A/N: Originally published only on Tumblr and the Naughty Section of the Stealthystories II website - I have been persuaded by certain individuals, *cough* turtleficlibrary *cough* Novus Ordo Seclorum to name a few *cough* to bring it to fanfiction for my sweet readers. Titled after a song, no surprise there, but altered thanks to my friend, Novus' suggestion to make it even more lovely, thank you for that, Novus!

It is my first attempt at a more purely 'smut' fic - but you guys know me, you can't have sex without the pain, drama, fear, angst, RIGHT?! ...or is that just me? In either case, I hope you enjoy . . .


The Heart, it Races


Chapter 1

Casey paced. He ran an agitated hand over the rough nubs covering the lower half of his face and throat. He knew the ride was a long one. But this was the only best place to do what needed to be done. It had been a long time coming. The night was perfect. The excitement was an invisible buzz in the air. He felt like he could barely stand still so he didn't. He paced and paced some more, wearing a path in the dried grass below his boots.

The rumble of the motorcycle brought him to a standstill. He waved in a wide arc over his head. The yellow gleam of the single headlight coming down the long driveway captured the gesture, lighting up the entire form of the man before dousing him once again in darkness. The bike grumbled and rolled to a stop a few feet away. Raphael threw his leg over the seat and ripped the helmet from his head. He jabbed it under one arm and wheeled the motorcycle into the cover of a nearby overgrowth of small trees and untended bushes. He tossed his helmet into the scrub and turned back to Casey. With a blur of movement, his sais were out and clutched between his thick fingers. He snarled and raced up to his friend.

"Where are they," he asked, eyes darting through the darkness around them.

Casey stood with one arm wrapped around his ribs, opposite elbow braced on it, pressing his index finger into his mouth. He rocked back and forth, stopping to bounce on his toes a bit. His eyes were bright and twinkling the way they do when the man was very drunk or very high on the rush of a battle. He stood there like that staring at Raphael before twisting his body around to glance at the farm house behind. It loomed in the gloaming shadows around them. Some ethereal light illuminated the back of the house, giving it an even more sinister appearance than its usual decrepitude lent to it.

With one thumb, Casey indicated the house behind. With a barely concealed chuckle, he said, "Last I saw, they went in the house."

Raphael let that sink in a moment, then straightening, blinking in obvious confusion he said, "Wait. They? They who? You said they ran into yer house?" His gaze snapped from the house to Casey back to the house again. It sat in silent peaceful stillness. For the first time, he noticed that some of the lights were on inside and then slowly, music could be heard faintly pumping out a steady bass into the night air.

Casey nodded as he sucked in his upper lip. Raphael eyed him, he took a step closer and sniffed at him. With one eye closed he reared back. It wasn't alcohol that burned his delicate and sensitive nerves in his nose, but a healthy dose of cheap cologne. He jammed his sais back into their leather straps on his belt, hanging over the leather pants he wore whenever he rode his bike. Besides the pants he had a leather bomber jacket. Casey threw his arm around his shoulders and Raph wrinkled his nose as he was once again assaulted by the foul fumes.

"Now, I know I called ya here, sayin' there was an emergency."

"Casey, if yer gonna stand there and tell me this is some sorta joke, after I rode my ass all the way up here, there will be an emergency here. A life-threatening one."

Casey titled his head and gave Raphael a little jerk towards the house. "Just c'mon with me." He patted Raph on the chest. "Just be your typical sweet self and everything will be fine."

Raphael shrugged out of his buddy's hold. This was getting more and more irritating. He didn't mind sneaking out to party with his friend, but why did the guy scare him like that? When Casey called, he seemed worked up or now that he thought about it, he sounded keyed up and over-excited. Raphael ran a hand over his face. Maybe he had been a little too eager to bolt from the lair. The day had been one to test his nerves. Though everyone had meant well.

"Do you have any idea the shit I had to put up with in order to get out here?" he asked incredulously. "Donnie and Mikey were pissed. And Leo. Jesus, the guy was havin' kittens. Any other night might've been fine, but, Casey, it's . . . it's . . ."

Casey held up his hands in surrender. He ducked is head. "Your birthday. I know." He shouted, "Of course I know! What kinda friend doesn't know when his best bro's birthday is?"

Raphael's mouth hung open. A look of complete confusion on his face. Casey continued up towards the house, walking unsteadily backwards. Raphael unwittingly followed, wondering if the guy had lost his marbles. Maybe he got clocked with one of his own golf clubs.

He started to sing in an off key voice, "How old are ya now? How old are ya now? How OLD are you" he pointed at Raph and brought his hands up in question and when Raph only glared at him he went on, "Na-ow? How old are you naaaaoooow?"

"Are you high?"

Casey guffawed at that and hopped up the stairs. He continued to flash two fingers and then one on opposite hands. But Casey wasn't wrong. He'd turned twenty one today. According to Master Splinter's estimations and the count of ridges on his shell, he was a year younger than Don, two years younger than Leo. Casey beat a drum roll on his thighs then stood up straight. Raphael couldn't help but chuckle at his asinine friend as he pulled open the door and brought one arm across his middle.

"After you, good birthday sir."

Raphael made to slap him as he walked past, deciding that after riding all the way up here to the farmhouse the least he could do before heading back out would be to grab a snack and a quick beer. But as he turned into the kitchen, his legs stuttered to a halt and his feet froze. His amber eyes went wide as he was greeted by a room filled with balloons, streamers of red and white hanging sloppily from the ceiling in twirling curls, a table covered with pizza and beer and bottles of liquor he couldn't name. But more than all that were the two women standing next to the table; hugging each other and squealing out a rendition of 'Happy Birthday' in a pitch that no human nor mutant ear should have been able to hear and live to tell the tale.

His mouth dropped open and instinctively he started to lean back to make his escape. His heels struck the floor as he scrambled backwards. Only he couldn't get too far with Casey closing and locking the door behind him. Raph lumbered into him and Casey caught him, effectively holding him upright.

"Wh-What the fuck is this?" he hissed.

He felt Casey pat him on his shoulders. "This . . . is yer party, bro. Relax. And you're welcome."

"R-Relax?!" he choked out, looking up at the man with eyes wild with a hint of panic.

Casey's face was split into a wide grin. He reminded Raph of a smiling ape. "Relax," he repeated and chuckled. Both of them turned their sights to the giggling pair. He hadn't realized that he'd pressed so tightly against the man that he felt Casey shrug as he said, "They ain't gonna hurt 'cha. Much."