FF: A bunch of you probably saw this coming since I've been dropping hints for ya. Truth is, I wrote this chapter after I got permission from my sis since Lyska is based off my sister: prickly and aggressive with a gentler side.
FF: I've been tweaking the previous chapters to hopefully get you to expect this but I'm still not happy with how...abrupt this feels. Still, I hope you guys and girls like this, we're nearing the beginning of the end!
(Edited: 1/11/16-1/23/16)
(FF: Whew, finally got this one out! I was expecting it to be easier- it was not. But oh well! It is now revised- HEAVILY revised. Enjoy!)
Lyska flipped to her back, stretching over the couch arm with her arms extended over her head in a long, tense stretch. She strained a little farther, than melted back into the couch like a satisfied cat with a pleased sigh.
It was a calm time. Nothing had really happened for the past two days.
Granted, Liza snapping at everyone had been exciting/unnerving, but when she woke up the next morning apologies were made and accepted and everyone was alright again. The brunette had spent most of the two days resting, napping, chatting while laying on the couch (so she could be see everyone without them going out of their way), and doing her breathing exercises with Lyksa, who hovered nervously and gave comforting/encouraging nuzzles, and Donny, who held her hand and talked her through the pain and strain.
Lyska had spent most of her time hanging out with Liza, conspiring with Mikey, implementing a prank or two on an unsuspecting target (they got Leo with the whipped cream balloon and Donny with the syrup- it was hysterical and resulted in a long chase (they weren't caught) and a scolding from Leo and a lighter one from Liza, who sent them both smiles once the victims weren't looking), and wandering around.
The blonde hummed thoughtfully as she slid off the couch.
She hadn't been at her home/warehouse camp that much. She'd just go to sleep in her little hole or to hand out some food she'd scavenged or saved to the stray animals around twice a day. Since she'd been with the guys and Liza, the blonde had actually gotten enough food to eat on a consistent basis and even store some away- her strays were looking so much better nowadays and the newer ones were looking much healthier already.
She'd also noticed a few extra food packages and items she knew she hadn't placed in her pack simply appear there numerous times. While she knew that Liza was undoubtedly behind this, the sweet little notes sometimes taped on to the surprise gifts and written in different handwritings made her realize, with surprise, that the brothers were behind it as well. It was heartwarming to know they cared.
A few of her things had even migrated to the lair a little as she felt they'd actually be safer there- a realization that had startled yet comforted her, just as the notes had.
Aside from that, nothing much else had happened.
Oh wait! She'd just remembered! She and Liza had each turned a year older recently- Liza was now 18 and Lyska was...20.
The blonde let a shudder of disgust and stretched one leg behind her, folding the other beneath her into a luxurious stretch.
She had no desire to be 20 years old- that was when people became adults! And then everyone would expect them to behave properly and maturely and bla di blah blah.
What was so great about being an adult anyway? Being 5 was so much more fun.
Lyska's grimace brightened into a grin as she revisited fond memories of the shenanigans she got up to, and memories of her baby sister. She purred in pleasure as she switched leg positions, both at the wonderful sensation of stretching muscles and at the affection her memories brought.
At a soft thud behind her, she merely closed her eyes and stretched her arms above her head. "Hey." She greeted casually, not even looking as Raph approached to her side.
"Hey." The red clad ninja watched her as she shifted positions- now she was crosslegged and twisting side to side in a way he would never be able to, what with the shell and all. It was actually kind of fascinating seeing that level of flexibility in someone without training, and a faint smile slipped onto his face as her spine cracked numerous times and she merely sighed in pleasure.
She then bent forward, nearly flattening her top half to the ground, and then executed a backwards somersault that let her pop to her feet right beside him. "So!" She wiggled a little to work out the rest of the kinks in her body and then planted her hands on her hips, giving him a curious brow-raise. "What'cha doing?"
He shrugged, one hand rising to rest on his sai's handle. "I thought I'd go out for a ride, maybe get some gang members..."
