galaxy dusk

Y'all are gonna hate me for this one, but...

I genuinely don't think Bayverse Leo would be the "perfect boyfriend" everyone writes him as.

LISTEN. LISTEN.....

I don't really lean into any of these headcanons when I write my own fanfiction.

But if we're talking realistically, based on his personality and everything we see in the movies, I think this is how he'd actually act in a relationship.

So... let's get into it…..

Would Leo love you? Absolutely. 100%

Would he be good at being your boyfriend? ...That's a completely different question....

He'd be incredibly loving, but not very attentive.

Leo's entire life revolves around responsibility. Protecting his family, training, planning, keeping everyone alive—his mind is constantly somewhere else.

There would be days where he genuinely forgets to text you back for hours because he's so consumed by whatever he's doing. Not because he doesn't care... but because his priorities have been hardwired a certain way since childhood.

He's 100% the type to cancel plans last minute..

SAY WHAT YOU WANT, BUT I KNOW I'M RIGHT. 😭

You could have a date planned for an entire week and an hour beforehand he'd hit you with:

"Hey, sorry, Something came up."

No explanation.

Because to him, if his family needs him, that's automatically the priority. He assumes you'll understand... even if it happens over and over again.

I don't think he's naturally a physically affectionate person.

Would he be Touch-starved? Yep.

Touchy though? Not really.

People confuse those two things all the time.

Leo craves affection because he's never really experienced healthy intimacy, but that doesn't mean he's constantly seeking it out.

In fact, I think he'd almost hesitate before accepting it.

Physical affection is vulnerable, and vulnerability has never exactly been encouraged in his life.

Over time? He'd absolutely learn to love it.

At first? He's awkward. You could touch him and he’d awkwardly tense up.

He's one of the most stubborn people you'll ever meet.

Once Leo decides he's right...Good luck changing his mind.

Arguments with him would be exhausting because he isn't someone who changes his opinion in the middle of a conversation.

Even if he realizes you have a point, his pride keeps him digging his heels in.

He's not apologizing first.

He's the type to cool off, come sit next to you three hours later, and say something like,

"I shouldn't have yelled..." ...before immediately following it up with,

"But I WAS right."

If he wants to hurt your feelings... he knows exactly how to do it.

Not physically. But Emotionally.

If you've trusted him with your insecurities, your fears, or the things that keep you up at night, he remembers every single one of them.

Normally, he'd never use that information against you.

But if he's angry enough? If he genuinely wants to win an argument?

I think he'd say something he knows will cut deep. And the second the words leave his mouth, he'd regret it. But he'd still have said it.

Communication is NOT his strong suit.

People forget Leo didn't grow up around normal social interactions.

He grew up in the sewers with his dad and three brothers.

He never learned how to communicate his emotions in a healthy way.

Instead of telling you something bothered him, he'd convince himself it wasn't worth mentioning.

Then he'd bottle it up.

Then he'd bottle up the next thing.

...and the next.

Until one random Tuesday you ask him an innocent question and suddenly he's bringing up something you did three weeks ago.

And you're just sitting there like—

"THAT'S what this is about??"

His identity begins and ends with being "the leader."

This is probably my biggest Bayverse Leo take.

Donnie has science.

Mikey has his creativity and optimism.

Raph has his strength and his passion.

But Leo's entire sense of self revolves around leading.

It's not just what he does.

It's who he believes he is.

Without that responsibility, I genuinely think he'd struggle to figure out who he is as a person.

And because of that...

Being a boyfriend wouldn't come naturally to him.

He knows how to protect.

He knows how to lead.

But simply existing in a relationship? Learning someone's love language? Talking through emotions? Being emotionally available?

Those are skills he'd have to learn.

And I honestly think that's what makes him such an interesting character.

He's capable of loving someone with his whole heart.

He just isn't automatically equipped with the tools to show it in the healthiest ways. :/

THESE ARE WHAT I THINK PERSONALLY!!

Please don’t threaten my life…..

I also love this big green ninja daddy HAHAHHAHA

.✦ ݁˖ The Shellraiser is loud. Like, painfully loud. Between the engine growling, tires screeching, and Mikey yelling every five seconds, having a normal conversation is almost impossible.

.✦ ݁˖ You learn pretty quickly that if you want to say something, you're going to have to shout.

.✦ ݁˖ Leonardo always rides shotgun. He insists he needs the best view of the road in case something goes wrong.

.✦ ݁˖ Every few minutes he'll glance over his shoulder just to make sure everyone in the back is still seated... especially you.

.✦ ݁˖ Donatello is driving. Always. Nobody else is trusted with his baby. He gets personally offended if someone so much as touches a button on the dashboard without permission. Only exception is Leo ofc!

.✦ ݁˖ Speaking of the dashboard... there are way too many buttons. You ask what one does and Donnie immediately responds with, "Don't touch that one." Naturally, Mikey presses it the second Donnie looks away.

