100 Theme Challenge
44. Two Roads
"Don? Donnie?"
It took a moment for Casey's voice to cut through the buzzing turmoil in Don's head. Looking up, Don saw that Casey had taken a step towards him and instinctively the turtle took one backwards.
"You're not . . . ." Don stopped for a second to search for what he was trying to say. "You're not with Raph?"
"No, not ever. We're friends and that's all. Pals. We like the same things and our minds kinda work the same." With a laugh, Casey added, "He's too much like me for me to think of in that way. Ya' know what they say, opposites attract."
Don was still trying to process this new piece of information. When he'd thought that Casey and Raph were together he realized he'd felt safe. He would never do anything to hurt one of his brothers and when he'd started to understand Casey's intentions, he knew that Raph was his buffer. With Raph there, Don didn't have to seriously consider or even deal with what Casey obviously wanted.
"Then why has he been so angry with me? I already told him I wasn't trying to steal his friend," Don said, almost as if he were asking the question of himself.
"Maybe he's mad over something that ain't got anything to do with me at all," Casey offered.
"It's about you and me, I know that," Don said. "He doesn't care if you spend time with Ap . . . with anyone else."
"Talk to him about it," Casey urged. "Or do ya' want me to do it? I'll be happy work something out with . . . ."
"No," Don said quickly, interrupting Casey's offer. "I can fight my own battles. Promise me you won't say anything to him Casey. I know you are keeping something about him to yourself and all I'm asking is that you extend the same courtesy to me."
"I won't talk out of turn and I won't come between you and Raph," Casey promised solemnly. "All I want is a chance."
Don mulled that over for a minute and Casey patiently waited. This wasn't a situation that the turtle had ever envisioned happening to him; he'd never as much as thought about relationships before seeing April O'Neil for the first time. Master Splinter had kept them very sheltered and isolated and the emotions that Don felt upon meeting April were overwhelming.
His awareness of the fact that he was a mutated turtle didn't dissuade Don from hoping that April could one day look at him romantically. Now it seemed that Don was correct when he'd told his brothers that a human could like one of them that way, he'd just never thought it would be Casey helping to prove his point.
Don had never contemplated that kind of interest directed toward him from another male. His dream seemed to indicate that the idea wasn't repugnant but Don wasn't going to decide anything until he'd given it careful consideration. Not to mention there was still the matter of his feelings for April which were as strong as they'd ever been.
And Don still didn't know what was going through Raph's head. Why did life have to be so complicated?
Despite a feeling of acute embarrassment, Don decided to be as honest as he could be. "I don't know how I feel about any of this," he finally said. "Being only one of four mutant turtles in the entire world, I never gave my sexuality any thought. But I . . . I care for someone else."
Casey nodded, as though he expected that answer. His dark eyes were unfathomable as he said, "I think I can guess. It's April isn't it? Now that I'm looking for it I can see how ya' treat her. Ya' think she feels the same way?"
Feeling his neck redden, Don said, "I don't know. I haven't exactly said anything."
Casey lightly snorted. "But that ain't because you're shy, right Donnie?"
"I'm not," Don protested, abashed at having Casey turn his earlier assertions against him. "I just . . . I don't . . . ."
Casey seemed to be enjoying his floundering and let Don's objections trail off before telling him, "You're afraid of what her answer might be. If ya' don't say anything then she can't tell ya' no. Ain't that right?"
Numbly Don nodded. That was certainly a big part of why he'd never talked to April about his feelings.
Leaning forward enough to be certain he had Don's full attention, Casey said, "Ya' gotta take chances, Donatello. Sometimes ya' win and sometimes ya' don't, but ya' can't just sit the game out."
"I'm not as sure of things as you are," Don said. "You grew up understanding this stuff; I didn't."
"So you'll learn," Casey said matter-of-factly. "Ya' can learn anything, that's one of the things that's great about ya'. I learned a while back that I like both guys and gals; maybe you do too. Maybe if ya' have some time to study on it you'll figure that out and give me a real shot at ya'. 'Cause like I told ya' before, I ain't a quitter."
Don was starting to understand. There were two roads in front of him; one was flat and continued along his current path of doing and saying nothing. Casey seemed to be telling him that road led absolutely nowhere and Don thought the boy might be right. The other road wound upwards, was steep and covered with hazards, but at the top of that path Don would eventually find happiness with someone.
Drawing a deep breath, Don said, "Time sounds good. Right now I have too much on my plate to even be considering any of that stuff. The Kraang are making an aggressive move and if I don't counter it soon, they'll take over."
"If 'we' don't counter it," Casey corrected. "Ya' ain't in this alone Donnie, the rest of us are right here to do whatever is needed in order to push back the Kraang invasion. Ya' need some Kraang bots bashed, just let me know. I'll do anything it takes to get my ma back."
"Does that include eating lunch?" Don asked with a grin.
Casey laughed, looking more relaxed than when Don had started talking to him. "Yeah. If ya' say I should eat then I'll eat. Ya' gotta go with me though, 'cause I don't remember seeing ya' eat any lunch either."
"I could eat something," Don admitted.
"Well come on then," Casey said, tossing his towel aside. "Let's go raid the kitchen."
Neither of them noticed the shadowed figure atop the Shellraiser who watched their departure through a pair of bright blue eyes.
