Hello! What’s your favorite fanfic you’ve read recently? 🐢💚
hi! Wasn't sure what genre you're seeking - but as a TMNT blog, here are some TMNT 2003/12/18 favs:
(im ASWF on ao3/ffnet 🙂 if i didn't list what u're looking for, pls go through my bookmarks/favs/recs!! there are so many brilliant writers out there, pls also check their author profiles 😁)
*TMNT 2003*
Multichp 2k3: A Paper Wall / The Wooden Bestiary by Amicitia Revenant --15 yrs on and i still revisit this. it's about the family piecing back their lives and finding a new better normal, growing tgt as a family, after Leo returns from Japan after so long. Particularly in Wooden Bestiary, Leo really makes himself a space beyond son/brother and that fic is absolutely a formative experience.
Multichp 2k3: Any Cost by Flynne @/dawntreaderflynne --"Raph snorted. "Leo lost his vote when he got himself killed."" The bros defy time and space for Leo, in a thrilling piece of teamwork and courage. This fic will break your heart and then put it back together all at once. The coda is so heartwarming and healing. Renet and Splinter are awesome in this too. Flynne's entire catalogue slaps and i recc all of it!
Oneshot Action/char-study 2k3: Left Behind by Sewer Slider --a brilliant Raph PoV on Leo. Leo is forced to choose one brother to leave behind in enemy hands - and he does. BUT. the resolution of the fic will leave your heart full. A formative experience. 18 yrs later and this is still the Leonardo i write toward.
Oneshot Donny 2k3: Pomp and Circumstance by Cynlee --THE happy ending for Don in my book 🥰 family feels and brotherly banter.
Oneshot Family Fluff 2k3: Leo, the Mob and the Baby / Four Turtles, a Rat and a Baby by Gemdrive --Leo gets shot protecting a baby from the mob, his loving protective bros come crashing in to save him and trashtalk, and they bring the sweet baby home. OP has a lovely, dancing narrative voice and my summary isn't doing it justice. Just read 😂
Oneshot Humour 2k3: Desperation by yoyo-anarchy --this one makes me laugh out loud even a decade later. Just cute, harmless, sweet family fluff and in-char banter all around 🥰
Oneshot Leo 2k3: The Grandfather Paradox by Nekotsuki @/plothooksinc --yall know and love Nekotsuki for Underdark but this one is SO underrated. It justifies the entire S6 and shows why S6 is CRITICAL to Leo's growth and recovery as a whole.
WIP Multichp 2k3: The More Things Change by @/calliopechild --lol they're gon hate me for publicising an old WIP but listen. It's an intelligent, thoughtful and carefully-characterised premise of 'the Utroms have a good reason for making that ooze and the bros get to become human'. Just the careful consideration, compromise and discussion that goes into 'should we become human' is well worth your time. Another formative experience for me from my teens that stands up to this day.
*RotTMNT*
Oneshot RotTMNT: the fourth one’s out by taizi @/goodlucktai --Taizi is very skilled in general, pretty much everything they do is a banger. i've been eagerly following their Natsume Yuujinchou/FFXV fics for a decade now, but this one is special to me because THIS fic convinced me to start RotTMNT. It is Leonardo at his best. Yall prolly know Taizi for the brilliant the archer and coming right on back for you but seriously check out their whole portfolio 🙏
oneshot RotTMNT: Far From the Four Winds by mangogreent --a beautifully-written, heartwarming nameless outsider PoV on Leo and the movie, and a lovely happy ending. 🥰
Multichp RotTMNT: Times Five by pickledcarrotsandradish --Leo mentally&physically splits, and now they have to get their one unified Leo back. the psychological complexity of this, chef's kiss. Also brilliant pacing, characterisation and a stunning plot twist.
Multichp post-movie RotTMNT: the new york conspiracy corner by blueh --the turtles love their homecity of NY and their homeplanet...and this is how NY/Earth grows to know and love them back just as much. There is so much heart in this and the prose is full of light and life.
Multichp movieAU RotTMNT: 'The Neon Void' Saga by sugarpastels --Leo doesn't get out of the Prison Dimension (at first). Twisted beyond recognition, nonetheless that core of love and altruism keeps him working for justice, while his family tries to protect Leo's memory (and later, bring him home). Gorgeous prose, full of mystery and family feels, it is a story full of love.
Multichp post-movie RotTMNT: write this down on my headstone (it wasn't what i hoped for) by bottledovercast --"Just because his brothers pulled him out with love and light, does not mean Leo left despair and darkness behind." And then OP brings this to a stunning, thrilling, intelligent and soaring conclusion. Beautiful prose and incisive characterisation.
*TMNT 2012*
Multichp 2k12: On Turning Ten (And So Forth) by itz_me_E --THE happy ending for 2k12 Leo in my book. Rising from the ashes, making and finding himself out of the pieces, better than before. A healing experience from start to finish.
Multichp 2k12: Stealth and Sacrifice by GoblinCatKC --clan tradition demands that the perfect ninja be invisible - but Leo's brothers love him too much for that.
Oneshot 2k12: Silenced by DreamerofCurses --i cannot do better than the original summary: "Rendered mute from a fight with Karai, Leonardo suffers a revelation about his father." Hauntingly, beautifully written.
Oneshot 2k12: A Bold and Daring Outing by TrueLlama717 --April encourages and gives Leo money to go to his first Space Heroes con. It is SO beautifully-written. THE happy ending for Leo i didn't know i needed and wanted. It is a healing experience: Leo's first time out in daylight and making a 'rebellious' choice for himself.
*TMNT comics*:
Oneshot Playgrounds by Kay the Cricketed --Mikey and Leo, and a heartwarming, lovely happy ending for all our boys. This is canon in my book regardless of the iteration 🥰
*TMNT crossovers*
Oneshot RotTMNT/2k3: A Soul with Two Faces by GreenGoddessSmoothie --Nardo drops into the 2k3 dimension, and then Leo and Nardo save each other. THE definitive happy ending for both Nardo and Leo, and a brilliant, healing, warm deep dive into both their psyches. i love this one to pieces.
WIP multichp 2k12/RotTMNT: Welcome Home Brother / Shadows Make the Stars Shine Brighter by OptimisticallyCynical @/optimisticallycyn --WHB is psych horror with some body horror; Shadows is the h/c Actor AU of WHB. (They can be read on their own but reading them tgt adds so much to the experience.) As with all of Cyn's work: there is ample and hard-earned family feels and bonding, healing character growth&recovery, incredible psychological depth&nuance, thrilling pacing and sophisticated characterisation in both fics. WHB is esp a must-read for any Frankenstein fan. Cyn worked behind-the-scenes for awhile in the industry and lends incisive insight in Shadows. It is just so intelligently and thoughtfully written all around; it makes you grow as both a reader/writer and person. i eagerly follow several WIPs - 2k12 No Use Leo Verse is also SO formative and important - and cannot recc it strongly enough.
i split these up by iteration, but tbh - pls give them all a chance regardless. 🙏 you won't regret it
for the ffn links, if anyone knows their updated ao3 link pls let me know 🙏 also any corresponding tumblr usernames not listed🙏
i also reblog others' fic reccs on this blog under #fic rec ☺
thanks for the ask! 🤗 haha tbh this is a long time coming. this blog is 13 yrs old, and i have ~7k bookmarks across multiple fandoms on ffnet/ao3. thx for the excuse to finally getting round to making a fic rec list 😂















