Author: JH24
Disclaimer: I don't own this series. The TMNT '12 series is created by Ciro Neili, Joshua Sternin and J.R. Ventimillia. The rights belong to Nickelodeon. Based on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird.
Spoilers: The story takes place in season 5 after End Times and before Worlds Collide.
Pairings: No Pairings
My sincere thanks to TofuNinjacat and Bubblyshell22 for beta-reading. Thank you so much for everything. I'm really grateful for all your help and support.
Ninja Turtles 2012 one-shot
It was an unusual night for Casey Jones. He should have been out there with Raph. Going on patrol, playing their version of 'hide and seek,' wrestling a bit if things got quiet, and if they were lucky beating up some Purple Dragons; just another night of having fun together. But instead, Casey was sitting on the couch in the turtle's lair, watching some kind of soap opera he could barely understand.
Everyone seemed to be unusually tired. Raph had declined to go outside this evening, preferring to spend most of his time in his room with Chompy. April was still training and meditating with Leo in the dojo but Casey could tell even Leo wasn't really up for it tonight. The blue-clad turtle went along with April anyway, probably because he didn't want to disappoint her. A sleep deprived Donnie had locked himself in his laboratory, which seemed to be the norm lately. It was a quiet evening and Casey would have considered going home if it wasn't for a certain someone...
And that certain someone was Mikey. The usually energetic turtle had fallen asleep next to him on the couch. Casey had been surprised when Mikey came to him about an hour ago.
The orange masked turtle had happily made the suggestion to play a few computer games; just the two of them. Spending time with Mikey was something Casey always enjoyed, but this evening something felt different, something felt out of place. There was something weird about the way the young turtle had approached him; the way he carried himself. The change was subtle, but noticeable.
Mikey still had that playful spark in his eyes when he put the games next to Casey on the couch. His ninja friend had taken the defensive; a disarming smile and hands behind his head. The turtle teen seemed more humble and almost... subdued in a way, only partly masked by his cheery and joking personality.
Mikey calmly waited as the vigilante looked through his collection of games, instead of excitedly picking a few before Casey could even make a suggestion. He usually went along with whatever choice Mikey made; there was just something endearing about his cheerful spirit that made it impossible to ever get annoyed with the turtle.
It took awhile for Casey to find out exactly what was different. Mikey had presented him with Casey's favorite pizza, and the boy felt a pang of guilt when he realized what his friend had been working on for the past few hours. But his biggest surprise came when he actually had been able to beat Mikey for the first time in... well, for as long as he could remember.
It became clear that Mikey was letting him win, even though the ninja tried his best to hide it. He was giving advice, at times held back and revealed some of his secrets Casey had always wondered about. Mikey patted Casey on his back and complimented him with a big smile when he had beaten him. He even went as far as in letting Casey beat his old scores. Knowing Mikey was the 'undisputed gaming champion' Casey couldn't help but feel touched about these gestures from the youngest turtle, even if he didn't understand his motivations.
The street vigilante restrained himself, and made sure to leave the highest scores in Mikey's favorite games untouched. Whatever Mikey's reasons for doing this, he wasn't going to take advantage of his kindness.
After around an hour Mikey got visibly tired. Casey wanted to thank his friend for keeping him company, and expected he would go to bed. But Mikey had insisted he wanted to stay. Just a few minutes later the turtle had fallen asleep, and before Casey knew it had snuggled up against him, effectively keeping him pinned on the couch. It was a strange feeling, yet there was also something comforting about it. He had wrapped his left arm around Mikey's shoulders and had pulled him closer; in response the turtle snuggled up even more.
Casey couldn't help but smile. Mikey sometimes cuddled with April or his brothers, but never with him before. As he looked at Mikey's peaceful sleeping form, his hands now wrapped around Casey's midsection, his head resting on his chest, the teenager knew he wouldn't be going home anytime soon.
A few minutes had gone by when Raph came into the living room. His eyes half-closed, a tired expression lining his features; seemingly ignoring the two of them. He moved into the kitchen and came out holding a few snacks. He suddenly halted a little distance from the couch and gazed at the scene in front of him. His expression was unreadable at first, and Casey felt uncomfortable being subjected to the turtle's scrutiny.
