A/N: Apologies for the slight delay. I may be doing some post-posting editing on this one. Comments always welcomed ~ Please enjoy!
11. NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT
"Yer WHAT?" Raphael almost screeched the word as he landed a heavy thump on Michelangelo's desk.
"I said: I'm going to meet her."
"Tell me yer kiddin'"
"We've arranged a safe place - for the both of us - and we're going to meet face to face and get to know each other a little better and see where it goes from there, y'know? I guess-"
"Face to FACE?" Raphael's face twisted in rage. He'd believed Michelangelo to be somewhat foolish and often times lackadaisical, but obstinately stupid? "Yer outta your gourd."
"It's gonna be fine."
"Mikey, it's a good thing ya have six fingers, or ya wouldn't be able ta count past five."
"I know what I'm doing, okay? Will you just chill out and trust me for once?"
"When have I ever not trusted you?" Raphael roared back, "All I've ever done is trust you, so how 'bout you listen ta me fer once?"
"I always listen to you, Raph. I'm sick of listening to you."
"Well, good luck. Do what you want. Just don't come cryin' ta me when she runs away screamin'."
.
Maybe Raph was right? Maybe she flaked?
Yeah… maybe. Or maybe she died. Or maybe she split a cab on the way downtown and met Prince Charming. Or maybe the Langoliers had worked their way through her part of the city and were heading on over.
Or even worse – maybe she just flaked. The thought alone made his intestines wince in dread.
Michelangelo sneaked a look around the corner of the feminine care aisle in Chang's and saw nothing but the neon racks of candy stacked against the register counter. Damned if that row of Butterfingers didn't look good enough to solve ninety-nine problems.
Quit thinking of food!
He slunk back and tugged his hoodie forward, twiddling with the cord that pulled it tight. Just as he had hoped, the place was empty, save himself and Li. It took a solid week of recon to deduct a lull in the early evening trading - between Seven and Eight p.m. - when the majority of customers were either just home or just eating. But it was not that he was out alone in Chang's that had him on edge. It was just that this particular set of circumstances were far from usual. Enough for him to completely miss the jingle of the stores door bell.
"Just relax," he whispered to himself, "just take it as it goes and it'll be fine. Be cool. Be cool. Be the leaf… flow in the wind… be the lea-"
A melodic voice, bright as silver, cut short his mantra: "Uh, Mikey? Is that you?"
"Mm-!" His stifled his sentence mid-scream – 5 octaves too high – and swung around
"R-Rider!"
BE THE LEAF!
He cleared his throat and tried again.
"Rider. How are-" Michelangelo lost all thought, his vision suddenly glazed with syrup and ice-cream. In front of him stood the girl he recognized from the snapshot he had obsessed over for the last eight months– curvy and slightly knock-kneed with loose curls hair peeping from beneath her periwinkle blue beanie. "Oh wow, you're so pretty."
For a split second, he was certain he had let any good first impression evaporate, but she merely rolled her eyes and giggled.
"As if. And you're, like … well, to be honest, I can't really see much of you under there - but I'd recognize that voice anywhere! It is SO good to hear it in person."
"It is?" he tugged his hoodie down further, reducing the slit to a sliver, "I mean... you too, Rider!"
Dimples deep enough to cradle marbles appeared in her pink cheeks.
"Okay, I kinda have a teensy confession to make. It's Renet." She put forth her hand, "And now my not-so-secret secret is now your secret!"
The very idea snagged and blazed bright in his mind.
"A secret name? You mean, like a secret identity?!" Michelangelo scooped up and shook her hand with both of his. "That's freakin' awesome!"
She peered down.
"Two hands, huh? Ha! I like it! " Renet's other hand joined his in the shakefest in the middle of the store, "So… like, what do you think it even means, anyway, shaking hands? Is it like, waving 'hello' really, really close?"
Michelangelo shrugged; his hidden grin as wide as the ocean.
"I don't know? I don't think I've ever shaken anyone's hand before."
"Really? You like, totally seem like a natural."
"Thanks! Hey – you, too!"
A solid minute passed before she asked -
"Do you think this is getting weird?"