"Can I come?" At the surprised look he gave her, the blonde added a little defensively, "What? I'm bored!"
He snorted. "Relax, I just thought that since we'd be using my motorcycle it'd make ya uncomfortable. But if you still wanna come..."
Lyska flushed slightly at the memories of having her arms around him, and by the fact that, if she agreed, she'd have to do it again. Fidgeting slightly, she let out a frustrated growl and stalked past him. "UGH, the boredom is worse than going with you!"
"Nice to know you think so highly of spending time with me." Raph noted dryly, trotting after her with a roll of his eyes.
"No, it's not that, you're fine- I mean you're not annoying all the time and you don't lecture me or anything- I just- we'd have to- we'd- OH forget it!" She snarled lightly at the botched attempt at explanation and glared when she noticed the amused smirk on his face. "...shut up."
His smirk widened. "I didn't say anything." He said innocently, walking past her into the garage area. He heard a growl behind him and, after a moment, following footsteps that were created with more force than usual.
Fighting back a chuckle, he walked around his motorcycle to the counter and grabbed his helmet. "Catch," was the only warning he gave before tossing the spare helmet to Lyska.
She snapped up a hand and grabbed it from the air, a scowl on her face.
"Oh come on," The red clad ninja rolled his eyes. "Are you going to be sulky the whole time?"
"I'm not sulking." She sent him a glare and shoved the helmet on. "Can we just go?"
He laughed and swung one leg over the motorcycle as he slid his own helmet on. "Sure. Hop on."
Lyska approached faster than he expected, but she was just as tentative sitting behind him as she was the first time. Her arms were once more gentle as they slid around his middle, slower than last time for some reason yet locking together firmly.
He had just opened his mouth to tell her, once again, that it was okay to lean on him when, after a moment, she carefully pulled herself flush against him. She even squeezed a little tighter when, sounding embarrassed, she muttered, "Is-is this okay?"
"Yeah." He answered, clearing his throat and trying to ignore how pleasant her body heat felt seeping through his shell and plastron. "It's good."
Lyska desperately hoped he couldn't feel her heartbeat spiraling out of control through his shell. She couldn't tell if it was because she couldn't believe she'd just indulged her curiosity with how his shell felt and how it linked with his plastron or the fact that she'd gotten away with it. Or maybe it was because they were pressed against each other so closely?
But that was her fault- she was holding onto him so tightly.
It must have been because she didn't want to fall off the motorcycle. Yes. That was it. Now all she had to do was stop thinking about how nice it felt to- not thinking about it. Not thinking about it at all.
"Where are we going?" She asked through the comm system as the engine kicked to life, the motorcycle beginning to move out the garage door.
He shrugged, easing the rumbling vehicle out and speeding up as he got onto open space. "Don't know. You got any place in mind?"
Lyska was silent a moment, considering. "...Can we go to the park again?"
"The park? Sure- there's actually something there I think you'll like."
"Really? What?"
"Can't tell you 'till we get there."
"Mean."
"So...where is this thing you want to show me?" Lyska asked, gazing around idly as she walked beside Raph.
They'd parked and hidden the motorcycle close to the park and managed to dodge the few sparse people frequenting the lush area with ease. Now, they calmly ambled along the grass, the red clad ninja leading and the blonde admiring the leaves' fall colors.
"We're almost there, don't worry." He nudged her, laughing when she nudged back a little harder, a grin appearing on her lips.
"You said that already." She rolled her eyes, turning to watch a yellow leaf fall to the ground.
"...Why'd you want to come to the park?" Raph asked after a moment of silence, glancing to her curiously.
"Why not?" Lyska countered, her silvery blue eyes flickering to him a moment with a playful glance and then back to the trees. She laughed when he nudged her in mock-retaliation, then quieted a moment before she added, almost thoughtfully, "...Liza and I used to jump in leaf piles when we were little. We even made a game of trying to catch the leaves as they fell."
