HEADLOCK*

* // open starter for ⤫ : everyone.

The city felt different after New York. It lacked the rush of busy people with a million places to be. The impatience of the east coast was truly unique. His skateboard cracked sharply against the pavement as he dropped it down in front of him, one foot settling onto it with practiced ease. The motion was automatic at this point. Familiar muscle memory from years of skating through alleyways and rooftops trying to outrun his own thoughts. The late evening air was warm enough that he’d ditched the heavy hoodie for once, sleeves shoved up to his elbows while his goggles rested loosely around his neck. His duffel bag sat abandoned beside the bench nearby, still half unpacked from the trip and now his stuffed with gym clothes.

Jasper would absolutely complain about it later. The thought pulled the faintest smile out of him before he caught himself doing it. Donnie pushed off hard against the pavement, skateboard rolling smoothly beneath him as he glided down the stretch of sidewalk bordering the park. New York had given him too much time to think. About Jasper. About the engagement sitting heavy and warm on his finger. About Yoshi. About the encrypted files currently hidden on three separate drives involving mutagen stabilization and a project labeled For Raph.

Maybe that was why he nearly clipped someone while turning too sharply around the corner. Donnie jerked sideways at the last second, sneaker dragging hard against concrete to stop himself before collision.

“Woah, okay, either you appeared out of nowhere,” he said immediately, stepping one foot off the board as he steadied himself, “or my depth perception has finally been destroyed by sleep deprivation.” His eyes flicked upward properly then, expression easing into something dry but noticeably less guarded than it used to be. “Please say the first one. It’d be less medically concerning for me.”

violetheroism

Violet gasped like the wind had been taken out of her, but she'd managed to stay upright — and just very shocked. She held her notebook and pen to her chest, her heart beating rapidly.

"The first one," she said without thinking. Truth be told, Violet didn't actually know if she'd been walking invisible or visible, but the former was more likely to be true. She'd been known to pace around in her invisible form when she was really caught in her thoughts, and a walk through suburbia was the surest way for her to get lost (sometimes literally too).

It took her a second to recognise the guy; with a different get-up and a starkly different environment (no books!), she almost didn't. But when her eyes settled on his face, she brightened. "Oh, hey, it's you! Donatello Hamato," Violet grinned. "Wow, that's a mouthful. But, like, a really cool one. How are you, I haven't seen you haunting a dark corner with a pile of books recently."

Should she have introduced herself? She'd said everything in such a rush, she didn't know if he could place her just from her voice, so instead of potentially interrupting him, she just waited with a slightly more awkward smile.

#purple is the BEST #t h r e a d ✧ ⎨violet p.⎬

Donnie blinked at her for approximately two seconds before immediately pointing at her with the hand not holding his skateboard. “I knew it,” he declared. “Okay, great, excellent. This is actually way better for my ego because getting taken out by an invisible person is significantly less embarrassing than just failing basic spatial awareness.” His mouth twitched upward as he steadied the skateboard properly beneath one foot again. The initial surprise had already worn off, replaced by immediate recognition once she said his name.

“Oh, hey, library cryptid,” he greeted automatically, like that was a perfectly normal nickname to assign someone. “Violet, right?” There was a faint warmth in his tone now, something noticeably softer than the guarded sharpness he usually carried around strangers. He remembered her. Mostly because anyone willing to hand him handwritten conspiracy notes and discuss dimensional fractures without immediately assuming he was insane ranked pretty highly in his brain.

At her comment about his full name, Donnie let out a quiet scoff. “Yeah, my dad got real creative with the names. I honestly think I got the best one." He shifted the skateboard up into his hand now instead of balancing on it. “You say ‘haunting dark corners with books’ like that’s not still ninety percent of my personality,” he replied dryly. “I’ve just been out of town. Family stuff. Good family stuff, for once.” The admission came easier than expected. “I actually just got back."

leonardoisms

Leo knew that Donnie was back in town. The static nipping at the back of his neck informed him that his twin was here. He could always feel Donnie in their shared ninpo, but it was stronger now. In that moment, Leo felt whole again. He was aware that he and Donnie had a toxic codependency forged from the trauma they had endured as children, but truthfully, neither of them wanted to fix it. They were twins. Yin and Yang. Packaged together and meant to not be separated.

Which is why it had been hard for Leo not to travel back to New York with his twin. Leo's sour mood would have dampened the good news Donnie wanted to share. The last thing he wanted was for their father's attention to be on him, which was a shocking statement given that Leo had always done what he could to be in the spotlight. It was Donnie's moment, so Leo stayed behind. There was nothing he wanted more than to see his dad and brothers again. The chance would come, just not this time around.

He was heading back from yet another night at the fight club. The battles never got easier. The more he won, the harder the next opponent tried to take him down. Leo was pushing his body past its limits. It was only a matter of time before he collapsed. He could feel it in his bones yet refused to stop.

The electrical buzzing intensified once he turned the corner. A tell sign his twin was around, but he could have guessed that after nearly being knocked on his ass by Donnie. "Both, lowkey. Dad did teach us the art of surprise, but also, I wouldn't be shocked if your lack of sleep finally got the better of you." A playful grin danced on his lips. "First day back and you're trying to take out your twin? For shame, tello."

#t h r e a d ✧ ⎨leonardo h.⎬#he missed his twin clearly

Donnie’s entire face lit up the second he heard Leo’s voice. Not in the subtle way he usually allowed himself around other people either. “There he is,” Donnie breathed out dramatically, one hand pressing against his chest. “My favorite shade of blue.” The relief hit him harder than expected. New York had been good. Important, even. But there had been a constant low static in him the entire month he was gone like missing a limb he’d spent his entire life attached to. The second Leo stepped into range of their ninpo again, something inside Donnie settled back into place so naturally it almost irritated him. Codependency was a disease and unfortunately he was thriving in it.

“Wow,” he deadpanned. “I come home and immediately get bullied in the streets. Incredible hospitality. Very anti-reunion of you.” His gaze sharpened slightly because there it was. The exhaustion. Most people probably wouldn’t catch it. Leo still carried himself with that same easy swagger, grin sharp enough to distract from the damage underneath. But Donnie noticed everything that had to do with his brother. He could always tell how Leo was feeling by a slight twitch or even by the look in his eyes. His jaw tightened for half a second.

