#raphelyn

[sultrysirens]

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- Nightshade

[sultrysirens]

Queen of Disaster by Lana Del Rey gives me Jo and Raph vibes

I can see why. ;) Especially that line, “You’re the bad boy that I always dreamed of.”

Also applicable: Alpha, by Little Destroyer. (I also associate it with Evelyn from Blue Blood but hey, it can apply to multiple women!)

- Nightshade

[sultrysirens]

How do the guys feel about Jo, Lisa, and Cassie?

For Leo, Jo is borderline an annoyance. He appreciates the way she’s helped Raph and the relationship between them, but his attitude is mostly “there goes that bizarre anti-ballerina again”. Their attitudes, simply put, clash. Lisa is mostly amusing, unattractive in all ways as far as he’s concerned, but she and Mikey are clearly made for each other so he low-key likes having her around. (Anyone and anything that can distract Mikey for a day is welcome, as far as he’s concerned.) And, of course, he likes – and is frustrated with – Cassie, given he does like her but finds the relationship unfulfilling. He wishes he felt more than he does and to that end has been putting in extra effort, but it’s just not sparking between them.

For Raph, well, Jo is his world – or rather, the representation of everything he loves about the world in a single being. He loves her attitude above all else, but god damn does he go nuts for her body, too. Lisa he sees as something like a little sister; he enjoys teasing her, amused at her reactions, but beware anyone who dares frighten or harm her. Plus, she hoards Mikey’s attentions, so she’s a relief to have around. And he hasn’t had too much contact with Cassie, but he sees her as this gentle anti-Jocelyn and would damn well bust down buildings to keep her safe if need be.

For Mikey, Jo is basically straight-up fun. She amuses and entertains him, and he’s totally unbothered by her overtly sexual nature, so he’s 100% able to keep up with her comments. Meanwhile Lisa is his external heart, so to speak. He loves her carefree, playful nature more than anything (even – gasp – being a ninja!) and would do anything she asked without hesitation, all for the mere promise of being in the same room as her. Cassie, by turns, is a fairly distant figure; he doesn’t really know her and knows he can’t play around with her, but he knew enough to briefly crush on her. Since Leo and Cassie got together, he’s seen her as an almost-sister and has been just waiting for the day Cassie comes to the Lair so he can give her a tour.

For Donnie, Jo makes him very uncomfortable. He prefers to stay away from her, as her hyper-confident nature (a.k.a. her domme side) confuses him; he gets weird impulses to submit when she’s nearby and he resents it. Lisa, on the other hand, is seen as this total non-threat human-Mikey to him. There’s not even a single shred of attraction there, but he does keep wanting to help her out, similar to a teacher helping a student learn. He had kind of liked Cassie, though, so he’s currently dealing with a pretty serious case of jealousy towards Leo. He thought Cassie was adorable, brilliant, and that they meshed, but with time he’s come to accept that it wouldn’t work between them, even if she had liked him back. Doesn’t stop him from being sore about it, though.

- Nightshade

[sultrysirens]

Would you mind by Janet Jackson is very Raph/Jo

I see your Would You Mind and raise you Dance For You by Beyonce. ;)

(Fun fact: this was in the related section of Would You Mind. XD)

- Nightshade

[sultrysirens]

how does jo, cassie, and lisa feel about each of the guys?

Oh damn, switching things up on me. Okay then, I’m down. ;)

Jocelyn – the first of the gals. Naturally, she’s head over heels for Raphael, would say or do just about anything for him. She loves every little thing about him, even and especially the things he struggles with (read: his fears and triggers). And while she doesn’t necessarily have a great deal of patience, if he needs her for anything, she’s there and with the infinite patience of a god. I don’t think I need to add how drop-dead sexy she finds him, I’m sure. XP

With Leo, she has notably less positive feelings. Similar to Raph, Leo tends to piss her off, though she understands that nine times out of ten, his intentions are good, even if his methods irritate her. That said, she has a healthy amount of respect for him all the same, and she often finds herself impressed with him, too. After all, it takes an incredible man to be able to deal with three brothers of vastly different personalities – namely in keeping them from getting into fights all the damn time.

Mikey is one of her best friends. As we all know, she has a brother complex, and Mikey perfectly fits the kind of brother she would’ve wanted for herself. She has the most patience for him of everyone, she thinks he’s lethally cute, and while his jokes tend to be ridiculous, she loves that he tries so hard to keep everyone happy. Of all the brothers, she believes Mikey needs a lover the most, so she’s absolutely elated that he found Lisa.

