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You and Ralph had been together for a while, a little over half a year maybe, but that didn't make staying behind any easier. Every time he left for patrol, you worried if he'd come back in pieces, or at all!
Some times you would be near forced to go home to get sleep or go to work, but usually you sat with Splinter in your worry. He did try his best to put you at ease when he noticed how anxious you got.
You knew he appreciated you being there for the boys in a way he couldn't be, and how you could calm his angriest son. Breaking up fights had become your specialty around the lair even.
But no matter how strong you thought you were sometimes, they were still mutants with super human strength and abilities; there was no feasible way to help them in the field. It was depressing, but more than that, it was horrifying to know it was always possibly the last time you'd ever see any of them.
Splinter sat cross legged on the old sofa with you and watched Korean dramas, as it was something you two could agree on and having to read the subtitles was a bit of a distraction. But right now the worrying gf was all too similar to you and you glanced at your watch just for a second. You had to see how long it's been since you got a text from any of the guys!
2 hours.
That was kind of a lot. Patrol was only a few miles or so, it shouldn't take this long even if they did stop for pizza on the way back; clearly they'd gotten into a fight or two, and you fretted over the condition they might return in.
Splinter sighed and paused the soap to give you his full attention, causing you to snap stiff at being caught.
"(Y/n), worrying will not bring them home any faster. You know I would go find them should they take an exceptionally long time. There is no need to fret so."
Splinters cool tone did little to ease your mind as the worst ran through it.
"I know..." you mumbled as you hung your head.
True, you knew he would never abandon his adopted sons, but there was no way of knowing if they were dead right now!
With a sigh, Splinter did the one thing he knew worked 99% of the time and used his claws to comb through your hair. It seemed silly the first time he did it, but it was calming and reminded you just how much of a father he really was. You wondered if he had ever done anything similar with his sons in the past since you couldn't recall him ever doing anything of the like with them since you've known them, which was considerably longer than you've actually been dating one of them. Which lead you into your melancholy worry once more.
It wasn't long after that though that you heard Mikey's boisterous self praise echoing through the tunnels and you jolted up right and whipped your head towards the door to see how they looked coming in.
There were some cuts and bruises, and they all pretty much collapsed when they got near anything that would support their weight, but they were all alive and that's what mattered.
You glanced to Splinter for his permission to leave out of habit and hopped over the couch to bound over to your boyfriend once you got a nod of approval.
Raph caught you as you jumped up into his chest and clung to him for dear life with a tired grin and managed to make it all the way back to the couch before collapsing and sinking his face into your neck.
Being an animal, he could spell the affection you permeated but it was always tainted with the lingering scent of worry and fear when he got back home. Which on one hand he was grateful to have someone who worried about him, but on the other hand he hated that you had to worry in the first place.
He glanced a 'thank you' look to his father, who nodded in acknowledgement before wandering off back to his own affairs.
"Love you." You mumbled into Ralph's neck, "glad ur back."
"Yeah," he sighed, equally as muffled by your hair and clothes, "love ya too kid."