·:*¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨*:·

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