.✦ ݁˖ Raphael takes up an unreasonable amount of room. He's slouched across half the back bench with his arms crossed, acting like he doesn't care that you're practically being squished against the wall every time the Shellraiser takes a corner.

.✦ ݁˖ Until he notices you're getting thrown around.

.✦ ݁˖ Without saying a word, one of his massive arms hooks across your chest like a seatbelt before the next sharp turn. He acts like it's purely so you don't smack into him.

.✦ ݁˖ It isn't tho… LOL

.✦ ݁˖ Mikey cannot sit still for longer than thirty seconds.

.✦ ݁˖ He's climbing over seats.

.✦ ݁˖ Looking out the windows.

.✦ ݁˖ Leaning into the front to bother Donnie.

.✦ ݁˖ Somehow ending up right beside you despite starting on the opposite side of the vehicle.

.✦ ݁˖ Donnie has invented actual seat restraints specifically because of him. Not seat belts.. seat RESTRAINTS!!

.✦ ݁˖ They don't work.

.✦ ݁˖ Every bump in the road sends the entire cabin airborne for a split second. Even with proper working seats, you'll still grab onto whatever's closest…

.✦ ݁˖ Usually that ends up being Leo's shoulder from the front seat...🙈

.✦ ݁˖ …or Raph's arm.

.✦ ݁˖ They both pretend not to notice.

.✦ ݁˖ The Shellraiser corners way faster than it should for something that big.

.✦ ݁˖ You swear physics just stop applying whenever Donnie is behind the wheel.

.✦ ݁˖ Leo calmly reminds everyone to stay seated.

.✦ ݁˖ Mikey immediately responds by standing up.

.✦ ݁˖ Donnie doesn't even look back anymore. He just sighs because this has happened at least twelve times during the drive.

.✦ ݁˖ Music is mandatory.

.✦ ݁˖ Though, Everyone wants something different.

.✦ ݁˖ Mikey wants upbeat party music.

.✦ ݁˖ Raph wants heavy rock.

.✦ ݁˖ Leo doesn't care as long as he can still hear what's happening outside.

.✦ ݁˖ Donnie secretly has the weirdest playlist imaginable and refuses to let anyone see it. (It’s Mommy ASMR)

.✦ ݁˖ If you're lucky enough to control the music for once, every turtle has an opinion within thirty seconds.

.✦ ݁˖ Their patrols are stressful, but the drive back? That's when everyone finally decompresses. Jokes start flying, Mikey reenacts things dramatically, and even Leo lets himself smile.

.✦ ݁˖ Sometimes you'll catch Leo watching everyone through the side mirror.

.✦ ݁˖ Just making sure his family made it home.

.✦ ݁˖ The first time the Shellraiser launches over a speed bump (idk if New York has that but what ever) , nobody warns you.

.✦ ݁˖ One second you're on the road.

.✦ ݁˖ The next you're completely weightless.

.✦ ݁˖ screaming too..

.✦ ݁˖ Donnie proudly announces to the whole truck "See? Suspension held perfectly!!”

.✦ ݁˖ You're too busy recovering to appreciate the engineering.

.✦ ݁˖ By the time you climb out, your hair is a mess, your ears are ringing, your legs feel like jelly...(GET YOUR HEAD OUT THE GUTTER‼️‼️‼️

.✦ ݁˖ …..and somehow you're already looking forward to the next ride

A/N: I wrote this at work, thank you to the GOAT @emmiinova for proof reading. ILY

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

The turtles pulling up to your crib:

The city felt raw and wrong.

Not in the usual way New York did when something bad was brewing beneath the surface—not in the way it hummed with distant sirens, flashing lights, and the constant pulse of millions of lives moving around one another—but in a way that made the air itself feel heavier, thicker, as if the night knew something terrible was waiting around the corner.

The mission briefing had been quick. That alone had been enough to put Leo on edge.

There had been reports of Foot activity across multiple locations throughout the city, enough to force all of you to split up, and while Leo knew it was the smartest tactical decision, he hated every second of it.

He hated leaving his brothers. He hated not being able to oversee every moving piece himself.

But most of all—He hated leaving you..

The apartment was dimly lit, shadows stretching across the walls while the glow from the city spilled through the windows. Somewhere below, traffic crawled through the streets, oblivious to the fact that yet another battle for New York was about to unfold before sunrise.

You stood near the kitchen island, arms crossed loosely over your chest. Trying to look calm, even confident. An attempt to make this easier for him.

Leo saw right through it. He always had.

Because the truth was, you were scared.

And the truth was—

So was he..

His fingers flexed around the hilts of his katanas as he stared out the window for what had to be the tenth time in the last five minutes.

Casey leaned against the front door, his scuffed hockey mask hanging from two fingers while he watched the anxious turtle pace.

