hi! could you do what splinter thinks of raph and reader's relationship, but more geared towards him bonding with reader?
Jesus that took me some time, i'm sorry for making you wait. But the whole thing evolved into something larger than I expected and I'm quite proud of it now so I didn't want to push myself and half-ass the final product. Enjoy!
Bonding with Splinter over your relationship with Raph
„My dear girl... Why don’t you lay down and have a rest, at least for a moment? You barely seem to be able to hold your head straight up”
Splinter. His voice was soft and slightly amused. You must have almost fallen off the couch a moment ago. Shleepishly batting your eyelids, your positioned yourself straight back up, trying to appear as dignified as possible.
„Oh, no offense, Splinter... But I’m not going anywhere until I see those knuckleheads coming in safely through that... Door” You gestured to the entrance area.
„I see” You were surprised, he gave up so easily on convincing you. Old rat stepped towards you, a warm smile spread on his snout. As you gathered the blanket around you, uncertain what to do now that you’ve been found, he stopped by your side and reached out his hand to lay on your arm.
„May this old rodent at least offer you some tea to brighten the waiting a bit?”
Oh.
„Well... If it’s not a problem... I’d love it. But no no”, you began picking yourself up, „I can make some for us both, if you want some”
Splinter shook his head beningly and signaled you to not get up. „No no my child, you sit, I wouldn’t dream of disturbing your ward. Please” His rat arm gently pushed you back down and in a strangely parental manner, put the blanket back onto your curled legs. „I’ll be right back. And i’m sure Leonardo will appreciate a warm cup as well once they’re back from their watch”
A smirk came onto your lips. „Yeah, he would. Donnie as well, just with lemon. And Raph would kill for a dark coffee with a whiskey shot, especially if it’s been raining tonight.” You smiled almost instantly as soon as you mentioned your precious, hulking turtle in red. And there was no way Splinter wasn’t noticing that. Fuck it, he already knew everything there was to know, and probably even more.
„Really?” You really couldn’t say if Splinter’s amazement was genuine or simply well – acted. „Well, I’ve been sure he’s been dumping something in his cup, but I wasn’t sure what it was, I must admit” You couldn’t not snort at the remark, and as your and Splinter's eyes met, you shared a warm smile.
„I’ll be back in a second, my dear. You just wait”
Unsure, you layed back against the couch and watched the giant rat stroll towards the kitchen.
It wasn’t the first nor second time you visited and spent the night in the lair, but it was definitely the first time you’ve been left alone in it with no one but Splinter to keep you company. Donnie suddenly picked up some strange signal from up above, supposedly about the Foot Clan, and despite your visit they all jumped onto the idea of heading out to an emergency patrol right this second. Raph was, truthfully, reluctant to leave your side even for an hour or so, but duty was calling and in the end, he wasn’t one to ignore it. So despite how badly he didn’t want to part during one of those sweet moments you were down there with his family he was always so longing for, he headed out as well after his brothers, promising he’ll be back with you before you even notice. Situation was apparently quite serious.
Too serious for you to be dragged along as you often were.
You definitely did notice Raph’s absence, and the more time passed, and the more painfully the hour turned into two and almost three, your mind and heart couldn’t keep still.
What if something happened?
To the boys, and worst, to your Raphael?
He told you as he was kissing your forehead goodbye you could just take a nap and he'll wake you up once he’s back, but like hell you were going to sleep when your turtle bros were sticking their necks out somewhere in the dark alleys of the city. So now, you were fighting off both weariness after the day and rising freezing cold anxiety in your gut, spread on the couch by the wall of the lair, wrapped in Raph’s massive, comfortingly soft blanket you two have been sleeping under every night you spent in the lair.
Until it turned out that despite Donnie’s reassurements, their dad, sensei or however the turtles felt like calling him at the given moment, wasn’t, in fact, dead asleep.
There wasn’t much that could actually happen to the turtles, they were practically bulletproof, but even so... Something still could. Even if a low – laying bunch of Foot marauders didn’t stand a chance against them.
