WHOO! All my stupid projects are DONE! All that is left are finals and then I'm done! DONE! I managed to get a chapter done before I had to study and crap though so here you go. Enjoy!
Everything fell apart just one day later. Leo found out about Raph's little escapades just like he wanted and they fought terribly. Mikey and Donnie tried to break it up, but that only got them yelled at. Worse still was that April brought Casey around again and Donnie felt more than ever that she was rubbing him in Donnie's face. It hurt him right down to the core and he saw only one way to escape the pain. He didn't care about Leo's dumb rule and ignored all their protests as he ran out into the night, into danger, into white.
Donnie doesn't even look at his t-phone. It is instinct to run to one spot in particular. There is no way she is anywhere else. Tears burn his eyes all the while and he doesn't bother holding them in. He lets them stream down his face as he races down the streets. The image of April next to Casey sears his mind all the while. He has to escape it. There must be a way. This must be the way.
Donnie rounds the corner into an alley and he stops abruptly. He slams his fist into the dumpster beside him and pain pulses through his arm. He screams at it as if it is the cause for all his turmoil. Really it is only helping, distracting his emotional pain with this terrible physical pain.
The clattering dumpster startles Alopex awake. She leaps to all fours and tenses immediately. She bares her teeth and growls deep in her throat as she stares through narrowed eyes at the culprit. Only as she sees the green does she relax. She sighs in heavy relief, but she is not abashed to keep scowling at him. "What the hell Donnie? You gave me a heart attack."
Donnie ignores her words. He stomps past her and moves until he is at the very end of the alley. He presses his head against the cool red bricks. They are bumpy, but he doesn't have the effort or desire to move.
Alopex rises to two feet and follows him. She frowns deeply and tilts her head. Her ears flick and her eyes swim with uncertainty. "Donnie," Her eyes quickly adjust to the increased darkness and she peers around to try and see his expression. "What's up?"
Donnie draws in a deep breath. He closes his eyes tight and his mouth stretches into a grimace. "I don't get it." He says weakly, his voice wavering slightly. "I don't get her."
Alopex's lips curl back and her ears flatten. "Her?" She says carefully. Like there can be anyone else that he is talking about. It must be that stupid April again.
"April." He grinds out.
Alopex knew it. It takes all her effort to suppress a growl. Her hands clench automatically. "What did I tell you?" She forces her tone to remain even. "You can't let this girl get to you. She's not worth it. If she was she wouldn't-"
Donnie jerks up and swivels. "Yes she is!" He snaps. He sees Alopex flinch and he cringes too. He sighs heavily and hangs his head. "I…I'm sorry. But…it's not that easy." His voice is soft now, weak and with a pained edge. "I just…I wanted to get away. I had to get away…to see you."
Alopex smiles sadly. She sighs softly. "Don't worry about it." She sets her hand on his shoulder. "Come on," She slides her hand down his arm to his hand and tugs lightly. "You can tell me all about it." About her.
Donnie lets her direct him away from the deep darkness of the alley. They don't go far though. It's still hard to see where they stop in the alley, it just feels less ominous closer to the lights on the street. When she releases him he stops, unsure of what to do.
Alopex watches his carefully as she moves away. She trusts him, but she isn't sure about him when he gets this way. She lowers herself to all fours and curls in the corner of the dumpster and wall, just like that night from months before. "Sit with me." Her tail swishes lightly.
Donnie stares blankly for a long moment. He blinks and then slowly bends down. He crawls over and leans back against her, sliding down until only his head rests in her soft fur. The rest of his body lies heavily on the dirt. He lets out an elongated sigh, shutting his eyes. "I'm just so confused Alopex."
Alopex rests her head on her front paws. She focuses on Donnie's face and doesn't say a word. She has only been human for a few months, but she's learned a lot. She knows and understands that sometimes, times just like this, that silence is golden.
Donnie mindlessly fidgets with his hands. "Casey comes over pretty much all the time now. He always comes with her too. And they…they're close." He scowls bitterly at the ground. "But tonight…I felt like he was taunting me. Her too."
Alopex can't help but imagine a scene even before he reveals one. She knows she must be dramatizing it, but she pictures Casey and April all over each other and Donnie helplessly watching on. It makes her blood boil, but she shows no visible signs of rage. She keeps her gaze trained on Donnie and a neutral expression on her face.