“You look like hell,” he informed him bluntly. Donnie stepped closer now, close enough for the static between them to practically buzz beneath his skin. Familiar. Grounding. “You’ve been overdoing it again,” he said quieter this time. Leo burned himself alive trying to keep everyone else warm and then acted surprised when Donnie got upset about it. The worst part was Donnie understood the instinct completely. His eyes flicked briefly over the bruises Leo was probably trying to hide before he exhaled slowly through his nose.

“I leave for one month and you immediately start speedrunning self-destruction,” he muttered. “Couldn’t even wait until I unpacked first. Rude.” But then the corner of his mouth twitched upward faintly and he nudged Leo lightly with the edge of his skateboard. “C’mere, idiot.” The insult lost all meaning when Donnie immediately grabbed him into a tight hug afterward anyway.

The moment Donnie was wrapped in his arms, where he rightfully belonged, the biggest sigh of relief left Jasper. It felt like he had finally gasped for air after being underwater for so long. Realistically, the time apart hadn't been that long, but any second apart was agony. Perhaps that was a dramatic viewpoint, but Jasper would never deny he was a dramatic being. He was utterly, completely, and hopelessly in love with Donnie. He now orbited around his little turtle, where Donnie began, and he ended, Jasper didn't know, nor did he care. He was happily intertwined.

Jasper took his time getting reacquainted with the feeling of his lover's lips against his. Each kiss felt just as electric as the first time they kissed. Stars burst behind the darkness of his eyelids, like fireworks on the Fourth of July. His long limbs grew weak and unsteady. The haze of the honeymoon phase never left. Jasper was content to stay here for the rest of his life. When Donnie's voice finally pierced his ears, it felt like hearing the sweetest song. A small but pitiful whine left him when their lips parted. He wasn't ready to break contact yet, but he pulled back to allow Donnie to catch his breath. As he did, his gaze lifted to meet those mismatched eyes he adored so much. Immediately, Jasper's features softened.

He leaned into his fiancée's touch. Jasper was practically chasing it at this point like a moth fluttering towards light. "I missed you more," He dared, knowing it was a challenge he would lose, but happily so. "Baby, that was never my intention. If I remember correctly, a very independent and stubborn little turtle told me before he left that he didn't need my help rearranging our bedroom. I'm sorry to have inconvenienced you, but if it helps, it was just as painful to be away from you." He laughed, warm and sweet like honey. His eyes shone like a bright full moon on a beautiful October night. "How was New York? You must tell me all about it," He said, still carrying Donnie in one arm and now using his other to grab his luggage. There were many perks to having his true form be a 7ft skeleton monster; one of those was the strength that came with it. Jasper barely broke a sweat as he walked through the airport, refusing to put Donnie down.

Donnie melted instantly the second Jasper kept carrying him instead of putting him down. Objectively speaking, he was fully capable of walking on his own. He had functioning legs. Excellent balance, actually. But Jasper carrying him through the airport like he was a precious treasure made him melt. He should be embarrassed but how could he? He was so loved. So no, he wasn’t about to complain.

His arms stayed loosely looped around Jasper’s shoulders, fingers absentmindedly playing with strands of dark hair near the nape of his neck while he watched him with that dangerous sort of affection he usually tried to disguise behind sarcasm. “I am very independent...but you're determined to undo it.” Donnie informed him dryly. “You weaponized emotional attachment. Very manipulative behavior, Skellington.” His mouth twitched upward despite himself before he leaned down to steal another quick kiss because apparently he’d become incapable of existing more than thirty seconds without doing that now.

“Well,” he started, “your future father-in-law emotionally drained me within approximately forty-eight hours.” He loved his father dearly but he could be a lot as well. “He made tea and gave me relationship advice. But he also stared me down when asking about whether I'd been 'behaving'. Like he doesn't already know how terrible I am.” Donnie narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. “I’m like ninety percent sure he can see through walls.” His tone softened after a second thoug. “But it was… good. I told him about us. About the engagement.” His thumb brushed lightly against Jasper’s shoulder as he spoke. “I think he was happier about it than I was prepared for, honestly. He hugged me for too long and made me promise I wouldn't elope.”

Donnie rested his forehead briefly against Jasper’s temple, exhaustion finally catching up to him now that he was close again. “And I worked on some things while I was there,” he continued carefully, lips twitching faintly. “Actually, correction, I accidentally started a morally complicated science project. One I'm not sure I'll be able to accomplish." He sighed. “I’ll explain later. Preferably after food and approximately six uninterrupted hours of kissing you. I missed home.”

incredibledash

open starter. (2/4) location: paradise pier | new elias time: saturday, 5pm

it had been some time since his family had moved to new elias, but still dash parr felt strange running to his full potential. even here, he was able to pull stares out of people with his speed - which wasn’t exactly a problem, but it wasn't what he was trying to do. with that said, an impressive pace by most standards felt like jogging to the middle super-in-training. dash had to consider, in population dense areas like the pier, that 20 mph looked like a sprint to these people. crawling at 10 still got comments sometimes.

as he started to approach crowds on his run, he took the opportunity to slow down to a walk. now was as good of a time as any to stretch, grab a drink, and take a break. most picnic tables were occupied by families, but he found one that only sat one person. dash approached the table and sat down on the opposite bench without asking.

"alright," he said, as he scanned the area's food vendors. considering the day and time, most had lines that were painful - but there was a taco stand right in view that only had two people in line. he pointed. "so does the food suck or is it a hidden gem? place your bets."

Donnie looked up from his tablet at the sound of someone dropping onto the opposite bench. His eyes followed the other's pointing finger toward the taco stand in question before narrowing slightly in immediate suspicion. “Hm., The lack of line is either a sign of hidden culinary brilliance,” Donnie decided, “or a gastrointestinal hate crime.”

He leaned back slightly against the bench, one leg stretched out while his stylus tapped idly against the edge of his tablet. The pier buzzed around them, kids yelling somewhere nearby, gulls screaming like they paid rent here, music drifting faintly from one of the food carts. Donnie’s gaze flicked back toward to the other properly now. “Although statistically speaking? The places with the worst branding usually have the best food.” His tone shifted into mock seriousness now. “You want the taco stand that looks like it might violate at least one health code. That’s where flavor lives.”

Donnie finally set his tablet down beside him and pointed vaguely toward the stand. “That one specifically has survived three separate magical incidents and one electrical fire.” He sounded almost impressed. “Which honestly gives it credibility.”