Chang Li bothered to lift his gaze to shoot them both an odd look. They released each other with an embarrassed titter.
"Note to self," he muttered, "Keep it short and sweet."
"Note to self," she repeated, "Mikey has the best intel."
They both laughed before falling back into an awkward silence. Bolstered by a nervous energy, Michelangelo was the first to ease back in.
"Uh… um. So, hey – remember that thing I had ta tell you?" he motioned his head towards the standing freezers at the back of the store, "Well, maybe it would be better if we went and talked back over there a little more?"
"Wait, is this, like, about-" She lowered her voice, genuine concern in her eyes, "your disguise?"
Nerves gnawed at his stomach. She caught on fast. Well, either that or she was curious to see if it was worth her time schlepping here to meet him.
"Yeah. My disguise." He sunk his fingers into his neck and scratched, "Well, sort of my disguise."
"We don't-" Renet paused and offered a friendly gesture of her hand, "we don't have to do this unless you're comfortable. I totally get it. We've been talking online and on the phone for ages! There's no rush. I mean…" She pinched her forefinger and thumb into a circle and peered through it, "if there was something up about you, I would have seen it by now, right?"
She dropped her fingers and offered an encouraging grin. It was just the push he needed. Enough to know she was willing to take the risk. It was the least he could do to offer the same.
"Yeah. You're right. I wanna do this."
His heart thumped in panic as they made their way in a blaring silence, until at last they wedged themselves between the end of the pet food aisle and the freezers. He waited a beat trying to collect his thoughts, before lowering his voice enough to keep the conversation strictly between the two of them.
"Rider… uh, Renet. I've gotta tell you something," he looked to the far end of the store where Chang Li couldn't be less interested, skirting his gaze back to settle on a dust coated bag of kibble. He released a shaky breath, nervous to the core, and continued:
"Now, don't freak out – but I gotta warn ya that I look kinda different. I mean, I'm the same as everyone else inside, but, uh – my outside is not what most people would consider- well, what anyone would consider normal, probably. But I promise you, I'm just a regular guy that loves regular things. All that stuff we talked about? That's true. That's me. But if you think that's too weird, and you don't wanna know me more… that's totally cool, too. I mean, I'd be super bummed- but… I'd understand." His body seemed to grow heavy with regret, "The whole situation is kinda weird, I guess."
He glanced up to gauge her reaction, and to his utter astonishment, she didn't seem phased in the slightest.
"Want to know something funny, Mikey? I'm normal on the outside but really, REALLY weird on the inside. So… maybe we can both just be weird together?"
He went still:
"Renet, I don't think you're weird. I think you are amazing."
A small huff escaped her as cheeks went from pink to red.
"You are TOO nice - you really are a big weirdo, ARGH!"
To his abject horror, his verbal diarrhea took over:
"Heh. Speaking of weirdos, what did one doughnut say to the other? Weirdo. Get it? We're dough. What did the doughnut say back? And nuts." He forced a chuckle followed by a deflated sigh. "I am so sorry about that. My brother says I should take my show on the road- but I don't think he meant it as a compliment."
"Your brother might be right!" she laughed.
Raphael was right about another thing, too. She would run at the mere sight of him. This amazing person, who literally smelt like Christmas, would bolt.
"Yeah." He dropped his head in defeat. "Sometimes he calls them."
"Are… are you okay? Do you, like, get low blood sugar or something? I've got a candy bar in my purse, I mean, it's just half a Butterfinger – I had the weirdest nerves coming over here and had to eat something. Silly, I know."
Michelangelo's jaw unhinged (how could she know?), and tongue locked firm, long enough for his silence to inflate and the buzz of fluorescent lights to grow stronger in its place. This would be how she would see him, he realized - under the unforgiving lights of Chang's corner store. Not that it would matter a great deal how bright the damn lights were. Unless it were pitch black. And he could see the how the whole meet up would unravel – he would reveal his face. The End. His biggest goof to date. And then he knew something else – this would not be how it ended between them.
"I'm sorry, Renet. I'm so sorry, b-but I gotta go."
He turned on his heel, clipping a row of ramen noodle packets to the floor, but before he could move further, he felt her catch his elbow.
