Fractured Half

by Purpleandbluelove24

Summary:

Leo gets hit with a memory spell. But this ain't just no ordinary memory spell. According to Draxum, the spell is refer to 'Love-Me-Not', which makes the cursed person forget the person who they love the most. Unfortunately, that someone is Donnie. Donnie must get past his grief and loss to help Leo remember him, but that is easier said then done

Notes:

Here I am again writing a fic of Leo being cursed...while I am in the middle of writing my other fic of Leo being cursed. The madness just never ends

Anyway, as per usual, as you can tell by the summary, this will be disaster twin centric, with the other brothers and Draxum having minor roles. I try to make this as angsty as I could, mix in with that familar brotherly love and affection that comes with the twins

Chapter 1: The Incident

The city was quiet. Too quiet.

Night air hung heavy over the rooftops as Leo crouched at the edge of a crumbling mystic portal rift, his hand resting on his katana. They had thought the Kraang were the end. The final boss. But even with the invasion behind them, mystic anomalies kept bubbling up across the city like the world hadn't quite stitched itself back together.

"Rift’s closing," Donnie announced behind him, typing into his wristpad. "That’s the third one this week."

"Yeah, and they’re getting nastier," Raph grunted as he hauled a collapsed stone pillar out of the alleyway. "Whatever's leaking through, it ain't friendly."

“Any signs of Kraang energy?” Mikey asked, spinning his nunchunks in his hand.

“Nope,” Donnie said, narrowing his eyes. “This isn’t Kraang tech. It’s older. Raw. Like someone carved the spell by hand.”

Leo turned, expression taut with worry. “So, some mystic punk playing with forbidden magic?”

“Basically,” Donnie confirmed. “And judging by the power output, they’re either reckless or stupid.”

That was when the air snapped.

A ripple of distortion shimmered across the alley like heat off pavement—except this shimmer had teeth. A cloaked figure burst from the shadows with a jagged staff glowing sickly green. Runes cracked and pulsed along its length as the figure chanted in a tongue that twisted on the tongue.

“Move!” Donnie shouted.

Leo surged forward, blades drawn, but he wasn’t fast enough.

The staff slammed into the ground with a blinding flash, and an arc of energy shot straight into Leo’s chest. His eyes widened, body convulsing with the force as the spell wrapped around him like glowing vines.

“LEO!” all three voices called out at once.

He hit the ground hard. Smoke rose from his plastron.

Raph cried out in rage as he ran towards the unknown figure

"Have fun trying to remember your loved one" the unknown figure snarled in a low voice before producing a smoke bomb and vanishing

The brothers were confused on what the figure meant but didn't have much time to think about as they ran towards their brother in blue

Donnie was the first to reach him, dropping to his knees, hands and wrist tech frantically scanning for vitals

“Leo, come on, talk to me—” Donnie called out desperately, images of seeing Leo splayed out on the ground on Staten Island flashing through his mind

Leo blinked, dazed. “...Ugh. That guy could really use a mint.”

Donnie exhaled shakily. “Okay. Sarcasm intact. That’s good.”

“Where… where’d he go?” Leo asked, struggling to sit up.

“Used a smoke bomb. Vanished into the portal rift,” Raph growled, cracking his knuckles. “Coward.”

“Should we take him home?” Mikey asked.

“Absolutely,” Donnie said. “I’m not detecting any structural damage to his system, but that magic wasn’t just flashy. It was invasive.”

Leo looked around slowly. “Everyone okay?”

“Yeah,” Donnie said gently. “You took the hit for us.” before mumbling underneath his breath "As you always do"

Leo smirked as if he didn't hear Donnie. “You’re welcome.”

.

.

.

Back at the lair, the atmosphere was oddly calm.

Leo leaned back on the couch with an ice pack on his head, grumbling about how rude the staff blast was. Mikey was whipping up some post-battle snacks, and Raph hovered nearby with a worry line creasing his forehead.

Donnie returned from his lab with a scan report. “No signs of lingering dark magic, but I’m going to keep monitoring—”

“Who are you?”

Donnie froze mid-step.

Leo was staring directly at him, head tilted, eyes blank.

“…What?”

Leo gestured lazily. “You. The purple one. You’re not April. Or Raph. Or Mikey.”

Donnie’s smile faltered for a second before breaking out into a laugh, thinking that Leo was just playing a joke on him. “Ha-ha. Real funny, Leo.”

Leo frowned, not understanding on what was so funny. “I’m serious. I don’t know you.”

The room went silent.

Donnie felt his heart stop, unable to process on what exactly was happening

Raph stood slowly. “Leo, don’t mess around.”

“I’m not,” Leo said, growing uncomfortable. “I… I know you guys. Mikey, Raph, even Dad. But he—” Leo pointed at Donnie— “I’ve never seen him before.”

Donnie didn’t speak.

Not when Mikey whispered his name.

Not when Raph stepped between them like he needed to. Like his big brother was trying to protect Leo from Donnie. Which was absoutely crazy as Raph never needed to protect the twins from each other. Pull each other away from arguments sure, but Leo would never hurt Donnie, and Donnie would never hurt Leo. They were twins. They loved each other too much to even think about hurting each other. At least emotionally

And now, Leo was looking at him like he was some stranger

Donnie didn’t move, didn’t breathe.

He felt like time had stop and he was frozen in place

Just stood there, staring at the twin he had known since the moment they cracked out of their eggs together. Since they were mutated together and became brothers. Twins. Not just by blood, but by love

And that twin didn’t know him.

Didn’t remember him.

Leo looked at Donnie like he was just meeting him for the first time

Like the past 16 years of their lives was just wiped away

Donnie’s voice, when it came, was hollow.

“…I see.”

He ignored the calls of his name from Raph and Mikey

He turned, slowly walking back toward his lab—because he had to figure out what was broken.

And how to fix it.

 

 

The door to his lab slid shut behind him with a hiss far too loud for the silence it broke.

Donnie stood in the center of the room, blinking as the soft purple lights of his monitors cast long shadows over half-finished projects. Code blinked across a hologram—one he’d been building to track mystic rift patterns. It felt laughably irrelevant now.

His legs moved before his mind caught up, carrying him toward the back corner—his “sanctuary within the sanctuary.” The one only Leo ever really came into uninvited.

The chair was still pushed back from the last time Leo had slouched into it, tossing popcorn at Donnie while begging for “just five minutes” of company. That chair. That corner. That laugh.

Gone.

He lowered himself onto the stool and clasped his hands together tightly.

He doesn’t remember me.

His mind repeated it, cold and mechanical, as if saying it enough would take the sting out. Like it was just another glitch to be debugged.

But no line of code could fix this.

Donnie exhaled sharply, drawing in a breath that stuttered and hitched halfway through. His jaw clenched. He tried to focus, to analyze. The spell—it was absoutely some memory spell. However the big question that Donnie didn't know the answer to was what did the spell target? Selective memory? Emotional tethering?

The only thing that Donnie knew about the spell was that it somehow only target Leo's memories of Donnie. Leo remembered Raph and Mikey, and even their dad. Somehow, it was only him that Leo forgot. Why him? Why was the universe so against him? Why did this spell make Leo only forget him?

Could the spell be unraveled with the right calibration of mystic energy and psychic reinforcement?

Could he build something to simulate the bond they’d lost?

Could he force Leo to remember?

Donnie buried his face in his hands.

No. No, you can’t force someone to love you. You can’t rebuild a bond that one half doesn’t feel anymore. You can't rebuild a lifetime of memories and secrets. You can't make someone remember 16 years of a twin bond...16 years of twin love.

The thought hit like a punch to the plastron.

Leo remembered everyone else. Everyone. All of the times that he laughed with Mikey. All the times that he fist-bumped Raph. Probably even remembers the time that he rolled his eyes at Splinter’s latest meditation lecture.

But when his gaze landed on Donnie, it was like looking at static.

No flicker of recognition. No twin sense. No warmth. No love

Like a piece of Donnie had been carved out and discarded, and no one noticed until now.

“I—I don’t know you,” Leo had said. Not cruelly. Not even harshly.

