Long live all the mountains we moved

by Taisi

It's almost dreamlike, the glow of April's stars, and the sound of rain, and the future waiting for them patiently, kindly, just around the corner—and now more than ever, as she and Casey draw Donnie into a kiss that goes three ways as naturally as the earth moves around the sun, April can't wait to meet it. (Capritello, 'Problem Child' sidefic.)

4. softer than stone

"'No one has a heart of stone.' It's something mom used to say," Casey explains, and the fingers curled around his squeeze a little tighter.

It's her birthday, and it's cold for an afternoon in April and the skies are a little gray and rainy, but his little clan has gathered in the cemetery with him, anyway; all of them sitting in a cluster in the cool grass, passing the bottle of champagne April brought back and forth. They poured a glass for mom, first, and it's sitting on the edge of the polished granite headstone.

Raphael is warm at his back, and April's head is pillowed on his shoulder. Leo has an arm around Mikey, and the other around Karai. Donatello's fingers are tangled with Casey's, and he swallows a lump in his throat.

Every single one of them have a mom of their own to miss, and they're here missing hismom for the day, instead. For him.

"I used to think she musta been wrong. That there musta been a few exceptions, 'cause dad was so damn mean after she was gone, you know? But, uh - " He clutches Donnie and April a little tighter, a little closer, and they lean into him warmly. "I guess she was right."

Dad's heart broke when mom died. Stone would have been a lot sturdier.

And Casey's heart is so full and tender it should be impossible, and he knows stone would be sturdier, stone would be safer -

but for the warm bodies huddled up to his, and the tipsy, affectionate bump of hands and hugs that hold him in the cold, and the kisses pressed to his hair and the side of his face, Casey thinks,

I'll risk it.