I think about Leo’s “I’m your least favorite” comment to Splinter in “Down with the Sickness” a lot. It’s likely just a throwaway comment, a way to get Splinter to leave him alone before Leo gets sick too, but I can’t help but wonder if Leo believes it on some level.
Obviously it’s not true, Splinter loves him as much as he loves the others, but…it wouldn’t be shocking if Leo believed otherwise. After all, just in “Many Unhappy Returns” alone, Splinter has, with no hesitation, said comments like “my other sons would have taken this seriously” and “I knew I should’ve brought purple”, said “no” to Leo’s “I love you”, and pretty blatantly didn’t extend any trust in Leo’s plan even after Leo was fairly effortlessly defeating their opponents.
It was only after, when they’d already won, that Splinter finally gives him a “it was all you my son!” And…that’s basically it. Raph is the one who announces his trust in Leo. Not their father, even though Splinter is the one to witness Leo lowering his walls for once (which Splinter doesn’t react well too, because Leo only lowers his walls in the most hectic of times, and because he lowers them only then, either no one is around or no one is in the right state of mind to respond properly, leading to Leo building his walls back up, and the cycle continues.)
Again, it’s not because Splinter doesn’t love Leo, but Leo…can’t be feeling too good about all that. The way he never reacted surprised about any of Splinter’s words too…
He may know that Splinter loves them all, as a group, but individually…I don’t think Leo believes he ranks all that high with that love. Gives another meaning to “I’m nothing without my brothers” huh?
(Of course, I’m willing to bet the invasion changed that understanding, but with that comes the potential misunderstanding that his father’s outright love is tied to Leo sacrificing himself.)
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You know what low key makes me sad? The scene in Avengers when Fury finds Steve at the gym to recruit him.
Yeah yeah, Steve is glowing and sexy from working out, and his ass looks great in those sweats.... but think about that (not his ass the other thing). He's sweating. Like seriously sweating....
How long was he at the gym, by himself (having fucking flashbacks no less!) to have worked up that kind of a sweat? This is Captain America, its not easy to wind the guy but he is very clearly worn out and drenched here. The poor man has been all alone, taking out all his pent up painful memories and emotions on those bags for fucking hours probably. Then Fury just shows up to talk to him about the very thing he is having ptsd flashbacks about! Just uuuugh I hate it!
Steve I just want to hug you 🥺😭
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There's something so terribly secretive about fathers and pain. Fathers are open wounds, and Bruce isn't the exception of the rule.
But he's very, very good at disguising it. He's a haunted house and refuses to let them in, and a part of Dick, a part of him that both smiles and cries when he sees Bruce interact with his siblings, wishes he could overpower that strength.
"You have to leave it alone. We don't talk about it."
" But we should."
" That's now who I am, chum. Tati's sorry."
So Dick does. What a good little bird he is.
But Bruce's secrets weren't dormat and docile and obedient. They'll come out of someone's mouth if not from his. Dick just didn't expect it to happen like THAT,
Oliver and his dad always had the most curious relationship. It heavily reminded Dick of Jason and Tim, in some ways.
They liked having Oliver around. Uncle Ollie was saucy and witty and railed Bruce up considerably. It was the perfect moment to be a fly on the wall, studious and smirking,
"You're the most unstable Individual I've ever encountered. And I have lunch with Harley on Fridays."
" 1) Rude for not Inviting me. 2) I'm not the one who tried to kill himself at 8."
Pin drop.
Jason's voice hasn't been so small since he was a kid, " ...What?"
Oliver, entirely unaffected by dropping this hard of a bombshell, sips his tea, " Yeah, why do you think your old man stays away from Robinson Bridge?"
A suffocating hush falls over them. Bruce gently puts Damian down, promising they'll finger paint later, and walks away with eyes downcast.
Oliver blinks, looking at a face palming Roy, "Uh...This is the part where you laugh?"
But looking around their frozen grimaces puts understanding in him. " ...Yeah, never let me improv again."
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