A/N: This chapter is a longer one than normal. This story is a slow burn in the beginning to help build my OC. Enjoy! Once again, I do not own any TMNT characters or any brands/company names that are mentioned in the story.
A/N: Wow! Thank you for all of the support so far! It is so greatly appreciated, shout out to Drumboy100 for leaving such amazing reviews and deep insight! Now, let's see what happens with Casey Jones.
Chapter 6 recap:
"GOONGALA! Where's my dudes at?" A man with long, black hair came in with a golf bag slung over his shoulder. Hands on his hips, thrusting his chest out.
Who's that?
"Long time no see Casey."
"Wassup dude!" Mikey said as he bounced over. Casey wrapped his arms around Mike's shoulders, giving him a noogie.
"Where's Raph and Leo?" Case questioned, before he locked his eyes on me.
"Oh, and who is this?" He walked five steps toward me, grabbed my hand and kissed my knuckles.
"I'm Cassidy." I said flatly, looking at my hand that Casey was still holding.
"She's been around for a few months now. Case, she is a bit young for you though." Said April, smirking as her arms crossed her chest and she put weight onto her right leg. I'm assuming Casey has been on the receiving end of that look many times because he turned to me and asked.
"How old are ya, Cassidy?"
"I'm 22, how about you, old man?"
"Not 22." He said smirking, giving me a wink before looking past me.
"Hey dude!" He exclaimed, walking past me. I wiped the hand he kissed in my leggings, wanting to get rid of the weird feeling on my hand.
"Sup knucklehead? Kick any ass lately?"
"Nah been too busy gettin' some." Raphael and Casey punched each other in the arm, chest and shoulder before ending with a fist bump. Smirks playing on both their faces, excitement emitting from them.
"Wow, way to keep it classy Jones." Leonardo said as he walked into the den, a book in his hand.
"Good to see you Leo." Casey patted Leo's shoulder as both him and Raph headed towards the garage, I overheard Raph say something about Stella.
I turned to April, who resumed putting the lids on the last two containers full of cookies.
"Who's that?" Motioning behind me with my thumb in the direction the new guy and Raph left.
"That is Raph's best friend, partner in crime, Casey Jones. Him and Raph get into all sorts of trouble."
"Why haven't I met him before?"
"He's been away in California for the last ten months. He got his certificate to be an underwater welder."
"Oh…that's kinda cool."
"Yeah…he's also two years older than me. I always joke that he's almost 30 and his hair is about to turn white."
"You're 27 right? How old does that make the boys?" Referring to all the Hamatos', I guess I never stopped to think about how old they were.
"Well we don't know their exact age but Leonardo and Raphael are the oldest, they claim to be 23, Donnie claims to be 22, and Mikey is 20."
"Hmm," nodding my head, clasping my hands together as I lean across the kitchen island.
"Do you have all your presents wrapped and ready for tomorrow morning?"
"Yup, all except the one you picked up for you-know-who." I said, glancing around the kitchen.
"I set that gift in Mikey's room earlier, he has all the wrapping supplies."
"Hey Mikey! Is it alright if Cass and I go wrap that gift I left in your room?"
Mikey popped his head out of the bottom of the fridge. I didn't notice that he put on an apron that said 'kiss the cook.' He was grabbing the pie crust out of the fridge, ready to fill with the delicious apple filling he's made.
"Sure thing, you'll have to grab more tape from Donnie though." He said before resuming back to adjusting his filling before pouring it into the settled crust.
"I'll go ask Donnie for tape." Pushing off of the counter to make my way towards Donnie's lab.
"I'll meet you back in Mikey's room." April said as she helped Mikey scoop the remaining of the apple pie filling into the settled crust.
I knocked on Donnie's lab door, unsure if he could hear me when I overheard Raph and Casey talking in the garage.
"So, the new chick?" The new voice, Casey, said. I peaked around the corner and saw Raph working with Stella and Casey sitting on an old crate, beer in hand.
"Cass? She's great." Raph said in a slightly off tone I haven't heard from him before. I couldn't read his face with his shell turned towards me as he hovered over Stella.
Casey took a large swig from his can before shooting it into the trashcan across the room.
"Boo-ya! Anyway, I think I got a chance?" Casey said as he walked to the fridge, grabbing him and Raph another beer.
"Thought you had a girl." Raph grunted out, his voice was hard and guttural.
