#au asks

BUT- BUT- don't worry, I hear you about April&Casey interacting with him because I DO think that's something that needs to happen for this to shape out. So I did some intense musings, and I realized that everyone that Donnie knows probably thinks he's dead by one means or another, right? They'd all be told? WRONG.

There are a couple of people that I don't think the turtles would seek out immediately to tell. For example, Mr Murakami.

The chef who, when he hears Donnie's voice, knows who he is and makes small talk, thinking that he wants to place an order.

Lots of miscommunication happens- "Sorry-no, I'm not here to eat... Just to know if- you're hiring?" "Hiring? You are looking for a job?" "Yes!- please." "Where... Is your family?" "Oh, uh, I'm not... sure they want to speak to me right now." "No? What happened?" "I'm not... really sure..." between them where Donnie's playing it super polite but vague (he doesn't know this guy. He's not going to admit he knows NOTHING and is an easy mark) until Murakami thinks oh something happened between him and his family and they're not talking right now.

And Donnie's a sweet kid and has saved him multiple times, so of course he gives Donnie things to do to keep his hands busy. He tries not to talk about his family with him since it's a sensitive topic.

And obviously, with a 'random human in the noodle shop' the brothers can't go inside so they avoid running into him, waiting for him to leave multiple times, watching him walk away- Anyway the brothers never go inside when Donnie is in the building, but April and Casey have popped by while other people are inside. Murakami stays out of the way because he's not going to be involved where he doesn't belong, usually giving the teens room and caring for other customers.

I think the first time that they interact, April's tutoring Casey, and Donnie overhears them. He walks over to inform them that they're both doing it wrong and points out the right way to do it, much to both of their offense and annoyance. And though April's polite, Casey all but demands that Donnie buzz off, and he does so with a snide remark.

They keep interacting in the soup shop, forming a tentative friendship (they interact and briefly chat, nothing more that requires a name, he's just 'guy at the shop') that's shaky at best because he reminds them so much of Donnie that April thinks it's actually triggering her alien Feels. They try to have little to do with him when possible. Donnie stays away because even though he's- weirdly?- comfortable around them, he can tell they are uncomfortable or stiff when he's around.

Then (weeks? months?) later, April is talking to Murakami and says something about 'being glad he's gone' after he leaves and that upsets the poor man who's had to watch him be shunned for this long, so he asks, "what's been going on with all of them?" because he has noticed that the brothers "never come inside when he is" and frankly he doesn't think that it's right. What could he have done to earn his brothers' scorn this intensely for this amount of time?

It's clearly having an affect on him.

And April. Doesn't know what to do with this information.

Then she gets more. His name. His age. The day Donnie started working there. The fact that Murakami is sure- very sure- very sure- that he recognizes the voice. The fact that he's skittish about being touched and very reserved. The fact that he won't talk about his family.