April gazed over the horizon at the New York City skyline as the sun began to set. The sky faded from a bright shade of blue to purples. Soon pinks, oranges, and yellows danced across the sky. What was left of the sun hit her face, bathing her pale features in warmth.
A figure appeared beside her and she could feel the porch swing creak from the new addition, it's weight shifting.
"Here. It's fresh from the kettle, so be careful."
"Thanks..."
She felt the mug be placed in her hands and the warmth that radiated from the cup made her skin tingle. April glanced over at the companion that had just joined her. Karai faced the sunset, her light brown eyes seeming to be not brown but ember in the sun's rays.
This had become their ritual for the past few years since Karai and Leo had ended up together. When she had left her father behind...it was a rough process, but with time the ninja had come over to April and Donatello's home now and then and it had slowly became a tradition where they ended the weekdays by watching the sunset every Friday evening. Just them and their cups of green tea.
Most of the time, they didn't speak. Didn't really have to. Karai had never been a woman of many words, so it made it less awkward and more enjoyable. Sometimes they'd sit there even well after the sun had set just enjoying each other's company. Sometimes the stars would come out and they'd take turns pointing out the different stars and constellations.
Donatello, with time, learned to leave the two women alone. He and April had married two years back and had had a baby girl who he kept either inside or busy visiting her uncles to give 'mommy' and 'aunt Karai' their space. That's what she loved most about her husband, that she never had to ask or say anything. He just got her. Understood her. She couldn't love him more for that.
If you had told April that she and Karai would become close friends years ago, she would have scoffed at you and called you insane. Especially with everything Karai and April's family had been through.
April remembered the times they fought, especially one on one. She pictured the cat fights and how badly she had been beaten up in her head...it was a miracle that they were even sitting together as they were, she supposed.
When Karai had given up her ways to be with Leo, April was probably the last to welcome her. And she knew the ninja probably didn't blame her. Karai had a sense of...lostness about her. It was less than how it used to be when she had first joined April and the turtles...but it was still there.
When Karai had ended up at April and Donatello's place a few years ago, April was too shocked to really be upset. She had this far off look in her eyes and April knew she had to put aside this internal vendetta for the time being. She had made the woman tea, plopped her down on the porch swing and they sat together and watched the sun set. Karai never said anything, just sat there. But April could feel the thanks Karai had for her without anything needing to be said.
And that's how it began. Whenever Karai felt troubled about something, she sought out April. She made tea, they watched the sun set, and that was that.
After the first year of that, Karai had begun to break the silence. She began to voice her fears of being a new mother, of being a wife to Leonardo...she'd talk about the strange feeling of missing her father now and then and how she can't help but wonder what she should do with her life now that what she had lived for ended up being a big fat lie.
April never said anything. Just listened. And she knew Karai was thankful for that. She couldn't look at April as she talked, just stared at the sun talking like she hadn't been able to discuss how she felt in years, which was probably the case. April couldn't imagine the Shredder being a cuddly kind of guy to listen to all of this...she was glad Karai felt comfortable enough to open up to her.
The thing was, the more Karai joined her and talked about life...the more April came to respect her sister-in-law. It was weird hearing Karai talk about life like that. It was as though April had forgotten that Karai was still human deep down, not just someone who had once been an enemy.
And even when April herself needed to talk or rant...she was shocked to find that Karai listened. Really listened, not the semi-listen or not at all crap. She really took in April's words and gave insight when she thought was appropriate.
That was probably the turning point for April where she accepted Karai not just as a friend but as family as well. She looked forward to the days where they could sit together with their tea and watch the sunset. Felt comfortable in knowing that they could say anything at any time and the other wouldn't judge.
April was thankful that their random nights where they sought each other out for comfort had turned into a beautiful family tradition every week. She and Karai had something to bond over that was theirs and theirs alone.
The red relaxed into the back of the swing and sighed, sipping her tea. Karai followed suit and the women watched as the sun disappeared behind the skyscrapers in a blast of colourful brilliance.
April glanced over at Karai once more and felt herself smile. It was funny how something so small could draw two people closer like that. How two people who were once enemies could bond over tea, a sunset, and a porch swing could become not just family but also the best of friends.