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Casey may have a crush on Raphael.
He had really taken a liking to the turtle after their first few meetings while bonding over their fighting styles. Soon the two were practically joined at the hip. Training together, Patrolling together, and even hanging out together.
Raphael was actually really fun to hang out with when you got past his off putting exterior. He cared for his brothers, albeit in his own way. He was funny and charming when they would hang out. He even had a soft-ish side Casey had only seen a handful of times. A complete night and day to what his brothers saw of him. The two earned a look from Leo when hanging out once.
“That's the hardest i've ever seen him laugh” whispered Leo, Casey pretended he didn't hear, but it filled him with lovesick pride knowing he was the only one who could get past Raphs outer shell.
Raphael was also coincidentally the first person who supported Casey’s artistry.
He had always been somewhat of an artist. Always carrying around a sketchbook with a bag full of pens and pencils. He loved sketching portraits, stills of areas he was in, even spray painting when he had enough cash to get the cans. He just loved to draw. Maybe that's why his crush for a certain turtle started to bleed into his art.
It was slow but he started to draw him on the corner of a homework sheet, Some silly doodles of him fighting, portraits, full body sketches, and even some action stills. Drawing Raphael was becoming more and more frequent. He caught himself more often than not staying up late just to sketch out full pages on pages of the turtle. He was a love struck artist and he couldn't help but be obsessed with the object of his attraction.
He had just been out with Raphael on a night time patrol going over some Purple Dragons activity Donnies police scanners picked up. So there they sat, hunched over a rooftop quietly bickering over nothing and watching over a building where a drop off was said to take place.
“The hell you mean Donnies scanner was wrong, we've been sat up here for hours!” Raph whisper-yelled.
“Don't ask me man, this ain't my fault!” Casey argued back.
“Ugh, I'm gonna ring out that smart bastard when we get back.” Raph clenched his fists, “Might as well fuck around before we have to get back, i've been itching for some fresh air.”
Splinter had been more protective of the turtles since they’re countless run-ins with the Purple Dragons and the Foot Clan. So, Raph hadn't been allowed out as much in the past few weeks, much less being able to hang out with Casey.
Casey jumped up from where he was sitting, “Hell yeah man! Let's go do something!”
The boys had settled on skating around on the roof of an abandoned factory. Raph first discovered this place by himself when out on a solo mission and was determined to keep it for himself-
“I just didn’t want this to get ruined by my brothers, I mean living with them is hard enough, havin’ to share everythin’ I just want this to myself and well- now you”
Raph had told him that when they went there the first time.
Casey loved that Raph had let him hang out on his rooftop. He couldn't quite place it but the feeling of having something that was just his and Raphs made his stomach turn in the best way possible.
One of his favorite things was watching Raphael skate. Casey often would ride alongside him, Raph on a skateboard, Casey on his roller skates. They’d go back and forth grinding on bars, going down steep walls and even getting dangerously close to the edge just to see if they could stop fast enough. But Casey always tired out first, it wasn't all his fault- he was at hockey practice 4 times a week, not including his games, so he was usually tuckered out after about an hour. So he would resigned himself to drawing, drawing the scenery, the buildings, and mostly Raphael.
It was their routine, Casey loved those words. They're, us, we, our, me and Raph. He always did, always had. It filled him with unexplainable contentment that only he was this close to Raph, no one else.
which led them to now, Raph Skating and Casey being a lovesick puppy
Casey had been sat down sketching for the better part of an hour now, they'd decided to stay out later than usual.
Raphael was showing him a new move he’d picked up watching a group of kids at the skatepark downtown. And as Casey would say - he was fucking killing it.
He couldn't help himself from staring at the turtle taken by the urge capture this moment. He sketched out a quick outline of a portrait of the turtle, his face resting into a scowl, making sure to make his muscles as accurate as he can and completed the sketch with a few hearts around his face.
“Whatchu' cooking up over then huh Case'?” Raph propped up his board in his right hand.
“S’nothing just some sketches of the buildings” Casey said, discreetly turning the page of his sketchbook to his earlier sketches.
“Well I'm all tired out, want me to walk ya’ dumbass home?” Raph asked.
“Yeah Yeah whatever you say asshole!” Casey threw his sketchbook into his bag as they began the walk or rather the rooftop scaling to his house bickering along the way about a TV show the boys had watched.
“Dude no way- he's like, like way more powerful in the comics, this version is just sad.”
Raph sneered back “What!? Are you messed up in the head- he's just as strong, if not stronger.”
“Whatever man, I'm right and you're wrong. Deal with it” Casey smugly smiled, facing Raph.
Raph sucker-punched his arm, but smiled back, “I'm never wrong. You're just too pussy to admit that i'm right.”
“Tough shit man, cuz the only pussy here is you” Casey bit back shoving Raph lightly.
“Hockey Playin loser.”
“Turtle Freak.” Casey said as they got to the roof of his apartment complex. "Ugh that took forever." Casey slouched, his bag slipping down his shoulders. He unzipped his bag and rummaged around for his keys.
Raph yawned, “Prolly cause someone didn't want to run home like we usually do.”
“Whatever man i'm tired” Finally he found his keys and pulled them out, making his sketchbook fall out- open.
To a full two pages of Raph exclusive sketches complete with the hearts around each drawing.
He felt his heart still as he looked at the awful display.
‘Was it always this quiet?’
He didn't dare look up, he just stared at the book, guilt and shame pooling in his heart as neither of the boys said a word. He stood there for what felt like forever, then snatched the book off the ground quickly shoving it back into his bag.
