Work Text:
Casey Jones paced nervously in his room. He checked his phone for the 10th time in the past five minutes. There were still 15 minutes before he had to leave.
He went over to his bed and adjusted the plush bouquet in Raph Jr.’s hand. The turtle stuffie stared back at Casey's nervous face with the same blank smile. The boy knelt in front of the toy. He squeezed its left hand.
Raph's voice came out of the little speaker inside the hand, “Hey, Case!”
Casey smiled. “Hey, Junior,” he said back, almost dreamily. He pressed the button again.
This time the sound of exaggerated kisses and ‘mwah's from Raph came out, with his own voice laughing in the background. He felt his face go slightly pink at the implication, and the memory of the two of them recording these sounds in the Build-A-Bear store. Casey laughed as he remembered the odd side-eye he and Raph received from the tween girls in line behind them.
He checked his phone again. 13 minutes until he had to leave. Until he could leave. He knew Raph would be upset if he arrived early. His friendship with the turtle fixed his chronic lateness unexpectedly quickly. At first, he was unapologetic about being himself. Then Raph explained how stressful it is for them when plans are made and then followed through with. Outside of their family, Casey was the first person they told they were autistic.
Casey sighed as he remembered Raph's most recent confession. He tightened his fist and growled under his breath as he thought about kicking the snot out of the teacher that dared lay a finger on his Raph.
He went over and knelt by his backpack. He pulled out the card he picked out and wrote on. It was a love card for a 50th marriage anniversary. He had written, “I wanna get stupid old with you,” with many hearts around it. He also included his best caricature of him and Raph as old, wrinkly versions of themselves.
The boy snickered at his own joke, then carefully tucked the card back into the deep recesses of his school backpack.
11 minutes until he could leave.
He groaned and laid on the floor of his bedroom. He put his hands on his face and dragged them down, pulling on his skin. He cursed himself for being so annoyingly lovestruck. He daydreamed about how he would confess until it was time to leave.
Casey arrived at the lair exactly on time. He was giddy and forced himself not to grin like an idiot. Leo met him at the “door” and welcomed him in. The human chatted with the slider about school and other typicalities as Leo walked him over to Raph's room.
“They're in there,” he smiled, then his face fell. “Just-... It's been a bad day. So, be gentle, okay? You know how they are.”
Casey nodded dutifully before throwing back the curtain. He (reasonably) loudly announced his presence. Raph, laying plastron down on their bed, jumped and dropped their phone.
“Gah! Dammit, Jones!” They frowned at him. He cackled in reply, holding his stomach.
Raph scooted over in the bed to make room. Casey’s laughter died off and he sat down on the edge of the bed.
“Touch?” The human asked.
Raph sighed, “What did Leo tell you?” They kept their eyes on their phone. They looked bored, or mad, or both.
Casey shrugged off his backpack and set it on the ground. “Said ‘it’s been a bad day.’ But you know I would’ve asked even if he hadn’t said anything.” He swallowed nervously as he pulled Raph Jr. and the card from his bag.
“I told him to keep his mouth shut. I’m fine.” Raph huffed and rolled on their side, facing away from Casey.
“You never answered my question,” he noted as he fixed the position of the bouquet on the plush’s arm.
“I dunno. Probably no, just to be safe,” they half-mumbled.
“Okay,” Casey said happily. The two teens had their backs to each other. Raph lifted their head and peeked over their shoulder.
“Whatcha got there?” They asked, suspicious.
“Uhm, well,” Casey said with a nervous edge, and blushing to his ears, “I wanted to talk to you about something. Er, more like tell you and then talk.”
Raph furrowed their brow, but sat up and turned to face him. “Okay…”
“Just, uh,” he paused, looking at the card in his hand and reading what he wrote over and over. He imagined a million different ways his best friend could react to this information. Every outcome made him nervous for various reasons. “So, like, I just wanted to be honest with you about something.” He folded the card closed and set it on his backpack. Both his hands held the turtle stuffie. “I never really planned on telling you, but…in light of recent events, I think I should. It feels wrong hiding it.”
“In light of recent events?” Raph repeated. “Casey, what the fuck is going on? You’re freaking me out.” They pulled their legs up to their chest and eyed him warily.
He turned around to look at them, then held out the stuffed animal.
“I, uh,” he stammered, his face getting progressively redder, “I sort of havefeelingsforyou.” He said it so fast it became one jumbled word.
He wanted to close his eyes and hide, but they remained wide open. He watched as Raph unraveled their limbs from each other and stared back with equally wide eyes. They looked down at Raph Jr. then reached out to take it. Casey let them take it from him, and watched them gently touch the plush bouquet in its hand.
