Donatello's eyes were glued to the computer screen in front of him. Oblivious to the fact that Raphael had pushed through the beads that gave little but some privacy to Donatello's room. It wasn't until he heard Raph's voice coming from right next to his face as he leaned over to look at the screen from over Don's shoulder that he jumped.
"What the..." Raph said.
Donatello slammed the lap top shut and turned around in his seat.
"Raph! What are you...can't you learn to knock or something?"
Raphael frowned at him and then burst out laughing.
"It isn't what you think!" Donatello sputtered. Raph sprinted from the room, the beads danced in his wake.
"Splinter!" Raphale yelled, still laughing hysterically.
Raph...Raph...RAPH!" Donatello cried out after him but it was too late.
He burst into the living area of the lair where Raph was doubled up in glee. His hands were on his knees as he caught his breath to speak. All eyes were glued to Raphael.
"Donnie was watchin' a dirty movie on the computer!" Raph gasped in between words, pointed an accusing finger at Donatello and surrendered to another merciless bout of laughter.
"What is this?" Splinter asked and rose from where he'd been sitting with Mikey on the couch.
Leonardo placed the newspaper he'd been reading to the side and watched Splinter carefully from where he sat at their kitchen table. Stunned silence filled the lair for a moment. The silence soon broken by the muffled snickering coming from Raphael. Donatello's expression was one of horrified embarrassment.
"L...let me explain! I was looking up something, my circuitry burnt out again and I did a search for hot circuits...I clicked a link when all of a sudden all these images started popping up and before I knew it I was at...at a site."
"Whoa," Mikey said. His chin rested on his hands which were folded atop the back of the couch. His big blue eyes flicked from Splinter to Donatello to Raphael who had stopped snickering and had more or less composed himself.
Leonardo sat perfectly still. He looked from Splinter to Donnie at a loss for words.
"I see," Splinter said quietly.
"If it was an accident, why didn't you just exit out of there right away?" Raph asked with a smirk.
Splinter shot him a look and he crossed the room to the kitchen shaking his head as he did.
"Okay," Donatello looked miserable, "I...I admit that I was curious." Don shrugged. "Once I was there, I just wanted to look at the, um, parts? Biological curiosity?"
The smile Raphael shot Donatello was vicious. "Yeah, right. Why? Think you and April would ever get that far?" He snorted.
"NO!" Donatello snapped, his voice cracking. His face instantly reddened from his throat to the top of his head.
Everyone started shouting at once. "That was cold, Raph," shouted Mikey. "...can't believe you!" shouted Leonardo, standing. "...wrong with you?" Donatello yelled. "Give me a break! I didn't do anything wrong!" said Raph. "Shut up, Raph!" Mikey hollered. "Make me!" Raph shot back.
"Enough!" Splinter's voice cut through the noise and the room fell silent.
Leonardo looked at his younger brother. Donatello's eyes were bright and his face remained a deep scarlet color and Leo thought he's either going to be sick or run out of the room. To his surprise and deep respect, Donatello did neither. He stood his ground.
"I mean..." his voice cracked again, but he went on, glancing around at his siblings, "...aren't you a little curious to know?"
"To know what exactly?" Leonardo asked carefully. All eyes were on Donatello.
"Well, if...if we're...compatible."
He glanced at Leo who had his head down but eyes on Donatello. Leo blinked and looked at the floor. Don looked at Raph who stood with arms crossed and wouldn't even glance at him. He was concentrating on a crack in the wall across the room like he'd be quizzed on it later. Mikey, however, stared with wide-eyed wonder back at him.
"Well, yeah." He said. "I am!" he added enthusiastically. "Are we combatible with girls?"
"It's com-pat-ible." Donatello said quietly.
"With a P." Added Leo.
"What difference does it make?" Raph suddenly shouted. He shook his head in disgust. "It's not like any girl is going to ever want anything to do with us. Not like that. We're just freaks to them!" He brought his fist down hard on the table.
"Raphael-" Splinter started.
"I don't want to hear about it!" Raph spat. He spun around and stomped out of the room. After a minute they heard music blasting from his room and the muffled pummeling sound coming from the punching bag.
Splinter sighed and crossed to where Donatello stood, still holding the laptop in his hands. He placed a claw on Donatello's shoulder, addressing the three of them.
"There are many splendid things in this world," he paused, "physical love being but just one of them."
Leonardo stared attentively at Splinter taking in every word, not moving a muscle. Mikey blinked and nodded.
"I was just curious, Splinter," Donatello said softly.
Splinter nodded and patted him gently on the arm. He reached out and took the laptop from him.
"Let your curious mind rest, my son."
He placed the laptop on a shelf in the kitchen. The subject dropped. With a saddened expression on his face he walked out of the room as well without another word to them, leaving a stunned and thoughtful Leonardo, a still embarrassed Donatello and a very confused Mikey left standing awkwardly in the kitchen.
After a while, Donatello cleared his throat and said to the room, "I have some work to do."
Leo nodded, "I should go meditate."
Mikey sat down heavily on the couch and started up another round Street Fighters Unite. The sounds of Raphael punishing their punching bag continued into the night.
