i_speak_softly | Thirty-Ninth Theory [Action]

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Thirty-Ninth Theory [Action]

[The house is too quiet today. With April sent home, Derek hiding out who-knows-where, and Leo gone to battle, it's down to just Don and Raph again - and not in their little apartment now, but in a house that feels suddenly too big.]

[Fortunately, Don has some things to occupy himself with. After making sure Raph is all right to be left alone for a few hours, he heads out to visit some friends.]

[He goes first up the path to C7, to visit Frederic - to check on the man in his roommate's absence and to deliver a certain package.]

[After that he'll circle back to C3. He needs to see a certain resident that he's been visiting frequently of late. This time, however, he won't go around to the door of the apartment. Instead he'll knock on the window. There's something they need to talk about, and this seems like a more apt way to begin the conversation.]

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[Raph gets up and follows him, squinting in the sudden light. Yeah, you tried. But he's hungry.]

Hm.

[He flips open one of the pizza boxes, trying to decide whether he should bother asking if the guy's okay or not.]

[Don doesn't offer any more information on the subject. He opens the other box and takes a slice, not even bothering to get a plate. His air is one of distraction and nervousness.]

[Raph won't bother with a plate either. He hasn't eaten all day, dammit.

He bites into his slice and watches his brother fidget for a second.]

What's wrong with him?

Edited 2011-03-01 02:07 (UTC)

With who?

[You know it's bad when Donatello can't hold the thread of conversation for five seconds.]

Derek. You said you ran into him then you got all twitchy.

He's fine. The same.

[He puts his pizza down, right on the counter.] Raph, we need to talk.

[Raph huffs and rolls his eyes. He knew this was coming. Though honestly he thought Leo would lecture him about his last outburst way before Don did.]

Don, it's all right. We don't have to. Really.

[So Raph knows and has already decided to just pretend the whole thing isn't happening.]

[Don buries his face in his pizza-crumb-flecked hands.]

I'm so obvious...

[Okay, now he's just confused.]

Huh?

[...]

[He peeks out from between his fingers.]

Raph, what do you think I'm trying to talk to you about?

[He puts his half-eaten slice back in the box.]

Not what I thought you were talkin' about.

[Enough of this skirting around the topic. If he doesn't get to the point soon he'll lose his nerve and not say anything.]

[He leans forward over the counter and fixes Raph with his gaze.]

Here's what we're talking about: I'm in love.

[And yet more confusion.]

What?

I love someone, Raph. [Come on. There aren't any smaller words he can use to describe this.]

Okay... You gonna tell me who, or am I supposed to ask?

[Defiantly, though it's not too hard to tell that there's fear behind it:] It's Robert.

[You can practically hear his brain breaking.]

Robert.

I introduced you to him at the tree.

That weird little skinny guy. Robert.

[Wat.]

You're serious.

That's the one. And I am very serious.

Why?

Why what, Raph?

Well, he's uh... Y'know... [Because apparently the word "guy" is taboo now.]

A human? A scientist? Skinny? What's your objection, Raphael?

[Yes, he's deliberately provoking things. He's come this far and he's not going to leave the conversation half-finished.]

[Desperately:] He's a guy!