#I COULDN’T JUST NOT | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

imagionationstation · 1 year

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Yours - Feral Raphie AU

“Leonardo, I want to see him.”

“I know, I know, but we’re trying to keep him from being overwhelmed and I don’t-”

“If it is possible that I can be of assistance in returning his memories, then shouldn’t I have a chance to try?”

“Mona…” Leonardo trails off and Mona paces on the rooftop of the warehouse where she’d taken refuge when their conversation got heated. She wants to see her boyfriend. It had been several weeks since his rescue, and she had every right to visit her Raphael.

Yet Leonardo was stubborn, and it didn’t sit right to invade the turtle brothers’ home without their sensei’s permission. It was one of the very few times in her life that she found a strong dislike for an aspect of her warrior’s conditioning.

“I should warn you that I am on the verge of coming over there myself if I do not get some form of consent soon.” No, she was not, and she would never. A moment of quiet, muffled voices, and then-

“How far are you?”

Her heart lurches. “Mutanimal’s.”

“Alright.” He sounds pensive, and her grip on the t-phone Donatello had graciously given her tightens. “You can come over, just don’t hurry and… Mona, he’s not going to be your Raph.”

She swallows, but her voice is firm. “I am on my way.”

“See you in a bit.”

She hangs up, and sprints to Slash to warn him of where she’s going, promising to let him know when she leaves the turtle’s home. With his authority backing her up, she stops by her resting area, and then she’s off.

“Mona!” Raphael’s cheery little brother greets her as she crosses from the tracks to the turnstiles, apparently on guard for her arrival. Her eyes scan for her boyfriend even as she announces, “Greetings. Leonardo said I can come over. Where is he?”

“Leo?” Mikey studies the box in her arms. “Getting stuff ready. What’s that? Gift for Raph?”

She meets his eyes, offering a sheepish smile. “…Something like that.”

She opens the lid covered in holes, and Mikey’s eyes widen. “CHOMPY!”

He scoops up the little alien as Chompy squeals his delight, nuzzling the tiny face against his beak. “Aw, I missed you so much, lil’ guy! Have you been having fun with mama Mona?”

She sets the box on the turnstile next to them, uncertain how to respond to such a nickname, but allowing it to slide because Raph never denied his “dada Raph” title. She chalks it up to yet another strange human thing.

“You never mentioned Chompy.”

She glances over at Leonardo as he approaches, meeting his gaze evenly. “You said that he responds negatively to humans and mutants because of their intimating factor, but did not immediately try to inflict harm upon your Icecream pet. It seems unlikely that he would attack beings that he does not find intimidating, and this youngling is the least intimidating alien in many galaxies.”

She pauses in consideration and corrects, “For now.”

He stares at her, and then shakes his head with a light chuckle. “Good to see you too, Mona.”

She smiles and shakes the hand not offered for battle. “Likewise, Leonardo. Can we see him?”

He nods, and she notices how tired he looks, normally confident stance more subdued. She will never admit how worried it makes her. “Come on. He’s in the dojo.”

Mikey hops off the turnstile, cooing to the alien turtle happily viewing his home from his place cupped in two hands. Mona crosses into the lair, following the turtles to the dojo, heart racing with anticipation. Leo stops at the dojo entrance, and with a tone full of forced cheer, calls out, “Donnie! We have a friend here to see us.”

There is an abnormal amount of emphasis on friend, and an uneasy feeling creeps on her. Leonardo enters the dojo, and Mikey steps back, politely waiting for her to step past before following. Or perhaps he’s simply making sure that the stronger warriors go first in case something goes wrong. She glances at Chompy, something akin to regret settling, and then steps into the dojo.

The room is just as majestic as the last time she stood in it’s walls, the large tree presiding over the room like a guardian, but this time, there is a pile of blankets and pillows underneath the family alter. A low growl draws her attention to the white eyes glaring from underneath one of the larger blankets.

Leonardo stiffens, but Donatello appears unfazed. He leans his weight against him, effectively using him to balance as his legs stretch out, a laptop resting on his lap. He reaches to the left to gently bonk his head with his fist. A sharp hiss, and Donnie rolls his eyes, “Leo said our friend, Raph. As in, not a threat.”

A moment of pause, and then a low growl. Donnie huffs, resuming his typing. “This is why you don’t have any friends.”

Leonardo looks at his younger brother wryly. “Donnie.”

“Hmm?”

“We have a guest.”

“Mhmm.”

“Someone none of us have seen in weeks.”

“Mhmm.”

Leo gives up. “So say hi.”

“Oh.” Donatello looks up and meets her gaze, offering a polite smile. “Hi, Mona.”

He goes back to typing and Leonardo throws up his hands as if he’s a hopeless case. Mona takes a few steps closer, and Raph’s growls resume. She pauses in consideration. “Raphael?”

White eyes glare back at her. The growl increases in volume.