"Wait!"
His body fell limp. She was touching him. Through layers of nylon and wool, yes, but still- it was the first time a woman had ever really touched him outside of April. Punches notwithstanding.
"Did I say something wrong?"
"No!" he insisted, the sound almost muffled to nothing beneath his disguise. "No." he said again, softer.
Satisfied, she released him.
"Well, you can't leave me hanging here like day old sushi!" Her eyes flickered over him, lost, he was certain, at being unable to read his obscured face. "Maybe we could go somewhere more private… if you want to?"
The suggestion left him nodding.
"Th-there's a roof not too far from here, and it has the best view of city. If, uh, if that's not too creepy for you?"
Her face melted into sunshine once more.
"That sounds totally great."
.
They stepped outside into the windy night, piercing the cold in their warm outerwear, as he guided her towards the quiet residential apartment that he had once frequented for sparring sessions. It had been a good six months since he had last been there. Not that he expected it to be one iota different from the previous dozen or so years since he had been going. Except for one remarkable difference. By the time she glanced over at him and lifted her eyebrows in anticipation, he knew he was done for.
"So, where is this place?" she asked brightly, somehow making the cold seem both magical and non-existent.
He shoved his hands further into his pockets, and tipped his head to the left.
"About half a block away. Are you sure you don't mind? It's kinda cold out tonight and it can really get down into ya bones that high up."
"This?" She upturned her palms, "This is nothing. I don't mean to brag but I could, like, probably walk barefoot in the Arctic. Winter baby here."
"You'll need it, 'cause where we're going is high and cold. But it has just about the raddest view this side of Chinatown."
"Ohhhh. Sounds totally intriguing – wait, it's safe, right?"
"With me around? Not a problem."
A drunken group of revelers weaved past them, capped in matching Viking helmets. Renet spun around and began walking backwards, watching them go, before spinning back to walk by his side.
She gave a sheepish giggle, "Sorry - for a second I thought it was maybe someone I knew. Honestly, it'd be the last thing I need right now, no joke. Like, ugh, what does a girl have to do to get a moments peace?"
"You just randomly bump into people you know all the time?" Michelangelo said, brow raised in astonishment, "Wow. You sound way too popular not to be my friend."
Renet's laugh lit the air around him.
"Tell that to my boss. He'd just love it if I was on the clock twenty four-seven! As if! I don't even get paid! And like I don't have a gajillion other things I'd rather do."
"Like this, you mean?" Michelangelo said, gesturing to the sidewalk in front of them.
Renet gaze skipped across the clusters of people streaming to and fro, rugged up and in a rush. Her eyes fell straight back to the ground with a knotted frown.
"Trust me. Interning is not all it cracked up to be. It's all dusting and coffee runs and total bullshit."
"Yeah. I get ya. Training can be a real pain in the sh- uh, butt."
"Tell me about it." Renet agreed with a roll of her eyes, "Wouldn't it be nice to just, like, escape to some warm beach somewhere and do absolutely nothing?"
A loud ripping roar of a motorcycle cut into their conversation from the block back by Chang's. Michelangelo knew the sound anywhere. The awful afternoon came rushing back...
"Mikey? Hello? You drifted off there a second."
"Oh crap."
"What is it?"
"Raph." he said between gritted teeth, "I can't believe it. C'mon."
They picked up pace and turned down the alleyway, Renet squeezing out:
"Who?"
"My brother." he said between gritted teeth. He guided them to the rear alcove of a closed restaurant and stopped, "I'm so sorry about this, but do ya mind waiting here a sec with me 'til he bounces?"
Renet paused a second, then gave a slow nod.
"Sure."
They remained motionless, ears pricked. The motorbike idled from the entrance of the alley, its lights slicing into the dark. For a very brief moment Michelangelo was certain he was going to turn down and find them, effectively screwing up things more than he had already.
Renet placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"Should we be scared?" she whispered.
"He's marshmallow, really." Michelangelo said quiet as a shadow, his eyes not moving from the direction of the bike, "Yep. A marshmallow someone's left over the campfire too long."
"We're not in trouble, are we?"
