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[steepwithdead]

"Oh, hey."

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Comments

[grabaslice]

I need to remind myself he won't get it just yet. Not when all he can see is the hurt happening.

Considering he chose to die his way last time, I'm hoping he will accept either magic or the idea Casey has. Casey made it, so his plan would fit in Donnie's perimeters too. He's still stubbornly rejecting it.

[steepwithdead]

I'll help you remember if you forget. We're the adults, we have to let the kids be kids. I know you're trying to.

What is it that made him choose to die "his way" before?

[grabaslice]

Thank you. I just need to remind myself that... he's some version of my brother, but, he's still a kid. He doesn't need to be privy to the shit happening with my brother.

The illness progressed so much that Donnie knew he was going to die from the illness anyway. That's it.

[steepwithdead]

It's hard to keep such things concealed, especially when the children are already involved. But we keep moving forward, and try to do better when we go astray.

It doesn't sound like what he did will be an option this time. Maybe he's frustrated by that, too.

cw: blasé mention of suicide

[grabaslice]

Yeah, that is about the best we can do. I'm surprised this went uncommented on for as long as it did. Glad Casey at least is trying to talk about everything with other people.

He can't go on any suicide missions here, so, he's going to have to let us actually help. I know he has to be really frustrated. This situation sucks.

Re: cw: blasé mention of suicide

[steepwithdead]

Kids can be more sensible than adults, sometimes. It's a fascinating nuance of growth. But it's good for you to demonstrate through example that he's doing the right thing. Keep on communicating that with him, and the others if you can.

[He knows Leonardo isn't their dad, or necessarily a guiding figure, but still. Adults can have influence in many ways.]

There's still time to let him come around on the idea. The solution is still a work-in-progress, isn't it?

[grabaslice]

Kids are a lot more direct and cut through the bullshit in a way we lose. I'll do my best to. I don't want to overstep. He has his own family back home, and we're different enough this is jarring.

Casey has everything planned out. He just needs the time to actually make sure he has enough blood to flush the infection out. It involves a little magic, but Donnie can cope with it.

[steepwithdead]

It's good to stay mindful of the differences. He isn't your brother. But the familiarity of "fellow turtle" and "Raph" is a draw, is it not?

I don't entirely understand this plan, but do you think you'll have enough time for that?

[grabaslice]

Yeah, it is. Hard not to be a draw. I want to take care of him, as much as he'll allow me to.

Casey explained it really well. I'm not much of a big thinker, so, I'm probably not explaining it particularly well. I think so. Donnie was working on a way to stall things on his side.

It's just a lot of hurry up and wait.

[steepwithdead]

You're a good person, Leonardo. Give it time.

[And then, since his conversation with Raphael is more or less winding,]

Are you coming downstairs?

[If he wants to keep pacing there, Caduceus will go up.]

[grabaslice]

How does he always know what to say-? [The turtle mutters to himself. He closes his relic with a click. Tucking it away in his pocket.]

I'm coming down! [He's at least paced out some of his energy that he can calmly make his way down to where Caduceus is.]

[steepwithdead]

[Caduceus is down in the kitchen, boiling a fresh kettle for tea, and starting to gather up ingredients he knows are good for dough, alongside taking stock of the vegetables they have already for the pizza. His relic is off to one side, since he'd been using it moments ago.]

If you're going to walk holes in the floor, at least do it where there's nowhere to fall through.

[grabaslice]

Hey, I'm doing my part of testing the integrity of the floor up there. [The joke comes easily enough as he walks over to lean against the counter for the moment. Not in the way, but here to make pizza happen.]

I think we have enough tomato for sauce, but, I haven't checked our tomatoes in a while. [you mean HIS tomatoes, buddy.]

[steepwithdead]

[Caduceus doesn't correct him. They've been sharing space for a bit now, and the groceries have been shared, too. They can be their tomatoes for a while.]

We may have enough ingredients here already, though I'm not opposed to going out to fetch more. You seem like you have some extra energy to burn.

[Walking through the market is surely better than pacing craters in the floor. It's such lovely mahogany...]