#t h r e a d ✧ ⎨dash p.⎬

fangedchaos

nimona had planned on spending their afternoon sketching in the botanical gardens - the weather was perfect for it, sunny and warm with the slightest breeze. they'd tossed their sketchbook into their messenger bag with a handful of various art supplies - pens, markers, pencils of different colors - and set out after lunch. unfortunately things don't always go to plan and after an hour and change of mostly erasing things, they'd given up their own artistic endeavors in favor of observing the artistic endeavors of others... which is how they found themself here, at the art museum.

they stood facing one of the paintings, their eyes flitting from object to person to landscape. a soft hum left their lips and they leaned sideways a little - just enough to sliiiightly invade the personal space of the person standing closest to them; enough to catch their attention without touching them. "do you ever wonder what they're thinking?" nimona asked, eyes still focused on the painting in front of them. "the people in the paintings, i mean."

#t h r e a d ✧ ⎨nimona b.⎬

Donnie had not intended to spend his afternoon in an art museum. He also hadn’t intended to spend twenty minutes staring at the same painting trying to determine whether the artist was making a statement about grief or just really committed to painting clouds dramatically. He wasn't really an art guy but he'd learned from Mikey to appreciate it at least. His hands were shoved into the pockets of his hoodie as he tilted his head slightly toward the canvas. The museum was quiet in that specific oppressive way museums always were until someone spoke. He glanced sideways just enough to acknowledge them before looking back toward the painting.

“Constantly,” he answered without hesitation. “Which is probably concerning, psychologically.” His gaze drifted toward one of the painted figures near the edge of the canvas. “That guy specifically,” Donnie continued thoughtfully, pointing vaguely at the painting, “looks like he’s realizing in real time that history will remember him exclusively as ‘man standing near horse.’ Which honestly? Brutal.”

The corner of his mouth twitched upward faintly. “I think people forget portraits used to be weirdly intimate.” His tone shifted into something more focused now. “Like, someone sat there long enough for another person to memorize their face. That’s kind of terrifying if you think about it too hard.”

* // open starter for ⤫ : everyone.

The city felt different after New York. It lacked the rush of busy people with a million places to be. The impatience of the east coast was truly unique. His skateboard cracked sharply against the pavement as he dropped it down in front of him, one foot settling onto it with practiced ease. The motion was automatic at this point. Familiar muscle memory from years of skating through alleyways and rooftops trying to outrun his own thoughts. The late evening air was warm enough that he’d ditched the heavy hoodie for once, sleeves shoved up to his elbows while his goggles rested loosely around his neck. His duffel bag sat abandoned beside the bench nearby, still half unpacked from the trip and now his stuffed with gym clothes.

Jasper would absolutely complain about it later. The thought pulled the faintest smile out of him before he caught himself doing it. Donnie pushed off hard against the pavement, skateboard rolling smoothly beneath him as he glided down the stretch of sidewalk bordering the park. New York had given him too much time to think. About Jasper. About the engagement sitting heavy and warm on his finger. About Yoshi. About the encrypted files currently hidden on three separate drives involving mutagen stabilization and a project labeled For Raph.

Maybe that was why he nearly clipped someone while turning too sharply around the corner. Donnie jerked sideways at the last second, sneaker dragging hard against concrete to stop himself before collision.

“Woah, okay, either you appeared out of nowhere,” he said immediately, stepping one foot off the board as he steadied himself, “or my depth perception has finally been destroyed by sleep deprivation.” His eyes flicked upward properly then, expression easing into something dry but noticeably less guarded than it used to be. “Please say the first one. It’d be less medically concerning for me.”

#wastarter

sharpestbow

Location: Abandoned Warehouse Status: CLOSED ( @donniehamctos )

The abandoned warehouse smelled vaguely like dust, motor oil, and poor decision-making.

Which, honestly, Kate felt was pretty on-brand for them at this point.

“Okay, before we start,” Kate announced, crouched beside an open duffel bag full of gear, “I need it formally documented that if either of us accidentally breaks something expensive tonight, I’m emotionally prepared to blame you immediately.”

She glanced up from where she was tightening the strap on one of her gauntlets, dark ponytail swinging over her shoulder as she spoke. The overhead industrial lights cast sharp gold across the massive open training space, illuminating stacked crates, makeshift targets, and the deeply questionable obstacle setup they’d thrown together an hour earlier.

A speaker somewhere near the wall blasted music just loudly enough to make the entire warehouse vibrate faintly beneath their feet.

Kate straightened, rolling one shoulder experimentally before grabbing her bow from where it rested against a nearby crate.

“Also,” She added casually, “I’d like to point out that I suggested a normal training session.” Her eyes narrowed accusingly toward Donnie. “You’re the one who said, and I quote, ‘what if we added moving targets and mild peril?’”

Was it an over-exaggeration? Absolutely.

“Which, legally speaking, is exactly the kind of sentence people say right before ending up on the news.”

Despite the commentary, though, she looked energized; adrenaline already sparking visibly beneath her sarcasm. Testing gear always did this to her. The focus. The movement. The challenge of figuring out exactly how far she could push something before it failed.

Or before she did.

Kate reached into the duffel again before tossing something toward Donnie without much warning.

“Catch.”

A compact tech attachment spun once through the air.

“Prototype stabilizer,” She defined, grabbing an arrow and twirling it absently between her fingers. “Supposed to improve impact accuracy and reduce recoil vibration.”

Then her grin turned immediately dangerous.

“So naturally…” She gestured broadly toward the chaos around them. “We’re going to stress-test it irresponsibly. I mean, unless you have something better?”

Donnie caught the prototype one-handed without even looking up properly from the device he was currently soldering together on the crate beside him. Which, in hindsight, was probably the first warning sign. “You say ‘mild peril’ like it’s a bad thing,” he replied dryly, voice partially muffled by the multitool clenched between his teeth. Sparks flashed briefly near his hands before he finally clicked something into place and looked up at her properly.

The warehouse lights reflected sharply off his goggles as a grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. “And for the record,” he continued, pulling the tool from his mouth, “if we end up on the news, I fully expect them to describe me as a visionary.”

His eyes flicked toward the obstacle course they’d built. Calling it an obstacle course was generous. Half the warehouse looked like a tactical training simulation while the other half looked like a physics experiment that had gotten emotionally out of control. Moving targets hung from wires overhead, several ramps had been welded together at questionable angles, and somewhere near the far wall something mechanical was making a deeply concerning clicking noise.