Just… honestly.

The worst part?

He meant it.

Donnie’s breath shook. His vision blurred, and he realized distantly that he was crying—actually crying—without noise, just tears slipping down into his palms as if his body knew how to mourn what his brain wouldn’t admit was gone.

The bond wasn’t just broken.

It had been erased.

Notes:

This fic will have mulitple chapters and I am hoping to make it longer then some of my recent fics

Chapter 2: Fractured Reflections

Summary:

Raph and Mikey find Donnie in his lab after his brief breakdown. They try to comfort him, but Donnie is still drowning in his misery and lost

Mikey calls Draxum over and he explains what exactly has happened to Leo and Donnie just feels his heart shatter all over again

Meanwhile, Leo starts to feel like he is forgetting something, but he is not sure what

Notes:

Most of my disaster twin centric fics don't really put a much of a spotlight on Raph and Mikey, but I want to change that here. Show that Raph and Mikey are good brothers in helping Donnie process everything

Donnie didn’t know how long he sat there.

The lab lights dimmed automatically, detecting the lack of movement. Screens faded to standby. Somewhere in the corner, a prototype drone buzzed softly before powering down. But Donnie stayed still, hands gripping his knees, eyes trained on the wall like it might offer answers.

He didn’t flinch when the door slid open.

He knew who it was.

“Don?” came Mikey’s voice, soft and hesitant. “We—uh—we brought you some tea. Raph thought maybe… you needed it.”

There was a pause, then a clink as a mug was gently placed on a nearby surface. Chamomile, if Donnie had to guess. Not his favorite, but calming. Comforting.

He didn’t look up.

Footsteps shifted, then two sets now. Mikey and Raph, standing behind him but not too close. Respecting the space. Letting him breathe.

“Leo’s asleep,” Raph said after a long moment. “Mikey used some of his calming mystic magic that Draxum taught him. He didn’t fight it.”

Donnie’s jaw twitched. “Of course he didn’t. He doesn’t even know what he’s supposed to be fighting.”

Silence.

Then: “He asked if I was the leader.”

Donnie finally looked up. His voice was hoarse. “He what?”

Raph nodded grimly. “Said he didn’t remember ever leading us after the Shredder incident, even though Mikey said he was always dragging us into trouble. He thought I was still in charge.”

A bitter laugh escaped Donnie before he could stop it. “Of course. Of course he’d forget everything about me and also dodge responsibility.”

It wasn’t fair.

And it wasn’t meant to be.

But it hurt all the same.

Mikey moved first, quietly stepping forward and crouching beside him. “Donnie… he’ll remember. We’ll fix it. This magic—it doesn’t feel permanent. April’s already contacting some of her witch friends in Witchtown, and I also already contacted Draxum who should be here once he gets done working at the school. He will know what is going on with Leo”

Donnie finally turned his head toward them. His eyes were dry now, but hollow.

“You didn’t see the way he looked at me.” he said in a hollow voice, barely spoken above a whisper

Mikey flinched.

“He looked at me like I was a stranger. Like a background extra in his life. Not his brother. Not his twin.” Donnie shook his head. “I’ve been by his side every day since Splinter rescused us from Draxum's lab. I—I pulled him out of a collapsing dimension, Raph. I carried his broken body home. I monitored his vitals every day that he was in the med baby. Whenever Leo was having a nightmare or simply needed someone to hold his hand, I-I was there to comfort him, even though I hate feelings. But I did all of it because Leo was hurting and I needed to be there for him. To hold him and to tell him how much I love him”

His voice cracked. “How do you just forget that? How does Leo forget everything that I have done for him?” And then a lone tear fell down Donnie's face "How does Leo forget how much I love him?"

Raph knelt beside Mikey, placing a massive hand gently on Donnie’s shoulder. “I get it Donnie. Under normal circumstances, Leo would never forget something like that. I may not know Leo as well as you do, but I've watched you two grow up together. I know for a fact that Leo loves and cares about so much. That kind of bond? It’s not just in your head. It’s in your bones. Your blood. Maybe he doesn’t know who you are right now. But I promise you—somewhere in him, that bond’s still alive. Somewhere, deep inside, there is a part of Leo that is screaming and crying over the fact that he has forgotten about you”

Donnie didn’t respond. He wanted to believe it. Wanted so badly to feel the thread still tying them together.

But all he felt was silence.

No twin sense. No instinctive sync. No shadow at his back.

Just… a void.

.

.

.

Draxum showed up a couple of hours later

Thankfully, Leo was still asleep and so he was able to run the necessary tests that he needed

April had been called over and she came over as quickly as she could

When she arrived, she found Splinter and the boys on one side of the room, watching Draxum as he worked. However, she could tell that Donnie was the most anxious of all as his eyes shifted from Draxum to Leo

April sat down beside Donnie and placed a hand on his shoulder. Donnie, sensing that it was April beside him, didn't look up. Instead, he placed his hand over April's and gave it a squeeze

The glow around Leo vanished and Draxum got up slowly to address the family, with all of them standing up in unison

"So...Draxum, what did you find?" Splinter asked

"From what I can tell, Leo has been hit with a very powerful spell called 'Love-Me-Not'" Draxum answered

"What is a 'Love-Me-Not'" Mikey asked, his hand finding Donnie's, the one not occupied by April, and giving it a gentle squeeze

Draxum sighed heavily as he turned sad eyes to Donnie. Donnie felt his heart shattered as Draxum answered "It's a curse that combines a memory spell and a love potion. Essentially, it makes the cursed person forget the person who is a loved one. It can be a romantic partner or a family member...but most of the time, it ends up being the person that the cursed person loves the most"

Everyone's eyes landed on Donnie, knowing exactly that it was Donnie that Leo loved the most

Donnie, for his part, ignored all of the eyes on him. He could feel himself shaking and tears filling his eyes for probably the third time that day as he let go of Mikey and April's hands and made his way over to his sleeping twin

He bent down to be at eye level with his twin as he cup one of Leo's cheeks. "Oh Nardo...you beautiful, sweet, lovable dum-dum" he whispered through his tears as he placed a kiss on the top of Leo's forehead, before bringing their foreheads together. "I love you the most too my twin...but why did it have to be me?"

Donnie continued to cry as he held Leo close, thankful that Leo did not distrub in his sleep. The family could only watch on in sadness with Mikey and Raph making their way over to Donnie, giving him a hug from behind, thier own tears falling as they felt Donnie's pain and sorrow. Splinter and April followed soon after as they wrapped thier own arms around the brothers. Draxum just looked on, but he did feel bad for his softshell son

After a while, the family dispersed, but Donnie stayed for a little longer, before falling asleep beside his twin. Raph picked him up and carried him to his bedroom to sleep. Raph took off his mask and battle shell, before getting Donnie comfortable in bed. He kissed the top of Donnie's head and rubbing the top of his forehead, to ease some of the tension. "Don't worry Don. We will get Leo back. I promise" Raph whispered softly before leaving the room to go find the rest of his family to get a plan in action

.

.

.

Meanwhile, Leo stirred in his sleep.

A flicker of something passed behind his closed eyes—an image, brief and blurred.

Purple goggles, with red and blue lenses. A hand reaching for his.

A voice whispering, “I’ve got you. Always.”

Leo twitched.

“…Donnie?”

He woke up to a dark, empty room. The name slipped from his lips without context. No weight. No memory.

And no answer.

 

Notes:

Next chapter will see Donnie trying everything he can to get Leo to remember him. Let's see how much he can accomplish

Chapter 3: Echoes of Familar Things

Summary:

Donnie begins trying to “rebuild” their bond—recreating twin activities: gaming, training, sarcastic banter. But Leo’s responses are stiff or confused.

-or-

Donnie’s determined—if quiet—efforts to rebuild the bond with Leo through shared experiences, even while his twin doesn’t remember him.

Notes:

This chapter is the first of two where we see Donnie trying to get Leo to remember. It will go about as well as you might expect, which is not very good at all...at least at first.

Donnie approached the day like a mission.
Objective: Rebuild the bond.
Sub-objective: Do not cry in front of Leo.
Optional: Try to make him laugh again.

