for you
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afreakingdork · 3 days
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@sha-biest I had a vision
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(+ just the base bc I like it :DD)
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afreakingdork · 4 days
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@derp-the-arson-cat BAD VOID CAT! NO MORE WEAK SPOT FOR A WEEK!!! GROUNDED!
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FAILING!?!?! DERP NO!!!!
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afreakingdork · 4 days
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Need some bland to cool the palate!
Weak Spot - Chapter 61
RotTMNT Donatello x Reader
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We're hanging on by a thread in this week's chapter art by @mrabubu
Warnings: Aged-up Turtles, Romance, Meet Cute, Villain Donatello, Cussing, Crushes, Xenophobia, Fear, Intimidation, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Hurt/Comfort, Love, AFAB Reader, Vaginal Sex, Sex Rough, Sex, Penis In Vagina Sex, Creampie, Teasing, Scent Kink, Sexual Tension, Breeding Kink, Multiple Orgasms, Cunnilingus, Fellatio, Marathon Sex, Somnophilia, Bondage, Feral Behavior, Feral Donatello, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Public Sex, Dom Donnie, Human/Turtle Relationships, Turtle Noises, Roleplay, Sexual Roleplay
Synopsis:  A love story of villainous proportions! Though it hadn’t come easily, as these things rarely do, you found yourself in a whirlwind romance with a handsome and mysterious mutant. His idiosyncrasies had been easy to ignore as attraction grew into something more. However, will love endure when the unknowns about him end up being far darker than you ever considered?
Fem!Reader References/Warnings Below Cut
Also available on Ao3
First 💜 Previous
Fem!Reader References/Warnings: hospital stay, vomiting, healing, mental breakdown
You were exhausted by every definition of the word. As long as you were awake there was something there vying for your attention and it left you drained. From healing to tests to visitors, occurrences were all around you. Sleep came in inevitable spurts and felt like your only respite. Consciousness was a thing to be dealt with as much as you wanted otherwise.
Your friends came in pairs.
Your ex-roommate, Coral, had apparently shown up more than once while you were unconscious, but upon seeing you, eyes open for the first time, she burst into her first actual tears. It left the two turtles always in your presence a noticeable speechless as she rushed over, but kept from collapsing onto you. In time though, she was in your bed and regaling you in how she attacked Leo assuming he was the cause. Leo corroborated the story citing how alike the two of you were which then led to Coral finding out about the S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. suit debacle.
She reigned hell down on the blue turtle for even thinking to touch the automaton.
As amused as Donnie was about Leo’s beat down, his own bitterness dictated he bring up how Coral still had beef with his son.
Coral said that was all in the past and Leo was left sputtering on what appeal S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. had to have charmed so many.
All the while, your nervous friend Nelson, who now lived with Coral, was fluffing a bouquet they had brought.
You heard Donnie throw him a comment about foliage and the two talked a quiet distraction as Leo sulked in a corner.
“So… Magic underground city.” Coral said, pushing your cuticles back even though you’d told her multiple times how much you hated it.
“It’s maybe another dimension?” You wanted to yank your hand free, but it would be too much effort.
She slowed, studying your nails. “You’re not going back, right?”
“No, I was already over it, but now…?” You sighed.
“Never.” Donnie cut through both conversations with bitterness.
“Good call.” Coral pointed to him without looking. “Sucks about your library though.”
“Library…?” Leo didn’t glance over as his phone was now in hand.
Donnie’s gaze pointedly narrowed where Nelson could see it.
Your nervous friend tilted his head with concern.
Leo heard the silence and it pulled his gaze. “The mystic library?”
“Leo…” You warned.
“If there’s a detail left out that can help the investigation…” Leo pressed back, sitting upright.
“It’s not related.” You decided.
“How would you know?” Leo bristled.
“Can you not bitch about Y/N’s memory loss? I’d suppress the thing too, damn!” Coral hissed.
“Sorry, I’m trying to cover my bases and make sure there isn’t a larger plot to kill them.” Leo mimicked her tone.
She glowered.
Donnie exhaled quietly.
Nelson gave him a sad smile.
Donnie took it with a slight nod.
You knew Nelson knew as much as Leo, but even he could sense the line.
“Them.” Coral spoke around her tongue. “Going soft, blueberry? Don’t you and grapes over here have mega beef?”
Leo was on his feet with furious eyes, but he stayed rooted in place.
Coral only cocked a waiting brow at him.
Leo’s gaze narrowed.
Her smile grew.
“Why don’t you talk motive then, detective sea rocks?” Leo walked over, gearing up for a challenge on the way.
“Omigosh, I’ve never heard that one before.” Coral feigned a gasp behind a hand before tucking an arm around you to appear more casual. “I’ll bite.”
“Please.” Leo pulled up a stool and took the position of the Thinker.
“We got vacation gone wrong and a jealous ex.” Coral shrugged as if that were obvious.
Donnie reared.
Nelson held up anxious hands.
Leo bit down on a bark of laughter. “Ex, huh?”
“Oh yeah, this has crime of passion written all over it.” Coral pointed at your bandages. “Don’t you think?” She lolled her head toward you.
You weighed your response before looking at your boyfriend. “Donnie’s never mentioned one.”
Donnie shot Coral specifically, an embittered look. “At best, the yokai in question was marked in my database simply because they were part of the police department. I have no greater notes and no further ties.”
“Knew you read turbo virgin.” Coral lowered her lids as if Donnie had walked right into her trap.
He only stared back.
Leo lasted one entire second before he began to cackle so hard it spun his chair.
It stung, but you knocked your head against Coral’s.
“Hey!” She squawked, more for your sake. 
“Leave him alone.” You switched your grip as fast as you could and dug your nail into her nail bed.
“Ouch!! What the fuck!?”
“Yeah, it hurts!” You sent her your disdain.
She sent her own.
“Y/N’s injured…” Nelson felt the need to remind the room.
Coral ignored him and left her hand in yours. “It has to be something like that though. To drug ‘em both, but only hurt Y/N. From what you described, it sounds like they wanted Donnie to watch.”
“Not my name.” Donnie grumbled.
“I got you multiple birthday presents, I’ll call you whatever I want.” Coral smoothed out her fingertips to yours.
You could feel Leo picking up the tidbits of closeness and how it rendered him further confused.
“Evidence schmevidence.” Coral continued. “They had a hard on for purple.”
Leo tapped his stool. “Nothing we don’t already know.”
“How long was he on the force?” Coral was far more careful in examining the hand on your injured arm.