"I know she didn't mean it…" He grumbles. "I guess anyway. I mean, she's my friend. She wouldn't hurt me on purpose." But she still is hurting me. "Still…tonight it was worse…"
Donnie recalls it perfectly as he tells Alopex. They were all in the main area of the lair. Leo was watching television, Raph was reading a comic with Mikey, and Donnie was tinkering with a portable machine. He should have been working on a mutagen cure, but after the stress of stealing the night before he needs a break. Splinter was the only one missing. That's when April walked in.
Donnie looked up eagerly. His eyes shined a little brighter and his smile stretched clear across his face. He was halfway through setting down his tools and hopping up to meet her when he noticed her appendage. Casey was hot at her heels, like some stupid dog. It made Donnie freeze and his face set in a scowl. He even tensed.
Casey said something in her ear and she laughed. Anger swelled within Donnie and he clenched his hands tighter around his tools. He kept his narrowed eyes glued to Casey. He noticed quickly his hand is still bandaged. Of course. It had only been a few days since the incidence and Casey is only human. He isn't like Alopex. But of course April would dote on him because of it. She probably thought it was cool or something.
Mikey is the next to look up. He yelled his greeting and waved animatedly. It would have made Donnie smile and roll his eyes on any other given day, but not right now. At the sound of Mikey's response, Leo and Raph looked up. They smiled and said hi, but there was an edge to Raph's expression. He glanced at Donnie for a fleeting moment, not sure whether to be worried for his brother or defensive of Casey. He saw that look in Donnie's eyes. It was not a good look.
April waved to them all, her gaze lingering on Donnie a moment longer than the others. She bit her lip and quickly swept her eyes away from him. She focused instead on the couch across the way. She grabbed Casey's arm and pulled him along – mistake number one.
Casey started and then a wide grin settled on his face. He let her pull him and where she wanted. He wasn't inherently mean, at least he didn't think so. Yet concerning April, he felt his mean streak rise to the surface, mostly when Donnie was present – times like this. He looked directly at Donnie, a smirk curling his lips and his eyes twinkling with triumph.
Donnie's blood ran cold. His hands twitched before him. He slowly stood, his eyes burning fiercely as he looked hard at Casey. That little punk. How dare he? He's only been a part of April's life a few months and their world for even shorter. How can she give that punk the attention that he has craved since the day they met, just like that?
Mikey tensed. He glanced fervently from Casey to Donnie and finally to Leo, as if he could really do something. But Leo seemed perfectly calm. Couldn't he see that everything was about to go wrong? The atmosphere was tense and everything was all wrong. His sensitive little brother knew it more than any of them.
April sat on the couch and brought Casey with her. She was oblivious to the rising tension. She smiled over at Donnie and then quickly turned her head around to smile at Casey.
Casey smirked back. He laid his hand over hers. There was not a hint of embarrassment or tentativeness about him.
April started. Her eyes flew down to where their hands met. Her cheeks flushed a light pink and she jerked her hand back. She swiveled and hid her face. Smooth. Real smooth. All the guys are probably looking at her now too.
Donnie went agape. He didn't even know how to react. Not just to Casey's boldness, but more than anything to April's reaction. She never acted like that toward him. Granted he didn't act like Casey, but no one could say he never tried.
Casey chuckled softly to himself. He glanced up, intending to look at Donnie, but meeting Raph's eyes instead. It made Casey start and his eyes widen slightly. Raph's eyes are intense, nothing too unique or surprising, Casey had just never seen such an expression aimed at him. What? What did he do?
Raph shook his head stiffly. It's hard to choose between Donnie and Casey, especially in such a shallow situation, but family is family. He can't see Donnie tortured like this. The least Casey could do was keep his flirting out of the lair.
Donnie wanted to hurt him. He legitimately wanted to knock Casey out. That's why he ran, part of why he ran anyway. What ultimately made him snap was the next instant – that moment where April sat back up and leaned over against him. Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad, but Donnie saw clearly the deepening blush in her cheeks.
He couldn't do it. He just couldn't. His body shook slightly and with slowly growing intensity. He bit his lip and fought against the tears, but he did not fight his desire to run. And he ran. Their voices yelled after him, but he refused to stop. The tears were coming now and he refused to let them see his shame.