The morning was quiet. Mikey was out gathering supplies with April and Draxum, and Raph was supervising Splinter’s reluctant attempt at “team meditation.” That left Leo… and Donnie.

Perfect.

Donnie stood in the kitchen, watching Leo poke halfheartedly at a bowl of cereal. His mask was askew from sleep, one of his swords sat forgotten by the couch, and his usual confidence had been replaced by a cautious distance—like he was afraid of saying the wrong thing around Donnie.

And maybe he was. Because he didn’t know why Donnie kept looking at him like he was someone else.

Someone who mattered.

“So,” Donnie began, setting a mug of coffee on the table in front of Leo, “we used to game together. A lot.”

Leo blinked up at him. “We did?”

“You always cheated. Horribly. Pathetically. I don’t even know how you did it half the time. Your high scores were basically lies.”

Leo gave a hesitant smile. “Sounds like me.”

“It was,” Donnie said softly, sliding a tablet toward him. “I saved our last multiplayer run. Want to try it?”

Leo stared at the screen. “…Sure.”

Leo was hesistant, of course, but Donnie couldn't help but feel a small bit of hope growing in his chest

Hopefully this is the start of Leo regaining his memories of me...and our twin bond Donnie thought to himself

.

.

.

They played.

And for a moment, it almost felt normal.

Leo was terrible—truly, impressively bad—and Donnie pretended to grumble every time he fell into the lava, just like old times. He even programmed a “custom insult” soundboard to play every time Leo got KO’d. Leo laughed. Actually laughed.

But it wasn’t the same laugh.

It wasn’t the one Donnie knew—the one that started in Leo’s chest and turned into that wild, full-body cackle that made Donnie roll his eyes while secretly smiling behind his mask.

No. This laugh was polite. A reaction, not a reflex.

Still, Donnie logged the data. Monitored heart rate, micro-expressions. Looking for any sign that something was waking up.

He found none.

.

.

.

Later, Donnie tried something more sentimental.

He led Leo to the training room/dojo and gestured toward the far wall, where a series of framed photos hung in chronological chaos.

Leo squinted at one.

It was the two of them at age nine, covered in glitter and paint, proudly holding up a collapsing cardboard spaceship. Donnie remembered that day. They’d built it together, and then Leo had tried to “pilot” it down the stairs. There had been blood. And stitches. And laughter.

“Looks like we were close,” Leo said after a beat.

“We were” Donnie murmured.

“...Are we now?”

The question stopped Donnie cold.

He turned to face him. His hand moved to hold onto Leo's, before he thought better of it and made an aborted move “I want us to be.”

Leo held his gaze, picking up that Donnie moved his hand, but didn't think much about it. “I want that too. I just… I’m trying.” Leo sounded so defeated and Donnie hated it

However, he just nodded slowly, forcing a smile. “I know.”

His voice and smile did not match

Trying hurt more than forgetting. Trying meant Leo knew he’d lost something—and couldn’t reach it.

Donnie couldn't even feel his twin reaching out and that seemed to hurt him a lot more then it should have

.

.

.

That night, Donnie stayed late in the lab again, reviewing their recorded training footage. He watched himself guiding Leo through sword drills, teasing him, laughing. Watched Leo roll his eyes and nudge Donnie with a smirk.

It was so familiar. So them.

He paused the video and whispered, “Do you miss me, Leo? Even if you don’t know why?”

There was no answer. Just the echo of laughter from a version of Leo who hadn’t forgotten him.

A lone tear felled down Donnie's cheek and he didn't bother to wipe it away

.

.

.

Meanwhile, across the lair, Leo sat in bed with a notebook.

He flipped through pages of notes Mikey had given him. Family facts. Favorites. History.

He stopped on one page labeled “Leo & Donnie: Twin Things”
There were bullet points.

• Same birthday.

• Same height (Donnie insists he’s taller by 0.2 inches).

• Donnie made Leo’s first real sword.

• Leo once faked a cold just to stay in the lab with Donnie for a week.

• When Donnie got locked in his lab overnight, Leo was the only one who noticed.

• They used to sync their movements in battle without thinking.

• They have their own version of sign language and turtle speak.

• They never fight for long.

• Used to share a room together

Leo stared at the last line.

He didn’t remember any of it.

But for the first time, he wished he did.

Notes:

Leo is longing for what he used to have with Donnie and he is upset that his mind is working against him as he can't remember any of it. Poor baby blue

Next chapter will see Donnie taking a more emotional risk to try and get Leo to remember. Will it work or will it backfire on him?

Chapter 4: The Risk and The Void

Summary:

Donnie takes a bigger emotional risk—only for it to end in heartbreak… and a flicker of something Leo can’t quite explain.

Notes:

And now comes my favorite chapter. This one was fun to write, but also made me very sad as I really feel for Donnie. Hope you guys enjoy!!!

Donnie stood outside Leo’s room, holding a thin, worn notebook in his hands.

It was old. Frayed at the corners. Covered in random stickers and duct tape patches. Their Twin Sync Journal. Started when they were ten—mostly Leo’s idea, though Donnie had pretended to be annoyed. Inside were lists of their synchronized victories, dumb doodles, inside jokes, and half-invented code words for when they wanted to prank their brothers.

It was...them. Something that only the two of them had

Donnie hope with all of his heart that he could get that back

Donnie’s heart pounded as he knocked.

“Come in,” Leo called.

He sounded tired.

When Donnie stepped in, Leo looked up from the sketch Mikey had drawn of the four of them together. He offered a soft smile—but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“Hey, Don.”

That name used to mean something. Now it felt like a placeholder.

Donnie sat beside him on the floor. His movements were careful, like he was trying not to break the moment—or himself.

“I brought something.”

He handed over the notebook.

Leo took it hesitantly. Flipped through a few pages.

There were stick figure comics of the two of them beating up ghosts. A page titled “Best Twin Combos” with absurd attack names. One corner was entirely dedicated to tally marks labeled “Who wins more?” (Leo: 38. Donnie: 39. Leo had added liar in red pen.)

Leo gave a weak laugh. “This is… definitely us, huh?”

Donnie nodded. “It is us.”

He swallowed. “I know you don’t remember. But I do. Every moment. Every fight. Every time you drove me insane, and every time you made it worth it. You’re not just my brother, Leo. You’re my twin. You’re half of me.”

'My better half' Donnie thought to himself, but dare not say that out loud knowing how vulnerable it was and also not knowing how Leo would react to it

Leo stared at him. Quiet. Still.

“You once told me,” Donnie whispered, “that if you ever forgot who you were… I’d be the one to remind you. Because I’d never forget.”

Leo’s face twitched. Just slightly.

“But I don’t feel that,” he finally said, voice low. “I want to. I really do. But when I try to remember… it’s just white noise. Like it’s locked behind a door I can’t open.”

Donnie pressed on. “Let me help. Just—look at me. Really look. Try to remember the last time we fought side-by-side. Our twin language. The time we got trapped in a collapsing time loop and figured it out together. The Kraang. The rooftop. The cold—when I thought I lost you—”

“Stop,” Leo said suddenly, hand flying to his head.

Donnie froze. “Leo?”

“It hurts—my head—it’s like static—just—stop.”

Donnie reached for him instinctively, but Leo flinched back.

The heartbreaking look on Donnie's face said more then a thousand words ever could

“I’m trying,” Leo snapped, voice cracking. “I’m trying so hard but it’s just noise! Why do I feel like I’m being crushed every time you look at me like that?!”

Donnie pulled his hand back, his throat tight, tears threatening to spill down his face.

“I just want my brother...my twin back,” he said quietly, afraid that if he spoke any louder, his voice would crack and the tears would fall.

“I’m right here.”

“No,” Donnie said, standing slowly. “You’re not.”

.

.

.

He didn’t hear Mikey and Raph calling his name as he shoved past them.

Didn’t respond to Mikey’s gentle “Donnie, wait—!”

Didn’t stop until the door to his room slammed shut and the locks clicked into place.

The lab door hissed shut behind Donnie, sealing him in alone.