The two sat in silence for a long time. Raph kept a bewildered expression on their face, but it morphed to confusion and possibly anger a few times. Casey took the time to scan the room.
He saw the dirty laundry hamper overflowing with clothes. A book was missing from their bookshelf. They had added to their wall of empty aluminum cans; two Monsters and three or four Sprites were new. The duvet and sheets on the bed were disheveled, as if Raph had been rolling around on their made bed all day.
Casey sighed and finally added, “I just wanted you to know. You don’t have to reciprocate or anything. I’ve been waiting for this crush to go away for a while, I know it will eventually if we just stay friends. I…” he glanced at the card resting on top of his bag, “it felt wrong keeping this from you now.”
“Why’s that?” Raph asked it casually.
Casey turned around to see them still messing with the stuffed animal, playing with his limbs and making it dance. They kept their eyes on it.
“Uh, well, I guess I thought your trust had been broken enough lately. I didn’t want you to find out through someone else or by mistake. I didn’t want to hurt you.”
“Hm,” they hummed in reply.
“Raph, c’mon, man!” He pleaded. Raph turned their head to look at him. “Give me something!”
They looked confused, then their eyes lit up, “Oh! Shit, I forgot to say anything! I, uh, like you, too.” They bounced in place. Casey had never seen them do that before.
“What!? Really!?” Casey beamed. Forgetting his earlier question, and Raph’s response, he leapt across the bed to hug them. They yelled in surprise. The plush was knocked off its place on their abdomen and fell in the crack between their bed and the wall. They hugged back.
“Yes, really, idiot,” they said, playfully mad.
Casey squeezed them tightly before letting go. He sat back, smiling at them. Their face was noticeably red. They glanced down at their lap, then back up at the boy nervously. His face fell. He followed their gaze to see himself straddling their lap. He jumped off them, and the bed. He took a few steps back.
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry! I wasn’t thinking!”
“It’s fine, dude! I swear!” Raph scooted to the edge of the bed, letting their legs hang off it. They held up their hands. “I was just, uh,” they averted their gaze, “surprised, sort of.”
“Raph, it’s alright. You can tell me the truth.”
They hunched over and put both hands on the back of their neck. “It’s embarrassing.” They sat back up quickly. “It’s fine. I wasn’t upset, just…just not expecting it.”
“Are you sure? It wasn’t too much?”
“No, it was…nice,” they admitted, then held out their arms, inviting him in for another hug.
He hesitantly approached, then leaned down to give them a quick hug. He let go and sat on the bed next to them. Leaning back on his hands, he caught sight of Raph’s tail wagging wildly behind them. He smirked.
“You seem excited,” he teased.
They hid their face with their hands. “Sorry. I can’t really control it.”
“Nah, it’s cute,” he said sincerely.
Raph made a high-pitched chirp and their tail wagged faster for a few moments.
“Don’t touch it,” their voice was muffled but it almost sounded like they were begging.
“What? I wasn’t gonna.” He sat up straight and held his hands up to show his lack of intent. His stomach dropped remembering the night when Raph sobbed into his shoulder, blubbering about a teacher that got too close for comfort. Casey wished that teacher never went to prison so he could have his way with her. He swore he would her to pieces.
“Okay, good, just don’t. I might…get too excited.”
“What?” Casey leaned forward, trying to see their face. He kept his hands on his knees and very much in Raph’s field of view.
“Fuck. I shouldn’t have said anything. I’m just in a weird mood today.”
“No, Raph, it’s fine. You can tell me this stuff.” His voice gained a teasing tone, “I’m your boyfriend, after all.”
Raph shoved him hard. He laughed. He hoped the joke was light enough. He had already crossed a boundary today, and he just kept pushing. He berated himself internally, You tell your best friend you have feelings for them, then hug them when they said not to and now you’re pushing being their boyfriend? Jesus, you’re some mega-fuck-up. You need to learn some impulse control.
He reiterated his first sentiment, “Seriously, though, you can tell me anything.”
They groaned harshly. They flopped back onto their bed and sighed. Casey watched them from his sitting position.
“I… I'm in this weird mood where, like, anytime someone touches me, I get… ‘excited.’” They cringed.
Casey regarded them curiously. In a YA novel, this would be the part where things got steamy. Being a teenage boy, Casey’s hormones got the better of him for a second. Then he really looked at Raph and only felt guilty. They glanced at him, then let their head fall back.
