TMNT Bitter Sweet Honey Ch.10
Raph POV
The air polluted by the ongoing baseball game, both Raph and Casey curse at the TV.
"Come on they're going to let him walk! Now the bases are full! That was strike three you dumb ass! Ahhh, I swear the umpire is a blind fucker!" Raph roared crossing her arm sitting back hard, bouncing her leg up and down showing off her frustration.
"Yep, he is! That's it! I'm done… sorry Raph, I can't watch this circus anymore, it's nothing but a joke," Casey huffed, who at the moment was half in the bag, drinking at least five beers since the game started and who knows how many before hand.
Sober, not even having one drop of alcohol, Raph too was annoyed how this game has been playing out.
Casey was right, it was a joke, leaning over to the controller she shut it off, knowing all too well if Casey did see more, he might accidentally smash his TV, he was very violent towards electronics, hence Donnie makes him leave her lab when he dares to enter it.
"Well sorry buddy, but I'm going to hit the hay, it's up to you if you want to stay over or not, there is some sheets in the bathroom cupboard," Casey stumbled by, patting Raph on the shoulder making his way to his room.
In a matter of seconds there was a huge thump followed by a frustrated fuck afterwards; looking over at the closed door, Raph sighed, she knew Casey missed the bed yet again.
Trying not to laugh, she was surprised he has never suffered from a concussion of yet, it was like tradition for him when he was drinking, which she noticed was a lot lately, sure they both drank a lot, too much at that, but ever since he came back, every night he drank himself to the point of passing out.
Leaning forward, Raph stared at the empty cans, that night she actually didn't touch a can at all, she did like drinking, but not to this degree.
Time to time she did enjoyed getting so pissed she couldn't stand, but ever night was a bit overboard even for her.
That said, it was obvious why Casey was doing this, no matter how much he kept stating he was over April, he was still hurting over the ordeal between them, though Casey never did go in great detail, the divorce by the sounds of it, was actually nasty in nature, he, in the end got his heart broken by the girl of his dreams.
Worse part, Raph couldn't do anything to help him, the only thing she could do was show up, have a good time with him, taking his mind off it, but she started to wonder, noticing the increase of beer that Casey has been consuming each day, was she really helping him?
Frustrated Raph flung her body back, hitting the couch's backing hard as the two front feet lifted off the ground then came back down hard with a thud.
"What the fuck am I going to do…," Raph huffed, biting her lip, she needed to figure out something, anything that she could do for him, she hated seeing Casey like this, this was even odd behavior for him and she feared it would escalate, becoming more destructive in nature, to the point he might hurt himself.
Looking around the small, actually disgusting living room, that was worse than a pigsty, Raph couldn't take it anymore, getting to her feet going into the small kitchen that wasn't any better shape, she grabbed some garbage bags, which she was surprised he even own in the first place, as well finding some Mr. Clean that was hidden deep in a cupboard.
The bottle not even half full, doubting it that Casey even used the other half, Raph couldn't see his human friend even attempting to clean his pad once, she figured it was left behind, when the apartment was cleaned before Casey moved in.
Finding what she needed, she rolled up the hockey jersey she was wearing, after the night with the Dragons, Raph too started to feel uneasy not wearing anything, not owning much clothes, she had to settle with this, for her sweaters made her body to overheat.
With a game plan in her head, Raph decided to start in the kitchen first, throwing the garbage out, almost puking at the sight of a half grown plate that was trying to give life to its own ecosystem, it was so fuzzy and other, that Raph had no choice to open up all the windows, just to help her poor beak.
To think she has been spending all her time there, no wonder she hasn't had an appetite lately, with all these rotten smells numbing her senses to the point she didn't notice anymore, yet her stomach still did, making her not able to even look at food.
After what took around a good solid hour, Raph cleaned the kitchen as well as it could get, letting the dishes to soak in the sink with water and dish soap.
Raph made her way to the living room getting to work right away, putting the beer cans in one bag to be recycled as well with the pizza boxes.
Gathering his clothes that she held her beak when handling, she threw them in another bag, for Casey didn't even own a laundry basket, wondering when they were last wash she didn't dare to think on it any longer than she had to.
Finally finishing, she sighed, looking at the clock, it was 8 p.m., it was late, but was it too late for her to do his laundry?
Debating if she should cross that line, she looked at the bag holding her gagging reflexes that wanted to go out of control, sure she could leave it, but would Casey honestly do his laundry, she started to wonder if he has been just re-wearing his clothes lately considering he has been smelling a bit ripe.
Which was bad for her to say such a thing, considering she did live in the sewers after all.
"Damn, I have no choice… bringing them home will take too long… and I really don't want anyone to make fun of me."
Raph headed towards the bathroom looking for some laundry soap, that she did find and became a bit disturbed on the fact, it never has been used.
Shaking her head, not believing this, yet not surprised either, she was done, she was definitely going to do his laundry, she didn't care if it was going over the line, she couldn't take this anymore.
Placing the detergent next to the bag of clothes, Raph scrounged around for change finding the right amount, well she was hoping it was, she knew this building had coin machines in the basement, but she wasn't sure how much it took.
With everything she needed, she now was facing another obstacle, she couldn't just waltz down stairs and not worry about someone seeing her, being late, the likely hood of someone doing laundry was slim, but still.
Taking a breath, Raph's eyes trailed over towards Casey's door, by now he should be sound asleep, which wasn't the issue, him being covered was, considering Casey likes sleeping nude.
Yet she needed to get to his closet, he had some over sized clothing that he kept on the side, for her or her siblings, if they ever needed a disguise.
