#dark-ish raph

“Real pretty like?” The first voice you assumed to be Vinny, snickered. “Ya really think so, Jim?”

Blood rushed in your ears as your breathing turned rapid and eyes raked over your surroundings in a panic. It had gotten dark on your trek home and you may have passed it a block or two back- you weren’t certain because you didn’t travel the opposite way of the lair very often. Not only had you passed your home, but you seemed to have turned into an unfamiliar alley. One that reeked of liquor and urine. So definitely not the best alley you could have wandered into. 

“Yeah,” Jim chuckled, sounding closer, close enough for you to feel his body heat behind you. The eerie sound gave you chills. “I bet her scream sounds like a siren’s call, too.”

On some unknown reflex, you elbowed Jim in the stomach, sidestepped away from Vinny, and spun to face the so-called men in a fighting stance- the cold, rough brick behind you a comforting presence. The move surprised you and your wide eyes proved that.

“Oh-ho!” Vinny laughed as he nudged his doubled-over, hacking friend with a menacing grin. “She’s a feisty one.” 

Jim spit at your feet. “Good. I like to tame them-”

“Do ya hear that?”

You strained your ears and steadied your breathing, hoping the rush of blood would go silent.

“Wha-”

“Shh!” Vinny put a finger up to his lips, eyes wide and frantic with fear. “I swear I hear-”

The pavement beneath your feet vibrated and that’s when you noticed the deep, rumbling, growly noise coming from the shadows behind the men. Whatever it was, wasn’t human and had your heart rate beating wildly in your chest.

“Ya promised, Swee’heart,” the baritone growl forced your eyes to focus up and into the shadows, latching onto familiar, furious green eyes. You ignored the new nickname, thinking it was the anger talking. His voice was deeper than you had ever heard. His gaze promised retribution. For the first time since you had met him, you were scared. Scared of what he was capable of. Scared the men before you may not see tomorrow. Scared of his fury and what it meant for you.

“Hey!” One of the men shouted, already facing away from you. “We found her first.”

“Yeah! Go find your own b-”

A hand reached into the dim light. Three-fingered and deep green wrapped onto the talking man’s neck, squeezing just enough to shut him up. The man automatically grabbed the wrist the hand was attached to- a sad attempt to free himself. His friend stood statue still and silent as he stared at the mutated hand. 

“Ya promised ya wouldn’ go lookin’ fer trouble,” Raph said, slow and meticulous, eyes never straying from your own as the ground continued to vibrate beneath your feet. “An’ I tried stayin’ away, Swee’heart. I really did. But these lowlives kep’ talkin’ an’ I didn’ like wha’ they were sayin’.”

The statue moved, but Raph grabbed the back of his shirt in a flash. The man squeaked.

“Nuh-uh. Where do ya think yer goin’?” Raph held him in place. Now that he was facing you, you saw it was Vinny who tried to run. “She’s been workin’ real hard learnin’ how ta fight,” his eyes gleamed. “It would be a shame if she didn’ get ta practice.”

You cocked your head, slightly confused, arms long ago fell to your sides. Was Raph saying to hit the man?

“Ya elbowed this guy pretty good earlier,” Raph shook the man he held by the neck and you were certain he was going to pass out at any moment. Raph smirked. “Thought ya might like a chance ta hit this guy too.”

“R-really?” Your voice shook. You weren’t much of a violent person, but you had been curious if Raph’s praise during practice was truthful. Plus, it felt great defending yourself a bit ago.

“Yeah. Wide stance, remembah?” 

You nodded, a gleam in your eyes as you got into a fighting stance. 

Raph somehow grunted in approval over what you had, by now, figured out to be another one of his churrs. “Do me a favor, though. Only hit ‘im once. I don’ wantchya ta hurt yaself.”

You gave him a half nod, pulling your arm back and aimed for Vinny’s eye. Bone crunched under bone. Your arm vibrated from the contact and you pulled back, shaking the sharp pain out of your hand and wrist, causing more pain than you thought it would. When you looked up you saw you missed Vinny’s eye and instead, jabbed his nose. Vinny was groaning in pain, hands filling with blood as Raph chuckled, still holding the men in their place.

“Good hit, Swee’heart,” Raph tossed Jim into the side of the building and he slumped onto the ground in silence. Then Raph jabbed Vinny in the temple, knocking him out and dropped him on the ground before crossing the alley.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Raph stood in front of you, unable to stop the protective churr that still hadn’t quietened down even though the threat was literally passed out on the pavement. He had a feeling it wouldn’t stop unless he took you to the lair- where he knew you would be safe- and had Donnie check your wrist.

“C’mon,” Raph lifted you up into his arms and made his way to the roof. He stayed silent, aside from the churring, and was comforted by the fact that you wrapped your arms around his neck and rested your head on his shoulder as he hopped roof to roof until they arrived at the manhole closest to the lair. Reluctantly, he set you down, knowing he couldn’t hold you and enter the sewers at the same time. Immediately after he closed the manhole up he lifted you back into his arms and held you close. Thankfully, you didn’t protest. He never wanted to let you go. Pride filled his chest as he remembered the move you pulled the same moment one of the thugs reached for you. Not that you saw what that lowlife was doing, but the dread that filled Raph as he watched was a memory he would never forget. It made his blood boil, you being in danger. He was happy now that you had convinced him to teach you how to fight. 

Now in the lair, he strode straight for Donnie’s lab, his obnoxious churring catching everyone’s attention as he walked by. They didn’t dare follow him. Not even Leo.

“Donnie,” Raph’s voice was demanding as he walked into the lab. “I need ya ta check Y/n’s hand an’ wrist.”