He finally looked down at the stabilizer Kate had tossed him, turning it over thoughtfully between long fingers while she spoke. Immediately his expression shifted into hyperfocus, brows furrowing slightly, attention narrowing onto the tiny engineering details. “Oh this is nice,” he muttered, almost offended by how good it was. “Okay, wow. You reinforced the rotational housing.” His thumb tapped lightly against the side. “And compensated for kinetic drift? Barton, this is damn good engineering. I'm so proud.”

Donnie hopped down from the crate then, rolling his shoulders before clipping the stabilizer experimentally onto one of the nearby test mechanisms. He adjusted it twice, nodded to himself, then immediately smirked at her. “I do have something better, actually.” Without warning, Donnie grabbed a remote off the table and pressed a button. Somewhere overhead, machinery roared to life. Three targets immediately launched across the warehouse at alarming speed while another began swinging from the ceiling like a pendulum designed by a man with unresolved issues. "But don't tell Jasper. I don't think his nerves can handle it.

#t h r e a d ✧ ⎨kate b.⎬

#closed𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗋𝗍𝖾𝗋 ›› ft. donnie hamato location: the airport tagging: @donniehamctos

jasper was never happier than when he was with his darling donatello. the last few weeks had been absolute torture with the absence of his fianceé. they had hardly spent a day apart from the moment they started seeing each other. from secret nights with stolen kisses that left them daydreaming about the other to sleepy mornings when the sunlight cracked through their blinds and gently ushered in a new day, legs tangled under sheets and eyes filled to the brim with devotion, this was the life he was used to. the two were always twisted around each other. jasper knew that if donnie could stitch them together, he would, and the skeleton would happily let him do it. his leg was bouncing up and down nervously as he waited for donnie at the terminal. he had tracked donnie's flight meticulously, down to the second. jasper was an obsessive creature by nature, and donnie was his greatest obsession. not long after, a familiar silhouette came into view. the skeleton's heart leapt out of his chest, just as he did out of his chair. he was grateful to have such long limbs in that moment. they carried him quickly and closed the gap between them. jasper wasted no time picking donnie up off the ground, twirling him in his arms, and kissing him with the devotion of a man who had been starving. "hello, my love." he mumbled against donnie's lips, not wanting to break contact yet. "i missed you."

The second Donnie saw him, every carefully constructed thought in his brain short-circuited. He had spent the entire flight mentally preparing for this reunion like it was a tactical operation. Instead, Jasper practically launched himself at him. Donnie barely got out a startled noise before he was lifted clean off the ground, hands instinctively grabbing onto Jasper’s shoulders as the world spun around him in a blur of terminal lights and familiar cologne. The kiss hit him hard enough that it knocked every remaining coherent thought directly out of his skull.

By the time Jasper finally spoke against his lips, Donnie was already kissing him back with equal desperation, one hand sliding up into the skeleton’s hair while the other curled tightly into the fabric of his coat like he needed physical confirmation this was real. “Hi,” he breathed back uselessly, because apparently his genius intellect had abandoned him completely. His forehead pressed against Jasper’s for a moment as he tried to catch his breath. Donnie’s gaze flicked over Jasper’s face like he was reacquainting himself with every detail, the curve of his mouth, the shadows beneath his eyes, the way he looked at him like Donnie had hung the stars himself. It still did something dangerous to his heart every single time.

His hand shifted against Jasper’s cheek, thumb brushing softly beneath one eye. “I missed you too,” he admitted quieter now, sincerity slipping through before he could armor it over with humor. “Like… physically painful amounts, actually. Very inconvenient for me. You’ve officially ruined my ability to function independently. Hope you’re happy.” Donnie leaned in immediately to kiss him again anyway, slower this time, softer, like he was trying to make up for every second apart all at once.

leonardoisms

———the silence was unsettling for leo. the hurt was palpable. it didn't need to be voiced due to their ninpo. leo couldn't always tell how his brothers were feeling. they were intricately intertwined, bonded to their very souls. it was a blessing and curse to know how deeply his brothers felt. in moments like this, what was unsaid but known killed leo. ❛ very much so, ❜ as if leo wasn't just as dramatic. ❛ i wanted to be left alone because i didn't want the weight of my sadness to affect you. ❜

leo was not one to be forthcoming with his feelings. he was a many of many masks, each one designed to help him survive. there was a sadness within that he never acknowledged. it had followed him since childhood. it was easier to cover it up with humor. to pretend it didn't gnaw at him like a hungry beast. it was harder to ignore with everything feeling like it was crumbling around him. ❛ punching through my feelings doesn't make me feel better. it just distracts me. no matter how fast i run my problems are right behind me and i'm tired. ❜

❛ i know i am. i know you worry about all of us. it's why you call dad like five times a week. ❜ he took a sharp inhale and looked down at the ground. ❛ of course i'll come back. why wouldn't i ? ❜ as if the answer wasn't obvious to leo. he'd burn himself up if it meant others would stay warm.

the slider stilled for a moment, his eyes lifting to meet the only other pair of mismatched eyes he knew. there was no leo without donnie. the two were tied together. two halves, yin and yang. leo knew that donnie would always choose him over jasper. their loyalty ran that deep but donnie was happy. They had both found love when they never imagined it could exist for creatures that shouldn't have existed. leo was selfish when it came to his twin but he wasn't selfish enough to ruin the one thing he had found that was all his. ❛ you love him, donnie. i'm not going to be the thing that stands in the way of that. ❜

his smile didn't quite reach the corner of his eyes but he still tried to muster up something. ❛ yanno, the entire underland could be considered high risk. i'll do my best not to upset you but you've never forgiven me for eating your favorite cereal when we were like ten. ❜

❛ you're not going to lose me. ❜ his words came out like a promise, a sacred oath that could never be broken. leo was a man of his word. it was a ginormous promise to keep but for donnie he'd make it happen. ❛ is that not what i was raised to be ? ❜ had they not been created to be weapons and still raised as such, even if it was with love ? ❛ gemini twins does have a nice ring to it but really, man in the chain, that's all i'm asking. it's you and me, hermano. always. ❜

#t h r e a d ✧ ⎨leonardo h.⎬

Donnie went still. Not the sharp, reactive stillness he used when he was about to dismantle an argument. He felt the sadness before Leo finished saying it. That was the problem with being wired the way they were. The masks didn’t work on him. “You don’t get to decide what I can carry,” Donnie said gently, but there was a firm line under it. “Your sadness isn’t a contaminant, Leo. It’s not radioactive. It doesn’t damage me just because I know it exists. One would think you'd know that after all this time.”

