anonymous prompted: raphxalopex things you said when you were scared

ooo

"I don't know about this."

Alopex peered over the rock embankment, her golden eyes blinking warily. Her large fluffy tail arced up above her head, the snowy fronds catching the light of the sun behind her, glinting.

Raphael smirked, lazily treading water, enjoying the way the lake lapped at his flesh.

"C'mon," he goaded her, grinning up at where she peeked down at him, her large ears pricked, her jet black nose quivering. She clung to the rock with her neat little white paws just visible from his vantage point below her. For a badass kunoichi, she looked damned adorable. "You're not scared of getting your fur a little wet, are ya?"

Alopex's tail twitched irritably and she narrowed those captivating predator's eyes at him.

"Foxes only swim when we have to," she replied primly."Like any sensible creature."

Raphael snickered, then dove beneath the water. Even in the middle of summer the water was icy at first, but quickly warmed around his strong, healthy body as he kicked downwards. He relished the embrace of it, how it clung to him yet parted easily as he swam.

Swimming to the bottom, he grasped hold of a thick stalk of water weed and anchored himself against the river bed, the finely milled earth gritty between his toes, tiny granules scattering in cloudy gusts around his ankles. He tipped his head back and gazed up towards the surface of the water.

It shifted high above his head, the sun glittering through and illuminating the crystal clear water a brilliant, translucent green. He could make out the blue of the sky beyond the gold and the dark shadow of the rocky outcrop. All around him great bushes of water weed sprouted and swayed gently, their fronds straining towards the surface. It was silent down there at the bottom of the lake, save for the strange echo of the water as it pulsed around him. It was like another world, eerily calm and peaceful, and somehow he felt like he belonged.

He stayed there, comfortably holding his breath, waiting, looking up to where the sun sparkled on the surface through the clear jade depths.

It took only a little longer than he expected. Then her lithe body broke the surface and she was swimming downwards with determined strength, her arms arcing through the water. Hidden in the weeds, he watched her, unable to help the little grin that quirked his mouth. Her fur streamed backwards against the push of the water, clinging to her surprisingly lean physique. As she drew closer to the bottom, he could see the play of muscle beneath the silvery fur, the shapeliness of her torso and haunches, and his heart rate kicked up a little. Damn, she looked good.

Her pretty ears were flattened back against her skull, giving her an unexpectedly vulnerable look, and her large golden eyes blinked against the press of the water as she searched the bed of weeds, her brows furrowing, her tail lashing anxiously. A stream of bubbles burst from her muzzle and shot towards the surface as she scanned the river bed, the glint in her eyes becoming more frantic.

He took pity and shot up from the weeds in one explosive motion. Alopex flinched backwards, kicking furiously, bubbles frothing around her ankles and gusting from her mouth, unable to stop the impulse of alarm before it widened her eyes, curled her lip to reveal sharp teeth.

He kicked in the water beside her, resisting the tug that drew him upwards, buoyant in the emerald depths, smirking triumphantly. Alopex's expression cleared, then clouded, her eyes narrowing furiously as she realised his mischief and then she tilted her head up and kicked hard at the water, shooting up towards the surface

Raphael rolled his eyes and followed her.

They broke the surface simultaneously, sprays of water sparkling around them. Alopex gasped as she sucked in a great lungful of air, bobbing up and down. He could've held his breath an age yet, and easily exhaled. The sun shone down on them from the clear blue sky, and a breeze set the green leaves of the trees that bordered the lake gently rustling.

Alopex turned her back to him and began swimming towards the shore.

"Oh c'mon!" He cried, going after her, the water gurgling around the stroke of his arms. "That was funny. And it's fun now you're in, huh?"

She didn't reply, just kept on paddling, her wet ears still laying back against her head, now in fury.

Raphael huffed and pushed forward forcefully, overtaking her. The sun felt incredible on his shoulders and carapace and the water was soft and carressing around them. How could she not love this?

"Lighten up!" he entreated, trying to hide how amused he was by her bedraggled appearance, sodden fur slicked back and dripping as they trod water near the shore. She sank down in the water to the tip of her nose and narrowed her eyes venomously at him, her ears still flattened. He chuckled and shifted closer to her, holding his arms out. "Do I need to kiss it better?"

She spat a stream of water directly into his face.

He sputtered as she laughed and splashed away, her wet fur gleaming in the sunlight.

"You can kiss me if you can catch me," she teased him as she swam further into the lake.

He snorted the water from his nostrils and went after her with a grin.