And Donnie’s her low-key favorite bro. Between his calm demeanor, obvious brilliance, and witty sarcasm, she meshes with him amazingly well. She doesn’t always follow his conversations so well, but she’s smart enough to keep up in the long run, at least, and it keeps them on friendly terms. That said, she feels really bad for him; she thinks he’s an amazing guy but he clearly doesn’t feel the same. More than Leo, she wants Donnie to find his perfect someone. She hopes they’ll be capable of handling his unique brilliance.

Lisa – second to fall. Put simply, she’s a mirror image to Mikey, and she couldn’t be happier with anyone else. His affection, understanding, humor, and energy were exactly what she’d needed to really come to life. With him around she’s never bored or lonely or afraid. He makes everything brighter, and she never, ever wants to lose that. At this point she can’t even imagine her life without him in it. The only negative is that they’re both kinda notably dummies, so in situations where she needs to think ahead or focus, Mikey’s nature can irritate her and even drive her to explode.

Donnie is her second-favorite of the turtles. Unlike Raph, he doesn’t tease her, and unlike Leo, he isn’t condescending – unintentionally or otherwise. Plus, she loves his creations. She doesn’t understand mechanics in the slightest, but she finds everything he makes fascinating, cool, and often bad-ass. She still freaks out about Mikey’s jet-board, after all, and Donnie made it. But, unlike Jo, Lisa feels dumb next to him, and it drives her to keep any opinions or – god forbid – questions to herself. She knows she won’t be able to understand him so she generally keeps her lips zipped.

Leo scares her. Not intentionally and not physically, really, but just in poise. When he stands still, quietly watching with his arms crossed, she gets the unnerving feeling that he’s looking into her soul, and given she isn’t even sure she believes in souls, it’s kind of terrifying. She respects him, for the most part, but also finds his personality too stiff; she feels she can’t talk to him. They also share precisely zero interests and she’s discovered (through video games) that he’s highly competitive and a sore loser, so the one thing she knows she can beat him at, she also never challenges him with. She just doesn’t want to make him upset.

And Raph – he’s the big brother. He’s nothing at all like Sam, but that’s a point in his favor. Initially he terrified her just from his size alone, but with time that lessened. She still gets scared of him whenever he loses his temper, but for the most part she’s calmed down around him. She isn’t so fond of his teasing and swearing, and his relationship with Jo makes Lisa very uncomfortable, but overall she’s more at ease with Raph than Leo. He just has a very disarming sense about him, a laid-back attitude, and obvious humor in between every sentence, and it reminds her of Mikey’s personality just enough that he’s an okay guy to have around.

Cassie – friendly, sweet Cassie. To a small degree she’s drawn to all of the brothers, but she finds herself the most relaxed with Leo. He just seems to exude serenity, and it attracts her – though not quite so much as the hidden intensity she can feel just under the surface. A part of her wants to unravel him, figure out why he sometimes tenses up so bad when they’re otherwise relaxed, even as another part of her warns her that she might not like what she finds when she does. Still, he’s been nothing but the picture of politeness and respect the entire time she’s known him, and she loves the way he always makes her feel so safe.

Raphael, well…she’s known him the longest. She’s seen him with Jocelyn and analyzed the way they are together and spoken to Jo, at length, about him dozens of times. She’s seen how gentle and sweet he is with Jo and concluded that he’s a big softy. His anger and strength can spook her, but she’s developed a strong trust for him all the same. She knows he’ll never hurt anyone who doesn’t deserve it, and that he’ll definitely never hurt Jo. She believes it all the more strongly after Jo’s attack, too, and would trust him with her own life.

Mikey is, in her opinion, heart incarnate. The first time she met him he’d offered her comfort, and she very quickly became disarmed in his embrace. Ever since she’s known, without a doubt, that he’s probably the most trustworthy of all the brothers. For a while she was uncomfortable with the way he seemed to be pursuing her, but after he got together with Lisa and Cassie saw the two of them together, he went from “kinda weird” to “easily the most besotted person alive”. He’s just too cute, and she feels a bizarre desire to keep him safe – even though she knows it’s the opposite.

And Donnie is…intimidating. She views him as the biggest of the turtles despite Raph’s greater mass, but honestly, the thing that intimidates her the most is his boundless brilliance. She hasn’t talked to him much, but the few times she did, she was immediately swept away by just how damn smart he is. She’s impressed, yes, but also brutally assaulted by his higher thinking. In school, she was an almost straight-A student, a point of pride for her, and next to Donnie she feels like a finger painter. She likes him, overall, but just can’t get along with someone who makes her feel so damn inadequate.

