Disclaimer: I do not own TMNT or anything to do with TMNT.

Challenge - Beginnings TMNT Challenge 001

AN: This story is : April/Donatello , It was made after I saw the challenge from months ago labeled Beginnings for tmntflashfic. Please enjoy and review!

The ridges of Don's brows furrowed, pinched together as his eyes squinted together with his tongue slightly stuck out in the corner of his mouth. His fingers carefully crossed wires, holding his breath with each completed set of wiring.

His eyes spotted a loose wire outside the contraption, and he groaned, rubbing a hand over his face with closed eyes. He wanted this right. No, better than right. He needed this perfect.

His hand moved past the contraption, he was working on, and he grabbed the small processor that would fit inside. His eyes looked it over for maybe the 109th time, but he wasn't counting. Nor did the time Mikey had it in his hands count. If Mikey touched something, the purple-masked turtle knew the item would need several things.

Check to make sure it was still working. Check to make sure it still looked okay, and check to make sure it had a "Mikey Do Not Touch" still attached.

He rubbed at his eyes a moment, holding back a yawn as he pulled the contraption over as he looked over the casing. His fingers brushed over the material, and he grinned at the feel under his fingertips. It was soft, warm to the touch just like he wanted.

He glanced over at the inventions he had to take apart while thinking of all the salvaging he had to do. Bones ached. His muscles stiff as he let out a light groan while rolling his shoulders. He took a quick glance at the clock, yawning with his eyes nearly staying closed with his head starting to droop.

He blinked, rubbing his eyes as the sound of footsteps were clear, and he straightened in the chair as he heard the door open.

"No Raph, I haven't gotten to it yet…" he mumbled before picking up one of the tools that he had lined up on a cloth on the desk. In order by size then by letter. Exactly in the right corner with the edges lined up exactly.

He lifted the tool carefully, not wanting to disturb the line-up.

"I ain't even said nothin' yet!"

The faint urge to cringe passed. Don couldn't help the feeling. Hearing the butchering of the English language that Raph and Casey loved to do was something he couldn't get over.

"About the motorcycle, right?" He pulled down his goggles as he started to work more on the internal circuitry while adding in more components. He checked each one carefully.

"Yeah. How ya even knew I was gonna ask that?"

"Because you've been coming in precisely around 2 o'clock for the past few weeks. Then after dinner, once you had your workout. Then once more, you'll pass by the lab. Slipping in after seeing Casey. And by the way…" he paused in his movements to take a look at his brother. The red masked turtle's mouth was agape with eyes blinking at him.

"I...what…?" Raph's brow ridges pinched together.

"Can you and Casey go ahead and get together. I don't feel like fixing a broken nose every time you chicken out on kissing him." he didn't even break a smile as he watched his brother's cheeks turn red. "Or giving stitches every time he decides to talk about a new girl at school, and you decide that's the best time to take down the criminal underworld by yourself."

Raph's eyes went wide, and Don started to jot down a few figures before hearing the small snap, barely paying attention as he heard the stuttering shorter turtle as he took a deep breath. Sharpener. He needed one.

He could hear his heart start to race. Pulse quickening as he pulled out a drawer from his desk. Every item in place and labeled. Paper clips to the bottom right. Stapler at the top with a box of staples to the right of it. Erasers to the left. Then…

"Aha!" he grinned at the sight of the sharpener lined up with the others next to the pencil case of the same color. Just as it should be.

"What ya so happy about?"

"Just glad to see everything in order." he smiled before taking the sharpener in hand and eyeing the rim trash can. "Raph can you answer something?"

"What is it?" His words were slow as Don thought more on the situation.

"Do you think I need a second trash bin?"

"Really Donnie? Out of all th-" Raph groaned. "You ask that same question all the time. Damn just get another one already!"

"It might throw the whole room off. And then if the area is off that means there's no balance. If there's no balance, then there's a lack of symmetry." His eyes widened, and he pushed down wanting to scream at his newest realization. "The world will plunge into chaos, and what then?!" Don's hands flailed as he looked at his older brother.

Raph pursed his lips, eye twitching. "Donnie…"

"Yes?"

"I'm gonna say this once. Ya listenin'?"

Don nodded, but his eyes kept glancing at the trash bin in the corner. Alone. Only one. No mate to it like everything else in the lab minus their collection of items from their battles. With that, he had a system. It was either that or not sleep at night.

"Cool…" Raph smiled, but Don found himself eyeing the upturn of lips.

"What?"

"JUST GET THE DAMN TRASHCAN!"

"Okay. Sheesh." Don shook his head at Raph's temper. "Master Splinter keeps saying you should watch your temper but it never sticks does it?"

"My temper!" Raph exclaimed while emphasizing the word "my." "How ya gonna talk about me when you just as ba-" he took a deep breath, mumbling numbers as his hands curled into a ball. His eyes were squeezed tight.

"Does...that work?"

Raph opened an eye. "Nope," he snorted before throwing his hands up. "I'm out…" he turned to leave but then paused.

The room fell silent. Minutes past and Raph still hadn't said a word. Don bit his tongue not to say anything, seeing his brother fidget slightly. It was an odd and rare sight, and Don knew he'd just have to wait for the older turtle to say it.