Donnie sighs sadly. The memory fades away and he's left feeling worse than ever. The full extent of his immaturity sinks in. "It's stupid…" His voice trembles. "She probably didn't even mean it that way…" But that didn't keep his emotions from overwhelming him and flowing down his cheeks in a steady stream of tears.
Alopex's ears lay flat against her skull. Her teeth are bared beneath her lips. "Donnie," Her voice is smooth with only a scarce trace of anger. "What are you doing with your hands?" It sounds wrong, but it has been bothering her since midway through his story.
Donnie peers up through tear filled eyes. "What?" He squeaks. He looks at her as if she's lost her mind yet with painful sadness.
"Sorry, but you're about to twist them off. And I was wondering what that's about."
Donnie smiles weakly. Even in the worst of moments she manages to be blunt and very near uncaring. Yet he knows she isn't, and it makes it endearing. "It's…habit. I…I like to tinker…need to on the worst of days. Days like today..."
Alopex frowns. "I'm guessing your favorite is machines." She smiles, but there is little sincerity behind it. Pain shines in her eyes. "But if you really need to fiddle with something," She curls her tail around and lays it in his lap. "You can mess with this. Otherwise you're going to twist your hands clean off." She snickers softly at herself.
Donnie stares blankly for a moment, then a small smile creeps onto his features. He even chuckles softly. "Thanks…" He sniffles. It's weird, it really is, but in the moment he doesn't think anything of it. He takes her tail and breathes out heavily. It's so much like that first night.
Alopex smiles. "And, I'm sorry about what happened." That's probably what she should have said at the start. "Really." She reaches around and rubs her hand over his cheek nearest to her. His tears send a shudder through her, but she doesn't retract her hand until all the tears are gone.
Donnie nods weakly. "I know you probably don't care…" He gently splits her fur into sections, the soft feel of it beneath his fingers relaxes him. The methodic nature of his movements eases him further. "Not about stupid stuff like this." He looks to her. "But thanks for listening anyway."
Alopex stares with slowly widening eyes at him. "Of course I care." She says defensively. "If it upsets you, then it matters to me." She wants to say she'll do something about it too – about them – but she doesn't know where to begin. She doesn't know the April girl at all and only knows Casey vaguely.
Donnie laughs softly, barely audibly. The adamant look on her face and the fierce spark in her eyes brings him a little light in the dark. "I'm glad." He breathes. "No one else likes to listen about April. They feel bad…but I know I annoy them."
A flicker of a scowl passes Alopex's expression, but she quickly covers it with a softness not common to her. "I'll always listen to you." She raises a hand and holds it out to him.
Donnie stares down at the offer and looks back up to meet her golden eyes. He releases her tail with one hand and then slowly extends his hand and takes hers.
Alopex smiles confidently. "I promise." She grips his hand firmly. Even though tending to feelings isn't her best skill, when April turns her back on him she will be there to pick up the pieces.
Donnie smiles and for the first time the light of it reaches his eyes. He leans up off of her then and scoots forward into a sitting position. He still does not release her tail. "And I promise I'll come and see you more often." He snorts softly. "And not just to cry about my life."
Alopex chuckles. "Sounds cool." She sits up off the ground, crossing her legs and laying a hand in her lap. The other remains firmly locked in Donnie's. She flashes him a sharp toothed smile.
Donnie's face is suddenly struck with shock. For the first time since he ran away he realizes that everyone will probably be worried sick. They might even come searching for him, just like that day months ago. He pulls his hands back quickly and jumps up.
Alopex starts. She leaps up with him. "What is it? What's wrong?" She tenses. Her hands clench in fists and her ears flick. She doesn't hear anything or smell anything particularly off-putting.
"I…I have to go." Distress lines his expression. "I can't have them looking for me again."
Alopex relaxes and an amused but soft smile curves her lips. "You could just say so." She half laughs. "You don't have to spring up like that and put me on alert."
Donnie looks apologetically at her. He smiles bashfully. "Sorry."
Alopex rolls her eyes. "And you don't have to be sorry all the time." She gives him a sharp, playful look. "I also promise I'll teach you that." She sees him about to speak and so she steps forward quickly. She wraps her arms around his shoulders, drawing him close. "Don't let her get to you. Remember – you're stronger than that."
Donnie's eyes widen suddenly, but just as quickly she's pulled away from him again. He stares blankly for a moment. Then he smiles. "Thanks, Alopex." He wipes at his face to make sure all the tears are really gone. "I'll try."