Raph had slightly tilted his head and was looking at them curiously, a faint hint of surprise visible in his eyes. It was pretty unusual for Casey seeing his friend this way. For someone who had no problems showing his emotions to anyone, Raph had done a good job keeping him in suspense this time. To Casey's surprise, Raph broke into a tired but warm smile. He moved behind and past the couch, but not before placing a hand on the boy's shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze.
"G'night, Casey."
And before he knew it, Raph was gone.
A little while later Leo came out of the dojo and moved into the shower. Casey dozed off shortly afterwards and came to his senses again by the sound of approaching wet footsteps. Casey quickly glanced at Mikey and felt somehow relieved his friend was still sleeping. As he turned to Leo he was surprised to see him without any of his gear. Towel draped over his left shoulder, drops of water still glittering on his body; it was as if he had barely dried himself at all. His eyes were half-closed, his posture slightly hunched forward, a look of exhaustion spread across his face.
It was clear he had been planning to go straight to his room. However, as the turtle passed in front of the television he suddenly halted in his tracks, turned and looked directly at Casey. Again, the teen felt himself growing uncomfortable, this time being subjected to Leo's scrutiny. His blue eyes, even if they were dimmer than usual, felt like they were piercing right through him.
Casey unwillingly realized how different Leo looked without his gear. He looked much more vulnerable, timid even, though the boy couldn't tell if that was because of the lack of his gear, or because his presence -just like Mikey's and Raph's- seemed different from usual.
There was a moment of uneasy silence. Leo slightly tilted his head and his eyes slightly widened. Casey noticed it immediately; he was contemplating something.
The corners of Leo's mouth curved into a faint smile.
The fearless leader threw away the towel, dropped himself onto the couch next to Casey -and to the boy's surprise- swung an arm over his shoulder.
Leo gave him a respectful smile... And the street-wise vigilante found himself unable to say anything.
There was another moment of silence before Casey composed himself.
"Want to watch some Space Heroes, Leo?"
"Nah, I'm good."
"Sure about that?"
"Yeah, don't want to wake up Mikey." He smiled sheepishly. "You know how I am with Space Heroes."
Casey winked. "Oh, we all know how you get with Space Heroes, Leo."
A few more minutes passed and after Leo had stifled a few yawns Casey suggested to turn in for the night. At first Leo protested, but in a move that surprised Casey himself, he ordered the turtle to go to bed.
Leo blinked, stared at a somewhat uncomfortable Casey with an unreadable expression but then broke into a hearty laugh. A slightly fidgeting Casey couldn't tell if Leo was laughing because he had given him -leader of the Hamato family- an order, or because of his own nervous reaction to it. Surprised at his own outburst Leo quickly smothered his laugh by covering his mouth, giving Mikey a worried glance. However, the young turtle -except for burying his head even deeper in Casey's chest- didn't seem bothered by it. Leo stood up and smiled.
"You got it, Casey."
Which sounded surprisingly respectful. Casey hadn't expected Leo to actually let him get away with it. For some reason he had half-expected a lecture or something.
Leo was about to leave when he suddenly halted. He turned toward Casey, an unreadable look on his face at first, then gave the boy a faint smile. He straightened himself, standing to attention, arms and hands pressed against his sides, his expression becoming solemn.
Casey felt his breathing hitch.
Leo bowed.
"Casey… I know my brothers and I don't always show it, but we're grateful you're with us. Not only as our friend, but as part of our family...
Thank you… for everything you've done for us."
Casey Jones was left speechless again. He could only stare at Leo's form, his own mouth hanging open in genuine surprise. Even after Leo had wished him a good night and retreated to his room Casey still had trouble gathering his thoughts. After composing himself, a feeling of gratitude grew within him, and he knew he had to thank Leo for his kindness. No, not only to thank him, but also to show his gratitude, for everything the turtles, and their late master, had done for him.
As the next few minutes went by, the teen allowed his mind to wander a bit. After Master Splinter died, everyone in the family: the turtles, April, even someone like Casey, had all grown and matured in their own way; but he felt it was Leo who had grown the most. He had grown from a leader of a team of ninja's, into a leader of a family.
Leo had adapted himself well and was doing his best to lead and protect his family in any way he could. There had been some tension with Donnie about Visiozo, but there had been a lot of tension with Raph, who felt that Leo was trying to replace Master Splinter. After some heated confrontations Leo took a step back, gave his brother space and then tried to talk with him again later on. This time Leo approached Raph not as his leader ordering him around, but he approached him as his brother, as his equal. He allowed Raph to vent his emotions toward him, both physically as well as mentally. Casey had been there when the two brothers finally left the dojo, battered, bruised, exhausted; but they were smiling and leaning on each other. It had been quite a sight.