- Nightshade

[sultrysirens]

What are some of your favorite Jo quotes?

Ah man, I’d have to go back and read everything from the beginning again to really get some. XD

The first one that comes to mind is, “Crazy in love.” ♥

Ugh that scene destroyed me to write. :3

Then there’s:

“I’d take you being naughty over nice any day.”

“I have absolute faith in you. I think it’s time you had some in yourself.”

“I trust you just fine. It’s the pavement I don’t trust.”

“I will never be done with you.”

“I didn’t see you out there, but I felt your eyes on me.”

“Just jeans? Uh, no, that was a malicious attempt on my life.”

“You’re not fooling anyone, Mom, you just want a harem of young, strapping men.” 

“I’ll always be here to give you a verbal smackdown when you start being an idiot.”

Hope that’s enough. :3

- Nightshade

[sultrysirens]

The Dancer [Part 55]

Universe: Teenage Mutant Teenage Turtles (Paramount movieverse)

Rating: PG (swearing)

Characters: Raphael, Jocelyn (OC)

Tags: interspecies, romance, fluff, ballet, dancer, original character, shameless pwp, sex

[<<<FIRST<<<]

[Part 54]

[Part 56]

Jocelyn and Leila’s game of chase became Tag after a little while, the girls chasing one another down just to get a hand on the other. It was exhausting but amazing, filling Jo with a sense of euphoria -- both from the adrenaline and from the simple knowledge that she was playing with her cousin!

She could’ve screamed. Instead, she settled on occasionally tackling Leila into the sand.

At least, until their game was interrupted by a loud, terrified scream. Startled, both girls halted their antics to pinpoint the cause; Jake was already sprinting in the direction of the sound while Kelly gathered up the toddlers with frantic gestures.

Jo went after Jake without a thought, a thread of panic spurring her on despite how her game with Leila had begun tiring her out. She couldn’t help it; that scream meant someone in her brand new family was in trouble somehow, and she’d damn well use her boyfriend’s gifts to protect them.

She soon caught up with Jake. He was crouched down, Nari and Safina frantically relaying something in Hawaiian to him. Lasalo, Aleki and Tataio were standing guard on the girls’ opposite side, looking shaken but standing their ground.

“What’s going on?” Jo demanded, a little breathless from her run.

Leila reached her soon after, panting hard and immediately clinging to Jo’s arm.

Jake answered, “I-I’m not sure, they’re going too fast...”

Leila tilted her head at the girls, confused, as she started to translate, “They saw, um...kupua?“ At Jo’s baffled look, she explained, “It means, like...a kind of shapeshifter or demigod. A supernatural kind of hero.”

At once, Jo got a very intense feeling like she knew exactly what the ‘kupua’ really was.

She glanced at the kids -- who were finally calming, thank god -- and crouched down to their level, pressing, “This...kupua, what did it look like? What did you see?”

The kids, she soon found, were not on the same page. All five began talking over each other in a jumble of barely-caught partial sentences.

“It was -- it was big, like, really big--”

“--tall! Like a tree--”

“--it was bright red bird!”

“--thought it was a croton--”

“--small, but big, like a rock--”

“--dark brown and jagged--”

“--all green and dark--”

Yep, she was now certain of two things: first, the kids all saw something different.

Second...she wasn’t quite as alone as she’d thought.

That sneaky son of a bitch, she thought, even as she said aloud, “I’m sure it’s nothing. I’ll check it out, okay?”

Jake -- clearly not believing the children -- agreed, saying, “Good idea. Shoo it away. I’ll take the kids back.”

Then Leila offered, “Want me to come with? We’re sure to find the kupua if we work together.” Her grin said she didn’t believe the kids either.

Seeing no logical reason to turn her down, Jo replied, “Sure -- you try that way, I’ll try this way, and we’ll meet back up in ten, yeah?” as she gestured different directions.

It didn’t matter which way she went and she knew it. Raphael was somewhere nearby and he’d undoubtedly trail her -- and then she’d give him a nice, whispered reprimand.

And probably a really, really passionate kiss, if she was being honest with herself. God, she’d missed him.

As she and Leila split up, Jocelyn striding out into some thick foliage, she realized something interesting about herself: she clearly didn’t always know when Raphael was around. She’d thought so, once, but now she was getting the impression that she only really knew he was close when she knew it.

And now that she did, she was getting a feel for where, exactly, he was. There was so much foliage and rock growths around, he had plenty of places to hide; it was no wonder she hadn’t pinpointed him before. Now, however, she was picking up on little movements and sounds that didn’t quite match the wind patterns.