"You better." She grins. Then she turns hard on her heel and leaps up to the fire escape. There is a cringe of pain, but she makes the jump beautifully. She swing up from one level to the next, faltering only slightly from her ankle, before she disappears just like every time.
Donnie doesn't wait. He makes his own way home. He can't afford to lose any more time. He doesn't want to be lectured again like that night so long ago. But he does hope that April and Casey are gone now. He swallows hard and his heart skips a beat. He really doesn't need more crap to deal with.
He reaches home five minutes later. He moves tentatively into the lair. He holds his breath, hoping not just for April and Casey to be gone but for his brothers to not be around either. Yet as he walks out into view he sees them all clearly, all but April and Casey. He lets out a breath. Well, at least that's one thing.
"Donnie!" Mikey exclaims. He flips off the couch and races toward him. He comes to an abrupt halt in front of Donnie, his eyes wide and shining with life. "You're back!" His eyes dim and a certain somberness comes to his face. "Are you ok?"
Donnie smiles down at his little brother. "Yeah, I'm ok." He pats Mikey's head lightly. He lifts his gaze and his expression hardens. He stares out at his other two brothers. Neither look particularly pleased, but at least Donnie can make out a hint of pity in Raph. Leo is like a stone.
Raph stands slowly and stands for a moment. He glances to Leo, but his brother only has eyes for Donnie. So in the next instant he walks steadily over to Donnie. He gets close, opposite of Mikey. He leans in and whispers, "Leo's pretty steamed."
Donnie nods ever so slightly. "Yeah, I can tell." What else could be expected? Just this morning he flipped out on Raph for leaving and then he went and ran off just the same. It was a little different. At least Donnie had a reason beyond wanting to irritate Leo. Still, it went against Leo's rule nonetheless.
Leo crosses his arms over his chest. He stares through narrowed eyes at Donnie and taps his fingers lightly on his arms. He presses his lips together tightly as thoughts whirl in his head. He understands Donnie's plight, although he thinks his with Karai is far worse, but he can't just let him keep running off like that. One day Donnie might not make it back. Then what? It'd be all his fault. And while his guilt is nothing compared to Raph's, it would be very near crippling nonetheless.
Donnie steps forward. He can see Leo struggling even through his mask of emotionlessness. He moves across the lair all the way to Leo. He bows his head slightly. "Leo, look, I'm really sorry." He rubs the back of his neck. "I-"
Leo opens his mouth to interject, but he feels an itching sensation in his nose. His face contorts and he leans his head back before he sneezes. "Weird…" He murmurs to himself. He rubs his nose.
Donnie blinks twice. Was Leo getting sick? Humans sneeze randomly all the time, but it isn't in their nature to do that. He frowns deeply, but he lets it go. "Um, I was just-"
Leo feels it come on strong. He sneezes again, and again, and again. He covers his nose with both hands and after a fit of it the sneezing finally tampers off. "Man…" He wipes at his nose. His eyes are watery.
Mikey stares with big, curious eyes. His mouth forms on 'o'. "Dude…" He gasps. "That was the most sneezing I've ever seen." He trots over to Leo to get a better look.
Raph frowns deeply. "What's wrong with you, fearless?" His brows knit together and he tilts his head slightly. "You allergic to Donnie now?" He snickers and grins like a maniac.
Donnie freezes. Shit. No, way. No freaking way. Donnie suppresses what he knows must be a panicked look and attempts to subtly scan himself for obvious signs of Alopex's fur. How had this never happened before? Why not that first time? Had Leo really been too far away? Just…no way.
Leo shakes his head. "Don't be stupid Raph." He scolds. "It was just something in the air."
Raph snorts. "Yeah, something in the air that only affects you. You know what that means, genius? It means you're allergic to something. Obviously it isn't Donnie, stupid. But it's something."
"No, it-it-it's…not!" He sneezes another few times.
Donnie swallows hard. He can't see any white fur. Still, it must be there – traces of her. Why? Why did this have to happen? How could the one thing Leo is allergic to be a fox? Such bullcrap. Donnie searches for a way out of this.
Raph looks to Donnie. "Hey, Donnie." He waits for his brother to look at him. Donnie's movement is sharp and unnatural, making Raph's suspicion rise. "Where did you go tonight?" He doesn't really want to get his brother in trouble, but he has a bad feeling about all this. Somehow.