Of course Leo made mistakes, which was only natural, but no one blamed him for it. Not even Raph anymore. He accepted those mistakes whenever someone pointed them out to him, and always tried to become a better leader.
After becoming part of their family, Casey had learned how each one of the turtles would react if you interacted with them in a different way. You could get Leo to open up by talking about his favorite series or about martial arts. You couldn't wish for a better friend then Mikey if you approached him in the same way as he did to everyone: being honest, kind and with a big smile.
The best way to communicate with Raph was being direct or through physical means, although Casey knew there was much more to his friend behind his rough exterior. Donnie would open up if you showed genuine interest in his work instead of joking about it. Giving the brainiac turtle some space and respecting his privacy also went a long way to earn his respect.
Casey frowned. Yeah, about Donnie...
Even after all they've been through - the Kraang invasion, Northampton, the Triceratons, their adventures in space, Shredder and Kavaxas - Donnie still seemed to harbor some kind of resentment toward him, or at least that was how Casey felt about it. And even though their rivalry over April had waned over time, there still seemed to be something about himself that apparently annoyed the genius turtle to no end.
Although there was that one time he had been able to get through to Donatello after complimenting him on his retro-mutagen project. During one of those rare moments, Donnie had given Casey a sincere smile, and then broke into an excited speech telling him everything about not only his retro-mutagen but just about every other invention he had.
Casey had almost regretted it as he got stuck with the excited turtle for over an hour, but he had to admit seeing Donnie genuinely happy made it worth it. It made Casey realize that Don didn't hate him on a personal level, and it was exactly that realization that had made him only more confused, as he had no idea how the turtle really felt about him. During the next few days he had gone back to his usual snarky comments toward him.
To be honest, he didn't really know what was going on with Donnie anymore. The turtle genius seemed to be in a constantly bad mood and he just couldn't tell what was going on in that head of his. Don was surprisingly skilled in hiding his thoughts and emotions, masking it with an agitated and sarcastic attitude.
Was he frustrated because of his lack of progress with Timothy? Had he done something that had annoyed the turtle to no end? But to be honest, everything Casey did seemed to annoy him. If he didn't know better he would say Donatello was already annoyed by his mere presence. What bothered him the most was that he only seemed to vent his frustrations toward him. He interacted like he always did with his brothers and was very friendly toward April. Whenever April came to see him the turtle seemed to lighten up; she never failed to put him in a cheerful mood.
Casey had enjoyed his attitude toward him in the beginning, as Don was always easy to rile up. But after all they've been through, it started to gnaw at him, and not in a good way. The vigilante knew Leo had noticed the tension between them as well. But for some reason -besides being visibly exasperated at times- he never really intervened, only putting his foot down when their arguing disrupted one of their patrols or missions. Other than that, the leader seemed hesitant to do anything else.
Speaking of April, could it be that Don was just feeling frustrated now that Red seemed to be spending most of her time in the dojo with Leo? After Master Splinter had died, Leo had taken on the role as head of the family, and he continued the sparring and training sessions with the Kunoichi just as their Sensei always did. But he seemed even more strict than Splinter had been. Casey never heard April complain though, she took it all in stride and he could tell they enjoyed the time together.
Donatello clearly didn't, as he missed hanging out with her or having April around in his lab, and at times Casey wondered why he never talked with Leo about it. Leo meant well, but sometimes he was just clueless. There were times Leo missed the bigger picture, even if it was staring him right in the face. Casey eventually concluded Don didn't talk about it out of respect for Leo's new position as leader of the family. Casey had considered talking about it to Leo himself, as he missed hanging out with April as well, but he knew Don would take it the wrong way.
However, April wasn't the only one who was training with Leo lately. Much to Casey's own surprise, Leo had offered to train him as well, encouraging him to take part in their sparring sessions. At first Casey refused, telling Leo he wasn't cut out to be a ninja and that he didn't even have a uniform.
A few days later, a smiling Leo presented Casey with a martial arts uniform. It was worn-out, yellowish in color, covered in dirt stains, and smelled, but it was a martial arts uniform nonetheless. It made Casey realize Leo was actually being serious and wasn't going to take "no" for an answer. Casey could only scratch his head wondering where on Earth he ever got that uniform. Luckily, April and Leo washed and repaired it for him, revealing a soft white color after the stains were removed. After putting it on Casey had to admit it did look good on him, especially with his headband on.