“Twenty three years.” Donnie replied.
“Yeah, that doesn’t mean anything to me.” She skimmed your digits. “How’s that fall into your timeline?”
“Coral, Leo’s here.” You sighed.
“So? Hey, blue balls, do you not know Plankton's backstory or what?” She didn’t look up.
Leo made a confused face at the nickname.
“You don’t know the back story.” You reminded her with a dull stare.
“I know some!” She huffed, proud. “Apparently more than pepper face.”
“I have two brothers. You aren’t coming up with an insult I haven’t already heard.” Leo seemed both amused and not.
Coral shined him an all too wide grin.
Donnie was caught in thought. “Records indicate he became a beat cop around the time I became official.”
You leaned your head on Coral’s shoulder.
She laid hers on top. “Official how? He must have met you then.”
Donnie either felt lonely or sensitive because he crept up to your side. “I have no such memory.”
You held out a hand for him and he took it.
“How old are you?” Leo looked at Donnie, tepidly.
“Vivisection placed me at approximately 35.” Donnie responded, keeping his gaze to your hold.
Leo made a disgruntled noise.
“Vivi…” Coral mouthed before the word sank in. “Who cut you open?!”
Donnie didn’t budge.
Coral checked with you, but you tucked your head away.
“He cut himself open.” Leo spoke with knowing disdain.
“How would you know!?” Coral glanced at him.
“I don’t, but I do. Look at how they just reacted.” Leo threw a hand up to gesture to you. “Besides, he used to always do fucked up shit to his body. I’m surprised he isn’t the one bed ridden.”
“Shame you’re so imprecise with that blade you supposedly trained your life with.” Donnie turned up hatred.
Leo’s body rose with a current of surprise and rage.
Nelson wandered into the line of fire. “U-uh w-we were talking about the common enemy!”
“You’re gonna get yourself killed. You have no sense of self perseveration, I swear. Nels, come here, stupid.” Coral removed herself from you and held out a hand.
Nelson resisted and stayed firmly in place between Donnie and Leo.
“Nels!” Coral growled.
The man in question shook his head.
Donnie stepped in closer behind him. “As good a time as ever for you to finally admit why you spared me that day.”
Leo didn’t break eye contact, but there was something unstable about him.
You didn’t know what Donnie was talking about.
“Y/N…” Coral pleaded with you.
You could barely hear her. “Donnie?”
Donnie laid a hand on Nelson’s shoulder.
You took it as an indication that he’d be safe.
Coral went to move.
Leo blocked her with a raised hand.
Her shoulders hunched, ready to strike if need be.
“You were eleven or twelve when you became an official villain.” Leo finally spoke and the entire moment disengaged.
No collective sigh had, the humans in the room wilted.
“Same as me.” Leo mumbled out the side of his mouth.
“Approximately.” Donnie steered Nelson back towards the bouquet.
“The yokai was six times your age.” Leo spoke his thoughts.
“Gross.” Coral chanced, still shaken.
You nudged her lightly and she spared you a downtrodden look.
Leo nodded. “Surprised a newbie cop survived… Especially one that failed to get on the force three times.”
You felt a pinch in your head and looked toward your water cup.
Nelson was closer and got it before Donnie could.
You thanked him quietly and drank.
“Why’s that?” Coral ventured.
“Someone almost single handedly wiped out the force.” Leo bobbed his head toward Donnie without looking.
“At twelve…?” Coral looked at Donnie then you.
You had no defense.
You kept your eyes down.
“Not so fun galavanting with a murderer.” Leo barely kept a sneer in line. “Who doesn’t know enough now?”
“Leo, shut the fuck up.” You spat bile.
Leo only snorted and folded his arms.
He closed himself off.
For a long moment there was quiet.
Then Coral picked at your blanket. “Antelope lived…”
You were the only one to look.
“The bastard.” Her eye was on your covered body. “Obsessed with becoming a cop means he’s prone to going all in. Who’s to say he didn’t get high off living through an encounter with the demon child?”
Donnie’s eye darted as he connected the dots.
Your head hurt.
This was hitting the limits of your interactions.
You also had physical therapy scheduled soon.
You were about to mention it when Leo piped up. “His family all worked city jobs. If you fold in the mystic library, however it fits, then he’s obsessed with some duty to the city.”
In a sudden slam of your skull you had a vague thought about sacred spaces before your stomach churned.
 As if socked, you hunched forward on a gag. “Gonna vomit…!”
Coral was out of the bed and Donnie was around you with a pan. “I’ve got you. Let it out.”
You gagged and spit as he rubbed your back.
“That’s enough.” Leo spoke softly. “Visiting hours are over.”
“Y/N…” Coral mumbled.
“It’s…” You choked.
“Y/N is alright. You’ll come back?” Donnie asked for you.
“Of course… Don’t worry.” Coral headed towards the door. “Nels, seriously this time.”
“Yeah…” Nelson maneuvered around Donnie and shot Leo a vicious warning look as he passed that only you and the receiver seemed to see.
Leo was scorned as the two parted with apologies and goodbyes.
With nothing coming up from the nausea wave, you eventually laid back and cursed to the dead air of the room.
-
Heading home after a month in the hospital was tainted by what you now thought of as your chaperone. It didn’t matter that you had been in a coma for three of those weeks, but in the hospital it had felt like one thing; Leo was there as an added pair of hands when you were at your worst. He gave Donnie a break when caring for you which you were endlessly thankful for. His mischievous side paired with his convenient powers meant you had all the contraband you could ask for from anywhere in any world. He also had a command over nearly the entire staff and, just as Donnie alluded to, you couldn’t help but notice that your hospital stay had been a positive one because of it.
In your own home though, he felt like a freeloader.
Leo was no longer as useful with no one to manipulate and he had a clear fear of touching anything in your place. His entire being was now closed up and often placed in parts of the apartment that he deemed safe. While he never said it aloud, the dart of his eye and paranoia you had learned of him spoke to how painfully aware he was of the cameras monitoring his every move. This was compounded by S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N., a walking manifestation of a bug in Leo’s eyes, who stopped by routinely to drop off supplies. Your son was an antagonist whether he realized it or not and he pressed Leo whenever he had the chance because he deemed it fun. You loved the automaton dearly, but his rambunctious nature meant his visits were shortened. Donnie couldn’t mediate and you were left missing his smaller form to sleep with as the best sentient heating pad on the market. 
S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N.’s human sized form had already been enough of a shock to Leo, so you assumed it had been decided that any more information about your son was to be kept under lock and key. 