[grabaslice]

You want me to stop tormenting these poor floors. Afraid my stress tests might be too much. [He bats back, teasingly.]

Well, if you want, we could go and grab a few things. Keep me away from my relic and all the drama there. [Suddenly a 'we' thing again.]

[steepwithdead]

I do, actually. It's load-bearing.

[The house is sturdy, but the roof has to rest on something! Also, it's a ceiling as much as a floor, and the kitchen is just below... (It isn't really going to collapse, but the ruse got him downstairs, didn't it?)]

I think time away from all of it would do you a lot of good. Not only for you, either. Your stress is contagious.

[grabaslice]

Well, if it's load bearing, I better not test it too hard. [The turtle is very easy to trick, thankfully. Leonardo chuckles somewhat back.]

Didn't mean for my stress to come your way. Guess I'm real good at stressing.

[steepwithdead]

Call it one of your many talents.

[Please calm down, though.]

There are things in life you can't change. Opinions are, sometimes, one of them. You've done what you can for now, sown your seeds. You need to give your thoughts and feelings time to grow in his mind.

[grabaslice]

We'll add it right on the list next to 'too loud' and call it even on the talent list. [He mimes checking it off a list.]

I used to be able to change hearts and minds with speeches, guess I've lost that touch. [He has to joke a little about that much.] You're right, best I can do is wait, and be nearby if Raph wants to talk it out.

[steepwithdead]

Well, at least you know your talents.

[Better to categorize it as talent and not flaw!]

Do those speeches usually work on teenagers? Because I find that speeches often end up being ignored because they sound too much like a lecture.

[grabaslice]

Gotta be my biggest hype man and hater, depending on the day.

Probably would come off as a lecture here, I'm a little more used to the whole wartime stirring speeches kind of thing. [He motions for Cad to lead the way out of the house, they have ingredients to obtain for pizza after all.]

[steepwithdead]

[Caduceus fetches his spoon and a basket, and heads out, shrugging on a warm, spring-coloured jacket by the door before they leave. It's not terribly cold yet, but it's good to keep warm just in case.]

Less wartime, but rousing speeches might be what someone needs around here once in a while.

[grabaslice]

[Leonardo has his spoon on him out of habit, so at best he grabs his cape/cowl from where it is hanging by the door to shrug on.]

I'll start working on some rousing speeches in my mind, just to have on standby in case we need any. You're the one with the actual practical advice, I can be pep talk guy in other circumstances. [He will fall into step with the firblog readily enough.]

[steepwithdead]

A terrible nagging team, we'll make.

[And off they go, towards the market.]

[grabaslice]

You'll get to the heart of the issue, I'll herd 'em over. Easy. [He jokes easily back as they walk together.

The market isn't terribly far from Caduceus home. The walk itself is peaceful, plenty to help Leonardo's agitation from earlier burn off. The gradual shift of the weather seems to have settled over the realm, even this far out. Slightly cooler air, paired with the shift of various leaves. A gentle breeze picks up, carrying the scent of fall around them, alongside a brief touch of chill. Not that the chill lingers too long. Winter hasn't sunk its claws into the realm just yet.

Well trodden dirt paths show this place remains popular even with the shift of the seasons and produce. Wooden stalls sit across from one another in a loose idea of an aisle. Some stalls are shaded, others going without. Signage advertises the price of specific fruit and vegetables. The market is busy for the time of day, Spirits and Star Children alike drift around checking out various items for sale. There are attempts at haggling, but nothing particularly heated.

It is peaceful, there is no other word for it. A kind of peace Leonardo occasionally files away in the back of his mind when he tries to remind himself of why he's here. Of why, he's trying to keep growing. He wants a world like this to live in. A world like this to see his son flourish.

A world where he can quietly take in moments and find joy in them. There is joy in the moment. In the company present. Occasionally his heart aches for the firbolg, but... it's something he can handle. He can love in a capacity that isn't too much, or likely to crush something like this.

Leonardo finds himself stealing glances at Caduceus as they walk, and idly skims over produce on display. The turtle's biggest opinions lay in picking out tomatoes, at least.]