Of course, wearing a martial arts uniform doesn't make you a martial artist, something Donatello couldn't resist pointing out. Casey was no ninja, and those early training sessions only confirmed what everyone already knew.
Casey had gotten a close-up of the mat a few times too many, much to the amusement of Don and Raph, while Mikey happily kept cheering him on. April never said anything, respectfully watching from the sidelines but she did offer her support outside of training, and encouraged him not to give up. Eventually Leo changed his approach, and decided to teach Casey techniques that would complement his more 'hands-on' fighting style instead of replacing it.
It was only then that Casey began to understand Leo as a teacher. Due to them training together before, Leo had gotten a better understanding of Casey himself. And thanks to that understanding, Leo adapted himself and his style to the teen instead of the other way around. Casey proved to be a fast learner, and after a few embarrassing throws and face-plants, Casey had been able to surprise Leo -and himself- by taking a hold of his arm and pinning the turtle against the wall, which earned him an enthusiastic cheer from Raph and Mikey, a nod and smile from April, and a frown from Don; who seemed to go out of his way to try and ignore him.
Shocked about what he had done to the blue-clad turtle he had intended to let go but instead Leo encouraged him to keep up the pressure, and went on to explain follow-up techniques which Casey had to perform. Leo and Casey started training together every few days, and Leo kindly and patiently allowed Casey to practice his moves and techniques on him, offering advice and support every step of the way.
During later sessions Mikey joined them as well. After watching from the sidelines the excited turtle wanted to take part in their training. Leo seemed hesitant at first, worried it would interfere with Casey's practice, but caved in after Mikey gave him his "puppy-eye" treatment. Mikey proved to be a happy and very willing sparring partner. To Casey's surprise he turned out to be a great teacher as well, using a different style from his older brother. Leo being more strict and going by the rules, and Mikey being more relaxed and giving Casey room to try things out. As teachers, Casey had to admit Leo and Mikey complemented each other perfectly.
During their last training session in the dojo all four brothers had been involved. Leo explained he wanted to play a game of tag as part of Casey's training. Casey's task was to capture one of the turtles and to force a surrender. Of course this was easier said than done. Mikey was more than happy to participate. Raph looked interested... interested in making things as difficult as possible for his human friend. Donnie looked like he wanted to be anywhere else on the planet.
Of course, the entire exercise turned out to be a disaster. Casey came nowhere close to any of the turtles. He could accept that Leo, Mikey and Raph were nearly impossible to catch, but for some reason it irked him he couldn't get anywhere near Donnie either. The purple-masked turtle wasn't putting in much effort, his mind and thoughts being somewhere else most of the time, probably in his lab and with April, who was keeping an eye on an ongoing experiment -Leo had insisted Don would take part in this training- and yet he still evaded Casey's clumsy attempts to jump on him with ease, which frustrated the young vigilante even more. It made Casey painfully aware how much of a gap there was between him and the turtle brothers.
At the time, he didn't understand why Leo was putting him through this. What was the leader expecting of him? Casey didn't feel like he was training, he felt like he was being humiliated. Raph enjoyed it way too much, Don didn't really care but wouldn't pass up a chance to make Casey look bad -like sweeping his legs from underneath him after his back was turned- Leo had taken on his "strict sensei" persona and punished Casey with a throw or a roundhouse kick after another failed attempt to get near him. Mikey was the only one going easy on him, secretly whispering advice in Casey's ear or pointing at one of his brothers when they were about to close in on him.
Donnie's remarks didn't help much either. "Casey, even an elephant is more stealthy than you," and "Why are we doing this again, Leo?" Although Leo had instructed him to stay focused on his task, Casey reached the end of his already limited patience. He retaliated with a snappy remark to the sassy turtle, and got to him by calling him "gaptooth." With Donatello's concentration finally broken Casey closed the distance, tackled him and then tried to pin him down. And for a few seconds, he actually did.
Whenever one of his brothers pinned Donnie down he would usually surrender. But the thought of Casey actually getting the best of him was apparently too much for the turtle to bear. He pried away Casey's hands, rolled over, ended on top of the teen and tried to pin him down instead. Casey had no intention of giving up, not even against a ninja, and definitely not against Donnie. Within a few seconds their scuffle devolved into a frantic wrestling match.