"No. No way. He's just got it in his head that I can't look for out for myself."
At long last the motorbike revved up and gunned it, the high pitched whine floating away. Raphael had left.
Michelangelo released a heavy breath, "I am so sorry, Renet. That was embarrassing."
"Are you joking? That was awesome! This is best time I've had in like, a long, long time."
"And I thought I never got out."
"I'm serious. Let's get to that roof."
He gave an obedient salute: "Yes, ma'am."
They turned back into the alley and trotted to the base of the tenement fire escape. He glanced over at her.
"You sure you still wanna do this? It's kinda scary for the first-timers."
C'mon." Renet urged him on with a gentle shove, "We gotta beat the rain!" She gazed up, shielding her eyes from a security light mounted on the side of the building to the ladder that was still rigged up a story off the ground. "So… how are we going to do this, exactly?"
Well. He didn't learn ninjutsu for over fifteen years to not be able to show off.
"Hey. I got you, girl."
From his inner side pocket, Michelangelo pulled out his kusari-gama, whirling it by his side before flicking it up and catching the lower rung. Renet stepped back, a little taken aback by the weapon.
"Here we go-" One tug had the ladder careening down. He caught it as it neared the ground, slowing its speed to near silence. Always the ninja. "Need a boost?"
By the time she offered her gloved hand, Michelangelo had lifted her up and catapulted her up halfway up the ladder.
She gasped until she caught a rung and clasped tight, checking her footing.
"Whoa, you really are strong." she said giddily, her boots clanging on the rungs as she ascended upwards towards the second story. "Like, I know you've told me you're being home-schooled in martial arts, but that was so cool!"
"You should see my brother." he joked, "He likes to press bench cars for fun."
Renet glanced back down over her shoulder, "You should tell him they have those jack things nowadays. So much easier."
Michelangelo snorted, "I'll tell you one thing, he really digs it when I point out the obvious."
They hopped atop the fire escapes first story platform and peered up through the steel grating to all the levels above. Another nine flights of stairs remained above them.
Yap yap yap yap yap yap yap!
A Chihuahua had come to life behind the nearby window. They froze. One too curious a resident and they would be caught on the spot. Tonight was their lucky night, as a woman's muffled shout silenced the night once again. Renet's arms fell limply by her sides.
"That was so close." she whispered, holding back a chuckle.
"A little too so close."
Her gaze shot upwards.
"I wish the roof was close. Lucky I had an energy drink last week, or I'd literally die from exhaustion."
He tossed out a muted laugh. He didn't know if she knew it, but she was really funny. A new idea struck him, it dithered in his mind only a moment, unsure if she would go for it.
"Hey, I gotta better idea." He stepped towards her and lifted his arms wide open, "Grab on and hold tight."
It took only a moment for Renet to register. Two steps closer and she had clasped her arms around his neck.
"Like th-"
She didn't even finish get to finish the question when Michelangelo jumped atop the railing and started bounding between the steel platforms. Within seconds he had neared the top, Renet holding him in a death grip, until his feet patted the rooftop.
"Okay, we're here."
Renet opened her eyes to the city that ribboned the horizon in a smattering of light.
"Mikey, this is AMAZING! Oh my God, I can, like, see water between those two buildings over there! Holy moly!" She turned on the spot then peered over the buildings edge, "Wow. You're quick, too, huh?"
"That's me." He said with an odd sense of pride. Then gave a brief frown. Yeah. Being quick wasn't always a good thing. "Er... quick."
Renet laced her fingers and dropped her head.
"That was a compliment." she assured him. "I know tonight has been kinda strange... but I'm having a good time."
"R-really?" Michelangelo stuttered, until twenty seconds ago, he was sure she probably never wanted to see him again, "Are you... sure?"
"Sure I'm sure. You're right about the cold, though. Brrr. But it was worth it - this place is unreal." Her gaze wandered across the murky roof top and straight up to the dark and cloudy sky above. "Can you feel all the static in the air?"
Yes, he certainly could. Michelangelo followed her line of sight to where flashes of blue light popped in the clouds. It was beautiful. Vibrant. Alive. He had never felt it more.
