So this is just something I've been thinking about for a few days now so I wrote it down. Hope you guys like it. I'm going to update this one about the same as I do my other story. Read and review please
Snow. The ultimate expressions of winter. When it comes the world seems to change. The plants and animals disappear while the people hide under all their layers. Everything was rushed during this time of the year because of the cold, but Raph enjoyed the freezing temps. He could walk in the daylight, and when he handed money to the cashier with his mittens still on no one gave him a second look. As he exits the coffee shop with his steaming cup in his hands he makes his way down the street. The walk was long and cold, but he barely noticed his lips numbing or the fact his legs felt tight. He was only focused on his destination. December 17th. This was the day. The day that everything changed in his life. He sighed and watched the steam curl around his face. He turned the corner and felt himself stop abruptly as the gates came into view. His hands started to shake, but he willed them to stop as he glared at the cup. He slowly lifts it to his lips before taking a sip of the strong dark liquid and enjoying the feeling of it running down his throat and into his stomach. Taking a deep breath as he pushes himself forward and slips through the gates before walking through the neatly filed rows. He barely looks at his surroundings because he's done this so many times. The path was neatly packed into his mind and as he turns down another row he feels his feet slow and before he knows it he's at his destination. He slowly looks up and reads the haunting name. Sarah Watkins. Born: September 21, 1988, Died: December 17, 2010. That was it. This was all that was left of this…person. Raph looks down at the grey tombstone in disgust before bending down and wiping the snow off the stone. She didn't deserve to have the snow make her disappear or give her a clean slate. Raph punches the ground in front of the conservative granite stone before feeling his eyes tear up. He wipes at his eyes with the back of his hand before sitting in the snow. Time ticks by and he quickly loses track of how long he's been there for. Minutes? Hours? He didn't know.
"…Fuck you…Fuck you for ruining my life…Fuck you for making me into what I am..."
Raph puts his head between his knees and lets all of his emotions pour out of him. This was the only place he could do this. His brothers only knew half the story and he didn't plan on telling them the rest anytime soon. He glares at the stone in disgust before looking around. He bet the other people that came here were sad because they had lost someone. He sighs and chuckles darkly. He even fucked up this mourning thing. Nothing could be normal in his life.
"…Fuck me."
"Are you okay?"
Raph stands quickly and looks at the person behind him. His tensed muscles stay coiled because he can't see their face and gets ready to fight if he has to. The person in front of him raises their hands in surprise before speaking again.
"Whoa, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you…"
Female. She was female. Raph looks around at his surroundings before glancing back down at the person in front of him still ready to fight if he had to.
"Didn't anyone warn ya about strangers?"
Raph looks down at the person and tries to find out why she was really here.
"…they did…I'm sorry I disturbed you."
She goes to turn but Raph speaks before he can stop himself.
"Why're ya here?"
She stiffens and slowly turns back towards him before pulling her scarf down. Her blood shot eyes are the first thing he notices and her tear stained cheeks. She quickly sizes him up with her eyes before shrugging.
"Same reason you are I guess…just visiting someone who isn't here anymore."
Raph nods and tries to keep back his look of disgust.
"Sorry fer yer loss."
She nods and shrugs.
"…same to you…well anyways you were just sitting there not moving for a long time so I thought I'd check on you…"
He nods and stuffs his hands into his pockets.
"'M fine."
She nods.
"If you say so."
She pulls her jacket tighter around herself before tugging at her hat.
"It's fucking cold out here."
Raph chuckles and nods.
"Yer tellin me. I'm the one with a wet ass."
She laughs and smiles.
"You're right. That was a stupid thing to do."
"I'll remember that next year."
She tilts her head to the side and shifts her weight onto one hip before looking at him closely.
"…do you come here every year on this day?"
Raph stiffens and looks at her in surprise. How could she know that?
"…maybe."
She nods before glancing at the stone behind him.
"I knew you looked familiar. I've seen you here."
Raph crosses his arms and
"Oh yeah? And what's so recognizable about me?"
"You're always dressed very bulky, no offense."
Raph snorts at her honesty but lets her continue. She smiles slightly and looks at the ground.
"Sorry, my dad was a detective so he trained me to notice some things."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah…Anyways, I've seen you around the past couple of years always on this day…"
He nods.
"Well yer right."
"I know."
She looks up at him with a steely resolve that might rival Leo's. Raph just stares at her trying to decide if he should walk away but instead continues to talk to her.