“Oh,” he said, “sorry if I, like, set that off. I wouldn't have hugged you if I knew. I mean, I shouldn't have anyway, but I, uh- okay maybe I would have, but only because I’m dumb as shit.” He snickered. Why are you laughing, jackass?!
“It’s fine. With you…it feels okay. Especially after what you told me. It’s just…with my family that’s upsetting.”
“Ooh, yeah, I see that.” Casey laid back as well. “Anything I can do to help?”
Raph whipped their head to look at him with huge eyes. Their face got red again.
Casey backtracked, “Not like that! I meant, like, actually. I wasn’t trying to- to- y’know…” he trailed off. His face was also a deep shade of red. The two both turned their heads to stare at the ceiling.
Raph shrugged, “I mean, maybe-”
“Not happening, dude,” Casey said firmly. He shook the blush off and shoved down the fuzzy feeling in his abdomen in favor of being responsible. “I don’t think you’re ready for that, and I don’t wanna move too fast with this.” And, though he would never admit it, he was scared. Scared of what sex was really like and scared of hurting the person he cared about most.
“With us?” Raph asked genuinely.
“Yeah…” Casey agreed breathlessly. His heart skipped a beat. He felt butterflies in his stomach. He got goosebumps. “With us.”
Raph moved one hand from laying on his stomach to sit atop Casey’s hand at his side. Casey flipped his hand over, and Raph intertwined their fingers (as best as they could with the difference in digits).
They sat in silence for a while. Casey’s eyes unfocused as all his mindpower was focused on memorizing how it felt to hold Raph’s hand. He shifted his fingers subtly to feel every scale on and fold in their skin. Raph rubbed their thumb on the back of his hand. Casey felt the goosebumps coming back, but this time from the chilliness of Raph’s skin. It was usually a pretty moderate temperature in the lair, but now he wondered if the turtles were freezing. He, like everyone, knew reptiles liked heat. He silently noted a heated blanket as a good gift for Raph.
“I started reading a book,” Raph mentioned.
Casey put on his best shocked voice, “You can read?”
“Fuck off,” they grumbled. When Casey gazed at them, they were smiling. “I’ve been using it to distract myself when shit hits the fan.”
“That’s good."
“Yeah. Uhm, anyway,” they cleared their throat. They never finished their sentence.
“Yes?” Casey turned his head to fully engage with them.
“Goddamit, why am I so nervous?” They cursed, eyes flickering back and forth as they stared at the ceiling.
“It’s okay,” Casey said, squeezing their hand. “You can tell me anything.”
“Okay, uh, do…do you maybe wanna…” they bit their lip and sucked in a breath, making a high squeaking sound.
A smile slowly grew on Casey’s face. He had a good idea what his best friend—partner—was thinking. He giggled quietly watching them try to muster up the courage to ask.
Raph smacked their lips. “Y’know.”
“Uh-huh?”
“Fine. Be that way. No kisses for you,” they exclaimed, frustrated.
“Awe, c’mon! I didn’t even do anything!”
“You’re the one who doesn’t wanna ‘move too fast’ anyway." They made air quotes with their free hand.
“That’s true. I think holding hands is enough for now.” Casey shifted to get comfortable on the bed. Raph did the same. They sighed with content and closed their eyes.
“Yeah.” Their eyes shot open. “Hey, I don’t feel all riled up anymore. I just feel…normal. Like I usually do with physical affection.”
“Oh yay!”
“Gay ass thing to say.” Raph looked at him.
“Only for you, babe.” Casey looked back.
“Okay, love.”
Casey blushed and sputtered, “‘Love?’”
Raph gave him a smug smile. “Yeah. Do you not like it?”
“No, it’s fine, I just wasn’t expecting that!”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
Casey grumbled, then pulled his hood over his head and held it down to cover his face as he admitted, “I like it.”
“Good. You’ll get used to it quick,” Raph paused, then added, “love.”
“Shut up!” Casey let go of their hand and rolled away from them. They moved closer and wrapped their arms over his waist.
“Oh, so you wanna be little spoon?” They rested their chin in the crook of his neck.
“Oh my god, you’re such a bitch. Why do I like you?” Casey pulled his hood down to hide his face even more.
“Cuz you have great taste,” they replied confidently.
“Su-u-u-ure,” Casey drawled sarcastically. He let go of his hood and turned his head slightly to look at Raph.
They had an easy smile on their face. Their arms readjusted to be in a more comfortable spot and held him tighter. His back was pressed against their plastron. The two were very physical before, but even this kind of romantic closeness felt right. Casey laid an arm over Raph’s and let his head fall back onto the bed.