„There’s our tea. This one’s yours. Careful, it’s hot”
Splinter definitely had a way of not announcing his presence whatsoever.
Heavenly smelling of pear, lemongrass, cinnamon and peach, a cup landed in your hand. Among everything else gathered in the lair, every piece of junk and reused, redesigned items, it looked weirdly out of place. A pretty white cup, adorned with most likely hand – painted blue flowers. Where did they even get it from
„Thank you...” You hesitated. „Actually. How... Should I call you? I don’t think your... turtle sons ever settled that with me”
At the mention of turtle sons, rat’s eyes flickered playfully.
„Oh, I think Splinter will be just fine. Unless you prefer terms your brothers use, but I didn’t assume you’d be comfortable with Dad or Sensei” He started laughing to himself.
You stared blankly into the liquid in the cup in your hand.
„Not yet”, you thought, but you bit the tip of your finger and let the not funniest of jokes slip to the back of your mind.
Splinter with utmost finesse lifted his cup and took a sip of his own tea, unmistakably white one, judging by the smell.
How the fuck did he know what tea you liked?
„I thought you’ll wondering where did I learn what tea you like”
Bitch.
„I’d assume Leo ratted me out”
„Hmm, not quite him but you’re close. It was your very own Raphael” He lifted his eyes from the cup, as if to check what kind of reaction mentioning your man’s name would bring.
Before you answered – you only now realised how much Splinter’s presence soothed you. You were all tense moments ago, but now your entire body was comfortably loose and relaxed, you have already forgotten how stressed you were in front of the man. Rat. And you have almost, but not quite forgotten what worried you so in the first place.
„My very own?” Absolutely certain now that Splinter’s shamelessly teasing you, you decided to play along with the joke.
„Well, seeing how much you and my son care about each other and how you always yearn for each other – there is no other way of saying it.”
A warming feeling was blooming inside you and a smile was slowly creeping onto your lips, but you didn’t lose your composure.
„Please, you’re embarassing me. That’s your son we're talking about.”
Splinter said nothing more, only smiled and took another sip of his tea. You followed suit.
Three hours. Motherfuckers.
He was making you wait.
He promised never to do that. He promised he would either include you in everything he & his brothers do, if it wasn’t too dangerous, or he would always keep you updated on everything, he won’t be leaving you uncertain of what’s happening to them. And Raph was a man of his word.
First, because you always made him aware of how much concern you had for their safety, and secondly – maybe even more importantly – because you were not the type of woman to endlessly wait for your man while drowning in doubts and tears.
Now selfish as it may sound, even your pride was being wounded.
You have only seen Raphael really hurt once, and it was enough for you. A dagger sticking out of his leg, blood dripping all over, even if the only thing left after that accident was another scar on his skin, it was enough for you.
You couldn’t hold it in any longer, and with a furious howl you rose to your feet, almost throwing the scrupulously brewed tea to the nearest wall.
You were expecting Splinter to be angry, but as you turned back to him, all his eyes looked at you with was concern and patience.
„My child”, he said calmly, placing his hand on yours. All this mischief and placidity he treates you with just so were gone. „Be calm. Your brothers will be back, unharmed. I know the feeling all too well, believe me; sitting out here, hidden from the world, as they venture into the night. But they always come back and I trust them to do so, don’t be scared”
„I’m gonna smash his teeth out once he returns. Making me fucking wait like that”
Being more than obvious who you meant, you were again surprised how Splinter didn’t say anything, but gazed at you with a warmth and understanding, nodding his grey head.
Guess it couldn’t hurt to say something else.
„Thanks... Splinter. I... I won’t take it if something happens to them. To Raph.” The rat only nodded with understanding. There wasn’t much else to be said.
Nervously tapping on the guardrail behind the couch, you were silent for a moment.
„Thank you. Sorry”
„My pleasure, my dear girl. Actually...”
