#simoni

Words: 920

Simoni watched the darkened sky above, reading the shape of the stars. They were blazing tonight, the moon only a sliver, allowing the stars to shine all the brighter in its absence.

He was really enjoying the coolness of the darker night as they continued in a close group, saddle leather creaking and bits clicking against their horses' teeth. Davinci stretched with a little groan, letting the reins sit on the saddle horn.

"Maybe we should camp soon," Sanzio offered.

"We can get further," Bardi murmured. "We'll keep going. We can rest in the morning."

A thin whimper sounded from Simoni's lap. their target was settled across his legs, hands tied behind his back, tail and legs tied together in one knot.

Dante Stockman, the only remaining son of the rich and powerful Baxter Stockman. They had kidnapped him with the plan of receiving a ransom, but Baxter had been… less than interested.

Dante, who had been loud and complaining with lots of screaming and begging to be let off the horse, had gotten very quiet after that.

All the awkward riding was taking its toll. And maybe the fact his dad had sold him out to kidnappers rather than hand over a paltry sum compared to his fortune.

"Just a bit further," Simoni encouraged, patting Dante's back lightly.

The sailfin just whimpered again.

Simoni considered the way he was trembling, and wondered if he was crying. he hadn't heard anything, but…

What a fucked up thing to do to your kid.

"Actually, let's set up camp," Simoni piped up. "I've got a leg cramp that's killin' me."

Bardi sighed. "Very well."

"Since when do you get leg cramps?" Davinci accused.

"Since just now I guess." Simoni grinned back at him, and Davinci huffed and pushed his horse into a trot past Simoni.

They settled in the curve of a rock formation, easy to defend and easy to escape. They kept the fire low, just for warmth and less for light, and untacked their horses to let them rest.

Their bedrolls were laid out, and Simoni settled Dante on his own. Dante didn't move much. He curled up, and Simoni tied Dante's guiding rope around his own arm. The thin little scholar wouldn't know what to do with himself.

Simoni sat beside him, tapping his canteen against Dante's sail.

"Drink," he said shortly.

Dante slowly lifted his head, dragging it like it weighed a ton. He hadn't had anything to eat all day and had gotten only the occasional sip of water, so Simoni assumed he would be thirsty and hungry.

Dante accepted it, touching his lips to the rim of the canteen. Simoni let him drink deeply this time.

"Here, jerky." Simoni offered a bite, and Dante eyed it before looking away. "Oh, c'mon… You need to eat. Don't sulk."

Dante's lip almost curled into something nasty, but he only lowered his head against the bedroll.

"Alright, fine. I guess I'll have to get out the good stuff." Simoni pulled out a bar of pemmican, offering it to Dante instead. "It's pemmican," he said. "Nutrient dense. Decent taste. It'll tide you over until morning."

"Why?" Dante asked, voice hoarse from screaming.

"Because it's food?"

"Aren't you going to kill me?" Dante's voice wobbled with his lip.

Simoni blinked. He glanced at his brothers, then down at Dante. "No."

Dante looked up at him finally, eyes wide and bloodshot. He was exhausted, and hopeless. "You're letting me go…?"

"Where would you go?"

Dante paused. Simoni thought he looked particularly conflicted, and guessed.

"Back to Stockman?"

Dante nodded, eyes casting downwards. "He's my father."

Simoni tilted his head. "Even after he sold you out?"

"H-he has to do what's best for… For the company."

"Sounds like bullshit to me," Simoni said with a shrug. "He's a greedy asshole. Why do you think we chose him as a target?"

"B-because you're thieves!" Dante stammered. "Bandits! My father worked hard for—"

Simoni put the pemmican in Dante's mouth, making the other cough and squeak in alarm. "He didn't work hard for shit. Just eat the pemmican. We'll talk about it tomorrow, what we're going to do with you."

Dante chewed, and Simoni could only assume he wasn't trying to look incredibly pathetic and miserable. It wasn't working.

Simoni tilted his hat down over his eyes and leaned up against the rock, sighing. He could hear Dante shuffling around, trying to get comfortable.

Another quiet whimper.

"Arms uncomfortable?" Simoni asked.

"Of course they are," Dante hissed. "I've been riding across your— your beast all day! I can't—" A miserable sniffle. "I can't feel my fingers anymore!"

Simoni sat up, tilting his hat back. He untied Dante's arms. The sailfin groaned quietly as his arms fell back to his sides, and he rolled his shoulders timidly.

"You're in the middle of the mountains right now," Simoni explained. "We're a two day's hike from the nearest town, and you've got zero survival skills. We aren't gonna kill you, but the mountain lions and the cold will."

Dante looked at him with a glare, and rolled onto his side, facing the fire away from Simoni. "Message heard."

Simoni watched him, and then glanced up at the stars again. He could stay awake for a while and keep an eye on the guy.

Watch the stars. Watch the moon's sliver like a barely open eye gazing down on them.

skibbles by @bluepeachstudios

Ayo fuck you, redesigns your Dark Turtles. The alterations I did were influenced by Rise's designs. Consider it a kind of not exactly Rise version of them.

These versions also get new names;

Dark Leo - Davinci

Dark Raph - Sanzio

Dark Don - Bardi

Wanted my first post to be a Christmas gift for @bluepeachstudios aka @amevello-blue

Without a doubt my favorite TMNT fic author

The skittles are really special to me so i wanted them to be special as Ame's gift

I drew this imagining them after a card game so these are my little headcanons i came up with (not confirmed by Ame)

Anywayyyyyyyys

Hope you like this as much as i liked drawing it

Ame

Thank you for being the best online uncle I could've asked for thanks for always being so kind and thanks for all the beautiful fics/art that always made me smile thanks for the amazing discord family and so many other cool things

THE COAT