No alarms. No flashing lights. Just the hum of idle servers and the soft whirr of his backup systems.

He didn’t cry.

Not yet.

He took a deep breath to stablize himself and to blink away the moisture that he had in his eyes

His legs moved on their own, guiding him to the central workstation. Fingers numb, he typed in the old archive folder: /disaster_twins/footage/unsorted/

It loaded instantly. Hundreds of files. Thousands.

Labeled with dumb names like “Rooftop Victory Dance” and “Twin Sync Test – Failed Again” and “He Stole My Grapes (Leo Fight #39)”

Donnie clicked the first video his cursor hovered over.

The footage was grainy, taken from the GoPro mounted in the corner of the training room/dojo. It was barely a minute long.

Leo and Donnie were sparring—not seriously, just messing around. It was mid-laugh, mid-chaos, both of them falling over each other in tangled limbs and exaggerated poses. Donnie had shouted something unintelligible, Leo had tackled him to the floor, and both had dissolved into gasping, breathless laughter.

Donnie’s voice in the video: “You’re so annoying—why do I even like you?”

Leo’s voice: “Because I’m irresistible, and you’re emotionally dependent on me.”

“That’s fair.”

Donnie’s throat clenched.

He clicked the next video.

This one was a quiet one—just the two of them sitting on the rooftop under a blanket, a thermos between them, the stars overhead reflected in their masks. They weren’t saying much. Just leaning into each other.

Leo had rested his head on Donnie’s shoulder.

Donnie had smiled without even noticing.

He could still remember how warm Leo had been. How their hands had brushed, and neither of them had pulled away. How they’d felt like two halves of one breath.

The kind of moment you don’t think to record.

But he had.

That's why Donnie records everything

Because deep down, Donnie always feared moments like that could vanish.

And now they had.

He clicked another file. A dumb video Leo had secretly filmed of Donnie snoring on the couch. Another where Donnie had ranted for eight straight minutes about Leo leaving his coffee half-finished. One where Leo whispered behind the camera, “He acts like he hates me, but he always brings me an extra snack, every time. Disaster twin code.”

Donnie’s chest caved in.

It wasn’t just videos.

It was proof.

Proof that they had been real. That they had been twins. That Leo had once loved him, trusted him, leaned on him. That he had known Donnie better than anyone else in the universe.

And now he didn’t.

Donnie still didn’t cry, although he was close to it.

Not yet.

Instead, he opened the old folder of photos.

Still images. Frozen in time.

Leo and Donnie at the science museum. Leo stealing Donnie’s goggles. Donnie asleep with Leo sitting behind him, reading some dumb manga with his head tilted onto Donnie’s shell.

Their first selfie after beating the Krang. Bandaged, bruised—but smiling. Together.

He stared at that one for a long time.

Then slowly, Donnie reached into the drawer beside him and pulled out a printed photo, slightly bent at the corner.

It was the two of them when they were little—maybe eight or nine. Donnie was holding up a broken gadget, proudly grinning. Leo was hugging him from behind, chin on his shoulder, eyes bright with mischief and love.

Donnie held the photo close to his chest.

And finally—finally—he broke.

A sob tore from his throat before he could stop it, and then the rest followed in a wave he couldn’t control.

He slid down to the floor, the photo clutched tight against his hoodie, and cried.

Cried like something inside him had shattered.

Cried like a child who’d lost his home.

Cried because Leo hadn’t recognized his voice, his face, his heart.

“I lost him,” he whispered, voice breaking. “He’s gone.”

Tears spilled freely now. Hot and angry and helpless.

“Come back to me,” he whispered, voice cracking. “I love you so much. Please come back, Nardo…”

He curled in on himself, the photo still pressed against his chest, like holding it close might fill the hollow space Leo had left behind.

Donnie buried his face in his arms and cried—raw, muffled sobs that only the walls could hear.

He cried until his chest ached.

Until his throat burned.

Eventually, the sobs quieted.

His body gave in.

And Donnie—genius, inventor, twin—fell asleep on the floor of his lab, alone in the dim blue glow of old footage, clutching the memory of his brother.

.

.

.

Back in his room, Leo sat on the edge of his bed, hands trembling slightly.

He kept glancing at the door.

Something about Donnie’s voice, about the words he’d said, about the aching behind his eyes—it lingered.

Like déjà vu.

Like something half-buried under ice.

He opened the notebook again and found a page with both of their handwriting. A simple pledge, written when they were eleven:

We promise to never forget each other. Even if memory fades, even if time breaks, we are two halves of one shell.

Leo stared at the words, reading them over and over.

And something inside his chest flickered.

Faint.

Small.

But there.

He didn’t remember.

But maybe… just maybe… Donnie was telling the truth

Notes:

Donnie has a breakdown and Leo is starting to think that maybe there is some truth to what Donnie is saying. Let's see how far that goes and if a breakthrough can be made

Chapter 5: Through the Cracks

Summary:

Leo begins experiencing memory flickers—and a sudden, dangerous relapse forces the bond to stir in a moment of crisis.

Donnie didn’t come out of his room the next day.

Or the one after.

He’d locked his lab and routed all comms through the mainframe so he wouldn’t have to answer

Raph tried to knock once. Donnie didn’t reply.

It wasn’t pettiness. It wasn’t drama.

It was grief.

He’d failed. His mind wouldn’t stop replaying that moment—Leo clutching his head, wincing like the truth hurt him more than the lie ever could. Like Donnie’s love was a weapon.

So Donnie stayed away.

He figured Leo wanted him to.

He spent most of his time wallowing in his grief by replaying old videos of Leo and looking through old photos on his phone. He even played several recordings that he had taken of Leo singing

Hearing his twin's laugh and soft voice brought back a bittersweet sense of nostaglia. It only made his heart ache more for the person that he loved the most. For the twin that he wanted back more then anything. Maybe then he wouldn't be feeling so empty and wouldn't be crying so much

Sometimes his brain wandered down the dark path of maybe if they weren't twins, if Leo didn't love him as much as he did, then maybe this wouldn't be happening. Donnie hit his head a few times when that thought did occur. He couldn't imagine Leo not being his twin. If there was one constant in his life, it was that Leo was his twin. Without him, Donnie didn't know how he would be able to live. Donnie wasn't Donnie without Leo

This cycle of thinking was what drove Donnie to be holed up in his room for two days

But on the third morning, Donnie’s door flickered with a gentle knock.

Then another.

Then silence.

He didn’t open it.

.

.

.

Meanwhile, Leo couldn’t stop feeling things.

The flickers were small at first: his hand reaching for a tool and pausing, like waiting for someone else’s hand beside his. The echo of laughter while walking past the training room. The instinct to turn to his left during a meal and expect someone to be there—someone important.

Donnie.

Even if the name still didn’t fit, it followed him like a phantom limb.

Leo found himself wandering into the lab one evening. Donnie wasn’t there, of course. He’d locked it up. But Leo remembered the override code Mikey had accidentally told him while ranting about lab snacks. He entered it.

Inside, it smelled like metal and ozone. Familiar.

Leo drifted through the dark room, fingers brushing over cold surfaces. Tools lined every table, humming with residual energy.

He didn’t know what made him go to the back corner.

But he did.

There, nestled under a messy cloth, was a damaged communicator shell with a drawing etched into the casing. Two stick turtles—one blue, one purple—standing back to back. The words underneath were shaky, like they’d been carved by a child:

You’re the only one who gets me.

Leo’s heart stuttered.

He didn’t remember writing it.

But something about it felt like home.

.

.

.

Later that night, Leo collapsed.

It started with a headache. Then a wave of vertigo that had him stumbling against the wall. Mikey caught him mid-fall and shouted for Raph.

By the time they got Leo to the couch, his hands were trembling and his eyes unfocused.

“I—I don’t know what’s happening—” Leo gasped, clutching his chest. “It’s like something’s breaking open—like I’m being pulled in a thousand directions—!”

"Should we call Draxum?" Raph asked frantically

“Donnie!” Mikey shouted, without hesisation. “We need Donnie!”

But Raph was already running.

.

.

.