With a surge of adrenaline rushing through his body, Casey eventually ended on top of the purple-clad turtle using all the strength and willpower he could muster, somehow succeeding in breaking through Donnie's defenses. Casey made one more attempt to get a hold of his opponent. Donatello threw him off and tried to stand up, but Casey wrapped his hands around his waist and pulled him down once again. Despite Casey's efforts, the ninja slipped through the boy's hands and retreated to the other side of the dojo. After a disappointed Casey got up, he could tell Donatello's pride had been hurt. The turtle looked surprised and was slightly shaken. For the remainder of their game of tag he made sure to keep his distance from Casey.
Almost about to give up, Casey spotted an opening when Mikey, seemingly bored, began showing off and got distracted. He took his chances and jumped on the youngest turtle, and after a brief struggle was able to succesfully lock him into an armbar, forcing him to tap out. Mikey gave Casey a friendly smile -"You got me, bro"- and let the vigilante escort him off the mat. Casey knew Mikey had been holding back; it hadn't been hard to notice. He was sure Leo had noticed it as well. Mikey gave an apologetic smile to his older brother as they walked past him.
Casey smiled at the memory. His next practice would be tomorrow and he was actually looking forward to it. The day after, Sunday, Karai and Shinigami would come to visit. Something especially Leo and Mikey were looking forward to. As always, Karai and Shinigami would take part in their sparring sessions.
Leo would take it much too seriously as he tried to impress Karai. Mikey on the other hand would always try to make Shinigami laugh, cracking jokes and performing some fun moves while sparring and being his cheery self. This much to Leo's chagrin, as they ruined his attempts to look cool, and usually ended with both of them crashing into each other in a less then flattering way, much to the amusement of everyone else.
While he greatly appreciated Leo's efforts, Casey was convinced the leader already knew his lessons were mostly wasted on him. He just wasn't the type to fight this way for long, even though he had promised himself not to let his friend down and to give it a try.
He didn't really understand what had motivated Leo to include him in their sparring sessions. And he could only wonder why the blue-masked turtle had chosen to spend time with him instead of training himself or his brothers. Casey had always considered himself a lost cause regarding anything martial arts -and always believed the four brothers felt the same- yet Leo kept encouraging and motivating him to participate. Clasping his shoulder and giving him a heartwarming smile that made it just impossible for him to refuse.
"Casey?"
Casey opened his eyes and gasped. For a moment he had to focus his senses. How much time had passed?
He looked up. Donatello was standing before him. He was leaning on his left foot, his right foot and leg slightly raised, and he was holding a can of soda in his right hand. The TV was no longer on, and he assumed the turtle had turned it off. Casey could only wonder how long he had already been standing there.
"Donnie?"
The purple-clad turtle glanced at him before looking at Mikey's sleeping form, his arms still holding Casey in an embrace, his head resting against his chest.
Casey quickly tried to gather his thoughts. Donnie had been working in his lab for most of the evening, trying again to find a cure for Timothy. Casey had never met the boy, who had been transformed into a monster -which he later found out he had met before- due to his exposure to the Mutagen. Although Don never told him the exact circumstances, the turtle had expressed guilt about Timothy's condition, locking himself in his lab almost every night trying to find a solution, which according to him was more difficult due to Timothy's unique condition.
Donnie had called Timothy his friend, and Casey could only wonder what had transpired between them. Raph had been less flattering and simply stated Timothy had brought this on himself. Mikey told Casey he hoped Timothy would recover soon and that he was a funny dude. Leo told him he had once given up on saving the mutated teenager, but that Donatello taught him you should never give up on someone. Leo also hoped Timothy would make a full recovery and hopefully become a better person, and that he and Don would be willing to help the boy in any way they could.
Casey felt himself tense and frown. He expected some kind of snide remark or a pinch of Donnie's sarcasm any moment now, and his mind was already going through a list of options for a counter. But to his surprise Donatello remained silent; he was just standing there.
The turtle shuffled his feet and rubbed the back of his neck. He took a swig of his soda and nervously glanced at Casey before averting his gaze. The vigilante realized once again something was different, once again something felt out of place... and he still couldn't put his finger on it.
Donatello took another swig from his soda, slightly tilted his head as he looked at Mikey, then rubbed the back of his neck again. His eyes were tired and he looked uneasy; something didn't feel right about this. Unsure how to respond Casey slightly shifted his position on the couch, being careful not to wake up Mikey.