At a surprised, "Huh," from her companion, the blonde looked to him and arched an eyebrow. "What, you thought we never played like little kids?"
He laughed and shook his head, one hand rising to the back of his neck. "No, it's just...kind of weird. I keep forgetting that you didn't run away from home until, what? When you were 14?"
She blinked in surprise, staring at him wide eyed. "Y-yeah, 14. You...actually remembered?"
"Why wouldn't I?" The red clad ninja looked at her, his voice slightly confused.
Lyska turned to the ground, one hand sliding up to rub at her arm in one spot particularly. "...it's...been a long time since...someone besides Liza cared." She admitted softly- not quite sad, but a kind of vulnerability was suddenly there. Giving a shrug, she added in an attempt to regain her composure, "I guess I'm just too used to being on the street."
"You never did tell us where you went on your...uh, 'travels'." Raph commented slowly. He knew her leaving home was a sore spot, but would this be included in it?
"Wasn't much to tell." She gave another shrug. "Just trying to survive on what I could scavenge and stay away from dangers- which was impossible."
"What do you mean? Oh, we're here." Raph stopped walking, motioning at a tall tree.
"Here? Why- Wait a second, this looks familiar." The blonde stepped forwards, placing a hand on the tree trunk and squinting up carefully. After a moment, her eyes widened and she smiled. "I know! This is where we went before and you got stuck!"
Raph rolled his eyes. "Yeah. I was kinda hoping you'd have forgotten about that..." He muttered, moving to stand beside her at the trunk's base.
"Nope. It's seared into my brain forever." She sent him a playful grin, amusement clear in both her eyes and voice as she gave a hesitant nudge.
"Hooray for me." He grinned and nudged her back, nearly unbalancing her with the force he put behind it.
"Hey!" She laughed and lunged to get her vengeance but he easily stepped out of the way and hopped onto the lowest tree branch. "Come back here! I'm not done with you!"
He chuckled, crouching on his perch. "You never answered my question."
"What question?" Lyska lithely pulled herself up on the branch opposite him, peeking around the trunk with a grin and already reaching for the next bough.
"I asked about your travels." The red clad ninja answered, climbing higher into the tree just quick enough to hope she got the hint for a race.
She did- the blonde sped up to keep pace with him as they scaled higher and higher. "I already told you, silly."
"Not really." He flicked a foot out to poke her side, careful not to unbalance her and to dodge the answering swipe.
She huffed and rolled her eyes, pulling herself up another branch. "Like I said- not much to tell. I don't remember where I was- what the places were called that is- but, aside from the cesspools, there were some nice places."
"Really? Like what?- in here." He stopped climbing, pulling a certain lush branch aside and nodding to the hole its absence made.
"What do you mean in?" Lyska sent him a confused/curious look but crawled forwards nonetheless. "Do you- OH! WOAH, this is awesome!"
Raph grinned and climbed in after her, pleased with her awed reaction. "Yeah, pretty nice isn't it? I caught a glimpse of it when we, uh, climbed this tree last," he ignored the smirk thrown his way at the mention of the 'Tree Incident', "and checked it out next time I went out. What do you think?"
The tree was so large, so ancient, that it had grown a perfect hidey-hole tucked away behind the leafy exterior- a splitting out of the boughs that formed a nice cozy little platform.
"I...it's amazing, Raph! Goodness, and the view..." The blonde shook her head in wonder, gently pushing down a branch to look out on the sea of fiery colored leaves that decorated the park. "I love it..."
The red clad ninja felt himself puff up a little with pride at her words- and also the fact that he had managed to get Lyska so awestruck, so happy. "So," He settled against the tree branches by her side, just far enough away so as not to make her defensive. "What kind of places did you go to?"