It was something you had to surmise as several decisions had been made without you. You might have found a way to ask, but guilt was eating away at Donnie for his failings already. He had to bury enough in front of his foe, because of his ninpo, and on top of being your caregiver, which meant he looked ready to keel over. You wanted to support him, but you yourself were still casted for at least another month. The spica had been your nightmare and even though you could technically walk with crutches, the threat of the plaster breaking at your hips, as you had been warned, hovered over you like a blight.
You had been assigned an in-home physical therapy.
Another invader in your home, she was kind, but she was yet another thing to think about and another barrier for Donnie to mentally navigate.
There were also the other turtles. Leo had been forced to essentially move in, which meant Mikey and Raph made excuses to drop by. It was clear their nerves were frayed over their brother’s new housing situation as it was, to them, in a lion’s den. Though each man was independent, there was a clear separation anxiety if only because of trauma. It just so happened that the source of all that was themselves and your boyfriend. It showed on all four turtles faces that this situation was progressing for too long and you were the cause.
You didn’t feel at fault.
You wished your body would heal faster and Mikey had offered to hit you with more mysticism, but having talked to the youngest had revealed the many side effects that could have taken place which put Donnie’s waiting room arsenal into perspective.
You’d told him no, that you would do this the old fashioned way, and in classic Mikey fashion, he had already moved onto the next thing.
You wished you could too.
While your assailant was no longer alive, it had been upsetting to find that the investigation had been one closed for lack of evidence. They Hidden City considered it open and shut without further motive. You weren’t sure if you were afraid of another attack stemming or in general, but anxiety took up the very little left of your sanity. You were back to near chase level concerns and it was the only way you were glad the apartment was never empty. You avoided windows and doors, but being in your own bed helped to an extent.
Heal.
You just needed to heal.
Then process.
There was a mountain of feelings to process.
If it wasn’t you, it was Donnie.
If it wasn’t Donnie, it was Leo.
If it wasn’t Leo, it was the other turtles.
Then your friends.
Then your job.
Then, everything.
One total week of your new homebound hell and you’d hobbled over to the kitchen by request of your therapist. You tried not to cry as you looked up at the cabinet that held cups. There were so many things you needed to do in order to free up a hand to reach them. It had already been an aggravating stepwise process just to get over here and having to wrangle your crutches away and back once again zapped the rest of your energy. A psychic collapsing, you were on the verge of tears for nothing and you wilted right there against your own counter.
The barest sound, not even a snivel, summoned the two men.
“Y/N?”
“Hey, you good?”
There was no escape.
No where you could even cry in peace. 
Not here.
Not in the bathroom.
You could yell.
You had yelled.
You’d snapped at Donnie more than once.
The ugly side of healing, your frustrations with yourself leaked out and leeched up at those around you.
For Donnie, he took everything in a careful stride. He knew you didn’t mean it and gave you space while he was still just within reach. It still affected him, however. He’d paper mached himself into a pasted shell, but the cracks were evident. No matter how many layers he put on to hide it, pieces like that weren’t meant to be jostled. If you could have kept it in, then he wouldn’t be cracked. 
You also couldn’t discuss this as there were prying tympanum.
For those reasons, Leo became your target.
You hated that.
He accepted it all too easily.It felt wrong in how calmly he’d take the barrage.He wasn’t like Donnie where he understood why you were lashing out. With Leo, it almost felt like he’d been waiting his whole life for the punishment. It spoke of many things, all too haunting and not yours to deal with. As much as he’d stomped into your life, you couldn’t help, but grow a certain fond of him. He’d helped you, he helped your mate, and he did it all after he and the ones he loved most had been terrorized for almost two decades.
Tears ran currents down your cheeks and you huffed feeling the pain of crying.
The scar tissue around your liver sat like a rock in your abdomen.
Your shoulder muscles ached near constantly.
The healed line along your ribs was taunt skin that tugged if you bent at any angle.
The damn cast sat unrelenting around your hips and deadened everything.
You choked a sob and you sensed both men flanking you.
“What’s wrong?”
“Does something hurt?”
You only shook your head.
Irrational.
Was that the right word?
No, you had justification.
It still sucked.
“Leo!” You quacked out against the barrage.
You could tell the men apart without looking and turned to your right where he was standing with a certain amount of surprise. “Yeah?”
“I need… I need time with Donnie. Can you… go do something, I don’t know… Just for a while?” You hadn’t meant for the water works to sway him, but you felt how messed up your face was when you sent your plea.
It snapped Leo’s expression shut, but there was a haunted quality to his eyes. 
You knew that. 
You knew your messy emotions were a threat to Donnie’s ninpo. 
You just wanted some damn time to grieve with your partner. 
You hadn’t had a single real moment alone with him. 
All of this thankfully seemed to translate because Leo eventually gave a curt nod. “Sure. I’ll go… out, I guess. Just for a bit, but you message me if anything, anything, happens.”
You agreed and watched him go.
You waited until the door clicked shut before turning on Donnie.
He wrapped you up in his arms the best he could and brought you close.
Was this the first real hug you’d gotten from him since leaving the hospital?
You despised that. 
“It’s too much!” You were forced to give the emotions voice.
Donnie nodded into your head.
“I miss you! I hate this. I can’t…!” You rooted into his sweater.
He continued to rhythmically concur.
“And you…!” You pulled back and he loosened to give you space to.
Your hands sat useless against his plastron. 
Having to keep your crutches to your body meant you could reach even less of him. 
You were too addled to press him and he wouldn’t allow his emotional veneer to fall.
It was a new one that you loathed.
It was different from the one he used in public for safety. 
This one clung to him sickly and all the time. 
It was the one that kept his powers at bay.
Shut and locked away, your watery eyes morphed his expression.
It was selfish to think he’d cry along with you, but you wanted him to so badly.
You wanted him to be able to express his own anguish. 
You knew it was there. 
Trapped along with everything else. 
“You…” You wilted against him.
He held your pieces together.
“I miss you…”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t-!” You banged his plastron.
He did nothing.
“Don’t… do that.”
He was at a loss.
“You had to. I wouldn’t be here otherwise…” You pressed your forehead just above his pectoral scutes. “You saved me. Full stop, no cost.”
“Leonard-”
“Leo nothing!” You came up glaring. “You saved me! I’m talking about you!”
His face sat neutral.
Throwing your weight against him to steady yourself, you released both your crutches to grab at his head, unencumbered. He caught your waist for balance and you used his distraction to pinch and pull his cheeks as far apart as you could. His teeth appeared stretched and he made the faintest noise of discomfort.