The knock at Donnie’s door was frantic this time.

“Don! It’s Leo! He’s not okay—we don’t know what’s wrong!”

No response.

“Donnie!” Raph pounded harder. “He’s asking for you!”

That did it.

The locks disengaged. The door slammed open.

Donnie looked like hell. His mask was off, eyes bloodshot, skin dull from lack of sleep.

But he didn’t hesitate.

.

.

.

When Donnie entered the room, Leo was shaking, curled in on himself with his arms wrapped around his head.

Mikey was glowing faintly, trying to soothe him with calming magic. It wasn’t working.

But Leo’s head snapped up the moment Donnie stepped in.

“D…Don?”

The voice was broken. Confused. Small.

It reminded Donnie of when they were kids

Donnie felt his heart breaking as he knelt beside his twin, trying to keep the tears at bay.

“I’m here. I’m right here.”

Leo’s eyes brimmed with tears.

“I can’t—I don’t remember—but it hurts, and I don’t know why—but when you talk it’s like something inside me is screaming to listen—”

Donnie took his hand, gently brushing his thumb across Leo's knuckles, as he spoke softly. “You don’t have to remember it all. Just feel it.”

“I do! I feel it! But it’s like looking through cracked glass—I see you, I feel you—but I don’t know how to hold onto it!”

His voice broke into sobs.

Donnie let a lone tear fall as he wrapped his arms around his precious twin, holding Leo tightly against his plastron.

And in that instant, Leo didn’t pull away.

He clutched Donnie’s hoodie like it was the only thing anchoring him.

Donnie rocked the two of them back and forth as he whispered into Leo's ear, over and over, “I’ve got you. I’ve got you. I’ve always got you.”

Mikey had his arm wrapped around Raph as Raph held his baby brother close, the two of them watching the twins with sad looks on their faces

And Leo—though still trembling, though still confused—finally exhaled.

And somewhere deep in his chest, a thread stitched back into place.

Notes:

They are making progress. It's slow progress...but it is progress

Next chapter will see Leo making a breakthrough, but the magic inside of him is starting to fight back

Chapter 6: One Memory, One Spark

Summary:

Leo experiences the first true breakthrough—a memory returns—but the spell retaliates, revealing that the magic is starting to unravel… and not safely.

Notes:

Things take a turn in this chapter. Let's see if it is for better or for worst

Leo slept for thirteen hours.

Donnie never left his side.

Not for food. Not for water. Not even to pretend he could focus on anything else. He sat beside the bed with his hoodie wrapped around him like armor, staring at Leo as if his twin might vanish if he blinked.

At some point, Mikey came in and gently placed a blanket over Donnie’s shoulders. Donnie didn’t react.

Raph checked in three times, pacing silently just beyond the door.

Splinter said nothing, only offered Donnie a hand on his shoulder before leaving the room in reverent silence.

Donnie couldn’t rest.

Because Leo looked peaceful.

And that terrified him.

Too peaceful. Like something was... final.

So Donnie stayed awake, counting every breath. Every small twitch. Every time Leo’s fingers clenched and relaxed against the sheets, like he was reaching for something just out of reach.

.

.

.

Inside Leo's mind

Something was shifting.

At first, it was just flickers—light bleeding through the fog. Shadows of memories. Footsteps in the snow. The dull hum of neon lights reflecting off wet pavement.

Then he heard a laugh.

His laugh. And another layered on top—higher, sharper, uncontainable.

A twin echo.

In the dream, he was standing in the middle of a rooftop during a light rain, his arm slung around Donnie’s shoulders, both of them breathless with adrenaline. He didn’t remember what they were celebrating. He only remembered this:

Donnie saying, "If you fall, I fall. So try not to die, idiot."

And Leo laughing, "Then we better stick the landing, huh, nerd?

.

.

.

It hit like a jolt.

Leo gasped awake.

His back arched, breath catching like someone had just yanked a cord deep in his chest. Donnie bolted upright, heart pounding.

“Leo?!”

Leo’s eyelids fluttered open, eyes glassy with sleep, but wide with something new.

“Donnie…?”

Donnie reached forward, hand hovering just above Leo’s. “I’m here.”

Leo’s eyes darted around the room like he was grounding himself, searching for the now in the middle of a storm.

“I… I saw something.”

Donnie leaned in, breath catching. “What did you see?”

Leo blinked slowly. “It was raining… rooftop… you were there. We were laughing. You said something about falling, and I said we better stick the landing.”

Donnie’s chest ached.

“That happened,” he whispered. “We were fourteen. We were celebrating a solo win. I said if you fall, I fall. You said we better land it together.”

Leo stared at him, eyes wide and wet.

“I remember how it felt.” His hand reached up and gripped Donnie’s sleeve, desperate. “You felt like… home.”

Donnie’s lips trembled, but he nodded. “Yeah. That’s because you are.”

Leo tried to smile—he really did.

But then something shifted.

He flinched. Hard.

“Wait—nngh—what is—”

A crackle of energy surged under Leo’s skin, purple and red like lightning skittering beneath his plastron. He clutched at his head and let out a strangled cry.

Donnie jerked back instinctively as glowing sigils sparked along Leo’s neck and temples—the seal activating like a trap springing shut.

“Leo?!”

“It hurts—it’s pushing back—”

Mikey and Draxum bolted into the room, eyes flaring with mystic awareness. “The spell’s reacting!" Draxum yelled "It’s been fractured—it’s trying to repair itself!”

Leo doubled over, knees drawn up as his whole body trembled with the force of it. The scar along his neck glowed bright crimson, pulsing violently like a wound trying to seal shut over a knife.

Donnie’s voice cracked. “Can you stop it?!”

“I—I don’t know!” Draxum said. “It’s not designed to coexist with returning memories. It’s meant to punish recovery—force regression!”

Donnie’s hands were shaking.

Not from fear.

From rage.

“Whoever cast this,” he hissed, “they didn’t want to just make Leo forget. They wanted to punish him for remembering.”

Leo sobbed, clutching the sides of his head.

“I don’t want to forget again!”

“You won’t!” Donnie grabbed his hand, both of them shaking. “You hear me? I won’t let it take you again!” Donnie’s breath caught. “I’ll get all of them back,” Donnie said, eyes blazing. “Every last one.”

Leo’s breath hitched.

And in that moment, even through the tears and pain, he looked at Donnie like something inside him recognized him—fully, completely, for one fragile second.

“I trust you,” he whispered.

Then he collapsed into Donnie’s arms.

.

.

.

It was hours later when Leo woke again.

This time, there were no sparks. No glowing runes. Just the slow creak of returning awareness.

Donnie was still holding his hand.

Leo stirred, voice a hoarse whisper. “Dee…?”

Donnie leaned in instantly. “I’m here.”

“I still remember… just that one moment.”

Donnie swallowed hard. “That’s enough.”

Leo nodded weakly. “I—I want to remember all of it.”

“You will.”

“I’m scared.”

Donnie squeezed his hand. “So am I.”

“But I know it now,” Leo murmured, eyes glassy but steady. “You’re my twin.”

Donnie felt his breath catch.

“I didn’t say that,” Leo said slowly, as if realizing it for the first time. “It just came out.”

“Because it never really left,” Donnie said softly.

Leo smiled.

It was faint.

But it was his.

Notes:

Eh...little bit of both

Next chapter will have the family uncovering secrets about Leo's curse and Donnie must make a hard decision regarding bringing back Leo's memory

Chapter 7: Digging in The Dark

Summary:

The family investigates the origins of the memory spell, and Donnie is faced with an impossible choice: protect Leo from further pain… or push forward and risk breaking him entirely to bring him back.

Donnie was in his lab, surrounded by a projected web of mystic runes and digital analysis. He’d been cross-referencing Draxum and Mikey’s mystic scans with his own spectral-trace sensors for hours. Raph sat nearby in silence, arms crossed, watching the calculations spin with no idea what they meant—but knowing Donnie needed the company.

The results were... horrifying.

“This wasn’t some generic amnesia hex,” Donnie muttered, pacing. “It’s a hybrid—mystic and psychic imprinting. A suppression curse engineered to bury specific emotional bonds.”