"Hm? Oh," Lyska slowly tore herself from the entrancing view and leaned back against the sturdy boughs, not seeming to notice how close Raph was even as she glanced to him with even a smile. "All kinds of places. Like I said, minus the horrible polluted places and vile ones, some were pretty nice. Oh, like when I found a shoreline town! It was lovely and full of bushes and ferns- smelled like the ocean."
"Sounds nice there." He hummed, wondering when she'd notice the small distance between them and revert into sarcasm/derision mode. He hoped it would be a while- seeing her talk so openly and with a smile on her lips was such a wonderful treat.
"It was- I managed to get some spaghetti from a restaurant's dumpster. Best I'd had in a long while- and it lasted almost a week too!" She paused a moment, giving him a small look.
He turned to her, arching an eyeridge. "What?"
"Sorry, it's just- when I mention stuff like that, dumpster diving and stuff, Liza keeps wincing or twitching. I'm surprised you didn't." The blonde explained.
Raph shrugged, stretching his arms over his head idly. "My family's been there. We've gone dumpster diving plenty of times- granted we don't for food anymore now that things are better, but we know what it's like."
"I...never thought about that." The sai wielder brought his arms down and looked over, intrigued by his companion's thoughtful tone. At his look, the blonde laughed a little self-deprecatingly, curling slightly. "I'd always imagined your lives being the same as it is now. I should've realized it was harder than this. Sorry."
He shrugged and nudged her shoulder. "No problem. 'S not that hard to forget about those times when everything's going great."
Lyska's silvery blue eyes softened, and her gaze drifted to the small gap in the branches. "Yeah..." She murmured softly. She lay in her thoughts a moment peacefully, before clearing her throat and continuing, "Anyways, uh, where else did I go? Umm...Oh, I found a lot of farmland. It was pretty there, and the animals were nice- if I could get to the horses or cows or goats I'd sometimes bring gifts of fresh grass or something. There were a bunch of forests too- that was my favorite. I learned how to treejump there, but I loved hearing the animals and feeling the grass and seeing the trees."
She paused, glanced to him, to the floor, then added, "I miss it most, here. There's so few trees and so much...I dunno, humans."
Raph arched an eyeridge. "Well, yeah, it's a city."
The blonde shook her head, sending him a frustrated frown. "I know that, I just meant that I wish there was more nature! More green! More grass! Not all this...'civilization' and pollution junk! I mean- ugh!"
The red clad ninja laughed. "You do realize you're talking about my home, right?"
Lyska rolled her eyes and shoved his arm. "I meant what I said. Sorry, not sorry."
He laughed again and returned the shove, beginning a mini shove war that lasted only a few moments when the two couldn't stay serious, the battle dissolving into chuckles.
"Speaking of homes, did you ever go back? To your first-" Raph asked when they'd calmed, too late realizing how personal that was when he felt Lyska tense beside him. Curse it! I didn't mean to ask that out loud! "Sorry, that was-"
"I did." She interrupted him, her face turned away and her voice hard.
He hesitated, hating the abrupt reversion from laughing and happy to closed off and cold. After a moment, he deemed it worth the risk to ask quietly, "...Why?"
Lyska scoffed, a bitter quality now in her voice. "I was a runaway with no home, no money, no plan...no family. Where else would I go?" Her head lifted and turned towards him, her gaze dark. "Most importantly, Liza was there. Where she is, is home. Always will be."
He met her eyes- amber staring into silvery blue. "...Don't you have any other place you consider home?" He asked slowly, not even sure himself why he was asking.
Lyska paused, then looked down, the cold melting from her gaze hesitatingly. "...I...I don't know anymore..." Her eyes flicked back up a moment, intense. "Why?"
"I-"
Both froze as laughter suddenly pierced their hideout, tensing and falling silent instinctively.
Raphael held still as Lyska carefully peered out of the gap down to below the tree. The blonde observed a moment as the laughter faded before starting up again, then made a soft noise and retreated back into the tree's branches.
"What is it?" He asked, voice soft just in case of the need to be quiet.