After a visible hesitation, he sat down next to Casey, although keeping more of a distance than Leo had before.
There was a momentary and awkward silence, and Casey couldn't help but look at the fidgeting ninja, trying to figure out why it felt weird he was sitting next to him. Donnie squirmed and fidgeted a bit more, and seemingly tried to look humble -something else that felt out of place- before lowering his gaze to the floor, holding the can of soda with both hands.
There was another moment of silence before Casey finally found the courage and spoke up.
"Hey, D. Something wrong?"
Donatello didn't immediately reply. He looked up and gazed at Casey, a hint of sadness lining his features.
"I... I'm sorry, Casey."
The boy blinked in bewilderment, almost worried to hear such a serious tone from him. He had expected almost anything, but not this.
"Why?" It was all he could bring himself to say.
The turtle looked down again, and Casey could see it clearly now.
He was feeling guilt.
The vigilante could tell his friend was forcing himself to maintain eye contact. There was definitely some kind of embarassment. Their eyes locked again, and Donatello steadied himself before he went on.
"I haven't been myself lately. To be honest, I've been feeling frustrated. Sometimes... sometimes it feels it's all just too much." He paused and briefly lowered his eyes. "I'm doing everything I can to bring Timothy back but I don't seem to get any closer to a cure. Humans still think of us as monsters, and we've been on our own since Master Splinter..."
His voice cracked as a saddened look spread along his features. Casey felt his heart sink. He reached out and placed his right hand on his shoulder.
Donatello glanced at Casey's arm. The vigilante was certain he would pull back... Instead, he looked up at him and broke into a faint, but appreciative smile, and while Casey spotted a hint of caution in his eyes, he could tell the smile was sincere.
Casey gave a smile of his own. "You know how humans are, Donnie. We're stupid. They don't get to see how awesome you guys really are." Casey felt his breath hitch in his chest. His smile fell. What had he just said? Why out of all things he had to say this? He knew of Donnie's experiences with Don Visiozo, that humans were still seeing them as monsters, and how much it was weighing on his friend's shoulders.
Donatello's smile had vanished as well, and he was now looking at him curiously, almost as if observing him with renewed interest. Casey pulled back his hand and shifted uncomfortably on the couch but stopped when he felt Mikey slip away from him, he quickly pulled his sleeping friend closer.
The genius turtle was still looking at him, and Casey couldn't suppress the feeling he might have hit a nerve. As much as Donnie usually tried to hide it, Casey knew he was the most affected by how humans thought about him, his brothers, and their mutant friends. A few days ago, he had caught his friend reading another one of those hateful anti-mutant columns on his laptop. He felt a pang of pity, and believed Donnie couldn't look any more miserable and heartbroken as he did then.
I'm sorry, Don."
"For what?" His voice was even, revealing no emotion.
"I just..." he looked at the turtle with a feeling of regret. "I sometimes forget how much you guys have been through. How much burden and responsibility you all have to carry with you every day, you know. I... I'm so sorry about Master Splinter." Casey halted in a moment of respectful silence but also scolded himself inwardly for his choice of words. And above all, why did he suddenly change the subject? He never had been good with these kind of moments, and he feared every word he said would give the wrong impression. But he meant every word, from the bottom of his heart. "It's not my place to say, but... I miss him too. I miss him so much, Donnie. He was like a father to me."
Donatello was still looking at him curiously, his eyes had slightly widened. The teenager fidgeted nervously. For the third time this evening he was being subjected to someone's scrutiny, but with Donatello it felt even more uncomfortable.
"Look Don, like I said, humans are stupid." Casey chuckled and pointed at himself, "Even I can be stupid at times," he gave his friend an opening in the hope of easing the tension, but the turtle didn't take it. He just continued to stare at him. Casey sighed inwardly. "You guys are the best. If humans can't think for themselves, if they can't see how amazing you all really are, then it's their loss."
"What's the point, Casey?" Donatello's voice was cold and cut through the air, lined with a hint of bitterness. "We're the mutants, they're the humans. We're the ones different. We're just freaks to them."
"In my eyes, they're the freaks!" Casey blurted, his voice climbing into something close to a shout. He felt himself getting angry at the thought how this must have affected Donnie and his brothers all this time. If it hadn't been for Bishop's influence his friends might have ended up on a dissection table in some secret government lab a long time ago. He felt a shiver going down his spine as he unwillingly pictured the image before his eyes. It was just like what they did to Mikey when they were captured during the time Tokka came to Earth.