“You can’t even churr…” You let go and did nothing to soothe what you knew stung.
You watched his lip move as he tried to conjure something, but nothing came so he sent a metered sad gaze down at you.
“You can’t…” A few more tears loosed. “You can’t anything…”
“Y/N…”
“I can’t help you. I can’t do anything. This all-!” You nearly bit your lip and huffed to let it quiver.
Donnie nodded, the strain showing in lines on his face. “My research is coming up bare.”
“Yeah?” You leaned in close, having figured he was up to something like that, but you hadn’t had a chance to really talk.
“It seems the rat destroyed the surviving Hamato documents in a fit of letting his sons free the shackles of their destiny.” You could tell saying the sentence alone almost made Donnie vomit.
You couldn’t lean up, but you tilted your head and he came down enough to accept a peck to the cheek.
“The rest are cagey about details.”
You ran your hands along his arms. “I guess that makes sense; if they don’t teach you then you can’t use it against them.”
“But we’re inexplicably tied because of it.” Donnie’s brow furrowed.
“You’re too dangerous to leave alone.” You sighed at the conundrum.
“Contained for so long…” He had a haunted edge to his eye. “It’s as though it aggravated the ninpo’s release. It doesn’t feel as though I can be put back within the tomb of my body. It flows violent and endless… Illustrative of me… I suppose.”
You squeezed him.
“S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. and I are scrounging for records. Ninpo differs heavily from mysticism. It’s far more powerful, but it’s…” Donnie sneered. “Nonsensical. You get it by trusting family? Why? The blue bastard mentioned saving the red rube, but he’d done that dozens of times prior to whenever they unlocked it.”
“Right…” The memory dawned on you. “You saw them before like they were and then they suddenly had powers.”
“They even changed outfits.” Donnie stuck his tongue out the slightest bit.
You felt your spirits raise with how cute the action was.
He noticed and sucked the pink bit back in.
You accentuated the purse of your lip.
He mentally chewed for a moment before darting down and licking your cheek.
You squeaked and giggled into him.
He relented for a few kisses before pulling away.
You hadn’t dared test it and the mood was terrible with Leo around, but you knew Donnie was worried what even the most innocent of romantic thoughts would do to his ninpo. The most touch you’d dared was when you’d have to me moved or stabilized. He relegated the work to his hands so it came as a shock a few days ago, when you’d given up after being unable to change your own shirt due to a muscle spasm. Donnie’s body had pressed yours while he helped you and the heat there felt like something new. 
Your mind was pained by the deficit, but your body had forgotten so quickly. 
You cuddled close to him and, for a moment, felt those thoughts were unwarranted; he was always here. “Not everyone can nail their suit on the first try.”
“I made a few upgrades over the years, but style wise…?” He let the sentence hang.
“Spooky.” You peeked up at him.
“You think I’m spooky?” He leaned down with a faint leer.
You nodded and kissed the tip of his beak.
“The stalemate stands, but it seems there’s been improvement?” He murmured, hovering close.
“With you, me, or them?” Again, you felt the weight of the many thoughts crushing you, but this time you felt them held mutually with your boyfriend. 
“Me…” He had a starting edge. “This…” He tried again. “We haven’t gotten a moment like this.” 
“It seems alright…?” You tested him by swiping an all too light finger along the side of his neck. 
His eyes shut and he gave the faintest shiver. 
Your finger danced at his collar. 
His lids lifted and showed his clear gaze. “I would say so.” 
You smiled into him. 
He took a longing press from your lips before he came away with a chuff. “Your improvement isn’t linear, but is obviously occurring. That’s as to be expected and as for… them, we continue regardless of their existence.” 
You felt a similar lightness in him and chased it with a nipping kiss. 
He allowed himself to languish in it. 
Reassurances. 
Hadn’t you both agreed long, long ago that those were necessary? 
“How long do we have before I need to finish my homework and walk back across the apartment?” You glanced at your fallen crutches and back to him.
He had the faintest little smirk and curled around you under the guise of gathering your sticks for you.
-
“Ten more…”
Pulling at the resistance band, you rattled with a whine as you didn’t think you’d make it.
Across from you, your physical therapist was standing close and you despised the thin layer of sweat coating your body. It was so little effort to have taxed you this much. She also could undoubtedly smell the BO. The worst of which had to be the cast which was building odor from the lengthy use. Having been in it for almost two months, it made sense, but it was yet another reason to despise the damn thing. Donnie and Leo had yet to say anything, but you could tell by the way they turned their beaks that the pungent odor was worse for them.
Humiliation on top of misery caused you to rush the last six reps.
“Woah, woah. We gotta go slow to build that muscle…” The physical therapist caught you immediately.
“Just a… second…” You wheezed.
She traded you a bottle of water and held the band as you drank it down greedily.
Nearby Donnie stood with an arm crossed against his torso and a hand covering the bottom half of his face.
As you came away panting from labor and oxygen deprivation from drinking too much water, you knew that to be his PT position. He assumed it in every session you’d had so far as he wasn’t allowed to be present for the ones in the hospital. You wanted to ask why he always appeared the same, but you hadn’t been able to. A literal workout, you only wanted to wash up and then bury the exhaustion afterward. By the time you were back to the barest energy levels, you tabled it because another session was the last thing you wanted to ruminate on. During, however, you’d see him and wonder.
Was he holding himself back?
Was it hard to watch you struggle?
Did he want to help?
He never once interfered or made a noise. He kept his distance unless coaxed, which would sometimes happen if the physical therapist needed to demonstrate how to do your homework-type exercises. She was only scheduled to come by three times a week so you were expected to continue even when she wasn’t around. He took that job with a severity and was a menace about you having exactly the right posture to maximize healing. You knew beside his search to control his ninpo, he’d been studying everything there was to know about your particular injuries, but neither field seemed to be progressing.
Leo, on the other hand, almost always used your sessions to nap. You were sure he was worried in the beginning. He probably thought Donnie would fly off the handle at seeing you taxed, but instead Donnie stood as an intent observer. Seeing that to be the case, Leo took these moments as time off. Never a guest, Leo had fallen into a fixture-like role in your home over the course of two and a half weeks. It never felt like he truly moved in, though he rarely ever left, which made him almost an odd lamp you wished you could toss out. The couch was where he frequented and you assumed he was hidden there where you couldn’t see. His break while you busted your butt stung worse than Donnie’s hovering. It’s not like you wanted him around while you worked out, but him acting like these moments were vacations made you want to snap the resistance band in his face.