"I didn't think you were even gonna make it to Chang's tonight." he confessed.
A troubled look crossed her face.
"I didn't think I'd be able to stop you from leaving. If I pushed you too much, Mikey, I'm sorry. Maybe we could just hang out more? No pressure."
"A-and do what?"
"Well," she drawled out the word as she swept her gaze towards the small peephole to his face, "do you promise not to make fun?"
He nodded, crossed his heart, then kissed his finger.
"Promise."
Renet pressed her cold hands against her cheeks, well aware she was blushing. She dropped them and gripped the railing edge instead.
"Okay, this is SO embarrassing. But I'm telling you this so we're even in the shame game. Okay." She gestured towards her ample bosom as her face warped: "I know I don't exactly look like it, but I'm like, a huge dinosaur nerd. I mean, I guess it's kinda obvious with the amount I ramble on about those Dinosuit comics."
He tried to hold back a squeal of excitement.
"You? Get outta here!"
"It's totally true! I'm embarrassed to admit this, but I've always had a thing for reptiles."
Michelangelo choked back a cough as Renet continued unabashed:
"Wow. I feel so much better getting that out. It's literally social suicide to say things like that! But I've always had a feeling about you, Mikey, it's like you get me."
"It is my dream come true," Michelangelo said earnestly, "to meet someone who can quote Trunaki when he takes off the Dinopresident suit. Dream. Come. True."
Renet thumped her chest and pitched her voice lower.
"These idiots would vote for a meteor if it promised to lower their taxes!"
They both laughed, genuine and full of joy. The laughter petered out. Renet swung her foot by the building ledge.
"So, anyway," she said softly, "NYCC might be a great place to go incognito. I even heard the creators of Dinosuits were going to be there this year. How cool would that be?"
The wheels in Michelangelo's head churned as he vowed to do exactly that. He didn't know how just yet, but he would do anything. Wear anything. Fake anything. To make it there with her. His heart pinched inside his rib cage as he asked what had been on his mind since the moment he saw her.
"Can I ask you something?"
She shrugged, "Sure."
"Why me? Why did you choose to talk to me? Don't take this the wrong way, but wow – you'd just have to look at someone they'd be like: Hey, Team Renet, all the way. My avatar is a picture of my cat. And you know what they say about that. I mean, I love the little guy, but –"
The point remained unspoken. Renet practically squirmed on the spot.
"Are you sure you want to know?"
"Yeah. Sure. I mean, I think I do?"
She sucked her bottom lip before relenting: "It's was… what you wrote in your profile description."
Description? Michelangelo wracked his brain. His voice strained curiously.
"That my dream body swap would be with Godzilla?"
She clapped a hand across her forehead.
"Did I say profile? Ugh, sorry, I meant signature. Although… the Godzilla thing is totally my area code."
"Oh, signature! That." he said with a grin as the quote dawned on him, "I got it from a fortune cookie. Thought is sounded neat. And funny. Kinda like me, if I do say so myself: Today is a gift-"
"That's why they call it the present." she finished with a beaming grin. "That's the one. I believe it, you know. I had it drilled into me since I, like, can remember. Today is a total gift."
"I feel kinda stupid saying it was from a fortune cookie, now."
"Not stupid. Fate."
Her eyes latched to the shadow that obscured his face. Fate. This was something special. All he wanted to do was rip of his hoodie and feel it on his skin. Renet bumped gently into his side.
"So, are you going to tell me why you tried to run away? Was it the garlic pizza I had for lunch?"
"No. Renet, you're-" he dropped his head, "so awesome." he finished off deflatedly. "I guess I was thinking that maybe it would be better if we don't…"
"Don't what?"
"Mess it up." he said flatly.
"That's it?"
Renet stepped beside him by the brick parapet, and yanked off her beanie. Silver-blonde hair streamed around her serene face as she peered the ten stories down to the road below. The traffic crawled along in silence, beams cutting through the chilly evening. At last she continued:
"Do I know all about mistakes. I live with them all the time. Because sometimes, no matter what you do, you can't change them. Even when you try. Even when you do everything in your power. So they just play over and over in your head until they make you go either completely crazy or completely numb." She gave a strange giggle caught between sadness and joy. "And then there are the mistakes that you wouldn't change for anything. This is definitely one of those."