Mona tilts her head curiously, trying to find any true aggression or fear, but only spotting impudence. He is putting on a show in the hopes of scaring her off.

Cute.

She can sense Leonardo shift nervously. “I wouldn’t get to close.”

“Duly noted.” Mona knows exactly how to deal with unruly, territorial earth animals. Raphael himself had felt it necessary to teach her. “Donatello, could you move aside?”

Donatello looks up, blinks twice, and then looks at Leonardo.

Leo frowns, “I don’t think-“

“Donatello, move aside.”

Donatello gets up, and Raphael releases a sharp hiss that sends him quickly stepping backwards, lest he be punished for his betrayal. Once she feels there is a sufficient amount of distance, she purposefully strides over to her boyfriend, pulling the blanket off.

Apparently startled by her audacity, he scrambles back on all fours, raising his haunches and baring his teeth. He looks uncertain, like he can’t decide if she’s a danger. He’s not wearing his gear, and he appears younger without it, fiery emerald gaze no longer framed by the reflective red.

She kneels down, and waits for it to register that she is no longer at a threatening height. He takes a wary step closer, clearly having little idea of what to make of her, sniffing in her general direction. She reaches out, and he snaps at her fingers.

Her eyes narrow. Leo starts to speak, but she cuts him off with a curt, “Raphael, if you attempt to bite me again, I will not hesitate to bite back.”

He blinks. She glares. Raph sits down.

“WHAT?!”

Mona ignores the chorused cry and gently cups both sides of his face, brushing a thumb over one of the scars. He stares back at her, eyes squinted the way they always did when he was thinking hard, and she can’t help the small smile, “I have missed you, Raphael.”

A soft, curious chirp, and she hums, “There’s someone else here who has missed you too.”

He looks passed her, scanning the area on alert as Mikey walks up. Before any of them can react, Chompy lets loose a high-pitch squeal and launches himself from Mikey’s palms, hitting the floor and skidding just in front of Raph. He continues to chirp his joy as Raph lowers himself to the ground so they’re face to face, studying the alien with dialated eyes.

He pokes the spikey shell. Chompy churrs and nuzzles against his beak, and Raph’s expression brightens, sitting up and scooping the small form into his palms. He presents Chompy to Mona as if to share his discovery, and she chuckles, “That is Chompy Picasso. He is yours.”

As if to confirm, Chompy nips his hand. Raph yelps and tears his hands away, and Mona catches the happily squeaking turt before he hits the ground. Raph leans his hands on the floor, watching him rest his plastron on her fingers, little feet swinging in the air as he pants estatically. Raph’s eyes are round with the innocence and awe that Mona had fallen in love with, and she can’t help it if she closes the distance between them to press a kiss on his forehead.

He looks at her as she pulls away, and she is relieved that he doesn’t seem upset. Her eyes soften, a warmth flowing through her chest at the timid way he’s looking at her, like he thinks he should understand, but can’t. She shifts Chompy into one hand, and takes his hand in her own. “It is alright. No matter what form you come in, you are my Raphael, and I would relieve those nights of worry a hundred times over, as long as it means you always come back to me.”

She thinks something sparks in his gaze, but she can’t tell what. His voice is tentative, “Yours?”

“Always.” She swears with every inch of her being, squeezing his hand. He squeezes back, and leans forward to lovingly bump her face with his own. She would have gladly stayed in that movement forever, but she hadn’t taken one thing into account.

“AWWEEEE- ay!”

Ah yes. Their audience.

Raph pulls away and looks past her to glare at his siblings, and she can’t help the grin. He was definitely still her Raphael. Mona sets Chompy on the ground and he begins prancing between them, churring like one of the older earth vehicles.

Leonardo is flushing as he moves his hand from Mikey’s head to rub the back of his own. “Sorry.”

“If you wouldn’t mind, I trust it’s safe enough for me to request some privacy now.” Mona hints as Chompy begins trying to climb Raphael.

Leo and Mikey look like they’re going to refuse- possibly for entirely different reasons- and Donnie tucks the laptop under his arm, pushing both brothers out by their carapaces. “Don’t leave him alone and Mikey will bring food by later!”

“I will?” Mikey questions as they disappear from sight.

She looks back at Raphael, and watches him set Chompy on his shoulder, an action done more out of instinct than anything else. Her eyes dart between his face and Chompy’s for a moment, before she quietly questions, “Raphael, do you know who I am?”

He gets halfway through a nod before he looks uncertain, staring past her for a second. His mouth opens and closes, nails unconscious digging into the carpet beneath them, forehead creasing as an anxious expression crosses his features.

“Raphael.” She interrupts firmly, drawing his attention back to her. He looks guilty, shrinking his head into his shell with a sad chirp, before shrugging weakly.

“My earth name is Mona Lisa. You named me.” She informs him carefully, scanning for any signs of recognition. He appears mildly interested, and she takes his hand, thinking back to when they first met. She squeezes, and he scoots closer.

“Let me tell you a story.”

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