Let Me
"April, a moment please…" Splinter takes one of her hands and looks up into her widening green eyes. He leads her away, from saying goodbye to the four brothers, to stop just outside the dojo. "Our family can never repay you for our lives, but…" He reveals an envelope, handing it to her. "We can pay for the pizza." He smiles and watches her hesitantly peek inside at the contents.
"Master Splinter!" April cries out and shakes her head. "How much is in here?!" Frowning she tries to give back the envelope.
"Michelangelo tells me you have been…struggling." He hides his hands behind his back refocusing his gaze upon her. Looking in his eyes she cannot deny her financial distress. Splinter absorbs her reaction, murmuring in thought. He asks her, "Are you?"
She blushes and laughs awkwardly. "I…uh…well, this will help." Inspecting the envelope again she clears her throat and unable to disguise her confusion she whispers, "But you guys don't…I mean…how do you even..."
"Wonderful!" He interjects brightly.
April is slack-jawed for a moment then she snaps back to reality as Splinter gently folds her hands over the envelope, to clasp it, and she bashfully thanks him.
"You are most welcome." He says warmly. "Now, it is getting late and I will retire. I am so glad you could visit. Let us make sure you have proper escort for your return home." He calls to his son with a sudden, measured, rumble. "Michelangelo!"
His son springs into action. Bounding over, Michelangelo stops on a dime, beaming, and declares with a bow, "Master Splinter..."
... ... ... ...
"Okay, Angel-Cakes, I believe you…" Gesturing at the stream of water separating the pair, he asks, "You wanna try an' jump this one then?"
April scrunches up her face at him, "Mikey…what did I say about that?"
"Okay, okay…" he laughs, "…April-cakes?" He awaits her reaction.
She rolls her eyes at him then focuses. "I can do this," she said to herself, backing up a couple feet in preparation. "I don't know why I am doing this, but..." She jumps across and lands on her toes – barely making it over the water.
She curses. Realizing she is losing her balance her arms desperately pin-wheel. On the last hopeless rotation of her arms Michelangelo catches both her wrists and holds her there - leaning back precariously.
April gasps as over her shoulder the mysterious water threatens. Looking up, she finds her 'anchor' standing there with laughing eyes and she squints back at him. Blowing a strand of hair from her eyes she feels his grip tighten.
"Guess I should've known this would happen," she says with a smirk and watches as several expressions flit across his face. Finding a devil of mischief suddenly sitting on her shoulder, she lowers her voice and offers in a honeyed tone, "But I'm not scared of getting..."
... ... ... ...
Hard. Life is hard. Michelangelo knows this. He also knows over the past few months his feelings have deepened for her.
April plays around in his mind all day. The two of them together? It was enough to drive a turtle insane. Because whether it was one of their late night conversations or precious time alone with her; they clicked.
Looking in her eyes now, he doesn't want to hold back.
With a gentle quickness, he pulls her upright to stand close to his plastron, completing her sentence, "…Wet?" The surprise is apparent upon her face as he releases her casually.
She backs away, sputtering and half-laughing. He watches her recover and all he can do is grin.
"I was gonna say…" April skips over to his side, smirking at him. "Dirty." He laughs and she says, "That was pretty close." She moves her jaw side to side like she is chewing on the next thing to say.
He takes a few breaths before agreeing with her words, wondering what is on her agenda tonight. He nods towards the ladder which leads up to the surface and into the alleyway outside her apartment building.
"You ready, April?"
"Yup!" She flashes a smile at him. "Wanna come up for a drink?"
Air! It is a strange feeling that engulfs him, like he's suddenly in a vacuum (outer space, not a Hoover).
What is she doing to him? He shouldn't have to ask himself, he is ready to burn up in her beautiful atmosphere.
"Yes, Ma'am," He replies in response to her offer.
April punches him half-heartedly on the shoulder. "Don't call me that either!"
... ... ... ...
April locks her door behind her and places her belongings on a side table. Trotting over to her window she keeps her apartment dark and slides her window up to reveal his smiling face.
"Trick or Treat?" He winks at her.
She giggles and moves back as he enters, joking, "Aw, don't remind me. I can't afford to do anything for Halloween this year."
He shuts the window, quickly turning on his heel to face her, his voice is incredulous, asking, "What?! No candy?"
"No costume either." She pulls a sad face. "Everything has got to go towards rent and real food."