"I gotta warn you, Renet. Under here-" he pointed to himself "Not normal. Off-the-books, not normal."
She brought her gloves to her mouth and breathed warm air into them.
"It's okay you know. Before I started interning I spent a whole lot of time volunteering with people that are very different on the outside. My dad thought it would be good for me and I thought it was going to be so lame – but he was right. I learned so, so much. But mainly I learned that if you really want to know someone, you let them show you who they are." she turned to him and placed her glove atop his, "You've already showed me who you are, Mikey. You really don't have to stress out."
"Really?"
"Trust." she said, her grin widening, "It takes a lot more than green skin to get me all milkshaked."
His stomach dropped and rolled as it tried to put out the fire of panic.
"Y-you know I have green skin?"
"Sure!" Renet leaned over and tugged the cord of his hoodie, "I mean. I'm not totally blind. I can see the teensiest bit of your face under there."
She glanced down at their mittens, "Hey, wanna know something else funny? Blue and orange are totally complementary colors!"
"They are?" Michelangelo he said, scrunching the orange glove April had knitted for him, for a second unsure if he should ask the question: "Uh… what does that mean, again?"
She flashed her even white teeth.
"It means they go great together."
"Oh. Really?"
"Yep."
Michelangelo took a deep breath. Even Renet heard it.
"So… you won't freak out?"
Renet waited only a moment before crossing her heart and kissing her finger. She finished it with a wink.
"Okay…" he breathed, inflicted with the slightest tremor.
His hands rested on the rim of his hoodie, hesitating only briefly, before flipping it back off his face. Her face fell still. Her mouth a straight line. Michelangelo gave the weakest attempt of a smile:
"Surprise…"
A brilliant tree of lightening streaked across the sky. A crash of thunder rumbled in the distance like war drums. Perfect timing, he thought glumly. He gulped and waited, hands wringing inside his gloves. To his alarm she began swaying. He darted out and caught her by the elbow as she began plummeting to the ground.
"Whoa, there. I gotcha... I gotcha."
He eased her onto the cement and crouched beside her. Well, at least it wasn't a completely unexpected or unknown reaction.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." she mumbled to the ground , clutching her stomach hard enough to crease her coat into waves. Michelangelo's brow furrowed. He had actually made her physically ill. This was all going on an express route to hell in a hand basket.
"Are you okay?" he said gently, "Do you need something? Some water or-"
Renet shook her head.
"Sugar."
She plunged into her handbag and pulled out a mauled bar of candy, peeling back the wrapping to take a generous bite. Her posture eased as she made light work of the mouthful. She glanced back at him and lifted the remainder by his lips.
"M-me?"
She chewed, gulped and nodded.
Michelangelo lowered his head and cracked off a chunk with his teeth. It had been months since he had eaten real candy, having been living on hot cocoa alone until his funds matched his appetite. It was sweeter than he remembered. Sweet enough to ebb away the strange migraine that had began to manifest at the back of his head.
"Mmm, g-" he stopped short as a peanut fragment caught in his throat. The coughing fit began. Followed seconds later by the first icy specks of rain.
"Mikey!"
Alarmed, Renet rocked to her feet and slapped his back, pausing only to marvel the strange hard dome beneath his jacket.
"Oh no! Is that working? Oh, please don't choke, I'll never live it down!"
"I'm cool,*COUGH COUGH* I'm the leaf, *COUGH*, oh man."
His spluttering died out until at last they stood, eyes locked in silence. Thunder crackled in the distance as the rain began to fall. Her eyes went huge, sparkling like diamonds. Michelangelo's breath caught in his chest. She could see him now. There was no doubting it. At first he thought she were crying, but his brain quickly corrected it to fear – it had to be, right?
"Wow." she whispered beneath her breath, "It never gets old."
"Huh?"
Renet's smile perked up once more, crinkling the outer corners of her eyes.
"Hi, Mikey. It's so nice to finally meet you. It felt like an eternity."
.