By the time she was well and surely separated from Leila -- and everyone else, for that matter -- she was certain she’d found him.

So she turned right towards him, folded her arms, and demanded, “Alright, out. I know you’re here.”

There was a beat of absolute stillness before he complied, stepping out of a thick, tall bush with huge leaves -- right where she knew he’d be.

She was getting pretty good at this ninja stuff, apparently.

Raphael was looking sheepish, and he shrugged his massive shoulders when she stared him down. “What? Like I was gonna let you go alone,” he said brusquely.

She bit back an immediate retort, then replied, “‘Let’ me? Really?”

He glanced away, clearly recognizing his mistake. “I mean...unprotected. New place, all’o that.”

“Uh-huh,” she deadpanned. When he didn’t respond, she sighed, saying, “Baby, we talked about this. A lot. We decided--”

“You decided,” he interrupted sharply.

That gave her pause. Had she been so pushy during those conversations, simply ignoring his concerns? She couldn’t recall ever shutting him down, but she did remember him biting back retorts.

Often.

...Maybe she had strong-armed this particular issue.

Taking a deep breath, she exhaled in a huff, then began, “Okay, so...what I’m getting here is you felt like I wasn’t hearing you?”

He didn’t reply to that, but his body language said ‘yes’ in clear, bold letters.

“Then I’m sorry, baby,” she told him. Striding up to him, hands already lifting, she went on, “I guess I was so caught up in what I wanted that I didn’t see what you wanted, and that’s on me.” She caressed him, shoulders to cheeks and back, venturing, “Will you forgive me for that?”

He watched her in silence for a second; then, all at once, his gaze softened and he leaned in, bringing their foreheads together. As his arms circled her, he murmured, “Ya know I can’t stay mad at’chu. Yeah, babe -- I forgive you.”

She smiled, gave him a sweet kiss -- then abruptly yanked back from him with a sharp, “And now it’s your turn.”

He looked surprised. “What?”

“Apologize,” she prompted.

He narrowed his gaze. “For what?” he demanded.

Oho, getting stubborn, was he? Two could play that game. She shifted until she was in the Stubborn Female Power Pose™ -- arms folded, weight on her left leg -- and directed, “You lied to me. You said you’d wait at home, but you snuck aboard my flight, didn’t you? Didn’t even wait a day first.”

He scoffed, shuffling, denying with a gruff, “‘Course not, I let ya go with yer mom, like I said.” Glancing away, he added more quietly, “Then I started missing ya...”

The last part was sweet, but the first part was another lie.

“C’mon, Raphael,” she said, annoyed, “you knew I’d landed within minutes. Either you really expected the flight to be precisely twenty minutes late, or you were there.”

Brows drawn, he immediately shot back, “It wasn’t late. It was five minutes--”

“--early?” she finished for him.

It was almost comical, watching him get caught in a lie. He went quiet and still, catching on to her little trap, then heaved a huge sigh. “Fine,” he relented, “yeah, I snuck on the flight. Been here the whole time.”

Nodding, she replied, “Well, that’s pretty impressive, I can admit that. But you still lied to me. That hurts, baby.”

Just like that, he crumbled, head dipping. “Yer right,” he murmured. “’M sorry I lied. Can ya forgive me?” He gave her this adorable, tentative smile as he said that, and it had her melting on the inside.

Turning his words around on him, she replied with a little smirk, “I can’t stay mad at’chu, you know that. Yeah, baby, I forgive you -- but in the future, just tell me the truth, alright?”

Wincing, he confessed, “You woulda been pissed, though.”

“I was gonna be pissed either way,” she pointed out, “but at least this way you wouldn’t have made it worse by lying, too.”

He huffed a sigh, then nodded. “Alright, yeah...yeah. That’s my bad.” Lifting his hands in surrender, he finished, “Won’t lie about sneaking aboard your flights anymore, promise.”

Brows lifting, she replied, “Wow. That’s quite a qualifier.”

His lopsided grin said he was teasing her, and she’d missed that about him so much she didn’t even chide him for it. She just strode back into his arms, hands lifting of their own accord to caress him. Being this close to him again -- even though it’d only been a few days -- started a heat inside her, and the adoring look he was giving her wasn’t helping.

Not for the first time, she was struck by just how much she loved him.

But when he dipped his head, intent clear, they were interrupted by a sharp gasp and a whispered “kupua“.

In unison, they looked towards the sound, finding Leila standing there. She must’ve followed Jo, and now she’d caught the lovers red-handed.

Uh-oh.