He looked up at Raphael who was just as red as he was, mouth slightly open, eyes wide. They made eye contact for a few seconds before Casey turned tail and ran inside. Slamming the door behind him, which thank god- auto locked. He made his way to his apartment, heart racing and quickly ran into his room.
‘God how could I be so stupid. Raph’s never gonna look at me the same again.’ Casey shoved his face into his pillow cursing himself for everytime he drew the stupid dumb handsome turtle.
His phone buzzed, probably a message from Raphael. He didn't look, he couldn't.
So he didn't.
Raph was mad.
No he was fucking pissed.
Raph had had felt the same way about his friend for a while now. He loved the feeling he got when they would make eye contact, share stupid jokes, and hang out together outside of his family. He cared for Case, both as his closest friend and because he liked him. He had wanted to tell Casey himself about his feelings when the timing felt right and now that was all ruined.
He hasn't gotten the chance to talk to Casey since Friday and it was driving him mad. Three whole fucking days without a peep from his friend. He had tried calling, texting, and even sitting on his roof hoping he would come out and they could talk.
How the fuck are you suppose to reciprocate your feelings for your closest friend when he wont even talk to you?
He couldn't even focus on how sweet it was that Casey had drawn him with stupid little hearts around his face. Raph just wanted to punch Casey and kiss him and then punch him again.
‘Ugh feelings are so confusing’
He just wanted to clear this whole mess up, ask Casey about the drawings and maybe have a disgustingly romantic kiss on the rooftop.
Even his brothers were getting worried about him, since he'd been being pissy more than usual.
They were training, going in duels. Donnie and Mickey on one end of the room and Leo and Raph on the other.
Leonardo was kicking his ass, and he was not taking it well. Leo swung his katana’s forward, hitting Raphs sai’s, making a scraping sound echo in the dojo.
“Get your head out of the clouds and focus on the fight Raph!”
Sweaty and sore, Raph growled as a response. Rage building inside of him. He gritted his teeth and swung back to face Leo. All at once he lurched forward, knocking Leonardo to the ground, holding his sai’s to his throat.
“Enough!” Splinter's voice roared, quickly composing himself “Raphael, go cool off. Now.”
The turtle didn't have to be told twice before grabbing his sai's from the ground and storming out of the lair.
All he wanted to do was talk to Casey again. Even with everything going on between them, Case was still his best friend, he'd hate to let this ruin all the fun times they had together or worse make it awkward.
He decided to go cool off at their spot. The building was chilly, the cold autumn air made him shiver when he stepped in. Casey was never cold, always wrapped in as many jackets and hoodies as it took to keep him warm. Stupid cute fucker said his worst inconvenience was being cold.
Raphael stopped abruptly hearing the sound of footsteps coming from the floor above him. He swiftly and silently made his way up the stairs and hid himself around the corner to the abandoned floor. He swore his heart stopped beating for a minute.
Casey was sitting in his usual spot drawing, the only light reflecting on him being the cool moonlight shining through the hollowed out window frames. He looked as good as ever and it made the turtle want to grab him and throw his out said windows.
The turtle stepped into the doorway “Ey! Shithead!”
The boy’s head shot up, a light blush spreading over his face mixed with an expression like he was finally caught.
Casey choked out nervously “Red? wha.. what the fuck are you doing here?”
“Got pissed so I came here to cool off.”
Casey’s shoulders relaxed a bit “Yeah sounds about right for you”
Raph leaned in the doorway, arms crossed and huffed. They sat in silence for a moment, not acknowledging each other’s presence.
“I liked your drawings, Case.” The turtle spoke softly, still turned away. He could feel his checks get warm.
Casey sighed out a weak laugh “It's alright man, we don't have to talk about it if it makes you uh- feel weird.”
There was a pause, that cool air wafting in again that made the boys shiver.
“I've been calling you, texting you, I’ve been fucking worried about you Case.”
Raph stood up from the doorway stepping closer to where the boy sat.
“Raph I-”
“I was so fucking worried about you. I sat at your place every single night hoping I could see if you were okay.” His voice was getting more hoarse.
Casey stood up mere feet away from the turtle “Red I was just- god. I was fucking overwhelmed okay? I just needed some space to think, 'm sorry I made you worry.”
“Could have sent me a damn text so I wouldn't have been losin' my mind.” Raph shot back
“No offense Red, but I didn't really want to text to the dude who just found out I had the hots for him.”
Raph huffed getting more angry “Well you should have manned up and talked to me so we could sort everything out instead of runnin’ like a damn pussy.”
“Well excuse me for not knowing if the dude I liked wasn't going to beat me up for being gay!” Casey retorted stepping forward. He was getting ticked off too and Raphael could tell.
“Then you don't fucking know me at all because I would never beat on someone for gay. Much less my fucking best friend.” Raph clenched his fists.
Casey pushed his finger on Raphs chest “Sue me for panicking you fucking stupid reptile!”
“Fuck you shit for brains!” He smacked the finger off his chest.
Raph grabbed his shirt pulling them close before slamming their lips together. He could hear Casey's yelp of surprise at the sudden action but was quickly reciprocated. Pulling apart after a moment, the two were almost as red as Raph's headband, Slightly panting and staring at each other.
“Wait- Dude you like me?” Casey blurted out.
“Yeah I fucking like you dipshit, thats what i’ve been trying to say for the past three fucking days”
“Fuck.. wanna kiss again?”
“Dumbass.. Yeah I do”