Even if it sometimes felt like it, neither man looked down at you.
You could do this and it was the only other thing you thought Donnie might be thinking. As much faith as you had in him, he had equal droves for you. If he was watching to see each sweat droplet marking your progress, it filled your chest with pride. Even when you failed to complete a full set, your physical therapist still congratulated you and marked each time you were able to go even the tiniest bit farther. Donnie knowing and being there to see each time you improved helped your resolve. You’d push past this because you wanted to. He was there to see it and you’d show him exactly what kind of resolve his mate had in the face of adversity.
You really needed to confirm how he felt.
For now, unfortunately, you shared a readied look with your trainer and they nodded, setting you back up to continue. “You’ve got this.”
“Yeah…” You stretched out the phrase and put tension on the band.
A purple light lit up somewhere behind you.
Three occupants of the apartment shot to look with rigid fear as the fourth casually turned.
Donnie’s computer was glowing at maximum strength and S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N.’s little icon was jumping up and down on screen.
“That’s cute…” The physical therapist chuckled. “Did you download that?”
“Ah-ha… yeah…” That wasn’t exactly a lie, but you were still sweating over thinking Donnie had manifested a legion of artillery.
Donnie was in furious motion.
A small smile slipped on your lips as he was sure to scold S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. for scaring everyone even though he’d be careful in his wording to not admit that was the case.
What was curious was Leo scurrying around the corner and into the bedroom.
He had a nervous twitch to his brow and it took you an exhausted second too long to realize it was because he was running from S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. It prompted a new kind of grin that Leo pointedly ignored.
“Hey, Lucinda, what’s shaking?” Leo played it cool and offered a fist bump.
Your physical therapist met it casually. “Oh, you know me now? Finally done ignoring me?”
“Not ignoring…” Leo leaned to one side and snapped a playful gaze right back. “It’s business. I’m on the job. Gotta act all tough and serious, you know!” He tucked his hands into his pockets and bobbed his broad shoulders.
“Uh huh.” She didn’t seem to believe it for a second and gestured for you to keep going.
You did exactly one rep before you had to stop. “Okay… no… You two know each other?”
“Oh yeah.” Lucinda said it like it was some kind of big thing.
“We go way back.” Leo joked the same way.
You stared on, unamused by the show.
Lucinda broke into a smile. “Fine, Leo here once forced his way into my old office to train.”
“Forced is a strong word…” Leo’s eyes rolled in a way that said he was avoiding guilt.
“He pretended to be an injured patient and then pelted us with a thousand questions until my boss got wind and yelled at him.” She clarified.
Leo made a sheepish high pitched noise that whittled down to a nervous chuckle. “I did get hired on though.”
“How’s Mikey?” Lucinda tapped your band.
You took a deep breath and went through your last reps.
“Good. He regained nearly all motor function, but he hasn’t quit the health nut bit.” Leo watched you with a trainer’s eye.
“I haven’t talked to him in a few years, but it was no joke. He was always onto some cutting edge stuff.” She seemed amused. 
“You don’t live with him.” Leo huffed.
“You’re too hard on your family.”
“You know us Hamatos.” Leo banged his chest once to accentuate his tough plastron.
She sent him an arched brow that said she didn’t appreciate the joke.
Leo shined her a bright grin.
You drank a bit more from your bottle and let the pieces fall into place. “Mikey’s hands…”
The other two perked up.
“I thought this was a job?” Lucinda sent a suspicious glare towards Leo.
Leo pointedly looked away. “You know Mikey!”
“Cause Mikey gets around, right?” Her sarcasm cut thick and felt like a stark contrast to the concise person she was at work.
Leo laughed nervously before turning a wild gaze to you. “You know Luci here went into PT because she was a bully!?”
“Now, hold on!” She shot to her feet.
That spelt the truth for you and while you still wanted other answers, you were amused by their display.
“Yeah! She has a thing for making people hurt and figured this was the field to go in!” Leo cackled.
She had to jump, but she pinched his cheek and dragged him right down to her eye level. “In front of my patient!? Nu-uh!”
Leo couldn’t help, but laugh and you joined.
“If you know him, then you know he lies through his teeth.” Lucinda released him and dusted her hands.
“He’s always working an angle.” You remarked.
“Yes!” She pointed at you with a grin. “If he wasn’t a hero, he’d be a total grifter!”
“What’s that old bit? Selling stolen VCRs?” You mused.
“Yes!” She reached out and patted your good arm in appreciation.
“How old do you think I am?!” Leo looked between you two.
“Considering I just found out a little more than a month ago…?” You pretended to wonder.
“Month?!” Lucinda rounded on Leo again. “What is the deal here?”
“Yeah, Leo? What’s the deal?” You spread a grin on thick.
Leo held up his hands and his brow came down in irritation. “Come on… You don’t need to gang up on me!”
“Then explain! I’m not trying to assume anything, but it’s hard not to notice my patient’s partner is also green.” Lucinda folded her arms to wait.
You blinked once as the connection hit you.
The news knew Donnie as a masked villain from the turtle’s rogue’s gallery.
The truth was far more complicated.
You wondered if Leo had ever dealt with this before.
“You know what they say about assuming?” Leo had a stark edge.
You knew the joke, but his serious attitude just barely threw Lucinda off as she said, “No…?”
“They make an ass out of you and me.” Leo didn’t let up his serious nature as he clapped a hand to her shoulder.
It took exactly one second for the joke to hit her and she shoved him. “Ugh, I hate you!”
“She’s mad she couldn’t hurt me because I don’t have a poppable spine.” Leo held up a hand as if telling you a secret.
“Would you-!?” She swatted at him and he easily dodged while he continued to laugh.
“You know…” You did your own solemn positing.
Lucinda stiffened.
“You haven’t denied anything he’s said about you…” You marked the end of your sentence with a jeering grin.
Her lips flattened out into a caught line and it was her turn to assuage guilt. “That’s-! I mean-!
You pretended to wait.
“Fine!” She wilted. “I’m not a bad guy though! It’s my dad! He always had me walking on his back or pulling his arms and stuff as a kid! I loved the sound! So I might have bugged my friends and got a reputation for being the resident finger popper! Look how it turned out! All’s good at the end of the day!”
You gave her an affectionate smile. “That’s cute actually.”
“No, it’s not!” Leo bellowed and then openly shivered. “You two can’t hear just how loud those sounds are! There’s a fizz almost like soda between the joints! Eugh!!”