A thread of panic went through Jocelyn. She wasn’t ready to make these particular introductions -- she barely even knew her family and didn’t trust that they’d accept her choice of boyfriend. At once, she was getting a dozen visions of how this could result in the Matautia family rejecting her, and each one rent a new hole in her chest.

She had to get in front of this.

When Leila took a strangling inhale, Jo was there in a second, harshly directing as she neared, “Don’t scream! It’s okay, this is fine -- Leila, look at me, okay?”

The teenager looked between Jo and Raphael and back, stuck in a stun. That was good -- or, well, better than screaming, anyway.

Gesturing Raphael, Jo explained, “This is my boyfriend, Raphael. Technically-speaking, he wasn’t supposed to follow me, but he did, so...surprise, he’s a turtle!”

“Hey,” Raphael greeted with a small wave.

Leila squeaked out a syllable, then murmured, “Kupua...”

“Right, yeah,” Jo agreed quickly, “a...turtle kupua, that’s a great way to describe it. But, look, you can’t tell anyone, okay?”

“Huh?” was Leila’s dazed response.

Turning the younger girl’s face towards her, Jocelyn directed, “You can’t tell. It’s important, okay? I need you to promise me you won’t tell.”

Slowly shaking out of it, Leila finally started to focus, giving Jo a confused look. “What?” she demanded, seeming almost offended. “No, I can’t -- I can’t keep secrets from kuku and kane, it’s disrespectful.”

Boy, that sounded familiar, Jo thought dryly. “I get that, and I’m sorry for asking this of you, but Raphael -- the more people who know about him, the more danger he’s in. I just need you to trust me. I’ll tell Laini and Alex later, okay? When I feel the timing’s better. I promise.”

Leila was silent for a long time, staring at Jo as if she’d grown three more heads, then turned her gaze back to Raphael. He shrugged. Somehow that seemed to work, because Leila’s expression began to fall.

Sighing, she relented, “Yeah, yeah -- okay. I won’t tell. But you need to,” she hinted.

Jo was quiet for a second, processing that, before venturing, “Wait, do you...do you really think they’d be okay with this? With Raphael?”

Shrugging, Leila replied, “Well, yeah -- you’re family, right?”

Yes, Jo thought, though she wasn’t sure if she really believed it yet or just had a desperate hope.

“And your boyfriend is a kupua!” Leila pressed, steadily going from shocked to excited. “How cool is that?”

Striding closer, Raphael checked, “Okay, I give -- what’s a kupua?”

Jo answered, “Like a hero, apparently.”

He puffed up a little at that, drawing an indulgent grin out of her.

“Usually it’s more like a shapeshifter kind of demi-demigod,” Leila explained. “Not a direct child of a god, but a descendant with some gifts.”

Raphael’s blooming smile said he liked that description. “Kupua?” he repeated, talking directly to Leila for the first time.

The girl gave a startled laugh as she realized she was the center of his attention, and she pressed in a little closer to Jo as she answered, “Uh, yeah, you got it.”

Jocelyn looped an arm around her in support, murmuring to her, “That’s gonna go straight to his head.”

He huffed. “Ya got somethin’ to say to me, huh?” he demanded.

Jo stuck out her tongue. “Only that you’re such a preening, prancing princess.”

Leila laughed; Raphael scoffed, even as he grinned. If anyone else had said those words, it would’ve started a fight and she knew it. She loved that no matter how she teased him, he always brushed it off.

Then, edging closer, Leila whispered to Jo, “He’s...he’s kinda hot, huh?”

Jo inclined her head in agreement. “Ohh, yeah,” she agreed. Dropping her chin to give her cousin a hard stare, she warned in a low voice, “But don’t go gettin’ any funny ideas. He’s mine.”

Having missed all that, her boyfriend tilted his head at the females. “Wha’s goin’ on?” he demanded.

Hedging, Jo told him, “Just discovering one more thing I have in common with my cousin, here.”

Leila gave another nervous giggle.

By dinnertime everyone was here. And by “everyone”, Jo meant something more along the lines of “more people than she’d ever imagined could even be in a single family”.

There wasn’t nearly enough room in the home to seat this many people, so they had to set things up outside. According to Laini, they didn’t usually gather the entire family like this, but this particular Thanksgiving was special. When she’d put out the news that Enoka had a wife and daughter who’d be around for this holiday, absolutely no one had declined the invitation.

Jo and Cecilia spent a good portion of the night being passed around like a newborn and questioned about their lives. At one point one of her aunts -- she couldn’t quite tell them apart yet -- put a flower in her hair, and it was so adorably typical she couldn’t bear to take it out.