Raph blinked. “Like... designed to make Leo forget you specifically?”

Donnie nodded grimly.

“Not just me. His deepest emotional anchor.” He pointed at a pulsing waveform. “And I just happen to be the target because—I don’t know"

"Because you are the most important person in Leo's life...the one who he loves the most?" Raph asked softly

It still hurt Donnie sometimes to hear that. To think that Leo's love for him is what is causing him so much heartache

Donnie sighed heavily "Well that and I guess because...for some reason fate doesn't want us to be twins or something. Like I have become it's favorite chew toy" he laughed bitterly

Raph’s fists clenched. “So someone wanted Leo to forget you... on purpose.”

“Not just forget.” Donnie’s jaw tightened. “Sever. Like surgically remove his connection to me and keep it buried with every attempt to reclaim it triggering psychic backlash.”

“That’s why it hurt him when you got close?”

“Yes.”

Mikey entered then, carrying a bundle of mystic scrolls and a grim expression. “Draxum and I found a match.”

He dropped the scrolls on Donnie’s desk, unrolling one to reveal a diagram of a magic seal disturbingly similar to the one burned into Leo’s neck.

“Whoever cast this used Kintsura Binding. It's an obscure curse from the Mystic North, usually outlawed. It targets the core of a person’s identity, specifically aiming at their soulbonded link.”

Donnie stared at him. “Soulbonded.”

Mikey gave a small nod. “It’s rare in non-mystics. But you and Leo have always been... well. You. Special...you could say”

Raph raised a brow. “You’re saying they’re soulbound?”

“It’s not romantic or anything,” Mikey clarified quickly. “It’s more like... their souls recognize each other on a frequency so deep, it ties into memory, instinct, even survival reflexes. You can’t break it without serious consequences.”

Donnie swallowed hard.

“Then why hasn’t it pulled him back already?”

Mikey hesitated. “Because they didn’t just block the bond. They poisoned it. Every flicker of it causes him pain. That memory you brought back? It was like a wire snapping through a wall of thorns.”

Donnie looked pale.

“But you and Draxum can fix it, right?”

Mikey didn’t answer immediately.

“Draxum saids taht we can try. But the curse is feeding on resistance. Which means… the longer Leo fights to remember, the stronger the backlash will be.”

Donnie sat down slowly, processing.

“So what are you saying?”

“I’m saying you can’t half-push anymore,” Mikey said gently. “If you want to bring him back... you’ll have to break through completely. All at once.”

Raph leaned forward. “And if he can’t handle it?”

“Best case? He shuts down for a while.”

“Worst case?”

Mikey’s voice was quiet.

“He could lose everything.”

Donnie went silent before Mikey placed a hand on his shoulder

"Draxum also told me that if you are not careful, if you try to bring Leo back and you let your grief and fear lead you, then you could drown" Mikey finished sadly

Donnie looked down at his hands.

Shaking.

Again.

“I’ve already been drowning,” he said softly. “Every day since he looked me in the eyes and didn’t know me.”

Neither of the brothers said anything before Raph came to his other side and squeezed his other shoulder

“Then let us help you breathe again.”

.

.

.

That night, Donnie stood outside Leo’s room again.

He hadn’t planned to knock.

He just wanted to look at the door, feel that familiar ache, that phantom tug of who they used to be.

But the door opened first.

Leo blinked at him, visibly tired but alert.

“I was hoping you’d come back.”

Donnie hesitated. “Even though it hurts?”

Leo nodded slowly. “Yeah. Because I think you’re worth the pain.”

It almost undid Donnie right there.

“I remember more,” Leo said, stepping aside. “Nothing full. But I felt you last night. In my dream. You were arguing with me about ‘strategic miscalculations.’ You sounded really annoyed.”

Donnie huffed. “I always am.”

Leo smiled faintly. “That’s what it felt like.”

They sat in silence for a while, shoulder to shoulder, their closeness no longer sparking pain—but tension still hung in the air, like a glass wall waiting to shatter.

Donnie’s fingers trembled.

“I have a choice to make,” he whispered.

Leo glanced over. “What kind of choice?”

“The kind where I either keep you safe and never get you back… or break you just enough that I might.”

Leo was quiet for a long moment.

Then: “Do it.”

Donnie blinked. “What?”

Leo looked him dead in the eye. “If there’s even a chance of getting our bond back—all of it—I want to take it. I want to remember you.”

Donnie’s chest caved under the weight of it.

“You might forget everything,” he said.

“Then start over,” Leo replied softly. “Just… don’t give up.”

Donnie stared at him.

And then leaned in, forehead pressed to Leo’s.

“I won’t.”

Donnie just hoped that this plan worked because he didn't know what he would do if Leo forgot everything

I mean, how do you start over after 16 years of a close twin bond?

"Lord please let this plan go right. Please bring my Leo back to me" Donnie prayed that night as he fell asleep, anxious on what tomorrow would bring

Notes:

Leo gave Donnie the thumbs up and they are moving forward with the plan to save Leo's memories. Will it work or will Leo forget everything?

Chapter 8: Break The Chain

Summary:

The Hamato family performs the final, dangerous ritual to shatter the memory curse. It’s painful, raw, and soul-deep—but Leo and Donnie face it together.

Notes:

And we have finally reached the climax! Let's see if the ritual works and Donnie can finally get his Leo back

The circle was drawn in glowing chalk, a soft golden luminescence that pulsed with every breath Leo took.

Donnie stood at the edge of it, fingers twitching, tools and data pads discarded behind him. No machines could help now. This wasn’t science. This was heart.

Mikey stood opposite him, already glowing with mystic energy, eyes soft and sure. Draxum had allowed Mikey to perform the spell, saying that he was ready due to all of the practice that the two of them had together, but he did say that he would step in if necessary. Raph lingered in the background, silent but steady—just in case anything went wrong.

Leo knelt in the center of the circle.

He didn’t look afraid.

He looked ready.

Leo looked up at Donnie.

And smiled.

“Hey,” he said softly. “You showed up.”

Donnie laughed once, shakily. “I never left.”

Leo’s voice dropped. “You ready?”

“No,” Donnie admitted. “But I’ll do it anyway.”

“I still don’t remember everything,” Leo said. “But I remember the way your voice made me feel. Like I was safe.”

Donnie’s throat tightened.

“I remember the way I felt when I woke up next to you after the Kraang invasion. Broken. But not alone.”

Leo glanced up. “That was real?”

Donnie nodded. “You cried in my arms. You told me I was the reason you didn’t fall apart.”

Leo smiled faintly. “Then I’m not scared.”

Mikey raised his hands, mystic runes spiraling into the air like fireflies.

“This is gonna hurt,” he warned. “It’ll dig deep. It has to tear through the blockage.”

“I can take it,” Leo said.

Donnie stepped closer. “You don’t have to do this alone.”

“I’m not.” Leo reached out. “You’re with me.”

Donnie took his hand.

The bond flared.

And the circle ignited.

.

.

.

The moment Donnie entered the field, he felt it.

Like wading into ice water that buzzed with memory and pain.

Leo gritted his teeth as the seal began to burn. “It’s coming.”

Donnie leaned in close, voice steady.

“Listen to me. I’m not letting you go. You hear me?”

The golden light turned white-hot. Runes spun around them like a storm.

Donnie pressed his forehead to Leo’s, gripping his hands tight.

“You are Leonardo. My twin. You always have been.”

The magic hit fast—like lightning splitting through Leo’s chest. He screamed, arching against the force as runes branded themselves into the air around him. The glowing seal on his neck pulsed red-hot.

“Keep your mind open!” Mikey shouted over the roar. “Let the memories in!”

Donnie tightened his grip on Leo’s hand and leaned in close. “Feel it. Feel me. Remember the rooftop! Remember the stupid jokes! The way we moved together in every battle! You called us a two-for-one special, remember?”

Leo trembled, jaw clenched.

Donnie pressed harder. “Remember how you always knew when I was scared, even when I didn’t say it. How I never had to ask you to come find me—you just did. Because that’s who we are.”