"It was a couple." She muttered, an odd look on her face- not quite sour, not quite angry. "They're walking away. We're fine."
He tilted his head, confused at her abrupt sullenness. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." She turned her head away.
"Yeah, right. What is it?"
"Nothing!" She hissed, twisting away further.
"Oh come on, Lyska! You can tell me about your travels and your old home but you can't tell me about this?" The red clad ninja argued, wincing at his own words the moment they came out.
Lyska stiffened, her fingers digging into her arms as her grip tightened.
Curse it, I did it again! He mentally growled, resisting the urge to facepalm. As he prepared to apologize, a mumbled noise leaked from Lyska. "...What?"
The blonde glanced sideways at him, then glared down at the floor. "It's stupid..." She muttered lowly, a faint flush darkening on her cheeks.
"...So?"
She glanced at him, an embarrassed, mildly irritated, vulnerable expression on her face. "Promise not to laugh?" She asked reluctantly.
"Promise." He nodded.
"..." Lyska hesitated a moment longer, then sighed heavily. "...I...that couple just...reminded me of something I'll never have." She forced out, cringing as if thinking he'd immediately go back on his promise.
"What do you mean?" Raph narrowed his eyes in confusion and arched an eyeridge. "Like...a relationship?"
She flushed darker and nodded.
"...why?"
"Why?" Lyska lifted her head to stare at him in surprise and mild incredulity. "I have a scar across my face, my body is covered in scars, my clothes are tattered and ripped from being in fights and just living on the streets, I hit things when I get too worried, and my knuckles are permanently scarred from punching both people and things! Not to mention my personality and all my baggage and how I hate all this stupid mushy emotion making me so pathetic and UGH- and just-"
The blonde let out a gust of air, hanging her head as her blush flared brighter in shame. "...who would want something broken like me?"
Silence.
"I would."
The words came out before he could stop them. Raphael barely restrained himself from slapping a hand over his mouth in horror, suddenly rigid as Lyska lifted her gaze to stare at him with stunned eyes. Oops...
Then, she lowered her eyes and turned away. "...No, Raph. You wouldn't." She whispered softly.
He glanced to her, indignation beginning to flare up. "Why not?" He demanded. "Don't I know what I want?"
She shook her head, looking to him with frustration. "You don't know me, though. If you truly knew me, you wouldn't want me. Trust me on that."
"I do know you." Raph straightened stiffly, his hands clenching into fists in anger.
"No, you don't." She glared at him.
"Yes, I do!" He matched her glare- amber sparking furiously against silvery blue. "I know you love your sister more than anything in the world! I know you gave up everything for her so she could be happy, and yet you feel guilty about that because of something you couldn't control! I know you hate it when people touch you! You have your own special gestures that substitutes for normal touches! You love animals since you feed the strays at your warehouse! You love to spar and you pull your punches whenever you tussle with Liza and Mikey but no one else! I know you!"
Lyska stared at him, her jaw hanging open slightly. Her head shook faintly. "...then why do you care?" She asked, her voice rasping with barely restrained emotion.
"Did you not just hear what I said?!" Raph let out a huff/snarl of frustration and slumped abruptly against the tree branches, pressing his hands to his face and gritting his teeth. He sat there a moment, working through his exasperation.
"..." The blonde was silent as she wrestled with her own thoughts. "...what about what I said earlier...do you...not care about that?"
"What?" Raph let his hands drop down to stare at her in consternation.
"I told you my flaws earlier...some of my flaws...don't they bother you?" She asked, looking at him intently.
"What are you talking about? You having scars doesn't matter- do you know how many I have?- and you living on the streets just lets me know you're a survivor- you're strong! I hit things too, not just when I'm worried, and it's not like I'm a basket of kittens either!" He looked at her incredulously. "And if you want to use being emotionally stunted as a reason why I shouldn't like you, you should put that on the list why you shouldn't like me!"