He leaned against the couch, wiggling his tail on the ground, as if the words he intended to say escaped him, he was stroking his beard in thought. „... i’m the one who wanted to thank you”
Uhm?
You did suspect where what you just heard might be coming from, but even so,you wanted to hear it from the rat master himself.
„...what for?”
„Child, sit with me. Come”
So you did. And what you heard afterwards wasn’t entirely surprising, but it still blew your mind.
„I would be a fool not to notice the... effect your feelings have had on Raphael. My son... What can I possibly say... You must know how he is. What rages inside him, what fear hunts his mind. I always suspected that a gentle hand of a woman might help him when the time for that comes, but to see it with my own eyes... It’s a bliss any father dreams of, I imagine. You’ve done so much for him already, I hope you realise that... You must, you’re an exceptional girl, that much is clear to me.”
Splinter looked you straight in the eyes.
„I don’t mean to embarass you, don’t worry. I only mean to say... Thank you. I never thought my boys would be allowed that kind of experience... Feelings. I’m so very glad at least one of them found someone like you.”
Oh shit.
You had positively no idea how to answer this – but the silence that fell between you and Splinter and look in your eyes was enough of an answer. You knew he knew, and he knew you knew.
Thinking about a suitable, more elaborate response to give, to pour all your feelings into words – you simply reached out and placed your hand on Splinter’s.
„You’re welcome... old rat. Truly no need to thank me. I love this shelled moron just as much... or even more than you do. No offense”
The pipe in the water slide began pounding from the inside, and distant, muffles voices came to your ears.
Your heart skipped a beat.
You sprung from the couch and ran to the slide as four turtles, triumphantly yelling, came down from it, sending a fountain to the sides. Water splashing under your bare feet and your wet dress dragging behind you as you jumped down, you didn’t care. Pushing Mikey from the way, you threw yourself into Raph’s embrace, as soon as you felt his sweaty, animal smell mixed with the cologne he was using, all your fears vanished.
„Girl!” Raph lifted you with one hand, rushing the other through your uncombed hair. „Hey, i’m back, all good! Like I promised!” I’m so sorry i didn’t text ya, we had our hands busy with those Foot tail-ends, oh, it was unbelievable! Lemme...”
He lifted you from the water and put you on the ground as he shook off water from himself.
„Hey don’t go too hard on him!” Leo suddenly shouted to you from behind, „He wanted to give you a call, I told him to wait till we come back!”Raph glanced at him with grateful look, and smiled to you in an apologetic manner.
„Yeah, that’s our fault for once, we were rushing back as soon as we could!” Donnie backed him up. Mikey jumped behind you.
„He was all tears, I’m telling you. „Guys, guys, stop, I gotta give [y/n] a call, my heart’s torn open until the moment I see her again””
Raph was all tense already wanting to silence him, but then he realised you were silent all this time, staring at him.
„What’s wrong baby?” He stood by your side and hunched over to be closer to your face. His voice was heavenly soothing and intoxicating, as always, every single time.
„I was fucking worried about you all, that’s what’s up. You fucking idiot.”
„Hey. I’m... Sorry. Really. But we’re alright, nothing happened to anyone... Those Feet though!”
„You promised, Raphael” He sighed.
„I know.” He took your hand and gently placed a kiss on your palm. „Not gonna happen again”
You wished you could stay angry at him. But you couldn’t. You let go and burrowed into his embrace, sinking in his smell, his touch, everything he was.
„You’re coming with me now, sai master, you’ll tell me everything but do i need you all for myself... for a moment”
„Yes ma’am”
The lair was in a cheerful squabble again. Leo and Donnie, murmuring something to each other followed to the lab, Mikey was being rushed to the kitchen by Splinter to put a pot for the tea for everyone on fire, music went out loud in the air on as soon as he entered there. The rat smiled at you from the distance, watching you and Raph joyfully clinging to each other, and so did you.
You knew he knew, he knew you knew.