Leo’s eyes opened wide.

“I remember…” he gasped. “Your voice in the dark… you were the first thing I heard after the portal—”

“That’s right!” Donnie urged. “Keep going!”

More magic cracked around them like thunder.

Leo cried out, grabbing at his head. “It’s too much—it’s splitting me—!”

“No!” Donnie shouted, stepping into the circle fully now, gripping Leo’s shoulders. “You’re not breaking—we are stronger than this, you and me!”

Then his voice softened.

“Because you’re my other half.”

Leo froze.

The pain flared again—but this time, it centered. Spiraled inward instead of tearing outward.

Images burst in Leo’s mind—laughing with Donnie in the kitchen, falling asleep in the same bed as kids, synchronized flips mid-fight, Donnie carrying him off the battlefield after he nearly died. The look in Donnie’s eyes when Leo had been ready to sacrifice himself.

Don’t leave me. Please, Leo, please.

He remembered everything.

The bond snapped into place like a jigsaw finally whole.

And Leo screamed.

The runes shattered.

The seal cracked.

And silence fell.

Leo collapsed into Donnie’s arms.

And Donnie held him like something precious.

.

.

.

Silence.

Then—

Donnie felt it first. The quiet, perfect hum in his chest. That unshakable knowing that had always existed between them.

Then Leo’s hand gripped his—tight, strong, shaking.

And when he opened his eyes, they were brimming with tears.

“Donnie.”

It was the most beautiful sound that Donnie ever heard

Donnie fell to his knees, chest cracking wide open.

Leo surged forward, arms locking around him, which caused the two of them to fall backwards, but neither of them seem to mind. The two of them collapsed together, forehead to forehead, breath to breath, arms and legs wrapped around in each other in a death grip. They were afraid that if they didn't hold on tight, it would have felt like a dream and Leo would still not remember Donnie. That Leo could disapper forever and Donnie would then be truly broken

“You’re back,” Donnie whispered, voice breaking. “You’re really back—”

Leo sobbed. “I missed you so much. I’m so sorry—I didn’t mean to forget—”

“I know,” Donnie whispered as he rocked the two of them back and forth. “I know Nardo. Shhh it's ok. It wasn't your fault. I'm right here. I gotcha baby blue"

Mikey let the spell fade. The circle dimmed.

Raph turned away, eyes misty.

Donnie cradled Leo like he’d fall apart without him.

And Leo held him just as tightly.

Because now he remembered everything.

Notes:

Yeah, Leo is back.

Only two more chapters to go and it is going to be nothing but soft disaster twins, full of fluff and love from here on out. Might want to get ready with some tissues

Chapter 9: Just Us

Summary:

Leo and Donnie finally have the quiet, healing moment they’ve both been waiting for—no spells, no pain, no confusion. Just two twins, whole again.

Notes:

Ok, now here comes my favorite chapter. The twins are finally together again and they are getting the comfort that they both desperately need

It was the first time in weeks that Donnie let himself truly rest.

Not the kind of rest where you close your eyes but your brain won’t shut off. No—this was the kind where your soul exhales.

Leo was beside him on the couch, curled up beneath the same blanket, legs tangled together, shell to shell, like they'd done a thousand times since they were kids.

Donnie had one arm wrapped tight around his twin’s middle, anchoring them together like gravity. Leo’s hand clutched Donnie’s hoodie like he was afraid he’d drift away again.

Neither of them had said much since the ritual.

Until Leo spoke.

“Don…”

Donnie hummed quietly in acknowledgment.

Leo didn’t speak at first. His eyes were fixed on the floor, on a crack in the tile he must’ve stared at for the last ten minutes.

“I… I want to tell you what it was like. When I forgot you.”

Donnie shifted, pulling back slightly to look at him. “You don’t have to—”

“I do,” Leo said, voice thick. “You need to know.”

There was a long pause.

Then Leo whispered, “It was… lonely. Like there was this… hole in my chest. And I kept filling it with things—training, conversations, even you—but it never felt right. It never stayed. It was like walking around with this echo in my chest. Like… like I was haunted by something I couldn’t name. Every time you looked at me, it was like something in me ached—but I didn’t know why.”

Donnie’s grip around him tightened.

He clenched his fists. “And every time you looked at me like you knew me, I felt like I was letting someone down. Someone who trusted me. I—I hated myself, Donnie. I didn’t even know why, but I did.”

Donnie’s throat ached, but he held it together. Barely.

Leo’s voice broke. “I looked you in the eyes, and I didn’t know you. And you were right there. Always there. Loving me. And I didn’t feel it. And that…” He sucked in a breath. “Every time I made you cry, every time I said I didn’t know you—it hurt, Donnie. I didn’t know why, but it did. And that made it worse. Because part of me thought…” He broke off, choking on the words.

Donnie cupped the back of his head gently. “Thought what?”

“That maybe you loved me, and I didn’t love you back,” Leo said, voice cracking. “And that killed me. I felt like a monster.”

Donnie moved before he could think.

He gently wrapped his arms around Leo from the side, pulling him in. Slowly. Carefully.

Leo didn’t resist.

He curled into it, gripping Donnie’s hoodie, burying his face in his twin’s chest.

Tears spilled down Leo’s cheeks now, silent and unrestrained.

“I forgot my twin, Dee. I forgot you. How could I do that? What kind of person just—just loses the one person who means everything to them and doesn’t even know it? What kind of monster forgets his own twin? The person who—who loved him most?””

Donnie’s own vision blurred instantly as he rested his chin on the top of Leo's head, arms wrapped around his twin like a shield

“You’re not a monster,” Donnie murmured. “You were hurt. You didn’t do this, Leo. It wasn’t your fault—”

“But it still happened! And I saw you cry!” Leo cried, pressing his forehead into Donnie’s chest. “So many times. I felt it, even when I didn’t understand why. It tore me up, and I couldn’t do anything. And the worst part is… when I remembered, it hurt more than anything I’ve ever felt. Because I finally knew what I’d lost.”

Donnie pulled him into a fierce hug, both arms wrapping around Leo as he buried his face in his brother’s shoulder.

Donnie’s voice cracked. “It wasn’t your job to fix it. I wasn’t hurting because of you—I was hurting because I missed you. Because I love you. And not having you? Not being seen by you? It—”

He pulled Leo tighter.

“It shattered me.”

“I missed you so much,” Leo sobbed. “I missed your voice, your tech babble, your stupid lectures—your laugh, Donnie. I missed your laugh and I didn’t even know it was gone.”

Donnie broke.

“I kept replaying memories,” Donnie whispered. “Videos. Pictures. I thought if I just showed you enough, you’d remember. But it wasn’t the images that mattered—it was you. Your heart. And I thought I lost it.”

The sob tore from his throat before he could stop it. He clutched Leo like he’d disappear again, his shoulders shaking.

“I thought I lost you forever,” Donnie whispered hoarsely. “I thought I was going to live the rest of my life with you right in front of me—but not really you.”

“You didn’t,” Leo choked. “I was still here. Just… behind the glass.”

Leo gripped the back of Donnie’s hoodie, fists trembling.

“I’m here now,” he whispered, over and over. “I’m here, Dee. I’m here.”

They cried together like they hadn’t since they were kids—no walls, no jokes, no masks. Just raw, aching love and relief. No one had to be the strong one. Not tonight.

Leo shifted to face him fully, eyes bloodshot and filled with pain—but something else, too.

Love.

Unmistakable. Unyielding.

“I don’t want to forget you ever again,” Leo whispered. “If it happens—if something ever takes me away like that again—don’t give up on me. Please.”

Donnie cupped Leo’s face in both hands. “Never.”

Leo leaned forward, pressing their foreheads together.

“Say it,” he whispered.

Donnie blinked at him, confused. “Say what?”

Leo gave a trembling smile.

“That I’m your twin.”

Donnie's lips trembled, but he said it without hesitation. “You’re my twin, Nardo.”

Leo’s lips trembled.

“Say it again.”

“You’re my twin, Nardo.”

Leo exhaled like he'd been waiting his whole life to hear it.

