Honestly, I'll ship just about anything if the dynamic compels me enough; controversial elements like relatedness or age gaps just become an interesting seasoning on an already tasty meal.

Four guys who are the only members of their species, forced to hide away from society and rely on only themselves and a few select others for all of their needs? Compels the fuck out of me. They also happen to be brothers? Interesting wrench to throw into a relationship and cause drama.

To start, 2003:

Leonardo: I see him as transmasc, most likely coming out in early childhood by simply requesting that his family refer to him as a boy like his brothers, no fanfair. Probably gay, but I can swing bi/panromantic. I like him on the asexual spectrum. He seems most interested in people who can hold their own in a fight, as well as those with some kind of authority. Subby as fuck.

Raphael: Almost stereotypically masculine, you might think Raph is cis, but I see him more as bigender or a transwoman. She is unaware of this, and will never have any kind of egg moment on his own. Needs Donny to literally remind her that Leo transitioned when they were kids. Bi with heavy gay leaning. Wants a partner who can kick his ass.

Donatello: The rare cis turtle, demiromantic or aromantic pan. Sees sex more as a platonic bonding activity, would probably like a qpr.

Michelangelo: My boy hasn't seen a gender she doesn't like, whether that be for identity or dating. Very fluid in how they see both xirself and the world. I do prefer he/him for Mikey, but I also feel that he wouldn't give a fuck what pronouns are used.

2012 up next

Leonardo: I love transfem Leo with my heart and soul (big shock, I know), however this turtle is a veritable playground for identity headcanons. Leo can be read as transfem, transmasc, bigender, agender or really anything you can think of. Will be supremely insecure about this, even when no one else cares. Sexuality wise, Leo is into you as long as you're related to her able to kick her ass.

Raphael: Can be read as either transfem or transmasc, although I'm personally fond of masc. He'd prefer a woman who will kick his ass before pampering him, or a guy he can bully.

Donatello: Donatello desperately wants to be seen as "normal," to the point of refusing to acknowledge that he is both masc nonbinary and bi.

Michelangelo: Once again our pan king, Mikey will fall in love with most people within minutes of meeting them, even if that is very obviously a bad idea. Dtf whenever, but I actually think Mikey would see sex as just a fun thing to do, rather than something to be actively desired. Prefers a more masc identity, although whether that is as a cis guy or trans varies by the day.

Rise!

Leonardo: A gay transman, big shock I know. Like I don't even think that's a headcanon, I'm pretty sure that's just canon (fight me). I actually think this boy wants an authority figure more than any other Leo, and probably wants to be bullied and praised in equal amounts.

Raphael: I actually see him as cis, but I have seen the transfem art, and see the appeal. Pan as hell, with a preference for the cute and badass. Would probably also like an older partner who could kick his ass.

Donatello: Transmasc nonbinary and living it without shame. Bi, with preference for women.

Michelangelo: "Gender is optional, orange is not" quote stolen from rayshippouuchiha's Naruto Don't Gender Good au. I just think it fits him really well. Ace/aro, but loves the concept of love, just for other people. Arolovic.

📓 For a project I've been daydreaming about but haven't written

A 2012 tmnt au focusing on Mikey (at first) in which rather than being trapped in Dimension X for a handful of hours, he instead survived for several years there before his brothers were able to follow after him.

I enjoy the angst of Mikey suddenly being so much older than his siblings, and struggling to connect with them, to the point that he starts avoiding his family and instead bonding with others, mostly taken from 2003 and idw.

Eventually they settle into a new rhythm, with Mikey taking on more of a caretaker roll in the family, giving Leo some breathing room to sit down and recover from his knee injury once it occurs, rather than pushing himself to the point of making it worse like he seems to in the show (before it disappears entirely - it being in his head is bullshit)

There's also a romance between Mikey and Leatherhead because those two have me in a stranglehold lol.

I take a lot of the 2012 plot and shuffle it around, especially with Raph being controlled by the brain worm. Rather than it being a brief thing where he's taken and saved very quickly, he's the one to kill Splinter, and remains with the Shredder for a rather long time before being rescued.

Donnie becomes a mob boss. I just think he deserves a criminal enterprise.

Thank you for asking!

12. What's a headcanon you have for this character?

Mikey isn't NEARLY as oblivious and incompetent as canon/fanon likes to portray him. He's goofy, most interested in having a good time, but he knows what's he's doing.

15. What's your favorite ship for this character? (Doesn't matter if it's canon or not.)

Leatherangelo, full stop. Mikey and Leatherhead have such a sweet relationship in 12, to the point that I am always searching for just one more fic or art piece of them.

19. How about a relationship they have in canon that you don't like?

I suppose, since she's intended to be his canon love interest, it would have been nice to see a better build up with Renet. As it stands, it's another rather empty love at first sight trope, which is sad, because they could have been cute.

20. Which other character is the ideal best friend for this character, the amount of screentime they share doesn't matter?

Because there is the obvious hilarity of Donnie openly lusting for a man these times his age, all the while his brothers, father, and said man's daughter are forced to endure it,

But imagine.