"Ya really think me and Case can make it work…" he asked quietly. "I mean we're…." he trailed off, and Don could see his brother bow his head.

"Both meatheads?"

Raph's head snapped in his direction and Don couldn't help the smirk growing on his lips.

"I was gonna say, different Brainiac." Raph snorted, crossing his arms while Don continued to feel smug from avoiding furthering his brother's temper.

"I don't see it" Don smiled at him, getting up and going over to the trashcan with the sharpener and pencil. "And you guys are driving the rest of us nuts who actually know how to form sentences and just say we like a person."

"That's big talk comin' from someone who still ain't asked out April."

"All that is going to change." Don ignored the nauseous feeling in his gut and the way his hands shook even as he thought of his plan. He rolled the pencil inside the sharpener, counting the number of times it did so.

"Oh yeah?"

Don's shoulders slumped a moment. "I hope so…"

"If she don't, she an idiot."

"Raph!" Don's head turned and looked at his brother shrugging.

"Just sayin'" Raph smirked, going out the door leaving Don feeling perplexed before starting to smile a bit at the warmth behind those small words. He finished up. Counting exactly at 40 strokes before making sure the sharpener was clean. Placing it back exactly where it goes before sitting back at his desk.

He started writing again. His tongue starting to dart out before he went back to the contraption and continuing to work on it. The work was sound. The equations were nothing less than correct. Nothing should go wrong. He breathed in and out, trying to drive away the nerves building up.

He stiffened at the sound of new footsteps, knowing the exact owner.

"Donnie?"

"Wait!" he yelled, hearing the twist of the knob as he quickly closed everything up. He gave it another look over, stumbling out of his chair while trying to get to the door. His hand reached out as he face planted to the floor, groaning as he heard the door open and a loud gasp.

"Are you okay?"

Hands went to his arm, and he started to lift up. His cheeks heated up, and he rubbed the back of his neck while looking at April. "Yeah...I mean yes. I'm fine. "

"You're sure?" she frowned, and he ignored the ache where he landed on his face to give her a smile.

"I'm sure" he smiled more, feeling his heart skip as she smiled back with sparkling blue eyes. "Um...I..." he tried to remember what to say as he looked at the freckles on her round face that stood out with her brilliant smile. Silky ginger locks were in a ponytail and his hand twitched as he looked at the long strands.

"Hello? Earth to Donnie?" her hand waved in front of his face, and he started to blink.

"Huh?"

She started to laugh. "Do you even remem-" her eyes widened as a loud yip sounded and brought her hands immediately to her face, covering her mouth and nose. "Donnie! You kno-!"

"I know! Just trust me" Don gave her a wide grin, going over to his newest invention as he picked it up and bought it close to April's face.

She moved to back away and Don only came closer as she narrowed her eyes at him and then at it. He swallowed, and started to fidget before wondering what next to do as he began to get a sick feeling in his stomach.

"Please?" he pouted, adding a quivering lip like he's seen Mikey do a million times. He hoped his brown eyes worked as well as his little brother's blue ones as he made them bigger and he heard a soft giggle from behind April's hand.

She slowly dropped it, coming closer before a long tongue licked her cheek and she let out a laugh. She took deep breaths. Her hands rubbing over her face before looking over the back of her hands.

"No sneezing. No rash. My eyes are fine…" April's eyes gleamed before hugging Don tight. "Donnie what did you do?" Her eyes shined as she grabbed the small furry critter in her arms as he licked her more. "Some new crazy allergy medicine? Because Rahzar beating me lately because I turn into a walking rash that sneezes is getting old."

Don's smile faltered. "I...I didn't think to…" he sighed as he did a facepalm. "No...I'm sorry April. I just remembered you looking at the puppies in that store we passed in patrol and how you said you could never take one home. I didn't even think to just make an allergy pill."

His shoulders slumped as he let out a long sigh. He was supposed to be the smart one. How could he not think of that?

"I'll get on it right aw-"

His eyes went wide as lips pressed to his softly and April pulled back with a blush.

"I love it Donnie" she smiled, and he couldn't help but smile back. Feeling her move close to him and lean back with her nose against the little puppy.

"He looks so real. Acts like it too." she giggled again, and Don's heart skipped a beat. "Just tell me one thing…"

"Oh, no you don't have to worry about any power source. I created it to work on solar energy, and I made it so it can store and use it efficiently. It also runs on a type of fuel by using the door it eats. And you can still give it baths, walks, an-"

A finger went to his lips, and she shook her head at him with a playful smile. "I was just going to ask are we getting together or not. If I keep waiting for you, we'll be in our 90s or six feet under."

He grinned and kissed her finger. "Actually turtles can live well past 100."

"Now you're just acting like a smartass." she laughed.

"Maybe" he smiled, moving his arms around her while she held the puppy android. "But if you liked dummies you would be with Casey right now. But then you'd have an angry Raph to worry about."

"Donnie!"

"I can't milk this just a little?"

"No but you can kiss me more" she whirled around to face him. She closed her eyes, and Don leaned in, thinking that was the best trade he ever made.