His jaw tightened when Leo admitted he was being destructive...again. “Yeah,” he murmured. “I know.” Because he did. He’d watched it. The bruises. The restlessness. The way Leo moved like if he stopped, something would catch him. When Leo asked why he wouldn’t come back, Donnie’s expression flickered, something wounded and furious all at once. “Because,” he said quietly, “we were literally engineered to believe we’re expendable.” There it was. No dramatics. No edge. Just truth.

“You say ‘why wouldn’t I’ like the answer isn’t obvious. Like we didn’t grow up being told the mission mattered more than the body carrying it.” His voice stayed level but his fingers curled slightly at his sides. “You don’t get to martyr yourself and call it strategy.” When Leo said he wouldn’t stand in the way of Donnie’s love, that hurt in a different way. “This isn’t a competition,” Donnie replied, softer now. “You loving me doesn’t take anything away from Jasper. And me loving him doesn’t reduce you.” His gaze locked onto Leo’s. “There is no version of my life where you are an obstacle.”

The cereal joke earned the faintest huff of breath not quite a laugh, but close. “I didn’t forgive you because it was cinnamon swirl and you knew it,” he muttered automatically. But then Leo promised. You’re not going to lose me. Donnie stepped forward this time. Closed the space deliberately. “You don’t get to promise me immortality,” he said, low and controlled. “That’s not fair either.”

His hand came up not grabbing, just resting briefly against Leo’s shoulder. “You weren’t raised to be a weapon,” Donnie corrected. “You were raised to survive something cruel. That’s different. We just threw ourselves into Dad's mission to find purpose." He sighed, “And yeah,” he added, voice softer now, “it’s you and me. Always. That was never up for debate.” His thumb tapped once against Leo’s shoulder. “But if we’re doing this? We do it right. You don’t run yourself into the ground pretending you’re fine. And I don’t sit in a lab pretending I don’t feel it when you’re not.” A faint, stubborn tilt of his head. “Man in the chair,” he agreed. “But you talk to me. Not after it explodes. Before.”

——— his eyes softened. the moonlight shimmering in his bright blue eyes, affection swimming in them. home had not been a place for a very long time. it was now a person. it was donnie. the love that he sought when the world was too loud. arms that were warm and unconditional. he leaned into his boyfriend's touch, a smile tugged on his features. "i suppose you're right. we're both here. therefore, it feels like home." the only other family jasper had was serena. his dear friend sent him letters every now and then to share of the adventures she was on with freddy. he was happy to have found something greater. his lonely world had expanded into something beautiful. "you'll never have to miss me, my love. i'll always be close no matter how far i may seem."

there was something so terrifying to be seen. stripped to the rawest parts of your being and still be loved for the quiet mess you are. jasper saw all of donnie - the good, the bad, and everything else in between. there was no part of him he didn't know, and there was no part that he did not love. "you have always been deserving of seeing the light. to be known and accepted for who you are." his heart ached at the admission. mutations and all, jasper never saw anything imperfect or wrong with donnie. the world didn't understand, and maybe it never would, but jasper did. "to be loved ... and wanted. i will apologize every day that the world made you feel like it was better for you to hide away, but i assure you, it's not. no part of you is undeserving of the affection others receive. you are wanted and adored by me. until my dying breath. i'm glad i could make you feel safe and show you this."

he tittered once their lips parted. eyes closed for a moment as he tried to contain the anxious moths in his stomach. he felt elated and nauseous all at once. "oh, i am aware. i promise it's ... nothing bad." as he spoke, his hand that was out of donnie's sight reached into his side pocket. in his hands fumbled out a velvet box. the moment his fingers grazed the box his heart lodged itself in his throat. he had asked once before and received a no, jasper was fully anticipating to hear it once more but he thought he should at least try one last time. "it's just ... i wanted to ask you something. this time a little more privately. no giant, grand display or production just ... us." he opened the box to reveal a ring that was clearly crafted with a lot of thought and care. in the center was a dazzling amethyst gemstone with black sapphires surrounding it. the ring was one of a kind and unique, just like the person it was created for.

"i was told from a young age i was destined for a life of unhappiness because of who i am. i took it as a prophecy and carried it with me. it wasn't until i met you that i realized that i had been wrong this entire time. i never imagined in my life i would find someone who loves me not because i'm jasper skellington but because i'm just jasper. and that could be enough. from the moment you came into my life, you have been a hurricane. you flipped everything i knew upside for the better. you changed how i saw the world around me but more importantly, myself. you saw something in me i still don't see to this day. you make me constantly want to be a better person because no matter what, i will never deserve you. i am so madly in love with you, and that terrifies me. because now i can't imagine what life would be without you. i want to spend this lifetime with you until we are nothing but stardust dancing in the sky. in every life, every universe, every timeline, i know in my heart that you are the one i meant to be with. you are my best friend, the missing piece of my heart i have searched for. it has been the greatest honor of my life loving you and being your partner. i hope, that i can continue this journey with you as your husband."

jasper manoeuvred himself so that he could be propped up on one knee, still being eye level with donnie. he had just bared his soul and now nervously awaited an answer. "donatello hamato, will you marry me?"

For a moment, Donnie couldn’t breathe. It wasn’t dramatic. It wasn’t theatrical. It was quiet like the air had simply decided to leave his lungs and wait for permission to come back. The way Jasper’s voice trembled just slightly despite all that confidence, all that moonlit devotion. Presenting him a ring he'd never seen but felt like his already. And that was the thing, Donnie had always been good at calculations. He had prepared himself for this once before and still panicked. Still defaulted to survival. To fear. To not yet. But he wasn’t that version of himself anymore.

His eyes dropped to the ring, then lifted slowly to Jasper’s face to the vulnerability there. The hope. The terror. And God, he remembered the look on that face the first time he’d said no. Not anger. Not disappointment. Just sadness. One that Donnie swore he'd never be the cause of again. Donnie swallowed, his hands instinctively reaching forward not for the ring yet, but for Jasper. Fingers sliding into his coat, gripping lightly like he needed to anchor them both.