"Eh, that didn't last long. Nicole kept nagging me about us….I'm just not ready for that type of commitment man. Then there's April." Casey trailed off, looking at the unopened can in his hand.
"Then talk to April. Not Cass." Raph stated bluntly.
"What are we listening to?" A voice whispered into my ear. My eyes go wide as I gasp and fall back against the wall I was using to lean on. Looking over, I see Donnie.
"Uh…I, I was…uh…" I couldn't form a coherent thought, or sentence for that matter. Donnie looked at me, a slight, goofy smile on his lips as his goggles made his eyes three times bigger.
"You know it's not nice to listen in on others conversations." Donnie said as he fidgeted with the tablet that he had in his hand.
"But what if you heard your own name?" I questioned, my words finding their way back to me.
"Hmmm… was it anything hurtful or condescending?"
"No, I was just simply curious. Turns out, it was nothing." I shrugged, my heart rate back to its normal, rhythmic beating.
"Ah," was all he said, that sly smile still plaguing his features.
"April and I are wrapping our last few presents, but we are in need of some tape. Have any?" I asked as Donnie started making his way into the garage.
"Yeah, follow me." Upon entering the garage, both Casey and Raph stopped what they were doing and watched us. Donnie made his way to a large cabinet and grabbed a multi-pack of tape, unwrapping the plastic. Why did this feel like it was taking forever to get a single roll of tape?
The entire time, Donnie was the only person making any noise. I could see Raph out of the corner of my eye, but he seemed to be sharing a silent conversation with Casey. I started to feel self conscious in just my sweatshirt, leggings and messy bun. Fidgeting with my hands inside my hoodie pocket, I looked up only to be startled by Raph's eyes on me, a small smile on his lips along with another toothpick. His liquid, amber eyes melting me, heat rising to my cheeks as I gave him a small smile.
"Here you go Cassidy." I barely heard Donnie before he was next to me, handing over the roll of tape. Snapping out of my thoughts,
"Thanks Donnie! See you all later!" Fearing that I sounded way too excited as I left the men in the garage. I need to get this infatuation under control before I make a fool of myself even more.
—
April and I finished wrapping the remaining Christmas presents, along with tidying up Mikey's room. Well, more like we scolded Mikey and had him help us take all the old rotting food out of his room and made him wash his blankets and stuffed animals that smelled as if they had never been touched by soap or water. I have never met anyone that is filled with so much energy yet so little motivation to clean their own room. It was almost comical, the whole ordeal with his bedroom. Unlike his room, my room growing up was very small and had very few key items. It had a small three drawer dresser that the bottom drawer was broken. My mattress was sitting on top of wooden pallets and I had a pillow and a heavy, old quilt that my neighbor gave me when I was around nine years old.
"Cass…CAss…Cassidy, hello?" April snapped me back to reality, waving her hand in front of my eyes.
"Huh, yeah, what's up?" I must have been out of it.
"You gotta pick your cart and character." She said, bringing me fully back to the present. We were sitting in the den, April and I sharing a bean bag, about to play Mario Kart.
"Where'd you drift off too?" April asked.
"Oh no where in particular, sorry." I brushed off before diving into the game.
Ten minutes later
"WOOHOOO! Michelangelo is the MASTER of ALL GAMES!" He stood, shouting, pumping his controller in the air, April and I laughing has he jumped about.
"You beat two girls Mike, congrats dude." Casey said, strolling into the den, another beer in his hand.
"And what's that supposed to mean Jones? I remember kicking your ass before you left for California." April said, standing and putting her hands back on her hips. I feel like this is how she stands every time she talks to Casey. Even though I have only known him for a short while, they seem to argue like a married couple. It's cute.
Casey held his hands up in surrender, "Oh April, I think about that daily and I'd love a rematch." Wiggling his eyebrows and giving April an ornery look.
"You're too much Jones!" April laughed, before rolling her eyes, picking up her glass and walking with Casey back to the kitchen.
"They are cute aren't they?" I said as I nudged Mikey in the arm.
"Yeah, wish they'd just get together already, but it's like they are both oblivious." Mikey said, rolling his eyes as he checked through all the games on the Xbox One.
"Maybe they need a little push…" I trailed off as Mikey's head whipped so quickly I thought his head would do a full 360 spin.
"I knew I liked you." He said, "Alright, this is the plan…" Leaning in close to my ear, arm wrapped around my shoulders as he told me the plan.