Donatello's eyes narrowed. "You called us freaks when you first saw us, remember?" His tone of voice accusatory. "You're no different from them."
Casey looked away. His words hurt, a lot more than he wanted to admit. He did call them freaks back then. He had been no different from the other humans. For a moment he felt Mikey stir. He really hoped his friend wouldn't wake up now, as he really didn't want the youngest turtle to pick up on their conversation.
The boy swallowed uncomfortably, realizing he needed to be careful with his next words. "Do you still think that way about me?"
Even as he asked the question, Casey observed Donatello's face in almost clinical detail, carefully noting the shadows of expressions that flickered there: the twitch of an eyelid, the clench of his jaw, a nervous swallow, a rapid series of blinks. There was a nearly unbearable silence in the room, punctuated only by an occasional 'bleep' from one of the gadgets coming from Donnie's lab.
Casey watched silently as Donatello lowered his eyes and drooped his head forward in defeat.
His voice came out in a raw whisper, broken. "I'm sorry."
Donatello sagged, like a beach toy with a slow leak, and stared bleakly at his feet. "I'm so sorry. I... I didn't mean it like that."
"I know, D. It's okay."
"No, it's not okay."
Casey swallowed again. There was something he had been meaning to say to Don for some time, but he had been worried how the turtle would take it. However, now the anxious teen felt sure it needed to be said.
"Listen, Don... As much as we want to, we can't always change the way others think about us. But we can change how we let if affect us. To me and April, you're the coolest and greatest guys in the entire world. This isn't your fault, D. It's everyone else's fault."
Donatello looked up at Casey in surprise and slightly tilted his head; he blinked a few times. A sparkle appeared in his eyes and the corners of his mouth curved into a faint smile, but it lasted only a moment before it disappeared.
He looked away.
There was still something holding him back.
There was an interminable silence, as though Donatello were waiting for Casey to say something more. He was just sitting there, averting his eyes and biting his lip, now fumbling with the can in his hand. Seeing him silently squirm, Casey searched for words. He wanted to say something more, anything that would make him feel better, even though he still didn't know what else was bothering him. He could tell his friend hadn't told him everything yet.
"Casey...I'm..."
"Don?"
The turtle looked up, his expression saddened, remorse visible in his eyes. "I'm sorry for how I've treated you. I've been feeling frustrated but I should never have taken it out on you. You tried to talk to me and I kept pushing you away.
It's my fault, Casey. You've done nothing wrong." He rubbed the back of his head, a sign that he was uncomfortable with what he was about to say. Casey noticed it was a habit of Donatello whenever he was feeling nervous. The ninja turtle seemed to realize this as well as he sheepishly lowered his hand.
"I hate that about myself. I don't know why, but I keep seeing you as a rival. It's as if I don't want to trust you or something. Each time I have to convince myself you're not my enemy, to tell myself it's not okay to treat you like this. And yet... I keep saying all those things to you," he no longer could keep the emotion out of his voice, "and I don't even know why. It's like... it's easier for me this way. And with April spending so much time training it just makes me feel-" His voice drifted away in mid-sentence. Another wave of guilt washed over his expression.
"Sorry, shouldn't have said that."
Casey noticed it immediately, Donatello had made himself vulnerable, and was contemplating if he should continue. It was almost as if he was waiting for a reaction, as if fearing Casey would use his confession against him. The teen couldn't help but feel a pang of pity, as his friend looked utterly miserable. It was starting to make sense now.
Donnie..." Casey started awkwardly after a moment of muted surprise. I—"
"Please, just hear me out." His eyes were pleading, yet full of conviction.
There was a faint, sad smile, and it slowly changed into a regretful expression. "I know we aren't always on the best of terms. But… we're all grateful… I'm grateful for everything you've done for us. Even if I don't always show it. You're not only the best friend a turtle could wish for, but you're family to me, Casey Jones. And you always will be."
His features were lined with shame, his shoulders slumped, his tone of voice humble. "Thanks, Casey... for everything."
Casey's mouth fell open. They were only a few words. But those few words changed everything. He didn't understand what had motivated Donatello to say this. But it didn't matter. He knew the turtle was sincere, and he knew his words meant so much to him.