"I've noticed ya too."
"Oh?"
"Yer always at that stone on the end this day and a few others."
"You're not wrong."
She smirks and he chuckles.
"Well I'm glad you're okay."
"I don't know if okay is the word."
"Mediocre. Better?"
"Much."
He smirks under his scarf before looking over his shoulder at the grave.
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. I'm being so rude. You're obviously not here to talk."
He shrugs.
"Talking might keep me from knockin over this stone."
She nods slwoly before walking over and bending to grab something. She rises with his coffee cup and hands it to him.
"It's cold…can I buy you another?"
He looks down at the cup and nods slowly. She smiles briefly before pulling her scarf back up and heading towards the gates. Raph lets himself follow before giving one last final glance back at the stone. They walk back down the street and into a bookstore which instantly starts to warm him up.
"Coffee?"
"Black."
She nods and puts her stuff down at a booth and heads to the register to order. Raph sits in the booth and takes in his surroundings. The place is quiet, but not deafeningly so. The bookshelves line the store and people are sitting around reading and sipping on their drinks. She comes back a few seconds later with two cups in her hands.
"Here you go…I got it black. I assumed that's how you drink it?"
"Good guess."
She smiles briefly before sliding into her side of the booth and taking her scarf and hat off. A bun of dirty blonde hair sits on top of her head while a few pieces have escaped to frame her face. Raph studies her round face as he takes a sip of his coffee and sees eyes done in a simple cat eye.
"So for the sake of not being strangers anymore, I'm Isidora. Izzy for short."
Raph looks at her and nods.
"Raph."
"Is that short for something?"
"…Raphael."
She nods and repeats it.
"Raphael…very stately."
He stares at her and sits up a little straighter.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
She smiles and sips her drink again before cupping her hands around the warm cup.
"I hate and love cold."
"Oh?"
"It's beautiful, and I love to layer, but the cold is just so cold."
"I feel ya."
She nods and watches him sip his coffee. They sit in silence for a few minutes before she shifts in her seat and glances up at him before clearing her throat.
"…why do you only come to the cemetery on this day?"
Raph looks at her before shrugging.
"Ya didn't notice?"
"…I did, but dates can have a lot of significance."
He nods while frowning.
"They died today."
"I'm sorry."
Raph shrugs but doesn't say anything else. She tries to read his body language but his coat and other layers don't let her see anything except for his eyes. His lack of a gender specific pronoun doesn't slip by her though.
"Why were you there today?"
"This was my dad's birthday."
"I'm sorry for yer loss."
"Oh, thank you, but my dad isn't dead."
Raph quirks a brow and waits for her to continue.
"It's my moms grave. I lay flowers on her grave for him."
Raph nods and notices her downcast face.
"That's uh, very nice of ya."
"Thanks…"
They sit in silence drinking their warm beverages before she looks up at him.
"…you have very nice eyes."
He frowns at her compliment before he glances up at her from his coffee cup.
"I just thought you should know."
He nods and she smiles at him before sipping her drink.
"Yer odd."
"Okay."
"I mean-"
"No I get it. I don't know you, I interrupt you at a cemetery, the one place you're supposed to give someone peace, and instead of leaving you alone I invite you for coffee…I'm very weird."
Raph just stares at her in surprise.
"…why did you say somethin to me?"
She looks at him seriously before speaking.
"...I've been to a lot of cemeteries and I've seen a lot of people at their loved ones graves. Mothers crying over their husbands, fathers crying over their deceased sons and daughters…all of them looked sad."
Raph waits for her to continue and watches as her face scrunches as she tries to find the right words.
"You were a different kind of sad."
Raph nods at her cryptic answer.
"Interestin."
She shrugs.
"I guess so."
They go back to sitting in silence before she finishes her drink and moves to stand up.
"Well, I have to go, but here. This is my number."
Raph looks at the napkin with scribbled numbers on it and looks back up at her.
"I know I may be weird, but us weird people have to stick together…"
She flashes him a smile before putting her hat back on.
"It was really nice to meet you Raphael."
He goes to correct her but his name just rolls off her tongue so he stops. He slowly extends his mittened hand and takes the napkin before nodding.
"Goodbye Isidora."
She smiles and wraps her scarf around her before walking out the door. Raph watches her go before glancing at the napkin again.
"…humans."
He quickly pockets the paper before standing and making his way home.