One hour later
Everything was set and ready to go. Mikey did all the hard work, I simply supervised to make sure Lame-o-nardo didn't ruin anything and Master Splinter was nowhere in sight. I sat on the lumpy couch, heart pounding, waiting for Casey or April to walk in through the threshold as Mikey waited by the door.
"Hey Cassidy, what are you doing?" I jumped out of my skin, "Ahh! Leo!" I whipped my head around as my hand grasped my heart that was about to burst from my chest.
"N-Nothing!" I facepalmed, my voice gave me away, anyone with a brain could pick up on it.
Leo simply gave me that 'yeah right, cough it up,' leader look and before I could say anything, chaos ensued behind me. The blue banded brother and I looked back towards the entrance into the lair from the garage. Mikey and I's plan ensued, I knew we were about to get into trouble from the energy that Leo was emitting from behind me. April had tripped over the trap Michelangelo rigged, Casey was attempting to catch himself before falling into April. Their legs being twisted together, the rope wrapping tightly around their knees and midriffs.
"Whaaaa…" April
"Yoooo Apr…" Casey tried to catch himself
"AHH-HAA!" Mikey sprung out from the corner and presented jazz hands in front of the two that were tied together.
"Looks like you all are caught! Now you must KISS!" Mikey circled them, his video tape blinking red, recording the misfortune that Casey and April found themselves in.
"What are ya…" Casey exclaimed, his hands facetted around April and angrily glaring, Mikey offered him a wink and pointed up towards the top of the doorway. A small, green plant with red berries and small white blooms hung above the two who were tied up.
"Uh Miiiike…" Casey started but was caught off by April laughing, I watched as she let her head fall onto Casey's shoulder, breathing into the nape of his neck.
"Ape…You good?" He asked hesitantly, not quite sure what to do, even though there was only one way that Mikey was going to let them out of their current predicament.
"Just kiss me Casey, you know he's not going to let us go." April chuckled, rolling her eyes before looking at Casey, her eyes filled with mirth, crows feet adorned the edges of her eyes as a grin graced her lips.
"I like it when you're pushy" Casey smirked before he started to lean in towards April. Mikey continued to circle around them, recording every emotional instance. April's eyes fluttered closed as Casey made contact, their kiss was brief but it was enough to make Mikey fist bump the air before releasing the knot that still tied April and Casey together before sprinting away.
"Mikey!" Casey yelled before he sprinted after the orange terrapin, jumping over the couch where Leo and I still stood.
"I guess that answers my question from earlier." Leonardo said as he folded his arms across his plastron and squared his shoulders, aiming towards me. I simply shrugged my shoulders,
"It was just a little bit of fun Leo, no harm, no fowl." I said as I squared my shoulders, mimicking his own movements.
"It was unfair to put them in that situation. What if April did not want to permit his advances…" He continued as I rolled my eyes and interrupted him.
"They have the hots for each other, they just needed a little push."
"A push that should be left to fate, not to two immature children."
"And who are you calling a child" I could feel my anger start to boil, how is it that Leonardo could never understand feelings?
"You know who I am referring to Cassidy. You and Mikey need to own up to your actions."
Ugh! Leo is so unbearable! Why does he have to act this way, it's like he doesn't trust me and it's getting intolerable. My patience is wearing thin and I need to know why Leo seems to have zero faith in me but that is a conversation I am too exhausted to have right now.
"Whatever Leo." I turned and started to walk towards the garage, hoping that I could catch April who made her way back inside, following behind Casey as he chased after Mikey.
"Hey Cass have you se…" Raphael's gruff voice took me by surprise as I tried to make my way through the doorway.
"Uh…Raph," I couldn't finish my sentence before I heard Mikey, April and Casey behind Raph's shell.
"OOOHH! This is great! You GOTTA kiss her dude!" Mikey yelled, I could hear the grin in his voice, and the vibrations of his excitement that reverberated off the walls.
Raph gave me a questioning look and I simply tossed my head back and looked above his head. He slowly turned and twisted before looking at the offending plant.
"Uh…we don't... Mikey and I did that for April and Casey, you should've seen his face when…"
Before I could finish my sentence, Raph bent down and kissed my cheek so faintly that it took my breath away. The heat spread across my cheeks, traveling down my neck as I saw Raph look away from me, his cheeks darkening as he brushed past me, Leo and made his way out the turnstile. Leaving behind a confused twenty-two year old who watched him leave. I am starting to think that I am in serious trouble.
Ugh.