Sounding very matter-of-fact he says, "Well, April, pumpkins are real food." She laughs, leading him to her couch to sit down, he continues, "We can carve some, make some pie and toast the seeds…"
He makes a grunt of appreciation as he gets comfortable on her couch while she reaches back for a small lamp. Turning back to Michelangelo, she smiles at him in the warm, low light. "You're right, that sounds like a date."
He glances at her, she laughs lightly and a few heartbeats go by. "So…" He clears his throat and spits out, "Y'know what else you can do?"
April draws her legs up onto the couch to face him better, asking, "What's that?"
"Make a costume!"
"Mikey, I'm not going to be a sexy..." She pauses and gestures with one hand, trying to think of a good sexy occupation. Remembering she used to be a reporter and now, a waitress, her hand flops into her lap. She had also accepted money from someone who, technically, didn't have a job themselves. She looks at him sheepishly giving a nonchalant shrug as she pushes away these dark thoughts.
"Hey now, listen." He leans in, smiling. "I'm sorry, but even if we put a sheet over you and called you a ghost," He nods at her. "You would be a sexy ghost."
April chuckles, trying to enjoy her time with him rather than dwell upon her lameness. Looking at Mikey fondly, she asks, "Okay then, what should I be?"
"Hmm." He taps a finger on his chin. "Got any old clothes?"
... ... ... ...
Michelangelo watches as April shuffles back into her living room with the giant box blocking her view. She peeks over at him and, as he takes the box from her, he laughs, "Wow, you were not kidding."
They sit back on the couch and huddle over the box. Opening it, they start pulling out various garments. Finding a long sleeve, white, button-down shirt, he notes it still has the price tags attached.
Frowning in curiosity, he asks, "So, what happened here?"
April's face lights up. "Oh, I can use that for work!" Grabbing it she holds it up to her body, smoothing it over her torso, musing, "Kinda big though…"
Realization spreads slowly across his face and he breathes out in wonder, "You have athletic socks and sunglasses, right?"
"What?" April looks at him.
... ... ... ...
April laughs and admires herself in her bedroom mirror. She yells to Michelangelo positioned on the other side of the door, "This is an awesome costume!"
"Cool!" Michelangelo's muffled voice filters through the door. "Now you can slide out here and 'take those old records off the shelf…'"
April chuckles and walks over to crack the door, seeing his eyes peering in sideways he says eagerly, "I will totally spot you, pleeeeese?"
She pretends to think about it and says slowly, "Hmm, I dunno, sounds 'risky…'"
"April O'Neil," Mikey proclaims as if starting a ghost story. "In the Spirit of Halloween, this needs to happen!" His eyes are working their magic on her and he scoffs. "C'mon now, I know you want to."
She cannot help herself. Smiling, she asks archly, "How about this?"
Mikey holds his breath loudly as she copies him by turning her head sideways to peer through the slightly cracked door. Winking at him she counters, "In the Spirit of Halloween, if you can put together an equally awesome costume right now, then I will."
... ... ... ...
April calls out to him, "Okay, Mikey, are you wearing a costume or not?!" Trying not to laugh she warns in a sing-song voice, "If you're not, I'm putting on pants!"
"Don't worry! I look completely ridiculous!" His voice carries and she peeks out of her bedroom, seeing the hallway empty. "I'm waiting with…" She sees his shadow move. "…open arms!" Approving of his general location she decides he would catch her if she starts to go down.
She opens her door all the way and steps out. "Okay! I'm ready? Are you?"
"Just really commit!"
April giggles and takes a breath, starting to run down her hallway.
... ... ... ...
April's socked feet allow her to slide on the floorboards into his view with her back to him. Time slows to nanoseconds as Michelangelo watches the hem of her shirt flutter. If she is wearing booty shorts he could not see them.
What a fox.
Like on ice, she glides to a stop right in front of Michelangelo, who was waiting with open arms, proposal style, on one knee. She turns to look down her nose at him, trying to be cool by slowly lowering her sunglasses.
Then she gasps and yanks them off her face.
... ... ... ...
For his costume, he had stripped off all of his gear and accessories. He only wears his mask, a white shirt collar around his neck and two matching cuffs around his wrists - Chippendale style.
April swallows roughly. And those tight black shorts…
He congratulates her. "Damn, girl, you nailed it." Looking up at her impressed. "That was amazing."
"…Amazing… " She repeats dazedly.
His hands remain splayed out as he cocks his head to the side in agreement, managing to look both humble and arrogant.
The weight of his stare physically warms her body; roaming over her bare legs to her reddening face.
Grinning he asks lowly, "You know who I am, right?"