“Jas…” His voice cracked once, and he huffed out a small, disbelieving breath. “You absolute menace.” There was a shine in his eyes he wasn’t even pretending to hide. “I said no before,” he continued, softer now. “Not because I didn’t want you. Not because I couldn’t picture a future with you. I just… didn’t know how to survive one. I’ve spent my whole life waiting for things to fall apart. Waiting for the catch. For someone to decide I wasn’t meant to keep the good things.” He had to take a deep breath to steady himself. “And marriage felt permanent. Like tempting fate.”

His lips curved faintly, self-aware. “But somewhere between the pumpkin pancakes and stealing your hoodies and you looking at me like I hung the moon… I stopped being scared of permanence.” He finally glanced down at the ring again, then back up, eyes steady now. “I don’t want to keep running from the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” His grip tightened, grounding. “You didn’t flip my world upside down, Jasper. You gave it structure. You gave me somewhere to land.” A small, shaky exhale. “You made me want things. Big things. Domestic things. Lifetime things.” Donnie carefully took the ring from the box, holding it between his fingers like it was something sacred. “Yes.” The word was quiet, but it was absolute.

“Yes, I’ll marry you.”

His forehead pressed to Jasper’s again, but this time he was smiling through the emotion instead of trying to swallow it. The unshed tears in his eyes shining in the light. “I want the lifetime. I want the stardust. I want the weird royal paperwork and the chaotic holidays and whatever ridiculous universe we end up in next.” He pulled back just enough to look at him fully. “I regret saying no,” he admitted, voice barely above a whisper. “I was afraid of deserving you. I’m not anymore.” A faint smirk ghosted across his face, because he was still Donnie. His hand trembled only slightly as he held it out. “Put my pretty ring on my finger, baby."

——— “my pizza knowledge is limited, but I’ll agree and believe you when you say that this is the best pizza. Would you ever want to go back? Hueso sends his regards. He said the undercity is quiet without you and leo.” There were parts of jasper that missed hallow falls despite how things ended. It was still his home. Together the two of them had carved out there own little corner of the universe. A new home that was the start of their lives together. He knew that donnie had a whole life he had intended to return to when first arriving in elias. There were time jasper did feel guilty for taking donnie from the only home he had known up until now.

In these tender moments, Jasper was still in disbelief that he had found genuine love. There was a time that he was fated to have a marriage of power, something that would grow his family’s legacy. True love was never an option until he met donnie. Their union would not be without its hardships, but for jasper it was worth it. Donnie was the missing puzzle piece that filled the emptiness that ached in his chest. he was his home, his love, and his best friend. the skeleton could feel the electricity dance off of his lover's body. their atoms colliding in an explosion of desire.

"thank you, that's all i ask." the world could wait. what mattered right now in this moment was the two of them. his rib cage could crack open from the abundance of affection he held. it was threatening to come out of him. instead, it expelled him happy rumbles as their skin pressed together. "i will always do my best to keep showing up, no matter how busy i get." jasper may have been pulled in various directions but he would always make donnie a priority. "i know you've lived in the shadows all your life and thought that's where you needed to hide but there's beauty in darkness and in the part you've kept to yourself. i'm lucky to know every inch of you."

his hand came to rest on donnie's cheek as he kissed him back, savoring each second. when he finally pulled away, he felt his breath hitch in his throat. "well, i'm hoping tonight is special for a variety of reasons."

Donnie went very still at that. Not tense, just quiet in that way he did when something landed deeper than he was prepared for. “Would I ever want to go back?” he echoed softly, eyes dropping to the slice in his hand before lifting back to Jasper. There wasn’t hesitation there. Just thought. “Parts of it, yeah. The skyline. The lab. The way the city hums at night.”

“But home isn’t geography,” he said, brushing his thumb along Jasper’s jaw. “It’s… who’s there. And Leo’s here. You’re here.” A small shrug of one shoulder. “Undercity can miss us. I won't ever want to miss you." At the mention of living in the shadows, Donnie’s breath hitched, not from shame, but from recognition. Jasper always saw him too clearly. It should’ve scared him. It didn’t. Not anymore. “I didn’t think I deserved to be seen,” he admitted quietly. “Or wanted like this.” His hand slid from Jasper’s cheek to his collarbone, fingers curling there, grounding. “You make it feel… safe. To step into the light. Even if I still squint a little.”

He leaned into the kiss fully this time slower, intentional. When they parted, he rested his forehead against Jasper’s, a small, almost shy smile ghosting across his face. “Special for a variety of reasons?” Donnie murmured, voice dropping, playful but threaded with sincerity. “You realize you just activated my overthinking routine.” His nose brushed Jasper’s gently.

violetheroism

"Whoa. Big name. Cool name." It suited him, name and nickname alike. Ancient and important-sounding, with a diminutive version that implied someone incredibly chill. She could sense his eyes were on her, but didn't feel judged. Just…watched, in the plainest way possible. Accepted, in this state. A floating set of clothes having a conversation. No profiling, no questioning, no 'how high, how far, how strong' test. It was a comfortable state of being, to be in the company of someone so thoughtful.

Was this it? What all her little observations led up to?

Violet took out the spiral notebook from her back pocket. The back cardboard was bent, and the pages were softened at the edges, but each page held her notes about the people she'd tracked over the months. The people who'd eventually disappeared.

She held the notebook between her fingers for a moment, preparing to let it go.

"Whichever part of the investigation you're in…I have this." She placed the notebook on the desk, joining the organised chaos. "Maybe it's stuff you already know. I tried to track the days, the times, the places where they went, but it's all a jumble. Most of it is really just…one day, they were here, the next they're gone." She took a breath and exhaled with certainty. "If you want it, it's yours. Anything to help. I hope it does," she couldn't help but add, a little softer. "There's no digital copy of it or anything, I don't trust people to not hack stuff if they want to."

She nodded along slowly, itching to search up more about rifts and energy and magic and science and all the magic. "If it's not malevolent, maybe we can tap into it too and…" she trailed off, shaking her head, "I dunno, it seems kinda wrong to, like, use it for power or whatever but that's what everyone does eventually, right? But what if the energy is just...lost or something? Got here out of nowhere and now it doesn't know what to do," she muttered, looking down at her sleeves.

