TMNT x Reader | Boyfriend Scenarios

8| When You Almost... - Raph

Training today was rough. Raph didn't go as easy on you as he usually did, and you did sustain a minor injury or two. But such is to be expected if you want to get good, right?

Besides, when he realized that he'd hurt you, he immediately jumped to your aid. He obsessed over the tiny red spots on your limbs that would inevitably bruise. He apologized profusely until you shut him up. He wanted to stop the day's training altogether, but you didn't let him. In hindsight, maybe you should have, because now you were sore and tired.

Your limbs ached as you sat on the couch in the pit. Raph sat beside you, staring intently. His knees were turned toward you, and you noticed how he scootched a little closer when he thought you weren't paying attention.

"Are you sure you're alright?" he asked, grabbing your shoulder. "I can get Donnie to-"

You laughed before a yawn came on, overtaking it. You shook your head. "No, no, Raph, it's okay." You squeezed the hand he'd placed on your shoulder. "It's just like going to the gym; I'll be sore, but that just means I'm making progress." You smiled, raising an eyebrow as a half-smile formed.

He didn't seem convinced. His eyes said all that his tongue didn't. His pupils were unusually large, retracting from his striking green irises. You leaned forward and placed both of your hands on each of his shoulders, pulling him to your face.

You oscillated between each of his eyes. "I'm okay, Raph, I promise." You stuck your forehead to his. His skin was hot. "Don't worry, okay?" You stood, winding your arms back to stretch out the stiffness. You held out your hand. "Walk me home?"

He took your hand.

---

You took the long way home. It was the scenic route.

Pines towered overhead in the darkness, giving dimension to the night sky with their black silhouettes. Through thin needles, you could see the stars punctuating the deep navy ether, and gently shining down on you and Raph. Though barely visible, you could make out their highlights beneath his eyes.

Your steps crunched over dead needles and small branches. The occasional stone found its way beneath your feet as well. "Hey," you said, touching his arm. "You're really quiet."

"I'm thinking," he responded, keeping his eyes to the ground in search of rocks and roots.

Your eyebrows furrowed. "What about?" you asked.

"Us. You," he said blatantly. You felt the blood pumping through your chest.

You looked away from him and back to the ground, joining him in his efforts to avoid tripping hazards. "What about us and me specifically?" you asked gingerly. You'd learned a lot about Raph and his moods, and when he gave vague answers, you knew that meant not only was he feeling vulnerable, but that he was already irritated by it.

He exhaled heavily through his nose. "We can't talk about it."

Your heart hurt. All this time, you'd been the one that Raph could talk to. When he couldn't talk to his brothers or his sensei, he went to you. He confided in you his thoughts and feelings that went unshared elsewhere. And now, you seemed not even a comfort to him anymore. Now, he was keeping parts of himself from you.

"Oh." You didn't want to push it. If he didn't want to talk about it, you respected that, even if the implication was that he saw your relationship differently now.

Which was a shame, because you hadn't been seeing him the same recently either. But the difference was that you thought of him more affectionately. And he, apparently, thought of you as less.

"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings," he said. You could feel his eyes on you. His voice sounded sincere, like he was tenderly applying a bandaid over skin he'd torn.