He's got a really high prey drive

EDIT: FORGOT TO POST BUT PLEASE CHECK OUT @shyadri 's FIC OF THIS AU HERE

And while you're at it, CHECK THEM OUT TOO.

For all of the “Raph raised himself AND his brothers” fans out there I bring this train wreck of a thought (I’m a lil sleepy so sorry if it doesn’t make sense or if I repeat myself a lot-)

We do not in fact have any actual evidence that splinter was neglectful to the boys when they were little. In fact, we have the opposite.

All of these flashbacks indicate that Splinter acc spent a LOT of time with his boys-

With Mikey, he was obviously coached in his art, a smol child can’t paint like that no matter how talented they are so we can see that splinter put in the time/effort to get Mikey the supplies and teach him how to do it well. Which probably means he researched and learned it himself first, idk I just can’t really see Yoshi knowing how to paint/draw that well but that’s just a theory.

With raph and Leo, their lemonade stand is structurally sound: obviously not put together by an 8 year old, and there’s a lotta lemons lyin around that were probably a bit difficult to find, and just LOOK at their faces here they are definitely familiar with this kind of father/son shenaniganizing-also just LOOK at raph. That’s a happy child, one full of excitement and happiness, not a kid who had to grow up too fast. Also his dad is literally right there in the picture

And then with Donnie, I can’t really tell what he’s doing in the background (it’s a bomb) but what i take from that screenshot is that Donnie feels safe/loved enough to come to Splinter when he gets hurt. And Splinters taking care of him!! And, Donnie is wearing clothes, which shows that he went out and got clothes for them but also didn’t force the boys to wear them if they didn’t want to (see other screenshots lol) which also goes to show that he lets his boys choose who they wanna be and what they wanna do. At any point he could’ve forced all of them to train as ninja, at any point he could’ve made clothes mandatory, and at any point he could’ve forced them to drop things that made them happy like skating or science or art but nah. He was supportive every step of the way.

Now am I saying he was perfect? No. Am I saying he couldn’t have done anything better? No. What I’m saying is that Raph acc did not have to raise himself and his brothers. Splinter acc gave them a pretty good childhood, all things considered and it kinda makes me sad when ppl bash Rise Splinter or continue the neglectful parent trope. Again, I’m not saying he did everything right, he def could have spent more time with his kids on an individual basis and he should’ve been more present, but let’s cut him some slack bc he did a really good job at raising the boys. And he got so much better as the show progressed! But that’s another post lol. I’m also not trying to take away Raphs oldest sibling syndrome, he still def has that from being the leader and watching his bros while splinter was away-I’m just saying he didn’t have to do it ALL alone.

Look in the end he’s doing his best and his best was really good for what they had. He’s a good dad, he’s not neglectful.

The boys calling Splinter Dad/Daddy/Pops/Papa/Father

April and Splinter, her new asian rat dad

Single parent struggles

Just a little reminder that rise!splinter actually raised them to be kids not ninjas, and they are a (semi) normal family. They did normal family stuff, even though he was a guy in his early 20’s suddenly alone in the world with four babies to take care of.

he is a great dad

Edit: i know he’s probably be in his thirties but I personally headcannon him in his twenties (like 25) and that he got all gray and shit from stress. Let’s be honest raising four turtle mutants in the sewers in New York can do that to a person.

Can we please normalize 2012Splinter being stern outwardly but his inward thoughts are just the fluffiest things ever instead of harping on Splinter being stern inside and out and also he’s abusive and mean and needs to be a better person because reasons??

I’ve read a few of the latest fascinations of the fandom making him 78.5% worse than he needs to be, and it’s fine and all, ya’ll do you, but there’s just something about the early 2012 fanfics where Splinter refers to his full grown, ninja/alien battling sons as “my little boys” in a mental monologue where you can just feel the fondness radiating from it that absolutely kills me.

Think about the potential here. And not just in fanfiction! I mean, something like delicately whispering, “My Donatello” when Donnie is hurting and making him feel safe because of it??

THAT KINDA BLOW IS DEVASTATING, I TELL YOU

My sons is how he vocalizes his love, but consider all the things he could say subconsciously?? I swear, the addition of possessive air like that is totally in character too, because he basically kept them to himself for fifteen years. Gosh, and the way he reacts when ANYONE harms/scares his kids?? Him saying this, especially during some kind of fight scene where he is defending them would be SO HIM.

FEELING THINGS JUST IMAGINING IT

HE IS THE DAD EVER

LET’S NORMALIZE FLUFFY SPLINTER

Retirement Home Rumble: Round 1

Side A

Why they would crush the other geezers under the cut:

WARNING: There may be spoilers

Splinter Propaganda:

Gehrman Propaganda:

I've been asked a few times if Teenage Mutant What Now Yoshi is currently in Rat Form in the latest chapters of the fic-- he is not! He's still rockin' the human disguise, and this is the current Battle Nexus fit!

I am literally obsessed with this lil scene XD <3

Sorry that you're overwhelmed 😔. But I want to add this before I go to bed. So speaking of hints, you know in every reincarnation story there are always clues, what if somehow when Spike mutates, suddenly he has the smell of an old man which of course only Splinter could tell and it puzzles everyone since Spike is physically around the boys age. That, and sometimes he suddenly speaks like an old person, especially to himself when he thinks no one is listening

(It's fine, I'm just not used to so many asks :p)

You got it spot on siyajwkwuw. I wanted Splinter to know somethings off first, but originally it was via mediation.

This is funnier.

Seems Ronins scent/aura is a bit too similar to a certain cheerful orange.

it's dangerous to go alone, take these with you!

I might have found my new favorite thing…

SINGLE RAT DAD AND HIS RADIOACTIVE TODDLERS !!

look at my silly cookies. i finished them :D

tata loves when motivation hits-

Young Splinter is the most cringefail mullet trans dad ever, look at him go <3

Raph and Mikey all fussy for being carried, Lavi enjoyin' a nap nap and Donnie being a good leash kid trying to run away even when he's severely concused