Yeah see this one gets it! Everyone out here turning me into a LeoMikey shipper lol! Yeah no Leo and Mikey have this close bond that Raph and Don both have it’s not that they all don’t love each other it’s just there’s different dynamics
yes!!! the 03 dynamics are my favorite for that reason. its clear characterizations makes shipping so much fun! they each have such strong personalities and playing the matching game is my favorite pastime :)
things i love about the other pairings:
leo/don - i love their peace and shared energy. they can both "parallel play" and spend hours together saying nothing which says everything at the same time. they want to unburden each other and are always putting the other first, and they're fiercely protective of their connection. I love how they fit together like perfectly cut puzzle pieces. both loyal and dedicated and passionate and unafraid of what they have together. they take each other to places they didn't know existed. this pairing feels like something secret and precious that should be protected.
leo/raph: I mean who doesn't love the push and pull of these two? yin and yang, fire and ice, all the things. XD there are things they only show to each other and no one else, and raph is the only person leo will allow himself to be needy and vulnerable around, because he knows raph needs that support too. they each "get it" because they're both protective of their family in similar ways. I think they are sweeter around each other when they're alone, moreso than they feel they can be around their brothers. i also think they help each other change in the greatest ways. they each set the bar high for the other and will never let each other down. they are the definition of a power couple.
raph/mikey: these two have so much fun together and i imagine raph loves to test mikey's patience in private as much as mikey tests his in public. but then there are times where he's such a sap for mikey and mikey takes full advantage of raph's sweetness, whether he means to use it against him in a cheesy prank or (actually) return it in kind. they are so comfortable around each other and so connected at the hip that no one knows where raph ends and mikey begins. their roughhousing turns sexy right away. they're so rambunctious and into each other it's absolutely disgusting <3
don/mikey: I love the 07 pairing for them the most because it just feels so natural, but the 03 dynamics make it VERY fun too. mikey's constant pestering turns into bedroom pampering and don is actually able to stay hydrated and fed with mikey looking after him. and mikey gives don dozens of reasons to take frequent breaks from work so he doesn't exhaust himself (mikey cannot - nay WILL NOT - be ignored!) by being either a nuisance or a sexy distraction. mikey lifts don's spirits and don centers mikey. they're inventive, creative, and adventurous together.
you didnt ask for all that sorry but it was a good opportunity to put my thoughts down about the other pairings!