100 Theme Challenge
43. Dying

Casey watched Don's approach without expression. As he waited for the turtle to reach him, he grabbed a dry towel and stood up.

The complete lack of emotion that Casey was showing as he dried his hands and arms took Don aback. Don was used to seeing some outward sign of Casey's cocky attitude and he found his poker face to be disconcerting.

If Don hadn't been sure how to start the conversation before, he was certainly at a loss for words now. Casey was willing to pick up the verbal gauntlet though.

"I didn't interrupt something between you and April did I? The two of ya' was looking pretty cozy," Casey said in a monotone.

Belatedly Don remembered that during their earlier conversation Casey had asked how close he and April were. He'd basically told Casey that was none of his business and it still wasn't as far as Don was concerned.

"She was telling me I should get you to come eat something," Don said, trying not to sound defensive. "April was the second one; Mikey came to my room earlier and suggested I talk to you about lunch."

Casey seemed to be studying the dirt under his nails as he said, "I told them I wasn't hungry. What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is that when you told them that you didn't seem like yourself," Don said. "Didn't you think that your friends might get worried?"

"My friends." Casey looked up then, his dark eyes connecting with Don's. "That include you?"

"Of course it does," Don answered with a touch of exasperation. "Why would you think otherwise?"

"'Cause ya' practically kicked me out of your room earlier," Casey said, his lips turning upwards into the semblance of a smile, but there was no humor in his eyes. The smile quickly left his mouth as he added, "Most people would take that as a pretty good indicator."

"You ambushed me in my own room," Don replied. "You started talking to me about relationships and how you think I feel about things without really listening to what I was trying to explain to you. What did you expect?"

"I guess I expected to hear a yes or no," Casey answered. "I ain't exactly heard either."

"I thought I was clear when I said I didn't want to hurt Raph," Don said. "That's when you attacked my mouth."

"Seemed like the right thing to do at the time," Casey said. "Still does."

Don felt the familiar heat rising in his face again but didn't know how to respond. He hadn't come looking for Casey in order to start this conversation again; Don was simply trying to be altruistic.

Clearing his throat, Don said, "Look, I just wanted to check on you, that's why I'm here. You seemed upset after I gave you the envelope from your mom and then I found out you skipped lunch. Mikey said you were in here washing the Shellraiser and not talking to anybody."

"It needed to be washed," Casey said lamely.

"Don't think I don't appreciate that," Don said, trying to sound more lighthearted. When that drew no response, Don tried a different tact. "I know you want to see your mom, but you know you can't. Not until we understand more about the necklaces and the kind of mind control the Kraang have programmed into the device on the back of her neck. Is something wrong; is there something in her note to upset you? Something about the Kraang?"

For an answer, Casey pulled the wrinkled envelope from his back pocket and handed it to Don. "Go ahead and read it. There's nothing in there about the Kraang."

Don stared at Casey as he accepted the envelope, but the boy had gone back to examining his nails. From the envelope Don extracted a single sheet of tri-folded paper and opened it, taking a second to adjust to Casey's mom's scrawled handwriting.

"Looks like we're passing each other again, son. I keep forgetting you're growing up and have as much going on as I do. Seems like yesterday you were five and needed me a lot more. Sounds crazy to say I miss those days considering how hectic everything was. I guess I didn't realize how fast you'd become a man or I would have found some way to spend more time with you. Let's make a pact to try and do that now, okay? At least a couple times a week we should do something together. Before you go off to college or to play hockey for some big league team and forget about your old mom. Anyway, we'll talk about that later. Here's some money for your lunches and bus fare. Don't let Mrs. Bradley borrow anymore sugar; she's quit buying her own because she thinks she can keep mooching off the neighbors. Love you, Mom."

"When I read stuff like that from my mom, I feel like a piece of me is dying," Casey said, his voice low. "I'm all she's got and I can tell she's trying to ready herself for the day I go off on my own. I know she's hoping I'll have a better life than she did; maybe give her a couple of grandkids." Glancing up at Don, he added, "We both know that ain't likely to happen, not with the way I'm feeling about ya'."

On its face the note seemed innocuous enough, but Don thought he understood why it was upsetting Casey so much. It was clear that his mother saw this as a time when Casey's life was in its ascendancy while hers was in a decline. Rather than the limitless potential of youth spreading out before her, Casey's mom had reached a point in her life where every minute was more precious than the last. And now the Kraang was robbing them of some of the finite time they had together.

Don felt a touch of sadness because this was a realization that he had to deal with as well. Master Splinter wouldn't be around forever; even the mutagen couldn't do that for him.

"I'm sorry," Don said, his voice a near whisper. He folded the note and placed it into the envelope before handing it back to Casey. "I promise I'll work on finding a solution even if I have to work night and day."

Casey slid the envelope into his pocket. "Which solution, Don? The Kraang necklace or the thing between us."

His expression was serious as he asked the question, no trace of the banter or the innuendos that Don had experienced from previous days. It made Don wonder if Casey believed his relationship with Raph was open and that the red banded turtle wouldn't mind sharing his lover.

Maybe Raph was hiding the jealousy from Casey, but it was very clear to Don that sharing was the last thing on Raph's mind.

"Both I suppose," Don said carefully. "I have a couple of ideas for how to deal with the necklace. As for the thing between us, that isn't going to happen because you're already committed to Raph."

Casey's brow furrowed for a second and then suddenly cleared, his mouth dropping open in astonishment before he said, "Committed to . . . is that what ya' meant by telling me not to hurt Raph? Ya' think Raph's my boyfriend?"

"Of course," Don said, astonished at Casey's reaction. "Isn't that what you were telling me when we were hiding together in the tunnels?"

"No," Casey said emphatically. "Raph and I are not lovers, Donnie. Never have been. Fact is you're the only one I've ever thought of in that way."

Now it was Don's mouth that dropped open in surprise as his brain took a temporary leave of absence.