"You know," Casey finally said, breaking the silence, "at some point you actually gotta leave."

Leo didn't answer. Didn't even bother to look at him. His eyes remained fixed on the city skyline. The silence ached among you. .

Casey sighed.

"Leo-"

"I know."

His voice came out rough. Like every word was being forced through clenched teeth. Because he did know. The others were already waiting on him.

Donatello had probably called three times by now. Raphael was likely getting impatient. Mikey was most definitely getting impatient.

They needed him.

The city needed him.

But every instinct inside him screamed at the thought of walking away from you tonight.

His gaze finally shifted.

Found yours immediately..

Of course it did. It always did.

For a moment the noise of his crowded mind disappeared completely.

There was only you, standing there beneath Casey’s apartment lights.

Alive and safe. For now..

The thought settled heavily in his chest. Because safe wasn't permanent.

God, He knew that by now.

Safe could change in an instant. One wrong turn. One missed call. One person in the wrong place at the wrong time. Leo knew better than most how quickly everything could be taken away.

His jaw tightened. Then he looked toward Casey.

The shift was immediate. The softness disappeared. The worry disappeared. The affection disappeared. What remained was something colder. Something that reminded people why Leonardo was the leader.

Casey straightened his poor posture slightly. Not because he was told to. Because something in Leo's expression demanded it.

Leo crossed the room slowly, stopping directly in front of him.

"Casey, While she's with you,"

Leo held his gaze for several long seconds. Long enough that the apartment seemed to grow quieter around them. Long enough that even you felt your stomach tighten from where you stood.

Then Leo spoke,

"If she gets hurt, if she dies, if she catches a fever, if the Foot gets their hands on her, if she gets hit by lightning, anything...."

His voice never rose. That somehow made it worse. More serious.

There was no shouting. No dramatic anger. Just absolute certainty.

The kind that settled into a person's bones.

"Anything happens to her, and I'll kill you.."

The words landed heavily in the room. Casey stared at him.For a moment nobody said anything. Casey blinked. Unsure if he even that last part right. Leo didn't even react.

Casey looked between Leo and you.

Then back to Leo.

"A fever is on the same level as being taken by the Foot?"

The complete lack of amusement on Leo's face answered the question. Casey's expression slowly changed. The joke died before it could fully leave his mouth. Because beneath the threat, beneath the overprotectiveness and paranoia and ridiculous inclusion of lightning strikes—

There was fear. Raw, genuine fear.

Leo wasn't threatening him because he was angry. No. He was threatening him because he was terrified.

Because there were a thousand things in this city that could hurt the people he loved, and for the next few hours, he wouldn't be there to stop them.

Casey saw it. You saw it too.

The realization made your chest ache.

Slowly, Casey nodded. The humor disappeared from his face.

"You have my word. Nothing's gonna happen to her."

Leo's eyes didn't leave his. Then, finally, he looked at you.

The hardness in his expression cracked instantly.

Like it had never been there at all.

He crossed the room toward you before he could stop himself. Until he was standing in front of you.

His hand found yours. Large fingers curling around your own. Holding on for just a second longer than he should have. As if some small part of him was trying to memorize the feeling.

Just in case.

"You'll be okay," you whispered.

Leo laughed softly.

A quiet, bitter, humorless sound.

Not because he disagreed. Because he wanted so badly to believe you. His heavy thumb brushed across your knuckles. Then he leaned forward, pressing his forehead gently against yours. The gesture was brief.

Tender.

The kind of affection he rarely allowed himself when other people were watching.

When he finally pulled away, his eyes lingered on yours for a moment longer. Like leaving was physically painful. Like every instinct in his body was fighting against it.

Then, with visible effort, he finally stepped back.

The leader returned. The soldier returned. The protector returned..

But the fear never fully left his eyes.

"Lock the door after I leave.."

You smiled.

"We always do."

Casey groaned loudly from across the room. Dramatic.

"Leo, either say goodbye or go save the city. Standing here isn't helping anyone."

Leo shot him a glare powerful enough to silence him instantly. Then, after one final look at you, he disappeared through the apartment door.

The room felt emptier the second he was gone.

And as Casey locked the deadbolt behind him, he found himself staring at the door for a moment before shaking his head.

Because after seeing the look in Leo's eyes—He was worried about what would happen if Leonardo ever lost the one person he couldn't bear to lose.

And judging by that threat— Nobody in New York would survive the aftermath...

but when you get it right?? that tiny proud smile on his face says it all. 

Raphael ⋆˚꩜｡

Raph is pure instinct. There is no hesitation.

Protective in a physical, territorial way.

Always has an arm around you or near you

When you all first met Casey and he was still unsure about you and the turtles, 

He grabbed your arm → Raph immediately yanked him off

Pulled you behind him

“You don’t touch them.”