He gently placed a hand on Don's shoulder and gave him a grateful smile. Donatello glanced at his arm, looked at him, and broke into a smile of his own. His smile was warm and sincere. Casey never had been good with these kind of moments, but he hoped his friend would understand.
"Thanks, Donnie... I just want you to know… You're family to me too, you all are. I can't imagine myself ever being without you guys again."
In an unusual show of affection, Donatello moved closer and reached forward, enveloping Casey in a tight hug, at the same time being careful not to disturb Mikey. It took Casey a moment of shock before he returned the embrace.
"Listen D. I know I'm not the smartest person around here." Casey expected his friend to make a joke about it, but he remained silent. "But if there's anything you want to talk about, if there's anything I can help you with... just come to me, okay?"
Casey waited for a tense second before he heard the soft reply against his shoulder.
"I will, Casey."
After a moment Donatello slowly pulled away. The turtle smiled and pointed to his chest. "From now on, if you ever find me the annoying one of the two of us," he playfully gestured to the back of his head, "just give me a good whack, that will snap me out of it."
A mischievous grin spread across Casey's face. He couldn't help himself. "Sure thing, D. Like this?"
*slap*
"Oww, Casey!"
Donatello rubbed the back of his head, frowning in annoyance at the teen, but Casey could tell he was feigning it.
Casey smothered a laugh. "Wait, you're saying I'm the annoying one?"
Donatello couldn't hide a playful smile, his hand still on the back of his head.
*Smack*
"Oww!" This time it was Casey's turn to reach for his head. "What was that for, dude?"
"Oh, you can consider that one in advance." Donatello said, his voice cheery. "Because we all know you'll deserve one some day."
Casey grumbled. He looked up, already having thought of a counter, but stopped himself when he saw Donnie's bright expression.
He decided to give his friend the win... this time.
They bumped fists together, and with a new-found resolve Donatello went back to work on Timothy's cure, but not before asking Casey if he would like to visit him in his lab sometime. When Casey promised he would, his friend broke into a broad smile, revealing the gap between his teeth.
Donnie hadn't looked that happy in a long time. There was something disarming about his smile; and it melted the boy's heart.
In return, Donatello offered to be Casey's sparring partner, promising the vigilante he could practice his techniques on him as much as he liked. It was an offer Casey gratefully accepted. Donatello also revealed Raph and April want to train with him as well, but Raph had been too stubborn to ask and April didn't want to interfere with Leo's schedule for Casey yet.
Casey realized how incredibly lucky he was to have such amazing friends. Friends who went out of their way to help him any way they could. Even when he felt he didn't deserve it.
One thing had become clear to him now. He was going to ask Leo about April and her training. It was clear Don really missed having April around, as they used to spend hours working on all kind of projects in his lab. If Don wouldn't ask about it, he would. Casey felt he owed it to his friend, no matter how he would react. Sometimes Leo needed someone to give him a wake-up call.
Speaking of Leo, Casey finally understood why the leader wanted to train him. He was now convinced Leo was doing this for him as a sign of respect, to make him truly feel as a part of the family. And maybe having some faint hope it would help to make the vigilante a bit more cautious and patient in the future. The teen chuckled lightly. Unfortunately for Leo, those traits weren't really his strong suit.
It had been an unusual evening for Casey Jones. He didn't know if the four brothers had somehow planned this, or if it had just been a coincidence, but he didn't care. What he did care about was how much their words and gestures meant to him. It meant so much more than he ever would be able to express into words.
It made him realize how much he meant to them. Even though he had never showed it, there were times he had felt undeserving of being one of them. Feeling inadequate, feeling he was nothing but a burden. Yet after tonight he realized they had long accepted him for who he was. They had accepted him, Casey Jones. They made him realize he contributed just as much to their family in his own way, and yet he had never realized it himself.
Casey Jones felt overwhelmed with gratitude. They were all family. And whatever the future would bring, they would face it together.
He pulled Mikey closer, sliding his arm around his shell. He smiled warmly as he looked at the young turtle. He felt like a big brother watching over him, and maybe that was exactly how the other turtles had looked at him as well tonight. Not just as a friend, but as their brother.
Suddenly realization dawned on him. He understood... He finally understood Mikey's motivations. He finally understood what Mikey had done for him tonight.
"Mikey… Thank you bro."
It was an unusual night for Casey Jones. He should have been out there with Raph. But instead, Casey was sitting on the couch in the turtle's lair, watching over his sleeping friend.
...And he was perfectly happy with it.