“And my boss wonders why you didn’t stay on…” Lucinda shook her head.
“That’s not why-!” Leo bit with a lighthearted edge.
“Why did you…?” The question leaked out from you even though it meant you interrupted.
The pair looked at you before Lucinda turned with a look that said she knew her story had been shared and thought she deserved to reveal something of her own. “I don’t know how close you are, so he might try to argue, but he hopped on to help his baby bro out at like 18ish. You still had a baby face then.” She turned to coo at Leo.
He sneered.
“He was real cagey about it, I just mentioned his whole fake spiel, but the boss took pity on him and hired him to clean up so he could unofficially work on the job.” Lucinda continued and bumped Leo to show she was doing it in good will.
He took it with a sigh.
“Those cracks on Mikey’s arms?” You asked before another thought hit you. “The tear in space time…”
“The what?” That was news to Lucinda.
“Hup-hup-hup!” Leo’s hands waved viciously between you and during the flurry he sent you a look that said you were right, but you needed to drop it.
“You know!” You quacked. “Because they look like the time rifts in movies!”
Lucinda evaluated both of you evenly before she gave a slow nod. “Yeah, they kinda do… Anyway, Mikey was a rough case. Terrible loss in coordination, muscle tearing, spasms… I really felt for him. The whole office did once Leo finally brought him around.”
Leo turned his head, oddly not liking this spotlight.
You studied him as he usually seemed more like one to preen.
“His recovery was… amazing.” Lucinda moved on. “Mikey was so motivated. He ended up always lifting spirits at the office.”
“He does group therapy now.” You offered.
“Of course he does.” Lucinda gave a smile that said she didn’t know it, but wholeheartedly believed. “Great kid. Both of you.” She slugged Leo affectionately.
“Yeah, yeah…” Leo brushed her off with a sly smile.
“Your turn.” Lucinda pointed at you.
“Next set?” You pulled the band up, ready.
“No, why this is all hush hush?” She gestured around.
Leo shifted, trying to cover how uncomfortable he was.
You kept your eye on him.
You guessed you didn’t blame him for still thinking the worst of you.
You weren’t his biggest fan, but he’d come through for you and Donnie in a major way.
In this instance, you couldn’t imagine throwing him under the bus. “Hero business.” You gestured down your half wrapped body. “He got sucked into dealing with my attack.”
“You were…!” Lucinda trailed off as she caught herself. “I’m sorry. That wasn’t my place…”
“It’s okay. You’ve been amazing. You’re really good at your job.” You meant every word.
She smiled with a tinge or relief.
Leo was looking at you in a similar way.
Donnie made a small noise.
You all turned towards him.
He coolly glanced between the group before landing on Lucinda. “Something urgent has come up. I need to step out for a moment.”
“Sure. We got this. Right, Y/N?” She turned to you.
You were about to respond affirmatively when Leo cut in.
“What.” Leo’s flat tone held accusation instead of question.
Donnie only flicked him a glance.
“Donatello…” Leo spoke weighty, painfully aware of the company.
“I’ll be nearby.” Donnie relented that much before looking at you.
With no indication on his facial features, you saw in his eyes that this was something wholly necessary and had to do with his ninpo research.
You turned to Leo and hoped you betrayed as little as Donnie. “You still remember how to do this, Leo?”
He resisted looking away from Donnie before his eyes fell to you and the resistance band in your hand.
“Sure.” There was a tart quality to his voice before he reached for the rubber. “Sure, yeah. I use these to warm up at the gym.”
Donnie gave you one last look that had a tinge of longing before he departed.
Leo demonstrated stretching the band behind his back and Lucinda pushed you to try the as of yet attempted advanced maneuver. It pinched your shoulder, but she held your arm, ready and testing, to make sure you could execute safely. You manage three tugs before you wilted in pain and she passed you a cloth to dab your sweat.
“Amazing. Seriously. You’re really working hard and I can tell you aren’t skimping when I’m not around.” She soothed you.
You hummed a sort of laugh into the towel. “The walks around the apartment suck the most.”
“Oof when we get you out of the cast and onto the bars?” She sympathized.
You groaned lightly until a chirpy ringtone went off.
You pulled your towel down to find Lucinda making a tight face and looking at a phone in her hand. “I apologize. I don’t normally take calls while working, but…”
Her eyes were glued to her screen and you sensed a problem. “Go ahead.”
“Thanks.” She answered. “Hello?”
You watched her walk into the living room and sank where you were propped at the edge of the bed.
Leo was looking to the side as if he could see through the walls to where Donnie had gone.
“He’ll be right back.” You tried to calm him.
Leo said nothing and slipped his hands into his pockets as he waited.
Lucinda’s voice grew worried and both of you were soon trying your best not to pry as she came over with a fit waging on her features. “Y/N, I’m so sorry. I’m going to have to cut today’s treatment short. Something… I need to-”
“Everything okay?” Leo turned, his eyes examining.
“My mom fell. She’s already at the hospital and they say she’s stable, but I need to go.”
“Go, go.” You urged. “I’ll work through what we’ve done before.”
“Thank you. Hold onto the equipment. We’ll pick up with your session in two days.” She went for her bag nearby. “Actually, Leo can lead. Leo try some passive internal rotations and elbow extensions if possible. Otherwise, cool down.”
“You got it, boss.” Leo snapped his finger into pointing at her. “I’m sure your mom’s tough, she raised a bully after all.”
Lucinda snorted and waved him off with additional goodbyes as she left.
For a moment you both sat in silence.
“So... Passive… what now...?” You tried the air.
Now having his worries double, Leo looked at you with a waning expression before he wadded up the band. “Okay, we’re seriously doing this. Uh… Let’s see…”
“Why’d you say it like that?” You held a confused look and reached for the band.
“Maybe because I haven’t done PT in years?” He mirrored you and slapped your hand away.
“Hey!”
“So passive internal rotations work your supraspinatus…” He circled as if looking for something. “We need something long. Hey, do you have his stupid stick?”
“Are you joking right now?” You gave him a dull stare.
“No. It’ll work really well for this.” Leo approached you with an even temper.
“He keeps his bo on him.” You shook your head lightly.
“Damn.” Leo folded his hands on his hips. “The band is too stretchy. How about a big ruler?”
“Leo.”
“What’s it called? A yard stick?” Leo again did a little turn. “What else would be straight…?”
“Leo.”
“We could skip it for elbow extensions, but those are tougher…” He gave a weighty sigh, his eyes still moving.
“Hey.”