He’s not insecure, but territorial

hand on your waist at all times

Raph tends to bicker with you over small things—it’s just who he is.

But when it turns into a real argument… he backs off

he’ll let you win, even if he doesn’t agree

Not because he’s giving up

But because deep down, he’s scared his anger might go too far one day and hurt you.

Donatello ✧*｡

Donnie protects you by making sure danger never gets the chance to happen

He’s the “I already solved the problem before it existed” type

Builds things for you:

Tracking devices (you didn’t ask for it… it’s already in your bag)

Panic buttons

Upgraded phone security

Probably coded something to monitor your vitals 😭

If you go out alone:

“Text me when you get there.”

…But he already knows you arrived.

You once joke about him being overprotective

He just casually lists the 12 ways he’s kept you safe in the five minutes you’ve been over. 

Michelangelo⋆˚✿˖°

Mikey’s protection hits different because people underestimate him HARD

They see the jokes

They see the 'party guy'

refer to him as the stupid one out of his brothers

They do not realize he’s still trained, strong, and very capable

He uses that plays dumb

acts harmless

lets people think he’s just the “fun one”

until they mess with you.

casually putting himself between you and others without making it obvious.

Like, he’ll lean on a wall… but it blocks access to you

drapes an arm over you but it’s actually positioning

Mikey adores his brothers, no question

but the second one of them crosses that invisible line with you??

yeah… nope

“haha, alright, that’s enough—back it up, dude.”

it’s said like a joke

but it’s not

he doesn’t get loud, doesn’t get aggressive

just… a quick little snap of protectiveness

you tease him for it later

“What was that?”

“Nothing.”

“You’re a snapping turtle today, huh?”

---------------------------------------------------

Walk with me,

You waited up late at the lair for your Leonardo to come home.

At first, the hours passed easily.

You sat with Splinter in the dojo, sharing quiet conversation while the soft sounds of the underground drifted through the lair.

Master Splinter spoke calmly, offering bits of wisdom between stories, and for a while it kept your mind occupied.

But as the night stretched on, exhaustion slowly began settling into your bones.

You tried to stay awake.

First, you lingered in the kitchen, absentmindedly picking at a snack while glancing at the clock every few minutes.

Then you moved to the living room, curling up on the couch with one of Donnie's abandoned books. You barely made it through a few pages before rereading the same sentence three times.

Eventually, your feet carried you somewhere familiar.

Leonardo's room.

You paused in the doorway for a moment, smiling softly at the sight of it.

Everything was exactly as he always kept it—organized, disciplined, and painfully neat.

Books neatly tucked away on the shelf. Training gear was carefully put away. Even his bed looked untouched, the blankets smoothed perfectly across the mattress.

It was so painfully him.

You sat down on the edge of the bed.

Just for a minute.

Just until he got back from patrol.

The faint scent of him still lingered on the blankets, comforting and familiar. Without thinking, you pulled them closer around yourself.

Your eyelids felt heavier.

And heavier.

The next thing you knew, sleep claimed you completely.

When you finally woke, confusion hit you first.

This wasn't your apartment.

There was no sunlight filtering through your bedroom window.

No familiar ceiling above you.

Instead, your cheek was pressed against something warm and solid.

Your brain took a moment to catch up.

Plastron.

Leonardo's plastron..

The realization made your heart stumble.

At some point during the night, he'd returned from patrol and climbed into bed beside you.

One powerful arm rested beneath your head while the other was wrapped securely around your waist, keeping you tucked against him as if he'd never intended to let go.

His blue mask sat discarded near the corner of the room beside his katanas, evidence of how exhausted he must have been when he came home.

Yet somehow, he'd still taken the time to pull you into his arms.

You didn't even remember him getting into bed.

Slowly, you tilted your head upward.

Leonardo was still asleep.

Without the stern focus he carried during the day, he looked younger somehow. Softer. The constant weight of responsibility that usually sat on his shoulders seemed absent for once.

For a moment, you simply watched him.

The rise and fall of his chest.

The faint scar crossing his eye.

The way one hand remained curled possessively against your side, even in sleep.

As though he instinctively needed to know you were still there.

Your chest ached with affection for him.

Maybe it was silly.

But moments like this felt rare.

No missions.

No training.

No danger lurking around the corner.

Just you and him.

Safe.

Together.

As if sensing your stare, Leonardo let out a low groan before shifting slightly. His arm tightened around your waist, pulling you impossibly closer.

His eyes never opened.

"Go back to sleep," he mumbled, voice rough and heavy with exhaustion.

You couldn't help but smile.

"You knew I was awake?"

A faint huff escaped him.

"Mm."

You laughed quietly.

His only response was to bury his face against the top of your head and pull you closer still.

The room fell silent again.

Wrapped securely in Leonardo's arms, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath your ear, you let your eyes drift shut once more.