Just Give Me A Reason

5: 50/50

Destiny gave the two boys their meals as she directed them to the table. She smiled watching the two harvest an appetite alike. Both boys scarfed their food down requesting more. 

"You two were hungry.." She commented sitting another plate down.

"I bet I could eat more than Raph." Chase giggled.

"Oh I highly doubt dat." Raph replied giving the boy a small smile. "I'm a mutant turtle. I'm sure I'd eat more dan a human boy." He then remarked playfully sticking his tongue out.

"I think he's got you there Chase." Destiny laughed as she noticed she was closer to Raph than she had thought. She looked down to observe her hands hugging around his neck from behind, as she quickly moved away. "Sorry." She then whispered.

He quickly swallowed a fry. "It's nothin." 

She didn't understand how he could be so dismissive of this subject or any subject for that matter. Her head raced with a thousand questions while her heart pounded with one solution. She ignored them all. The plates were cleared and both the boys were stuffed. She was about to take the dirty dishes to the sink, when Raphael had jumped up.

"I'll take em ta da sink. It's da least I could do, right?" He questioned as he picked up the dishes and headed off with Chase behind him.

"Mommy usually cleans the dishes too. Maybe me and you could wash them?" Chase wondered hoping for a positive reply.

Raph shrugged his shoulders. "Ehh, why not." He turned the hot water on and let the sink fill up, while Chase added the bubbles. 

The two giggled in secrecy as they began washing and rinsing. A moment went by before Destiny had walked in on the two in the middle of a bubble war. They both stopped as they put their heads down waiting for negative remarks and discipline. Instead she only laughed. Destiny joined the fight as bubbles soon filled their little apartment kitchen. Raphael had grabbed Destiny from behind while Chase piled bubbles on her. In this moment Raphael felt something weird in his chest. Like his heart was dying to be let out. He wasn't exactly sure on what is was, but soon his mood changed. He left the kitchen and looked around for a fire escape which happened to be outside the living room window. He opened it and disappeared. 

Destiny and Chase stood there, Chase more confused than her. She knew he wasn't use to this setting and he needed air. He needed his brothers mostly. 

** SCENE CHANGE **

Raph sat on the edge of the rooftop, looking down at the scene around him. New York. The place he grew to love with his brothers. Mikey, Donnie, and even Leo. He sighed, Leo was right to tell him to leave. He was an unbearable soul. One that was broken and dangerous. Too dangerous to be around his brothers. He rested his head in the palm of his hands as every bit of resentment from arguing and pushing Leo flooded him. He was startled when a small dainty hand had touched him.

"Chase is in bed, but I wanted to come make sure you were ok." Destiny climbed up sitting beside him. She looked down to see the view. "New York is quite a place."

He noded his head agreeing. He sighed as he stood up and walked away. Destiny followed.

"Why don't ya go back in?" He asked then turning to see the wind play with her hair. It flew all around as if it was dancing with nature. Her eyes sparkled as they stayed fixed on Raphael. He remembered thinking she was perfect, she was beautiful. But she was human. She wasn't meant for him.

"I want to know where your mind is..." She replied moving closer. "You're confused and hurt I know..but why?"

"It ain't ya business.." Raphael growled causing her to take a step back.

"You're right. But I want to make it mine." Destiny took a step closer once again, never once showing fear.

"Ya wouldn't undastand..." He sighed.

"I understand your brooklyn accent. So I understand you." 

"Destiny, it's not dat simple. Ok?" He wanted to tell her, but he couldn't or he didn't want to. Or for some reason he was trying to find the perfect lie or excuse. "My brotha, he don't want me around. Ok? I undastand why though. I mean, I boil his blood, ya know? Say things I don't mean or even fight him. I just can't control all the anger that manifests in me. I can't stay around here any longer. I can't be near you, Chase, or my brothas. It's not fair for any of ya."

"It doesn't matter about what's fair Raphael. It matters about what the people you love want. Your brothers want you to be with them I'm sure. No family wants to be torn in two. I lost my parents young, lived on the streets, and soon Chase came along. It didn't matter what was fair in my life or my fate. Because, I had to make sure Chase got everything I didn't." 

'I-I'm sorry ta hear dat. But Chase loves ya. My brothas hate me."

"They don't hate you. They want to understand you."

Raphael sat down thinking about the message Destiny had relayed to him. He wanted to trust her, but he didn't know her from a can of paint. But her words were stabbing him hard, making him want to listen and learn. Her melodic voice sounded so sweet to him, he took in a deep breath and looked over at her. She was so worried, yet so graceful. He'd never seen this before, especially from any human but April. Most humans ran and screamed from his sight. But she had no problem talking to a giant mutant turtle. He then stood up, and took his hands into hers. Her reaction was what he wanted, she allowed him to feel her skin. Her soft fragile hands. A signal of electricity shot through his body as well as hers. He carefully moved away.

"Come back in. Stay this one night, and we'll go to your brothers tomorrow." Destiny commented as she began to climb down the fire escape. 

Raphael was alone for five minutes, he decided to finally return to the apartment where he found a warm cup of milk, a pillow and blanket waiting for him in the living room. He smiled at the sincerity she had. 

Soon, he closed his eyes and drifted to sleep.