“Maybe we could sneak a curtain rod? There’s enough of them…” He looked past you to glare at the layers behind you on the windows.
He didn’t seem to hear you.
“Or this… thing?” He gestured to the canopy where the drapes were temporarily pinned out of the way.
He apparently also couldn’t remember he could portal to get anything he needed.
“It’s too clean!” Leo took a step that you clocked as nervous. “There’s stuff, but this place is…”
You tilted your head, studying him more carefully.
Like a slow cropping of data, you saw him piece by piece.
The barely there worried crease of his brow.
The way his lips kept parting the slightest amount.
The constant rove of his pupil.
His entire body was one twitch away from spasming.
“Leonardo.”
You watched the jolt happen in real time before he looked at you.
His gaze betrayed him.
It wasn’t that you called to him, it was how.
That was how Donnie said his name.
It made sense and you felt your expression sadden.
There it was again.
Everything was too much and you’d missed something so obvious.
It was like Leo though, you thought, to be the best at bearing the burden. Similar to how he accepted when you lashed out, it was his curse brought upon himself as you’d always seen it. He took his duty as his life and the current of which was basically cohabiting with the person who he considered had ruined it. His paranoia hadn’t evaporated just because he’d seen a new side of Donnie, he’d simply saddled up with his biggest fear so long that he’d grown a certain amount of numb to it.
He was also clearly entrenched in a never ending panic attack and his little naps during your physical therapy took a new light.
Donnie hadn’t been sleeping at night, but he had the dual excuse of fearing for his ninpo slipping in his sleep.
Leo had to keep one eye open from the couch.
“Why’d you…” He had almost a laugh to him though it was soaked in a certain level of misery he couldn’t keep out of his voice. “… say it like that?”
“I’ve been trying to get your attention for a while.” You couldn’t move so you reached for him.
He only looked at your hand and twisted the resistance band up between his own.
It acted as a shield.
He had to keep his barrier.
“Leo… Do you need a sec-?”
“Elbow extensions!” He cut in, his eyes wild and unfocused. “Okay so let’s see how high you can reach!”
At this rate he was going to break.
Something was making this worse.
What was it?
Had he been at his limit?
What had pushed him?
You tried to trace back, but found little.
You reached up lightly in hopes he’d feel compelled by how you hadn’t dropped your gesture.
“How high!” He repeated as if he were the unseen coach on a television set.
You moved to raise your arms and felt the pull in your shoulders. “Leo, I’m not so sure-”
“Push it!”
“Leo!” Your hands just barely surpassed your head, but the muscles in your healing shoulder locked.
“Shit.” In a quake, his gaze honed and he came closer. “Hold still. Try not to drop it.”
“That’s easier said than done…!” Your expression pinched.
He fought against himself before slinging the resistance band over his shoulder and cupping his hands around your rotator cuff. “Slow, we’ll work it down. What was I saying…?”
“What’s going on?” You had unintentionally caught him.
“Don’t.”
“Leo.”
“This isn’t fair.” He pressed lightly into the muscle.
You jumped, but made it did little more than strain your insides.
He gave a soothing shush and rubbed with a lighter touch. “It’s a cramp. Give it a second.”
“In that second, you could tell me-”
“I’m not doing whatever you think I will. Not here. Not ever.” He glared at your arm instead of you.
Not here.
That was an odd specification. 
Leo had been holding back.
He had his own emotional mask.
He paraded as a habit.
There was more than he let on.
You wished you had a better read on him.
You felt out of sorts.
Your usual prowess was diminished by the many stressors.
How could you pay attention when there was too much to watch?
You felt like sludge.
A dozen mental monitors were on and all of them vied for your attention.
In a single blink, you were sending a wide gaze to Leo.
His lips flattened out as if caught.
You watched a bead of sweat pock his forehead.
It wasn’t enough to trickle, but it was there.
He still had your arm.
It had yet to loosen.
“Darling Protocol.”
It was enough that Leo stopped.
“Cut all feeds until Donnie returns.”
For you, nothing had changed.
For Leo, he seemed struck as if the command was for him.
Then his gaze rose.
He moved, still holding you and looked around the corners of the room.
“Leo…?” You tested in a tiny voice.
“They’re… off…” He rolled wariness to you.
“It’s just us.”
“That’s worse!” He shouted.
He was too close and you winced. “I thought that’s what you want-!”
“Well you're wrong!” He pressed too hard into rubbing your shoulder.
You squeaked in pain for a moment before your arm suddenly drooped.
Leo shot several feet away and looked at you like he might explode.
“That’s…” You were extremely careful in testing your shoulder in a roll. “… way better. Wow.”
“Turn them back on! What was with that name? What is wrong with you!? It’s always something! Always you!”
“What are you talking about?” You exhaled irritation. “I thought you might want a break from the cameras. I’m trying to help! You’re the one acting like you’re caged up!”
“Yeah, because I’m locked in here with you!”
You stared at him openly.
His eyes sat enormous and trapped.
“With… me?”
He shook and wrapped a hand around his throat. “Fuck. Forget it! Just forget I said anything!”
“Leo.” You looked for your crutches.
“You’re stuck!” He pointed and saw an opening where nothing had changed. “I can go over here and you can’t do a thing about it!” He headed toward the partition.
“You sound like you’re five! You’re really going to run!?” You shouted after him and your helplessness drowned you in droves. “What do you mean me!? Shouldn’t it be Donnie?!”
“Donnie!?” He mocked your voice and came far enough around the wall to send an incensed gaze. “I’m not scared of him! I’m scared of you-!!!”
The slap of his hand against his mouth was so loud it echoed.
You had no idea what was happening.
Each consecutive action he made seemed newer than the last.
Your powers of perception were a joke.
You didn’t know a single thing.
Your lips parted, but he moved first.
“Fuck!!!” He socked the wall so hard that cracks split and crawled around the edges. “Oh, fuck that’s worse…” He stared at his damage and wobbled further out into the open where you could see him. “No, no, no… What am I-?! Fuck! I haven’t been to the gym in months! I’m-!!!”
 You could only watch as he fell apart.
Shreds of him unraveled with a spool and he made it a few more steps on a wobbly form. “Keep it together. I can keep it together.”
“You don’t have to…” You whispered as quietly as you could.
“I don’t have…” He mimed it back. “No…” He stabilized in a slouch. “Yeah, I don't. No. I’m fine. I’ve been fine. I’ll be fine.”
The whole of him lost mass like a dropped ball of yarn. 
“Cool down. You need to finish your exercises.” He marched over, a snag still caught and he lost more of himself on the way.