And there it was. He said the name aloud. She half-expected someone to shush them just for that, or maybe random strangers will come in to bring them aside like in the Truman Show. "My money's on your thinking. So. Shine on a light on the bad guys?" she asked brightly. "Would the Council actually commit to something like that?"

#t h r e a d ✧ ⎨violet p.⎬

"Thanks. That's the first time I ever heard that one." Donnie didn’t reach for the notebook right away. That was deliberate. He looked at it first. The softened corners. The bent backing. The way her fingers lingered a second too long before letting go. "Don't ever sell your work short. You put a lot of effort into it." He pulled the notebook toward him carefully. He flipped it open,not rifling, not scanning dismissively, but reading. Actually reading. “That's smart, I could hack anything with a good tablet. And ever if I don't think our opponent is good at tech, you can never be too careful."

He slid the notebook into a clear section of his desk—an intentional placement, not buried under the chaos. “I want it,” he said simply. “And I won’t lose it.” At her speculation about the energy, his expression shifted thoughtful. “Power isn’t inherently corrupting,” Donnie said. “Access without understanding is.” He tapped a pen lightly against his knuckle. “If something crossed into Elias and destabilized, the worst thing we could do is weaponize it before we figure it out. I'd hate to make things worse, I'd never hear the end of it.”

A faint, crooked smile tugged at his mouth. “I have rather loud people in my life who tell me to be more careful.” He moved past the nerves he saw when he mentioned Hades. “If it’s him,” he said evenly, “he won’t be spooked by whispers. He’ll be irritated by exposure.” He leaned back slightly, folding his arms. “The Council?” He sighed, “They’ll act if there’s proof. Hard proof. Not vibes. Not instincts. They want proof and they're right to. Odd things happen here all the time and it may be just magic being...well magic. Or it might be something worse. We'd have to investigate."

——— "it is. it illuminates the hidden beauty in the darkness." when they first began seeing each other, jasper had affectionately call donnie his moonlight. the moon was an old friend of the skeleton's. when he found himself isolated in his childhood, he would sit atop the spiral hill in the cemetery. his only company had only ever been the moon before he befriended serena. when he found donnie, that same feeling of being seen followed. jasper was no long lonely because he had the moon with him once again.

"of course i did. it is valentine's day after all. you deserve the best." he smiled and took a bite of his own pizza. "well, it's your favorite. i know you've been missing home lately so i thought i'd bring a piece of it back. you were right, hueso is a very nice skeleton. i'm glad to have met another one." there was absolutely no task too big or small when it came to jasper's affection for donnie. he would have plucked the stars from the sky and hand-delivered them if he had asked. jasper wanted the night to be special. he had planned every little detail down to the color of the blanket they were sat on.

as donnie's gaze turned towards him, jasper felt his heart flutter in his rib cage. it felt like an explosion of moths was inside his stomach, bouncing around with adoration. it had been quite some time since jasper had felt those nervous flutters. every now and then, when he looked into donnie's eyes, he was reminded of the first time their eyes had locked. in a world where he only knew shades of black, somehow the painted swirls of green and brown with golden flecks had become his favorite color. their finger brushed and jasper linked his pinky around donnie's. his body moving inward to close some space between them. close would never be close enough for him. he'd stitch their bodies together if he could, live inside his lover's chest, and make a home there where he knew he'd be safe.

at the mention of the council jasper shook his head. a hand coming to rest on donnie's cheek to stop his train of thought. "thank you, baby. i appreciate your kind words, but tonight is for us. no council, no underland, nothing but us in this moment." his own gaze softened, thumb caressing his boyfriend's cheek. "i know i didn't have to but i wanted to. well, you and i both know i'd never do that. i would have bought you every granola bar the store had in stock."

jasper pressed his forehead against donnie's, eyes closing for a moment. "i wanted this to be a night to remember. i know valentine's day is just one day a year, but i happily celebrate my love for you year-round. today i just wanted to go ... above and beyond."

#t h r e a d ✧ ⎨jasper s.⎬#i may have been watching bridgerton while i wrote this

"Hmm, you're right about that. I like it too." Donnie had always been a creature of the night. Not by nature but by necessity. His nights were lit up not by the moon but by the bright lights of New York City. The moon had kept them company while they ran on rooftops whether for fun and adventure, or from trouble. Now, he'd found a new love for the moon. One, that he hoped would never go away.

"And you only give me the best, honey." Donnie's smile was soft and fond. He finished his slice before turning back to his love. "It is. No other pizza compares. I always miss New York but maybe less these days. I'll let Leo know Hueso is doing well." He did miss his home and his other brothers and of course, his father but Donnie had found something else to be fulfilled by here. His world had centered around Jasper now as much as he maybe didn't want to admit it.

Donnie couldn't help but be pulled into Jasper's orbit. He leaned towards him as he always did. Enjoying the closeness and the easiness of being loved by him. Their fingers interlinked as if they were simply incapable of being wrapped around each other somehow. And maybe they weren't, if he wasn't with Jasper physically, he was thinking of him. Of the dazzling blue eyes full of curiosity and wonder, and how they looked at him with so much affection he could burst from it. His skeleton had gently taken him from his hiding place and brought him into the light with such a softness that Donnie had never known.

"Alright, my love. Let's put all that aside and just be us. Jasper and Donnie." When Jasper pressed their foreheads together, Donnie’s glasses nudged slightly out of place. He didn’t fix them. He just stayed there, letting the warmth seep in. “You didn’t go above and beyond,” he said softly. “You went exactly where you always go.” His thumb brushed over Jasper’s knuckles. “You show up.” That was the part that still startled him. Not the grand gestures. Not the theatrics. The consistency. “You call me your moonlight,” Donnie went on, gaze steady now. “But you’re the one who taught me it’s okay to exist in the dark without trying to outthink it.”

