I just really love writing Casey/Donnie interactions. And Casey/Raph interactions. And Donnie/Raph interactions. So you know, this was a given. I didn't mention this last chapter, but while we will have lots of chapters like the last one, we also never get little interactions between the two. You know little lines on the side and stuff, yeah. So, we will be getting a lot of chapters like this, as well. I should warn you that it's 2:30, and I'm exhausted.

Not mine.

"I don't understand why we had to go with Don. Does he really need both of us?" Casey groaned, staring at the mutant's back as he fiddled with an electric lock. They had come to Kraang headquarters in hopes of getting more mutagen, and Leo had split the six up.

"Sadly, yes. April, Leo, and Mikey get to punch people, and we get to carry canisters of radioactive ooze. Joy." Raph responded, pushing the back of Donnie's shell. "You wanna hurry it up? I'd like to get out of here before Christmas."

"I'm trying." Donnie paused before pushing a small button, smiling proudly as the door slid open. "And if it concerns you so much, yes, I did need both of you. In case you forgot, I'm the only existing being who can make retro-mutagen. I'm worth a lot, and I'm counting on you two to keep my head on my body." He said this matter-of-factly, as if it was perfectly a normal conversation to have. "Besides, I need someone strong enough to carry very large containers of that radioactive ooze."

Casey rolled his eyes, accepting the attempt at flattery while acknowledging that was all it was. "If I end up turning into a freak because of this, you better cure me first."

Raph and Donnie both paused to stare at Casey, their faces a mixture of contempt, offense, and pain. Casey stared back for a solid ten seconds before catching his mistake. "I mean, you guys aren't freaks. You're totally normal."

Donnie glared at him for a beat longer before sighing and pulling pen and paper from his belt. Smoothing the paper against the wall, he began to sketch a quick outline of the building, circling the room they stood in and marking another area. "We're at Point A. We need to get to Point B. That's where the mutagen is. However, between those two points is No-man's land, and the Kraang are going to be all over this area. I know stealth isn't what you two are known for, but please try."

He straightened up, waiting for a confirmation and looking back when he got none. He was greeted with the two admiring their weapons, eventually meeting his eyes with faint confusion. "Stealth. Use it. Avoid fighting. Got it?"

Groans rose from both at the same time, but they held their protests as they put their weapons back. Donnie nodded a thank you before moving through the unlocked door.

The trio traveled in silence, on guard and ready to fight any threat that came along. To their surprise and, in the case of Raph and Casey, disappointment, there wasn't a single Kraang, bot or otherwise. They were alone, the only sound coming from groans of annoyance.

"This doesn't make any sense." Donnie mumbled, stepping into 'Point B' with exaggerated care. As expected, a large vat of mutagen sat in the middle of the room. "You'd think this would be guarded better." Shrugging, he stepped closer to the acid, studying it and trying to figure out how he could collect some. They had to have some empty canisters somewhere...

Meanwhile, Casey groaned, throwing his hockey stick down in disgust. "This is ridiculous! We don't even get to fight! What's the point?" He watched as Donnie crept behind the vat, rolling his eyes at the audible gasp Donnie gave when he emerged holding multiple canisters.

"Note to future self: There's a compartment in the back filled with these." The mutant grinned, obviously proud of himself. Dropping the containers, he began to inspect the vat in hopes of finding a way to collect it without dipping anything into the mutagen itself.

Meanwhile, Casey and Raph stared at each other, both clearly irritated with the lack of skull-crushing going on. "This is so boring!" The human whined, leaning against a wall. In true cliche fashion, a siren began to blare, and Casey jumped away to see a blaringly obvious button right where he had leaned.

"I thought Mikey went with the others!" Raph quipped, eager for a fight. As he had hoped, Kraang began to file in. "Get the mutagen, Don!" Giving a cocky smile to match Casey's, he launched into action.

Donnie only nodded, his eyes busy studying every part of the unit. He stood ready to fight, but didn't brother to grab his weapon in hopes that the other two could handle it. Slowly walking around the vat and ignoring the sounds of battle, his eyes lit up and the sight of small circles that were the same shape and size as the empty canisters. Quickly stuffing one in each hole, Donnie smiled, satisfied as the bottles began to fill with the green liquid. He returned to grab more canisters, ducking as a blast went off right over his head.

"Oops!" Casey called, hitting the robot over the head like it was a baseball and he was aiming for a home run. Donnie gave a quick thumbs up before returning to the task at hand.

This back and forth continued for a few more rounds, ending when Raph and Casey gave each other a celebratory high five. Around the same time, Donnie walked up to the duo with multiple containers filling his arms. "Great job, you two." He mumbled, obviously more interested in all the retro-mutagen he would be making.

Maybe it was pity, maybe it was indigestion, but a Raph felt some kind of twinge in his stomach when he saw Donnie glance up at them almost shyly. Reaching out a hand, he awkwardly patted his brother's shoulder. "Yeah, you too."

Donnie looked like he might've dropped every container right there.