Casey laughed to himself, “Leo’s gonna be so jealous.”
“This ain’t about him.” Their head lifted off his neck. Casey was sad about losing the feeling, but the hair on his neck stood up as they pressed their snout into the back of his head. Their breath russeled his hair. He was laying down but his legs still turned to jelly.
“True,” was all he could muster. His brain could only conjure thoughts of Raph and mine.
His bliss was interrupted by Raph moving away from him. He rolled over to see them fishing for Raph Jr. in the crack between the bed and the wall. They pulled the plushie from the depths and held it close to them. Casey scooted closer and put a hand on his partner’s arm.
“Awe, it’s like our little baby,” he cooed.
Raph sprung up from the bed. “Oh, lemme get Casey Jr.!” They practically skipped over to a topless bin on the other side of their room. They plucked a penguin plush off the top of the pile and made their way back to the bed. They laid down in the same spot as before they left. They put Casey Jr. by Casey and pulled Raph Jr. closer to themself. They huddled around the plush and rubbed their cheek on it.
“Narcissist,” Casey joked.
“This is for you, stupid. I’m making it smell like me. I know you weirdo humans have an obsession with how your significant other smells.” Raph rubbed the plush in their armpit. They tossed it to Casey and pulled Casey Jr. back toward themself.
Casey stared at them in shock. He hesitantly reached out to grab his plushie doppleganger.
“No, he’s mine.” Raph wrapped their arms around it protectively.
“I just thought I should return the favor.”
“No need. You don’t smell like anything to me.”
“Oh.” His heart panged a bit, but he shook it off. They had always been like this, factual, especially with animal stuff. Casey figured Raph learned about mammals smelling each other from one of the documentaries they loved so much.
Casey looked down at the stuffed animal laying beside him. He slowly scooped it up and brought it to his face. He inhaled its fur. Sure enough, it smelled like Raph. A little sweatier than he would like, but still nice.
“Get a room, Jesus Christ!”
The boy yanked the stuffie away from his face. He felt a wave of heat go through his body. He knew his face was turning red. Raph laughed at him.
“You’re so weird,” they said. The end of their sentence had a hint of a dreamy sigh.
“Whatever. You’re the one scenting shit like you’re in an A/B/O fic.”
“A fucking what?”
“Nevermind,” Casey muttered.
“No, no, you’re committing. Explain this A-B-O to me.” Raph propped themself up on their elbows, acting interested.
“Just look it up.” He put an arm over his face.
“Don’t get all weird with that stuffed animal when you’re in heat,” they joked.
“What!? I’m not a fucking omega!” He sat up, nearly giving himself whiplash.
Raph held their stomach with laughter. Casey took the opportunity to get on top of them and start to wrestle. They instantly got with the program and flipped Casey onto his back. He struggled, but they turned him onto his front and pulled an arm behind his back.
“Say it!”
“No!”
They pulled harder on the arm, straining his shoulder. “Say it!”
“Fuck! Fine! I’m an omega!”
Raph let go. They sat up proudly. “That’s what I thought.”
“Alright, get off me. You weigh like a million pounds.”
“I’m one million percent muscle,” they pounded a fist on their chest.
Casey twisted himself as much as he could to look them in the eye. He half-smiled and asked, “Is that a fucking Sonic reference?”
Raph’s confidence shattered. They backtracked, “Wha- no! Maybe. I dunno! I just heard it somewhere!”
Casey pointedly turned to eye the Knuckles and Sonic plushes sitting against pillows at the head of Raph’s bed. He looked back at Raph. They were glaring at him. He had seen Sonic Prime on Raph’s Watch It Again list on Netflix, so he had an inkling that the turtle liked the franchise.
“I’m breaking up with you actually.”
Casey cackled. “No, it’s cute! You’re like a real-life echidna warrior!” He felt Raph’s tail wagging against his legs.
“Really!?” They asked with child-like excitement. They cleared their throat and adjusted their tone. “I mean! Whatever. He’s cool, I guess.”
A fond smile spread across his face. “Yes, really.”
Raph huffed and got off of their boyfriend. They laid down beside him. Silently, they reached their hand down and held his own. They used their free hand to grab up Casey Jr. and hold it against their side. Casey did the same with Raph Jr. He squeezed its hand.
Raph’s voice came from the speaker, “Go-o-o-o-o, Vikings!”
Casey’s voice rang out from the other side of Raph, sarcastic and sing-songy, “I lo-o-o-ove you!”