Donnie stares petrified at Raph. No. This can't be it. He can't be caught in a corner. His heart beats erratically and his breathing quickens. Then it hits him. I…I ran in to a bunch of dogs." He smiles. "Yeah," He nods. "They were up all over me. A bit annoying, but they did make me feel better."
Raph raises a brow. Donnie couldn't sound like more of a liar. Raph knows his way around a lie – making one, pulling it off, and most of all detecting when someone is sucking at it. "Dogs, huh?" He crosses his arms.
Mikey doesn't question it for a second. "Wow!" He laughs. "So you're allergic to dogs?" He throws his head back and cackles. "That's the best thing ever!"
Leo scowls fiercely at his youngest brother. "No it's not!" His brows press hard on his eyes. He sniffles again despite himself and sneezes immediately after. "It's not funny. And I'm not allergic." At this point he can't help but think he is. Of all the rotten luck.
Mikey's laughter only rises. "We should totally adopt one. That way, when Leo's being too bossy, we can make him sick and he'll leave us alone." He grins from ear to ear.
Leo clenches his hands and stares Mikey down. "Mikey…" He growls.
Mikey sees the intent in his eyes and turns hard on his heel. He lets out a little squeal as he races across the lair. Leo is right on his heels all the while, screaming his name.
Donnie lets out a heavy breath. That's certainly one way to divert the attention from him. Now he can go and- as he turns he stops abruptly. In his path stands Raph. He looks warily down at him, forcing a cheery smile. "Mikey," He shrugs. "What can you expect?"
Raph does not smile in return. "What were you really doing out there?" Maybe he isn't smart like Donnie, but he definitely isn't stupid. The other night when they'd ran into each other Raph had seen the lie too. Now that it's here a second time, it worries him greatly.
Donnie feels a spike of fear, but he keeps it down. "You know." He says softly. He looks down at Raph with pain in his eyes. "You saw what Casey did." What April then condoned. "I just went to get away."
Raph cringes. That isn't a lie. Still, he's not telling the whole truth either. "Away where?"
Donnie bites his lip and hates himself for the tiny, automatic action. Stupid. "Just leave it Raph." He is a bit startled by how much he sounds like Leo in that moment. "I just have a place that makes me feel better. Shouldn't that be all that matters?"
Raph chews his cheek thoughtfully. He isn't sure about this.
Donnie sees the indecision and adds quickly, "It's better than Leo's mess with Karai." Hopefully that's all Raph really wants.
Raph snorts. Yeah, that's really what he wanted. Still, can he trust Donnie on that? Donnie was never a liar, not like him. But something about him has changed recently. It's a change not unlike Leo's. Only this time Raph isn't in on the secret. He doesn't know the truths beneath the mask.
"Please Raph…" Donnie pleads.
Raph cringes. He flashes back to the night after Slash attacked them. He remembers Mikey asking to sleep with him in the same desperate tone. This…whatever this is…it is affecting Donnie greatly. He sighs heavily and shakes his head. "Fine." For now.
Donnie lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He smiles brightly. He feels as if a weight has been lifted from his shoulders. "Thank you." He nods to Raph. "Really." He moves past Raph and heads for his room. After all that, all he really wants to do is sleep. Sleep it all away.
Raph watches him go. He studies Donnie carefully. He might let this go, but he isn't about to believe it was dogs that affected Leo like this. Even if he can't get the deep truth from Donnie, he'll find out the truth behind the allergy. It was some other animal. The same animal they found the fur of when they found Donnie months ago. It's his only clue. And he plans to hold onto it tight.
I swear if Casey isn't the biggest little shit in the show then I will be severely disappointed. We already know he's cocky and really, as mean as it is, I hope that he flirts with April to intentionally mess with Donnie. Also, maybe Donnie getting that upset seemed petty, but even if it was petty I think he would act that way anyway. Love makes people petty. Donnie's pretty sensitive too so yeah.
Also near the end I put in a reference to my other story 'Guilt'. Go check that out if you haven't already to know what Raph was thinking back to. And what do you think of me giving Leo an allergy to foxes? Honestly I wanted it to be Raph cause that's hilarious, but Raph came to close contact with Donnie on multiple occasions. It's pretty funny to be Leo too though imo, so not a huge loss.
Well, please review!