Writing those kinds of scenes for a character like Raphael takes a specific touch. He’s all about intensity and a guarded heart, so the physicality should feel like an extension of that. Don’t shy away from the roughness—the grip of his hand, the way he might pin someone against a wall—but make it born from a fierce, almost overwhelming protectiveness, not just aggression. The challenge is weaving in those moments where his control slips and reveals the vulnerability underneath, maybe after the fact when he’s tracing a bruise he accidentally left, silent and regretful. It’s that contrast that makes it resonate.
I think avoiding overly flowery language helps. Descriptions should be grounded, tactile—the smell of rain and leather, the scrape of calloused hands, the solid, unyielding feel of his plastron. The ‘reader’ character’s agency is crucial too; they shouldn’t just be a passive recipient. Maybe they’re the one who initiates by challenging him, breaking through his walls with stubborn warmth, turning a fight into something else entirely. The tension works best when it’s a two-way street, a collision where both characters are equally present and driving the moment forward.