Just a call. (Tmnt 2012.)

Stay.

The two stayed in that bed and hugged onto each other for a long while... Casey just about fell asleep again, napping could be one of his special talents.

"Casey- about your dad, why don't you stay down here? So he can't lay a hand on you ever again? You get yourself beat in school with hockey and all those fights you start, you get beat by your dad at home, and when you're not at home you're wrestling with gangs and ninjas on the streets... so can't ya stay here? Eliminate one of those options?"
Raph had ran his hand through Casey's hair, it may have been greasy and tangled but he didn't care, it was smooth as silk to him.

"I can't do that, I got a little sister and I'm not leaving Angel with him... plus last time i ran off like that there were missing posters of me put up everywhere, I got one in my room as a souvenir."

Raph sighed, he could understand not wanting to leave a little sibling in danger- after-all, he had Donnie and Mikey to worry about.
"Ah... how old is she?"
"Well if i got my age right.. she should be 13, we're only three years apart- her birthday just ain't happened yet. She acts pretty tough and all but I still got her back. Even if she says she doesn't need me to."

Raph nodded, he and his brothers weren't really years apart. Maybe seconds or days.. but they all just celebrated mutation day as their mutual birthday and had decided themselves who was older and who was youngest... Raph had lost being older to Leo just as he lost being leader to him. Leo was a little jerk back then-

"Yeah, can't really help looking after someone ya care about. No matter how tough they are..."
Casey smiled down at Raph when he had said that, his missing teeth giving him a goofy looking grin.
"Mhm, hell you would be worried about superman if he was your buddy or something."

Raph couldn't help but hold back a laugh when he saw Casey's grin, he looked kinda dumb- but sweet, yeah... there was some sweetness in that smile, and it made Raph feel warm.
"Pfft, yeah I guess so... hey are you feeling any better? Or is the grim reaper still leaning over ya?"

Casey shrugged and lifted up the bottom of the hood to see the stained bandages, they were splotched with red and yellow- yuck.
"Eww.. I feel kinda alright but I don't look it."
Raph grimaced at the sight and pulled Casey's clothes back down.
"Shit, maybe I should have woke Don up. That looks infected as all hell.."

Raph got Casey up out of bed and they walked down out one hall, into the kitchen- where Leo and Mikey were too busy chattering to notice them-, and down to the lab.
"Hey Donnie, what's going on?"
Raph had asked, seeing his brother sorting through some containers of something.

"Oh, afternoon you two... I'm just looking for my propylparaben sodium, but I can't find it! I dunno where I could've misplaced it.."

Raph walked up closer, Casey in tow until Donnie held up a hand in to stop them.
"You can help me look Raph- not Jones, he's as bad as Mikey near my stuff.

Casey let out a scoff as if he were offended.
"Hey! Ive helped you before!"
"On cars, Casey... this is more important- more delicate. So Raph isn't the best option either but he's more careful than you are.."

"Careful bro, I might drop something if ya keep yapping about how not-gentle I can be."
Raph snickered, grabbing hold of a jar.
"Do not! Hamato Raphael!"
"Calm down, I'm being careful.."

Clinking and hums for the search followed suit until Raph picked up a glass jar that was tipped over in the back of the chemical cabinet.
"Here- this says some mumbo jumbo thats sounds like whatever you said."
"Oh great! Thanks Raph. Hey did you need something, or could you just sense I needed another pair of eyes in here?"
Donnie grabbed onto his precious propylparaben sodium, who knows what he needed it for.

"Well I kinda need your help making sure Casey doesn't uh... die?"
Donnie raised a nonexistent brow as Raph grabbed ahold of Casey and lifted his hood, showing his wrapped wound.

"Oh yuck! What the shell happened!?"
Donnie yanked Casey from Raph- and the two hotheads shared a look.
"Just some goons he got scuffed by-"
"Mhm! Weirdos musta not know my wallet is empty as can be."
Casey agreed with a thumbs up while Donnie sat him down on a cot.

"You're going to get yourself killed one of these days, Jones.."
Donnie unwrapped the dirty bandages and assessed the damage with a hum.
"Oh this needs stitches..."

Donnie got to work properly treating Casey's slashed up abdomen, and wrapped it back up.
"There ya go.. just make sure to change those bandages every once and awhile until it heals and you'll be fine."
The genius turtle gave a smile and helped Casey back up.
"Hey thanks.. you're a way better doctor than Raphie boy over there!"

Raph crossed his arms and huffed.
"Well ya called me last night, not Donnie. That's your own fault.."
While Raph looked sulky, Don and Casey cackled with eachother about this and that. And Raph couldn't quite place why it made him feel the way it did- probably cause they were making fun of him. Yeah, he went with that.

"Yo!"
Mikey opened up and peered into the lab.
"All three of you guys missed breakfast! Hey I didn't know Casey was even here... now I gotta get an extra plate.. we got Pozole and rice for lunch! Come eat or I'll eat it for you!"
He sing-songed that last bit before running off without bothering to shut the door, making Donnie frown.

The trio headed into the kitchen, where Leo was sniffing at his soup.
"You sure you didn't put avocado..?"
"Chill dude, I remembered it poisonous to turtles. Plus this recipe doesn't call for it! It's just some lettuce and chilies with some pork!"
"No it's not! What are these bits in it..?"
"Hominy, now eat! You have any idea how long this took me to make? It's special.."

Donnie sat down having a bowl pushed towards him.
"What's the occasion..?"
Mikey suddenly pulled his puppy dog eyes, looking all sullen.
"I can't believe you guys forgot.. it's my birthday!"
"This is the first time I'm hearing about it... since when do you have a separate birthday from the rest of us?"

Mikey stuck his tongue out at Raph.
"Since now bro! It's march 6th. Thats when the OG Angelo painter dude got popped out. So I nabbed the day for myself! Obvi."
Everyone at the table gave him a look and Raph munched down on the hearty and spicy stew.
"Mmhm, just don't expect any presents this year.."

Mikey shrugged and put a bowl in the freezer while cooing to his pet Icecreamkitty.
"Y'all should have known, don't you have ninja intuition?"
"My intuition couldn't get through your thick head if it tried.."
Raph muttered, he wasn't gonna complain about the food. He was just glad Mikey didn't add some odd ingredient like gummy bears..

"Whatever dude, y'all are just jelly I thought of it first.. I'm smart like that!"
Donnie rolled his eyes and nommed his soup, it was odd to eat a holiday food nowhere near a holiday.. but it was yummy!

After a nice dinner where Leo tried to say something about zodiac signs that Mikey understood none of- Leo made them all train, except Casey. Who got the watch while sipping a juice box while Mikey bugged him about it being his last grape juice...

And finally everyone got to do their own thing until patrol, and Mikey went skating off in the sewers while Donnie and Leo chattered about something on the couch and watched something. Raph made Casey come with him to feed and water Chompy.

"Here, hold him."
Raph handed over his pet turtle and Casey took him with a smile.
"Hey, I think he's getting a bit bigger! He might not be your baby turtle for too much longer, dada Raph!"
Casey mocked, giving Chompy a pat on the head.

Raph scoffed.
"Yeah right.."
He took his baby turtle back and let him chase his fingers around, dodging the bites that would otherwise come his way.
"Ynow.. even though I can't stay down here forever- I think I can hang for a while. How about tonight we hang? I know a great place.."