He was Magic Mike.
The grin spreading across her face lets him know that, she knows. Anticipating what is coming next, she throws her flimsy sunglasses to the side and manages to say without laughing, "Just really commit."
Continuing to appreciate his costume, she fans herself dramatically, he chuckles at her and begins to stand. He comically adjusts his collar and cuffs then gets into 'character,' stalking towards her.
She hopes he's going method.
April squeaks as he forces her backwards with his bulk, in time to whatever music was playing in his head. It was her apartment, but she was still surprised when she hit the wall behind her.
Palming the wall, he leans into her personal space. Caught between his arms, she begins to laugh un-controllably. He quietly shushes her, reproaching her rude reaction and questioning if his costume is good enough.
She covers her face and then peaks out at him from between her fingers, nodding, while trying to calm herself from her fit of giggles as he stands toe to toe with her. She is trying to decide where her hands should go. Gently he places them on his shoulders and her eyes register that he means business. She takes a sharp breath. He starts tracing her arms with the back of his fingers, and then she exclaims softly as Mikey's wicked hands continue down each side of her body.
... ... ... ...
Michelangelo stalls at the hem of her shirt reeling over what his hands had, and had not, felt upon their journey. He hangs his head low for a moment, finding his voice he murmurs, "April…" He felt like he had never known temptation until he meets her eyes again and says, "You really committed to no pants."
She shrugs lightly. "Relax, Mike." Beginning to move her hands up behind his neck. "I know you're a professional." Doesn't she know that's making her shirt shorter?! "It's not like I'm completely naked under here." Killing him with that poker face.
He needs to take control so he sweeps her off her feet. Catching her in his arms the graceful action ends with her lying flat on the ground. Her squeals turn to laughter as he braces himself, hovering over her body, doing the 'worm.' Then performing one handed push-ups above her, he says, "I think I'm just gonna work out for a minute."
The jade in her eyes sparkles at him. He freezes mid push-up as one of her fingers sneaks in the waistband of his shorts, snapping the elastic.
"Too bad I left my wallet in my other pants." She looks at him innocently.
Leaning down, he boldly whispers in the delicate curve of her ear, "That's right, you did, girl." Feeling her body pressing into his, her throaty laughter ringing out he tells her, "Hold on tight." She does what he asks and he laughs at her excited mewl. Rolling over onto his shell he takes her with him.
She quickly props herself up on her elbows while continuing to lie upon his plastron, looking adorably disheveled.
She suddenly realizes 'Mike' is not done with her yet as his fingertips smooth back her dark auburn tresses from of her face.
Bravely, Mikey slides his hands down to her lower back, starting to playfully gather up the fabric of her shirt in his grasp, he exposes her more and more.
... ... ... ...
Just as April is about to say his name in protest of his action, in one fluid motion, he lifts her hips, sits up and guides her legs to straddle him.
With exasperation she puffs out, "Oh, my G…" Cutting herself off, suddenly feeling his hands upon her feet, he simultaneously whips both her socks off. "Mikey!" She yelps. "Don't you dare!" But it's too late. He leans too far forward for her to get any leverage and begins tickling her feet without mercy.
April realizes bouncing around in his lap in hysterics is not discouraging him and so she switches tactics. Hugging him frantically, she crooks one elbow and slips his mask off over his head, all the while gasping for air.
Everything stops.
Still panting in relief, April manages to whisper, "I couldn't breathe."
Just like the first time she met him on that rooftop, her heart is fighting its way out of her chest. She wonders if he can feel it. But now it beats for such a different, unexpected reason. She slowly raises up in his lap to meet his unmasked gaze, searching his eyes.
"Let me look at you…" Her voice trails off as her fingers snake over the lip of his carapace. She feels him squeezing her feet tighter as she brings her face closer to his.
... ... ... ...
Michelangelo needs to stop this ache in his heart, but only his heated whisper kisses her mouth. "Let me call you, Babe." He wanted so badly to hear her agree.
"Michelangelo…" He hears the hitch of emotion in her voice, watching her close her eyes.
And with unsure tenderness their lips meet. He embraces her while April's fingers gently cup his face. Their kiss dissolves like sugar as they hesitantly pull back to admire one another; Mikey in a state of unrivalled bliss as April looks at him like she's never seen him before.
"Can we do that again?" April whispers hoarsely.
Grinning, his hands work down her back, insisting, "Babe, we're just getting started."
... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
A/N: Thank you for reading really hope you liked XD and thank you to my Beta, DarkUnderworld!