Raph froze as something clicked. He groaned and buried his face into his hands, feeling his face heat up.
"Raph? What's wrong?" Lyska's voice was startled, and closer than before. "Are you okay?"
"No..." He moaned. Oh goodness, just let the ground swallow him u- oh wait, they're in a tree. Let the tree swallow him up, then. "I just spouted out all that stuff and I don't even know if you like me back...just shoot me already."
Lyska didn't respond.
His face was on fire, how could he have been so stupid?! Wait, where was his sai? He could stab himself!
"...I...I don't know either..." Her voice was confused and almost frightened. "...maybe...you could help me...?"
"What?" He croaked, lifting his head in confusion. "How?"
The blonde was staring at the ground, her own face flushed and her arms wrapped around each other tightly. "I...I like how you aren't fazed by the stuff I do. Dying my hair with my blood, dumpster diving...You...make me laugh...I like sparring with you- especially when you help me learn a new move...I like how you, you treat me like a person, not a...victim or crazy person..."
Her hands clutched tighter and her breathing was off, as if saying this took a physical toll on her. "...I like...being near you. You're...warm...and gentle...you understand me...just a little...you...you tried to mimic how I...interact with people, instead of normal stuff...no one's, ever done that before...I feel...safe...when you...when you..." She cleared her throat, her face flushing even darker. "...W-when you...hold me..."
Raph blinked, swallowing hard. "...but...don't you..hate it when someone-?"
"Yeah, but..." The blonde refused to look at him as her blush intensified. "...you're different." She took in a shuddering breath and tilted her head towards him, though she still didn't look. "Is...does that mean that I...like you too?"
"Maybe it's just me being...hopeful, but...I think it does." The red clad ninja answered. "...do you?"
Lyska paused. She didn't speak for a long moment. "I don't know. Maybe..." She bit her lip.
"And...you don't mind the...?"
"The what?" At Raph gesturing at himself, she 'oh'ed and shook her head. "No, no, I...it never bothered me."
He blinked, trying to absorb the information and situation. "...what do we do now?"
"I don't know..."
They stayed silent a moment.
"...does, uh, this," he gestured hesitantly at nothing in particular, "mean we're...dating?"
"No," Lyska instantly answered, then shook herself, confused. "Yes, wait, no, but..." She shook her head a moment, then said slowly, "I...don't know if I'm...ready for that..."
"I see..." Raph considered it, his own confusion calming slightly. "So...would you agree to only date me?"
"What?" Lyska finally looked up, confused even more.
"Well, if you're not ready for dating, then let's just agree that if we ever feel ready we'd date each other first. No one else. Like, um, being 'engaged to date'." As he explained, Raph both warmed to the idea and hated it for how stupid it sounded.
"'Engaged to date'." Lyska repeated to herself.
He grumbled, flushing darkly. "...that sounded better in my head..."
"...okay."
"What?" He looked up.
Lyska was blushing furiously, but was nodding too. "I-I accept. Whe-IF, if I am ever ready to...date...I will ask you." She told him, stuttering a few times in her embarrassment.
He laughed. "Isn't the guy normally supposed to ask?"
The blonde laughed too and cracked a shaky smile. "Since when is anything normal with us?"
"Touche." The red clad ninja grinned, his flush fading.
They sat quietly a moment, gazing outside the tree's confines as their emotions slowly calmed and their thoughts settled. Neither let anything show they were aware of their hands hesitantly inching bit by bit towards the other.
When their fingers touched, they both froze, tensing. But not a words was spoken, not then and not when their fingers shyly twined together.
FF: Cliché, but who cares? It's cute!
(P.S. Yes, Lyska does indeed hate emotions that make her feel weak and girly. But for Raph she'll put up with those things ;P)
(Edit/FF: Wow, the ending didn't come out as I hoped and I think I made Raph a little OOC, but hey, can you blame him? He's never been in such a situation! (blame me, it's all my fault))