He slid down beside Donnie, head on his shoulder, hand reaching blindly until Donnie met it and intertwined their fingers.

They lay like that for a long time. Just breathing. Just being.

No magic.

No pain.

Just them.

The bond between them was no longer broken. It had been reforged in fire—and it glowed like gold in the silence.

Donnie brought their foreheads together, breathing in sync.

“I love you,” Leo whispered, voice hoarse. “More than anything.”

Donnie nodded against him. “I love you too. My other half. My twin. My Leo”

They stayed like that for a long time—arms around each other, hands intertwined, tears drying slowly on their faces.

Not just reunited. Not just healed.

Whole.

And this time, nothing—nothing—was going to tear them apart again.

Notes:

Might have cried while writing this. Oh well

One more chapter to go. It will be an epilogue that shows the twins healing and showcasing their unbreakable bond

Chapter 10: After the Storm

Summary:

A gentle, healing close to a story full of heartbreak, magic, and the unshakable love between twins. The family gathers, but the heart of it all is Leo and Donnie—finally whole, finally together.

Notes:

Here is the last chapter!!!

Thank you guys so much for taking the time to read this and leave so many kudos and positive comments. Means a lot to see this story get so much love. Hope you guys enjoyed reading it as I enjoyed writing it

We will close out this wonderful story with more disaster twin fluff as the twins heal and become closer together

The lair was warm that night.

Not just in temperature, but in presence—glowing lamps, the scent of Mikey’s pizza-kitchen chaos, Raph’s heavy footsteps moving around the living room, April’s laughter echoing from the hallway.

Leo stood in the middle of it all, hands in his hoodie pockets, smiling quietly as his family celebrated.

He wasn’t the center of attention.

He didn’t want to be.

But every so often, someone would pass by and give him a hug, or a soft smile, or a plate of something warm, and Leo would hold it all with careful gratitude.

It was the first time in a long while that the air didn’t feel tight.

But it wasn’t until he caught Donnie’s eyes across the room that he felt his chest loosen fully.

Donnie was leaning against the doorframe, watching Leo with a small smile—the kind that didn’t reach very far, but still held so much.

Leo crossed the room in a few quick strides and slipped beside him.

“You doing okay?” Leo asked softly.

Donnie nodded. “Better than I have in weeks.”

They stood shoulder to shoulder in the hallway, distant from the noise but still enveloped by the warmth of their family.

Leo looked down. “You know… the thing that finally broke the spell? It wasn’t Mikey’s magic. Not really.”

Donnie tilted his head. “No?”

Leo looked up at him with a small, tired smile. “It was you. Your voice. Your heart. The way you wouldn’t let go of me, even when I didn’t recognize you. That’s what brought me back.”

Donnie’s breath hitched. “Leo—”

“Don’t argue with me.” Leo gently nudged their foreheads together, nose to nose. “You’re all I've ever needed, Dee. Sure, our family is amazing and I love them. But, I love you the most. I think I've always have. You're my other half. My twin. My...My Donnie. You always have been.”

Donnie exhaled shakily as he cup one of Leo's cheeks. “You’re mine too. My sweet, wonderful, amazing twin. My Leo”

They stood there a long time, forehead to forehead, until Donnie finally murmured, “Do you… want to sneak away?”

Leo’s answering smile was soft and familiar. “Always.”

They slipped away to their shared room—still just as cluttered and chaotic as ever. Donnie’s gadgets, Leo’s old training posters, bits of junk and love tangled together in perfect symmetry.

Leo flopped down onto the bed, arms spread. “You still sleep better next to me?”

Donnie didn’t answer. He just climbed in and curled against him without a word.

Leo let out a quiet, relieved sigh and pulled him close.

There were no more spells to break. No more memories to unlock. No more proving who they were to each other.

They had nothing to prove.

Because this—this feeling, this knowing—was stronger than any curse.

And as they drifted off to sleep, tangled in each other’s warmth, Donnie whispered the only thing that still mattered:

“I love you.”

Leo smiled.

“I love you too”

.

.

.

It had been two months since the spell broke.

Since Leo looked Donnie in the eyes and saw his twin—not a stranger.

Since the pain of forgetting had been replaced with the steady, slow peace of remembering.

Life had returned to something resembling normal in the lair. Patrols, projects, pizza. But beneath the familiar rhythms was something new. Softer. More intentional.

Especially between Donnie and Leo.

They hadn’t drifted apart again—not even once.

If anything, they were closer than they’d ever been.

It was the little things.

Leo making two cups of tea without asking if Donnie wanted one—because he knew. Donnie setting aside a space in his lab with a pillow and a blanket labeled “Leo’s Recharge Station,” just in case.

They touched more now. Shoulders bumping in quiet rooms. Fingers brushing in passing. Casual hugs that lingered longer than they used to—like they were still making up for all that lost time.

And sometimes, on quiet nights, they didn’t even talk.

They just were.

 

The rain outside pattered gently against the lair’s skylights.

Donnie sat cross-legged on the couch in the main living area, his tablet glowing dimly in his lap. He was sketching out a new drone schematic, but his movements were slow, distracted.

He glanced toward the hallway—and, right on cue, Leo padded in wearing Donnie’s purple hoodie.

“You’re stealing that again?” Donnie asked without looking up.

Leo yawned, flopping down beside him. “You said I could borrow it.”

“Two months ago.”

“It still smells like you,” Leo mumbled, tugging the hood up over his face. “Comfortable.”

Donnie rolled his eyes, but his chest ached with something warm.

He shifted so Leo could lean into his side more comfortably, and Leo took the silent invitation immediately—curling against him, legs stretched across the couch, blanket half-draped across them both.

“You remember the last time it rained like this?” Donnie asked softly, setting his tablet aside.

Leo didn’t answer for a moment. Then: “The night I started to remember.”

Donnie nodded, heart tight.

Leo curled tighter into him, voice muffled against Donnie’s plastron. “I still get scared sometimes. That it’ll fade again.”

Donnie gently rubbed his hand up and down Leo’s back, slow and grounding. “It won’t. You’re safe.”

Leo was quiet for a while after that.

Then he whispered, “I feel more like myself now than I ever did before. Like… that hole’s finally filled. And it’s you, Don. You’re what was missing.”

Donnie blinked fast.

“I mean it,” Leo murmured. “Even before the spell, I think I took you for granted. I didn’t realize how much of me is you. How much I rely on you being there.”

Donnie couldn’t speak for a moment. He just rested his head lightly on top of Leo’s.

“You never have to go through anything like that alone again,” Donnie said eventually. “Because I’m not going anywhere. Not ever.”

Leo smiled into his hoodie. “Good. Same here”

Donnie glanced down. “Hey… you wanna do something dumb and sentimental?”

Leo lifted his head slightly. “Always.”

Donnie reached into the couch’s side pocket and pulled out a small polaroid photo—creased and bent at the edges. It was the one he’d clutched to his chest the night he thought he’d lost Leo forever.

He handed it to Leo.

Leo blinked at it, lips parting slightly. “Where’d you get this?”

“It was in my lab. I kept it close. You know... just in case.”

Leo stared at it for a long time.

It was them—tiny, grinning, cheek to cheek, arms wrapped around each other. Donnie had grease on his face. Leo was sticking out his tongue.

“I remember this day,” Leo whispered, thumb brushing over the corner. “We’d just fixed my skateboard together.”

“You mean I fixed it.”

Leo chuckled, eyes glossy. “Right. You fixed it. I brought snacks.”

They were quiet again, lost in the image, the weight of memory folding over them like a blanket.

Finally, Leo held the photo close to his chest. “I’m gonna keep this by my bed.”

Donnie smiled. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Leo settled in again, curling under Donnie’s arm. “Just in case I ever need a reminder. Not of the past… but of how lucky I am.”

Donnie swallowed the lump in his throat and pressed a kiss to the top of Leo’s head. “We both are.”

 

Their bond had been fractured.

Tested. Severed.

But not destroyed.

And now—piece by piece—it was stronger than ever.

Because sometimes, love doesn’t just bring you back.

It rebuilds you.

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 20 of I love the disaster twins