Alana, in particular, kept cooing over Jo’s hair, too. Every so often she was pulled back into her aunt’s grasp to have her curls mussed, and after a little while of this her littlest cousins got in on it. Her hair was a wreck by the end of the night, but Jo found she didn’t mind it.

Point of fact, she returned the favor by playing around with their hair, too. In the end just about all of the women had flowers, leaves, and random braids in their hair. And Jo noticed that Laini watched the proceedings with a watery smile.

It was a humbling thing, knowing that her very existence was causing her grandmother this much sheer happiness.

...And a sad thing to realize that neither Jo nor her own mother would ever get to know that same joy.

It hard thing, then, to keep her spirits up. She kept telling herself to enjoy the dinner and her freaking massive family, but her mind kept returning to her lover. What we’ll never have, he’d said once, and she’d simply told him not to think about it.

And now here she was, thinking about it with a pang in her chest she couldn’t quite identify. It remained when she gave in to the constant requests to “do something” ballet-related, performing moves then explaining them and aiding her cousins as their attempted to copy her; it remained when she became the target of dogpile, a host of giggling kids pulling her down and proceeding to smother her; it remained even after the procession moved to the beach, the seemingly endless space finally giving her room to breathe.

It was amazing out here, she admitted. There was a constant wind caressing her, the waves had a strikingly calming sound and sight to them, and the stars seemed to go on forever. Reflected in the ocean, doubling their number, she found herself staring out into what felt like an abyss, held in awe.

I used to know all the constellations, she thought, but against this many she couldn’t get her bearings. She could still recall a few -- the Big and Little Dipper, in particular -- but here and now they were utterly lost in the sea of stars. It gave her the juxtaposed sensation of being both insignificantly tiny and unbelievably valuable.

And, oddly, it gave her the strongest urge to dance. It put a smile on her face, thinking how silly it was to be wanting to dance ballet on a sandy beach of Hawaii. Maybe someday she’d even cross her heritage with her profession and create a play specially for her bizarre, unique life. Right then she could almost feel the steps involved, could nearly hear the music which would accompany her moves.

Cecilia interrupted her contemplation by siding up to her and taking her hand. There was a concerned line to her mother’s brow as the older woman looked at her, checking, “How are you holding up? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you stand so still in your entire life.”

Jocelyn chuckled at that, admitting it was true. “Just taking in everything,” she replied, giving her mother a shoulder bump. “It’s...unbelievable, you know? I’m a born ‘n bred New Yorker, and here I am on a beach, of all things. Plus...those stars? We don’t see even five percent of that in Manhattan.”

Nodding, Cecilia agreed, “Yeah, it’s pretty...well, it’s pretty.”

Lowering her voice a fraction, Jo continued, “And kinda scary, y’know?”

“I know,” Cecilia murmured, giving her daughter’s hand a squeeze.

They fell into silence then, moments passing as they idly watched the activity of the children and the non-activity of the sky in turns. And then Jo whispered, “Guess who followed us here.”

Cecilia glanced up in surprise, then clucked her tongue. “Do I need more than a single guess?” she muttered dryly.

“Nope. He’s here -- probably in earshot,” Jo told her.

“Want me to go give him a piece of my mind?”

“No need, I already gave him plenty of mine,” Jo chuckled. “But I was thinking...I kind of...need him right now.”

That was all it took. Cecilia gazed at Jo for a moment, then nodded, releasing their clasped hands. “If anyone asks, you just needed some time alone,” she said.

Jo leaned in, giving her mother a kiss on the head, and turned from the mesmerizing sight before her to seek out something far more alluring.

It wasn’t difficult to track Raphael, now that she knew he was here. Maybe he was making it easy on her, too, but either way she had no trouble following the sound of his footfalls on the rough ground and his hefty form passing through the foliage.

He led her this way until they were well and truly secluded, and she found he’d set up a little room for himself in an area covered on all sides by huge outcrops of boulders. A pile of giant fronds made what was obviously a makeshift bed, and she saw he’d also brought a few supplies for cooking for himself.

The supplies included packaged and canned foods; self-sufficient he may be, but he was clearly still more than a little spoiled by life in New York. There was a kind of charm to that, she thought, amused.

Raphael helped her over the rocks, then tugged her against him. There was concern in his gaze as he brushed her hair back, reading her expression. “Whatever ya need,” he said, and that was really what she needed most.

She leaned into him, arms circling his middle and fingers diving under his shell. She inhaled deep, taking in his familiar, comforting scent as he pet her hair and back. He didn’t press her to talk, thankfully -- she had no idea what would come out of her mouth if she did.

