A Hero and his 'Villian'

It had been a normal patrol that night. He’d been out, running from rooftop to rooftop when he'd heard the sounds of a robbery. Quickly he'd rushed down the nearest fire escape and out into the street heading towards the direction of the crashes and shouts. He’d found the scene of the crime with little effort; it wasn't hard to noticed when the entire front part of a pharmacy had been ripped apart. he'd entered the pharmacy, expecting to find drug dealers steal stock for their next batch; what he hadn't expected was to find a 9 foot tall hulking turtle mutant with razor sharp teeth and claws, gorging itself on any and all the drugs it could get it's claws on.

He’d rushed in, blinding attacking the mutant turtle thinking he could overpower it. He’d been VERY wrong. The turtle mutant had been able to easily hold its own; using its massive size and strength to savagely attack him, even managing to dislocate one of his shoulders before hurling him through a brick wall and back out into the street.

He remembered the anger that had coursed through his mind and body. No one was better than him. He’d jammed his shoulder back into place before launching himself back into the pharmacy, his rage only growing as he found the mutant turtle was again ignoring him seeming to be only interested in the shelves filled with drugs.

They’d fought again, this time Raph had used his smaller size to his advantage. Making the mutant lumber and stumble around as it tried to catch and attack him. It hadn't been a 'safe' tactic. As the mutant chased and attacked him they'd leveled most of the store and its merchandise. Several times he'd had to rely on his thick metal armor to absorb the monster's blows as it lashed and slashed at him. But slowly a plan had begun to form in his mind. He’d begun to fight back, slashing at the monster with his Sais, forcing it back until it stood crouched in a large pool of water that had leaked out onto the floor during their fight. Only once he was sure he was standing on a pile of wooden debris did he send his plan into action.

throwing one of his sais as a light fixture above them Raph had grinned to himself as his weapon sliced through the supports holding the fixture up, sending it crashing to the ground where it shattered and began to spark as hiss as electricity from the light arced through the water and up into the monster's body. The monster had reacted instantly, its head snapping back as it out a pain filled roar as thousands of volts of electricity ran through its body. Raph had grinned wider as he'd watched the monster's limbs jerk and twitch as it stood in the pool of electrified water. A few moments later however the store had been plunged into darkness as the fuse box overloaded and shut off to prevent further damage.

Raph had watched nervously as the monster had swayed slowly for a moment before falling face first into the puddle of water it had been standing in; seeming to be unconscious. He’d laughed; imagine the look that would be on Casey’s face when he retold this story, only to feel a jolt of fear ripple through his body as a ripple had passed through the creature's body.

Before Raph's eyes the creature changed, the body began to shrank, the large boney armor like plates becoming smaller and smaller as the razor sharp claws and teeth sunk back into the body. Outside Raph could hear police sirens, he knew he had nothing to fear from the cops; he was a member of the League after all. still he remained rooted the spot watching as the monster continued to shrink and change until......

he watched as the former monster shifted, managing to slowly lift its head up to look at him. Raph felt his heart clench oddly as he found that the 'monster' had Reddish brown eyes.

"H...H.....Help me."

A moment later the monster's face slammed back into the floor as he fell unconscious again.

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it had been almost a week before he was allowed to see the 'monster' again. He’d gone to the hospital that day oddly nervous. He knew he had nothing to fear. The doctors had assured him that the 'monster' was stable and wouldn't attack him; and had even been asking for him. He hadn't been sure what to expect when he'd pushed open the door to the hospital room. What he'd found was another turtle like him.

"Hello......"

his voice had sounded oddly as he'd spoken. The other turtle looked him up and down for a moment before responding.

"Hello, I'm Donatello."

Raph raised an eyebrow.

"I’m the nightwatcher."

the purple banded turtle smiled sheepishly.

"N...nice to meet you."

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as impossible as it sounded they had become friends. He’d learned that Donatello had been running tests with growth hormones and during an accident had been drenched in the hormones he'd been working with. After a bit of convincing the League had decided not to pursue any legal retaliation for the attack; the store was insured and Donatello hadn't been in his right mind when he'd attacked in the first place. Raph could easily remember the look of relief that had flooded across Donnie's face at that news. That was it, the case was over; there was no reason for him to ever go back and see Donatello again........yet he continued to.

Every other day he would go and visit Donatello; bringing the purple turtle a book or a deck of cards to help them pass the time. He learned more about Donnie; he lived alone, worked at a nearby laboratory, enjoyed building and inventing things, and.........he was gay.

Raph remembered the look of nervous panic that had covered Donnie's face as he'd clamped his mouth shut. He hadn’t meant to reveal that bit of information. He’d looked at the Nightwatcher nervously; afraid he'd said something that would mean the end of their friendship. He’d watched as the nightwatcher looked at him for a moment before speaking.

"My name.....is Raphael."

He’d been confused for a moment but then his eyes had widened. The Nightwa.....Raphael wasn't disgusted with him for his unexpected confession.

They’d become even closer friends after that. Once Donnie was cleared to leave his hospital room they would go for walks, exploring the hospital that Donnie had to stay at until all the hormones were out of his system. They talked more openly now. Raph telling Donnie about his frustrations with the League while Donnie told Raph about how lonely he was at home. They supported each other, Donnie reassuring Raph that his work with the league had meaning; and Raph assuring Donnie that things would get better at home.

That’s when it had started. An odd kind of lurching clench that made his heart ache slightly whenever Donnie would say something sad. It pained him when Donnie was sad, some part of him wanting to comfort and support Donnie. he listened as Donnie talked about his EX; how he'd cheated on Donnie with one of Donnie's few friends, and when Donnie had found out he'd lost both his 'boyfriend' and the friend at the same time.

He’d moved as Donnie had begun to cry, silent tears trickling down his face as Raph wrapped his arms around Donnie's shoulders. His heart had clenched painfully as Donnie had continued to sob a cry. He wasn't sure what had come over him, all he knew was that he desperately wanted Donnie to stop crying.

The kiss had been clumsy, and wet. It hadn't lasted long, just long enough so Donnie stopped crying.

"Please don’t cry.........please....."

The next kiss had been longer. Raph groaned as he felt Donnie return the kiss. This time when they broke apart it was Donnie who spoke.

“So…..you’re the big strong hero, and I’m your ‘villain’?”

Raph only grinned before pulling Donnie into another kiss.