You couldn’t believe he was trying to drop this.
“Close your eyes.”
“No.”
“I’m not going to look at that pathetic face. I’m not going to explain.”
“Are you telling me or you?”
“It’s a trick. You're trying to trick me and I’m not playing.”
“Stop answering then.” You sharpened your glare.
“I-!” He breathed hard as if the thought hadn’t occurred to him.
“Are you scared of Mikey too?”
Leo reared. “Why would I be?”
“He’s always trying to get you to go to therapy.”
Leo barked a single acidic laugh. “What? You think you’re helping me?! You have no idea!”
“Then tell me!”
“No!”
“Then stop acting out!”
“I’m not!”
“You cracked a wall because you’re scared of some human!”
“I’m not scared of you!”
“That’s not what you said!”
Leo rose as high as he could without going on the tips of his toes.
Instead of menace, you saw the last strings of his will holding him up.
The slightest press would cause what was left of him to unfurl and he’d be nothing more than a long line of everything he’d ever done.
You had a choice.
You could be his undoing or you could leave it be.
“Leo.”
You spoke.
He listened, his mouth a thin line.
You reached up with your good hand to gesture to your bad shoulder.
On his mirrored body, that’s where the resistance band still hung.
He loosely puppetted as you directed and, as he brushed it, it startled him.
You watched his gaze narrow more and more as he pulled the thing down to cradle in his palm.
A loose and floppy bit of rubber, he looked as though he’d sob over its lifeless body.
Instead he shifted his grip and wound the edges around his fists.
Then he pulled the band across his body and for a blissful moment, he wasn’t here.
He was at his beloved gym and his thoughts were clear.
He spoke.
“I don’t hate you. I’m not… scared scared of you, but damnit, Y/N.” He pulled the band as far apart as it would go and you thought it might snap. “I can’t… keep pretending like being around you is fine and dandy. I knew what to expect from Donatello. I knew…” The edge came again and he yanked so hard you saw a tear form in the middle of the band. “I knew…” Coiling his hands another loop, this time he pulled as if he had the intention to break it. “I knew-!” In a rapid bungee bounce, it split and both sides whipped him. “I knew I would never reach him! I banked on it! I pushed the others back after their attempts! I wouldn’t let them get closer! That left me! Did I think I could do it? Fuck no! I didn’t think I could do a single thing, but that’s what you do when you care! You stick your neck out again and again! You do everything you can! You put your life on the line! You show them-! You show them-!”
His own twine snapped, his entire being drooped.
“You know what I am?”
Your heart beat heavy in your chest.
“I’m…” He had to look away, loose straps of rubber dangling in his hands. “I can’t believe I’m going to say this.”
You fisted the loose sweats that fit over your cast.
“I’m jealous.” He told you, his eyes glazed.
You felt your own well.
“I’m jealous of you.” He doubled the effort and with it came pressure on his lips. “I’d buried it so goddamn deep. That’s where it was supposed to stay, but no! You couldn’t leave it alone! You kept digging! Every time! Every single time! Until you dug it out of me! I’m scared of that! I’m scared of what you keep doing to me! To us! You could have dropped it! I treated you like shit! You were supposed to drop it! You were supposed to leave. You weren’t supposed to make it! You were going to be my excuse! You would have been the final straw! Enough! So that I could finally… make it make sense! We made sense! We’d given up! That’s how we were! It wasn’t happy, but it was what we…!” He dropped the pieces he clung to.
Your throat swallowed your heart.
“I was a hero.” He hunched into himself. “I was the best. I was the leader. I saved everyone. I couldn’t save-!” He choked and sent prayers toward you. “You did it over a fucking sandwich!!!”
 Tears loosed and dotted your hands.
“My family is all I have and I couldn’t save him…!” Leo’s knees hit the ground so hard it covered up the raw shout slicing his throat right before he went ghostly quiet. “I’m so tired.”
You pressed your hands to your chest to keep yourself in check.
He didn’t need your tears.
He didn’t need anything more from you.
No matter how, this was your doing.
“I only ever needed my family…” Leo wept.
You couldn’t move.
You couldn’t do anything.
You could only watch.
Leo shook out a few more tears before he held a hand up as if grabbing a pole.
A sword appeared in an etching of blue and from it he sliced into the floor and opened a portal.
He then drew his other limb, heavy as lead, up from his side where his phone was picked from his pocket.
He punched a few numbers in and stared over the abyss he’d created.
“Mike.”
You couldn’t hear the other line.
“Code green. Portals in the strategy room.” Leo pulled his phone away and you watched as his thumb slammed the end call button.
He then moved methodically, as if to sip elixir from the blue pool, and dipped his hand into the portal.
His arm jostled from some movement on the other side and then his muscles went taunt under his sweater as he pulled.
He fell.
Straight down and out of the apartment and, like a swapped mirror, Mikey was thrust up and out.
The younger brother spun around, clearly confused as he floated above the portal until it disappeared.
He then searched around until his eyes landed on you and he soared over.
“Are you okay? What was that? What happened…?” Mikey hovered close and gingerly took your shoulders.
It was the right amount of pressure and sobs broke free from you.
Mikey held you close and asked no more.
You didn’t hear the front door click, but you did hear Donnie’s voice. “I apologize. That call was… of… the…!” 
He ran. 
“Don-na-tello…” Mikey croaked through snivels.
“What’s…?” 
As soon as you sensed Donnie close enough you shot your bad arm out, caught a fistful of his top, and yanked him in.
Mikey moved to one side and you clutched both of them to keep them together. It took Donnie several long minutes until he brought an arm around you.
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Through sickness and health, my darling betas have my undying love @tmntxthings and @thepinkpanther83
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afreakingdork · 4 days
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@derp-the-arson-cat LEAVE MONARCH ALONE YOU MENACE!!! 😭😭😭😭
Just read the oneshot and I would like to say HOW DARE YOU emotionally hurt me like this I should be compensated with therapy for this AND I AM THE THERAPIST!!! /lh /aff
The drama, the emotion, THE AMOUNT OF HOT SAUCE
And most importantly,
The amount of zoomies my mind has been punched with
I am making you work, friend! I THINK ONE OR TWO CHAPTERS AGO YOU SAID SOMETHING LIKE 'HOW CAN I THERAPY THEM WHEN THEY THERAPY THEMSELVES' so HERE YOU GO!!!
I kid, I kid 😂😂😂
I've had this planned since the beginning but it feels so surreal to finally be here... What a wild ride Weak Spot has been
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