It was funny, in a way. Earlier she’d been so irritated with him for sneaking here, and now she couldn’t have been more grateful. Maybe it was indicative of weakness, but she needed his support now more than she ever had before and she didn’t care if that meant she’d lost some measure of strength.

After all, was there any more pure expression of love than reaching for someone else when you felt unsteady?

“I love it here,” she murmured then, uncertain what spurred her on but unable to stop it. “I love them -- my family. And I’m scared, cause I know when this is over I’m gonna miss them so much, and they’ll be sad and I’ll be sad, but...but I can’t just stay here, y’know? I love it here, but I’m already itching to leave, too. I love New York and everyone and thing in it, and I wanna go home. I need to go home. With you,” she added, looking up for the first time.

In this low light she couldn’t tell for sure, but she thought there was a shine to Raphael’s eyes. He lifted a hand to her cheek and stroked, sending pleasing tingles through her. He didn’t speak, but then, he didn’t need to -- she could feel the opposing turmoil and adoration in him.

Then she went on, “Does that make a terrible person, being here and surrounded by so many people and wanting someone else more? To have finally found my roots and wanting to be someplace else?”

“‘Course not,” he answered, a smile starting to bloom to life. “If everyone stayed where their roots were, New York wouldn’t exist.”

A great point. Relief filled her, tension pouring out of her. “Thanks, baby,” she cooed.

He chuckled. “Ya know, if anything, I’d say you’re pretty lucky -- havin’ more than one place ya can call home. First New York, now here. Not so many people get that.”

She nodded, then added coyly, “You forgot one. The ‘home’ thing.” He tilted his head, intrigued, and she finished, “You.”

A grin split his face, looking away from her in clear avoidance.

With a laugh, she reached up and guided his face back around. “C’mere, sexy,” she teased.

He huffed, but she was pretty sure it was just for show on account of his grin never let up. Following her gentle pull, he lowered his head, giving her a sweet, soft kiss.

That’s my baby, she thought, pleased.

She didn’t leave him that night. They talked quietly all through the night, until exhaustion caught up with her and put her to sleep. And she was comfortable the entire night, the air feeling a little heavy from humidity but perfectly balanced, too.

Plus her beau was shockingly comfy to sleep against. His bed might be just leaves and foliage, a pitiful mockery of their bed back home, but she quickly found a comfortable spot against him and proceeded to konk out.

When she woke again, it was to the sensation of being shaken and urgent murmurs of her name.

“What, what?” she demanded, irritated.

“Shh,” Raphael hushed sharply. “Yer family’s close. They’re callin’ for ya.”

Oh. Haha. Oops.

His urgency transferred over to her and she nodded as she pushed herself up. Living with him had done a good job of teaching her to actually wake up after being roused, and right now she pushed it harder. Once on her feet, she listened, catching her name being called by numerous people.

Maybe she shouldn’t have left her phone behind last night, then. At least she’d have been able to text that she was alright, but she hadn’t wanted the phone to get damaged while at the beach.

Live and learn.

With Raphael’s help, Jo scaled the rocks hiding his little cove and hopped down to the ground. The landing didn’t quite stick, thanks to her recently-woken limbs, so she tumbled straight into a huge bush with a yelp.

Then she got to hunt down her family, composing a series of excuses as she did so. And, she found, every single male in her family -- including her cousins -- had been looking for her, as well as half the women and her mother. Luckily she found Leila first and managed to convince the other girl to lie with her.

“I just fell asleep watching the stars,” Jo coached.

Leila sighed. “I don’t like lying, hoa hānau.”

“I know, and I’m sorry,” Jo told her.

“Where were you, really?” Leila pressed.

“With Raphael. I really did fall asleep watching the stars,” Jo pointed out. “Just...not alone.”

Tilting her head, Leila checked, “Why were you with him, then? Why not us?”

Shrugging, Jo confessed, “I needed him. So much about this place confuses and unsettles me, and no offense, but I still don’t know you guys that well. I just really needed him right then.”

Leila stared at Jo sideways for a moment, then shook her head. “Being in love sounds weird,” she commented.

“Don’t knock it till you try it,” Jo quipped.

Leila flipped her hand dismissively. “Anyway, maybe next time come to me, yeah? Whatever you’re feeling, I can help.”

Smiling, Jo replied low, “I have no doubt you’d try, and I appreciate it -- I really do -- but I needed my lover, not my cousin.”

Leila coughed at that, and Jo caught her starting to blush.

Suddenly feeling a little superior, Jo commented, “That’s right -- I said lover. Oh no,” she faked gasped, “that’s such a grown-up word!”