“You don’t have to prove anything to me,” he said gently. “Not with holidays. Not with gestures. I already know how you love.” He shifted them so he could kiss him properly like he'd been wanting to for the last five minutes. “You didn’t make tonight special because it’s Valentine’s Day, Jas.” He smiled and moved to caress his cheek. “You made it special because you’re here.”

closed for : @donniehamctos

——— As the prince of a Halloween, it was no shock to anyone that Jasper loved celebrating the holidays. While he hadn’t visited every holiday realm, he had met the leaders a few times. The only thing he knew about Valentine’s Day town was that the chocolate was the best. The air smelled of sugar cookies, had red roofs, and cupids flying through the air. It was a stark difference from hallow falls. The way Elias was set up didn’t quite capture what his imagination conjured for Valentine’s town, but it came close enough. The spirit was still felt throughout the streets. He had been happy to lend a hand in the festivities. It's nice to do something for the community, even if it' wa's small. They needed all the hope they could get. As of late, Jasper felt like he wasn’t living up to his councilman's duties. There must have been more he could do. It led him to be in an endless cycle of spiraling, trying to find what it could be. The flowergrams were a nice gesture. He had written one to Donnie for asking him to meet at their favorite spot in the cemetery. It was the highest part on the tip of the hill, right where the moonlight kissed the ground below, and the stars burned the brightest. It reminded him of the spiral hill he once sat atop back home. For the last few years, Jasper had taken Donnie to Carthay for Valentine’s Day. While it was nice, he wanted to do something different this year. Something special. With all that was happening in the city, it was more important than ever to let loved ones know they were cared for. It was better not to have left things unsaid. The picnic for two was set to perfection. Lavender-scented candles were lit, casting a glow in the darkness. All of Donnie’s favorites had been prepared with care. It was going to be a spectacular Valentine’s date. ❛ You look beautiful in the moonlight, my dear, ❜ Jasper commented with a dreamy smile as he handed off a slice of pizza to his boyfriend.

"It's your favorite kind of light." Donnie huffed out a quiet laugh at that, the sound warmer than his usual dry edge. He adjusted his glasses on instinct, though they’d barely slipped, and looked up at Jasper through his lashes and immediately forgot whatever clever response he’d been drafting. The moonlight really did love him. It traced the sharp lines of his face, softened the hollow of his cheeks, caught in that ridiculous sweep of white hair like it had been placed there on purpose. And those eyes, bright, impossible blue, reflecting candlelight and stars all at once. It made Donnie’s chest feel too small.

“You got my favorite.” he murmured, accepting the slice of pizza but not breaking eye contact. “I can't believe you went to Hueso's for this! Even with the tunnels, it's a long way." He didn't really sound as surprised as he should. The picnic was a nice change from the luxury of Carthay and that had been a surprise. But Jasper going to impossible lengths to please him? That wasn't really a surprise. The skeleton did anything for Donnie. He took a bite and actually closed his eyes for a second and tasted Home for a second. New York, the loud cars, and louder people, and the tunnels he'd run through as a kid with his brothers. They had been the best skating ramps they could ask for. But home was changing now. Home was quiet nights and the soft turn of a page.

He looked at Jasper with a fond smile and a happy sigh. This was home. A peaceful cemetery away from expectations and danger. Donnie brushed his fingers lightly against Jasper’s when he reached for a napkin, letting the touch linger longer than necessary. Thrilled to be alone with him. No council. No city. No expectations pressing in on Jasper’s shoulders. Just them.

“I know you’ve been in your head lately,” he said gently, gaze softening. “About the council. About not doing enough.” He shifted closer on the blanket, their knees bumping. “You do more than you think. You try so hard." His hand slid into Jasper’s, squeezing. “And tonight? You didn’t have to plan something spectacular.” His thumb traced absent circles against pale knuckles. “You could’ve handed me a stale granola bar in a cardboard box and I’d still think it was the best Valentine’s Day I’ve ever had.”

Donnie leaned in just slightly, forehead brushing Jasper’s. “But this?” He glanced at the candles, the skyline, the careful arrangement of all his favorites. “This is… perfect. So thank you, I'm so happy that I get to have this with you.”

leonardoisms

——— Leo mimicked the way Donnie crossed his arms, but his was out of defense. It was the only protection he could garner for himself against his twin. It was hard to have walls up with someone who knew the very inner workings of your soul. ❛ Too reckless for the Underland might be a smidge dramatic, Tello. ❜

For a while, Leo had tried to hide what was going on. He was the medic of the team, so taking care of his cuts and bruises was no issue. After some time, it felt useless trying to cover new ones formed before the old ones healed. The glare that was thrown his way was expected.

❛ I knew that you would catch on. You always find everything out. But I’ve been patrolling the city by myself for months now. Sneaking into the Underland and getting intel has been my special project. I didn’t think things would suddenly change. ❜ His tone was more bitter than he wanted it to be. The emotions he had been trying to outrun were begging to be acknowledged. So, they began seeping in elsewhere to be seen. Leo wasn’t mad at Donnie. Change was not something Leo adjusted to easily. He often fought against it. It’s one of the reasons he was against coming to Elias in the first place, because he knew everything would be different.

He had been right. While some changes were for the better, others came with difficulty. The twins were notoriously co-dependent. Almost to an unhealthy degree, but it came from the childhood they had endured. When Leo had no one, he had Donnie. Now the two of them were being pulled in different directions. ❛ You have your own things to worry about. ❜ The slider stilled at his brother’s words. Of course, Leo knew he was the most important person to Donnie. It was a fact everyone knew. The twins would always put each other first. It never needed to be said for that reason, but that didn’t stop the guilt that swelled in the pit of Leo’s stomach upon hearing it. ❛ I know. ❜

His eyes roll on command at the immediate sass. ❛ Yeah, tell me something I don’t know. ❜

❛ Your boyfriend is a councilor, Donnie. It wouldn’t exactly be a good look if you were involved in Hell Baron activities. ❜ Leo couldn’t care less about the council, nor did he care about Jasper’s public image, but he did care about Donnie. The last thing he wanted to be was a source of contention between the two of them. ❛ I can handle my own, yanno ? The guy’s Hopper digs up harmless compared to what we’ve fought in the hidden city. ❜

Leo held the small device in his hand, turning it over to examine it.❛ I’m guessing you’ve been working on this since you suspected I was sneaking around ? ❜ Donnie had always tried to play off as being unfeeling and aloof, but Leo knew deep down that he cared the most. He always worried about his brother’s. It’s why he went out of his way to make devices to ensure their survival and track where they are. ❛ If you bolted this to my shell, I’d be so mad. ❜

Leo stood there, the words hitting him like a ton of bricks. The slider burned himself to keep others warm. He never thought about the consequences of his actions having an effect on others. ❛ I promise I won’t do anything stupid. I’ll be safe. If it gives you peace of mind, you can be my man in the chair. You’ll still have a hand in the operation without being seen. ❜