“I’m not touching her,” Donnie stated, backing into the wall, hands up in surrender as Raph sat you on the table.

“What. Why not?” He growled along with his churring, never taking his eyes off of you, a hand rested on your knee.

“Your churr, bro. I’d rather keep my shell in one piece, thanks.”

“I won’t hurtchya, I promise,” Raph gritted out, squeezing your knee without realizing it, still not moving his gaze from you.

“Raph,” you rested a hand on his, causing his grip to loosen, and the other on his chest. “I’m okay, see?” You moved your wrist and fingers to prove nothing was broken. You barely even winced, but he saw it and it kicked his churr up a notch in volume. 

“Donn-”

“Please, Raphie?” Your plea had his heart skipping a beat, your eyes glistened with unshed tears. “I promise I’m okay. Please don’t be mad anymore-”

“Mad?” Both brothers spoke in shock.

“I’m not mad, Swee’heart. I’m-I-” Raph ripped his gaze away from you and looked to his brother for help. He didn’t know how to express that he just wanted you by his side. That he wanted you safe and away from danger. That he couldn’t live without you. That he’ll always be there to protect you. That you didn’t need to fight because he vows he will always be with you in whatever capacity you deem him worthy of. That you were never leaving his sight again if he had any say in the matter.

“He’s not mad, Y/n. Although, I could see why you would think that considering how domineering his protective churr is.”

“Protective?” Your face scrunched in confusion.

“Yes,” Donnie nodded and Raph looked back to you, never wanting to look at anything other than your beauty for eternity. “He wants to keep you safe and, in his eyes, the only thing he deems good enough to protect you is himself. Honestly, I’ve never seen him like this so I’m worried that if I touch you, he’d try to kill me.”

“Kill you-” Your furrowed brows raised in surprise. “Raph you didn’t?”

“No,” he held your gaze with confidence. He may not have killed those men in the alley, but he wanted to. His entire being begged him to squeeze the life out of one and crush the other, but he didn’t. He was worried you may never want to have anything to do with him again if he did and that thought kept him refrained.

“That’s good,” you breathed out. “So now what?”

“Donnie’s gonna check ya out,” Raph unconsciously rubbed his hand up and down your thigh in a soothing gesture. More for himself than for you. Touching you proved you were alive. That you were there- with him.

“Not with you in here, he isn’t.”

“Well I’m not gonna leave ya,” he rasped barely above his churr, leaving the sentence hanging. You now knew what this particular churr meant, he didn’t need to say it.

“Yes-”

“No way in-”

“Raph,” you cupped his face in your hands. His eyes closed at your gentle touch. “If you want Donnie to check my hand, you’re going to have to leave the room.” His eyes flashed open at the suggestion.

“No-”

“Five minutes.”

“Fiv-”

“No-”

“Minut-”

“No-”

“I promise.”

Your words made him pause for a beat. His churring the only sound to be heard. Donnie still hadn’t moved.

Two.

“Ya said that before, Swee’heart.”

“Donnie isn’t going to hurt me, Raphie,” the nickname made his heart soar even as your hands fell to your lap. “You know this. And you know I didn’t go looking for danger.”

“Tha’s not what it looked like ta me,” Raph saw the confusion cross over your face. “Ya walked past yer place and cut through three alleys headin’ who-knows-where before ya entered that last alley an’ those guys saw yer pretty little smile.”

Your eyes widened in shock as your cheeks turned into his favorite shade of pink before you finally stuttered out your question. “Y-you think I h-have a pr-pretty smile?”

He tucked some hair behind your ear. “Yeah, Dum-dum-”

“And you wanna keep me safe?” Your voice was determined this time, a certain gleam in your eye that had always frightened him. You looked as if you had connected more dots than he had ever planned to let you connect.

“Y-yeah-”

“Then why am I not your Layla!?”

“My Layla? Oh-”

“Yeah! I’ve learned how to fight. I had to freeze my butt off just so you would be forced to lend me a shirt! I-”

“Ya did what?” His sharp tone shut you up and had you looking to Donnie for help. So Raph blocked your view of his brother, smirking down at you. “Y/n, ya can borrow my shirt any time. No need for a ruse.”

“Fine,” you huffed. “But that still doesn’t explain why we- w-why we aren’t y-you know?”

“Togetha?” Raph finished for you, a small smile on his lips.

“Yeah,” you whispered, looking down at your lap, thumbs fiddling.

“‘Cause I nevah thought ya would wan’ somethin like me,” Raph answered, voice hoarse, his churring much quieter than before.

“Like you? Raph, I’ve liked you for months!” You exasperated, clearly frustrated he didn’t get the memo.

“Ya deserve more than me-”

“No! Don’t you dare do that, Raph,” you gave him a pointed look.

“But ya do-”

“Oh yeah? Then who do you think could protect me better than you?”

Raph stayed quiet, unwilling to answer that. He was certain nobody could protect you better than him, but that wouldn’t help him convince you otherwise.

“Exactly,” you whispered out before tugging him down by the edge of his plastron. Surprising him with your soft lips against his own.

~~~

Donnie never did check your hand that night and Raph’s churring didn’t stop for the next few days; going back and forth between his deep, growly protective churr and his rumbly happy churr- depending on who was close by. Layla claimed she became stifled because she was always stuck in the lair and was never able to go on any ‘proper’ dates, which eventually led to her breaking up with Leo.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: Oh gosh...I had to write the little “L” word lol and I added in a tiny kiss too! I usually try not to do that lol Idk why cuz I like to read them lol but whatever. I hoped you like this! :D