Leila elbowed her. “I’m a grown-up!” she snapped. “Well...almost.”

“Almost,” Jo echoed, a mocking note to her voice. That earned her a shove, which she took with a chuckle. It was so weird, but she was seeing so much of herself in Leila -- the attitude, the passion, the pride. And it made her wonder if seeing parallels in family you’d never met was a common thing or not.

Either way, she was getting a strong feeling that she’d made a sister out of a cousin.

And then the storm hit.

Leila had already sent out a text, letting everyone know Jocelyn was found and perfectly fine, so by the time the girls made it home everyone was there -- and in varying degrees of anger, relief, and exhaustion.

Aside from Leila, Cecilia was the only adult who remained calm, and to her credit, she kept trying to settle everyone’s explosive reactions. Laini started it by rushing over and yanking Jo into a hug, demanding a strangled where’ve you been?! as she patted Jo down for wounds.

Then came Alex: You had us worried, kūkā, -- Naomi: Any bites? Anything? -- Malia: You shouldn’t just wander off, you don’t know your way around! -- and Great-Grandpa Tau: Trying to give me a heart attack, kid?

Overwhelmed, touched, and a little uncomfortable, Jo cut in with a sharp, “Guys, guys! I’m fine, see?” She did a spin for their benefit, feeling weirdly humbled that they’d been so worried about her when she was, essentially, still a stranger. “I didn’t even go that far, okay?”

Jake spoke up then, asking, “Why’d you check out, anyway?”

Shrugging, she answered, “Just...needed some time alone. Gather my thoughts, sort through my feelings, that kinda thing.”

“And,” Cecilia added, “I told everyone you’d be fine. They worried anyway,” she said with a little wincing smile towards Jo.

“It’s alright, Mom,” Jo told her with a hug. “Thanks anyway.”

Laini huffed, still torn between relief and matronly anger, then directed to Jo, “Well, as punishment, you get to help me with breakfast.”

That pulled a smile out of Jocelyn. “Accepted. Lead the way -- and, if you’re willing, this gives me a perfect segue into how Dad used to cook.”

That caught everyone off guard, and a thread of silence spread through the room.

Then Leila ventured, “Uncle Enoka used to cook?”

Giving the other girl a grin, Jo answered, “Like a pro. He taught me, too -- so now we get to see how his skill holds up to Gra-- ...Grandma Laini,” Jo finished weakly, internally wincing as she forced out the words.

Laini was quiet for a moment, a hand lifting to cover her mouth, before she composed herself and nodded. “Come, dear,” she directed Jo, gesturing the kitchen.

As if Jocelyn could’ve resisted by this point. And, yes, she had a weird sense of connection as she worked in the kitchen with Laini, as if she were giving this grieving mother another piece of her lost son. It’d been years, now, but she found herself carefully considering what Julian would’ve done now, which foods and ingredients he would’ve selected and at which portions.

Because a part of her wanted to give this incredible family their lost member back, and the only way she could think to do it was by showing them exactly what he would’ve made for breakfast. As she did so, she could almost imagine her father’s hand over her own, guiding her choices.

It was silly for an atheist, but also...comforting. And, she thought, it did its job, that illusion: she’d developed her own style and tastes over the years, but this was Julian.

Pancakes with strawberries on the side and vanilla creme instead of syrup, sausage, scrambled eggs, and papayas -- a fruit she’d never known was Hawaiian until now but could clearly remember always being in their fruit bowl at home.

She didn’t want to just start declaring how her dad had always subconsciously known he was Hawaiian, but damn if she wasn’t seeing similarities now that she knew the truth. He’d never been big into pineapple or coconut, but papayas? They’d been his favorite fruit, bar none.

He’d put them in every dish he possibly could -- and several he really shouldn’t have. And, now that she was thinking about it, a few times he’d just held up two of the pieces on either side of his face and called himself Dadaya for her amusement.

God, she loved him.

Now she intended to show everyone else how worthy he was to be loved.

[>>>NEXT>>>]

[sultrysirens]

Celebratory THING!

I intended to fully line and color this but in the end I really like the sketchiness of it. :3

Hopefully next year I’ll have a few more characters to add. ;D Until then, thanks to everyone for coming along with me on this journey!! ♥

(Side note: I didn’t intend to make it look like Leo was nuzzling up on Raph, he was just supposed to be leaning into the shot, y’know? Oops. X’D Also, this is not indicative of their heights; I just put the main characters in the middle and branched out a bit, grouping up as I liked. Also also, I used no reference for anyone except Casey and April. Because I’m a rebel who draws without a cause! Or something.)