There being no other way around it, Raph braved it, as she went to his door, slowly opening it, taking a peek inside.
To her relief he was asleep and covered, tiptoeing in, not making a sound, Raph went to Casey's closet, grabbing what she needed as well noticing the dirty clothes that were also all over his room.
Rolling her eyes, she quickly scooped it all up, yet leaving him something if he needed to get dressed in a hurry, before leaving the room.
Once out of the room, she breathe easily once again, wishing never to do that anytime soon, she made her way to the other side of the apartment, throwing the dirty laundry in the bag with the rest, then she put on a large sweater that had a hood on it, followed by the oversized pants that covered her tail and legs, for the final touch, she put her feet in to the uncomfortable shoes that were to big for her.
Sighing, she grabbed the laundry, leaving the apartment, hoping this would go smoothly without issues.
Thick paint was half peeled off the walls, there, heavy in the air was the stench of mildew and who knows what else; with a crackle and pop, the UV lights over head, flickered not helping the already ominous atmosphere, giving the laundry room the whole horror movie effect.
Any moment Raph could see some psycho coming around the corner with a hockey mask ready for the kill, laughing on the thought, if Casey did know she was there, she could see him doing such an asshole of a prank, but he would need to be sober first…
Giving a sigh, Raph leaned against one of the washers placing her hands in her sweater watching the doorway, with the washer going and so far not a soul was insight, this made this the ideal moment, she just hope it would stay like this.
Not taking any chances she made sure her hoodie was down, though she wondered if this would make things worse, she probably looks like some creep, or stalker.
Figuring it will take around ten more minutes for the washers, then at least forty more minutes for the dryers, she should be done sometime after eleven or close to twelve.
As she looked around, she never knew how much doing laundry was so boring, there was literally nothing for her to do, she didn't have any music, there was nothing in the room other than machines and a folding table, oh and some chairs on the side, other than that nothing.
Thinking this was going to be uneventful, suddenly a young lady came around the corner, stopping dead at the doorway into the laundry room, staring at Raph uneasily, a bit startled by the looks of it.
"Oh… rrr I will do this later…" the girl voice shake, as Raph looked at her sideways, sure the girl couldn't tell that Raph was a turtle, then why was she acting like that, then it hit her, recalling back to the statement she must look like some creep the way she was dressed, Raph understood the young ladies hesitation.
Feeling a bit guilty, Raph had to let her know she didn't have to leave, "Why, there are still empty washers left, I'm only taking up two."
Stopping herself from leaving, the young lady looked back at Raph surprised, "Oh, you're a girl," she said in relief.
"Yeah…" Raph figured that was part of the girl's reluctance to stay at first, thinking she was a guy the way she looked, "Sorry, you can say I have a rare skin condition…" seeing the look on the girl's face Raph quickly added in, "Don't worry its not contagious, I just don't feel comfortable with people looking at me, that's all."
"Oh… I'm sorry, I didn't mean…" the girl bit her lip entering the room, making her way to one of the machines, as Raph decided it was best she sat down on one of the chairs.
"It's ok, I don't blame you. This laundry room isn't the most cozy of places, then seeing someone wearing a hoodie like myself, I would too have been weary," Raph stated, trying not to laugh, for it was kind of funny, well to her at least it was.
"Yeah, you're right. So, I have never seen you around before, are you the new tenant in 4 B?" the girl put her laundry into the machine, turning it on.
"No, my friend is, he is the one that lives here, I'm just helping him out."
Tilting her head, the girl smile, "By doing his laundry?"
"Yeah, I doubt he would do it anytime this year," Raph shrugged.
With a laugh the girl shook her head, "Sounds typical for a guy, so you said friend or is he your boyfriend?"
"Boyfriend!" Raph choked on the words, "Oh hell no, me and him, never would happen."
"Huh, really… not many girls would do a guy's boxers," the girl pointed to the washing machine at the moment the boxers swish by the glass door, "So I take it he isn't your boyfriend, but you wish he was."
Staring at her, Raph was speechless, she wasn't sure if she should get mad for this girls accusations, for it was obvious she knew nothing, or walk away in embarrassment, yet she did the opposite.
"Like I said, not going to happen, I don't like him in that way."
"OK…" the girl smiled more, like she was reading between the lines, "If you say so."
Sighing, Raph even noticed how weak that statement sounded, it did sounded like she wasn't sure herself… shaking her head, she had to change this topic before it got any odder, she didn't like Casey in that way, he was a friend, and besides she is actually a guy on top of that.
Changing the topic, the remainder of the time she had to stay in the laundry room, the conversation that she and the girl had were actually interesting to say the least, Raph didn't mind talking to her, it was new, she only ever really talked to Casey, and rarely to April when she was still around.
This was the first time she had a real conversation with a human that was a girl, it was nice and it did make the time go by faster.
During the whole time, Raph made sure the girl didn't get a good look of her, which she had to admit though the basement atmosphere was creepy, it helped conceal herself, if the girl did notice her green skin, she didn't make a fuss about it.
With the laundry clean and smelling like it wasn't growing, Raph made her way back upstairs towards Casey's apartment, entering the room, it was silent, and look much nicer being clean.
Placing the folded laundry on the coffee table, so it was obvious they were clean, Raph stretch, rubbing her eyes, she was tired, but she still needed to do a couple things before heading home, first the dishes, then she will throw the garbage out.
Getting the rest of the cleaning done, Raph sluggishly moved through the sewers, her bed was calling her, and she was more than happy to comply.